Should the People Decide?

Search Options	close
Search the following clips: All Clips

news science politics food economy art
technology health internet religion psychology

Sign Up Install Learn More Login


	Should the People Decide?

knslyr

3-16-2006 10:34 AM

391 views

tags:

abortion, gay, lesbian, marriage, law, constitutionality, supreme court, scalia

knslyr says:

If we are to define morality as the "social intelligence" of a people (rather than beliefs held by a specific religion or doctrine,) should a society be granted the ability to decide these "constitutional issues" based on the "morals" of its majority?

Supreme Court Justice Scalia had this to say...

"Anyone who thinks the country's most prominent lawyers reflect the views of the people needs a reality check,"

What are your thoughts?

2 Comments |

Add a Comment

3-16-2006 11:24 AM

knslyr

I personally feel it is criminal for judges to legistate from the bench.

3-16-2006 12:01 PM

rmowery

The way I see it is that the prominent lawyers cannot reflect the general populations viewpoints simply because it is a case of:

The have's versus the have nots. The religous beliefs of some to be pushed upon the few. Personal life and experiences as part of the judgin factor.

Login to Comment. Not a member yet? Sign up

Today's Top Clips

visit the Top Clips page

View the Top Clips from March 16, 2006

Embed This Clip In Your Site...

<div style="margin: 12px 0px; font-family: arial; color: #333333; background: #ffffff; border: solid 4px #e5e5e5; width: 100%; clear: left;"><div class="CM_CTB_Content_Wrap" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;background-color: #ffffff;"><div style="border-bottom: solid 1px #dcdcdc; white-space: nowrap; margin-bottom: 8px; background-color: #eeeeee ;background-image: url(http://clipmarks.com/images/source-bg.gif); background-repeat: repeat-x; height: 24px; line-height: 24px; vertical-align: middle; padding-bottom: 4px; color: #666666; font-size: 10px;" ><a href="http://clipmarks.com/clip-to-blog/" title="see clips that are hot right now"><img src="http://content.clipmarks.com/blog_embed/4c83bdf2-4198-4e41-81eb-8483625dea98/EA939837-8E4A-49B5-A188-708DED86D977/" alt="" width="19" height="19" border="0" style="vertical-align: middle; margin: 0px 4px; display: inline; border: none; float:none;" /></a>clipped from <a title="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/16/02331.shtml?s=rss" href="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/16/02331.shtml?s=rss" style="font-size: 11px;">www.newsmax.com</a></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/16/02331.shtml?s=rss"><FONT size='4'>Justice Scalia: Public Should Decide on Abortion</FONT></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/16/02331.shtml?s=rss"><P>
Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia railed against the era of the "judge-moralist," saying judges are no better qualified than "Joe Sixpack" to decide moral questions such as abortion and gay marriage.</P></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/16/02331.shtml?s=rss"><P>
The 70-year-old justice said the public, through elected legislatures - not the courts - should decide watershed questions such as the legality of abortion.</P></blockquote><div style="height: 2px; font-size: 2px; background: #dcdcdc; border-bottom: solid 1px #f5f5f5; margin: 2px 4px;"></div><blockquote style="text-align: left; padding: 0px 8px; margin: 4px 0px 8px 0px; background: transparent; border: none;" cite="http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/3/16/02331.shtml?s=rss"><P>
Scalia decried his own court's recent overturning of a state anti-sodomy law, joking that he personally believes "sexual orgies eliminate tension and ought to be encouraged," but said a panel of judges is not inherently qualified to determine the morality of such behavior.</P></blockquote></div><div style="margin: 0px 6px 6px 4px;"><table style="font-size: 11px;border-spacing: 0px;padding: 0px;" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tr><td style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;">&nbsp;</td><td align="right" style="background:transparent;border-width:0px;padding:0px;width:107px" width="107"><a href="http://clipmarks.com/share/EA939837-8E4A-49B5-A188-708DED86D977/blog/" title="blog or email this clip"><img src="http://content7.clipmarks.com/images/c2b-foot.png" border="0" alt="blog it" width="107" height="17" style="border-width:0px;padding:0px;margin:0px;" /></a></td></tr></table></div></div>