“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results,” so taught civil rights campaigner and feminist Rita Mae Brown. There is no more fitting maxim for the broken American system that in 2024 has allowed Donald Trump to return as a major political party’s presumptive nominee for its highest office. [...]
Search Results for: homelessness
US DOJ says Nebraska's excessive institutionalization violates civil rights of mentally ill
The US Department of Justice determined that Nebraska is violating the civil rights of residents with serious mental illnesses by unnecessarily segregating them into institutional settings. The case emerged from complaints by Nebraskans that the state was improperly subjecting mental health patients to segregation from general society, in violation of Title II of the Americans [...]
US Supreme Court split on whether to allow broader punishment for people camping in public spaces
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Monday on whether enforcing public camping ordinances against unhoused people without adequate shelter is cruel and unusual punishment and, therefore, prohibited by the Eighth Amendment to the US Constitution. The case, Grants Pass v. Johnson, originated in southern Oregon. The central question before the court revolves around the [...]
The Georgia state legislature advanced SB 189 Thursday, which contains new rules on which presidential candidates can appear on the state ballot and probable cause to challenge voter registration ahead of the 2024 elections. Under the proposed law, presidential candidates can appear on the state ballot if their political party “has obtained ballot access in [...]
Florida governor signs law preventing homeless individuals from sleeping in public spaces
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new bill into law on Wednesday that prohibits homeless individuals from sleeping in public spaces, such as sidewalks and parks. The bill, HB 1365, is set to take effect on October 1. DeSantis claimed the bill aims to address public safety and quality of life by ensuring homeless individuals [...]
Youth Caught in the Crossfire: The Devastating Impact of Myanmar's Conscription Law
For many of the world’s nations, domestic warfare is thought of as a thing of the past. Battlefields, mass killings, hostilities, guerrilla warfare, and wartime brutalities are little more than words in a textbook for much of the global population — a theoretical possibility that only currently affects distant populations. Sadly, this is not the [...]
Bob Rae, Canada’s Ambassador to the United Nations, does not shy away from tough questions. Though many in a position such as his might shy away from argument, Rae seems to relish the opportunity to engage in some intellectual sparring. It was in this context that I requested an interview as Canada grapples with multiple [...]
Canadian legal experts question proposed Alberta restrictions to gender-affirming care for minors
Thirty-six Canadian legal professors, experts, researchers and staff at the University of Alberta published an open letter Thursday expressing their “deep concern” about the province’s new restrictions concerning transgender youth, alleging the newly proposed policies will “harm Two-Spirit, trans, and gender diverse children and youth by undermining their education, restricting their access to healthcare, and [...]
France constitutional court rejects portions of controversial immigration bill
The Constitutional Council of France rejected on Thursday substantial portions of French President Emmanuel Macron’s proposed immigration law reform package. The legislation, titled “Bill to Control Immigration and Enhance Integration,” was initially comprised of 86 articles and was referred before the council by the President of the Republic, the President of the National Assembly, and [...]
Kentucky House committee approves toughened criminal justice bill
A Kentucky House committee approved a bill Thursday that establishes tougher penalties for various criminal offenses. One of the main components of House Bill 5 is its three-strikes provision, which would have people convicted of three violent felonies face life in prison. The bill also toughens penalties for the distribution of fentanyl, classifies carjacking as [...]