Kent Willis | First Amendment Lessons: When Jerry Falwell Jr. defrocked the Democrats at Liberty University

Contributors

When Jerry Falwell Jr. closed down the Liberty University College Democrats, a student club, we at the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia were inundated with calls asking when we were going to file suit against the school for violating the constitutional rights of the club members.

Kent Willis | Virginia Fusion Center’s assessment of terrorist threat begs for assessment of Fusion Center

Contributors

Recently an alarming document titled 2009 Virginia Terrorism Threat Assessment appeared on the Internet. Produced by the Virginia Fusion Center, it is chocked full of assertions about terrorist activities in the state that will leave readers trembling with fear (if they believe it) or infuriated by governmental incompetence and prejudice (if they don’t believe it).

In the News

Contributors

– State News: Governor prepares Virginia for swine flu, posted Monday, 9 p.m. – State News: Ordinance banning panhandlers pulled off table in Richmond, posted Monday, 9 p.m. – Event: Yoga, human rights focus of one-woman show in Charlottesville, posted Monday, 11 a.m. – Event: Friday Night Lights in Downtown Lexington this week, posted Monday,…

Adam Schaeffer, Chaim Katz | Getting politics out of schools improves children’s learning

Contributors

Everyone’s still catching their breath from last year’s election season. However, all the nastiness is sure to fire up again now that Barack Obama has been sworn in. In fact, some of the inaugural season’s heat was generated when Obama announced that evangelical pastor Rick Warren would deliver the invocation at the presidential inauguration. Warren…

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Contributors

– State News: Kaine announces agreement on passenger rail in Lynchburg, Wednesday, 4:15 p.m. – Capitol Hill: Report explores defense-contractor case decline, Wednesday, 4:15 p.m. – Capitol Hill: Perriello proposes earmark reform, Wednesday, 4:15 p.m. – State News: Kaine signs law barring REAL ID compliance, Wednesday, 10 a.m. – Capitol Hill: GSA outlines proposed public-building…

Valley Blue Dog | GOP Diversity: Can’t we all just get along?

Contributors

Once upon a time, the GOP was monolithic with issues, so what’s up with the Republican Party of late? Over the past 30 years, the Grand Old Party has been reduced to mudslinging political infighting.  GOP Chairman Michael Steele calls this hot-butter popcorn. Popcorn? Not a chance. I believe it’s a case of true colors and say…

Haresh Daswani | The business of terrorism

Contributors

For those who have not gone through the dossier that was presented about the Mumbai attacks, the observations on how organized and well-funded these organizations are well-established. There are many major groups who are funding around $4 billion in terrorist acts for camps in Pakistan. Imagine if this amount was used for good; the country would…

Sam Singer | Taking government out of the “marriage” business: (Another) reconciliation on gay marriage

Contributors

For hurling same-sex marriage back into the Op/Ed cycle, we owe thanks to gay-marriage supporter Jonathan Rausch and gay marriage opponent David Blankenhorn, the joint authors of a widely circulated New York Times piece which seemed to steer the naturally polarized dialogue toward more civil waters. In it, they claim to have reached a “reconciliation”…