Wired reports that 3,533 sex offenders have had their Facebook and MySpace accounts terminated under New York State's 2008 e-STOP law.
Legally, I doubt there's any criticism to be made (it seems perfectly legitimate); however, morally, I think this measure is unnecessary. Aren't these men released from prison because they are considered fit to re-enter society? If New York State is so seriously concerned about their sex offenders' presence on social networking sites, maybe they have a good reason to review their sentencing guidelines. Instead, they've opted to pass legislation that further marginalizes individuals who have served their time.
It's fine to think, in one's personal capacity, that sex offenders have done something unpardonable. It's also fine to decide that you won't invite a sex offender over to your barbecue or let them take your kids to the park. That's all perfectly all right. That said, it's something else entirely to have this attitude reflect in public policy. In fact, I'd say it's flat out contradictory. This type of law just further cements the notion of the ex-convict as a second-class citizen and denigrates confidence in our justice system.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Meep
Displaying what seems like a total disregard for constitutional rights, Principal Thomas Murray of Danvers High School in Danvers, MA, has prohibited the usage of the word "meep" on school grounds in both written and spoken form.
As expected, this decision has garnered a lot of negative attention, particularly since Attorney Theodora Michaels wrote Principal Murray a rather lengthy, comprehensive e-mail:
Ms. Michaels received a reply from Principal Murray stating that her e-mail had been forwarded to the Danvers Police Department. Principal Murray is obviously convinced that such an e-mail is, somehow, illegal.
In all honesty, I'm taken aback by the absurdity of this situation.
As expected, this decision has garnered a lot of negative attention, particularly since Attorney Theodora Michaels wrote Principal Murray a rather lengthy, comprehensive e-mail:
An open letter to Principal Murray of Danvers High School (MA):
Meep.
Sincerely,
Theodora Michaels
Ms. Michaels received a reply from Principal Murray stating that her e-mail had been forwarded to the Danvers Police Department. Principal Murray is obviously convinced that such an e-mail is, somehow, illegal.
In all honesty, I'm taken aback by the absurdity of this situation.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
How to Achieve Change
The rather controversial state of Puerto Rican politics has taught me a whole lot about people. Are you dissatisfied with the politicians your country democratically elected to make difficult decisions that necessarily affect the populace? Do you think that it's perfectly fine to violate other people's rights in order to defend what you believe are your own? Heck, maybe you just want lots of attention and like the idea of possibly showing up on television. If so, keep reading!
GO GO GO!
Fool-Proof Method for Achieving Change
1. Get really, really pissed. Must not know why.
2. Make a sign. Wield it menacingly.
3. Stand in the middle of road; block traffic.
4. Chant. Make sure to sound indignant.
5. Burn tires.
6. Spray paint desperate-sounding messages on everything in sight (e.g. the road, security dividers, nearby vehicles). Bonus points for misspelling words due to obvious state of overwhelming rage.
7. If asked about intentions, immediately allude to the legacy of former "freedom fighters" in loud, commanding voice.
8. If or when police show up, shove into them repeatedly. If they shove back and/or restrain you, scream bloody murder and accuse the government of being "fascist."
9. ???
10. Profit!
GO GO GO!
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Cross-Posted @ Twitter
Today, a minority group of glorified extortionists attempted to strong-arm the government. Unsurprisingly, their whims were not catered to.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Cross-Posted @ Twitter
The first step in understanding why communism cannot work is to realize that men aren’t actually created equal.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Cross-Posted @ Twitter
Michael Moore's $20 baseball cap doesn't make his $2000 Armani suit any cheaper. Criticizing capitalism sure is profitable.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Fun Times at the UPR
Today, the University of Puerto Rico’s student body anxiously awaits the outcome of a meeting between the university’s Syndicate Committee and the Hermandad de Empleados Exentos No Docentes (hereafter HEEND), one of the university workers’ unions.
In a little over a month of classes, the HEEND has gone on strike several times, barricading entrances to campuses across the island and forcing the central administration to cancel classes. Every morning, I dread the possibility that I’ll drive all the way to the university in rush hour traffic only to encounter a mob yelling for me to go back home. The workers are annoyed that the university has not honored their collective employment agreement, which calls for, among other things, a $140 monthly pay raise for its members. While the university has publicly stated that they will honor nearly all parts of the collective employment agreement, they cannot honor the pay raise.
Given the dismal economic situation in Puerto Rico (and around the world), the legislature passed Law No. 7 of March 7th, 2009 (“Special Law Declaring State of Fiscal Emergency and Establishing Integral Plan for Fiscal Stabilization to Save the Credit of Puerto Rico”), which included suspending the government’s obligation to honor raises resulting from collective employment agreements for the next two years. Law 7 does not apply to the University of Puerto Rico, probably because the legislature didn’t want to tangle with the heavy unionization of campus workers; however, Governor Fortuño called for the university to enact cutbacks at its own discretion. In turn, the university decided to not honor the workers' pay raise, true to the style of Law No. 7.
According to the UPR’s Human Resources Dept., the university is currently operating at a deficit of $105 million, which has been covered by funds from Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (hereafter ARRA). These funds cannot be employed in covering new recurring debts and thus cannot be used to honor the workers’ pay raise. There is simply no money to spare. The HEEND is unconvinced, so they’ve repeatedly made their dissatisfaction felt by forcibly shutting down the campuses.
Today’s meeting decides whether or not the HEEND declares an indefinite workers’ strike. This means that unless a compromise is reached (and it’s debatable if the HEEND is willing to compromise), it’s quite possible that Christmas break will be canceled so that courses can be wrapped up. If it gets particularly bad, the entire semester might be lost; if it comes to that, we students would be forced to retake the same courses come January, concordantly postponing our graduation. I realize these are all pretty dire scenarios, but we honestly have no good idea of what lies ahead.
Below is a picture taken six days ago, on September 10th, during the HEEND’s last strike:
Picture by Ricardo Alcaraz. (Click to view original source.)
They’re marching down the street laughing, cheering, and having a jolly good time. They sure seem to love the camera, too. Are these the faces of people who fully grasp the severity of their actions?
The other day, I saw a HEEND poster that read “Join us! Our battle is the same as the students’ battle!” Initially, I couldn’t believe it. These people had stepped all over us students and still had the audacity to claim we were on the same side. Sadly, there’s always someone who succumbs to pure rhetoric, and there’s no shortage of anti-establishment advocates roaming the UPR’s halls. Soon after, I read a newspaper article that quoted a student spewing the same nonsense.
The HEEND counts with about five thousand members. Across its eleven campuses, the University of Puerto Rico hosts nearly seventy thousand students. Let me reiterate: five thousand HEEND members have the power to displace seventy thousand students. We students have absolutely nothing to do with the collective employment agreement reached between the UPR and the HEEND, except that our tax and tuition dollars go towards the university’s budget; regardless, we seemingly have no recourse but to suffer the HEEND’s whims, whatever those may be.
You say you want a revolution?
In a little over a month of classes, the HEEND has gone on strike several times, barricading entrances to campuses across the island and forcing the central administration to cancel classes. Every morning, I dread the possibility that I’ll drive all the way to the university in rush hour traffic only to encounter a mob yelling for me to go back home. The workers are annoyed that the university has not honored their collective employment agreement, which calls for, among other things, a $140 monthly pay raise for its members. While the university has publicly stated that they will honor nearly all parts of the collective employment agreement, they cannot honor the pay raise.
Given the dismal economic situation in Puerto Rico (and around the world), the legislature passed Law No. 7 of March 7th, 2009 (“Special Law Declaring State of Fiscal Emergency and Establishing Integral Plan for Fiscal Stabilization to Save the Credit of Puerto Rico”), which included suspending the government’s obligation to honor raises resulting from collective employment agreements for the next two years. Law 7 does not apply to the University of Puerto Rico, probably because the legislature didn’t want to tangle with the heavy unionization of campus workers; however, Governor Fortuño called for the university to enact cutbacks at its own discretion. In turn, the university decided to not honor the workers' pay raise, true to the style of Law No. 7.
According to the UPR’s Human Resources Dept., the university is currently operating at a deficit of $105 million, which has been covered by funds from Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (hereafter ARRA). These funds cannot be employed in covering new recurring debts and thus cannot be used to honor the workers’ pay raise. There is simply no money to spare. The HEEND is unconvinced, so they’ve repeatedly made their dissatisfaction felt by forcibly shutting down the campuses.
Today’s meeting decides whether or not the HEEND declares an indefinite workers’ strike. This means that unless a compromise is reached (and it’s debatable if the HEEND is willing to compromise), it’s quite possible that Christmas break will be canceled so that courses can be wrapped up. If it gets particularly bad, the entire semester might be lost; if it comes to that, we students would be forced to retake the same courses come January, concordantly postponing our graduation. I realize these are all pretty dire scenarios, but we honestly have no good idea of what lies ahead.
Below is a picture taken six days ago, on September 10th, during the HEEND’s last strike:
Picture by Ricardo Alcaraz. (Click to view original source.)
They’re marching down the street laughing, cheering, and having a jolly good time. They sure seem to love the camera, too. Are these the faces of people who fully grasp the severity of their actions?
The other day, I saw a HEEND poster that read “Join us! Our battle is the same as the students’ battle!” Initially, I couldn’t believe it. These people had stepped all over us students and still had the audacity to claim we were on the same side. Sadly, there’s always someone who succumbs to pure rhetoric, and there’s no shortage of anti-establishment advocates roaming the UPR’s halls. Soon after, I read a newspaper article that quoted a student spewing the same nonsense.
The HEEND counts with about five thousand members. Across its eleven campuses, the University of Puerto Rico hosts nearly seventy thousand students. Let me reiterate: five thousand HEEND members have the power to displace seventy thousand students. We students have absolutely nothing to do with the collective employment agreement reached between the UPR and the HEEND, except that our tax and tuition dollars go towards the university’s budget; regardless, we seemingly have no recourse but to suffer the HEEND’s whims, whatever those may be.
You say you want a revolution?
Friday, September 11, 2009
Monday, September 7, 2009
Forget the Why
“Why did you decide to study law?” Each of my professors asked me this question sometime in the first week of classes. Pardon the insolence, but I don’t see why we students have to explain our reasoning. We put in the work to graduate from respectable universities with respectable grades, prepped for and took the required standardized tests, wrote essays, asked for recommendations, and dealt with all the other headaches of the application process in order to prove ourselves worthy of admission. Why then, after all is said and done, are we asked to account for ourselves in the classroom?
I believe that social pressures foment such a culture of appearances that it’s best to leave the “why” altogether unaddressed. An honest answer would have probably mentioned the relatively high salary and prestige that are associated with the profession, yet no one took that faux pas for fear of subjecting himself to the rancor of the crowd. While I can't speak for my classmates as a whole, I think it'd be advantageous to cut down on value judgment scenarios, especially given the rather large stack of cases we're supposed to be familiar with for the bar exam.
I believe that social pressures foment such a culture of appearances that it’s best to leave the “why” altogether unaddressed. An honest answer would have probably mentioned the relatively high salary and prestige that are associated with the profession, yet no one took that faux pas for fear of subjecting himself to the rancor of the crowd. While I can't speak for my classmates as a whole, I think it'd be advantageous to cut down on value judgment scenarios, especially given the rather large stack of cases we're supposed to be familiar with for the bar exam.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Cross-Posted @ Twitter
Let it be known: it's taboo to admit that the promise of a good paycheck had any role in one's decision to study law.
Cross-Posted @ Twitter
"The Constitution is a written instrument. As such, its meaning does not alter," though its interpretation often does.
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