Three Cheers for Justice Alito

When Justice Samuel Alito was nominated to the Supreme Court, I did not imagine that I would be singing his praises – ever – let alone so soon as this. Last week I was appalled to learn that the Supreme Court had struck down a law that banned videos depicting animal cruelty. Mental health professionals know that one of the early signs of sociopathic behavior in children and teenagers is cruelty to animals. It is unthinkable that the court would strike down this law on the basis of freedom of speech. Justice Alito was the lone dissenter in the 8 – 1 decision. In his dissenting opinion he wrote, "The First Amendment protects freedom of speech, but it almost certainly does not protect violent criminal conduct."

Apparently videos in question included dog fighting and crush videos in which small animals are crushed by a woman’s high heel shoe or bare foot – a bizarre sexual fetish. I only have two questions:
1. Are these Supreme Court Justices completely out of touch?
2. How soon can congress pass a new law that is not “too broad and vague,” as this court claims, so that we can stop protecting such violent behavior?

The last time I commented on a Supreme Court decision in this blog, I said it was not dark yet, "but it's gettin' there." Now we see another questionable decision and this time the single ray of light comes from Justice Samuel Alito. Thank you, Justice Alito, for being that ray of light!



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