Well, at least it's over
The most depressing Supreme Court term in recent memory, that is.
I can't say I'm disappointed with the Ten Commandments decision, although you've got to admire the chutzpah of a court that bans courhouse displays of the Ten Commandments from within a courthouse that displays the Ten Commandments. Oh well, no one ever accused them of lacking chutzpah, and I guess I should be content for any victory I get from this dismal court.
The Grokster case was depressing for me, however. I really didn't expect to win this one, but the fact that it was unanimous doesn't offer me much of anything in the way of consolation. The thing is, I had expected the Grokster case to be the most disappointing ruling on the docket. Needless to say, I didn't see Kelo coming down the pike. I guess file sharing sort of pales, doesn't it.
God, please do something about this honorable court.
Comments
How about this:
http://www.tmhbaconbits.net/2005/06/26/scotus-idiocy/
Posted by: Adam | June 27, 2005 01:15 PM
I'm admittedly torn on the file-sharing issue. If you lend your car and your gun to bank robbers, are you then partially responsible for the crime?
I suspect that the software makers know exactly how it is being used and are trying to hide behind an ignorance defense.
Posted by: CRB | June 27, 2005 04:42 PM
The dismantling of property rights by the SCOTUS is a landmark decision and, in my humble opinion, as awful in its implications as Dred Scott, in a way (yeah, I'll probably get flak for that). The way businesses in the US are, as soon as you give them any kind of edge, they all leap like stags to grab it. United got to palm off its pension plan. You know other businesses will be following suit and sticking the taxpayers with the bill. Now we'll see corporate theft of private lands right and left. Even if those attempts aren't successful, you know it's coming.
Posted by: G. D. Frogsdong | June 28, 2005 07:54 AM
I was kind of hoping SCOTUS would have gone even further and banned TC exhibits anywhere on public grounds. I think it is a good idea to keep government and religion as far apart as possible.
Like you, the MGM vs. Grokster case did not surprise me, although I was kind of hoping that they would have given more credence to the Sony Betamax decision. The Justices carefully pointed out the differences. Of course, I understand that this ruling will only affect commercial programs that allow file-sharing. I'm guessing amateur programs will continue to abound for years to come.
Posted by: TracyMiller | June 28, 2005 01:14 PM
Actually, there's nothin wrong with the ten commandments outside a courthouse, and I can dig the decision. I mean, when you think about it, there's really no difference between having a 10 commandments statue OUTSIDE only (emphasis on making them stay outside) and all the statues of "justice" and whatnot, which are derived from Greek mythology, which was religion at one point in time. Also, Moses is regarded as a lawmaker by the faithful AND the secular as a lawmaker (even if some of us believe he only passed them on, and didn't author them) on a par with Hammurabi. But I will agree w/ the supreme court in keeping the 10 commandments outside, because inside invites too many problems.
Posted by: ThatGuy | June 28, 2005 06:45 PM