Daily Archives: Feb. 24, 2007

Open thread

Feb. 24, 20071:05 a.m.

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Open thread | Comments (185)

Which candidate could pass the seven-minute test?

Feb. 24, 20071:04 a.m.

Columnist George Will has a scenario he thinks voters may use as they measure presidential candidates’ readiness on national security. This is how he phrased it recently on ABC’s “This Week”: “Nightmare scenario. You’re the security adviser. You’re awakened in the middle of the night. You have three minutes to get the details of an attack coming on the United States. Then the president, who you notify, has four minutes to answer. That’s seven minutes. Which candidate fits the seven-minute question?”
OK, bloggers, which 2008 wannabe would perform best?
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Presidential race | Comments (45)

It’s illegal to ask about something that is legal?

Feb. 24, 20071:03 a.m.

It’s difficult to get beyond the hypocrisy of Lonnie Latham, the prominent Baptist minister from Tulsa who championed anti-gay legislation but was arrested for asking an undercover policeman to have sex. But his lawyer’s arguments during his trial Thursday made sense. He noted the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that laws banning gay sex are unconstitutional. “Now, my client’s being prosecuted basically for having offered to engage in such an act,” he said, “which basically makes it a crime to ask someone to do something that’s legal.” The prosecution responded that the state still has laws against — and an interest in controlling — public solicitation for that type of sex, the Tulsa World reported.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Crime | Comments (36)

Egypt and Kansas both criminalize speech

Feb. 24, 20071:02 a.m.

Freedom-loving people everywhere should be appalled that an Egyptian blogger was sentenced to four years in prison this week for insulting Islam and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. But freedom-loving Kansans should bear in mind that Kansas has its own criminal defamation law, complete with jail time and fines. Worse, lawmakers are happy not only to keep the obsolete law on the books but also defend it from time to time. “It is still ironic that the U.S. Department of State encourages countries around the world to do away with criminal defamation laws, but here in Kansas we still have one,” Senate Majority Leader Derek Schmidt, R-Independence, told The Eagle editorial board this week. For the record: Civil court, not criminal court, is the proper place to fight it out over free speech.
Posted by Rhonda Holman

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Kansas government | Comments (9)

Sebelius doing Sunday show on C-SPAN

Feb. 24, 20071:00 a.m.

FYI: Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is scheduled to appear on C-SPAN’s “Washington Journal” from 8 to 8:30 a.m. Sunday for a live interview and to field calls. Sebelius is in Washington, D.C., attending the National Governors Association winter meeting, which C-SPAN is also covering. If you miss the show, supposedly it will be archived at www.c-span.org.
Posted by Phillip Brownlee

By Phillip Brownlee | Filed under Kansas government | Comments (6)