When it comes to basic legal rights, there’s no room for moderation.

Other people have been better at blogging the French riots, but I think there needs to be a bit more analysis on how French “universalism” is fueling the outrage we’re seeing.

This bill is something everyone should be able to agree on.

Best one-liner nominee: “Personally, I view the continued health of Pat Robertson to be evidence there is no God.” –John Cole, responding to Rev. Robertson’s claims that Dover voters have “voted God out of [their] city.”

It seems that the Bush administration is working furiously behind the scenes to scuttle any US intervention to stop the genocide in Darfur. Absolutely appalling.

Compare the morally bankrupt Bill Frist with Andrew Sullivan, Geoffrey Stone, and every Republican with a soul.

Can anyone give me a good reason to oppose this? Because right now it seems to be another Obama coup–a bill that both is unabashedly progressive and uncontestably justified. At the very least, barring voter suppression should be the flip side of the new emphasis on cracking down on voter fraud. Illinois’ Junior Senator strikes again…

That’s the conclusion I come to in my latest Debate Link post.

The Supreme Court has granted cert in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, to determine whether the military commissions established by the Bush administration to prosecute detainees are constitutional. A few preliminary thoughts on the subject here.

President Bush just came flat out and said it: “We do not torture.” And I’ll come flat out and say it: He’s lying.

I’ve got a post over at The Debate Link exploring a variety of recent points, arguments, and issues about conservatives and the judiciary. Topics include Alito, Scalia, originalism, the 9th Circuit, and extremists. Check it out.

I’m attending a lecture tonight, so no major blogging. However, I have reprinted an article I wrote for one of our on-campus journals about race colorblindness. It’s entitled “Race LASIK”, and I invite all of you to check out and leave comments at The Debate Link.

John Cole’s new liberal co-blogger has, in my opinion, the best take on Reid’s invocation of Rule 21.

It’s been buried what with Libby, Alito, and the Senate’s closed section on pre-war intelligence, but this is actually important news. The judge originally slated to preside over Tom DeLay’s corruption trial has been removed.

Could the case be made that Scooter Libby’s revelation violated the Espionage Act? Publius of Legal Fiction says no, I say yes. Two law geeks, toe to toe, on obscure questions of statutory interpretation! Who will win? Hop on over to The Debate Link, and decide for yourself.

My Hebrew teacher has an interesting grading rubric. Out of 40 points, 35-40 is “excellent,” 29-34 is “very good,” and “0-28″ is just…”good.” Meaning that when I’ve gotten a 40% on one of my pop quizes, I’ve seen “TOV” written in green ink (Tov = Hebrew for “good”). It’s very amusing–I’ve often wondered if there is any work bad enough to breach my Professor’s seemingly impenetrable shield...

…regarding sanctions on Syria? Iran’s call to destroy Israel? I give my thoughts over at The Debate Link. The Debate Link: Where other people besides Harriet Miers and Patrick Fitzgerald exist.

There’s a lot of important events in the world today. Let’s not forget that genocide is one of them. Eric Reeves has a must-read article over at TNR. Don’t forget.

But finally, I have proof!

A truly appalling post by Steve Gilliard, in which he photoshops an image of Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele to look like a “sambo”. Part of me wants to put the image on this site here, so you have to see the depths of depravity this man sunk to. But I refuse to pollute Joe’s site with such naked racism. Instead, I’ll just provide the link, so you can, if you wish, see it for yourself. I provide an extended commentary at my own site here. Gilliard deserves round condemnation...

WNBA MVP Sheryl Swoopes has come out as a lesbian. In an America that remains badly homophobic (and certainly, the WNBA gets more than its fair share of stereotyping), this took courage. I salute her–but hope for a day when a gay or lesbian athlete isn’t news.

Great article in the Washington Post on gay rights in Africa (H/T: Hilzoy. For my part, some classic “blame the West” analysis here…with the twist that I go after the left too.

My thoughts on blogger influence, past, present, and future. It also includes a reprisal of my “blogger code of the ethics,” which runs as follows: 1) I will not be a partisan hack, nor will I engage in hatchet jobs on my political opponents that are grounded weakly or not at all in facts. 2) I will focus predominantly on issues, not personal lives or other tangents. While instances such as Rathergate deserve some attention, they don’t deserve ALL of our attention and certainly...

Latest set of polling has a lot of bad news for the GOP, and just as much good news for Democrats. 2006 could be 1994 all over again (except without a victory by the forces of darkness).

Today may be the last chance we get to speculate on the Plame scenario before the indictments come down and everything goes up in flames. Unlike many bloggers, I’ve said relatively little about the scandal. For one, my co-bloggers here have done an excellent job covering the issue. For two, I have a serious conflict of interest (I want to see Karl Rove rot in hell). So for the most part, I’ve kept quiet. Before the case breaks open and the blog-wars start flying though, there are a few...