Today, a Federal judge in Denver ruled that the law known as the Stolen Valor Act is unconstitutional and violates the First Amendment. U.S. District Judge Robert Blackburn dismissed a case against a man claiming he was an former Marine who was wounded in Iraq and received the Purple Heart and the Silver Star because the law violated the man’s right to free speech.
To say that I find this judge’s interpretation of the law offensive is putting it lightly. Apparently, the law is “fatally flawed” because it doesn’t require prosecutors to show anyone was harmed or defamed by the lie. The problem I have with this ruling is that every lie is intended to gain an advantage that one wouldn’t normally have by telling the truth. Telling a girl (or a guy) in a bar that you are a war veteran and have a war wound you’d like to show her back in your apartment is substantially different from a man claiming a false identity as a wounded combat vet and raising money using that identify. The Stolen Valor Act correctly addresses the latter and not the former.
The harm the Stolen Valor Act defends against isn’t against an individual harm, but rather against a society harm as a whole. The people who serve in the Armed Forces don’t do brave things for medals, but medals recognize the brave things these people do. When others are permitted to improperly reflect in the glory of these heroes without punishment, censure or consequences, we are all diminished. (“When everyone is special, no one is.”)
This ruling is very personal for me as I wrote here. I’m just disturbed that I can see the harm in this fraud. Why couldn’t the judge? The Denver Post story is here.
The slowed economy has broken the financial backs of many local municipalities and communities. Among the hardest hit in California has been local public service departments, such as the police and fire departments. The northern region of San Diego County is no stranger to financial pain, but some communities here have found an inventive way to spread the discomfort to others.
Eight months ago, the North County Fire Protection District was the first in the county to start charging everyone – residents and outsiders, at-fault and not-at-fault – for auto accident service calls. In other words, if you’re involved in an accident on or near I-15, you will get a bill from the Fire Protection District if they respond to your accident. It does not matter whether they respond to clean up an accident scene or to rescue a person trapped in a vehicle, everyone is going to get a bill.
There was a time when providing rescue services was assumed to be part of the taxes that you paid. That is no longer the case. So, how much will you be billed? NCFPD currently charges anywhere from $435 to $2,100 depending on how much equipment they have to deploy. They use a collection agency to retrieve the accident report to see which party was at fault and then bill the insurance company accordingly. The collection company gets to keep anywhere from 15 to 20% of that amount.
You don’t have to be a genius to know two things will happen:
1) The insurance companies are going to pass this billing back to its customers in the form of higher rates for all.
2) People will be more willing to flee the scene of an accident if they believe that they are likely to be billed an additional $2,100 for being involved in an accident in first place.
Accidents are always costly. But if you are going to have an accident in northern San Diego county, be sure to avoid having one around I-15. It will be cheaper.
Tonight, President Obama will outline his strategy of the completion of our current mission in Afghanistan. It has been more than eight years since President Bush launched the war in that country in response to the al Qaeda attack on the United States in September 2001.
As it turns out, the latest reports are that we came surprisingly close to capturing Osama bin Laden, but let him slip through our fingers as we were distracted by the initiation of a new war effort in Iraq. There are many who wish for us to pull out of Afghanistan altogether just as we are in the process of pulling out of Iraq. To me, that is wrong thinking. The people who did us grave harm in September of 2001 are in Afghanistan and to paraphrase Dennis Green, former coach of the Arizona Cardinals after losing to the Chicago Bears, " We can’t let them off the hook."
CNN has done a very good job in putting together a sheet of frequently asked questions (FAQ) regarding the deployment of the 34,000 troops increase the president is expected to announce tonight. This increase will bring our troop strength up to over 100,000 troops in the country. The FAQ is located here. We simply cannot allow al Qaeda or the Taliban to wiggle off our hook this time. Collectively, they have already demonstrated that they have the ability to strike us on our own streets. This troop surge is a good start to eliminating them as a threat permanently.
Unless you’ve lived in a cave for the last several days, you’re probably aware that Oprah Winfrey plans to take her show off the air in September 2011. 
Yet, if you listen to the chorus of voices filling the airwaves, you would think the end of the world is near. Television is filled with images of a crying Oprah announcing her decision, crying women in despair over this pending change in day TV and newscasters reading copy normally reserved for the dead.
I have a small suggestion. Why not save this media love-fest (“love” was not my first word choice) until the woman actually leaves the air. We all know that she will win an EMMY either this year or next for the best daytime talk show. Until then, let’s save this kissing/groping fest for a time when it is really warranted. Like when she is gone.
On April 17th, 2009, I made a prediction in my post, Assuming Malice, as to how I thought Domino’s would respond in light of some unfair and negative publicity. For the record…I love being right.
In San Diego county, through 3 May 2009 (tomorrow), if you order a pizza from Domino’s they will give you one of their new Breadbowl Pastas for free. The catch? You must explicitly ask for the free bowl and it’s only free if they can deliver it – no carry out. This makes perfect sense and is great marketing. Free food and a chance to rebuild the confidence of their customer base. It’s a great idea. Glad I thought of it. 
If you happen to not live SoCal, call them anyway and ask if they’re doing the promotion in your area. What have you got to lose? Me? I have to go play the lottery now. After all, I might be right again.
Bill
RSS feed
