June’s Dobbs Supreme Court ruling effectively overturned Roe v. Wade and set off a firestorm of abortion-focused protests, debate, and fresh political campaigning across the United States. However, the contention has not stopped with abortion but has now spread to the marriage issue, reigniting the debate over whether there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. The re-emergence of this issue to the national spotlight was largely catalyzed by Justice Clarence Thomas’ statement in his concurring opinion to Dobbs that the past ruling on same-sex marriage in Obergefell is “demonstrably erroneous” and that the Supreme Court has “a duty to … Read More
The Religion of Cake
Bakery Cakes, Religion and Slavery … In the summer of 2012 a Christian baker refused to provide a custom cake for a “gay” wedding. Almost six years later, the case has finally received a Supreme Court ruling. Many groups including some free speech advocates and religious liberty advocates have celebrated the bakery’s victory. Unfortunately, both the media and our nation’s highest court have ignored the fundamental issues that should have been litigated. In the Supreme Court decision, the majority opinion held that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission’s action violated the free exercise clause of the Constitution and that the baker … Read More
Equality and Liberty: Friends or Foes?
An IPS Essay By Michael R. Winther Equality and Liberty: Friends or Foes? Equality is an often-cited virtue in our society, but depending on how we define equality, it may be more vice than virtue. What exactly is the equality that we think we value? Before we say that we favor equality, we must first determine what we want to be equal. What does it mean to say that we want equality for mankind? Do we want everyone to be of equal height, equal intelligence, equal talent, or equal wealth? An important premise: human beings have unequal talents Biological equality … Read More