U.S. Supreme Court: Post-Ginsburg Edition

defying the law seems like the least bad option in a sea of bad options tbh

It may seem least bad in a very shortsighted way, but it attacks the entire idea that the Supreme Court's rulings have any validity, which in turn attacks the idea that the federal government has any authority over the states. And that path leads to a madness a hundred times worse than this insane ruling.

That's kind of a funny argument to put to a Canadian tbh, but thank you for pointing out that the Cuomo restriction in question was not a full shutdown of religious services but merely a cap on attendance

pressing public health emergency more powerful than slippery slope argument imho

What seems weird to me is the argument that a religious service where 25 people are able to worship together is an undue burden on religious practices, just because they are used to having more worshipers together at one time. How about they just deal with it?

here comes some skippable rash invective, but it's not a "religious service", it's christians*. and christians can't be christians without claiming persecution. if they weren't persecuted, they wouldn't be christians. a christian has to be persecuted. are there any non-persecuted christians? NYC and DC are the new Rome and Babylon. it would be persecution to ask them to adhere to the same safety standards that others are following, even if it means more people die, christians and non-christians alike.

here are some ideas that i have about how they could safely worship together. all of these constitute persecution to a christian:

- they could limit the amount of people in their racist hangout clubs, holding multiple services on sunday morning, sunday evening services, tuesday shitty music practice, wednesday bible studies, thursday intense study for better christians, and saturday "i have really fucking sinned this time" services. 25 people at a time, staggered at least 6 feet apart. everyone else has to fucking do this, so maybe persecuted christians could take 1% of the effort they put toward making sure they're in heaven while their enemies burn eternally, and instead direct it toward real life for just a minute

- i guess that's my main idea. they can't do it, though, chiefly because of the persecution they're dealing with on a daily basis (mostly from me) as christians, but also because the holy spirit works through direct touching, manipulation, holy magic, magical thinking, and direct psychological warfare on young children who haven't yet processed the reality of every trusted adult they know in a room speaking in a language that they are clearly making up while also claiming to tap into a higher power that can and will influence the real world and lead to enemies burning eternally.

*"evangelical white christians", specifically, because other christians definitely aren't like this

in 1000 years this supreme court will be described as one that careened off the edge because a corruptly appointed majority still held fast in their worship of ancient spirits

of course, the idea that recorded history will resemble what actually happened is the cruelest joke of all. there's an equally good possibility that in 1000 years this supreme court will be described as one that nearly careened off the edge because a corruptly appointed minority nearly brought down the persecuted christians who were fighting very real battles against ancient serpents

*"evangelical white christians"

Plenty of Catholics on the SCOTUS right now.

*"evangelical white christians", specifically, because other christians definitely aren't like this

as always, my sarcasm is at 100% while my honesty is also at 100%, which i admit is confusing for everyone but also serves as a defense mechanism

KM, I agree with you in spirit, will also say that the Orthodox and Hasidic community have been pretty...uh.... irrational in their responses to Covid. I have a friend who escaped an ultra-Orthodox family in Bkln, and she told me that five family members have died and nearly all have gotten Covid since March. She has a big family, but still-- that's wild.

All said, it's definitely evangelical Xtian ideology that drove the SC decision.

honestly, i'd hate on any religion that has actively made the world a worse place, but i try to at least hold myself to the bare minimum of standard of talking trash on where you came from. evangelical christianity is my rural missouri, except imagine if rural missouri was dominating the u.s. supreme court and it was considered impolite to say what it actually is

in the foundational, inner-circle hall of fame texts of christians and jews there are stories about the true believers being protected from the pandemic plague while all the other bad, unbelievers around them suffer greatly.

it's no surprise that they think they're above physical laws of the universe - they are literally asked to think that and made to feel inferior if they don't really feel that way.

Wow. Y'all are writing long paragraphs tonight!

No dialectics with family to distract us

I hung out outside with my parents for an hour or so, it was nice, now I'm drinking a 120 Minute IPA and getting ready to eat some food.

ask hundreds of sweaty dipshits saying "la lalalala SHA lalal ah oh FYE lalal shambala nee EYE, oh nie. oh NIE, oh nie, SHAlalala i love you lord, lay your hands on this child and protect him" around a 10-year-old boy if that constitutes child abuse. massive, socially shared child abuse. cult bullshit, something they've all been through themselves, though likely only as adults.

but no, they're the persecuted ones. they have to be allowed to manipulate children in large groups, and get tax benefits at the same time, or else the persecution will have grown so out of control for them that the apocalypse will then be inevitable and imminent - which would of course mean that they have to pre-emptively strike at any muslims and other infidels who they must meet on the field of battle near jerusalem, as a triumphantly vengeful christ returns on a white horse and a blazing, blinding bloody sword of righteousness. but before all that happens, don't be surprised if the persecuted christians first turn an eye on closer infidels like me who are asking them to stop being so fucking racist all the time

xp nope, just me

but you are definitely not supposed to say the "vengeful returning christ leading the true believers in the end times, which will happen any day now" out loud, because that's persecution

wait, which thread is this?

lol, sigh. it does seem like there should be a separation of church and state, but that's such a progressive idea that i can easily imagine it coming to pass away and die during my lifetime

by the way, alfred, here's a tip on writing at length, straight from the gutter: when you don't have anyone else to talk to, and you don't get paid for writing, and no one's asking to read what you write, and you have a lot of thoughts and no outlet for them, and occasionally you can convince other disembodied voices on the internet to register some sort of acknowledgement that you exist, it's easy to write a lot

(waves) Hi, Karl!

what up Aimless! can i share a few thoughts on Revelation 19? it's one of my favorites.

Jesus will ride a white horse (11).
Jesus will be called Faithful and True (11).
Jesus’ eyes will be like flames of fire (12).
Jesus will where many crowns (12).
Jesus will have a name written on him only he can understand (12).
Jesus will have a robe dripped in blood (13).
Jesus will be called the Word of God (13).
Jesus will lead heaven’s armies (14).
Jesus will have a sharp sword in his mouth (15).
Jesus will release God’s wrath (15).
Jesus’ robe will say King of all kings and Lord of all lords (16).
Jesus will obtain better tax benefits for his believers (17).

https://i.imgur.com/dGqWnZe.jpg

Jesus will have a name written on him only he can understand (12).

(blockchain)

Hey Karl.

do you want a custom image too? i am actually not doing anything right now

sorry everyone, i think my account was hacked..a few months ago

hi Karl

Moe
Moe
Moe
Moe
Moe

Revelations Jesus such an underrated Jesus though.

https://i.imgur.com/elQ3R9b.jpg

revelations jesus says you gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em

revelations

coupla fake jesus girls here

relevations, imo

sic revels

christ, the revelator

I’d like to congratulate @BpDiMarzio and the @BrooklynDiocese on their victory for religious freedom in the U. S. Supreme Court. Our churches are essential.

— Cardinal Dolan (@CardinalDolan) November 26, 2020

^^^ the guy investigating DiMarzio re: multiple accusations of sexual assault of children

by the way, alfred, here's a tip on writing at length, straight from the gutter: when you don't have anyone else to talk to, and you don't get paid for writing, and no one's asking to read what you write, and you have a lot of thoughts and no outlet for them, and occasionally you can convince other disembodied voices on the internet to register some sort of acknowledgement that you exist, it's easy to write a lot

― Karl Malone

And you do it well.

It may seem least bad in a very shortsighted way, but it attacks the entire idea that the Supreme Court's rulings have any validity, which in turn attacks the idea that the federal government has any authority over the states. And that path leads to a madness a hundred times worse than this insane ruling.

― Respectfully Yours, (Aimless), Thursday, 26 November 2020 bookmarkflaglink

Insanity is...good now

The rule of law doesn't mean shit when 45% of the country and 50+% of federal and state gov't simply ignores any law with which they disagree.

should I return the pack of Certs I stole in third grade?

The law, in its majestic equality, forbids the rich as well as the poor to sleep under bridges, to beg in the streets, and to steal Certs.

So if, say, Breyer retired under Biden, or if anyone else suddenly retires or even dies (looking at you Thomas or Alito, how heathy can you be), assuming the Senate stays GOP, can't/won't McConnell just hold up the seat for 4+ years?

You bet!

Of course, because reasons.

xps

thank you alfred. and i'm sorry to everyone who read...that, yesterday. i know it's not cool to keep doing that and keep apologizing, and also that i get a longer leash than most because most of you are familiar with my shit.

anyway...mcconnell's reasoning for not filling a retired SC seat during biden's term will be ____?

a) the longstanding tradition of the senate dictates a SC nominee must not be confirmed by a senate held by the opposing party
b) the democrats broke the sacred trust of the senate by invoking the filibuster during GWB's 2nd term - no more SC justices for them
c) the democrats were the ones that did not confirm gorsuch. they refused to hold a vote on gorsuch, and instead waited until obama was president and then installed SC justice merrick garland instead. Mitch McConnell was there - that's what happened.
d) "i am controlled by a turtle"

(edit: i meant that i sense that i sometimes get a "longer leash" for my bullshit, and although i appreciate it i want to stop doing that.)

If, say, no party controls the presidency and Senate simultaneously for several decades I suppose we could see the SC dwindle to zero as justices die off one after another?

Clarence Thomas is living until 183

guys he's citing the non-indictment of THE COMPANY THAT MADE THE GAS THE NAZIS USED TO KILL JEWS as precedent!!!!!! https://t.co/QeIr6LtmoM

— Alex Kotch (@alexkotch) December 1, 2020

I personally did not have "supreme court greenlights US corporations aiding and abetting child slavery" on my 2020 bingo card but I suppose I should have

Attorney Neal Katyal made the arguments on behalf of Nestle and defending their role in child slavery. He’s a never Trump guy who also though once wrote a NY Times op-Ed in support of Gorsuch.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2021/02/covid-elena-kagan-supreme-court-kill.html

Late on Friday night, the Supreme Court blocked California’s public health ban on indoor religious services in a splintered 6–3 decision South Bay United Pentecostal Church v. Newsom is the latest in a long line of COVID cases to reach the Supreme Court. The plaintiffs challenged three pandemic-related restrictions on religious worship: a total ban on indoor services in areas where cases are surging (which covers much of the state right now); a 25 percent cap on indoor services where they are permitted; and a ban on singing and chanting during those services.

In amuddled order, SCOTUS shot down the total ban on indoor services, but upheld the 25 percent cap and the singing ban. The majority’s decision—issued as a highly infectious “California variant” of the coronavirus sweeps across the state—allows residents to resume indoor worship, the cause of countless superspreader events since the start of the pandemic. While there is no single majority opinion, five justices supported the proposition that California’s regime violates free exercise because it treats secular businesses more favorably than religious establishments. Notably, no justice in the majority even pretended to apply the appropriate standard for this emergency request, which requires plaintiffs to prove that the legal rights at issue are “indisputably clear” and that an injunction is “in the public interest.” They simply issued a decision on the merits, another example of the court making law through its shadow docket.

...“Justices of this Court are not scientists,” Kagan began. “Nor do we know much about public health policy. Yet today the Court displaces the judgments of experts about how to respond to a raging pandemic. … That mandate defies our caselaw, exceeds our judicial role, and risks worsening the pandemic.” She pointed out that, contrary to the court’s belief, California has not actually treated churches less favorably than secular businesses and assemblies: Political meetings, lectures, and plays are also banned, she wrote—and these “secular gatherings,” like religious worship, “are constitutionally protected” by the First Amendment. The court simply created “a special exception for worship services.”