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The journey to a better life in this nation has long been treacherous and the torturous demise this week of 10 who were trying to sneak into the U.S. in a tractor-trailer with no air conditioning was a tragic reminder of that.

It also was a reminder of the fact that as long as our fellow humans are willing to risk their lives to set foot in this land and as long as there are traffickers willing to capitalize on those desires there is little that can be done to stem that tide.

It certainly puts the lie to the notion a border wall could have much impact on such illegal immigration. That is because of the great number of truck crossings made every day crossings that are fundamental to the growth of commerce in the U.S.

In 2016, 5.8 million trucks made Southern U.S. border crossings, according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Nearly that many more containers made the crossing on trucks. While those trucks are subject to a variety of inspections and U.S. regulations, there is no way all could be inspected.

A key question that must be answered, then, is this: How can we stop more tragedies like this one from occurring? Is it possible to stop those clamoring to escape danger and poverty in their home countries?

Clearly, telling people to only come into the country legally is not working. Those paths are few. And as the ringleaders of these human smuggling rackets well know, desperate people do desperate things.

If people are willing to put themselves at such dire risk to be here, we must ask ourselves whether our Christian principles agree with turning our backs on them, or if those principles demand we find ways to help. And if that is the case, what can be done?

We believe it will take a functional legal mechanism for such immigrants to come here. If that existed, the need to take deadly risks would decline. Remember, immigrants are dying not only in tractor-trailers but when they attempt to cross U.S. Southern deserts.

This is where comprehensive immigration reform comes in. Our system is broken. It sets artificial quotas on how many immigrants will be welcomed and the laws, as currently enforced, set a premium on punishing the immigrants but virtually leaving alone those who employ them. Meanwhile, industries are in need of workers because Americans simply refuse to do many jobs.

Comprehensive reform could fix all this. Unfortunately, Congress is more interested in scare tactics and punishment than fixes the House recently passed a bill further criminalizing undocumented entry and imposing penalties on so-called sanctuary cities.

Of course human trafficking is a scourge that should be tackled with the full force of the law. But immigration law itself also demands immediate attention.

See the article here:
Editorial: Tragic human smuggling deathsshow need for immigration reform - Longview News-Journal

I recently took the photo that accompanies todays column on Swick Road off Route 89 in Romulus.

A woman contacted the Finger Lakes Times about the property. She found it offensive and thought it might even be illegal in New York. She says the resident claims to be a deer hunter. She has reported it to the town of Romulus and Seneca County officials.

It is likely not illegal, that is, unless it is regarded as a hate crime or hate speech against blacks being a reference to approval of lynching by the KKK. Then it is not just an ordinary rope.

If we give the home owner the benefit of the doubt, then the question is why keep the nooses hanging year-round knowing they might connote negative impressions to others?

For me, its just another instance of a pervasive attitude that seems to be taking shape culturally all over, where people just are going to do what they want regardless of right, wrong or political correctness.

Some might argue that this type of social and political climate is the result of Novembers presidential election. But the reality is what happens locally more often has a greater affect on peoples lives than anything nationally. And that includes politically.

The photo certainly raises First Amendment issues on both sides of the coin.

Briefly the First Amendment says: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

For me the First Amendment has very much become a focal point for things happening in the Finger Lakes region.

Lets take a look at the Geneva City Council. Not too long ago Mayor Alcock tried to move the public comment portion of the monthly meeting from the beginning of the session to the end. Since no ones knows how long each council meeting takes, often hours, I feel it was a clever way to stifle the voice of the public.

It was ultimately decided, however, to allow comments at the end and at the beginning with strict time limits imposed.

But that is nothing compared to what the Council did a couple of months ago. Its hard for me to wrap my head around the fact that a new rule was put into place that does not allow members of the public to address council members by name with their issues or complaints.

One of the guidelines from the current Rules and Procedures for Geneva City Council requires that All remarks shall be addressed to City Council as a whole and not to any individual member thereof.

I remind everyone it is 2017.

What may be a great example of political hypocrisy happened at a fairly recent meeting. Councilman Paul DAmico raised his concerns and was critical of city resident Jim Meaney and his website Geneva Believer, which often challenges the actions of Geneva city government. This when Meaney, who was at the meeting, was unable to directly address DAmico.

For a more detailed look at this issue go to genevabeliever.wordpress.com/author/geneva believer.

Now lets look at Seneca Falls Town Board meetings. Not only are signs banned from being brought into the meetings but if someone has a visual aid to show at the podium during their allotted time they are prevented from presenting it.

As a way to further restrict the publics right to free expression, they are holding the latest meetings in a room that only fits 80 people.

I have gone to several of the board meetings regarding the landfill issue. People certainly are passionate about the issue but never did I find it out of control nor inappropriate. Since the space in the new municipal building can only hold 80 people why not move the meetings to a larger venue that can accommodate more people if there is that much interest in an issue?

In a move that I feel is solely about control, a new rule also is now in place in Seneca Falls that does not allow anyone to stand unless speaking at the podium.

Again, I remind everyone it is 2017.

In Yates County the race for district attorney is once again getting down and dirty. Free speech is one thing but when one opponent distributes what are being considered false allegations against his opponent is another thing all together. That same candidate filed sworn statements under oath that his residency is at one address, and the petitions he filed state he lives at a completely different address a big no-no.

I cant leave Wayne County out. Even though New York State guidelines clearly state in Article 3 Election Officials, Statewide Provisions that local election officials are to establish rules allowing the admission of news media representatives to the area of the polling place where the canvass of ballots cast can be directly observed, the county Board of Elections has banned photographers from polling places the past few election days.

Once again, I remind everyone it is 2017.

Read the original here:
THE BIGGER PICTURE: First Amendment issues - Finger Lakes Times

Many LGBT people who run in leftie circles were pleased with last months ejection of women carrying Star of David pride flags from Chicagos Dyke March. Seeing the intersectionality between lesbian equality and Palestinian rights, they didnt want any hint of support for Israel at their event, even if only vaguely via symbols carried by Jewish women.

Though that clash appeared spontaneous, the coordinators of a Slut Walk in Chicago next month have Tweeted their intention to follow suit: We still stand behind Dyke March Chicagos decision to remove the Zionist contingent from their event, & we wont allow Zionist displays at ours.

These radical lesbian and feminist organizers insist that in a free country they have the right to control their message and theyre correct. Constitutional jurisprudence on this the freedom of association and assembly is clear: any organization has the right to exclude groups and even whole classes of people from its membership and its events if it feels welcoming them would dilute its message.

The irony, though, is that the Dyke March would not have the freedom to expel people it considers Zionists without two important Supreme Court cases from twenty years ago in which get this the people suing for the right to participate were gay themselves.

In 1995, the Supreme Court unanimously decided in Hurley v. Irish-American Gay, Lesbian, & Bisexual Group of Boston that St. Patricks Day officials had the right to exclude gay and lesbian contingents if they felt including them would change their message. Since the organizers were overwhelmingly pre-Pope Francis Catholics, practitioners of a lifestyle they considered sinful were not welcome.

Writing on behalf of all his colleagues, Justice David Souter wrote One important manifestation of the principle of free speech is that one who chooses to speak may also decide what not to say.

The gay groups couldnt cry discrimination. Free expression was more important.

Five years later, in Boy Scouts of America et al. v. Dale, a sharply divided Court found that the First Amendment allowed private organizations like the Boy Scouts to exclude a gay person if the presence of that person affects in a significant way the groups ability to advocate public or private viewpoints.

Again, the Supreme Court found that gay would-be Scouts and Scoutmasters could not hide behind allegations of discrimination in forcing an organization to accept them.

Which bring us back to Chicagos Dyke March. Had those two Court decisions gone the other way, the Jewish lesbians booted from the event could have sued for the right to participate.

Theres been a long-term war between discrimination claims and First Amendment freedoms. Because the gay community lost two battles at the turn of the millennium, LGBT groups are now free to tailor their messages by excluding outsiders.

Heres hoping theyll lose the next battle, too. The Supreme Court is about to consider a third clash between non-discrimination laws and the First Amendment (this time, both free expression and the free exercise of religion). Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission will determine whether the government can force people who service weddings to use their creative endeavors in a way that treats all marriages equally.

As were seeing in Chicago, our civil liberties dont change when the parties switch sides. As the LGBT community ponders its stance on the wedding cake controversy, it might remember that freedoms funny. You never know when youre going to need it.

David Benkof is a columnist for the Daily Caller. Follow him on Twitter (@DavidBenkof) and Muckrack.com/DavidBenkof, or E-mail him at [emailprotected].

Continue reading here:
Gays Love The First Amendment Except When They Don't - The Daily Caller

The ACLU of Maine claims Governor Paul LePage is violating the First Amendment with some of his actions on social media. (WGME)

AUGUSTA (WGME) - The ACLU of Maine claims Governor Paul LePage is violating the First Amendment with some of his actions on social media.

The issue is the governor's official Facebook page.

It has posts about the governor and first lady, links to videos of the governor giving speeches, everything you'd expect from the governor on Facebook.

But, the governor's office says they have nothing to do with that Facebook account, which is verified by Facebook.

The page itself says it's run by volunteers who don't work for the governor, or state government at all.

The ACLU says the Facebook page has been deleting comments and blocking people who disagree with the governor's opinion.

They believe those actions are in violation of the First Amendment, which protects freedom of speech.

Monday, the ACLU of Maine sent the governor a letter, asking him to stop what they call censorship on his Facebook page.

They say the governor shouldn't get to decide who speaks and who doesn't, but there is often some confusion because social media is a relatively new forum for public speech.

They believe there are court cases that set a precedent.

The ACLU has given the governor two weeks to reply to their letter, they say if they dont respond they may take him to court.

Read more from the original source:
ACLU claims Gov. LePage is violating First Amendment - WGME

The Senate has blocked the first amendment to the bill to replace and repeal Obamacare.

Nine Republicans crossed party lines and voted against it.

The wide-ranging proposal by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell erased the law's tax penalties on people not buying insurance, and made cuts to Medicaid.

This came hours after the Senate voted to proceed with the debate on the Republican bill.

The vote was 51-50 after Vice President Mike Pence cast the tiebreaking vote.

Senator John McCain delivered a crucial vote in his first trip to the Senate floor since being diagnosed with brain cancer.

"I want to thank Senator John McCain, very brave man. He made a tough trip to get here and vote, so we want to thank Senator McCain and all of the Republicans. We passed it without one Democrat vote," said President Donald Trump.

"Lets trust each other. Let's return to regular order," McCain said. "We've been spinning our wheels on too many important issues because we keep trying to find a way to win without help from across the aisle."

Meanwhile, Trump held a campaign-style rally, where he celebrated the vote to proceed.

He told the crowd we're now one step closer to ending what he calls the Obamacare nightmare.

Link:
Senate blocks first amendment to bill to repeal and replace Affordable Care Act - NY1