More On Masterpiece, Younger & The Catholic Church (W/Guest Andrew Seidel) (Opening Arguments podcast OA205)

Today’s episode tackles two big church/state separation stories currently circulating right now: the recent lawsuit filed by the owner of the Masterpiece Cakeshop, and the Pennsylvania grand jury investigation of the Catholic Church. And, of course, there’s no better guide to these issues than friend of the show and Director of Strategic Response for the Freedom From Religion Foundation, Andrew Seidel.

We begin the Masterpiece, going in depth on the case we first discussed back in Episode 201. Find out what the Andrews think will happen to this case — and along the way, you’ll learn something about Younger abstention!

After that, we turn to the Pennsylvania grand jury investigation regarding the Catholic Church, discuss statutes of limitation, and learn what we can do about it going forward.

Finally, we end with an all new Thomas (and Andrew!) Take The Bar Exam #91 involving — by sheer coincidence! — the First Amendment and prayers at a student graduation. If you’d like to play along, just retweet our episode on Twitter or share it on Facebook along with your guess and the #TTTBE hashtag. We’ll release the answer on next Tuesday’s episode along with our favorite entry!
Interview:
https://openargs.com/oa205-more-on-masterpiece-younger-the-catholic-church-w-guest-andrew-seidel/

Follow Up Friday! (Opening Arguments podcast OA201)

Today’s Rapid Response Friday is actually a Follow Up Friday! We revisit four stories from recent episodes and go into more depth on each one, particularly in light of recent developments.

We begin with our most recent story regarding reporter’s privilege in Episode 200. What’s the other side of the argument? Find out why friend of the show Randall Eliason thinks that reporter’s ought not to have the right to keep their sources confidential!

After that, we move back one more episode to Episode 199 and tackle some important listener questions about asbestos. Along the way, we discuss the difference between strict liability and negligence and delve into theories of market share liability.

Our main segment covers the unsurprising fact that Masterpiece Cakeshop is back in the news. What does this mean? How has the Supreme Court’s decision changed the landscape for religious exemptions to laws? Listen and find out!

After that, we go back to Yodel Mountain and check in with the conclusion of the Manafort trial. Phew!

And if all that wasn’t enough, we end with an all new Thomas (and Yvette) Take The Bar Exam #89 involving the appropriate damages for breach of contract. If you’d like to play along, just retweet our episode on Twitter or share it on Facebook along with your guess and the #TTTBE hashtag. We’ll release the answer on next Tuesday’s episode along with our favorite entry!
Interview:

Lowering The Lukumi Bar? (Opening Arguments podcast OA187)

Today’s Bonus Episode asks if there’s a way to make sense of the Supreme Court’s Lukumi jurisprudence in light of this week’s rulings in Trump v. Hawaii (the Travel Ban), Masterpiece Cakeshop, and the somewhat surprising decision to remand the Arlene’s Flowers case back to the state of Washington.

We begin, however, by checking in with the Southern District of New York’s Order approving the Taint Team’s review of documents seized from Michael Cohen’s offices by the Department of Justice. How many documents did the Team recommend the Court withhold as privileged? The answer may surprise you!

After that, we revisit the thesis advanced by Andrew Seidel in Episode 180 that the Supreme Court’s decision in Masterpiece Cakeshop might result in a more vigorous application of its 1993 decision in Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye v. City of Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520 (1993).

Next, we break down the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in NIFLA v. Becerra, in which the Court struck down a California law regulating so-called “crisis pregnancy centers.”

After all that, we end with an all new Thomas Takes The Bar Exam #82 involving the legality of a search for heroin. If you’d like to play along, just retweet our episode on Twitter or share it on Facebook along with your guess and the #TTTBE hashtag. We’ll release the answer on next Tuesday’s episode along with our favorite entry!
Interview:
https://openargs.com/oa187-lowering-the-lukumi-bar/

Republicans seem to have a real problem thinking ahead 🤔 - PoliticalHumor

https://www.reddit.com/r/PoliticalHumor/comments/8thas1/republicans_seem_to_have_a_real_problem_thinking/

Why the Masterpiece Cakeshop Ruling is bad for Christians

https://youtu.be/Gp9Ge08crzc

The Takeaway From Masterpiece Cakeshop (Hemant Mehta, The Friendly Atheist podcast #220)

Jessica and Hemant sat down to talk about several stories from the past week involving religion and politics.
 — The Catholic League’s Bill Donohue is already using Anthony Bourdain‘s suicide to celebrate himself. (0:50)
 — The Masterpiece Cakeshop decision was the worst of all possible worlds for conservative Christians, even though they won. (12:08)
 — Does a Muslim beautician have the legal right to tell a trans woman she won’t wax her private parts? (23:44)
 — A Texas church’s list of dangerous “isms” includes Judaism and atheism, but not racism and sexism. (31:23)
 — What is up with college professors who commit acts of sexual misconduct against students? (35:45)
 — CrossFit fired a high-ranking employee for his anti-LGBTQ rhetoric on Twitter. (44:52)
 — Dr. Oz is promoting astrology again. (49:37)
 — Did an Ethiopian pastor get fatally attacked by a crocodile during a baptism? (59:24)
 — TV tattoo artist Kat Von D will not be vaccinating her baby. (1:05:45)
 — Denmark’s burqa ban is a big mistake. (1:11:59)
 — This ex-lesbian wants Christian women to avoid the #MeToo movement. (1:17:43)
 — We got mail! (1:21:50
Interview:
http://friendlyatheistpodcast.com/2018/06/09/the-takeaway-from-masterpiece-cakeshop/

‘Masterpiece Cakeshop’ just totally blew up in the face of the hate group that argued it – ThinkProgress

An Arizona court just ruled that 'Masterpiece Cakeshop' protects LGBTQ people from discrimination.....
https://thinkprogress.org/arizona-court-rejects-discrimination-citing-masterpiece-cakeshop-d8582989c86e/

Actually the baker in Supreme Court Masterpiece ruling lost, it only looked like he won - USA TODAY

The Supreme Court's ruling on the Masterpiece case isn't the victory that proponents argue. Justice Kennedy signaled Colorado's rules will stand. ....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/06/08/supreme-courts-masterpiece-ruling-not-victory-despite-headlines-column/676566002/

South Dakota GOP Lawmaker: Business Owners Shouldn’t Have to Serve Black People – Friendly Atheist

South Dakota State Rep. Michael Clark had a strong reaction to the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Masterpiece Cakeshop case: Not only did he celebrate the Court’s narrow ruling that a Colorado commission went was hostile to the baker’s faith, he said all business owners should have the right to discriminate, even if we’re talking about bakers refusing to sell cakes to black customers......

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2018/06/06/south-dakota-gop-lawmaker-business-owners-shouldnt-have-to-serve-black-people/