Political Speech and the Churches The so-called Houses of Worship Political Speech Protection Act would allow churches to use 20% of their budgets for partisan political activities. Both religion and government would be harmed if Congress passes this bill. Nasty Porn, Friendly Porn, and Antisocial Behavior Some anti-sex zealots want to ban all pornography. But like other entertainment, the types of pornography range from bad to good. In judging entertainment and deciding how to deal with it, therefore, the focus should not be on whether it is pornographic. The focus should be on whether it is beneficial or harmful.
Ohio's Economy Is Harmed by Intolerance A letter published in The Columbus Dispatch claimed that stronger economic growth occurs in states denying civil rights to gays. But the writer's approach has been taken by Ohio's state government for a number of years and has undoubtedly exacerbated the state's economic problems. All Sides of the Story Needed in Judging Sexual-Harassment Complaints After two employees filed sexual-harassment complaints against a manager in the Ohio Attorney General's Office, a flawed internal-investigation report and unfair media coverage led to Attorney General Marc Dann's resignation from office. This matter shows that in judging sexual-harassment complaints, the full story needs to be examined, and not just the charges that anyone could make up. This article was first published by The Columbus Free Press.
Study Violent Offenders Instead of Executing Them According to some medical researchers, capital punishment is not the best way to deal with convicted killers. They believe that violence rates are more likely to be reduced by studying violent offenders instead of killing them.
Some Adverse Effects of the Death Penalty in History As death-penalty opponents often point out, numerous empirical studies don't support a conclusion that capital punishment deters murder. Similarly, history indicates the death penalty may increase murder rates and other violence in society.
The Meaning of "Establishment of Religion" in the First Amendment Some people say the First Amendment’s prohibition on laws "respecting an establishment of religion" prevents only the establishment of a national church. The historical record doesn't support their view.
Secular Foundation of the U.S. Government The Religious Right claims that America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles and government can therefore promote those principles. The history of the U.S. Constitution refutes their position.
Pledge of Allegiance Should Not Be to a Nation "Under God" A federal appeals court was right to declare unconstitutional the phrase "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. But few in politics or the media bothered to look at the merits of the decision or the harm caused by including "under God" in the Pledge. Revenge Has No Place in the Justice System Supporters of capital punishment often argue that death-penalty opponents would change their tune if a family member became a murder victim. Their claim is disproved by the example of Coretta Scott King, widow of Martin Luther King Jr., and many other relatives of murder victims. Social Environment Contributes to Crime Some people attribute crime to human flaws instead of external factors. But a large amount of evidence shows that social environments strongly influence crime rates. Leave Consenting Adults Alone The groups seeking to ban gay marriages and civil unions - and otherwise trying to restrict the freedom of consenting adults - fail to understand what liberty is all about. As long as people don't harm the person or property of another, they should be free to pursue their happiness in whatever ways they choose.
Ohioans Should Care About Strip Clubs In regard to a proposed statewide referendum on a new law restricting adult businesses, some persons have downplayed the issue by saying Ohioans don't care about strip clubs. While that may generally be true, the referendum involves others matters that Ohioans should care deeply about. This article was printed in several Ohio newspapers in September 2007.
Ohio Officials Wrongfully Drove Attorney General Marc Dann from Office Gov. Ted Strickland and Democratic members of the Ohio House of Representatives didn’t let the Ohio Constitution or other laws stop them in their politically motivated efforts to drive fellow-Democrat Marc Dann from the office of attorney general.
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