May reason prevail

After Much Debate, Boone County (Missouri) Officials Will Replace War Memorial That Includes Jesus Fish Symbol

That was the crux of the issue: the people in Boone County just didn’t give a damn about any veterans who weren’t Christian. Or they wrongly assumed every veteran believed in the same God as them. Whether it was out of selfishness or ignorance, they had no business asking the government to promote Christianity on a monument. If they wanted the Jesus fish symbol, they could put it up in their homes or churches, or the government had to allow every non-Christian veteran the same opportunity.

For a while, it looked like government officials had finally come to their senses. Owners of a private cemetery had volunteered to take the Christian monument and put it up on their property, and the county was ready to give them the green light.

Until relatives of one of the veterans found out:

Blessed be, the county thought, and sent letters to relatives suggesting the move. No dice, said one of the parents. Actually, he said, “No change.” He and his wife would not be satisfied with the move to the cemetery…

So there was even more discussion. It all came down to a vote this morning and — can you believe it? — the County commissioners did the right thing. They’ll replace the current memorial with one that doesn’t include the Christian symbol,,,

Mississippi Ban on Adoptions by Same-Sex Couples Is Challenged

Mississippi’s ban is now the only one of its kind in the nation. And legal experts said that in the wake of the United States Supreme Court’s decision upholding same-sex marriage, it was highly unlikely it could hold up in court. The lawsuit was filed by the Campaign for Southern Equality, the Family Equality Council and four Mississippi same-sex couples in United States District Court.
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“The Mississippi Adoption Ban writes inequality into Mississippi law by requiring that married gay and lesbian couples and parents be treated differently than all other married couples in Mississippi, unequivocally barring them from adoption without regard to their circumstances,” the complaint said. It called the ban “an outdated relic of a time when courts and legislature believed that it was somehow O.K. to discriminate against gay people simply because they are gay.”
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“In the federal courts, I’m pretty confident Obergefell will be construed broadly,” said Ronald Krotoszynski, a constitutional law professor at the University of Alabama, referring to the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriages. “I think it would be hard to draw a principled distinction between marriage and adoption, so it shouldn’t be a hard case.”

Maybe not so much in this instance,,,

Family Council to present 'courage' award to Rep. Justin Harris

UPDATE, 4:09 p.m. 8/12/2106: Jerry Cox, President of the Family Council, said that it will not present its "Power of Courage" awards to Reps. Harris and Fite this evening after all. The two legislators will still receive their awards, but at a later date and venue of their choosing.

Cox said the event organizers — the Crawford County Republican Party — asked the Family Council to not present the awards this evening at its Lincoln Day Dinner, headlined by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. "Since we are their guests, we certainly complied," he said.

When I asked Cox if he had any reservations about honoring Harris, given the controversy surrounding his adoption, he said, "None whatosever, because the award is specifically for his sponsorship of one of the pro-life bills passed during the session ... These awards are given to lawmakers for their sponsorship of specific legislation. That's it."

Chelsea Manning May Face Indefinite Solitary Confinement For Expired Toothpaste

Chelsea Manning, the transgender soldier convicted for leaking national security information, faces the threat of indefinite solitary confinement for allegedly violating prison rules. These charges — classified as “serious” by Fort Leavenworth prison officials — are for such violations as having a copy of Vanity Fair with Caitlyn Jenner on the cover, having an expired tube of toothpaste (“improper medicine use”), disorderly conduct for sweeping food onto the floor and then asking to speak to her lawyer, and possessing “prohibited property” including transgender rights literature and the Senate Intelligence Committee Report on Torture.  [See also: Chelsea Manning has been convicted again -- not for leaking more government secrets, but for having magazines and expired toothpaste.]