The people's voice of reason
The people's voice of reason
Sorted by date Results 1506 - 1530 of 1604
As a child of God, you have the power within you to overcome the world. That includes everything in the world and everything the world brings your ways. I John 5:4 tells us, “….for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” The Bible says that faith comes by hearing the word of God. As you hear the word of God and store it in your heart, your faith in God grows stronger. When the enemy tries to attack you through sickness, fear,...
In 1996 the Defense of Marriage Act was passed by Congress, which stated that States did not have to accept same sex marriages performed in States that allowed such. Section 3 placed into law a non-recognition of same-sex marriage for all federal purposes, which included governmental employee insurance benefits, social security survivors' benefits, bankruptcy, immigration, and the filing of joint tax returns. This also excluded same-sex spouses from the laws that protect families of federal...
This column continues the discussion of the economics of law practice. It is the fourth in a series. First, we described the strong ties between law and economics. We pointed out that because the practice of law is a business, the economic motivation of the lawyers handling the litigation can actually make the legal system less efficient for conflict resolution. Quick resolution of legal disputes does not promote the economic interest of the law business. Defense lawyers who charge hourly rates...
As I’d like to make this an uncharacteristically short column, I’ll not address all the flawed reasoning from extremist who’ve successfully imposed the unconstitutional result we observe today. All FEDERAL gun laws are prohibited as guaranteed by our 2nd Amendment civil right. Republicans giving us the first unconstitutional gun laws in their successful effort to assert federal hegemony and set us on our soviet path are generally accepted by Lincoln apologists to be defended at all cost by pr...
Along with millions of Americans, my husband and I recently viewed the movie “American Sniper” which portrays the four deployments of U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. As many have expressed on various social media sites, we also left the theatre in silence as we struggled to express the impact of the film and the ugly reality in which our men and women in uniform, along with their families, live their lives in service to our nation. Whether you agree or disagree with our overseas military strategy mat...
With the study of history, we often think of the past as places where our heroes have risen above all obstacles by the very nature of their superior moral, physical and/ or spiritual qualities. We have a high regard for the hero while we somehow ignore or forgive them for their faults and shortcomings; no matter how glaring. We put them on pedestals and think of them, or wish for them, attributes and characteristics that may not exist. In turn, it becomes increasingly easy to give them credit...
Well my friends, it’s that time of year again. You know - red hearts, pink roses, balloons, cards, candy, and animals that sing songs of love. Store shelves overflow with symbols of love. They began the day after New Year's to get ready for Valentine’s Day. Do you know that more roses are sold on that day than any other day in the year? All over the world, it is the day that people show their love for someone special. It is a great occasion to express love and appreciation for any of your loved...
I will be honest with all of you. I don’t even know where to begin with this Robservation. In an era where, as a society, we should be reaching for the stars, we seem to be mired in the most toxic racial environment I have witnessed in my adult life. Just before I sat down to write this, a news report broke that I am sure each and every one of you has seen and heard about dozens of times. It appears that 28-year-old Ismaaiyl Abdula Brinsley of Maryland, took his semi-automatic handgun and murder...
2 trillion dollars. That’s the amount Congress approved in appropriation funding to keep our government operating, including the pork required to pass it. If you wonder how we have reached a level of government requiring such an astronomical level of funding, retiring U.S. Senator Tom Coburn’s farewell address explained it best. In his remarks, Sen. Coburn read the oath all members of Congress take when being sworn into office as he believes the failure to comprehend that oath is part of the...
The increase of accusations by the African-American or black community that white police officers disproportionately target black residents has become the focus of recent and current nation-wide protests – both violent and non-violent. News media coverage of the choking death of an unarmed black man, Eric Garner, during an arrest by New York City police officers followed by the shooting death of a young unarmed 18 year-old black man, Michael Brown, by a white patrol officer in Ferguson, M...
Former long tenured aide and campaign manager Chip Hill exclaims we’re “Killing Atticus Finch!” (a.k.a. his old boss Don Siegelman) in the video shilling for ‘kickstarter’ contributions to continue showcasing this embarrassment to our State. This recent iteration of political campaigning in our Montgomery federal court claimed 138 backers pledging $10,725 of the $125,000 goal as of Mr. Siegelman’s December 15 court appearance before Judge Clay Land of Georgia. I couldn’t find the donor list - pe...
In last month’s column we pointed out that the economics of law practice can actually impede the ability of the legal system to efficiently resolve disputes. In future columns we will discuss in depth the economic motivations of both defense lawyers and plaintiff lawyers that contribute to the problem. Before launching into those specifics, however, we need to have a broad general understanding of the relationship of economics and law in the resolution of disputes. The relationship between law a...
Have you made a New Year's resolution? Or maybe you've given up on doing that! Perhaps in past years you've been through the cycle of optimism, trying hard, faltering, getting discouraged, and giving up. Indeed, most people who make a New Year's Resolution have given up on their project by mid-February. Many people discard the whole idea and say, "I don't make New Year's Resolutions!" But there is another way to approach the start of a New Year: Pray for God to lead you in a "New Year's Renewal....
The mid-term elections are finally over and the holiday season is in retail overdrive wherever we turn. We’ve already felt the cold of the approaching winter, bringing delight to hunters across the state. While our sportsmen (and women) take to the woods of Alabama to fill their freezers with venison, there are far more dangerous animals for which we have little to no control – lame duck members of Congress and a lame duck president. Lame duck sessions occur after each November mid-term ele...
Mary had just had a bad night; a really, really bad night. The man her “friend” set her up with and had assured her was the “catch of the century,” had predictably turned out to be anything but. He was grossly immature and socially awkward with a strange and unsettling twitching left eye that never quite seemed to look directly at her. As she brooded over her mug of hot coffee, she thought to herself that it could have been much worse. He could have been an Oakland Raiders fan. She wiped a...
Legalism is in the broadest sense a strict and maybe even overbearing adherence to laws. In Chinese philosophy, legalism attained prominence in about 500 to 200 B.C. Legalism in Chinese philosophy is a belief that government should be modeled reactively to a belief that the human condition is one of selfishness and short sidedness. Therefore for a ruler to be effective, they believed that the people must be absolutely loyal based on a set of laws with strong governmental control and a set of...
As children Christmas specials became less mesmerizing and parental expectations pressed to show awareness and understanding of maturing into an adult orthodox Christian, this phrase shepherded my attention toward thinking; what really was the reason? Clearly it was not Charlie Brown, a drummer boy, Frosty, Rudolph, et al anymore than "Santa" or Christmas trees, lights and presents. Given my namesake, Saint John the Theologian (orthodox Christians have trouble identifying with naming children af...
In our preceding article we introduced the current series dealing with law, economics and the economics of law practice. Several upcoming articles will deal with the economics of law practice. In order to understand some of the problems associated with the economics of law practice it will be necessary to explain and understand certain dynamics about the nature of law. In 1913, an East European legal philosopher named Eugen Ehrlich, in his book Fundamental Principles of the Sociology of Law,...
Christmas is spelled L-O-V-E. What is the Christmas message? John 3:16. God gave us the gift of love on Christmas Day. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” - John 3:16. As a popular song says, “What the world needs now is love, sweet love.” I need it. You need it. Your spouse needs it. Your child needs it. An elderly man or woman sitting alone in a nursing home today needs it. A child a...
There is a line from my favorite WWII movie, 12 O’clock High, where newly promoted LTC Harvey Stovall, played by Dean Jagger, is sitting in the office with Gregory Peck’s character, General Savage, and two other officers. The 918th Bomb Group had just completed their most challenging mission to date and was scheduled to fly a mission against the same target the following day. As the men are discussing the day’s events, Stovall, quite drunk, stands up and interrupts the conversation, “I am conf...
Fall is without a doubt my preferred season and November is definitely one of my favorite months, primarily because it seems that people exhibit far more of an attitude of thankfulness than during any other time of the year. Along with my absolute gratitude for all that God has provided, I venture to guess that some of us are more than a little thankful that another election season of road signs, phone polling, and negative advertising is ending. We’ll soon learn if those who are either r...
Everyone is probably aware of the strong ties that exist between law and economics. Both law and economics are social systems. Every member of society necessarily participates in both systems. It might be more accurate to say that both law and economics are sub-systems within the total framework of society. The two systems - law and economics – are supported by differing motivational forces, and to some extent, exist independently of each other as systems. Human motivation is always complex. A...
The 17th Annual "Battles for the Armory" War Between the States Reenactment will be held November 7th, 8th and 9th at Gibson's View Plantation in Tallassee. The event commemorates the 1864 Battles of Chehaw Station and Franklin which saved Tallassee's Confederate Armory from destruction by Union Army raiders. Heralding this year's event as the 150th anniversary of the battles, the Alabama Division of the Sons of Confederate Veterans wisely selected this reenactment as the State Division's...
Last month, the Alabama State Bar celebrated Pro Bono Month. Pro Bono in this context is the offering of free legal services to low income individuals. October was filled with events on almost every day, which included workshops for the elderly, homeless, clinics for legal issues sometimes encountered by low-income individuals such as eviction and domestic issues and even guidance for individuals that might represent themselves in District Court. These events were available all over the State....
Sometimes it’s hard to believe in the goodness of God. For many, holidays like Thanksgiving are not a time of truly giving thanks, but a painful reminder of what is not. Families aren’t always the safe place they were created to be. Maybe someone is sick or maybe someone is missing. Maybe the economic crisis has hit close to home. The chaos of the holiday season officially kicks off, adding even more stress. There are countless reasons why this “bountiful feast” can feel more like an “unbear...
