Religious parents in Montgomery County, Maryland, have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to reinstate their right to opt their children out of lessons on gender and sexuality. The case, Mahmoud v. Taylor, brings a legal challenge to the Montgomery County Board of Education’s decision to deny parents the ability to exempt their children from exposure to storybooks that include topics such as gender transitions and same-sex relationships.
When wielded by influential figures, harmful rhetoric can set the stage for violence, even if the original intention was merely to win an argument or score political points.
If the government gains more leverage over platform speech, it might restrict religious expression deemed harmful, even if the platforms themselves would allow it.
The Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling in Vullo v. NRA underscores the illegality of using regulatory power to coerce financial institutions to de-bank organizations based on their political beliefs, reinforcing free speech protections.
The implications of this case are profound and far-reaching. It sends a clear message to regulatory bodies nationwide: exercise your power cautiously, for the line between guidance and coercion is perilously thin. Vullo’s actions were perceived as an attack on the NRA’s very right to exist and advocate.
Wakeley, a Sydney suburb far from tourist hotspots, became the center of a global debate on freedom of speech after a terrorist attack on Bishop Mar Mari Emmanuel. The Australian eSafety Commissioner ordered the removal of graphic footage from social media, sparking controversy with tech billionaire Elon Musk. Should such content be censored globally? The debate rages on.
The Supreme Court ruled that Colorado can’t force a website designer to create designs that go against their beliefs, protecting free speech rights. This decision has implications for artists and creative producers who have reasons to decline certain projects.
Jack Phillips, the owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop, is again in the news after a Colorado court ruled he had illegally discriminated by refusing to make a cake to celebrate a gender transition. The court found that Phillips’ refusal to make the cake violated a customer’s right to be free from discrimination. ADF attorneys are appealing the decision, arguing that no one should be forced to express a message against their core beliefs.
The rise of political correctness signals a return to the traditioning and character-forming model of education but with a different tradition to pass on, a different moral vision to inculcate, and a different vision of how character should be formed.
During the 2022-23 term, the Supreme Court will consider a case that raises this issue: “Whether applying a public-accommodation law to compel an artist to speak or stay silent violates the free speech clause of the First Amendment.”