What is it with the Supreme Court

Just what is it with the Supreme Court?

First, they refuse to hear the case brought by EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Center) asking them to require the FISA judge to vacate an order requiring Verizon to turn over sweeping customer data.

Won't someone take a stand against this immoral, illegal, and unconstitutional suspicionless, warrantless snooping?  I'm fed up with this snooping.  I'm fed up with tech firms handing over our data.  I'm fed up with being tracked by corporations - and more than one observer has said that there now is a seamlessness between the governmental and corporate spying (REALLY creepy!)  Why aren't we marching in the streets, by the millions?  If you read up on the scandal, it's clear that this isn't about counter-terrorism; it's about economics, it's about control; it's about monitoring and probably quashing dissent.  Oversight has proven to be ineffective at best, and a joke at worst.  Does anyone in Congress get it?  Do we get it?  And why aren't we screaming for real change?

Then, the Supreme Court has now allowed that draconian Texas anti-abortion law to take effect.  What are they thinking/ not thinking? 

What little I know of Supreme Court history tells me it's a mixed bag.  I'm not thrilled that we seem to be in an era where they're almost racing to the bottom.  Dred Scott and Plessy v Ferguson are in my opinion the two worst Supreme Court decisions.  However, the more recent Citizens United isn't that far behind.  And I'm dismayed by the fact they have not stood up for privacy, and for something the Supreme Court itself has upheld in Roe v. Wade.

We need to really stand up and let Congress, the Executive Branch, and yes, the judiciary - including the Supreme Court remember who they're supposedly serving.  This happens to be the anniversary of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, so let us all remember that we are supposed to have a "government of the people, by the people, for the people."

More Shame

Today The Guardian had this story of the CIA requiring doctors and nurses to participate in the mistreatment of detainees.  Here is also a link for more info about the report and the members of the committee who wrote it.

One commentator wrote that this story just made him or her sick.  As humans, we should all feel at least some of that emotion over the torture of other humans.  and outrage over the shame of health professionals participating in this in any way, shape or form.

Will those involved ever be held to account?  Those involved always seem to want to shield themselves from any consequences.  But at the very least we should all be raising our voices to see that such practice stop immediately and never resume.