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Chernobyl and Pripyat to be Featured on SyFy's Destination Truth
When viewing the episode's promo video (see below), it looks like they received permission to spend the night in Pripyat. This is confirmed when watching the minute and a half sneak peak clip (see below) on the Destination Truth website. I don't know how they managed to get that permission - it must be the power of television ... and the power of money. I'm sure they paid a hefty fee for the privilege.
So, what can we expect to see? In the sneak peak video, Gates says they are investigating claims of Pripyat being haunted. I've heard some people report feelings of being watched when walking past the city's hospital complex, but that's about it. If there really are ghosts or anything paranormal in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone, I think they would most likely be around the Chernobyl Plant instead of in Pripyat.
Having watched some previous Destination Truth episodes, I think it's a safe bet that we'll see Gates and his crew overreact to something they find or encounter during their investigation. In the sneak peak video, you can see Gates getting into a panic about their geiger counter reading being too high within a room and having to immediately leave. I'm sure it's nothing more than an attempt to make viewers think they are in a truly dangerous situation. In reality, I doubt they encountered extremely high radiation levels. There's no way the Zone Administration would allow them to spend any length of time in a truly dangerous area.
After watching the sneak peak video, I'm wondering how much misinformation is going to be included in the Ghosts of Chernobyl episode. In the sneak peak, Gates refers to Pripyat as the home of the Chernobyl Nuclear Reactor, specifically saying the Chernobyl Reactor is inside Pripyat. As most of us know, Pripyat used to be home to the Chernobyl Plant workers, not the plant itself, which is located approximately 3 km south of the city limits. I'll admit it's a small detail, but still a basic fact.
As worrisome as it sounds, this episode may be worth watching for no other reason than to see video footage of Pripyat at night (they use infrared cameras). This is the first time anyone has been allowed to film in Pripyat at night, so it could be interesting. When watching the episode, don't believe for a minute they were left alone in Pripyat without having a guide with them. The guide may not be seen on camera, but there's no way they were allowed to spend a full night in Pripyat completely unsupervised.
I'll write more next week after watching the complete episode.
My commentary on the Ghosts of Chernobyl episode is now online
Promo Video
Here is the episode sneak peak:
15 Comments
I am a fan of Destination Truth and Ghost Hunters. I try to keep an open mind about the information on these shows. It is clear that they overreact and heighten the drama to keep the viewers engaged and to make their shows more successful. Sometimes they come up with evidence that is truly amazing and unexplainable. I agree with you that if they were to find paranormal activity related to the people who died as a result of the accident then these findings would most likely be found at the plant itself where some of the people actually disappeared or died. If Destination Truth finds supernatural evidence in the town of Pripyat it is probably due to the increased radiation and energy near the Chernobyl site. Many people report paranormal happenings during lightning storms or near water because supernatural activity feeds off energy sources. Their findings may not necessarily be related to the people who died at the plant, just heightened activity due to increased energy in the area. Either way, I am excited to see what they discover.
I think this episode ws awesome! When that chick got her hand tugged wow! I bet it was a ghost child by the way she ws tugged! I think the paranormal is interesting! I would love 2 travel and investigate!
Interesting to see the city at night, annoying host though. Although it begs the question, why would Pripyat be haunted? Hostpital No. 6 in Moscow perhaps...
Ah, so that explains why all these people were googling "Chernobyl ghosts" and ending up on my site. LOL.
that episode was amazing and of all the places to suspect of paranormal that they go to i believe that was the best. i mean if they(ghost,spirits,etc) can drain energy from your equipment and just maybe talk or do something. what would they do in a place that has been saturated with radiation for 25 years? they would ave free right over the entire city most likely. that is why i think that their should more investigations if it is possible.
I love destination truth but that is beside my point. YOU NEED to reserve your judgement and comments until you actually see the episode instead of passing judgement over a 30 sec promo clip that is ridiculous !! As you can see after the episode aired they never spent the night and YES the radiation levels were too high at times they were in the most radioactive location on the planet and you think they were overreacting ??? That the radiation levels were not that high ?? Anyway people loose credibility when they judge too quickly again ANY promo clip shows NOTHING but 5 sec clips put together to promote the show watch the episdoes of ANY show then comment.
i've watched some previous Destination Truth episodes also, i liked it.. yeah your right the crew overreact on what they find during their case.
I believe that paranormal activities does exist in most countries, there is a villa that i recently been to, and we kept hearing noises at night and even we heard someone taking shower in the middle of the night when everybody was together, it was scary. can u shed some light on this event please.
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A photo of a pothole taken on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2014
- Filed Under
Do you avoid certain roads because of potholes? Have you ruined your tire rim or gotten a flat tire after driving through a road crater?
We want to hear your story. Contact reporter William Westhoven with Morris area pothole complaints and photos; email email@example.com or tel. 973-428-6627.
Send us your nominations for the worst pothole in Morris County. ...

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On how she got into acting:
"When I was 11, I was in a competition sponsored by the International Modeling and Talent Association."
RELATED: Kim's shocking W shoot
"You paid a certain amount of money and they taught you to walk a runway, present a comedic monologue, a dramatic monologue, a dance routine and a song. My runway look was a one-piece bathing suit, a top hat and a bowtie. The competition was in L.A., and afterward I got a manager and an agent. I tried out for a billion things, and after three years, I was cast on the show '7th Heaven.'"
© 2015 Whalerock Industries


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Colin Teevan
Theatre, Film and TV Joe Phillips
+44 (0)20 7393 4459
Email Joe Phillips
Colin Teevan is a celebrated playwright, translator and writer for screen. Charlie, his three original films about Charles Haughey were broadcasted in ealry 2015 on RTE, starring Aidan Gillan and Tom Vaughan Lawlor. He recently wrote and Executive Produced Rebellion, also for RTE.
Colin's work has been produced by many leading theatres including the National, the Young Vic, the Soho Theatre and the National Theatre of Scotland. He also writes for television. His credits include Silk, Vera and Single Handed.
Colin's stage work includes a 2013 adaptation of Doctor Faustus which ran at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow and was lauded as 'a thing of beauty to watch' by The Independent. His play about Irish immigrants in London, The Kingdom, ran at the Soho Theatre in 2012 and was hailed as 'a fiercely intense and haunting production' by The Independent. The Bee, co-created with legendary Japanese director Hideki Noda, had two runs at the Soho Theatre, a tour in New York, an extensive tour in Japan and played again in Paris in spring 2014. His new version of Peer Gynt, for the National Theatre of Scotland, played Dundee Rep, toured Scotland and was later revived at the Barbican. In 2009, Colin adapted Franz Kafka's Report to An Academy for the Young Vic, where it appeared as the critically acclaimed play, Kafka's Monkey, starring Olivier Award winner, Kathryn Hunter. It went onto enjoy a second run at the Young Vic and a hit world tour, including the Bouffes du Nord in Paris and the Baryshnikov Arts Centre in New York. Colin's play There Was A Man, There Was No Man was produced by the Tricycle as part of their season on the atomic bomb, following on from his collaboration with the theatre on The Lion of Kabul which formed part of their Great Game festival on Afghanistan.
Colin's plays are published by Oberon Books.
A trilogy of 90-minute dramas charting the emergence of modern Ireland through the mesmeric Charles J Haughey-Ireland's legendary leader and Teisoch- and his personal pursuit of power, wealth and glamour.
Series 3 episode 3 of popular legal drama. Martha (Maxine Peake) is engaged by euthanasia campaigner and solicitor Aisha Wiseman to defend Sarah Stephens (Claire Skinner) who is accused of helping her paraplegic daughter to die. In spite of Sarah's fierce determination to protect her family and an expert witness account which condemns her, Martha realizes that she may be covering up for somebody else.
Crime drama for ITV starring Brenda Blethyn as DI Vera Stanhope, from the novels by Ann Cleeves. In Colin's ep 'Sandancers', Vera and Joe are called in to investigate a suspicious death in an army barracks and they are helped by Shep, an enthusiastic and pro-active member of the Military Police. The death of commanding officer Dev looks like suicide at first but murder is soon established as the cause and the team must find both a motive and a killer.
Episode of the second series of the police drama set on the West Coast of Ireland starring Owen McDonnell.
Irish migrant workers rise to riches through fair means and foul in post war London.
Original commission for BBC. A young woman doctor returns to the town she grew up in rural Wales to take up practice as the local GP.
Winner of the Tinniswood Award for Best Radio Drama script 2014. Original 90 minute play for Radio 3 about professional and amateur marathon runners across time, co-written by Hannah Silva.
Broadcaster BBC Radio 3
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Broadcaster Radio France Culture
Part of Tricycle's season on the atomic bomb.While Israel officially has no nuclear arms programme, few doubt it is entirely without nuclear capability ; Iran claims this gives it the right to develop its own nuclear programme. Who will be the first to blink? When an Israeli and Iranian scientist meet at a conference in Jordan, their meeting has major repercussions for their professional lives, their families and their nations.


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Jon Todd Trophy Exhibit @ SMASH Toronto
Sitting at home, catching up on rest that always seems necessary after being moved out of my natural habitat consistently for too long. It will be nice to sit tight and push my nose into a bit more of a routine for the next little while. I have this poisonous feeling festering at the bottom of my gut that needs to be resolved (even though I'm really not sure what it is). It's a sinking feeling. A huge paperweight. I've gotten good at ignoring it for a long time, but as days and hours progress it just seems to be getting heavier and seeping through into everything I do. Time to do some detective work and slaughter a few of my inner demons.
Toronto was a blast – got to meet some tres cool peeps and reunite with awesome friends made last time I was in town. The Jon Todd exhibit was beautifully put together (and equally intriguing to finally see the finished body of work I had heard so much about during the length of it's creation). Fans and fellow artists of Jon's flocked to the show to soak in his newest array of intricately expressive work (inspired by the iconic wrestlers he so idolizes). With the theme of looking back at the life of a famed fighter, Todd delivered portraits to mimic old school photographs typically seen in museums paying homage to a celebrated character. As always, each piece hides the stories of both his personal life as well as his imaginative upbringing. I loved it.
Hand screen-printed wood cutouts were amongst the memorabilia you could take home with you for a mere $20 (to which I bought three in every colour to add to the Dias De Los Muertos shrine I have accumulating on the mantle), which were also included in the exhibit's collaboration collage. The amount of hard work (not to mention upfront time and money) that goes into an exhibit such as this is truly mind bending. I wholeheartedly applaud everyone involved!
Montreal's own Jean "Turf One" Labourdette was in attendance and also collaborated on one of the larger murals in the back of the gallery (see the man with the moustache below). I didn't have the pleasure of meeting him this time round, but hopefully sometime in the near future I will have the opportunity of picking his inspired (and equally meticulous) brain.
Lucky, lucky us got a sneak peek at Jon's Jake The Snake portrait that wasn't quite completed enough to make the cut into the show. I don't know much about the man himself, but from what Todd filled us in on, his story has resulted to an every day nightmarish tragedy. It's crazy how some people's lives can have such 180 turns for the worst when they were once on top of the world. I guess being the best (and famed for it), can be an excruciatingly slippery slope that few ever master gripping. Thank you Jon for taking this out for us and lending us some VIP access ;).
An incredible artist I did have the honour of meeting was New York based Martin Wittfooth. A master of seemingly classic portraits (animals and nature being his main subjects), laced with a stroke of horror and oddity. His work is beautifully haunting and will no doubt catch you off guard with the serenity you can't help but experience regardless. You can catch one of his latest creations gracing the cover of Hi-Fructose magazine at the moment (to which I'm sure there is an informative article paired inside to go with). The coolest thing about meeting incredible talents wherever I go, is that the ones that are the most successful are the ones that are genuinely modest and hardworking. I love that. The one thing I truly cannot stand about the fashion industry is all the "somebodies" that seem to have to make everyone in their vicinity aware of exactly who they are and what they've done. Hey, I'm all for self promotion, but quite honestly if you have to tell someone who you are, then really you still have a lot of work to do.
The incredible Serge Kerbel was my date for the night – fashion, beauty and art director extraordinaire (take a look at his portfolio – you may just see a few of your favourite spreads created by yours truly), we experienced fish magic together at the Indian restaurant down the street and lived to tell about it!
Always an incredible host to my visits in Toronto (and an absolute gentleman), Serge is highly addictive and just one of those people that gravitationally pull you towards them. So very fabulous.
The Garden Spirit was a painting I almost bought from Jon! It was a tossup when I had to choose between this piece and The Snake Pit. I ended up going with the one that originally made me fall in love with Todd's work (The Snake Pit prevailing – now a reminder that goddesses actually exist in my living room), and regret absolutely nothing (although I do foresee many more art original purchases in the future – buying art is as addictive as getting piercings and tattoos – and as valuable as real estate from what I keep getting told). I may not have a strong eye for worthwhile properties, but my art instincts I can assure you will be profitable for generations of my family to come.
The vibe at SMASH was perfectly suiting to the show, and the B&B where we stayed just up the street proved to be equally charming. A last minute well-recieved booking got us a room in a divided victorian mansion. It was beautiful, quaint, intimately luxurious, and very welcoming. The perfectly manicured garden in front was a sight for sore travelling eyes, and the backyard patio was a beautiful touch (too bad we didn't really get to enjoy it for any given length of time, being the city explorateurs we just so happen to be)…
More on Liberty village coming up in my next post… I fell in love with the area and want a residence there!
This was my favourite piece of the night. Too bad it was already snapped up by the time I got there. I'm not sure what I like best about it – the three mouths filled with an impressive amount of teeth, the hovering crown or the rose neck tattoo (a very sexy man place for a tattoo). In any case, I've got the hots for this wrestler.
This life-sized wrestling ring was the centrepiece of the entire exhibit (smack dab in the middle of it all). Screen printed with Mexican wrestling masks and a large Calavera candy skull in the centre (alongside some well-placed imitation blood stains – here's hoping), guests were invited to get into it (literally) and add to the many layers and textures of the installations canvas.
My little contribution to the show? Providing the rope for the wrestling ring! My dad's shop is full of industrial fabrics and cordage, so his supply of rope made the cut when it came to Jon's construction of the ring.
Tres cool. Check out the behind the scenes look into how it was all put together.
Wuddup handlebar moustache?!?
Now this kid prodigy (left in the red), Theo Gallaro, I recognized instantly from one of the vids Jon posted on his blog. Only twelve years old and opening his first exhibit during Halloween of this year (titled 500 Tricks) at the Sleeping Giant Gallery in Toronto, I must admit was one of the few people that actually succeeded at intimidating me. I was speechless at his composure and self assurance at such a young age (not to mention familiarity and chill outlook considering the pro's he has come to surround himself with). I love his darkly humorous characters and can't think of a better event to attend on Halloween. Honestly. If I can be there, I will (in full costume of course).
Check it out for yourself – impossible to be disappointed.
Running May 27 – June 5th 2011
SMASH Gallery
2880 Dundas West, Toronto, ON Canada
Posted under artwork, inspiration, Magazine, travel, Uncategorized by Robyn


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Of the torrent of statistics that flowed by during Gov. Rick Snyder's two-day economic summit in Detroit, one of the most startling was this: That 40% of DTE Energy's workforce will be eligible to retire in the next seven to eight years.
Paul Hillegonds, DTE's senior vice president, told the summit at Cobo Center that the company would need "all of the above" when it came to which types of skills his company would be hiring.
DTE and many other employers are confronting the "aging out" of the workforce represented by the retirement of the baby boom generation, the 76 million Americans born between 1946 and 1964. The eldest among those are in their mid-60s, the youngest just reaching 50. Millions of them are getting ready to retire, but many of them have delayed retiring because of savings lost in the 2008 financial crisis.
For companies throughout the state and nation, replacing those skilled, mature workers will take millions of talented new workers. But it wasn't clear from two days of discussions at the economic summit exactly where Michigan businesses will find them.
Dozens of participants made it clear that companies struggle to find the skilled workers they need today, even with Michigan's unemployment rate hovering around 9% for the past year.
The puzzle deepens when one considers how many middle-aged people complain of not being able to find a good job despite their expertise and experience.
Snyder said addressing the needs of older workers, and plugging the skills gap that boomer retirements will create, are both part of his effort to help Michigan align workers with available jobs. He called it a "P-20" approach to education -- preschool to lifelong learning.
"It wasn't just for young people but people on their first, second or third career," Snyder said Tuesday. He added that he's recently held discussions about how to encourage people even in retirement homes to be more active in the economy.
"Do you want to work part time, do you want to try a new field, do you want to be entrepreneurial in terms of starting a new company?" he asked. "A lot of us don't want to do less. We may want to do it more flexibly or do something different, but we want to do something. We need to be more proactive about saying how do we create a greater level of activity and focus in that segment of the population."
Multiple other topics came up during the summit conference, which 700 people attended on Monday and Tuesday. One issue was the importance of a vibrant location to attract and retain workers, especially those young people who want to stay and start a life, not just hold a job.
"Sense of place and quality of place are an important part of what we have to sell," said Mike Finney, president and CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corp.
Contact John Gallagher: 313-222-5173 or email@example.com


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TransBrasil suspended operations in 2001 but not before Just Planes filmed its International route from Brasilia and Sao Paulo to New York JFK and Washington Dulles. The 1st Boeing 767-200 was delivered to Transbrasil in 1983, the 767-300 joined the fleet in 1991. During the last 30 or so years of its history, Transbrasil was the 3rd largest airline in Brazil behind VARIG and VASP, both also in the World Air Routes series!
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Objective coverage of church-state and religious liberty developments, with extensive links to primary sources.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Recent Articles of Interest
Cass R. Sunstein, On the Tension Between Sex Equality and Religious Freedom, (June 2007, U. of Chicago, Public Law Working Paper No. 167).
Ira C. Lupu & Robert W Tuttle, Instruments of Accommodation: The Military Chaplaincy and the Constitution, (West Virginia Law Review, Vol. 110, 2007).
Joshua D. Dunlap, When Big Brother Plays God: The Religion Clauses, Title VII, and the Ministerial Exception, (82 Notre Dame Law Review 2005 (2007)).
From Bepress:
Patrick McKinley Brennan, The Decreasing Ontological Density of the State in Catholic Social Doctrine, (Villinova Univ. Working Paper Series, 2007).
From SmartCILP:
Tom Lewis, What Not To Wear: Religious Rights, the European Court, and the Margin of Appreciation, 56 International & Comparative Law Quarterly 395-414 (2007).
David Morris Phillips, The Unexplored Option: Jewish Settlements in a Palestinian State, 25 Penn State International Law Review 75-205 (2006).
Reuven (Ruvi) Ziegler, The French "Headscarves Ban": Intolerance or Necessity?, 40 John Marshall Law Review 235-266 (2006).
Colloquium: Religion and Immigration. Articles by Amelia J. Uelmen, Michael Scaperlands, Stephen H. Legomsky, Elizabeth McCormick, Patrick McCormick, Marta Vides Saade, Kathryn A. Lee and Michael J. Churgin. 83 University of Detroit Mercy Law Review 829-953 (2006).
Symposium: Law and Religion. McElroy Lecture by Cass R. Sunstein; articles by Deniz Coskun, Peter Cumper, Peter Edge, Silvio Ferrari, Charles I. Lugosi, Asher Maoz, Kurt Martens, Renata Uitz and Howard J. Vogel. 83 University of Detroit Mercy Law Review 567-827 (2006).
Friday, June 29, 2007
Businessman Challenges Indonesia's Limits On Polygamy
9th Circuit Decides Burden of Proof In Reverse Religious Discrimination Case
Georgia Officials Exclude Muslim Woman Wearing Hijab From Courtroom
Two Plaintiffs Lose Religious Discrimination Suits
In Nuha Saabiraah El v. City of New York, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 46443 (SDNY, June 26, 2007), a New York federal district court dismissed on res judicata grounds a claim by a fired employee of the New York Department of Corrections. Plaintiff claimed that her dismissal violated her 1st and 14th Amendment and her statutory rights because the Department of Corrections, in disciplining her, was motivated by the fact that she was associated with the Moorish-American faith-- a group that DOC thought posed security concerns.
Michigan Supreme Court Rejects Church's RLUIPA Claim
We conclude that a refusal to rezone does not constitute an "individualized assessment," and, thus, that RLUIPA is inapplicable. Further, even if RLUIPA is applicable, the building of an apartment complex does not constitute a "religious exercise," and even if it does constitute a "religious exercise," the city of Jackson's refusal to rezone plaintiff's property did not substantially burden plaintiff's religious exercise, and even if it did substantially burden plaintiff's religious exercise, the imposition of that burden is in furtherance of a compelling governmental interest and constitutes the least restrictive means of furthering that interest.Two justices wrote concurring opinions urging reversal on narrower grounds. Yesterday's Jackson Citizen Patriot reported on the decision. [Thanks to Brian D. Wassom for the lead.]
City Amends Noise Ordinance and Settles Preacher's Challenge to Restrictions
British Sources Say Tony Blair Will Convert To Cathoicism
Moldova's President Rejects Parliament's Law On Religious Groups
Fired University Chaplain Now Asserts A Title IX Discrimination Claim
Thursday, June 28, 2007
President Helps Rededicate DC's Islamic Center
The greatest challenge facing people of conscience is to help the forces of moderation win the great struggle against extremism that is now playing out across the broader Middle East. We've seen the expansion of the concept of religious freedom and individual rights in every region of the world -- except one. In the Middle East, we have seen instead the rise of a group of extremists who seek to use religion as a path to power and a means of domination.The President also announced that, for the first time, he would appoint a special envoy to the Organization of the Islamic Conference as part of the country's efforts to reach out to Muslim communities around the world. A White House "Fact Sheet" emphasized the opportunity that exists to help forces of moderation oppose radicals who purport to act in the name of Islam.
British Schools Face Problems In Attempt To Serve Halal Lunches
Judge Refuses To Keep Media Out of Imams' Civil Rights Trial
New Abuse Charges Against Saudi Arabia's Commission for Prevention of Vice
School Board Debates Religious Released Time Program
British Judges Reach Out To Muslim Community
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Church-State Conflict Over Jesus Picture In Courthouse Continues
German Pastor Convicted Under Holocaust Denial Ban For Abortion Comments-- UPDATE: Story Retracted
UPDATE: In an unusual move, Life Site News on Thursday issued the following statement:
The LifeSiteNews.com story published Tuesday on the jailing of Pastor Lerle in Germany has been retracted after LifeSiteNews.com was informed that we were working with false information from trusted news sources. While Pastor Lerle has in the past been jailed for anti-abortion activities his current one year imprisonment stemmed solely from charges of holocaust denial and not from comparing abortion to the Nazi Holocaust as we erroneously reported Tuesday.[Thanks to Patrick Gallagher for the update lead.]
California Court Upholds Episcopal Church's Right To Property of Dissident Parish
The court also rejected arguments by St. James Parish that its free speech and free exercise rights were being violated. The court said that the lawsuit: "is a property dispute -- basically over who controls a particular church building in Newport Beach -- and does not arise out of some desire on the part of the general church to litigate the free exercise rights of the local congregation. They are free to disaffiliate just so long as they do not try to take the parish property with them."
Reporting on the decision, yesterday's Orange County Register points out that at issue was the decision of St. James Parish to split off from the Episcopal Church in a dispute over scriptural doctrine and homosexuality. The Court of Appeals emphasized, however, that the reason for the parish's decision to break away was irrelevant to its decision.
UPDATE: In an unpublished opinion filed the same day, the court relied on its analysis relating to St. James Parish to reach the same result as to two other breakaway parishes-- All Saints in Long Beach, and St. David's in North Hollywood. Episcopal Church Cases II, (CA Ct. App., June 25, 2007). [Thanks to Jeffrey Hassler, via Religionlaw listserv for the lead.]
New Jersey Officials Say Sign On Supposed Monestary Violates Zoning Rules
Turkey's Supreme Court Says Patriarch Should Not Use Title "Ecumenical"
Mennonite Farmer Excused From ID Number Mandate In Settlement of Lawsuit
Employment Discrimination Suits Proliferate Recently
In suburban Minneapolis, Minnesota, Chris Lind, employed by Prior Lake High School as a hallway and parking lot supervisor claims that his firing violated his religious freedom by firing him for talking with students about their sexual orientation, including the Biblical view of homosexuality. The school board says that Lind was disciplined for failing to separate his role as supervisor from that of friend of students. Lind has threatened to sue. (Minneapolis Star Tribune).
Finally, in Springfield, Missouri, pharmacist Todd Campbell has filed suit against Nitelines USA and Fort Leonard Wood after he was fired from his job as a hospital pharmacist for refusing to provide proof that he had been vaccinated. Campbell argues that he is exempt from vaccination requirements because of his religion, which he says is "Hebrew". (AP)
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Germany Excludes Scientologist Tom Cruise's Moviemakers From Military Bases
Hindu Chaplain To Deliver Invocation In U.S. Senate
Poway High School T-Shirt Case Gets More Procedurally Complex
Monday, June 25, 2007
Supreme Court Upholds Student Speech Restrictions On Narrow Grounds
Justice Thomas' concurring opinion argued that the Tinker case-- the basis for protection of the speech rights of school students-- should be overruled. Justices Alito and Kennedy joined the majority opinion "on the understanding that (a) it goes no further than to hold that a public school may restrict speech that a reasonable observer would interpret as advocating illegal drug use and (b) it provides no support for any restriction of speech that can plausibly be interpreted as commenting on any political or social issue, including speech on issues such as 'the wisdom of the war on drugs or of legalizing marijuana for medicinal use.'"
Justice Breyer argued that the Court should not have gotten to the merits, but should have merely held that defendants' had qualified immunity from plaintiff's claim for monetary damages. CNN among others reports on today's decision.
Justice Stevens dissented, joined by Justices Souter and Ginsburg. Stevens wrote: "I agree with the Court that the principal should not beheld liable for pulling down Frederick's banner.... I would hold, however, that the school's interest in protecting its students from exposure to speech 'reasonably regarded as promoting illegal drug use,' ... cannot justify disciplining Frederick for his attempt to make an ambiguous statement to a television audience simply because it contained an oblique reference to drugs."
The narrow grounds on which the Court decided the case is unlikely to make it a case which has substantial implications for student religious speech-- a concern that some had expressed as the case was pending.
US Supreme Court Holds Taxpayers Lack Standing To Challenge White House Faith-Based Initiative Expenditures
The plurality opinion was written by Justice Alito, who was joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justice Kennedy. Here are excerpts from the Court's syllabus of that opinion:
The link between congressional action and constitutional violation that supported taxpayer standing in Flast is missing here. Respondents neither challenge any specific congressional action or appropriation nor ask the Court to invalidate any congressional enactment or legislatively created program as unconstitutional. That is because the expenditures at issue were not made pursuant to any Act of Congress, but under general appropriations to the Executive Branch to fund day-to-day activities. These appropriations did not expressly authorize, direct, or even mention the expenditures in question, which resulted from executive discretion, not congressional action. The Court has never found taxpayer standing under such circumstances....Justice Kennedy also wrote a separate concurrence in which he said: "It must be remembered that, even where parties have no standing to sue, members of the Legislative and Executive Branches are not excused from making constitutional determinations in the regular course of their duties. Government officials must make a conscious decision to obey the Constitution whether or not their acts can be challenged in a court of law and then must conform their actions to these principled determinations."
Respondents argue to no avail that distinguishing between money spent pursuant to congressional mandate and expenditures made in the course of executive discretion is arbitrary because the injury to taxpayers in both situations is the same as that targeted by the Establishment Clause and Flast-- the expenditure for the support of religion of funds exacted from taxpayers. But Flast focused on congressional action, and the invitation to extend its holding to encompass discretionary Executive Branch expenditures must be declined....
Taking the Circuit's zero-marginal-cost test literally-- i.e., that any marginal cost greater than zero suffices-- taxpayers might well have standing to challenge some (and perhaps many) speeches by Government officials. At a minimum, that approach would create difficult and uncomfortable line-drawing problems.
Justice Scalia, joined by Justice Thomas, concurred. Here are excerpts from the syllabus of that concurrence:
A taxpayer's purely psychological disapproval that his funds are being spent in an allegedly unlawful manner is never sufficiently concrete and particularized to support Article III standing.... Although overruling precedents is a serious undertaking, stare decisis should not prevent the Court from doing so here. Flast was inconsistent with the cases that came before it and undervalued the separation-of-powers function of standing. Its lack of a logical theoretical underpinning has rendered the Court's taxpayer-standing doctrine so incomprehensible that appellate judges do not know what to make of it. The case has engendered no reliance interests. Few cases less warrant stare decisis effect. It is past time to overturn Flast.Justice Souter wrote a dissent in which Justices Stevens, Ginsburg and Breyer joined. They said, in part:
Here, the controlling, plurality opinion declares that Flast does not apply, but a search of that opinion for a suggestion that these taxpayers have any less stake in the outcome than the taxpayers in Flast will come up empty: the plurality makes no such finding, nor could it. Instead, the controlling opinion closes the door on these taxpayers because the Executive Branch, and not the Legislative Branch, caused their injury. I see no basis for this distinction in either logic or precedent....
Religious Leaders In NY Gay Pride Parade Criticize Mayor
Australian Hate Speech Case Settled
Employees of Israel's Conversion Authority Threaten To Strike
New Articles and Book of Interest
Daniel O. Conkle, The Establishment Clause and Religious Expression in Governmental Settings: Four Variables in Search of a Standard , (West Virginia Law Review, Vol. 110, No. 1, 2007).
From SmartCILP:
Richard L. Kaplan, Honoring Our Parents: Applying the Biblical Imperative In the Context of Long-Term Care, 21 Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy 493-515 (2007).
Kenneth L. Marcus, Anti-Zionism as Racism: Campus Anti-Semitism and the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 15 William & Mary Bill of Rights Journal 837-891 (2007).
Selected Papers from the Terrence J. Murphy Institute Conference. Public Policy, Prudential Judgment and the Catholic Social Tradition. Articles by Charles M. A. Clark, R. Mary Hayden Lemmons, Robert K. Vischer and Andrew Yuengert. 4 University of St. Thomas Law Journal 1-86 (2006).
New Book:
Peter Irons, God on Trial: Dispatches from America's Religious Battlefields (Viking, May 2007), reviewed by AP.
EEOC Sues On Behalf Of Sikh Employee
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Romney's Mormon Faith Continues to Be An Issue In Campaign
Muslim Girl's Soccer Team Rejected From League Because of Hijab
Obama Addresses Church Group-- Says Faith Has Been Hijacked
UPDATE: Former Reagan White House aide Jeffrey Lord, writing in Monday's issue of The American Spectator, takes the UCC to task, claiming that Obama's speech crossed the line of permissible political activity by non-profit groups. His strongly worded critique argues that Obama's long-scheduled appearance should have been cancelled after he became a candidate in the Democratic presidential race.
UPDATE: Rev. Barry Lynn, Director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, says that Obama's appearance should not be seen as creating problems under the Tax Code. He says that Obama's reference to his Presidential bid did not turn his appearance into an endorsement from UCC.
Pastor's Trial Delayed Until MN Supreme Court Rules On Clergy Sex Statute
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Recent Prisoner Free Exercise Cases
In Smith v. McDonough, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44577 (MD FL, June 20, 2007), a Florida federal district court dismissed as frivolous a free exercise challenge to grooming regulations of the Florida Department of Corrections. The challenge was filed by an inmate who claimed to be a practicing Rastafarian whose religious beliefs require him to wear a beard and long hair.
In McCree v. Pocock, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 44594 (ND GA, June 19, 2007), a Muslim prisoner claimed that his rights under RLUIPA were violated when prison officials refused to permit him to transfer between pods on Fridays in order to participate in Jumu'ah prayers. A Georgia federal district court refused to grant summary judgment for either party, holding that "a genuine issue of fact exists as to whether the Defendant has engaged in the least restrictive means of furthering its compelling government interest in the safety and security of its facility. If the Plaintiff is able to demonstrate that Jumu'ah requires an Imam or at least two other Muslims, the Defendant must prove that its policy of prohibiting the transfer of Muslims on Fridays and refusing to place the Plaintiff in a housing unit with at least two other Muslims is the least restrictive means of furthering its compelling interest."
In Singleton v. Morales, 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 13931 (9th Cir., June 11, 2007), the 9th Circuit in a brief opinion affirmed a district court decision rejecting a Muslim prisoner's free exercise claim because the prisoner "did not raise a genuine issue of material fact as to whether his Koran was so damaged that he was prevented from practicing his religion." The prisoner failed to exhaust his administrative remedies on another claim-- that his Koran had been confiscated. (See prior related posting.)
In Washington v. Fannon, 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 42860 (ED CA, June 13, 2007), a California federal Magistrate Judge recommended rejection of a free exercise claim by a Muslim prisoner who claimed he was prevented from participating in the Ramadan fast when officers removed food from his Ramadan food tray. The only evidence in the record involved failure to receive a cup of coleslaw on one occasion.
Court Invalidates Selective Religious Exemptions In Ohio's Public Employee Law
In reaching its conclusion, the court rejected arguments that plaintiff lacked standing and that the case was moot because the union had ultimately made accommodations for Katter. The court also recognized that its action does not assure that Katter will be awarded an exemption under Ohio law, but that she may well be entitled to accommodation under Title VII of the federal 1964 Civil Rights Act.
Vietnam President In US Is Pressed On Religious Freedom Concerns
I also made it very clear that in order for relations to grow deeper that it's important for our friends to have a strong commitment to human rights and freedom and democracy. I explained my strong belief that societies are enriched when people are allowed to express themselves freely or worship freely.In his response, Triet said:
Mr. President and I also had direct and open exchange of views on a matter that we may different [sic], especially on matters related to religion and human rights. And our approach is that we would increase our dialogue in order to have a better understanding of each other. And we are also determined not to let those differences afflict our overall, larger interest.Today's Washington Post reports on the two leaders' exchange. The Associated Press reports that in a private meeting between Triet and senior members of Congress, lawmakers also emphasized their concerns with human rights in Vietnam.
North Carolina Will Not Appeal Case Permitting Any Holy Text For Oaths
Greece, NY Town Board To Continue Unrestricted Invocations
Meanwhile Friday's Democrat and Chronicle published op-ed pieces on both sides of the issue – one from local ACLU director Gary Pudup and the other from Rev. Robert Brado, a local Christian minister.
Saudi Religious Police Come Under Increasing Scrutiny
Meanwhile, Friday's Washington Post reports that three members of the religious police will stand trial today in the death of a former border patrol guard who died in their custody after being arrested for inviting a woman unrelated to him into his car. Officials are also investigating another death—this one of a man accused of possessing large amounts of alcohol. He died after being handcuffed and beaten by Commission police. Authorities are investigating other incidents as well. [Thanks to Jefferson Gray for the lead.]
UPDATE: The AP reported on Sunday that the trial of the 3 religious police force members has been postponed temporarily because documents presented by the victim's family were incomplete.
Friday, June 22, 2007
British Women Who Wear Niqab Featured
Mennonnite Farmer Sues Claiming Animal ID System Infringes His Religious Beliefs
White House Rally on July 4th To Call For Pagan Military Chaplain
ADF Defends Sectarian Legislative Prayers In Ohio
British High Schooler Sues For Right To Wear "Chastity Ring"
NM Coach Settles Religious Discrimination Suit Against Him
OR Supreme Court To Hear Divorced Parents' Fight Over Son's Circumcision
Alevi Seek Separate Recognition In Turkey
Thursday, June 21, 2007
MO Court Allows Workers Comp Despite Religious Refusal of Blood Transfusion
ACLU Demands Removal of Jesus' Picture From Lousiana Courthouse
UPDATE: Slidell court officials say they need time to consult an independent constitutional expert on the legality of the Jesus portrait, and so will be unable to meet the one-week deadline for removing it set in the ACLU's letter. The Times-Picayune reports, however, that Joe Cook, state ACLU director, says a lawsuit will be filed if the deadline is not met.
UPDATE: Saturday's Times-Picayune shows a photo of the disputed portrait-- a 16th century Russian Orthodox icon showing Jesus holding a Bible with two quotations in Russian. They are from John 7:24 and Matthew 7:2 that call for judging fairly.
UPDATE: On Monday, the ACLU agreed to extend its deadline for filing suit in order to give Slidell City Judge Jim Lamz more time to study the issue. (June 26 Times-Picayune).
Evidentiary Issues Raised In Defamation Suit Against Pastor
Plaintiff In Famous Religious Liberty Case Dies
New British Group Will Defend Muslim Conversion
Russian Court Rejects Challenge To Religious Organizations Law
San Diego Episcopal Diocese Sues To Regain Property Of Three Parishes
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
State's Use of Faith-Based Juvenile Detention Facility Challenged In Court
Battles Over Chreches On Public Property Begin Early This Year
Meanwhile, according to today's Royal Oak (MI) Daily Tribune, residents of Berkley, Michigan, are seeking the return to property outside city hall of a nativity scene that was removed last year. Residents are circulating a petition to place an amendment to the city charter on the November ballot that would reverse the decision made last year to remove the creche from city property and display it on a rotating basis at local churches.
Brownback Apoligizes For Staffer's Anti-Mormon E-Mail
Detroit Area Church Sues Housing Commission For Discrimination
Indian Candidate Creates Controversy By Opposing Veils
Taking of Church Property By Eminent Domain Upheld
Tomorrow Is National Day of Prayer For Native American Sites
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
North "Dakota City Moves 10 Commandments Monument
UPDATE: Today's Fargo Forum reports that religious activists are circulating an initiative petition that would add a section to Fargo's City Code requiring the 10 Commandments monument to remain on public property where it has stood for many years. Meanwhile the city is accepting proposals from private parties who would like to have the monument placed on their land. It will decide on a location on July16.
Italian Prosecutors Investigating "Da Vinci Code" Film
President Attends National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast
New Zealanders Oppose Queen's Title of "Defender of the Faith"
Monday, June 18, 2007
Cert. Denied In Libel Suit By Church Group Against Encyclopedia
When Are Bilingual Charter Schools Too Religious For State Sponsorship?
Can State Protect Children From Religious Approaches At County Fair?
Group Issues Report On Religious Right's Influence In Texas
the TFN Education Fund's second annual report on the religious right's powerful influence in Texas. Inside the report you will find:
• A comprehensive history of proposed state legislation relating to key parts of the religious right's agenda, including promoting private school vouchers, opposing responsible sex education, attacking stem cell research and censoring public school textbooks.
• A listing of Texas groups associated with the religious right, including data on each group's finances, leadership and activities.
• An analysis of the 2006 Texas Republican Party platform
• A compilation of some choice quotes attributed to far-right leaders and elected officials in 2006.
Indonesian Christian Women Released Early From Prison
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Danish Official OK's Muslim Practices For Judges, Attorneys
Performance Of IN Social Service Agency Chaplain Raises More Than Church-State Issues
Queen Knights Rushdie; Iran Says This Shows Anti-Islamism
UPDATE: The AP reported on Monday that Pakistan's parliament passed a resolution demanding Britain withdraw the knighthood awarded to Rushdie, while in the Pakistani city of Multan, students burned the Queen and Rushdie in effigy, and chanted "Kill Him! Kill Him!"
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Recent Scholarly Articles of Interest
Carolyn M. Evans, Religious Freedom and Religious Hatred in Democratic Societies, (Univ. of Melbourne Legal Studies Research Paper No. 236).
Carl H. Esbeck, When Accommodations for Religion Violate the Establishment Clause: Regularizing the Supreme Court's Analysis, (West Virginia Law Review, Vol. 110, No. 1, Fall 2007).
From Bepress:
Paul E. McGreal, Social Capital in Constitutional Law: The Case of Private Norm Enforcement Through Prayer at Public Occasions, (May 2007).
From SmartCILP:
Ezekial Johnson & James Wright, Are Mormons Bankrupting Utah? Evidence from the Bankruptcy Courts, 40 Suffolk University Law Review 607-639 (2007).
Heba A. Raslan, Shari'a and the Protection of Intellectual Property--the Example of Egypt, 47 IDEA 497-559 (2007).
Symposium on Pope John Paul II and the Law. Foreword by Elizabeth R. Kirk; articles by Gerald J. Beyer, Renato Raffaele Cardinal Martino, Gregory R. Beabout, Mary Catherine Hodes, Michael Lower, Christopher Tollefsen and Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio. 21 Notre Dame Journal of Law, Ethics & Public Policy 1-214 (2007).
MD Court Says Organist Not Excluded By Title VII "Ministerial Exception"
Judge Harrell, dissenting, argued that "Moersen's position was of a ministerial nature…. A position entailing the performance of religious music, for a church during its religious services, to a religious end cannot possibly be perceived as anything but religious."