Good morning all, and to those of you in the Boston area, happy Marathon Monday! Here’s the latest in the world of civil rights and civil liberties from the past week.
“House Votes Down Bill to Repeal La. Sodomy Laws”
Despite sodomy laws being ruled unconstitutional over a decade ago in Lawrence v. Texas, many states still have their laws on the books. One such state, Louisiana, failed in its recent bid to finally repeal the law.
Gay Civil Unions, Medical Marijuana OK with Majority of Louisiana Residents: LSU Survey
In other news from the Pelican State, a new survey released this month showed large shifts in Louisiana public opinion on a variety of topics, from legalization of marijuana to LGBT rights to penalties for nonviolent offenders.
In this piece from The Atlantic, the difference in self-confidence between men and women is explored and ideas for improving the disparity are offered.
Creating Monsters: How Solitary Confinement Hurts the Rest of Us
A review of the impending PBS documentaries on incarceration in America, focusing on the impact prison conditions have on those with mental illness. More information about the documentaries, airing on April 22 and April 29, can be found here.
Outside Washington, Obamacare Doesn’t Exist
An excellent write-up on the vast differences between states regarding Obamacare implementation. The piece includes a comparison of the experiences of residents of different states with the healthcare exchanges based on how proactive or resistant their state leadership has been with the ACA.
