Welcome to the 2011 term of the United States Supreme Court. The New York Times has a pretty decent roundup of the issues facing the Court his term. And of course, this is Justice Kagan’s first term with the Court, so there will be a lot of interest in seeing how her presence affects the voting. Let the fun begin!
I’ve experienced the majesty of entering the U.S. Supreme Court through its hallowed front doors. As things currently stand, my children won’t have that same privilege.
Last May, the U.S. Supreme Court announced that it had decided to close the famous front door to the public for security reasons. Some in Congress don’t like it. The Washington Post is hoping that Rep. Anna Eshoo’s resolution to re-open those doors will, at the very least, open a dialog about the price of so-called security.
I must say, I hope so too. I understand the fear of living and working in the center of government; I do. I will never forget trudging out of the Capitol complex, past armed guards who sprang out of nowhere to guard the front of the Supreme Court, to try to get out of what was likely the line of fire on 9/11. Still, there must be a way to ensure security without destroying the symbolism of the Court. At some point, security without freedom is no security at all.