THE WEEK

□ The Pennsylvania House of Representatives was contemplating a bill to require disinvestment of state funds in South Africa. Representative Ron Gamble introduced an amendment requiring disinvestment in every country where the government flagrantly violates human rights. Amendment passed. Bill tabled.

□ The American Civil Liberties Union has formally abandoned its pretense of neutrality and urged the Senate to reject the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. “Had he been around in the eighteenth century,” says ACLU Executive Director Ira Glasser, “he would have been against adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution.” As was Alexander Hamilton. Of course you have to bear in mind that when the ACLU says “Bill of Rights,” it doesn’t have in mind quite the same things the Framers did. As far as it’s concerned, for example, the First Amendment means Communism and porn, the Fourth Amendment means shackling the police, the Eighth Amendment means no capital punishment, the Ninth Amendment means abortion on demand, and the Second and Tenth Amendments mean nothing.

Featured Tags

Presidential Election

Panama

Music

William F. Buckley Jr.

□ The Pennsylvania House of Representatives was contemplating a bill to require disinvestment of state funds in South Africa. Representative Ron Gamble introduced an amendment requiring disinvestment in every country where the government flagrantly violates human rights. Amendment passed. Bill tabled.

□ The American Civil Liberties Union has formally abandoned its pretense of neutrality and urged the Senate to reject the nomination of Robert Bork to the Supreme Court. “Had he been around in the eighteenth century,” says ACLU Executive Director Ira Glasser, “he would have been against adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution.” As was Alexander Hamilton. Of course you have to bear in mind that when the ACLU says “Bill of Rights,” it doesn’t have in mind quite the same things the Framers did. As far as it’s concerned, for example, the First Amendment means Communism and porn, the Fourth Amendment means shackling the police, the Eighth Amendment means no capital punishment, the Ninth Amendment means abortion on demand, and the Second and Tenth Amendments mean nothing.