Sutherland Institute
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Supreme Court and Amish plumbing: how a minority’s dedication can benefit society
An entire society can benefit from the dedication of a minority. The role that Quakers played in the movement to abolish slavery is one example. A recent Supreme Court decision, involving an Amish community in Minnesota, illustrates another.
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Learning about America through primary sources: Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was an 1896 U.S. Supreme Court decision saying that state racial segregation laws did not violate the Constitution. The Plessy decision underpinned the Jim Crow legal regime until it was overturned during the 1960s.
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Deaths of 2 WWII heroes should remind us of history’s lessons
Within the past week, we noted the deaths of two World War II heroes and marked the 80th anniversary of the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Why take time to remember these events from bygone decades and centuries? Because they’re…
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Survey shows public support for religious freedom is strong – even growing
The Becket Fund’s Religious Freedom Index for 2021 reports on a national survey of U.S. adults who respond to 21 questions about “a wide spectrum of religious liberty protections under the First Amendment.”
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Scholarly research should help quiet political controversy around vote by mail
Does vote by mail help one political party over another? How does it impact voter turnout? Is fraudulent voting a problem with vote by mail? Empirical research has evaluated each of these questions.
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The civic implications of the upcoming Supreme Court abortion decision
The tension between applying existing legal rulings and abandoning mistaken interpretations was the most important theme in the oral arguments of Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Although the case is about abortion, the court’s ruling could very well shape…
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Robust recognition of religious freedom is a fortification against antisemitism
Antisemitism – an ugly feature of human history – persists today. A recent publication argues that a more robust recognition of religious freedom could provide a powerful defense against antisemitism in the U.S. and that its absence leaves Jewish citizens…
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New teacher guidelines would strengthen their standing
Lawmakers should be commended for bringing forward proposals to support the parent-teacher partnership through increased curriculum transparency.
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Sutherland Institute statement in support of improved curriculum transparency
Presented before the Education Interim Committee by Stan Rasmussen, Sutherland Institute vice president of government affairs: We appreciate Senator Lincoln Fillmore’s and the committee’s efforts to address this important matter of curriculum transparency. … The proposed legislation admirably strengthens the…
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Judicial review and the infamous Dred Scott case
Chief Justice John Marshall, who established the practice of judicial review, was replaced by Roger Taney, a loyalist of President Andrew Jackson, in 1836. To the degree Taney is remembered, it is for the infamous decision in Dred Scott v.…