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Little things mean a lot at the Newseum

Indianapolis Star column
by Warren Watson



J-Ideas Director Warren Watson blogs regularly for the Indianapolis Star. Here are his latest offerings:

Landmark First Amendment Research
with School Principals launched at Ball State

Ball State’s First Amendment institute has launched a landmark research project with 5,000 high school principals nationwide.

J-Ideas, a 5-year-old effort to support student journalism and First Amendment awareness, is reaching out to 5,000 principals to gauge their knowledge level and support for the First Amendment of the Constitution. The research coincides with Sunshine Week, a national effort to support Freedom of Information, an important principle of the First Amendment. <more>

-Campus free-speech thrives

-Ignoramcer in Palin, Dowd free-speech remarks

-Plainfield pays respect to First Amendment

-Banned Books Week

-Palin-tology

-Author creates First Amendment 'primer'

-New President must revive Constitution

-Traditional news misses Edwards escapade

-Protesters' rights fenced off

-Social networking pitfalls

-Bad year for traditional news gatherers

-Baseball and the First Amendment

-Principals and the First Amendment

-Remembering a crusader

-Photo ID law bad for voters

-Thoughts from the annual U.S. editors convention

-Need for print journalism remains

-Sunshine:now more than ever

-Mean-spirited fans

-Peter Jennings' legacy

-The First Amendment at the Alamo

-A New museum for news

-Author creates First Amendment 'primer'

-Unlikely First Amendment hero

-Harrison represented Hoosiers proudly

-Online course wraps for the fall

-Religious freedom for all

-Reading is FUN-damental

-Nothing negative

-Blogs grow in influence, but beware of anonymity

-Parent rides the bench after blog posting

-Student journalist's actions serves profession poorly

-Examining free speech online

-Remembering the courageous Elijah Parish Lovejoy

-First Amendment protects unpopular speech, too

Student journalists scoop professional press
Gerry
By Gerry Appel

In an era where student journalists are often criticized for poor decision-making, one student newspaper should receive praise after scooping its professional counterparts. <more>

-Principal wrong in pulling paper

Mile high with the First Amendment...
swikle
By Randy Swikle

We were north of the Mile High City near the Rocky Mountains. The principals were voluntarily descending—not from the tall peaks but from their position abutting the summit of school hierarchy. When they reached level ground, we could see each other more clearly. And clear sight leads to insight. <more

 
 
   
     
     
     
 
 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
  Home > Warren Watson > Photo ID law bad for voters
     
 

Warren Watson
First Thoughts
April 29, 2008

Photo ID law bad for voters

Too bad.

At the height of the most intriguing presidential election in years, a campaign that is drawing new registered voters in droves, the U.S. Supreme Court Monday took steps that will discourage potential voters everywhere.

By a 6-3 vote, the high court rejected a challenge to an Indiana law that requires voters to show government-issued photo IDs at the ballot box. More than 20 other states have similar laws.

Sure, possible voter fraud is an important issue – and the subject that inspired the Indiana law in the first place. And it is pretty easy to get an ID; Indiana residents are eligible for a free one if they do not have a driver’s license. But the drafters of that 2006 legislation and the court itself have moved to close down the electoral process at a time when we should enabling as many people as possible to exercise their First Amendment right to vote.

We complain all the time about people young and old eschewing the political process. No wonder. We’re putting needless roadblocks in the way.

Kind of reminds me of the old poll tax, which discouraged voting for many years in many places. But the 24th amendment outlawed such a levy in 1964.

This photo ID law is no poll tax, but it discourages voting in a small way.

Lawmakers and justices should err on the side of full participation. Our democracy deserves better.

     
     

 

 

 

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External Links

 
 

Review of Future of the First Amendment

Two Connecticut researchers have become synonymous with the problem of poor First Amendment awareness in the nation’s high schools.

Ken Dautrich and David Yalof, professors at the University of Connecticut and backed by the Knight Foundation, have logged thousands of miles nationwide in developing a series of studies and followups about the First Amendment. more

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SPLC Exec. Director talks to Ball State students about 'Digital Freedom'

IHSPA 2008 State Convention: The Convergention

Bloggers and Online News Users are Better Informed on First Amendment

Dautrich and Yalof Publish book on First Amendment

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  J-IDEAS is funded in part by the 
John S. and James L. Knight Foundation's
High School Initiative
and Ball State University.
 
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