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Elena Kagan helped 2 Live Crew and blacks, so confirm her already

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke analyzes Elena Kagan's nomination to the highest court in the land.

I'm happy to see that Barack Obama nominated Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. Even if he doesn't win the next election, by installing two intelligent, nonpartisan women as justices, the president has already cemented his legacy. Sonia Sotomayor and Kagan (if she is confirmed) will be on the bench long after he has left the Oval Office. In my opinion, Kagan is the perfect person for the job.

In 1989, Broward County Sheriff Nick Navarro banned the sale of our album, As Nasty as They Wanna Be, and a federal judge backed him. We appealed. The next year, Kagan, who was working at a Washington, D.C. law firm, wrote a brief that argued the album "does not physically excite anyone who hears it, much less arouse a shameful and morbid sexual response." In other words, my homegirl Kagan was saying people could not be aroused by the lyrics "'cause my dick's on bone" or "me so horny, me fuck you long time." She realized these words did not meet the standard of appealing to prurient interests. She did a great job fighting on 2 Live Crew's behalf, which lets you know that Kagan is not easily swayed by public opinion or by politicians with their own hidden agendas.

She is not going to let any person or group tell her what is right or wrong. Kagan will judge each case based on the law of the land. She has demonstrated she can protect the Constitution by doing the fine work she did to protect 2 Live Crew's freedom of speech.

In fact, Kagan is such an ideal candidate that the right-wing, Tea Party Republicans have resorted to attacking her because she admires the late Thurgood Marshall, who was the first African-American named to the Supreme Court. She once clerked for him. As a tribute to her mentor when he died, Kagan noted that Marshall viewed the Constitution as "defective" because it allowed slavery to flourish. During the first day of her confirmation hearings this past June 28, one of the Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, showed no respect for Marshall — the great-grandson of a slave.

With the late justice's son Thurgood Jr. in the audience, Sessions criticized Kagan for associating herself with "well-known activist judges who have used their powers to redefine the meaning of our constitution." He named Marshall. I guess when Sessions refers to "our constitution," he's referring to the version before the 13th and 14th amendments were passed and when his great-grandparents owned a plantation stocked with slaves.

Sessions and the other Republicans who trashed Marshall are resorting to that same old hateful rhetoric that has come to define the Tea Party movement. They want us to think venerating Thurgood Marshall is a bad thing. That shows you we have a long way to go in this country.

Follow Luke on Twitter: @unclelukereal1.

 
  • 12/23/2010 7:07:00 AM

    Blackmail her about what? Jack, I'm glad to know you're still living in the 18th century. Maybe one day you will return to planet Earth.

  • Jack Thompson 08/11/2010 2:54:00 AM

    Luther's creative account of the 2 Live Crew obscenity case, which I began, makes me worry about him. One reason, of course, among many, that Kagan, should be off the court is that she is in the closet, and thus blackmailable, as to her lesbianism. The White House says she's not a lesbian. Her lover says she is. Looks to me like Luther has this affinity for blackmailable female politicians--Janet Reno and his "homegirl" Kagan. Jack Thompson, 305-666-4366

  • Guest 08/08/2010 3:01:00 AM

    If Kagan liked dick like a normal woman, things would be different, but she likes pussy as much as the next guy. Fuck you Luke and fuck Obama, too. What? WHo me?

  • street 08/07/2010 3:49:00 PM

    I find that the leaders of our country are fine with us staying in our ghettos and gated comunities, they did not mind when we knew nothing about government, Now that we are becoming educated and outspoken and we even have a black male as president. The slave masters are not happy and wish we were back serving them with trees on our backs. But the new generation of educated blacks are here and we want be moved. we have along ways to go but we will get there. street

  • avvia 08/05/2010 12:50:00 PM

    An excellent article. Always, the Tea Partyers speak in dulcet tones while spouting biased vitriol.

  • 07/29/2010 5:40:00 AM

    I will vote for anyone who is black... But I want the rest of society to treat me equally. RETARDED!

  • Tee Bone 07/23/2010 10:51:00 AM

    You got to be kidding. Does luke own this paper or do you think by letting him try too write he will draw readers to the paper. She wasn't helping you , she found a stupid case that she could get some publicity or recognition for herself. People who bought that crap you called rap had to be a bunch of fools. Even luke had to say to himself dang they bought this junk.

  • pat 07/20/2010 6:47:00 PM

    What on earth?

  • 07/13/2010 2:42:00 AM

    Jason. I guess Jane Roe was an expert about, about, about what? She has been before the supreme court. She had no training and no college. Wait, she knew how to get pregnant. Luther Campbell knew how to swear. Wow! What a skill!

  • Jason 07/13/2010 1:50:00 AM

    "Hey Jason. Many actors have spoken before congress. Does that qualify them as qualified???" Yes, that would “qualify” them as “qualified” to comment on the practice and procedure of presenting testimony to Congress, if that ever becomes a matter of public concern. Similarly, the defendant in two very significant US Supreme Court cases has more credentials to comment on the court than some yahoo on the internet who’s never even set foot in a courtroom. This isn’t complicated.

  • 07/13/2010 1:20:00 AM

    Hey Jason. Many actors have spoken before congress. Does that qualify them as qualified???

  • Frank 07/12/2010 10:51:00 PM

    Yep. Conservatives, Republicans, Right Wingers, and Tea Partiers who oppose activist judges are just a bunch of "racists". You leftist smear merchants will be very, very sorry one day very very soon.

  • Jason 07/12/2010 7:35:00 PM

    “What are his credentials?” He was the subject of two seminal first amendment cases that are still used today to define the boundaries of obscenity and copyright infringement. How many times have you appeared in front of the US Supreme Court?

  • Danny 07/10/2010 9:44:00 PM

    It's a shame that Luke, a true free speech warrior, would support Kagan's nomination. Yes she defended 2 Live Crew's 1st Amendment rights... because she was PAID to do so. If that is to be taken as an indication of how she would treat speech issues as a justice, then we must also consider her arguments as solicitor general in Citizens United, wherein she claimed that the federal government has a right to ban books and pamphlets criticizing politicians. For a more insightful look, I suggest reading two of her law review articles, both paeans to censorship: http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Regulation-of-Hate-Speech-and-Pornography-after-RAV.pdf http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Private-Speech-Public-Purpose.pdf The articles plainly show that when it comes to sexually explicit material she is not being paid to defend, Kagan favors censorship of free speech. Personally, I would prefer a justice who lets people tell her what's right and what's wrong, since Kagan is often wrong. As a Clinton admin. employee, Kagan recommended continuing the racially unfair 10-1 sentencing disparity between crack and powered cocaine. And when Clinton was being urged to ban racial profiling, Kagan's response was: "This simply cannot be allowed to happen." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/06/26/AR2010062603649.html

  • Winston Smith 07/10/2010 7:54:00 AM

    I admit I was having doubts about Kagan; but this endorsement is immensely helpful

  • 07/10/2010 1:27:00 AM

    Luke is an idiot who "Quotes the street", he also "Keeps it real". Open your eyes! Luke is a sell out! Go download the lyrics from some of his songs. This is a piece of sh#t! He sways in the wind and makes comments based on emotion. He abhors truth and facts. HE has an opinion on a judicial nomination????? What are his credentials?

  • Tom Townsend 07/09/2010 5:47:00 PM

    I agree with Kagan's opinion that Campbell has the right to talk dirty on his albums and that they should be available for sale. Yet at the same time I question the artistic merit of pushing the envelope of bad language - this shows a lack of better ideas, stated loudly, a common combination. 2LiveCrew used a gimmick, a vacuous attempt to get notoriety without actually contributing anything of substance. Did 2LiveCrew and so many other weak pop artists have the right to do this? According to my Constitution the answer is Yes. If people like me object to it it is up to us to convince young people why it is shallow and hopefully get them to use their own mind to shake off the grip of pop culture.

  • Visramiani 07/09/2010 5:29:00 AM

    I found Uncle Luke's endorsement to be perceptive and eloquent. No, it's not all about him - defending the First Amendment is a universal good and he recognizes that. He's also right to point out the race hatred underlying much Tea Party rhetoric. Frankly, it's not even covered up in many cases. The right is freaking out because they know that their fear and greed-based vision of the world is dying out with the older generations. Younger generations are more open to the world, more open to change, more community-minded and more respectful of the planet. There will always be some racial prejudice in the world, but in a couple decades people like Sen. Sessions, Glenn Beck and most of their followers will no longer be around. I can't wait to see that day.

  • Jim 07/09/2010 1:21:00 AM

    Its all about the Luke.....

  • Jonathan 07/08/2010 11:30:00 PM

    And who is to say that these old foggies even know their history? History is wrong bc they said so? They obviously do not know more than Uncle Luke on this matter since they were busy reading the papers while Luke was making music and setting court precedent. All I see here are comment s stating Luke is wrong and thats it. No reason behind it, nothing but criticize and criticize w/o solutions not who should be Justice or anyhting of the like.

  • Jonathan 07/08/2010 11:12:00 PM

    Whatever you tea party dork insult me again then go jerk o^& to rush limbaugh. what are you even doing on here??? Go read the drudge report and watch fox news all day since you and your medicated friends dont even work. Like you and your valiums represent public opinion? Noone cares about you and your stupid party.

  • ObiWan 07/08/2010 10:26:00 PM

    "Nonpartisan" woman? You obviously haven't researched either of them. Stick to rap music Luke.

  • Caeser Palache 07/08/2010 7:38:00 PM

    # Jonathan 07/08/2010 6:54:13 AM I actually like the Luke and his views and understand why Kagan should be confirmed according to Luke. These repubs need their meds based on their comments. Awesome, another "ratard" getting their current-events and history lessons from another "ratard."

  • Jonathan 07/08/2010 6:54:00 PM

    I actually like the Luke and his views and understand why Kagan should be confirmed according to Luke. These repubs need their meds based on their comments.

  • JaimeRafael 07/08/2010 8:17:00 AM

    All I have to say is. . . Face Down, Ass Up- That's the way I like to fuck!

  • lukesucks 07/07/2010 5:40:00 PM

    So a supreme court nominee should be confirmed because she is ok with 2 Lice Crew lyrics "'cause my dick's on bone" or "me so horny, me fuck you long time." Great thinking Luke retard. Who is the idiot who keeps printing Luke's adolescent babble in the New Times and giving it space on the web? Are you that incompetent that you cannot find a bonafide journalist?

  • republicanblack 07/06/2010 11:48:00 PM

    Oh come on, come on; people we know why Kagan's blood is on the senate floor. Those R's are getting their stab in because having liberal blood is like finding a bottle of 1957 Merlot. And jeff sessions got busy right away, now everyone knows he hates foreplay. Not even a good morning, Ms. Kagan. But this should be a shoe-in check it out http://apleblog.com/2010/05/11/is-kagan%E2%80%99s-confirmation-a-no-brainer/

  • Clearbrook 07/06/2010 11:23:00 PM

    Just calling someone "Nonpartisan" does not make them so, just like calling someone an "Arab" does not make them change ethnicity. I am talking about Barack Hussein Obama. Everyone calls him "African American" and there is a famous saying here that many people seem to instinctively follow the advice in this quote/paraphrase: “Make the lie big, make it simple, keep saying it, and eventually they will believe it” It was originally in German, and although I could get the quote to you in that form, it really doesn't matter. Who said that? Oh, yeah, that was Adolf Hitler, and many people seem to like to pound these simple lies in just the way he advises. So Kagan and Sotomayor are "Nonpartisan", are they? I could start saying that Bill O'Reilly of The O'Reilly Factor is really a "Nationalist Socialist Liberal" and the only real reason that would not hold is that he would refute that. I doubt Kagan or Sotomayor are likely to refute kind terms like "Nonpartisan" unless they are fools, and I don't consider them that! I am Native American Indian. Go ahead, make my day and play your weak and sorely overused card. Yes, we all know what that one is friend and people are getting more than slightly fed up with it since, as you would likely be fond of pointing out, an "African American" has ascended to the most powerful position in the world. How much racism and discrimination could *really* still exist if this has happened? Oh, yeah. It still exists. The scale on just which side the racism really is has just started tipping hard over left! Think about it! I'd quote Mr. T., but you'd probably find that offensive. Me, I find him offensive with at least a sense of humor that allows him to poke fun at himself sometimes. You could use some of that, but empty pontification seems more your personal style. You should check out what another famous German, Sigmund Freud says about people who act like you do... ;'{P~~~

 
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