Comments on: Florida Travel Ban

By: Maryland Conservatarian

Maryland Conservatarian — Fri, 21 Jul 2006 00:29:59 +0000

And I’m guessing the state of Florida just doesn’t want to be associated in anyway with terrorists state.

Hey, that gives me an idea, maybe you can argue that the recent Solomon smackdown of all those other law professors was correctly decided; that the state of Florida can still express its disgust for those terrorist states without impinging on a professor’s right to be morally ambivalent about same state if it means a free trip. You might want to ask for help from thoe profs at George Mason – they’re the only ones who got it right.

By: Eduardo Penalver

Eduardo Penalver — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 23:16:02 +0000

There’s no waiver mechanism. YOu can see the text of the law here: http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_s2434er.html&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=2434&Session=2006

By: Haninah

Haninah — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 21:33:44 +0000

Is there an application-for-waiver mechanism?

By: Juan Steedos

Juan Steedos — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 21:16:20 +0000

Blinkered nonsense. Ignoring something can only lead to harm – like planes crashing into buildings.

Doesn’t another Bush stooge run that state? Probably just as ridiculous as that other Bush-affiliated stooge with the buck teeth from Stanford who should be in in prison.

By: John Armstrong

John Armstrong — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 20:22:06 +0000

My guess is that the law is intended against political science or sociology profs who might be too supportive of anything different from the official administration line, but it seems horribly overbroad as you’ve described it.

If the International Congress of Mathematicians holds its next meeting in Tehran (don’t laugh. Iran’s becoming a powerhouse in that field) I can’t go if I’m working at a Florida university?

I think Somalia’s on the list, isn’t it? Does that mean that anthropological expeditions there are out?

Oh, and what about faculty who have moved here from those states. Are they prohibited (travelling with personal funds) from ever visiting their families again?

By: Deven Desai

Deven Desai — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 19:58:29 +0000

Eduardo, what about the arguments realted to stem cell research? In addition, I would think the cases or articles regarding the ability to restrict sex education or birth control might provide arguments. Although I can’t claim to know the nuances of these areas, Ithink you may find good analagous issues regarding the ability to limit or tie funds to acts. My guess is that these cases and discussions will address why the restrictions are seen as valid but they may yield arguments as to why they are or should not be valid.

A similar area to investigate may be the recent censures of professors for unpopular statements about terrorism and the like. I think someone at Wisconsin (not sure) was just reinstated after a review of his teaching. Perhaps the institution’s codes or standards provide a way to show that the statute conflicts so heavily with the basic ideas and rules of a university that it cannot be applied uniformly.

Last, the idea that even travel using private funds is prohibited remidns me of attempts to regualte private behavior by the employer. So that area of law may be useful too.