A Couple Things Noted

The Last Survivor is Gone
From yesterday's Star-Tribune

Charles W. Lindberg, the last survivor of the six U.S. Marines who raised the first American flag over Iwo Jima during World War II, has died. He was 86.

As we know from the recent Clint Eastwood film the flag was raised twice. It was the second one that got the publicity. Here's what the Star-Trib said about Mr. Lindberg, no relation to the aviator:

By Lindberg's account, his commander ordered the first flag replaced and safeguarded because he worried it would be taken by someone as a souvenir. His patrol was back in combat, crawling through the black volcanic rock of the island, when a group of five Marines and a Navy hospital corpsman raised a second, larger flag about four hours later.

Lindberg died in the hospital only two blocks from where I work.

Free Speech? No...
Now what is it about conservative judges who are upheld as strict constructionists, non-activist judges, not making new laws from the Constituion, etc.? Yesterday the Supreme Court (5-4) limited free speech. Over a truly frivolous, inane matter. A silly message originally taken from a skateboard intended, says the former student, to simply say nothing.

But if someone interprets it as a pro-drug message it's not allowed.

Free Speech? Yes...
Obviously corporations, unions, and issue groups have more rights to speak than students standing on a sidewalk. I guess it may have more to do with money than anything else. The same day the Supreme Court said NO to the Bong Hits for Jesus freedom of speech, they said YES (also by 5-4) to the freedom of speech to spend money on issue-related campaign ads close to the election.

Somehow in all this I have the feeling that money talks.