Faith, Beer, and Other Things That Interest Geoff

Analysis of Scalia's Thought

The other jurist must hate this guy, since he makes them look so foolish. He readily points out their contradictions.

The American Psychological Association (APA), for example—long notorious for its vigorous efforts to transform homosexuality’s status from mental disorder into civil right—claimed in Roper that scientific evidence shows persons under 18 lack the ability to take moral responsibility for their decisions. The APA, however, “has previously taken precisely the opposite position before this very Court.” In a 1990 brief, the APA found “a ‘rich body of research’ showing that juveniles are mature enough to decide whether to obtain an abortion without parental involvement.” It also argued that by age 14-15 they develop abilities similar to adults in reasoning about moral dilemmas, understanding social rules and laws, and reasoning about interpersonal relationships and problems. Pleading for just a little consistency, Scalia points out to the apparently-oblivious majority that

“Whether to obtain an abortion is surely a much more complex decision for a young person than whether to kill an innocent person in cold blood.”