We Dissent

Latest Episodes:

Neither rain, nor snow, nor Nascar: Groff v. DeJoy Jun 14, 2023

Show notes

Alison, Rebecca, and Liz discuss the pending Post Office case—Groff v. DeJoy—another high-stakes case in which the Supreme Court considers how much hardship a business must bear to accommodate the religious practices of employees. They explain how the case threatens to disrupt decades of case law interpreting Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and what the oral arguments may have signaled about the potential outcome.

Background

Cases

Trans World Airlines, Inc. v. Hardison (1977)

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Heads I Win, Tails You Lose: Discussing State/Church Separation with Professor Corbin May 18, 2023

Show notes

Rebecca, Liz, and Alison discuss the state of state/church separation with Professor Caroline Corbin, constitutional law professor at the University of Miami. They review the history of Establishment Clause jurisprudence, remind listeners about what the Supreme Court did to the religion clauses in 2022, and discuss where we stand now in regards to rights under the First Amendment. TLDR: If you're a Christian, rest assured it's a "Heads I Win, Tails You Lose" court.

Background

Professor Caroline Corbin's bio
The Remains of the Establishment Clause (Lupu & Tuttle, updated 2023)
James Madison's Memorial and Remonstrance against Religious Assessments
Previous We Dissent episodes on Carson v. Makin

American Atheists Kennedy v. Bremerton amicus brief

Cases

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Court Reform with Katie O'Connor Apr 26, 2023

Show notes

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca are joined by Katie O'Connor, Deputy Chief Counsel at Demand Justice, to discuss court reform. Katie explains how the Supreme Court and federal courts have been broken, why it's an existential threat to our secular democracy, and how we can fix it.

Background

Legislation Discussed

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Sex on the Brain: the Assault on Trans People with Sasha Buchert Mar 22, 2023

Show notes

Alison, Liz, and Rebecca welcome another guest to the pod—Sasha Buchert, senior attorney and director of the Non-Binary and Transgender Rights Project for Lambda Legal. Sasha guides us through a discussion of the history of transgender rights in the courts, the current legislative attacks on trans people we are seeing across the country, and the litigation to overturn anti-trans laws.

Background

Cases

Religious Sisters of Mercy v. Becerra (2022)

Resources

American Atheists

FFRF

Lambda Legal events
How to Contact Your Elected Officials

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

Ministerial Exception 101 Feb 22, 2023

Show notes

What is the ministerial exception? Where did it come from? What has the Supreme Court said about this legal doctrine? In this episode, Rebecca, Liz and Alison recount the history of the ministerial exception and break down the two major cases from the Supreme Court on point: Hosanna-Tabor Evangelical Church and School v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and Our Lady of Guadalupe v. Morrisey-Berru.

Background

Cases

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

303 Creative v. Elenis (This Case Should Be Dismissed!) Jan 25, 2023

Show notes

Rebecca, Liz and Alison discuss the December 2022 oral arguments in the latest services for same sex wedding case, 303 Creative v. Elenis. This case involves a Christian website designer who would like to expand her business to create wedding websites, but would refuse to do that for same sex couples. The hosts discuss the craziness that was the oral argument and what this case means for religious liberty and gay rights.

Background

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Our website, we-dissent.org, has more information as well as episode transcripts.

It Varies By State Dec 22, 2022

Show notes

Alison guides us through the legislative process in states and what to expect in the 2023 legislative sessions. We discuss how a bill becomes a law, what bills we're tracking for next year, and give advice on how you can become an effective advocate!

Cases

Resources