In just over one year since United States v. Windsor— the case invalidating sections of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that defined marriage, for purposes of federal statutes, as the “union of man and woman”— more than a dozen states have had their same-sex marriage bans ruled unconstitutional. This suggests a shift in legal meaning; previously successful arguments against same-sex “marriage” now seem irrational as argumentative ground has shifted. Since favorable rulings redefine “marriage” to include same-sex unions, this thesis analyzes Kitchen v. Herbert, a 2014 legal opinion from the United States Court of Appeals Tenth Circuit, to understand the rhetorical processes underpinning its redefinitional act. That analysis draws on Kenneth Burke’s theories of entitling and constitutions and discusses the rhetorical concepts of terministic screens, casuistic screens, scope and circumference as key features of the rhetoric of the legal opinions. The findings call for a balancing of deconstructive and conventional approaches to legal discourse. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2015. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, resulted in dramatic legal changes in the U.S. As part of its investigation into the attacks, the U.S. Government detained approximately 5,000 "aliens" from predominantly Muslim countries. These detentions were characterized by minimal, and sometimes non-existent, habeas corpus and due-process protections. During times of crisis, care should be taken that panic not be allowed to prevail over long-cherished constitutional values. This thesis examines Government actions in light of constitutional principles to examine the larger question of whether the War on Terror detention practices have permanently undermined the rule of law in the U.S. / The factual and legal scenarios in this area have been changing at a rapid rate, and they will certainly continue to change. Those constant changes have presented a special challenge in writing this thesis. The facts and legal scenarios described herein, therefore, are current as of January 31, 2005.

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Thesis (LLM)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This thesis examines the constitutional law of equality, non-discrimination and affirmative action in Namibia, and compares it to that of South Africa and the United States. Namibian judicial interpretation in these areas seeks to balance the need to safeguard the internationally recognized human rights that the Namibian Constitution guarantees with the need to ensure that Namibian constitutional law is seen as grounded in Namibia's historical experience and culture. This latter imperative derives from the Namibian Constitution's origins in an international negotiation process, which has led to some popular criticism of the Constitution as foreign and imposed. As a result, Namibian courts have been careful to ensure that reliance on foreign precedent (where there is no local authority) does not diminish the Constitution's unique character and its suitability to the Namibian situation. To that end, the Namibian courts have given great weight to the role of current Namibian societal values in constitutional interpretation. In the areas of equality, nondiscrimination and affirmative action, Namibian courts have generally followed the South African approach, except with respect to discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The author concludes that the adoption of the South African approach generally makes sense for Namibia, and specifically criticizes the Namibian courts' approach to sexual orientation discrimination. The statutes enacted in Namibia to carry out the Constitution's equality and nondiscrimination guarantees, including in the area of affirmative action, are also considered. While these statutes have not yet been subject to judicial interpretation, it seems likely that future cases presenting issues arising under these statutes will necessitate the same balancing referred to above. The thesis begins with an overview of each Constitution's textual treatment of equality, non-discrimination and affirmative action, and a discussion comparing the background and basic structure of the three Constitutions. It then focuses on the judicial and legislative interpretation of the concepts of equality and nondiscrimination in Namibia, as compared to that in South Africa and the US. Following that, the author discusses the judicial and legislative interpretation of the concept of affirmative action in Namibia, also as compared to that in South Africa and the United States. The thesis ends with the author's conclusions and some predictions as to how the Namibian courts might rule on certain issues that seem likely to arise in these areas in the future. / LLM Tesis deur Elizabeth Kandravy Cassidy, '''n Delikate Balans: Gelykheid, nie-diskrimnasie en gelykberegtiging in Namibiese staatsreg - 'n vergelykende studie met Suid-Afrikaanse en Amerikaanse Staatsreg" (2002) Hierdie tesis ondersoek die staatsregtelike beskerming van gelykheid, niediskriminasie en gelykberegtiging in Namibië in 'n regsvergelykende studie van Suid- Afrikaanse en Amerikaanse staatsreg. Namibiese geregtelike interpretasie op hierdie gebied poog om 'n balans te handhaaf tussen die behoefte om internasionaal erkende menseregte deur die Namibiese grondwet te waarborg en die behoefte om te verseker dat die grondslag van die Namibiese staatsreg soos gevestig in sy geskiedenis en kultuur behoue bly. Laasgenoemde beweegrede spruit voort uit die feit dat die Namibiese grondwet sy oorsprong te danke het aan 'n internasionale onderhandelingsproses, wat gelei het tot die algemene siening dat die grondwet vreemd is en nie uit eie geledere afgedwing word nie. Gevolglik steun die Namibiese howe met omsigtigheid op buitelandse presedente (waar daar geen plaaslike gesag is nie) met die oog op behoud van die grondwet se unieke karakter en gepastheid binne die Namibiese konteks. Met hierdie doel voor oë, plaas die Namibiese howe in grondwetlike interpretasie, groter klem op die rol van kontemporêre gemeenskapswaardes in Namibië. Op die gebied van gelykheid, nie-diskriminasie en gelykberegtiging volg die Namibiese howe oor die algemeen die Suid-Afrikaanse benadering, behalwe in die geval van diskriminasie op grond van seksuele oriëntasie. Die skrywer kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die toepassing van die Suid-Afrikaanse benadering in die algemeen sinvol is binne die Namibiese konteks and kritiseer die Namibiese howe se benadering tot diskriminasie op grond van seksuele orientasie. Die wetgewing wat in Namibië uitgevaardig is om die grondwetlik gewaarborgde gelykheid en nie-diskriminasie, insluitend gelykberegtiging te verseker word ook ondersoek. Alhoewel hierdie wetgewing nog nie aan geregtelike interpretasie onderwerp is nie, blyk dit dat toekomstige uitsprake waar die wetgewing ter sprake kom ook die balansering van hierdie belange sal noodsaak. Die tesis begin met 'n oorsigtelike bespreking van die benadering tot gelykheid, niediskriminasie en gelykberegtiging van die onderskeie grondwette en 'n regsvergelykende bespreking van die agtergrond en basiese struktuur van die drie grondwette. Vervolgens fokus die tesis op die geregtelike interpretasie van die beginsels van gelykheid en nie-diskriminasie in Namibië, in vergelyking met Suid- Afrika en die Verenigde State. Daarna bepreek die skrywer die geregtelike en wetgewende interpretasie van die beginsel van gelykgeregtiging in Namibië, ook in 'n regsvergelyking met die Suid-Afrikaanse en Amerikaanse posisie. Die tesis sluit af met die skrywer se gevolgtrekkings en 'n paar voorspellings oor die moontlike benadering wat die Namibiese howe in die toekoms sal volg tot sekere regskwessies wat in hierdie vakgebied kan voorkom.

Racial and gender inequality, as well as other forms of discrimination has been a part of the South African, American and Indian histories for a very long time. Even today racial disparity is still very evident in the South African and American societies whilst discrimination based on caste is still prevalent in the Indian society. This is illustrated by continued racial discrimination and the remaining signs of societal segregation. Due to continuing disparities amongst the people, it became necessary to implement affirmative action programmes. Focusing in particular on education and jobs, affirmative action policies require active measures to be taken to ensure that blacks and other minorities enjoy the same opportunities for career advancement and school admissions that had been the nearly exclusive province of whites in SA and the USA, or for the forward castes in India. Affirmative action has been both praised and denounced, as an answer to racial inequality. One of the key issues that arise when affirmative action is discussed is whether or not affirmative action in fact promotes equality and atones for past prejudices. Another concern is whether the current affirmative action policy is the right policy to use. The issues surrounding affirmative action seems to be universal as are the circumstances. Perhaps the most widespread similarity among the programmes in these very different countries has been that group preferences and quotas are almost always discussed. The debate on affirmative action exists because it is a very divisive issue and it affects different groups of people in different ways, and some groups or persons seemingly benefit more from affirmative action than other persons or groups. In addition, it causes people to be classified into groups, and at the same time, strives to break down group barriers. It is an issue that is difficult to resolve because people have varied ideas about how the problems of racial inequality and historical discrimination should be addressed / Jurisprudence / LLD

Racial and gender inequality, as well as other forms of discrimination has been a part of the South African, American and Indian histories for a very long time. Even today racial disparity is still very evident in the South African and American societies whilst discrimination based on caste is still prevalent in the Indian society. This is illustrated by continued racial discrimination and the remaining signs of societal segregation. Due to continuing disparities amongst the people, it became necessary to implement affirmative action programmes. Focusing in particular on education and jobs, affirmative action policies require active measures to be taken to ensure that blacks and other minorities enjoy the same opportunities for career advancement and school admissions that had been the nearly exclusive province of whites in SA and the USA, or for the forward castes in India. Affirmative action has been both praised and denounced, as an answer to racial inequality. One of the key issues that arise when affirmative action is discussed is whether or not affirmative action in fact promotes equality and atones for past prejudices. Another concern is whether the current affirmative action policy is the right policy to use. The issues surrounding affirmative action seems to be universal as are the circumstances. Perhaps the most widespread similarity among the programmes in these very different countries has been that group preferences and quotas are almost always discussed. The debate on affirmative action exists because it is a very divisive issue and it affects different groups of people in different ways, and some groups or persons seemingly benefit more from affirmative action than other persons or groups. In addition, it causes people to be classified into groups, and at the same time, strives to break down group barriers. It is an issue that is difficult to resolve because people have varied ideas about how the problems of racial inequality and historical discrimination should be addressed / Jurisprudence / LLD