DOCSLIB.ORG

The Roberts Court Constitution of Freedom of Speech: Preferences, Principles, and the Study of Supreme Court Decision- Making

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Roberts Court Constitution of Freedom of Speech: Preferences, Principles, and the Study of Supreme Court Decision- Making Syracuse University SURFACE Dissertations - ALL SURFACE 5-14-2017 The Roberts Court Constitution of Freedom of Speech: Preferences, Principles, and the Study of Supreme Court Decision- making Brandon Metroka Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/etd Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Metroka, Brandon, "The Roberts Court Constitution of Freedom of Speech: Preferences, Principles, and the Study of Supreme Court Decision-making" (2017). Dissertations - ALL. 695. https://surface.syr.edu/etd/695 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the SURFACE at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations - ALL by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Since the appointment of Chief Justice G. Roberts to the U.S. Supreme Court, political scientists and legal scholars have assessed the Court’s behavior in a diverse array of cases and issue areas, including those touching on federalism, reproductive rights, voting rights, and economic liberty (cases involving businesses and corporations). Few issues have proven as vexing as the Court’s constitution of the First Amendment’s command “Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech…” In light of the Court’s ongoing constitution of the scope and coverage of the First Amendment, a narrative has emerged that paints the Court as distinctly conservative. In a number of widely publicized, controversial decisions, the Court under Chief Justice Roberts has incrementally dismantled federal and state efforts at campaign finance reform, made union fundraising more difficult, and restricted the availability of First Amendment protection for students, prisoners, and government employees. This explanation, however intuitive and prevalent, is complicated by another narrative. During the same period, the Court has issued incredibly speech-protective decisions in cases involving the distribution of videos depicting dog fights, violence in videogames, protesters at the funerals of fallen service members, lying about military awards, NGOs working abroad to address the AIDS epidemic, roadside signage, and even government employees. Adding another wrinkle to the fold is entire corpus of anti-speech claimant decisions that have been issued by a unanimous Court, or a Court divided in a way unexpected by the ‘liberals versus conservatives’ characterization of our nation’s highest tribunal. These dual storylines present a puzzle that motivate a set of interrelated research questions: What is the nature of the Roberts Court’s constitution of freedom of expression? Is judicial behavior within this politically salient issue area explained by the ideological preferences or attitudes of the justices? If not, what is the alternative explanation? And, more broadly, what are the limitations of the conventional means by which scholars study judicial behavior? This dissertation explores these questions through a set of conventional and innovative approaches to the study of judicial decision-making. It examines the entire universe of free speech decisions of the Roberts Court from external and internal approaches to the study of judicial decision-making. To do so, the dissertation employs a multi-method approach, including large and medium-N analyses of Roberts Court free speech decisions and qualitative tools of conceptual development and process tracing. This project offers four key findings related to the effect of judicial attitudes on the constitution of protection for freedom of expression during the Roberts Era. First, as indicators have incrementally improved upon accurately measuring a key concept of interest – the ideological direction of decisions in freedom of expression cases – the bivariate relationship between judicial attitudes and ideological voting becomes more tenuous. This suggests the need for a continuing research program focused on conceptually valid operationalization of decision direction in freedom of expression cases and beyond. Second, with the Rehnquist Court Era as a comparison point, the effect of judicial attitudes across all votes during the Roberts Era is statistically significant – stronger conservatism scores correlate positively with a pro-speech decision. While this relationship does not exist for the Rehnquist Court, a conceptual typology of cases comparing the ordering of voting coalitions to the direction of decisions in those cases reveals that the Roberts Court is, in some ways, less ideological than the Rehnquist Court Era. Third, through the tool of process tracing and the use of “hoop tests,” the Roberts Court is best understood as having a conservative orientation though not monolithically so – there is considerable heterogeneity in terms of the ideological orientation and conceptions of the judicial role held by the justices that frequently result in unexpected voting alignments. Fourth, the Court’s certiorari process in free expression controversies is better explained by jurisprudential concerns rather than ideological cues. However, once disaggregating the Court’s certiorari docket by issue area, there is evidence for both the ideological and legal explanations for the Court’s behavior in free expression decisions. The central finding wrought from this project is that the judicial constitution of contemporary free expression protection in the U.S. cannot be reduced to single-cause explanations. The complex and often secret nature of various stages of judicial decision-making at the US Supreme Court, as well as the competing, longstanding epistemological approaches to understanding judicial behavior, strongly suggests that scholars must take care to question the assumptions of and examine behavior from both “internal” and “external” perspectives on Court behavior. Sacrificing the former at the altar of the latter leaves interested observers without a clear idea of the structure and language through which high politics is contested at the Court – a language that makes some claims possible and others untenable. The reverse is also problematic: Taking the justices at their word and assuming that fidelity to legal principles and sincerely-held conceptions of the judicial role explains judicial behavior ignores what appear to be patterns of partisan or ideologically driven voting. Beyond answering a substantive question of great interest for scholars, lawyers, litigants, and citizens alike, this research presents new directions for the study of judicial decision-making that have great potential for traveling to other issue areas and constitutional courts Syracuse University. The Roberts Court Constitution of Freedom of Speech: Preferences, Principles, and the Study of Supreme Court Decision-making by Brandon Thomas Metroka B.A., University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown, 2011 M.A., Syracuse University, 2013 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Political Science Syracuse University May 2017 Copyright © Brandon Thomas Metroka 2017 All Rights Reserved Acknowledgements I would like to sincerely thank Thomas Moylan Keck, Keith James Bybee, and James R. Alexander Jr. for their unfailing support and guidance throughout my graduate career at Syracuse University. Their contributions have been legion, and without them this dissertation simply would not be possible. Tom, Keith, and Jim read and provided feedback on too many drafts of this project to count over the last six years. I could not ask for nor imagine better mentors and confidants, and they have reminded me that patience truly is a virtue. I am a better teacher- scholar and person for knowing and collaborating with them, and in particular, Tom. Tom has been my advisor since my first year at Syracuse University, and continually helped channel my research, teaching, professional, and personal development in too many ways to list and describe here. I am incredibly appreciative. In addition, I want to convey my appreciation for the mentoring provided by committee members Colin Elman (particularly at the research design stage), Grant Reeher (in many forms during the writing of this project and during my time at the Campbell Public Affairs Institute at Syracuse University), and Dimitar Gueorguiev (especially for comments and critiques related to the structure of Chapter Five). As well, special thanks to David M. Driesen of the Syracuse University College of Law for agreeing to chair the committee, as well as the opportunity to explore judicial decision-making from a fresh perspective. Finally, the critical insights, support, and friendship of G. David Arceneaux, Sonu Bedi, Matt Cleary, Chris Faricy, Shana Gadarian, Jon Hanson, Seth Jolly, Helen Knowles, Steven Lichtman, Quinn Mulroy, Pedram Maghsoud-Nia, Glyn Morgan, Richard Price, and Logan Strother have also brought needed clarity and purpose to a veritable morass of information. vi Additionally, I wish to express special thanks to Maeva Marcus, Robert Gordon, and the participants of the Jordan Saunders Seminar in Constitutional History at Stanford University for comments and insights that encouraged me to think about law, history, and politics in a different light. Similarly, I am thankful for the comments offered by the graduate students and faculty of the Political Science Research Workshop at Syracuse University, as well as Jeb Barnes and other attendees of the research design workshops at the 2015 meeting of the Institute for Qualitative
Load more

Recommended publications
  • UNDENIABLE the Survey of Hostility to Religion in America
    UNDENIABLE The Survey of Hostility to Religion in America 2014 Edition Editorial Team Kelly Shackelford Chairman Jeffrey Mateer Executive Editor Justin Butterfield Editor-in-chief Michael Andrews Assistant Editor Past Contributors Bryan Clegg An Open Letter to the American PEople UNDENIABLE To our fellow citizens: The Survey of Hostility to Religion in America Hostility to religion and religious freedom in America—institutional, pervasive, damaging hostility—can no longer reasonably be denied. And 2014 Edition yet there remain deniers. Because denial of these attacks is a mortal threat to the survival and health of Kelly Shackelford, chairman our republic, Liberty Institute and Family Research Council collaborated in 2012 to publish a survey documenting the frequency and severity of incidents Jeffrey Mateer, executive editor of hostility. In the 2013 survey entitled Undeniable, the research team led by Justin Butterfield, editor-in-chief a Harvard-trained constitutional attorney found almost twice the number of incidents in the previous twelve months than all the incidents found from Michael Andrews, assistant editor several years’ past. The rate of hostility was increasing at an alarming rate. This year in Undeniable: The Survey of Hostility to Religion 2014, the team Copyright © 2013–2014 Liberty Institute. of researchers again documented an alarming increase in the number of All rights reserved. hostile incidents toward religion from the year before. The rate of hostility is continuing to climb. We offer Undeniable 2014 to you, the American people, as an alarm bell This publication is not to be used for legal advice. Because the law is ringing in the night. We believe the many public opinion surveys showing constantly changing and each factual situation is unique, Liberty Institute that you, the people, are still a religious people.
    [Show full text]
  • 2017 Official General Election Results
    STATE OF ALABAMA Canvass of Results for the Special General Election held on December 12, 2017 Pursuant to Chapter 12 of Title 17 of the Code of Alabama, 1975, we, the undersigned, hereby certify that the results of the Special General Election for the office of United States Senator and for proposed constitutional amendments held in Alabama on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, were opened and counted by us and that the results so tabulated are recorded on the following pages with an appendix, organized by county, recording the write-in votes cast as certified by each applicable county for the office of United States Senator. In Testimony Whereby, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the Great and Principal Seal of the State of Alabama at the State Capitol, in the City of Montgomery, on this the 28th day of December,· the year 2017. Steve Marshall Attorney General John Merrill °\ Secretary of State Special General Election Results December 12, 2017 U.S. Senate Geneva Amendment Lamar, Amendment #1 Lamar, Amendment #2 (Act 2017-313) (Act 2017-334) (Act 2017-339) Doug Jones (D) Roy Moore (R) Write-In Yes No Yes No Yes No Total 673,896 651,972 22,852 3,290 3,146 2,116 1,052 843 2,388 Autauga 5,615 8,762 253 Baldwin 22,261 38,566 1,703 Barbour 3,716 2,702 41 Bibb 1,567 3,599 66 Blount 2,408 11,631 180 Bullock 2,715 656 7 Butler 2,915 2,758 41 Calhoun 12,331 15,238 429 Chambers 4,257 3,312 67 Cherokee 1,529 4,006 109 Chilton 2,306 7,563 132 Choctaw 2,277 1,949 17 Clarke 4,363 3,995 43 Clay 990 2,589 19 Cleburne 600 2,468 30 Coffee 3,730 8,063
    [Show full text]
  • Ccu's New President
    STUDENT CENTER UPDATE CCU2THEWORLD ALUMNI STORIES FALL 2016 CCU’S NEW PRESIDENT: DR. DON SWEETING Feature Story (Page 10) ccu.edu/alumni LETTER FROM THE VICE PRESIDENT | Fall 2016 Dear Friends, The past year has been a whirlwind of emotions. We grieved, as a community, the loss of our great leader, President Bill Armstrong. And, on October 1st, we welcomed a new president at the helm of our beloved university. As always, it is our goal to keep you informed about and also proud to be associated with Colorado Christian University. In this edition of BEYOND, you will see some of the ways CCU is engaging with the broader community through public policy and political science; some of the wonderful events and various programs going on; and you’ll learn about the man whom the board of trustees unanimously voted to be our next president. As we move forward into a new era at CCU, we do so trusting always in the grace and sovereignty of our Lord Jesus Christ. We are excited to introduce you to CCU’s new president, Dr. Donald Sweeting. You can read more about him on page 10, but I’d like to share with you my perspective on the man God has appointed to this position. After a decade under the guidance and leadership of President Bill Armstrong, this University needs a president who stands boldly for the convictions and values that CCU holds. Dr. Sweeting does just that. And, having served on CCU’s board of trustees for 11 years, Dr. Don Sweeting has an inside understanding of the University’s Statement of Faith, Strategic Objectives, mission and vision statements, and our pursuit to become a great university.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Economic Battle Plan
    Phil Robertson - Unplugged 2.48 [Economic Battle PlanTM points: 65) Background Briefing: While the world around us may seem crazy, there is a bigger plan. Security threats, economic details, money, and fights for freedom may at times feel overwhelming. Sometimes, it is good to sit back and keep perspective on what is most important in life. This week your briefing moves from the DC swamp to the beautiful Louisiana swamp for a fresh perspective with Phil Robertson. Learn the most important topic he discussed with President Trump. Your Mission: Love your God, Trust Your God, Fear Your God, Practice Capitalism. (OSINT)– Open Sourced Intelligence Briefing Open Sourced Intelligence Briefing. This includes quotes, dialogues and summaries of Economic War Room conversations with Kevin Freeman and Phil Robertson. Phil Robertson is an American icon, professional hunter, businessman (Duck Commander company), and reality television star on the popular series “Duck Dynasty.” He is also featured on the television show Duck Commander, a hunting program on the Outdoor Channel as well as “Into the Woods”, on BlazeTV.com. “If we have food and clothing. We will be content with that. America has lost is the ability to be content. They are always nervous. They seem to be mad when they get up in the morning and they have their hand out. The young people especially, you know, ask ‘who’s going to help me? You owe me! ‘Entitlements,’ just the word gets me. They’re entitled because they are alive and breathing on planet Earth?” –Phil Robertson page 1 Phil Robertson - Unplugged 2.48 [Economic Battle PlanTM points: 65) 1.
    [Show full text]
  • ARTICLES Public Schools Are Not Religion Free Zones J. Brent Walker ...20 BOOK REVIEWS the Early Church On
    Christian Ethics Today A Journal of Christian Ethics Volume 22, Number 1 Aggregate Issue 92 Winter 2014 “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord’” Isaiah 40:3; John 1:23 ARTICLES Pope Francis and The Joy of The Gospel Walter B. Shurden ............................. 2 Evangelicals and Climate Change Charles Redfern ................................................. 5 Black Baptists and Same Sex Marriage Aaron Douglas Weaver ..................... 9 The Re-assassination of MLK Wendell Griffin .............................................................14 Sexual Predators Beware! Rita Hoyt Jenkins ................................................................17 Public Schools are not Religion Free Zones J. Brent Walker .........................20 Marriage and Contraception Nathan C. Walker .......................................................21 A “Duck Call” For All J. Randall O’Brien ..............................................................................22 God as Sister, God and Sister Martin E. Marty ...........................................................23 BOOK REVIEWS The Early Church on Killing, by Ron Sider Reviewed by Tony Campolo ...24 By the Rivers of Water, by Erskine Clarke Reviewed by Darold Morgan ...25 VERSE Bringing Transcendence in Play James A. Langley ................................................27 KUDZU by Doug Marlette Pope Francis and The Joy of the Gospel By Walter B. Shurden mazon gives it five stars! I think Francis’ intent could not be more Persons, and the
    [Show full text]
  • John West Asian Century… on a Knife-Edge John West Asian Century… on a Knife-Edge
    ON A KNIFE-EDGE A 360 Degree Analysis of Asia's Recent Economic Development John West Asian Century… on a Knife-edge John West Asian Century… on a Knife-edge A 360 Degree Analysis of Asia’s Recent Economic Development John West Center for Global Discovery Sophia University Tokyo, Japan ISBN 978-981-10-7181-2 ISBN 978-981-10-7182-9 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7182-9 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017961555 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2018 This book is an open access publication Open Access This book is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this book are included in the book’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the book’s Creative Commons license and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.
    [Show full text]
  • The Robertson Family from A&E's Duck Dynasty 4
    The Robertson Family from A&E’s Duck Dynasty 4 LCU’s NAIA Era Officially Ends 9 Five Long-Time Mentors Retire 24 Volume 53 • Issue 2 Summer 2013 LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY from the president Lucy and I recently had the great privilege of traveling to Israel and Jordan with Dr. Jesse Long, dean of the Reflections is College of Biblical Studies and Behavioral Science, and published two a group of LCU students, faculty, staff, and friends. times a year by We visited Nazareth, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Megiddo, Lubbock Christian Jerusalem, Jericho, the Dead Sea, Masada, Qumran, University and Petra, and Jerash, among many other places. We produced by walked along the streets of Bethlehem, visited the Western Wall, looked over the city of Jerusalem from the Marketing the Mount of Olives, sang hymns while crossing the Communications Sea of Galilee, stepped into the waters of the Jordan, Department. and shared communion together at one of the possible sites of Jesus’s burial. The mission of Reflections is to It was a spiritual pilgrimage, a transformative provide alumni and experience, yielding fresh insights and a deeper understanding of scripture and friends of LCU with the story of God’s people. Familiar Bible stories came to life as together we news, information, sought to walk in the steps of the Holy One. and inspiration regarding the Darryl Tippens, in his excellent book Pilgrim Heart, writes: “[m]oving towards university and each God requires pilgrimage.” Indeed, the life of faith is often described as a journey, other. “a long, sometimesLUBBOCK bumpy, circuitous, CHRISTIAN and risky adventure.” UNIVERSITY (Tippens at 27) In this issue of Reflections we share inspiring stories from the road.
    [Show full text]
  • Minutes Grand
    MINUTES FROM THE GRAND OLE OPRY! NASHVILLE LOCATION Minutes from downtown Nashville, Sumner County is easily accessible to I-65 & I-40 as well as the Kentucky State line. DRIVE TIMES FROM MAJOR CITIES TO SUMNER COUNTY, TENNESSEE Atlanta – 4 hours Columbus – 5.5 hours Knoxville – 3.5 hours Charlotte – 7 hours Huntsville – 2.5 hours Memphis – 3.5 hours Cincinnati – 4 hours Indianapolis – 4 hours St. Louis – 5 hours SUMNER COUNTY VISITOR CENTER 2310SUMNER Nashville COUNTY PikeCONVENTION • Gallatin, & VISITORS TN 37066BUREAU 2310 Nashville888•301•7886 Pike • Gallatin, TN 37066 888•301•7886 • 615•230•8474 • Fax 615•230•9963 #VisitSumnerTN#VisitSumnerTN • • VisitSumnerTN.com VisitSumnerTN.com TRAVEL GUIDE VisitSumnerTN.com • #VisitSumnerTN TheFOR Place SHOPPING, DINING,to Be… ENTERTAINMENT AND EVENTS! We Say, Welcome Back. Experience beautiful Sumner County, Tennessee, just minutes from Nashville! Discover our storied history and strong country music heritage. Indulge in our delicious dining options. Relax in the simplicity of our lake, parks, and farms. Connect with the authenticity of Sumner County, Tennessee! ON THE COVER Sumner County, Tennessee, has deep musical roots in bluegrass and country, but today embraces its music heritage’s influence in all genres. Local bluegrass band A Step Ahead entertains visitors from Ohio at the Red Barn at Crafton Farm in Portland for an unforgettable evening of merriment. Local resident William Lee Golden, famed member of The Oak Ridge Boys, captured a quiet moment of fishing on Sumner County’s Old Hickory Lake. WHAT IS A QR CODE AND HOW DOES IT WORK? A QR Code is a much easier way for you to see webpages and you will see QR Codes throughout this guide! They are simple to use, just follow these easy steps: 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Newsmax's 100 Most Influential Evangelicals in America 3/9/21, 1:32 AM
    Newsmax's 100 Most Influential Evangelicals in America 3/9/21, 1:32 AM % WATCH TV LIVE (https://www.newsmaxtv.com) & MENU (https://www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax) (https://www.newsmaxtv.com) LIVE Newsmax's 100 Most Influential Evangelicals in America From L: Billy Graham (Gerry Broome/AP), Sarah Palin (Alex Wong/Getty Images), Jerry Falwell Jr. (Nicholas Kamm/Getty Images), and Joyce Meyer (Mark Humphrey/AP). By Jen Krausz (https://www.newsmax.com/t/newsmax/section/342) Friday, 17 Nov 2017 9:07 AM ! " # $ Join in the Discussion! Evangelicals come from many different Christian denominations, but they all have a common belief in the holiness of scripture and the centrality of faith in Jesus Christ for their lives. The Pew Research Center (http://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/) estimates that about 25.4 percent of Americans, or about 62 million adults, are evangelicals. The evangelical faith of these prominent Americans has shaped their lives and influenced their politics, morality, and careers, as well as their personal lives. Is Christ Really Returning? Vote in National Survey Here (http://www.newsmax.com/surveys/ReturnOfJesusChrist/When-Do-You-Think-Christ-is- Returning-/id/179/kw/default/?dkt_nbr=nflekxtw) This Newsmax list of the 100 Most Influential Evangelicals in America includes pastors, teachers, politicians, athletes, and entertainers — men and women from all walks of life whose faith leads them to live differently and to help others in a variety of ways. 1. Billy Graham — Rev. Graham has slowed down in his active ministry — he will turn 100 next November — but he's built a legacy as the greatest preacher of the gospel America has ever known.
    [Show full text]
  • Louisiana Tech Magazine
    NO.32 | SUMMER 2014 Louisiana Tech MAGAZINE MISSION 2020 Even Bigger, Even Better ALUMNI ASSOCIATION OFFICERS Caroline Wilkerson Reaves, President CONTENTS Brennan Easley, Vice President Dave Matthiesen, Treasurer Cathi Cox-Boniol, Member-at-Large 2 From the 16th Floor Jason Bullock, Past President Leslie K. Guice, Ex-Officio 3 A World of Opportunities… Close to Home BOARD OF DIRECTORS 8 It’s FUN to be an ALUM Paula Hampton Aultman, Ed Chavanne, Philip Cole, Tony Corley, A Word from the 10 Tech@Work Lacie Frasier Covington, Lee Denny, True to their vocations and to their school: Corey Remerson Edwards, Ben Erwin, ALUMNI DIRECTOR Gunter, KC Ifeanyi, Jenee’ Jordan, Eric Geiger Kelly Harp Haber, Eric Johnson, Brandie McNabb Martin, Dear Alumni and Friends, 20 News Around Campus Paige Baughman Oliver, Phillip Parker, The old saying “time flies when you are having fun” is surely the case for me. It is hard to Cynthia Aillet Pettiette, Greg Ross, A college-by-college glance believe that I have been a part of the Division of University Advancement for more than 13 Mark Shoffner, Stuart Snook, Chris Stegall, years – first as a graduate assistant, then as a coordinator, and for the past nine years as the Kim Ashy Swart, Jeff Thompson, Director of Alumni Relations – and it has been FUN! The opportunity to interact with so 25 Tower Medallion Linda Simonetti Turner, Ray Weaver, many of you has been such a blessing to me, whether it was simply through these biannual Investiture of Keith Welch, Barry West, James Wilkerson, letters, at an athletic event or at one of our numerous gatherings of alumni and friends.
    [Show full text]
  • SLS 21RS-922 ORIGINAL 2021 Regular Session SENATE
    SLS 21RS-922 ORIGINAL 2021 Regular Session SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 44 BY SENATOR BERNARD COMMENDATIONS. Commends Phil Robertson upon being inducted into the Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame. 1 A RESOLUTION 2 To commend and congratulate Phil Robertson on being named to the 2020 Louisiana Sports 3 Hall of Fame induction class. 4 WHEREAS, Phil Robertson, a native of Vivian, Louisiana, is known globally as the 5 Duck Commander and recognized by millions for his long, rugged beard; and 6 WHEREAS, as an athlete in high school, he was all-state in football, baseball, and 7 track, which afforded him the opportunity to attend Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, 8 Louisiana, and play for the Bulldogs on a football scholarship; and 9 WHEREAS, he was the Bulldogs' first-string quarterback for the 1966 and 1967 10 seasons, and chose not to play in 1968; and 11 WHEREAS, in his time at Louisiana Tech, Mr. Robertson completed one hundred 12 seventy-nine of four hundred eleven passing attempts for two thousand two hundred 13 thirty-seven yards and threw twelve touchdowns; and 14 WHEREAS, when he was approached to play professionally for the Washington 15 Redskins, he declined because football conflicted with hunting season; and 16 WHEREAS, satisfying his passion for hunting rather than being on the gridiron, he 17 became an entrepreneur in a dilapidated shed, where he spent twenty-five years making duck 18 calls from Louisiana cedar trees, building his first call from a piece of walnut in 1972; and Page 1 of 2 SLS 21RS-922 ORIGINAL SR NO.
    [Show full text]
  • Read the First Chapter of Rockstar Grandparent
    Rockstar Grandparenting.indd 3 8/10/18 9:45 AM FOREWORD BY KORIE ROBERTSON How You Can Lead the Way, Light the Road, & Launch a Legacy CHRYS HOWARD Rockstar Grandparenting.indd 5 8/10/18 9:45 AM Rockstar Grandparent All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked (amp) are taken from the Amplified Bible. Copyright © 2015 by the Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org). Scripture quotations marked (kjv) are taken from the King James Version. Scripture quotations marked (niv) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Italics in Scripture quotations reflect the author’s added emphasis. Details in some anecdotes and stories have been changed to protect the identities of the persons involved. Trade Paperback ISBN 978- 0- 7352- 9159- 1 eBook ISBN 978- 0- 7352- 9160- 7 Copyright © 2019 by Chrysanne Howard Cover design by Mark D. Ford Cover photo by MECKY / Getty Images; Mark D. Ford All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Published in the United States by WaterBrook, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
    [Show full text]