WJI's Daily Reads for Jan. 19, 2022

NPR: Gorsuch's refusal to mask at oral argument illustrates eroding collegiality at the Supreme Court.

Inquest: Tony Messenger (who spoke at a WJI event in October 2019) discusses a journalist's advocacy.

Journalism that advocates for a position, sometimes in strongly worded terms, may seem anathema these days, but this tradition is as old as the republic. And there’s no telling what might have happened to the antislavery movement had a thriving, abolitionist press not boldly advocated for freedom and the end of human enslavement. Today, for readers’ sake, there may be a wall separating news reporters and opinion journalists in many newsrooms. But this wall, for all its formalities, doesn’t preclude a journalist-advocate from bearing witness to state-sanctioned human suffering and then taking the additional step of bidding others do something about it. To advocate for freedom.

The Hill: Justices questioned Boston's refusal to fly Christian flag in free speech case heard Tuesday.

Sopan Joshi, lawyer for the Biden administration, which supported the challengers, argued that Boston had not exercised the degree of control over its flag policy that is typically associated with government speech. He said city officials could fashion a different approach that complies with the First Amendment while weeding out offensive messages — which might transform the flagpole into something akin to a symposium, but not a free-for-all or an “open mic night.”

The Hill: Turnover in Bureau of Prisons director position an opportunity for Biden administration to live up to promises.

MedCity News: Helping those released from custody with healthcare needs may reduce recidivism.

But perhaps the biggest cause of recidivism isn’t what happens inside prison, but rather what happens to individuals once they’re re-adjusting to life in their communities. A growing number of transition programs are focused on healthcare planning – helping formerly incarcerated individuals with enrollment in Medicaid, and supporting them to access covered programs to treat medical and physical health conditions. This is important because justice-involved individuals historically have received very little, if any, support for their behavioral health needs, or basic social needs upon reentry such as housing, employment, and transportation.