Friday round-up

Robert Barnes of The Washington Post reports that a request by abortion providers in Louisiana to the Supreme Court for an emergency stay of a state law provides an unexpectedly quick test on the issue for the courts strengthened majority, which otherwise seems to have taken a low-key approach to this term, after an unwelcome moment in the political spotlight during the partisan brawl over [Justice Brett] Kavanaughs nomination. Additional coverage come from Richard Wolf of USA Today, Sabrina Wilson of Fox 8 Local First (New Orleans) and Lisa Belkin of Yahoo News. Commentary comes from Nancy Northup, head of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents the providers, in an op-ed for The New York Times.

Briefly:

• Richard Wolf of USA Today looks at the Second Amendments right to bear arms, noting that Kavanaughs addition to the court in October may have given the other conservatives the vote they need to win future cases.
• Kevin Daley of The Daily Caller covers Justice Samuel Alitos statement (joined by three other justices) regarding denial of review in the case of a football coach fired after praying with his players, in which Alito criticized the 1990 Employment Division v. Smith decision, a landmark ruling that held laws which interfere with religious exercise are constitutional provided that they apply to everyone and are neutrally enforced.
• In The New Yorker, Louis Menand looks at the history the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson decision in light of Steve Luxenbergs forthcoming book, Separate: The Story of Plessy v. Ferguson, and Americas Journey from Slavery to Segregation.

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