Final Word from Monday, May 6, 2019
Americans are used to having a highly politicized Supreme Court. Interpretations of the Constitution change as Republican or Democratic presidents stack the Court. The Czech Constitutional Court has mostly been spared this partisan divide and has now apparently skipped over it. The new divide, which is also visible under Donald Trump on the U.S. District Court level, is between those who insist on a strict interpretation of the law and those who believe in a higher form of rightness. True liberals should rejoice that the Czech Constitutional Court has ruled that "political opinions should be discussed publicly in a free democratic society ... and should not be constrained or penalized," but they should be worried that this could in fact constitute illiberalism at its worst. If one company has a right granted by the people to discriminate based on political beliefs, all companies must have it, otherwise the Court is desecrating the document it is charged with upholding. [ Czech Republic Russians Crimea Hotel Brioni Ostrava discrimination consumers ]
Glossary of difficult words
to stack - to shuffle or arrange (a pack of cards, court, board etc.) so as to gain an advantage;
to spare - to refrain from inflicting (something unpleasant) on (someone);
to constrain - to restrict the scope, extent or activity of;
illiberal - opposed to liberal principles; restricting freedom of thought or behavior;
to desecrate - to treat (a sacred place or thing) with violent disrespect.