Crash Course: Samuel Alito's use of ancient misogyny: SCOTUS rewinds to centuries-old common law for abortion ban

Alito's leaked draft decision goes back almost a thousand years to illustrate abortion bans in living color Your daily update from [Salon](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0QWaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tL1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~). (Erin Schaff-Pool/Getty Images) Samuel Alito's use of ancient misogyny: SCOTUS rewinds to centuries-old common law for abortion ban There is much to be shocked by in Justice Samuel Alito's screed of a draft decision overturning Roe v. Wade, but his evocation of centuries-old common law shouldn't be one of them. As it turns out, this is not unusual, particularly among jurists who argue that certain ideas are so firmly entrenched in the culture that there no longer remains any question on their validity. That is not to say, however, that Alito's use of ancient misogyny to undergird his arguments isn't disgraceful. In fact, it's nothing short of grotesque. He goes all the way back to the 13th century to cite Judge Henry de Bracton's  "De Legibus et Consuetudinibus Angliae," a text about [English law and custom](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0Q5aHR0cHM6Ly9hbWVzZm91bmRhdGlvbi5sYXcuaGFydmFyZC5lZHUvQnJhY3Rvbi9pbmRleC5odG1sVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) that [explained](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_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_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) that if a person has "struck a pregnant woman, or has given her poison, whereby he has caused an abortion, if the foetus be already formed and animated … he commits homicide" to argue that abortion has been considered murder for centuries. [Read the rest from Heather Digby Parton.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0SDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvc2FtdWVsLWFsaXRvcy11c2Utb2YtYW5jaWVudC1taXNvZ3lueS1zY290dXMtcmV3aW5kcy10by1jZW50dXJpZXMtb2xkLWNvbW1vbi1sYXctZm9yLWFib3J0aW9uLWJhbi9XA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) (Cate Gillon/Getty Images) RIP Apple iPod: As technology becomes obsolete, it becomes nostalgic too My first was white, boxy, in a rubbery blue case. My second, silver. My third, pink – and that was a Shuffle, barely the size of my thumb, so it's lost somewhere in the house. If my child finds it, even though he has his own old and cracked Touch model, I'm not sure he'll know what it is. It's the Apple iPod and it's dead. [Read the rest from Alison Stine](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RHaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvaXBvZC1yaXAtYXBwbGUtZGlzY29udGludWVkLW5vc3RhbGdpYS9XA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - A new wave of politicians are shedding the misconception that [cooking and politics don't mix](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvYS1uZXctd2F2ZS1vZi1wb2xpdGljaWFucy1hcmUtc2hlZGRpbmctdGhlLW1pc2NvbmNlcHRpb24tdGhhdC1jb29raW5nLWFuZC1kb250LW1peC9XA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - [Racist attacks](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvcGVyY3ktamFja3Nvbi1sZWFoLWplZmZyaWVzLWJsYWNrLWFjdG9yL1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) on a Black girl earning a supposedly "white" role isn't about canon but excellence - The paleontologist who [found extinction day fossils](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RNaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvcm9iZXJ0LWRlcGFsbWEtaW50ZXJ2aWV3LWRpbm9zYXVyLWFwb2NhbHlwZS9XA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) teases "beautiful" triceratops skin discovery - Judge finds celebrity chef [Mario Batali](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RcaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvZmluZHMtY2VsZWJyaXR5LWNoZWYtbWFyaW8tYmF0YWxpLW5vdC1ndWlsdHktb2YtbWlzY29uZHVjdC9XA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) not guilty of sexual misconduct - "[The Real World Homecoming: New Orleans](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RXaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvdGhlLXJlYWwtd29ybGQtaG9tZWNvbWluZy1uZXctb3JsZWFucy1yZWNhcC1lcGlzb2RlLTQvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~)": Have Mercy - A closer look at Clea, [Charlize Theron](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RJaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvY2hhcmxpemUtdGhlcm9uLWRvY3Rvci1zdHJhbmdlLW1jdS1jbGVhL1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)'s magical "Doctor Strange" MCU character - Carl Bernstein says [Clarence Thomas](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RxaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvY2FybC1iZXJuc3RlaW4tc2F5cy1jbGFyZW5jZS10aG9tYXMtaGFzLW5vLXN0YW5kaW5nLXRvLWNoaWRlLWFmdGVyLXdpZmVzLXNjaGVtZS9XA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) has no standing to chide protesters after wife's election scheme - Students protest ousting of teacher disciplined for showing support to [bullied teen](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RtaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvc3R1ZGVudHMtb3VzdGluZy1vZi10ZWFjaGVyLWRpc2NpcGxpbmVkLWZvci1zaG93aW5nLXN1cHBvcnQtdG8tYnVsbGllZC10ZWVuL1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - [Election officials in Colorado](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RvaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvb2ZmaWNpYWxzLWluLWNvbG9yYWRvLW5vdy13ZWFyaW5nLWJ1bGxldHByb29mLXZlc3RzLWZvbGxvd2luZy1mcm9tLXByby1ncm91cHMvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) now wearing bulletproof vests following threats from pro-Trump groups - Trump asked whether China had attacked U.S. with a “[hurricane gun](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0R0aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvYXNrZWQtbmF0aW9uYWwtc2VjdXJpdHktb2ZmaWNpYWxzLWlmLWNoaW5hLWF0dGFja2VkLXVzLXdpdGgtYS1odXJyaWNhbmUtZ3VuLXJlcG9ydC9XA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo)”: report - [Donald Trump Jr](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvZG9uYWxkLWpyLWRlZmVuZHMtaGlzLWZhdGhlci1ib2FzdHMtdGhhdC10cm91YmxpbmctcmV2ZWxhdGlvbnMtYXJlLWFjdHVhbGx5LWdvb2QvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~). defends his father, boasts that troubling revelations are actually good - [Right-wing Twitter](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RUaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvcmlnaHQtd2luZy1sZWdhbC10d2l0dGVyLWlzLW9ic2Vzc2VkLXdpdGgtdGhlLWxlYWsvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) is obsessed with the Supreme Court leak — but there's a human cost - Republicans' "[pro-life" pivot](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RnaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvcmVwdWJsaWNhbnMtcHJvLWxpZmUtcGl2b3Qtc3VkZGVubHktb3V0cmFnZWQtYnktYmFieS1mb3JtdWxhLXNob3J0YWdlL1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~): GOP suddenly outraged by baby formula shortage - Astronomers see a big boom when a [black hole's magnetic field suddenly flips over](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTAvYXN0cm9ub21lcnMtc2VlLWEtYmlnLWJvb20td2hlbi1hLWJsYWNrLWhvbGVzLW1hZ25ldGljLWZpZWxkLXN1ZGRlbmx5LWZsaXBzLW92ZXIvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Not a subscriber yet? [Sign up](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RVaHR0cHM6Ly9zYWxvbi51czgubGlzdC1tYW5hZ2UuY29tL3N1YnNjcmliZT91PTcxY2IzZThhNmU5NjM5YzgxMDIzY2Q0MjcmaWQ9NWRlZGEyYWFhN1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) to receive Crash Course. (John Bazemore-Pool/Getty Images) Marjorie Taylor Greene's version of Christianity is a massive betrayal of the teachings of Jesus God grant it was not an apparition of the devil," Hans Luther reportedly responded to his son Martin's claim that a voice from heaven had called Martin to be a monk. Luther's father proposed an alternative scenario: Satan, not God, was responsible for Martin's (poor) decision. That story sprang to mind when I read that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had argued in [a recent interview](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RDaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2h1cmNobWlsaXRhbnQuY29tL3ZpZGVvL2VwaXNvZGUvaW50di1tYXJqb3JpZS1mb3ItcG9wZVcDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~), and then clumsily tried to explain away in [an official statement](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0Q1aHR0cHM6Ly90d2l0dGVyLmNvbS9SZXBNVEcvc3RhdHVzLzE1MTk0MjI0ODM5MjkxODIyMDlXA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo), that "Satan's controlling the church." The evidence she gave for such satanic control? Christian groups who provide aid to undocumented immigrants. [Read the rest from David B. Gowler.](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RaaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvaG93LW10Zy1hbmQtb3RoZXItY2hyaXN0aWFuLW5hdGlvbmFsaXN0cy11c2UtdGhlaXItcG93ZXIvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Will My Dog Care If I Die?" [The Dodo](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0TBaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZG9kby5jb20vZG9kb3dlbGwvZG8tZG9ncy1nZXQtc2FkLWlmLXRoZWlyLW93bmVyLWRpZXM_dXRtX3NvdXJjZT1mYWNlYm9vayZ1dG1fbWVkaXVtPXNvY2lhbCZ1dG1fY2FtcGFpZ249ZG9kbyZmYmNsaWQ9SXdBUjFnQllaai13ZTQzSDdJRTd6NXJuY3oxdkk5LU1qbjJwODhnUkY3Tms0TmhPV3I4YkRybk9kSWNUWVcDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "Pussy Riot band member Maria Alyokhina escapes Russia dressed as food courier after criticising Putin," [Sky News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0SJaHR0cHM6Ly9uZXdzLnNreS5jb20vc3RvcnkvcHVzc3ktcmlvdC1iYW5kLW1lbWJlci1tYXJpYS1hbHlva2hpbmEtZXNjYXBlcy1ydXNzaWEtZHJlc3NlZC1hcy1mb29kLWNvdXJpZXItYWZ0ZXItY3JpdGljaXNpbmctcHV0aW4tMTI2MTA0MDBXA3NwY0IKYnG_6Hxib56tL1IbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODVAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAAAo) - "Toad poison hangover treatment reportedly kills Russian oil executive at the house of a "shaman" near Moscow," [CBS News](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RjaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY2JzbmV3cy5jb20vbmV3cy90b2FkLXBvaXNvbi1oYW5nb3Zlci10cmVhdG1lbnQtcmVwb3J0ZWRseS1raWxscy1ydXNzaWFuLW9pbC1leGVjdXRpdmUvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) - "Andy Warhol’s ‘Marilyn’ Portrait Sells for Record-Setting $195M," [Daily Beast](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0SdaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cudGhlZGFpbHliZWFzdC5jb20vYW5keS13YXJob2xzLWljb25pYy1zaG90LXNhZ2UtYmx1ZS1tYXJpbHluLW1vbnJvZS1wb3J0cmFpdC1mZXRjaGVzLWRvbGxhcjE5NS1taWxsaW9uLWF0LWNocmlzdGllcy1zYWxlP3ZpYT1tb2JpbGUmc291cmNlPVJlZGRpdFcDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) - "North Korea declares ‘major national emergency’ as first case of Covid-19 identified, state media reports," [CNN](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0SyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuY25uLmNvbS8yMDIyLzA1LzExL2FzaWEvbm9ydGgta29yZWEtY292aWQtb21pY3Jvbi1jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy1pbnRsLWhuay9pbmRleC5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09c29jaWFsJnV0bV90ZXJtPWxpbmsmdXRtX2NvbnRlbnQ9MjAyMi0wNS0xMlQwMCUzQTQ2JTNBMDYmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT10d0NOTlcDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) (Sascha Schuermann/Getty Images) Facing shortages, chemists propose "mining" electronic waste for rare earth metals Some metals, like [nickel](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RyaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjEvMDcvMDcvdGhlLXVzLXdhbnRzLXRvLW1ha2UtZXYtYmF0dGVyaWVzLXdpdGhvdXQtdGhlc2UtZm9yZWlnbi1tZXRhbHMtc2hvdWxkLWl0X3BhcnRuZXIvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) and [lithium](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RpaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTkvMDYvMTcvbGl0aGl1bS1taW5pbmctZm9yLWdyZWVuLWVsZWN0cmljLWNhcnMtaXMtbGVhdmluZy1hLXN0YWluLW9uLXRoZS1wbGFuZXQvVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~), are household names; indeed, advertisements for batteries play on the exotic sound of "lithium-ion" as though it were a novelty, despite lithium's ubiquity in electric cars and gadgets. Yet the true drivers of the digital economy are the rare earth metals, without which modern electronic devices would not work. Once virtually unknown outside of geochemistry research, these metals, which include [neodymium](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0Q8aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMTAvMDgvMzEvY2hpbmFfbmVvZHltaXVtX2RvbWluYXRpb24vVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) and praseodymium, as constituents of powerful magnets used in hard drives and computer speakers. [Read the rest from Eric Schank](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RAaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuc2Fsb24uY29tLzIwMjIvMDUvMTEvcmFyZS1lYXJ0aC1tZXRhbC1ld2FzdGUtbWluaW5nL1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~) Have a tip for Salon? Feedback on this newsletter? [Let us know](mailto:brett.bachman@salon.com). Our mailing address: 1000 N. West Street, Suite 1200 Wilmington, DE 19801 [Unsubscribe from this list](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0RCaHR0cHM6Ly9yZWFkLmxldHRlcmhlYWQuZW1haWwvY3Jhc2gtY291cnNlL3Vuc3Vic2NyaWJlP2lkPUAzNTQzOTUyVwNzcGNCCmJxv-h8Ym-erS9SG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg1QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAKA~~) Copyright © 2022 Crash Course, All rights reserved. [Made with Letterhead [Letterhead logo]](~/AASU4wA~/RgRkX22_P0QiaHR0cHM6Ly9saW5rLndoZXJlYnkudXMvbmVwbm83czh5c1cDc3BjQgpicb_ofGJvnq0vUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW44NUBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAACg~)