Associate Dean Amar Comments on Constitutional Issues for Bee
Associate Dean Vikram Amar commented for the Sacramento Bee on constitutional issues relating to a state legislator's proposal to ban the commercial use of the names, likeness, and voice recordings of dead American soldiers without family permission. Outraged by the sale of anti-war T-shirts bearing the names of thousands of American troops who died in Iraq, Assemblyman Mike Duvall has authored a bill intended to curb what he argues is exploitive and insensitive use of the troops' names, but critics have noted the potential conflict between the proposed law and constitutionally protected political expression.
"It certainly raises very forceful constitutional problems," Associate Dean Amar said. "The fact that you're selling something does not make it nonpolitical speech."
Vikram Amar, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Professor of Law with the UC Davis School of Law, is a national authority in the fields of constitutional law, civil procedure, criminal procedure, and remedies. His biweekly column for FindLaw.com, the leading provider of online legal information, centers on his expertise in constitutional law.