There’s been a lot of controversy over Kaepernick’s decision to take a knee during the National Anthem. Professor Gershman of Pace Law School in New York tells us why there might not be a need for so much controversy:

“If there is any fixed star in our constitutional constellation, it is that no official, high or petty, can prescribe what shall be orthodox in politics, nationalism, religion, or other matters of opinion or force citizens to confess by word or act their faith therein. The action of the local authorities in compelling the flag salute and pledge transcends constitutional limitations on their power and invades the sphere of intellect and spirit which it is the purpose of the First Amendment of our Constitution to reserve from all official control.” -Bennett L. Gershman 

Listen to the rest of the podcast at: http://tinyurl.com/j7yrvfn

Matt talks with Bennett L. Gershman, a tenured Professor of Law at Pace Law School in New York. Gershman courses mainly focus on Constitutional Law, Prosecutorial Ethic, Judicial Ethics, Criminal law and Criminal Procedure. Colin Kaepernick, a NFL football player, has made a lot of noise in his protest against racial inequality. Kaepernick’s protest, which involves taking a knee during the National Anthem at NFL football games, has sparked a national outcry. This has not been the first time this debate has created a wave effect in our society. Professor Bennet L. Gershman explains the legal issues around this protest.

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When you were a kid, what did you picture the future to look like? Would we be driving around flying cars and constantly visiting space? Well, that might not be far off front the truth. Dr. Andrew Maynard talks about fully automated cars coming to us soon:

“In 2014, over 32,000 people were killed in car crashes in the U.S. In 2012, more than two million Americans visited the emergency room as a result of car crashes. And an estimated 94 percent of the crashes that cause these injuries and fatalities are attributable to human choice or error. These are sobering statistics. And because human behavior is at the heart of them, they raise an interesting question: Once we can take people out of the equation, could driving your own car become as socially frowned on as other risky habits, like smoking? It’s less an intriguing hypothetical than a near-future public health question thanks to the rapid development and emergence of self-driving cars. And a new federal policy for automated vehicles from the U.S. Department of Transportation has just given self-driving cars another nudge forward.” -Dr. Andrew Maynard 

Listen to the rest of the podcast at: http://tinyurl.com/jo4ob8y

Matt talks with Dr. Andrew Maynard, the Director of the Arizona State University Risk Innovation Lab. His current work spans emerging and converging technologies such as nanotechnology, synthetic biology, the internet of things and 3D printing, to innovative approaches to current and emerging risks more generally. More and more Americans are being killed in car crashes every year. New studies also show that 94 percent of the crashes that cause injuries and fatalities are attributable to human choice or error. That leads to a fascinating question that deserves attention. Could driving your own car become as socially frowned on as other risky habits, like smoking? Dr. Andrew Maynard discusss the future of automated driving.

Join The Matt Townsend Show, Weekdays 9am-12pm ET on BYU RADIO (Sirius XM Channel 143) or byuradio.org