Kerry Kennedy, 2/11/12

President, Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and Human Rights

Judge Garzon has courageously sought accountability for atrocities around the world. His conviction in the wake of his pursuit of justice for the murdered and the disappeared should be a warning to all who care about human rights.

Van Jones, 2/10/12

President, RebuildtheDream.com; Author of NY Times bestseller, 'The Green-Collar Economy'

We need a solution at the scale of the problem, so that families can get back on their feet, the economy can get working, and people can reach for their American dreams again instead of watching them drown.

Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D., 2/10/12

Asst. Professor, University of Florida

It's time to get the legalization lobby out of the business of medical marijuana and instead focus our attention on scientists developing non-smoked marijuana-based medications for the truly ill. That would make this issue no longer the sick joke that it is today.

Bill Ong Hing, 2/10/12

Professor of Law, University of San Francisco

The striking down of California's Proposition 8 attempt to take away marital rights from same-sex couples sends a strong immigration-reform message to Congress: it's time to allow U.S. citizens lawfully married to same-sex partners the opportunity to apply for lawful immigrant status.

Mike Lux, 2/9/12

Co-founder and CEO, Progressive Strategies

We'll win some but we'll lose some, and some of the time we will do both at the same time. That is the story of the robo-signing settlement that has finally become a done deal after many long months of struggle over it.

Martin Long, 2/9/12

Entrepreneur and political scientist

There is a great deal of fodder for criticism in Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour's recent mass pardons -- but not a lot of discussion on his Christian rehabilitation justification.

Dennis M. Kelleher, 2/9/12

President and CEO, Better Markets, Inc.

The banks engaged in a years' long pattern of what can only be described as fraudulent if not criminal conduct that would put anyone else in prison for years if not decades, yet banks get to buy off the cops with some money to help just a few of the victims they created.

Yves Smith, 2/9/12

Creator of Naked Capitalism; Author, Econned: How Unenlightened Self Interest Undermined Democracy and Corrupted Capitalism

This settlement is yet another demonstration of who wields power in America, and it isn't you and me. It's bad enough to see these negotiations come to their predictable, sorry outcome. It adds insult to injury to see some try to depict it as a win for long suffering, still abused homeowners.

Daniel Grant, 2/9/12

Arts Writer

No one can be forced to change his or her name because someone else has trademarked it. "Paul McCartney couldn't stop people who are named Paul McCartney and sing from using his name... [but] you couldn't perform under the name The Beatles."

Menachem Rosensaft, 2/9/12

Professor of law and son of Holocaust survivors

It remains to be seen whether Zitelman and others at Save a Torah who kept their heads in the sand long after evidence of Youlus' fraudulent scheme had become incontrovertible will ever offer a public apology for their role in this abomination.

Ediberto Roman, 2/9/12

Professor of Law, Florida International University

This great state's history demonstrates that if we allow immigrants and their children to prosper, as the Cuban community has amply shown, all of us benefit economically. It is past time to end any discrimination against any United States citizen.

Andrea Lyon, 2/9/12

Author, attorney and professor of law, DePaul University

A recent study by former Yale Law School Professor Donohue has shown that the death penalty is given in Connecticut far more based on race and location of the victim than any other factor.

Eliyahu Federman, 2/10/12

Community activist and writer

My heart goes out to the Chavez family. I hope they find some sense of solace and justice, and that the KCSD and police nationwide begin to implement more rigorous mental health training for police officers.

Gretchen Burns Bergman and Neill Franklin, 2/9/12

We are working to change current drug policies from arrest and mass incarceration to therapeutic and restorative policies that will reduce the damage to our communities while improving public safety.

Tony Newman, 2/9/12

Director of Media Relations, Drug Policy Alliance

In September Commissioner Kelly ordered his police to stop making improper marijuana arrests. The 2011 statistics, however, show that his order has not stopped these arrests -- and NYC remains the marijuana arrest capital of the world.

Ana Beatriz Cholo, 2/9/12

Autism mom, former journalist, Navy vet turned flack

When I put myself in Josh Powell's shoes, they don't fit. He said he couldn't live without his two young sons. Fine. Why couldn't he have just killed himself then?

Marc Mauer, 2/8/12

Executive director, The Sentencing Project

It's hardly a secret that the relationship between African American communities and law enforcement has been fraught with conflict. From the old days of station-house beatings to get a confession to today's "stop and frisk" practices, an awful lot of mistrust has been engendered.