This week's question: The Supreme Court has ruled that corporations have free speech rights, just like individuals, and is considering whether they also have a right to freedom of religion, so they can be exempt from laws that violate their owners' beliefs. What is the next right that corporations should assert?
Click here for the results of last week's contest: Rowling's next book
How to enter: Submissions should be emailed to contest@theweek.com. Please include your name, address, and daytime telephone number for verification; this week, please type "Corporate rights" in the subject line. Entries are due by noon, Eastern Time, Tuesday, Dec. 3. Winners will appear on the Puzzle Page of the Dec. 13 issue and at theweek.com/puzzle on Friday, Dec. 6. In the case of identical or similar entries, the first one received gets credit. Entries submitted as comments on this web page cannot be considered. All entries become property of The Week.
The winner gets a one-year subscription to The Week.
RESULTS:
THE WINNER: The right to kill competitors in self-defense
Marcus Davis, Eufaula, Ala.
SECOND PLACE: The right to a jury of their peers (i.e., other corporations)
Mark G. Kane, Bayside, N.Y.
THIRD PLACE: The right to run for office
Betty Henry, Berkeley, Calif.
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The right to remain silent
Roger McDonald, Charlottesville, Va.
The right to bear markets
Marlon Smith, Elmont, N.Y.
The right to a fair trial
Oliver Wyatt, Norwood, Mass.
Freedom from cruel and unusual punishment: If people cannot be drawn and quartered, corporations cannot be forced to split into smaller pieces either
Jeffrey Contompasis, Ashburn, Va.
The right of assembly so they can legally fix prices
Raven Deerwater, Mendocino, Calif.
The right to dissemble
Howard Kniffin, El Cerrito, Calif.
Freedom to disassemble their workers
Stephanie Sarich, Minnetonka, Minn.
Marriage (the ability to merge without scrutiny)
Scott Hamre, Beaumont, Calif.
Collective bargaining rights
Dennis Treadwell, Pipe Creek, Texas
The right to influence politicians. Oh, wait — they already do.
Jan Steuart, Rochester, N.Y.
Abortion rights, allowing them to "terminate" any employee during the first nine months of employment
Joe Camera, Lompoc, Calif.
Freedom from the minimum wage
Miguel Clement, Ann Arbor, Mich.
The right to die with dignity
Camille V. Nightingale, Seattle
The right to feign outrage while secretly complying with government demands for access to user data
Michael Slawski, Fairfax, Va.
The right to walk their senators in public, as long as they’re kept on a leash
Kc. Boren, Victoria, Texas
The right to a well-regulated militia
Chris Leggette, Robbinsville, N.J.
As an artificial person, a corporation should have the right to pay its taxes with artificial money
Harvey Randall, Niskayuna, N.Y.
