(NEWS) Today's Cultural Warfare Update
Jun. 13th, 2005 11:27 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdQuote of the Day: "Either my television is broken, or MSNBC is." - Jon Stewart, in response to a news-show interview of McDonald's spokesclown Ronald McDonald.
FotF article against Canadian Federal marriage rights legislation - includes action item;
FotF action item to support ban on stem cell research in Louisiana - includes action item;
FotF news brief against Showtime - includes action item against them;
Sen. Ben Nelson changes position to support Federal Marriage Amendment;
LA Weekly article on fundamentalist boycotts against companies;
Creationists get exhibit at the Tulsa Zoo.
----- 1 -----
CANADA NEXT STOP IN BATTLE FOR MARRIAGE
Bill to legalize same-sex marriage is being pushed hard by
prime minister.
http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0036855.cfm
by Pete Winn, associate editor
SUMMARY: Bill to legalize same-sex marriage is being
pushed hard by the nation's prime minister.
The battle to protect marriage has spread north to Canada,
where members of Parliament are preparing for a fight over
a bill to legalize same-sex marriage proposed by the
government and the ruling Liberal Party.
Action on Bill C-38 could come this summer. And the stakes
are high.
Last week, a member of Parliament said he was abandoning
the Liberal Party to be an independent and oppose the bill
-- a move widely viewed as political suicide for a
principle.
Member of Parliament (MP) Pat O'Brien explained his
actions by saying Prime Minister Paul Martin had gone back
on his promise to give citizens adequate opportunity to
tell lawmakers how they feel about the homosexual marriage
legislation.
Martin said Thursday he wants to see the gay marriage bill
made into law before Parliament recesses for the summer --
or he will keep Parliament in session during the summer,
until lawmakers pass the legislation.
"They're determined to move forward on this issue, and you
can see how and what a rush they are [in] to do that,"
O'Brien told reporters at an Ottawa press conference. "I
can't accept that in good conscience, so I leave the party
with some regret, but my objective remains (to) defeat
Bill C-38. Hopefully I can be more successful as an
independent than I was as a Liberal."
Derek Rogusky, vice president of research and policy at
Focus on the Family Canada, said there's good reason more
than 30 members of the Liberal caucus have voted against
their own government on this legislation.
"What you're saying is that the one-man, one-woman view of
marriage is discriminatory," he said of the intent of the
bill. "And that just puts all kinds of pressure on people
of faith -- and others who hold to the traditional view of
marriage.
"(The defections are) really throwing Parliament into an
interesting situation, because now the governing coalition
no longer has the majority -- so the government could
actually be shut down, and brought to a new election if
all the members in opposition were to vote against the
government, which is very much a possibility."
It's a possibility that is leading to talk about trying to
modify the legislation to appease faith-based groups. CTV,
a Canadian television network, reported Thursday that
Canada's justice minister will offer some ideas for
amending the bill when he meets soon with Liberal MPs
opposed to it.
Rogusky said one reason why more and more members of
Parliament are rethinking their positions is that
Parliament Hill has been bombarded with the faxes and
e-mails and telephone calls of pro-family Canadians who
support true marriage.
"We've generated in the millions either in faxes or
e-mails combined," Rogusky said. "That's caused a little
bit of grief for those who may be opposed on Parliament
Hill. They've been kind of upset about the number of
messages they've been receiving. But the reality is that
Canadians are speaking out on this issue, and it's clearly
not what they want. They don't want the definition of
marriage changed."
In fact, some angry members of Parliament recently
proposed making it a crime to shut down a parliamentary
office's phones or fax machines -- but that motion was
ruled out of order.
"It's certainly not a done deal, by any stretch," Rogusky
said, adding that it is all the more important for
Canadians to continue to speak out and put pressure on
their MPs, because the change of one MP's vote could make
the difference.
"Every time we've had a vote on this in the house of
Commons, it has started to go more and more in our favor,
so if we can delay it long enough, we'll continue to get
more votes on our side."
If a national referendum could be held, Rogusky added,
traditional marriage would win the day. That, however, is
unlikely to happen.
TAKE ACTION: If you are a Canadian citizen, please take
time to review the following Web sites, and contact your
member of Parliament.
Focus on the Family Canada's Web site contains a "Support
Marriage" page, which contains everything you need to
generate e-mail letters to your MP.
http://www.fotf.ca/familyfacts/takeaction/061203.html
----- 2 -----
STATE ISSUES ALERT:
Focus on the Family
----------------------------------------------
Louisiana Human Cloning Ban Stalled in Senate
by Mona Passignano, state issues analyst
June 13, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
SUMMARY: Gov. Blanco and your senator need to hear from
you on this life-or-death issue.
An attempt will be made Tuesday to secure a vote on a bill
prohibiting human cloning that is stalled in the Louisiana
Senate.
Lawmakers hope to move HB 492 out of a Senate committee
and to the floor for a full chamber vote. Although the
House passed this bill on May 18, it is being deliberately
held up in the Senate.
Carrie Gordon Earll, senior analyst for bioethics at Focus
on the Family Action, testified before the Senate
committee on behalf of HR 492 last week.
"Louisiana is one of the most pro-life states in the
country, and it's a shame that some key members of the
Senate are preventing a fair vote on this cloning ban,"
Earll said. "Senate failure to pass this bill will allow
scientists from Louisiana -- or elsewhere -- to clone tiny
human embryos for research, for childbirth or the growing
of fetal organs."
Twenty votes are needed to pass the cloning ban, and
currently there are 19 senators who have publicly come out
in favor of the bill. In response to questions asked on a
2003 voters guide, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said she "supports
a complete ban on human cloning."
But according to a newspaper ad placed by Louisiana Family
Forum Action, Blanco has "allowed her Senate President,
Donald Hines, to aggressively attack and obstruct this
Cloning Ban every step of the way!"
TAKE ACTION/FOR MORE INFORMATION: If you are a Louisiana
resident, please call or e-mail your state senator and
Gov. Blanco and let them know you support the human
cloning ban. Ask them to vote yes on HB 492. For contact
information for your senator and the governor, visit the
CitizenLink Action Center and type your ZIP code into the
space provided.
http://www3.capwiz.com/fof/legdir.tt?command=statedir&state=LA
For more information on embryonic stem cells and human
cloning, visit Focus on the Family's Focus on Social
Issues Web site.
http://www.family.org/cforum/fosi/bioethics/
----- 3 -----
Showtime Sponsors Gay Pride Events
Focus on the Family
June 13, 2005
Showtime has come out as a major sponsor of homosexual
pride events across the nation, already showing a presence
at activities in Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, Washington,
D.C., and Philadelphia, WorldNetDaily.com reported.
The pay-cable network has aired such gay-themed shows as
"Queer as Folk" and "The L Word" as well as the
documentary "Same Sex America." The sponsorship role is
seen by many as a way to garner continued support from the
homosexual community.
Working with homosexual advocacy groups such as the Human
Rights Campaign and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force,
Showtime will continue to participate in gay parades, film
festivals and rallies throughout the remainder of the
year.
TAKE ACTION: Let Showtime Entertainment President Robert
Greenblatt know what you think of the network's growing
pay-gay activities. For contact information, including an
easy-to-use e-mail form, visit the CitizenLink Action
Center.
http://www3.capwiz.com/fof/dbq/media/?command=org_pages&org_id=5243
----- 4 -----
Family News in Focus
Focus on the Family
Monday, June 13, 2005
[No transcription; laptop repair didn't actually repair it. Gir.]
* Besides those profiting from the trades – liberal groups working with UN have problem opposing prostitution and sex trafficking
* Who's in charge when a doctor recommends treatment for a child, and the parents want a second-opinion?
* This is National Military Families Week - Washington is looking for ways to show thanks
* New book by David Horowitz claims radical Islam and American left are working together to affect U.S. policy
* House appropriations panel has voted to reduce PBS funding – from 400 to 300 million a year
----- 5 -----
Nelson Changes Mind, Backs Marriage Protection
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
June 10, 2005
http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0036831.cfm
The movement to adopt an amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting traditional marriage from the meddling of activist judges has gained another supporter.
U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson has sent a letter to James C. Dobson, Ph. D., chairman of Focus on the Family Action, pledging support for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect marriage.
The statement represents a turnaround from Nelson's previous position—and vote—against the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA).
"The senator's position has always been that marriage should be determined by the states," Nelson Press Secretary David DiMartino told CitizenLink this afternoon. "But in the event that the federal courts would interfere with states' rights, as they have recently, he would support the effort to add an amendment to the Constitution to protect the definition of marriage."
In May, U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon in Lincoln struck down Nebraska's state constitutional provision prohibiting both gay marriage and civil unions. The provision, which was passed in 2000 by 70 percent of Nebraska voters, was overturned because it explicitly prohibits same-sex couples from receiving many of the legal protections reserved for married heterosexual couples.
Does the switch in position mean Nelson, D-Neb., will support—or even co-sponsor—S.J.R. 1, the Marriage Protection Amendment sponsored by Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard?
"If that's the one that ends up being considered by the Senate, then yes, he'll support it," DiMartino said. "It's just unclear which proposal will be brought forward. But the senator will support an effort to amend the Constitution to protect marriage."
Dobson, who was highly critical of Bataillon's ruling—and Nelson's refusal to support MPA—said the turnaround is most welcome.
"Sen. Nelson is to be commended for reevaluating his position on the need for the Marriage Protection Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in light of Judge Bataillon's incomprehensible ruling," Dobson said. "The Senator now joins millions of Americans who recognize the threat posed by arrogant and activist judges who would deprive the people of their right to govern themselves. We look forward to working with Sen. Nelson to pass the MPA in the months ahead."
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
The New Blacklist
Corporate America is bowing to anti-gay Christian groups’ boycott demands
by DOUG IRELAND
http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/29/features-ireland.php
Spurred on by a biblical injunction evangelicals call “The Great Commission,” and emboldened by George W. Bush’s re-election, which is perceived as a “mandate from God,” the Christian right has launched a series of boycotts and pressure campaigns aimed at corporate America — and at its sponsorship of entertainment, programs and activities the Christers don’t like.
And it’s working. Just three weeks ago, the Rev. Donald Wildmon’s American Family Association (AFA) announced it was ending its boycott of corporate giant Procter & Gamble — maker of household staples like Tide and Crest — for being pro-gay. Why? Because the AFA’s boycott (which the organization says enlisted 400,000 families) had succeeded in getting P&G to pull its millions of dollars in advertising from TV shows like Will & Grace and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. P&G also ended its advertising in gay magazines and on gay Web sites. And a P&G executive who had been given a leave of absence to work on a successful Cincinnati, Ohio, referendum that repealed a ban on any measures protecting gays from discrimination was shown the door.
“We cannot say they are 100 percent clean, and we ask our supporters to let us know if they discover P&G again being involved in pushing the homosexual lifestyle,” growls the AFA’s statement of victory over the corporate behemoth, “but judging by all that we found in our research, it appears that our concerns have been addressed.” The Wall Street Journal reported on May 11 that “P&G officials won’t talk publicly about the boycott. But privately, they acknowledge the [Christer] groups turned out to be larger, better funded, better organized, and more sophisticated than the company had imagined.”
But the P&G cave-in to the Christers is only the tip of the iceberg. In just the past year and a half, AFA protests and boycotts — or even the simple threat of boycotts — have been enough to make a host of American companies pull their ads from TV shows the Christers consider pro-gay or salacious. Desperate Housewives has lost ads from Safeway, Tyson Foods, Liberty Mutual, Kohl’s, Alberto Culver, Leapfrog and Lowe’s after the AFA’s One Million Dads campaign targeted the show’s sponsors. Life as We Know It got the same AFA treatment — and lost ads from McCormick, Lenscrafters, Radio Shack, Papa John’s International, Chattem and Sharpie.
And it’s not just programs on the broadcast networks and their local affiliates that are feeling the heat from the Christers. When the AFA targeted Comedy Central’s South Park, the popular cartoon satire saw ads on the show pulled by Foot Locker, Geico, Finish Line and Best Buy.
Nissan, Goodyear and Castrol stopped running ads on The Shield after AFA complaints. Sonic Drive-In pulled its ad support from The Shield after a single e-mail request from AFA’s Rev. Wildmon. S.C. Johnson and Hasbro ordered their ads taken off He’s a Lady when it got the AFA treatment. And the list goes on . . . Call it a new, 11th Commandment: “Thou shalt not advertise” if the religious primitives smell sin.
Just two weeks ago, the AFA undertook a new letter-writing campaign aimed at Kraft Foods (makers of Oreo cookies, Maxwell House coffee, Ritz Crackers and the like) for supporting the “radical homosexual agenda.” Kraft’s crime? It’s a corporate sponsor of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. Founded in 1980 by Dr. Tom Waddell — a 1968 Olympic decathlete — these Gay Games VII will bring gay athletes from all over the world to the Windy City for a complete catalog of Olympic-style competitions. The honorary chairman of the Chicago Gay Games? The city’s mayor, Richard Daley, who declared that he is “committed to the success of the 2006 Gay Games because it is an expression of international goodwill and a celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, which are important to Chicago.” But, following the AFA’s lead, another Christer group — the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) — has asked its members to take on Kraft and five other Illinois companies that are sponsoring what it calls the “Homosexuality Games.” Proclaimed the IFI: “By allowing their corporate logos to be used to promote the ‘Gay Games,’ Kraft, Harris Bank and other sponsoring companies are celebrating wrong and destructive behaviors, and showing their disdain for the majority of Americans who favor traditional morality and marriage.” Here’s a nice touch: The IFI’s Web site features a statue of Abraham Lincoln, who some historians now credibly say was gay or bisexual. Will Kraft stand up to the pressure? The company’s answer to this protest campaign is, for the moment, yes — but for how long?
All across the country, the Christian right and its allies in the culture wars are mobilizing — sometimes spurred on from the top by the AFA, Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and similar national groups, but with increasing frequency local pressure campaigns and boycott threats are self-starters. They target everything from local broadcast outlets and local cable operators to libraries, bookstores, playhouses, cinemas and magazine outlets. “The Christian right is incredibly mobilized,” says Joan Bertin, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, a 30-year-old alliance of 50 nonprofit groups. Bertin says, “There’s been an explosion of local book and arts censorship — a lot of activity by an emboldened grassroots, who think they won the last election on moral grounds. They barely need to threaten a boycott to get those they target to back down — hey, nobody had to threaten to boycott PBS to get them to back off Postcards From Buster.” Bertin affirms that “This new threat from below as well as above has already achieved a widespread chill” on creative and entertainment arts throughout the country.
A good example of successful up-from-below pressure in making corporate America bend the knee to the Christers: the Microsoft Corp. Earlier this year, under pressure from a local protest led by Ken Hutcherson — a conservative National Football League linebacker turned preacher — Microsoft made a decision to stay neutral in the fight over legislation in Washington’s state Legislature banning discrimination in employment against same-sexers, although many other companies headquartered in the state took positions in favor of the bill. But after an avalanche of counterprotests to Microsoft about their cave-in to Hutcherson, from their own employees (many of whom are gay), gay groups and the blogosphere, Microsoft reversed itself and supported the anti-discrimination bill. Too late: Two weeks earlier, the bill had been defeated by just one vote in the state Senate. Now, Microsoft is being targeted by a new, national Christer protest campaign for having flip-flopped again.
[more at URL]
----- 6 -----
Biblical account of creation to go on display at Tulsa Zoo
USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-09-tulsa-zoo-genesis_x.htm
TULSA (AP) — The Tulsa Zoo will add a display featuring the biblical account of creation following complaints to a city board about other displays with religious significance, including a Hindu elephant statue.
The Tulsa Park and Recreation Board voted 3-1 Tuesday in favor of a display depicting the account in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
The vote came after more than two hours of public comment from a standing-room-only crowd.
Zoo employees, religious leaders and others spoke in opposition, saying religion shouldn't be part of the taxpayer-funded scientific institution.
But those who favored the creationist exhibit, including Mayor Bill LaFortune, argued that the zoo already displayed religious items, including the statue of the Hindu god, Ganesh, outside the elephant exhibit and a marble globe inscribed with an American Indian saying, "The earth is our mother. The sky is our father."
"I see this as a big victory," said Dan Hicks, the Tulsa resident who approached the Tulsa Zoo with the idea for the exhibit. "It's a matter of fairness. To not include the creationist view would be discrimination."
Hundreds of people had signed a petition supporting a biblically based creation exhibit.
The new display will include a disclaimer that says it represents one view of origins. City attorneys also advised it be placed alongside other cultures' views of creation.
Tulsa Zoo exhibit curator Kathleen Buck-Miser estimated it would take about six months to research and organize the creationist exhibit. She expressed qualms about the zoo delving into theological debate.
"I'm afraid we are going in the wrong direction," she said.
Zoo officials argued that the zoo, as a scientific institution, does not advocate religion and that displays like the elephant statue are meant to show the animal's image among cultures. The same exhibit includes the Republican Party's elephant symbol.
[More at URL]
FotF article against Canadian Federal marriage rights legislation - includes action item;
FotF action item to support ban on stem cell research in Louisiana - includes action item;
FotF news brief against Showtime - includes action item against them;
Sen. Ben Nelson changes position to support Federal Marriage Amendment;
LA Weekly article on fundamentalist boycotts against companies;
Creationists get exhibit at the Tulsa Zoo.
----- 1 -----
CANADA NEXT STOP IN BATTLE FOR MARRIAGE
Bill to legalize same-sex marriage is being pushed hard by
prime minister.
http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0036855.cfm
by Pete Winn, associate editor
SUMMARY: Bill to legalize same-sex marriage is being
pushed hard by the nation's prime minister.
The battle to protect marriage has spread north to Canada,
where members of Parliament are preparing for a fight over
a bill to legalize same-sex marriage proposed by the
government and the ruling Liberal Party.
Action on Bill C-38 could come this summer. And the stakes
are high.
Last week, a member of Parliament said he was abandoning
the Liberal Party to be an independent and oppose the bill
-- a move widely viewed as political suicide for a
principle.
Member of Parliament (MP) Pat O'Brien explained his
actions by saying Prime Minister Paul Martin had gone back
on his promise to give citizens adequate opportunity to
tell lawmakers how they feel about the homosexual marriage
legislation.
Martin said Thursday he wants to see the gay marriage bill
made into law before Parliament recesses for the summer --
or he will keep Parliament in session during the summer,
until lawmakers pass the legislation.
"They're determined to move forward on this issue, and you
can see how and what a rush they are [in] to do that,"
O'Brien told reporters at an Ottawa press conference. "I
can't accept that in good conscience, so I leave the party
with some regret, but my objective remains (to) defeat
Bill C-38. Hopefully I can be more successful as an
independent than I was as a Liberal."
Derek Rogusky, vice president of research and policy at
Focus on the Family Canada, said there's good reason more
than 30 members of the Liberal caucus have voted against
their own government on this legislation.
"What you're saying is that the one-man, one-woman view of
marriage is discriminatory," he said of the intent of the
bill. "And that just puts all kinds of pressure on people
of faith -- and others who hold to the traditional view of
marriage.
"(The defections are) really throwing Parliament into an
interesting situation, because now the governing coalition
no longer has the majority -- so the government could
actually be shut down, and brought to a new election if
all the members in opposition were to vote against the
government, which is very much a possibility."
It's a possibility that is leading to talk about trying to
modify the legislation to appease faith-based groups. CTV,
a Canadian television network, reported Thursday that
Canada's justice minister will offer some ideas for
amending the bill when he meets soon with Liberal MPs
opposed to it.
Rogusky said one reason why more and more members of
Parliament are rethinking their positions is that
Parliament Hill has been bombarded with the faxes and
e-mails and telephone calls of pro-family Canadians who
support true marriage.
"We've generated in the millions either in faxes or
e-mails combined," Rogusky said. "That's caused a little
bit of grief for those who may be opposed on Parliament
Hill. They've been kind of upset about the number of
messages they've been receiving. But the reality is that
Canadians are speaking out on this issue, and it's clearly
not what they want. They don't want the definition of
marriage changed."
In fact, some angry members of Parliament recently
proposed making it a crime to shut down a parliamentary
office's phones or fax machines -- but that motion was
ruled out of order.
"It's certainly not a done deal, by any stretch," Rogusky
said, adding that it is all the more important for
Canadians to continue to speak out and put pressure on
their MPs, because the change of one MP's vote could make
the difference.
"Every time we've had a vote on this in the house of
Commons, it has started to go more and more in our favor,
so if we can delay it long enough, we'll continue to get
more votes on our side."
If a national referendum could be held, Rogusky added,
traditional marriage would win the day. That, however, is
unlikely to happen.
TAKE ACTION: If you are a Canadian citizen, please take
time to review the following Web sites, and contact your
member of Parliament.
Focus on the Family Canada's Web site contains a "Support
Marriage" page, which contains everything you need to
generate e-mail letters to your MP.
http://www.fotf.ca/familyfacts/takeaction/061203.html
----- 2 -----
STATE ISSUES ALERT:
Focus on the Family
----------------------------------------------
Louisiana Human Cloning Ban Stalled in Senate
by Mona Passignano, state issues analyst
June 13, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
SUMMARY: Gov. Blanco and your senator need to hear from
you on this life-or-death issue.
An attempt will be made Tuesday to secure a vote on a bill
prohibiting human cloning that is stalled in the Louisiana
Senate.
Lawmakers hope to move HB 492 out of a Senate committee
and to the floor for a full chamber vote. Although the
House passed this bill on May 18, it is being deliberately
held up in the Senate.
Carrie Gordon Earll, senior analyst for bioethics at Focus
on the Family Action, testified before the Senate
committee on behalf of HR 492 last week.
"Louisiana is one of the most pro-life states in the
country, and it's a shame that some key members of the
Senate are preventing a fair vote on this cloning ban,"
Earll said. "Senate failure to pass this bill will allow
scientists from Louisiana -- or elsewhere -- to clone tiny
human embryos for research, for childbirth or the growing
of fetal organs."
Twenty votes are needed to pass the cloning ban, and
currently there are 19 senators who have publicly come out
in favor of the bill. In response to questions asked on a
2003 voters guide, Gov. Kathleen Blanco said she "supports
a complete ban on human cloning."
But according to a newspaper ad placed by Louisiana Family
Forum Action, Blanco has "allowed her Senate President,
Donald Hines, to aggressively attack and obstruct this
Cloning Ban every step of the way!"
TAKE ACTION/FOR MORE INFORMATION: If you are a Louisiana
resident, please call or e-mail your state senator and
Gov. Blanco and let them know you support the human
cloning ban. Ask them to vote yes on HB 492. For contact
information for your senator and the governor, visit the
CitizenLink Action Center and type your ZIP code into the
space provided.
http://www3.capwiz.com/fof/legdir.tt?command=statedir&state=LA
For more information on embryonic stem cells and human
cloning, visit Focus on the Family's Focus on Social
Issues Web site.
http://www.family.org/cforum/fosi/bioethics/
----- 3 -----
Showtime Sponsors Gay Pride Events
Focus on the Family
June 13, 2005
Showtime has come out as a major sponsor of homosexual
pride events across the nation, already showing a presence
at activities in Los Angeles, Dallas, Boston, Washington,
D.C., and Philadelphia, WorldNetDaily.com reported.
The pay-cable network has aired such gay-themed shows as
"Queer as Folk" and "The L Word" as well as the
documentary "Same Sex America." The sponsorship role is
seen by many as a way to garner continued support from the
homosexual community.
Working with homosexual advocacy groups such as the Human
Rights Campaign and the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force,
Showtime will continue to participate in gay parades, film
festivals and rallies throughout the remainder of the
year.
TAKE ACTION: Let Showtime Entertainment President Robert
Greenblatt know what you think of the network's growing
pay-gay activities. For contact information, including an
easy-to-use e-mail form, visit the CitizenLink Action
Center.
http://www3.capwiz.com/fof/dbq/media/?command=org_pages&org_id=5243
----- 4 -----
Family News in Focus
Focus on the Family
Monday, June 13, 2005
[No transcription; laptop repair didn't actually repair it. Gir.]
* Besides those profiting from the trades – liberal groups working with UN have problem opposing prostitution and sex trafficking
* Who's in charge when a doctor recommends treatment for a child, and the parents want a second-opinion?
* This is National Military Families Week - Washington is looking for ways to show thanks
* New book by David Horowitz claims radical Islam and American left are working together to affect U.S. policy
* House appropriations panel has voted to reduce PBS funding – from 400 to 300 million a year
----- 5 -----
Nelson Changes Mind, Backs Marriage Protection
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
June 10, 2005
http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0036831.cfm
The movement to adopt an amendment to the U.S. Constitution protecting traditional marriage from the meddling of activist judges has gained another supporter.
U.S. Sen. Ben Nelson has sent a letter to James C. Dobson, Ph. D., chairman of Focus on the Family Action, pledging support for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect marriage.
The statement represents a turnaround from Nelson's previous position—and vote—against the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA).
"The senator's position has always been that marriage should be determined by the states," Nelson Press Secretary David DiMartino told CitizenLink this afternoon. "But in the event that the federal courts would interfere with states' rights, as they have recently, he would support the effort to add an amendment to the Constitution to protect the definition of marriage."
In May, U.S. District Judge Joseph Bataillon in Lincoln struck down Nebraska's state constitutional provision prohibiting both gay marriage and civil unions. The provision, which was passed in 2000 by 70 percent of Nebraska voters, was overturned because it explicitly prohibits same-sex couples from receiving many of the legal protections reserved for married heterosexual couples.
Does the switch in position mean Nelson, D-Neb., will support—or even co-sponsor—S.J.R. 1, the Marriage Protection Amendment sponsored by Colorado Republican Sen. Wayne Allard?
"If that's the one that ends up being considered by the Senate, then yes, he'll support it," DiMartino said. "It's just unclear which proposal will be brought forward. But the senator will support an effort to amend the Constitution to protect marriage."
Dobson, who was highly critical of Bataillon's ruling—and Nelson's refusal to support MPA—said the turnaround is most welcome.
"Sen. Nelson is to be commended for reevaluating his position on the need for the Marriage Protection Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in light of Judge Bataillon's incomprehensible ruling," Dobson said. "The Senator now joins millions of Americans who recognize the threat posed by arrogant and activist judges who would deprive the people of their right to govern themselves. We look forward to working with Sen. Nelson to pass the MPA in the months ahead."
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
The New Blacklist
Corporate America is bowing to anti-gay Christian groups’ boycott demands
by DOUG IRELAND
http://www.laweekly.com/ink/05/29/features-ireland.php
Spurred on by a biblical injunction evangelicals call “The Great Commission,” and emboldened by George W. Bush’s re-election, which is perceived as a “mandate from God,” the Christian right has launched a series of boycotts and pressure campaigns aimed at corporate America — and at its sponsorship of entertainment, programs and activities the Christers don’t like.
And it’s working. Just three weeks ago, the Rev. Donald Wildmon’s American Family Association (AFA) announced it was ending its boycott of corporate giant Procter & Gamble — maker of household staples like Tide and Crest — for being pro-gay. Why? Because the AFA’s boycott (which the organization says enlisted 400,000 families) had succeeded in getting P&G to pull its millions of dollars in advertising from TV shows like Will & Grace and Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. P&G also ended its advertising in gay magazines and on gay Web sites. And a P&G executive who had been given a leave of absence to work on a successful Cincinnati, Ohio, referendum that repealed a ban on any measures protecting gays from discrimination was shown the door.
“We cannot say they are 100 percent clean, and we ask our supporters to let us know if they discover P&G again being involved in pushing the homosexual lifestyle,” growls the AFA’s statement of victory over the corporate behemoth, “but judging by all that we found in our research, it appears that our concerns have been addressed.” The Wall Street Journal reported on May 11 that “P&G officials won’t talk publicly about the boycott. But privately, they acknowledge the [Christer] groups turned out to be larger, better funded, better organized, and more sophisticated than the company had imagined.”
But the P&G cave-in to the Christers is only the tip of the iceberg. In just the past year and a half, AFA protests and boycotts — or even the simple threat of boycotts — have been enough to make a host of American companies pull their ads from TV shows the Christers consider pro-gay or salacious. Desperate Housewives has lost ads from Safeway, Tyson Foods, Liberty Mutual, Kohl’s, Alberto Culver, Leapfrog and Lowe’s after the AFA’s One Million Dads campaign targeted the show’s sponsors. Life as We Know It got the same AFA treatment — and lost ads from McCormick, Lenscrafters, Radio Shack, Papa John’s International, Chattem and Sharpie.
And it’s not just programs on the broadcast networks and their local affiliates that are feeling the heat from the Christers. When the AFA targeted Comedy Central’s South Park, the popular cartoon satire saw ads on the show pulled by Foot Locker, Geico, Finish Line and Best Buy.
Nissan, Goodyear and Castrol stopped running ads on The Shield after AFA complaints. Sonic Drive-In pulled its ad support from The Shield after a single e-mail request from AFA’s Rev. Wildmon. S.C. Johnson and Hasbro ordered their ads taken off He’s a Lady when it got the AFA treatment. And the list goes on . . . Call it a new, 11th Commandment: “Thou shalt not advertise” if the religious primitives smell sin.
Just two weeks ago, the AFA undertook a new letter-writing campaign aimed at Kraft Foods (makers of Oreo cookies, Maxwell House coffee, Ritz Crackers and the like) for supporting the “radical homosexual agenda.” Kraft’s crime? It’s a corporate sponsor of the 2006 Gay Games in Chicago. Founded in 1980 by Dr. Tom Waddell — a 1968 Olympic decathlete — these Gay Games VII will bring gay athletes from all over the world to the Windy City for a complete catalog of Olympic-style competitions. The honorary chairman of the Chicago Gay Games? The city’s mayor, Richard Daley, who declared that he is “committed to the success of the 2006 Gay Games because it is an expression of international goodwill and a celebration of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, which are important to Chicago.” But, following the AFA’s lead, another Christer group — the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) — has asked its members to take on Kraft and five other Illinois companies that are sponsoring what it calls the “Homosexuality Games.” Proclaimed the IFI: “By allowing their corporate logos to be used to promote the ‘Gay Games,’ Kraft, Harris Bank and other sponsoring companies are celebrating wrong and destructive behaviors, and showing their disdain for the majority of Americans who favor traditional morality and marriage.” Here’s a nice touch: The IFI’s Web site features a statue of Abraham Lincoln, who some historians now credibly say was gay or bisexual. Will Kraft stand up to the pressure? The company’s answer to this protest campaign is, for the moment, yes — but for how long?
All across the country, the Christian right and its allies in the culture wars are mobilizing — sometimes spurred on from the top by the AFA, Focus on the Family, the Family Research Council and similar national groups, but with increasing frequency local pressure campaigns and boycott threats are self-starters. They target everything from local broadcast outlets and local cable operators to libraries, bookstores, playhouses, cinemas and magazine outlets. “The Christian right is incredibly mobilized,” says Joan Bertin, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship, a 30-year-old alliance of 50 nonprofit groups. Bertin says, “There’s been an explosion of local book and arts censorship — a lot of activity by an emboldened grassroots, who think they won the last election on moral grounds. They barely need to threaten a boycott to get those they target to back down — hey, nobody had to threaten to boycott PBS to get them to back off Postcards From Buster.” Bertin affirms that “This new threat from below as well as above has already achieved a widespread chill” on creative and entertainment arts throughout the country.
A good example of successful up-from-below pressure in making corporate America bend the knee to the Christers: the Microsoft Corp. Earlier this year, under pressure from a local protest led by Ken Hutcherson — a conservative National Football League linebacker turned preacher — Microsoft made a decision to stay neutral in the fight over legislation in Washington’s state Legislature banning discrimination in employment against same-sexers, although many other companies headquartered in the state took positions in favor of the bill. But after an avalanche of counterprotests to Microsoft about their cave-in to Hutcherson, from their own employees (many of whom are gay), gay groups and the blogosphere, Microsoft reversed itself and supported the anti-discrimination bill. Too late: Two weeks earlier, the bill had been defeated by just one vote in the state Senate. Now, Microsoft is being targeted by a new, national Christer protest campaign for having flip-flopped again.
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Biblical account of creation to go on display at Tulsa Zoo
USA Today
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2005-06-09-tulsa-zoo-genesis_x.htm
TULSA (AP) — The Tulsa Zoo will add a display featuring the biblical account of creation following complaints to a city board about other displays with religious significance, including a Hindu elephant statue.
The Tulsa Park and Recreation Board voted 3-1 Tuesday in favor of a display depicting the account in Genesis, the first book of the Bible, that God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh.
The vote came after more than two hours of public comment from a standing-room-only crowd.
Zoo employees, religious leaders and others spoke in opposition, saying religion shouldn't be part of the taxpayer-funded scientific institution.
But those who favored the creationist exhibit, including Mayor Bill LaFortune, argued that the zoo already displayed religious items, including the statue of the Hindu god, Ganesh, outside the elephant exhibit and a marble globe inscribed with an American Indian saying, "The earth is our mother. The sky is our father."
"I see this as a big victory," said Dan Hicks, the Tulsa resident who approached the Tulsa Zoo with the idea for the exhibit. "It's a matter of fairness. To not include the creationist view would be discrimination."
Hundreds of people had signed a petition supporting a biblically based creation exhibit.
The new display will include a disclaimer that says it represents one view of origins. City attorneys also advised it be placed alongside other cultures' views of creation.
Tulsa Zoo exhibit curator Kathleen Buck-Miser estimated it would take about six months to research and organize the creationist exhibit. She expressed qualms about the zoo delving into theological debate.
"I'm afraid we are going in the wrong direction," she said.
Zoo officials argued that the zoo, as a scientific institution, does not advocate religion and that displays like the elephant statue are meant to show the animal's image among cultures. The same exhibit includes the Republican Party's elephant symbol.
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