Today's Cultural Warfare Update
Oct. 27th, 2005 10:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdFocus on the Family "ex-gay" quackery in Boston faces protests - they ask for prayers;
Focus on the Family applauds Miers withdrawal, claims after much cheerleading that they were actually about to change their minds and not support her after all, at which I must snicker;
FotF claims record Texas turnout in early voting, against marriage rights;
Texas Fertility clinic to work on gender-selecting fertility treatments;
"Pornography Awareness Week" kicked off by fundamentalist groups - funny, I thought their issue was that too _many_ people are aware of porn;
New Hampshire commission urges legislature to pass an anti-marriage constitutional amendment;
FotF accuses PBS of attacking "fatherhood" in report about divorce and child-abuse;
FotF accuses Texas marriage-rights supporters of misleading voters;
FotF claims "NASCAR goes pro-life" - because one car in one race carried a promotional for Interstate Batteries's anti-abortion clinic promotion; the irony of these being back to back does not escape me;
FotF second article on the New Hampshire commission recommending an anti-marriage constitutional amendment;
Anti-abortion group wants state judicial candidates to answer questions about abortion;
Anti-abortion activists force only clinic providing abortion facilities in Springfield, Missouri to close;
Poland may lose EU voting rights over president's anti-gay, pro-death-penalty stances;
Fundamentalist group calls for "flood" of nativity scenes all over the country on private property, while continuing to struggle for the right to put them up on government land too;
"Christians commend decision" of Miers to withdraw candidacy;
Concerned Women for America of Virginia to hold training session specifically on pushing more anti-gay law in Virginia;
Family Research Council endorses, promotes Maine initiative overturning civil rights protections on sexual orientation, reviving "special rights" language;
Family Research Council gives awards to 24 most anti-gay, anti-abortion Federal legislators - all Republicans;
FRC promotes anti-marriage, anti-civil unions initiative signature-gathering effort in Illinois;
TownHall.com attacks gender studies as an "evil virus," warns colleges want to turn your kids queer; it's particularly contemptuous of transmen;
Various groups want to split the 9th Circuit Court into multiple smaller circuits so that more judges to their liking can be appointed to the Federal judiciary;
Traditional Values Coalition says marriage rights in Massachusetts are destroying academic freedom;
TVC links to WorldNetDaily columnist calling Lawrence v. Texas a "setup," says the Supreme Court was "fooled," and mocks the idea that a bedroom implies privacy.
----- 1 -----
Focus on the Family
Daily Update
October 27, 2005
Editor's Note
[Received in email; no URL]
Please Pray for Saturday's Love Won Out Conference
Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference faces one of
its toughest challenges this Saturday when it visits
Boston.
The event, which features former homosexuals and experts
in sexuality and gender studies relating the truth that
homosexuality can be overcome, could face protests from
thousands of liberal activists. This not only presents
security challenges for the Love Won Out team, it also
threatens to disrupt the event to such an extent that
those who attend may be denied some of the ministry
opportunities they desperately seek.
The Boston Love Won Out conference runs from 8 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Our team would appreciate your
prayers for the safety of all who attend -- including the
protesters; that the message and the ministry of the event
will not be diluted by the protests; and that the hearts
of those protesting outside the conference would be open
to the truth of the Gospel presented during the
conference.
To learn more about Love Won Out, click on the link below.
http://lovewonout.com/
Thank you.
----- 2 -----
Supreme Court Nominee Withdraws
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
by Pete Winn, associate editor
October 27, 2005
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038383.cfm
SUMMARY: Dr. James Dobson calls Harriet Miers stepping
aside a 'wise decision.'
President Bush's second Supreme Court nominee has called
it quits.
"I write to withdraw as a nominee to serve as an Associate
Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States,"
Harriet Miers wrote in a letter President Bush made public
this morning.
"I have been greatly honored and humbled by the confidence
that you have shown in me, and have appreciated immensely
your support and the support of many others. However, I am
concerned that the confirmation process presents a burden
for the White House and our staff that is not in the best
interest of the country."
Miers, Bush's chief White House counsel, was nominated
Oct. 3 to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Dr. James C. Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the
Family Action, said the president made a "wise decision"
in accepting Miers' withdrawal.
"When the president announced this nominee, I expressed my
tentative support, based on what I was able to discover
about her," he said. "But I also said I would await the
hearings to learn more about her judicial philosophy.
Based on what we now know about Miss Miers, it appears
that we would not have been able to support her candidacy.
Thankfully, that difficult evaluation is no longer
necessary."
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
Record Turnout at Texas Polls; Suit Filed
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 27, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
Drawn by concerns over homosexual marriage in the Lone
Star State, people are heading to the ballot box in record
numbers to vote on the proposed constitutional amendment
to preserve traditional marriage, KCEN-TV reported.
Monday marked the first day of early voting in the state,
and the Bell County election clerk has seen at least 300
to 400 people a day come in since then -- higher numbers
than usual when a ballot lists only constitutional
amendments.
Meanwhile, the Liberty Legal Institute (LLI) filed three
complaints against Rev. Tom Heger and Save Texas Marriage
today. The political action group made more than 2 million
phone calls that attempted to trick supporters of marriage
into voting against the amendment.
"Mr. Heger should be ashamed for making untrue statements
designed to deceive Texans, like senior citizens, into
voting against their own conscience," said Hiram Sasser,
director of litigation for LLI.
The complaints were filed with the Federal Communications
Commission, the Federal Election Commission and the
Federal Trade Commission
A vote "For" the amendment is a vote to protect marriage.
----- 4 -----
Researchers to Help Couples Choose Sex of Babies
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 27, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
A fertility clinic at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas
has been given the go ahead to proceed with clinical
trials of pre-implantation gender selection, The Guardian
reported.
After nine years of consideration, the school's ethics
committee told researchers to begin the study of how
cultural notions, family values and gender issues play
into a couple's desire to choose the gender of their
child.
Pre-selecting the gender of a child is banned in many
countries, but researchers at Baylor have already received
more than 50 inquiries from couples in the U.S. interested
in participating.
Francoise Shenfield, a member of the ethics committee for
the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology
at University College London Hospital, said selecting the
gender of a child should never be permitted.
"If you believe in equality as enshrined in international
human rights, it's illogical to allow social sex
selection," he said. "It necessarily means that one sex is
preferable to the other for that couple."
Paula Amato, a doctor participating in the research trial,
said only couples who already have one child and wish to
have another of the opposite sex can participate.
----- 5 -----
Pornography Awareness Week Begins Sunday
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 27, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
The National Coalition for the Protection of Children &
Families is asking the nation to use the week of Oct. 30
through Nov. 6 to bring awareness to communities about the
harmful effects of pornography.
Rick Schatz, president and CEO of the coalition, said the
focus is to make the faith community and the secular
community aware of the dangers of pornography.
"Pornography is not a victimless crime," he said. "Too
many people, even within the faith community, believe that
lie. We know that pornography and the sexualized messages
of the culture are destructive."
By increasing awareness, people have the chance to impact
their own families, their churches and their communities.
Schatz said there are many ways to effect change. Start
by writing a letter to public officials in your state
urging them to publicly declare Pornography Awareness
Week.
He said people need to demand that law enforcement take
action to prosecute those who sell obscene materials.
"The fact is, most law enforcement people are not going to
do anything about pornography unless they believe that the
citizenry really care about the issue," he said. "By
encouraging and demanding law enforcement officials to do
their jobs, they can impact their communities."
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the coalition's Web site to
learn more ways to get the word out.
http://www.nationalcoalition.org/
----- 6 -----
Granite State Stands Firm for Marriage
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 26, 2005
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038369.cfm
SUMMARY: N.H. commission dismisses calls for same-sex
marriage and recommends passage of a constitutional
amendment.
A commission in New Hampshire has bucked the trend toward
legalizing gay marriage in New England by strongly
recommending the protection of traditional marriage to
lawmakers.
In a contentious meeting Monday that at times degenerated
into a shouting match, the panel set up to study and make
recommendations on same-sex marriage roundly defeated
proposals that would allow gays to marry, recognize
out-of-state same-sex marriages or set up domestic-partner
registration.
Earlier this month, the commission voted to recommend a
constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one
woman and one man.
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
PBS Divorce Documentary Paints Dads as Abusive
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 26, 2005
from staff reports
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038370.cfm
SUMMARY: Advocates for fathers say the film is more about
politics than truth.
The PBS documentary "Breaking the Silence: Children's
Stories" claims divorce courts and abusive dads are
teaming up to victimize children all over again, but
family advocates are crying foul.
Glenn Sacks, a columnist and radio talk show host who
focuses on men's issues, said the program is a classic
example of the lack of balance that has led many to
criticize PBS.
"In the film's view, family court is a place where evil,
sexist judges conspire with fathers in order to take
custody away from mothers and give it to fathers," he
said. "In reality it's very difficult for fathers to get
custody."
The show was produced by Connecticut Public Television,
which did not return calls for comment.
Michael McCormick, executive director of the American
Coalition for Fathers and Children, said the underlying
agenda is to minimize fatherhood.
[More at URL]
----- 8 -----
Activist Group Tries to Mislead Texas Voters
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 25, 2005
by Pete Winn, associate editor
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038357.cfm
SUMMARY: Effort aims to confuse people who support
traditional marriage into voting against a marriage
amendment.
A phantom group launched a campaign Monday to trick Texans
into voting against the state's marriage protection
amendment -- by falsely claiming that such a vote would
actually protect marriage.
It's a particularly dire tactic, too, considering that
early voting began Monday in the Lone Star State -- so
many Texans are already casting their ballots.
Here's the truth: Voting "for" Proposition 2, the Texas
Marriage Protection Amendment, is a vote for traditional
man-woman marriage. Voting "against" the measure is a vote
against traditional marriage -- and in favor of radical
experiments such as same-sex marriage.
The political action committee behind the sneaky campaign
calls itself Save Texas Marriage and shares office space
with the gay and lesbian groups that are working to defeat
the Prop 2.
According to Kelly Shackelford, president of the
pro-family Free Market Foundation of Texas, the opponents
of traditional marriage are busy trying to telephone 2
million households.
"They are trying to mislead them and confuse them with a
message about the initiative," Shackelford said. "It
starts out from a so-called 'reverend,' who tells them
that if they are for marriage, traditional marriage, then
they need to vote against Prop. 2 -- which is a lie,"
Shackelford said. "Then they end it by saying, 'God Bless
You.' "
[...]
The bottom line, he said, is that we need marriage
protection built into the U.S. Constitution.
"We need to continue to galvanize our efforts, state by
state, and ramp up the attention to a federal level so
that we have a federal constitutional marriage amendment
that protects all 50 states and territories."
[More at URL]
----- 9 -----
NASCAR Goes Pro-Life
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 25, 2005
from staff reports
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038352.cfm
SUMMARY: Car in recent race carried "Charged for Life"
campaign message for Interstate Batteries, which is
helping pregnancy resource centers raise money.
Interstate Batteries sponsored a car in last weekend's
NASCAR race in Martinsville, Va., that had more than just
racing as a goal. It was used to kick off the "Charged for
Life" campaign, a national fundraiser in which the battery
company is giving half the proceeds from selected sales to
pregnancy resource centers.
Dennis Brown of Interstate Batteries came up with the idea
for the campaign that NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte made
public on the track.
"The 'Charged For Life' campaign," he told Family News in
Focus, "is a way for Care Net to raise funds that provide
products that are going to be high quality in use by the
people that buy them and generate significant revenue for
the Care Net center."
Getting the money to those in need will be easy, according
to Kristen Hansen of Care Net.
"Pregnancy centers will have a form and be able to take
that to their Sunday school, to their offices, and so on,
and people order the batteries," she said. "Then pregnancy
centers will send in the order, and then the batteries
will be sent directly to the customer."
Hansen added that Interstate Batteries is a great role
model for companies seeking to make a difference in their
communities.
"Every year there are over a million abortions that take
place," she said, "and while pregnancy centers are doing
their best to reach women, there are so many women that go
unreached every year -- and so they want to expand their
ministries."
----- 10 -----
Gay Marriage Meets Defeat in Granite State
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 25, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
New Hampshire's state commission on same-sex marriage
voted not to present the legislature with a proposal to
allow homosexual unions in the state, The Associated Press
reported.
The panel, comprised of those who advocate for gay
marriage and those who want to preserve traditional
marriage, heard fiery testimony from both sides.
Ultimately the group defeated a recommendation that would
have begun the process to allow same-sex couples to marry.
The panel voted earlier this month to recommend a
constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a
union between one man and one woman.
----- 11 -----
Suit Seeks to Ensure Judges Answer Survey Questions
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 25, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
A pro-life group is seeking to block a Pennsylvania rule
that prohibits state judicial candidates from answering
questions about their political and legal views on
abortion.
The Pennsylvania Family Institute (PFI) filed suit in
federal court Monday. At issue is a questionnaire it sent
to judicial candidates in 2005. Several refused to answer,
stating it would violate the state's rules governing
judicial candidates' speech.
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a similar case in Minnesota,
ruled that it is unconstitutional to prohibit judges from
"announcing their views on disputed legal or political
issues."
James Bopp, lead counsel for PFI, argued the Minnesota
case as well.
He said the Pennsylvania rules "contradict the U.S.
Supreme Court, which clearly stated that judicial
candidates have a right to respond to surveys like this
and that voters have a right to hear what they have to
say."
PFI asked for a temporary restraining order and a
preliminary injunction so that judges may respond to their
questionnaire without fear of disciplinary action. It
hopes to publish the candidates' responses on the PFI Web
site before the Nov. election.
"Judicial candidates should be able to respond to
questions about their beliefs," Bopp said, "so that voters
will have something to vote on other than their names,
law-school rank and date of birth."
----- 12 -----
Pro-Life Legislation Leads to Abortion Clinic Closure
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 25, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
A Springfield, Mo., abortion clinic shut down last
Thursday in the midst of a court battle over a new law
that prohibits a clinic from operating unless the
abortionist has privileges at a nearby hospital.
According to LifeNews.com, The Springfield Health Care
Center, the only abortion facility in Springfield, did not
have admitting privileges at any area hospital -- and was
not able to obtain such status after the passage of the
pro-life bill. The law requires privileges within a
30-mile radius.
The Center for Reproductive Rights filed suit on behalf of
the clinic seeking to overturn the law -- and U.S.
District Judge Nanette Laughrey awarded a temporary stay.
But the clinic's board of directors voted to close last
Wednesday.
Michelle Collins, administrator of the clinic, said the
decision was permanent.
"It's just so difficult to provide abortions for patients
here when there's zero support from the medical
community," she said.
Because the clinic has closed its doors, the lawsuit has
been dropped and the law can now take effect.
----- 13 -----
Polish leader's anti-gay stance threatens EU voting rights
Nicholas Watt, European editor
Tuesday October 25, 2005
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,7369,1599957,00.html
Poland could lose its EU voting rights if its newly elected president continues to oppose gay rights and seeks to introduce the death penalty, the European Commission warned yesterday.
In a shot across the bows of arch-conservative Lech Kaczynski, the commission declared that all member states must abide by EU rules which protect minorities and block the death penalty.
Failure to comply could trigger a special process under the Treaty of Nice which deprives errant member states of their voting rights in ministerial meetings. "We are going to follow the situation very attentively," the principal commission spokesman, Jonathan Todd, said yesterday.
[More at URL]
----- 14 -----
Group Calls Christians to Flood Country with Nativity Scenes
To: National Desk
Contact: Dr. Charles Nestor, director of The Truth Matters, 863-698-2270, contact@thetruthmatters.com
http://www.earnedmedia.org/truth1025.htm
LAKELAND, Florida, Oct. 25 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Dr. Charles Nestor, director of The Truth Matters, is announcing a project called "Operation Nativity" with the goal of having Christians across the country set up nativity scenes on their own property.
Nestor states, "It's that time of year again. We're not even out of October and already the forces are aligning to prohibit the public celebration of the birth of Jesus.
"December 25 is the day in our culture that is set aside to acknowledge and to celebrate that Jesus of Nazareth was born. For Christians it is more than a day of feasting and the exchange of gifts, it is a holy and solemn time to join our voices in unison as the angels proclaimed on the hillside to the shepherds, 'Glory to God in the highest.'
"I am calling for Christians everywhere to join me in Operation Nativity. While we continue to support the public displays, let's flood the country with nativity scenes on our own properties!
"Think with me what could happen if on lawns in every community, on business property, on church lawns, at Christian schools, on empty land, and literally everywhere you looked, there was the depiction of the scene that recognizes the birth of Jesus.
"Simple cutouts are available. Many already own lighted sets. It could be a family project, filled with opportunities to teach children about the events surrounding the birth of the Savior.
"Why spend time and money stringing lights, decorating trees and other things that just blend in with everything around us. Let's join hands and make this Advent one in which the scene that actually reflects that Jesus was born in Bethlehem is visible. Our focus is to make this known in everyway that we can.
"Lots of money and time are spent on securing the perfect tree. There is no doubt that a beautifully decorated tree adds to the décor of any space. In some cases it has become just a traditional expression of the season, and has lost the emphasis of expressing that Jesus is the Light of the World.
"There is no doubt that even a simple nativity declares his birth. Let's do it. Let's fill up available private property with nativities.
"We don't need to abandon our effort to have legal displays in parks, at city halls, and in other places. Why make heroic efforts to see displays in these places and not utilize what is available to us on our own land? Don't just say, as I hope you will, 'That's a good idea.' Make a commitment to do it. You'll be blessed and so will the many that see it. The most important thing is that it can be a powerful witness of Jesus' birth."
----- 15 -----
Miers Withdraws Nomination; Christians Commend Decision
The Christian Post
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Long URL elided
Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers withdrew herself from consideration for the office of associate justice Thursday amid criticism over her qualifications – a decision that received commendation from some Christian leaders.
In a letter addressed to the President, she noted that Senators had indicated their intention to request documents about her tenure as White House Counsel.
[...]
President Bush, who "reluctantly" accepted Miers’ decision to withdraw, also expressed concern over the Senators' inquiry.
"It is clear that Senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House – disclosures that would undermine a President's ability to receive candid counsel," he said in a statement released by the White House.
[...]
Christian leaders also commended Miers’ for her decision.
"Miss Miers has shown great respect and consideration by putting the needs of the American people and the judicial system above her own personal ambitions," commented Wendy Wright, Executive Vice President for Concerned Women for America (CWA), in a released statement. "We look forward to future opportunities of working with Miss Miers and will stand united with her on common goals."
"It was hard to call for Miss Miers' withdrawal yesterday," added Jan LaRue, CWA's chief counsel, “but we felt it was the best thing for the Court, the President and Miss Miers.”
The Rev. Rob Schenck of the National Clergy Council expressed his gratitude for Miers’ “painfully difficult decision.”
"“In many ways, this was her ultimate service to the President and to the country," said Rev. Rob Schenck, in a released statement.
[More at URL]
----- 16 -----
ALERT! Legislative Training In November
Concerned Women for America of Virginia
10/24/2005
Long URL elided
Concerned Women for America of Virginia will have a presence in Richmond one day each week of the General Assembly session. But we need you to be there with us to convince legislators to reverse the trend toward legal recognition of same sex behavior as a normal, healthy equivalent to our current laws. In order to make the most of your sacrifice of time during the legislative session, Concerned Women for America of Virginia is offering regional training sessions held throughout the state on Saturday, November 12 in: Portsmouth, Lynchburg, and Stafford
At this training session you will learn:
* How a bill becomes law
* How to identify and contact your state senator and state delegate
* The logistics of visiting the Virginia General Assembly during session (January 15 though mid March, 2006)
* How you can make a difference
* How to stay informed about the Virginia General Assembly, Lawmakers, committees and legislation you will want to know about
----- 17 -----
Reject Special Rights Based on Sexual Orientation
October 24, 2005 - Monday
Maine (more on this state)
Forward to a Friend!
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL05J09&f=PG03I03
As concerned citizens of the state of Maine, it is extremely important that you oppose this new law granting protections to people based on "sexual orientation" that is on the November 8th Referendum Ballot.
Governor Baldacci knew the people of Maine had voted twice in seven years to repeal pro-gay special rights. By voting YES to reject his attempt to single-handedly overrule you the people, you will help restore the proper balance of power in Augusta.
What you're voting on:
You're voting to REPEAL (reject) the law passed by Governor Baldacci and the Maine Legislature arbitrarily assigning minority class status to homosexual and bi-sexual behavior.
You're voting to reject the idea that one's sexual preference should be equated with the immutable characteristics of race, skin color, national origin, etc., in Maine law.
You're voting to reject the Governor's attempt to ignore the will of the people of Maine, who voted against virtually the same legislation in both 1998 and 2000.
For more information on the issue please go to: www.coalitionformarriage.net
AL05J09
----- 18 -----
FRC Issues End of Session 'True Blue Awards' to House Representatives
October 26, 2005 - Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2005 CONTACT: Amber Hildebrand, (202) 393-2100
Complete Voter Scorecard Available at www.frc.org
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR05J09&f=PG03I03
Washington, D.C. - This morning the Family Research Council (FRC) proudly presented this year's "True Blue Awards" to 24 Members of Congress at a Capitol Hill Club breakfast. Those in attendance included:
Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO)
Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (R-SC)
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH)
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX)
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Rep. Gil Gutnecht (R-MN)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC)
Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL)
Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-TX)
Rep. Cathy McMorris (R-WA)
Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)
Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC)
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)
Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA)
Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS)
Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)
Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI)
The "True Blue Award" is presented to Members of Congress who demonstrate extraordinary integrity and character in their defense of families and the sanctity of human life through their votes.
This year a total of 69 Members received a "True Blue Award" from the Family Research Council for having achieved 100% voting records on issues of importance to the American family.
[More at URL]
----- 19 -----
Protect Marriage Illinois Petition Drive Underway
October 26, 2005 - Wednesday
Forward to a Friend!
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL05J10&f=PG03I03
Please help preserve marriage between one man and one woman in the state of Illinois. To get involved with the Protect Marriage Illinois (PMI) campaign, an organization affiliated with our friends at the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) go to: www.protectmarriageillinois.org.
IFI recently launched Protect Marriage Illinois to lead a petition drive to collect 283,000 signatures of registered Illinois voters to get an advisory Marriage Protection Referendum on the Illinois ballot in 2006 that will call on the state General Assembly to pass an amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman as the "only legal union that shall be valid or recognized" in the state of Illinois. If the legislature then passes a binding amendment, citizens would go to the ballot box again in 2008 to ratify it.
Citizens and churches in all parts of Illinois are gathering signatures to get the Marriage Referendum on the ballot in November 2006, but the task is huge so we need your help.
Here's what you can do now to help this grassroots campaign:
1) Download a petition. Copy it and start getting signatures! Recruit other signature gatherers! Please carefully review the corresponding Circulators Instruction sheet (it prints out when you download the petition) before you start getting signatures so you don't make mistakes that will disqualify your hard work. If you can't download a petition, call PMI Project Director Dave Smith at 877/787-8011 and he will send you as many as you need. (This petition drive will end on March 20, 2006.)
2) Get your church involved.
Ask your pastor, priest or church leaders if you can organize a petition drive at your church. Contact PMI at 877/787-8011 or email Dave at: desmith@illinoisfamily.org, and someone will send you a church packet. (This includes a sheet explaining why it is legal for churches to distribute petitions.)
If you want to get involved in this historic effort, or if you just want to learn more, please go to: www.protectmarriageillinois.org, or www.illinoisfamily.org, and don't forget to read the Circulator Instructions carefully before you start gathering signatures. Please feel free to call PMI toll free at 877/787-8011.
We are proud to stand together to defend the institution of marriage in the Land of Lincoln! Thank you for getting involved!
----- 20 -----
The evil virus upon us
Oct 20, 2005
by Suzanne Fields
TownHall.com
Long URL elided
A magazine cover story about postmodern life on the American college campus depicts three monkeys in cap and gown, covering their ears, eyes and mouth, a parody of the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil caricature. But students at many colleges actually get quite the opposite. They're required to hear, see, speak and study all about evil, as long as it's the evil oppression of everybody in American society.
Parents, inoculate yourselves. It may be too late for your children.
There's an emphasis on multicultural studies, and few campuses have escaped the disease -- and it's not yet Halloween. The title of a course taught to undergraduates in American studies at New York University, for example, is called "Intersections: Gender Race and Sexuality in U.S. History and Politics." You might think this is a strange way to get at American history. The class spends a week analyzing the murder of Teena Brandon (aka Brandon Teena), a young woman who pretended to be a man, and includes the screening of the movie "Boys Don't Cry," the narrative version.
The following week students study the life and murder of Tupac Shakur, the "gangsta" rapper whose rough and raw lyrics glorified drugs, abusing women and the violence that finally took his life. There's "Queer Lives and Culture," "Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora," and a discussion of the relationship of gender, race and war in Haiti through the lens of "Military Occupation and the Culture of U.S. Imperialism." One teaching assistant of this course describes herself as an "anti-racist queer activist feminist." That covers just about everything, except a year's tuition at NYU, for which parents shell out $40,000.
[More at URL]
----- 21 -----
Senate Holds Hearing On Splitting 9th Federal Circuit Court In California
Traditional Values Coalition
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=2462
October 28, 2005 – On October 26, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative and Oversight and the Courts held a hearing on splitting the 9 th Circuit Court of Appeals in California.
The transcripts of statements from witnesses during this hearing are available here: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
The 9th Circuit Court is larger than the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 11th Courts combined. This year alone 137 judges had to be “borrowed” from other Circuit Courts and 200 are expected to be borrowed next year. On average it takes 15.4 months for a case to be heard, 3 times as long as any other Court. "Justice delayed is justice denied."
TVC has long recommended that the 9 th be split. It is dominated by radical liberals who have a history of issuing extra-constitutional decisions based upon their political views—including declaring the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because it contains “under God” in it.
Read and distribute TVC’s report to your U.S. Senators: http://traditionalvalues.org/pdf_files/NinthCircuitCourt04041.pdf
----- 22 -----
Homosexual Marriage Chilling Academic Freedom In Massachusetts
Traditional Values Coalition
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=2463
October 28, 2005 – The cultural danger of legalizing homosexual marriage throughout the United States is being played out in Massachusetts, according to a Boston College law professor who testified before a Senate committee recently.
Professor Scott FitzGibbons testified before the Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights on October 20, 2005 in support of a constitutional amendment to protect marriage.
FitzGibbons described the dangers to academic freedom posed by the imposition of homosexual marriage upon Massachusetts by the radical Supreme Judicial Court in 2003. According to Fitzgibbons, immediately after homosexual marriage went into effect, Boston School Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant issued a memo to all school officials. In it, he warned them against permitting any criticism of homosexual behavior by students, teachers, school officials, and even parents. In addition, Payzant encouraged teachers and students to turn in each other if they overheard criticial comments about homosexuality—or made statements that created bias against homosexuality.
FitzGibbons expressed deep concern over the chilling effect that homosexual marriage is having on free speech in Massachusetts and urge passage of a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman.
His speech is available here: Scott FitzGibbons Testimony.
Read and distribute TVC’s reports on the importance of preserving marriage as a one-man, one-woman union: Special Reports.
[More at URL]
----- 23 -----
Judge calls Lawrence case setup
Supreme Court fooled in landmark sodomy ruling, she says
Posted: October 27, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47064
WASHINGTON – The landmark Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court ruling that effectively overturned anti-sodomy laws throughout the country was based on a pre-arranged "setup" of police, state judicial authorities and, ultimately, the highest court in the land, says the first Texas criminal courts judge to whom the case was assigned.
Judge Janice Law, author of "Sex Appealed: Was the U.S. Supreme Court Fooled?" said "reverse entrapment" was a good term to describe the technique used by defendants to secure an arrest while committing homosexual sodomy in the "privacy" of their bedroom.
The Lawrence case began Sept. 17, 1998, when Houston sheriff's deputies got a call reporting shots being fired at an apartment complex. Deputies converged on the scene and were directed to the apartment of John Geddes Lawrence by Robert Eubanks, a petty criminal himself and a friend of Lawrence. Upon entering the unlocked apartment with guns drawn, the deputies were met by a man calmly talking on a kitchen telephone.
When asked if anyone else was in the apartment, this unidentified witness signaled to the back bedroom. Once again, the bedroom door was open. And upon entering, clearly in the call of duty, the officers were confronted with two men engaged in homosexual sodomy – Lawrence and Tyron Garner.
[More at URL]
Focus on the Family applauds Miers withdrawal, claims after much cheerleading that they were actually about to change their minds and not support her after all, at which I must snicker;
FotF claims record Texas turnout in early voting, against marriage rights;
Texas Fertility clinic to work on gender-selecting fertility treatments;
"Pornography Awareness Week" kicked off by fundamentalist groups - funny, I thought their issue was that too _many_ people are aware of porn;
New Hampshire commission urges legislature to pass an anti-marriage constitutional amendment;
FotF accuses PBS of attacking "fatherhood" in report about divorce and child-abuse;
FotF accuses Texas marriage-rights supporters of misleading voters;
FotF claims "NASCAR goes pro-life" - because one car in one race carried a promotional for Interstate Batteries's anti-abortion clinic promotion; the irony of these being back to back does not escape me;
FotF second article on the New Hampshire commission recommending an anti-marriage constitutional amendment;
Anti-abortion group wants state judicial candidates to answer questions about abortion;
Anti-abortion activists force only clinic providing abortion facilities in Springfield, Missouri to close;
Poland may lose EU voting rights over president's anti-gay, pro-death-penalty stances;
Fundamentalist group calls for "flood" of nativity scenes all over the country on private property, while continuing to struggle for the right to put them up on government land too;
"Christians commend decision" of Miers to withdraw candidacy;
Concerned Women for America of Virginia to hold training session specifically on pushing more anti-gay law in Virginia;
Family Research Council endorses, promotes Maine initiative overturning civil rights protections on sexual orientation, reviving "special rights" language;
Family Research Council gives awards to 24 most anti-gay, anti-abortion Federal legislators - all Republicans;
FRC promotes anti-marriage, anti-civil unions initiative signature-gathering effort in Illinois;
TownHall.com attacks gender studies as an "evil virus," warns colleges want to turn your kids queer; it's particularly contemptuous of transmen;
Various groups want to split the 9th Circuit Court into multiple smaller circuits so that more judges to their liking can be appointed to the Federal judiciary;
Traditional Values Coalition says marriage rights in Massachusetts are destroying academic freedom;
TVC links to WorldNetDaily columnist calling Lawrence v. Texas a "setup," says the Supreme Court was "fooled," and mocks the idea that a bedroom implies privacy.
----- 1 -----
Focus on the Family
Daily Update
October 27, 2005
Editor's Note
[Received in email; no URL]
Please Pray for Saturday's Love Won Out Conference
Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conference faces one of
its toughest challenges this Saturday when it visits
Boston.
The event, which features former homosexuals and experts
in sexuality and gender studies relating the truth that
homosexuality can be overcome, could face protests from
thousands of liberal activists. This not only presents
security challenges for the Love Won Out team, it also
threatens to disrupt the event to such an extent that
those who attend may be denied some of the ministry
opportunities they desperately seek.
The Boston Love Won Out conference runs from 8 a.m. to
5:30 p.m. on Saturday. Our team would appreciate your
prayers for the safety of all who attend -- including the
protesters; that the message and the ministry of the event
will not be diluted by the protests; and that the hearts
of those protesting outside the conference would be open
to the truth of the Gospel presented during the
conference.
To learn more about Love Won Out, click on the link below.
http://lovewonout.com/
Thank you.
----- 2 -----
Supreme Court Nominee Withdraws
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
by Pete Winn, associate editor
October 27, 2005
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038383.cfm
SUMMARY: Dr. James Dobson calls Harriet Miers stepping
aside a 'wise decision.'
President Bush's second Supreme Court nominee has called
it quits.
"I write to withdraw as a nominee to serve as an Associate
Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States,"
Harriet Miers wrote in a letter President Bush made public
this morning.
"I have been greatly honored and humbled by the confidence
that you have shown in me, and have appreciated immensely
your support and the support of many others. However, I am
concerned that the confirmation process presents a burden
for the White House and our staff that is not in the best
interest of the country."
Miers, Bush's chief White House counsel, was nominated
Oct. 3 to replace Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.
Dr. James C. Dobson, founder and chairman of Focus on the
Family Action, said the president made a "wise decision"
in accepting Miers' withdrawal.
"When the president announced this nominee, I expressed my
tentative support, based on what I was able to discover
about her," he said. "But I also said I would await the
hearings to learn more about her judicial philosophy.
Based on what we now know about Miss Miers, it appears
that we would not have been able to support her candidacy.
Thankfully, that difficult evaluation is no longer
necessary."
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
Record Turnout at Texas Polls; Suit Filed
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 27, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
Drawn by concerns over homosexual marriage in the Lone
Star State, people are heading to the ballot box in record
numbers to vote on the proposed constitutional amendment
to preserve traditional marriage, KCEN-TV reported.
Monday marked the first day of early voting in the state,
and the Bell County election clerk has seen at least 300
to 400 people a day come in since then -- higher numbers
than usual when a ballot lists only constitutional
amendments.
Meanwhile, the Liberty Legal Institute (LLI) filed three
complaints against Rev. Tom Heger and Save Texas Marriage
today. The political action group made more than 2 million
phone calls that attempted to trick supporters of marriage
into voting against the amendment.
"Mr. Heger should be ashamed for making untrue statements
designed to deceive Texans, like senior citizens, into
voting against their own conscience," said Hiram Sasser,
director of litigation for LLI.
The complaints were filed with the Federal Communications
Commission, the Federal Election Commission and the
Federal Trade Commission
A vote "For" the amendment is a vote to protect marriage.
----- 4 -----
Researchers to Help Couples Choose Sex of Babies
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 27, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
A fertility clinic at Baylor College of Medicine in Texas
has been given the go ahead to proceed with clinical
trials of pre-implantation gender selection, The Guardian
reported.
After nine years of consideration, the school's ethics
committee told researchers to begin the study of how
cultural notions, family values and gender issues play
into a couple's desire to choose the gender of their
child.
Pre-selecting the gender of a child is banned in many
countries, but researchers at Baylor have already received
more than 50 inquiries from couples in the U.S. interested
in participating.
Francoise Shenfield, a member of the ethics committee for
the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology
at University College London Hospital, said selecting the
gender of a child should never be permitted.
"If you believe in equality as enshrined in international
human rights, it's illogical to allow social sex
selection," he said. "It necessarily means that one sex is
preferable to the other for that couple."
Paula Amato, a doctor participating in the research trial,
said only couples who already have one child and wish to
have another of the opposite sex can participate.
----- 5 -----
Pornography Awareness Week Begins Sunday
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 27, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
The National Coalition for the Protection of Children &
Families is asking the nation to use the week of Oct. 30
through Nov. 6 to bring awareness to communities about the
harmful effects of pornography.
Rick Schatz, president and CEO of the coalition, said the
focus is to make the faith community and the secular
community aware of the dangers of pornography.
"Pornography is not a victimless crime," he said. "Too
many people, even within the faith community, believe that
lie. We know that pornography and the sexualized messages
of the culture are destructive."
By increasing awareness, people have the chance to impact
their own families, their churches and their communities.
Schatz said there are many ways to effect change. Start
by writing a letter to public officials in your state
urging them to publicly declare Pornography Awareness
Week.
He said people need to demand that law enforcement take
action to prosecute those who sell obscene materials.
"The fact is, most law enforcement people are not going to
do anything about pornography unless they believe that the
citizenry really care about the issue," he said. "By
encouraging and demanding law enforcement officials to do
their jobs, they can impact their communities."
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Visit the coalition's Web site to
learn more ways to get the word out.
http://www.nationalcoalition.org/
----- 6 -----
Granite State Stands Firm for Marriage
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 26, 2005
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038369.cfm
SUMMARY: N.H. commission dismisses calls for same-sex
marriage and recommends passage of a constitutional
amendment.
A commission in New Hampshire has bucked the trend toward
legalizing gay marriage in New England by strongly
recommending the protection of traditional marriage to
lawmakers.
In a contentious meeting Monday that at times degenerated
into a shouting match, the panel set up to study and make
recommendations on same-sex marriage roundly defeated
proposals that would allow gays to marry, recognize
out-of-state same-sex marriages or set up domestic-partner
registration.
Earlier this month, the commission voted to recommend a
constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one
woman and one man.
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
PBS Divorce Documentary Paints Dads as Abusive
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 26, 2005
from staff reports
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038370.cfm
SUMMARY: Advocates for fathers say the film is more about
politics than truth.
The PBS documentary "Breaking the Silence: Children's
Stories" claims divorce courts and abusive dads are
teaming up to victimize children all over again, but
family advocates are crying foul.
Glenn Sacks, a columnist and radio talk show host who
focuses on men's issues, said the program is a classic
example of the lack of balance that has led many to
criticize PBS.
"In the film's view, family court is a place where evil,
sexist judges conspire with fathers in order to take
custody away from mothers and give it to fathers," he
said. "In reality it's very difficult for fathers to get
custody."
The show was produced by Connecticut Public Television,
which did not return calls for comment.
Michael McCormick, executive director of the American
Coalition for Fathers and Children, said the underlying
agenda is to minimize fatherhood.
[More at URL]
----- 8 -----
Activist Group Tries to Mislead Texas Voters
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 25, 2005
by Pete Winn, associate editor
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038357.cfm
SUMMARY: Effort aims to confuse people who support
traditional marriage into voting against a marriage
amendment.
A phantom group launched a campaign Monday to trick Texans
into voting against the state's marriage protection
amendment -- by falsely claiming that such a vote would
actually protect marriage.
It's a particularly dire tactic, too, considering that
early voting began Monday in the Lone Star State -- so
many Texans are already casting their ballots.
Here's the truth: Voting "for" Proposition 2, the Texas
Marriage Protection Amendment, is a vote for traditional
man-woman marriage. Voting "against" the measure is a vote
against traditional marriage -- and in favor of radical
experiments such as same-sex marriage.
The political action committee behind the sneaky campaign
calls itself Save Texas Marriage and shares office space
with the gay and lesbian groups that are working to defeat
the Prop 2.
According to Kelly Shackelford, president of the
pro-family Free Market Foundation of Texas, the opponents
of traditional marriage are busy trying to telephone 2
million households.
"They are trying to mislead them and confuse them with a
message about the initiative," Shackelford said. "It
starts out from a so-called 'reverend,' who tells them
that if they are for marriage, traditional marriage, then
they need to vote against Prop. 2 -- which is a lie,"
Shackelford said. "Then they end it by saying, 'God Bless
You.' "
[...]
The bottom line, he said, is that we need marriage
protection built into the U.S. Constitution.
"We need to continue to galvanize our efforts, state by
state, and ramp up the attention to a federal level so
that we have a federal constitutional marriage amendment
that protects all 50 states and territories."
[More at URL]
----- 9 -----
NASCAR Goes Pro-Life
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
October 25, 2005
from staff reports
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0038352.cfm
SUMMARY: Car in recent race carried "Charged for Life"
campaign message for Interstate Batteries, which is
helping pregnancy resource centers raise money.
Interstate Batteries sponsored a car in last weekend's
NASCAR race in Martinsville, Va., that had more than just
racing as a goal. It was used to kick off the "Charged for
Life" campaign, a national fundraiser in which the battery
company is giving half the proceeds from selected sales to
pregnancy resource centers.
Dennis Brown of Interstate Batteries came up with the idea
for the campaign that NASCAR driver Bobby Labonte made
public on the track.
"The 'Charged For Life' campaign," he told Family News in
Focus, "is a way for Care Net to raise funds that provide
products that are going to be high quality in use by the
people that buy them and generate significant revenue for
the Care Net center."
Getting the money to those in need will be easy, according
to Kristen Hansen of Care Net.
"Pregnancy centers will have a form and be able to take
that to their Sunday school, to their offices, and so on,
and people order the batteries," she said. "Then pregnancy
centers will send in the order, and then the batteries
will be sent directly to the customer."
Hansen added that Interstate Batteries is a great role
model for companies seeking to make a difference in their
communities.
"Every year there are over a million abortions that take
place," she said, "and while pregnancy centers are doing
their best to reach women, there are so many women that go
unreached every year -- and so they want to expand their
ministries."
----- 10 -----
Gay Marriage Meets Defeat in Granite State
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 25, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
New Hampshire's state commission on same-sex marriage
voted not to present the legislature with a proposal to
allow homosexual unions in the state, The Associated Press
reported.
The panel, comprised of those who advocate for gay
marriage and those who want to preserve traditional
marriage, heard fiery testimony from both sides.
Ultimately the group defeated a recommendation that would
have begun the process to allow same-sex couples to marry.
The panel voted earlier this month to recommend a
constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a
union between one man and one woman.
----- 11 -----
Suit Seeks to Ensure Judges Answer Survey Questions
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 25, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
A pro-life group is seeking to block a Pennsylvania rule
that prohibits state judicial candidates from answering
questions about their political and legal views on
abortion.
The Pennsylvania Family Institute (PFI) filed suit in
federal court Monday. At issue is a questionnaire it sent
to judicial candidates in 2005. Several refused to answer,
stating it would violate the state's rules governing
judicial candidates' speech.
The U.S. Supreme Court, in a similar case in Minnesota,
ruled that it is unconstitutional to prohibit judges from
"announcing their views on disputed legal or political
issues."
James Bopp, lead counsel for PFI, argued the Minnesota
case as well.
He said the Pennsylvania rules "contradict the U.S.
Supreme Court, which clearly stated that judicial
candidates have a right to respond to surveys like this
and that voters have a right to hear what they have to
say."
PFI asked for a temporary restraining order and a
preliminary injunction so that judges may respond to their
questionnaire without fear of disciplinary action. It
hopes to publish the candidates' responses on the PFI Web
site before the Nov. election.
"Judicial candidates should be able to respond to
questions about their beliefs," Bopp said, "so that voters
will have something to vote on other than their names,
law-school rank and date of birth."
----- 12 -----
Pro-Life Legislation Leads to Abortion Clinic Closure
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
October 25, 2005
[Received in email; no URL]
A Springfield, Mo., abortion clinic shut down last
Thursday in the midst of a court battle over a new law
that prohibits a clinic from operating unless the
abortionist has privileges at a nearby hospital.
According to LifeNews.com, The Springfield Health Care
Center, the only abortion facility in Springfield, did not
have admitting privileges at any area hospital -- and was
not able to obtain such status after the passage of the
pro-life bill. The law requires privileges within a
30-mile radius.
The Center for Reproductive Rights filed suit on behalf of
the clinic seeking to overturn the law -- and U.S.
District Judge Nanette Laughrey awarded a temporary stay.
But the clinic's board of directors voted to close last
Wednesday.
Michelle Collins, administrator of the clinic, said the
decision was permanent.
"It's just so difficult to provide abortions for patients
here when there's zero support from the medical
community," she said.
Because the clinic has closed its doors, the lawsuit has
been dropped and the law can now take effect.
----- 13 -----
Polish leader's anti-gay stance threatens EU voting rights
Nicholas Watt, European editor
Tuesday October 25, 2005
The Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/eu/story/0,7369,1599957,00.html
Poland could lose its EU voting rights if its newly elected president continues to oppose gay rights and seeks to introduce the death penalty, the European Commission warned yesterday.
In a shot across the bows of arch-conservative Lech Kaczynski, the commission declared that all member states must abide by EU rules which protect minorities and block the death penalty.
Failure to comply could trigger a special process under the Treaty of Nice which deprives errant member states of their voting rights in ministerial meetings. "We are going to follow the situation very attentively," the principal commission spokesman, Jonathan Todd, said yesterday.
[More at URL]
----- 14 -----
Group Calls Christians to Flood Country with Nativity Scenes
To: National Desk
Contact: Dr. Charles Nestor, director of The Truth Matters, 863-698-2270, contact@thetruthmatters.com
http://www.earnedmedia.org/truth1025.htm
LAKELAND, Florida, Oct. 25 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Dr. Charles Nestor, director of The Truth Matters, is announcing a project called "Operation Nativity" with the goal of having Christians across the country set up nativity scenes on their own property.
Nestor states, "It's that time of year again. We're not even out of October and already the forces are aligning to prohibit the public celebration of the birth of Jesus.
"December 25 is the day in our culture that is set aside to acknowledge and to celebrate that Jesus of Nazareth was born. For Christians it is more than a day of feasting and the exchange of gifts, it is a holy and solemn time to join our voices in unison as the angels proclaimed on the hillside to the shepherds, 'Glory to God in the highest.'
"I am calling for Christians everywhere to join me in Operation Nativity. While we continue to support the public displays, let's flood the country with nativity scenes on our own properties!
"Think with me what could happen if on lawns in every community, on business property, on church lawns, at Christian schools, on empty land, and literally everywhere you looked, there was the depiction of the scene that recognizes the birth of Jesus.
"Simple cutouts are available. Many already own lighted sets. It could be a family project, filled with opportunities to teach children about the events surrounding the birth of the Savior.
"Why spend time and money stringing lights, decorating trees and other things that just blend in with everything around us. Let's join hands and make this Advent one in which the scene that actually reflects that Jesus was born in Bethlehem is visible. Our focus is to make this known in everyway that we can.
"Lots of money and time are spent on securing the perfect tree. There is no doubt that a beautifully decorated tree adds to the décor of any space. In some cases it has become just a traditional expression of the season, and has lost the emphasis of expressing that Jesus is the Light of the World.
"There is no doubt that even a simple nativity declares his birth. Let's do it. Let's fill up available private property with nativities.
"We don't need to abandon our effort to have legal displays in parks, at city halls, and in other places. Why make heroic efforts to see displays in these places and not utilize what is available to us on our own land? Don't just say, as I hope you will, 'That's a good idea.' Make a commitment to do it. You'll be blessed and so will the many that see it. The most important thing is that it can be a powerful witness of Jesus' birth."
----- 15 -----
Miers Withdraws Nomination; Christians Commend Decision
The Christian Post
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Long URL elided
Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers withdrew herself from consideration for the office of associate justice Thursday amid criticism over her qualifications – a decision that received commendation from some Christian leaders.
In a letter addressed to the President, she noted that Senators had indicated their intention to request documents about her tenure as White House Counsel.
[...]
President Bush, who "reluctantly" accepted Miers’ decision to withdraw, also expressed concern over the Senators' inquiry.
"It is clear that Senators would not be satisfied until they gained access to internal documents concerning advice provided during her tenure at the White House – disclosures that would undermine a President's ability to receive candid counsel," he said in a statement released by the White House.
[...]
Christian leaders also commended Miers’ for her decision.
"Miss Miers has shown great respect and consideration by putting the needs of the American people and the judicial system above her own personal ambitions," commented Wendy Wright, Executive Vice President for Concerned Women for America (CWA), in a released statement. "We look forward to future opportunities of working with Miss Miers and will stand united with her on common goals."
"It was hard to call for Miss Miers' withdrawal yesterday," added Jan LaRue, CWA's chief counsel, “but we felt it was the best thing for the Court, the President and Miss Miers.”
The Rev. Rob Schenck of the National Clergy Council expressed his gratitude for Miers’ “painfully difficult decision.”
"“In many ways, this was her ultimate service to the President and to the country," said Rev. Rob Schenck, in a released statement.
[More at URL]
----- 16 -----
ALERT! Legislative Training In November
Concerned Women for America of Virginia
10/24/2005
Long URL elided
Concerned Women for America of Virginia will have a presence in Richmond one day each week of the General Assembly session. But we need you to be there with us to convince legislators to reverse the trend toward legal recognition of same sex behavior as a normal, healthy equivalent to our current laws. In order to make the most of your sacrifice of time during the legislative session, Concerned Women for America of Virginia is offering regional training sessions held throughout the state on Saturday, November 12 in: Portsmouth, Lynchburg, and Stafford
At this training session you will learn:
* How a bill becomes law
* How to identify and contact your state senator and state delegate
* The logistics of visiting the Virginia General Assembly during session (January 15 though mid March, 2006)
* How you can make a difference
* How to stay informed about the Virginia General Assembly, Lawmakers, committees and legislation you will want to know about
----- 17 -----
Reject Special Rights Based on Sexual Orientation
October 24, 2005 - Monday
Maine (more on this state)
Forward to a Friend!
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL05J09&f=PG03I03
As concerned citizens of the state of Maine, it is extremely important that you oppose this new law granting protections to people based on "sexual orientation" that is on the November 8th Referendum Ballot.
Governor Baldacci knew the people of Maine had voted twice in seven years to repeal pro-gay special rights. By voting YES to reject his attempt to single-handedly overrule you the people, you will help restore the proper balance of power in Augusta.
What you're voting on:
You're voting to REPEAL (reject) the law passed by Governor Baldacci and the Maine Legislature arbitrarily assigning minority class status to homosexual and bi-sexual behavior.
You're voting to reject the idea that one's sexual preference should be equated with the immutable characteristics of race, skin color, national origin, etc., in Maine law.
You're voting to reject the Governor's attempt to ignore the will of the people of Maine, who voted against virtually the same legislation in both 1998 and 2000.
For more information on the issue please go to: www.coalitionformarriage.net
AL05J09
----- 18 -----
FRC Issues End of Session 'True Blue Awards' to House Representatives
October 26, 2005 - Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2005 CONTACT: Amber Hildebrand, (202) 393-2100
Complete Voter Scorecard Available at www.frc.org
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR05J09&f=PG03I03
Washington, D.C. - This morning the Family Research Council (FRC) proudly presented this year's "True Blue Awards" to 24 Members of Congress at a Capitol Hill Club breakfast. Those in attendance included:
Rep. Todd Akin (R-MO)
Rep. J. Gresham Barrett (R-SC)
Rep. Roscoe Bartlett (R-MD)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN)
Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Rep. Steve Chabot (R-OH)
Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX)
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC)
Rep. Trent Franks (R-AZ)
Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX)
Rep. Gil Gutnecht (R-MN)
Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-TX)
Rep. Walter Jones (R-NC)
Rep. Donald Manzullo (R-IL)
Rep. Kenny Marchant (R-TX)
Rep. Cathy McMorris (R-WA)
Rep. Jeff Miller (R-FL)
Rep. Sue Myrick (R-NC)
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX)
Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN)
Rep. Joe Pitts (R-PA)
Rep. Jim Ryun (R-KS)
Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH)
Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-WI)
The "True Blue Award" is presented to Members of Congress who demonstrate extraordinary integrity and character in their defense of families and the sanctity of human life through their votes.
This year a total of 69 Members received a "True Blue Award" from the Family Research Council for having achieved 100% voting records on issues of importance to the American family.
[More at URL]
----- 19 -----
Protect Marriage Illinois Petition Drive Underway
October 26, 2005 - Wednesday
Forward to a Friend!
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL05J10&f=PG03I03
Please help preserve marriage between one man and one woman in the state of Illinois. To get involved with the Protect Marriage Illinois (PMI) campaign, an organization affiliated with our friends at the Illinois Family Institute (IFI) go to: www.protectmarriageillinois.org.
IFI recently launched Protect Marriage Illinois to lead a petition drive to collect 283,000 signatures of registered Illinois voters to get an advisory Marriage Protection Referendum on the Illinois ballot in 2006 that will call on the state General Assembly to pass an amendment defining marriage between one man and one woman as the "only legal union that shall be valid or recognized" in the state of Illinois. If the legislature then passes a binding amendment, citizens would go to the ballot box again in 2008 to ratify it.
Citizens and churches in all parts of Illinois are gathering signatures to get the Marriage Referendum on the ballot in November 2006, but the task is huge so we need your help.
Here's what you can do now to help this grassroots campaign:
1) Download a petition. Copy it and start getting signatures! Recruit other signature gatherers! Please carefully review the corresponding Circulators Instruction sheet (it prints out when you download the petition) before you start getting signatures so you don't make mistakes that will disqualify your hard work. If you can't download a petition, call PMI Project Director Dave Smith at 877/787-8011 and he will send you as many as you need. (This petition drive will end on March 20, 2006.)
2) Get your church involved.
Ask your pastor, priest or church leaders if you can organize a petition drive at your church. Contact PMI at 877/787-8011 or email Dave at: desmith@illinoisfamily.org, and someone will send you a church packet. (This includes a sheet explaining why it is legal for churches to distribute petitions.)
If you want to get involved in this historic effort, or if you just want to learn more, please go to: www.protectmarriageillinois.org, or www.illinoisfamily.org, and don't forget to read the Circulator Instructions carefully before you start gathering signatures. Please feel free to call PMI toll free at 877/787-8011.
We are proud to stand together to defend the institution of marriage in the Land of Lincoln! Thank you for getting involved!
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The evil virus upon us
Oct 20, 2005
by Suzanne Fields
TownHall.com
Long URL elided
A magazine cover story about postmodern life on the American college campus depicts three monkeys in cap and gown, covering their ears, eyes and mouth, a parody of the hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil caricature. But students at many colleges actually get quite the opposite. They're required to hear, see, speak and study all about evil, as long as it's the evil oppression of everybody in American society.
Parents, inoculate yourselves. It may be too late for your children.
There's an emphasis on multicultural studies, and few campuses have escaped the disease -- and it's not yet Halloween. The title of a course taught to undergraduates in American studies at New York University, for example, is called "Intersections: Gender Race and Sexuality in U.S. History and Politics." You might think this is a strange way to get at American history. The class spends a week analyzing the murder of Teena Brandon (aka Brandon Teena), a young woman who pretended to be a man, and includes the screening of the movie "Boys Don't Cry," the narrative version.
The following week students study the life and murder of Tupac Shakur, the "gangsta" rapper whose rough and raw lyrics glorified drugs, abusing women and the violence that finally took his life. There's "Queer Lives and Culture," "Global Divas: Filipino Gay Men in the Diaspora," and a discussion of the relationship of gender, race and war in Haiti through the lens of "Military Occupation and the Culture of U.S. Imperialism." One teaching assistant of this course describes herself as an "anti-racist queer activist feminist." That covers just about everything, except a year's tuition at NYU, for which parents shell out $40,000.
[More at URL]
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Senate Holds Hearing On Splitting 9th Federal Circuit Court In California
Traditional Values Coalition
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=2462
October 28, 2005 – On October 26, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary Subcommittee on Administrative and Oversight and the Courts held a hearing on splitting the 9 th Circuit Court of Appeals in California.
The transcripts of statements from witnesses during this hearing are available here: United States Senate Committee on the Judiciary.
The 9th Circuit Court is larger than the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 11th Courts combined. This year alone 137 judges had to be “borrowed” from other Circuit Courts and 200 are expected to be borrowed next year. On average it takes 15.4 months for a case to be heard, 3 times as long as any other Court. "Justice delayed is justice denied."
TVC has long recommended that the 9 th be split. It is dominated by radical liberals who have a history of issuing extra-constitutional decisions based upon their political views—including declaring the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because it contains “under God” in it.
Read and distribute TVC’s report to your U.S. Senators: http://traditionalvalues.org/pdf_files/NinthCircuitCourt04041.pdf
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Homosexual Marriage Chilling Academic Freedom In Massachusetts
Traditional Values Coalition
http://www.traditionalvalues.org/modules.php?sid=2463
October 28, 2005 – The cultural danger of legalizing homosexual marriage throughout the United States is being played out in Massachusetts, according to a Boston College law professor who testified before a Senate committee recently.
Professor Scott FitzGibbons testified before the Senate Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Property Rights on October 20, 2005 in support of a constitutional amendment to protect marriage.
FitzGibbons described the dangers to academic freedom posed by the imposition of homosexual marriage upon Massachusetts by the radical Supreme Judicial Court in 2003. According to Fitzgibbons, immediately after homosexual marriage went into effect, Boston School Superintendent Thomas W. Payzant issued a memo to all school officials. In it, he warned them against permitting any criticism of homosexual behavior by students, teachers, school officials, and even parents. In addition, Payzant encouraged teachers and students to turn in each other if they overheard criticial comments about homosexuality—or made statements that created bias against homosexuality.
FitzGibbons expressed deep concern over the chilling effect that homosexual marriage is having on free speech in Massachusetts and urge passage of a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman.
His speech is available here: Scott FitzGibbons Testimony.
Read and distribute TVC’s reports on the importance of preserving marriage as a one-man, one-woman union: Special Reports.
[More at URL]
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Judge calls Lawrence case setup
Supreme Court fooled in landmark sodomy ruling, she says
Posted: October 27, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=47064
WASHINGTON – The landmark Lawrence v. Texas Supreme Court ruling that effectively overturned anti-sodomy laws throughout the country was based on a pre-arranged "setup" of police, state judicial authorities and, ultimately, the highest court in the land, says the first Texas criminal courts judge to whom the case was assigned.
Judge Janice Law, author of "Sex Appealed: Was the U.S. Supreme Court Fooled?" said "reverse entrapment" was a good term to describe the technique used by defendants to secure an arrest while committing homosexual sodomy in the "privacy" of their bedroom.
The Lawrence case began Sept. 17, 1998, when Houston sheriff's deputies got a call reporting shots being fired at an apartment complex. Deputies converged on the scene and were directed to the apartment of John Geddes Lawrence by Robert Eubanks, a petty criminal himself and a friend of Lawrence. Upon entering the unlocked apartment with guns drawn, the deputies were met by a man calmly talking on a kitchen telephone.
When asked if anyone else was in the apartment, this unidentified witness signaled to the back bedroom. Once again, the bedroom door was open. And upon entering, clearly in the call of duty, the officers were confronted with two men engaged in homosexual sodomy – Lawrence and Tyron Garner.
[More at URL]
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no subject
Date: 2005-10-28 06:52 am (UTC)Uh, won't having them everywhere just make them all blur together, just like all the lights?
And, I'm FINE with them having it on their property. I've got neighbors who put stuff like that up--it's their yard. Me, I have a star in my front yard. It's my front yard. No one is a favorite.
Sigh...welcome to Hell, here's your handbasket.
no subject
Date: 2005-10-28 01:19 pm (UTC)I would dearly love to know if that is a typo or not. I rather suspect it's not, which would be quite telling.