Today's Cultural Warfare Update
Jun. 7th, 2006 10:46 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdToday is a good day. The Faith and Freedom Network is savaging Tim Eyman, the so-called Marriage Protection Amendment went down in flames, and, most importantly, have you ever had a zit right on the lip of your nose that swells up and sends blinding referred pain all the way up into your forehead and down through your teeth, the kind that makes the air around you and even light itself hurt? I've had one of those for three days. It finally popped, and I feel so much better. So today is a good - nay, today is a great day.
Sadly, none of that was metaphorical. It was mostly painful and very, very nasty. Still, at least it's over, though like the lingering redness left behind, today's bad news lingers: Alabama voted overwhelmingly to ban marriage rights (81% to 19%) in its state constitution, and Pennsylvania's anti-marriage effort moved forward though its state House, to the Pennsylvania Senate. If only there was such a thing as Clearasil for bigotry and stupidity.
I'm not going to bother including all the pre-amendment-vote action items and crap, they're done, the spork has been stuck, and we take half a step ahead and live to fight another day. There'll probably be another around of these before the pointless, useless, and stupid House of Representatives vote on the amendment comes up next month, but for the time being, it just doesn't matter. For now, we have some wins.
Now, here's today's news.
Two mounties getting married causes crankiness amoungst some of the Canadian theoconservatives - but honestly, if the best the Post can do is a Canadian Heritage Party wonk, they're scraping the bottom of the barrel;
James Dobson to appear on Hannity and Combs to express his outrage about the anti-marriage amendment's failure;
Alabama passes anti-gay anti-marriage-rights amendment; Judge Roy "10 Commandments" Moore lost the Republican primary; also some other news notes all in this one article;
Pennsylvania anti-marriage amendment passes the state House, now goes to the state Senate;
Focus on the Family condemns Harvard stem-cell research efforts;
I'm including this one mostly because you can expect it to become a cause célèbre: evangelical student submitted a non-religious draft of her short valedictorian speech beforehand, then delivered a short religious sermon instead; she got in trouble; Focus on the Family and Liberty Council are, of course, outraged; this is mostly a neenerneenerfest, but look for it in their propaganda later;
FotF commentary on the MPA loss; "We Lost, But We Have Not Quit";
FotF's article reporting on Washington State's new ban on internet gambling; honestly, I can't imagine how this passed, but Focus on the Family's certainly happy about it;
I'm including this one because it's a great example of Focus on the Family manipulating numbers; they attack ABC's anchor for saying Americans are "split" on the anti-marriage amendment. They then quote not the amendment's support numbers (50% yes) but a different question in the same poll about whether only straight couples should be allowed to marry (58% yes - which, I'll note, still isn't two-thirds); but they identify it in such a way as to imply it's amendment support, which it simply isn't;
FotF's story on the "InnerChange Freedom Initiative" mentioned in the previous CWU; that's the programme that five states pay to convert prisoners to fundamentalist Christianity;
FotF continues to push their "ex-gay" bullshit;
Concerned Women for America celebrate passage of the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, which now goes to President Bush for a signature;
CWA's Alabama branch is urging supporters to pack a public hearing over a screw-up over an RU-486 prescription; the medical centre did fuck up, very clearly, but it's also clear that CWA wants to pack the process for political reasons;
CWA: America needs a one-line un-misinterpretable anti-marriage amendment;
CWA story on Alabama's anti-marriage amendment passing;
CWA's Wendy Wright testifies against a Michigan proposal to keep Plan B (emergency contraception) prescription-only even if it goes over the counter nationally;
Family Research Council condemns Senate failure to pass the Federal anti-marriage amendment; promises new "political action entity that will focus on removing the obstacles to the passage and ratification of the Marriage Protection Amendment"; please, god, let this be a fundamentalist political party; CWA's been very, very obliquely hinting at one recently;
FRC very happy about the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act," looks forward to lots and lots of fines;
AFA/Agape Press on the failure of the anti-marriage amendment; quotes CWA, promises it'll be back;
Utah school newspaper in trouble for violating Utah's ban on "promoting homosexuality" by urging formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance club; a socialcon legal action group wants the school investigated; best of all, one of the anti-gay complainants is filing because the school offered to let them write an anti-GSA op-ed; they want the school officials gone after for allowing "illegal and harmful information to be published"; the AFA's on their side, of course;
AFA says it's really bad that gay people are getting to be involved in decisions about gay issues at the UN;
Anti-marriage group accuses Florida police of "unprofessional" and "bizarre" behaviour, and trying to stop them from collecting signatures;
AFA reports that a second Resolutions Committee member has expressed support for a public school "exit strategy";
Christian Science Monitor article describing GBLT rights as against religious liberty;
Institute for Canadian Values launches into Garth Turner, the Toronto Tory who has no love for the Canadian theocons; they really hate this guy; as usual, they're claiming persecution whenever someone really calls them out;
Canada Family Action Coalition ACTION ITEM to contact and lobby MPs to reverse C-38; they plan to be working on this all summer in anticipation of this fall's promised revote on marriage rights;
CFAC: Australian PM Howard to override the Australian Capital Territory's new civil unions law, calls it "a plain attempt to equate civil unions with marriage";
CFAC reports on student complaints about an anti-gay professor's commentary on that professor's personal website; I disagree with Canadian speech laws and feel this guy has every right to be a complete dickweed on his own dime;
Focus on the Family Canada ACTION ITEM, following Canada Family Action Coalition's version, to lobby MPs, write letters, and so on, all to reverse marriage rights in Canada;
Focus on the Family Canada news article on the autumn marriage revote; this is a big article with a bunch of links and quotes from groups like REAL Women of Canada and the Canada Family Action Coalition;
defendMARRIAGE vows to overturn marriage rights for lesbian and gay couples, no matter how long it takes; planning pastor-based network of religious activists, following American example; includes letters in both English and French;
Faith and Freedom Network make dark accusations about Tim Eyman, blaming him for the failure of their anti-gay amendment's signature drive; honestly, to me, it looked like they were in the driver's seat, not Tim, and they failed on their own, thanks;
Seattle P-I story: "Eyman stumbles with gay-rights challenge"; includes the unique feature of former state GOP head Christ Vance slamming his former best bud; Eyman may be finished after this;
The Olympian is the only newspaper to talk about the three consecutive Referendum Sunday efforts to make the signature target, and how that fell short; also the only paper to talk about the fundamentalist leaders surrounding Eyman as he delivered signatures; Faith and Freedom Network's Gary Randall pledges to try again, possibly with a 2007 initiative;
Seattle Times version of the story includes more attacks by Randall on Eyman; here, Randall is talking about an initiative to the legislature, which would require a bit over 200,000 signatures before next January, plus 30% more to make up for bad/duplicate/etc. signatures; if that fails, a 2007 voter initiative;
AP has another Randall quote: overturning GBLT rights will "be much harder now";
Coalition forms to fight "abstinence-only" education as harmful and stupid;
Anglican Archbishop Peter Jenson: queers, and in particular married queers, are all going to Hell.
----- 1 -----
In Canada, mum's the word on marriage of gay Mounties
By Doug Struck
The Washington Post
June 7, 2006
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003044625_mounties07.html
TORONTO — It promises to be a grand June wedding, two scarlet-coated officers of the famed Royal Canadian Mounted Police standing before a justice of the peace with an escort of similarly spiffy Mounties observing the nuptials on the eve of Canada Day, a national holiday.
When the two constables become the first male Mounties to marry each other, the grumpiest witness-from-afar might well be Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The planned union of Jason Tree and David Connors in Nova Scotia on June 30 has cast a spotlight on Harper's pledge to his conservative backers to try to roll back same-sex marriage laws.
[...]
"This does nothing to strengthen the family," said Dave Bylsma, president of the Ontario Council of the Christian Heritage Party. "Personally, it doesn't matter to me if they are RCMP or dogcatchers or garbagemen. But they are obviously using the fact that they are Mounties to rub our nose in it."
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
Senate Refuses to Take Up-or-Down Vote on Marriage Amendment
Dr. James Dobson to appear on Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes Thursday to discuss the vote.
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0040793.cfm
A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as the union on one man and one woman was stopped today before it could get an up-or-down vote, gaining only one more supporter than when it was raised two years ago.
The measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to end debate and vote -- the final tally was 49-48.
Focus on the Family Action Chairman James Dobson was outraged.
[...]
Seven Republicans voted no — Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania; Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine; John McCain of Arizona; Judd Gregg and John Sununu of New Hampshire and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.
Two Democrats voted "Yes" — Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Ben Nelson of Nebraska.
[...]
Tom Minnery, vice president of government and public policy at Focus on the Family Action, said pro-family conservatives expected to see more support this time.
[...]
In fact, Amanda Banks, federal issues analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said the pre-vote head count had been 52 or higher.
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
Alabama Passes Marriage Amendment
by Gary Schneeberger and Mona Passignano
Focus on the Family
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040794.cfm
More than 8 in 10 voters back traditional marriage in just one election on Tuesday that yielded solid results for family advocates.
As media pundits and liberal U.S. senators argued Tuesday that Americans aren't interested in how marriage is defined, residents of Alabama overwhelmingly voted to protect the institution in their state constitution.
[...]
In another Alabama race that attracted some national attention, the state's former chief justice, Roy Moore, lost his bid for governor against incumbent Bob Riley. Moore, ousted from his judicial post in 2003 for refusing to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state courts building, earned just 33 percent of the Republican primary vote, compared to 67 percent for Riley.
[More at URL]
----- 4 -----
Pennsylvania Marriage Amendment Passes House
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040796.cfm
Pennsylvania's state House approved a measure 136-61 on Tuesday to protect marriage.
It's the first step in a lengthy process to constitutionally define marriage in the state as the union of one man and one woman.
[...]
"We have a moral responsibility to pass this amendment," [West Lampeter Township Republican Scott] Boyd said.
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
Harvard to Clone Human Embryos for Research
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040795.cfm
Harvard University announced Tuesday that it will begin a privately funded, multimillion-dollar program to clone human embryos in order to harvest their stem cells.
According to The Washington Post, Harvard officials said they had developed their program over a two-year period under an umbrella of new "ethics rules."
Pro-life groups have long opposed such research, because retrieving embryonic stem cells always requires the destruction of human life.
[More at URL]
----- 6 -----
Graduate's Diploma Held After She Speaks About Her Faith
Legal experts say the action was a violation of her constitutional rights.
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
Focus on the Family
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040791.cfm
A top high school graduate in Colorado who shared her faith in her valedictory was escorted from the ceremony by school staff and told she couldn't take her diploma home until she explained her actions to the principal and the parents of other graduates.
Erica Corder was among 14 Colorado Springs students who addressed their graduating class last month. Rather than choose one or a few speakers, they decided to each share for 30 seconds.
Corder worked with her peers to write her segment, but did not include any reference to her faith in the draft she submitted to the principal — because she was unsure how it would be received.
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
We Lost, But We Have Not Quit
Marriage is too important an issue to abandon.
by Stuart Shepard, managing editor
Focus on the Family
Commentary
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/commentary/a0040787.cfm
The federal Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA) was killed by opponents in the Senate this morning before it could get to an up-or-down vote -- in clear defiance of the will of the American people.
I watched the debate unfold over two days, and it struck me over and over again how those who supported the MPA spoke the truth, backed it up with facts and, frankly, just made sense.
[More at URL]
----- 8 -----
Washington Makes Online Gambling a Felony
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040778.cfm
Playing poker or participating in other online gambling Web sites will become a Class C felony in Washington state on Wednesday.
Offenders face up to a five-year sentence and a $10,000 fine.
KIRO-TV reports that the law would put violators in the same category as drunken drivers and drug dealers.
[More at URL]
----- 9 -----
Poll Shows Most Favor Protecting Marriage; ABC Anchor Calls It 'Evenly Split'
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040777.cfm
[...]
The network's own poll showed Americans supported traditional marriage 58-to-36 percent, yet Gibson tossed this question to analyst George Stephanopoulos: "Why does the White House think this is a political winner for the president if indeed we're split?"
[More at URL]
----- 10 -----
Christian Program for Prisoners Ruled Unconstitutional
Federal judge orders InnerChange Freedom Initiative to shut down.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040772.cfm
A federal district judge has ruled that the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) program at the Newton Correctional Facility in Iowa violates the First Amendment.
In his decision, U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt wrote that the program "impermissibly endorses religion." He ordered it to shut down in 60 days and to repay $1.5 million to the state -- but then immediately put a hold on his decision until the appeals process is completed.
In all, five states allow IFI programs in their prisons.
[More at URL]
----- 11 -----
Ex-Gay Conference Targeted with Counter Messaging
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
Focus on the Family
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040781.cfm
Love Won Out will bring the message that change is possible to the Washington, D.C,. this weekend -- but a homosexual-activist group is planning its own conference.
People will gather at Immanuel's Church in Silver Spring, Md., on Saturday to hear the message that there is hope for those struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction. But gay-activist Wayne Besen has announced a counterconference to be called "Truth Wins Out."
[...]
"It's a direct response to what we're doing with Love Won Out," he said. "Even their name -- Truth Wins Out -- they have to piggyback off of the success of Love Won Out. I think they thought for years it was going to go away, but they are seeing that it is more successful now than it's ever been."
[Ed. Note: Funny, they don't seem to mind the whole "Day of Truth" anti-gay response to the "Day of Silence" anti-discrimination effort.]
[...]
"In asking for tolerance, they are asking people to tolerate everything and to stand for nothing," Haley said. "We as Christians have Biblical standards that we are called to stand for. We have to stand for marriage. We have to stand for righteousness. And we have to stand for the truth that people can walk away from homosexuality. Homosexuality is not what God intended for mankind."
[More at URL]
----- 12 -----
Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act Passes the House
Amelia Wigton
Concerned Women for America
June 7, 2006
http://www.cwalac.org/article_335.shtml
After months of hard work from involved citizens, Concerned Women for America (CWA) is celebrating the passage of the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 (S. 193) in the House of Representatives.
This is a huge victory for moms, dads, kids and “regular” people everywhere who took the time and made the effort to take grassroots action.
"The passage of S. 193 truly validates the efforts of all concerned citizens who have ever called their representative in Congress and felt that their voice was not being heard. Individuals who call to express support for legislation that they care about do make a huge difference," said Lanier Swann, CWA’s Director of Government Relations.
[More at URL]
----- 13 -----
Alabama Botched Abortion Sparks Department of Health Hearing
Concerned Women for America
6/6/2006
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/10901/FIELD/life/index.htm
The Summit Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama is under investigation over a botched abortion. According to news reports, a woman went to the Summit Medical Center on February 20, to investigate her options. Told she was only 6 weeks pregnant, unqualified clinic staff gave the woman the abortion-causing RU-486 protocols and sent her on her way without sufficient medical supervision. The woman, who had critically high blood pressure, ended up in the emergency room where she gave birth to a stillborn 6 lb 4 ounce baby. Policy Analyst Martha Kleder spoke with Valerie Askew-Williams, the State Director for CWA of Alabama on this. CWA of Alabama is encouraging Alabama residents to attend the Department of Health hearing on this case, scheduled for June 20th at 9 a.m. in Montgomery, Alabama. Click here to listen.
[More at URL]
----- 13 -----
CWA: America Needs a One-Man, One-Woman, One-Line Marriage Amendment
Concerned Women for America
6/7/2006
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/10907/MEDIA/family/index.htm
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) strongly believes that America needs a federal marriage amendment to protect and preserve the sanctity of traditional marriage. CWA supports a single-sentence amendment that would strictly define marriage as between one man and one woman, and not leave any room for misinterpretation. The U.S. Senate today for the third time failed to reach the 60 votes needed to end debate and vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment.
[More at URL]
----- 14 -----
Alabama Becomes 20th State to Approve Constitutional Amendment Protecting Marriage
Concerned Women for America
6/7/2006
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/10906/MEDIA/family/index.htm
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) applauds Alabama’s overwhelming approval of their state constitutional marriage amendment on Tuesday, defining marriage as only the union of a man and a woman.
[...]
Robert Knight, director of CWA’s Culture & Family Institute, said, “This is a rebuke to all those liberals on the U.S. Senate floor during the Marriage Protection Amendment debate who have been telling us that Americans don’t care about the marriage issue.
“The people of Alabama, like other Americans, deserve to see their decision protected from radical judges who have overturned marriage laws in several states. That’s why CWA is urging Congress to continue the process of sending a federal constitutional marriage amendment to the states for their approval.
[More at URL]
----- 15 -----
State lawmakers hear debate on 'morning after' pill
6/6/2006, 6:25 p.m. ET
By TIM MARTIN
The Associated Press
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-35/1149633256147130.xml&storylist=newsmichigan&thispage=1
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A bill discussed Tuesday in a state House committee hearing would keep emergency contraception available only through a prescription in Michigan, no matter what a federal government agency decides to recommend.
Morning-after contraceptive pills now require a prescription, consistent with U.S. Food and Drug Administration policies.
But the pill's manufacturer applied three years ago to sell the drug, called Plan B, over the counter without a prescription. The FDA has delayed decisions on the application and faces a lawsuit over the issue.
[More at URL]
----- 16 -----
Senate Ignores American People on Marriage: Values Voters Will Not Relent, says FRC's Perkins
June 7, 2006 - Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2006
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Bethanie Swendsen, (866) FRC-NEWS
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR06F03&f=PG03I03
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to the 49-48 vote in the U.S. Senate on the constitutional amendment to protect marriage, Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins released the following statement:
"Today the U.S. Senate voted against marriage and against the American people. This Senate is grossly out of step with the American people.
[...]
Perkins added that discussions are underway for the formation of a new political action entity that will focus on removing the obstacles to the passage and ratification of the Marriage Protection Amendment.
[More at URL]
----- 17 -----
FRC Praises House Passage of the 'Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act'
Family Research Council
June 7, 2006 - Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Bethanie Swendsen, (866) FRC-NEWS
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR06F05&f=PG03I03
Washington, D.C. - Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement after the U.S. House passed with strong bi-partisan support S. 193, the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005." Following unanimous passage last month by the U.S. Senate, the bill now goes to the President for his signature.
"Today Congress took the nation one step closer to providing families with substantial protection from indecent material being broadcasting on the public airwaves. Study after study shows the negative impact viewing sexual and violent content has upon our children and our culture. By increasing tenfold the penalty for broadcasting indecent material, the American people may begin to reclaim a greater sense of decency and control over the public airwaves.
"No longer will indecency fines be considered by major media broadcasters as an insignificant cost of doing business. The era of 'slap on the wrist' has ended, and a message has been sent to Viacom and other media giants: violate the public trust on the nation's airwaves, and you'll pay the price. The message is simple - clean up or pay up!
[More at URL]
----- 18 -----
Senators Deep-Six MPA -- For Now
By Jody Brown
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 7, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/72006c.asp
(AgapePress) - Supporters of the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA) are not distraught over the fact that the U.S. Senate has rejected the call for a vote on the measure. Sixty votes were needed to have the measure come up for an up-or-down vote; the move came up 11 votes short.
Despite that setback, supporters in the Senate are not going to "fall back and cry about it," says Senator Orin Hatch of Utah. "I think they are going to keep bringing it up," says the Republican lawmaker. In fact, according to Associated Press, the measure may come up next month in the U.S. House. It is an issue of "significant importance" to many Americans, says House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio. "We have significant numbers of our members who want a vote on this, so we are going to have a vote," he says.
[More at URL]
----- 19 -----
Utah AG, Education Dept. Asked to Investigate School's Alleged Violation of Laws
Student Newspaper's Pro-Homosexual, Pro-Promiscuity Articles at Center of Controversy
By Jim Brown
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 6, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/62006e.asp
(AgapePress) - A Utah pro-family group claims a public high school in Highland broke state privacy and sex education laws by allowing its student newspaper to publish articles promoting sexual promiscuity.
The Salt Lake City-based Standard of Liberty Foundation has asked the Utah attorney general and the state Office of Education to investigate whether Lone Peak High School broke two Utah education laws. A state Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) law "forbids schools from allowing any activity which results in students revealing information concerning their sexual behavior, orientation, or attitudes." Also, Utah education law bars schools from advocating homosexuality and extra-marital sex.
Foundation president Steve Graham, whose daughter attends Lone Peak High School, says articles in The Crusader have advocated the formation of Gay Straight Alliance clubs and teenage sexual activity.
[...]
Officials with the school and the state education office deny education laws were broken. But according to the Foundation spokesman, the school violated the state FERPA law by asking his daughter and another student to write opposing opinion pieces regarding a homosexual club on campus.
[...]
It is the obligation of the state, [Graham] says, to hold school officials responsible for allowing "illegal and harmful information to be published and distributed to thousands of impressionable and vulnerable young students."
[More at URL]
----- 20 -----
Homosexual Groups Lobbying for Access, Influence on U.N. Council
By Mary Rettig
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 7, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/72006f.asp
(AgapePress) - A representative to the United Nations for Focus on the Family says the United States is starting to change its tune when it comes to adding homosexuals to a special interest lobbying group.
[...]
The concern in all this, Jacobson explains, is that homosexual groups appear to be working internally at the United Nations to influence decisions on homosexual issues. What these groups have realized, he says, is that gaining access to the U.N. Economic and Social Council is the doorway to making homosexuality and other deviant sexual behaviors a globally recognized human right.
[More at URL]
----- 21 -----
Local Police Attempt to Block Collection of Pro-Marriage Petitions
Police Sergeant's Actions Described as 'Unprofessional' and 'Bizarre'
By Fred Jackson and Jody Brown
June 7, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/72006a.asp
(AgapePress) - A pro-family group in Florida is outraged over the behavior of some police officers last weekend who tried to stop a petition drive aimed at protecting traditional marriage.
Last weekend members of the Florida Family Policy Council were at a Promise Keepers conference in Broward County where they were collecting petitions for the Florida4Marriage campaign, an effort to get onto the November 2008 ballot an amendment protecting traditional marriage. The pro-family group had paid a fee to have a booth at the PK event at which it was collecting the petitions in support of the campaign's goal of gathering 611,009 signatures by July 12, 2006.
[More at URL]
----- 22 -----
SBC Committee Member Agrees With Call for Public School 'Exit Strategy'
By Jim Brown
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 6, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/62006b.asp
(AgapePress) - A second member of the Resolutions Committee for the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, says the denomination needs to consider developing a plan to remove its children from America's public schools.
The SBC Resolutions Committee will meet Thursday to begin poring over resolutions that have been submitted for consideration next week. Among them is a proposal authored by Dr. Bruce Shortt and Executive Committee member Roger Moran that calls on the denomination to develop an "exit strategy" from public schools.
While second-year committee member Ida South of Mathiston, Mississippi, would not comment on the resolution, she agrees with Dr. Albert Mohler's belief that such a strategy is needed. Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and host of a daily national radio program, has publicly stated that "now is the time for responsible Southern Baptists to develop an exit strategy from public schools."
South, a veteran educator who is now retired, says the situation in the public schools is "getting worse all across the country." She feels most schools now are teaching a completely secular worldview.
[More at URL]
----- 23 -----
Gay marriage looms as 'battle of our times'
As Senate prepares to argue marriage amendment, room for compromise between religious freedom and equal rights seems thin.
By Jane Lampman | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
June 1, 2006
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0601/p13s01-lign.html
The battle over same-sex marriage is shaping into something more than deep societal tradition vs. civil rights. It is becoming a conflict of equality vs. religious liberty.
As gays make gains, some religious institutions are coming under pressure. For instance:
* A Christian high school in Wildomar, Calif., is being sued for expelling two students on suspicion of being lesbian. The parents' suit claims that the school is a business under state civil rights law, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
[More at URL]
----- 24 -----
Institute for Canadian Values
If they were any group but Christians, Garth Turner would never get away with it
Commentary
Author: Joseph C. Ben-Ami
Date: Jun 01, 2006
http://www.canadianvalues.ca/commentary.aspx?aid=188
Last Friday. May 26 Dr. Charles McVety, President of Canada Family Action Coalition and Canada Christian College, was asked to participate in a televised debate with MP Garth Turner on the twin topics of muzzling MPs and the Conservatives opening the nomination process.
Dr. McVety, a key player in the debate over marriage in this country, is encouraging pro-family Canadians of all backgrounds to join the political party of their choice and work within the system to ensure that the policies of those parties are not destructive to families. Legislation redefining marriage is one such policy, and nominating candidates who oppose that sort of myopic social engineering is one way to influence the process.
During the debate Mr. Turner worried about this, complaining about “ethnics” coming on busses and hijacking political nomination meetings to ensure that their preferred candidate gets selected. At the time, rightly in my view, he was criticized by other panellists for suggesting that so-called ethnic Canadians don’t have the right to organize and participate in the democratic process.
Subsequent to that interview Mr. Turner posted a commentary on his personal blog entitled “Agenda of Hate” in which he ridicules Dr. McVety and his religious beliefs. His remarks include: “I started to worry about lightening bolts in the studio”, and calling McVety a “sanctimonious blowhard”. He accuses people of faith of trying to “force their morals, or their culture, on the rest of us” and expresses concern that “the same crew might target” him. He concludes by equating Christians with the fanatics our troops are fighting in Afghanistan. “Call it Defend Marriage. Call it the Taliban” he writes.
[More at URL]
----- 25 -----
Marriage Vote
Canada Family Action Coalition
CFAC Action Alert - July 6, 2006
http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issues/family/marriage/action-alert-july6.htm
Prime Minister Harper has confirmed that Parliament will be asked to deal with the marriage definition and the impact of Bill C 38 “same-sex” marriage in the fall 2006 session. A free vote will be held, asking MPs if they want to re-visit this issue.
Some MPs are already using the excuse that they have not heard any complaints from constituents about the marriage issue, which must mean that nobody cares and it should be left alone. Other MPs are saying they are getting many emails asking them to leave the marriage issue alone. If that is true, then it seems the advocates for homosexual marriage are active and vocal. We know that last time the issue was raised, some MPs received thousands of emails – many from people who were not their constituents and many from people living in other nations, lobbying in favour of homosexual marriage. In all likelihood, this is what is happening again. It proves how e-mail communication can be abused by some activists.
Now is the time for advocates of the one-man one-woman definition of marriage to let their voice be heard. Summer is an excellent time to visit your MP, since they are in their home constituencies. I encourage you to make an appointment, keep them busy over the summer, go in pairs if necessary, and let YOUR VOICE be heard on marriage. Please be respectful and polite whenever communicating with your MP, and clearly and concisely state your views. This one call to action is perhaps all you need to do this summer.
[More at URL]
----- 26 -----
Australian Government Will Overrule Gay “Marriage” Law
LifeSite.net - June 6, 2006
Canada Family Action Coalition
By Gudrun Schultz
http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issues/family/marriage/austrailia-to-overrule.htm
CANBARRA, Australia – Australian Prime Minister John Howard has said his government will overrule new laws passed by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) allowing same-sex unions, reported Reuters.
Current laws in Australia define marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman, but the ACT bypassed that restriction by giving same-sex couples the same legal rights as married couples but withholding the term “marriage.” Instead, same-sex couples enter into “civil unions.”
Prime Minister Howard said Tuesday that the move was an attempt to undermine the 2004 Federal Marriage Act that formally defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
[More at URL]
----- 27 -----
Canadian Prof Faces Human Rights Complaint Over Religious Views on Homosexuality
By Terry Vanderheyden
Canada Family Action Coalition
LifeSiteNews.com
Wednesday May 31, 2006
http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issues/family/marriage/canadian-prof.htm
SYDNEY, Nova Scotia - A Cape Breton University (CBU) professor is the target of a human rights complaint by a homosexual student. Comments posted by the professor at his private web site critical of the Anglican Church of Canada for its permissive and condoning stand in relation to same-sex "marriage" are the cause of the complaint.
History Professor David Mullan wrote to his local Anglican bishop in 2004, criticizing the trend: "When Anglicanism in some manner recognizes homosexuality as a legitimate 'lifestyle' for Christians, it will become a church in schism," he charged.
On February 20, homosexual CBU student Shane Wallis, who also co-ordinates the campus' Sexual Diversity Office, lodged a formal human rights complaint with the University. In an e-mail response to Wallis' charge of a human rights offence, Wallis stated in his complaint that Mullan responded that "homosexuality is a repudiation of nature and the apotheosis of unbridled desire."
[More at URL]
----- 28 -----
Over the Summer: What you can do to promote marriage
Focus on the Family Canada
Today's Family News
June 6, 2006
[Received in email: no URL]
With a vote promised for the fall, now is a good time to be an advocate for marriage. Here are some suggestions on what you can do through the summer:
1) Pray constantly! Although many people think the result of the upcoming vote won’t be much different than last year, we know that with God all things are possible.
2) Get informed: Read some of the good articles ( http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/family/articles/Same-sex_unions.htm ) or books ( http://bookstore.fotf.ca/default.aspx?prodid=P00166B ) which explain why redefining marriage is not a trivial thing.
3) Mobilize others: Find friends, family or church members who can come alongside you to stand up for marriage. Take the time to inspire others who don’t seem to know how to get involved.
4) Meet with your MP: With summer coming up, many MPs will come back to their constituencies. That is an ideal time for you and a few others to schedule a meeting with your MP ( http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/takeAction/Activism_101/Making_Contact.html ) to explain to him or her why marriage is worth defending.
5) Write for newspapers: Give a voice to children and families by writing a letter to the editor ( http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/takeAction/Activism_101/Letter_to_the_Editor.html ) or an opinion piece for your local newspaper.
[Editor's Note: It's interesting that they do not include a "letter writing wizard" that lets people mix-and-match canned letters, like they do in the US.]
6) Phone, write or email your MP: Encourage those who are advocating for marriage and explain your beliefs to those who disagree.
----- 28 -----
Harper promises marriage vote this fall
Focus on the Family Canada
Today's Family News
June 7, 2006
http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/family/stories/060706.html
“We’re confident we can win this vote,” Charles McVety, president of the Defend Marriage Coalition, told the Ottawa Citizen.
McVety was responding to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s confirmation last week that his government plans to bring forward a motion this fall asking Members of Parliament if they want to revisit the year-old decision to extend marriage to same-sex couples.
“We committed [to] that in our platform and the vote will be in the fall,” Harper said. “I haven’t set the date.”
[More at URL]
----- 29 ------
DefendMARRIAGE
defendmarriage.ca
Online as of June 7, 2006
http://www.defendmarriage.ca/
Defend Marriage Coalition, along with several other organizations, is mailing a letter to many religious leaders in this nation asking them to do some things in an attempt to restore and preserve marriage of man and woman. Click here to read the letter in English or French.
The battle for marriage IS NOT over. In fact it will never be over until it is restored to what it rightfully must be – one man and one woman exclusively. Parliament is going to have to address this issue again. It may be by vote on a motion or a Bill. But it must be readdressed.
The letter for clergy and leaders is available here in English or French. If you would like to print it and take it to your leader, please do so. We must not allow such an institution as marriage to be destroyed by a few radical social activists and a few MPs who seem to lack the understanding of the problems that redefining marriage has already created. Use the information in this letter as you feel is most advantageous.
Watch this site and that of the Coalition partners below for further information as this issue develops. We think Parliament might be asked to deal with it in the fall 2006 sitting (September to December).
Keep this marriage matter on your prayer list, we are not finished with it, Parliament is not finished with it and we are sure God is not finished with the “Canadian definition” as it exists.
[Link to English letter: http://www.defendmarriage.ca/DefMarEngv6.pdf ]
[Link to French letter: http://www.defendmarriage.ca/DefMarFrenv5.pdf ]
----- 30 -----
Ref. 65 fails to make the WA ballot
Faith and Freedom Network
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
http://www.faithandfreedom.us/weblog/2006/06/ref-65-fails-to-make-wa-ballot.html
The petitions for Referendum 65 were delivered to the Washington office of the Secretary of State late this afternoon. Tim Eyman announced that there were just over 105,000 signatures, falling approximately 7,000 signatures short of the needed 112,500. Based on that number, Referendum 65 will not be on the ballot in November. It was difficult for me to reconcile Tim Eyman's number with the amount of effort and hard work that I saw around the State on behalf of this Referendum.
[More at URL]
----- 31 -----
Eyman stumbles with gay-rights challenge
Tuesday, June 6, 2006 · Last updated 5:26 p.m. PT
P-I STAFF and NEWS SERVICES
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/272954_eyman06ww.html
OLYMPIA -- Initiative activist Tim Eyman and other foes of Washington state's new gay civil-rights law failed to submit enough voter signatures Tuesday to force a public vote this fall.
Eyman, appearing at the state elections division just minutes before closing time Tuesday, said he and his allies had collected 105,103 signatures. That's fewer than the 112,440 required minimum and considerably less than the 130,000 that is suggested in order to cover duplicate or invalid signatures.
[...]
Former state Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance blasted Eyman.
"Now he's coming in and hijacking issues and shoving his way into an issue because it's become a business for him. It's how he gets paid," Vance said. "There will be no end to Tim Eyman as long as people are wiling to send him money ... I think it's hurting the legitimate perception of the initiative process. When you've got a clown out there in a Darth Vader suit lying to the press and things like that, it's not good for the initiative and referendum process."
[More at URL]
----- 32 -----
Effort to repeal gay rights law falls short
By Andrew Garber
Seattle Times staff reporter
June 6, 2006
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003044061_webref6506.html
OLYMPIA – Referendum 65, a measure aimed at repealing Washington's gay-rights law, will not be on the November ballot.
Tim Eyman came up short in getting enough signatures to qualify Ref. 65. State law required the campaign to turn in 112,440 signatures of registered voters by 5 p.m. today. Eyman said they collected 105,103 signatures.
Ballot measure supporters generally need to collect 25 to 30 percent more signatures than required to make sure they have enough valid signatures to qualify.
[...]
The campaign was aided by a coalition of conservative religious groups that organized a grassroots campaign to gather signatures at churches and at rallies held throughout the state.
Joseph Fuiten, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Network, which helped lead the signature drive, said the failure to get enough signatures does not indicate most people support the gay-rights law.
[...]
The lack of signatures, Fuiten said, tells him that "Tim Eyman has a knack for messing stuff up. He's kind of an interloper on this whole thing in my opinion. Part of the deal is resistance to him."
Fuiten said, "There are millions of people in the state of Washington who don't want to see that become law. It's not a question of lack of support. It's really a question of organization and getting the work done."
[More at URL]
----- 33 -----
Referendum effort fails
Push to repeal state's gay rights law doesn't qualify for ballot
BY BRAD SHANNON
THE OLYMPIAN
June 7, 2006
http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060607/NEWS/606070320
A referendum effort to repeal Washington's new civil rights protections for gays and lesbians died Tuesday.
[...]
Eyman, who was flanked by the leader of the Christian Coalition of Washington and other religious activists, expressed deep disappointment after a series of three "Referendum Sundays" in hundreds of churches across the state failed to lift the petition campaign far enough.
[...]
The religious groups, led by Faith & Freedom Network and Sound The Alarm, had circulated petitions in 5,0 00 of the state's 6,000 churches, and they made obvious efforts to paint the gay-rights bill as a stepping stone to the issue of gay marriage, Faith & Freedom spokesman Gary Randall said.
[...]
Faith & Freedom leaders didn't know until Eyman's announcement of failure just how close the campaign had been to hitting the goal, Randall said. He said his group might mount a new campaign on its own as an initiative to the 2007 Legislature or to voters in November 2007.
[...]
An hour earlier, the mood had been cheerful at the Olympia headquarters of the Christian Coalition, which handed in 14,297 signatures routed to its headquarters in the past two days. State director Rick Forcier and a dozen volunteers had tallied signatures and organized the petitions all day, waiting for the big moment when Eyman would tell the world how they'd done.
[...]
An hour later, Randall explained that activists want to try again, because they believe the gay-rights measure is a stepping stone the courts will use to legalize gay marriage. "We feel very strongly about it," he said.
[More at URL]
----- 34 -----
Measure repealing gay rights won't be on ballot
By Andrew Garber and Ralph Thomas
Seattle Times Olympia bureau
OLYMPIA — Washington's law banning discrimination against gays and lesbians appears safe, at least for now. The law goes into effect today.
Tim Eyman on Tuesday failed to turn in enough signatures to qualify Referendum 65 for the November ballot. The measure would have repealed legislation approved earlier this year that added sexual orientation to a state law that bans discrimination based on race, gender, religion and other categories.
[...]
Gary Randall, president of the Faith and Freedom Network, a Christian organization that helped collect signatures, wasn't ready to party. Randall said he wasn't happy with the way Eyman handled the campaign, calling his antics "embarrassing."
[...]
Randall said the fight wasn't over. His group plans to attack the issue again without Eyman, possibly with an initiative to the Legislature. That would require nearly 225,000 signatures to be turned in 10 days before the start of the next Legislative session in January.
"We feel pretty deeply about this," Randall said. If they don't do an initiative this year, a campaign will be launched next year, he said.
[...]
"As with many other rights issues, it's going to require constant vigilance on the part of the gay and lesbian community — almost a constant campaign," said Murray, D-Seattle.
[More at URL]
----- 35 -----
Washington gay-rights challenge fails
Associated Press
Tue Jun 6, 10:22 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060607/ap_on_re_us/brf_gay_rights_1
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Opponents of Washington state's new gay civil rights law failed to submit enough voter signatures Tuesday to force a statewide ballot on the issue this fall.
[...]
Gary Randall, president of the Faith and Freedom Network, said the conservative religious community would still try to repeal the law and discuss its remaining options.
"It'll be much harder now," he said.
[More at URL]
----- 36 -----
'No More Money' for Abstinence Education, Campaign Says
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
June 07, 2006
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200606/CUL20060607a.html
(CNSNews.com) - More than 200 liberal organizations launched a nationwide campaign Tuesday in an effort to halt federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
However, conservatives responded that lawmakers should instead "stay the course" on abstinence education and reject the "old snake oil" of comprehensive sex education.
[More at URL]
----- 37 -----
Bishop Warns Same-Sex Unions Carry Eternal Cost
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
June 05, 2006
(CNSNews.com) - The crisis within the world's 77 million-strong Anglican (Episcopalian) Church over homosexuality goes beyond an issue of human sexuality, to the far deeper questions of the authority of scripture and eternal salvation, a leading conservative bishop has warned.
As such, it is a make-or-break issue, and more serious than previous doctrinal disputes within the denomination, he said.
How the church deals with the crisis will show Christians' willingness to obey biblical teachings "despite the unpopularity which this may bring in the world and in the church," Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen told a conference in New Zealand.
[...]
"I say with all solemnity to those who say the blessing of same-sex unions is okay, and who will ordain clergy living in same-sex unions: How can you do this when the souls of those involved are in peril?"
Jensen said the Bible made it clear that "those who are in them [homosexual relationships] are excluded from the kingdom of heaven."
[More at URL]
Sadly, none of that was metaphorical. It was mostly painful and very, very nasty. Still, at least it's over, though like the lingering redness left behind, today's bad news lingers: Alabama voted overwhelmingly to ban marriage rights (81% to 19%) in its state constitution, and Pennsylvania's anti-marriage effort moved forward though its state House, to the Pennsylvania Senate. If only there was such a thing as Clearasil for bigotry and stupidity.
I'm not going to bother including all the pre-amendment-vote action items and crap, they're done, the spork has been stuck, and we take half a step ahead and live to fight another day. There'll probably be another around of these before the pointless, useless, and stupid House of Representatives vote on the amendment comes up next month, but for the time being, it just doesn't matter. For now, we have some wins.
Now, here's today's news.
Two mounties getting married causes crankiness amoungst some of the Canadian theoconservatives - but honestly, if the best the Post can do is a Canadian Heritage Party wonk, they're scraping the bottom of the barrel;
James Dobson to appear on Hannity and Combs to express his outrage about the anti-marriage amendment's failure;
Alabama passes anti-gay anti-marriage-rights amendment; Judge Roy "10 Commandments" Moore lost the Republican primary; also some other news notes all in this one article;
Pennsylvania anti-marriage amendment passes the state House, now goes to the state Senate;
Focus on the Family condemns Harvard stem-cell research efforts;
I'm including this one mostly because you can expect it to become a cause célèbre: evangelical student submitted a non-religious draft of her short valedictorian speech beforehand, then delivered a short religious sermon instead; she got in trouble; Focus on the Family and Liberty Council are, of course, outraged; this is mostly a neenerneenerfest, but look for it in their propaganda later;
FotF commentary on the MPA loss; "We Lost, But We Have Not Quit";
FotF's article reporting on Washington State's new ban on internet gambling; honestly, I can't imagine how this passed, but Focus on the Family's certainly happy about it;
I'm including this one because it's a great example of Focus on the Family manipulating numbers; they attack ABC's anchor for saying Americans are "split" on the anti-marriage amendment. They then quote not the amendment's support numbers (50% yes) but a different question in the same poll about whether only straight couples should be allowed to marry (58% yes - which, I'll note, still isn't two-thirds); but they identify it in such a way as to imply it's amendment support, which it simply isn't;
FotF's story on the "InnerChange Freedom Initiative" mentioned in the previous CWU; that's the programme that five states pay to convert prisoners to fundamentalist Christianity;
FotF continues to push their "ex-gay" bullshit;
Concerned Women for America celebrate passage of the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, which now goes to President Bush for a signature;
CWA's Alabama branch is urging supporters to pack a public hearing over a screw-up over an RU-486 prescription; the medical centre did fuck up, very clearly, but it's also clear that CWA wants to pack the process for political reasons;
CWA: America needs a one-line un-misinterpretable anti-marriage amendment;
CWA story on Alabama's anti-marriage amendment passing;
CWA's Wendy Wright testifies against a Michigan proposal to keep Plan B (emergency contraception) prescription-only even if it goes over the counter nationally;
Family Research Council condemns Senate failure to pass the Federal anti-marriage amendment; promises new "political action entity that will focus on removing the obstacles to the passage and ratification of the Marriage Protection Amendment"; please, god, let this be a fundamentalist political party; CWA's been very, very obliquely hinting at one recently;
FRC very happy about the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act," looks forward to lots and lots of fines;
AFA/Agape Press on the failure of the anti-marriage amendment; quotes CWA, promises it'll be back;
Utah school newspaper in trouble for violating Utah's ban on "promoting homosexuality" by urging formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance club; a socialcon legal action group wants the school investigated; best of all, one of the anti-gay complainants is filing because the school offered to let them write an anti-GSA op-ed; they want the school officials gone after for allowing "illegal and harmful information to be published"; the AFA's on their side, of course;
AFA says it's really bad that gay people are getting to be involved in decisions about gay issues at the UN;
Anti-marriage group accuses Florida police of "unprofessional" and "bizarre" behaviour, and trying to stop them from collecting signatures;
AFA reports that a second Resolutions Committee member has expressed support for a public school "exit strategy";
Christian Science Monitor article describing GBLT rights as against religious liberty;
Institute for Canadian Values launches into Garth Turner, the Toronto Tory who has no love for the Canadian theocons; they really hate this guy; as usual, they're claiming persecution whenever someone really calls them out;
Canada Family Action Coalition ACTION ITEM to contact and lobby MPs to reverse C-38; they plan to be working on this all summer in anticipation of this fall's promised revote on marriage rights;
CFAC: Australian PM Howard to override the Australian Capital Territory's new civil unions law, calls it "a plain attempt to equate civil unions with marriage";
CFAC reports on student complaints about an anti-gay professor's commentary on that professor's personal website; I disagree with Canadian speech laws and feel this guy has every right to be a complete dickweed on his own dime;
Focus on the Family Canada ACTION ITEM, following Canada Family Action Coalition's version, to lobby MPs, write letters, and so on, all to reverse marriage rights in Canada;
Focus on the Family Canada news article on the autumn marriage revote; this is a big article with a bunch of links and quotes from groups like REAL Women of Canada and the Canada Family Action Coalition;
defendMARRIAGE vows to overturn marriage rights for lesbian and gay couples, no matter how long it takes; planning pastor-based network of religious activists, following American example; includes letters in both English and French;
Faith and Freedom Network make dark accusations about Tim Eyman, blaming him for the failure of their anti-gay amendment's signature drive; honestly, to me, it looked like they were in the driver's seat, not Tim, and they failed on their own, thanks;
Seattle P-I story: "Eyman stumbles with gay-rights challenge"; includes the unique feature of former state GOP head Christ Vance slamming his former best bud; Eyman may be finished after this;
The Olympian is the only newspaper to talk about the three consecutive Referendum Sunday efforts to make the signature target, and how that fell short; also the only paper to talk about the fundamentalist leaders surrounding Eyman as he delivered signatures; Faith and Freedom Network's Gary Randall pledges to try again, possibly with a 2007 initiative;
Seattle Times version of the story includes more attacks by Randall on Eyman; here, Randall is talking about an initiative to the legislature, which would require a bit over 200,000 signatures before next January, plus 30% more to make up for bad/duplicate/etc. signatures; if that fails, a 2007 voter initiative;
AP has another Randall quote: overturning GBLT rights will "be much harder now";
Coalition forms to fight "abstinence-only" education as harmful and stupid;
Anglican Archbishop Peter Jenson: queers, and in particular married queers, are all going to Hell.
----- 1 -----
In Canada, mum's the word on marriage of gay Mounties
By Doug Struck
The Washington Post
June 7, 2006
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003044625_mounties07.html
TORONTO — It promises to be a grand June wedding, two scarlet-coated officers of the famed Royal Canadian Mounted Police standing before a justice of the peace with an escort of similarly spiffy Mounties observing the nuptials on the eve of Canada Day, a national holiday.
When the two constables become the first male Mounties to marry each other, the grumpiest witness-from-afar might well be Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The planned union of Jason Tree and David Connors in Nova Scotia on June 30 has cast a spotlight on Harper's pledge to his conservative backers to try to roll back same-sex marriage laws.
[...]
"This does nothing to strengthen the family," said Dave Bylsma, president of the Ontario Council of the Christian Heritage Party. "Personally, it doesn't matter to me if they are RCMP or dogcatchers or garbagemen. But they are obviously using the fact that they are Mounties to rub our nose in it."
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
Senate Refuses to Take Up-or-Down Vote on Marriage Amendment
Dr. James Dobson to appear on Fox News Channel's Hannity & Colmes Thursday to discuss the vote.
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0040793.cfm
A proposed amendment to the U.S. Constitution to define marriage as the union on one man and one woman was stopped today before it could get an up-or-down vote, gaining only one more supporter than when it was raised two years ago.
The measure fell short of the 60 votes needed to end debate and vote -- the final tally was 49-48.
Focus on the Family Action Chairman James Dobson was outraged.
[...]
Seven Republicans voted no — Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania; Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine; John McCain of Arizona; Judd Gregg and John Sununu of New Hampshire and Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island.
Two Democrats voted "Yes" — Robert Byrd of West Virginia and Ben Nelson of Nebraska.
[...]
Tom Minnery, vice president of government and public policy at Focus on the Family Action, said pro-family conservatives expected to see more support this time.
[...]
In fact, Amanda Banks, federal issues analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said the pre-vote head count had been 52 or higher.
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
Alabama Passes Marriage Amendment
by Gary Schneeberger and Mona Passignano
Focus on the Family
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040794.cfm
More than 8 in 10 voters back traditional marriage in just one election on Tuesday that yielded solid results for family advocates.
As media pundits and liberal U.S. senators argued Tuesday that Americans aren't interested in how marriage is defined, residents of Alabama overwhelmingly voted to protect the institution in their state constitution.
[...]
In another Alabama race that attracted some national attention, the state's former chief justice, Roy Moore, lost his bid for governor against incumbent Bob Riley. Moore, ousted from his judicial post in 2003 for refusing to remove a monument of the Ten Commandments from the state courts building, earned just 33 percent of the Republican primary vote, compared to 67 percent for Riley.
[More at URL]
----- 4 -----
Pennsylvania Marriage Amendment Passes House
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040796.cfm
Pennsylvania's state House approved a measure 136-61 on Tuesday to protect marriage.
It's the first step in a lengthy process to constitutionally define marriage in the state as the union of one man and one woman.
[...]
"We have a moral responsibility to pass this amendment," [West Lampeter Township Republican Scott] Boyd said.
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
Harvard to Clone Human Embryos for Research
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040795.cfm
Harvard University announced Tuesday that it will begin a privately funded, multimillion-dollar program to clone human embryos in order to harvest their stem cells.
According to The Washington Post, Harvard officials said they had developed their program over a two-year period under an umbrella of new "ethics rules."
Pro-life groups have long opposed such research, because retrieving embryonic stem cells always requires the destruction of human life.
[More at URL]
----- 6 -----
Graduate's Diploma Held After She Speaks About Her Faith
Legal experts say the action was a violation of her constitutional rights.
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
Focus on the Family
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040791.cfm
A top high school graduate in Colorado who shared her faith in her valedictory was escorted from the ceremony by school staff and told she couldn't take her diploma home until she explained her actions to the principal and the parents of other graduates.
Erica Corder was among 14 Colorado Springs students who addressed their graduating class last month. Rather than choose one or a few speakers, they decided to each share for 30 seconds.
Corder worked with her peers to write her segment, but did not include any reference to her faith in the draft she submitted to the principal — because she was unsure how it would be received.
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
We Lost, But We Have Not Quit
Marriage is too important an issue to abandon.
by Stuart Shepard, managing editor
Focus on the Family
Commentary
June 7, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/commentary/a0040787.cfm
The federal Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA) was killed by opponents in the Senate this morning before it could get to an up-or-down vote -- in clear defiance of the will of the American people.
I watched the debate unfold over two days, and it struck me over and over again how those who supported the MPA spoke the truth, backed it up with facts and, frankly, just made sense.
[More at URL]
----- 8 -----
Washington Makes Online Gambling a Felony
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040778.cfm
Playing poker or participating in other online gambling Web sites will become a Class C felony in Washington state on Wednesday.
Offenders face up to a five-year sentence and a $10,000 fine.
KIRO-TV reports that the law would put violators in the same category as drunken drivers and drug dealers.
[More at URL]
----- 9 -----
Poll Shows Most Favor Protecting Marriage; ABC Anchor Calls It 'Evenly Split'
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0040777.cfm
[...]
The network's own poll showed Americans supported traditional marriage 58-to-36 percent, yet Gibson tossed this question to analyst George Stephanopoulos: "Why does the White House think this is a political winner for the president if indeed we're split?"
[More at URL]
----- 10 -----
Christian Program for Prisoners Ruled Unconstitutional
Federal judge orders InnerChange Freedom Initiative to shut down.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040772.cfm
A federal district judge has ruled that the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) program at the Newton Correctional Facility in Iowa violates the First Amendment.
In his decision, U.S. District Judge Robert Pratt wrote that the program "impermissibly endorses religion." He ordered it to shut down in 60 days and to repay $1.5 million to the state -- but then immediately put a hold on his decision until the appeals process is completed.
In all, five states allow IFI programs in their prisons.
[More at URL]
----- 11 -----
Ex-Gay Conference Targeted with Counter Messaging
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
Focus on the Family
June 6, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0040781.cfm
Love Won Out will bring the message that change is possible to the Washington, D.C,. this weekend -- but a homosexual-activist group is planning its own conference.
People will gather at Immanuel's Church in Silver Spring, Md., on Saturday to hear the message that there is hope for those struggling with unwanted same-sex attraction. But gay-activist Wayne Besen has announced a counterconference to be called "Truth Wins Out."
[...]
"It's a direct response to what we're doing with Love Won Out," he said. "Even their name -- Truth Wins Out -- they have to piggyback off of the success of Love Won Out. I think they thought for years it was going to go away, but they are seeing that it is more successful now than it's ever been."
[Ed. Note: Funny, they don't seem to mind the whole "Day of Truth" anti-gay response to the "Day of Silence" anti-discrimination effort.]
[...]
"In asking for tolerance, they are asking people to tolerate everything and to stand for nothing," Haley said. "We as Christians have Biblical standards that we are called to stand for. We have to stand for marriage. We have to stand for righteousness. And we have to stand for the truth that people can walk away from homosexuality. Homosexuality is not what God intended for mankind."
[More at URL]
----- 12 -----
Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act Passes the House
Amelia Wigton
Concerned Women for America
June 7, 2006
http://www.cwalac.org/article_335.shtml
After months of hard work from involved citizens, Concerned Women for America (CWA) is celebrating the passage of the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005 (S. 193) in the House of Representatives.
This is a huge victory for moms, dads, kids and “regular” people everywhere who took the time and made the effort to take grassroots action.
"The passage of S. 193 truly validates the efforts of all concerned citizens who have ever called their representative in Congress and felt that their voice was not being heard. Individuals who call to express support for legislation that they care about do make a huge difference," said Lanier Swann, CWA’s Director of Government Relations.
[More at URL]
----- 13 -----
Alabama Botched Abortion Sparks Department of Health Hearing
Concerned Women for America
6/6/2006
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/10901/FIELD/life/index.htm
The Summit Medical Center in Birmingham, Alabama is under investigation over a botched abortion. According to news reports, a woman went to the Summit Medical Center on February 20, to investigate her options. Told she was only 6 weeks pregnant, unqualified clinic staff gave the woman the abortion-causing RU-486 protocols and sent her on her way without sufficient medical supervision. The woman, who had critically high blood pressure, ended up in the emergency room where she gave birth to a stillborn 6 lb 4 ounce baby. Policy Analyst Martha Kleder spoke with Valerie Askew-Williams, the State Director for CWA of Alabama on this. CWA of Alabama is encouraging Alabama residents to attend the Department of Health hearing on this case, scheduled for June 20th at 9 a.m. in Montgomery, Alabama. Click here to listen.
[More at URL]
----- 13 -----
CWA: America Needs a One-Man, One-Woman, One-Line Marriage Amendment
Concerned Women for America
6/7/2006
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/10907/MEDIA/family/index.htm
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) strongly believes that America needs a federal marriage amendment to protect and preserve the sanctity of traditional marriage. CWA supports a single-sentence amendment that would strictly define marriage as between one man and one woman, and not leave any room for misinterpretation. The U.S. Senate today for the third time failed to reach the 60 votes needed to end debate and vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment.
[More at URL]
----- 14 -----
Alabama Becomes 20th State to Approve Constitutional Amendment Protecting Marriage
Concerned Women for America
6/7/2006
http://www.cwfa.org/articles/10906/MEDIA/family/index.htm
Washington, D.C. – Concerned Women for America (CWA) applauds Alabama’s overwhelming approval of their state constitutional marriage amendment on Tuesday, defining marriage as only the union of a man and a woman.
[...]
Robert Knight, director of CWA’s Culture & Family Institute, said, “This is a rebuke to all those liberals on the U.S. Senate floor during the Marriage Protection Amendment debate who have been telling us that Americans don’t care about the marriage issue.
“The people of Alabama, like other Americans, deserve to see their decision protected from radical judges who have overturned marriage laws in several states. That’s why CWA is urging Congress to continue the process of sending a federal constitutional marriage amendment to the states for their approval.
[More at URL]
----- 15 -----
State lawmakers hear debate on 'morning after' pill
6/6/2006, 6:25 p.m. ET
By TIM MARTIN
The Associated Press
http://www.mlive.com/newsflash/regional/index.ssf?/base/news-35/1149633256147130.xml&storylist=newsmichigan&thispage=1
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A bill discussed Tuesday in a state House committee hearing would keep emergency contraception available only through a prescription in Michigan, no matter what a federal government agency decides to recommend.
Morning-after contraceptive pills now require a prescription, consistent with U.S. Food and Drug Administration policies.
But the pill's manufacturer applied three years ago to sell the drug, called Plan B, over the counter without a prescription. The FDA has delayed decisions on the application and faces a lawsuit over the issue.
[More at URL]
----- 16 -----
Senate Ignores American People on Marriage: Values Voters Will Not Relent, says FRC's Perkins
June 7, 2006 - Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 7, 2006
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Bethanie Swendsen, (866) FRC-NEWS
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR06F03&f=PG03I03
WASHINGTON, D.C. - In response to the 49-48 vote in the U.S. Senate on the constitutional amendment to protect marriage, Family Research Council (FRC) President Tony Perkins released the following statement:
"Today the U.S. Senate voted against marriage and against the American people. This Senate is grossly out of step with the American people.
[...]
Perkins added that discussions are underway for the formation of a new political action entity that will focus on removing the obstacles to the passage and ratification of the Marriage Protection Amendment.
[More at URL]
----- 17 -----
FRC Praises House Passage of the 'Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act'
Family Research Council
June 7, 2006 - Wednesday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy or Bethanie Swendsen, (866) FRC-NEWS
http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR06F05&f=PG03I03
Washington, D.C. - Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement after the U.S. House passed with strong bi-partisan support S. 193, the "Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005." Following unanimous passage last month by the U.S. Senate, the bill now goes to the President for his signature.
"Today Congress took the nation one step closer to providing families with substantial protection from indecent material being broadcasting on the public airwaves. Study after study shows the negative impact viewing sexual and violent content has upon our children and our culture. By increasing tenfold the penalty for broadcasting indecent material, the American people may begin to reclaim a greater sense of decency and control over the public airwaves.
"No longer will indecency fines be considered by major media broadcasters as an insignificant cost of doing business. The era of 'slap on the wrist' has ended, and a message has been sent to Viacom and other media giants: violate the public trust on the nation's airwaves, and you'll pay the price. The message is simple - clean up or pay up!
[More at URL]
----- 18 -----
Senators Deep-Six MPA -- For Now
By Jody Brown
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 7, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/72006c.asp
(AgapePress) - Supporters of the Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA) are not distraught over the fact that the U.S. Senate has rejected the call for a vote on the measure. Sixty votes were needed to have the measure come up for an up-or-down vote; the move came up 11 votes short.
Despite that setback, supporters in the Senate are not going to "fall back and cry about it," says Senator Orin Hatch of Utah. "I think they are going to keep bringing it up," says the Republican lawmaker. In fact, according to Associated Press, the measure may come up next month in the U.S. House. It is an issue of "significant importance" to many Americans, says House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio. "We have significant numbers of our members who want a vote on this, so we are going to have a vote," he says.
[More at URL]
----- 19 -----
Utah AG, Education Dept. Asked to Investigate School's Alleged Violation of Laws
Student Newspaper's Pro-Homosexual, Pro-Promiscuity Articles at Center of Controversy
By Jim Brown
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 6, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/62006e.asp
(AgapePress) - A Utah pro-family group claims a public high school in Highland broke state privacy and sex education laws by allowing its student newspaper to publish articles promoting sexual promiscuity.
The Salt Lake City-based Standard of Liberty Foundation has asked the Utah attorney general and the state Office of Education to investigate whether Lone Peak High School broke two Utah education laws. A state Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) law "forbids schools from allowing any activity which results in students revealing information concerning their sexual behavior, orientation, or attitudes." Also, Utah education law bars schools from advocating homosexuality and extra-marital sex.
Foundation president Steve Graham, whose daughter attends Lone Peak High School, says articles in The Crusader have advocated the formation of Gay Straight Alliance clubs and teenage sexual activity.
[...]
Officials with the school and the state education office deny education laws were broken. But according to the Foundation spokesman, the school violated the state FERPA law by asking his daughter and another student to write opposing opinion pieces regarding a homosexual club on campus.
[...]
It is the obligation of the state, [Graham] says, to hold school officials responsible for allowing "illegal and harmful information to be published and distributed to thousands of impressionable and vulnerable young students."
[More at URL]
----- 20 -----
Homosexual Groups Lobbying for Access, Influence on U.N. Council
By Mary Rettig
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 7, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/72006f.asp
(AgapePress) - A representative to the United Nations for Focus on the Family says the United States is starting to change its tune when it comes to adding homosexuals to a special interest lobbying group.
[...]
The concern in all this, Jacobson explains, is that homosexual groups appear to be working internally at the United Nations to influence decisions on homosexual issues. What these groups have realized, he says, is that gaining access to the U.N. Economic and Social Council is the doorway to making homosexuality and other deviant sexual behaviors a globally recognized human right.
[More at URL]
----- 21 -----
Local Police Attempt to Block Collection of Pro-Marriage Petitions
Police Sergeant's Actions Described as 'Unprofessional' and 'Bizarre'
By Fred Jackson and Jody Brown
June 7, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/72006a.asp
(AgapePress) - A pro-family group in Florida is outraged over the behavior of some police officers last weekend who tried to stop a petition drive aimed at protecting traditional marriage.
Last weekend members of the Florida Family Policy Council were at a Promise Keepers conference in Broward County where they were collecting petitions for the Florida4Marriage campaign, an effort to get onto the November 2008 ballot an amendment protecting traditional marriage. The pro-family group had paid a fee to have a booth at the PK event at which it was collecting the petitions in support of the campaign's goal of gathering 611,009 signatures by July 12, 2006.
[More at URL]
----- 22 -----
SBC Committee Member Agrees With Call for Public School 'Exit Strategy'
By Jim Brown
American Family Association/Agape Press
June 6, 2006
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/6/afa/62006b.asp
(AgapePress) - A second member of the Resolutions Committee for the upcoming Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina, says the denomination needs to consider developing a plan to remove its children from America's public schools.
The SBC Resolutions Committee will meet Thursday to begin poring over resolutions that have been submitted for consideration next week. Among them is a proposal authored by Dr. Bruce Shortt and Executive Committee member Roger Moran that calls on the denomination to develop an "exit strategy" from public schools.
While second-year committee member Ida South of Mathiston, Mississippi, would not comment on the resolution, she agrees with Dr. Albert Mohler's belief that such a strategy is needed. Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and host of a daily national radio program, has publicly stated that "now is the time for responsible Southern Baptists to develop an exit strategy from public schools."
South, a veteran educator who is now retired, says the situation in the public schools is "getting worse all across the country." She feels most schools now are teaching a completely secular worldview.
[More at URL]
----- 23 -----
Gay marriage looms as 'battle of our times'
As Senate prepares to argue marriage amendment, room for compromise between religious freedom and equal rights seems thin.
By Jane Lampman | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor
June 1, 2006
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0601/p13s01-lign.html
The battle over same-sex marriage is shaping into something more than deep societal tradition vs. civil rights. It is becoming a conflict of equality vs. religious liberty.
As gays make gains, some religious institutions are coming under pressure. For instance:
* A Christian high school in Wildomar, Calif., is being sued for expelling two students on suspicion of being lesbian. The parents' suit claims that the school is a business under state civil rights law, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.
[More at URL]
----- 24 -----
Institute for Canadian Values
If they were any group but Christians, Garth Turner would never get away with it
Commentary
Author: Joseph C. Ben-Ami
Date: Jun 01, 2006
http://www.canadianvalues.ca/commentary.aspx?aid=188
Last Friday. May 26 Dr. Charles McVety, President of Canada Family Action Coalition and Canada Christian College, was asked to participate in a televised debate with MP Garth Turner on the twin topics of muzzling MPs and the Conservatives opening the nomination process.
Dr. McVety, a key player in the debate over marriage in this country, is encouraging pro-family Canadians of all backgrounds to join the political party of their choice and work within the system to ensure that the policies of those parties are not destructive to families. Legislation redefining marriage is one such policy, and nominating candidates who oppose that sort of myopic social engineering is one way to influence the process.
During the debate Mr. Turner worried about this, complaining about “ethnics” coming on busses and hijacking political nomination meetings to ensure that their preferred candidate gets selected. At the time, rightly in my view, he was criticized by other panellists for suggesting that so-called ethnic Canadians don’t have the right to organize and participate in the democratic process.
Subsequent to that interview Mr. Turner posted a commentary on his personal blog entitled “Agenda of Hate” in which he ridicules Dr. McVety and his religious beliefs. His remarks include: “I started to worry about lightening bolts in the studio”, and calling McVety a “sanctimonious blowhard”. He accuses people of faith of trying to “force their morals, or their culture, on the rest of us” and expresses concern that “the same crew might target” him. He concludes by equating Christians with the fanatics our troops are fighting in Afghanistan. “Call it Defend Marriage. Call it the Taliban” he writes.
[More at URL]
----- 25 -----
Marriage Vote
Canada Family Action Coalition
CFAC Action Alert - July 6, 2006
http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issues/family/marriage/action-alert-july6.htm
Prime Minister Harper has confirmed that Parliament will be asked to deal with the marriage definition and the impact of Bill C 38 “same-sex” marriage in the fall 2006 session. A free vote will be held, asking MPs if they want to re-visit this issue.
Some MPs are already using the excuse that they have not heard any complaints from constituents about the marriage issue, which must mean that nobody cares and it should be left alone. Other MPs are saying they are getting many emails asking them to leave the marriage issue alone. If that is true, then it seems the advocates for homosexual marriage are active and vocal. We know that last time the issue was raised, some MPs received thousands of emails – many from people who were not their constituents and many from people living in other nations, lobbying in favour of homosexual marriage. In all likelihood, this is what is happening again. It proves how e-mail communication can be abused by some activists.
Now is the time for advocates of the one-man one-woman definition of marriage to let their voice be heard. Summer is an excellent time to visit your MP, since they are in their home constituencies. I encourage you to make an appointment, keep them busy over the summer, go in pairs if necessary, and let YOUR VOICE be heard on marriage. Please be respectful and polite whenever communicating with your MP, and clearly and concisely state your views. This one call to action is perhaps all you need to do this summer.
[More at URL]
----- 26 -----
Australian Government Will Overrule Gay “Marriage” Law
LifeSite.net - June 6, 2006
Canada Family Action Coalition
By Gudrun Schultz
http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issues/family/marriage/austrailia-to-overrule.htm
CANBARRA, Australia – Australian Prime Minister John Howard has said his government will overrule new laws passed by the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) allowing same-sex unions, reported Reuters.
Current laws in Australia define marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman, but the ACT bypassed that restriction by giving same-sex couples the same legal rights as married couples but withholding the term “marriage.” Instead, same-sex couples enter into “civil unions.”
Prime Minister Howard said Tuesday that the move was an attempt to undermine the 2004 Federal Marriage Act that formally defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
[More at URL]
----- 27 -----
Canadian Prof Faces Human Rights Complaint Over Religious Views on Homosexuality
By Terry Vanderheyden
Canada Family Action Coalition
LifeSiteNews.com
Wednesday May 31, 2006
http://www.familyaction.org/Articles/issues/family/marriage/canadian-prof.htm
SYDNEY, Nova Scotia - A Cape Breton University (CBU) professor is the target of a human rights complaint by a homosexual student. Comments posted by the professor at his private web site critical of the Anglican Church of Canada for its permissive and condoning stand in relation to same-sex "marriage" are the cause of the complaint.
History Professor David Mullan wrote to his local Anglican bishop in 2004, criticizing the trend: "When Anglicanism in some manner recognizes homosexuality as a legitimate 'lifestyle' for Christians, it will become a church in schism," he charged.
On February 20, homosexual CBU student Shane Wallis, who also co-ordinates the campus' Sexual Diversity Office, lodged a formal human rights complaint with the University. In an e-mail response to Wallis' charge of a human rights offence, Wallis stated in his complaint that Mullan responded that "homosexuality is a repudiation of nature and the apotheosis of unbridled desire."
[More at URL]
----- 28 -----
Over the Summer: What you can do to promote marriage
Focus on the Family Canada
Today's Family News
June 6, 2006
[Received in email: no URL]
With a vote promised for the fall, now is a good time to be an advocate for marriage. Here are some suggestions on what you can do through the summer:
1) Pray constantly! Although many people think the result of the upcoming vote won’t be much different than last year, we know that with God all things are possible.
2) Get informed: Read some of the good articles ( http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/family/articles/Same-sex_unions.htm ) or books ( http://bookstore.fotf.ca/default.aspx?prodid=P00166B ) which explain why redefining marriage is not a trivial thing.
3) Mobilize others: Find friends, family or church members who can come alongside you to stand up for marriage. Take the time to inspire others who don’t seem to know how to get involved.
4) Meet with your MP: With summer coming up, many MPs will come back to their constituencies. That is an ideal time for you and a few others to schedule a meeting with your MP ( http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/takeAction/Activism_101/Making_Contact.html ) to explain to him or her why marriage is worth defending.
5) Write for newspapers: Give a voice to children and families by writing a letter to the editor ( http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/takeAction/Activism_101/Letter_to_the_Editor.html ) or an opinion piece for your local newspaper.
[Editor's Note: It's interesting that they do not include a "letter writing wizard" that lets people mix-and-match canned letters, like they do in the US.]
6) Phone, write or email your MP: Encourage those who are advocating for marriage and explain your beliefs to those who disagree.
----- 28 -----
Harper promises marriage vote this fall
Focus on the Family Canada
Today's Family News
June 7, 2006
http://www.fotf.ca/tfn/family/stories/060706.html
“We’re confident we can win this vote,” Charles McVety, president of the Defend Marriage Coalition, told the Ottawa Citizen.
McVety was responding to Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s confirmation last week that his government plans to bring forward a motion this fall asking Members of Parliament if they want to revisit the year-old decision to extend marriage to same-sex couples.
“We committed [to] that in our platform and the vote will be in the fall,” Harper said. “I haven’t set the date.”
[More at URL]
----- 29 ------
DefendMARRIAGE
defendmarriage.ca
Online as of June 7, 2006
http://www.defendmarriage.ca/
Defend Marriage Coalition, along with several other organizations, is mailing a letter to many religious leaders in this nation asking them to do some things in an attempt to restore and preserve marriage of man and woman. Click here to read the letter in English or French.
The battle for marriage IS NOT over. In fact it will never be over until it is restored to what it rightfully must be – one man and one woman exclusively. Parliament is going to have to address this issue again. It may be by vote on a motion or a Bill. But it must be readdressed.
The letter for clergy and leaders is available here in English or French. If you would like to print it and take it to your leader, please do so. We must not allow such an institution as marriage to be destroyed by a few radical social activists and a few MPs who seem to lack the understanding of the problems that redefining marriage has already created. Use the information in this letter as you feel is most advantageous.
Watch this site and that of the Coalition partners below for further information as this issue develops. We think Parliament might be asked to deal with it in the fall 2006 sitting (September to December).
Keep this marriage matter on your prayer list, we are not finished with it, Parliament is not finished with it and we are sure God is not finished with the “Canadian definition” as it exists.
[Link to English letter: http://www.defendmarriage.ca/DefMarEngv6.pdf ]
[Link to French letter: http://www.defendmarriage.ca/DefMarFrenv5.pdf ]
----- 30 -----
Ref. 65 fails to make the WA ballot
Faith and Freedom Network
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
http://www.faithandfreedom.us/weblog/2006/06/ref-65-fails-to-make-wa-ballot.html
The petitions for Referendum 65 were delivered to the Washington office of the Secretary of State late this afternoon. Tim Eyman announced that there were just over 105,000 signatures, falling approximately 7,000 signatures short of the needed 112,500. Based on that number, Referendum 65 will not be on the ballot in November. It was difficult for me to reconcile Tim Eyman's number with the amount of effort and hard work that I saw around the State on behalf of this Referendum.
[More at URL]
----- 31 -----
Eyman stumbles with gay-rights challenge
Tuesday, June 6, 2006 · Last updated 5:26 p.m. PT
P-I STAFF and NEWS SERVICES
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/272954_eyman06ww.html
OLYMPIA -- Initiative activist Tim Eyman and other foes of Washington state's new gay civil-rights law failed to submit enough voter signatures Tuesday to force a public vote this fall.
Eyman, appearing at the state elections division just minutes before closing time Tuesday, said he and his allies had collected 105,103 signatures. That's fewer than the 112,440 required minimum and considerably less than the 130,000 that is suggested in order to cover duplicate or invalid signatures.
[...]
Former state Republican Party Chairman Chris Vance blasted Eyman.
"Now he's coming in and hijacking issues and shoving his way into an issue because it's become a business for him. It's how he gets paid," Vance said. "There will be no end to Tim Eyman as long as people are wiling to send him money ... I think it's hurting the legitimate perception of the initiative process. When you've got a clown out there in a Darth Vader suit lying to the press and things like that, it's not good for the initiative and referendum process."
[More at URL]
----- 32 -----
Effort to repeal gay rights law falls short
By Andrew Garber
Seattle Times staff reporter
June 6, 2006
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003044061_webref6506.html
OLYMPIA – Referendum 65, a measure aimed at repealing Washington's gay-rights law, will not be on the November ballot.
Tim Eyman came up short in getting enough signatures to qualify Ref. 65. State law required the campaign to turn in 112,440 signatures of registered voters by 5 p.m. today. Eyman said they collected 105,103 signatures.
Ballot measure supporters generally need to collect 25 to 30 percent more signatures than required to make sure they have enough valid signatures to qualify.
[...]
The campaign was aided by a coalition of conservative religious groups that organized a grassroots campaign to gather signatures at churches and at rallies held throughout the state.
Joseph Fuiten, chairman of the Faith and Freedom Network, which helped lead the signature drive, said the failure to get enough signatures does not indicate most people support the gay-rights law.
[...]
The lack of signatures, Fuiten said, tells him that "Tim Eyman has a knack for messing stuff up. He's kind of an interloper on this whole thing in my opinion. Part of the deal is resistance to him."
Fuiten said, "There are millions of people in the state of Washington who don't want to see that become law. It's not a question of lack of support. It's really a question of organization and getting the work done."
[More at URL]
----- 33 -----
Referendum effort fails
Push to repeal state's gay rights law doesn't qualify for ballot
BY BRAD SHANNON
THE OLYMPIAN
June 7, 2006
http://www.theolympian.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060607/NEWS/606070320
A referendum effort to repeal Washington's new civil rights protections for gays and lesbians died Tuesday.
[...]
Eyman, who was flanked by the leader of the Christian Coalition of Washington and other religious activists, expressed deep disappointment after a series of three "Referendum Sundays" in hundreds of churches across the state failed to lift the petition campaign far enough.
[...]
The religious groups, led by Faith & Freedom Network and Sound The Alarm, had circulated petitions in 5,0 00 of the state's 6,000 churches, and they made obvious efforts to paint the gay-rights bill as a stepping stone to the issue of gay marriage, Faith & Freedom spokesman Gary Randall said.
[...]
Faith & Freedom leaders didn't know until Eyman's announcement of failure just how close the campaign had been to hitting the goal, Randall said. He said his group might mount a new campaign on its own as an initiative to the 2007 Legislature or to voters in November 2007.
[...]
An hour earlier, the mood had been cheerful at the Olympia headquarters of the Christian Coalition, which handed in 14,297 signatures routed to its headquarters in the past two days. State director Rick Forcier and a dozen volunteers had tallied signatures and organized the petitions all day, waiting for the big moment when Eyman would tell the world how they'd done.
[...]
An hour later, Randall explained that activists want to try again, because they believe the gay-rights measure is a stepping stone the courts will use to legalize gay marriage. "We feel very strongly about it," he said.
[More at URL]
----- 34 -----
Measure repealing gay rights won't be on ballot
By Andrew Garber and Ralph Thomas
Seattle Times Olympia bureau
OLYMPIA — Washington's law banning discrimination against gays and lesbians appears safe, at least for now. The law goes into effect today.
Tim Eyman on Tuesday failed to turn in enough signatures to qualify Referendum 65 for the November ballot. The measure would have repealed legislation approved earlier this year that added sexual orientation to a state law that bans discrimination based on race, gender, religion and other categories.
[...]
Gary Randall, president of the Faith and Freedom Network, a Christian organization that helped collect signatures, wasn't ready to party. Randall said he wasn't happy with the way Eyman handled the campaign, calling his antics "embarrassing."
[...]
Randall said the fight wasn't over. His group plans to attack the issue again without Eyman, possibly with an initiative to the Legislature. That would require nearly 225,000 signatures to be turned in 10 days before the start of the next Legislative session in January.
"We feel pretty deeply about this," Randall said. If they don't do an initiative this year, a campaign will be launched next year, he said.
[...]
"As with many other rights issues, it's going to require constant vigilance on the part of the gay and lesbian community — almost a constant campaign," said Murray, D-Seattle.
[More at URL]
----- 35 -----
Washington gay-rights challenge fails
Associated Press
Tue Jun 6, 10:22 PM ET
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060607/ap_on_re_us/brf_gay_rights_1
OLYMPIA, Wash. - Opponents of Washington state's new gay civil rights law failed to submit enough voter signatures Tuesday to force a statewide ballot on the issue this fall.
[...]
Gary Randall, president of the Faith and Freedom Network, said the conservative religious community would still try to repeal the law and discuss its remaining options.
"It'll be much harder now," he said.
[More at URL]
----- 36 -----
'No More Money' for Abstinence Education, Campaign Says
By Randy Hall
CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
June 07, 2006
http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200606/CUL20060607a.html
(CNSNews.com) - More than 200 liberal organizations launched a nationwide campaign Tuesday in an effort to halt federal funding for abstinence-only-until-marriage programs.
However, conservatives responded that lawmakers should instead "stay the course" on abstinence education and reject the "old snake oil" of comprehensive sex education.
[More at URL]
----- 37 -----
Bishop Warns Same-Sex Unions Carry Eternal Cost
By Patrick Goodenough
CNSNews.com International Editor
June 05, 2006
(CNSNews.com) - The crisis within the world's 77 million-strong Anglican (Episcopalian) Church over homosexuality goes beyond an issue of human sexuality, to the far deeper questions of the authority of scripture and eternal salvation, a leading conservative bishop has warned.
As such, it is a make-or-break issue, and more serious than previous doctrinal disputes within the denomination, he said.
How the church deals with the crisis will show Christians' willingness to obey biblical teachings "despite the unpopularity which this may bring in the world and in the church," Anglican Archbishop of Sydney Peter Jensen told a conference in New Zealand.
[...]
"I say with all solemnity to those who say the blessing of same-sex unions is okay, and who will ordain clergy living in same-sex unions: How can you do this when the souls of those involved are in peril?"
Jensen said the Bible made it clear that "those who are in them [homosexual relationships] are excluded from the kingdom of heaven."
[More at URL]
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-06-08 01:13 pm (UTC)Police Sergeant's Actions Described as 'Unprofessional' and 'Bizarre'
By Fred Jackson and Jody Brown
So, I live in Broward county, and have not seen one word of this in the paper. Do you have any further news on it?
no subject
Date: 2006-06-08 04:19 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-12 09:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-08 08:58 pm (UTC)Which rung of Hell is reserved for deceits and lies?
no subject
Date: 2006-06-08 09:05 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-12 06:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-10 08:16 pm (UTC)You ever get the feeling that these guys are using "the family" in a mafia-esque sense? Seriously, that sentence does not even make sense. No marriage, gay or straight, "strengthens the family". It FORMS a family, not strengthens one. The way family is talked about in the singular, "the family" also seems odd from an english-speaking perspective unless it is being used as a euphemism for Dominionism itself.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-10 10:39 pm (UTC)In this way, it parallels the theoretical final state of Marxist communism, and has a likely probable outcome as well. If we do end up with an oppressive dominionist state in the US, Rushdooney will be to it as de Lagarde was to the German fascists later.