Today's Cultural Warfare Update
Jul. 15th, 2006 12:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdThis was going to be a standard CWU, but it's ended up being mostly the Focus on the Family Cultural Warfare Update, with a couple of non-FotF articles up front, and with a few Faith and Freedom Network reprints (essentially) of Focus on the Family ACTION ITEMS included. There'll be a second one with the rest of the news, tomorrow sometime. I'll likely start it tonight, but won't get it done until tomorrow.
Marketwatch article on the surge in ads placed around the Gay Games in Chicago talks about anti-gay boycotts and related efforts;
Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World demonstrates exactly how bizarrely wrong the fundamentalists are on GBLT marriage rights and marriage has an institution;
Nebraska Supreme Court upholds state Constitutional amendment banning marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships; Focus on the Family is most pleased; also, Tennessee's anti-marriage amendment can go to the ballot; includes ACTION ITEM to support Federal anti-marriage amendment;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM to oppose embryonic stem-cell research bill in Congress;
The Nevada fundamentalist high school student who swapped out her planned speech for a sermon and got cut off is suing the school for turning off her microphone;
Focus on the Family can't take their victory and go, they have to slam "judicial arrogance" for not agreeing with them enough that the Massachusetts anti-marriage amendment could get to the ballot if approved by the legislature; interestingly, we learn that even fundies like The Wrath of Khan; anyway, it includes an ACTION ITEM to support a Federal anti-marriage amendment;
The Faith and Freedom Network sends out an ACTION ITEM to oppose stem-cell research via the same lineup of bills (and same support/oppose marching orders) as we've seen out of Focus on the Family and other fundamentalist groups;
Another Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against embryonic stem-cell research;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM - yet another - on the House vote on the anti-marriage "Marriage Protection Amendment";
FotF reports that the South Dakota abortion ban citizen's initiative - apparently having passed a comprehensive ban in the legislature wasn't good enough, they're working on an initiative - has a note in the ballot description noting that if the state is sued and loses, it'll probably have to pay attourney's fees; fundamentalists are upset that's in there;
FotF ACTION ITEM to demand the House of Representatives pass a resolution supporting "In God we Trust" as the national motto;
FotF ACTION ITEM against Michael Schiavo, who they continue to describe as the state-sanctioned murderer of a "disabled woman"; the weird thing about this ACTION ITEM is that there's no specific action mentioned, even though they've tagged it with their "ACTION" label;
The FCC has requested tapes of 30 live sporting events to look for "inappropriate comments" being made by spectators with the possibility of leveling indecency fines if any such commentary made it out over the air; Focus on the Family gleefully notes the massive surge in fines they helped get passed, so say goodbye to live sporting events and hello, tape-delay, if Focus on the Family's friends at the FCC have their way;
FotF reports on anti-gay teachers in the NEA opposing NEA language saying that legally-recognised civil unions, domestic partnerships, and marriages should be respected; note again the use of "Concerned," which has come to mean "fuckhead" in local lexicon;
FotF rails against GBLT-rights groups as violent and hateful; in particular, they have a hate-on for GLSEN; includes an ACTION ITEM to support their "ex-gay" "Love Won Out" ministry;
Focus on the Family support-article on the Boy Scouts and their continued receipt of public funding despite explicit discrimination on the basis of religion - and also against GBLT people, of course, but there's no Federal antidiscrimination law on that basis, of course;
FotF reports on surging sales of broadcast-delay machines in response to new higher FCC fines for indecency;
FotF extensively quotes CWA wonk Warren Throckmorton in an attack-piece on the idea of gender dysphoria - the case bringing it up is the five year old in Florida; "John Paulk, former manager of gender issues at Focus on the Family, is outraged." Well, duh;
Faith and Freedom Network echos Focus on the Family's line about the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling mentioned above; gosh, I wonder if they've got the same subscriptions I do;
FotF reports Bush pledge to veto any expansion of embryonic stem cell research;
FotF: "Teachers have Non-NEA Options";
FotF: "A woman who was tried in February for ending a full-term pregnancy by shooting herself in the stomach has been charged a second time, according to the Suffolk News-Herald";
FotF: GBLT rights will destroy churches worldwide;
Fundamentalist group sues Michigan State University over DP benefits for employees, claiming that offering DP benefits violates Michigan's anti-marriage ban; "State universities can't turn around and recognize same-sex marriages by just calling them 'domestic partnerships' or 'civil unions' or anything else";
FotF attacks Sen. Graham (R-SC) for blocking a judicial nominee from his state over his role in supporting the Bush administration's pro-torture policies; Focus on the Family demands the block be lifted;
Focus on the Family pushes one of their presentations which I normally don't list, but this one's interesting in that it makes their view pretty stark: you're with 'em, or you're with Satan: "In this unusual presentation, best-selling author Frank Peretti explains our two choices for living: we place God on the throne of our lives, or we replace Him with humanism, mysticism, harmful philosophies, or the lust for power and control."
----- 1 -----
Corporate giants flock to Gay Games
Well-heeled, loyal consumer a winner for advertisers
By William Spain, MarketWatch
Last Update: 6:21 PM ET Jul 10, 2006
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B14BC6C45%2D5FB2%2D415F%2DA30F%2D0308FD0DE507%7D&siteid=
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Even before any weights are lifted, laps swum or races run, the Gay Games VII is looking like a big winner.
With more than $10 million worth of sponsorships already in hand -- and the possibility of a few million more to come -- this year's version of the alternative quadrennial sports competition is already the all-time money champion for any gay event in history.
The Games, featuring a lineup of many of the same sports seen at the Olympics, runs July 15-22 after kicking off at Chicago's Soldier Field. The Games has attracted a blue-chip roster of companies eager to hawk their brands -- and no event to date is more indicative of how mainstream firms have abandoned any inhibitions about marketing to gays.
[...]
Not everyone is enthusiastic. A handful of groups, including the American Family Association, has attacked the Games and attempted to pressure sponsors into bowing out with letter-writing campaigns and threats of boycotts. Their efforts have thus far have failed.
"The AFA has continued to try and intimidate companies but generally speaking, [the companies] have gotten to a place where they simply acknowledge the feedback and explain the reason for their participation," said Mike Wilke, executive director of the Commercial Closet Association, a group which works to educate advertisers on gay perspectives.
[...]
Peter LaBarbera, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, said he is not surprised at the level of sponsorships "because of the whole drift of the corporate culture in this area."
He added that the "they get a lot of free publicity and free goodwill [in the media] because of political correctness."
Groups like his have also been outmaneuvered, he conceded. "We focused on the political game and the gay activists focused on the corporations. They beat us to the punch."
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
Marriage
Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World
July 14, 2006
http://rosepurr.livejournal.com/677555.html
When dad and I had dinner together earlier this week, talk turned rather naturally to marriage. My father is gay, and he and his partner have been together for a number of years. They would like to be married - gold bands, legal obligations, the whole shebang. I asked him if it bothered him that I am getting married while he is still denied the opportunity.
He thought it was an absurd question. He said, "I don't want to rain on anyone else's party. I just want the chance to throw my own."
I pointed out that my work as an activist and supporter of gay marriage is what made me think marriage was something worth considering. Dad laughed and told me that I should write a blog entry about THAT.
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Nebraska Marriage Amendment
Supreme Court in Tennessee also affirms state marriage amendment can be on fall ballot.
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0041247.cfm
Pro-family lawyers rejoiced today as two more court victories were handed down on the side of defending traditional marriage.
In the most important victory, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a ruling that stuck down Nebraska's state constitutional amendment that bars same-sex marriage and civil unions.
[...]
No right to same-sex marriage
Chris Stovall, senior legal counsel for the Marriage Litigation Project of the Alliance Defense Fund, said the 8th Circuit decision shoots a hole in the argument that gays have a "right" to same-sex marriage.
"The appeals court held that it does not violate any federal constitutional rights to have a state constitutional amendment limiting marriage to the union of one man and one woman," Stovall told CitizenLink.
David Bydalek, who heads Nebraska Family First, called today's decision "a vindication for the overwhelming majority of Nebraskans who voted to preserve the traditional definition of marriage."
The Nebraska marriage amendment passed in 2000 with the support of 70 percent of the voters. It not only defines marriage to be the union of one man and one woman — it also bans counterfeits to marriage, like civil unions.
[...]
In Tennessee, meanwhile, justices at the state Supreme Court said a proposed marriage-protection amendment can appear on this fall's ballot.
[...]
TAKE ACTION
Contact your U.S. representative today and ask him or her to support the federal Marriage Protection Amendment — the only sure defense of marriage from redefinition.
[More at URL]
----- 4 -----
National Right to Life Urges Congress to Oppose Stem-Cell Bill
Focus on the Family
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041254.cfm
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) sent a letter to the U.S. Senate on Thursday urging lawmakers to oppose legislation that requires the killing of human embryos -- and to support a another that protects life.
NRLC asked senators to opposed [sic] H.R. 810, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
[...]
TAKE ACTION
You may contact your senators through the CitizenLink Action Center.
If you are a CitizenLink Daily Update subscriber, click on the blue "Take Action" button in the e-mail to be automatically logged in to our Action Center. Otherwise, click on this link.
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
Vegas Graduate Whose Speech Was Cut Short Files Lawsuit
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041253.cfm
A Nevada high school valedictorian whose mic was turned off after she mentioned her faith has filed a lawsuit that accuses officials of violating her freedom of speech, The Associated Press reported.
On June 15, Brittany McComb told fellow graduates of Foothills High School and their friends and family about Jesus Christ.
[More at URL]
----- 6 -----
Judicial Arrogance, Wrath of Khan Style
Even in defeat, Massachusetts liberal justices threaten marriage amendment.
[Ed. Note: even the subhead is bizarre. The "defeated" judges voted with the majority, which was the way Focus on the Family wanted.]
by Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst
Focus on the Family
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/commentary/a0041242.cfm
Do you remember the Star Trek movie subtitled The Wrath of Khan? Khan was a genetically bred superior human, stronger and smarter than average earthlings like Captain Kirk and his crew. There's that moment at the end of the movie during the inevitable battle scene when somehow Kirk and the Enterprise sneak up and deal a devastating blow to Khan, his ship and crew. Khan is dying, his crew is gone and Lt. Uhura sends the "prepare to be boarded" message. Rather than surrender to the inferior humans, Khan triggers a doomsday device designed to destroy both ships and then chillingly utters his big lines: "To the last I grapple with thee. From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."
Good stuff.
Of course Khan only succeeds in blowing up what's left of his ship and himself, as the Enterprise suddenly speeds out of harm's way.
I'd always thought Khan's last lines, uttered in total defeat, were the most arrogant statements I'd ever heard.
Until this week.
[...]
TAKE ACTION:
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the federal Marriage Protection Amendment on Tuesday. Your representative needs to hear from you. You may contact him or her through the CitizenLink Action Center.
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
Stem Cell Legislation Scheduled for Tuesday
Faith and Freedom Network
July 13, 2006
[Received in email; no URL]
Not since Scottish researchers cloned Dolly the sheep has there been any discussion about stem cell research and cloning by members of Congress.
Monday, they will begin discussion, with a vote on three Bills on Tuesday, according to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who has publicly broken with President Bush and spoken in favor of embryonic stem cell research.
Three Bills will be considered with no amendments allowed for any of the bills. It will take 60 votes out of 100 to pass any one of these bills.
The Bills are: (Bills can be viewed by clicking the link at the bottom of this email).
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005
H.R. 810
Sponsored by Michael Castle, R-Del.
This legislation would require federal funding of research using stem cells obtained by destroying human embryos. This version has already passed the House.
Please OPPOSE this Bill, it is unnecessary and will kill human beings for research purposes. There is a good ethical alternative that is successful: adult stem cells.
Fetus Farming Prohibition Act
S. 3504
Sponsored by Sens. Rick Santorum, R-PA, and Sam Brownback, R-Kan.
This Bill would make it a federal crime for a researcher to use tissue from a human baby who has been gestated in a woman’s womb – or an animal womb – for experimentation.
Please SUPPORT this Bill because some scientists have already gestated animals for research and would like to gestate human beings up to some point where they could harvest the tissues they want.
Your support of this Bill will stop this unethical practice before it progresses to human harvesting.
Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act
S. 2754
Sponsored by Sen. Rick Santorum, R-PA, and Arlen Spector, R-PA
This Bill would encourage scientists to seek ethical stem cell alternatives. SUPPORT this Bill.
Please express your support and opposition to these Bills by contacting your U.S. Senators before the vote on Tuesday, July 18.
Tell them NO on H.R. 810, YES on S. 3504 and YES on S.2754.
----- 8 -----
Take a Stand for Life
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
[Received in email; no URL]
The Senate is poised to take up three important bills Monday and Tuesday involving human embryonic stem-cell research and cloning. If you have not already contacted your senators, we encourage you to let them know you support the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act, S. 3504, and oppose the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, H.R. 810, which has already passed the House.
You may e-mail your lawmakers by clicking on the blue Take Action button on the right side of this e-mail which will log you in to our Action Center.
----- 9 -----
House Marriage-Protection Vote Nears
Effort would place the definition of marriage in the U.S. Constituti
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0041232.cfm
Congress is gearing up to vote Tuesday on the federal Marriage Protection Amendment. Amanda Banks, federal issues analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said pro-family activists expect to have a simple majority in the House, as they did in 2004 — but it will take more than that to succeed.
"We'd like to be moving in the direction of a two-thirds majority, which is what we need to pass it through the House," she said. "It's important for members of Congress to hear from their constituents right away, so that they are encouraged to vote for marriage."
[...]
TAKE ACTION:
Contact your U.S. representative today and ask him or her to support the federal Marriage Protection Amendment — the only sure defense of marriage from redefinition.
[More at URL]
----- 10 -----
South Dakota Abortion Ban Hits A Bump on the Way to the Ballot
Additional language spells out that a court challenge could lead to attorneys' fees.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041226.cfm
South Dakota's abortion ban will be placed in front of voters in November, but a controversy has arisen over language added to what people will see in the voting booth.
The additional text asserts that the state will have to pay attorneys' fees if the law is challenged and the state loses in court.
[More at URL]
----- 11 -----
Senate Supports 'In God We Trust'
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041231.cfm
The Senate unanimously passed on Wednesday a resolution which celebrates, commemorates and reaffirms the national motto.
"In God We Trust" was adopted as the U.S. motto on July 30, 1956, yet it has been the embodiment of our nations' ideals and foundation since its birth.
[...]
"One of the implicit purposes of the Resolution was to send a clear message to the courts in this country," he said, "that the national motto is not something to be tinkered with in order to calm the offended sensibilities of secularists bent on scrubbing all references to God from the public square."
Dr. Dobson stressed the importance of the House passing the resolution as well.
[...]
TAKE ACTION:
You can contact your U.S. representative through the CitizenLink Action Center.
----- 12 -----
Michael Schiavo Using Wife's Death to Aid Candidates
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041229.cfm
Michael Schiavo, husband of the late Terri Schiavo — the disabled woman who was starved and dehydrated to death by court order in March 2005 — crashed a Wednesday campaign event for Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo. He condemned her for trying to intervene in his wife's death, the Greeley Tribune reported.
[More at URL]
----- 13 -----
FCC Examines Sports Broadcasts for Profanity
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041228.cfm
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has requested to see tapes of at least 30 live sporting events in order to scan for inappropriate comments from coaches, athletes — even overzealous spectators — that might have made it on the air, Reuters reported.
[...]
"I don't know how they are going to rule, but they asked us for tapes with a specific emphasis on crowd noise," said one executive who wanted to remain anonymous. "If some bozo in the crowd calls the ref an (expletive), the commission is asking for a copy of the tape."
Legislation passed last month by Congress and signed by President Bush increased maximum fines for indecency violations from $32,500 to $325,000 per incident.
[More at URL]
----- 14 -----
Conservative Teachers Challenge NEA's Pro-Gay Resolution
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041227.cfm
A resolution adopted by the National Education Association (NEA) last week in support of gay marriage is prompting pro-family teachers to seek alternatives to a liberal union, The Baptist Press reported.
The nation's largest teachers union added to a resolution about discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identification the phrase "should not affect the legal rights and obligations of the partners in a legally-recognized domestic partnership, civil union, or marriage."
The Conservative Educators Caucus (CEC) opposes the adopted language and the NEA's collaboration with homosexual activists to craft the resolution.
[More at URL]
----- 15 -----
Fighting for Their Voice
An inside look at an organization backing the gay agenda in public schools.
by C. Sulley Cushman
Focus on the Family
Commentary
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/commentary/a0041208.cfm
For a modern-day illustration of the old adage that actions speak louder than words, look no further than the homosexual-activist community.
They use words like "tolerance," "acceptance," and "understanding," but their actions consist of lawsuits and, occasionally, even threats of physical violence.
[More at URL]
TAKE ACTION:
Invite youth in your neighborhood to attend a Love Won Out event. For more information on how to schedule one, visit the Web site. When a school invites a pro-homosexual speaker or sponsors GLSEN events, you also can insist that it is legally required to give a balanced presentation by including the ex-gay perspective. A federal court ruled that schools cannot practice "viewpoint discrimination" when teaching about homosexuality. To find ex-gay speakers in your area, contact Exodus.
----- 16 -----
Boy Scout Marina Case Appealed to Supreme Court
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041212.cfm
The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court a California Supreme Court decision that affirmed the Berkeley Marina's denial of free access for boats belonging to the Boy Scouts of America.
According to WorldNetDaily.com, the Sea Scouts, a division of the Boy Scouts, had used the marina at no charge since the 1930s — until the Berkeley City Council demanded in 1998 that the organization admit homosexuals and atheists or else pay a fee. Berkeley offers free access to other non-profit organizations. Some scouts dropped out of the program because they cannot afford the fees.
[More at URL]
----- 17 -----
Higher Fines Move Broadcasters to Defend Against Indecency
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041213.cfm
Broadcasters are finally taking action after Congress passed legislation last month raising maximum fines for indecency ten-fold. Radio and TV stations are scrambling to find ways to keep out of trouble, the Washington Post reported.
Facing the possibility of a $325,000 fine per incident, broadcasters have created a spike in business for companies that manufacture tools to keep objectionable material off the air, such as time-delay machines that allow stations to excise foul language before it can hit the air.
[More at URL]
----- 18 -----
Boy to Attend Kindergarten as a Girl
A counselor claims the student believes he is the opposite sex.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041211.cfm
A 5-year-old boy in Florida will begin kindergarten this year -- as a girl.
After visiting a counselor, he was diagnosed as having gender dysphoria, a condition in which the person believes he or she is the opposite sex. [Ed. Note: Note the way they trivialise this and imply it's something manufactured by the therapist. This was not some one-off visit.]
According to Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Broward County schools have the most progressive gender policies in the state. Jody Huckaby, executive director of PFLAG, said this fall school officials will be put to the test when the first transgendered kindergartner arrives at school.
"We’re finding that more and more parents have scientific and medical resources to turn to," he told Family News in Focus. "Therefore, school systems have been adapting to the research that’s out there to make accommodations for these kids."
But science is not abundant in this area. Dr. Warren Throckmorton, a sexual orientation researcher, said gender dysphoria is considered treatable by the American Psychological Association. [Ed. Note: Um, yeah. Through gender reassignment. Not that you want people to know that, you worthless hack.]
[...]
John Paulk, former manager of gender issues at Focus on the Family, is outraged. [Ed. Note: Of course.]
[More at URL]
----- 19 -----
Another Win for Traditional Marriage - Sort Of
Faith and Freedom Network
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
http://www.faithandfreedom.us/weblog/2006/07/another-win-for-traditional-marriage.html
Massachusetts' Supreme Court ruled yesterday, 7-0, that gay activists have no legal footing to keep citizens from voting on a resident-initiated state constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
This past January, an organization called, GLAD - Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders - filed a lawsuit challenging the Massachusetts' Attorney General's certification of the amendment.
[More at URL]
----- 20 -----
Top Bush Aid Confirms President Will Veto Stem-Cell Bill
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 11, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041202.cfm
White House aide Karl Rove told The Denver Post Monday that if Congress approves legislation aimed at lifting restrictions on the federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, it's very likely President Bush will, for the first time since taking office, exercise the power of the veto.
In August 2001, Bush established a policy limiting federal funding of controversial embryonic stem-cell research to certain stem-cell lines already in existence. Bush has publicly pledged to support a "culture of life" in which human embryos are not created or used for experimentation.
[More at URL]
----- 21 -----
Teachers Have Non-NEA Options
Union's recent backing of gay marriage leaves conservative educators with tough choices to make.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 11, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041197.cfm
The National Education Association (NEA) ended its annual convention over the weekend with a vote to support homosexual marriage. Conservative teachers will probably find the position hard to support, especially with their dues -- but they do have options when looking for alternatives.
Initially, educators become members for the insurance benefits and legal protection. But when they find out about the NEA's stands on controversial issues, they often feel trapped.
Tracey Bailey of the Association of American Educators (AEE) said all is not lost.
"They can get twice the coverage for about a third of the price from other organizations like ours," she told Family News in Focus. "They can also choose to be a religious objector. They can send all of their union dues to a charity; we can help them understand how to exercise their legal rights."
[More at URL]
----- 22 -----
Virginia Woman Charged Again With Killing Her Preborn Child
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 11, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041201.cfm
A woman who was tried in February for ending a full-term pregnancy by shooting herself in the stomach has been charged a second time, according to the Suffolk News-Herald.
A general district-court judge in May cleared Tammy W. Skinner, 22, of the charge of inducing an abortion.
[More at URL]
----- 23 -----
Gay Activists Push Worldwide Agenda
Family experts say cries for "tolerance" will lead to intolerance for the Church.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 10, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041183.cfm
Gay activists are trying to expose what they call the "oppression" of homosexuals around the world.
Pointing to violence and bolstered by renewed interest from the State Department, the activists hope to normalize homosexual behavior -- targeting what they consider to be trouble spots, including Africa, Eastern Europe and some Islamic countries.
Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, said the cries for "tolerance" will result in intolerance toward people with deeply held religious beliefs.
"The homosexuals are trying basically to establish a legal right, a civil right, for immoral acts," he said. "If this happens then they can use that as a bludgeon against the church."
[More at URL]
----- 24 -----
Family Group Sues University Over Domestic-Partner Benefits
Suit claims Michigan State University's policy violates marriage-protection amendment.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 10, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041182.cfm
The American Family Association of Michigan (AFAM) filed suit against Michigan State University (MSU) last week after the school began offering health-insurance benefits to partners of gay employees. AFAM charges that it violates an amendment to the state's constitution protecting marriage.
Gary Glenn, president of AFAM, said the benefit scheme is an attempt to create an alternate universe to marriage.
"The long-term strategy is to have legal recognition established under some other term, some other name, other than 'marriage,' " he said. "Michigan State's eligibility criteria for this benefits offering clearly attempts to mimic the legal definition of marriage found in Michigan law."
[More at URL]
----- 25 -----
Sen. Graham Blocks Conservative Judicial Nominee
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 10, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041188.cfm
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is blocking conservative William "Jim" Haynes’ judicial nomination to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Haynes has been a Defense Department lawyer and a key official in protecting the United States since the Sept. 11 attacks. According to William Greene, president of the conservative online activist-organization RightMarch.com, “supporting Haynes would be a vote of confidence for our war on terror.”
[More at URL]
----- 26 -----
God's Way or My Way
by Frank Peretti
Focus on the Family
Focus Resource Centre
http://www.family.org/resources/itempg.cfm?itemid=3803&refcd=CE06GCZL&tvar=no
Who's On First?
In this unusual presentation, best-selling author Frank Peretti explains our two choices for living: we place God on the throne of our lives, or we replace Him with humanism, mysticism, harmful philosophies, or the lust for power and control.
Marketwatch article on the surge in ads placed around the Gay Games in Chicago talks about anti-gay boycotts and related efforts;
Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World demonstrates exactly how bizarrely wrong the fundamentalists are on GBLT marriage rights and marriage has an institution;
Nebraska Supreme Court upholds state Constitutional amendment banning marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships; Focus on the Family is most pleased; also, Tennessee's anti-marriage amendment can go to the ballot; includes ACTION ITEM to support Federal anti-marriage amendment;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM to oppose embryonic stem-cell research bill in Congress;
The Nevada fundamentalist high school student who swapped out her planned speech for a sermon and got cut off is suing the school for turning off her microphone;
Focus on the Family can't take their victory and go, they have to slam "judicial arrogance" for not agreeing with them enough that the Massachusetts anti-marriage amendment could get to the ballot if approved by the legislature; interestingly, we learn that even fundies like The Wrath of Khan; anyway, it includes an ACTION ITEM to support a Federal anti-marriage amendment;
The Faith and Freedom Network sends out an ACTION ITEM to oppose stem-cell research via the same lineup of bills (and same support/oppose marching orders) as we've seen out of Focus on the Family and other fundamentalist groups;
Another Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against embryonic stem-cell research;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM - yet another - on the House vote on the anti-marriage "Marriage Protection Amendment";
FotF reports that the South Dakota abortion ban citizen's initiative - apparently having passed a comprehensive ban in the legislature wasn't good enough, they're working on an initiative - has a note in the ballot description noting that if the state is sued and loses, it'll probably have to pay attourney's fees; fundamentalists are upset that's in there;
FotF ACTION ITEM to demand the House of Representatives pass a resolution supporting "In God we Trust" as the national motto;
FotF ACTION ITEM against Michael Schiavo, who they continue to describe as the state-sanctioned murderer of a "disabled woman"; the weird thing about this ACTION ITEM is that there's no specific action mentioned, even though they've tagged it with their "ACTION" label;
The FCC has requested tapes of 30 live sporting events to look for "inappropriate comments" being made by spectators with the possibility of leveling indecency fines if any such commentary made it out over the air; Focus on the Family gleefully notes the massive surge in fines they helped get passed, so say goodbye to live sporting events and hello, tape-delay, if Focus on the Family's friends at the FCC have their way;
FotF reports on anti-gay teachers in the NEA opposing NEA language saying that legally-recognised civil unions, domestic partnerships, and marriages should be respected; note again the use of "Concerned," which has come to mean "fuckhead" in local lexicon;
FotF rails against GBLT-rights groups as violent and hateful; in particular, they have a hate-on for GLSEN; includes an ACTION ITEM to support their "ex-gay" "Love Won Out" ministry;
Focus on the Family support-article on the Boy Scouts and their continued receipt of public funding despite explicit discrimination on the basis of religion - and also against GBLT people, of course, but there's no Federal antidiscrimination law on that basis, of course;
FotF reports on surging sales of broadcast-delay machines in response to new higher FCC fines for indecency;
FotF extensively quotes CWA wonk Warren Throckmorton in an attack-piece on the idea of gender dysphoria - the case bringing it up is the five year old in Florida; "John Paulk, former manager of gender issues at Focus on the Family, is outraged." Well, duh;
Faith and Freedom Network echos Focus on the Family's line about the Massachusetts Supreme Court ruling mentioned above; gosh, I wonder if they've got the same subscriptions I do;
FotF reports Bush pledge to veto any expansion of embryonic stem cell research;
FotF: "Teachers have Non-NEA Options";
FotF: "A woman who was tried in February for ending a full-term pregnancy by shooting herself in the stomach has been charged a second time, according to the Suffolk News-Herald";
FotF: GBLT rights will destroy churches worldwide;
Fundamentalist group sues Michigan State University over DP benefits for employees, claiming that offering DP benefits violates Michigan's anti-marriage ban; "State universities can't turn around and recognize same-sex marriages by just calling them 'domestic partnerships' or 'civil unions' or anything else";
FotF attacks Sen. Graham (R-SC) for blocking a judicial nominee from his state over his role in supporting the Bush administration's pro-torture policies; Focus on the Family demands the block be lifted;
Focus on the Family pushes one of their presentations which I normally don't list, but this one's interesting in that it makes their view pretty stark: you're with 'em, or you're with Satan: "In this unusual presentation, best-selling author Frank Peretti explains our two choices for living: we place God on the throne of our lives, or we replace Him with humanism, mysticism, harmful philosophies, or the lust for power and control."
----- 1 -----
Corporate giants flock to Gay Games
Well-heeled, loyal consumer a winner for advertisers
By William Spain, MarketWatch
Last Update: 6:21 PM ET Jul 10, 2006
http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/Story.aspx?guid=%7B14BC6C45%2D5FB2%2D415F%2DA30F%2D0308FD0DE507%7D&siteid=
CHICAGO (MarketWatch) -- Even before any weights are lifted, laps swum or races run, the Gay Games VII is looking like a big winner.
With more than $10 million worth of sponsorships already in hand -- and the possibility of a few million more to come -- this year's version of the alternative quadrennial sports competition is already the all-time money champion for any gay event in history.
The Games, featuring a lineup of many of the same sports seen at the Olympics, runs July 15-22 after kicking off at Chicago's Soldier Field. The Games has attracted a blue-chip roster of companies eager to hawk their brands -- and no event to date is more indicative of how mainstream firms have abandoned any inhibitions about marketing to gays.
[...]
Not everyone is enthusiastic. A handful of groups, including the American Family Association, has attacked the Games and attempted to pressure sponsors into bowing out with letter-writing campaigns and threats of boycotts. Their efforts have thus far have failed.
"The AFA has continued to try and intimidate companies but generally speaking, [the companies] have gotten to a place where they simply acknowledge the feedback and explain the reason for their participation," said Mike Wilke, executive director of the Commercial Closet Association, a group which works to educate advertisers on gay perspectives.
[...]
Peter LaBarbera, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, said he is not surprised at the level of sponsorships "because of the whole drift of the corporate culture in this area."
He added that the "they get a lot of free publicity and free goodwill [in the media] because of political correctness."
Groups like his have also been outmaneuvered, he conceded. "We focused on the political game and the gay activists focused on the corporations. They beat us to the punch."
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
Marriage
Raggedy Ann in a Barbie Doll World
July 14, 2006
http://rosepurr.livejournal.com/677555.html
When dad and I had dinner together earlier this week, talk turned rather naturally to marriage. My father is gay, and he and his partner have been together for a number of years. They would like to be married - gold bands, legal obligations, the whole shebang. I asked him if it bothered him that I am getting married while he is still denied the opportunity.
He thought it was an absurd question. He said, "I don't want to rain on anyone else's party. I just want the chance to throw my own."
I pointed out that my work as an activist and supporter of gay marriage is what made me think marriage was something worth considering. Dad laughed and told me that I should write a blog entry about THAT.
[More at URL]
----- 3 -----
Federal Appeals Court Upholds Nebraska Marriage Amendment
Supreme Court in Tennessee also affirms state marriage amendment can be on fall ballot.
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0041247.cfm
Pro-family lawyers rejoiced today as two more court victories were handed down on the side of defending traditional marriage.
In the most important victory, a three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a ruling that stuck down Nebraska's state constitutional amendment that bars same-sex marriage and civil unions.
[...]
No right to same-sex marriage
Chris Stovall, senior legal counsel for the Marriage Litigation Project of the Alliance Defense Fund, said the 8th Circuit decision shoots a hole in the argument that gays have a "right" to same-sex marriage.
"The appeals court held that it does not violate any federal constitutional rights to have a state constitutional amendment limiting marriage to the union of one man and one woman," Stovall told CitizenLink.
David Bydalek, who heads Nebraska Family First, called today's decision "a vindication for the overwhelming majority of Nebraskans who voted to preserve the traditional definition of marriage."
The Nebraska marriage amendment passed in 2000 with the support of 70 percent of the voters. It not only defines marriage to be the union of one man and one woman — it also bans counterfeits to marriage, like civil unions.
[...]
In Tennessee, meanwhile, justices at the state Supreme Court said a proposed marriage-protection amendment can appear on this fall's ballot.
[...]
TAKE ACTION
Contact your U.S. representative today and ask him or her to support the federal Marriage Protection Amendment — the only sure defense of marriage from redefinition.
[More at URL]
----- 4 -----
National Right to Life Urges Congress to Oppose Stem-Cell Bill
Focus on the Family
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041254.cfm
The National Right to Life Committee (NRLC) sent a letter to the U.S. Senate on Thursday urging lawmakers to oppose legislation that requires the killing of human embryos -- and to support a another that protects life.
NRLC asked senators to opposed [sic] H.R. 810, The Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act.
[...]
TAKE ACTION
You may contact your senators through the CitizenLink Action Center.
If you are a CitizenLink Daily Update subscriber, click on the blue "Take Action" button in the e-mail to be automatically logged in to our Action Center. Otherwise, click on this link.
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
Vegas Graduate Whose Speech Was Cut Short Files Lawsuit
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041253.cfm
A Nevada high school valedictorian whose mic was turned off after she mentioned her faith has filed a lawsuit that accuses officials of violating her freedom of speech, The Associated Press reported.
On June 15, Brittany McComb told fellow graduates of Foothills High School and their friends and family about Jesus Christ.
[More at URL]
----- 6 -----
Judicial Arrogance, Wrath of Khan Style
Even in defeat, Massachusetts liberal justices threaten marriage amendment.
[Ed. Note: even the subhead is bizarre. The "defeated" judges voted with the majority, which was the way Focus on the Family wanted.]
by Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst
Focus on the Family
July 14, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/commentary/a0041242.cfm
Do you remember the Star Trek movie subtitled The Wrath of Khan? Khan was a genetically bred superior human, stronger and smarter than average earthlings like Captain Kirk and his crew. There's that moment at the end of the movie during the inevitable battle scene when somehow Kirk and the Enterprise sneak up and deal a devastating blow to Khan, his ship and crew. Khan is dying, his crew is gone and Lt. Uhura sends the "prepare to be boarded" message. Rather than surrender to the inferior humans, Khan triggers a doomsday device designed to destroy both ships and then chillingly utters his big lines: "To the last I grapple with thee. From hell's heart, I stab at thee. For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."
Good stuff.
Of course Khan only succeeds in blowing up what's left of his ship and himself, as the Enterprise suddenly speeds out of harm's way.
I'd always thought Khan's last lines, uttered in total defeat, were the most arrogant statements I'd ever heard.
Until this week.
[...]
TAKE ACTION:
The U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the federal Marriage Protection Amendment on Tuesday. Your representative needs to hear from you. You may contact him or her through the CitizenLink Action Center.
[More at URL]
----- 7 -----
Stem Cell Legislation Scheduled for Tuesday
Faith and Freedom Network
July 13, 2006
[Received in email; no URL]
Not since Scottish researchers cloned Dolly the sheep has there been any discussion about stem cell research and cloning by members of Congress.
Monday, they will begin discussion, with a vote on three Bills on Tuesday, according to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who has publicly broken with President Bush and spoken in favor of embryonic stem cell research.
Three Bills will be considered with no amendments allowed for any of the bills. It will take 60 votes out of 100 to pass any one of these bills.
The Bills are: (Bills can be viewed by clicking the link at the bottom of this email).
Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2005
H.R. 810
Sponsored by Michael Castle, R-Del.
This legislation would require federal funding of research using stem cells obtained by destroying human embryos. This version has already passed the House.
Please OPPOSE this Bill, it is unnecessary and will kill human beings for research purposes. There is a good ethical alternative that is successful: adult stem cells.
Fetus Farming Prohibition Act
S. 3504
Sponsored by Sens. Rick Santorum, R-PA, and Sam Brownback, R-Kan.
This Bill would make it a federal crime for a researcher to use tissue from a human baby who has been gestated in a woman’s womb – or an animal womb – for experimentation.
Please SUPPORT this Bill because some scientists have already gestated animals for research and would like to gestate human beings up to some point where they could harvest the tissues they want.
Your support of this Bill will stop this unethical practice before it progresses to human harvesting.
Alternative Pluripotent Stem Cell Therapies Enhancement Act
S. 2754
Sponsored by Sen. Rick Santorum, R-PA, and Arlen Spector, R-PA
This Bill would encourage scientists to seek ethical stem cell alternatives. SUPPORT this Bill.
Please express your support and opposition to these Bills by contacting your U.S. Senators before the vote on Tuesday, July 18.
Tell them NO on H.R. 810, YES on S. 3504 and YES on S.2754.
----- 8 -----
Take a Stand for Life
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
[Received in email; no URL]
The Senate is poised to take up three important bills Monday and Tuesday involving human embryonic stem-cell research and cloning. If you have not already contacted your senators, we encourage you to let them know you support the Fetus Farming Prohibition Act, S. 3504, and oppose the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act, H.R. 810, which has already passed the House.
You may e-mail your lawmakers by clicking on the blue Take Action button on the right side of this e-mail which will log you in to our Action Center.
----- 9 -----
House Marriage-Protection Vote Nears
Effort would place the definition of marriage in the U.S. Constituti
by Pete Winn, associate editor
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0041232.cfm
Congress is gearing up to vote Tuesday on the federal Marriage Protection Amendment. Amanda Banks, federal issues analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said pro-family activists expect to have a simple majority in the House, as they did in 2004 — but it will take more than that to succeed.
"We'd like to be moving in the direction of a two-thirds majority, which is what we need to pass it through the House," she said. "It's important for members of Congress to hear from their constituents right away, so that they are encouraged to vote for marriage."
[...]
TAKE ACTION:
Contact your U.S. representative today and ask him or her to support the federal Marriage Protection Amendment — the only sure defense of marriage from redefinition.
[More at URL]
----- 10 -----
South Dakota Abortion Ban Hits A Bump on the Way to the Ballot
Additional language spells out that a court challenge could lead to attorneys' fees.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041226.cfm
South Dakota's abortion ban will be placed in front of voters in November, but a controversy has arisen over language added to what people will see in the voting booth.
The additional text asserts that the state will have to pay attorneys' fees if the law is challenged and the state loses in court.
[More at URL]
----- 11 -----
Senate Supports 'In God We Trust'
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041231.cfm
The Senate unanimously passed on Wednesday a resolution which celebrates, commemorates and reaffirms the national motto.
"In God We Trust" was adopted as the U.S. motto on July 30, 1956, yet it has been the embodiment of our nations' ideals and foundation since its birth.
[...]
"One of the implicit purposes of the Resolution was to send a clear message to the courts in this country," he said, "that the national motto is not something to be tinkered with in order to calm the offended sensibilities of secularists bent on scrubbing all references to God from the public square."
Dr. Dobson stressed the importance of the House passing the resolution as well.
[...]
TAKE ACTION:
You can contact your U.S. representative through the CitizenLink Action Center.
----- 12 -----
Michael Schiavo Using Wife's Death to Aid Candidates
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041229.cfm
Michael Schiavo, husband of the late Terri Schiavo — the disabled woman who was starved and dehydrated to death by court order in March 2005 — crashed a Wednesday campaign event for Rep. Marilyn Musgrave, R-Colo. He condemned her for trying to intervene in his wife's death, the Greeley Tribune reported.
[More at URL]
----- 13 -----
FCC Examines Sports Broadcasts for Profanity
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041228.cfm
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has requested to see tapes of at least 30 live sporting events in order to scan for inappropriate comments from coaches, athletes — even overzealous spectators — that might have made it on the air, Reuters reported.
[...]
"I don't know how they are going to rule, but they asked us for tapes with a specific emphasis on crowd noise," said one executive who wanted to remain anonymous. "If some bozo in the crowd calls the ref an (expletive), the commission is asking for a copy of the tape."
Legislation passed last month by Congress and signed by President Bush increased maximum fines for indecency violations from $32,500 to $325,000 per incident.
[More at URL]
----- 14 -----
Conservative Teachers Challenge NEA's Pro-Gay Resolution
Focus on the Family
July 13, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041227.cfm
A resolution adopted by the National Education Association (NEA) last week in support of gay marriage is prompting pro-family teachers to seek alternatives to a liberal union, The Baptist Press reported.
The nation's largest teachers union added to a resolution about discrimination based on race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identification the phrase "should not affect the legal rights and obligations of the partners in a legally-recognized domestic partnership, civil union, or marriage."
The Conservative Educators Caucus (CEC) opposes the adopted language and the NEA's collaboration with homosexual activists to craft the resolution.
[More at URL]
----- 15 -----
Fighting for Their Voice
An inside look at an organization backing the gay agenda in public schools.
by C. Sulley Cushman
Focus on the Family
Commentary
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/commentary/a0041208.cfm
For a modern-day illustration of the old adage that actions speak louder than words, look no further than the homosexual-activist community.
They use words like "tolerance," "acceptance," and "understanding," but their actions consist of lawsuits and, occasionally, even threats of physical violence.
[More at URL]
TAKE ACTION:
Invite youth in your neighborhood to attend a Love Won Out event. For more information on how to schedule one, visit the Web site. When a school invites a pro-homosexual speaker or sponsors GLSEN events, you also can insist that it is legally required to give a balanced presentation by including the ex-gay perspective. A federal court ruled that schools cannot practice "viewpoint discrimination" when teaching about homosexuality. To find ex-gay speakers in your area, contact Exodus.
----- 16 -----
Boy Scout Marina Case Appealed to Supreme Court
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041212.cfm
The Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) is appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court a California Supreme Court decision that affirmed the Berkeley Marina's denial of free access for boats belonging to the Boy Scouts of America.
According to WorldNetDaily.com, the Sea Scouts, a division of the Boy Scouts, had used the marina at no charge since the 1930s — until the Berkeley City Council demanded in 1998 that the organization admit homosexuals and atheists or else pay a fee. Berkeley offers free access to other non-profit organizations. Some scouts dropped out of the program because they cannot afford the fees.
[More at URL]
----- 17 -----
Higher Fines Move Broadcasters to Defend Against Indecency
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041213.cfm
Broadcasters are finally taking action after Congress passed legislation last month raising maximum fines for indecency ten-fold. Radio and TV stations are scrambling to find ways to keep out of trouble, the Washington Post reported.
Facing the possibility of a $325,000 fine per incident, broadcasters have created a spike in business for companies that manufacture tools to keep objectionable material off the air, such as time-delay machines that allow stations to excise foul language before it can hit the air.
[More at URL]
----- 18 -----
Boy to Attend Kindergarten as a Girl
A counselor claims the student believes he is the opposite sex.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 12, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041211.cfm
A 5-year-old boy in Florida will begin kindergarten this year -- as a girl.
After visiting a counselor, he was diagnosed as having gender dysphoria, a condition in which the person believes he or she is the opposite sex. [Ed. Note: Note the way they trivialise this and imply it's something manufactured by the therapist. This was not some one-off visit.]
According to Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), the Broward County schools have the most progressive gender policies in the state. Jody Huckaby, executive director of PFLAG, said this fall school officials will be put to the test when the first transgendered kindergartner arrives at school.
"We’re finding that more and more parents have scientific and medical resources to turn to," he told Family News in Focus. "Therefore, school systems have been adapting to the research that’s out there to make accommodations for these kids."
But science is not abundant in this area. Dr. Warren Throckmorton, a sexual orientation researcher, said gender dysphoria is considered treatable by the American Psychological Association. [Ed. Note: Um, yeah. Through gender reassignment. Not that you want people to know that, you worthless hack.]
[...]
John Paulk, former manager of gender issues at Focus on the Family, is outraged. [Ed. Note: Of course.]
[More at URL]
----- 19 -----
Another Win for Traditional Marriage - Sort Of
Faith and Freedom Network
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
http://www.faithandfreedom.us/weblog/2006/07/another-win-for-traditional-marriage.html
Massachusetts' Supreme Court ruled yesterday, 7-0, that gay activists have no legal footing to keep citizens from voting on a resident-initiated state constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
This past January, an organization called, GLAD - Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders - filed a lawsuit challenging the Massachusetts' Attorney General's certification of the amendment.
[More at URL]
----- 20 -----
Top Bush Aid Confirms President Will Veto Stem-Cell Bill
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 11, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041202.cfm
White House aide Karl Rove told The Denver Post Monday that if Congress approves legislation aimed at lifting restrictions on the federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, it's very likely President Bush will, for the first time since taking office, exercise the power of the veto.
In August 2001, Bush established a policy limiting federal funding of controversial embryonic stem-cell research to certain stem-cell lines already in existence. Bush has publicly pledged to support a "culture of life" in which human embryos are not created or used for experimentation.
[More at URL]
----- 21 -----
Teachers Have Non-NEA Options
Union's recent backing of gay marriage leaves conservative educators with tough choices to make.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 11, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041197.cfm
The National Education Association (NEA) ended its annual convention over the weekend with a vote to support homosexual marriage. Conservative teachers will probably find the position hard to support, especially with their dues -- but they do have options when looking for alternatives.
Initially, educators become members for the insurance benefits and legal protection. But when they find out about the NEA's stands on controversial issues, they often feel trapped.
Tracey Bailey of the Association of American Educators (AEE) said all is not lost.
"They can get twice the coverage for about a third of the price from other organizations like ours," she told Family News in Focus. "They can also choose to be a religious objector. They can send all of their union dues to a charity; we can help them understand how to exercise their legal rights."
[More at URL]
----- 22 -----
Virginia Woman Charged Again With Killing Her Preborn Child
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 11, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041201.cfm
A woman who was tried in February for ending a full-term pregnancy by shooting herself in the stomach has been charged a second time, according to the Suffolk News-Herald.
A general district-court judge in May cleared Tammy W. Skinner, 22, of the charge of inducing an abortion.
[More at URL]
----- 23 -----
Gay Activists Push Worldwide Agenda
Family experts say cries for "tolerance" will lead to intolerance for the Church.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 10, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041183.cfm
Gay activists are trying to expose what they call the "oppression" of homosexuals around the world.
Pointing to violence and bolstered by renewed interest from the State Department, the activists hope to normalize homosexual behavior -- targeting what they consider to be trouble spots, including Africa, Eastern Europe and some Islamic countries.
Jeff King, president of International Christian Concern, said the cries for "tolerance" will result in intolerance toward people with deeply held religious beliefs.
"The homosexuals are trying basically to establish a legal right, a civil right, for immoral acts," he said. "If this happens then they can use that as a bludgeon against the church."
[More at URL]
----- 24 -----
Family Group Sues University Over Domestic-Partner Benefits
Suit claims Michigan State University's policy violates marriage-protection amendment.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
July 10, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0041182.cfm
The American Family Association of Michigan (AFAM) filed suit against Michigan State University (MSU) last week after the school began offering health-insurance benefits to partners of gay employees. AFAM charges that it violates an amendment to the state's constitution protecting marriage.
Gary Glenn, president of AFAM, said the benefit scheme is an attempt to create an alternate universe to marriage.
"The long-term strategy is to have legal recognition established under some other term, some other name, other than 'marriage,' " he said. "Michigan State's eligibility criteria for this benefits offering clearly attempts to mimic the legal definition of marriage found in Michigan law."
[More at URL]
----- 25 -----
Sen. Graham Blocks Conservative Judicial Nominee
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
July 10, 2006
http://www.family.org/cforum/briefs/a0041188.cfm
Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is blocking conservative William "Jim" Haynes’ judicial nomination to the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Haynes has been a Defense Department lawyer and a key official in protecting the United States since the Sept. 11 attacks. According to William Greene, president of the conservative online activist-organization RightMarch.com, “supporting Haynes would be a vote of confidence for our war on terror.”
[More at URL]
----- 26 -----
God's Way or My Way
by Frank Peretti
Focus on the Family
Focus Resource Centre
http://www.family.org/resources/itempg.cfm?itemid=3803&refcd=CE06GCZL&tvar=no
Who's On First?
In this unusual presentation, best-selling author Frank Peretti explains our two choices for living: we place God on the throne of our lives, or we replace Him with humanism, mysticism, harmful philosophies, or the lust for power and control.
