Today's Cultural Warfare Update (1 of 2)
Apr. 13th, 2007 10:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdThis isn't really a CWU item per se', but a straw-poll (not scientific, not reproduced, etc) lets visitors to the American Family Association website vote for the party and candidate of their choice. Right now, 93.3% of those voting identify themselves as Republicans, and the clear leader on the Republican side is Fred Thompson at 27,068 votes; Mitt Romney isn't fooling anyone at 8,703; Rudy Giuliani is at 6,670. I would personally suggest that the difference between those two are the percent who buy into Mitt Romney's "hey, I'm a theoconservative now!" dance, or who don't, but think he'll go along with it if given power. Newt Gingrich, who isn't even officially running yet, is actually in second at 10,799.
But now, today's news.
Washington State passes bill saying that "abstinence-only education" is bullshit, and shouldn't be taught - abstinence can be, but not alone. Theocons assert that comprehensive sex ecuation is, and I quote, "like giving your child a loaded weapon and saying, 'Go play.'";
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM to support abortion-funding ban in Oklahoma;
Coalition of fundamentalist groups - The Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, American Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and Safe Drugs for Women - sue to stop sales of Plan B, the emergency contraception pill that the fundamentalist movement likes to describe as an abortion drug. This allegation is, of course, a lie. However, the AAPS is kind of new to me, so I've done a little digging and can point to an article, albeit not a primary source. But they are involved in anti-gay activities, AIDS-denial quackery, and anti-vaccination quackery;
This article on the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons isn't a primary source, which I dislike, but it includes a variety of extensive quotes and links to more sources; "highlights" include condemnation of contraception, support for "ex-gay" movements, endorsement of creationism and condemnation of evolutionary theory as a conspiracy, and blames parental treatment for autism;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against including sexual orientation in the hate-crimes bill; Family Research Council also condemns it, and urges Chief Executive Bush to veto the legislation; Concerned Women for America's Matt Barber gives CWA's opposition; this one is lighter than usual on the "special rights" language;
Focus on the Family upset that a billboard company refused ads for their "ex-gay" quackery conference;
FotF continues their "being gay and being Christian is impossible"; the latest iteration is "Author Dispels Myth that Homosexuality is Compatible with Scripture"; the author is part of the "ex-gay" movement; he's a regular at their "gay conversion" conferences;
FotF tut-tuts New Orleans efforts to attract lesbian and gay tourists - they oppose marketing that includes GBLT people, as part of their effort to impoverish queers;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick reversing former-governor Mitt Romney's decision to use a 1913 miscegenation law to prevent marriage ceremonies between out-of-state gay and lesbian couples;
Focus on the Family describes stem-cell research as "life-destroying," as they are apt to do;
New Hampshire state House kills - overwhelmingly - an anti-gay constitutional amendment; Focus on the Family condemns them, quoting a supporter as saying the House is "telling the people they don't have a right to vote on this constitutional amendment";
Focus on the Family condemns drug maker Eli Lilly for opposing an anti-gay anti-marriage amendment in Indiana, calling it an "assault on hoosier values"; it's also an ACTION ITEM to thank NFL coach Tony Dungy for attacking the rights and character of GBLT people;
Focus on the Family and Concerned Women for America condemn any effort to revive an Equal Rights Amendment banning government discrimination on the basis of gender in law, calling it pro-abortion and pro-gay-rights";
Theoconservatives continue to go after Dr. George Tiller, who they call "Tiller the Killer," as an abortion-providing doctor in Kansas; a legislative committee is now intervening, trying to get the 30 tossed-out misdemeanor charges against him reinstated by ordering the atty. general to file a new round of changes;
FotF news article condemning Minnesota Senate vote to let same-sex partners of state employees participate in the state health-insurance program, calling it "a move toward redefining marriage";
New Hampshire House approves civil unions; Focus on the Family, expectably, is not pleased, calling it a "gay-marriage bill in disguise";
Non-binding resolution supporting an anti-gay anti-marriage amendment passes with 57% of the vote in Alaska;
----- 1 -----
Washington Lawmakers Reject Abstinence-Only Education
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004363.cfm
If a school in Washington chooses to teach sex education, it would not be allowed to teach abstinence-only curriculum under a bill passed by the state's House on Wednesday.
The Senate passed the measure in March, so it now goes to Gov. Christine Gregoire, who is expected to sign it.
[...]
Under the measure, schools could choose not to offer any sex education, or they could follow the state-mandated curriculum, which means abstinence could only be taught alongside contraceptive use.
[...]
Opponents said it weakens the abstinence message, doesn't offer proper notification to parents, and takes away local control.
"We're talking about children," said Rep. Bob Sump. "It's like giving your child a loaded weapon and saying, 'Go play.' "
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
Abortion-Funding Ban Heads to Oklahoma Governor
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004364.cfm
The Oklahoma Legislature has approved a bill that forbids state funds from being spent on abortion services. It now heads to Gov. Brad Henry.
According to LifeNews.com, Republican Rep. John Wright, sponsor of the bill, said taxpayers don’t want to be forced to fund the killing of preborn children.
TAKE ACTION
If you live in Oklahoma and would like to encourage the governor to sign the abortion-funding ban, you may contact him 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.
----- 3 -----
Pro-Family Groups Sue FDA Over 'Morning-After Pill'
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004365.cfm
In an effort to overturn a decision to allow the so-called morning-after pill to be sold over-the-counter, The Family Research Council (FRC) and other groups Thursday sued the FDA and FDA Commissioner
In an effort to overturn a decision to allow the so-called morning-after pill to be sold over-the-counter, The Family Research Council (FRC) and other groups Thursday sued the FDA and FDA Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach.
In August, the FDA approved nonprescription sales of the drug known as Plan B to women 18 or older.
FRC, along with Concerned Women for America, American Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and Safe Drugs for Women, filed suit in U.S. district court.
FRC President Tony Perkins said the FDA "must hold itself to high standards of accountability and resist those who seek to politicize women's health."
"However, the FDA sacrificed women's health and committed unprecedented violations of the law by approving the morning-after pill for over-the-counter use," he added. "The agency bowed to heavy-handed political pressure from Sens. (Hillary) Clinton and (Patty) Murray who misused their power by holding up confirmation of the FDA commissioner."
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Click here to view the suit.
----- 4 -----
Strange Bedfellows
Neurodiversity
Mar 12, 06:00 PM
http://neurodiversity.com/weblog/article/91/strange-bedfellows
Promoters of the hypothesis that autism is a common adverse reaction to vaccination rely heavily upon articles published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons (JPandS, originally Medical Sentinel). Previous perusals of JPandS tables of contents left me with the general impression that its sponsors tended toward the conservative end of the political spectrum. I therefore decided to make a comprehensive survey of the website of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, to get a sense of the convictions driving its editorial policies.
[...]
AAPS opposes the concept of evidence-based medicine, warning its members that:
The Cold War lives on at the AAPS. Illegal drug use is regarded as a weapon of Russian domination; generation-spanning conspiracies are envisioned, their purpose to enslave the citizens of the United States.
AAPS opposes the provision of abortion by physicians to patients who seek it. AAPS supports pharmacists who refuse to fill prescriptions for contraceptives, and opposes over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill.
AAPS discourages federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, and describes embryonic stem-cell researchers as scheming to “pick taxpayers’ pockets” rather than seeking to expand scientific knowledge to relieve human suffering:
AIDS denialist Peter Duesberg presents his theories as a guest of AAPS. Fellow AIDS denialist Nathaniel Lehrman — advisor to the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) — judges homosexuality as inherently conducive to crime and disease:
A rehabilitation doctor with no declared expertise in autism offers advice on autism prevention. Edward Harshman makes reference only to a psychiatry textbook and a general article on autism prevalence, with no acknowledgement of the considerable body of research disputing theories that propose that autism is a maladaptive emotional response to social influences or parental behavior.
[More at URL]
----- 5 -----
Hate-Crimes Bill Introduced in Senate
Legislation would add extra penalties based on motivation.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000004366.cfm
A bill to add federal penalties for crimes involving sexual orientation or gender identity was introduced in the Senate on Thursday. If passed, the measure would give sexual preference special protections comparable to that given race and religious belief.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., has bipartisan support. Patrick Sammon, president of the pro-gay Log Cabin Republicans, said the additional legal cover is needed.
“This isn’t just symbolism," he said. "This bill provides important protections and resources that will benefit and help law enforcement agencies across the country.”
But Matt Barber, policy director for cultural issues at Concerned Women for America, pointed out there are already laws to protect everyone from violent crime.
“There’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that homosexuals or transgender people are not receiving equal protection or equal justice under the law,” he said. “The weight of the evidence establishes that their true motive is to silence any criticism of their homosexual lifestyle.”
Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council, called the bill a well-intentioned but bad idea.
“What we’ll probably see is this bill passing both the House and the Senate as it has in the past," he said. "It will be up to President Bush to draw that final line in the sand.”
TAKE ACTION: Let your representative and senators know what you think about hate-crimes legislation. You may contact them 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.
http://vocusgr.vocus.com/GRSPACE2/dotnet/WebPublish/controller.aspx?SiteName=FOTF&Definition=Home&XSL=Home&SV_Section=Home
----- 6 -----
Billboard Company Refuses Ex-Gay Ads
Competitor stands up for free speech.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000004367.cfm
Focus on the Family's Love Won Out Conference is in Omaha, Neb., this weekend, but one billboard company doesn’t want anyone to know about it.
Over the years, Love Won Out has traveled to 43 cities sharing the message that it's possible to break free from homosexuality. The event is regularly advertised on billboards. But when conference organizers contacted billboard company Waitt Outdoor for the Omaha conference, they were turned down. Melissa Fryrear, director of gender issues at Focus on the Family, said no explanation was offered.
"There is nothing objectionable about the billboard whatsoever. The message is, ‘I questioned homosexuality. Change is possible. Discover how,’ " she explained. " It's obviously a message of hope.”
[...]
----- 7 -----
Author Dispels Myth that Homosexuality is Compatible with Scripture
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000004368.cfm
In his new book The Gay Gospel? How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible, Joe Dallas dissects the rhetoric of the gay Christian movement.
Dallas, a featured speaker at Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conferences since they began in 1998, spent six years on staff with a pro-gay church. He opens the book writing, “I remember clearly, and with inexpressible regret, the day I convinced myself it was acceptable to be both gay and Christian.”
[More at URL]
----- 8 -----
Welcome Back to Gay Orleans
Focus on the Family
4-2-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004277.cfm
Still coming back after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans wants to rekindle its tourism appeal by targeting gay and lesbian travelers, The Associated Press reported.
New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corp. will release a guidebook to promote attractions popular with homosexual visitors – such as gay bars, bookstores and community centers. Activities such as Mardi Gras, Southern Decadence and Halloween also are featured.
[More at URL]
----- 9 -----
Mass. Governor Stands Against Traditional Marriage
Reversing Romney's decision, he orders out-of-state unions to be recorded.
by Jennifer Mesko, associate editor
Focus on the Family
4-2-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000004282.cfm
As the new sheriff in town, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick isn't wasting any time in taking a stand against traditional marriage. On Friday, he ordered the state to officially record the marriages of 26 out-of-state homosexual couples, reversing a decision by his predecessor, Mitt Romney.
Patrick also is seeking to reverse stem-cell research restrictions implemented by Romney, which ban the creation of embryos for the sole purpose of research.
In March 2006, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that Romney could rely on a 1913 state law to prohibit out-of-state homosexual couples from marrying.
"Governor Patrick is placing his personal preference above the law, and that can never be justified, especially as the state's highest constitutional officer," Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute and spokesman for VoteOnMarriage.org, said in a statement.
Messages left at the governor's office were not returned
Lisa Barstow, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Family Institute and VoteOnMarriage.org, said Patrick's move was largely symbolic -- it doesn't affect the legal status of the marriages.
"He is a strong proponent of same-sex marriage and basically a strong opponent of the marriage amendment and citizens' right to vote," Barstow said. "He'll use any available means of persuasion to advocate for same-sex marriage."
Jenny Tyree, associate marriage analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said, "Homosexual activists continue to grasp at anything and everything to punch another hole in marriage in Massachusetts. If twisting the law will help them in their quest to redefine marriage, they are willing to do that and more."
A state amendment to protect traditional marriage could come up for a vote before a joint session of the Legislature as early as May. If it passes, it would hit the ballot in the fall of 2008.
About 8,000 homosexual couples have wed in Massachusetts since 2004, when it became legal.
Tyree said Patrick's actions could affect the entire nation.
"This will encourage homosexuals to make the trip to Massachusetts and attempt to force the issue back in their home states," she said. "And it is likely that they will be supported financially by larger groups who share their goal of redefining marriage for all of society."
TAKE ACTION
Urge Gov. Deval Patrick to honor Massachusetts law and not allow out-of-state gay couples to marry. Visit http://www.Mass.gov and click on "Contact us" to send him a message.
----- 10 -----
Delaware Senate Votes in Favor of Life-Destroying Research
Focus on the Family
3-30-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004260.cfm
After a debate on the nature of life, the Delaware Senate voted 13-7 Thursday on guidelines for controversial stem-cell research.
The News Journal reported that supporters said the bill was intended to "alleviate the pain and suffering of disease." But stem-cell research has so far produced no cures.
The guidelines ban "reproductive" cloning, but that leaves the door open for the cloning of human embryos and for in vitro fertilization clinics to donate embryos -- all to be destroyed for research.
[More at URL]
----- 11 -----
N.H. House Kills Marriage-Protection Amendment
Focus on the Family
3-29-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004249.cfm
New Hampshire voters will not get the chance to decide on a state amendment to protect marriage after the state House voted down the proposal, 233-124, today.
Auburn Republican Dudley Dumaine warned amendment opponents they would be held accountable in the 2008 election.
"I want you on record telling the people they don't have a right to vote on this constitutional amendment," he told The Associated Press.
[More at URL]
----- 12 -----
Will 'Hoosier Values' Drive People Away?
Eli Lilly says marriage amendment would brand Indiana as "intolerant."
by Jennifer Mesko, associate editor
Focus on the Family
3-29-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000004254.cfm
Hoosier values" are under fire in Indiana, and Eli Lilly is the latest combatant.
On Wednesday, the pharmaceutical giant became the state's fourth major company to oppose the proposed marriage amendment, which would define marriage as between one man and one woman.
In a letter to Gov. Mitch Daniels, Lilly claimed the amendment would brand the state as intolerant and could jeopardize domestic-partner benefits.
"I can't believe a company with the stature of Lilly and their enormous legal resources would take a corporate position like this without any specific legal reasoning to back it up," Republican Sen. Brandt Hershman, the amendment's author, told The Indianapolis Star.
Carla Cox, a spokeswoman for Eli Lilly and Co., said the amendment would have a negative impact on the firm.
"It would mainly be around recruiting and retention of employees," she said. "We have employees who are telling us they would leave the company."
Ryan McCann, director of operations and public policy at the Indiana Family Institute (IFI), said he doesn't share Lilly's concerns.
"Their reasoning was a little lacking," he said.
The proposed amendment passed in 2005, but must pass a second time before going to voters as early as November 2008. The Senate approved the amendment earlier this year, and it awaits a vote in a House committee. IFI and other family advocates testified before the committee last week; so did those who oppose the amendment, including manufacturer Cummins and Indianapolis insurer WellPoint. McCann said the opposition's evidence was lacking.
"They didn't really have any proof at all that this would affect their recruiting practices," he said. "It was really kind of sad they were so unprepared."
The House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee will hold its second hearing Tuesday on the amendment. The deadline for the committee to vote is Thursday, April 5.
"They've promised to bring this up, and they've promised to vote on this," McCann said. "We're hoping they keep their word."
The Indiana amendment drew national attention when Tony Dungy, coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, spoke out in favor of it at an IFI banquet last week. McCann, who organized the banquet, praised Dungy.
"We know what strong character he has, and what an asset he's been to Indiana," he said.
Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of issues analysis at Focus on the Family Action, is confident Indiana voters will pass the amendment. She said Lilly's opposition isn't based on any evidence.
"The 27 other states that have passed amendments have not had image issues," Earll said. "I think 'intolerance' is a smoke screen for what they're really saying, which is, 'We want homosexual marriage.'
"If there's any intolerance here, it's these corporate officials who are intolerant of the traditional definition of marriage. And Indiana voters should see that for what it is."
TAKE ACTION
Sign a petition to thank Tony Dungy for bravely sharing his biblical values and taking a stand for marriage as between one man and one woman.
----- 13 -----
Democrat-Led Congress to Reconsider Equal Rights Amendment
Family advocates warn it would bolster abortion and gay marriage.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
3-28-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000004241.cfm
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is resurfacing on Capitol Hill. Supporters claim it would protect women against employment and sexual discrimination, but opponents say feminists are merely using the measure as a vehicle to drive their agenda.
The ERA passed both houses of Congress in 1972, but a constitutional amendment must also be ratified by the states and it fell short by three.
Proponents contend the amendment would clear up issues ranging from hiring and wages to restrictions on women serving in combat, but Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, said it seems to be a good way for feminists to justify their existence.
[...]
Gay activist groups would also benefit. Feminists readily admit they want ERA to address "gender-based hate crimes." Wording in the amendment focuses on sexual discrimination.
"It's pretty clear now that it would give same-sex marriages," Schlafly said. "There is a close alliance between the feminists and the gay-rights movement."
[More at URL]
----- 14 -----
Kansas Lawmakers Push for Tiller Investigation
Focus on the Family
3-27-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004229.cfm
The Kansas House Federal and State Affairs Committee on Monday endorsed a resolution that tells the state attorney general to re-file charges against an abortionist accused of performing illegal late-term abortions, WIBW-TV reported.
[More at URL]
----- 15 -----
Minnesota Senate OKs Insurance Benefits for Same-Sex Partners
Focus on the Family
3-27-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004228.cfm
The Minnesota Senate voted Saturday to let same-sex partners of state employees participate in the state health-insurance program. Opponents called it a move toward redefining marriage.
[...]
Senate Republicans had attempted to remove the domestic-partner benefits, arguing that placing "domestic partnership" into state law could give an activist judge leverage to mandate gay marriage.
[More at URL]
----- 16 -----
New Hampshire House Approves Civil Unions
Focus on the Family
4-4-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004295.cfm
The New Hampshire House passed legislation today that would allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions – with all the rights of married couples, WCSH-TV reported.
The bill, which passed 243-129, had bi-partisan support.
Republican Rep. Nancy Elliott told colleagues the bill was a gay-marriage bill in disguise.
[More at URL]
----- 17 -----
Alaskans Want Chance to Vote on Marriage Amendment
Focus on the Family
4-4-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004296.cfm
In a nonbinding advisory vote, 57 percent of Alaskans said they want a chance to whether the state constitution should be amended to protect the benefits of marriage.
In 1998, voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In spite of that, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in October 2005 that the state must extend benefits to same-sex partners of its employees.
Tuesday's advisory vote was intended to help the governor and state lawmakers decide if another amendment should be placed on the ballot – one that would clearly indicate that the state is not obligated to extend any of the benefits of marriage to others.
Jim Minnery, executive director of the Alaska Family Council, said the people sent a strong message to the Legislature, the governor and the state's high court.
[More at URL]
But now, today's news.
Washington State passes bill saying that "abstinence-only education" is bullshit, and shouldn't be taught - abstinence can be, but not alone. Theocons assert that comprehensive sex ecuation is, and I quote, "like giving your child a loaded weapon and saying, 'Go play.'";
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM to support abortion-funding ban in Oklahoma;
Coalition of fundamentalist groups - The Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, American Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and Safe Drugs for Women - sue to stop sales of Plan B, the emergency contraception pill that the fundamentalist movement likes to describe as an abortion drug. This allegation is, of course, a lie. However, the AAPS is kind of new to me, so I've done a little digging and can point to an article, albeit not a primary source. But they are involved in anti-gay activities, AIDS-denial quackery, and anti-vaccination quackery;
This article on the American Association of Physicians and Surgeons isn't a primary source, which I dislike, but it includes a variety of extensive quotes and links to more sources; "highlights" include condemnation of contraception, support for "ex-gay" movements, endorsement of creationism and condemnation of evolutionary theory as a conspiracy, and blames parental treatment for autism;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against including sexual orientation in the hate-crimes bill; Family Research Council also condemns it, and urges Chief Executive Bush to veto the legislation; Concerned Women for America's Matt Barber gives CWA's opposition; this one is lighter than usual on the "special rights" language;
Focus on the Family upset that a billboard company refused ads for their "ex-gay" quackery conference;
FotF continues their "being gay and being Christian is impossible"; the latest iteration is "Author Dispels Myth that Homosexuality is Compatible with Scripture"; the author is part of the "ex-gay" movement; he's a regular at their "gay conversion" conferences;
FotF tut-tuts New Orleans efforts to attract lesbian and gay tourists - they oppose marketing that includes GBLT people, as part of their effort to impoverish queers;
Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM against Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick reversing former-governor Mitt Romney's decision to use a 1913 miscegenation law to prevent marriage ceremonies between out-of-state gay and lesbian couples;
Focus on the Family describes stem-cell research as "life-destroying," as they are apt to do;
New Hampshire state House kills - overwhelmingly - an anti-gay constitutional amendment; Focus on the Family condemns them, quoting a supporter as saying the House is "telling the people they don't have a right to vote on this constitutional amendment";
Focus on the Family condemns drug maker Eli Lilly for opposing an anti-gay anti-marriage amendment in Indiana, calling it an "assault on hoosier values"; it's also an ACTION ITEM to thank NFL coach Tony Dungy for attacking the rights and character of GBLT people;
Focus on the Family and Concerned Women for America condemn any effort to revive an Equal Rights Amendment banning government discrimination on the basis of gender in law, calling it pro-abortion and pro-gay-rights";
Theoconservatives continue to go after Dr. George Tiller, who they call "Tiller the Killer," as an abortion-providing doctor in Kansas; a legislative committee is now intervening, trying to get the 30 tossed-out misdemeanor charges against him reinstated by ordering the atty. general to file a new round of changes;
FotF news article condemning Minnesota Senate vote to let same-sex partners of state employees participate in the state health-insurance program, calling it "a move toward redefining marriage";
New Hampshire House approves civil unions; Focus on the Family, expectably, is not pleased, calling it a "gay-marriage bill in disguise";
Non-binding resolution supporting an anti-gay anti-marriage amendment passes with 57% of the vote in Alaska;
----- 1 -----
Washington Lawmakers Reject Abstinence-Only Education
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004363.cfm
If a school in Washington chooses to teach sex education, it would not be allowed to teach abstinence-only curriculum under a bill passed by the state's House on Wednesday.
The Senate passed the measure in March, so it now goes to Gov. Christine Gregoire, who is expected to sign it.
[...]
Under the measure, schools could choose not to offer any sex education, or they could follow the state-mandated curriculum, which means abstinence could only be taught alongside contraceptive use.
[...]
Opponents said it weakens the abstinence message, doesn't offer proper notification to parents, and takes away local control.
"We're talking about children," said Rep. Bob Sump. "It's like giving your child a loaded weapon and saying, 'Go play.' "
[More at URL]
----- 2 -----
Abortion-Funding Ban Heads to Oklahoma Governor
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004364.cfm
The Oklahoma Legislature has approved a bill that forbids state funds from being spent on abortion services. It now heads to Gov. Brad Henry.
According to LifeNews.com, Republican Rep. John Wright, sponsor of the bill, said taxpayers don’t want to be forced to fund the killing of preborn children.
TAKE ACTION
If you live in Oklahoma and would like to encourage the governor to sign the abortion-funding ban, you may contact him 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.
----- 3 -----
Pro-Family Groups Sue FDA Over 'Morning-After Pill'
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004365.cfm
In an effort to overturn a decision to allow the so-called morning-after pill to be sold over-the-counter, The Family Research Council (FRC) and other groups Thursday sued the FDA and FDA Commissioner
In an effort to overturn a decision to allow the so-called morning-after pill to be sold over-the-counter, The Family Research Council (FRC) and other groups Thursday sued the FDA and FDA Commissioner Andrew Von Eschenbach.
In August, the FDA approved nonprescription sales of the drug known as Plan B to women 18 or older.
FRC, along with Concerned Women for America, American Association of Physicians and Surgeons, and Safe Drugs for Women, filed suit in U.S. district court.
FRC President Tony Perkins said the FDA "must hold itself to high standards of accountability and resist those who seek to politicize women's health."
"However, the FDA sacrificed women's health and committed unprecedented violations of the law by approving the morning-after pill for over-the-counter use," he added. "The agency bowed to heavy-handed political pressure from Sens. (Hillary) Clinton and (Patty) Murray who misused their power by holding up confirmation of the FDA commissioner."
FOR MORE INFORMATION
Click here to view the suit.
----- 4 -----
Strange Bedfellows
Neurodiversity
Mar 12, 06:00 PM
http://neurodiversity.com/weblog/article/91/strange-bedfellows
Promoters of the hypothesis that autism is a common adverse reaction to vaccination rely heavily upon articles published in the Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons (JPandS, originally Medical Sentinel). Previous perusals of JPandS tables of contents left me with the general impression that its sponsors tended toward the conservative end of the political spectrum. I therefore decided to make a comprehensive survey of the website of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, to get a sense of the convictions driving its editorial policies.
[...]
AAPS opposes the concept of evidence-based medicine, warning its members that:
Physicians must beware of accepting the concept of a standard of care that is itself evidence-based, threatening the autonomy of physicians and subjugating the patient’s interest to that of the collective. (AAPS Newsletter)[...]
The Cold War lives on at the AAPS. Illegal drug use is regarded as a weapon of Russian domination; generation-spanning conspiracies are envisioned, their purpose to enslave the citizens of the United States.
Given today’s relative East-West freedom to interact and widespread belief in the West that the Cold War has ended, mind control drugs could well be far more important in shaping world events today when distrust of the Russians and Chinese has all but vanished — especially among those most at risk; that is, important Western targets. (Joseph Douglass, Jr., PhD)[...]
AAPS opposes the provision of abortion by physicians to patients who seek it. AAPS supports pharmacists who refuse to fill prescriptions for contraceptives, and opposes over-the-counter sales of the morning-after pill.
AAPS discourages federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, and describes embryonic stem-cell researchers as scheming to “pick taxpayers’ pockets” rather than seeking to expand scientific knowledge to relieve human suffering:
Proponents of embryonic stem-cell research say that the federal funding is necessary to maintain America’s preeminence in biomedical science. This appears to be a weak pretext for picking taxpayers’ pockets. As to America’s competitive edge, its future depends more on the genius and resourcefulness of our scientific enterprises, thriving in a wholesome atmosphere of low taxes and limited government, than on profligate infusions of taxpayer cash. (AAPS Newsletter)In Medical Sentinel, an AAPS Board member condemns the theory of evolution in favor of “the creation religion of Jehovah.”
Humanists employ the slight of hand linguist trick of substituting the religion of evolutionary humanism for the creation religion of Jehovah by tagging the latter “religion, forbidden by the First Amendment” and the former “scientific fact.” Both labels, like humanism itself, are conspiratorial fabrications. (Curtis Caine, MD, AAPS Board member)[...]
AIDS denialist Peter Duesberg presents his theories as a guest of AAPS. Fellow AIDS denialist Nathaniel Lehrman — advisor to the National Association for Research and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH) — judges homosexuality as inherently conducive to crime and disease:
...the “gay” male lifestyle significantly increases the incidence of infectious disease and shortens life expectancy by about 20 years… The concept of homosexuality as a permanent “orientation” is, however, without scientific validation; the notion is entirely politically grounded. One effect of this new view has been to understate the medical and societal harm produced by the promiscuous sexual practices typically associated with homosexuality… [E]ven though homosexuals seeking to change often succeed in doing so (frequently with the aid of therapy), the AMA statement, by publicly opposing “reparative” or “conversion” therapy “based on the a priori assumption that the patient should change his/her homosexual orientation,” seems to take an implicit moral position of denying that such change should occur. (Nathaniel Lehrman, MD)[...]
A rehabilitation doctor with no declared expertise in autism offers advice on autism prevention. Edward Harshman makes reference only to a psychiatry textbook and a general article on autism prevalence, with no acknowledgement of the considerable body of research disputing theories that propose that autism is a maladaptive emotional response to social influences or parental behavior.
[More at URL]
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Hate-Crimes Bill Introduced in Senate
Legislation would add extra penalties based on motivation.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000004366.cfm
A bill to add federal penalties for crimes involving sexual orientation or gender identity was introduced in the Senate on Thursday. If passed, the measure would give sexual preference special protections comparable to that given race and religious belief.
The bill, sponsored by Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., has bipartisan support. Patrick Sammon, president of the pro-gay Log Cabin Republicans, said the additional legal cover is needed.
“This isn’t just symbolism," he said. "This bill provides important protections and resources that will benefit and help law enforcement agencies across the country.”
But Matt Barber, policy director for cultural issues at Concerned Women for America, pointed out there are already laws to protect everyone from violent crime.
“There’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that homosexuals or transgender people are not receiving equal protection or equal justice under the law,” he said. “The weight of the evidence establishes that their true motive is to silence any criticism of their homosexual lifestyle.”
Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs at the Family Research Council, called the bill a well-intentioned but bad idea.
“What we’ll probably see is this bill passing both the House and the Senate as it has in the past," he said. "It will be up to President Bush to draw that final line in the sand.”
TAKE ACTION: Let your representative and senators know what you think about hate-crimes legislation. You may contact them 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.
http://vocusgr.vocus.com/GRSPACE2/dotnet/WebPublish/controller.aspx?SiteName=FOTF&Definition=Home&XSL=Home&SV_Section=Home
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Billboard Company Refuses Ex-Gay Ads
Competitor stands up for free speech.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000004367.cfm
Focus on the Family's Love Won Out Conference is in Omaha, Neb., this weekend, but one billboard company doesn’t want anyone to know about it.
Over the years, Love Won Out has traveled to 43 cities sharing the message that it's possible to break free from homosexuality. The event is regularly advertised on billboards. But when conference organizers contacted billboard company Waitt Outdoor for the Omaha conference, they were turned down. Melissa Fryrear, director of gender issues at Focus on the Family, said no explanation was offered.
"There is nothing objectionable about the billboard whatsoever. The message is, ‘I questioned homosexuality. Change is possible. Discover how,’ " she explained. " It's obviously a message of hope.”
[...]
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Author Dispels Myth that Homosexuality is Compatible with Scripture
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
Focus on the Family
4-13-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000004368.cfm
In his new book The Gay Gospel? How Pro-Gay Advocates Misread the Bible, Joe Dallas dissects the rhetoric of the gay Christian movement.
Dallas, a featured speaker at Focus on the Family's Love Won Out conferences since they began in 1998, spent six years on staff with a pro-gay church. He opens the book writing, “I remember clearly, and with inexpressible regret, the day I convinced myself it was acceptable to be both gay and Christian.”
[More at URL]
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Welcome Back to Gay Orleans
Focus on the Family
4-2-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004277.cfm
Still coming back after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans wants to rekindle its tourism appeal by targeting gay and lesbian travelers, The Associated Press reported.
New Orleans Tourism and Marketing Corp. will release a guidebook to promote attractions popular with homosexual visitors – such as gay bars, bookstores and community centers. Activities such as Mardi Gras, Southern Decadence and Halloween also are featured.
[More at URL]
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Mass. Governor Stands Against Traditional Marriage
Reversing Romney's decision, he orders out-of-state unions to be recorded.
by Jennifer Mesko, associate editor
Focus on the Family
4-2-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000004282.cfm
As the new sheriff in town, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick isn't wasting any time in taking a stand against traditional marriage. On Friday, he ordered the state to officially record the marriages of 26 out-of-state homosexual couples, reversing a decision by his predecessor, Mitt Romney.
Patrick also is seeking to reverse stem-cell research restrictions implemented by Romney, which ban the creation of embryos for the sole purpose of research.
In March 2006, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled that Romney could rely on a 1913 state law to prohibit out-of-state homosexual couples from marrying.
"Governor Patrick is placing his personal preference above the law, and that can never be justified, especially as the state's highest constitutional officer," Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute and spokesman for VoteOnMarriage.org, said in a statement.
Messages left at the governor's office were not returned
Lisa Barstow, spokeswoman for the Massachusetts Family Institute and VoteOnMarriage.org, said Patrick's move was largely symbolic -- it doesn't affect the legal status of the marriages.
"He is a strong proponent of same-sex marriage and basically a strong opponent of the marriage amendment and citizens' right to vote," Barstow said. "He'll use any available means of persuasion to advocate for same-sex marriage."
Jenny Tyree, associate marriage analyst for Focus on the Family Action, said, "Homosexual activists continue to grasp at anything and everything to punch another hole in marriage in Massachusetts. If twisting the law will help them in their quest to redefine marriage, they are willing to do that and more."
A state amendment to protect traditional marriage could come up for a vote before a joint session of the Legislature as early as May. If it passes, it would hit the ballot in the fall of 2008.
About 8,000 homosexual couples have wed in Massachusetts since 2004, when it became legal.
Tyree said Patrick's actions could affect the entire nation.
"This will encourage homosexuals to make the trip to Massachusetts and attempt to force the issue back in their home states," she said. "And it is likely that they will be supported financially by larger groups who share their goal of redefining marriage for all of society."
TAKE ACTION
Urge Gov. Deval Patrick to honor Massachusetts law and not allow out-of-state gay couples to marry. Visit http://www.Mass.gov and click on "Contact us" to send him a message.
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Delaware Senate Votes in Favor of Life-Destroying Research
Focus on the Family
3-30-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004260.cfm
After a debate on the nature of life, the Delaware Senate voted 13-7 Thursday on guidelines for controversial stem-cell research.
The News Journal reported that supporters said the bill was intended to "alleviate the pain and suffering of disease." But stem-cell research has so far produced no cures.
The guidelines ban "reproductive" cloning, but that leaves the door open for the cloning of human embryos and for in vitro fertilization clinics to donate embryos -- all to be destroyed for research.
[More at URL]
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N.H. House Kills Marriage-Protection Amendment
Focus on the Family
3-29-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004249.cfm
New Hampshire voters will not get the chance to decide on a state amendment to protect marriage after the state House voted down the proposal, 233-124, today.
Auburn Republican Dudley Dumaine warned amendment opponents they would be held accountable in the 2008 election.
"I want you on record telling the people they don't have a right to vote on this constitutional amendment," he told The Associated Press.
[More at URL]
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Will 'Hoosier Values' Drive People Away?
Eli Lilly says marriage amendment would brand Indiana as "intolerant."
by Jennifer Mesko, associate editor
Focus on the Family
3-29-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLtopstories/A000004254.cfm
Hoosier values" are under fire in Indiana, and Eli Lilly is the latest combatant.
On Wednesday, the pharmaceutical giant became the state's fourth major company to oppose the proposed marriage amendment, which would define marriage as between one man and one woman.
In a letter to Gov. Mitch Daniels, Lilly claimed the amendment would brand the state as intolerant and could jeopardize domestic-partner benefits.
"I can't believe a company with the stature of Lilly and their enormous legal resources would take a corporate position like this without any specific legal reasoning to back it up," Republican Sen. Brandt Hershman, the amendment's author, told The Indianapolis Star.
Carla Cox, a spokeswoman for Eli Lilly and Co., said the amendment would have a negative impact on the firm.
"It would mainly be around recruiting and retention of employees," she said. "We have employees who are telling us they would leave the company."
Ryan McCann, director of operations and public policy at the Indiana Family Institute (IFI), said he doesn't share Lilly's concerns.
"Their reasoning was a little lacking," he said.
The proposed amendment passed in 2005, but must pass a second time before going to voters as early as November 2008. The Senate approved the amendment earlier this year, and it awaits a vote in a House committee. IFI and other family advocates testified before the committee last week; so did those who oppose the amendment, including manufacturer Cummins and Indianapolis insurer WellPoint. McCann said the opposition's evidence was lacking.
"They didn't really have any proof at all that this would affect their recruiting practices," he said. "It was really kind of sad they were so unprepared."
The House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee will hold its second hearing Tuesday on the amendment. The deadline for the committee to vote is Thursday, April 5.
"They've promised to bring this up, and they've promised to vote on this," McCann said. "We're hoping they keep their word."
The Indiana amendment drew national attention when Tony Dungy, coach of the Super Bowl champion Indianapolis Colts, spoke out in favor of it at an IFI banquet last week. McCann, who organized the banquet, praised Dungy.
"We know what strong character he has, and what an asset he's been to Indiana," he said.
Carrie Gordon Earll, senior director of issues analysis at Focus on the Family Action, is confident Indiana voters will pass the amendment. She said Lilly's opposition isn't based on any evidence.
"The 27 other states that have passed amendments have not had image issues," Earll said. "I think 'intolerance' is a smoke screen for what they're really saying, which is, 'We want homosexual marriage.'
"If there's any intolerance here, it's these corporate officials who are intolerant of the traditional definition of marriage. And Indiana voters should see that for what it is."
TAKE ACTION
Sign a petition to thank Tony Dungy for bravely sharing his biblical values and taking a stand for marriage as between one man and one woman.
----- 13 -----
Democrat-Led Congress to Reconsider Equal Rights Amendment
Family advocates warn it would bolster abortion and gay marriage.
from staff reports
Focus on the Family
3-28-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLNews/A000004241.cfm
The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is resurfacing on Capitol Hill. Supporters claim it would protect women against employment and sexual discrimination, but opponents say feminists are merely using the measure as a vehicle to drive their agenda.
The ERA passed both houses of Congress in 1972, but a constitutional amendment must also be ratified by the states and it fell short by three.
Proponents contend the amendment would clear up issues ranging from hiring and wages to restrictions on women serving in combat, but Wendy Wright, president of Concerned Women for America, said it seems to be a good way for feminists to justify their existence.
[...]
Gay activist groups would also benefit. Feminists readily admit they want ERA to address "gender-based hate crimes." Wording in the amendment focuses on sexual discrimination.
"It's pretty clear now that it would give same-sex marriages," Schlafly said. "There is a close alliance between the feminists and the gay-rights movement."
[More at URL]
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Kansas Lawmakers Push for Tiller Investigation
Focus on the Family
3-27-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004229.cfm
The Kansas House Federal and State Affairs Committee on Monday endorsed a resolution that tells the state attorney general to re-file charges against an abortionist accused of performing illegal late-term abortions, WIBW-TV reported.
[More at URL]
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Minnesota Senate OKs Insurance Benefits for Same-Sex Partners
Focus on the Family
3-27-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004228.cfm
The Minnesota Senate voted Saturday to let same-sex partners of state employees participate in the state health-insurance program. Opponents called it a move toward redefining marriage.
[...]
Senate Republicans had attempted to remove the domestic-partner benefits, arguing that placing "domestic partnership" into state law could give an activist judge leverage to mandate gay marriage.
[More at URL]
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New Hampshire House Approves Civil Unions
Focus on the Family
4-4-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004295.cfm
The New Hampshire House passed legislation today that would allow same-sex couples to enter into civil unions – with all the rights of married couples, WCSH-TV reported.
The bill, which passed 243-129, had bi-partisan support.
Republican Rep. Nancy Elliott told colleagues the bill was a gay-marriage bill in disguise.
[More at URL]
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Alaskans Want Chance to Vote on Marriage Amendment
Focus on the Family
4-4-2007
http://www.citizenlink.org/CLBriefs/A000004296.cfm
In a nonbinding advisory vote, 57 percent of Alaskans said they want a chance to whether the state constitution should be amended to protect the benefits of marriage.
In 1998, voters overwhelmingly approved an amendment to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. In spite of that, the Alaska Supreme Court ruled in October 2005 that the state must extend benefits to same-sex partners of its employees.
Tuesday's advisory vote was intended to help the governor and state lawmakers decide if another amendment should be placed on the ballot – one that would clearly indicate that the state is not obligated to extend any of the benefits of marriage to others.
Jim Minnery, executive director of the Alaska Family Council, said the people sent a strong message to the Legislature, the governor and the state's high court.
[More at URL]
