The Westmoreland Middle School principal reprimanded football coaches for giving an appearance of praying while students chose to hold their own post-game prayer, and then all staff were told to not be seen by students at Wednesday's "See You At the Pole" national prayer event.
"Silent prayer" is discouraged as well, because legally, "it's a gray area."
UPDATE 10/5/11: Citizens filling gym express outrage at religious liberty crackdown
-- From "Teachers Told Not To Bow Heads, Pray In Public" by Todd Starnes, FOX News Radio 9/28/11
Sumner County school officials sent guidelines to staff members in advance of today’s “See You At the Pole” prayer event. Christian teenagers around the nation are gathering around their campus flag poles before class to pray for their schools, the nation and each other.
“When a teacher or administrator participates in events such as See You at the Pole, it is possible for a student to confuse a teacher or administrator’s personal speech with their official speech,” read a portion of the guidelines obtained by The Tennessean.
The school’s new policy prohibits staff members from engaging in “any conduct that creates an appearance of endorsement of the organization’s or club’s messages or ideas.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Student prayer event has strict guidelines for teachers" by Jennifer Easton, Sumner County Publications posted at The Tennessean 9/26/11
The new rules fall in line with revised policies approved by the Sumner County Board of Education in response to a lawsuit filed in May by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee accusing the district of promoting Christianity. A jury trial is scheduled for June 2012.
School board policy doesn’t specifically address silent prayer, but it’s a gray area that should be avoided by employees, said Jeremy Johnson, Sumner County Schools’ spokesman.
As a result of the ACLU-TN lawsuit and new board policies, some administrators have been skittish about permitting See You At The Pole events this year, [said, Jason Cline, area director of the Northern Middle Tennessee chapter of Fellowship of Christian Athletes].
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 12/9/11: School settles with ACLU re: May 2011 lawsuit
From "Teachers Not Allowed to Bow Heads, Pray Silently by School Board" by Eryn Sun, Christian Post Reporter 9/28/11
Accusing schools of endorsing religious activity as far back as 2006, ranging from invocations at school board meetings, prayer over speakers, and youth ministers proselytizing on campus, the ACLU decided to take action to stop the exercise of alleged school-endorsed religion in public schools.
“The pattern and practice of school-sponsored religious activities in Sumner County is so egregious that we had no choice but to file this lawsuit,” ACLU-TN Executive Director Hedy Weinberg expressed in a statement.
When asked if there were any complications or trouble during the See You At The Pole Day event, Sumner County school officials did not immediately respond to The Christian Post.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Registering Millions of Christians to Vote
Silicon Valley Christian venture capitalists have launched a non-partisan 21st-century Internet-based social networking model to identify five million unregistered Americans who will vote for religious liberty as well as the sanctity of life and marriage (one man, one woman).
-- From "Silicon Valley gives conservative Christians a boost" by Matea Gold and Tom Hamburger, Washington Bureau of the Los Angeles Times 9/15/11
The nonprofit organization United in Purpose is using sophisticated data-mining techniques to compile a database of every unregistered born-again and evangelical Christian and conservative Catholic in the country.
Through partnerships with Christian organizers and antiabortion groups, United in Purpose hopes to recruit 100,000 "champions" to identify unregistered Christians and get them to the polls as part of its Champion the Vote project. Profiles drawn from its database, which numbers more than 120 million people, will enable organizers to target potential voters with emails and Web videos tailored to their interests.
Most of its financial supporters remain anonymous, but one of its main backers is technology entrepreneur Ken Eldred, a generous Republican donor. Its board includes Reid Rutherford, a Silicon Valley solar-energy plant developer.
"I have the audacity to believe that we can be an influence on both parties," Eldred said. "I personally believe that someday we're going to stand before God, and he's going to pull out a ballot and say, 'How did you vote in this election?' And there are going to be people who say, 'Why do you care about that, God?' And he's going to say, 'Because I created that country and I put you in charge.'"
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "5M New Christian Voters Can Decide 2012 Election, Group Says" by Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor 9/17/11
Of the estimated 60 million Christians in the United States, only 30 million vote in any given election. The rest do not realize the power they hold in one single vote, says United in Purpose, a group backed by a few Silicon Valley venture capitalists that is running a project called “Champion the Vote.”
The group found that the voting margin between candidates was far lower than the number of registered Christian voters. For example, the two main candidates in Missouri in 2008 had a margin of a mere 3,903 votes while the number of unregistered Christian voters was 102,522. Similarly, North Carolina’s voting margin was only 14,177 votes with 281,212 unregistered voters.
Over the next 10 years, the United in Purpose group aims to mobilize 40 million evangelicals in the United States to vote. American Christians have the responsibility to honor both the Cross and the flag, says the project’s website.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Wide-ranging Christian Leaders Sign Manifesto Opposing Obama Agenda
"Our goal is to raise up a body of believers and that they elect a lot of godly leaders. We're about the agenda of the lamb, Jesus Christ."
-- Bill Dallas, chief executive of United in Purpose
-- From "Silicon Valley gives conservative Christians a boost" by Matea Gold and Tom Hamburger, Washington Bureau of the Los Angeles Times 9/15/11
The nonprofit organization United in Purpose is using sophisticated data-mining techniques to compile a database of every unregistered born-again and evangelical Christian and conservative Catholic in the country.
Through partnerships with Christian organizers and antiabortion groups, United in Purpose hopes to recruit 100,000 "champions" to identify unregistered Christians and get them to the polls as part of its Champion the Vote project. Profiles drawn from its database, which numbers more than 120 million people, will enable organizers to target potential voters with emails and Web videos tailored to their interests.
Most of its financial supporters remain anonymous, but one of its main backers is technology entrepreneur Ken Eldred, a generous Republican donor. Its board includes Reid Rutherford, a Silicon Valley solar-energy plant developer.
"I have the audacity to believe that we can be an influence on both parties," Eldred said. "I personally believe that someday we're going to stand before God, and he's going to pull out a ballot and say, 'How did you vote in this election?' And there are going to be people who say, 'Why do you care about that, God?' And he's going to say, 'Because I created that country and I put you in charge.'"
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "5M New Christian Voters Can Decide 2012 Election, Group Says" by Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor 9/17/11
Of the estimated 60 million Christians in the United States, only 30 million vote in any given election. The rest do not realize the power they hold in one single vote, says United in Purpose, a group backed by a few Silicon Valley venture capitalists that is running a project called “Champion the Vote.”
The group found that the voting margin between candidates was far lower than the number of registered Christian voters. For example, the two main candidates in Missouri in 2008 had a margin of a mere 3,903 votes while the number of unregistered Christian voters was 102,522. Similarly, North Carolina’s voting margin was only 14,177 votes with 281,212 unregistered voters.
Over the next 10 years, the United in Purpose group aims to mobilize 40 million evangelicals in the United States to vote. American Christians have the responsibility to honor both the Cross and the flag, says the project’s website.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Wide-ranging Christian Leaders Sign Manifesto Opposing Obama Agenda
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
The Pill is Dangerous; Feds Say Keep Taking it
Even though the federal Food and Drug Administration say some new birth-control pills could cause blood clots, the agency “advises women taking birth control pills with drospirenone not to stop the product before talking to their doctors first.”
The FDA reasoning is that these types of birth control pills perhaps are no worse than any other.
For background, read Contraceptive Pill 'Yaz' Causes Disease, Death
UPDATE 12/6/11: Birth Control Studies Needed to Assess Clot Risk, FDA Says
UPDATE 12/6/11 video:
UPDATE 10/27/11: Risks greater for several types of the pill
-- From "FDA Flags Concern on Birth-Control Pill" by Jennifer Corbett Dooren, Wall Street Journal 9/27/11
In a drug safety communication posted on the agency's website Monday, the FDA said preliminary results of an agency-funded study involving 800,000 women suggest about a 1.5-fold increase in the risk of blood clots for women who use drospirenone-containing birth-control pills, compared to users of other hormonal contraceptives.
Drospirenone is used in pills including Yaz and Yasmin, which are marketed by Bayer AG. Drospirenone is a type of female sex hormone called a progestin. Some drospirenone pills are also available in generic versions.
But the FDA said it hasn't reached a final conclusion that the products raise the risk of blood clots beyond that of other pills, and the agency will convene an outside panel of medical experts on Dec. 8 to discuss the matter.
Most birth-control pills contain two types of hormones, estrogen and progestin. All types of pills increase the risk of blood clots, and product labels warn of such risk.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Yaz and newer birth control pills could raise risk of blood clots, FDA says" by Susan Todd, The Star-Ledger 9/26/11
The agency also noted that it plans to meet with two advisory panels in December — the Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee — to sort through through some of the conflicting safety data generated by a half dozen different studies of the contraceptives.
Bayer Healthcare . . . faces thousands of lawsuits over health problems and, in some cases, deaths that are blamed on the [Yaz and Yasmin] drugs, which lawyers have said are often prescribed to teen-age girls for treating acne and premenstrual moodiness.
While the FDA study is new, warnings about the risks of the birth control pills are not. A year after Yasmin’s approval, Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, began warning of the drug’s dangers and placed Yasmin on its list of "Do Not Use Pills."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "FDA concerned about certain birth-control pills" posted at Nurse.com News 9/28/11
Patients should talk to their healthcare professional about their risk for blood clots before deciding which birth control pill to use. Known risk factors that increase the risk of a blood clot include smoking, obesity and family history of blood clots, in addition to other factors that contraindicate use of birth control pills.
Women currently taking a drospirenone-containing birth control pill should be informed of the potential risk for blood clots. The FDA previously communicated preliminary information about these concerns to the public on May 31.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read 'The Pill' Reaches Age 50, but Do the Women Who Use It?
The FDA reasoning is that these types of birth control pills perhaps are no worse than any other.
For background, read Contraceptive Pill 'Yaz' Causes Disease, Death
UPDATE 12/6/11: Birth Control Studies Needed to Assess Clot Risk, FDA Says
UPDATE 12/6/11 video:
UPDATE 10/27/11: Risks greater for several types of the pill
-- From "FDA Flags Concern on Birth-Control Pill" by Jennifer Corbett Dooren, Wall Street Journal 9/27/11
In a drug safety communication posted on the agency's website Monday, the FDA said preliminary results of an agency-funded study involving 800,000 women suggest about a 1.5-fold increase in the risk of blood clots for women who use drospirenone-containing birth-control pills, compared to users of other hormonal contraceptives.
Drospirenone is used in pills including Yaz and Yasmin, which are marketed by Bayer AG. Drospirenone is a type of female sex hormone called a progestin. Some drospirenone pills are also available in generic versions.
But the FDA said it hasn't reached a final conclusion that the products raise the risk of blood clots beyond that of other pills, and the agency will convene an outside panel of medical experts on Dec. 8 to discuss the matter.
Most birth-control pills contain two types of hormones, estrogen and progestin. All types of pills increase the risk of blood clots, and product labels warn of such risk.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Yaz and newer birth control pills could raise risk of blood clots, FDA says" by Susan Todd, The Star-Ledger 9/26/11
The agency also noted that it plans to meet with two advisory panels in December — the Reproductive Health Drugs Advisory Committee and the Drug Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee — to sort through through some of the conflicting safety data generated by a half dozen different studies of the contraceptives.
Bayer Healthcare . . . faces thousands of lawsuits over health problems and, in some cases, deaths that are blamed on the [Yaz and Yasmin] drugs, which lawyers have said are often prescribed to teen-age girls for treating acne and premenstrual moodiness.
While the FDA study is new, warnings about the risks of the birth control pills are not. A year after Yasmin’s approval, Public Citizen, a non-profit consumer advocacy group, began warning of the drug’s dangers and placed Yasmin on its list of "Do Not Use Pills."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "FDA concerned about certain birth-control pills" posted at Nurse.com News 9/28/11
Patients should talk to their healthcare professional about their risk for blood clots before deciding which birth control pill to use. Known risk factors that increase the risk of a blood clot include smoking, obesity and family history of blood clots, in addition to other factors that contraindicate use of birth control pills.
Women currently taking a drospirenone-containing birth control pill should be informed of the potential risk for blood clots. The FDA previously communicated preliminary information about these concerns to the public on May 31.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read 'The Pill' Reaches Age 50, but Do the Women Who Use It?
Investigation of Planned Parenthood by Congress
Congressman Cliff Stearns, a Florida Republican, said a committee he chairs will take the first steps in investigating the Planned Parenthood abortion business over abuses ranging from financial disparities to its compliance with federal regulations on taxpayer funding to concerns that it is covering up cases of sex trafficking.
For background, read Congressional Investigation of Planned Parenthood Considered and also read Left Fears a Take-down of Planned Parenthood
-- From "House Republicans Tell Planned Parenthood to Hand Over Records in Probe of Abortion Funding" by Laurie Kellman, Associated Press 9/27/11
At issue is whether American taxpayers are unwittingly underwriting elective abortions, in violation of federal law. Absolutely not, says Planned Parenthood. But congressional Republicans are not so sure.
Due by the end of the month: internal audits of how much Planned Parenthood received and spent in government money from 1998 to 2010. Stearns also requests any state audits of PPFA for the last 20 years that have not been made public, as well as a description for how "segregation between family planning and abortion services is accomplished," and how the practice is monitored for compliance.
"The American taxpayer does not want to be in the business of abortion, and this investigation is an important first step toward ending public funding of the nation's largest abortion provider," said Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, which earlier this year conducted and presented to Stearns' committee its own study on Planned Parenthood.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Dems hammer GOP's Planned Parenthood funding probe" by Mike Lillis, The Hill 9/27/11
Reps. Henry Waxman (Calif.), senior Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), the ranking member of the panel's Oversight subcommittee, claim Republicans have "singled out" the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) "as part of a Republican vendetta against an organization that provides family planning and other medical care to low-income women and men."
Current law already prohibits the federal funding of abortion. But Planned Parenthood critics argue that, because money is fungible, there's no practical way for the group to isolate the private funds it receives for abortion services from the [annual $300,000,000+ in] federal funds it receives for contraception and other family-planning programs.
In a Sept. 15 letter to PPFA, Stearns also asked what procedures are in place "to ensure that suspected sex trafficking is reported to the proper authorities."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Planned Parenthood Attacks Congressman Behind Investigation" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 9/28/11
In a fundraising email [Planned Parenthood president Cecile] Richards sent to the pro-abortion activists who support Planned Parenthood, she aggressively went after Stearns, calling his attempt to hold the abortion business accountable “harassment” and “intimidation.”
Stearns’ letter requests any information related to improper billing related to federally-funded programs, proof that federal funds are not being improperly used to pay for abortions by PPFA or its affiliates, audits by state agencies of any Planned Parenthood affiliate, and documentation of how many affiliates currently receive Title X family planning funding.
The Stearns letter also requests documents on standards and practices related to billing issues, written policies and procedures, and it requests information on how the abortion giant keeps its family planning abortion monies separate and segregated.
Planned Parenthood has come under heavy criticism in recent years for covering up cases of statutory rape by failing to report abortions done on unborn children of teen girls who have been victimized to authorities and by aiding and assisting alleged sex traffickers in obtaining abortions and other “services” for the women and girls they victimize. As such, as the Stearns letter asks for information related to those concerns.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
For background, read Congressional Investigation of Planned Parenthood Considered and also read Left Fears a Take-down of Planned Parenthood
-- From "House Republicans Tell Planned Parenthood to Hand Over Records in Probe of Abortion Funding" by Laurie Kellman, Associated Press 9/27/11
At issue is whether American taxpayers are unwittingly underwriting elective abortions, in violation of federal law. Absolutely not, says Planned Parenthood. But congressional Republicans are not so sure.
Due by the end of the month: internal audits of how much Planned Parenthood received and spent in government money from 1998 to 2010. Stearns also requests any state audits of PPFA for the last 20 years that have not been made public, as well as a description for how "segregation between family planning and abortion services is accomplished," and how the practice is monitored for compliance.
"The American taxpayer does not want to be in the business of abortion, and this investigation is an important first step toward ending public funding of the nation's largest abortion provider," said Charmaine Yoest, president and CEO of Americans United for Life, which earlier this year conducted and presented to Stearns' committee its own study on Planned Parenthood.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Dems hammer GOP's Planned Parenthood funding probe" by Mike Lillis, The Hill 9/27/11
Reps. Henry Waxman (Calif.), senior Democrat on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and Diana DeGette (D-Colo.), the ranking member of the panel's Oversight subcommittee, claim Republicans have "singled out" the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) "as part of a Republican vendetta against an organization that provides family planning and other medical care to low-income women and men."
Current law already prohibits the federal funding of abortion. But Planned Parenthood critics argue that, because money is fungible, there's no practical way for the group to isolate the private funds it receives for abortion services from the [annual $300,000,000+ in] federal funds it receives for contraception and other family-planning programs.
In a Sept. 15 letter to PPFA, Stearns also asked what procedures are in place "to ensure that suspected sex trafficking is reported to the proper authorities."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Planned Parenthood Attacks Congressman Behind Investigation" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 9/28/11
In a fundraising email [Planned Parenthood president Cecile] Richards sent to the pro-abortion activists who support Planned Parenthood, she aggressively went after Stearns, calling his attempt to hold the abortion business accountable “harassment” and “intimidation.”
Stearns’ letter requests any information related to improper billing related to federally-funded programs, proof that federal funds are not being improperly used to pay for abortions by PPFA or its affiliates, audits by state agencies of any Planned Parenthood affiliate, and documentation of how many affiliates currently receive Title X family planning funding.
The Stearns letter also requests documents on standards and practices related to billing issues, written policies and procedures, and it requests information on how the abortion giant keeps its family planning abortion monies separate and segregated.
Planned Parenthood has come under heavy criticism in recent years for covering up cases of statutory rape by failing to report abortions done on unborn children of teen girls who have been victimized to authorities and by aiding and assisting alleged sex traffickers in obtaining abortions and other “services” for the women and girls they victimize. As such, as the Stearns letter asks for information related to those concerns.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Fewer 'Gay Couples' per Census Revisions
The U.S. Census Bureau released 2010 corrections with a huge downward revision, showing that same-sex households comprise barely one-half of one percent nationwide.
The Census Bureau admitted Tuesday that it had “artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples” in the United States, initially reporting a number that was about 40 percent higher than what it now believes is accurate.
Read full articles below to see the liberal spin of the data.
For background, read Same-sex Household Count Tiny: U.S. Census and also read American Homosexual Population is Tiny: Study
-- From "Same-sex marriages: first Census count shows 131,729" by Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY 9/27/11
The first federal count of same-sex married couples in the USA shows 131,729 gay or lesbian couples who say they're married. That's far fewer than earlier data suggested, according to revised estimates issued Tuesday by the U.S. Census.
These statistics mark the Census' first release of state numbers of same-sex marriages and paint a clearer picture of the 646,464 same-sex couple households in 2010. (In 514,735 same-sex households, partners don't call themselves married.)
"We now know there are far fewer same-sex marriages than we thought we had because of understandable difficulties with the Census forms," says William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Same-sex couples more willing to reveal relationships in census, figures show" by Carol Morello, Washington Post 9/27/11
Same-sex couples make up just 1 percent of the 64 million couples in the country, including married couples and unmarried partners, and barely half a percentage point of all households.
Peter Sprigg, a senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council, said the census figures show that the number of gay couples seeking to get married is small. He pointed to a census analysis that 42 percent of same-sex couples living in states where gay marriage is legal actually wed. In comparison, there are 54 million heterosexual married couples and 8 million couples who live together but are not wed.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Census: Many gay couples say they're married — even if they technically aren't" by Hope Yen, Associated Press 9/27/11
That 2010 tally of married gay couples is higher than the actual number of legal marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships in the U.S. Even after New York legalized gay marriage in June, a Census Bureau consultant, Gary Gates of UCLA, put the actual number of legally recognized gay partnerships at 100,000.
The total of 646,464 gay couples in the U.S. was a downward revision of the Census Bureau's count of 901,997 released last month. The bureau said Tuesday it had to make the adjustment after determining that coding errors resulted in an exaggerated count for the initial number.
The highest share of households with reported same-sex couples — both married and unmarried — was in Washington, D.C., at nearly 2 percent. Washington was followed by Vermont, Massachusetts, California, Oregon, Delaware, New Mexico and Washington state. On the other end of the scale, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming had the smallest shares, each with less than one-third of 1 percent.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Census Bureau Admits It 'Artifcially Inflated the Number of Same-Sex Couples'--by 40 Percent" by Elizabeth Harrington, CNSNews.com 9/28/11
. . . the Census Bureau said in a Tuesday conference call with reporters that it has revised these numbers downward “because Census Bureau staff discovered an inconsistency in the responses in the 2010 Census summary file statistics that artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples.”
“After discovering the inconsistency, Census Bureau staff developed another set of estimates to provide a more accurate way to measure same-sex couple households,” the news release said.
But the inaccuracies prompted the Bureau to devise a “Preferred Estimate,” revealed Tuesday, to more accurately depict the incidences of same-sex households, according to Martin O’Connell, chief of the Fertility and Family Statistics Branch of the U.S. Census Bureau, during a conference call to highlight the new data.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
The Census Bureau admitted Tuesday that it had “artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples” in the United States, initially reporting a number that was about 40 percent higher than what it now believes is accurate.
Read full articles below to see the liberal spin of the data.
For background, read Same-sex Household Count Tiny: U.S. Census and also read American Homosexual Population is Tiny: Study
-- From "Same-sex marriages: first Census count shows 131,729" by Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY 9/27/11
The first federal count of same-sex married couples in the USA shows 131,729 gay or lesbian couples who say they're married. That's far fewer than earlier data suggested, according to revised estimates issued Tuesday by the U.S. Census.
These statistics mark the Census' first release of state numbers of same-sex marriages and paint a clearer picture of the 646,464 same-sex couple households in 2010. (In 514,735 same-sex households, partners don't call themselves married.)
"We now know there are far fewer same-sex marriages than we thought we had because of understandable difficulties with the Census forms," says William Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Same-sex couples more willing to reveal relationships in census, figures show" by Carol Morello, Washington Post 9/27/11
Same-sex couples make up just 1 percent of the 64 million couples in the country, including married couples and unmarried partners, and barely half a percentage point of all households.
Peter Sprigg, a senior fellow for policy studies at the Family Research Council, said the census figures show that the number of gay couples seeking to get married is small. He pointed to a census analysis that 42 percent of same-sex couples living in states where gay marriage is legal actually wed. In comparison, there are 54 million heterosexual married couples and 8 million couples who live together but are not wed.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Census: Many gay couples say they're married — even if they technically aren't" by Hope Yen, Associated Press 9/27/11
That 2010 tally of married gay couples is higher than the actual number of legal marriages, civil unions and domestic partnerships in the U.S. Even after New York legalized gay marriage in June, a Census Bureau consultant, Gary Gates of UCLA, put the actual number of legally recognized gay partnerships at 100,000.
The total of 646,464 gay couples in the U.S. was a downward revision of the Census Bureau's count of 901,997 released last month. The bureau said Tuesday it had to make the adjustment after determining that coding errors resulted in an exaggerated count for the initial number.
The highest share of households with reported same-sex couples — both married and unmarried — was in Washington, D.C., at nearly 2 percent. Washington was followed by Vermont, Massachusetts, California, Oregon, Delaware, New Mexico and Washington state. On the other end of the scale, North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming had the smallest shares, each with less than one-third of 1 percent.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Census Bureau Admits It 'Artifcially Inflated the Number of Same-Sex Couples'--by 40 Percent" by Elizabeth Harrington, CNSNews.com 9/28/11
. . . the Census Bureau said in a Tuesday conference call with reporters that it has revised these numbers downward “because Census Bureau staff discovered an inconsistency in the responses in the 2010 Census summary file statistics that artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples.”
“After discovering the inconsistency, Census Bureau staff developed another set of estimates to provide a more accurate way to measure same-sex couple households,” the news release said.
But the inaccuracies prompted the Bureau to devise a “Preferred Estimate,” revealed Tuesday, to more accurately depict the incidences of same-sex households, according to Martin O’Connell, chief of the Fertility and Family Statistics Branch of the U.S. Census Bureau, during a conference call to highlight the new data.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Stripping Freedom of Religion from Vanderbilt
Vanderbilt University has denied recognition of Christian student organizations for restricting leadership positions to only Christians. Rather, "ivory tower" intelligentsia say, for example, homosexualists who deny Scripture must lead the groups' Bible studies.
For background read, Supreme Court Ends Christian Witness on Campus - Christian College Clubs Must Accept Atheists and also read Vanderbilt Forces Abortion on Nursing Students
UPDATE 5/7/12: Congressmen chastise university for creating an “environment that is hostile” to the existence of religious groups
UPDATE 2/1/12 Vanderbilt doubles-down against freedom of religion (FOX News video):
UPDATE 3/29/12: Catholic student group says it must leave campus
UPDATE 10/19/11: Congressional Prayer Caucus denounces Vanderbilt rule
-- From "Religious groups at Vandy say policy unfair" by The Associated Press 9/27/11
Vanderbilt University has asked about a dozen student organizations to comply with a policy banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
But the Tennessean reports that members of some religion-based groups say they are being unfairly singled out because of their beliefs. College Republicans President Stephen Siao says the university has "launched an assault on religious groups on campus."
Vanderbilt began a review of the policy after a gay student complained last year that he was dismissed from a Christian fraternity.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Vanderbilt University nondiscrimination policy called unfair to religious groups" by Michael Cass and Jennifer Brooks, The Tennessean 9/27/11
The Christian Legal Society’s bylaws require its officers to “lead Bible studies, prayer and worship at chapter meetings.” The university’s Office of Religious Life pointed out that the requirement means officers are expected to hold certain beliefs — contrary to Vanderbilt policy.
In a letter last week to Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos, the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights in Education said the university’s Office of Religious Life had objected to “the Biblical passage of Romans 1:21-32” in the Christian Legal Society’s constitution. That passage says, in part, that God punished men and women by “(giving) them over to shameful lusts” as punishment for worshiping false idols and failing to glorify God.
The legal society’s “community life statement” lists several behaviors that members promise not to engage in, including “sexual relations other than within a marriage between one man and one woman.”
“We welcome everybody to be a member,” [law student Justin] Gunter said. But “we only have 20, 25 members. All it would take is 26 people (with different beliefs) to join and undermine our purpose.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Vanderbilt University Places Christian Societies on 'Provisional Status' for 'Discrimination'" by Gina E. Ryder, Christian Post Contributor 9/26/11
According to Vanderbilt’s student organization rules, organizations cannot require that leaders share the group’s beliefs, goals and values. That would mean an atheist could lead a Christian group, a man a woman’s group and a Jew a Muslim group or vice versa.
The groups under provisional status are Graduate Christian Fellowship, Christian Legal Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Sigma Phi Lamba.
Carol Swain, a professor at Vanderbilt’s Law School told Fox News, “It seems reasonable to require that leaders share the beliefs of the organizations that they seek to lead.”
Swain said, “I see it as part of a larger attack on religious freedom that’s taking place across the country – particularly when it comes to conservative groups.”
According to Fox [News], Interim Director of the Office of Religious Life at Vanderbilt Rev. Gretchen Person drew the line at the requirement regarding Bible studies, prayer and worship. Person is also negotiating the language in the group’s constitution that states coordinators should exemplify Christ-like qualities.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Florida Univ. Ordered to Recognize Christian Fraternity as well as Christian Clubs OK in Virginia Schools
For background read, Supreme Court Ends Christian Witness on Campus - Christian College Clubs Must Accept Atheists and also read Vanderbilt Forces Abortion on Nursing Students
UPDATE 2/1/12 Vanderbilt doubles-down against freedom of religion (FOX News video):
UPDATE 3/29/12: Catholic student group says it must leave campus
UPDATE 10/19/11: Congressional Prayer Caucus denounces Vanderbilt rule
-- From "Religious groups at Vandy say policy unfair" by The Associated Press 9/27/11
Vanderbilt University has asked about a dozen student organizations to comply with a policy banning discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
But the Tennessean reports that members of some religion-based groups say they are being unfairly singled out because of their beliefs. College Republicans President Stephen Siao says the university has "launched an assault on religious groups on campus."
Vanderbilt began a review of the policy after a gay student complained last year that he was dismissed from a Christian fraternity.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Vanderbilt University nondiscrimination policy called unfair to religious groups" by Michael Cass and Jennifer Brooks, The Tennessean 9/27/11
The Christian Legal Society’s bylaws require its officers to “lead Bible studies, prayer and worship at chapter meetings.” The university’s Office of Religious Life pointed out that the requirement means officers are expected to hold certain beliefs — contrary to Vanderbilt policy.
In a letter last week to Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas Zeppos, the Philadelphia-based Foundation for Individual Rights in Education said the university’s Office of Religious Life had objected to “the Biblical passage of Romans 1:21-32” in the Christian Legal Society’s constitution. That passage says, in part, that God punished men and women by “(giving) them over to shameful lusts” as punishment for worshiping false idols and failing to glorify God.
The legal society’s “community life statement” lists several behaviors that members promise not to engage in, including “sexual relations other than within a marriage between one man and one woman.”
“We welcome everybody to be a member,” [law student Justin] Gunter said. But “we only have 20, 25 members. All it would take is 26 people (with different beliefs) to join and undermine our purpose.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Vanderbilt University Places Christian Societies on 'Provisional Status' for 'Discrimination'" by Gina E. Ryder, Christian Post Contributor 9/26/11
According to Vanderbilt’s student organization rules, organizations cannot require that leaders share the group’s beliefs, goals and values. That would mean an atheist could lead a Christian group, a man a woman’s group and a Jew a Muslim group or vice versa.
The groups under provisional status are Graduate Christian Fellowship, Christian Legal Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Sigma Phi Lamba.
Carol Swain, a professor at Vanderbilt’s Law School told Fox News, “It seems reasonable to require that leaders share the beliefs of the organizations that they seek to lead.”
Swain said, “I see it as part of a larger attack on religious freedom that’s taking place across the country – particularly when it comes to conservative groups.”
According to Fox [News], Interim Director of the Office of Religious Life at Vanderbilt Rev. Gretchen Person drew the line at the requirement regarding Bible studies, prayer and worship. Person is also negotiating the language in the group’s constitution that states coordinators should exemplify Christ-like qualities.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Florida Univ. Ordered to Recognize Christian Fraternity as well as Christian Clubs OK in Virginia Schools
Toddler Says He's a Girl, 'Parents' Say OK
3-year-old Thomas, adopted jointly by two lesbians, said he's a girl; now at age 11 he lives as Tammy, and the media just love it.
"Gender identity is who you are and sexual orientation is who you want to have sex with," said Dr. Johanna Olson, professor of clinical pediatrics at University of Southern California, who encourages transgenderism for children, rather than treating them for the mental disorder, such as gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder.
For background, read ABC News: Boy Decides He's a Girl, Age 10 and also read More Than Two Genders, Kindergartners Taught as well as PA School trains 8-year-olds in transgender transitioning
For further perspective, read Transgenderism is 'Delusion' Says Victim
UPDATE 10/18/11 (Fox News): "This is child abuse," said Dr. Paul McHugh, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University. (video:)
-- From "Transgender kids: Painful quest to be who they are" by Madison Park, CNN 9/27/11
Regardless of the fact he was physically male, Thomas has always maintained that he is a girl. When teased at school about being quiet and liking dolls, Thomas would repeat his simple response, "I am a girl."
[Pauline Moreno and Debra Lobel] have been accused of terrible parenting by friends, family and others, that "we're pushing her to do this. I'm a lesbian. My partner is a lesbian. That suddenly falls into the fold: 'Oh, you want her to be part of the lifestyle you guys live,'" Moreno said.
Moreno and Lobel allowed their child pick his own clothes at age 8. Thomas chose girl's clothing and also picked four bras. Then, Thomas wanted to change his name to Tammy and use a female pronoun. This is called social transitioning and can include new hairstyles, wardrobe. Aside from mental health therapy, this stage involves no medical interventions. Social transitioning is completely reversible, said Olson, a gender identity specialist.
This summer, Tammy began the next phase of transition, taking hormone-blocking drugs. This controversial medical treatment prevents children from experiencing puberty.
[Next,] if the child wants to transition to the other gender, he or she can take testosterone or estrogen hormone treatment to go through the puberty of the opposite gender.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
It should be noted that a person's DNA cannot be changed; biologically, there's no such thing as a "sex change."
"Gender identity is who you are and sexual orientation is who you want to have sex with," said Dr. Johanna Olson, professor of clinical pediatrics at University of Southern California, who encourages transgenderism for children, rather than treating them for the mental disorder, such as gender dysphoria or gender identity disorder.
For background, read ABC News: Boy Decides He's a Girl, Age 10 and also read More Than Two Genders, Kindergartners Taught as well as PA School trains 8-year-olds in transgender transitioning
For further perspective, read Transgenderism is 'Delusion' Says Victim
UPDATE 10/18/11 (Fox News): "This is child abuse," said Dr. Paul McHugh, professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University. (video:)
-- From "Transgender kids: Painful quest to be who they are" by Madison Park, CNN 9/27/11
Regardless of the fact he was physically male, Thomas has always maintained that he is a girl. When teased at school about being quiet and liking dolls, Thomas would repeat his simple response, "I am a girl."
[Pauline Moreno and Debra Lobel] have been accused of terrible parenting by friends, family and others, that "we're pushing her to do this. I'm a lesbian. My partner is a lesbian. That suddenly falls into the fold: 'Oh, you want her to be part of the lifestyle you guys live,'" Moreno said.
Moreno and Lobel allowed their child pick his own clothes at age 8. Thomas chose girl's clothing and also picked four bras. Then, Thomas wanted to change his name to Tammy and use a female pronoun. This is called social transitioning and can include new hairstyles, wardrobe. Aside from mental health therapy, this stage involves no medical interventions. Social transitioning is completely reversible, said Olson, a gender identity specialist.
This summer, Tammy began the next phase of transition, taking hormone-blocking drugs. This controversial medical treatment prevents children from experiencing puberty.
[Next,] if the child wants to transition to the other gender, he or she can take testosterone or estrogen hormone treatment to go through the puberty of the opposite gender.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
It should be noted that a person's DNA cannot be changed; biologically, there's no such thing as a "sex change."
Monday, September 26, 2011
Homosexualists' Bullying of Commerce Challenged
The war on Christianity declared by homosexual activists -- part of the Gay Agenda -- is being waged by using consumer-goods retailers and suppliers as pawns, as the homosexualists paint Christians as "haters" who must be locked out of commerce. America's largest corporations have been chided by a well-funded minuscule segment of the population to shun every Christian organization that won't tow the Gay Agenda, through the homosexualists' "bullying campaign fueled by false information."
For background, read American Homosexual Population is Tiny: Study and also read Christian Censorship Demanded for iPhone as well as Homosexualists Force Starbucks CEO to Shun Church
-- From "Microsoft, other businesses put in middle of e-commerce gay-rights culture war" by Janet I. Tu, Seattle Times 9/26/11
Gay-rights advocates -- including a Seattle man who started the effort -- have gotten some of the world's largest businesses, including Microsoft and Apple, to pull out of an e-commerce relationship with a marketer that indirectly gave money to conservative Christian groups that see homosexual behavior as a threat to the morality that holds society together.
Now the marketer and the Christian groups are fighting back, saying that the companies that have dropped the marketer were misled and that the charities are being slandered for their religious beliefs, according to a story published Sunday in The New York Times.
The Internet marketer -- Charity Giveback Group (or CGBG) -- gets a commission from the retailers for each online customer it gives them. Retailers giving a commission to websites that refer customers to them is not an unusual arrangement is the world of e-commerce. With CGBG, a share of the commission that retailers pay is donated to a Christian charity of the buyer's choice, from a list that includes conservative evangelical groups such as Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, according to The New York Times.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Retailers Are Put on the Spot Over Anti-Gay Aid" by Erik Eckholm, New York Times 9/25/11
A handful of advocates, armed with nothing more than their keyboards, have put many of the country’s largest retailers, including Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and Wal-Mart, on the spot over their indirect and, until recently, unnoticed roles in funneling money to Christian groups that are vocal in opposing homosexuality.
The national battle was ignited in July by Stuart Wilber, a 73-year-old gay man in Seattle.
In July, Mr. Wilber went to a Web site that helps groups and individuals circulate petitions, called Change.org, and started one, asking Microsoft to end its association with what he called “hate groups.” By that night, 520 people had signed, with their ire copied to Microsoft officials — and Microsoft had quietly dropped out of the donation plan. Much to Mr. Wilber’s surprise, this would be the start of an electronic conflict that has put hundreds of well-known companies in an unwelcome glare.
“This is economic terrorism,” said Mike Huckabee, the former pastor, governor and presidential contender, who is a paid CGBG consultant. “To try to destroy a business because you don’t like some of the customers is, to me, unbelievably un-American,” he said in an interview.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Gay-rights activists, faith-based nonprofits waging online culture war" by Electa Draper, The Denver Post 8/19/11
Change.org reported that [Ben] Crowther, a student at Western Washington University, gathered more than 20,000 online signatures — compelling Apple Inc. to recently remove iTunes from the CGBG network . . .
CGBG officials also have been fighting back against the activists' representations. Spokesman Kevin McCullough said . . . "The activists had a free hand with no challenge to their dishonest message for about five weeks," McCullough told The Denver Post. "They're preventing us from doing good things for charities when people purchase diapers, tires, reading glasses and (so on). People of faith buy a lot of stuff. They love to give to charity. We don't pick where the stipends go to. The consumer does that."
All the charities, which could number as high as 200,000 organizations, will be hurt by these false statements, McCullough said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "'Gay' activists kill cash sources for Christian charities" by Dave Tombers, World Net Daily 8/30/11
Responding to the campaign, the Catholic League said in a statement that "radical proponents of gay marriage have taken the culture war to the marketplace."
"Rejecting diversity and tolerance, these activists have declared an economic war against any organization that embraces the Judeo-Christian understanding of marriage," the Catholic League said.
The Catholic League rejected the assertion by the Change.org activists that some of the recipients of the funds are Christian "hate groups."
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, told supporters last week that the online political activists "have engaged in a misinformation campaign that bullies retailers including Netflix, Walgreens, Petco, and Westin Hotels into discriminating against customers and charities based on their religious beliefs, specifically the traditional and biblical view of marriage as the union of one man and one woman."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Homosexual activists seek to cut off PayPal accounts of pro-family organizations" by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman, LifeSiteNews.com 9/15/11
Homosexual activists are pressuring PayPal to cut off the accounts of pro-family Christian organizations that oppose the homosexual political agenda and uphold sexual morality, and PayPal is showing signs that it may capitulate to their demands.
The homosexual organization behind the effort, All Out, claims that such organizations as Tradition, Family, and Property, and Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), as well as pro-family Christian activist Julio Severo, promote “hate, violence, and intolerance” and are “extremist.”
The two organizations are mainstream pro-family, Christian groups that reject hatred of homosexuals but uphold traditional sexual morality and oppose legal privileges for homosexuals.
“Thanks to PayPal, its (sic) easier than ever to send and receive money across currencies and continents - but it is also PayPal’s responsibility to make sure this technology doesn’t fall in the wrong hands. Anti-LGBT extremists all over the world are currently using PayPal to fundraise for their dangerous cause,” writes All Out.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Facebook, Google, Apple Censoring Religious Speech?" by Stephanie Samuel, Christian Post Reporter 9/16/11
The [National Religious Broadcasters] NRB released a report at the National Press Club Thursday analyzing the various content policies of social networking websites. What they found was disturbing: new media platforms Facebook, Apple, Comcast, AT&T and Google have adopted policies to censor lawful viewpoints expressing Christian views or controversial ideas on “hot button issues.” Some platforms, such as Apple’s iTunes App Store and Google’s search engine, have already started to use those policies to remove orthodox Christian viewpoints considered “offensive” or too controversial.
[Mark] Zuckerberg’s [Facebook] social network has removed content deemed “anti-gay,” according to the NRB report. It is unclear whether that censored material contained any religious expression. However, the NRB report warns, “The position of Facebook on the issue of homosexuality and its collaboration with gay right group the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD), coupled with its troublesome written policies, are all strong indicators that its social networking platform poses a high index of risk for anti-Christian discrimination.”
The Associated Press caught Comcast blocking or at least delaying peer-to-peer file sharing of the King James Bible.
Google has also committed a number of free speech violations, the NRB report alleges.
. . . the report suggested that social networking platforms are under a tremendous amount of pressure from various special interest groups.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read 'Gay Rights' Winning, Loss of Religious Liberty Documented - Washington Post writer demonstrates it's a "zero sum" game: Winning homosexual 'rights' means Christians must lose freedom of religion.
For background, read American Homosexual Population is Tiny: Study and also read Christian Censorship Demanded for iPhone as well as Homosexualists Force Starbucks CEO to Shun Church
-- From "Microsoft, other businesses put in middle of e-commerce gay-rights culture war" by Janet I. Tu, Seattle Times 9/26/11
Gay-rights advocates -- including a Seattle man who started the effort -- have gotten some of the world's largest businesses, including Microsoft and Apple, to pull out of an e-commerce relationship with a marketer that indirectly gave money to conservative Christian groups that see homosexual behavior as a threat to the morality that holds society together.
Now the marketer and the Christian groups are fighting back, saying that the companies that have dropped the marketer were misled and that the charities are being slandered for their religious beliefs, according to a story published Sunday in The New York Times.
The Internet marketer -- Charity Giveback Group (or CGBG) -- gets a commission from the retailers for each online customer it gives them. Retailers giving a commission to websites that refer customers to them is not an unusual arrangement is the world of e-commerce. With CGBG, a share of the commission that retailers pay is donated to a Christian charity of the buyer's choice, from a list that includes conservative evangelical groups such as Family Research Council and Focus on the Family, according to The New York Times.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Retailers Are Put on the Spot Over Anti-Gay Aid" by Erik Eckholm, New York Times 9/25/11
A handful of advocates, armed with nothing more than their keyboards, have put many of the country’s largest retailers, including Apple, Microsoft, Netflix and Wal-Mart, on the spot over their indirect and, until recently, unnoticed roles in funneling money to Christian groups that are vocal in opposing homosexuality.
The national battle was ignited in July by Stuart Wilber, a 73-year-old gay man in Seattle.
In July, Mr. Wilber went to a Web site that helps groups and individuals circulate petitions, called Change.org, and started one, asking Microsoft to end its association with what he called “hate groups.” By that night, 520 people had signed, with their ire copied to Microsoft officials — and Microsoft had quietly dropped out of the donation plan. Much to Mr. Wilber’s surprise, this would be the start of an electronic conflict that has put hundreds of well-known companies in an unwelcome glare.
“This is economic terrorism,” said Mike Huckabee, the former pastor, governor and presidential contender, who is a paid CGBG consultant. “To try to destroy a business because you don’t like some of the customers is, to me, unbelievably un-American,” he said in an interview.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Gay-rights activists, faith-based nonprofits waging online culture war" by Electa Draper, The Denver Post 8/19/11
Change.org reported that [Ben] Crowther, a student at Western Washington University, gathered more than 20,000 online signatures — compelling Apple Inc. to recently remove iTunes from the CGBG network . . .
CGBG officials also have been fighting back against the activists' representations. Spokesman Kevin McCullough said . . . "The activists had a free hand with no challenge to their dishonest message for about five weeks," McCullough told The Denver Post. "They're preventing us from doing good things for charities when people purchase diapers, tires, reading glasses and (so on). People of faith buy a lot of stuff. They love to give to charity. We don't pick where the stipends go to. The consumer does that."
All the charities, which could number as high as 200,000 organizations, will be hurt by these false statements, McCullough said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "'Gay' activists kill cash sources for Christian charities" by Dave Tombers, World Net Daily 8/30/11
Responding to the campaign, the Catholic League said in a statement that "radical proponents of gay marriage have taken the culture war to the marketplace."
"Rejecting diversity and tolerance, these activists have declared an economic war against any organization that embraces the Judeo-Christian understanding of marriage," the Catholic League said.
The Catholic League rejected the assertion by the Change.org activists that some of the recipients of the funds are Christian "hate groups."
Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council, told supporters last week that the online political activists "have engaged in a misinformation campaign that bullies retailers including Netflix, Walgreens, Petco, and Westin Hotels into discriminating against customers and charities based on their religious beliefs, specifically the traditional and biblical view of marriage as the union of one man and one woman."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Homosexual activists seek to cut off PayPal accounts of pro-family organizations" by Matthew Cullinan Hoffman, LifeSiteNews.com 9/15/11
Homosexual activists are pressuring PayPal to cut off the accounts of pro-family Christian organizations that oppose the homosexual political agenda and uphold sexual morality, and PayPal is showing signs that it may capitulate to their demands.
The homosexual organization behind the effort, All Out, claims that such organizations as Tradition, Family, and Property, and Americans for Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), as well as pro-family Christian activist Julio Severo, promote “hate, violence, and intolerance” and are “extremist.”
The two organizations are mainstream pro-family, Christian groups that reject hatred of homosexuals but uphold traditional sexual morality and oppose legal privileges for homosexuals.
“Thanks to PayPal, its (sic) easier than ever to send and receive money across currencies and continents - but it is also PayPal’s responsibility to make sure this technology doesn’t fall in the wrong hands. Anti-LGBT extremists all over the world are currently using PayPal to fundraise for their dangerous cause,” writes All Out.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Facebook, Google, Apple Censoring Religious Speech?" by Stephanie Samuel, Christian Post Reporter 9/16/11
The [National Religious Broadcasters] NRB released a report at the National Press Club Thursday analyzing the various content policies of social networking websites. What they found was disturbing: new media platforms Facebook, Apple, Comcast, AT&T and Google have adopted policies to censor lawful viewpoints expressing Christian views or controversial ideas on “hot button issues.” Some platforms, such as Apple’s iTunes App Store and Google’s search engine, have already started to use those policies to remove orthodox Christian viewpoints considered “offensive” or too controversial.
[Mark] Zuckerberg’s [Facebook] social network has removed content deemed “anti-gay,” according to the NRB report. It is unclear whether that censored material contained any religious expression. However, the NRB report warns, “The position of Facebook on the issue of homosexuality and its collaboration with gay right group the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Discrimination (GLAAD), coupled with its troublesome written policies, are all strong indicators that its social networking platform poses a high index of risk for anti-Christian discrimination.”
The Associated Press caught Comcast blocking or at least delaying peer-to-peer file sharing of the King James Bible.
Google has also committed a number of free speech violations, the NRB report alleges.
. . . the report suggested that social networking platforms are under a tremendous amount of pressure from various special interest groups.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read 'Gay Rights' Winning, Loss of Religious Liberty Documented - Washington Post writer demonstrates it's a "zero sum" game: Winning homosexual 'rights' means Christians must lose freedom of religion.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Bishops Say Obama Destroying Societal Norm
The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a stern warning to President Obama that his attacks on the institution of marriage and religious liberty will “precipitate a national conflict between Church and State of enormous proportions and to the detriment of both institutions.”
For background, read Homosexualists to Buy White House, Say Media and also read Obama, Senate Full Assault on Marriage Begins as well as Obama Pushes Court to Rule Against Marriage
See statement from the Pope at the bottom of this post.
UPDATE 2/17/12: ObamaCare Stakes Ground in War on Christianity
UPDATE 10/10/11: Obama pulls $19 million grant from Catholic Bishops to provide assistance to victims of human trafficking (in retaliation?)
UPDATE 10/4/11 - White House dodges question on bishops' warning (video):
-- From "Archbishop Dolan: President Obama Out To Destroy Institute Of Marriage In New York" posted at CBSNewYork 9/23/11
Archbishop Timothy Dolan is going to war with President Barack Obama over same-sex marriage — and warning of a major clash between church and state over religious freedom.
[The bishop] accuses the president of working to “escalate the threat to marriage and imperil the religious freedom of those who promote and defend marriage.”
. . . the Obama administration filed a court brief calling the law defining marriage [DOMA] as the union of one man and one woman “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory.”
The archbishop says that practically labels Catholic teaching a federal offense with “a motivation rooted in prejudice and bias.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Catholics warn of 'national conflict' over gay marriage" by David Gibson, Religion News Service, posted at USAToday 9/23/11
Dolan said the bishops are especially upset that the administration and opponents of DOMA are framing their argument as a civil rights issue . . .
He also argued that traditional marriage is best for society, and that treating gay marriage as a civil right would lead to discrimination against believers and against church agencies that could not, for example, accommodate gay couples as adoptive parents.
The two-page letter was followed by a three-page analysis from the USCCB's legal staff that charges the administration with "hostility" to traditional marriage and a "new, more aggressive position" on behalf of gay marriage. In especially strong language, it also argues that the administration treats millions of Americans who oppose gay marriage "as if they were bigots."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Fight against federal law will undermine marriage, says archbishop" by Catholic News Service 9/22/11
"It is especially wrong and unfair to equate opposition to redefining marriage with either intentional or willfully ignorant racial discrimination, as your administration insists on doing," the archbishop said.
Archbishop Dolan underscored the church's position recognizing "the immeasurable personal dignity and equal worth of all individuals, including those with same-sex attraction" and said "we reject all hatred and unjust treatment against any person."
"The Catholic bishops stand ready to affirm every positive measure taken by you and your administration to strengthen marriage and the family," he said. "We cannot be silent, however, when federal steps harmful to marriage, the laws defending it and religious freedom continue apace."
"Our federal government should not be presuming ill intent or moral blindness on the part of the overwhelming majority of its citizens," he said. "Nor should a policy disagreement over the meaning of marriage be treated as a federal offense by federal officials."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Conflict of ‘enormous proportions’ brewing thanks to Obama anti-marriage stance: head of US bishops" by Peter Baklinski, LifeSiteNews.com 9/23/11
This letter comes at a time when the Obama Administration has shifted from not defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to actively attacking the Act’s constitutionality. Just two months ago the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed a brief in Golinski v. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, arguing that DOMA should be struck down as a form of sexual orientation discrimination.
“Every child has the right to be loved by both a mother and a father. The institution of marriage is built on this truth, which goes to the core of what the Catholic Bishops of the United States, and the millions of citizens who stand with us on this issue, want for all children and for the common good of society.”
Nevertheless, he continued, “While all persons merit our full respect, no other relationships provide for the common good what marriage between husband and wife provides.”
“Mr. President, I respectfully urge you to push the reset button on your Administration's approach to DOMA.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Catholics cannot accept gay marriage, pope says" by Philip Pullella and Sarah Marsh, Reuters 9/24/11
Pope Benedict said on Saturday the Catholic Church could not accept gay marriage and urged young people to root out evil in society and shun a "lukewarm" faith that damages their Church.
"The world in which we live, in spite of its technical progress, does not seem to be getting any better," he told the young people.
He urged them to root out all forms of evil in society and not to be "lukewarm Christians," saying that lack of commitment to faith did more damage to their Church than its sworn enemies.
"We as Christians attach great importance to defending the integrity and the uniqueness of marriage between one man and one woman from any kind of misinterpretation," he said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
For background, read Homosexualists to Buy White House, Say Media and also read Obama, Senate Full Assault on Marriage Begins as well as Obama Pushes Court to Rule Against Marriage
See statement from the Pope at the bottom of this post.
UPDATE 2/17/12: ObamaCare Stakes Ground in War on Christianity
UPDATE 10/10/11: Obama pulls $19 million grant from Catholic Bishops to provide assistance to victims of human trafficking (in retaliation?)
UPDATE 10/4/11 - White House dodges question on bishops' warning (video):
-- From "Archbishop Dolan: President Obama Out To Destroy Institute Of Marriage In New York" posted at CBSNewYork 9/23/11
Archbishop Timothy Dolan is going to war with President Barack Obama over same-sex marriage — and warning of a major clash between church and state over religious freedom.
[The bishop] accuses the president of working to “escalate the threat to marriage and imperil the religious freedom of those who promote and defend marriage.”
. . . the Obama administration filed a court brief calling the law defining marriage [DOMA] as the union of one man and one woman “unconstitutional” and “discriminatory.”
The archbishop says that practically labels Catholic teaching a federal offense with “a motivation rooted in prejudice and bias.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Catholics warn of 'national conflict' over gay marriage" by David Gibson, Religion News Service, posted at USAToday 9/23/11
Dolan said the bishops are especially upset that the administration and opponents of DOMA are framing their argument as a civil rights issue . . .
He also argued that traditional marriage is best for society, and that treating gay marriage as a civil right would lead to discrimination against believers and against church agencies that could not, for example, accommodate gay couples as adoptive parents.
The two-page letter was followed by a three-page analysis from the USCCB's legal staff that charges the administration with "hostility" to traditional marriage and a "new, more aggressive position" on behalf of gay marriage. In especially strong language, it also argues that the administration treats millions of Americans who oppose gay marriage "as if they were bigots."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Fight against federal law will undermine marriage, says archbishop" by Catholic News Service 9/22/11
"It is especially wrong and unfair to equate opposition to redefining marriage with either intentional or willfully ignorant racial discrimination, as your administration insists on doing," the archbishop said.
Archbishop Dolan underscored the church's position recognizing "the immeasurable personal dignity and equal worth of all individuals, including those with same-sex attraction" and said "we reject all hatred and unjust treatment against any person."
"The Catholic bishops stand ready to affirm every positive measure taken by you and your administration to strengthen marriage and the family," he said. "We cannot be silent, however, when federal steps harmful to marriage, the laws defending it and religious freedom continue apace."
"Our federal government should not be presuming ill intent or moral blindness on the part of the overwhelming majority of its citizens," he said. "Nor should a policy disagreement over the meaning of marriage be treated as a federal offense by federal officials."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Conflict of ‘enormous proportions’ brewing thanks to Obama anti-marriage stance: head of US bishops" by Peter Baklinski, LifeSiteNews.com 9/23/11
This letter comes at a time when the Obama Administration has shifted from not defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) to actively attacking the Act’s constitutionality. Just two months ago the Department of Justice (DoJ) filed a brief in Golinski v. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, arguing that DOMA should be struck down as a form of sexual orientation discrimination.
“Every child has the right to be loved by both a mother and a father. The institution of marriage is built on this truth, which goes to the core of what the Catholic Bishops of the United States, and the millions of citizens who stand with us on this issue, want for all children and for the common good of society.”
Nevertheless, he continued, “While all persons merit our full respect, no other relationships provide for the common good what marriage between husband and wife provides.”
“Mr. President, I respectfully urge you to push the reset button on your Administration's approach to DOMA.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Catholics cannot accept gay marriage, pope says" by Philip Pullella and Sarah Marsh, Reuters 9/24/11
Pope Benedict said on Saturday the Catholic Church could not accept gay marriage and urged young people to root out evil in society and shun a "lukewarm" faith that damages their Church.
"The world in which we live, in spite of its technical progress, does not seem to be getting any better," he told the young people.
He urged them to root out all forms of evil in society and not to be "lukewarm Christians," saying that lack of commitment to faith did more damage to their Church than its sworn enemies.
"We as Christians attach great importance to defending the integrity and the uniqueness of marriage between one man and one woman from any kind of misinterpretation," he said.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Saturday, September 24, 2011
Horror: Christian Rapper Allowed in School Gym
Within hours of the middle school in Jefferson, SC permitting students to choose the optional event in the gym where the rapper B-SHOC performed, atheists from across the nation descended on the small school demanding an investigation of this corrupting of the children's minds.
UPDATE 12/5/11: ACLU sues Chesterfield County Schools on behalf of Jonathan Anderson, father of student
-- From "Christian Prayer Rally Improperly Held At Public School" by Susanne M. Schafer, Associated Press 9/22/11
Annie Laurie Gaylor with the 17,000-member [Freedom from Religion] Foundation said the rally that Thursday featuring the rapper B-SHOC and a youth evangelist, Christian Chapman, was held at New Heights Middle School in the town of about 700 near the state line with North Carolina. She said in a phone interview that her organization sent a letter of complaint to the school district seeking an investigation and a halt to such activity.
The American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina issued a statement that "a serious constitutional violation" occurred.
The school's Facebook page deleted its link to the video of the event, but comments in support of the principal were posted on it, with the comment, "Keep standing up for what you believe, and never let them knock you down. Keep it up! We love you."
Rodney Nicholson, pastor of High Point Baptist Church in nearby Pageland, S.C., posted on the school's Facebook page . . . "Those who did not wish to attend had an alternative option! There is something wrong when you can talk about sex, drugs, pregnancy, and any other subject in school except for Christianity!" Nicholson wrote.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Watch the video (below). Can these children ever recover from their choice to attend this event? Possibly, the atheists will bring an army of counselors to help the kids.
UPDATE 12/5/11: ACLU sues Chesterfield County Schools on behalf of Jonathan Anderson, father of student
-- From "Christian Prayer Rally Improperly Held At Public School" by Susanne M. Schafer, Associated Press 9/22/11
Annie Laurie Gaylor with the 17,000-member [Freedom from Religion] Foundation said the rally that Thursday featuring the rapper B-SHOC and a youth evangelist, Christian Chapman, was held at New Heights Middle School in the town of about 700 near the state line with North Carolina. She said in a phone interview that her organization sent a letter of complaint to the school district seeking an investigation and a halt to such activity.
The American Civil Liberties Union of South Carolina issued a statement that "a serious constitutional violation" occurred.
The school's Facebook page deleted its link to the video of the event, but comments in support of the principal were posted on it, with the comment, "Keep standing up for what you believe, and never let them knock you down. Keep it up! We love you."
Rodney Nicholson, pastor of High Point Baptist Church in nearby Pageland, S.C., posted on the school's Facebook page . . . "Those who did not wish to attend had an alternative option! There is something wrong when you can talk about sex, drugs, pregnancy, and any other subject in school except for Christianity!" Nicholson wrote.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Watch the video (below). Can these children ever recover from their choice to attend this event? Possibly, the atheists will bring an army of counselors to help the kids.
Scary Calif. 'Lunch Lady' is Man in Drag
Parents of students in a California school district have been stunned by word that the school is allowing a man who works in the lunchroom to dress like a woman, wearing exposed bra straps and a spaghetti-strap top that would not be allowed for students.
Sorry, Mom. It's the law in California: Celebrate sexual deviancy!
For background, read 'Teaching Gay History' Law for California and also read Parents Fight Calif. Gay Agenda Indoctrination
-- From "Cross dressing cafeteria worker outrages parents in CA" by Andy Koen, KOAA-TV5 9/23/11
A California mother has filed a formal complaint with her daughters' school district after the girls came home from school asking her why a man at school was dressing like a woman. The girls attend kindergarten and third grade at Faller Elementary School in Ridgcrest, a small town located about 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Their mother, Phyllis Fernandez, had apparently contacted the Sierra Sands School District and was told by administrators that their hands were tied.
Attorneys from the Pacific Justice Institute, a religous freedom legal defense organization, have filed a formal complaint with the school district demanding that the employee be disciplined because he was wearing attire that wouldn't be permissible for students to wear.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Crossdressing cafeteria worker turns stomachs of parents, kids" by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily 9/23/11
And a law firm addressing the issue said those are exactly the circumstances that are fueling a popular uprising against a state legislative plan that would require schools to indoctrinate children as young as 5 with the idea that homosexuality, transsexuality and other alternative lifestyles are not only acceptable, but to be looked at as models.
"I shouldn't have to be explaining to my five and eight year old girls why a man at their school is wearing a bra," said Fernandez. "The school believes they have to give special treatment to this individual because of his chosen gender expression, but the learning environment is suffering."
Attorneys at the [Pacific Justice Institute] who are advising Fernandez noted that this type of frustration is serving to build support for a repeal of SB48, the newly approved law that would demand that schools promote transgender, bisexual and homosexual historical figures.
Superintendent Joanna Rummer told WND the situation is as the parents described, but she said the school by state law must allow the "transgender" employee to express his sexual orientation.
. . . she said the district was not allowed to "infringe" on the employee's "rights."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Sorry, Mom. It's the law in California: Celebrate sexual deviancy!
For background, read 'Teaching Gay History' Law for California and also read Parents Fight Calif. Gay Agenda Indoctrination
-- From "Cross dressing cafeteria worker outrages parents in CA" by Andy Koen, KOAA-TV5 9/23/11
A California mother has filed a formal complaint with her daughters' school district after the girls came home from school asking her why a man at school was dressing like a woman. The girls attend kindergarten and third grade at Faller Elementary School in Ridgcrest, a small town located about 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Their mother, Phyllis Fernandez, had apparently contacted the Sierra Sands School District and was told by administrators that their hands were tied.
Attorneys from the Pacific Justice Institute, a religous freedom legal defense organization, have filed a formal complaint with the school district demanding that the employee be disciplined because he was wearing attire that wouldn't be permissible for students to wear.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Crossdressing cafeteria worker turns stomachs of parents, kids" by Bob Unruh, World Net Daily 9/23/11
And a law firm addressing the issue said those are exactly the circumstances that are fueling a popular uprising against a state legislative plan that would require schools to indoctrinate children as young as 5 with the idea that homosexuality, transsexuality and other alternative lifestyles are not only acceptable, but to be looked at as models.
"I shouldn't have to be explaining to my five and eight year old girls why a man at their school is wearing a bra," said Fernandez. "The school believes they have to give special treatment to this individual because of his chosen gender expression, but the learning environment is suffering."
Attorneys at the [Pacific Justice Institute] who are advising Fernandez noted that this type of frustration is serving to build support for a repeal of SB48, the newly approved law that would demand that schools promote transgender, bisexual and homosexual historical figures.
Superintendent Joanna Rummer told WND the situation is as the parents described, but she said the school by state law must allow the "transgender" employee to express his sexual orientation.
. . . she said the district was not allowed to "infringe" on the employee's "rights."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Friday, September 23, 2011
Scientists: Outlaw Non-evolution Theories & Beliefs
Prominent scientists and atheists in the UK are demanding the outlawing of "threats" to the theory of evolution including creationism and lines of scientific inquiry such as intelligent design, and especially theories of "religious fundamentalists."
For background, read Only 25% of Britons are Darwinists and also read Few Believe Evolution Enough to Teach It as well as Darwinists Fear Fred Flintstone and Barney & Friends
In addition, read extensive documentation concerning Scientific Teaching vs. Darwinism
-- From "Ban teaching creationism at school, say academics" by Fiona Macrae, UK Daily Mail 9/19/11
The teaching of creationism should be outlawed in school science lessons, a group of leading scientists have said.
And the curriculum should be changed to ensure evolution is taught from when children start school, according to academics including Sir David Attenborough and Professor Richard Dawkins
Prof Dawkins, a geneticist and author of the God Delusion, said last night: ‘We need to stop calling evolution a theory. It is as solidly demonstrated as any fact.’
Those behind the call for ‘evolution not creationism’ say teaching that God created the world is dangerous and must be prevented by law.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "David Attenborough joins campaign against creationism in schools" by Nick Collins, Science Correspondent, London Telegraph 9/19/11
In a statement on a new campaign website, the 30 scientists and campaign groups including the British Science Association demanded creationism and "intelligent design" be banned outright.
Prof Colin Blakemore, the neurobiologist, Sir Paul Nurse, the President of the Royal Society, and former Royal Society director of education Rev Prof Michael Reiss were among the signatories.
But the arguments of creationists, who believe God built the world in six days in line with the story of Genesis, and of devout Muslims have become steadily more popular in recent years.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Scientists demand tougher guidelines on teaching of creationism in schools" by Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent at The Guardian 9/18/11
A group of 30 scientists have signed a statement saying it is "unacceptable" to teach creationism and intelligent design, whether it happens in science lessons or not. The statement claims two organisations, Truth in Science and Creation Ministries International are "touring the UK and presenting themselves as scientists and their creationist views as science".
"Creationism and intelligent design are not scientific theories, but they are portrayed as scientific theories by some religious fundamentalists who attempt to have their views promoted in publicly funded schools," the scientists say.
Truth in Science denied advocating the teaching of creationism in schools. "We wish to highlight the scientific weaknesses of neo-Darwinism and to encourage a more critical approach to the teaching of evolution in schools and universities," it said in a statement.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "U.K. Scientists Want Schools to Shun Creationism, Promote Evolution" by Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor 9/19/11
The campaign is being coordinated by the British Humanist Association (BHA), and supported by the Association for Science Education, the British Science Association, the Campaign for Science & Engineering and the Ekklesia think tank.
Truth in Science, meanwhile, claimed on its website that the BHA is advancing a humanist agenda by pushing for compulsory teaching of evolution in schools.
The government of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued guidance to all schools that creationism should not be taught to pupils, but that is not enforceable.
The scientists want to go a step further.
As of now, primary schools in the U.K. can choose not to teach evolution.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
For background, read Only 25% of Britons are Darwinists and also read Few Believe Evolution Enough to Teach It as well as Darwinists Fear Fred Flintstone and Barney & Friends
In addition, read extensive documentation concerning Scientific Teaching vs. Darwinism
-- From "Ban teaching creationism at school, say academics" by Fiona Macrae, UK Daily Mail 9/19/11
The teaching of creationism should be outlawed in school science lessons, a group of leading scientists have said.
And the curriculum should be changed to ensure evolution is taught from when children start school, according to academics including Sir David Attenborough and Professor Richard Dawkins
Prof Dawkins, a geneticist and author of the God Delusion, said last night: ‘We need to stop calling evolution a theory. It is as solidly demonstrated as any fact.’
Those behind the call for ‘evolution not creationism’ say teaching that God created the world is dangerous and must be prevented by law.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "David Attenborough joins campaign against creationism in schools" by Nick Collins, Science Correspondent, London Telegraph 9/19/11
In a statement on a new campaign website, the 30 scientists and campaign groups including the British Science Association demanded creationism and "intelligent design" be banned outright.
Prof Colin Blakemore, the neurobiologist, Sir Paul Nurse, the President of the Royal Society, and former Royal Society director of education Rev Prof Michael Reiss were among the signatories.
But the arguments of creationists, who believe God built the world in six days in line with the story of Genesis, and of devout Muslims have become steadily more popular in recent years.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Scientists demand tougher guidelines on teaching of creationism in schools" by Riazat Butt, religious affairs correspondent at The Guardian 9/18/11
A group of 30 scientists have signed a statement saying it is "unacceptable" to teach creationism and intelligent design, whether it happens in science lessons or not. The statement claims two organisations, Truth in Science and Creation Ministries International are "touring the UK and presenting themselves as scientists and their creationist views as science".
"Creationism and intelligent design are not scientific theories, but they are portrayed as scientific theories by some religious fundamentalists who attempt to have their views promoted in publicly funded schools," the scientists say.
Truth in Science denied advocating the teaching of creationism in schools. "We wish to highlight the scientific weaknesses of neo-Darwinism and to encourage a more critical approach to the teaching of evolution in schools and universities," it said in a statement.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "U.K. Scientists Want Schools to Shun Creationism, Promote Evolution" by Anugrah Kumar, Christian Post Contributor 9/19/11
The campaign is being coordinated by the British Humanist Association (BHA), and supported by the Association for Science Education, the British Science Association, the Campaign for Science & Engineering and the Ekklesia think tank.
Truth in Science, meanwhile, claimed on its website that the BHA is advancing a humanist agenda by pushing for compulsory teaching of evolution in schools.
The government of former Prime Minister Gordon Brown issued guidance to all schools that creationism should not be taught to pupils, but that is not enforceable.
The scientists want to go a step further.
As of now, primary schools in the U.K. can choose not to teach evolution.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Texas Student Punished for 'Christian Talk'
A Fort Worth high school suspended 14-year-old Christian, and honor student, Dakota Ary for saying "I think being homosexual is wrong" in an open class-time discussion concerning religious beliefs.
After serving a portion of the 3-day suspension, the school administration acquiesced after meeting with a constitutional attorney and lifted the remainder of the suspension.
For background, read Countering ACLU Threats that Schools Must Teach Homosexuality and also read White House Says Gay Recruitment of Kids Successful as well as Feds Fund Homosexualists' School Training
UPDATE 10/13/11: School Apologizes for Bullying Student Dakota Ary
UPDATE 10/2/11 - Teacher suspended for wrongly suspending student (video):
-- From "Western Hills student suspended for denouncing homosexuality has punishment reversed" by Eva-Marie Ayala, Fort Worth Star Telegram 9/23/11
A Western Hills High School student who was suspended from school for saying homosexuality is wrong has had his punishment reversed, according to the boy's mother and attorney.
Freshman Dakota Ary was in German class Tuesday when the discussion turned to religion, and a student in the back of the class asked about that country's views of homosexuality.
"I told my friend that I'm a Christian and I believe being gay is wrong," said Ary, 14. "But the teacher told me I shouldn't say things like that, and he wrote me an infraction. I was surprised. I wasn't discriminating or being a bully. I was just expressing my beliefs."
The teacher sent Ary to the office, where an assistant principal placed him on three-day in-school suspension.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Anti-gay comment causes stir" posted at KSN-TV (Wichita, KS) 9/22/11
On the referral form [written by the teacher to the school office], Ary is quoted as saying "no gays allowed in Christianity." The form says the comment was unprovoked and out of context. The final sentence of the explanation on the referral reads, "It is wrong to make such a statement in public school."
But Ary's mother, Holly Pope, and attorney Matt Krause of the Liberty Counsel disagree.
They said the referral, the two-day suspension and the teacher's statement are wrong.
"Just because you walk through the school house doors doesn't mean you shed your First Amendment rights," Krause said. "And he wasn't disrupting class, he wasn't hurting or harassing anybody. He was just stating his religious beliefs in a benign, non-hostile way."
The standard referral form asks whether the incident is of a bullying or cyber-bullying nature.
Instead of answering yes or no, a handwritten "possibly" is nearby.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Student suspended for anti-gay comment" by Jason Whitely, WFAA-TV5 Seattle 9/22/11
. . . his mother hired an attorney and met with principals on Wednesday morning.
“That’s the reason we have the First Amendment and freedom of speech, because not everybody thinks the same way and we have the freedom to disagree in the marketplace of ideas and discussion," said Matt Krause, a constitutional attorney the family hired. "It’s OK if people take contradictory sides. Here, Dakota was just expressing his viewpoint. It might offend somebody but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
Krause said principals agreed with that viewpoint after their meeting Wednesday morning, when they canceled Ary’s second day of suspension, agreed to let him make up his work and also make sure his record doesn’t reflect what happened.
Messages to a spokesman for the Fort Worth Independent School District were not immediately returned Wednesday evening.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
After serving a portion of the 3-day suspension, the school administration acquiesced after meeting with a constitutional attorney and lifted the remainder of the suspension.
For background, read Countering ACLU Threats that Schools Must Teach Homosexuality and also read White House Says Gay Recruitment of Kids Successful as well as Feds Fund Homosexualists' School Training
UPDATE 10/13/11: School Apologizes for Bullying Student Dakota Ary
UPDATE 10/2/11 - Teacher suspended for wrongly suspending student (video):
-- From "Western Hills student suspended for denouncing homosexuality has punishment reversed" by Eva-Marie Ayala, Fort Worth Star Telegram 9/23/11
A Western Hills High School student who was suspended from school for saying homosexuality is wrong has had his punishment reversed, according to the boy's mother and attorney.
Freshman Dakota Ary was in German class Tuesday when the discussion turned to religion, and a student in the back of the class asked about that country's views of homosexuality.
"I told my friend that I'm a Christian and I believe being gay is wrong," said Ary, 14. "But the teacher told me I shouldn't say things like that, and he wrote me an infraction. I was surprised. I wasn't discriminating or being a bully. I was just expressing my beliefs."
The teacher sent Ary to the office, where an assistant principal placed him on three-day in-school suspension.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Anti-gay comment causes stir" posted at KSN-TV (Wichita, KS) 9/22/11
On the referral form [written by the teacher to the school office], Ary is quoted as saying "no gays allowed in Christianity." The form says the comment was unprovoked and out of context. The final sentence of the explanation on the referral reads, "It is wrong to make such a statement in public school."
But Ary's mother, Holly Pope, and attorney Matt Krause of the Liberty Counsel disagree.
They said the referral, the two-day suspension and the teacher's statement are wrong.
"Just because you walk through the school house doors doesn't mean you shed your First Amendment rights," Krause said. "And he wasn't disrupting class, he wasn't hurting or harassing anybody. He was just stating his religious beliefs in a benign, non-hostile way."
The standard referral form asks whether the incident is of a bullying or cyber-bullying nature.
Instead of answering yes or no, a handwritten "possibly" is nearby.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Student suspended for anti-gay comment" by Jason Whitely, WFAA-TV5 Seattle 9/22/11
. . . his mother hired an attorney and met with principals on Wednesday morning.
“That’s the reason we have the First Amendment and freedom of speech, because not everybody thinks the same way and we have the freedom to disagree in the marketplace of ideas and discussion," said Matt Krause, a constitutional attorney the family hired. "It’s OK if people take contradictory sides. Here, Dakota was just expressing his viewpoint. It might offend somebody but that doesn’t mean it’s wrong.”
Krause said principals agreed with that viewpoint after their meeting Wednesday morning, when they canceled Ary’s second day of suspension, agreed to let him make up his work and also make sure his record doesn’t reflect what happened.
Messages to a spokesman for the Fort Worth Independent School District were not immediately returned Wednesday evening.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Vote to Ban All Abortion: Nevada Personhood
The Nevada Prolife Coalition has taken steps to petition the state government to allow voters to define unborn human life as persons with a constitutional right to life, prohibiting "the intentional taking of a prenatal person's life," thus making all abortion illegal.
For background, read Mississippi Cleared to Negate Roe v. Wade: Personhood and also read Life to Personhood Means Death to Roe v. Wade as well as Unborn Are People Too
-- From "Group wants to put abortion issue on Nevada ballot" by The Associated Press 9/22/11
To get the question on a statewide ballot, the group must gather more than 72,000 valid signatures from the state's three congressional districts.
A coalition of abortion rights groups is opposing the anti-abortion effort.
A similar effort last year to ban abortions in Nevada failed after a district judge ruled the petition language was too vague.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Anti-abortion group files initiative petition seeking to outlaw abortions in Nevada" By Anjeanette Damon, Las Vegas Sun 9/22/11
The petition is similar to a failed 2010 petition pushed by the Personhood USA group, which is pursuing anti-abortion laws across the country. That petition was rejected by Carson District Court Judge James Russell, who found the language too vague to be clear to voters.
It’s unclear whether the Nevada Prolife Coalition petition is connected to Personhood USA. The man who filed the petition, Chet Gallagher, is a well-known anti-abortion advocate who was involved with the Personhood effort in Montana last year.
The group, however, is not yet properly registered with the Nevada Secretary of State’s office to adovcate for or against an initiative petition, said deputy secretary of state Scott Giles. To begin collecting signatures the group would first have to file the necessary paperwork.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Personhood USA Releases New Video Documenting Infamous Roe vs. Wade Court Case" posted at PRWeb 9/15/11
Personhood USA has released a new video documenting the infamous Roe vs. Wade court case that legalized abortion in the United States. Relevant to today’s battle for human life, the video illustrates the need to recognize unborn children as people.
The video includes actual audio from the court case in which Justice Potter Stewart states, “And the basic Constitutional question, initially, is whether or not an unborn fetus is a person, isn’t it? That’s critical to this case.”
“In 1973, the courts may have had some question as to whether or not an unborn child is a person, but that is certainly not the case today,” explained Gualberto Garcia Jones, J.D. of Personhood USA. “Ultrasound technology, along with the many advances in science and medicine, have shown us with certainty that the unborn child is a human being. And, of course, all human beings are people.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Abortion Unconstitutional via Roe v. Wade: Personhood
For background, read Mississippi Cleared to Negate Roe v. Wade: Personhood and also read Life to Personhood Means Death to Roe v. Wade as well as Unborn Are People Too
-- From "Group wants to put abortion issue on Nevada ballot" by The Associated Press 9/22/11
To get the question on a statewide ballot, the group must gather more than 72,000 valid signatures from the state's three congressional districts.
A coalition of abortion rights groups is opposing the anti-abortion effort.
A similar effort last year to ban abortions in Nevada failed after a district judge ruled the petition language was too vague.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Anti-abortion group files initiative petition seeking to outlaw abortions in Nevada" By Anjeanette Damon, Las Vegas Sun 9/22/11
The petition is similar to a failed 2010 petition pushed by the Personhood USA group, which is pursuing anti-abortion laws across the country. That petition was rejected by Carson District Court Judge James Russell, who found the language too vague to be clear to voters.
It’s unclear whether the Nevada Prolife Coalition petition is connected to Personhood USA. The man who filed the petition, Chet Gallagher, is a well-known anti-abortion advocate who was involved with the Personhood effort in Montana last year.
The group, however, is not yet properly registered with the Nevada Secretary of State’s office to adovcate for or against an initiative petition, said deputy secretary of state Scott Giles. To begin collecting signatures the group would first have to file the necessary paperwork.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Personhood USA Releases New Video Documenting Infamous Roe vs. Wade Court Case" posted at PRWeb 9/15/11
Personhood USA has released a new video documenting the infamous Roe vs. Wade court case that legalized abortion in the United States. Relevant to today’s battle for human life, the video illustrates the need to recognize unborn children as people.
The video includes actual audio from the court case in which Justice Potter Stewart states, “And the basic Constitutional question, initially, is whether or not an unborn fetus is a person, isn’t it? That’s critical to this case.”
“In 1973, the courts may have had some question as to whether or not an unborn child is a person, but that is certainly not the case today,” explained Gualberto Garcia Jones, J.D. of Personhood USA. “Ultrasound technology, along with the many advances in science and medicine, have shown us with certainty that the unborn child is a human being. And, of course, all human beings are people.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Also read Abortion Unconstitutional via Roe v. Wade: Personhood
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Michigan to Ban Partial-birth Abortion
The Michigan state House and Senate have passed bills to ban partial-birth abortion, except to save the mother's life, and the governor is expected to sign such a bill. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld such a ban at the federal level.
For background, read Pro-life Legislation Floods America
-- From "Michigan lawmakers advance abortion procedure ban" by The Associated Press 9/21/11
A proposal to put the ban in state law passed the Senate 29-8 Wednesday. A similar but separate bill passed the House 75-33. Lawmakers must pass the same bills before they can be sent to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.
There's a similar federal ban on the procedure. Critics of the Michigan plan say that makes the state proposal redundant. Supporters say a state ban would make it easier to prosecute cases in Michigan.
Michigan lawmakers have tried to enact a state-level ban multiple times without success because of vetoes from then-Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and court rulings.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Michigan Senate passes abortion bill" by Karen Bouffard, The Detroit News Lansing Bureau 9/21/11
Most Democrats opposed the ban saying it is not necessary since the federal government banned the practice in 2003. Democratic Sens. Tupac Hunter of Detroit, Steve Bieda of Warren and John Gleason of Flushing broke with their caucus to support the ban.
Opponents unsuccessfully proposed amendments to provide exceptions in the case of rape, or possible damage to a woman's health.
The legislation bans an abortion in which a fetus is partially born, and then killed before completely emerging from the womb. The practice would become a felony punishable by up to two years in jail and a $50,000 fine.
Senate Republicans said this legislation will stand because it closely mirrors language upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Michigan Legislature Approves Partial-Birth Abortion Ban" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 9/21/11
The legislature approved Senate Bills 160-161 and the bills would prohibit partial birth abortions (SB 160) and provide sentencing penalties for anyone convicted of violating the law (SB 161). Both measures received a 3-1 vote to move on to the next stage of the legislative process.
Senate Bill 160 passed the Senate 29-8 and House Bill 4109 passed the House 75-33. They now go to Republican Rick Snyder who plans to sign them into law.
[State Sen. Goeff Hansen, R-Hart] said the state law is needed even though Congress banned the practice, because it “makes it easier to enforce the ban in Michigan.”
Those representing Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union voiced their opposition to a ban on partial birth abortion during the committee hearing.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
For background, read Pro-life Legislation Floods America
-- From "Michigan lawmakers advance abortion procedure ban" by The Associated Press 9/21/11
A proposal to put the ban in state law passed the Senate 29-8 Wednesday. A similar but separate bill passed the House 75-33. Lawmakers must pass the same bills before they can be sent to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.
There's a similar federal ban on the procedure. Critics of the Michigan plan say that makes the state proposal redundant. Supporters say a state ban would make it easier to prosecute cases in Michigan.
Michigan lawmakers have tried to enact a state-level ban multiple times without success because of vetoes from then-Democratic Gov. Jennifer Granholm and court rulings.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Michigan Senate passes abortion bill" by Karen Bouffard, The Detroit News Lansing Bureau 9/21/11
Most Democrats opposed the ban saying it is not necessary since the federal government banned the practice in 2003. Democratic Sens. Tupac Hunter of Detroit, Steve Bieda of Warren and John Gleason of Flushing broke with their caucus to support the ban.
Opponents unsuccessfully proposed amendments to provide exceptions in the case of rape, or possible damage to a woman's health.
The legislation bans an abortion in which a fetus is partially born, and then killed before completely emerging from the womb. The practice would become a felony punishable by up to two years in jail and a $50,000 fine.
Senate Republicans said this legislation will stand because it closely mirrors language upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2007.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Michigan Legislature Approves Partial-Birth Abortion Ban" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com 9/21/11
The legislature approved Senate Bills 160-161 and the bills would prohibit partial birth abortions (SB 160) and provide sentencing penalties for anyone convicted of violating the law (SB 161). Both measures received a 3-1 vote to move on to the next stage of the legislative process.
Senate Bill 160 passed the Senate 29-8 and House Bill 4109 passed the House 75-33. They now go to Republican Rick Snyder who plans to sign them into law.
[State Sen. Goeff Hansen, R-Hart] said the state law is needed even though Congress banned the practice, because it “makes it easier to enforce the ban in Michigan.”
Those representing Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union voiced their opposition to a ban on partial birth abortion during the committee hearing.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Atheists' School Football Prayer Complaint in Alabama
In response to the atheists' written legal threat, Superintendent John Mullins has changed the policy from a pre-game prayer over the loud speaker, to a moment of silence, during which time the citizenry intends an organized oral recitation of the Lord's Prayer.
UPDATE 6/5/12: City Council approves flagpole prayer event
UPDATE 9/25/11: Alabama schools pray at football games - Will atheists sue them all?
-- From "Superintendent Of Arab City Schools Tosses Out High School's Pregame Prayers" by Venton Blandin, WHNT-TV19 Reporter 9/21/11
The Freedom From Religion Foundation prompted the change. The Wisconsin-based organization sent a letter to Arab City Schools on behalf of a parent of Arab City Schools. The letter stated the anonymous parent objected to the pre-game prayers.
Mullins started the game day prayers 10 years ago. He says at the time, two Arab High School students requested the public prayer.
All Arab High School football games will now begin with a moment of silence.
Several people in the Arab community say they plan to stand and say the Lord's Prayer at the start of each Arab football game.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "PA prayers to cease at football games" by David Moore, The Arab Tribune (Alabama) 9/21/11
Superintendent John Mullins has received a letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation in Madison, Wis., calling prayer before the games a "serious and flagrant violation" of the First Amendment and asking that the school district take immediate action to stop any and all prayers occurring before any school-sponsored event.
"We are of the legal opinion that a moment of silence is constitutionally permissible," [Mullins} said. "We will have a moment of silence just prior to the playing of the national anthem."
A Facebook movement is asking people to recite The Lord's Prayer in unison during the moment of silence.
Mullins said in his e-mail he thinks judicial interpretation over the years has warped the Founding Fathers' original intent for the separation of church and state clause.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 6/5/12: City Council approves flagpole prayer event
UPDATE 9/25/11: Alabama schools pray at football games - Will atheists sue them all?
-- From "Superintendent Of Arab City Schools Tosses Out High School's Pregame Prayers" by Venton Blandin, WHNT-TV19 Reporter 9/21/11
The Freedom From Religion Foundation prompted the change. The Wisconsin-based organization sent a letter to Arab City Schools on behalf of a parent of Arab City Schools. The letter stated the anonymous parent objected to the pre-game prayers.
Mullins started the game day prayers 10 years ago. He says at the time, two Arab High School students requested the public prayer.
All Arab High School football games will now begin with a moment of silence.
Several people in the Arab community say they plan to stand and say the Lord's Prayer at the start of each Arab football game.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "PA prayers to cease at football games" by David Moore, The Arab Tribune (Alabama) 9/21/11
Superintendent John Mullins has received a letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation in Madison, Wis., calling prayer before the games a "serious and flagrant violation" of the First Amendment and asking that the school district take immediate action to stop any and all prayers occurring before any school-sponsored event.
"We are of the legal opinion that a moment of silence is constitutionally permissible," [Mullins} said. "We will have a moment of silence just prior to the playing of the national anthem."
A Facebook movement is asking people to recite The Lord's Prayer in unison during the moment of silence.
Mullins said in his e-mail he thinks judicial interpretation over the years has warped the Founding Fathers' original intent for the separation of church and state clause.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Celebrating Gay Victory over Military: Obama White House
President Obama's pinnacle achievement is his Gay Agenda, highlighted by the end of the ban on homosexual behavior in the military, which may result in the collapse of the greatest all-volunteer force defending freedom worldwide.
Congratulations, Mr. President (says the official White House video below).
For background, read Homosexualists to Buy White House, Say Media and also read Congress Duped on Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal as well as Gay Military Offense Against Defense of Marriage
-- From "The Era of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Is Officially Over" by Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President (posted at WhiteHouse.gov) 9/20/11
In December, when President Obama signed the historic law that ended discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans serving in our armed forces, he told a story about one of his visits to Afghanistan. “A young woman in uniform was shaking my hand,” he said, “and other people were grabbing and taking pictures. And she pulled me into a hug and she whispered in my ear, ‘Get ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ done.’ And I said to her, ‘I promise you I will.’”
That promise made is now a promise kept. As of 12:01am today, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is over. Already, gay and lesbian men and women have sent in their applications to proudly – and openly – serve the country we all love.
I’m delighted to celebrate with friends from around the country, who worked with President Obama to help make this day a reality. Repealing DADT certainly wasn’t easy. There were those who believed our President would not be able to accomplish such a difficult task.
But even when the odds appeared to be against him, President Obama never gave up. Just as I’ve seen him do time and time again during our 20 years of friendship, he demonstrated courage, vision, and the ability get things done. Together with a broad coalition of Americans who care deeply about the ideals of this country, he made this moment happen.
Of course, while the end of DADT is a milestone, we’ve got a long way to go. Even on this happy day, there are young people who face bullying at school, just because of their sexual orientation. There are LGBT Americans who still face discrimination, and are denied rights they deserve.
To read the entire White House post above, CLICK HERE.
Also read, White House Says Gay Recruitment of Kids Successful as well as Feds Fund Homosexualists' School Training and also read We Recruit Kids for Sexual Deviancy: Gay Activist
Congratulations, Mr. President (says the official White House video below).
For background, read Homosexualists to Buy White House, Say Media and also read Congress Duped on Don't Ask Don't Tell Repeal as well as Gay Military Offense Against Defense of Marriage
-- From "The Era of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Is Officially Over" by Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President (posted at WhiteHouse.gov) 9/20/11
In December, when President Obama signed the historic law that ended discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans serving in our armed forces, he told a story about one of his visits to Afghanistan. “A young woman in uniform was shaking my hand,” he said, “and other people were grabbing and taking pictures. And she pulled me into a hug and she whispered in my ear, ‘Get ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ done.’ And I said to her, ‘I promise you I will.’”
That promise made is now a promise kept. As of 12:01am today, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is over. Already, gay and lesbian men and women have sent in their applications to proudly – and openly – serve the country we all love.
I’m delighted to celebrate with friends from around the country, who worked with President Obama to help make this day a reality. Repealing DADT certainly wasn’t easy. There were those who believed our President would not be able to accomplish such a difficult task.
But even when the odds appeared to be against him, President Obama never gave up. Just as I’ve seen him do time and time again during our 20 years of friendship, he demonstrated courage, vision, and the ability get things done. Together with a broad coalition of Americans who care deeply about the ideals of this country, he made this moment happen.
Of course, while the end of DADT is a milestone, we’ve got a long way to go. Even on this happy day, there are young people who face bullying at school, just because of their sexual orientation. There are LGBT Americans who still face discrimination, and are denied rights they deserve.
To read the entire White House post above, CLICK HERE.
Also read, White House Says Gay Recruitment of Kids Successful as well as Feds Fund Homosexualists' School Training and also read We Recruit Kids for Sexual Deviancy: Gay Activist