AARP and other mainstream senior citizen advocacy organizations plan to lobby the Feds to recognize same-sex relationships in order to expand entitlement payments that are explicitly prohibited by DOMA (signed into law by Bill Clinton).
-- From "Medicaid and Social Security changes urged to help gay seniors" by Rex W. Huppke, Los Angeles Times 3/17/10
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender senior citizens face myriad social and financial problems, and lawmakers could help them by altering Social Security and Medicaid rules, according to a national report being released Wednesday.
The report, prepared by Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Elders, or SAGE, has been endorsed by major mainstream aging groups, including AARP and the American Society on Aging.
It calls on federal and state lawmakers to consider ways to legally recognize same-sex relationships so aging partners in a committed relationship can have access to the same support systems that benefit heterosexual seniors. That would include Social Security survivor benefits and the rights of same-sex partners to make medical decisions for each other.
Tom Nelson, chief operating officer of AARP, wrote the report's foreword and said Tuesday that his organization wanted to see the needs of LGBT seniors discussed -- and met.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Surgical 'Miracle:' First Genderless Person
Born a man . . . after surgery, claimed to be a woman . . . been there, done that . . . now claims to be without any sexual classificationUPDATE 9/16/11: Australia introduces a third gender option on passports - "indeterminate"
UPDATE 4/1/10: Australia Rescinds Special Status for "Non-Specific" Sex
-- From "Briton is recognised as world's first officially genderless person" by Heidi Blake, London Telegraph 3/15/10
Norrie May-Welby, 48, was born a man but had a sex change operation in 1990, at the age of 28.
After becoming unhappy as a woman, May-Welby decided to become a “neuter”. The 48-year-old is now officially recognised as a person of no specific gender.
May-Welby said: “The concepts of man or woman don’t fit me. The simplest solution is not to have any sex identification.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "I’m not a man... or a woman" by Kenny Angove, The Scottish Sun 3/15/10
Norrie May-Welby has been registered on a birth certificate as sex "Not Specified".
. . . Norrie wasn't happy as a woman and stopped taking female hormones to become a "neuter".
Doctors admitted they were unable to determine whether Norrie is male or female.
Now Norrie is thought to be the first gender non-specific person in the world.
The legal landmark was welcomed by the UK's Gender Trust, which said it didn't know of anyone else who'd successfully requested a genderless birth document.
Spokesman Rory Smith said: "It is unusual, but there are many people here who like the idea of being genderless and will welcome this."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
CBS Deceptive Stem Cell Research Report
In this news report, CBS begins by referencing Embryonic Stem Cell Research, backed by President Obama, yet the only stem cell research that has yielded solid results uses stem cells NOT from embryos (such as from adult skin cells). Only an astute viewer, listening carefully to every word of this report, would uncover the truth buried in this report.
-- From "Stem Cell Cures Any Closer?" by Jonathan LaPook, CBS News 3/16/10
Twelve years after the discovery of the human embryonic stem cell, research is finally picking up steam. Over the past 7 years, the National Institutes of Health have almost tripled its investment in stem cell research to more than $1 billion.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reports the number of embryonic stem cell lines funded by the government has doubled - from 21 to 44 today. More than 200 U.S. companies are researching stem cells. So the report card on stem cell research is promising -- but incomplete.
Two years ago, scientists found another way to create stem cells from ordinary skin cells. That breakthrough lets researchers study diseases in a dish. For example, skin cells from a patient with ALS have been turned into the kind of nerve cells attacked by the disease. For the first time, those living nerves can be studied - outside the body - to figure out what goes wrong.
. . . Even if everything goes right, [embryonic] stem-cell based treatments are still years away. But this may be one of those rare instances in medicine when the hype is actually deserved.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
On the other hand, embryonic stem-cell based treatments may never, ever materialize; while other (adult) stem-cell based treatments continue to cure many diseases.
-- From "Stem Cell Cures Any Closer?" by Jonathan LaPook, CBS News 3/16/10
Twelve years after the discovery of the human embryonic stem cell, research is finally picking up steam. Over the past 7 years, the National Institutes of Health have almost tripled its investment in stem cell research to more than $1 billion.
CBS News medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook reports the number of embryonic stem cell lines funded by the government has doubled - from 21 to 44 today. More than 200 U.S. companies are researching stem cells. So the report card on stem cell research is promising -- but incomplete.
Two years ago, scientists found another way to create stem cells from ordinary skin cells. That breakthrough lets researchers study diseases in a dish. For example, skin cells from a patient with ALS have been turned into the kind of nerve cells attacked by the disease. For the first time, those living nerves can be studied - outside the body - to figure out what goes wrong.
. . . Even if everything goes right, [embryonic] stem-cell based treatments are still years away. But this may be one of those rare instances in medicine when the hype is actually deserved.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
On the other hand, embryonic stem-cell based treatments may never, ever materialize; while other (adult) stem-cell based treatments continue to cure many diseases.
Homosexualists Demand Census Include Sexual Deviancy Stat
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has launched "Queer the Census," attempting to petition the census to start counting members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities.UPDATE 4/6/10: Census Bureau Urges Same-Sex Couples to Be Counted, ‘Married’ or Not
-- From "GLBT community pressing for census question to declare sexual orientation" by Tom McGhee, The Denver Post 3/16/10
The task force is distributing hot pink "It's Time To Count Everyone" stickers that can be affixed to the census form return envelope. Respondents can check a box on the sticker to identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or a straight ally.
"LGBT people are basically invisible in the survey that is supposed to reflect the diversity of America's population — and that's a big problem," says the queerthecensus.org website.
Data collected through the census are used to determine political representation and direct federal funds to state and local governments. Campaign organizers worry that GLBT communities won't receive the funding if they aren't counted as groups.
The 2010 census is the first that allows same-sex couples who report themselves as legally married to be counted as married.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Today's Latino Immigrants Less Christian
A report out today by researchers at Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., finds Latino religious identification increasingly diverse and more "Americanized."-- From "Catholic Church, and religion in general, losing Latinos in USA" by Sharon Jayson, USA TODAY 3/16/10
Latino population growth over the past two decades has boosted numbers in the Catholic Church, but a new, in-depth analysis shows Latinos' allegiance to Catholicism is waning as some move toward other Christian denominations or claim no religion at all.
• From 1990 to 2008, the Catholic Church in the USA added an estimated 11 million adults, including 9 million Latinos. In 1990, Latinos made up 20% of the total Catholic population, but by 2008, it rose to 32%.
• Those who claimed "no religion" rose from fewer than 1 million (6% of U.S. Latinos) in 1990 to nearly 4 million (12% of Latinos) in 2008.
"As Latinos or any other ethnic group assimilates to American culture, they pick up the values of the broader American culture and are somewhat less likely to identify with the religious identification, or any other identification, that marked their parents or grandparents," says Mary Gautier, a senior researcher at the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Homosexualists Attack Military Leaders who Reject Gay Agenda
A conservative pro-military group is defending a statement it issued, and which was signed by more than 1,000 retired generals and admirals, in support of a 1993 federal law that says it is illegal for homosexuals or bisexuals to serve in the U.S. military.
-- From "Homosexual Group Attacks Statement Signed by Generals, Admirals Opposed to Homosexuals Serving in Military" by Fred Lucas, CNSNews.com Staff Writer 3/15/10
The homosexual group Servicemembers United says that some of the officers who signed the statement were involved in controversies and that most of them are older. The group also claims that some unnamed generals were surprised to find their names on the statement, although Servicemembers United has not identified these generals.
The Center for Military Readiness (CMR), which issued the statement and gathered the 1,164 signatures, said that the homosexual group’s claims were faulty.
The DADT [Don't Ask, Don't Tell] policy is different than the 1993 federal law which the statement concerns.
The DADT is a 1993 directive in the Defense Department regulations that says, in part, “Commanders or appointed inquiry officials shall not ask, and members shall not be required to reveal, whether a member is a heterosexual, a homosexual, or a bisexual.”
The 1993 federal statute, which President Bill Clinton signed into law, says that homosexuals or bisexuals cannot serve in the U.S. military, and that the “presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability.”
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Homosexual Group Attacks Statement Signed by Generals, Admirals Opposed to Homosexuals Serving in Military" by Fred Lucas, CNSNews.com Staff Writer 3/15/10
The homosexual group Servicemembers United says that some of the officers who signed the statement were involved in controversies and that most of them are older. The group also claims that some unnamed generals were surprised to find their names on the statement, although Servicemembers United has not identified these generals.
The Center for Military Readiness (CMR), which issued the statement and gathered the 1,164 signatures, said that the homosexual group’s claims were faulty.
The DADT [Don't Ask, Don't Tell] policy is different than the 1993 federal law which the statement concerns.
The DADT is a 1993 directive in the Defense Department regulations that says, in part, “Commanders or appointed inquiry officials shall not ask, and members shall not be required to reveal, whether a member is a heterosexual, a homosexual, or a bisexual.”
The 1993 federal statute, which President Bill Clinton signed into law, says that homosexuals or bisexuals cannot serve in the U.S. military, and that the “presence in the armed forces of persons who demonstrate a propensity or intent to engage in homosexual acts would create an unacceptable risk to the high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion that are the essence of military capability.”
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Texas Textbooks Spark National Debate
Christians on the Texas School Board have drawn the scorn of liberal indoctrinators across America, but the Texans' position resonates with the majority of parents.
UPDATE 3/30/10: Texas legislature holds hearings
See previous background reports.
-- From "Poll: Majority of Americans Believe Their Kids' Textbooks Place Political Correctness Above Accuracy" by Joe Schoffstall, CNSNews.com 3/11/10
A new Rasmussen Poll shows that 60 percent of Americans with children in elementary schools say most school textbooks are more concerned with presenting information in a politically correct manner than in accuracy.
In a national survey conducted March 6-7, 1,000 adults were asked: “Are most school textbooks more concerned about accurately providing information or about presenting information in a politically correct manner?”
Only 28 percent thought textbooks were more concerned with presenting information accurately.
Among all Americans polled, even those without children, the same percentage -- 28 percent – said they believe that accuracy is paramount, while 55 percent disagreed and said most textbooks are more concerned about political correctness. Eighteen percent of those polled were undecided.
Only 31 percent of the adults polled said most school history textbooks portray American history accurately, while 43 percent said they believe that most of their children’s history books are inaccurate. Twenty-six (26) percent are not sure.
When asked if parents should be able to transfer their children to another school if they disagreed with the material presented at their current schools, 61 percent said that should be allowed, while 27 percent disagreed, and 12 percent said they were not sure.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 3/30/10: Texas legislature holds hearings
See previous background reports.
-- From "Poll: Majority of Americans Believe Their Kids' Textbooks Place Political Correctness Above Accuracy" by Joe Schoffstall, CNSNews.com 3/11/10
A new Rasmussen Poll shows that 60 percent of Americans with children in elementary schools say most school textbooks are more concerned with presenting information in a politically correct manner than in accuracy.
In a national survey conducted March 6-7, 1,000 adults were asked: “Are most school textbooks more concerned about accurately providing information or about presenting information in a politically correct manner?”
Only 28 percent thought textbooks were more concerned with presenting information accurately.
Among all Americans polled, even those without children, the same percentage -- 28 percent – said they believe that accuracy is paramount, while 55 percent disagreed and said most textbooks are more concerned about political correctness. Eighteen percent of those polled were undecided.
Only 31 percent of the adults polled said most school history textbooks portray American history accurately, while 43 percent said they believe that most of their children’s history books are inaccurate. Twenty-six (26) percent are not sure.
When asked if parents should be able to transfer their children to another school if they disagreed with the material presented at their current schools, 61 percent said that should be allowed, while 27 percent disagreed, and 12 percent said they were not sure.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Arizona City Bans Bible Studies in Homes
The city of Gilbert, Ariz., has ordered a group of seven adults to stop gathering for Bible studies in a private home because such meetings are forbidden by the city's zoning codes.
UPDATE 7/5/12 - related story: Phoenix Christian Jailed for Home Worship Gatherings
-- From "Lawyers: Gilbert Town Code Unconstitutional" KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix 3/13/10
The law is written into the Gilbert town code, and the legal battle began in November when the Oasis of Truth church began inside the home of Paster Joe Sutherland.
Seven adults and our children rotated homes several times a week for Bible Study, singing and fellowship, but a sign they placed on the road to advertise a Sunday service caught the eye of a Gilbert code compliance officer, who hit the church with a code violation.
"No neighbors complained," said Doug Napier, of the Alliance Defense Fund. "They weren't making noise. They weren't causing any problems. He just saw these signs and said, 'Well, our code says you can't meet together.'"
In fact, the Sutherlands' neighbors told CBS 5 News that they think the Gilbert law is ridiculous.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Banished! City forbids Bible studies in homes" by Bob Unruh © 2010 WorldNetDaily 3/13/10
The issue was brought to a head when city officials wrote a letter to a pastor and his wife informing them they had 10 days to quit having the meetings in their private home.
The ban, however, prompted a response from the Alliance Defense Fund, which filed an appeal with the city as the first step in its campaign to overturn a provision it describes as illegal.
"The interpretation and enforcement of the town's code is clearly unconstitutional," said Daniel Blomberg, a member of the litigation team for ADF. "It bans 200,000 Gilbert residents from meeting in their private homes for organized religious purposes – an activity encouraged in the Bible, practiced for thousands of years, and protected by the First Amendment."
The town interprets its law so that "churches within its borders cannot have any home meetings of any size, including Bible studies, three-person church leadership meetings and potluck dinners," ADF said.
A city letter confirmed, "Given that the church is considered to be religious assembly, and given the LDC provisions prohibiting that use on Local streets without Use Permits and prohibiting it in single family residential structures, it follows that the church meetings cannot be held in the home."
"This ban is defended based upon traffic, parking, and building safety concerns. However, nothing in its zoning code prevents weekly Cub Scouts meetings, Monday Night Football parties with numerous attendees or large business parties from being held on a regular basis in private homes," the ADF said.
WND reported a similar situation in San Diego County. In that case, officials eventually withdrew a warning letter and a cease-and-desist order they had issued against a pastor who had been holding a weekly Bible study in his home.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 7/5/12 - related story: Phoenix Christian Jailed for Home Worship Gatherings
-- From "Lawyers: Gilbert Town Code Unconstitutional" KPHO-TV CBS 5 Phoenix 3/13/10
The law is written into the Gilbert town code, and the legal battle began in November when the Oasis of Truth church began inside the home of Paster Joe Sutherland.
Seven adults and our children rotated homes several times a week for Bible Study, singing and fellowship, but a sign they placed on the road to advertise a Sunday service caught the eye of a Gilbert code compliance officer, who hit the church with a code violation.
"No neighbors complained," said Doug Napier, of the Alliance Defense Fund. "They weren't making noise. They weren't causing any problems. He just saw these signs and said, 'Well, our code says you can't meet together.'"
In fact, the Sutherlands' neighbors told CBS 5 News that they think the Gilbert law is ridiculous.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Banished! City forbids Bible studies in homes" by Bob Unruh © 2010 WorldNetDaily 3/13/10
The issue was brought to a head when city officials wrote a letter to a pastor and his wife informing them they had 10 days to quit having the meetings in their private home.
The ban, however, prompted a response from the Alliance Defense Fund, which filed an appeal with the city as the first step in its campaign to overturn a provision it describes as illegal.
"The interpretation and enforcement of the town's code is clearly unconstitutional," said Daniel Blomberg, a member of the litigation team for ADF. "It bans 200,000 Gilbert residents from meeting in their private homes for organized religious purposes – an activity encouraged in the Bible, practiced for thousands of years, and protected by the First Amendment."
The town interprets its law so that "churches within its borders cannot have any home meetings of any size, including Bible studies, three-person church leadership meetings and potluck dinners," ADF said.
A city letter confirmed, "Given that the church is considered to be religious assembly, and given the LDC provisions prohibiting that use on Local streets without Use Permits and prohibiting it in single family residential structures, it follows that the church meetings cannot be held in the home."
"This ban is defended based upon traffic, parking, and building safety concerns. However, nothing in its zoning code prevents weekly Cub Scouts meetings, Monday Night Football parties with numerous attendees or large business parties from being held on a regular basis in private homes," the ADF said.
WND reported a similar situation in San Diego County. In that case, officials eventually withdrew a warning letter and a cease-and-desist order they had issued against a pastor who had been holding a weekly Bible study in his home.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Pro-life Oklahoma Legislature Battles Court
The Oklahoma Supreme Court has upheld a judge's ruling striking down an omnibus abortion bill from 2009 by saying they couldn't be compiled into one measure. However, the state legislature is moving the bills ahead this year with separate measures that should overcome the ruling.
UPDATE 6/1/10: Summary of Oklahoma abortion legislation (by AP at CNN)
-- From "Senate Approves Three Pro-Life Bills" Written by Staff Report, Tulsa Today 3/11/10
The full Senate has reaffirmed three pieces of legislation aimed at protecting the rights of the unborn in Oklahoma and the health of Oklahoma women. Senate Bill 1890, by Sen. Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, would prohibit the performance of an abortion due to the sex of the unborn child. Lamb said his measure and two others approved by the Senate on Wednesday were approved with bipartisan support.
“These bills were each approved previously by the Legislature, but were prevented from taking effect due to a court ruling that they violated Oklahoma’s Constitution regarding single-subjects for legislation,” said Lamb, Senate Majority Floor Leader. “We believed then and believe now these provisions reflect the values of our state, and have successfully reaffirmed them in the Senate as individual measures.”
Senate Bill 1891, by Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, would create the Freedom of Conscience Act to permit an individual to refuse to participate in activities involving abortions, human embryos, fetal tissue or assisted suicide.
Senate Bill 1902, by Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, regulates the administration of RU-486, also known as the abortion pill.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Oklahoma Supreme Court Affirms Ruling on 2009 Abortion Bill, New Bills Coming" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com Editor 3/4/10
On Wednesday, the state's high court upheld the February ruling of a state District Court that a pro-life state law not yet enacted is unconstitutional.
Both courts found the law to be unconstitutional on the basis that the law violates state rules requiring that legislation address only a single subject.
The law would have prohibited sex-selective abortions and required doctors to fill out a 10-page questionnaire about the circumstances of the abortion. Survey responses would then be sent to the state health department for publication online.
The state Supreme Court wrote in their opinion, "We are growing weary of admonishing the Legislature for so flagrantly violating the terms of the Oklahoma Constitution. It is a waste of time for the Legislature and the Court, and a waste of the taxpayers' money."
This week, the Oklahoma House, on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, approved a bill 87-7 that now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
The bill requires allowing a mother considering an abortion a chance to view an ultrasound one hour prior to the abortion. The abortion practitioner must explain the development of the unborn child and ensure the woman can see the ultrasound images.
House Bill 2780, by Rep. Lisa Billy, expands on pro-life legislation passed in 2006 that required abortion practitioners to provide helpful information to women.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 6/1/10: Summary of Oklahoma abortion legislation (by AP at CNN)
-- From "Senate Approves Three Pro-Life Bills" Written by Staff Report, Tulsa Today 3/11/10
The full Senate has reaffirmed three pieces of legislation aimed at protecting the rights of the unborn in Oklahoma and the health of Oklahoma women. Senate Bill 1890, by Sen. Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, would prohibit the performance of an abortion due to the sex of the unborn child. Lamb said his measure and two others approved by the Senate on Wednesday were approved with bipartisan support.
“These bills were each approved previously by the Legislature, but were prevented from taking effect due to a court ruling that they violated Oklahoma’s Constitution regarding single-subjects for legislation,” said Lamb, Senate Majority Floor Leader. “We believed then and believe now these provisions reflect the values of our state, and have successfully reaffirmed them in the Senate as individual measures.”
Senate Bill 1891, by Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, would create the Freedom of Conscience Act to permit an individual to refuse to participate in activities involving abortions, human embryos, fetal tissue or assisted suicide.
Senate Bill 1902, by Sen. Clark Jolley, R-Edmond, regulates the administration of RU-486, also known as the abortion pill.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Oklahoma Supreme Court Affirms Ruling on 2009 Abortion Bill, New Bills Coming" by Steven Ertelt, LifeNews.com Editor 3/4/10
On Wednesday, the state's high court upheld the February ruling of a state District Court that a pro-life state law not yet enacted is unconstitutional.
Both courts found the law to be unconstitutional on the basis that the law violates state rules requiring that legislation address only a single subject.
The law would have prohibited sex-selective abortions and required doctors to fill out a 10-page questionnaire about the circumstances of the abortion. Survey responses would then be sent to the state health department for publication online.
The state Supreme Court wrote in their opinion, "We are growing weary of admonishing the Legislature for so flagrantly violating the terms of the Oklahoma Constitution. It is a waste of time for the Legislature and the Court, and a waste of the taxpayers' money."
This week, the Oklahoma House, on an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote, approved a bill 87-7 that now goes to the state Senate for consideration.
The bill requires allowing a mother considering an abortion a chance to view an ultrasound one hour prior to the abortion. The abortion practitioner must explain the development of the unborn child and ensure the woman can see the ultrasound images.
House Bill 2780, by Rep. Lisa Billy, expands on pro-life legislation passed in 2006 that required abortion practitioners to provide helpful information to women.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Media Portray Liberals as Christians RE: Glenn Beck
Due to journalists' ignorance of the Christian faith (and their anti-evangelical bias), they repeatedly report the social justice advocacy of liberal "christians" as if it were the core of Christianity, whether the subject at hand is electing Obama, or voting patterns, or higher education, or health care. With the help of the media, these liberals masquerading as Christians attempt to fool the public into believing that their social justice agenda is the sole Christian mission.
-- From "Evangelical leader takes on Beck for assailing social justice churches" By John Blake, CNN 3/12/10
An evangelical [sic] leader is calling for a boycott of Glenn Beck's television show and challenging the Fox News personality to a public debate after Beck vilified churches that preach economic and social justice.
The Rev. Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners, a network of progressive Christians, says Beck perverted Jesus' message when he urged Christians last week to leave churches that preach social and economic justice.
Wallis says Beck compared those churches to Communists and Nazis.
Wallis says at least 20,000 people have already responded to his call to boycott Beck. He says Beck is confusing his personal philosophy with the Bible.
Social and economic justice is at the heart of Jesus' message, Wallis says.
But a prominent evangelical leader says he, too, is suspicious of churches that preach economic and social justice.
Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, a Christian college in Virginia, says Jesus wasn't interested in politics. He says that those pastors who preach economic and social justice "are trying to twist the gospel to say the gospel supported socialism."
"Jesus taught that we should give to the poor and support widows, but he never said that we should elect a government that would take money from our neighbor's hand and give it to the poor," Falwell says.
Falwell says that Jesus believed that individuals, not governments, should help the poor.
"If we all did as Jesus did when he helped the poor, we wouldn't need the government," says Falwell, the son of the late evangelical leader, the Rev. Jerry Falwell.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Christians Rip Glenn Beck Over 'Social Justice' Slam" by Hanna Siegel, ABC News 3/12/10
Wallis is in good company among leading Christians. The Rev. Canon Peg Chemberlin, president of the National Council of Churches of Christ USA, which oversees 100,000 [liberal] congregations across the country and has about 45 million members, has objected to Beck's comments as well.
On his radio and television shows, Beck suggested any church promoting "social justice" or "economic justice" merely was using code words for Nazism and communism.
"I beg you look for the words social justice or economic justice on your church Web site," he said. "If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. ... Am I advising people to leave their church? Yes! If they're going to Jeremiah Wright's church, yes!
"If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish," he said. "Go alert your bishop and tell them, 'Excuse me, are you down with this whole social justice thing?' If it's my church, I'm alerting the church authorities: 'Excuse me, what's this social justice thing?' And if they say, 'Yeah, we're all in on this social justice thing,' I am in the wrong place."
Stu Burguiere, executive producer at "The Glenn Beck Radio Program," sought to clarify Beck's comments today.
"Like most Americans, Glenn strongly supports and believes in 'social justice' when it is defined as 'good Christian charity,'" he said. "Glenn strongly opposes when Rev. Wright and other leaders use 'social justice' as a euphemism for their real intention -- redistribution of wealth."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Evangelical leader takes on Beck for assailing social justice churches" By John Blake, CNN 3/12/10
An evangelical [sic] leader is calling for a boycott of Glenn Beck's television show and challenging the Fox News personality to a public debate after Beck vilified churches that preach economic and social justice.
The Rev. Jim Wallis, president of Sojourners, a network of progressive Christians, says Beck perverted Jesus' message when he urged Christians last week to leave churches that preach social and economic justice.
Wallis says Beck compared those churches to Communists and Nazis.
Wallis says at least 20,000 people have already responded to his call to boycott Beck. He says Beck is confusing his personal philosophy with the Bible.
Social and economic justice is at the heart of Jesus' message, Wallis says.
But a prominent evangelical leader says he, too, is suspicious of churches that preach economic and social justice.
Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University, a Christian college in Virginia, says Jesus wasn't interested in politics. He says that those pastors who preach economic and social justice "are trying to twist the gospel to say the gospel supported socialism."
"Jesus taught that we should give to the poor and support widows, but he never said that we should elect a government that would take money from our neighbor's hand and give it to the poor," Falwell says.
Falwell says that Jesus believed that individuals, not governments, should help the poor.
"If we all did as Jesus did when he helped the poor, we wouldn't need the government," says Falwell, the son of the late evangelical leader, the Rev. Jerry Falwell.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Christians Rip Glenn Beck Over 'Social Justice' Slam" by Hanna Siegel, ABC News 3/12/10
Wallis is in good company among leading Christians. The Rev. Canon Peg Chemberlin, president of the National Council of Churches of Christ USA, which oversees 100,000 [liberal] congregations across the country and has about 45 million members, has objected to Beck's comments as well.
On his radio and television shows, Beck suggested any church promoting "social justice" or "economic justice" merely was using code words for Nazism and communism.
"I beg you look for the words social justice or economic justice on your church Web site," he said. "If you find it, run as fast as you can. Social justice and economic justice, they are code words. ... Am I advising people to leave their church? Yes! If they're going to Jeremiah Wright's church, yes!
"If you have a priest that is pushing social justice, go find another parish," he said. "Go alert your bishop and tell them, 'Excuse me, are you down with this whole social justice thing?' If it's my church, I'm alerting the church authorities: 'Excuse me, what's this social justice thing?' And if they say, 'Yeah, we're all in on this social justice thing,' I am in the wrong place."
Stu Burguiere, executive producer at "The Glenn Beck Radio Program," sought to clarify Beck's comments today.
"Like most Americans, Glenn strongly supports and believes in 'social justice' when it is defined as 'good Christian charity,'" he said. "Glenn strongly opposes when Rev. Wright and other leaders use 'social justice' as a euphemism for their real intention -- redistribution of wealth."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Media 'Prays' Tea Party Supplants Christian Right
Whereas the media minimized and laughed at the grassroots movements a year ago, these liberals now hope that the Tea Party could have the power to marginalize America's Christian voice.
-- From "Tea parties stir evangelicals' fears" by Ben Smith, Politico 3/12/10
The rise of a new conservative grass roots fueled by a secular revulsion at government spending is stirring fears among leaders of the old conservative grass roots, the evangelical Christian right.
A reeling economy and the massive bank bailout and stimulus plan were the triggers for a resurgence in support for the Republican Party and the rise of the tea party movement. But they’ve also banished the social issues that are the focus of many evangelical Christians to the background.
And while health care legislation has brought social and economic conservatives together to fight government funding of abortion, some social conservative leaders have begun to express concern that tea party leaders don’t care about their issues, while others object to the personal vitriol against President Barack Obama, whose personal conduct many conservative Christians applaud.
There’s no centralized tea party organization, and anecdotes suggest that many tea party participants hold socially conservative views. But those views have been little in evidence at movement gatherings or in public statements, and are sometimes deliberately excluded from the political agenda. The groups coordinating them eschew social issues, and a new Contract From America, has become an article of concern on the social right.
There’s little data on the disparate tea party movement. One small CNN survey of self-identified tea party activists found that 68 percent identify themselves as Protestants or other non-Catholic Christians, as opposed to just 50 percent in the general population. Only 9 percent of the activists say they’re irreligious, as opposed to 14 percent in the broader sample.
But an in-depth study of 49 tea party leaders by the free-market oriented Sam Adams Alliance suggested that the leadership consciously avoids social issues and plans to continue doing so.
She said that while many of the leaders held conservative views on social issues, “they were completely adamant that [the issues] were not a part of their agenda for the long term.”
“The reason for it is fundamentally secular, but a lot of people involved in it are not secular,” said Richard Land, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. “I don’t see the tea party movement as a threat at all — I see it as additional allies and fellow travelers.”
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Tea parties stir evangelicals' fears" by Ben Smith, Politico 3/12/10
The rise of a new conservative grass roots fueled by a secular revulsion at government spending is stirring fears among leaders of the old conservative grass roots, the evangelical Christian right.
A reeling economy and the massive bank bailout and stimulus plan were the triggers for a resurgence in support for the Republican Party and the rise of the tea party movement. But they’ve also banished the social issues that are the focus of many evangelical Christians to the background.
And while health care legislation has brought social and economic conservatives together to fight government funding of abortion, some social conservative leaders have begun to express concern that tea party leaders don’t care about their issues, while others object to the personal vitriol against President Barack Obama, whose personal conduct many conservative Christians applaud.
There’s no centralized tea party organization, and anecdotes suggest that many tea party participants hold socially conservative views. But those views have been little in evidence at movement gatherings or in public statements, and are sometimes deliberately excluded from the political agenda. The groups coordinating them eschew social issues, and a new Contract From America, has become an article of concern on the social right.
There’s little data on the disparate tea party movement. One small CNN survey of self-identified tea party activists found that 68 percent identify themselves as Protestants or other non-Catholic Christians, as opposed to just 50 percent in the general population. Only 9 percent of the activists say they’re irreligious, as opposed to 14 percent in the broader sample.
But an in-depth study of 49 tea party leaders by the free-market oriented Sam Adams Alliance suggested that the leadership consciously avoids social issues and plans to continue doing so.
She said that while many of the leaders held conservative views on social issues, “they were completely adamant that [the issues] were not a part of their agenda for the long term.”
“The reason for it is fundamentally secular, but a lot of people involved in it are not secular,” said Richard Land, the president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission. “I don’t see the tea party movement as a threat at all — I see it as additional allies and fellow travelers.”
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Court Rules God References NOT Religious
San Francisco Court permits 'Under God' to remain in the Pledge of Allegiance because ". . . the pledge is an endorsement of our form of government, not of religion or any particular sect."
-- From "Appeals Court says 'Under God' not a prayer" by Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer 3/12/10
The federal court that touched off a furor in 2002 by declaring the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion took another look at the issue Thursday and said the phrase invokes patriotism, not religious faith.
The daily schoolroom ritual is not a prayer, but instead "a recognition of our founders' political philosophy that a power greater than the government gives the people their inalienable rights," said the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in a 2-1 ruling.
In a separate ruling, the same panel upheld [in a 3-0 decision] the use of the national motto, "In God We Trust," on coins and currency. The language is patriotic and ceremonial, not religious, the court said.
Both suits were filed by Michael Newdow, a Sacramento atheist who has brought numerous challenges to government-sponsored religious invocations. He said he would appeal the rulings to the full appellate court and the U.S. Supreme Court, but was not optimistic.
Newdow first challenged the Pledge of Allegiance in 2000 on behalf of his daughter, a student in a Sacramento-area elementary school. The appeals court ruled in June 2002 that the addition of "under God" was religiously motivated and sent "a message to nonbelievers that they are outsiders," in violation of the constitutional separation of church and state.
Congress reacted furiously, passing a resolution with virtually no dissenting votes that denounced the decision. The court put its ruling on hold until the case reached the Supreme Court, which sidestepped the constitutional issue and ruled that Newdow could not represent his daughter's interests because her mother had legal custody.
Newdow then refiled the suit on behalf of the parent of a kindergartner in the Sacramento suburb of Rio Linda. He won the first round before a federal judge in 2005, but a new appeals court panel issued a 193-page ruling Thursday upholding the pledge.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Appeals Court says 'Under God' not a prayer" by Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle Staff Writer 3/12/10
The federal court that touched off a furor in 2002 by declaring the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to be an unconstitutional endorsement of religion took another look at the issue Thursday and said the phrase invokes patriotism, not religious faith.
The daily schoolroom ritual is not a prayer, but instead "a recognition of our founders' political philosophy that a power greater than the government gives the people their inalienable rights," said the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco in a 2-1 ruling.
In a separate ruling, the same panel upheld [in a 3-0 decision] the use of the national motto, "In God We Trust," on coins and currency. The language is patriotic and ceremonial, not religious, the court said.
Both suits were filed by Michael Newdow, a Sacramento atheist who has brought numerous challenges to government-sponsored religious invocations. He said he would appeal the rulings to the full appellate court and the U.S. Supreme Court, but was not optimistic.
Newdow first challenged the Pledge of Allegiance in 2000 on behalf of his daughter, a student in a Sacramento-area elementary school. The appeals court ruled in June 2002 that the addition of "under God" was religiously motivated and sent "a message to nonbelievers that they are outsiders," in violation of the constitutional separation of church and state.
Congress reacted furiously, passing a resolution with virtually no dissenting votes that denounced the decision. The court put its ruling on hold until the case reached the Supreme Court, which sidestepped the constitutional issue and ruled that Newdow could not represent his daughter's interests because her mother had legal custody.
Newdow then refiled the suit on behalf of the parent of a kindergartner in the Sacramento suburb of Rio Linda. He won the first round before a federal judge in 2005, but a new appeals court panel issued a 193-page ruling Thursday upholding the pledge.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Virginia Academia Furious Over Conservative Governance
Days after the attorney general ordered colleges and universities to drop their formal policies of non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, the governor reinforced the A.G.'s communication, while pointing out that discrimination of any kind is not acceptable.
-- From "Va. Gov. McDonnell prohibits bias against gay state workers" by Rosalind S. Helderman, Washington Post Staff Writer 3/11/10
Hoping to quell a growing uproar on Virginia's college campuses over gay rights, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell issued a directive to all 102,000 state employees Wednesday that prohibits discrimination in the state workforce, including on the basis of sexual orientation, and warns he will reprimand or fire anyone who engages in it.
McDonnell's directive comes a week after Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R) distributed a letter to the state's public colleges and universities asking them to remove references to sexual orientation from their campus nondiscrimination policies. Cuccinelli says that only the General Assembly has the authority to extend legal protections to gays.
McDonnell (R) has said he supports the legal reasoning of that opinion, which mirrored his advice on the issue as attorney general. The governor said Wednesday that he continues to believe that without legislative approval, universities and state agencies cannot issue orders that would allow employees or others to sue in state court over discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
And, in a departure from his Democratic predecessor's stance, McDonnell issued an executive order last month, which carries the force of law, on the issue of workplace discrimination that did not mention sexual orientation.
But McDonnell said Wednesday that Cuccinelli's letter had caused confusion and anger among students, college presidents and others that he could address with a clear statement opposing discrimination and a promise to use the human resources process to punish an employee found to have shown bias.
The statement was the most forceful yet on gay issues for McDonnell, who was elected in November on a pledge to focus on jobs and the economy while upholding conservative social values. McDonnell's move might indicate a split over strategy with Cuccinelli, whose political philosophy he broadly shares.
In a brief statement, however, Cuccinelli applauded McDonnell for the "tone he is setting for the Commonwealth of Virginia."
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Va. Gov. McDonnell prohibits bias against gay state workers" by Rosalind S. Helderman, Washington Post Staff Writer 3/11/10
Hoping to quell a growing uproar on Virginia's college campuses over gay rights, Gov. Robert F. McDonnell issued a directive to all 102,000 state employees Wednesday that prohibits discrimination in the state workforce, including on the basis of sexual orientation, and warns he will reprimand or fire anyone who engages in it.
McDonnell's directive comes a week after Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli II (R) distributed a letter to the state's public colleges and universities asking them to remove references to sexual orientation from their campus nondiscrimination policies. Cuccinelli says that only the General Assembly has the authority to extend legal protections to gays.
McDonnell (R) has said he supports the legal reasoning of that opinion, which mirrored his advice on the issue as attorney general. The governor said Wednesday that he continues to believe that without legislative approval, universities and state agencies cannot issue orders that would allow employees or others to sue in state court over discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
And, in a departure from his Democratic predecessor's stance, McDonnell issued an executive order last month, which carries the force of law, on the issue of workplace discrimination that did not mention sexual orientation.
But McDonnell said Wednesday that Cuccinelli's letter had caused confusion and anger among students, college presidents and others that he could address with a clear statement opposing discrimination and a promise to use the human resources process to punish an employee found to have shown bias.
The statement was the most forceful yet on gay issues for McDonnell, who was elected in November on a pledge to focus on jobs and the economy while upholding conservative social values. McDonnell's move might indicate a split over strategy with Cuccinelli, whose political philosophy he broadly shares.
In a brief statement, however, Cuccinelli applauded McDonnell for the "tone he is setting for the Commonwealth of Virginia."
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
School Cancels Prom to Defuse Gay Agenda, ACLU Sues
A Mississippi county school board announced Wednesday it would cancel its upcoming prom after a gay student petitioned to bring a same-sex date to the event.
-- From "Miss. prom canceled after lesbian's date request" by Chris Joyner, USA TODAY 3/11/10
"Due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events, the Itawamba County School District has decided to not host a prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School this year," school board members said in a statement.
Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old senior at Itawamba, recently challenged a school policy prohibiting her from bringing her girlfriend as her date to the April 2 prom. McMillen, who is a lesbian, and the Mississippi chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union urged school officials to reverse the policy both on McMillen's choice of date and attire. She also wanted to wear a tuxedo to the dance.
ACLU attorney Christine Sun said her organization receives requests for help every year from students facing anti-gay prom policies. The complaints are especially prevalent in the South where attitudes toward sexuality are more conservative, she said.
In the announcement, the school board encouraged the community to organize a private prom. "It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors. "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this causes anyone," the statement concluded. School officials did not respond to calls seeking comment.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "ACLU sues Mississippi school that canceled prom rather than let lesbian couple attend" News release from the ACLU 3/11/10
OXFORD, MS – The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit today against a Mississippi High School that has canceled prom rather than let a lesbian high school student attend the prom with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo to the event. In papers filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, the ACLU asks the court to reinstate the prom for all students at the school and charges Itawamba County School District officials are violating Constance McMillen’s First Amendment right to freedom of expression.
Today’s filing comes after Itawamba County School District issued a statement yesterday saying they were canceling prom, following a letter from the ACLU and the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition demanding that they reverse their decision. McMillen said that before that happened, school officials had told her that she could not arrive at the prom with her girlfriend, also a student at IAHS, and that they might be thrown out if any other students complained about their presence at the April 2 event.
The ACLU will ask the court in the next few days to grant McMillen a preliminary injunction ordering the school to reinstate the April 2 prom, let McMillen and her girlfriend go to the prom together, and let McMillen wear a tuxedo to the event.
To read the entire post above, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Miss. prom canceled after lesbian's date request" by Chris Joyner, USA TODAY 3/11/10
"Due to the distractions to the educational process caused by recent events, the Itawamba County School District has decided to not host a prom at Itawamba Agricultural High School this year," school board members said in a statement.
Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old senior at Itawamba, recently challenged a school policy prohibiting her from bringing her girlfriend as her date to the April 2 prom. McMillen, who is a lesbian, and the Mississippi chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union urged school officials to reverse the policy both on McMillen's choice of date and attire. She also wanted to wear a tuxedo to the dance.
ACLU attorney Christine Sun said her organization receives requests for help every year from students facing anti-gay prom policies. The complaints are especially prevalent in the South where attitudes toward sexuality are more conservative, she said.
In the announcement, the school board encouraged the community to organize a private prom. "It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors. "We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this causes anyone," the statement concluded. School officials did not respond to calls seeking comment.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "ACLU sues Mississippi school that canceled prom rather than let lesbian couple attend" News release from the ACLU 3/11/10
OXFORD, MS – The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit today against a Mississippi High School that has canceled prom rather than let a lesbian high school student attend the prom with her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo to the event. In papers filed with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Mississippi, the ACLU asks the court to reinstate the prom for all students at the school and charges Itawamba County School District officials are violating Constance McMillen’s First Amendment right to freedom of expression.
Today’s filing comes after Itawamba County School District issued a statement yesterday saying they were canceling prom, following a letter from the ACLU and the Mississippi Safe Schools Coalition demanding that they reverse their decision. McMillen said that before that happened, school officials had told her that she could not arrive at the prom with her girlfriend, also a student at IAHS, and that they might be thrown out if any other students complained about their presence at the April 2 event.
The ACLU will ask the court in the next few days to grant McMillen a preliminary injunction ordering the school to reinstate the April 2 prom, let McMillen and her girlfriend go to the prom together, and let McMillen wear a tuxedo to the event.
To read the entire post above, CLICK HERE.
Pro-homosexual Media Demonize Christians RE: Uganda
While liberals kowtow to Muslim nations lacking freedom of religion, and with harsh Sharia law, these same liberals lambast a black African, Christian nation as it struggles to translate morality into societal standards.
-- From "Handling issues of homosexuality in Uganda’s rural media" BBC News 3/2/10
[The Bahati Bill] Nicknamed after the Member of Parliament who drafted it, David Bahati, [is] Uganda’s controversial Anti-Homosexuality bill.
The proposed legislation, which is currently being reviewed by a committee, says individuals found guilty of having gay sex will be sentenced to life in prison. And anyone who has gay sex with a minor could face the death penalty. Even people who aren’t gay could be penalised up to seven years in prison if they don’t report homosexual acts to the police.
Since the bill was drafted last year, the national media in Uganda has capitalised on its controversy, running front page stories and high-profile debates on radio and television networks.
BBC WST mentor Patricia Oyella thinks the Ugandan media has done a poor job of representing the pro-gay perspective in their coverage of the anti-gay bill. But while she thinks those voices need to be heard, she says it’s important for media houses to be careful in their approach.
“There could be potential backlash, and you can’t underestimate that. This is a very traditional, conservative society. You can’t be seen to be trying to impose. If anyone interprets what you’re doing as actively promoting homosexuality it will receive a big backlash,” she says.
Oyella thinks that instead of tackling the issue of homosexuality head-on, there are less-inflammatory ways to bring out the issues of gay rights in the media.
. . . Many Ugandans feel developed countries came out too hard against the bill, some even threatening to cut aid if it gets passed. Oyella says it is important the BBC WST continues to promote balanced, impartial and good journalism but that it shouldn’t be seen as trying to impose an editorial agenda.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Handling issues of homosexuality in Uganda’s rural media" BBC News 3/2/10
[The Bahati Bill] Nicknamed after the Member of Parliament who drafted it, David Bahati, [is] Uganda’s controversial Anti-Homosexuality bill.
The proposed legislation, which is currently being reviewed by a committee, says individuals found guilty of having gay sex will be sentenced to life in prison. And anyone who has gay sex with a minor could face the death penalty. Even people who aren’t gay could be penalised up to seven years in prison if they don’t report homosexual acts to the police.
Since the bill was drafted last year, the national media in Uganda has capitalised on its controversy, running front page stories and high-profile debates on radio and television networks.
BBC WST mentor Patricia Oyella thinks the Ugandan media has done a poor job of representing the pro-gay perspective in their coverage of the anti-gay bill. But while she thinks those voices need to be heard, she says it’s important for media houses to be careful in their approach.
“There could be potential backlash, and you can’t underestimate that. This is a very traditional, conservative society. You can’t be seen to be trying to impose. If anyone interprets what you’re doing as actively promoting homosexuality it will receive a big backlash,” she says.
Oyella thinks that instead of tackling the issue of homosexuality head-on, there are less-inflammatory ways to bring out the issues of gay rights in the media.
. . . Many Ugandans feel developed countries came out too hard against the bill, some even threatening to cut aid if it gets passed. Oyella says it is important the BBC WST continues to promote balanced, impartial and good journalism but that it shouldn’t be seen as trying to impose an editorial agenda.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Christian Shut Out over 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'
House GOP leadership wants Defense Secretary Robert Gates to explain why the Air Force cancelled an invitation to Christian leader Tony Perkins for a national prayer luncheon.
UPDATE 11/1/10: Documents show Perkins was cancelled due to his opposition to President Obama's policies
-- From "Perkins invite pulled over 'Don't Ask'" by Jen Dimascio, Politico 2/26/10
Tony Perkins, a critic of the president’s pledge to reverse the ban on gays in the military says Andrews Air Force Base pulled back a longstanding invitation for him to speak because of his views.
Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, is complaining publicly that he was invited last fall to speak [in February] at a prayer luncheon . . . on the Maryland base, but two days after the President’s State of the Union Speech, Andrews disinvited him.
The Family Research Council has been lobbying lawmakers to oppose the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell. “Do not let our military be used to advance a radical sexual agenda,” says an item on the council’s web site.
Comments like that were too much for the military base.
Perkins argues that what happened to him is just the beginning of a trend in the military where civil rights will trump the religious freedom to oppose homosexuality. “People don’t understand that in the military there is a chain of command, and you have to follow orders,” Perkins said. “You’re not free to disagree.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Republicans Press Defense Secretary Gates to Explain Why Air Force Excluded Conservative Leader from Prayer Event" by Pete Winn, CNSNews Senior Writer/Editor 3/10/10
In a letter to Gates dated March 4, Reps. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) told the defense secretary they were “concerned” that a “new litmus test” was being applied when the Air Force . . . changed its mind about letting Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, participate in the Feb. 25 event “because statements posted on the organization he leads are purportedly at odds with the positions of the president” -- statements condemning Obama's intention to change the military policy on homosexuality.
“This action troubles us a great deal,” the congressmen wrote, “not only in this particular case, but because of the implications for anyone who might disagree with the administration in the future.”
They asked Gates: “Specifically, is it the policy of the Air Force and/or other branches of the armed services to allow only those individuals who agree with the president on all matters of policy to participate in ministry events they host?”
The congressmen labeled the Air Force action as a “new litmus test.”
“The luncheon in which Dr. Perkins, a former Marine, was scheduled to participate was designed as a time of prayer, not of policy discussion,” the congressmen noted.
The Cantor-Blunt letter, meanwhile, is not the only letter sent by a member of Congress concerned about the implication of the Perkins incident.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the chairman of the House Republican Conference, sent a letter to Gates purportedly asking for an investigation of the incident. Though Pence’s office confirmed the letter was sent, it would not release the contents.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 11/1/10: Documents show Perkins was cancelled due to his opposition to President Obama's policies
-- From "Perkins invite pulled over 'Don't Ask'" by Jen Dimascio, Politico 2/26/10
Tony Perkins, a critic of the president’s pledge to reverse the ban on gays in the military says Andrews Air Force Base pulled back a longstanding invitation for him to speak because of his views.
Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, is complaining publicly that he was invited last fall to speak [in February] at a prayer luncheon . . . on the Maryland base, but two days after the President’s State of the Union Speech, Andrews disinvited him.
The Family Research Council has been lobbying lawmakers to oppose the repeal of don’t ask don’t tell. “Do not let our military be used to advance a radical sexual agenda,” says an item on the council’s web site.
Comments like that were too much for the military base.
Perkins argues that what happened to him is just the beginning of a trend in the military where civil rights will trump the religious freedom to oppose homosexuality. “People don’t understand that in the military there is a chain of command, and you have to follow orders,” Perkins said. “You’re not free to disagree.”
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Republicans Press Defense Secretary Gates to Explain Why Air Force Excluded Conservative Leader from Prayer Event" by Pete Winn, CNSNews Senior Writer/Editor 3/10/10
In a letter to Gates dated March 4, Reps. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) told the defense secretary they were “concerned” that a “new litmus test” was being applied when the Air Force . . . changed its mind about letting Perkins, the president of the Family Research Council, participate in the Feb. 25 event “because statements posted on the organization he leads are purportedly at odds with the positions of the president” -- statements condemning Obama's intention to change the military policy on homosexuality.
“This action troubles us a great deal,” the congressmen wrote, “not only in this particular case, but because of the implications for anyone who might disagree with the administration in the future.”
They asked Gates: “Specifically, is it the policy of the Air Force and/or other branches of the armed services to allow only those individuals who agree with the president on all matters of policy to participate in ministry events they host?”
The congressmen labeled the Air Force action as a “new litmus test.”
“The luncheon in which Dr. Perkins, a former Marine, was scheduled to participate was designed as a time of prayer, not of policy discussion,” the congressmen noted.
The Cantor-Blunt letter, meanwhile, is not the only letter sent by a member of Congress concerned about the implication of the Perkins incident.
Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the chairman of the House Republican Conference, sent a letter to Gates purportedly asking for an investigation of the incident. Though Pence’s office confirmed the letter was sent, it would not release the contents.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Georgia Abortion Legislation to Protect Black Babies
The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act would apply to abortion "the same standards of nondiscrimination."
-- From "Ga. bill would outlaw abortion for race, sex" by Cheryl Wetzstein, Washington Times 3/10/10
A Georgia bill that would outlaw abortions based on race, color or sex is fueling arguments over whether abortion providers are targeting black women.
If enacted, the bill would make it illegal to knowingly solicit, perform or accept funding for race- or sex-selected abortions. The bill has a hearing set for Wednesday before the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.
The Radiance Foundation has been raising the issue of black abortion with billboards that say, "Black Children Are An Endangered Species" and "toomanyaborted.com."
Pro-choice leaders are outraged by both the billboards and the bill.
In a phone briefing Tuesday held by RHRealityCheck.org, a Web site committed to advancing sexual and reproductive rights, Ms. Ross called the bill an intrusion upon the doctor-patient relationship because it would require doctors to ask women why they wanted an abortion and then record their answers.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
-- From "Ga. bill would outlaw abortion for race, sex" by Cheryl Wetzstein, Washington Times 3/10/10
A Georgia bill that would outlaw abortions based on race, color or sex is fueling arguments over whether abortion providers are targeting black women.
If enacted, the bill would make it illegal to knowingly solicit, perform or accept funding for race- or sex-selected abortions. The bill has a hearing set for Wednesday before the Judiciary Non-Civil Committee.
The Radiance Foundation has been raising the issue of black abortion with billboards that say, "Black Children Are An Endangered Species" and "toomanyaborted.com."
Pro-choice leaders are outraged by both the billboards and the bill.
In a phone briefing Tuesday held by RHRealityCheck.org, a Web site committed to advancing sexual and reproductive rights, Ms. Ross called the bill an intrusion upon the doctor-patient relationship because it would require doctors to ask women why they wanted an abortion and then record their answers.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Tuesday, March 09, 2010
White House Wants Homosexual Indoctrination in Schools?
Kevin Jennings, the Obama administration's openly gay safe-schools czar who previously ran an organization focused on normalizing homosexuality in public schools, declined Monday to directly say whether the U.S. Department of Education should promote teaching school children that homosexual behavior is morally good.
UPDATE 3/16/10: Obama recruited homosexual activist for job
-- From "Safe Schools Czar Ducks Questions on Past Statements about Homosexuality, Says Department of Education Won’t Dictate Curriculum" by Fred Lucas, CNSNews.com Staff Writer 3/9/10
Instead, he pointing out that Congress has prohibited the department from interfering in the curricula of local schools.
Jennings, the assistant deputy education secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, made a rare public appearance Monday, speaking to a gathering of school teachers at the National Press Club.
Jennings’ appointment to the safe-schools czar post has been controversial because of his past advocacy of teaching homosexuality in public schools, and for how he admittedly handled a 1988 incident by advising a 15-year-old boy to use a condom in his affair with an older man, rather than reporting the incident of to authorities.
During Jennings’ speech Monday, he stressed that the Obama administration sought him out for the job because of his background.
For a decade, he ran the organization Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), of which he was also a founding member. He described GLSEN Monday as a group that “works to make schools safe regardless of sexual orientation or gender identification.”
Because of his role in promoting homosexuality in public schools, 52 House Republicans last fall signed a letter to President Barack Obama calling for Jennings to be removed from the safe schools post. Rep. Steve King (R.-Iowa) circulated the letter.
After his speech on Monday, CNSNews.com asked Jennings “about issues raised by congressional Republicans.”
To that, Jennings responded, “I’m not going to talk about that. Thank you. … You can ask what you want, but I’m probably not going to answer it.”
In the forward to the 1999 book Queering Elementary Education, Jennings wrote, “I often find myself confronted with people who attack me for ‘bringing this issue into our schools, How laughable this statement is, I think. The reality is that this issue--anti-gay bigotry--is already in our schools. Little kids are learning to hate, and they’re learning it right now in elementary schools across America.”
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
More about Kevin Jennings:
Obama Education Adviser Recommends Pornography to Children
Congressional Power to Obama's Gay Agenda
UPDATE 3/16/10: Obama recruited homosexual activist for job
-- From "Safe Schools Czar Ducks Questions on Past Statements about Homosexuality, Says Department of Education Won’t Dictate Curriculum" by Fred Lucas, CNSNews.com Staff Writer 3/9/10
Instead, he pointing out that Congress has prohibited the department from interfering in the curricula of local schools.
Jennings, the assistant deputy education secretary for the Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools, made a rare public appearance Monday, speaking to a gathering of school teachers at the National Press Club.
Jennings’ appointment to the safe-schools czar post has been controversial because of his past advocacy of teaching homosexuality in public schools, and for how he admittedly handled a 1988 incident by advising a 15-year-old boy to use a condom in his affair with an older man, rather than reporting the incident of to authorities.
During Jennings’ speech Monday, he stressed that the Obama administration sought him out for the job because of his background.
For a decade, he ran the organization Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN), of which he was also a founding member. He described GLSEN Monday as a group that “works to make schools safe regardless of sexual orientation or gender identification.”
Because of his role in promoting homosexuality in public schools, 52 House Republicans last fall signed a letter to President Barack Obama calling for Jennings to be removed from the safe schools post. Rep. Steve King (R.-Iowa) circulated the letter.
After his speech on Monday, CNSNews.com asked Jennings “about issues raised by congressional Republicans.”
To that, Jennings responded, “I’m not going to talk about that. Thank you. … You can ask what you want, but I’m probably not going to answer it.”
In the forward to the 1999 book Queering Elementary Education, Jennings wrote, “I often find myself confronted with people who attack me for ‘bringing this issue into our schools, How laughable this statement is, I think. The reality is that this issue--anti-gay bigotry--is already in our schools. Little kids are learning to hate, and they’re learning it right now in elementary schools across America.”
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
More about Kevin Jennings:
Obama Education Adviser Recommends Pornography to Children
Congressional Power to Obama's Gay Agenda
Federal Government Formalizes Same-sex 'Marriage' Nationwide
[T]he U.S. Census this year will let same-sex couples label themselves as husband or wife even if their relationships are not recognized by law. . . . the documents offer one of two boxes for same-sex couples — "husband or wife" or "unmarried partners."
UPDATE 3/30/10: Homosexualists say Census falls short on support for Gay Agenda
UPDATE 3/17/10: Census Bureau spends tax dollars advertising to encourage homosexuals to indicate same-sex relationships
-- From "U.S. Census allows same-sex couples in N.J. to identify themselves as married" by Rohan Mascarenhas/The Star-Ledger (New Jersey) 3/8/10
The census bureau plans to leave it to responders to characterize their own relationships.
"We have a policy of self-identification," said Igor Alves, a media specialist with the agency. "If they want to put husband or unmarried partner, that is up to them. We basically want to tally what they select."
The new policy took effect last summer, when the Commerce Department released a legal opinion that argued the federal government could tabulate and release same-sex marriage data under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
In the last decennial count, officials re-coded same-sex husband or wife answers to "unmarried partners," since no state in the country recognized same-sex marriage at the time.
The new numbers could drastically affect political debates on gay issues, said Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay-rights group Garden State Equality.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
UPDATE 3/30/10: Homosexualists say Census falls short on support for Gay Agenda
UPDATE 3/17/10: Census Bureau spends tax dollars advertising to encourage homosexuals to indicate same-sex relationships
-- From "U.S. Census allows same-sex couples in N.J. to identify themselves as married" by Rohan Mascarenhas/The Star-Ledger (New Jersey) 3/8/10
The census bureau plans to leave it to responders to characterize their own relationships.
"We have a policy of self-identification," said Igor Alves, a media specialist with the agency. "If they want to put husband or unmarried partner, that is up to them. We basically want to tally what they select."
The new policy took effect last summer, when the Commerce Department released a legal opinion that argued the federal government could tabulate and release same-sex marriage data under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
In the last decennial count, officials re-coded same-sex husband or wife answers to "unmarried partners," since no state in the country recognized same-sex marriage at the time.
The new numbers could drastically affect political debates on gay issues, said Steven Goldstein, chairman of the gay-rights group Garden State Equality.
To read the entire article, CLICK HERE.
Monday, March 08, 2010
Senate Promotes Sexual Deviancy in Military
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) introduced the “Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010” last week, which would allow homosexuals and bisexuals to openly serve in the United States Armed Forces. Lieberman told CNSNews.com that the bill would legalize homosexual and bisexual activity in the military.
Illinois residents: E-mail President Obama, Sens. Durbin & Burris, and your congressman (takes less than 60 seconds) and tell them to oppose this legislation.
-- From "Lawmakers launch bill to end military gay ban" by Susan Cornwell and Phil Stewart, Reuters 3/3/10
Pushing back against Pentagon opposition, lawmakers said on Wednesday they would forge ahead with legislation to lift restrictions on homosexuals in the armed forces before a year-long military review is completed.
Following President Barack Obama's call for ending the "don't ask don't tell" policy, the lawmakers said they would seek to repeal the law in coming months, or at least place a moratorium on discharges under the ban as an interim step.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he supports Obama's decision. But he and military leaders want Congress to hold off on lifting restrictions until the Pentagon completes a study to assess the impact of a repeal and the best way to implement the changes.
That review must be completed by December 1 under guidelines by Gates announced this week.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, speaking at the news conference with Lieberman, said his committee could act as soon as May on Lieberman's legislation.
Senators could try to add the repeal, or a moratorium on discharges, to the annual bill that authorizes U.S. defense programs, said Levin, who is a Democrat.
But Pentagon officials leading the policy review wondered why lawmakers didn't wait for the results. "I would think Congress would like to hear from us first before undertaking to consider to repeal (the law)," Jeh Johnson, Pentagon general counsel, told a House Armed Services subcommittee.
Johnson and General Carter Ham, the commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, are co-chairing the Pentagon study.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Lieberman Announces New Legislation to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'" posted at FOXNews.com 3/3/10
Lieberman's newly introduced legislation, known as the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010, was lauded Wednesday by The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.
But GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif. and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., appear resistant to a repeal of the law.
"At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy," McCain said before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February, calling the law "imperfect but effective."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Click the following headlines to read more:
Another Battlefront for U.S. Military: The Gay Agenda weakens the military during wartime
Congressmen Promise 2010 Gay Agenda to Homosexualists
Obama Pushes Gay Agenda, but Doesn't Want Us to Know It
Obama to Homosexualists: "Welcome to your White House"
Obama's Military Gay Agenda to Muzzle Christians
Military Insubordinate on Enforcing Homosexual Ban
Homosexualists Declare War on Obama, DNC
Illinois residents: E-mail President Obama, Sens. Durbin & Burris, and your congressman (takes less than 60 seconds) and tell them to oppose this legislation.
-- From "Lawmakers launch bill to end military gay ban" by Susan Cornwell and Phil Stewart, Reuters 3/3/10
Pushing back against Pentagon opposition, lawmakers said on Wednesday they would forge ahead with legislation to lift restrictions on homosexuals in the armed forces before a year-long military review is completed.
Following President Barack Obama's call for ending the "don't ask don't tell" policy, the lawmakers said they would seek to repeal the law in coming months, or at least place a moratorium on discharges under the ban as an interim step.
U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said he supports Obama's decision. But he and military leaders want Congress to hold off on lifting restrictions until the Pentagon completes a study to assess the impact of a repeal and the best way to implement the changes.
That review must be completed by December 1 under guidelines by Gates announced this week.
Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin, speaking at the news conference with Lieberman, said his committee could act as soon as May on Lieberman's legislation.
Senators could try to add the repeal, or a moratorium on discharges, to the annual bill that authorizes U.S. defense programs, said Levin, who is a Democrat.
But Pentagon officials leading the policy review wondered why lawmakers didn't wait for the results. "I would think Congress would like to hear from us first before undertaking to consider to repeal (the law)," Jeh Johnson, Pentagon general counsel, told a House Armed Services subcommittee.
Johnson and General Carter Ham, the commanding general of the U.S. Army in Europe, are co-chairing the Pentagon study.
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
From "Lieberman Announces New Legislation to Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell'" posted at FOXNews.com 3/3/10
Lieberman's newly introduced legislation, known as the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2010, was lauded Wednesday by The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization.
But GOP lawmakers, including Rep. Buck McKeon, R-Calif. and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., appear resistant to a repeal of the law.
"At this moment of immense hardship for our armed services, we should not be seeking to overturn the 'don't ask, don't tell' policy," McCain said before the Senate Armed Services Committee in February, calling the law "imperfect but effective."
To read the entire article above, CLICK HERE.
Click the following headlines to read more:
Another Battlefront for U.S. Military: The Gay Agenda weakens the military during wartime
Congressmen Promise 2010 Gay Agenda to Homosexualists
Obama Pushes Gay Agenda, but Doesn't Want Us to Know It
Obama to Homosexualists: "Welcome to your White House"
Obama's Military Gay Agenda to Muzzle Christians
Military Insubordinate on Enforcing Homosexual Ban
Homosexualists Declare War on Obama, DNC
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
