[Active-l] (NEWS) Today's Cultural Warfare Update

[Dara (R'ykandar Korra'ti)]

"Operation Save America" claims they managed to "push back into the 
closet" a queer pride event  via several years of systematic harassment 
of attendees at the event; they urge other fundamentalist groups to do 
the same (from Andrew Sullivan ( http://www.andrewsullivan.com );

"Faith and Freedom Network" fundraising letter; interestingly, they 
again claim donations to their anti-GBLT initiative are _tax 
deductable_. As they are a political organisation, I'm not aware of 
that being true;

Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM for a Federal anti-marriage initiative 
includes an appeal from the Catholic bishop William Skystad to support 
the comprehensive marriage ban;

FotF pleased that Florida Supreme Court upheld Florida "abortion risks" 
law;

Minnesota reports 8% rise in teen STD cases; FotF plays defense, saying 
it's not abstinence-only education at fault, it's just better 
reporting, warns against anything other than faith-based 
abstinence-only blah blah blah;

Family Research Council condemns Maryland decision to fund embryonic 
stem-cell research; they want such research banned entirely;

Article 8 Alliance responds to lawsuit over secret audiotaping: "The 
homosexual movement wants to punish anyone who exposes their activities 
with kids";

LifeSite ACTION ITEM to protest Toronto, Ontario, Canada "gay radio 
station";

Institute for Canadian Values reprints part, but not all, of LifeSite's 
news article cum action item against the Toronto radio station's CRTC 
approval;

Concerned Women for America push "Unborn Child Pain Awareness Act" - 
their article says, "When blood samples were drawn from 18 premature 
babies from 25 to 45 weeks of development, scans proved that the pain 
did reach their brains"; 25 is third trimester, 45 weeks is over 11 
months, so I have _no_ idea what they're on about there.


----- 1 -----
Homosexual 'Pride' Event Pushed Back Into Closet, Says Christian Group
By Allie Martin
April 3, 2006

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/4/32006d.asp

(AgapePress) - The president of a Christian activist group is claiming 
victory after cancellation of an annual "gay pride" event in Charlotte, 
North Carolina.

For the past four years, members of Operation Save America (OSA) have 
turned out at the annual "Charlotte Pride" event, a spring gathering 
that has featured transvestite dancers, homosexual comedians, and 
vendor booths pushing sadomasochism (S&M) merchandise. Taking part in 
peaceful demonstrations, OSA members have distributed Christian tracts 
and literature that exposes the true agenda of homosexual activists and 
their supporters.

Now the event, which had been scheduled for the first weekend in May in 
downtown Charlotte's Marshall Park, has been cancelled, says the 
Christian activism group. OSA president Flip Benham asserts that 
support for the homosexual pride event dwindled as Christians became 
more vocal. Benham recalls the activities of his group at last year's 
event.

[...]

The OSA leader says he expects another group to try to convene a 
similar event next year in Charlotte, but that he believes Christians 
nationwide can learn from the victory this year.

"We Christians at churches around the city of Charlotte are rejoicing 
over what God has done -- and we've found out that it's true that when 
the church of Jesus Christ arrives at the gates of hell, the gates of 
hell cannot prevail against it," Benham says. "And our hope is that 
this will provide an avenue for churches that are dealing with this 
issue in other cities to do the very same thing."

[More at URL]


----- 2 -----
Special Message from Joe Fuiten & Gary Randall
Faith and Freedom Network
April 3, 2006

[Received in email; no URL]

The Associated Press article began like this: “Gay rights activists and 
supporters have formed a coalition to fight a campaign to overturn a 
new gay rights law ...”

Anne Levinson, the campaign chairwoman of the newly-formed group said, 
“We know it’s important to organize quickly and speak strongly and 
clearly ...”

According to the Associated Press, the Washington Association of 
Churches (liberal churches), the Anti- Defamation League and several 
businesses have already pledged their support to this newly-formed gay 
rights organization to assist them in defeating our efforts on 
Referendum 65.

They are declaring that their efforts are not just Seattle-based, but 
statewide.

We have until June 7 to collect a minimum of 112,440 valid voter 
signatures. We must collect more than that number to ensure that we 
have the minimum of qualified signatures. Please request Signature 
Forms by clicking here if you have not already.

During the month of March, Faith & Freedom was invited to join Sound 
The Alarm ministry in touring the State of Washington with a call to 
prayer by Sound The Alarm and a call to action by Faith & Freedom.

Some of you were able to attend the rally in your area and it was great 
to meet you and share with you.

There is no question that without prayer, we cannot prevail in this 
expanding assault on traditional marriage and biblical values.

Neither can we prevail unless we act.

God’s word requires action in relation to our faith.

“What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no 
deeds? Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” 
James 1:14, 17.

-----

We have been told by both individuals and several organizations that 
Faith & Freedom’s leadership is critical to Referendum 65 making it 
onto the November ballot.
While our leadership is critical, your involvement and support is 
critical as well. Faith & Freedom cannot do more than what our 
supporters enable us to do.
Your check is needed now.

If we do not prevail, we will soon awaken to an America we never knew, 
and we will give to our children an America they don’t deserve and God 
doesn’t desire.

Thank you for your tax-deductible donation and your work on the 
petition drive.

Make A Tax-Deductible Donation!

P.S. If you feel like the work of Faith & Freedom Network is worthy ... 
please support us with a donation this month.

Sincerely,


Gary Randall
Faith and Freedom Network
email: faithandfreedom at aol.com
phone: 425-486-6594
web: http://www.faithandfreedom.us


----- 3 -----
Bishop Says Marriage-Protection Amendment Needed
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
April 7, 2006

[Received in email; no URL]

A top-ranking U.S. Roman Catholic Bishop said the only way
to preserve marriage in the nation is to pass an
constitutional amendment, define it as the union of one
man and one woman, the Catholic News Agency reported.

Bishop William Skystad wrote an open letter stating the
need for federal protection.

"There is a growing sense shared by many people, including
a wide range of religious leaders," the letter reads,
"that a marriage-protection amendment is the only
federal-level action that ultimately will protect and
preserve the institution of marriage."

The Marriage Protection Amendment, which would
constitutionally define marriage as a union between one
man and one woman may be debated and voted on in the U.S.
Senate in June.

"In a matter of months we will have the opportunity once
again to stand publicly in support of marriage as the
God-given union of a man and a woman," Skystad wrote. "I
am aware that the time is short for taking action, so I
urge you to do whatever you can, given the situation and
the resources available to you."

TAKE ACTION:  Visit our Marriage Protection Amendment
Action Center and learn how you can do your part in
ensuring that it is passed:

http://www.family.org/cforum/extras/a0031537.cfm


----- 4 -----
Women Have The Right to Know Abortion Risks
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
April 7, 2006

[Received in email; no URL]

The Florida Supreme Court upheld a law Thursday that would
require doctors to inform women of the risks of abortion.

Abortion advocates challenged the 1997 law, claiming it
was unconstitutional and too vague.

The Associated Press reported that Justice R. Fred Lewis
dismissed the claim that the law was a violation of
women's rights, but did address the concern that the law
was too vague. Lewis clarified that doctors are to discuss
only medical matters, not economic, psychological, social
or religious matters.

Gov. Jeb Bush, who supported the pro-life legislation, was
pleased the law was not overturned.

"Women ought to be given the options available to them
before they make that decision," he said. "I'm very
pleased."

The law cannot go into effect until other legal challenges
at the trial-court level are resolved.


----- 5 -----
Records Show Increased STDs In Youth
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
April 7, 2006

[Received in email; no URL]

The Minnesota Department of Health reported an increase in
the number of reported cases of sexually transmitted
diseases (STDs) among teens and young adults, prompting
liberal groups to push for more condom education.

According to the St. Paul Pioneer Press, the
health-department report showed an 8-percent increase from
2004 to 2005, with some specific STDs registering even
more significant increases.

For example, reports of gonorrhea were up 18 percent and
the number of cases of early syphilis more than doubled in
that time period.

Kip Beardsly, director of the health department's STD and
HIV section, said the numbers are disquieting.

"This is the highest number of cases we have ever seen in
a single year," he said. "It represents an alarming trend
that says loudly that too many infected people are going
untested and untreated."

Linda Klepacki, analyst for sexual health for Focus on the
Family Action, said the increase in the number of STDs may
have more to do with reporting than an actual increase in
disease.  Doctors and staff members routinely go through
training on how and when to report STDs. A statistical
increase may occur when doctors do a better job of
reporting.

Liberal groups are using the statistics to push for more
safe-sex and condom education. But pro-family groups
stress that abstinence is the only absolute way to prevent
STDs.

Klepacki said parents should be the primary educators of
their children in sexual matters.

"We must drastically increase our parent-education
programs," she said, "so that parents are equipped to
teach their children about sexuality from the viewpoint of
their family values."


----- 6 -----
Governor Ehrlich Signs Unethical Embryonic Stem Cell Research Bill
Family Research Council
April 7, 2006 - Friday
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 7, 2006
CONTACT: J.P. Duffy, (202) 393-2100

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=PR06D02

Washington, D.C. -Yesterday, Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich signed 
legislation which authorizes funding for embryonic stem cell research. 
Maryland becomes the fifth state to fund embryonic stem cell research. 
Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following 
statement:

"This patchwork legislation is unlikely to fund the most promising 
research which is adult and umbilical cord blood stem cell research. 
This bill will fund embryonic stem cell research which requires the 
destruction of living human embryos. And it will allow the production 
of cloned human embryos. Unfortunately, lawmakers have succumbed to 
pressure from large biotech firms who don't seem concerned about 
ethical boundaries.

"This legislation will inevitably exploit women, especially poor women, 
because prohibitions against soliciting women to donate their eggs or 
embryos strictly for research purposes were amended out of the bill. 
The bill will spend millions of dollars of taxpayers' money on 
speculative, unethical embryonic stem cell research and human embryo 
cloning."


-30-


----- 7 -----
Lesbian Sues Pro-Family Activists for Exposing Truth About 
Pro-Homosexual Event
By Jim Brown and Jenni Parker
American Family Association
April 7, 2006

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/4/afa/72006b.asp

(AgapePress) - A lesbian who was fired for her role in the notorious 
"Fistgate" conference at Tufts University has brought a civil suit 
against two Massachusetts pro-family activists who attended the 2000 
conference and then proceeded to expose what went on at the 
pro-homosexual event.

The statewide conference that took place March 25 of that year was 
actually called "Teach-Out," and was sponsored by the Massachusetts 
Department of Education, the Governor's Commission on Gay and Lesbian 
Youth, and the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network. The event's 
scandalous nickname comes from one of the many sexually explicit topics 
discussed at the conference before audiences that included children and 
teens.

[...]

But beyond that, the Article 8 spokesman asserts, "The homosexual 
movement wants to punish anyone who exposes their activities with 
kids."

[More at URL]


----- 9 ----
Canadian Broadcast Regulators: Gay Toronto Radio OK, Catholic Radio No 
Way
By John-Henry Westen
LifeSite News

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2006/apr/06040611.html

TORONTO, April 6, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A decision by Canada's 
broadcast regulator, the CRTC, yesterday approved a new all-homosexual 
radio station in Toronto. It is the first new English-language radio 
station approved by the CRTC since 2001.  In 2003 the CRTC rejected the 
application for an all-Catholic radio station in Toronto.  This, 
despite the fact that about 2 million of Toronto's (GTA) population of 
4.5 million identify themselves as Catholic and surveys have 
demonstrated that only 1% of Canadians identify as homosexual.

Evidence of homosexual activism at the Canadian Radio-television and 
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is present in the decision 
rendered yesterday, as one of the conditions, set out by the CRTC, 
under which the radio station was permitted its licence was that they 
fund gay 'pride week'.  "The licensee shall contribute a minimum of 
$30,000 in each broadcast year to payments to musical artists showcased 
at the Pride Week celebrations," said the ruling. (see it in full here: 
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/ENG/Decisions/2006/db2006-128.... )

In 2003, the CRTC rejected the application of the Catholic Radio 
Endeavour which attempted to commence an English-language all-Catholic 
radio station in the city, which is home to some two million Catholics. 
  Tony Gosnach, a member of the Catholic Radio Endeavour, told 
LifeSiteNews.com, "After putting in lots of hard work, not to mention 
large amounts of money, toward an ultimately unsuccessful application 
for a full-time Catholic radio station in Toronto, I and others 
involved in that effort are appalled to learn that our federal 
broadcast regulatory body approved a gay FM radio station for Toronto." 
  (To read about that effort: 
http://www.catholicradio.ca/licence/index.html )

Gosnach, a Catholic writer, assistant editor of the Interim and a 
member on the editorial board of Catholic Insight, has called on 
Catholics to express their concerns to their members of parliament, the 
Canadian Heritage Ministry and the CRTC.

To send concerns to the Canadian Heritage Ministry email:
pch-ontario at pch.gc.ca

To register a complaint with the CRTC visit:
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/RapidsCCM/Register.asp?lang=E


----- 10 -----
CRTC approves gay radio in Toronto
Institute for Canadian Values
Date: Apr 06, 2006

http://canadianvalues.ca/news.aspx?aid=160

TORONTO - A decision by Canada's broadcast regulator, the CRTC, 
yesterday approved a new all-homosexual radio station in Toronto. It is 
the first new English-language radio station approved by the CRTC since 
2001. In 2003 the CRTC rejected the application for an all-Catholic 
radio station in Toronto. This, despite the fact that about 2 million 
of Toronto's (GTA) population of 4.5 million identify themselves as 
Catholic and surveys have demonstrated that only 1% of Canadians 
identify as homosexual.

[More at URL]


----- 11 -----
Important Study Verifies Premature Babies Feel Pain
Amelia Wigton
Concerned Women for America
April 7, 2006

http://www.cwalac.org/article_319.shtml

New research from University College London shows that premature babies 
do feel pain, providing more evidence to a tragic aspect of the 
abortion issue.

The BBC reported on the research published in the Journal of 
Neuroscience, which shows that preemies’ reactions to painful stimuli 
are not simply reflexive.  When blood samples were drawn from 18 
premature babies from 25 to 45 weeks of development, scans proved that 
the pain did reach their brains.

This research has significant ramifications in the abortion debate.

“Legislation and court decisions on abortion remain unenlightened on 
the medical advances since 1973 on a point the Supreme Court never 
considered in deciding Roe v. Wade – does the pre-born baby feel pain?” 
said Concerned Women for America (CWA’s) President Wendy Wright. 
“Politicians and judges have shown great concern over animal cruelty – 
it’s time to extend that sympathy to our own children.”

Thankfully, several pro-life congressmen are bringing attention to the 
issue of fetal pain through their sponsorship of the Unborn Child Pain 
Awareness Act of 2005, which would require abortion providers to 
educate women considering an abortion about the suffering her baby will 
endure after the 20th week of gestation.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) introduced S. 51 in January of 2005.  The 
bill has 34 co-sponsors and is awaiting action in the Committee on 
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. The House version of the bill, 
H.R. 356, has 140 co-sponsors and is also in the Health Committee. Rep. 
Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) sponsored it.

CWA supports these bills and urges immediate action on them.

[More at URL]