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

[Dara (R'ykandar Korra'ti)]

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---- actual message starts here ----
Washington State legislature passes GBLT-rights bill after 30 years of  
trying; opponents are talking about a referendum to overturn it;

Faith and Freedom Network decry passage of GBLT rights bill, founds  
"Pastor's Network" to further organise fundamentalist congregations;  
includes Talking Points against GBLT-rights in general;

Free Congress Foundation theoconservative wonk calls Canada  
"hedonistic," decrys "cultural Marxism" of marriage rights; CBC has the  
good sense to wonder what the hell marriage has to do with Marxism;

Focus on the Family ACTION ITEM to support Alito; yes, yet another one;

FotF story criticising any effort to filibuster Alito;

FotF plays the race card against Senator Salazar after he criticised  
Supreme Court Justice Thomas in very strong terms;

FotF on Republican leadership race in the House: "Each holds a perfect  
pro-family voting record," meaning 100% anti-GBLT and 100%  
anti-abortion-rights;

Virginia moves to put anti-marriage-rights language into its state  
constitution; Focus on the Family story quotes the amendment only _in  
part_, the part they're quoting doesn't mention civil unions or  
anything else of the sort (that are already illegal, as is marriage, in  
the state);

Washington Blade has full text; it's anti-CU, anti-DP, and bans any  
"legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations,  
qualities, or effects of marriage";

Not only does it ban marriage, civil unions, domestic partnerships, and  
anything else, but even the anti-marriage-rights anti-civil-unions  
Democratic governor is worried the language goes to far and infringes  
upon private contract rights - but that won't stop him from signing it  
when it passes;

Focus on the Family: "Alito confirmation process nears end"; includes  
ACTION ITEM to support Alito nomination;

FotF pitches anti-marriage-rights DVD;

Focus on the Family story about Washington State's GBLT rights bill  
passing;

Pennsylvania legislature working on anti-marriage Constitutional  
amendment; :Rep. Scott Boyd, a Republican from Lancaster, along with 87  
co-sponsors, introduced the Marriage Protection Amendment. The bill  
would change the state's constitution";

Concerned Women for America prepares propaganda packages for Virginia  
anti-marriage amendment; Robert Knight writes a lot about it; also  
writes supporting a bill banning reproductive medical fertility aid to  
unmarried women;

LifeNews news article on Target firing pharmacist who refused to  
dispense emergency contraception; presumably she acted in violation of  
corporate policy which accommodates her until and unless nobody else is  
available to do it; LifeNews also claims it can cause abortion (which  
the theoconservatives say about all forms of hormonal birth control,  
and some forms that aren't hormonal);

Concerned Women for America links Ford plant closings to being  
supportive of in GBLT-rights; includes notice of UPCOMING BOYCOTT from  
AFA, and ACTION ITEM to contact Ford dealers to tell Ford corporate to  
stop advertising in any GBLT-related publication in any form or  
"helping to promote homosexuality in any fashion";

AFA press release demanding Ford stop advertising to queers, cosigned  
by a bunch of other fundamentalist groups and leaders including Beverly  
LaHaye (for Concerned Women for America), James Dobson (for Focus on  
the Family), Richard Landis (Southern Baptist Convention), Paul  
Weyrich, etc;

AFA denounces University of Florida for allowing same-sex partners to  
enroll in health care, talks about expense of insuring disease-ridden  
homosexuals;

Some in Nebraska legislature upset after guest pastor prays state be  
forgiven for teaching evolutionary theory, allowing abortion; claims it  
wasn't political;

AFA newsbriefs talk about GLSEN teacher retreat, says it "will focus on  
how to subvert parents and the school system in order to advance the  
homosexual agenda"; also, Nebraska is going to consider Senate Bill 57,  
which would give jail time to "anyone who harms an unborn child" - I  
have no idea whether this would ban abortion entirely, but it's my  
offhand guess that it would; specific intent is to redefine a foetus;  
Governor Dave Heineman has pledged to sign it;

Conservative Voice: Evolutionary theory is Marxist, pagan, is based on  
not one iota of fact, and leads directly to Hell; only "Biblical  
religion, and more specifically the Genesis account of creation" can  
"overcome the classic pagan worldview model with its all-powerful State  
controlled by totalitarian god-like Promethean men";

Family Research Council ACTION ITEM to work for anti-marriage amendment  
in Pennsylvania;

Family Research Council ACTION ITEM to work for anti-marriage amendment  
in Illinois;

Family Research Council ACTION ITEM to increase indecency fines.


----- 1 -----
State House, Senate pass gay rights bill
By Andrew Garber
Seattle Times staff reporter

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/ 
2002766424_webcivilrights27.html

OLYMPIA — For the first time in state history, the Senate and the House  
passed a gays rights bill today.

Gov. Christine Gregoire says she'll sign the legislation, but some  
lawmakers were anticipating a possible referendum to ask voters to  
overturn the law.

The Senate passed the bill 25-23. The House passed the measure 61-37 a  
short time thereafter.

[...]

House Bill 2661, which has been around in some form for almost 30  
years, passed on a largely partisan vote. Two conservative Democratic  
senators, Jim Hargrove of Hoquiam and Tim Sheldon of Potlatch, Mason  
County, sided with Republicans. GOP Sen. Bill Finkbeiner, R-Kirkland  
joined Democrats. He was the only Republican supporting the measure.

[...]

Opponents warned the legislation was unneeded, would lead to gay  
marriage and force people to hire gays and lesbians against their  
religious beliefs.

"This is a very sad day for the state of Washington," said Sen. Val  
Stevens, R-Arlington. "We all know it's going to pass."

Sen. Bob Oke, R-Port Orchard, argued the legislation would endorse  
homosexuality. "I believe homosexuality is morally wrong," he said,  
contending that the Bible views it as "an abomination."

[...]

Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville, said opponents weren't likely to give  
up their fight.

"Emotions run high, and I think it's very realistic that there will be  
a referendum," he said. For his part, Murray was savoring the victory.  
But he also acknowledged the possibility of gay rights going before  
voters.

"It's a moment of joy," he said. "I realize there are people who  
disagree with us. I just hope, before they reach for a pen to sign an  
initiative they'll reach for the phone and call somebody who's gay or  
lesbian and talk to them first."

[More at URL]


----- 2 -----
Friday, January 27, 2006
Pastors Network Launched; HB2661 Just Passed WA Senate
Faith and Freedom Network

http://www.faithandfreedom.us/weblog/2006/01/pastors-network-launched- 
hb2661-just.html

All of us in the faith community fought a good fight. We prayed and we  
took action, but in the end, the bill passed today by a vote of 25 in  
favor to 23 opposed, 1 excused.

Roll Call is as follows. Voting Yea: Senators Berkey, Brown, Doumit,  
Eide, Fairley, Finkbeiner, Franklin, Fraser, Haugen, Jacobsen, Kastama,  
Keiser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, McAuliffe, Poulsen, Prentice, Pridemore,  
Rasmussen, Regala, Rockefeller, Shin, Spanel, Thibaudeau, and  
Weinstein.
Voting Nay: Senators Benson, Benton, Brandland, Carrell, Deccio,  
Delvin, Esser, Hargrove, Hewitt, Honeyford, Johnson, Morton, Mulliken,  
Oke, Parlette, Pflug, Roach, Schmidt, Schoesler, Sheldon, Stevens,  
Swecker, and Zarelli. Absent: Excused: Senator McCaslin.

While this is a step toward gay marriage, it is not gay marriage. Both  
Joe Fuiten and I believe its passage will serve to enable the gay  
agenda but also we feel it will bring other people of faith into the  
issue that have not been active.

We are formulating a plan, while we wait for the Supreme Court’s  
decision on the Constitutionality of Biblical, traditional marriage.  
Their decision will influence how we move forward.

Knowing the culture war will only intensify, we are launching a  
Pastor’s Network.

Most of you who receive these blogs are not pastors, although some are.

We are beginning today with a regular “Pastor’s Network Alert”. These  
Alerts will be specifically written to Pastors from Pastors. They will  
provide regular undated information on issues of interest and  
importance to the faith community. They will also provide talking  
points for pastors, to help them better inform their congregations.  
Faith & Freedom will be holding regional meetings for pastors regarding  
the importance issues we face. WE CANNOT LOSE THE NEXT BATTLE.

We have posted our talking points and explanations of why we opposed  
HB2661 and how we and others feel it will negatively impact our  
communities.

Please forward this email to your pastor and encourage him to sign-up  
to receive the “Pastor’s Network Alerts” on our website.

[Link to "Talking Points:"  
http://www.faithandfreedom.us/talk_same_sex_marriage.html ]


----- 3 -----
Canadians 'liberal and hedonistic' but can change, U.S. right-winger  
says
Last Updated Fri, 27 Jan 2006 16:00:48 EST
CBC News

http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/01/27/weyrich- 
harper060127.html

A U.S. right-wing strategist says Canadians are "so liberal and  
hedonistic" that Stephen Harper can't hope to change their philosophy  
of "cultural Marxism" right away.

Given time, however, the Conservative prime minister-designate may  
straighten them out, Paul Weyrich writes.

[...]

His contribution to the Harper election effort was to distribute an  
e-mail last week urging fellow U.S. right-wingers not to talk to  
Canadian reporters.

"Canadian voters have been led to believe that American conservatives  
are scary and if the Conservative party can be linked with us, they can  
perhaps diminish a Conservative victory," he warned.

[...]

He says he talked to two Canadian Conservatives after the election –  
one optimistic and one pessimistic about Harper's chances of changing  
Canada.

The pessimistic view was that Harper, lacking a parliamentary majority,  
can do little to make Canadians "adopt a more reasonable view of the  
United States" and abandon Marxist principles "such as same-sex  
marriage and abortion on demand," Weyrich says.

He does not say how these things are linked in his mind to Marxism, a  
doctrine better known for concepts of class warfare. But he suggests  
that Harper has a few cards up his sleeve.

[...]

"As has been the case in the United States, cultural Marxism largely  
has been foisted upon Canada by the courts. If judges who respect the  
Constitution were to be appointed they would confirm that such rights  
are not to be found in that document. Sound familiar?"

[More at URL]


----- 4 -----
EDITOR'S NOTE
Urgent Call to Action for Arkansas and North Dakota
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
January 26, 2006

[Received ine mail; no URL]

One by one, members of the Senate have announced how they
intend to vote on the nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to
the U.S. Supreme Court. As we write this, Sen. Mark Pryor,
D-Ark., and Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., are two of the
remaining undeclared votes that might be swayed if they
hear from an overwhelming number of their constituents on
Friday.

If you live in Arkansas or North Dakota, it is imperative
that you call your senator's D.C. and district offices and
tell him to give Alito a fair up-or-down vote and to
support his confirmation. Such calls typically take only a
minute or two. If you end up in a voice mailbox, leave a
message -- it is vital that your voice be heard right
away.

If these two agree to support Alito, he would likely get
60 votes. That would establish a filibuster-proof majority
and essentially guarantee his confirmation.

-- Arkansas

Sen. Mark Pryor
Washington, D.C. -- (202) 224-2353
Little Rock -- (501) 324-6336 or toll free within the
state (877) 259-9602

-- North Dakota

Sen. Kent Conrad
Washington, D.C. -- (202) 224-2043
District office -- toll free within the state (800)
223-4457
Bismark -- (701) 258-4648
Fargo -- (701) 232-8030
Grand Forks -- (701) 775-9601
Minot -- (701) 852-0703


----- 5 -----
SENATE TO VOTE TUESDAY ON ALITO; BYRD CHASTISES COLLEAGUES
Two more Democratic senators listen to their constituents.
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
January 26, 2006

http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0039326.cfm

Short of any last-minute theatrics, the full Senate will
vote Tuesday morning on the nomination of Judge Samuel
Alito to the U.S Supreme Court.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., announced this
afternoon that he and Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.,
had reached an agreement that a cloture vote to shut off
debate will be taken Monday -- clearing the way for the
final tally.

When they do vote, you can expect to see two more
Democratic members of the Senate support Alito.

[More at URL]


----- 6 -----
Sen. Salazar: Justice Thomas is an 'Abomination'
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
January 26, 2006
by Pete Winn, associate editor

SUMMARY: Black leader calls the slur "racist."

http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0039325.cfm

U.S. Sen. Ken Salazar, who once called Focus on the Family
"the antichrist of the world," on Wednesday called Supreme
Court Justice Clarence Thomas an "abomination" -- and at
least one black leader is demanding Salazar apologize.

The Colorado Democrat made the remark while comparing
Thomas to the late Justice Thurgood Marshall. Thomas and
Marshall are the only blacks to have served on the
nation's highest court.

"There are members of the U.S. Supreme Court that Sen.
Salazar very much disagrees with," Salazar's
communications director, Cody Wertz, explained to
CitizenLink. "Justice Clarence Thomas is one of them,
especially when you contrast him to the leadership and
principles of someone like Justice Thurgood Marshall."

Today, Mychal Massie, spokesman for Project 21-The
National Leadership Network of Black Conservatives, called
Salazar's comment "reprehensible."


----- 7 -----
PRO-FAMILY CONGRESSMEN VIE FOR TOP HOUSE SPOT
Each holds a perfect pro-family voting record.
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
January 26, 2006

http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0039316.cfm

Republicans are in the process of choosing new leadership
for the House of Representatives. Three candidates are
vying to become speaker of the House, third in the line of
succession to the presidency -- and all three are social
conservatives.

Reps. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., John Shadegg, R-Ariz. and John
Boehner, R-Ohio, all share perfect pro-family voting
records, according to the Family Research Council's
scorecard.

Gary Bauer, president of American Values, said it's a
strong sign of the influence of the pro-family movement.
He added that the conservative trend also holds in the
other House leadership posts up for grabs.

"Many of these individuals are also reaching out in
meetings and phone conversations to the pro-family and
pro-life movements to make it clear to them that they
share our agenda," he told Family News in Focus.

John Eastman, director of the Claremont Institute, said
that agenda has not gone unchallenged.

"There's been a serious run at whittling away at the
commitment to those issues, by big business on the one
hand and by kind of social liberal Republicans on the
other," he said. "Those efforts have not succeeded."

[More at URL]


----- 8 -----
Virginia Moves Toward Protecting Marriage
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
January 26, 2006

[Received in email; no URL]

The Old Dominion State's Senate all but guaranteed
Wednesday that Virginia will hold a referendum in November
on whether to amend its Bill of Rights to protect
marriage.

According to The Washington Post, each chamber must still
pass the measure adopted by the other, but the wording is
identical and support is strong.

The marriage amendment would say in part, "That only a
union between one man and one woman may be a marriage
valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its
political subdivisions."

Supporters said that a traditional definition of marriage
is so important that it belongs in the most hallowed of
Virginia documents.

"The family is the foundation of our society, and it's
been based on a union of a man and a woman since the
inception of marriage," said Del. John A. Cosgrove. "A
constitutional amendment . . . will protect that."


----- 9 -----
Text of proposed Virginia constitutional amendment
Washington Blade

http://www.washblade.com/2006/1-20/news/localnews/kaine.cfm

“That only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage  
valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political  
subdivisions.

“This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not create or  
recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals  
that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or  
effects of marriage. Nor shall this Commonwealth or its political  
subdivisions create or recognize another union, partnership, or other  
legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations,  
qualities, or effects of marriage.”


----- 10 -----
Kaine clarifies stance on marriage ban
Va. governor disagrees with amendment's scope but will sign
By ELIZABETH WEILL-GREENBERG
Friday, January 20, 2006

[UPDATED 1/20/06, 5:37 p.m.]

http://www.washblade.com/2006/1-20/news/localnews/kaine.cfm

A spokesman for Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine clarified today that he opposes  
the scope of the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage working  
its way quicklty through the Virginia legislature, but will nonetheless  
sign the measure as written if it is adopted, putting it to a  
referendum.

"He was not comfortable with [the current amendment] language," said  
Kaine spokeswoman Delacey Skinner. "He preferred language that was not  
as broad."

Skinner told the Washington Blade for reports earlier this week and in  
today's print edition that Kaine supported the amendment. She did not  
mention his reservations about the scope of the language.

Kaine, a Democrat sworn into office just this week, agrees with the  
first line of the amendment, which limits marriage to a man and woman,  
but does not support the additional language, she said. Kaine wants to  
discuss measures "to make sure people can still be able to contract  
with each other," Skinner said.

However, she added, "he does plan to sign the bill to take it to  
referendum."

The amendment's broad language has alarmed legislators, gay rights  
supporters and domestic violence advocates who fear the amendment could  
strip unmarried couples of domestic violence protections and other  
rights.

[More at URL]


----- 11 -----
Alito Confirmation Process Nears End
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
by Stuart Shepard, managing editor
January 27, 2006

SUMMARY: Lots of bluster, but no filibuster in sight.

http://www.family.org/cforum/news/a0039344.cfm

It's a good time to look at the big picture as we wait for
the vote on the president's Supreme Court nominee, with
the vote to end debate and the vote by the full Senate
already entered into every Capitol Hill Blackberry for
Monday and Tuesday: Where are we now? Does the remaining
debate even matter? Will there be a filibuster?

Bruce Hausknecht, judicial analyst for Focus on the Family
Action, said the Senate appears poised to confirm Judge
Samuel Alito as the 110th justice of the U.S. Supreme
Court.

"It's entirely likely that Alito could be confirmed and
sworn in just in time to attend the president's State of
the Union address Tuesday evening," he said.

Indeed, Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.,
acknowledged and thanked Majority Leader Bill Frist,
R-Tenn., on Thursday for providing ample time for debate
over the nomination.

[...]

TAKE ACTION: Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., said today he would
not support a filibuster, but is "leaning" toward
supporting Alito. If you live in North Dakota, call his
offices and let him know that you would like him to give
his full support to the nominee.

Sen. Kent Conrad
Washington, D.C. -- (202) 224-2043
District office -- toll free within the state (800)
223-4457
Bismark -- (701) 258-4648
Fargo -- (701) 232-8030
Grand Forks -- (701) 775-9601
Minot -- (701) 852-0703

[More at URL]


----- 12 -----
DVD ADDRESSES TEN COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
It's designed to equip people to stand up for marriage.
Focus on the Family
Family News in Focus
by Wendy Cloyd, assistant editor
January 27, 2006

http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0039348.cfm

Focus on the Family has developed a DVD to aid individuals
and groups in better understanding and explaining the
issues surrounding same-sex marriage. "Ten Persuasive
Answers to the Question: 'Why not gay marriage?' " seeks
to equip people with the information they need to
effectively counter the misinformation spread by the other
side.

[...]

Stanton provides answers to questions such as, "How will
my same-sex marriage hurt your marriage?" and "What public
good does marriage provide?"  He dissects common questions
like, "Is same-sex marriage like interracial marriage?"
and "Haven't medical and psychological groups said
same-sex parenting is fine?"

CitizenLink sat down with Stanton to talk about the DVD
and the accompanying booklet.

[...]

Q. What is the benefit of learning about the issue of gay
marriage?

A. I think about way back in the pro-life movement. We
needed to know how to answer basic things. All of us in
that movement learned how to do just that -- we knew how
to counter those arguments. And we've done that year after
year and we've really overcome a lot of those arguments
because of repetition.

And this is an effort to put arguments in the same-sex
marriage debate in people's hands so they can just know
them.

We want people to understand that there are good, rational
reasons for opposing same-sex marriage. It's not just that
homosexuals are "yucky" or that "it's just a bad idea."
There are very reasonable explanations for why this just
doesn't stack up.  And we offer those. And we offer them
in such a way that reasonable people can hear them and
say, "You know what that makes perfect sense."

Q. When is the best time to take the initiative to learn
the counter arguments you have outlined?

A. Every state is dealing with this issue and we're
dealing with it at the federal level, but we shouldn't
think that we have to prepare for some deadline. We have
to prepare for life. We are going to encounter these
things. You're going to encounter it at dinner parties,
you're going to encounter it at family gatherings, work
parties -- things like that. You need to just know how to
-- not respond in an ugly, moralistic sort of way -- but
just say, "Well, here's the way I look at it," and be able
to share the reasons and to be somebody completely
different than they think that we are.

Q. Why is same-sex marriage such a vital issue?

A. Because it's about marriage. Just like the pro-life
movement is about the very essence of human life, this is
about the essence of the family. And it really is a
question about humanity. Because the same-sex marriage
question asks us "Do male and female really matter? Are
they both essential for the family?"  And their conclusion
is "no." And we have to be able to say male and female
bring something so essential, so fundamental to the family
process that we need both of them. And that's why it
matters.

It really is a human question. And for anybody who thinks,
"Well, same-sex marriage doesn't impact me," it does --
because it impacts how we view ourselves as human beings
and how we view ourselves as male and female.

[More at URL]


----- 13 -----
Evergreen State Adds Gays to Discrimination Law
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
January 27, 2006

[Received in email; no URL]

The Washington state Senate passed a measure today that
adds sexual orientation to a state law that bans
discrimination in housing, employment and insurance, Fox
News reported.

The bill passed 25-23, with one Republican Senator joining
Democrats to tip the scales in favor. The measure passed
the House just last week.

Sen. Bill Finkbeiner, the one Republican to vote in favor
of the bill, said it is wrong to discriminate based on
sexual orientation.

"We don't choose who we love -- the heart chooses who we
will love," he said. "And I don't believe that it is right
for us to say that it's acceptable to discriminate against
people because of that."

Sen. Dan Swecker, who voted against the measure, said it
is an affront to people of faith.

"We, the state, are telling people to accept -- actually
embrace -- something that goes against their religious
views," he said.

Gov. Chris Gregoire, a Democrat, said she intends to sign
the bill into law on Tuesday.


----- 14 -----
Keystone State Sets Out to Protect Marriage
Focus on the Family
Newsbriefs
January 27, 2006

[Received in email; no URL]

Lawmakers in Pennsylvania introduced legislation this week
that would define marriage as the union of one man and one
woman, Pitt News reported.

Rep. Scott Boyd, a Republican from Lancaster, along with
87 co-sponsors, introduced the Marriage Protection
Amendment. The bill would change the state's constitution.

Aaron Arnold, a spokesman for the gay-advocacy group
Pitt's Rainbow Alliance, said the legislation is uncalled
for.

"The amendment is discriminatory, divisive and
unnecessary," he said. "It is nothing more that a tool
being used by Pennsylvania legislators to divide people
into strongly opinionated voting blocks."

Arnold points out that the state already has laws
prohibiting same-sex marriage, but Boyd said a
constitutional amendment is needed.

"I believe that the traditional definition of marriage is
what most people in the commonwealth believe that marriage
is, that it's between a man and a woman," he said. "And
if, in fact, there's the potential for confusion, then I
think it's certainly incumbent upon the people to make
sure their values and their views are expressed clearly
from a constitutional standpoint."

Michael Geer, president of the Pennsylvania Family
Institute, said an amendment to the state constitution is
the only way to ensure the protection of marriage.

"A judge can't change the constitution," he said. "We
believe that the institution of marriage -- which
currently in Pennsylvania is the union of one man and one
woman -- is in threat of being redefined by the courts.
Ultimately we're saying the people should decide the
issue, not some judge."

If the bill passes two successive legislative session, it
could appear on the 2007 ballot.


----- 15 -----
Virginia Likely to Vote on Marriage Amendment in November
Robert H. Knight
Concerned Women for America
January 27, 2006

http://www.cwalac.org/article_298.shtml

Virginia’s voters should expect to see a constitutional marriage  
amendment on the ballot this November. The Virginia Senate voted 28 to  
11 on Wednesday to pass a bill authorizing a ballot vote. On January  
16, the House of Delegates passed a marriage amendment bill by 76-20  
after defeating several measures that would have eliminated language  
barring civil unions.

Two recently elected new delegates, David  Poisson (D-Loudoun County)  
and Chuck Caputo (D-Fairfax County) voted against the marriage  
protection amendment. Poisson had defeated Richard Black (R), one of  
the most conservative members of the Assembly and a former sponsor of  
the marriage amendment.


The two houses must vote once more on each other’s bill, even though  
they have identical language. “Now that everybody’s on record, it’s  
clear that passage is inevitable,” said Michael Bowman, Director of  
State Legislative Relations for Concerned Women for America. “We’re  
pleased and confident that Virginia is moving to protect marriage. Now  
we’re looking toward the Wisconsin Legislature to place their marriage  
amendment on the ballot in November.”

Patricia Phillips, CWA’s Virginia State Director, gave credit for this  
week’s Senate victory to pro-family activists, including CWA  
volunteers. CWA of Virginia has made a five-minute video to educate  
churches about marriage, Phillips said. To get a copy of the video,  
call (703) 444 1740 or view it at http://va.cwfa.org/.

[...]

Virginia Joins Four Other States

Other states with marriage amendments on the 2006 ballot are Alabama,  
South Carolina, South Dakota and Tennessee. Eighteen states have  
already passed constitutional amendments, with most of them coming in  
the last two years. Thirty-nine states have enacted defense of marriage  
statutes defining marriage as only the union of a man and a woman.  
Signatures are being gathered in Florida, Illinois and California for  
marriage amendments.

[...]

Another Measure Aims to Give Kids Two Parents
Meanwhile, back in Virginia, Delegate Bob Marshall (R-Prince William)  
has filed a bill that would bar unmarried women from becoming pregnant  
“through medical technology.”

The measure, bitterly opposed by homosexual activists, would prohibit  
licensed health professionals from providing in vitro fertilization or  
artificial insemination by a donor to unmarried women.

Marshall dismissed critics who said that women are entitled to the  
procedures regardless of their status.

  “To say women are desperate for this, well Al Capone was desperate for  
money,” Marshall said in a quote repeated on a homosexual activist Web  
site. “Just being desperate doesn't mean you have a right to anything,  
period.

[More at URL]


----- 16 -----
Missouri Pharmacist Fired by Target for Not Dispensing Morning After  
Pill
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 26, 2006

http://www.lifenews.com/state1371.html

St. Louis, MO (LifeNews.com) -- Pharmacist Heather Williams has been  
fired from her job at a local Target store after refusing to fill a  
prescription for the morning after pill. The firing came after Target  
received boycott threats from Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest  
abortion business.

During the five years of her employment Williams conscientiously  
objected to being required to dispense the morning-after pill, a drug  
that can sometimes cause an abortion depending on when it's taken.

Target had always accommodated her objection and dispensed the drug to  
their customers without her involvement.

"I feel really hurt, because I was always reliable," Williams said,  
speaking out for the first time this week after her firing in December.  
"I loved my job. I did."

"It's moral and religious," Williams saidof her firing and her Baptist  
beliefs. "I believe life begins with two cells and I don't want to be  
part of the end of that life."

Americans United for Life, a pro-life legal group, has filed an Equal  
Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint on Williams' behalf  
alleging that Target discriminated against her based upon her religious  
beliefs and desire to exercise her conscience.

[More at URL]

----- 17 -----
Ford Motor Co. Closes Its Ears to Middle America; Now It’s Closing  
Plants
Concerned Women for America
1/27/2006

http://www.cwfa.org/articles/9999/CWA/misc/index.htm

Ford Motor Company has solidly rebuffed a coalition of pro-family  
groups and has said it will continue to promote the homosexual agenda  
and advertise all of its products in “gay”-themed publications. This  
news was received by pro-family groups just prior to Ford’s  
announcement that it would undergo a major restructuring. Bob Knight,  
Director of CWA’s Culture & Family Institute, has been following this  
situation and brings us an update. Click here to listen.

[Robert Knight: "It's ironic, Martha, that a week after Bill Ford...  
made the cover of Time Magazine and was talking about how he was trying  
to bring Ford up from the ashes, so to speak... Ford announced that  
they were cutting 26% of their North American workforce, throwing  
34,000 of their employees... out of jobs, and closing 14 plants.  
Y'know, this is terrible news for all these families who are dependent  
on a Ford paycheque... and, you know, in light of this, it still amazes  
us that Ford recently reneged on an agreement with pro-family groups  
not to advertise in homosexual-themed publications or to donate to  
homosexual advocacy groups. Last year, Ford met with American Family  
Association representatives in Tupelo, Mississippi and promised them,  
after hearing from many Ford dealers, that pro-family Americans were  
disgusted by Ford's promotion of their products in these homosexual  
magazines. They agreed to pull the ads. Well, in December, seven  
homosexual groups met with Ford, Ford turned around the next day and  
announced that they were going to restore all the advertising and even  
increase it. I mean, it just took one meeting!

"Right after that, pro-family groups including Concerned Women for  
America joined together and sent a letter to Ford Motor Company saying,  
that we found this action very disturbing, and we would ask you to live  
up to your original agreement. Homosexuality is not something you  
should be promoting, you're taking sides in the culture war, and we  
urge you to just get out of these hot button social issues altogether.  
You know, make cars, don't get involved in the culture war. And the  
company was given until January 20th as a deadline to respond. Well,  
they made it by one day, they responded on January 19th, and they sent  
a letter and they basically said 'no dice,' that's how I read the  
letter. It says that, 'well, we've tried to work with you, but we  
believe in diversity, blah blah blah,' so basically they're not going  
to live up to their agreement.

[Does that include their donations to gay and lesbian causes?] "They  
sent a letter to the homosexual groups and the homosexual groups had  
pressed them for more donations and they actually said they were  
cutting donations across the board. So I don't know that they've  
restored those. But they did say they'd restored the advertising, which  
is very bad given they'd made a promise to pro-family groups.

[Where do we go from here?] "I talked to Don Wildman, president of  
American Family Association, earlier this week, and he told me he has a  
meeting scheduled with Ford dealers, some of the largest in the  
country, on February 6th, and I said, 'Does that mean you're not going  
to announce another boycott?' and Don told me, 'No, there's going to be  
a boycott, it's just a matter of when, not if. But we still want to  
hear these dealers out because they feel the way we do, they think Ford  
ought to get out of this controversial social engineering and get back  
to making good cars.' ... This thing has ripples far beyond even Ford  
Motor Company. Literally hundreds of companies supply Ford with parts.  
A lot of them are located in Michigan, but they're really all over the  
country, so all of those companies well-being is threatened and a lot  
of jobs are being threatened.

"I think what people can do now is to contact their Ford dealer and ask  
the dealer to urge the parent company to stop helping to promote  
homosexuality in any fashion. And that they can tell them doing  
business with them may depend on what Ford does from here on out. And I  
think that if enough dealers hear that message, Ford is bound to get  
that message. ... I don't want to see one of the great American  
corporations go down in flames, but the path they've taken, to risk  
alienating millions of pro-family consumers, to please a radical lobby  
just doesn't make a whole lot of sense."]


----- 18 -----
For Immediate Release:  1/11/2006

44 pro-family groups ask Ford to honor commitment, stop funding either  
side in cultural war
(Tupelo, MS) - American Family Association (AFA), along with 43 other  
pro-family groups, has asked Ford Motor Company Chairman Bill Ford to  
honor Ford’s commitment to stop supporting homosexual groups. The  
organizations also requested that Ford stop supporting any group  
involved in the current cultural war.

Read letter to Chairman Bill Ford: http://www.afa.net/fordletter.asp

AFA began a boycott of Ford last spring. At the request of several Ford  
dealers, the boycott was suspended for six months while the two sides  
tried to work out a compromise.

In a letter to Ford, AFA Chairman Donald E. Wildmon said Ford, after a  
meeting with homosexual groups, reneged on a representation of action  
they told AFA Ford would take.

”After meeting with seven homosexual leaders and without any input from  
thousands of their dealers who stand to be adversely affected by Ford’s  
decision, Ford made their decision to renege on actions they told AFA  
they would take,” Wildmon said. “Ford’s support for these groups  
pushing homosexual marriage can only hurt dealers across the country.  
Why would Ford put the interests of seven homosexual groups ahead of  
the interests of all their dealers? Simply because Ford considers seven  
homosexual leaders more important than thousands of their dealers.”

AFA suggested that Ford get out of supporting any side in the cultural  
war. “We strongly suggest that Ford remove itself from involvement in  
the cultural war and apply its resources to building the best product  
possible,” Wildmon wrote in the letter to Chairman Ford. “It ill serves  
the purpose of Ford to take sides in the cultural war. It is a no-win  
situation. When you favor one side, you alienate the other. Leave the  
cultural battles to the various groups pro and con and to the  
politicians. Apply your energy and your resources to building better  
automobiles. This policy would benefit not only Ford, your employees  
and your dealers, but society as a whole.”

AFA said Ford represented that they would not renew current promotions  
or create future incentives that give cash donations to homosexual  
organizations based on the purchase of a vehicle. Ford also represented  
that the company would stop giving cash and vehicle donations or  
endorsements to homosexual social activities such as Gay Pride parades.

Ford represented they would not make corporate donations to homosexual  
organizations that, as part of their activities, engage in political or  
social campaigns to promote civil unions or same-sex marriage. Finally,  
Ford represented they would cease all advertising in homosexual  
websites and media outlets (magazines, television, radio) in the U.S.  
with the exception of a small amount to be used by Volvo. The Volvo ads  
would be the same ads used in the general media and not aimed at the  
homosexual community specifically.

When homosexual groups complained, seven homosexual leaders met with  
Ford. “At that meeting, Ford repudiated your representations to AFA and  
issued a public letter strongly supporting the homosexual groups,”  
Wildmon wrote Chairman Ford.

AFA requested that Ford retract its repudiation and honor the  
representations Ford made. “We can not, and will not, sit by as Ford  
supports an agenda aimed at the destruction of the family,” Wildmon  
stated.

AFA asked for a response by January 20. “If we do not hear from you by  
that date, we will assume that Ford does not intend to honor their  
commitment. Should you decide to respond, please do so by letter since  
we can no longer trust Ford’s spoken word,” wrote Wildmon.

The letter was signed by the following:

Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman
American Family Association

Other signatories include:

Tony Perkins, President
Family Research Council

Dr. James Dobson, Founder and Chairman
Focus On The Family

Gary Bauer, President
American Values

Dr. D. James Kennedy, President
Coral Ridge Ministries

Dr. Richard Land, President
The Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission
The Southern Baptist Convention

Paul Weyrich, National Chairman
Coalitions for America

Beverly LaHaye, Founder and Chairman
Concerned Women for America

Dr. Gary Cass, President
Center for Reclaiming America

Rev. Ted Haggard, President
National Association of Evangelicals

Phil Burress, President
Citizens for Community Values

Curt Smith, President
Indiana Family Institute

Janet Folger, President
Faith2Action

Bobbie Patray, President
Tennessee Eagle Forum

Dr. Leo Godzich, Chairman
National Association of Marriage Enhancement

R. Allen Angell, President
Constituent Voice

Kelly Shackelford, President
Free Market Foundation

Gary Glenn, President
American Family Association of Michigan

Russell Johnson, Chairman
Ohio Restoration Project

Alan Chambers, President
Exodus International

Diane Gramley, President
American Family Association of Pennsylvania

Dr. Kenneth Hutcherson, President
Mayday for Marriage

Micah Clark, Executive Director
American Family Association of Indiana

Dr. Rick Scarborough, President
Vision America

Gregory B. Darby, Founder & President
Christian Interactive Network

John Uhlmann, Chairman
Our Shared American Identity Foundation

Ron Shuping, Senior Vice President of Programming
The Inspiration Television Networks

Dr. Keith Wiebe, President
American Association of Christian Schools

Tom Shields, Chairman
Coalition for Marriage and Family

Dr. Laurence White, President
The American Restoration Project

Larry Cirignano, Executive Director
CatholicVote.org

Keith Wiebe, Jr., President
West Virginia Family Foundation

Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel
Liberty Counsel

Kristian M. Mineau, President
Massachusetts Family Institute

Douglas Stiegler, Executive Director
Association of Maryland Families

Colin A. Hanna, President
Let Freedom Ring, Inc.

Carol L. Wagstaff, M.A., Executive Director
Living Stones Ministries

David Kyle Foster, President/Executive Director
Mastering Life Ministries

Curt Smith, President
Indiana Family Institute

Al Laws, Jr., Chief Executive Officer
Win Family Services, Inc.

Peter LaBarbera
Illinois Family Institute

William G. Owens, President
Coalition of African-American Churches

Jerry Flowers, Executive Director
RealMarriage.Org

NO ADDITIONAL COMMENTS WILL BE MADE AT THIS TIME


American Family Association is a pro-family advocacy organization with  
over two million online supporters.

— 30 —


----- 19 -----
AFA Lawyer Denounces University's New Pro-Homosexual Healthcare Policy
American Family Association/Agape Press
By Jim Brown
January 27, 2006

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/1/afa/272006e.asp

(AgapePress) - A constitutional attorney says the University of Florida  
(UF) is seeking to advance a radical pro-homosexual agenda with its new  
healthcare plan for employees.

Under the UF plan, the so-called "domestic partners" of both homosexual  
and heterosexual employees are eligible for health insurance coverage  
as long as they are having sex. In order to qualify, employees must  
declare they are involved in a "non-platonic" relationship.

Steve Crampton, chief counsel with the American Family Association  
Center for Law & Policy, says, in this case, homosexuality appears to  
be the preferred lifestyle of the State of Florida. He notes that the  
UF healthcare plan favors same-sex couples over other unmarried people  
living together in a household for more legitimate reasons.

[...]

The pro-family attorney feels it is not only unlawful but ridiculous  
and impractical for the University of Florida to specifically insure  
homosexual employees despite their higher risk for contracting sexually  
transmitted diseases and other costly health problems.

[More at URL]


----- 20 -----
Nebraska Pastor's State Senate Prayer Pushes Some Lawmakers' Buttons
By Mary Rettig
American Family Association/Agape Press
January 27, 2006

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/1/afa/272006c.asp

(AgapePress) - A Nebraska minister caused an uproar in the State Senate  
Tuesday when he delivered the morning prayer for that day's session.  
Pastor Tim Swartley of Elm Creek says he was asked by his senator, Jim  
Cudaback, to deliver the invocation which left several senators  
outraged.

"I did pray that God would forgive us for abortion," Swartley explains.  
"I prayed that God would forgive us for teaching our children the  
religion of evolution, which really does tell us [its version of] where  
we came from and why we're here and where we're going, just as the  
Bible does. It's a competing philosophy of life."

Rules have been established for those giving the Nebraska Senate's  
morning invocation, the Elm Creek pastor acknowledges -- rules that  
include not praying about what is on the day's agenda and not praying  
about political issues. He feels his prayer followed these directives.

[More at URL]


----- 21 -----
Commentary & News Briefs
January 27, 2006
Compiled by Jody Brown
Agape Press

http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/1/afa/272006h.asp

[...]

...A family advocate in Massachusets says the Gay, Lesbian and Straight  
Education Network (GLSEN) is holding a retreat this weekend where  
member teachers will be taught how to push the homosexual agenda in  
public schools. Brian Camenker of the Massachusetts pro-family  
organization Article 8 Alliance says the event is an annual affair.  
"They have these retreats where, for an entire weekend, they really  
talk about pushing homosexuality in the public schools -- and schools  
across Massachusetts send teachers to this," he explains. The  
participants, he says, come from every level of the education system.  
He says the people who are being invited are "gay, lesbian, bisexual,  
and transsexual adults working in any school system, pre-K through high  
school." Camenker says the retreat will focus on how to subvert parents  
and the school system in order to advance the homosexual agenda. [Bill  
Fancher]

...A Nebraska state senator says unborn babies need to have more  
protection under the law. But his efforts are meeting some resistance.  
Senator Mike Foley recently introduced Senate Bill 57, which says  
anyone who harms an unborn child will face criminal charges. He  
describes a possible scenario that he says proves the law has not been  
evenhanded when it comes to unborn babies. "If I were to walk out onto  
the street and kick the first stray dog that crossed my path and broke  
the dog's leg, I could be criminally prosecuted under the laws of  
Nebraska," the lawmaker says. "But if I were to walk on further and  
kick a pregnant woman in the stomach and injure her unborn child, I  
could not be prosecuted for what I did to the child -- even if the  
child had permanent brain damage." Foley says his state is interested  
in raising the legal status of the unborn child. He says the bill  
passed through one round of debate, even though some senators tried to  
filibuster it. Foley says he is confident he has the support to see the  
legislation through to Governor Dave Heineman, who says he will sign it  
into law. [Mary Rettig]

[more at URL]


----- 22 -----
Screwtape’s “Age of Darwinian Scientism”
by Linda Kimball
The Conservative Voice
January 26, 2006 03:58 PM EST

http://www.theconservativevoice.com/article/11871.html

Greek mythology tells the tale of Prometheus, a Titan who envied Zeus  
his godlike powers. Driven by his covetousness, he stole some of Zeus’s  
power, then was caught and punished by being tied to a rock. The  
underlying assumption of this myth is that man and God are antagonists.  
Man covets godlike powers, but since God refuses to share any of his  
power, man must take it---or steal it.

In ancient pagan civilizations, Promethean men were able to give free  
reign to the dark impulses that urged them to become as ‘gods.’  
Although they lacked the ability to create life, they exercised  
complete control over all matters of life and death. They could dictate  
who was a free-man with rights and who was a lesser being—an animated  
tool or animated sex toy—with no rights whatsoever. Promethean man was  
absolute sovereign and lawmaker. His lusts, jealousies, dark  
impulses---all became law if he so chose them to be.

It was Biblical religion, and more specifically the Genesis account of  
creation, that overthrew the classic pagan worldview model with its  
all-powerful State controlled by totalitarian god-like Promethean men.  
All of this was repugnant to the Biblical model wherein the Genesis  
account proclaimed God as Sovereign and Lawmaker. It was He who had  
created all men and no one was to enslave other men or to treat them as  
‘lesser beings.” Neither were His children to be ‘subsumed’ into  
nature, for He had given all of His children dominion over the earth,  
and they could own land and make use of the earth’s resources. In  
America’s founding documents, all statements about equality and freedom  
as inalienable and inherent rights of all human persons have their  
basis in the Genesis account. Similarly, because our lives are precious  
to our Creator, we have the right to keep and bear arms in order to  
protect our lives and those of our loved ones. This view of man and the  
world was totally alien to the ancient pagan way of doing things.

However, not everyone was pleased with the Biblical model. While all of  
the former ‘lesser beings’ were delighted to be free of their  
oppressors, Promethean men were not happy campers. Thus it was that a  
group of Enlightenment conspirators, two of whom were Frederick Engel’s  
and Karl Marx who by temperament was Promethean, devised an ideology  
based on ancient communal living (communism). Their scheme was to  
overthrow Western Christian-Judeo civilization and to reconstitute  
society on the basis of their ideology. What they needed, but lacked,  
to make their system into a bona-fide worldview was a creation account.

[...]

Marx and Engel’s incorporated Darwin’s theory into their communist  
ideology. The synthesized version became ‘scientific material  
dialecticalism.” It was in this manner that the two conspirators  
transformed their ideology into ‘absolute scientific truth.”

[...]

Thus was the world forcefully thrust into Screwtape’s “Age of  
Scientism,” wherein Darwinian communists—the animated tools of  
Screwtape and his hellish minions-- unleashed rivers of human blood on  
a planetary dimension---all in pursuit of producing scientifically  
engineered Un-man and a Promethean Utopia.

[...]

“…the roots of Marxist-Leninism are…not to be found in Marx at all, but  
in a deviant version of Darwinism…Crimes against humanity are the  
product of an ideology that reduces people…to a…condition, be it  
ideological, racial, or sociohistorical.” (pg. 752)

“…transformation of ideology and politics into absolute ‘scientific’  
truth is the basis of the totalitarianism dimension of Communism. The  
party answered only to science. Science…justified the terror by  
requiring that all aspects of social and individual life be  
transformed.” (pg. 739)

“This biological or zoological strain of thinking enables us to  
understand…why so many crimes of Communism were crimes against humanity  
and how Marxist-Leninist ideology managed to justify these crimes to  
its followers.” (pg. 751)

On page 4, are these grim statistics:

USSR: 20 million deaths
China: 65 million deaths
Vietnam: 1 million deaths
N. Korea: 2 million deaths
E. Europe: 1 million deaths
Latin America: 150,000
Africa: 1.7 million deaths

The total approaches 100 million ‘animalized’ humans shot, gassed,  
burned, electrocuted, starved, gunned down, beaten to death, impaled,  
beheaded or otherwise murdered under the authority of ‘absolute  
science.’

The soul and life destroying “biological and zoological strain” of  
madness is at this very moment poisoning and warping the minds of  
Americans and being force-fed to our children. Our children are being  
made to view themselves through Lucifer’s “burning eye of envy” in  
Darwinist textbooks. “You are an animal and share a common heritage  
with earthworms.” (Source: Johnson, “Biology” as quoted in Norris  
Anderson “Education or Indoctrination? Analysis of Textbooks in  
Alabama, 1995, pg. 6)

[...]

If Darwinian scientism was a road atlas, it would ever lead to but one  
destination…Hell. If it was a multipurpose set of building  
instructions, they would ever build but one thing…Hell.

[More at URL]


----- 23 -----
Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Bill Needs State Senate Co-Sponsors
Family Research Council
January 24, 2006 - Tuesday
Forward to a Friend!

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL06A05

We need your help to pass a Marriage Protection Amendment to  
Pennsylvania's state constitution in order to protect traditional  
marriage.

As we've witnessed in other states such as Massachusetts, this issue  
will be decided one way or another. The real question is: Who Decides?  
Activist judges or We, the People (through our elected officials)?

Great news... the Senate has a companion bill soon to be introduced by  
Sen. Robert Regola (R-Westmoreland). Ask your State Senator to  
co-sponsor the Marriage Protection Amendment.

Marriage Protection Amendment legislation, introduced in the state  
House on January 24, 2006 by Reps. Boyd, Metcalfe and more than 80  
co-sponsors, is now in the state Senate.

Sen. Regola is actively seeking co-sponsors for his bill - and we need  
you and your neighbors and fellow church members to join the effort by  
helping to get your state senator to sign on as a co-sponsor.

What Can You Do:

--Contact your own State Senator today and urge him or her to  
co-sponsor Sen. Regola's Marriage Protection legislation.

--Message - Marriage between one man and one woman must be preserved in  
Pennsylvania. We need a Marriage Protection Amendment to our state  
constitution.

--Spread the word - Forward this e-alert to your family and friends in  
Pennsylvania, and make an announcement in your church on an upcoming  
Sunday.

A Marriage Protection Amendment would:

--Protect the definition of marriage as the union of one man and one  
woman.

--Protect the public institution of marriage from any counterfeit or
alternative "civil unions."

--Protect Pennsylvania's marriage statute (strengthened in 1996) from  
being overturned by activist judges in a lawsuit challenge.

To join Pennsylvania for Marriage, visit: PA4marriage.org or  
pafamily.org.


----- 24 -----
Protect Marriage in Illinois
Family Research Council
January 24, 2006 - Tuesday
Illinois (more on this state)
Forward to a Friend!

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL06A03

Grassroots citizens in Illinois are hard at work gathering signatures  
to protect marriage. They are working with Protect Marriage Illinois,  
protectmarriageillinois.org, to place a referendum on the November 2006  
ballot calling on the Illinois General Assembly to pass a Marriage  
Protection Amendment permanently defining marriage as one-man,  
one-woman.

The goal is to collect 500,000 signatures of registered Illinois voters  
by April 20, 2006. (The actual number is 283,111 but we must far exceed  
that to compensate for thrown-out signatures and challenges from  
pro-homosexual lawyers.)

The Challenge: If each person who reads this email would commit to fill  
out at least one full petition sheet - just 7 names - it would add up  
to hundreds of thousands of signatures. Of course, you wouldn't have to  
stop with one sheet. Think about it: if 1,000 readers were to each get  
seven signatures, it would add up to 7,000 signatures. And if 10,000  
readers were to each get seven signatures, it would add up to 70,000  
signatures, and so on.

PMI is also asking for pastors and other ministry and community leaders  
to come forward to hold petition drives in their churches and at local  
public events. Since there are more than 15,000 churches in Illinois,  
it shouldn't be hard to get 3,000 churches involved in the Protect  
Marriage petition drive. If each of those 3,000 churches were to get an  
average of 200 signatures, we would exceed our goal of 500,000  
signatures.

If you are concerned about the growing assault on marriage and are  
willing to take us up on our simple challenge, please download a  
petition today at: protectmarriageillinois.org. Or call PMI toll-free  
at 877/787-8011 and they will mail you a petition packet. And please  
encourage your church to start a petition drive if it hasn't already!

Illinois citizens cannot afford to sit back while secular forces and  
activist judges redefine the true meaning of marriage. Marriage can  
only be defined as a union between one man and one woman. Therefore it  
takes concerned citizens like you to stand up and take action.

Thank you in advance for helping Illinois join the other states that  
have already constitutionally protected marriage.


----- 25 -----
Ask Congress to Raise Indecency Fines
Family Research Council
January 24, 2006 - Tuesday
Forward to a Friend!

http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=AL06A04

On February 1, 2004 Janet Jackson exposed herself on national  
television during Superbowl XXXVIII. The event highlighted the downward  
and accelerating spiral of indecency on our public airwaves. Thousands  
of people called for a crackdown on broadcast indecency. The public  
outcry helped to pass the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act  
overwhelmingly. This Act would increase fines levied by the FCC to make  
them economically significant, not the slap on the wrist they are  
today.

On February 16, 2005, this Act was reintroduced as H.R.310 and it once  
again sailed through the House, 389-38. Since then Ted Stevens (R-AK),  
chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and  
Transportation, has held three sets of hearings on featuring broadcast  
companies opposed to realistic fines. Family and consumer groups have  
been shortchanged in these hearings. These hearings have resulted in no  
action, just another chorus of "It's not my fault; it's the parents'  
fault for not monitoring what's on our shows."

Chairman Stevens makes the ludicrous claim that this legislation does  
not have the support of the Senate, despite the fact that a similar  
bill passed last time by a vote of 99-1. The public is demanding  
realistic penalties for indecency violations and the FCC has the  
authority to issue them -- the only hindrance here is the Senate.

H.R. 310, sponsored by Rep. Fred Upton (R-Mich.), has languished in the  
Senate for a full year. Chairman Stevens has admitted the House  
legislation does not have to go through his committee, but he has  
stopped efforts for a full Senate vote. This bill would raise the fine  
for indecency from $32,500 to $500,000 per incident -- and, more  
importantly, make the possibility of license revocation a reality for  
violators.

Broadcast indecency is already against the law; the real issue is  
strengthening enforcement. It's time to tell the Senate that action on  
H.R. 310 is essential.

Please sign this petition to Senator Stevens to ask him to support  
efforts to bring H.R. 310, the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act, to a  
swift vote before the full Senate. Let's pass this law before Superbowl  
XL.


_______________________________________________
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