Watchman #46

The Israeli evacuation from Gaza, is supposed to usher in a lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinian people. The Palestinian leadership says the pullout means 38 years of terrorism defeated a well-financed, better-organized and more-powerful enemy.

American Values President Gary Bauer said there is now a new Palestinian strategy.

"There were thousands of banners being held up in the last day or so of the Gaza pullout, in demonstrations by the Palestinians," he told Family News in Focus. "When you translate those banners they say, 'Gaza today, Jerusalem tomorrow.' "

Bill Koenig, a White House correspondent, said Abbas wants Jerusalem; something that Israel says is not negotiable.

"Abbas states that there will be no Palestinian state without Jerusalem as its capitol," he said. "So this is going to come to a head at some point."

And Bauer sees future problems because the U.S. pressured Israel to give up its land.

"The Bible is clear that any nation that attempts to divide Israel or to drive the Jewish people out of their homeland will, in fact, face tremendous difficulties and problems in the future."

My longtime friend Judie Brown is one of the most tenacious and innovative pro-life warriors on the face of the earth today — a genuine hero of our movement.

And so it is that, once again, Judy and her teams at American Life League (All) and Rock for Life have conceived an excellent plan to call attention to our national abortion holocaust. It is called the Pro-life Memorial Day, and it is designed to make known to Americans the fact that abortion has terminated the lives of 46 million pre-born babies.

You know, no matter how many times I hear that number — 46 million dead — I still get a chill running down my spine. Since January 22, 1973 — the date of the U.S. Supreme Court’s infamous Roe v. Wade ruling — that is how many unborn babies have been butchered in our nation.

To put that striking number in further perspective, (ALL) points out that one baby has been killed ever 24 seconds over the course of 32 years. In fact, for every two babies born, one is surgically aborted.

Because of this mass slaughter, the first ever Pro-life Memorial Day www.ProlifeMemorialDay.com will be observed on Monday, October 3 of this year, and subsequently on the first Monday of every October. (ALL) and Rock for Life leaders are encouraging pro-life Americans nationwide to participate in this important campaign to honor the 46 million innocent lives lost to surgical abortion.

Study Confirms Prevalent Drug Use At Our Nation's Schools
(Monisha Bansal, CNSNews.com-Aug. 19, 2005)

Nearly two out of every three high school students and more than one out of every four middle school students in America will be exposed to drug use when they return to class this fall, according to a study released Thursday by the Center for Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.

"This summer and fall, 62 percent of high schoolers -- some 10.6 million -- and 28 percent of middle schoolers -- some 2.4 million -- will go to schools where drugs are used, kept or sold," said Joseph A. Califano, Jr., chairman and president of CASA.

"We are failing in our fiduciary responsibility to provide these children a drug-free educational environment and, in many cases, the result will be to deny them a drug-free childhood," Califano added.

Califano, a former U.S. secretary of Health, Education and Welfare during the administration of President Jimmy Carter, urged more involvement on the part of parents and public officials to offset the exposure of children to the drug culture.

Protecting our families from drugs is one of today’s most critical issues. Every family is at risk. IT’S NOT WHAT YOU THINK! The threat of drugs isn’t some guy in the back alley…it could be your child’s best friend, the local convenience store and can even be your own medicine cabinet. It’s extremely important to be aware of the dangers that are right in your own home!

Drug dealers are not just targeting teens, they are targeting our young children—in all ethnic and economic environments—and they are reaching many of them.

Today’s drugs are not something you have to smoke, shoot, or snort… they’re candy-flavored pills. These drugs are more deceptive than ever and if we are not prepared, we cannot protect our families. Are you aware that most of the new drugs come in pill form, look like candy, and some are chewable and come in flavors? Did you know that logos such as Pokemon, Teletubbies, Mickey Mouse, and even Christian symbols are being imprinted on illegal drugs that come in pill form?

The good news is that you, as a parent, have the power to make a difference. Talking about drugs frequently, credibly, and with established family values will limit the risk of your children taking drugs by up to 75%. But how do you talk to them about drugs? What do you say? Telling our children to “say ‘no’ to drugs” is good, but not enough. To be effective, you must recognize the risks and know what you’re talking about.

According to a new survey from The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA), parents and moral values are greater deterrents to teen smoking, drinking and drug use than are legal restrictions and prohibitions. The majority of teens said legal restrictions do not affect their decision to smoke or drink. However, teens said they are greatly influenced by their parents. Teens who said their parents would be "a little upset" or "not upset at all" if they used marijuana were six times more likely to have tried marijuana than teens who said their parents would be "extremely upset."

Also, teens who confide in their parents, eat dinner with them regularly and feel that their parents are proud of them are less likely to engage in substance abuse.

Parents are the primary teachers of moral values, which also affect teen drug use. Teens who believe teen marijuana use is "not morally wrong" are 19 times more likely to use it than those who consider it "seriously morally wrong." Also, compared to teens who attend no religious services, those who attend weekly religious services are half as likely to use drugs. As Joseph Califano, president of CASA says, "Parent Power is the most effective way to discourage teen drug use," and most of these problems can be solved in the living room, dining room and at the kitchen table.

In the year 2000, lame-duck President Bill Clinton used political pressure to get the abortifacient drug RU-486 (mifepristone) approved by the Food and Drug Administration

(FDA). President Clinton's move ignored anecdotal evidence of complications and deaths from European countries that have already approved the drug and, also disregarded normal FDA approval methods, allowing the drug to be distributed in the United States a short two months later. Since that time five young women have died from complications after taking the drug, including eighteen-year-old Holly Patterson.

Holly's death inspired the introduction of Holly's Law, legislation that would instruct the FDA to remove RU-486 from the shelves until it can be properly reviewed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, joined by the FDA and California Health Departments, are finally investigating this dangerous drug. You can contact the FDA and demand they behave responsibly and immediately remove the drug from the market until the investigation is over and a proper review can be done. How many lives must be lost before principle overtakes politics?

On Monday, Texas Secretary of State Roger Williams drew to determine the amendment order for the November Constitutional Amendments ballot. The Texas Marriage Amendment, H.J.R. 6, which defines marriage as the union between one man and one woman, was picked second. This means that the marriage amendment will appear as a Prop.2 on the November 8 ballot. It is good news that marriage is on the top of the ballot. We now must work to raise awareness of the election. Most Texans do not know about the election this fall. Fact is: little as five percent of the voters are usually expected to vote in Constitutional Amendment Elections.

CLICK HERE to read the AP article featuring Free Market Foundation President Kelly Shackelford.

Please spread the word about this important election to your friends, family and church. CLICK HERE to register to vote; the deadline is Oct. 11. To request voters' guides to be shipped in early Oct., please e-mail programs@freemarket.org.

Wednesday, Governor Perry announced Don Willett as the next judicial nominee for the Texas Supreme Court. Willett is replacing Justice Priscilla Owen who was recently appointed to a federal appeals court by President Bush. Since the Texas Legislature is not currently in session, Willett is automatically confirmed to the court after receiving the approval of his hometown senator. Willett will run for re-election at the end of this term since Texas is one of the few states to hold elections for Supreme Court justices. Willett is a personal friend of Kelly Shackelford and a solid man committed to pro-family issues. Willett is most recognized for serving as a special assistant to the president and director of law and policy for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives. "Don Willett is a highly qualified thinker who will stand for the rule of law and the proper role of judges," Shackelford said. "In addition, he is a solid conservative and solid believer in Christ, who will make a great principles justice."

A lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union has resulted in the Bush administration suspending a federal grant for the Silver Ring Thing, one of the nation's more popular sexual abstinence programs, because it appears that organizers are using tax money for religious activities, The Washington Post reported Aug. 23.

A letter to the program's director said the project funded with federal dollars "includes both secular and religious components that are not adequately safeguarded," and the Department of Health and Human Services ordered the Silver Ring Thing to submit a "corrective action plan" in order to have its expected $75,000 grant reinstated this year.

Teenagers who participate in the program sign a covenant "before God Almighty" to remain virgins until marriage, and they are given a silver ring inscribed with the 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4, which says, "God wants you to be holy, so you should keep clear of all sexual sin. Then each of you will control your body and live in holiness and honor."

Three months ago, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against HHS, claiming the government agency was using federal funds to advance Christianity through the program, The Post said, with activities, brochures and a website that are "permeated with religion" and use "taxpayer dollars to promote religious content, instruction and indoctrination."

The Silver Ring Thing contends it is a faith-based nonprofit group that allows kids to choose a secular or religious route when participating in the program.

California Supreme Court Redefines Motherhood: Rules Child May Legally Have Two Mothers

The California Supreme Court ruled Monday that a child may legally have two mothers, after hearing testimony in three separate cases brought by same-sex lesbian couples. The cases before the court “raised fundamental issues as to what makes a family and who qualifies as a parent,” according to an American Family Association release.

In Elisa B. v. Superior Court, the court held that a lesbian who had agreed to raise the children born to her partner, but then split up with her partner, was required to pay child support for the children as a parent. In K.M. v. E.G., the court held that the existence of a written waiver of rights was no bar to a lesbian woman who had donated ova to her partner to assist in an in vitro fertilization asserting rights as a parent. And in Kristine H. v. Lisa R., the court found that a stipulation signed by the natural mother conferred a legal right to her lesbian partner to exercise the role of a parent over the child.

“The California Supreme Court is determined not to be outdone in the aggressive fashioning of new social policy under the guise of deciding legal cases,” said Stephen Crampton, Chief Counsel for the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, which has endorsed a proposed state constitutional amendment defining marriage in California. “These cases, read together, demonstrate beyond question the social and political agenda of the court. They have little or nothing to do with law,” he said.

“The arrogance of the California court in attempting to redefine the family by the mere stroke of a pen is nothing short of extraordinary,” Crampton observed. “If the people do not stand up and let their voices be heard, the courts will continue to take over every aspect of our lives. It is time to speak out and rein in this runaway judiciary,” he said.

It May Just Be August…But The WAR For – A PUBLIC – Christmas In America Is Already Heating Up… (Alliance Defense Fund)

In 2003, ADF and its allies decided to launch a major offensive to preserve the public acknowledgement of our heritage and the celebration of Christmas against organizations such as the ACLU and its allies, who have become America’s #1 censors of religious _expression.

This summer God has already granted ADF and its allies two significant victories for this year’s Holy Season -- for nativity displays or crèches on public grounds.

Last month, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit unanimously ruled that a woman, who had sued (with the assistance of the ACLU) the city of Cranston, Rhode Island, because she was “offended” by Christmas displays at City Hall, had no standing for her claim. A federal district court had earlier ruled that the city’s practice of allowing private holiday displays, including religious displays, on the front lawn of City Hall did not violate the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.

ADF allied attorney Tom Marcelle represented the city in this case.

(Note: After its earlier loss, the ACLU said: “We’ll have to look and see if the city has sufficiently degraded the religious nature of the crèche by surrounding it with snowmen and the like…”)

ADF chief counsel Benjamin Bull noted: “This is the court’s message: you can’t sue just because you claim you’re an “offended” observer. The appeals court rejected today what has been a longstanding ACLU tactic – filing lawsuits simply for the reason that somebody claims to be offended. The Christmas displays in Cranston were perfectly constitutional, just as the district court ruled earlier.”

Last week, the ACLU lost again…this time in Benton, Louisiana, where the ACLU had filed a lawsuit against a local elementary school’s nativity display, as well as the school’s inclusion of religious songs in the school’s Christmas program and its allowance of a student led Christian club to voluntarily meet during recess.

ADF senior counsel Mike Johnson negotiated a settlement in which the ACLU agreed to no longer pursue its lawsuit against the Bossier Parish School District.

Mike comments: “The ACLU’s case was going nowhere fast. [The school’s] display of a crèche was unquestionably lawful and legitimate, and its allowance of equal access for Christian student organizations is in perfect compliance with the First Amendment.”

Despite these losses, we doubt that the ACLU and its allies will miss a beat in their legal attacks upon the right of the 96% of Americans who celebrate Christmas. ADF, with your prayers, support, and always with God’s grace, will continue to remain vigilant against the ACLU’s continued efforts to censor the memory of Christ’s birth.

Australian Churches, Charitable Institutions Tax Status In Jeopardy (LifeSiteNews.com)

SYDNEY, Aug. 18, 2005 – Australia’s opposition party is calling on the ruling coalition government to clarify new restrictions placed on churches and other charitable institutions, which stipulate that criticism of the government or its policies can lead to revocation of their charitable tax status.

Opposition treasury spokesman Wayne Swan said the new measure is the “sort of thuggery . . . typical of a Government that’s drunk on its own power,” according to an abc.net.au report. He said the institutions that represent the underprivileged should be free to voice their opposition to policies that may affect the poor.

“Churches and charities have weighed into the industrial relations debate - they've got a positive contribution to make,” Swan said. “It appears that under this ruling, their tax deductibility could well be threatened.”

Texas Marriage Alliance is a representative voice for all Texans who believe in the sanctity of marriage. We believe that traditional marriage is a special union reserved only for a man and a woman that provides a foundation for healthy families. Tragically, there are liberal court challenges to the sanctity of marriage, and political efforts are underway nationwide to recognize unions between two men or two women.

That is why we believe it’s necessary to organize and mobilize all Texans committed to the fundamental belief that marriage is only a union between a man and a woman. The Texas Marriage Alliance was formed by concerned citizens who want to help pass the Texas Marriage Amendment to the Constitution in November. I am asking you to join me in support of the Alliance.

The Marriage Alliance is non-partisan. We welcome anyone to join us who shares our commitment to passing the Texas Marriage Amendment. We applaud the Republicans and Democrats who passed HJR 6, the Marriage Amendment Bill, to allow the Marriage Amendment to be on the November, 2005 ballot. In fact, HJR 6 was passed overwhelmingly by the Texas Legislature with support by Republicans and Democrats: Rep. Warren Chisum, Sen. Todd Staples, Rep. Dora Olivo and Sen. Eddie Lucio were among the leaders to pass HJR 6.

The Marriage Alliance welcomes people of all faiths to our cause. Baptist, Catholic, Lutheran, Evangelical and Jewish leaders have all spoken out in favor of the sanctity of marriage. Marriage finds meaning and purpose in faith -- it holds and binds us together. And we welcome religious leaders to be vocal advocates of our cause.

The vast majority of people in Texas and across this nation believe that marriage is a sacred institution between one man and one woman. If you agree, please join us!

A Christian attorney is trying to help believers better understand constitutional law and religious freedom. Christians, he says, must understand their rights in order to maintain their freedom.

In his new book Eternal Vigilance, Liberty Counsel president Mat Staver covers topics such as students' rights, teachers' rights, religious symbols on public property, prayers at public

Religious liberties, Staver explains, involves the ability to be able to share the gospel of Jesus Christ in public places -- and that, he says, is "the most important message in the world."

"If we don't know what our liberties are and they are infringed, then we'll simply neglect the opportunity to share the gospel," he says, "and children in public schools won't be able to hear the good news of Christ, or Good News Clubs after schools won't be started, or churches won't be able to operate in a particular area of town."

Ignorance and apathy among believers, he contends, has resulted in erosion of civil liberties.

"The Declaration of Independence sets forth the purpose of government," he points out, "and according to the Declaration, the only and sole purpose of government is to protect our God-given, pre-existing liberties -- liberties that come from God."

The attorney explains that the duty of the government is to protect those liberties -- "and when government no longer protects them, we are charged in the Declaration with challenging the government." And it is the duty of Christians, he adds, to be able to make sure that government "protects our God-given, pre-existing liberties."

Other topics addressed in Eternal Vigilance include the right to picket, demonstrate, door-to-door witnessing, free-exercise rights, and political activity of non-profit organizations. Staver founded Liberty Counsel in 1989.

(Patrick Goodenough CNSNews.com International Editor Aug. 19, 2005)

A reported breakthrough in stem cell research may lend new weight to the campaign against the use of human embryos in research, one of the most pressing ethical controversies facing governments in the U.S. and elsewhere.

American and British researchers say that they have found, in umbilical cord blood, a new type of cell -- neither embryonic nor "adult" -- which is more versatile than the latter while avoiding the ethical dilemmas surrounding the former.

And in a further development, the scientists have found a way to mass-produce the new cells, sidestepping the problem of limited supply of embryonic cells.

The cord-blood-derived-embryonic-like stem cells (CBEs) share many of the same characteristics of embryonic cells and one day might be used to treat injuries or diseases.

The researchers already have successfully turned the cells into human liver tissue.

Using microgravity technology developed by NASA to simulate the weightlessness of space, researchers at London's Kingston University succeeded in cultivating colonies of CBEs, derived from blood taken from a newborn baby's umbilical cord.

"CBEs are a viable human alternative from embryonic stem cells for stem cell research, without ethical constraint and with potential for clinical applications," study leader Dr Colin McGuckin said in the medical journal Cell Proliferation.

(Religion Journal BP) “These beliefs encourage "sexual chaos, inter-generational conflict and violence.”

I recently had the opportunity to meet with several youth ministers from Southern Baptist churches in Missouri. Each impressed me as having a deep commitment to biblical authority and personal passion for Jesus Christ. As we discussed the challenges facing current youth ministers, a concern all shared was the fact that many youth, including youth in evangelical churches, are dabbling in Wicca.

So, what is Wicca? The word "wicca" was an old English word which meant "shaman." The word was reintroduced into popular usage by Englishman Gerald Gardner (1888-1964), who is widely considered to be the father of the modern religion known as Wicca.

Wicca is pantheistic in its worldview. This means that it denies the Creator/creature distinction mandated by the Bible. Thus, at the core of Wicca is a form of nature worship. It is not accurate to say that Wiccans are Satanists, though the religion is certainly unholy.

Two ethical implications of Wicca seem to make the religion particularly appealing to teens. First, Wicca advocates moral autonomy as opposed to accountability to the God of the Bible. Secondly, and following closely on the heels of the first, Wicca celebrates sexual licentiousness. For example, in her book "Philosophy of Wicca," Wicca devotee Amber Laine Fisher plainly states the implications of goddess worship for sexual ethics:

But Fisher misses the point. Trapped in her pantheistic prison, she is unable to acknowledge that God, who has revealed himself in the Bible and through Jesus Christ, defines appropriate sexual boundaries.

Sadly, some Christian teens and adults attempt to combine what they perceive to be the "best" in Wicca with the "best" in Christianity. In so doing, they are making the same mistake which led to Divine judgment in the Old Testament. Repeatedly, Ancient Israel attempted to combine worship of the one true God with the pagan sexual immorality of Baal and the other Canaanite deities. As a result, "The LORD rejected all the descendants of Israel and afflicted them and gave them into the hand of plunderers until He cast them out of His sight" (2 Kings 17:20).

By blurring the distinction between creature and creator, Wicca encourages sexual chaos, inter-generational conflict and violence. Paul makes clear the dangers of worshipping creation in Romans 1:18-32. Romans 1:25 in particular stresses the tragedy of nature worship: "For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshipped and served the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen." As a result, sexual chaos followed (Romans 1:26-27) as well as inter-generational conflict ("Disobedient to parents," Romans 1:30) and violence ("envy, murder, strife," Romans 1:29).

Books advocating Wicca are readily available at any Barnes & Noble or at thousands of locations on the Web. Pray that our youth ministers will have the courage of Elijah on Mount Carmel as they face their own pagan confrontation.

Federal Investigation Confirms Retaliation For Intelligent Design Article (Tony Perkins)

For a biologist to be expertly trained in the theory of evolution is apparently not enough for some people. It's also necessary to agree with the politically correct science police that critical viewpoints must be silenced--completely. That's the only possible explanation for what happened to Richard Sternberg. He holds not one, but two Ph.D.'s in evolutionary biology, works for the National Institutes of Health, and in 2000 won a prestigious appointment as a research associate at the Smithsonian Institution. He also became editor of a scientific journal. In that role, he accepted for publication an article that spoke favorably of "intelligent design"--the belief that the complexity and diversity of life on earth cannot be explained by the operation of random processes alone.

The article passed "peer review," as scientific journal articles must--but the same cannot be said for Mr. Sternberg. An investigation by the federal Office of Special Counsel has confirmed that Sternberg was subjected to "retaliation . . . in many forms," including the spread of lies about him both within and outside the Smithsonian. In fact, Sternberg says that he was virtually driven out of the building, because "they could not guarantee me that they could keep order." To allow free debate over this controversy would appear to be both more tolerant and more scientific.

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 12, 2005 (LifeSiteNews.com) - More so than a man with passionate convictions, even be they contrary to their own, most hard and fast conservatives fear a man without apparent or firmly held convictions. And it seems that as the small bits of often seemingly inconsequential information about Judge John Roberts Jr.'s willingness to argue or help with morally dubious cases trickles out into the public consciousness, conservative fears about Roberts are growing.

Howard Phillips of the Conservative Caucus and former presidential candidate for the Constitution Party, whose attitude so far towards Roberts can be described as skeptical but with a turn for the hopeful, last week issued a statement titled "Roberts' assistance to homosexual activists in key supreme court case should cause conservatives to withhold support pending further information." In his statement Phillips complained that by all accounts the new information indicated that "Judge Roberts apparently had no moral objection to using his skills to advance the homosexual agenda." He added that "It is another example of how Judge Roberts seems to go out of his way to pander to those on the Left who might otherwise oppose him."

"We do not need another Anthony Kennedy, Sandra Day O'Connor, or David Souter," said Phillips.

Now it has come to light, according to the conservative news source Human Events, that besides aiding in the case that homosexual activists have called the "single most important positive ruling in the history of the gay rights movement," Roberts also lent a hand in 1999 preparing Playboy representatives for oral arguments before the Supreme Court. Just like the homosexual case, the amount of time that Roberts dedicated to the case was minimal. "In the 3-and-a-half to 4 years we worked on that case, John may have devoted about a dozen hours at most," said Roberts' ex-colleague Corn-Revere.

In that case Playboy initiated and ultimately won a challenge to the 1996 ruling that required television stations broadcasting pornographic material to either scramble the signals or to restrict their broadcast to times when it was unlikely that children would be watching. The great irony in both of the cases is that the justice who Bush had frequently promised would be the model for future Supreme Court nominees, Antonin Scalia, was amongst the dissenting-often passionately so-judges. Having Scalia and Roberts pitted against one another, no matter how distantly, is cause for conservative uneasiness.

Expert: Moderate Muslims Are A Tiny Minority (Religion Journal) (Agape Press)

One of the nation's leading experts on Islam says that "moderate" Muslims are actually a tiny minority of the entire Islamic movement, with most Muslims either being jihadists or supportive of jihadists.

Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch and author of the book 'The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam and the Crusades'.

He says there is a gross misunderstanding about moderate Muslims.

"People talk about a tiny minority of extremists, [but] actually in terms of the truth about the Islamic world, it's the moderates who are the tiny minority -- not the jihadists," he says.

Spencer says while very few Muslims actually commit violence, the number of people who applaud the jihadists is much higher than most people realize -- and that, he says, could affect genuine reform efforts.

"Until we face this, we're going to be undercutting any genuine moderate Muslims as opposed to those who are simply trying to deceive westerners," the author explains. "We're going to undercut any actual possibility that they really have to reform Islam because they're denying that there's anything that needs reforming at all."

Spencer says that while there are moderate Muslims, Islam itself is not moderate.

U.S. Court Okays Men In Dresses, And Use Of Women’s Restrooms (LifeSiteNews.com)

A Pennsylvania court has opened the door for men who believe they are women to come to work in a dress and to use the women's restroom and shower facilities.

The decision by the Commonwealth Court, which upheld a lower court ruling mandating that "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" be added to the Allentown (Pennsylvania) human relations ordinance, is being decried as an "outrage" by a traditional values group.

According to the American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), this is not something that the majority of citizens in Allentown want and is additional evidence of judicial activism, as state law does not extend this type of special protection to homosexuals.

Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA in a release stated, "Gone unreported in media stories today are the acts of intimidation and harassment on the part of homosexual activists, while concerned citizens in Allentown attempted to circulate and/or sign petitions the summer of 2002 after the City Council effectively pushed the ordinance changes through in April of that year…These concerned citizens simply wanted an opportunity to place the matter before all the voters in Allentown to see if the city council-approved language was what the people really wanted. Homosexual activists knew that if the people had a chance to vote, the ordinance changes would be removed. I believe the majority of Allentown citizens still oppose the ordinance."

'Gender Identity' as defined in the ordinance opens all sorts of doors for radical transsexuals," the AFA release continued. "Even openly homosexual Congressman Barney Frank opposes such language because he knows so-called 'transgender' activists will use that language to literally demand that men who believe they're women be allowed to use women's restrooms and showers."


How Public Schools Have Changed
Aug. 17, 2005	by Phyllis Schlafly

The largest teachers union, the National Education Association (NEA), held its annual convention this summer in Los Angeles displaying its usual favoritism toward the gays and the feminists, hostility to parents, and support of liberal causes.

The NEA convention handed a big victory to its large Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus by easily passing its proposal calling on the NEA to "develop a comprehensive strategy" to deal with the attacks on gay curricula, policies and practices by what the NEA calls "extremist groups" (that's the NEA's term for parents). A delegate who asked for respect for ex-gays was loudly booed, while the delegates cheered the speaker who pronounced that there is no such person as an ex-gay.

Resolutions passed by the NEA convention that have nothing to do with education included a call to boycott Wal-Mart, statehood for the District of Columbia, affirmative action, opposition to private accounts in Social Security, opposition to capital punishment, gun control, "single-payer health care" (i.e., government medicine), and endorsement of the International Criminal Court and the UN Declaration on Human Rights.

NEA resolutions pertaining to education called for the teaching of global, multicultural, suicide, environmental, and bilingual education. Somehow, resolutions about the need for improvement in the teaching of phonics or basic math didn't make the cut.

NEA resolutions endorsed all feminist goals, including abortion, Comparable Worth, the Equal Rights Amendment, and taking over the baby-sitting of children "from birth through age eight." The gay lobby's influence extends even over these infants, whom the NEA wants to provide with "diversity-based curricula" and "bias-free screening devices."

In another manifestation of hypocrisy about educational diversity, the NEA resolved that "homeschooled students should not participate in any extracurricular activities in the public schools." At the same time, the NEA demands that homeschooled students should be taught only by persons who are "licensed" by the state and use a curriculum approved by the state.

About a third of NEA members are estimated to vote Republican, and there is a Republican Caucus within the NEA. However, the powers-that-be running the NEA launched a coup this year and took it over (so that "Republican" NEA’ers will be able to bash Bush), after which three-fourths of the real Republicans quit and joined the Conservative Educators Caucus.

In one comical action by the 2005 NEA convention, the delegates defeated New Business Item #1 calling for conducting a "survey of members and potential members to determine the extent which NEA resolutions affect membership." Apparently, NEA members don't want to know how hurtful these radical resolutions are to their own membership. It's no wonder that NEA membership is not increasing.

ACLU Sues DEA Over Marijuana 'Research' (Aug.23 2005 staff reports Citizen Link)

The Drug Enforcement Administration is being pressured to start growing pot — or allow commercial growers to do so.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is suing the federal Drug Enforcement Administration because the government will not supply marijuana for research to see if it's appropriate for medicinal purposes.

The advertised goal of the suit is to force the government into allowing a commercial enterprise to grow pot for research.

"Our goal is specifically to make marijuana into an FDA-approved prescription medicine," said ACLU witness Richard Doblin of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies. "No drug development can really take place until we get our own independent source of supply."

The ACLU's client, Lyle Craker, is a University of Massachusetts professor who wants to start a marijuana farm.

Dr. Gene Rudd, a spokesman for the Christian Medical Association, said there's a good reason marijuana is not available to the public for supposed medical use.

While nobody in the ACLU camp is saying it, this appears to be a backdoor attempt to legalize marijuana.

A judge has ruled that the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles cannot confiscate the property of an orthodox parish that left the denomination over the ordination of an openly homosexual bishop.

Orange County Judge David Velasquez recently dismissed a lawsuit brought by the diocese against the dissident St. James Church in Newport Beach, saying that the parish's actions were protected by the First Amendment's freedom of speech provision. The ruling allows St. James to retain legal possession of its church buildings, property, and financial records.

Free Market Foundation's Legal Division, Liberty Legal Institute, stepped in to assist a small, African American church in a fight to protect its religious freedom. The Full Gospel Powerhouse Church of God in Christ filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against the Wichita County Appraisal District in Texas. In the lawsuit, the church accuses the appraisal district of violating the Constitution by denying them tax exempt status on property, while granting it to other churches in the same geographical area and under the same circumstances. "Full Gospel Powerhouse Church is suffering unequal treatment," said Hiram Sasser, director of litigation for Liberty Legal Institute. "It is shameful that the appraisal district is trying to tax this church out of existence. We will stand with this church until the end."

THE TEXAS RESTORATION PROJECT (American Family Association)

Cordially invites you to participate in its Pastors' Policy Briefing

With Special Guest Governor Rick Perry

Who will be accompanied by Historian David Barton, Kelly Shackelford, Chairman Dr. Laurence White, and other guest speakers.

Thursday, September 1, 2005
Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The Fort Worth Club
306 West 7th Street
Fort Worth, Texas, 76102
Business Attire Required

Thursday, September 1, 2005
Dinner: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Dallas Market Center
7050 Stemmons Frwy
Dallas, Texas 75247

Thursday, September 8, 2005
Lunch: 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Marriott Plaza Hotel
555 South Alamo Street
San Antonio, Texas 78205

Thursday, September 8, 2005
Dinner: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Crowne Plaza Houston Downtown
1700 Smith Street
Houston, Texas 77002

Meals will be complimentary

To reserve your space at the briefing closest to you, please RSVP by calling (800) 491-9032.

RESERVATIONS are limited and will be accepted on a first call basis.