BMAT
Moral Action Committee
Watchman Report
#58 11/18/2005BMAT
Moral Action Committee
Watchman Report
#58 11/18/2005
Click on an article to view OR scroll through the document:
1. Study: Are Church-Going Young people Christian?
2. The Latest on Plan B "the Abortion pill"
3. Christmas is OK — Even in Public School
4. John Gibson's "War On Christmas Book" Highlights Texas Free Market's Legal Division
5. Pro-Christmas Christian’s to Hand-Deliver Letters Demanding ACLU Back off
Federal Marriage Amendment Progress7. Liberals seems to be "Stuck On Stupid" over war in Iraq
8. Islamic Radicals Plan World Revolution from Temple Mount
9. Members of Congress Call for Appeals Court to Reconsider
10. U.S. House Passes Resolution Urging Ninth Circuit to Rehear Sex Survey Case
12. Judge Alito previous comments gives radical left Fuel for the Fire
13. Study: Seven out of every ten television shows have sexual content
14. OMD Offers Quick and Easy Way to File Indecency Complaints to the FCC
15. House Plans Action on Limited Border Security Legislation by End of Year
16. Is Our Money next to go Godless?
17. Bill Clinton Hailed to Become "Something Like a President of the World" says Esquire Magazine
18. Ohio Library Settles Lawsuit over Policy Which Banned "Controversial" Religious Speech
19. Ex-Gay Foe Bids to Head Psychiatric Group
20. Catholic Group Organizes National Outreach Effort Around Disney Movie
21. State-Sponsored 'Narnia' Contest Causing a Stir in Florida
22. Rice Wants Free Movement for Palestinians inside Israel
23. Condi’s folly in Gaza: The Sequel
24. U.S. vs. World for control of the Web
25. Results of the World summit to decide who's running the Internet
26. Ninth Circuit Judge Calls Court Split 'Inevitable'
27. Has the Biblical Goliath Been Found?
28. The porn industry is tired of getting "no respect" from Capital hill
Study: Are Church-Going Young people Christian?
Nov. 17 2005 Prophecy Watch
Our youth sit in church with us week after week. If we were asked, we would not only acknowledge that they are our political and cultural future, but that they are our religious future as well.
As pollster and researcher George Barna said in Real Teens: A Contemporary Snapshot of Youth Culture, "the substance of our culture hangs in the balance with the changing of the guard every couple of decades. Why? Because once people hit their mid-20s and beyond, they are who they are, and the degree of personal change they undergo in terms of character and values is minimal."
So, do our young people comprehend the rich tradition and foundational truths of the historic Christian faith? Have parents and church leaders done an adequate job in passing along the torch to the next generation?
Sadly -- and one might even say alarmingly, given the stakes -- the answer is an overwhelming and resounding no, according to recent studies.
First, the Good News - Understanding the religious beliefs and practices of the nation's youth was the goal of Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton, two sociologists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. They examined data from the National Study of Youth and Religion (NSYR), the largest and most detailed study of teenagers and religion ever undertaken. Both Smith and Denton were connected with that study: Smith as principal investigator of the NSYR, Denton as NSYR project manager.
The results of their research, which also included follow-up, face-to-face interviews with more than 250 of the youth who participated in the NSYR, were published in their book, Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers.
On the surface, Smith and Denton find much that seems very positive about the religious lives of American teens. While stereotypical teenagers are said to be "deeply restless, alienated, rebellious, and determined to find something that is radically different from the faith in which they were raised," Soul Searching added, "that impression is fundamentally wrong."
Instead, what Smith and Denton learned from their interviews was that "the vast majority of American teenagers are exceedingly conventional in their religious identity and practices .... When it comes to religion, they are quite happy to go along and get along."
The Barna Research Group has found much of the same thing. "Most teenagers think of themselves as Christians," he said in Real Teens. "For more than a decade, regardless of their beliefs and church attendance, more than four out of five teens [86%] have been describing their faith affiliation as Christian."
Furthermore, despite the many worrisome trends over the last 30 or 40 years -- the stripping away of Christian symbols from public life, the apparent triumph of postmodern relativism, surging interest in New Age religions -- Soul Searching noted that "U.S. youth are not flocking in droves to 'alternative' religions and spiritualities such as paganism and Wicca. Teenagers who are pagan or Wiccan represents fewer than one-third of 1% of U.S. teens."
In fact, with mostly Christianity in mind, Smith and Denton said the data demonstrated that "there are a significant number of adolescents in the United States for whom religion and spirituality are important if not defining features of their lives."
Moreover, that religious participation seems to be having a positive effect on youth. The researchers noted, "In general, for whatever reasons and whatever the causal directions, more highly religiously active teenagers are doing significantly better in life on a variety of important outcomes than are less religiously active teens."
As spelled out in Soul Searching, these "highly religiously active" teens were those who attended religious services weekly or more; said faith was very or extremely important in everyday life; felt very or extremely close to God; were currently involved in a religious youth group; prayed a few times a week or more; and read Scripture once or twice a month or more.
Data suggested that, compared to their less religiously active peers, more religiously active kids were less likely to engage in illegal substance abuse; use the Internet to view pornography; get lower school grades ; get suspended or expelled from school; be described by parents as fairly or very rebellious; lie to parents; or to have engaged in sex before marriage. Less religious involvement also correlated to a poorer self-image, greater sadness and feelings of depression.
Conversely, Smith and Denton said, the more religiously devoted teenagers were, the less likely they were to believe in relativistic morality, and the more likely they were to say they cared about the needs of the poor and the elderly, as well as "about equality between different racial groups."
While admitting that other factors may enter into this equation -- such as personality types -- the researchers stated: "Something about religion itself causes the good outcomes for youth. By general implication, teens who increase their religious involvement should, net of other factors, reduce their chances of experiencing negative and harmful outcomes," and vice versa.
Non-Christian/Christian teens? -But if the religious lives of teens in the U.S. seem encouraging on the surface, there are troubling currents beneath the foamy whitecaps. As researchers probed deeper, what they found should shake churches to the core.
Barna, for example, after noting that 86 percent of teenagers claimed that they believed in God, asked, "But what is the nature of the God they embrace?"
A strange god indeed, as it turns out. In his book, Third Millennium Teens, Barna revealed this stunning fact: 63 percent of church-going, supposedly Christian teens said they believed "Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Jews and all other people pray to the same God, even though they use different names for their god."
In other critical areas of Christian doctrine -- e.g., the divinity of Christ, the resurrection, the reality of absolute truth -- the majority of church-going teenagers simply do not hold to views that are orthodox.
Smith and Denton said these statistics hold true, for the most part, even in conservative Protestant churches. There is "a large current-day gap between what most conservative Protestant pastors and leaders want their teens to assume and believe and what many conservative Protestant teens actually do assume and believe," Soul Searching said.
However, the sad fact is that very few of the nation's youth appear to be Bible-believing Christians.
To obtain a clearer picture of what youth actually believe Barna used specific questions in his polling that were designed to allow a peek behind more generalized answers such as, "Yes, I believe in God." For example, in determining if a teenager is actually an evangelical Christian, Barna Research asked nine questions which focus on core evangelical beliefs, such as whether or not a person believes salvation is possible by grace alone.
Using this more probing method, Barna found that only 4 percent of U.S. teens can be considered evangelicals. More distressingly, that number is actually trending in the wrong direction. That 4 percent figure "is a far cry from the 10 percent measured in 1995," he said.
How could teenagers who go to church so often know so little -- or at least believe so little -- of the historic Christian faith? And whose fault is it?
Trouble Brewing for the Future - Whether we blame parents, church leaders, the kids themselves, the culture, or some combination, one thing seems clear: Apparently, many church-going teens are not being challenged by the preaching and teaching of the true Gospel. How else can one explain the overwhelming assumption among teens that they are Christian, when they clearly are not?
Soul Searching suggested: "It appears that these conservative Protestant youth have not been very successfully inducted into their tradition's distinctive commitment to Christian particularity, evangelism, the need to accept all that the Bible teaches, and serious church involvement."
It should not be surprising then, that when many of these church-going teens leave home, whatever facade of Christian commitment existed in high school crumbles and falls away.
For example, a 2004 study released by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) examined church attendance by college students. UCLA researchers found that in 2000, just over 80 percent of college freshman said that they had attended church services frequently or occasionally during their last years in high school. During their freshman year at college, that dropped to 52 percent. And by 2003, as those freshmen were going through their junior year, only 29 percent could make that same claim.
Of course, some of that could be explained by the busy pace that many students experience as they go off to college. But Barna said his research indicated that many young people just don't see church playing a major role in their lives.
"One unmistakable indication of the brewing trouble comes from the response to a question concerning how likely teens say they are to attend church once they are independent," he said in Real Teens. "After they graduate from high school or move away from home, just two out of five teens contend it is 'very likely' that they will attend a Christian church on a regular basis, and another two out of five say it is 'somewhat likely.'
"What makes these figures most alarming is: that questions of this type typically produce an overestimate of future behavior," Barna continued. "If we apply a 'correction factor' to these responses, we would estimate that about one out of three teenagers are likely to actually attend a Christian church after they leave home."
Unless Christian leaders want to contemplate a future -- much like that unfolding in Europe -- in which their youth abandon Christianity in droves, there must be a brutally honest re-examination of how we do church. After all, our youth are not only our political and cultural future, but they are our religious future as well.
That's a fact we might want to consider now, while those same teens are sitting in church with us, week after week.
George Barna's examination of current revolutions within the church movement are available in "Revolution" available from Prophecy News Watch.
The Latest on Plan B "the Abortion pill"
Nov. 15 2005 Family Research Council
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last year rejected "dual status" for Plan B, the so-called "morning-after" birth control pill. "Dual status" for drugs means that a prescription would be required for those under 17, but the same drug would be available over-the-counter (OTC) for older girls and women. The FDA rejected "dual status" because no tests had been done on the drug's effect on young girls--even though liberal activists wanted the drug sold to minors.
Now, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report saying the FDA rejection was "unusual." This has caused the usual howls of protest from the pro-abortion lobby. Along with Concerned Women for America, the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the Christian Medical and Dental Association, FRC recently submitted an official comment to the FDA explaining the legal, medical, and societal problems with granting dual status to Plan B. First, the FDA does not have the legal authority to approve dual status for any drug. Second, rules governing dual status drugs would be unenforceable. While pharmacies effectively distribute prescription drugs, if it is available over the counter for women 17 and older, stores that offer OTC drugs will be unable to enforce this age restriction.
Finally, dual status for Plan B will more than likely increase STDs. STD rates went up for women in Britain and Washington State following liberalized Plan B rules. The FDA originally considered only the immediate safety of Plan B for prescription use, never considering the impact of OTC availability on the sexual health of women. Let's hope this doesn't become its "usual" practice.
Christmas is OK — Even in Public School
Nov. 16 2005 Wendy Cloyd, senior editorial coordinator Citizen Link
Pro-family groups are once again spreading the word that there's no need to talk about "winter break" or "holiday parties."
Pro-family groups are making a list and checking it twice, hoping to ensure that public school students and their parents are armed with all the facts — and support — they need to properly celebrate Christmas in the classroom.
The Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) recently announced its third annual Christmas Project, designed to educate people coast to coast about what the law says concerning religious holiday displays and just what is allowed in schools and on public property.
Gateways to Better Education, meanwhile, continues to promote its Holiday Restoration Campaign, designed to help correct misinformation and restore accurate teaching of the religious nature of not only Christmas, but also Thanksgiving and Easter.
Alan Sears, president of ADF, said his group's goal is to inform, educate and help protect the rights of Americans who celebrate Christmas. According to a 2003 Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll, 96 percent of Americans do just that.
"An overwhelming majority of Americans of all faiths agree that we should celebrate Christmas," Sears said. "This is a time for goodness, giving and hope — not a time for fear, intimidation and the disinformation of agenda-driven, anti-Christmas legal entities."
According to a 2000 Gallup poll, 90 percent of people in the U.S. recognize Christmas as the birthday of Jesus Christ. And the Fox poll showed 87 percent believe nativity scenes should be allowed on public property.
"As in the past, ADF's goal this season is to protect the rights of the 96 percent," Sears said. "We want to dispel the myths about religious expression at Christmastime that have prompted wrongful acts of government censorship of religious speech." "Merry Christmas" it's OK to say it.
According to ADF, these are some legal facts regarding the celebration of Christmas:
• The U.S. Supreme Court has never ruled that public schools must ban the singing of religious Christmas carols or prohibit the distribution of candy canes or Christmas cards.
• School officials may refer to a school break in December as "Christmas Vacation" or as a holiday without offending the Constitution.
• School officials do not violate the Constitution by closing on religious holidays such as Christmas and Good Friday.
• No court has ever held that celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas as religious holidays requires recognition of all other religious holidays.
• The "Three Reindeer Rule" used by the courts requires a municipality to place a sufficient number of secular objects in close enough proximity to the Christmas item (such as a crčche) to render the overall display sufficiently secular. Although the overall display must not convey a message endorsing a particular religion's view, Christmas displays are not banned as some people believe. Simply put, the courts ask, "Is the municipality celebrating the holiday or promoting religion?"
The key element of Gateway to Better Education's Holiday Restoration Project: are cards students are encouraged to give to their teachers. Each 8-page card uses lighthearted story to show the teacher that teaching about the holidays is not only legal, but also helps provide good education for the children. The cards also contain legal documentation and lesson plan ideas for the teacher to use.
"The problem goes beyond how Christianity is treated during the holidays. Even the mention of God is now suppressed in many classrooms," Gateways explains on its Web site. "Both teachers and students are uncertain about their rights of religious expression. Many feel that the law forbids any discussion of God or even praying privately over their lunch.
The goal of our campaign is to have as many Christian parents as possible give cards to their children's teachers. Also, more and more teachers are purchasing the cards for themselves and for other educators. They find the legal documentation and lesson plan ideas very helpful and reassuring."
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
ADF has more than 800 attorneys available nationwide to combat any attempts to censor the celebration of Christmas. They have also prepared a free informational pamphlet titled, "The Truth about Religious Expression at Christmastime." To learn more and to ask ADF to send a legal memorandum to school officials in your area, visit this Web site.
Nov. 17 2005Free Market Foundation
John Gibson, host of the Fox News program "The Big Story with John Gibson," authored a new book titled, "The War on Christmas: How the Liberal Plot to Ban the Scared Christian Holiday is Worse Than You Thought."
In his book, Gibson discussed Free Market Foundation's Legal Division's case against Plano ISD, in which the school is being sued for prohibiting students from distributing gifts with religious messages attached, including a candy-cane pen.
In addition, the book also includes two sections about Liberty Legal Institute attorneys. CLICK HERE to order your copy.
Nov. 17 2005 Christian Wire Service
WASHINGTON, The Reverends Rob Schenck (pronounced SHANK) and Patrick J.
Mahoney will visit ACLU headquarters today to hand-deliver more than 20,000
petitions demanding that the left-leaning liberal attack group back off of
terrorizing communities and individuals who seek to affirm America's
Judeo-Christian values.
Schenck, who heads up Faith and Action in the Nation's Capital, and Mahoney,
director of the Christian Defense Coalition, asked their respective members to
sign the statements after the ACLU sued a small rural school district in Adams
County, Ohio, over four displays of the Ten Commandments in front of public
schools there. The ACLU won an order for the Commandments to be removed, then
demanded that the school reimburse them for legal expenses. After Christian
ministers in the community stepped forward with a pledge to replace the money
taken from the school budget, the ACLU settled for $80,000.
"The ACLU is this generation's Ku Klux Klan," said Rev. Rob Schenck. "They
gallop into small towns with legal hoods over their heads and terrorize good
people by threatening to harm children by draining the coffers of local schools
if they so much as dare to recognize our nation's true heritage. These ACLU
bullies are nothing more than psychological terrorists."
The Reverends Schenck and Mahoney plan to arrive at the offices of the ACLU
around 3:00 P.M.
Contact: Dane Rose, 202-546-8329 ext. 106, off hours at 703-447-1072; Rev. Rob Schenck, 703-447-7686 cell, both of Faith and Action.
Nov. 17 2005 Free market Foundation
The Federal Marriage Amendment, defining marriage as the union between one
man and one woman, is working through the U.S. Senate Subcommittee, clearing the
way for a full Senate vote next year.
Now that 19 states have passed marriage amendments (including Texas this year), the Congress is beginning to see the importance of passing a national marriage amendment. The state votes have shown that Americans believe in traditional marriage between one man and one woman and do not want that to be changed for any reason.
The following states have overwhelmingly passed marriage amendments: Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Kentucky, North Dakota, Kansas, Montana, Utah, Ohio, Michigan and Oregon.
Nov. 16, 2005 American Values by Gary Bauer
Despite the Senate's rejection yesterday of a timetable to "cut and run" from
Iraq, congressional liberals are vowing not to let up on their attacks against
President Bush and our fight against the Islamofascist thugs in Iraq. Former
President Bill Clinton jumped in with highly critical comments of American
foreign policy, which he made while overseas yesterday. Specifically, Clinton
called the war "a big mistake."
Of course, the former president is glad Saddam Hussein is gone, but, like many
liberals, he seems "stuck on stupid." If the war is such a "big mistake" and
never should have been fought, then Saddam would still be in power! But this is
the kind of "logic" we should expect from the party that nominated a
presidential candidate who famously said of funding for our troops, "I actually
did vote for the $87 billion before I voted against it."
Nov.16 Prophecy Watch
Islamic radicals have been using the Temple Mount as a focal point for
planning and preaching the establishment of a world Islamic state with Jerusalem
as its capital.
One of the radical groups operating on the Temple Mount is Hizab Altahrir (The
Islamic Liberation Party), which espouses an ideology similar to Al Qaeda. Hizab
Altahrir's network spans most Western European countries. The party puts Islamic
revolution and an uncompromising form of Jihad (holly war) at the top of its
political agenda.
The group advocates subjecting the entire world to Islamic law (Shariya), and
destroying non-believing nations and religions.
The party has targeted Europe, specifically Denmark, for spreading its ideology,
and providing a springboard for renewing Islamic conquests in Europe. A senior
party activist in Jerusalem, Sheikh Issam Amira, expressed this philosophy in a
recent speech which he made on the Temple Mount:
"We are at the gates of the Islamic revolution," he proclaims in his sermons to
Arab citizens of Israel. "The global forces of evil will be eliminated from the
world and the Islamic nation will remain in place in order to bring about the
world Islamic revolution, with its capital, Jerusalem."
Salah, who until a few months ago was under arrest for allegedly assisting an
organization connected to the Hamas terror group, has for a number of years been
attempting to organize Israel's Arab citizens into an "independent Palestinian
society," disconnected from the State of Israel and its institutions.
Salah's organization contributed to efforts to repair Arab mosques on the Temple
Mount, and also attempts to erase the remains of Jewish antiquities on the
Mount.
In Israel, the Hizab Altahrir party is sending out charismatic Islamic preachers
to spread its ideology to mosques in villages near Jerusalem, Hevron, Kalkilya,
and Tulkarem.
When large numbers of Moslems visited mosques last October during the holy month
of Ramadan, the party expanded its efforts to recruit new members and activists
in the Palestinian Authority.
Thousands of young Arabs living in the PA have been participating in the party's
youth movement under the slogan, "Campaigning to Preach Revolution."
On the Temple Mount near the Dome of the Rock, Altahrir's youth recently put up
a giant banner declaring "Revolution is a Divine Command." The party's flag
appears on the right and left hand side of the banner. The youth were greeted by
party members who shouted, "Next year in Jerusalem, under the rule of the
Islamic revolution."
Representatives object to 9th Circuit ruling concerning parents' rights.
Members of Congress are criticizing the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for
ruling that parents don't have a fundamental right to be the exclusive providers
of sexual information to their children.
Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., offered a nonbinding House resolution decrying the decision.
"When the 9th Circuit comes out and says parents have no fundamental right — we disagree," he said. "We think parents do have a fundamental right."
The resolution maintains that the ruling "undermines the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children" and that the full 9th Circuit Court should agree to rehear the case in order to reverse the ruling.
Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute, said while the resolution is nice, members of Congress should take stronger steps.
"If they can pass civil rights legislation to protect the rights of other groups, which has been very beneficial and good," he said, "they should also, with the same due respect to the rights of parents, take a similar action to firm up the federal statutory protections to the rights of parents."
Bruce Hausknecht, legal issues analyst at Focus on the Family Action, told Family News in Focus that Americans intuitively know the court's decision is wrong under the Constitution. He said the court's decision is egregious enough to consider serious action.
"I think the American public needs to think seriously about the impeachment of judges who violate their constitutional duties in rendering these types of decisions," he said.
TAKE ACTION:
Encourage your representative in the House to support House Resolution 547
concerning the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals. It's expected to be voted on
Wednesday. You can find contact information in the
CitizenLink Action Center.
Nov. 17, 2005 Liberty Council
Liberty Counsel will ask the Ninth Circuit to set aside the ruling and rehear the case
Palmdale, CA - Late yesterday the U.S. House of Representatives
overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
to rehear the sex survey case of Fields v. Palmdale School District.
Following the ruling by the court a few weeks ago, the seven parents in the case
asked Liberty Counsel to represent them and become lead counsel. Liberty Counsel
has taken up the fight of these parents and will soon be filing a petition
asking the Ninth Circuit to set aside the ruling and rehear the case.
Writing for the court, Judge Stephen Reinhardt, the same judge who ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional, wrote that parental rights stop at the "threshold of the school door." In the Fields case, the parents objected to sex questions given to children as young as seven. The survey required a "Yes" or "No" answer to questions such as: "Can't stop thinking about sex."
The resolution: (H. Res. 547), sponsored by Rep. Tim Murphy, R-Pa., passed by a vote of 320-91. Twenty-two representatives did not cast votes, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). The resolution urges the Ninth Circuit to rehear the case "en banc," which means that all the judges in the circuit would participate in the ruling, rather than just the original three-judge panel. The resolution states that "the fundamental right of parents to direct the education of their children is firmly grounded in the Nation's Constitution and traditions." The resolution also states that the Ninth Circuit's ruling "undermines the fundamental right of parents to direct the upbringing of their children." Rep. Murphy stated: "I believe the Court's decision overreached the issues in the case, overreached in its conclusions, and needs to be overturned." He also stated: "On behalf of every parent in America, Congress calls upon the courts to correct this deplorable injustice."
Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel, stated: "Congress rarely passes a resolution condemning a court's ruling. This resolution is extraordinary because the decision by the Ninth Circuit is extraordinary. This resolution expresses the overwhelming sentiment in America that this ruling is deplorable. No one would ever think that when they drop their children off at school, they forfeit their parental rights, but that's exactly what this court ruled. This ruling is the worst assault on parental rights issued by any court. We will ask the full panel of judges on the Ninth Circuit to rehear this case, and we pray that this ruling will become a mere blip on the radar screen that quickly fades away."
Liberty Counsel will ask the full panel of the Ninth Circuit to set aside the ruling. Liberty Counsel is also prepared to ask the Supreme Court to hear the case.
Nov. 14 2005 American Values by Gary Bauer
The New York Times reports on its front page this morning that the Left is
uniting in its opposition to Judge Samuel Alito's nomination to the United
States Supreme Court. A "grand coalition" of liberal organizations is launching
a multi-million dollar media "blitzkrieg" against Alito, which is expected to
begin later this weekend. Here are just a few of the groups identified in the
New York Times article: NARAL Pro-Choice America, Planned Parenthood, People for
the American Way, the A.F.L.-C.I.O., the N.A.A.C.P., and the Sierra Club. These
groups have extremely deep pockets and will spare no expense to stop his
confirmation. Our side has to be prepared to fight back!
Nov. 14 2005 American Values by Gary Bauer
The radical Left didn't need a reason to oppose Judge Alito - the fact that
George W. Bush nominated him is reason enough for most liberals. But, a story in
today's Washington Times will be tantamount to throwing gasoline on a raging
fire. In his application to be a deputy assistant attorney general under Edwin
Meese, Alito wrote the following:
"I am and always have been a conservative. …It has been an honor … to serve in
the office of the Solicitor General during President Reagan's administration and
to help to advance legal positions in which I personally believe very strongly.
…I am particularly proud of my contributions in recent cases in which the
government has argued in the Supreme Court that racial and ethnic quotas should
not be allowed and that the Constitution does not protect a right to an
abortion."
But wait, my friends, here's more from Judge Alito: "I believe very strongly in
limited government, federalism, free enterprise, the supremacy of the elected
branches of government, the need for a strong defense and effective law
enforcement, and the legitimacy of a government role in protecting traditional
values. …In the field of law, I disagree strenuously with the usurpation by the
judiciary of decision-making authority that should be exercised by the branches
of government responsible to the electorate."
I can already hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth on the leftwing fringe! But
the fact that Judge Alito may hold conservative views should not surprise
anyone. This is exactly the kind of justice George W. Bush promised he would
nominate during his campaigns, and elections have consequences. Let's hope the
establishment Republicans don't lose their nerve and start "apologizing" for
Judge Alito's conservatism. This is a debate we should welcome, not shy away
from.
Nov. 12 Prophecy Watch
Researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation report that the amount of sexual
content on television today is nearly double the amount that was on in 1998. In
Sex on TV 4, a biennial study released by the foundation at a November 9 forum,
the emerging wisdom is that TV deals a lot with sex -- but addresses the related
risks and responsibilities far less often.
Foundation researchers watched about a week's worth of TV and saw nearly 3,800
scenes with sexual content. Their report concludes that about seven out of every
ten television shows have some sort of sexual content -- and that's excluding
news, children's shows, and live sports. And during prime-time hours, sex is
even more prevalent, with nearly eight in ten shows including sexual content.
According to the study, today's 70 percent of TV shows that include sexual
content average 5.0 sexual scenes per hour, as compared to the 64 percent of
shows in 2002 that had sexual content and that averaged 4.4 sexual scenes per
hour. The contrast is even sharper with the 1998 figures -- 56 percent of shows
and 3.2 sexual scenes per hour.
Vicki Rideout, a Kaiser Family Foundation vice president who oversaw the study,
also observes that fewer shows today include messages about "safe sex" and
abstinence. Among shows with any sexual content, only 14 percent included at
least one scene with a reference to sexual risks or responsibilities, and this
ratio has not changed significantly since 2002.
Rideout feels these statistics cry out to be addressed, especially for the sake
of young television viewers. "Given how high the stakes are," she says, "the
messages TV sends teens about sex are important. Television has the power to
bring issues of sexual risk and responsibility to life in a way that no sex ed
class or public health brochure really can."
Dr. Dale Kunkel, a researcher for the project, says Kaiser's research is focused
on the public health issues related to sex on television. "In just the past
couple of years there's been a significant surge in the research that documents
the influence of televised sexual content on teens and young adults," he notes.
Kunkel says one of the Foundation's panelists, a Dr. Rebecca Collins, recently
published a longitudinal study of 12- to 17-year-olds. "That study found that
watching a lot of sex on TV accelerates the age of a child’s first sex," he
says. And according to the Kaiser study, among the top 20 shows most watched by
teens, 70 percent include sexual content, and nearly half include sexual
behavior.
A growing number of studies on the effects of sexualized television on teens and
young adults are showing similar correlations, Kunkel notes. "Researchers at the
University of North Carolina just published a study that measures the 'sexual
media diet' of seventh- and eighth-graders," he points out, "and they find it's
a significant predictor of levels of sexual activity."
Also, the researcher points to a University of Michigan experimental study of
college students who watch prime-time shows in which casual sex was presented.
He says the investigators found that subjects in the study "became more
permissive in their views about sexual encounters, consistent with the program
portrayals."
Kunkel says many of these studies were funded by the National Institutes of
Health, which has now increased funding for further study along these lines.
Across the four biennial studies on TV sex, a total of 4,742 television programs
have been analyzed.
November 11, 2005 OneMillionDads.com
As a service to our supporters, OneMillionDads.com is now offering a very
quick and easy way for you to file a complaint with the Federal Communications
Commission concerning indecency on television.
The FCC is encouraging viewers to contact them concerning indecency on TV. The
form is real simple and requires little time to complete and email to the FCC.
We encourage you, when you see something indecent, obscene or profane, to take
advantage of this new service.
You can file your complaint by visiting our main website at
www.afa.net.
OneMillionDads.com has worked long and hard in encouraging the FCC to make it
easier for you to file a complaint. We hope you will use this form and encourage
others to use it.
We encourage you to ask your church to put the following notice in their
bulletins and newsletters: "TV viewers now have a quick and easy way to file
a complaint with the FCC concerning obscene, indecent, and profane content on
television and radio. There is no charge, and filing your complaint takes only a
few minutes.
Sincerely,Donald E. Wildmon, Chairman
OneMillionDads.com
Nov. 14 2005 FAIR
House Republican leaders are pressing for a border security bill that does
not include a guest worker program to be passed by the end of the year. Rep. Jim
Sensenbrenner (R-WI), chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, has announced
his intention to introduce border security legislation which he says will be the
basis for legislation brought to the House floor in December.
Hostettler's Secure America Act
Last Monday, House Immigration Subcommittee Chairman John Hostettler (R-IN) introduced his own border security bill, the Secure America Act (H.R. 4240), which includes elements expected to be in Rep. Sensenbrenner's bill. Hostettler's bill does not include a guest worker program, deals with border security and immigration enforcement, but fails to address eliminating the job magnet and other incentives that encourages illegal immigration.
The Secure America Act calls for expedited removal of illegal aliens, authority to deny visas to people from countries that do not accept or delay accepting citizens deported from the United States, and increased penalties for people convicted of human smuggling. It would also gives the president authority to use the military to enforce border security until enough border patrol agents are available to do so and consolidates immigration enforcement functions within the Department of Homeland Security.
TRUE Enforcement is the Real Solution
The real legislative solution to America's illegal immigration crisis lies in the TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2005 by Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Virgil Goode (R-VA). This legislation addresses the obvious need to improve border security and interior enforcement, as well as the importance of removing incentives such as the job magnet that encourage people to enter the country illegally.
This bill now has more than 20 House members committed to being original sponsors when the bill is officially introduced, perhaps as early as this evening. This list includes Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Virgil Goode (R-VA), Geoff Davis (R-KY), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Ed Royce (R-CA), Randy Forbes (R-VA), Nathan Deal (R-GA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Randy "Duke" Cunningham (R-CA), Charlie Norwood (R-GA), John Sullivan (R-OK), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Kenny Marchant (R-TX), Gary Miller (R-CA), John Culberson (R-TX), and Greg Walden (R-OR).
Immigration Subcommittee Explores Impact of Illegal Immigration
The House Immigration Subcommittee last Thursday held the first in a series of hearings aimed at getting perspectives from House members on how illegal immigration impacts their constituents and districts. Reps. Henry Bonilla (R-TX), Steven Pearce (R-NM) and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) testified.
Rep. Bonilla, whose Texas district includes 700 miles of the U.S.-Mexico border, spoke about the invasion his community is experiencing of violent gang members, drug traffickers, and non-Mexicans crossing the border illegally, including some from nations monitored for possible terrorist activity. As of October, 146,000 non-Mexicans illegally crossed the U.S./Mexico border this year. "While many crossing the borders are seeking work and a new life, many are also bringing violent crime and drugs into these small towns that are ill equipped to deal with the problem," said Bonilla. FAIR's recent cost study for Texas found that the illegal immigrant population is costing Texas taxpayers more than $4.7 billion per year in education, medical care and incarceration these numbers were cited by Rep. Bonilla at the hearing.
Nov. 14, 2005 the USA GOP Eagle
First prayer was taken out of schools. Next it was being pulled from football
games and graduations. The latest attack on faith in America was an effort by
atheist Michael Newdow to have the words "under God" removed from the Pledge of
Allegiance. This time the focus is the money in your pocket.
California's atheist avenger, Michael Newdow, is at it again. He has announced plans to sue the U.S. Treasury Department. This time his target is right there--on the money. Newdow is suing this time to get rid of "In God We Trust." "It's not the history that counts," says Newdow. "It's not the patriotism," he continues, "What it is: is these people want to get their religious views in the government." These people, my friends, are you and me and the vast majority of our fellow Americans. (FRC)
Michael Newdow came to national prominence when he filled a lawsuit on behalf of his daughter claiming that reciting the Pledge of Allegiance which includes the words "under God" violated the students’ religious liberty.
The often criticized Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals agreed with Newdow and issued a ruling stating that recitation of Pledge of Allegiance was unconstitutional. The ruling was appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court which dismissed the case. However, the Supreme Court justices cited Newdow’s lack of custody of his daughter as the reason for their dismissal. Thus, the prime question on the constitutionality of "under God" remains undecided.
Several Supreme Court justices did comment, however, on the overall merits of the case and the Pledge of Allegiance itself. Justices Rehnquist, Thomas, and O’Connor wrote that "the pledge does not violate the First Amendment, which prohibits the establishment of religion by the government." Rehnquist wrote.
Now, media outlets are reporting that Newdow will file suit Thursday of week in which he will ask a federal court to order the removal of the motto "In God We Trust" from U.S. coins and currency. According to the report, Newdow says that the motto "violates the religious rights of atheists who belong to his ‘First Amendment Church of True Science.’"
Isn’t a church supposed to be a place of worship? If so, can someone please tell me to whom the prayers go in an atheist Church if it is to "true science," then I’m afraid these folks are wasting their time. I don’t recall "true science" answering anyone’s prayers.
America is a land of rights and freedoms. It’s time that the freedoms and rights of God-fearing Americans are not only protected, but also respected. If we continue to push God away from America, then the country will truly be lost.
Nov. 16, 2005 John-Henry Westen LifeSiteNews.com
NEW YORK, Disgraced former U.S. President Bill Clinton has been hailed as
"The Most Influential Man in the World," by Esquire magazine. In the December
issue of the magazine set to hit newsstands Thursday, Esquire Editor-in-Chief
David Granger says Clinton is poised to become "something like a president of
the world or at least a president of the world's non-governmental
organizations."
Clinton whose fame has survived revelations of sexual impropriety, perjury and constant reports of other shady occurrences at the Clinton White House which would have killed any other political reputation, continues to wow audiences world wide. Clinton who was already in 2003, rumored to be seeking to lead the United Nations, has also launched his own global initiative to right the wrongs of the world.
Esquire designates him as "the most powerful agent of change in the world." However, some readers may be suspicious of the adulation given that Clinton himself authored an introduction to the special issue of the magazine.
Father Richard Neuhaus "One of the 25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America"(Time Magazine) called Clinton "The Abortion President",
Nov. 14th 2005 Liberty Counsel
Youngstown, OH - Following a lawsuit filed by Liberty Counsel against the
Newton Falls Library Board of Trustees ("Library"), the Library has repealed its
Policy which banned "controversial" religious speech, and has entered into a
court-approved settlement. Liberty Counsel filed the suit after its application
to use the Library's Community Room was denied.
The Library Policy stated that the Community Room is available to "nonprofit organizations" for "programs of a civic, cultural or educational nature." The former Policy also states the following: "If a program deals with a controversial subject, then all sides of the issue must be presented." Liberty Counsel applied to use the Community Room for specific dates at the end of May and on June 6 or 13, 2005. The application stated that the meeting would present a biblical perspective on traditional marriage. The meeting would include prayer and scripture reading. Kerry McCrone, the library director, denied the application on May 23. With the denial, the library director sent back a copy of the Policy with language highlighted, stating that if a program deals with a controversial subject, all sides of the issue must be presented. In other words, the Policy requires that any time a "controversial subject" is discussed the opposing viewpoint must also be presented. As a result of the settlement, the Library has removed from the Policy the language that requires discussions regarding "controversial" subjects to present "all sides of the issue."
Ministries say Jack Drescher could limit their ability to operate.
An open homosexual who is an antagonist of ex-gay ministries is running for
president of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Jack Drescher heads the APA's Committee on Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues and has touted his ties to gay-rights groups in his APA position statement. He's been harsh in his criticism of ex-gay groups.
"They can mask it in the language of love all they want," he recently said, "but it's about revulsion and hatred of homosexuality."
There is concern among groups that reach out to those wanting to leave homosexuality that if Drescher should win, he could use that power to place obstacles in their way.
Alan Chambers, president of Exodus International, said Drescher's ascendancy could mean dark days ahead.
"I'm very concerned that our culture is being fed misinformation and that people are reacting in a way that is detrimental to our religious liberties," he said. "Today he's equating reparative therapy and a client's right to self determination with a quack cure for homosexuality, which is absolutely not true."
Dr. Peter Hill, an APA member, said the president of the association cannot single-handedly ban reparative therapy, "but he will have much influence on what actually gets out to the floor and how it's being presented to the council of reps."
Nov. 17 2005 Christian Wire Service National Desk
ENCINITAS, Calif. A leading Catholic outreach organization is responding to
criticisms that the Church is being used by Hollywood by offering resources to
fuel evangelism. In the weeks before the theatrical release of CS Lewis's The
Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Christian leaders have entered into a hot
debate regarding how strongly Christian marketers should back Hollywood films.
Spurred partly by the marketing success of Mel Gibson's The Passion of the
Christ, an aggressive network of Christian promoters and publicists have banded
together to turn family-friendly movies into savvy evangelization campaigns.
But, some claim these efforts are too closely tied to promotional dollars.
At least one Catholic group disagrees and believes that backing these movies is
not only an opportunity, but a duty – a stupendous task to be at service to the
Gospel by directing the culture towards the true, the good and the beautiful.
Says Tom Allen of Catholic Outreach, "As Christians, we need to embrace
family-friendly movies from Hollywood. People get their information about life,
the universe, and everything else primarily from TV and the movies. The release
of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a motion picture is a particularly
welcome event because it gives us the essence of the Christian Gospel in a way
that everyone can understand."
So, who's profiting from this marketing machine? If you ask the folks at
Catholic Outreach, "It's the culture, stupid!" Says Allen, "We're utterly
compelled to help fuel and drive Hollywood's new interest in faith-based movies.
We support it because we want it to continue and we want the mass public to
profit from it spiritually. It's what countless concerned citizens have longed
for and prayed for. Now it's here, prayers answered, and we intend to make the
most of it."
The film version of Lewis' classic work will be released on December 9th. It
promises to be every inch the blockbuster adventure that The Lord of the Rings
was and Catholic Outreach is going to be there to help the millions of film fans
who will enter the world of Narnia for the first time. Matthew Pinto, Co-Founder
of Catholic Outreach, agrees that the film offers a chance to go beyond what the
filmgoer sees on the big screen. "As with The Passion of the Christ; there are
layers of meaning both to the story and to Lewis' and the filmmakers telling of
it. The shining star for the culture war is that in this epic film, just beneath
the surface of the story, lies His-story -- a beautiful metaphorical tale of
Jesus Christ and God's plan for humanity."
Nov. 12 Prophecy Watch
A religious freedom group is offering pro bono legal representation to any
Florida school that is threatened with a lawsuit for taking part in a state
reading contest that features a book in C.S. Lewis's "Chronicles of Narnia"
series.
As part of Governor Jeb Bush's "Just Read, Florida!" program, students are being
encouraged to read The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in conjunction with the
December release of a Disney movie based on the book. The director of the
program, Mary Laura Openshaw, tells the Palm Beach Post that the goal of the
program is "to get kids reading" -- and that state officials did not approach
the reading program to help Disney or the promoter of the film, Walden Media.
But it is not the commercial aspect of the venture that bothers the group
Americans United for Separation of Church and State, which is arguing that the
contest violates the First Amendment because it promotes a "religious story."
Barry Lynn, director of Americans United (AU), tells the Post that the Florida
contest is "just totally inappropriate" because of the themes of the book. "It
is simply a retelling of the story of Christ," says Lynn.
Openshaw responds that the story can be read without references to Christianity,
and that children can "read the book and decide for themselves" about any
correlation with the story of Jesus Christ.
Regardless, the situation is ripe for possible lawsuits against schools that
institute the "Narnia" contest. That is why the Alliance Defense Fund, an
Arizona-based religious liberty group, has offered to provide free legal
representation to any schools Americans United threatens with legal action.
Julie Stahl Nov. 14, 2005 CNSNews.com
Jerusalem; Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spelled out U.S. expectations
for Israel and the Palestinian Authority ahead of her Monday meeting with
leaders from both sides.
Rice arrived in Israel on Sunday, just as the special envoy for the Quartet --
the U.S., European Union, Russia, and the United Nations -- threatened to leave
if there is no progress in opening up the Gaza Strip's borders. The envoy is
trying to help the Palestinians boost their economy.
Rice met with Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon early Monday. In brief
comments, she praised Sharon again for his "courage in having led the successful
disengagement of Israel from Gaza."
She said she looked forward to continuing to work with Sharon "towards a
two-state solution in which Israel and the Palestinians can live in peace, free
of terror, side by side in a more democratic and a free Middle East that is
truly at peace."
Rice is here as part of the official U.S. delegation marking the 10th
anniversary of the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin
and also as a participant in a conference on U.S.-Israeli relations. She said
the Palestinians must fight terrorism and Israel needs to ease restrictions on
the Palestinians.
"If Palestinians fight terrorism and lawless violence and advance democratic
reform, and if Israel takes no actions that prejudge a final settlement and
works to improve the daily lives of the Palestinian people, the possibility of
peace is both hopeful and realistic," Rice told a gathering U.S. and Israeli
dignitaries, including Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, on Sunday evening.
"Greater freedom of movement is a key for Palestinians, from shopkeepers, to
farmers, to restaurant owners and for all seeking easier access to their
economic livelihood," Rice said.
Washington is pressing Israel to ease travel restrictions on the Palestinians
and to open routes between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
The Quartet's special envoy James Wolfensohn harshly criticized Israel on Thursday, saying Israel was only making demands and was not willing to negotiate with the P.A. about opening passages.
In her speech at the Saban Forum, Rice praised Wolfensohn for coming out of
retirement to take the job as Quartet envoy.
At issue is the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza Strip; the
Karni Crossing for the movement of goods between Israel and the Gaza Strip; and
so-called "safe passage" routes, which would cut across Israel to link the Gaza
Strip and West Bank.
Israel is concerned that terrorists could used the routes freely to advance
their war against Israel.
Nov. 17, 2005 David Hornik FrontPageMagazine.com
Under intense American pressure, Israel recently signed with the Palestinian
Authority a new deal that effectively ensures a steady flow of weapons and
terrorists into Gaza. From there they will make their way to the West Bank,
thereby guaranteeing that the "cycle of violence" will continue far into the
future on terms detrimental to Israel.
The architect of the deal is Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice came to Israel after suffering a defeat at the conference on Arab democracy in Bahrain. Egypt had blocked a draft declaration by insisting that Arab governments keep control over money transfers to NGOs and democracy groups. But while Egypt is hard to bully and insists on what it considers its interests, Israel under Prime Minister Sharon and Defense Minister Mofaz—even after the disengagement that was supposed to give Israel "moral capital" to resist further American pressure—easily submits to the will of the U.S. That works to America’s advantage: When meeting with Arab recalcitrance, the U.S. can always save face with a few shoves of its "sole democratic ally."
By all accounts, Rice had no patience for any further haggling on security matters. She demanded a deal posthaste. She even stayed one extra night in Israel and got the deal by Tuesday, before heading off to join President Bush in South Korea. Nothing that has happened in Israel in recent years seems to have convinced her or the president that Israeli security concerns are anything more than tiresome nuisances. Nor has anything dissuaded Sharon and Mofaz that bowing to the U.S. and propitiating it is, as always, the cardinal Israeli interest, easily trumping sanity in the security domain.
It goes nearly without saying that Israel’s autonomy as a sovereign and democratic state is irrelevant when there are larger matters at stake, matters such as demonstrating America’s ability to keep the Palestinians happy. The new agreement itself makes clear how little, more than half a century after securing its independence, Israel has been able to establish, even in the eyes of its U.S. ally, that it is a genuinely sovereign entity entitled to all the security prerogatives this entails.
That much is evident in the new agreement. It contains astonishing clauses that compromise Israel’s basic rights in a way that no country, democratic or non-democratic, would tolerate—except, that is, for a small, outcast Jewish state dependent on a single powerful supporter.
Nov. 12 Prophecy Watch
The United States is headed for a showdown with much of the rest of the world
over control of the Internet.
Countries like China, Brazil and Iran don't like the fact that the world's only
superpower oversees the system that guides traffic across the global computer
network, and have pushed for an international body to take over that role.
The United States believes such a body would slow the pace of online innovation
to a crawl, requiring entrepreneurs to win permission from a cumbersome
bureaucracy before introducing services like Internet telephony.
"It would be akin to having more than 100 drivers of a single bus. Right now we
have a driver, and the driver's been doing a good job," said Assistant Commerce
Secretary Michael Gallagher, the U.S. official who oversees the domain-name
system.
Much of the business and technical community that actually runs the Internet
agrees with Gallagher. But those groups will be relegated to the sidelines and
the United States will find few allies among other governments at the World
Summit on the Information Society in Tunis, Tunisia next week.
"Materially there's nothing wrong with the current structure. But formally it is
strange that something with such a global impact is being controlled by one
nation, and there is a sharpened position against the United States' unilateral
thinking," Dutch Minister of Economic Affairs Laurens Jan Brinkhorst said in an
interview.
If unresolved, the clash could lead to a split in the domain-name system, and
Internet users wouldn't necessarily reach the same Web site when they type an
address like "www.reuters.com" into their browsers.
Experts say that's unlikely as it would destroy the consensus on which the
Internet is built, but few expect the issue will be resolved at the United
Nations-sponsored event.
The dispute revolves around a simple list stored in thousands of domain-name
servers around the globe.
That list, known as the "root zone file," serves as a master telephone book for
the Internet's 259 "top level" domains -- those portions of the domain name that
appear behind the final dot, such as ".com," ".org" or the United Kingdom's ."uk."
The list only changes when a California nonprofit body called the Internet
Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, or ICANN, adds new top-level domains
or re-delegates the ones that exist. ICANN can't make any changes without the
approval of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Some countries worry that the United States could use this system to effectively
"unplug" a nation from the Internet by redirecting its country code. Experts say
that would be difficult to pull off because it would require thousands of
computer administrators across the globe to cooperate.
Nov. 17 2005 John Blau, IDG News Service
TUNIS, TUNISIA-- Both the U.S. and the European Union are claiming victory in
an agreement reached over Internet governance, viewed as one of the most
contentious issues being debated at the World Summit on the Information Society
(WSIS) here this week.
The only problem is, both parties still remain at the opposite ends of the Internet governance debate. While the U.S. interprets the agreement to give it continued control over the Internet's core components, including its addressing systems, the E.U. reads it to open the door for Internet oversight to be shared by governments of the world.
Interpretations Vary
The political smoke here in Tunis is thick and heavy.
"The document is fabulous," said David Gross, ambassador for the bureau of economic and business affairs at the State Department and the person leading the U.S. delegation. "There were proposals to create a governmental organization that might control many technical aspects of the Internet and, through this, content as well. This is now off the table. There is no change to the U.S. role, no change to ICANN." ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, has overseen the Internet since 1988. it is a multinational group, but dominated by U.S. representatives.
Gross warned that opening the process to intergovernmental oversight could weigh down the Internet with bureaucracy and stifle innovation.
The only change that Gross acknowledged was an agreement to create a forum as a platform to discuss issues, such as cybercrime and spam. But he was quick to point out that the "forum will play no role in oversight."
As the E.U. sees it, however, the U.S. has consented to considering a new oversight body by agreeing to the wording "enhanced cooperation" in the document approved by delegates in the Internet governance group, said Martin Selmayr, a spokesperson for E.U. Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding.
"The role of ICANN shouldn't change but what has to change is the oversight role," Selmayr said.
The E.U. and other countries are demanding "oversight in cooperation and on equal footing," he said.
Jockeying for Influence
There appears to be plenty of room for interpretation, and the reason is clear: There's a lot at stake for the U.S., the E.U., and the world, for that matter.
There is concern that a stalemate in the talks over Net governance could result in governments breaking away to launch their own root file systems for managing IP traffic that, in the worst-case scenario, are not interconnected and interoperable, and that could lead to a fragmentation of the Internet and a possible breakdown in global data communications.
Countries including China, Brazil, and Russia lobbied intensively at the first summit in Geneva two years ago for http://www.pcworld.com/news/article/0,aid,116249,00.asp changes to the current system. The E.U., which had initially supported the status quo position of the U.S., made a surprise turnabout in September when it agreed for the need for more governmental participation.
How do others interpret the agreement?
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan said at a news conference that none of the governments attending WSIS have "come here to take over the role of ICANN." The technical aspects of the Internet, he said, should be left to technical people "to protect the Internet from the heat of day to day politics."
While honoring the role the U.S. has played in the Internet to date and acknowledging the global scope of the medium, Annan said it is "only normal that governments now want to be involved in Internet governance."
Are there changes ahead?
Robert Shaw, Internet strategy and policy advisor at the International Telecommunication Union, points to powerful wording in the document that suggests a dramatic change--if not an end--to the dominate role of the U.S. in the Internet. "There are several paragraphs that call for changes in the way the Internet is governed today," he said. "And the U.S. has agreed to these. That's a fact."
For instance, countries should be involved in decisions regarding their own top-level domain. "This is a definite change over the present situation," Shaw said.
The document also recognizes that all governments should have "an equal role and responsibility for Internet governance and for ensuring the stability, security and continuity of the Internet" and in the development of "globally applicable principles on public-policy issues associated with the coordination and management of critical Internet resources."
The agreement also calls for the U.N. General Secretary to initiate a process by the first quarter of 2006 toward creating an "enhanced cooperation" or what the E.U. views as the seed for a new oversight body.
Although the agreement is nonbinding, Shaw said it will put the U.S. under growing political pressure.
"Whether or not the U.S. will accept any changes to its current role in managing the Internet remains to be seen," Shaw said. "Let's just say there's now a lot of momentum to do so."
Simon Taylor of the IDG News Service in Brussels contributed to this report
Comment: Like most people with whom I deal on a daily basis, the thought of the U.N. controlling the Internet was simply too much to comprehend. Readers from across the country registered their dismay and anger over efforts by the hapless and corrupt United Nations to gain authority over the planet’s premier information gathering and sharing mechanism. Despite the well-documented failings and left-leaning tendencies of the U.N., it may come as a surprise to some that in a recent survey, college students trusted the U.N. more than the federal government. -- Bobby Eberle GOPUSA.Com
Nov. 14, 2005 CNSNews.com
A judge serving on the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Friday said
that the division of the court is necessary and inevitable because of the
administrative stress put on the nation's largest circuit court.
Judge Diarmuid F. O'Scannlain told Cybercast News Service that he is "not
interested in the politics of it" but stressed that "the numbers compel a split,
which is absolutely inevitable."
Already the most overturned circuit court in the nation, the Ninth Circuit has
angered millions of Americans -- especially conservatives in recent years --
with decisions like the one declaring the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional.
More recently, a three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit upheld a lower court
decision stating that parents in the Palmdale, Calif., school district had no
"fundamental right" to exclusively control the sex education of their children.
Parents from the school district had sued over a survey administered to first-,
third- and fifth-graders that asked sexually explicit questions.
Critics have often dubbed the Ninth Circuit Court the "Ninth Circus," arguing
that its influence needs to be reduced and that the best way to do that is to
split it up. On Friday, O'Scannlain, who was attending a conference for members
of the conservative lawyers' group, the Federalist Society, agreed.
"Compare the size of our court with the other circuits," O'Scannlain said,
pointing out that the Ninth Circuit covers Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii,
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Guam and the Mariana Islands. That's
nearly 20 percent of the population and 40 percent of the land mass of the
United States, he said.
In 2004, the Ninth Circuit Court's caseload was so heavy that it handled 6,000
more appeals than the next busiest circuit court in the U.S., according to
O'Scannlain.
"Congress has the right to establish circuits that are more or less comparable
in size," he added, predicting that "it's a matter of time" before the court is
redistricted into two or more courts.
There are currently seven bills in Congress -- four in the House and three in
the Senate -- that would divide the Ninth Circuit Court. All of the bills would
limit the court's jurisdiction to California, Guam, Hawaii and the Mariana
Islands.
Five of the bills would create only one new circuit, the 12th, giving it
jurisdiction over the remaining seven states. Two of the bills would create two
new circuits; the 12th, to oversee Arizona, Nevada, Idaho and Montana and the
13th, to oversee Alaska, Oregon and Washington.
The U.S. Supreme Court overturns the Ninth Circuit Court about as often, percentage-wise, as America's other circuit courts, but because of the number of cases it handles, the Ninth has many more cases reversed.
Nov.12 2005 Prophecy Watch
A very small ceramic sherd unearthed by Bar-Ilan University archaeologists
digging at Tell es-Safi, the biblical city "Gath of the Philistines", may hold a
very large clue into the history of the well-known biblical figure Goliath. The
sherd, which contains the earliest known Philistine inscription ever to be
discovered, mentions two names that are remarkably similar to the name
"Goliath". Tell es-Safi/Gath is located in the southern coastal plain of Israel,
approximately halfway between Ashkelon and Jerusalem.
The discovery is of particular importance since the Bible attributes Gath as the
home town of Goliath. "Gath of the Philistines," was one of the major cities of
the Philistines, the well-known arch-enemies of the Israelites in
the biblical text. The archaeological find may also be seen as the first clear
extra-biblical evidence that the well-known biblical story of the battle between
David and Goliath (and, in particular, the very existence of a figure such as
Goliath during the biblical period.)
Nov. 17, 2005 Judy Sarasohn The Washington Times
Tom Hymes , communications director for the Free Speech Coalition, acknowledges that there's a "ick factor" when the umbrella group of adult entertainment companies tries to raise serious free speech and government regulation issues. So what does a trade group do to get a seat at the table on Capitol Hill? Hire a lobbyist, or a gaggle of them.
The coalition, which has focused on influencing the California state government and litigating free speech issues, earlier this year hired its first D.C. lobbyist, Aubrey C. King , on a six-month contract. Hymes says King was effective and dedicated, but he was more experienced in travel and tourism than in the First Amendment. So the coalition recently turned to the Raben Group , founded by Robert Raben , an assistant attorney general during the Clinton administration.
Also on the Raben lobby team for the coalition: Nancy Buermeyer , former legislative director for the Human Rights Campaign, and Estuardo V. Rodriguez Jr ., a lawyer formerly at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
"We were just beginning our foray into federal government relations. This fit is kind of special," Hymes said. "Raben brings collective experience and affinity for our issues," "I try to stay focused on issues and not perceptions of the client."
Raben says his team is going to be working on building coalitions with other groups in Washington concerned about free speech and government regulation. And they'll probably be fighting congressional efforts to restrict Internet content and to tax adult entertainment online.
Influence.biz reports that Kat Sunlove , the coalition's legislative affairs director and a former adult stage-show performer, went to Capitol Hill in September, visiting the Senate offices of California Democrats Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein, among others.
Howard Wilson hwilson@texasmoralaction.org