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Is It Still Wrong If Another Culture Says It Is Right? A Canadian Teacher’s Surprising Discovery.

December 14, 2011 at 9:00 am

A Canadian high school teacher writes:

I decided to open [a class on Ethics] by simply displaying, without comment, the photo of Bibi Aisha.

Aisha was the Afghani teenager who was forced into an abusive marriage with a Taliban fighter, who abused her and kept her with his animals. When she attempted to flee, her family caught her, hacked off her nose and ears, and left her for dead in the mountains. After crawling to her grandfather’s house, she was saved by a nearby American hospital. I felt quite sure that my students, seeing the suffering of this poor girl of their own age, would have a clear ethical reaction, from which we could build toward more difficult cases.

The picture is horrific. Aisha’s beautiful eyes stare hauntingly back at you above the mangled hole that was once her nose. Some of my students could not even raise their eyes to look at it. I could see that many were experiencing deep emotions.

But I was not prepared for their reaction.

I had expected strong aversion; but that’s not what I got. Instead, they became confused. They seemed not to know what to think. They spoke timorously, afraid to make any moral judgment at all. They were unwilling to criticize any situation originating in a different culture.

They said, “Well, we might not like it, but maybe over there it’s okay.” One student said, “I don’t feel anything at all; I see lots of this kind of stuff .”

Another said (with no consciousness of self-contradiction), “It’s just wrong to judge other cultures.”

By NOM Staff | Posted in Canada, Children, Education | Comments (22)

The Problem With Relativism: It Ruins the Game

December 14, 2011 at 8:00 am

Marc Barnes writes over at Patheos:

"...the problem with moral relativism is that it takes the fun out of everything, and makes the world hellishly Puritanical.There are two ways to ruin a game. The first to add too many rules, and the second is too eliminate all of them. If a man were to sit me down for a one-legged, blindfolded game of chess in which pieces could only be moved according to the fibonacci sequence, and the sides were switched every 17 moves, I might play a few moves before proposing we watch cat videos instead. Worse though, would be if a man were to sit me down at a chessboard and say, “Let’s you and I do whatever we like. What’s right for you isn’t necessarily right for me.”

I don’t think I’d wait for the inevitable juggling of chess pieces. I’d run straight to cat videos, no hesitation. The most limiting cage in existence is woven by the lack of limitations, and it seems a rather obvious fact that the eradication of rules can only lead to the eradication of the game itself.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Culture, Ethics | Comments (4)

Senate Provision Allows Chaplains to Opt Out of Performing Same-Sex Ceremonies

December 13, 2011 at 2:00 pm

LifeSiteNews:

A provision added to the Senate defense authorization bill would give military chaplains the right to opt out of performing same sex “marriages.”

The amendment was introduced last month by Republican Senator Roger Wicker and approved by a unanimous voice vote.

“Protections for military chaplains should be guaranteed in any policy changes being implemented,” Wicker said, alluding to widespread fears that the conscience rights of military chaplains would be trampled in the wake of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal.

A September memorandum from the Pentagon authorizing military chaplains to officiate at same-sex “weddings” despite the fact that federal law prohibits recognition of same-sex “marriages” had further heightened such fears.

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (9)

Which one should I cut?

December 13, 2011 at 1:18 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

Email Header Image

Please help us overcome a looming shortfall!

Increasingly virulent and frequent attacks from the same-sex marriage lobby have depleted our emergency funds, and we need your help!

As 2011 draws to a close, everyone at the National Organization for Marriage is excited about the election year ahead, which we believe will be full of huge victories for traditional marriage.

But unless we raise additional funds quickly, we will be faced with hard decisions about where to begin scaling back our efforts for next year. NOM does not have the resources to accomplish everything we need to do...and with the many new and critical marriage battles upcoming in 2012, this is the exact wrong time for us to have to scale back.

Friend, will you make one emergency year-end gift of $25, $50, $100 or even $1,000 if you can afford it, to NOM right now to help us eliminate our budget shortfall before the end of the year?

Simply click here and make the most generous gift you can right now.

We're in a position to overcome our financial shortcomings because a generous donor has stepped up with a pledge to match every gift between now and the end of the year up to $1 million. Your gift of $50 instantly becomes $100. A gift of $500 is worth $1000 to help protect marriage in 2012!

My staff and I just took a hard look at some recent projections about what the same-sex marriage lobby is planning to spend between now and Election Day, 2012.

And it is clear their entire strategy is to flood America's airwaves, mailboxes, and email in-boxes with vicious attack ads against anyone who stands in their way.

Their goal is gay marriage in all 50 states, and they will do whatever it takes—and spend whatever amount—to make that happen.

We have a plan to fight them at every turn, but without a significant year-end infusion of support, we may have no choice but to scale back our election year programs.

What should I do?

Should I abandon a state like Maryland, New Jersey or Rhode Island, where marriage is under fire?
Should I scale back our efforts to repeal same-sex marriage in a state like Iowa, New Hampshire or New York?
Should I stop our Washington-based lobbying efforts to protect the Defense of Marriage Act (there is new legislation to repeal DOMA) and just hope for the best?
Should I scale back our plans for the presidential election, letting President Obama off the hook for the lies he will tell on the campaign trail?

Obviously, I don't want to do any of that!

So please—right now—make the most generous year-end gift you can afford to NOM of $25, $50, $100, $500 or more so we can close our budget shortfall.

Thank you in advance.

Sincerely,

Brian Brown

Brian S Brown

Brian S. Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage

P.S.I know we've asked a lot of you this year, and believe me, your generous help for NOM is greatly appreciated. We've done SO MANY good things together to protect marriage—society's most vital and enduring institution for good—from being destroyed.

But heading into the all-important 2012 election year, NOM is facing difficult decisions, and I am counting on your urgent help.

So please, double the impact of your gift by making one secure online donation $25, $50, $100, $500 or more to the National Organization for Marriage today.

Thank you and God bless you!

By Brian Brown | Posted in DOMA, Election Watch 2012, Iowa, New Hampshire, New York, Politics, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (8)

Video: Legal Eagle Chuck Cooper's Passionate Closing Statement in Prop 8 Hearing

December 13, 2011 at 12:00 pm

ProtectMarriage.com's brilliant lead attorney Chuck Cooper delivered an impassioned closing statement at last Thursday's Prop 8 Hearing at the 9th Circuit of Appeals.

In this video, he's arguing that Judge Walker ought not have hidden the fact that he was in a long-term relationship with a man and that by not doing so Walker in effect decided his own case when he ruled Prop 8 unconstitutional:

By NOM Staff | Posted in California, Law, Marriage, Prop 8, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (12)

Video: Leading, Contradictory Arguments from San Francisco Attorney in Prop 8 Hearing

December 13, 2011 at 11:00 am

In this video, Therese Stewart, chief deputy attorney of San Francisco, speaking for the opponents of Prop 8, delivers a series of leading, contradictory arguments for why Judge Walker did not have to disclose the fact that he was in a long-term relationship before deciding to hear and rule on Prop 8.

At first, she accuses supporters of prop 8 of being guilty of "stereotyping ... that gay people in relationships are likely to want to get married" and then, seconds later, in response to a question from the judge's panel, she says "every gay person wants to get married". We suspect that if the panel finds in favor of the opponents of Prop 8, in won't be because they were persuaded by these arguments:

By NOM Staff | Posted in California, Law, Marriage, Prop 8, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (14)

PPP Poll: Almost 60% in North Carolina Say They Will Support Marriage Amendment

December 13, 2011 at 10:30 am

Very good numbers for next year's marriage amendment in North Carolina, says Democrat-leaning Public Policy Polling (full PDF of the results here):

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, North Carolina, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (9)

UK Children Aged 5 to Learn about "Transgender Equality" in Schools

December 13, 2011 at 10:00 am

Christian Concern:

The government has announced plans to introduce lessons on “transgender equality” in primary and secondary schools across the country.

The reforms, contained in a policy programme entitled ‘Advancing transgender equality – a plan for action’, will add transgender issues to the PSHE curriculum for children aged 5 and above in order to ensure that schools were ‘more inclusive for gender-variant children’.

Published by the Home Office, the programme claims that amendments were necessary to ‘address unacceptable behaviour and ensures that our society becomes more tolerant’, since ‘over 70 per cent of boys and girls who express gender variant behaviours are subject to bullying in schools.’

However, the proposals have attracted criticism on the basis that they permit young children to be exposed to adult issues too early in their lives.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Canada, Children, Education | Comments (18)

Breaking News: Romney Supports Restoring Marriage in New Hampshire

December 12, 2011 at 6:30 pm

The New Hampshire Journal:

When asked by a voter if he would support the effort to overturn New Hampshire’s recently passed law allowing same-sex marriage, Romney stated that he supported repeal efforts and reiterated his belief in traditional marriage, which he has previously expressed on the campaign trail.

PAC spokesman Jason Rose released the following statement in support of Romney’s position: “Gov. Romney is absolutely right. The framers of our Constitution clearly intended for marriage to be defined as a relationship between one man and one woman,” he continued, “July Fourth Forum PAC strongly supports Gov. Romney’s view. We thank and congratulate him for standing up for traditional marriage, and for clearly affirming his support for restoring traditional marriage in the Granite State.”

By NOM Staff | Posted in Election Watch 2012, Marriage Election Watch, New Hampshire | Comments (11)

Santorum at GOP Debate: "Having a Mom and Dad" is the Most Important Luxury

December 12, 2011 at 3:00 pm

At this weekend's Republican presidential debate in Iowa, Rick Santorum spoke eloquently about the necessity and indeed luxury of kids being raised by their mom and dad:

By NOM Staff | Posted in Children, Election Watch 2012, Iowa, Marriage Election Watch, Parenting | Comments (7)

The Evil that Intellectual Elites Can Rationalize, in the (False) Name of Science

December 12, 2011 at 2:00 pm

Within living memory, North Carolina was one of 31 states with official eugenics programs, this one involuntarily sterilizing people a social worker considered unfit to reproduce.

Do not underestimate the evil intellectual elites can justify by dubbing moral critiques "anti-science" -- read more at National Review Online.

By Maggie Gallagher | Posted in Culture, Law, North Carolina, Science | Comments (17)

New Allies Join Effort to Restore Marriage in New Hampshire

December 12, 2011 at 1:00 pm

The Concord Monitor:

A new cast of characters is lining up to shape the debate over New Hampshire's same-sex marriage law next year.

House Bill 437, which repeals the 2009 law legalizing same-sex marriage, is set for a vote by the full House when the representatives reconvene in January. A constitutional amendment has also been proposed, seeking to limit marriage to one man and one woman.

Backing the repeal effort, Concord political strategist Michael Dennehy signed on last week as a lobbyist for the National Organization for Marriage, joining gubernatorial candidate Kevin Smith, who has also registered on behalf of the group. Meanwhile, Patrick Hynes, a communications consultant in Concord, announced his July Fourth Forum PAC is planning a strong push for repeal.

"We are going to play heavily in the effort to restore traditional marriage in the Granite State," Hynes said in an email.

Both Dennehy and Hynes were part of John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign; Dennehy was McCain's national political director while Hynes was an online communications consultant. This time, neither are affiliated with presidential campaigns - Hynes was a Tim Pawlenty backer, Dennehy was part of Haley Barbour's exploratory team - giving them time and energy to focus on the same-sex marriage issue.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, New Hampshire, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (4)

Minnesota for Marriage Rallies People of Faith to Support November Amendment

December 12, 2011 at 12:00 pm

Murphy News Service:

The marriage amendment, if passed in November, would define marriage as between one man and one woman.

Minnesota for Marriage, a coalition of faith leaders from the Minnesota Family Council, Minnesota Catholic Conference, National Organization for Marriage and other organizations, is identifying voters to get them out to vote in 2012, Minnesota for Marriage Director of Communications Chuck Darrell said.

“There is a growing movement to silence people of faith,” Darrell said.

The Minnesota Catholic Conference is reaching out to Catholic district bishops and down into the parishes across the state, setting up church captains to encourage people to vote “yes” on the marriage amendment, Darrell said.

“Churches not only have a constitutional right, but a duty to speak out on these issues in the public square,” Darrell said.

Protestant and evangelical factions also are reaching out to churches through pastors and activists, Darrell said.

The coalition manned booths at last summer’s Minnesota State Fair and the Christian Community Fair at the Minneapolis Convention Center on Nov. 12, Darrell said.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Marriage, Minnesota, Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (5)

Prop 8 Update: 6th Circuit v. 9th Circuit on the Meaning of Lawrence v. Texas

December 12, 2011 at 11:00 am

CitizenLink brings up a case recently decided on the 6th circuit where a man, citing Lawrence V. Texas challenged an Ohio law that criminalized a sexual relationship with his adult stepdaughter. Bruce Hausknecht writes:

The 6th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals (covering Ohio, Michigan, Kentucky and Tennessee) this week affirmed the conviction of an Ohio man under that state’s criminal incest statute, rejecting the argument that the 2003 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas invalidated all criminal statutes involving adult consensual sex. The consensual sex at issue in the Ohio case involved the man’s 22-year old stepdaughter.

...If the impact of Lawrence doesn’t even reach all criminal laws involving intimate relationships, as the 6th Circuit holds, then state civil laws – especially those involving a public institution like marriage – ought to be far beyond Lawrence‘s reach.

And yet, in the California federal courts, Lawrence played heavily in the 2010 trial court’s decision to strike down that state’s marriage amendment, Prop 8. The 9th Circuit, currently hearing the appeal, differs substantially from the 6th Circuit on the meaning of Lawrence.

I suspect that if and when the Prop 8 case hits the Supreme Court, there will be much discussion at oral argument about Lawrence v. Texas, and all eyes (and ears) will be focused on Justices Kennedy and Scalia.

What will Justice Kennedy do?

We don't know. But Justice Scalia's "excoriating dissent" in Lawrence v. Texas asserted that this decision would lead directly to a Constitutional right to gay marriage. We suspect Justice Kennedy will not want to be the vote that proves Justice Scalia was right about that.

Stay tuned.

By NOM Staff | Posted in California, Law, Prop 8, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (7)

Government Lays Down the Law to Catholic Schools in Ontario

December 12, 2011 at 10:00 am

Catholic schools are publicly subsidized in Canada, but it is striking that the government is now directly subverting their authority by giving a legal right to students to forms clubs and associations to contravene Catholic teaching.

(In this country school vouchers, or the tax exemption status of religious schools, provides a similar potential lever.)

The relevant language in the "Accepting Schools Act of 2011":

Bill 13 Section 9. Board support for certain pupil activities and organizations

303.1 Every board shall support pupils who want to establish and lead,

(a) activities or organizations that promote gender equity;

(b) activities or organizations that promote anti-racism;

(c) activities or organizations that promote the awareness and understanding of, and respect for, people with disabilities; or

(d) activities or organizations that promote the awareness and understanding of, and respect for, people of all sexual orientations and gender identities, including organizations with the name gay-straight alliance or another name.

Hat tip to the Institute for Canadian Values.