Here is the background explaining the case that a Catholic adoption agency in the UK brought before the court:
After the passage of the Equality Act which prohibited sexual orientation discrimination in adoption services, Catholic Care sought to retain its policy of placing children with married couples without violating the law. In a series of proceedings, the government’s Charity Commission refused to allow the charity to continue placing children for adoption unless it was willing to place with same-sex couples. The charity appealed to the Charity Tribunal.
... The court concluded that while “religious conviction in the sphere of personal belief is protected in both domestic and European equality law, so that acts of devotion, worship, and prayer (including ceremonies) are exempt from equality obligations” there is an “essential distinction between private acts of worship such as blessings and the provision of a public service such as an adoption agency.”
The UK’s First-Tier Tribunal of the Charity Commission rejected an appeal last week by Catholic Care, the last Catholic adoption agency in the country, to change its constitution to exclude homosexuals from adopting children. [...] Eleven Catholic adoption agencies chose to fight that law, which prohibited “discrimination” based upon sexual orientation; however, all but Catholic Care have now either closed their doors or severed ties with the Catholic Church.
... In response to last week’s decision, Bishop Roche said, “Catholic Care is very disappointed with this ruling. The Trustees are considering their position and whether or not to appeal.
“It is unfortunate that those who will suffer as a consequence of this ruling will be the most vulnerable children for whom Catholic Care has provided an excellent service for many years. It is an important point of principle that the Charity should be able to prepare potential adoptive parents, a service recognised for its excellence by the local authorities who are responsible for placing children, according to the tenets of the Catholic faith.
Fred Lebrun advocates for redefining marriage but admits in the Albany Times Union that Gov. Cuomo's "bullying" of the legislature - while earning him high marks with the public - has backfired when it comes to pushing his agenda in the capital:
Governor Cuomo has maintained his high ratings by beating up on the Legislature, a tactic the public apparently loves. He's bullied legislators, goaded them to do his bidding and not theirs, and even all but demanded they pass his Big Three or suffer the public's wrath, which he will command on them. It's quite the imperial exercise, a sort of prosecutor as messiah.
... What the governor has managed to do is energize the opposition to a magnitude I have not seen in recent years. [...] If another vote was held today, the outcome would not be that dissimilar because the Senate votes just aren't there yet.
... In a year when a far more collegial approach was called for, aimed directly at the public and not at the Legislature, Governor Cuomo's efforts will go down as well meaning, but tactically flawed. Another missed opportunity.
Perhaps this will help end the red herring argument that there is "no threat of redefining marriage" in Minnesota:
Minnesota Democrats introduced a bill [last Friday] that would repeal the state’s Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits same-sex couples from benefiting from the rights and responsibilities of marriage.
The bill, the Marriage and Family Protection Act, was offered just as heated debate at the Capitol continues over a proposed constitutional amendment that would write a ban on gay marriage into the state constitution. -- Minnesota Independent
The AP is reporting this as a major coup--however, unlike Mike Long, chairman of the Conservative Party, the Independence party chairman did not actually pledge to oppose any GOP candidate that votes to redefine marriage:
The chairman of New York's Independence Party says he's personally supporting the legalization of gay marriage.
... The party representing 425,000 members is taking no official position on the issue. But MacKay tells The Associated Press Monday he's reminding lawmakers that the influential party's guiding principle is protecting civil rights.
Several prominent gay rights groups are urging travel site Orbitz to drop its advertising from Fox News because of the network's antigay content.
Leaders from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Courage Campaign, and Equality Matters have all signed a letter to Orbitz CEO Barney Harford asking that his company stop advertising on Fox News.
... Orbitz has been a longtime advertiser to gay media outlets, including The Advocate, and gay pride and other events. It also has a gay-specific travel site, offering trips to LGBT-friendly destinations.
... Media Matters, the parent organization to Equality Matters, has tracked Fox News' coverage of gay issues, showing a history of antigay opinions and content. It is also the force behind DropFox, the new initiative asking advertisers to stop purchasing spots on the news network. According to the site, the organizers say advertisers should abandon Fox News because it advances antigay bigotry, advances misinformation about climate science, and because it is a political operation masquerading as a news network.
On NRO's Legal Blog Bench Memos, Ed Whelan takes on the arguments that Judge Walker should not have recused himself and points us to his amazing amicus brief filed last year in the Prop 8 litigation:
"It must be rare, if not unprecedented, that a federal district judge has had his rulings in a case reversed three times before his final judgment is even presented for appellate review. But the occurrence of that rarity in this case barely begins to convey the breadth and depth of the judicial errors below. The purpose of this brief is to provide a survey of the district judge's remarkable course of misconduct in this case."
By NOM Staff|Posted in California, Prop 8, Same Sex Marriage|Comments Off on Ed Whelan's Amazing Amicus Brief on Judge Walker's Bias
Donald Trump - who has been acting like he was going to run for President in 2012, and who stated his opposition to SSM frequently - has decided not to run:
Donald Trump said today he will not seek the Republican nomination for president, after stoking speculation with statements and speeches taking on pro-abortion President Barack Obama.
After months of speculation about his future plans, Trump released a statement today saying, “After considerable deliberation and reflection, I have decided not to pursue the office of the Presidency.” --LifeNews
Here's the abstract from a new study on the effects of parental divorce in causing depression among children, as well as increasing their risk of attempting suicide - especially girls:
In previous studies by our group, we found that female offspring of parental divorce and parental remarriage are more susceptible to suicide attempt than male offspring.
In this study, we examine whether these findings remain even after controlling for offspring depression. The sample consists of respondents from the 2001–2002 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Multivariable regressions controlled for offspring depression, parental depression, age, race/ethnicity, income, and marital status.
Our previous findings that female offspring of parental divorce and parental remarriage are more likely to report a lifetime suicide attempt than male offspring remained even after controlling for offspring depression.
Findings suggest that focusing on engaging female offspring who demonstrate symptoms of depression is not sufficient to reduce suicide attempt risk in this group as many at risk individuals will remain unrecognized.
By NOM Staff|Posted in Divorce, Research/Study|Comments Off on Study: Girls Particularly Likely to Commit Suicide After Parental Divorce
It's very clear that the gay rights movement thinks they should. Here's the TV news story in Tennessee referenced by Queerty of a protest by a group called "FCK H8" (you may recall NOM's video on their use of small children shouting profanities to advance their cause, here).
The bill in question actually applied to children in grade and middle schools, but they chose to protest outside of public high school instead. Interesting.
Jason Lewis is a nationally syndicated talk-show host based in Minneapolis-St. Paul, and writes in the Star-Tribune:
Funny, but I don't seem to recall the hand-wringing and consternation over proposed constitutional amendments in years gone by. Since 1996, Minnesota voters have actually amended the state's constitution seven times, and nary a peep. In fact, the last two ballot questions -- dedicating hundreds of millions towards environmental, arts and transportation spending -- were somehow seen as sterling examples of allowing voters to choose the laws under which they live.
This year, however, with four ballot measures being considered, you'd think the sky was falling. Republicans have put forth plans for a couple of tax-and-spend limitations as well as a voter-identification initiative. But hell hath no fury like a domestic partner scorned, so the amendment that's really got the cultural elites up in arms is the one that defines marriage as "only a union of one man and one woman."
The Minnesota House Rules Committee has scheduled a hearing on SF1308, the Minnesota Marriage Amendment, for Wednesday May 18 at 8:30 AM.
The European Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians have issued their five-year report (PDF), with pages and pages of recent examples of anti-Christian acts that have taken place internationally, including hate crims against Christian buildings (desecrations, vandalisms, etc).
Here's a couple sample cases included in the report:
Austria: Socialist Pupils Association Encourages Members to Vandalize Churches
March 2008: In a newsletter Austrian "Aktion Kritischer Schüler" (socialist pupils association) encourages members to use the occasion of the international day against racism (March 21st) to vandalize churches.
Russia: Church Service Stormed, Pastor Beaten
April 2008: A Pentecostal service was stormed by perpetrators, the pastor was beaten, parishioners were threatened with pistols held to their heads. No prosecution of the four attackers occurred by the end of 2008.
Excursus - United States: Hate Crimes Against Christians Up 25%
November 2009: New FBI statistics on hate crimes show a nine percent increase in crimes against religious groups in 2008 and an almost 25 percent increase in reported hate crimes against Catholics
Chuck Colson writes about the numerous consequences of redefining marriage - and the consequences of how activists are trying to accomplish their goal:
For two years now, I’ve warned that the drive for so-called “gay marriage” was the greatest threat to religious liberty we’ve ever faced. But I think I may have underestimated the threat, because now I fear the democratic process and the rule of law are endangered as well.
... So-called gay “marriage” was rejected in all 31 states where the people got to vote! So the gay-rights groups, so far, are carrying the day by doing an end-run around the people, taking their case to the courts, coercing corporations, and now law firms, and finding a willing accomplice to their un-democratic schemes in the White House.
I can’t say this forcefully or clearly enough: Wake up, America! When the executive branch of government rules by fiat and chooses not to enforce the law of the land, the democratic process and the consent of the governed are no longer possible.
Yesterday I wrote about the repercussions from the issue of same-sex marriage in the lives of Peter Vidmar and navy chaplains.
Today’s headlines concern Toronto, where sports anchor Damian Goddard was fired the day after tweeting this controversial line on his personal Twitter account: “I completely and whole-heartedly support Todd Reynolds and his support for the traditional and TRUE meaning of marriage.”
.. So Goddard gets sacked. Of course, he lives and works in Canada, which legalized same-sex marriage several years ago. That probably accounts for the speed with which Goddard lost his job. In the U.S. it would take several weeks to be fired or forced to resign, as Peter Vidmar experienced.
... So add this little story to your list of responses for the next time someone asks you: “But how does gay marriage affect you personally?”
