Religion & Law

Australia: Transgender challenge to rules on birth certificates

Posted on April 07, 2010
Sydney Morning Herald: "A Sydney transsexual has filed a sex discrimination complaint against state and federal governments over a refusal to change his birth certificate to 'male' . . . His passport says he is male but the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages will not convert his birth certificate because he has not had genital surgery...

NY: Court Denies Mother?s Bid for Religious Exemption to Vaccinations

Posted on April 07, 2010
NY Law Journal (Law.com): "On Monday, in Caviezel v. Great Neck Public Schools, 10-civ-052, Eastern District Judge Arthur D. Spatt denied the injunction, ruling that Caviezel had not established that she held 'genuine and sincere religious beliefs which prohibit vaccinations...

UK: ?Dismay greets loss of sex education reform?

Posted on April 07, 2010
Guardian: "Teachers' leaders had mixed feelings on hearing that huge sections of an education bill were dropped today in the rush to pass legislation ahead of the dissolution of parliament . . . Schools would have had to teach about contraception and the importance of stable relationships, including marriage and civil partnerships...

Cambodia: Citywide crackdown targets pornography at bubble tea shops

Posted on April 07, 2010
The Phnom Penh Post: "Phnom Penh Governor Kep Chuktema has ordered city authorities to inspect bubble tea shops suspected of doubling as pornography theatres and drug dens, and Daun Penh district officials said they were also enforcing a crackdown on restaurants and bars that play loud music after midnight...

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LA: ACLU criticizes parish leader?s ?act of humility?

Posted on April 07, 2010
WDSU: "Monday, the ACLU sent St. Bernard Parish President Craig Taffaro a letter criticizing his decision to wash employees feet Thursday. ACLU Executive Director Marjorie Esman said Taffaro?s actions violate the law of the country . . . Taffaro said the washing of feet was not mandatory nor meant to be a public display...

CA: Elizabeth A. Grimes confirmed as Div. Eight Justice

Posted on April 07, 2010
Metropolitan News-Enterprise: "Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Elizabeth A. Grimes was unanimously confirmed as a justice of this district?s Court of Appeal, Div. Eight following a public meeting of the Commission on Judicial Appointments yesterday." | Via LA Legal Pad

Matt Bowman on Reality Check Live: The Right of Conscience

Posted on April 07, 2010
ADF attorney Matt Bowman appeared on Reality Check Live with Mike and Claire Monokian to discuss the right of conscience. The MP3 runs approximately 12 minutes.

Human Rights Commission tells Chile: ?End discrimination against gays?

Posted on April 07, 2010
Santiago Times: "Six years after judge Karen Atala lost the custody of her three daughters, the Interamerican Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) ruled in her favor, proclaiming the Chilean Supreme Court had been biased in her case because she is a lesbian ...

Crusading Chinese lawyer gives up activism

Posted on April 07, 2010
AP: "A crusading Chinese rights lawyer whose disappearance more than a year ago caused an international outcry said Wednesday that he is abandoning his once prominent role as a government critic in hopes he'll be allowed to reunite with his family . ...

Santa Rosa council approves ?gay and lesbian retirement community?

Posted on April 07, 2010
Press Democrat: "It took five years to get a once controversial gay and lesbian retirement project before Santa Rosa?s City Council for final approval but when it got there Tuesday it only took 30 minutes to approve it."

Health care overhaul spawns mass confusion for public

Posted on April 07, 2010
McClatchy DC News Service: "They're saying, 'Where do we get the free Obama care, and how do I sign up for that?' said Carrie McLean, a licensed agent for eHealthInsurance.com."

FFRF: ?Illinois House prayers cross state-church line?

Posted on April 07, 2010
Freedom from Religion Foundation: "The Freedom From Religion Foundation says sectarian prayers to God and Jesus in heaven from the floor of the Illinois House of Representatives in Springfield directly violate the U.S. Constitution . . . "

Obama Bans Islam, Jihad From National Security Strategy Document

Posted on April 07, 2010
FoxNews: "President Barack Obama's advisers will remove religious terms such as 'Islamic extremism' from the central document outlining the U.S. national security strategy and will use the rewritten document to emphasize that the United States does not view Muslim nations through the lens of terror, counterterrorism officials said...

Joel Oster on the Zeb Bell Show: Efforts to stop the National Day of Prayer

Posted on April 07, 2010
ADF attorney Joel Oster appeared on the Bell Show to discuss efforts by some groups to stop the National Day of Prayer. The MP3 runs approximately 17 minutes.

Same-sex marriage fight in N.J.? Not again!

Posted on April 07, 2010
James Ahearn writes at NorthJersey.com: "Lambda Legal, a gay-rights advocacy organization, contends that civil unions are a failed legislative experiment, that only marriage will provide true equality and that the Senate ignored evidence to the contrary...

Nevada court appears skeptical of ?personhood? measure appeal

Posted on April 07, 2010
AP: "Nevada Supreme Court justices appear skeptical of overruling a lower court decision on a ballot initiative that would reshape state abortion law."

WI: Prosecutor warns teachers about new sex education curriculum

Posted on April 07, 2010
Wisconsin State Journal: "A Wisconsin prosecutor is warning that teachers who teach the state's new sex education curriculum could be arrested and charged with contributing to the delinquency of children. Juneau County District Attorney Scott Southworth told the Wisconsin State Journal that the state's sex education law, which was signed by Gov...

Houston Clergy at Arms Over Lesbian Mayor?s Orders

Posted on April 07, 2010
Christian Post: "An interdenominational coalition of clergy in Houston is pressing its mayor to rescind the executive orders she issued recently that added sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression as protected classes in Houston."

Can Sarkozy justify banning the veil?

Posted on April 07, 2010
Peter Berkowitz writing in the Wall Street Journal: "Mr. Sarkozy's ban on the full veil represents a draconian measure for a free society. Arguably, it is necessary and proper. But it won't prevail without a fight . . . In America, the separation of church and state is designed to protect the state from religious interference and to protect religion, which always has a public component, from government interference ...

Boulder Nudity Ban Gets Initial Approval

Posted on April 07, 2010
CBS4: "Boulder City Council was scheduled to talk about streakers in the streets Tuesday evening. The council was expected to hear from the public for the first time on a proposal that would make it illegal to be naked in public . . . Boulder amended its original ordinance to make it okay for both men and women to go topless...

GOP Senators Step Up Attacks on Appellate Court Nominee

Posted on April 07, 2010
Wall Street Journal: "Senate Republicans stepped up attacks Tuesday on an Obama administration nominee to a federal appeals court, previewing what could be opposition-party tactics should the president have a Supreme Court vacancy to fill later this year...

Census used as ?gay gimmick?

Posted on April 07, 2010
One News Now: "Traditional marriage proponents are warning that homosexual activists and the Obama administration are once again working in concert to 'manipulate' federal law."

Pediatricians Set the Facts Straight about Sexual Orientation and Gender Confusion

Posted on April 07, 2010
Liberty Counsel: "A new website has been launched by the American College of Pediatricians that cautions educators about the management of students experiencing same-sex attraction or exhibiting symptoms of gender confusion. The site http://www.factsaboutyouth...

O?Connor: More Justices may skip State of Union

Posted on April 07, 2010
Newsmax: "The first woman to sit on the nation's highest court said Tuesday she wouldn't be surprised if fewer justices attend State of the Union addresses after President Obama criticized a recent ruling at this year's address . . . During discussions with students and journalists, she also recommended more diversity on the court, saying more women, non-judges and a Protestant would help...

The Liberty loses lawsuit filed against OSU

Posted on April 07, 2010
The Daily Barometer: "The conservative-based OSU Students Alliance publication, The Liberty lost their fight in court against OSU . . . The controversy began over a year ago when OSU facility services removed several distribution bins around campus that belonged to The Liberty and put them in a nearby dumping ground ...

AZ: Charter schools nervous over state budget cuts

Posted on April 07, 2010
East Valley Tribune: "Arizona charter schools are scrambling to determine steps they?ll take in light of state budget cuts in public education for next school year. It?s not just the per student funding that?s impacting them, charter leaders say. The decision to cut full-day kindergarten funding, as well as grants for gifted, prevention and early childhood programs is making it a 'scary' time to be operating one of nearly 500 charter schools in the state ...

Australian Police Stop Crucifixion Reenactment As Offensive

Posted on April 07, 2010
Religion Clause Blog: "Last Saturday, police in the Australian town of Geelong, Victoria, stopped a graphic depiction of Jesus' crucifixion being enacted in a busy shopping area. Police say the semi-nude Jesus covered with fake blood violated laws prohibiting offensive behavior in public ...

Coburn threatens to block all spending bills in Senate that aren?t ?paid for

Posted on April 07, 2010
The Hill: "Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) on Tuesday vowed to block all future spending bills in the Senate that aren?t fully 'paid for' with cuts to other spending programs."

Supreme Court may soon lack Protestant justices

Posted on April 07, 2010
NPR: "With U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens talking openly about retirement, attention has focused on the 'who' ? as in who is on President Obama's short list of potential nominees. But almost nobody has noticed that when Justice Stevens retires, it is entirely possible that there will be no Protestant justices on the court for the first time ever...

Senate Democrats defend 9th Circuit Court nominee Liu against GOP criticism

Posted on April 07, 2010
Washington Post:  Senate Democrats defended Goodwin Liu's candidacy for the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Wednesday, a day after the GOP suggested his nomination might be in jeopardy because he had not provided enough information to a Senate committee...

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