Religion & Law

Ireland: ?Secular agenda? of parties condemned

Posted on February 17, 2011
Irish Times: "All political parties with the possible exception of Sinn Féin have "sold out to a European secular agenda", according to the Christian Solidarity Party (CSP) which has unveiled its eight election candidates, seven men and one woman."

SC: House panel OKs abortion restrictions, guarantees conscience rights of healthcare workers

Posted on February 17, 2011
The State: "One, which the House has approved several times before, would expand the definition of a "person" and "child" in S.C. laws to include premature babies born, no matter what stage of development, and those who survive abortions. The second bill would allow healthcare workers to refuse to perform work tasks that they object to on moral or religious grounds...

Taxpayers v. Public Teacher Unions: Wisconsin battle may have long term national implications

Posted on February 17, 2011
"The bill, which also bans collective bargaining rights for teachers, requires educators to contribute 5.8 percent to their pensions and 12.6 percent to their health care. Currently, educators pay 0.2 percent for their pensions and 4 to 6 percent of their health care costs...

Immediately Cease All Funding of Planned Parenthood

Posted on February 17, 2011
Christian Newswire: "The half million members of Concerned Women for America (CWA) demand that Congress immediately cease all funding of Planned Parenthood and we call on the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate Planned Parenthood's role in aiding and abetting the sex trafficking of minors ...

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Md. senators told to expect long week of same-sex marriage debate

Posted on February 17, 2011
Washington Post: "Maryland senators should expect a long week ahead of debate on same-sex marriage, the chamber's president said Thursday."

Susan B. Anthony List: Meet the 2011 Young Leader Award Winners

Posted on February 17, 2011
Susan B. Anthony List: "Catherine Foster . . . She is currently working part-time as a law clerk on the Alliance Defense Fund's life team, and has also worked as a summer intern for Americans United for Life and the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute...

?UK to let gays have church civil ceremonies?

Posted on February 17, 2011
AP: "The British government on Thursday announced plans to allow gay couples to hold civil partnership ceremonies in houses of worship - a move gay rights activists say is a step in the right direction towards marriage, but falls short of affording full equal rights...

ADF response to Calif. Supreme Court?s decision to hear 9th Cir. question in marriage amendment case

Posted on February 17, 2011
Politicians should not be able to nullify a democratic act of the people by refusing to defend it,? said Alliance Defense Fund Litigation Staff Counsel Jim Campbell. ?The people of California have a right to be defended, so the official proponents of Proposition 8 must be allowed to step in and defend that law...

GOP escalates showdown with Obama over funding measure

Posted on February 17, 2011
The Hill: "House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) on Thursday ruled out a short-term government-funding bill that maintains ?current levels? of federal spending, escalating a showdown with Democrats and President Obama."

2nd Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Street Preacher?s Challenge To Noise Ordinance

Posted on February 17, 2011
". . . the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals upheld, as applied, Burlington, Vermont's noise ordinance that was invoked by a police officer to issue a written warning to plaintiff, a street preacher, who was preaching in a loud voice outside places of business on a pedestrian mall...

9th Circuit Says Substantial Burden Under RLUIPA Can Be Imposed By Neutral Zoning Law

Posted on February 17, 2011
Religion Clause Blog: "In International Church of  the Foursquare Gospel v. City of San Leandro, (9th Cir., Feb. 15, 2011), the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the district court and held that a city's zoning decision made under a neutral, generally applicable zoning law can impose a "substantial burden" on a church's exercise of religion under RLUIPA...

New Poll Reveals American Attitudes Toward U.S. Muslim Community

Posted on February 17, 2011
Religion Clause Blog: "Public Religion Research Institute yesterday announced the results of a poll (full results) of 1,015 adults completed last week seeking the views of Americans on the Muslim community in the U.S."

Rasmussen: Voters Think They?re Far More Eager To Cut Spending Than Politicians Are

Posted on February 17, 2011
Rasmussen Reports: "A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 70% of Likely U.S. Voters think voters are more willing to make the hard choices needed to reduce federal spending than elected politicians are. Just 17% say the politicians are more willing to make the tough spending cut decisions, while 13% more are undecided...

China warns US on push for Internet freedom

Posted on February 17, 2011
AP: "China on Thursday warned the United States not to use calls for uncensored access to the Internet as a pretext to interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries."

Thune: No Truce on Abortion, Social Issues for Republicans

Posted on February 17, 2011
LifeNews: "In a new interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network on Wednesday, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, a potential 2012 GOP presidential candidate, says there should be no truce on social issues like abortion."

Austria grants refuge to 30 Iraqi Christians

Posted on February 17, 2011
AP: "Austria says it is granting asylum to 30 Iraqi Christians fleeing persecution in their homeland."

House Democrat to seek transparency of Supreme Court conflicts of interest

Posted on February 17, 2011
The Hill: "Rep. Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.) said Wednesday he would introduce legislation after next week's break that would require Supreme Court justices to publicly disclose why they have recused themselves from cases. Murphy said the bill would also require the Supreme Court to develop a process that would allow parties to a case to "request the court to decide whether a particular justice has a conflict of interest...

SCOTUS Blog: Review set on Prop. 8 issue

Posted on February 17, 2011
SCOTUS Blog: "California?s Supreme Court agrees to rule on the status, under state law, of backers of the Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage as defenders of the ban?s constitutionality."

Democrats Fail to Challenge Pro-Life Budget Provisions on Abortion

Posted on February 17, 2011
LifeNews: "Instead, while they attacked during debate the pro-life provisions in the bill to cut Title X family planning funds, restore and make permanent the Mexico City Policy, and yank funding for the pro-abortion UNFPA, they introduced none of the expected amendments...

Hugh Hewitt: House GOP Elects to Punt

Posted on February 17, 2011
Hugh Hewitt writes at Townhall: "House Republicans lost the first round of the messaging battle over the budget last week with a lame attempt to cut less than $40 billion against the Pledge to America's goal of at least $100 billion, but then President Obama forfeited round two with an absurd budget that elicited a genuine bipartisan reaction of scorn for his fecklessness...

Entitlements: A Debate Deferred

Posted on February 17, 2011
Howard Rich writes at Townhall: "Washington politicians have worked themselves into a fine lather lately debating spending cuts. Yet as familiar rhetorical jabs are exchanged over proposed reductions to things like NPR and the National Archives, the real spending debate is being ignored...

Why would a ?conservative? think tank criticize Texas history standards as too religious? Follow the money and federal manipulation

Posted on February 17, 2011
"What is the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, and why would they work with the liberal news media to make Texas the laughing stock of the nation by awarding Texas? new Social Standards with a D?"

Ed Fulner: TSA and Big Labor: A Bad Union

Posted on February 17, 2011
Ed Fulner writes at Townhall: "There are many ways to improve air travel. Unionizing the TSA isn?t one of them."

Question to Each Member of Congress: Is This Program Worth Bankrupting My Child?

Posted on February 17, 2011
Heritage Foundation Morning Bell: "Over the next decade, every citizen will be paying more than $2,500 a year in interest alone. Simply put: Our current spending habits are bankrupting our children. This must stop. The culture of overspending must change, and this week?s debate over the remaining months over the FY 2011 budget is the beginning of that fight...

Senate Should Reject Calls To Revive Failed D.C. School Voucher Program, Says Americans United

Posted on February 17, 2011
Americans U. for Separation of Church and State: "The U.S. Senate should reject a push to revive a controversial school voucher scheme in the District of Columbia, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State . . . "

Rove: ?Why the GOP Should Welcome a Budget Battle: Americans understand the need for spending restraint now.?

Posted on February 17, 2011
Wall Street Journal: "President Obama's 2012 budget is not a serious governing document. It's a political one, designed to boost his re-election chances. By repeatedly saying that his budget reduces the deficit by $1 trillion over 10 years, he hopes the numbers make him sound fiscally conservative...

?Calif. Supreme Court to hear standing issue in gay marriage case?

Posted on February 17, 2011
Westlaw News & Insight: "For the opponents of gay marriage: James Campbell of Alliance Defense Fund; Charles Cooper, Nicole Moss, Jesse Panuccio, David Thompson and Peter Patterson of Cooper & Kirk; Andrew Pugno; Brian Raum."

University defines Christians as ?oppressors?: Legal team challenges UC-Davis? ?authorization? of discrimination

Posted on February 17, 2011
World Net Daily: But the letter, from ADF-allied attorney Tim Swickard, explained, "It is patently clear that UC Davis's definition of religious discrimination is blatantly unconstitutional under both the federal and California state constitutions. The policy singles out some faiths for official school protection while denying the same protection to others solely on the basis of their particular religious views?...

School defines Christians as ?oppressors?

Posted on February 17, 2011
One News Now: The university has issued a policy statement, asking students to adhere to its definition of "community." David French, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), tells OneNewsNow the Christians on campus have discovered that the school's policy, which defines "religious/spiritual discrimination" as "the loss of power and privilege to those who do not practice the dominant culture's religion," does not protect them from religious discrimination as -- in his words -- it is "institutionalized oppressions toward those who are not Christian...

University of Michigan Hit for Overcharging Pro-Life Group

Posted on February 17, 2011
LifeNews: Pro-life student groups should not be singled out to pay fees that others do not have to pay. The type of fee assessed to Students for Life has been repeatedly ruled unconstitutional,? said ADF Senior Counsel David French. ?A very basic and clear constitutional principle is that the government cannot place this sort of price tag on free speech simply because that speech might offend somebody...

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