Religion & Law

House GOP Demands Probe of Obama Admin Report Saying Pro-Lifers Extremists

Posted on May 07, 2009
LifeNews: "House Republicans have used a rare Congressional procedure to force a potential probe of documents the Obama administration released calling pro-life people 'right-wing extremists.' The move forces a Congressional panel to vote on a resolution calling for an investigation...

6th Circuit ruling on religious accomodation and union dues

Posted on May 07, 2009
onathan Adler writes at the Volokh Conspiracy: "These issues are addressed in an interesting opinion from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit this morning, Reed v. International Union. "

Controversy Surrounds Today?s National Day of Prayer

Posted on May 07, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: "Today is National Day of Prayer, and the the White House's decision not to host a formal event marking the occasion continues to generate controversy . . . H. Res. 397 is in committee and has not as of this time been voted on by the House ...

Religious Discrimination Question Turns Mock Trial Into True Legal Issue

Posted on May 07, 2009
Fulton County Daily Report: "The refusal of the National High School Mock Trial Championship to accommodate Sabbath observances by Massachusetts' winning team at its national championship in Atlanta this week has attracted the attention of the Department of Justice, which has formally notified Georgia authorities that they risk a federal investigation if the team is unable to compete...

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NYT: Girls on our Streets

Posted on May 07, 2009
New York Times: "But the scene on American streets is still appalling ? and it continues largely because neither the authorities nor society as a whole show much interest in 14-year-old girls pimped on the streets."

Hawaii Lawmakers Back the Creation of ?Islam Day?

Posted on May 07, 2009
CNSNews: "Hawaii's state Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill Wednesday to celebrate 'Islam Day' over the objections of a few lawmakers who said they didn't want to honor a religion connected to Sept. 11, 2001."

?Gay Day? Bill Passes California Senate Committee, Targets Schools

Posted on May 07, 2009
CNSNews: The text of SB 572 says that "On Harvey Milk Day, exercises remembering the life of Harvey Milk and recognizing his accomplishments as well as the contributions he made to this state" should be conducted; specifically, "all public schools and educational institutions are encouraged to observe...

IPPF?s UN petition drive targets youth, demands broad ?sexual rights?

Posted on May 07, 2009
Samantha Singson reports at C-FAM: "The International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) recently launched a new petition campaign that aims to pressure governments to 'promote, protect and fulfill their promise to provide better access to sexual and reproductive health services' for all young people 'regardless of age...

Porn star may challenge family-values La. senator

Posted on May 07, 2009
AP: "Stormy Daniels strode onstage at a downtown Baton Rouge restaurant in a tight black blouse with a plunging neckline and a knee-length skirt in the popular purple of Louisiana State University. She introduced herself with a warning."

Same-Sex ?Marriage? Not a Priority for House Democrats, Pelosi Says

Posted on May 07, 2009
CNSNews: ?Right now on our agenda we are talking about turning the economy around, dealing with an energy policy, health care for all Americans, education. We have an economic crisis of the magnitude none of us have seen in our lifetime,? Pelosi told reporters at a Wednesday press conference.

Dem Sestak considers challenge to Specter in Pa.

Posted on May 07, 2009
AP: "Rep. Joe Sestak, a former Navy vice admiral, says he's seriously considering challenging newest Democrat Arlen Specter in next year's Pennsylvania Senate primary."

Dems give Specter Judiciary subcommittee chair

Posted on May 07, 2009
AP: "Senate Democrats gave party switcher Arlen Specter a plum Judiciary subcommittee chairmanship on Thursday as a potential primary challenger to the veteran Pennsylvania lawmaker stepped forward."

Doug Kmiec: The case for empathy

Posted on May 07, 2009
Doug Kmiec writing in America Magazine: "No offense to all the highly talented appellate judges on the president?s short list, or even to my fellow academics, but both talent pools give almost exclusive emphasis to the law?s doctrinal development--the 'footnotes in a casebook' as the president put it, rather than the impact of those developments on individual citizens...

Sessions says he?d consider ?gay? Supreme Court nominee; Thune says too ?polarizing?

Posted on May 07, 2009
J. Taylor Rushing writes at the Hill: "'I?m not inclined to think that?s an automatic disqualification,' Sessions said of a gay nominee. He said he intends to consider only the nominee?s legal judgment when deciding his support for Justice David Souter?s proposed replacement...

?The GOP and Gay Marriage: Let?s Get it Straight?

Posted on May 07, 2009
Ryan J. Davis writes at the Hill: "More likely than the GOP endorsing gay marriage is that 2012 candidates will be racing to support 'traditional families' the most. (Huckabee may get super-duper-married, instead of just super-married.) It's gonna get really ugly, further regionalizing the party and peeling away young voters...

Sessions: I could support a pro-choice nominee

Posted on May 07, 2009
Michael O'Brien writes at The Hill: "I don't believe in a litmus test," Sessions said during an appearance on Fox News. "I believe a judge can have a different view on abortion than I have, and still receive my vote." Asked if a pro-choice nominee could win his vote, Sessions said, "Yes...

Mass. free speech zone on trial

Posted on May 07, 2009
OneNewsNow: "'The United States Supreme Court made clear that people have a right to speak from a normal conversational distance, which the court said is something less than 15 feet,' [Michael DePrimo] adds. 'The court also said that people have the right to distribute literature from a place in which people can easily accept the literature, and the court has also said that the right to free speech cannot be denied broadly and absolutely...

Local police shut down Slovak pro-life demonstration

Posted on May 07, 2009
OneNewsNow: "'And the police came and decided that this was too much -- even going so far as stating that abortion is a human right, which it obviously isn't -- and shut the protest down,' [Roger Kiska] explains . . . Kiska was asked about the city's free speech policies...

?As Gay Issues Arise, Obama Is Pressed to Engage?

Posted on May 07, 2009
"Two of Mr. Obama?s potential Supreme Court nominees are openly gay; some advocates, irked that there are no gay men or lesbians in his cabinet, are mounting a campaign to influence his choice to replace Justice David H. Souter, who is retiring."

?The New Republic: A Gay Supreme Court Justice??

Posted on May 07, 2009
NPR: "Politico notes that two of the people whose names are being tossed around as Supreme Court possibilities are lesbians: Kathleen Sullivan and Pam Karlan, both of Stanford Law School."

Pope Calls for Universal Recognition of the Natural Law as the Basis of Human Rights

Posted on May 07, 2009
. . . there is a growing propaganda effort to infer that those who insist that the Right to Life is a universal human right which can be discerned by all because it is revealed in the Natural Law are actually taking a ?religious? position which has no place in policy and political discourse ...

Video: What Will Replace Western Civilization? Muslim demographics

Posted on May 07, 2009
A compelling video discusses the demographics of the West with special emphasis on Europe.

An Evangelical Group sets its sights on Santa Barbara?s public elementary school kids

Posted on May 07, 2009
Santa Barbara Independent: "The CEF has been able to achieve this enviable result thanks to the support it receives from a team of aggressive lawyers. CEF is represented by the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), a powerful legal arm of the Evangelical movement...

Lesbians look to boot Boy Scouts from own facilities

Posted on May 07, 2009
WorldNetDaily: "'Groups such as the Boy Scouts shouldn't be penalized for their beliefs, and neither should the communities that benefit from their selfless work,' said ADF Legal Counsel Dale Schowengerdt. 'The Boy Scouts of America spent millions of dollars to improve portions of two public parks that it leased from the city for a nominal fee...

?Obama defends, curtails National Day of Prayer?

Posted on May 07, 2009
Ryan J. Foley reports in the Associated Press: "The Alliance Defense Fund, an Arizona-based group of Christian lawyers that is representing Shirley Dobson and the task force, has made similar arguments in asking for the case to be dismissed. Crabb is expected to rule on the motions in coming weeks...

?If done well, gay marriage laws will include conscience rights?

Posted on May 07, 2009
Robin Wilson, a professor at Washington and Lee University School of Law, is co-editor of the book "Same-Sex Marriage and Religious Liberty: Emerging Conflicts." This is from the Los Angeles Times reported at Newsday: "As a growing number of states stand poised to pass same-sex marriage laws, they should consider this: It's possible to legalize gay marriage without infringing on religious liberty...

White House Cheat Sheet: Sifting Through the Specter Damage

Posted on May 07, 2009
Washington Post: "A series of odd incidents that have proceeded from Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter's party switch last week have raised questions about whether the newest Democrat has permanently damaged himself in the eyes of the state's voters."

Harvard: ?Orgasm Seminar Doles Out Tips, Toys?

Posted on May 07, 2009
Warning: graphic discussion Harvard Crimson: "Students crowded into Science Center C on Friday night, but instead of picking up syllabi, they grabbed free condoms and cupcakes frosted with images of vaginas . . . Event organizer Eva B. Rosenberg ?10 said she was pleased with the turnout and the audience participation, but was disappointed with Locker?s focus on heterosexual sex and the lack of information for gay, transgender, and other queer individuals...

?Pennsylvania Student Suspended From Christian College for Gay Porn Role?

Posted on May 07, 2009
FoxNews: "A student is appealing his suspension from a Christian college in western Pennsylvania for appearing in gay porn videos using a pseudonym."

Iowa debate: Did Republicans do enough on marriage issue?

Posted on May 07, 2009
CoveringIowaPolitics.com: "In an letter to fellow social conservatives, Bill Salier of Everyday America, former Rep. Danny Carroll of the Iowa Family Policy Center, former Sen. Kitty Rehberg of the Eagle Forum and Pastor Brad Cranston of Iowa Baptists for Biblical Values said they were disappointed more wasn?t done to move the marriage amendment in the waning days of the session...

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