Have you heard enough about her already? Are you *done* with the blahbitty blah blah banter concerning her chances for Vice President? Well … get over it because I am about to add another chorus to the wall of sound. ::: laugh ::: But, first, here is a video of the highlights of her speech last night. My thoughts are after the jump.
From the category archives:
Civil Rights
I got this via email from the Florida Family Policy Council (linkage and emphasis mine) More thoughts after the jump …
‘Kissing cops’ lawsuit settled
The Good News 08/01/08—The federal civil rights lawsuit brought by Florida Family Policy Council against a Sunrise police officer for harassment of marriage amendment supporters at the 2006 Promise Keepers conference was resolved last week
The 2007 federal court lawsuit filed against City of Sunrise police officer Sergeant Stephen Allen and Broward County for improperly prohibiting marriage amendment petitions from being distributed at a 2006 Promise Keepers conference has been settled for $30,000.
…
At the Policy Council’s table, volunteers were collecting petitions to get the Florida Marriage Amendment on the ballot. The Amendment would define marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
Accordingly to recorded statements from eye witnesses, Sgt. Allen, the duty officer hired by the Broward-owned civic center, informed the Policy Council’s volunteers that the marriage amendment petitions could not be collected or be in “public view” and must be immediately removed.
The volunteers said they were mocked, harassed and threatened with being arrested for collecting the petitions, and then Allen personally confiscated the petitions. Sgt. Allen and Officer M. Allard, both male officers, further ridiculed the effort by appearing to kiss each other. …
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From FRC …
On the cusp of the Olympic games, we should pause to recall that, in order to win the right to hold the Games, China argued that hosting the Olympics would help it move toward democracy and respect for human rights. Now, the day before the Olympics, we know that is not the case. Human rights have deteriorated in the year leading up to the Games. In particular, religious freedom - for all religions - has been curtailed. Christians have suffered as well.
In a case in which FRC got involved last December, over 200 pastors were arrested, beaten, and 21 imprisoned for multi-year terms. Their crime? Holding an unauthorized Bible study. “House churches” have been targeted in a crackdown called the “strike hard” campaign. Likewise, Catholic members of the underground or unregistered or unofficial Catholic church have been imprisoned.
China remains a “country of concern” for violating the right to religious freedom on the short lists of the State Department and the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. One Chinese Muslim likened these Olympics to Hitler’s - both showcased a totalitarian regime. It will be a sad day for human rights and religious freedom when the Games open tomorrow in Beijing.
[From No prize for religious freedom at this Olympic Games (FRC Blog)]
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Seemingly, in Canada, not only can you be punished for speaking out about your religious convictions concerning sexuality, you can be banned from ever communicating about them ever again.
From the Exodus: Live Out Loud Blog:
“Mr. Boissoin and The Concerned Christian Coalition Inc. shall cease publishing in newspapers, by e-mail, on the radio, in public speeches, or on the Internet, in future, disparaging remarks about gays and homosexuals. Further, they shall not and are prohibited from making disparaging remarks in the future about … Lund or … Lund’s witnesses relating to their involvement in this complaint. Further, all disparaging remarks versus homosexuals are directed to be removed from current Web sites and publications of Mr. Boissoin and The Concerned Christian Coalition Inc…”
Read the whole article >>
[From Exodus: Live Out Loud: Canadian Pastor Fined; Christians Banned from Voicing Biblical Opposition]
It is wrong for any “state” to impose punishment on any communication of religious belief (wrong-headed or not). What I am addressing here isn’t about what exactly the man said, it’s about his freedom (and now lack thereof) to say it without being punished. They acknowledged that what he did wasn’t “criminal” and yet they fined him $5,000 and forbade him to ever speak on the subject again.
I am all for toning down hateful rhetoric and trying to have civil dialog but I am not for having the state impose silence on *any* viewpoint.
Aren’t we all adults quite capable of hearing what we might consider offensive, even deeply offensive, and move on? There isn’t an inalienable right to not be offended… for anyone. If you can’t remain a solid stable and secure person because someone is saying offensive things, then perhaps you need a counselor … not a nanny state with thought police disguised as Human Rights Tribunals.
For those gay activists who dismissed the warning bells of religious persecution and the undermining of freedom of speech … what do you say now?
Don’t forget, this is starting to happen here in the States ( on a state but soon to be federal level) as well.
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Is it me or is this … like … cheesy? I already view the ACLU as an opponent but “blog of rights?” I hate to say this but … I will. Their slogan is a lame opportunistic derivative of our hallowed Bill of Rights. And if you keep rebranding something so amazing as the Bill of Rights, the re-branding threatens to water down the importance of the original. Nowadays the Bill of Rights seem to have been co-opted to the point of any strong desire with the loudest voice is now becoming a “right.”
They are kind of acting like the guy who decided to make a buck by putting the grandeur of a Monet painting on a mouse pad.
Just throw $9.99 at the ACLU and they will attack any Christian you want … well except for Fred Phelps.
All that aside, I know true Freedom. He’s a great blogger in that He has millions of bloggers taking up His Cause.
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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M.—A professional photographer who refused to take pictures of a gay couple’s commitment ceremony because of her religious beliefs violated New Mexico discrimination law, a human rights panel ruled.Vanessa Willock filed a complaint with the New Mexico Human Rights Commission in 2006, contending that Albuquerque photographer Elaine Huguenin told her she photographed only traditional marriages. Huguenin and her husband, Jon, own Elane Photography.
The commission’s one-page ruling Wednesday said Elane Photography violated the state Human Rights Act by discriminating against Willock on the basis of sexual orientation, and should pay $6,637 for Willock’s attorney’s fees and costs.
Willock, through her attorney, said in an e-mail that she was pleased by the finding.
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I actually agree with something Nancy Pelosi is suggesting with regard to China. I don’t think I blogged about it but I was shocked to learn that the Olympics were going to be held in China.
Accountability: The Name of These Games (From FRC Action Email Update)
Adding her dissent to that of other world leaders, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is the latest to voice objections to the U.S.’s involvement in the upcoming Olympic Games. In a frank discussion on ABC’s “Good Morning America,” Pelosi said, “I think boycotting the opening ceremony, which really gives respect to the Chinese government, is something that should be kept on the table… I think the President might want to rethink this later, depending on what other heads of state do. …I don’t think China should have gotten the Olympic Games to begin with… They got [them] with the promise that they would… have better respect for human rights and freedom of expression. They have not honored that.” Pelosi’s objections put even more pressure on the Bush administration to reconsider its presence at the Olympics. While Pelosi is motivated by the host’s violent treatment of Tibetans, China’s religious hostility runs much deeper than the Dalai Lama. Christians are being imprisoned in record numbers, yet the White House refuses to weigh in on the growing persecution of the church. FRC has waited 111 days for a response from the State Department to our letter in behalf of the Chinese pastors. How many more will have to suffer before Secretary Rice takes our complaint seriously?
I would add that it isn’t just religious issues and right about now I think the Chinese government hates the Dalai Lama just as deeply or deeper than the Christians. Either way, it doesn’t really matter, if you publicly disagree with the Chinese *communist* government… you have a very high probability of simply disappearing for a few days or more and coming home with a new or silent view of the government … that’s if you come home.
I am willing to boycott watching the opening ceremonies in honor of those persecuted and murdered in China and not honor the state of China. I have no doubt the ceremonies will be gorgeous and moving but I will never forget that day I saw Tiananmen Square’s “Tank Man.” It seems a lot of people have forgotten him and that awful series of events.
Please pray for a peaceful revolution of personal freedom in China.
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From Daily Mail:
They are devoted foster parents with an unblemished record of caring for almost 20 vulnerable children.
But Eunice and Owen Johns have been forced to abandon their good work because they refuse to tell children as young as ten that homosexuality is an acceptable lifestyle.
[click to continue...]
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Some brave people fought against the “modesty” police and kept them from abducting a young woman for not dressing appropriately. The following video is not great quality but Pajamas Media has a rundown of what you are seeing. The crowd is chanting “We don’t want Islamic Regime!” “We don’t want Dictatorship!” and “Death to the Police!”
Lets not forget that among the many atrocities that go unreported about Iran, this regime routinely kills, rapes and tortures people who are or simply alleged as homosexual. Say what you will about Islam as a whole but from what I have seen, this Islamic regime is despicable and evil through and through. I am going to pray that a revolution in Iran gains footing, leadership and find tremendous success.Perhaps their plight and struggle for freedom should remind us to be grateful for what we take for granted here in the West.
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ETC initial post here. Thanks for the tip C!
Hutcherson’s Wife Says Family Is Being Harassed
www.komotv.com/news/local
/15436121.html KOMO TV
February 7, 2008
Feb 7, 2008 at 11:50 PM PST
SNOQUALMIE, Wash. — The family members of pastor Ken Hutcherson say they have been under attack ever since the pastor made controversial comments during a school assembly. Hutcherson’s wife addressed the school board on Thursday night.
“In the three weeks since the assembly, our life has been anything but back to normal,” said Pat Hutcherson. It was standing room only at the school board meeting as Pat discussed the harassment that has followed the couple and their four children since her husband spoke at an assembly at Mount Si High School on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
“My family is boldly called names like ‘bigot’, ‘homophobe’ and we’ve been permanently branded in the valley,” she said. The pastor, who is known for his anti-gay stance, was booed and publicly questioned by two teachers during the assembly. The incident has raised numerous concerns and issues, including bad manners and the acceptance of gays and lesbians. Some students are even concerned that teachers are imposing their personal beliefs on the students.
“I have six classes a day. I know the personal beliefs of all six of my teachers and I don’t want to,” one student said at the meeting. “I also think that to invite an anti-gay person was sending wrong message to students at Mount Si,” another said.
“We shouldn’t cast blame..but rather learn from this and accept diversity,” a third said.
Mount Si’s principal said the two teachers involved in the incident were dealt with appropriately, but refused to discuss the details of the school’s personnel matter.
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