tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31406922304679375172024-03-13T21:04:32.507-07:00This Nation Under GodFrom the Declaration of Independence: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger492125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-7842346672396668192016-10-31T11:58:00.004-07:002016-11-09T10:12:16.813-08:00It's Halloween!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<b></b><i></i><u></u><sub></sub><sup></sup><strike></strike><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-27479673400066831032015-05-04T16:22:00.001-07:002015-05-04T16:22:32.845-07:00Florida Professor Bullies Christian Student<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Liberty Counsel</span><br />
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Polk County, FL - A sixteen-year-old, dual-enrolled student, "G.L.," is <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001av7Q8M0BmS92IgBeWWiGZT1zki3mDBdUkdzLH_Hkvxb1AcoveuFQv9Kkzv35MnrscTac21obmI_5NFtwL1e169RAqKmkO-TWYSqRZS0-dFhQtb2aKJr4cTQy6jhz7DuBVPwcNcFJ_cQQgDUhgWvRoSG5gYad8PNg3bD5LNw66n35M4WjdIrvLHa2iZStqOVZhhfodT5CMlYdDjHVCkCwGPT0bsg-avRMfO_0iFeq373l8F3f_sUuJ0YglqNmIMN07j5yRUVNTJ3UAEKH25w3TX9N5-vsnagi&c=mpkjlj2q0ZLb8pcZp-jGoxycwv76_8ksfl3qSrCYsy1q18-V4rn0gw==&ch=EP4ru8bO__LsVncq8FVHBu_HeVOKdHiYhzGZPqiWK_bI7yF3UUlqEg==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">the subject of religious intolerance</a> by humanities professor Lance "L.J." Russum at Polk State College in Lakeland, Florida. <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001av7Q8M0BmS92IgBeWWiGZT1zki3mDBdUkdzLH_Hkvxb1AcoveuFQv9Kkzv35MnrsHJJRa8gDkqLIC7F5nZmOPnaodNSsXvZxpg0zByPps4pH3NUTSG1Pgdhej8ewTUMsFIBl7QkOHCrcPfNaytqTE__HxRSVJ6cFjcy5RiPH2gOkMETBGJtCa1zXshN16thU3_V5NdB2nuYecaaQnrDBzsElXVZfF6-G1e2DzUhb80o1ms_AaKdqyOlvAfxvPqnYH3387_lgvyY=&c=mpkjlj2q0ZLb8pcZp-jGoxycwv76_8ksfl3qSrCYsy1q18-V4rn0gw==&ch=EP4ru8bO__LsVncq8FVHBu_HeVOKdHiYhzGZPqiWK_bI7yF3UUlqEg==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Liberty Counsel has asked the dean</a> to investigate the professor and his curriculum.</div>
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G.L. and her parents reached out to Liberty Counsel when Russum gave her four (4) straight zeros because she refused to conform to his personal worldviews of Marxism, Atheism, Feminism, and homosexuality. Professor Russum expressed blatant and pervasive anti-Christian bias throughout the class, such as the following essay question: "Why did Christianity, and its male gods, seek to silence these women [the nuns]?"</div>
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In other essays where G.L. refused to concede that Christianity was false, violent, or oppressive to women; that Martin Luther's motivations for the Reformation were wholly secular; and that Michalengelo's sculptures and paintings communicated that "same-sex relationship is NOT A SIN," Mr. Russum gave her a total of four straight zeros.</div>
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Russum's classroom behavior is a reflection of his personal biases. Mr. Russum's Facebook profile pictures include Fidel Castro and Jesus Christ making an obscene gesture. The website "Rate my Professor" shows that G.L. is not the first student to be subjected to the professor's viewpoint discrimination. His college email signature line includes a quote from a Marxist who praises Lenin, Stalin, the Khmer Rouge, and Adolf Hitler. These, along with the inappropriate course content, show that Professor Russum is seeking to impose his own values on students, in violation of the Constitution.</div>
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Liberty Counsel has demanded (1) a full and independent review of Mr. Russum's behavior and course content; (2) appropriate grading of G.L's four "zero" assignments by a different professor; (3) a written apology; and (4) assurances that future courses taught by Mr. Russum, if any, will be free from such unlawful discrimination.</div>
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"Mr. Russum should not be permitted to use his position to punish students who do not conform to his anti-Christian views," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "G.L.'s parents asked Polk State College to review this matter, but it refused, so Liberty Counsel is stepping in to help. According to its website, the college's core values are service, integrity, knowledge, diversity, and leadership. No student should be subjected to such outrageous bias and outright hostility to their values by a professor. Being a professor is not open season to belittle and punish students merely because they do not subscribe to the professor's radical opinions." </div>
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<span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.</em></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-30314280666105362982015-04-26T07:22:00.001-07:002015-04-26T07:22:28.205-07:00Bold Witness For Christ: "How God Calls Our Hearts From the World" by John Owen<a href="http://boldwitnessforchrist.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-god-calls-our-hearts-from-world-by.html">Bold Witness For Christ: "How God Calls Our Hearts From the World" by John Owen</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-11582994396015531642015-02-24T13:39:00.004-08:002015-02-24T13:39:41.823-08:00Liberty Counsel Defends Natural Marriage <div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><strong>For immediate release, Feb. 24, 2015</strong></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><em>St. Louis, MO</em> - Liberty Counsel defended natural marriage as the union of one man and one woman in two amicus briefs filed today in support of </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bIN8E0hfJoIBCN2RTB5YkfcCOdtD3Cms8l_JUb4tOnkW7xwVxYY7lH0f_Lop13ilxdo_ME6jhEYC57AV4HdGetDP-LoLbgt-KC0xm-9KFy0a322vQQ0cYY32k2NXPDQUuUe_2NbT_pKAL34jlivuyjUe0iE0Fq7ORvLllsG4gfvp7QHH9uW0V_qoe6cKB1f7LnR3qLL_54gdWO2kW1_ZWOyv58Ugnd-yyPTTfgju5GQypd3Llkgs-BEz2Yd20hq1_PAnyO2RC2JvRfA9moyklQ==&c=gT3FAVHcvDt0HAf2BIOxJ6HnPSFtk5cxYEvRwgrseuVM0ngFm843sQ==&ch=tKm0IMRqeIphc-H80Dli8ZbgFvYwTnlFiaBS2-7WlSZqfRFW724IAA==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Arkansas</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and </span><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001bIN8E0hfJoIBCN2RTB5YkfcCOdtD3Cms8l_JUb4tOnkW7xwVxYY7lH0f_Lop13ilreBhIGLxLDsiSziNOHFRKyxQtsbRzjSD7hezgykIkSwDgpt84HrEvJMnYBqevU-WZ6pJ29rlVzh_b0e2hzqfJl4LH_fOuhgfD-4fmX6pcOWpWgS7B0nmxJ_S9vAsmdhEuxO0UzS5aqGkelA0JkRk6oJv3ZVs94z4nw_O3jQi_f-jkWmt_8HRe6tOAgapur79c5_TzMtN5DqVg1dqSeeZEorQiTvVlR6QSowMAznMeps=&c=gT3FAVHcvDt0HAf2BIOxJ6HnPSFtk5cxYEvRwgrseuVM0ngFm843sQ==&ch=tKm0IMRqeIphc-H80Dli8ZbgFvYwTnlFiaBS2-7WlSZqfRFW724IAA==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Missouri</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> marriage laws before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis.</span></div>
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"The issue before this Court and courts across this country is whether the divine creation of natural marriage as the union of one man and one woman will be recognized by fallible judges, or whether judicial tyranny will manifest itself in print," said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. "The judiciary is really what is on trial in the minds of the people. Marriage is objectively a union of a man and a woman. If the people lose confidence in the courts then judges lose their authority. Those are not my words. They are the words of former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O-Connor in the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey abortion opinion. Courts must rely on the executive to enforce their orders, and unlike the legislature, courts cannot make new law. The authority of courts rests upon the confidence of the people who trust judges are interpreting the law according the constitution and text under review. When judges veer too far away from this straightforward duty, the people lose confidence, and when that happens, their persuasive authority is undermined," concluded Staver.</div>
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<span><em><span style="font-size: xx-small;">Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.</span></em></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-76466780990410917302015-01-27T17:21:00.004-08:002015-01-27T17:21:54.934-08:00An open letter to Dave Agema, MIGOP National Committeeman<div style="color: black; font-family: Times-New-Roman; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;">
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><b><b>Prominent Black Pastor and RNC African American Council Member Calls For <span style="font-size: 18pt;">Resignat</span></b></b><span style="font-size: 18pt; font-weight: bold;">ion of </span></span><b><b><span style="color: #741b47;"> </span><div style="font-size: 18pt;">
<span><span style="color: #741b47;">Michigan NationalCommitteeman</span></span></div>
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<span><b><b><span style="color: #741b47;">An open letter to Dave Agema, MIGOP National Committeeman</span></b></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #131722; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">To: Dave Agema, MIGOP National Committeeman</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #131722; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">From: Bishop Ira C. Combs, Greater Bible Way Temple, <br /> RNC African American Council Date: January 20, 2015</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Dear Mr. Agema:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I am a pastor of a majority African-American church based in Jackson, Michigan. I have been a pastor here for 35 years. During this same period of time, I have been a tireless advocate of limited government, free market principles, traditional family values, individual freedom and strong defense. One of the means in which I have advocated these constitutional principles is as an active member and leader in the Michigan Republican Party and Republican National Committee.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I served under President George Bush as head of the Faith-Based Initiatives here in Michigan for the entire eight years of Bush's tenure as President. I currently sit on the Board of the RNC African American Council and am a member of the Directors for the Detroit, Michigan GOP African Engagement Initiative.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Out of love for our nation and concern for the Republican Party's ability to win African American voters, I have concluded that your being in the position of MIGOP National Committeeman should not continue. In light of the fact I yet believe you share my love for this country and dedication to our Party platform, I am recommending your resignation as our Michigan National Committeeman.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I am personally proud of your numerous personal accomplishments during your time in the military and service to our country. Moreover, I am eager to acknowledge, that as a State Representative, you were among the most conservative and dependable of election officials in our State. Under your leadership, the Michigan Republican Party has learned much about the legitimate threat of Jihadism to our way of life, as well as so many other critical truths you have addressed. For the season that you served as an elected official, the MIGOP was strengthened by your contributions.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">However, your tenure as RNC National Committeeman has been marked by recurrent and worsening alienation of African American and Arab alike. You have disparaged people who have been diligently committed to our party and have made it very difficult for us to carry out the task of winning people to this party who, for the past 70 years or more, have perceived the Republican Party as hostile to civil rights and social equality, even though we know the GOP was instrumental in the passing the landmark Civil Rights and Voting Rights Acts, respectively.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Yet, perception is reality. The perception you have created of the Republican Party by repeatedly posting racist and divisive commentaries, with no true reason or academic rationale, is beyond comprehension. That you have painted yourself as a victim, refusing to demonstrate any level of humility and empathy even towards your allies in the party who are mystified, demonstrates that you have become a political myopathy to the party and our nation, willing to sacrifice even your own significant contributions to the same.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #741b47;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman";"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">Your acts have become impulsive and counter-productive to the party's mission and the position you hold as National Committeeman. You have, beyond a shadow of a doubt, proven that, if nothing else, you are sickened with prejudice and cultural incompetence, void of common sense and civility toward people who do not share your ethnicity.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">There is no place in our party for this kind of extremism. Truthfully, I pray for a day when this kind of extremism is eradicated from all political parties, that we might have a more civil national dialogue.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Finally, please cease trying to hide behind Allen West, for posting what Mr. West correctly identified as the most racist article he had ever seen. Allen West is a public figure who has no current official role in the Republican Party, but is more aptly considered a part of media. He can afford to take those risks. He has no official role; you, on the other hand, as National Committeeman do. That you decided to sacrifice our Party to seek attention is inexcusable.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Let us close this chapter of controversy with a final parcel of nobility which is your voluntary resignation.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Copies of this letter are being provided to the RNC Chair, the MIGOP Chair, the Vice Chairs of the MIGOP, the Executive Committee of the MIGOP and to the press. I beg of you to resign in such a way that there shall be no permanent destruction upon your own career and no further damage to the Party of Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">With Regards,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Bishop Ira Combs, Jr. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Greater Bible Way Temple</span></span></div>
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<span><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><b>Guest Opportunity<br /> </b>Bishop Ira Combs, Jr. is available for interviews. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span style="color: #741b47;">Source: <span style="color: #131722;">Bishop Ira C. Combs, Greater Bible Way Temple,</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">RNC African American </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=00122i6ncLTClBIyrdbijF715VNyvIiZeU6R8etMDTpg08UPSzDBHGXqZN0zsTheKhd84L9_bzW-uB-y9h6bSP-2OivAxgvV2j70hwXyWKnc-Vpt0gjIgwHo8q2lTZ51bVZzyiGAsD_elOS5AX9EOdw_XdrB7Ck72ABgPyYNeJRHqh2lXFY01ruLC_GCHreICa1Dc2TNzcuQXFIrONWR2yqTraOQPaN1o5pYp3AU7kim102oojGBxd4AE011_yQRnTRFOGwCS4qTv2PkwTTJDXNO46-tnYPlgAQy3lgRjlQ5vgty7uGCTP78mvS0eCAK8f-&c=5JdGyh-1Nx1OOZ0ccye6cPHRraJnl4Q_ll9AsKaMRr4HhHeddHlgfQ==&ch=hr7lDLPXUBVOO8XSHeGLuTzRlBvshM9OgMZmWbHPZ-ZWM4VcblMSfQ==" shape="rect" style="color: black; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #741b47; font-size: xx-small;">ChristianNewsService.com</span></a> </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-51786035173141878562015-01-16T18:00:00.004-08:002015-01-16T18:00:45.621-08:00Supreme Court Will Rule on Marriage Case.<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 100%px;"><tbody>
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Washington, DC -Today, the Supreme Court agreed to review a federal appeals court decision that upheld natural marriage laws in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Liberty Counsel filed an <a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001VI31iR95OiAuBV7wg9Dv5m9JkMbsq1tkgrViIi-vKPvzVhPKP3BRdogVdjFJmzJ53cF5d3ujkZaQW61p53sxxW9INjm1izSwhVPK460z9KPpuplNSNHwaMwTmwpoOXstWiEH8hNvtaZjnJC5EQ8qq5SXmB9AtSvcAxUvyPn73xaY8BAGn77QH0G2earSWJg9zbmW0iC1FLBuSntO9y01on9XN0I7k7FiYo7AlNxT-rTNI4X2hlRxvF6Yf8RK3I7-zKqhvr4L8FI=&c=1LSU6rk416lw4VfopcYJv86gcttCO1AzJzZV7zW7GuovGiukz5fszA==&ch=NZUtk88PTVhWku-4cCIt9SthzQ9iQ3mbRcFxOc1jHNSH7QFIW9QeVw==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">amicus brief</a> at the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of the American Family Association of Michigan, which was one of the coauthors of the Michigan marriage amendment.</div>
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In the ruling affirming natural marriage laws, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals based its decision on <em>Baker v. Nelson</em>, stating that it was still good law. In the <em>Baker</em> decision, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled that a law defining marriage as one man and one woman did not violate the U.S. Constitution, the United States Supreme Court ruled that there was no federal question, and Bakerbecame precedent.</div>
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The Supreme Court has upheld marriage as a foundational social institution that is necessarily defined as the union of one man and one woman:</div>
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<li>Marriage is "fundamental to the very existence and survival of the race." Skinner v. Oklahoma, 316 U.S. 535, 541 (1942).</li>
<li>"An institution in the maintenance of which in its purity the public is deeply interested, for it is the foundation of the family and of society, without which there would be neither civilization nor progress." Maynard v. Hill, 125 U. S. 190 (1888).</li>
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"Marriage is not merely a creation of any one civilization or its statutes, but is an institution older than the Constitution and, indeed, older than any laws of any nation. Marriage is a natural bond that society or religion can only 'solemnize,'" said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.</div>
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<b><span style="font-size: x-small;">About Liberty Counsel</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span>Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-44925903458590254302014-08-14T23:09:00.003-07:002014-08-14T23:09:35.442-07:00Prominent Black Lansing Michigan Pastor Renounces Past Support of Gay Marriage<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;">
<strong style="color: black; font-size: 12pt;">Media Contact:</strong></div>
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Stacy Swimp</div>
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<a href="tel:313-848-7569" target="_blank" value="+13138487569">313-848-7569</a><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="mailto:swimpstacy@gmail.com" target="_blank">swimpstacy@gmail.com</a></span></div>
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<strong>Prominent Black Lansing Michigan Pastor Renounces Past </strong></div>
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<span>Detroit, Michigan, <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1789336688" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">August 14, 2014</span></span> |Christian News Service| -- </span></div>
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<span></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">One of Lansing, Michigan's most prominent Black pastors, Bishop David Maxell, had been quoted in the press in May of 2012, as saying that he agreed with homosexuals and lesbians who say that so called gay marriage is a "civil right."</span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Maxwell, Pastor of Eliezer Temple Church in Lansing, Michigan, has also served as head of Mayor Virg Bernero's Office of Faith-based Initiatives, was quoted as saying:</span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">"Many of my comrades in the faith community have a struggle and cannot separate the theology with the civics of the president executing fairness and equity for all persons, It's a civil right. The sad thing about it is: You would have thought that the African-American pastoral or theological community would have sensitivity when they themselves have struggled civil rights-wise."</span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Maxwell, after having attacked Black pastors against gay marriage, praised President Barack Obama's support of gay marriage.</span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Maxwell also praised President Obama for promoting an agenda to redefine marriage as other than between one man and one woman, "I think the president is to be commended. He did not allow his own Christian philosophy or theology to dominate his presidential responsibility."</span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oZ_Im4L_Mbw5v00TQlqVEC7ZsLm1oLHinKW5WYE38SB4MvXQqMg9gOh8J5uAbeYgkKVOK4dB3wqqSZ1xU9nWHpCzG5GQFDqMhMEJRHx2wE4MKGJoWuzdHGYRGmdrFuaynHy6SgJoR6kJyv7npuqAQO1a69og1ye7rsaA28Q4wI8H0w4zIkkXRTyV1MQzAYv4-j8H04VxjCYEaTCwj_5W-aVL-EXXPoTyMhppyhQojX3xcAReBaI4nbYvCYC0LtIsxjz5i-_PAc3_r-TsqmZaLwePX092wvq0mlOuRyJKmyXbbOr4CRfZq5n_cGEHJin4Qu4uOh84EjDjW9jKwTGitEC3QTW8vUF-nI-h_GiZBI3EfNFhXGMjX2X9OOYtsu3kAcupmm7Z4R6NVRrbX_8H_4ZAlpvrG36Naju2_8A8-CDKBvzJuKoZCQ-Q7YH0OT25ZQddmbzUa5Xtq_IYcEBDYp6GkjWTjfem21Poh3-GoOZJVUColFK-SKSIxLWc3VMqEJvZBPyMFd_WADKq3wGN6qBmfUNG12cX&c=fD_kVllvgx44xEkPZLNGAKbH90qnzMp-0PRd_blWd30zJmg4XPKchw==&ch=nlFGIj1nCLo2RXMRO20_X5rwNN2Sb9nF3mTs3eyr_7IgyRmCBflY-g==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">However, in a recent letter</a>, Bishop Maxwell has clearly changed his mind regarding his support of marriage redefinition and his criticism of predominantly Black churches as being "homophobic."</span></div>
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<span>"After reading statements attributed to me in a recent article, of which did not completely state my position on same sex marriage, and may lead some to view my statements as an endorsement of sort of same sex marriage. I am compelled to set the record straight," said Maxwell. </span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Bishop Maxwell, who had strongly supported gay marriage as a civil right in 2014, now says that "the ban on gay marriage is based upon its immorality."</span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Maxwell is also now calling for all Christians to take a stand against the LGBT agenda to redefine marriage stating, "It is incumbent that like-mined people of faith take a public stand against the practice of same sex marriage and exercise our constitutional right to advance legislation that will cover all loopholes, and legally shut the door on same sex marriage in our state and nation."</span></div>
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<span>In 1975 Esther Phillips sang a song "What a Difference a Day Makes," the lyrics state, "What a difference a day made, twenty four little hours. Brought the sun and the flowers where there used to be rain. My <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1789336689" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">yesterday</span></span> was blue dear. Today, I'm a part of you dear."</span></div>
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<span><br /></span><span style="font-size: 11pt;">There is indeed a story in every song we sing.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Bishop Maxwell, who used to be a part of the LGBT advocacy demographic, has apparently found this position to be blue and is now happy to be a part of the Christian evangelical demographic, who choose to believe the Bible - that marriage is between one man and one woman.</span></div>
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<span><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">(Side note: Bible or not, it makes natural, biological sense to the animals as well.)</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 11pt;">Minister Stacy Swimp of Greater Bibleway Temple, Jackson, Michigan, and Founder of the Michigan Based Revive Alive Missional Ministry<em>, is Spokesperson for a national coalition of Black Pastors and Christian ministers who have taken a stand for traditional marriage and have filed an amiscus brief in support of traditional marriage- represented by the Thomas More Law Center. </em></span></div>
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<span>"Bishop Maxwell had made himself an apostate," said Swimp. "An enemy of the cross. However, it appears that the Word of God has finally settled into his heart and he has repented from his former stance against God's family. Hopefully, he will not again be swayed again, by selfish ambition and political favors, to turn his back against God." </span></div>
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Source: <span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001oZ_Im4L_Mbw5v00TQlqVEC7ZsLm1oLHinKW5WYE38SB4MvXQqMg9gOh8J5uAbeYgXfBg2DiOD25AIHLOZzEoGWOpSxNGLXyiVWvjpPsyAIMOBoP8R80rT6L7BFcC-CpyWXtraL2KIQu1srJcB66vekbtBlP6c9TeEJoos7PbpgqDY-wa5O715kjnpBNjsaLba6TDX90noRP7paYPd6wQ-cH_YH_FufC_O31nEuaq25yWioIYHl4lDGqo4nw5KkZjMiqNEQAP6Edq6iGyY-_tHKJ1ZC0MGEkNDTwY4eHIjTaSiLtemjUHMNfDveYJ0FBmkAyh76-SzKwoVFQtYvg0YKamlvSfhphUGq5FHlWxQW3WdsYLeBT5pWmUKCIOQjURQNcRIZS89_YOShuRnL1jTwAVTH6SJelaaNLOpw-U5FBV73EX4k2CQ297b2op7NE1Wq08ipPeQxJ4hM0NoV5VEw==&c=fD_kVllvgx44xEkPZLNGAKbH90qnzMp-0PRd_blWd30zJmg4XPKchw==&ch=nlFGIj1nCLo2RXMRO20_X5rwNN2Sb9nF3mTs3eyr_7IgyRmCBflY-g==" shape="rect" style="color: blue; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Revive Alive Missional Ministry</a></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-10369244552638748942014-08-01T15:53:00.003-07:002014-08-01T15:58:54.624-07:00IRS Poised to Target Churches<span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="color: #783f04;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_500615749" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">August 1, 2014</span></span></span></strong></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #073763; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Image by George Hodan</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="color: #073763;">IRS Poised to Target Churches</span></strong></span></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.lc.org/" style="color: blue; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #073763;">LC.org</span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;"><em>Washington, DC</em> – The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is poised to start targeting churches. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">The IRS is reportedly bowing to the Freedom from Religion Foundation (FFRF), settling a lawsuit after the IRS promised to monitor churches for politicking. The settlement is being held up by Father Patrick Malone and Holy Cross Anglican Church, which filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss without prejudice. If FFRF dismisses the lawsuit without prejudice, the atheist organization can renew the lawsuit if the group deems the IRS is not targeting churches.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #073763;">“Churches are tax-exempt inherently from the moment of creation,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “Churches do not need a letter from the IRS to be tax-exempt.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #073763;">“No church has ever lost its tax-exempt status for opposing or supporting a candidate for political office. Churches and pastors may speak on biblical and moral issues. Pastors can educate about the candidates’ viewpoints. Pastors can encourage people to vote and can assist them in getting to the polls,” Staver pointed out.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">“Pastors and churches must be empowered to confront the assaults on our culture, our faith, and our freedom,” says Staver. “German political scientist Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann coined the expression ‘spiral of silence.’ Noelle-Neumann began her career working for a newspaper during Hitler’s years, where she found that people conceal their views when they think they are in the minority or may face reprisal for their beliefs. We saw how the spiral of silence had devastating results in Nazi Germany. We need to stop the spiral of silence in America,” Staver said. “As pastors and churches begin to stand up and speak out against evil and injustice, the spiral will unravel and justice will prevail.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;">This year Liberty Counsel has distributed over 35,000 copies of its Silence is Not an Option DVD to pastors throughout Florida and Texas, as part of Liberty Counsel’s Pastors & Patriots Initiative. This is the first of an estimated over 150,000 DVDs that will be sent to pastors between now and November, encouraging pastors to address biblical and moral issues and educating pastors about the IRS rules on political and lobbying activity. In addition, Liberty Counsel is conducting meetings with pastors and </span><a href="http://www.whowillstandrally.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #073763;">Who Will Stand?</span></a><span style="color: #073763;"> rallies at churches across the country. Visit </span><a href="http://www.whowillstandrally.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #073763;">www.WhoWillStandRally.com</span></a><span style="color: #073763;">.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit, litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono assistance and representation on these and related topics.</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #073763; font-size: xx-small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv">Matthew 5:13-16</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #073763; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="passage-display-bcv"></span><span class="passage-display-version"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">New International Version (NIV)</span></span> </span></span><br />
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<span class="text Matt-5-13"><span class="woj"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><sup class="versenum">13 </sup>“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.</span></em></span></span></h3>
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text Matt-5-14" id="en-NIV-23249"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">14 </sup>“<strong>You are the light of the world.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23249B" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23249B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup> A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.</strong></span></span><strong> <span class="text Matt-5-15" id="en-NIV-23250"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">15 </sup>Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23250C" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23250C" title="See cross-reference C">C</a>)"></sup></span></span> <span class="text Matt-5-16" id="en-NIV-23251"><span class="woj"><sup class="versenum">16 </sup>In the same way, let your light shine before others,<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23251D" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23251D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup> that they may see your good deeds<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23251E" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23251E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup> and glorify<sup class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-23251F" value="(<a href="#cen-NIV-23251F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup> your Father in heaven.</span></span></strong></span></em></span><em><span style="color: #073763; font-size: xx-small;"></span></em><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-34861092070371653672014-05-01T06:07:00.002-07:002014-05-01T06:14:07.258-07:00 Governor Jay Inslee’s first step in implementing a carbon tax <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" removedlink__2127650344__href="http://click.shiftwa.org/ct/19447374:20241654451:m:1:536229508:0D5A5914AAB6811FCF1201DF8610C975:r" target="_blank"><img align="right" alt="" border="0" removedimage__2127650344__src="http://click.shiftwa.org/cimages/49000b887de404a22f48ed48dd2d4356/cta-insleeincrease-email.jpg" /></a><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Something happened yesterday that we think you should be aware of. Governor Jay Inslee channeled President Obama by signing an executive order to create a carbon tax task force under the guise of lowering carbon emissions. <strong>This is Governor Inslee’s first step in implementing a carbon tax — a gas tax that could reach $1.17 per gallon.</strong> <br /><br /> David Roberts of <em>Grist </em>magazine (an environmental rag) believes Inslee will have to use executive orders to get his way, which he has just shown he is willing to do. Roberts says, "He wants to act, but he's got no Republicans in the legislature on his side, so <strong>if he gets anything done, it's going to be through executive powers.</strong>"<br /><br /> The task force Inslee just created by executive decree is filled with his political allies and industries that will financially benefit from a carbon tax. They are a bunch of second-string puppets Inslee can hide behind while acting as first-string puppet for the “green” agenda of Tom Steyer — the liberal billionaire that is pumping millions of dollars into our state to elect environmental extremists.<br />......."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial;">Calculate cost, click<a href="http://shiftwa.org/gasincrease/?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=insleeincrease"> here</a>.</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> "Together, we can make sure our family, friends and all Washingtonians are educated so Inslee doesn’t hurt us with a massive gas tax increase.<br /><br /> ..........</span><br />
<span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> We need to spread the word so that others know the burden Inslee will put on our families."<br /><br /> From the <a href="http://shiftwa.org/">Shift Team</a></span><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" removedlink__2127650344__href="http://click.shiftwa.org/ct/19447376:20241654451:m:1:536229508:0D5A5914AAB6811FCF1201DF8610C975:r" target="_blank"><span style="color: #4c1130; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img align="center" alt="" border="0" removedimage__2127650344__src="http://click.shiftwa.org/cimages/49000b887de404a22f48ed48dd2d4356/contribute-btn.png" style="margin: 0px; padding-top: 20px;" /></span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-33631483211206991812014-04-22T13:55:00.000-07:002014-04-22T13:55:00.849-07:00Earth Day 2014<h2>
<span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earth Day 2014</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span>John Kerry</span><br /><span>Secretary of State</span><span></span><span></span></span></span></div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1248303357" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">April 22, 2014</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The United States is proud to join countries around the world in celebrating the 44th annual Earth Day.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still remember participating in the very first Earth Day back in 1970. It helped to unleash a wave of grassroots activism that ultimately led to the creation of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and landmark laws like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act. This Earth Day we need to consider new ways to unleash a new wave of activism to tackle today’s long list of environmental challenges from the existential threat of climate change to the cause of the oceans.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Climate change’s impacts aren’t far off in the future – they are here and now. W<b>e're increasingly seeing events like those that scientists have long predicted.</b> Extreme droughts are hammering crop production, forcing farmers out of business and driving up grocery bills. More intense floods and storm surges are causing billions in property damage. The coasts are swiftly eroding, rendering home after home uninhabitable or uninsurable. We still have a short window of time to prevent the worst impacts of climate change, but the science tells us that window is closing.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This year’s Earth Day focus is cities, and the fact is, how the world’s cities respond to our climate change challenge will make a huge difference. Roughly 5.2 billion people are projected to live in the world’s urban communities by 2050. Building codes and electricity requirements, public transportation systems, and land management will help determine whether we meet this global challenge. The Department of State is committed to doing our part to help bring about greener cities around the world. We are working to deploy renewable energy technologies; build recycling infrastructure; safeguard wildlife, forests and wetlands; and help communities better protect their water resources.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is another issue that demands our attention this Earth Day: the state of our oceans. We can’t care for the Earth without protecting the ocean that covers nearly three-quarters of it. With global overfishing, record pollution, and ocean acidification, our oceans are in trouble. That’s why I am convening an international ocean conference at the State Department in June to leverage the shared efforts of governments, the private sector, civil society leaders, and global stakeholders.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Earth Day’s history is proof that the steadfast determination of millions is powerful enough to change the course of history. We have our own history to write together, cleaning up global communities and protecting natural resources for generations to come.</span></div>
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<br /><i><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.<br />External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-76229676324097154972014-04-22T03:23:00.001-07:002014-04-23T22:43:42.901-07:00Microsoft decision to build $1.1B data center in Iowa thanks to House Democrats’ failure to act<span style="font-size: 26pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">SENATOR JANÉA HOLMQUIST NEWBRY<u></u><u></u></span></span></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">13TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT - WASHINGTON STATE SENATE<u></u><u></u></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><a href="tel:360-786-7624" target="_blank" value="+13607867624"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">360-786-7624</span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> | </span><a href="tel:800-562-6000" target="_blank" value="+18005626000"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">800-562-6000</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"> | P.O. Box 40413 Olympia, WA 98504-0413</span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Holmquist Newbry: Microsoft decision to build $1.1B data center in Iowa thanks to House Democrats’ failure to act<u></u><u></u></span></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><b>OLYMPIA…</b> On Friday Redmond-based Microsoft announced it will build a $1.1 billion data center in West Des Moines, Iowa that will be one of the company's largest data centers in the country. The announcement to build the 1.16 million-square-foot facility came after Iowa approved granting Microsoft a $20.3 million sales tax rebate that would be available through 2021.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sen. </span><a href="http://janeaholmquistnewbry.src.wastateleg.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Janéa Holmquist Newbry</span></a><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">, one of the state’s leading advocates for job creation, called the decision to locate outside of Washington disappointing, but predictable after House Democrats failed to hold a vote on </span><a href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/billinfo/summary.aspx?bill=6550&year=2013" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Senate Bill 6550</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">, which would extend a highly successful tax incentive to technology firms willing to build data centers in Washington.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">“Sometimes it’s no fun being right,” said Holmquist Newbry, R-Moses Lake, who serves as chair of the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee. “Washington’s data center incentive is a proven economic-development tool that has benefited the entire state, but especially our rural communities. I was joined by data center developers, mayors, port developers, trade unions and others in warning that if we didn’t provide stability and predictability to this industry, other states would.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">“The decision by Microsoft to locate one of its largest facilities in Iowa is a harbinger of things to come thanks to the failure of House Democrats to act.”<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">SB 6550 would have extended the expiration date, from 2015 to 2025, on the sales-and-use tax exemption for technology companies that purchase eligible server equipment and power infrastructure for eligible computer-data centers. It also would narrow the eligibility to exclude small container servers, known as <u></u> IT<u></u>-Pacs, to help guarantee the incentive would be used primarily by employers creating new, well-paying construction, electrical and high-tech jobs. The measure passed the Senate with a broad, bipartisan vote of 35 to 13, but died in the Democrat-controlled House Finance Committee.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">According to a report in the <i>Des Moines Register</i>, the Microsoft data center project would translate to about $8 million annually in property taxes the city would collect from Microsoft once the data center is complete. The project will also create 84 direct Microsoft jobs, 66 of which must have a wage of $24.32 an hour. That wage is 120 percent of local prevailing wage.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">“Those jobs could have gone to Quincy, Yakima or Pasco,” said Holmquist Newbry. “Iowa can’t compete with Washington when it comes to our quality workers or our clean, abundant and affordable energy; the difference maker was clearly that Iowa was willing to give the industry long-term certainty on its tax burden, while House Democrats in this state refused to do the same.”<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Holmquist Newbry pointed out that Washington has been down this road before, losing out on hosting data centers for Facebook, Google and Amazon, among others, when the tax incentive was allowed to lapse in 2011. At that time, Microsoft cut back on plans for expansion in Washington and moved its servers to Texas, citing Washington’s tax burden as the main reason for the move. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong><em>Thanks to House Dems, Quincy, Pasco, Yakima lose out re Microsoft jobs, click</em></strong><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/quincy-yakima-pasco-lose-out-re-microsoft-jobs-thanks-to-house-dems"><strong><em> here</em></strong></a>.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-64436993377048995282014-04-12T02:24:00.001-07:002014-04-12T02:24:30.185-07:00Liberty Counsel Fights for Fair Play on Behalf of Christian Club<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<span style="color: black; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Ocala, FL - Liberty Counsel filed </span><a href="https://www.liberty.edu/media/9980/attachments/041114-Lake-County-FCA.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color: #7f6000;">a suit defending the constitutional rights of students</span></a><span style="color: #7f6000;"> who are members of Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Lake County, Florida. Officials of Mount Dora High School have repeatedly discriminated against the Christian, student-led club, not granting it equal access to school facilities given to other student clubs, including the following:</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Announcements in the hallways and on the school’s marquee, </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Flyers in and outside of classrooms where clubs meet, </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Club announcements over the school’s public address system, </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Club webpage on the District’s website, </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Members to wear a colored cord at graduation to signify club membership, </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Club section in the school yearbook, and </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #7f6000;">Stipend for the club’s faculty advisor. </span></span></li>
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<span style="color: #7f6000;">The federal Equal Access Act and the First Amendment prohibit discrimination against public school clubs. “Equal Access means exactly what it says – equal access to every school facility used by other clubs,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “This includes the use of classroom facilities, intercom systems, bulletin boards, yearbook, financial sponsorship, and any other benefit afforded to secular clubs.”</span></div>
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<br /><span style="color: #7f6000;">Since 1954, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes has inspired young people towards integrity, service, teamwork, and excellence. Club or “Huddle” events include Bible studies and school and community programs, such as food drives and One Way 2 Play. OW2P is a program confronting the problem of student drug use by instilling values, encouraging goal-setting, and establishing accountability through positive peer pressure.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="color: #7f6000;">“FCA is instilling community responsibility, leadership, morality, and character development in the hearts of young people. Why Mount Dora High School refuses to support this kind of club is beyond absurd,” said Staver.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="color: #7f6000; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono legal assistance and representation on these and related topics</em></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-60421239772298619732014-03-23T13:38:00.001-07:002014-03-23T13:38:18.089-07:00Is the GOP Suicidal? <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Is the GOP Suicidal? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><strong>By Matt Barber </strong> <br /><br />Leave it to the Republican Party to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While nearly every poll definitively affirms that Democrats are in deep doo-doo come November, and as leftist talking heads like Chris Matthews have already conceded a likelihood that Republicans will take the Senate in the 2014 mid-term elections, many of the GOP’s highest profile personalities obtusely refuse to take yes for an answer. They’re evidently hell-bent on disenfranchising the party’s pejoratively tagged “social issues” majority.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Stupid, stupid and stupid.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From mealy mouthed moderate establishment-types like Chris Christie, to dovish libertine libertarians like Rand Paul, it seems a majority of the GOP rock stars are scared gutless to set a single yellow-nailed pinky toe on the fevered culture war battlefield. They say it’s time to raise the white flag on traditional values.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Guys, I’m here to tell you, the “social issues” aren’t going away. But keep up this fatalistic nonsense and the GOP’s Christian-conservative base just might. Morality-minded Americans are sick of it, and we will choose fidelity to principle over surrender to ill-perceived “pragmatism” every time.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take presidential wannabe Rand Paul. This guy, who, by all appearances, was shaping up to be a thoroughbred in the 2016 primary horserace, may have just snapped a leg before the gates have even chimed open.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a recent interview with the uber-liberal online rag, Vocative.com, Paul could hardly wait to take a matchstick to the official Republican Party “social issues” platform (i.e., the sanctity of marriage, natural human sexuality and morality, ending the abortion holocaust, religious liberty, the Second Amendment and the like.)</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Said Paul:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I think that the Republican Party, in order to get bigger, will have to agree to disagree on social issues. The Republican Party is not going to give up on having quite a few people who do believe in traditional marriage. But the Republican Party also has to find a place for young people and others who don’t want to be festooned by those issues.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In other words, the Republican Party must become a wussified version of the Democratic Party.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Democrat-lite.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Rand, Rand, Rand. This is the same failed, tired, reach-out-to-the-needy-<wbr></wbr>independents strategy that brought us Presidents Dole, McCain and Romney. What is it about the GOP that has it constantly biting the hand that feeds it, while begging for a little scratch-behind-the-ear action from the fickle fingers of “independent” indifference?</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There’s an interesting aside to Paul’s Vocative.com interview. My friend and nationally syndicated talk radio host Steve Deace made an interesting point in a recent email.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Wrote Deace:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“By the way, the website that Rand Paul did the interview with when he talked about needing to agree to disagree on social issues has stories titled ‘Shame Free Guide to Hookups’ and ‘Five Questions for the Creator of Direct Your Own Porn.’</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Can you imagine if Obama, or any national Democrat figure for that matter, gave an interview on public policy to a website that produces such content? Every conservative group in the country would be decrying how this is more evidence of America’s moral decline,” said Deace.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s also evidence, frankly, of the GOP’s moral decline and loss of its historical moorings, courage and resolve to stand firm on the transcendent, non-negotiable issues of life, liberty and the natural family, marriage and human sexuality.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If the big ol’ dumb elephant continues on this ill-fated trajectory, I can guarantee that the Christian-conservative base will abandon it, as it has abandoned us. Although we’d rather take the Ronald Reagan approach and reform the party from within, I can promise you that we will, if that becomes a lost cause, form a new, principled, conservative “values voters” third party.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If that happens, Democrats will rule the roost indefinitely.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that is scary.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In his email, Deace offered some wise counsel to Rand Paul and others who are squeamish on the “social issues.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Here’s what a libertarian like Rand Paul could say,” he advised. “Until somebody can prove their definition of ‘rights’ doesn’t cost somebody they’re already God-ordained rights, the burden of proof remains. And right now we’re seeing these new ‘rights’ costing people their free speech and religious freedom rights that were established at the founding of this republic. And that’s something Americans of all persuasions on the marriage issue should be opposed to.”</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As I’ve noted before, Ronald Reagan often spoke of a “three-legged stool” that undergirds what I call “complete conservatism.” The legs symbolize a strong national defense, strong free-market principles and strong traditional social values. For the stool to remain upright, it must be supported by all three legs. If you snap off even one leg, the stool collapses under its own weight.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Why the GOP establishment seems determined to snap off the traditional social values leg, thus collapsing the entire Republican Party stool, defies all explanation.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in January I praised Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus for making several public pronouncements in defense of the “social issues”-conservative Republican Party platform in general and the unalienable rights to both life and religious liberty in particular.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Reince, you may want to have a sit-down with your party leadership and tell them to get their head in the game. If they don’t, we, the GOP base, may just decide to take our ball and go home.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understand this: We “social issues” conservatives (read: complete conservatives) will never stop playing the game. But if the Republican Party doesn’t quit moving the goalposts, we may just have to go stake out a new playing field. </span><em><br /></em><br />
<em><a href="mailto:jmattbarber@comcast.net" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Matt Barber is founder and editor-in chief of BarbWire.com. He is an author, columnist, cultural analyst and an attorney concentrating in constitutional law. Having retired as an undefeated heavyweight professional boxer, Matt has taken his fight from the ring to the culture war. (Follow Matt on Twitter: @jmattbarber).</span></a></em><span> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-83444418698278909182014-03-07T07:14:00.000-08:002014-03-07T07:14:10.048-08:00Liberty Counsel Files Brief in Support of Little Sisters of the Poor Against ObamaCare<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Liberty Counsel<br /><strong>NEWS RELEASE</strong><br />Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - </span><a href="tel:800-671-1776" target="_blank" value="+18006711776"><span style="color: #274e13;">800-671-1776</span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"> or </span><a href="mailto:Media@LC.org" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13;">Media@LC.org</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Washington, DC – </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Calling the HHS mandate “extortion,” Liberty Counsel filed an amicus brief on behalf of the Little Sisters of the Poor.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><strong><em>“Ignoring the free exercise of religion rights affirmed by the First Amendment and the reaffirmation of those rights in the Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA), the Administration has enacted regulations that compel employers to choose between their sincerely held religious beliefs and the ObamaCare abortion mandate,”</em></strong> said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Unlike the requirements of other laws regulating employee benefit programs, the mandate imposed under ObamaCare does not permit employers to discontinue offering health insurance coverage and thereby avoid the mandate and the penalties. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;">The only escape for employers is to go out of business.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><strong><em>“Subjecting employers to such extortion is antithetical to the free exercise of religion,”</em></strong> said Staver. He continued,</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><strong><em>“President Obama has never told the truth about ObamaCare in general or the abortion mandate in particular. </em></strong><strong><em>Religious freedom is not confined to church walls. Those deeply held religious beliefs are the same in the workplace as they are in the sanctuary. How terrible that President Obama is telling <a href="http://littlesistersofthepoor.org/">Little Sisters of the Poor</a> that in order to continue helping the poor and needy, they have to violate their religious belief about the sanctity of human life and kill innocent children.</em></strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono legal assistance and representation on these and related topics.</em></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-74184207374847317432014-03-07T06:47:00.003-08:002014-03-07T06:47:39.056-08:00<div align="left" style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Liberty Counsel<br /><strong>NEWS RELEASE</strong><br />Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - </span><a href="tel:800-671-1776" target="_blank" value="+18006711776"><span style="color: #274e13;">800-671-1776</span></a><span style="color: #274e13;"> or </span><a href="mailto:Media@LC.org" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13;">Media@LC.org</span></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 6, 2014</span></strong></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">Pelletiers Tell Their Story to Massachusetts Legislators </span></strong></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Boston, MA – Today the Pelletiers will meet with members of the Massachusetts Legislature to share their 13-month ordeal with the Department of Children and Families (DCF). DCF has unlawfully taken custody of their daughter, Justina, and has withheld medicine, education, and the free exercise of religion, and still refuses to give up custody. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial"," Helvetica"," sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><em>“<strong>DCF needs to return custody to Justina Pelletier’s parents and should be held accountable for the tragic abuse inflicted by this incompetent agency on the family,”</strong></em> said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. <em><strong>“Liberty Counsel will not be satisfied until DCF is completely out of the picture and full custody is returned to Justina’s parents.”</strong></em></span></span></div>
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<br /><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong><em>“Inmates in Massachusetts are entitled to regular visits, education, clergy, and medical care. Justina has been treated worse by DCF than incarcerated felons. She has a one-hour, supervised visitation per week, no education, no clergy, and abysmal medical care,”</em></strong> said Staver. <strong><em>“DCF has knowingly violated the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, because the agency has refused to provide Justina with any education for two academic years, let alone the education to which she is entitled to receive because of her learning disability. For 13 months, DCF has refused to allow any clergy to visit Justina. And on top of it all, DCF has lost track of 134 children in its custody. How can you trust a government agency that acts like this? Someone should be held accountable,”</em></strong> said Staver. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;">Liberty Counsel is working with various legislators to modify the Massachusetts law so that DCF is incapable of doing this again.</span></div>
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<br /><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: xx-small;"><em>Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono legal assistance and representation on these and related topics</em></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-24078701958662068522014-03-05T17:37:00.004-08:002014-03-07T06:56:52.004-08:00President Putin's Fiction: 10 False Claims about Ukraine<h2>
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">President Putin's Fiction: 10 False Claims about Ukraine</span></h2>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Office of the Spokesperson</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Washington, DC </span></span></div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_169875061" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">March 5, 2014</span></span></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><a href="http://imagespublicdomain.wordpress.com/tag/russia/">St. Andre’s [St. Andrew's] Church, </a></span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Kiev, Russia</span> <span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">(Ukraine) </span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">[LC-DIG-ppmsc-03822] </span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">between 1890 and 1900 </span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">As Russia spins a false narrative to justify its illegal actions in Ukraine, the world has not seen such startling Russian fiction since Dostoyevsky wrote,</span> “The formula ‘two plus two equals five’ is not without its attractions.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Below are 10 of President Vladimir Putin’s recent claims justifying Russian aggression in the Ukraine, followed by the facts that his assertions ignore or distort.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em>Russian forces in Crimea are only acting to protect Russian military assets. It is “citizens’ defense groups,” not Russian forces, who have seized infrastructure and military facilities in Crimea.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts:</strong> Strong evidence suggests that members of Russian security services are at the heart of the highly organized anti-Ukraine forces in Crimea. While these units wear uniforms without insignia, they drive vehicles with Russian military license plates and freely identify themselves as Russian security forces when asked by the international media and the Ukrainian military. Moreover, these individuals are armed with weapons not generally available to civilians.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em>Russia’s actions fall within the scope of the 1997 Friendship Treaty between Ukraine and the Russian Federation.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts:</strong> The 1997 agreement requires Russia to respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity. Russia’s military actions in Ukraine, which have given them operational control of Crimea, are in clear violation of Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">3. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em>The opposition failed to implement the February 21 agreement with former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts:</strong> The February 21 agreement laid out a plan in which the Rada, or Parliament, would pass a bill to return Ukraine to its 2004 Constitution, thus returning the country to a constitutional system centered around its parliament. Under the terms of the agreement, Yanukovych was to sign the enacting legislation within 24 hours and bring the crisis to a peaceful conclusion. Yanukovych refused to keep his end of the bargain. Instead, he packed up his home and fled, leaving behind evidence of wide-scale corruption.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 4. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em>Ukraine’s government is illegitimate. Yanukovych is still the legitimate leader of Ukraine.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts:</strong> On March 4, President Putin himself acknowledged the reality that Yanukovych “has no political future.” After Yanukovych fled Ukraine, even his own Party of Regions turned against him, voting to confirm his withdrawal from office and to support the new government. Ukraine’s new government was approved by the democratically elected Ukrainian Parliament, with 371 votes – more than an 82% majority. The interim government of Ukraine is a government of the people, which will shepherd the country toward democratic elections on <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_169875062" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">May 25th</span></span> – elections that will allow all Ukrainians to have a voice in the future of their country.</span> </blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> 5. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em> There is a humanitarian crisis and hundreds of thousands are fleeing Ukraine to Russia and seeking asylum.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts:</strong> To date, there is absolutely no evidence of a humanitarian crisis. Nor is there evidence of a flood of asylum-seekers fleeing Ukraine for Russia. International organizations on the ground have investigated by talking with Ukrainian border guards, who also refuted these claims. Independent journalists observing the border have also reported no such flood of refugees.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">6. <strong>Mr. Putin says: </strong> <em>Ethnic Russians are under threat.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts: </strong>Outside of Russian press and Russian state television, there are no credible reports of any ethnic Russians being under threat. The new Ukrainian government placed a priority on peace and reconciliation from the outset. President Oleksandr Turchynov refused to sign legislation limiting the use of the Russian language at regional level. Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers have filed petitions attesting that their communities have not experienced threats. Furthermore, since the new government was established, calm has returned to Kyiv. There has been no surge in crime, no looting, and no retribution against political opponents.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> 7. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em>Russian bases are under threat.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts: </strong>Russian military facilities were and remain secure, and the new Ukrainian government has pledged to abide by all existing international agreements, including those covering Russian bases. It is Ukrainian bases in Crimea that are under threat from Russian military action.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">8. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em>There have been mass attacks on churches and synagogues in southern and eastern Ukraine.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts: </strong>Religious leaders in the country and international religious freedom advocates active in Ukraine have said there have been no incidents of attacks on churches. All of Ukraine’s church leaders, including representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, have expressed support for the new political leadership, calling for national unity and a period of healing. Jewish groups in southern and eastern Ukraine report that they have not seen an increase in anti-Semitic incidents.</span></blockquote>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">9. <strong>Mr. Putin says:</strong> <em>Kyiv is trying to destabilize Crimea.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts: </strong>Ukraine’s interim government has acted with restraint and sought dialogue. Russian troops, on the other hand, have moved beyond their bases to seize political objectives and infrastructure in Crimea. The government in Kyiv immediately sent the former Chief of Defense to defuse the situation. Petro Poroshenko, the latest government emissary to pursue dialogue in Crimea, was prevented from entering the Crimean Rada.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">10.<strong> Mr. Putin says: </strong> <em>The Rada is under the influence of extremists or terrorists.</em><br /><br /><strong>The Facts: </strong>The Rada is the most representative institution in Ukraine. Recent legislation has passed with large majorities, including from representatives of eastern Ukraine. Far-right wing ultranationalist groups, some of which were involved in open clashes with security forces during the EuroMaidan protests, are not represented in the Rada. There is no indication that the Ukrainian government would pursue discriminatory policies; on the contrary, they have publicly stated exactly the opposite.</span></blockquote>
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<i><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.<br />External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-27686306778722785912014-02-27T14:48:00.001-08:002014-02-27T14:48:55.448-08:00Sports Diplomacy Envoys Ken Griffey, Jr. and Natasha Watley Travel to Mexico City<div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Office of the Spokesperson</span></div>
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<span class="aBn" data-term="goog_357780790" tabindex="0"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">February 27, 2014</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Major League Baseball 13-time All-Star Ken Griffey, Jr. will join Olympic softball champion Natasha Watley in Mexico City, Mexico from <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_357780791" tabindex="0">February 28 to March 4</span> as U.S. Department of State sports diplomacy envoys. Griffey and Watley will hold sports clinics for little league softball and baseball players and engage them in a dialogue on the importance of education, teamwork, and respect for diversity.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">While in Mexico City, the envoys will work with the U.S. Embassy to meet youth at the Metropolitan Autonomous University Iztapalapa. They will conduct baseball clinics for youth at Deportivo Santa Cruz Mayehualco Sports Center, and partner with Diablos Rojos, a Mexican professional baseball team, for youth outreach.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sports transcends language, economic, and social barriers, builds a strong foundation of understanding between people of different cultures, and forges life-long relationships. The Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs engages traditionally underrepresented audiences through sports diplomacy. Since 2002, more than 1,400 athletes from more than 70 countries have come to the United States to participate in sports visitor programs, and more than 250 U.S athletes have gone to more than 60 countries on <a href="http://www.eca.state.gov/programs-initiatives/sports-diplomacy/sports-envoys-and-sports-visitors/sports-and-public-diplomacy" target="_blank">sports envoy programs</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">On behalf of the State Department, Griffey has traveled to the Philippines as a Sports Envoy and participated in a Sports Visitor program featuring Iraqi youth ballplayers. Watley traveled to India as a Sports Envoy in 2013.</span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.</span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-45359352671616781842014-02-25T19:09:00.000-08:002014-02-27T14:52:09.361-08:00African American Leaders and Pastors Seek 1 Million Signatures Calling For The Impeachment of Eric Holder<strong><em><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">See press release, click </span><a href="http://caapus.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/CAAP-Press-Release-2-25-2014.pdf"><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">here</span></a><span style="color: #990000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">.</span></em></strong><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>Original article: Coalition of African American Pastors: Impeach Eric Holder!, click </em></span><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/coalition-of-african-american-pastors-impeach-eric-holder"><span style="color: #783f04; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>here.</em></span></a></span></h1>
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<strong><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“The Attorney General of the United States should be impeached over his repeated lawlessness in attempting to impose same-sex marriage throughout the nation.”</span></em></strong><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #660000;"><strong>Washington, DC</strong>— A coalition of African American civil rights leaders and pastors today said they will launch a grassroots effort seeking to secure the signatures of one million people calling for Attorney General Eric Holder to be impeached. The Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP) cited numerous instances of Holder attempting to impose same-sex ‘marriage’ throughout the nation despite federal law, rulings by the US Supreme Court, and state constitutional amendments to the contrary.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<strong>The Attorney General of the United States should be impeached over his repeated lawlessness in attempting to impose same-sex marriage throughout the nation</strong>,” said Reverend Bill Owens, CAAP Founder and President. “<strong>It’s one thing to make a political argument that gay marriage <em>should</em> be the law, but it’s quite another to take actions that ignore federal law, Supreme Court rulings, and the constitutions of dozens of states that have specifically rejected the redefinition of marriage which the administration is trying to impose.</strong>”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<strong>As much as President Obama and Attorney General Holder would like it to be otherwise, we live in a <em>democracy—</em>with government of, by, and for <em>the people</em>—not a monarchy ruled by a king issuing decrees from on high,”</strong> Reverend Owens continued. “<strong>The citizens of several states who have voted overwhelmingly to preserve marriage have had their votes voided and thrown out by radical federal judges; and the Obama administration—in particular the Justice Department—has been shamefully complicit in this attack on the rights of those voters</strong>.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">States have historically defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and the majority of states continue to do so. Thirty states have in fact enacted constitutional amendments to this effect. Furthermore, still binding federal law contained in Section II of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) provides that no state shall be required to recognize same-sex ‘marriages’ performed in other states. The US Supreme Court ruled last year in <em>Windsor v. United States</em> that the federal government must respect the role of states to define marriage.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Despite all this, Attorney General Holder has announced that the federal government will treat any ’married’ same-sex couple as legally married even in states that define marriage as solely the union of a man and a woman. Holder has directed the government to extend provisions providing same-sex couples immunity from testifying against a ‘spouse,’ treatment as ‘married’ persons in bankruptcy court, ‘spousal’ visitation rights and compassionate release in the case of federal prison inmates, and federal death benefits.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Previously, Holder supported the Obama Administration’s efforts to allow foreign gay ‘spouses’ immigration rights, attempts to pressure military chaplains to perform same-sex ceremonies, and extension of federal benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“<strong>What we have in Attorney General Holder is a man so political in his zeal to redefine marriage that he is willing to run roughshod over the rulings of the Supreme Court, binding federal law, and the United States Constitution along with the constitutions of a majority of states</strong>,” Reverend Owens said. “<strong>Yet our leaders in Washington are letting him get away with his illegal conduct and doing nothing meaningful to hold him accountable. Our campaign to gather one million signatures of citizens calling for Holder’s impeachment is intended to create a groundswell of support, giving Congressional leadership the encouragement necessary to remove this dangerous ideologue from public office.”</strong></span><br />
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<span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Owens stressed that the petition is meant for all citizens regardless of race or creed: “<strong>Marriage is an institution that benefits <em>all </em>of society; therefore every citizen has an interest in protecting marriage from these brazen attacks</strong>,” Owens said. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><i><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">**Citizens can sign the open letter to Congress at </span><a href="http://www.holderimpeachment.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">www.HolderImpeachment.com</span></a></span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>.**</strong></span></i></span></div>
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<strong><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">To schedule an interview with Rev. William Owens, Founder & President of the Coalition of African American Pastors, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130), </span></em></strong><a href="mailto:eray@crcpublicrelations.com" target="_blank" title="mailto:eray@crcpublicrelations.com"><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">eray@crcpublicrelations.com</span></em></a><strong><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, or Matille Thebolt (x143), </span></em></strong><a href="mailto:mthebolt@crcpublicrelations.com"><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">mthebolt@crcpublicrelations.com</span></em></a><strong><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">, at </span></em></strong><a href="tel:703-683-5004" target="_blank"><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">703-683-5004</span></em></a><strong><em><span style="color: #660000; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">.</span></em></strong><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/CalfpNknqK8" width="560"></iframe><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-56336488590097040252014-02-25T18:56:00.001-08:002014-02-25T18:56:31.349-08:00Enactment of Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill<h2>
<span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Enactment of <span class="il">Ugandan</span> Anti-Homosexuality Bill</span></span></h2>
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<span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Press Statement</strong></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><strong><span>John Kerry</span><br /><span>Secretary of State</span><span></span><span></span></strong></span></span></div>
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<span><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>Washington, DC</strong></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">February 24, 2014</span></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"This is a tragic day for <span class="il">Uganda</span> and for all who care about the cause of human rights. Ultimately, the only answer is repeal of this law.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The United States is deeply disappointed in the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill in <span class="il">Uganda</span>. For the four years since the bill was introduced, we have been crystal clear that it blatantly violates human rights obligations that <span class="il">Uganda</span>’s Human Rights Commission itself has recognized are enshrined in <span class="il">Uganda</span>’s Constitution.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today’s signing threatens a dangerous slide backward in <span class="il">Uganda</span>’s commitment to protecting the human rights of its people and a serious threat to the LGBT community in <span class="il">Uganda</span>.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are also deeply concerned about the law’s potential to set back public health efforts in <span class="il">Uganda</span>, including those to address HIV/AIDS, which must be conducted in a non-discriminatory manner in order to be effective.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As President Obama stated, this legislation is not just morally wrong, it complicates a valued relationship. Now that this law has been enacted, we are beginning an internal review of our relationship with the Government of <span class="il">Uganda</span> to ensure that all dimensions of our engagement, including assistance programs, uphold our anti-discrimination policies and principles and reflect our values.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From Nigeria to Russia and <span class="il">Uganda</span>, we are working globally to promote and protect the human rights of all persons. The United States will continue to stand against any efforts to marginalize, criminalize, and penalize vulnerable persons in any society."</span><br />
<em><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial; font-size: xx-small;">The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.<br />External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.</span></em></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial;"><em>See Also:</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cnn.com/2014/02/24/world/africa/uganda-homosexuality-interview/index.html"><em>Uganda president: Homosexuals are 'disgusting</em></a></span><em>'</em></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://atlantablackstar.com/2012/08/02/black-pastors-campaign-against-president-obama-over-gay-marriage/"><em>Black Pastors Campaign Against President Obama Over Gay Marriage</em></a><em> (2012)</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/feb/25/black-pastors-eric-holder-impeachment-gay-marriage/"><em>Black pastors group calls for Eric Holder impeachment over gay marriage</em></a></span><br />
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<i><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong><a href="http://youtu.be/_XAVqrqr4j4">Obama in 2004:</a></strong> </span></i><br />
<i><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><strong>OCTOBER 2004:</strong> “<strong>What I believe is that marriage is between a man and a woman</strong> … What I believe, in my faith, is that a man and a woman, when they get married, are performing something before God, and it’s not simply the two persons who are meeting,” then-U.S. Senate candidate Obama said <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XAVqrqr4j4&feature=youtu.be">in an interview with WTTW Chicago public television</a>.<br />
“That doesn’t mean that that necessarily translates into a position on public policy or with respect to civil unions. What it does mean is that we have a set of traditions in place that, I think, need to be preserved, but I also think we need to make sure that gays and lesbians have the same set of basic rights that are in place.<br />
“I don’t think marriage is a civil right,” Obama said when asked whether there’s an inherent right to marry.</span></i><div>
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</span><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/timeline-of-obamas-evolving-on-same-sex-marriage/"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2012/05/timeline-of-obamas-evolving-on-same-sex-marriage/</span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-59612519452525836482014-02-25T08:16:00.001-08:002014-02-25T08:29:41.069-08:00Alveda King Endorses American Heritage Girls<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 16pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Alveda King Endorses American Heritage Girls<u></u><u></u></span></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Faith-based program “espouses values that clearly delineate right from wrong”<u></u><u></u></span></span></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D77qzP8yWZI/UwzAaGw31jI/AAAAAAAADDw/tn95RuGAcV4/s1600/American+herigage+girls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-D77qzP8yWZI/UwzAaGw31jI/AAAAAAAADDw/tn95RuGAcV4/s1600/American+herigage+girls.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CINCINNATI, Ohio, <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_143678954" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ">Feb. 25, 2014</span></span><b></b></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">/Christian Newswire</span> /</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;">--<b></b></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alveda King, niece of civil-rights leader Dr. Martin Luther</span> King, Jr., and director of African American Outreach for Priests for Life, has endorsed </span><a href="http://www.ahgonline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">American Heritage Girls</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"> (AHG), an international faith-based character-development program for girls ages five through 18.<br /><br />King, a Christian minister, published author and pro-life activist, cited AHG’s emphasis on a Biblical worldview, traditional Christian values and critical thinking as key reasons for her endorsement. She also was impressed by the organization’s recent announcement of a Respect Life Patch, which reinforces AHG’s commitment to honoring life from conception to natural death.<br /><br /><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">“American Heritage Girls is a wonderful faith-based alternative to the Girl Scouts. It promotes a life-honoring culture, stresses the importance of service and espouses values that clearly delineate right from wrong,”</span></em> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">King said. She also writes about many of these same values in her new book, <i><a href="http://www.mardel.com/King-Rules-Ten-Truths-for-You-Your-Family-and-Our-Nation-to-Prosper-3046406.aspx">KING RULES</a></i>, a Thomas Nelson release. <br /><br />Girls in AHG participate in a wide array of badge programs, service projects, leadership opportunities and outdoor experiences. Troops representing more than 30,000 girls in 48 states can earn the Respect Life Patch by participating in an event that brings attention to respecting life or by providing a service project for an organization whose mission/purpose demonstrates a desire to respect life, such as pregnancy resource centers, pro-life groups and hospices.<br /><br /><em>“<span style="font-size: x-small;">When my Uncle M.L. spoke about his dream for a day when his children ‘will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,’ the character he had in mind was founded on the teachings of the Bible, which include respect for life. </span></em><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">With all the talk we hear today about choice, it seems that the choice of life is often overlooked and undervalued. I’m gratified that American Heritage Girls stresses the value God places on each individual and the importance of living a life that is pleasing to Him.”</span></em></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"<em>W</em></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>e are honored to have Alveda’s endorsement and support,”</em> said Patti Garibay, AHG executive director and founder. <em>“She has been a tireless advocate for the unborn and a person whose life is dedicated to glorifying God in everything she does.”</em></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Founded in 1995 in Cincinnati, Ohio, AHG currently has more than 30,000 members across the globe, with more than 720 troops in 48 states. In the past four years, it has experienced 40-50 percent membership growth annually. For additional information, visit </span><a href="http://ahgonline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">AHGonline.org</span></a><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.<br />###</span></span></div>
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also see</span>: </span></em><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/group-formed-to-counteract-liberalism-even-before-tea-party-was-underway"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><em>Group formed to counteract liberalism even before Tea Party was underway</em></span></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-55496770534960340192014-02-23T12:49:00.001-08:002014-02-23T12:49:19.889-08:00Sex-Obsessed Lefty Horrified by 'Toxic Purity Culture'<strong><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span>Sex-Obsessed Lefty Horrified by 'Toxic Purity Culture'</span></span></span></span></strong><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span><strong>By Matt Barber </strong><br /></span>Hey, gals, want to avoid being raped? Put away that Lady Smith 38. No need for pepper spray. Self-defense classes? Not necessary. The solution is simple. The best defense against rape is to just cast away your “deeply troubling” Christianity and become a secularist slut.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So goes the advice of one Katie McDonough, Salon.com assistant editor, fertile fount of millennial wisdom and – well – and whatever else.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In an article published at Salon Feb. 20 titled, “The right’s warped ‘purity’ culture: 4 ways evangelical views of sex took over America,” Ms. McDonough provides an unvarnished glimpse into the profligate mind of the postmodern “progressive.” (Yes, you read that right. Purity is warped and biblical sexual morality has taken over America.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In what amounts to little more than an anti-Christian hit piece on Patrick Henry College – or “God’s Harvard” as the evidently prone-position-prone journo pejoratively pokes – Ms. McDonough says that it’s time for American women to reject all those biblically imposed “gender complementarian” norms and do away with our “toxic purity culture” once and for all. (Because, just look around. That dang ol’ toxic purity is everywhere. What America really needs is more debauchery.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It gets better.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christianity causes rape, McDonough asserts, warning us that we suffer a “convergence of rape culture (whatever that is) and evangelical culture.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Get that? In this woman’s “progressive” mind, when the lady says, “I’m saving myself for marriage,” the bad guy hears, “Come and get it!” Still, Ms. McDonough does have this much right: It can’t be rape if you’re giving it away like peanuts on the plane.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She goes on: “While it may be tempting to draw a red line around Christian fundamentalist views on gender and sexuality to distinguish them from supposedly evolved ‘secular’ culture, there is considerable, uncomfortable overlap between the two.” (The cognitive dissonance: It hurts!)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, if I’m understanding her right – and, admittedly, Ms. McDonough’s screed is borderline coherent – what she’s essentially claiming is that, when it comes to sex, both secular America and Christian America are really just one big ball of puritanical prudery.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fairness, I suppose she could actually believe this. It’s all relative with the relativist. For the “anything goes”-type, Miley Cyrus may well be indistinguishable from the Virgin Mary. When you’re colorblind, everything looks kinda gray.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She continues: “Evangelical Christianity makes visible – through purity pledges and doctrine assigning women the role of man’s ‘helpmate’ – the norms and expectations about female virginity and subservience that so often remain hidden in the secular world.” (Ooh. Loves me some man-hate.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, get it? Purity and virginity bad. Impurity and promiscuity good. I’ll give Ms. McDonough this: She calls it like she sees it.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She goes on to make the same tired “war on women” claim we’ve heard so much of lately, warning the would-be chaste that biblical sexual morality is really “only about reproduction and male entitlement.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She then mocks columnist Susan Patton as “a joke” for “arguing in mainstream publications that women who have sex outside of marriage are setting themselves up for disaster and heartbreak.” (Yeah, and?) This is in response to Patton’s observation in a recent Wall Street Journal column that, “The grandmotherly message of yesterday is still true today: Men won’t buy the cow if the milk is free.” To which, with indignation, McDonough sneers: “This is purity culture passed off as ‘common-sense’ wisdom, which was published in a ‘serious’ and secular paper. In 2014.” (So now “secular” is synonymous with slutty?)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">McDonough’s advice? Girls, give away that milk now, ya hear! (To which the frisky-frat-boy “bro-choice” choir sings: “Amen!” Hey, “pro-choice” gals, you do know that most “pro-choice” guys only support your so-called “abortion rights” so that you’ll put out, right?)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Secular-”progressives” like McDonough have been working to deconstruct traditional sexual morality for generations. And today – more than at any point in history – they’re having success in spades. Despite her wincey whines to the contrary, Ms. McDonough knows this to be true.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so do you.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The goal is to impose – under penalty of law – the left’s own moral relativist, sexual anarchist worldview. Hence, we see a flood of unelected liberal judges, for instance, arbitrarily ramming counterfeit “gay marriage” down the throats of millions of Americans, complete with the threat that Christians either join the delusion – and pretend that sin-centered “same-sex marriage” is real and right – or suffer the consequences.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Another example is Obamacare’s despotic HHS abortion mandate that unconstitutionally requires Christian organizations to cast aside millennia-old church doctrine and get with the postmodern, pro-abort program.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The list goes on.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All of which makes McDonough’s central declaration her most ludicrous: “[O]ne point remains clear,” she proclaims. “Conservatives want to enshrine religiously defined norms about sexuality into law.”</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">No, Ms. McDonough. The only people “enshrining sexuality” into law are “progressive” social engineers like Barack Obama, Justice Anthony Kennedy and the rest of you godless lefties – hell-bent on taking the screws to America.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now that is “rape culture.”</span><br />
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<span><em><a href="mailto:jmattbarber@comcast.net" target="_blank"><span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Matt Barber is founder and editor-in chief of BarbWire.com. He is an author, columnist, cultural analyst and an attorney concentrating in constitutional law. Having retired as an undefeated heavyweight professional boxer, Matt has taken his fight from the ring to the culture war. (Follow Matt on Twitter: @jmattbarber).</span></span></a></em></span><br />
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<span><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><strong>Also see: </strong></em></span><a href="http://www.examiner.com/article/helping-teens-fight-against-hollywood-s-promiscuous-culture"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><strong>Helping teens fight against Hollywood's promiscuous culture</strong></em></span></a></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-49848693406177587182014-02-21T07:22:00.003-08:002014-02-21T07:34:32.609-08:00Knife attack kills Christian woman in southern Egypt<h1>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;">Knife attack kills Christian woman in southern Egypt<u></u><u></u></span></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">‘This is the beginning,’ marchers chant outside funeral</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">An Egyptian pharmacist has been arrested in connection with the stabbing death of a Christian woman earlier this month.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a country where anti-Christian violence is a daily occurrence, the death of Madeleine Wagih on Feb. 8 was not widely reported. It received brief mention in one of the </span><a href="http://www.christian-dogma.com/vb/showthread.php?t=640787" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">more lurid corners of Egyptian online news</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">. It was one act of violence among the many that have followed the military’s removal of former President Mohamed Morsi last summer.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Since August’s deadly clashes between pro-Morsi demonstrators and army,</span><a href="http://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/2013/09/article_2687095.html/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">scores of churches have been ransacked</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">. Kidnappings have become epidemic; Christian doctors and pharmacists are favoured targets. Christians generally are seen as having access to money, and for being supporters of the military takeover that drove the Muslim Brotherhood underground. Though the military-run interim government has outlawed the Brotherhood and rounded up its leaders, Egypt's Christian leaders complain security forces do not show the same determination to track down the arsonists, kidnappers and killers who have lashed out at Christians and their churches.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">In the case of the Madeleine Wagih’s death, the man in custody, Mahmoud Mohamed Ali Hamid, appears to be preparing to plead insanity.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Where Christian victims are concerned, that, too, is common.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">On the evening of Feb. 8, Wagih was working alone in Mahaba Pharmacy in Kom Ombo, a Nile River city of about 60,000 people in southern Egypt, famous for its ancient temple ruins, and about 270 kilometres north of the Sudan border. The pharmacy is owned by Semaan Fawzi Eskanda, a Christian.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">A man charged into the shop, brandishing a pocketknife. He stabbed Wagih in the throat, severing an artery. She bled to death quickly, said Rev. Rofael Rizk, a Coptic Orthodox priest in Kom Ombo.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Madeleine Wagih was 35.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Outside, passing by the pharmacy, was Marian Kamal Shafik. The attacker burst out of the pharmacy, and stabbed the 18-year-old in her back, near her shoulder. He yelled "You Christians deserve more than that!" then jumped into a waiting car and sped away, Rizk told World Watch Monitor.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">He said Shafik was treated at the Kom Ombo hospital and released.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Mahaba Pharmacy was the second target of the evening. Only minutes before, a few hundred metres up the street, the same attacker had entered another pharmacy, also owned by a Christian, Michael Abadeer. This time, however, there were several employees on duty, as well as neighbours who rushed to their aid, and they were able to turn the man with the knife back out into the street and into his waiting car, Rizk said.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">The funeral for Wagih was held the next evening, Feb. 9, at Mar Girgis (St. George) Church in Kom Ombo.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">"There was a march of the Muslim Brotherhood passing [in] front of the Church," Rizk said, "and they were chanting slogans against Christians, threatening Christians, and they were saying 'We are going to kill you, O Christians,' and 'This is the beginning,' and then the security forces came and dispersed them."<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At the same time, other Kom Ombo Muslims attended the funeral and denounced the violence, according to</span><a href="http://www.mcndirect.com/showsubject.aspx?id=52278#.UwU0Afk7tcY" target="_blank"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a priest quoted by MidEast Christian News</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Police arrested Hamid within a few hours after Wagih was killed. Hamid, 31, himself a pharmacist and a representative of a pharmaceutical company to medical clients, is related to Mohammed el-Omda, a former Muslim Brotherhood member of parliament now imprisoned in connection with deadly street violence following Morsi’s removal. Hamid’s father is el-Omda’s cousin, Rizk told World Watch Monitor.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">Though Hamid is licensed to dispense medicine, Rizk said Hamid’s lawyers are preparing an insanity defence.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">"The lawyers of this assailant declared to the Kom Ombo prosecution that Mohamed is mentally ill, to acquit him of this crime," Rizk said. It is an audacious argument to make, he said, given that Hamid is subject to licensing and review by the government in order to work as a pharmacist.<u></u><u></u></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;">But pleading mental incompetence is a tactic often employed when accused of crimes against Coptic Christians.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Why are perpetrators of crimes against Copts always mentally ill?" MidEast Christian News quoted a Mar Girgis priest it identified as Rev. Philopatir.</span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">©2014 World Watch Monitor<u></u><u></u></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><span lang="EN-US">World Watch Monitor</span><span lang="EN-US">exists to report the under-reported story</span><span lang="EN-US"> of Christians worldwide under pressure for their faith.</span><span lang="EN-US"></span></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Persecuted Christians Have New Allies: World Watch Monitor and Morning Star News</i></span></h2>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Compass Direct News is no more, but two new groups hope to continue its impact. Click <a href="http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2013/january-web-only/persecuted-christians-have-two-new-allies-world-watch-monit.html">here</a></i>.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-57467766465379173852014-02-20T21:58:00.000-08:002014-02-20T22:04:14.803-08:00Keeping your health insurance if you like it<span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="http://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/legislative/keeping-your-health-insurance-if-you-it">Keeping your health insurance if you like it</a></span></b></span></span><br />
<em><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #351c75;">By Dr. Roger Stark, MD, FACS<br /> WPC Health Care Policy Analyst</span></span></span></em><br />
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Background</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires that after January 1, 2014, all health insurance policies must contain 10 benefit mandates as determined by federal regulators. Because of this rule, 16 million people nationally and 290,000 in Washington state lost their existing health insurance.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> The administration realized this was a huge political problem and in November 2013, President Obama overruled this provision in the ACA. He proclaimed that people in the individual and small group markets who were facing the loss of their plans could keep their existing insurance for one additional year. He also suspended the individual mandate for one year for these people and allowed them to purchase less-expensive catastrophic plans.</span></div>
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The president’s announcement provided <strong>no relief, however, for people living in Washington state</strong>. The same day Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler announced he would not allow President Obama’s offer to be available to individuals or families in this state, and he did not allow the continuation of any existing health insurance plans.</span><br /></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> In addition, officials in Washington state currently ban citizens from buying health insurance in other states, forcing consumers to choose among a small handful of in-state insurers. The vast majority of individual health insurance policies sold in Washington are sold by only three carriers. This further limits price competition and choices for health care consumers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> Washington state officials also ban the sale of low-cost catastrophic health insurance plans.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> Legislation has been introduced, SB 6464 and HB 2221, that would allow two alternatives to the insurance commissioner’s ruling. First, people enrolled in individual and small group plans as of October 1, 2013, could continue those plans outside of the state health insurance exchange. Second, out-of-state insurance companies could offer individual and small group plans, including catastrophic plans, to residents of Washington state, as long as those plans meet the insurance laws and regulations of their home state.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Overview</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> SB 6464 and HB 2221 have the following features and requirements. These bills would:</span></div>
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<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Humanist,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.2px; margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #351c75;">Apply only to the individual and small group market.</span></span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Humanist,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.2px; margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="color: #351c75;"> Reduce costs by providing more health insurance options, including catastrophic plans, for consumers in Washington state.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Humanist,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.2px; margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="color: #351c75;"> Reduce the number of uninsured by increasing the number of insurance carriers and the number of policies available in Washington state.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Humanist,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.2px; margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="color: #351c75;"> Allow people to keep their existing insurance plans if they like them.</span></li>
<li style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",Humanist,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 16.2px; margin: 1em 0px;"><span style="color: #351c75;"> Be in compliance with the president’s unilateral changes to the Affordable Care Act.</span></li>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Policy Analysis</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> Ideally, to reduce costs and increase choice and the quality of health services, patients, as consumers of health care, should have as many insurance options as possible available to them. Federal regulators, through the ACA, and state regulators, through the insurance commissioner’s office, have severely restricted the choices Washington state patients have in the health insurance market. SB 6464 and HB 2221 would expand the choices for Washington state health care consumers.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> The proposals would revitalize the in-state insurance market by increasing the number of insurance plans and the number of insurance companies allowed to do business in Washington state. Individuals and small groups could tailor their health insurance to their specific needs and budgets. Price competition among more insurers would likely lower costs and improve coverage options for consumers, as it does in multi-state markets for other types of insurance.</span></div>
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<strong><span style="color: #351c75;">Conclusion</span></strong></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75;"> These bills have the potential to significantly reduce the number of uninsured in Washington state through the availability of more affordable health insurance plans. As public policy, the bills show respect for Washington residents by expanding the ability of families and individuals to make their own choices about where to buy health coverage and how much they want to pay. The Washington Policy Center has long been a supporter of legalizing the interstate purchase of health insurance. This is good public policy and would benefit health care users in Washington state.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Washington Policy Center</strong></span><br /><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Improving lives through market solutions</em></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Seattle: </span><a href="tel:206.937.9691" target="_blank" value="+12069379691"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">206.937.9691</span></a></strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"> • <strong>Olympia: <a href="tel:360.705.6543" target="_blank" value="+13607056543">360.705.6543</a></strong> • <strong>Spokane: <a href="tel:509.570.2384" target="_blank" value="+15095702384">509.570.2384</a> </strong></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11.81px;">• </span><strong style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11.81px;">Pasco: <a href="tel:509.547.2234" target="_blank" value="+15095472234">509.547.2234</a></strong><br /><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong> </strong><a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=100843742&msgid=637870&act=YAUV&c=597882&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpolicy.org" target="_blank">www.washingtonpolicy.org</a> | <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=100843742&msgid=637870&act=YAUV&c=597882&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.WashingtonVotes.org" target="_blank">www.WashingtonVotes.org</a> | <a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=100843742&msgid=637870&act=YAUV&c=597882&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpolicyblog.org" target="_blank">www.washingtonpolicyblog.org</a></span></span></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-52481123418623477882014-02-18T21:39:00.005-08:002014-02-18T21:39:44.921-08:00Affordable Care Act is not a "success" for people in Washington <span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-size: 20px;"><b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">Affordable Care Act is not a "success" for people in Washington </span></b></span> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">By Dr. Roger Stark<br /> WPC Health Policy Analyst</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The Affordable Care Act in Washington state is not a “success” in the Evergreen State, as state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is trying to claim. Commissioner Kreidler recently issued a news release saying the controversial Obamacare program is an enormous success in the state. The Commissioner’s office says more than 323,000 people have signed up for Obamacare in Washington.</span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The great majority of those who “signed up,” however, were automatically enrolled in the state’s tax-funded Medicaid entitlement program; they did not gain access to affordable private coverage through the state exchange – the primary goal of Obamacare.</span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">By claiming Obamacare as an unqualified success, the Commissioner is trying to get us to calmly accept the implementation of a massive, error-prone law people have resisted since it was driven through Congress on a party-line vote nearly four years ago.</span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Commissioner Kreidler, an ardent and early booster of the Affordable Care Act, appears insensitive to the real pain felt by thousands of people who lost their health coverage because of Obamacare, including, in many cases, access to their doctors. The insurance commissioner has staked his public reputation on trying to make the unpopular Obamacare law work.</span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">A close look shows the numbers released by the commissioner’s office statements are misleading at best. Among the facts the commissioner isn’t sharing with the public:</span></span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">290,000 Washingtonians have lost their health care coverage because of Obamacare;</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In 2014 and 2015, thousands of Washington workers are expected to receive cancellation notices, as Obamacare’s employer mandate causes companies to drop health coverage for employees;</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">State officials don’t know how many of the people who have lost their health coverage are included in the 323,000 they claim have newly enrolled;</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">82% of new enrollees signed up for Medicaid, which is covered 100% by taxpayers;</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">If 290,000 have lost their coverage because of Obamacare and 323,000 have signed up, the net gain is just 33,000;</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">In a harsh November ruling, Commissioner Kreidler barred thousands of Washington residents from keeping insurance plans that they liked.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">The legislation isn’t working for Washingtonians as promised, even as high-ranking state officials say it is. In his latest State of the Union address, President Obama said more than nine million people had signed up for health insurance as part of the ACA. Much like Insurance Commissioner Kreidler’s claims, independent fact-checkers soon found the President’s statistics were inaccurate.</span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"></span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Thousands of Washingtonians have lost health coverage they liked because of Obamacare. As a public official, the Insurance Commissioner should report the real and harmful effects the health care law is having on the people of our state.</span></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">Most Americans oppose the Affordable Care Act, and with good reason. A new approach is needed; one that expands consumer choices, reduces costs, increases competition and lets consumers shop for coverage across state lines. It is the adoption of practical, commonsense policies like these, not expanded government control, that will improve access to affordable health care for everyone.</span></span></span><br />
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<br /><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #0c343d;">**Nothing here should be construed as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any legislation before any legislative body.</span></em></div>
<span style="color: #0c343d;"> </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong>Washington Policy Center</strong></span><br /><em style="font-family: "trebuchet ms",helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">Improving lives through market solutions</em></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms,helvetica,sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #0c343d;">Seattle: </span><a href="tel:206.937.9691" target="_blank" value="+12069379691"><span style="color: #0c343d;">206.937.9691</span></a></strong><span style="color: #0c343d;"> • <strong>Olympia: <a href="tel:360.705.9068" target="_blank" value="+13607059068">360.705.9068</a></strong> • </span><strong><span style="color: #0c343d;">Eastern WA: </span><a href="tel:509.570.2384" target="_blank" value="+15095702384"><span style="color: #0c343d;">509.570.2384</span></a></strong><a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=100843742&msgid=637673&act=YAUV&c=597882&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpolicy.org" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0c343d;">www.washingtonpolicy.org</span></a><span style="color: #0c343d;"> | </span><a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=100843742&msgid=637673&act=YAUV&c=597882&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.WashingtonVotes.org" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0c343d;">www.WashingtonVotes.org</span></a><span style="color: #0c343d;"> | </span><a href="http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=100843742&msgid=637673&act=YAUV&c=597882&destination=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonpolicyblog.org" target="_blank"><span style="color: #0c343d;">www.washingtonpolicyblog.org</span></a></span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3140692230467937517.post-27333141412569119882014-02-16T07:45:00.001-08:002014-02-16T07:45:26.176-08:00Cutting Free the Totalitarian Left's 'BarbWire' <span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span>Cutting Free the Totalitarian Left's 'BarbWire'</span> </span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>By Matt Barber </strong> <br /><br /><br />This past week I, along with a group of fellow Christians, embarked on a new venture. In partnership with Liberty Alliance, LLC – the No. 1 ranked conservative media conglomerate, according to Inc. Magazine – launched </span><a href="http://www.benchmarkemail.com/c/l?u=32F7CBE&e=42BF54&c=1F932&t=0&l=1F2CB47&email=bWkPKf%2FFCRmLm4tS6dIuJ5v2PY6dJkjneeWRGMtRs94%3D" target="_blank"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BarbWire.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">.</span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Literally within minutes of the wire going live, the sin-obsessed left swooped in like a swarm of hate-filled locusts (more on that below).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I will, of course, continue my regular weekly exclusive column at WND, but I’m pretty excited about this new endeavor as well.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BarbWire’s “about” page explains our mission:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">BarbWire.com is a motley mix of breaking news, intelligent cultural analysis, political pontification and cutting-edge opinion – all fueled by the Word of Life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’re comfortable under deception, prepare to be made uncomfortable. We’re cutting free the totalitarian left’s barbwire.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Relativists beware: Truth told here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It never ceases to amaze me how the self-described champions of “tolerance” and “diversity” always prove to be the most intolerant and hateful among us. With BarbWire just a few hours old, we immediately began getting fan mail from the ever-”tolerant” left.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Take this hate mail from “Liberty Columbia,” warning me to prepare for execution. It was emailed via the BarbWire contact page on Monday, Feb. 10:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You are going to be legally tried in a court of law and sentenced to hang for your crimes against humanity Matt Barber (sic) and when that is done (and it will be done) the world will be a safer and better place having rid itself from a mentally diseased, waste of life, rabid barbarian Nazi whore like you.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Warm fuzzy.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Brave talk from this man, woman or some-combination-thereof. Note that he/she/he-she doesn’t even have the guts to give a real name.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Indeed, there are many on the left who, like “Columbia,” would love to see me and every other Bible-believing Christian fired, jailed or even executed. We’re not there yet, but anti-Christian hate is growing in popularity both at home and abroad.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In fact, BarbWire contributor and pastor Scott Lively is actually on trial right here in the good old USA – home of the “free” and land of the brave – for speaking on foreign soil, and sharing with the love of Christ, the biblical truth about homosexual sin. The charge? You guessed it: “Crimes against humanity.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The trial is a bizarre cross between an Orwellian star chamber and a clownish kangaroo court. The “case” was brought by a George Soros-funded “civil rights” group and is built on a convoluted misapplication of the Alien Tort Statute (ATS). This is a tactic the left has employed in the past in a growing effort to get around the First Amendment and silence dissent. The Supreme Court has already put a halt to these pseudo-legal shenanigans in Kiobel v. Royal Dutch Petroleum.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously, the case is a joke. It will eventually be tossed, but in the meantime, the damage is done. Lively is smeared internationally and made to fight it out in court. It’s highly possible that I – along with other high-profile and outspoken Christ followers – will soon find ourselves suffering a same or similar fate.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So be it.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus tells us: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. …” (John 15:18-20)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For Christians, those times when the right people call us the wrong things are among those times we should “rejoice in our sufferings.” Believers – who are unashamed of the gospel and bold enough to speak biblical truth to a world that loves darkness – should expect such persecution. It’s Heaven’s price of admission.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For the time being, at least, it will be our policy at BarbWire to allow the lost – angry leftists who visit the site – to spew their vile hate (barring outright profanity). Nothing demonstrates “progressive” hate and anger like letting them demonstrate it themselves. It’s a fantastic educational tool and is quite instructive.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me, it’s also rather entertaining.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A friendly BarbWire commenter figured this out while wading through the stench of vile hate, abject lies and childish insults posted in the comments section of Scott Lively’s first BarbWire column. Commenter “partiZancratic” wrote, “I see what Matt is doing. Letting these lowlifes ‘express’ themselves in their usual manner. Shootings and hangings so far. Anything else?”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Zancratic” is right.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can check it out yourself, but here are just a few loving morsels from BarbWire’s inaugural day: </span></span><br />
<span></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span></span><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“And you deserve to hang at the neck with them and you will.”</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You are all going to hang at the neck you Nazi maggot.”</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“[You] should be thrown in prison.”</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I do not want you to hang but you do need to be placed in a mental hospital.” (Well that’s sweet).</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Ok, we’ll stop the mafia-style death threats and move on to hanging you … which you deserve.”</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“You deserve a bullet to your head you mentally diseased rabid barbarian.”</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“So you must be either a bisexual or (more likely) a closeted, self-loathing homosexual.” (This is a favorite ploy of the homosexualists. Project onto others their own perverted fantasies).</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Commenters mocked their Creator by calling Him “Jeebus.”</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“… Matt Barbaric who cheers and calls for the rape, torture, beating, imprisonment/encampment, silencing, and murder of LGBT people just for breathing.” (Too absurd to even comment on).</span></span></li>
<li><span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christians “want gays dead.” (Another absurdity).</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You get the point.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Christian commenter Natalie got the point, too. She had a message for Scott Lively: “You nailed it, Lively. No wonder why the love and tolerance gang are up and arms (sic) over this article! Keep telling the truth. God bless you.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And God bless you, Natalie.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Please pray for all of BarbWire’s new “progressive,” homosexualist and anti-Christian fans. God designed them each to know right from wrong. I can’t imagine the struggle they’re going through. Warring with God must be an incredibly exhausting endeavor.</span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This much we know. It’s a futile one. And it won’t end well for those who refuse to surrender to Him. </span></span><br />
<span><em><a href="mailto:jmattbarber@comcast.net" target="_blank"><span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Matt Barber is founder and editor-in chief of BarbWire.com. He is an author, columnist, cultural analyst and an attorney concentrating in constitutional law. Having retired as an undefeated heavyweight professional boxer, Matt has taken his fight from the ring to the culture war. (Follow Matt on Twitter: @jmattbarber).</span></span></a></em> </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0