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News
Commonwealth Update - 5.20.10
Thursday May 20, 2010 - 02:07 AM
Inside this issue: "Bathroom Bill" still stalled in Judiciary; My latest MFI:60 video is up; Inspiration Weekend coming to Martha's Vineyard; MA Catholic school defends denial of lesbian couples' son; A vote for Elena Kagan is a vote for gay marriage.
 
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"Bathroom Bill" still stalled in Judiciary
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As expected, the Judiciary Committee failed to act on any of the hundreds of bills that are still pending action, including the “Bathroom Bill.” We have heard that action has been delayed indefinitely.
We would like to say this is a good sign, but the Legislature is a place that doesn’t always do things “by the book.” We will continue to be in contact with our friendly legislators to follow the progress, if there is any, of the “Bathroom Bill.”
The most important thing for you to do right now, as an opponent of this radical legislation, is to consider writing a letter to the editor of your local newspaper informing your fellow citizens about the flawed “Bathroom Bill” that has been proposed on Beacon Hill. You can use some of the points highlighted by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette in their excellent editorial against the bill. CLICK HERE to read it.
For more on the Catholic Church’s stance against the bill, read this article in the Boston Pilot.
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My latest MFI:60 video is up
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I just returned from a trip overseas, and have recorded a new MFI:60, this time about the continuing debate over casinos and expanded gambling in Massachusetts. I point out that the House is chasing after fool’s gold since they authorized casinos and slot machines without the benefit of a truly independent study of the pros and cons.
Please watch the video, forward the link to friends, and take some time to contact your state senator and Senate President Therese Murray on this critically important issue.
TAKE ACTION NOW: Click Here to send your emails.
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Inspiration Weekend coming to Martha's Vineyard
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On June 4-9, 2010, at the Tabernacle at Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard, a five-day, open-air inspirational event will take place. During the Second Great Awakening of 1800 to 1850, this Martha’s Vineyard site had the biggest revival camp meetings in the nation. If ever there was a need for another Great Awakening, it is now and by God’s amazing grace, it can be again! The Vineyard event features five days of teaching by Dr. Charles Stanley who has a long tradition of stirring revival fires from the Word of God. The event also features uplifting entertainment from American Idol finalist Mandisa, the legendary Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder, GRAMMY-nominated artists Avalon, chart-topping soloist Mara Getz, historian David Barton, and husband-and-wife comedy team Squire Rushnell and Louise DuArt. Guaranteed seating for the entire five-day event is $75, while one night is just $20. You can find out more and register online HERE or by phone by calling 1-800-INTOUCH.
The event was profiled on CBNtv this week. Click Here to watch this segment.
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MA Catholic school defends denial of lesbian couples' son
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A Roman Catholic school has withdrawn its acceptance of an 8-year-old boy with lesbian parents, saying their relationship was “in discord” with church teachings, according to one of the boys’ mothers. The boy was accepted into St. Paul Elementary School in Hingham in the fall, but the acceptance was rescinded during a conference call between the woman, Principal Cynthia Duggan and the parish priest, the Rev. James Rafferty. Instead of defending the school’s decision, the Archdiocese of Boston said that it does not have a policy prohibiting the children of same-sex couples from attending its schools. Cardinal Sean O’Malley had this to say on his blog:
As you might know, St. Paul School in Hingham has been at the center of a matter that was widely reported on recently, involving a child of same sex parents who wanted their child to attend the school. One of the very unfortunate results of the public reporting on the issue was undue criticism of Father James Rafferty who is pastor at St. Paul Parish, and who I consider one of our finest pastors. He made a decision about the admission of the child to St. Paul School based on his pastoral concern for the child. I can attest personally that Father Rafferty would never exclude a child to sanction the child’s parents. After consulting with the school principal, exercising his rights as pastor, he made a decision based on an assessment of what he felt would be in the best interest of the child. I have great admiration for Fr. Rafferty; he has my full confidence and support. (Read his whole blog on this issue HERE.)
In a letter to the Boston Globe published today, Gail Besse, a resident of the neighboring town of Hull, said: “The media have distorted this situation into a one-sided circus of sound bites. It’s a bishop’s responsibility to teach. Both Catholics and non-Catholics need to understand why Rafferty’s decision was a caring pastoral one…To place the child in a Catholic school would put the child, the teachers and the other students in a no-win situation…Rafferty made a decision that took courage and spared the child. O’Malley should back up this faithful pastor and publicly explain church teachings if our freedom of speech and religion are not to be crippled further.” (Besse’s full letter can be read HERE.)
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A vote for Elena Kagan is a vote for gay marriage.
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The following is an excerpt from an email sent by National Orgaization for Marriage president Brian Brown on the Kagan nomination:
Don't let the Supreme Court take away our right to vote for marriage!
Politico, The Hill, and the Baptist Press picked up the story. The Alliance Defense Fund sent out an alert relaying our press release to thousands more.
We at NOM acted quickly because we spotted a campaign of misinformation developing suggesting that Kagan opposed a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
The Big Lie serves a purpose, though: It tells you that behind the scenes, the politicians understand that they have to act quietly and secretly if they want to impose gay marriage. To bring out the truth is, in the eyes of the mainstream media, to commit a weird faux pas, and they are trying to distract attention from the truth--she will vote to impose gay marriage--by focusing on Kagan's personal life.
Let me be clear: Of course we are by now aware of the swirling rumors about Kagan's orientation, but we don't know anything about that, and it has nothing to do with why NOM opposes Kagan's nomination. When the Wall Street Journal published a front-page photo of a younger Kagan playing softball, we thought it was a nice photo that suggested it was Kagan's turn in the limelight, that she was "up at bat." (Sometimes I think the gay world imagines that the rest of us follow their culture more closely than many of us do. To me, softball is a nice sport for a girl, a tea-bag is something you put in a pot of tea and I don't really want to learn anything different.)
Why are we so certain about Kagan's vote? Three main reasons.
First, she is the number two official at the Justice Department, and the Justice Department (in a high-profile DOMA case in response to a letter by Human Rights Campaign head Joe Solmonese) filed a brief specifically repudiating the main purpose of marriage.
In your name, the Justice Department on August 17, 2009 said: "[T]he government does not contend that there are legitimate government interests in 'creating a legal structure that promotes the raising of children by both of their biological parents' or that the government's interest in 'responsible procreation' justifies Congress' decision to define marriage as a union between one man and one woman." The Justice Department baldly stated--again in your name!--"[T]he United States does not believe that DOMA is rationally related to any legitimate government interests in procreation and child-rearing."
The second reason is the extreme nature of her vision of what gay equality requires. This is public record. It is one thing to oppose Don't Ask Don't Tell. It is quite another thing to tell the military that it will not be permitted to recruit at Harvard Law School so long as it obeys federal law. The military protects us all, including gay and lesbian people at Harvard. Here's what we know for certain: As Dean of Harvard Law School, Kagan was an active supporter of a policy to reduce--to the limited extent she could--the effectiveness of the military's recruitment effort, as a "discriminatory" organization. That's an extreme commitment to what "equality" requires which suggests swallowing the idea that there's a right to gay marriage will be pretty small potatoes for Kagan.
The third reason we are so confident a vote for Kagan is a vote to impose gay marriage is that Joe Solmonese of the Human Rights Campaign believes it. His press release praising her nomination specifically mentions the "marriage equality" case coming up before the court and is thus clearly intended to reassure LGBT voters that a vote for Kagan will be a vote for imposing gay marriage on all 50 states. Believe me, Joe knows Elena Kagan a lot better than I do. If he knows enough to promise his folks that a Justice Kagan will be good for "marriage equality" that's pretty powerful testimony, especially on top of her public record.
We've gotten some criticism for taking this strong stand early. But hey Joe, if we are wrong, come out and say it: Tell your people, "I really have no idea if Kagan will vote for gay marriage, but I'm supporting her strongly anyway, and urging the whole LGBTQ community to support her too." Ain't going to happen.
His full letter can be read HERE.
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