Religion & Law

Pro-Life Billboard on Black Abortions Causes Outrage in NYC

Posted on February 23, 2011
LifeNews: A new billboard in New York City is causing outrage from abortion advocates upset by the message: ?The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb.?

Same sex ?marriage? proponents ask 9th Circuit to lift stay on marriage licenses

Posted on February 23, 2011
"Gay marriage supporters asked a federal appeals court on Wednesday to allow an order lifting California's gay marriage ban to take effect right away, according to a court filing."

Canada?s Carleton University sued for blocking pro-life expression, arresting students

Posted on February 23, 2011
An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney representing members of a pro-life student group filed suit against Carleton University Friday for repeatedly blocking the group from expressing its views on campus while allowing other student groups to express themselves freely.

Catholics defend Cathedral of Lima against ?gay provocation? with prayer

Posted on February 23, 2011
Catholic Culture: "On Saturday, Feb. 19, hundreds of Peruvian Catholics gathered at the entrance to the Cathedral of Lima to pray a Rosary for Peace in response to a ?Kiss-in Against Homophobia? organized by a small group of homosexuals and lesbians just a few yards away from the church...

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NC Senate Bill calls for statewide referendum on marriage amendment

Posted on February 23, 2011
Daily Comet: "S106, to call for a November 2012 statewide referendum to amend the North Carolina Constitution to make clear marriage between a man and a woman is the only domestic legal union recognized in the state. Sponsors: Sens. Jim Forrester, R-Gaston; Jerry Tillman, R-Randolph, and Dan Soucek, R-Watauga...

Wyoming House marriage bill differs from the Senate

Posted on February 23, 2011
"The House version of the bill would specify that Wyoming wouldn't recognize same-sex civil unions performed in other states."

Iowa: District Judge Gives Lecture About Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Posted on February 23, 2011
KCAUTV.com (includes video): "Three years ago judge Robert Hanson of Des Moines ruled in favor of six same?sex couples who were refused marriage licenses, a ruling that was upheld unanimously by the Iowa Supreme Court and also led to some big changes in the court...

Bill to redefine marriage advances in Maryland Senate on 25-22 vote

Posted on February 23, 2011
"The Maryland Senate on Wednesday advanced the same-sex marriage bill on a preliminary vote of 25 to 22. A final Senate vote on the measure, which is likely to mirror the preliminary vote, has been scheduled for Thursday."

Obama Administration declares part of Federal DOMA unconstitutional, won?t defend

Posted on February 23, 2011
"President Obama instructed the Department of Justice to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act, saying that parts of the law are unconstitutional."

Jim Campbell on the Bott Radio Network: Marriage case at the Cal. Supreme Court

Posted on February 23, 2011
ADF attorney Jim Campbell appeared on the Bott Radio Network to discuss the Prop 8. litigation. | MP3 audio 27:16 mins

Rebecca Hagelin: Culture Challenge of the Week: Stifling the Voice of Conscience

Posted on February 23, 2011
Rebecca Hagelin writes at Townhall: "It?s been brewing for a while, but now it?s official. Last week, the Obama Administration jettisoned a Bush-era regulation that protected the conscience rights of health care workers, replacing it with a stripped-down version...

Justices Weigh 10th Amendment

Posted on February 23, 2011
Jess Bravin writes at the Wall Street Journal: "The Supreme Court seemed ready Tuesday to hand criminal defendants a new weapon against federal prosecutors, allowing them to contend they were charged under laws that usurp authority the Constitution reserves for state governments...

Virginia Dems see president as best chance to coax Kaine into Senate bid

Posted on February 23, 2011
The Hill: "Virginia Democrats believe Tim Kaine is their best hope for holding on to their state?s Senate seat, and they see President Obama as the one person who can deliver their dream candidate."

Heroes lead effort to repeal DADT

Posted on February 23, 2011
Rees Lloyd writes at World Net Daily: "A joint statement of two of America's greatest living military heroes ? Adm.l Jeremiah A. Denton (USN, ret.), a POW for seven years, seven months in Vietnam, and Maj. Gen. Patrick H. Brady (USA, ret.), Medal of Honor recipient ? calling for the 112th Congress to reinstate the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which was repealed in a rush by the lame-duck session of the Pelosi-Reid-Obama 111th Congress, has sparked a strong and growing response...

David French: Exhausting the Enemy

Posted on February 23, 2011
David French writes at National Review Phi Beta Cons: "Fick and Nagl are correct that we can?t just kill our way to victory, but many casual observers of the war don?t comprehend the psychology of warfare. Fick and Nagl do. They understand the profound impact of continual losses on the human psyche and the emotional devastation of death without victory...

On Matters of Conscience

Posted on February 23, 2011
Ed Whelan writes at National Review: "And in a lengthy article available here?titled ?The Constitutional Right to Refuse: Roe, Casey, and the Fourteenth Amendment Rights of Healthcare Providers??law professor Mark Rienzi argues that the Court?s 14th Amendment jurisprudence supports recognition of a constitutional right of health-care providers not to participate in abortion...

The Federal Reserve Is Causing Turmoil Abroad ? Rising Food Prices

Posted on February 23, 2011
"Few protesters in the Middle East connect rising food prices to U.S. monetary policy. But central bankers do."

Do Graduates of Elite Universities Earn More?

Posted on February 23, 2011
NCPA Policy Digest: "A decade ago, two economists -- Stacy Dale and Alan Krueger -- published a research paper arguing that elite colleges did not seem to give most graduates an earnings boost. Ms. Dale and Mr. Krueger have just finished a new version of the study and the new version comes to the same conclusion, says the New York Times...

DC District Court Upholds Health Care Reform? No Commerce Clause or Free Exercise Problems

Posted on February 23, 2011
Religion Clause Blog: "In Mead v. Holder, (D DC, Feb. 22, 2011), the district court for the District of Columbia rejected a challenge brought by individuals who object to the mandate to purchase health insurance imposed by the new law-- including objecting on religious grounds ...

ACLU and CAIR accuse FBI of violating Muslims? rights at Cal. mosque

Posted on February 23, 2011
AP: "Two civil liberties groups have sued the FBI, claiming that one of the agency's former informants was ordered to target Muslims for surveillance when he infiltrated a California mosque."

Heritage Foundation: Government Unions vs American Taxpayers

Posted on February 23, 2011
Heritage Foundation Morning Bell: "Walker is right: Government unions are inherently different from private-sector unions. The purpose of private-sector unions is to get workers a larger share of the profits they helped create. But government is a monopoly and earns no profits...

Coptic Christian priest killed in southern Egypt

Posted on February 23, 2011
AP: He says neighbors reported seeing several masked men leaving the apartment and shouting "Allahu akbar," or "God is great," suggesting the killing was motivated by the divide between Egypt's Muslims and its minority Coptic community.

Wis. Democrats filibuster to delay anti-union bill

Posted on February 23, 2011
AP: "Democrats kept the Wisconsin Assembly up overnight with a droning filibuster in another desperate attempt to block the Republican governor's bold plan to strip public sector workers of nearly all of their bargaining rights."

RI: Providence plans to pink slip all teachers

Posted on February 23, 2011
Providence Journal: "The school district plans to send out dismissal notices to every one of its 1,926 teachers, an unprecedented move that has union leaders up in arms."

Pro-Life Protesters Arrested Outside Boehner?s Office

Posted on February 23, 2011
Fox News: "Six followers of anti-abortion activist Randall Terry were arrested Wednesday outside the office of House Speaker John Boehner. The protesters were demanding that Boehner, himself a staunch opponent of abortion, not give in to the Senate on the issue of defunding Planned Parenthood...

Debate begins on expanding charter schools in Mo.

Posted on February 23, 2011
STL Today: "Groups representing teachers, administrators and school boards lined up today to oppose a bill that would allow charter schools to be established statewide."

Wisconsin Teachers Earned Average $75,587 in Total Compensation in 2010

Posted on February 23, 2011
CNSNews: "Public school teachers in Wisconsin earned a combined $75,587 in total average compensation ? wages and benefits ? in 2010, according to figures from the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI)."

WI: Lawsuit threatened over Christian display in Cheboygan Co.

Posted on February 23, 2011
UpNorthLive: "The county drain commissioner is being threatened with a lawsuit by the Freedom from Religion Foundation based out of Wisconsin. Dennis Lennox received a letter from the organization saying he needs to remove a cross and nativity scene from his office because it's illegal and inappropriate...

The Executive Power Grab in the Decision Not to Defend DOMA

Posted on February 23, 2011
Orin Kerr writes at the Volokh Conspiracy: "By taking that position, the Obama Administration has moved the goalposts of the usual role of the Executive branch in defending statutes. Instead of requiring DOJ to defend the constitutionality of all federal statutes if it has a reasonable basis to do so, the new approach invests within DOJ a power to conduct an independent constitutional review of the issues, to decide the main issues in the case ? in this case, the degree of scrutiny for gay rights issues ? and then, upon deciding the main issue, to decide if there is a reasonable basis for arguing the other side...

RI: Cranston school board votes to keep ?prayer?

Posted on February 23, 2011
ABC6.com: "A subcommittee of the Cranston school board has voted to keep a prayer banner on public display at Cranston West High School despite claims by some that it violates the constitutional principle of separation of church and state."

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