Religion & Law

2009: A critical year for protecting children from online exploitation

Posted on February 12, 2009
The crisis for our youth at this time in our history threatens a generation of internet-savvy minors. Reported instances of suspected online child sexual exploitation continue every year, surpassing 500,000 such events in 2007. Child pornography is a multi-billion-dollar industry, appearing in many media, including on computers and cellular phones, items used regularly by a majority of youth...

Kentucky Attorney General Conway & Rep. Bell promote cybersafety legislation

Posted on February 12, 2009
Attorney General Jack Conway and Representative Johnny Bell of Glasgow today outlined legislation that will help keep Kentucky families safe by strengthening laws to protect children from Internet predators.

Texas man indicted for distribution and possession of child pornography

Posted on February 12, 2009
A federal grand jury indicted a 21-year-old Conroe-area man for distributing and possessing child pornography, according to a press release issued Tuesday by U.S. Attorney Tim Johnson.

Ireland: Children can see hardcore porn on their iPhones

Posted on February 12, 2009
Children can access hardcore pornography on some mobile phones, Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay has warned.

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Missouri: County library labels teen books with sexual content

Posted on February 12, 2009
"I think it is a step in the right direction, but depending on how they implement it will determine whether or not we're satisfied," said Carl Hendrickson, director of CAP. "Until they actually put out some type of information to parents to understand what "high school" means, and they actually make some review of books as they come in to determination whether they belong in a section for high school students or whether they belong in a section for younger teens...

Ken Starr gives Prop 8 argument preview

Posted on February 10, 2009
Perhaps giving a preview of what he will argue before the California Supreme Court next month, Kenneth Starr said Feb. 10 that the constitutionality of Proposition 8 turns less on the issue of "gay marriage" and more on the issue of whether the state's citizens have the power to overturn even controversial court rulings.

Boehner Statement on Senate Passage of Democrats? Trillion-Dollar Spending Bill

Posted on February 10, 2009
House Republican Leader John Boehner has issued this statement regarding passage of the spending bill. Visit Site » Share This

Colorado: Strip club manager stabbed

Posted on February 10, 2009
Colorado Springs Gazette: “An unruly customer reportedly stabbed the bar manager at Baby Dolls Sunday night just before 10 p.m., Colorado Springs police said . . . “ Visit Site » Share This

Texas: 2 Injured in shooting outside Arlington strip club

Posted on February 10, 2009
MSNBC.com: “Arlington police said two people were shot outside a strip club early Sunday morning. Investigators said the shooting occurred just before 3:30 a.m. in the 700 block of North Watson Road . . . “ Visit Site » Share This

3 Republican Senators could determine nation?s fate for generations

Posted on February 10, 2009
Republican Sens. Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine and Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania broke ranks to cast their votes to advance the bill . . .

NJ town: Permit required to exercise free speech

Posted on February 10, 2009
Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund have filed suit in federal court on behalf of a New Jersey Christian man told he could not distribute literature on a public sidewalk without a permit.

11 States Consider Requiring Ultrasound before Abortion

Posted on February 10, 2009
The AP: Abortion foes have a new tactic: The hope that women can’t look away . . . Lawmakers in 11 states are considering bills that would offer or require ultrasounds before a woman gets an abortion. The most stringent are proposed laws in Nebraska, Indiana and Texas, which would require a doctor show the ultrasound image [...

Senator Boxer To Call for Swift Action on U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child

Posted on February 10, 2009
Denise Burke writes at the Americans U. for Life Blog: Recently, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) promised to call on Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the U.S. State Department to complete its review of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of the Child and to send it to the Senate for ratification within 60 days ...

Pennsylvania: ACLU rep to attend Waynesboro school board meeting

Posted on February 10, 2009
The Herald-Mail: “A representative of the American Civil Liberties Union plans to attend tonight’s Waynesboro Area School Board meeting in support of a Gay-Straight Alliance forming at the high school . . . “ Visit Site » Share This

Watchdog asks Wisconsin assembly to stop praying (again)

Posted on February 10, 2009
The Atheism Examiner reports: The Freedom From Religion Foundation, a Madison, Wis.-based national watchdog working to keep church and state separate, has renewed its request that the Wisconsin State Assembly stop opening sessions with prayer . . . ...

?ACLU sues Nassau County Public Schools to allow Gay-Straight Alliance club?

Posted on February 10, 2009
Jacksonville.com: “The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida sued Nassau County Public Schools today to force the district to allow students to form a Gay-Straight Alliance on campus.” Visit Site » Share This

AF colonel accused of imposing religion

Posted on February 10, 2009
Stars and Stripes: An Air Force colonel is being criticized for improperly referring airmen under her command to a far-right religious Web site. Col. Kimberly K. Toney sent a e-mail Jan. 16 to the 501st Combat Support Wing inviting airmen to enjoy a linked video highlighting an inspirational individual on 4marks...

?Will new GOP chairman reach out to gays??

Posted on February 10, 2009
Deb Price writes at the Detroit News: Shortly after voters dealt Republicans another devastating blow in November, Robert Kabel, the openly gay chairman of the D.C. Republican Party, received a call from a longtime friend, Michael Steele . . . “If he stays away from frequently mentioning gay marriage, that’ll be a positive sign,” says Scott Evertz, [...

Utah governor ?backs civil unions?

Posted on February 10, 2009
Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr., a spokeswoman said Monday, backs Equality Utah's Common Ground Initiative, a legislative effort that would provide some rights to gay and transgender Utahns. Even more, the Republican governor favors civil unions.

Robert H. Bork on law & life

Posted on February 10, 2009
How different might things be today had the U.S. Senate honored two centuries of tradition and confirmed the impeccably credentialed nominee who was instead mugged by its Judiciary Committee? The question cannot be addressed without accounting for a silver lining...

??Imagine No Religion? message billboard goes up in Sacramento

Posted on February 10, 2009
The Freedom From Religion Foundation is taking its thought-provoking billboard message, "Imagine No Religion," to 8280 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento.

Philippines debates government promotion of contraception

Posted on February 10, 2009
More than 100 members of the House of Representatives have co-authored a bill that would allow government funds to be used to promote artificial contraceptives -- which is now prohibited in the Southeast Asian nation.

Alabama Bill to Increase Awareness of STD?s Raises Concerns

Posted on February 10, 2009
Alabama Policy Institute: Sixth-grade girls could have to bring information home from school about vaccines against a cancer-causing, sexually transmitted disease, under a proposal in the Legislature . . . We’re just very guarded about privacy issues and about where something like this would eventually lead,” said Michael Ciamarra, vice president of the Alabama Policy Institute, a [...

Law profs, former judges, attorneys urge major reforms for high court

Posted on February 10, 2009
. . . the Supreme Court has gotten a little too big for its britches and it would be good for Congress to enact a law or two that says, `You're part of an enterprise that we have some power over.' . . .

Interview: Ann Coulter Indicts ?Friends? and Liberal Press for Glamorizing Unwed Mothers

Posted on February 10, 2009
CNSNews: “Coulter sees Hollywood and the news media contributing to various social problems in the United States by approving–even glamorizing–single motherhood, a theme she develops in her new bestseller: Guilty: Liberal ?Victims and Their Assault on America...

Federal Politicians Set To Review Hate-speech Provision of Canadian Human Rights Act

Posted on February 10, 2009
LifeSiteNews: “Federal MP’s will be looking today at proceeding with curtailing or scrapping Section 13 of the Canadian Human Rights Act and will consider the misuse of the Section by the Canadian Human Rights Commissions.” Visit Site » Share This

Graphic dissects the $819 billion ?Stimulus? Package

Posted on February 10, 2009
The Washington Post has posted this interesting graphic that dissects the House spending bill. Visit Site » Share This

Obama May Pick Extreme Pro-Abortion KS Gov. Sebelius for HHS: Reports

Posted on February 10, 2009
LifeSiteNews: “Obama may choose Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, friend of notorious late-term abortionist George Tiller and one of the most pro-abortion governors in America, to become Secretary of Health and Human Services, according to news reports citing a senior official in the Obama administration ...

Vermont Teacher Sued For Proselytizing

Posted on February 10, 2009
Religion Clause Blog: “Vermont’s ACLU announced yesterday that it has filed suit against seventh-grade teacher Wally Rogers, the Irasburg (VT) School District, and Irasburg Village School principal Paul Simmons. The complaint (full text) filed in Vermont federal district court alleges that Rogers has subjected students to religious proselytizing ...

Is solicitor hearing a trial balloon?

Posted on February 10, 2009
The Politico: “While her confirmation is widely expected by both sides, Democrats and Republicans consider the fight over Kagan?s nomination to be a dry run for a future Supreme Court nomination battle . . . “ Visit Site » Share This

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