Stop California SB 323 in Its Tracks!

Californians, contact your state senator to tell them that you want them to condemn Senate Bill 323 which would remove tax-exempt status to the Boy Scouts of America in their state. The bill is supposed to go before committee sometime today.

This bill is intended to radically change the rules of the Boy Scouts by financially pressuring them — levying corporate taxes against donations and other income — to change their by-laws to change their position on the following stance:

“While the BSA does not proactively inquire about the sexual orientation of employees, volunteers, or members, we do not grant membership to individuals who are open or avowed homosexuals or who engage in behavior that would become a distraction to the mission of the BSA.”

Tell your state senator that these sorts of highly-charged and deeply personal politics do not belong in a youth organization, and that parents should maintain the right to discuss human sexuality with their sons in their own way and timing!

Find contact information for your state senator here: http://senate.ca.gov/senators

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SCOTUS & Same-Sex Marriage

Last week, the media was filled with very conflicting accounts of what was happening on the floor of the Supreme Court with regards to their consideration of two cases. One case dealt with the legality of DOMA (the Defense Of Marriage Act) to refuse federal marriage benefits to couples who have been married legally in states that recognize and perform same-sex marriages. The other dealt with the legality of the hotly contested Proposition 8, passed by popular vote in California 8 to ban same-sex marriage only to be later overturned by a California federal judge.

The truth of the matter is that the Supreme Court may not pass a decision in either case. It only takes four justices’ votes to review a case, but it takes five justices to pass a decision. There is speculation running the gamut as to the justices’ likeliest decision, and who will vote what.

If SCOTUS makes a decision rather than putting it off for later cases, one possible outcome is that it will strike down DOMA, which was signed into law in 1996 under President Clinton, on the grounds that it overrides state law with federal law. It could then either not rule on Prop 8, or uphold it.

In that case, it might be unfortunate, but it would not be a total loss for those opposing same-sex marriage. Rather, it would increase the already-vital importance for voters to make their voice heard in state elections, especially with regards to legislation that would ban or permit same-sex marriages.

Regardless of bias, most sources seem to be in agreement that we’re not likely to see a decision — or a decision to not make a decision — until their deadline in early summer.

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North Dakota, Thank Your Legislators for Defending Life!

On March 26, Governor Dalyrmple of North Dakota signed legislation making North Dakota the leader in rights for the unborn, banning abortions as soon as a fetal heartbeat is detected by external ultrasound. This typically occurs around six weeks’ gestation. Any physician in violation of the legislation could face hefty fines, but the woman would not be charged.

Also signed was legislation that would ban abortions based on genetic defects such as Down syndrome and a measure to require any abortion-providing physician to have hospital-admitting privileges.

An even stricter personhood amendment, defining life as beginning at conception, is set to go before voters in 2014.

Contact your state legislators and thank them for defending life! http://www.legis.nd.gov/

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Much Hope for the New Pope!

Americans in Contact PAC, along with much of the world, congratulates the world-wide Catholic communion on the election of their new pope, Pope Francis I.

The Catholic Church has been a stalwart defender of life and traditional marriage, and its unwavering commitment to those values has made it a leader on both fronts, and we wish the new pope a smooth transition into his new responsibilities.

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Arkansas Leads the Way in Pro-Life Legislation

When Arkansas state legislators passed the bill that bans abortions after the 12th week of gestation, when a fetal heartbeat is often able to be detected, they passed the most stringent anti-abortion laws in the country and simultaneously provided hope for pro-life advocates in other states where similar legislation is being considered.  And they overrode a gubernatorial veto to do it. (http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/us/arkansas-senator-jason-raperts-abortion-ban.html)

Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, North Dakota, and Wyoming are all currently considering similar ‘heartbeat’ bills that protect unborn children from an even younger age. Other states are considering a less strict ban on abortions that occur after the 20th week, when unborn children begin feeling pain.

Where does your state legislator stand on issues of life? Encourage them to defend the unborn today: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=61115481&type=ML

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Fight Anti-Gun Hysteria! Support the Sensibility of the Second Amendment.

When the second amendment of the constitution was written, it was not intended to protect the rights of hunters and skeet-shooters. It was not about protecting the rights of American citizens to their recreational pastimes. It was entirely about self-defense, both against other citizens and against the grim possibility of an oppressive government like the one from which they had recently freed themselves.

In the face of tragedy like we’ve seen at Columbine High School or Sandy Hook Elementary, there are many who like nothing more than to see the rights of American citizens to defend themselves against attackers — both citizen and government — stripped down to the point that they are no match for a potentially corruptible police force or military. Some are well-intentioned. Some are anti-gun activists merely seizing an opportunity. The fever-pitch of anti-gun sentiment has gotten to the point where children are getting into trouble at our schools for absolutely ludicrous things, such as threatening to shoot a classmate with a bubble gun (http://news.yahoo.com/pa-girl-back-class-bubble-gun-suspension-124810659.html) or chewing a gun shape out of a Pop-Tart (http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/03/04/17182192-baltimore-7-year-old-suspended-for-making-gun-out-of-a-pastry?lite).

Gun violence is a serious issue, but it does not warrant the American people giving away their right to defend themselves against a government that could potentially turn against them. We have and should have the right to continue to protect ourselves from tyranny, should that day come. We need to restore firearms to their rightful place: as a respected safeguard for our continued freedom.

Call your legislator today, and tell them that you support the Second Amendment and want them to fight unconstitutional gun bans!

Find your Federal Legislators: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt

Write to your State Legislators: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/issues/alert/?alertid=61115481&type=ML

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Protect Rights of Conscience!

Today, 14 members of Congress—13 women and one Florida physician—wrote a letter imploring House Republican leadership to take a firm stance to protect the rights of Americans to act according to their consciences, rather than being strong-armed by the presidential health mandate to provide abortion drugs and abortion and sterilization procedures.

Those representatives were:

  • Representative Diane Black
  • Representative John Fleming
  • Representative Michele Bachmann
  • Representative Renee Ellmers
  • Representative Vicky Hartzler
  • Representative Martha Roby
  • Representative Jackie Walorski
  • Representative Cynthia Lummis
  • Representative Ann Wagner
  • Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen
  • Representative Lynn Jenkins
  • Representative Candice Miller
  • Representative Kristi Noem

If one of these individuals is your representative, please call or write them to thank them for their efforts to defend rights of conscience for Americans. If your representative isn’t listed, please call or write them today to urge them to stand up for comprehensive conscience protections.

If you need an easy way to contact your legislator about this important matter, you can go to http://www.call2conscience.com/ and it will help you draft a letter and send it to the appropriate legislators.

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Defend Life in Texas! Oppose Carol Alvarado!

In the Texas legislature, pro-abortion State House member Carol Alvarado is campaigning for the seat left open in the wake of Houstonian Senator Mario Gallegos’s death. Carol Alvarado has proven time and time again to be an adversary to the unborn, having voted against every pro-life budget amendment and fighting cuts of funding to the abortion industry.

Vote “NO” to Carol Alvarado on March 6, and keep her from taking the seat of Senate District 6!

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Defend Life in Kansas!

For 2013, Kansas has three pieces of pro-life legislation in the works:

  1. House Bill (No Number Yet): The Pro-Life Protections Act
  2. Senate Bill (No Number Yet): Civil Rights Protection for the Unborn
  3. Senate Bill (No Number Yet): Sex Selection Abortion Ban

For more information on these bills, please visit the Kansans for Life website: http://www.kfl.org/SiteResources/Data/Templates/templateb.asp?docid=1414&DocName=2013%20KS%20lEGISLATIVE%20AGENDA

Please encourage your state legislators to support and strengthen the rights of the unborn!

Find your state legislators’ contact information here: http://www.kslegislature.org/li/

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Defend Life in New Mexico!

New Mexico has a long way to go to be a safer place for the unborn! Currently, the unborn are not recognized as potential victims of homicide or assault, but damage to a pregnancy is considered an additional offenses for sentencing purposes. Furthermore, when a “viable” unborn child is killed due to negligence or a criminal act there are consequences, but a child who survives an abortion is not legally guaranteed medical attention.

What can you do to help? Encourage your legislator to write or sponsor legislation that will recognize unborn children as citizens entitled to equal protection under the law!

Find your legislator here: http://www.nmlegis.gov/lcs/legislatorsearch.aspx

Also, you can learn more about New Mexico’s position on abortion here: http://www.aul.org/states/new-mexico

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