John Santelli, a pediatrician and professor at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health has joined the ACLU as they attack abstinence-only education – again.
The letter is basically attacking abstinence only education as “misleading” and “scientifically inaccurate.” The problem with this is that the ACLU and Dr. Santelli seem to have more than so-called “accuracy” in mind.
My point is simply this: abstinence-only curricula has been the subject of political and legal battles for years. Henry Waxman, D-CA, and others have been attacking abstinence-only education as a means of attacking President Bush. Waxman has said that the Bush administration has ignored inaccuracies in the service of conservative ideology.
LeAnna Been got it right when she told the press, “The ACLU’s real goal is to persuade Congress to kill funding for abstinence programs this year.”
LeAnna is national director of Teen-Aid, a Spokane organization that has actually developed some of the abstinence materials. She said, "This is about the funding. ... Santelli's report, it's all regurgitated stuff. We have to ask, 'What is the motive, and why the press over something that's old news?' "
I think all of us know the answer.
___________________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
He said, “Place a frog in a kettle of boiling water and it will quickly jump out, aware that the environment is dangerous. Place a frog in a kettle full of room temperature water and slowly increase the temperature of the water until it is boiling. The frog will stay in the water until it boils to death.”
The warriors leading the assault on our culture are slowly turning up the temperature on both the values that made America great and strong and on the people who embrace those principles.
In his book, Barna expressed great concern that by 2000 and beyond there would be a paralyzing secularization of America that would profoundly affect our culture, much like Europe has experienced.
It didn’t happen overnight – but a slow, steady growth of secular influences has established a culture that our forefathers wouldn’t recognize.
The American public education system has become second-rate by almost every world standard. Secular humanism has replaced the Lord’s Prayer, The Golden Rule, and The Ten Commandments as the foundation of ethics.
The entertainment industry portrays daily a secularist view of relativism through its television programs and movies, while Rap artists, funded, produced and distributed by big music business degrade every aspect of our culture with particular degradation toward women.
Too much of our government is corrupt and our judicial system has increasingly shown an anti-Christian bias.
Traditional, biblical marriage has always been seen as a stabilizing factor, not only in our society, but for 5000 years of human history. While it has been abused in some cultures, it has remained the constant – the norm and it has served society well.
If you are trying to secularize our culture, homosexual marriage is a good place to start.
While we have seen an assault on and an attempt to re-engineer nearly every part of our society, the secularists have focused on redesigning marriage.
Most people’s sensitivities were shocked when they first saw homosexuals lining up to be married in Portland and San Francisco, but over time it is less shocking. And over time as thousands and thousands of images of expressions of intimacy between people of the same sex has been shown, the public sensitivities have been lessened and in some cases, so has the public resolve to defend marriage as between one man and one woman, which is a component of human experience strongly taught in the Bible.
The secularists are counting on this. Senator Ed Murray has told the press that it will take several years to get gay marriage in Washington.
If you put the majority of people who oppose these things in the boiling water of immediate societal restructure, we will jump out. But if they slowly turn up the temperature through what and how our children are taught in public school, the constant incrementalism of “hate crime” bills, so-called benefit bills, and the demand for tolerance which has now evolved to acceptance, all with the motive to normalize what is abnormal, the values upon which this country was built and the voice of the people who embrace those values will die and disappear as the frog in the kettle.
In the strongest possible way I ask you to join us in the “Change the State in ‘08” campaign. Commit yourself to pray (sign up here). Join Jon in our grassroots organization (click here), make a tax-deductible donation (click here), or simply ask others to join this movement.
Jon Russell, Faith & Freedom Senior Field Director, who served as Washington State lobbyist for us this past legislative session, has written a brief review of the legislation that we were particularly focused toward.
While this session was not what people of faith and conservatives had wanted, there were some wins among the defeats and setbacks.
In the days to come, we will be sharing with you the prospective of a few lawmakers and this session just ended.
____________________ Legislative Report Jon Russell
I want to share, briefly, with you some of the wins that we were able to achieve this session.
Clearly we lost some major battles in domestic partnerships and sex education, I believe that will change in '08.
However, we did have some victories. Your calls and emails to your legislators did have a positive effect. In fact, I heard from many of them and their assistants that their phone lines were flooded with your calls. Thank you for your prayer and support.
SB 5123: Protecting Military from Discrimination. Passed into Law.
This law prohibits discrimination based on a person's status as a veteran or member of the military, as it relates to employment? commerce? real estate transactions? places of public resort, accommodation, or amusement? insurance transactions? and credit transactions.
HB 1168: Disorderly Conduct at Military Funerals. Passed into Law.
This bill prohibits protest of military funerals to at least 500 ft. away from funeral of burial? funeral home during the viewing of the deceased person? or the location of a memorial service.
SB 5243 Increasing the length of confinement for a parole violation committed by certain juvenile sex offenders. Passed into Law.
According to this law If the juvenile is a "sex offender" as defined by RCW 9A.44.140, then the Secretary of DSHS may return the juvenile to confinement for a period of up to 24 weeks, in addition to returning the juvenile to confinement for the remainder of his or her sentencing range.
SB 5470 Revising provisions concerning dissolution proceedings. Passed into Law.
This law seeks to slow down the time frame of divorce proceedings and allow possible reconciliation to take place. Unfortunately, divorce is on the rise in our society, and divorce in the church is on pace with society at large. We must start looking at ways to help people think it over before they sever their marriage.
HB 1350 Addressing civil marriage equality (Gay Marriage) Dead in Committee.
Any redefinition of marriage would create significant problems for traditional families in our society. As the law now stands, traditional marriage is limited to one man and one woman. This is, of course, the only type of relationship that can produce children. The intent of the law is to provide incentives for a man and a woman to remain together as long as possible, to provide benefits to spouses and offspring and to define the process of dissolving those relationships if the marriage fails (custody and provision for the children).
A lawsuit was filed last week by a national gay rights group. The group, Lambda Legal, sued on behalf of three Bellevue public-safety employees.
Bellevue Mayor Grant Degginger, told The Seattle Times that the City Council has been interested in providing the benefits but a lawsuit filed last week by a national gay rights group “certainly brought to our attention the need to move more quickly.” (Click here for story).
After the lawsuit was filed, Bellevue city leaders said they hadn’t approved domestic partner benefits because they were too expensive amid the rising cost of providing healthcare.
In my opinion, this is a glimpse of what is to come. We have said from the beginning that there are three reasons why Faith & Freedom has opposed civil unions, domestic partnerships or reciprocal benefits. Although this fiscal irresponsibility is not our most important reason, it is certainly one of them. This new rush toward domestic partnership benefits, as we have said, will create a new class of entitlements and put it on top of an already broken social security, welfare and healthcare system.
The Bellevue city leaders clearly had considered that, however the lawsuit is forcing them to move now.
Although it is different players and a different issue, this looks and sounds much like the repeated lawsuits that have been filed by the ACLU against public school districts and municipalities concerning the mention of anything Christian, the display of the Ten Commandments, “under God” in the Pledge, etc.
The pattern is to file or threaten to file. Then when the municipality or school district agrees to go forward, because they simply can’t absorb a protracted and expensive legal process, the litigant agrees to back off – if the other side moves quickly.
Jennifer Pizer, a Lambda Legal attorney said she would be looking forward to reviewing the details.
The mayor said the city will begin discussing the new benefits next month with a goal of having them in place by the end of the year.
Pizer said the city should move quickly. She also said her group will drop the lawsuit if the city complies.
The gay rights leaders have repeatedly told the press that this is not about benefits; it’s about an incremental move toward gay marriage.
Now that the 105-day 2007 legislative session is over in Washington State, Frank Chopp, Speaker of the House, reflected on the session in a chat with the Seattle press. He explained why he refused to support a crime and punishment bill that the Senate was supporting and tipped his hand regarding future election.
In regard to future elections, he said he has six candidates lined up to “pick up more seats.” The House Democrats already hold a 62-36 majority. When asked to name his new candidates, he said his staff had advised him not to name them at this time but, he added, “I have ’em. You’ll see ‘em.”
He explained away the House’s non support of the Senate’s offender re-entry proposal by saying, “There were provision to let the government off the hook with accountability.” (Read more of his comments).
Given the performance of the majority in the House, that seems to be an odd reason for their actions.
The secularists and liberals are rejoicing in their recent victories and are looking ahead to 2008 to continue their agenda.
With God’s help and your support, we believe we can Change the State in’08 and we are not thinking that change will include adding to Mr. Chopp’s majority.
_____________________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
Gregoire: "This is a very proud moment for me as Governor"
Washington State Governor Gregoire, arriving to a standing ovation from about 200 people who had crowded into the reception room at the State Capitol this past weekend, signed into law the Domestic Partnership Bill (SB 5336). Although the law will not take effect until July, the party is well underway.
With both fists raised in the air, the Governor said, “This is a very proud moment for me as Governor.” Referring to stories of gay couples who testified before lawmakers this year about how they had been denied access to dying partners and were not allowed to plan their funerals, the Governor said, “It’s time to put an end to these stories.”
Although some other faith-based organizations have advocated a “reciprocal benefits” bill with the hope that somehow that would derail the rush toward gay marriage in Washington State, Faith & Freedom has been steadfast in our opposition to civil unions, domestic partnerships and reciprocal benefits because they are all equally useful tools and stepping stones toward their ultimate goal, homosexual marriage.
Senator Ed Murray, Democrat, who sponsored the measure and is one of five openly gay lawmakers in the state legislature, told the audience as they stood in tears, “Today is a beginning, not an end.”
We have stood against these various coupling arrangements for two reasons.
First, we have been saying for three years that benefits was not their issue, they were using civil unions, domestic partnerships or reciprocal benefits as a stepping stone to gay marriage. Now, the homosexuals are saying that.
Secondly, what the Governor and her accomplices have now made law is fiscally irresponsible because it creates a new class of entitlements and places it on top of a social security and welfare program that is already broken. It also encourages and incents people to live as though they are married without the commitments of marriage. And finally, for people of faith, it stands against biblical teaching in regard to adultery.
Senator Ed Murray and others have been promising Washingtonians that homosexual marriage will come.
While people of faith and conservatives speak out each time the gay activists advance their agenda, they continue to advance.
And while I agree with my brethren in the faith community that this is very concerning and we must continue to speak out to the press and continue to voice our deeply held convictions to lawmakers in Olympia through our lobbyist, our letters, phone calls and emails, I believe we have to come to a major crossroads in the culture.
Unless people of faith and conservatives take action, Christine Gregoire, Speaker Frank Chop, Sen. Ed Murray and the rest of the majority in Olympia will continue to move further and further to the left, fiscally and socially.
It should not surprise you to know that Governor Gregoire is also the keynote speaker for the major so-called pro-choice people at NARAL, for their Power of Choice Fundraiser this June. (Read Invitation). You will note that the theme of the fundraiser is to keep the momentum going for 2008 and “Make 2008 the best year for choice yet.”
It is one thing to wring our hands in dismay and despair at the direction things are going. It is quite another matter to take action.
This is a time for action. We have launched the “Change the State in ‘08” campaign and will continue with all the resources available to us. (Click here for details and scheduled meetings).
Person by person, church by church, district by district, it is possible to Change the State.
With God’s help and your participation, we can see our lawmakers changed and we can see change in the Governor’s office.
Your participation in the grassroots network is absolutely necessary. And your financial support is equally necessary.
Rev. Jedidiah Morse said in 1779, “Our dangers are of two kinds, those which affect our religion, and those which affect our government … Whenever the pillars of Christianity shall be overthrown, our present republican forms of government, and all the blessing which flow from them, must fall with them.”
If the foundations are destroyed, this country, as we have known it, is destroyed.
Charles Finney (1792-1875), another great preacher and Christian leader said, “Politics are apart of a religion in such a country as this, and Christians must do their duty to the country as part of their duty to God.”
During the founding era, the Christian church pulpits were one of the primary sources for information. Education was guided by a Christian perspective and churches were at the center of the political community, not on the periphery. Christians of all types exercised political and social leadership.
Christians assumed a significant role in creating our American form of government.
Isn’t it ironic that there are those among us, both in the church and without, who strongly oppose the political involvement of Christians in a system predominately established by Christians?
Based on our history, Christians should be among the most politically informed people in America. Based on the understanding and vision of our Founding Fathers, Christianity was, and should be, the basis of our rights and privileges. Noah Webster, father of public education said, “The religion that has introduced civil liberty is the religion of Christ and His apostles … to this we owe our free Constitutions of Government … no truth is more evident to my mind than that Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.”
So, our Founders and our heritage demonstrate the direction America has been traveling.
But what about now? What about 2008?
Starting in the 1960’s, the Supreme Court removed prayer and scripture from schools with two infamous statements – I’m sure you have read or heard them. It was stated that Bible reading, “could cause psychological damage to students.” The attack on the Ten Commandments began in earnest and they have been subsequently and methodically stripped from the public square. The statement that started the attack was almost unbelievable. It was stated, “If the Ten Commandments were to have any effect at all, it would be to induce students to read them. They will meditate on them. If they meditate on them, they will respect and obey them, and that would be unconstitutional.”
Jesus told His followers to be salt and light. And that was to be in this world, not the world to come.
Christians are often told, “don’t try to legislate morality.” However, all legislation is someone’s morality, and unfortunately, much of our legislation of late is legislating immorality.
The Pharisees tried to entrap Jesus by sending a man to ask what His opinion was regarding paying taxes to Caesar. Matthew 22:18 says, “but Jesus knowing their evil intent said, ‘You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?’” He asked for a coin, then holding it up asked, “Whose portrait is this, and whose inscription?” When they told Him it was Caesar’s, He said, “Give to Caesar what is Caesars and to God what is God’s.” The Bible says when they heard that they were amazed and went away.
Clearly, Jesus was pointing out that we, on this earth, have a dual citizenship. While our nationality is “American,” we are also citizens of the Kingdom of God. Those two are not mutually exclusive. It is not either, or.
Our Founders believed that this dual citizenship carried with it enormous privileges as well as vital responsibilities.
Jesus said, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.” Luke 12:48.
We are doing our best to give a clarion call to action.
It is time for believers – people of faith -- to rise to the need.
We must reverse the drift away from God and the principles that made America great. We must stop the misguided and immoral legislation that is being signed into law and people of faith can and must choose better elected officials.
By allowing unrighteousness to lead, we are contributing to the demise of our country and our community.
Much has been given and much is required.
I personally believe the faith community is up to the challenge.
God bless you.
_______________________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
The meeting is at 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon at Forza Coffee Company, 22009 N. Pearl St. Tacoma, WA.
Soft drinks, coffee or tea will be provided.
There are more strategy meetings being planned in areas around Washington State. Click here for details. We are adding these events as they are confirmed, so check back often.
This is a major victory for pro-life people. It is important that we look at how the Court voted in the 5-4 ruling.
Chief Justice John Roberts, Justice Samuel Alito, Justice Clarence Thomas, Justice Antonin Scalia and Justice Anthony Kennedy voted to uphold the Act that President Bush signed into law in 2003.
“It is the first time the Court banned a specific procedure in a case over how – not whether – to perform an abortion.” (Fox News).
Beyond the victory for life that is represented in this decision, we must also take from this the importance of elections.
Electing a pro-life conservative President translates to the appointment of judges that rule from an interpretation of the Constitution, not their personal agenda.
And elections are important all the way to the local level.
Other meetings are being planned in areas around Washington State. Click here for details. We are adding these events as they are confirmed, so check back often.
__________________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
Yesterday morning as the initial reports starting coming in on the shooting at Virginia Tech, I was in the Fox News Channel studio in downtown Seattle.
Ironically, I was there to contribute to a national story that FOX was doing on a recent survey that was taken in Washington State which shows a rather high percentage of high school kids who say they drink alcohol on a regular basis and more than twenty percent who were questioned in the survey said they had gone to class drunk. During this interview, the FOX producer asked me, “Did this shooting happen due to a lack of values?”
The questions I was answering for the FOX News special were based around the questions of why kids drink so much. Is it bad parenting? Are kids worse now than they used to be, etc?
I had been saying that I don’t believe that more parents are failing at parenting, although that is a component. I feel that most parents work hard at parenting and most of them really care about their kids. Most do the best they can with what they have. A small percentage in my estimation would be considered bad parents.
And no, I don’t think kids are worse today than they were in the past.
The point I was making for the story was that neither parents nor kids have basically changed; it is our social environment that has dramatically changed.
As we have removed absolutes and values based on biblical teachings from our public schools and our public life, we have seen the results.
I believe that the consequences of “values clarification,’ introduced by Sidney Simon and others in the sixties and early seventies, are taking their toll on our society.
When kids are taught there are no absolutes, there is no truth other than what you say truth is and that there should be no consequences because of tolerance and diversity of thought, the results should not be surprising.
To the degree that we expunge God from our public life and education, we experience helplessness, hopelessness and confused depression. People are simply not wired to be God and when we try to play God, by removing Him, we enter into a very risky venture.
When the idea of Creation is removed and replaced by evolution and natural selection, life becomes less and less valuable.
It is not surprising that abortion on demand and assisted suicide have become the law.
Without a “right’ and a “wrong,” a basis other than ourselves for our behavior, a belief that excludes Creation by a higher power and no consequences for our actions, we create social chaos. And we have.
It shouldn’t surprise us that while public education runs away from God for fear of His name being mentioned or a lawsuit by the ACLU that they can’t afford, our kids continue in a sense of hopelessness and confusion. So much so that Ritalin has become a drug of choice for managing students across America.
No wonder our kids don’t value life as we once did. After all if Mom has an unwanted pregnancy, she simply kills the unborn child. And if there is no Creator, no higher purpose and no eternal consequences, why should life have any particular value?
Kids come to school drunk because they feel afraid and helpless because there are no boundaries.
And sometimes kids do the unthinkable in an environment that devalues human life.
So, was the shooting at Virginia Tech due to lack of values?
I’m sure we will find the young man responsible for the murders at Virginia Tech and who then took his own life, to be a very troubled young man. At the time of this writing, I don’t know if the shooter had been treated for depression or was using prescription drugs, but my guess is that we will find that both is true. Perhaps he was using illegal drugs as well. I’m sure we will find out later today.
It is a sad and tragic event in the life of our country. Our prayers are certainly with al those who have been affected by the tragedy.
While we remember all of them in prayer, I encourage you to pray that America will once gain turn back to our spiritual foundations, place God in His rightful place in our society and more imp9tantly place Him in His rightful place in our hearts. ________________ Gary Randal President Faith & Freedom
There are two very different views on the use of embryonic stem cells. You will be amazed at what happened this past week.
The U.S. Senate voted 63-34 to use federal funds as an incentive to destroy human embryos for stem cell research.
The majority of your lawmakers, repersenting both parties, argue that embryonic stem cells hold the most promise for medical break-through and cures.
Fortunately, the bill will not become law because President Bush will veto it. Probably next Wednesday.
If embryonic stem cell research holds so much promise, why is there virtually no private investment money flowing toward it's development and research? Simply because the smart money doesn't think it is promising.
The battle seems to be more about the ideology of those who support it than it does about science. In fact, science does not support many of their claims.
Destroying embryonic stem cells for research is destroying life in the name of saving human life.
But look what also happened this past week.
In stark contrast to the views of your lawmakers in D.C., The Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA) reported this past Tuesday, that for the first time in history, people, in a Barzilian study, with type 1 diabetes, have gone with no treatment what- so- ever as a result of a treatment with their own stem cells-- NOT embryonic stem cells. (Click here for story).
The research confirms what many scientists, pro- life leaders and President Bush have been saying for some time. We don't have to destroy young humans to find a cure for disease and treatment for injury.
Please send an email to the White House (click here for email address) and express your appreciation to President Bush for his stand for life.
Pro-Life really is the right way. ______________ Gary Randall President Faith and Freedom
The Seattle Post-Intelligencer editorial board is calling the Legislature's vote for domestic partnerships, "A major step to move society forward."
The board says, "We also think that this 'first step' sends an extraordinary message across the nation ... there will be many debates ahead about what to do next -- and how far it should go. But consider this one bill a measure of just how far this state has moved forward in less than a year."
Whether the state is moving forward or backward is, of course, a matter of opinion.
But there is no question that Washington is rushing away from the social tradition of "one man and one woman" marriage at an alarming rate.
I agree we must consider how far this state has moved in less than a year.
Faith & Freedom has launched the "Change The State in '08" Campaign. It is a comprehensive plan that we feel, with God's blessing, can change the state by changing some of the elected officials.
This is not just an activity but rather something that goes to the core beliefs of this organization and hundreds of thousands of people across the state.
Domestic Partnerships: Another Step or A Call To Action?
As Wa. Lawmakers passed the domestic partnership bill late yesterday afternoon, the action was viewed differently--- depending on which side of the issue you stand. And the sides are worlds apart.
Chris Mcgann, of the Seattle P.I., wrote this morning, "Gays and lesbians can't legally wed, but the Legislature took another step toward that..."
Repersentative Jamie Pederson, D-Seattle, said, "It's a really important first step..."
Senator Ed Murray,D-Seattle, called the Defense of Marriage Act, which was passed by the Legislature in 1998, a" shameful act of discrimination". " Today", he said, "with the passage of the domestic partnership bill, we begin to undo that shameful act..." He also told the P.I., "I think we are closer to [gay] marriage than people realize".
SO, WHAT DO YOU THINK? That can be more important than what he thinks.
Lynn Schindler, R-Spokane, said, " The next step is to solidify the domestic partner relationship in a marriage contract, and that is why I am voting no on this bill... because the institution of marriage is how this civilization has been organized for thousands of years"
Rep. Jay Rodne, R-North Bend, said the bill infringes on rights that should be reserved for marriage. He said, "It really undermines the incentive for individuals to get married. It further erodes and weakens an already beleaguered institution to our detriment".
In fact, Rep. Rodne said he thinks the Legislature should simply face the reality that, "The incentive for this bill is a desire to have a debate about marriage". He said, "I think this body ought to have that debate. Let's bring forth a marriage bill, have that debate, make those votes and vote our conscience."
That would be troublesome for a number of lawmakers, because they are very uncomfortable personally, with they way they feel they must vote, for political reasons, not reasons of conscience, on this whole issue of gay marriage.
BUT, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
You elect the Senators. And the Representatives. And the Governor.
Andrew Garber, of the Seattle Times, called me last night and asked if we were going to run a referendum to try to kill the domestic partnership law. I told him no, we have already launched a referendum on the lawmakers. We plan to "Change The State, in '08' "
I am fully aware that we as an organization can not accomplish that, but I am equally aware that if people of faith and conservatives across this state will simply take back their communities at the ballot box things will dramatically change.
You, not gay and secularist lawmakers from Seattle and elsewhere, can decide what Washington State will look like for your children and grand children.
So, is domestic partnerships another step toward redefining marriage and society or is it a call to action?
It's all up to you.
____________________ Gary Randall President Faith and Freedom
Domestic Partnerships and Sex-Ed May Go To Vote Today
It is likely that the Domestic Partnership, SB 5336, and the Sex-Ed, SB 5297, will come up for vote today in Olympia.
The Democratic leadership has been very calculated in the way they have shepherded these and other bills like them through the legislative process. These bills will probably come to vote late in the afternoon so the leadership can limit public response under the three minute rule.
Jon Russell will be in Olympia today. If you live in the area and are able to join him, please do. Even while the Legislators are on the floor,it is appropiate to send a note requesting to speak to your repersentative lawmaker for a moment in the hallway. Even at that late moment you can express your strong opposition to these bills and ask them to vote against them.
If you can not be in Olympia today, please call the office of Speaker Frank Chopand ask him to pull the bills. His office number is: 360-786-7920.
These bills are not in the best interest of the State and certainly do not repersent the the will of the faith community.
And please pray specifically regarding these matters today.
God bless you.
______________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
We want to take a moment to wish you and your family a happy and blessed Easter.
As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, let us remember the exchange at the tomb between the angel and those who came seeking Him (Matt. 28:5-6). While the guards were shaken with fear, the angel said, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified, He is not here, for He is risen, as He said.”
He is Risen, Indeed!
Also, thank you to the initial response to the "Change the State in ’08" Campaign. Your response has been overwhelming and we thank you. This is not something that any one person can do, but as we come together in prayer and action, under God and with His blessing, there will be change.
The strategy meetings for “Change the State in ‘08” are being planned as we speak and dates are being confirmed. Be sure to check the website often to see new dates and locations for these meetings. Please contact Jon Russell at j.russell@faithandfreedom.us if you are interested in attending one of these meetings.
The press is calling the next presidential election the “money” election.
Money can get you a long way, but it can’t get you all the way.
There is another factor in the upcoming elections and we feel it will have more effect than the millions of dollars that Giuliani, McCain, Romney, Clinton, Obama, Edwards, and a list of others are raising.
It is the “faith” factor. And it’s not just me. It’s people like the Barna Group who are saying that their research data indicates that “faith” or “values” voters will cast half of all votes in the 2008 Presidential election.
But what about Washington State?
For more than 14 years WERG, which was merged with Faith & Freedom in 2005, has been faithfully lobbying in Olympia. And make no mistake, we will continue, because it is very valuable for the entire faith community. We are deeply committed to this part of our ministry. But as Abraham Lincoln said as he faced the Civil War, “Our case is new, we must think and act anew.”
And so we must again think and act anew.
During the past couple of years we have had some victories in Washington State, namely the Supreme Courts decision to uphold the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. Many have said the Elway poll we released in January of 2006 made an impact on the Court. If so, we are gratified to have been used in that way.
There have been a few bills passed, defeated (or killed) so far this session, that was favorable to the faith community, but there is a march toward a very different state and country than that which we have known.
I think we all know that, for the most part, those that oppose the biblical worldview have been and are passing bills in Olympia. These bills are intended to incrementally lead to gay marriage, an extreme and secular curriculum in sex-ed and other subjects in public education, an erosion of many of our freedoms of religious expression (example: HB 2661) and a complete secularization of our state and our country under the guise of a misrepresentation of a letter Thomas Jefferson wrote to the Danbury Baptists, assuring them that the government would not interfere with their free expression and the activities of the church.
The misinterpretation of this letter has, overtime, been turned upside down and used as a license to secularize America.
While there are many good, decent, honest legislators who hold and vote traditional values, they are not in the majority. Thus, it is nearly impossible for them to pass laws that reflect those views – your views.
During the current session, as in years before, people of faith have made calls, written letters and emails, and strongly urged legislators to consider their views. And that must continue, but the majority of our state legislators either does not agree or simply feels that a secularist, liberal view is what gets them elected. There are hundreds of thousands of you across Washington who holds values that are related to your Christian faith. I know that most of you, but not all, are Republican.
Faith & Freedom is launching a campaign entitled, “CHANGE THE STATE IN ’08.” The essence is about principle not party. We must elect people of principle and values. We see this as a spiritual matter, not a political mission.
We feel we have a simple plan that can be profoundly significant in the next 20 months leading up to the 2008 elections.
Please read our document carefully and prayerfully. Download it, and circulate it among your friends and family who feel as you do. Then let’s CHANGE THE STATE IN ’08.
There are a couple of things that we wanted to let you know about today.
First, tomorrow we will be launching a new, "CHANGE THE STATE IN '08" Campaign. The campaign details will be posted on our website.
In conjunction with this, Jon Russell and Jennifer Lee from our staff, are conducting informational and organizational meetings in the following regions: Spokane, Tacoma, Bellevue, Bellingham, Vancouver, Yakima, Wenatchee, Tri-Cities and Olympia.
If you would like to learn more about becoming involved with Faith & Freedom in your local area, please contact Jon at j.russell@faithandfreedom.us.
We need your help in creating positive change in our state. Thank you for joining with us.
God bless you.
_____________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
Presidential Election May Hinge on Born Again Voters
The Barna Research Group is saying that, according to their research data, born again voters will cast about half of all ballots in the next presidential election.
They define a “born again” believer as someone who has a personal commitment to Christ and say they will go to heaven when they die.
While most “born again” voters are Republican, not all are. In fact, according to the Barna Group, there is a growing number of Democrats now stepping forward identifying themselves as “born again” and they said they plan to vote their values as well.
This will be very interesting in the upcoming elections leading up to the presidential election in 2008. Barna says that candidates must understand and reflect the faith of values voters if they want to connect.
When a half-dozen or so of us met privately with John McCain earlier this year, my question to him was, “Do you feel you understand the issues that are most important to those of us in the faith community? And if so, do you support them?”
He said he felt he did understand and felt he did agree, with the exception of embryonic stem cell research. He supports that. And that is big to us.
Please understand, I am not suggesting that I support McCain or not. Frankly, I’m probably where you are; looking at all the candidates trying to figure out who they really are and if they would make a good President.
It will be important for all of us, as well move forward, to make every attempt to know as much as possible about each candidate, not only the presidential candidates, but those running for local government as well.
Faith & Freedom is committing to a new and accelerated level of education both through this website and through local statewide meetings.
David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group, said, “You can’t just misrepresent yourself to get votes. Candidates must understand the heartbeat, the passion, the commitments, the values, the interests, the lifestyles of people of faith, because they represent such a huge segment of the voting population. They cannot be ignored.”
And we won’t be ignored. I believe God has called many of us for such a time as this.
_________________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
As Congress went into Easter recess on Friday, Rep. Jim McDermott introduced a bill to make employer-sponsored health-care benefits to domestic partners non-taxable, giving them the same status as employer health insurance plans for married spouses.
He said his goal is to “correct workplace injustice.” His news release adds that this bill is critical for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans.
The bill, which has no co-sponsors in the House, won immediate support from Microsoft and the Human Rights Campaign.
Jack Krumholtz of Microsoft said, “It is an essential component of our culture of respect for all employees.”
Thanks to Rep. McDermott, Washington is continuing in our leadership role in advancing the gay agenda. Although no one else in the U.S. House of Representatives signed on with McDermott, he will continue to be your face and voice in Washington D.C. until you decide to follow the U.S. House of Representatives and not sign on at the next election.
And Patty Murray is elated.
Just after the election this past November, President Bush appointed Dr. Eric Keroack, an obstetrician and gynecologist, to be director of family-planning programs at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Senator Patty Murray, along with a number of other pro-abortion senators, erupted in opposition.
Why? Because Keroack had previously worked at a Christian pregnancy-counseling group that opposes abortion and calls it “demeaning to women.” They also discovered that his former employer, the non-profit “A Women’s Concern,” promotes abstinence-only projects in Massachusetts.
Murray tried unsuccessfully to force the Bush administration to withdraw his name. Now, charges have been made that have caused the state Medicaid authorities to investigate his medical practice in Massachusetts. And he has resigned. Read her response.
Murray said, “Dr. Keroack’s resignation is welcome news for women and families across America.” She said, “We urge President Bush to place science above ideology and appoint a qualified public health expert who will ensure that the needs of women and families are more adequately met.”
So, Rep. McDermott is going to “correct workplace injustice,” as he sees it, while Sen. Patty Murray corrects the inadequacies in healthcare.
But why is a “public healthcare expert” only qualified if he holds the proper ideology?
It is time for change and if values-voters will become active, we can change the state.
__________________ Gary Randall President Faith & Freedom
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