Fed Appeals Court rules against DOMA

Romance? It’s all about economics, dahling

A three-judge panel of the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston has unanimously ruled today that the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — defining marriage as a union of one man and one woman — is unconstitutional. The judges ruled that the 1996 law deprives homosexual couples of the rights and privileges granted to heterosexual couples.

Lending credence to those who have long claimed that the same-sex marriage issue revolves around financial considerations, the ruling addressed the matter of federal benefits to same sex “married” couples including the ability to file joint tax returns. The judges referred to the “burden and restrictions” of DOMA saying it penalized homosexuals by limiting tax and social security survivor’s benefits to opposite-sex couples. “If one party is in federal service, the other cannot take advantage of medical care and other benefits available to opposite-sex partners. Survivor’s social security, spouse-based medical care and tax benefits are major detriments on any reckoning; provision for retirement and medical care are, in practice, the main components of the social safety net for vast numbers of Americans,” they wrote.

Two of the three judges who decided the case were Republican appointees. Michael Boudin (President George H.W. Bush) and Judge Juan Terrell (President Ronald Reagan). Chief Judge Sandra Lynch was appointed by Bill Clinton.

Read the decision here.

The court’s ruling did not address the law’s provision, which declared states without same-sex “marriages” cannot be forced to recognize such unions performed in states where it’s legal. It also wasn’t asked to address whether same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry.

The Appeals Court said its ruling wouldn’t be enforced until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case, meaning that same-sex couples will not currently be eligible to receive the economic benefits not recognized by DOMA. That’s because the ruling only applies to states within the circuit, including Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Maine, New Hampshire and Puerto Rico. Only the Supreme Court has the final say in deciding whether a law passed by Congress is unconstitutional.

Although media sources claim there is growing acceptance of the practice, thirty states have constitutionally banned same-sex unions. Marriage is defined as the union of one man and one woman in at least 42 states. Currently, 31 states have added amendments banning same-sex unions to their constitutions.

Obama drives NAACP support of same-sex unions

Nat’l group would never defy membership if another president proposed such a move

Pastor Derek McCoy, executive director of the Maryland Marriage Alliance, criticizes the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) for its recent endorsement of same-sex “marriage,“ calling it “unfortunate” and a clear signal that the association is “out of step” with its constituency, according to this CNS News report.

Pastor McCoy makes a good point, since only 39 percent of black Americans support “gay marriage” while 49 percent oppose such unions, according to an April 2012 Pew Research poll.

But such facts haven’t dissuaded the NAACP, which announced on May 19 its support for “marriage” between homosexuals. The group coyly calls it “marriage equality” in an attempt to claim it as a civil-rights issue.

It is not.

Mychal Massie clearly defined the differences in Homosexuality Is Not a Civil Right. The driving force behind the new-found support is clear. It came a mere 10  days after Barack Obama announced that he supports “gay marriage.”

Both McCoy and Massie are black.

Concerning the NAACP announcement, Pastor McCoy said, “Clearly, they’re out of step with their constituency and their base.” He attributed the NAACP’s announcement as a response to declining membership, and a “political calculation” that ultimately will backfire on the association. Pastor McCoy called Obama’s recent support for “same-sex marriage” an “absolute political maneuver” and a “financial move,” but also pointed out the Obama administration’s track record of promoting and endorsing homosexuality.

“His agenda has been clear in his administration in terms of taking down the Defense of Marriage Act, removing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and any other political objective which I think demoralizes the family,” said McCoy.

He added that the family is the “core of society” and the definition of marriage as between a man and a woman supports the institution of family.

CAP releases legislative votes on family issues

Center for Arizona Policy (CAP) has released its Family Issues Voting Record today, reporting on how Arizona’s 90 state legislators voted on the issues of life, marriage and family, and religious liberty during the recently concluded session.

Senate votes can be viewed here.

House of Representative votes can be viewed here.

We urge you to take the time to check the voting records of those elected representatives in your district. Knowledge is power.

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East Valley campaigns: Church, state and stake

Politics meets LDS Church organization

Disturbing information is making the rounds regarding a campaign event benefiting Congressional candidate Kirk Adams and Bob Worsley, another recruited opponent to challenge former AZ Senate President Russell Pearce.

This evening’s event is another to be hosted at the home of Adam Decker. Previously, the beneficiaries were Jeff Flake and Peter Principle prototype Kirk Adams. Those orchestrating the events are Jimmy Miller and Dave Johnson, campaign staffers for Jeff Flake, Kirk Adams, Jerry Lewis and Bob Worsley.

The problem arises with the unsavory manner in which participants are recruited for the candidate fun and games. Miller and Johnson are using the Young Single Adult TEXT phone numbers retrieved from the High Groves Ward/Citrus Heights Stake. The text reads: Politics by the Pool: Pie Face Edition! Come Eat Tasty Food, play games, swim, and “PIE A CANDIDATE”! 8 pm Friday @3440 E. Kael St. INVITE ALL!!!

These texts are being forwarded to YSA’s throughout the area, many who do not even attend that specific ward and stake.

This is not the first time the Young Single Adult Church LDS Text/Phone number list has been used for political campaigns. Several of the YSA  members have complained that their information, which is supposed to be confined to use for church activities has been misused in this manner. Additionally, only Mormons have been invited, although the candidates are supposed to serve all they represent.

As the young adult invitees walk in the door, most quite naive in the political process, they are recruited to sign their name to precinct committeeman forms, proxies, and candidate nominating petitions. Those who have not previously voted are registered on the spot and asked to endorse the candidates they are to meet.

Jerry Lewis, who was the recruited liberal stooge to run in a farce of a recall to remove Russell Pearce, acknowledged church involvement in his campaign last November. 

This type of unsavory activity could be the reason behind this news report out of Utah.

Constitution v. Sharia law: Muslim complaints shutter event

This took place in Michigan, not Afghanistan

In the middle of an event to extol the virtues of the U.S. Constitution and “American Laws for American Courts,” the audience learned first-hand how easy it is to lose their freedom of Speech and Assembly.

Amid shouts of “What about free speech?” from the audience, the Allegan Police Department ordered the event shut-down. School officials notified police that they had received a letter complaining about the event from Dawud Walid, Executive Director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MI). The letter asked the school to disallow the event despite an existing contract. CAIR was named as an unindicted co-conspirator in the largest terrorism funding trial in U. S. history, U.S. v. Holy Land Foundation. Watch this startling video.

As a result, the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, announced yesterday that the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR- MI), its Executive Director, the City of Allegan, the Allegan Police Department and the School District were named as defendants in this thirty-four page civil rights lawsuit filed in the Federal District Court for the Western District of Michigan, this morning. The claims included constitutional and contract violations.

Read more about the shocking developments here.

Inform yourself. Knowledge is power.

Priest: Biblical directives “hurtful, seriously divisive”

Liberalism supplants Bible

Although Archbishop J. Peter Sartain, leader of the Catholic Church in Western Washington, has approved signature gathering at local churches to help defeat same-sex “marriage” in the state, he is being opposed by a local priest.

Father Michael Ryan head of Seattle’s largest Catholic Church — St. James Cathedral — has told his parishioners not to take part in the effort to stop the same-sex measure known as Referendum 74.

In a letter, Ryan has informed congregants that gathering signatures for Referendum 74 would “prove hurtful and seriously divisive in our community.”  Father Ryan must have missed the Biblical passages describing these acts he so zealously defends.

A recent letter from Archbishop J. Peter Sartain and Auxiliary Bishop Eusebio Elizondo to the over 200 plus churches in the Archdiocese approved and encouraged the gathering of signatures in opposition of the recently enacted same-sex “marriage” measure.

The law redefines marriage from being between one man and one woman to any two eligible persons regardless of sex. It construes terms like “husband” and “wife” to be gender-neutral, and even permits minors to marry a person of the same sex by waiver of a superior court judge.

The same-sex union bill was shepherded by openly gay, liberal State Rep. Jamie Pederson. He says he’s disappointed the church is taking an active role in opposition, but not surprised. “I think it’s unfortunate that a church that has such a long history of advocacy for civil rights for all people would think that in a time like this, it’s a priority to take away rights from families,” Pedersen says.

Washington’s Democrat Gov. Chris Gregoire signed the bill into law February 13, 2012. The law goes into effect on June 7, unless opponents succeed in gathering 120,577 valid voter signatures to place the measure before voters as a referendum in November.

The Catholic Church has recently released this superb video, which addresses what people of every faith should consider as they go to the polls to cast the most crucial ballots of our lifetime this November:

Zimmerman case fast-tracked; Ft Hood mass murderer? Not yet

Could face life in prison if convicted

The antics and threats of the Black Panthers, the Revs. Sharpton, Jackson and now career-criminal Michael Tyson have guaranteed that George Zimmerman — now charged with second degree murder in the death of teenager Trayvon Martin –  will get a fast-tracked trial.  Arraignment is scheduled for May 29. Even Barack Obama got involved, referring to Martin as his “son.”

The murder charge could send Zimmerman to prison for life if he’s convicted. Manslaughter, which usually carries a 15-year prison term, covers reckless or negligent killings. Zimmerman made his first court appearance today.

Watch for this case to proceed faster than that of radicalized U.S. Army Major Nidal Malik Hasan, who was responsible for the November 2009 slaughter of 14 (including an unborn baby) and wounding of 31 fellow soldiers. Obama and Holder refused to bring the Muslim U.S. Army psychiatrist to trial for the Fort Hood massacre. As he released a barrage of deadly bullets, Hasan  shouted “Allahu Akbar!” (Allah is greater!)   But was it a “hate crime?” Not to this administration. They managed to configure the bloodbath  as “workplace related.” Hasan is still being held in Bell County jail in Beltan, Texas (page 39 of inmate search) listed with “Offense Unknown.” His case has never gone to trial.

Soon after the Foot Hood attack, American born and educated imam Anwar al-Awlaki praised his friend Hasan for the shooting, encouraged other Muslims serving in the military to “follow in the footsteps of men like Nidal.”  Calling him “a hero,” he said “Nidal killed soldiers who were about to be deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in order to kill Muslims.”

But politically correct silence rang out from the administration. In fact Obama waited to specifically address the massacre. He only did so later, and three minutes into a speech at a Native American tribal conference. Obama steadfastly refused to acknowledge Islamic terrorism as having a role in the shooting.

Finally in the most muted terms and twisting the carnage to fit the administration’s pro-Muslim agenda, Janet Napolitano, Homeland INsecurity chieftain, took the same approach, saying “This was an individual who does not, obviously, represent the Muslim faith.”

Apparently the words “Allahu Akbar!” accompanying the deadly rampage meant nothing.

But in the case of Martin’s death, George Zimmerman, patrolling as he did neighborhood block watch security, will be held out as the golden nugget to placate the unruly mob. Make no mistake; this is race-baiting with a veneer of political correctness, configured to coincide with Obama’s reelection campaign.

Joyous Easter wishes

We send our sincere best wishes for a joyful Easter.

Your friends at Seeing Red AZ

7 lip-service AZ Republicans dis religious freedom

The front page, above the fold headline in today’s edition of the consistently liberal Daily Endeavor screams out: “Dems, moderates block state birth-control bill.”

Mischaracterizations of the bill aside, the laser-beam focus should be on who those “moderates” are who voted with the “Dems,” and against HB 2625 sponsored by Rep. Debbie Lesko (R-Dist.9). The bill modifies certain insurance provider statutes related to religious beliefs and healthcare coverage. It specifies that coverage is not excluded for prescription contraceptive methods ordered by a health care provider with prescriptive authority for medical indications other than for contraceptive, abortifacient, abortion or sterilization purposes.

Republican posers voting with the Democrats are Rich Crandall, Adam Driggs, John McComish, John Nelson, Steve Pierce,  Michele Reagan and of course the jokester Jerry Lewis. Check them out here.

Sen. Nancy Barto (R-Dist. 7), usually no friend of the conservative caucus, yesterday employed a legislative maneuver with this amendment, voting against the bill in order to request a revote.

Rep. Lesko is the conservative PAChyderm Coalition’s top-rated House member, with a 95.2 score.

Islamic repression, bigotry, hatred: Out in the open

Weekend reading guaranteed to make you smarter

This Washington Times editorial titled “Destroy all churches – Obama silent while Saudi grand mufti targets Christianity” –  is ideal Sunday reading.

It concludes with these words: “Mr. Obama’s outreach campaign to the Muslim world has failed to generate the good will that he expected. In part, this was because he felt it was better to pander to prejudice than to command respect. When members of the Islamic establishment call for the religious equivalent of ethnic cleansing, the leader of the free world must respond or risk legitimizing the oppression that follows. The United States should not bow to the extremist dictates of the grand mufti, no matter how desperate the White House is for him to like us.”

Knowledge is power. Get today’s dose here.