Thanks to Gary Glenn, American Family Association in Michigan, for this tip:
Romney is polling poorly in Michigan. But why? Is it because voters are not yet "familiar with his positions on important issues"? Or is it because they are? If not, they certainly will be soon. At any rate, Romney doesn't appear to be a viable alternative to McCain in Michigan at this point. From the Detroit Free Press:
Romney's name doesn't help him in poll (2-4-07)
One surprise in the Free Press/Local 4 Michigan poll was the weak showing of former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who finished a distant fourth among Republicans and lost by the largest margins in head-to-head match-ups against the top three Democrats.
The poll of Republican voters had a significant plus or minus 8 percentage points margin of error, but Rudy Giuliani and John McCain were both around 30%, far ahead of Romney's 8%. [Newt Gingrich ranked third.] The margin of error in the head-to-head races was plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.
Romney's father, the late George Romney, was Michigan's governor in the 1960s. Romney has been endorsed by at least 50 state legislators and several members of the state's GOP congressional delegation.
Romney spokeswoman Sarah Pompei said while people in Michigan may know his name, they're not yet familiar with his positions on important issues.
John Haskins comments:
Apparently, there are still plenty of people in the grass roots in places like Michigan who prefer facts and truth to the infallible guidance of the "conservative" nomenklatura, more and more of whom are selling their dubious seals of approval in return for cash, flattery, and promises from Slick Willard Romney.
Facts are very stubborn things, even when much of the "conservative" establishment insists the truth is either a lie or irrelevant. How terribly tragic that "conservatism" -- even the "pro-family" variety -- more and more often comes down to respectable collective denial of legal, constitutional, historical, sociological, psychological, theological and moral reality. Reality has terrible table manners and there's nothing establishment "conservatives" detest more than poor table manners. They'd rather just admit that they're really just liberals who don't like bumps in the road.
Establishment "conservatives" -- whatever that debauched word still means -- share the deathwish of the shriveling, wrinkled, contorted remains of Western Civilization. They just want the irritating doctor to go away. A slow couch-potato death, ameliorated by the narcotics of material wealth, is just plain easier than cutting the cancer out. As Joseph Farah (WorldNetDaily) points out, the fatal flaw in conservatism is that it is conservative where Christ, His apostles and prophets -- not to mention the Founding Fathers -- were radical.
Mitt Romney is an empty mannequin, a stage prop whose purpose is to maintain, for another brief moment in history, the illusion that social conservatism and its pathetic political bedmates are still vibrant and viable. On the contrary, social conservatism is being killed off by its own "leaders," lawyers and pundits, for whom the crusade to save American decency long ago became merely a career.
Thanks in part to true conservatives, like Gary Glenn in Michigan, lots of people in that state are not quite ready for their children's culture to die while they vegetate comfortably before their large-screen TV's.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
Even Liberals Are Laughing at Mitt Romney
See commentary by John Haskins below on Ellen Goodman's op-ed in the Boston Globe a few days back. Here's an excerpt from Goodman's column, "Mitt's turnaround" (2-2-07):
... Bay State politicians -- from John Adams to Mike Dukakis -- have long suffered from Potomac Fever. But Steve Crosby, dean of the McCormack Graduate School at the UMass-Boston and a chief honcho for two previous Republican governors, says Romney suffers from "Potomac Ebola Virus." A particularly virulent strain has infected the man running from Massachusetts. Or should I say, running away from Massachusetts. Or against Massachusetts.
Our man Mitt is positioning himself to the right of every Republican candidate except Kansas Senator Sam Brownback. He has famously told audiences that "being a conservative Republican in Massachusetts is a bit like being a cattle rancher at a vegetarian convention." He's repeatedly described himself as a lonely figure fighting the values fight against "the Kennedy-apologist, knee-jerk Clinton supporters" and ... you get the idea.
Even "Evangelicals for Mitt" -- yes, there is such a website -- says that "He shares our values, and he's fought for those values in hostile territory."
The idea, the pitch, the shtick is that if Romney can make it as a conservative Republican here, he can make it anywhere. There's only one small problem: He didn't make it here as a conservative. Romney ran and won as the fourth in a direct line of moderate GOP governors....
... you can also regard Romney as the veritable model of the Venture Capitalist as Politician, doing and saying whatever it takes. Indeed, [Steve] Crosby ["dean of the McCormack Graduate School at the UMass-Boston and a chief honcho for two previous Republican governors"] describes Romney's governorship as like "a corporate takeover. . . . He took over the asset, stripped it of what it was worth to leverage him into another asset, the presidency. There's no way to think he has any core beliefs other than leveraging to the next acquisition." ...
John Haskins comments:
Yep. I'm fairly sure Mitt does share the values of "Evangelicals for Mitt." That's why he illegally imposed sodomy-based marriage and claimed the smirking judges "made him do it." Unfortunately for Mitt and the mercenary "lawyers" at "Evangelicals for Mitt," the same judges later admitted to the whole world that they had absolutely no legal power to compel Slick Willard to do anything.
Poor Mitt. Whom can he trust? He goes the extra mile to give "activist judges" more than they ever asked for, even proving that he was willing to violate a constitution, make liars and fools of the Founding Fathers and mock the solemn oath he took. Then what do those unprincipled liberal "activist judges" do? They turn around and stab him in the back by telling everyone that judges can't make governors (or legislators) impose homosexual "marriage."
That was supposed to be Romney's little secret! Even superlawyers "Jay-Jay the Jet Plane" Sekulow, Mr. Bopp and ADF's constitutional-surrender experts, Glen Lavy and David French, were with Mitt on that -- pretending the Court made him do it!
So with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court having humiliated Jay-Jay, Bopp, and the ADF by confirming the supposedly "amateurish and bizarre" (French's words) legal analysis on the Pro-Family Leaders' Letter to Romney, why does Slick Willard Romney still think he can pass himself off as a conservative? Well, because people like French and his wife apparently can continue to pass themselves off as conservatives, merely by calling others "liars" for publicizing the indisputable facts on Mitt.
The great Malcolm Muggeridge observed that we don't believe political lies because they are credible; we believe them because we want to. And that observation explains why the pro-family movement keeps hiring lawyers and decision-makers who shoot those who are "amateurish and bizarre" enough not to collaborate in the permanent surrender.
As for Romney's famous boast -- "being a conservative Republican in Massachusetts is a bit like being a cattle rancher at a vegetarian convention" -- well, Mitt, it's great to speculate. Now talk from experience: What's it like to be the Ivy League vegetarian trying to fake it as a cowboy on the big cattle drive? That would seem to be an impossible task, unless you've identified the moles among the cowboys: "pro-family constitutional attorneys" who spend their credibility ignoring or lying about constitutions.
As I've said all along: there are people who will either lose their jobs or they will continue to fake it as "pro-family constitutionalists" and who will continue to destroy the movement from within ... until there's nothing left to destroy.
John Haskins is a frequent contributor to the MassResistance blog.
... Bay State politicians -- from John Adams to Mike Dukakis -- have long suffered from Potomac Fever. But Steve Crosby, dean of the McCormack Graduate School at the UMass-Boston and a chief honcho for two previous Republican governors, says Romney suffers from "Potomac Ebola Virus." A particularly virulent strain has infected the man running from Massachusetts. Or should I say, running away from Massachusetts. Or against Massachusetts.
Our man Mitt is positioning himself to the right of every Republican candidate except Kansas Senator Sam Brownback. He has famously told audiences that "being a conservative Republican in Massachusetts is a bit like being a cattle rancher at a vegetarian convention." He's repeatedly described himself as a lonely figure fighting the values fight against "the Kennedy-apologist, knee-jerk Clinton supporters" and ... you get the idea.
Even "Evangelicals for Mitt" -- yes, there is such a website -- says that "He shares our values, and he's fought for those values in hostile territory."
The idea, the pitch, the shtick is that if Romney can make it as a conservative Republican here, he can make it anywhere. There's only one small problem: He didn't make it here as a conservative. Romney ran and won as the fourth in a direct line of moderate GOP governors....
... you can also regard Romney as the veritable model of the Venture Capitalist as Politician, doing and saying whatever it takes. Indeed, [Steve] Crosby ["dean of the McCormack Graduate School at the UMass-Boston and a chief honcho for two previous Republican governors"] describes Romney's governorship as like "a corporate takeover. . . . He took over the asset, stripped it of what it was worth to leverage him into another asset, the presidency. There's no way to think he has any core beliefs other than leveraging to the next acquisition." ...
John Haskins comments:
Yep. I'm fairly sure Mitt does share the values of "Evangelicals for Mitt." That's why he illegally imposed sodomy-based marriage and claimed the smirking judges "made him do it." Unfortunately for Mitt and the mercenary "lawyers" at "Evangelicals for Mitt," the same judges later admitted to the whole world that they had absolutely no legal power to compel Slick Willard to do anything.
Poor Mitt. Whom can he trust? He goes the extra mile to give "activist judges" more than they ever asked for, even proving that he was willing to violate a constitution, make liars and fools of the Founding Fathers and mock the solemn oath he took. Then what do those unprincipled liberal "activist judges" do? They turn around and stab him in the back by telling everyone that judges can't make governors (or legislators) impose homosexual "marriage."
That was supposed to be Romney's little secret! Even superlawyers "Jay-Jay the Jet Plane" Sekulow, Mr. Bopp and ADF's constitutional-surrender experts, Glen Lavy and David French, were with Mitt on that -- pretending the Court made him do it!
So with the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court having humiliated Jay-Jay, Bopp, and the ADF by confirming the supposedly "amateurish and bizarre" (French's words) legal analysis on the Pro-Family Leaders' Letter to Romney, why does Slick Willard Romney still think he can pass himself off as a conservative? Well, because people like French and his wife apparently can continue to pass themselves off as conservatives, merely by calling others "liars" for publicizing the indisputable facts on Mitt.
The great Malcolm Muggeridge observed that we don't believe political lies because they are credible; we believe them because we want to. And that observation explains why the pro-family movement keeps hiring lawyers and decision-makers who shoot those who are "amateurish and bizarre" enough not to collaborate in the permanent surrender.
As for Romney's famous boast -- "being a conservative Republican in Massachusetts is a bit like being a cattle rancher at a vegetarian convention" -- well, Mitt, it's great to speculate. Now talk from experience: What's it like to be the Ivy League vegetarian trying to fake it as a cowboy on the big cattle drive? That would seem to be an impossible task, unless you've identified the moles among the cowboys: "pro-family constitutional attorneys" who spend their credibility ignoring or lying about constitutions.
As I've said all along: there are people who will either lose their jobs or they will continue to fake it as "pro-family constitutionalists" and who will continue to destroy the movement from within ... until there's nothing left to destroy.
John Haskins is a frequent contributor to the MassResistance blog.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Romney's New Idea: Blame Others for Failure
Flip-flopping on issues is getting old. Time to try denying responsbility for things gone wrong. The Boston Globe reports today that "Romney distances self from Mass. health plan."
Romney can't exactly flip-flop on socialistic government-mandated health care insurance plans, since he was a bragging prime mover behind the new law in Massachusetts. But now that there's a cancerous new bureaucracy growing (with over-compensated executives), higher than expected subscription "fees" (read: taxes), and new definitions of "adequate coverage" -- all this bad news sending shockwaves through the state -- Romney is now trying to wriggle out of his responsibility in creating this monster. Now, instead of bragging about his brilliant new plan, he's trying to blame the Legislature for anything that's going wrong.
But denying responsibility for crafting and signing a new law will be a lot harder than flip-flopping on an issue.
Romney secured the support of the "conservative" Heritage Foundation in helping design the plan (after giving them a hefty $25,000 donation.) And until recently he has been very proud of his revolutionary approach to controlling people's and businesses' decisions on health coverage. How odd, then, that he didn't refer to his health insurance law in his recent speech at the Heritage Foundation.
Is this man qualified to be President if he couldn't imagine how this legislation would play out? He's certainly no conservative if he thinks mandatory health insurance, creating a new bureaucracy in the most corrupt state in the country, and lots of undefined requirements in a law are good things. Even the Wall Street Journal slammed Romney's health plan in an editorial last week! (a "ballyhooed health care [reform that is apolicy blunder] that won't stand scrutiny in court, much less in the marketplace"). No wonder he's trying to blame any emerging problems on the Legislature! Is he really the genius businessman and visionary manager we've been told he is?
[From the Globe:]
The healthcare law requires all Massachusetts adults to obtain health coverage that meets minimum standards as of July 1 or pay a penalty, unless they prove they cannot afford it. Businesses with more than 10 employees but without "fair and reasonable" health insurance must pay an annual fee.
Romney introduced the idea in late 2004; after the Legislature made its own adjustments, Romney signed it into law last April. The plan was phased in during the summer and fall, and about 100,000 of the state's approximately 400,000 uninsured are covered so far....
Earlier this week, however, the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans estimated that more than 200,000 residents who already have health insurance will have to buy more to meet minimum standards. A state board, called the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, is still reviewing those standards, in part because of estimates that the average uninsured individual would have to pay some $380 a month [almost twice what Romney led us to believe] to obtain health coverage....
Romney has long said that the plan would suffer hiccups. But he now appears ready to blame Democrats for any of the plan's shortcomings, said state Senator Richard T. Moore, an Uxbridge Democrat and one of the plan's main architects.
"That's why he left [office] in a hurry," said Moore, the chairman of the Senate Health Care Financing Committee. "He's setting himself up so he can go either way. If it's a success, he'll take all the credit in the world. If it's a failure, he'll blame everybody else."
Moore said Romney can't hide the fact that he worked closely with Democrats to craft the law, and his administration was responsible for implementing its early stages. "If it doesn't work, it's going to be a shared responsibility," he said....
Meanwhile, from Romney's campaign web site:
Extending Health Insurance to All Americans:
The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms.
Governor Romney: "We can't have as a nation 40 million people -- or, in my state, half a million -- saying, 'I don't have insurance, and if I get sick, I want someone else to pay." (USA Today, July 5, 2005)
Governor Romney: "It's a conservative idea," says Romney, "insisting that individuals have responsibility for their own health care. I think it appeals to people on both sides of the aisle: insurance for everyone without a tax increase." (USA Today, July 5, 2005)
Romney can't exactly flip-flop on socialistic government-mandated health care insurance plans, since he was a bragging prime mover behind the new law in Massachusetts. But now that there's a cancerous new bureaucracy growing (with over-compensated executives), higher than expected subscription "fees" (read: taxes), and new definitions of "adequate coverage" -- all this bad news sending shockwaves through the state -- Romney is now trying to wriggle out of his responsibility in creating this monster. Now, instead of bragging about his brilliant new plan, he's trying to blame the Legislature for anything that's going wrong.
But denying responsibility for crafting and signing a new law will be a lot harder than flip-flopping on an issue.
Romney secured the support of the "conservative" Heritage Foundation in helping design the plan (after giving them a hefty $25,000 donation.) And until recently he has been very proud of his revolutionary approach to controlling people's and businesses' decisions on health coverage. How odd, then, that he didn't refer to his health insurance law in his recent speech at the Heritage Foundation.
Is this man qualified to be President if he couldn't imagine how this legislation would play out? He's certainly no conservative if he thinks mandatory health insurance, creating a new bureaucracy in the most corrupt state in the country, and lots of undefined requirements in a law are good things. Even the Wall Street Journal slammed Romney's health plan in an editorial last week! (a "ballyhooed health care [reform that is apolicy blunder] that won't stand scrutiny in court, much less in the marketplace"). No wonder he's trying to blame any emerging problems on the Legislature! Is he really the genius businessman and visionary manager we've been told he is?
[From the Globe:]
The healthcare law requires all Massachusetts adults to obtain health coverage that meets minimum standards as of July 1 or pay a penalty, unless they prove they cannot afford it. Businesses with more than 10 employees but without "fair and reasonable" health insurance must pay an annual fee.
Romney introduced the idea in late 2004; after the Legislature made its own adjustments, Romney signed it into law last April. The plan was phased in during the summer and fall, and about 100,000 of the state's approximately 400,000 uninsured are covered so far....
Earlier this week, however, the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans estimated that more than 200,000 residents who already have health insurance will have to buy more to meet minimum standards. A state board, called the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector, is still reviewing those standards, in part because of estimates that the average uninsured individual would have to pay some $380 a month [almost twice what Romney led us to believe] to obtain health coverage....
Romney has long said that the plan would suffer hiccups. But he now appears ready to blame Democrats for any of the plan's shortcomings, said state Senator Richard T. Moore, an Uxbridge Democrat and one of the plan's main architects.
"That's why he left [office] in a hurry," said Moore, the chairman of the Senate Health Care Financing Committee. "He's setting himself up so he can go either way. If it's a success, he'll take all the credit in the world. If it's a failure, he'll blame everybody else."
Moore said Romney can't hide the fact that he worked closely with Democrats to craft the law, and his administration was responsible for implementing its early stages. "If it doesn't work, it's going to be a shared responsibility," he said....
Meanwhile, from Romney's campaign web site:
Extending Health Insurance to All Americans:
The health of our nation can be improved by extending health insurance to all Americans, not through a government program or new taxes, but through market reforms.
Governor Romney: "We can't have as a nation 40 million people -- or, in my state, half a million -- saying, 'I don't have insurance, and if I get sick, I want someone else to pay." (USA Today, July 5, 2005)
Governor Romney: "It's a conservative idea," says Romney, "insisting that individuals have responsibility for their own health care. I think it appeals to people on both sides of the aisle: insurance for everyone without a tax increase." (USA Today, July 5, 2005)
Conservative Policy Analyst Doubts Romney
Mitt Romney's not playing well on an important conservative web news site. Check out this excellent article just posted by J. Matt Barber on WorldNetDaily. Mr. Barber, policy director for cultural issues at Concerned Women for America, is an attorney concentrating in constitutional law.
"The Mitt split" (2-3-07)
by J. Matt Barber
Wearing his 2008 presidential aspirations on his sleeve and appearing the ever humble, yet iron-jawed and selflessly devoted, champion of the GOP's must-have conservative, pro-family base, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney finds himself struggling to salvage his conservative credentials.... [S]erious concerns are beginning to mount relative to the sincerity of Romney's commitment to traditional values....
[On abortion:] OK, you might say, that's fine. Romney was "pro-choice." This is America – people can change their opinion, right? Well, that may be true. Only one question – on the issues most important to conservative voters, why do Romney's opinions appear malleable, shifting in the wind as political expediency would seem to dictate? In 2006, just four short years after he ran for governor and as his presidential ambitions were reaching a boiling point, Romney seemed to pull a 180....
[On homosexual "marriage":] Was Gov. Romney the 'Father of "gay" marriage'? While there's disagreement even within the pro-family legal community, there is a strong argument to be made that Romney, contrary to his pro-traditional marriage rhetoric, was chiefly responsible for unconstitutionally imposing "same-sex" marriage on Massachusetts and the rest of the country. Let's lay out the roadmap....
"The Mitt split" (2-3-07)
by J. Matt Barber
Wearing his 2008 presidential aspirations on his sleeve and appearing the ever humble, yet iron-jawed and selflessly devoted, champion of the GOP's must-have conservative, pro-family base, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney finds himself struggling to salvage his conservative credentials.... [S]erious concerns are beginning to mount relative to the sincerity of Romney's commitment to traditional values....
[On abortion:] OK, you might say, that's fine. Romney was "pro-choice." This is America – people can change their opinion, right? Well, that may be true. Only one question – on the issues most important to conservative voters, why do Romney's opinions appear malleable, shifting in the wind as political expediency would seem to dictate? In 2006, just four short years after he ran for governor and as his presidential ambitions were reaching a boiling point, Romney seemed to pull a 180....
[On homosexual "marriage":] Was Gov. Romney the 'Father of "gay" marriage'? While there's disagreement even within the pro-family legal community, there is a strong argument to be made that Romney, contrary to his pro-traditional marriage rhetoric, was chiefly responsible for unconstitutionally imposing "same-sex" marriage on Massachusetts and the rest of the country. Let's lay out the roadmap....
Friday, February 02, 2007
Crazy People Happen, But BDSM Murderers Are Taught
This is news, rating a huge color photo on page one of the Globe's second section: A candlelight vigil by a bunch of young people for the one-year anniversary of a crazy man's rampage in a New Bedford bar? All this hypercoverage just because it was a homosexual bar? What was the point of the vigil? Are we going to quell the incidence of insane outbursts by lighting candles?
Why didn't the Globe cover the dangerous sadomasochistic practices -- including cozying up to death and sometimes achieving murder -- being taught at the Sheraton Hotel in Danvers last weekend? Learning about this sick bunch of people reminded us that also just about a year ago a "professional dominatrix" got off scot free in court, though she had a "client" die during a bondage session! (She chopped his body into little pieces and disposed of it in Maine.)
Why weren't there vigils outside the Quincy condo where this hate crime happened -- to protest the increasing practice and acceptance of torture? (And the adoption by the Boston Globe of their twisted terminology: "professional dominatrix" and "bondage session"?) And why did no one have a vigil outside the BDSM conference last weekend in Danvers, where such practices were taught? There just might be fewer deaths of this sort if the BDSM culture couldn't exist so openly, advertise its conferences, and take over "respectable" suburban hotels.
Here's the report from just one year ago (Jan. 31, 2006):
Professional dominatrix Barbara Asher was acquitted yesterday of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a New Hampshire man who prosecutors said suffered a fatal heart attack while strapped to a bondage rack in her Quincy condominium.
Prosecutors had argued that Asher, 56, did nothing to help Michael Lord, 53, of North Hampton as he died during the July 2000 session, out of fear that calling authorities would have jeopardized her dominatrix business. The prosecutors said she and a boyfriend chopped up Lord's 275-pound body and dumped the parts in a trash bin behind a Chinese restaurant in Augusta, Maine....
The prosecution's case -- and the narrative about the fatal bondage session presented in court -- rested on an alleged confession by Asher. Several police investigators testified that Asher had admitted to watching Lord die on the bondage rack without calling for medical help and then dismembering his body the next day...
Why didn't the Globe cover the dangerous sadomasochistic practices -- including cozying up to death and sometimes achieving murder -- being taught at the Sheraton Hotel in Danvers last weekend? Learning about this sick bunch of people reminded us that also just about a year ago a "professional dominatrix" got off scot free in court, though she had a "client" die during a bondage session! (She chopped his body into little pieces and disposed of it in Maine.)
Why weren't there vigils outside the Quincy condo where this hate crime happened -- to protest the increasing practice and acceptance of torture? (And the adoption by the Boston Globe of their twisted terminology: "professional dominatrix" and "bondage session"?) And why did no one have a vigil outside the BDSM conference last weekend in Danvers, where such practices were taught? There just might be fewer deaths of this sort if the BDSM culture couldn't exist so openly, advertise its conferences, and take over "respectable" suburban hotels.
Here's the report from just one year ago (Jan. 31, 2006):
Professional dominatrix Barbara Asher was acquitted yesterday of involuntary manslaughter in the death of a New Hampshire man who prosecutors said suffered a fatal heart attack while strapped to a bondage rack in her Quincy condominium.
Prosecutors had argued that Asher, 56, did nothing to help Michael Lord, 53, of North Hampton as he died during the July 2000 session, out of fear that calling authorities would have jeopardized her dominatrix business. The prosecutors said she and a boyfriend chopped up Lord's 275-pound body and dumped the parts in a trash bin behind a Chinese restaurant in Augusta, Maine....
The prosecution's case -- and the narrative about the fatal bondage session presented in court -- rested on an alleged confession by Asher. Several police investigators testified that Asher had admitted to watching Lord die on the bondage rack without calling for medical help and then dismembering his body the next day...
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
David Parker's Civil Rights Court Date Next Week
Lexington father David Parker's lawsuit against personnel in the Lexington Public Schools is coming up on Feb. 7 in federal court in Boston.
It's nice to hear that Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) will be there to support him too... Though we haven't heard much from MFI on Parker's story since we broke it in April 2005 (and as we continued to document its every twist and turn). They did secure his presence at a few of their fundraisers ... so we hope they've also contributed to his defense fund.
We're trying to recall if MFI testified for our parents' rights bill in the last legislative session. Hmm... This session, MassResistance has filed the only parents' rights bill that will be truly effective, informed as it is by our understanding of the Parker case. If MFI is sincere in its support of Parker, they should fully support our bill -- to prevent future similar scenarios.
From our Dec. 29, 2006 email alert:
David Parker's federal civil rights lawsuit - Oral arguments to take place Feb. 7 in US District Court in Boston! [Dec. 29, 2006]
After months of delay, the oral arguments for David Parker's federal civil rights lawsuit against school and town officials in Lexington is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 2 pm in the US District Court in South Boston, before Judge Marc Wolf. (A few days ago it had been announced that it would be Jan. 18, but apparently the defendants asked that it be pushed back even more.)
At this "oral arguments" session, the defendants (the Lexington public officials) will try to persuade the judge not to allow the case to continue. And David Parker's lawyers will be countering that - with arguments that the case MUST be allowed to be heard!
The Parkers, along with Rob and Robin Wirthlin, are suing the Lexington officials (including Superintendent Paul Ash) over the school system's refusal to notify parents of elementary school children when adults present topics homosexuality or transgenderism to the kids. Parents have been told that the schools will not notify them even after these things have taken place! David Parker was arrested and spent the night in jail in April, 2005, over his insistence that they notify him - as required by state law - regarding homosexuality being presented to his son in kindergarten. This lawsuit has gotten national attention, and major pro-homosexual groups such as Human Rights Campaign in Washington, DC, as well as the ACLU have begun giving legal support to the school system against David Parker.
Here's our full report on the David Parker incident and federal lawsuit: http://www.massresistance.org/docs/parker/index.html
It's nice to hear that Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) will be there to support him too... Though we haven't heard much from MFI on Parker's story since we broke it in April 2005 (and as we continued to document its every twist and turn). They did secure his presence at a few of their fundraisers ... so we hope they've also contributed to his defense fund.
We're trying to recall if MFI testified for our parents' rights bill in the last legislative session. Hmm... This session, MassResistance has filed the only parents' rights bill that will be truly effective, informed as it is by our understanding of the Parker case. If MFI is sincere in its support of Parker, they should fully support our bill -- to prevent future similar scenarios.
From our Dec. 29, 2006 email alert:
David Parker's federal civil rights lawsuit - Oral arguments to take place Feb. 7 in US District Court in Boston! [Dec. 29, 2006]
After months of delay, the oral arguments for David Parker's federal civil rights lawsuit against school and town officials in Lexington is scheduled to take place Wednesday, Feb. 7, at 2 pm in the US District Court in South Boston, before Judge Marc Wolf. (A few days ago it had been announced that it would be Jan. 18, but apparently the defendants asked that it be pushed back even more.)
At this "oral arguments" session, the defendants (the Lexington public officials) will try to persuade the judge not to allow the case to continue. And David Parker's lawyers will be countering that - with arguments that the case MUST be allowed to be heard!
The Parkers, along with Rob and Robin Wirthlin, are suing the Lexington officials (including Superintendent Paul Ash) over the school system's refusal to notify parents of elementary school children when adults present topics homosexuality or transgenderism to the kids. Parents have been told that the schools will not notify them even after these things have taken place! David Parker was arrested and spent the night in jail in April, 2005, over his insistence that they notify him - as required by state law - regarding homosexuality being presented to his son in kindergarten. This lawsuit has gotten national attention, and major pro-homosexual groups such as Human Rights Campaign in Washington, DC, as well as the ACLU have begun giving legal support to the school system against David Parker.
Here's our full report on the David Parker incident and federal lawsuit: http://www.massresistance.org/docs/parker/index.html
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Maine School Teaching Transgenderism
It's time for this to stop -- the trans madness being pushed on innocent children all over the country. This especially twisted form of child abuse is happening in Maine, too.
An Augusta high school just held a "diversity day" which included a transgender propaganda session. A young woman graduate of the school, now "identifying" as a male, spoke to the young teens (13 and 14 years old) about her experience. Note how the Kennebec Journal plays the willing fool, referring to her as "he" throughout the story, "Cony [high school] opens up" (1-30-07):
Transgendered people alter their appearance to that of the opposite sex.
Nazarkewycz, a 2006 Cony graduate, said even after he knew he identified himself as male, he struggled with his identity. He didn't like going to school much his senior year, in part because he wasn't even sure, himself, how he wanted his classmates to refer to him.
"My senior year, as far as Jen [her original name] and she, I was totally not wanting that at all," he said. "At the same time, I was not really ready to be Jeremiah [the new name she adopted] full-time either."
Nazarkewycz's compelling story about life as a transgendered person was one of several at the day-long annual event meant to instill Cony students with acceptance and tolerance of people who may be different in one or more ways. It also was a chance for students to learn about other cultures, religions and ways of life.
An earlier story, innocuously titled "Students to learn about different cultures" (1-27-07) previewed the day as a reasonable event ... except for that little inclusion of "life as a transgendered person":
Cony students will get a chance to learn about growing up French in Augusta, life with autism, life as a transgendered person, Pakistani dance, and civil rights in the 1960s. If that seems like an awfully diverse range of subjects, well, that's the whole point: Monday is the annual Cony Diversity Day.
The Christian Civic League of Maine covered the event. Rev. Dallas Henry, the League’s President of the Board of Directors, noted:
“The history of Maine’s 'Civil Rights Teams' [who organized Cony’s Diversity Day events] up to this point has clearly been that of promoting homosexuality. This Cony event has prominently broadened the field, however, to include teaching ‘transgendering.’ I am heartsick to hear of this promotion of sexual confusion.”
CCLMaine's Executive Director, Mike Heath, said of his high school alma mater:
“We live in bizarre times. Not too long ago every Mainer knew that sex change operations and witchcraft were as wrong as adultery and murder. It is impossible to understand what is happening because it is an inversion of reality. This is what makes it possible for deviant behavior and dark ideologies to be aggressively promoted as normal without effective resistance. It is irresponsible for adults to promote these ideas by presenting them without moral comment to impressionable young people who are maturing through puberty. Our Maine public school classrooms are looking more and more like the bar scene from Star Wars every day.”
CCL Maine reports that the Diversity Day also included a panel on different religions, and though invited, a Wicca representative did not show up:
The religious forum representatives were from various belief systems. Represented at the forum were Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, and a number of groups who identify themselves as Christian including Mormons, Methodists, Spiritualists, Seventh-day Adventists, and the Apostolic faith. Absent from the panel were Baptists and Catholics, the two largest Christian denominations in Maine. The Christian Civic League of Maine, which has Baptist, Nazarene, Pentecostal, Advent Christian, Assembly of God, and several other denominations represented in its membership, was not asked to participate in the forum.
An Augusta high school just held a "diversity day" which included a transgender propaganda session. A young woman graduate of the school, now "identifying" as a male, spoke to the young teens (13 and 14 years old) about her experience. Note how the Kennebec Journal plays the willing fool, referring to her as "he" throughout the story, "Cony [high school] opens up" (1-30-07):
Transgendered people alter their appearance to that of the opposite sex.
Nazarkewycz, a 2006 Cony graduate, said even after he knew he identified himself as male, he struggled with his identity. He didn't like going to school much his senior year, in part because he wasn't even sure, himself, how he wanted his classmates to refer to him.
"My senior year, as far as Jen [her original name] and she, I was totally not wanting that at all," he said. "At the same time, I was not really ready to be Jeremiah [the new name she adopted] full-time either."
Nazarkewycz's compelling story about life as a transgendered person was one of several at the day-long annual event meant to instill Cony students with acceptance and tolerance of people who may be different in one or more ways. It also was a chance for students to learn about other cultures, religions and ways of life.
An earlier story, innocuously titled "Students to learn about different cultures" (1-27-07) previewed the day as a reasonable event ... except for that little inclusion of "life as a transgendered person":
Cony students will get a chance to learn about growing up French in Augusta, life with autism, life as a transgendered person, Pakistani dance, and civil rights in the 1960s. If that seems like an awfully diverse range of subjects, well, that's the whole point: Monday is the annual Cony Diversity Day.
The Christian Civic League of Maine covered the event. Rev. Dallas Henry, the League’s President of the Board of Directors, noted:
“The history of Maine’s 'Civil Rights Teams' [who organized Cony’s Diversity Day events] up to this point has clearly been that of promoting homosexuality. This Cony event has prominently broadened the field, however, to include teaching ‘transgendering.’ I am heartsick to hear of this promotion of sexual confusion.”
CCLMaine's Executive Director, Mike Heath, said of his high school alma mater:
“We live in bizarre times. Not too long ago every Mainer knew that sex change operations and witchcraft were as wrong as adultery and murder. It is impossible to understand what is happening because it is an inversion of reality. This is what makes it possible for deviant behavior and dark ideologies to be aggressively promoted as normal without effective resistance. It is irresponsible for adults to promote these ideas by presenting them without moral comment to impressionable young people who are maturing through puberty. Our Maine public school classrooms are looking more and more like the bar scene from Star Wars every day.”
CCL Maine reports that the Diversity Day also included a panel on different religions, and though invited, a Wicca representative did not show up:
The religious forum representatives were from various belief systems. Represented at the forum were Buddhists, Jews, Muslims, and a number of groups who identify themselves as Christian including Mormons, Methodists, Spiritualists, Seventh-day Adventists, and the Apostolic faith. Absent from the panel were Baptists and Catholics, the two largest Christian denominations in Maine. The Christian Civic League of Maine, which has Baptist, Nazarene, Pentecostal, Advent Christian, Assembly of God, and several other denominations represented in its membership, was not asked to participate in the forum.
Monday, January 29, 2007
Child Abuse in Germany -- and Massachusetts
Everyone's talking about the young German boy undergoing "sex-change" procedures. Today, it's in Germany; tomorrow, it will be in Massachusetts. In fact, it's already underway.
This blog and the MassResistance organization have been exposing "trans" propaganda already inundating our public schools for several years now. Organizations including Planned Parenthood, PFLAG, GLSEN and the transgender activists are gearing up, pushing young people, their parents, and school personnel into this brave new world. Kathleen Henry, director of the Mass. Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, has stated they will make a big effort to "protect" bisexual and transgender youth.
Proof of where this movement is going: PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People) joined with assorted GLBTIQ activists just this past October in their regional conference in Worcester, called "Transcending Boundaries" (for "bisexual/pansexual, trans/genderqueer, and intersex people and our allies"). Sponsors included MassEquality's education fund, Planned Parenthood, New England Leather Alliance (whips & chains; they gave a workshop, "SM 101"), GlaxoSmithKline (sex-change drugs?). One workshop was called "PFLAG and Transgender – Sharing a Future."
Bad enough there are doctors willing to perform such mutilations on their young (or adult) patients -- fiendish medical experiments reminiscent of the Nazis. What's more surprising is this young German boy's abuse at the hands of his own parents, who've bought into the hideous concepts of "transgenderism" and "gender identity"! Here in Massachusetts, PFLAG and Planned Parenthood jumped on that bandwagon quite a while ago. These groups have, after all, transcended all boundaries. Killing babies? No problem. Homosexual marriage? A civil right. So how can they say no to sadomasochism, polyamory, or sex changes for children?
This blog and the MassResistance organization have been exposing "trans" propaganda already inundating our public schools for several years now. Organizations including Planned Parenthood, PFLAG, GLSEN and the transgender activists are gearing up, pushing young people, their parents, and school personnel into this brave new world. Kathleen Henry, director of the Mass. Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth, has stated they will make a big effort to "protect" bisexual and transgender youth.
Proof of where this movement is going: PFLAG (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender People) joined with assorted GLBTIQ activists just this past October in their regional conference in Worcester, called "Transcending Boundaries" (for "bisexual/pansexual, trans/genderqueer, and intersex people and our allies"). Sponsors included MassEquality's education fund, Planned Parenthood, New England Leather Alliance (whips & chains; they gave a workshop, "SM 101"), GlaxoSmithKline (sex-change drugs?). One workshop was called "PFLAG and Transgender – Sharing a Future."
Bad enough there are doctors willing to perform such mutilations on their young (or adult) patients -- fiendish medical experiments reminiscent of the Nazis. What's more surprising is this young German boy's abuse at the hands of his own parents, who've bought into the hideous concepts of "transgenderism" and "gender identity"! Here in Massachusetts, PFLAG and Planned Parenthood jumped on that bandwagon quite a while ago. These groups have, after all, transcended all boundaries. Killing babies? No problem. Homosexual marriage? A civil right. So how can they say no to sadomasochism, polyamory, or sex changes for children?
Right now, PFLAG and Planned Parenthood are busy holding seminars across Massachusetts (like those below), encouraging parents to accept and help their "trans" children, and schools to support "trans" students. And how scary is this: PFLAG has the largest representation of any group on the new Mass. Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth. Here are five workshops given at PFLAG's Transcending Boundaries conference last October:
Raising A Transgender Child/Compassionate Parenting
Using a combination of personal stories and exploring raising children through the lens of gender development, this workshop will provide a safe space in which to explore the myriad of emotions, beliefs, and ideas parents and other caregivers go through as children express their gender identification(s). A combination of presentation and discussion, the presenters will use their own experiences plus invite participants to share their journeys in the ongoing efforts to accept and nurture our children....
Supporting Gender Variant Youth in Today’s Schools
Is this child a boy or a girl or does it matter? Youth in today’s schools are increasingly fluid in their expression of gender, sometimes confusing adults and challenging those around them to think again about boy vs. girl. The workshop is designed to uncover the overlapping aspects of sexuality and clarify terminology related to gender expression and identity. Participants will also be provided with resources for transgender youth, transgender civil rights issues, recent school assessments, and available curriculum supplements for classroom use....
Coming out as a child or adolescent as transgendered or transsexual and the parents’ process of acceptance
This will be a panel presentation including parents and their transgendered children and teenagers. ... an experienced gender specialist will moderate this panel. The discussion will explore issues of coming out as a young transgendered individual to parents and their parents’ emotional process that led to eventual full acceptance. Crossgender expression at home, at school and in the community will be discussed. Non-medical and medical treatment of children and adolescents who are transgendered/transsexual will be discussed as well as other topics.
Lifelines for Trans Youth: Helping Transgender and Transsexual Youth Make Successful Transitions to Adulthood
This presentation examines the institutional resources and policies needed for transgender/transsexual youth to make successful transitions to adulthood. The formal talk segment combines clinical literature review with personal stories from trans youth and input from adult providers. This presentation offers cohesive strategies and guidelines to increase the cultural competency of educators, parents, physicians, therapists, administrators, policy makers, and other providers who may encounter trans youth. The interactive component of this workshop includes facilitated exercises to enable adult providers from diverse professions to serve as "lifelines" for transgender/transsexual youth....
Taking a Stand: Creating Safe Schools for All Students
This introductory workshop, designed for all school personnel, uses video clips and hands-on activities to examine the obvious and subtle ways that bias plays out in schools, and offers resources for creating schools that are safe for all students, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Sadomasochism Celebrated at Sheraton Danvers Hotel
This weekend just witnessed a celebration of sadomasochism and assorted perversions at the New England Leather Alliance's "Fetish Fair Fleamarket". The host hotel was the Sheraton Ferncroft Resort in Danvers. How could the hotel management allow this event? And where are the town fathers who let this occur? Mansfield refused to let this event dirty their town. Salem News jauntily reported:
Having met resistance elsewhere, the New England Leather Alliance is bringing its "Fetish Fair Fleamarket" to the North Shore.The fair, featuring more than 100 exhibitors selling erotic merchandise, everything from "corsets and boots to dungeon furniture and restraints," is scheduled for three days - Jan. 26 through 28 - at the Sheraton Ferncroft. Organizers made a last-minute move here from Mansfield because of a dispute over a permit requirement.
A lucky geographical break - the Sheraton Ferncroft is in both Danvers and Middleton - could spare the New England Leather Alliance from similar headaches on the North Shore. Vendors will be setting up shop in the hotel's grand ballroom, which is in Middleton. And unlike Danvers, Middleton hasn't designated a section of town for adult businesses to operate. Building Commissioner Bob Camacho said yesterday he would take a closer look, but he didn't recall anything in Middleton's zoning regulations that would prevent the flea market. Danvers, on the other hand, has an adult zone bylaw restricting this type of activity to an area off Route 1 near the Peabody line....
In its 28th year, the event has previously been held at the Park Plaza and the Sheraton in Boston, as well as the Ramada in Andover - and would probably still be held there if the Andover hotel hadn't closed.... Flea market patrons have booked nearly all of the Sheraton Ferncroft's 350 rooms, and organizers have reserved all of the hotel's function rooms and meeting space. "We're going to accommodate them as we do all the groups that come into the hotel," said Edward Carey, director of sales and marketing for the Sheraton Ferncroft.
Consider the hotel taxes, the overflow of people staying at other area hotels and the business generated at local restaurants and shops, and [NELA] estimates the weekend-long event will pump at least $1 million into the local economy....
Numerous classes and demonstrations that address whips, role playing, bondage and other subjects will be offered on Saturday and Sunday.
The reporter doesn't tell you about the classes on fisting; canes and caning; flogging; BDSM and the law; etc. (See their listing.) And here's a description from NELA's webpage on an upcoming "lecture":
Having met resistance elsewhere, the New England Leather Alliance is bringing its "Fetish Fair Fleamarket" to the North Shore.The fair, featuring more than 100 exhibitors selling erotic merchandise, everything from "corsets and boots to dungeon furniture and restraints," is scheduled for three days - Jan. 26 through 28 - at the Sheraton Ferncroft. Organizers made a last-minute move here from Mansfield because of a dispute over a permit requirement.
A lucky geographical break - the Sheraton Ferncroft is in both Danvers and Middleton - could spare the New England Leather Alliance from similar headaches on the North Shore. Vendors will be setting up shop in the hotel's grand ballroom, which is in Middleton. And unlike Danvers, Middleton hasn't designated a section of town for adult businesses to operate. Building Commissioner Bob Camacho said yesterday he would take a closer look, but he didn't recall anything in Middleton's zoning regulations that would prevent the flea market. Danvers, on the other hand, has an adult zone bylaw restricting this type of activity to an area off Route 1 near the Peabody line....
In its 28th year, the event has previously been held at the Park Plaza and the Sheraton in Boston, as well as the Ramada in Andover - and would probably still be held there if the Andover hotel hadn't closed.... Flea market patrons have booked nearly all of the Sheraton Ferncroft's 350 rooms, and organizers have reserved all of the hotel's function rooms and meeting space. "We're going to accommodate them as we do all the groups that come into the hotel," said Edward Carey, director of sales and marketing for the Sheraton Ferncroft.
Consider the hotel taxes, the overflow of people staying at other area hotels and the business generated at local restaurants and shops, and [NELA] estimates the weekend-long event will pump at least $1 million into the local economy....
Numerous classes and demonstrations that address whips, role playing, bondage and other subjects will be offered on Saturday and Sunday.
The reporter doesn't tell you about the classes on fisting; canes and caning; flogging; BDSM and the law; etc. (See their listing.) And here's a description from NELA's webpage on an upcoming "lecture":
LAYERED PAIN: EXTREME TORTURE -- This presentation will explore and discuss various types of layered pain. This type of edge play requires using extreme safety precautions and seasoned bottoms. Often this type of play involves body fluids such as lymph and blood. It goes beyond the uni-sensation scene and explodes the possibilities....
We first encountered the New England Leather Alliance (NELA) as a participant at Boston Pride, then we ran into them as participants at the PFLAG/Transgender conference in Worcester recently. (Remember that PFLAG is the group with the largest representation on the new state "Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth.") Part of the proceeds of last weekend's event were being donated to "National Coalition for Sexual Freedom" ("swingers" and perverts unite!).
Feedback opportunities:
Mr. Charlie Clist, General Manager; and Mr. Edward Carey, director of sales Sheraton Danvers, 50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923 http://www.sheratonferncroftresort.com/inforequest.html
978-777-2500
The Town of Danvers can be reached at:
Board of Selectmen (for names/contact info for individual selectmen)
Town Manager: Wayne P. Marquis, wmarquis@mail.danvers-ma.org 978-777-0001 Ext. 3069
The Town of Middleton can be reached at: http://www.townofmiddleton.org/contact.cfm
Board of Selectmen, Joseph Pascucci, Chairperson, 978-774-3589
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Does Romney Still Praise the New Media?
An interesting juxtaposition, in light of Romney's little altercation with MassResistance:
In December 2006, Mitt Romney told Kathryn Lopez of National Review that he gets nearly all of his news online now. Romney said:
"No longer can just a few newspapers or television stations control what information we have access to. The monopoly on news has been broken wide open. I trust the people and the power of ideas to triumph in the free and competitive information market that the new media provides."
On January 22, the Boston Globe published a story about an activist who successfully leveraged the new media to "rain on Romney's parade" [that would be Brian Camenker, head of MassResistance]:
The burst of attention has catapulted Camenker, a political agitator who has long protested gay rights in Massachusetts, into unlikely prominence in the nascent Republican presidential race. It has also underscored the startling power of the Internet to upset established political campaigns.
Some conservatives say Camenker's report, spiked with references to gay sex, has seriously damaged Romney's effort to woo conservative voters. Others dismiss the report as a joke. But Romney is not laughing.
Camenker said he called a few prominent conservatives ... to alert them to the report. But he has mostly e-mailed it to bloggers and activists, and let it spread on its own.... Camenker said, "All we're doing is spreading the truth."
"My goal is that the next president of the United States be a conservative," he said. Romney doesn't pass the test, he said. In a reference to the liberal gay state senator from Cambridge, Camenker said: "How's [Romney] going to stand up to the president of Iran if Jarrett Barrios scares him?"
In December 2006, Mitt Romney told Kathryn Lopez of National Review that he gets nearly all of his news online now. Romney said:
"No longer can just a few newspapers or television stations control what information we have access to. The monopoly on news has been broken wide open. I trust the people and the power of ideas to triumph in the free and competitive information market that the new media provides."
On January 22, the Boston Globe published a story about an activist who successfully leveraged the new media to "rain on Romney's parade" [that would be Brian Camenker, head of MassResistance]:
The burst of attention has catapulted Camenker, a political agitator who has long protested gay rights in Massachusetts, into unlikely prominence in the nascent Republican presidential race. It has also underscored the startling power of the Internet to upset established political campaigns.
Some conservatives say Camenker's report, spiked with references to gay sex, has seriously damaged Romney's effort to woo conservative voters. Others dismiss the report as a joke. But Romney is not laughing.
Camenker said he called a few prominent conservatives ... to alert them to the report. But he has mostly e-mailed it to bloggers and activists, and let it spread on its own.... Camenker said, "All we're doing is spreading the truth."
"My goal is that the next president of the United States be a conservative," he said. Romney doesn't pass the test, he said. In a reference to the liberal gay state senator from Cambridge, Camenker said: "How's [Romney] going to stand up to the president of Iran if Jarrett Barrios scares him?"
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Sen. Dianne Wilkerson just can't get it together
She's getting lots of help from the GLBT lobby, but she still can't get organized! The infamous State Senator Dianne Wilkerson, who had so much trouble getting re-elected -- because she couldn't get her signatures filed in time -- then had to run a sticker campaign in the primary -- but was rescued by MassEquality -- couldn't file her bills on time.
The Boston Globe reported that 26 of her 27 bills were late-filed, and an aide blamed a "glitch" in the system. "Other lawmakers didn't encounter similar glitches, according to House and Senate officials, who said that none of the state's 199 other legislators missed the deadline." Will the Judiciary Committee treat her bills as they usually do late-filed bills? Put them on a dusty shelf where they almost always die? Or will she get special consideration, again?
We can't understand how this happened, though, since she was reported to have hired one Jesse Sullivan as her legislative aide. Jesse used to be office manager and field organizer for MassEquality --should be a very efficient staffer. So what happened?! Sounded like there were big plans for the new session, but they've all fallen flat with the bills not getting in on time:
"Wilkerson’s top priorities for the upcoming legislative session include the environment and alternative energy, improving education funding and policy, CORI reform, rectifying Gov. Mitt Romney’s recent budget cuts, which slashed funds for some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens and an affirmative resolution on the marriage equality issue," reports Bay Windows. Wilkerson said, "first and foremost Jesse’s here because I needed a legislative director who would know how to get this job done. That he is gay, to me, is an added plus.”
The Boston Globe reported that 26 of her 27 bills were late-filed, and an aide blamed a "glitch" in the system. "Other lawmakers didn't encounter similar glitches, according to House and Senate officials, who said that none of the state's 199 other legislators missed the deadline." Will the Judiciary Committee treat her bills as they usually do late-filed bills? Put them on a dusty shelf where they almost always die? Or will she get special consideration, again?
We can't understand how this happened, though, since she was reported to have hired one Jesse Sullivan as her legislative aide. Jesse used to be office manager and field organizer for MassEquality --should be a very efficient staffer. So what happened?! Sounded like there were big plans for the new session, but they've all fallen flat with the bills not getting in on time:
"Wilkerson’s top priorities for the upcoming legislative session include the environment and alternative energy, improving education funding and policy, CORI reform, rectifying Gov. Mitt Romney’s recent budget cuts, which slashed funds for some of the state’s most vulnerable citizens and an affirmative resolution on the marriage equality issue," reports Bay Windows. Wilkerson said, "first and foremost Jesse’s here because I needed a legislative director who would know how to get this job done. That he is gay, to me, is an added plus.”
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
College Pro-Life Marchers Question Romney's Claims
Pro-life college students handed out about 10,000 flyers at the March for Life in Washington, D.C. last weekend, exposing Romney as a flip-flopping political opportunist from Massachusetts. They even included a photo of that other infamous Massachusetts flip-flopper, John Kerry.
Here's a PDF of the actual flyer that was being handed out.
And RightMarch.com PAC's press release on the Romney campaign's weak response.
In late 2005, Mitt Romney flip-flopped within the space of two days, finally saying that Catholic hospitals had to distribute "emergency contraception" abortion pills. That action alone disproves his claims of being "pro-life" . . . Period.
Addendum 1-24-07: The Boston Herald thought it newsworthy this morning:
"Conservative PAC rips Mitt as abortion flip-flopper"
Here's a PDF of the actual flyer that was being handed out.
And RightMarch.com PAC's press release on the Romney campaign's weak response.
In late 2005, Mitt Romney flip-flopped within the space of two days, finally saying that Catholic hospitals had to distribute "emergency contraception" abortion pills. That action alone disproves his claims of being "pro-life" . . . Period.
Addendum 1-24-07: The Boston Herald thought it newsworthy this morning:
"Conservative PAC rips Mitt as abortion flip-flopper"
Sunday, January 21, 2007
Compromisers Wherever We Turn
Kris Mineau, spokesman for VoteOnMarriage (VOM) and president of Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI), has announced his desire to "dialogue" with the homofascist leaders -- the same people who advocated violence to the constitution and blocking a vote "by any means necessary" on VOM's own citizens' petition! Mineau thinks he has an "excellent relationship" with the leadership of the extremist GLBT groups. From the MFI press release:
[Jan. 9, 2007] Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) today announced an initiative that seeks to build mutual respect and dialogue between those who support and those who oppose same sex marriage in Massachusetts. Advocates for same sex marriage routinely have called supporters of the marriage amendment hateful and bigoted, while amendment supporters say they are simply following the constitutional process to have their voice heard on what they view as an important social issue.
"The tone and rhetoric around this public policy issue has escalated to a frenzied level, too often with shouting that does nothing promote [sic] understanding. Denouncing individuals as bigots does not bring people with honest differences together. We would like to work with our opponents to raise the quality of the dialogue," said Kris Mineau. [meaning: Please don't call us names! It hurts our feelings!]
"I have come to know my political opponent Marc Solomon, executive director of MassEquality as a gentleman who has strong personal convictions," Mineau added. "I believe that if asked he would come to the table in good faith to advance meaningful dialogue that his supporters also would embrace-today begins the process of asking." [emphasis added]
Are we seeing political naivete here, or just plain simple-mindedness? Mineau is clearly in denial about the behavior and tactics of Marc Solomon and Arline Isaacson, the GLBT extremist group leaders, who cheered on their troopers in the most disruptive behaviors imaginable short of violence, protesting VOM's rally at the State House (Nov. 19).
The president of the MassEquality Board of Directors (Solomon's boss) said MassEquality "will redouble its efforts to protect marriage equality and defeat this discriminatory amendment in the legislature.... We are not going away. We are going to get bigger and stronger and do whatever is necessary to make sure that our families, our rights and our communities are safe.”
Mineau began his dialogue by giving an interview to the GLBT newspaper, Bay Windows ("Calling for a cease fire", 1-17-07), which immediately turned on him, snidely dismissing his proposal. From Bay Windows:
Following the Jan. 2 vote by the legislature to advance the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage into the new legislative session, activists on both sides of the marriage debate put out public calls for dialogue to encourage an end to offensive rhetoric and a de-escalation of the war of words. Yet in an interview with Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) and spokesperson for VoteOnMarriage.org, he made it clear that opponents of same-sex marriage would make no effort to rein in some of the most egregious offenders, members of the clergy speaking out in favor of the amendment....
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE, STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JAN. 8, 2007
Legislation mandating K-12 health education, cutting off federal funding for abstinence-only education and repealing outmoded anti-abortion statutes drew dozens of legislators to a strategy session and bill-signing hosted by the Massachusetts Coalition for Choice on Monday morning. A packed hearing room listened as coalition members, who hail from Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice and other public health groups, rallied legislators to support their agenda and discussed a game plan for dealing with opposition. The young 2007-2008 legislative session is just getting underway.
The health education bill, sponsored by Sen. Edward Augustus (D-Worcester) and Rep. Alice Wolf (D-Cambridge), would add health education to the “core curriculum” at primary and secondary schools. The bill reintroduces legislation that died in committee at the end of the last session, but “the prospects for this bill are very good,” according to Angus McQuilken, vice president for public affairs for Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. McQuilken, who heads the Massachusetts Coalition for Choice, cited the founding of the Coalition Advocating Responsible Education for Youth, a broad-based coalition lobbying for the education law, as a sign that momentum has turned in favor of the bill....
[And the supposedly conservative pro-family abstinence educators seem to be caving:]
Healthy Futures, a faith-based health education advocate, believes that the state should shed a common misconception that federal funding for abstinence education would limit the sexual education students receive. Rebecca Ray, the group’s director, said that while federal funding must be used for abstinence education, the state can still supplement that education with its own curriculum. Responding to the notion that schools that couldn’t afford their own health curriculum would only teach abstinence, Ray said that “presumably” the new mandatory health education law “would come with some funding.” Ray said her group could get behind both of the laws pertaining to health education as long as neither one was limited what children were taught – including the idea that “abstinence is a realistic option.” ...
Massachusetts Citizens for Life could not be reached for comment.
Attendees at the bill-signing event said they were excited to have a pro-choice governor, Deval Patrick, in the Corner Office, placing every branch of state government firmly in the pro-choice column. Melissa Kogut, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, said that Patrick, in conjunction with a heavily pro-choice Legislature, would offer “new opportunities to promote access to reproductive health services” and to advance more comprehensive health education.
[emphasis added]
[Jan. 9, 2007] Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) today announced an initiative that seeks to build mutual respect and dialogue between those who support and those who oppose same sex marriage in Massachusetts. Advocates for same sex marriage routinely have called supporters of the marriage amendment hateful and bigoted, while amendment supporters say they are simply following the constitutional process to have their voice heard on what they view as an important social issue.
"The tone and rhetoric around this public policy issue has escalated to a frenzied level, too often with shouting that does nothing promote [sic] understanding. Denouncing individuals as bigots does not bring people with honest differences together. We would like to work with our opponents to raise the quality of the dialogue," said Kris Mineau. [meaning: Please don't call us names! It hurts our feelings!]
"I have come to know my political opponent Marc Solomon, executive director of MassEquality as a gentleman who has strong personal convictions," Mineau added. "I believe that if asked he would come to the table in good faith to advance meaningful dialogue that his supporters also would embrace-today begins the process of asking." [emphasis added]
Are we seeing political naivete here, or just plain simple-mindedness? Mineau is clearly in denial about the behavior and tactics of Marc Solomon and Arline Isaacson, the GLBT extremist group leaders, who cheered on their troopers in the most disruptive behaviors imaginable short of violence, protesting VOM's rally at the State House (Nov. 19).
The president of the MassEquality Board of Directors (Solomon's boss) said MassEquality "will redouble its efforts to protect marriage equality and defeat this discriminatory amendment in the legislature.... We are not going away. We are going to get bigger and stronger and do whatever is necessary to make sure that our families, our rights and our communities are safe.”
Mineau began his dialogue by giving an interview to the GLBT newspaper, Bay Windows ("Calling for a cease fire", 1-17-07), which immediately turned on him, snidely dismissing his proposal. From Bay Windows:
Following the Jan. 2 vote by the legislature to advance the constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage into the new legislative session, activists on both sides of the marriage debate put out public calls for dialogue to encourage an end to offensive rhetoric and a de-escalation of the war of words. Yet in an interview with Kris Mineau, president of the Massachusetts Family Institute (MFI) and spokesperson for VoteOnMarriage.org, he made it clear that opponents of same-sex marriage would make no effort to rein in some of the most egregious offenders, members of the clergy speaking out in favor of the amendment....
Mineau said VoteOnMarriage.org believes the most hateful language in the marriage debate has come not from the lead advocates on either side but from rank-and-file supporters at events from either side.
“I cannot attribute anything to MassEquality or the Religious Coalition [for the Freedom to Marry], and again the leadership of those organizations, I think we have an excellent relationship,” said Mineau.... When asked for examples when he felt same-sex marriage supporters crossed the line he pointed to the counter-protestors at the series of rallies VoteOnMarriage.org held across the state last month urging lawmakers to vote on their amendment....
Mineau said he envisions the dialogue consisting of a series of public forums where the leaders of the different organizations on both sides come together to talk about how to have a more civil debate. He said VoteOnMarriage.org is still planning out its proposal for the dialogue and has not yet formally reached out to same-sex marriage activists.
“We’re right at the gestation point of this initiative. We want to do this, and that’s the point that we’re at. We have some ideas where hopefully we can have some constructive forums to discuss, not necessarily to debate, to discuss, not necessarily the pros and cons of same-sex marriage but the pros and cons of how the debate should be conducted on both sides,” said Mineau.
For their part, the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry (RCFM) has put out its own call for dialogue, aimed not at VoteOnMarriage.org but at the most powerful member of the clergy working to advance the amendment, Catholic Archbishop Sean O’Malley.
Meanwhile the assault on parents' rights and children in the public schools has begun in the legislature. Planned Parenthood and the homosexual lobby held a press conference before a packed hearing room in the State House on Jan. 8, and announced their three-pronged attack on in Massachusetts coming in this legislative session:
- mandatory K-12 health education, including pro-abortion, pro-promiscuity, pro-homosexual indoctrination (MassResistance helped mobilize the opposition to this last session, along with MCFL);
- ending federal funding to abstinence-only sex education; and
- overturning "outmoded anti-abortion statutes" in Massachusetts.
STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE, STATE HOUSE, BOSTON, JAN. 8, 2007
Legislation mandating K-12 health education, cutting off federal funding for abstinence-only education and repealing outmoded anti-abortion statutes drew dozens of legislators to a strategy session and bill-signing hosted by the Massachusetts Coalition for Choice on Monday morning. A packed hearing room listened as coalition members, who hail from Planned Parenthood, NARAL Pro-Choice and other public health groups, rallied legislators to support their agenda and discussed a game plan for dealing with opposition. The young 2007-2008 legislative session is just getting underway.
The health education bill, sponsored by Sen. Edward Augustus (D-Worcester) and Rep. Alice Wolf (D-Cambridge), would add health education to the “core curriculum” at primary and secondary schools. The bill reintroduces legislation that died in committee at the end of the last session, but “the prospects for this bill are very good,” according to Angus McQuilken, vice president for public affairs for Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts. McQuilken, who heads the Massachusetts Coalition for Choice, cited the founding of the Coalition Advocating Responsible Education for Youth, a broad-based coalition lobbying for the education law, as a sign that momentum has turned in favor of the bill....
[And the supposedly conservative pro-family abstinence educators seem to be caving:]
Healthy Futures, a faith-based health education advocate, believes that the state should shed a common misconception that federal funding for abstinence education would limit the sexual education students receive. Rebecca Ray, the group’s director, said that while federal funding must be used for abstinence education, the state can still supplement that education with its own curriculum. Responding to the notion that schools that couldn’t afford their own health curriculum would only teach abstinence, Ray said that “presumably” the new mandatory health education law “would come with some funding.” Ray said her group could get behind both of the laws pertaining to health education as long as neither one was limited what children were taught – including the idea that “abstinence is a realistic option.” ...
Massachusetts Citizens for Life could not be reached for comment.
Attendees at the bill-signing event said they were excited to have a pro-choice governor, Deval Patrick, in the Corner Office, placing every branch of state government firmly in the pro-choice column. Melissa Kogut, executive director of NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts, said that Patrick, in conjunction with a heavily pro-choice Legislature, would offer “new opportunities to promote access to reproductive health services” and to advance more comprehensive health education.
[emphasis added]
Saturday, January 20, 2007
National Leaders Called Romney on His Violation of Constitution
The news is continuing to get out. Life Site News just posted this article on the letter from 44 prominent national conservatives to Romney on December 20, 2006.
Romney Violated Massachusetts Constitution by Ordering ‘Same-Sex Marriage’; 44 U.S. pro-family leaders signed letter asking him to recant illegal orders
HARRISBURG, PA, January 19, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A letter addressed to Massachusetts’ ex-governor Mitt Romney has just been made public in which 44 conservative, pro-family leaders from across the nation requested that before stepping down from office, Romney would adhere to the Massachusetts Constitution and repeal his order directing public officials to perform ‘same-sex marriages’. The letter was hand delivered to members of Romney’s staff on December 20th, 2006 at his office. Romney took no action to adhere to the letter’s requests before he left office at the beginning of the New Year.
The letter cited numerous, historical cases and the Massachusetts’ Constitution to assert that Romney’s actions in implementing ‘gay marriage’ were beyond the bounds of his authority as governor. The authors further asserted that his actions were unconstitutional as were the actions of the four initial judges who formulated the official opinion on the matter in the ‘Goodridge’ case, the case that originally brought the matter to national attention.
Commenting on the ‘Goodridge’ opinion, Judge Robert Bork said that it was “untethered to either the Massachusetts or United States Constitution.”
As quoted in the letter, the MA Constitution denies the judicial branch of its government any authority over the state’s marriage policies. So it was that three of the seven judges that heard the Goodrich case strongly dissented that the court did not have authority to formulate laws.The letter also outlined how the MA Constitution forbids judges from establishing or altering law. According to the Constitution, such a task is to be left to the legislature. The judges’ opinion in the Goodrich case admitted that they were not altering the standing marriage statute in MA. Instead, Governor Romney took it upon himself, despite legal counsel to do otherwise, to order officials across the state that they would have to perform ‘gay marriages’, even though, according to Massachusetts law, to do so is a crime. Officials who refused were advised to resign their position.
Throughout the whole ordeal, Romney maintained that he was personally against ‘homosexual marriage’ but that he must “execute the law.” The conservatives’ letter clearly illustrates how Romney was not “executing the law” but merely facilitating the agenda of activist judges – beyond even the judges’ own expectations.
READ MORE...
Romney Violated Massachusetts Constitution by Ordering ‘Same-Sex Marriage’; 44 U.S. pro-family leaders signed letter asking him to recant illegal orders
HARRISBURG, PA, January 19, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A letter addressed to Massachusetts’ ex-governor Mitt Romney has just been made public in which 44 conservative, pro-family leaders from across the nation requested that before stepping down from office, Romney would adhere to the Massachusetts Constitution and repeal his order directing public officials to perform ‘same-sex marriages’. The letter was hand delivered to members of Romney’s staff on December 20th, 2006 at his office. Romney took no action to adhere to the letter’s requests before he left office at the beginning of the New Year.
The letter cited numerous, historical cases and the Massachusetts’ Constitution to assert that Romney’s actions in implementing ‘gay marriage’ were beyond the bounds of his authority as governor. The authors further asserted that his actions were unconstitutional as were the actions of the four initial judges who formulated the official opinion on the matter in the ‘Goodridge’ case, the case that originally brought the matter to national attention.
Commenting on the ‘Goodridge’ opinion, Judge Robert Bork said that it was “untethered to either the Massachusetts or United States Constitution.”
As quoted in the letter, the MA Constitution denies the judicial branch of its government any authority over the state’s marriage policies. So it was that three of the seven judges that heard the Goodrich case strongly dissented that the court did not have authority to formulate laws.The letter also outlined how the MA Constitution forbids judges from establishing or altering law. According to the Constitution, such a task is to be left to the legislature. The judges’ opinion in the Goodrich case admitted that they were not altering the standing marriage statute in MA. Instead, Governor Romney took it upon himself, despite legal counsel to do otherwise, to order officials across the state that they would have to perform ‘gay marriages’, even though, according to Massachusetts law, to do so is a crime. Officials who refused were advised to resign their position.
Throughout the whole ordeal, Romney maintained that he was personally against ‘homosexual marriage’ but that he must “execute the law.” The conservatives’ letter clearly illustrates how Romney was not “executing the law” but merely facilitating the agenda of activist judges – beyond even the judges’ own expectations.
READ MORE...
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Romney Scares Libertarians
From John Haskins:
So even libertarians are in on the open secret: Mitt Romney is the Father of sodomy-based "marriage".
Rich Aucoin has posted an excellent article -- a very revealing one, in the bizarre context of sycophantic "social conservatives" covering up for the politician who single-handedly imposed "homosexual marriage." In Massachusetts many libertarians disdain social conservatives as lepers. But apparently some are willing to say publicly what is now uncomfortably obvious: Mitt Romney trashed the Massachusetts constitution and the form of government he swore to uphold.
Aucoin is a Libertarian, in a state where many libertarians are homosexuals or pro-homosexuality. He was the Libertarian candidate for Lt. Governor in 2002 against Romney/Healey (see his bio "About Rich").
His article shatters the Romney staff's amateurish attempt on their campaign website to convince everyone that Brian Camenker and anyone else who reads state constitutions must be hateful, religious right "extremists."
How then, to dismiss prominent Massachusetts libertarian Rich Aucoin? Also as an intolerant "Religious Right" bogeyman? Could such a "hater" have gotten the nomination of the socially hyper-liberal Massachusetts Libertarian Party?
Apparently, the state constitution and decades of previous court rulings have the same clear meaning when a libertarian reads them as when I do.
Bottom line: all you have to do to pass this civics exam is ... well, read the homework assignment. This exam is a very important one, but it has only one question on it. The correct answer: "He is the governor who illegally imposed sodomy-based 'marriage' while blaming four winking judges for making him do it." The question: "Who is Mitt Romney?"
Romney's boast, "I will be a more effective advocate for gay rights than my opponent," made while debating Ted Kennedy was a promise he kept ten years later -- in 2004 when he sidestepped the American form of government and issued illegal homosexual "marriage" licenses.
Propaganda has a way of fading away as "news" gives way to facts. Here's a historical fact that will endure long after all the slick lawyers and spinmeisters have gone home: No American ever, Republican or Democrat, has done more to kick the homosexual revolution into overdrive than Mitt Romney. Ted Kennedy can eat his heart out.
--John Haskins
Parents' Rights Coalition
john@ParentsRightsCoalition.org
Excerpts from the article by Rich Aucoin:
"Mitt Romney swings both ways on same-sex marriage: How the Massachusetts GOP, not the Democrats, changed the definition of marriage...and what America can do about it"
In November of 2003, the mostly Republican-appointed Massachusetts Supreme Court "ordered" an overwhelmingly Democratic state legislature to legalize same-sex marriage, and to do so no later than May 17, 2004. In response, the Democrat legislature - which, by law, answers to the people, not the courts - ignored the court's demand. It simply refused to act.
As the GOP court's "deadline" loomed, it appeared that a constitutional crisis would be inevitable. But then, five weeks before the court's May 17th diktat, Republican Governor Mitt Romney saved the day, unilaterally issuing the following alteration to the state’s marriage license application: "Bride" and "Groom" were to be replaced by "Party A" and "Party B."
Thanks to Mitt, homosexual couples in Massachusetts immediately began planning their weddings, while equality advocates from across America rejoiced!
King Romney then issued an ultimatum to the commonwealth's justices of the peace, telling them to either begin marrying same-sex couples or else resign. Then, to mollify outraged "traditional marriage" advocates, Romney began citing an antiquated 1913 law (designed to forbid interracial couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their home states wouldn't recognize their unions) as a way of denying marriage licenses to out-of-state homosexuals.
This political back flip, predictably, turned homosexuals' joy into anger, sparking accusations of discrimination against the Romney administration - which, conveniently for Mitt, obscured the fact that he was the one who had implemented same-sex marriage across Massachusetts in the first place.
Read more...
So even libertarians are in on the open secret: Mitt Romney is the Father of sodomy-based "marriage".
Rich Aucoin has posted an excellent article -- a very revealing one, in the bizarre context of sycophantic "social conservatives" covering up for the politician who single-handedly imposed "homosexual marriage." In Massachusetts many libertarians disdain social conservatives as lepers. But apparently some are willing to say publicly what is now uncomfortably obvious: Mitt Romney trashed the Massachusetts constitution and the form of government he swore to uphold.
Aucoin is a Libertarian, in a state where many libertarians are homosexuals or pro-homosexuality. He was the Libertarian candidate for Lt. Governor in 2002 against Romney/Healey (see his bio "About Rich").
His article shatters the Romney staff's amateurish attempt on their campaign website to convince everyone that Brian Camenker and anyone else who reads state constitutions must be hateful, religious right "extremists."
How then, to dismiss prominent Massachusetts libertarian Rich Aucoin? Also as an intolerant "Religious Right" bogeyman? Could such a "hater" have gotten the nomination of the socially hyper-liberal Massachusetts Libertarian Party?
Apparently, the state constitution and decades of previous court rulings have the same clear meaning when a libertarian reads them as when I do.
Bottom line: all you have to do to pass this civics exam is ... well, read the homework assignment. This exam is a very important one, but it has only one question on it. The correct answer: "He is the governor who illegally imposed sodomy-based 'marriage' while blaming four winking judges for making him do it." The question: "Who is Mitt Romney?"
Romney's boast, "I will be a more effective advocate for gay rights than my opponent," made while debating Ted Kennedy was a promise he kept ten years later -- in 2004 when he sidestepped the American form of government and issued illegal homosexual "marriage" licenses.
Propaganda has a way of fading away as "news" gives way to facts. Here's a historical fact that will endure long after all the slick lawyers and spinmeisters have gone home: No American ever, Republican or Democrat, has done more to kick the homosexual revolution into overdrive than Mitt Romney. Ted Kennedy can eat his heart out.
--John Haskins
Parents' Rights Coalition
john@ParentsRightsCoalition.org
Excerpts from the article by Rich Aucoin:
"Mitt Romney swings both ways on same-sex marriage: How the Massachusetts GOP, not the Democrats, changed the definition of marriage...and what America can do about it"
In November of 2003, the mostly Republican-appointed Massachusetts Supreme Court "ordered" an overwhelmingly Democratic state legislature to legalize same-sex marriage, and to do so no later than May 17, 2004. In response, the Democrat legislature - which, by law, answers to the people, not the courts - ignored the court's demand. It simply refused to act.
As the GOP court's "deadline" loomed, it appeared that a constitutional crisis would be inevitable. But then, five weeks before the court's May 17th diktat, Republican Governor Mitt Romney saved the day, unilaterally issuing the following alteration to the state’s marriage license application: "Bride" and "Groom" were to be replaced by "Party A" and "Party B."
Thanks to Mitt, homosexual couples in Massachusetts immediately began planning their weddings, while equality advocates from across America rejoiced!
King Romney then issued an ultimatum to the commonwealth's justices of the peace, telling them to either begin marrying same-sex couples or else resign. Then, to mollify outraged "traditional marriage" advocates, Romney began citing an antiquated 1913 law (designed to forbid interracial couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their home states wouldn't recognize their unions) as a way of denying marriage licenses to out-of-state homosexuals.
This political back flip, predictably, turned homosexuals' joy into anger, sparking accusations of discrimination against the Romney administration - which, conveniently for Mitt, obscured the fact that he was the one who had implemented same-sex marriage across Massachusetts in the first place.
Read more...
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Romney Failed to Respond to Pro-Family Groups
From WorldNetDaily:
Nearly four dozen pro-family leaders and activists have made public their direct challenge to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has assembled a committee to explore a run at the presidency in 2008, to document his opposition to homosexual marriages. And they say he ignored them.
According to the organization MassResistance.org, the leaders hand-delivered a letter to the former governor on Dec. 22 [correction: delivered on Dec. 20], before he left office, documenting why they believe he voluntarily instituted directives that created homosexual "marriages" in that state, even though he did not have to. They asked him to act in response, and they say he didn't even acknowledge the letter.
Among those challenging Romney were Paul Weyrich, of the Free Congress Foundation; Sandy Rios, of Culture Campaign; Robert Knight, who drafted the federal Defense of Marriage Act; Linda Harvey, of Mission America; Rev. Ted Pike, of the National Prayer Network; Randy Thomasson, of Campaign for Children and Families; Peter LaBarbera, of Americans for Truth; David E. Smith, of the Illinois Family Institute; Joe Glover, of the Family Policy Network; Paul Cameron, of the Family Research Institute; John Haskins' of the Parents' Rights Coalition, and others.
The group's letter cited state constitutional provisions and court rulings, showing that while the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered the creation of homosexual marriages, it did not have the authority to order the governor to institute them or the legislature to create them. The letter had called on Romney to reverse his "erroneous directives which began homosexual 'marriages' through an executive order" but signers noted that Romney declined to act.
READ MORE ...
Nearly four dozen pro-family leaders and activists have made public their direct challenge to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who has assembled a committee to explore a run at the presidency in 2008, to document his opposition to homosexual marriages. And they say he ignored them.
According to the organization MassResistance.org, the leaders hand-delivered a letter to the former governor on Dec. 22 [correction: delivered on Dec. 20], before he left office, documenting why they believe he voluntarily instituted directives that created homosexual "marriages" in that state, even though he did not have to. They asked him to act in response, and they say he didn't even acknowledge the letter.
Among those challenging Romney were Paul Weyrich, of the Free Congress Foundation; Sandy Rios, of Culture Campaign; Robert Knight, who drafted the federal Defense of Marriage Act; Linda Harvey, of Mission America; Rev. Ted Pike, of the National Prayer Network; Randy Thomasson, of Campaign for Children and Families; Peter LaBarbera, of Americans for Truth; David E. Smith, of the Illinois Family Institute; Joe Glover, of the Family Policy Network; Paul Cameron, of the Family Research Institute; John Haskins' of the Parents' Rights Coalition, and others.
The group's letter cited state constitutional provisions and court rulings, showing that while the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ordered the creation of homosexual marriages, it did not have the authority to order the governor to institute them or the legislature to create them. The letter had called on Romney to reverse his "erroneous directives which began homosexual 'marriages' through an executive order" but signers noted that Romney declined to act.
READ MORE ...
Monday, January 15, 2007
Romney's Big Blunder
Seen on TownHall.com, referring to Romney's personal attack on Brian Camenker of MassResistance:
As a source close to one of Romney's potential rivals told me, "This is the dumbest stunt by a tier one presidential candidate since George Romney claimed he had been brainwashed by the generals and diplomats."
So early in his campaign ... such a big blunder! Is this man qualified to save America from the jihadists? Attacking the messenger -- because you can't dispute the message?
First Romney posts his attack press release. Then -- after libertarian talk show host Scotto (680 WRKO in Boston) invites Camenker on his show this morning and is aghast at the ineptitude of Romney's personal attack on him -- the press release disappears. But by the end of the day today, it's back up, though the index of press releases on Romney's site doesn't list it!
More from Matt Lewis on TownHall:
If Camenker is so irrelevant, then why is Romney trying to take him down? Why not let someone else take down Camenker (heck, the AP is already doing the dirty work by calling him a gadfly)? Get a surrogate, for crying out loud, Gov. Romney ...
And we're still waiting to hear what "extreme ideology" Camenker is "pushing". Is it the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman? That civil unions and domestic partnership benefits are a bad idea? That homosexual couples shouldn't adopt children? That parents have rights over what is taught to their children about sex and sexual morality? If these ideas are considered "extreme" by Romney, how does he think he'll win Republican primaries?
As a source close to one of Romney's potential rivals told me, "This is the dumbest stunt by a tier one presidential candidate since George Romney claimed he had been brainwashed by the generals and diplomats."
So early in his campaign ... such a big blunder! Is this man qualified to save America from the jihadists? Attacking the messenger -- because you can't dispute the message?
First Romney posts his attack press release. Then -- after libertarian talk show host Scotto (680 WRKO in Boston) invites Camenker on his show this morning and is aghast at the ineptitude of Romney's personal attack on him -- the press release disappears. But by the end of the day today, it's back up, though the index of press releases on Romney's site doesn't list it!
More from Matt Lewis on TownHall:
If Camenker is so irrelevant, then why is Romney trying to take him down? Why not let someone else take down Camenker (heck, the AP is already doing the dirty work by calling him a gadfly)? Get a surrogate, for crying out loud, Gov. Romney ...
And we're still waiting to hear what "extreme ideology" Camenker is "pushing". Is it the belief that marriage is between one man and one woman? That civil unions and domestic partnership benefits are a bad idea? That homosexual couples shouldn't adopt children? That parents have rights over what is taught to their children about sex and sexual morality? If these ideas are considered "extreme" by Romney, how does he think he'll win Republican primaries?
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Dukakis Rode In a Tank, Romney Shops for Rifles?
Romney checks out the rifles in Orlando. (Does he know the difference between a sporting rifle and an "assault weapon"?)[Getty Images/Boston Globe]
Romney has joined the NRA! The latest flip-flop. Next thing we know, he'll be duck hunting with Dick Cheney. Or buying a hunting license with John Kerry.
The Boston Globe reports today that "Romney retreats on gun control; Ex-governor woos Republican votes":
ORLANDO , Fla. -- Former governor Mitt Romney, who once described himself as a supporter of strong gun laws, is distancing himself from that rhetoric now as he attempts to court the gun owners who make up a significant force in Republican primary politics.
In his 1994 US Senate run, Romney backed two gun-control measures strongly opposed by the National Rifle Association and other gun-rights groups: the Brady Bill, which imposed a five-day waiting period on gun sales, and a ban on certain assault weapons.
"That's not going to make me the hero of the NRA," Romney told the Boston Herald in 1994.
At another campaign stop that year, he told reporters: "I don't line up with the NRA."
And as the GOP gubernatorial candidate in 2002, Romney lauded the state's strong laws during a debate against Democrat Shannon O'Brien. "We do have tough gun laws in Massachusetts; I support them," he said. "I won't chip away at them; I believe they protect us and provide for our safety."
Romney Campaign's Personal Attacks Have Begun
From Peter LaBarbera -- who's been covering the radical GLBT movement before most Americans even knew it existed -- comes a call for Mitt Romney to apologize for attacking "pro-family hero Brian Camenker", president of MassResistance.
Romney is desperately trying to discredit Camenker’s publication of the “Mitt Romney Deception,” detailing the Republican politician’s past liberal record.
News Release
Americans For Truth www.americansfortruth.org
January 12, 2007
NAPERVILLE, IL—Americans For Truth President Peter LaBarbera expressed dismay at former Republican Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s public attack against Brian Camenker, the head of Mass Resistance and “an American hero in the fight against the radical homosexual agenda.”
In a web posting by Romney’s presidential exploratory committee, ominously entitled, “Meet the Real Brian Camenker,” Romney uses liberal media stories to portray Camenker as an extremist troublemaker. Camenker is widely respected among pro-family advocates nationwide for his untiring efforts to expose pro-homosexual indoctrination of public school students.
Romney is desperately trying to discredit Camenker’s publication of the “Mitt Romney Deception,” detailing the Republican politician’s past liberal record. Forty-four conservative leaders including LaBarbera have signed on to a letter challenging Romney’s claim that as governor he did all he could to defend against “gay marriage” in Massachusetts....
“Brian Camenker is a bona fide American pro-family hero,” LaBarbera said. “Brian, who is Jewish, has refused to sell out his religious beliefs like so many around him in Boston. Now comes along a politician — who once boasted that he was better than Ted Kennedy on ‘gay’ issues — to trash him as an extremist gadfly. This is establishment Republican attack-politics at its very worst....
“It’s not Camenker who is extreme but Romney’s (former) ‘gay’ Log Cabin Republican friends, who wouldn’t even endorse President Bush for re-election in 2004,” LaBarbera said.
He urged Romney to retract the anti-Camenker web posting and apologize to the pro-family advocate, noting that Camenker has done nothing wrong in “reminding the American public that Romney has flip-flopped from being a very committed pro-abortion and pro-homosexual-activist politician.”
Romney is desperately trying to discredit Camenker’s publication of the “Mitt Romney Deception,” detailing the Republican politician’s past liberal record.
News Release
Americans For Truth www.americansfortruth.org
January 12, 2007
NAPERVILLE, IL—Americans For Truth President Peter LaBarbera expressed dismay at former Republican Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney’s public attack against Brian Camenker, the head of Mass Resistance and “an American hero in the fight against the radical homosexual agenda.”
In a web posting by Romney’s presidential exploratory committee, ominously entitled, “Meet the Real Brian Camenker,” Romney uses liberal media stories to portray Camenker as an extremist troublemaker. Camenker is widely respected among pro-family advocates nationwide for his untiring efforts to expose pro-homosexual indoctrination of public school students.
Romney is desperately trying to discredit Camenker’s publication of the “Mitt Romney Deception,” detailing the Republican politician’s past liberal record. Forty-four conservative leaders including LaBarbera have signed on to a letter challenging Romney’s claim that as governor he did all he could to defend against “gay marriage” in Massachusetts....
“Brian Camenker is a bona fide American pro-family hero,” LaBarbera said. “Brian, who is Jewish, has refused to sell out his religious beliefs like so many around him in Boston. Now comes along a politician — who once boasted that he was better than Ted Kennedy on ‘gay’ issues — to trash him as an extremist gadfly. This is establishment Republican attack-politics at its very worst....
“It’s not Camenker who is extreme but Romney’s (former) ‘gay’ Log Cabin Republican friends, who wouldn’t even endorse President Bush for re-election in 2004,” LaBarbera said.
He urged Romney to retract the anti-Camenker web posting and apologize to the pro-family advocate, noting that Camenker has done nothing wrong in “reminding the American public that Romney has flip-flopped from being a very committed pro-abortion and pro-homosexual-activist politician.”
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Democrats Across U.S. Sell Out to Homosexual Lobby
We've known this for some time. We noted National Review's report on the disaster in Colorado in the 2006 election. We've been warning of the money already pouring into Massachusetts from such sources as the Human Rights Campaign (HRC, under the leadership of a Massachusetts boy, Joe Solmonese) and the Gill Foundation (led by another Massachusetts boy, Patrick Guerriero). HRC's website describes itself as "America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality." [Emphasis added; no definition for "civil rights" or "GLBT equality" is given.]
Today's Boston Globe covers this story in some detail. Of course, from the Globe's viewpoint, it's a wonderful development -- it's a "special interest" they approve of, one they believe should be exempt from any critical chatter. From "Gay rights group hailed for election role; Democrats say work key to party gains" (1-13-07):
WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign, one of the nation's leading gay political organizations, played a quiet but pivotal role electing Democrats at the federal and local level in November, a startling turnaround for a group whose demands for gay marriage helped defeat Democratic candidates in 2004, according to party leaders and lawmakers.
Playing down its support for gay marriage, the HRC mobilized its 650,000 members to staff phone banks, raise money, and participate in get-out-the-vote campaigns to elect candidates sympathetic to gay issues, even if they didn't support gay marriage. The group was the single biggest donor to Democratic state Senate races in New Hampshire, helping the party take control of both chambers of the Legislature for the first time since 1874.
The group also helped congressional candidates from Arizona to Florida and Ohio, and party activists believe the organization can play an even larger role in the 2008 elections....
"What makes you politically powerful is money and membership. We have both, and we have the power to deliver both. We need to do it in a way that makes people stand up and take notice," said Joe Solmonese, HRC president....
Eighty-four staff members were sent to help 30 targeted races in 18 states. More than 90 percent of the 232 candidates the HRC endorsed -- mostly Democrats, but some pro-gay rights Republicans -- won their elections in November.
Today's Boston Globe covers this story in some detail. Of course, from the Globe's viewpoint, it's a wonderful development -- it's a "special interest" they approve of, one they believe should be exempt from any critical chatter. From "Gay rights group hailed for election role; Democrats say work key to party gains" (1-13-07):
WASHINGTON -- The Human Rights Campaign, one of the nation's leading gay political organizations, played a quiet but pivotal role electing Democrats at the federal and local level in November, a startling turnaround for a group whose demands for gay marriage helped defeat Democratic candidates in 2004, according to party leaders and lawmakers.
Playing down its support for gay marriage, the HRC mobilized its 650,000 members to staff phone banks, raise money, and participate in get-out-the-vote campaigns to elect candidates sympathetic to gay issues, even if they didn't support gay marriage. The group was the single biggest donor to Democratic state Senate races in New Hampshire, helping the party take control of both chambers of the Legislature for the first time since 1874.
The group also helped congressional candidates from Arizona to Florida and Ohio, and party activists believe the organization can play an even larger role in the 2008 elections....
"What makes you politically powerful is money and membership. We have both, and we have the power to deliver both. We need to do it in a way that makes people stand up and take notice," said Joe Solmonese, HRC president....
Eighty-four staff members were sent to help 30 targeted races in 18 states. More than 90 percent of the 232 candidates the HRC endorsed -- mostly Democrats, but some pro-gay rights Republicans -- won their elections in November.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Mass. Citizens for Life's Flip-Flop on Romney
Mass. Citizens for Life (MCFL) used to be disappointed in Gov. Romney's failure to support their pro-family efforts. The Globe reported in March 2005,
"Marie Sturgis, legislative director of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, said she hasn't detected any change in Romney's stance. The group considers Romney to be an abortion-rights supporter, as do national antiabortion groups such as the Family Research Council."
Then last week were surprised by this flip-flop by MCFL in its assessment of Romney. Regarding a letter signed by a few "conservative" leaders in Massachusetts supporting Romney, the new president of MCFL is quoted:
One activist who agreed to sign the letter was Joseph Reilly, president of the group Massachusetts Citizens for Life, a group that opposes abortion. "It just told the truth," Reilly said of the letter, describing Romney as "a man of honesty."
"I would describe the letter as a testimony of the help that Governor Romney has given to profamily values during his tenure," added Tom Shields, chairman of the Coalition for Marriage and Family [the group behind the VoteOnMarriage amendment].
Shields is a close personal friend of Romney's.
Then we read this on yesterday's Pro-Life Romney Watch blog (1-11-07):
Update
I spoke with Marie Sturgis [former president] at Mass Citizens for Life earlier this afternoon. She confirmed for me that Romney wrote a check to [MCFL] just before Christmas in the amount of $15,000.
I told her that I saw her quote at National Review Online ... and that that quote was contrary to what she has been saying about Romney all along – and that her statements on the record about his proabort record were consistent with the truth. Because her name does now not appear on the Romney endorsement, I asked her whether the Romney camp had asked her to refrain from signing it. She would neither confirm nor deny - and said she would "rather not open that can of worms".
She also told me that she has been fielding phone calls from irate Catholics who are very upset that Joe Reilly (wife is Evelyn Reilly who works with Kris Mineau [head of Mass. Family Institute and spokeman for VoteOnMarriage] ) has signed onto the letter. She said "This might not be an issue if Sam Brownback were not running – but everyone is upset because Sam has the stronger prolife/profamily record."
Of course. If prolifers do not back the man with the stronger prolife record – what message does that send to future politicians?
This all has nothing to do with whether or not Romney's conversion is genuine or it is not genuine. It's immaterial. Three months ago, Romney appointed an anti family judge on his court to rule against us. This is not a man we can trust at this juncture. For fifteen thousand dollars, Joe Reilly was willing to contradict their previous statements on the record.
That's pretty discouraging to people who are relying on the integrity that this is about advancing the best prolife environment for our country.
"Marie Sturgis, legislative director of Massachusetts Citizens for Life, said she hasn't detected any change in Romney's stance. The group considers Romney to be an abortion-rights supporter, as do national antiabortion groups such as the Family Research Council."
Then last week were surprised by this flip-flop by MCFL in its assessment of Romney. Regarding a letter signed by a few "conservative" leaders in Massachusetts supporting Romney, the new president of MCFL is quoted:
One activist who agreed to sign the letter was Joseph Reilly, president of the group Massachusetts Citizens for Life, a group that opposes abortion. "It just told the truth," Reilly said of the letter, describing Romney as "a man of honesty."
"I would describe the letter as a testimony of the help that Governor Romney has given to profamily values during his tenure," added Tom Shields, chairman of the Coalition for Marriage and Family [the group behind the VoteOnMarriage amendment].
Shields is a close personal friend of Romney's.
Then we read this on yesterday's Pro-Life Romney Watch blog (1-11-07):
Update
I spoke with Marie Sturgis [former president] at Mass Citizens for Life earlier this afternoon. She confirmed for me that Romney wrote a check to [MCFL] just before Christmas in the amount of $15,000.
I told her that I saw her quote at National Review Online ... and that that quote was contrary to what she has been saying about Romney all along – and that her statements on the record about his proabort record were consistent with the truth. Because her name does now not appear on the Romney endorsement, I asked her whether the Romney camp had asked her to refrain from signing it. She would neither confirm nor deny - and said she would "rather not open that can of worms".
She also told me that she has been fielding phone calls from irate Catholics who are very upset that Joe Reilly (wife is Evelyn Reilly who works with Kris Mineau [head of Mass. Family Institute and spokeman for VoteOnMarriage] ) has signed onto the letter. She said "This might not be an issue if Sam Brownback were not running – but everyone is upset because Sam has the stronger prolife/profamily record."
Of course. If prolifers do not back the man with the stronger prolife record – what message does that send to future politicians?
This all has nothing to do with whether or not Romney's conversion is genuine or it is not genuine. It's immaterial. Three months ago, Romney appointed an anti family judge on his court to rule against us. This is not a man we can trust at this juncture. For fifteen thousand dollars, Joe Reilly was willing to contradict their previous statements on the record.
That's pretty discouraging to people who are relying on the integrity that this is about advancing the best prolife environment for our country.
Conservatives Will Not Be Fooled Again
Why was "The Mitt Romney Deception" report written? This piece by Jonathan Chait (Los Angeles Times) gets a lot of things right. Basically, we social conservatives are tired of being had by RINOs.
from "The Religious Right’s Not-So-True Believers" (12-17-06):
Looking over the field of potential Republican presidential candidates, one odd thing jumps out at me: Many of them have expressed deep hostility to the religious right’s point of view in the past, and several are now insisting that they didn’t mean a word of it. One way to look at this is to conclude that they all said or did things they didn’t mean, or that they have come around to the social conservative position. Oddly enough, this is the interpretation many social conservatives seem inclined to accept.
Or there’s the other, more logical interpretation: The Republican Party’s governing class is deeply hostile to social conservatism, and its leaders manage to fool the base over and over again. ... Romney, who had characterized the religious right as “extremists,” said he essentially had the same position on gay rights as Sen. Ted Kennedy...
Social liberalism is unacceptable to GOP primary voters, right? So maybe Romney is faking it now, and all that stuff he said about gay rights and the influence of his moderate father was genuine, no? This would be bad enough for social conservatives if Romney were the moderate in the race. But, in fact, he’s the current favorite among social conservatives.
Indeed, social conservatives don’t even want to hear about Romney’s scandalously tolerant past. Brian Camenker, a right-wing activist who has been sounding the alarm bells about Romney, has gotten a frosty reception from his fellow religious conservatives. “Why are you attacking Romney?”’ they keep asking him, according to my colleague Ryan Lizza [of the New Republic]. “He’s better than (Rudolph W.) Giuliani and (John) McCain." ...
But that was written almost a month ago. Fellow social conservatives are now beginning to get the message. Romney is not their savior.
from "The Religious Right’s Not-So-True Believers" (12-17-06):
Looking over the field of potential Republican presidential candidates, one odd thing jumps out at me: Many of them have expressed deep hostility to the religious right’s point of view in the past, and several are now insisting that they didn’t mean a word of it. One way to look at this is to conclude that they all said or did things they didn’t mean, or that they have come around to the social conservative position. Oddly enough, this is the interpretation many social conservatives seem inclined to accept.
Or there’s the other, more logical interpretation: The Republican Party’s governing class is deeply hostile to social conservatism, and its leaders manage to fool the base over and over again. ... Romney, who had characterized the religious right as “extremists,” said he essentially had the same position on gay rights as Sen. Ted Kennedy...
Social liberalism is unacceptable to GOP primary voters, right? So maybe Romney is faking it now, and all that stuff he said about gay rights and the influence of his moderate father was genuine, no? This would be bad enough for social conservatives if Romney were the moderate in the race. But, in fact, he’s the current favorite among social conservatives.
Indeed, social conservatives don’t even want to hear about Romney’s scandalously tolerant past. Brian Camenker, a right-wing activist who has been sounding the alarm bells about Romney, has gotten a frosty reception from his fellow religious conservatives. “Why are you attacking Romney?”’ they keep asking him, according to my colleague Ryan Lizza [of the New Republic]. “He’s better than (Rudolph W.) Giuliani and (John) McCain." ...
But that was written almost a month ago. Fellow social conservatives are now beginning to get the message. Romney is not their savior.
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