The ostensible inspiration for Perkins' rant was Sally Jacobsen of Northern Kentucky University, a professor forced into early retirement after "inviting" some of her postgraduate students to exercise their own right to free speech by pulling up 400 crosses planted on the university campus by a "Right to Life" group. [photo removed by request of copyright holder. -- moiv] But more germane than Perkins's fake snit over a sexagenarian teacher's "lawlessness" is the map heading USA Today's story: 'Roe v. Wade': The divided states of America . On the surface, things seem to be looking pretty good for Tony and his friends. But a 50-cent tour of some red state legislatures explains why Tony's collar is feeling a little tight these days.
Louisiana's abortion bills promise fireworks, but to what end? Not this time around. Not in Louisiana, and not in several other places. In the weeks since the nation was rudely jolted awake over the South Dakota ban, an impressive number of previously reliable "pro-life" legislatures have allowed anti-choice bills to be put down without more than a token whimper. Home to the fanatical Senator Tom Coburn, Oklahoma has one of the most rabidly anti-choice Congressional delegations in the country, but you'd never know it if you were sitting in the statehouse in Oklahoma City.
A series of House-passed anti-abortion bills deemed to be punitive by some Democratic state senators went unheard as a deadline expired today for hearing House measures in Senate committees. Indiana Right to Life blames the longtime Republican Senate leader for killing a bill that would have compelled doctors -- in defiance of medical evidence -- to tell women seeking abortion care that life begins at conception and that a fetus probably feels pain.
The Indiana Right to Life Political Action Committee said Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, refused to ensure that a floor vote on the bill was taken before midnight on March 14, the deadline for the 2006 session to end. But somehow, the time for that sure thing of an "Aye" vote just never came. And other issues near and dear to the hearts of Tony Perkins and his "Values Voters" haven't even gotten that far. Kansans for Life - after heartily supporting a proposal to add graphic descriptions of abortion procedures and fetal pain misinformation to high school sex education classes - suddenly decided that it wasn't such a good idea after all.
The state's largest anti-abortion group is backing off on a proposal to require abortion education in Kansas classrooms. That's the first adjective that comes to mind when one considers KFL's legislative agenda, all right -- non-controversial. The Kansas House added classroom antiabortion propaganda to what began as a Senate bill designed to help Attorney General Phill Kline harass Kansas doctors even more viciously, and then passed the amended bill back to the Senate - where Kansas senators thought twice about reaping a whirlwind of opposition from furious parents. The Kentucky Legislature -- where earlier this year there was talk of a ban to rival South Dakota's - toughened Kentucky's "informed consent" law to require women to see a doctor in person for counseling 24 hours prior to an abortion, but its hard-line members failed in an attempt to impose restrictions that are now considered standard in many other states .
The Senate added provisions requiring women to sign a form certifying they had been offered the counseling, that they consented to the abortion "knowingly and willingly" and were not under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Nope, sorry, not this year. And in Tennessee, a proposed constitutional amendment to remove any guarantees of a right to an abortion within the state's constitution just shriveled up and died in committee. The friends of Tony Perkins had held high hopes for Mississippi this year. Mississippi was widely expected to follow on the heels of South Dakota, and indeed a state abortion ban was considered to be a fait accompli - with the only question being whether exceptions would be allowed for those twin bugaboos so loved by hypocrites everywhere: rape and incest. But something funny happened on the way to final passage. As usual, the official excuse was "we just ran out of time" - but as reported by the Jackson Free Press, Mississippi's solons were thrown for a loop when Rep. Steve Holland [D-Plantersville], who authored the ban language and appended it to a milder bill, decided that it was time for them to put up or shut up.
Republicans in Mississippi have repeatedly used support of abortion rights as a weapon against Democratic opponents, especially in competition for conservative voters.
The editors of the Clarion-Ledger summed the situation up nicely.
This was more of an exercise in politics than policy. Mississippi already has one of the most restrictive laws in the nation. When put to the test, despite all their "pro-life" posturing, Mississippi's pandering politicians found themselves sitting on a bigger wedge than was comfortable. If you've picked up on the general trend by now, rest assured that Tony Perkins has it engraved on his shriveled little soul. Maybe that's why last week's headlines blared "Flag burning, gay marriage, abortion top GOP election agenda."
Between now and the November elections, Republicans are penciling in plans to take action on social issues important to religious conservatives, the foundation of the GOP base, as they defend their congressional majority. Tony Perkins to Republicans in Washington: "When you run a saloon in Chicago, you buy your beer from Big Al." But it ain't necessarily so in Baton Rouge, Oklahoma City, Indianapolis, Topeka, Frankfort, Nashville or Jackson. [Capone image from Vernacular Photography]
Bucking Big Tony | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
Bucking Big Tony | 4 comments (4 topical, 0 hidden)
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Left Behind: Eternal Forces: Installments of Jonathan Hutson's Talk To Action expose series
on the "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game have been viewed by up to 1/2 million people. See our site section featuring Over 35 original articles covering the controversial "Left Behind: Eternal Forces" video game that has provoked a boycott by a coalition of religious groups and a letter writing campaign urging Walmart to stop selling the game. Media inquiries click here(image: detail from Francoise Dubois' rendition of the Bartholomew's Day Massacre reveals the actual nature of religious warfare)
Donohue's Deal on Hudson
The Catholic Right, Part Sixty-four On July 16, 2008 Catholics United sent the McCain campaign a a letter calling on the Arizona senator to...... By Frank Cocozzelli (3 comments)
Scarborough's Country
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A Victory over "Intelligent Design" in Oklahoma
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Short Takes
Chuck Freeman of KOOP-FM in Austin, Texas interviews me Thursday, July 17th, from 3:30 - 4pm, Eastern time (2:30 Central). The broadcast is also...... By Frederick Clarkson (2 comments)
CNN Segment Dramatically Shifts Opinion on MRFF Lawsuit Among Both Non-Christians and Christians
As reported last week by the Wall Street Journal and many other news outlets: "CNN Segment Convinces Majority of Non-Christians that Army Discriminates: Nearly...... By Chris Rodda (3 comments)
87.5% of "Family" & DLC Affiliated Senate Democrats Voted For FISA
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Marriage Myth: Family Research Council Ramps Up Pastor Scare Campaign
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Whatever Happened to the Religious Left? UPDATED
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Short Takes
Newsday: Focus on the Family political affiliate in Connecticut organizes a youth wing. Daily Kos: Ann Rose recently posted as clear and to the...... By Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
CUFI Press Relations Contact in Rabbi Impersonation Scandal
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Gene Robinson Heckled in London Church
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CUFI Director Ditched over Hagee's Missionary Position?
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Jews and Christians Unite against the Empire of Neo-cons and 'Christian' Zionists
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Patriot Follows the Money and Exposes Foreign Agents
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Hope Never Dies for Extremists
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Catholic religious right wing: Legion of Christ
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Prosyletization in Iraq: A threat to national security
As amazing as it sounds, dominionists may in fact be fomenting terrorism--not just the domestic terrorism like bombings of women's clinics we normally associate, but the very "Islamist terror bombings" that the GOP loves...... By dogemperor (0 comments)
Proselytization in Iraq: A minor history
The recent incident where a Marine was recently found distributing "Bible coins" promoted by a fundamentalist "Bible church" is, sad to say, far from the first incident of overt prosyletisation in Iraq. The truth...... By dogemperor (1 comment)
Source of "Bible coins" distributed by USMC in Iraq discovered
In what is--sadly--yet another case of the extent of which blatant prosyletisation is tolerated in the modern US military, a recent incident where members of the US Marine Corps were handing out coins to...... By dogemperor (0 comments)
What Does the Religious Right Fear the Most?
A poll that one of the giants on the right, Coral Ridge Ministries, sent to their members gives a revealing insight into their world view. ...... By John McKay (3 comments)
UK Abortion Limit Stays at 24 Weeks Despite Washington Think Tank's Tactics
IN GOD'S NAME is a revealing documentary about how the Alliance Defense Fund is using its tactics to try to restrict abortion in Europe as well as in America. Watch this trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeTfW8-dCNE ...... By TMurray (3 comments)
'Christians United For Israel' Joyfully Sing of Israel's Invasion and Destruction
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The Petrification of John McCain
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More Biblical Precedent for Allowing Abortion
This is a follow up to my most recent diary entry. ...... By TMurray (1 comment)
John Hagee Says God Made AIDS and Bird Flu But Lord will Protect Him Personally
John Hagee claims 1) that he knows with absolute certainty the will of God (as he told a BBC interviewer in 2003), is 2) sure that he, John Hagee, has a place in heaven...... By Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Biblical support for abortion, who knew?
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2001 John Hagee Film Shows Gangsterish Rabbi, Foppish Catholic Priest In League With anti-Christ
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PBS "Carrier": A Mixed Blessing
Watching the PBS miniseries "Carrier" was a revelation, but not always a pleasant one... ...... By bughouse square (0 comments)
Will We Ever Learn?
Ever looked at something or did something which at the time seemed good and beneficial only to learn that it was not what you thought? If we could all have the opportunity to live...... By truthngrace (0 comments)
McCain-Endorser's Church Casts Out "Demon of Anal Fissures", Teaches Vomiting Evil Spirits
[NOTE: for a related story, see Mai Tai Dogs: Pics Show Bush Administration, McCain-Endorser Hagee Schmoozing at Chinese Restaurant] I have to admit, on one level it sounds more entertaining than a church full...... By Bruce Wilson (3 comments)
Bush 41 salutes Sun Myung Moon's effort to subdue the planet.
Sun Myung Moon's end time political front, the Universal Peace Federation had a summit from April 28 to May 2 in Washington DC. The participants took a tour of the Moon owned Washington Times...... By Lou (2 comments)
Advancing The Kingdom
Over the past four years, I've researched the darkest regions of the Christian right for the non-fiction film Silhouette City. The film tracks the movement of apocalyptic Christian nationalism from the margins of American...... By MichaelWWilson (2 comments)
Newspaper Profiles Army of God Spokeman
We have written a great deal about the anti-abortion terror organization, Army of God. One recent post prompted God Tube to take down videos posted by the proprietor of the Army of God web...... By Frederick Clarkson (0 comments)
Judicial Council Chief James Holsinger and $20 million of UMC Money
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No Constitution Party home for Keyes
Well, that didn't take long. All the speculation about Alan Keyes finding a home with the rabidly right-wing Constitution Party has quickly come to naught as the CP convention picks radio talk show host,...... By tacitus (0 comments)
Florida Christian License Plate
Well, Florida is at it again. They're considering a "Christian" license plate. It's supposed to have a cross and a stained glass window on it with the words "I Believe!" More below the break!...... By ArchaeoBob (3 comments)
The Alleged 'Atheist Delusion'
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A Real GI Bill of Rights
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Mikey's War
There comes a time when ordinary citizens need to step up and openly challenge the perverse Christianization of our national instutions, particularly the military. What follows is an introduction to someone who is doing...... By bughouse square (1 comment)
For McCain, Silence on Religion is Golden
Just one day before lambasting Barack Obama over his recent comments about religion, John McCain was a no-show at Sunday's CNN Compassion Forum on faith. That's because when it comes to discussing his own...... By Jon Perr (0 comments) More Diaries... |
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