Florida Governor Jeb Bush doesn't deny that Choose Life plates are meant to promote adoption to the exclusion of other options; he just doesn't see anything objectionable in it.
[T]hroughout these cases, the states have insisted that the plates, while backed by pro-life groups and trumpeting the famous pro-life slogan, actually have nothing to do with abortion: They are simply "pro-adoption." In fact, when Jeb Bush signed the Florida plates into law he insisted: "It's a pretty tag and it says 'Choose Life' and it's for adoption. If people want to politicize that, they'll politicize anything."
The Choose Life account is a separate account in the general revenue fund. The account is composed of:
Tax dollars aren't supposed to fund religious agendas, of course, but this is the Mission Statement of the Annunciation Maternity Home in Georgetown. Annunciation is sponsored by the Diocese of Austin and already is receiving state funding through the same scheme that funds Texas crisis pregnancy centers, a rich source of maternity home referrals.
Our mission is to live and exemplify the charism of the Annunciation of Mary depicted in the Gospel of Luke for pregnant women (ages 14 and up): But they certainly do have a captive audience, don't they? Residents of the Annunciation Home are subjected to religious influence merely by the fact of their presence.
A cream-colored statue of the Virgin Mary towers over several toddlers as they scramble around a tile floor, chasing a plastic football. Miller makes that objection because agencies requesting money from the state's program must "maintain a pro-life mission" -- and that mission is almost invariably powered by religious ideology. Vincent Friedewald is executive director of the Texas Pregnancy Care Network, a group organized only when the prospect of a two year, $5,000,000 state contract appeared on the political horizon. Naturally enough, Friedewald sees no conflict with his agency's mission of administering that windfall while pocketing 15%, or $750,000, in administrative fees. He says that "disagreements about funding" shouldn't "get in the way" of providing "guidance" that helps women to "feel confident about choosing childbirth." Friedewald adds, "the program very clearly is not funding religion," and "there's nothing political about it." But still . . .
In the Annunciation Maternity Home dining room, where residents stuffed taco shells with ground beef and grated yellow cheese on a recent evening, a small image of The Last Supper hangs on a wall. On the other side of the home, near the bedrooms, is a small chapel. Since Annunciation already has approval as a beneficiary of the state's largesse, it and other maternity homes are a prime example of the kind of agency that will receive funding from Choose Life license plates. At least homes like Annunciation don't throw a young woman out if she decides to keep her baby. Others, such as Christian Homes, exist solely to supply newborn babies to Christian parents, and any young woman who finds herself unable to give up her child soon finds herself summarily deprived of support. Christian Homes tells young women that they have "choices" . . .
An unplanned pregnancy can be confusing and frightening no matter your age or circumstances. Don't be pressured into a hasty decision. Your future and your baby's future are too important to be decided in a moment of panic. . . . but a closer look reveals that Christian Homes has only one choice on its menu.
Will my medical costs be covered? Organizations currently qualified to receive state funding through the Texas Pregnancy Care Network of Bellville are not only maternity homes such as this one, but an extensive list of crisis pregnancy centers -- most of which are now restyling themselves as "pregnancy resource centers." CPCs recently have been the subject of long-overdue Congressional scrutiny for deceiving and frightening pregnant women with graphic shock videos and false information, such as a supposed link between breast cancer and abortion. But despite their ostensibly Christian mission, that's what many CPCs continue to do. Last February, the Texas Pregnancy Care Network wrote in a letter to state officials: "By informing (women) about what abortion is, what is done and the risks associated with it, they understand why childbirth is superior to abortion." If scaring women who might otherwise choose abortion by summoning the specters of breast cancer, hemorrhage, hepatitis, sterility, fatal infections, cervical damage, embolisms, guilt and personality disorders doesn't help a woman feel confident about choosing childbirth, what will? The Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center uses every one of those fear-mongering tactics, and Ken Paxton's wife, Angela, sits on its board of directors.
Angela has been involved in fundraising efforts for The Heidi Group and Grace Maternity Home. As an adopted child, she is grateful that her mother chose life for her. The Dallas Pregnancy Resource Center clearly identifies itself as a "ministry" that can be trusted with its donors' money.
As a member of the EFCA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability) our ministry adheres to the highest standards of Christian ethics in financial accounting and reporting. It's too bad that Mrs. Paxton's CPC doesn't hold itself to the same standard of Christian ethics with the unsuspecting women who are its clients. If her husband's proposed legislation becomes law, young women across Texas who are facing unexpected pregnancies will innocently place their trust in hundreds of eligible agencies with a significant financial interest in "counseling" them to forget about mothering their own children -- not when so many good Christian families are waiting. Rumpelstiltskin illustration by Edward Gorey [Title graphic by Heidi Scheumann]
Who's Behind the Money? His Name Is Rumpelstiltskin | 1 comment (1 topical, 0 hidden)
Who's Behind the Money? His Name Is Rumpelstiltskin | 1 comment (1 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)
Palin's Pastor: God "Is Gonna Strike Out His Hand Against... America
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Short Takes: Sarah Palin Edition
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Palin's Churches and the Third Wave
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What is Dominionism? Palin, the Christian Right, & Theocracy
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EVENT CANCELLED Speaking in Philadelphia on September 27th
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Sarah Palin's Theocratic End Times - UPDATED
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At Palin Church, Jews For Jesus Head Says Terrorism vs Israel Is God's Punishment
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Theocrats to Pray for McCain's Death
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Rest Assured New Orleans, I'm Sure Lt. Gen. Van Antwerp is Praying for You
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Juno From Juneau, the Video
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Future links to upcoming documentaries on Palin's Churches
Will live here, at this URL address. ...... By Bruce Wilson (0 comments)
Sarah Palin used AK tax dollars to fund dominionist churches
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Palin Steals Hockey Mom Joke from John Hagee?
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New revelations re "stealth dominionist" Sarah Palin
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Sarah Palin: Dominionist Stalking Horse
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Richard Land Picks Republican Veep Candidate
Yesterday the media was all atwitter about Karl Rove's supposed Republican V.P. pick, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. However, it seems that instead SBC President Richard Land, well known among readers of Talk2Action for his...... By ulyankee (1 comment)
"Yes on 8" RSVP? Need your advice.
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Alabama PSC Cantidate Matt Chancey: His Views on Suffrage, Women, Marriage, etc.
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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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The Alleged "Church of Liberalism"
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Hope Never Dies for Extremists
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Prosyletization in Iraq: A threat to national security
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Proselytization in Iraq: A minor history
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Source of "Bible coins" distributed by USMC in Iraq discovered
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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
We are very pleased to welcome Frederick Lane as a guest front pager. He is the author of several books,most recently, The Court and the Cross: The Religious Right's Crusade to Reshape the Supreme...... By Frederick_Lane (3 comments)
More Biblical Precedent for Allowing Abortion
This is a follow up to my most recent diary entry. ...... By TMurray (3 comments)
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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Will We Ever Learn?
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Bush 41 salutes Sun Myung Moon's effort to subdue the planet.
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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) More Diaries... |
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