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4/9/2013 - Today is National Equal Pay Day
President Barack Obama has declared today Equal Pay Day to highlight the discrimination women currently face in wages for equal work. In an official statement, President Obama said "On National Equal Pay Day, we recognize this injustice by marking how far into the new year women have to work just to make what men did in the previous one. Wage inequality undermines the promise of fairness and opportunity upon which our country was founded. For families trying to make ends meet, that gap can also mean the difference between falling behind and getting ahead. ... And just as diminished wages shortchange families, they slow our entire economy - weakening growth here at home and eroding American competitiveness abroad."
Women currently only make 77 percent of what their male counterparts make, and face discrimination in benefits, wage increases, hiring and advancement, and time off. "We make 77 cents on the dollar, but if you check for age, women at 50 versus a man at 50, the gap widens," Eleanor Smeal, president of Feminist Majority Foundation said. "If you count benefits, the gap widens because most women do not have pensions, and 48% of women workers have no paid sick days, let alone paid family medical leave."
Another barrier to equal pay for women is paycheck secrecy. According to Representative Rosa DeLauro and Senator Barbara Mikulski in in op-ed in the Huffington Post, "Workers who violate formal pay secrecy policies or ignore their managers' informal admonitions face potential retaliation, including the prospect of being fired, demoted, or passed over for raises and promotions. In short, pay secrecy policies keep unequal pay hidden from employees and enable pay discrimination to continue." Representative DeLauro and Senator Mikulski have introduced the Paycheck Fairness Act in an attempt to stop this discrimination. "The Paycheck Fairness Act, which we have introduced in Congress to give real teeth to the Equal Pay Act, addresses the lack of accountability that allows companies to get away with underpaying women ... Among other things, it would ban retaliation against workers who discuss their wages and close the door on pay secrecy for good," they wrote.
4/9/2013 - Hagel Calls for End to Overturning Convening Authority
Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel has called for termination of the ability of a commanding officer to overturn a court martial conviction, called "convening authority."
In an internal memo to the secretaries of the military services and other military senior officials, Hagel said, "We must ensure that our military justice system is fair, provides justice, and enhances good order and discipline. The actions directed by this memorandum seek to improve military justice and our ability to accomplish our mission."
In a public statement released by the Department of Defense, Hagel listed sexual assault in the military as a top priority and asked Congress to take the steps to reform the power of convening authority. He asked Congress to create change by "First, eliminating the discretion for a convening authority to change the findings of a court-martial, except for certain minor offenses that would not ordinarily warrant trial by court-martial. While convening authorities would no longer have the ability to dismiss charges for serious offenses like sexual assault, defendants would continue to have access to a robust system of appeal rights. Second, requiring the convening authority to explain in writing any changes made to court-martial sentences, as well as any changes to findings involving minor offenses. The intent is to ensure that convening authorities are required to justify - in an open, transparent, and recorded manner - any decision to modify a court martial sentence."
He continued "Despite the attention and efforts of senior leaders throughout the Department of Defense, it is clear the department still has much more work to do to fully address the problem of sexual assault in the ranks. This crime is damaging this institution. There are thousands of victims in the department, male and female, whose lives and careers have been upended, and that is unacceptable. The current situation should offend every single service member and civilian who, like me, is proud of their association with the United States military."
The issue gained national attention in March, when a Lieutenant General overturned a sexual assault conviction by jury of an air force service member. The Air Force fighter pilot was convicted in November for aggravated sexual assault by a jury of four colonels and a lieutenant colonel. He was dismissed from the Air Force and sentenced to one year in prison. Lieutenant General Craig Franklin overturned the jury conviction using "convening authority" - an absolute power of a single military supervisor to dismiss a jury decision as granted by Article 60 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ).
4/9/2013 - Three Priests Removed From Priesthood Over Sexual Abuse
Three priests have been removed from the priesthood in the archdiocese of Philadelphia in response to allegations of sexual abuse. Archbishop Charles J. Chaput of Philadelphia declared the retired Monsignor Richard T. Powers, Father Joseph J. Gallagher and Father Mark S. Gaspar "unsuitable for ministry."
Gallagher and Gaspar had been suspended from the ministry since March 2011. Their suspensions followed a grand jury report in February 2011 that found credible claims of sexual abuse. One victim of Gallagher's committed suicide in 2009 after church authorities refused to act on his allegations. Gaspar was under investigation by the grand jury for sexual misconduct.
Powers was not dismissed as part of the grand jury investigation, but had been put on leave in March 2012 after his name appeared on an internal document requested by subpoena that listed members of the church who had been previously accused of sexual abuse.
According to the Catholic News Agency, "Priests named unsuitable for ministry may not exercise their public ministry, administer any of the sacraments, wear clerical dress, or present themselves publicly as priests." Gallagher, Gaspar, and Powers can appeal the Archbishop's decision to the Vatican.
4/8/2013 - Cory L. Richards, Champion for Expansion of Birth Control Access, Dies
Cory L. Richards, Executive Vice President and Vice President of Public Policy at the Guttmacher Institute, passed away on Thursday at age 64 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. For 40 years, Richard championed the expansion of birth control and abortion access. As his colleagues at Guttmacher stated,"he was the intellectual architect of crucial policy changes that continue to benefit millions of U.S. women and families."
In 1994, Richards spearheaded the report Uneven and Unequal, which drove the issue of gaps in insurance coverage for contraceptives into public debate. The report led to the Institute's efforts to guarantee birth control coverage in 28 states prior to passage of the Affordable Care Act in 2010.
"Cory was passionate and determinate about saving women's lives," Eleanor Smeal, president of the Feminist Majority Foundation said. "We will all miss him."
Richards also held volunteer positions with NARAL Pro-Choice America, the National Abortion Federation, and National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association and Sexuality Information and Education Council of the U.S. (SIECUS).
According to the Guttmacher Institute, "Cory leaves a void that will be difficult to fill. He will be acutely missed by his family, his friends, his colleagues at Guttmacher and the sexual and reproductive health community he served with such dedication and skill."
4/8/2013 - Mariam Chamberlain, Pioneer for Women's Studies, Dies
Dr. Mariam Chamberlain, founder of the National Council for Research on Women, passed away last Tuesday at the age of 94. Dr. Chamberlain has a doctorate in Economics from Harvard University and was instrumental in the establishment of women's studies as a field of study in college curricula.
Through her role directing the higher education program at the Ford Foundation, Dr. Chamberlain began to expose the need to teach women's studies in college and universities. She awarded $5 million in grants to studies, projects and organizations that documented the lack of visibility for women in college classes and took pro-active steps to increasing the discussion of women's role in history. She is responsible for funding The Feminist Press and the National Women's Studies Association. As Feminist Majority Foundation president Eleanor Smeal remembers her, "She was the godmother of women's studies."
Her passion was not consigned solely to women's studies. Dr. Chamberlain was also passionate and active in understanding the barriers women faced in the workplace and society at large. She funded the Center for Women's Policy Studies, which was one of the first organizations of its kind. She also studied domestic violence, discrimination in loan practices, and inequalities in the work place.
In 1981, she founded and directed the National Council for Research on Women (NCRW). According the NCRW, "Under her leadership, NCRW has increased and promoted research on women, built alliances for synergistic work, and advanced research into policy applications. Her vision has evolved into a dynamic network of thought leaders and change agents working to ensure more fully informed debates, policies and practices, thereby contributing to a more inclusive and equitable world for women and girls, their families and their communities."
4/8/2013 - Kansas Set to Establish Life at Fertilization
A bill defining life at the "moment of fertilization" has been sent to the Governor of Kansas to be signed into law after passing in both the state House and Senate. The final version of the bill passed on Friday night after a 90 to 30 vote in the House, which resolved minor differences after it was approved in a 28 to 10 vote in the Senate.
The measure requires that abortion providers supply women with a list of organizations that provide abortion alternatives, prevents any abortion facility from receiving state funding or tax credits, and requires doctors to provide patients with medically inaccurate information. In addition, HB 2253 would define life as beginning at the moment of fertilization.
Elizabeth Nash of the Guttmacher Institute, told reporters "It's a statement of intent and it's a pretty strong statement." She continued, "Should the U.S. Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade or should the court come to some different conclusion, the state legislature would be ready, willing and able to ban abortions."
Not all Kansas state legislators are happy with the decision. Rep. John Wilson, a Lawrence Democrat, said the bill was about "about politics, not medicine." He continued, "It's the very definition of government intrusion in a woman's personal medical decisions." State Senator David Haley argued that the provision establishing life at fertilization was a "Taliban-esque" method of allowing religion to dictate a woman's reproductive rights.
While Governor Sam Brownback (R) has said he would have to review the policy, he is also a strong opponent of abortion rights. It is expected that he will sign the measure into law and that the restrictions in HB 2253 could take effect July 1, 2013.
4/5/2013 - Federal Judges Strikes Age Restrictions for Plan B Over the Counter
U.S. District Judge Edward Korman ruled on Friday morning that the morning-after-pill or "Plan B" must be made available over the counter for any girl, regardless of her age. The decision comes as part of a lawsuit against the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) by reproductive rights organizations to remove the age and sales restrictions on emergency contraception.
Judge Korman stated in his opinion that the FDA's refusal to lift restrictions was "arbitrary, capricious, and unreasonable." "More than 12 years have passed since the citizen petition was filed and 8 years since this lawsuit commenced," the judge wrote. "The F.D.A. has engaged in intolerable delays in processing the petition. Indeed, it could accurately be described as an administrative agency filibuster." He continued, "The plaintiffs should not be forced to endure, nor should the agency's misconduct be rewarded by, an exercise that permits the F.D.A. to engage in further delay and obstruction." He ordered the FDA to lift any age and sales restrictions on Plan B within 30 days.
Nancy Northrup of the Center for Reproductive Rights applauded the judge's decision: "Women all over the country will no longer face arbitrary delays and barriers just to get emergency contraception," she said.
4/5/2013 - NC Bill Creates Penalties on Youth Vote
On Tuesday, state Representative Bill Cook (R-Beaufort County) introduced a controversial "Equalizing Voter Rights" bill (SB 667) that would negatively impact North Carolina students who are registered to vote where they attend school as opposed to being registered at their parents address. The bill would only apply to students from North Carolina attending college in the state. It would make such students ineligible for dependent status on a parent or guardian's state income tax forms. The bill was filed on Tuesday and is also paired with a larger voter suppression bill that would limit early voting days and times and ban same-day registration (SB 666).
Last year, 17 states passed voter suppression laws that increased wait times at the polls, decreased early voting days, and mandated state-issued ID requirements for voting. New laws affecting the election process have already been suggested this year in preparation for the 2014 mid-term elections. The Supreme Court is also currently debating Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires areas with a history of voting discrimination to have any changes made to voting laws reviewed by the Department of Justice.
4/5/2013 - NV State Congresswoman Threatened After Sharing her Abortion Experience
A Nevada state Congresswoman (D), Lucy Flores, has faced several threats on her life after sharing her personal experience with abortion at the state Assembly Education Committee on Monday. Assembly Bill 230, which she testified in reference to, would change abstinence-only education policies in public school sexual education programs to comprehensive sexual education. Flores testified in favor of the bill, relating her story of six sisters who all became pregnant as teenagers and her decision to have an abortion at sixteen. "I had an abortion because I didn't have access to birth control, or even an understanding of what that meant," Flores said.
On Thursday, Flores released a statement: "This week, I shared an extremely personal story about a difficult decision I made as a teenager to have an abortion. I shared that story because I felt it was relevant to the importance of sex education in Nevada schools, and my belief that our children need to be armed with good information in order to make good choices. While I am heartened, and deeply moved, by the support I have received from far and wide since my testimony, I want to ensure that we don't lose focus on the real issue at hand. I don't want the weight of a serious issue like abortion rights to overwhelm the purpose of this bill, which is meant to ensure that other young people are empowered with information that I simply didn't have as a young person."
4/4/2013 - NC Lawmakers Propose State Religion Bill
Republican lawmakers in North Carolina have proposed a bill that would give the state legislature the authority to establish a state religion and allow prayer in public institutions such as schools.
House Joint Resolution 494 challenges the authority of the United States Constitution and the First Amendment, which guarantees the separation of church and state. The bill reads [PDF], "SECTION 1. The North Carolina General Assembly asserts that the Constitution of the United States of America does not prohibit states or their subsidiaries from making laws respecting an establishment of religion. SECTION 2. The North Carolina General Assembly does not recognize federal court rulings which prohibit and otherwise regulate the State of North Carolina, its public schools, or any political subdivisions of the State from making laws respecting an establishment of religion."
The bill was proposed by Representative Carl Ford (R-China Grove) and Harry Warren (R-Salisbury) in response to a lawsuit to stop Rowan County commissioners from beginning meetings with a Christian prayer.
4/4/2013 - French Senate to Consider Bill to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage
Debate is scheduled to begin today in the French Senate on a bill that would grant same-sex couples the right to marry and adopt children. The bill has already been passed in the National Assembly, the lower chamber of French parliament.
The Roman Catholic Church has been very vocal in France against the measure, alongside other religious groups and social conservatives. Last month, police used tear gas on protesters against same-sex marriage and made multiple arrests. More protests in front of the Senate are scheduled for during the debate, which could last until April 12 or 13.
French President Francois Hollande included same-sex marriage and adoption rights in his platform during the French presidential election. He continues to support same-sex marriage equality.
4/4/2013 - Florida House Committee Advances Anti-Abortion Bill
The Florida House Judiciary Committee narrowly passed a bill that could threatened abortion access to women of color in the state on Wednesday.
HB 845 would ban abortion for sex-selection or race-selection purposes. It would also require the doctor performing an abortion to sign a legal affidavit saying they have no knowledge that the procedure was being performed on the basis of race or sex and could face a $10,000 fine. The bill advanced out of committee in a vote of 10 to 7.
Kellie Dupree of the Florida Alliance of Planned Parenthood addressed the committee "If this bill becomes law, women of color will face racial profiling in the doctor's office. All women will have their motives and their character questioned on the exam table. HB 845 is an anti-women's health measure dressed as an anti-discrimination law. I urge you to vote no on this bill."
Representative Ray Pilon of Sarasota was one of only two Republicans who voted against the bill. "As a former law enforcement officer, I think if we're going to really attack criminal activity, we should do it in a criminal manner, not in a manner that puts the doctor on the spot. I think that's the wrong person to place the blame on," Pilon said.
"I just don't understand how members can talk about how government is too big, government is too much in our lives ... and then all of a sudden vote for this piece of legislation," said Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Coral Springs. "This is a dramatic expansion of government in people's lives." Representative Dave Kerner (D-Lake Worth) shared similar sentiments, saying "This bill is taking us down that road of inserting government back into the lives of women at a time when they need privacy the most."
The committee advanced two other measures relating to abortion alongside HB 845. HB 759 would treat any action contributing to the death of a fetus as a separate crime in addition to any offense committed against the mother. While the bill states that it would not be applied to legal abortions, pro-choice advocates fear that this could be used to restrict abortion access as well. The third measure, HB 887, would terminate the parental rights of a rapist for any child conceived in rape and allow a woman to decide whether or not terminate a pregnancy without interference from the rapist. It received unanimous support.
4/3/2013 - Four Sisters Victims in Acid Attack in Northern India
Four sisters were attacked with acid in the northern Indian State of Uttar Pradesh by two unidentified men on a motorbike Tuesday evening. Three of the four sisters, ages 26, 25, and 23 are teachers at Hindu Inter-college in Kandhal, and the youngest, age 19, is a student there.
Currently, there is no known motive and no arrests have been made. Two of the victims received minor injuries and the other two were admitted to hospitals with more serious injuries. The youngest of the four sisters was the most seriously injured and was moved to a hospital in Delhi.
Violence against women has been an issue garnering attention in India ever since the brutal gang rape and death of a 23-year-old female medical student. The incident sparked protests across the country. These large protests and demonstrations have voiced anger regarding the treatment of women in India and calling for tougher laws on violence against women. Parliament increased the minimum prison sentence for gang rape to twenty years, but legislators voted against increasing the sentence for acid attacks.
4/3/2013 - Gun Ownership Mandated in GA Town
Nelson, Georgia, a small town with a population of just 913 recently passed a law that would make gun ownership mandatory. The Family Protection Ordinance was passed Monday night by all five members of the Nelson City Council.
The ordinance states the following: "In order to provide for the emergency management of the city, and further in order to provide for and protect the safety, security and general welfare of the city and its inhabitants, every head of household residing in the city limits is required to maintain a firearm, together with ammunition therefore." Exemptions to the law include residents with physical or mental disabilities, felons, and "paupers."
Duane Cronic, City Councilman, insisted that the ordinance was symbolic in nature and would not be enforced. "I likened it to a security sign that people put up in their front yards. Some people have security systems, some people don't, but they put those signs up," Cronic said. "I really felt like this ordinance was a security sign for our city."
The city council's agenda also stated their intent is "opposition of any future attempt by the federal government to confiscate personal firearms."
4/3/2013 - Pro-Choice Activists Rally as AL Senate Passes Stricter Abortion Law
Hundreds gathered early on Tuesday in front of the Alabama Statehouse to protest HB57, a TRAP (Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers) bill that would impose harsher restrictions on abortion clinics and providers. The bill, coined the Women's Health and Safety Act, would require an Alabama-licensed physician be present at every abortion and would require these doctors to have admitting privileges to local hospitals. Further, the bill mandates that the name of the father be reported to authorities if the woman seeking an abortion is under the age of 16. The bill also sets stricter building requirements, including wider halls and doors and better fire suppression systems.
According to the Associated Press, several protesters insisted that the legislature is simply attempting to limit access to constitutionally guaranteed abortion treatment. Clinic owners stress that the bill may force them to close because of the expensive major building restorations that would be required.
The Senate passed the bill on a 22 to 10 vote yesterday. This follows the passage of a nearly identical bill by the Alabama House this past February. A committee will meet to reconcile the differences between the two bills before it is sent to Governor Robert Bentley, who is expected to sign the bill into law.
Following the passage of the bill, Planned Parenthood Southeast Vice President of Public Policy Nikema Williams said, "this legislation will make it harder to access health care, which will put women's health in danger."
Democratic State Senator Linda Coleman exclaimed "You don't have any business in my home, in my bedroom or in my body."
4/2/2013 - KS State Senate Poised to Pass Life at Fertilization Bill
The Kansas state Senate gave first round approval to an anti-abortion bill that would define life as beginning at the point of fertilization with a voice vote yesterday. The final vote is expected to occur today.
House Bill 2253 attacks abortion access on multiple fronts. HB 2253 requires that abortion providers supply women with a list of organizations that provide abortion alternatives, prevents any abortion facility from receiving state funding or tax credits, and requires doctors to provide patients with medically inaccurate information. The bill also defines life as beginning at the point of fertilization.
Pro-choice legislatures attempted to amend the bill to protect some access to abortion care and birth control, which some fear will be threatened with the new language. However, they all failed.
The state Senate decision will come the same week that a new abortion clinic will open in Wichita, Kansas. It will be the first provider in the city since the murder of Dr. George Tiller in 2009.
4/2/2013 - MS Governor Pulls Board of Health Nomination of Anti-Abortion Activist
Governor Phil Bryant (R) of Mississippi has rescinded his nomination of anti-abortion activist Terri Herring to the Mississippi Board of Health after media outlets questioned the legality of the nomination.
Governor Bryant announced his nomination of Terri Herring to the state's Board of Health last Wednesday. Bryant nominated her because she has "committed her life to women's health care and the right to life." Herring is a director of the Pro-Life America Network in addition to being president of the Mississippi Choose Life Advisory Committee.
Mississippi state law requires that the Board of Health must be comprised of five currently licensed physicians and six individuals with a background or interest in public health. Herring was nominated as the latter. Her appointment, if confirmed, would have a six year term. However, Mississippi law also requires that Board of Health members come from certain districts of the state - each congressional district must have two members on the Board, and one member must be from each of the Supreme Court districts. A member from Herring's district is already on the Board of Health, and there is not currently a member from the northern Supreme Court district.
After the Associated Press noticed the oversight, the Governor's office reviewed the law and decided to pull the nomination. A spokesperson for the Governor said in a statement on Monday "Although this code section is unclear, Gov. Bryant will withdraw this nomination to avoid any legal uncertainty... It is Gov. Bryant's intention to recommend Mrs. Herring for a future position on the Board of Health when there is an opening in her district."
4/2/2013 - TN Bill Would Tie Student Performance to Welfare Benefits
A bill that would cut welfare benefits if a recipient's child does not perform satisfactorily in school has advanced in committee in both the Tennessee state House and state Senate.
The bill would cut Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits for parents by 30% if a child does not show "satisfactory academic progress." "Satisfactory academic progress" will be determined by how a child is advancing through grade levels and their scores on standardized tests.
While not included in the original legislation, the bill has been amended to exclude children with learning disabilities or handicaps and to exclude children whose parents are making an effort to improve their child's school performance in various ways, including attending a "parenting class," arranging for a tutor, or attending parent teacher conferences. The bill does not apply to children who are home-schooled.
The bill must now be approved by a second committee in the state House, but can be brought directly to the floor of the state Senate.
4/1/2013 - Catholic Colleges Support BC's Ban on Condom Distribution
Catholic colleges and universities across the country are siding with Boston College's decision to discipline students who continue to distribute condoms on campus. A representative from Catholic University, Victor Nakas, said, "One of the teachings of our faith is that contraception is morally unacceptable. Since condoms are a form of contraception, we do not permit their distribution on campus." Colleges that have aligned their policies with Boston College include the University of Notre Dame, Georgetown University, University of Dayton, Providence College, and the Catholic University of America.
A group of Boston College students are facing possible punishment from the college's administration for passing out condoms. The group, Safe Sites, founded a network of eighteen dorm rooms and additional spaces near the campus that provide condoms to students.
A spokesperson for the college, Jack Dunn, told students in an email that, "As a Jesuit, Catholic University, there are certain Catholic commitments that Boston College is called to uphold. We ask our students to respect these commitments, particularly as they pertain to Catholic social teaching on the sanctity of life. We recognize that, as a reflection of society at large, many students do not agree with the Church's position on these issues. However, we ask those who do not agree to be respectful of our position, and circumspect in their private affairs."
4/1/2013 - French Law Providing Free Contraception and Abortion Goes Into Effect
A French law that allows minors between the ages of fifteen and eighteen to receive free contraception from family planning centers and provides abortion without cost to patients went into effect this Sunday. The law was promised by President Francois Holland during his election campaign.
The measure covers both contraceptive pills as well as implants, which can be obtained at pharmacies with a prescription. The patch, coil and cap, and condoms are not covered by the new law. A provision of the measure prevents obtaining contraceptives from appearing on insurance statements, preserving the anonymity of the minors who choose to use contraception.
The law was intended to reduce the number of abortions in France, where there are currently approximately 12,000 abortion procedures annually. Many women were unable to afford abortions before the measure, as the average cost ranged between 200 and 450 euros.
4/1/2013 - NJ to Consider Ban on "Reparative Therapy"
A bill that would ban so-called "reparative therapy"- therapy intended to "convert" gay men and women to be heterosexual- is headed to the New Jersey Senate floor. The ban would apply to children under 18. It already passed in the state Senate's Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee on a 7 to 1 vote in March.
The legislation emerges from a late 2012 lawsuit against the organization Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing, which aims in part to assist gay Jewish men in obtaining so-called "reparative therapy." The four plaintiffs in the case cite being asked to perform humiliating exercises as part of therapy, for example exposing their genitals to a counselor. The lawsuit and the testimony of many other gay and transgender individuals suggests that such "reparative therapy" is harmful to psychological well-being. A former advocate of the practice, Dr. Robert Spitzer, reversed his position in May 2012. He issued an apology to the LGBT community and renounced such practices as "a waste of time and energy."
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie's position on this issue is unknown. According to the New York Times, Christie "does not believe in conversion therapy," but is also "hesitant to sign a bill that effectively tells parents what they can and can't do."
3/29/2013 - Boston College Students Face Discipline for Distributing Condoms
A group of Boston College students are facing possible punishment from the university's administration for passing out condoms. The group, Safe Sites, founded a network of eighteen dorm rooms and additional spaces near the campus that provide condoms to students.
A spokesperson for the college, Jack Dunn, told students in an email that, "As a Jesuit, Catholic University, there are certain Catholic commitments that Boston College is called to uphold. We ask our students to respect these commitments, particularly as they pertain to Catholic social teaching on the sanctity of life. We recognize that, as a reflection of society at large, many students do not agree with the Church's position on these issues. However, we ask those who do not agree to be respectful of our position, and circumspect in their private affairs."
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is now involved and are willing to counter with legal action if the proposed disciplinary action by the college takes place. The ACLU has called disciplinary threat "entirely inappropriate."
3/29/2013 - Alaskan Representative Employs Racial Slur
Rep. Don Young of Alaska reminisced on his childhood in Central California on a radio show earlier this week, using the term "wetbacks" to describe the migrant workers who picked tomatoes on the family farm. Young expressed minimal remorse when he was blasted for using the word, stating his belief that it didn't have a derogatory meaning when he was growing up.
This misstep comes in the wake of the "Growth and Opportunity Project", a formal report on the GOP that suggests in part that the party become more sensitive to undocumented migrants.
3/29/2013 - Pro-Life America Network Director Nominated to MS Board of Health
Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant (R) announced that he has nominated Terri Herring to the state's Board of Health Wednesday. Bryant nominated her because she has "committed her life to women's health care and the right to life." Herring is a director of the Pro-Life America Network in addition to being president of the Mississippi Choose Life Advisory Committee.
Mississippi state law requires that the Board of Health must be comprised of five currently licensed physicians and six individuals with a background or interest in public health. Herring was nominated as the latter. Her appointment, if confirmed, would have a six year term.
Using a state's Board of Health to control abortion regulations is a strategy that has been successful in the past. The Virginia Board of Health passed Targeted Regulations of Abortion Providers (TRAP) Laws earlier this year that are harsh regulations that could force abortion providers in Virginia to meet the building codes of new hospitals or face closure. Last year, the Kansas Board of Healing Arts voted to revoke the license of abortion provider Dr. Ann Neuhaus over allegations that she did not provide adequate mental health exams on patients she referred to the late Dr. George Tiller for late abortions. Dr. Neuhaus maintains that she provided proper exams, and critics of the decision have said that the investigation and subsequent ruling were the result of anti-abortion sentiments.
3/28/2013 - Rally Against TRAP Law in Alabama
A Women's Day rally and lobby day will be held in Montgomery, Alabama, on April 2nd to address the Extreme Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers (TRAP) law pending in the state Senate.
The Alabama House voted 73 to 23 for TRAP law in February that would require all comprehensive women's clinic to comply with stringent, unnecessary hospital-like building requirements and would require their doctors to have local hospital admitting privileges. The goal of the legislation is to close all abortion and family planning clinics in Alabama.
The House bill has now been approved by the Senate Committee and could go to the Senate floor for a vote as soon as this coming Tuesday.
