• RSS Feed
  • RSS by Technorati

Girlfriend and Daughter killed by boyfriend after refusing to have an abortion in Seattle.

Related: Yet another teen murdered after refusing to have an abortion
Further evidence that legalized abortion disadvantages women against men as Tennessee man charged with murdering woman and unborn child over abortion.
LifeNews.com reports on how legalized abortion empowers men over women
British Doctor found guilty of poisoning lover to cause an abortion
Man in Texas convicted of attacking pregnant woman and challenges unborn victims law
Teen admits to tainting girlfriend's drink with drug used to abort pregnancies in cows
ACLU to defend man who killed pregnant girlfriend and unborn child after shooting into her stomach
Man arrested after stabbing pregnant girlfriend after refusing to abort child
Pregnant woman killed and unborn child at 8 months taken from her body
If your in Oklahoma and you are pregnant you have the right to use force to defend your unborn child. that all evidence forth this great opinion piece at LifeNews.com: LifeNews.com reports on how legalized abortion empowers men over women.
 
Seattle Man Kills Girlfriend, Daughter After She Refused His Abortion Request

Seattle, WA (LifeNews.com) -- A Seattle-area man is in police custody after allegedly killing his girlfriend and their infant daughter after the woman refused his request to get an abortion. Daniel Thomas Hicks is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the death of 28-year-old Jennifer "J" Morgan and 13-month-old Ema Morgan.

Hicks was charged on Thursday after he was apprehended following the discovery of the bodies by Morgan's mother and cooperation with other relatives who aided them in locating Hicks.

The Times indicates Hicks was diagnosed as depressed and suicidal for some time after having lost his job and that the condition worsened when he learned Morgan was pregnant.

Legal papers the Times obtained say Hicks wanted Morgan to have an abortion and claimed she "was just trying to trap him with the pregnancy." They say Hicks made several threats about killing Morgan and himself.

The documents indicate that Hicks was upset after the birth of the baby because he was disappointed Ema was a girl and not a boy.

The papers also say he "became very jealous and suspicious of Jennifer," and questioned whether he was in fact the baby's biological father.

Morgan, the newspaper indicated, had planned to tell Hicks last week while her mother was at work that he needed to move out of their home. When Morgan's mother returned home late that evening, she was glad to see Hicks' truck gone and assume he had left.

She assumed Morgan and Ema were sleeping and, when she went downstairs the next morning, she discovered they had been shot and killed.

Hicks left a note apologizing and the police paperwork indicated Hick's father shot and killed his mother when he was young.

Although Morgan did not have an abortion, incidents of mothers facing pressure and coercion to have an abortion by their husband or boyfriend are commonplace. Surveys of women who have had abortions indicate as many as 60 percent have said they faced pressure from a partner, family, or employer.

Study of 20,000 women in British Journal of Cancer claims a link between cervical cancer and early sex.

Another study confirming that Faith and Family saves society more then our studies that are catching up with God's knowledge will know.

Related: Married and with childred study says produces more happiness especially for women but unmarried couples with childred a different story
This is your brain without Dad from the Wall Street Journal with some new studies. 
New Scientist magazine reports on research that show mothers and fathers make different contributions to their child's upbringing both important
Canadian study shows that parents have an impact over teenage sexual behavior
Faith key factor in sex education saving tax payers who knows how many millions in condomns, birth control, abortions, pregnancy costs etc etc..

From BBC News...


Cervical cancer link to early sex

Having sex at an early age can double the risk of developing cervical cancer, a study of 20,000 women suggests.

The investigation into why poorer women have a higher risk of the disease found they tended to have sex about four years earlier than more affluent women.

Previously, it had been thought the disparity was the result of low screening uptake in poorer areas.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer findings are published in the British Journal of Cancer.

Although the difference in cervical cancer incidence between rich and poor - across the world - had been noted for many years, it was not clear why this is the case.

Especially as rates of infection with human papillomavirus (HPV) - the sexually transmitted infection linked with the vast majority of cervical cancers - seemed to be similar across all groups.

The study confirmed that the higher rates of cervical cancer were not linked to higher HPV levels.


But what it did reveal is that the two-fold increased risk was largely explained by women from poorer backgrounds starting to have sex at a younger age.

The age at which a woman had her first baby was also an important factor.

Screening was found to have some effect on the level of risk.

But the number of sexual partners a woman has and smoking did not account for any of the difference.

Lag time

Study leader, Dr Silvia Franceschi, said the findings were not restricted to adolescence and the risk of cervical cancer was also higher in women who had their first sexual intercourse at 20 rather than 25 years.

"In our study, poorer women had become sexually active on average four years earlier.

"So they may have also been infected with HPV earlier, giving the virus more time to produce the long sequence of events that are needed for cancer development."

Dr Lesley Walker, director of cancer information at Cancer Research UK, said the study raised some interesting questions.

"Although women can be infected by HPV at any age, infections at a very young age may be especially dangerous as they have more time to cause damage that eventually leads to cancer.

"Importantly, the results back up the need for the HPV vaccination to be given in schools at an age before they start having sex, especially among girls in deprived areas."

5 local video reports on the case of the Vogelenzang's in the UK who were Christians taken to court for debating with a Muslim at their business

Related: The Christian Institute reports on couple cleared in case that caused an 80% decrease in their business and Canadian pasor cleared of "hate crime" after 7 years.

Various Reports on Christian hotel owners victory for free speech.

BBC North West



BBC News



They discuss the burden of the case on themselves and their business



Another report



Video report from before the trial results

Government in the UK admits Equality Bill will force legal battles for churches if they wish to remain true to their faith


Watch debate on this bill in UK's House of Commons at House of Commons in the UK debates on an amendment to the Equality Bill to protect religious liberty of churches

From the Christian Institute in the UK click link for more...


Govt admits churches face Equality Bill legal battles 

Churches should be “lining up” lawyers to defend themselves against secular legal challenges under the Equality Bill, a Government equalities minister has admitted.

Michael Foster MP, a minister in Harriet Harman’s Equalities Office, was asked whether the Bill would lead to legal action between churches and atheists.

He said both sides “need to be lining up (their lawyers) by now.”

He added: “The secularists should have the right to challenge the church and if the church’s argument is good enough – which I believe it is – then the church should win through.”

The Equality Bill will dramatically shrink the liberty of churches to insist their staff’s conduct is in accordance with the Bible’s teaching on sexual behaviour.

The Bill will also impose an ‘equality duty’ on public bodies like schools and the police to promote gay and transsexual rights.

Several faith groups fear the Bill will add to the weight of equality and diversity rules which have led to several Christians being punished for expressing their faith.

During a House of Lords debate on the Equality Bill last week, Baroness O’Cathain warned that over the past year there have been “several disturbing cases of Christians suffering unjust treatment for their religious beliefs.”

She added: “Equality laws have created some of the worst injustice.”

The Bill is being promoted as a way of consolidating existing anti-discrimination legislation into a single law.

However, Neil Addison, a barrister and expert in religious discrimination law, labelled this claim as “completely misleading and untrue”.

He added: “The trouble is that the Government is passing vague legislation and then saying ‘well, the courts will sort it out’”.

“But the law should be as certain as possible. Courts should not become the arena in which these issues are fought out.”

A new Christian Institute report has revealed the extent to which Christians are being marginalised by a raft of equality and diversity laws which leave them the first to be punished and the last to be protected.

The report, called “Marginalising Christians”, catalogues numerous cases of Christians being sidelined by public bodies, popular media, employers and barriers to public funding.

Rasmussen poll reveals that Government workers and Private Sector workers feel just the opposite about the economy

Related: Only a government ran tax payer funded US Post office facing massive debt plus it's union would pay employees to do nothing
As the tax paying private sector jobs are being lost the tax payer funded federal employees 6 figure incomes explode during recession

As you are reading below check out these two short videos from Europe



2.6 million YouTube hits. Go to about 2:00 to see how this relates to the comments and article below. Interestingly enough Daniel makes a prediction that the voters will soon have their say in the upcoming elections and the voters proved Mr Hannan to be correct. See First Canada, then UK and EU, then Japan and now Germany's recent elections give another all time worst blow to liberal politicians and UK's labour party takes the worst showing since 1918 as conservatives gain ground. YouTube video of Daniel Hannan MEP for one reason why.



Now below is the article showing an interesting contrast of views of our economy from the perspective of Government workers verses Private Sector workers. The workers in the Private Sector who fund the jobs created in the Government are less optimistic about the economy. Or rather those who benefit from the economy at the expense of those who work in it are much more optimistic about the economy than those who work in the economy itself. This to me poses a problem if it keeps going this way cause eventually the economy that is being taxed is the very economy that supports both jobs and if we damage the private sector we actually do harm to both jobs.

From Rasmussen...

Two Economies: Government Workers Optimistic, Private Sector Not

Government employees are much more bullish about the economy than those who work in the private sector. That’s a big change from the beginning of the year when those on the public payroll were a bit more pessimistic than private sector workers.

Data from the Rasmussen Consumer Index from the past seven days shows that a plurality of government workers think the economy is getting better while those who work in the private sector tend to have the opposite view. Those in the government sector are also more upbeat about the current state of the economy and their own personal finances.

Today, 46% of government employees say the economy is getting better while just 31% say it’s getting worse. Among those who work in the private sector, the numbers are reversed: 32% say better and 49% worse.

Twenty-four percent (24%) of government employees rate the economy as good or excellent while just nine percent (9%) of those in the private sector are so upbeat.

Fifty-five percent (55%) in the private sector rate the economy as poor, a pessimism shared by 38% of those on the public payroll.

Forty-four percent (44%) of government employees rate their own personal finances as good or excellent while 33% of private sector workers do the same.

Among those on the government payroll, 31% say their finances are getting better, and 40% say they’re getting worse. The comparable private sector numbers are 23% better and 47% worse.

These figures reflect a dramatic change from January 2009, with a growing optimism among government workers. During the course of this year, there has been a significant increase in government spending and a government takeover of General Motors.

The Obama administration estimates that federal spending will reach 28% of GDP in 2009, up from 19% a decade ago. It’s the largest share of the economy consumed by the federal government since the fighting stopped in World War II.

In the private sector, such growth would be considered boom times for any industry, and government employees have undergone a remarkable change in attitude over the course of the year. In January, just 22% of government workers thought the economy was getting better, a figure that has jumped to 46% today. The number of government workers who think the economy has gotten worse has fallen in an equally dramatic manner, from 61% in January to 31% today.

Among those who work in the private sector, however, the change has been far less significant. In fact, the number of private sector workers who think things are getting better has improved just six points, from 26% up to 32%.

Most Americans (51%) believe that government employees are paid too much. Not surprisingly, those who work for the government disagree. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of all Americans say the average government worker earns more annually than the average taxpayer.

Fifty-five percent (55%) of government workers expect to have the same employer in five years. Only 27% of those who work for someone else expect such job longevity.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of voters nationwide expect government spending to go up during the Obama years, but 59% believe that an increase in government spending will hurt the economy.

Most voters say tax cuts are a better way to create jobs and fight unemployment.

US Postal Service expects to loose $8 billion this year and yet it's very own inspector general recently found $800,000 in "imprudent" purchases over a 5 month period.

Related: Only a government ran tax payer funded US Post office facing massive debt plus it's union would pay employees to do nothing
As the tax paying private sector jobs are being lost the tax payer funded federal employees 6 figure incomes explode during recession
Obama compares public option to Post Office and two days later New York Times Business Section actually called for the privatization of Post Office 
Congress condemns CEO's who actually create jobs for extravagant living at CEO's own expense but forget to condemn their own extravagance at tax payers expense with zero job creation to show for it.  
Congress condemns CEO on private jets but now approves millions for making their own reports ABC News

From USPS spends tax dollars 'like Monopoly money' at OneNewsNow.com...

"...One government agency the president may be referring to is the United States Postal Service.  An audit by the USPS inspector general recently found $800,000 in unjustified and "imprudent" purchases over a five-month period.

The audit found that at a September 2008 sales conference, one dinner for 650 Postal employees cost roughly $62,714, or about $96 a guest.  Another two-day meeting in September of '08 that cost $27,567 included a per-dinner cost of $93, and employees were given free lodging "even though their official duty station was within nine miles of the conference facility."

According to the audit, two districts purchased nearly $15,000 in movie tickets and another bought 30 retirement watches, costing $216 apiece...."

Senator Baucus speech on the Senate floor gets 1.2 million YouTube hits in a week and two other government speeches on healthcare with another 7.9 million YouTube hits.

Max Baucus heated speech with 1.2 million YouTube hits since 12/23/2009. The title I would disagree with. Max Baucus I do not believe was intoxicated. I have watched and listened to quite a bit of the health care debate in the Senate and Senator Baucus kind of naturally talks like this and this was a heated moment so I am giving him the benefit of the doubt. See AvoidtheBias.com for more debate on the health care plan in both the House and Senate.

All videos below equate to about 9.1 million YouTube hits on government speeches concerning health care since 07/16/2009.



6.7 million YouTube hits since 07/16/2009



And another 1.2 million YouTube hits since 07/16/2009.

University of Minnesota backs away from a political litmus test for future teachers according to FIRE

Victory for Freedom of Conscience as University of Minnesota Backs Away from Ideological Screening for Ed Students

MINNEAPOLIS, December 23, 2009In response to sustained pressure from the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), the University of MinnesotaTwin Cities has backed away from its plans to enforce a political litmus test for future teachers. The plans from its College of Education and Human Development (CEHD) involved redesigning admissions and the curriculum to enforce an ideology centered on a narrow view of "cultural competence." Those with the "wrong" views were to receive remedial re-education, be weeded out, or be denied admission altogether. In a letter to FIRE, however, the university's top lawyer has now promised that the university will never "mandate any particular beliefs, or screen out people with ‘wrong beliefs' from the University."

"We are relieved that the University of Minnesota has finally committed itself to upholding the freedom of conscience of its students," FIRE President Greg Lukianoff said. "Prospective teachers will keep the right to have their own thoughts, values, and beliefs. FIRE will continue to monitor the situation to make sure that the university does not define 'cultural competence' or 'dispositions' requirements in a way that interferes with individual rights."

The proposal, initiated by the college's Race, Culture, Class, and Gender Task Group, sought to require each future teacher to accept theories of "white privilege, hegemonic masculinity, heteronormativity, and internalized oppression"; "develop a positive sense of racial/cultural identity"; and "recognize that schools are socially constructed systems that are susceptible to racism ... but are also critical sites for social and cultural transformation." They were to be judged by their scores on the Intercultural Development Inventory, a test of "Intercultural Sensitivity." In one assignment, they were to reveal a "pervasive stereotype" they personally held and then demonstrate how their experiences had "challenged" it. They also were to be assessed regarding "the extent to which they find intrinsic satisfaction" in being in "culturally diverse situations."

FIRE wrote University of Minnesota President Robert H. Bruininks about these plans on November 25. In response, General Counsel Mark B. Rotenberg promised that "[n]o University policy or practice ever will mandate any particular beliefs, or screen out people with 'wrong beliefs' from the University."

"The next version of the college's plans must reflect this promise," said Adam Kissel, Director of FIRE's Individual Rights Defense Program. "To learn about other cultures is one thing, but the college may not demand that future teachers hold certain moral and political 'dispositions' or specific views about pedagogy. Not all great teachers have the same views about politics or education."

FIRE is a nonprofit educational foundation that unites civil rights and civil liberties leaders, scholars, journalists, and public intellectuals from across the political and ideological spectrum on behalf of individual rights, due process, freedom of expression, academic freedom, and rights of conscience at our nation's colleges and universities. FIRE's efforts to preserve liberty on campuses across America can be viewed at www.thefire.org.

CONTACT:
Adam Kissel, Director, Individual Rights Defense Program, FIRE: 215-717-3473;
Robert H. Bruininks, President, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities: 612-626-1616;

Video: Wow!!! I thought only conservatives got slammed on MSNBC check this out

From The Heritage Foundation blog post titled: Video: The Left’s Righteous War Against the Individual Mandate

"As we reported last week, now that the public option is no longer part of Obamacare, President Barack Obama’s leftist base is open revolt over the bill’s requirement that all Americans must buy health insurance or pay a fine. We’ve been calling this a health insurance company bailout for months, and now Obamacare supporters like Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL) are being taken to task by MSNBC hosts for the provision. Watch:



Below is a report on how some House pro-public option democrats may compromise their House version of the bill that includes a public option with the Senate version that does not expecially since how the Senate version of the bill passed with not one vote to spare.



And here is a great assessment for what is next now that bouth the House and Senate have passed their bills at The Health Care Fight is Not Over

More Americans moving from Democrat states to Republican states. Texas may pick up 4 new House seats while many Democrat states will loose one.

Related: Texas has created 80% of american jobs in 2008, rejects stimulus spending money and calls for National Tea Party says Palin approved Governor Perry...
Texas vs California when it comes to job creation and economy 
Video: Texas Governor Rick Perry says "This administration...is interested in punishing Texas" and "Time to make Tea Parties twice as big as what they were"
"Green" California leads the nation in job losses...and Czech president says unlike Gore he is able to listen to competing theories...
Newly released stats by Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Job Creation not Job losses are driving unemployment revealing why the stimulus package is not working as the Obama administration claimed it would.
Texas vs California and New York 
Pro-life, Palin approved, economically successful, anti-Big Government and Pro-TEA Party Governor Rick Perry of Texas for president in 2012?

Texas Shows Its Swagger in New Population Estimates

Every year roundabout Christmastime, the Census Bureau releases its population estimates for each state for the 12 months ending on July 1. The numbers look dry on a sheet of paper (or on an Excel spreadsheet on your computer), but they tell some vivid stories. The more so when they reflect, as the numbers for 2008-09 do, the effects of a sharp downward shift in the nation's economy.

Given the recession, it's not a surprise that percentage growth, at 0.86 percent, was the lowest in this decade, just a tad below the rate in 2002-03, and well below the peak years of 2000-01 (which doesn't include Sept. 11) and 2006-07. Immigration is down sharply, and some indicators suggest that illegal immigrants, in particular, are returning to their countries of origin.

Also, internal mobility is down. In times of economic troubles, people tend to stay put. When we think of the 1930s, we tend to think of the Okies leaving the dust bowl for the green land of California. But the Okies were the exception. The vast bulk of Americans in the Depression decade stayed home and tended their gardens.

One thing that stands out from the 2008-09 numbers is that Americans are no longer flocking to the resorts of the Sun Belt. Florida's growth was well below the national average, as it was in the previous year, in contrast to its torrid growth over most of the last century.

California grew at only a little more than the national average, entirely because of immigrant inflow and high immigrant birth rates. More Americans are leaving California and Florida than moving in.

The same is true of Nevada and Arizona. For most of the last two decades, they have been our two fastest-growing states; Las Vegas and Phoenix have become major metropolises in the desert.

But now they're metropolises in trouble, with the nation's highest foreclosure rates and collapsed construction and real estate industries. Nevada was only the 16th fastest growing state in 2008-09, and that's only because of (decreased) immigrant inflow. Arizona, the fastest-growing state in the previous year, now ranks No. 7.

Immigration into Nevada, Arizona and California continues, though at lower rates than earlier in the decade. Interestingly, several Northeastern states -- New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Maryland, Connecticut and Rhode Island -- continue to attract large percentages of immigrants, but even they (except for Massachusetts) suffer from domestic outflow. Public policies -- high taxes and welfare benefits -- may account for these seemingly contradictory trends.

In contrast, this recession has seen several states move from below-average to above-average population growth. They include Oklahoma, with its energy-based economy; Tennessee, one of the few states without an income tax; and South Dakota, with its thriving credit card economy.

The state with the fastest population growth in 2008-09 was demographically tiny Wyoming, the nation's largest coal producer, which has had a higher rate of domestic in-migration than any other state. Just behind at No. 2 was Utah. With the nation's largest birth rates and largest families, Utah demographically resembles the America of the 1950s.

No. 3 in percentage population growth in 2008-09 was giant Texas, the nation's second most populous state. Its population grew by almost half a million and accounted for 18 percent of the nation's total population growth. Texas had above-average immigrant growth, but domestic in-migration was nearly twice as high.

There may be lessons for public policy here. Texas over the decades has had low taxes (and no state income tax), low public spending and regulations that encourage job growth. It didn't have much of a housing bubble or a housing price bust.

Under Govs. George W. Bush and Rick Perry, it has placed tight limits on tort lawsuits, and has seen an influx of both corporate headquarters and medical doctors.

Bush's late job ratings may have been low, and Perry may be a wine that doesn't travel. But their approach to governing may not be lost even in Washington.

Polidata Inc. projects from the 2009 estimates that the reapportionment following the 2010 Census will produce four new House seats for Texas, one for Florida, Arizona, Utah and Nevada, and none for California for the first time since 1850. Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Illinois are projected to lose one each, and Ohio two. Americans have been moving, even in recession, away from Democratic strongholds and toward Republican turf.

Michael Barone is senior political analyst for The Washington Examiner.

COPYRIGHT 2009 THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

DISTRIBUTED BY CREATORS.COM

Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska is DOWN 30 POINTS in the election polls after Health Care vote

Watch interview of current Governor of Nebraska concerning the compromise Senator Nelson made on Reid Care.



Below numbers prove that Nelson did not do this for Nebraskans. Unbelievable. Makes you wonder what else Nelson got for maybe himself. For more see: Nelson supports ReidCare. Compromise in Reid's Manager's Amendment leaves Nebraskan and American tax payers to have to fund abortions. and Video: Governor and Citizens of Nebraska message to Senator and Nelson vs Stupak on ReidCare language on tax payer funding of abortion and Video: Mitch McConnell claims deals were made with Senator from Nebraska and Vermont to gain votes for Reid's Manager's Amendment as Reid confirms this to be the case.  

Health Care Vote Puts Nelson 30 Points Down in Reelection Bid

The good news for Senator Ben Nelson is that he doesn’t have to face Nebraska voters until 2012. If Governor Dave Heineman challenges Nelson for the Senate job, a new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey shows the Republican would get 61% of the vote while Nelson would get just 30%. Nelson was reelected to a second Senate term in 2006 with 64% of the vote.

Nelson's health care vote is clearly dragging his numbers down. Just 17% of Nebraska voters approve of the deal their senator made on Medicaid in exchange for his vote in support of the plan. Overall, 64% oppose the health care legislation, including 53% who are Strongly Opposed. In Nebraska, opposition is even stronger than it is nationally.

Fifty-six percent (56%) of voters in the state believe that passage of the legislation will hurt the quality of care, and 62% say it will raise costs...."-Click link above for more from Rasmussen.

Matthew Shephard and Jason Shepard reveal some interesting and fair criticisms of hate crimes laws as hate crimes against ex-gays and heterosexuals are ignored.

Related: Breaking News: NEA looses as Supreme Court of DC rules that ex-gays must be recognized under sexual orientation non discrimination-laws
University of Alaska welcomes ex-gay speaker as other try to shut out his point of view
American Library Association urged to include Ex-gay books in banned books week
Can Gay Officials Respect the Rights of Ex-gays? The Supreme Court of DC ruled they should. 

Also, see  Audio of NJ Senate Judiciary Committee debating same sex marriage bill which they passed for a full vote on the Senate floor to redefine marriage as NJ Senator supports genderless marriage in the name of civil rights while at the same time rejecting those same civil rights for ex-gays and see This incident shows the injustice of "hate crimes" laws as 26 Asain students in Philadelphia High School were beaten by blacks and whites yet "racism" and "hate" are not mention once. and lastly President Obama signs into law new hate crimes law elevating some Americans deemed worthy of more protection then others  

Hate Crimes and a Tale of Two "Shephards"

Many violent assaults of heterosexuals by homosexuals ignored in hate crime discussions

by Peter J. Smith

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania, December 21, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Both Matthew Shephard and Jason Shephard are alleged to have been victims of hate crimes. Both are alleged to have been targeted by their respective assailants over their sexual orientation. But unlike the former Shephard, Jason Shephard was murdered for his heterosexuality by a homosexual assailant, and one pro-family group wants to know whether the new federal hate crimes law would be applied in both cases.

The American Family Association of Pennsylvania argues that heterosexuals targeted by homosexuals over their sexual orientation should receive the same charges as heterosexuals targeting homosexuals. The new federal hate crimes law, "Matthew Shephard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act," applies special federal protections for victims of crimes who are targeted by their assailants over their "actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender identity.'

Homosexual activists fought for passage of the bill, which Congress passed as an amendment to a must-pass defense bill and President Obama signed in October.

But what about heterosexuals targeted by homosexuals over their sexual orientation? The AFA of Pennsylvania says that if the law were taken at face value, then homosexuals should also face prosecution for brutally assailing victims targeted for their heterosexuality. However these names get little recognition, especially in the national media.

Unlike Matthew Shephard - whose attackers confessed to brutally murdering over drugs and not his sexual orientation - Jason Shephard of Philadelphia was strangled to death in 2006 by William Smithson, 44, for resisting his homosexual advances and rape. Smithson worked at the firm where Shephard was interning, and premeditated the sexual assault on Shephard, slipping a date-rape drug into Shephard's drink during a dinner.

To cover-up the crime, Smithson personally filed a missing person's report, and even introduced himself to Shephard's family, before police finally caught him red-handed trying to dispose of the decomposing corpse.

On Friday, the Pennsylvania Superior Court upheld Smithson's first-degree murder conviction and life sentence.

And unlike Matthew Shephard, the murder of the heterosexual Jason Shephard by a homosexual has little recognition beyond Pennsylvania and no major legislation or public initiatives invoking the tragedy of his death. The young man who described himself as "a kid from Cavalier going to see what the world had to offer" has a simple Facebook page dedicated to his memory for the sake of those who knew him.

 "Who in America recognizes their names or now the name of Amanda Collette?" asked Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA, demanding to know whether the cases of heterosexual victims would also get the same special protections accorded to homosexuals targeted for sexual orientation under the hate crimes law.

Collete, a fifteen-year old student at a Miami high school, was murdered by a sixteen-year old lesbian classmate for rebuffing her homosexual advances. The Miami Herald reported that Teah Wimberly, 16, confessed to police that she shot Collete in November 2008 "so she would feel pain too."

In Prairie Grove, Arkansas, Joshua Brown and David Carpenter tied up 13-year old Jesse Dirkhising and sodomized him to death. WorldNetDaily reports that Dirkhising died in his own vomit while Brown and Carpenter took a lunch break from their savage sexual assault.
 
Nicholas Gutierrez of Chicago raped, battered, stabbed and strangled Mary Stachowicz, 51, before stashing her body under the floorboards of his apartment, for the simple reason that Stachowicz had asked him to leave his homosexual lifestyle.

For Gramley, those brutal cases - no less brutal than Matthew Shephard's murder - seem well-qualified for hate crimes charges. But as AFA of PA points out, only homosexuals as "hate crimes" victims need apply for national attention: Matthew Shephard's murder generated over 3,000 stories in the month after his death, while only forty stories developed in the month after Dirkhising's brutal rape and murder.

"Just the fact that the hate crime bill signed by the President in October is named after homosexual Matthew Shepherd reveals the true intent of its advocates - give special protections to homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender individuals," commented Gramley. "I predict the murders of heterosexuals by homosexuals will continue to be ignored."

Many pro-family groups suspected that the Matthew Shephard Act was intended to make homosexuals and transgenders a protected class under federal law. But other serious concerns remained.
Opponents of the hate crimes legislation in general have charged that the law violates the due process and equal protection clauses of the 14th Amendment of the US Constitution by making an individual's thought as much a factor as the nature of his act in prosecuting a crime.

The US Commissioners on Civil Rights wrote letters to US House and Senate leaders condemning the legislation, saying they "regard the broad federalization of crime as a menace to civil liberties." The commissioners also pointed out that the law creates a legal loophole to the Constitution's prohibitions to double jeopardy, because it allows the federal government to try an individual for a second time, who has already been acquitted in a state trial, for the same crime.

Video interview of Daniel Hannan on Fox News in December

Related: Video of British MEP Daniel Hannan speech at Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom and has some comments concerning Britains National Health Service



Prior Videos of Daniel Hannan from Values Voter News

This one has gotten over 2.5 million hits since March 09. In which Daniel makes a prediction that the voters will soon have their say in the upcoming elections and the voters proved Mr Hannan to be correct. See First Canada, then UK and EU, then Japan and now Germany's recent elections give another all time worst blow to liberal politicians and UK's labour party takes the worst showing since 1918 as conservatives gain ground. YouTube video of Daniel Hannan MEP for one reason why.



Daniel Hannan on Government created economic crisis



Daniel Hannan on Bailouts and Stimulus Packages



Daniel Hannan on British Healthcare and more



Daniel Hannan on the growing power of the EU

Video update on Kevin Jennings from Family Research Council



Related: Another Van Jones? Kevin Jennings (Obama's "Safe Schools" appointee) apologizes for prior statements as a result of alternative media reporting
Obama's "Safe Schools" appointee, Kevin Jennings, wants to promote homosexuality to schoolchildren as early as five years old.

Merry Christmas from Reagan, Build-A-Bear, Jill Stanek and 40 Days for Life. Stupak vs Nelson on tax payer funding abortion in Senate version of bill and McCain: "we have just begun to fight".

Last Week in Review

Headlines

Merry Christmas

One thing that is pretty cool about subscribing and encouraging others to subscribe and partake in the political processes through conservative and pro-life blogs and news organizations is that you are supporting the message of Christmas. LifeNews.com, LifeSiteNews.com, JillStanek.com, Family Research Council, Focus on the Family, American Family Association, The Heritage Foundation etc. etc. etc. all sent out to everyone of their subscribers Christmas reminders. I don't know how many Christmas reminders I got this year after partaking in the various petitions in the political processes and subscribing to various email updates. So when you pass a petition along sometimes you are passing more than that.

Ronald Reagan's Christmas speech from the White House during his presidency and his speech from 1983 on Lighting the National Community Christmas Tree. 

40 Days for Life wishes pro-lifers a Merry Christmas

Video: Come and Worship....the newborn King. - Jill Stanek 

Videos: Build-A-Bear pulls global warming indoctrination Christmas videos from their web site but not before they got on YouTube. and Video: Communists and Socialists at Copenhagen. Where's Big Media? and Video from Copenhagen: Money for Girl Scout cookies and YMCA membership goes to support climate change legislation 

McCain, Stupak on Health Care

Video of McCain on Senate floor, "we have just begun to fight" . The Heritage Foundation second's that motion.

Stupak now not only against tax payer funding of abortion but against buy offs: "You don't buy me off" and "We need to cut out those sweetheart deals.”   

Recent audio interview with Stupak at CNSNews.com: White House and House leaders want him to remain silent. Stupak says he will still voice his opposition and they DO NOT have the votes in the House for the Nelson/Reid language on abortion. 

Nelson vs Stupak on ReidCare language on tax payer funding of abortion

Obama appointed HHS Secretary Sebelius says everyone in the exchange will pay into abortion coverage fund in Senate health care bill

Polls

Obama approval rating hits a new low but so does Reid and Pelosi. Check out the recent Rasmussen polling across the nation over 2010 Senate and Governor races. - Wow!!! Even worse then Bush from last year on the strongly disapproval rating at Rasmussen. And yet the left claim continue to claim that conservatives are the ones out of touch with the American people.

Jokes and Cartoons

BBC's "Yes Minister" for a laugh over Obama Care from The Heritage Foundation.

Video: Brad Pitt is saving planet earth. Only in Copenhagen.

Video

Health Care

Video: Governor and Citizens of Nebraska message to Senator Nelson of Nebraska: "Vote no on cloture" 

Breaking: CBO letter released today brings into question whether or not the Senate Health Care bill is deficit neutral

Elections

Video: African American congressional candidate in Florida has a YouTube speech that is going viral on YouTube with over 1.4 million hits since mid October.

Breaking News: Republicans to pick up another Democrat seat never held by a Republican today. 

Faith and Family Philanthropy

Dallas ministry throws Christmas party for some 15,000 homeless

International

UK

Christian teacher of 20 years in the UK fired after offering to pray for sick girl

Italy

Italian Supreme Court defies European Court of Human Rights after Italian prime ministers defiance.

UN

Traditional family values wins at UN General Assembly 

First Amendment

Picture: Second grader sent home after drawing a picture of Jesus on the cross. Mayor says school boss should apologize.


Pro-Life

As long as umbilical cord is attached and placenta is still in the mother, baby can be killed in Virginia.

University of Texas study finds that 50% of women on DMPA birth control shot will experience high bone mineral dinsity (BMD).

Health Care

LifeSiteNews.com has this great article describing the atmosphere in the Senate as the Senate is divided more than ever as Senate is set to pass health care legislation with a strictly partisan vote against the will of the people.

Head of 17,000 member Christian Medical Association quits the AMA not wanting his member fees going to support a pro-abortion association. 

Economy

The Mercatus Center at George Mason University with Nobel prize-winning economist on staff report reveals that Democratic districts received double the amount of money than Republican districts.

Entertainment

Fox News has best ratings ever in 2009 with Bill ORielly making the top cable news program 10 years straight

Nelson vs Stupak on ReidCare language on tax payer funding of abortion

The facts:

What they have in common?

Both claim to be pro-life democrats. Both claim to oppose tax payer funding of abortion. Both were under pressure to compromise. Both offered similar amendments to maintain the tried and tested Hyde amendment language that has existed for a number of decades when it comes to tax payer funding of abortion attempting to maintain "current law".

What divides them?

Stupak got the language in the House bill. Nelson was unsuccessful in the Senate. Stupak says language in Senate is "unacceptable" Nelson says it is. Pressure may have been greater on Nelson to compromise since he was the lone shark holding his vote till the last day in the Senate and not in the majority. Pressure may have been less on Stupak since he had the majority backing him in the House. Stupak did not receive any kick backs for his vote in the House. Nelson did.

These differences alone should cause any to be concerned about Nelson's credibility and statements on the language.

Below is Nelson's final justification for his vote as of 12/24/2009 just after the final vote was tallied of 60-39 for passage of the Senate health care bill. See AvoidtheBias.com for more.



Here is Stupak's comments on the Nelson compromised language at: Stupak in the House says he will opposes abortion compromise in the Senate under Nelson and Reid and calls it "unacceptable" and Stupak's New York Times op-ed piece defending his amendment at Pro-life Democrat Stupak explains what the Stupak Amendment does and doesn't concerning tax payer funding of abortions in the House health care bill.

Values Voter News has this post concerning the Nelson compromised language with Nelson answering questions at a press conference after he announced his support at Nelson supports ReidCare. Compromise in Reid's Manager's Amendment leaves Nebraskan and American tax payers to have to fund abortions. 

Here is Stupak's comments concerning the kick backs for Nelson and others at: Stupak now not only against tax payer funding of abortion but against buy offs: "You don't buy me off" and "We need to cut out those sweetheart deals.” and his comments about the leadership pressuring him to remain silent for now on the issue of tax payer funding of abortion at: Recent audio interview with Stupak at CNSNews.com: White House and House leaders want him to remain silent. Stupak says he will still voice his opposition and they DO NOT have the votes in the House for the Nelson/Reid language on abortion..

For more on this debate on the Senate floor from both sides see Democrats vs Republicans as they debate on tax payer funding of abortion in Senate Health Care bill. and in the House see Debate on the floor in the House over the Stupak pro-life amendment to House Health Care Bill - 11/07/2009 at AvoidtheBias.com.

Rasmussen polling had this recent result reported on the 24th: "Fifty-four percent (54%) say taxpayer-funded health insurance should be prohibited from covering abortions, up six points from September. The House version of the legislation includes such a prohibition, but the Senate version does not. Fourteen percent (14%) of U.S. voters say health insurance paid for or subsidized with government funding should be required to cover abortions. Twenty-nine percent (29%) say the legislation should have no requirements one way or the other."

And a Quinnipiac polls concurs with 72 percent opposing tax payer funding of abortions. The two questions asked in the polls are a bit different but clearly a hot issue with much opposition when it comes to insuring tax payers money do not in any way fund abortions.

For more on why many Americans find tax payer funding of abortion appalling see Genocide Awareness Project hits liberal University of CA at Berkely with disturbing yet powerful images and comments and check out the testimony of the very Roe of Roe v. Wade before a Senate committee in 2005 after she found forgiveness of her sins in Christ at Testimony of the very Roe of Roe v Wade after finding forgiveness in Christ for her sins. Once abortion activist now trying to reverse Roe v Wade.

Video: Come and Worship....the newborn King.

Found this at JillStanek.com...



To watch the movie of the Nativity Story online click on image to the left or
The Nativity Story

Related: Ronald Reagan's Christmas speech from the White House during his presidency and his speech from 1983 on Lighting the National Community Christmas Tree.

Christian teacher of 20 years in the UK fired after offering to pray for sick girl

Related: And yet another UK Council worker sacked for witnessing online to gay christian is labeled "homophobic" 
Christian nurse in the UK ordered to remove cross from neck then forced to accept redeployment 
Another UK council worker gets suspended. Bosses told him that even saying "God bless" was unacceptable.
British nurse offers to pray for patient and then gets suspended in the name of equality and diversity.
School receptionist faces sack over prayer request in UK
Video of speech: Conservative party in the UK brings up the issue of the intolerance of people of faith under the Labour party's rule in Britain 

From the ccfon.org....

CLC supports Christian teacher sacked from her job for offering to pray for sick girl

A Christian teacher has been dismissed from her job after discussing her faith with a mother and her sick child and offering to pray for them.

Olive Jones, a 54-year-old mother of two from Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, taught maths to children who were too ill to attend school. She spoke to a female pupil about her belief in miracles and asked whether she could say a prayer.

Mrs Jones, who has more than 20 years’ experience in teaching, said the girl was too poorly for a maths lesson, so she decided to speak to her, but when the girl’s mother said they were not believers she did not go ahead.

During one of the visits the girl stayed in Mrs Jones' bedroom because she did not feel well enough for lessons, so Mrs Jones spoke to her mother and raised the subject of her faith, saying she believed God had saved her life.

Mrs Jones said when she was a teenager she had been driving a tractor on the family farm near Carmarthen in Wales when it slid down a slope but came to a halt just before tipping over. She said:

‘I shut my eyes and thought I was going to die. Then there was a sound of a rushing wind, like that described in the Bible, and then total stillness.

‘I was convinced it was a miracle. I shared my testimony to encourage the mother to believe that there is a God who answers prayer. I believe I have a personal relationship with God, who is a constant source of strength,’ she added.

Unbeknown to the teacher, the pupil’s mother made a complaint. The authorities did not inform Mrs Jones of any criticism.

Afterwards, when the teacher had another lesson with the pupil she once again referred to the incident involving the tractor and spoke about her belief in God.

‘I told them there were people praying for them, and I asked the child if I could pray for her,’ Mrs Jones said.

‘She looked at her mother, who said, “We come from a family who do not believe”, so I did not pray.

‘I asked the mother if she wanted me to cancel the next lesson as her daughter had not been feeling up to maths, but she said no.’

Mrs Jones left the lesson on good terms with the girl’s mother, but within a few hours she was asked by the head of the Oak Hill Short Stay School and Tuition Service in Nailsea, North Somerset, to go to her office. The head of the service told Mrs Jones that sharing her faith with a child could be considered as bullying. Shortly after the conversation at the office she was dismissed from the job.

Mrs Jones, who attends her local Church of England church, said she was ‘devastated’ by the decision to sack her and added that it was ‘completely disproportionate’.

‘If I had done something criminal, I believe the reaction would have been the same. It is like a black mark against my name and character when it comes to getting a reference for another job, just because I shared my testimony – as if I committed a criminal act,’ she said.

‘It was only when I mentioned prayer that the mother said I do not want prayer, we do not believe, so I did not go ahead.’

‘I’m not out to get anyone, I am angry at their interpretation of freedom of speech. I am amazed that a country with such a strong Christian tradition has become a country where it is hard to speak about your faith, Mrs Jones added.

‘I am not angry with my bosses, as they are trying to interpret new equality and diversity policies,’ she said. ‘But I am angry with the politically-correct system and about the fact that you can’t mention anything to do with faith to people who might find it of use.

‘My main concern is the interpretation of the policies concerned, which seem very ambiguous.

‘It is as if my freedom of speech is being restricted. I feel I am being persecuted for speaking about my faith in a country that is supposed to be Christian.

‘I feel if I had spoken about almost any other topic I would have been fine but Christianity is seen as a no-go area. It felt as if I was being treated as a criminal. It is like a bad dream that had come true,’ she said.

Nick Yates, a spokesman for North Somerset Council, said:

‘Olive Jones has worked as a supply teacher, working with the North Somerset Tuition service. A complaint has been made by a parent regarding Olive. This complaint is being investigated.

‘To complete the investigation we need to speak to Olive and we have offered her a number of dates so this can happen. At the moment we are waiting for her to let us know which date is convenient for her.’

The Christian Legal Centre is backing Olive Jones cases. Andrea Williams, Director of CLC commented ‘The story of Olive Jones is sadly becoming all too familiar in this country. It is the result of a heavy-handed so-called equalities agenda that discriminates against Christians and seeks to eliminate Christian expression from the public square.

‘Olive Jones had compassion for her pupil and finds herself without a job because she expressed the hope that comes with faith. It is time for a common sense approach to be restored in all these matters.’

Picture: Second grader sent home after drawing a picture of Jesus on the cross. Mayor says school boss should apologize.

Actual picture to the left in dispute.

Mayor: School boss should apologize to boy who drew cross

Taunton Mayor Charles Crowley called School Superintendent Julie Hackett from his vacation today and asked her to apologize both privately and publicly to the family of an 8-year-old special needs student sent home from school and ordered to undergo psychological testing after drawing a stick-figure picture of Jesus Christ nailed to the cross.

“Mayor Crowley’s sentiments were that he would hope Dr. Hackett would meet with the family today, apologize, make a public apology on behalf of the school department, pay for the psychiatrist and come up with a policy to make sure this never happens in our school system again,” said Crowley’s assistant Todd Castro.

Castro said this evening he is unaware of any response from Hackett. Hackett has not responded to repeated requests for comment from the Herald.

The Lowell M. Maxham Elementary School second-grader was booted from the school on Dec. 2 when school officials feared his artwork - drawn to depict what he did on his Thanksgiving break - might be exposing violent tendencies. The child was allowed to return on Dec. 7 after a two-day risk assessment by psychiatrist Helene Titelbaum determined there was nothing wrong with him.

“(The boy) does not appear to be a threat to himself or others at this time. Therefore, I recommend that he return to school as soon as possible,” Titelbaum concluded in her report, a copy of which was obtained by the Herald.

The boy’s father, Chester Johnson, 40, a part-time maintenance worker for the Taunton School Department, told the Herald his son drew Jesus after visiting the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Attelboro to see its Christmas display. He then put his own name on the cross instead of Jesus.

Toni Saunders, an educational consultant with the non-profit Associated Advocacy Center in Sandwich, who was asked to help the family by their pastor, said, “I heard the story and I was appalled, to put it mildly.”

“My intention is to shed light on what is happening to children in schools because of zero tolerance,” she said. “I’m sure they expected Santa Claus or a reindeer, but that’s not where this child’s mind was.”

Johnson, she said, ”just wants to get his son out of the school. His son is really traumatized from this event.

“This is one of those ‘How is this possible?’ scenarios,” she said. “We live in a society where we’re supposed to honor children and their imagination.”

In June 2008, a Taunton fifth-grade student was suspended for a day for a stick figure drawing that appeared to depict him shooting his teacher and a classmate.

Video: African American congressional candidate in Florida has a YouTube speech that is going viral on YouTube with over 1.4 million hits since mid October.

As long as umbilical cord is attached and placenta is still in the mother, baby can be killed in Virginia.

Virginia Mother Gets Away with Infanticide Due to 'Loophole' in the Law

By Patrick B. Craine

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Virginia, December 21, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A mother who suffocated her newborn baby earlier this month in Campbell County, Virginia cannot be prosecuted, say investigators, because the umbilical cord was still attached.

"In the state of Virginia as long as the umbilical cord is attached and the placenta is still in the mother, if the baby comes out alive the mother can do whatever she wants to with that baby to kill it," stated investigator Tracy Emerson. "She could shoot the baby, stab the baby. As long as it's still attached to her in some form by umbilical cord or something it's no crime in the state of Virginia."

The baby, who was born full term around 1 a.m. on December 11th, was dead when the police arrived ten hours later.  According to the medical examiner, he or she was born healthy.  Police say the mother knew she was pregnant and had undergone prenatal care.

While the authorities have seen numerous similar killings, and have sought changes in the law, legislators have not acted thus far because they felt the issue was too close to abortion.

It appears that action will take place this time around, however.  State Senator Steve Newman announced last week that they had begun drafting a bill to protect born babies still attached to the mother.

"It is difficult to believe that the current Code could have such a flaw that would allow anyone to take the life of a born child," he said.  "While I will not comment at this time on the case in Campbell County, it is abundantly clear that Virginians will demand a legislative cure to this loophole."

But what legislators, the authorities, and media are calling a 'loophole' is, in fact, no loophole at all, commented CatholicCulture.org's Diogenes.  "It's a carefully crafted legal fiction whose sole purpose is to establish the unborn child as something less than human in order to permit its mother to kill it," he said.

"Note that if a woman wanted to give birth to a healthy child and her obstetrician did what the murderess did in the Virginia episode or what the abortionist does in a [partial birth abortion], that obstetrician would be sued if he acted through incompetence or charged with murder if he acted in malice," he continued.  "What makes a human person a human person, according to our law, is whether its mother wishes it to be -- at least up to such time as it's alive and kicking apart from and independently of her."

"Our society tolerates the gross incoherence of these legal fictions because the fictions themselves are necessary lies, necessary to the public justification of abortion," he concluded.

University of Texas study finds that 50% of women on DMPA birth control shot will experience high bone mineral dinsity (BMD).

Study Finds Half of Women on "Birth Control Shot" Suffer Bone Problems

GALVESTON, Texas, December 21, 2009 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Nearly half of women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), commonly known as the birth control shot, will experience high bone mineral density (BMD) loss in the hip or lower spine within two years of beginning the contraceptive, according to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

The study, reported in the January 2010 issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology, was the first to show that women on the birth control shot who smoke, have low levels of calcium intake and never gave birth are at the highest risk for BMD loss. The researchers also found that high risk women continued to experience significant losses in BMD during the third year of the use of the contraceptive injection, especially in the hip - the most common facture site in elderly women.

DMPA is an injected contraceptive administered to patients every three months. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, more than two million American women use the birth control shot, including approximately 400,000 teens. DMPA is relatively inexpensive compared with some other forms of contraception and doesn't need to be administered daily, which contributes to its popularity.
The study followed 95 DMPA users for two years. In that time, 45 women had at least five percent BMD loss in the lower back or hip. A total of 50 women had less than five percent bone loss at both sites during the same period.

By and large, BMD loss was higher in women who were current smokers, had never given birth and had a daily calcium intake of 600 mg or less - far below the recommended amounts. Moreover, BMD loss substantially increased among the women with all three risk factors.
The researchers followed 27 of the women for an additional year and found that those who experienced significant BMD loss in the first two years continued to lose bone mass.

Italian Supreme Court defies European Court of Human Rights after Italian prime ministers defiance.

Related: Italian prime minister defies European Court of Human Rights ruling and will not remove crucifix from public display

Daniel Hannan video condemns growing power of the EU. 

Italian Supreme Court Decision Signals Sovereign Resistance to European Overreach

By Piero A. Tozzi, J.D.

NEW YORK, December 18, 2009 (C-FAM) - A little-publicized decision by Italy's Constitutional Court last month may have significant implications concerning the direction of Europe, strengthening national sovereignty as a bulwark against transnational overreach by European institutions. It also signals the continued importance of national constitutions, despite the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty earlier this month.

In Sentenza N. 311, the Italian Constitutional Court stated that where rulings by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) conflict with provisions of the Italian Constitution, such rulings "lack legitimacy." Sources close to the Italian judiciary told C-Fam's Friday Fax that the decision was intended as a warning that activist rulings by the Strasbourg-based ECHR overstepping jurisdictional boundaries will not be given deference.

Sources point to the timing of the decision, which followed an early November ECHR ruling, Lautsi v. Italy, directing that crucifixes be removed from the Italian classroom. The Italian government is appealing that decision to the full Grand Chamber.

According to Roger Kiska, European legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, Lautsi is flawed on a number of grounds, including overreach – the ECHR is not a constitutional court – and its disregard for "the cultural sovereignty of each Member State." The Constitutional Court decision – which deals with civil service matters entirely unrelated to the crucifix case – signals that Italy may be prepared to break with the ECHR if it were to lose its appeal.

Kiska also notes that the ECHR recently heard arguments in the case A, B, & C v. Ireland, which involves a direct challenge to Ireland's constitutional protection of unborn life. The Italian court decision could embolden Ireland's Supreme Court in the event of an adverse decision.

Underlying the debate is the question of what role "subsidiarity" will play in post-Lisbon Europe. Subsidiarity is the notion that decisions are best made at the local level closest to the people affected by them, guaranteeing that national norms and values will not be overrun by top-down-dictates.

Observers note that the foundational documents of a united Europe – the 1957 Treaties of Rome establishing the European Economic Community – enshrine the concept of subsidiarity, and a protocol to the Lisbon Treaty states that European institutions shall "ensure constant respect for the principles of subsidiarity and proportionality."

By asserting that Italy's Constitution is the final word when confronted with decisions by transnationalist bodies, the Constitutional Court is drawing a line in the sand similar to that drawn by the United States (US) Supreme Court in 2008, when it rejected a directive from the World Court in The Hague as incompatible with the US Constitution.

Italy has two High Courts – one dealing with constitutional issues, and a second, the Corte Suprema di Cassazione, which is the court of final resort on all issues other than those with constitutional implications. The ECHR, a Council of Europe body, is distinct from the European Court of Justice, which is the European Union's highest court.

Newer Posts Older Posts Home