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Dear Friends:
As the father of two Boy Scouts, it's been hard to see the BSA teeter on the edge of moral irrelevance. The proposed "compromise resolution" regarding "open and avowed" homosexuality in Scouting is not the reaching of a middle ground. It is little more than a fall off of a cliff. As FRC President Tony Perkins put it:
The resolution requires all Scouting families and faith-based organizations that object to homosexuality on religious grounds to affirm its moral validity. It introduces open and overt sexuality into an organization that is designed to foster character and leadership, thereby clouding Scouting's most fundamental purposes. And the proposal says, in essence, that homosexuality is morally acceptable until a boy turns 18 - then, when he comes of age, he's removed from the Scouts. The policy is incoherent and, sadly, an affront to the notion that Scouts are brave, reverent, and "morally straight."
It's in the spirit of the Scout Oath and Law that FRC will be hosting a simulcast titled, "Stand with Scouts Sunday," at 7:00 PM on May 5th. The program will feature Eagle Scouts and religious and political leaders from across the country. Join us to learn what steps you can take to keep Scouting as its founders envisioned it - as a resource for boys and young men to develop in character, confidence, and leadership, without the intrusion of sexual controversy. Click here to register.
Theodore Roosevelt is the only American in history designated as Chief Scout Citizen. His words about the Scouts hold true today:
The Boy Scout movement is distinctly an asset to our country ... It is essential that its leaders be men of strong, wholesome character; of unmistakable devotion to our country, its customs and ideals.
The Rough Rider had it right. Do we still, in our time?
On my honor,
Rob Schwarzwalder
Senior Vice President
Family Research Council
Educational Freedom and Reform
Homeschooling
- "Why the Romeikes' Fight Is Our Fight," The Patriot Post
- "HSLDA Files Amicus Brief in Homeschool Scholarship Case," Home School Legal Defense Association
- "Arguments Heard Today in German Homeschoolers Deportation Case," The Christian Post
Legislation and Policy Proposals
- "Time to Abandon the Egg Crate Approach to Education," EducationNext
- "An object lesson in charter school creation," Thomas B. Fordham Institute
- "Cutting to the Core," City Journal
- "Another Question for Education Reformers," Commentary Magazine
College Debt
- "The higher education bubble is starting to deflate," AEIdeas.org
- "Student Loan Stats Paint a Gloomy Picture for College Grads," The American Interest
- "Are Student Loans Destroying the Economy?," The Atlantic
Government Reform
Regulation
- "House opposes international regulation for the Web but favors US censorship," RT.com
- "Bloomberg Contributor Urges Government Regulation, Ownership of Broadband," NewsBusters
- "Stuck With Big Government?," RealClearBooks
Waste/Fraud/Abuse
- "Why Expanding Social Security Is a Bad Idea," The American
- "An Unexpected Benefit to the Earmarks Ban," Ricochet
Health Care
Abstinence
- "'Tinder Got Me Laid' - College Hook-Up Culture Goes Virtual, Viral," The College Fix
- "Give Them Condoms!," Turtle Bay and Beyond
Health care reform: Political and Legislative efforts
- "Eden Foods doubles down in birth control flap," Salon.com
- "Democratic Senator: Obamacare a "Train Wreck Coming"," The Heritage Foundation
- "Florida Speaker Offers Alternative to Medicaid Expansion," The Galen Institute
- "Putting Lipstick on the Obamacare Pig," National Review Online
Homosexuality
- "Homosexual Activist Admits True Purpose of Battle is to Destroy Marriage," Illinois Family Institute
- "The Inviolable Law of Nature and Nature's God in Marriage: A Word of Warning to Republicans," The Center for Vision and Values
- "Judaism's Sexual Revolution: Why Judaism Rejected Homosexuality," Catholic Education Resource Center
- "Redefine Marriage, Make Government Bigger," The Heritage Foundation
- "Same-Sex Marriage Fever: Prohibition Parallels," The Public Discourse
- "Should Gay Conversion Therapy Be Legal?," The FedSoc Blog
- "Gay Rites," Claremont Review of Books
Human Life and Bioethics
Abortion
- "More regulations for abortion clinics," The Deming Headlight
- "Preventing Future Gosnells," Townhall.com
- "Quiet, please. Complacency at work!," MercatorNet
- "How Mollie Hemingway Introduced the Nation to Kermit Gosnell," The Gospel Coalition
- "North Dakota governor signs 'fetal pain' measure," The Bismarck Tribune
- "Florida House gets moving on anti-abortion bills," The Orlando Sentinel
- "Will the Republicans Abandon Pro-Lifers?," The Catholic Thing
- "Cynthia's choice," WORLD Magazine
- "Pro-life laws did not cause miscarriage death in Ireland," WORLD Magazine
- "The Legal Battle to End Taxpayer Support for Planned Parenthood Abortions," Alliance Defending Freedom
- "'Safe, Legal and Rare;' Abortion is Detached from Reality," The Christian Post
- "U.S. Supreme Court Petitioned to Reverse Colorado Ban on Graphic Images of Abortion," Thomas More Society
Bioethics and Biotechnology
- "Human evolution: science's golden child or spoilt brat?," MercatorNet
- "High Court to Examine Whether Genes Can Be Patented," The FedSoc Blog
- "The Sanctity of Life, Even in a Test Tube," The Wall Street Journal
- "The Human Egg Rush," First Things
Euthanasia and End of Life Issues
- "Poll Shows Elderly and Disabled Canadians Oppose Euthanasia," LifeNews.com
- "Push for Paralyzed Assisted Suicide in UK," National Review Online
- "The Dangers of an Aging World," C-FAM
Stem Cell Research
To read about the latest advances in ethical adult stem cell research, keep up with leading-edge reports from FRC's Dr. David Prentice, click here.
- "Catholic Church Brings Scientists Working on Stem Cells to Vatican," The Wall Street Journal
- "Governor signs into law stem cell center bill," KHI News Service
Human Trafficking
- "Will the State Department sanction China and Russia for human trafficking?," Foreign Policy
- "Okla. Gov. signs 2 human trafficking victim bills," Associated Press
- "European Union Report Details Growth Of Human Trafficking," NPR
- "5 Things To Know About the Obama Administration and Human Trafficking," The Acton Institute
Marriage and Family
Adoption
- "Given up for adoption, but not for lost," Los Angeles Times
- "Emotions Run High As Supreme Court Hears Adoption Case," NPR
- "Responses to 'Hatchet Job' Investigation of Evangelical Adoption Movement," Christianity Today
Family Economics
- "The Progressive Income Tax Turns 100," The Center for Vision and Values
- "Material Problems Have Moral Solutions," Values and Capitalism
- "More Millennials get house before getting hitched," USA Today
- "When Saving Is a Problem Not a Virtue," The American
- "The Triumph of Capitalism," First Things
- "The American Dream Lives On (But Can the Young Afford It?)," Via Meadia
- "Fighting Poverty with Toy Blocks and Economic Growth," The Acton Institute
- "Economics: Part of God's Created Order," Institute for Faith, Work, and Economics
- "The Grave Evil of Unemployment," Library of Economics and Liberty
Family Structure
- "Does Reason Still Matter?," First Things
- "Slate: 'Marriage Equality' Includes Polygamy," Breitbart.com
- "To Whom Do Children Belong?," The Public Discourse
- "Elsa Walsh's Journey....," Commentary Magazine
- "Out-of-Wedlock Births Need to Be 'Stigmatized,' Welfare Expert Says," The Christian Post
- "Men Like Christ, Head of the Church," The Catholic Thing
Media
Pornography
- "Is "Just a Little" Pornography OK?," PornHarms.com
- "India Considers Banning Pornography as Reported Sexual Assault Rises," New York Times
- "Don't Make George Soros Oppose Prostitution," Christianity Today
Internet
- "Persecution and the Art Tweeting: 7 Tips," Intercollegiate Review
- "Social Media a Source of Rising Incivility, Says Survey," The Christian Post
Religion and Public Policy
Religious Liberty
- "Religion: A Public or a Private Right?," The Public Discourse
- "Hagel Grilled on Army Email Equating Christians to Racists and Terrorists," Breitbart.com
- "Cardinal Ravasi's Speech to TED Conference," Zenit
- "Academic Freedom, Civility, and the Name of Jesus," The Center for Vision and Values
- "Schragger & Schwartzman on Freedom of the Church," Legal Theory
- "Park Service Reverses Decision and Allows Bible Distribution," Liberty Counsel
- "Defending Christian Taxpayers and the Religious Freedom of Families," Alliance Defending Freedom
Religion in America
Check out Dr. Kenyn Cureton's feature on Watchmen Pastors called "The Lost Episodes," featuring how religion has had an impact on our Founding Fathers.
- "Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled," RedState
- "Why Does God Care About Charity?," Values and Capitalism
- "The Trouble with Cussing Christians," Christianity Today
- "Needed: Mere Christians," Religion Today
- "New Research: Spiritual Maturity Tied to Strong Doctrinal Beliefs," Ed Stetzer
Secularism
- "Can A Good Journalist Not Be Religious?," The American Conservative
- "Christian Conservatives & "Secularism"," National Catholic Reporter
- "The Passive Aggressive Tyranny Trick," The Catholic Thing
International
Israel
- "Israel - The Happy Little Country," CarolineGlick.com
- "Israeli General Convinced Assad Used Chemical Weapons," Via Meadia
- "Rewarding Terror Against Israel While Denouncing It Elsewhere," Commentary Magazine
International Economy and Family
- "The global economy is losing steam," CNN
- "Will the Global Economy Be a Canary in Ford's Coal Mine?," The Motley Fool
Religious Persecution
- "Egypt Persecutes Christians and Americans Pay the Bill," Townhall.com
- "Christian Widow in Somalia Killed Four Months After Husband Slain," Religion Today
- "Pope Francis Informed of Kidnapping of Syrian Bishops," Zenit
- "The Devil They Know: Regime Change and Christian Persecution," The Christian Post
The Courts
Constitutional Issues
- "Supreme Court Protects Corporations From Human-Rights Suits Under Alien Tort Statute," The FedSoc Blog
- "Supreme Court Ejects Foreign Suits from U.S. Courts," Liberty Counsel
Other News of Note
- "Ambition Explains America: From Benjamin Franklin to Ronald Reagan," The Public Discourse
- "What is Social Justice?," Library of Law and Liberty
- "State Funerals and Christendom," The American Spectator
- "A Nation of Sludge," Crisis Magazine
Book reviews
- "In Search of the City on a Hill," The Gospel Coalition
- "A Discussion of "Blood of Tyrants: George Washington & the Forging of the Presidency"," The FedSoc Blog
- "Taking Action Through Radical Kindness," Christianity Today
- "Humor, Hope, and Christian Humanism: A Review of The Common Mind," Intercollegiate Review
