Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Homosexuality and MRSA

2010-01-03T16:41:22Z

MelC09: /*See also*/

[[Image:Mrsa_4.jpg‎|thumbnail|250px|right|In 2008, the ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' reported that infection with multidrug-resistant USA300 MRSA is common among men who have sex with men, and multidrug-resistant MRSA infection might be sexually transmitted in this population.]]
{{Homosexuality and health}}
In respect to '''homosexuality and MRSA''', on January 15, 2008 the newspaper [[San Francisco Chronicle]] had a news article entitled ''[[San Francisco]] gay community an epicenter for new strain of virulent staph.''<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref> The [[San Francisco Chronicle]] news article stated the following in regards to [[homosexuality]] and [[MRSA]]:
{{Cquote|A new variety of staph bacteria, highly resistant to antibiotics and possibly transmitted by sexual contact, is spreading among gay men in San Francisco, Boston, New York and Los Angeles, researchers reported Monday.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref>}}

On February 19, 2008 the ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' published a study regarding antibiotic resistant staph infection in relation to men who have sex with men and the abstract for the article states the following in relation to homosexuality and MRSA:
{{Cquote|Infection with multidrug-resistant USA300 MRSA is common among men who have sex with men, and multidrug-resistant MRSA infection might be sexually transmitted in this population.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18283202?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum</ref>}}

The February 19, 2008 ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' stated the following regarding homosexuality and MRSA:
{{Cquote|Data from this study suggest that multidrug-resistant USA300 has spread rapidly among men who have sex with men in San Francisco and Boston, and that having male–male sex seems to be a risk factor for multidrug-resistant USA300 infection independent of HIV infection....

As in the SFGH HIV clinic population, having male–male sex was a risk factor for multidrug-resistant USA300 infection among patients in the Fenway Community Health sample. All patients in this sample who had multidrug-resistant USA300 infection were men who had sex with men, and none of the more than 3000 men seen at this health center annually who did not have male–male sex had multidrug-resistant USA300 infection, suggesting the exclusive spread of the multidrug-resistant USA300 clone among men who have sex with men....

In summary, we show that multidrug-resistant USA300 has emerged as an important source of disease among men who have sex with men in 2 geographically distinct communities. The high proportion of infection involving the buttocks, genitals, and perineum suggests that community-associated MRSA may be transmitted in the setting of sexual contact among men who have sex with men. The link among USA300, multidrug-resistant USA300, and unsafe sexual risk behaviors should be evaluated further in prospective studies.<ref>http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200802190-00204v1</ref>}}

The [[Mayo Clinic]] states the following regarding antibiotic resistant staph:
{{Cquote|MRSA infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria — often called "staph." MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It's a strain of staph that's resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. MRSA can be fatal.

Most MRSA infections occur in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes and dialysis centers. It's known as health care-associated MRSA, or HA-MRSA. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at most risk of HA-MRSA. More recently, another type of MRSA has occurred among otherwise healthy people in the wider community. This form, community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA, is responsible for serious skin and soft tissue infections and for a serious form of pneumonia.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735</ref>}}

In the January 15, 2008 newspaper [[San Francisco Chronicle]] entitled ''[[San Francisco]] gay community an epicenter for new strain of virulent staph'', Binh An Diep, a researcher at San Francisco General Hospital and lead author of the aforementioned medical journal article in the February 2008 ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' stated the following regarding MRSA:
{{Cquote|"We are nowhere near the peak," Diep said. "The peak will occur when it spreads into the general population."

Diep said there is reason to believe that the more drug-resistant strain will make that leap because it is just a slight variant of USA300, which became one of the most common strains of MRSA in the United States only a few years after it was first detected.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref>}}

In the previously cited January 15, 2008 newspaper article in the [[San Francisco Chronicle]] regarding MRSA the medical researcher Binh An Diep stated regarding the MRSA and the city of San Francisco: "We probably had it here first, and now it is spreading elsewhere." The January 2008 San Francisco Chronicle article also stated regarding San Francisco and MRSA: "The risk of contracting this difficult-to-treat bug is 13 times greater for gay men than for the rest of the city's population, researchers found."<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref>

On January 16, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement concerning the study:
{{Cquote|MRSA is a common cause of skin infections throughout the United States. These infections occur in men, women, adults, children, and persons of all races and sexual orientations, and are known to be transmitted by close skin-to-skin contact. In this issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, Diep et al looked at isolates of MRSA - USA300 strains containing a particular plasmid associated with additional drug resistance. The paper shows that multidrug-resistant USA300 has emerged as an important source of disease among men with have sex with men in 2 geographically distinct communities.

The strains of MRSA described in the recent Annals of Internal Medicine have mostly been identified in certain groups of men who have sex with men (MSM), but have also been found in some persons who are not MSM. It is important to note that the groups of MSM in which these isolates have been described are not representative of all MSM, so conclusions can not be drawn about the prevalence of these strains among all MSM. The groups studied in this report may share other characteristics or behaviors that facilitate spread of MRSA, such as frequent skin-to-skin contact.

CDC’s extensive and continuing study of invasive MRSA in 9 US states indicates that these strains are rare. CDC continues to monitor resistance patterns and strain characteristics in MRSA isolates submitted to CDC for a variety of investigations. Bacteria are able to acquire resistance to antibiotics. It is concerning that these bacteria are becoming resistant to more antibiotics than the typical community associated-MRSA strains because this limits the available treatment options. Fortunately, there are still effective choices available to treat infections when antibiotics are required, including those antibiotics given by mouth. It remains important to do what we can to prevent transmission of these strains and of MRSA in general.

MRSA is typically transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, which occurs during a variety of activities, including sex. There is no evidence at this time to suggest that it MRSA is a sexually-transmitted infection in the classical sense.

Therefore, CDC believes that our recommended prevention measures for CA-MRSA in general are also the most appropriate response to the strains described among MSM.<ref>http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/t080116.htm</ref>}}

[[United States|American]] [[conservative]] commentators and conservative news organizations have published a number of articles on the internet in relation to the homosexuality and MRSA issue.<ref>http://americansfortruth.com/news/big-city-homosexual-men-are-epicenter-of-new-virulent-mrsa-staff-strain.html</ref><ref>http://americansfortruth.com/news/is-there-a-vast-anti-gay-conspiracy-the-homosexuality-mrsa-link.html#more-1735</ref>
<ref>http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jan/08011514.htm</ref><ref>http://www.cwfa.org/articles/14584/CFI/family/index.htm</ref>
<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200801/CUL20080126a.html</ref>
<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59751</ref> <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59751</ref>

==See Also==
*[[ACLU]]
*[[Anti-Defamation League]]
*[[Homosexuality]]
*[[Homosexuality and Health]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category: Homosexuality]]
[[Category:Diseases]]

Homosexuality and MRSA

2010-01-03T16:01:59Z

MelC09: /*See also*/

[[Image:Mrsa_4.jpg‎|thumbnail|250px|right|In 2008, the ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' reported that infection with multidrug-resistant USA300 MRSA is common among men who have sex with men, and multidrug-resistant MRSA infection might be sexually transmitted in this population.]]
{{Homosexuality and health}}
In respect to '''homosexuality and MRSA''', on January 15, 2008 the newspaper [[San Francisco Chronicle]] had a news article entitled ''[[San Francisco]] gay community an epicenter for new strain of virulent staph.''<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref> The [[San Francisco Chronicle]] news article stated the following in regards to [[homosexuality]] and [[MRSA]]:
{{Cquote|A new variety of staph bacteria, highly resistant to antibiotics and possibly transmitted by sexual contact, is spreading among gay men in San Francisco, Boston, New York and Los Angeles, researchers reported Monday.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref>}}

On February 19, 2008 the ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' published a study regarding antibiotic resistant staph infection in relation to men who have sex with men and the abstract for the article states the following in relation to homosexuality and MRSA:
{{Cquote|Infection with multidrug-resistant USA300 MRSA is common among men who have sex with men, and multidrug-resistant MRSA infection might be sexually transmitted in this population.<ref>http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18283202?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum</ref>}}

The February 19, 2008 ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' stated the following regarding homosexuality and MRSA:
{{Cquote|Data from this study suggest that multidrug-resistant USA300 has spread rapidly among men who have sex with men in San Francisco and Boston, and that having male–male sex seems to be a risk factor for multidrug-resistant USA300 infection independent of HIV infection....

As in the SFGH HIV clinic population, having male–male sex was a risk factor for multidrug-resistant USA300 infection among patients in the Fenway Community Health sample. All patients in this sample who had multidrug-resistant USA300 infection were men who had sex with men, and none of the more than 3000 men seen at this health center annually who did not have male–male sex had multidrug-resistant USA300 infection, suggesting the exclusive spread of the multidrug-resistant USA300 clone among men who have sex with men....

In summary, we show that multidrug-resistant USA300 has emerged as an important source of disease among men who have sex with men in 2 geographically distinct communities. The high proportion of infection involving the buttocks, genitals, and perineum suggests that community-associated MRSA may be transmitted in the setting of sexual contact among men who have sex with men. The link among USA300, multidrug-resistant USA300, and unsafe sexual risk behaviors should be evaluated further in prospective studies.<ref>http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/full/0000605-200802190-00204v1</ref>}}

The [[Mayo Clinic]] states the following regarding antibiotic resistant staph:
{{Cquote|MRSA infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria — often called "staph." MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It's a strain of staph that's resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. MRSA can be fatal.

Most MRSA infections occur in hospitals or other health care settings, such as nursing homes and dialysis centers. It's known as health care-associated MRSA, or HA-MRSA. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at most risk of HA-MRSA. More recently, another type of MRSA has occurred among otherwise healthy people in the wider community. This form, community-associated MRSA, or CA-MRSA, is responsible for serious skin and soft tissue infections and for a serious form of pneumonia.<ref>http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/mrsa/DS00735</ref>}}

In the January 15, 2008 newspaper [[San Francisco Chronicle]] entitled ''[[San Francisco]] gay community an epicenter for new strain of virulent staph'', Binh An Diep, a researcher at San Francisco General Hospital and lead author of the aforementioned medical journal article in the February 2008 ''Annals of Internal Medicine'' stated the following regarding MRSA:
{{Cquote|"We are nowhere near the peak," Diep said. "The peak will occur when it spreads into the general population."

Diep said there is reason to believe that the more drug-resistant strain will make that leap because it is just a slight variant of USA300, which became one of the most common strains of MRSA in the United States only a few years after it was first detected.<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref>}}

In the previously cited January 15, 2008 newspaper article in the [[San Francisco Chronicle]] regarding MRSA the medical researcher Binh An Diep stated regarding the MRSA and the city of San Francisco: "We probably had it here first, and now it is spreading elsewhere." The January 2008 San Francisco Chronicle article also stated regarding San Francisco and MRSA: "The risk of contracting this difficult-to-treat bug is 13 times greater for gay men than for the rest of the city's population, researchers found."<ref>http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/15/MNI5UE0L8.DTL</ref>

On January 16, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention issued a statement concerning the study:
{{Cquote|MRSA is a common cause of skin infections throughout the United States. These infections occur in men, women, adults, children, and persons of all races and sexual orientations, and are known to be transmitted by close skin-to-skin contact. In this issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, Diep et al looked at isolates of MRSA - USA300 strains containing a particular plasmid associated with additional drug resistance. The paper shows that multidrug-resistant USA300 has emerged as an important source of disease among men with have sex with men in 2 geographically distinct communities.

The strains of MRSA described in the recent Annals of Internal Medicine have mostly been identified in certain groups of men who have sex with men (MSM), but have also been found in some persons who are not MSM. It is important to note that the groups of MSM in which these isolates have been described are not representative of all MSM, so conclusions can not be drawn about the prevalence of these strains among all MSM. The groups studied in this report may share other characteristics or behaviors that facilitate spread of MRSA, such as frequent skin-to-skin contact.

CDC’s extensive and continuing study of invasive MRSA in 9 US states indicates that these strains are rare. CDC continues to monitor resistance patterns and strain characteristics in MRSA isolates submitted to CDC for a variety of investigations. Bacteria are able to acquire resistance to antibiotics. It is concerning that these bacteria are becoming resistant to more antibiotics than the typical community associated-MRSA strains because this limits the available treatment options. Fortunately, there are still effective choices available to treat infections when antibiotics are required, including those antibiotics given by mouth. It remains important to do what we can to prevent transmission of these strains and of MRSA in general.

MRSA is typically transmitted through skin-to-skin contact, which occurs during a variety of activities, including sex. There is no evidence at this time to suggest that it MRSA is a sexually-transmitted infection in the classical sense.

Therefore, CDC believes that our recommended prevention measures for CA-MRSA in general are also the most appropriate response to the strains described among MSM.<ref>http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2008/t080116.htm</ref>}}

[[United States|American]] [[conservative]] commentators and conservative news organizations have published a number of articles on the internet in relation to the homosexuality and MRSA issue.<ref>http://americansfortruth.com/news/big-city-homosexual-men-are-epicenter-of-new-virulent-mrsa-staff-strain.html</ref><ref>http://americansfortruth.com/news/is-there-a-vast-anti-gay-conspiracy-the-homosexuality-mrsa-link.html#more-1735</ref>
<ref>http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2008/jan/08011514.htm</ref><ref>http://www.cwfa.org/articles/14584/CFI/family/index.htm</ref>
<ref>http://www.cnsnews.com/ViewCulture.asp?Page=/Culture/archive/200801/CUL20080126a.html</ref>
<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59751</ref> <ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59751</ref>

==See Also==
*[[ACLU]]
*[[Homosexuality]]
*[[Homosexuality and Health]]
==References==
{{reflist|2}}

[[Category: Homosexuality]]
[[Category:Diseases]]

Joseph Lieberman

2009-12-16T14:12:40Z

MelC09: category

{{Officeholder
|name=Joe Lieberman
|image=Joelieb.jpg
|party=[[Independent]] (Caucuses with Democrats)
|spouse=Elizabeth Haas (div.)<br/>Hadassah Lieberman
|religion=Orthodox Judaism
|offices=
{{Officeholder/senator
|state=Connecticut
|terms=January 3, 1989-present
|preceded=Lowell P. Weicker, Jr.
|former=n
|succeeded=
}}
}}
'''Joseph Isadore Lieberman''', born February 24, 1942 (age {{age|1942|2|24}}), is an independent United States Senator from [[Connecticut]]. He was the vice presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in 2000; he and [[Al Gore]] lost. Lieberman tried for the 2004 Democratic nomination but had little support and dropped out. He was defeated in the Democratic primary in summer 2006, but ran as an independent that fall and was reelected to the Senate. He continues to caucus with the [[Democratic Party]], and thereby has become chairman of the Homeland Security Committee. He is a liberal on most domestic issues but has a very strong conservative record on foreign policy. He endorsed and campaigned enthusiastically for Republican [[John McCain]] in 2008.

In late October 2009, just as it appeared the Democrats had the 60 votes needed to pass their health care bill, Lieberman announced he will join a Republican filibuster against the bill unless the public option is removed. Lieberman thus has aligned himself with the conservatives on the major domestic issue of 2009.

==Early Life==
Joseph Lieberman was born in [[Stamford, Connecticut]], on February 24, 1942 where he attended local public schools. He graduated from [[Yale University]] in 1964 and later received a law degree from Yale Law School in 1967. Lieberman served in the Connecticut State Senate from 1970 until 1980 and was majority leader from 1974 until 1980. He later served as the [[attorney general]] of Connecticut in 1983, and from 1986 until 1988. In 1988, he was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate and has been reelected three times.

==National Politics==
Lieberman has been very involved in [[Democratic Party]] politics. In August 2000, he was selected as [[Al Gore]]'s Vice-Presidential running mate, making him the first openly [[Jew]]ish candidate for high executive office. The Gore/Lieberman ticket won the popular vote but lost the Electoral College. Lieberman later criticized Al Gore for adopting a populist theme during their 2000 campaign, and stated he had objected to Gore's "people vs. the powerful" message, believing it was not the best strategy for Democrats to use to win the election. On January 13, 2003, Lieberman announced his intention to seek the Democratic nomination as a candidate in the 2004 presidential election. Throughout the campaign he claimed that he was picking up "Joementum." Lieberman withdrew his candidacy on February 3, 2004 after failing to win any of the five primaries or two caucuses held that day.

==United States Senate==
Lieberman has gained the reputation as being a moderate Democrat, one with a conservative Judeo-Christian moral code. He was the first Democrat to challenge [[Bill Clinton]] for having an affair with [[Monica Lewinsky]]. However, he voted against removing Clinton from office. Lieberman is Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. He once described himself as an Independent, saying "I agree more often than not with Democrats on domestic policy. I agree more often than not with Republicans on foreign and defense policy." Because of his support for the [[War in Iraq]], he has toyed with the idea of switching his affiliation to [[Republican]], although he still has a [[liberal]] record on many social issues, such as [[abortion]]. He voted against the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act which was enacted in 2003, and he supports availability of the abortion pill RU-486. He has a 100% pro-choice voting record, according to [[NARAL]].[http://ontheissues.org/Joseph_Lieberman.htm] Along with [[Hillary Clinton]], he was one of the handful of Senate sponsors of the [[Freedom of Choice Act]].

==Senate reelection, 2006==
Despite serving as chairman of the Democratic Leadership Council, the Democratic nominee for Vice-President in 2000 and a former Democratic presidential candidate, many on the far-left wondered if Lieberman was committed to the Democratic Party. [[Liberal]] partisan Ned Lamont challenged Lieberman in a primary for his Senate reelection. Lamont won the primary but Lieberman then ran as an independent, creating the "Connecticut for Lieberman" party, and won the general election. He is now an independent who caucuses with the Democrats.

In a strange display of voter choice: Most of the Connecticut voters who voted for Lieberman in 2000 opposed him in 2006; most of the people who opposed him in 2000 voted for him in 2006. Yet Lieberman himself did not change positions on any major issue.

==2008 Endorsement==

Senator Joe Lieberman has crossed party lines to endorse Republican candidate [[John McCain]] for president of the United States in 2008.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/12/17/mccain.endorsements/index.html McCain endorsements]</ref> Because of his endorsement, he did not attend the Democratic Convention in Denver (it was the first time he missed the convention since first attending as a delegate of Representative Morris Udall in 1976). <ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/14/us/politics/14lieberman.html?bl&ex=1216267200&en=899168b17cc46ce6&ei=5087%0A Lieberman Finds Middle a Tricky Path]</ref>

==External Links==
*[http://lieberman.senate.gov/ Official Website]
*[http://ontheissues.org/Joseph_Lieberman.htm Lieberman On the Issues]
*[http://projects.washingtonpost.com/congress/members/l000304/ Voting record]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT: Lieberman, Joe}}

[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:United States Senators]]
[[Category:110th United States Congress]]
[[Category:Democratic Party]]
[[Category:Third Party Politicians]]
[[Category:Connecticut]]
[[Category:Former Liberals]]

Alan Guttmacher

2009-11-22T18:23:49Z

MelC09: Category:Liberals

'''Alan Guttmacher''' was a President of [[Planned Parenthood]] from 1962 to 1974 and was a former Vice-President of the [[American Eugenics Society]].[http://catholicwriter.wordpress.com/2007/01/29/what-is-roe-v-wade/][http://www.eugenics-watch.com/]

[[Category:Abortion Advocates]]
[[Category:Eugenicists]]
[[Category:Liberals]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Guttmacher, Alan}}

Homosexuality obsession

2009-09-23T20:26:48Z

MelC09: /*See also*/

'''Homosexuality obsession''' describes the [[liberal]] preoccupation with promoting the [[gay agenda]] by means of propaganda. In so doing, supporting [[homosexuality]] has been mislabeled as the socially responsible action, instead of the morally responsible action of guiding the sinner from his temptations. The obsession with the gay lifestyle and all it entails is observed as being omnipresent in outlets controlled by liberals, especially the [[Liberal media]]. Ironically, liberals are seen claiming that they are not obsessive or biased for their constant promotion of homosexuality, while calling [[conservatives]] obsessive and ''[[homophobic]]'' for exposing their propaganda.

==Strategy behind the obsession==

{{cquote|Marshall Kirk, a reportedly brilliant researcher into the brain, and Hunter Madsen, a Harvard-trained expert in public persuasion tactics [are the authors of ''After the Ball'', a book about a 1988 summit of gay leaders in Warrenton, Virginia, who came together to agree on the agenda]. The two men proposed using tactics on ‘straight’ America that are remarkably similar to the brainwashing methods of Mao Tse-Tung's Communist Chinese -- mixed with Madison Avenue's most persuasive selling techniques. The purpose of this brainwashing? According to Kirk and Hudson, it is to use "...the very processes that made America hate us, to turn their hatred into warm regard -- whether they like it or not." First, they proposed homosexuals and their liberal allies should [[liberal desensitizing|desensitize]] heterosexuals by getting homosexuality talked about as much as possible in the straight world.
"The main thing,” the authors said, “is talk about gayness until the issue becomes thoroughly tiresome…You can forget about trying right up front to persuade folks that homosexuality is a 'good' thing. But if you can get them to think it is just 'another' thing, meriting no more than a shrug of the shoulders -- then your battle for legal and social rights is virtually won."<ref name=%2526quot%253BCBN%2526quot%253B%2526gt%253Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww%252Ecbn%252Ecom%252Fcbnnews%252Fnews%252F060113d%252Easpx%2526lt%253B%252Fref%2526gt%253B%257D%257D

==Movies==
In the last decade, mainstream Hollywood comedies and dramas have featured a [[token gay]] character, almost without fail, a departure from previous cinematic traditions (see [[gay cupid]], [[gay hero]]). The gay cinema documentary ''The Celluloid Closet'' begins with the lines: ''"In a hundred years of movies, homosexuality has only rarely been depicted on the screen. When it did appear, it was there as something to laugh at -- or something to pity -- or even something to fear."'' and ends with the line: ''"The long silence is finally ending. New voices have emerged, open and unapologetic."''<ref>http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/celluloid/misc/history.html</ref> Often, the gay character is portrayed as sympathetic, unable to do any wrong, and a longtime friend (see [[My Best Friend's Wedding]]).

"It is very, very propagandistic, because the entire purpose of the movie is to make homosexuality seem like something good and appealing, and to make people who are opposed to homosexuality bigots and homophobes," said David Kupelian, author of ''The Marketing of Evil''.<ref name=%2526quot%253BCBN%2526quot%253B%252F%2526gt%253B Such an inaccurate picture of the homosexual lifestyle is especially present in movies pitched at teen and younger audiences. For example, it's unlikely that every popular (or unpopular) teen girl has her group of close female friends and ''of course'' a close, effeminate, homosexual male confidant who can be counted on for witty replies and fashion advice.<ref>Juno</ref> Male characters have casual homosexual friends, or if not, the movie frequently features them having a "homo moment" with implications that they secretly enjoyed it. Homosexuals often also play the role of the [[gay cupid]].<ref>Mean Girls</ref> "Another point [pushed] is to 'portray gays as victims of circumstance and oppression, not as aggressive challengers...Gays must be portrayed as victims in need of protection, so that straights will be inclined, by reflex, to assume the role of protector.' Benjamin Bull of the Alliance Defense Fund said, 'Suddenly those who choose homosexual behavior...sodomy...are victims. It's crazy!'<ref name=%2526quot%253BCBN%2526quot%253B%252F%2526gt%253B "38 new films with gay and lesbian themes are currently in the pipeline and many more will be coming in the near future. No consideration is currently being given to the children viewing these movies."<ref>[http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/against-promoting-homosexuality-in-the-media-such-as-movies-and-tv-shows.html a petition you should sign]</ref>

==Television==
Not only film, but television as well has had the depiction of homosexuality increase manyfold. Programs with homosexual content are shown at hours when children may be watching and stumble upon the salacious content (in soap opera, dinnertime sitcoms, etc). "The casting of homosexuals in various TV shows has skyrocketed. Today there are around 22 television shows on major stations with a homosexual cast member as the main character of the show." <ref>http://www.bgsu.edu/departments/tcom/faculty/ha/tcom103fall2004/gp16/gp16.pdf</ref>

==Magazines==
On multiple occasions, [[People magazine]] has had their cover story be some D-list actor or actress, such as Lance Bass or [[Rosie O'Donnell]], coming out of the closet and reveling in his or her homosexual bliss. They also feature open homosexuals in their Most Eligible Bachelors list, an irony that is lost on the publishers.

==Universities==
[[College]] admission committees shower homosexuals with praise for contributing to "diversity" rather than "perversity". They equate participation in high school with [[gay and straight allegiance]]s with civically responsible extracurricular activities such as [[sport]]s, [[volunteer]]ing for [[charity]], [[student council]] or the [[debate]] team. Many universities have courses devoted to studying the gay and lesbian "experience" and their history. Some schools even go so far as to have gay and lesbian studies be a minor or major.

==Biblical studies==

Extensive effort has been expended in the area of [[homosexuality and biblical interpretation]] by pro homosexual writers, striving to negate the universal injunctions against homosexual relations, and to force sex into passages that will not support it. Such attempts have been responded to and refuted by traditional scholars and writers,<ref>[http://peacebyjesus.witnesstoday.org/Homosex_versus_the_Bible.html Homosexual relations and the Bible]</ref> who by God's grace also seek their [[salvation]] through repentance and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

==Governmental action==
Numerous attempts have been made to pass [[hate crime laws]] in the [[United States]], similar to legislation which had been passed in [[Europe]] and [[Canada]], and which has been used to suppress private citizens from portraying homosexuality negatively, or not supporting it equally.<ref>[http://homosexualityandthebible-response.blogspot.com/]</ref>

In addition, portraying those who passively object to homosexuality as mentally deficient can become official policy, such as the government of Brazil recently exampled in asserting 99 percent of its citizens are homophobic, and need to be reeducated.<ref>[http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/feb/09021301.html LifeSiteNews.com; February 13, 2009]</ref>

==Wikipedia==
[[Wikipedia]] is also notorious for having many articles on homosexual proclivities, from the numerous pro-gay organizations, to various sordid details of bizarre [[homosexual act]]s.

==See also==
*[[Anti-Defamation League]]
*[[Homosexuality in the media]]
*[[Examples of Bias in Wikipedia]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{homosexualityb}}
[[Category:Homosexuality]]

Anti-Defamation League

2009-06-17T13:45:29Z

MelC09: added info with citation

[[Image:Adl logo.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The ADL logo]]
The '''Anti-Defamation League''' ('''ADL''') is a [[liberal]], far left, [[Jewish]] organization alleging to fight [[anti-Semitism]] and defend the state of [[Israel]]. They also claim to fight against many other forms discrimination, and monitor extremist groups and their rhetoric with regard to the immigration debate. But they sometimes attack mainstream conservatives. Their stance on prayer in secular schools is that it is "unconstitutional." The ADL has a record of supporting abortion, including [[partial-birth abortion]].[http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2001/jun/01061903.html www.lifesitenews.com]

Their mission is to: {{cquote|"The immediate object of the League is to stop, by appeals to reason and conscience and, if necessary, by appeals to law, the defamation of the Jewish people. Its ultimate purpose is to secure justice and fair treatment to all citizens alike and to put an end forever to unjust and unfair discrimination against and ridicule of any sect or body of citizen}}.

== Links ==
[http://www.adl.org/main_about_adl.asp ADL official site]

[[Category: Organizations]]
[[category:Anti-Semitism]]

ACLU

2009-06-10T13:10:28Z

MelC09: /*See Also*/

[[Image:Nghfuyr.png|right|thumb|Current logo of the ACLU.]]

The '''American Civil Liberties Union''' ('''ACLU''') is a [[leftist]], [[secular]]-[[Progressivism|progressive]] [[organization]]. It was run for its first 30 years by an [[United States of America|American]] named [[Roger Baldwin]], who helped found it in 1920. Baldwin supported communism, but later denounced it in his book, ''A New Slavery'', which condemned "the inhuman communist police state tyranny" [http://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/unitarians/baldwin.html]). This organization pursues a [[leftist]] agenda that includes [[censoring]] [[prayer]] and recognition of [[God]] in public institutions, such as [[public schools]]. Currently, Anthony Romero is the first openly gay CEO to run the organization.

==Illegal Immigration==

The [[ACLU]] demanded $2.3 million in fees for challenging a law against [[illegal immigration]]. This demand "illustrates the circus the ACLU brought to this case," the Mayor of Hazelton, Pennsylvania said. "They had 20 attorneys sitting in the courtroom at a time, 16 of them doing nothing but running up the bill."<ref>http://www.centredaily.com/news/state/story/194756.html]</ref>

In the Hazleton case the ACLU persuaded a [[federal]] [[court]] to declare a municipal ordinance to be unconstitutional, even though other federal courts have upheld similar laws since then. The Hazleton case is on appeal.

The ordinance defines "illegal aliens", fines property owners for renting to them, fines business owners for hiring them, and bars businesses from selling them merchandise. It also requires government documents to be in English only, and requires documents from residents to city officials to be in English. <ref>ACLU Press Release: Hazleton Residents Sue to Halt Harsh Anti-Immigrant Law, August 15, 2006, retrieved 10/14/08 [http://www.aclupa.org/pressroom/hazletonresidentssuetohalt.htm]</ref>

==Censoring God==
The ACLU often insists that the [[Establishment Clause]] of the [[Constitution of the United States|Constitution]] requires censorship of religious expression. In 2007, for example, the [[ACLU]] of [[Tennessee]] sought to stop prayer and prayer-related activities by the volunteer [[Praying Parents]]. ''Doe v. Wilson County Sch. Sys.'', 524 F. Supp. 2d 964 (M.D. Tenn. Nov. 9, 2007).
[[Image:ACLU and Islam.jpg|left|300px|It All Depends On Whose Church Is Being Separated]]

ACLU chapters frequently sue to compel removal displays of the [[Ten Commandments]] from public property. For example, in ''McCreary County v. ACLU'', 545 U.S. 844 (2005), the ACLU of Kentucky forced two counties to remove displays of the Ten Commandments from their courthouses. In another case ''Glassroth v. Moore'', 229 F. Supp. 2d 1290 (2002) the Alabama chapter sued [[Alabama]] [[Supreme Court]] [[Chief Justice]] Roy Moore to remove a Ten Commandments Monument, with Moore remarking "fearing that I would not obey his order, decided to threaten other state officials and force them to remove the monument if I did not do so". A threat of heavy fines was his way of coercing obedience to that order". In Utah, the ACLU even announced a scavenger hunt for anyone who could find a display of the Ten Commandments monument that the ACLU could demand be removed. The ACLU typically receives substantial legal fees from the government in each of these cases.

In 1994, the ACLU of New Jersey sued Jersey City, New Jersey to challenge a menorah and a Christmas tree at [[City Hall|city hall]]. A federal district judge declared the display to be unconstitutional, but the appellate court, in a 2-1 opinion written by now-Justice [[Samuel Alito]], found a modified display to be constitutional. ''ACLU of New Jersey v. Schundler'' (1999). Then-Judge Alito wrote, "government may celebrate Christmas in some manner and form, but not in a way that endorses Christian doctrine."

In 2007, the ACLU Foundation of Texas filed an [[amicus brief]] for removal of a longstanding monument to William Mosher outside Harris County Civil Courthouse because the statute contained a depiction of an open Bible. ''Staley v. Harris County'', 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 9296 (5th Cir. 2007). The court ruled that Harris County must pay attorneys fees to the [[Americans United For Separation of Church & State]], which often appears along with the ACLU in demanding removal of religious symbols from government property and censoring criticism of evolution in public school.

The ACLU demanded that Los Angeles County remove a tiny cross from the Los Angeles County seal, even though the seal contained nearly a dozen symbols including the Greek goddess Pomona standing on the shore of the Pacific Ocean -- about which the ACLU did not complain. The seal also displayed other California motifs, including the Spanish galleon San Salvador, a tuna fish, a cow, stars representing the movie and television industries, the Hollywood Bowl, oil derricks, and a pair of engineering instruments to represent Los Angeles' contributions to industrial construction and space exploration. The cross was a tiny part of the seal. But Los Angeles County gave into the ACLU's demands and spent $700,000 to censor the cross and replace it on all official government documents, publications and signage.

The ACLU of Louisiana demanded that a school board stop allowing an invocation to be said at the beginning of its meetings. In ''[[Doe v. Tangipahoa Parish School Bd.]]'' (2007), an [[en banc]] [[Fifth Circuit]] dismissed the claim for lack of proof that anyone had been injured or even offended by hearing these invocations.

In the ACLU's quest to attack the Christian religion any chance it gets, they are suing in Alaska courts to remove the property tax exemption from church owned properties. <ref>[http://www.theacru.org/acru/aclu_doesnt_want_to_pay_taxes_expects_churches_to_pay_them/ ACLU Doesn't Want to Pay Taxes; Expects Churches to Pay Them] The American Civil Rights Union</ref>

An Indiana judge has upheld the issuance of license plates bearing the message "In God We Trust," dismissing a constitutional challenge by the ACLU. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351721,00.html Indiana Judge Dismisses ACLU Challenge, Upholds 'God' License Plate] AP, April 18, 2008</ref>

The ACLU persuaded the Ninth Circuit to forbid Congress from transferring a cross to private owners who would preserve it in the Mojave Desert, in Buono v. Kempthorne <ref>[http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/ca9/newopinions.nsf/5E8062E92D0210668825734D007E25AA/$file/0555852.pdf?openelement UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE NINTH CIRCUIT] USCOURTS.GOV</ref>

The ACLU enlisted the Courts to have banned the private distribution of Bibles in public school. The federal Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued this ruling for the ACLU. Doe v. S. Iron R-1 Sch. Dist., 2007 U.S. App. LEXIS 19818 (8th Cir. Aug. 21, 2007).

The Seventh Circuit ruled against the ACLU by overturning "a lower court's decision that sectarian prayers on the floor of the (Indiana) House violated the constitutional separation of church and state."

The ACLU offers "talking points" in case someone asks why the ACLU hates Christmas so much: Their official response, "We work year-round to ensure that everyone in America has the freedom to practice their own religion (or no religion) and to keep the government out of religion." <ref>[http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1686800,00.html No Ho Ho.] Time, November 21, 2007</ref>

A rural school district's long-standing practice of allowing the distribution of Bibles to grade school students is unconstitutional, a federal judge has ruled. For more than three decades, the South Iron School District in Annapolis, 120 miles southwest of St. Louis. The ACLU filed suit two years ago on behalf of four sets of parents. <ref>[http://www.wwrn.org/article.php?idd=27416&sec=36&cont=all Court Ends Bible Distribution in School] AP, January 9, 2008</ref>

==Censoring [[intelligent design|Intelligent Design]]==
In 2004, the ACLU filed [[Selman v. Cobb County School District]].<ref>ACLU: Parents Challenge Evolution Disclaimer In Georgia Textbooks [http://www.aclu.org/religion/schools/16381prs20041112.html]</ref> If the plaintiffs, five parents in the Georgia district, won the case, the school district would have to pay their lawyers. The ACLU argued <ref>ACLU Pretrial Brief in Selman et al v. Cobb County, 11/12/2004 [http://www.aclu.org/FilesPDFs/ACFB940.pdf]</ref> that the district had violated the [[Establishment clause]] of the [[U.S. Constitution]] by putting stickers in biology textbooks that said, "This textbook contains material on [[evolution]]. Evolution is a [[theory]], not a fact, regarding the origin of living things. This material should be approached with an open mind, studied carefully and critically considered."<ref>Judge's Decision, Selman v. Cobb County School District[http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/religion/selmancobb11305ord.pdf]</ref> The trial judge ruled in favor of the ACLU <ref>Judge's Decision, Selman v. Cobb County School District[http://news.findlaw.com/cnn/docs/religion/selmancobb11305ord.pdf]</ref>, but his ruling was vacated on appeal.<ref>Appeal Decision, Selman v. Cobb County School District[http://www.ca11.uscourts.gov/opinions/ops/200510341.pdf]</ref> The case was eventually settled. The school district agreed to remove the stickers, to avoid altering science textbooks or making "any disclaimers regarding evolution", and to teach the state Board of Education's [[core curriculum]], which includes evolution, although that wasn't under dispute in the original suit. In addition, they paid $166,669.12 to Atlanta law firm Bondurant, Mixon & Elmore.<ref>"Agreement Ends Textbook Sticker Case", press release from Cobb County School District including settlement agreement [http://www.cobb.k12.ga.us/news/2006/20061219_StickerAgreement.pdf]</ref> <ref>ACLU: Georgia School Board Drops Defense of Anti-Evolution Stickers[http://www.aclu.org/religion/intelligentdesign/27745prs20061219.html]</ref>

Another example of ACLU litigation was ''[[Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District]].''<ref>Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District:
Decision of the Court, 400 F.Supp.2d 707 (M.D. Pa. 2005) [http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/dover/kitzmiller_v_dover_decision.html]</ref>, also known as the [[intelligent design]] case. The ACLU prevailed in prohibiting administrators from reading a short statement that mentions [[intelligent design]] to students, and forbade the school board from issuing a warning that Darwin's theory has gaps.<ref>''Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District,'' 400 F.Supp.2d 707.</ref> In his opinion, Judge [[John E. Jones III]] heavily relied on the later-vacated ruling in ''[[Selman v. Cobb County School District]]'', and on ACLU briefs.<ref>90% of the section on intelligent design was from the ACLU's briefs. A Comparison of Judge Jonesâ€™ Opinion in Kitzmiller v. Dover with Plaintiffsâ€™ Proposed â€œFindings of Fact and Conclusions of Lawâ€, by David DeWolf & John West, Discovery Institute, December 12, 2006
[http://www.discovery.org/scripts/viewDB/index.php?command=view&id=3829&program=CSC - Views and News]</ref> He also cited the [[Establishment test]], the [[Lemon test]], and the [[reasonable student standard]].<ref>''Kitzmiller,'' 400 F. Supp. 2d at 725 (coming to the conclusion reached in ''Selman'' by the Court's own reasoning), ''compare'' Selman v. Cobb County Sch. Dist, 2006 U.S. App. LEXIS 13005 (11th Cir. May 25, 2006) at *pincite needed*.</ref> The judge also ordered fees paid to the ACLU and its lawyers, totaling $2,067,000.<ref>''See'' 42 U.S.C. s 1988 (describing relief afforded victorious plaintiff of a 1983 action as including attorney fees).</ref>

==Harming the Boy Scouts==

The ACLU filed a lawsuit to prohibit the federal government from continuing to allow the [[Boy Scouts]], a charitable organization for teenagers, to use an Army base in Virginia for a quadrennial gathering known as the Boy Scout Jamboree; in 2005, more than 40,000 Boy Scouts attended this event.

Although the Boy Scouts have been conducting this Jamboree on government property for 70 years, this lawsuit was not filed until 1999, after the Boy Scouts enforced its policy against having openly homosexual Scout leaders. The theory of the lawsuit was that because Scouts swear an oath of "duty to God," it violates the Establishment Clause for the government to allow this joint project.

A federal district court ruled for the ACLU, but the Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit overturned the lower court ruling that the plaintiffs lacked standing to bring the suit which will allow the government to continue to sponsor this event for the Boy Scouts.<ref>See [[Essay:Boy Scouts Rout ACLU]]</ref>

== Pornography ==

In [[Ashcroft v. ACLU]] (2004), the ACLU challenged and invalidated the [[Child Online Protection Act]], which would have required pornographers to take reasonable steps to restrict access by minors to pornography on the Internet. The Act, which the Supreme Court struck down at the request of the ACLU, did not censor a single word or picture. It merely required the pornographers to screen their websites from minors, which can be done by credit card or other verification.

The ACLU often argues in favor of pornography before courts and administrative boards. Charles Rust-Tierney was an executive for the ACLU of Virginia who argued against the use of Internet filters on the computers at the Loudoun County Library Board:<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=55983</ref>

:"The ACLU of Virginia urges the board to carefully consider a new Internet Use Policy that allows for maximum Internet access ...."

Rust-Tierney, who served as the Virginia ACLU president until 2005, was serving on its board of directors when he was arrested in February 2007 for possession of child pornography that a U.S. magistrate described as "the most perverted and nauseating and sickening type of child pornography" she ever had seen. The former Virginia ACLU president later entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to eight years in jail.<ref>''Ibid.''</ref>

The ACLU also recently forced a Nampa, Idaho public library to return two books to the shelves that many parents have found objectionable. ''The Joy of Sex'' and ''The Joy of Gay Sex'' were the subjects of a two-year legal battle to get them removed after a teenager found one in his home within reach of young children. "''The Joy of Gay Sex'' contains very graphic, leave[s] nothing to the imagination [with] depictions of every variety of homosexual sex imaginable", said Bryan Fischer, one of the litigants to get the books removed. "It even has a chapter in it entitled 'Daddy/Son Fantasies.'" Other chapter titles include "Exhibitionism and Voyeurism," "Fisting," "Sex with Animals," and "Tearooms and Back Rooms." Referring to the ACLU's bullying tactics against the library, Fischer said "It's an abysmal state of affairs when a single letter from cultural thugs can undo two years of patient and pain-staking work." [http://www.onenewsnow.com/Culture/Default.aspx?id=244332]

==Same-sex Marriage==

The ACLU of New Jersey filed an amicus curiae brief in favor of same-sex marriage and therefore the [[homosexual agenda]] in ''Lewis v. Harris'', 188 N.J. 415 (1006). The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in favor of civil unions, but by a 4-3 margin did not require same-sex marriage.

The ACLU sues schools when a student alleges encountering "anti-gay peer harassment and bullying based on his perceived sexual orientation." <ref>http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/28618prs20070221.html</ref> The ACLU holds the school (and hence the taxpayers) liable for actions based on conduct by some students towards others.

The ACLU of Minnesota sued to force the Osseo Area School District to grant equal access to the schools public address (PA) system, yearbook, fundraising and field trips by a pro-homosexual school club named the Straights and Gays for Equality (â€œSAGEâ€).<ref>''Straights & Gays for Equality v. Osseo Area Schs.'', 471 F.3d 908 (8th Cir. 2006).</ref> The school district already had a club entitled "Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals, Trans-gender, Questioning and Allies," and already had a SAGE club, but SAGE was designated as non-curricular and wanted the additional rights of communication.

The ACLU invoked the Equal Access Act to argue that as long as the school district granted these rights to other clubs, such as cheerleading and synchronized swimming, it must grant these rights to SAGE also. No, the school district argued in defending its action, cheerleading is related to physical education while SAGE is not, and thus SAGE should not have the same rights. However, there were other non phys-ed sports that got funding.

The district court ruled in favor of the ACLU, and the Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit unanimously affirmed. The Court ordered the school district to give SAGE the same rights as the cheerleading club. The ACLU will be able to demand substantial attorneys' fees at taxpayer expense.

Similarly, the ACLU of Florida sued the Okeechobee School Board to force it to allow a Gay-Straight Alliance club at Okeechobee High School. Though the school objected to this club as a "sex-based" club, the ACLU persuaded a federal judge to rule in its favor, and it will likely recover substantial attorneys fees at taxpayer expense. See ''Gay-Straight Alliance of Okeechobee High Sch. v. School Board of Okeechobee County'', 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25729 (S.D. Fla. Apr. 6, 2007).

==Conspicuously Absent==

The ACLU is known for going after the [[U.S.]] government with absolutely no evidence to prove otherwise, ACLU v. [[AT&T]] 2007. Though when it comes to actual data breaches and data abuse against a U.S. citizen, '''the ACLU is missing.''' Joe Wurzelbacher, a.k.a. ''Joe the Plumber'', had his personal and confidential records investigated without reason, by Democratic officials in Ohio, "[[Big Brother]]". <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/wires/2008Nov21/0,4670,JoeThePlumberRecords,00.html 4 more punished over 'Joe the Plumber' searches] Fox News, November 21, 2008</ref> Honest speculation is that the ACLU consists of partisan Democrats and ''Joe the Plumber'' was a [[Republican]], during a presidential election season. Questions remain and we can only guess as to their reasoning, their silence is deafening.

Also, the ACLU is absent from hate speech attacks against [[Carrie Prejean]]. Her right and her freedom of speech was violated. The ACLU is hiding fearful of Conservatives.

==Abortion==

The ACLU is generally against laws that restrict access to [[abortion]], such as parental notification when a minor seeks an abortion and informed consent for the woman herself. ACLU attorneys have argued several cases in support of abortion. For example, the woman called "Jane Doe" in the [[abortion]] case of ''[[Doe v. Bolton]]'' (1973) says "she was pressured by ACLU attorneys to opt for [[abortion]] and that the case was based on fraud."<ref>http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=52210</ref>

==Polygamy==

The ACLU has defended [[polygamy|polygamists]].<ref>During a question-and-answer session after a speech at Yale University, ACLU president Nadine Strossen stated that her organization has "defended the right of individuals to engage in polygamy," [http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=44977 World Net Daily] June 25, 2005</ref><ref>
The ACLU views freedom of religion and the establishment clause as inseparable: In order for people to have religious freedom, their government must neither endorse nor prohibit any religious position.[http://www.aclu.org/religion/frb/16163prs19990716.html ACLU press release July 16 1999].</ref>

==Free Speech==

The ACLU is the single biggest legal advocate for pornography (see above), claiming that it is a form of [[free speech]]. Less significantly, the ACLU has also helped—or not helped—in the following cases:

*The ACLU rarely defends Christian speech, and virtually never defends speech that is critical of homosexuality. The ACLU was silent with respect to the widely publicized censorship of a T-shirt critical of homosexuality that was worn by student Tyler Chase Harper at his public school. "It's hard to explain the ACLU's apparent equanimity about the violation of Mr. Harper's First Amendment rights—unless you consider the content of his speech. This case does not appear to be anomalous. Despite its professed commitment to religious liberty, for example, the ACLU tends to absent itself from cases on college campuses involving the associational rights of Christian student groups to discriminate against gay students, in accordance with their religious beliefs."<ref>Wendy Kaminer, "The American Liberal Liberties Union," Wall Street Journal (May 23, 2007).</ref> Months ''after'' that stinging criticism, the ACLU filed a carefully worded [[amicus curiae]] brief in subsequent litigation in this case that defended Harper because he "neither substantially disrupted the school nor invaded the rights of other students."<ref>http://www.aclusandiego.org/article_downloads/000293/HarperAmicusDistrictCourtFinal.pdf . Buried in the brief near the end of an argument is the statement that "and because "to allow a [[Day of silence|Day of Silence]] one day while banning Mr. Harper's shirt the next day may give rise to an inference of viewpoint discrimination rather than justified regulation of student speech regardless of viewpoint"—but note that it does not argue that inference of viewpoint discrimination would be correct.</ref>

*In 1978, the ACLU defended the right of the National Socialist Party of America (neo-Nazi) to march through Skokie, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago that is a community of a large number of Jewish people and Holocaust survivors. The U.S. Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the village to issue a permit for demonstration to the Nazi Party, which was never used, that was later upheld by the Supreme Court. The ACLU experienced a severe backlash over this case when membership dropped by 25% and plunged the organization $500,000 in debt. <ref> http://openweb.tvnews.vanderbilt.edu/1978-2/1978-02-23-NBC-6.html </ref> <ref> http://www.acluprocon.org/ACLUHistory/HistoryTable.html</ref>

*On January 16, 2008, the ACLU issued a statement supporting Sen. Larry Craig(R-ID) to have his guilty plea to misdemeanor charges of disorderly conduct in a Minnesota airport restroom withdrawn on the basis that a closed bathroom stall is a private location. While not advocating sex in public bathrooms, the ACLU suggested the police have better means of enforcing laws instead of using entrapment. <ref>http://www.aclu.org/freespeech/gen/33697prs20080116.html</ref>

*In September 2000, the ACLU represented the North American Man/Boy Love Association when the parents of Jeffrey Curley, who was raped, tortured and murdered by two men, filed a $200 million federal lawsuit for wrongful death. John Roberts, the executive director of the Massachusetts ACLU stated, ''It's not a real popular case, but the First Amendment issues are clear.'' The case was dismissed on a technicality. A subsequent lawsuit filed against the murderers, who were not represented by the ACLU, was successful. Jeffrey Curley's father, Robert Curley, was sympathetic to the ACLU's opposition to his lawsuit. "I really do have a lot of respect for them, they are very consistent in who they defend. It takes a lot of nerve to defend the groups they have over the years. They have a lot of courage." <ref>http://sidesplitters.catastrophe.net/arch/2002/www.ageofconsent.com/comments/numberfortytwo.htm</ref> <ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0DE0D91530F932A3575AC0A9669C8B63</ref>

*The ACLU has been involved with lawsuits filed against Attorney Generals Reno, Ashcroft and Gonzales when fighting the enforcement of the Child Online Protection Act (COPA). Federal courts have consistently ruled COPA violates the constitutional protection of free speech and have forbidden enforcement by the federal government. The most current ruling on March 22, 2007 is being appealed.<ref> http://www.mediacoalition.org/legal/copa/index.htm </ref>

*In 1949, the ACLU defended Father Arthur Terminiello, an ex-Catholic priest, who gave a speech at a rally in Chicago that was laced with racist, anti-Semitic and anti-Communist comments. Father Terminiello was fined $100 for violating Chicago's breach of peace ordinance. This fine was later reversed by the Supreme Court. <ref> http://www.comm.unt.edu/faculty/terminiello_v.htm</ref> <ref> http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12808pub19941231.html</ref>

*The ACLU of Nevada successfully defended the right of a street preacher, Jim Webber, to proselytize his pro-Jesus, anti-sin, and occasional anti-homosexual messages on the Las Vegas strip. The unsuccessful campaign conducted by the casinos failed and allowed Webber and others to stay. Webber is quoted as saying, "the ACLU has been my guardian angel. They have been the ones that have provided the ability for me to stand on the street and talk with people about Jesus Christ." <ref>http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/story?id=548951&page=1</ref> <ref>http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2006/Mar-05-Sun-2006/news/6197557.html</ref>

*A pro-Israel student at Columbia University was intimidated by a professor who silenced her rebuttal in class of his claim that the Israelis committed a massacre in Jenin, the ACLU refused to help defend her free speech. Apparently, the ACLU fevorishly defends the free speech for Islam, but Jewish and Christian free speech is irrelevant. <ref>[http://www.conservativetruth.org/article.php?id=449 ACLU Is AWOL On Free Speech] Conservativetruth.org, April 7, 2008</ref>

==Free Exercise Clause==

The ACLU at times defends the religious rights of American citizens and residents. See 'ACLU Defense of Freedom of Religious Practice and Expression' at the ACLU's website for 60 examples of Christians and 45 examples of non-Christians represented by the ACLU to protect their religious rights. <ref> http://www.aclu.org/religion/govtfunding/26526res20060824.html </ref>

On March 14, 2008, the ACLU sent a letter to the Tarek ibn Ziyad Academy of Inver Grove Heights Minnesota expressing their disapproval of alleged school sponsored prayer during school hours. Concerns were raised about alleged violations of the establishment clause and the 'Lemon Test' because 'â€¦ the school is improperly involved in promoting and facilitating after-school religious studies conducted under the auspices of the Mosque that is housed in the same building as the school.' Further inquiries are on-going. <ref> http://www.aclu-mn.org/downloads/LettertoTarekAcademy.pdf </ref> <ref> http://www.aclu-mn.org/home/news/aclumnopensinvestigationof.htm </ref>

==Prisoner and student rights==

In the 2007 case ''Spratt v. Rhode Island Department of Corrections'', the ACLU brought suit against the Rhode Island Adult Correctional Institute following the prison's decision to bar Christian prisoner and lay minister Wesley Spratt from preaching to other inmates during weekly services. The ACLU won the case on appeal, securing the right for Spratt to hold religious services for other inmates so long as these do not conflict with prison security.<ref>ACLU: Appeals Court Overturns Ban on Christian Preacher in Rhode Island Prison (4/9/2007)[http://www.aclu.org/religion/frb/29578prs20070409.html]</ref>

In 2004, student Abbey Moler selected a bible verse to accompany her picture in a school yearbook. The school subsequently removed this text before publication. The ACLU filed suit against the Utica Community School District, on the grounds that this censorship violated Moler's first-amendment rights to free expression and freedom of religion. The case was settled out of court, with the school district agreeing to replace the verse in following prints of the yearbook and correct it by means of a sticker in copies still in its possession.<ref>ACLU: After ACLU Intervention on Behalf of Christian Valedictorian, Michigan High School Agrees to Stop Censoring Religious Yearbook Entries (5/11/2004)
[http://www.aclu.org/studentsrights/expression/12845prs20040511.html]</ref><ref> The settlement between the ALCU and the school district stated:
* The district will place a sticker with Moler's original entry in the copies of the yearbook on file with the school.
* The district has instructed the Stevenson High School yearbook staff not to censor students' yearbook entries solely because they contain religious or political speech that others might find offensive.
* The district recently provided and will continue to provide in-service training and advice to school staff on free speech and religious freedom issues that arise in school.
* The district will write a letter of regret to Moler apologizing for the failure to include her entry in the yearbook.</ref>

==Medical Records==

The ACLU filed a friend-of-the-court brief in favor of the privacy of Rush Limbaugh in his medical records when he was under investigation for 'doctor shopping.' The ACLU argued that the privacy rights of a patient were being violated.<ref>http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,108140,00.html</ref>

==Terrorism==

The ACLU has challenged the authority of the President to authorize wireless wiretaps of overseas communications without submitting to judicial oversight. In ''[[ACLU v. NSA]]'', the Court of Appeals for the [[Sixth Circuit]] rejected the ACLU's challenge. <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,288381,00.html U.S. Appeals Court in Ohio Dismisses Challenge of Bush Administration's Domestic Surveillance Program] AP, July 06, 2007</ref> Then the ACLU appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, which was also rejected. <ref>[http://michellemalkin.com/2008/02/19/america-1-aclu-0/ America, 1. ACLU, 0.] Michelle Malkin, February 19, 2008</ref> <ref>[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,331203,00.html Supreme Court Rejects ACLU Challenge to Warrantless Surveillance Program] AP, February 19, 2008</ref> In addition, the following describes the measures the ACLU has taken to weaken America in its fight with terrorists.

* Urging city councils across the United States to be non-compliant with the provisions of the [[Patriot Act]], which is an important tool to keep America safe from terrorism. <ref>[http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/groupProfile.asp?grpid=6145 ACLU] DiscoverTheNetworks.org</ref>

* Endorsed the Civil Liberties Restoration Act of 2004. Introduced by liberal Democrats in Congress, it is to roll back vital national-security policies that had been adopted after 9/11.

* Consistently opposed to all efforts of the US government to obtain information from terrorists it has captured, and to try [[terrorist]]s as "illegal enemy combatants." <ref>[http://www.theacru.org/acru/aclu_wants_the_us_to_lose_the_war_on_terrorism/ ACLU Wants the US to Lose the War on Terrorism] The American Civil Rights Union, March 15, 2008</ref>

* Lobbied against any policy that would authorize security personnel at airports and border checkpoints to scrutinize travelers from terrorism-sponsoring nations

* Opposes the Computer-Assisted Passenger Profiling System (CAPPS) used by airlines to check for various passenger characteristics that have historically been correlated with terrorist activities

* Condemning the detention of immigrants apprehended in connection with post-9/11 terrorism investigations

* Held rallies on behalf of an Intel software engineer named Maher Mofeid Hawash, who U.S. officials were keeping in custody on suspicion that he had given material support to Taliban and al Qaeda forces fighting American troops in Afghanistan

* Passionately defended Sami Al-Arian, the former North American head of Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ). In an effort to thwart the U.S. government's investigation of Al-Arian's role in funding PIJ suicide bombings in Israel

* Came to the defense of radical attorney Lynne Stewart, who in February 2005 was convicted on charges that she had illegally "facilitated and concealed communications" between her client, the incarcerated "blind sheik" Omar Abdel Rahman, and members of his Egyptian terrorist organization, the Islamic Group, which has ties to al Qaeda

* The ACLU has launched a $8.5 million dollar effort to provide what are supposed to be "top notch" private counsel for the illegal enemy combatants facing military tribunals at Guantanamo Bay. Among those to be provided this assistance is the man who has, apparently, confessed to being the mastermind behind the attacks that took place on 9/11. <ref>[http://www.theacru.org/acru/aclu_aiding_americas_enemies_again/ ACLU Aiding America's Enemies, Again] The American Civil Rights Union</ref> <ref>[http://michellemalkin.com/2008/04/04/the-aclu-assembles-a-terrorist-legal-defense-force-of-extraordinary-magnitude/ The ACLU assembles a terrorist legal defense force of extraordinary magnitude] Michelle Malkin, April 4, 2008</ref>

* ACLU lawyers had been present during interrogations of captured al Qaeda and Taliban enemy combatants who were being detained in Guantanamo Bay. These attorneys advised the inmates that they were under no obligation to answer military interrogators' questions

* ACLU attorney Noel Saleh "openly stated at a town hall meeting with federal officials that he has financially contributed to Hezbollah."

* The INS and the Justice Department instituted a program requiring males visiting the U.S. from Arab and Muslim nations to register with the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services. The ACLU cried "discriminatory."

* Extremist calls for violent [[jihad]] were not uncommon in America's mosques. An FBI anti-terrorism initiative to count and document all mosques was again met with protests from the ACLU.

The ACLU's affiliations with terrorists are not restricted solely to foreigners. For instance, the organization named unrepentant [[Domestic terrorism|domestic terrorist]] [[Bill Ayers]] to its advisory board along with his wife [[Bernardine Dohrn]].

==Views of the ACLU Founder==

Roger Baldwin, a co-founder of the ACLU and its first leader, was born and raised in Massachusetts. He said that his "social work began in my mind in the Unitarian Church when I was ten or twelve years old, and I started to do things that I thought would help other people.â€

In the 1920 and 1930s he was sympathetic to the social goals and aspirations of the emerging communist nations. In 1934, Balwin published his goals in Soviet Russia Today:<ref>The Volokh Conspiracy (blog entry), Eugene Volokh, September 7, 2005 [http://volokh.com/posts/1126138099.shtml]</ref>

:I believe in non-violent methods of struggle as most effective in the long run for building up successful working class power. Where they cannot be followed or where they are not even permitted by the ruling class, obviously only violent tactics remain. I champion civil liberty as the best of the non-violent means of building the power on which workers rule must be based. If I aid the reactionaries to get free speech now and then, if I go outside the class struggle to fight against censorship, it is only because those liberties help to create a more hospitable atmosphere for working class liberties. The class struggle is the central conflict of the world; all others are incidental.

:Proletarian Liberty in Practice

:When that power of the working class is once achieved, as it has been only in the Soviet Union, I am for maintaining it by any means whatever. Dictatorship is the obvious means in a world of enemies at home and abroad. I dislike it in principle as dangerous to its own objects. But the Soviet Union has already created liberties far greater than exist elsewhere in the world. They are liberties that most closely affect the lives of the people â€” power in the trade unions, in peasant organizations, in the cultural life of nationalities, freedom of women in public and private life, and a tremendous development of education for adults and children. . . .

In 1940 he successfully fought to revise the ACLU charter to prohibit those affiliated with totalitarian organizations from serving on the ACLU board. The immediate target was the former-Wobbly and present Communist Party member, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.

In 1947 General Douglas MacArthur arranged for Baldwin to serve as a civil liberties consultant in Japan.

==See Also==
*[[Anti-Defamation League]]
*[[NAMBLA]]
*[[Fred Phelps]]
*[[Nadine Strossen]]
*[[Previous Breaking News/ACLU|Articles about the '''ACLU''' from previous "Breaking News" ]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==External Links==
*[http://www.law.ucla.edu/volokh/blog/baldwin.pdf Baldwin speaks in defense of communism from 1934]
*http://www.aclu.org
*Anti-ACLU sites:
**http://www.stoptheaclu.com/
**http://www.aclj.org

{{liberalism}}
[[Category:Liberal Organizations]]