Homosexuality

I was not surprised that a recent Washington Post article gleefully asserted, “DC’s left leanings confirmed in poll.” I was surprised at the seeming air of objectivity that the writers attempted to project. I was skeptical of the article and its conclusions for several reasons. First, it was commissioned and paid for by the Post (not to impugn the work of SRBI, Inc of New York). Second, a poll could yield very skewed results by focusing on selected wards. Third, private polling obtained by Stand For Marriage DC shows very different results.

The writers asserted that their telephone survey of just over 1,135 participants showed that the majority of the city’s citizens were pro same-sex marriage, for the legalization of medical marijuana, and desired the creation of an elected attorney general’s post. Surprisingly, in order to lend credence to their poll, Post writers acknowledged that 60 percent of DC residents would like to vote on the issue of same-sex marriage.

Before I take a moment to explain my skepticism about the Washington Post’s poll, I would like to make a brief statement about other marriage battles. In California, Florida, and Maine opponents of traditional marriage boasted that they would achieve their first wins. Ironically, support for traditional marriage is historically under polled as the vote against same-sex marriage in these states has shown. more >>

WASHINGTON – President Obama called for civility in the public square and said prayer can help people become more humble, during his address at the National Prayer Breakfast.

“For while prayer can buck us up when we are down, keep us calm in a storm; while prayer can stiffen our spines to surmount an obstacle – and I assure you I’m praying a lot these days – prayer can also do something else,” Obama said Thursday morning. “It can touch our hearts with humility. It can fill us with a spirit of brotherhood. It can remind us that each of us are children of a awesome and loving God.”

Obama’s remarks about the power of prayer came after he called on Washington lawmakers in his speech to overcome division and learn how to “disagree without being disagreeable.” He said no political party has a “monopoly on truth” and that lawmakers need to leave their comfort zones to bridge divisions. more >>

Four Christians on Tuesday filed a federal lawsuit challenging the recently enacted Hate Crimes Prevention Act, arguing that it seeks to criminalize deeply held religious beliefs that are in opposition to homosexuality.

The new law, the lawsuit contends, "is an effort to eradicate religious beliefs opposing the homosexual agenda from the marketplace of ideas by demonizing, vilifying, and criminalizing such beliefs as a matter of federal law and policy."

The 27-page long complaint was submitted by the Thomas More Law Center on behalf of Gary Glenn of the American Family Association of Michigan and Pastors Levon Yuille, James Combs, and Rene B. Ouellette, who are also based in Michigan. It names U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., as the defendant. more >>

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Tuesday that the Pentagon has begun the process to repeal the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy that bars homosexuals from openly serving in the military.

Gates told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the policy will take over a year to repeal because the Pentagon is looking at various options in order to “get this right and minimize disruption to a force that is actively fighting two wars and working through the stress of almost a decade of combat.”

"The question before us is not whether the military prepares to make this change, but how we best prepare for it," Gates said. "We have received our orders from the commander in chief and we are moving out accordingly." more >>

Last week I had the privilege of participating in a referendum request hearing at the Board of Elections in Washington, DC. Our team petitioned to have the people of the District of Columbia vote on the recently passed “Same-Sex Marriage Law” before it goes into law. We feel very strongly that the people’s voice needs to be heard.

As I sat in the chambers, I felt a growing sense of outrage at the audacity of my city’s elected officials and the hubris of our appointed civil servants. There seems to be an amazing assault on the basic freedoms of all Americans, regardless of race. Courts and legislators seem compelled to ignore polls and the heartfelt values of the people. Further, in DC the Board of Elections and the City Council have ignored the District of Columbia’s Charter, which should act like the “national constitution,” but on city affairs.

Most people do not realize that the city offers two ways for citizens to be involved in co-equal legislation with the city council. The first way is through an initiative process, which allows citizens to actually put laws on the books. Second, citizens can request the right to vote on legislation that they feel is not in the best interests of the city. This referendum process is synonymous to giving the people the right to veto what the council has done. more >>