Stanley Kurtz's latest in National Review Online, "Dissolving Marriage" (2-3-06) is a must read. He explains the significance of the recent official studies by the Canadian government on polygamy and polyamory. Who can seriously argue against the "slippery slope" theory, after reading this?
And don't miss the link to Mark Steyn, who explains that multiculturalist arguments (Muslim husbands with multiple wives) will be the vehicle to get this really rolling in Canada.
[Kurtz:] The way to abolish marriage, without seeming to abolish it, is to redefine the institution out of existence. If everything can be marriage, pretty soon nothing will be marriage. Legalize gay marriage, followed by multi-partner marriage, and pretty soon the whole idea of marriage will be meaningless. At that point, Canada can move to what [the legal "scholars" behind the reports] really want: an infinitely flexible relationship system that validates any conceivable family arrangement, regardless of the number or gender of partners.
The Canadian public cannot bring itself to believe that the abolition of marriage is the real agenda of the country’s liberal legal-political elite. That is why everyone was surprised by [the recent] polygamy report, even though the judicial elite’s intentions had been completely public for five years.
One tidbit in the Kurtz piece: The recent riots in France might very well be linked to all those young men being the products of poor, polygamist families, where there's no strong fatherly presence. BBC News reported (11-16-05):
[S]enior officials from President Jacques Chirac's centre-right party have suggested that polygamy is one factor in the riots, arguing children of polygamous families have less of a father figure and are more likely to live in overcrowded conditions.
"Polygamy... prevents people being educated as they should be in an organised society. Tens of people cannot live in a single flat," Bernard Accoyer, leader of the Union for a Popular Majority (UMP) in the National Assembly lower house of parliament, told French radio. Polygamy is illegal in France but until 1993, it was possible for immigrants to bring more than one wife from their home country to join them.
Is this a good model for Canada to follow?
Sunday, February 5, 2006
What Is a "Hate Crime"?
We questioned the whole concept of "hate crimes" in our previous posting on the violent teenage thug who attacked men in a homosexual bar in New Bedford a few days ago. So now this demented character has killed a policeman and a woman.
Were these murders "hate crimes"? Was the killer motivated by some special animus against police or women? How will we know? If not "hate crimes", do they deserve lesser punishments than if the victims were homosexuals?
Update, 2-5-06 afternoon: Suspect in Bar Attack Dies After Shootout. Now we'll never know whether his murder of the policeman and woman were "hate crimes"!
Were these murders "hate crimes"? Was the killer motivated by some special animus against police or women? How will we know? If not "hate crimes", do they deserve lesser punishments than if the victims were homosexuals?
Update, 2-5-06 afternoon: Suspect in Bar Attack Dies After Shootout. Now we'll never know whether his murder of the policeman and woman were "hate crimes"!
Saturday, February 4, 2006
Anti-Christian Graffiti in Boston Suburbs
You just don't see much, if any, graffiti in the Boston suburbs or ex-urbs. In fact, for the west-of-128 suburban dwellers, the accelerating shock of traveling into Boston is almost more than we can bear.
(We're thinking of what you see on the buildings along the pike, Rt. 2, or even the condition of Storrow Drive and its exit ramps. Amazing how fast our civic pride and order have deteriorated. Mumbles Menino really needs to learn the lesson of Rudy Giuliani: FIX THOSE BROKEN WINDOWS, and COVER THAT GRAFFITI!)
Well, to our great surprise and horror, traveling along Great Road (Rts. 2A/119) in Acton, we saw ... GRAFFITI! Of all places, it was on the office building occupied by Vision New England, a consortium of Evangelical churches in New England, best known for their annual "Congress" at the Hynes Convention Center in February. Interesting choice for this rare suburban posting. The graffiti says:
SUBURBS = CLOSED MINDS
Now what might the "graffiti artist" be thinking of? Apparently, the hideous urban graffitied blight we see along the pike is a sign of "open minds." Hmm ... Does graffiti equate with "open minds" ... key words for "progressive" causes such as "gay marriage"?
Or ... does graffiti indicate lack of concern for civil society and lawlessness?
Here's MassResistance's contribution to the (online) graffiti wars:
Graffiti = VANDALISM
Yes, the BARBARIANS ARE AT THE GATES !
(We're thinking of what you see on the buildings along the pike, Rt. 2, or even the condition of Storrow Drive and its exit ramps. Amazing how fast our civic pride and order have deteriorated. Mumbles Menino really needs to learn the lesson of Rudy Giuliani: FIX THOSE BROKEN WINDOWS, and COVER THAT GRAFFITI!)
Well, to our great surprise and horror, traveling along Great Road (Rts. 2A/119) in Acton, we saw ... GRAFFITI! Of all places, it was on the office building occupied by Vision New England, a consortium of Evangelical churches in New England, best known for their annual "Congress" at the Hynes Convention Center in February. Interesting choice for this rare suburban posting. The graffiti says:
SUBURBS = CLOSED MINDS
Now what might the "graffiti artist" be thinking of? Apparently, the hideous urban graffitied blight we see along the pike is a sign of "open minds." Hmm ... Does graffiti equate with "open minds" ... key words for "progressive" causes such as "gay marriage"?
Or ... does graffiti indicate lack of concern for civil society and lawlessness?
Here's MassResistance's contribution to the (online) graffiti wars:
Graffiti = VANDALISM
Yes, the BARBARIANS ARE AT THE GATES !
Friday, February 3, 2006
Hate Crime? No -- A Crime by a Violent, Troubled Punk
The homosexual activists and their allies are making the most of the attack by a troubled young punk at a homosexual bar in New Bedford. Senator Ted is already using the horrible incident as proof that we need federal "hate crimes" legislation to cover sexual orientation. No, all we need is fair enforcement of criminal laws already on the books! (Massachusetts already has a "hate crimes" statute covering "sexual orientation.")
US Representative Barney Frank, who represents New Bedford, said the incident was a tragic aberration. ''This is the vicious act of one degenerate; it's not a city problem," he said. ''This is in no way reflective of any significant opinion in New Bedford."
Yes, it was the vicious act of one degenerate. But no, "opinion" has no role to play here! Use of that word implies that people who hold opinions critical of special rights for homosexuals are indeed dangerous, but they just don't happen to live in New Bedford!
The 18-year-old punk who attacked innocent people in a bar was clearly a mess, a Neo-Nazi wannabe, his room full of anti-black and anti-Semitic garbage. He went to a school for kids with discipline problems. The state had investigated his home in 2000 on suspicions of child neglect. A young man with serious mental health issues and social problems. Sick people exist in a world of their own. It's not anyone else's fault what a crazy man does.
Yet the media can't resist trying to link this crime to legitimate critics of "gay marriage". One photo (in the print editon of the Boston Globe) highlights a spokesman from the "Marriage Equality Coalition of the Southcoast" speaking at a candlelight vigil outside the bar. What does the political and moral argument over "gay marriage" have to do with some crazy guy's meltdown?
Then the Boston Globe inserts a quote intimating that this crime is the fault of anyone who objects to special rights for homosexuals:
''Again and again we have seen that as efforts to marginalize or, in the case of Massachusetts, remarginalize our community escalate, sick and violent people take those efforts as license to step up violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people," said Clarence Patton, acting executive director of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. ''It's been happening across the nation, as our community has come under increased political and rhetorical fire."
Why aren't "hate crimes" committed by homosexual activists (criminally harassing emails, stolen credit cards, house break-ins) against leaders of the pro-family movement investigated and prosecuted?
Maybe it's time to review the dangers of so-called "hate crimes" statutes. See Robert Knight's article, " 'Hate Crime' Laws: An Assault on Freedom."
Liberal activists increasingly invoke such phrases as "hostile speech" and a "climate of violence" to describe pro-family opinion on homosexual issues. The net effect is to reclassify legitimate opinion and free speech as "hate speech" that can be censored....
US Representative Barney Frank, who represents New Bedford, said the incident was a tragic aberration. ''This is the vicious act of one degenerate; it's not a city problem," he said. ''This is in no way reflective of any significant opinion in New Bedford."
Yes, it was the vicious act of one degenerate. But no, "opinion" has no role to play here! Use of that word implies that people who hold opinions critical of special rights for homosexuals are indeed dangerous, but they just don't happen to live in New Bedford!
The 18-year-old punk who attacked innocent people in a bar was clearly a mess, a Neo-Nazi wannabe, his room full of anti-black and anti-Semitic garbage. He went to a school for kids with discipline problems. The state had investigated his home in 2000 on suspicions of child neglect. A young man with serious mental health issues and social problems. Sick people exist in a world of their own. It's not anyone else's fault what a crazy man does.
Yet the media can't resist trying to link this crime to legitimate critics of "gay marriage". One photo (in the print editon of the Boston Globe) highlights a spokesman from the "Marriage Equality Coalition of the Southcoast" speaking at a candlelight vigil outside the bar. What does the political and moral argument over "gay marriage" have to do with some crazy guy's meltdown?
Then the Boston Globe inserts a quote intimating that this crime is the fault of anyone who objects to special rights for homosexuals:
''Again and again we have seen that as efforts to marginalize or, in the case of Massachusetts, remarginalize our community escalate, sick and violent people take those efforts as license to step up violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered people," said Clarence Patton, acting executive director of the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs. ''It's been happening across the nation, as our community has come under increased political and rhetorical fire."
Why aren't "hate crimes" committed by homosexual activists (criminally harassing emails, stolen credit cards, house break-ins) against leaders of the pro-family movement investigated and prosecuted?
Maybe it's time to review the dangers of so-called "hate crimes" statutes. See Robert Knight's article, " 'Hate Crime' Laws: An Assault on Freedom."
Liberal activists increasingly invoke such phrases as "hostile speech" and a "climate of violence" to describe pro-family opinion on homosexual issues. The net effect is to reclassify legitimate opinion and free speech as "hate speech" that can be censored....
Thursday, February 2, 2006
Lies from Rep & DOE on H1641 Mandated Health Curriculum
We're tired of the lies from State Rep. Wolf and Dept. of Education (DOE) on the proposal to mandate "health education" (including sex/homosex ed) as a core curriculum subject in Massachusetts. Bill H1641 would make "health" a required subject, period -- and "health" would be defined by the Massachusetts DOE "Health Framework." (Though now suggested guidelines, the Health Framework would become mandated standards if H1641 passes).
But chief sponsor Rep. Alice Wolf (at the hearing, and in her letter to other reps) and DOE spokewoman Melanie Winklosky (quoted in the Boston Herald) say this isn't true! Wolf says parents could still opt their children out of sex ed (can students opt out of other required courses?), and Winklosky says individual school systems could do as they please. They are simply not telling the truth. Here's what Bill H1641 actually says:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE HEALTH EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “foreign language,” in line 6, the words:— health education, as defined by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Education Framework.
And if you turn to Chapter 69: Section 1D, you see this:
Statewide educational goals; academic standards; vocational training; grant program
Section 1D. The board shall establish a set of statewide educational goals for all public elementary and secondary schools in the commonwealth.
The board shall direct the commissioner to institute a process to develop academic standards for the core subjects of mathematics, science and technology, history and social science, English, foreign languages ["health education, as defined by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Education Framework" to be inserted here by H1641] and the arts. The standards shall cover grades kindergarten through twelve and shall clearly set forth the skills, competencies and knowledge expected to be possessed by all students at the conclusion of individual grades or clusters of grades.... Satisfaction of the requirements of the competency determination shall be a condition for high school graduation.
But chief sponsor Rep. Alice Wolf (at the hearing, and in her letter to other reps) and DOE spokewoman Melanie Winklosky (quoted in the Boston Herald) say this isn't true! Wolf says parents could still opt their children out of sex ed (can students opt out of other required courses?), and Winklosky says individual school systems could do as they please. They are simply not telling the truth. Here's what Bill H1641 actually says:
AN ACT TO PROVIDE HEALTH EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
Section 1D of chapter 69 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the words “foreign language,” in line 6, the words:— health education, as defined by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Education Framework.
And if you turn to Chapter 69: Section 1D, you see this:
Statewide educational goals; academic standards; vocational training; grant program
Section 1D. The board shall establish a set of statewide educational goals for all public elementary and secondary schools in the commonwealth.
The board shall direct the commissioner to institute a process to develop academic standards for the core subjects of mathematics, science and technology, history and social science, English, foreign languages ["health education, as defined by the Massachusetts Comprehensive Health Education Framework" to be inserted here by H1641] and the arts. The standards shall cover grades kindergarten through twelve and shall clearly set forth the skills, competencies and knowledge expected to be possessed by all students at the conclusion of individual grades or clusters of grades.... Satisfaction of the requirements of the competency determination shall be a condition for high school graduation.
(Brian Camenker, director of MassResistance/Article 8 Alliance, sent a letter to the Herald to correct Winklosky's "misinformation", but it has not yet appeared.)
They tried to sneak the bill past us all in their last hearing of the year. But they failed! (Originally, it was scheduled to be heard on the same day as our new parents' rights opt-in bill H1050 in late October ... but mysteriously dropped off the radar screen only to resurface on a day with "miscellaneous" bills when no one was paying attention ... or so they thought.)
Deadbeat Rep. Matthew Patrick Supports Mandatory Sex/Homosex Ed
Lots of talk about Rep. Marie St. Fleur's tax and honesty problems today. This reminded us of the story last year in the Boston Herald revealing some of the State Reps known at that time to have similar problems. See Herald article (posted on CLT's website), excerpted below.
Are we surprised that Rep. Matthew Patrick was on the deadbeat list? His demeanor during the recent Education Committee hearing on the mandatory sex ed/homosex ed bill was appalling, rudely badgering witnesses as he tried to deny reality.
Apparently, everyone but Rep. Patrick has has heard first-hand stories about our schools training children in condom use, showing films pushing homosexuality, and directing young girls to Planned Parenthood clinics. But since the witnesses didn't have dated films and recordings of such incidents, he insinuated that no such stories could be believed!
How can anyone trust anything that comes out of the mouth of an elected official who can't even abide by the laws the rest of us have to follow? Not only does Rep. Patrick think tax laws don't apply to him, he also thinks he knows better than parents what sex ed and morals ed is appropriate for their children.
March 10, 2005
Six House reps fail to file income tax returns
By David R. Guarino (Boston Herald)
Didn't file for 2003: Rep. Matthew Patrick, 3rd-term Democrat from Falmouth
It's all spend but no tax these days for six state lawmakers who revenue officials say failed to file income tax returns while voting to spend billions of dollars paid by others.
The delinquent pols, all Democratic members of the House, include Rep. Byron Rushing (D-South End), a top lieutenant to Speaker Sal DiMasi, and Rep. David Linsky (D-Framingham), a former prosecutor eying a run for Middlesex district attorney. They were joined on the Department of Revenue non-filing list by fellow lawmakers Colleen M. Garry (D-Dracut), chairwoman of the Personnel and Administration Committee; Rep. Anne M. Gobi (D-Spencer), Rep. Sean Curran (D-Springfield), and Rep. Matthew Patrick (D-Falmouth).
The DOR list, obtained under a public records request by the Herald, also included freshman Rep. Patrick M. Natale (D-Woburn). But Natale said he wasn't working at the time and didn't have to file. Another lawmaker, Rep. Benjamin Swan (D-Springfield), filed his 2003 return just last week after questioning by a reporter.
[Note: A month after the Herald Story, the State House News Service reported: "Rep. Matthew Patrick (D-Falmouth) pointed out recent publicity surrounding his failure to file tax returns. Patrick said he forgot to mail his taxes, and has since paid his liability of $29.35."]
Are we surprised that Rep. Matthew Patrick was on the deadbeat list? His demeanor during the recent Education Committee hearing on the mandatory sex ed/homosex ed bill was appalling, rudely badgering witnesses as he tried to deny reality.
Apparently, everyone but Rep. Patrick has has heard first-hand stories about our schools training children in condom use, showing films pushing homosexuality, and directing young girls to Planned Parenthood clinics. But since the witnesses didn't have dated films and recordings of such incidents, he insinuated that no such stories could be believed!
How can anyone trust anything that comes out of the mouth of an elected official who can't even abide by the laws the rest of us have to follow? Not only does Rep. Patrick think tax laws don't apply to him, he also thinks he knows better than parents what sex ed and morals ed is appropriate for their children.
March 10, 2005
Six House reps fail to file income tax returns
By David R. Guarino (Boston Herald)
Didn't file for 2003: Rep. Matthew Patrick, 3rd-term Democrat from Falmouth
It's all spend but no tax these days for six state lawmakers who revenue officials say failed to file income tax returns while voting to spend billions of dollars paid by others.
The delinquent pols, all Democratic members of the House, include Rep. Byron Rushing (D-South End), a top lieutenant to Speaker Sal DiMasi, and Rep. David Linsky (D-Framingham), a former prosecutor eying a run for Middlesex district attorney. They were joined on the Department of Revenue non-filing list by fellow lawmakers Colleen M. Garry (D-Dracut), chairwoman of the Personnel and Administration Committee; Rep. Anne M. Gobi (D-Spencer), Rep. Sean Curran (D-Springfield), and Rep. Matthew Patrick (D-Falmouth).
The DOR list, obtained under a public records request by the Herald, also included freshman Rep. Patrick M. Natale (D-Woburn). But Natale said he wasn't working at the time and didn't have to file. Another lawmaker, Rep. Benjamin Swan (D-Springfield), filed his 2003 return just last week after questioning by a reporter.
[Note: A month after the Herald Story, the State House News Service reported: "Rep. Matthew Patrick (D-Falmouth) pointed out recent publicity surrounding his failure to file tax returns. Patrick said he forgot to mail his taxes, and has since paid his liability of $29.35."]
Wednesday, February 1, 2006
"Hate Speech" Conviction in France
Will this be happening in Massachusetts soon? A French politician is convicted and fined for "hate speech". His crime? Saying the following:
"Homosexual acts are socially and morally inferior . . . To describe a behavior which is not beneficial for society is not discriminating against those who make the choice of homosexuality."
Our legislature is now trying to codify homosexual propaganda as "fact" in our K-12 statewide "health" curriculum. The Governor, Legislature, and Supreme Judicial Court all participate in the charade of "legal" same-sex "marriage". So ... can "hate speech" laws be far behind?
See the report from LifeSiteNews.com:
LILLE, France, January 26, 2006 - A court in Lille handed down its sentence on a French Parliamentarian Tuesday, fining him 3000 Euros and forcing him to pay an additional 6000 Euros to be split between three homosexual activist groups who brought the charges against the MP. Christian Vanneste, a member of the UMP representing the Lille region was found guilty in December on charges of violating a French law barring "hate speech" against homosexuals.
However, Vanneste in the remarks upon which the charges were based and in his defence, was clear that he was not speaking against homosexual persons but homosexual sex acts.
"Homosexual acts are socially and morally inferior . . . To describe a behavior which is not beneficial for society is not discriminating against those who make the choice of homosexuality."
Our legislature is now trying to codify homosexual propaganda as "fact" in our K-12 statewide "health" curriculum. The Governor, Legislature, and Supreme Judicial Court all participate in the charade of "legal" same-sex "marriage". So ... can "hate speech" laws be far behind?
See the report from LifeSiteNews.com:
LILLE, France, January 26, 2006 - A court in Lille handed down its sentence on a French Parliamentarian Tuesday, fining him 3000 Euros and forcing him to pay an additional 6000 Euros to be split between three homosexual activist groups who brought the charges against the MP. Christian Vanneste, a member of the UMP representing the Lille region was found guilty in December on charges of violating a French law barring "hate speech" against homosexuals.
However, Vanneste in the remarks upon which the charges were based and in his defence, was clear that he was not speaking against homosexual persons but homosexual sex acts.
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