Protecting Marriage protects society

The marriage debate has surely opened my eyes to the importance of educating oneself on the issues and voting according to that education rather than the confusing rhetoric that surrounds each campaign. There is a tremendous amount of deception that can only be dispelled as the issues are carefully studied. The opposition to the marriage amendment in AZ says the amendment is not necessary because AZ already has state law protecting marriage. If this amendment is redundant, why do they care if it passes? The fact is, it is NOT redundant! It is very important to have a constitutional law regarding marriage or the statutory law that is presently protecting marriage can be easily overturned. The law concerning marriage is AZ this year is far different than the one defeated in 2006 because this law deals only with the definition of marriage: the union of one man and one woman. Who wouldn’t want that definition protected? Marriage is the foundation of the family and the family is the foundation of civilization. It is in families that the next generation of responsible adults is created! Study it out folks. A simple yes vote protects marriage—and society—in Arizona, California, and Florida!

The Opposition to Marriage Gets Ugly

What ever happened to the concept of respecting other people's opinions? I was always taught to disagree agreeably even when passionate about the issue. Unfortunately, the anti-family, homosexual groups have gone nuclear by taking disagreeing to a whole new level.

Not only will those who disagree with the redefinition of marriage as a right for same-sex couples to marry be pummeled with anti-discrimination accusations; their names, contributions and religious affiliation is being published on a blog or website near you.

The intention is to smear the good names of those that are brave enough to stand up for what they believe and put their hard-earned money where their mouths are. A request has gone out from overzealot activists for all to do Internet searches on these names in order to find some dirt.

I have heard of this type of political ball being played, but normally it goes on quietly and discretly. These folks are in-your-face shameless.

Oh, and did I mention that the only religion published is that of the Mormons? In fact, the homosexual-rights folks are protesting in front of the Oakland LDS Temple where they hope to discredit and harrass those attending services.

If I did not know better, I would think this is a hate crime...

Smearing the names, harrassing and revealing the religious affiliation of political contributers may or may not be a hate crime, but it is a crime. At the very least it is immoral and anti-American.

Do You Know What Your Child is Reading?

You carefully monitor the types of television your children watch. You restrict the movies they attend and you are vigilant about the types of reading material they bring into the home. So have you covered all of the bases? If you haven’t read your children’s text books you may be in for a surprise.

It is possible; no it is probable, that some of the textbooks your children are using contain topics and references that you will find inappropriate. Even if you live in an area with a strong conservative or religious base the textbook choices available to your public school district many times contain questionable material.

1. So what can you do?

The most important thing you can do is to become informed by reading your children’s textbooks and other assigned material. If you find material that you consider to be objectionable talk to other like minded parents and then contact your school district. Every district has a curriculum committee. Even if they do not agree with your position they work for you and they must consider your concerns.

Many districts provide an opportunity for parents to participate on textbook review committees. It is much more effective to influence the choice of a textbook prior to the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of dollars rather that after the fact.

2. Review the education laws in your state.

Below is a link that might aid you in your search.
http://www.law.cornell.edu/topics/state_statutes2.html#education


3. Monitor the activities of the State and National Education Associations

Find out what theses folks are thinking and doing. Many professional educators feel that it is their duty to educate children according to the philosophies of the time. In fact the National Education Association (NEA) the largest and most powerful teachers union in the country is committed to the development of curricula that includes favorable references to teenage sexuality, homosexuality, abortion, etc.

As a parent you have the right and the responsibility to influence the educational material that is presented to your child. The cultural pressures within public education are strongly skewed to support liberal ideologies some of which you may object strongly to. In spite of these influences you can be heard and you can cause change. School will be starting soon--your children need you to be engaged.

The Majority of Americans Want Their President to Support Traditional Marriage

I found the results of a national poll quite reassuring. The vast majority of Americans want their President to support traditional marriage. Fifty-eight percent of likely voters would be more likely to support a candidate that favors state marriage protection amendments—only 29 percent said they would be less likely to support such a candidate.

To see the full results of the national survey see: http://downloads.frc.org/EF/EF08G19.pdf

This bodes well for the state of Arizona’s Marriage Amendment, as well as for the proposed amendments in California and Florida. It appears that citizens do understand the importance of maintaining the definition of traditional marriage. I’ll sleep just a little easier tonight.

Read UFI's Latest Book: 'Guide to Family Issues: The Harms of Pornography'

Since the arrival of the Internet, cell phones and the DVD and video industries, pornography has become the most pervasive and immediate threat to marriages and families, adults and children. Addiction and divorce are the most recognizable social costs of pornography, but the costs run much deeper. United Families International’s “Guide to Family Issues: The Harms of Pornography” examines what is perhaps the most insidious threat to individuals and families around the globe today.

History and research reveal the many harms of pornography:

• Pornography seeks out people from all walks of life, then poisons and corrupts them. The allure of substantial profits seduces corporations, hotel chains, cable television companies and Internet entrepreneurs – without concern for the well-being of families.
• Pornography has the propensity to deaden husbands’ attraction for their wives. The result is often heartache, alienation and divorce.
• Pornography is a perpetrator of family breakdown.
• Pornography demeans its participants. It is a form of prostitution, and porn subjects are frequently the victims of molestation, rape, coercion and blackmail.
• Pornography corrupts children and robs them of their innocence. Children have been raped and murdered by the producers of pornography.
• Organized crime is heavily involved in pornography, and crime rates are much higher in the neighborhoods where pornography is available.
• Pornography takes billions of dollars out of economies that could be much better spent on the needs of families.
• Pornography is not a benign phenomenon; it leaves a clearly discernible trail of victims.
  The scenes of sex crimes and the homes of those committing sex crimes are frequently littered with pornography. Pornography creates callous attitudes toward rape and causes users to develop distorted perceptions about sexuality.
• Pornography acts as a harmful “drug.” Physiologically, viewing pornography commonly triggers internal, endogenous drug production. An image in a person’s head acts as an electrical signal for no more than a few seconds can leave a trace that will last for years.
• Pornography distorts a healthy understanding of human sexuality.
• Pornography is pervasive, and no one is beyond its reach. One does not have to look for pornography; it will find you.
• Driven by greed and a disregard for families and consumers, businesses continually seek to expand pornography’s reach by creating new markets.
• Pornography contributes to the rising tide of sex trafficking.

The preponderance of social science research demonstrates how pornography harms men, women, children, families and marriages and poisons homes, work places, governments, communities and corrupts the mass media culture.

Read UFI's "Guide to Family Issues: The Harms of Pornography" online.

Dad, You Make Your Family and Community Better

Sunday, June 15 is Father's Day, and this is a message for all Dads.

Do you know just how indispensable you are to your wife and your children? To your community?

When you are present in the home and married to your children’s mother, so many positive things are in play.

For instance, your teens are significantly more likely to be involved in constructive use of their time through groups, sports and religious organizations.

Marriage strengthens the bonds you have with your children. Typically, you are more involved with your children and enjoy better relationships with them than unwed or divorced fathers. Your role of husband and father encourages you to voluntarily take responsibility for your children.

Students living with you and their mother score consistently higher in reading and math than other children.

Your wife is statistically much safer because of your presence.

Just having you at home and in their lives means your boys and girls are less likely to be suspended or expelled from school, less likely to commit delinquent crimes, less likely to be reported for problem behaviors at school, less likely to receive low grades in two or more subjects and more likely to score well on standard tests of cognitive development.

Your children are more likely to complete high school, attend or graduate from college.

Your daughters are less likely to become pregnant as teens.

With you present and in their lives, your kids are less vulnerable to serious emotional illness, depression and suicide.

Happy Father’s Day. Remember how valuable you are to your wives and children. Your presence in the home contributes to positive dynamics for your family and your community.

Enjoy your day!

Every Teen Doesn't Have Sex

We constantly hear from Planned Parenthood and other liberals that "everybody does it." And since every teen is supposedly sexually active, the remedy is condoms.

Now a new study comes out to refute those tired lines. And guess what? The Center for Disease Control study reports that just 34.1 percent of U.S. high school students are sexually active. That's a little short of "everybody." This figure is down from 54 percent in 1991, which is about the time that abstinence education began gathering momentum.

The 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System study showed a 2-percent dropoff in the percentage of teens who said they used condoms while having sex. As students progress through high school, their condom use drops off -- despite the heavy dose of condom education by Planned Parenthood.

Despite the falling rates of sexual activity, there is still too much early sexual activity. In Mississippi and Delaware, more than 60 percent of high school students have had sexual intercourse. The rates are over 50 percent in 14 other states.

The further students go through high school, the more likely they are to engage in sexual activity:

Ninth-graders: 20.1 percent
Tenth-graders: 30.6 percent
Eleventh-graders: 41.8 percent
Twelfth-graders: 52.6 percent

Nearly 15 percent of high school students have had sexual intercourse with four or more persons in their life.

The figure for students having sex for the first time before the age of 13 is 7.1 percent. Just 4.5 percent of high school seniors fit this category.

Sexual activity among Black and White students is declining, but there was no decline among Hispanic students.

One of the surprising findings of the study is that 29.1 percent of high school students in San Francisco have ever had sex. In contrast, 70 percent of students in Baltimore had engaged in sexual intercourse. Other major metro cities with high rates were Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee and Philadelphia.

Read the study