No to School Prayer

HATTIESBURG, MS – Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant has told a group of teenagers that he believes it should be possible for public schools to have some sort of nondenominational prayer to open the day. However, the Republican said he’s not prepared to take any legal action to push the issue.

The Hattiesburg American reports that Bryant told about 300 high school students at American Legion Boys State on Tuesday that he grew up with prayer in school. He said, “I don’t think it hurt us at all. I think it built our character, and I think it is what we should continue to do.”
( Bryant advocates school prayer in speech to teens )

Speaking to reporters after his Boys State speech, the first-term governor said he envisions a future “enlightenment” when the federal government will once again allow prayer in schools.

Bryant attended public school in Jackson when he was younger and graduated in 1973 from the private McCluer high school. Speaking to reporters after his Boys State speech, Bryant elaborated on his comments.

“I know it’s difficult when you start talking about denominations and different beliefs, but I think there is a way for us to have a nondenominational opening prayer when the opportunity is available to let people know there is a God,” said Bryant, who is Methodist. “Those children should know that he does care about them, particularly within their classroom.”

( Billy’s Thoughts – There is a lot wrong in the government schools and in our culture but I don’t believe the answer is to bring prayer back into the schools. Do we believe a system which teaches our kids there is no right or wrong, whatever feels good is ok to do regardless what your church and parents tell you will give us a prayer that will honor God. I don’t believe it can. Instead we need to encourage parents to think about private schools, home schooling, and encourage young people in the government schools to take part in Bible studies that are offered by different ministries.Above all we need to encourage young people and their families to pray on their own.)

Girl Scouts denies Planned Parenthood relationship

The CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA says the organization will welcome an official inquiry from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops as an opportunity to clear up misconceptions.

Anna Maria Chavez told reporters in Washington that “Girl Scouts of the USA does not have a relationship” with Planned Parenthood.

A letter from the chairman of the bishops’ Committee on Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth to fellow bishops said the inquiry will look into the Scouts’ “possible problematic relationships with other organizations” and at “problematic” program materials.

The Girl Scouts, who have numerous parish-sponsored troops, have stated they do not take stands on sexuality, birth control and abortion.

Chavez told reporters, “We do not take positions on some of these issues that we’re being alleged to take positions on because those issues are clearly within the family decision-making.”
( Source Associated Press )

Billy David Dickson All Rights Reserved, 2012
This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Billy or read more commentary on current issues at https://billydteacher.wordpress.com/.

Breaking News: House rejects bill penalizing doctors for sex-selective abortions

The House on Thursday rejected a Republican bill that would impose fines and prison terms on doctors who perform abortions for the sole purpose of controlling the gender of the child, a practice known as sex-selective abortion.
( House rejects bill )
The Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act (PRENDA), H.R. 3541, was turned away in a 246-168 vote. While that’s a clear majority of the House, Republicans called up the bill under a suspension of House rules, which limits debate and requires a two-thirds majority vote, and in this case, would have required more support from Democrats.
Twenty Democrats voted for the bill, while seven Republicans opposed it. The bill needed roughly 30 more votes for approval.
( Billy’s Thoughts – Those who voted against this bill thank you so much for putting the values of America second to politics. How can we tell China how wrong they are for forcing their women to kill baby girls. The voters of America should not forget this come election time.)

Court: Heart of DOMA unconstitutional

A federal appeals court is rejecting part of the Defense of Marriage Act — but today’s ruling won’t be enforced until the U.S. Supreme Court decides the case. That means same-sex “married” couples won’t be eligible to receive the benefits denied to them under that law until the high court rules.
( Read more of this story )

Congress Are You For Unborn Girls or Not

A House vote is coming later today on a bill that would ban sex-selective abortions in America — an appalling practice which was spotlighted this week in a pro-life group’s video “sting.”

The U.S. House is to vote on the Prenatal Nondiscrimination Act, a measure that would prohibit abortions on the basis of the gender of the unborn child. Passage of the legislation will require a super-majority (two-thirds) vote because House rules were suspended to accelerate action on the bill.

In floor debate leading up to today’s vote, Congressman Chris Smith (R-New Jersey) pointed to Live Action undercover videos showing Planned Parenthood’s willingness to do abortions on girls which were underage and showing them doing them without parental notification.

“Now Live Action has released another sting operation video, part of a new series called ‘Gendercide: Sex Selection in America,’ showing Planned Parenthood advising an undercover female investigator how to procure a sex-selection abortion,” stated Smith.

“Caught on tape, Planned Parenthood tells the investigator to wait until the baby is five months along to get an ultrasound that will reveal the sex of the child — then, if it’s a girl, kill it.”

Smith contends Planned Parenthood is a dangerous place for an unborn girl. He is encouraging House members to vote yes on the bill.

Also during debate, Congressman Cliff Stearns (R-Florida) pointed to Planned Parenthood’s opposition to the bill, saying it does sex-selection abortions in states where it is not prohibited.

“In a recent letter, Planned Parenthood has once again chosen to put profits before women’s well-being,” he stated, “and is encouraging members of Congress to oppose this legislation, reinforcing sex discrimination and positioning the United States of America as a safe haven for those who cannot legally acquire a sex-selection abortion in their own home countries.”

My question if Planned Parenthood is so much against sex-selective abortions why are they standing in opposition to this bill. It is sick that these kinds of abortions are taking place in America, this is something that is done by an evil government like China not in the good old USA.
My guess is as sick as this is the bill will fail because the Democrats in Congress are so controlled by Planned Parenthood. At least it will be good to see who will support unborn girls and who will not. We might also ask those who are running for office if they support this bill.
( Source Vote due on sex-selective abortion )

Billy David Dickson All Rights Reserved, 2012
This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Billy or read more commentary on current issues at https://billydteacher.wordpress.com/.

Today’s Posts

Planned Parenthood: Obama ‘has our back’ and gets our vote
Holder to black leaders: ‘Sacred’ right to vote under attack
Report: Chavez’s cancer has ‘entered the end stage’
Teacher’s Union Should Stay Away from social issues and Focus on the Kids
Time for the Fat Lady to Sing

Planned Parenthood: Obama ‘has our back’ and gets our vote

Saying Barack Obama has “stood with Planned Parenthood time and again when it mattered most,” a political action fund affiliated with the abortion-provider has formally endorsed the incumbent president.

LifeNews.com reports that Planned Parenthood performs 330,000 of the 1.2 million abortions in America each year — or about one every 97 seconds. But nowhere in today’s announcement endorsing the president does the Planned Parenthood Action Fund use the word “abortion,” instead using phrases such as “women’s health” and “critical reproductive health care services.”
( Read more )

Holder to black leaders: ‘Sacred’ right to vote under attack

Attorney General Eric Holder told a council of African American church leaders Wednesday that the “sacred” right to vote is under assault nationwide, with federal lawsuits and at least a dozen state laws that could weaken — or block — minority access to the ballot box this fall.
( right to vote under attack )
Forty-seven years after President Johnson signed the Voting Rights Act, “overt and subtle forms of discrimination still exists,” Holder said in a speech before the Council of Black Churches. The twin factors of lingering bias and systematic assaults from the right, he said, means that “for the first time in our [lifetimes], we are failing to live up to one of our most noble ideals” – the right to equal access to the vote.
( Billy’s Thoughts – I would like to know where is his proof that the right to vote is in danger. )

Report: Chavez’s cancer has ‘entered the end stage’

This reporter has been told that Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has metastatic rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive cancer that has “entered the end stage”. The information and the quote come from a highly respected source close to Chavez and who is in a position to know his medical condition and history.
( Billy’s Thoughts – Pray this evil leader will repent of his evil deeds and turn to the living God. pray also that he will be replaced by a good and or Godly leader. Read more of the above story here. )

Teacher’s Union Should Stay Away from social issues and Focus on the Kids

The governor of Maine is giving heat to a teachers union for supporting a move to overturn current law and legalize homosexual “marriage.”

In the spring of 2009, the Maine Legislature passed a bill legalizing same sex marriage. But through a 53-47 percent voters in the state overturned it. Now, EqualityMain and homosexual activists have pushed through a petition to legalize such unions in November. The Maine Education Association has endorsed that effort, and Carroll Conley of the Christian Civic League of Maine is not shocked.

“The leadership of the Maine Education Association, just like the NEA [National Education Association] … often times takes these political stances that really [don’t] reflect the rank-and-file members,” Conley offers. “And I know that’s true in Maine.”

Gov. Paul LePage (R) has also weighed in on this teacher’s union endorsement on this social issue.

“The governor pointed to the fact that they endorsed same-sex marriage as their lack of focus on what’s going on in the classroom and what really does matter for our students,” Conley reports. “So it’s good to hear the governor doing that. We also just want to give a shout out to Governor Paul LePage. For our causes that really matter to us in the family policy council movement, he’s been a true friend.”

Gov. LePage is right the focus of this teacher’s union should be the kids and helping those good teachers who are trying to make a difference in the lives of the kids they teach. They should stay away from the so called social issues.
( Source Support for ‘gay marriage’ shows lack of focus )

Billy David Dickson All Rights Reserved, 2012
This blog may be reproduced in whole or in part with a full attribution statement. Contact Billy or read more commentary on current issues at https://billydteacher.wordpress.com/.