OUR COLUMNISTS (Click on photos for archives) Reasons You Shouldn't Vote(and Perhaps a Couple Reasons You Should) Commentary by Matt Friedeman First, if you don't know what is at stake, don't know the issues, the candidates, the framework of the local, state and national debate and ... don't want to know -- please, don't vote. The Three R's of ABC: Rosie, Radicals & Rantings Commentary by Joe Murray With just a few words, Rosie O'Donnell -- once the diva of daytime television -- unleashed yet another wrath of fury on an American public that is growing weary of such antics. So how should conservatives respond? Political Cures Commentary by Jane Jimenez During political season, there is no end to the list of political cures being sold for the price of a few votes and millions of taxpayer dollars. But what good is a "cure" that ignores the problem that needs fixing? Don't Be a Bust Commentary by Brad Locke Mediocrity has become too acceptable in sports and in society both. It's become too common among Christians, too. Once we reach a point where we think we're doing well, we become complacent or think we couldn't possibly improve. Real Hope for Stem-Cell Research Commentary by Mark Creech It seems that the direction of stem-cell research has turned a corner. Recent research indicates a growing interest in a more ethical approach -- perhaps even discomfort with destroying human embryos for stem cells.

...It's the latest example of judicial activism, says a pro-family attorney in reference to today's ruling that a Rhode Island homosexual couple has the right to marry in Massachusetts. The legal decision is the first that would exclude a state law forbidding out-of-state residents to marry in Massachusetts, if their own states would not permit it. Superior Court Judge Thomas Connolly wrote that the decision applies because there was no evidence presented of any Rhode Island laws, court decisions, or constitutional amendments that prohibited Wendy Brucker and Mary Norton from being married in their home state. Steve Crampton, chief counsel with the American Family Association's Center for Law & Policy, says he marvels that a lower court judge in Massachusetts is dictating the law of another state. "But what a bold stroke of judicial activism for Judge Thomas Connolly, sitting in Massachusetts, to decree that Rhode Island does not prohibit same-sex marriage," exclaims Crampton. "It seems absurd on its face -- and yes, one remedy would be to enact a Marriage Protection Amendment in Rhode Island. But another would be to rein in these runaway judges, such as Judge Connolly." Crampton says he does not agree with Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas Reilly's decision not to appeal the ruling to a higher state court. [Ed Thomas]

...The U.S. Senate is expected to take action today on S. 403, legislation that would make it a federal offense for anyone to take a minor across state lines for an abortion with the intention of getting around a state law that requires parental involvement in the abortion decision. The Child Custody Protection Act (CCPA) -- the House version is known as the Child Interstate Abortion Notification Act (CIANA) -- has been debated for more than six years in Congress, but never passed. Kansas Republican Senator Sam Brownback says he is ready to do his part. "It comes back to the Senate," the lawmaker states. "We need to get it passed on through, and I'm going to be working with the leadership and others, particularly the Senate Democrat leadership, asking them not to block this legislation so it can move on forward." Brownback says the legislation should not be that controversial. "Regardless of a person's position on abortion, I think we should all agree that abortion is a serious medical procedure, and that parents have a right to be informed of any such procedure performed on their children," says Brownback. "As a matter of fact, there's an April 2005 poll that found that 78 percent of Americans think parents should be notified about a minor's abortion." Pro-abortion Democrats have managed to delay action on the bill for years by employing procedural blocking tactics. But Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist on Thursday filed cloture on the measure, which means if cloture is approved (requiring 60 votes), the Senate will be required to conduct an up-or-down vote on S. 403 before the session adjourns for fall elections. Only a simple majority would be required to send the measure on its way to the Oval Office for the president's signature. [Bill Fancher]

...A pro-life organization is putting its final touches on plans to once again commemorate "Pro-Life Memorial Day." American Life League observes the day on the first Monday in October, which is the first day the U.S. Supreme Court begins its fall session. ALL's Eric Whittington says this year's date is October 2. "We are asking all pro-lifers, all across the country, to get together and remember and honor and memorialize the innocent children that have fallen victim to the number-one killer in this country, which is abortion," he says. According to the ALL spokesman, pro-lifers can express their feelings in various ways. "You can do this by wearing a T-shirt, by praying, by hosting candlelight vigils," he suggests. "We'll be here at the Supreme Court, which is ... the one that is guilty for enacting this violence against our children, and we must be there until they end it." More than 47 million babies have been aborted in America since the high court's decision in 1973 that made abortion legal in the U.S. Whittington says there are countless others who have died by chemical abortion, adding to America's holocaust. [Bill Fancher]

...An Oregon-based pro-life activist says many groups who describe themselves as "pro-life" are in fact more concerned with electing Republicans to office than they are saving innocent lives. In the latest example of what is being called "political compromise" in the name of the pro-life cause, Oregon Right to Life (ORTL) -- an affiliate of National Right to Life -- has endorsed pro-abortion GOP gubernatorial candidate Ron Saxton. David Brownlow, executive director of the Oregon-based group Life Support, says some supposed "pro-life" groups were once more subtle, but now blatantly support pro-abortion politicians. "For years we've been told that voting the lesser of two evils will get us where we need to go, and a little compromise here and a little compromise there, in the big picture, will win. [But] that's failed completely," says Brownlow. "I mean, there's just been no evidence that it's been true." Brownlow says National Right to Life and other groups need to stop worrying about electing Republicans and start fighting to save unborn children. "The answer is to get out of the political game; quit voting -- and that's what happened to right-to-life groups," says the pro-life leader. "They want to win; they want to be part of the 'big team' and have the luncheons with Bush, et cetera. " Brownlow also has a warning for pastors -- do not believe the ORTL voter guides, which he refers to as a "deceptive piece of Republican propaganda." [Rusty Pugh]

...The president of a Pennsylvania pro-family group says the Philadelphia school board is ignoring health concerns and promoting the homosexual agenda. Diane Gramley with the American Family Association of Pennsylvania says for the first time, the school district has recognized the month of October as "Gay History Month" on its annual calendar. The calendars are distributed to all students at the beginning of the school year. "In addition, ninth-grade students are going to be required in their literature class to read Am I Blue, which is a book with short stories about ... teenagers who come out as homosexual," she says. "And this will be required reading in ninth-grade literature class." Gramley says her organization has sent a fax to the school board, outlining the health risks associated with homosexuality. She says the district's CEO has also received hundreds of calls from concerned parents, asking him to distance the district from homosexual activism. [Mary Rettig]

...Pro-family groups are concerned that family-friendly corporations have recently contributed large sums of money to the National Lesbian and Gay Journalists Association. According to reports, entities such as Fox News, Wal-Mart, and Sam's Club were among the corporate sponsors of the NLGJA's national convention -- and that fact bothers many pro-family organizations. Peter LaBarbera of Americans for Truth says the homosexual journalists' group is one of the most biased groups one can find. LaBarbera notes comments made by Eric Hegedus, national NLGJA president and an employee of the Philadelphia Inquirer. "He said that interviewing conservatives on stories about homosexuality is like going to white supremacists on stories about race," says the Americans for Truth spokesman. "So, basically, he's comparing pro-family conservatives to the KKK." LaBarbera says the family-friendly corporations are bowing to pressure from homosexual activists -- and that is not a good sign, he adds. [Bill Fancher]

...Does a church have the right to publicly condemn one of its members over an alleged extra-marital affair? That question, now being considered by the Texas Supreme Court, will have national implications. The pastor of Crossland Community Bible Church in Fort Worth sent a letter to the congregation after one of its members decided to terminate her marriage and was having what the pastor described as an "inappropriate relationship" with another man, in violation of church doctrine. The woman sued over what she said was an invasion of her privacy. Hiram Sasser of the Liberty Legal Institute is representing the church. He argues it is essential that churches be able to govern themselves according to scripture without government interference. [John Clemons]

...An official with the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is encouraging Christians to support a new movie produced by a Baptist church in Georgia. Facing the Giants, a movie about faith and football, opens today (September 29) on 400 screens in 86 markets. (See related article) The movie was filmed and produced by two associate pastors at Sherwood Baptist Church in Albany. Dr. Richard Land, president of the SBC's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, says the movie has a strong Christian theme. "It's a tremendous story of honoring God in every area of your life," says Land. "It's overtly Christian. I mean, that's why it got the PG rating that it got. It doesn't pull any punches. It's not about some vague concept of God. It's about Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior." Land also contends the movie has the potential to have a large impact on Hollywood, if it is successful at the box office. [Allie Martin]

...One of President Bush's longtime advisers says it could take many years to improve America's image overseas. Undersecretary of State Karen Hughes tells Associated Press that it could take decades to change the world's anti-American feelings. Bush brought Hughes back into the administration last year to work on public outreach, mostly in the Muslim world. Hughes calls the Iraq war "the most recent excuse" for anti-American sentiment among Muslims. Hughes does say America's critics do have some legitimate gripes. She says one thing she hears about a lot is the sex and violence they see on American movies and TV shows, or hear in the music. [AP]

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