World Family Policy Center Newsletter

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- Rep. Tom Feeney (R-FL) has introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would combat the use of international laws by American courts by affirming that any judicial decisions should not be based on any foreign laws, court decisions, or pronouncements of foreign governments unless they are expressly approved by Congress.

"The Reaffirmation of American Independence Resolution," or H.RES. 568, was submitted last month and has 59 co-sponsors in the House.

The resolution expresses concern that U.S. Supreme Court justices have chosen to cite international laws in their rulings.

http://www.talonnews.com/news/2004/april/0416_independence_resolution.shtml

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2. "Vote Christian" during European vote, Polish bishops say

EU Business.com

14 April 2004

The Polish Roman Catholic church heirarchy called on compatriots on Wednesday to vote for "Christians and Catholics" when the country takes part in European Parliament elections for the first time in June.

"The presence within this important assembly of Christians, Catholics, people who stand for high moral values, is even more important today, as strong trends aimed at wiping Christian values out of the lives of European people appear," Polish bishops said in their appeal.

Poland, one of 10 mainly ex-communist countries to join the European Union on May 1, will elect 54 representatives to the 732-seat assembly.

The church urged Poles to turn out and vote on June 13, warning against opting for those who "attack human life and the family."

http://www.eubusiness.com/afp/040414175512.rxe4qaow

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3. Administration Wages War on Pornography

Obscenity: For the first time in 10 years, the U.S. government i

s spending millions to file charges across the country.

By Laura Sullivan

Baltimore Sun National Staff

April 6, 2004

WASHINGTON - . . . In this field office in Washington, 32

prosecutors, investigators and a handful of FBI agents are

spending millions of dollars to bring anti-obscenity cases to

courthouses across the country for the first time in 10 years.

Nothing is off limits, they warn, even soft-core cable programs

such as HBO's long-running Real Sex or the adult movies widely

offered in guestrooms of major hotel chains.

Department officials say they will send "ripples" through an

industry that has proliferated on the Internet and grown into an

estimated $10 billion-

a-year colossus profiting Fortune 500 corporations such as

Comcast, which offers hard-core movies on a pay-per-view

channel.

To read entire article:

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bal-te.obscenity06apr06,0,3004361.story?coll=bal-home-headlines

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4. Romney Makes a Move in Gay-Marriage Battle

Mass. Governor Requests Power to Seek a Court Stay

By Jonathan Finer

Washington Post Staff Writer

Friday, April 16, 2004; Page A03

BOSTON, April 15 -- Gov. Mitt Romney (R) filed a legislative proposal Thursday that would allow him to petition the state's highest court to stay its landmark ruling authorizing same-sex marriage before it takes effect next month.

The governor, who favors amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage, said the state legislature's preliminary endorsement of such a measure last month means the court should allow the amendment process to run its course.

To read entire article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A16010-2004Apr15.html

5. City Council Extends Equal Benefits to Married

Gay Couples

By Lornet Turnbull

Seattle Times staff reporter

Tuesday, April 13, 2004

A month after Mayor Greg Nickels issued an executive order

recognizing same-sex marriages, the Seattle City Council

yesterday unanimously approved legislation that would give

married gays and lesbians on the city's payroll the same benefits t

hat opposite-sex couples now receive.

While council members heralded the move as "historic," the

change to city ordinance is really more symbolic than it is

substantial.

To read entire article:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2001901797_gaymarriage13m.html

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6. Divorce Rates Fall 17.5% in Community Marriage

Policy® Cities

The Institute for Research and Evaluation of Salt Lake City studied

122 counties where the clergy adopted a Community Marriage Policy

(CMP) through 2000, such as those on the last two pages of this memo.

The Institute used four strict standards to measure their impact. First,

it compared the average divorce rate for five years before a CMP was

adopted with seven years after and with 2001. This removes the

possibility of a one-year blip in the numbers. Second, the Institute

compared CMP cities with similar cities in the state which did not

adopt a CMP. Third, it compared all122 counties where CMP cities a

re located – some of which actually saw a divorce rate increase – with

all comparable counties. Finally, the average annual drop in divorce

rates were projected for seven years.

The result is that on average, a county with a Community Marriage

Policy or Covenant, enjoyed a divorce rate plunge of 17.5% over

seven years, while comparable counties fell only 8.1%. Thus, divorce

rates of CMP cities fell twice as fast as those of similar cities. That

resulted in saving 31,000 marriages! Since we are now in 183 cities,

perhaps 40,000 to 50,000 divorces were avoided.

To read entire article:

http://www.marriagesavers.org/public/divorcerates.htm

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COMING EVENTS

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October 6 -7, 2005

The Pacific and Asian Family Dialogue

Manila, Philippines

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November 29-30, 2004

The Doha International Conference for the Family

Doha, Qatar

The Doha International Conference for the Family follow upon the

celebration of the International Year of the Family and will be a

two-day conference in Doha, Qatar, under the patronage of Her

Highness Sheikha Mouza Bint Nasser Al-Misnad., Consort of His

Highness The Emir of Qatar and President of Supreme Council for

Family Affairs, State of Qatar.

The conference represents an international assemblage, bringing

together international VIPs, governmental and non-governmental

organizations (NGOs), scholars, academicians, and civil society

leaders who will be invited by the State of Qatar to participate in

a family conference. This conference will call upon all nations of

the world to restate the principles related to family life embodied

in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and to adhere to

values and endeavor to promote the role of the family as it is the

natural and fundamental group unit of society and is entitled to

protection by society and state.

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Note: The preceding article excerpts are highlights of current events and

do not necessarily represent the views of the World Family Policy Center

or Brigham Young University.

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Newsletter created and distributed by:

World Family Policy Center

J. Reuben Clark Law School

Brigham Young University

Managing Director: Richard Wilkins

Executive Director: A. Scott Loveless

Newsletter Editors: Joy S. Lundberg and Gary B. Lundberg

If you have any articles, editorials, or papers you would like

circulated through the WFPC News network, you may submit them to

lundberg@lawgate.byu.edu

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