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April 20, 2005
American Family Association of Michigan
NEWS RELEASE www.AFAMichigan.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 19, 2005
CONTACT: Gary Glenn 989-835-7978
Troy City Manager 248-524-3330
Religious freedom groups threatened federal civil rights lawsuits
Troy council approves National Day of Prayer permit (again)
TROY, Mich. — After months of controversy, flip-flops, and threats of legal action, the Troy City Council at 2:00 a.m. Tuesday morning voted 4-to-3 to approve Councilman Dave Lambert’s motion to once again approve a local citizens group’s application for a permit to hold a National Day of Prayer ceremony May 5th at Veterans Plaza in front of city hall, the site of the same group’s event each of the last five years.
Lambert and city council members Cristina Broomfield, Jeanne Stine, and Martin Howrylack voted in favor of the permit, while Mayor Louise Schilling and council members Robin Beltramini and David Eisenbacher voted against it.
Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, testified Monday night before city council, telling members that “the machinations of the last two months would lead a reasonable person to believe that some members of city council are guilty of willful collusion to deny the National Day of Prayer Task Force its constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom, free speech, and equal access rights.”
“After routinely allowing all manner of organizations to meet at Veterans Park, including this very same Christian prayer group each year for a decade, you cannot now arbitrarily deny the National Day of Prayer Task Force equal access to city hall,” Glenn said, “and cannot make the group’s free exercise of its constitutional rights contingent on the presence of other groups who share a different faith.”
“It’s not up to the mayor and city council to decide or dictate the terms under which private citizens can peacefully exercise their constitutional free speech rights, including on city property routinely allowed to be used as a public forum,” he said.
(more…)
April 20, 2005
(AgapePress) Many pro-life and pro-family Protestants are adding their voices to those in the Catholic community who look forward with hope to the papacy of Benedict XVI. The American Family Association of Michigan, a statewide family values group supported by both Roman Catholics and other Christians, enthusiastically welcomed the new pontiff’s election.
AFA of Michigan president Gary Glenn notes that Cardinal Ratzinger’s service to the Catholic Church has been comparable to the motto of the U.S. Marines — that is, “semper fidelis” or, in other words, “‘always faithful’ in defense of traditional Christian doctrine regarding marriage, morality, the family and protection of prenatal life.”
Praising the new pope’s record of leadership as a cardinal, Glenn notes that Ratzinger issued publications upholding marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman and reaffirming the church’s staunch opposition to homosexual behavior and abortion.
Also, the Michigan activist points out that Cardinal Ratzinger was outspoken about family values during the 2004 U.S. presidential campaign and even authored a memorandum saying Catholic politicians who support legal abortion — like Senator John Kerry and Michigan’s Governor Jennifer Granholm — should be denied communion, along with Catholics who vote for such politicians.
Ratzinger’s stances on these issues caused many pro-abortion and pro-homosexual advocates to label him as an adversary. Advocate, a homosexual news magazine, called the new pope “anti-gay” and “a hardline guardian of conservative doctrine,” while Reuters reported that many homosexual Catholics have expressed disappointment over his election.
Also, the group Soulforce has condemned Ratzinger for refusing to meet with its representatives back in 2000 when they were in Rome, saying his refusal “indicates his unwillingness to even acknowledge the Spirit evident in the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.” In a news release, Soulforce denounced the former cardinal, stating that he now “brings the inquisition to his appointment as pope.”
In light of such reports, AFA-Michigan’s Glenn comments, “If a good man is known by those who condemn him as much as by those who support him, certainly faithful Catholics and all who stand for traditional family values … have all the more reason to welcome Cardinal Ratzinger’s selection.”
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/4/202005a.asp
April 19, 2005
American Family Association of Michigan
NEWS RELEASE www.AFAMichigan.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, April 19, 2005
CONTACT: Gary Glenn 989-835-7978
Katherine Hooks, AFA Radio 800-326-4543 x 227
WMCQ 91.7 FM on air with 6,000 watts in Muskegon, Grand Rapids
American Family Association launches first Michigan radio station
AFA-Michigan says station will increase its impact on family values issues in the state
MUSKEGON, Mi. — The American Family Association — a traditional values organization and national religious broadcaster with over 180 radio stations in 35 states — this month launched its first radio station in Michigan, a move the group’s statewide affiliate in Michigan says will increase its impact on family values issues in the state.
“We’re ecstatic,” said Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan. “American Family Radio will join other Christian stations in informing and empowering listeners who care about protecting marriage and the family and our religious free speech rights. For the first time in Michigan, AFA will have the in-house ability — on a daily basis — to directly inform, motivate, and call Christian listeners to action on important issues that affect families and family values in Michigan and nationally.”
“We’ve been effective before in promoting a Marriage Protection Amendment to our state constitution, warning parents about the dangers of pornography, and defending the free speech rights of people of faith,” Glenn said. “With a new station promoting our traditional family values views seven days a week in one of the state’s major media markets, AFA-Michigan will be all the more effective now.”
Call letters for the new 6,000-watt FM channel will be WMCQ, located at 91.7 on the FM dial. It will broadcast roughly 20 hours a day to listeners in Kent, Muskegon, Newaygo, and Ottawa counties featuring religious programming plus news and commentary by AFA Chairman Don Wildmon, Focus on the Family’s Dr. James Dobson, religious broadcasters Dr. D. James Kennedy and Chuck Colson, the Family Research Council’s “Washington Watch” and traditional values activist Phyllis Schlafly of Eagle Forum. (Programming schedule: www.afr.net/newafr/program.asp)
The American Family Association was founded in 1977 by United Methodist pastor Dr. Don Wildmon, who still serves as its chairman and launched the first American Family Radio station in 1991. (History of American Family Radio: www.afr.net/newafr/about.asp)
The American Family Association of Michigan was formed as AFA’s statewide affiliate in 1988. Glenn has served as president of the state group since 1999.
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April 14, 2005
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, April 12, 2005
CONTACT: Gary Glenn 989-835-7978
Steven Crampton 1-800-326-4543
Chief Counsel, AFA Center for Law & Policy
Troy City Manager 248-524-3330
Formal threat of federal civil rights lawsuit delivered
Group demands Troy city council approve permit for National Day of Prayer event
TROY, Mich. — Lawyers for a statewide family values organization Wednesday afternoon sent formal notice to Troy city officials that they city will face a federal civil rights lawsuit if they continue to unconstitutionally refuse approval of a Christian group’s request for a permit to hold a National Day of Prayer ceremony May 5th at Veterans Plaza in front of city hall, the site of the group’s annual event each year for the past decade.
Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, in a statement Wednesday accused Mayor Schilling and two Troy City Council members who voted against approving the permit of “heavy-handed bigotry and collusion to deny the National Day of Prayer Task Force its constitutionally guaranteed religious freedom, free speech, and equal access rights.”
“After routinely allowing all manner of organizations to meet at Veterans Park, including this very same Christian prayer group each year for a decade, Mayor Schilling and her ‘P.C. police’ cannot now arbitrarily deny the National Day of Prayer Task Force equal access to city hall,” Glenn said, “and cannot make the group’s free exercise of its constitutional rights contingent on the presence of other groups who share a different faith.”
“It’s not up to Mayor Schilling and her allies to decide or dictate the terms under which private citizens can peacefully exercise their constitutional free speech rights, including on city property routinely allowed to be used as a public forum,” he said.
AFA-Michigan’s national legal affiliate Wednesday faxed a formal demand letter to city hall advising Troy officials that if the permit continues to be unconstitutionally denied, they will face a federal civil rights lawsuit.
“The National Day of Prayer group has a constitutional right to use the Veterans Plaza, and denial of the forum under these circumstances is unconstitutional,” wrote Steven M. Crampton, chief legal counsel fo rthe American Family Association Center for Law & Policy, headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi. “We therefore demand that the City promptly grant the initial NDP application for permission to use Veterans Plaza and cease and desist from its efforts to interfere with the rights of the NDP group.”
“If we do not receive written confirmation of the City’s (approval) no later than close of business Tuesday, April 19, 2005, we shall have no choice but to seek relief in federal court,” Crampton wrote.
He also wrote that “further denial of the clearly established rights of the NDP group may result in the imposition of punitive damages against City officials in their individual capacity.”
(more…)
April 13, 2005
An assessment of the risks and liabilities associated with policies and programs that normalize homosexual behavior in public schools
National Report - The Legal Liability Associated with Homosexuality Education in Public Schools
- Updated with current cases that will directly impact this issue:
Caudillo v. Lubbock ISD - Federal judge says that Equal Access Act does not mandate homosexual clubs
Hanson v. Ann Arbor Public Schools - Federal judge says ‘diversity’ does not mean only one view on homosexuality
Press Release re: School Liability
Letter to School Districts re: School Liability
State-by-State Reports
Referenced Studies
Resources and Activities Pro-Homosexual Organizations Recommend for Young People
Resources for Parents
PDF files require a free copy of Adobe Acrobat Reader
Thanks to Citizens for Community Values for helping with this information.
April 8, 2005
“Local governments and the state can’t give benefits to employees’ same-sex partners now that voters have approved a constitutional ban on gay marriage, the state’s attorney general said Wednesday. …Gary Glenn of the American Family Association of Michigan was pleased with (Attorney General Mike) Cox’s opinion. ‘The chief law enforcement officer is now officially on record that a public employer cannot formally recognize and treat homosexual relationships among its employees as being similar or equal to marriage,’ he said.”
(more)
April 7, 2005
“The state attorney general issued a legal opinion last month saying government entities cannot offer same-sex benefits in future contracts because it would violate Michigan’s constitutional gay marriage ban known as Proposal 2. …Proposal 2 backers say the attorney general’s opinion validated what they said both before and after the election. ‘Public employees involved in homosexual relationships can certainly receive benefits if they are part of a broader benefits offering,’ said Gary Glenn, president of the Midland-based American Family Association of Michigan. ‘What public employers cannot do is single out only employees involved in homosexual relationships for special treatment as if their relationship is equal or similar to marriage.’”
(more)
April 5, 2005
“‘Our belief is that it’s only appropriate that marriage between one man and one woman be given special recognition, special incentives and special protection under the law,’ said Gary Glenn, president of the American Family Association of Michigan, a spearhead of the (Marriage Protection A)mendment’s passage. …The key issue, before and after the election, was defining marriage, he said. …’The point is recognition of what constitutes marriage,’ Mr. Glenn said, ‘not who gets benefits.’”
(more)
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