“Those who wrote the (Marriage Protection Amendment) have said their primary intent was to define marriage as between one man and one woman. But Gary Glenn, president of the Midland-based American Family Association of Michigan, said last month that a secondary purpose was to make sure the definition is honored for any purpose, ‘including the provision of taxpayer-financed spousal benefits.’”

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“(American Family Association of Michigan President Gary) Glenn observed that the national media has continued to emphasize race as a factor in the pace of delivering disaster relief. Yet he says he saw no racial division or animosity in southern Mississippi. Nevertheless, the pro-family leader says he has emphasized telling the victims of the hurricane, African Americans in particular, ‘that we’ve come all the way from Michigan to tell them that we care about them, and love them and want to help them.’ …He says he made a particular point of telling these people, ‘don’t believe what you hear on national television … we do care about you. It doesn’t matter what your skin color is. We care about you and want to help you.’”
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Family group: McCotter vote on “hate crimes” threatens religious free speech

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Rep. Thaddeus McCotter’s vote to give special federal legal status and protection to individuals involved in homosexual activity violates the concept of equal protection under law and threatens the religious free speech rights of Americans who believe such behavior is morally wrong, a statewide traditional values group charged Monday.

The American Family Association of Michigan, in a letter to McCotter and Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis, blasted McCotter for being “one of only thirty Republican congressmen nationwide to join Democrats in supporting an amendment to establish special enhanced prison sentences for crimes allegedly motivated by disapproval of homosexual behavior.”

The amendment — offered by Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit, to HR 3132, The Children’s Safety Act of 2005 — would “create a federal offense for violence motivated by the actual or perceived…sexual orientation…of the victim.” Republican House members opposed the amendment, 194 to 30, while House Democrats supported it, 192 to 5.

Roll call vote here.
Associated Press story here.
Focus on the Family statement here.

“Rep. McCotter’s vote violated the concept of equal protection, providing the outrageous result that a criminal who assaults a pregnant mother, a small child, or a senior citizen would be punished less severely than someone who attacks a grown man, solely because that grown man chooses to engage in homosexual behavior with other men,” AFA-Michigan President Gary Glenn wrote.

“Rep. McCotter’s vote also puts at risk the religious free speech rights of Christians and others who believe homosexual behavior is destructive and morally wrong,” Glenn wrote. “The language Rep. McCotter supports adding to federal law threatens to make any public expression of opposition to homosexual behavior, even from the pulpit, a crime, and has already led to the arrest, prosecution, and imprisonment of Christians and others in Europe, Canada, and under state law, even in the United States,” Glenn wrote.

Glenn cited numerous examples of Christians and others being threatened, intimidated, and even prosecuted under “hate crime” laws that include so-called “sexual orientation” among motivating factors that trigger enhanced criminal penalties:
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Olympia, WA. - An administrative law judge in Olympia, Washington has set aside a Kent School District decision denying reenrollment to a student whose parent expressed concerns about a homosexual teacher teaching a sex education class.

The student, Lucas Schrader, had been enrolled in Kent Mt. View Academy, a charter school in the Kent School District, for three years. Because Lucas lives in another school district, his parents were required to apply each year for Lucas’ admission to the school. Lucas had flourished at the school and Mrs. Schrader was extremely active in serving the school.

At the close of school this year Mr. Schrader learned that a homosexual teacher had been assigned to teach a sex education class for this fall. Mr. Schrader expressed concerns he had about this to Debbie Dempsey, Kent Mt. View Academy’s principal. Ms. Dempsey responded by denying the Schrader’s application for reenrollment for this school year. Administrative Law Judge Cindy L. Burdue found that “the principal’s denial of the parents’ application was based entirely upon the statements of [Mr. Schrader] to the Principal.�

The Schrader’s were represented by Brian Fahling, senior trial attorney for the American Family Association Center for Law & Policy. Fahling said “Mr. Schrader is a concerned parent whose child was punished merely because he expressed concerns about the wisdom of having a homosexual teacher assigned to teach sex education to sixth graders.�

The judge, in ordering Lucas to be admitted to the school, wrote, “The principal, as far as the evidence shows, made up a policy and followed it as she went in this matter.� Fahling observed, “It is unfortunate how reactionary some school administrators become whenever parents express concerns about homosexuality.� “I hope the Schrader’s willingness to stand up against this type of heavy-handedness will encourage other parents to do the same,� Fahling added.

“Officials at the Genesee school district will not confirm if a teacher there was among those arrested as part of a recent gay sex sting operation at Richfield County Park. …Gary Glenn, President of the Michigan chapter of the American Family Associaiton, agreed with (a) demand for names. ‘I can’t believe the media there hasn’t named who these educators are,’ Glenn said.”
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Group leaves Wednesday for Mississippi, Louisiana

MIDLAND, Mich. — Gary Glenn, Midland, president of the American Family Association of Michigan (www.AFAMichigan.org) will leave Michigan Wednesday with a Christian group traveling for twelve days to Louisiana and Mississippi to deliver ten tons of donated food items to victims of Hurricane Katrina. Glenn and other volunteers expect to work 12-hour days in food distribution centers and as otherwise needed.

“We hope to make a difference in people’s lives and set an example of compassion and charity that witnesses the love of Christ and encourages others to volunteer,” Glenn said. “Even way up here in Michigan, we don’t have to just watch it on TV.”

Glenn will be accompanied by his son Harrison, who will celebrate his 15th birthday Sept. 17th while participating in the relief effort. “Seeing the devastation with his own eyes and working long hours to help people who’ve lost all they have will be an invaluable life’s lesson,” Glenn said, “and a birthday that he will never forget.”

Plans include stops in Higgins and Gulfport, Mississippi, with a possible trip to Slidell, Louisiana, just north of New Orleans.

“(T)he American Family Association of Michigan…has supported the sweeps to keep the park family-friendly. …The AFA is suggesting that two educators arrested in the sting be suspended from their jobs and removed from ‘positions of proximity to and authority over young children.’” The Flint Journal
June 15, 2005

Please see Saturday’s follow-up story (following). Key points to remember to protect your family and children:

* A fourth of those arrested were previously convicted sex offenders.

* Another fourth of those arrested were public school teachers or principals. In at least three earlier sweeps of public sex offenders in Michigan and neighboring states, public school employees were among those arrested. Sexual deviants purposely seek out employment and volunteer positions — schools, the Boy Scouts, etc. — that give them access to children.

* Genesee County’s Richfield Park is just one of nearly 90 public locations in Michigan advertised on homosexual activist web sites as locations where men can go to engage in homosexual activity. The list includes parks, highway rest areas, and public libraries. (Thankfully, the best known of these sites — headquartered in New Orleans — is currently disabled by hurricane damage.)
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“Gary Glenn of Midland, who helped lead the campaign that (supported) Proposal 2, is president of the American Family Association of Michigan, a nonprofit group that he said is supported by 3,300 individuals and churches across the state. ‘We believe as a matter of public policy that Michigan should join those states that exclusively limit adoption or foster-care placement to households headed by a married man and woman,’ Glenn said.”
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