The Cloakroom » Hill Update: Targeting DOMA

From Tom McClusky writing on FRC Action’s The Cloakroom Blog:

Undermining DOMA

Senator Liebermann (I-Conn.) plans on holding a hearing tomorrow in his Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in 342 Dirksen on his bill to expand federal benefits reserved for federal employees and their spouses to homosexual federal employees and their “partners.” This would be effectively neutralizing most of the Defense of Marriage Act, passed in 1996 by a large bipartisan majority and signed by President Bill Clinton.

Witnesses for the bill include John Berry, Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Mr. Berry, an open homosexual activist, is best known for his recent comments on how the Obama Administration will undermine marriage piece by piece using legislation such as Senator Lieberman’s. The other witness is Dr. William Hendrix, Global Leader, Gays, Lesbians and Allies at Dow Chemical (GLAD).

via The Cloakroom » Hill Update: Targeting Domiciles and DOMA, and Sen. Boxer’s Hot Flashes.

President to Address Nation’s Largest LGBT Lobby Group

While politicians in Charleston play down the threat to the redefinition of marriage in West Virginia, President Obama prepares to address the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) 13th Annual Dinner this Saturday night.

According to several reports, HRC – the nation’s leading pro-homosexual lobbyist group – has been lobbying in recent days for legislation permitting gays serving openly in the military, extending hate crimes based upon one’s “sexual orientation,” and the repeal of the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).  While several such legislative initiatives will have varying degrees of success, it is clear where the President stands concerning DOMA.  According to Citizenlink.org:

Obama has made many promises to gay activists.  One of those promises came at the signing of a memorandum granting same-sex benefits to federal employees.

“Among the steps we have not yet taken, is to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA),” he said.  “I believe it is discriminatory, I think it interferes with state’s rights, and we will work with Congress to overturn it.”

The debate over whether or not there is a concerted effort to redefine marriage nationwide is over.  There is no legitimate reason to prevent West Virginians from determining for themselves under which definition of marriage they will consent to be governed.

To learn more about what you can do to defend marriage in West Virginia, visit WV4Marriage.com.

The Engage Family Minute – September 29

A Modern Family Day Proclamation

On the occasion of “Family Day,” a proclamation from the desk of the President of the United States, via WhiteHouse.gov (emphasis added):

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Our family provides one of the strongest influences on our lives. American families from every walk of life have taught us time and again that children raised in loving, caring homes have the ability to reject negative behaviors and reach their highest potential. Whether children are raised by two parents, a single parent, grandparents, a same-sex couple, or a guardian, families encourage us to do our best and enable us to accomplish great things. Today, our children are confronting issues of drug and alcohol use with astonishing regularity. On Family Day, we honor the dedication of parents, commend the achievements of their children, and celebrate the contributions our Nation’s families have made to combat substance abuse among young people.

. . . .

Another Case of Foot IN Mouth

Harry Knox, President Obama’s tap for head of the Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives, renamed the “President’s Advisory Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Parnterships” by the Obama Administration, has not been known for his silver tongue.  Let’s just say he’s been quite critical of the Catholic Church’s teaching on homosexual behavior and birth control.

It seems Mr. Knox is at it again – this time in a discussion on how best to spend your taxpayer dollars.

In an interview with PBS taped at the Human Rights Campaign, Knox talked of fatherhood:

“Responsible fatherhood offers us an immense opportunity to speak to a real need in the country,” said Knox, director of the faith and religion program at the Human Rights Campaign, a homosexual rights group, during the PBS interview broadcast on its Religion & Ethics Newsweekly show.  

That’s fair.  Weird venue for doing so, but nothing wrong with talking about the importance of fatherhood.  This is one of those areas we applaud President Obama’s rhetoric.  He has long been vocal about the need to strengthen the role of Dad in the home.  We are concerned that the actions don’t always meet the rhetoric, but, still, happy to have the conversation.

But, Knox took a quick, progressive left turn:

“It’ll be challenging to do that for instance in ways that are not dismissive of the tremendous gifts of single mothers; not to sort of hold a heteronormative view of fatherhood up as the only model,” said Knox.

Ok, I added the italics, but……HUH?!?!  It’s a challenge to promote responsible fatherhood when the “heteronormative view of fatherhood” is the “only model?”  What is precisely wrong with the “heteronormative view of fatherhood?”  Is “fatherhood” really “fatherhood” in some other type of model of parenting?

Nope.  He didn’t stop there: 

“For instance, 25 percent of gay male couples in the country are raising children – their own and other people’s,” Knox, a member of the United Church of Christ and the Interdenominational Conference of Liberation Congregations and Ministries, told PBS.

“So the challenge will be for all of us getting to know what fatherhood means for us, and how to talk about it in a way that is as inclusive as possible and empowering as possible,” he said.

He added that mentoring programs for homosexual fathers should be reviewed by the council.

“One of the things I am suggesting on the council is that they look at mentoring processes that gay dads have developed to help each other be good fathers around the country,” Knox said.

via CNSNews.com – Obama’s Faith-Based Adviser Urges Challenge to ‘Heteronormative’ Fatherhood .

Essentially, Knox is saying that because we have redefined what is meant in terms of “marriage” and “family,” we now have to get “to know what fatherhood means for us, and how to talk about it in a way that is as inclusive as possible and empowering as possible.”

Cue the Twilight Zone music.

Just as marriage ceases to be definitionally “marriage” when persons of the same-sex enter a similar union, so to does “fatherhood” cease to be “fatherhood” when a person of the female gender attempts to mimic the role. 

It gets more confusing when we begin discussing the impact of 2 dads and 0 moms in a home.  Children are entitled to a Mom and a Dad.  Social science tells us that is the best venue in which to raise a child.  Gov’t should not knowingly deprive children of that chance, nor fund – in the name of “responsible fatherhood initiatives” – projects to widen that gap.

I recognize that life circumstances sometimes leave children in a lurch, necessarily without one or the other parents.  But if the goal is strengthening the role of fathers, we should consider the ideal.

Let’s save “the council” some time: two moms have the potential to make great moms, but they will never make one mediocre dad.  

Mr. Knox, President Obama, if you want to strengthen the role of fatherhood, strengthen the institution of marriage.  Hold Dad’s accountable for the children they father.  Break the cycle of divorce by promoting healthy marriages in which Dad’s live committed to the mother of their children and demonstrate to the next generation what it means to be a man.  And father.

Stop tinkering with definitions.