Current Events

(Editor’s note: Mary Sue presented the following at the Women’s Guild meeting tonight and at the Education meeting Tuesday.)

1. A student who said at the end of an announcements at a public school, “God Bless America.  Keep us safe” was reprimanded by his principal.  Some students reported the incident to the ACLU.  But after the Alliance Defending Freedom organization got involved to set the record straight that the student has the right to express this conviction, the school has apologized.  I meet with a group of concerned citizens on Tuesdays at 1:30 to read articles and discuss education issues.  We recently sent letters to the Texas Senate and House Education Committees to suggest areas to study and act upon.  One item was to make sure public schools understand that student led prayers are legal and that the legislature issues a policy statement to make it clear to schools.

2. The U. S. Supreme Court will make a decision (probably in June) about same sex marriage. Until then, the Court said states could issue licenses to same sex partners.  But the Chief Justice of Alabama, Roy Moore, said the state of Alabama should not issue the licenses.  The Alabama Supreme Court voted to continue the ban against same sex marriages.

This week a group of black ministers announced they will give Judge Moore an award for his standing up for traditional marriage.  There was a cartoon in The Eagle this week showing a cannon ball labeled “NO TO FED. COURT” that was shot at a wall labeled “FORT SUMTER” and a man saying “It’s just the ALABAMA SUPREME COURT.” Yes, it was just one cannon ball.  But maybe it will be a message to other states to follow whose citizens want to retain traditional marriage.

3. Many in the armed forces, especially chaplains, are under attack from the administration to stop talking about Christ.  It seems Christians are not wanted.  Even giving Bibles to soldiers can result in punishment.

4. San Francisco Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone added new clauses to high school teachers’ contracts that require “Catholic teachers in their professional and public lives uphold Catholic teachings.”  Last week California lawmakers in his district sent a letter to the Archbishop saying  the new clauses “conflict with settled areas of law and foment a discriminatory environment in the communities we serve.”  This is a case for the Alliance Defending Freedom organization.