July 2009 - Atheists are suing to keep "In God We Trust' off the Capitol Visitor Center
Rep. Dan Lungren R-CA introduced a Bill in Congress to engrave the words "In God We Trust" and the Pledge of Allegiance in prominent spots at the Capitol Visitor Center. The measure passed in the House of Representatives (410-8). The Senate approved a similar plan introduced by Sen. Jim DeMint, R-SC. The congressional directive orders the Capitol architect to make the changes in the design of the $621 million center, which opened last December. The Wisconsin-based Freedom From Religion Foundation Inc. is suing to stop the engraving, accusing Lungren of trying to force his religious beliefs on as many as 15 percent of all U.S. adults comprising "atheists, agnostics, skeptics and freethinkers, none of whom possess a belief in a god," according to the lawsuit. 
(see more details in the Miami-Herald News article) 

America's founders did not intend for there to be a separation of God and State. Nor did the founders of the States as shown by the fact that all 50 states acknowledge God in their State Constitutions.

Did you ever wonder how our Founding Fathers viewed the importance of God in our Country?
Here are some Examples.

On December 12, 2009, the National Institutes of Health released the first 13 "batches" of Embryonic Stem Cells for research using taxpayer dollars (see article). Government funds were made available by President Obama who lifted the ban on such funding in March 2009 (see below).

The Knights of Columbus has fought a good fight in preventing the "Freedom of Choice Act" (FOCA) from being introduced in Congress (see below). This act would have allowed Federal funding of abortions nationwide. Now, the Health Care Reform bills being finalized in Congress will end up doing the same thing by mandating Federal funding of abortions - through the "back door". Don't let this slip through as yet another bill is hastily passed in Congress. See the Urgent Federal Alert article on the KofC NJ State web site for more details and what you can do to help.

Here's an article in Canada's National Post that makes you really consider the value of embryonic stem cell research. It would be laughable if it wasn't so serious.
"British scientists have created human sperm using [embryonic] stem cells." "Researchers at the Northeast England Stem Cell Institute, who made the breakthrough using cells from an embryo, said that with some minor changes the sperm could theoretically fertilize an egg to create a child." (full story)
Science has reached a new level in oxymoronic research - they found out they can create "life" by destroying life. Next they will be making oranges out of orange juice.

On March 9, 2009, President Barack Obama lifted the eight-year-old ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. His executive order marked the third time he reversed Bush-era policies on ethical questions about the nature of human life. Previously, without public ceremony, he lifted the prohibition on U.S. funding for international groups that promote abortion and proposed rescinding job protections for health-care workers who decline to carry out procedures that conflict with their moral beliefs. (see article)

Other news about the new administration eroding current restraints:
The Vatican officials said on January 24, 2009 that they were disappointed by President Barack Obama's decision to end a ban on federal funding for international groups that perform abortions. (see article)
On January 23, 2009, Federal regulators gave the green-light for the first trial of an embryonic stem-cell treatment in humans. (see article)

What can I do? Sign the FOCA Petition or write your Representative

The October 31, 2008 letter from the Supreme Knight on the Pro-Life Movement lists the accomplishments the Knights have made in stemming unrestricted abortions. In it, he warns that:
"All of these restrictions on abortion - all of the progress we've made over the past 35 years in trying to limit and reduce abortions in the United States - would be invalidated with the stroke of a pen if the next Congress passes, and the next president signs, the so-called 'Freedom of Choice Act' (FOCA)." The letter provides links to see the sponsors of this Bill in the House and Senate. Among the notable Congressman supporting the FOCA Bill are: Sen. Charles Schumer (NY), Sen. Frank Lautenberg (NJ), Sen. Robert Menendez (NJ) and former Senators Barack Obama (IL), and Hillary Clinton (NY), . Rep. Scott Garrett is not on the sponsor list.

Another way to look at abortion. See the Super Bowl Ad that NBC rejected.

View a 14 minute video on "One Man, One Woman - Marriage and the Common Good" on the New Jersey KofC web site

Are Catholics alone in fostering Traditional Marriage? Read the SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH STATE "Gay Marriage: Bad Science, Bad Politics" by Arthur Goldberg and Michelle Cretella

New Jersey

In April 2004, New Jersey enacted a Domestic Partnership law. Even so, same-sex couples found this to be unacceptable and brought the issue to the NJ Supreme Court in Lewis v. Harris in 2006. In a 4 to 3 split decision, the judges directed the legislature to pass civil unions instead of removing the marriage restrictions. In December 2006, the New Jersey Legislature passed a bill providing for Civil Unions and recognizing other states' Civil Unions. The law which took effect on February 19, 2007, conferred over 850 rights, privileges and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples. The legislators declined, however, to use the term "marriage" for same-sex unions.

Advocates of same-sex “marriage” in the State Legislature sponsored legislation attempting to redefine marriage using the deceptive titles “Civil Marriage and Religious Protection Act” and "Freedom of Religion and Equality in Civil Marriage Act”. When same-sex marriage supporter Governor Jon Corzine was defeated in the November 2009 election, the sponsors of these bills feared their bills would be vetoed by incoming Governor Chis Christie. The sponsors forced the issue during the lame-duck session of the Legislature ultimately forcing the bill to the Senate floor where it was defeated 20-14 on January 7, 2010.

During the same session, an Amendment to the Constitution (ACR120, SCR30) defining marriage as a union by one man and one woman was proposed. It requested a vote by the people (Let The People Decide) after being forwarded through the Legislative Houses. This bill never left the Legislative Judiciary Committees.

The battle will continue as the gay advocacy group, Garden State Equity, is pushing the issue to the NJ courts which have been sympathetic to their cause in the past. This appears to be the venue where same-sex "marriage" has the best record (re: Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Iowa). In California where same-sex marriage was banned by the vote of the people, a trial looms next week challenging the ban.

Nationwide

The Media ignores the 30 States which Constitutionally ban Same-Sex Marriage and emphasizes the 5 States where Same-Sex "Marriage" has been legalized (Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire.

On December 15, 2009, the District of Columbia City Council voted to allow same-sex "marriage" in the Capitol District. The action will become law as early as March 2010 unless overturned by the US Congress or popular vote (see article).

In the 2008 Election, Arizona, California, and Florida joined 27 other States which Constitutionally ban Same-Sex Marriage (Status of All 50 States). On May 26, 2009, the California Supreme Court upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, but ruled that existing gay marriages will remain legal in that state. The Maine legislature legalized same-sex "marriage" in their state on May 6, 2009 but the voters rejected the legislation in the November 3, 2009 election. 

Five States permit Same Sex "Marriage" (Massachusetts, Connecticut, and most recently, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire). These "laws" have been "enacted" in 3 states, not by the Legislators, not by the people, but by Activists Judges. Read about the latest in Connecticut and Iowa).
On April 3, 2009, Iowa became the third state to permit Same-Sex "Marriage". Again, the courts - not the people - made the decision. The only hope to overturn the decision is to amend the state constitution but that path, which would eventually require a public vote, would not yield results until 2012 at the earliest. (see article)
On April 7, 2009 the Vermont Legislature overrode Governor Douglas' veto by one vote to allow same-sex "marriages" in that state. 
On June 3, 2009, the New Hampshire legislature legalized same-sex "marriage" in their state and Gov. John Lynch who "personally opposes gay marriage" signed it into law ignoring his own convictions.
On November 3, 2009, the people of Maine voted to nullify a Same-Sex "Marriage" Bill passed by their Legislature on May 6, 2009.
On December 2, 2009 the New York Senate voted AGAINST a same-sex "marriage" bill 38-24. Governor David Paterson had planned on signing the bill which was passed earlier by the State Assembly (see article).

What can Same-Sex Marriage "laws" mean to you? Take a look at this video to see how your rights and beliefs can be affected. Family Research Council's video on Proposition 8 in California (see also www.ProtectMarriage.com)

On March 5, 2009, the Connecticut senate and house co-chairmen of the Judiciary Committee introduced Bill 1098 designed to strip the bishops and priests of the state of all administrative authority over their own churches, a blatantly unconstitutional intervention in the internal affairs of a church. 

The Knights of Columbus quickly joined the bishops and the Connecticut Catholic Conference in a public condemnation of the bill. Some 5,000 Catholics from all around the state came to Hartford for a protest rally at noon on March 11, when the hearing had originally been scheduled to begin. The bill's sponsors were taken by surprise, and cancelled a planned hearing. 

Supreme Knight Carl Anderson delivered a strongly worded speech, along with Archbishop Henry Mansell, Bishop (and Supreme Chaplain) William Lori, and Bishop Michael Cote (see video of the speeches). The Knights of Columbus along with the Catholic bishops and priests of Connecticut won a significant battle with opponents of the Church. But more battles probably lie ahead (read more about the rally and the controversy).

The NJ School Choice Alliance (SCA) is asking for our support of the “Urban Enterprise Zone Jobs Scholarship Act” (S-1607/A-2897) which would allow tax credits to NJ Corporations who contribute to the Scholarship. These funds can be used by residents of inner-cities to send their children to private/parochial schools without decreasing funding to their local school budgets. More information and support for the program can be found at the NJ School Choice Alliance web site.  .