Tag Archives: Barack Obama

Commentary

Obama’s latest radical leftist nominee would curtail religious liberty

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Check out this post from Laura at Pursuing Holiness. (H/T ECM)

Excerpt:

Ms. Feldblum explains that she does feel empathy when the rights of religious people are subordinated to that of LGBT people*, but it must, and will, happen. She intends to make it happen.

[…]In example after example she advocates for the right of LGBT people to make religious people conduct business in a way that they feel violates their core principles. It’s a touchy issue. I was happy to build websites for gay clients when it was for restaurants, real estate, and other businesses that had nothing to do with sex – but when asked to submit a quote to build a gay dating site, I referred the caller to another developer who was glad to bid for the project. Shall the law side with Ms. Feldblum’s dignity or with my religious freedom?

[…]So to sum up, the cure for her deep, intangible hurt is not to go freely associate with other people, but to force others to do what she wants… this is how she will rule when appointed to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

She’s done a lot of digging, and cites extensively from Chai Feldblum’s work, so I recommend clicking through and having a look. This is important, especially for those of us who live and breathe apologetics. If nominees like Jones, Jennings and Feldblum are appointed, it is very likely the ability to carry out an authentic Christian life in the public square will be be curtailed. Including apologetics.

This happens all the time in Canada, where people like Chai Feldblum are running the show:

My previous post on Obama’s nominee for safe-school czar is here, and another post about the FRC’s opposition to him. And the Obama administration is backing limitations on free speech at the United Nations. These are serious issues and if they are ignored, we will be facing the same situations you can see in Canada today.

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News

Obama administration backs restrictions on free speech at the United Nations

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Story from the Weekly Standard. (H/T Confederate Yankee via ECM)

Excerpt:

The Obama administration has marked its first foray into the UN human rights establishment by backing calls for limits on freedom of expression. The newly-minted American policy was rolled out at the latest session of the UN Human Rights Council, which ended in Geneva on Friday.

[…]In introducing the resolution on Thursday, October 1–adopted by consensus the following day–the ranking U.S. diplomat, Chargé d’Affaires Douglas Griffiths, crowed:

“The United States is very pleased to present this joint project with Egypt. This initiative is a manifestation of the Obama administration’s commitment to multilateral engagement throughout the United Nations and of our genuine desire to seek and build cooperation based upon mutual interest and mutual respect in pursuit of our shared common principles of tolerance and the dignity of all human beings.”

His Egyptian counterpart, Ambassador Hisham Badr, was equally pleased–for all the wrong reasons. He praised the development by telling the Council that “freedom of expression . . . has been sometimes misused,” insisting on limits consistent with the “true nature of this right” and demanding that the “the media must . . . conduct . . . itself in a professional and ethical manner.”

[…]Pakistan’s Ambassador Zamir Akram, speaking on behalf of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, made it clear that they understand the resolution and its protection against religious stereotyping as allowing free speech to be trumped by anything that defames or negatively stereotypes religion. The idea of protecting the human rights “of religions” instead of individuals is a favorite of those countries that do not protect free speech and which use religion–as defined by government–to curtail it.

Speaking as a Christian who values religious liberty, I would not use the power of the state to silence the free speech of people who “offend” me by disagreeing with me. That’s fine with me. In any case, these “human rights” laws are almost never used to defend the free speech of Christians. The fact that Egypt and Pakistan approve of Obama’s plan doesn’t fill me with confidence about who is likely to benefit.

Now might be a good time to review how restrictions on free speech worked out in Canada, where offended Muslims sue news publications and news magazines for citing the actual words of radical Imams or publishing the Mohammed cartoons.

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News

MUST-SEE: Megyn Kelly of Fox News exposes the truth about ACORN

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Megyn “Tyrannosaurus Rex” Kelly interviews ACORN founder Wade Rathke! (H/T Nice Deb)

(This was original in 6 clips, but they were removed. Now the first video lets you click on to the second part at any time!)

Part one explores how ACORN’s goals are centered on increasing the number of welfare recipients, and making them politically active in order to pass more welfare programs. ACORN’s motto is discusses, which explicitly mentions redistributing wealth (socialism).

Part Two talks about the Community Reinvestment Act, which forces banks to make loans to people who can’t afford them. Also discusses ACORN’s support for higher minimum wage rates, which causes unemployment among the poor, and increases welfare rolls. ACORN also supports unions and also intimidates businesses to pay them money or be “protested”. ACORN’s close, long-term relationship with Obama is discussed.

Part Three explores the funding of ACORN, and the way that organizations linked to ACORN advocate for political causes. ACORN’s links to SEIU are also discussed in this episode. ACORN’s financial scandals, including embezzlement of funds by the founder’s brother, are also discussed. (No, he was NOT fired!)

Part Four talks about ACORN’s efforts to register voters in areas where voters vote mostly Democrat. The problem is that ACORN is now charged with voter fraud for turning in fraudulent voter registrations. Details about some of the trials going on right now are discussed.

Part Five explains how Democrat politicians block investigations of ACORN. ACORN is accused of being a criminal enterprise from the ground up. The new sting videos are from O’Keefe and Giles showing ACORN encouraging criminal activity are discussed.

Part Six shows the founder of ACORN and the current CEO spinning the findings from the previous episodes, taking no responsibility. The founder calls the videos “scurrilous”. ACORN is the victim, don’t you see? The series concludes by noting that ACORN has opened offices in several countries, including India.

I also note for our Canadian readers that ACORN International has opened offices in Toronto and Vancouver. It’s global communism.