Free Republic

Writing from the UK, my good friend Deacon Nick Donnelly of Protect the Pope reports that: Archbishop Nichols has re-affirmed the Archdiocese of Westminster’s provision of pastoral care to homosexuals through the so called Soho Masses, while at the same time announcing that he is undertaking a review of the current provision to ensure these Masses are not occasions for opposition to the Church’s teaching on sexuality: ‘At the present time consideration is being given to the circumstances in which these Masses are celebrated to ensure that their purpose is respected and that they are not occasions for confusion or...

Former West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel, running for Congress in District 22, no longer has U.S. Rep. Allen West, R-Plantation, to rail against. West announced he’ll be running in District 18 this year. Frankel now chooses to ignore her most immediate opponents -- Kristin Jacobs, who she’ll be facing in the Democratic primary, and Adam Hasner, the presumed Republican nominee -- to set her sights on bigger game. The former mayor chose to redirect her anger and frustration at the entire U.S. House Republican leadership and the Roman Catholic Church hierarchy. Well, no one can say she doesn’t set...

As many states move forward with pro-growth spending and tax reforms, a couple of state legislatures are taking steps in the opposite direction. Legislators in Virginia and Kansas are advancing bills that seek to dissolve the physical nexus standard in their respective states and implement an Internet sales tax on out-of-state companies. This type of tax will not only kill jobs and close down businesses, as it has done in other states, but it is also entirely unconstitutional. In Kansas, SB 371 moves to push the long arm of the tax collector past its appropriate state boundary and count third-party...

At their website, the Clare Booth Luce Policy Institute has an excellent article refuting the lies of those who promote the anti-Catholic production The Vagina Monologues, a pornographic play which encourages violence against women. Entitled, "The Vagina Monologues Facts vs. Fallacies," the article refutes the top ten common claims made by V-Day organizers and supporters: 1) Claim: "The play empowers/liberates women." False: The Vagina Monologues is a lie. It does not empower women with its message that: women's identity and image are wrapped up in their sexual organs. True empowerment lies in the heart and the mind. Consider these images...

The Most Rev. John D'Arcy, Bishop of Fort Wayne-South Bend, in a statement which may be found here, asks, "What is wrong with the text of this play [The Vagina Monologues]? It distorts the beautiful gift of human sexuality, clouding its richness so it becomes merely the seeking of pleasure. Sexuality in the Catholic tradition is always related to the gift of self to another. 'Sexuality is an enrichment of the whole person — body, emotions and soul — and it manifests its inmost meaning in leading the person to the gift of self in love.' (Familiaris Consortio, Pope John...

MANCHESTER, UK ... An alleged rapist and child pimp told a 15-year-old girl that he was doing nothing wrong by delivering her to numerous Pakistani men for sex because “in his country you’re allowed to have sex with girls from the age of 11”, a court was told yesterday.The 59-year-old man, who cannot be named, is one of 11 men accused of a series of sexual offences over a two-year period against young teenagers from Rochdale, Greater Manchester. Five vulnerable girls, aged from 13 to 15, are said to have been groomed with gifts of alcohol, food and money by...

Ain't that rich. A Texas politician who crusaded against drugs has been charged by federal authorities with trafficking the wacky weed. The DEA arrested El Paso County Commissioner Guillermo "Willie" Gandara Jr. on Wednesday as reported by Daniel Borunda for the El Paso Times: "the federal indictment alleges that Gandara was nicknamed the 'Godfather' and conspired to distribute more than 110 pounds of marijuana and that the drugs would be stored for distribution at a property the commissioner owned on Coker Road in his hometown of Socorro." Last year Gandara's father, former Socorro Mayor Willie Gandara Sr., was indicted on...

A federal grand jury in Washington, D.C., is investigating a man who allegedly used Twitter to threaten U.S. Rep. and former presidential candidate Michele Bachmann. SNIP In his opinion, the judge deemed the messages too crude to print, and said the poor taste was almost incomprehensible. But he did argue that the government has a compelling interest in investigating the threats against Bachmann and needs the Mr. X's identity to determine the threat's legitimacy.

For every action, there is an opposite and equal reaction. As states continue to crack down on things like voter ID while others continue to seek ways to enforce immigration laws, near all states are now also trying to protect their most coveted form of ID-- the driver license...

Is Clark University partially responsible for the climate which led to the sexual assault of a woman on campus? WHDH is reporting that: "Worcester police are investigating an alleged sexual assault after a Clark University student says she was attacked early Thursday morning. The 20-year-old student says she was walking home at around 3:30 Thursday morning. Investigators say the victim was on Clifton Street when she was approached by three men in a car. According to police, a man in the backseat grabbed the woman, slapped her, stole her purse and sexually assaulted her." See here. As I noted in...

Democrats in Washington State’s House of Representatives have unveiled their budget proposal – HB 2127 – which they claim closes a $1 billion budget shortfall without raising taxes or borrowing money. In reality, the budget does raise taxes, and relies on accounting gimmicks to solve their $1 billion spending problem. The budget proposal, along with SB 2728, would allow counties in Washington State to add a 6-perent utility tax that in many instances would wind up on taxpayers’ cell phone bills. Washington State already has the 2nd highest national tax burden on wireless, with a combined state and federal rate...

University of Virginian Lacrosse player George Huguely V was found guilty by a jury after about 9 hours of deliberations. “The Huguely jury bravely executed their oath of service in a sensational murder case which contained issues of domestic violence, alcohol use, and cutting edge forensic evidence.

Tennessee is the home for the production of the 2013 Infiniti JX. This is the first luxury vehicle ever produced in the “Sounds Good to Me” state. The first 2013 Infiniti JX rolled off the production line in Emerald Green. A special ceremony at Nissan’s Smyrna Vehicle Assembly Plant was organized to celebrate the occasion. The 2013 Infiniti JX 7-passenger ride is set to go on sale nationwide at Infiniti retailers in the upcoming month. Susan Brennan, Vice President Manufacturing Smyrna – Decherd exclaimed, “We are extremely proud and honored to be building this world-class vehicle right here in Middle...

The state's independent Legislative Analyst's Office warns that Gov. Jerry Brown relies on too much money from cap-and-trade taxes to shore up the state's beleaguered budget. In his 2012-13 budget, the governor overestimates how much relief he can expect from businesses forced to buy "credits" beginning in August to permit greenhouse gas emissions. The 2011-12 budget fell billions short of Mr. Brown's projected revenue, despite his boast last year that it was balanced....

What exactly did Occupy Charlotte accomplish before it was dismantled? That is hard to tell from what is probably the most comprehensive “inside” article written about it to date by the Huffington Post. It follows the self-appointed leader of the Charlotte group before what remained of the occupy movement here was disassembled. “I’ve gotten a lot of criticism, especially in the local paper, because one of the reporters said Vic Suter, 22, quit her job to come out to occupy and everybody just started responding, oh she must be an idiot you know,” Vic Suter says, referring to what Charlotte...

I recall a few years ago I was engaged in our favorite national pastime – waiting in the drive-thru line at the local Tim Horton’s – when I noticed a Canadian Forces truck pull in behind me, occupied by two of our Finest. Figuring it was the least I could do, I told the girl at the window to put the next order on my tab. After a couple of double-double coffees and a box of Timbits were added, I got my stuff and moved on. A store across the parking lot was my final stop before home. I had...

Peter Kantorowski wanted his 98-year-old mother to move into a nursing home or live with him. She wouldn't go; she didn't want to leave her home of nearly 60 years. Finally, Kantorowski went to court – and served his mother with an eviction notice shortly before her 98th birthday in December. Mary Kantorowski says she won't leave the small yellow house she's been in since 1953, raising her two sons and cooking for the church she attended daily. The house her late husband wanted her to stay in until she died; the house she says is her "everything." "I don't...

SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — I’m parked outside the fieldstone and adobe mansion at 29005 North 82nd Street at sunrise, eating my low-fat yogurt from the free breakfast bar at the Quality Inn, and listening to the one-note whistle of the Phainopepla birds high in the Palo Verde trees. The first yellow blossoms of the year are bursting from the Potentillas, and the teddy-bear cholla cacti look fluffy enough to hug. Bad idea. This is the fashionable north side of Scottsdale, land of sun, sand, saguaros, and surveillance cameras. Up here, an hour out of central Phoenix, the streets have names like...

Occupy Redwood City has announced they are working with the Tea Party to shine the light on the One Bay Area process. Occupy Redwood City has to date never spoken with anyone from this tea party group about this issue. We want to point out that the Tea Party adamantly opposes the ONE BAY AREA plan as entirely unconstitutional. We agree with OWS that the public input process and the regional bodies pushing it have been less than transparent and there is no accountability to the tax payers. However, we do not think having more rigged workshops is the answer....

The Forsyth County (NC) Commissioners voted 4 to 2 to allow concealed carry in all areas of county parks in the county. Unlike the City of Winston-Salem which is located within Forsyth County, the commissioners seem to have listened to their constituents. From GRNC: The approved ordinance not only allows concealed carry in all parks, recreational facilities, trails, greenways, etc., but also adds a provision for keeping one's gun locked in a vehicle in ANY county property - meaning county properties beyond parks. The only exceptions to allowing concealed carry in parks are Tanglewood (where alcohol may be sold and...