Free Republic

A few weeks ago, U.S. champion skier Bode Miller turned in a stunningly poor performance at the Olympics, with two non-medal finishes, a disqualification and two incomplete races. Unabashed, he told the Associated Press: "I just did it my way. I'm not a martyr, and I'm not a do-gooder. I just want to go out and rock. And man, I rocked here." Mr. Miller's exuberant self-assessment makes him "a poster child" for "Generation Me," says San Diego State University psychology professor Jean Twenge. Americans born after 1970 -- including the so-called Generation X and Millennial Generation -- have become "an...

THE WASHINGTON TIMES As in most culture war issues, the battle over Terri Schiavo's life has attracted an outpouring from an army of traditional values, pro-life, conservative and religious groups. But there is virtual silence from many of their usual adversaries: The National Organization for Women, NARAL Pro-Choice America and other major pro-choice and feminist groups don't mention the brain-damaged Florida woman on their Web sites. Neither does Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the National Council of Churches or the National Coalition for Domestic Violence (NCDV), even though these groups often lock horns with some of the...

Abstinence funds debate heats up on Senate panel By Cheryl Wetzstein and Marion Baillot THE WASHINGTON TIMES A debate about the strict definition of a $50 million-a-year abstinence education grant program is expected tomorrow when a Senate panel convenes to discuss the 1996 welfare law. Sen. Max Baucus of Montana, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, is expected to offer an amendment that would allow states to use their Title V abstinence education funds "how they see fit," says one sex education advocate. At least one Republican on the panel is expected to support Mr. Baucus. Others on...

To some major Massachusetts employers, this year's advent of same-sex "marriage" means the end of their domestic-partnership benefit programs. The decision by IBM Corp., the New York Times Co. and Northeastern University to offer health benefits only to "married" same-sex couples pleases some advocates, but troubles others. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court's Goodridge decision, which legalized same-sex "marriage" as of May 17, "leveled the playing field," said Candace Quinn, vice president of Baystate Health System, which employs 90,000 people. Years ago, she said, Baystate started offering domestic-partner benefits to its homosexual employees, because "they had no other option to cover...

The Washington Timeswww.washingtontimes.com Origin of homosexuality unresolved despite studyBy Cheryl WetzsteinTHE WASHINGTON TIMESPublished November 28, 2004 Even presidents don't have an answer to questions about the origin of homosexuality.     And it's no wonder. Science doesn't have a clear answer either.     During the third presidential debate, moderator and CBS News correspondent Bob Schieffer asked the candidates, "Do you believe homosexuality is a choice?"     "You know, Bob, I don't know. I just don't know," said President Bush, who then urged tolerance, respect and dignity for homosexuals.     "We're all God's children," answered Sen. John Kerry, the Democratic presidential nominee. Referring to Mary Cheney,...

<p>Traditional-values supporters are using Scandinavia and its liberal embrace of domestic partnerships and unwed childbearing to argue why same-sex "marriage" would be unhealthy for American culture.</p> <p>In Scandinavia, marriage is now seen as "outdated," said Stanley Kurtz, senior research fellow at the Hoover Institution. Cohabiting, unwed childbearing and domestic partnerships are now common in these cultures, he said.</p>

<p>In the battle for same-sex "marriage," homosexual rights activists have been using civil rights metaphors to advance their cause.</p> <p>"I am tired of sitting at the back of the bus," said one 37-year-old California man who recently went to San Francisco to "marry" his male partner.</p>

<p>Conservative legal firms yesterday filed a lawsuit in California Supreme Court seeking to stop San Francisco's county clerk from issuing any more "marriage" licenses to same-sex couples.</p> <p>If local officials can declare what is state law and what is not, "we would have complete chaos in the system," said Robert Tyler, a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF).</p>

<p>President Bush's call yesterday for Congress to pass a federal marriage amendment was denounced as a "cheap" political ploy by homosexual rights activists, who pledged to work with their allies in Congress to defeat it.</p> <p>"This is a desperate act by a desperate president. ... Shame on him," Cheryl Jacques, president of the Human Rights Campaign, said at a press conference with several homosexual couples and their children.</p>

<p>San Francisco officials yesterday filed suit against the state of California, saying that state laws outlawing same-sex "marriage" are unconstitutional and unenforceable.</p> <p>The state constitution prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation, San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said yesterday.</p> <p>"The rights afforded by California's constitution clearly trump laws restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples," Mr. Herrera said.</p>

<p>The California state agency that records marriages said yesterday that forms that have been altered, which San Francisco has done on its homosexual "marriage" licenses, will not be registered.</p> <p>California has a standard application form for marriage licenses, "and if it has been altered in any way, then it will not be registered and recorded. It will be sent back to the county of origin," said Nicole Evans, spokeswoman for Kim Belshe, the California Health and Human Services secretary.</p>

<p>The city of San Francisco has issued more than 2,000 "marriage" licenses to homosexual couples over the past four days, an act of civil disobedience that attorneys for two traditional-values groups will seek to end in court today.</p> <p>San Francisco officials have vowed to keep issuing licenses until told to stop by the city's top law-enforcement officer. The licenses are invalid under a voter-passed state initiative defining marriage as between a man and a woman.</p>

<p>City officials in San Francisco, at their mayor's request, yesterday officiated at 87 "marriages" of homosexual couples and issued licenses to 95 more, marking the first time that government officials in the United States have allowed same-sex couples to "marry."</p>

<p>Massachusetts lawmakers yesterday rejected two of three proposed state constitutional amendments to prevent homosexual "marriage."</p> <p>The two houses adjourned last night and lawmakers will return to the Statehouse for a joint session at noon today with no choices but passing an amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman or letting stand a state Supreme Judicial Court decision ordering homosexual "marriages."</p>

<p>Massachusetts lawmakers are gathering today to consider an amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as only the union between one man and one woman.</p> <p>If a majority of the 199 lawmakers support the Marriage Affirmation and Protection Amendment, they will be taking the first step to amending the state constitution.</p>