2000 Little Notes
December
November
October
September
July/August
June
May
April
March
February
January

Letters

Confessions
Talk About Movies
Roamin' Catholic
Follow Me




Contents © 2000
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

NOVEMBER 2000 LITTLE NOTES

---

In her webpage titled "On the Sanctity of Life," found on her web site (www.votefordiane.org), Templin declares, "I am Pro-Life 100% with NO EXCEPTIONS." She also recounts her own experience: "Twenty-two years ago, I had an abortion and know that taking the life of the baby within my womb was the worst decision I ever made and I have regretted it ever since. I tell young girls [at] every opportunity I get that I had an abortion so that I can share with them the years of guilt and anguish I had and how I have reaped what I sowed -- spiritually, mentally, emotionally and physically." Templin's essay includes the entire text of Mother Teresa's famous 1994 statement identifying abortion as a root cause of violence, which concludes, "This is why the greatest destroyer of love and peace is abortion."

According to Templin, in previous elections, pro-family organizations such as the California Pro-Life Council and the Christian Coalition have been unwilling to list pro-life, third party candidates on their candidate slates, even when they have not endorsed the Democratic or Republican candidate for a particular race. She is concerned that, if the past is prologue, she will not be listed as an endorsed candidate for this year's senate race. For more information contact Templin at 2596 Jefferson St. #6, Carlsbad, CA 92008; phone 760-729-7014; e-mail: DT@votefordiane.org.


ATTENTION PRAYERFUL single men and women! the Holy Trinity Trappist-Cistercian Monastery for men, located in Huntsville, Utah, and the St. Rita Trappist-Cistercian Monastery for women, in Sonoita, Arizona will host two live-in experiences November 24-28 and January 3-7. Learn about the life and hear talks given by the monks. College groups welcome. No cost, but space limited. Godfrey (Gilad) Barcelon from San Diego has recently stayed with the Trappists; contact him for information, 858-484-6329 or 909-236-9638. Or call Natalie Smith, 954-340-5705 for reservations.


SURROGATE MOTHERHOOD advertisements, which appeared in July issues of the El Cajon Pennysaver, are "appropriate for a family publication," according to Dave Clark, Pennysaver's vice president of marketing. In a September telephone interview, Clark explained why the Pennysaver agreed to run an ad for the "Center for Surrogate Parenting, Inc. and Egg Donation, Inc." in its July 11 issue and another ad for "Building Families Through Surrogacy" in its July 18 issue.

"Until two years ago this month, we didn't carry any of these ads. On September 1, 1998, we re-evaluated our policy and made a determination that we would start to carry them because people were asking for them. People would call saying they wanted to run an ad, both parties [the surrogacy centers and people seeking to have children via surrogacy]."

When asked if other types of ads, such as abortion clinics or adult bookstores, are included in his company's policy, Clark said no. "We are a family publication. We take that very seriously, so we want to provide ads that are appropriate for a family setting. This just happens to be one we changed our position on."

Carol Weathers, spokeswoman for Building Families Through Surrogacy said that her organization sporadically runs ads in San Diego County Pennysavers. She explained, "The Pennysaver is one of the few advertising circulars delivered to the home."

She defended the practice of surrogate parenting, saying, "This is the only way for some couples to have their own biological child. It's no different from any other couple. My ad doesn't mention anything about compensation [to the surrogate mother]. Many women who call me don't realize there's any compensation involved. Everybody knows somebody who can't have a baby. Women call me because they have a gift -- the ability to carry a child -- and they want to share that gift."

When asked what she pays successful surrogates, Weathers said, "It's minimal -- maybe $10,000 over the course of a year. We don't pay it all at once."

Weathers said, "We've been in operation for a little over 10 years. Last November we celebrated the birth of our 100th baby. We have approximately 125 babies now."

"Adoption is different," she concluded, "because someone is giving up a child. Surrogacy, emotionally, is about a woman helping another woman and coming together to create this baby."


"I'M THE ONLY PRO-LIFE SAN DIEGO CITY COUNCIL CANDIDATE," proclaims Tom Cleary of Scripps Ranch, who is running for Barbara Warden's I-15 corridor District 5 seat. A member of St. Gregory the Great parish, Cleary has been chief of staff for Byron Wear and has garnered endorsements of social conservatives like Steve Baldwin and Howard Kaloogian and strong pro-aborts like Tricia Hunter and Lionel Van Deerlin. Cleary says he's in favor of the Boy Scout leases with the city and against the city's needle exchange program. Cleary's opponent on November 7 is Rancho Bernardo's Brian Maienschein, supported by labor unions and -- in the primary election -- $38,000 of his own cash. Cleary claims that Mira Mesa-Scripps Ranch have become more "vote-potent" than Rancho Bernardo in recent elections and give him an edge. For information, call 858-547-9132, fax 858-549-2548, website: www.cleary4council.com.


A LONG-TIME EMPLOYEE of the United States Postal Service, Mark, was concerned when he saw fliers posted recruiting postal employees to participate in the Gay Pride Parade held on July 22 in San Diego. "MARCHERS NEEDED," the fliers read. "Employees must wear their uniforms OR a Postal T-Shirt, AND BE OFF THE CLOCK!" On March 31, Mark had written a request for permission for mostly Catholic postal employees to participate in Walk For Life 2000 to benefit Silent Voices, a group that serves women with crisis pregnancies and post-abortion syndrome. The Walk for Life date of April 29 passed without response from the postal service manager.

A second letter was sent to the manager on July 12, this time signed by 24 postal employees, again asking for a decision concerning uniformed participation in pro-life events. The letter stated, "Notices posted in the plant are encouraging employees to attend [the Gay Pride Parade].... This is unfortunate because those of us interested in joining pro-life functions in our postal uniforms are still in limbo regarding official permission."

On August 18, Mark received a letter from the manager denying permission for pro-life events. The letter explained, "The Postal Service does not sanction the wearing of uniforms in events that are of a political, religious, or moral nature. The Postal Service does allow the wearing of uniforms in events that celebrate heritage, history, or are officially recognized."

Mark contacted the American Center for Law and Justice which sent Wilson a four-page letter informing him that the postal service was engaged in "unconstitutional viewpoint discrimination." The center's attorney Gary McCaleb stated, "The resolution to this issue is straightforward: the USPS must either cease supporting employees' outside moral, political, and religious interests, or provide the benefit on a content- and viewpoint-neutral basis."

The letter also requested that the upcoming Life Chain be given the same support that the Gay Pride event had been given and requested a response in time for postal employees to participate in the October 1 pro-life event. Mark was informed on October 3, that the postal service had contacted his attorneys and had admitted that the the postal service had improperly participated in the Gay Pride Parade but would no longer do so. Shreves remains doubtful. "We'll just have to wait and see if they keep their word," he said.


"HOW A METHODIST LEARNED TO COURT CATHOLICS," in the September 29 Wall Street Journal op-ed page: "Catholics, at 30% of the electorate, have long been a key swing vote. But what distinguishes the Bush effort is its attempt to distinguish among Catholics. The campaign is targeting active, church-going Catholics who share many of the same cultural concerns as Christian evangelicals.

"It all started with a call from Bush strategist Karl Rove in January 1999. He dialed Deal Hudson, editor of Crisis magazine, who had sponsored a path-breaking study of Catholic voting patterns. Mr. Hudson had been dragged to GOP 'outreach' events before but found them all 'pure window dressing.'

"This sounded different. Soon he and other prominent Catholics were in Austin, meeting with Messrs. Rove and Bush, and liking what they heard, on both economic and moral issues. 'We asked if he'd support legal means to end third-trimester abortions.' recalls Mr. Hudson, a Catholic convert. Bush said, "Deal, that's a no-brainer." He also said he'd support a 'pro-life ambassador to the United Nations.'

"....The acid test ... will come in the next six weeks. The GOP Catholic project, now run by [Steve] Wagner, has built a mailing list of two million active Catholics in swing states: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, New Jersey, and Illinois at first, plus four more -- Ohio, Florida, Maine, and Louisiana-- as the race tightened this month.

"The plan is to hit each of those voters with two phone calls and two mailings by Election Day. 'American Catholics ask: Which presidential candidate represents our values?' the first mailing declares, above a photo of a priest among schoolkids."


RANDY THOMASSON, former vice president and communications director of the Sacramento-based Capitol Resource Institute, recently formed the Campaign for California Families, which describes itself as "fighting to restore family-friendly values." The new group ran newspaper ads in English and Spanish and orchestrated a "Stop the Insanity" tour in September, to pressure Governor Gray Davis to veto four anti-family bills. Thomasson toured the state in a motorhome, holding press conferences and rallies in front of Davis' regional offices in several California cities. On September 11, the tour came to the steps of San Diego's state government building, at 1350 Front Street. The campaign held a press conference featuring Thomasson; Republican Assemblyman Steve Baldwin of San Diego; Reverend Jesse Lee Peterson, president of Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny, a Los Angeles African-American group; David Reynoso, a Los Angeles pro-family activist; and Donna Sigalas, of the Orange County-based Parents' Rights USA. The press conference was covered by the local Fox Television affiliate and KUSI TV. Between twenty and thirty local residents attended, in support of the tour. At the press conference, Baldwin told a News Notes reporter that San Diego's Senator Steve Peace deserved credit for "leading the charge against the bill that would have created special rights for cross dressers. The "Stop the Insanity" tour received coverage in several California dailies and on WorldNetDaily.com and NewsMax.com, leading conservative news sites on the Internet.

On September 30, Davis signed AB 1785 and 1931. He vetoed AB 2421 and 2000. AB 1785 will teach appreciation of homosexual and bisexual behavior to schoolchildren as and requires teachers of immigrant children to receive homosexual "human relations education." It classifies certain speech on the public school campus as a "hate motivated incident." AB 1931 provides over $2 million in taxpayer funds for "tolerance" field trips and "hate violence" programs and training in public schools. AB 2000 would have established a statewide "California Human Relations Commission" to equate homosexual behavior with racial and ethnic diversity. AB 2421 would have allowed cohabiting, unmarried heterosexual couples in which one partner is at least 62, to register as "domestic partners" with the secretary of state.

In light of AB 1931's approval, the Campaign for California Families is urging parents to stop sending their children on public school field trips. The organization notes that "tolerance" excursions in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania have meant children attending homosexual sex seminars and touring homosexual bookstores.

In addition to these four bills, during the California legislature's 2000 session, Davis signed three bills that implement the radical homosexual agenda and vetoed four. The three that he signed are AB 1856, by Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl, which mandates nondiscrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation" under the Fair Employment and Housing Act; AB 2418, which bans nondiscrimination on the basis of "sexual orientation" in jury selection; and SB 2025, by Senator John Burton, which adds "sexual orientation" to the Civil Service Act, thereby adding it as a category under which employment discrimination is prohibited. Other controversial bills which reached the governor's desk were SB 370, which softens penalties for illegal abortions and AB 2068, which mandates intrusive questioning of school children. Davis signed SB 370 and vetoed AB 2068. Controversial bills that were introduced but not passed included three homosexual "domestic partners" bills, the "cross dressing" bill, a school health clinic bill that would have undermined parental rights, a bill that would have awarded parental rights to non-parents, a pro-radical homosexual "hatred" education bill, and a bill that would have authorized police persecution of peaceful pro-life demonstrators. State Senator Ray Haynes and Assemblyman Steve Baldwin requested that Peter Lepiscopo, a San Diego attorney, submit his analysis of AB 1785 and AB 1326 (the failed "hatred" education bill) to the California Senate and Assembly. Lepiscopo's analysis, dated August 21, 2000, concluded that both bills would violate students', teachers' and administrators' rights to freedom of speech, religion and association.

For more information, contact the Campaign for California Families, P.O. Box 782, Sacramento, CA 95812 / 916-443-1410 / e-mail: mail@savecalifornia.com

TOP