Week of April 25, 2005
The Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit at Gulf Coast Exploreum in Mobile, Ala.,
will remain until May 8 instead of closing at the end of April as
planned. More than 130,000 persons have visited the exhibit, the
largest display of Dead Sea Scrolls ever in the United States. The
turnout led exhibitors to add two weeks to the display run. The exhibit
hall is running at about 90 percent to 95 percent capacity almost every
hour of the day. For ticket information, call (877) 377-7469.
The Oregon Supreme Court recently ruled that marriage licenses issued
to same-sex couples last year are invalid, while refusing to take up
the issue of civil unions. The Oregon case began in March 2004 when
Multnomah County – the state’s most populous county – began issuing
marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The state refused to recognize
the licenses and said they were invalid. Liberal and homosexual
activist groups then sued the state, seeking recognition of the
licenses, which numbered more than 3,000. They also requested that
same-sex marriages be legalized statewide. The controversy sparked a
grassroots movement to pass a constitutional marriage amendment in
Oregon banning same-sex marriages. Such an amendment – called “Measure
36” – passed in November with 57 percent of the vote. With the
constitution amended, lawyers for same-sex couples asked the Oregon
Supreme Court to legalize civil unions, which grant most of the legal
benefits of marriage without using the word “marriage.” They also
argued the constitutional amendment did not apply retroactively and
that Multnomah County’s licenses should be recognized. The high court
disagreed on both counts.
The U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals recently rejected a suit by
Planned Parenthood and cleared the way for the state of Louisiana to
issue pro-life license plates. The appeals court overturned a federal
judge’s ruling that blocked distribution of the “Choose Life” plates.
“We applaud the Fifth Circuit’s ruling in this case,” a supporter of
the plates noted. “Planned Parenthood and others … didn’t like the
fact that Louisiana can select a pro-life license plate option, so they
attempted to get the federal courts to declare all of Louisiana’s
voluntary specialty plates unconstitutional.”
A rewarding spiritual life may help slow the devastation of Alzheimer’s
disease, a preliminary study indicates. “The data suggest there may be
an association, meaning people with higher levels of spirituality and
religiosity have a slower progression of Alzheimer’s disease,” said
Yakir Kaufman, director of neurology services at Sarah Herzog Memorial
Hospital in Jerusalem. Other research in recent years has shown a
relationship between spirituality and better health as well. However,
Kaufman and his co-authors stressed caution when interpreting the
results, saying a larger study is needed. For this study, researchers
assessed 68 people with probable Alzheimer’s, assessing their spiritual
activities. Participants who had high levels of spirituality or
religiosity seemed to have a slower progression of cognitive decline.
The authors said the results could be related to a number of factors,
including religiosity, feelings of well-being and stress. New York City
hospice worker Vincent Corso said he was not surprised by the findings.
“What’s important to people is how much they’re able to connect with
the people around them,” he said. “If that creates a feeling of
well-being, then, that aids in the healing process.”
The U.S. Supreme Court recently announced it will not review a lower
court ruling affirming a Massachusetts law that bars communication with
people within a certain distance of abortion clinics. The law in
question was enacted in 2000 and establishes a six-foot, floating
buffer zone around people approaching abortion clinics. It prohibits
the distribution of leaflets, display of signs or oral communication
without permission within that restricted space. The floating zone must
be within an 18-foot radius of a clinic entrance or driveway. The
measure also restricts the ability of sidewalk counselors and picketers
to communicate with women considering abortion. Once enacted, the law
was challenged in court. A federal judge overturned the measure, saying
it violates the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. However, the
First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed that ruling. The decision by
the nation’s high court means the law remains in effect in
Massachusetts.
Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell has signed a same-sex civil unions bill
into law, making the state the first to pass such a measure without a
court mandate. Rell signed the bill into law shortly after the
Connecticut Senate passed the bill 26-8. It previously had passed the
House. The new law means that – beginning Oct. 1 – homosexual couples
will be able to join in state-sanctioned unions that grant them most of
the legal benefits of marriage. Connecticut joins Vermont as the
only states to legalize civil unions. Massachusetts is still the only
state that has legalized same-sex marriages. However, the laws in
Massachusetts and Vermont were court-ordered. The Connecticut bill was
passed voluntarily. California has domestic partnerships, although they
are not as expansive as civil unions. California’s law also was passed
voluntarily. “Civil unions are marriage without the name,” an opponent
of the Connecticut law noted. “In fact, it’s an attempt by same-sex
marriage advocates to cut away at marriage. They have publicly stated
that the fight won’t end with civil unions. It’s a gradual chipping
away until they ultimately win their prize.” Despite the action, civil
unions are not recognized by the federal government.
A boycott of Procter & Gamble has been suspended after a review of
the company’s behavior. The American Family Association has lifted the
boycott it started last fall because Proctor & Gamble has ceased
advertising heavily on pro-homosexual television shows, as well as
on homosexual Web sites. “They have done enough to show us that
they are no longer promoting the homosexual lifestyle,” American Family
Association President Tim Wildmon said. Wildmon said he is not
surprised Procter & Gamble is not admitting the boycott affected
their advertising policies or their bottom line. “Most of the time
these companies are very stubborn,” he said. “Procter & Gamble is
not going to admit that they’ve changed their ways because of our
boycott; … that’s just not how most companies operate. But that’s
okay because we’re more interested in their actions, and their actions
show that they’re being more responsible with their advertising
dollars.” In a brief statement. Procter & Gamble spokesperson said
he is pleased to learn the boycott has been lifted. Procter &
Gamble makes such products as Crest toothpaste, Tide detergent and
Pampers diapers.