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September 23, 2005

ACLU launches campaign urging states to reject abstinence-only education

The American Civil Liberties Union this week launched a campaign in 18 states to urge government and school board officials to reject federally funded abstinence-only sex education programs in schools because the programs contain false information, the Washington Times reports. The ACLU, citing a report prepared for Democratic congressman Henry Waxman of California, says that many federally funded abstinence-only programs include false information about the effectiveness of condoms in preventing HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

Called “Not in My State,” the ACLU’s campaign will include letters written to local leaders who have a voice in school sex education curricula decisions in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Wyoming. The letters urge the officials to implement sex education programs that include medically accurate information about sex and sexuality.

Earlier this week, Maine became the third state in the country to refuse federal funds for abstinence-only education. California and Pennsylvania already have rejected abstinence-only funding. The Republican-led Congress approved Bush’s request for $168 million in abstinence education funding for the current fiscal year; Bush has requested $206 million for fiscal 2006. (Advocate.com)


   

This is from there website, the ACLU.

ACLU Announces Nationwide Action Aimed at Combating Dangerous Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Curricula in the States
   
September 21, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: **********

NEW YORK – The American Civil Liberties Union today launched Not In My State, a nationwide action aimed at combating dangerous abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula. In a coordinated effort, ACLU affiliates across the country are sending letters to local officials calling for careful scrutiny of health and life-skills curricula.

“Today’s action should be a wake-up call for many states,” said Louise Melling, Director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project. “State officials need to ensure the health and safety of students by taking responsibility for the curricula taught in their classrooms.”

According to a recent report prepared for Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-CA), many abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula used by federally funded programs contain false and misleading information and perpetuate harmful stereotypes. Perhaps most alarmingly, these curricula misrepresent the effectiveness of contraceptives by vastly understating the effectiveness of condoms at protecting against sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and preventing unintended pregnancy. Such misinformation is particularly alarming given that each year in the United States, nearly 9.1 million 15-24 year olds are infected with an STD and more than 800,000 15-19 year olds become pregnant.

ACLU affiliates in 18 states called on local officials to keep unsafe abstinence-only-until-marriage programs out of the classroom. The letters encourage officials to select health and life-skills curricula that present medically accurate, age-appropriate, and unbiased information about sex and sexuality.

“For too long the federal government has funded abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula that are based on ideology and religion rather than science,” said Jennifer McAllister-Nevins, State Strategies Attorney for the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project and Not In My State campaign coordinator. “Studies show that the overwhelming majority of parents want their children to get all the information they need to protect themselves from unintended pregnancy and STDs. If the federal government continues to censor life-saving information, then it is up to the states to say enough is enough.”

Since 1997, the federal government has poured nearly a billion dollars into abstinence-only-until-marriage programs that deny teenagers critical information they need to prevent pregnancy and the spread of STDs. In addition, many of these programs promote gender stereotypes, discriminate against gay and lesbian youth and all too often proselytize on the public’s dime.

Recent studies show that most abstinence-only programs do not prevent teens from having sex before marriage and that many actually deter teens who become sexually active from using condoms and getting tested and treated for STDs when they start having sex.

On the other hand, evidence shows that teaching teens the importance of abstinence as well as the importance of effective contraceptive use helps teens delay sex and increases condom use among sexually active teens. Currently, no federal program is dedicated to supporting this commonsense approach to sexuality education, the ACLU noted.

The ACLU affiliates participating in today’s action include: Alaska CLU, ACLU of Arkansas, ACLU of North California, ACLU of South California, ACLU of San Diego and Imperial Counties, ACLU of Connecticut, ACLU of Delaware, ACLU of Georgia, ACLU of Illinois, ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, ACLU of Massachusetts, ACLU of Michigan, ACLU of Minnesota, ACLU of Eastern Missouri, ACLU of Nebraska, New York CLU, ACLU of Pennsylvania, ACLU of Rhode Island, ACLU of Tennessee, and ACLU of Wyoming.

To view a sample letter sent by ACLU affiliates to state officials, click here: http://www.********.org/resources/?release=16.

Not In My State is part of the ACLU’s Take Issue, Take Charge campaign. Take Issue, Take Charge is a nationwide campaign to protect reproductive freedom coordinated by the national ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Project in conjunction with ACLU affiliates throughout the country.

To view The Content of Federally Funded Abstinence-Only Education Programs, a report prepared for Representative Henry A. Waxman (D-CA).

Here is the sample letter.
Not In My State: Sample Letter
September 21, 2005

Dear Superintendent,

In recent years, the number of programs and schools teaching abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula has increased. Research shows that these curricula, which deny young people crucial information they need to prevent pregnancy and protect themselves from sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), are ineffective and dangerous. To ensure the health of young people throughout Missouri, we ask your assistance in keeping these unsafe programs out of our schools.

None of us want students misled in the classroom -- particularly when bad information can have lifelong consequences. Yet records indicate that sex education programs in Missouri teach some of the most problematic abstinence-only curricula -- including Choosing the Best; Me, My World, My Future; and A.C. Green's Game Plan. According to a recent congressional report, these programs are among the many abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula that contain false and misleading information and perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

Perhaps most alarmingly, these curricula misrepresent the effectiveness of contraceptives, giving teens the false impression that condoms neither protect against STDs nor prevent unintended pregnancy.(1) Such misinformation is particularly alarming given that each year in the United States, nearly 9.1 million 15-24 year olds are infected with an STD (2) and more than 800,000 teenagers become pregnant.(3)

Despite these statistics, and discounting research by the Centers for Disease Control and others highlighting the effectiveness of condoms at preventing the transmission of HIV and other STDs, abstinence-only-until-marriage curricula send the message that condoms are not worth using. A.C. Green's Game Plan, for example, falsely tells teachers: "[T]he popular claim that 'condoms help prevent the spread of [(STDs)]' is not supported by the data."(4) Choosing the Best and Me, My World, My Future are among the curricula that rely on a scientifically discredited study to dramatically understate the effectiveness of condoms in preventing HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.(5) Choosing the Best also misstates the effectiveness of condoms in preventing pregnancy.(6)

Research shows that this kind of misinformation puts teenagers at risk. According to a recent study by researchers at Yale and Columbia Universities, 88 percent of teenagers who pledge to remain abstinent before marriage, break that pledge, and when they do have sex, they are less likely than other teens to use condoms or be tested for STDs.(7)

Many of these programs also present harmful stereotypes about men and women. Choosing the Best, for example, teaches, "Generally, guys are able to focus better on one activity at a time and may not connect feelings with actions. Girls access both sides of the brain at once, so they often experience feelings and emotions as part of every situation."(8) These biased messages have no place in our schools.

We ask that as the superintendent of schools you confirm that the health and life-skills curricula in your district present medically accurate, age-appropriate, unbiased information about sex and sexuality. Please let us know which curricula your school district uses and how the curricula address these issues. There is ample evidence that programs that include information about both abstinence and the effective use of contraception reduce sexual risk-taking and pregnancy among teens.(9) If you would like assistance identifying comprehensive sexuality education programs to use in your district, please do not hesitate to contact me at the ACLU of Eastern Missouri.

Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
__________________________________________________

Resting in the hands, of Jesus.
Bob

Joshua 24:27 And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.

This one may or may not be considered anti-christian related depending on your viewpoint but I thought I would put it here anyway.

_____________________________


Families of troops counter Sheehan
By Amy Fagan
THE WASHINGTON TIMES
Published September 23, 2005
As Congress this week honored parents whose sons or daughters have been killed in Iraq, some families said Cindy Sheehan and her anti-war group do not represent them and are disrespecting the fallen soldiers.
    "You can't call into question the integrity of the commander in chief without having it call into question the integrity of those under his command," said Diane Ibbotson, whose son Army Cpl. Forest Jostes, 21, died in April 2004 outside Baghdad.
    "Let's talk about the things they've accomplished," she said, listing the end of Saddam Hussein's dictatorship, Iraq's first free elections, and the building of schools and hospitals.
    Mrs. Sheehan lost her son, Army Spc. Casey Sheehan, 24, in the same battle as Mrs. Ibbotson's son, and both women became part of American Gold Star Mothers, a nonprofit, apolitical group of families whose children have died fighting in wars.
    On Wednesday, the House passed a resolution, 416-0, honoring the goals and ideals of the American Gold Star Mothers, which began in 1928. House lawmakers held a bipartisan news event yesterday to honor them.
    American Gold Star Mothers President Judith Young stressed that the group does not comment on political issues.
    Mrs. Ibbotson said it "angered" her that Mrs. Sheehan seemed to be speaking for all of the families who lost children, so she decided to speak out.
    Others had stronger words.
    "What has she done, rather than bitch, gripe and complain?" said Gary Qualls, whose 20-year-old son, Marine Reserve Lance Cpl. Louis Qualls, was killed in Fallujah, Iraq, last fall.
    "There should be nothing but full honor and full respect. Coming from Cindy Sheehan's camp, there's has been nothing but dishonor and disrespect," said Mr. Qualls, who created "Fort Qualls" in Crawford, Texas, to counter Mrs. Sheehan.
    Mrs. Sheehan gained national attention and a following of hundreds as she camped outside of President Bush's ranch in August. She is in Washington with members of her group, Gold Star Families for Peace, to lobby lawmakers and participate this weekend in anti-war events, including a massive rally tomorrow.
    Mrs. Sheehan and two other mothers also teamed up with Win Without War for a million-dollar ad campaign.
    Chuck Larson, president of Families United for our Troops and our Mission, is countering Mrs. Sheehan this weekend in a rally Sunday to support the Iraq effort.
    "These families are oftentimes very frustrated with what's occurring in Washington with the anti-war protesters, and they feel it's time to speak out," he said.
    Mrs. Sheehan yesterday said she is, indeed, supporting the troops by asking lawmakers to bring them home from Iraq.
    "What's harmful for the troops is putting them in harm's way for lies," she said. "I think that's harmful to morale."
    She and several members of her group yesterday met with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. They went to the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist to meet with him, but were turned down. Aides for the Tennessee Republican said the request was "under review."
    Mr. Frist's chief of staff meet with the group instead, but Mrs. Sheehan said Mr. Frist and a few other Republicans who denied meetings, "want to stop dialogue" because "it might be harmful to their political careers."
    Among Mrs. Sheehan's group yesterday was Carlos Arredondo, whose 20-year-old son, Alexander, was killed in Najaf, Iraq, on Aug. 25, 2004 -- his father's birthday.
    Mr. Arredondo lobbied, but said he wasn't there as a Republican or Democrat, just as someone who wants the troops to come home.
    "My son did a wonderful job, and other troops did a wonderful job, but it's time to bring them home," Mr. Arredondo said. "I'm here to make a difference."
    Parents from both groups carried with them -- and eagerly showed -- tangible mementos of their fallen children.
    Mrs. Ibbotson carried a photo of her son and his best friend right before they shipped out, Mr. Qualls carried a poem honoring his son, and Mr. Arredondo, originally from Costa Rica, carried a poster-sized photo of his son, whom he called "my American dream."
    Lawmakers honored these grieving families at the American Gold Star Mothers event earlier yesterday.
    "With each soldier that does not come home, there's a family that suffers the most," said Rep. Jack Kingston, Georgia Republican.
    "I can only imagine the pain," Rep. Shelley Berkley, Nevada Democrat, told the mothers.
   

FROM WND'S JERUSALEM BUREAU
Israel: Al-Qaida likely in Gaza
Information indicates international group infiltrated from Egypt

Posted: September 23, 2005
9:16 a.m. Eastern

By Aaron Klein

JERUSALEM – Israel has information al-Qaida-linked members likely infiltrated the Gaza Strip while its border with Egypt was opened last week, senior security officials told WND.

"Militants linked to Hezbollah, al-Qaida and other international terror groups are now very likely in Gaza," said a senior security official. "The groups had set up bases in the Sinai that are still functioning, and we have information indicating members managed to get inside Gaza. These are people with advanced knowledge in specific kinds of deadly attacks and explosions."

Palestinians officials denied the claim.

The Israeli statements also were made by Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev, who said, "We're talking about Iran, we're talking elements in Syria, we're talking about groups like Hezbollah and we're talking also about international terrorist groups like al-Qaida," referring to terrorists crossing into Gaza.

In line with internationally backed agreements, 750 Egyptian troops deployed along the Egypt-Gaza border earlier this week to monitor the flow of traffic and halt weapons smuggling in the area. But for most of last week, following Israel's withdrawal of its last military installations from Gaza, the border with Egypt was wide open, with thousands of Palestinians – including known terrorists – passing freely from one side to the other.

Palestinian officials admitted terror groups were able to smuggle tons of weapons into Gaza, including explosives, ammunition and rocket propelled grenades that had long been stockpiled in Sinai.

The worry al-Qaida agents made it to Gaza is especially poignant, security officials point out, because Egypt has had difficulty eliminating al-Qaida cells in the Sinai desert suspected of involvement in recent attacks, including the bombings in Sharm el Sheikh in July and Taba last year, which together killed more than 100 people.

Yaacov Amidror, former chief of research for Israeli military intelligence, told WND, "We don't know the exact status of al-Qaida in the Sinai. They have surprised Egypt with attacks, and cells there are very likely still in tact."

Security officials fear al-Qaida terrorists they say are now in Gaza will try to direct operatives from Sinai into the Negev to make their way into the West Bank's Palestinian population centers.

Israeli border police the past few days arrested more than 35 Palestinian residents of Gaza attempting to infiltrate the Israeli Negev along the Egypt border.

"The concern is great these international groups will use Gaza as their forward base to stage attacks against Israel, including the large-scale style of attacks al-Qaida is famous for," said a security official.

Chief Palestinian Negotiator Saeb Erekat this morning denied al-Qaida was in Gaza.

"These reports are baseless," Erekat told WND. "Egypt did a good job in cracking down on cells in their country and they wouldn't have allowed any al-Qaida people to get into Gaza."

An aide to PA Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei told WND on condition of anonymity, "it would certainly be against our interests to say al-Qaida was in our territory."

Analysts long have warned that after Israel carried out its withdrawal, the Gaza Strip could become a safe haven for international terrorists, including al-Qaida.

Amidror previously told WND: "Today, one of the weaknesses of al-Qaida is its lack of a safe haven in the Middle East. The new realities in Gaza will make it one of the most convenient places for al-Qaida to base their global operations. The Gaza Strip will become a paradise because it will be an area in which the population and the terror groups in power, especially Hamas, share the same ideology as al-Qaida."

Reuven Erlich, director of the Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center at Israel's Center for Special Studies, stressed the common ideological links between al-Qaida and Hamas, which is now one of the main power brokers in Gaza.

The link, Erlich told WND, can be emphasized through Palestinian cleric Dr. Abdullah Azzam, who was al-Qaida's ideologue and until Azzam's death, Osama bin Laden's spiritual mentor.

"We found Azzam's picture on Hamas posters from Gaza and a lot of Hamas' material," said Erlich. "Azzam's portrait in materials reveal that he is perceived by Hamas as one of the four 'outstanding figures' of the Islamic 'struggle' in Palestine and around the world."

Al-Qaida several times has claimed a presence in the Gaza Strip.

A group calling itself Jundallah or "Allah's Brigade" claimed in May it set up shop in Gaza. The new terror group was said to consist mainly of former Hamas and Islamic Jihad members who believe Palestinian terror groups have become too moderate. Jundallah says it has close ties to al-Qaida in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.

Palestinian Authority officials told reporters the establishment of Jundallah confirmed suspicions al-Qaida was attempting to gain a foothold in Gaza before Israel carried out its withdrawal.

Also, a Palestinian with Canadian citizenship was arrested in 2003 on suspicion of having been sent by an international jihad group to Israel to direct terror attacks.

In June 2000, the Shin Bet arrested Nabil Ukal, a Palestinian resident of the Gaza Strip, who was convicted of attempting to create an al-Qaida network in Gaza. Ukal reportedly admitted during interrogation to attending Islamic extremist training camps in Afghanistan and was in contact with Hamas spiritual leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, whom the IDF assassinated last year.

Boeing apologizes to CAIR for ad
Depicted U.S. soldiers rappelling onto roof of mosque
Posted: October 1, 2005
1:00 a.m. Eastern


© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

A controversial Muslim lobby group in Washington said it has elicited apologies from the Boeing Co., Bell Helicopter Textron and the National Journal for publishing an advertisement depicting U.S. troops attacking a mosque.

The Washington-based Council on American Islamic Relations, or CAIR, said it sent a letter Thursday to top officials of Boeing, Bell and parent company Textron asking for an investigation into how the ad was approved for publication.

"We thank Boeing, Bell and National Journal for their swift and decisive response to our concerns," said CAIR Executive Director Nihad Awad. "Mistakes can happen, but the true test of a company's integrity comes in acknowledging and dealing with those mistakes."

The ad for the CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft depicted soldiers rappelling onto the roof of a building, labeled "Muhammad Mosque" in Arabic.

CAIR noted the building "has a dome, crescent moon and minaret, all common features of a mosque."

A CAIR news release said Awad "will follow up with all parties involved to determine how the ad was produced and to help prevent similar incidents in the future."

American Muslim groups, according to CAIR, "are always ready to consult with corporations and media outlets on issues related to religious diversity and culturally-sensitive advertising."

In its reply to CAIR, Boeing stated: "The CV-22 advertisement that appeared in the National Journal is clearly offensive, and did not proceed through the normal channels within Boeing before production."

Mary Foerster, vice president of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems Communications, said, "We consider the ad offensive, regret its publication and apologize to those who like us are dismayed with its contents."

Foerster said that when Boeing became aware of the advertisement, the company immediately requested its partner's agency withdraw and destroy all print proofs and replace it with one that was appropriate.

"Unfortunately despite our best efforts to have the ad replaced, a clerical error at the National Journal resulted in its publication this week," she said.

CAIR said representatives of Bell Helicopter and National Journal also contacted the Muslim group to express regret for the publication of the ad.

National Journal Executive Vice President Elizabeth Baker Keffer said the ad "was run as the result of a clerical error on our part. We had received specific direction from the agency representing Boeing/Bell to not run the ad. We have apologized to Boeing, their partner Bell, and their advertising agency for this mistake."

A Bell statement sent to CAIR said in part: "We recognize that some organizations and individuals may have been offended by its content and regrets any concerns this advertisement may have raised. Bell and our partners are evaluating creative processes to prevent this from happening again."

CAIR, which recently urged Congress to pass a resolution officially recognizing the Islamic fast of Ramadan, regularly seeks apologies for alleged offenses against Islam.

But the organization is a spin-off of the Islamic Association for Palestine, identified by two former FBI counterterrorism chiefs as a "front group" for Hamas. Several CAIR leaders have been convicted on terror-related charges.

Although CAIR signed a fatwa, or decree, condemning terrorism in general, the group repeatedly has attacked the prosecutions of Islamic terrorists arrested or convicted since 9-11 and the government's freezing of Islamic terrorist fronts, calling it a "war against Islam" by the United States.

Boeing apologizes to CAIR for ad (http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=46610)

Note; Thats a bunch of bull! >:(