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"MARRIAGE" In The News
(October 2007) |
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The news articles and features presented below are simply an indication of how topical, controversial, and all-encompassing the issues surrounding marriage are throughout our society--and the world-- today. Some of the views and opinions expressed, and their respective web sites, do NOT reflect the views or opinions of The Real Proposal™ magazine. Many are highlighted largely to reiterate that the alarming statistical trends on the chaotic state of "Marriage" and "Family"--outlined in "A Mere Glimpse"--will continue unabated without a fundamental grasp and purposeful dissemination of TRUTH on the issues.
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- Americans Still Reject Same-Sex Marriage Angus Reid Global Monitor, October 31, 2007
Abstract: Most people in the United States remain opposed to granting specific legal recognition to homosexual partners, according to a poll by Opinion Research Corporation released by CNN. 56 per cent of respondents think marriages between homosexuals should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. . . .
RELATED POLL: Poll majority: Gays' orientation can't change CNN.com, June 27, 2007
RELATED ARTICLES: Uncovering America: Fighting For Acceptance- A Focus on the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community CNN.com
RELATED ARTICLE: Media provides cover for assault on traditional marriage CNN.com, By James C. Dobson, June 28, 2006
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Polling Data
Do you think marriages between homosexuals should or should not be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages?
Oct. 2007 Aug. 2007
Should 40% 40%
Should not 56% 57%
Unsure 3% 3% Source: Opinion Research Corporation / CNN
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,212 American adults, conducted from Oct. 12 to Oct. 14, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
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- Same-Sex Unions Split Opinions in U.S. Angus Reid Global Monitor, October 28, 2007
Abstract: American adults remain divided on finding a way to acknowledge gay and lesbian partnerships, according to a poll by Bloomberg and the Los Angeles Times. 30 per cent of respondents would allow same-sex couples to legally marry, 26 per cent would allow them to form civil unions, and 38 per cent would grant no legal recognition to these partnerships. . . . . In an Oct. 21 televised debate, several Republican Party presidential hopefuls discussed their views on same-sex unions. Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani said federal action might be required if more states grant homosexual couples the right to marry, adding, "If a lot of states start to do that—three, four, five, six states, where we have that kind of judicial activism, (...) we’re dealing with a real problem. Then we should have a constitutional amendment." Texas congressman Ron Paul declared: "All voluntary associations, whether they’re economic or social, should be protected by the law." . . . .
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Polling Data
Which of the following statements comes closest to your view? - "Same-sex couples should be allowed to legally marry", or "Same-sex couples should be allowed to legally form civil unions, but not marry", or "Same-sex couples should not be allowed to either marry or form civil unions".
Legally marry 30%
Legally form civil unions but not marry 26%
No marriage or civil union 38%
Don't know 6% Source: Bloomberg / Los Angeles Times
Methodology: Telephone interviews with 1,209 American adults, conducted from Oct. 19 to Oct. 22, 2007. Margin of error is 3 per cent.
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- Tripped by the evidence in Commonwealth vs. Cirignano The Pilot, By Daniel Avila, October 26, 2007
Sometimes the good guy wins. On Oct. 22, a Worcester jury acquitted Larry Cirignano of criminal charges stemming from much disputed events at a marriage rally held in front of the Worcester city hall last year. At the time the criminal complaint was filed, Larry was the executive director of the Boston-based lay group Catholic Citizenship, an ally on public policy issues for the state's Catholic bishops. Larry was accused, wrongly, of pushing a counter-demonstrator to the ground, and causing her to bang her head on the sidewalk. For those who dare to defend traditional marriage and other politically incorrect values in Massachusetts, the case of Commonwealth v. Cirignano serves as both warning and encouragement. What are the undisputed facts? . . . . . At the October trial before a different judge, Gilleran was able to get the civil rights complaint thrown out. He convinced the trial judge that an earlier free speech decision of the U.S. Supreme Court applied. The ruling recognized that the organizers of South Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade, by virtue of getting a permit, had their own free speech rights and thus could prevent activists from crashing the parade to express their support for gay causes. Thus Loy did not have a civil right to crash the marriage rally, and over the objections of the district attorney, the Worcester judge ruled in Larry's favor. This was a huge victory but it was not the last. . . .
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- Kansas high court rules against sperm donor Kansas City Star, By David Klepper, October 26, 2007
A man who donated sperm to a friend and then sought joint custody of the children lost out in the state Supreme Court on Friday. The court upheld a 1994 state law that says sperm donors have no parental rights or obligations unless they have a written agreement with the mother. The law was meant to prevent frivolous custody battles and child support lawsuits. Daryl Hendrix, of Topeka, challenged the law after attempts to gain joint custody of the woman’s twins failed. She delivered twins in 2005, after a physician artificially inseminated her with Hendrix’s sperm. Hendrix maintains that he and the unmarried woman had an oral agreement to share custody of the children. The woman, an attorney, said there was no such agreement. . . . . In a 4-2 decision, the court held that the state law is justified and clear: if Hendrix wanted a relationship with the children, he should have put it in writing. “Generally speaking, mere ignorance of the law is no excuse for failing to abide by it,” reads the decision, written by Justice Carol Beier. “He (the donor) can unilaterally refuse to participate unless a written agreement on his terms exists,” Beier wrote. “After donation, the male cannot force the fatherhood issue.”. . . .
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- Genarlow Wilson rejoices over his release: Georgia Supreme Court rules his sentence was cruel and unusual By The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, By Tammy Joyner, October 26, 2007
Wilson shook their hands, broke into a wide grin, hugged his mother, Juannessa Bennett, and then picked up his little sister, Jiaya, 9, and held her. Just hours earlier, the Georgia Supreme Court had ordered his release, calling his 10-year prison sentence "cruel and unusual punishment" under the state and federal constitutions. harbored no bitterness and still believes in the justice system — especially now that he's been freed. "I was waiting to see it for myself before I took anyone else's word for it," Wilson, now 21, said of his release. "It felt unreal just to sign the papers to actually let me know I was leaving." Wilson's four-year legal odyssey has inflamed racial tensions in Georgia while capturing the nation's attention. . . . The case stems from a drug- and alcohol-fueled New Year's Eve party Wilson attended at a Douglasville hotel in 2003. Wilson was charged with raping a 17-year-old girl at the party, but was acquitted. He was ultimately found guilty of felony aggravated child molestation for receiving oral sex from the 15-year-old girl, a crime that carried a minimum 10-year prison sentence under state law at the time. Four other male youths at the party pleaded guilty to child molestation of the 15-year-old and sexual battery of the 17-year-old. A fifth pleaded guilty to false imprisonment. Their party was captured on a profanity-laden and sexually graphic video filmed by one of the male youths. . . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Teen’s 10-Year-Term for Consensual Sex Draws Attention to Georgia Law BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Monica Lewis, January 10, 2006
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RELATED ARTICLE: Dying to Date TownHall.com, By Kathleen Parker, November 16, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: With All The Reasons Teens Have for Abstaining from Sex, Possible Prison Shouldn’t Be Among Them BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Deborah Mathis, October 28, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Chief Justice: 'Evolving standards of decency' helped determine Wilson case The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, By Bill Rankin, October 27, 2007 RELATED ARTICLE: The Teenage Casualties of Casual Sex Townhall.com, By Doug Giles, September 22, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Can Oral Sex Cause Throat Cancer? Be Safe, Not Sorry LifeScript.com, By Edward C. Geehr, MD, May 27, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Sex and Schoolkids Townhall.com, By Jeff Jacoby, Oct 24, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: Oral Sex Common Among U.S. Teens Fox News-WebMD, By Miranda Hitti, Sept 16, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: Sex habits Linked to Early Death, Disability Fox News- WebMD, By Jennifer Warner, Jan 26, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: More Teens Delay First-Time Sex Fox News-WebMD, By Miranda Hitti, Dec 10, 2004
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- Toll of Divorce on Children, Lindsay Lohan The Christian Post, By Nathan Black, October 26 2007
Can children recover from their parents' divorce? With divorce no longer the shocking reality it once was decades ago, even within the Christian community, a pro-family ministry dedicated to restoring marriages is drawing attention to the children affected by separated parents and the negative toll it could have on them. "Most divorcing parents are concerned about their children's reactions to their separation and divorce," said Tricia Cunningham, director of Support Resources for the National Institute of Marriage. "They want to know if their children will grow up to be happy and healthy." For 21-year-old actress Lindsay Lohan, star of "Mean Girls" and "Freaky Friday" among other films, the recent divorce of her parents has caused her to act out, she said. Lohan had been charged with drunken driving and cocaine possession and recently checked out of a rehab clinic in Utah earlier this month. It was her third trip to rehab since January. Her father, Michael Lohan, blames himself for Lindsay's troubles. "How can I not? I mean, we lead by example," he told The Associated Press on Wednesday. Michael Lohan and his wife Dina were involved in a bitter divorce battle before settling their divorce in August. They had been close to a divorce settlement in 2005 but the deal fell through when Michael had to serve nearly a two-year prison term for drunken driving. He was released in March and entered a Christian-based drug and rehabilitation center in West Babylon, N.Y. "It saddens me," said daughter Lindsay, according to World Entertainment News Network. "I wish it would stop. It hurts when two people you love argue with one another. I don't think any child wants to see their parents argue or see their family fall apart. . . . . Michael is now a spokesman for GodMen, a new Christian men's movement that aims to renew men's faith through masculinity and frank conversations brother to brother. Moreover, he hopes to get things right with his family. "I've had such an effect on my family and my daughter Lindsay, and I want to show them through my example that you can right the wrongs and turn it around,” said Michael. . . . .
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RELATED ARTICLE: Lindsay Lohan gets up close and personal on her hotel balcony with her THIRD man in 24 hours The Daily Mail- UK, January 1, 2008
RELATED ARTICLE: Lohan’s father takes blame for her troubles: Born-again ex-con wants family to get right with God MSNBC.com, October 25, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Lindsay Lohan named in divorce papers of British heiress The Daily Mail-UK, September 23, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Unexpected Legacy of Divorce PBS.org, December 19, 2000
Judith Wallerstein discusses her latest book, "The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce," an analysis of the long-term effect of divorce on children. RELATED ARTICLE: Transcript From Chat with Dr. Judith Wallerstein PBS.org, April 18, 2001
RELATED ARTICLE: Dr. Bad News Salon.com, By Cathy Young, October 3, 2000
After conducting a massive 25-year study, Judith Wallerstein concludes that children of divorce are hit hardest after they grow up.
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- Alabama court annuls sexless marriage of Czech citizen International Herald Tribune, October 26, 2007
MONTGOMERY, Alabama: The bride might have been tipped off on the honeymoon: The newlyweds went to the picturesque Smoky Mountains region, where they slept in separate tents. Then there was the husband's complaint about her weight. Antoinette Walters Janda said she lost 65 pounds (29 1/2 kilograms) to be more appealing to her husband, Jiri Janda, but he still would not make love to her. Her complaint, spelled out in court testimony, led a state appeals court Friday to annul the Janda's sexless marriage — a decision that could mean the husband, a Czech citizen, could lose the immigration status that has allowed him to live in the United States for several years. The 5-0 decision of the Alabama Court of Civil Appeals determined that the marriage could be voided with an annulment, even though the couple lived in the same house for nearly two years before separating. Writing for the court, Judge Terry Moore said that "traditionally a sexual relationship is implicit in marriage vows and that an unstated intent, held at the time of the marriage ceremony, to utterly refuse to engage in a sexual relationship with the other party is a fraud that alters the very essence of the marriage.". . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Q & A: My wife has no desire for sex. What can I do? TODAY Show- MSNBC.com, By Dr. Gail Saltz, October 25, 2007
Dr. Gail Saltz offers a heartbroken husband tips to rekindle the flame
RELATED ARTICLE: Many times, it is the husband who withholds sex Noblesville Daily Times, By Mark Smith LCSW, October 16, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Love will keep us together: Georgia State researchers on the puzzle of sexless marriage The Sunday Paper, By Stephanie Ramage, February 18, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Domestic duties in an erotic world Sydney Morning Herald- Australia, Mark Coultan, February 16, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: "Not Tonight Dear, I Have a Headache": 4 Ways to Save Your Sexless Marriage LifeScript.com, By Emily Battaglia, LifeScript Staff Writer
RELATED ARTICLE: Sexless marriages: When couples stop coupling Iconocast.com
RELATED ARTICLE: Myths About Sexless Marriage Passionate Marriage.com- Marriage & Family Heath Center with Dr. David Schnarch & Dr. Ruth Morehouse
RELATED QUIZ: Do you have a sexless relationship? Dateline-MSNBC.com, By Drs. David Schnarch and Ruth Morehouse
This quiz, based on over 40 years of clinical experience and reviewing research on sex and marriage, can help you assess the sexual side of your relationship. Rather than measuring your adequacy or rating your marriage, use it to scrutinize your love life and decide if you want to change it. Read each question and choose the answer that best fits your experience. . . . .
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- Is marriage a dumb move?
Falling in love after years of building wealth can make life complicated. Tying the knot can sometimes makes it worse. CNNMoney- Money magazine, By Jennifer Merritt, October 25, 2007
. . . . . Mann and Wally are a conventional enough couple that not getting married never crossed their minds. But these days it occurs to plenty of other couples of a certain age and wealth who are put off by the risk and inconvenience of joining two financially mature households. It's a matter of security and ease: Had Mann and Wally simply opted to live together, for example, they wouldn't have had to deal with sorting out the ownership of two homes, deciding on a succession plan for Mann's business or protecting the inheritance for Wally's four kids from his two previous marriages. No wonder that over the past decade the number of unmarried partners over the age of 65 has increased by 70 percent. The decision to wed or not, of course, is between you, your intended and your conscience. But you should realize that from a coldhearted financial perspective, the U.S. tax code and Social Security rules don't necessarily come down in favor of marriage for people with a substantial amount of assets. True, you'll automatically reap certain legal benefits from tying the knot, such as access to employee perks or a greater voice in health-care decisions. On the other hand, you may find yourself paying a significant price, from lost income to higher taxes. So whether you plan to say "I do," or "Let's not," be sure to ask yourself these questions first. . . . .
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- Married With Children: Could anything be crazier? Salvo magazine, By Kate Bluett
The New York Times reported on October 15, 2006, that married couples—“with and without children”—now make up a minority of American households. Don’t worry, the Times hurried to assure its readers, marriage isn’t dead: “The total number of married couples is higher than ever, and most Americans eventually marry.” Be that as it may, the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University finds that the likelihood of an American marrying has been declining for decades, and the average age at first marriage has risen since 1960 from 23 to 27 for men and from 20 to 26 for women. “Huh,” thinks the girl who married at 24. “Who’d have thought my youngish marriage and big church wedding—sans prenuptial agreement or a trial period of living together—could be considered nonconformist?”. . . . . Fewer and fewer are choosing parenthood; who, after all, would voluntarily choose the worse life? To older ears, this may sound like merely a rhetorical question. Of course people want to have kids, don’t they? But my generation, caught between “Imagine” and American Idol, grew up being told that “me-time” at the spa is one of life’s little necessities and that self-fulfillment is the first duty of every person, but especially of every self-respecting woman. Add to that self-involved psyche the trauma of divorce and an overwhelmingly consumerist milieu, and suddenly the reasons for “breeding” no longer seem self-evident. Parenthood doesn’t just look worse; it looks like madness. . . .
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- Nicole Kidman is deeply in love, but not happy The Daily Mail- UK, October 23, 2007
Nicole Kidman says she's "deeply in love" with her new husband country music star Keith Urban, but stops short of describing their marriage as "happy". The pair married in Sydney in June of last year but their newlywed bliss was short lived, with Urban checking into rehab for a 90 day stint just four months later. The actress says that despite her strong feelings, love is no guarantee that the relationship will last. She told US magazine Interview: "You never know where something's going. "My husband and I are committed to each other and deeply in love. That's how I would put it. We are working on staying in that place and hopefully we will for the rest of our lives." . . . . In a recent interview with Vanity Fair, in which she revealed she suffer a miscarriage at 23, Kidman said: "I'm yearning to have one. I think I would be very sad if I wasn't able to have a baby. "Keith knows I want one, and he has been getting there slowly. My husband really wants a couple of years, he said, 'Where I just have you.' So it's kind of romantic. That's what we decided." . . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Nicole Kidman Says 'Married Life Comes First' People magazine, By Jeffrey Slonim, November 9, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Nicole Kidman-Keith Urban divorce on the cards? Zee News, January 6, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Rep: Keith Urban Is Still in Rehab People magazine, By Stephen M. Silverman, December 28, 2006
RELATED ARTICLE: How Nicole's new husband cheated on her with a party girl The Daily Mail- UK, By Caroline Graham, December 24, 2007
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- Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal come out as a couple during a romantic trip to Rome The Daily Mail- UK, October 24, 2007
There has been much speculation about their relationship and now Reese Witherspoon and Jake Gyllenhaal have finally come out as a couple. The pair met on set of the upcoming movie Rendition and have now taken their romance public - they were spotted holding hands and canoodling during a romantic trip to Rome. Witherspoon, 31, whose divorce from former husband Ryan Phillippe was finalised this month, had previously denied a romance with the Brokeback Mountain star. The pair first began dating around March this year, although they were careful to avoid being photographed together. However, Reese, who has two children Ava, 8, and Deacon, 3, called the romance off in June, according to reports. Now it's clear their love affair is most definitely back on. . . .
- Heidi Klum's Risqué Story of Falling for Seal People magazine, By Mike Fleeman, October 24, 2007
If Seal and Heidi Klum's children ever ask about how their parents fell in love, the couple may have to make something up. "I met him in a hotel lobby in New York City and he came in just from the gym and I was sitting there and I was, like, wow," Klum tells Oprah Winfrey on her show's Superstar Couples episode set to air Thursday. Wow, as in Seal was wearing bicycle shorts. "And I pretty much saw everything," says Klum. "The whole package.". . . .
RELATED LINK: Superstar Couples Oprah.com, Show aired October 25, 2007
Project Runway's Heidi Klum and Grammy winner Seal—their first television interview together! Then, music legend Stevie Wonder and his fashion designer wife, Kai Milla, give you a look inside their lives. . . .
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- The Marriage Behind The Clintons
Book Examines Impact Of Their Relationship On Their Careers, And The Nation CBS- The ShowBuzz, By Sally Bedell Smith, October 23, 2007
The marriage of Bill and Hillary Clinton is one of the most fascinating and scrutinized of our time. A simple Google search reveals more than 40 books about the couple. In the latest, For Love of Politics: Bill and Hillary Clinton: The White House Years, author and Vanity Fair contributing editor Sally Bedell Smith takes an intricate look at the ties that bind them. She examines the impact their relationship has had, and continues to have, on their careers, and the nation, as Hillary seeks to build on her role as a New York Senator to become the second Clinton in the Oval Office. It details everything from Hillary's short-lived healthcare policy push early in Bill's administration, to her subsequent, extended behind-the-scenes role in her husband's White House, to Bill's sex scandals, and their celebrity status today. It also explores the sometimes strained relationship among Bill, Hillary and Al Gore. The book's publisher, Random House, says, "During their eight years in the White House, Bill and Hillary Clinton worked together more closely than the public ever knew. Their intertwined personal and professional lives had far-reaching consequences for politics, domestic policy, and international affairs, and their marital troubles became a national soap opera.". . . .
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RELATED ARTICLE: The Real Clinton Marriage Media Ignore NewsBusters.org, By Noel Sheppard, October 25, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Courting Black Voters In Essence Washington Post Blog, Posted by Krissah Williams, October 23, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: The Hillary Clinton Effect Essence magazine, By Isabel Wilkerson, November 2007 Issue
When the Clintons took over the White House in the 1990’s, they made a special connection with Black Americans. Now Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton wants to be elected president, and polling data says with African-American women casting six out of every ten votes, we could be the tipping point. Journalist Isabel Wilkerson joined her on the campaign trail to see what we really think about having another Clinton in the White House. Read excerpts from her article in the November issue of ESSENCE, plus some additional quotes, plus check out Wilkerson's one-on-one with former President Bill Clinton. . . .
RELATED INTERVIEW: WOR radio's Steve Malzberg interviewed best-selling author Sally Bedell Smith about her recent book on the Clintons appropriately titled "For Love of Politics."
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- Obama: Blacks, Gays, and Homophobic Gospel Singers EURweb, By Jasmyne Cannick, October 23, 2007
Presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama recently announced his plans to go on an "Embrace the Change! Gospel Concert Series" tour through South Carolina this week with gospel singers Donnie McClurkin and Mary Mary in order to drum up support for his campaign. I am not surprised by his campaign's decision to pair up with McClurkin and Mary Mary. Let's face it, whether you like them or not, they are two of America's most popular gospel singers. However, I am surprised that given the number of high profile openly gay men and women working on Obama's campaign, that neither one of those choices set off a red flag for any of them. . . . So what's the deal with Donnie McClurkin and Mary Mary? Well, it's no secret among Black same-gender loving people that Donnie McClurkin went from being a gay man, to being a heterosexual gay bashing gospel singer and preacher. And sister's Mary Mary made it crystal clear earlier this year in an interview with Vibe Magazine how they felt about gays. When asked how they felt about homosexuality and having a gay following they likened gays to prostitutes and murderers. "I feel how God feels about it, um, but I still love them. You know what I mean? I don't agree with the lifestyle, but I love them. . . . .
RELATED ARTICLE: Obama hit over anti-gay gospel singers Bay Area Reporter, By Lisa Keen, October 25, 2007
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RELATED ARTICLE: Gay Minister Joins Obama Concert in SC Salon.com, By Nedra Pickler, October 24, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: 'From Darkness to Light: The Donnie McClurkin Story AOL Black Voices- By Celia C. Peters
RELATED ARTICLE: The Crime of Conviction: General Pace and Morality Breakpoint.org, By Chuck Colson, March 15, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Same-Sex “Marriage,” “Hate Crimes,” and the New Totalitarianism LifeSite Special Report, By Michael D. O’Brien, February 28, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: I’m not Homophobic; I’m Chick-O-Centric TownHall.com, By Doug Giles, February 24, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Are you a 'marriage biggot'? WorldNetDaily, By Daniel Avila, Esq., July 3, 2006
RELATED ARTICLE: The Senator who cried 'bigot' Townhall.com- By Maggie Gallagher, June 6, 2006
RELATED ARTICLE: Same-Sex marriage: Hijacking the Civil Rights Legacy- The indiscriminate promotion of various social groups' desires and preferences as "rights" has drained the moral authority from the civil rights industry The Weekly Standard- By Eugene F. Rivers & Kenneth D. Johnson, June 1, 2006
RELATED ARTICLE: Are God's People Sexual Beings? The Black Church and Sexuality AOL BLack Voices- By Angela Bronner, May 17, 2006
RELATED ARTICLE: Don't be manipulated by the master marketers Townhall.com, By Rebecca Hagelin, Oct 4, 2005
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- The New Girl Order
The Carrie Bradshaw lifestyle is showing up in unexpected places, with unintended consequences. City Journal, By Kay S. Hymowitz, Autumn 2007
After my Lot Airlines flight from New York touched down at Warsaw's Frédéric Chopin Airport a few months back, I watched a middle-aged passenger rush to embrace a waiting younger woman-clearly her daughter. Like many people on the plane, the older woman wore drab clothing and had the short, square physique of someone familiar with too many potatoes and too much manual labor. Her Poland-based daughter, by contrast, was tall and smartly outfitted in pointy-toed pumps, slim-cut jeans, a cropped jacket revealing a toned midriff (Yoga? Pilates? Or just a low-carb diet?), and a large, brass-studded leather bag, into which she dropped a silver cell phone. Yes: Carrie Bradshaw is alive and well and living in Warsaw. Well, not just Warsaw. Conceived and raised in the United States, Carrie may still see New York as a spiritual home. But today you can find her in cities across Europe, Asia, and North America. Seek out the trendy shoe stores in Shanghai, Berlin, Singapore, Seoul, and Dublin, and you'll see crowds of single young females (SYFs) in their twenties and thirties, who spend their hours working their abs and their careers, sipping cocktails, dancing at clubs, and (yawn) talking about relationships. Sex and the City has gone global; the SYF world is now flat. . . . .
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RELATED ARTICLE: Modern rules of engagement: multiple partners, prenups and the "I'm taken" conversation Sydney Morning Herald, By Samantha Brett, September 11, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Here Comes the Bride...But When? TownHall.com, By Rebecca Hagelin, July 13, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Married people are happier than unmarried people... so this country's got a problem Kennebec Journal- Morning Sentinel, By Joseph R. Reisert, January 19, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Unprotected Townhall.com, By Mona Charen, January 5, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Are We Happy Yet? Pew Research Center, February 13, 2006
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- Tough, Sad and Smart: Cosby's Crusade Against Epidemic of Fatherlessness New York Times, By Bob Herbert, October 16, 2007
They are a longtime odd couple, Bill Cosby and Harvard's Dr. Alvin Poussaint, and their latest campaign is nothing less than an effort to save the soul of black America. Mr. Cosby, of course, is the boisterous veteran comedian who has spent the last few years hammering home some brutal truths about self-destructive behavior within the African-American community. . . . . Dr. Poussaint is a quiet, elegant professor of psychiatry who, in public at least, is in no way funny. He teaches at the Harvard Medical School and is a staff member at the Judge Baker Children's Center in Boston, where he sees kids struggling in some of the toughest circumstances imaginable. I always wonder, whenever I talk to Dr. Poussaint, why he isn't better known. He's one of the smartest individuals in the country on issues of race, class and justice. For three years, Mr. Cosby and Dr. Poussaint have been traveling the country, meeting with as many people as possible to explore the problems facing the black community. There is a sense of deep sadness and loss - grief - evident in both men over the tragedy that has befallen so many blacks in America. They were on "Meet the Press" for the entire hour Sunday, talking about their new book, a cri de coeur against the forces of self-sabotage titled, "Come On, People: On the Path From Victims to Victors.". . .
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RELATED ARTICLE: Blacks See Growing Values Gap Between Poor and Middle Class: Optimism About Black Progress Declines Pew Research Center, November 13, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Bill Cosby’s ‘Come On, People’ Akin to Marcus Garvey’s Appeal, ‘Up, You Mighty Race’ BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Joseph C. Phillips, October 29, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Bill Cosby: African-Americans 'Not Holding Up Their End of the Deal' ABC News.com, June 29, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: The Most Effective Anti-Poverty Program Ever Created? Marriage BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Joseph C. Phillips, October 11, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: Marriage Found to Improve the Lives of Black Families National Center for Policy Analysis, October 28, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: Coming Soon to a Book Store Near You – ‘Men, Come Home’ BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Deborah Mathis, August 7, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: Why Our Black Families Are Failing Washington Post, By William Raspberry, July 25, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: A New Marriage Proposal Time magazine, By Rebecca Winters, October 31, 2004
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RELATED ARTICLE: The Moral of the "Where's Daddy" Series? Sex doesn't just sell-- it costs BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Gregory Kane, July 20, 2005 RELATED ARTICLE: We Can't Blame White Folks For Our Missing Fathers And Unknown Grandfathers BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Gregory Kane, July 13, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: As His Son Was Selling Drugs and Getting Shot, Where Was 50 Cent's Father? BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Gregory Kane, July 7, 2005 RELATED ARTICLE: As Young Black Girls Continue to be Preyed Upon, Where Are Their Fathers? BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Gregory Kane, June 29, 2005 RELATED ARTICLE: As Black Child After Black Child Dies, Where Are Their Fathers? BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Gregory Kane, June 23, 2005
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- Broken up - together
In a twist on staying together for the kids, divorced parents are bucking convention with new living arrangements. Mom's upstairs, Dad's downstairs, and they meet her boyfriend in the garden for drinks
Globe And Mail (Canada), By Sarah Hampson, October 18, 2007
I have a friend whose father is on his fifth marriage. All of the unions except the last, which he is still in (for the moment), ended in divorce. My friend's mother, who was Mrs. OrigiWife, has gone to all of her ex's subsequent remarriages. "She's very fond of him," my friend says. But the intimacy between his parents is darkly comic. "My mother always introduces herself to the new bride," he explains. "But it's not just about being friendly to the new stepmother. She wonders if the poor girl has any idea what she's getting herself into. It's almost like a form of entertainment. She's handing over the baton." A bond may exist between former spouses, but often it's dysfunctional. "The flipside of love is not hate. It is anger," says Linda Chodos, a social worker who specializes in high-conflict divorce. Tension with an ex is just another way of saying, "I'm not over you." It's an expression of emotional obsession, of heated connection. Like sex between you used to be. If you didn't care about your former spouse, you wouldn't bother to engage. But is it possible for ex-partners to really bury the hatchet? Can hostility shift completely to respect? . . . . .
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RELATED ARTICLE: Divorced Parents Split Time in Same Home: Couple Say the Arrangement Provides Stability for Children ABC News- Good Morning America, May 30, 2006
RELATED ARTICLE: The Divorce Dilemma: Sociologist finds that even amicable divorces are likely to have negative effects on children University of Texas at Austin- By Michele Bryant, Mar 30, 2006
RELATED ARTICLE: Divided they fall TownHall.com, By Jennifer Roback Morse, October 17, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: Child's-eye view of divorce The Telegraph- UK, July 12, 2005
RELATED ARTICLE: The Top Ten Myths of Divorce: Discussion of the most common misinformation about divorce, with references to social science literature The National Marriage Project- Rutgers University, By David Popenoe, April 2001
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- Tragically Widening the Grounds of Legitimate Divorce DesiringGod.org, By John Piper, October 17, 2007
The October issue of Christianity Today carried an astonishing article on divorce and remarriage by David Instone-Brewer. What makes it especially amazing is that CT simply published it as if it were faithful to Scripture, with no counterpoint, and used the phrase on the cover “when to separate,” not “whether to separate”—even though Jesus said, “What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mark 10:9). To put it bluntly, the implication of this article is that every marriage I am aware of could already have legitimately ended in divorce. I knew I disagreed with Instone-Brewer’s position. . . . My aim here is not to persuade people that this understanding of the exception clause is right. My aim is to say that David Instone-Brewer’s argument is not compelling—neither the argument from the “any-cause divorce” in rabbinic literature, nor the argument from Exodus 21:10-11. It is what I caution my students against. Beware of what looks like scholarly rank-pulling. For example, Brewer says, “I likely read every surviving writing of the rabbis of Jesus’ time. I ‘got inside their heads.’” So when he comes to the texts of the New Testament he says, “I was now reading them like a first-century Jew would have read them, and this time those confusing passages made more sense.”. . . . . In sum, what I am pleading for here is that Jesus’ standards for marriage were higher than the rabbinic schools. He is radical, not accommodating. The world we live in needs to see a church that is so satisfied in Christ that its marriages are not abandoned for something as amorphous as “emotional neglect.” The deepest meaning of marriage is to display the covenant-keeping faithfulness of Christ and his church (Ephesians 5:25). And Christ will never divorce his wife and take another. . . . .
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- Many times, it is the husband who withholds sex Noblesville Daily Times, By Mark Smith LCSW, October 16, 2007
Historically in my practice, it has almost always been the wife who shuts down sexually due to a variety of reasons – unresolved conflict, not feeling emotionally close, being too stressed and too busy, hormonal issues, etc. I am, however, beginning to see an increasingly common pattern of marriages where the husband is actually the one who withdraws from the sexual relationship. If you are in such a marriage or you know of such a marriage I will give you some reasons for it as well as some direction to address those issues. In my experience, there are seven main reasons for a husband giving up on sex in a marriage: 1. Unresolved conflict, 2. Repressed sexual neediness, 3. Depression, 4. Involvement in an affair, 5. Sexual identity issues, 6. Low testosterone, 7. Erection disorders. Numbers 1 through 4 are difficult but doable fixes, number 5 is a deal breaker, and numbers 6 and 7 are a piece of cake. Therapy is about truth. When I sit in front of a couple where the husband has given up on sex, my job is to figure which of the seven reasons fit. They always tell me everything that I need to know in short order. My first order of business is actually not with the hubby at all. If the wife is feeling hurt, abandoned, victimized, bitter and angry, then I start there. We ALWAYS marry the right person. I believe that if we pick a spouse who abandons us in any way that is actually our choice, our destiny, our work and our responsibility. It is about our childhood wounds that we need to have re-enacted in our marriage. . . . .
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RELATED ARTICLE: Love will keep us together: Georgia State researchers on the puzzle of sexless marriage The Sunday Paper, By Stephanie Ramage, February 18, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Domestic duties in an erotic world Sydney Morning Herald- Australia, Mark Coultan, February 16, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: "Not Tonight Dear, I Have a Headache": 4 Ways to Save Your Sexless Marriage LifeScript.com, By Emily Battaglia, LifeScript Staff Writer
RELATED ARTICLE: Sexless marriages: When couples stop coupling Iconocast.com
RELATED ARTICLE: Myths About Sexless Marriage Passionate Marriage.com- Marriage & Family Heath Center with Dr. David Schnarch & Dr. Ruth Morehouse
RELATED QUIZ: Do you have a sexless relationship? Dateline-MSNBC.com, By Drs. David Schnarch and Ruth Morehouse
This quiz, based on over 40 years of clinical experience and reviewing research on sex and marriage, can help you assess the sexual side of your relationship. Rather than measuring your adequacy or rating your marriage, use it to scrutinize your love life and decide if you want to change it. Read each question and choose the answer that best fits your experience. . . . .
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- Superstar Colin tells of 'blessed' life with special needs child The Independent- IRELAND, October 15, 2007
Hollywood superstar Colin Farrell yesterday opened his heart and revealed that his four-year-old son James is a special-needs child. The renowned Irish actor revealed that his treasured son was born with a rare form of cerebral palsy called Angelman Syndrome. In a moving interview, the actor described how the condition has affected his sons speech and mobility. But despite the heartbreak the syndrome has caused he said that he is “incredibly blessed to have him in my life” and told of his joy when James recently took his first steps. He said that his son had shown “amazing courage” in the first four years of his life and that he is an “incredibly happy boy” despite his condition. Ironically Colin – who has joint custody of James with his mother Kim Bordenave – proudly led the Irish team to Croke Park for the Special Olympics before his son was born. . . . . . "With my son the only time I'm reminded that there is something different about him – that he has some deviation of what is perceived to be normal – is when I see him with other four-year-olds. “Then I go “oh yeah” and it comes back to me. But from day one I felt that he's the way he's meant to be.” . . . .
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- Heather and Paul on brink of resolving divorce battle The Daily Mail-UK, By Richard Simpson, October 15, 2007
Heather Mills is "quietly confident" she will get a record-breaking financial settlement from Sir Paul McCartney within days. The pair are on the brink of resolving their divorce battle and are doing their utmost to avoid slugging it out publicly in court next February, the Daily Mail has learned. The figures have been set, the finer details of a confidentiality clause and custody rights have been tinkered with and Miss Mills told friends: "This is the first day of the rest of my life." Miss Mills, Sir Paul and their legal teams negotiated towards a final settlement, guided by Mr Justice Coleridge in an annexe to the Royal Courts of Justice, on Thursday. The result is thought to be a proposal where Miss Mills will get a multi-million pound lump sum and annual payments of several million pounds. When talks first began, Sir Paul, 65, insisted on a strict confidentiality clause covering their four-year marriage. But 39-year-old Miss Mills felt so strongly that she should "have a voice" - in other words she should be able to write about the marriage in a biography and talk about it on chat shows - that she has forfeited as much as £1million a year to have the gag loosened. . . .
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- FRANCE: ELYSEE ESTRANGEMENT: Is the Sarkozy Marriage On the Rocks? Spiegel Online, By Stefan Simons in Paris, October 15, 2007
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his wife Cecilia are rumored to be on the verge of divorce. If confirmed, it would mark the end of the president's attempts to create an image of domestic harmony for political gain. Cécilia Sarkozy is the only topic that evokes both loving adoration and admissions of vulnerability from France's habitually gruff president. "She's my strength and my Achilles heel at the same time," admitted Nicolas Sarkozy in the fall of 2003, long before he moved into the presidential Elysee Palace. As late as this spring, he was convinced that voters would be charmed by his wife: "If you loved Jacqueline Kennedy, you are going to adore Cecilia Sarkozy." But then his confidence waned by summer: "At the end of the day, my only real worry is Cecilia." For weeks, the signs have been mounting that the presidential couple may be headed toward an imminent break up. There is no other plausible explanation for her constant absence from public life. . . . .While Sarkozy rose to become the interior minister, finance minister and even the head of the party, Cecilia was far more than just a politician's wife. Sarkozy always called her his "closest advisor" and praised her whenever he could. This picture of the perfect couple lasted until August 2005, when Cecilia and her lover, events organizer Richard Attias, landed on the front page of the magazine Paris Match, a scoop that cost the editor-in-chief his job. . . . .
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RELATED ARTICLE: The French presidency and the press— The perils of open windows: A media stampede into the private life of Nicolas Sarkozy The Economist, October 25, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Sarkozy split: Adieu to an ideal BBC News- Paris, By Emma Jane Kirby, October 19, 2007 RELATED ARTICLE: Sarkozy Faces Labor and Marital Crises New York Times, By ELAINE SCIOLINO, October 19, 2007
RELATED ARTICLE: Cécilia Sarkozy keeps the French guessing International Herald Tribune, By Elaine Sciolino, October 15, 2007
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- Forecast: Sex and Marriage with Robots by 2050 LiveScience, By Charles Q. Choi, October 12, 2007
Humans could marry robots within the century. And consummate those vows. "My forecast is that around 2050, the state of Massachusetts will be the first jurisdiction to legalize marriages with robots," artificial intelligence researcher David Levy at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands told LiveScience. Levy recently completed his Ph.D. work on the subject of human-robot relationships, covering many of the privileges and practices that generally come with marriage as well as outside of it. At first, sex with robots might be considered geeky, "but once you have a story like 'I had sex with a robot, and it was great!' appear someplace like Cosmo magazine, I'd expect many people to jump on the bandwagon," Levy said. . . . . . Although roboticist Ronald Arkin at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta does not think human-robot marriages will be legal anywhere by 2050, "anything's possible. And just because it's not legal doesn't mean people won't try it," he told LiveScience. "Humans are very unusual creatures," Arkin said. "If you ask me if every human will want to marry a robot, my answer is probably not. But will there be a subset of people? There are people ready right now to marry sex toys.". . . . .
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- Schwarzenegger vetoes gay marriage bill again San Diego Tribune, By Steve Lawrence, October 12, 2007
– Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday carried out his promise to continue to veto gay marriage bills.
The Republican governor turned down a measure by Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, that would have lifted the state's ban on same-sex marriages by defining marriage as a union between two persons, not just a man and a woman. Schwarzenegger vetoed a similar Leno bill in 2005. The governor announced in February that he would veto this year's version if it reached his desk and said last month that he would keep turning down such bills as long as lawmakers kept sending them to him. “It would be wrong for the people to vote for something and for me to then overturn it,” Schwarzenegger said in September, referring to voters' approval of Proposition 22 in 2000. “So they can send this bill down as many times as they want, I won't do it.” Proposition 22 was intended to prevent California from recognizing gay marriages performed in other states or countries. In his veto message, Schwarzenegger said voters and the state Supreme Court should decide the issue. The high court is likely to rule next year on whether California's ba
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