Texas Governor Supports "Choose Life" License Plates
Anti-choice license plate messages may be spreading to another state, the Houston Chronicle reports today. Texas Gov. Rick Perry announced his support for "Choose Life" plates, which would raise money for pregnant women who relinquish children for adoption rather than terminate their pregnancies. Reports the Chronicle, "Opponents say the state has no business putting a political message on license plates and that the proposal would unfairly send money to anti-abortion organizations." As his bid for re-election nears, Perry has been more vocal about his anti-choice views. Eleanor Bader reported for RH Reality Check on anti-choice plates in Florida, where, because of the funds collected can only support women who will give up their children for adoption, more money is gathered than spent.
Young Evangelicals Support Richard Cizik
Shortly after telling NPR's Terry Gross that he supported civil unions for same-sex couples, Richard Cizik resigned as vice-president of the National Association of Evangelicals. Mainstream religious right organized were gratified, but some younger evangelicals were proud of Cizik's independent stance, reports ABC News. ABC News writes of young evangelical Chris LaTondresse:
He applauded a recent National Public Radio interview with the man who has been considered a "hero" among young evangelicals -- Richard Cizik, the chief lobbyist for the National Association of Evangelicals -- who said that religious attitudes toward abortion and gay marriage are shifting.
"I was cheering, 'Go for it, Rich,'" said LaTondresse, who twice voted for Bush, but supported Obama. "He's one of the guys who speak for the current generation of evangelicals, most of them my friends."
On a recent poll examining concerns of young evangelicals, ABC reports:
But a pre- and post-election poll conducted by the nonprofit Faith in Public Life showed religious voters placed a greater priority on the economy, healthcare and Iraq over same-sex marriage and abortion.
In this survey of 1,277 voters, 86 percent of white evangelicals said their elected leaders should find ways to reduce abortion, expanding adoption and increasing economic support for women who want to carry their pregnancies to term.
Only one in five evangelicals said an agenda focused primarily on abortion and same-sex marriage best reflects their values.
Illinois Supreme Court Will Hear Pharmacists Wanting to Refuse to Provide Emergency Contraception
Illinois pharmacists who want to refuse to dispense emergency contraception based on religious or moral grounds will have an opportunity to defend their views in court, the state Supreme Court ruled yesterday, reports the Associated Press. Lower courts had refused to hear the case. A 2005 rule issued by Gov. Rod Blagojevich requires pharmacists to dispense emergency contraception.
Opposition to Warren Evidence of a "Homosexual Desire to Silence the Church," Says Tony Perkins
Rick Warren isn't Tony Perkins's favorite person, but Perkins will still call the opposition to him among women's health, gay rights and progressive groups evidence of a "desire to silence the church" (on Religious Right Watch). Apparently Perkins hasn't noticed the many pro-choice, pro-LGBT clergy around who would be happy to provide invocations.
