In the Friday, September 3, 2004, edition of the Spokesman Review there was an article titled Attorneys Debate Gay Marriage. In the article, an attorney for 11 same-sex couples argued that gays and lesbians have a "fundamental right" to marry the people they love, despite a 1998 state law restricting marriage to the union of a woman and a man" (Spokesman Review, p. B-1).
Here is a prime example of how anchor tenets become negotiable ideas. Marriage is the union of a man and woman, but a judge, Richard Hicks, a Thurston County Superior Court Judge could change that in Olympia. First two people of the same sex can marry, what next? Why not allow three people to marry? Why not interfamily marriage, an adult and a child, a man and a goat? This may sound absurd, and it is, just as absurd as two same sex people being "married." An American Civil Liberties attorney Paul Lawrence stated "Marriage is a right that ought to be granted equally to all Washington citizens . . ." In fact, it is just that people like Paul Lawrence and other ACLU lawyers, or state judges, want to redefine marriage.
On Tuesday of this week, Judge Hicks ruled the ban on same-sex marriages unconstitutional. He said, "Strange as it seems, today the biological father and the biological mother need never meet . . . One may need a government license to get married but no law is required to father or birth children" (Roesler, 9/8/04 Spokesman, p. 3).
I am not saying gays/lesbians cannot have some form of civil union. I do not agree that banning same-sex marriage violates state and federal guarantees of equal protection. Will we now accept all above mentioned marriages to promote equality?

ABSTRACT (2)
The Spokesman-Review ran an article on 9/12/2004 titled "Accused priests finding refuge." Conveniently, priests facing allegations of sexual abuse in many countries around the world are simply transferred to the Vatican. Most often pedophiles, these priests are comfortable in eluding the legal ramifications of their violations at home. Church leaders are giving refuge to these criminal priests. As one author says it is still more about cover-up than cleanup.
The U.S. bishops passed a "zero tolerance" policy toward church members who molest in 2002. However, Cardinal Bernard Law leads one historic Roman basilica. Rev. Joseph Henn, formally of Phoenix, is boarded by his superiors within view of the Pope's apartment. Rev. Barry Bossa, an ex-con and fugitive resides just north of St. Peter's. These are just a few of the scores of priests, bishops, and cardinals of the Catholic Church which the Vatican now harbors. The Vatican truly makes little effort to seek justice for the victims of the thousands of molesters cradled in the arms of the Vatican and its hierarchy.
The immediate superiors of these corruptors of their leadership position say they have asked these molesters to return and face legal recourse for their actions. They say this, but despite priest's vows of obedience the church leaders rarely defrock one of their own for abuse, never-mind disobedience. Is this Holy Orders?
A bishop in Hawaii, on the other hand, sends all people reporting abuse immediately to local law enforcement and this has always been his policy. He has no lawsuits against molesters in his diocese. What a concept.

ABSTRACT (3)
In the Oct. 4, 2004, issue of Time magazine there was an article titled "The Tragedy of Sudan." This article chronicles the violence and ethnic cleansing, fueled by decades of drought, which is presently taking place in the Darfur region of Western Sudan, an Islamic country. A rebel group, the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA), spurred the Sudanese government to arm local Arab nomads, Janjaweed ("devils on horseback"). The genocide of the Darfur Africans has already resulted in the death of 50,000 people and 1,000,000 have lost their homes (additionally 10,000 per month die in refugee camps). The United Nations (UN) and the European Union (EU) prefer verbiage such as "Atrocities, very bad things, killings, rape and burning of villages," to genocide.
Neither Bush nor Kerry have advanced a clear mission to end the violence in Sudan. Bush at least used the word genocide in describing Darfur before the UN last week. This word was not used by the five preceding presidents for the atrocities during each of their administrations when appropriate.
Why are there so many Muslim hot spots in the world today? How can the UN change its image as a paper tiger against international aggression? Who if not Kofi Annan, Secretary General to the UN, will demand justice rather than merely "appoint commissioners to investigate the charges"? What country will back Nigeria, Tanzania, and Rwanda, who have offered troops for an international protection force? Where will Africa be in ten years if no international concern is shown for this ethnic cleansing, genocide, and violence? Well over half of all humanitarian aid comes from the United States. Why? What will spur the EU to evolve from their joint isolationism?

A little tidbit about me! I am a doctoral student at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Washington; I am working on completeing my PhD in Leadership Studies. Thanks, Jim

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Dr. James G. Hood

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September 2004:

First Time Blogger - you would think I would have taken the plunge by now. Really, I should have. After all, I've run into the term "blogging" several times. It took a few more times to become interested. Why it took so long to take the plunge I do not know but here I am. I think I have arrived. I mean at least I have begun to blog. Believe me, I know I have a lot to learn about blogging so any help would be greatly appreciated. Greeting to all the bloggers of the world!


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