Add comment May 17th, 2008
US: California battle over same-sex marriage not over
World Net Daily
Wanda SanchezOverwhelming response to amendment drive makes November vote likely
With a voter initiative drive already underway, pro-family groups in California believe the battle over marriage in the Golden State is far from over, despite the historic state Supreme Court decision to allow same-sex couple to wed.
Last month, a coalition of churches and citizen groups submitted 1.1 million signatures to California’s 58 counties to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot recognizing marriage as only between one man and one woman.
“The people’s overwhelming support to protect the longstanding meaning of marriage as between a man and a woman has been staggering,” stated Ron Prentice, chairman of the ProtectMarriage.com Executive Committee and CEO of the California Family Council. “The California Marriage Amendment will allow the people of California, not politicians or judges, to reaffirm the definition of marriage by placing it in the Constitution.”
The measure would have no fiscal effect on state or local governments, the supporters argue.
The state Supreme Court’s 4-3 decision Thursday determined state laws specifying marriage as between a man and a woman were unconstitutional, setting off celebrations around the state.
A spokesman for the San Francisco-based homosexual-marriage advocacy organization Our Families Coalition called Thursday “an incredibly historic day.’
“I’m so thrilled, I’m so excited for what this means for my family and all Californians,” she told WND.
Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights said the votes of the four justices who favored same-sex marriage “will be vindicated by history.”
But opponents point out that just eight years ago, more than 61 percent of California voters passed a proposition to keep marriage only between a man and a woman.
Now, with the statute declared unconstitutional, the voter initiative drive to amend the state Constitution is crucial to supporters of traditional marriage.
Officials in all 58 counties have received the petitions, the California Family Council told WND, and now must validate the signatures, ensuring the initiative has the required 694,354 voters.
Supporters collected most of the signatures in a little more than 90 days, far fewer than the 150 days allowed by law.
Signature gatherers faced a “decline-to-sign” campaign waged by homosexual-rights organizations, backers of the amendment said. But they note that despite significant harassment and intimidation, more than 1 million residents signed anyway.
Churches have been leaders in the petition drive, and Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, a WND columnist, is urging more black congregations to join the campaign.
“For far too long churches have sat on the sidelines while serious moral issues have been decided without their participation,” said Peterson, founder and president of California-based BOND, the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny. “Changing the definition of traditional marriage to include homosexuals is wrong and Christians have a moral duty to speak out against it.”
Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth, believes opponents of the ruling shouldn’t stop with the marriage amendment.
“Clearly, what needs to happen in California now is for pastors and Christians to get a backbone and lead two campaigns – first to pass the proposed marriage amendment and second to impeach these corrupt, anti-democratic judges, starting with the chief justice,” he said.
LaBarbera chastised Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who promised to abide by the ruling.
“Shame on tough guy Arnold Schwarzenegger for being such a wimp on this issue, by pandering to the Log Cabin homosexual Republicans despite their tiny numbers in the GOP,” LaBarbera said, referring to the organization of homosexuals who belong to the party. Source
Add comment May 17th, 2008
UK:The truth about ‘high level’ language tests for migrants - which include words like ’shop’, ‘big house’ and ‘very rich’
Daily Mail
James SlackIt was billed as a major step towards better community relations, requiring new immigrants to learn English before they could secure a visa.
Gordon Brown has been extolling the virtues of the scheme for more than a year.
After a headline-grabbing Home Office announcement about it last week, officials spoke of the need for newcomers from outside the EU to understand and use familiar everyday expressions and phrases, and of migrants having a “sufficiently high level of ability”.
But the Government’s big idea is not quite what it first appeared.
Papers released alongside the announcement said the required English skills would be similar to “A1 of the Council of Europe scale”. The Daily Mail has tracked down the Council’s A1 document and its requirements are basic, to say the least.
A1 is neither tip-top, or the highest standard - it is the lowest, and by far.
The new arrivals will be expected to show nothing more than “a very basic range of simple expressions about personal details and needs of a concrete type”.
They might be expected to explain where they live and show they know enough language for basic survival.
This would include such rudimentary phrases as “where are the shops?”, “how much is that?” and “my name is…”
Describing people and their appearance, their job, objects, pets, possessions, events, likes and dislikes, habits and personal experience are considered a step beyond that which is required.
Also excluded are the mainstays of British convention in 2008 - house prices and the credit credit crunch.
Even the next highest standard - known as A2 - is rudimentary.
At that level, there is a requirement only for a “limited repertoire of short memorised phrases covering predictable survival situations”.
It certainly makes light of any concerns that future football superstars, following in the bootprints of Argentine Carlos Tevez and the rest, could be barred from obtaining a work permit in the Premiership.
Immigration Minister Liam Byrne said of the plan last week: “I am afraid they will have to speak English. We do not want people coming to work alone.
“We had originally suggested requiring everybody to have English to GCSE level, but a lot of people thought that was going over the top”.
He added: “Footballers earn enough money to pay for professional tuition.”
In fact, the average international will be expected to have only the most limited repertoire.
This could include little more than “big house” (describe where you live), “very rich” (simple expression about personal details) and WAG/ champagne (needs of a concrete type).
Critics claim it is the classic example of a Government talking tough only to be betrayed by the small print.
Shadow Home Secretary David Davis said: “This blows a massive whole in Jacqui Smith’s rhetoric that new requirements would ensure that those settling in the UK will have a good command of English.
“This will hamper efforts to integrate with communities which could have serious consequences for social cohesion.”
Sir Andrew Green, chairman of Migrationwatch UK, said last night: “These immigrants won’t have enough English to understand the meaning of the word “spin”, but, judging by this episode, they will very soon find out.” Source
Add comment May 17th, 2008