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Of Note

From First Thoughts

In today’s Washington Post : Few issues are likely to generate more emotional opposition than federal funding of stem cell research. Handled wrongly, it could energize conservative opponents and derail Barack Obama’s presidency. There is no question that we must move ahead, but caution . . . . Continue Reading »

Speechless

From First Thoughts

This left me speechless. So I’ll just point to what Maggie Gallagher has said : The Return of Open Attacks on Religious Minorities: Prop 8’s Legacy [Maggie Gallagher] Well this is certainly change. The voices of tolerance in California are concluding their campaign against Prop 8 with . . . . Continue Reading »

Re: Catholic In Alliance

From First Thoughts

Jody, you’re entirely correct in your summation of “Catholics In Alliance.” Last week the political scientist Michael New analyzed their recent study on abortion—where, you know, they concluded that we should just focus on the “root causes,” just like a certain . . . . Continue Reading »

Only in California …

From First Thoughts

The Wall Street Journal offers the following pop quiz: Who’s donated the most money to an effort in California to defeat Proposition 8, an initiative on the November 4 ballot that would define marriage as between a man and a woman in the state? A) Gay-advocacy organizations B) Civil-rights . . . . Continue Reading »

Weigel on Cafardi, Kaveny, and Kmiec

From First Thoughts

George Weigel has penned a sharp response to Cafardi, Kaveny, and Kmiec’s response to his original Newsweek column . The whole thing is worth reading, so it’s hard to select just a couple sample paragraphs. But here’s the opening: I take it as an iron law of controversy that when . . . . Continue Reading »

“Your Brother is a Blessing”

From First Thoughts

Allow me one more post on Down syndrome. Michael Franc, the vice president of government relations for the Heritage Foundation, takes off his policy hat and reflects on his experience as the brother of a sibling with Down syndrome as he writes a letter to Track, Bristol, Willow, and Piper Palin . . . . . Continue Reading »