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Contents © 2001
by Jim Holman.
All rights reserved.

NEWS
MAY 2001

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LEGISLATIVE HIGHLIGHTS. Since the passing of last month's deadline for introducing new bills for the session, the full extent of anti-family legislation is now known. On the abortion front, Senator Mike Machado's (D-Stockton) senate bill 862 would create a no-free-speech zone within 100 feet of public high school entrances. The bill targets pro-life speech, requiring anyone wishing to distribute pro-life literature or display a sign carrying a pro-life message to obtain students' permission or remain at least eight feet away. A bill that could financially destroy pro-life sidewalk counselors passed the senate judiciary committee on April 3rd. Senate bill 780 by Senator Debra Ortiz (D-Sacramento) would fine pro-lifers up to $10,000 for "non-violent conduct" outside an abortion clinic, and up to $100,000 for "intimidating" or "interfering with" a person outside an abortion clinic. Pro-life leaders who support peaceful expression outside abortion clinics opposed the bill in committee. Among those testifying against the bill was Harry "Bud" Reeves, a retired federal agent and director of the Sanctity of Human Life Network. "This is designed to intimidate good people that they might be criminally and civilly liable because they're peacefully standing up for pro-life," he said. Reeves said that pro-abortion activists commonly lie to police about what pro-lifers do. "Holding pro-life signs and doing sidewalk counseling is absolutely peaceful and Christ-like, but they routinely say you're blocking the driveway, you're blocking the sidewalk. They want to use this bill as a legal hammer to discourage people from being pro-life." Pro-life assemblymembers Phil Wyman (R-Tehachapi) and Bill Campbell (R- Garden Grove) introduced the "California Family Communication and Parental Responsibility Act," assembly constitutional amendment 5, banning abortions performed on unemancipated minors, except in cases of medical emergency, until a parent or guardian is notified. The bill would permit juvenile court to grant a minor's request to waive notification if it found "clear and convincing evidence" that it is not in the girl's best interest. The bill has 32 legislative co-authors. The US Supreme Court has previously ruled parental notification constitutional. Senator Ray Haynes (R-Riverside) introduced senate bill 251 to issue specialty license plates that read, "choose life." A portion of the cost would go to crisis pregnancy centers, and other non-profit agencies that provide counseling, financial assistance and adoption services.

Senator Jim Brulte (R-Rancho Cucamonga) is seeking $3 million dollars to fund his baby abandonment law signed into law last year. Senate bill 101 passed 8-0 in the senate health and human services committee on March 21, and will next go to the senate appropriations committee. The price tag would be considered cheap enough in normal years, but insiders believe the May revision of revenue estimates will show that California has blown much of the expected budget surplus buying spot-market electricity. Fiscal committees in both houses are expected to be legislative graveyards.

Among seven pro-homosexual bills introduced this session, a bill pushing transsexual rights stalled-out in March. Assemblyman John Longville (D-San Bernardino) placed his assembly bill 194 on the inactive file. While the bill is still eligible to come up for another vote, Longville's move indicates he lacks the votes to get it out of the assembly. The bill would allow a transsexual living out of state to force court officials here to change his birth certificate from "male" to "female." Campaign for California Families and the Committee on Moral Concerns targeted moderate assembly democrats by setting up phone banks in the officials' districts. Also lending support was Hispanic radio network Nueva Vida. Anti-family legislators also seek to undermine proposition 22. On March 13, assemblymember Carole Migden (D-San Francisco) got her assembly bill 25 through the assembly judiciary committee. The bill extends 11 rights held exclusively by married couples to homosexuals. Migden's bill is set to be heard next in the assembly labor and employment committee on April 18. In contrast, a bill authored by assemblyman Dennis Mountjoy (R-Arcadia), assembly bill 1326, is only one sentence long. It reads, "The promotion of homosexuality in public education is prohibited. The bill is in the assembly education committee -- no date has been set.

The California Democratic Party voted to officially support "civil unions" at their April 1 convention in Anaheim.


BEGINNING OF LIFE DEFINITION. Antonio Camcam launched a pro-life ballot initiative on March 22nd. This measure would provide that a child conceived, but not yet born, is deemed an existing person, so far as necessary for the child's interest in the event of the child's subsequent birth. It also amends the California civil code to state that a child conceived, but not yet born, has life because life begins at conception. Proponents have until August 20th to gather the 419,260 signatures required to get the measure on the November ballot.


STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION CONSIDERS NEW RESTRICTIONS ON BIBLE CLUBS. The California state board of education has drafted new regulations that will require Bible clubs to include homosexual members. The regulations will be an amendment to sections 4900-4963 of the California code and are a result of the homosexual rights education bill signed into law by Governor Davis last year. Although the amendment does not specifically challenge the ability for Bible clubs to have moral or religious qualifications for its elected leaders, the open membership requirements presumed by many to have the same effect.


SAN JOSE CATHOLIC SCHOOLS GO NEW AGE. According to a San Jose Mercury News account, Queen of Apostle Catholic School in San Jose teaches students the qi gong inner power religion. Among other things, students have been taught to light purple serenity candles that signify the "spark, or power inside each of them." Using timed breathing, the children are taught to focus on a space between their hands. One student was quoted saying, "My energy light is so big, I couldn't even put my hands together." According to the Mercury News, Mimi Latno, a graduate of Santa Clara University in spirituality, also teaches qi gong at St. Martin of Tours School in San Jose and Elizabeth Seton School in East Palo Alto. Latno, a former teacher at Archbishop Mitty High School for 15 years, is allowed to teach New Age religions because of the trust she developed during those years. "They knew I had grounding in Western and Eastern religion and that I could blend the two of them," she said.

Calls to the three principals of the Catholic schools mentioned in this article yielded only one comment. At St. Martin of Tours School, when asked if new age religion is being taught at her school, the principal said, "Absolutely not, and I'm not going to say anything more." To learn more about what these Catholic schools are teaching, go to the New Age, occult, and paranormal books website at www.netstoreusa.com. Books on qi qong will be found among such titles as Witchcraft: a Complete Guide and Curse Tables & Bind Spells from the Ancient World.


SF PUBLIC SCHOOLS DON"T LIKE SUCCESS Since 1995, the Edison Corporation has steadily improved one of the worst elementary schools in San Francisco. The newly-inaugurated school board wants to shut it down for alleged violations voiced in a preliminary report conducted by, among others, the Coleman Advocates, a youth advocacy organization who is philosophically opposed to school choice. The report mentions several violations, including the weeding out of blacks. According to Diallo Dephrepaulezz, a public policy fellow of the Pacific Research Institute, the claim is not true. "Before Edison took over, there were 154 blacks at the school. Today there are 152." The Noe Valley school, named Edison, has risen from bottom of the barrel in test scores, enrollment, discipline, and resources in a short three years due to the efforts of the for-profit Edison, which manages 113 schools in a dozen states with 53,000 students.

In 1998, under then-superintendent Bill Rojas, and an approving school board, Edison accepted a five-year contract that gave them control of the school in return for any tax revenue generated. There is no tuition at the school and no students are excluded from attending. Recently elected school board members have said that Edison has been destructive to the sense of community they yearn for. Edison now has the third most improved showing on statewide tests of all of San Francisco's 71 schools.


ST. MARY'S MORAGA CANONIZES VICTIM OF DOG ATTACK. St. Mary's College in Moraga honored the memory of the late women's lacrosse coach Diane Alexis Whipple with public condolences, a memorial Mass and a dove tribute. Whipple was mauled to death by two attack dogs on January 26 in the hallway outside the upscale San Francisco apartment she shared with her same-sex partner of seven years. In a statement on St. Mary's website dated January 31, college president Brother Craig J. Franz wrote, "I appreciate the opportunity to share with you in this warm and holy remembrance of Diane Whipple.... I have expressed condolences to the family on behalf of St. Mary's College and join with you this evening in remembering the gift to us who was Diane."

Indicating that active participation in homosexual relationships is no impediment to reaching Heaven, Franz continued, "In difficult moments such as this, our faith gives us consolation in knowing that Diane is peacefully resting with God. Indeed it is comforting to know that an individual who has given so much to Saint Mary's now sits as an advocate on our behalf in heaven, the place towards which we all aspire." Vice president for student affairs Brother Jack Curran, echoed Franz' sentiments and praised Whipple as a Catholic educator. "I join with you, our student-athletes, Brother Craig and the entire Saint Mary's College Community in mourning the loss of Coach Whipple and in celebrating both her life among us and her new life with God."

On Thursday evening, February 1, over 600 people attended a memorial Mass for Whipple in the college chapel. There, according to a San Francisco Chronicle report, she was described as a woman whose "spirit was too large for this world" and who inspired others with her "boundless enthusiasm and eternal good cheer." Whipple's surviving partner, Sharon Smith, also spoke. "Alexis taught me to take advantage of every day. Although our time with her was short, we were blessed that God gave her to us for 33 years. I love you, Alexis." According to the Chronicle article, "About 45 minutes into the service, the entire chapel was rocked by a sharp jolt as a friend of Whipple's spoke about the coach. Stunned guests looked at each other, taking deep breaths as a clergyman attributed the earthquake to Whipple's presence."

In an April 4th phone call with St. Mary's assistant lacrosse coach Sarah Miller, when asked if the school was aware of Whipple's homosexual relationship prior to her death. Miller said, "Some of the girls [on her lacrosse team] were," but she did not think most people at the school knew. Miller asked the reason for the inquiry. The Faith reporter said it was necessary to understand how school officials could state publicly and with certainty that Whipple was "with God". Miller interrupted angrily, "She's in Heaven. We all know that she's in Heaven. You're ridiculous. I can't talk to you anymore," she continued, then hung up the phone.


OAKLAND LITURGICAL POOH-BAH MAKES APPEARANCE IN SAN DIEGO. Oakland diocese' Sister Marilyn Morgan appeared in San Diego working as a liturgical design consultant for Our Mother of Confidence Church. The topic was "Gathering" and included a slide show with examples of various "gathering spaces." Morgan gave four scheduled talks over two weekends in February and March. The church was built in 1978 -- and it shows. It's a cavernous structure with 70s decor including burnt orange carpeting, dark wood paneling, and modernist stained-glass windows. One parishioner complained that there was only one restroom for 1,400 people and lack of access to the sanctuary for disabled persons who want to be Eucharistic ministers. At the beginning of her presentation, Sister Morgan stressed that the slide show was intended only to generate ideas and asked that audience members refrain from making comments such as "We can't afford that."

Among Sister Morgan's comments over the course of the event: "We're looking at being in harmony with the earth." "We don't create sacred spaces; the places are already created and we need to uncover them." "We need to recognize each person as a God-bearer", and, "Liturgy starts in the parking lot."

Sister Morgan liked the doors of the church. "Doors are wonderful" because everyone has to pass through the same doors. She contrasted this by talking about a church she didn't like that had nine sets of doors, inferring that people could slip in through side doors and "do their own thing" at Mass.


GALTEN RECEIVES HUMAN LIFE AWARD. On March 31, San Francisco United For Life honored deposed Saint Ignatius Institute director John Galten with its Human Life Award at its 29th annual "Celebrate Life" dinner at the Irish cultural center in San Francisco. The featured speaker of the event was Steven Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute. Mosher urged the audience to keep up the fight against the pro-abortion, pro-contraceptive culture by highlighting the brutality of Chinese population policy. In 1979, Mosher became the first American social scientist invited to do research in post-revolutionary rural China, and was the whistle-blower on China's one-child policy that still exists and, under current policy, will go on until the year 2050. He also pointed out the declining birth rates all over the world, even in traditionally Catholic countries. He said, "Italy would need four children per couple to stop their population decline."

Galten, who was fired from the University of San Francisco in January, has suddenly become news all over the world alongside his also-fired assistant director John Hamlon. He opened his acceptance speech by thanking his colleagues, many of which have been openly critical to the changes brought about at USF. He concluded by admonishing those attending, saying, "Support schools, clergy, and teachers who speak truth and pray for those who don't yet possess the strength to do it."


THOMAS MORE CENTER LOOKING FOR ABORTION VICTIMS IN CALIFORNIA. The Bethesda, Maryland-based Thomas More Center is looking to file a case against Planned Parenthood of California. They are looking for California women who have gone through abortions. The lawsuit will sue Planned Parenthood under California's deceptive advertising law, arguing that Planned Parenthood's advertisements indication that abortion is "safe" and "safer than childbirth" are deceptive. The Thomas More Center can be contacted at (301) 907-3925


CALIFORNIA PROLIFE COUNCIL ANTI-EUTHANASIA VIDEO READY. Since Assemblywoman Dion Aroner (D-Berkeley) promised last year to reintroduce her bill to legalize assisted suicide in California, the California Prolife Council has produced a 25-minute video Death as a Salesman: What's Wrong With Assisted Suicide. The video is available for a suggested donation of $18.95 or you can borrow a copy from their lending library free. The organization is looking for volunteers to help arrange for the video to be shown to a local pro-life groups, churches, or public access television. For more information, call 1-800-924-2490, or email Sheila@Californiaprolife.org.


ROSARIES FOR LIFE EVENT. Memphis based Rosaries for Life is organizing a national rosary prayer to end abortion on May 12. The million rosaries to end abortion event is set to take place at 8:00 a.m. central standard time. Participants are asked to pray the joyful mysteries for an end to surgical and non-surgical abortions. To officially register as a participant write to Rosaries for Life, P.O. Box 41831, Memphis, Tennessee. It is asked that participants include a stamp for return mailing, but this is not required.

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