Save the date!

Focus on the Family, in partnership with Wisconsin Family Council,
is bringing The Truth Project to Appleton, WI on Saturday, April 5, 2008
for a one-day local training event.!
Minnesota Family Council will host a similar event in
Hastings, MN on Saturday, February 9, 2008.
Follow above links to register online.

Around the Nation
... Christmas vs Holiday displays and views
...... Kohl's responds to customer concerns about its censorship of "Christmas"
...... Merry Tossmas!
... Alaskan Airlines and Horizon Air penalize heterosexual travelers
... House resolution "recognizing importance of Christmas and the Christian faith" passes in wake of similar resolutions recognizing Hinduism and Islam
... Missouri initiative to restrict abortion approved for circulation

Around the World
... Australian university professor advocates voluntary self-extinction

Around Wisconsin Family Council
... Legislation
... Did you know...Have you heard
... Passing the Torch
... Family Bulletin Board

Around Wisconsin

... Vote on chemical abortion hospital mandate bill delayed
Earlier this week the Assembly passed Assembly Bill (AB) 377, Assembly Substitute Amendment 1 that forces hospitals and health care providers to provide sexual assault victims with so-called "emergency contraception" that can cause very early chemical abortions. The bill contains no protection for those who object to dispensing an abortion-causing drug on religious or conscience grounds. A procedural move stopped final passage of the bill which will likely occur January 16, 2008. See how your legislator voted. More... Wisconsin Family Action legislative memo

... Make UW-Madison a free-speech zone, state senator says
After the UW-Madison College Republicans received a $1,300 bill from the university for security for a talk by David Horowitz, State Sen. Glenn Grothman (R-West Bend) asked the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents to prohibit such security fees for on-campus speakers. Horowitz is a well-known conservative speaker, author and commentator, and founder of Students for Academic Freedom. Sen. Grothman said the university has been unable to name any similar fees charged for "left-of'center" speakers. The university has threatened the UW-College Republicans that not paying the bill would make it difficult to bring speakers to the university in the future. Sen. Grothman plans to introduce legislation to prohibit security fees for speakers if the unversity does not respond to his request. More...

... "Christmas Tree" bill passes Assembly
Assembly Joint Resolution (AJR) 5 that would restore the name of the tree placed in the Capitol rotunda each December to the "Wisconsin State Christmas Tree" passed the Assembly on a solid bi-partisan vote earlier this week. Rep. Marlin Schneider (D-Wisconsin Rapids) sponsored the resolution. (Press release issued by Wisconsin Family Action, Wisconsin Family Council's legislative action arm)

... UW-Madison's discrimination against student religious organizations continues
Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) has filed a preliminary injunction motion against UW-Madsion on behalf of the Roman Catholic Foundation (RCF) to end the university's discrimination against student religious clubs on campus. In May 2007 UW-Madison officials settled a November 2006 lawsuit and recognized RCF as a registered student group and agreed to fund it for the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school years. The university is once again denying RCF access to student fee funding that all other student groups enjoy. The university claims it is complying with the terms of the settlement agreement. More...

Around the Nation

... Christmas vs Holiday displays and views
...... Kohl's responds to customer concerns about its censorship of Christmas
In response to consumers critical of Kohl's censorship of Christmas from its web site and store displays, Kohl's sent an email saying Kohl's "is embracing the Christmas spirit" and would continue to reference Christmas in advertising throughout the season. A search of Kohl's website for the Christmas spirit today found 13 mentions of Christmas and 175 mentions of holiday.

...... Merry Tossmas!
Stuart Shepard, director of digital media for Focus on the Family Action, creates a new holiday to counter "Happy Holidays!" in a recent Stoplight video commentary.

... Alaskan Airlines and Horizon Air penalize heterosexual travelers
Alaskan Airlines and Horizon Air will charge heterosexual travelers 10 percent extra for their tickets this Christmas season. The company offers the 10 percent as a discount only if the traveler purchases his ticket through a "gay" page of the company's website. Families are not likely to seek out a "gay" website to make travel arrangements. Bryan Fischer of Idaho Values Alliance said the company is proud of its "nondiscrimination" policies but "here they are blatantly discriminating against heterosexuals in their pricing structure." He noted that the program is set up so that only those deliberately seeking "gay" travel options will find it. More...

... House resolution "recognizing importance of Christmas and the Christian faith" passes in wake of similar resolutions recognizing Hinduism and Islam
H. Res. 847, a bill that recognizes the importance of Christmas and the Christian faith, passed the US House of Representatives earlier this week on a vote of 372 to 9, with 10 members voting present and 40 members not voting. Among those not voting were Reps. Paul Ryan (R-CD 1), Ron Kind (D-CD 3) and Gwen Moore (D-CD 4), all of whom were unable to get to Washington, D.C. because of severe weather conditions. (Rep. Ryan issued a statement for the record.) Earlier House bills had recognized Diwali, a festival celebrated by Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains (H. Res. 747) and Ramadan, a time of fasting and spiritual renewal in Islam (H. Res. 635).

...Missouri initiative to restrict abortion approved for circulation
Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan has approved for circulation an initiative entitled Prevention of Coerced and Unsafe Abortions Act. A coalition of pro-life groups, Stop Forced Abortion Alliance, is sponsoring the petition drive. (Earlier media reports stated erroneously that the Elliot Institute, a Springfield, IL-based pro-life organization that is an authority on post-abortion issues, was the petition drive sponsor.) More... Supporters of the initiative will have to collect as many as 95,000 signatures in order to place the initiative on the November 2008 ballot. Planned Parenthood has indicated it may go to court to keep the petition from being circulated. More...article contains ballot language.

Around the World
... Australian university professor advocates voluntary self-extinction to protect environment University of Western Austrialia associate professor of obstetric medicine Barry Walter has proposed a $5,000 tax per child on families who have more than two children and a $400 to $800 tax per year for the life of the child to offset the supposed harm each child would cause to the environment. His remarks appeared in a recent issue of Medical Journal of Australia. He also advocates tax credits for individuals and agencies who promote and practice contraception and sterilization. More...

Around Wisconsin Family Council
... Legislation
... Did you know...Have you heard
... Passing the Torch
... Family Bulletin Board

• Pro-Life Wisconsin is accepting reservations for the January 22, 2008 35th Annual March for Life. Buses will leave Wisconsin on Saturday, January 19 and return Wednesday, January 23, 2008. Details.
  
• Baptists for Life of Wisconsin will be hold a Pro-Life Rally on Monday January 21, 2008, to mark the 35th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade. We will meet at the State Street entrance to the Capitol Building in Madison from 12 noon to 1 p.m. We encourage all interested people to attend and to bring some good pro-life signs and gospel tracts.

  Speakers include Pastor Randy King, Wyldewood Baptist Church, Oshkosh; Pastor Fred Weiss, Madison Baptist Church, Madison; and the first place winner of our high school essay contest, Mr. Ben Hatchet, a senior at Mukwonago Baptist Academy, Mukwonago. Mr. Bob Wetzel of Maranatha Baptist College will lead group singing. For further information contact, Gene Green, (920)928-2026, or email info@bflw.org.

• Helping Hands Outreach of Verona, WI operates a ministry out of the West Madison Bible Church. It offers a food pantry, clothing, and help preparing for job searches or interviews. It is open every Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and again from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. For more information call Joel,  at  608-845-9518.

[Email articles or items for the Family Bulletin Board to familyeconnection@wifamilycouncil.org at least two weeks in advance. Please include the name, phone number and email address (if available) of a contact person. You may also fax the information to 608-256-3370.]

[All submissions are subject to editing and will be posted at the discretion of Wisconsin Family Council. Posting on WFC's Family Bulletin Board does not necessarily imply endorsement of events.]

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