A group of eighty bipartisan marriage educators is hailing President Bush's plan to promote healthy marriages. The $1.5 billion education and promotion effort was endorsed by the group as a proper way for government to strengthen marriage. The group also stated that marriage is worth strengthening because divorce, unstable relationships and out-of-wedlock births create a burden on taxpayers.

The researchers and educators made a point of saying that although children can and do grow up healthy in some single-parent homes, the "optimal environment" for children to succeed is a low-conflict, married couple family.

After more than a week of deliberation and three failed amendment proposals, the Massachusetts Legislature has postponed debate on a marriage amendment until March 11. All three amendments would have defined marriage as the union of a man and woman, but they differed on what recognition (if any) to give civil unions.

At the same time, the city of San Francisco began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples in direct defiance of state law. State officials have said the state will not recognize the "altered" marriage licenses. Family policy organizations have filed lawsuits in federal court to stop the issuing of the licenses.

"I talk and talk and talk, and I haven't taught people in 50 years what my father taught by example in one week."
-Mario Cuomo, former governor of New York.

The Michigan Senate Education Committee is expected to hold a hearing sometime next week on two recently introduced bills promoting abstinence education. Senate bills 943 and 944 would modify the state’s sex education requirements in favor of abstinence education.

Petitions from Michigan citizens calling for an end to partial-birth abortion continue to swamp Right to Life headquarters in record numbers. In only a month’s time, more than 200,000 signatures have been processed. The Campaign is seeking 350,000 signatures to ensure the petition makes it to the legislature.

At the same time, the Michigan House may vote this week to override Governor Granholm’s veto of HB 4478. The bill would create standards for judges to consider when granting a waiver to the state’s parental consent law for abortions and would end the practice of "judge shopping" for an abortion.

The Student Statesmanship Institute (SSI) is an exciting, annual week-long summer program for high school-aged teens. Uniquely designed to effectively equip students to distinguish between secular and Biblical worldview approaches to life, SSI awakens a sense of purpose and destiny. This year’s programs will take place July 11-16, July 25-30 and August 1-6.

Woven throughout the week is the Mock Legislature, which allows students to role play as actual legislators, sit in committee rooms in the Michigan Capitol building, hear testimony from real lobbyists and debate bills taken from the Michigan legislature. The capstone is when students assemble as a legislative body at the Capitol to debate and cast their votes, complete with observers in the gallery.

Forum Online

© 2003 Michigan Family Forum

1003 N. Washington, P.O. Box 15216

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Phone: (517) 374-1171, Fax: (517) 374-6112

www.michiganfamily.org

Executive Director: Brad Snavely

Editor: Jon Stanton

Graphic Design: Beth Hafer

Questions?  E-mail us: info@michiganfamily.org

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