Proposal 2 Lawsuit Has Its Day in Court
 District Court Judge Joyce Dragunchuk heard arguments this week in a lawsuit challenging Attorney General Mike Cox's interpretation of Proposal 2 - Michigan's Marriage Amendment. Cox ruled earlier this year that the amendment banned benefits for same-sex partners of state and municipal employees. The ACLU filed a suit on behalf of twenty-one same-sex couples saying it was not the intent of voters or the amendment to ban same-sex partner benefits.
Supporters, including MFF, say that the amendment language was clear: the state cannot recognize same-sex partnerships as being "similar to marriage for any purpose." The language on the petitions and the ballot was clear - the benefits of marriage are reserved for the union of a man and a woman.
Judge Dragunchuk has indicated she will issue a ruling as quickly as she can. For more on this story, click here.
Bar Association Declares Roberts is "Well Qualified"
 The American Bar Association (ABA), the nation's largest association of lawyers, declared this week the Judge John Roberts is "well qualified" to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court. The ABA traditionally rates candidates to the federal bench based on an unbiased examination of their previous rulings and/or work as a lawyer. They often examine many of the same documents analyzed by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senators often review the ABA analysis when considering how to vote on a judicial nomination. Click here to read more.
More Homes in the U.S. Headed by Singles
 According to the Washington Times, the U.S. Census Bureau reported this week that single-adult households have displaced two-parent families with children as the most common kind of household in the U.S. The data is especially disturbing when viewed in light of the fact that as recently as 1990, two-parent families with children were still the most common. Census Bureau experts also estimated that the number of single adult households will continue to skyrocket and could reach as high as 34 million by the 2010 census.
"This report indicates why it is so important for our public policy to affirm and promote marriage," said MFF Executive Director Brad Snavely. "Societies that move away from marriage as the norm quickly find themselves in a state of decline. The well-being of children suffers and more government programs are needed to support these families."
To read the full article from the Washington Times, click here.
To view a copy of MFF's Resource, "What Every Child Needs - the Unique Contributions of a Mother and a Father," click here.
".xxx" Domain on Hold After Bush Administration Announces Opposition
 Anti-pornography advocates were pleased with the announcement that the ".xxx" domain designation for pornographic websites had been put on hold indefinitely. Officials within the Bush Administration announced the President's opposition to the domain, resulting in a suspension of action on its creation from the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).
Critics had pointed out that creation of the domain does not require pornographers to use it for all of their sites - a move that could have proved to be beneficial in protecting children from accidental exposure to pornography. Rather, it simply added another venue in addition to ".com" and ".net" where porn providers can host their sites.
ICANN has said it will not take any further action until the proposal for ".xxx" is reviewed more carefully. To read more, click here. To download a copy of MFF's "Family Guide to Internet Safety," click here.
"World Views Collide "
 The Thomas M. Cooley School of Law located in downtown Lansing will hold a debate on public displays of the Ten Commandments and other issues of Church and State on Tuesday, September 13 at 6:00pm.
Debate panelists include: David Friedman, lead counsel for the ACLU in the U.S. Supreme Court case McCreary County v. American Civil Liberties Union; Marvin Olasky, editor-in-chief of WORLD magazine; Jay Sekulow, Chief Counsel for the American Center for Law and Justice; and Nadine Strossen, current president of the ACLU.
Seating is limited. For more information, click here, or call (517) 371-5140.
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