MFF in the News
 MFF responded to media requests this week regarding Governor Granholm's "Talk Early Talk Often" sex education initiative. In an interview with the Detroit News, MFF Research and Public Policy Director Dan Jarvis had this to say about the program:
"Parents should be the primary educators of their children when it comes to sexuality. Any efforts to get parents to accept that role, we applaud. Everybody agrees that young people should not be engaging in sexual activity. There are too many negative things that can occur. It's our hope the governor will give parents information and tools on how to talk to their children about avoiding risky situations."
Jarvis' comments are consistent with MFF's current "wait and see" position on the "Talk Early Talk Often" program. "We hope that the governor's plan will help parents effectively communicate the abstinence message to their children. We certainly do not need a government program to tell parents how to teach their kids about contraceptives," said MFF Executive Director Brad Snavely. "However, until we have a chance to see and hear what the program is telling parents, we will reserve judgment."
To read the Detroit News article about the program, click here. To find out more about the "Talk Early Talk Often" program, click here.
Alito Update
 President Bush's nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court continues to make his rounds among Senators prior to his confirmation hearing scheduled for January. A story in the Washington Times late last week said that Judge Alito has been well received by many Senate Democrats and is expected to ultimately be confirmed. Click here to read that story.
"Judge Alito deserves a fair confirmation hearing and the right to an up or down vote by the Senate," said MFF Executive Director Brad Snavely. "His credentials are impeccable, and there is no valid reason for any attempt to filibuster him."
A Gallup poll released this week indicates that Americans believe Alito should be confirmed, and that they support him at a higher level than previous nominee Harriet Miers. Fifty percent (50%) of those polled said he should be confirmed, while only 25-percent opposed his confirmation - a striking 2-1 margin. The other 25-percent currently had no opinion, a typical response for Supreme Court nominees. This poll is available online at the Gallup website. There is now a fee for accessing it, however. Click here if you are interested in seeing the poll data.
Senate Holds Hearings on the "Pornifying" of America
 Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) held hearings in the Senate last week regarding the proliferation of pornography and its harmful effects on society. "I think most Americans agree and know that pornography is bad," Brownback said. "But what most Americans don't know is how harmful pornography is to users and to their families. Few Americans know or appreciate the serious and imminent risk it poses to families - especially to children."
Several alarming statistics were shared at the hearing including:
- One in five children between the ages of 10 and 17 have received a sexual solicitation on the Internet.
- Nine out of ten (90%) of children between the ages of 8 and 16, who have Internet access, have viewed pornographic web sites - usually during the course of looking up information for homework.
Experts at the hearing testified about pornography's impact on marriages, its effect on men who are addicted to it - some as young as 13 or 14, and its devastating impact on families. Those gathered called for bi-partisan support to curb the "pornifying" of America.
Michigan Family Forum has a resource guide for parents to help protect their children while using the Internet. Click here to download a copy of "Family Guide to Internet Safety." Printed copies are also available. Contact the MFF office at (517) 374-1171 or email info@michiganfamily.org to request one. To read more about the Senate hearings, click here. To read the testimony from the Heritage Foundation, click here.
Members of Congress Call for Appeals Court to Reconsider
 Last week's Forum Online contained information about a recent Appeals Court decision that essentially eliminated parents' rights concerning what their children learn about sex in public schools. Shocked and outraged members of Congress quickly drafted a non-binding resolution calling upon the Ninth Circuit Court judges to reconsider their ruling.
"The Court's decision was outrageous," said MFF Executive Director Brad Snavely. "It's encouraging to know there are members of Congress who believe as strongly as we do that parents have a right to monitor what their children are being taught in public schools."
Michigan Family Forum has long been a proponent of parental rights concerning a child's public school education. In 2004, MFF successfully spearheaded a new law that requires school districts to have an advisory board lead by parents to develop and oversee the district's sex ed curriculum. To find out more about Michigan's sex ed law, click here. To read more about the Congressional resolution, click here.
Condom Labels Will Change - But Still Misleading
 The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ruled late last week that it will finally comply with a law signed five years ago by President Clinton. The law requires that condom labels provide "medically accurate information" about their lack of effectiveness in preventing sexually transmitted diseases (STD's).
In its ruling, the FDA wrote that "labeling should clarify that consistent use of condoms may provide some benefit for these STD's (genital herpes and HPV), such as reduced risk of developing HPV-related diseases." Linda Klepacki, analyst for sexual health at Focus on the Family Action, said the labels will still mislead the public about a very dangerous STD. "There is no evidence that condom use reduces the risk for HPV transmission," she said.
"MFF stands by our position that young people need to learn the truth about the limited effectiveness of contraceptives. They should know that abstinence is the only 100-percent effective method of preventing pregnancy and STD transmission," said MFF Executive Director Brad Snavely. To read more about the FDA's ruling, click here.
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