ACLU, University of Michigan, Wayne State University Team Up to Fight Law Center in Ann Arbor Same-Sex Marriage Battle
Wed, Dec 3, 2003
ANN ARBOR – The ACLU, University of Michigan, and Wayne State University have requested permission to file briefs in support of public funding of insurance benefits to same-sex partners. Their requests were made in an effort to support the Ann Arbor Public Schools, which was sued by the Thomas More Law Center for providing insurance benefits to the same-sex partners of its employees.
The Thomas More Law Center filed its lawsuit in September on behalf of 17 Michigan residents claiming that providing insurance benefits to same sex partners is an attempt to institutionalize same- sex marriage in violation of Michigan’s Defense of Marriage Act. The Act passed in 1996 defines marriage as “inherently a unique relationship between a man and a woman,” and maintains that the state “has a special interest in encouraging, supporting, and protecting that unique relationship.”
Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center questioned the use of public funds by universities to advance the homosexual agenda. “The people of Michigan should be outraged that their hard earned money paid out in taxes is being used to fund the homosexual agenda in their state. Despite the clear will of the people of Michigan, today’s cultural elites are determined to shove same-sex marriage down our throats and force taxpayers to pay for it.”
Thompson continued, “The Ann Arbor Public School’s same–sex domestic partnership has all the trappings of marriage except the title. It is an incremental strategy to legitimize same sex marriages contrary to Michigan’s Defense of Marriage Act, and we intend to stop it.”
In addition to the ACLU, University of Michigan, and Wayne State University, the court will hear requests from the Women’s Law Association and the Washtenaw County Medical Society, all of whom support the Ann Arbor Public Schools. Washtenaw County Circuit Judge David Swartz will hear arguments Wednesday, December 3rd at 4:30 PM.
The lawsuit is just one of several related efforts by the Thomas More Law Center to defend traditional marriage and block homosexual activists from acquiring the benefits of marriage that would result in the de-facto legalization of same-sex marriage. The Center has worked to stop transsexual marriage in Kansas, homosexual adoption in Nebraska, and is involved in major legal battles over the rights of students and faith based organizations to reject homosexual demands for recognition of their lifestyles and unions.
Federal Judge Compares School’s Censorship of Christian Student During Homosexual Diversity Week to Actions of Nazi Germany
Wed, Nov 26, 2003
ANN ARBOR – Detroit Federal Judge Gerald Rosen likened the censorship of a Christian student at Ann Arbor, Michigan Pioneer High School during its 2002 Diversity Week program to the censorship practiced by Nazi Germany. The judge’s comments were made during a scheduled hearing in a federal lawsuit filed by the Thomas More Law Center, a national public interest law firm, on behalf of student Betsy Hansen whose religious views against homosexuality were censored and excluded from the program.
According to the Detroit Free Press, during Monday’s hearing Judge Rosen asked the school’s attorney “Isn’t this cultural hegemony, where you’re only going to present one view to the exclusion of others?” Don’t you think that smacks of government and religious totalitarianism?” “Isn’t that how we got to book burning in Nazi Germany back in the 1930’s,” asked Rosen.
During the 2002 Diversity Week program, Pioneer High School officials prevented Hansen from expressing her Roman Catholic view on homosexuality at the “Homosexuality and Religion” panel. School officials claimed that Betsy’s religious view toward homosexuality was a “negative” message and would “water-down” the “positive” religious message that they wanted to convey—that homosexual behavior is not immoral or sinful.
Only religious leaders who endorsed the school’s pro-homosexual “religious” belief were allowed to sit on the panel. School officials denied Hansen’s request to have a panel member who would express the Roman Catholic belief on homosexual activity.
School officials hand-picked the pro-homosexual panel members, selected the Gay Straight Alliance faculty advisor to act as “moderator,” prohibited “open” questions to panel members, and expressly prohibited the students from personally interacting with any panel member before, during, or after the panel discussion.
The federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the Thomas More Law Center alleges that school officials violated Hansen’s constitutional rights to freedom of speech, free exercise of religion, and the equal protection of the law. Moreover, the lawsuit alleges that school officials coerced students to accept the religious belief that homosexual activity is not immoral or sinful.
A ruling on this case is expected within the next few weeks.
Law Center Sues to Stop Taxpayer Funding of Same-Sex Benefits in Michigan
Mon, Sep 22, 2003
ANN ARBOR, MI – Claiming that the Ann Arbor Public School District’s contract with employees providing for insurance benefits to same sex partners is an attempt to institutionalize same sex marriages contrary to Michigan law, the Thomas More Law Center today filed a lawsuit to prevent any public funds to pay for such insurance benefits.
The lawsuit, filed in the Washtenaw County Circuit Court, asks the court to prohibit the District from using tax dollars to fund same-sex partner benefits and will test whether Michigan’s Defense of Marriage Act is more than simply a symbolic piece of legislation.
According to Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel of the Law Center, “The purpose of this lawsuit is to stop these counterfeit marriages. The Supreme Court’s recent decision creating a constitutional right to homosexual sodomy does not mean that Michigan taxpayers must recognize or subsidize these relationships. Citizens must recognize that the homosexual movement is not about ending discrimination, but a major transformation of society by abolishing the traditional concept of marriage.”
In 2001, the Ann Arbor Public Schools Board, the County Prosecutor, the Department of Education, and the Attorney General were asked to rescind the contract as a violation of state public policy. No action was taken by any of these entities. As a result, the Thomas More Law Center decided to file the lawsuit on behalf of several taxpayers to prevent their tax dollars from being illegally used.
Patrick T. Gillen, Associate Counsel with the Law Center handling the case, indicated that his clients see the lawsuit as an effort to preserve the institution of traditional marriage. Said Gillen, “The school district’s transparent effort to circumvent Michigan’s law defining marriage is unlawful; and all the more unfortunate because these funds should be used to serve the legitimate needs of the district’s students.”
The lawsuit is just one of several related efforts by the Thomas More Law Center to defend traditional marriage and block homosexual activists from acquiring the benefits of marriage that would result in the de-facto legalization of same-sex marriage. The Center has worked to stop transsexual marriage in Kansas, homosexual adoption in Nebraska, and is involved in major legal battles over the rights of students and faith based organizations to reject homosexual demands for recognition of their lifestyles and unions.
The Thomas More Law Center defends the religious freedom of Christians, time-honored family values, and the sanctity of human life through litigation, education, and related activities. The Law Center provides its services at no charge, and depends on individual donations, foundations, and corporations for financial support. The IRS recognizes the Law Center as a 501(c)(3) organization and donations are tax deductible. You may contact the Law Center at (734) 827-2001 or visit its website at www.thomasmore.org.
Pro-Lifer Asks Wisconsin Supreme Court For Right To Enter Clinic To Protect Women From Harm Of Abortion
Mon, Aug 18, 2003
ANN ARBOR, MI — In a petition filed last week with the Wisconsin Supreme Court, pro-lifer William Goodman is asking the state’s highest court to recognize the common law defense of “necessity,” which would give pro-life demonstrators the right to enter clinic property in order to prevent involuntary or coerced abortions.
The controversial position is based on the common law rule that one is privileged to enter on the property of another if it is or reasonably appears to be necessary to prevent serious harm to a third person. The Wisconsin Constitution expressly preserves the common law until it has been changed by the legislature. Last month the Wisconsin Court of Appeals ruled that the “necessity” defense is unavailable in an action to enjoin future trespasses into an abortion clinic. Goodman is asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to review and reverse this ruling.
Goodman’s attorney, Robert Muise of the Thomas More Law Center, stated, “The common law privilege of necessity is a valid defense to a claim of a civil trespass. The Court should recognize this rule of law regardless of its position on abortion. ”
The controversy began in December 2000, when Goodman peacefully entered the Madison Abortion Clinic to help women scheduled for abortions that day. He believed that there were women present who were under duress and had not given their voluntary and informed consent to have an abortion. Shortly after entering the clinic, he was assaulted by a worker and handcuffed by a security guard. Police arrived and escorted him from the building.
Goodman was sued by Meriter Hospital, the landlord of the Madison Abortion Clinic, for trespass. The Thomas More Law Center defended Goodman against the hospital’s attempt to get a “buffer zone” in place that would have kept the pro-life demonstrator more than 100 feet away from the clinic entrance. Goodman counter-sued the hospital and the abortion clinic for assault and battery and received a judgment in his favor against the abortion clinic, its owner, and the worker who attacked him.
An appeal was filed on Goodman’s behalf challenging the trial court’s order that enjoins him from trespassing. The court of appeals affirmed the trial court’s ruling that the “necessity” defense was unavailable in Goodman’s case. Goodman is now asking the Wisconsin Supreme Court to reverse this ruling.
In support of Goodman’s petition to the Wisconsin Supreme Court, the Law Center provided sworn testimony of Carol Everett, a former abortion clinic operator. Ms. Everett testified that it was her experience that women were never told the truth about their baby or what might happen to them as a result of the abortion; that women were never given adequate truthful information to make an informed decision about the abortion; and that many women who sought abortions were under duress or coercion to terminate the life of their “unwanted child.”
Based on evidence such as this, the Law Center’s petition argues that if it reasonably appeared necessary for Goodman to enter the Madison Abortion Clinic in order to prevent serious harm to third persons, namely the women and their unborn children who would be harmed by abortion, then the necessity defense should apply regardless of Goodman’s politics or religious beliefs. The Law Center pointed out that any “medical” procedure performed without voluntary and informed consent is a battery under Wisconsin law.
Law Center Applauds Vatican’s Opposition to Homosexual Marriages as “Call To Arms”
Thu, Jul 31, 2003
ANN ARBOR, MI — The Thomas More Law Center, a public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan applauded the Vatican’s opposition to the legal recognition of homosexual unions as a “call to arms”, issued to all persons committed to the common good of society. The Vatican document issued today, “Considerations Regarding Proposals to Give Legal Recognition to Unions Between Homosexual Person” stated that homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered and grave sins, and admonished Catholic law-makers of their moral duty to publicly oppose laws that favor legal recognition to homosexual unions.
The Vatican document also opposed exposing young people to erroneous ideas about sexuality and marriage that contribute to the spread of homosexuality.
Richard Thompson, Chief Counsel of the Thomas More Law Center, commented, “The Vatican document issued today is most timely, and demonstrates the importance of the battles now being waged over the issue of homosexuality”.
The Law Center has handled multiple lawsuits across the country aimed at defending traditional marriage, and is currently defending the right of a Michigan public high school student, Betsy Hansen, to speak out against homosexual conduct during her high school’s diversity week program.
“The Supreme Court’s flawed decision in the Lawrence case created a public backlash wholly unexpected by the advocates of same-sex marriage. This public response has revealed that a majority of Americans are not in favor of trashing traditional marriage”, said Thompson.
In recent weeks, homosexual activists have been working overtime, hoping to capitalize on their recent Supreme Court victory in the Lawrence v. Texas case, which recognized a constitutional right to sodomy. Much to their dismay, the heightened interest in the homosexual issue has produced quite the opposite result. A USA Today/CNN/Gallup poll conducted July 25-27, reveals that acceptance of homosexuality is on the decline. In fact, only 48% percent of respondents believed that “homosexual relations between consenting adults should . . . be legal, “ compared with the poll taken earlier this year in which 60% responded in the affirmative.
The document, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, reiterated the Church’s constant teaching on the meaning and purpose of traditional marriage, while underscoring the grave moral duty of Catholic politicians to publicly oppose and vote against proposals to recognize homosexual unions.