THE PRESIDENCY AND THE WAR

We are at the end game in the war despite some continued fighting. The pundits and critics who just two weeks ago talked of a "slow pace" and a "quagmire" are now predicting "failure" in our efforts to create a new government in Iraq. The Democrats, notably those running for President, are demanding that the task of nation building be given to the United Nations. Excuse me!

The majority of member nations of the United Nations are dictatorships and monarchies. What will a government set up by these clowns look like, perhaps like that of Libya or perhaps Syria? Or perhaps no government at all. More than six years after the UN moved into Kosovo, that area still has no civil government. United Nations troops from Third World nations get drunk nightly and rape the local women. Most of the aid money being sent to Kosovo is siphoned off by Third World bureaucrats to create personal wealth for themselves. Kosovo is one great no-man's land with a bunch of armed thugs wearing blue helmets looking out for their own self interests.

Did our heroes die freeing Iraq to place it under the yoke of the United Nations? The United Nations will want the funds from the USA to "rebuild" Iraq they way they want it rebuilt and by whom they want to build it. That means our money will go to French and Russian companies. This is not a bad joke, it is the reality of a corrupt to the core United Nations bureaucracy whose single purpose is to take money from the United States and use it to enhance the power of those who hate us.

Meanwhile our President made a most uplifting speech directed to the people of Iraq. I recommend you read or listen to it at the White House Internet site.

THE HOUSE

PLEDGE AND PRAYER AMENDMENT - The Religious Freedom Coalition whole heartedly endorses and supports the Pledge and Prayer Amendment (HJ-46) to the Constitution offered by Congressman Ernest Istook (R-OK) and Congressman Sanford Bishop (D-GA) and cosponsored by more than eighty other congressmen.

It is not the will of the great majority of American citizens nor was it ever the intent of the Founding Fathers that religious speech should be curtailed and censored as it is in our nation today--by courts and bureaucrats.

The 9th Circuit Court has ruled that the Pledge of Allegiance is unconstitutional because it contains the words "under God. "This was the decision of a few radical judges who ignore the fact that the Declaration of Independence and many of the founding documents and speeches are replete with references to God, and the fact that no one is required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

In other infamous cases, judges in their courtrooms and teachers in their classrooms have been forced to take down the Ten Commandments from their walls and put them out of view, as if the fundamental legal and moral system of America and of Western civilization is something that must be hidden from the public, and especially from the younger generation. This is in spite of the fact that a large mural of Moses the Lawgiver looks down upon the proceedings of the Supreme Court of the United States.

In contradiction to the spirit and letter of the First Amendment, the meddling hand of government has reached into countless local public school classrooms, to tell a teacher that a personal copy of the Bible cannot be left in view on her desk, or to tell a kindergarten student not to pray over his lunch, or a fifth grader not to do an art project or a book report with a religious theme. Valedictorians have their speeches censored and high school athletes have been forbidden to pray before games. The examples are too numerous to mention.

Our religious heritage which was present at the founding of America and which in recent years has been eroded by judges who wish to rewrite the Constitution, needs to be protected. Generations to come need to understand that the liberties we enjoy, the tolerance and morality of this great nation and its system of laws are based on belief in a righteous and compassionate God. Freedom of religious expression needs to be restored and protected by the Pledge and Prayer Amendment.

PRESIDENT'S GLOBAL AIDS INITIATIVE - I support the Global AIDS initiative as outlined by President George W. Bush in his last State of the Union address; however, I cannot support HR 1298 as passed out of the House International Relations Committee.

The United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Act of 2003 currently has numerous provisions which make it unacceptable to family oriented social conservatives. As passed out of IR, HR 1298 gives preference to condom distribution rather than to abstinence and monogamy. The message this bill will give to the poor in Africa is to have as many sexual partners as possible and the United States will provide the condoms. In reality the only programs that have had any success in curbing AIDS in Africa are the abstinence training programs in Uganda using the ABC formula.

Uganda, which has lost a sizable portion of its adult population to AIDS takes the ABC approach to fight the decease. The "ABC" Message: Abstain, Be Faithful, or use a Condom. Recent epidemiological and behavioral data from Uganda and other countries where HIV prevalence has been reduced or stabilized suggest that an "ABC" based approach can alter patterns of personal behavior through a fundamental modification of community norms and rules of behavior. In other words it works better than just handing out condoms. Casual sex has drastically dropped in Uganda as a result of the ABC approach.

What about faith-based organizations which teach abstinence but do not distribute condoms, such as Catholic Charities which now care for one out of four AIDS victims in the world? The current bill language does not protect the faith-based organizations that do not distribute condoms. Under the current language organizations that have had the greatest success could be refused funds simply because they do not distribute condoms.

The current language also allows too much discretionary spending. A full 35% of the funds provided could be used as a slush fund. This gives no accountability to the taxpayer on how much money is spent where. Much of the funds could wind up in the pockets of bureaucrats.

Lastly, funds should go directly to providers in the field and not to the UN Global Fund which is awash in fraud and bureaucracy. Too much of the money is earmarked for the UN.

Those who care about how our tax dollars are spent should contact their congressman as swiftly as possible and tell him that as it stands HR 1298 is just unacceptable to social and moral conservatives.

THE SENATE

NO REAL SENATE ACTION! - The Senate is once again tied up in the Miguel Estrada nomination filibuster. Not happy with this debacle the Senate Democrat leaders are now planning another filibuster to block the confirmation of Pricella Owen to the US Court of Appeals. Owen currently is a Texas Supreme Court Justice. During her election to that post in 2000 she was endorsed by every major newspaper in the state of Texas.

Why do the Democrats want to derail the nomination of Pricella Owen? They hate her because she is a female conservative. Democrat leaders believe they "own" the "female vote" the "black vote" and the "Hispanic Vote." As a result they panic at the site of a true conservative who is black, Hispanic or female being nominated to any position of power. They fear that women or blacks or Hispanics may look up to that leader and start to question their "ownership" by the Democrat party. This logic is tying up Senate business. Congressman Jack Kingston (R-GA) would be my choice to run for the Senate seat opening up in Georgia. The seat is currently held by a Democrat who has announced his retirement. Kingston needs convincing. He has younger children and may not be interested in a year long campaign that would take him away from his family. The only announced Republican candidate is Congressman Johnny Isakson (R-GA) from the sixth district. This is a problem! Isakson is one of a handful of Republicans from the South who is not pro-life. If he does get the nomination, social conservatives will not work for him and many may not vote for him. We need more social conservative Republicans in the Senate to help break these Democrat filibusters.

EASTER RECESS - Congress will leave for the Easter/Passover Recess (Spring Recess for Democrats) on the 18th. Actually I expect little or nothing to happen of any importance next week. There will be no votes prior to 6:30 PM on Monday the 14th and none after 2:00 PM next Friday the 18th. That does not leave much time for business before the recess. After the recess I expect to see the Partial Birth Abortion Ban bill come to the floor for a vote.

ATHEISTS

As part of the outreach and ministry of the Religious Freedom Coalition, advertisements will be run Easter weekend in newspapers in Chicago where the annual Atheist Convention will be held. Details and a copy of the advertisement appear in the April edition of the William J Murray Report. Every Easter I wear my "John 3:16" tie which is offered at our online store in the special items section. My favorite is the beige tie although we have a blue version as well. Please check our online store for details.

William J. Murray, Chairman

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