Learn how COVID-19 affects Churches & the Pro-Life Movement Abortion During the COVID-19 Pandemic In the midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic, Michigan abortion clinics remain; states who shut down abortion overruled by Federal Judge In Michigan, measures to protect public health have resulted in the cancellation of almost all major surgeries (anything deemed non-essential), but abortion clinics are still open for business, despite shortages in medical supplies and the risk of community spread of COVID-19. Other states, like Texas, Ohio, Alabama, and Maryland, acted to protect the lives of all medical patients, including pregnant women and their preborn children, by ordering abortion clinics to close. However, yesterday, U.S. District Judges Myron Thompson and Lee Yeakel overruled the actions of these states and wrote that the state’s concerns about conserving medical equipment during the pandemic does not “outweigh the serious, and, in some cases, permanent, harms imposed by the denial of an individual’s right to privacy." Judge Thompson went on to say that states where there is a time limit on when women can obtain abortion could "fully prevent some women from exercising their right to obtain an abortion." Read more. Right to Life of Michigan calls on Governor to Close Abortion Facilities for Elective Abortions In light of her order requiring all outpatient facilities to postpone non-essential procedures, Right to Life of Michigan is calling on Governor Gretchen Whitmer to clarify that elective abortions are a non-essential procedure. Abortion procedures require the use of personal protective equipment like other now-forbidden medical procedures. Medical personnel handling coronavirus patients will not be able to use those scarce resources. Right to Life of Michigan President Barbara Listing said, “Today, abortion facilities are using up surgical masks in order to take the lives of innocent babies. Tomorrow, how many doctors and nurses will go without proper protection while trying to save the lives of coronavirus patients? How many of those medical personnel will contract the virus?” Learn more. Religious Liberty & the Governor's Stay At Home Order Governor Whitmer's "Stay at Home" Executive Order: What it Means for Churches an Religious Organizations What happens to our constitutionally protected First Amendment rights in light of the order to shelter in place? Professor William Wagner and the team at Salt & Light Global have prepared a legal brief that contains an important analysis of the Governor's Executive Order as it applies to churches and religious organizations. Please take a moment to read this important brief here. Federal Government Standing Up for Religious Liberty While 2020 has been a politically dramatic year thus far, with historic impeachment proceedings and unprecedented government response to a public health situation, there have also been tremendous victories for religious liberty that have not gotten nearly the attention they deserve. CTV supports these important efforts to restore and protect the First Amendment. On January 16, the White House enacted significant policy to protect religious conscience and religious expression. These new rules protect the First Amendment rights of freedom of speech and religious conscience, including protecting prayer and religious expression in publicly funded educational intuitions. The language and rationale stated in the rule provide sound support for the Constitution’s protection of our God-given liberties: “The relationship between religion and government in the United States is governed by the First Amendment to the Constitution, which the Supreme Court has held both prevents the government from establishing religion and protects privately initiated religious expression and activities from government interference and discrimination…The Supreme Court has repeatedly held that the First Amendment requires public school officials to show neither favoritism toward nor hostility against religious expression such as prayer…As the Court has explained in several cases, “there is a crucial difference between government speech endorsing religion, which the Establishment Clause forbids, and private speech endorsing religion, which the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses protect.” You can read the full rule here. Pro-Family Legislation in Michigan Two New Bills Protect Children from Exploitation CTV applauds the bi-partisan efforts of the House of Representatives as they work to better protect our children. Earlier this month, two new bills were introduced that broaden the scope of existing laws to prevent children from becoming victims of sex trafficking and change definitions to allow for stricter prosecution for traffickers. HB 5649 provides more stringent background checks for individuals seeking licensing to work in childcare. It adds new language to prohibit anyone with a conviction of felony for transporting individuals for "commercial sexual activity." Because our state ranks in the top ten states for human trafficking, and because the vast majority of victims in Michigan are children, every layer of protection we can add to prevent this heinous crime is significant. HB 6560 broadens the legal definition of sexual exploitation to encompass anyone who so much as encourages a child to engage in commercial sexuality. This bill also extends similar background checks for licensing of adult foster care facilities that are authorized to care for children. Both bills are now before the House Judiciary Committee. New Resolution Declares Pornography a Public Health Crisis Representative Julie Calley introduced HCR 14, which is a concurrent resolution that declares pornography a public health crisis. Last week, the resolution was taken up by the House Health Policy Committee, who heard testimony on the "broad spectrum of societal harms" that pornography produces. These harms include the fact that pornography creates "toxic" expectations and behaviors and normalizes violent sexual crimes like rape, abuse, prostitution, and sex trafficking. The language of HCR 14 further elaborates on developmental risks to children who are exposed to pornography and the destabilizing effect pornographic addictions can have on individuals and families. Because resolutions are non-binding, they do not have the policy force of law. Nevertheless, they play a vital role in raising awareness and setting the tone for continued public conversation and policy making. They also care immense symbolic weight and help signal which issues are a priority. CTV supports this resolution and appreciates the bold stand that Representative Calley and co-sponsor Representative Frederick are taking to help end the destructive effects of pornography. If approved by both chambers of the Michigan Legislature, a copy of the resolution will be sent to the US Legislature. You can read the full text of the resolution here. Petition Proposal would Increase Discrimination Update on MI LGBTQ Petition Drive that Threatens Religious Liberty and Creates More Discrimination Our friends at the Michigan Family Forum (MFF) recently attended a public training session for volunteers gathering signatures to add "sexual orientation" and "gender identity" as a protected status to the state's Elliot-Larsen civil rights law. While MFF (& CTV) opposes the initiative launched by Fair and Equal Michigan, they wanted to learn more about the group's effort. Here is the Status Report from Michigan Family Forum: "Event organizers announced that they have over 100 paid and 600 volunteer signature gatherers and that they have received $1.2 million in donations, largely through corporate donors. They also announced that they had gathered 100,000 signatures of a required 340,000, with a goal of reaching 500,000. By all appearances, the Fair and Equal initiative will likely be successful in gathering a sufficient number of signatures. If the group does gather the signatures, the legislature will have 40 days to enact the initiative into law or to pass it on to voters in November for their approval or rejection." Citizens for Traditional Values and Michigan Family Forum are working with like-minded organization to defeat this proposal. Despite being organized by a group who calls themselves "fair and equal," this proposal would actually create more discrimination by advancing a specially protected minority at the expense of the rights and safety of the majority. Donate to CTV Citizens for Traditional Values relies on the support of grassroots activists and concerned citizens who care about preserving, protecting, and promoting traditional values in Lansing and our local communities. Click here to donate now. 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