TRUMPET NOTES: July 27, 2022

Lowell Affirms It Is a Pro-Life City

         On Tuesday the Lowell City Council passed a resolution affirming that it is a Pro-Life City. Lowell is the first city in Arkansas to affirm it is Pro-Life since the U.S. Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade on June 24. To date, 20 counties and 14 cities and towns in Arkansas have adopted pro-life resolutions like Lowell’s.

         Benton, Washington, Crawford, Cleburne, Pope, Jackson, Saline, Faulkner, Perry, Sebastian, Lee, White, Prairie, Searcy, Carrol, Newton, Boone, Hot Spring, Madison and Fulton counties have adopted Pro-Life resolutions. Pro-Life Cities in Arkansas include Marianna, Russellville, Springdale, LaGrange, Moro, Aubrey, Haynes, Marshall, Western Grove, Leslie, Tontitown, Jasper and Bryant.

         Last year, the Arkansas Legislature enacted Act 392 of 2021 by Rep. Kendon Underwood (R/Cave Springs) and Sen. Gary Stubblefield (R/Branch) affirming that cities and counties can designate themselves as Pro-Life. Act 392 also says that Pro-Life Communities can install signs or banners announcing that they are Pro-Life. (familycouncil.org)

Biological Male Swimmer Lia Thomas Nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year

         A biological male has been nominated for the NCAA Woman of the Year Award. University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas — a biological male who claims to be female — made headlines after shattering women’s swimming records last year and winning the women’s 500-yard freestyle in NCAA Division I championship in March.

         Last week, the NCAA listed Thomas among the 577 athletes nominated for NCAA Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA established the Woman of the Year Award in 1991 to honor female athletes who have “distinguished themselves in their community, in athletics and in academics throughout their college careers.” NCAA member schools are encouraged to nominate their top graduating female student-athletes for the Woman of the Year Award. The NCAA will recognize the award winner in January of 2023, following a lengthy selection process.

         The story underscores once again how ignoring basic biological realities about male athletes and female athletes robs women of opportunities to receive recognition for their achievements. (familycouncil.org)

Democrat-led House Passes Bill to Codify Same-sex Marriage

         The House has passed a measure to codify same-sex marriage into law. The Democrat-led House voted 267-157 on Tuesday to codify same-sex marriage into law, fearful that the U.S. Supreme Court might one day overturn the Obergefell v. Hodges decision that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. All House Democrats were joined by 47 Republicans in passing the measure, which is expected to fail in the Senate because at least 10 Republicans would need to join Democrats to pass the legislation for it to be signed into law by President Joe Biden.

         Rep. David Cicilline (D/R.I.) announced in a statement Monday that he and several other House members had introduced the “Respect for Marriage Act.” The legislation would also “repeal the Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA), which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. While Obergefell and an earlier Supreme Court decision, United States v. Windsor, struck down DOMA as unconstitutional, supporters of the Respect for Marriage Act are attempting to codify same-sex marriage into law in response to the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade.

         The push also follows Justice Clarence Thomas’ remarks noting that the doctrine of substantive due process was used to insist that the Constitution contained a right to abortion and the suggestion that the Supreme Court should “reconsider all of this Court’s substantive due process precedents,” including Obergefell. However, Thomas agreed with the majority opinion in Dobbs that “nothing in the court’s opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.” (christianpost.com)

Louisiana Withholds $39 Million From New Orleans Because it Won’t Enforce Abortion Ban

         State officials in Louisiana have withheld tens of millions of dollars from a Democratic city where elected officials, including its Soros-linked prosecutor, defiantly refused to enforce the state’s pro-life laws. The funds would have helped build a critical update to the city’s water and sewage infrastructure.

         The mayor, sheriff and district attorney of New Orleans vowed they would not investigate abortionists who violate the state’s post-Roe trigger law, which would protect most unborn children and punish abortion with up to 10 years in prison. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry (R) told The Washington Stand he proposed delaying state funding for city projects until liberal officials stopped threatening to turn New Orleans into a “sanctuary city” for abortion.

         Louisiana’s Bond Commission, which distributes state loans and grants to local governments, voted 12-2 on Thursday to defer a $39 million line of credit meant for the Sewerage and Water Board to build a new power plant. They will reconsider the funding at their next meeting, in 30 days, if city officials agree to stop flouting state law.

         Meanwhile, the water and sewer upgrades have enough funding to continue temporarily, and the Bond Commission will reconsider the funding next month. Members hope New Orleans officials will reconsider their stance, as well.

         Louisiana ranks as the second most pro-life state in the United States, according to Americans United for Life. (lifenews.com)

Chinese-Owned Company Buys Up Farmland Near Strategic U.S. Airbase

         U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R/Fla.), Kevin Cramer (R/N.D.) and John Hoeven (R/N.D.) wrote July 14 to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), expressing concern over “Chinese food manufacturer Fufeng Group’s recent purchase of roughly 370 acres of land near Grand Forks, N.D.” Fufeng plans to build a wet corn mill on the site. However, because of national security implications that potentially go far beyond food production, Rubio, Cramer and Hoeven urged the CFIUS to conduct a full review.

         The purchase was strategically located “approximately 12 miles from Grand Forks Air Force Base,” argued the senators, raising concerns “that Fufeng operations could provide cover for PRC surveillance or interference with the missions located at that installation, given Fufeng Group’s reported ties to the Chinese Communist Party.” Cramer explained on “Washington Watch” that the Grand Forks Air Force Base is “a very important ISR — that’s intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance — air base. It’s reconnaissance wing actually flies unmanned aerial vehicles.” The drones flown in the Middle East are operated from Grand Forks, supposedly far from any frontline.

         The base also serves as “a ground station for working satellites in low earth orbit,” Cramer explained. “There’s a lot of important data that goes up and down from space to earth at Grand Forks.” China’s land purchase in the neighborhood gives an “opportunity for the Chinese to do what they do very well. And that is steal and spy,” he added.

         “Six states, including North Dakota, have laws banning foreign ownership of farmland,” said FRC President Tony Perkins, host of “Washington Watch.” “International investors circumvent this by purchasing U.S. corporations to handle such purchases.” North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring commented on the purchase, “I don’t like that it’s China, but the reality is, I don’t have a leg to stand on because if there’s nothing unlawful about it.”

         But while state officials can’t derail the sale, federal officials may have a stronger hand. “Local officials are seeking input from federal authorities about any national security implications of this project,” the senators’ letter informed the committee. That includes the DoD and FBI, but CFIUS may have a role to play, too. “Normally, agriculture transactions are exempt from CFIUS,” said Cramer, but “they are, in fact, going to take a look.” He expected that “a lot of concerns are going to be raised by the various agencies… enough concern to allow the community and the state to unravel this transaction.” CFIUS is comprised of 14 department heads and White House officials. (washingtonstand.com)

Attorneys General Warn Google Not to Limit Search Results for Pro-life Centers

         A month after some members of Congress urged Google to limit the appearance of pro-life pregnancy clinics in certain abortion-related search results, 17 Republican attorneys general are warning the company that doing so could invite investigations and possible legal action.

         The effort was led by Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron, and the letter was shared with The Associated Press ahead of its public release. The attorneys general took issue with a June 17 letter to the company from U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D/Va.) and Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D/Mich.) which was co-signed by 19 other members of Congress.

         That letter cites research by the nonprofit Center for Countering Digital Hate, which found that Google searches for “abortion clinic near me” and “abortion pill” turned up results for clinics that counsel clients against having an abortion.

         “Directing women towards fake clinics that traffic in misinformation and don’t provide comprehensive health services is dangerous to women’s health and undermines the integrity of Google’s search results,” says the June letter, which was authored after the leak of a draft opinion indicating the U.S. Supreme Court would overturn the landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized abortion nationwide. The court took that step June 24.

         The Democrat-led group asked Google to address what steps it would take to limit the appearance of “crisis pregnancy centers” in its search results, ads and maps results for users who search for “abortion clinic,” “abortion pill” or other similar terms.

         The group also asked the company if it would add disclaimers to address whether or not a clinic provides abortions. New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office also raised similar concerns in a June letter to Google.

         The July 21 letter defends the work of crisis pregnancy centers, noting such centers often provide services such as free ultrasounds, pregnancy tests, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and parenting and prenatal education classes. It also argues that “at least some” Google users who search for information about abortion expect to find information about alternatives.

         They wrote that if the company complies with “this inappropriate demand” to “bias” its search results, their offices would respond by investigating whether there had been any violation of antitrust or religious discrimination laws. They also pledged to consider whether new legislation would help “protect consumers and markets.”

         It asked the California-based company to respond within 14 days and explain whether it has or will take any steps to treat crisis pregnancy centers any differently than before the leak of the draft Supreme Court decision. (baptistpress.com)