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North Carolina Family Minute
The "North Carolina Family Minute" is a one-minute audio news feature of the North Carolina Family Policy Council with host Bob Ditmer. New shows are posted daily, Monday–Friday. "Click" to listen, or "Right-Click" to download a show.
Faith and Family Important to Children
Regular church involvement and an intact family structure have a positive impact on how children behave, according to two new reports from the Mapping America Project at the Family Research Council. (Friday, November 21) Listen (.mp3)
North Carolinians Rally Against Marriage
Approximately 400 people gathered outside the North Carolina General Assembly building on Saturday, November 15th to protest the passage of a constitutional amendment in California defining marriage as between a man and a woman. (Thursday, November 20) Listen (.mp3)
Dangers of Freedom of Choice Act
One of the nation’s leading pro-life organizations is sponsoring a campaign aimed at educating Americans about the dangers of the Freedom of Choice Act and what they can do to fight its enactment. (Wednesday, November 19) Listen (.mp3)
Connecticut Issuing Same-Sex "Marriage" Licenses
Officials in Connecticut began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples on Wednesday, November 12—the result of a Connecticut Supreme Court decision in October that established a constitutional right to “same-sex marriage” in that state. (Tuesday, November 18) Listen (.mp3)
Catholic Bishops Condemn Proposed Legislation
The Catholic Bishops of the United States released a statement this week, strongly condemning the Freedom of Choice Act, which President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to sign upon taking office. (Monday, November 17) Listen (.mp3)
Court Hears Religious Freedom Case
On November 10, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina heard arguments in an important religious freedom case involving a pastor who was denied a permit by the city of Charlotte to hold a pro-life event. (Friday, November 14) Listen (.mp3)
CDC Estimates HPV Related Cancers
There were an estimated 25,000 annual cases of cancer associated with the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) during 1998-2003 in 38 states and the District of Columbia, according to studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Thursday, November 13) Listen (.mp3)
Higher Standards Yield Lower Scores
The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction released a report November 6 showing an increase in the number of schools that did not meet education standards last year. (Wednesday, November 12) Listen (.mp3)
Charter Schools Have Financial Benefits
Allowing parental choice in education through charter schools appears to increase the odds that a school finance ballot measure will pass, according to a new study by Lawrence University associate professor of government, A.F. Shober. (Tuesday, November 11) Listen (.mp3)
The Lottery Unveils Holiday Themed Games
The North Carolina “Education Lottery” is hoping to cash in during the holiday season by releasing three new holiday themed scratch-off games this week. (Monday, November 10) Listen (.mp3)
Three States Pass Marriage Amendments
Amid the high-profile presidential and senatorial races across the country, the citizens of three states have voted to protect traditional marriage. (Friday, November 7) Listen (.mp3)
Supreme Court to Hear Arguments in Indecency Case
On November 4, the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to begin hearing arguments in FCC v. Fox Television Stations—the first major broadcast indecency case the high court has considered since 1978. (Thursday, November 6) Listen (.mp3)
Appeals Court Upholds Sectarian Prayers at Public Meetings
A three-judge panel of the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit has upheld the practice of allowing local clergy members to offer public prayers that invoke the name of Jesus or other religious deities at government meetings in Cobb County, Georgia. (Wednesday, November 5) Listen (.mp3)
Court Rehears Partial–Birth Abortion Ban Case
On Tuesday, October 28, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, whose jurisdiction includes North Carolina, held an 80–minute hearing on the constitutionality of Virginia’s partial birth abortion ban. (Tuesday, November 4) Listen (.mp3)
Speaking Out Against Pornography
A coalition of pro-family advocates is asking Americans to take a stand against pornography this week by displaying white ribbons and reporting obscenity violations in observance of “White Ribbon Against Pornography” week. (Monday, November 3) Listen (.mp3)
Be Prepared, and Vote
The November 4 General Election is merely a week away and already North Carolina is on its way toward a record voter turnout. (Friday, October 31) Listen (.mp3)
Pro–Life Pharmacy Opens in Virginia
On Wednesday, October 22, Divine Mercy Care Pharmacy opened in Chantilly, VA to provide alternative sources of health care to pro-life customers. (Thursday, October 30) Listen (.mp3)
New York Court Grants Same–Sex Divorce
On Tuesday, October 14, a New York Supreme Court Justice ruled a petition for divorce filed by a lesbian couple could proceed, even though the State of New York does not grant “same-sex marriages.” (Wednesday, October 29) Listen (.mp3)
Another Breakthrough in Adult Stem Cell Research
Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies recently announced that they have managed to rapidly increase the production of induced pluripotent stem cells by using a new process that only requires a single human hair. (Tuesday, October 28) Listen (.mp3)
Lottery Official Estimates Lower Revenues
In a North Carolina Lottery Commission teleconference this morning, lottery director Tom Shaheen told commissioners that he anticipated at least a $16 million drop in lottery revenues next year. (Monday, October 27) Listen (.mp3)
Pro–Life Groups Protest Abortion on Campuses
Pro-life student groups at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are sponsoring a bold and controversial traveling abortion exhibit on campus this week. (Friday, October 24) Listen (.mp3)
Cost of Father Absence
A recent report from the Maryland-based National Fatherhood Initiative estimates the cost of father-absence for taxpayers to be at least $99.8 billion per year. (Thursday, October 23) Listen (.mp3)
Ex-Homosexual Group Sues for Discrimination
A Virginia-based group that works to promote the rights of men and women who choose to leave homosexuality has filed a lawsuit against the Washington DC Office of Human Rights for failing to include former homosexuals in a city wide anti-discrimination policy that gives special protections to homosexual, bisexual and transgender individuals. (Wednesday, October 22) Listen (.mp3)
Parents Matter to Teen Decisions About Sex
Parents have the strongest influence on adolescent decisions about sex, and sex education programs and policies must encourage and strengthen parental involvement to be effective, according to a new “Backgrounder” report from The Heritage Foundation. (Tuesday, October 21) Listen (.mp3)
Lottery Commission Workshop Lays Out 2009 Plan
The North Carolina “Education Lottery” Commission held a strategic planning workshop Wednesday, October 15 to discuss proposed legislation for the 2009 legislative session, advertising, and minority participation, among other topics. (Monday, October 20) Listen (.mp3)
Abortion Still an Important Issue to Voters
A majority of Americans in a new survey commissioned by the Elliot Institute said that a political candidate’s position on abortion is “somewhat important” or “very important” to how they will vote in the upcoming election. (Friday, October 17) Listen (.mp3)
"Ally Week" Promotes Homosexuality in K-12 Schools
This week, the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network is sponsoring “Ally Week” in K-12 schools across the nation in an effort to build support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender student activities. (Thursday, October 16) Listen (.mp3)
Connecticut Supreme Court Redefines Marriage
On Friday, October 10, the Connecticut Supreme Court overturned a lower court ruling by a 4–3 margin to establish a constitutional right to “same-sex marriage” in the state. (Wednesday, October 15) Listen (.mp3)
"Safe Haven" in Nebraska Leads to Abandoned Children
Nebraska’s controversial “safe haven” law that essentially allows parents to abandon children of any age at hospitals without facing criminal penalty is getting national attention, after more than a dozen older children, including a teenager from Iowa, have been abandoned at hospitals around the state since September. (Tuesday, October 14) Listen (.mp3)
House Committee Questions Treatment of Charter Schools
On Tuesday, October 7, a North Carolina House Select Committee met to consider the legal aspects of using lottery proceeds to help fund charter school construction in the state. (Monday, October 13) Listen (.mp3)
Adoption Institute Promotes Adoption by Homosexuals
A new report by the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute argues that state laws and long-standing adoption agency practices need to be changed to allow for homosexuals to adopt children in foster care. (Friday, October 10) Listen (.mp3)
Family Structure Matters to Behavior in School
Adolescents who live in an intact married family are less likely to be suspended or expelled from school than adolescents from non-intact families, according to a recent report from the Mapping America Project of the Family Research Council. (Thursday, October 9) Listen (.mp3)
Constitutionality of "Choose Life" License Plates Upheld
After a six year battle, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling on Monday, October 6 protecting the constitutionality of life-affirming speech in the form of “Choose Life” license plates. (Wednesday, October 8) Listen (.mp3)
Citizens of Hickory Free to Express Faith in Public
City officials in Hickory, North Carolina, have pledged to recognize and protect the constitutional rights of citizens to express their religious faith in public after an incident this summer involving the silencing and arrest of two Christian men who were attempting to share their faith at a public festival. (Tuesday, October 7) Listen (.mp3)
Pro–Marriage Film Fireproof Opens at Number Four
Fireproof, an independent film that highlights the struggles and importance of marriage, has surpassed industry expectations this week by opening at number four nationwide. (Monday, October 6) Listen (.mp3)
2008 Voter Guide Goes Live
Today, the North Carolina Family Policy Council publicly released its 2008 General Election Voter Guide and activated its 2008 Voter Guide website at ncfamily.org. (Friday, October 3) Listen (.mp3)
Banned Books Week Promotes "Freedom to Read" Anything
This week, September 27-October 4, libraries and bookstores across the United States will be promoting “Banned Books Week 2008,” an annual event promoting the “freedom to read” at libraries nationwide. (Thursday, October 2) Listen (.mp3)
President to Sign Bill to Protect Disabled Unborn Children
President Bush is expected to sign a bi-partisan bill aimed at curbing the incidence of abortion of children diagnosed prenatally with Down Syndrome. (Wednesday, October 1) Listen (.mp3)
Abortion Decreasing, Especially Among Teens
The U.S. abortion rate has dropped 33 percent since peaking in 1980, reaching its lowest level since 1974, according to a new report from the pro-abortion Guttmacher Institute. (Tuesday, September 30) Listen (.mp3)
Conference to Discuss "Politics of Jesus"
Evangelical leaders from around the country will meet in Durham to answer the question of how the Christian faith should be related to the public square. (Monday, September 29) Listen (.mp3)
Parental Involvement Laws Reduce APM
State laws that require parental involvement before an abortion can be performed on a minor contributed to the nearly 50 percent decline in abortions performed on minors nationwide between 1985 and 1999, according to a new Family Research Council study. (Friday, September 26) Listen (.mp3)
40 Days for Life Campaign Starts Wednesday
On Wednesday, September 24, the second annual national fall 40 Days for Life campaign will kick off. (Thursday, September 25) Listen (.mp3)
Participation in "See You at the Pole" Constitutional
The millions of students who will gather around their school flagpoles to pray this Wednesday, September 24, have a constitutional right to do so, according to a legal memo published by the Alliance Defense Fund. (Wednesday, September 24) Listen (.mp3)
One in Five Young Women Suffer Sexual Violence
Approximately one in five young women in America report being forced into sex, with the majority reporting that the sexual assault occurred when they were teenagers, according to a new study from Child Trends. (Tuesday, September 23) Listen (.mp3)
Lottery Revenues up as Economy Slows
Despite rising unemployment rates and consumer costs in North Carolina, the North Carolina lottery is benefiting from increasing sales. (Monday, September 22) Listen (.mp3)
Abstinence Programs Attacked
Two comprehensive sex education advocates claim that some abstinence programs are unconstitutional because they promote “gender stereotypes” by teaching students that men and women have innate differences. (Friday, September 19) Listen (.mp3)
Married and Healthy
A new study confirms the prevailing wisdom that marriage brings with it better health. (Thursday, September 18) Listen (.mp3)
HIV Growing Fastest in Homosexual Population
Two new reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention include additional details about the incidence of HIV infections among high-risk populations in the United States, specifically homosexual men. (Wednesday, September 17) Listen (.mp3)
Opinion Highlights Risks of Sexual Activity
The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology is urging physicians to advise their female adolescent and adult patients about the serious disease risks of sexual activities that do not involve sexual intercourse. (Tuesday, September 16) Listen (.mp3)
Adult Stem Cells Yield More Promise
In yet another example of the increasing promise of adult stem cell research and the lack of need for destructive embryonic stem cell research, Harvard biologists recently reported a new breakthrough in regenerative medicine. (Monday, September 15) Listen (.mp3)
Study Commission on Children and Youth Kicks Off
The Joint Study Commission on Children and Youth kicked off its opening meeting on September 10, 2008 to study the issues plaguing children and youth in North Carolina. (Friday, September 12) Listen (.mp3)
Survey Examines Perceptions of Evangelical Christians
Over half of Americans in a new Barna survey say they believe that Evangelical voters will have a significant impact on the upcoming election and will cause the political conversation to be more conservative. (Thursday, September 11) Listen (.mp3)
Supreme Court Hears Lottery Appeal
Six justices of the North Carolina Supreme Court heard arguments of counsel on Monday in an appeal of a suit brought by the North Carolina Family Policy Council and others to challenge the constitutionality of passage of the North Carolina Lottery Act. (Wednesday, September 10) Listen (.mp3)
Lottery Appeal Hearing Today
The North Carolina Supreme Court will hear oral arguments today in a case concerning the manner in which the North Carolina Lottery Act was passed by the state legislature in 2005. (Tuesday, September 09) Listen (.mp3)
UNC Law School Application
In a letter to the N.C. Family Policy Council, the Dean of UNC-CH School of Law stated that the “sexual orientation” of applicants was irrelevant to this year’s admissions process and will not be solicited on future applications for admission. (Monday, September 08) Listen (.mp3)
The Truth Project Promotes Biblical Worldview
In light of a recent study showing only 9 percent of Christians subscribe to a Biblical worldview, Focus on the Family has launched The Truth Project to rebuild a foundational biblical worldview among Christians. (Friday, September 05) Listen (.mp3)
Study Shows NC Schools Not Friendly to Parents
The majority of school districts in North Carolina are not friendly to parents, with most earning a grade of “C” or “D” in a new report from the John Locke Foundation. (Thursday, September 04) Listen (.mp3)
HHS Attempts to Protect Medical Conscience
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt proposed a rule August 21 to strengthen legal conscience protections for medical personnel. (Wednesday, September 03) Listen (.mp3)
College Presidents Want to Lower Drinking Age
A group of 129 college and university presidents has signed a public statement that seeks an open debate about lowering the drinking age from 21 years of age to 18. (Tuesday, September 02) Listen (.mp3)
APA Adopts Resolution Supporting Transgender "Rights"
The American Psychological Association recently announced its support for “full equality for transgender and gender variant individuals,” and urged psychologists nationwide to “provide appropriate, nondiscriminatory treatment” for these individuals. (Monday, September 01) Listen (.mp3)
Oversight Committee Concerned With Lottery Supplanting
On Friday, August 22, members of the North Carolina Lottery Oversight Committee met to consider the benefits of North Carolina’s so-called “Education” Lottery, now in its third year of operation. (Friday, August 29) Listen (.mp3)
NCFPC Ranked Among Most Effective
The North Carolina Family Policy Council continues to be ranked as one of the most effective advocacy organizations in the state, according to a report released this week by the North Carolina Center for Public Policy Research. (Thursday, August 28) Listen (.mp3)
ACLU Challenges Lobbyist Contribution Ban
The American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina has filed a lawsuit to overturn a North Carolina statute prohibiting lobbyists from making political contributions to candidates for the state legislature and other state offices. (Wednesday, August 27) Listen (.mp3)
APA Issues Report on Abortion's Mental Health Effects
Researchers on both sides of the abortion debate are questioning the conclusions of an American Psychological Association task force report that claims there is “no credible evidence” that an elective, first-trimester abortion causes mental health problems for some women. (Tuesday, August 26) Listen (.mp3)
DSS Can be Sued for Wrongful Death
The North Carolina Court of Appeals has ruled that the Department of Social Services can be sued for its failure to conduct statutorily mandated home assessments of child abuse that eventually result in the death of the child. (Monday, August 25) Listen (.mp3)
Study Suggests Link Between Spanking and Child Abuse
A new study contends that parents who spank their children, especially with an object such as a switch or a belt, are more prone to child abuse than parents who don’t. (Friday, August 22) Listen (.mp3)
Battle Continues Over Massachusetts Marriage Laws
A Massachusetts group, Mass Resistance, has filed papers with the Massachusetts Secretary of State to put one aspect of same-sex marriage to a vote on November’s General Election ballot. (Thursday, August 21) Listen (.mp3)
Colorado to Vote on Personhood Amendment
The citizens of Colorado will go to the polls this November to vote on a ballot measure that would amend the state constitution to define a “person” under Colorado law as “any human being from the moment of fertilization.” (Wednesday, August 20) Listen (.mp3)
2008 General Election Voter Guide In The Works
Election season is upon us, and the North Carolina Family Policy Council is committed to helping educate voters about candidates running for state and federal elected offices. (Tuesday, August 19) Listen (.mp3)
North Carolina Public Schools Leaving Children Behind
A staggering 61.1 percent of North Carolina public schools failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress targets set by No Child Left Behind for the 2007-2008 school year. (Monday, August 18) Listen (.mp3)
Prime-Time TV Glorifies Non-Maritial Sex
Non-marital sexual behaviors—including adultery and “threesomes”—dominate the broadcast television airwaves, while marriage relationships are either ignored or portrayed in a negative light, according to a new report from the Parents Television Council. (Friday, August 15) Listen (.mp3)
New Study Links Abortion to Depression
A recent peer-reviewed study published in the June 2008 Scandinavian Journal of Public Health finds a link between abortion and subsequent depression. (Thursday, August 14) Listen (.mp3)
Homeschooling Victory in California
On Friday, August 8, the Second District Court of Appeals for the State of California reversed course on a decision it rendered in February, in which the court had concluded that many homeschools in that state were operating illegally. (Wednesday, August 13) Listen (.mp3)
California Amendment Not Retroactive
Proposition 8, California’s marriage amendment that appears on this November’s ballot and defines marriage as only “between a man and a woman,” will not be enough to prevent challenges to state marriage laws across the country. (Tuesday, August 12) Listen (.mp3)
North Carolina Teen Birth Rate Increases
North Carolina’s teen pregnancy rate for females ages 15-19 increased to 63.1 pregnancies per 1,000 women in 2006, up from 61.7 in 2005, according to data released by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. (Monday, August 11) Listen (.mp3)
Court to Rehear Partial-Birth Abortion Case
The Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, whose jurisdiction includes North Carolina, has agreed to rehear a case involving the constitutionality of a Virginia law banning partial-birth abortion. (Friday, August 8) Listen (.mp3)
Poor Tend to Buy More Lottery Tickets
A new study conducted by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University shows that people who are made to believe they are poor tend to purchase more lottery tickets than other groups of people. (Thursday, August 7) Listen (.mp3)
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