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LIBRARIANS DISCUSS STOCKING EROTICA: Librarians Discuss Stocking Erotica by Dave Clark SUMMARY: Librarians have moved beyond whether to acquire sexually explicit materials for the public. They're now asking how to do it. About 100 people attended a groundbreaking workshop on erotica at the American Library Association's (ALA) annual convention in Chicago, held July 7-12. "So how does a library house erotica and make it available to patrons without causing a community uproar?" asked panelist Heather Holmes, during the ALA-sponsored workshop. Holmes didn't really have an answer to her question, but attendees agreed that libraries should now contain whatever is printed. They struggled with issues of cataloging. "When you're looking for an article or the contents of a pornographic magazine, you won't be able to go to a traditional or standard index for that information," said one participant, Lee LeFleur. "There is this huge gap in our collections when it comes to human sexuality," said Chuck Munson, the librarian and self-described anarchist who chaired the workshop. "It's a shame that many of these fine periodicals do not grace the shelves of our periodical collections," Munson said. He went on to display one of them: "Now this is 'Libido,' which can best be described as erotica for the thinking person; in other words, 'literate smut.' " Librarian Cindy Lott also showed her favorite porn. " 'Black and Gay' is interesting," Lott said. "It has a list of clubs and bars across the country. It's really a safety network. If you were a gay male, where could you go to be accepted?" Kathy Valenti, of Citizens for Community Values, was outraged. "Having a session called 'Erotica in the Libraries' is a big concern," Valenti said. She said with this turning point, parents must now be even more vigilant when their children go to the library. In addition, she said it is time for taxpayers to speak up. "In essence, we are funding and paying for adult book stores in our public libraries," Valenti added. Public universities appear to be taking the lead in developing erotica collections, but many community librarians have now been emboldened by the ALA seminar. To make matters worse, the ALA favors giving children the same access to explicit materials that is afforded adults. TAKE ACTION: Contact Sarah Ann Long, president of the ALA, and express your opposition to the fact that the organization is even considering sanctioning the stocking of erotica on library shelves, especially given the harm such material would cause to children. Cite the erotica workshop at the most recent ALA convention as evidence. Urge her to discourage any further consideration or discussion of the idea within the ALA. Sarah Ann Long President American Library Association North Suburban Library System 200 West Dundee Road Wheeling, IL 60090 Phone: (847) 459-1300, ext:125 Fax: (847) 459-0380 E-mail: sarahl@nslsilus.org Web site: http://www.sarahlong.org You can also contact the general ALA offices at: ala@ala.org. In addition, contact your local library and ask whether it is an ALA member. If so, notify the library officials of the ALA's recent workshop on erotica in libraries. Find out your library's position on acquiring erotica for its shelves, and express your opposition to the idea. To view the ALA's description of the "Erotica in Libraries" session, see: http://www.ala.org/alaorg/oif/ifprograms.html. BACK TO THE TOP GENOME PROJECT DANGER: Pro-Lifers Warn of Genome Project Dangers by Lara McGovern SUMMARY: Scientists unveiled a huge breakthrough in medical science recently - the completion of the human gene map. While many are celebrating, pro-life groups are warning of the potential for harm. Many medical ethicists -- Dr. Ben Mitchell, of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity -- are cautiously optimistic now that the first draft of the human genetic blueprint is complete. "There are as many as 4,000-5,000 genetically-linked illnesses that are potentially treatable or curable once we understand where the markers for those diseases or illnesses are on the blueprint," Mitchell said. However, he is concerned about the ethical decisions that may be made. "Once we can find out if a person has a marker for a genetic illness that they may or may not get sometime in the future, then insurance companies and HMOs and others are going to be very interested in being able to get access to that information so that they could keep people from getting insurance," Mitchell said. Rev. Joseph Howard, with the American Life League, said genetic information can be used, in effect, to design babies. "In vitro fertilization, as it's practiced now, generates multiple human embryos that very early on -- at the two-, four-, eight-cell stage of development of the human being -- are scrutinized for, let's say, sickle-cell anemia genes," Howard said. "If the human embryo is found to have those genes, it's destroyed and they try again." Mitchell added that those who make policy about how the genetic map will be used can't seem to agree on whether unborn children have a right to life or whether their body parts should be sold for research. He said it is important that those who care about the sanctity of life become well informed and educate others about the potential dangers of advanced medical technology. BACK TO THE TOP GUMBEL'S BUMBLE: Gumbel's Bumble by Martha Kleder SUMMARY: Bryant Gumbel has stuck his ultra-liberal foot in his mouth . . . again. The media is still buzzing about an off-hand comment made recently by Bryant Gumbel on the "The Early Show" on CBS. The derogatory comment was a reaction to a just-completed interview with Bob Knight, of the Family Research Council, about the Supreme Court's decision in Boy Scouts of America vs. Dale. Following the Boy Scouts segment, CBS went to the weather. Apparently unbeknownst to Gumbel, the show cut back to him and caught him saying, "What a (expletive) idiot!" Brent Bozell, with the Media Research Center, called the incident a new low in Christian-bashing. "No other reporter has been caught on camera in front of millions of people saying what Bryant Gumbel was caught saying," Bozell said. Knight, meanwhile, is grateful for the support he has received. "I'm heartened that the American Family Association and the Media Research Center have risen to my defense and have actually called for CBS to fire Mr. Gumbel," Knight said. Some viewer complaints have already been lodged with the FCC, but Bozell said more action is needed. "If you don't express outrage . . . (and) don't complain about it; if you're not going to write CBS; if you're not going to pick up the phone and lodge a complaint; if you're not going to contact the sponsors of that show, don't complain when they do this kind of thing," Bozell said. The Family Research Council is discussing the possibility of filing a lawsuit against Gumbel for defamation of character. Meanwhile, the organization is calling for an on-air apology from Gumbel. Thus far, Gumbel has not responded. TAKE ACTION: To lodge a complaint with CBS, see: http://cbsnews.cbs.com/now/feedback/0,1611,412,00.html. To view a catalog of Gumbel's biased comments, see the Media Research Center's Web site at: http://www.mrc.org. BACK TO THE TOP TABLES TURN AS LIBRARY CENSORS BOOK: Tables Turn as Library Censors Book by Dave Clark SUMMARY: Every year the American Library Association celebrates what it calls "Banned Books Week," a time when librarians often criticize any parental involvement in what their children read. So, what happens when librarians themselves are censors? A Toledo, Ohio, family remains puzzled why three branches of their local library rejected a book they donated that is critical of Planned Parenthood's founder. "They all took the books and then every one of them returned the books," Dean Witt said. Witt said the book "Killer Angel" is an important biography that tells little-known facts about the life of Margaret Sanger, the founder of Planned Parenthood. For example, the book reveals her early efforts to try to limit certain racial populations. "They basically said that it wasn't worth a critical biography," Witt said. "They had nowhere to put the book." That's ironic, considering that Toledo public libraries offer other books favorable to the feminist "patron saint." Steve Herb, chairman of the American Library Association's Intellectual Freedom Committee, said while he is sympathetic to Witt's plight, he must defend the right of libraries to adopt their own selection process. "We really do support the notion that the libraries of America make their own decisions about all sorts of things," Herb said. "It's just sad that there are institutions that claim to be entirely objective and they wind up being perhaps even more sneakily biased than other institutions," said Dr. George Grant, author of "Killer Angel" and a respected Christian historian. "Here we have the library and the association justifying dumping a particular worldview on the basis that it's an objectionable worldview." A spokesman for the library did not return calls for comment. Grant is also the author of "Grand Illusions: The Legacy of Planned Parenthood," the single best-selling book about the organization. BACK TO THE TOP INFANTACIDE RULING PROTESTED: Court's Abortion Ruling Protested by Martha Kleder SUMMARY: Following the U.S. Supreme Court's announcement of its ruling against Nebraska's partial- birth abortion ban, pro-life leaders and lawmakers gathered near the Court to express their outrage. Dozens of protesters marched around the Supreme Court building as members of Congress, such as Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., expressed their outrage. "(I)nfanticide is an indicator of a very sick culture, and it is exactly that which the Supreme Court of the United States has given its imprimatur to," Tancredo said. "And they should be ashamed of themselves." Justice John Paul Stevens wrote the majority opinion, which Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., called "anti-intellectual." "He talks about a child as he or she is being born as 'potential life' instead of life with vast potential," Smith said. "It shows how incredibly naive, ignorant and myopic this court really is." Citing Justice Antonin Scalia's stinging dissent, Chuck Donovan, with the Family Research Council, said he hoped the Stenberg vs. Carhart decision would join other notorious rulings on the ash heap of history. "I stand here today as a representative of a public policy group to re-pledge our organization's work and the work of millions of families across America to produce that result as swiftly as possible," Donovan said. Smith pledged continued attempts to pass the federal ban. "We are going to keep coming back over and over again until this profound injustice has been eliminated from the United States of America," Smith said. Bans similar to Nebraska's are in place in 29 other states. Those laws will not immediately be affected, but are expected to be quickly challenged. Some members of Congress also noted that the ruling has taken away America's moral high ground when protesting China's one-child policy, which has led to many aborted children. BACK TO THE TOP STEMMING ABORTION DRUGS AT SCHOOL: Stemming Abortion Drugs at School by Martha Kleder SUMMARY: Helms effort could help parents regain some lost authority. An amendment has been included in the Senate version of the annual funding bill for the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education departments that, if passed, will give parents more control over their children's medical treatments. Stephanie Mollins, with the Family Research Council, said the amendment, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., is needed to stop the distribution in taxpayer- funded school health clinics of drugs that can or do induce abortions. "I don't even think parents would believe it if they found out that, indeed, their children can receive chemical abortions in their school," Mollins said. But according to the Congressional Research Service, they can. "The federal law does indeed permit the morning-after pill to be distributed at school health clinics," said Helms. The "morning-after pill," also known as "emergency contraception" and marketed as Preven, is essentially a concentrated dose of oral contraceptives taken within 72 hours of unprotected sex, according to Carrie Earll, bioethics analyst with Focus on the Family. Though the drug can simply prevent pregnancy by delaying ovulation, it can also cause an abortion once conception has occurred by preventing the implantation of a fertilized egg in the woman's uterus. According to Mollins, current law doesn't just permit the distribution of the morning-after pill -- as Helms said -- but demands it. "Any school receiving federal family-planning money is prohibited by federal law to place any sort of restriction on contraception," said Mollins, who added that the language also would permit the distribution of the abortion drug, RU-486, when and if the Food and Drug Administration gives it final approval. The Helms amendment would stop the distribution of those abortion-inducing drugs in school clinics. While that amendment is in the Senate version of the Labor/HHS/Education spending bill, it must survive the conference committee, lead by Sen. Arlen Specter, R- Pa. "He is one of those who dictates what stays in and does not stay in the conference report," Mollins said. She noted that given Specter's pro-abortion record, the amendment's only chance to survive is if there is strong public support for it. "The more noise that is made, the greater the opportunity that this will be contained in the final bill," Mollins said. She added that calls should also be directed to Helms' office to thank him for his efforts. BACK TO THE TOP CAN ADULTERY BE COMMITTED ONLINE?: Can Adultery Be Committed Online? by Dave Clark, staff writer SUMMARY: The Internet is changing the way people shop, communicate . . . and trash their marriages. A letter from an anonymous woman to an Italian magazine's advice column has created a buzz in Rome. It read: "On the Internet, you can fall in love, you can seek, you can truly desire. I ask myself, what difference is there for the Church between a real extra-marital affair and a virtual one?" A priest, responding, said adultery is adultery, even if it is virtual. Newspapers in Rome have been awash with reaction since. Glenn Stanton, author of Why Marriage Matters, sides with the priest's response. "It's the matter of the heart and the matter of the soul that really does matter," said Stanton, who thinks Internet chat rooms are breaking up marriages around the world. "It's about not being faithful to your partner in giving your heart, your feelings, your emotions to somebody else. Whether or not that's done physically is, in some ways, of small consequence." Steve Hewitt, editor of Christian Computing Magazine, echoed that cyber-romance can be problematic. "I think the Internet's ability to establish anonymous relationships over distance is a very dangerous thing to the present relationships we have," Hewitt said. Added Stanton: "Although there isn't a meeting of bodies, there's a meeting of souls, which is really what Christ was getting at, in some sense, of what adultery is all about." Forty percent of Italian women responding to a follow-up survey feared their husbands might find a woman more interesting than them while surfing the Web. No word yet, though, on husbands' fears over their wives being led astray. TAKE ACTION: If you or someone you know is in an unhealthy online relationship, see: http://www.pureintimacy.org BACK TO THE TOP SENATE REJECTS MILITARY ABORTIONS: Senate Rejects Military Abortions by Martha Kleder, staff writer SUMMARY: The Senate has again said "no" to taxpayer funding of abortions for overseas military personnel. On a 50-49 vote, the U.S Senate recently defeated a measure that would have allowed abortions to be performed at military hospitals overseas. Lawmakers stopped the measure by refusing to attach it to the Defense authorization bill. Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., didn't hide the fact that her bill is defeated every year. "Yes, this is the identical amendment we have offered every year since 1995, and I assure my colleagues that we will continue to offer this amendment," Murray said. But Sen. Bob Smith, R-N.H., lost no time pointing out the uselessness of the amendment, since even a 1993 presidential edict failed to secure the overseas abortion services the amendment's sponsors are seeking. "Many military physicians refused to perform or assist in these abortions," Smith said. Under the proposed amendment, overseas bases that don't have staff willing to perform the procedure would contract with civilians for the service, in essence hiring an abortionist at taxpayer expense. Doing that, Sen. Tim Hutchinson, R-Ark., said, would clearly violate the Hyde amendment, which bans taxpayer funding of abortions. Yet even without the Hyde amendment, Smith said the military-abortion measure would still be impractical. "It is DOD (Department of Defense) policy to obey the laws of the nations in which bases are located, and thus, even if the Murray amendment is adopted, abortions will still not be available on all military bases," Smith said. But he added that there is an even better reason to defeat the measure: "When a woman chooses an abortion, she's choosing to kill her baby." BACK TO THE TOP S.F. HAD 'DUTY' TO STOP ADS: Judge: S.F. Had 'Duty' to Stop Ads by Stuart Shepard, staff writer SUMMARY: The ads proclaimed hope for homosexuals, but a federal judge said San Francisco had a "duty" to call them hate speech. The city's Board of Supervisors even claimed the ads were partially responsible for the death of Matthew Shepard and hostility toward gays. "Truth in Love" was an ad campaign, sponsored by several Christian organizations, that proclaimed homosexuals can change. "The dream that I thought could never happen -- having a wife and kids -- has finally come true," said one of the ads. "If you're hurting, lonely or confused, Jesus can set you free." The city of San Francisco concluded the ads contributed to "horrible crimes committed against gays and lesbians," and city officials asked local TV stations not to run them. In response, pro-family groups -- the American Family Association, the Family Research Council and Kerusso Ministries -- filed a lawsuit in October 1999 to stop the Board of Supervisors from issuing similar resolutions in the future. Earlier this month, however, a federal judge ruled the city was only doing its "duty" to address concerns for "public safety." "Nothing like this has ever happened in this country," said Brian Fahling, with the American Family Association's Center for Law and Policy. "This, really, is extraordinary and should give everybody great pause, because now we have a court decision -- a federal court decision -- that says governments can take official action condemning religious beliefs." Added Yvette Schneider, with the Family Research Council: "There are people who are not happy with their homosexual lifestyles and need to hear that there is a way out." Schneider called the San Francisco action symptomatic of a cultural shift in America that is "scary and threatening," especially, she said, "as Christians who believe what the Bible says -- that homosexuality is a sin . . . that people can leave any sinful lifestyle." The groups plan to appeal the judge's ruling. BACK TO THE TOP ONLINE VICTIMIZATION OF YOUTH STUDIED: Online Victimization of Youth Studied by Lara McGovern, staff writer SUMMARY: One out of four children and teens online encountered unwanted pornography in the last year. That's just one of the disturbing statistics found in a study commissioned by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Whenever kids go into an area of America OnLine targeted to them, they see a list of rules, including getting a parent's permission before giving out their home address, telephone number, or school name. That's good advice, considering what Kimberly Mitchell and other University of New Hampshire researchers found in a recent survey of 10- to 17-year-olds who regularly access the Internet. "About one in five of these youth had received an unwanted sexual solicitation or approach in the past year," Mitchell said. "About one in four were exposed to unwanted sexual material, and about one in 17 reported being threatened or harassed in the past year over the Internet." Focus on the Family Internet analyst, Steve Watters, said some of that sexual material could be avoided by legislation and filtering software. "The Child Online Protection Act that's currently tied up in courts would have really helped keep a lot of the kids who saw this pornography from seeing it in the first place," Watters said. "Now those kids are going to go into life with those images stuck in their head." Seven-year-old Courtney understands what else can happen. "Sometimes adults, they go into kids' chat rooms sometimes and like try to just get them to come meet them," Courtney said. Watters said parents need to be very aware of what their children see and who they chat with online. The researchers also point out the need to better educate families about sources of help, because only 10 percent of parents surveyed knew who to call if an Internet problem came up. You can contact your Internet service provider or local police department. BACK TO THE TOP YOUNG ADULTS WANT SEX WITHOUT STRINGS: Study: Young Adults Want Sex Without Strings by Stuart Shepard, staff writer SUMMARY: Among today's twenty-somethings, the fear of divorce and the elusiveness of a good marriage is resulting in a sharp culture shift. Twenty-four-year old Susan Meider handles public relations for a Goodwill store, said she places a high value on a good marriage, but noted her friends often settle for something less. "I have fears and my friends have fears about getting married and getting divorced," Meider said. "I have friends who would just rather live with a guy out of marriage than actually get married, because they don't want to get divorced," she said. Her friends' experience is typical of what researchers found and wrote about in a new study called, "Sex without Strings, Relationships without Rings," authored by David Popenoe and Barbara Dafoe-Whitehead, of the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University. "Young adults are in a world where sex is kind of commonplace, taken for granted, an ordinary part of the mating culture. But love is hard to find," Whitehead said. Dafoe-Whitehead and Popenoe talked to non-college young adults around the country about relationships and marriage. "Half of the women in our study said that although they thought that married parenthood was the ideal, they were determined to have a child with or without a husband," Whitehead said. They found that many think living together is a good test for a relationship. "Young adults think that this is a very good way to prepare for marriage, and to have a better marriage than if they didn't live together," Whitehead said. "The evidence suggests the contrary." In fact, the researchers said the best way parents can equip young people for marriage is by having a good marriage themselves. BACK TO THE TOP 'DIVERSITY' ASSEMBLY UPSETS PARENTS: 'Diversity' Assembly Upsets Parentsby Dave Clark, staff writer SUMMARY: Promoters of "Diversity Day" at a Michigan high school are under fire for allowing homosexual activists to dominate the agenda and justify their lifestyle. Organizers say the intent of the Grand Haven school district's "Diversity Day" was to teach tolerance of minorities and to defuse an atmosphere that could lead to student violence. But parent Becky Risinger thinks the seminars were heavily tilted to favor one mindset. "Nine of the 28 were about either homosexuality or lesbianism or transvestites or anything along those lines," Risinger said. "In one of the seminars, the speaker did tell the kids that . . . it was not a choice (but) that they were born that way." "We were very upset," said one concerned father, who did not want to be identified. He said his daughter was shaken by what she heard. "She came home and was really mixed up about sexuality," the man said. "She thought, 'Is there a danger that I'm gonna wake up and discover that I'm going to be homosexual?' Because that's what people said.'" Added Risinger: "Our kids were not given a choice. They took attendance, it was a mandatory thing and we knew nothing about it." Gary Glenn, who directs the Michigan chapter of the American Family Association, is asking the attorney general of Michigan to investigate. "There was not sufficient notice given to parents in advance of a classroom presentation that would address human sexuality," Glenn said. "That's required by law." BACK TO THE TOP STUDY EXAMINES EFFECTS OF DIVORCE: Study Examines Effects of Divorceby Stuart Shepard, staff writer SUMMARY: A new study explores how divorce is devastating our society, and suggests ways to reinforce the importance of marriage. Each year more than 1 million American children suffer the divorce of their parents. For Andy Tree, the weight of divorce seems as heavy as the boxes he stacks in his warehouse workplace, because of the effect it has on children. "It (divorce) tears down our moral and social responsibility to our children," Tree said. "They see marriages as if things don't work out, you can just leave and not work it out." Tree said government should concentrate its efforts on keeping families together. He's hardly alone in that assessment. A new Heritage Foundation study, entitled "The Effects of Divorce in America," found that the children of divorce are increasingly the victims of abuse, exhibit more problems (health, behavioral and emotional), and are more frequently involved in crime and drug abuse. "By age 18, only four out of 10 American kids are living with their mom and dad," said Patrick Fagan, the lead author of the study. Fagan would like Congress to pass a resolution to reduce divorce by one third over the next decade. He also wants government to put more money into marriage training. Currently, for every $1,000 spent on broken marriages, only one dollar is spent to prevent breakups. "If we are not careful, the nation won't be sustainable," Fagan said. "If the fundamental building block of a society (the family) crumbles, the society cannot but crumble." Fagan, who emphasized that marriage is the best environment for raising happy, healthy children, also found that single parents with children saw their income drop as much as 50 percent. The Heritage Foundation says government actions penalizing marriage should be replaced with programs that encourage couples to wed. To read the Heritage study, see: http://heritage.org/library/backgrounder/bg1373es.html BACK TO THE TOP CATHOLICS GRAPPLE WITH HOMOSEXUALITY: Catholics Grapple with Homosexualityby Dave Clark, staff writer SUMMARY: As moral foundations shift, people of faith are trying to maintain their footing. Now, some in the Catholic Church are calling local leaders to account for a softening of ethical views. Jay McNally, managing editor of Credo, a newspaper for Michigan Catholics, said he gets frustrated when church leaders won't answer his questions. "I have dealt with the archdiocese as it relates to priests who are active in homosexual organizations, and they never answer questions relating to this," McNally said. At issue is a Detroit vicar, the Rev. Randy Phillips, who serves on the advisory board of the Triangle Foundation, a homosexual advocacy group. McNally wrote an article to inform Catholics of the anomaly, and reader reaction was strong. "It's a scandal of monumental proportions and it's a source of great mystery and sometimes great anger and bitterness on the part of the faithful," McNally said. Phillips defended his involvement with the foundation. "In the strict sense, my work on the board of advisors does not mean that I'm advocating gay marriage or even gay sexual relations," he said. But when asked whether he believes homosexuality is an inappropriate and an immoral lifestyle that is incompatible with the teachings of the church, Phillips responded, "I'm not going to answer that one." The vicar and the Catholic Church, while not unique examples, are nevertheless indicators of a transformation taking place within churches today. Theologian Richard John Neuhaus, a Catholic priest, said churches of many denominations have turned back gay advances, though some have succumbed. Now Catholics face the same struggle. "The ideas of sexual libertinism, of course they're very insidious and they continue to press in the culture," Neuhaus said. The official teaching of the Catholic Church holds firmly to traditional values. In the past year United Methodists overwhelmingly turned back the gay insurgency, as did Southern Baptists, Presbyterians and Lutherans. BACK TO THE TOP AT&T TO OFFER PORN: AT&T to Offer Pornby Dave Clark, staff writer SUMMARY: One of the nation's largest telephone carriers may become the target of a pornography probe. The U.S. attorney general is being asked to investigate whether cable giant AT&T may be in violation of federal obscenity laws, now that it plans to carry sexually explicit movies. The probe is being requested by Pat Trueman, a former Justice Department official who now works for the American Family Association. Trueman said federal law prohibits the distribution of obscene material even when it's on pay-per-view channels. "Pornography is becoming more mainstream in America when a major national corporation can make a public announcement that it's going to jump in with both feet," Trueman said. At issue is AT&T's commitment to run adult movies produced by the Hot Network, a division of Vivid Entertainment. "It's different from other pay-per-view providers because it's generally termed to be more explicit," said Justin Burrows, associate editor of Hoover's Online, an investment information company. Burrows said other major cable operators, including Time-Warner, have rejected the Hot Network's programming. "We just felt that the level of explicit sex on that network was something that we felt we were not comfortable offering," said Time-Warner spokesman, Mike Luftman. A spokesman for AT&T Broadband said AT&T was simply exercising it's right as a company to meet customer demand. Meanwhile, Bill Asher, president of the Hot Network, wasn't specific about what his network plans to offer. "Basically, what you see on (the Playboy Channel) is nudity and what you see in a video store is simply adult videos, which show sex," Asher said. "What we've got is somewhere in between, so I will leave the rest to your imagination." The American Family Association obscenity concern rests before the attorney general in Washington. Trueman said AT&T's boldness in testing the law is a sad commentary on our times. BACK TO THE TOP STUDY: ADULT STEM CELLS USEFUL: Study: Adult Stem Cells Usefulby Martha Kleder, staff writer SUMMARY: An article in the journal Science features a study of stem cells taken from adult mice that indicates a high degree of adaptability of adult stem cells. That finding could eliminate the need to kill embryos for the same purpose. Swedish scientists found that stem cells taken from the nervous systems of adult mice could adapt to form heart tissue and other cell types -- a finding that pleases Judie Brown, of the American Life League. "This is maybe the fifth study that has come out in recent months indicating that stem cells that are taken from adults, and/or born children are just as effective as the human embryonic stem cells that people like Sen. (Arlen) Specter seem to think we absolutely have to have," Brown said. Douglas Johnson, with National Right to Life, said the study comes just as Sen. Specter, R-Pa., is pushing a bill on the issue. "Sen. Specter will soon bring before the Senate a bill that would explicitly authorize federal funds to be used for research in which living embryos would be killed in order to obtain their stem cells," Johnson said. A ban on federal funding for research that kills human embryos passed the House four years ago, but since that time the pro-life coalition on Capitol Hill has dwindled. Brown holds out little hope to defeat the bill if the Senate votes on it, but Johnson said it might be possible to prevent that from happening. "There are some senators, including Sen. Sam Brownback -- a pro-life senator from Kansas -- who are so strongly opposed to Mr. Specter's bill that they are prepared to filibuster (try to kill a bill by debate), if necessary," Johnson said. That move would require supporters of the embryonic stem-cell research bill to muster 60 votes rather than the simple 50 needed for passage. But given the heavy lobbying of medical research groups, there is no guarantee opponents can stop the bill from reaching the Senate floor. BACK TO THE TOP AIDS REPORT TROUBLING: AIDS Report Troublingby Martha Kleder, staff writer SUMMARY: A new study finds a few encouraging and many troubling trends with regard to HIV. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released a report that shows a reduction in the number of AIDS cases among the highest risk group * drug-using gay men. Yet Dr. John Diggs, with the Christian Medical and Dental Society, said the study has more bad news than good. "The CDC has done a great job in collecting data, but they are so blinded to the significance of it that they're more interested in pushing an agenda than actually relieving people's health," Diggs said. Michael Johnston, who heads the ex-gay group Kerusso Ministries, noted that the drop is in AIDS cases, not HIV infection (the virus that causes AIDS), which remains high. The difference is credited to new drug therapies, which delay the disease and therefore the consequences. "Homosexuals, particularly young homosexual men, are returning to risky sexual behavior because they believe they can escape the medical consequences," Johnston said. The report also shows only half the men studied use condoms. "Meantime, we are saying that safe sex can be had by teen-agers," Diggs said. "Many people can't even get the teen-agers to reliably make up their beds every morning or brush their teeth, and here we are going to tell them you can put a piece of latex between you and a person with a fatal disease and it will keep you safe. That's irresponsible." Yvette Schneider, with the Family Research Council, noted another alarming statistic: "A full 43 percent of these homosexual men had sex with women. So what are we saying here? Is there such a thing as homosexuality . . . when these men are having sex with women?" All agree that the only way to protect the next generation from the ravages of the AIDS epidemic is to teach them to save sex for monogamous marital relationships, and to change hearts through the Gospel of Christ. BACK TO THE TOP PRO-HOMOSEXUALITY CURRICULUM LOOMS: Pro-Homosexuality Curriculum Loomsby Karen Johnson, California correspondent SUMMARY: California's kids may soon be bombarded with the homosexual agenda after the passage of two bills that dictate school curriculum. The legislation approves funding for homosexual-related field trips and requires K-12 classroom instruction in tolerance. Randy Thomasson, with the Campaign for California Families, said the bills must be stopped. "We're going to have to work hard against these bills in the state Senate," Thomasson said. An aggressive grass-roots campaign failed to derail the bills. Los Angeles Pastor Greg Alexander put a full-page ad in the newspaper to warn fellow clergy. "We have to be wise enough as ministers and community leaders and youth advocates to be able to recognize trouble when we see it," Alexander said. "And that's how Satan works. He'll keep feeding you the same garbage, but he'll change the wrapper." Another Southern California pastor, Michael Douglas, opposes same-sex relationships and wants to protect parents' rights. "It just amazes me that the government goes bananas when someone posts the Ten Commandments in a public place, and yet the government expects me to be OK about the establishment of sex outside of marriage and to teach that as a norm to my children," Douglas said. AB 1785 and AB 1931 are scheduled to be heard in the California Senate Education Committee this week. BACK TO THE TOP ABORTION PROTESTERS STILL IN DANGER: Abortion Protesters Still in Dangerby Pete Winn, online associate editor SUMMARY: Can a House-Senate conference committee successfully rewrite an amendment designed to punish peaceful pro-life protest? A compromise has been struck in among congressional negotiators on the issue of whether federal bankruptcy laws can be applied to peaceful pro-life protestors. But the compromise is hanging by a thread: Unless Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., approves the new language proposed for his amendment, the entire Bankruptcy Reform Law will be held up. Under Schumer's original punitive amendment, a peaceful sidewalk counselor at an abortion clinic could be sued by an abortionist, suffer a multi-million-dollar judgment, and potentially be forced to lose all his or her possessions to pay off the verdict. Instead of referring to abortion clinics, the compromise language would prohibit the "discharge of debts by individuals who make willful and malicious threats of serious bodily injury." That would effectively exclude civil actions taken against most non-violent pro-life sidewalk counselors and those engaged in prayer . "Senator Schumer is very upset about the proposed change, and will only sign off on compromise language 'as long as his intent is intact,' " said Andrea Aulbert, legislative director for Concerned Women for America. "But his 'intent' is to punish pro-lifers, and that's simply unacceptable to a number of members on the (House-Senate) conference committee, especially the House (Judiciary Committee) chairman, Henry Hyde." Aulbert said an agreement may still be reached, but if not, the bill would likely die for this session. The situation came about because, in February, the Schumer amendment sailed through the Senate when Republicans tried to pull off a political move to embarrass Vice President Al Gore. At the time, the Republican leadership said that they would remove the amendment when the bill went to conference committee. That is proving harder to do than originally thought. Aulbert said only direct intervention by Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley, the Senate chairman of the conference committee, might prove effective in eliminating the log jam. BACK TO THE TOP CRITIC: CHILD-CARE AD DIMINISHES PARENTING: Critic: Child-Care Ad Diminishes Parentingby Stuart Shepard, staff writer SUMMARY: Television ads promoting early child care are angering some who think they minimize the value of good parenting. Advertisements for the "Start Early" ads claim early child care helps prepare infants and very young children for the classroom. "The most important message we're trying to get across is how important these early years are, and the significant role that quality early child care and early childhood education play in the early years," said Alan Simpson, with Voices of Illinois Children, the group behind the $2.5 million ad campaign. The ads stress that professional education should "start early." "That doesn't mean parents aren't important teachers, too," Simpson said. Yet Virginia Nurmi, with the Illinois Family Institute, said the ads go too far, making child care appear to be preferred over good parenting "(T)he underlying thrust is that only highly trained professionals can raise your children correctly," Nurmi said. She added the ads may confuse young mothers into thinking it would be better to place an infant in child care. "What they (babies) need is a mother to hold them, to look in their eyes, to coo, to sing, to tell them how much she loves them all day long," Nurmi said. Amy Desai, marriage and family analyst for Focus on the Family, advised parents not to let "some paid advertisement" change their minds on the issue. "Mothers and fathers both provide a great deal of stimulation for children that paid employees simply can't provide, when they have a room full of 30 kids they're trying to take care of," Desai said. She said the first choice for early childhood education is always mom and dad. BACK TO THE TOP TREATY OPENS DOOR TO PROSTITUTION: Treaty Opens Door to Prostitutionby Martha Kleder, staff writer SUMMARY: The fifth anniversary of the Beijing Women's Conference -- Beijing+5 -- is raising some radical feminist issues. As Beijing+5 got underway this week, delegates at the United Nations tried to draw attention to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) -- a treaty which has still not been ratified by the United States. Moreover, the Clinton Administration has announced that it will use its final days in office to push for the radical women's treaty. Anita Blair with the Independent Women's Forum said the treaty is living up to its opponents' fears. "CEDAW is the international version of the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment)," Blair said. "Actually, people have been warning for 20 years that the CEDAW treaty would lead to things such as mandating legalized prostitution." Indeed, the CEDAW committee, which oversees implementation of the treaty, has told China to do just that. Yet Wendy Wright, with Concerned Women for America, said the committee went further, "telling Kyrgyzstan that it must legalize lesbianism, (and) telling Latin American countries that they must review their laws that regulate or restrict abortion." But the vague language of this treaty is still expanding. While many are still in shock over the legalized-prostitution issue, U.N. delegates are about to discuss the "reproductive rights of children." "What that means is not so much an 18-year-old-girl choosing prostitution as a way of making a living, but a 10-year-old perhaps announcing that the United Nations by treaty guarantees her the right to have an active sex life if she wishes it," Blair said. Both Blair and Wright said the Clinton administration's 11th-hour push for CEDAW ratification is an effort to secure the president's "legacy" -- one that the United States could never undo. While the recommendations are officially non-binding, Blair said they become conditions for developing nations to receive aid. Ratification of the treaty would also likely force a change in federal and state laws in the United States. BACK TO THE TOP FAMILY SUES NAMBLA, 'NET PROVIDER: Family Sues NAMBLA, 'Net Providerby Stuart Shepard, staff writer SUMMARY: A Massachusetts family is suing the North American Man-Boy Love Association and the Internet service provider that hosted its Web site, charging that one of their son's killers was a group member and influenced by the group's Web site. In 1997, 10-year-old Jeffrey Curley got in a car with two men he knew. They stopped at the Boston Public Library, where Charlie Jaynes accessed the North American Man-Boy Love Association (NAMBLA) Web site, according to attorney Larry Frisoli. "After viewing the NAMBLA Web site, I think that Mr. Jaynes, the evidence will show, got additional psychological comfort in what he attempted to do," Frisoli said. Jaynes and another man later attempted to sexually assault Curley, and when the boy fought back, Jaynes gagged him with a gasoline soaked rag, eventually killing him. "They (NAMBLA) basically teach and educate pedophiles how to profile what type of children to look for, and how to basically go about attempting to seduce children," Frisoli said. NAMBLA has argued that a child having sex with an adult does no harm if the relationship is "consensual." Both killers are now serving life sentences. The family has filed a $200 million suit against NAMBLA and the Internet service provider that hosted its site, arguing that if not for that group, their son might still be alive. "I think it's long overdue that groups like NAMBLA came under the same type of microscope that companies have come under for pushing products seen as dangerous," said Bob Knight, of the Family Research Council. Peter LaBarbera, of Americans for Truth About Homosexuality, said homosexual groups that once linked arms with NAMBLA now stand at arm's length. "They (NAMBLA) believe in their cause," LaBarbera said. "People find it hard to believe that there is an organized pedophile movement, but there is." The day after the suit was filed, the NAMBLA site was taken off the Web. BACK TO THE TOP HOME-SCHOOLERS SPELL VICTORY: Home-schoolers Spell Victoryby Pete Winn, online associate editor Home-schooled students scored a major coup this year by taking all three top spots in the national spelling contest and also doing well at the annual geography competition. Twelve-year-old George Abraham Thampy, of Maryland Heights, Mo., correctly spelled "demarche" -- meaning a step or maneuver -- to take top honors at the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee on Thursday. Sean Conley, 12, and Alison Miller, 14, finished second and third, respectively. All three receive their education at home. It's been a good couple of weeks for Thampy. He also finished second at the National Geography Bee, sponsored by National Geographic, last week. Jonathan Janus, another home-schooler, finished third. "I'm just thankful to God that he allowed me to win," Thampy told CitizenLink. "I've been wanting to do this for almost all my life." Thampy credited being home-schooled for giving him an advantage. He plans to give the $10,000 cash portion of this year's top spelling prize to his parents, Dr. K. George and Bina Thampy. Conley, meanwhile, said during home-schooling he spent three hours a day to study spelling. "I also did math, music, computer programming and a lot of other subjects too," Conley said. Thampy's father, an accomplished biochemist and physician, said he and his wife made the decision to home school their seven children based upon their Christian values. "We wanted Christian values to be instilled in our children," Dr. Thampy said. "We were more interested in their character, and as parents, we wanted to have a major say in their development." The fact that home-schooled children placed 1-2-3 in the National Spelling Bee, and did well in the Geography Bee, is gratifying to Michael Farris, president of the Home School Legal Defense Association. "It is yet another confirmation of the academic excellence of home-schooling," Farris said. "I'm just waiting until home-schooled kids start winning Oscars and the presidency." Of the total 248 entrants in the contest, 178 went to public school, 27 were home-schooled, 24 went to private schools, and 19 to parochial schools. Rebecca Sealfon, from Brooklyn, New York, was the first home-schooler to win the National Spelling Bee in 1997. BACK TO THE TOP CONGRESS CONSIDERS ADOPTION TREATY: SUMMARY: Congress is considering a bill that would make transnational adoptions easier, but first they must deal with the issue of gay couples who want children. The Hague Convention on Intercountry Adoption, currently before Congress, would make it easier for Americans to adopt children from foreign nations. Yet proposed language in the bill to implement the treaty has outraged the homosexual community, because it calls for a ban on homosexual adoptions. Rob Regier, with the Family Research Council, said beyond the vital protection for children, the language proposed by Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., would ease the fears of other nations. "A lot of countries involved in this treaty such as China, Korea and the Netherlands are against letting their children be adopted by homosexual parents," Regier said. But Smith's language to ban homosexual adoptions is only a part of the House version of the bill. "Sadly, Congressman Smith has been the lone voice (in the House) on this homosexual adoption ban," Regier said. Rev. Lou Sheldon, with the Traditional Values Coalition, said Smith faces enormous political pressure as he seeks allies . . . for this measure to become law. "The homosexuals have decided that . . . they will compare (any who oppose them) with the racists and the other mean-spirited segregationists of previous decades," Sheldon said. Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, unsuccessfully attempted to have language similar to Smith's included in the Senate bill to ratify the treaty. Regier added the homosexual lobby has more at stake than just political fireworks. "Homosexuals are acquiring children from foreign lands," Regier said. "A lot of times homosexuals pose as just a single person wanting to adopt, not telling the truth that they have a homosexual partner, so this is vital to them." Both Regier and Sheldon hope that when the time comes, other conference committee members, including Helms, will make the Smith language part of the final bill. TAKE ACTION: Please contact your senators and urge them to support the inclusion of a ban on homosexual adoptions in S. 682, which would ratify the treaty, called the Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption. Please also contact your representative and urge him or her to support such a ban in H.R. 2342, which would implement the treaty. BACK TO THE TOP GIRLS SUE FOR RIGHT TO CARRY BIBLES: Bring your Bible to school and get suspended. That's what happened to two girls in Texas. Fifteen-year-old Angela Harbison was showing a teacher the math lesson she planned to work on in Saturday school, then showed her a New Testament, explaining she also hoped to do some reading. "She grabbed it out of my hand and she goes, 'These are not allowed on school campus or in this school. I don't know what you were thinking,'" Harbison recalled. Harbison's sister Amber, 13, was right behind her. Both Angela and Amber were also carrying book covers with the Ten Commandments printed on them. "She snatched (the book cover) from me and goes, 'Why don't you go to the office, too, and join your sister?' " Amber said. The girls' mom, Deborah Bedenbender, said she was shocked by the strong reaction of the school staff. When she watched a school administrator threaten to throw the girls' Bibles in the trash, "that's when I walked around the counter and I took them back and I said, 'No, you cannot have these and they don't go in the garbage,' " Bedenbender said. The girls were placed on a three-day in-school suspension. Now, with the backing of Mat Staver, of Liberty Counsel, they're filing suit in federal court. "Clearly, the United States Supreme Court long ago said that students don't lose their constitutional rights to freedom of speech at the schoolhouse gate," Staver said. He said the law allows students to bring the Bible to school, to bring religious literature to school, and also allows them to share that with their classmates during non-class time. BACK TO THE TOP DOBSON DEFENDS DR. LAURA: Marketing giant Procter and Gamble has announced it will not sponsor America's most listened-to talk show host. Dr. James Dobson, president of Focus on the Family, said this week that pressure from homosexual activists has led to death threats and now economic sanctions against popular radio talk show host Dr. Laura Schlessinger -- a reaction that stems from opposition to Schlessinger's religious convictions. "She is standing virtually alone now against an onslaught that no one in a free country should have to tolerate," Dobson said. "It's time that someone gave her a little encouragement." Schlessinger has struck an agreement with Paramount Television Network to begin a television show this fall featuring Schlessinger -- known to most as "Dr. Laura." Yet homosexual advocacy groups, such as the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), have targeted the show for extinction because of comments Schlessinger has made in opposition to homosexuality. Though Paramount has not changed its plans, the pressure has caused potential advertisers to distance themselves from Schlessinger. Procter and Gamble, which produces some of the nation's most popular household food, health and beauty care products, announced last week that it would not advertise on Schlessinger's TV show. The company explained that it does not advertise on controversial programs. Schlessinger's comments are too controversial. In response, Dobson called on families to phone Procter and Gamble to register their opposition to the company's decision. Though Procter and Gamble has stood by its decision so far, "Amy," a Proctor and Gamble employee, suggested the company might not be as resolute as it appears. "They're very sensitive," said Amy, who is boycotting her own employer's products. "They really pay a lot of attention to the number of consumers calling and the number of complaints or criticisms." "Dan," another Procter and Gamble employee, pointed to evidence that the company doesn't abide by its own claim of avoiding sponsorship of controversial material. He said the Web site promoting Cincinnati's Gay Pride Parade on June 11, reveals the company's motives. "P&G is the only corporate sponsor," Dan said. Procter and Gamble's media department did not respond to our request for an interview. TAKE ACTION: Contact Procter and Gamble to voice your opposition to its decision not to advertise on Dr. Laura Schlessinger's upcoming television show. Urge the company to reverse its decision. To find contact information, see: http://www.family.org/cforum/feature/a0011526.html BACK TO THE TOP INTERNET PORN ANGERS LIBRARIANS: In what may be the first case of its kind, seven librarians have formally charged the Minneapolis Public Library with creating a hostile work environment by allowing open access to Internet pornography. The issue behind the complaint is simple: Patrons are surfing for pornography, according to library board member Mary Doty. "These are also difficult patrons in that they refuse to leave the computer when their time is up and that sort of thing," Doty said. The seven librarians, who filed the complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, contended that lax Internet polices have created a nightmarish environment during the past two years. They said they are tired of collecting obscene printouts and controlling lewd behavior. Convicted sex offenders have even been observed downloading pornography at the Minneapolis library -- actions that library director Mary Larson has insisted is their right. Yet library spokesman Kristi Gibson said changes are being made. "We are now requiring people to sign up and show identification for their half hour of time," Gibson said. "Secondly, we have posted a notice on our computer terminals that makes it clear that obscene materials may not be displayed." Nevertheless, attorney Robert Hallagan, who represents the offended librarians, said the charge will go forward "based on the harm done to these people over the two year period when the library had that policy in place and was doing nothing about it's impact on its employees." "We found out that the problem was much bigger than we ever thought," said Minnesota state Sen. Dave Knutson. Knutson said new legislation will now require all libraries to block obscene sites. "It even saddens me more that the librarians and the schools cannot strictly uphold our community standards," Knutson said. "They should already be doing this and we shouldn't have to tell them that." The sexual harassment claim now heads toward mediation. BACK TO THE TOP COURT RULES FOR PLAYBOY TV: Poorly scrambled pornography on cable television will continue to be available to nearly 30 million children, thanks to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Court struck down a portion of the Communications Decency Act that placed restrictions on adult television channels. The provision required cable operators to either completely block out adult programming, or show it only from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. -- when children are less likely to be watching. Poor scrambling means you can still hear the audio and occasionally even see what's happening on the so-called "adult" channels. The law was designed to help parents such as Bob Pineiro, of Tulsa, Okla., who said he and his wife, Kelly, keep a tight rein on their children's television channel choices. "I think they ought to just be able to keep (pornography) away from any way that a child can view that," Pineiro said. "We block (the channels) so they can't even see the titles of them, because by those you can even tell what the shows are going to be about." Congress passed the Communications Decency Act in 1996, and Playboy filed suit against the law the same year. Last Monday, in a narrow 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court ruled that poorly scrambled adult programming is protected by the First Amendment at any time of the day. "The Court adopted the moral and legal reasoning of the porn industry, and as we see it, it pushed our nation one step closer to moral anarchy," said Pat McGrath, with Morality in Media. McGrath said families can still demand their cable company install a free electronic filter, which can knock out individual channels. "We're going to have to urge as many parents as possible to order these 'traps' from the cable company," McGrath said. In his dissenting opinion, Justice Stephen Breyer pointed out that if only 6 percent of subscribers requested that filter, the added expense would knock Playboy right off the air. So far, fewer than one-half of one percent of cable subscribers have actually requested a filter to block adult channels; most likely because few parents know they have the option. BACK TO THE TOP SURVEY: SCOTTISH TEENS MORE PROMISCUOUS A sex survey of 7,000 Scottish teen-agers reveals a shocking level of promiscuity among youth 14 and under. Youth outreach workers like Chap Clark know about the impact of teen sexual issues -- especially what the aftermath of promiscuity can mean. "Sexuality does not bring you together," Clark said. "Once this line, sexual line, ever passes the commitment line, it will tear you apart." But according to a new study, warnings such as Clark's have not yet reached European children, especially in the United Kingdom. "We (in Britain) have the highest teen-age pregnancy rate in Europe," said Valerie Riches, who directs the directs Family and Youth Concern, based in Oxford, England. The survey, conducted by the Medical Research Council, found that one in five boys and one in six girls had sex at the age of 14 or younger. The report, which appeared in the British Medical Journal, also revealed that one-fourth of boys and one-third of girls said they lost their virginity too early. Forty percent of teens felt it happened "at about the right time." "Children (in the U.K) can get contraceptives -- no bottom-age limit -- from clinics, from doctors, and no one will tell their parents," Riches said. She said Americans can learn from failed European policies that emphasize massive spending on public sex-education programs and free contraceptives to schoolchildren as young as 12. "The situation has got worse and worse," Riches said. "If it's gone wrong, you don't say, 'Let's do it again,' " she said. "No commercial enterprise would repeat policies that have failed, except in this whole area of sex and children." That message resonates with Amy Stephens, of Focus on the Family. "We keep giving government every area of our life increasingly, then we wake up one day to find ourselves sidelined," Stephens said. According to Stephens, Europe is the prime example of how government policies can effectively undermine and usurp the role of parents. But some parents in Scotland are beginning to respond to the tragedy of teen sex by opposing free condom distribution. Meanwhile, prosecutions for unlawful intercourse with a girl have all but stopped in the U.K. BACK TO THE TOP CHILDREN OF RAPE: Most laws that address abortion include exceptions for rape and incest. Now, people with stories about the "rape exception" are getting a voice. At age 21, Julie Makimaa met her birth mother and found out the circumstances surrounding how she came to be. "I was the result of rape," Makimaa said. "My birth mother had been invited to a party. None of the other individuals showed up, and this man began making advances toward her. She tried to refuse, and it ended in assault." Hers is one of many stories in a new book entitled, "Victims and Victors: Speaking out about their pregnancies, abortions and children conceived in sexual assault." "(As a society) we have been convinced that compassion means abortion -- that (the mother) will never love the child, that she cannot emotionally and physically endure the pregnancy -- but that is not what these women have shared with us," Makimaa said. "As my birth mother shared with me the first time we met, she said, 'When I look at you, you are not the painful reminder of what happened that night, but you are something good that came out of what I went through.' " Makimaa co-authored "Victims and Victors" with Amy Sobie. "The vast majority of the women (interviewed for the book) who had abortions felt that abortion was a bad idea," Sobie said. "They almost unanimously stated that it only compounded their problems. In a lot of cases, they felt that it was a worse experience than even the experience of sexual assault itself." She said all of the women who carried to term believe that they made the right decision. BACK TO THE TOP |
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