Referee Flags Player for Endzone Slide and Prayer

Religious Freedom,

The NFL has been in the limelight a good bit lately for its poor handling of domestic violence. The organization seems to be struggling in another area as well, however: Religious liberty.

Last night Kansas Chiefs free safety Husain Abdullah scored a touchdown against the New England Patriots. When he reached the endzone Abdullah slid on his knees and prayed. As a result, the referees threw a yellow flag, and the Chiefs were penalized 15 yards for unsportsmanlike conduct.

The Kansas City Star describes Abdullah as a devout Muslim who promised himself if he ever scored a touchdown he would bow in prayer.

The NFL does have a rule which states, “players are prohibited from engaging in any celebrations or demonstrations while on the ground.” However, the NFL typically makes exceptions for prayer–which is why players like Tim Tebow and others were able to drop to the ground and thank God in the endzone.

Some are alleging the penalty was a result of Abdullah’s slide on the ground–not the prayer. It seems difficult to distinguish the two, however.

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Family Council Has 50,000 More Voter’s Guides to Give Away

Arkansas Voter's Guide,

In the past two weeks we have distributed roughly 50,000 copies of the Arkansas Voter’s Guide, and the orders are still coming in. Demand for the Arkansas Voter’s Guide is especially high this year. That’s why we made the decision to print 50,000 more copies.

The Arkansas Voter’s Guide is the state’s leading, nonpartisan source for candidate information. We survey candidates on a variety of issues, and we publish their survey responses in print and online. Arkansans have used our guide to cast informed votes every election year since 1990.

If you or a friend needs copies of the Arkansas Voter’s Guide, click here or call our office at (501) 375-7000.

We have 50,000 copies of the Arkansas Voter’s Guide in the office, but over 2,000 have already been requested by churches and individuals across the state.

If you or your church has not already received free copies of the Arkansas Voter’s Guide, order today. If you have request copies, but could use a few more, order as many as you think you will be able to give away.

If you have any questions, please call our office at (501) 375-7000.

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Marijuana Industry Donating to Candidates

Marijuana

We’ve said before that that any effort to legalize marijuana is going to bring unintended consequences. One of those consequences, apparently, is campaign contributions.

According to the Associated Press, members of the marijuana industry are already funneling big dollars into campaigns for marijuana-friendly candidates and ballot measures. One marijuana store owner in Denver, Colorado, was quoted as saying, “There isn’t a week that goes by where we don’t make a political donation.”

Efforts to legalize marijuana at the ballot box are seeing millions of dollars for their campaigns. Colorado’s congressional delegation has received $20,000 from marijuana advocates. Marijuana Policy Project–the group that bankrolled the 2012 effort to legalize “medical” marijuana in Arkansas–plans to give roughly $150,000 to federal candidates around the nation as well.

A looming question that remains unanswered amid all this: What will the marijuana industry do if the U.S. Attorney General decides to enforce the federal laws against marijuana? 

Under federal law, it is still 100% illegal to grow, possess, or use marijuana anywhere in the country–including states like Colorado, Washington, and California. So how are people able to grow and use marijuana in these states? The U.S. Attorney General opted not to prosecute anyone “complying with state laws” on the matter. Colorado voted to legalize marijuana, and Attorney General Holder’s Department of Justice opted not to prosecute anyone opening a marijuana farm or marijuana store in that state. To put it another way, the Attorney General is ignoring the law.

Last week Attorney General Holder announced his resignation. He will remain in office until his successor is confirmed. Whoever that person is, he or she will have a choice: Continue letting the nation’s drug laws go completely unenforced in states like Colorado, or take on an industry that appears to be slowly working to elect candidates who share its views on marijuana.

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