Virginia Law Requires Christian Business Owners to Violate Their Faith

John Stonestreet, Radio Host and President of the Colson Center for Christian Worldview

On July 1, the “Virginia Values Act,” went into effect. The law “prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in housing, public and private employment, public accommodations, and access to credit.”

Governor Northam claims the bill ensures that “Virginia is a place where all people are welcome to live, work, visit, and raise a family.” But wedding and adventure photographer Chris Herring worries that promise doesn’t include people of faith like him. While he gladly serves clients of all backgrounds and orientations, he cannot use his talents at events that violate his faith, including same-sex weddings.

Should Herring refuse to photograph gay weddings or even post about them on his own blog site, he’d face catastrophic fines.

With the help of the Alliance Defending Freedom, Herring has filed a pre-enforcement challenge against the state of Virginia, which joins Kentucky, Colorado, Washington and Arizona as states that discriminate against people of faith in the name of non-discrimination.

Copyright 2020 by the Colson Center for Christian Worldview. Reprinted from BreakPoint.org with permission.

Planned Parenthood Reports Little Campaign Activity in Arkansas During COVID

On Friday Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes Arkansas filed its quarterly report with the Secretary of State’s office.

The report shows Planned Parenthood’s PAC did virtually no campaigning in Arkansas during the past three months.

Last fall Planned Parenthood’s super PAC pledged to spend at least $45 million on the 2020 elections, nationwide.

The abortion giant has four main goals:

  • Defeat President Trump
  • Flip the U.S. Senate from Republican to Democrat
  • Maintain Democratic control over the U.S. House of Representatives
  • Support liberal candidates in state races

In April Planned Parenthood reported that its political action committee in Arkansas raised $4,558.29 since the beginning of the year.

And earlier this year the group endorsed several candidates running for federal office and for the state legislature in Arkansas.

However, the latest reports show the political action committee Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes Arkansas did not donate to any candidates and conducted virtually no activity in the state from April to June of this year.

Unfortunately, while Planned Parenthood’s political action committee has not been as active in Arkansas during the COVID-19 outbreak, Planned Parenthood’s abortion facility in Little Rock certainly has.

Abortion facilities in Arkansas saw an uptick in women coming to Arkansas from out of state during the spring COVID-19 shutdowns.

That said, it’s worth noting that pollsters have consistently found voters do not agree with Planned Parenthood’s radical efforts to make abortion more accessible.

A recent poll by CBS News found most Americans believe abortion ought to be either completely illegal or legal under fewer circumstances than it currently is.

Time and again surveys have found Americans oppose abortion on demand —  particularly in Arkansas.

Planned Parenthood probably will accelerate its political campaigns in Arkansas and elsewhere between now and November.

The PAC in Arkansas currently has nearly $18,000 in the bank, and it could donate some or all of that money to candidates at any time.

It’s also possible that Planned Parenthood’s super PAC at the national level will budget some money for the political action committee in Arkansas.

However, if public opinion is any indicator, Arkansans simply are not onboard with Planned Parenthood’s pro-abortion message. That’s a good thing.

Read the quarterly report from Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes Arkansas here.