I STILL BELIEVE !









A MERRY CHRISTmas HOLYDAY!

This year a Christmas Story told by a "John The Baptist" with an update on the URGENCY of the the moment of the Health Care Bill in America. Thank You Lou Engle for your self-less dedication to see abortion ended in America! And thank you to IHOP Kansas City for allowing us to be a part of the 12-20-09 pm service ...And for being a bright light shining in the darkness!

Opposition to Health Care Bill Shoots Up After Abortion Funding Ban Defeated

Opposition to Health Care Bill Shoots Up After Abortion Funding Ban Defeated

On August 11, 2009, six-month old pre-born twins Kaleb Michael Blair and Harley Olivia Blair, lost their lives as a result of a head-on car crash in Bennington, Vermont. The driver of the car that collided with the Blair family minivan was cited with responsibility for the accident - but she will not stand trial for the deaths of the six-month old pre-born twins because Vermont statutes do not recognize them as human persons.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Richard Sears, D-Bennington, introduced legislation that would account for such situations. His bill would enhance penalties for assaulting a pregnant woman, wording that he believes walks a careful line: creating consequences for harming an unborn child without unfurling a debate about abortion rights.
This bill falls far short of the necessary recognition of babies in the womb.

Sen. Vince Illuzzi, R-Essex/Orleans, will be offering his own legislation ... that will "bring a separate homicide charge" for killing a fetus that is "consistent with other states."

Pray 4 VT To get a Fetal Homicide Law
(a Kaleb & Harley Law!)

Pray for Sen. Illuzzi to be strong & influential!

Please contact VT Sen. Illuzzi & thank him for supporting this legislation.

You may reach him at (802)334-2807 or email him at villuzzi@leg.state.vt.us

Pray this will awaken the conscience of VT & our legislators of the need of the protection of the pre-born person within the womb.

Read Bennington Banner Article below:
http://www.benningtonbanner.com/ci_13897105

LEGISLATION PROMPTS VT ABORTION DEBATE

On August 11, 2009, six-month old pre-born twins Kaleb Michael Blair and Harley Olivia Blair, lost their lives as a result of a head-on car crash in Bennington, Vermont. The driver of the car that collided with the Blair family minivan is expected to be cited with responsibility for the accident - but she will not stand trial for the deaths of the six-month old pre-born twins because Vermont statutes do not recognize them as human persons.

"No one will be charged with killing my babies," Mrs. Blair said in an interview with Vermont Catholic Magazine,."In Vermont, it doesn't matter. "

A 1989 Vermont Supreme Court decision, State vs Oliver, determined that a common law tradition dating back to the 17th century defining a human person as "born alive" prevents anyone from being charged in the death of an unborn child. (State vs Oliver involved the death of a full-term unborn child killed in a car accident in Addison County.)

The ruling concluded that "This Court is not the proper forum in which to consider and accomplish the extension of criminal liability that would occur as a result of interpreting the term "person" in Sec. 1091(c) to include a viable fetus. That task must be accomplished by the legislature."

While Vermont Right to Life has pressed the Legislature over the years to address the glaring loophole in Vermont statutes, lawmakers have not taken up legislation to protect unborn victims of negligence and/ or violence.

In the meantime, 38 states have moved to enact legislation recognizing an unborn child as a victim in criminal circumstances including murder, manslaughter, negligent killing, battery and assault.

In 2004, the federal government enacted what is commonly known as the "Laci and Connor Peterson Law" in order to protect unborn victims of federal or military crimes in every state. Therefore, in Vermont, an unborn child can be considered a victim if the crime occurs on federally ­owned property or the mother is a member of the military. But for the Blair family, there can be no legal recognition of their tremendous loss here in Vermont.

The Blair family hopes to change the law for others who may find themselves in similar circumstances.

Patricia Blair:
"It would mean that God sent them here for some purpose and they fulfilled it even if it was in their short few months," said Patricia, according to WCAX-TVpress coverage 8/12/09.

"I don't want any mother - ever - to have to wake up and have the State tell them their babies aren't babies."


Thanks to the Vermont Right To Life Review, Winter 2009 Edition for excerpts above.


Click below to read article:
Burlington Free Press article on pending legislation.

Mom wants twin fetuses recognized as children - Boston.com

Pray 4 wise counsel for Patricia Blair who lost her pre-born twins in an accident & wants VT law changed to recognize them as children!

We pray healing to the Blair family in their bodies & the comfort of the Lord to their soul & minds. http://tinyurl.com/knfbkq

Excerpt below from Mom wants twin fetuses recognized as children - Boston.com

LEBANON, N.H.—A Vermont woman whose 6-month-old twin fetuses died after a car crashed into the family van wants them to be legally recognized as children, which is not the case under current state law.

Patricia Blair, of Bennington, VT., said she and her husband still were getting over losing a baby girl because of childbirth complications last year when they suffered their latest lost Monday. She said she wants to be the voice for the fetuses that were growing into a boy and girl until they died inside her after the crash. She and her husband, Randy, considered them miracles, she said.

"They're babies. It just makes no sense to me how anyone can say 'they're not babies, they're a fetus,' " said Blair, 38, who is recovering at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, N.H. "We need to speak for them. If I can do something for these two I am going to do it."

( italic emphasis- bound4lifevt )

Moral Outcry : I Dare You to Make “First of All” Your Browser Home Page

Introducing First of All
http://firstofall.jhopdc.com

Abortion, economic crisis, war, pandemics, a nation divided-Just attend any town hall meeting while Congress is in recess and you’ll agree that our elected officials in Washington, DC desperately need the prayers of the Church. Regardless of your personal political beliefs, the Bible is clear in it’s universal call to prayer for those in governmental leadership.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone-for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1Ti 2:1-2 NIV)

MANDATE
The Apostle Paul’s instruction to us is clear-PRAYER is to be our first order of business, and PRAYER FOR GOVERNMENTAL LEADERS is our first mandate for prayer. First of All is designed to be a simple and sustainable way for you to engage in strategic prayer for government daily. Each day will present you with a new state of officials, and at the end of 50 days you will have prayed for:

1) All 535 Members of Congress by name
2) All 50 Governors by name and
3) The President of the United States every single day

Then the cycle begins again. Our goal is to raise up a daily unending chorus of prayer that covers this large body of people without leaving anyone out. We feel as though God has given us a gift of faith-that if we just DO what the Bible says with this we can expect extraordinary things to happen as a result.

SIMPLICITY
The beauty of First of All is that YOU, the user, get to create the content by taking just a few minutes during your day to add your prayers to everyone else’s. First of All lets you choose to WRITE short Twitter-style prayers or VIDEO short 12-second prayers. Whichever one you choose, your prayers will appear immediately on the site along with everyone else’s. We envision thousands of faithful Christians fueling this governmental intercession engine.

EXPLORE
I invite you to explore the new site. It’s simple, but there’s lots to see. Scroll right and left to see all the officials for a state. You’ll never get bored as the content will change every day. We’ve made it extremely easy to use, but be sure to check out "how to use this site" if you have any questions. "Prayer Guideline Tips" and "Community Guidelines" will also make for some good reading while you’re there.

Now more than ever we see the great need for both prayer and direct contact with our elected leaders. Click the "INFO" button for each official to see their vital contact information.

Make First of All your web browser home page to help remind you each day. Let’s engage in this wholeheartedly and believe in faith for the Holy Spirit to lead us in prevailing prayer that will influence leaders, restrain wickedness, turn a nation back to God and save souls.

Praying with You,

Matt Lockett
Director of Bound4LIFE and JHOP DC

There should be a moral outcry!

What is it all about...An HONEST ADMISSION!

The covers are coming off Roe v Wade!

There should be a MORAL OUTCRY! NO MORE NAPPING...

AMERICA IT IS TIME TO AWAKEN TO JUSTICE & TRUTH for the UNBORN!

---

---

LAW OF THE LAND
Ginsburg: I thought Roe was to rid undesirables
Justice discusses 'growth in populations that we don't want to have too many of'

---

Posted: July 08, 2009
9:46 pm Eastern

© 2009 WorldNetDaily

In an astonishing admission, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg says she was under the impression that legalizing abortion with the 1973 Roe. v. Wade case would eliminate undesirable members of the populace, or as she put it "populations that we don't want to have too many of."

Her remarks, set to be published in the New York Times Magazine this Sunday but viewable online now, came in an in-depth interview with Emily Bazelon titled, "The Place of Women on the Court."

The 16-year veteran of the high court was asked if she were a lawyer again, what would she "want to accomplish as a future feminist legal agenda."

Ride for Life Fundraiser

Saturday, August 29, 2009

The Ride for Life is a motorcycle ride to promote life, pray for life and raise funds for the Vermont Right to Life Committee. The riders will cross the State of Vermont from East to West beginning in St. Johnsbury, stopping in Barre, Montpelier, Williston and Burlington to pray.

Registration is 7:00am - 8:00am at the New Beginnings Christian Center, St. Johnsbury.

Following the ride is a barbecue provided by the United Christian Assembly in Jericho. For more information contact: Vermont Right to Life 802-229-4885

vrlc@vrlc.net

It Does Matter

Posted by Ian Kelly on June 26, 2009 at 04:57PM.

I usually do not write blogs pertaining to an individuals comment on any of our material but I am about to make an exception.

OperationCounterStrike commented on our IntelliGender blog post:

"It doesn’t MATTER what the fetus is. What matters is WHERE it is. I say if something is inside my body, then I’m entitled to have it killed NO MATTER WHAT it is. Even if it’s a person. Even if it’s an INNOCENT person. If you were inside my body, then I’d be entitled to kill YOU! And vice versa."

This thinking is not constitutional. It’s as easy as that. No one has the right to deprive another person of the right to life without due process.(14th Amendment)

The Roe v. Wade ruling determined that, since "life" was unknown, the liberty interest of the woman to decide how to deal with her pregnancy must be paramount. In short, there was no "person" to protect. Justice Harry Blackmun, author of the majority opinion noted, however, that if "personhood is established, the appellant’s case, of course, collapses, for the fetus’s right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the Amendment (14th)."

Well there ya go. It’s not just us crazy pro-lifers that think people have the right to life but the Justice who authored the most controversial ruling to date.

What the fetus is DOES matter! At least according to the Constitution it does.

Lighthouse Meeting

Upcoming meeting with:
Rod & Marion Hall & family at Lighthouse Christian Church,
East Montpelier, VT
7pm, Friday June 12th
at the new church location:
4583 US Route 2, East Montpelier, VT 05651 (formerly "Blueberry Hill")
Map it! in East Montpelier!

The Halls are prayer missionaries now based out of IHOP KC. After the spirit of "Father Nash"...They have fore-run TheCall prayer events... going in b4 to prepare the way with intercession. We are asking Daddy-God for an intercessory flame & flash point of revival to be ignited in VT!

Believe with us for the Holy Spirits purposes to be fulfilled & traveling mercies for the Halls as they minister!

Come out Friday the 12th & join what the Holy Spirit is blowing our way!

http://fire-international.org/missionary.aspx?id=19

Raise up the Children - The Call of the Nazarites
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjbtvGn625M&feature=related

The #'s Don't Lie

Symphony of Destiny

I 

	Bound4LIFE VT (@bound4lifevt)
11/8/14, 11:57 AM Da-Da-Da-DUM- the opening bars of Beethoven's 5th symphony. "dit-dit-dit-dah" was used for the letter "V" in Morse Code! Farewell Sen. Leahy

Just republishing this article from whatever year it originally printed... I and reminded of God's faithfulness and willingness to bring to pass what he desires... and our responsibility to be faithful in what is called us to speak and pray! 

(original article)

... Was rushing off to church this past Sunday & printing a Burl. Free Press article about VT Senator Leahy's key role in the Supreme Court confirmation process that I would share as a point of pre Church prayer.

In the article Sen. Leahy recalled a phone call from the President telling his wife to "drive carefully-because I need 


I had been contemplating all week about the VT intercessor's responsibility/obligation & mandate of delegated authority in the Spirit over our senator's involvement!
The Holy Spirit had been revealing that as the priests of our region & those sent to represent us in D.C. ... we should make a difference...even change the outcome of this Supreme Court nomination (praying the will of the Lord)!

My wife googled Beethoven's Fifth to see what we could learn. I was unaware ...but not surprised that it is " The Symphony of Destiny"!

As intercessors we need to know about destiny & "our territorial responsibility & calling" which joins us IN SYMPHONY to other members of Christ's body. Every joint supplies & now is the time for VT to learn how to "exercise" & "supply our part" in these Senate Judiciary Confirmation hearings.

Today, Judge Sonia Sotomayor was nominated by Pres. Obama to replace Justice Souter on the United States Supreme Court.
Senator Leahy has certainly withheld the hearing confirmations of many qualified court candidates from confirmation in the courts because they were not to his liking.

Let us pray that he is not used to hinder appropriate questioning & debate that is needful to this potential judiciary activist judge!

“A vote to confirm Judge Sotomayor as the next Supreme Court Justice is a vote to strip Americans of the ability to choose for themselves how to regulate abortion. Our recent polling data speaks to this point of judicial activism: 69% of the American people believe that “some federal judges have gone too far by doing more than just interpreting the law and instead are making new law.”

Our prayers must be directed by the Holy Spirit & even "not our will ...but Yours be done" are appropriate...if you are not directed differently by the Holy Spirit.

If any are interested in going to D.C.to pray at the U.S.Supreme Court please contact me & we can send a delegation from VT!

Beethoven's Symphony No. 5. The Destiny Symphony

Beethoven's 5th Symphony in C minor, op. 67 is rightly considered a natural continuation of Symphony No. 3, &quotEroica", because it approaches the same themes and it expresses the relationship between particular and general. The name under which it sometimes circulated, , is linked to the words of Anton Felix Schindler, his biographer, who, invoking an explanation given by the composer referring to the first bars in Part I of the fifth symphony,stated:

" So pocht das Schicksal an die Pforte! "

(That's how destiny knocks on your door).

Significantly relevant is the chronicle written for this symphony at the January 1st 1841 concert: " Beethoven's symphony in C minor had closed the programme. Let us be silent! How often we hear it in public, but also in our deepest self, and how it projects its force upon all people of all ages, just like the great natural phenomena, which leave us in awe every time they appear. This symphony alike, will still resound centuries to come, for as long as there will be man and music. "

Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions...be made...for kings and all who are in authority that we may lead a quiet and peacable life in all godliness & reverence. 1Tim. 2:1-2

Radiant Worship

IF the FOUNDATIONS are destroyed,

what can the righteous do?

~SILENT PRAYER SIEGE AT THE VT CAPITOL

WHEN : WEDNESDAY APRIL 22 :
11:11am - 1:11pm

PSALM 11~In the Lord I take refuge

PLEASE JOIN US : TO MAKE OUR APPEAL TO THE HIGHEST COURT; REMEMBER...THE TAPE PROPHESY'S ... LIFE

Photos of the first Prayer Siege at the Montpelier Capital steps!

WILL DEATH PASS???
...OVER OUR DEAD BODIES!!!!

An act relating to patient choice and control at end of life: Senate Bill S-144 will not make it through the wall!!! ...Of Jesus' Blood and the Intercessions of His Heart!!!!

GOD, HAVE MERCY ON US, OUR LAND AND OUR LEGISLATORS...WE HAVE NOT REPENTED AND HAVE GIVEN PLACE TO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS BY OUR SILENCE AND FEAR...WE HAVE NOT HONORED LIFE AND HAVE ONLY GIVEN A TOKEN PRAYER...INSTEAD OF RENDING OUR HEARTS AND GIVING OUR BEST OFFERINGS AND SERVICE! BRING US OUT OF OUR COMPLACENCY AND GIVE UNTO US AN UNDERSTANDING OF OUR TIMES...SO WE MIGHT WALK IN HOLY FEAR AND IN HOLY POWER TO DELIVER THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING AND APPOINTED UNTO DEATH!!!!!

THE ADOPTION OPTION

The Zoe Foundation exists to further the cause of adoption as a positive alternative to abortion in America.
It endeavors to do this in multiple ways.


Helping fund the adoption of children into pre-screened families living out a lifestyle of prayer and fasting.


Providing for quality care for mothers who are choosing to offer their babies for adoption rather than aborting them, along with follow up care after the child is born.


Educating the church about the redemptive power of adoption, the effect it can have on their own congregation, the difference it will make in eternity, as well as the practical steps to adoption.


Assembling a national database of thousands of state approved, home-study ready Christian families who have said ‘yes, I can and will adopt a child’, and providing access to that list to those who are considering placing a child up for adoption.


Assembling a national database of healthcare and legal professionals who will assist in a limited number of adoptions on a pro bono basis each year.

Find out more by clicking on the Zoe Foundation link on the right!

U-Turns Permitted

I spoke with a guy walking by the clinic who asked me if enjoy ticking-off (a polite way of saying it) people who come there!

After sharing I was praying for them & that wasn't my intention...I asked him if he knew that 1/4 of his generation has been killed.

I told him I was thankful he has a birthday! This planted a seed! He and his friend beeped and waved goodbye to me after turning around!

Changing the face of a nation...one face & prayer at a time! U-turns permitted!

What's New: Gotcha & Moral outcry

40 DAYS FOR LIFE

40 days for Life started yesterday Feb. 25th.... Wouldn't it be great if bound4LIFE warriors were there to pray on each of the 40 days!

We can pray on either side of the street at Planned Parenthood, 23 Mansfield Ave! Our Catholic friends have been holding the line there by the Firehouse as much as they can & some of them come & pray when they have only a few minutes even. Some of you might want to do some form of fast for breakthrough during this time! I will be there everyday for even a half hour if possible. You can go alone or bring a few friends or schedule a group! Call me or text me if you need some tape & we can make some arrangements!

I will be there tomorrow (Sat. 2/27/09) at 8:am till 8:45 am if anyone wants to join me! I am working a shift schedule at work ... so I will hopefully Twitter the time I will be there the day b4. You can follow my twitters on your cell text! This will post as my Facebook page status as well as to the Bound4LIFE VT in the top right corner of the blog.

Blessings & lets pray to see the adoption option become affordable & that abortions truly become rare & abolished, as mindsets are changed!~Glenn

 






From: bound4lifevt Subject: bound4lifevt wants to keep up with you on Twitter. To find out

more about Twitter, visit this link: http://twitter.com/

Thanks, -The Twitter Team

About Twitter:  Twitter is a unique approach to communication and networking based

on the simple concept of status. What are you doing? What are your friends doing—right now?

With Twitter, you may answer this question over SMS or the Web and the responses are shared

between contacts.   

Both Parties 'Letter Rip' on Rider

2/25/09

Yesterday, the battle over pro-life riders got a tremendous boost as 181 House members called on House leaders to keep the measures in the omnibus spending bill. In a show of rare bipartisanship, large numbers of Republicans and Democrats signed a letter to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Rep. David Obey (D-Wisc.), and Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-N.Y.) urging them to protect taxpayer dollars from being used to promote or perform abortion. FRC led the effort to persuade members to co-sign, and the result was an impressive show of solidarity on both sides of the aisle. We hope the overwhelming support for these riders will convince Speaker Pelosi that these policies have a place in Congress regardless of party control.

Additional Resources
Letter from House Members to Speaker Pelosi

Thanks to Tony Perkins for this update. W: frc.org

Let's send Pres. Obama a hugh message

Let's send Pres. Obama a hugh message & pray his heart is moved! http://www.RedEnvelopeDay.com


Get red envelopes or postcards (http://www.zazzle.com/RedEnvelopeDay) and mail them to the White House for March 31.

Y.O.P.P.- Young Ones Praying & Prophesying

Whats Going On?

Article thanks to Matt Lockett (Bound4LIFE Int'l. Director) from his Feb. 10 Blog

Last Friday I posted an entry on the Bound4LIFE blog Moral Outcry. An amazing story had come to us via email about a young 12-year-old girl that was about to give a persuasive speech to her 7th grade class. She had chosen the topic of abortion in spite of strong resistance from her teachers. So much resistance that she was told that her topic would prevent her from being considered to advance in the competition.

Lia not only stuck to her convictions and continued with her speech, but her teacher ended up being very moved by her handling of the content. Not only did the teacher change her mind about allowing Lia to compete, but Lia went on to win for her class. Today I am praying for Lia as she gives this amazing speech to her entire school. Who knows? Maybe she'll win that one too and advance to compete regionally.

The video on YouTube is taking on a life of it's own. We just learned today that Elijah List picked up my posting unsolicited today and rebroadcast it to their Breaking Christian News network. They claim to have more than 53,000 subscribers. I believe God wants to do something special in Lia's school, but more importantly God has just found a 12-year-old to be a prophetic voice to the nation. YOPP! (Young Ones Praying & Prophesying)

Obama's Mandate: Use It or Lose It

The U.S. may be divided on the subject of abortion but not on funding it. Despite President Obama's incredible popularity, the honeymoon is already over on social issues. Gallup has found widespread opposition to the President's decision to repeal the Mexico City policy. Only 35 percent of those surveyed said they agreed with the decision to allow taxpayer funding for overseas groups who promote abortion.

Additional Resources
FOX News: Poll: Americans Oppose Obama's First Two Executive Orders

Sorry to say... while the media was following the President's "Blackberry crises story"
... buried under the "HYPE" was a carefully thought out, quiet Friday evening ceremony in which our new President signed and overturned our nations pro-life Mexico City Policy.
(He is beginning to make good on his pro-abortion promises!)

Let's keep praying & not lose heart!~Glenn

Click Here to see a report!

Click the links below to see the new administrations abortion agenda & civil rights agenda!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/women/
http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/civil_rights/

THE AGENDA • WOMEN

Health Care

• Supporting Stem Cell Research: President Obama and Vice President Biden believe that we owe it to the American public to explore the potential of stem cells to treat the millions of people suffering from debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Obama is a co-sponsor of the Stem Cell Research Enhancement Act of 2007, which will allow research of human embryonic stem cells derived from embryos donated (with consent) from in vitro fertilization clinics. These embryos must be deemed in excess and created based solely for the purpose of fertility treatment.

Reproductive Choice

• Supports a Woman's Right to Choose: President Obama understands that abortion is a divisive issue, and respects those who disagree with him. However, he has been a consistent champion of reproductive choice and will make preserving women's rights under Roe v. Wade a priority in his Adminstration. He opposes any constitutional amendment to overturn the Supreme Court's decision in that case.
• Preventing Unintended Pregnancy: President Obama was an original co-sponsor of legislation to expand access to contraception, health information, and preventive services to help reduce unintended pregnancies. Introduced in January 2007, the Prevention First Act will increase funding for family planning and comprehensive sex education that teaches both abstinence and safe sex methods. The Act will also end insurance discrimination against contraception, improve awareness about emergency contraception, and provide compassionate assistance to rape victims.

Support for the LGBT Community

"While we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do. Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."

-- Barack Obama, June 1, 2007

• Expand Hate Crimes Statutes: In 2004, crimes against LGBT Americans constituted the third-highest category of hate crime reported and made up more than 15 percent of such crimes. President Obama cosponsored legislation that would expand federal jurisdiction to include violent hate crimes perpetrated because of race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or physical disability. As a state senator, President Obama passed tough legislation that made hate crimes and conspiracy to commit them against the law.
• Fight Workplace Discrimination: President Obama supports the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and believes that our anti-discrimination employment laws should be expanded to include sexual orientation and gender identity. While an increasing number of employers have extended benefits to their employees' domestic partners, discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace occurs with no federal legal remedy. The President also sponsored legislation in the Illinois State Senate that would ban employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
• Support Full Civil Unions and Federal Rights for LGBT Couples: President Obama supports full civil unions that give same-sex couples legal rights and privileges equal to those of married couples. Obama also believes we need to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and enact legislation that would ensure that the 1,100+ federal legal rights and benefits currently provided on the basis of marital status are extended to same-sex couples in civil unions and other legally-recognized unions. These rights and benefits include the right to assist a loved one in times of emergency, the right to equal health insurance and other employment benefits, and property rights.
• Oppose a Constitutional Ban on Same-Sex Marriage: President Obama voted against the Federal Marriage Amendment in 2006 which would have defined marriage as between a man and a woman and prevented judicial extension of marriage-like rights to same-sex or other unmarried couples.
• Repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell: President Obama agrees with former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff John Shalikashvili and other military experts that we need to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The key test for military service should be patriotism, a sense of duty, and a willingness to serve. Discrimination should be prohibited. The U.S. government has spent millions of dollars replacing troops kicked out of the military because of their sexual orientation. Additionally, more than 300 language experts have been fired under this policy, including more than 50 who are fluent in Arabic. The President will work with military leaders to repeal the current policy and ensure it helps accomplish our national defense goals.
• Expand Adoption Rights: President Obama believes that we must ensure adoption rights for all couples and individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation. He thinks that a child will benefit from a healthy and loving home, whether the parents are gay or not.