Category Archives: Legal Issues

Letters From My Elected Officials – Re: I oppose the ‘Equality’ Act


February 25, 2021

Dear Mr. Boston,

Thank you for contacting my office regarding the Equality Act. I appreciate hearing from you on this piece of legislation.     

The Equality Act (H.R. 5) was introduced on February 18, 2021 to the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation significantly expands the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation. While I admire efforts to end discrimination in this country and believe that the government should strive to protect all Americans’ basic human rights, the Equality Act is not the way forward.     

First, the legislation is an example of federal government overreach. The federal government is not the most efficient or effective driver of change, nor should it be. When it institutes broad sweeping policies for the whole country, the federal government limits the ability of schools and communities to create individualized policies. Importantly, allowing local communities to fashion individualized responses to local problems will ensure that specific needs are addressed and allow the flexibility to address the particular complications of any one situation or case.     

The Equality Act also has religious liberty implications. The bill prevents religious schools, groups, and other organizations from creating policies that reflect their own sincerely held beliefs. The right to the free exercise of religion is fundamental to the idea of what it means to be an American. It is something that I will not vote to abridge as a United States Senator.     

Additionally, this legislation would require that all schools, athletics, and businesses allow participation in what are typically activities restricted by biological sex to those who assume an alternate gender identity. There have already been a number of issues across the United States where policies of this sort are implemented. These problems are now isolated but would only increase in frequency should this policy become federal.     

The House is scheduled to consider H.R. 5 on its floor the week of February 22, 2021. Should this bill come before the Senate, I will be sure to keep your comments in mind. Given the aforementioned concerns, I do not plan to support this bill in its current form.     

Thank you for contacting me. It is an honor to serve as your U.S. Senator from Indiana. Please keep in touch with me on issues of concern to you. You can also follow me on Twitter or Facebook for real-time updates on my activities in the U.S. Senate. If I ever may be of service, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,


Mike Braun
U.S. Senator
P.S. This message was sent by email to save taxpayer dollars.


February 25, 2021

Dear Mr. Boston,

Thank you for contacting my office regarding H.R. 5, a bill that would amend the Civil Rights Law Act of 1964 to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” along with race, sex, and religion as protected classes in federal anti-discrimination law. I strongly oppose this legislation, and I welcome the opportunity to respond.

I wholeheartedly agree that this bill is a blatant violation of Americans’ safety, privacy, and civil liberties and that is why I voted no on H.R. 5. This bill takes discrimination out the realm of the objective, observable characteristics and redefines discrimination—not in terms of fact, but of perception of ideology, forcing all Americans to conform to the beliefs of liberal politicians in D.C.

As a man of faith, there is a zero percent chance I would support a bill that limits our nation’s founding principles of freedom of religion, conscience, and speech. We are a nation that allows and embraces diverse thoughts and opinions, but this bill would grant special privileges to individuals at the expense of the freedoms of others. Americans would be forced to forgo their deeply held religious beliefs. This means requiring healthcare professional to perform procedures that violate their moral convictions and taking federal funds away from thousands of houses of worship, schools, and charities—the establishments that make up the fabric of our Hoosier community—solely because of their beliefs. That is not equality.

As your representative in Congress, I am committed to preserving Hoosiers’ right to express and practice their faith and returning the federal government to the limits of the Constitution. If you would like to speak further regarding my position on H.R. 5, please call my Washington D.C. office at 202-225-3021. It is an honor to serve Hoosiers of Indiana’s Sixth Congressional District. You can visit my website at www.pence.house.gov to learn more about how I am representing you in Congress.


        Sincerely,

       Greg Pence
       Member of Congress

Ministry Statement on Election Results

I am a Donald Trump supporter.

I support him taking the legal route to verify the election results.

The left has spent the last 4 years saying the 2016 election was stolen. The official decision by the Electoral College isn’t until December 14th so the entire country can wait until then to get the certified results. Neither the news media, nor anyone other than the Electoral College can call a certified winner.

When the Electoral College has finished their job, I support the outcome of those results and expect a peaceful transition of power should the current results stand.

In the meantime, I support the act of peaceful demonstrations, either in protest or celebration.

However, I do not and will not condone violence, looting, arson, or disrespect for law enforcement. Public demonstrations are part of our 1st Amendment rights, the other things I mentioned are against the law and not part of the 1st Amendment protections.

This will be my only post or comment here about this topic until December 14th.

In the meantime, God is in control…. so, Do The Right Thing!

Below, are my last 2 sermons that fit right in with this topic. The Saturday before the election was “No Matter Who Wins – God is Still in Control. Then the Saturday after the election was “So….Do The Right Thing”.

Pastor Ed Boston
Sermon: No Matter Who Wins – God is in Control
Sermon: So…Do The Right Thing

Contact Your Senators on Behalf Of Judge Amy Coney Barrett

I got the following email today, and believe that this topic is too important not to share with you. – Pastor Ed

Hi Ed,

I need you to take action right away…

Today, the U.S. Senate will begin hearings on confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.

As you may know, if confirmed, Judge Barrett could be the deciding vote on the court when it comes to possibly overturning the disastrous Roe v. Wade decision.

With Judge Barrett’s impressive legal credentials and judicial track record, and her acknowledgment of the medical and scientific fact that life begins at conception, we have good reasons to trust that she will lend her qualifications to the work of justice – on Roe v. Wade and beyond.

Ed, that’s why I am reaching out to you – will you join me in contacting your U.S. Senators today to urge them to vote to confirm Judge Barrett to the Supreme Court?

With the confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate promising to be an intense fight, it is critical that we let our senators know that they must swiftly confirm Amy to the Supreme Court.

With Planned Parenthood and the abortion industry doing everything to stop Judge Barrett from being confirmed, we must take action NOW!

Ed, your action today can make a critical difference. Every person who you can also get to take action will make a difference.

When you click below, here are two things you can do:

  • Email your U.S. Senators
  • Call your U.S. Senators

A quick note: when you select this option, you will receive a phone call from 571-475-9275 that will directly patch you through to your state’s senators. Simply follow the prompts!

We’ve provided a pre-filled e-mail and a phone script to make it easy for you to directly contact both of your senators.

Ed, you can contact your U.S. Senators to urge them to confirm Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court here:

Contact your U.S. Senators

How One Church Is Responding to New Shut Down Orders

Pastor John MacArthur of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California explained why that church followed the shut down orders the first time, but will not be doing so this time around. Here is part of what Pastor MacArthur had to say and you can click here to read the entire article from Christian Leaders website

Last week, John MacArthur and Grace Community Church, which is located in Sun Valley California, announced they would not be adhering to California Governor Gavin Newsom’s second round of closure orders. In his announcement, “Christ, not Caesar, Is Head of the Church”, MacArthur informed civic leaders that they had exceeded their legitimate jurisdiction, and that “faithfulness to Christ prohibits us from the restrictions they want to impose on our corporate worship services.”

Why Didn’t Grace Community Stay Open The First Time?

MacArthur addressed a question the church leadership has been asked a lot: “Why didn’t you do this at the beginning?” (IE: Defy the first stay-at-home order). He said, “We didn’t know the extent of the disease. We were told millions were going to die.” They were being protective because that was the sensible and rational thing to do given what everyone was being told about the coronavirus. “As time went on we found out that the virus wasn’t as deadly as predicted, and the commands not to assemble didn’t apply to protesters and riots.”

 

 

Ed’s Opinion: It’s Time For Parents To Be Parents And Kids to Be Kids

As is the case so often in today’s society, too many things are backward or plain wrong and need to be fixed. Right is right and wrong is wrong and that’s just the way it is. To say who gets to decide what is right and what is wrong is just a total bunch of garbage to the point where the great country we live in would be unrecognizable to those who passed away 10 years or more ago.

Children telling their parents what they will and won’t do is totally opposite of God’s Word. Allowing children to make their own decisions about almost everything is shirking the God-given responsibility that parents have in nurturing those wonderful beings that He has blessed us with.

Parents, you have the experience, some good and some bad, that your children need. Why allow your children to fail on their own when you’ve already been there and done that. Do you wonder why suicide rates are where they are? Do you wonder why drug issues are at epidemic levels? I believe that one of the reasons (not the only ones) is that parents have lost control of their own houses.

Now, who am I talking to and about here? I think everyone has to share and take the blame for these issues. I’m not talking about just “bad parents” or non-Christian parents. Everyone needs to come to the realization that not everything is going to go the way a child wants it no, nor should it.

Some decisions are not suitable for children to make – it’s the job of the parent. Does the child go to school or not today – parent decides! How late can the child stay out and who can they hang out with – parent decides! Will the child like all of the parent’s decisions on issues like this? Absolutely not, but when that child grows up, they are not going to like all the decisions that the government has and will make plus there are rules in the workforce that they will have to follow. A child needs to KNOW right vs wrong, yes vs no, good vs evil before they become an adult.

Then there are stories like this one.

A good man has lost his job because a child (teenagers are still children by-the-way) wasn’t given HER way. Just because a child thinks (with or without parental approval) that they get to decide what God created them to be is not up for debate. If you want to play the gender card at home and with your family, that’s on you.

However, don’t expect the rest of us to have to bow down and cower to your childish wishes. God made us man or woman – He didn’t ask our permission.

Don’t think the rest of us have to play along in your fantasy games – life doesn’t work that way.

Here’s the article about the teacher who lost his job.

Fired for Refusing to Use a Student’s ‘Preferred Pronoun:’ Why Every American Should Be Concerned

WEST POINT, Virginia – Peter Vlaming was a well-liked French teacher at West Point High School in Virginia. But late last year, Vlaming was fired because he refused to call a ninth-grade student who transitioned from female to male by the student’s new preferred pronoun, “he.”

“I could not, in good conscience based on my Christian faith, call a girl a boy,” Vlaming said.

Vlaming agreed to use the student’s new name. But since he wouldn’t refer to the biological girl as “he” or “him,” he was placed on administrative leave in October of 2018.

Read the rest of the story from CBN News by clicking here.

Latest Podcast: Ed And Amy Talk Abortion Laws in the News

Here is the link to our Latest Podcast.

Ed and Amy give their opinions on the recent laws that passed in 5 different states that have heavily restricted abortions. Ohio, Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama and now it looks like you can add Missouri to the list. We give our reaction and comment on the reactions of others as well.

When you are finished listening, here’s a link where you can give your opinion about this show or any other topic you would like to share. Who knows, we may even play your comment on a future broadcast.

https://anchor.fm/ed-boston-podcast-network/message

Tough To Put Opinion Toward This Lawsuit

I can’t even bring myself to comment on this disgusting lawsuit. – Ed

Lawsuit filed over display of Bible at veterans hospital

A Bible on display at a memorial at New Hampshire’s veterans hospital should be removed because it is a violation of the First Amendment, a U.S. Air Force veteran said in a federal lawsuit Tuesday.

The Bible was carried by a prisoner of war in World War II and became part of the Missing Man Table honoring missing veterans and POWs at the entranceway of the Manchester VA Medical Center. The Department of Veterans Affairs said Tuesday the table was sponsored by a veterans group called the Northeast POW/MIA Network.

The lawsuit filed in Concord by James Chamberlain against the center’s director, Alfred Montoya, says the Bible’s inclusion is in violation of the Constitution. The First Amendment stipulates “that the government may not establish any religion. Nor can the government give favoritism to one religious belief at the expense of others,” according to the suit.

Chamberlain, a devout Christian, said in the lawsuit the table should be a memorial to all who have served, regardless of their beliefs. The suit said the original POW/MIA table tradition was started by a group of Vietnam combat pilots and didn’t include a Bible as one of the items.

The medical center initially removed the Bible in January after another group, the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, objected, saying it got complaints from 14 patients who felt it violated the First Amendment. A variety of religions were represented among the 14.

But the Bible reappeared on the table in February. It had been removed “out of an abundance of caution,” Curt Cashour, a Department of Veterans Affairs spokesman, said in an emailed statement Tuesday. Afterward, the medical center received an outpouring of complaints from veterans and others, “many of whom dropped off Bibles at the facility” in protest, Cashour said.

After consulting with lawyers, the medical center put the Bible back on the table indefinitely, Cashour said. He called the table “a secular tribute to America’s POW/MIA community.”

He apologized to those were offended by the Bible’s “incorrect” removal.

But Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, said it is the presence of the Bible that is offensive.

“It’s incredibly disrespectful, dishonorable, and most importantly, it’s illegal,” he said.