Summer 2013 $1.75 Preserving Families ncfamily.org SummerMarriage 2013 & the Common Good • Personal Responsibility • America’s Founding 1 For the freshest information visit ncfamily.org Find resources and articles on issues that matter to you or sign up to receive our publications: Weekly FACTS email Legislative alerts Family North Carolina magazine FNC | contents feature 18 Life and Liberty Life is the fundamental human and natural right from which all other rights and privileges !ow. Mary Summa, J.D. defends the promotion of the sanctity of all human life in public policy as a necessary foundation for just government. articles departments 8 Marriage and the Common Good numbers 4 Strong marriages make strong families, and strong Family facts of interest families make strong societies. Dr. Patrick Fagan explains why the wellbeing of North Carolina is at issue 5 intimately connected to the health of its families. About this magazine 12 Founding Principles comment 6 Southeastern University History Professor Dr. K. Alan Observations from Snyder explains how American society was intentionally our president designed to promote laws and a culture that honor God. "at intentional structure provides the foundation for etcetera 7 why the NCFPC and Christians across North Carolina should be involved in public policy. Quotes, quips and other items of interest 24 Freedom and Responsibility "e American experiment depends upon a virtuous and fold 16 educated citizenry. Brittany Farrell connects the dots of Subscriptions and what seem to be divergent policy issues—gambling, sex resources education, alcohol, drugs, religious freedom, and school choice—to show their impact on the health of society. 28 Briefs Alysse ElHage o#ers an in-depth look at the U.S. Supreme Court’s decisions in two landmark cases involving the institution of marriage. She also provides an update on the Boy Scouts of America’s decision to change its membership policy, and discusses another important case before the High Court involving public prayer. 32 Interview: Mary Eberstadt NCFPC president John Rustin talks with Mary Eber- stadt about her new book How the West Really Lost God, which argues that the breakdown of the family in the West has contributed to the decline in religious belief. FNC | numbers Contributions of Fathers Percent who say it is “extremely important” for a father to provide this for his children Summer 2013 Vol. 8, No.3 ISSN 1935-7761 Values and Morals ISBN 0-9785025-1-5 Editor Brittany Farrell Emotional Support Associate Editor Alysse ElHage Discipline Design Courtney Volker Income Circulation Catherine Strickland Pew Research Center poll, “The New American Father,” June 2013. Surveyed 1,000 American adults on four roles of fathers and mothers. Contributors Eileen Brown, Alysse ElHage, Patrick Fagan, Brittany Farrell, Jere Royall, K. Alan Snyder, Media Bias in Reporting About Marriage Redefinition Catherine Strickland, Mary Summa News Coverage Shows Momentum for Same-Sex Marriage President John Rustin News Media Family North Carolina is published quarterly by the Huffington Post North Carolina Family Policy Council. The North Carolina Family Policy Council is an LGBT Outlets independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit research and education organization organized in 1991 and recognized for tax-deductible giving by the federal Twitter government. Family North Carolina is a registered trademark of the North Carolina Family Policy Council. Copyright © North Carolina Family Same-Sex marriage should be legal Mixed/Neutral Policy Council. All rights reserved. Same-Sex marriage should not be legal Internet Visit us on the internet at ncfamily.org, where you Pew Research Center study of nearly 500 news media stories about same-sex can read selected stories from this issue, includ- “marriage,” released June 2013. ing endnotes. Publication of website addresses of other organizations featured in our stories does not constitute endorsement by the North Carolina America is Pro-Life Family Policy Council of those groups or the U.S. Adults’ Views on When Abortion Should Be Illegal contents of those sites. Subscriptions If you do not already receive Family North Carolina, a one-year subscription is available Legal in All for a suggested donation of $16. Write the North Circumstances Carolina Family Policy Council at: PO. Box 20607, Raleigh, NC 27619. To use your credit card visit Legal Under Most us online at ncfamily.org or call 919-807-0800. Circumstances Legal Only in a Few Circumstances Illegal in All Circumstances Gallup Poll, national telephone survey of 1,535 adults conducted in May 2013. FNC | at issue Why We Do What We Do Summer 2013 Times of transition often in the areas of cohabitation, divorce, marriage, and include opportunities to parental rights on the health and wealth of indi- $1.75 reevaluate and refocus. Such viduals, families, and society. is the case with the North "e story of America’s founding is a story of Carolina Family Policy Christian virtue. Southeastern University History Council over the last few professor Dr. Alan Snyder explores how American months. With our $rst major society was intentionally designed to promote laws leadership change in two and a culture that honor God. A recognition of that decades, our organization has intentional design provides the impetus for why the Preserving Families embraced the opportunity to North Carolina Family Policy Council and Chris- evaluate, discuss, and remem- tians across North Carolina should be involved in public policy. ber our priorities, and why we do what we do. "is issue "e success of American government, as en- of Family North Carolina is a visioned by the founders and described in Dr. Snyder’s piece, relies upon an educated and virtuous ncfamily.org result of that process. "e North Carolina Family citizenry. In “Freedom and Responsibility,” this edi- Policy Council is dedicated tor connects the common threads between seem- SummerMarriage 2013 & the Common Good • Personal Responsibility • America’s Founding 1 to the preservation of the ingly disparate areas of public policy upon which family and traditional values the work of the North Carolina Family Policy by providing the best quality research and education Council often focuses. "e importance of individual on public policy issues that impact North Caro- liberty, coupled with individual responsibility, neces- lina families. We are also committed to equipping sitates our work on issues such as gambling, alcohol citizens to be voices of persuasion on behalf of and drug policy, school choice, and religious liberty. traditional family values in this State and society. Do not miss the “Briefs” section in this magazine, In this issue, you will $nd articles that examine the where you will $nd extensive coverage of recent values that in!uenced the foundation of America’s battles over the de$nition of marriage at both the unique system of government, as well as articles U.S. Supreme Court and in several individual states. written by: that explore why our work focuses on the priorities An update on the controversial Boy Scouts’ decision Brittany of life, marriage, and personal responsibility. to allow openly homosexual youth to participate "e new president of the North Carolina Family in BSA programs, as well as the Supreme Court’s Farrell Policy Council, John Rustin, starts things o# by consideration of a lawsuit related to prayer before sharing the story of how he became involved in government meetings are also included. the pro-family movement. He explains how God North Carolina Family Policy Council president used a presentation about America’s founding, and John Rustin’s interview with Mary Eberstadt is the Biblical worldview of many of our Founding both prescient and powerful reading. "ey discuss Fathers to open his eyes to God’s calling on his life, her new book How the West Really Lost God, which and to the importance of being involved in trans- chronicles the connection between the breakdown forming the culture through public policy. of the family and the decline in religious belief. Life is the most fundamental human and natural "ank you for reading this issue of Family North right from which all other rights and privileges Carolina. We hope that it provides you with a !ow. In her feature article, attorney Mary Summa deeper understanding of what motivates us to do outlines why the promotion of the sanctity of all the work we do, and why the issues we emphasize human life in public policy is a necessary founda- are so important. We are proud to count you among tion for just government. She provides an overview our partners in this work. of several of the most compelling public policy is- As you visit with family and friends, whether sues of our day that hinge on the recognition of this poolside, seaside, or at your other favorite vacation foundational principle, including abortion, arti$cial spot this summer, please share this magazine with reproduction, stem cell research, and euthanasia. them, and invite them to join us in our work to pre- St. Angela Merici said, “Disorder in society is a serve and promote the values and policies that are result of disorder in the family.” In yet another pow- most important to North Carolina families. erfully researched article, Dr. Patrick Fagan explains Brittany Farrell is assistant director of policy for why families, created through marriage, are the the North Carolina Family Policy Council and foundational building block of society. Lawmakers editor of Family North Carolina. cannot a#ord to ignore the impact of public policy Summer 2013 5 FNC | comment This Is My Story… Happy summer, and thank you for reading Family You see, understanding the faith of the Found- North Carolina magazine! We do not take it for grant- ers and their commitment to applying God’s truth ed that you have many other ways to spend your time, and Biblical principles to the establishment of this written by: especially during the summer months, and we appreci- experiment in government, to the writing of the John ate the fact that you have chosen to invest it here.