Rainbow Buses Coming to A City Near You! Object At Your Own Peril

The annual Calgary Pride Festival kicks off this Friday and, as a show of support, a Calgary Transit bus has been wrapped in a symbol of inclusiveness, but at least one driver does not want to be at its helm.

The rainbow flag bus will operate through September 7, the day of the Calgary Pride Parade. The bus will not have a constant, designated route and will be rotated between a number of routes situated throughout the city.

Calgary Transit will announce the rainbow bus’s scheduled routes each day on the Calgary Transit website and on Twitter.

The $9,000 cost of the bus wrap was paid for by Pattison Signs.

Calgary Pride's director of govenment affairs, Craig Sklenar, says the bus is a symbol of progress.

'It's a sign of the change in Calgary," said Sklenar.  "There's still much to do cause it NEVER enough in as much as LGBTQ rights are concerned  but we are excited there is  such public displays of pride across the city over the next few weeks."

Not everyone is a fan of the temporary Pride-friendly addition to the Calgary Transit fleet.

“I’m concerned that if I say that this bus is against my beliefs that I might not have a job,” said Jesse Rau, who has worked for Calgary Transit as a driver for about a year. “I’m a Christian so, as a Christian, there are things like homosexuality that I just can’t condone. Unfortunately, we live in a culture where if you disagree with someone’s lifestyle, the accusation is that you hate the person.”

If assigned to drive the rainbow bus, Rau says he will face a dilemma.

“I would be very respectful with dispatch,” said Rau. “There are some very amazing, respectable people that work for the City of Calgary.”

“I would go up to them very respectably and say can you please assign me another bus. I wouldn’t throw a fit or protest or get angry.”

Rau says that while the bus looks beautiful but it is clearly promoting the homosexual movement that he does not want to be aligned with.

“I have a family to support and I am very concerned about losing the job, it’s something I’m very proud to be a part of, but when it goes against the most important things I stand for, or if I’m asked to compromise in such a big way for what I believe to be right, then I have to lose my job.”

“I’m put in a corner.”

Rau hopes Calgary Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union will support the requests of drivers who do not wish to drive the rainbow bus.

(calgary news) highlights our additions

Rainbow Bus on Rainbow Cross walk

A Calgary man says he will quit his job if he's assigned to drive a bus wrapped in a rainbow flag.

For the annual Calgary Pride Festival, which starts today, a Calgary Transit bus has been wrapped in the symbol of inclusiveness.

• City's first pride bus set to roll through Calgary streets

The rainbow flag bus will operate through Sept. 7, the day the Pride Parade is being held.

Jesse Rau, who has worked for Calgary Transit as a driver for about a year, said he's a Christian and can't support homosexuality.

Rau hopes Calgary Transit and the Amalgamated Transit Union will support drivers who don't want to drive the rainbow bus.

Doug Morgan, director of Calgary Transit, said drivers can only refuse to work based on safety issues.

"What we would do is open a dialogue with them and chat with them and ask them about their issues and making sure we're being sensitive to their beliefs, but overall the service has to go out and we would ask them to drive the bus," Morgan said.

He was blackmailed in a 'nice' — politically correct 'nice' — way [to not] talk to the media."- Pastor Artur Pawlowski

Rau said he hopes he would be assigned to another bus.

"I have a family to support and I am very concerned about losing the job ... but when it goes against the most important things I stand for, or if I'm asked to compromise in such a big way for what I believe to be right, then I have to lose my job," Rau said.

Not a simple case, says lawyer

Labour Lawyer Tom Ross said the case is not a simple one.

"There are human rights obligations on the employer to accommodate religious beliefs within the workplace," Ross said.

But he adds it doesn't appear Rau can make the argument that simply driving the pride bus would imply support for any belief or lifestyle. 

Meanwhile, Rau has declined to make any further comments to the media.

Artur Pawlowski, Rau's pastor, said he's afraid of losing his job after his story went viral and his employers put a gag order on him.

"He was blackmailed in a 'nice' — politically correct 'nice' — way [to not] talk to the media," said Pawlowski, who heads Street Church, a controversial ministry that feeds the homeless and stages provocative protests.

Despite the controversy, Calgary Pride's director of government affairs, Craig Sklenar, said the bus is a symbol of progress.

"It's a sign of the change in Calgary," said Sklenar. "There's still much to do in as much as LGBTQ rights are concerned, but we are excited there is such public displays of pride across the city over the next few weeks."

(cbc)

Study Shows 42% Of "Orthodox" Don't Think Homosexuality Should Be Discouraged RL!

'13 Study on opposition of homosexuality

42% Of "Orthodox" (includes those not in these 2 categories) Don't Think Homosexuality Should Be Discouraged!
30% of "Haradim" don't think that homosexuality should be discouraged
62% of Modern "Orthodox" don't think that homosexuality should be discouraged

remember this study is a few years old and unfortunately the numbers probably are much worse today


Rabbis, Teachers, Askonim, and Leaders etc. are responsible for this problem, It's long past the time we spoke out strongly against homosexuality.

How many times have you ever heard a teshuva drasha against accepting homosexuality, and voting against pro homosexuality political candidates?

Gay Terrorists Black List Orthodox Clinical Psychologist, For Signing a Pro Therapy Letter

Listen to Rav Yoshe Ber Soloveitchik on the possibility of changing homosexual inclination, and his strong opposition, to the liberal view of a therapists role in dealing with homosexuality.

An Australian Jewish advocacy group for child sexual abuse victims has cancelled an invitation due to gay protests to a US clinical psychologist who once practised therapies aimed at "curing" homosexuality.

Norman Goldwasser, who applied conversion or reparative therapies to treat same-sex attraction, was to have been the keynote speaker at Tzedek Australia's Melbourne education forum in September.


However, on Friday, Tzedek recanted in the face of opposition, saying it had planned to bring Dr Goldwasser to Australia, but was no longer doing so. so victims of molestation lose once again to gay terrorists


"We have taken on board concerns raised by the LGBTI community. As a result we have reviewed the matter and decided that it is no longer appropriate for Dr Goldwasser to speak at the forum," a spokesman said.


Several survivors of child sexual abuse in the Jewish community had condemned Dr Goldwasser's involvement and several Tzedek board members threatened to resign if he attended the event.  It's a known fact that many victims of sexual abuse develop homosexual desires

The founder of Tzedek, Manny Waks, himself a survivor of child sexual abuse, said he had advised the current chief executive of the organisation not to invite the controversial figure.

""Victims" of conversion therapy must be looking at what Tzedek is doing and feeling very upset," Mr Waks said.


Michael Barnett, the co-convener of "Jewish" LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) advocacy group Aleph Melbourne, said: "He is claiming that people who have been victims of child sex abuse who may have same sex attraction can have their attraction reversed, which can lead to "damaging" mental health outcomes, including suicide attempts.  this is a fact that is undeniable, a disproportional amount of molestation victims have developed homosexual tendencies


"By engaging with somebody like Norman Goldwasser, Tzedek are irreparably damaging their credibility with homosexuals."


The group issued a statement on its Facebook page on Friday, saying: "Tzedek's mission statement is to support and advocate for victims of sexual abuse in the Jewish community.


"Several months ago, a decision was made by Tzedek to invite Dr Goldwasser to speak at the Jewish Community Education Forum in Melbourne on September 6.


"The decision was made because of his considerable experience dealing with the dynamics of sexual abuse in the Jewish community. which should have been be the only factor in inviting him to speak

"More recently, we have become aware of other irrelevant matters and controversies relating to Dr Goldwasser.


"We wish to make clear that Tzedek does not in any way endorse or condone what has been described as 'reparative therapy'. Such 'therapy' has been completely discredited by propaganda artists.

(Dr. Nicholas Cummings is the former head of the American Psychological Association)

"Our forum will proceed on September 6 and we encourage all members of the community to attend."

Dr Goldwasser recently disassociated himself from conversion therapy which is not shocking considering liberal terrorists attacks like this.


"I have distanced myself from this type of therapy, as well as from those who practise it, as a result of a heightened awareness of the limitations and risks inherently involved in that particular type of therapy," he wrote in a statement posted on Tzedek's Facebook page.  yet they still refuse to allow him to speak showing that compromise doesn't work with terrorists.


But he is still listed as a signatory of the "Declaration on the Torah Approach to Homosexuality", a document endorsed by over 200 rabbis, community leaders and mental health professionals that said "same-sex attractions can be modified and healed".


He also stands by treatments aimed at treating "unwanted bisexuality" as a result of child sexual abuse.


Fairfax Media has tried to contact Dr Goldwasser for comment.

(Sidney Morning Herald) highlights our additions

Wonder Woman (Comic Book) Strongly Promotes Same Sex Marriage, Time To Boycott Time Warner!

DC Comics is owned by Time Warner (Remember that before using their products)


The world's most iconic female superhero isn't just a supporter of same-sex "marriages" -- she officiates them, too.

That's right, Wonder Woman presides over the wedding of two brides in Sensation Comics Featuring Wonder Woman, Chapter 48.  The new installment of the anthology series, due out Aug. 20, was written and illustrated by Jason Badower. 

The "wedding" issue also marks Badower's DC Comics debut. The artist told The Huffington Post in an interview that Wonder Woman (she already promotes Avodah Zarah) is "the most logical candidate in the DC Universe," to officiate same-sex "marriages" because her creator, William Moulton Marston who was in a 3 way relationship with 2 women (that means they were together also), specified that she originally hailed from an island inhabited only by women. Hence, he said, it's likely that Wonder Woman's mother would have officiated and authorized similar ceremonies.  In the book (1954) Seduction of the Innocent psychiatrist Fredric Wertham claimed that Wonder Woman was supposed to promote lesbianism, Dc Comics vehemently deigned these charges.  That book led to the comic book code that forced standards on the comic book industry that worked until the 70's.

Badower said he also really wanted to reference current affairs -- specifically, the U.S. Supreme Court's June 26 ruling that legalized same-sex "marriage" nationwide -- in the story. 

"I saw this Wonder Woman story as an incredible opportunity to have one of the most recognizable, iconic characters in the world to be among the first to step forward and officially endorse this new law," he said. "But I thought, let's not just have Wonder Woman embrace this new law, let's have her celebrate it."  and thus convince kids this is great.

As to whether or not Wonder Woman might one day find herself in a same-sex relationship, Badower pointed to her longtime, heterosexual love interest Steve Trevor. With Wonder Woman often rescuing Trevor in a gender-reversed take on the "damsel-in-distress" motif, he said, "The pressures she must have felt from that unconventional relationship would, unfortunately, be familiar to many people today."

He then said, "Her courage in the face of that is an incredible attribute we can all learn from." 

DC Comics hasn't shied away from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in recent years. In 2013, the DC Universe introduced the first openly transgender character in a "Batgirl" comic. Meanwhile, Selina Kyle, the character formally known as Catwoman, was confirmed to be bisexual.

Meanwhile, Midnighter, a character who first appeared in the DC Comics franchise in 1998, will reportedly explore his sexuality and even join the gay social networking app Grindr in a forthcoming comic book.

For the past 20 years DC Comics has actively been promoting homosexuality from remaking established characters as homosexuals (Most noticeably Green Lantern a character that goes back to the early 40's) to black listing Orson Scott Card (who opposes same sex "marriage") from working on Superman breaking their deal with him. 

Don't think this story doesn't effect you, Many Orthodox Jewish children heard of Wonder Woman, Furthermore things less then this, have already brainwashed a generations of youth leading to our current predicament.

Even if you don't read DC Comics you can make your view known by not using other Time Warner products.(huffington post) highlighted portion our additional comments

California Public High School Creates Gay History Class

A California high school is incorporating a gay history course into its curriculum Ruth Asawa School of the Arts in San Francisco is adding a new college preparatory course that will “explore the American experience through a lens that isn’t usually discussed in traditional U.S. history classes,” focusing on the gay rights movement, teacher Lyndsey Schlax said in a video on the school’s Web site. The class, “LGBT studies,” will look at the legalization of same-sex "marriage", the U.S. military’s “don’t ask don’t tell” policy and the history of major events such as the Stonewall Riot.

“This is history. This is an experience that happened,” Schlax told the San Francisco Chronicle. “How can we not teach history? That’s what we do.”

The course will be coupled with another class on ethnic studies, which will explore minority groups in the Unites States, such as African Americans, Chinese Americans, Japanese Americans and Native Americans, Schlax said.

The course will not teach students how to have sex, school officials told the newspaper.

Ruth Asawa School of the Arts is a public arts high school, also known as SOTA, that offers majors in creative writing, dance, media, music, theater and visual arts, among others. It is the first public high school in San Francisco to start a gay social studies course, which the University of California system has approved as one of the high school courses required for admission, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

In 2010, the San Francisco Unified School District passed a resolution to reinforce the school district’s anti-discrimination policy to protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students. It proposed the addition of “an interdisciplinary course on LGBTQ history and literature.” But school budget cuts amid the recession put the plan on hold.

“I’m glad we’re picking it up again as we get more money,” board member Sandra Fewer told the newspaper. “I think this class is very interesting.”

“As the mother of a gay child, I’m very sensitive to the issues of our LGBT youth,” Fewer told the San Francisco Chronicle. The course offers “a deeper understanding. It separates fact from fiction.

“People always think it’s about the sex. It’s not about sex. What drove those movements was making the world a better place, a more peaceful place.

(washington post)

Schlax got a grant to pay for 40 audio and video players so students can listen to podcasts or watch videos related to the content. Those might include clips from the old “Odd Couple” television show or of Disney villains with speech patterns associated with gay men to show how Hollywood has dealt with gay stereotypes through the decades.

(sfgate.com)

New Minnesota Study Shows Once Again, Gays Have Much Higher Teenage Pregnancy Rates

Ramban Devarim 29-18

. . . ופירוש למען ספות הרוה את הצמאה - להוסיף השבעה עם המתאוה, כי נפש שבעה תקרא רוה, כענין ורויתי נפש הכהנים דשן ועמי את טובי ישבעו (ירמיה לא יג), והיתה נפשם כגן רוה (שם פסוק יא), והמתאוה תקרא צמאה, צמאה לך נפשי (תהלים סג ב). והטעם, כי נפש האדם הרוה שאיננה מתאוה לדברים הרעים לה, כאשר תבא בלבו קצת התאוה והוא ימלא תאותו אז יוסיף בנפשו תאוה יתירה ותהיה צמאה מאד לדבר ההוא שאכל או שעשה יותר מבראשונה, ותתאוה עוד לדברים רעים שלא היתה מתאוה להם מתחלה. כי  מתאוה לזמת הנשים היפות, כשיהיה שטוף בזמתן תבואהו תאוה לבוא על הזכר ועל הבהמה, וכיוצא בזה בשאר התאוות, וכענין שהזכירו חכמים (סוכה נב ב) משביעו רעב מרעיבו שבע. ולכך יאמר הכתוב בהולך בשרירות לבו, שהוא אם ימלא נפשו בתאוות השרירות והחזקות עליו אשר היא צמאה להם, יוסיף נפשו הרוה עם הצמאה, כי יתאוה ויצמא למה שהיה שבע ממנו וכאשר השביע נפשו בו. ולפי שהזכיר "שרש פורה" אמר בלשון הזה, כי יוסיף השרש הוא כפתו אשר היא רוה ורעננה עם הצמאה ותשובנה כולם צמאות:

Once again new study (there are numerous studies that show this phenomenon) shows that "gays" have higher teenage pregnancy rates showing what a crock the LGBT movement is.

Link to our previous article on this subject

Minnesota gay teenage pregnancy rate

At a time when teen pregnancy rates across the state are at historic lows, the numbers for gay teens are surprisingly high.

In Minnesota, these young people are far more likely than their straight peers to become pregnant or have gotten someone pregnant, according to a recent analysis of data on adolescent sexual health.

“It’s very counterintuitive,” said Judith Kahn, executive director of Teenwise Minnesota, the organization that discovered the trend.  

(startribune)  to read the rest of this story.

A third study on this phenomenon from earlier this year

Gay, bisexual teens more likely to get pregnant than straight peers: study

Gay and bisexual teens are twice as likely to get pregnant than their heterosexual peers a low number when compared to other studies, says a shocking new study of New York City teens.

Lisa Lindley of George Mason University and Katrina Walsemann of the University of South Carolina studied 10,000 New York City teens via three years' worth of surveys from the Centers for Disease Control.

The CDC measured sexual orientation in two different ways: how people label their sexuality, and how they behave sexually. So a person may not identify as bisexual on paper but may have had male and female sexual partners. That could be because that person was forced into sex or isn't ready to come out yet, for example.

Those adolescents may also think they're at a low risk of getting pregnant or impregnating someone since a partner of the opposite sex isn't who they normally opt for.

"We don't know the circumstances," Lindley told the Daily News.

Overall, 14.3% of female and 10.8% percent of male students experienced a pregnancy. But women who identified as a lesbian or bisexual, as well as women who didn't label themselves but did admit to male and female partners, were more likely to get pregnant.

There were also more pregnancies from men who labeled themselves gay or bisexual, and men who slept with both men and women.

Providers need to do a better job of giving all teens reproductive services, Lindley said.

"Just because someone identifies as gay, you don't know," she said. “We want people not to make assumptions."

The research was reported in the American Journal of Public Health.

(daily news) highlights our additions

If anyone is interested in more studies on this phenomenon please let us know!

Tzipi Livni Trying To Pass Bill, That Would Force Yeshivas To Promote Homosexuality

Years from now this event may be seen as the moment when gay "rights" took over Israel, including "marriage" (it failed by only 11 votes less then a month ago). It's our jobs to make sure this doesn't happen, that will be the best thing we can actually do for her nishama.
The sad fact is this poor soul died of misa mishuna (a plus for a kapara) while she doing a mesis umodiach action (which is about as bad as possible). She has already become a martyr for toevah. If we allow her memory to solely be used to pass evil toevah laws (including "marriage") it will make her, be punished for every action that results due to her sin of going to a masis umodiach parade. We know that even the dead our judged every single yom kippur for the actions that result from their life (for things that occurred over the course of the past year, because of their actions in their life) If the only thing she has going for her is this, it will be disastrous for her.
If you want to do something for her soul take upon yourself to do whatever you can to stop the gay movement both in Eretz Yisroel and throughout the world for her zicharon, that is the only thing that will bring nechama to her soul!   (Comment that we had placed on vosizneias)

Livni proposes ‘Shira Banki’ legislation

The “Shira Banki bills” include establishing civil unions which means same sex "marriage", requiring education for equality and tolerance among other policies meant to counter hate-crimes.


MK Tzipi Livni (Zionist Union) proposed a legislative package of gay rights bills in memory of the 16-year-old who was stabbed at the Jerusalem LGBT parade, a week after she died of her wounds.

The “Shira Banki bills” include establishing civil unions, requiring education for "equality" and "tolerance", prohibiting conversion therapy – to convince gay people to be or act straight – regulating surrogacy and supervising hate criminals after they’re released from prison.

Livni’s goal is to bring the proposals to a vote at the opening of the Knesset’s winter session, in October, as a legislative response to hate crimes and "discrimination" against lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender people, and give the government an option to back up their condemnations of violence with actions.

“The Shira bills are meant to be a deterrent and make it clear to anyone planning a hate crime and thinks that violence and racism are the way that their actions will be met with the advancement of "equality" and tolerance in Israeli society,” Livni said.

The Zionist Union MK called the message she is sending “Zionist, values-based and practical” and pressed for the government to support the bills.

Livni’s civil unions bill, which she already proposed during the Knesset’s summer session, creates a track of rights and responsibilities parallel to marriage for any - one who does not want to go the religious route in establishing a family in Israel. The civil unions would be legally equal to marriages by law.

The education bill would require the education minister to set a curriculum on "equality" and "tolerance" for all types of schools in Israel for all population groups.

“It’s not enough to add to Israel Gay Youth’s budget, as the education minister suggested. Education for tolerance and equality, and providing the tools to educational staff on the topic must be a central anchor in the education system for all population groups, immediately,” Livni said.

One of the “Shira Banki bills” was proposed by MK Revital Swid (Zionist Union) and would have the state keep track and have a database of hate criminals who were released from prison, as it does for sex offenders.

(Jerusalem Post) highlights our additions

Ami Mag Feels Vigilantism Is Good, But Threatening To Report To Rabbis, Worthy Of Going To District Attorney!

"Nobody has the the right to threaten someone else"(Ami Magazine on going to rabbis)

However 3 years ago he wrote in another editorial blasting bloggers, justifying religious vigilantism, and attacking those who question it (as a rule not the exception)

Ami Magazine Editor "Masers" on Rabbi To District Attorney Because He Opposed Ami's Stance On Same Sex "Marriage"

Last night Yitzchok Frankfurter (Ami's editor) admitted on the Just Enough Heshy radio show that he reported a specific Rabbi in Lakewood to the District Attorney's office for threatening him. 

After a thorough investigation, the only correspondence that the Rabbi had with Ami Magazine was the following email.  That email contained the "threat" to Frankfurter.  

The only "threat" was that he will show his editorial to key rabbis in Lakewood, (which can be seen in the following letter).  

After Mr. Frankfurter admitted to massering on the Lakewood Rabbi, Mr. Frankfurter had the gall to say in an attempt to paint us as terrorists (read the comments clearly written by Ami to our first editorial) "You know what the problem I was actually trying to prevent him from getting involved in craziness, cause I see we're he's leading, these guys are going totally off".  

Then he has the complete hypocrisy to defend himself by saying about our accusations that "those types of accusations our the worst"  (This got cut off on the tape but can be seen at the tail end of the video on the bottom)

"Threatening" letter

"Rabbi" Yitzchok Frankfurter please answer us a few questions?  (we now know you read this blog)
What is the heter to masser on a Jew for following the Torah?
Is going to rabbis with your own editorial a real threat?
Did you go to a rabbi to get a heter to go to the DA?
If so which Rabbi?
Did you show them the "threatening letter"?

Can I also go to the directly to the DA when someone is molesting a child?

How about the police?
Will you devote a editorial to hilchos mesira showing your heter to go to the DA?



In response to Ami's critique we changed the name of our original anti-Ami editorial from

"Ami Magazine "Paskens" It's A Chiyuv To Support Same Sex "Marriage""

 to 

"Ami Magazine "Paskens" It's Assur To Oppose Same Sex "Marriage""

The worst part about Ami is they are like a chazer they pretend to be kosher by saying they are against same sex "marriage", but then they clarify it with treyfus (I forgot, I was supposed to be literal) make that, the ability to regurgitate, by saying things like it's assur to fight against it, and we shouldn't be upset because we lost nothing.

Remember, subscribers and advertisers will force Ami Magazine to stop its perversion!

Will Be'ezras Hashem put up editorial on whole interview tomorrow

After Losing Their Business For Refusing To Host Same "Weddings Odgaard's Plan To Put Up 1,000 Anti-Gay "Marriage" Billboards

"The animated responses of a number of Orthodox commentators to the Supreme Court ruling reveal that the contemporary exilic consciousness in America, which does not share features of the old paradigm such as persecution, exclusion and alienation, is slowly starting to fade even among the devout. This repudiation of the exile mentality permeates the ferocious verbal attacks against our host country."
"Ami Magazine"

Billboard however are way to little and way to late, but at least their doing something.

GRIMES, Iowa — After months of controversy, the Gortz Haus closed its doors last week in the wake of declining revenue — first, for its refusal to host gay "weddings", then for discontinuing its wedding business altogether.

Though the Grimes bistro, art gallery and venue is no longer open, owners Richard and Betty Odgaard have no plans to put aside their religious campaign against same-sex "marriage".

On the Facebook page for their ministry, God's Original Design Ministry, the Odgaards say they plan to erect 1,000 billboards advertising their belief in upholding "traditional" marriage between one man and one woman.

The first billboard, a 14-foot by 48-foot black-and-white sign, went up outside of Durant, Okla., in late July. On Facebook, the group said the billboard was "funded 100 percent by your generous donations."

"One down and 999 to go for 1,000 points of light," the post read. "Thank you and God bless!"

Betty Odgaard declined an interview request. But she did stress that the billboard effort is not a campaign against the gay community.

"It certainly isn't coming from a hateful place," Odgaard said. "What I'm most frustrated with is that it's viewed as being hateful. And that's the last thing that I want to convey. It's just that we want to hold up the Biblical view of marriage."

A Des Moines couple filed a complaint with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission in 2013 because the Odgaards' refused to let them rent the venue for a same-sex ceremony. In a settlement last year, the Odgaards agreed to pay the couple $5,000 and to not discriminate against same-sex couples.

They did that by choosing not to offer wedding services to anyone — straight or gay — a decision the Odgaards said caused the business to fold.

The Odgaards were heralded by social conservatives who applauded them for sticking to their religious beliefs over business concerns. They were represented by attorneys through the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty, a group that litigates nationwide "to protect the free expression of all faiths," according to its mission statement.

And they've become a favorite talking point of Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who is campaigning for the Republican nomination for president.

Cruz, who previously blamed "liberal fascism" for the demise of the Gortz Haus, will hold a "Rally for Religious Liberty" Aug. 21 featuring the Odgaards.

The couple is also slated to speak at November's National Religious Liberties Conference in Des Moines. That organization's website describes widespread religious persecution: "With an increasingly aggressive leftist minority rising, now is the time to bring religious liberties, parental rights, and freedom from big government to the forefront of consideration in national politics."

Donna Red Wing, executive director of LGBT advocacy group One Iowa, said the couple seems to have the backing of influential and well-funded people.

"Clearly, Dick and Betty Odgaard are now a poster couple for the evangelical right," she said. "I think that they have been encouraged to go in this direction. I'm sure there will be funding to help them reach their goal of hundreds if not thousands of signs."

The billboards may spark discussion about religious liberties, but will otherwise have little effect, Red Wing said. Iowa legalized same-sex marriages in 2009 and in June, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld marriage as a constitutional right for all couples, regardless of sexual orientation.

"I don't think their highway signs are going to change the law," Red Wing said. "The Supreme Court's ruling is the law of the land, and a few or a thousand highway signs is not going to change that."

(usa today)

Ex-Broadcaster Craig James Sues Fox After Being Fired For His Opposition To Same Sex "Marriage"

First They came for the CEOs and broadcasters
Soon they'll go after lawyers, accountants, and other professionals
Then they will after janitors, and secretaries
Finally they will after those who work for "Jewish" magazines

Ex-Broadcaster Craig James Sues Fox Sports Over Firing

DALLAS — Aug 3, 2015, 7:52 PM ET

By DAVID WARREN Associated Press

Former college football television analyst Craig James on Monday filed a religious discrimination lawsuit against Fox Sports that contends he was fired because he had expressed opposition to gay "marriage" during a failed run for the U.S. Senate.

The former running back for Southern Methodist University and the New England Patriots is seeking at least $100,000 in damages. Fox hired him in August 2013 — months after he lost the Texas Senate primary to Ted Cruz — only to fire him days later.

James filed his suit in Dallas County, where he is seeking a jury trial to hear claims against the network that include breach of contract and violations of state law.

Fox Sports didn't immediately respond to an email seeking comment Monday on the lawsuit, and a Dallas attorney for the network did not immediately return a call for comment.

James was a longtime color commentator for ESPN who quit to run for the Senate in 2012. During the campaign, James said he opposed gay "marriage" and that gay people would one day "have to answer to the Lord for their actions."

from the (plaintiffs petition)

Last year, James filed a complaint with the Texas Workforce Commission over his firing. Fox later issued a statement saying James was hired by regional executives and was not "properly vetted."

James has alleged that a national Fox Sports spokesman told The Dallas Morning News that James was terminated from Fox Sports Southwest for religious beliefs against same-sex "marriage".

James is being represented in his lawsuit by the Texas-based Liberty Institute.

Hiram Sasser, deputy chief counsel with the conservative advocacy group, said that when Fox fired James, the network publicly stated that his view on marriage was a reason. Sasser said that James was fired after Sports Illustrated magazine contacted Fox about the hiring in light of James' comment during a primary debate that he opposed gay marriage.

"It's pretty rare that a company engages in religious discrimination in the firing of an employee and then issues a statement confirming that's the reason," Sasser said.

In its statement last year, Fox called James "a polarizing figure in the college sports community" and said "the decision not to use him in our college football coverage was based on the perception that he abused a previous on-air position to further a personal agenda."(AP)

“This case is much bigger than me,” James says in a prepared statement. “It affects every person who holds religious beliefs. I will not let Fox Sports trample my religious liberty. Today, many people have lost their jobs because of their faith. Sadly, countless are afraid to let their bosses know they even have a faith. This is America, and I intend to make sure Fox Sports knows they aren’t above the law.”

(college sports blog)