"Family Policy Matters" – Archives 2002

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Legislating "In God We Trust"
On this week's edition of "Family Policy Matters, host Bill Brooks talks with David Barton, president of "Wallbuilders," about a law recently signed by President Bush which reaffirms "In God We Trust" as our national motto and the phrase "One Nation Under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance. Mr. Barton, who is a nationally known author, speaker and expert on America's founding, talks about the role Christianity played in the founding of America and what significance this new law has for educating Americans about our nation's history. (December 27)

"Choice on Earth" Christmas Cards
On this week’s "Family Policy Matters" radio program, Ed Szymkowiak, the national director of Stop Planned Parenthood International (STOPP) talks about the controversial "Choice on Earth" Christmas cards put out by the pro-abortion group, Planned Parenthood. Mr. Szymkowiak discussed the widespread criticism the cards have drawn, the true agenda behind them, and what pro-life citizens can do. (December 20)

Abortion Clinic Regulation Law
On this week’s "Family Policy Matters" radio program: Denise Burke, staff counsel for Americans United for Life, was recently successful in defending Arizona’s abortion clinic regulation law. She discusses the current status of abortion clinic regulations around the country and why these measures are so important to the health and safety of women. (December 13)

Homosexual Mentoring at BBBS
For the week of December 6, host Bill Brooks talks with Dr. Bill Maier, vice-president and psychologist-in-residence at Focus on the Family. Dr. Maier discusses the recent change in policy at Bog Brothers, Big Sisters of America that allows homosexuals to mentor children and explains what this new policy menas for single parent famiklies who participate in the program. He also provides recommendations for what concerned citizens can do in response to this action. (November 29)

Poverty and Welfare Reform
For the week of November 29, 2002, "Family Policy Matters," host Bill Brooks interviews Dr. Janice Crouse, executive director and senior fellow of the Beverly LaHaye Institute, about poverty and welfare reform. In late September, the U.S. Census Bureau released the 2001 poverty statistics, which showed a disturbing increase in poverty among single parent families. Dr. Crouse discusses what the findings mean for children and why marriage is critical for helping to bring families out of poverty.

Harms of Teen Sex
For the weeks of November 15 and 22, host Bill Brooks talks with Dr. Meg Meeker, a pediatrician specializing in adolescent medicine. Dr. Meeker is the author of Epidemic: How Teen Sex is Killing Our Kids, a book that describes the dramatic rates of teenage sexually transmitted diseases and what parents and teachers can do about it. Dr. Meeker will be discussing some of the issues that she raises in her book including her own conversion to the abstinence message and what teenagers are really facing in today’s pro-sex culture.

Intelligent Design
The weeks of November 1 and 8, host Bill Brooks talks with John Calvert, the managing director of the Intelligent Design Network. John has been studying scientific origins for the past 20 years and was trained as a geologist. He talks about the recent decision by the Ohio State Board of Education that allows schools in that state to teach the controversy surrounding evolution as well as the scientific theory Intelligent Design, which is getting more attention from the scientific community.

Radio Show Features Pro-Life Legislation
For the week of October 18, host Bill Brooks talks with Judie Brown, the president and founder of the American Life League, the nation’s largest grass-roots, pro-life education organization. Judie talks about some of the pro-life legislation that has been considered in Congress this session, and where the pro-life movement goes from here.

2002 State Legislative Review
For the week of October 11, 2002, “Family Policy Matters,” host Bill Brooks talks with John Rustin, the North Carolina Family Policy Council’s director of government relations, about the 2002 legislative session. They discuss the legislative victories North Carolina’s families experienced as the lottery and casino gambling were defeated, a law supporting marriage was preserved, and the spread of alcohol was prevented. (Read corresponding story.)

The Impact of Evolution Theory
On the week of October 4, 2002, “Family Policy Matters” host Bill Brooks talks with Nancy Pearsey about how Darwin’s theory of evolution impacts every area of life including education, sexuality, law and religion. Mrs. Pearsey is a senior fellow at the Discovery Institute and managing editor of the science journal, Origins and Design. She is also the coauthor of the book How Now Shall We Live? with Chuck Colson.

How the Tax Code Discriminates Against the Traditional Family
"Family Policy Matters" for the weeks of September 20 and 27, features host Bill Brooks interviewing Dr. Allan Carlson, the founder and president of the Howard Center for Family, Religion and Society. He is the author of a new study entitled “How the Tax Code Discriminates Against the Traditional Family.” On this broadcast, Dr. Carlson will discuss how traditional families are hurt by the current tax structure’s direct and indirect taxes while the government generously subsidizes other more politically favorable groups. Dr. Carlson also explains how replacing the many federal taxes that are currently in place with a few simple ones would provide enormous tax relief to families. He also addresses how likely it is that such reforms could be seen in the future.

Separation of Church and State
For the week of September 13, host Bill Brooks interviews Dr. Daniel Dreisbach, a professor in the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington D.C., about his new book “Thomas Jefferson and the Wall of Separation Between Church and State.” Dr. Dreisbach explains how Jefferson’s reference to a “wall of separation” has been severely misinterpreted in modern times and how this misinterpretation has affected the manner in which the relationship between government and religion is recognized.

Partial Birth Abortion
For the weeks of August 31 and September 6 on “Family Policy Matters,” host Bill Brooks talks with Douglas Johnson, the legislative director for the National Right to Life Committee, about the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act of 2002. This legislation, which passed the U.S. House in July of 2002, has yet to be considered by the Senate. Mr. Johnson discusses the ban, its chances in the Senate, and what North Carolinians can do to get involved.

Strengthening Marriage, Part 2
This week on “Family Policy Matters,” host Bill Brooks continues his interview with Dr. Scott Stanley, the co director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver. Dr. Stanley discusses what people in unhappy marriages can do to improve them and how individuals can strengthen marriage in society today.

Lottery Referendum Strategy
The weeks of August 9 and 16, 2002 on “Family Policy Matters,” host Bill Brooks interviews Tom Grey, the executive director of the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling. His organization has been involved in campaigns to stop the expansion of gambling nationwide. In this program, Reverend Grey will be discussing the gambling industry’s strategy behind the use of referenda as a method to put the state in the lottery gambling business.

Marriage and Divorce
The weeks of August 2 and August 23, 2002 on “Family Policy Matters,” host Bill Brooks talked with Dr. Scott Stanley, the co-director of the Center for Marital and Family Studies at the University of Denver. He, along with a team of leading family scholars, has authored a new study from the Institute for American Values entitled “Does Divorce Make People Happy?” Dr. Stanley explains the findings from this study which examines whether divorce actually results in greater happiness for couples who are in unhappy marriages.

School Choice and Education Vouchers
The week of July 26, 2002 on “Family Policy Matters,” host Bill Brooks talked with Lindalyn Kakadelis, who is the director of both the North Carolina Education Alliance and the director of the Children’s Scholarship Fund in Charlotte. In the interview, Mrs. Kakadelis discusses the recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling upholding the constitutionality of Cleveland, Ohio’s school voucher program. She also discusses the topic of school choice and what it could mean for North Carolina.

Sexual Orientation Study
The week of July 19, 2002 on “Family Policy Matters,” host Bill Brooks talked with Dr. Warren Throckmorton, a professor of psychology at Grove City College and past president of the American Mental Health Counselors Association, about an article he authored in the June issue of Professional Psychology. In the article, Dr. Throckmorton reviews the existing research on the ability to change sexual orientation and the role of religion in the change process. (July 19)

Discussion of ENDA
For the week of July 13, 2002 on "Family Policy Matters," host Bill Brooks talked with Peter Sprigg, the Senior Director of Cultural Studies at the Family Research Council about a piece of federal legislation called the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA. If enacted, ENDA would essentially make sexual orientation a protected class in the workplace.