Prayers for Sen. Tim Johnson

Fortunately the news about Sen. Johnson has brightened a bit, but we really don't know what the outcome will be. We watch and wait, and many of us pray, for our senior Senator, suddenly reminded of how much we have to appreciate about his service to South Dakota and the Nation.

May the positive news continue. We really need good guys like him.

Dobson attacks Mary Cheney, and lies about science

So what else is new. James Dobson has done it again, misusing and misrepresenting cherry-picked research to push his agenda of homophobia and manufactured reality in a recent op-ed in Time Magazine. I can't believe Time gave him such a forum for what is basically hate speech.

Wayne Besen (Truth Wins Out) said:

No reputable media outlet should continue using Focus on the Family as a resource because they are chronically dishonest and lack credibility. James Dobson should start to wonder if there is something inherently wrong with his stance on gay issues if the only way he can support his positions is outright lying.

I couldn't agree more.

Elsewhere,the Legislature of the State of New Jersey legalized gay civil unions, again demonstrating that as time marches on, Dobson and his group will continue to be yet more isolated and more irrelevant. Maybe there is hope.

Support SDPB!

The SD blogosphere is running a fundraiser of sorts as part of the ongoing SDPB fundraising drive.

There are a couple of ways you can donate to support public broadcasting in South Dakota, which relies on private contributions as a major part of their operating revenue. And without significant private participation by way of donations, they can't get grants from foundations or even the blessing of the legislature.

Remember SD Public Broadcasting has the most complete coverage of the State Legislature, they get information out to us that we would get otherwise--the proof there is that they tried to kill a huge chunk of funding at the end of the last session! The ENTIRE session is posted on the SDPB website for everyone to hear. Talk about open government.

Donations in any amount do a lot to support our public broadcasting and help them get support from others.

You can donate by web or by calling 800-777-0789. Please mention you were asked to contribute by South Dakota weblogs!

Instead of fighting to keep Jesus in Christmas, these Doctors are fighting for our kids

Below is a news release on a policy statement appearing in the December issue of Pediatrics, the peer-reviewed, scientific journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

For Release: December 4, 2006, 12:01 am (ET)

CHICAGO - With young people viewing an estimated 40,000 ads a year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is alarmed that such exposure may contribute significantly to obesity, poor nutrition, cigarette and alcohol use.

In a revised policy statement, “Children, Adolescents, and Advertising,” the AAP outlines several recommendations to help mitigate advertising’s harmful effects, but says one simple solution would be to have children and adolescents become critical media viewers, also known as being media literate.

Several European countries forbid or severely curtail advertising to children, the statement says. In the U.S., however, selling to children is “business as usual.”

Among the recommendations: ads for erectile dysfunction (ED) be confined to after 10 pm.

According to the statement, there is considerable evidence that birth control advertising could lower teen pregnancy rates even further without affecting teen sexual activity. However, when birth control advertising is rare on prime time TV, it makes no sense to allow ED drug ads that may confuse children and teens about human sexuality and make sexual activity seem like a recreational sport, the AAP says.

They've posted the whole thing online.

Ho, ho, ho...

What is it with these dentists?

There's a Word O God opinion piece by Tom Udager in the RCJ today charging that that Christians have no trust in the Bible anymore.

Talk about celebrating spiritual and philosophical ignorance. I believe the Bible is true, but how do these people call it "inerrant" with a straight face? Any careful reading of the Bible points out its many contradictions and cultural myopias. And even a casual reading clearly points out its inescapable truths... there is a reason the Bible is where it is, and why Christians (yeah even the supposedly Godless evolution-believing ones like me) call it Holy Scripture.

Thank the good Lord we live in America, a country that refuses to be lectured to for long.

And I must ask, what is it with these fundamentalist hyper-Christian right-wing dentists in Rapid City?

I encourage you all to have a blessed Advent, and while you prepare for the coming of Christ, be sure and brush and floss well as part of your practice of Advent. If you are disciplined, hopefully you can avoid these people.