Left Coast Hall of Shame

Pacific Justice Institute Announces its

2008 "Left Coast Hall of Shame."
December 16, 2008

As we prepare to look back on 2008, the Pacific Justice Institute recalls ten of the worst attacks on faith, family and freedom in the Golden State.

1. In May, the California Supreme Court strikes down Prop. 22, the voter-approved definition of marriage as only between a man and a woman. The court says that equal protection requires gay marriage.

2. Following the passage of Prop. 8, rioters deface churches, assault Prop. 8 supporters and engineer the termination of employees who supported Prop. 8 in their personal capacity.

3. In February, the California Court of Appeal ruled that homeschooling is illegal. After PJI and other groups got involved in the case, the court reversed its decision.

4. San Diego County shut down a church, claiming improper zoning, even though the church had been worshiping at the location for more than twenty years. The county said a bar was a better fit for the site.

5. Alameda College threatened two students with suspension or worse after one of them prayed for a teacher who was sick.

6. After the gay marriage ruling, the State of California changed its marriage license forms from "Bride" and "Groom" to "Party A" and "Party B." The State then rejected a form submitted by a heterosexual couple who sought to use the traditional designations.

7. A K-8 public school in Hayward sought to promote the homosexual lifestyle to children as young as kindergarten by recognizing "Coming Out Day," "Ally Week" and "TransAction Gender-Bender Read Aloud Day" (featuring such classics as "Jane and the Beanstalk").

8. A public charter school in San Francisco took second-graders on a "field trip" to the lesbian wedding of a teacher. The school called it a "teachable moment."

9. A public school in Vacaville chose not to tell parents that a second-grade music teacher had decided to assume a new gender for the new school year, prompting much confusion among young students. The school is now attempting to prevent parents from removing their children from that teacher's class.

10. The California Supreme Court ruled against two doctors whose religious beliefs did not allow them to artificially inseminate an unmarried lesbian. The doctors paid for the woman to be referred elsewhere, and she now has three children - but she was so offended by their beliefs that she sued them for discrimination. This ruling has sweeping implications for a wide range of businesses and professionals in California.

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Brad W. Dacus is the president of Pacific Justice Institute, a defender of my ministry and my friend.

The Pacific Justice Institute is a non-profit 501(c) (3) legal defense organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom, parental rights, and other civil liberties.

Pacific Justice Institute works diligently, without charge, to provide their clients with all the legal support they need. P.O. Box 276600 Sacramento, CA 95827-6600 Phone: (916) 857-6900 Fax (916) 857-6902 Internet: www.pacificjustice.org