The Bad Decision That Started It All

Forty-four years ago, in Griswold v Connecticut, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down state laws forbidding the sale, distribution, and use of contraceptives on the basis of a novel constitutional doctrine known as the “right to marital privacy.” At the time, the decision appeared to be harmless. After all, Griswold simply allowed married couples to decide whether to use contraceptives. But the Supreme Court soon transformed the “right to privacy” into a powerful tool for making public policy. No one doubts that there are true privacy rights in the Constitution, but the justices in Griswold produced a non-text-based and generalized right. “Privacy” functioned as a euphemism for immunity from those public-morals laws deemed by the justices to reflect benighted moral views. The case was argued before the Supremes 44 years ago this week. Robert George is here to discuss what he calls “The Bad Decision That Started It All."

Watch live video from Kresta In The Afternoon's channel on Justin.tv


Watch live video from Kresta In The Afternoon's channel on Justin.tv


Watch live video from Kresta In The Afternoon's channel on Justin.tv

Today on Kresta - March 31, 2009

3:00 – The Bad Decision That Started It All
Forty-four years ago, in Griswold v Connecticut, the Supreme Court of the United States struck down state laws forbidding the sale, distribution, and use of contraceptives on the basis of a novel constitutional doctrine known as the “right to marital privacy.” At the time, the decision appeared to be harmless. After all, Griswold simply allowed married couples to decide whether to use contraceptives. But the Supreme Court soon transformed the “right to privacy” into a powerful tool for making public policy. No one doubts that there are true privacy rights in the Constitution, but the justices in Griswold produced a non-text-based and generalized right. “Privacy” functioned as a euphemism for immunity from those public-morals laws deemed by the justices to reflect benighted moral views. The case was argued before the Supremes 44 years ago this week. Robert George is here to discuss what he calls “The Bad Decision That Started It All.”

3:40 – Jesus' Journey to the Cross: A Love Unto Death
As we move toward Holy Week, today we accompany Jesus through the events of his passion, death, and resurrection. Jeanne Kun helps us follow Jesus on his jubilant entry into Jerusalem, sit with him during his last supper with his apostles, pray with him during his agony in Gethsemane, and stand at the foot of the cross on Golgotha where-with a love unto death-he offered his life for our salvation. She joins us in studio.

4:00 – Speechless: Silencing the Christians
What drives the Christian bashers? Why has a coalition of liberal secularists, homosexual activists, and Fortune 500 companies united to wage war on Christianity? Rev. Don Wildmon says the answer is simple. They have some very real goals that they can achieve only by driving Christians out of public life: The Founder and President of the American Family Association is here to make his case that there is a war on Christianity in America.

4:20 – Gay “Marriage” Around the Corner in CT?
A bill updating Connecticut law to conform with a court ruling allowing gay “marriages” is heading to the state Senate. The legislature’s Judiciary Committee voted 30-10 yesterday to endorse the measure, which was spurred by last year’s state Supreme Court decision giving same-sex couples the right to wed in Connecticut. The bill removes gender references in state marriage laws and transforms existing same-sex civil unions into legally recognized marriages as of October 2010. It also strips language from a 1991 state anti-discrimination law that says Connecticut does not condone gay marriage and will not set quotas for hiring gay workers or encourage teaching in school about same-sex lifestyles. Peter Wolfgang of the Family Institute of Connecticut is with us.

5:00 – Barack Obama and Notre Dame: Juris Doctor Honoris Causa?
In case you have been in a cloister of have been kidnapped by aliens for the last two week and have not heard yet, President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation from the University of Notre Dame—not only to address its graduates but also to have bestowed upon him an honorary doctorate of laws. Notre Dame is a Catholic university, which means that it affirms the truth of Catholic moral theology and all that it entails about liberty, community, and the dignity of the human person. According to Catholic moral theology, a regime whose laws sequester a group of human beings from its protections for reasons that are capricious and gravely immoral is a regime whose laws on this matter are not really laws at all. Dr. Francis Beckwith is a Visiting Fellow at the Notre Dame Center for Ethics and Culture and says that unless the university does not believe that the Church’s understanding of the moral law is true and knowable, it can no more in good conscience award an honorary doctorate of laws to a lawyer who rejects the humanity of the proper subjects of law than it could in good conscience award an honorary doctorate in science to a geocentric astronomer who rejects the deliverances of the discipline he claims to practice. He is with us.

5:30 – Notre Dame, Barak Obama, Bishop D’Arcy: The Canon Law Perspective
When addressing the scandal being caused at Notre Dame by the honoring of Barak Obama, the inevitable question is always asked – Why doesn’t the bishop do more? We talk to canon lawyer Michael Dunnigan about Notre Dame, Barak Obama, Bishop D’Arcy and Canon Law.

Today on Kresta - March 30, 2009

3:00 – White House forces GM Chairman out – What will this accomplish?
President Barack Obama is sending a blunt message to Detroit automakers: To survive - and win more government help - they must remake themselves top to bottom. Driving home the point, the White House ousted the General Motors chairman as it rejected GM and Chrysler's restructuring plans. Michigan Gov. Governor Jennifer Granholm called Wagoner a sacrificial lamb, and many are wondering why not CEO of Wall Street have been told to step aside as a condition of receiving government assistance. James Gattuso is here to expound.

3:20 – TBA

4:00 – Defending Life and Women at United Nations
From March 2 to 6, Franciscan University of Steubenville faculty, students, and alumni participated in the 53rd Commission on the Status of Women at the United Nations in New York City. This is the fifth year in a row that Franciscan University has sent a large delegation to the commission, which deals with women’s issues. The group was led by Dr. Brian Scarnecchia, director of the Legal Studies Program and assistant professor of human life issues at Franciscan University as well as visiting professor of law at Ave Maria Law School . The Cmmission marked the first major opportunity for the new U.S. administration to outline its priorities at the U.N. The Franciscan group met with numerous U.N. delegates and NGOs and advocated on behalf of issues facing women, with an emphasis on upholding Catholic social teaching in the critical areas of protecting life and the traditional family. We talk with Brian about the outcomes.

4:40 – Jury finds Tiller not guilty
Infamous late-term abortion practitioner George Tiller has been found not guilty of violating Kansas laws requiring a second physician to independently verify that the abortions are supposedly medically necessary. Tiller had relied on an employee to justify the late-term abortions. Tiller relied on fellow abortion practitioner Kristen Neuhaus, an employee of his, to provide the okay for the abortions instead of using an independent physician. Tiller had been charged with 19 counts of violating a state law that requires an independent physician to sign off on the legitimacy of late-term abortions. However, the jury acquitted him on Friday. We talk with Cheryl Sullenger of Operation Rescue who lives in Wichita and is as familiar with the notorious career of Tiller as anyone in America.

5:00 – Conscience rights at risk – Bishops Urge Action
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is inviting public comment on a proposal to rescind an important federal regulation issued in December. The regulation implements and enforces three federal laws protecting the conscience rights of health care providers, especially those at risk of being discriminated against because of their moral or religious objection to abortion. The USCCB is calling on all Catholics to speak out to protect Catholic doctors, nurses and hospitals. We talk with Dr. John Brehany of the Catholic Medical Association about the implications.

5:20 – TBA

Today on Kresta - March 26, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Mar. 26

3:00 – Lenten Pep Talk: Holy Week is Coming
As we enter the closing weeks of Lent, Ave Maria Radio chaplain Fr. Pat Egan joins us to offer a Lenten pick-me-up if you are struggling to keep you commitments, or to keep your eyes focused on Holy Week. We look at how to prepare for Holy Week, how to celebrate Holy Week, and the symbolism of some of the things we will be experiencing in the Triduum liturgy.

3:20 – Newspapers Continue to Fold – Is a Newspaper Bailout Next?
With the newspaper industry going under, many Americans will lose the educational benefit of them. The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) conducted a civic literacy study recently and found that Americans do not need a college education; they must read newspapers. “Actively seeking knowledge through print media and high-quality conversations has the opposite effect from having conversations on the phone with friends or watching television. Reading about history and current events in books, magazines, and newspapers increases a respondent’s civic literacy.” That according to ISI’s Rich Brake. He’s here to look at the effect of the collapse of the newspaper industry.

3:40 – Terri’s Day: To Be Celebrated at Ave Maria University
Each year, on the anniversary of Terri’s death, The Terri Schindler Schiavo Foundation, in collaboration with Priests for Life, celebrate “Terri’s Day” – an international day of prayer and remembrance. On March 31, 2005, Terri died of marked dehydration following more than 13 days without nutrition or hydration under the order of Circuit Court Judge, George W. Greer. Terri was 41. This year’s celebration will be hosted by Ave Maria University. Terri’s brother, Bobby Schindler, joins us.

4:00 – The Velveteen Rabbit
“The Velveteen Rabbit” is a lovely and touching tale, inspired by Margery Williams' children's book, set in the early 20th century, about a lonely boy sent to live with his stern grandmother by his emotionally distant widowed father. The boy finds friendship in a stuffed rabbit, a toy horse, and a toy swan. Sensitively directed by Michael Landon Jr. and with good performances all around, the film uses a mixture of live action and retro animation to convey its life lessons and the moving message that "love is what makes us real.” It’s now out on DVD and Landon joins us to discuss it.

4:20 – Moved by the Spirit: God's Power at Work in His People
Looking for an extreme personal makeover? The Holy Spirit is your answer. The Spirit acts in us as "architect and contractor," says popular Catholic author Kevin Perrotta, to bring about God's plan for our lives. His new six-session Bible study explores such questions as: What does the Spirit come to do in us? How can we experience his presence and cooperate with him? What will happen if we do? Scenes from Luke's gospel featuring Mary and Elizabeth, Simeon and Anna, and Jesus himself are included here, as well as two scenes from the Book of Acts. Kevin is here to discuss God’s power at work in his people.

5:00 – Direct to my Desk – The Ten Biggest Lies in History
According to myth, a young George Washington confessed to cutting down a cherry tree by proclaiming, "I cannot tell a lie." The story is testament to how much respect Americans have for their cherished first president and honesty in general. Unfortunately, in the annals of history it seems there are 10 dishonest scoundrels for every honorable hero like Washington. Supposedly, the truth can set you free. But for many, deceit holds the key to money, fame, revenge or power, and these prove all too tempting. In history, this has often resulted in elaborate hoaxes, perjuries, and forgeries that had enormous ripple effects. We go over some of the most colossal and significant lies in history. Although such a list can't be comprehensive, we sought to include a variety of lies that influenced politics, science and even art. As a result of these, lives were lost, life-savings destroyed, legitimate research hampered and -- most of all -- faith in our fellow man shattered. And we want your contributions to our list.

Under the Golden Dome: A Time to Choose

March 25, 2009
Al Kresta

Nothing would better settle the question about Notre Dame’s value as a Catholic witness to the Kingdom of God than for its graduating students to greet this year’s commencement speaker, President Obama, with a vivid sign of Christian faith, hope, love, and courage. During his address, each graduate should cover his or her face with a two foot by two foot photo of either an aborted child or a beautiful Leonard Nilsson photo of an in utero human.

The President prizes learning and a lesson of this sort should delight him. It would place him in a new “pay grade.” Think of it: an auditorium of courageous and robust young men and women, willing to set themselves apart from the apathy of bourgeois society in order to confront the culture of American violence, all gathered under the patronage of a Woman and out of respect for the office of the Presidency. Isn’t this the type of coming generation President Obama hopes to cultivate?

For these Notre Dame students, the time to choose between Christ and Caesar has come. Even if the moment has eluded Notre Dame’s president, Fr. John Jenkins, Bishop D’Arcy, in whose diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, the University of Notre Dame resides, has already decided that this is a time for choice and a time for action. For the first time in 25 years, he will not attend the graduation. “I wish no disrespect to our president. I have always revered the Office of the Presidency. But a bishop must teach the Catholic Faith ‘in season and out of season’ and he teaches by not only by his words – but by his actions.”

While this is a painful decision for the Bishop, it is not unclear. I have in mind also the statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops in 2004. “The Catholic Community and Catholic Institutions should not honor those who act in defiance of our fundamental moral principles. They should not be given awards, honors, or platforms which would suggest support for their actions. Indeed the measure of any Catholic institutions is not only what it stands for, but also what it will not stand for.”

President Obama during his campaign made it clear that he supported the Freedom of Choice Act, which, had it been passed, would have swept away all state restrictions on abortion. As Bishop D’Arcy succinctly described in referring to the President’s decision to approve Federal funding for embryonic stem cell research which destroys human embryos: “It was just a few weeks ago that President Obama has recently reaffirmed and has now placed in public policy, his long-stated unwillingness to hold human life as sacred. While claiming to separate politics from science, he has in fact separated science from ethics and has brought the American government, for the first time in history, into supporting direct destruction of innocent human life.”

The New Testament distinguishes between two different types of time, “chronos” and “kairos”. “Chronos” refers to time as duration. Heaven knows, these graduating students have put in their time at Notre Dame. Their chronos is coming to an end. “Kairos”, however, refers to time as the pregnant moment, the time of crisis and decision, the instant when time seems to stand still and one realizes that this particular choice will determine his or her future direction and character.

Notre Dame’s graduating class of 2009 can settle for a routine college commencement ceremony sprinkled with a little glitz of American civil religion or they can turn the moment into an international testimony to the dignity of the human person. They can proclaim “The Gospel of Life” and broadcast to the watching world that when it comes to protecting the weak and vulnerable, God doesn’t grade on the curve. Presidents and janitors, football players and grad assistants, priests and prostitutes are all judged by the same unwavering standard: “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.”

We encourage you to speak out on this issue by visiting www.notredamescandal.com and signing the petition put together by the Cardinal Newman Society.

Today on Kresta - March 25, 2009

Talking about the "things that matter most" on Mar. 25

3:00 – Oscar Romero – Assassinated March 24, 1980
Óscar Romero was a Catholic Bishop in El Salvador. As Archbishop, he witnessed ongoing violations of human rights and started a group which spoke out on behalf of the poor and victims of the Salvadoran Civil War. In 1980, he was assassinated as he finished giving his homily. On this day after the anniversary of his assassination, we talk to his biographer, Dr. Irene Hodgson.

3:20 – Feast of the Annunciation
The feast of the Annunciation goes back to the fourth or fifth century. Its central focus is the Incarnation: God has become one of us. From all eternity God had decided that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity should become human. We look at the history, geography, the theology and the fruits of this feast day with Steve Ray.

4:00 – Notre Dame Scandal: Obama and the Golden Dome
As everyone knows by now, Notre Dame has chosen prestige over principles and popularity over morality in granting President Obama an honorary doctorate and making him the commencement this spring. Whatever may be President Obama’s admirable qualities, this honor comes on the heels of some of the most anti-life actions of any American president, including expanding federal funding for abortions and inviting taxpayer-funded research on stem cells from human embryos. Patrick Reilly of the Cardinal Newman Society has been on this since the beginning and has generated over 120,000 signatures in 4 days at NotreDameScandal.com . He’s with us.

4:20 – What the West Must Know About Islamic Law
On Monday we talked with Dick Thomson of the Thomas More Law Center who told us: “Although widespread public anger has rightfully focused on bonuses AIG paid to top executives using taxpayers’ money, that anger would be at an even higher pitch if the public knew that our tax dollars were being used by AIG to promote Islam and Shariah law, which provides support for terrorist activities aimed at killing Americans and destroying America.” We now talk to Nonie Darwish. She was a virtual slave to Islamic law for the first thirty years of her life. Raised as a Muslim in the Gaza strip, she never questioned or challenged radical Islamic law - she never dared. "This is Allah's Law," she was told, and she knew what awaited those who questioned it. She is here to continue her personal mission to warn the West, exposing efforts to force and enforce Sharia law on unsuspecting nations around the globe. She says the threat is here – and the threat is now.

5:00 – Under the Golden Dome: A Time to Choose
Nothing would better settle the question about Notre Dame’s value as a Catholic witness to the Kingdom of God than for its graduating students to greet this year’s commencement speaker, President Obama, with a vivid sign of Christian faith, hope, love, and courage. During his address, each graduate should cover his or her face with a two foot by two foot photo of either an aborted child or a beautiful Leonard Nilsson photo of an in utero human. Al expounds.

Notre Dame is at odds with the Bishop of South Bend

Bishop John D'Arcy will not be attending the commencement ceremony for the Graduates of Notre Dame this year. He questions weather the University has chosen to put prestige before truth. Bishop D’Arcy wishes no disrespect to our President but at the same time, he must conduct himself as a Catholic leader who teaches by example as well as by word. Catholic teaching is consistent on matters of human life and the Church can not give honor to a person who actively promotes practices like abortion and embryonic destruction for the sake of harvesting stem cells.

Watch live video from Kresta In The Afternoon's channel on Justin.tvLater Al took a call from someone who described an event where a man was escorted out of the Notre Dame chapel by security because he offered a prayer intention that Notre Dame not allow anti life politicians to speak at University events.

Watch live video from Kresta In The Afternoon's channel on Justin.tv