Media Watch

Planned Parenthood Weds Library System

CYBERCAST NEWS SERVICE, Nov. 20—Waco,Texas, is in the news again.

The city of Waco has made a deal with Planned Parenthood of Central Texas to incorporate that group's agenda into the local public library system, according to Cybercast News Service.

The pro-abortion group is dedicating a room with its collection of “women's health care materials” to the library with the proviso that it can deny access “to anyone who has participated in protests” against the organization.

That Planned Parenthood site will now be an official “branch of the Waco-McLennan County Public Library System,” according to the organization.

According to a spokesperson for the city of Waco, which received approximately $10,000 from the organization, the new library is not an official library branch because it neither employs civil servants nor receives taxpayer funds to support its operation.

D.C. Paper Criticizes New Democratic Leader

THE WASHINGTON TIMES, Nov. 18—In an editorial, the Washington Times wrote of new Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi: “Few members of the House over the years have been as zealous in their pursuit of unlimited abortion rights as Mrs. Pelosi, a Roman Catholic who has steadfastly supported partial-birth abortion. While Mrs. Pelosi has shown no concern for the life of the innocent unborn, she has repeatedly voted to protect the lives of convicted murderers sentenced to death.”

“In 1998, Mrs. Pelosi opposed a constitutional amendment to allow school prayer in the classroom. In 1999, she opposed permitting state and local governments to display the Ten Commandments on public property, including schools. However, in 1991, in the wake of an artist using taxpayer funds to submerge a crucifix in urine, Mrs. Pelosi voted against barring the National Endowment for the Arts from funding projects that offensively depicted excretory matter. … She has voted against experimental voucher programs.

“Across the issue spectrum, Mrs. Pelosi has proudly become one of the most liberal members of the left-of-center caucus that she has just been elected to lead.”

Powell Condemns Christian Critiques of Muslims

THE GUARDIAN (U.K.), Nov. 15—Secretary of State Colin Powell criticized members of the “Christian Right” last week for their ongoing criticism of Muslims and Islamic attacks on Christians around the world, according to The Guardian.

The liberal British paper said this appeared to be part of “a coordinated White House campaign to confront anti-Islamic rhetoric” from conservative Christians.

Days before, Pat Robertson had said on the Christian Broadcasting Network that “what the Muslims want to do to the Jews is worse” than the Holocaust.

“This kind of hatred must be rejected,” Powell said of the statement.

Previously, Jerry Falwell had to apologize after calling the prophet Mohammed “a terrorist,” and longtime evangelist Jimmy Swaggart referred to Mohammed as a “sex deviant.”

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