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The '''Family Research Council''' ('''FRC''') is an American ] group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by ]. It was incorporated in 1983.<ref name = "FRCHistory">{{cite news |title=About FRC: History/Mission |author= |author2= |newspaper=Family Research Council |date=2010-05-08 |url=http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?c=HISTORY_ABOUT 1 |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070204154035/http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?c=HISTORY_ABOUT |archivedate= 2007-02-04}}</ref> In the late 1980s, the FRC officially became a division of Dobson's main organization, ], but after an administrative separation, the FRC officially became an independent entity in 1992. The function of the FRC is to promote what it considers to be traditional ], by advocating and lobbying for ] policies. It advocates against ], ], ], ], and ]. The FRC is affiliated with a ] lobbying ] known as FRC Action.<ref>{{cite book|title=The interest group connection: electioneering, lobbying, and policymaking in Washington|year=2005|publisher=CQ Press|isbn=978-1-56802-922-1|page=410|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=m7LuAAAAMAAJ&q=%22frc+action%22&dq=%22frc+action%22|author=Paul S. Herrnson|coauthors=Ronald G. Shaiko, Clyde Wilcox|accessdate=28 November 2010}}</ref> ] is the current president. The '''Family Research Council''' ('''FRC''') is an American ] group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by ]. It was incorporated in 1983.<ref name = "FRCHistory">{{cite news |title=About FRC: History/Mission |author= |author2= |newspaper=Family Research Council |date=2010-05-08 |url=http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?c=HISTORY_ABOUT 1 |archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20070204154035/http://www.frc.org/get.cfm?c=HISTORY_ABOUT |archivedate= 2007-02-04}}</ref> In the late 1980s, the FRC officially became a division of Dobson's main organization, ], but after an administrative separation, the FRC officially became an independent entity in 1992. The function of the FRC is to promote what it considers to be traditional ], by advocating and lobbying for ] policies. It advocates against ], ], ], ], and ]. The FRC is affiliated with a ] lobbying ] known as FRC Action.<ref>{{cite book|title=The interest group connection: electioneering, lobbying, and policymaking in Washington|year=2005|publisher=CQ Press|isbn=978-1-56802-922-1|page=410|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=m7LuAAAAMAAJ&q=%22frc+action%22&dq=%22frc+action%22|author=Paul S. Herrnson|coauthors=Ronald G. Shaiko, Clyde Wilcox|accessdate=28 November 2010}}</ref> ] is the current president.


The organization has been involved in the politics of ], notably in controversy concerning its position on ]. In 2010 the FRC was classified as an anti-gay ] by the ] which drew sharp critcism due to the categorization of the FRC with groups like the ]. The organization has been involved in the politics of ], notably in controversy concerning its position on ]. In 2010 the FRC was classified as an anti-gay ] by the ].


==History== ==History==

Revision as of 15:33, 23 August 2012

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Family Research Council
File:Family Research Council Logo.jpgLogo of the Family Research Council
Founded1983 (1983)
FounderJames Dobson
Type501(c)(3) Charity
Location
Key peopleTony Perkins, CEO
Employees77
Websitewww.frc.org

The Family Research Council (FRC) is an American conservative Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was incorporated in 1983. In the late 1980s, the FRC officially became a division of Dobson's main organization, Focus on the Family, but after an administrative separation, the FRC officially became an independent entity in 1992. The function of the FRC is to promote what it considers to be traditional family values, by advocating and lobbying for socially conservative policies. It advocates against LGBT rights, abortion, divorce, embryonic stem-cell research, and pornography. The FRC is affiliated with a 501(c)(4) lobbying PAC known as FRC Action. Tony Perkins is the current president.

The organization has been involved in the politics of social policy, notably in controversy concerning its position on homosexuality. In 2010 the FRC was classified as an anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

History

The Family Research Council was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1983. James Dobson, Armand Nicholi, Jr. of Harvard University, and George Rekers of the University of South Carolina were some of its founding board members. In 1988, following financial difficulties, the FRC was incorporated into Focus on the Family, and Gary Bauer joined the organization as president. The FRC remained under the Focus on the Family umbrella until 1992, when it separated out of concern for Focus' tax-exempt status. Tony Perkins joined the FRC as its president in 2003.

Politics and policies

The Family Research Council supports the wide availability of a vaccine for human papilloma virus (HPV, a virus that causes cervical cancer), though it opposes an effort to make this mandatory for school attendance. Its position is that it would infringe upon rights of parents to make medical decisions for their children, without a sufficient public health justification, as HPV is not transmitted through casual contact.

It supports a federal conscience clause protecting the right of medical workers to withhold from certain practices, such as abortion or dispensation of contraception, that it finds morally objectionable. It also supports an increase in pro-abstinence sex education, intelligent design as an alternative to evolution (and the ID movement's "Teach the Controversy" campaign), tighter regulation of pornography (especially internet pornography), and "obscene, indecent, or profane programing" on broadcast and cable television. It is actively opposed the introduction of a .xxx domain name on the grounds that it would legitimize pornography, and lobbied for an increase in indecency fines from the Federal Communications Commission. It also believes that hotel pornography may be prosecutable under federal and state obscenity laws. They oppose the expansion of civil rights laws to include sexual orientation and gender identity as illegal bases for discrimination.

The Family Research Council also supports lower taxes and simplifying the tax code, increasing the child tax credit, school prayer, the requirement of a one-year waiting period before a married couple with children can legally get a divorce so that they can receive marital counseling, unless the marriage involves domestic violence, and permanently eliminating the marriage penalty and estate taxes.

The Family Research Council opposes legalized abortion, stem-cell research which involves the destruction of human embryos and funding thereof (instead advocating research using adult stem cells), legal recognition of same-sex domestic partnerships in the form of marriage or civil unions, and all forms of gambling because it believes it negatively affects one's family, personal, and professional life.. The Family Research Council has questioned the idea that humans are mainly or completely responsible for global warming, and they have opposed other evangelicals who have affirmed the validity of global warming.

Publishing and lobbying activities

In their report Funding the Culture Wars, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy lists the Family Research Council as one of the leading organizations funding the activities of the conservative movement. As a non-profit organization, FRC is completely dependent on donations from supporters.

FRC publishes frequent e-mail updates, usually in the form of short articles, which can also be viewed on their website. These articles typically take the form of advocacy for a conservative Christian perspective on current political and social issues.

Family Research Council is a member of ProtectMarriage.com, a coalition formed to sponsor California Proposition 8 to restrict marriage to opposite-sex couples only, which passed in 2008 (but was struck down as unconstitutional by a federal court in California, with the ruling stayed as the case is appealed).

Justice Sunday

Main article: Justice Sunday (conservative Christian event)

Justice Sunday was the name for three religious conferences organized by the FRC and Focus on the Family in 2005 and 2006. According to FRC, the purpose of the events was to "request an end to filibusters of judicial nominees that were based, at least in part, on the nominees' religious views or imputed inability to decide cases on the basis of the law regardless of their beliefs."

Values Voter Summit

Main article: Values Voter Summit

Every fall, FRC Action (the political action group affiliated with FRC) holds an annual summit composed for conservative Christian activists and evangelical voters in Washington, D.C. In the past, the summit has been a place for social conservatives across the nation to hear Republican presidential hopefuls' platforms, and via a straw poll since 2007 also a means of providing an early prediction of which candidate will win the endorsement of Christian conservatives.

Ugandan Resolution

In 2010, the FRC paid $25,000 to congressional lobbyists for what they described as "Res.1064 Ugandan Resolution Pro-homosexual promotion" in a lobbying disclosure report.The mostly symbolic US House of Representatives resolution condemned the Uganda Anti-Homosexuality Bill , a bill which, among other things, would have imposed the death penalty for something called "aggravated homosexuality."

Following exposure of the lobbying contribution in June 2010, the FRC issued a statement denying that they were trying to kill the bill, but rather that they wanted to change the language of the bill "to remove sweeping and inaccurate assertions that homosexual conduct is internationally recognized as a fundamental human right." They further stated, "FRC does not support the Uganda bill, and does not support the death penalty for homosexuality - nor any other penalty which would have the effect of inhibiting compassionate pastoral, psychological, and medical care and treatment for those who experience same-sex attractions or who engage in homosexual conduct".

Controversy

Statements on homosexuality

In February 2010 the Family Research Council's Senior Researcher for Policy Studies, Peter Sprigg, stated on NBC's Hardball that gay behavior should be outlawed and that "criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior" should be enforced. In May that same year, Sprigg publicly suggested that repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy would encourage molestation of heterosexual service members. In November FRC President Tony Perkins was asked about Sprigg's comments regarding the criminalization of same-sex behavior: he responded that criminalizing homosexuality is not a goal of the Family Research Council. Perkins repeated the FRC’s association of gay men with pedophilia, saying that "If you look at the American College of Pediatricians, they say the research is overwhelming that homosexuality poses a danger to children." The opinions expressed by Perkins are contradicted by mainstream social science research on same-sex parenting, and on the likelihood of child molestation by homosexuals and bisexuals, which has been found to be no higher than child molestation by heterosexuals. Some scientists whose work is cited by the American College of Pediatricians - a small conservative organization which was formed when the American Academy of Pediatrics endorsed adoption by same-sex couples - have said that it has distorted and misrepresented their work.

Listing as a hate group by SPLC

Following these comments by Sprigg and Perkins, the Southern Poverty Law Center designated the FRC as a hate group in the Winter 2010 issue of its magazine, Intelligence Report. As well as citing the statements made earlier in the year by Sprigg and Perkins as justification, SPLC described FRC as a “font of anti-gay propaganda throughout its history”. As evidence, SPLC cited a 1999 publication by the FRC, Homosexual Activists Work to Normalize Sex With Boys, which claimed: “one of the primary goals of the homosexual rights movement is to abolish all age of consent laws and to eventually recognize pedophiles as the ‘prophets’ of a new sexual order.” The report said FRC senior research fellows Tim Dailey (hired in 1999) and Peter Sprigg (2001) had both "pushed false accusations linking gay men to pedophilia".

FRC President Tony Perkins called the “hate” designation a political attack on the FRC by a "liberal organization". On December 15, 2010 the FRC ran an open letter advertisement in two Washington, D.C. newspapers disputing the SPLC's action; in a press release, the FRC called the allegation "intolerance pure and simple" and said it was dedicated to upholding "Judeo-Christian moral views, including marriage as the union of a man and a woman."' A section of the letter supporting the FRC and certain other organizations designated as hate groups by the SPLC had signers which included twenty members of the House of Representatives (including then soon-to-be Speaker John Boehner), three U.S. Senators, four state Governors, and one state Attorney General. SPLC issued a response by Mark Potok in which he emphasized the factual evidence upon which SPLC had taken the step of making the designation.

Dana Milbank, columnist for the Washington Post opined the classication of the FRC as a hate group was "reckless" and that "it's absurd to put the group, as the law center does, in the same category as Aryan Nations, Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, Stormfront and the Westboro Baptist Church."

Shooting incident

On August 15, 2012, a gunman attempting to enter FRC's Washington, D.C. headquarters shot a security guard and was subsequently wrestled to the ground. Police arrested the gunman and he was interviewed by the FBI. The guard was taken to a hospital to treat his non-life threatening wound.

Law enforcement officials said that the suspect, 28-year-old Floyd Corkins II, a resident of nearby Herndon, Virginia, had served as a volunteer at a LGBT community center. The FBI and the Metropolitan Police Department investigated jointly "to determine motive/intent and whether a hate crime/terrorism nexus exists." Corkins appeared in court the following day and was charged with assault with intent to kill while armed and interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition. An affidavit filed in the case stated that Corkins had told the guard “words to the effect of ‘I don’t like your politics.’"

On August 22, 2012, Corkins was indicted was indicted on three charges: Two charges in the District of Columbia, possession of a handgun during a violent crime and assault with intent to kill, and interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition, a federal charge.

A joint statement was issued by 25 LGBT groups condemning the shooting. The National Organization for Marriage, another active campaigner against same-sex marriage, issued a statement saying “Today’s attack is the clearest sign we’ve seen that labeling pro-marriage groups as ‘hateful’ must end". FRC president Tony Perkins issued a public statement calling the shooting "an act of domestic terrorism" and criticizing the Southern Poverty Law Center for being "reckless in labeling organizations as hate groups because they disagree with them on public policy." Mark Potok of SPLC called Perkins's accusation "outrageous" and in a statement said: "The FRC and its allies on the religious right are saying, in effect, that offering legitimate and fact-based criticism in a democratic society is tantamount to suggesting that the objects of criticism should be the targets of criminal violence."

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ "About FRC: History/Mission". Family Research Council. 2010-05-08. Archived from 1 the original on 2007-02-04. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  2. Paul S. Herrnson (2005). The interest group connection: electioneering, lobbying, and policymaking in Washington. CQ Press. p. 410. ISBN 978-1-56802-922-1. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Paul A. Djupe (2003). Encyclopedia of American religion and politics. Infobase Publishing. p. 163. ISBN 978-0-8160-4582-2. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. Glenn H. Utter (2004). Conservative Christians and political participation: a reference handbook. ABC-CLIO. p. 355. ISBN 978-1-85109-513-1. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  5. "Biography - Tony Perkins". Family Research Council. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  6. "Clarification of 2005 Family Research Council Media Remarks on HPV Vaccine". Family Research Council. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  7. Brynaert, Ron (22 August 2006). "Coalition of conservative groups believe hotel porn may be prosecutable". Raw Story. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  8. Crary, David (23 August 2006). "Ad crusade targets hotel porn movies - Conservatives want feds to pull the plug". The Journal Gazette. Associated Press. {{cite news}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help)
  9. "Homosexuality Is Not a Civil Right" (PDF). Family Research Council.
  10. "FAQs". Family Research Council. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  11. Roger W. Stump (2000). Boundaries of faith: geographical perspectives on religious fundamentalism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 108. ISBN 978-0-8476-9320-7. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  12. Model Legislation: Divorce Reform for Families With Children
  13. Leonard, Andrew (15 November 2007). "Life, liberty and the right to play online poker". Salon. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  14. "One-Size Politics Doesn't Fit All". Christianity Today. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
  15. "Climate Change: An Evangelical Call to Action". 2012.
  16. "Global warming gap among evangelicals widens". CNN. 14 March. Retrieved 15 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help)
  17. Funding the Culture Wars: Philanthropy, Church and State. National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. 2005. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  18. Hubbell, John M. (April 28, 2005). "Coalition seeks male-female marriage definition / New ballot push for constitutional amendment". San Francisco Chronicle. p. B.3.
  19. Justice Sunday II: A Special Note From Executive Vice President of FRC, Chuck Donovan
  20. Michelle Vu, "Presidential Hopefuls Highlight 'Values' to Christian Conservatives," "The Christian Post," October 20, 2007
  21. Tripodi, Paul. "Lobbying Report". Lobbying Disclosure. US House of Representatives. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  22. US House of Representatives (3 February 2010). "H.Res.1064". OpenCongress. Retrieved 16 August 2012. Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the "Anti-Homosexuality Bill, 2009" under consideration by the Parliament of Uganda, that would impose long term imprisonment and the death penalty for certain acts, threatens the protection of fundamental human rights, and for other purposes. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  23. Weigel, David (4 June 2010). "Family Research Council explains: It lobbied for changes to Uganda resolution". Right Now. The Washington Post. Retrieved 16 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  24. McEwan, Alvin (7 June 2010). "Family Research Council evades regarding Ugandan anti-gay bill lobbying efforts". Huffington Post. Retrieved 16 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  25. Melloy, Kilian (4 June 2010). "FRC Opposes U.S. Resolution Against Ugandan 'Kill Gays' Law". News. Edge - Boston, MA. Retrieved 16 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  26. Montopoli, Brian (4 June). "Family Research Council Lobbied Congress on Resolution Denouncing Ugandan Anti-Gay Bill". Political Hotsheet. CBS News. Retrieved 16 August 2012. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help)
  27. "CHRIS MATTHEWS: Do you think we should outlaw gay behavior?
    PETER SPRIGG: Well, I think certainly-
    MATTHEWS: I’m just asking you, should we outlaw gay behavior?
    SPRIGG: I think that the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which overturned the sodomy laws in this country, was wrongly decided. I think there would be a place for criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior.
    MATTHEWS: So we should outlaw gay behavior.
    SPRIGG: Yes."
    February 02, 2010. Hardball, MSNBC.statement at 8:37, transcript
  28. "Family Research Council Labeled 'Hate Group' By SPLC Over Anti-Gay Rhetoric". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  29. ^ "Perkins, Potok spar over hate group". Hardball with Chris Matthews. MSNBC. Retrieved 8 December 2010 . {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  30. ^ "Tony Perkins Defends Family Research Council, Sort Of". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  31. ^ 10 Anti-Gay Myths Debunked Southern Poverty Law Center By Evelyn Schlatter and Robert Steinback, accessed Dec 03 2010
  32. "Sexual orientation, homosexuality, and bisexuality". American Psychological Association. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  33. Pinto, Nick (26 May 2010). "University of Minnesota professor's research hijacked". Minneapolis City Pages. Retrieved 17 November 2010.
  34. Dutton, Nick (18 August 2012). "Shooting sparks controversy over 'hate' designation for conservative group". wtvr.com. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  35. ^ Evelyn Schlatter. "18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda". SPLC. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  36. Ariosto, David (17 August 2012). "SPLC draws conservative ire". CNN. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  37. Lengell, Sean (24 November 2010). "Family Research Council labeled a 'hate group'". The Washington Times. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  38. Thompson, Krissah (24 November 2010). "'Hate group' designation angers same-sex marriage opponents". Washington Post. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  39. "FRC, Members of Congress, Governors, and Conservative Leaders Release Open Letter Calling for Civil Debate, End to Character Assassination". PR Newswire. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2012.
  40. Boyle, Matthew (2010-12-15). "Family Research Council, top GOP lawmakers fight back against SPLC 'hate group' label". The Daily Caller. Retrieved 2010-12-24.
  41. "Start Debating, Stop Hating" (PDF). Family Research Council. 15 December 2010. Retrieved 24 December 2010.
  42. SPLC Responds to Attack by FRC, Conservative Republicans, December 5, 2010
  43. http://www.advocate.com/crime/2012/08/17/washington-post-columnists-continue-blaming-hate-group-classification-frc-shooting
  44. ^ Johnson, Jessica. "Official: Suspect Floyd Corkins II criticized group before Wash. shooting". Today's THV. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  45. Emery, Theo (August 15, 2012). "Policy Group in Washington Is Shooting Site". The New York Times. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  46. ^ DiMargo, Carissa. "Security Guard Shot at Family Research Council in Downtown DC". NBC News Washington. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  47. ^ "Cops: LGBT volunteer shoots conservative group's guard". CBS News. August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  48. Hermann, Peter; Alexander, Keith L. (August 16, 2012). "Floyd Lee Corkins charged in Family Research Council shooting". Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  49. Emery,Thauthor2=Schmidt, Michael S. (August 16, 2012). "Family Research Council Shooting Possibly Driven by Politics". The New York Times. Retrieved August 17, 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  50. ^ Virginia man charged in shooting at Family Research Council, CNN.
  51. title= Man indicted on 3 charges in shooting of guard at conservative lobbying group headquarters|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/courts_law/man-indicted-on-3-charges-in-shooting-of-guard-at-conservative-lobbying-group-headquarters/2012/08/22/a3fc062c-ec8a-11e1-866f-60a00f604425_story.html?hpid=z2
  52. Lopez, Kathryn Jean (August 15, 2012). "Oh My Goodness". The Corner. National Review. Retrieved August 15, 2012.
  53. Lisee, Chris (August 16, 2012). "Family Research Council accuses Southern Poverty Law Center of sparking shooter's hatred". Washington Post. Retrieved August 16, 2012.
  54. Watkins, Tom (August 16, 2012). "After D.C. shooting, fingers point over blame". CNN. Retrieved August 18, 2012.
  55. SPLC: Family Research Council License-to-Kill Claim ‘Outrageous’, August 16, 2012

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