Mock Trial & Randomness

I have been wanting to post about this for days but my time has been short and computer competition has been heavy. I am glad to finally be sitting down and typing.

Since January, Ruth and Kate and all of the other people in the above picture have been learning about law and court and preparing for a mock trial competition with other 7th and 8th graders around the state.

Friday was their first competition. I dropped them off at the Salt Lake City courthouse, and they "preformed" a trial with other another group that has been preparing the same case. Our group lost to the other group by one point. But for both groups, the judges said that they preformed more like college students then junior high students. So they were rated highly, and may be competing more.

Their next trial is a week from Friday. I am going to drop my six younger kids off at my mother in laws house, so I can watch them during the next trial. If they are as good as the judges say, the will probably beat the next team.

I am so glad that we have found some good friends and good, fun classes in SLC. The girls always come away from their mock trial group, happy, and bubbily and with plenty to talk about.

Of course, it has been a lot of driving for me. Kid events always take a lot of my time, even when I don't participate. John keeps asking me when things are going to slow down. They won't. We have too many kids. Mock trial will end soon, but Ruth and Kate are preforming in the Twelfth Night, and their practicing will be picking up a ton. Then Soccer begins mid-April and Johnny and Adam will be doing that. So things will not slow down. But my kids are loving what they are doing. I am sure I can manage all of the driving for them, and with all of the kids being homeschooled, we are together plenty.

Things We Need to Know

I wrote a rather difficult article for United Families International. Both the research and the writing were difficult--not because it was hard to get the information, but because the information in and of itself was hard to swallow. UFI thought what I had written was important enough that instead of posting it to their blog which gets about 1,500 hits a day, they added an international section and sent it out to a much wider audience in their weekly alert email. Because I think the information is important for people to know about, I am going to post both my part and UFI"s part here. Please take the time to read through this.

Washington State has become the seventh U.S. state to legalize same-sex "marriage." This new law is considered an anti-discrimination law. Many of these laws, like Washington State's, will include a religious clause. These clauses are there to exempt churches and clergymen from being sued for discrimination if the church or clergy member, for example, refuses to perform a marriage of same sex couples. Many people believe that these clauses protect any religious-based conscientious objections to same-sex "marriages." 


This simply is not the case.  In response to questions about the New York State's religious protection clause, Alliance Defense Fund attorney Austin R. Nimocks stated:

It does not protect individuals. It does not protect private business owners. It does not protect, for example, a bed and breakfast owner who is using their own private personal property in the type of intimate setting that a bed and breakfast is. It does not protect licensed professionals. For example, it does not protect counselors. It also does not protect lawyers -- you may have a family law attorney who does not want to do a same-sex divorce because of their deeply held religious beliefs. It does not protect fertility doctors who may have a strict belief and only want to help [heterosexual] married couples because they believe a kid deserves both a mom and a dad.

Individual citizens are offered no protection under religious clauses in nondiscrimination laws.  An individual's religious beliefs are just not protected where same-sex "marriage" and civil unions are legal, and in other places with nondiscrimination laws.


In 2005 in Massachusetts,  when David Parker, a parent of a kindergartner, strongly insisted on being notified when teachers were discussing homosexuality with his son, the school had him arrested and he spent the night in jail. In 2008, the federal court of appeals upheld a lower court's dismissal of the lawsuit filed by Parker to have children opted out of homosexual curriculum.


In 2007 in Georgia, a licensed counselor, Marcia Walden, referred a person seeking same-sex relationship counseling to a colleague. Rather than attempt to provide a service that would conflict with her religious beliefs, Walden acting in the best interest of the client referred her to another counselor. The client filed a complaint and Walden was dismissed from her job. Walden lost and the case has been appealed.


In 1999, in California, two doctors at the North Coast Women's Care Medical Group referred a lesbian patient to a doctor at an outside clinic for fertility treatments because of their religious beliefs. After a successful pregnancy preformed through the other doctor this patient sued the doctors at the North Coast Women's Care Medical Group for discrimination. In 2008, the doctors lost the case and it has been appealed.


In 2006 in New Mexico, Elane, a freelance photographer, refused to shoot a gay wedding between two women and was later sued by Vanessa Willock for discrimination against a person's sexual orientation.  Elane lost the lawsuit and is now appealing.


These lawsuits are happening all over the United States. In most cases United States citizens, who believe their religious convictions should allow them to refuse services or protect their children, are losing.  


At the international level, similar attacks on religious freedom, freedom of conscience, and freedom of expression continue. 
In many instances, clergy members are not even protected.   You probably remember the case of Swedish Pastor Ake Green and Canadian Pastor Stephen Boissoin.  Although these men were eventually acquitted of their supposed crime of speaking out against homosexual behavior, thousands of dollars in legal fees and years in litigation have a dampening effect on free speech and upon religious freedoms.  These cases clearly send the message "if you speak out or defend religious positions, there will be a heavy price to pay." 


When Chai Feldblum, Pres. Obama's appointee to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, was asked about conflicts between Religious Freedom and so-called "sexual liberty," her response was indicative of how liberal courts around the world seem to view this issue:


"I'm having a hard time coming up with any case in which religious liberty should win."


As Marc Stern, general counsel for American Jewish Congress has stated:  "When you have a change that is as dramatic as has happened in the last 10 to 15 years with regards to attitudes toward homosexuality, it's inevitable it's going to reverberate in dozens of places in the law that you're never going to be able to foresee."


Action Items:


1.  Understand that "religious exemption clauses" that might be written into same-sex marriage laws or into other types of anti-discrimination laws relating to sexual orientation, offer little, if any, protection to individuals, businesses, or non-religious organizations.  Don't be fooled.


2.  Thoroughly examine any type of proposed legislation surrounding issues of domestic partnership, civil unions, same-sex "marriage" laws, hate crime law, employment law, or any type of "anti-discrimination" policy.  Be advised that individual religious perspective is usually not protected.


3.  Stand firm in defense of traditional marriage.  Actively oppose legalization of same-sex "marriage" and other forms of alternative relationships.


4.  Stand firm in defense of religious freedom and the opportunity for conscientious objection. 


5.  Get involved in the appointment and retention of members of the judiciary.  Know the stance of those individuals who are being appointed or elected to judicial positions.




My Commentary on this topic:

1. I looked at nearly 20 court cases where a business owner was sued because he or she did not want to service a homosexual couple usually for a hotel or wedding ceremony, and I could not find one instance where the business owner won the lawsuit. There are also a few court cases where parents are upset about what their children are being taught in school, and a few where doctors are being sued. It became very clear to me that religious freedom is no longer extended to any one at a personal level. That is-- business owners, parents, doctors, lawyers, counselors, even small bed and breakfast owners. 
2. In the United States clergy men and church buildings are still allotted freedom of religion. ie They may refuse to allow a gay marriage to take place in their church building, or to preform a gay marriage. Clergymen are still allowed to preach that homosexuality is a sin. People may attend what religious ceremonies they want. You can still say what you want in a pamphlet or online article, or teach your children what you want. But that is the extent of religious freedom currently in the United States. You may not refuse service to anyone because of your religious convictions.
3. Internationally things are a lot worse. In Canada and in many European countries clergymen are losing the right to say homosexuality is a sin in writing or in public. Right now in Alberta, Canada there is a bill that would not allow parents of home schooled kids to tell their children that homosexuality is a sin. And it is about to pass. Gay marriage has been legal in Canada for less then 10 years.
4. All of this got me quite discouraged. I am writing these things because I feel like this is a way that Heavenly Father wants me to serve His children, but after this research, I really felt like, "what is the point?" I was happier when I was ignorant on all of these matters. Then I read this lovely blog post by LeAnn. After a hard day of trying to help one of God's children as part of her inner city mission, she reminds us to, "Be of Good Cheer," and quotes President Monson, "I testify to you that our promised blessings are beyond measure. Though the storms clouds may gather, though the rains may pour down upon us, our knowledge of the gospel and our love of our Heavenly Father and of our Savior will comfort and sustain us and bring joy to our hearts as we walk uprightly and keep the commandments. There will be nothing in this world that can defeat us."
5. I was also reminded of the last section of the Proclamation to the Family. It says, "We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society." So, I will try my best to "be of good cheer,' and I will continue to promote the family proclamation in public and government.

Yesterday and Today

I am glad that all took place before midnight yesterday, but I had 4 pukers and 2 down with stomach aches. So today, I have one fussy baby that is mad that I will not give him milk, one toddler that spread the germ and is well and energetic, one teenager who is praying that she will not be sick, and five inbetween kids that are laying in front of the TV sipping sprite. What am I going to do today?

1. Refill lots of sippy cups of sprite-- carefully stirring out the bubbles.
2. Hold said grumpy baby while surfing the internet.
3. vacuum the stairs, fireplace and under the stove.
4. catch up on the laundry.
5. wash the cupboards in the kitchen and even reorganize some.

Why? Because there will be no homeschool, no driving to Salt Lake for classes, no getting dressed or combing hair, no company or friends, no making of meals, and not very many dishes. So it is project day.

The 10 Commandments By Adam

John asked Adam what the 10 commandments were, and this is how he answered:


Honor your father and mother
Love your enemies
Go to church
And when you don't feel like it, go to church

United Families International Writer

Today, I am a writer over at the United Families International. I have more to say about  gay marriage and religious freedom. I have to add here, that this is actually very scary. Yes, some people added an amendment at the last to protect churches, but individuals are becoming exempt from religious freedom at an alarming rate.

When I was half way through the pregnancy with Joshua, I was really struggling. I wanted it to be my last pregnancy. 8 children with 4 boys and 4 girls seemed perfect. I wanted to be done. So I kept praying over and over and asking if this baby was the last. Could we be done having children? I never received an answer to that prayer. Later, when I calmed down and quit asking to be done, I got an answer. My answer was that there is one more boy that is suppose to come to my family.

Okay, I thought, just one more pregnancy. I was going to wait a while this time, though. I wanted to get into better physical shape so that a pregnancy at an older age would be easier. With just one more pregnancy, I thought it would be okay to wait until I was 37 to get pregnant.

But, I got pregnant as if we had used no birth control. So I thought, well, I guess that boy is coming sooner. No biggy. I will get into shape after this one, because then I will be done having children. My family is going to finally be complete.

Friday, I found out that I am having a girl. Funny, but the room got silent when the doctor said that. I smiled and said, "well, the pattern is not broken."  I was wondering what had I gotten wrong.

John was the last in our household to find out about the baby, and he was ecstatic! John wanted a girl and was sad that we weren't going to have another daughter. I casually mentioned the boy thing. John shrugged it off.

Saturday night, we went to the Temple. While in the temple, I prayed earnestly to know what the Lord would want me to do. Occasionally, I do this. I wasn't even thinking about having more children. But, that was the answer I received. I knew I was not wrong about there being another boy.

John and I went to dinner afterwards. When I felt brave enough, I told him that I knew I was not wrong about the boy. I know there is another boy that is suppose to come to our family, and as much as I hate it, I know that means another pregnancy after this one. John mentioned excitedly, that he had received the same revelation, but was afraid to tell me.

So like Nephi, "I will go and do the things which the Lord has commanded..." This little girl is not my last child. This pregnancy is not my last pregnancy. I may be unhappy at the thought of another pregnancy, and I am sure there are lots of people out there that already disapprove of how many children I already have. But none of that matters. Heavenly Father knows better than  I do. So that is who I will follow.

Wow!!!

So today when I got home from church, Adam was complaining of an earache. I immediately called the kids urgent care clinic located the floor below our pediatrician. Usually, I can get an appointment within a half hour. The first appointment was 2 1/2 hours later. I took it. I was pretty hungry and wanted to get lunch before I rushed out to the doctors anyway, but I knew that meant they were busy.

In the meantime, Joseph came down and laid down in front of the fire. I looked at his glassed over eye look and knew he had a fever again and for the 7th day. 7 days with a fever over 102 seems suspicious, even though I couldn't pin down anything particularly wrong. So I thought, "I think I will need to take him to the doctors anyway. I might as well bring him now."

When I got to the doctors, they were not too happy about me bringing Joseph along too. They already had had 20 kids in the 2 1/2 hours since they opened. So I said, no biggy. I did not want to wait another hour plus for Joseph as a walk in. I said I could take him to his own doctor another day. The receptionist was more concerned over the 7 day high fever than I was, and checked with the doctor. Because the doctor was so behind already, he said, my wait would be long either way, so they took Joseph too.

We waited about an hour and a quarter with Joseph running around and gabbing up a storm the whole time. Really, minus the fever, he has not seemed very ill.

So Adam got checked first and has an ear infection, just like we thought. Then I told the doctor why we were there with Joseph. He immediately checked his lungs, and said, "I thought so. It sounds all bubbley." Joseph has pneumonia! Then he mentioned how Joseph wasn't acting very sick, though. (I'm sure glad I brought him!!!!)

With 8 children, this is our first case of pneumonia. Really, I am not used to having sick kids. Occasionally, we have a kid with a sinus infection. Johnny went through a period where he got strep about every six months for two years, but that is about all. I never even considered pneumonia as a possibility. It didn't even cross my mind.

Update: at about 8:30 Joshua had a fever of 101, and was tugging on his ear. John took him to kidscare and Josh has an ear infection too.