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While Roman Catholic neoconservatives interpret the natural law tradition of St. Thomas Aquinas in a way that challenges stem cell research, you could read the same tradition as supporting stem cell research.

How Roman Catholic Neocons Peddle Natural Law into Debates about Life and Death By Frank L. Cocozzelli The Public Eye, Summer 2008

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As the rightist philosopher Richard Weaver famously said, “ideas have consequences.” And I can tell you from personal experience some of the consequences of at least one idea, that of “natural law.”

I have a form of LMG muscular dystrophy. When I was first diagnosed in 1985, I walked with a slight limp. Today I am bound to a wheelchair, a virtual quadriplegic. Nevertheless, I am a practicing attorney. Monday through Friday my wife wakes up at 5 a.m. and gets herself ready for work. An hour later she wakes me up, then dresses me for court. Since my body does not mostly move of it own volition, she must roll me back and forth to get my pants on, lift me onto a slide board to get me into my wheelchair, lift my arms to get my shirt on and then knot my tie. After she gives me breakfast, she attends to getting our kids ready for school. She does all this before working an eight-hour day. I usually leave for court shortly thereafter, driven either by my father or my uncle.

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NEW - Conventional Dissent: Free Speech in the Streets In NYC, during the 2004 Republican National Convention, police violated the rights of thousands of protestors. We talk with people who exposed the abuses, and lawyers in the cities where the Democratic and Republican conventions will be held this summer, as they fight to prevent similar tactics. Abby Scher, Editor of Public Eye, presents this half-hour report for the nationally syndicated radio show Making Contact. Listen here... More Multimedia	The New Witch Hunt Islamophobia and Muslim bashing are having civil liberties implications. Witch Hunts Old and New: The case of Debbie Almontaser Senate Report pushed by Lieberman stereotypes Muslims and threatens civil liberties
The George W. Bush Administration has abandoned proven poverty reduction strategies and instead is encouraging women - especially welfare recipients - to marry their way out of poverty. This groundbreaking new report by PRA President Emerita, Dr. Jean Hardisty, traces the influence of right-wing fatherhood groups and Christian Right organizations on the Administration's "marriage promotion" programs, and the channeling of millions of federal dollars back to these groups despite rules guiding the separation of church and state. Jointly published by Political Research Associates and the Women of Color Resource Center. View the Executive Summary Order the Report Listen to Dr. Hardisty on Bush Administration marriage promotion initiatives Hardisty: What happens when Uncle Sam plays Cupid

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NEW - The Rev. Katherine Hancock Ragsdale Speech to European Parliamentary Forum - 4/29/08

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PRA Director Katherine H. Ragsdale delivers keynote speech on the 35th anniversary of Roe v. Wade at Protecting Privacy, Preserving Choice

An event sponsored by Abortion Rights Fund of Western Massachusetts, NARAL Pro-Choice Massachusetts and Tapestry Health.

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