Arch Angel Institute - A Rebuttal

Kevin Leininger's News Sentinel column yesterday focused on the Arch Angel Institute's conversion of this former Fort Wayne Women's Health Clinic into a "center for people who want to put God's laws first" (Read as "people who feel they have the right to make your personal decisions for you")

I am extremely tired of these religious fundamentalists who wish to impose their "faith" on others. They are no different than the Islamic jihadists who commit acts of aggression against others in the name of their faith. True followers of Christ, two of which I was raised by, follow his example and live by the principles that he taught to his followers - "Live by my example. Do not dictate how others should live their lives, spend your days sharing my message of compassion for your fellow man and helping him without judgement."

The Roe v Wade issue has been used as a wedge issue for far too long in our country. It's all a matter of how the conversation is framed - I honestly don't know anyone who is "pro-abortion", but I know alot of people who believe in a woman's right to make her own reproductive decisions. That is a VERY personal decision, her right as a woman and a U.S. citizen. Whether or not it follows YOUR personal views is irrelevant. Your rights and beliefs are just as important as mine, or anyone else's, and no individual or authority has the right to interfere with how you choose to live your life.

Bryan Brown, a former leader of Northeast Indiana Rescue and the founder of the Arch Angel Institute, envisions his organization as a counter-balance to the ACLU whom he claims is "anti-Christian". That ACLU's mission is to protect our civil liberties as American citizens. If anyone is trying to step on our rights, they will step in, regardless of your religion or lack thereof.

Mr.Brown apparently also believes that our courts and very society are biased against Christianity. After the fundamentalist far right's successful mission to elect George W. Bush TWICE, as well as appointing solid conservatives to the supreme court, all in the name of "faith and values", I really don't understand what that opinion is based upon. Is he worried about the repercussions from the new great silent majority that are slowly pulling our country back in the other direction?

Brown also erroneously claims that Congress is debating the reinstatement of the “fairness doctrine,”(They overwhelmingly blocked the FCC from reinstating this in July of this year) which he labels as a "response to the popularity of conservative talk radio and the utter commercial failure of liberal programming". The "popularity" of conservative talk is based solely on market share and ownership - Clear Channel owns nearly all of the radio stations in America, which gives them most of the market share. And they make the decision on what to air. To their credit (it pains me to say that), they are now actually running progressive talk in a number of markets, many of which have shown numbers where lefty talkers such as Randi Rhodes and Ed Schultz are beating out righty's such as Limbaugh and O'Reilly.

Mr.Brown would be well-served by researching his positions before undertaking another interview. There is a clear difference between "talking points" and the facts. . .