Posted on 05/07/2015 10:39:47 AM PDT by wagglebee
WASHINGTON, D.C., May 6, 2015 (LifeSiteNews.com) -- By declining to hear a challenge to a lower-court decision, the U.S. Supreme Court has effectively solidified New Jersey's ban on "reparative therapy," or counseling designed to steer people away from their unwanted same-sex attractions. Republican Gov. Chris Christie signed the ban into law in August 2013.
The New Jersey ban applies only to minors. According to Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays and Gays (PFOX), noncompliance by parents could result in the state taking their children away.
The Human Rights Campaign, a powerful lobby dedicated to redefining marriage and normalizing homosexuality, recently decried reparative therapy as "a range of dangerous and discredited practices" that can "lead to depression, anxiety, drug use, and suicide." In February 2014, activists in favor of normalizing homosexuality demanded that the United Nations classify reparative therapy as a form of torture. Such accusations depend on the assumption that same-sex attractions are innate, unchangeable, and irresistible, despite a lack of evidence to support this theory and an abundance of evidence to the contrary.
But while reparative therapy has been panned in the media and the courts, not all therapists condemn the practice. The Alliance for Therapeutic Choice and Scientific Integrity in conjunction with the NARTH Institute, for example, strongly advocated for Gov. Christie to veto New Jersey's ban in July 2013. In a statement released at that time, the group emphasized the ban's threat to personal freedom: "The freedom of a gay teen to choose a therapist that honors his or her goals and values is unchallenged. All citizens should expect equal treatment and protection from the law and lawmakers."
The therapists concluded: "The 'bumper sticker slogan' approach which so often characterizes media stories rarely improves the public's understanding of important psychological issues."
The NARTH Institute had joined two New Jersey therapists and the American Association of Christian Counselors in challenging New Jersey's reparative therapy ban, citing concerns about the state curtailing therapists' freedom of speech and religion.
Additionally, Mat Staver, the Liberty Counsel attorney who represented the New Jersey plaintiffs, claimed in a separate but related lawsuit that his client desired to repudiate his same-sex attractions. "Before states began passing legislation banning change therapy, the treatment was driven by the minor's desired outcome," Staver said. "Our client and his family were on the way to that desired outcome, until Governor Christie signed a law prohibiting further treatment. ... Governor Christie has no right coming into the therapy session of this young man and telling him what kind of counseling he can receive."
A federal judge dismissed the challengers' case in November 2013, deciding that "'counseling' is not entitled to special constitutional protection merely because it is primarily carried out through talk therapy."
Christie, who expressed reservations about interfering with "parents on raising their children," nonetheless signed the ban – "reluctantly," he claimed. Yet, Christie rationalized, "exposing children to ... health risks without clear evidence of benefits is not appropriate."
On the point of the state's involvement with how parents raise their children, the Alliance-NARTH statement stressed that "[a]ny society that grants the right to an adolescent to decide to terminate a pregnancy ... cannot rationally suggest that this same adolescent should not have the right to freely participate in conversational counseling to discuss sexuality." New Jersey currently has no parental notification or permission requirement for minors seeking an abortion.
Along with New Jersey, one other state has passed legislation to ban reparative therapy: California, under Democrat Gov. Jerry Brown, in October 2012. (The District of Columbia City Council passed its own ban in December of last year.) The Supreme Court refused in 2014 to hear the challenge to California's reparative therapy ban.
To me, “Conversion therapy” is category error but I’m not against people trying the direct approach. The underlying mental illness/issues that lead to Teh GayZ is the problem. Conversion therapy only treats the symptom.
If parents were smart, they would address that. Bring their kid to a reputable therapist dealing with the underlying issues and they get the conversion therapy automatically. It also skirts the GOP love of pro-gay legislating.
This situation brought to you by a REPUBLICAN. Not a Democrat. A REPUBLICAN Read that as many times as it take to sink in, lesser evil idiots.
Heck it’s hard to get republicans to CARE ABOUT VOTER FRAUD..
Roberts and Alito have ten foot pole marks all over them..
Bush was Obamas sugar daddy...
Bush must be secretly good friends with the Clintoon’s..
Brilliant... “Good guy, Bad guy” senario.. with...
Clintoon’s, Bush, Obama.. problem is WHO’S the good guy..
The filthy and disgusting “gays” are NOT pawns!!!! They are active participants in the drive toward totalitarianism!!!
Just wait a few weeks—when the “pride parades” take over your city and mine—against our will, of course. Then you’ll see that I’m right!!!!
The filthy and disgusting “gays” have also been propagandizing for war with Russia! They don’t care if millions of people die in WWIII—just as long as they can freely carry out their perverted couplings!!!!
“Bush must be secretly good friends with the Clintoon’s..”
I think the “Brother from another mother” comment pretty much meant they were no open with their bromance.
Sounds like a more viable alternative.
Edit: NOW open
Because homosexuals are never depressed, anxious, suicidal drug users.
That "theory" has always been a lawyer's lie, a legal fiction designed to allow or entice Supreme Court justices to equate homosexual practice with innate characteristics like gender and race, for the purpose of securing a Brown vs. Board decree from the Court that equates homosexuals morally and legally with normal people.
A full battalion of gay lawyers have been working this case, this Supreme Court slamdown, we-win-you-lose-forever-ha-ha-ha case, since before 1980. Month-in, month-out, year after year after year.
Lambda Legal (then) superlawyer Evan Wolfson laid it all out in a 2001 interview with 365gay.com after Lambda and allies lost the James Dale Boy Scouts USA case. I think you have links, wagglebee, that we've put together over the years, with you and scripter and little jeremiah and Bryan doing a ton of heavy lifting to put together that links archive.
LOL, stolen property!
” I gave up on the GOP a long time ago. “
New GOP slogan
” GOP Leadership...following 100% of the CPUSA guidelines since November 2014”
It makes sense to me. Gay is behavioral. Always was, always will be. When you have underlying issues that compound it, deal with those. The list of issues leading to it are established. Sexual abuse, “grooming”, 24/7 propaganda, peer pressure etc. That leads to confusion and depression. That leads to all sorts of ‘joy’ and the viscous circle is complete.
Treat the problem, not the symptom. You can’t fix them all, but you’ll fix some.
Now if the rest of the right would only follow suit, America might even have a chance to START fixing their damage.
God, I can’t believe this. Shows complete udder refusal to look at any scientific data or discuss it.
Why then are we allowing chiropractors to treat wrist pain or deliver babies in Oregon...?
The Bush-Clinton friendship began BEFORE the 1992 election.
I hope I'm wrong…. This makes me think it's their lukewarm attempt to split the baby. They uphold "states rights" to a degree, then claim gay marriage a right under the 14th.
take these kids out of state —
Good thing we have the Lindbergh Law.
Oh absolutely. It’s just now they are open about it.
And then the LGBTQXYZ crew sues under the full faith crap demanding reciprocity between states. As usual. But in the meantime, the parents have CPS come a’callin.
Remember, “Law” no longer matters in Obamerica when “Law” is not in their favor.
Jeb is the Barney Fife of republican politics..
George Jr.... is the Alfred E. Neuman... resembles him too..
Laura is pretty, but is the “Valley Girl” of first ladies..
George Sr. is the republican Svengoolie... of Texas politics..
American Politics has become a game show... for REAL...
WIN elected office and you get a get out of a Jail FREE CARD..
Federal and sometimes State and even Local..
Depends on WHICH Cartel you are connected with....
YES; cartel, junta, gang, mafia, or international commissar..
America has entered World Class Demagoguery..
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