Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
On Friday, April 25, many students in Iowa and throughout the nation will participate in a national “Day of Silence,” an annual event held to bring attention to name-calling, bullying and harassment toward gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered youth in schools. It comes as little surprise that the passive activity has Chuck Hurley, president of the socially conservative Iowa Family Policy Center, encouraging Iowa’s faithful to spend the day praying for the “healing” of gay students. It seems, however, that Hurley’s call to action is merely the tip of the iceberg.
“I have received many phone calls and emails voicing understandable frustration about this event,” Hurley wrote in an email to supporters. “Admittedly, the promotion (especially to children) of such a harmful lifestyle that is directly contrary to God’s perfect design provokes righteous anger in me also. The question then becomes, what do we do with our anger that will bring glory and honor to God?”
While acknowledging that this year’s Day of Silence event is being held in memory of Lawrence King, a gay 15-year-old Californian who died at the hands of a classmate in February, Hurley calls on supporters to not remain passive.
“By Christ’s example, we are clearly not to remain passive,” Hurley wrote. “Jesus did not throw his hands in the air and turn away when he saw sin in the world. Instead, he came into the world with his arms wide open. He made no excuse for sin, teaching that, ‘Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven.’ (Matthew 5:19) Jesus was clear that certain behaviors are unacceptable to God, yet people flocked to him because he also made it clear that God loves them in spite of sin. Jesus’ love for sinners does not equate to acceptance of sin, but to a deep and passionate desire to redeem them from it.”
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