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A CONSISTENT ETHIC OF LIFE IN PUBLIC POLICY
1.
A consistent ethic of life (see here, here and here) focuses
on the major life issues of abortion,
euthanasia, persistent poverty, unjust
war, capital punishment, the use of nuclear
arms, violence, racism and
exploitation. While these are nationally
debated issues, there are community
manifestations of these that municipalities can
address. Will you as a city council member
do all in your power and authority to implement
public policies and facilitate community action
that further a consistent respect for all human
life?
YES
COMMUNITY PREGNANCY CENTERS
2. In
recent years attempts have been made in several
states by pro abortion advocates to pass
legislation targeting pro-life pregnancy
centers, even though such centers provide those
states with valuable community services. In
Washington State, HB
1366 and SB
5274 required:
1. The listing of non-provided services both
orally and in writing. This sets a
dangerous precedent allowing any organization
with political clout to saddle its competitors
with burdensome requirements of saying or
listing what they do not do. In January of
2011, a
federal judge ruled in
Maryland on a similar law that "the
Ordinance violates the Freedom of Speech Clause
of Article I of the Constitution of the United
States" (pg. 2) and has a "lack of viewpoint
neutrality ... a particularly offensive form of
content-based discrimination" (pg. 20). 2.
These bills allow any Planned Parenthood
employee, private citizen, or government entity
to bring petitions for injunctions even if they
are repeatedly thrown out of court.
A local pregnancy center, surviving on
donations, cannot defend itself in Superior
Court pro se (without representation) and cannot
afford to pay a lawyer to defend them even once,
yet alone multiple times. 3. These
bills do not regulate conduct, but instead are
directed only at the speech of pregnancy
centers. Do you support the work of
community pregnancy centers and will you oppose
efforts to suppress them?
YES
PUBLIC LIBRARY PORNOGRAPHY
3. The
US Supreme Court in its 2003 ruling United
States v. American Library Association, Inc, upheld
the use of library internet pornography filters.
Chief Justice Rehnquist stated for the plurality
that "to fulfill their traditional missions,
public libraries must have broad discretion to
decide what material to provide to their
patrons. Although they seek to provide a
wide array of information, their goal has never
been to provide 'universal coverage,'" and "most
libraries already exclude pornography from their
print collections because they deem it
inappropriate for inclusion." In
2010, the
Washington State Supreme Court ruled that
public libraries' use of internet filters does
not violate the state constitution. Will you
as a city councilor appoint, recommend or
request (depending on your level of authority)
only library board candidates who oppose the
inclusion of pornography in public libraries,
whether by internet or printed materials?
YES
REGULATION OF SEXUALLY ORIENTED BUSINESSES
4. The
U.S. Supreme Court in Young
v. American Mini Theaters, Inc.,
(1976) and Renton
v. Playtime Theater, Inc.,
(1986), concluded that municipalities have
"substantial governmental interests" in
protecting and preserving the quality of life
for its community against the adverse secondary
effects of sexually oriented businesses while
allowing for "reasonable alternative avenues of
communication." Land Use Studies from
cities around the United States were cited in
both U.S. Supreme Court cases documenting the
harmful secondary effects including 1. Increased
Crime - rape, sexual assault, prostitution and
illegal drug sales; 2. Decreased Property Values
- both residential and commercial; and 3. Urban
Blight - people and businesses fleeing the
community. Will you diligently seek and
maintain zoning ordinances, licensing
procedures, permit requirements and operational
regulations which serve to minimize the adverse
secondary effects of Sexually Oriented
Businesses?
YES
ABORTION
5. Even dedicated
proponents of abortion acknowledge
that life begins at conception. What do
you believe? Does a
unique human life begins at conception?
YES
If not at conception, when? ___ 3
mths ___ 6 mths ___ 9 mths
___ 1 yr ___ 18 yrs?
6. The 14th Amendment states "nor
shall any state deprive any person of life,
liberty or property without due process of law;
nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction
the equal protection of the laws." The Supreme
Court in
Roe v. Wade,
1973, stated that "if this suggestion of
personhood is established, the appellant's case,
of course, collapses, for the fetus' right to
life would then be guaranteed specifically by
the [14th] Amendment." The Court
regrettably concluded though that "we need not
resolve the difficult question of when life
begins. When those trained in the respective
disciplines of medicine, philosophy, and
theology are unable to arrive at any consensus,
the judiciary, at this point in the development
of man's knowledge, is not in a position to
speculate as to the answer." Do
you believe that the right to life of the unborn
child is guaranteed by the 14th Amendment?
I believe the right to life of the unborn is
inalienable and guaranteed by both Natural Law
and God’s Law.
The 14th Amendment merely
recognizes this inalienable right.
7. Is
taking the life of a pre-born child through
abortion ever permissible? Check all that
apply:
The wording of this question is troublesome.
Currently, it is permissible (lawful) to
take the life of a pre-born child through
abortion for any reason and up to natural birth.
Should it be?
No, it should never be permissible.
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__X___ No, it's never permissible
_____ Yes, to save mother's life
_____ Yes, in cases of rape or incest
_____ Yes, for physical deformity
_____ Yes, for genetic
predispositions
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_____ Yes, for gender
_____ Yes, for race
_____ Yes, for economic
hardship
_____ Yes, to punish spouse
_____ Yes, it's always permissible
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8. Do
you support parental notification and/or consent
before a minor (under 18 years of age) could
have an abortion? A judicial bypass of parents
would be allowed when necessary. A
2013 poll commissioned by Human Life WA, found
Washington State voters are widely supportive of
laws requiring "parental involvement" in
abortion decisions for girls under the age of 18
(62-29% with just under 10% undecided). Read
a summary of the results here.
Do you support:
Notification?
YES
Consent?
YES
Provided that the girl is unmarried and living
as a dependent of her parent(s).
PLANNED PARENTHOOD
9. The
nation's biggest abortion provider, Planned
Parenthood, in
the 2011-2012 fiscal year received
a record $542.4 million in government funding
and aborted a record 333,964 babies. Should
Planned Parenthood be contracted with to make
community presentations, provide literature,
birth control chemicals or devises, and/or
abortion services?
Planned Parenthood should be allowed to operate
within the bounds of law as a private
organization, without funding from government.
They should be afforded the ability to
distribute their literature and provide
presentations at a public event or setting
provided that all pregnancy organizations (such
as pregnancy resources centers) are also allowed
equal access.
I do not support contracting with PP to
provide birth control chemicals or devises,
and/or abortion services.
GAMING
10. The hotly debated casino off I-5 near
Ridgefield would be one of the largest in the
nation. What is your position on the
building of this casino?
I personally do not support the building of
casinos or other gambling establishments because
it profits by exploiting vulnerable citizens.
However, gambling is legal in the state of
Washington.
Though Ridgefield is outside my
jurisdiction as a Woodland City Council Member,
I would look to the residents of Ridgefield and
request a vote of the people.
If the majority wishes to have the
casino, then the will of the people should be
upheld.
In Woodland, a vote to ban card rooms was
passed in 1985, only to be overturned by the
council in 2011.
The duty of local government is to
respect the vote of the people, not ignore or
overrule it.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS
11. "Religious
communities are the largest and best-organized
civil institutions in the world, claiming the
allegiance of billions across race, class, and
national divides. These communities have
particular cultural understandings,
infrastructures, and resources to get help where
it is needed most" (World
Conference of Religions for Peace).
Southwest Washington has a broad range of
religious communities that contribute
substantially to the welfare of families,
children, seniors, the homeless, sick, and
refugees. They are a highly valued part of
our community which respects and defends human
life at every stage. Are you an active
member in a church, synagogue, temple, mosque or
other religious assembly?
If so, you may state here
where at:
My
family attends the Vancouver Apostolic Lutheran
Church in Vancouver, WA.
FAITH-BASED AND NEIGHBORHOOD PARTNERSHIPS
12. The
White House's Office of Faith-Based and
Neighborhood Partnerships ensures that religious
and other community organizations are able to
compete on an equal footing for participation in
Federal programs without impairing the character
of such organizations and without diminishing
the religious freedom of those served. Does
the collaboration of government with faith-based
charitable works lawfully ensure fair treatment
of religious organizations, and is it good for
our communities?
I
believe that faith-based organizations can and
should work with and alongside government to
serve their communities.
QUALIFICATIONS
13. Please state your
professional experience, community involvement,
education and other qualifications for a mayoral
or city council position.
I am a resident of Woodland
since 2002 and a registered voter. I was elected
Precinct Committee Office for the Woodland North
precinct in 2012. I am married with four
daughters and expecting our first son in July. I
have homeschooled my children since 2006. I have
an Associate’s Degree in Business Administration
from LCC and have worked as a case administrator
for the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee, Western
District of Washington State and as the Program
Assistant for the Adult Case Management
department of the Columbia River Mental Health
clinic.
14. May Life Pac post your returned survey
on our website? Surveys
are posted only with your permission.
Please give your campaign web address if you
have one:
Yes
I do not have a campaign website but my e-mail
is heffernanjd@gmail.com.
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