First Things RSS Feed - Peter Sprigg

Marriage Is a Matter of Definition

Fri, 03 Jan 2014 00:02:00 -0500

November 18 marked the 10th anniversary of the landmark decision by the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) of Massachusetts which resulted in that state becoming the first to issue civil marriage licenses to same-sex couples. In Goodridge v. Department of Public Health (440 Mass. 309), the court declared, “Limiting the protections, benefits, and obligations of civil marriage to opposite-sex couples violates the basic premises of individual liberty and equality under law protected by the Massachusetts Constitution.”

Continue Reading »

Why Science Doesn’t Support Orientation-Change Bans

Wed, 04 Sep 2013 00:05:00 -0400

Continue Reading »

Robert Drinan, Infanticide, and the "Unthinkable"

Mon, 30 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -0400

On February 1, I joined perhaps a thousand other mourners in St. Aloysius Church in Washington for the funeral of the Reverend Robert F. Drinan, S.J. Among those eulogizing Fr. Drinan, who represented Massachusetts in Congress from 1971 to 1981, was Sen. Edward Kennedy. He was one of several speakers who mentioned how Congressman Drinan would lovingly and jokingly refer to his aides and volunteers as his "minions." I smiled¯and when Kennedy added that, "decades later, many remain passionately involved in public affairs," I had to nod in agreement. I should know. I’m one of them.

Continue Reading »