Cheryl Wetzstein
Articles by Cheryl Wetzstein
Canadian judge upholds ban on polygamy
Polygamy is so harmful to women, children, society and the "institution of monogamous marriage" that it can be outlawed, even though it offends certain religious beliefs, a Canadian judge said in an unprecedented ruling Wednesday. Published November 23, 2011
Marriage activists ramp up spending
The recent economic woes appear to have chilled spending by many national religious activist groups, but others — including a group that is fighting to preserve traditional marriage — spent even higher amounts despite the lean times, says a report released Monday. Published November 21, 2011
Teen pregnancy low in ‘sleepover’ country of the Netherlands
America's battle over sex education could be boiled down to one question: Would you let your teenager spend the night with his or her sweetheart in your home? Published November 20, 2011
Report: Teen birth rate hits historic low
The teen birthrate tumbled again in 2010, reaching a historic low and stretching across all age and ethnic groups, the federal government said Thursday. Published November 17, 2011
Advocates urge caution in wake of Penn State
The child sex-abuse scandal at Penn State University is galvanizing lawmakers in several states and Congress to find fresh ways to capture predators and stamp out abuse. Published November 15, 2011
Class-action suit filed over VD testing on Guatemalans
The Obama administration faces a deadline of early next year to respond to a sweeping new class-action lawsuit alleging that U.S. public health officials in the years after World War II deliberately infected hundreds of Guatemalan prisoners, soldiers and psychiatric patients with venereal diseases without informing them of the infections — or treating most of them. Published November 14, 2011
Senate panel OKs repeal of DOMA on party-line vote
The Senate Judiciary Committee took the unprecedented step Thursday of voting to repeal a federal law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman and allows states to disregard same-sex unions from other states. Published November 10, 2011
Abortion foes undeterred by Mississippi setback
Too many doubts and questions among voters helped doom Mississippi's pro-life "personhood" amendment in voting Tuesday, but anti-abortion forces said Wednesday the vote still marked a sea change in the national debate and that the fight was far from over. Published November 9, 2011
Graphic cigarette package warnings blocked
The federal government's plan to put images of a dead body or diseased lung on U.S. cigarette packages is on hold — and may itself be going up in smoke, according to a federal court ruling Monday. Published November 7, 2011
Lawmaker issues warning on ‘personhood’ amendment
As Tuesday's vote in Mississippi on "personhood" nears, opponents are stepping up their warnings that such a law would end legal abortion and hamper birth- control and infertility treatments. Published November 3, 2011
Vote on federal marriage law repeal put off
Lawmakers on Thursday put off a much-anticipated debate on a bill to repeal the law that forbids recognition of gay marriage at the federal level. Published November 3, 2011
New book sparks debate on how unwed trend among blacks ‘affects everyone’
An unwed birthrate of 70 percent. Statistically low marriage rates and statistically high divorce rates. For an entire population - from low-income to high-income. Published November 2, 2011
Gillibrand bill encourages LGBT adoption
For the first time in Senate history, a bill has been introduced to encourage agencies not to discriminate against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender couples seeking to adopt. Published October 31, 2011
Gay-marriage backers making full-court press
Efforts to repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act are in full swing, as a major lawsuit advances, another lawsuit is filed, and a Senate panel meets soon to consider legislation to overturn the law. Published October 30, 2011
Osteen: Americans’ faith at ‘all-time high’
Megachurch pastor, best-selling author and perennial optimist Joel Osteen has good news to share. Published October 24, 2011
Divorce-prevention plan advises time, talk
A letter warning a spouse that divorce could be imminent, a "cooling off" period and classes on reconciliation are parts of a model legislation package aimed at helping troubled couples avoid "preventable" divorce. Published October 23, 2011
Sex-ed initiative at heart of House bill battle
The tug-of-war over sex education is back, thanks to a House bill that would fund the Department of Health and Human Services for fiscal 2012 but also would slash an Obama administration-inspired program and divert half the money to abstinence education. Published October 20, 2011
Hatch cites impact on charities if tax write-off is cut
President Obama's recent proposal to limit tax deductions for wealthy donors got an uncharitable welcome at a congressional hearing Tuesday. Published October 18, 2011
Study finds teens postponing sex, using birth control more
Despite fears of a hypersexual culture, most American teens are postponing sex until their late teens or older, and typically use some kind of birth control when they do start, according to an extensive new federal study released Wednesday. Published October 12, 2011
‘Family structure’ said to trump ‘wanted’ as key to a child’s future
In the eyes of children, is it paramount that they were "planned" and "wanted"? Or does the family structure of their home matter more? Published October 6, 2011
