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File:Family Research Council Logo.jpg
Logo of the Family Research Council.

The Family Research Council (FRC) is a conservative, Christian right group and lobbying organization. It was formed in the United States by James Dobson in 1981 and incorporated in 1983 with George Alan Rekers and Armand Nicholi, Jr. The group was designed to be a lobbying force for conservative legislation on Capitol Hill. In the late 1980s, the group officially became a division of Dobson's main organization, Focus on the Family, but after an administrative separation, FRC officially became an independent entity in 1992. Its function is to promote what it considers to be traditional family values. It contains a 501(c)(4) lobbying PAC known as FRC Action. Tony Perkins is the current president.

The FRC promotes socially conservative views on many issues, including divorce, homosexuality, and abortion. It does not limit itself to social conservatism, also promoting a variety of other views including a hawkish foreign policy and lower taxes.

In 2010, the Family Research Council was classified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. FRC President Tony Perkins dismissed the hate group designation as the result of a political attack by a "liberal organization" and "the left's smear campaign of conservatives".

History

The Family Research Council was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1983. Dr. James Dobson, Armand Nicholi, Jr. of Harvard University, and George Rekers of the University of South Carolina were some of its founding board members. In 1988, following financial difficulties, the FRC was incorporated into Focus on the Family, and Gary Bauer joined the organization as president. The FRC remained under the Focus on the Family umbrella until 2002, when it separated out of concern for Focus' tax-exempt status. Tony Perkins joined the FRC as its president in 2003.

Politics and policies

The Family Research Council supports the following policies:

It opposes:

  • Legal abortion.
  • Stem-cell research which involves the destruction of human embryos and funding for the same, instead advocating research using adult stem cells.
  • Legal recognition of same-sex domestic partnerships in the form of marriage or civil unions.
  • Population control measures.
  • No-fault divorce.
  • The idea that humans are mainly or completely responsible for global warming.
  • All forms of gambling because it believes it negatively affects one's family, personal, and professional life. This position has created some controversy within the Christian community, as gambling is not explicitly prohibited in the Bible. This schism is evidenced by the fact that many churches hold gambling contests, especially bingo, to raise funds. Focus’ insistence on this position, as a result, has been interpreted as “extra-Biblical doctrine” that was created by some within the Christian Right who are personally opposed to gambling.

Publishing and lobbying activities

In their report Funding the Culture Wars, the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy lists the Family Research Council as one of the leading organizations funding the activities of the conservative movement. As a non-profit organization, FRC is completely dependent on donations from supporters.

The FRC publishes frequent e-mail updates, usually in the form of short articles, which can also be viewed on their website. These articles typically take the form of advocacy for a conservative Christian perspective on current political and social issues.

Values Voter Summit

Every fall, FRC Action (the political arm of FRC) holds an annual summit composed of hundreds of conservative Christian activists and evangelical voters in Washington, D.C. In the past, the summit has been a place for social conservatives across the nation to hear Republican presidential hopefuls' platforms, and also a means of providing an early prediction of which candidate will win the endorsement of Christian conservatives. Featured guests at previous summits include Sean Hannity, Ann Coulter, Mike Huckabee, George Allen, Tony Snow, Bill Bennett, and Stephen Baldwin. Co-sponsors of the event included other political action groups, such as AFA Action (part of the American Family Association), the Heritage Foundation, Liberty University, Liberty Counsel and Gary Bauer's organization American Values.

Criticism

The Family Research Council's Senior Researcher for Policy Studies Peter Sprigg was criticized by gay rights activists when he, in the official capacity as a fellow of the FRC, said that gay behavior should be outlawed and that "criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior" should be enforced. More recently, he has publicly suggested that repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy would encourage molestation of heterosexual service members. While Tony Perkins has said that criminalizing homosexuality is not a goal of the Family Research Council, he has refused to denounce the statements made by Peter Sprigg.

In its Winter 2010 Intelligence Report, the Southern Poverty Law Center designated the FRC as a hate group, saying that the organization "pushed false accusations linking gay men to pedophilia." FRC President Tony Perkins dismissed the hate group designation as the result of a political attack by a "liberal organization" and "the left's smear campaign of conservatives," but reiterated that homosexuals are more likely to be pedophiles. One of the nation’s leading researchers on prejudice against sexual minorities Gregory Herek, reviewed a series of studies but found no evidence that gay men molest children at higher rates than heterosexual men. In addition, it is not true that men who molest boys are necessarily homosexual.

In a Nov. 30, 2010, debate on MSNBC’s “Hardball with Chris Matthews” between Tony Perkins and the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Mark Potok, Perkins upheld FRC’s association of gay men with pedophilia. He said that “If you look at the American College of Pediatricians, they say the research is overwhelming that homosexuality poses a danger to children." Leading scientific authorities have repudiated Publications of the American College of Pediatricians, saying their claims are unfounded and accusing the ACP of distorting and misrepresenting their work. According to the American Psychological Association, there is "no evidence to suggest that homosexuals or bisexuals molest children at a higher rate than heterosexuals". In addition, it is not true that men who molest boys are necessarily homosexual.

Similar and related organizations

See also

Notes and references

  1. ^ 1 "About FRC: History/Mission". Family Research Council. 2010-05-08. {{cite news}}: Check |url= value (help)
  2. Paul S. Herrnson (2005). The interest group connection: electioneering, lobbying, and policymaking in Washington. CQ Press. p. 410. ISBN 9781568029221. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  3. http://splcenter.org/get-informed/intelligence-report/browse-all-issues/2010/winter/the-hard-liners#
  4. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/24/AR2010112407042.html
  5. ^ Thompson, Krissah (24 November 2010). "'Hate group' designation angers same-sex marriage opponents". Washington Post. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  6. ^ Paul A. Djupe (2003). Encyclopedia of American religion and politics. Infobase Publishing. p. 163. ISBN 9780816045822. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite book}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  7. Glenn H. Utter (2004). Conservative Christians and political participation: a reference handbook. ABC-CLIO. p. 355. ISBN 9781851095131. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. "Biography - Tony Perkins". Family Research Council. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  9. "Clarification of 2005 Family Research Council Media Remarks on HPV Vaccine". Family Research Council. Archived from the original on 1 July 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  10. Brynaert, Ron (22 August 2006). "Coalition of conservative groups believe hotel porn may be prosecutable". Raw Story. Archived from the original on 15 October 2007. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  11. "Petition Exposes Family Research Council's Support for Antigay Violence". Truthwinsout.org. Retrieved 2010-03-22.
  12. "Don't Keep Don't Ask Don't Tell?". Hardball with Chris Matthews. Retrieved 2010-03-22. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |airdate= ignored (help)
  13. "FAQs". Family Research Council. Retrieved 29 October 2010.
  14. Roger W. Stump (2000). Boundaries of faith: geographical perspectives on religious fundamentalism. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 108. ISBN 9780847693207. Retrieved 28 November 2010. {{cite book}}: More than one of |pages= and |page= specified (help)
  15. "One-Size Politics Doesn't Fit All". Christianity Today. 27 April 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
  16. Leonard, Andrew (15 November 2007). "Life, liberty and the right to play online poker". Salon. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  17. Michelle Vu, "Presidential Hopefuls Highlight 'Values' to Christian Conservatives," "The Christian Post," October 20, 2007
  18. American Thinker Blog: Romney, Huckabee Top Straw Poll at Value Voters Summit http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2007/10/romney_huckabee_top_straw_poll.html
  19. "2010 Values Voter Summit - Sponsors". FRC Action. Retrieved 29 November 2010.
  20. Jim Burroway (2 February 2010). "Family Research Council's Peter Sprigg Wants To Throw You In Jail". Box Turtle Bulletin. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  21. "Don't kill U.S. gays, lock them up: Family groups". USA Today. 8 February 2010. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  22. Warren Throckmorton (6 February 2010). "Should the US follow Uganda on homosexuality?". The Christian Post. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  23. Alvin McEwen (2 February 2010). "FRC's Peter Sprigg supports 'criminal sanctions' against the lgbt community". Pam's House Blend. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  24. Biography Peter S. Sprigg @ FRC.org
  25. "CHRIS MATTHEWS: Do you think we should outlaw gay behavior?
    PETER SPRIGG: Well, I think certainly-
    MATTHEWS: I’m just asking you, should we outlaw gay behavior?
    SPRIGG: I think that the Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas, which overturned the sodomy laws in this country, was wrongly decided. I think there would be a place for criminal sanctions against homosexual behavior.
    MATTHEWS: So we should outlaw gay behavior.
    SPRIGG: Yes."
    February 02, 2010. Hardball, MSNBC.statement at 8:37, transcript
  26. "Family Research Council Labeled 'Hate Group' By SPLC Over Anti-Gay Rhetoric". Talking Points Memo. Retrieved 2010-11-26.
  27. "Tony Perkins Defends Family Research Council, Sort Of". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved 2010-11-30.
  28. Waddington, Lynda (23 November 2010). "Groups that Helped Oust Iowa Judges Earn 'Hate Group' Designation; SPLC Adds American Family Association, Family Research Council to List". Iowa Independent. Retrieved 25 November 2010.
  29. Evelyn Schlatter. "18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda". SPLC. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  30. "Chapter 6: Is There a Link Between Homosexuality and Child Sexual Abuse?" (PDF). Family Research Council. Retrieved 28 November 2010.
  31. ^ 10 Anti-Gay Myths Debunked Southern Poverty Law Center By Evelyn Schlatter and Robert Steinback, accessed Dec 03 2010
  32. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/#40423304
  33. "Sexual orientation, homosexuality, and bisexuality". American Psychological Association. Retrieved 2010-11-30.

External links

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