In the news briefs section of its Feb. 2 CitizenWatch electronic newsletter, Focus on the Family cheered the Kansas appellate court ruling against Matthew Limon.

Focus describes the 18-year-old, developmentally disabled Limon as a “man who sodomized a minor,” ignoring the voluntary (statutory) nature of the offense, and inaccurately asserts that the court rejected “a request by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to overturn a law protecting minors from sexual exploitation by adults.”

(Focus news briefs are not available online; here’s the previous XGW message about the case, including links to the ruling and ACLU response.)

Focus on the Family says:

According to Liberty Counsel, which filed a legal brief on behalf of 25 Kansas lawmakers, the ACLU had argued that a Kansas law criminalizing sex between an adult and a child was unconstitutional in light of last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down consensual adult homosexual sodomy laws.

The lawsuit stems from the conviction of a registered sex offender who sodomized a 14-year-old developmentally disabled boy.

In addition to misrepresenting the ACLU’s position, Focus on the Family neglects to mention that Limon is also developmentally disabled; neglects to mention that the sexual activity was voluntary and close of age; neglects to mention the state’s “Romeo and Juliet” law; and neglected to link to the actual court ruling to allow readers to assess the case for themselves.

Focus on the Family quotes a single passage of the ruling:

In rejecting the ACLU’s argument, the court stated,
“[T]raditional sexual mores concerning marriage and
procreation have been important to the very survival of
the human race. … Throughout history, governments
have extolled the virtues of procreation as a way to
furnish new workers, soldiers, and other useful members of
society. The survival of society requires a continuous
replenishment of its members.”

This particular quotation supports, to some degree, the ACLU’s charge (based on lengthier quotations of the justices) that some of the Kansas court justices excuse heterosexual underage sex on the grounds that it promotes procreation.

Footnotes: The Feb. 2 edition of CitizenLink also includes an article, available online, that urges Christians to bring a halt to funding for National Institutes of Health studies that aim to track and reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among truckers, older men, and gays and lesbians.

On Jan. 29, Focus defended Florida’s ban on gay adoption. The effect of the ban is to leave some children trapped in a cycle of foster-care homes and state institutions despite the availability of permanent parents.

On Jan. 22, The Pitch, a Kansas City weekly, published an article XGW message about the case, including links to the ruling and ACLU response.)

Focus on the Family says:

According to Liberty Counsel, which filed a legal brief on behalf of 25 Kansas lawmakers, the ACLU had argued that a Kansas law criminalizing sex between an adult and a child was unconstitutional in light of last year’s Supreme Court ruling in Lawrence v. Texas, which struck down consensual adult homosexual sodomy laws.

The lawsuit stems from the conviction of a registered sex offender who sodomized a 14-year-old developmentally disabled boy.

In addition to misrepresenting the ACLU’s position, Focus on the Family neglects to mention that Limon is also developmentally disabled; neglects to mention that the sexual activity was voluntary and close of age; neglects to mention the state’s “Romeo and Juliet” law; and neglected to link to the actual court ruling to allow readers to assess the case for themselves.

Focus on the Family quotes a single passage of the ruling:

In rejecting the ACLU’s argument, the court stated,
“[T]raditional sexual mores concerning marriage and
procreation have been important to the very survival of
the human race. … Throughout history, governments
have extolled the virtues of procreation as a way to
furnish new workers, soldiers, and other useful members of
society. The survival of society requires a continuous
replenishment of its members.”

This particular quotation supports, to some degree, the ACLU’s charge (based on lengthier quotations of the justices) that some of the Kansas court justices excuse heterosexual underage sex on the grounds that it promotes procreation.

Footnotes: The Feb. 2 edition of CitizenLink also includes an article, available online, that urges Christians to bring a halt to funding for National Institutes of Health studies that aim to track and reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among truckers, older men, and gays and lesbians.

On Jan. 29, Focus defended Florida’s ban on gay adoption. The effect of the ban is to leave some children trapped in a cycle of foster-care homes and state institutions despite the availability of permanent parents.

On Jan. 22, The Pitch, a Kansas City weekly, published an article detailing Limon’s life and family, his prior offenses (committed when he was 14), and the murky history of the Kansas’ “Romeo and Juliet” law. Now 22, Limon has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old — and the story documents his inability to defend himself in court or to understand the complexities of his case.”>detailing Limon’s life and family, his prior offenses (committed when he was 14), and the murky history of the Kansas’ “Romeo and Juliet” law. Now 22, Limon has the mental capacity of a 10-year-old — and the story documents his inability to defend himself in court or to understand the complexities of his case.

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