North Carolina scored a big victory Monday night — and not just on the court! It looks like the NCAA is finally starting to address the question that the organization’s president, Mark Emmert, raised in the Final Four press conference last week: “What’s the appropriate role for a national athletic association in public policy issues?” By accepting the legislature’s small changes to HB 2, the organization has indicated that it’s either decided to stick to sports or it’s beginning to ignore the small but rowdy agitators on the Left who’ve used the NCAA to fight their losing political battle over the state’s public safety bill.

Liberals were wildly opposed to the “compromise” rushed through the legislature last week, agreeing with conservatives that the new bill kept the most important parts of the law intact. Although HB 2.0 (as the Human Rights Campaign mocked it) technically rolled back the bathroom, locker room, and shower room provisions to the old unstated standard of men using men’s rooms and women the women’s for three years, it doubled down on who makes the rules when it comes to privacy — the state. Under HB 142, cities like Charlotte are forbidden from passing their own ordinances on gender identity. That infuriated LGBT activists, who accused the state of “fanning the flames of anti-transgender hate.” “@NCAA don’t be fooled. NC’s sham of a deal changed #HB2 ‘in name but not in substance,’” HRC warned. Once again, the far-Left’s reaction proved that the only “compromise” it will accept is the total surrender of anyone opposed to their radical agenda.

Despite an all-out social media blitz, the NCAA ignored the Left’s pleas for it to walk away from the deal and voted to let North Carolina host games again. In a statement, the board explained that the compromise “has minimally achieved a situation where we believe NCAA championships may be conducted in a nondiscriminatory environment.” Of course, LGBT activists aren’t used to hearing the word “no,” so their reaction was indignant, to say the least. “SHAME,” HRC tweeted. “@NCAA fails to defend equality in North Carolina.” “The NCAA’s decision to backtrack on their vow to protect LGBTQ players, employees and fans is deeply disappointing and puts people at risk,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “After drawing a line in the sand and calling for repeal of HB2, the NCAA simply let North Carolina lawmakers off the hook.” Equality NC piled on, insisting the deal “continues the same discriminatory scheme put forward by HB 2 and does little to protect the NCAA’s players, employees, and fans. The NCAA’s decision has put a seal of approval on state-sanctioned discrimination.”

Outside of North Carolina, the news resonated. Not only did the NCAA buck the radical Left, but it gave a big boost to privacy acts like Texas’s. Texas State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R), who is the author of the Texas Privacy Act, celebrated the impact for the debate as a whole. “I applaud the state of North Carolina for adopting a policy that is similar to SB 6, the Texas Privacy Act, and I also applaud the NCAA for now agreeing that there is nothing discriminatory about the Texas Privacy Act or our honest efforts to address the serious issue of privacy and safety in our public facilities and school showers, locker rooms, and restrooms.”

Meanwhile, the idea that HB 2 would have meant financial ruin is almost laughable a year after the fact. Financial studies and tourism numbers continue to debunk the Left’s favorite talking point on the privacy bill. “The loss of business, concerts, and sporting events represented just 6/100ths of one percent of the state’s nearly $500 billion annual economy.” Expert John Connaughton told The Washington Times that was small enough to be considered a “rounding error!” As for the Bruce Springsteens of the world, who canceled their tour stops, the AP crunched the numbers and found that “concerts, conventions, and sports” don’t actually bring much to the table in terms of state revenue. “Let’s suppose you buy some tickets, and you pay $100 per ticket,” Connaughton explained. “Well, $80, $90 of that ticket gets on the bus and leaves with the performer the next day. Or later that night.” Either way, as Lt. Gov. Dan Forest (R-NC) says, you can’t put a price tag on privacy.

Originally published here.

UNFPA Gets Kasten a Different Light

Another day, another promise kept! The Trump administration is plowing through the check list of pro-lifers, chalking up another big victory this week with the decision to zero out funding for the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Under the one-child policy, the Chinese government has been wiping its future generations off the map — especially baby girls. Unfortunately for taxpayers, the U.S. government has been playing a role in this tragedy with its support of UNFPA, which is one of the policy’s biggest cheerleaders.

No more, said the Trump State Department. After eight years of funneling money to the group, the new president is canceling the check. In a letter to Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, State officials write to inform him “that a determination has been made that funding for the United Nations Population Fund is precluded…” An attached memo of determination explains that China’s atrocious human rights record is to blame, as well as its “measures of coercive abortion and involuntary sterilization.” “The agency continues to partner with the [Chinese health and family planning office], and thus can be found to support, or participate in the management of China’s coercive policies for purposes of the Kemp-Kasten Amendment.”

Although President Bush was quick to slash U.S. support for the group, the government’s endorsement came back with a vengeance under President Obama, who funneled more than $180 million dollars to UNFPA in his first four years alone. As with the Mexico City Policy, the decision of whether or not to fund UNFPA seems to ping-pong back and forth based on which party controls the White House. We’re grateful that President Trump continued the Republican tradition of advancing human dignity in foreign policy.

The decision comes one week after Trump spoke at the Women’s Empowerment Panel at the White House, where he promised to “ensure that our economy is a place where women can work, succeed, and thrive like never before.” Thank goodness this administration knows that all of that starts by giving them a chance at life in the first place! The White House has been adamant about its goal to cut a third from the State Department budget. And we can’t think of a better place to start than UNFPA.

Originally published here.

First Freedom a First Priority of Senate

The bandwagon to protect religious liberty just got 18 more riders! Senate Republicans are joining a growing movement of conservatives who think it’s time the White House waded into the debate and issued an executive order protecting our First Freedom. In a letter to President Trump, the group writes, “We were encouraged to learn of your consideration of an executive order that would require the agencies of the federal government to respect religious freedom throughout their activities and respectfully request that you issue such an order without delay.”

Citing the government’s crackdown on everyone from Little Sisters of the Poor to faith-based college clubs, they explain that it’s time for the administration to warn government agencies that may be tempted to punish people for their beliefs on issues like marriage. “An executive order requiring federal government agencies to protect the right to religious freedom is necessary,” the senators argue, “and directing agencies to adhere to existing federal laws protecting religious freedom is sound policy… We agree with and commend your strong statements in support of religious freedom, most recently at the National Prayer Breakfast on February 2 where you stated, ‘…my administration will do everything in its power to defend and protect religious liberty in our land.’” The threat of colleges losing their accreditation or faith-based groups being stripped of their charitable status is real, they explain.

The “free exercise of religion rings hollow if individuals do not have the ability to live out their faith without fear of repercussion from the government… We cannot be a country that financially punishes individuals for practicing their sincerely held religious beliefs or decides which practices are a valid part of a particular religious tradition and worthy of protection.” Together, Sens. Roy Blunt (MO), James Lankford (OK), Steve Daines (MT), Mike Lee (UT), Ted Cruz (TX), Ben Sasse (NE), Mike Enzi (WY), James Inhofe (OK), Tim Scott (SC), John Kennedy (LA), Luther Strange (AL), Bill Cassidy (LA), Rand Paul (KY), Roger Wicker (MS), James Risch (ID), Dan Sullivan (AR), Marco Rubio (FL), and Ron Johnson (WI) thank President Trump for taking the issue seriously but insist that the “defense of religious freedom must not be left out of [his] efforts.”

We’ve heard from our friends in the House that conservative members have their own letter in process. Let’s hope the president heeds their advice and gives Americans the protection they desperately need! Join these senators in urging President Trump to sign a religious liberty executive order by adding your name to this petition.

Originally published here.

This is a publication of the Family Research Council. Mr. Perkins is president of FRC.