Family Research Council

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The Family Research Council is a conservative political interest group that aims to champion marriage and traditional Christian family life. Their mission statement claims, "Family Research Council (FRC) champions marriage and family as the foundation of civilization, the seedbed of virtue, and the wellspring of society. FRC shapes public debate and formulates public policy that values human life and upholds the institutions of marriage and the family. Believing that God is the author of life, liberty, and the family, FRC promotes the Judeo-Christian worldview as the basis for a just, free, and stable society." The FRC is a non-partisan and nonprofit organization that aims to educate instead of supporting any particular candidate.

History

Dr. James Dobson decided to found the FRC after attending a 1980 White House Conference on the Family. While at this conference Dobson met and prayed with eight Christian leaders at a Washington hotel. The FRC was finally founded in 1983 to combat various media outlets that spoke against family life. Gerald P. Regier, the first President of the FRC, formerly worked in the Department of Health and Human Services under Ronald Reagan. He used various outlets to spread the FRC's message, such as testifying before Congress, providing reports for elected officials, creating legal briefs on family issues, securing appointments for government officials, and offering media commentary.

Gary L. Bauer became the next President of the FRC in 1988, and at this time the FRC became a division of Focus on the Family. Throughout the 1990's under Bauer, the FRC attempted to strengthen its network and experienced a rise in national attention. During this time the organization created a home office in Washington D.C. and a distribution center in Holland, Michigan. In 1992 the organization became an independent nonprofit organization.

In 2000, Keith L.Connor became the new president of the Family Research Council. Connor spent much of his time as president of the FRC to change their policy to focus on a Christian agenda. The organization now focused on preventing abortion, sanctity of marriage, humane care of the elderly, religious liberty, parental choice in education, and tax breaks for families. The organization also decided at this time that they wanted to be known more for what they support than what they oppose.

Tony R. Perkins, a former Louisiana legislator, became the fourth president of the FRC in 2003. Perkins' made the main focus of the FRC fighting for man and woman marriage, and opposing same sex marriage. Perkins also encouraged Christian religious leaders to become more involved in politics and established a new department of the FRC called Church ministries.

Policies

Human Sexuality

The FRC believes that abstinence should be the only type of sexual education taught in school. The organization believes that sex should only occur after marriage and that not teaching any other form of sexual education is the safest way for preventing sex before marriage. The organization also believes that homosexuality is dangerous to anyone who partakes in this activity and to society as a whole. The organization also opposes any action that would make homosexuality equivalent to heterosexuality.

Human Life and Bioethics

The FRC opposes abortion and hopes to help overturn Roe v. Wade in the future. The organization also believes that euthanasia and assisted suicide is unethical, and believes that individuals should help those who are terminally ill by alleviating some of their pain and maintaining their life. The FRC also opposes any science that involves any research on human embryos as they believe that this devalues human life.

Marriage and Family

The FRC believes that the best environment for a child to be raised is with their biological parents. They do believe, however, that adoption is a suitable alternative, and encourage adoption over abortion. The organization also believes that the family should receive the same tax breaks that a business receives, because they feel that family is the biggest business of all. The FRC feels that parents should be able to choose the education of their children.

Religion and Culture

The FRC feels that the government should not be able to interfere with an individual's religious practice, but also feels that the Christian faith should receive the most protection. They also believe that there should not be a "wall of separation" between church and state, and that religion should be considered in elections and public policy.

Media

The FRC believes that the government needs to do more to protect children from viewing pornography. They also believe that there needs to be more regulation on the pornography industry. The organization also feels that individuals should be able to block any cable channel that they do not want at any time and for any reason, and that they should not be forced to pay for channels that they do not want.

The Courts

The FRC opposes judicial activism and believe that it should be the legislators job to decide difficult policy issues. They aim to limit the powers of judiciary. The organization also believes that the judges of the Supreme Court should be individuals who are not judicial activists and are also people of faith.

Organizational Structure

President - Tony Perkins
Senior Vice President - Robert Schwarzwalder
President FRC Action - Connie Mackey
Senior Vice President FRC Action - Tom McClusky
Vice President, Church Ministries - Kenyn Cureton
Vice President, Communications - JP Duffy
Vice President, Development - Paul Fitzpatrick
Vice President, Administration - Paul Tripodi

Public Perceptions and Controversies

The FRC has been noted for its controversial, right wing stance on abortion, same sex marriage, and divorce.

More recently, Tony Perkins, the FRC's president, has come under criticism in an article in The Nation for supposedly joining the mailing list of David Duke, a white supremacist. The article noted that Perkin's signature was on the document which authorized the purchase of the mailing list. The article also noted that Perkins at one point gave a speech to the Louisiana chapter of the Council of Conservative Citizens, which is a group that battled integration in the South. Perkins has denied these claims.