Comments are ‘more than we’ve ever had on a single topic on this program’

Posted: March 22, 2011
8:57 pm Eastern

By Anita Crane
© 2011 WorldNetDaily

Suzanne Venker, the Boston University graduate who co-authored “The Flipside of Feminism” with her legendary aunt, Phyllis Schlafly, is happily disrupting Women’s History Month around the nation.

She was interviewed just days ago on NPR affiliate WBUR in Boston, where an excerpt from her book was featured in the station website.

Audience reaction was so swift and loud that co-hosts Meghna Chakrabarti and Anthony Brooks followed up with another program on “Flipside.”

Brooks announced this week, “Our conversation with Suzanne Venker lasted about 25 minutes but it generated an avalanche of comments on our website, more than we’ve ever had on a single topic on this program.”

Chakrabarti added, “A lot of you were very angry with me for even allowing Suzanne Venker any time at all, since I did the interview.”

Read the rest @ http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=278433#ixzz1HOYVlDRY

Feminists flip over this book

Phyllis Schlafly, niece take on the old-girl’s network

Posted: March 17, 2011
12:50 am Eastern

By Anita Crane
© 2011 WND

WASHINGTON – Following a lengthy and reverential introduction by John Hilboldt, director of lectures and seminars at the Heritage Foundation, Phyllis Schlafly, the grande dame of the conservative movement, strode to the microphone and addressed an intimate gathering in the think tank’s auditorium as well as cameras from C-SPAN’s BookTV.

“Yes, I’ve had a very interesting and fun life, and I don’t owe any of it to the feminists,” the sprightly 86-year-old activist said in promoting her newest book, “The Flipside of Feminism,” written with her niece, Suzanne Venker. “Feminism has become a very hot topic. I suppose the reason is Sarah Palin. Feminists cannot resist attacking Sarah Palin. It’s not just because she’s a successful woman. She has a cool husband, a lot of kids, a great career, making lots of money. … And the acid in their wounds is that she’s pretty too.”

Legends are made of such stuff – and Schlafly is a living legend among conservatives.

She almost single-handedly defeated the Equal Rights Amendment a generation ago – and now she’s back trying to finish off feminism with her feisty niece and collaborator.

Read more: Feminists flip over this book http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=276193#ixzz1QOSOzX1O

By Anita Crane
© 2011 WorldNetDaily

“The truth is that feminism is the single worst thing that happened to American women.”

So wrote Suzanne Venker and her aunt, Phyllis Schlafly, in “The Flipside of Feminism: What Conservative Women Know – and Men Can’t Say.”

And if that doesn’t elicit feminist fury or bewilderment, what will? But it’s more reason for feminists and non-feminists to read this new title published by WND Books. After all, you’ll see people you know, people you love – maybe even yourself – in “The Flipside of Feminism,” the authors say.

“My hope is that any person between the ages of 18 and 50, male or female, who feels as though they’ve absorbed feminist ideology, will read this book,” said Venker, who describes herself first and foremost as a wife and mom, even though she’s authored a previous book and numerous articles.

Schlafly, author or editor of 20 books, founder of the Eagle Forum, and Supreme Court attorney most famous for leading the Equal Rights Amendment defeat, hopes that the young will read “Flipside” before they make “too many mistakes.”

“I want them to understand that everything the feminists are telling us is really a lie,” said the widow, and proud mother and grandmother. “Feminism teaches young women to think of themselves as victims of the patriarchy. That’s so unfortunate because American women are the most fortunate who have ever lived – we can make anything we want of our lives.”

What, then, is this thing that Venker and Schlafly call the “F word”?

Read more: Feminism’s legacy: ‘Heartache, STDs, abortion’ http://www.wnd.com/?pageId=272353#ixzz1GJydyAXt

Hat tip: Jason Jones, president of HERO’s Whole Life America (http://iamwholelife.com)

Let us pause. Perhaps we should take a deep breath. I understand the concern, but is there reason for panic?

These tea party activists answered Rep. Michele Bachmann's call and came from the Midwest to protest Obamacare. Primary reason? To restore the right to life. (Anita Crane © 2009)

GOProud advocates repealing the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and “expanding access to domestic partner benefits” in health care. It published a letter to presumed GOP congressional leaders Sen. Mitch McConnell (KY) and Rep. John Boehner (OH) demanding that the new House majority and Republican senators “avoid social issues and focus instead on issues of economic freedom and individual liberty.” Sure it’s startling that GOProud doesn’t acknowledge individual liberty starts with life. Or that murdering over 1 million babies per year – 1 million consumers – ruins the economy. And GOProud  headlined its letter Tea Party Leaders Release Letter Urging House and Senate GOP to Avoid Social Issues.

However, we hope that members of Congress realize that the signatures of 12 scattered tea party activists, one radio host in California, two bloggers and two GOProud staffers does not equal all tea party activists.

Nor does the paltry list prove that pro- and whole-life GOP members of the House and Senate will chicken out. Even Rep. Dan Lipinski (IL) – albeit the lone pro-life Democrat – has proven himself by voting against Obamacare and winning re-election.

Likewise, dear readers, there’s no reason to believe that tea party allies in Congress, such as Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), are about to wilt. I could name other brave souls elected or re-elected to Congress and we know it will be a tough fight against the culture of death.

Oh, we of little faith. Let’s take a little break, pray for more victories, then work with all people of good will.

I’ve met hundreds of tea party activists and almost every one of them told me that they’re fighting to restore the fundamental human right to life. The only things they want to kill are Obamacare and other Marxist disasters.

Primary reason for these Catholic U students protesting Obamacare? Its threats to life and liberty. (Anita Crane © 2009)

So, as we head into Thanksgiving, let’s do just that: Thank the Lord and be happy for new hope.

Published at The Daily Estimate, RenewAmerica.com and a few other places.

Kirk Cameron in Fireproof. Photo by Todd Stone. Courtesy of Sherwood Pictures (c) 2008.

Most Hollywood movies disappoint us with anti-heroes, but Kirk Cameron comes to the rescue in Fireproof: Never Leave Your Partner Behind, a Provident Films/Sony BMG release due in American movie theaters on September 26.

In Fireproof, Cameron stars as Captain Caleb Holt, a brave firefighter who saves strangers from peril. Nevertheless, after Caleb nearly dies while rescuing a child, he says, “The newspaper called me twice wanting an interview. Seems I’m a hero with everybody in the world, except my wife.”

Fireproof is the third feature film written by brothers Alex and Stephen Kendrick of Sherwood Pictures in Albany, Georgia – a project of Sherwood Baptist Church where they are pastors, producers and directors. Their last film, Facing the Giants, was panned by some critics, but popular among Christians. Fireproof has a few moments characteristic of low-budget independent films, but it should duly impress everyone. It’s got gripping action, adventure, love and comedy.

Stephen Kendrick said, “We’re not going to Hollywood trying to win an Academy award. We are in the trenches, working with couples on a day-to-day basis.” So, instead of the usual fiction where boy-meets-girl, they sleep together, quarrel and somehow end up together, Kendrick said, “We decided that we wanted to take the audience on a journey of what’s really going on in marriages right now.”

Cameron makes it easy to admire Capt. Holt, who leads his men with valor and good humor. At home, however, Caleb has spiritually abandoned his wife to obsessions such as internet porn. When she wants a divorce, Caleb’s father (Harris Malcom) challenges him to “The Love Dare,” a 40-day rescue plan for his marriage. Since Caleb thrives on challenge, he accepts the dare.

Despite the beauty of the plot, it has overtones that the husband is more to blame than the wife. However, as Caleb humbles himself to Catherine (Erin Bethea), obviously both spouses are responsible for their marriage. Day after day, Catherine turns a cold shoulder to Caleb as he nobly tries to rekindle her faith in him. Worse yet, she betrays him to her coworkers.

Thus, Kendrick explained, “The initial reaction is that people care about Caleb ’cause he’s trying, but Catherine is hardened. But we said, let’s be as real as possible and then, ultimately, at the end of the movie, does the audience care about them getting together?”

Alex and Stephen Kendrick with director of photography, Bob Scott (center). Photo by Todd Stone. Courtesy of Sherwood Pictures (c) 2008.

Kendrick has noticed that wives usually take the first steps to salvage troubled marriages, but often husbands are oblivious. He stated, “There is a male tone in our movies to help men. Alex and I are very passionate about that as we’re working with men… If the men are willing to step up and be men and pour back into the relationship – that is one of the keys to saving marriages.”

Even though this movie deals with widespread crises such as addictions to porn, Fireproof is artfully made so that adults get the big picture and children don’t lose their innocence. After all, Kendrick said, “We know that this will end up in the DVD library of families and, during nap time, a seven year old may get it out and watch.”

Former teen idol Kirk Cameron walked away from typical Hollywood productions long ago, but the role of Capt. Holt is perfect for him in so many ways.

In real life, Cameron starred as Mike Seaver in ABC’s sitcom Growing Pains. Despite the adoration of millions of fans, 17-year-old Cameron was empowered through humility. At the height of his fame, young Cameron the atheist wondered, “If I die today and find out there’s a god, is he going to be impressed with my celebrity like everyone else?” That question changed everything in his life.

He said, “It’s a whole convoluted web of twisted things in the entertainment industry. And when you try to take a stand, there’s a cost to it.”

Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea in Fireproof. Photo by Hayley Catt. Courtesy of Sherwood Pictures (c) 2008.

That cost includes the challenge of romantic roles. Cameron said, “I love my wife. I promised to love and cherish her to the exclusion of anyone else. A lot of actors will justify a lot of stuff in the name of art. I don’t feel that way, so I won’t kiss any other woman other than my wife. I’ve had that conviction for years. And in this movie, there’s that touching and romantic scene where Caleb and Catherine come to some resolve in their marriage and Chelsea came in and played the role of Catherine in silhouette. How can you do a movie about marriage and your life without holding true to that?”

Indeed, Cameron has had that conviction for years. Once he became a Christian, Cameron wanted no part in leading anyone to sin, so he fought to remove sex scenes from Growing Pains – and often he won. Consequently, some ‘where are they now’ TV retrospectives mock Cameron as if his beliefs ruined the sitcom. Therefore, Cameron wrote his memoirs, Still Growing. Among the fascinating details, for 17 years Cameron has been happily married to Chelsea Noble, the actress who played his Growing Pains girlfriend, and they have six children.

Now Cameron is so committed to Fireproof that he volunteered his talents like the rest of the actors in this ego-free indie production. He said, “Love is not a feeling, it’s a commitment. Love is a promise and love is an action… What struck me most about Fireproof is they hit the bull’s eye on the issues that people struggle with in marriage. I think that people are going to say, ‘I’ve been there. That’s me. That’s my life. That’s my relationship on several different issues.’”

Cameron’s instincts were proven true by my friend Linda, a divorcée who saw a pre-release screening with me. As both of us wept at the conclusion, she said, “That’s exactly how it is.”

In the end, people do want Caleb and Catherine to triumph in love. As Cameron said, any man would “give his right arm” to hear what Catherine eventually tells her husband and it is profound in its simplicity – so profound that grown men cried too.

There is much more to the story of Fireproof: Never Leave Your Partner Behind. See the preview and find a theater at FireproofTheMovie.com.

Copyright © 2008 Anita Crane. All rights reserved. This story may not be rewritten, republished or otherwise redistributed without prior written authority by the author. First published by SperoNews.com on Sept. 25, 2008. Updated for DVD release and published Feb. 2, 2009 by CatholicExchange.com.