BILLY GRAHAM-STATUE
North Carolina move to put Billy Graham statue in US Capitol
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) β North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory is to sign legislation today (Friday) approving the eventual placement of a statue of evangelist Billy Graham in the U.S. Capitol.
The Rev. Franklin Graham says it’s a great honor, but his father “thinks it’s too much Billy Graham” and would prefer people gave their attention to God.
Each state has two statues in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall. Under the proposal, Billy Graham’s likeness would replace that of Charles Aycock, who governed North Carolina from 1901 to 1905. Aycock’s legacy has been tarnished by links to the white supremacists of his era.
Congressional guidelines state that a person’s statue can only be installed posthumously, but the measure would start the process, to include choosing a sculptor.
Billy Graham, who turns 97 next month, grew up in Charlotte and now lives near Asheville, North Carolina.
Sound:
403-a-14-(The Reverend Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, in AP interview)-“a great honor”-The Reverend Franklin Graham says his father isn’t excited about a statue of him being placed in the U.S. Capitol. (1 Oct 2015)
< 404-a-11-(The Reverend Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham, in AP interview)-“kind of attention”-The Reverend Franklin Graham says he and other family members are pleased, but didn’t lobby for a statue of Billy Graham in the U.S. Capitol. (1 Oct 2015) < OREGON SCHOOL SHOOTING Gunman at Oregon college asked victims’ religion ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) β A student at the Oregon community college where a mass shooting occurred says the gunman shot her teacher and asked others in her classroom about their religion before spraying more bullets. Eighteen-year-old Kortney Moore of Rogue River told the Roseburg News-Review that she was in a writing class at Umpqua (UHMP’-kwah) Community College in Roseburg on Thursday when a shot came through a window. The gunman entered her classroom and told people to get on the ground. Moore says the man started asking people to stand up and state their religion and then opened fire. Douglas County Sheriff John Hanlin says the shooting left at least 10 people dead and 7 injured. Hanlin says authorities responded and exchanged gunfire with the man, who died in the shootout. GOP 2016-CARSON GOP’s Carson goes after Muslim advocacy group’s tax status WASHINGTON (AP) β Republican Ben Carson has launched a petition calling on the IRS to target the nation’s largest Muslim advocacy group. The retired neurosurgeon accuses the Council on American-Islamic Relations of violating its nonprofit tax status when it called for him to leave the 2016 presidential race. Group leaders lashed out at Carson after he said he would not support a Muslim president, but they deny any wrongdoing. CAIR spokesman Ibrahim Hooper accuses Carson of trying to silence his critics. 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Evangelicals say their affinity for Israel stems from Christianity’s Jewish roots and an anticipated Messianic age when all nations of the earth will flock to Jerusalem. Jews and Christians both believe in a future Messianic age, though Jews do not accept the Christian belief that Jesus is the Messiah. Many Israelis are wary of Christian Zionism, but the annual gathering provides needed support at a time when the country is increasingly isolated internationally. Sound: 291-a-06-(Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, addressing Evangelicals celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles)-“standing with us (applause fades)”-Israeli President Reuven Rivlin thanks Evangelical Christians for supporting Israel. (1 Oct 2015) < 289-a-09-(Jurgen Buhler, director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, in AP interview)-“of our eyes”-Jurgen Buhler, director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, says many evangelicals believe modern Israel is a fulfillment of biblical prophecy. (1 Oct 2015) < 290-a-12-(Jurgen Buhler, director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, in AP interview)-“to their land”-Jurgen Buhler, director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, says the restoration of a Jewish homeland was predicted thousands of years ago. (1 Oct 2015) < 293-r-12-(Evangelical Christians singing, at celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles)–Sound of evangelical Christians singing at a celebration during the Feast of Tabernacles. (1 Oct 2015) < 292-r-07-(Unidentified South Korean Christian, celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles)–Sound of an unidentified South Korean Christian celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. (1 Oct 2015) < SAME SEX WEDDING CAKE Bakery owners refuse to pay damages in gay wedding cake case PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) β The owners of an Oregon bakery are refusing to pay $135,000 in state-ordered damages to a same-sex couple who were denied service. 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Beshear’s lawyer, Palmer Vance, described Davis’ continued legal battle as a “meritless assault on the rule of law.” SUPREME COURT-JUDICIAL BIAS Justices to review bias claim against top Pennsylvania judge WASHINGTON (AP) β The Supreme Court will hear a Pennsylvania death row inmate’s claim that the state’s chief justice had a clear conflict of interest and should have stepped aside from the case. The court on Thursday added the case of Terrance Williams to its winter argument schedule. Williams was convicted of beating a church deacon to death when he was a teenager. Williams claimed the deacon had sexually abused him. His Supreme Court appeal turns on the role played by Ronald Castille, chief justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court until his retirement last year. Castille was Philadelphia district attorney when Williams was tried and authorized the pursuit of a death sentence against Williams. Castille rebuffed Williams’ request that he step aside from the case when it reached Pennsylvania’s top court. POLYGAMOUS TOWNS-CHILD LABOR Kids say polygamous sect made them harvest pecans for years SALT LAKE CITY (AP) β Children say they harvested pecans for years for a bishop in the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Salt Lake Tribune reports that federal labor authorities suspect Paragon Contractors, located on FLDS land, used children and unpaid labor to pick pecans on the Southern Utah Pecan Ranch. New filings in the Labor Department’s case include statements from people, some still minors, who said they worked the ranch. An affidavit from 21-year-old Alyssa Bistline says she was 13 years old when she started working, and spent five years on the main crew. Paragon Contractors, owned by Brian Jessop, held the harvest contract. Bistline says Jessop works closely with FLDS bishop Lyle Jeffs, the brother of imprisoned FLDS President Warren Jeffs. Bistline said Lyle Jeffs handed out ranch assignments. VATICAN-NEW SEASON Vatican cricket team to play Muslim, Argentine slum clubs VATICAN CITY (AP) β The Vatican is expanding the reach of its cricket club this season, hosting a Muslim team from Yorkshire and a club from the same Buenos Aires slum where Jorge Mario Bergoglio ministered before becoming Pope Francis. The Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Culture announced the lineup of matches Thursday. They include rematches of the teams the St. Peter’s Cricket Club played last year during its inaugural tour of Britain: The Church of England XI and the Royal Household cricket club. But in a sign that the Vatican’s initiative of blending sport with faith is spreading beyond just improved relations with the Anglican Church, the Vatican team on Oct. 17 is due to play Mount CC of Yorkshire, a Muslim team made up of mostly Pakistanis, at Rome’s Campanelle Cricket Ground.
