Wisconsin Family Council

Wisconsin Family Council
Established1986
39-1556433 (EIN)
Headquarters2801 International Lane, Madison, Wisconsin
Key people
Julaine Appling, CEO
Revenue (2017)
$226,342[1]
Websitewifamilycouncil.org Edit this at Wikidata

Wisconsin Family Council (WFC) is an American 501(c)(3) group that advocates for Christian fundamentalist policy. WFC's Madison, Wisconsin headquarters also house its 501(c)(4) government lobbying arm, Wisconsin Family Action. It was founded as Family Research Institute of Wisconsin by Marvin Munyon[2] in 1986, patterned on the Family Research Institute.

The organization got its start advocating for corporal punishment in religious schools and opposing laws granting rights to children.[citation needed] It has since expanded to opposing sex education, campaigning against same-sex marriage, and opposing laws designed to punish sexual abuse in churches.

Today WFC is a Family Policy Council, an organization affiliated with Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council.[3]

History

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In 1986, founder Marvin Munyon left his job as an assistant principal at Calvary Baptist School in Watertown, Wisconsin, and founded WFC's predecessor organization later that year. A 1991 CNN broadcast about Munyon's time at the school reported that several former students alleged they suffered abuse, notably beatings, at the hands of Munyon.[4]

Stating in 1987 that "youngsters subjected to corporal punishment in Christian schools are taught discipline and respect for authority",[5] Munyon lead the organization to oppose Senate Bill 163, the first of many campaigns in support of legal corporal punishment in religious schools. In the 1990s, WFC opposed Assembly Bill 387 and Senate Bill 501,[6] laws intended to grant children rights and to allow termination of parental rights for parents who abused or neglected their children.

WFC campaigned for a 2006 amendment to the Wisconsin Constitution that would make gay marriage illegal,[7] and supported a provision to imprison gays for up to 9 months, and fine them up to $10,000, for attempting to marry outside of the state.[8] WFC's campaign was successful; the referendum prohibiting same-sex marriage passed in the 2006 general election.

In addition to opposing gay marriage, WFC set about making it more difficult for heterosexual couples to get divorced. WFC CEO Julaine Appling said "that marriage is indeed under attack and no-fault divorce is one of those attacks."[9]

In 2009, Wisconsin began to allow same-sex couples to form domestic partnerships so that they could enjoy some of the shared rights of married couples. WFC filed a lawsuit to stop the domestic partnerships. Appling complained that government officials were "pandering to a marginal group of people and we're challenging that in court."[10]

In 2010, WFC collaborated with Juneau County District Attorney Scott Southworth in an attempt to criminally prosecute teachers for teaching state-mandated comprehensive sex education.[11] Governor Jim Doyle, who had signed the sex education law, described the attempted prosecutions as "an unusual argument to make: Follow the law and I'll prosecute you."[12]

In 2017, WFC opposed legislation to make it easier to prosecute clergy members who molest children and to sue religious organizations for failing to deal with abusers.[13]

The Wisconsin State Capitol flew the rainbow flag for the first time in recognition of Pride month in 2019. Wisconsin Family Council collected signatures for a petition to remove the flag. WFC's CEO Appling said that only a flag that "represents everyone in the state" should be flown at the Capitol. She claims that the POW/MIA flag, which the building sometimes flies, represented everyone, unlike the Pride flag, which represented "a very narrow special interest group". Ten thousand people signed the petition.[14]

In August 2019, WFC opposed a birth control access law. The law was introduced by pro-life Republican lawmakers who intend it to reduce abortion.[15]

On 8 May 2022, the offices of the group were targeted in an arson attack. A Molotov cocktail was thrown through a window which failed to ignite, after which the arsonists set fire to the building. Graffiti slogans were sprayed on the building, including references to anarchy and Jane's Revenge, a recently-formed militant,[16][17][18] extremist group.[19][20][21][22][23][24][25]

References

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  1. ^ "Full text of "Form 990" for fiscal year ending Dec. 2017". ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. 9 May 2013. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  2. ^ Yamane, David (November 3, 2005). Representing God at the Statehouse: Religion and Politics in the American States. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 158. ISBN 978-0742534384.
  3. ^ "State Family Policy Councils". Family Research Council. Retrieved September 15, 2019.
  4. ^ Anderson Cooper, Gary Tuchman (December 1, 2011). Anderson Cooper 360: UnGodly Discipline (Transcript). Archived from the original on July 2, 2019. Retrieved September 6, 2019.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  5. ^ Eggleston, Richard (September 30, 1987). "Paddled student a national example". The Wausau Daily Herald. Associated Press. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  6. ^ White, Melissa (January 7, 1998). "Record of Committee Proceedings". Wisconsin State Legislature. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  7. ^ Foley, Ryan J. (May 16, 2009). "Domestic partnership plan likely legal". The Chippewa Herald. Associated Press. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  8. ^ Forster, Stacy (July 3, 2008). "Wisconsin gay couples who marry outside state could face penalty". Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Archived from the original on 2009-02-17. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  9. ^ Davidoff, Judith (November 8, 2006). "No-fault law declared target in wake of win". The Capital Times. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  10. ^ Tomlinson, Dylan B. (August 2, 2009). "Domestic partnership filing begins Monday". Herald Times Reporter. Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  11. ^ Davidoff, Judith (December 15, 2010). "Covering his tracks?". Journal Sentinel. Madison, Wisconsin. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  12. ^ Spicuzza, Mary (April 8, 2010). "Teachers won't face prosecution over sex ed classes". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  13. ^ "Lawmakers Push Changes To Fight Abuse". Parker Waichman LLP. February 27, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  14. ^ Neupert, Clara (June 26, 2019). "10K Sign Petition Calling For Removal Of LGBTQ Flag Flying Above State Capitol". Wisconsin Public Radio. Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  15. ^ Bauer, Scott (August 14, 2019). "Wisconsin Republicans pushing broader birth control access". Wisconsin State Journal. Retrieved September 6, 2019.
  16. ^ "'Jane's Revenge' group appears to threaten violence if Supreme Court overturns Roe". The Independent. June 24, 2022.
  17. ^ Clayworth, Jason (June 13, 2022). "Jane's Revenge claims it vandalized Des Moines resource center". Axios. Retrieved June 13, 2022.
  18. ^ "Fire at New York anti-abortion facility investigated as suspected arson". The Guardian. June 9, 2022.
  19. ^ "Pro-abortion vandals threaten pregnancy group in Hollywood". CBS News. June 14, 2022.
  20. ^ "'Bring rifles': Extremist groups call for violence over abortion ruling". The Washington Post. June 24, 2022.
  21. ^ "Pro-choice militants are targeting 'pregnancy crisis centers' across US". The Guardian. June 11, 2022.
  22. ^ Ploeg, Luke Vander; Lathers, Addison (2022-05-08). "Anti-Abortion Group in Wisconsin Is Hit by Arson, Authorities Say". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  23. ^ "Wisconsin Anti-Abortion Group's Office Targeted in Arson Attack". Time. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  24. ^ "Fire at Wisconsin anti-abortion office investigated as arson". The Independent. 2022-05-09. Retrieved 2022-05-11.
  25. ^ Chasmar, Jessica (2022-05-10). "Wisconsin police investigating after group takes credit for Molotov cocktail attack, warns of more violence". Fox News. Retrieved 2022-08-07.
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