This week's round-up of posts about the religious right from the Greater Blogosphere is no doubt woefully incomplete.

However I think I have flagged some important and powerfully written stories; notably posts about the massive covert financing of antiabortion groups fighting the effort to overturn a draconian ban on abortion in South Dakota. Also notable are commentaries and background on the Ted Haggard gay sex scandal.

Supporters of anti-choice legislation have sunk to new lows this week. The anti-choice campaign in South Dakota used to rely on distorting the facts, but now they are getting desperate and resorting to bald-faced lies.

First, the proponents of the abortion ban mocked a rape survivor by appearing at a press conference dressed in a Cat in the Hat costume. Then they hid information and launched a TV ad that says referred law 6 has an exception for rape and incest (it does not). Now, their latest TV ad shows doctors supporting the ban, reiterating an exception for "the life and the health of the mother." As Kate Looby and Rep. Murschel previously explained, there are no exceptions to protect women's health in referred law 6.

By way of the mighty Pandagon, we find the the creepiest thing I've come across in quite a while.  It's the South Dakota alternative to the traditional Father-Daughter Dance, the "Purity Ball:"

It is impossible to convey what I have seen in their sweet spirits, their delicate, forming souls, as their daddy takes them out for their first, big dance. Their whole being absorbs my loving attention, resulting in a radiant sense of self-worth and identity. Think of it from their perspective: My daddy thinks I'm beautiful in my own unique way. My daddy is treating me with respect and honor...My daddy really loves me!"

OK--I'm the father of a pre-teen girl.  I can relate to that.  Nothing wrong there (well, okay, not much), and I think we'd all agree that our society could use more men spending time with their kids.

But then there's the pledge.

I love electoral democracy.  I really do.

Unlike the Howard Beale character in the classic film Network, who said "I'm as mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!" -- the best thing we can do when we feel like Beale is to run for office or support someone who will better represent our views than the rascals sitting in the local, state or federal legislature.

The good news for democracy is that this is happening all over America as we prepare for the 2006 election season.  

The media have generally abdicated their  responsibility to write and broadcast meaningfully about the people's business (aka government at all levels), and the electoral process by which the people decide who will govern and how (aka, democracy). But the great news is that there are real issues, robust candidates and popular movements busting out all over with the unabiguous intention of reviving, restoring and renewing electoral democracy after decades of doldrums. It is refreshing and encouraging to see -- even if you won't hear much about it from the kind of corporate news media that so infuriated Howard Beale.

It is with this kind of fighting democratic spirit that Charon Asetoyer, Executive Director of the Native Women's Health Education Resource Center in Lake Andes, South Dakota, has declared her candidacy for the State Senate. Some friends sent me an email and a press release about her candidacy, and I will share it with you on the flip.

Asetoyer has been getting a lot of national press recently. She appeared on the national radio program Democracy Now with Amy Goodman to discuss South Dakota's draconian antibortion legislation -- and efforts to provide abortion services on soveriegn Native American territory. She was also featured in an AP story about intimidation aimed at Native American voters. Last year she was honored by Womens eNews, an international online news service, as one of 21 Leaders for the 21st Century. Asetoyer is running as a prochoice, prowomens health Democrat in a state where the (mostly) Christian Right, Republican political establishment wants to use the new antiaboriton law as a vehicle to try to get  Roe vs. Wade overturned.  

Well, Charon Asetoyer is one candidate who is not going to take this anymore.

Pierre, SD (Rotters) - One day after signing into law the nation's toughest ban on abortion Governor Mike Rounds of South Dakota announced a public relations campaign to fight the expected boycott from national pro-choice organizations. The legislation is widely viewed as merely a blatant attempt at forcing the issue of gradually overthrowing Roe versus Wade in what is now considered an ideologically sympathetic Supreme Court. The law forbids any abortion, even in cases of rape or incest and threatens physicians performing them with five years in prison.

A spokesperson for the governor stated that the new campaign will offer no apologies for the governor and the state's position, and will instead embrace and promote what they view as a sweeping national trend.