Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council
From Ballotpedia
The Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1959 to "promote Judeo-Christian values as solutions to the social and moral problems confronting our nation."[1] Its political action arm is the Arkansas Committee on Ethics Policy. Both organizations are led by Executive Director Larry Page and are located in Little Rock, Arkansas.
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Important Issues
The Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council fights against the negative societal effects of:
- Abortion
- Alcohol
- Exploitation/Neglect of Children
- Gambling
- Homosexuality
- Pornography
- Racism
- Same-sex Marriage
- Secularism
- Stem Cell Research
History
At its formation in 1959, the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council was organized primarily to fight what the founders perceived to be a threat to society posed by alcohol, gambling, and obscenity. Because Arkansas has a Constitutional provision banning gambling that has been challenged since the AFEC's inception, this issue has distinguished the AFEC throughout its history. This agenda was expanded in 1989 to include (among other things) advocacy for the traditional family and against abortion, euthanasia, and secular humanism. The AFEC's political action committee, the Arkansas Committee for Ethics Policy, is one of the most notable opponents of the Arkansas State Lottery Initiative (2008).
Controversy
- The Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council has been opposed on several occasions with the accusation that they violate the separation of Church and State.
- The Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council has been frequently criticized for their opposition to legalized gambling, which their opponents claim would generate revenue for education that is currently being lost to neighboring states.
- In 2001, the Alliance for Reform of Drug Policy in Arkansas[2] and some drug rehabilitation organizations[3] criticized the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council's Ken Fithen for his opposition to legalizing marijuana for medical purposes.
- In 2004, Larry Page told pastors to be cautious not to endorse a candidate in the wake of the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State bringing suit against Pastor Ronnie Floyd of First Baptist Springdale. Page said that not only would such pastors be opening themselves up to lawsuits, but they also hurt the cause by appearing to be partisan. Many felt that Page should have criticized the Americans United for the Separation of Church and State rather than implicitly criticizing Pastor Floyd.
- The Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Arkansas Family Council came under criticism for successfully advocating for the reduction of the legal blood-alcohol limit of a motorist from .10 to .08 percent.
