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The Express Gay News
http://expressgaynews.com/blog/index.cfm?type=blog&start=9/20/06&end=9/23/06#9195
The danger of gay Arab linguists
Sometimes I think "The Daily Show" does more to educate Americans about the problems gays face than all of the national gay organizations combined.
Monday night's segment about gay Arab linguists being discharged from the military was both funny and telling.
You can find "Tangled Up In Bleu" here.
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vuJRpZTNhQ>
Former Army Sgt. Bleu Copas didn't find it difficult to resist "correspondent" Jason Jones' come-on. Perhaps if Jones hit the gym like a gay man, he would have been more successful.
And no one could make the anti-gay zealot and chairman of the Family Research Institute, Paul Cameron, look more ridiculous than Paul Cameron. HRC should buy 30 minutes of airtime for this guy and just let him talk. He'd bring a Swift boatload of social conservatives over to our side after just a few minutes.
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http://expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=9240
Congregation says anti-gay minister resigned over financial questions
Rev. Fox led Kansas fight
against same-sex marriage
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) | Sep 22, 12:01 AM
Wichita's Reverend Terry Fox resigned last month from the church where he led a statewide fight against same sex marriage.Now leaders at Wichita's Immanuel Baptist Church say Fox left in part because he had used church money to support his national radio program.
Fox was pastor of Immanuel Baptist for about nine years, and said his frequent travels for speaking engagements prompted his departure.
But yesterday, Chairman of the Deacons Don James issued the church's first official comment about the unexpected resignation. He also says witnesses testified that Fox had threatened to sue people who say anything negative about him.
Fox denies the threat claims and also says he didn't misuse church donations for his nationally syndicated radio show, "Answering the Call.'
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Forwarded from Ken's List <Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu>
To: kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.247gay.com/article.cfm?section=66&id=10739
Colorado Poll Shows Voters Support Rights for Same-Sex Unions
09.21.06
By Troy Espera
A statewide poll conducted last week by Colorado news agencies shows thatthe majority of Colorado voters support giving gay and lesbian couples' legal rights.
The same survey, conducted by CBS4 News/Rocky Mountain News poll also found the majority of those polled want to define marriage as only between a manand a woman.
"Eight in ten voters say they personally know someone who is gay orlesbian," said Lori Weigel of Public Opinion Strategies.
According to CBS4 News, the poll found that 58 percent of Colorado voterswould vote in favor of the domestic partnership measure also known asReferendum I on the November ballot.
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From: "Marc Paige" <marcpaige@msn.com>
To: jgoldberg@latimescolumnists.com
Subject: letter
Date: Thu, 21 Sep 2006 23:57:52 -0400
Mr Goldberg:
Your cold heart where Governor McGreevey is concerned is indicative of theproblem. When I grew up, my parents taught me to be proud of being Jewish,but when I realized I was gay, I knew not to seek support at home, associety had already taught me well to be ashamed of my sexual orientation.Can you imagine how much that screws a person up? Especially someone bornin the late 50's?
I overcame my self-hatred in my late teens. It took Jim McGreevey anunfortunate affair with another self-loathing Israeli man to force him toembrace his identity, although too late to avoid the wreckage of twomarriages. But your right-wing cronies still want us to be "ex-gays,"closeted, and miserable.
I have no idea what kind of Governor McGreevey was, but I do know that hesuffered years of torment and self-hatred promoted by your friends, the"family values" folks. So don't attack him for overcoming years of this psychological torture.
Marc Paige
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/22/health/22hiv.html?pagewanted=print
September 22, 2006
U.S. Urges H.I.V. Tests for Adults and Teenagers
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
In a major shift of policy, the federal government recommended yesterday that all adults and teenagers have H.I.V. tests as part of routine medicalcare because too many Americans are infected with the AIDS virus withoutknowing it.
The recommendation, by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, urgestesting at least once for everyone from 13 to 64 and annual tests for thosewith high-risk behavior.
The proposal is a sharp break from the early days of the AIDS epidemic, whenthe stigma of the disease and the fear of social ostracism caused manypeople to avoid being tested. That led to heated debate about whetherpositive test results could be shared by medical and governmentalauthorities in their effort to contain the epidemic by reaching out topartners of those who might be infected.
Under the agency's plan, patients would be told they are being tested, butthe tests would be voluntary. So that the tests could be easilyadministered, however, the agency urged the removal of two major barriers:separate signed consent forms and lengthy counseling before each test. Thatwould require new laws in some states, however, which could take yearsbecause some civil liberties groups and lobbyists for people with AIDS oppose the changes.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Fire-Chief-Harassment.html?pagewanted=print
September 22, 2006
Female Fire Chief Accused of Harassment
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 12:22 a.m. ET
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Bonnie Bleskachek knows what discrimination feels like.
After she joined the Minneapolis Fire Department years ago, malefirefighters would leave the room whenever she walked in, a union officialhurled an anti-gay slur at her because she is a lesbian, and a male comradehit her in the head with a soda can, according to her lawyer.
Bleskachek endured, becoming Minneapolis' first female fire chief and theonly openly gay fire chief of a major U.S. city.
But now, two years after ascending to the top job, Bleskachek is the one whostands accused of harassing women.
The 43-year-old chief is on leave as the city conducts an internalinvestigation amid lawsuits from three female firefighters who allegevarious acts of discrimination and sexual harassment. Also, a cityinvestigation found evidence that the department gave preferential treatmentto lesbians or those who socialize with them.
''It's really kind of unfortunate because of her position and her minoritystatus,'' said Theresa Glomb, a professor of human resources and industrialrelations at the University of Minnesota. ''I imagine, even if found to befalse, it could be very difficult for her to regain the respect that herachievement deserves.''
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http://www.stonewalldemocrats.org/trailmix/2006/09/progay_muslim_w_1.php
September 13, 2006
Pro-Gay Muslim Wins Democratic Nod
Photo Credit: Craig Lassig/AP Photo
Keith Ellison last night claimed the Democratic nomination for Minnesota's overwhelmingly- Democratic 5th Congressional District. Many news outlets have focused on the fact that Ellison will become the first Muslim elected to Congress with a victory in November. However, what many reports filed from outside Minnesota have overlooked is his strong record of support for LGBT issues.
Ellison has not only been a supporter, but a dogged advocate for LGBT families in Minnesota. He helped lead the Democratic opposition to an anti-marriage amendment in the state legislature and rallied the Black religious community against it in speeches and editorials. This, in part, earned him the endorsement of the Minnesota Stonewall DFL - our local chapter.
Ellison is a candidate who has admitted his flaws (having his drivers license suspended for failing to pay traffic tickets), and who seems able to learn and grow from them. Opponents attacked Ellison for his college-days defense of Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan from charges of anti-Semitism. However, Jewish political leaders in the district quickly rallied around the Ellison campaign to point out his work with their community.
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