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http://www.news-journalonline.com/scripts/printme.asp
Daytona Beach News Journal
All but a word
Jersey gets it mostly right on gay marriage
Couples don't need state approval to know they're married. But every coupledeserves the legal protections that come with a lifelong commitment. Itshouldn't matter whether those couples are male, female or one of each.
The New Jersey Supreme Court didn't put it quite that simply Wednesday --but it did recognize the fundamental unfairness of denying legal status togay and lesbian couples who state their intention to spend the rest of theirlives together.
The court stopped short of saying those couples are entitled to claim theword marriage. But what's in a name? The legal protections spelled out inthe 90-page decision encompass every legal right afforded to married,heterosexual couples. Calling such bonds civil unions instead of marriagesseems merely semantic, especially since many of these unions will be blessedby religious as well as government authority.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/opinion/l28marriage.html?pagewanted=print
Gay Marriage and the G.O.P. Base (4 Letters)
To the Editor:
Re "G.O.P. Moves Fast to Reignite Issue of Gay Marriage" (front page, Oct.27):
What has finally energized the Republican base? Is it outrage that theRepublican leadership badly bungled the war in Iraq and increased theterrorist threat?
No, it's gay marriage. Or, more specifically, their fear that two humans wholove each other and want to get married will destroy "civilized" culture.
So basically, the Republican base fears that love, not war, will destroy ourcountry.
O.K., so we know that this is not rational. Unfortunately, the rest of ushave to take it seriously because the Republican base votes from fear.
It's more important than ever that the rest of us get out and vote forpoliticians who will "stay the course" on issues that truly help our countryprosper.
Kathy Rappaport
Santa Fe, N.M., Oct. 27, 2006
more.....
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The Miami Herald
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15872930.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
Pope: Wounds from clergy abuse run deep
Associated Press
VATICAN CITY - Pope Benedict XVI said Saturday that the church musturgently rebuild confidence and trust damaged by clerical sex abusescandals, which have created deep wounds.
The pope made the remarks to a group of visiting bishops from Ireland,an overwhelmingly Roman Catholic nation where the church has been damaged bysex abuse scandals over the past decade.
"In the exercise of your pastoral ministry, you have had to respond inrecent years to many heart-rending cases of sexual abuse of minors," thepontiff told the bishops. "These are all the more tragic when the abuser isa cleric."
"The wounds caused by such acts run deep, and it is an urgent task torebuild confidence and trust where these have been damaged," Benedict said.
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102606JUDGE.htm
Judicial Nominee Says She Did Nothing Wrong Attending Lesbian Wedding
by The Associated Press
October 26, 2006 - 5:00 pm ET
(Washington) A Michigan judge whose nomination to the federal bench isstalled over her appearance at a lesbian commitment ceremony says sheattended as a friend, not to give legal sanction.
The nomination of Michigan Court of Appeals Judge Janet T. Neff to be a U.S.District Court judge is on hold because Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., is notsatisfied with her response to questions about her views on same-sexmarriage, a spokesman for the senator said Thursday.
Neff's status has been in limbo since last month, when Brownback placed hisprocedural hold - using a technique that allows a lone senator to stall anomination. Brownback wanted to know whether there was anything illegal orimproper about the 2002 ceremony in Massachusetts and how Neff's actionsmight shape her judicial philosophy.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/nyregion/28gay.html
October 28, 2006
For Gay Couples, Ruling Has a Cash Value
By TINA KELLEY
TRENTON, Oct. 26 - The New Jersey Supreme Court granted gay couples the samerights as married couples this week, leaving it to the State Legislaturewhether to call their partnerships marriages or civil unions.
But for Cynthia and Lucy Vandenberg, the landmark ruling is also aboutanother M-word: money.
The Vandenbergs, who have been partners for 12 years, have been forced toopen their checkbooks repeatedly over the years to pay thousands of dollarsin taxes on health benefits and for legal transactions that married couplesrarely face.
There was the $1,500 to change their surnames, for instance, the $1,400 orso in taxes they paid annually for additional health benefits, and the$1,000 they spent so one could adopt the biological child of the other.
"For all of this, you need to hire an attorney, or you find out the hardway," said Lucy Vandenberg, 37, the director of the state's Council onAffordable Housing.
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102606clinton.htm
Clinton Says She's 'Evolved' On Gay Marriage
Special to 365Gay.com by Paul Schindler, Gay City News
October 26, 2006 - 9:00 pm ET
(New York City) In an appearance early Wednesday evening in front of roughlythree-dozen LGBT leaders, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton indicated that shewould not oppose efforts by Eliot Spitzer, the odds-on favorite to becomethe new governor, to enact a same-sex marriage law in New York.
She also suggested that language she used when she first ran for the Senatein 2000 explaining her opposition to marriage equality based on theinstitution's moral, religious, and traditional foundations had notreflected the "many long conversations" she's had since with "friends" andothers, and that her advocacy on LGBT issues "has certainly evolved."
On Wednesday, Clinton presented her position on marriage equality as moreone of pragmatism.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/nyregion/28marriage.html?pagewanted=print
Civil Union or Marriage? A Long Wait in New Jersey
By LAURA MANSNERUS
TRENTON, Oct. 27 - New Jersey legislators, sorting through the few optionsgiven them by the State Supreme Court's ruling that gay couples be grantedthe full rights and benefits of heterosexual husbands and wives, cautionedtoday that it might take months to decide what to call the solution -marriage or something else.
But the next few months are booked up.
"There's a tremendous confluence of pretty significant issues theLegislature must resolve" within the six months allotted by the court,Albert Porroni, the chief counsel of the Office of Legislative Services,said on Friday. He noted that both the Senate and the Assembly were heavilyscheduled to work on property tax relief until January, and committed tostart working on the budget early next spring. That has stopped somelegislators from beginning to work on possible measures, which they wereinstructed to do by the state's high court on Wednesday.
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The Washington Post
http://blog.washingtonpost.com/benchconference/2006/10/post_17.html
The NJ Ruling Was Not "Anti-Marriage"
President Bush Thursday lashed out at the New Jersey Supreme Court forvoting earlier this week to give same-sex couples the same rights asopposite-sex couples when it comes to marriage benefits. "Yesterday, in NewJersey, we had another activist court issue a ruling that raises doubtsabout the institution of marriage," Bush said. The President's message waspart of a concerted effort by the GOP to push the ruling onto the politicalagenda just in time for the election. The Boston Globe this morning reports:"In Pennsylvania, where Rick Santorum , a conservative Republican, isstruggling to keep his Senate seat, the Pennsylvania Family Institute mailedfliers to potential voters, warning that 'homosexual legal activists inPennsylvania and elsewhere will make good on their agenda to exploit rulingslike New Jersey's to force homosexual marriages or marriage benefits on ourcommonwealth.'"
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102606postal.htm
Canadian Postal Workers Walk Out Over Mail Seen As Homophobic
by The Canadian Press
October 26, 2006 - 7:00 pm ET
(Vancouver, British Columbia) Neither rain, nor hail, nor sleet, nor snownor refusal to deliver an anti-gay pamphlet will keep the mail from gettingthrough.
That seemed to be the message Thursday from Canada Post in reacting to abrief walkout over the letter carriers union's refusal to deliver a pamphletthe union regards as ``homophobic'' and ``hate mail.''
The problem began Wednesday when letter carriers at Station F on the city'seast side were told they had to carry the pamphlets or face disciplinaryaction, said Ken Mooney, the Vancouver local president of the Canadian Unionof Postal Workers.
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102306condoms.htm
GAO Pokes Holes In Bush Condom Advice
by The Associated Press
October 23, 2006 - 9:00 pm ET
(Washington) Government auditors reminded the Bush administration Thursdaythat literature distributed by federally funded abstinence programs mustcontain medically accurate information about condoms' effectiveness inpreventing sexually transmitted diseases.
The Government Accountability Office did not make any judgment about theaccuracy of the literature. But the government watchdog did say theDepartment of Health and Human Services is required by law to ensure thatmaterials addressing sexually transmitted diseases "shall contain medicallyaccurate information on condom effectiveness."
The Bush administration has contended that materials prepared by theprograms, which received about $170 million in 2006, did not fall within thescope of the statute.
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Polls undercount support for same-sex marriage ban
Measures on 5 state ballots likely to pass despite survey results
- Wyatt Buchanan, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, October 27, 2006
San Francisco Chronicle
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/10/27/MNG74M100V1.DTL&type=printable
Proponents of measures to prohibit same-sex marriage say New Jersey'sSupreme Court ruling that committed same-sex couples deserve the same rightsas heterosexual couples will motivate voters to pass constitutional bans.
But most of the measures on the Nov. 7 ballot in eight other states alreadyhave strong voter support. In fact, they may be even farther ahead than theyappear, because polling on the issue has been consistently and inexplicablyinaccurate.
Same-sex marriage ban supporters and opponents agree that pre- electionpolls often undercount support for the measures.
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Analysis: Implications from NJ's Gay Rights Ruling
http://www.gothamist.com/archives/2006/10/26/implications_fr.php
October 26, 2006
The Gothamist
With the NJ Supreme Court decision that gay couples should have the samerights as heterosexual couples just one day old, it's still unclear whetheror not New York will accept a NJ same-sex civil union or marriage, though ithas with other states. Mayor Bloomberg said, "New York City has a policy ofaccepting bona-fide marriages from other jurisdictions. I've always believedit's not the government's business whom you marry." And City Council SpeakerQuinn who is openly gay said, "New York State's Legislature must also act toaddress this injustice in New York so that all citizens are treated equallyon both sides of the Hudson River."
Now the next phase is whether or not the Legislature will call same- sexpartnerships "marriage." Gay rights advocates are working on their lobbyingtactics. The Star-Ledger had a good explanation of what the court rulingmeans and what the next steps are.
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Gays demand marriage as South Africa weighs 'unions'
http://www.washblade.com/2006/10-27/news/worldnews/worldnews.cfm
Washington Blade
October 27, 2007
PRETORIA - Gay activists are protesting a civil union bill underconsideration as falling short of full marriage rights, IOL reported lastweek. A coalition of gay groups rallied Oct. 17 outside government buildingsin Pretoria to criticize the measure. "The bill allows gay and lesbianpeople to form civil partnerships," Alex Ringelman, a student organizer,told IOL. "However, in our view civil partnerships are not equivalent tomarriage. They entrench institutional segregation in our law and a separate,inferior status for gay relationships." The protesters complained that thecivil union measure was in defiance of a ruling by the country'sconstitutional court that legislation must be adopted according gay couplesthe same legal rights as heterosexual married couples. South Africa'sconstitution is one of the few in the world that expressly promises equalitybased on sexual orientation.
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
IN: State GOP pledges to ban gay marriag
State GOP pledges to ban gay marriage
By Mike Smith
of The Associated Press
October 27, 2006
http://www.fortwayne.com/mld/newssentinel/news/local/15864206.htm
INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana House Republicans pledged Thursday to take the nextstep toward a state constitutional ban on gay marriage if they retain theirmajority after the Nov. 7 election.
House Speaker Brian Bosma said the promise was timely, since it came a dayafter New Jersey's highest court opened the door to making that state thenation's second to allow gay marriage. The court ruled that lawmakers mustoffer same-sex couples either marriage or something like it, such as civilunions.
"If Indiana is going to make a decision to change the definition of marriagein the future, that decision should not be left to an appointed judge,"Bosma, R-Indianapolis, said at a news conference."It should be left to elected legislators and citizens of this state."
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Opinion: Anti SSM Amendment in Old Virginny Tradition ofBlood
Soaked Jim Crow
Another voice: Gay marriage and Old Virginny
George W. Harris, Chancellor Professor of Philosophy at the College of
William and Mary October 27, 2006
http://www.dailypress.com/news/opinion/
dp-56052sy0oct27,0,7707870.story?coll=dp-opinion-editorials
Hampton Roads, VA Daily Press
Defenders of a Virginia constitutional ban on gay marriage invoke threethreats to traditional marriage and the social fabric ofsociety: Gay marriages contribute to the breakdown of traditional marriages;they threaten the welfare of children; and, they are "unbiblical." The samedefenders accuse opponents of fear-mongering when they say that theamendment would affect relationships other than homosexual unions,especially unwed heterosexual relationships.
If we take the defenders at their word, they are relieved of the charge ofhaving targets other than gay marriage but embarrassed by some ratherobvious questions.
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=200661026010
First lesbian to compete in Miss Corolla Pageant
by Meredith McNutt
October 27, 2006
ARTICLE FEATURES
On Nov. 10, Southern tradition will be broken and a precedent will be setwhen the first lesbian walks on stage at the 70th Annual Miss CorollaPageant.
Audrey Alexander, 19, a junior majoring in advertising, was selected by theQueer- Straight Alliance to be their representative in the pageant.
"I want to show people that gays are people, too," said Alexander. "I alsowant to promote awareness that lesbians can be girly."
She is an advocate for gay rights and gay awareness and hopes that herexperience in the pageant will help get the message out in the open.
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Saturday, October 28, 2006
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST October 28, 2006
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/business/28ford.html?ei=5094&en=540fa06d8e7c2dc1&hp=&ex=1162094400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
End of the Line for Ford Taurus
By MICHELINE MAYNARD
DETROIT, Oct. 27 - The Ford Taurus is dead. Long live the Taurus?
This week produced one of those stranger-than-fiction moments in Ford'shistory: the last Taurus rolled off the assembly line Friday, in the sameweek that Ford's new chief executive, Alan R. Mulally, said the strugglingcompany needed to transform itself with grand new ambitions - the same kindof ambitions that gave birth to the Taurus, which became the symbol ofAmerican automotive renaissance when it first went on sale in 1985.
The storyline is even more ironic, given that Mr. Mulally, as a topexecutive at Boeing, used the development of the Taurus as an inspirationalcase study for his team as they overhauled the way that Boeing built planes.
And, in a sense, he is doing the same again. "Ford's on a new plan," Mr.Mulally said last week. "We're in business to create value."
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http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/world/28zelikow.html?ei=5094&en=c0a1e779efea5ad9&hp=&ex=1162094400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
The New York Times
October 28, 2006
Rice's Counselor Gives Advice Others May Not Want to Hear
By HELENE COOPER and DAVID E. SANGER
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 - For the last 18 months, Philip D. Zelikow has churnedout confidential memorandums and proposals for his boss and close friend,Condoleezza Rice, that often depart sharply from the Bush administration'scurrent line.
One described the potential for Iraq to become a "catastrophic failure."Another, among several that have come to light in recent weeks, was an earlycall for changes in a detention policy that many in the State Departmentbelieved was doing tremendous harm to the United States.
Others have proposed new diplomatic initiatives toward North Korea and theMiddle East, and one went as far as to call for a reconsideration of thephrase "war on terror" because it alienated many Muslims - an idea thatquickly fizzled after opposition from the White House.
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From Rep. John Conyers
Three Congressional Races Crucial for Democrats to Retake The House
I am writing today to ask you to support three candidates who are contesting seats crucial to winning back the House. They are fighters who value the Constitution and public service more than the politics of personal gain. These three have run terrific campaigns. What they lack is the millions of dollars that their opponents have raised from big money interests and right wing organizations.
John Cranley, Ohio's First District
John Cranley is running on a message for change that is resonating deeply with Ohio voters. His record of bipartisan reform on the Cincinnati City Council is being welcomed by voters as a contrast to the corruption and scandal surrounding Ohio Republicans in Columbus and Washington. John is running in Ken Blackwell's hometown, against an extremist Republican who has over $1 million to spend on ads distorting Cranley's distinguished service on the City Council.
Donate Today
Jerry McNerney, California's 11th District
Environmental groups such as the League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, and Defenders of Wildlife are heavily involved in this race, and Jerry McNerney continues to hit the Republican incumbent, Richard Pombo, for his record on the environment as chairman of the Resources Committee. McNerney has been endorsed by nearly every local union and local Democratic group, and has attracted such widespread grassroots support that he will reach more than 50,000 voters on Election Day.
more....
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601303_pf.html
The Education Revolution America Needs
By Eugene Hickok
Special to washingtonpost.com's Think Tank Town
Friday, October 27, 2006; 12:00 AM
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently commented that the No ChildLeft Behind Act is nearly perfect. "I talk about No Child Left Behind likeIvory soap: It's 99.9 percent pure," Spellings said.
Even if Secretary Spellings were right that NCLB is 99.9% pure, it stillwould not be the formula for what ails American education.
The current debate over NCLB overlooks a critical problem: Nothing theadministration does under NCLB will ensure the law's promise that everychild will be proficient in reading and math by 2014. For reasons unrelatedto the law's merit, NCLB is simply not up to the task. Something far moreprofound and transformative must happen for American education to offerevery child the opportunity to succeed.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/opinion/28sat1.html?pagewanted=print
October 28, 2006
Editorial
Conserving That Compassion
When future generations of Americans look back on the current era, they'llpuzzle over what it was about George W. Bush that made people imagine therewas anything compassionate to his conservatism.
Having apparently lost all hope that he can use terrorism to scare votersinto electing Republicans this November, the president has now begun raisingthe threat of gay marriage.
The moment the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a ruling on the subject thisweek, Mr. Bush began using every possible excuse to bring up "activist"judges and gay weddings on the campaign trail. "I mentioned his love for hisfamily," Mr. Bush said at a rally for a Republican Senate candidate inMichigan. "He understands what I know, that marriage is a fundamentalinstitution of our civilization. Yesterday in New Jersey we had anotheractivist court issue a ruling ..."
The court in New Jersey, for what it's worth, was hardly activist. The StateLegislature had given gay couples the ability to unite in domesticpartnerships that gave them most, but not all, of the legal protectionsavailable to married heterosexuals.
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102606bush.htm
Bush Renews Attack On 'Activist Judges' Following N.J. Gay Ruling
by The Associated Press
October 26, 2006 - 5:00 pm ET
(Des Moines, Iowa) President Bush said the ``sacred institution'' ofmarriage between a man and a woman must be defended against what he calledactivist court rulings.
Bush briefly brought up the topic, unprompted, while raising money here fora Republican congressional candidate, a day after the New Jersey SupremeCourt decided that same-sex couples must be given the same rights as marriedpeople. (story)
The court left it up to the state's Legislature to decide whether to extendthose rights under the structure of marriage, civil unions or somethingelse.
The president said the ruling ``raises doubts about the institution ofmarriage.''
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The New York Times
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/opinion/28dowd.html?pagewanted=print
October 28, 2006
'Brothels, Sex Kittens, Pedophilia?'
By MAUREEN DOWD
Republicans panicking is not a pretty sight.
Candidates around the country have been race-baiting, gay-baiting, MichaelJ. Fox-baiting and Hispanic-baiting. But now it has come to this:Republicans are novel-baiting.
Still trying to recover his balance, after slipping on a macaca andadmitting he was a Jewish bubba, one criticized for using racist language,displaying a Confederate flag at home and keeping a hangman's noose at hisold law office, Senator George Allen of Virginia unleashed a vicious attackon Jim Webb Thursday night. He called him a fiction writer.
Senator Macacawitz, as he is now known in Washington, sent the cyber- gossipMatt Drudge a press release called "Webb's Weird World." It featured racyquotes from his rival's novels and the contention that they were "verydisturbing for a candidate hoping to represent the families of Virginians."It said Mr. Webb's novels about the military and war portrayed women as"servile, subordinate, inept, incompetent, promiscuous, perverted, or somecombination of these."
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/27/AR2006102701104_pf.html
Thought Police in the Lecture Hall
By Asheesh Kapur Siddique
Saturday, October 28, 2006; A15
Universities are the bulwark of democratic societies -- places whereindividuals with diverse viewpoints come together to learn and to producenew knowledge for addressing social concerns, free of ideologicalinterference. But these centers of freedom are under attack from people whowant to inject partisan politics into our classrooms.
Led by activist David Horowitz, some conservatives are pushing for theadoption of an "Academic Bill of Rights" (ABOR) across America. The billtakes the form of student resolutions or legislative proposals claiming toprotect the academic freedom of college students from ideologicalindoctrination by professors.
My classmates at Princeton passed a modified version of the bill in astudent referendum in April. In July, Philadelphia's Temple Universitybecame the first institution to officially adopt the policy. Arizona'slegislature is preparing to consider a version of the bill.
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/27/AR2006102701106_pf.html
The Grand Ayatollah Behind the Curtain
By Colbert I. King
Saturday, October 28, 2006; A15
The question directed this week to the National Security Council pressoffice was straightforward: "Has the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani met withany American official, either military or civilian, since the U.S. invasionin 2003?" The answer reveals the extent to which the Bush administration isnow, and always has been, out of its depth in Iraq.
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani is Iraq's most powerful figure. Under the reignof Saddam Hussein, Sistani was forced to keep a low profile, since he waspart of the Shiite majority that Hussein's ruling Baath Party controlledwith a heavy hand. Sistani was on the receiving end of assassinationattempts by Hussein's thugs. But all that changed in the spring of 2003,when the United States toppled the Iraqi regime.
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Forwarded from Susan Fishkorn
Tri-County - chances@attglobal.net
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/world/middleeast/28reconstruct.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
October 28, 2006
Report Says Iraq Contractor Is Hiding Data From U.S.
By JAMES GLANZ and FLOYD NORRIS
A Halliburton subsidiary that has been subjected to numerous investigationsfor billions of dollars in contracts it received for work in Iraq hassystematically misused federal rules to withhold basic information on itspractices from American officials, a federal oversight agency saidyesterday.
The contracts awarded to the company, KBR, formerly named Kellogg Brown &Root, are for housing, food, fuel and other necessities for American troopsand government officials in Iraq, and for restoring that country's crucialoil infrastructure. The contracts total about $20 billion.
The oversight agency, the Office of the Special Inspector General for IraqReconstruction, said KBR had refused to disclose information as basic as howmany people are fed each day in its dining facilities and how many gallonsof fuel are delivered to foreign embassies in Iraq, claiming that the datawas proprietary, meaning it would unfairly help its business competitors.
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/27/AR2006102700486.html
Official in Abramoff Case Sentenced to 18 Months
By Susan Schmidt
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 28, 2006; A03
A federal judge yesterday sentenced David H. Safavian, a former top Bushadministration official, to 18 months in prison for lying and concealingunethical dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
During an unusual hearing that lasted much of the day, U.S. District JudgePaul L. Friedman wrestled with how to mete out justice to Safavian. He saidSafavian was a man who had "pulled himself up by his bootstraps" and hadbeen "a very good person to a lot of people." But, the judge said, Safavianalso committed "an abuse of the public trust" in his relationship with thelobbyist.
"Did he believe in public service? I guess he did," Friedman said. "But healso wanted someday to join Mr. Abramoff in that lucrative lobbyingbusiness."
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601255.html
Does the Code Still Work?
By Eugene Robinson
Friday, October 27, 2006; A23
The Republican Party built its "solid South" in part with an appeal toracism against African Americans and other minorities. Sometimes the messagewas explicit -- Jesse Helms's mugging of Harvey Gantt in 1990 was perhapsthe most blatant example. Usually, though, latent prejudice had to besummoned more subtly, using a code that white voters could easily decipher:I'm on your side. The Democrats are with them . Who you gonna vote for?
Election results in Tennessee and Virginia will give us a benchmark, to useGeorge W. Bush's new favorite word, of how much the South has changed -- andalso, by the way, will probably determine whether the Democratic Party pullsoff an upset and captures the Senate.
Rep. Harold Ford Jr., the scion of an African American political dynasty,wasn't expected to mount a serious challenge in Tennessee for the Senateseat being vacated by retiring Majority Leader Bill Frist. But with lessthan two weeks to go, most polls show him in a virtual dead heat withRepublican Bob Corker, a former mayor of Chattanooga. That Ford is evenwithin striking distance says a lot about how disillusioned manyself-described independent voters are with the Republican pooh-bahs inWashington, who have been running the country long enough that they can'tcredibly blame Democrats for much of anything.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/washington/28belief.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
October 28, 2006
Beliefs
The Disillusionment of a Young White House Evangelical
By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN
In an election season, how could an "inside story of political seduction,"to quote the subtitle of David Kuo's "Tempting Faith," not be mined forevery politically explosive example it offers?
And Mr. Kuo, who once wrote speeches for William J. Bennett, Pat Robertson,John Ashcroft, Bob Dole and George W. Bush and who served more than twoyears as second in command at the White House Office of Faith-Based andCommunity Initiatives, offers plenty.
In his tenure at that office, warm words about compassion, he argues, werebelied by meager financing and bureaucratic indifference. Federally financedconferences for religious leaders, he says, were adroitly arranged tobenefit threatened Republican incumbents. The conservative Christianleadership that was publicly stroked, he reports, was being privatelyderided by members of the White House staff.
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OpEdNews.com
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_randolph_061025_republicans_and_the_.htm
October 25, 2006
Republicans and the Culture of Stupidity
By randyholhut
DUMMERSTON, Vt. - For the second year in a row, Vermont was ranked thesmartest state in the union by the Kansas-based research group MorganQuitno.
Rankings such as these are always in the eye of the beholder, but the MorganQuitno study measured school spending, graduation rates, standardized testscores, dropout rates, student-teacher ratios and the percentage of studentsin public schools.
The study gives more weight to test scores than to school spending, sospending more on public schools doesn't necessarily count for more thanactual performance by students.
Vermont has smaller class sizes and higher per-pupil expenditures than moststates. Our students usually do well on standard tests and the overallquality of secondary education is good. That's why Vermont hasn't finishedlower than third in the five years the Morgan Quitno study has been done.
#####
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/business/28ford.html?ei=5094&en=540fa06d8e7c2dc1&hp=&ex=1162094400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
End of the Line for Ford Taurus
By MICHELINE MAYNARD
DETROIT, Oct. 27 - The Ford Taurus is dead. Long live the Taurus?
This week produced one of those stranger-than-fiction moments in Ford'shistory: the last Taurus rolled off the assembly line Friday, in the sameweek that Ford's new chief executive, Alan R. Mulally, said the strugglingcompany needed to transform itself with grand new ambitions - the same kindof ambitions that gave birth to the Taurus, which became the symbol ofAmerican automotive renaissance when it first went on sale in 1985.
The storyline is even more ironic, given that Mr. Mulally, as a topexecutive at Boeing, used the development of the Taurus as an inspirationalcase study for his team as they overhauled the way that Boeing built planes.
And, in a sense, he is doing the same again. "Ford's on a new plan," Mr.Mulally said last week. "We're in business to create value."
=
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/world/28zelikow.html?ei=5094&en=c0a1e779efea5ad9&hp=&ex=1162094400&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
The New York Times
October 28, 2006
Rice's Counselor Gives Advice Others May Not Want to Hear
By HELENE COOPER and DAVID E. SANGER
WASHINGTON, Oct. 27 - For the last 18 months, Philip D. Zelikow has churnedout confidential memorandums and proposals for his boss and close friend,Condoleezza Rice, that often depart sharply from the Bush administration'scurrent line.
One described the potential for Iraq to become a "catastrophic failure."Another, among several that have come to light in recent weeks, was an earlycall for changes in a detention policy that many in the State Departmentbelieved was doing tremendous harm to the United States.
Others have proposed new diplomatic initiatives toward North Korea and theMiddle East, and one went as far as to call for a reconsideration of thephrase "war on terror" because it alienated many Muslims - an idea thatquickly fizzled after opposition from the White House.
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From Rep. John Conyers
Three Congressional Races Crucial for Democrats to Retake The House
I am writing today to ask you to support three candidates who are contesting seats crucial to winning back the House. They are fighters who value the Constitution and public service more than the politics of personal gain. These three have run terrific campaigns. What they lack is the millions of dollars that their opponents have raised from big money interests and right wing organizations.
John Cranley, Ohio's First District
John Cranley is running on a message for change that is resonating deeply with Ohio voters. His record of bipartisan reform on the Cincinnati City Council is being welcomed by voters as a contrast to the corruption and scandal surrounding Ohio Republicans in Columbus and Washington. John is running in Ken Blackwell's hometown, against an extremist Republican who has over $1 million to spend on ads distorting Cranley's distinguished service on the City Council.
Donate Today
Jerry McNerney, California's 11th District
Environmental groups such as the League of Conservation Voters, Sierra Club, and Defenders of Wildlife are heavily involved in this race, and Jerry McNerney continues to hit the Republican incumbent, Richard Pombo, for his record on the environment as chairman of the Resources Committee. McNerney has been endorsed by nearly every local union and local Democratic group, and has attracted such widespread grassroots support that he will reach more than 50,000 voters on Election Day.
more....
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601303_pf.html
The Education Revolution America Needs
By Eugene Hickok
Special to washingtonpost.com's Think Tank Town
Friday, October 27, 2006; 12:00 AM
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings recently commented that the No ChildLeft Behind Act is nearly perfect. "I talk about No Child Left Behind likeIvory soap: It's 99.9 percent pure," Spellings said.
Even if Secretary Spellings were right that NCLB is 99.9% pure, it stillwould not be the formula for what ails American education.
The current debate over NCLB overlooks a critical problem: Nothing theadministration does under NCLB will ensure the law's promise that everychild will be proficient in reading and math by 2014. For reasons unrelatedto the law's merit, NCLB is simply not up to the task. Something far moreprofound and transformative must happen for American education to offerevery child the opportunity to succeed.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/opinion/28sat1.html?pagewanted=print
October 28, 2006
Editorial
Conserving That Compassion
When future generations of Americans look back on the current era, they'llpuzzle over what it was about George W. Bush that made people imagine therewas anything compassionate to his conservatism.
Having apparently lost all hope that he can use terrorism to scare votersinto electing Republicans this November, the president has now begun raisingthe threat of gay marriage.
The moment the New Jersey Supreme Court issued a ruling on the subject thisweek, Mr. Bush began using every possible excuse to bring up "activist"judges and gay weddings on the campaign trail. "I mentioned his love for hisfamily," Mr. Bush said at a rally for a Republican Senate candidate inMichigan. "He understands what I know, that marriage is a fundamentalinstitution of our civilization. Yesterday in New Jersey we had anotheractivist court issue a ruling ..."
The court in New Jersey, for what it's worth, was hardly activist. The StateLegislature had given gay couples the ability to unite in domesticpartnerships that gave them most, but not all, of the legal protectionsavailable to married heterosexuals.
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102606bush.htm
Bush Renews Attack On 'Activist Judges' Following N.J. Gay Ruling
by The Associated Press
October 26, 2006 - 5:00 pm ET
(Des Moines, Iowa) President Bush said the ``sacred institution'' ofmarriage between a man and a woman must be defended against what he calledactivist court rulings.
Bush briefly brought up the topic, unprompted, while raising money here fora Republican congressional candidate, a day after the New Jersey SupremeCourt decided that same-sex couples must be given the same rights as marriedpeople. (story)
The court left it up to the state's Legislature to decide whether to extendthose rights under the structure of marriage, civil unions or somethingelse.
The president said the ruling ``raises doubts about the institution ofmarriage.''
=
The New York Times
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/opinion/28dowd.html?pagewanted=print
October 28, 2006
'Brothels, Sex Kittens, Pedophilia?'
By MAUREEN DOWD
Republicans panicking is not a pretty sight.
Candidates around the country have been race-baiting, gay-baiting, MichaelJ. Fox-baiting and Hispanic-baiting. But now it has come to this:Republicans are novel-baiting.
Still trying to recover his balance, after slipping on a macaca andadmitting he was a Jewish bubba, one criticized for using racist language,displaying a Confederate flag at home and keeping a hangman's noose at hisold law office, Senator George Allen of Virginia unleashed a vicious attackon Jim Webb Thursday night. He called him a fiction writer.
Senator Macacawitz, as he is now known in Washington, sent the cyber- gossipMatt Drudge a press release called "Webb's Weird World." It featured racyquotes from his rival's novels and the contention that they were "verydisturbing for a candidate hoping to represent the families of Virginians."It said Mr. Webb's novels about the military and war portrayed women as"servile, subordinate, inept, incompetent, promiscuous, perverted, or somecombination of these."
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/27/AR2006102701104_pf.html
Thought Police in the Lecture Hall
By Asheesh Kapur Siddique
Saturday, October 28, 2006; A15
Universities are the bulwark of democratic societies -- places whereindividuals with diverse viewpoints come together to learn and to producenew knowledge for addressing social concerns, free of ideologicalinterference. But these centers of freedom are under attack from people whowant to inject partisan politics into our classrooms.
Led by activist David Horowitz, some conservatives are pushing for theadoption of an "Academic Bill of Rights" (ABOR) across America. The billtakes the form of student resolutions or legislative proposals claiming toprotect the academic freedom of college students from ideologicalindoctrination by professors.
My classmates at Princeton passed a modified version of the bill in astudent referendum in April. In July, Philadelphia's Temple Universitybecame the first institution to officially adopt the policy. Arizona'slegislature is preparing to consider a version of the bill.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/27/AR2006102701106_pf.html
The Grand Ayatollah Behind the Curtain
By Colbert I. King
Saturday, October 28, 2006; A15
The question directed this week to the National Security Council pressoffice was straightforward: "Has the Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani met withany American official, either military or civilian, since the U.S. invasionin 2003?" The answer reveals the extent to which the Bush administration isnow, and always has been, out of its depth in Iraq.
Grand Ayatollah Ali Sistani is Iraq's most powerful figure. Under the reignof Saddam Hussein, Sistani was forced to keep a low profile, since he waspart of the Shiite majority that Hussein's ruling Baath Party controlledwith a heavy hand. Sistani was on the receiving end of assassinationattempts by Hussein's thugs. But all that changed in the spring of 2003,when the United States toppled the Iraqi regime.
=
Forwarded from Susan Fishkorn
Tri-County - chances@attglobal.net
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/world/middleeast/28reconstruct.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
October 28, 2006
Report Says Iraq Contractor Is Hiding Data From U.S.
By JAMES GLANZ and FLOYD NORRIS
A Halliburton subsidiary that has been subjected to numerous investigationsfor billions of dollars in contracts it received for work in Iraq hassystematically misused federal rules to withhold basic information on itspractices from American officials, a federal oversight agency saidyesterday.
The contracts awarded to the company, KBR, formerly named Kellogg Brown &Root, are for housing, food, fuel and other necessities for American troopsand government officials in Iraq, and for restoring that country's crucialoil infrastructure. The contracts total about $20 billion.
The oversight agency, the Office of the Special Inspector General for IraqReconstruction, said KBR had refused to disclose information as basic as howmany people are fed each day in its dining facilities and how many gallonsof fuel are delivered to foreign embassies in Iraq, claiming that the datawas proprietary, meaning it would unfairly help its business competitors.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/27/AR2006102700486.html
Official in Abramoff Case Sentenced to 18 Months
By Susan Schmidt
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, October 28, 2006; A03
A federal judge yesterday sentenced David H. Safavian, a former top Bushadministration official, to 18 months in prison for lying and concealingunethical dealings with lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
During an unusual hearing that lasted much of the day, U.S. District JudgePaul L. Friedman wrestled with how to mete out justice to Safavian. He saidSafavian was a man who had "pulled himself up by his bootstraps" and hadbeen "a very good person to a lot of people." But, the judge said, Safavianalso committed "an abuse of the public trust" in his relationship with thelobbyist.
"Did he believe in public service? I guess he did," Friedman said. "But healso wanted someday to join Mr. Abramoff in that lucrative lobbyingbusiness."
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601255.html
Does the Code Still Work?
By Eugene Robinson
Friday, October 27, 2006; A23
The Republican Party built its "solid South" in part with an appeal toracism against African Americans and other minorities. Sometimes the messagewas explicit -- Jesse Helms's mugging of Harvey Gantt in 1990 was perhapsthe most blatant example. Usually, though, latent prejudice had to besummoned more subtly, using a code that white voters could easily decipher:I'm on your side. The Democrats are with them . Who you gonna vote for?
Election results in Tennessee and Virginia will give us a benchmark, to useGeorge W. Bush's new favorite word, of how much the South has changed -- andalso, by the way, will probably determine whether the Democratic Party pullsoff an upset and captures the Senate.
Rep. Harold Ford Jr., the scion of an African American political dynasty,wasn't expected to mount a serious challenge in Tennessee for the Senateseat being vacated by retiring Majority Leader Bill Frist. But with lessthan two weeks to go, most polls show him in a virtual dead heat withRepublican Bob Corker, a former mayor of Chattanooga. That Ford is evenwithin striking distance says a lot about how disillusioned manyself-described independent voters are with the Republican pooh-bahs inWashington, who have been running the country long enough that they can'tcredibly blame Democrats for much of anything.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/28/washington/28belief.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
October 28, 2006
Beliefs
The Disillusionment of a Young White House Evangelical
By SAMUEL G. FREEDMAN
In an election season, how could an "inside story of political seduction,"to quote the subtitle of David Kuo's "Tempting Faith," not be mined forevery politically explosive example it offers?
And Mr. Kuo, who once wrote speeches for William J. Bennett, Pat Robertson,John Ashcroft, Bob Dole and George W. Bush and who served more than twoyears as second in command at the White House Office of Faith-Based andCommunity Initiatives, offers plenty.
In his tenure at that office, warm words about compassion, he argues, werebelied by meager financing and bureaucratic indifference. Federally financedconferences for religious leaders, he says, were adroitly arranged tobenefit threatened Republican incumbents. The conservative Christianleadership that was publicly stroked, he reports, was being privatelyderided by members of the White House staff.
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OpEdNews.com
http://www.opednews.com/articles/opedne_randolph_061025_republicans_and_the_.htm
October 25, 2006
Republicans and the Culture of Stupidity
By randyholhut
DUMMERSTON, Vt. - For the second year in a row, Vermont was ranked thesmartest state in the union by the Kansas-based research group MorganQuitno.
Rankings such as these are always in the eye of the beholder, but the MorganQuitno study measured school spending, graduation rates, standardized testscores, dropout rates, student-teacher ratios and the percentage of studentsin public schools.
The study gives more weight to test scores than to school spending, sospending more on public schools doesn't necessarily count for more thanactual performance by students.
Vermont has smaller class sizes and higher per-pupil expenditures than moststates. Our students usually do well on standard tests and the overallquality of secondary education is good. That's why Vermont hasn't finishedlower than third in the five years the Morgan Quitno study has been done.
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST OCTOBER 28, 2006
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GLOW will once again have their Annual Toy Drive with a VARIETY SHOw andBENEFIT at the GLCC (1717 North Andrews Ave) on December 17th from 7:30pm to9pm.
GLOW is looking for volunteers to register as entertainment for the evening:musicians, choral groups, singers, dancers, comedians, etc. Please callNicole and register - we will let you know when rehearsal is... 954-463-9005x227
Admission to the Show is $10 plus a new unwrapped toy.
JOIN THE GLCC prior to the show for its ANNUAL COMMUNITY HOLIDAY PARTY -with complimentary wine, food and fun - dont miss it! This is our thanks toyou for your year round support!
The Party is December 17th from 5:30pm - 7pm
GLOW will once again have their Annual Toy Drive with a VARIETY SHOw andBENEFIT at the GLCC (1717 North Andrews Ave) on December 17th from 7:30pm to9pm.
=
From Michael Emanuel Rajner
Campaign to End AIDS
merajner@gmail.com
Fellow Members of the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council:
I was very disappointed after yesterday's meeting when an individualapproached me to share that he only heard negative comments surrounding myhaving pulled the RW Title I Grant application from consent and speakingbefore the Board of County Commissioners on September 26, 2006 as a personliving with HIV/AIDS.
While the pulling of the Grant Application for discussion is a risky move, Iwas assured by several county commissioners that this was the bestopportunity for them to have discussion and provide leadership on HIV/AIDSissues. At no time was the Grant Application placed in jeopardy.
Each member of the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council isencouraged to request a copy of the recorded broadcast from Comcast topersonally witness the leadership demonstrated by the Board of CountyCommissioners as they entered approximately 40 minutes of discussion onHIV/AIDS issues in Broward County. After the agenda item was passed, It isunfortunate that RW Title I Administrator William Green intentionallyignored my attempt to discuss this matter with him. For two years the RWTitle I Administrator had more than ample opportunity to remedy concernsbrought before the Board of County Commissioners. The negative reactionthat has been brought to my attention only solidifies the ongoing concern ofcensorship in the development of HIV/AIDS policy in Broward County.
As a result of this appearance, Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin demandedthat she be assigned to the HIV Planning Council on November 21, 2006 whencommittee selections are re-assigned. Mayor Graber did a great service tothe HIV/AIDS community when he honored Commissioner Wasserman-Rubin'srequest at the following meeting of the Board of County Commissioners.
more....
=
The Express Gay News
http://expressgaynews.com/
http://expressgaynews.com/2006/10-27/news/localnews/localnews.cfm
Mainstream media avoids Crist gay angle
Local editors and journalism experts disagree on ethics of story
By PHIL LAPADULA
Friday, October 27, 2006
It may be the loudest "whisper campaign" in Florida history. The internetblogs have been blazing for months with unverified rumors that CharlieCrist, the state's attorney general and Republican candidate for governor,is gay.
Crist has been asked if he is gay at public forums, including radio showsand political gatherings, and he has repeatedly denied it. But thewhispering has just grown louder.
Finally, Max Linn, the Reform Party candidate for governor, went on anOrlando radio show in September and blurted it out loud: He said he would"swear on a stack of Bibles that Crist is gay." Linn followed up thatappearance by going on WFTL radio on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, andurging Crist to come out of the closet.
=
The current issue of The Express Gay News is online
http://expressgaynews.com/
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cappeal28oct28,0,2303318.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Court allows signs stating Foley votes go to Negron
By Vanessa Blum
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 28, 2006
Elections supervisors in Mark Foley's former district received permission from a Tallahassee appeals court Friday to post notices stating a vote for the disgraced Republican congressman will go to replacement candidate Joe Negron.
The Florida Democratic Party said it would not appeal the decision, ending a two-week court battle.
"Confused voters should not be required to guess as to how their vote will be counted, or be forced to question poll workers and rely on the potentially inconsistent, incomplete, or partial information," the appeals court stated.
Writing for a three-judge panel, District Judge James Wolf said Florida law allows poll workers to display informational notices, so long as they are impartial and do not favor a specific candidate. The unanimous ruling reversed an Oct. 28 decision barring the signs.
=
ArtsUnited Features Artist Steven Sylvester in November
ArtsUnited will feature the mixed media art work of Steven Sylvester in asolo exhibit at the Stonewall Library and Archives from November 6 throughDecember 2, 2006. The exhibit opens with a reception to meet the artist onMonday, November 6 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. The Stonewall Library and Archivesis located at 1717 North Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The exhibit andreception are free and open to the public.
Steven Sylvester often played in mud puddles as a child. Things aren'tmuch different for him as an adult. Mud is still his medium of choice.
Playing with mud as an adult clay artist requires a balance between delicatefinessing and outright mud wrestling with a creative result as the goal.
Steven initially entered the profession of social work. In 1993 he becamethe owner of a wholesale clay art business in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, thusopening doors for exposure to creativity. Selling the business in 2003allowed time for his total immersion in the creative process.
=
From Chuck Williams
President
ArtsUnited, Inc.
954-530-2723
Hi Everyone!
ArtsUnited, Stonewall Library and Archives and Broward County LibrariesDivision have collaborated to produce some interesting programs this monthin observance of GLBT History Month. Please make plans to attend those ofparticular interest to you:
Oct 30th "40 Years Later: How Far Has the Gay and Lesbian Rights MovementCome?" a panel of local activists will discuss this important issue. 6 to 9PM Main Library, 6th Floor, 100 S. Andrews Ave, FTL. Refreshments served.
October 1-31 'Pride: Party or Protest?" exhibit on display inside thelibrary at 1300 East Sunrise Blvd in Ft Lauderdale.
All exhibits and programs are free to the public and are made possiblethrough the generous financial support of Pride South Florida and theBroward Public Library Foundation.
Chuck Williams
President
ArtsUnited, Inc.
954-530-2723
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editfloridaamend1oct27,0,3463552.story?coll=sfla-news-editorialConstitution
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
October 27, 2006
Vote YES on Amendment No. 1
Amendment 1 is a much needed budgetary fix for the way the Florida Legislature handles the state's finances. Voters should choose YES.The proposed constitutional amendment limits the amount of one-time revenuethat can be appropriated to pay for ongoing expenses to 3 percent of theoverall revenue in the state's general fund.
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editfloridaamend4oct27,0,4643203.story?coll=sfla-news-editorial
Editorial, October 26, 2006
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
October 27, 2006
Vote YES on Amendment No. 4At first glance, the anti-smoking amendment appears to be an ill fit for abedrock document that defines the basic structure of Florida government.
Voters, however, should vote YES on Amendment 4 because the health concernsit seeks to address will profoundly affect the operation of stategovernment.
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Watch the final debate: DAVIS v. CRIST
The whole nation is watching the final Florida Gubernatorial Debate withmoderator Chris Matthews on MSNBC on Monday, October 30th, at 7PM and youshould, too! Watch with us at the GLBT Vote Center, 1700 N. Andrews Avenuein Fort Lauderdale (across the street from the GLCC) (954) 763-1880.
We will be featuring our "Change Congress Combo" all beef hotdog, chips,soda or bottled spring water, and if you saved room for desert, there isalways m&ms!
See ya there!
Democratic Victory in '06
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Democratic Victory in '06 - We need visibility on November 7
We are partnering with Equality Florida to volunteer at the polls onElection Day.
Our combined forces for visibility at strategic polling places on electionday is very important. Many of you have not been able to be as involved asyou would like and this will be your LAST opportunity to help get someDemocrats elected. Won't you help? We strongly urge you to take the day off,put the cat out, call the babysitter, and sign up now!
CLICK on the following link to RSVP on the Equality Florida website for thisimportant training session to prepare us for Election Day.
http://ga4.org/Equalityflorida/events/2006polltrainingSFL1101/details.tcl?rk=YpaNCOp1q1ojxEV
Election day is Tuesday, November 7th. The training session is Wednesday,Nov. 1st, 6pm at the GLBT Vote Center, located at 1700 N. Andrews Ave., Ft.Lauderdale (ACROSS the street from the GLCC).
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Ken Keechl's TV Ads are on the website, Take a look!
www.keechl2006.com
Ken's second TV ad was released today and you can see it on the website.Click on the link and then on the Yellow box marked promises! Feel free toemail the link to everyone and anyone in District 4!
Thanks--momentum continues to build!
www.keechl2006.com
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Jeff Kunerth | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 27, 2006
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-gayreact2706oct27,0,3836962.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state
Activists divided on impact of N.J. gay-marriage ruling
Opponents of same-sex unions fear the effect on Florida.But supporters expect little to change.
Orlando Sentinel
Florida gay-rights activists look at New Jersey, where the state SupremeCourt ruled that same-sex couples deserve full marriage rights, with envy.Conservatives view it with fear.
"It has an impact on Florida because it illustrates why we need that stateconstitutional amendment that defines marriage as one man and one woman,"said Mathew Staver, head of the Liberty Counsel in Maitland. "It illustratesthat if you don't preserve marriage in your constitution, then judges canredefine marriage with the stroke of a pen."
The New Jersey Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the equal-rightsprovision in the state constitution means gay and lesbian couples have thesame rights to marriage -- or its equivalent -- as heterosexual couples. Thecourt gave the New Jersey Legislature until April to include gays inmarriage law or create a civil-union equivalent for gay couples.
#####
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
GLOW will once again have their Annual Toy Drive with a VARIETY SHOw andBENEFIT at the GLCC (1717 North Andrews Ave) on December 17th from 7:30pm to9pm.
GLOW is looking for volunteers to register as entertainment for the evening:musicians, choral groups, singers, dancers, comedians, etc. Please callNicole and register - we will let you know when rehearsal is... 954-463-9005x227
Admission to the Show is $10 plus a new unwrapped toy.
JOIN THE GLCC prior to the show for its ANNUAL COMMUNITY HOLIDAY PARTY -with complimentary wine, food and fun - dont miss it! This is our thanks toyou for your year round support!
The Party is December 17th from 5:30pm - 7pm
GLOW will once again have their Annual Toy Drive with a VARIETY SHOw andBENEFIT at the GLCC (1717 North Andrews Ave) on December 17th from 7:30pm to9pm.
=
From Michael Emanuel Rajner
Campaign to End AIDS
merajner@gmail.com
Fellow Members of the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council:
I was very disappointed after yesterday's meeting when an individualapproached me to share that he only heard negative comments surrounding myhaving pulled the RW Title I Grant application from consent and speakingbefore the Board of County Commissioners on September 26, 2006 as a personliving with HIV/AIDS.
While the pulling of the Grant Application for discussion is a risky move, Iwas assured by several county commissioners that this was the bestopportunity for them to have discussion and provide leadership on HIV/AIDSissues. At no time was the Grant Application placed in jeopardy.
Each member of the Broward County HIV Health Services Planning Council isencouraged to request a copy of the recorded broadcast from Comcast topersonally witness the leadership demonstrated by the Board of CountyCommissioners as they entered approximately 40 minutes of discussion onHIV/AIDS issues in Broward County. After the agenda item was passed, It isunfortunate that RW Title I Administrator William Green intentionallyignored my attempt to discuss this matter with him. For two years the RWTitle I Administrator had more than ample opportunity to remedy concernsbrought before the Board of County Commissioners. The negative reactionthat has been brought to my attention only solidifies the ongoing concern ofcensorship in the development of HIV/AIDS policy in Broward County.
As a result of this appearance, Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin demandedthat she be assigned to the HIV Planning Council on November 21, 2006 whencommittee selections are re-assigned. Mayor Graber did a great service tothe HIV/AIDS community when he honored Commissioner Wasserman-Rubin'srequest at the following meeting of the Board of County Commissioners.
more....
=
The Express Gay News
http://expressgaynews.com/
http://expressgaynews.com/2006/10-27/news/localnews/localnews.cfm
Mainstream media avoids Crist gay angle
Local editors and journalism experts disagree on ethics of story
By PHIL LAPADULA
Friday, October 27, 2006
It may be the loudest "whisper campaign" in Florida history. The internetblogs have been blazing for months with unverified rumors that CharlieCrist, the state's attorney general and Republican candidate for governor,is gay.
Crist has been asked if he is gay at public forums, including radio showsand political gatherings, and he has repeatedly denied it. But thewhispering has just grown louder.
Finally, Max Linn, the Reform Party candidate for governor, went on anOrlando radio show in September and blurted it out loud: He said he would"swear on a stack of Bibles that Crist is gay." Linn followed up thatappearance by going on WFTL radio on Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, andurging Crist to come out of the closet.
=
The current issue of The Express Gay News is online
http://expressgaynews.com/
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-cappeal28oct28,0,2303318.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Court allows signs stating Foley votes go to Negron
By Vanessa Blum
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 28, 2006
Elections supervisors in Mark Foley's former district received permission from a Tallahassee appeals court Friday to post notices stating a vote for the disgraced Republican congressman will go to replacement candidate Joe Negron.
The Florida Democratic Party said it would not appeal the decision, ending a two-week court battle.
"Confused voters should not be required to guess as to how their vote will be counted, or be forced to question poll workers and rely on the potentially inconsistent, incomplete, or partial information," the appeals court stated.
Writing for a three-judge panel, District Judge James Wolf said Florida law allows poll workers to display informational notices, so long as they are impartial and do not favor a specific candidate. The unanimous ruling reversed an Oct. 28 decision barring the signs.
=
ArtsUnited Features Artist Steven Sylvester in November
ArtsUnited will feature the mixed media art work of Steven Sylvester in asolo exhibit at the Stonewall Library and Archives from November 6 throughDecember 2, 2006. The exhibit opens with a reception to meet the artist onMonday, November 6 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM. The Stonewall Library and Archivesis located at 1717 North Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale. The exhibit andreception are free and open to the public.
Steven Sylvester often played in mud puddles as a child. Things aren'tmuch different for him as an adult. Mud is still his medium of choice.
Playing with mud as an adult clay artist requires a balance between delicatefinessing and outright mud wrestling with a creative result as the goal.
Steven initially entered the profession of social work. In 1993 he becamethe owner of a wholesale clay art business in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, thusopening doors for exposure to creativity. Selling the business in 2003allowed time for his total immersion in the creative process.
=
From Chuck Williams
President
ArtsUnited, Inc.
954-530-2723
Hi Everyone!
ArtsUnited, Stonewall Library and Archives and Broward County LibrariesDivision have collaborated to produce some interesting programs this monthin observance of GLBT History Month. Please make plans to attend those ofparticular interest to you:
Oct 30th "40 Years Later: How Far Has the Gay and Lesbian Rights MovementCome?" a panel of local activists will discuss this important issue. 6 to 9PM Main Library, 6th Floor, 100 S. Andrews Ave, FTL. Refreshments served.
October 1-31 'Pride: Party or Protest?" exhibit on display inside thelibrary at 1300 East Sunrise Blvd in Ft Lauderdale.
All exhibits and programs are free to the public and are made possiblethrough the generous financial support of Pride South Florida and theBroward Public Library Foundation.
Chuck Williams
President
ArtsUnited, Inc.
954-530-2723
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editfloridaamend1oct27,0,3463552.story?coll=sfla-news-editorialConstitution
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
October 27, 2006
Vote YES on Amendment No. 1
Amendment 1 is a much needed budgetary fix for the way the Florida Legislature handles the state's finances. Voters should choose YES.The proposed constitutional amendment limits the amount of one-time revenuethat can be appropriated to pay for ongoing expenses to 3 percent of theoverall revenue in the state's general fund.
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editfloridaamend4oct27,0,4643203.story?coll=sfla-news-editorial
Editorial, October 26, 2006
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
October 27, 2006
Vote YES on Amendment No. 4At first glance, the anti-smoking amendment appears to be an ill fit for abedrock document that defines the basic structure of Florida government.
Voters, however, should vote YES on Amendment 4 because the health concernsit seeks to address will profoundly affect the operation of stategovernment.
=
Watch the final debate: DAVIS v. CRIST
The whole nation is watching the final Florida Gubernatorial Debate withmoderator Chris Matthews on MSNBC on Monday, October 30th, at 7PM and youshould, too! Watch with us at the GLBT Vote Center, 1700 N. Andrews Avenuein Fort Lauderdale (across the street from the GLCC) (954) 763-1880.
We will be featuring our "Change Congress Combo" all beef hotdog, chips,soda or bottled spring water, and if you saved room for desert, there isalways m&ms!
See ya there!
Democratic Victory in '06
=
Democratic Victory in '06 - We need visibility on November 7
We are partnering with Equality Florida to volunteer at the polls onElection Day.
Our combined forces for visibility at strategic polling places on electionday is very important. Many of you have not been able to be as involved asyou would like and this will be your LAST opportunity to help get someDemocrats elected. Won't you help? We strongly urge you to take the day off,put the cat out, call the babysitter, and sign up now!
CLICK on the following link to RSVP on the Equality Florida website for thisimportant training session to prepare us for Election Day.
http://ga4.org/Equalityflorida/events/2006polltrainingSFL1101/details.tcl?rk=YpaNCOp1q1ojxEV
Election day is Tuesday, November 7th. The training session is Wednesday,Nov. 1st, 6pm at the GLBT Vote Center, located at 1700 N. Andrews Ave., Ft.Lauderdale (ACROSS the street from the GLCC).
=
Ken Keechl's TV Ads are on the website, Take a look!
www.keechl2006.com
Ken's second TV ad was released today and you can see it on the website.Click on the link and then on the Yellow box marked promises! Feel free toemail the link to everyone and anyone in District 4!
Thanks--momentum continues to build!
www.keechl2006.com
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Jeff Kunerth | Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted October 27, 2006
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/local/state/orl-gayreact2706oct27,0,3836962.story?coll=orl-news-headlines-state
Activists divided on impact of N.J. gay-marriage ruling
Opponents of same-sex unions fear the effect on Florida.But supporters expect little to change.
Orlando Sentinel
Florida gay-rights activists look at New Jersey, where the state SupremeCourt ruled that same-sex couples deserve full marriage rights, with envy.Conservatives view it with fear.
"It has an impact on Florida because it illustrates why we need that stateconstitutional amendment that defines marriage as one man and one woman,"said Mathew Staver, head of the Liberty Counsel in Maitland. "It illustratesthat if you don't preserve marriage in your constitution, then judges canredefine marriage with the stroke of a pen."
The New Jersey Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that the equal-rightsprovision in the state constitution means gay and lesbian couples have thesame rights to marriage -- or its equivalent -- as heterosexual couples. Thecourt gave the New Jersey Legislature until April to include gays inmarriage law or create a civil-union equivalent for gay couples.
#####
Friday, October 27, 2006
FLORIDA DIGEST OCTOBER 27, 2006
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ft. Lauderdale - GLCC HALLOWEEN BOO BASH
Saturday, Oct. 28
Contact us if you woud like the article.
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-pmasilotti27oct27,0,4178745,print.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Palm Beach County Chairman Masilotti resigns as feds investigate
With three weeks left, post may not be filled
By Josh Hafenbrack
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 27, 2006
The colorful and often volatile political career of Tony Masilotti comes to a halt today when the embattled Palm Beach County commission chairman resigns under pressure from a federal investigation into a potential misuse of power and secret land deals.
County Administrator Bob Weisman said Thursday as soon as he gets Masilotti's resignation letter he will forward it to Gov. Jeb Bush, who has the power to appoint a replacement. But with only three weeks left in Masilotti's term, Bush may not appoint anyone, Weisman said.
The mercurial Masilotti's 14-year rise rise to political power, which began as Royal Palm Beach mayor, culminates in scandal. The FBI investigation into Masilotti focuses on a government land deal in southern Martin County, in which Masilotti and his ex-wife, Susan, pocketed roughly $1.3 million. The profit was shielded through a secret trust, but it came to light in the Masilottis' divorce papers in January.
Federal investigators have been looking into the case since last spring, and are now taking grand jury testimony.
#####
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ft. Lauderdale - GLCC HALLOWEEN BOO BASH
Saturday, Oct. 28
Contact us if you woud like the article.
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-pmasilotti27oct27,0,4178745,print.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Palm Beach County Chairman Masilotti resigns as feds investigate
With three weeks left, post may not be filled
By Josh Hafenbrack
South Florida Sun-Sentinel
October 27, 2006
The colorful and often volatile political career of Tony Masilotti comes to a halt today when the embattled Palm Beach County commission chairman resigns under pressure from a federal investigation into a potential misuse of power and secret land deals.
County Administrator Bob Weisman said Thursday as soon as he gets Masilotti's resignation letter he will forward it to Gov. Jeb Bush, who has the power to appoint a replacement. But with only three weeks left in Masilotti's term, Bush may not appoint anyone, Weisman said.
The mercurial Masilotti's 14-year rise rise to political power, which began as Royal Palm Beach mayor, culminates in scandal. The FBI investigation into Masilotti focuses on a government land deal in southern Martin County, in which Masilotti and his ex-wife, Susan, pocketed roughly $1.3 million. The profit was shielded through a secret trust, but it came to light in the Masilottis' divorce papers in January.
Federal investigators have been looking into the case since last spring, and are now taking grand jury testimony.
#####
GLBT DIGEST - October 27, 2006
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/Issues/2006-10-26/news/norman.html
NEW TIMES
From browardpalmbeach.com
Originally published by Broward-Palm Beach New Times 2006-10-26
©2005 New Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
Crist Denies Trysts
GOP frontrunner: I have never had sex with a man
By Bob Norman
A young rising star in the Republican Party has boasted to witnesses of hissexual relationship with Charlie Crist, the frontrunner in the Floridagovernor's race who has repeatedly denied that he is gay.
The GOP staffer, 21-year-old Jason Wetherington, told friends at separatesocial functions in August that he had sex with Crist, according to twocredible and independent sources who heard Wetherington make the claimfirst-hand.
Wetherington, who recently worked as a field director for U.S. Senatecandidate Katherine Harris and currently works for state representativeEllyn Bodganoff's reelection campaign, also named a man whom he said isCrist's long-term partner, a convicted thief named Bruce Carlton Jordan whoalso recently worked for Harris in her long-shot Senate bid.
Jordan made headlines recently when the Miami Herald learned that the felonwas working as Harris's travel aide. The newspaper noted that Jordan, 42,was reported to be close friends with Charlie Crist, whom he convinced toattend an annual Florida Funeral Directors Association meeting in 2003.
Jordan was charged in 2003 with stealing thousands of dollars from twoorganizations for whom he worked, including the Tallahassee-based FloridaFuneral Directors Association, where he served as executive director. Hecompleted a 60-day jail sentence in February and will be on probation untilthe year 2011, according to state records.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601874.html
In South Africa, a Dramatic Shift on AIDS
Treatment, Prevention Get New Emphasis as Deputy President Takes Key Role
By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, October 27, 2006; A01
JOHANNESBURG -- The South African government is seeking to shake off yearsof international denunciation for its handling of the AIDS epidemic --including a fixation on the supposed protective powers of beets andlemons -- while expanding treatment, testing and prevention programs,officials and activists say.
In public comments and private meetings over the past six weeks, DeputyPresident Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has emphasized that the government nowbelieves unequivocally that HIV causes AIDS, a connection that PresidentThabo Mbeki once publicly questioned. She has also said that antiretroviraldrugs must be the centerpiece of the government's response while playingdown the dietary recommendations long cited by Health Minister MantoTshabalala-Msimang as key to fighting AIDS.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/us/politics/27marriage.html?hp&ex=1161921600&en=c51cc42b3624a489&ei=5094&partner=homepage
October 27, 2006
G.O.P. Moves Fast to Reignite Issue of Gay Marriage
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 - The divisive debate over gay marriage, which played aprominent role in 2004 campaigns but this year largely faded from view,erupted anew on Thursday as President Bush and Republicans across thecountry tried to use a court ruling in New Jersey to rally dispiritedconservatives to the polls.
Wednesday's ruling, in which the New Jersey Supreme Court decided that gaycouples are entitled to the same legal rights and financial benefits asheterosexual couples, had immediate ripple effects, especially in Senateraces in some of the eight states where voters are consideringconstitutional amendments to ban gay marriage.
President Bush put a spotlight on the issue while campaigning in Iowa, whichdoes not have a proposal on the ballot. With the Republican House candidate,Jeff Lamberti, by his side, Mr. Bush - who has not been talking about gaymarriage in recent weeks - took pains to insert a reference into his stumpspeech warning that Democrats would raise taxes and make America less safe.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601565_pf.html
Religious Conservatives Cheer Ruling on Gays as Wake-Up Call
By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A07
The New Jersey court decision that gay couples are entitled to the samerights as heterosexual couples was bad news for social conservatives -- thebad news they were hoping for.
"Pro-traditional-marriage organizations ought to give a distinguishedservice award to the New Jersey Supreme Court," said the Rev. Richard Land,head of the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Land and other conservative religious leaders predicted that the court's 4to 3 ruling, which was handed down Wednesday, would boost turnout of socialconservatives in the midterm elections, particularly in the eight statesthat have constitutional amendments against same-sex marriage on the Nov. 7ballot.
=
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601565_pf.html
Religious Conservatives Cheer Ruling on Gays as Wake-Up Call
By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A07
The New Jersey court decision that gay couples are entitled to the samerights as heterosexual couples was bad news for social conservatives -- thebad news they were hoping for.
"Pro-traditional-marriage organizations ought to give a distinguishedservice award to the New Jersey Supreme Court," said the Rev. Richard Land,head of the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Land and other conservative religious leaders predicted that the court's 4to 3 ruling, which was handed down Wednesday, would boost turnout of socialconservatives in the midterm elections, particularly in the eight statesthat have constitutional amendments against same-sex marriage on the Nov. 7ballot.
=
From: Michael Emanuel Rajner
National Secretary - Campaign To End AIDS
Telephone: (305) 677-3506
The commentary written by Eric Miller of Palm Beach County captures theproud contribution made by Campaign to End AIDS at the United StatesConference on AIDS. The youth demonstration came under heavy attack by aBroward County member of the USCA Host Committee who hastily jumped from herseat and unsuccessfully attempted to stop the peaceful demonstration whilein progress. Paul Kawata, Executive Director of NMAC and others werereported to have applauded the effort of these courageous youth while othersdid state they found the action a waste of time and effort. These youthwere accused of "preaching to the choir". Perhaps the choir they werepreaching to is either tone deaf or among the resistance we find to maketrue progress in the fight to end AIDS.
The youth that participated in the peaceful demonstration entered theluncheon while holding up End AIDS posters and singing chants that theycreatively came up with on their own and then found a table to sit and enjoylunch.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=16774-qqqx=1.asp
Ireland: Education minister launches campaign against homophobic bullying inschools
Irish Examiner, 26 October 2006
Bullied gay students can seek redress from equality body
By Ed Carty
YOUNGSTERS suffering homophobic abuse in school may be able to bring theiraggressors to book at the Equality Tribunal, it was revealed yesterday.
As a new initiative was launched encouraging schools to protect pupils frombullying, teenagers were told they can seek redress from the EqualityTribunal.
Under the Equal Status Acts, harassment is prohibited on a number ofgrounds, including sexual orientation, and schools are required to takereasonable steps to protect children in their care.
=
Ray's Note:
Yahoo's blacklisting of certain sites - SEE BELOW - (without knowledge of subscribers and AOL's similar actions are continuing to cause problems for Ray's List - lots of extra work and confusion in distributions. IF YOU SUBSCRIBE, PLEASE LET YAHOO AND AOL KNOW THAT YOU DON'T WANT THEM TOBE YOURCENSOR!!!!!!
Ray and Michael
Ray's List
-
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Note from Online Policy Group:
Some of you have pointed out that:
- Your Yahoo subscribers have not been receiving messages- Mail to everyone else has been delayed by at least twelve to twenty-fourhours
It turns out that the problems are related: Yahoo has been refusing toaccept mail from us, leaving it in our queues, which in turn slows downdelivery to other users.
We have reconfigured the server so that mail to Yahoo sits in its ownseparate queue, getting out of the way of deliveries to everyone else.
At the same time, we are pursuing an explanation and a fix to the Yahoo mailacceptance situation.
Hosted by Online Policy Group.
http://www.onlinepolicy.org/
Help keep OPG services online and free.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Court Outlines Rights It Says Gay Couples Are Due
By KAREEM FAHIM
Published: October 26, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/nyregion/26benefits.html
New York Times
Under the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision, same-sex couples will soon begranted rights like those of married couples, ranging from the very narrowto those that help define what a family is.
Among other things, gay and lesbian couples are to be allowed survivorbenefits under the state's workers' compensation system, as well as statetax deductions for spousal medical expenses and exemptions from fees forreal estate transfers between spouses.
Other basic benefits, which married couples take for granted, will also haveto be extended to same-sex couples, like the presumption that a partner in aunion does not have to be the biological parent to have parental rights. Andunder the ruling, gay and lesbian couples would face new issues common inmarriages, like child support, custody disputes and even support after aunion dissolves.
=
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/hp/content/local_news/epaper/2006/10/27/a14a_FOLEY_BLOGGER_1027.html
Foley blogger was in gay rights group
By Andrew Marra
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006
The anonymous blogger who first published former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley'squestionable e-mails to a teenage congressional page was an employee of agay rights group.
The Human Rights Campaign acknowledged this week that the man who operatedthe blog was employed by the Washington-based organization that organizesvolunteer drives in Michigan. The organization said it fired the man afterlearning of his role but declined to identify him.
A spokesman said the man admitted Monday night that he was the blog'sauthor. He was fired Tuesday for "improper use of resources," the spokesmansaid.
House Republican leaders have speculated that liberal groups with ties tothe Democratic Party leaked Foley's e-mails in an attempt to discredit himand other Republicans before the November elections.
####
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
http://www.browardpalmbeach.com/Issues/2006-10-26/news/norman.html
NEW TIMES
From browardpalmbeach.com
Originally published by Broward-Palm Beach New Times 2006-10-26
©2005 New Times, Inc. All rights reserved.
Crist Denies Trysts
GOP frontrunner: I have never had sex with a man
By Bob Norman
A young rising star in the Republican Party has boasted to witnesses of hissexual relationship with Charlie Crist, the frontrunner in the Floridagovernor's race who has repeatedly denied that he is gay.
The GOP staffer, 21-year-old Jason Wetherington, told friends at separatesocial functions in August that he had sex with Crist, according to twocredible and independent sources who heard Wetherington make the claimfirst-hand.
Wetherington, who recently worked as a field director for U.S. Senatecandidate Katherine Harris and currently works for state representativeEllyn Bodganoff's reelection campaign, also named a man whom he said isCrist's long-term partner, a convicted thief named Bruce Carlton Jordan whoalso recently worked for Harris in her long-shot Senate bid.
Jordan made headlines recently when the Miami Herald learned that the felonwas working as Harris's travel aide. The newspaper noted that Jordan, 42,was reported to be close friends with Charlie Crist, whom he convinced toattend an annual Florida Funeral Directors Association meeting in 2003.
Jordan was charged in 2003 with stealing thousands of dollars from twoorganizations for whom he worked, including the Tallahassee-based FloridaFuneral Directors Association, where he served as executive director. Hecompleted a 60-day jail sentence in February and will be on probation untilthe year 2011, according to state records.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601874.html
In South Africa, a Dramatic Shift on AIDS
Treatment, Prevention Get New Emphasis as Deputy President Takes Key Role
By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Friday, October 27, 2006; A01
JOHANNESBURG -- The South African government is seeking to shake off yearsof international denunciation for its handling of the AIDS epidemic --including a fixation on the supposed protective powers of beets andlemons -- while expanding treatment, testing and prevention programs,officials and activists say.
In public comments and private meetings over the past six weeks, DeputyPresident Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka has emphasized that the government nowbelieves unequivocally that HIV causes AIDS, a connection that PresidentThabo Mbeki once publicly questioned. She has also said that antiretroviraldrugs must be the centerpiece of the government's response while playingdown the dietary recommendations long cited by Health Minister MantoTshabalala-Msimang as key to fighting AIDS.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/us/politics/27marriage.html?hp&ex=1161921600&en=c51cc42b3624a489&ei=5094&partner=homepage
October 27, 2006
G.O.P. Moves Fast to Reignite Issue of Gay Marriage
By SHERYL GAY STOLBERG
WASHINGTON, Oct. 26 - The divisive debate over gay marriage, which played aprominent role in 2004 campaigns but this year largely faded from view,erupted anew on Thursday as President Bush and Republicans across thecountry tried to use a court ruling in New Jersey to rally dispiritedconservatives to the polls.
Wednesday's ruling, in which the New Jersey Supreme Court decided that gaycouples are entitled to the same legal rights and financial benefits asheterosexual couples, had immediate ripple effects, especially in Senateraces in some of the eight states where voters are consideringconstitutional amendments to ban gay marriage.
President Bush put a spotlight on the issue while campaigning in Iowa, whichdoes not have a proposal on the ballot. With the Republican House candidate,Jeff Lamberti, by his side, Mr. Bush - who has not been talking about gaymarriage in recent weeks - took pains to insert a reference into his stumpspeech warning that Democrats would raise taxes and make America less safe.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601565_pf.html
Religious Conservatives Cheer Ruling on Gays as Wake-Up Call
By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A07
The New Jersey court decision that gay couples are entitled to the samerights as heterosexual couples was bad news for social conservatives -- thebad news they were hoping for.
"Pro-traditional-marriage organizations ought to give a distinguishedservice award to the New Jersey Supreme Court," said the Rev. Richard Land,head of the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Land and other conservative religious leaders predicted that the court's 4to 3 ruling, which was handed down Wednesday, would boost turnout of socialconservatives in the midterm elections, particularly in the eight statesthat have constitutional amendments against same-sex marriage on the Nov. 7ballot.
=
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601565_pf.html
Religious Conservatives Cheer Ruling on Gays as Wake-Up Call
By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A07
The New Jersey court decision that gay couples are entitled to the samerights as heterosexual couples was bad news for social conservatives -- thebad news they were hoping for.
"Pro-traditional-marriage organizations ought to give a distinguishedservice award to the New Jersey Supreme Court," said the Rev. Richard Land,head of the public policy arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.
Land and other conservative religious leaders predicted that the court's 4to 3 ruling, which was handed down Wednesday, would boost turnout of socialconservatives in the midterm elections, particularly in the eight statesthat have constitutional amendments against same-sex marriage on the Nov. 7ballot.
=
From: Michael Emanuel Rajner
National Secretary - Campaign To End AIDS
Telephone: (305) 677-3506
The commentary written by Eric Miller of Palm Beach County captures theproud contribution made by Campaign to End AIDS at the United StatesConference on AIDS. The youth demonstration came under heavy attack by aBroward County member of the USCA Host Committee who hastily jumped from herseat and unsuccessfully attempted to stop the peaceful demonstration whilein progress. Paul Kawata, Executive Director of NMAC and others werereported to have applauded the effort of these courageous youth while othersdid state they found the action a waste of time and effort. These youthwere accused of "preaching to the choir". Perhaps the choir they werepreaching to is either tone deaf or among the resistance we find to maketrue progress in the fight to end AIDS.
The youth that participated in the peaceful demonstration entered theluncheon while holding up End AIDS posters and singing chants that theycreatively came up with on their own and then found a table to sit and enjoylunch.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://examiner.ie/irishexaminer/pages/story.aspx-qqqg=ireland-qqqm=ireland-qqqa=ireland-qqqid=16774-qqqx=1.asp
Ireland: Education minister launches campaign against homophobic bullying inschools
Irish Examiner, 26 October 2006
Bullied gay students can seek redress from equality body
By Ed Carty
YOUNGSTERS suffering homophobic abuse in school may be able to bring theiraggressors to book at the Equality Tribunal, it was revealed yesterday.
As a new initiative was launched encouraging schools to protect pupils frombullying, teenagers were told they can seek redress from the EqualityTribunal.
Under the Equal Status Acts, harassment is prohibited on a number ofgrounds, including sexual orientation, and schools are required to takereasonable steps to protect children in their care.
=
Ray's Note:
Yahoo's blacklisting of certain sites - SEE BELOW - (without knowledge of subscribers and AOL's similar actions are continuing to cause problems for Ray's List - lots of extra work and confusion in distributions. IF YOU SUBSCRIBE, PLEASE LET YAHOO AND AOL KNOW THAT YOU DON'T WANT THEM TOBE YOURCENSOR!!!!!!
Ray and Michael
Ray's List
-
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Note from Online Policy Group:
Some of you have pointed out that:
- Your Yahoo subscribers have not been receiving messages- Mail to everyone else has been delayed by at least twelve to twenty-fourhours
It turns out that the problems are related: Yahoo has been refusing toaccept mail from us, leaving it in our queues, which in turn slows downdelivery to other users.
We have reconfigured the server so that mail to Yahoo sits in its ownseparate queue, getting out of the way of deliveries to everyone else.
At the same time, we are pursuing an explanation and a fix to the Yahoo mailacceptance situation.
Hosted by Online Policy Group.
http://www.onlinepolicy.org/
Help keep OPG services online and free.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Court Outlines Rights It Says Gay Couples Are Due
By KAREEM FAHIM
Published: October 26, 2006
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/nyregion/26benefits.html
New York Times
Under the New Jersey Supreme Court's decision, same-sex couples will soon begranted rights like those of married couples, ranging from the very narrowto those that help define what a family is.
Among other things, gay and lesbian couples are to be allowed survivorbenefits under the state's workers' compensation system, as well as statetax deductions for spousal medical expenses and exemptions from fees forreal estate transfers between spouses.
Other basic benefits, which married couples take for granted, will also haveto be extended to same-sex couples, like the presumption that a partner in aunion does not have to be the biological parent to have parental rights. Andunder the ruling, gay and lesbian couples would face new issues common inmarriages, like child support, custody disputes and even support after aunion dissolves.
=
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/hp/content/local_news/epaper/2006/10/27/a14a_FOLEY_BLOGGER_1027.html
Foley blogger was in gay rights group
By Andrew Marra
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006
The anonymous blogger who first published former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley'squestionable e-mails to a teenage congressional page was an employee of agay rights group.
The Human Rights Campaign acknowledged this week that the man who operatedthe blog was employed by the Washington-based organization that organizesvolunteer drives in Michigan. The organization said it fired the man afterlearning of his role but declined to identify him.
A spokesman said the man admitted Monday night that he was the blog'sauthor. He was fired Tuesday for "improper use of resources," the spokesmansaid.
House Republican leaders have speculated that liberal groups with ties tothe Democratic Party leaked Foley's e-mails in an attempt to discredit himand other Republicans before the November elections.
####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST October 27, 2006
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601521_pf.html
Cheney's Remarks Fuel Torture Debate
Critics Say He Backed Waterboarding
By Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A09
Vice President Cheney said this week that dunking terrorism suspects inwater during questioning was a "no-brainer," prompting complaints from humanrights advocates that he was endorsing the use of a controversial techniqueknown as waterboarding on prisoners held by the United States.
In an interview Tuesday with Scott Hennen, a conservative radio show hostfrom Fargo, N.D., Cheney agreed with Hennen's assertion that "a dunk inwater" may yield valuable intelligence from terrorism suspects. He alsoreferred to information gleaned from Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the capturedarchitect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but stopped short of explicitlysaying what techniques were used.
"Would you agree a dunk in water is a no-brainer if it can save lives?"Hennen asked.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601253.html
Winning by Losing
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A23
When, just a week ago, Barack Obama showed a bit of ankle and declared themere possibility of his running for the presidency, the chattering classesswooned. Now that every columnist in the country has given him advice,here's mine: He should run in '08. He will lose in '08. And the loss willput him irrevocably on a path to the presidency.
Obama's political challenge is to turn his current fame and sizzle, whichwill undoubtedly dissipate, into something concrete. In physics, it's theproblem of converting kinetic energy into potential energy: Use the rocketfuel behind his current popularity to propel him to a higher national planefrom which he would eventually move almost laterally to the presidency.
The reasons for running are clear.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601257_pf.html
In Michigan, a Sale the GOP Can't Close
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Friday, October 27, 2006; A23
HOUGHTON, Mich. -- While Republicans scratch their heads over why aseemingly good economy is not helping them nationally in this year'selections, Michigan is where the party once hoped a bad economy would helpit seize a governorship.
The heavy hits sustained by the auto industry's Big Three have left thestate with a 7.1 percent unemployment rate, just below the 7.2 percent ratefor Mississippi, which endured Hurricane Katrina. The job hemorrhage seemedthe ideal issue for billionaire businessman Dick DeVos, the Republicannominee, against Gov. Jennifer Granholm. She is a nationally respectedDemocrat who many think would have made a fine presidential candidate ifonly she had not been born in Canada.
DeVos, a conservative whose wealth comes from his family company, Amway, isauditioning for her job by insisting, Kennedy-style, that Michigan can dobetter. "We have gone backward while the country has gone forward," he saidduring a debate on Monday. "It's just unacceptable."
=
The New York Times
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/opinion/27krugman.html?pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
Op-Ed Columnist
The Arithmetic of Failure
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Iraq is a lost cause. It's just a matter of arithmetic: given the violenceof the environment, with ethnic groups and rival militias at each other'sthroats, American forces there are large enough to suffer terrible losses,but far too small to stabilize the country.
We're so undermanned that we're even losing our ability to influence events:earlier this week, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki brusquely rejectedAmerican efforts to set a timetable for reining in the militias.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, is a war we haven't yet lost, and it's justpossible that a new commitment of forces there might turn things around.
The moral is clear - we need to get out of Iraq, not because we want to cutand run, but because our continuing presence is doing nothing but wastingAmerican lives. And if we do free up our forces (and those of our Britishallies), we might still be able to save Afghanistan.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/opinion/27fri2.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
Editorial
Compounding a Political Outrage
The sleazy way in which campaigns and the political parties use loopholes inthe campaign finance laws to evade responsibility for their attack ads is onfull display in the Tennessee Senate race. Slick as a leer, pernicious as avirus, a campaign commercial transparently honed as a racist appeal toTennessee voters has remained on the air, despite assurances from Republicansponsors that it was pulled down.
The ad is directed at Representative Harold Ford Jr., the Democraticcandidate for the Senate, who is African-American. It includes abare-shouldered white woman claiming to have met the candidate at a Playboyparty and signing off with a close-up, whispered come-on: "Harold, call me."
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_top13oct27,0,2743798,print.story?coll=sns-newsnation-headlines
Poll: Middle Class Voters Abandoning GOP
By LIZ SIDOTI and TREVOR TOMPSON
Associated Press Writers
October 27, 2006, 7:29 AM EDT
WASHINGTON -- The 2006 election is shaping up to be a repeat of 1994. Thistime, Democrats are favored to sweep Republicans from power in the Houseafter a dozen years of GOP rule.
Less than two weeks before the Nov. 7 election, the latest AssociatedPress-AOL News poll found that likely voters overwhelmingly prefer Democratsover Republicans. They are angry at President Bush and theRepublican-controlled Congress, and say Iraq and the economy are their topissues.
At the same time, fickle middle-class voters are embracing the DemocraticParty and fleeing the GOP -- just as they abandoned Democrats a dozen yearsago and ushered in an era of Republican control.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/washington/27taxes.html?ei=5094&en=3533f4b89afc2a0c&hp=&ex=1162008000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
I.R.S. Going Slow Before Election
By DAVID CAY JOHNSTON
The commissioner of internal revenue has ordered his agency to delaycollecting back taxes from Hurricane Katrina victims until after the Nov. 7elections and the holiday season, saying he did so in part to avoid negativepublicity.
The commissioner, Mark W. Everson, who has close ties to the White House,said in an interview that postponing collections until after the midtermelections, along with postponing notices to people who failed to file taxreturns, was a routine effort to avoid casting the Internal Revenue Servicein a bad light.
"We are very sensitive to political perceptions," Mr. Everson saidWednesday, adding that he regularly discussed with his senior staff memberswhen to take actions and make announcements in light of whether they wouldannoy a powerful member of Congress or get lost in the flow of news.
=
The Washington Post
Drop in Smoking Rates Stalls
CDC Reports Cigarette Use Among Adults Holds Steady
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A10
The battle against tobacco in the United States appears to have stalled,with the number of adults who smoke cigarettes hitting a plateau afterdeclining steadily for eight years, federal health officials reportedyesterday.
The proportion of adults who smoke held steady at 20.9 percent in the mostrecent national survey of cigarette habits, conducted in 2005. It was thefirst time the rate did not fall from one year to the next since 1997, thefederal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported.
The stall coincides with a similar leveling-off in smoking rates amongteenagers, suggesting that the steady progress against the leading cause ofpreventable death has hit a wall.
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_top13oct27,0,2743798,print.story?coll=sns-newsnation-headlines
Poll: Middle Class Voters Abandoning GOP
By LIZ SIDOTI and TREVOR TOMPSON
Associated Press Writers
October 27, 2006, 7:29 AM EDT
WASHINGTON -- The 2006 election is shaping up to be a repeat of 1994. Thistime, Democrats are favored to sweep Republicans from power in the Houseafter a dozen years of GOP rule.
Less than two weeks before the Nov. 7 election, the latest AssociatedPress-AOL News poll found that likely voters overwhelmingly prefer Democratsover Republicans. They are angry at President Bush and theRepublican-controlled Congress, and say Iraq and the economy are their topissues.
At the same time, fickle middle-class voters are embracing the DemocraticParty and fleeing the GOP -- just as they abandoned Democrats a dozen yearsago and ushered in an era of Republican control.
"I don't think the Republican Party represents what I stand for. The guys Igolf with, we're in the middle class, we're getting hurt," says JosephAltland, 73, a retired teacher in York, Pa. He is a registered Republicanbut says he is considering becoming an independent.
The AP-AOL News telephone poll of 2,000 adults, 970 of whom are likelyvoters, was conducted by Ipsos from Oct. 20-25.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/business/27econ.html?pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
New-Home Prices Fall Sharply
By JEREMY W. PETERS
Home builders, struggling to keep ahead in a weakening market, cut pricesand offered a variety of other discounts in September to help sell theirnewly constructed houses, the latest government and industry statisticsshow.
The Commerce Department reported yesterday that the median price of a newhome plunged 9.7 percent last month, compared with September 2005, fallingto $217,100, the biggest such drop since December 1970.
Statistics from the National Association of Home Builders showed a similarslide. Builders reported cutting prices in September by 5 percent, accordingto the association's most recent data.
Just two months ago, prices of new homes were still on the rise.
=
MIT Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=17667
Firefox 2.0: The Honda Civic of Web Browsers
Updated and improved, Firefox remains excellent but breaks little new
ground.
By John Borland
Tapping once again into the collective talents of the open-source community,the new Firefox 2.0 Web browser is unambiguously a success.
Released late Tuesday, the Mozilla Foundation's latest Net-surfing tool isalmost everything Web denizens have come to expect from the popular InternetExplorer alternative. Firefox 2.0 offers a handful of obvious improvementsin searching and security and a couple of new features, and it largely keepsdoing well what it has done well before.
This said, it breaks little genuinely new ground.
=
MIT Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17668&ch=infotech
A Dangerous Step toward Space Warfare
Experts say the new U.S. National Space Policy will push the world closer to
a space arms race.
By Brittany Sauser
The Bush administration's announcement of a more unilateral approach tospace may put American satellites orbiting Earth (such as the one in thisimage) in grave danger should a space arms race begin. (Credit:Istockphoto.com/Cristian Matei)
The release of the U.S. National Space Policy (NSP) on October 6 has worriedmany experts, who say the policy marks a strategic shift toward a moremilitary-oriented, unilateral approach to space for the United States. Theyfear that the policy, if followed, could begin an arms race leading tocatastrophic space warfare.
=
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/10/27/clergy_warned_on_partisan_preaching?mode=PF
Clergy warned on partisan preaching
Several faiths act to keep tax status
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | October 27, 2006
In the face of increased federal scrutiny of politics in the pulpit,religious denominations are warning clergy against overtly partisanpreaching.
As Election Day approaches, with the Massachusetts governorship and bothhouses of Congress up for grabs, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bostonhas sent a memo to all priests instructing them not to provide parishdirectories to political candidates, not to allow the distribution ofcampaign literature on church property, and not to express support oropposition for political candidates.
The memo warns explicitly that the tax-exempt status of the Archdiocese ofBoston could be at risk if those rules are violated.
=
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-money27oct27,1,5277670.story?coll=la-headlines-nation
Business groups woo Democrat
positions after Nov. 7.
By Richard Simon
Times Staff Writer
October 27, 2006
"Some people have discovered virtues in me that they had previouslyoverlooked," Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who stands to becomechairman of the Financial Services Committee if Democrats control the House,mused recently. "The prospect of the chairmanship seems to have been a verygood introduction."
Frank was referring to a surge in campaign contributions from pro-businessgroups - groups whose members would have to deal with the liberal Democratinstead of a probably-more-congenial Republican. (Rep. Michael G. Oxley, theOhio Republican who now heads the committee, is retiring after this term.)
Issues involving the financial services industry fall under the committee'sjurisdiction. And the New York Life Insurance Co.'s political actioncommittee has contributed $10,000 to Frank this election season, up from$1,000 in the 2003-'04 cycle, according to PoliticalMoneyLine, which trackspolitical donations. The National Assn. of Insurance and Financial AdvisorsPAC contributed $10,000 to Frank this election season, up from $3,000 in thelast cycle.
=
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/27/ap/entertainment/mainD8L0QCTO0.shtml
Fox: Not Off Medicine in Political Ads
Michael J. Fox tells Katie Couric he was not off medication in political ads
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2006
By FRAZIER MOORE Associated Press TV Writer
(AP) In a response to charges by conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh,Michael J. Fox defended his appearance in recent political campaign ads,saying he was neither acting nor off his medication for Parkinson's disease.
On the contrary, he had been overmedicated, the actor said during aninterview aired on Thursday's "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric."
"The irony of it is that I was too medicated," Fox told Couric, adding thathis jumpy condition as he spoke to her reflected "a dearth of medication _not by design. I just take it, and it kicks in when it kicks in."
"That's funny _ the notion that you could calculate it for effect," he said.
"Would that we could."
#####
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601521_pf.html
Cheney's Remarks Fuel Torture Debate
Critics Say He Backed Waterboarding
By Dan Eggen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A09
Vice President Cheney said this week that dunking terrorism suspects inwater during questioning was a "no-brainer," prompting complaints from humanrights advocates that he was endorsing the use of a controversial techniqueknown as waterboarding on prisoners held by the United States.
In an interview Tuesday with Scott Hennen, a conservative radio show hostfrom Fargo, N.D., Cheney agreed with Hennen's assertion that "a dunk inwater" may yield valuable intelligence from terrorism suspects. He alsoreferred to information gleaned from Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the capturedarchitect of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but stopped short of explicitlysaying what techniques were used.
"Would you agree a dunk in water is a no-brainer if it can save lives?"Hennen asked.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601253.html
Winning by Losing
By Charles Krauthammer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A23
When, just a week ago, Barack Obama showed a bit of ankle and declared themere possibility of his running for the presidency, the chattering classesswooned. Now that every columnist in the country has given him advice,here's mine: He should run in '08. He will lose in '08. And the loss willput him irrevocably on a path to the presidency.
Obama's political challenge is to turn his current fame and sizzle, whichwill undoubtedly dissipate, into something concrete. In physics, it's theproblem of converting kinetic energy into potential energy: Use the rocketfuel behind his current popularity to propel him to a higher national planefrom which he would eventually move almost laterally to the presidency.
The reasons for running are clear.
=
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/26/AR2006102601257_pf.html
In Michigan, a Sale the GOP Can't Close
By E. J. Dionne Jr.
Friday, October 27, 2006; A23
HOUGHTON, Mich. -- While Republicans scratch their heads over why aseemingly good economy is not helping them nationally in this year'selections, Michigan is where the party once hoped a bad economy would helpit seize a governorship.
The heavy hits sustained by the auto industry's Big Three have left thestate with a 7.1 percent unemployment rate, just below the 7.2 percent ratefor Mississippi, which endured Hurricane Katrina. The job hemorrhage seemedthe ideal issue for billionaire businessman Dick DeVos, the Republicannominee, against Gov. Jennifer Granholm. She is a nationally respectedDemocrat who many think would have made a fine presidential candidate ifonly she had not been born in Canada.
DeVos, a conservative whose wealth comes from his family company, Amway, isauditioning for her job by insisting, Kennedy-style, that Michigan can dobetter. "We have gone backward while the country has gone forward," he saidduring a debate on Monday. "It's just unacceptable."
=
The New York Times
http://select.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/opinion/27krugman.html?pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
Op-Ed Columnist
The Arithmetic of Failure
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Iraq is a lost cause. It's just a matter of arithmetic: given the violenceof the environment, with ethnic groups and rival militias at each other'sthroats, American forces there are large enough to suffer terrible losses,but far too small to stabilize the country.
We're so undermanned that we're even losing our ability to influence events:earlier this week, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki brusquely rejectedAmerican efforts to set a timetable for reining in the militias.
Afghanistan, on the other hand, is a war we haven't yet lost, and it's justpossible that a new commitment of forces there might turn things around.
The moral is clear - we need to get out of Iraq, not because we want to cutand run, but because our continuing presence is doing nothing but wastingAmerican lives. And if we do free up our forces (and those of our Britishallies), we might still be able to save Afghanistan.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/opinion/27fri2.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
Editorial
Compounding a Political Outrage
The sleazy way in which campaigns and the political parties use loopholes inthe campaign finance laws to evade responsibility for their attack ads is onfull display in the Tennessee Senate race. Slick as a leer, pernicious as avirus, a campaign commercial transparently honed as a racist appeal toTennessee voters has remained on the air, despite assurances from Republicansponsors that it was pulled down.
The ad is directed at Representative Harold Ford Jr., the Democraticcandidate for the Senate, who is African-American. It includes abare-shouldered white woman claiming to have met the candidate at a Playboyparty and signing off with a close-up, whispered come-on: "Harold, call me."
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_top13oct27,0,2743798,print.story?coll=sns-newsnation-headlines
Poll: Middle Class Voters Abandoning GOP
By LIZ SIDOTI and TREVOR TOMPSON
Associated Press Writers
October 27, 2006, 7:29 AM EDT
WASHINGTON -- The 2006 election is shaping up to be a repeat of 1994. Thistime, Democrats are favored to sweep Republicans from power in the Houseafter a dozen years of GOP rule.
Less than two weeks before the Nov. 7 election, the latest AssociatedPress-AOL News poll found that likely voters overwhelmingly prefer Democratsover Republicans. They are angry at President Bush and theRepublican-controlled Congress, and say Iraq and the economy are their topissues.
At the same time, fickle middle-class voters are embracing the DemocraticParty and fleeing the GOP -- just as they abandoned Democrats a dozen yearsago and ushered in an era of Republican control.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/washington/27taxes.html?ei=5094&en=3533f4b89afc2a0c&hp=&ex=1162008000&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
I.R.S. Going Slow Before Election
By DAVID CAY JOHNSTON
The commissioner of internal revenue has ordered his agency to delaycollecting back taxes from Hurricane Katrina victims until after the Nov. 7elections and the holiday season, saying he did so in part to avoid negativepublicity.
The commissioner, Mark W. Everson, who has close ties to the White House,said in an interview that postponing collections until after the midtermelections, along with postponing notices to people who failed to file taxreturns, was a routine effort to avoid casting the Internal Revenue Servicein a bad light.
"We are very sensitive to political perceptions," Mr. Everson saidWednesday, adding that he regularly discussed with his senior staff memberswhen to take actions and make announcements in light of whether they wouldannoy a powerful member of Congress or get lost in the flow of news.
=
The Washington Post
Drop in Smoking Rates Stalls
CDC Reports Cigarette Use Among Adults Holds Steady
By Rob Stein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, October 27, 2006; A10
The battle against tobacco in the United States appears to have stalled,with the number of adults who smoke cigarettes hitting a plateau afterdeclining steadily for eight years, federal health officials reportedyesterday.
The proportion of adults who smoke held steady at 20.9 percent in the mostrecent national survey of cigarette habits, conducted in 2005. It was thefirst time the rate did not fall from one year to the next since 1997, thefederal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta reported.
The stall coincides with a similar leveling-off in smoking rates amongteenagers, suggesting that the steady progress against the leading cause ofpreventable death has hit a wall.
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_top13oct27,0,2743798,print.story?coll=sns-newsnation-headlines
Poll: Middle Class Voters Abandoning GOP
By LIZ SIDOTI and TREVOR TOMPSON
Associated Press Writers
October 27, 2006, 7:29 AM EDT
WASHINGTON -- The 2006 election is shaping up to be a repeat of 1994. Thistime, Democrats are favored to sweep Republicans from power in the Houseafter a dozen years of GOP rule.
Less than two weeks before the Nov. 7 election, the latest AssociatedPress-AOL News poll found that likely voters overwhelmingly prefer Democratsover Republicans. They are angry at President Bush and theRepublican-controlled Congress, and say Iraq and the economy are their topissues.
At the same time, fickle middle-class voters are embracing the DemocraticParty and fleeing the GOP -- just as they abandoned Democrats a dozen yearsago and ushered in an era of Republican control.
"I don't think the Republican Party represents what I stand for. The guys Igolf with, we're in the middle class, we're getting hurt," says JosephAltland, 73, a retired teacher in York, Pa. He is a registered Republicanbut says he is considering becoming an independent.
The AP-AOL News telephone poll of 2,000 adults, 970 of whom are likelyvoters, was conducted by Ipsos from Oct. 20-25.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/27/business/27econ.html?pagewanted=print
October 27, 2006
New-Home Prices Fall Sharply
By JEREMY W. PETERS
Home builders, struggling to keep ahead in a weakening market, cut pricesand offered a variety of other discounts in September to help sell theirnewly constructed houses, the latest government and industry statisticsshow.
The Commerce Department reported yesterday that the median price of a newhome plunged 9.7 percent last month, compared with September 2005, fallingto $217,100, the biggest such drop since December 1970.
Statistics from the National Association of Home Builders showed a similarslide. Builders reported cutting prices in September by 5 percent, accordingto the association's most recent data.
Just two months ago, prices of new homes were still on the rise.
=
MIT Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/printer_friendly_article.aspx?id=17667
Firefox 2.0: The Honda Civic of Web Browsers
Updated and improved, Firefox remains excellent but breaks little new
ground.
By John Borland
Tapping once again into the collective talents of the open-source community,the new Firefox 2.0 Web browser is unambiguously a success.
Released late Tuesday, the Mozilla Foundation's latest Net-surfing tool isalmost everything Web denizens have come to expect from the popular InternetExplorer alternative. Firefox 2.0 offers a handful of obvious improvementsin searching and security and a couple of new features, and it largely keepsdoing well what it has done well before.
This said, it breaks little genuinely new ground.
=
MIT Technology Review
http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx?id=17668&ch=infotech
A Dangerous Step toward Space Warfare
Experts say the new U.S. National Space Policy will push the world closer to
a space arms race.
By Brittany Sauser
The Bush administration's announcement of a more unilateral approach tospace may put American satellites orbiting Earth (such as the one in thisimage) in grave danger should a space arms race begin. (Credit:Istockphoto.com/Cristian Matei)
The release of the U.S. National Space Policy (NSP) on October 6 has worriedmany experts, who say the policy marks a strategic shift toward a moremilitary-oriented, unilateral approach to space for the United States. Theyfear that the policy, if followed, could begin an arms race leading tocatastrophic space warfare.
=
http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/10/27/clergy_warned_on_partisan_preaching?mode=PF
Clergy warned on partisan preaching
Several faiths act to keep tax status
By Michael Paulson, Globe Staff | October 27, 2006
In the face of increased federal scrutiny of politics in the pulpit,religious denominations are warning clergy against overtly partisanpreaching.
As Election Day approaches, with the Massachusetts governorship and bothhouses of Congress up for grabs, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bostonhas sent a memo to all priests instructing them not to provide parishdirectories to political candidates, not to allow the distribution ofcampaign literature on church property, and not to express support oropposition for political candidates.
The memo warns explicitly that the tax-exempt status of the Archdiocese ofBoston could be at risk if those rules are violated.
=
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-money27oct27,1,5277670.story?coll=la-headlines-nation
Business groups woo Democrat
positions after Nov. 7.
By Richard Simon
Times Staff Writer
October 27, 2006
"Some people have discovered virtues in me that they had previouslyoverlooked," Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts, who stands to becomechairman of the Financial Services Committee if Democrats control the House,mused recently. "The prospect of the chairmanship seems to have been a verygood introduction."
Frank was referring to a surge in campaign contributions from pro-businessgroups - groups whose members would have to deal with the liberal Democratinstead of a probably-more-congenial Republican. (Rep. Michael G. Oxley, theOhio Republican who now heads the committee, is retiring after this term.)
Issues involving the financial services industry fall under the committee'sjurisdiction. And the New York Life Insurance Co.'s political actioncommittee has contributed $10,000 to Frank this election season, up from$1,000 in the 2003-'04 cycle, according to PoliticalMoneyLine, which trackspolitical donations. The National Assn. of Insurance and Financial AdvisorsPAC contributed $10,000 to Frank this election season, up from $3,000 in thelast cycle.
=
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/10/27/ap/entertainment/mainD8L0QCTO0.shtml
Fox: Not Off Medicine in Political Ads
Michael J. Fox tells Katie Couric he was not off medication in political ads
NEW YORK, Oct. 27, 2006
By FRAZIER MOORE Associated Press TV Writer
(AP) In a response to charges by conservative talk-show host Rush Limbaugh,Michael J. Fox defended his appearance in recent political campaign ads,saying he was neither acting nor off his medication for Parkinson's disease.
On the contrary, he had been overmedicated, the actor said during aninterview aired on Thursday's "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric."
"The irony of it is that I was too medicated," Fox told Couric, adding thathis jumpy condition as he spoke to her reflected "a dearth of medication _not by design. I just take it, and it kicks in when it kicks in."
"That's funny _ the notion that you could calculate it for effect," he said.
"Would that we could."
#####
Thursday, October 26, 2006
GLBT DIGEST - October 26, 2006
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/25/AR2006102501645_pf.html
Prominent S. African Denied Entry Into U.S.
By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, October 26, 2006; A20
JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 25 -- A prominent South African political analyst saidWednesday that U.S. border agents had denied him entry into the UnitedStates and questioned him about his views on terrorism.
Adam Habib, executive director of the Democracy and Governance ResearchProgram for South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council, was taken to aholding room at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday after hisarrival for meetings in New York and Washington, he said in an interview.
Seven hours later, his visa had been canceled and he was escorted by anarmed guard to a return flight to Johannesburg.
=
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81690
Tell a Friend
Journal of Homosexuality
Volume 51, Issue 2
Editor(s): John P. De Cecco, PhD
This issue is now available online and will soon be mailed to subscribers inapproximately 4-6 weeks.
NOTE: If the URLs in this email are not active hyperlinks, copy and paste
the URL into the address/location box in your browser.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
"Fag Church": Men who Integrate Gay and Christian Identities
Gerald Walton
Stereotype or Success? Prime-Time Television's Portrayals of Gay Male,
Lesbian, and Bisexual Characters
Amber B. Raley, Jennifer L. Lucas
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81691
Explaining Comfort with Homosexuality in Rural America
Vicki Lea Eldridge, Lisa Mack, Eric Swank
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81692
Public Attitudes Toward Gays and Lesbians Trends and Predictors
Gary R. Hicks, Tien-tsung Lee
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81695
more....
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102306condoms.htm
GAO Pokes Holes In Bush Condom Advice
by The Associated Press
October 23, 2006 - 9:00 pm ET
(Washington) Government auditors reminded the Bush administration Thursdaythat literature distributed by federally funded abstinence programs mustcontain medically accurate information about condoms' effectiveness inpreventing sexually transmitted diseases.
The Government Accountability Office did not make any judgment about theaccuracy of the literature. But the government watchdog did say theDepartment of Health and Human Services is required by law to ensure thatmaterials addressing sexually transmitted diseases "shall contain medicallyaccurate information on condom effectiveness."
The Bush administration has contended that materials prepared by theprograms, which received about $170 million in 2006, did not fall within thescope of the statute.
"We have no disagreement that abstinence education curricula should bemedically accurate," said Wade Horn, a top HHS official. "In fact, we insiston it."
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
365Gay.com, October 23, 2006
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102306safmarr.htm
Opposition Grows To South Africa Gay Unions Bill
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
(Cape Town, South Africa) South African legislation that would give same-sexcouples all of the privileges and responsibilities of marriage is drawingincreasing opposition from both gay rights groups and religiousconservatives.
The Civil Unions bill is the government's response to the ConstitutionalCourt's ruling last December that it is unconstitutional to deny gay andlesbian couples the right to marry.
Rather than rewriting the existing marriage law to make it gender neutralthe government opted to leave the law alone, maintaining its definition ofthe institution as a union between a man and a woman, and creating a new lawto permit same-sex civil marriage.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/15832609.htm?source=rss&chann
el=inquirer_nation
U.S., Web publishers tangle over child-shield law
By Maryclaire Dale
Associated Press
After years of legal wrangling, Web-site publishers argued in federal courtyesterday in Philadelphia that a law Congress passed to protect childrenfrom online pornography was fatally flawed.
Salon.com, Nerve.com and other plaintiffs said the 1998 Child OnlineProtection Act would most likely criminalize legitimate material theypublish, from sexual-health information to erotic literature to newsphotographs of naked Iraqi prisoners tortured at Abu Ghraib.
The Justice Department argued that it was easier to stop online porn at thesource than to keep children from viewing it, inadvertently or otherwise.
=
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kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Canada: Critics shelve bid to overturn same-sex law
Globe and Mail, Canada, October 25, 2006
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061025.SAMESEX25/TPStory/
National
Critics shelve bid to overturn same-sex law GLORIA GALLOWAY
OTTAWA -- Facing likely defeat in a coming parliamentary vote on whether toreopen the divisive issue of same-sex marriage, groups that oppose theunions say they are no longer pressing for an immediate return to thetraditional definition of one man and one woman.
Instead, they arrived at the House of Commons yesterday to say they would behappy if politicians would merely study the impact that expanding theinstitution to gay and lesbian couples has had on Canadian society -- a movethey hope will keep the debate in the public domain.
"We wish that they would study it, we wish that they would have properhearings," Dr. Charles McVety, a senior director of Defend Marriage Canada,said at a news conference.
=
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kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Senator hits back on judges
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 By Ed Golder
The Grand Rapids Press
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-32/1161787837314440.x
ml&coll=6
GRAND RAPIDS -- All or nothing.
That's U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow's position on three federal judgenominations made in a compromise with President George W. Bush.
One of three nominations, that of Michigan Court of Appeals Judge JanetNeff of East Grand Rapids, is on hold. U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas,halted her nomination after he learned Neff spoke four years ago at thecommitment ceremony of a lesbian couple.
Bush nominated Neff along with attorney Robert Jonker of East Grand Rapidsand Paul Maloney of Berrien County to serve in the U.S. District Court inWest Michigan.
=
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kenslist@groups.queernet.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2006
Contact: Dannie Tillman, Director of Communications and Coalitions
PHONE: (323) 217-8875 EMAIL: <mailto:media@eqca.org> media@eqca.org
EQUALITY CALIFORNIA RELEASES SCORECARD FOR THE 2005-2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
More Than Half of the Legislative Body Earns High Marks Supporting Equality
Sacramento - Equality California (EQCA) released its 2005-2006 LegislativeScorecard today, ranking 120 legislators and Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggeron their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality.Lawmakers passed a record-breaking 15 pieces of EQCA-sponsored legislationduring the session, including 14 bills and one resolution.
A total of 66 members of the California Senate and Assembly voted in supportof EQCA-sponsored legislation 90 percent of the time, or more. Thoselawmakers represent more than half of the state's entire legislative body.In addition, 51 legislators stood up for every EQCA-sponsored measure thatcame up for a vote.
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kenslist@groups.queernet.org
WI: University Committee statement on the Wisconsin marriage amendment
University of Wisconsin-Madison University Communications, WI, October 25,
2006
http://www.news.wisc.edu/13068.html
Note: This statement was written and endorsed by the executive committee ofthe UW-Madison Faculty Senate: Robert Mathieu, astronomy, chair; LindaGraham, botany; Ann Hoyt, consumer science; Jane Hutchison, art history;Bruce Klein, pediatrics; and William Tracy, agronomy.
"The proposed constitutional amendment to restrict the legal status ofpeople in relationships other than traditional marriages will harm theintellectual capacity of both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and thestate of Wisconsin.
The UW-Madison Faculty Senate is on record in saying that the amendmentrepresents a dangerous erosion of protections against harassment anddiscrimination. This legislation would institutionalize intolerance in ourstate. On these grounds, we state again our strong opposition to thisamendment.
=
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kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102406walmart.htm
AFA: Avoid Gay Friendly Wal-Mart
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
October 25, 2006 - 12:01 am ET
(New York City) The American Family Association is telling its members toavoid shopping at Wal-Mart over what the conservative Christian group callsan alignment by the retailer with "a pro-homosexual lobby group."
Wal-Mart earlier this year expanded its LGBT diversity program in a dealwith the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. (story) In an emailalert to its members this week the AFA says that the company is retailinghundreds of products with "pro-homosexual leanings".
Randy Sharp, AFA's director of special projects said he did an online searchof Walmart.com using such terms as "gay," "lesbian," "transgender,""bisexual," and "gay marriage".
=
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/special_packages/5min/15849849.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
NEW JERSEY
N.J. opens door to gay marriage
New Jersey's high court declared gay couples are entitled to the same
rights as heterosexual ones and left details to lawmakers.
By GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey's highest court opened the door Wednesdayto making the state the second in the nation to allow gay marriage, rulingthat lawmakers must offer same-sex couples either marriage or something likeit, such as civil unions.
In a ruling that fell short of what either side wanted or feared, thestate Supreme Court declared 4-3 that gay couples are entitled to the samerights as heterosexual ones. The justices gave lawmakers 180 days to rewritethe laws.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/us/politics/26foley.html?pagewanted=print
Rights Group Fires Publisher of Foley E-Mail
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 - A liberal gay rights group said Wednesday that one ofits employees, acting anonymously, had created the Web site that firstpublished copies of unusually solicitous e-mail messages to teenagers fromformer Representative Mark Foley, which led to his resignation.
A spokesman for the group, the Human Rights Campaign, said it first learnedof its employee's role this week and immediately fired him for misusing thegroup's resources. The scandal surrounding Mr. Foley, a Florida Republican,has been a burdensome distraction for members of his party in the monthbefore the midterm elections, and some Republicans have speculated that thee-mail messages were planted by a Democrat.
The rights campaign's spokesman, David Smith, said the employee, whose namehe declined to disclose, was a junior staff member hired last month to helpmobilize the organization's members in Michigan. "The minute we learnedabout it we took decisive action," Mr. Smith said.
The Miami Herald and other news organizations have acknowledged obtainingcopies of the same e-mail messages months ago but declining to publish thembecause of their potentially ambiguous contents.
=
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/10/26/m1a_FOLEY_MAIN_1026.html
Foley's rehab center in Arizona known for catering to the stars
By Andrew Marra
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Since resigning from Congress last month, former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley hasbeen a patient at a sprawling rehab center to the stars: a 160-acre campusin the Sonoran Desert north of Tucson, Ariz., where a month of therapy costsmore than $40,000.
Foley's lawyers confirmed Wednesday that he checked into a 30-day alcoholtreatment program at Sierra Tucson on Oct. 1, two days after he left officeamid reports that he exchanged sexually explicit Internet messages withformer congressional pages.
His stint in the program puts a congressman known to hobnob with Hollywoodbig shots in a place where many of the biggest names in television, musicand the sports world have gone during their darkest hours.
Sierra Tucson has addressed substance abuse, eating disorders and griefmanagement for the likes of Whitney Houston, Michael Douglas, Nicole Richie,Ringo Starr, Rob Lowe, Julie Andrews and Kim Delaney.
=
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15848327.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
Foley investigators near end of witnesses
ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - After nearly three weeks of hearing testimony about MarkFoley's inappropriate behavior toward former pages, House investigatorsappear to be reaching the end of their witness list.
A four-member ethics panel worked into the night Wednesdayinterviewing a senior aide for House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Ted Van DerMeid, who oversaw the page program for the speaker, testified for more thansix hours.
Van Der Meid was part of a small group of staff aides and lawmakerswho knew of Foley's too-friendly e-mails sent to a Louisiana teen last fall.The matter was handled quietly as then-Clerk of the House Jeff Trandahl andRep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., confronted Foley, R-Fla., about his actions andinstructed him to stop.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/nyregion/26mcgreevey.html?pagewanted=print
An 'I Do' From McGreevey? He Would.
By DAVID W. CHEN
TRENTON, Oct. 25 - Yes, he would.
That was the reaction of former Gov. James E. McGreevey when asked on
Wednesday whether he would marry his partner if the New Jersey Legislature - in the aftermath of the State Supreme Court decision that same-sex couplesare entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals - decides that gay marriagewill be honored.
After gathering his thoughts, Mr. McGreevey said that while he had no plansto marry his partner immediately, he did feel that a ceremony would be inhis future.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/nyregion/26justices.html?pagewanted=print
Party Lines Are No Guide to Opinions by Justices
By LAURA MANSNERUS
TRENTON, Oct. 25 - It is not always easy to identify partisan fault lines inNew Jersey. In the New Jersey Supreme Court, it is all but impossible, andnothing reflects that more clearly than Wednesday's 4-to-3 decision onsame-sex marriage.
Three justices appointed by a Republican governor would recognize the fullstatus of marriage for same-sex couples. And of the three justices appointedby a Democrat - a gay Democrat, at that - none would go that far, and theyjoined in the majority opinion.
To obscure any partisan alliances even more, each contingent includedRepublican and Democratic justices.
Their opinions in Lewis v. Harris, the case decided on Wednesday, showedonce again that, as one former associate justice, Peter J. Verniero, put it,"the political label dissipates very quickly when someone is appointed tothe Supreme Court."
=
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-dpriest26oct26,0,2420620.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Priest named by Foley faces new allegation at North Miami church
By Madeline Baró Diaz
Miami Bureau
October 26, 2006
A South Florida man accused a priest on Wednesday of molesting him almost 30years ago -- the same priest former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley alleges sexuallyabused him.
In a suit filed against the Archdiocese of Miami in Miami-Dade CircuitCourt, the unidentified man said the Rev. Anthony Mercieca fondled andperformed oral sex on him when he was 12 or 13 years old. At the time, thealleged victim was an altar boy at St. James Church in North Miami, whereMercieca was assigned.
The man is seeking more than $10 million in damages.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Parkway-Attack.html?pagewanted=print
3 Charged With Hate Crimes in NYC Death
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 1:35 a.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- Three men have been indicted on hate crimes charges in thedeath of a gay man who was attacked alongside a parkway then hit by a carwhile trying to escape, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Michael Sandy, 29, died five days after the Oct. 13 attack when he was takenoff life support.
Anthony Fortunato, 20, was indicted Wednesday after the indictments lastweek of John Fox, 19, and Ilya Shurov, 20. They were charged with numerouscounts including second-degree murder as a hate crime and first-degreeattempted robbery as a hate crime, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynessaid.
If convicted, they each could serve 25 years to life in prison.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Gay-Marriage.html
N.J. Court Opens Door to Gay Marriage
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 26, 2006
Skip to next paragraph
Filed at 4:13 a.m. ET
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- The gay marriage issue in New Jersey is moving from alegal dispute to a political one.
The state Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that New Jersey must extend allthe rights of marriage to gay couples. But the justices left it to statelawmakers to decide whether to provide those rights in the form ofmarriages, civil unions or something else -- and gave the Legislature 180days to reach a decision.
Several Democratic lawmakers said they will push for full marriage rights.
But some Republicans, the minority party in both houses of the Legislature,said they will seek a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris, vowed to have the justices impeached.
''Neither the framers of New Jersey's 1947 constitution, nor the voters whoratified it, ever remotely contemplated the possibility of same-sexmarriage,'' Merkt said.
State Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph RobertsJr. pledged in a joint statement to block an anti-gay marriage amendment.They also complained that the court-imposed deadline allows too little timeto define the type of union that would be granted to gay couples.
=
Irish Examiner, 26 October 2006
Bullied gay students can seek redress from equality body
By Ed Carty
YOUNGSTERS suffering homophobic abuse in school may be able to bring theiraggressors to book at the Equality Tribunal, it was revealed yesterday.
As a new initiative was launched encouraging schools to protect pupils frombullying, teenagers were told they can seek redress from the EqualityTribunal.
Under the Equal Status Acts, harassment is prohibited on a number ofgrounds, including sexual orientation, and schools are required to takereasonable steps to protect children in their care.
Niall Crowley, of the Equality Authority, said children suffering suchbullying might have a case.
"Schools need to ensure codes of behaviour and anti-bullying policies areexplicit in naming the issue of homophobic bullying and in identifying thepractices and procedures in place to prevent this," he said.
"Schools should ensure that their admission policies are welcoming to adiversity of students, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderstudents."
#####
rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/25/AR2006102501645_pf.html
Prominent S. African Denied Entry Into U.S.
By Craig Timberg
Washington Post Foreign Service
Thursday, October 26, 2006; A20
JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 25 -- A prominent South African political analyst saidWednesday that U.S. border agents had denied him entry into the UnitedStates and questioned him about his views on terrorism.
Adam Habib, executive director of the Democracy and Governance ResearchProgram for South Africa's Human Sciences Research Council, was taken to aholding room at John F. Kennedy International Airport on Saturday after hisarrival for meetings in New York and Washington, he said in an interview.
Seven hours later, his visa had been canceled and he was escorted by anarmed guard to a return flight to Johannesburg.
=
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81690
Tell a Friend
Journal of Homosexuality
Volume 51, Issue 2
Editor(s): John P. De Cecco, PhD
This issue is now available online and will soon be mailed to subscribers inapproximately 4-6 weeks.
NOTE: If the URLs in this email are not active hyperlinks, copy and paste
the URL into the address/location box in your browser.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
"Fag Church": Men who Integrate Gay and Christian Identities
Gerald Walton
Stereotype or Success? Prime-Time Television's Portrayals of Gay Male,
Lesbian, and Bisexual Characters
Amber B. Raley, Jennifer L. Lucas
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81691
Explaining Comfort with Homosexuality in Rural America
Vicki Lea Eldridge, Lisa Mack, Eric Swank
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81692
Public Attitudes Toward Gays and Lesbians Trends and Predictors
Gary R. Hicks, Tien-tsung Lee
http://www.haworthpress.com/store/ArticleAbstract.asp?ID=81695
more....
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Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102306condoms.htm
GAO Pokes Holes In Bush Condom Advice
by The Associated Press
October 23, 2006 - 9:00 pm ET
(Washington) Government auditors reminded the Bush administration Thursdaythat literature distributed by federally funded abstinence programs mustcontain medically accurate information about condoms' effectiveness inpreventing sexually transmitted diseases.
The Government Accountability Office did not make any judgment about theaccuracy of the literature. But the government watchdog did say theDepartment of Health and Human Services is required by law to ensure thatmaterials addressing sexually transmitted diseases "shall contain medicallyaccurate information on condom effectiveness."
The Bush administration has contended that materials prepared by theprograms, which received about $170 million in 2006, did not fall within thescope of the statute.
"We have no disagreement that abstinence education curricula should bemedically accurate," said Wade Horn, a top HHS official. "In fact, we insiston it."
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365Gay.com, October 23, 2006
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102306safmarr.htm
Opposition Grows To South Africa Gay Unions Bill
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
(Cape Town, South Africa) South African legislation that would give same-sexcouples all of the privileges and responsibilities of marriage is drawingincreasing opposition from both gay rights groups and religiousconservatives.
The Civil Unions bill is the government's response to the ConstitutionalCourt's ruling last December that it is unconstitutional to deny gay andlesbian couples the right to marry.
Rather than rewriting the existing marriage law to make it gender neutralthe government opted to leave the law alone, maintaining its definition ofthe institution as a union between a man and a woman, and creating a new lawto permit same-sex civil marriage.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/nation/15832609.htm?source=rss&chann
el=inquirer_nation
U.S., Web publishers tangle over child-shield law
By Maryclaire Dale
Associated Press
After years of legal wrangling, Web-site publishers argued in federal courtyesterday in Philadelphia that a law Congress passed to protect childrenfrom online pornography was fatally flawed.
Salon.com, Nerve.com and other plaintiffs said the 1998 Child OnlineProtection Act would most likely criminalize legitimate material theypublish, from sexual-health information to erotic literature to newsphotographs of naked Iraqi prisoners tortured at Abu Ghraib.
The Justice Department argued that it was easier to stop online porn at thesource than to keep children from viewing it, inadvertently or otherwise.
=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Canada: Critics shelve bid to overturn same-sex law
Globe and Mail, Canada, October 25, 2006
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20061025.SAMESEX25/TPStory/
National
Critics shelve bid to overturn same-sex law GLORIA GALLOWAY
OTTAWA -- Facing likely defeat in a coming parliamentary vote on whether toreopen the divisive issue of same-sex marriage, groups that oppose theunions say they are no longer pressing for an immediate return to thetraditional definition of one man and one woman.
Instead, they arrived at the House of Commons yesterday to say they would behappy if politicians would merely study the impact that expanding theinstitution to gay and lesbian couples has had on Canadian society -- a movethey hope will keep the debate in the public domain.
"We wish that they would study it, we wish that they would have properhearings," Dr. Charles McVety, a senior director of Defend Marriage Canada,said at a news conference.
=
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Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Senator hits back on judges
Wednesday, October 25, 2006 By Ed Golder
The Grand Rapids Press
http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-32/1161787837314440.x
ml&coll=6
GRAND RAPIDS -- All or nothing.
That's U.S. Sen. Debbie Stabenow's position on three federal judgenominations made in a compromise with President George W. Bush.
One of three nominations, that of Michigan Court of Appeals Judge JanetNeff of East Grand Rapids, is on hold. U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas,halted her nomination after he learned Neff spoke four years ago at thecommitment ceremony of a lesbian couple.
Bush nominated Neff along with attorney Robert Jonker of East Grand Rapidsand Paul Maloney of Berrien County to serve in the U.S. District Court inWest Michigan.
=
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Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 23, 2006
Contact: Dannie Tillman, Director of Communications and Coalitions
PHONE: (323) 217-8875 EMAIL: <mailto:media@eqca.org> media@eqca.org
EQUALITY CALIFORNIA RELEASES SCORECARD FOR THE 2005-2006 LEGISLATIVE SESSION
More Than Half of the Legislative Body Earns High Marks Supporting Equality
Sacramento - Equality California (EQCA) released its 2005-2006 LegislativeScorecard today, ranking 120 legislators and Governor Arnold Schwarzeneggeron their support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality.Lawmakers passed a record-breaking 15 pieces of EQCA-sponsored legislationduring the session, including 14 bills and one resolution.
A total of 66 members of the California Senate and Assembly voted in supportof EQCA-sponsored legislation 90 percent of the time, or more. Thoselawmakers represent more than half of the state's entire legislative body.In addition, 51 legislators stood up for every EQCA-sponsored measure thatcame up for a vote.
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kenslist@groups.queernet.org
WI: University Committee statement on the Wisconsin marriage amendment
University of Wisconsin-Madison University Communications, WI, October 25,
2006
http://www.news.wisc.edu/13068.html
Note: This statement was written and endorsed by the executive committee ofthe UW-Madison Faculty Senate: Robert Mathieu, astronomy, chair; LindaGraham, botany; Ann Hoyt, consumer science; Jane Hutchison, art history;Bruce Klein, pediatrics; and William Tracy, agronomy.
"The proposed constitutional amendment to restrict the legal status ofpeople in relationships other than traditional marriages will harm theintellectual capacity of both the University of Wisconsin-Madison and thestate of Wisconsin.
The UW-Madison Faculty Senate is on record in saying that the amendmentrepresents a dangerous erosion of protections against harassment anddiscrimination. This legislation would institutionalize intolerance in ourstate. On these grounds, we state again our strong opposition to thisamendment.
=
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Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://365gay.com/Newscon06/10/102406walmart.htm
AFA: Avoid Gay Friendly Wal-Mart
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
October 25, 2006 - 12:01 am ET
(New York City) The American Family Association is telling its members toavoid shopping at Wal-Mart over what the conservative Christian group callsan alignment by the retailer with "a pro-homosexual lobby group."
Wal-Mart earlier this year expanded its LGBT diversity program in a dealwith the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. (story) In an emailalert to its members this week the AFA says that the company is retailinghundreds of products with "pro-homosexual leanings".
Randy Sharp, AFA's director of special projects said he did an online searchof Walmart.com using such terms as "gay," "lesbian," "transgender,""bisexual," and "gay marriage".
=
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/special_packages/5min/15849849.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
NEW JERSEY
N.J. opens door to gay marriage
New Jersey's high court declared gay couples are entitled to the same
rights as heterosexual ones and left details to lawmakers.
By GEOFF MULVIHILL
Associated Press
TRENTON, N.J. - New Jersey's highest court opened the door Wednesdayto making the state the second in the nation to allow gay marriage, rulingthat lawmakers must offer same-sex couples either marriage or something likeit, such as civil unions.
In a ruling that fell short of what either side wanted or feared, thestate Supreme Court declared 4-3 that gay couples are entitled to the samerights as heterosexual ones. The justices gave lawmakers 180 days to rewritethe laws.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/us/politics/26foley.html?pagewanted=print
Rights Group Fires Publisher of Foley E-Mail
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
WASHINGTON, Oct. 25 - A liberal gay rights group said Wednesday that one ofits employees, acting anonymously, had created the Web site that firstpublished copies of unusually solicitous e-mail messages to teenagers fromformer Representative Mark Foley, which led to his resignation.
A spokesman for the group, the Human Rights Campaign, said it first learnedof its employee's role this week and immediately fired him for misusing thegroup's resources. The scandal surrounding Mr. Foley, a Florida Republican,has been a burdensome distraction for members of his party in the monthbefore the midterm elections, and some Republicans have speculated that thee-mail messages were planted by a Democrat.
The rights campaign's spokesman, David Smith, said the employee, whose namehe declined to disclose, was a junior staff member hired last month to helpmobilize the organization's members in Michigan. "The minute we learnedabout it we took decisive action," Mr. Smith said.
The Miami Herald and other news organizations have acknowledged obtainingcopies of the same e-mail messages months ago but declining to publish thembecause of their potentially ambiguous contents.
=
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/pbccentral/content/local_news/epaper/2006/10/26/m1a_FOLEY_MAIN_1026.html
Foley's rehab center in Arizona known for catering to the stars
By Andrew Marra
Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Since resigning from Congress last month, former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley hasbeen a patient at a sprawling rehab center to the stars: a 160-acre campusin the Sonoran Desert north of Tucson, Ariz., where a month of therapy costsmore than $40,000.
Foley's lawyers confirmed Wednesday that he checked into a 30-day alcoholtreatment program at Sierra Tucson on Oct. 1, two days after he left officeamid reports that he exchanged sexually explicit Internet messages withformer congressional pages.
His stint in the program puts a congressman known to hobnob with Hollywoodbig shots in a place where many of the biggest names in television, musicand the sports world have gone during their darkest hours.
Sierra Tucson has addressed substance abuse, eating disorders and griefmanagement for the likes of Whitney Houston, Michael Douglas, Nicole Richie,Ringo Starr, Rob Lowe, Julie Andrews and Kim Delaney.
=
http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/15848327.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp
Foley investigators near end of witnesses
ANDREW TAYLOR
Associated Press
WASHINGTON - After nearly three weeks of hearing testimony about MarkFoley's inappropriate behavior toward former pages, House investigatorsappear to be reaching the end of their witness list.
A four-member ethics panel worked into the night Wednesdayinterviewing a senior aide for House Speaker Dennis Hastert. Ted Van DerMeid, who oversaw the page program for the speaker, testified for more thansix hours.
Van Der Meid was part of a small group of staff aides and lawmakerswho knew of Foley's too-friendly e-mails sent to a Louisiana teen last fall.The matter was handled quietly as then-Clerk of the House Jeff Trandahl andRep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., confronted Foley, R-Fla., about his actions andinstructed him to stop.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/nyregion/26mcgreevey.html?pagewanted=print
An 'I Do' From McGreevey? He Would.
By DAVID W. CHEN
TRENTON, Oct. 25 - Yes, he would.
That was the reaction of former Gov. James E. McGreevey when asked on
Wednesday whether he would marry his partner if the New Jersey Legislature - in the aftermath of the State Supreme Court decision that same-sex couplesare entitled to the same rights as heterosexuals - decides that gay marriagewill be honored.
After gathering his thoughts, Mr. McGreevey said that while he had no plansto marry his partner immediately, he did feel that a ceremony would be inhis future.
=
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/26/nyregion/26justices.html?pagewanted=print
Party Lines Are No Guide to Opinions by Justices
By LAURA MANSNERUS
TRENTON, Oct. 25 - It is not always easy to identify partisan fault lines inNew Jersey. In the New Jersey Supreme Court, it is all but impossible, andnothing reflects that more clearly than Wednesday's 4-to-3 decision onsame-sex marriage.
Three justices appointed by a Republican governor would recognize the fullstatus of marriage for same-sex couples. And of the three justices appointedby a Democrat - a gay Democrat, at that - none would go that far, and theyjoined in the majority opinion.
To obscure any partisan alliances even more, each contingent includedRepublican and Democratic justices.
Their opinions in Lewis v. Harris, the case decided on Wednesday, showedonce again that, as one former associate justice, Peter J. Verniero, put it,"the political label dissipates very quickly when someone is appointed tothe Supreme Court."
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-dpriest26oct26,0,2420620.story?coll=sfla-home-headlines
Priest named by Foley faces new allegation at North Miami church
By Madeline Baró Diaz
Miami Bureau
October 26, 2006
A South Florida man accused a priest on Wednesday of molesting him almost 30years ago -- the same priest former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley alleges sexuallyabused him.
In a suit filed against the Archdiocese of Miami in Miami-Dade CircuitCourt, the unidentified man said the Rev. Anthony Mercieca fondled andperformed oral sex on him when he was 12 or 13 years old. At the time, thealleged victim was an altar boy at St. James Church in North Miami, whereMercieca was assigned.
The man is seeking more than $10 million in damages.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Parkway-Attack.html?pagewanted=print
3 Charged With Hate Crimes in NYC Death
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 1:35 a.m. ET
NEW YORK (AP) -- Three men have been indicted on hate crimes charges in thedeath of a gay man who was attacked alongside a parkway then hit by a carwhile trying to escape, prosecutors said Wednesday.
Michael Sandy, 29, died five days after the Oct. 13 attack when he was takenoff life support.
Anthony Fortunato, 20, was indicted Wednesday after the indictments lastweek of John Fox, 19, and Ilya Shurov, 20. They were charged with numerouscounts including second-degree murder as a hate crime and first-degreeattempted robbery as a hate crime, Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynessaid.
If convicted, they each could serve 25 years to life in prison.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Gay-Marriage.html
N.J. Court Opens Door to Gay Marriage
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: October 26, 2006
Skip to next paragraph
Filed at 4:13 a.m. ET
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- The gay marriage issue in New Jersey is moving from alegal dispute to a political one.
The state Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled that New Jersey must extend allthe rights of marriage to gay couples. But the justices left it to statelawmakers to decide whether to provide those rights in the form ofmarriages, civil unions or something else -- and gave the Legislature 180days to reach a decision.
Several Democratic lawmakers said they will push for full marriage rights.
But some Republicans, the minority party in both houses of the Legislature,said they will seek a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.Assemblyman Richard Merkt, R-Morris, vowed to have the justices impeached.
''Neither the framers of New Jersey's 1947 constitution, nor the voters whoratified it, ever remotely contemplated the possibility of same-sexmarriage,'' Merkt said.
State Senate President Richard J. Codey and Assembly Speaker Joseph RobertsJr. pledged in a joint statement to block an anti-gay marriage amendment.They also complained that the court-imposed deadline allows too little timeto define the type of union that would be granted to gay couples.
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Irish Examiner, 26 October 2006
Bullied gay students can seek redress from equality body
By Ed Carty
YOUNGSTERS suffering homophobic abuse in school may be able to bring theiraggressors to book at the Equality Tribunal, it was revealed yesterday.
As a new initiative was launched encouraging schools to protect pupils frombullying, teenagers were told they can seek redress from the EqualityTribunal.
Under the Equal Status Acts, harassment is prohibited on a number ofgrounds, including sexual orientation, and schools are required to takereasonable steps to protect children in their care.
Niall Crowley, of the Equality Authority, said children suffering suchbullying might have a case.
"Schools need to ensure codes of behaviour and anti-bullying policies areexplicit in naming the issue of homophobic bullying and in identifying thepractices and procedures in place to prevent this," he said.
"Schools should ensure that their admission policies are welcoming to adiversity of students, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderstudents."
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