Saturday, December 23, 2006

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 23, 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/2006/12/23/us/23chief.html?pagewanted=print


December 23, 2006
Fire Chief Steps Down in Misconduct Settlement
By LUCY QUINLIVAN


MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 22 - This city's beleaguered fire chief, the first openlygay woman to lead a professional fire department of a major city, steppeddown on Friday, Mayor R. T. Rybak announced.

As part of a settlement, the chief, Bonnie Bleskachek, will remain as anadministrator in the department, but without any supervisory role. Hersalary will drop to less than $74,000 from $112,000.

In five lawsuits, Ms. Bleskachek was accused of playing sexual politics,retaliating against a former partner, acting as a lustful predator andshowing bias against at least one heterosexual male firefighter.

A city investigation substantiated 20 accusations of misconduct orimpropriety against Ms. Bleskachek, including that she was nude in a hot tubwhen firefighters were present. It also found that her romantic relationshipwith an employee had a negative effect on the work environment. But as partof the settlement, all administrative charges against her will be dropped.



=


Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Groundbreaking Legislation Boosts
Protectionsfor Domestic Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2006

From Equality California

CONTACT: Dannie Tillman, Director of Communications & Coalitions
PHONE: (323) 217-8875 EMAIL: dannie@eqca.org

EIGHT NEW LAWS ADVANCING LGBT EQUAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS GOINTOEFFECT
JANUARY 1

Groundbreaking Legislation Boosts Protections for Domestic Partners

Sacramento - California's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender(LGBT) community will ring in the new year with more legal protections andrights. On January 1, eight new laws affecting LGBT Californians will gointo effect, including a law that requires companies contracting with thestate to provide employees with domestic partners the same benefits given toemployees with spouses.

During the 2003-2004 legislative session, Equality California (EQCA)sponsored AB 17, requiring equal benefits in state contracts entered intoafter January 1, 2007. Authored by former Assemblymember and current SenatorChristine Kehoe, D-San Diego, the legislation was modeled after a 1996 equalbenefits ordinance enacted in San Francisco.

"We are excited to see this policy become state law," said EQCA ExecutiveDirector Geoff Kors, who initiated the idea of enacting an equal benefitspolicy in San Francisco in the 1990s. "The new law establishes the fairprinciple of equal pay for equal work, regardless of sexual orientation."



=

Yesterday -

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Celebrate Global Orgasm for Peace Day

http://www.alternet.org/sex/45805/

Celebrate Global Orgasm for Peace Day
By Liz Langley, AlterNet
Posted on December 22, 2006, Printed on December 22, 2006

When anti-war activists Paul Reffell and Donna Sheehan planned their latestpeace-making project -- the synchronized global orgasm -- to fall on Dec.22, they may not have realized that it's the last Friday before Christmas.It's a day many people take off, and so, have a little extra time on theirhands. Sweet coinkydink or a holiday miracle, today's your chance to improvethe world -- batteries not included.

The goal of the Synchronized Global Orgasm for Peace (or as I think of it,The Other GOP) is to effect a change in the world's energy by having as manypeople as possible orgasm while focusing their thoughts on world peace.

The rules are simple: Yes, you can do it on your own. No, there's nospecific time. And, no, you can't fake it.

Personally, I hope this will usher in a whole new method of activism -- onethat doesn't involve buying poster board. Even if it doesn't work, hey, it'smore fun than marching.


=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/12/22/BUGUIN41HB1.DTL&type=printable


How the 'taxpayer census' fights the 'homosexual agenda'
- David Lazarus
Friday, December 22, 2006




Who would have guessed that answering a few census questions could make youa participant in battling the "homosexual agenda"?

Napa resident Marcia Zwick never imagined this when she recently received alarge, important-looking envelope in the mail. She works as a legalsecretary and is accustomed to handling official documents.

"I'm a reasonably intelligent person," Zwick said. "I couldn't tell whatthis really was."

The answer isn't readily apparent.




=

The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_top12dec23,0,803953.story?coll=sns-newsnation-headlines


U.N. Security Council to Vote on Iran

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press Writer

December 23, 2006, 7:33 AM EST


UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. Security Council scheduled a vote Saturday on aresolution that would impose sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program,culminating two months of tough negotiations aimed at getting Tehran tosuspend uranium enrichment.


It wasn't clear whether there would be unanimous support, with the votes ofRussia, China and Qatar still in question. In a final attempt to win Russiansupport, key European nations circulated a new text of a U.N. resolutionlate Friday.




=


Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=13515


Masculinity and the War on America's Youth
by Bob Roehr
2006-12-20


"50 Under 30: Masculinity and the War on America's Youth" documents the tideof murderous violence against gender nonconformity in the United States overthe last decade, said Riki Wilchins, executive director of the Gender PublicAdvocacy Coalition ( GenderPAC ) .

One such murder occurs every two to three months, said Wilchins, who wrotethe report. It was released on Dec. 14.

Wilchins believes the report undercounts "effeminate gay men who weretargeted because they weren't being masculine enough and butch women whowere targeted because they were not being fem enough."

There is strong commonality to most violence based on gender nonconformity."It is consistent in method and precise in target," said Wilchins. Roughly90 percent of the victims "were biologically male but transgressed gender insome profound way;" were people of color; identified as gay or transgenderidentified; and were killed by persons about their own age.



=

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/16303966.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


MARY CHENEY
Gay couples as parents

BY ELLEN GOODMAN
ellengoodman@globe.com


By now, Mary Cheney must have inspired an entirely new chapter in Whatto Expect When You're Expecting. Expect your pregnancy to provoke a nationalcontroversy.

It's been years since the Vice President's Openly Gay Daughter firstcreated a stir on the right for her sexual preference and a stir on the leftfor her political preference. Now her ''bump,'' as all celebrity pregnanciesare described, is fodder for the sort of uncontrolled food fight she'll findall too familiar in another year or so.

Her opponents criticize her as a single mommy and one of two mommies.Her pregnancy has been labeled ''unconscionable,'' ''selfish'' and''cruel.'' She and partner Heather Poe have been especially lambasted forbringing a child into the world ''without a father.'' As Robert Knight ofthe Media Research Center moaned, ``I think it's tragic that a child hasbeen conceived with the express purpose of denying it a father.''


[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

GLBT DIGEST - December 23, 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/2006/12/23/us/23chief.html?pagewanted=print


December 23, 2006
Fire Chief Steps Down in Misconduct Settlement
By LUCY QUINLIVAN


MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 22 - This city's beleaguered fire chief, the first openlygay woman to lead a professional fire department of a major city, steppeddown on Friday, Mayor R. T. Rybak announced.

As part of a settlement, the chief, Bonnie Bleskachek, will remain as anadministrator in the department, but without any supervisory role. Hersalary will drop to less than $74,000 from $112,000.

In five lawsuits, Ms. Bleskachek was accused of playing sexual politics,retaliating against a former partner, acting as a lustful predator andshowing bias against at least one heterosexual male firefighter.

A city investigation substantiated 20 accusations of misconduct orimpropriety against Ms. Bleskachek, including that she was nude in a hot tubwhen firefighters were present. It also found that her romantic relationshipwith an employee had a negative effect on the work environment. But as partof the settlement, all administrative charges against her will be dropped.



=


Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Groundbreaking Legislation Boosts
Protectionsfor Domestic Partners

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 21, 2006

From Equality California

CONTACT: Dannie Tillman, Director of Communications & Coalitions
PHONE: (323) 217-8875 EMAIL: dannie@eqca.org

EIGHT NEW LAWS ADVANCING LGBT EQUAL RIGHTS AND PROTECTIONS GO INTO EFFECT
JANUARY 1

Groundbreaking Legislation Boosts Protections for Domestic Partners

Sacramento - California's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender(LGBT) community will ring in the new year with more legal protections andrights. On January 1, eight new laws affecting LGBT Californians will gointo effect, including a law that requires companies contracting with thestate to provide employees with domestic partners the same benefits given toemployees with spouses.

During the 2003-2004 legislative session, Equality California (EQCA)sponsored AB 17, requiring equal benefits in state contracts entered intoafter January 1, 2007. Authored by former Assemblymember and current SenatorChristine Kehoe, D-San Diego, the legislation was modeled after a 1996 equalbenefits ordinance enacted in San Francisco.

"We are excited to see this policy become state law," said EQCA ExecutiveDirector Geoff Kors, who initiated the idea of enacting an equal benefitspolicy in San Francisco in the 1990s. "The new law establishes the fairprinciple of equal pay for equal work, regardless of sexual orientation."



=

Yesterday -

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Celebrate Global Orgasm for Peace Day

http://www.alternet.org/sex/45805/

Celebrate Global Orgasm for Peace Day
By Liz Langley, AlterNet
Posted on December 22, 2006, Printed on December 22, 2006

When anti-war activists Paul Reffell and Donna Sheehan planned their latestpeace-making project -- the synchronized global orgasm -- to fall on Dec.22, they may not have realized that it's the last Friday before Christmas.It's a day many people take off, and so, have a little extra time on theirhands. Sweet coinkydink or a holiday miracle, today's your chance to improvethe world -- batteries not included.

The goal of the Synchronized Global Orgasm for Peace (or as I think of it,The Other GOP) is to effect a change in the world's energy by having as manypeople as possible orgasm while focusing their thoughts on world peace.

The rules are simple: Yes, you can do it on your own. No, there's nospecific time. And, no, you can't fake it.

Personally, I hope this will usher in a whole new method of activism -- onethat doesn't involve buying poster board. Even if it doesn't work, hey, it'smore fun than marching.


=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/12/22/BUGUIN41HB1.DTL&type=printable


How the 'taxpayer census' fights the 'homosexual agenda'
- David Lazarus
Friday, December 22, 2006




Who would have guessed that answering a few census questions could make youa participant in battling the "homosexual agenda"?

Napa resident Marcia Zwick never imagined this when she recently received alarge, important-looking envelope in the mail. She works as a legalsecretary and is accustomed to handling official documents.

"I'm a reasonably intelligent person," Zwick said. "I couldn't tell whatthis really was."

The answer isn't readily apparent.




=

The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_top12dec23,0,803953.story?coll=sns-newsnation-headlines


U.N. Security Council to Vote on Iran

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press Writer

December 23, 2006, 7:33 AM EST


UNITED NATIONS -- The U.N. Security Council scheduled a vote Saturday on aresolution that would impose sanctions against Iran for its nuclear program,culminating two months of tough negotiations aimed at getting Tehran tosuspend uranium enrichment.


It wasn't clear whether there would be unanimous support, with the votes ofRussia, China and Qatar still in question. In a final attempt to win Russiansupport, key European nations circulated a new text of a U.N. resolutionlate Friday.




=


Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/gay/lesbian/news/ARTICLE.php?AID=13515


Masculinity and the War on America's Youth
by Bob Roehr
2006-12-20


"50 Under 30: Masculinity and the War on America's Youth" documents the tideof murderous violence against gender nonconformity in the United States overthe last decade, said Riki Wilchins, executive director of the Gender PublicAdvocacy Coalition ( GenderPAC ) .
One such murder occurs every two to three months, said Wilchins, who wrotethe report. It was released on Dec. 14.

Wilchins believes the report undercounts "effeminate gay men who weretargeted because they weren't being masculine enough and butch women whowere targeted because they were not being fem enough."

There is strong commonality to most violence based on gender nonconformity."It is consistent in method and precise in target," said Wilchins. Roughly90 percent of the victims "were biologically male but transgressed gender insome profound way;" were people of color; identified as gay or transgenderidentified; and were killed by persons about their own age.



=

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/opinion/16303966.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


MARY CHENEY
Gay couples as parents

BY ELLEN GOODMAN
ellengoodman@globe.com


By now, Mary Cheney must have inspired an entirely new chapter in Whatto Expect When You're Expecting. Expect your pregnancy to provoke a nationalcontroversy.

It's been years since the Vice President's Openly Gay Daughter firstcreated a stir on the right for her sexual preference and a stir on the leftfor her political preference. Now her ''bump,'' as all celebrity pregnanciesare described, is fodder for the sort of uncontrolled food fight she'll findall too familiar in another year or so.

Her opponents criticize her as a single mommy and one of two mommies.Her pregnancy has been labeled ''unconscionable,'' ''selfish'' and''cruel.'' She and partner Heather Poe have been especially lambasted forbringing a child into the world ''without a father.'' As Robert Knight ofthe Media Research Center moaned, ``I think it's tragic that a child hasbeen conceived with the express purpose of denying it a father.''


[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]

#####

FLORIDA DIGEST December 23, 2006

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US ATibnkyrays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.

=


The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/16303462.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Sat, Dec. 23, 2006

TALLAHASSEE

Gov. Bush leaves Capitol for the last time

TALLAHASSEE - (AP) -- With the family cat in tow, Gov. Jeb Bush headedFriday for the next chapter of his life, leaving his Capitol office for aholiday trip to South Florida with no plans to return to the office.

Gov.-elect Charlie Crist takes over Jan. 2. Bush won't return to Tallahasseeuntil that day, when he will attend Crist's inauguration.

At the airport, Bush was joined by his wife Columba, who carried the familycat, Sugar, onto a state plane.

Bush, who plans to live in Coral Gables, said he's not sure exactly what isnext.




=

The Miami Herald

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/state/16303459.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Sat, Dec. 23, 2006
IN MY OPINION

Crist's moves after election pay off in poll

By BETH REINHARD
breinhard@MiamiHerald.com



During his recent campaign for governor, Republican Charlie Crist oftentrotted out the cliche that the only poll that mattered was the one onElection Day. Ha! This was a candidate who spent hundreds of thousands ofdollars on polls and listened to them carefully.

Crist was certainly all ears this week when 57 percent of voters in a newQuinnipiac University survey said Jeb Bush was a ''good'' or ''great''governor, and 21 percent expect him to be even better.

Such high hopes reflect the goodwill Crist built up over his career and hisrecent campaign, but also some of his people-pleasing, media-friendlydecisions since the election.

(The poll of 1,066 voters, taken Dec. 12-18, has a margin of error of plusor minus 3 percentage points.)



[ Send your comments about any of the articles in Ray's List Digest toRays.List@Comcast.net ]

#####

Friday, December 22, 2006

GLBT DIGEST - December 22, 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.

=

Gay rights objectors lose action

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/6200955.stm

Published: 2006/12/21 15:27:23 GMT

Objectors to new sexual orientation regulations have lost a court action tostop them becoming law on New Year's Day.

The legislation, which will ban discrimination against homosexuals, is beingchallenged by the Christian Institute and a number of churches.

A High Court judge has refused to make an order postponing the introductionof the regulations.

However, he set a date in March for a full hearing.

It will examine the legislation and the Christian groups' contention thatthe government's six-week consultation period was too short.

A lawyer appearing for the Christian Institute and a number of churchesasked Mr Justice Deeny to make an order postponing the introduction of theregulations.




=

The current issue of The Express Gay News is online

http://expressgaynews.com/




=

Express Gay News

http://www.expressgaynews.com/print.cfm?content_id=3316


Coming out didn't hurt career, Kolbe says
Retiring gay GOP congress-man says speaking out changed his life

By JOSHUA LYNSEN
Dec. 22, 2006



By his own admission, retiring U.S. Rep. Jim Kolbe is an unusual Republican.

A congressman from southeastern Arizona, Kolbe favored abortion rights,backed stem cell research and even tried to kill the coin bearing PresidentLincoln's mug because the penny costs more to produce than it's worth.

But it was his status as an openly gay Republican that made Kolbe trulyunique among his congressional peers. After he came out in 1996, Kolbebucked many in his party to become a strong supporter of gay rightsinitiatives.

"My strongest contributions were simply standing up and talking about theseissues on the floor, in caucuses and when it came up for debate," he says."There's something to be said for speaking up for equality."



=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/22/opinion/22fri4.html?pagewanted=print


December 22, 2006
Editorial
Senator Brownback and the Judge


If most people were asked to list the qualities they want in a federaljudge, few would include "has not attended a same-sex commitment ceremony."But that was the outrageous litmus test that Senator Sam Brownback,Republican of Kansas, applied to Janet Neff, whose nomination he has beenblocking. Mr. Brownback - who has presidential ambitions - now says he willallow a vote on her nomination. We hope that is a sign that gay-baiting isbecoming less tolerable, even to Republican primary voters.

Judge Neff, a Michigan state court judge, attended the commitment ceremonyof the daughter of a family who had lived next door to her for 26 years. Shesaid that attending and delivering a homily was like joining in an importantevent in the life of one of her own daughters.



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/PrintStory.pl?document_id=2003486349&zsection_id=2002107549&slug=sex20&date=20061220


Study: Premarital sex normal for most

By DAVID CRARY
The Associated Press

NEW YORK - More than nine of 10 Americans, men and women alike, have hadpremarital sex, according to a new study. The high rates extend even towomen born in the 1940s, challenging perceptions that people were morechaste in the past.

"This is reality-check research," said the study's author, Lawrence Finer."Premarital sex is normal behavior for the vast majority of Americans, andhas been for decades."

Finer is a research director at the Guttmacher Institute, a private NewYork-based think tank that studies sexual and reproductive issues and whichdisagrees with government-funded programs that rely primarily onabstinence-only teachings. The study, released Tuesday, appears in the newissue of Public Health Reports.



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-pastors21dec21,0,5688143.story?track=tothtml


Christian leaders seek to help pastors battle desires
Gay-sex controversies have led not to new theology but to a call for thechurch to help pastors fight their urges.
By Stephanie Simon
Times Staff Writer

December 21, 2006

DENVER - Recent gay-sex scandals involving evangelical pastors have promptedmuch soul-searching among conservative Christian leaders.

No one has proposed rethinking the theology that homosexuality is a sin.Instead, there's a growing consensus that the church must do a better job ofhelping pastors resist all immoral desires, such as a lust for pornography,an addiction to drugs or a lifelong same-sex attraction.

Seminary professors, Christian counselors and veteran clergy say the bestway to help pastors fight temptation is to get them talking - even abouttheir most shameful secrets. They don't want a sordid tell-all from thepulpit each Sunday. But they would like pastors to bare their weaknesses andadmit their lapses before a small group of "accountability partners" -friends committed to listen with empathy, then rebuke or advise as needed.



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/living/education/16280157.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp


Posted on Wed, Dec. 20, 2006


Charlotte schools ban book on gay penguins

BY ANN DOSS HELMS
McClatchy Newspapers

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Superintendent Peter Gorman and his top lieutenants haveordered a picture book about presumably gay penguins removed from schoollibraries, the first time Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has banned a book inmore than a decade.

But Gorman said Tuesday he'll let a committee review the decision afterCharlotte Observer questions revealed he and his staff sidestepped districtpolicy.

The ban came from a miscommunication between him and his chief of staff,Robert Avossa, Gorman said. "I screwed this one up."

"And Tango Makes Three," the real-life story of "the very first penguin inthe zoo to have two daddies," has drawn objections in schools or publiclibraries in seven states, including Shiloh Elementary School in themetro-east.




=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://baywindows.com/ME2/Audiences/dirmod.asp?sid=&nm=&type=Publishing&mod=Publications%3A%3AArticle&mid=8F3A7027421841978F18BE895F87F791&AudID=0813BC739F2044E5A03DCF2DE3FDF7C9&tier=4&id=60914AD0C682462C9698D7BF6D527434


Issue Date: 12/21/2006, Posted On: 12/20/2006

Where's the outrage?


Susan Ryan-Vollmar
srvollmar@baywindows.com

Imagine if MassEquality Campaign Director Marc Solomon had left the stage ofa pro-gay rally to push an anti-gay activist away from the front of hispodium. Imagine if he had knocked her down with such force that her headslammed against the ground. Imagine if he had left her laying there withouta word and simply turned his back on her and returned to the stage. Imagineif all of the pro-gay protesters surrounding her had stared at her as shelay on the ground and refused offers of help?

What do you suppose the reaction would be from the editorial pages of theBoston Globe? How about the Boston Herald and every other media outlet inthis state? What do you suppose talk show hosts like Howie Carr, Jay Severinand Michael Savage would be doing with the story?

They'd be handling it a lot differently than the way they're handling -ignoring would be a better description - the story of Catholic Citizenshipexecutive director Larry Cirignano's alleged assault on a pro-gay protesterat Saturday's anti-gay marriage rally in Worcester. Three witnesses - aminister, a journalist and a salesman - say they saw Cirignano push27-year-old Sarah Loy with such force that she fell to the ground, slammingher head against a concrete sidewalk.



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/12/21/BAG29N3OI91.DTL&type=printable


CALIFORNIA

High court may take up question of Scouts' religious status
Ninth U.S. Circuit requests state review of federal case involving SanDiego's $1-a-year lease of parkland to group

- Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer
Thursday, December 21, 2006

Six years ago, the Boy Scouts convinced the U.S. Supreme Court that theirdeep-seated principles gave them a constitutional right to exclude gays andatheists. Now the California Supreme Court has been asked to look at theother side of that coin -- whether the Scouts are a religious organizationineligible for certain types of government aid, including dollar-a-yearleases of public land.

The request came this week from the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals inSan Francisco, which is reviewing a federal judge's ruling striking down thecity of San Diego's lease of prized downtown parkland to the Boy Scouts.




=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.navytimes.com/print.php?f=1-292925-2434249.php


December 19, 2006

Most troops 'comfortable' with gays, poll finds

By Gordon Lubold
Staff writer


Most service members are accepting of gays and lesbians, a new poll shows.

The poll, conducted by Zogby International and released Tuesday, shows that73 percent of military members are "comfortable" with lesbians and gays, and23 percent "know for sure" that someone in their unit is homosexual,according to results of the poll of 545 service members.


The poll data was used by advocates to show decreasing negative attitudesabout gays in the military and to call once again for a change to the "don'task, don't tell" law enacted under President Clinton, which stipulates thatgays can serve only if they keep their sexual orientation private and do notengage in homosexual conduct.



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/c26276db-c0a8-2f11-012d-57253c518d9f/9c994bdc-c0a8-2f11-0102-caf34bf3222e


Columbia Provides Coverage for Same-Sex Partners


COLUMBIA - In February, the city will start providing health insurance togay and live-in partners of municipal employees.

The head of the committee that suggested the changes, Jim Windsor, said thenew health policy ensures equal treatment among all city employees. ColumbiaMayor Darwin Hindman said more people could become interested in working forthe city because of those changes.



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-People-Trump-ODonnell-Feud.html?_r=2&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print&oref=slogin


December 21, 2006
The Donald and Rosie Escalate Their Feud
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 6:05 p.m. ET



NEW YORK (AP) -- Things got even uglier Thursday in the bitter war of wordsbetween Donald Trump and Rosie O'Donnell. The Donald called the LosAngeles-based morning show ''Good Day L.A.'' to sound off on O'Donnell'sremarks about his near-firing of Miss USA Tara Conner.

''Maybe she wanted to put the crown back on Miss USA's head,'' thereal-estate mogul said of the openly gay O'Donnell, who has four childrenwith her partner, Kelli. ''I think she's very attracted to Miss USA so sheprobably wanted to put the crown on her head herself.''

Insult No. 2: ''She is a very, very unattractive woman who really is abully.''



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

The Patriot Ledger, MA, December 20, 2006

http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2006/12/20/news/news01.txt

Showdown on gay wed vote: Both sides agree legislators violated constitutionby refusing to vote on marriage ban By SUE REINERT, The Patriot Ledger

Backers and opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban gaymarriage agreed at a hearing today that legislators violated the stateconstitution by not voting on the measure, but split on whether the state'shighest court has the power to do anything about it.

A court ruling is still awaited.

Assistant Attorney General Peter Sacks said the Supreme Judicial Courtcannot force the Legislature to vote.

Justice Roderick Ireland asked Sacks, ''So what do you say to the man andwoman on the street who signed the petition?''




=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org

Associated Press, December 20, 2006

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2006/12/21/america/NA_GEN_US_Gay_Benefits.php

Alaska governor says state will provide benefits to same-sex partners

ANCHORAGE, Alaska - Gov. Sarah Palin said the state will abide by an AlaskaSupreme Court order to provide benefits to same-sex partners of stateemployees as of Jan. 1.

Palin's decision came one day after the Alaska Supreme Court told the stateto stop dragging its feet and implement benefits for their same-sexpartners, first ordered 14 months ago.

"We believe we have no more judicial options," Palin said.

Palin said she still wants voters in a special April election to considerthe prospect of a constitutional amendment designed to prohibit suchbenefits, signing into law a bill passed by state lawmakers in a Novemberspecial session calling for voters to weigh in.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Take Log Cabin in 'New Direction,' Analysts Tell GOP Group's New Leader

By Randy Hall CNSNews.com Staff Writer/Editor
December 20, 2006
Cybercast News Service


http://www.cnsnews.com/news/viewstory.asp?Page=/Politics/archive/200612/POL20061220a.html


(CNSNews.com) - The new president of the Log Cabin Republicans shouldtake the GOP homosexual advocacy group in a "new direction" thatwould respect "the fundamental First Amendment right" of freedom ofreligion, a conservative analyst said Tuesday.

A day after Patrick Sammon was named new leader of the group,Concerned Women for America President Wendy Wright said she hopesSammon will take the organization in a "new direction."

"We hope he will respect a fundamental freedom and right that theFounding Fathers of America held in such high regard that they put itin the very first amendment to the U.S. Constitution," Wright toldCybercast News Service.




=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Federal Judges Have Hard Questions for FCC Censors

http://www.fepproject.org/news/FCC12-20-06.html

Federal Judges Have Hard Questions for FCC Censors

(December 20, 2006) - Three federal judges today expressed skepticism about the legitimacy of the Federal Communications Commission's "indecency" censorship regime. In what may have been a first for the federal courts, two of the three judges also did not shy away from uttering the word "fuck," which the FCC says is almost always indecent and profane, and therefore banned from broadcast TV and radio, in the course of the appellate argument.

This case arose after the FCC issued an "Omnibus Order" in March 2006, finding "apparent liability" for indecency and profanity against ten broadcasters, including a small PBS station in California that had aired Martin Scorsese's documentary, "The Blues." Four of the rulings were unaccompanied by fines, thereby allowing the broadcasters to appeal directly to the federal courts rather than filing an "opposition" within the agency.



=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joe-solmonese/the-sins-of-exclusion-and_b_36826.html

The Sins of Exclusion and Hypocrisy
Joe Solomonese

Is loving someone of the same sex a bigger sin than hypocrisy? Is it abigger sin than willfully demonizing members of your own flock? What abouthating yourself? Is that what God asks of his followers?

Rev. Paul Barnes, former pastor of a Denver evangelical mega-church, surelygrappled with these questions as he resigned his position on December 10thafter confessing to having sex with other men.

The Rev. Ted Haggard, former President of the National Association ofEvangelicals and pastor of a Colorado Springs mega-church probably askedhimself the same questions, when, in early November, a male escort'ssalacious allegations revealed him to be an adulterous hypocrite.

The Episcopal Church U.S.A. has been grappling with these questions for acouple of years now. Ever since the ordination of Bishop Gene Robinson, manyconservatives in the church have been seeking to splinter a small minorityaway from the majority's clear support for full inclusion. Unfortunately,this week several Episcopal churches in Virginia made the decision to divideinstead of unite, to give into fear instead of love and to turn away fromwelcoming all of God's children to take part in his communion.



[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]

~~~~~~~~~~~~

#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 22, 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.sptimes.com/2006/12/22/news_pf/State/Plan_may_ease_backlog.shtml


Plan may ease backlog of mentally ill inmates
Chris Tisch
Published December 22, 2006


TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday that he wants to use $16.6-millionto create 373 additional mental health beds, a move that would helpalleviate a backlog of mentally ill inmates languishing in jails.

The Legislative Budget Commission is expected to approve the idea at anemergency meeting next month, which Bush urged leaders in the House andSenate to schedule to address the crisis.

Many of the about 300 mentally ill jail inmates awaiting treatment have beenin jail much longer than the 15 days allowed by state law. The new bedsshould become available in the next five months.




=

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/22/news_pf/State/Florida_population_co.shtml


Florida population continues to grow
TIMES WIRES
Published December 22, 2006


WASHINGTON - In one corner, there are hurricanes, stifling hot summers andseemingly endless voting problems.

In the other, there are millions of postcards sent worldwide showingpicture-perfect beaches and sunsets.

The postcards are winning.

Florida added 321,697 residents in 2006, according to population estimatesreleased Thursday by the Census Bureau. In sheer numbers, that puts theSunshine State second only to Texas in new residents, but many of the newTexans are former Louisianians chased there by Hurricane Katrina.

In fact, Louisiana lost nearly 220,000 people, more than any other state.

Arizona led the nation with a growth rate of 3.6 percent (or 213,311 newresidents) in the past year, followed by Nevada, Idaho, Georgia and Texas,unseating Nevada from its 19-year reign as the nation's fastest growingstate by percentage.



=

Palm Beach Post


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/12/22/a10a_cramercol_1222.html

Is it the season, or is it Crist?
By Elisa Cramer

Palm Beach Post Editorial Writer

Friday, December 22, 2006



Maybe it's the magic of Christmas, that time of year when hope visits evenunexpectedly, when renewal peeks around the calendar.

I get caught up in the sentimentality of the season, so forgive me anyoverstated sappiness, any Pollyanna reflection, any overly optimisticoutlook.

Not to be maudlin or anything, but ... I think Gov.-elect Charlie Cristmight not be bad for Florida.

I know, I know. He hasn't even been sworn in yet. And, no, I did not votefor Mr. Crist, who ran his Republican primary campaign trying to out-Jeb hisopponent. And, yes, I thought his selection of state Rep. Jeff Kottkamp,R-Cape Coral, as his running mate further signaled that Floridians would bein for a continuation of Gov. Bush's ideological policies on everything frompublic schools to stem-cell research to ex-felons' civil rights to teenpregnancy. And, of course, all of that still is possible.



=

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/22/news_pf/State/Crist_s_picks_bring_e.shtml


Crist's picks bring experience
CRAIG PITTMAN and JONI JAMES
Published December 22, 2006


Gov.-elect Charlie Crist picked two veterans of state government to head upthe state's land-planning and environmental agencies Thursday.

He chose Tallahassee lawyer Tom Pelham to lead the state Department ofCommunity Affairs, an agency Pelham ran in the late 1980s under then-Gov.Bob Martinez.

And Crist's pick as the new head of the state Department of EnvironmentalProtection is the agency's current deputy secretary, Mike Sole, who startedat the DEP 16 years ago.

Crist's selections were praised by both environmentalists and developers.Edie Ousley of the Florida Home Builders Association called both men"outstanding," and Thom Rumberger of the Everglades Trust called them"inspired choices."



=

http://cgi.jacksonville.com/cgi-bin/printit.cgi?story=ZZNOSTORYZZ


December 21, 2006

Nelson: U.S. needs realism in Iraq


By KEN LEWIS
The Times-Union


U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson ended a 12-day trip to the Middle East on Wednesday,saying the United States needs to use realism when dealing with the region.And the realism is that a surge in the U.S. military isn't going to workunless the Sunnis and Shiites work together to solve their problems, theFlorida Democrat said.


"You can only increase your troops in Iraq if you have a plan - and a planthat is going to work," said Nelson, a member of the Armed Services, Budgetand Foreign Relations committees. "You have to have honest realism and apolicy, not hard-headed ideology. You have to have policies driven byrealism."

Nelson visited with heads of state from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Israel,Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain and Iraq during the tour. He spoke withreporters Wednesday on a conference call from Kuwait. A day earlier, he hadbeen visiting troops in Baghdad, Fallujah, west of Fallujah and in southernIraq. The Florida troops were in "high spirits," he said. He dined withthem.




=

The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-acongressdec22,0,5814757.story?coll=sfla-news-sfla


S. Florida's delegation snags surprising power in Democratic Congress



By William E. Gibson
Washington Bureau Chief

December 22, 2006


WASHINGTON · The Democratic takeover of Congress next year has propelledyoung and junior members from South Florida into positions of surprisinginfluence on Capitol Hill.

These members, once foot soldiers operating defensively in the minority,will be in position to secure federal funding for Everglades restoration andother local projects while shaping legislation on taxes, insurance, trade,Social Security and Medicare.

Florida lost a lot of seniority in Congress this year with the abruptresignation of six-term Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fort Pierce, and the defeat of13-term Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale. But a younger generation haspushed its way into prime committee assignments and other positions of powerin the 110th session that begins next year.



[ Send your comments about any of the articles in Ray's List Digest toRays.List@Comcast.net ]

#####

FLORIDA DIGEST December 22, 2006

**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US ATrays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.


=

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/22/news_pf/State/Plan_may_ease_backlog.shtml


Plan may ease backlog of mentally ill inmates
Chris Tisch
Published December 22, 2006


TALLAHASSEE - Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday that he wants to use $16.6-millionto create 373 additional mental health beds, a move that would helpalleviate a backlog of mentally ill inmates languishing in jails.

The Legislative Budget Commission is expected to approve the idea at anemergency meeting next month, which Bush urged leaders in the House andSenate to schedule to address the crisis.

Many of the about 300 mentally ill jail inmates awaiting treatment have beenin jail much longer than the 15 days allowed by state law. The new bedsshould become available in the next five months.




=

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/22/news_pf/State/Florida_population_co.shtml


Florida population continues to grow
TIMES WIRES
Published December 22, 2006


WASHINGTON - In one corner, there are hurricanes, stifling hot summers andseemingly endless voting problems.

In the other, there are millions of postcards sent worldwide showingpicture-perfect beaches and sunsets.

The postcards are winning.

Florida added 321,697 residents in 2006, according to population estimatesreleased Thursday by the Census Bureau. In sheer numbers, that puts theSunshine State second only to Texas in new residents, but many of the newTexans are former Louisianians chased there by Hurricane Katrina.

In fact, Louisiana lost nearly 220,000 people, more than any other state.

Arizona led the nation with a growth rate of 3.6 percent (or 213,311 newresidents) in the past year, followed by Nevada, Idaho, Georgia and Texas,unseating Nevada from its 19-year reign as the nation's fastest growingstate by percentage.



=

Palm Beach Post


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2006/12/22/a10a_cramercol_1222.html

Is it the season, or is it Crist?
By Elisa Cramer

Palm Beach Post Editorial Writer

Friday, December 22, 2006



Maybe it's the magic of Christmas, that time of year when hope visits evenunexpectedly, when renewal peeks around the calendar.

I get caught up in the sentimentality of the season, so forgive me anyoverstated sappiness, any Pollyanna reflection, any overly optimisticoutlook.

Not to be maudlin or anything, but ... I think Gov.-elect Charlie Cristmight not be bad for Florida.

I know, I know. He hasn't even been sworn in yet. And, no, I did not votefor Mr. Crist, who ran his Republican primary campaign trying to out-Jeb hisopponent. And, yes, I thought his selection of state Rep. Jeff Kottkamp,R-Cape Coral, as his running mate further signaled that Floridians would bein for a continuation of Gov. Bush's ideological policies on everything frompublic schools to stem-cell research to ex-felons' civil rights to teenpregnancy. And, of course, all of that still is possible.



=

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/22/news_pf/State/Crist_s_picks_bring_e.shtml


Crist's picks bring experience
CRAIG PITTMAN and JONI JAMES
Published December 22, 2006


Gov.-elect Charlie Crist picked two veterans of state government to head upthe state's land-planning and environmental agencies Thursday.

He chose Tallahassee lawyer Tom Pelham to lead the state Department ofCommunity Affairs, an agency Pelham ran in the late 1980s under then-Gov.Bob Martinez.

And Crist's pick as the new head of the state Department of EnvironmentalProtection is the agency's current deputy secretary, Mike Sole, who startedat the DEP 16 years ago.

Crist's selections were praised by both environmentalists and developers.Edie Ousley of the Florida Home Builders Association called both men"outstanding," and Thom Rumberger of the Everglades Trust called them"inspired choices."



=

http://cgi.jacksonville.com/cgi-bin/printit.cgi?story=ZZNOSTORYZZ


December 21, 2006

Nelson: U.S. needs realism in Iraq


By KEN LEWIS
The Times-Union


U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson ended a 12-day trip to the Middle East on Wednesday,saying the United States needs to use realism when dealing with the region.And the realism is that a surge in the U.S. military isn't going to workunless the Sunnis and Shiites work together to solve their problems, theFlorida Democrat said.


"You can only increase your troops in Iraq if you have a plan - and a planthat is going to work," said Nelson, a member of the Armed Services, Budgetand Foreign Relations committees. "You have to have honest realism and apolicy, not hard-headed ideology. You have to have policies driven byrealism."

Nelson visited with heads of state from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Israel,Palestine, Jordan, Lebanon, Bahrain and Iraq during the tour. He spoke withreporters Wednesday on a conference call from Kuwait. A day earlier, he hadbeen visiting troops in Baghdad, Fallujah, west of Fallujah and in southernIraq. The Florida troops were in "high spirits," he said. He dined withthem.




=

The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/southflorida/sfl-acongressdec22,0,5814757.story?coll=sfla-news-sfla


S. Florida's delegation snags surprising power in Democratic Congress



By William E. Gibson
Washington Bureau Chief

December 22, 2006


WASHINGTON · The Democratic takeover of Congress next year has propelledyoung and junior members from South Florida into positions of surprisinginfluence on Capitol Hill.

These members, once foot soldiers operating defensively in the minority,will be in position to secure federal funding for Everglades restoration andother local projects while shaping legislation on taxes, insurance, trade,Social Security and Medicare.

Florida lost a lot of seniority in Congress this year with the abruptresignation of six-term Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fort Pierce, and the defeat of13-term Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fort Lauderdale. But a younger generation haspushed its way into prime committee assignments and other positions of powerin the 110th session that begins next year.



[ Send your comments about any of the articles in Ray's List Digest toRays.List@Comcast.net ]

#####

Thursday, December 21, 2006

GLBT DIGEST - December 21, 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.

=

365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/12/122006alaska.htm


Stop Delaying Gay Partner Benefits Court Tells Alaska Lawmakers
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: December 21, 2006 12:01 am ET



(Juneau, Alaska) The Alaska Supreme Court has chastised state lawmakers forattempting to delay implementation of a court ruling ordering the state toprovide health benefits to the same-sex partners of state workers.

The court this week said the benefits must be available on the January 1deadline it originally set.

Last month outgoing Gov. Frank Murkowski called the legislature into specialsession to approve a benefits package worked out by the Department ofAdministration to comply with the court order declaring the lack of healthand pension benefits violated the Alaska constitution.

But rather than approving the plan the House and Senate passed legislationprohibiting the Alaska Commissioner of Administration for implementing thecourt ruling.



=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Gay-Marriage.html?pagewanted=print


December 21, 2006
N.J. Gov. to Make Gay Unions Official
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:16 a.m. ET



TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- New Jersey's gay couples are gaining all the rightsand responsibilities of marriage under state law as New Jersey moves tobecome the third in the nation to institute civil unions and the fifth tooffer some version of marriage.

Gov. Jon S. Corzine planned to sign the civil unions bill on Thursday.

When the law takes effect Feb. 19, New Jersey will join Connecticut andVermont as states that allow civil unions for gay couples. Massachusettsallows gay couples to marry, while California has domestic partnerships thatbring full marriage rights.

Gay couples granted civil unions in New Jersey will have adoption,inheritance, hospital visitation and medical decision-making rights and theright not to testify against a partner in state court.



=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/us/21brfs-MARRIAGE.html?pagewanted=print


December 21, 2006
California: Reviewing Same-Sex Marriage
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS


The California Supreme Court unanimously agreed to decide whether the state'sban on same-sex marriage violates a constitutional ban on discrimination.The justices' move sets aside a lower court's decision that upheld statelaws banning gay men and lesbians from marrying one another. The outcome isnot likely until late next year. The justices are reviewing an Octoberdecision by the First District Court of Appeal in San Francisco, which ruled2 to 1 that California marriage laws do not discriminate because gay men andlesbians get most all the rights of marriage the state confers toheterosexual married couples. The case was brought by about 20 same-sexcouples and the City of San Francisco.




=

Gay Nigerian deported by Labour

New evidence dismissed without hearing

London - 21 December 2006

Twenty year old gay Nigerian asylum seeker, Emmanuel Obahiaghbon, wasdeported back to Nigeria on Monday 4 December 2006, on the orders ofthe Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne MP.

Mr Obahiaghbon had claimed asylum on the grounds of persecutionbecause of his homosexuality. A psychiatrist had visited him indetention and confirmed that he had symptoms of trauma consistent withhaving suffered physical and sexual violence.

Acting at Mr Obahiaghbon's request, gay human rights group OutRage!had presented Home Office Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne MP, newevidence corroborating Emmanuel's claims of persecution - including aNigerian police warrant for his arrest on charges of homosexuality anda solicitor's letter stating that he was likely to be sentenced todeath by stoning. Emmanuel's region of Nigeria is subject to IslamicSharia law, which stipulates the death penalty for gay sex.



=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/world/international-pope-nativity.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print


December 20, 2006
Furor in Italy Over "Gay Nativity" in Parliament
By REUTERS
Filed at 11:38 a.m. ET



ROME (Reuters) - Two leftists in Italy's ruling coalition on Wednesdayoutraged fellow lawmakers by placing four dolls representing homosexualcouples near the baby Jesus in the official nativity scene in parliament.

The two parliamentarians from the small ``Rose in the Fist'' party saidtheir gesture was to promote the legalization of gay marriage and grantinglegal recognition to unmarried couples.

Bruno Mellano and Donatella Poretti placed the Barbie and Ken-type dolls inthe parliamentary nativity scene, each couple lying down embraced among theshepherds witnessing the birth of Jesus.

Each of the two doll couples, which parliamentary ushers removed after a fewminutes, wore miniature placards with slogans in favor of gay rights.




=


Lesbians barred from adopting partners' children

Published: 20th December 2006 15:23 CET
The Local

Online: http://www.thelocal.se/5863/

They are married to the biological mothers, but a court in Sweden hasrefused to allow two lesbian women to adopt the children they consider to betheirs.

The case concerns two women whose partners were inseminated in Denmark,where sperm donors are guaranteed anonymity. Both women applied for adoptionin Sweden.

But a Swedish district court has rejected their application, saying thataccording to Swedish law all children have the right to find out who theirbiological parents are.

"I can't understand how they are thinking," one of the mothers told TheLocal.


[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]

~~~~~~~~~~~~
#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 21, 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/2006/12/21/opinion/21taylor.html?pagewanted=print


December 21, 2006
Op-Ed Contributor

The Devoted Student
By MARK C. TAYLOR


MORE college students seem to be practicing traditional forms of religiontoday than at any time in my 30 years of teaching.

At first glance, the flourishing of religion on campuses seems to reversetrends long criticized by conservatives under the rubric of "politicalcorrectness." But, in truth, something else is occurring. Once again, rightand left have become mirror images of each other; religious correctness issimply the latest version of political correctness. Indeed, it seems themore religious students become, the less willing they are to engage incritical reflection about faith.

The chilling effect of these attitudes was brought home to me two years agowhen an administrator at a university where I was then teaching called meinto his office. A student had claimed that I had attacked his faith becauseI had urged him to consider whether Nietzsche's analysis of religionundermines belief in absolutes. The administrator insisted that I apologizeto the student. (I refused.)



=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/world/AP-Iran-Elections.html?pagewanted=print


December 21, 2006

Ahmadinejad Opponents Win Elections
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 7:37 a.m. ET



TEHRAN, Iran (AP) -- President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's opponents won localcouncil elections in Iran, final results showed Thursday, in an embarrassingblow to the hard-line leader that could force him to change his staunchanti-Western stance and focus more on domestic issues.

Last week's elections for local councils in towns and cities across Iranwere widely seen as a referendum on Ahmadinejad's 18 months in office.

Since taking power, Ahmadinejad has escalated Iran's confrontation with theUnited States and the West, drawing the threat of U.N. sanctions for pushingahead with uranium enrichment in Iran's nuclear program. He has alsoprovoked international outrage for his comments against Israel and castingdoubt on the Nazi Holocaust.




=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/opinion/21thu4.html?pagewanted=print


December 21, 2006
Editorial
Free Genarlow Wilson Now


Genarlow Wilson loves reading mystery novels and can't wait for the nextHarry Potter book. The 20-year-old former high school football player andhonor student works in a library, the perfect job for a young bookworm.Unfortunately, that is where the good news ends and a genuine horror storyof this country's legal system begins.

The library in Georgia where Mr. Wilson works is in prison. He is two yearsinto a sentence for engaging in consensual oral sex with a 15-year-old girlat a New Year's Eve party when he was 17. He won't be eligible for paroleuntil he has served 10 years, essentially sacrificing his remaining youth toan obvious miscarriage of justice.

As Shaila Dewan reported in The Times this week, Mr. Wilson has beenconvicted of aggravated child molestation even though he and the girl wereboth minors at the time. Even if he could win an early release, Mr. Wilsoncould not go home to his family. He would have to register as a sex offenderand would be prohibited from living with his 8-year-old sister. It is allthe more disgraceful because the Georgia Supreme Court last week refused tohear his appeal.

The sexual act took place during a party involving sex, marijuana andalcohol, all captured on a graphic videotape. But that does not make Mr.Wilson a child molester. When high school students engage in consensualsexual activity, that is not the same as an adult molesting a teenager or ateenager molesting a child.



=

The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122001329_pf.html


The Courts Need This Watchdog

By Ronald D. Rotunda
Thursday, December 21, 2006; A29


The Judicial Transparency and Ethics Enhancement Act of 2006, now beforeCongress, would create an inspector general for the courts. It offers modestreforms that would keep our judiciary independent (because no one favors adependent judiciary) and help keep it accountable (because no one favors ajudiciary that is above the law).

Nonetheless, there are those who greet it the way Dracula would greet abouquet of garlic. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, for example, has said of theproposal: "That's a really scary idea."

On the contrary, this bill would strengthen judicial independence because itwould give people greater faith that if there were problems, the inspectorgeneral for the courts would deal with them and not sweep them under therug. An inspector general would also protect judges from frivolous or falsecharges.


=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/business/worldbusiness/21air.html?pagewanted=print


December 21, 2006
Europe Acts to Penalize Jet Pollution
By JAMES KANTER


PARIS, Dec. 20 - In the face of stiff opposition from the airline industry,the European Union moved forward Wednesday with plans to impose extracharges on foreign and domestic carriers that pollute too much.

"We are showing our determination to fight climate change," said Europe'senvironment commissioner, Stavros Dimas, who announced the proposalWednesday in Brussels. "This is one way to persuade other countries to comealong with us."

The rules, which would be legally binding, would apply to all flights withinthe bloc starting in 2011. Foreign carriers landing and taking off from busyairports like those in Frankfurt, London and Paris would be obliged to jointhe system the following year. If enacted, the measure could drive up costsfor airlines, potentially leading to higher airfares for travelers.



=

The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/ats-ap_politics15dec20,0,3760111.story


Bush Links Minimum Wage to Tax Break

By JENNIFER LOVEN
Associated Press Writer


December 20, 2006, 10:17 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- President Bush endorsed one of the Democrats' top prioritiesfor the new Congress, a $2.10-an-hour minimum wage increase -- and on afaster timetable than they have proposed.

But his support comes with a catch.

Bush said at a Wednesday news conference that any pay hike should beaccompanied by tax and regulatory relief for small businesses, potentially atough sell for Democrats, who are about to reassume control of the House andSenate.


"Minimum wage workers have waited almost 10 long years for an increase,"responded Democratic Sen. Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts, who has said thatboosting the federal minimum wage will be his chief goal when he takes overas chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor andPensions. "We need to pass a clean bill giving them the raise they deserveas quickly as possible."



=

Los Angeles Times

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-oe-smith20dec20,0,1684692.story?track=mostviewed-homepage


Power to the Swift Boaters!
Why the harsh fines on two so-called 527 political organizations?
By Bradley A. Smith


BRADLEY A. SMITH, who served as chairman of the Federal Election Commissionin 2004, is a professor of law at Capital University Law School in Columbus,Ohio, and chairman of the Center for Competitive Politics.

December 20, 2006


LAST WEEK, the Federal Election Commission fined MoveOn.org, the Swift BoatVeterans for Truth and two other groups a total of $629,500 for violatingcampaign finance laws during the 2004 election. According to the FEC, these"527" organizations (so named for the tax code provision governing theiractivities) ought to have registered as political action committees, whichwould have limited their ability to receive large donations and, in the caseof MoveOn and the Swifties, would probably have shut both groups out of the2004 election altogether.

For decades, only groups that contributed directly to candidates,coordinated their activity with candidates or "expressly advocated" acandidate's election or defeat in public advertising (with phrases such as"support" or "vote against") qualified as PACs.


=

The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122002046_pf.html


Mass. Governor's Rightward Shift Raises Questions

By Dan Balz and Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, December 21, 2006; A01


As he prepares for a 2008 presidential campaign, Massachusetts Gov. MittRomney (R) has championed the conservative principles that guided PresidentRonald Reagan, become an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage andsupported overturning the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

It was not always so. Twelve years ago, Romney boasted that he would be moreeffective in fighting discrimination against gay men and lesbians than Sen.Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), distanced himself from some conservativepolicies of the Reagan administration, and proudly recalled his family'srecord in support of abortion rights.

The apparent gulf between the candidate who ran for the Senate in 1994 andthe one getting ready to run for president has raised questions as to who isthe real Mitt Romney. Is he the self-described moderate who unsuccessfullychallenged Kennedy in the year of the Republican landslide, theself-described conservative now ready to bid for the Republican presidentialnomination in 2008, or merely an ambitious and adaptable politician? Theanswer could be crucial to Romney's presidential ambitions.


=

Chicago Tribune

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/chi-0612200264dec20,1,6481193,print.column?coll=chi-opinionfront-hed


`If I'd only known then...,' says Hillary
Kathleen Parker

December 20, 2006


The coulda-shoulda-woulda chorus just added a new soprano. Sen. HillaryRodham Clinton says she wouldn't have voted for the Iraq war if she'd knownthen what she knows now.

Clinton was one of the last holdouts among the probable 2008 Democraticpresidential candidates to embrace hindsight regarding her vote in 2002 on aresolution approving the invasion of Iraq to remove Saddam Hussein frompower.

It's been interesting to watch formerly pro-war leaders distance themselves,one by one, as conditions have deteriorated in Iraq. As always, timing iseverything.

Was the first to cut and run from the hawk's nest the smartest? Was the lastone more principled?



=

The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122001718_pf.html


Muslims Mark Solidarity With Jews
Event Held Days After Iranian Meeting That Denied Genocide

By Mary Beth Sheridan
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 21, 2006; B05


Local Muslim leaders lit candles yesterday at the U.S. Holocaust MemorialMuseum to commemorate Jewish suffering under the Nazis, in a ceremony heldjust days after Iran had a conference denying the genocide.

American Muslims "believe we have to learn the lessons of history and commitourselves: Never again," said Imam Mohamed Magid of the All Dulles AreaMuslim Society, standing before the eternal flame flickering from a blackmarble base that holds dirt from Nazi concentration camps.

Around the hexagonal room, candles glimmered under the engraved names of thedeath camps: Chelmno. Auschwitz-Birkenau. Majdanek.



=

The Detroit News

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061221/POLITICS/612210309/1026/SCHOOLS&template=printart


Dems vow to cut student loan fees

Brady Averill and Rob Hotakainen / McClatchy Newspapers



WASHINGTON -- Alarmed by a rapid rise in student debt, Democratic leaders inthe next Congress are promising to lower payments on new college loans bycutting the interest rate in half.

During the first 100 hours of the 110th Congress, Democrats plan to reducethe interest rate from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. They contend that wouldhelp the typical undergraduate student borrower -- who graduates with$17,500 in debt -- pocket $5,600.

While the plan to lower interest rates has broad political appeal, it wouldcost an estimated $18 billion over five years, and is likely to testCongress' new commitment to hold down spending as a way to lower deficits.



=

The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122001328_pf.html


Labor's Man In '08?

By Robert D. Novak
Thursday, December 21, 2006; A29


While Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama soak up media attention, JohnEdwards has pushed for organized labor's support. No decisions have beenmade, but the former senator from North Carolina and 2004 vice presidentialnominee is the front-runner for winning over the big, dynamic unions thatleft the AFL-CIO almost 18 months ago.

Edwards is a leading prospect for backing from Andrew Stern's ServiceEmployees International Union (SEIU) and James P. Hoffa's InternationalBrotherhood of Teamsters, the unions that led the breakaway, forming theChange to Win coalition. Stern and Hoffa are wary of early decisions, andthere are things about the Edwards operation that their unions do not like.But their interest in him reflects largely unspoken discontent in Democraticranks over a choice limited to Clinton and Obama.

Withdrawal from presidential consideration of former Virginia governor MarkWarner and Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana prompted the analysis that Clinton andObama consume all the political oxygen, leaving nothing for anothercandidate.


=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/opinion/21thu1.html?pagewanted=print


December 21, 2006
Editorial
Rudderless in Iraq


Anyone looking for new thinking on Iraq, or even candor, had to bedisappointed by President Bush's news conference yesterday. Mr. Bush maywant to defer unveiling his new strategy, but there will be no obligingpause in Iraq's unraveling.

The latest Pentagon status report confirms a spiraling death toll, everdeeper sectarian divisions and near total lawlessness on the streets ofBaghdad, despite repeated American vows to secure the capital. In a furthersign of Iraq's descent, our colleague James Glanz reported this week thatBaghdad gets less than seven hours of electricity a day, as insurgents andlooters dismantle the power grid.

While Mr. Bush contemplates his fast-disappearing options, competingfactions in the administration and the military have been less reticentabout floating their ideas.


=

The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/21/opinion/21thu3.html


December 21, 2006
Editorial
Mr. Bush's Immigration Realism


Every now and then the public gets a glimpse of the George W. Bush who is acalm realist on immigration, a former governor of a border state who knows,likes and understands Latino immigrants. It's an identity sharply at oddswith that of many other members of his Republican Party, especially thesnarlers clustered on its right wing.

At his news conference yesterday, Mr. Bush commented on the raids at Swift &Company, the meatpacking giant that, to nobody's surprise, seems to have hadhundreds of illegal immigrants with forged papers on its low-skill workforce. Mr. Bush did not condemn the detainees as border-crossing evildoers.He spoke with startling tolerance.



=

http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-goldberg21dec21,0,4491039.column?coll=la-opinion-center

JONAH GOLDBERG

Giuliani: the man to defend American culture

To win the GOP nomination, socially liberal Giuliani must burnish toconservatives the tough-guy credentials he earned as New York mayor.


Jonah Goldberg

December 21, 2006


AMERICA NEEDS a Pym Fortuyn, and Rudolph Giuliani may be the man for thejob.

Pim Fortuyn, you may recall, was the gay, flamboyant sociology professorturned "right-wing" Dutch politician who took a hard-line position againstimmigration and Islamic extremism - two issues inextricably linked in acountry where whole communities have become enclaves of Sharia law. Fortuynwas labeled as right wing by identity-politics leftists for his unapologeticview that the Netherlands should stay both liberal and libertine.

His basic view was that the Netherlands has a culture too, and there's noshame in defending civil liberties, free expression and tolerance againsttheir opponents, even if those opponents exploit liberal guilt by castingthemselves as victims. In other words, Fortuyn wanted to keep the partygoing, and that meant taking a strong line against the killjoys. ThatFortuyn could be both libertarian and tough-minded caused great cognitivedissonance in the media and on the left - there and here. He wasassassinated by a left-wing extremist.



=


Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/commentary.aspx?id=17897

Fear spoils freedom's promise
Inside the First Amendment

By Paul K. McMasters
First Amendment Center ombudsman
12.15.06
The First Amendment turns 215 years old today. At its birth as it is today,this constitutional guarantee was a breathtakingly beautiful testimony tothe value of freedom of conscience and expression.

When it was ratified as part of the Bill of Rights in 1791, the FirstAmendment secured all other freedoms because it provided protection for anation of citizens to question their government, to foment change, to fightinjustice. It encouraged a democratized conversation in which individualscould freely create and criticize, give voice to passion and pain, givesubstance to their dreams.

It invited all Americans to proclaim their power as citizens and their worthas human beings.



=

The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/20/AR2006122002046.html


Mass. Governor's Rightward Shift Raises Questions

By Dan Balz and Shailagh Murray
Washington Post Staff Writers
Thursday, December 21, 2006; A01

As he prepares for a 2008 presidential campaign, Massachusetts Gov. MittRomney (R) has championed the conservative principles that guided PresidentRonald Reagan, become an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage andsupported overturning the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

It was not always so. Twelve years ago, Romney boasted that he would be moreeffective in fighting discrimination against gay men and lesbians than Sen.Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), distanced himself from some conservativepolicies of the Reagan administration, and proudly recalled his family'srecord in support of abortion rights.



=

The Boston Globe

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2006/12/21/why_wont_carter_debate_his_book?mode=PF

ALAN DERSHOWITZ
Why won't Carter debate his book?
By Alan Dershowitz | December 21, 2006

YOU CAN ALWAYS tell when a public figure has written an indefensible book:when he refuses to debate it in the court of public opinion. And you canalways tell when he's a hypocrite to boot: when he says he wrote a book inorder to stimulate a debate, and then he refuses to participate in any suchdebate. I'm talking about former president Jimmy Carter and his new book"Palestine Peace Not Apartheid."

Carter's book has been condemned as "moronic" (Slate), "anti-historical"(The Washington Post), "laughable" (San Francisco Chronicle), and riddledwith errors and bias in reviews across the country. Many of the reviews havebeen written by non-Jewish as well as Jewish critics, and not by"representatives of Jewish organizations" as Carter has claimed. Carter hasgone even beyond the errors of his book in interviews, in which he has saidthat the situation in Israel is worse than the crimes committed in ApartheidSouth Africa. When asked whether he believed that Israel's "persecution" ofPalestinians was "[e]ven worse . . . than a place like Rwanda," Carteranswered, "Yes. I think -- yes."


[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]

~~~~~~~~~~~~
#####

FLORIDA DIGEST December 21, 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 Palm Beach Post

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2006/12/21/a17a_crist_1221.html


Two ex-attorney general workers on Crist's staff
By Michael C. Bender

Palm Beach Post Capital Bureau

Thursday, December 21, 2006

TALLAHASSEE - Gov.-elect Charlie Crist on Thursday filled two staffpositions inside the governor's office with former attorney generalemployees.

Bob Sparks, the director of external affairs for Crist in his currentposition as Florida's attorney general, will take over as the assistantchief of staff for citizen services.

"Under Bob's leadership, the attorney general's office has enhancedcitizen's ability to access government," Crist said. "I am committed tomaking government services and requirements easier to understand and I lookforward to his recommendations."



=

The Sun-Sentinel

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fpoll21dec21,0,7143662.story?coll=sfla-news-florida


Voter poll says 57% give Bush high marks as governor
The Associated Press

December 21, 2006



TALLAHASSEE · Gov. Jeb Bush leaves office next month with most Floridiansconvinced that he's done a good job as governor and that incoming Gov.Charlie Crist will be as good or better, a poll indicates.

Fifty-seven percent of respondents rated Bush as a great or good governor,in a survey of 1,066 Florida voters by Quinnipiac University PollingInstitute taken Dec. 12-18. The poll had a margin of error of plus or minus3 percentage points.

Peter Brown, assistant poll director for Quinnipiac, said the result is"pretty remarkable." Bush's eight years in office, which end Jan. 2, havebeen marked by several controversies: the increased importance givenstandardized tests in public schools; the 2000 presidential re-count;skyrocketing property insurance rates and taxes; his intervention in theTerri Schiavo right-to-die case.




=

Tampabay.com

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/12/21/news_pf/Opinion/Teacher_pay_trap.shtml


Teacher pay trap
A Times Editorial
Published December 21, 2006


If Florida really is serious about giving teachers financial incentives towork harder, it might begin by listening to a few of those miracle workersfirst. Once again, though, education commissioner John Winn has drivenperformance pay into a standardized ditch. His bumper sticker might as wellread: "FCAT or bust."

The latest meltdown, oddly enough, is with an effort called STAR (SpecialTeachers Are Rewarded). Well-intentioned lawmakers wrote the program into anappropriations bill last spring mainly as a way to block Winn from anadministrative fiat called E-Comp.



[ Send your comments about any of the articles in Ray's List Digest toRays.List@Comcast.net ]

#####

Wednesday, December 20, 2006

GLBT DIGEST - December 20, 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.

=



Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, NY, December 19, 2006

http://www.democratandchronicle.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/OPINION02/612190326/1039/OPINION

Give gay couples right to marry, to be bound by marriage vows

Jacqueline Siwicki, guest essayist

It is hard in this day and age to really believe in commitment and thesanctity of marriage. The entertainment industry bombards us with messagesthat put a negative spin on marriage. On the TV show The Bachelor, a manshops from a display case of women to marry. These "marriages" never last,but the couple keeps the prize money. And, of course, endless numbers ofcelebrities marry and divorce within hours, days or months. These lovelessunions make headlines, but little sense.

The reality of marriage is just as grim. The New York Times has reportedthat for the first time in U.S. history, there are more unmarried loversliving together than married couples. And, 50 percent of marriages end indivorce.




=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 19, 2006
Luis Vizcaino | Phone: 202/216.1547 | Cell: 310/869.5700
Brad Luna | Phone: 202/216.1514 | Cell: 202/812.8140

President Signs Ryan White Reauthorization

WASHINGTON - The following statement was made today by Joe Solmonese,President of the Human Rights Campaign, upon signage by the President ofthe United States of the reauthorization of the Ryan White CARE Act.Before adjourning for the year, Congress passed this critical life-linefor over half a million low-income Americans living with HIV/AIDS.

"We are pleased that a bipartisan Congress and the President were ableto come together and agree on the reauthorization of the Ryan White CareAct and officially sign it into law today," said Joe Solmonese,President of the Human Rights Campaign. "This critical life-savingpiece of legislation will help over a half million low-income Americansliving with HIV/AIDS continue to receive the medical care they sodesperately need. However, as we head into a new year and a newCongress we will aggressively push to ensure that the years ofinsufficient funding of this program be corrected. If our government isserious about combating this epidemic we must not allow rhetoric to maskitself as real action."




=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


Lambda Legal Files Lawsuit on Behalf of Woman Whose Job Offer Was RevokedBecause She is Transgender

'When the HR Director found out the company offered a job to a transgenderperson, the offer was rescinded.'

Source: Lambda Legal

http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/news/publications.html?record=2098

(Houston, Texas, December 18, 2006) - Today, Lambda Legal has filed papersin federal court in the Southern District of Texas on behalf of atransgender woman whose employment offer was rescinded because she istransgender.

"When the HR Director found out the company offered a job to a transgenderperson, the offer was rescinded," said Cole Thaler, Transgender RightsAttorney at Lambda Legal. "Even though Izza was the best applicant for thejob, the company decided that it didn't want a transgender employee andclaimed that she 'misrepresented' herself."


=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org


New Brunswick Home News Tribune, NJ, December 19, 2006

http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061219/OPINION01/612190398/1079

Editorial--Approval of civil unions is big step in journey

It is a sign of how quickly mores and mind-sets change that although NewJersey is on the brink of becoming just the third state in the nation torecognize civil unions of homosexual couples, the legislation - whichwhizzed through the Legislature in little more than a week following anorder from the state Supreme Court and is expected to be signed promptly bythe governor - already is being viewed as a disappointment by gay couples.Civil unions might once have been the substance of all things hoped for. Nowsame-sex couples want the word and the institution that has come downthrough the generations; they want nothing less than marriage.




=

Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org



365Gay.com, December 19, 2006

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/12/121906vaAbuse.htm

Virginia Group Receives State Grant To Study Gay Domestic Violence by
365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

(Richmond, Virginia) Equality Virginia has received state money to establishan anti-domestic violence project, even though Virginia has what isdescribed as the most repressive laws barring the recognition of same-sexrelationships in the country.

The funding comes from the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Victim Fundat the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.

It will support the initial two years of the program and will allow for astatewide needs assessment survey of GLBT Virginians and will help identifyresources for those affected.




=

The Washington Post

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/19/AR2006121901282_pf.html


Episcopalians Against Equality

By Harold Meyerson
Wednesday, December 20, 2006; A23

Don't look now, but Virginia is seceding again.

On Sunday nine Episcopal parishes in Virginia, including the one whereGeorge Washington served as a vestryman, announced that they had voted to upand leave the U.S. Episcopal Church to protest its increasingly equaltreatment of homosexuals.

In 2003 an overwhelming majority of the nation's Episcopal bishops ratifiedthe selection of a gay bishop by the New Hampshire diocese. This past Junethe church's general convention elevated Nevada Bishop Katharine JeffertsSchori to the post of presiding U.S. bishop. Jefferts Schori is the firstwoman to head a national branch of the Anglican Church. Worse yet, she hasallowed the blessing of same-sex couples within her diocese (which includesthe ever theologically innovative Las Vegas).

Whether it was the thought of a woman presiding over God's own country clubor of gays snuggling under its eaves, it was all too much for a distinctminority of Episcopalians. The dissident parishes in the Virginia diocesecontain only about 5 percent of the state's parishioners. But it's thechurch the defectors have latched on to that makes this schism news.




=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://uk.gay.com/article/5212


Papal assault on pro-gay woman
Hassan Mirza
GAY.COM
18 December, 2006
more articles by Hassan Mirza

A gay marriage supporter was viciously attacked near Boston when shedemonstrated against Catholic Citizenshop's anti-gay rally.

Sarah Loy, 27, a straight female gay marriage supporter, went to a rallyorganised by conservative groups VoteOnMarriage and Catholic Citizenship inWorchester, Massachusetts, the only state where gay marriage is legal.

Loy, who attended with her husband, and a few other gay supporters, went tothe rally and staged a counter-protest. Loy held a sign saying "Nodiscrimination in the Constitution" in reference to Conservative efforts toabolish gay marriage on a federal level.



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon06/12/121806haggard.htm


Haggard's Church Begins Hunt For Other 'Wrongdoers'
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff

Posted: December 19, 2006 - 12:01 am ET

(Colorado Springs, Colorado) The church of disgraced pastor Ted Haggard isencouraging its members to blow the whistle on others in the mega church whohave committed 'sexual indiscretions' or other misdeeds.

And it didn't take long for a name to surface.

Christopher Beard, who headed a ministry the New Life Church that trainedyoung adults in leadership skills, has stepped down after admitting to anincident of sexual misconduct several years ago and a series of decisionsdisplaying poor judgment.

Church elders declined to disclose what the sexual misconduct involved,except to say it did not involve minors.



=

Anything But Straight
by Wayne Besen
http://www.waynebesen.com/


http://www.waynebesen.com/2006/12/science-strikes-back.html
December 19, 2006

Science Strikes Back

University lecturers left their classrooms this week to lecture Focus on theFamily's James Dobson to tell him he has no class. The tenured were teed offand staged a revolt because they were revolted by how Dobson had pervertedtheir work in TIME magazine. In a guest column criticizing Mary Cheney,Dobson justified his trashing of gay families by citing the work of renownedresearchers. But instead of allowing their work to be distorted, thescholars hollered and told Dobson to stop lying for the Lord.

The first professor to profess her displeasure was Dr. Carol Gilligan, arenowned psychologist and author of In a Different Voice. Gilligan has alsotaught at Harvard and University of Cambridge and has more degrees than athermometer. She is so well-respected that Dobson tried to justify hisargument against same-sex families in TIME by citing her work. The deviousgoal of Dobson was to force reasonable people to think, "If a learnedscholar likes Gilligan says gay families are harmful, maybe Focus on theFamily is right."



=

Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
dailyqueernews@yahoo.com

http://www.ajc.com/search/content/edchapa1218.html


How religious beliefs shape today's issues

By Rebeca Chapa
San Antonio Express-News
Published on: 12/18/06


It takes guts to do what Joel Hunter did two weeks ago.

The president-elect of the powerful Christian Coalition of America steppeddown from that lofty post because the organization was unwilling to take onthe "issues that Jesus would want us to care about," Hunter said at thetime.

Those issues include poverty, AIDS, pollution and climate change.

Hunter resigned during a board meeting. The coalition, created in 1989 byPat Robertson, later released a statement that cited "differences ofphilosophy and vision."

Hunter told the media: "They pretty much said, 'These issues are fine, butthey're not our issues, that's not our base.' "

Hunter is also a signatory to the Evangelical Climate Initiative, astatement that acknowledges a human role in climate change and a moralobligation to address it.


[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####