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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/06/nyregion/06mbrfs-gay.html?_r=1&oref=slogin&pagewanted=print
June 6, 2007
Metro Briefing | New York
Manhattan: Economic Benefits of Same-Sex Marriage
By DIANE CARDWELL
Legalizing gay marriage would bring New York City $142 million in economicbenefits over the first three years, according to an economic analysisreleased yesterday by William C. Thompson, the comptroller. Mr. Thompson, alikely candidate for mayor in 2009, wrote in the report that the benefitswould come mainly from increased spending of residents and visitors on theirweddings, including items like hotel stays.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/06/us/politics/06brfs-gay.html?pagewanted=print
June 6, 2007
Clinton Backs Change to Marriage Law
By PATRICK HEALY
Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has told a gay rights organization that shesupports the repeal of one provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act,the 1996 law signed by her husband that says states and the federalgovernment do not have to recognize gay marriages and unions from otherstates. On the questionnaire for the Human Rights Campaign, Mrs. Clintonsaid she opposed the part of the law that would prohibit the federalgovernment from recognizing same-sex relationships. Her advisers said thatshe continued to oppose gay marriage. Her response on the questionnaire puts
her in line with her rivals for her party's nomination.
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The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-BRF-Gay-Marriage.html?pagewanted=print
June 6, 2007
Calif. Assembly OKs Gay Marriage
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 12:09 a.m. ET
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) -- The state Assembly voted Tuesday to allowsame-sex couples to marry, challenging Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who hassaid he will veto the bill if it passes the full Legislature.
Legislators approved the measure on a party-line vote of 42-34, with themajority saying lawmakers should not to wait for the state Supreme Court toact on the issue.
A debate about California's one man-one woman marriage law of 1977 is likelyto be decided this year or early next year by the high court.
The bill now goes to the Senate, which adopted a similar measure in 2005.Schwarzenegger vetoed it.
California in 2003 recognized domestic partners, creating a registry thataffords same-sex couples many of the rights given to married couples.
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/06/AR2007060600457_pf.html
Governments told not doing enough to halt racism
Reuters
Wednesday, June 6, 2007; 6:16 AM
BUCHAREST (Reuters) - Governments should work harder to combat racism andother hate crimes which are on the rise globally but go largely unreported,advocacy group Human Rights First said in a report on Wednesday.
The New York-based group said most European governments lacked mechanismsfor reporting anti-Semitic and anti-gay violence, as well as attacks againstMuslims.
"Governments need to do more to combat violent discrimination ... and shouldstrengthen criminal laws and law enforcement procedures," Human Rights Firstsaid in a survey of Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe(OSCE) members.
The report, released on the sidelines of an OSCE conference in Bucharest oncombating discrimination, cited Croatia and Latvia for introducinglegislation on hate crimes, but said 24 OSCE members had no specialprovision for punishing such crimes.
"In the majority of cases, criminal justice systems neither track noreffectively prosecute bias crimes ... Public policy responses to racist,anti-Semitic and other bias crimes too often reflect indifference."
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/05/AR2007060502455_pf.html
Clinton Overhauls, but Doesn't Exit, in Iowa
By Politics
Wednesday, June 6, 2007; A10
With seven months until the Iowa caucuses, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton(D-N.Y.) is shaking up her Iowa campaign, announcing new leadership at hercaucus headquarters.
Taking over as the campaign's Iowa director is Teresa Vilmain, 48, a veteranorganizer and Iowa native who got her start managing caucus campaigns withGary Hart and Michael Dukakis in 1987-1988 and was advising former Iowagovernor Tom Vilsack before he ended his presidential bid in February.Vilsack endorsed Clinton, and Vilmain, who lives in Wisconsin, for weeks hasbeen informally advising her Iowa campaign.
Vilmain replaces JoDee Winterhof, 41, an Iowa native who has served as chiefof staff to Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and worked on Al Gore's 2000 caucuscampaign. She will stay on the Iowa team as a "senior strategist" and chiefsurrogate for Clinton around the state.
The move comes two weeks after the leak of a memo from Clinton's nationalheadquarters raising the possibility of skipping Iowa, where polls show hertrailing former senator John Edwards of North Carolina. Clinton's campaignhas since maintained that it is definitely competing in the state, pointingto her frequent visits there in recent weeks.
Clinton spokesman Mo Elleithee said the shake-up should be viewed as anexpansion of the campaign's team in Des Moines and its emphasis on Iowa.
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/05/AR2007060501085_pf.html
McCain Sets Self Apart in Debate
Senator at Odds With GOP Rivals On Immigration Bill
By Dan Balz and Michael D. Shear
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, June 6, 2007; A01
MANCHESTER, N.H., June 5 -- Sen. John McCain of Arizona found himselfisolated Tuesday night as he staunchly defended controversial immigrationlegislation against a barrage of criticism from his rivals for theRepublican presidential nomination, who argued that the bill is deeplyflawed and should not be approved by Congress.
The Senate will begin voting on Wednesday on the fragile compromise, whichhas the support of President Bush but is opposed by a majority ofRepublicans and has become a flash point in the contest for the GOPnomination.
"The problem with this immigration plan is it has no real unifying purpose,"former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani said. "It's a typical Washingtonmess. It's everybody compromises. . . . And when you look at thesecompromises, it is quite possible it will make things worse."
Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney joined in attacking the bipartisanbill McCain helped write.
"Every illegal alien, almost every one, under this bill, gets to stay here,"he said. "That's not fair to the millions and millions of people around theworld that would love to come here, join with family members, bring skilland education that we need."
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The Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/05/AR2007060502451_pf.html
Council Passes Amended Bill on Nude Clubs
By Yolanda Woodlee
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, June 6, 2007; B04
The D.C. Council weighed two issues that affect nighttime entertainment andthe quality of life in the District yesterday but made a decision on onlyone. It voted to allow the continued operation of a handful of nudeentertainment clubs, putting off a measure that would tighten controls ondrinking establishments that attract minors.
The decision to allow the relocation of clubs that involve nudity, explicitdancing and private booths involved a compromise that blocks creating astrip-bar zone in a run-down warehouse section of Ward 5. Under thecompromise, only two of six displaced clubs can move to any one ward.
Opponents of the nude bars, who complained that the communities borderingthe area were being treated like a dumping zone, were not appeased.
"This is not what I wanted at all," said Carolyn Steptoe of Brookland. "Iwanted them to shut those things down."
The establishments, some of which have a gay clientele, were displaced bythe construction of the Washington Nationals stadium and development of thatpocket of Southeast. The sponsor of the legislation, council member JimGraham (D-Ward 1), said the clubs have a right to exist and negotiated formiddle ground with his counterpart from Ward 5, Harry Thomas Jr. (D).
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/features/lifestyle/sfl-encrowleyjun06,0,2478280,print.story?coll=sfla-features-headlines
Next Step's celebration of male dance has plenty of followers
By Mary Damiano
Special Correspondent
June 6, 2007
William Charles Crowley didn't take his first dance class until he was ajunior in college, but once he started, he was off and dancing.
As the founder of Next Step Dance, he's a self-professed "one-man band" whoruns the company from his home office in Bay Harbor Islands. In addition toperforming and handling the artistic direction, marketing, payroll andchoreography for Next Step Dance, Crowley teaches at both Barry Universityin Miami Shores and the University of Miami in Coral Gables. He is currentlyimmersed in producing the company's fourth annual show at the BrowardCenter, "Celebrating the Male Dancer."
Crowley's theme is to explore the past, present and future of his own danceexperience. The idea came to him last year when his remaining grandparentspassed away.
"It was a time to reassess where I was in my life because that generation ofmy family was now gone," says Crowley, 37. "I had to take a look at whatlegacy, if any, I would leave behind one day."
Crowley decided to explore his questions about legacy through Next StepDance's annual performance, showing the shared artistic lineage of threegenerations of dancers by sharing the program with his mentors, StevenIannacone and Peter Sparling, as well as his students.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editgsanitacapjun06,0,635263,print.story
Gay Rights
South Florida Sun-Sentinel Editorial Board
June 6, 2007
Recalling an unpleasant moment in history
There are some who claim there is no real history in South Florida, buthistory is very much on display through June 30 at Broward County's MainLibrary.
An exhibit at the library titled "Days Without Sunshine: Anita Bryant'sAnti-Gay Crusade" marks the 30th anniversary of an important, albeitdivisive, moment in South Florida history. It was in 1977 when singer,former Miss America pageant contestant, and citrus pitchwoman Anita Bryantlaunched her crusade to repeal a Miami-Dade County ordinance banningdiscrimination against gay men and lesbians.
Soon thereafter, televangelists like Jerry Falwell, Jim Bakker and PatRobertson became outspoken opponents of gay rights. Their rantingsultimately emboldened and strengthened the gay rights movement.
Anita Bryant's misguided crusade is not a proud moment in South Floridahistory, but it's important to learn from it.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-republicans-debate-quotes,0,5566250.story?page=2
MITT ROMNEY
Responding to a question about the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policyon gays in the military: "I wouldn't change it at this point. We can look atit down the road. But it does seem to me that we have much bigger issues asa nation that we ought to be talking about than that policy right now."
Responding to a question about his Mormon faith, he said: "I'm happy to be aproud member of my faith. You know, I think it's a fair question for peopleto ask, what do you believe? And I think if you want to understand what Ibelieve, you could recognize that the values that I have are the same valuesyou'll find in faiths across this country. ... And I also believe that thereare some pundits out there that are hoping that I'll distance myself from mychurch so that that'll help me politically. And that's not going to happen."
=
The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/politics/wire/sns-ap-republicans-debate,0,1864197,print.story
GOP Hopefuls Fault Bush on Iraq, Style
By GLEN JOHNSON
Associated Press Writer
June 6, 2007, 7:39 AM EDT
MANCHESTER, N.H. -- President Bush drew sporadic, startling criticismTuesday night from Republican White House hopefuls unhappy with his handlingof the Iraq war, his diplomatic style and his approach to immigration.
"I would certainly not send him to the United Nations" to represent theUnited States, said Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor andone-time member of Bush's Cabinet, midway through a spirited campaigndebate.
Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized the administration for its handling ofthe Iraq War, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said, "I think wewere underprepared and underplanned for what came after we knocked downSaddam Hussein."
Rep. Duncan Hunter of California said the current administration "has theslows" when it comes to building a security fence along the border withMexico.
Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado recalled that White House aide Karl Rove hadonce told him "never darken the door of the White House." The congressmansaid he'd tell George W. Bush the same thing.
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The Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cairport06jun06,0,906452,print.story?coll=sfla-news-broward
Despite angry crowd, Broward commission OKs second major runway
By Scott Wyman
Sun-Sentinel.com
June 6, 2007, 5:07 AM EDT
Two decades of debate about expanding Fort Lauderdale-HollywoodInternational Airport to accommodate more travelers came to an end earlyWednesday morning as county commissioners agreed to build a second majorrunway.
The decision came after 6½ hours of often emotional discussion that wascapped by one environmental activist being arrested and led from the meetingin handcuffs by a phalanx of deputies.
Concerns about noise and overdevelopment clashed with calls for the airportto handle more flights without lengthy delays. A largely hostile crowd ofmore than 1,200 people packed the convention center, jeering any whosupported expansion and applauding opponents.
The commission agreed on a 6-3 vote to proceed with long-stalled plans tolengthen the commuter runway on the airport's south side to 8,000 feet. At acost of $695 million to build, the runway would bridge both Federal Highwayand the Florida East Coast Railroad tracks.
The county will have to buy or soundproof the homes of almost 2,500 nearbyresidents because of increased noise. Delays, which nearly gridlocked theairport two years ago, would be between three and four minutes after the newrunway opens.
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060507nymar.htm
NYC Comptroller: Gay Marriage Would Be Cash Cow
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: June 5, 2007 - 12:00 pm ET
(New York City) A report released Tuesday by New York City ComptrollerWilliam C. Thompson, Jr. says that if the state legalized same-sex marriageit would boost the economy by $184 million statewide with $142 million goinginto the city.
The report, Love Counts: The Economic Benefits of Marriage Equality for NewYork, looked specifically at the economic impact over the first three yearsif the legislature approved Gov. Elliott Spitzer's same-sex marriage bill.
The study says the money mostly would be generated from the spending ofresidents and visitors on their weddings, along with the spending of theirout-of-town guests.
"Legalizing marriage for same-sex couples in New York would have impactsbeyond allowing individuals to make the full legal commitments to theirpartners that opposite-sex couples take for granted," Thompson said in thereport.
Thompson noted that enacting marriage equality would entail costs tobusinesses and in particular those that offer health insurance to employeespouses. However, he says that those additional costs would be partly offsetby the fact that many firms already provide domestic partner coverage.
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365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060507libby.htm
Libby Sentenced To Prison
by The Associated Press
Posted: June 5, 2007 - 1:00 pm ET
(Washington) Former White House aide I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was sentencedto 2 1/2 years in prison Tuesday for lying and obstructing the CIA leakinvestigation.
Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney, stood calmlybefore a packed courtroom as a federal judge said the evidenceoverwhelmingly proved his guilt.
"People who occupy these types of positions, where they have the welfare andsecurity of nation in their hands, have a special obligation to not doanything that might create a problem," U.S. District Judge Reggie B. Waltonsaid.
Libby was convicted in March of lying and obstructing an investigation intothe 2003 leak of CIA operative Valerie Plame's identity.
The highest-ranking White House official convicted in a government scandalsince the Iran-Contra affair, Libby has steadfastly maintained hisinnocence.
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365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060507bellevue.htm
Bellevue Wa. OKs Gay Partner Benefits But Questions Remain
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: June 5, 2007 - 3:00 pm ET
(Bellevue, Washington) The Bellevue, Washington City Council has approvedgranting health benefits to the same-sex partners of city workers, butattorney's for gay workers say they still have concerns.
Non-married opposite-sex partners also will be covered by the plan that wasapproved by a 7 - 0 vote.
A lawsuit was filed by three gay city firefighters seeking family benefitsfor their partners in April by Lambda Legal which told 365Gay.com Tuesday itis not yet ready to drop the litigation.
Lambda said it has questions about how the plan will be administered,eligibility requirements and other issues including an earlier staff reportto council that recommended the domestic partners of city workers who die inthe line of action, such as police or firefighters, not be eligible forinsurance payouts.
"These employees deserve the same protections for their families, and thesame peace of mind that spouses are given," Lambda attorney Tara Borellitold 365Gay.com.
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365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060507teacher.htm
Teacher Suspended For Comparing Gay Slur With The N Word
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: June 5, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET
(Nashville, Tennessee) A Nashville middle school teacher who equated callingsomething "gay" with the use of the N word has been suspended for three dayswithout pay.
Stephen Henry, a sixth-grade teacher at Creswell Arts Magnet School,overheard a student describe something as "gay." Henry approached the girlwho is reportedly African American and asked her how she would feel if hewere to use the N word.
The girl later complained to her parents.
In response to an e-mail to Henry from Principal Dorothy Gunn questioningthe incident the teacher, with 21-years experience said that he wanted touse the incident to teach the meaning words can have on people.
"Because it has been my practice all year long to address teachable momentswhen they present themselves ... I felt compelled to pursue that lesson,"Henry wrote in the e-mail.
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365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060507soap.htm
Call For Ban On Detergent Ingredient Linked To Intersexuality In Fish
by The Associated Press
Posted: June 5, 2007 - 7:00 pm ET
(Hagerstown, Maryland) An environmental group asked the federal governmentTuesday to ban a class of toxic chemical compounds that are found inindustrial and household detergents and are believed to cause male fish todevelop female characteristics.
The Sierra Club also asked the Environmental Protection Agency to bar theuse of these products in areas where wastewater treatment plants aren'tequipped to remove nonylphenol ethoxylates, or NPEs.
Scientists have documented so-called intersex fish in U.S. waters in thelast decade, including the southern Great Lakes, the Potomac River watershedand the Southern California coast. The reasons for the problem aren't fullyknown, but researchers suspect it is rooted in wastewater and farm runoffpolluted with chemicals that are estrogenic, meaning they stimulate estrogenproduction. NPEs are one of them.
NPEs are more tightly restricted in Canada and Europe than in the UnitedStates, which issued water-quality limits for the key ingredient,nonylphenol, or NP, in December 2005. Detergent manufacturers Procter &Gamble and Unilever have voluntarily substituted other chemicals in theirproducts, and Wal-Mart is seeking to phase NPEs out of its stores byrewarding companies that find alternatives.
"We think it's time for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to takeaction and restrict this chemical," said Ed Hopkins, director of the SierraClub's environmental quality program.
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365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060507suicide.htm
Taunted Gay Teen Lays Down In Front Of Train To Die
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: June 5, 2007 - 7:00 pm ET
(London) A coroner's court has heard the final details of the suicide of aWelsh teen whose family says was driven to his death by homophobic taunting.
Fifteen year old Jonathan Reynolds sent his family a final text messageminutes before he lay down on the tracks in front of train traveling at 85miles an hour.
"Tell everyone that this is for anybody who eva said anything bad about me,see I do have feelings too. Blame the people who were horrible and injust 2me. This is because of them, I am human just like them. I hope they rot inhell 4 what they made me do. They know who they are," said the message tohis father and his 14 year old sister.
"None of you blame urself mum, dad, Sam and the rest of my family. This isnot because of you." the message ended.
His mother, Caroline Reynolds told the coroner's court that her son hadplanned to stay in the night of his death but went out after a phoneargument with two classmates.
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365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060507gop.htm
GOP Hopefuls Turn On Bush
by The Associated Press
Posted: June 5, 2007 - 8:30 pm ET
(Manchester, New Hampshire) President Bush drew startling criticism Tuesdaynight from Republican White House hopefuls unhappy with his handling of theIraq war, his diplomatic style and his approach to immigration.
"I would certainly not send him to the United Nations" to represent theUnited States, said Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor andone-time member of Bush's Cabinet, midway through a spirited campaigndebate.
Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized the administration for its handling ofthe Iraq War, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said, "I think wewere underprepared and underplanned for what came after we knocked downSaddam Hussein."
Rep. Duncan Hunter of California said the current administration "has theslows" when it comes to building a security fence along the border withMexico.
Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado recalled that White House aide Karl Rove hadonce told him "never darken the door of the White House." The congressmansaid he'd tell George Bush the same thing.
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365gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/06/060607calmar.htm
Gay Marriage Bill Passes Calif. Assembly Second Time
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: June 6, 2007 - 7:30 am ET
(Sacramento, California) The California Assembly passed legislation Tuesdayallowing same-sex couples to marry despite a threat by Gov. ArnoldSchwarzenegger that he will veto the measure, as he did with the last bill.
The Assembly voted 42 - 34 along party lines. The legislation now moves tothe Senate where it is also expected to pass.
"By denying a group of individuals the right to marry, we denigrate thatentire group and deny them citizenship," Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) thebill's author said as he led off debate.
Lawmakers passed a nearly identical bill in 2005 - becoming the firstlegislative body in the nation to approve a measure allowing same-sexcouples to marry - but it was vetoed by the governor who argued the issueshould be decided by voters or the state Supreme Court.
Schwarzenegger said in February that if the second bill passed thelegislature he would veto it also. (story)
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force today announced its opposition tothe nomination of Dr. James W. Holsinger for U.S. surgeon general.
"With the nomination of Dr. Holsinger for surgeon general, the Bushadministration is once again elevating ideology over public policy and onceagain throwing red meat to its ravenous anti-gay supporters. Dr. Holsinger'srecord shows that his own biases will not allow him to look objectively atscientific information. Consequently, he is not qualified to be surgeongeneral and we call upon the Senate to promptly reject his nomination."- Task Force Executive Director Matt Foreman
[ Read the full statement
http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/prMF_060507
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://newyorklawschool.typepad.com/leonardlink/2007/06/what_does_kentu.html
What Does Kentucky Marriage Amendment Mean?
by New York Law School Professor Arthur S. Leonard, Leonard Link, June 04,2007 in Legal Issues
Taking a first crack at figuring out the meaning of Kentucky's 2004 MarriageAmendment, which provides that "a legal status identical or substantiallysimilar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid orrecognized," Kentucky's Attorney General, Gregory D. Stumbo, issued a formalopinion on June 1, stating that domestic partnership health benefits plansadopted by the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisvilleviolate the Marriage Amendment.
However, the opinion, authored by Assistant Attorney General James M.Herrick, went on to say that the unconstitutionality of the two plans couldbe cured by dropping some of the requirements in their definitions ofdomestic partner in order to make the benefits more broadly available tocohabitants of university employees.
This surprising conclusion came from a very strict, literalisticinterpretation of the Amendment's language. According to Herrick, the closera government employer in Kentucky comes to creating a status similar tomarriage, the more likely the employer is to run into constitutionalproblems under the language of the Amendment.
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs010/1100409733839/img/104.jpg?a=1101682752303
New Trans Survey on Race and Gender
We at NCTE are excited to be collaborating with former intern Jaya Kalra, astudent at the University of Michigan, to conduct some groundbreakingresearch on racial attitudes within the transgender community.
This survey is part of Jaya's senior thesis project, and it will look attransgender people's views on trans issues as well as issues relating torace and ethnicity in the United States. The survey will help NCTE betterserve our communities by giving us the information we need to help alltransfolks survive and thrive.
The survey is completely voluntary and anonymous, and we hope you willchoose to participate.
To read the informed consent document, please Click
To take the survey online, please Click
http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=pzorwacab.0.aibtxacab.pwaqy9aab.1439&ts=S0254&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.surveymonkey.com%2Fs.aspx%3Fsm%3DPbE5eaqw4k9ILR%252fV%252bIjJ7g%253d%253d
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20070611/truthdig
Welcome, Baby Cheney
truthdig by Robert Scheer, The Nation, [posted online on May 30, 2007]
Thank the Almighty, whatever that might mean, for planting the seed of lifein the lesbian body of Mary Cheney and for granting her parents theopportunity to show support for a homosexual couple raising a child in anatmosphere of love. The message, carried prominently in news reportsthroughout the world, is that America has come of age in recognizing, as domost truly modern countries, that homosexuality is indeed normal.
Perhaps they knew not what they did, but the picture the White Housereleased of Vice President Dick Cheney, coming as close as he does to asmile, and his beaming wife, Lynne, cradling their newborn grandson, SamuelDavid Cheney, was a milestone in the nation's struggle for human rights forall. Never again will it be possible for conservative Republicans to shunhomosexuals in any facet of American life without appearing outrageouslyhypocritical.
If it is right for Mary Cheney and Heather Poe, partners of fifteen years,to be entrusted with the birthing and raising of a child, then how is itlogical, as this White House has insisted, to deny the legal status ofmarriage to same-sex couples seeking to have their commitment legallyacknowledged?
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Speaker calls homosexuality a 'heinous' sin
Patsy McGarry, Religious Affairs Correspondent
Wed, Jun 06, 2007
Presbyterian General Assembly: Homosexuality was described as "a sin of themost heinous kind, which calls down the judgment of God upon the sinner, ora society or church which tolerates, or promotes, or practises it", at thePresbyterian General Assembly in Belfast yesterday.
Rev Ken Patterson continued: "I know of no other sin which caused God todestroy whole cities in ancient times, but that is what happened to SodomandGomorrah . . . " He was speaking in a debate on pastoral guidelines forthe care of homosexuals and which recommended ways of addressing homophobiain the church. The guidelines described homophobic attitudes as"unacceptable" and encouraged "repentence" on the part of the church forpast treatment of gay people.
An amendment, proposing that the guideline be referred back to presbyteries,was narrowly defeated by 163 votes for to 168 votes against. Proposing theamendment, Rev William Moody said advice in the guidelines on not speakingof homosexuality as "unnatural" contradicted scripture. Seconding theamendment, Rev Stephen Neilly told the assembly that "Christ can deliverpeople fully from the sin of homosexuality just as much as alcoholism orfrom other sexual sin."
Proposing that the guidelines be adopted, Rev Bobby Liddle, who helpedprepare them, said "it is very humbling to sit across a table from a youngperson who was committed to Jesus Christ, devoted to youth work in hischurch, active in evangelism, well grounded in scripture and to hear himtell how he stood with a rope around his neck feeling that to be the onlyanswer - that suicide was preferable to being open with his church and hisparents about his sexuality struggles."
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