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Florida Red and Blue
info@floridaredandblue.com
A group calling itself Florida4Marriage.org is just 12,000 signatures awayfrom putting an amendment before Florida voters next November that says:
"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman ashusband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or thesubstantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."
There will be plenty of time in the next 13 months to debate what thesponsors of that amendment really want and the sweeping consequences oftheir ploy.
In fact, in November, 2008, we will count the votes. But in the mean time,pundits, politicians and the press will be counting something else - dollarsin the bank.
The truth of the matter is that until voters vote "yes" or "no" on thisamendment, fundraising is one of the only ways to know who is on which sideand how strong or weak a campaign is likely to be.
Our opponents, the amendment sponsors, have made it clear they will beready. Here's a quote from John Stemberger - the sponsor of the amendment(from the Orlando Sentinel):
"This will inevitably be the most robust, well-funded marriage amendment inthe history of these ballot initiatives across the country."
Robust. Well-funded. That's our challenge.
On Monday morning, political insiders will count these campaigns again -seeing who's in which camp and how much money each side has raised.
That's why we need you to donate today.
By making a contribution to Florida Red and Blue, you'll be telling thoseFlorida political insiders that the campaign to defeat this amendment willbe robust and well-funded too.
When the book gets closed on this quarter this weekend and the totals areadded up, will your name be there? Will you be counted?
For us, it's as much about how many people give as how much they give. Everydollar is very important. So don't be shy about giving any amount.
And it's easy. It takes less than five minutes with a credit card on-line.Will you give $10 to be counted now? $50? $100?
When you think about it, giving today is like voting twice. It lets thepress and pundits see your name and your commitment to this issue. And ittells our opposition that they won't walk into amending our constitution.With your contribution today we'll win this important fight about the typeof state we want to call home.
Thank you for your support,
Deborah Tannenbaum
Florida Red and Blue, Finance Director
VERY IMPORTANT TO ACT BEFORE MONDAY - If you make a financial contributionto Florida Red and Blue by Monday, you could be one of our first 1,000donors. And being in that exclusive, early company means your name will berecorded - forever - in a custom work of art by famous Florida artist XavierCortada. It's an amazing opportunity to be part of history and I hope you'llread more about The Cortada Project here.
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Daily Queer News
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/25/AR2007092502448.html
D.C. Area Iranians Criticize Reception Of Ahmadinejad
Hostility Counterproductive, Some Say
By Pamela Constable
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 26, 2007; A11
Many Iranian Americans in the Washington area describe President MahmoudAhmadinejad as a provocateur, a hypocrite and an embarrassment to Iran. Yetsome are disturbed about the hostile reception Ahmadinejad has received thisweek during his visit to the United States.
Students, professionals and academics in the region's Iranian emigrecommunity said yesterday that they were frustrated and disappointed that thevisit has focused on sensational issues such as Ahmadinejad's denials thatthe Holocaust occurred and that homosexuality exists in Iran.
Instead, they said they wished that the rare encounter between a seniorIranian official and the U.S. public would raise issues that they considermore pressing to residents of Iran-- such as the oppression of women, thequashing of political dissent and the social control exercised by thecountry's real powers among the conservative Shiite Muslim clergy.
"I agree that Ahmadinejad is a despicable human being, but he is not adictator. He cannot dictate anything," said Ahmad Karimi-Hakkak, director ofthe Persian Studies Center at the University of Maryland. The Iranianpresident was introduced Monday as a "petty and cruel dictator" by thepresident of Columbia University, which had been pressured not to let himspeak at the New York City campus.
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http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=662989
Readers welcome reconciliation of mom, gay son
Posted: Sept. 17, 2007
Dear Abby
Abigail Van Buren
DEAR ABBY: I am writing to respond to "Grateful Mom" (July 13), the widowwho, in her time of need, was invited by her son Neil and his partner tolive with them despite having rejected Neil in the past because he is gay. Ihave a gay son, too, and I would not trade him for anyone. He is the mostloving and caring son any parent could ever have. I consider myself verylucky.
When it was time for me to relocate, it was his partner who first approachedme about moving across the state to be near them. My son helped me find acute little house to buy. My two dogs and I are very happy.
I will not have grandchildren, but I do have granddogs and another wonderfulson. I am blessed.
- Another Grateful Mom in Florida
DEAR ANOTHER MOM: I am pleased that things are going so well for you. Theresponses to "Grateful Mom's" letter were heartwarming. They serve as areminder that acceptance, love and recognition of the importance of familycan triumph over intolerance and fear. Read on:
DEAR ABBY: I was touched that "Grateful Mom" was able to reconcile with herson and forge a wonderful relationship with him. My oldest brother was gay,and my parents welcomed his life partner into our family. We all have openminds and hearts about individuality.
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http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/63549/
Jena's Mayor Thanks White Supremacists for Their "Moral Support"
By Laura Flanders
Posted on September 25, 2007, Printed on September 28, 2007
This post, written by Laura Flanders, originally appeared on The Nation
"Jena is America," says Alan Bean, speaking of the Louisiana town where sixblack students are looking at decades in jail for a schoolyard brawl whilewhite kids are facing nothing for hanging up nooses. Jena is America in thesense that the unequal justice there is not unique. There are "Jena Sixes"behind bars in every state. But it isn't America in the sense that thecountry as a whole has had no trouble at all ignoring Jena.
Bean is a Baptist minister from Texas who formed Friends of Justice inresponse to the now infamous Tulia drug sting of 1999 in which over half ofTulia's black males were convicted on the uncorroborated word of a corruptand racist undercover cop. He was instrumental in getting that story out. InJanuary he got busy in Jena. By that time, a young white man had alreadybeen beaten up and six young black students had been indicted, originally onattempted murder charges. One of the six, Mychal Bell, was legally still ajuvenile when he was convicted of attempted second-degree murder with adeadly shoe. While the six were paroled, Bell's been incarcerated eversince.
"If the media wasn't watching what was going on then every last one of thosekids would be in jail," one of the Jena mothers, Tina Jones, told theNation's Gary Younge. Jones is generous. The truth is, "the media" haven'tbeen watching. Black radio has been listening, and the black blogosphere'sbeen buzzing, but the white "mainstream" and the white liberal media woke upto this story about a minute ago.
By every account I've heard, the people who had sufficient fire in theirbelly to wake up before dawn and bus their way into Jena September 20 wereAfrican American -- around 90 percent. Probably close to that samepercentage had a story to tell about a family member or neighbor who's beentouched by the criminal injustice system. "White liberals care, but theyjust don't feel it in anything like the same way," says Bean. "There's amassive experience gap."
James Rucker of the action-alert network, Color of Change, sent out an emailalert July 17 after hearing about the story from Bean and his onlinesubscribers. On the media front, he thinks there's good news and bad: "We'veseen the power of black radio and the black netroots who really came intotheir own on this story, but it hasn't captured the imagination of the leftmedia in the way that I would have hoped." (Subscribe to ColorofChange.org.)
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http://www.iglhrc.org/site/iglhrc/section.php?id=5&detail=782
UPDATE: PAKISTANI COUPLE IN LIMBO UNTIL COURT DECIDES ON HUSBAND'S GENDER
Date: September 19, 2007 Asia & Pacific » USA » For Your InformationBackground
This is an update on the legal status of Shumail Raj, a female-to-maletransgender man and Shahzina Tariq, his wife, who were imprisoned byPakistani authorities. IGLHRC has followed this case closely.
Shumail Raj, 31, has undergone two surgeries to remove his breasts anduterus and has lived as a man for 16 years. He and his longtime girlfriend,Shahzina Tariq, 26, were married in September 2006. In May of this year, aHigh Court judge ordered the couple to be arrested for falsely testifyingthat Shumail was a man and that they were legally married. Shumail andShahzina were subsequently sentenced to three years in prison. In June 2007,a Supreme Court judge ordered the case to be re-opened and released thecouple on 10,000 rupees bail ($825). The Court is expected to decide ifShumail is a man or woman, which will determine if his marriage to Shahzinais valid.
Two months after being released from prison on bail, Shumail and Shahzinahave a temporary job at an NGO focusing on women's rights and are trying toget on with their lives. This update gives information on their currentsituation.
For more information about this case, please visit our previous stories:
1- PAKISTAN: TRANSGENDER MAN FACES ADDITIONAL LAWSUITS
2- PAKISTAN SUPREME COURT ORDERS RELEASE ON BAIL
3- ACTION ALERT: PAKISTAN: TRANSGENDER HUSBAND AND HIS WIFE SEPARATED AND
IMPRISONED
Nighat Khan, director of ASR Resource Centre, which is currently housing thecouple and providing them with employment, says, "Shumail is safe at themoment. But there is a risk. They [the couple] and we would like for them totry and stay here [in Pakistan] unless it is absolutely impossible. On onehand, Shumail says, we must get them abroad. But on the other hand he isunable and unwilling to give up his life in Faisalabad."
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http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/node/5108
We can't sue our way to equality
By Andy Birkey , Minnesota Monitor
A California woman is suing eHarmony for discrimination because the popularinternet dating site does not allow gays and lesbians. A Minnesota lesbiancouple is suing a health club in Rochester because it will not allow theirfamily the same family rate afforded to married couples. These cases, likeseveral others, is exemplary of the showdown between private business,religious beliefs, and governmental responsibility to end discrimination.
Opinion: We can't sue our way to equality
eHarmony says that it can discriminate based on sexual orientation becausethe research used to create their matching system was developed and testedon heterosexuals. Company officials argue that it does not have thecapability to match gay and lesbian couples. Appearances, however, tell adifferent story.
eHarmony founder Neil Clark Warren told NPR's Terri Gross that an importantreason that they do not allow same-sex matching is because "same-sexmarriage in this country is largely illegal at this time, and we do try tomatch people for marriage." Warren went even further when pressed by Salon'sRebecca Traister. "We've got thousands of years of history of the human racein which this [homosexuality] was never treated as a marriage and there area lot of people who think it's just not going to have the same kind ofstability over time," he said.
eHarmony got its start with James Dobson's Focus on the Family, a group thatopposes homosexuality. Focus on the Family engaged in a large scalemarketing campaign for the dating website, a relationship that eHarmony iscurrently working to distance itself from.
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http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/editorial/sfl-editgstransgendernbsep26,0,3751024,print.story
More protected classes aren't needed
September 26, 2007
ISSUE: Communities consider transgender protections.
Activists in South Florida want to make sure the transgender community hasthe same rights and protections as everyone else.
The fact is, they already do.
You can't legally discriminate in housing and employment by race, sex,
color, religion, national origin, handicap, familial status, sexualorientation or marital status. That pretty much covers it all.
Which makes the effort to push for transgender protection in some SouthFlorida communities an unnecessary move that would quite possibly do moreharm than good.
No law is going to make people more open-minded. Yet certain laws could spura backlash.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20896378/
Olbermann to Bush: 'Your hypocrisy is so vast'
A reaction to Thursday's press conference: the president was the one whointerjected Gen. Petraeus into the political dialogue in the first place
SPECIAL COMMENT
By Keith Olbermann
Anchor, 'Countdown'
Updated: 9:59 p.m. ET Sept 20, 2007
So the President, behaving a little bit more than usual, like we would allinterrupt him while he was watching his favorite cartoons on the DVR,stepped before the press conference microphone and after side-stepping mostof the substantive issues like the Israeli raid on Syria, in condescendingand infuriating fashion, produced a big political finish that indicates,certainly, that if it wasn't already - the annual Republican witch-huntingseason is underway.
"I thought the ad was disgusting. I felt like the ad was an attack not onlyon General Petraeus, but on the U.S. Military."
"And I was disappointed that not more leaders in the Democrat party spokeout strongly against that kind of ad.
"And that leads me to come to this conclusion: that most Democrats areafraid of irritating a left-wing group like Moveon.org or more afraid ofirritating them, than they are of irritating the United States military."
"That was a sorry deal."
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http://www.campusclimateindex.org/
LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index
Every college student has the right to a safe learning environment wherethey can learn, grow and succeed -- regardless of sexual orientation orgender identity and expression. Today many campuses are looking for ways tobecome safer, more LGBT-Friendly. Now they can learn how.
The LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index, owned and operated by Campus Pride,is a vital tool for assisting campuses in learning ways to improve theirLGBT campus life and ultimately shape the educational experience to be moreinclusive, welcoming and respectful of LGBT and Ally people. The onlyresource of its kind, the index also provides online access to searchcolleges and universities based on their LGBT-Friendly campus life(academics, policies, student organizations & activities, campus safety,health services, housing & residence life, recruitment & retention efforts,etc).
By highlighting positive efforts with the LGBT-Friendly Campus ClimateIndex, we can advocate more effectively for LGBT and Ally progress for allcampus communities. Please encourage campuses to be listed and help usrecognize campuses for continued achievements and success. Together we canchange the future. The time is now.
For LGBT & Ally Students & Families
Any public user may search the LGBT-Friendly Campus Climate Index. For adetailed listing of campus profiles, use the Campus Search. Also, checkout our Spotlight to learn more about our Premier Campus and use the HonorRoll to view any campus scoring a 3 star rating or above. Don't forget toadd your campus favorites to My Bookbag to compare and request furtherinformation from the campus.
For Colleges & Universities
Any campus has the opportunity to take the online assessment tool consistingof 50+ self-assessment questions. The tool corresponds to eight differentLGBT-Friendly factors designed to help campuses measure and find ways to bemore inclusive, welcoming and respectful to LGBT & Ally people. Aftercompleting the online assessment, the campus official receives aconfidential report with results and recommendations. If you are the campusofficial responsible for LGBT issues or can speak professionally on behalfof the campus, please visit For Campus Officials Only to get started now.
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http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5570.html
Study finds suicide more likely in those unsure of sexuality
26th September 2007 17:30
Georgina Roberts
Young people confused about their sexuality are most vulnerable to suicide,a study of university students has revealed.
The University of Washington research found that while gay, lesbian andbisexual participants are twice as likely as heterosexuals to have attemptedsuicide, those who still have issues with defining their sexuality are sixtimes as likely.
eOf the 528 participants, 79 of these identified themselves as same sexattracted heterosexuals and it was the number of suicide plans and attemptsof this group that caused University of Washington researcher Heather Murphythe most concern.
"I was shocked by the finding because the rate for these students was justoff the charts.
"They are still trying to fit into the mainstream heterosexual society andare not willing to talk to friends or go to a queer centre to talk aboutwhat they are experiencing.
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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070926/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/pace_homosexuals_4
Gen. Pace: Homosexual acts immoral
By ANNE FLAHERTY, Associated Press Writer
Wed Sep 26, 6:02 PM ET
Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, caused a stir at aSenate hearing Wednesday when he said he believes homosexual activity isimmoral and should not be condoned by the military.
Pace, who retires next week, said he was seeking to clarify similar remarkshe made in spring, which he said were misreported.
"Are there wonderful Americans who happen to be homosexual serving in themilitary? Yes," he told the Senate Appropriations Committee during a hearingfocused on the Pentagon's 2008 war spending request.
"We need to be very precise then, about what I said wearing my stars andbeing very conscious of it," he added. "And that is, very simply, that weshould respect those who want to serve the nation but not through the law ofthe land, condone activity that, in my upbringing, is counter to God's law."
Anti-war protesters sitting behind Pace jeered the four-star general'sremarks, prompting Committee Chairman Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., to abruptlyadjourn the hearing and seal off the doors.
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http://nationalgaynews.com/content/view/1742/173/
Ft. Lauderdale
Decency Advocate Thompson Charged with Indecency
Federal Judge Accuses Evangelist Lawyer of Filing Obscene Pleadings
Wednesday, 26 September 2007 22:25
By Bill Meyer, in conjunction and cooperation with Norm Kent
Jack Thompson, the evangelical Coral Gables lawyer who is already beingprosecuted by the Florida Bar for professional misconduct, has taken a giantleap towards his own disbarment.
On Wednesday, a United States District Court Judge, Adalberto Jordan,appointed to the bench by President Bush, ordered Thompson to Show Cause whyhe should not be held in possible contempt of court.
Thompson is accused of filing obscene materials, accessible to the public,with federal pleadings which accuse the Bar of "collaborating" with NationalGay News Publisher Norm Kent.
Specifically, in a federal civil rights action, Thompson alleges that he isan honorable lawyer fighting to prevent pornography from being distributedto the public, and he, a devout Christian, is being unjustly prosecuted bythe liberal Florida Bar, while Norm Kent, "a homosexual lawyer with anactivist ACLU agenda" has been given a free ride.
Related Links:
SlashDot - http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=07/09/26/185247
GamePolitics.com - http://www.gamepolitics.com
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http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5577.html
EuroPride 2010 to be held in Warsaw
27th September 2007 13:01
EuroPride 2010 will take place in Poland's capital city Warsaw.
The decision was made at the 14th international conference of the EuropeanPride Organisers Association (EPOA) in Stockholm.
The event will be the first Eastern European EuroPride and aims to send astrong message to a part of the continent where equal rights and acceptanceof the GLBT community is still minimal.
Warsaw Pride was banned in 2004 and again in 2005 by the then-Mayor ofWarsaw and now President of Poland Lech Kaczynski.
The event has taken place for the last two years without major incident.This has been due to a heavy police presence.
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Daily Queer News
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http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5577.html
EuroPride 2010 to be held in Warsaw
27th September 2007 13:01
PinkNews.co.uk writer
EuroPride 2010 will take place in Poland's capital city Warsaw.
The decision was made at the 14th international conference of the EuropeanPride Organisers Association (EPOA) in Stockholm.
The event will be the first Eastern European EuroPride and aims to send astrong message to a part of the continent where equal rights and acceptanceof the GLBT community is still minimal.
Warsaw Pride was banned in 2004 and again in 2005 by the then-Mayor ofWarsaw and now President of Poland Lech Kaczynski.
The event has taken place for the last two years without major incident.This has been due to a heavy police presence.
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http://www.irqo.net/IRQO/English/pages/43.htm
Don't leave Iranian queers abandon! - Statement of Seyed Mehdi Kazemi
I am an Iranian national, was born on 08.04.1988, in Tehran. I am ShiaMuslim. I have one sister. I have lived all my life with my parents andsister until I came to the UK on 15.09.2005. My father owns dried fruitsshop in Iran and sometimes he exports and imports goods.
I attended school, in Tehran for five 12 years. When I finished mysecondary school I started my high school called Bagher Al Olom. I was 17years old that I should study in the UK. He made all arrangements for me tocome to the UK to study. I was granted six months student visa until March2006. In February 2006, I decided to continue my studies and extended mystudent visa until November 2006.
When I arrived in the UK I began my English course at Leicester SquareSchool of English in London. For the first two months I lived with my unclein London. I then moved to Brighton and in November 2005, and joined EmbassyCES College in Hove. I extended my student visa until November 2006 as Iwanted to continue my studies in the UK.
When I was in Iran I did not have any problems. However, I used to have amale partner whom I used to meet secretly. I was 15 years old when I starteddating one of my class mates in school. His name was Parham. He was alsoIranian and we used to spend a lot of time together. I had just turned 15years of age when I found out that I was sexually attracted men. I was veryscared of this feeling and did not tell anyone about it. Parham was my bestfriend and one day he told me that he was attracted towards men and notwomen. When he told me that I started feeling comfortable with him anddecided to tell him that I felt the same, we were 15 years of age when wedecided to start our relationship.
We used to meet everyday in school and sometimes out side school in cinemaor park. We started having sex about eight months after dating each other.We used to meet either in his house or my house when there was no onearound.
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http://freedomtoserve.blogspot.com/2007/09/talking-about-heroes.html
The Advocate is out with its 40th anniversary issue, highlighting the LGBTcommunity's top 40 heroes, as selected via an Advocate poll. Ellen DeGeneres(yep, she's gay) topped the list, and there are three entries in the top 40of particular interest to SLDN supporters.
Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, a member of SLDN's military advisorycouncil, clocks in at #9. "Why should we be good enough to be cannon fodderbut not good enough to serve at home?," Cammermeyer asked the magazine in2001. "Twelve years earlier, as a colonel in the Washington State NationalGuard," the magazine writes, "she became the highest-ranking official in theU.S. military to come out of the closet while still in service. The resultwas an honorable discharge, a decision Cammermeyer fought until a federaljudge ruled that the ban on gays and lesbians in the military wasunconstitutional and reinstated her."
Colonel Cammermeyer also tells The Advocate that gay troops can have anotherimpact. "Imagine if every gay military person said 'If I can't be open, I'mout of here - send the straight people to war, and I'll stay home and go togay pride parades," she said. "Now is a good time to leave the military -the very time we are needed the most. The impact would be phenomenal. Maybethen we'd get rid of this stupid, half-assed law."
Leonard Matlovich, a decorated Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heartrecipient, ranks #36 on the list. Matlovich was featured on the cover ofTime magazine in 1975, and was the palintiff in an ACLU lawsuit challengingthe ban on gays in the military. He won an honorable discharge andsettlement in 1980.
And author Randy Shilts is #31 on the top 40 heroes list. Shilts is theauthor of Conduct Unbecoming, the definitive history on LGBT militaryservice. (And, each year, SLDN presents its Randy Shilts Visibility Award tosomeone who has singificantly increased the visibility of gay servicepersonnel.)
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http://www.sldn.org/templates/press/record.html?section=2&record=4344
General Pace Clarifies Remarks on Gays in the Military
September 26, 2007
WASHINGTON, DC - In remarks today at the Senate Appropriations Committee,outgoing Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Peter Pace clarifiedremarks he made earlier this year about gay service personnel and the "Don'tAsk, Don't Tell" ban on open service. In response to questions from SenatorTom Harkin (D-IA) about Pace's earlier comments referring to homosexualityas "immoral," the General indicated a willingness to change the law.
"Are there wonderful Americans who happen to be homosexual "General Pace isright in his assertion that lesbian and gay personnel should be treatedequally alongside their heterosexual colleagues."
serving in the military? Yes," Pace said. "(W)e should respect those whowant to serve the nation but not through the law of the land, condoneactivity that, in my upbringing, is counter to God's law." Pace then went onto say that, ""I would be very willing and able and supportive" to changesto the policy "to continue to allow the homosexual community to contributeto the nation without condoning what I believe to be activity - whether itto be heterosexual or homosexual - that in my upbringing is not right,"indicating support for policies that would treat behavior by all servicepersonnel, regardless of sexual orientation, the same.
"General Pace is right in his assertion that lesbian and gay personnelshould be treated equally alongside their heterosexual colleagues," saidAubrey Sarvis, executive director of Servicemembers Legal Defense Network(SLDN). "'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' however, creates a separate set ofstandards for gay personnel. The law is about status, and not conduct.Policies regulating conduct are already on the books and should be appliedwithout regard to sexual orientation, but simply being lesbian or gay shouldnot be grounds for dismissal from the armed forces."
In March, the Chicago Tribune reported that Pace said that, "I do notbelieve the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK tobe immoral in any way." While reiterating his personal opinion today,however, Pace indicated that lesbian and gay Americans do serve, and the lawshould allow their continued service.
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http://www.wcfcourier.com/articles/2007/09/27/opinions/letters_to_editor/18b88b96f9c25258862573620071fb0f.prt
Facts on gay parents
LEONARD KARLIN, M.D.
WATERLOO --- Dave Lindley (Sept. 5) states the American College ofPediatricians "has clearly stated same-sex marriages are not in the bestinterest of children," but he fails to attribute the actual study or explainthe problem when children are not involved or what it has to do withpolygamy in the Netherlands.
At the 2005 National Conference of the American Academy of Pediatricians,Dr. Ellen Perrin, professor of pediatrics at Tufts-New England MedicalCenter, presented a peer-reviewed study of the data from 15 publishedstudies and found that one to six million children in this country are beingraised by gay or lesbian couples. The studies found no difference inintelligence, behavior, self-esteem, psychological problems, well-being,peer relationships or gender identity when compared to children raised byheterosexual couples. Some of the studies followed the children to adulthoodand found a similar absence of problems.
Sorry, Mr. Lindley, sometimes the facts fail to cooperate with ourprejudices. Children of same-sex couples seem to be doing at least as wellas those of heterosexual couples. Allowing the same-sex parents to marrywould only further stabilize their situation.
Why would extending marriage privileges to same-sex couples endanger theinstitution of marriage? And why is who marries whom any of my or yourbusiness? And why is the political party "of small government" so involvedin private matters?
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http://expressgaynews.com/print.cfm?content_id=4068
Ft. Lauderdale
Gay bartender severely injured in hit-and-run
Witness says car sped up and appeared to deliberately hit pedestrian
By PHIL LAPADULA
Sep. 27, 2007
A local gay bartender is in critical condition after being struck by a carin a hit-and-run incident on Sept. 18 in front of Ramrod bar in FortLauderdale. It was the second serious incident involving a pedestrian beingstruck on 4th Avenue near the bar in the past three months.
Thomas Davis, 32, was crossing 4th Avenue to go to work at the bar when hewas struck at about 10:15 p.m., according to a police statement. Davissuffered a broken leg, head trauma, a lacerated liver and bruised lungs.
A witness who was working security outside the bar when the incidentoccurred said the car sped up and swerved to hit Davis.
"From my vantage point, it was clearly deliberate," said Marcus Hopkins, oneof two security men outside Ramrod who witnessed the incident. Hopkins saidDavis crossed the street half way and stopped to wait for cars to passbefore continuing. When Davis was nearly on the other side of the street,Hopkins said he heard a car engine rev and saw a white car appear to swervetoward Hopkins. He said Davis' right foot was on the curb when he wasstruck.
"The car did not pause; it did not slow down," Hopkins said. "It just plowedright through him. [The driver] did not break at all. There were no skidmarks or tire marks on the road."
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http://www.365gay.com/Newscon07/09/092807obama.htm
Obama Draws Massive Crowd In Greenwich Village
by The Associated Press
Posted: September 28, 2007 - 9:00 am ET
(New York City) Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama toldthousands at a rally Thursday that he would bring serious change toWashington if elected.
The Illinois senator, speaking in front of the landmark arch in WashingtonSquare Park in lower Manhattan's Greenwich Village, said that to trulyeffect change partisan politics must be stopped and the people must haveaccess once again to the federal government.
"We are sick and tired of being sick and tired. We want something new. Wewant some change," he said, quoting the late voting and civil rightsactivist Fannie Lou Hamer. The phrase is one he uses often on the campaigntrail.
Obama, wearing dark blue slacks and a light-blue dress shirt with an opencollar and rolled-up sleeves, came on stage to Kanye West's inspirationalsong "Touch the Sky," as thousands, including many college students, crammedinto the park near New York University.
He discussed the war in Iraq and health care, but avoided direct criticismof any of his opponents in the presidential race.
more . . . . .
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http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=3EFAE73A-3048-5C12-000CFFB7D69FF328
Scandals take a load off Craig, others
By: Carrie Budoff Brown
September 26, 2007 06:40 AM EST
For Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), the last press release posted to hiswebsite was in June, soon after a grand jury indicted him and thecongressman lost his final committee post.
For Rep. Rick Renzi (R-Ariz.), the time stamp on his troubles can be foundin the "Photo Album" section of his site. The grip-and-grins ended in April,when the FBI raided Renzi's family businesses.
For Sen. Larry Craig (R-Idaho), usually a chatterbox on the Senate floor,the speeches stopped once his arrest in a men's room sex sting became known.
They, along with Rep. John Doolittle (R-Calif.), who also lost his committeepost following an FBI raid, have been consigned to the Get Lost Caucus - ahighly unofficial, exceedingly exclusive, nobody-chooses-to-enroll kind ofclub. It is four members strong, with potential for growth.
The guidelines for qualification: First, you hit a few legal snags (a raid,an indictment, an arrest), then you lose your committee assignments (or, inthe case of Craig, your ranking status).
more . . . . .
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Joburg and Soweto march for gay pride
28 September 2007, 06:20
The Joburg Gay Pride Festival comes of age with its 18th parade nextSaturday - and even the taxman will be there to celebrate.
On Saturday, the third Soweto Pride march gets under way. The Soweto marchstarts at 11am at the corner of Roodepoort and Mphuthi roads and proceeds toCredo Mutwa Park.
Forum for the Empowerment of Women spokesperson Phumla Masuku said a fewhundred people were expected to attend.
The Joburg Gay Pride Parade takes place from 10am at Zoo Lake.
Both marches will commemorate victims of hate crimes, including lesbiansSizakele Sigasa ,34, and Salome Masooa ,23, who were shot dead in Soweto inJuly.
more . . . . .
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South Africans are generally happy: survey
South Africans are generally happy and even if they are quite negativetowards gays, they teach their children to be tolerant, News24 reportedyesterday.
In addition, nearly 10% of South Africans think it is sometimes justified ifa man beats his wife.
That was part of the picture emerging from a South African survey of values,conducted last year by the Centre for International and Comparative Politicsat Stellenbosch University, in conjunction with Markinor.
On a scale of what was deemed acceptable, homosexuality fared better thanprostitution or abortion, but worse than divorce.
On a choice of neighbours, the vast majority of South Africans did not wantto live next door to drug addicts or chronic drinkers. - Sapa
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Daily Queer News
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http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_5012.php
Web profile abuse was "particularly nasty"
New Zealand Daily News
By GayNZ.com News Staff
28th September 2007 - 10:04 pm
"A particularly nasty example of the prejudice still faced by young peoplewith diverse sexualities and genders" is how a leading youth developmentproject describes the homophobic tirades left on public view on the internetfor three weeks after political heavyweight Bill English was alerted thatthey were apparently the work of his teenage son.
Despite intense media coverage following GayNZ.com's revelation of his weeksof inaction on the matter, English has yet to deny that the comments werethe work of his son, nor has any apology to LGBT teens been forthcoming. TheBebo profile page containing the comments, which continued to be added toand expanded on after English was made aware of the problem, was finallyremoved from public view on Tuesday evening, moments after the general mediaswooped on the story. Bebo is a social networking internet site which ispopular with New Zealand adults and, particularly, teenagers.
On his own website, in a statement made during the anti-smacking debate,English, who is MP for Clutha/Southland and deputy leader of the NationalParty, says he is "totally responsible" for the moral welfare of hischildren. He also acknowledges negative influences of peer pressure, which"seem to take over at a younger and younger age."
Homophobic abuse is "one of the last acceptable forms of prejudice" and suchverbal abuse can escalate to physical abuse, says Nathan Brown, the NationalCo-ordinator of the OUT THERE! Youth Development Project. "We feel it isn'tbeing taken seriously enough. Homophobic attacks that use words like'poofter' and 'faggot' send a powerful and threatening message to youngpeople that it is not OK to be different."
Brown says that even adults who are uncomfortable with issues aroundhomosexuality need to address homophobia in their children. "Whatever yourviews on homosexuality, the use of hate language in any context isunacceptable." He advises parents and teachers "to treat these attitudes asthey would any form of dehumanizing abuse like racism or sexism.
"Ignoring homophobic language will only make the problem get worse."
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http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/2/article_4995.php
Kapiti Coast may get lesbian mayor
New Zealand Daily News
By GayNZ.com News Staff
25th September 2007 - 12:19 pm
Openly-lesbian candidate for mayor of Kapiti Coast, Jenny Rowan, says she'spassionate about polities, helping the local community, and addressingclimate change.
Jenny Rowan
Rowan is one of seven mayoral candidates in the in the north-west corner ofthe Wellington region, where current mayor Alan Milne is retiring.
As a Commissioner in the Environment Court for the past 16 years, Rowan hastravelled around New Zealand overseeing a range of cases including airportsites, landfills, towns, wind farms and marine farms and the building ofsubdivisions and marinas. "Climate change is real," she says. "We can notcontinue to develop subdivisions that are car-dependent and isolated fromservices - it is just not sustainable. More creative ideas and planning mustbe incorporated in all developments."
Rowan comes from a fourth generation farming family in Taranaki. She is aqualified mediator and negotiator, a Justice of the Peace and was awardedthe Queen's Service Order in 1991.
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http://citizenchris.typepad.com/citizenchris/2007/09/teaching-gay-to.html
Teaching gay to seven year-olds
September 28, 2007
The reaction to the Democratic presidential debate question on Wednesdaynight about exposing second graders to gay relationships has shed some lighton where we are in terms of cultural acceptance.
As far as the candidates were concerned, they acted according to form:Edwards tried to suck up, Obama tried to be inspirational, and Clintonbasically punted.
Here's the background, via AP, though you can read the entire debate excerptif you follow the jump to this post:
The Democrats were asked during a debate Wednesday night whether they wouldbe comfortable with having a story about same-sex marriage read to theirchildren as part of their school curriculum, as a second-grade teacher didlast year in Lexington, Mass.
The top-tier Democratic candidates - Clinton, Obama and Edwards - generallysaid they favor teaching children tolerance for others, including gays andlesbians. They did not expressly embrace or reject including the same-sexmarriage as part of a second-grade curriculum.
more . . . . .
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http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-5590.html
Archbishop claims condoms are infected with HIV
28th September 2007 15:45
Joe Roberts
The head of the Roman Catholic Church in Mozambique has claimed that someEuropean-made condoms and anti-retroviral drugs are deliberately infectedwith HIV.
The Archbishop of Maputo, Francisco Chimoio, made his remarks atcelebrations to mark 33 years of Mozambique's independence.
Talking to a BBC reporter, the Archbishop Chimoio said: "Condoms are notsure because I know that there are two countries in Europe, they are makingcondoms with the virus on purpose."
Refusing to name the countries, he added: "They want to finish with theAfrican people. This is the programme.
"They want to colonise until up to now. If we are not careful we will finishin one century's time."
more . . . . .
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Survival Guide
ROTC - Senior
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) cadets are considered service membersand "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass" applies to them.While the military generally does not look for evidence of homosexualconduct by ROTC student, the military can, and does, respond when it obtainsinformation about LGBT ROTC students. ROTC students who are the target of acommand investigation should say nothing, sign nothing and ask to speak witha defense attorney. Students with ROTC scholarships thinking aboutdisclosing their sexual orientation to the military are strongly encouragedto speak to an attorney before doing so. If an ROTC student is disenrolledunder "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass," the student willlose his or her ROTC scholarship, and may be asked to pay the military backfor the money already spent on his or her education.
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kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://prochoiceaction.org/campaign/verizon/b887dx42et66xe
Take action today!
Click here to read the full
http://prochoiceaction.org/ct/771ZEFd1TEps/article.
I've got some bad news for you: even your cell phone isn't safe fromcensorship.
Last week Verizon Wireless deemed NARAL Pro-Choice America too"controversial" and "unsavory" to approve a short code for ourtext-messaging program.
Not familiar with the term "short code"? That's okay. The bottom line isthat Verizon won't let its customers access our text-messaging program.
Verizon's decision sends chills down my spine. What kind of company woulddeny its customers who signed up to receive information the ability to usetheir cell phones to participate in our democracy? That's just wrong.
I've sent a letter to Verizon president and CEO Lowell McAdam asking him toend his company's policy. But Verizon hasn't contacted me with an officialresponse - so now I'm asking for your help. Please send your own message toVerizon opposing
The principle at stake here is simple. Verizon Wireless' customers haveevery right to decide what actions to take with their phones, regardless oftheir political views.
If you think that Verizon, which controls 25 percent of the cell-phonemarket, has no business deciding what information their customers can andcan't receive, I hope you take action today
Thank you for standing with us.
My best,
Nancy Keenan
President
NARAL Pro-Choice America
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http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-nettax27sep27,0,4294352.story?coll=la-home-center
Local governments face off with telecom and tech firms as ban on leviesnears expiration.
By Jim Puzzanghera
Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
September 27 2007
WASHINGTON — A monthly phone bill of $50 now includes as much as $10in taxes. And some in Congress warn that consumers soon could be hit withsimilar assessments for high-speed Internet access.
more . . . . .
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https://secure.ga3.org/03/fighthate_senate/nZ7z1sgY1DW_2?>
I've been waiting for months to write this.
With your help, the U.S. Senate has just passed the Matthew Shepard Act!
I want to thank you, personally, for everything you've done to help makethis moment possible. HRC supporters sent 350,000 emails, made 30,000 callsto Congress, and wrote over 5,000 letters to local papers. Your commitmentwas inspiring. And even Senator Edward Kennedy (D-MA) acknowledged the workof the Human Rights Campaign during debate on the Senate floor.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your incredible support.
But even as we celebrate this victory - we know we face a tough road ahead.The bill has to survive final negotiations between the House and Senatebefore it gets to President Bush. Even then, he has threatened to veto it.
As you know, pressure from the radical right will be fierce the whole way.Our support must be fierce as well - so we will continue to ask for yoursupport over the coming weeks.
It's been nine years since Matthew Shepard was senselessly murdered becauseof who he was. HRC stands firmly committed to this being the year we finallymake sure every American is protected from this kind of violence.
We just made history. Thank you for getting us this far. Now, let's see itthrough to the end.
Warmly,
Joe Solmonese
President
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http://www.prideagenda.org
Help Ensure that Transgender-Inclusive Language is Not Removed from ENDA!
Hate Crimes Bill Passes Senate, ENDA in Trouble
By a vote of 60-39, the U.S. Senate added the Matthew Shepard Act (HateCrimes) to the Department of Defense Authorization bill. This likely meansthat the next--and final--step for passage of this crucial bill would be asignature from President Bush.
ENDA, on the other hand, may be in trouble. Congressional Democrats areright now weighing whether or not to keep "gender identity" in the bill'stext. Some Democrats are getting nervous that the bill may not pass iftransgender-inclusive language is part of the bill. This would mean that,even if the bill were to pass and become law, it would still be legal in thevast majority of states, including New York, to fire someone from their jobsimply because of their gender identity and/or expression.
We need you to write your U.S. Representative and let him/her know that yousupport the bill as it is written NOW--including gender identity. Thereshould be no compromise on whether some or all of our community will beincluded in this bill when it goes to the House or Senate floor for a vote.Removing this vital part of the bill leaves millions of Americans vulnerableto losing their job simply because of who they are.
Click below to take action NOW!
http://eqfed.org/campaign/transgender_ENDA_2007/wb3n5d5918e6ee3
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Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
http://www.ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/07/Sept/2701.htm
Cashman Welcomes Euro Court Ruling on Gay Rights in Poland
Poland has failed to meet its human rights obligations for gay men and women
STRASBOURG, September 27, 2007 - Euro MP Michael Cashman has welcomed thedecision of the European Court of Human Rights to uphold its previousverdict against the Polish Government and the ban by the Warsaw cityauthorities of the city's Gay Pride in 2005.
The ban came while Lech Kaczynski was mayor of Warsaw. Later that year, hewas elected President of Poland.
"This ruling can now be added to a growing list of actions being undertakenby the European institutions to defend the fundamental freedoms of not justPolish LGBT individuals, but of all European individuals," Mr. Cashman,president of the Parliament's gay and lesbian rights 'Intergroup', saidthis afternoon.
"The ruling highlights the importance of continued British membership andactive participation in the European institutions. As it has shown manytimes before, the European Union and the Council of Europe are both highlycapable bulwarks of values that are dear to every British citizen."
Tomasz Szypu³a from Campaign Against Homophobia, one of the five individualswho took the case to Strasbourg, told UK Gay News this afternoon that "weare very happy, especially now, when we know that EuroPride2010 will be inWarsaw".
more....
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Fine By Me (from www.advocate.com)
September 27, 2007
Teen Disciplined for Gay-Positive T-shirt A Spencer, N.Y., student was senthome from school last week for wearing a T-shirt with a gay-friendlymessage.
Heathyre Farnham, 16, said she was not trying to be inflammatory by wearingthe shirt, which read, "Gay? Fine by Me."
"I had worn it two or three times before, and all of a sudden it'sinappropriate," Farnham said in a statement released Wednesday."[Principal Ann Sincock] said I was advertising my sexual preference andthat was offensive, which makes no sense because I'm straight.Maybe she herself was offended by it."
Farnham said in a statement that her peers at Spencer-Van Etten High Schoolwere supportive of the shirt's message. Even students who didn't agree withher message said they were disappointed she was sent home from school.
Farnham said she purchased the T-shirt at a local secondhand store. Theshirt was originally part of a campaign waged by a group of Duke Universityactivists in 2003 who had 75,000 such shirts created for distribution toother colleges, schools, religious communities, businesses, and civicorganizations.
more....
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20070927175150.5BA347376D@hibiscus.onlinepolicy.net>
All Democrats and two independents in the Senate voted for the Hate Crimes legislation today. It passed 60 to 39.
McCain was the only senator not voting.
Nine Republicans voted in favor:
John Warner
Richard Lugar
Susan Collins
Olympia Snowe
George Voinovich
Arlen Specter
Norm Coleman
Judd Gregg
Gordon Smith (co-sponsor)
Note that Senators Craig and Vitter voted against this bill (with 39 other Republicans).
This legislation is trans-inclusive.
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Vote on Hate Crimes approved by Senate
20070927182048.8B5797376D@hibiscus.onlinepolicy.net
YEAs ---60
Akaka (D-HI)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bayh (D-IN)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Byrd (D-WV)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Dodd (D-CT)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Durbin (D-IL)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Gregg (R-NH)
Harkin (D-IA)
Inouye (D-HI)
Johnson (D-SD)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Landrieu (D-LA)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lugar (R-IN)
Mc0Caskill (D-MO)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Nelson (D-NE)
Obama (D-IL)
Pryor (D-AR)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Schumer (D-NY)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Tester (D-MT)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)
NAYs ---39
Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Barrasso (R-WY)
Bennett (R-UT)
Bond (R-MO)
Brownback (R-KS)
Bunning (R-KY)
Burr (R-NC)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Domenici (R-NM)
Ensign (R-NV)
Enzi (R-WY)
Graham (R-SC)
Grassley (R-IA)
Hagel (R-NE)
Hatch (R-UT)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lott (R-MS)
Martinez (R-FL)
McConnell (R-KY)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Roberts (R-KS)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Stevens (R-AK)
Sununu (R-NH)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)
Not Voting - 1
McCain (R-AZ)
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Human Rights Campaign Condemns Gen. Peter Pace's Comments Regarding Gays inthe Military
"Gen. Pace's job is to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, notto use his own personal feelings to decide what is morally acceptable ornot," said HRC President Joe Solmonese
WASHINGTON-The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay, lesbian,bisexual and transgender advocacy group, today criticized Chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Peter Pace, for his comments during a Senatehearing. Gen. Pace said yesterday that "We should respect those who want toserve the nation but not through the law of the land, condone activity that,in my upbringing, is counter to God's law." Gen. Pace also admitted thatthere are gays and lesbians serving honorably.
"Gen. Pace's job is to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, notto use his own personal feelings to decide what is morally acceptable ornot," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "He is supposed tobe our nation's top military leader, not the top religious leader. Ourcountry is at war. What brave, patriotic service members do in their privatelives should be his last concern, especially at a time when the militaryneeds every patriotic man and woman willing to serve."
more....
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Canadian Broadcasting Corporation -
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2007/09/25/concerts-reggae-antigay.html
Coalition seeks ejection of reggae stars over anti-gay lyrics
Gay and lesbian rights activists are calling for the deportation of twocontroversial reggae artists scheduled to perform in Toronto in the comingdays.
Jamaican singer Elephant Man, whose real name is O'Neil Bryan, arrived inCanada last week for a series of dates across the country and is scheduledto perform at Toronto club Kool Haus on Friday.
Fellow Jamaican performer Sizzla, whose real name is Miguel Collins, isscheduled to perform at the same club on Oct. 5.
Both artists have been criticized by gay rights groups in several countriesfor preaching violence against homosexuals in their music.
A coalition entitled the Stop the Murder Music campaign has called onImmigration Minister Diane Finley to deport the two performers.
more....
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The Boston Globe
Fabricated fears about hate crime legislation
By Cornel West and Sylvia Rhue | September 25, 2007
AMERICANS who understand basic principles of justice have no problems withthe hate crime bill known as the Matthew Shepard Act. This legislation, nowawaiting a vote in the Senate, would finally protect the many citizens whoare targeted for violence simply because of their sexual orientation andgender identity, and it would provide law enforcement the necessaryresources to investigate bias-fueled brutality.
Unfortunately, some clergy across the nation have joined together to opposethis bill in an aggressive and divisive manner. For instance, conservativeAfrican-American leaders - most notably Bishop Harry Jackson of Maryland'sHope Christian Church - have been inundating the media and faith communitieswith the message that this legislation will allow police to storm intoworship services and arrest clergy if they speak against being gay. Theymake the incendiary allegation that the bill will create "thought crimes" bypunishing people for thinking ill of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgenderpeople.
The truth is that the Matthew Shepard Act protects all First Amendmentrights. And, although that is a given, this bill goes out of its way toprotect the free speech of ministers. Those pastors who wish to continuecondemning and dehumanizing the gay community will be free to do so.
more....
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Wilton Manors, Florida
Last night Wilton Manors City Commissioner Joe Angelo, confirmed that hediscussed with his fellow Commissioners during last night's city commissionto bring forward an initiative to include protections for "gender identity"and "gender expression". This initiative will be in line the successfulinitiative led by
Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue and her fellow Commissioner in the City ofOakland Park.
At the next meeting of the Wilton Manors City Commission, they will vote togo forward with the process to include these protection classes. Theprocess will include this item to come before the city commissioner for afirst and second reading at which time a final vote will be cast.
The members of the Transgender Equality Rights Initiatives salutesCommissioner Joe Angelo and his peers for their leadership to protectvulnerable populations.
It should also be noted that Commissioner Angelo acted with amazingleadership and introduced discussion at the city level within a few daysafter discussion with the Transgender Rights Initiatives.
Commissioner Angelo also serves on the Broward County Human Rights Boardthat voted unanimously to recommend to the Broward County Board of CountyCommissioners to include "gender identity" and "gender expression" asprotection classes to the Human Rights Ordinance.
A few months ago, Wilton Manors City Vice Mayor Ted Galatis spoke in supportof amending the Broward County Human Rights Ordinance to include protectionsfor "gender identity" and "gender support". Vice Mayor Galatis is a formermember of the Broward County Human Rights Board.
We will keep you posted on continuing developments.
With you in the Fight!
Michael Emanuel Rajner
Co-Administrator - Transgender Equality Rights Initiatives (TERI)
merajner@gmail.com
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Irish Independent, hursday 27 September 2007
Schools lax on stopping anti-gay bullying
Katherine Donnelly
POST-primary schools have been slow to promote a campaign to combathomophobic bullying among pupils, it was claimed yesterday.
The Equality Authority launched the initiative a year ago, with thedistribution of posters and booklets to schools, highlighting thathomophobic bullying was unacceptable and actions that could be taken byschools to address the issue.
But Authority chief executive Niall Crowley said that it was "not clear thatthere has been an adequate take-up of these materials by educationalinstitutions. "This does not reflect well on any ambition by educationalinstitutions to establish a safe environment within which to be different",which, he said, was crucial if integration was to be achieved.
The initiative arose from concerns about high levels of homophobic bullying,which 79pc of teachers in a survey reported that they had seen it in theirschool.
more....
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Gays Without Borders
I'm an Iranian gay who has suffered problems and difficulties and been underinsults,taunts,hits,arrests and tortures over and over again when i was iniran just because of being a gay.
After the foolish answer of President Ahmadi nejad about homosexuals in iranwe saw a big wave of protests against him.
But,when look at his answer from the other view,I as a gay think that he wasright.
He told there is not any homosexual in iran like your country(usa).
Yes....he's right because there is not any homosexual in iran who;
-can walk freely like american gays
-can breath freely like american gays
-can come out and live proudly as a gay like american gays
-can have activity like american gays
And,on the other side,when in iran homosexuals are condemned to death orhave to escape to other countries so this is logic that there is not andthere should not be any alive homosexual in iran
Rigards
Mahmoud K
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A Letter from Iranian homosexual: I do exist as an Iranian homosexual
Hello Dear IRQO,
I have got very surprised, very angry of this article and I do not understand really what is point of President of Iran. If Iran do not have anyhomosexualthen I do not understand who I am then because I am an Iranian Gay and Ihaveso many problem back my country where is Iran because of my sexualorientation my is in danger in Iran then what is that?
My purpose of this letter is to kind of answering President Ahmadinejad andtosay that I do exist as an Iranian homosexual and it does not matter where Iam.
Best regards,
Mehdi Kazemi
Mehdi Kazemi is 19-years old Iranian Gay who is in the Netherlands now andhe is waiting for his asylum process by Dutch government. You can read moreabout him here: www.irqo.net/IRQO/English/pages/43.htm
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[al-fatiha-news] Urgent Action Alert: Malaysia Transexual Arrested; Fear forSafety, Torture or Ill-Treatment
Fear for safety/ torture or ill-treatment
MALAYSIA
Ayu (f), aged 44
Other transsexual individuals in Malaysia
Ayu, a male-to-female transsexual, was seriously beaten by state religiousofficials who detained her while she was talking to friends at the OldMelaka bus station in Kota Melaka, Melaka (Malacca) state, southwestMalaysia at around 11.30pm on 30 July. Ayu may be at risk of further abuse,and other transsexual people may also be in danger.
Ayu was reportedly approached by three enforcement officers from the MelakaIslamic Religious Affairs Department (Jabatan Agama Islam Melaka, JAIM), alocal government body tasked with enforcing social norms based on Sharialaw. The officials, all dressed in civilian clothes, reportedly punched andkicked Ayu when they detained her. One of them reportedly kicked her hardin the genital area. They only identified themselves as JAIM officials whenbystanders intervened to try to prevent the assault. When she said she wasin serious pain, they took her briefly to the local JAIM office, beforetransferring her to Melaka General Hospital. She had to undergo surgery on31 July for a pre-existing abdominal hernia condition, which had beenaggravated by the assault.
more....
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LOCAL NEWS | www.expressgaynews.com
Local News Briefs
By JUAN CARLOS RODRIGUEZ and PHIL LAPADULA
Sep. 27, 2007
Dania Beach City Commission passes diversity resolution
The Dania Beach City Commission reaffirmed its support and respect fordiversity with a resolution that was passed by the commission on Sept. 25.
"This action by our city commission coincides with the second anniversary ofthe Dania Beach Tourism Council," said Joe Van Eron, owner of LibertySuites, a gay guesthouse in Dania Beach, and president of the Dania BeachTourism Council. "Our city has long been home to a multi-cultural anddiverse population and stands committed in joining Broward County and itscities in welcoming diversity."
The resolution was passed in response to Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jim Naugle'srecent comments about gays and public sex, which several officials have saidcould damage the area's tourism industry.
Dania Beach commissioners modeled their resolution after recent similaractions taken by the Broward County Commission and the cities of FortLauderdale and Wilton Manors.
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LETTER TO EDITOR - EXPRESS GAY NEWS
5399 Northeast 14th Avenue, Suite 2
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334
I would like to thank the Express Gay News for recognizing the Dania BeachCommission for their support of a resolution re-affirming the diversity ofour City as a welcoming destination for all people, including Gays &Lesbians, and support for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & VisitorsBureau tourism marketing to diverse visitors...as the Commission has "Donethe Right Thing, at the Right Time". Dania Beach is proud to be adestination that has always welcomed the GLBT community to live, work, playand visit, without fear of bias or discrimination. In fact, our City is hometo many GLBT residents and Gay & Lesbian owned and friendlybusinesses.including my own Liberty Suites, which after 10 years, continuesto draw GLBT visitors to Dania Beach for its location and access to the mostbeautiful beaches in Broward County.
However, there is a need to clear a common misconception about our greatlittle city..John U. Lloyd State Park is not under the control of the Cityof Dania Beach, rather overseen by the Florida Department of EnvironmentalProtection, which reports directly to the Governor. For years the stretch ofbeach along John U. Lloyd State Park, north of the fishing pier and beach inDania Beach, has been known as gay friendly. As your readers may wellremember that our fight against the harassment was directed to the stateagency, and supported by the City of Dania Beach and its state Senator SteveGeller and Representative Tim Ryan. Their support for our cause should neverbe interpreted as being responsible for the outrageous behavior of theFlorida State Park rangers, and in fact should be remembered as a continuedrespect for the diversity of their residents and visitors.
It is unfortunate that our community has the need to even pass suchresolutions in the wake of the current assault on our values and diversity.It is my hope that all of Broward's 31 cities stand united in reaffirmingtheir commitment to diversity, and tell the world that the action of ourcommunity speaks far louder than the words of any one group or individual.The "Rainbow" flags are a symbol of our diversity and will continue towelcome all visitors to our wonderful piece of paradise.
Respectfully,
Joe Van Eron
President, Dania Beach Tourism Council
Proprietor, Liberty Suites
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Wilton Manors
Cong. Etz Chaim holds annual Family Picnic October 21
Congregation Etz Chaim, a South Florida Synagogue for GLBT Jews and theirfriends, will hold its annual Family Picnic on Sunday, October 21, from 11a.m. to 4 p.m. As in previous years, the Picnic will be held in Pavilion 6at T-Y Park, located on North Park Road and Sheridan Street, West of I-95,in Hollywood. A donation of $20 per adult or $10 per child covers a varietyof picnic food, soft drinks, games, activities, fun and fellowship. (ThePark also charges $1 for person upon admission.) Reservations are requiredand should be e-mailed in to jessemonteagudo@aol.com (Subject Line: Picnic)or phoned in to 954-424-8449, ext. 3. Congregation Etz Chaim is located at1881 N.E. 26 Street, in Wilton Manors. Regular Services are held on Fridaynights at 8:30 p.m.
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From Jesse Monteagudo
Friends, I am happy and proud to announce that, as of today, recentlypublished "Jesse's Journal" articles will be posted online in White Crane'sGay Wisdom blog. Lil' ol' me will be sharing a blog with the likes of BoYoung, Dan Vera, Eric Riley, Franklin Abbott and Perry Brass. For those whodon't know, White Crane is a highly-acclaimed, quarterly journal of gaywisdom and culture. Visit the site below and let me know what you think. --Jesse
http://whitecrane.typepad.com/gaywisdom
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Pew Research Center
http://pewresearch.org/databank/dailynumber/?NumberID=372
9% - Turks With Favorable View of U.S.
Fewer than one-in-10 people in Turkey, a NATO ally, now say they have afavorable opinion of America -- the lowest number among the 47 countriescovered by the latest Pew Global Attitudes survey and a substantial declinefrom the 30% who expressed a favorable opinion in 2002. Read more
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Inside Higher Education
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2007/09/28/hunter
Watch Out Whom You Invite to Speak ...
It's fair to say that Columbia University has heard more than an earful overits decision to offer a speaking platform this week to Iran's president,Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Reaction ranged widely, with many condemning theuniversity for inviting the controversial leader, others praising Columbia'spresident, Lee C. Bollinger, for sternly rebuking the Iranian presidentwhile he looked on, and some doing both. Opinions flowed freely.
On Wednesday, one vehement critic, with a prominent platform of his own,went a large step further. U.S. Rep. Duncan Hunter, a Californian who isalso a longshot candidate (to be generous) for the Republican nomination forpresident, introduced legislation that would "prohibit federal grants to orcontracts with Columbia University." The text of the legislation - whichcollege officials called "unprecedented" - was not yet available on anygovernment Web sites.
Hunter, who was en route to Baltimore for a Republican presidential debatethat lacked the four leading candidates, could not be reached for commentThursday. But in a news release he issued Wednesday about the legislation,which he dubbed the "Restoring Patriotism to America's Campuses Act," theCongressman contrasted Columbia's willingness to play host to Ahmadinejad toits anti-military stance, as Hunter characterized it, regarding the ReserveOfficer Training Corps and military recruiters.
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Forwarded from Ron Mills
http://www.RonMills.us
Gallup Poll
http://www.galluppoll.com/content/?ci=28780
Public attitudes toward the two major political parties have not changedmuch in recent months. That's good news for the Democratic Party, whichmoved into a superior image position when compared to the Republican Partymore than a year ago. Americans not only continue to view the DemocraticParty more favorably than the Republican Party in general terms, but theyalso choose the Democratic party as the preferred party for maintaining thenation's economic prosperity. And, in a departure from recent history,Americans see the Democrats as the political party better able to protectthe country from terrorism.
A new Gallup poll finds the Democratic Party's public image in much, muchbetter shape than the Republicans'. The Dems have a 53% favorable rating and43% unfavorable, compared to the GOP's dismal 38%-59% figure.
On the issues, the Dems are ahead, too. Asked which party would do a betterjob keeping the country prosperous, the Democrats holds a 54%-34% advantageover the Republicans. And when asked which party would do a better jobprotecting the country from terrorism and military threats, the Dems win47%-42%, just barely inside the polls ±3 margin of error.
The reason? The GOP's favorability has tracked almost exactly with PresidentBush. Right now they're at 38% favorable, and he's at 36%, a statisticallyindistinguishable difference.
more....
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Forwarded from Ron Mills
http://www.RonMills.us
Rush Limbaugh said on his radio show that soldiers who favor U.S. withdrawalfrom Iraq are "phony soldiers."
The assertion -- reminiscent of MoveOn's attack on Petraeus, which generatedenormous controversy when Republicans attacked the group -- has thepotential to be equally explosive, since some troops who are currentlyfighting in Iraq, and a handful who have died there, have questioned the warin the media.
Now Dems are stepping forward to blast his remark. First up: the DemocraticCongressional Campaign Committee. Here's the statement just released by DCCCchief Chris Van Hollen:
"Rush Limbaugh's personal attack on our men and women in uniform isreprehensible. It minimizes the sacrifice our troops in Iraq and theirfamilies are making and has no place in the public discourse. Rush Limbaughowes our military and their families an apology for his hurtful commentsthat minimize their service to our country."
More on Rush's radio appearance here.
John Kerry's statement:
"This disgusting attack from Rush Limbaugh, cheerleader for the Chicken Hawkwing of the far right, is an insult to American troops. In a single momenton his show, Limbaugh managed to question the patriotism of men and women inuniform who have put their lives on the line and many who died for his rightto sit safely in his air conditioned studio peddling hate. On August 19th,The New York Times published an op-ed by seven members of the U.S. Army's82nd Airborne Division critical of George Bush's Iraq policy. Two of thosesoldiers were killed earlier this month in Baghdad. Does Mr. Limbaugh dareassert that these heroes were 'phony soldiers'? Mr. Limbaugh owes an apologyto everyone who has ever worn the uniform of our country, and an apology tothe families of every soldier buried in Arlington National Cemetery. He isan embarrassment to his Party, and I expect the Republicans who flock to hismicrophone will now condemn this indefensible statement."
Rep Patrick Murphy, an Iraq war vet himself.
"Someone should tell chicken-hawk Rush Limbaugh that the only phonies arethose who choose not to serve and then criticize those who do. I servedproudly, so did two of my fellow paratroopers in the 82nd Airborne who spokeout and died just weeks ago. Generations of American veterans have worn theuniform with pride and we know it is no contradiction to serve your countryand still disagree with the Bush-civilian leadership that mismanaged thiswar."
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Forwarded by Sharon Goldenberg
'Male stewardess' just didn't fly
One man's fight to become a flight attendant was a lesson in jobdiscrimination.
By Kate Johnson and Albert Garcia
September 27 2007
As the space race reached a fever pitch 40 years ago, an unheraldedemployment rights pioneer named Celio Diaz Jr. held fast to a dream. Hedidn't endeavor to set foot on the lunar surface, but his ambition was stilldifficult to realize in 1967. Diaz wanted to be a flight attendant.
The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-johnson27sep27,0,1871925.story?coll=la-opinion-rightrail
Visit latimes.com at http://www.latimes.com
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Gay & Lesbian Leadership SmartBrief
http://www.smartbrief.com/index.jsp
Go to the website, above, for the following articles:
Craig reneges on resignation plans
U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, now says he will postpone his planned Sept.30 resignation while awaiting a judge's decision on whether to dismiss aguilty plea related to an airport men's room sex sting. Senate MinorityLeader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., declining further comment, said he stillbelieved Craig should leave office.
The New York Times (9/27)
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Pace: Military should not sanction gay sex
Gen. Peter Pace, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who is set toretire next week, reiterated in testimony before the Senate AppropriationsCommittee his belief that those engaging in gay sex are not compatible withmilitary service. "...[W]e should respect those who want to serve the nationbut not through the law of the land, condone activity that, in myupbringing, is counter to God's law," Pace said. Associated Press (9/26)
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Care Resource and MDGLCC invite you
The World Premier of "BUGCHASERS"
by Octavio Campos
in the Studio Theater at the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts
Friday, October 26, 2007 @ 8:00 P.M.
Special Discounted Tickets are available to you by simply calling786-468-2326 or email: groupsales@carnivalcenter.org and mentioning code:MDGLCC
The Miami-Dade Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (MDGLCC) is the largestnot-for-profit corporation in the county for gay and lesbian businesses.
Care Resource is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and is South Florida'soldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization and a true leader in thecommunity.
Sensual and violent yet hilarious and heartbreaking, The BugChasers is adance-theater meditation on sex, lies, and death-wish eroticism. Throughhigh-intensity visuals and provocative texts, the Composition
Ensemble tells a dark story of those who would risk their lives to achieve atwisted sense of intimacy. Gay and straight, male and female--anyone couldbe a BugChaser.
Bug Chasers, a word used to describe a person who seeks to become HIVpositive, is just one of the Miami subcultures explored in this new,unsettling work. This work is co-commissioned by Carnival Center and MiamiDade College from South Florida's Octavio Campos.
Warning:This performance is not recommended for a first date. Adult themes.
Date: Friday, October 26, 2007
Time: 8:00 P.M.
Location: Studio Theater at the Carnival Center for the Performing Arts.
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Florida Red and Blue
info@floridaredandblue.com
A group calling itself Florida4Marriage.org is just 12,000 signatures awayfrom putting an amendment before Florida voters next November that says:
"Inasmuch as marriage is the legal union of only one man and one woman ashusband and wife, no other legal union that is treated as marriage or thesubstantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized."
There will be plenty of time in the next 13 months to debate what thesponsors of that amendment really want and the sweeping consequences oftheir ploy.
In fact, in November, 2008, we will count the votes. But in the mean time,0pundits, politicians and the press will be counting something else - dollars in the bank.
The truth of the matter is that until voters vote "yes" or "no" on thisamendment, fundraising is one of the only ways to know who is on which sideand how strong or weak a campaign is likely to be.
Our opponents, the amendment sponsors, have made it clear they will beready. Here's a quote from John Stemberger - the sponsor of the amendment(from the Orlando Sentinel):
"This will inevitably be the most robust, well-funded marriage amendment inthe history of these ballot initiatives across the country."
Robust. Well-funded. That's our challenge.
On Monday morning, political insiders will count these campaigns again -seeing who's in which camp and how much money each side has raised.
That's why we need you to donate today.
By making a contribution to Florida Red and Blue, you'll be telling thoseFlorida political insiders that the campaign to defeat this amendment willbe robust and well-funded too.
When the book gets closed on this quarter this weekend and the totals areadded up, will your name be there? Will you be counted?
For us, it's as much about how many people give as how much they give. Everydollar is very important. So don't be shy about giving any amount.
And it's easy. It takes less than five minutes with a credit card on-line.Will you give $10 to be counted now? $50? $100?
When you think about it, giving today is like voting twice. It lets thepress and pundits see your name and your commitment to this issue. And ittells our opposition that they won't walk into amending our constitution.With your contribution today we'll win this important fight about the typeof state we want to call home.
Thank you for your support,
Deborah Tannenbaum
Florida Red and Blue, Finance Director
VERY IMPORTANT TO ACT BEFORE MONDAY - If you make a financial contributionto Florida Red and Blue by Monday, you could be one of our first 1,000donors. And being in that exclusive, early company means your name will berecorded - forever - in a custom work of art by famous Florida artist XavierCortada. It's an amazing opportunity to be part of history and I hope you'llread more about The Cortada Project here.
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[Send your comments about articles to rays.list@comcast.net]
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1 comment:
Dear Sir/Madam,
Can you please remove the date of birth of Medhi Kazemi from your internetsite. I cannot explain it exactly but it has something to do with his claim for asylum.
Thnx in advance, yours sincerely,
Jet (from Holland)
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