GLBT DIGEST January 22, 2008

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Sun-Sentinel.com

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-fla23hemidigest01221sbjan22,0,7024108,print.story

Argentina: Gay couple defies civil union ban

January 22, 2008

MEXICO CITY BUENOS AIRES SAO PAULO

Denied the chance to marry in Argentina, two gay activists traveled to Spainto tie the knot on Monday. Once home from their honeymoon, they plan tocampaign for legal recognition for their marriage in Argentina.

"It's not going to be easy. ... But we're already married, Spain recognizesus," Cesar Cigliutti, president of the Argentine Homosexual Community, saidtold The Associated Press from Madrid.

Cigliutti and Marcelo Suntheim were able to wed because Suntheim has dualcitizenship in Argentina and Germany - allowing him to marry within theEuropean Union.

Hundreds of landless farmers on Monday overran a ranch once owned by animprisoned Colombian drug lord, hours before the government sold theconfiscated property at a public auction.

Three hundred families of landless farmers seized control of the 319-acreranch that Juan Carlos Ramirez Abadia forfeited in the southern state of RioGrande do Sul, police commander Paulo Roberto Mendes Rodrigues said.

The Landless Workers Movement said in a statement that its militantsoccupied the ranch because "we want it expropriated for agrarian reformpurposes."

The group has gained international notoriety for taking over land it deemsunproductive to pressure the government to redistribute farmland in acountry with one of the world's most uneven distributions of land.



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MiamiHerald.com

http://www.miamiherald.com/548/v-print/story/388398.html

'Bill of Rights' quietly added to Miami ballot

BY STEVE ROTHAUS
Posted on Tue, Jan. 22, 2008

Miami voters are being asked Jan. 29 to approve a 'Citizens' Bill ofRights'' that would, among other things, promote religious freedom, cleanair and scenic beauty.

It would also ban discrimination on the basis of domestic relationshipstatus, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression -- thoughrelatively few people are aware of it.

The proposed city charter change hasn't drawn much attention. The actualballot wording never mentions gay or transgender rights. On Monday, evensome leading gay and Christian activists didn't know anything about it.

''I'm shocked,'' said Ron Brenesky, a co-founder of Unity Coalition, one ofMiami-Dade County's leading Hispanic gay-rights groups. ``I commend the cityfor trying to do this. I commend the spirit, but not the method. We shouldhave been aware. At least we would have gotten our people out to vote.''

'NO' VOTE

Anthony Verdugo, executive director of Miami-Dade's Christian FamilyCoalition, said that if he had known about the charter amendment, he'd haveurged supporters to vote no. ''Obviously, we would not be in support ofit,'' Verdugo said.

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ExpressGayNews.com

http://expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=16129

New Mexico lawmakers take on domestic partnership bill, again
House Speaker Lujan wants to act on the issue early

SANTE FE (AP) | Jan 21, 2:43 PM

Miriam Rand and her partner have been together 20 years. They've worked inthe community and at home, raising three children and now a grandchild.

Through it all, they've lugged around a batch of legal documents that giveone another the rights they would have if they were married.

The paperwork stays in their cars, ready for an emergency - a hospital trip,for example, where one of the women might need to assert her right to beinvolved in medical decisions.

They're past ready to swap all those files for a simple certificate ofdomestic partnership, and Rand hopes this is the year the New MexicoLegislature will endorse that.

"I believe it will," the Albuquerque woman said Thursday, after enduring ahot, crowded committee room to testify at a legislative hearing. "Thegovernor supports it, and I think that enough states in the country arebeginning to think about this as a civil rights issue."

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PamsHouseBlend.com

http://www.pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=4226&view=print

H.S. principal apologizes for appearance of homobigot Ken 'Microsoft's worstnightmare' Hutcherson

by: pam
Mon Jan 21, 2008 at 00:00:00 AM EST

Somehow the principal of Mount Si High School, Randy Taylor, failed to seethe plethora of stories in Seattle papers featuring anti-gay blowhard Rev.Ken Hutcherson. He made the unfortunate decision to invite Hutch to delivera message about the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King. What an emissary oftolerance!

Taylor, btw, couldn't even muster the courage to use the word "gay" inreference to the flap. (Seattle PI):

Mount Si principal Randy Taylor welcomed the Rev. Ken Hutcherson to speakThursday about his personal experience of growing up with racism and how theteachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. gave him inspiration.

But the choice to invite Hutcherson didn't sit well with at least oneteacher. Mount Si teacher Kit McCormick -- who questioned how Hutcherson cansupport human rights if he doesn't support gay rights -- told KING/5 shebelieves that Hutcherson is not about equality for everyone, rather equalityfor some people.

In a letter sent Friday to Mount Si parents and guardians, Taylor said "theadministration at Mount Si apologizes for how these events have unfolded andthe impact on our students."

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/01/012208europe.htm

European Court: Gays Have Right To Adopt

by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: January 22, 2008 - 9:30 am ET

(Strasbourg, France) In a ruling that could have far-reaching consequencesthe European Court of Human Rights said Tuesday that the exclusion ofindividuals to adopt children simply because of their sexual orientation isdiscriminatory and in breach of the European Convention of Human Rights.

The case involved a woman identified only as E.B. who had been rejected bythe French government when she applied to adopt a child.

She was described in court documents as a nursery school teacher who hasbeen living with another woman since 1990.

E.B applied for approval as a possible adoptive parent in February 1998, buther application was rejected, essentially because of her sexual orientation.

In June 2002, the highest administrative court in France upheld therejection of her application and E.B. appealed to the European Court ofHuman Rights which is based in Strasbourg.

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/01/012208markets.htm

Markets Plunge On US Inflation Fears

by The Associated Press
Posted: January 22, 2008 - 8:00 am ET
Updated: 9:40 am ET

(New York City) Wall Street plunged at the opening of trading Tuesday,propelling the Dow Jones industrials down about 400 points after an interestrate cut by the Federal Reserve failed to assuage investors fearing arecession in the United States.

U.S. markets joined stock exchanges around the globe that have fallenprecipitously in recent days amid concerns that a downturn might spreadaround the world.

The Fed's decision to cut its federal funds rate to 3.50 percent and thediscount rate, the interest it charges to lend directly to banks, came aweek before the central bank's regularly scheduled meeting, a sign that theFed recognized the seriousness of the world financial situation.

In the opening minutes of trading, the Dow was down 400 points at the 11,698level. It last was below 12,000 in March 2007.

It was the first time the Fed altered the target federal funds rate betweenscheduled meetings since the markets reopened after the Sept. 11, 2001terrorist attacks. The cut was the biggest one-day rate move by the Fedsince it lowered rates by a full percentage point in December 1991, when thecountry was trying to emerge from recession.

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365gay.com

http://www.365gay.com/Newscon08/01/012208huck.htm

Huckabee Tightens Belt As Money Dries Up
by The Associated Press

Posted: January 22, 2008 - 8:00 am ET

(Orlando, Florida) Battling to stay competitive after his weekend loss inSouth Carolina, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is taking new steps tosave money, including no longer scheduling planes and buses for journaliststrying to cover his presidential campaign.

Huckabee said he will continue to campaign in Florida on a shoestringbudget, but added that he may pull out of the state before its Jan. 29Republican primary if his prospects look dim.

"I don't want to abandon Florida yet," Huckabee told reporters Monday on alate-night flight from Orlando to Atlanta, where he planned to campaignTuesday. "We have not come to the conclusion that Florida is out of play."

He said his campaign will evaluate the Florida situation day by day.Meanwhile, he said, he will find time to campaign in several other southernstates holding primaries on Feb. 5.

"We really need to conserve as much as we can" for TV and radio ads in thosestates, Huckabee said in a 36-minute news conference at the back of hispress charter. He said he is airing no ads in Florida, one of the nation'slargest and costliest states for campaigns.

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WashingtonPost.com

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/22/AR2008012200767_pf.html

ABC Leads Nominees for GLAAD Awards

The Associated Press
Tuesday, January 22, 2008; 8:16 AM

PARK CITY, Utah -- For the second straight year, ABC led nominees for awardsfrom an organization that monitors depictions of gays and lesbians in themedia.

The network landed nine nominations from the Gay and Lesbian AllianceAgainst Defamation, while CBS garnered three nods, NBC two and Fox two.

ABC's nominated shows include "Brothers & Sisters," "Ugly Betty" and"Desperate Housewives." Among cable networks, Logo received fivenominations, CNN four, Bravo three and ABC Family two.

Nominees for feature film in wide release include Julie Taymor's Beatles musical "Across the Universe," the fantasy "Stardust" and "The Jane AustenBook Club."

Special prizes will go to singers Rufus Wainwright and Janet Jackson, MTVNetworks president of entertainment Brian Graden, "My So-Called Life" actorWilson Cruz, activist David Mixner and "The L Word" creator Ilene Chaiken.

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