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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-One for the Ladies - and Their Friends
Fan boys, move over. The girls are back in town.
With 10 days until Carrie Bradshaw and friends return in "Sex and the City:The Movie," Hollywood is sensing the kind of excitement that usually hasmore to do with light sabers than with stilettos.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/movies/20sex.html?scp=3&sq=gay&st=nyt
-Wife's lawyer: McGreevey failed to cash in on fame
The nation's first openly gay governor could have become a talk show host,pursued a movie deal or otherwise cashed in on his fame after a sex scandalforced him from office, a lawyer for his estranged wife argued Monday.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Gay-Governor-Divorce.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=nyt
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Washington Post
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Marrying: George Takei and Brad Altman. The 71-year-old "Star Trek" star
(Mr. Sulu), who came out in 2005, announced on his Web site thatCalifornia's gay marriage ruling finally allows him to marry his partner of21 years. No date set: "For now, Brad and I are enjoying the deliciousdilemma of deciding where, when and how we will be married."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/19/AR2008051902974.html?sub=AR
-A Debunking on Teenagers and 'Technical Virginity'
Researchers Find That Oral Sex Isn't Commonplace Among Young People WhoAvoid Intercourse
Contrary to widespread belief, teenagers do not appear to commonly engage inoral sex as a way to preserve their virginity, according to the first studyto examine the question nationally.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/19/AR2008051901219.html?hpid=sec-health
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Survey: 1 In 4 Gays Lack Health Insurance
Nearly one in four gay and lesbian adults lack health insurance and arenearly twice as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to have no healthinsurance coverage according to a new national survey released Monday.
-Sen. Byrd Endorses Obama
Sen. Robert C. Byrd, a former member of the Ku Klux Klan and a one-timeopponent of civil rights legislation, endorsed Barack Obama for theDemocratic presidential nomination on Monday.
-NYC AIDS Walk Sets Record
The 23rd Annual AIDS Walk New York was the largest and most successful AIDSWalk ever held, setting a fundraising record even in the face of a troubledeconomy organizers said Monday.
-Reused Syringe Linked To Nevada Hep C Outbreak
A hepatitis C outbreak was caused by workers improperly reusing syringes andmedicine vials at a Las Vegas clinic, federal health officials say.
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Express Gay News
http://www.expressgaynews.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Calif. ruling spurs discussion of Wyo. gay marriage ban
Group wants expanion of law
Last week's decision by the California Supreme Court declaring that lawsbanning same-sex marriages in that state are unconstitutional may promptanother attempt to ban the recognition of such marriages in Wyoming.
http://www.expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=18386
-Heads, Hearts, Marriage by Andrew Sullivan
You wrote: I stand conflicted here: my head is with restraint; my heart and my head are with equality.
I feel the same way, and my advice is - go with your heart. As a gay man ofa certain age, my feeling that the California marriage decision will resultin a backlash that will only set us back is eerily familiar. I rememberfeeling it when I first heard that some Massachusetts couples (against thewishes of gay organizations) filed suit to get married, I felt it again whenthe Supreme Court threw out the Texas sodomy law and when the MassachusettsSupreme Court ordered up gay marriage. In an election year, yet.
http://andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com/the_daily_dish/2008/05/heads-hearts-ma.html
-Sacramento men arrested in what police say was 'gay-bashing'
Incident took place hours after Calif. court decision
Three Sacramento men have been arrested after a beating that law enforcementofficials describe as a hate crime against homosexuals, police said today.
http://www.expressgaynews.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=18365
-Homosexuality Common in the Wild, Scientists Say
As gay couples celebrate their newfound right to marry in California andopposition groups rally to fight the ruling, many struggle with thisquestion: Is homosexuality natural?
On this issue, Nature has spoken: Same-sex lovin' is common in hundreds ofspecies, scientists say.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,356639,00.html
-DUST-UP: Gay marriage: Where to now?
Glen Lavy of the Alliance Defense Fund questions the state Supreme Court'sauthority to alter marriage laws. Lambda Legal's Jon W. Davidson predictsthat more Californians will accept same-sex marriage before the Novembervote. Put the decision on hold until November
Now that the California Supreme Court has redefined "marriage" to encompasssame-sex couples, the obvious question is, "what's next?" Fortunately forthe 4,618,673 California voters who enacted Proposition 22 and whose rightswere trampled by the Supreme Court, the issue of the meaning of "marriage"is well on its way to again being decided by the ultimate power inCalifornia: the people. They can amend the state Constitution and protectthe meaning of marriage in California from any future tampering.
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/sunday/commentary/la-op-lavy-davidson19-2008may19,0,3244684.story
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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-One in Four Gay and Lesbian Adults Lack Health Insurance
According to a recent national survey conducted by Harris Interactive®,nearly one in four gay and lesbian adults lack health insurance and arenearly twice as likely as their heterosexual counterparts to have no healthinsurance coverage. When asked, 22 percent of gay and lesbian surveyrespondents reported having no health insurance, compared to only 12 percentof heterosexual adults in the survey.
-25th Anniversary IGLTA Convention Draws Record Attendance in Las Vegas
From April 29-May 4, nearly 500 travel professionals hailing from 25countries convened in Las Vegas for the International Gay and Lesbian TravelAssociation's (IGLTA) 25th Annual Convention & Anniversary Celebration. Thelargest in the organization's history, the conference was hosted at theFlamingo Hotel and Casino.
-The HIV Morning-After Pill
One winter night in 2000, Danny, who was 21 at the time, went home with aguy he met at a crowded bar in San Francisco. Random hookups weren't out ofthe ordinary for Danny, but this one ended badly: As he was buttoning up togo home, his new friend mentioned he was hiv positive. Usually conscientiousabout safe sex, Danny hadn't been, and he panicked. "I was in shock," hesays. "I just couldn't believe it." He vaguely remembered reading about anemergency treatment that could prevent infection, so when he got home hecalled the California aids hotline. Memory served. A monthlong regimen knownas post-exposure prophylaxis treatment (pep)-usually given to health careworkers who have been stuck with needles-was available at local clinics andemergency rooms to people who had recently been exposed to hiv.
-California Court Sees Injustice - and Corrects It By Deb Price
When I took the eye exam for my driver's license as a teenager, I firsttried without my glasses. "Nice rows of blurry black lines, right?" Ijoked. I slipped on my glasses. And presto, crisp, distinct lettersappeared before my eyes. The letters, of course, had always been there -- Ijust couldn't recognize them.
http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080519/OPINION03/805190306/1031
-56 Years to Get Married
Del Martin and Phyllis Lyons met in 1952 and have been together ever since.
On February 12, 2004, Del and Phyllis were the first couple to be married inSan Francisco. Mayor Gavin Newsom officiated. Shortly thereafter, anappellate court invalidated their marriage because under California law onlya man and a woman can marry. Del and Phyllis were among the plaintiffs thatchallenged that definition. On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Courtheld that the prohibition against same-sex marriage is unconstitutional.
-France Wants Homosexuality Legalised
France plans to ask the United Nations to push for homosexuality to bedecriminalised around the globe, a government minister said yesterday, asgays and lesbians worldwide marked the International Day Against Homophobia.
Human Rights Minister Rama Yade told a delegation of French gay and lesbiangroups that Paris would push for "a European initiative calling for theuniversal decriminalisation of homosexuality," according to a statement.
-Gay in Both Senses
There was rejoicing over the weekend. The decision of the California SupremeCourt was unexpected and welcome, and is another indication that the fightfor gay rights is slowly, ever so slowly, gaining momentum. The generationsare slowly changing, and younger people in general are far more accepting ofindividual sexual liberty. Gay marriage is just not that big a deal anymorefor heterosexuals. Gas is $11 a gallon and somewhere in Fremont two men arewearing tuxes. Let's see, which one represents a real problem?
-New Report Claims 86 Countries Criminalise Same-Sex Acts
The International Lesbian and Gay Association's 2008 report onstate-sponsored homophobia says that to be lesbian or gay risks jail time in86 countries and death penalty in seven. The figure normally quoted is 77countries. The research deals only with legislation criminalising consensualsexual acts between persons of the same sex in private above the age ofconsent. Laws dealing with such acts in public, with under aged people, withforce or by any other reason are not included.
-Reform the Homophobic Asylum System
Gay human rights activist Peter Tatchell called for an agenda to ensurefairness and justice of LGBT asylum seekers at an IDAHO event organisedhosted by Amnesty International and the Gay & Lesbian Humanist Association.
"Since 1999, the Labour government has repealed most of Britain's anti-gaylaws and introduced new legislation to recognise same-sex partnerships andprotect LGBT people against discrimination," said the founder of Outrage!.
-Gay Serbs See Glimmer of Hope in Eurovision Glitter
The last time gay men and women took to the streets of Serbia's capital,they were beaten by nationalist gangs while police looked on. Seven yearsfrom their first and only Pride march, activists now see the glitz, mediaattention and gay tourists coming to Serbia with the Eurovision Song Contestas a big chance to come out again, louder and more confident than before.
"There are no gay celebrities in Serbia, nobody's out," said PredragAzdejkovic, one of a handful of openly gay Serbs. "Eurovision is so gay, socamp, it'll be a shock to the system."
- When Your Child Comes Out As Gay
For any parent, hearing the words: "Mum, dad, I'm gay," may not be easy buthow should you react when your child comes out? That was the question CathyFalconer asked herself nine years ago when her son Barry told her he wasgay. "My initial reaction was total shock and if I'm honest despair," shesaid.
-Pinking Tel Aviv
When Tel Aviv city councilman Itai Pinkas was in Amsterdam last year, hestared for a long time at the monument honoring homosexuals killed in theHolocaust, sensing its impact was going to stay with him for a long time.
When he got back to Tel Aviv, he took that powerful feeling and racedstraight to Mayor Ron Huldai's office to talk.
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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-So the California Supreme Court did it. In an extraordinary, sophisticated,and far-reaching opinion (available here), the California Supreme Court held(1) that the fundamental right to marry protected by the state constitutionincludes the right of same-sex couples to marry, and (2) that exclusion ofsame-sex couples from marriage burdens their fundamental interest inmarriage and amounts to sexual-orientation discrimination that cannotsurvive strict scrutiny under the state constitution's equal protectionclause. Both of these holdings depart in very significant ways from thesame-sex marriage precedents so far, including the jurisprudentiallyquestionable Massachusetts marriage decision in Goodridge from 2003. TheCalifornia Supreme Court decision is by far the best and most well-reasonedopinion so far upholding same-sex marriage claims.
-On Thursday, the California Supreme Court issued a historic ruling thatoverturned a law denying gays and lesbians equal access to civil marriage.
For millions of people like me, it was a moving moment - a moment where wewere recognized as being equal in every way in the eyes of the law. A momentthat we aspire to see become reality in every corner of America. HillaryClinton had this to say about this incredibly important ruling:
"Hillary Clinton believes that gay and lesbian couples in committedrelationships should have the same rights and responsibilities as allAmericans and believes that civil unions are the best way to achieve thisgoal. As President, Hillary Clinton will work to ensure that same sexcouples have access to these rights and responsibilities at the federallevel. She has said and continues to believe that the issue of marriageshould be left to the states."
Barack Obama had this to say:
"Barack Obama has always believed that same-sex couples should enjoy equalrights under the law, and he will continue to fight for civil unions asPresident. He respects the decision of the California Supreme Court, andcontinues to believe that states should make their own decisions when itcomes to the issue of marriage."
-Every analysis I've read of last week's California gay marriage ruling(including my own) has assumed that the November ballot measure amending thestate constitution would "overturn" the decision handed down this week. Iwonder about that. The proposed amendment will go on the ballot if thesecretary of state confirms there are enough valid signatures on petitionsthat have already been submitted by proponents. The text of the amendment isthe same as Proposition 22, the 2000 ballot measure overwhelmingly approvedby voters, which changed the state law but not the state's constitution. Itreads: Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized inCalifornia. If the amendment is approved by voters in November, it wouldsweep aside the portion of the supreme court's decision that opened upmarriage to same-sex couples. But there's no particular reason I see that itwould also overturn the crux of the opinion: that having separate legalregimes for gay and state couples violates the constitution (in threedifferent ways no less!).
-Los Angeles: The city attorney said Monday that county workers authorizedto perform marriage ceremonies must be willing to conduct same-sex marriagesunder last week's landmark court ruling, regardless of their personal viewson homosexuality. City Attorney Rocky Delgadillo said in similar letters tothe Secretary of State and Los Angeles County Supervisors that any policythat would allow certain workers to conduct only marriages between a man anda woman would be inconsistent with Thursday's state Supreme Court decisionthat legalized gay marriage in California.
-For those of you who have not been paying attention, California's highcourt gay rights ruling on Thursday was the sixth same-sex marriage decisionissued by a state supreme court in the last five years. And all of them weredecided by one vote.
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Senator and former KKK member backs Obama for President
The longest-serving member of the US Senate has backed Barack Obama's bidfor the White House. Robert Byrd has represented West Virginia since 1959.
-Gibraltar court to hear lesbian discrimination case
A lesbian couple are taking the Gibraltar Housing Department to court afterit refused to place them as joint tenants. The authorities said the coupleshould apply for separate housing units.
-California honours murdered gay politician
Just days after the Supreme Court lifted the ban on same-sex marriage,another LGBT related provision passed the State Assembly in California. OnMonday, it was announced that a bill to recognise slain San FranciscoSupervisor Harvey Milk.
-Human-animal embryos approved by Commons
The first of three clauses to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Billthat Labour MPs have a free vote on has passed in the House of Commons.
Former Equality Minister, Ruth Kelly voted against the government.
-Italy's equality minister claims gay Pride is "pointless"
A former model turned politician, who was appointed by Silvio Berlusconi asItaly's minister for equal opportunities, has attacked gay Pride events.
Mara Carfagna is a former Miss Italy contestant.
-Gambia's President declares war on gay community
Gay men and lesbians must leave the country within 24 hours or face "seriousconsequences," the President of Gambia said on Thursday.
-Gay protest in Turkey makes the news in Iran
The state broadcaster of the Islamic Republic of Iran has reported on anInternational Day Against Homophobia event in Turkey.
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GLAAD ANNOUNCES WATCH & WIN OPPORTUNITY FOR HISTORIC TELECAST
"Host with the Most" Contest to Complement Airing of 19th Annual GLAAD MediaAwards on Bravo
New York, May 19, 2008 - The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) announced today the "Host with the Most" contest for the telecast ofthe 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards on Bravo Friday, June 27, at 7 p.m.
ET/PT. "The Bravo telecast is a historic media moment for our community,"said GLAAD President Neil G. Giuliano. "It will be an evening to honor fair,accurate and inclusive media images, and the visible progress we have madeas a community. With the 19th Annual GLAAD Media Awards reaching 84 millionhomes this summer, we want as many people as possible to join us incelebrating that progress." To celebrate the historic broadcast, GLAAD isencouraging community members to host viewing parties. Visitors towww.glaad.org/watchandwin will find a party-planning packet containingtheme ideas for the more festive party throwers - from planning the partyaround a favorite GLAAD Media Award nominee to throwing a "red carpetextravaganza." In honor of those community members who join in thecelebration, GLAAD is also running the "Host with the Most" contest. Byofficially registering to host a viewing party at www.glaad.org/watchandwin, hosts and their guests will receive free one-year memberships to GLAAD.ÂThe host who throws the biggest party will be flown with a guest to New Yorkor Los Angeles to attend the 20th Annual GLAAD Media Awards in spring 2009,and will be featured in the fall 2008 edition of GLAAD's quarterlypublication Media Matters. The runner-up will receive two tickets to aselect non-Media Awards GLAAD event during the next 12 months.
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Transgender Americans are among those at highest risk for HIV infection. Arecent analysis by the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)across multiple studies found that 27.7% of male-to-female transgenderpeople (MTF) tested positive for HIV infection, while 11.8% self-reportedbeing HIV-seropositive. These infection rates are amongst the highest in thecountry, and nearly two out of three of those infected did not know theirstatus. Even higher HIV infection rates were found among African AmericanMTF people, with 56.3% testing positive, and 30.8% indicating that they knewthey were positive."
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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-GayRussia.ru Celebrated Its Third Year with IDAHO
The organisation is now the leading LGBT Human Rights campaigner in RussiaOver the last 3 years, the activists of GayRussia.Ru not only spoke againsthomophobia of Russian politicians, public and religious figures. They alsoconducted several campaigns against official and religious leaders - theMayor of Moscow, Mufti Talgat Tadjuddin, are among the figures that weresued. An international campaign was also organised in support of Iraniangays and lesbians. Interviews of Iranian activists of MAHA was republishedin a wide number of media in 2005. GayRussia.ru joined other foreignactivists and organized a protest action in front of the Iranian Embassy inMoscow in 2006 and 2007.
-Vatican says prohibition against gays in seminaries is universal
Vatican City, May 19, 2008 / 09:21 am (CNA).- Vatican Secretary of State,Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, has sent a letter to the bishops of the worldwith the approval of Pope Benedict XVI reaffirming the norms established bythe Congregation for Catholic Education in the 2005 document, "InstructionConcerning the Criteria for the Discernment of Vocation with regard toPersons with Homosexual Tendencies in view of their Admission to theSeminary and to Holy Orders," as universal and without exceptions.
In the brief "Rescriptum ex audientia" -a written response to variousqueries-Cardinal Bertone said the norms establishing the selection ofcandidates to the priesthood are valid "for all houses of formation for thepriesthood, including those under the Dicasteries for Eastern Churches, forthe Evangelization of Peoples, and for the Institutes of Consecrated Lifeand Societies of Apostolic Life."
http://catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=12677
-Acting Moscow mayor takes gays' accusations in good fun
Moscow, May 19, Interfax - Sex minorities striving to hold a gay parade inMoscow and related problems "don't worth one thin dime," acting mayor ofMoscow Vladimir Resin told Interfax. Thus, he commented on the statement ofthe cancelled gay parade's organizers. The organizers addressed RussianOffice of the Prosecutor General asking for Moscow Mayor Yury Luzhkov to beprosecuted for "banning any publichomosexual and lesbian events, which contradicts the acting legislation."
http://www.interfax-religion.com/?act=news&div=4689
-Turkish Homosexuals Try to Strengthen their Position in the Country
A group of Turkish homosexuals gathered outside the country's parliament inAnkara yesterday to protest social discrimination and the absence of legalprotection for sexual minorities in Turkey. The group, escorted by thepolice, marched in groups of 10 toward the parliament. A representative ofthe group read a statement in front of the parliament, in which he protestedto the existing homophobia and social opposition to homosexuals, demandingequal social treatment according to human rights values for the members ofthe group. Until recent years, due to cultural and social norms of theTurkish society which opposes sexual deviation, homosexuals used to keep alow profile in the country. However, in the past two years, members of thisgroup are trying to organize and establish themselves through gatherings andpublications. Meanwhile, some Turkish media have helped the socialacceptance of homosexuals by trying to portray the sexual deviation as anormal behavior.
http://www.iribnews.ir/NewsRoom.aspx?ID=20153353
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UK Gay News
Gay Iranian Is Granted Asylum in UK
LONDON, May 20, 2008 - Mehdi Kazemi, the 20-year-old gay Iranian, who hasbeen trying to get asylum in the UK for two years, has been grantedpermission to stay in the United Kingdom. Mr. Kazemi told UK Gay News todaythat he had received a letter from the Border and Immigration Agency of theHome Office to say his asylum request had now been granted. "I am so happy,"he said, adding that he was grateful to all the help he had been given,especially by Simon Hughes MP. There will be a full statement tomorrow. UKGay News first highlighted the plight of Mehdi Kazemi in April 2007 with a"plea" written by the then teenager. He subsequently fled the country lastyear, ending up in the Netherlands, from where he was returned to UK at thebeginning of April. The Independent newspaper took up his cause earlierthis year.
http://ukgaynews.org.uk/Archive/08/May/2003.htm
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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
Kenneth.Sherrill@hunter.cuny.edu
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if can't access the article
-Did you hear that new HIV infections have risen among youth in New Yorksince 2004? Did you know that New York State has no funding dedicated toteaching our young people how to prevent HIV and other sexually transmittedinfections? Surprised? Do something about it. Ask your
(S.1342/A.2856) this year.
-From Donald Widman - American Family Association
Sen. McCain needs to lead the way in promoting a federal marriage amendmentAs you know, the California Supreme Court has legalized homosexual marriage.
This happened despite the fact that voters in California passed Proposition22 with 61.4 percent of the vote. Proposition 22 defined marriage as onlybetween one man and one woman. The recent 4-3 ruling, if allowed to stand,would destroy marriage as it has
been known for thousands of years. It would lead to the logical conclusionof the following:
* Legalization of polygamous and other aberrant unions as "marriages"
* Legalization of marriage between an adult parent and adult child
* Legalization of group marriage
* Overturn all the marriage laws in the other 49 state
-UK: Christian registrar seeks conscience exemption
A Christian registrar, Lillian Ladele, is presenting her case to anemployment tribunal after her Council employers refused to grant her aconscience exemption from registering same-sex unions.
Miss Ladele, who currently works for Islington Council, has been a registrar
for nearly 16 years. Before the Civil Partnerships Act came into effect in2005 she asked to be excused from registering civil partnerships betweensame-sex couples because to do so would conflict with her religious beliefs.
She has subsequently been disciplined by her employers, and other colleagueshave been allowed to choose not to work with her because of her beliefs.
http://www.christian.org.uk/issues/2008/rellib/ladele_19may08.htm
-The Presidential Candidates on Sex Education, HIV Prevention, andAbstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs (Provided by SIECUS)
The U.S. President has the power to fundamentally lead and change ournation's approach to promoting and securing sex education and in reducingdisease burdens such as those caused by sexually transmitted diseases,including HIV. The Bush Administration has taken a decidedly backward andanti-science approach to these issues in its war on evidence-basedprevention and in its dogged promotion of abstinence-only-until-marriageprograms. The next President has an opportunity to reverse this harm.
Below are the key positions of the three remaining presidential contenderson the issues of sex education, HIV prevention, and support for a nationalAIDS strategy. SIECUS believes that knowledge empowers and that in order totake part in the most sacred of democratic rituals-voting-advocates need toknow the key positions of the candidates on these important issues so thatvoters can be fully informed and engaged.
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article.
-Supreme Court Upholds Law Aimed at Child Pornography
The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a 2003 federal law aimed at childpornography, concluding in a 7-to-2 opinion that a federal appeals court waswrong to find the law unconstitutionally vague. The law in question arosefrom a sensible, constitutionally acceptable approach by Congress to correctfaults that the high court found in an earlier child-pornography law,Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the court. "Child pornography harms anddebases the most defenseless of our citizens," Justice Scalia wrote. "Boththe state and federal governments have sought to suppress it for many years,only to find it proliferating through the new medium of the Internet." Theruling scathingly rejected contentions that the 2003 legislation was sobroadly written that it could make it a crime to share or even describedepictions of children in explicit sexual situations, even if the depictionsare inaccurate, the children do not really exist and the intention isinnocent.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/20/washington/19cnd-scotus.html?ex=1211860800&en=d1b1a8c18e31be0c&ei=5070&emc=eta1
-Sexual predator rules are often costly for cities to enforce
Amid cutbacks, some cities pay to prosecute and defend sex offenders whomove in. A few years ago, a movement began to spread across Florida aimed atprotecting children from known sex offenders. One by one, cities made itharder for child predators to move into their borders by restricting wherethey could live. But what seemed like a simple solution for Florida citiessuch as Deltona and others has becom e increasingly complex. Cities face aquandary: If they want to enforce their tough rules, they have to pay toprosecute offenders. Recently, they learned that they may also have to payattorneys to defend the same people. During the past three years, 120 citiesand counties have adopted ordinances limiting offenders to areas as far as ahalf-mile away from schools, parks, bus stops and day-care centers. InDeltona, which has almost zoned sex offenders out of the city, officials arefighting a Volusia County court's order last fall to pay the legal bills forthree offenders. While Deltona awaits the result of its appeal, it hasstopped trying to force out other offenders. Meanwhile, 30 offenders havemoved into Deltona or switched homes in the past six months, according tothe Florida Department of Law Enforcement, which helps monitor offenders.
-Erica Jong: Hurrah for Gay Marriage
I've never understood the objection to gay marriageWe humans arepair-bonding creatures and we seem to feel safest when coupledIt's nottrue for everyone, of course, but most of us eventually want a partner tomerge our books and lives withMarriage provides certain extremely usefulperks: a partner to be with you when you are ill, someone to share yourpoverty or wealth with, someone to share your celebrations anddevastations, someone to raise children with ... Read the rest atHuffingtonPost.com
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erica-jong/hurrah-for-gay-marriage_b_102312.html
-Lesbian and Gay Activists Object to New Orleans Site for Political-ScienceConference
In the latest dispute over civil rights and the obligations of scholarlygroups, the American Political Science Association is facing calls torelocate its 2012 convention, which is scheduled to be held in New Orleans.
Lesbian and gay activists in the association say that a "defense ofmarriage" amendment approved by Louisiana voters in 2004 contains suchsevere language that they and their partners would face risks invisiting the state. But other scholars argue that New Orleans needs supportin the wake of Hurricane Katrina and that the city itself has historicallybeen tolerant, whatever the politics of the rest of Louisiana.
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Congressman Barney Frank Speaks Out On John McCain
In a number of areas, Senator John McCain is praised for moderation that hehas not in fact shown in his votes. It is true that by comparison to many ofthe angry right-wingers that have dominated the Republican Party withSenator McCain's general support he is less extreme and he has fromtime-to-time shown an amiability that contrasts with the snarling demeanorof some of his co-partisans. But all this shows is that it is possible to beprejudiced all of the time and pleasant some of the time when it comes tothe rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people. With oneexception, the relevance of which Senator McCain himself is rapidlydiminishing, John McCain's record is completely opposed to our efforts tocombat prejudice and gain legal equality.
Contact rays.list@comcast.net
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