GLBT DIGEST - July 21, 2008

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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Gay Guide Site Adds Features
GayCities.com, an online guide for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendertravelers, was upgraded last month with more user-friendly and socialnetworking features. New options include Become a Fan, which lets membersshare recommendations about restaurants, clubs, hotels and cities ingeneral. Users can also upload photos and share tips on public forums.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/20/travel/20COMgay.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse&oref=slogin

-Anglican Bishops Meet in Canterbury
CANTERBURY, England - As he passed through the heavy wooden doors of thiscity's ancient cathedral behind a procession of 650 other Anglican bishopsand archbishops on Sunday, the Most Rev. Rowan Williams, the archbishop ofCanterbury, appeared taut and ill at ease. It was as if keeping a churchwith an estimated 80 million followers around the world from breaking apartover the issue of gay priests and bishops was proving almost too heavy aburden.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/21/world/europe/21anglican.html?scp=7&sq=gay&st=cse

-Anglicans Face 'Severe Challenge'
Archbishop Urges Work on Issue of Homosexuality
CANTERBURY, England, July 20 -- The head of the Anglican Communion saidSunday that the global fellowship faces "one of the most severe challenges"in its history, and he urged bishops at their once-a-decade LambethConference to do the hard work of finding solutions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/20/AR2008072001708.html?hpid=sec-religion


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Steve Rothaus
http://www.miamiherald.com/living/columnists/steve_rothaus/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Photo gallery | Johnny Diaz reads from 'Miami Manhunt' at Borders in FortLauderdale
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/07/photo-gallery-j.html

-Census won't recognize gay marriages in 2010 count
Same-sex marriage is legal in two states, but not a single one will show upin the 2010 census. The Census Bureau says the federal Defense of MarriageAct bars the agency from recognizing gay marriages in the nation's 10-yearcount, even though the marriages are legal in Massachusetts and California.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/07/census-wont-rec.html

-Slim majority in poll rejects California gay-marriage ban
A slight majority of California voters oppose a measure on the Nov. 4 ballotthat would impose a constitutional ban on gay marriage, according to thefirst Field Poll on the measure. The findings are consistent with a Maypoll on the issue before Proposition 8 qualified for the ballot. The issuehas received heightened attention since the state Supreme Court in Maystruck down a law approved by voters in 2000 that banned gay marriages.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/2008/07/slim-majority-i.html


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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Gay Foe Closer To Endorsing McCain
Conservative Christian leader James Dobson has softened his stance againstRepublican presidential hopeful John McCain, saying he could reverse hisposition and endorse the Arizona senator despite serious misgivings.

-Anglican Confab Unlikely To Resolve Differences Over Gays
(Canterbury, England) The leader of the Anglican Communion said Sunday thatthe global fellowship faces "one of the most severe challenges" in itshistory, and he urged bishops at their once-a-decade Lambeth Conference todo the hard work of finding solutions.

-Group Ordains 3 Women Catholic Priests
An activist group hoping to pressure the Roman Catholic church into droppingits long-standing prohibition barring women from the priesthood says itordained three women on Sunday.

-Nurture Vs Nature Heads To Court
The issue over whether homosexuality is the result of nature or nurture islikely to be key in a wrongful dismissal suit brought by a former San JoseCity College professor who claims she was fired for advocating people choseto be gay.

-Opposition Leader Claims Homophobia Used As Political Tool
(Kuala Lumpur) Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim has provided analibi to police to prove he did not sodomize a male aide but will not give aDNA sample for fear it could be manipulated to frame him, his lawyer saidFriday.


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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-MA: Editorial--"Mass. a leader in equality"
Link: Attlebro Sun Chronicle
Congratulations to the Massachusetts Legislature for taking discrimination off the books and further cementing the state's reputation as a champion of equality. Both the Senate and House this week overwhelmingly voted to repeal a 1913 law that says couples cannot wed in Massachusetts if their unions would be illegal in their home states. Gov. Deval Patrick, who voiced his support for his 18-year-old daughter earlier this year after she announced that she is a lesbian, has said he will sign the repeal.

-CA: "Gay marriage opponents got a surprise boost from San Diego mayor'schange of heart"
Link: Los Angeles Times
The campaign against same-sex marriage in California was treading wateruntil it got help from an unexpected corner: a Republican mayor choking upand announcing he would not betray his gay daughter. San Diego Mayor JerrySanders had promised to oppose same-sex marriage. Then, last fall, hoursbefore he was supposed to veto a City Council motion supporting gaymarriage, he called a press conference at which he broke into tears.

-MI: Opinion -- "Exclusion looks even dumber now"
Link: Detroit Free Press
As far as I can tell, no reputable pollster has taken our state's temperature on gay marriage since 2004, when Michigan voters overwhelmingly opted to outlaw it. But I've a hunch that at least a few thousand of thosewho voted to ban same-sex unions just four years ago would happily pony up for a mass wedding ceremony at Comerica Park if enough creditworthy gay couples could be found to purchase all their houses today. Tread water long enough and you're bound to become a little less particular about who tosses you a lifeline. God may not have created Adam and Steve, but if that happy couple opened a factory in southeast Michigan, I know a whole lot of straight guys who'd be willing to work in it.

-"Missouri Governor Signs Bill Granting Same-Sex Partners Right to HandleEnd-of-Life Decisions"
Link: The Vital Voice
Gov. Matt Blunt has signed into law a bill that grants same-sex partners theright of sepulchre, which is the right to choose and control the burial,cremation or other final disposition of a dead human body, according to theofficial Web site of PROMO. Usually when a person dies the control of theirremains automatically goes to their spouse, but because same-sex unions arenot legally recognized in Missouri, those rights were not automaticallyextended to same-sex couples prior to this legislation.

-PFAW: "Census Bureau's Own Research Staff Demonstrated That Airbrushing Out
Same-Sex Marriages Distorts Data"
Link: People For the American Way
Petition urges reversal of policy to falsify Census data:
The Census Bureau reported this week that in completing the 2010 Census, itwill 'edit' the data from same-sex couples who accurately report that theyare legally married, and that it will instead re-classify them as "unmarriedpartners," the same procedure used by the Bureau during the 2000 census,when no states yet recognized same-sex couples as legally married. That kindof "editing" undermines the Bureau's mission to provide accurate and highquality data about the U.S. population, and according to a paper on theBureau's own website, creates a distorted picture of same-sex households.


-"Gavin Newsom At Netroots Nation:
On Gay Marriage, Running For Governor (VIDEO)"
Link: Huffington Post
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom arrived in Austin, Texas, onSaturday to address the Netroots Nation conference. Newsom, who launched anexploratory bid for governor earlier this month, has "built a nationalreputation pushing cutting-edge -- and controversial -- policies on same-sexmarriage, healthcare and other issues." We talked with Newsom about gaymarriage.

-"Vatican orders Cardinal Newman to be parted from priest friend in sharedgrave"
It was Cardinal Newman's dying wish that he be buried with hisclosest friend in the grounds of the house they had shared as priests. Butnow, nearly 120 years after his death, Britain's most famous convert toRoman Catholicism is to be reinterred in a sarcophagus in preparation forhis becoming a saint, leaving the remains of his friend behind.


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Express Gay News
http://www.expressgaynews.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Church 'wounded' over gay boycott
Bishops attending the Lambeth Conference have heard how the row over gayclergy has left the Anglican church a "wounded community". About 210bishops - a quarter of those invited - have boycotted the event, followingthe consecration of the gay bishop of New Hampshire, Gene Robinson.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7515878.stm

-Local Anglicans face crossroads over gay clergy, teachings
Conference comes as some struggle with which path to follow
For years, worshippers at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Livonia patientlyput up with their diocese as it adopted a series of liberal changes thatclashed with biblical tradition. But the breaking point came in 2003, whenthe Episcopal Church -- with the approval of the local diocese --consecrated an openly gay bishop in New Hampshire.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/NEWS05/807210316

-Mud-Slinging Comic Book Stirs Up Scandal
Oklahoma County Official Creates Comic Featuring Gays in Togas, SatanPolitical candidates looking for an edge have employed all types ofcutthroat tactics to sully their opponents, from TV ads depicting nuclearwar and paroled murderer-rapists to flyers alleging interracialrelationships and criminal fraud.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=5403426&page=1

-Link: Anti-Gay Comic Book - Political for Oklahoma County Commissioner
http://abcnews.go.com/images/Politics/rinehartcartoon.pdf

-Mass. Governor: let out-of-state gays marry
Repeal of a 95-year-old law only hurdle in allowing out-of-state gays tomarry legally
Gay couples from Connecticut and other states are one step closer to aMassachusetts wedding. The Massachusetts Senate voted Tuesday to repeal a1913 law used to bar out-of-state gay couples from marrying here.
http://www.expressgaynews.com/2008/7-17/news/national/4873.cfm


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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-N.C. Bullying Bill Dies Over Gay Controversy
Proposed North Carolina legislation that would protect schoolchildren fromantigay bullying has died for this year, The [Raleigh] News & Observerreported Friday. "The failure of this bill to pass.sends a bad message,"state senator Doug Berger told the Observer. The senate sent the bill backto committee Thursday, and it will not come to a vote during thislegislative session, Berger said.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid57909.asp

-Prospective Haitian Prime Minister Rumored to Be Lesbian
Haitian legislators gave preliminary approval Thursday for an educator to benominated as the country's second female prime minister. The Chamber ofDeputies voted 61 to 1 in favor of Michele Pierre-Louis, with 37 members notvoting. If her qualifications are approved by the Senate, she will then facefinal votes in both houses.
http://advocate.com/news_detail_ektid57961.asp


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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Young, Gay And Murdered
Kids are coming out younger, but are schools ready to handle the complexissues of identity and sexuality? For Larry King, the question had tragicimplications. At 15, Lawrence King was small-5 feet 1 inch-but very hard tomiss. In January, he started to show up for class at Oxnard, Calif.'s E. O.Green Junior High School decked out in women's accessories. On some days, hewould slick up his curly hair in a Prince-like bouffant. Sometimes he'dpaint his fingernails hot pink and dab glitter or white foundation on hischeeks. "He wore makeup better than I did," says Marissa Moreno, 13, one ofhis classmates. He bought a pair of stilettos at Target, and he couldn'thave been prouder if he had on a varsity football jersey. He thought nothingof chasing the boys around the school in them, teetering as he ran.

-Housing Development Bars Gay Couples
The tidy palm lined streets and affordable homes of the Rybolt Reservesubdivision in suburban Orlando have become popular with middle classhomebuyers and speculators but if you are a gay or unmarried opposite-sexcouple the Homeowners Association has a message - don't bother to try torent here according to some property owners. Several owners say they havebeen told by the Association they cannot rent their properties in the EastOrange County subdivision to couples who are not legally married or tosame-sex pairs.

-Anti-Gay Slurs Sprayed on Three Wilton Manors Homes
Vandals scrawled anti-gay slurs on three Wilton Manors homes early Friday,an incident police are investigating as a hate crime. Someone wrote theslurs on three adjacent homes in the 2800 block of Northeast Seventh Avenue,an area with a large gay population. Five cars were also defaced with blackspray paint.

-S.C. Father Chases Gay Son From Home
Violence broke out Sunday in Anderson when an 18-year-old man returned homefrom a gay pride parade and was assaulted by his father. According to theAnderson County Sheriff's Office, the battering took place about 1 p.m.Sunday on P Street. During the assault, the teen's 49-year-old fatheryelled, cursed, swung a baseball bat, prayed and tried to "cast the demon ofhomosexuality out of him," according to the teen's version of events toDeputy S.C. Weymouth, the incident report states.

-Isaiah Washington Supports Gay Marriage
We reported a couple days ago that out sports and entertainment publicistHoward Bragman got married in Los Angeles, and that his request to friendsand family was that they donate to Equality California to stop theanti-marriage amendment there on the ballot in November. Well, we've heardthat people are ponying up in Bragman's and his partner's name, and chiefamong them is Isaiah Washington (who got axed from Grey's Anatomy fordropping the gay F-bomb), a client of Bragman. Bragman confirmed thedonation this morning.


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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-UK: Religious people not as homophobic as leaders think reports Stonewall
A Stonewall survey has found that religious leaders do not adequatelyrepresent their followers views on homosexuality.

-Stop aid to homophobic countries says Tatchell
Peter Tatchell has called for all international aid to be stopped if it isgoing to a country with a homophobic agenda.

-75% of Americans want to allow gays in the military
A new survey by the Washington Post and ABC News has found thatthree-quarters of Americans think that openly gay, lesbian and bisexualpeople should be allowed to serve in the military.

-Bill Clinton confirms he will campaign for Obama
Former US President Bill Clinton publicly acknowledged yesterday that he iseager and ready to campaign for Barack Obama.

-Fans mourn as lesbian singer Katie Reider dies aged 30
Cincinnati-born singer-songwriter Katie Reider, an out lesbian active in theLGBT community, has died from complications resulting from a two year battlewith a rare facial tumour. -Jesse Jackson's second apology in a week overObama commentsCivil rights activist Reverend Jesse Jackson spewed the N wordduring a break at a television interview in which he widely criticisedDemocratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama.


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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Iranian Government Detains Prominent AIDS Doctors
Net News Publisher
Two prominent Iranian physicians have been detained by the Iraniangovernment for unknown reasons. Brothers Kamiar Alaei and Arash Alaei -internationally recognized for their revolutionary work in how drug addictsand HIV/AIDS-infected people are treated in Iran - were taken to anundisclosed location by the authorities in late June. In an interview withRFE/RL's Radio Farda, the mother of the two men, who did not want her nameused, said they are entirely innocent of any wrongdoing. "They were not[involved] in politics. They worked in the field of AIDS and drug addiction," she said. "They have appeared on Iranian state television manytimes to talk about these issues.. They have been involved only inscientific work and research." She said she has no information on theirwhereabouts.

-Kamiar and Arash Alaei - Iranian of the Day
Two physician brothers, who have been recognized internationally for theirwork in the development of HIV/AIDS programs and services in Iran, are beingheld in prison by the Iranian government. According to reports received fromTeheran, Drs. Kamiar and Arash Alaei (seen here in a radio interview) weretaken to an undisclosed location sometime in late June. The reason for theirdetention is unknown. Ladan Alomar, Executive Director of Centro Civico ofAmsterdam, NY, a community based organization that provides HIV/AIDSservices to the Latino community, received a phone call from a person closeto the Alaei brothers and was informed of the situation. The family andfriends of Kamiar and Arash in Iran do not know where and under what chargesthe brothers are being held. The authorities in Teheran have provided noinformation about their whereabouts.

-Would Mass. Gay Marriage Move Spark Wedding Rush?
By JENNIFER PELTZ | Associated Press Writer | Newsday
NEW YORK - Thousands of gay couples from New York and other Northeasternstates are expected to marry in Massachusetts if the state follows throughon a move toward letting them wed.But many others don't see any need to packtheir bags and rush to the altar. They believe the expected change inMassachusetts will fuel momentum for legalizing gay unions in their ownstates. Both advocates and critics see the move as knocking down anotherimportant barrier for gay couples, emboldening efforts elsewhere to allowgay marriage. For same-sex marriage supporters, "it's certainly a step inthe right direction. It does show how society is evolving," said RickTrombley, a gay activist and former Democratic state senator in NewHampshire. Massachusetts is becoming the latest proving ground in theenduring fight over same-sex marriage _ a conflict that is changing shape asvarious laws for gay relationships emerge in different states.

-Conservatives Protest Obama's AIDS Bill
By Cliff Kincaid | NewsWithViews.com
In another sign of the leftward drift of the national Republican Party, only24 Republican senators voted on Tuesday for an amendment to the global AIDSbill to prohibit AIDS funds from being used to pay for forced abortions andsterilizations in Communist China. The $50 billion legislation, which isstill being debated on the Senate floor, has the support of Senator andpresidential candidate Barack Obama, as well as organizations associatedwith his financial backer, billionaire leftist George Soros. There is astrong possibility that Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republicanpresidential candidate and original sponsor of the legislation, could alsovote for it. But that may depend on the ultimate form the bill takes on theSenate floor and whether conservatives can put enough pressure on him toreject it.In a provision that has ramifications for the immigration debate,the bill would allow AIDS-infected aliens into the U.S., despite the obvioushealth dangers. Only $15 billion had originally been proposed in the bill,known as the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Democratsadded the extra money, bringing it up to $50 billion, and President Bush,apparently determined to leave a "legacy" of massive increases in foreignaid spending, decided to go along with the Democrats and now favors itspassage.


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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article

-"No US aid for anti-gay regimes"
Tatchell joins San Diego hotel boycott picket
San Diego - USA - 21 July 2008
"We must urge the US State Department to make foreign aid and tradeconditional on the recipient countries agreeing to respect human rights,including the human rights of LGBT people. Tyrannies should not be rewarded:No US aid for anti-gay regimes," said LGBT human rights campaigner PeterTatchell. His appeal was delivered at the San Diego Pride Human RightsVigil on Friday evening 18 July, where he was the keynote speaker. MrTatchell was particularly critical of US aid to "viciously homophobiccountries like Jamaica, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Uganda, Iraq and Nigeria."Mr Tatchell was International Grand Marshal at this year's San DiegoPridecelebrations.
http://wockner.blogspot.com/2008/07/hyatt-boycott-launched.html

-Ahmet Yildiz: first gay victim of honor killing in Turkey? By Therion
The UK Independent reports that Ahmet Yildiz, an openly gay 26 year oldphysics student was shot as he left a cafe near the Bosphorus Strait thisweek. He tried to flee from the attackers in his car, but lost control ofthe vehicle and crashed. Yildiz died shortly afterwards in hospital. Yildiz' friends and associates believe he was the victim of so-called honorkilling. Turkish sociologist, Mazhar Bagli, has done extensive researchinvolving people who have been convicted for honor killings. Bagli haslittle doubt that Yildiz' death could indeed fall into the honor killingcategory: "Honour killings cleanse illicit relationships. For women, thatis a broad term. Men are allowed more sexual freedom, but homosexuality isstill seen by some as beyond the pale."
http://aidanmaconachyblog.blogspot.com/2008/07/ahmet-yildiz-first-gay-victim-of-honor.html


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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:

-Call for Action: An Iranian gay couple in India need your support
We are contacting you to request your assistance on a very urgent caseinvolving 2 gay Iranians, Ali and Mohammad. It is no secret that queerIranians who flee to other countries continue to face risks due tohomophobia and laws calling for punishment of homosexuals. This oftenresults in depression and post traumatic stress symptoms. Ali and Mohammad,a gay Iranian couple, fled to India. Although they have each beenofficially recognized as refugees by United Nations High Commissioner forRefugees (UNHCR), the Canadian Embassy in New Delhi has still not acted tofacilitate their resettlement in Canada. It has been one whole year sincethe Canadian Embassy began processing their cases! In India, Ali andMohammad are illegal queer refugees. They have no authorization to work.Furthermore, they are at risk because India's penal code includes punishmentfor homosexual activity.
http://www.irqo.net/IRQO/English/pages/147.htm

-Transgender characters from the Bible
Peterson Toscano, an American theatrical performance activist, will tonightpresent a piece on transgender characters un-earthed from the Bible. Aptlynamed Transfigurations: Transgressing Gender In The Bible, the one-man showis about people who do not fit in the gender binary and who, intransgressing and transcending gender, find themselves at the centre of somethe Bible's most important stories. Drawing inspiration from one-on-oneinterviews with transgender and gender-queer individuals, Mr Toscano weavestheir experiences with the stories and lives of transgender people right onthe pages of the Hebrew and Christian scriptures. Hilarious and deeplymoving, he deepens well-known, and lesser-known, Bible stories as hepresents an array of characters with an array of genders.
http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20080719/local/transgender-characters-from-the-bible

-Czech minister wants homosexuals to adopt their partner's kids
Prague- Czech Minister for human rights and ethnic minorities DzamilaStehlikova (Greens, SZ) would allow homosexuals to adopt children of theirpartners, she told reporters today. Czech experts are studying theinfluence of gay and lesbian parents on children. The studies should becompleted in early 2009 and then Stehlikova wants to present them to thepublic. Similar studies carried out abroad have not proved any negativeimpact in connection with the sexual orientation of parents, Stehlikovasaid.
http://www.ceskenoviny.cz/news/index_view.php?id=323710

-TURKEY'S SLIPPERIEST MEN
A Thousand Wrestlers and Two Tons of Olive Oil
Every summer for the last 650 years, Turkish men have gathered to see whowas the strongest, fastest and slickest of them all. It's called Kirkpinar,and it's the biggest oil-wrestling competition in the world. Thewell-muscled men face off in the middle of a grassy field, as a crowd ofthousands looks on eagerly. Slowly, methodically, they cover their chestsand legs with olive oil -- first with the right hand, then with the left.Then they take turns oiling one anothers' backs. Then the fun begins:Turkey's annual Kirkpinar festival, the highlight of the Turkish sportingcalendar, is a three-day orgy of oil wrestling. Known as "yagli gures"(pronounced "yaw-luh gresh"), the slippery sport is considered by some to bethe Turkish national game.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,565780,00.html

-Photo Gallery: Turkish Oil Wrestling
http://www.spiegel.de/fotostrecke/0,,33337,00.html


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Spiegel Online
The Annual Phallus Festival in Greece
Each year on the first Monday of Lent, the people of the tiny Greek town ofTyrnavos go crazy about penises, singing lewd songs and urging passersby tokiss their model phallusses. The pagan fertility festival is one of the mostfamous parties in Greece.
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,553070,00.html


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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

-3/4 Support Gays in Military Whether They "Tell" or Don't
On the 15th anniversary of "don't ask, don't tell," three-quarters ofAmericans support allowing gays to serve in their military, whether they"tell" or not - much broader support than existed when the compromisepolicy was put in place. Military service by gays is backed by largemajorities across most groups, including, perhaps surprisingly,Republicans, conservatives and evangelicals. There's one exception -service by gays who've gone public slips to 50 percent among militaryveterans. All told, 78 percent in this ABC News/Washington Post poll sayhomosexuals who don't reveal their sexual orientation should be allowedto serve. Moreover, in a rejection of the current policy, about asmany, 75 percent, also favor service by homosexuals who do disclose theirorientation. See the new ABC News/ Washington Post poll here:
http://abcnews.go.com/PollingUnit/Politics/story? id=5387980&page=

-Toughening of Sex Law Is Rejected by Court
A New Jersey appellate court panel dealt a blow on Tuesday to scores ofmunicipalities in the state that had sought to toughen Megan's Law in recentyears by restricting where sex offenders could live. The panel said thatsuch local ordinances conflicted with the state's landmark law. More than100 townships and boroughs have enacted their own laws with the intention ofprotecting children from registered sex offenders. The Cherry Hill andGalloway ordinances, which the judges specifically rejected, are typical,preventing an adult offender from living within 2,500 feet of any school,park, playground or day care center. Writing for the three-judge panel,Judge Joseph F. Lisa of the Appellate Division of State Superior Court citedthe "far-reaching scope" of Megan's Law, with its "multilayered enforcementand monitoring mechanisms," and added that the ordinances "conflict" withthe intent of the Legislature in enacting it.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/reference/timestopics/people/f/lisa_w_foderaro/index.html?inline=nyt-per

-Obama campaign is unclear on gays and faith-based funds
Zanesville, Ohio--Faith-based social services have a mixed record when itcomes to meeting the needs of LGBT adults and youth. Groups that servepeople with HIV and AIDS are pleased that government money and services canflow through faith-based organizations, in addition to more traditionalroutes. But people concerned with civil rights have a different view. Mostnotably, they see that faith-based service providers have discriminated bysexual orientation and gender identity, both in service and employment. Thishas increased under the Bush administration. On July 1 in Zanesville,likely Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama announced his intent toexpand faith-based services. Most observers see the proposal as a politicalmaneuver to gain support from religious conservatives.


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Detroit News
http://detnews.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-July 18, 2008
Exclusion looks even dumber now
As far as I can tell, no reputable pollster has taken our state'stemperature on gay marriage since 2004, when Michigan voters overwhelminglyopted to outlaw it. But I've a hunch that at least a few thousand of thosewho voted to ban same-sex unions just four years ago would happily pony upfor a mass wedding ceremony at Comerica Park if enough creditworthy gaycouples could be found to purchase all their houses today. Tread water longenough and you're bound to become a little less particular about who tossesyou a lifeline. God may not have created Adam and Steve,but if that happycouple opened a factory in southeast Michigan, I know a whole lot ofstraight guys who'd be willing to work in it.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080718/COL04/807180331/1081/COL


-Couple tries to discourage anti-gay Web bias
by Deb Price
Like many other couples wanting to adopt, Rosario Grennaro and AlexanderGardner eventually found themselves wanting to tap the geography-defyingpower of the Internet. "We wanted to raise children. And we thought wecould provide a loving home to a child that didn't have one," says Grennaro,an IBM computer researcher. "We heard about people using the Internet. Andit seemed very cost-effective because you reach everybody," he adds. But asthe couple researched Web sites that help birth mothers find lovingpermanent homes for their babies, they were disturbed to learn that thepopular ParentProfiles.com only allows "one male husband and one femalewife" couples to use its Internet-based adoption matching service.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080721/OPINION03/807210311/1031


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TruthWinsOut.Org

-TWO Vows To Protest Radio Hall of Fame Awards Dinner After
James Dobson Is Voted In
by Wayne Besen
Extremism Won Out With Demagogue to Be Honored, Says TWO
NEW YORK - Truth Wins Out (TWO) assailed The Museum of BroadcastCommunications today for announcing they would induct right wing extremistJames Dobson into its Radio Hall of Fame. TWO vowed to protest the annualawards dinner, the second Saturday in November, to inform the world ofDobson's shameful and bigoted record. "It is an affront for the Radio Hallof Fame to honor James Dobson, a right wing demagogue, who built his radioempire on the backs of gay and lesbian people," said Wayne Besen, ExecutiveDirector of Truth Wins Out. "We vow to stand up and protest this outrageousinsult and let the world know that Dobson is a dishonest, hatemongeringideologue." Dobson told The Daily Oklahoman on Oct. 23, 2004, "Homosexualsare not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. Itwill destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth." In the past two years,at least seven researchers have accused Dobson of manipulating or cherrypicking their results to back his anti-gay teachings. Letters and videosdocumenting the concerns of these respected professors can be viewed atTruthWinsOut.org and RespectMyResearch.org.
http://www.truthwinsout.org/pressreleases/two-vows-to-protest-radio-hall-of-fame-awards-dinner-after-james-dobson-is-voted-in/

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