**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-When Your Beliefs and My Civil Rights Collide
...To the Editor:
Re "Showdown in the Big Tent" (Op-Ed, Dec. 7):
Caitlin Flanagan and Benjamin Schwarz categorize gay marriage, and homosexuality in general, as "matters of morality and lifestyle." "Lifestyle" in this context is a trivializing term, and connotes that it is a choice, on a par with deciding whether you drink red wine or white, or deciding to dye your hair. Choice is the lynchpin of the religious right's campaigns to keep discrimination against gay people legal. Their "special rights" argument is particularly specious. If it's not a choice, there can be no question of morality or that gay marriage, for example, is a civil right. To those who blandly assume that it is a matter of choice, please ask yourself: Did you choose your sexuality? If you did, how? And if you didn't, why do you think I did? What all of us do choose are the beliefs we hold and follow. We are individually responsible for those choices.
Edward Hobler
Santa Fe, N.M., Dec. 8, 2008
...To the Editor:
The deep repugnance and aversion to homosexuality held by the black church-going community revealed in the passing of Proposition 8 in California are not a wedge in the progressive agenda. They are simply a very common human failing. It is human to scapegoat. This is an opportunity to make the tent even bigger, if it is construed as an opportunity to examine prejudice from the other side. Progressives should invite the black church community to engage in the dialogue. The result would allow all those in the tent to feel and work better with each other. The tent would become an even better tent. It would even make it easier to reach out to those still outside the tent. Name-calling means we have learned nothing.
Catherine Barinas
New York, Dec. 7, 2008
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/opinion/l13tent.html?_r=1&scp=9&sq=GAY&st=cse
-A Huggable Evangelical
By Nicholas Kristof
Sad word today from Washington that Richard Cizik, who helped lead the evangelical Christian movement away from the culture wars and gay-bashing to tackle global poverty and climate change, has been pushed out of his job. Rich had headed the Washington office of the National Association of Evangelicals, and for many years he had played a critical role in the rebranding of evangelicals.
http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/12/a-huggable-evangelical/?scp=11&sq=GAY&st=cse
-White House Ready to Aid Auto Industry
By STEPHEN LABATON and DAVID M. HERSZENHORN
The Bush administration said on Friday that it was prepared to intervene to prevent the collapse of General Motors and Chrysler after Republican senators blocked a compromise proposal to rescue the automakers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/business/13auto.html?hp
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Gay anti-violence group: 2008 attacks might be up
By MARCUS FRANKLIN
A rash of attacks against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people across the country _ including the severe beating of a New York man whose attackers believed he was gay _ suggests the number of reported assaults could rise in 2008, an advocacy group said. The number of reported attacks against LGBT people increased 24 percent in 2007 over 2006, and they were expected to jump in 2008, said Sharon Stapel, executive director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121204001.html
-A Religious Case for Gay Marriage
Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife, Sarah, was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel -- all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments -- especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," says the apostle, in one of the most lukewarm endorsements of a treasured institution ever uttered. Would any contemporary heterosexual married couple -- who likely woke up on their wedding day harboring some optimistic and newfangled ideas about gender equality and romantic love -- turn to the Bible as a how-to script?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203685.html
-R. Gustav Niebuhr
In too many discussions of gay marriage, its opponents' default position seems to be that marriage is an "institution" sorely needing defense. A rather soulless word, institution, especially in this case. Yet I'm willing to buy that label if we imagine marriage as an alliance whose principal benefits lie in what it confers financially and politically on the partners. Two powerful families unite to preserve their worldly influence and fortune. Don't kings always marry other kings' daughters?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203687.html
-C. Welton Gaddy
Whether or not there is a religious or scriptural basis for gay marriage depends entirely upon who is answering that question as well as the religious background of the respondent and the methodology of his/her scriptural interpretation. One of the great blessings of the religious freedom embraced and guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution is every person's right to believe or not to believe when it comes to religion generally and, if one believes, to decide specifically in whom or in what to believe.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203797.html
-Birth certificates to reflect NY gay-marriage move
By JENNIFER PELTZ
State officials will now let married same-sex couples list both their names on their children's birth certificates in a policy shift deeply important to many gays and lesbians. The decision, which echoes similar provisions in states that allow gay marriages or civil unions, is one of many changes since Gov. David Paterson ordered state agencies in May to respect out-of-state gay marriages.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203444.html
-On Dating: Gay Man Rejected by eHarmony Wins Lawsuit; Company to Set Up
Alternative Site
By Ellen McCarthy
It was the stories that got to Eric McKinley. Stories of happy couples who were totally compatible, completely in love. "Who wouldn't want that?" McKinley thought when he decided to sign up for eHarmony, hoping to become another swooning success story.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121101164.html
-Evangelical Leader Quits Over Gay Union Remark
By Jacqueline L. Salmon
A prominent evangelical lobbyist resigned yesterday over his remarks in a National Public Radio interview, in which he said he supports permitting same-sex civil unions. The Rev. Richard Cizik, vice president for governmental affairs for the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE), later apologized for the remark, said the Rev. Leith Anderson, president of the 30 million-member organization.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121103578.html
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Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Will New York become first state to have an out U.S. senator?
From New York Daily News:
Randi Weingarten, the out president of the New York City teachers union, is among those vying to replace Hillary Clinton in the U.S. Senate. Weingarten, who would become the first openly gay U.S. senator, said in a statement that she is "very flattered and honored" to be considered for the post by New York Gov. David Paterson.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Early-bird specials till Jan. 7 for 2009 Winter Party Festival
News release:
Buy Passes Early and Save Big Bucks, Plus a Special Deal for Floridians
Miami, FL, December 11--- The early bird catches the worm and saves a ton on ticket prices for the 2009 Winter Party Festival, February 21 through March 2, 2009. Special discounted multi-event pass prices are in effect through January 7th only. The week-long celebration produced by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force features parties at some of the most popular nightclubs in South Beach and Miami, as well as an expanding line-up of cultural events and programming for specific segments of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. For more information on these packages, tickets and a description of the events, visit
http://winterparty.com/tickets/index.php
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Leader of the gay pack: Gary Resnick
New Mayor of Wilton Manors discusses politics, parking woes, and GLBT pride
By JUAN CARLOS RODRIGUEZ
Gary Resnick, the newly elected openly gay mayor of Wilton Manors, was sworn in to office last month along with Justin Flippen and Tom Green, two other newly-elected openly-gay commissioners.
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-11/news/localnews/5358.cfm
-Trapped in Thailand by political upheaval
Victoria Park residents get more than they asked for during vacation
By JAMES MICHAELS
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-11/news/localnews/5361.cfm
-Holiday productions light up SoFla
'Reindeer Monologues,' 'Miss Twinkleton's' open this weekend
By J.W. ARNOLD
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-11/arts/theater/5367.cfm
-Crowded marriage meeting yields no consensus
D.C. activists support proposed bill, unsure on timing
By LOU CHIBBARO JR, Washington Blade | Dec 12, 3:35 PM
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=22972
-Activists meet with Obama's team
Meaningful appointments, policy changes urged
By CHRIS JOHNSON, Washington Blade | Dec 11, 2:36 PM
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=22951
-Getting over the 'ick' factor
Forget religion-our enemies are motivated by a fear of gay sex
By KEVIN NAFF
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-11/view/editorial/5363.cfm
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Corvino: Friends with the enemy
By John Corvino, columnist, 365gay.com
Glenn Stanton is a friend of mine. He's also badly wrong about same-sex marriage, and I tell him so-frequently, publicly, and sharply.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/corvino-friends-with-the-enemy/
-Ruby-Sachs: Reflecting on Calling in Gay
By Emma Ruby-Sachs, Blogger, 365gay Agenda Blog 12.11.2008 4:12pm EST
The call in gay day has been met with mixed reviews. Perhaps the most understandable critique is that a day off work is a hard thing to orchestrate in these economic times. Asking even the most out gay employees to call in when they are not sick or they do not have a family emergency is asking for a lot.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-reflecting-on-calling-in-gay/
-Video: Newsweek's religious case for gay marriage
By Barbara Simon, Executive Producer, 365gay News
Newsweek's provocative cover story this week explores what the Bible really says about gay people, gay marriage, even gay sex.
http://www.365gay.com/news/video-newsweeks-religious-case-for-gay-marriage/
-Withers: Looming marriage battle in New York
By James Withers, contributing editor, 365Gay Blog 12.11.2008 8:22am EST
It's not a good sign when a politician issues a threat to a reporter, but that is what state senator Ruben Diaz Sr. did. Elected to the New York State Senate in 2002, Diaz, Sr. has been in the news recently as one member of the Gang of Three, a trio of Democrats who promised to support state Senator Malcolm A. Smith as leader of the senate as long as he followed certain rules. One of those regulations was to keep same-sex marriage from being voted on.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/withers-looming-marriage-battle-in-new-york/
-Judge Removes Child From Lesbian Parents
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
The West Virginia Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case involving a lesbian couple's appeal of a lower court ruling that removed a child they had reared from birth because the judge wanted the child placed with a married opposite-sex couple.
http://www.365gay.com/news/judge-removes-child-from-lesbian-parents/
-Rights Group Slams Mormon Attack Ad
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
(New York City) A full page ad in today's Salt Lake Tribune slams the Church of Latter Day Saints and other religious conservatives for accusing gays of "mob violence" over protests against Proposition 8.
http://www.365gay.com/news/rights-group-slams-mormon-attack-ad/
-NJ Governor Urges Action On Gay Marriage Report
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
(Trenton, New Jersey) New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) is urging lawmakers to "seriously review" a report submitted by a blue ribbon state-appointed panel that found civil unions were not working and the law needs to be amended to provide for full marriage for same-sex couples.
http://www.365gay.com/news/nj-governor-urges-action-on-gay-marriage-report/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-W.Va. Couple Battle for Adoption Rights
A lesbian couple who have been raising a foster child since December 2007 are being blocked from adopting her by the child's legal advocate, who argues that she would be better off with a "traditional" married couple. Kathryn Kutil and Cheryl Hess will go before the West Virginia supreme court March 11 to appeal a November decision by a lower court, according to the Associated Press.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68378.asp
-Till the Census Do Us Part?
By H. Alexander Robinson
National Black Justice Coalition CEO H. Alexander Robinson discusses the U.S. government policy that "requires all federal agencies to recognize only opposite-sex marriages for the purposes of administering federal programs." The examples of the unfairness of the second-class status of America's gay and lesbian couples continue to mount. Though married, my husband, Greg, and I -- along with tens of thousands of married same-sex couples -- will be unmarried in the eyes of the U.S. government unless something is done quickly to fix the upcoming census.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid68361.asp
-The New Religious Right
By James Kirchick
Does the organizational and fund-raising prowess displayed by the LDS church during California's Proposition 8 campaign augur future political might? In june the governing body of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints sent a letter to every Mormon congregation in California asking that a message be read to members at Sunday services stating that "marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God," and "local church leaders will provide information about how you may become involved in this important cause." The cause was Proposition 8, and church members were implored to "do all you can to support the proposed constitutional amendment by donating of your means and time."
http://www.advocate.com/issue_story_ektid67125.asp
-Segregation High -- and Lows
The age-old question of assimilation vs. separation hits the Chicago public schools, leaving a proposed high school for gay students lost in the shuffle.
By Jessica Reaves
http://www.advocate.com/issue_story_ektid67101.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:
-Lesbian and Gay Band Association to Perform in Obama Inaugural Parade
The Lesbian and Gay Band Association (LGBA), a musical organization comprising marching and concert bands from across the United States and around the world, has been chosen to perform in the parade for President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration on January 20, 2009. This is the first time in history that a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender group will march in a Presidential Inaugural Parade. The 177-piece LGBA band will join groups from across the country as well as from the Armed Forces in the historic parade down Pennsylvania Avenue, which follows President-elect Barack Obama's swearing-in ceremony on the steps of the Capitol. Read More...
-Who Will Save America's Gay Hockey Team?
Like a burning forest fire, the global financial panic is burning everything in its path; businesses are folding, workers are being laid off, and now the burning embers of recession threaten to melt the ice for GForce, America's national LGBT hockey team. The team, made up of LGBT athletes from L.A., New York, Atlanta, Denver, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and elsewhere across the country lost their sponsors this year - and the team's continued existence is in peril. Read More...
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Elton John loses defamation case against The Guardian
A spoof column satirising gay star Sir Elton John was not defamatory, the High Court in London has ruled. The singer had claimed the humourous article, by Marina Hyde, made fun of Sir Elton's charity work and joked thathe held events such as the White Tie Ball for self-promotion and to meet celebrities and not to raise serious funds.
-MEPs call on Vatican to embrace LGBT rights
Members of the European Parliament have called on the Vatican to support a statement on lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans rights to be read out at the UN next week.
-Obama's environmental protection team brings first LGBT appointment
The first prominent lesbian, gay, bisexual or trans person to be appointed to President-elect Barack Obama's new administration is the current Deputy Mayor of Los Angeles.
-Video: Republican party must take "long hard look at itself"
A leading Republican has said that the party needs to change if it wants to have a future in America.
-Same-sex couples denied EU right to freedom of movement
Gay and lesbian couples who have legal same-sex marriages or unions are being denied their rights to move and reside freely within the EU.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-When the Result Enables the Religious Right
Fredrick Clarkson | Talk to Action
Let me start out by saying that I know the leaders of the liberal, Washington, DC-based think tank Faith in Public Life are progressive people with a record of good works. But there are times when it is important to tell friends and colleagues that we differ on matters of importance. Especially when they are eggregiously wrong. Writing in response to Sarah Posner's important article at Religion Dispatches, "Katie Paris and The Faith in Public Life Team" issued what amounts to a long press release titled "Common Ground Gets Results." They say they are "proud" of their "results-based" approach. Results is certainly a fair way to measure any organization's work, but we need to look at the bad as well as the good results, however unintended they may be. In this case, FPL has promoted the ambitions of conservative, anti-abortion, anti-LGTB equality Republicans under the banner of finding common ground. Many question the value of the excercise, but for an organization that stakes it's reputation on dialog and finding common ground with people who do not necessarily agree, their statement in response to Posner's article is a textbook example of the difference between public relations deflection and authentic engagement. There is much that we could discuss here, but I will develop just one point, (raised by Posner and ignored by Katie and the Team), since it is of such historic consequence regarding the ever-changing role of the Religious Right in American public life. Read more
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Colin Powell on 'Don't Ask'
General Colin Powell was on "The Situation Room" last night, where he answered a question about the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on gays. He said: "It's been 15 years since we put in 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' which was a policy that became a law. I didn't want it to become a law, but it became a law. Congress felt that strongly about it ... I think it's time for Congress to have a full review of it, and I'm quite sure that's what President-elect Obama will want to do." Steve Ralls, formerly of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, had this to say on the Huffington Post. Video:
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm?blog_id=22963
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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-English Catholics defy Vatican?
A Catholic Rebellion?
In contrast to the homophobia of the Pope, Catholic Bishops in England and Wales are urging understanding and acceptance of gay people By Peter Tatchell, human rights campaigner
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/dec/11/gayrights-catholicism?commentpage=1&commentposted=1
-A Rare Meeting with Nepal's Openly Gay MP, Sunil Panth
By Kalki Subramaniam, published Dec 11, 2008
He is tall, slender and handsome and could make for a model. Surprisingly he is a politician. Sunil Panth is an MP from Nepal, the country that has recently become a democratic country throwing the king's rule. In an event organized by the human rights organization Sangama in Chennai, Mr. Panth addressed the audience who were all sexual minorities and their supporters. It was a fascinating evening for both me and Rose, fellow Transgender activist and a TV person. For the first time we were able to meet and interact with lesbians, gays, transwomen and transmen all under one roof. It was a wonderful moment as the air was filled with the scents of flowers and musks. We were taken aback by the masculinity of the transmen whom we met at the doorsteps. They were cool and determined. Moreover, they really made us comfortable with their warm reception. There were exciting introductions, hugs, laughter, cordial 'hellos' and 'how are you's.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/image/422537/index.html?cat=49
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Forwarded from Euro-Queer
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article:
-UN: General Assembly to Address Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
Statement affirms promise of Universal Declaration of Human RightsAs the world celebrates the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), the UN General Assembly will hear a statement in mid-December endorsed by more than 50 countries across the globe calling for an end to rights abuses based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A coalition of international human rights organizations today urged all the world's nations to support the statement in affirmation of the UDHR's basic promise: that human rights apply to everyone. Nations on four continents are coordinating the statement, including: Argentina, Brazil, Croatia, France, Gabon, Japan, the Netherlands, and Norway. The reading of the statement will be the first time the General Assembly has formally addressed rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
-"The Vatican must end denying human rights at UN."
"The Vatican must end its resistance to ending discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people and support the French initiated UN Declaration on decriminalisation of homosexuality" said the European Parliament´s LGBT Intergroup. On 1 December the permanent representative of the Vatican at the United Nations Mr.Celesto Migliore stated that the forthcoming UN Declaration on decriminalisation of homosexuality should not be endorsed. According to the Vatican, the Declaration would create discrimination against countries which do not recognise same-sex marriages or partnerships. 'We are born equal and all people should be treated equally. The Vatican has a sad history of intolerance on these issues and whilst I respect the beliefs of others these beliefs should not be imposed on or used to deny people equal treatment or civil liberties." said Michael Cashman, President of the Intergroup. "It is plain wrong to suggest the proposal of the French will bring about gay marriages or civil partnerships. If only that were true. Truth is that the Declaration is calling to stop cruel, inhumane and degrading treatment and even capital punishment against LGBT people. We must end such barbaric attitudes." "The Vatican should teach the word of Jesus Christ and not the values of the Old Testament. It is worth noting in these harsh economic times that there are approximately 30 references to Usury as a sin and approximately three references to homosexuality as a sin! If the Vatican is serious in implementing policy based on the Old Testament then it should call for the closure of banks, Building societies and credit Card companies." added Michael Cashman.
-LETTER FROM THE CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Next week, in an historic event for the global gay community, for the very first time a declaration in favor of the universal decriminalization of homosexuality will be presented at the United Nations and read from the podium of the General Assembly. This declaration has already been formally signed and endorsed by the governments of 55 UN member states. Unfortunately, the U.S. is not among them. According to a detailed report released this past May by the International Lesbian and Gay Association, which represents LGBT groups in more than 100 countries, "In 2008, no less than 86 member states of the United Nations still criminalize consensual same-sex acts among adults, thus institutionally promoting a culture of hatred. Among those, seven have legal provisions with the death penalty as punishment." (A link to the report appears in the online version of the editorial at gaycitynews.com.) The idea for a statement of principal by the United Nations in support of decriminalizing homosexuality globally was the brainchild of Professor Louis-Georges Tin, the founder of IDAHO, the International Day Against Homophobia, and the president of the Paris-based International Committee for IDAHO. The campaign for the declaration was launched in November 2006 when IDAHO, at a Paris press conference, unveiled a list of hundreds of VIPs who supported it, including five Nobel Prize winners, ten Pulitzer Prize winners, two former French prime ministers, and six Academy Award winners (see "Bold Move for UN Action," November 21-27, 2006.) This past May, after a year-long lobbying campaign by IDAHO and an alliance of French LGBT groups spanning the political spectrum from right to left, the French government promised to push for "a European initiative calling for the universal decriminalization of homosexuality," according to a statement released by French Minister Of Human Rights Rama Yade after conferring with a delegation from this gay alliance (see "France Fights for Decriminalization," May 22-28, 2008, a link to which appears on the online version of this editorial at gaycitynews.com.)
http://gaycitynews.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20219233&BRD=2729&PAG=461&dept_id=585504&rfi=6
-Put Mugabe on trial for murder and torture
I tried and failed. It's time someone else arrested Robert Mugabe
We flunked an opportunity to jail Mugabe in 1999 and prevent eight years of murder, mayhem, starvation and disease
By Peter Tatchell, LGBT human rights campaigner, Outrage!
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/columnists/guest_contributors/article5327393.ece
-Portugal: Homosexual acts to be penalised with 40c fine
A list of rules, regulations and cash fines for bad behaviour of players from the Caldas da Rainha 'Casa do Benfica' junior football team is causing controversy due to its peculiar content, which includes a 40 cent fine for homosexual behaviour in the changing rooms'. Being late for practice and missing practice are other misdemeanours that are punished with 20 cent and three euro fines, respectively, but it is other odd rules such as being fined for 'slapping a colleague's bottom' that are making the list a talking point. Currently circulating on the Internet, the list was originally posted in the changing rooms of the Caldas da Rainha 'Rainha D. Leonor' sports pavilion, where the local junior team trains.
http://www.the-news.net/cgi-bin/google.pl?id=989-6
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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
-FDA advisory panel backs new female condom
Female Health Co's new, potentially less costly version of its female condom, won crucial backing from a U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel on Thursday. The FDA panel of outside advisers, in a 15-0 vote, said the company's data supported FDA approval of the FC2 Female Condom as long as some changes were made to the product's label. The company is seeking to market the new version as a method to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. The FDA usually follows its panel's advice.
-Human Rights Campaign Foundation, Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund & Leadership
Institute, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, PFLAG, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, National Black Justice Coalition, Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, Equality Federation, Freedom to Marry, BiNet USA, DignityUSA, Out & Equal Workplace Advocates, National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, National Coalition for LGBT Health, LGBT Community Center of NY, International Federation of Black Prides, CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers, and Family Equality Coalition present:
OUT FOR EQUALITY
The LGBT community commemoration of Barack Obama & Joe Biden's Inauguration
Tuesday, January 20 - 7 p.m. - Midnight
Mayflower Hotel
1127 Connecticut Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.
Tickets are on sale at
www.boxofficetickets.com/outforequality
-Survey: Teens sharing nude images online
Recent survey finds that sex, tech and teens make bad bedfellows
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28141513/
-New Hampshire Upholds Citizens' Right To Make Sexual Content
The New Hampshire Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that a man who offered to pay two adults to have sex while he videotaped the act is not guilty of a crime. Robert Theriault was charged under New Hampshire Revised Statutes 645:2, which holds that a person is guilty of a misdemeanor if that person "[p]ays, agrees to pay, or offers to pay another person to engage in sexual contact as defined in RSA 632-A:1, IV or sexual penetration as defined in RSA 632-A:1, V, with the payor or with another person."
http://avn.com/law/articles/33714.html
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Truth Wins Out
www.TruthWinsOut.org
by Wayne Besen
-Truth Wins Out Praises Rich Cizik For His Courageous Decision To Step Down
From the National Association of Evangelicals
Evangelical Leader Takes Heat For His 'Shift' On Same-Sex Relationships Truth Wins Out praised the National Association of Evangelicals' top lobbyist today for resigning in a storm of controversy after he said on a Dec. 2 "Fresh Air" NPR broadcast that he had shifted his position on gay relationships. The Associated Press reported that he told Fresh Air, "I'm shifting, I have to admit. In other words, I would willingly say I believe in civil unions. I don't officially support redefining marriage from its traditional definition, I don't think." "We applaud Rich Cizik for opening his mind and speaking from his heart," said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. "It would have been easier for Cizik to have remained silent and continued collecting a paycheck. Instead he did what he thought was right and one can only admire such courage."
http://www.truthwinsout.org/pressreleases/two-praises-rich-cizik-for-his-courageous-decision-to-step-down-from-the-national-association-of-evangelicals/
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Soulforce
http://www.soulforce.org/
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Soulforce Releases Marriage Equality Video --
Featuring the Music of Ray Boltz, "Don't Tell Me Who To Love"
Have you seen the new Soulforce video yet? Featuring the music of Ray Boltz, the video captures the powerful images of committed same-gender couples and families -- mixed with Prop 8 protest signs -- to demonstrate our community's resolve to resist injustice until marriage equality becomes a reality for all people. View the video by clicking here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBQyJTXiOYs
Please help us share it on MySpace, Facebook, and other social networking sites. We know you'll love Ray's upbeat and inspiring song, "Don't Tell Me Who To Love," and it's available as a free MP3 download at
www.rayboltzblog.wordpress.com. Enjoy!
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Human Rights Campaign - HRC
How many times have you had to hear opponents of marriage equality cite passage after passage from the Bible? How many times have you wanted to know exactly the right response to their literary acrobatics?
Newsweek's recent cover story, "The Religious Case for Gay Marriage" provides just that - debunking all the popular myths. The response? On the first day, Newsweek was "bombarded" with 20,000 emails in opposition to its article. Stand up for equality and fairness - send Newsweek a note today.
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/newsweek/x8e5sur9jndxm6d?
The current cover story of Newsweek magazine titled, "The Religious Case for Gay Marriage" should be read by each and every member of our community. The piece provides an in-depth debunking of many of the popular myths about Scripture that the religious-right has used time and time again. How refreshing to see a major, mainstream American news outlet speaking the truth in such a courageous way. But, as you would fully expect, the right-wing has launched a massive uproar to the piece by flooding Newsweek's editors with thousands of letters in opposition. Last night, I interviewed Lisa Miller, Religion Editor for Newsweek Magazine and the article's author, on my Sirius XM radio show, The Agenda. You can hear Lisa in her own words describe how on the first day the story came out Newsweek was "bombarded" with 20,000 emails in opposition to the article. Friends, when someone is courageously willing to stand up and take on the those who have for so long twisted the words of the Bible and gone unchecked - it is our obligation to make sure they know that there are also millions of us standing right on their side. Don't let the voices of extremists silence those of inclusion and truth. Join me by sending a letter of support to Newsweek today. You too can make sure that the voices of equality and fairness aren't drowned out by those who oppose our families.
Warmly,
Joe Solmonese
President
www.hrc.org
=
Mark's List
http://frontpage.jumponmarkslist.com/MSFL/2008/052908.htm
-Movie: "Doubt" centers on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of sexually abusing a new black student, but the priest denies the charges. Much of the film's quick-fire dialogue tackles themes of religion, morality and authority. Doubt is an film adaptation of the John Patrick Shanley play Doubt. Starring Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Viola Davis, the film is directed by Shanley, produced by Scott Rudin and shot in New York City.
=
Gay.com
Gay manger scene?
Is a Dutch group going too far by putting a gay spin on one of the holiest events of Christianity? Weigh in now.
http://hottopics.gay.com/2008/12/a-dutch-gay-gro.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Saturday, December 13, 2008
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 13, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Op-Ed Contributor: When the Cars Go Away
By BILL McGRAW
Detroit. THIS week, as Washington has tried to decide whether to rescue the automobile industry, Americans have wondered what it looks like when a giant automobile company goes under. The answer can be found in Detroit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/opinion/13mcgraw.html?ref=opinion
-New York Housing Chief Picked for Slot in Cabinet
By JACKIE CALMES
Published: December 13, 2008
WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama has picked the widely respected housing commissioner for New York City, Shaun Donovan, to be the secretary of housing in his cabinet.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/us/politics/13appoint.html?hp
-Sorry, Obamas, Early Check-In Isn't Available
By HELENE COOPER and RACHEL L. SWARNS
CHICAGO - To the list of people having trouble finding somewhere in Washington to stay in early January, there can now be added one more entry: the Obama family. President Bush's aides have turned down a request from President-elect Barack Obama to move from Chicago into Blair House, the official guest residence across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, in time for Mr. Obama's daughters to start school in Washington on Jan. 5.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/us/politics/13move.html?hp
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-'All Just One Big Lie'
By Binyamin Appelbaum, David S. Hilzenrath and Amit R. Paley
Washington Post Staff Writers
Bernard Madoff was a Wall Street whiz with a golden reputation. Investors, including Jewish charities, entrusted him with billions. It's gone. Deborah Coltin learned yesterday morning that the $8 million foundation she has led for a decade, which supported a wide range of Jewish programs on the north shore of Massachusetts, did not actually exist.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203970.html?hpid=topnews
-Al Franken gets boosts in Minnesota Senate recount
By BRIAN BAKST
Democrat Al Franken won a pair of victories Friday before the state board overseeing the Senate recount, including a decision that as many as 1,500 incorrectly rejected absentee ballots should be included. The board also opted to recommend use of election night results in a Franken-leaning Minneapolis precinct where 133 ballots went missing, a decision that could have cost him 46 votes if it had gone the other way.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121201771.html?hpid=sec-politics
-An Old Rage to Quell
By David Ignatius
Barack Obama wrote in "Dreams From My Father" of his days as a student at Occidental College, groping for his political identity: "We smoked cigarettes and wore leather jackets. At night, in the dorms, we discussed neocolonialism, Frantz Fanon, Eurocentrism and patriarchy."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203270.html
-Dealing With Revisionist Russia
By Ronald D. Asmus
Among the foreign policy challenges facing President-elect Barack Obama is the need for a new strategy toward Russia. Moscow is a partner and competitor: We need to work with the Russians on issues such as Iran and counterterrorism, but Moscow today is also a nationalistic revisionist power bent on rolling back Western values and influence on its borders with Europe. Russia is seeking major changes to the ground rules of European security, a desire underscored recently when Moscow pressed the West to agree to a new European security charter proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203333.html
-Lead Us Not . . .
Basic campaign finance reform might discourage future 'pay for play' chicanery. AS THE EXAMPLE of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) illustrates in profane, sickening detail, you can't legislate morality. But you can reduce the opportunities for temptation. Illinois offers useful guidance on how to accomplish that.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203714.html
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
-Mitch McConnell's Finest Hour
The same can't be said for President Bush on the auto bailout. In the Senate's Thursday night automobile showdown, the United Auto Workers said "No thanks" to a bailout with strings attached. Most Senate Republicans took them at their word and voted to block the bill. But within hours, President Bush blinked and Treasury is now scrambling to use money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. Who'd have thought Mr. Bush would want to join the long line of Detroit executives in caving to the UAW?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122912631328803145.html
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Raúl Castro may not maintain ties to Venezuela's Chávez
Unlike his older brother, Cuban President Raúl Castro, who visits Venezuela this weekend, may keep an arm's length from Hugo Chávez.
http://www.miamiherald.com/581/story/811232.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Meet the GOP's wrecking crew
By Alex Koppelman and Mike Madden
Why did a small group of Southern Republicans turn the auto bailout into a demolition derby? Introducing the senators who hate unions and love foreign cars. On July 15, Bob Corker was a happy man.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/12/13/bailout/index.html
-Editorial: Clinton should close our diplomats' religion deficit
A secretary of state's day is so filled with the pressing conflicts of the moment that it's extraordinarily difficult to find the time to think about the larger trends shaping the world. The job prizes action more than reflection.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-religion_14edi.State.Edition1.239a05d.html
-Poll Shows Obama Gains Support
By LAURA MECKLER
Public Roots for His Success in Face of Economic Crisis but Is Wary of Big Spending
President-elect Barack Obama is entering the White House with an enormous reservoir of goodwill from an American public that is rooting for his success in the face of bad economic times, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122894997230096117.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Op-Ed Contributor: When the Cars Go Away
By BILL McGRAW
Detroit. THIS week, as Washington has tried to decide whether to rescue the automobile industry, Americans have wondered what it looks like when a giant automobile company goes under. The answer can be found in Detroit.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/opinion/13mcgraw.html?ref=opinion
-New York Housing Chief Picked for Slot in Cabinet
By JACKIE CALMES
Published: December 13, 2008
WASHINGTON - President-elect Barack Obama has picked the widely respected housing commissioner for New York City, Shaun Donovan, to be the secretary of housing in his cabinet.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/us/politics/13appoint.html?hp
-Sorry, Obamas, Early Check-In Isn't Available
By HELENE COOPER and RACHEL L. SWARNS
CHICAGO - To the list of people having trouble finding somewhere in Washington to stay in early January, there can now be added one more entry: the Obama family. President Bush's aides have turned down a request from President-elect Barack Obama to move from Chicago into Blair House, the official guest residence across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, in time for Mr. Obama's daughters to start school in Washington on Jan. 5.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/13/us/politics/13move.html?hp
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-'All Just One Big Lie'
By Binyamin Appelbaum, David S. Hilzenrath and Amit R. Paley
Washington Post Staff Writers
Bernard Madoff was a Wall Street whiz with a golden reputation. Investors, including Jewish charities, entrusted him with billions. It's gone. Deborah Coltin learned yesterday morning that the $8 million foundation she has led for a decade, which supported a wide range of Jewish programs on the north shore of Massachusetts, did not actually exist.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203970.html?hpid=topnews
-Al Franken gets boosts in Minnesota Senate recount
By BRIAN BAKST
Democrat Al Franken won a pair of victories Friday before the state board overseeing the Senate recount, including a decision that as many as 1,500 incorrectly rejected absentee ballots should be included. The board also opted to recommend use of election night results in a Franken-leaning Minneapolis precinct where 133 ballots went missing, a decision that could have cost him 46 votes if it had gone the other way.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121201771.html?hpid=sec-politics
-An Old Rage to Quell
By David Ignatius
Barack Obama wrote in "Dreams From My Father" of his days as a student at Occidental College, groping for his political identity: "We smoked cigarettes and wore leather jackets. At night, in the dorms, we discussed neocolonialism, Frantz Fanon, Eurocentrism and patriarchy."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203270.html
-Dealing With Revisionist Russia
By Ronald D. Asmus
Among the foreign policy challenges facing President-elect Barack Obama is the need for a new strategy toward Russia. Moscow is a partner and competitor: We need to work with the Russians on issues such as Iran and counterterrorism, but Moscow today is also a nationalistic revisionist power bent on rolling back Western values and influence on its borders with Europe. Russia is seeking major changes to the ground rules of European security, a desire underscored recently when Moscow pressed the West to agree to a new European security charter proposed by President Dmitry Medvedev.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203333.html
-Lead Us Not . . .
Basic campaign finance reform might discourage future 'pay for play' chicanery. AS THE EXAMPLE of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) illustrates in profane, sickening detail, you can't legislate morality. But you can reduce the opportunities for temptation. Illinois offers useful guidance on how to accomplish that.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/12/AR2008121203714.html
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
-Mitch McConnell's Finest Hour
The same can't be said for President Bush on the auto bailout. In the Senate's Thursday night automobile showdown, the United Auto Workers said "No thanks" to a bailout with strings attached. Most Senate Republicans took them at their word and voted to block the bill. But within hours, President Bush blinked and Treasury is now scrambling to use money from the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. Who'd have thought Mr. Bush would want to join the long line of Detroit executives in caving to the UAW?
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122912631328803145.html
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Raúl Castro may not maintain ties to Venezuela's Chávez
Unlike his older brother, Cuban President Raúl Castro, who visits Venezuela this weekend, may keep an arm's length from Hugo Chávez.
http://www.miamiherald.com/581/story/811232.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Meet the GOP's wrecking crew
By Alex Koppelman and Mike Madden
Why did a small group of Southern Republicans turn the auto bailout into a demolition derby? Introducing the senators who hate unions and love foreign cars. On July 15, Bob Corker was a happy man.
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/12/13/bailout/index.html
-Editorial: Clinton should close our diplomats' religion deficit
A secretary of state's day is so filled with the pressing conflicts of the moment that it's extraordinarily difficult to find the time to think about the larger trends shaping the world. The job prizes action more than reflection.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/opinion/editorials/stories/DN-religion_14edi.State.Edition1.239a05d.html
-Poll Shows Obama Gains Support
By LAURA MECKLER
Public Roots for His Success in Face of Economic Crisis but Is Wary of Big Spending
President-elect Barack Obama is entering the White House with an enormous reservoir of goodwill from an American public that is rooting for his success in the face of bad economic times, a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll finds.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122894997230096117.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST December 13, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
From Safe Schools South Florida
-Jamaican Lesbian Spoken Word Poet Staceyann Chin
Comes to Miami January 19-23, 2009
Featuring Tigertail SpeakOut Workshops & Slam for Gay Youth
Tigertail Productions continues its SpeakOut project for the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered) community with a weeklong residency with nationally recognized New York-based Jamaican lesbian spoken word poet and performer Staceyann Chin. School and community workshops, as well as a poetry slam evening, geared towards GLBT youth, and a reading and panel discussion for the general audience, take place throughout Miami-Dade County. All events are free. For more information and a full schedule visit www.tigertail.org or call Tigertail Productions at 305 324 4337. [...] In addition, there will be a similar open-to-the-public teen workshop held at Pridelines Youth Services, 180 NE 19th Street in Miami, on Tuesday, January 20 at 6:00 pm.
WHEN: January 19-23, 2009
*Workshops for gay teens at high schools and community venues, Tuesday through Thursday, January 20-22
*Slam and open mic for gay teens, Thursday, January 22, 5:30 pm, at Miami Beach Regional Library, 227 22nd Street, Miami Beach Panel Discussion, Race, Sex and Gender Panel Discussion, Monday, January 19, 7:30 pm, The Light Box at Miami Light Project, 3000 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 100, Miami
*Reading and Performance, Friday, January 23, 7:30 pm, Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables
*All events are free. For more information call 305 324 4337 or online at
www.tigertail.org
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Gov. Crist weds in St. Petersburg
By Brendan Farrington | The Associated Press
Gov. Charlie Crist became the first sitting Florida governor to wed in nearly 42 years, exchanging vows Friday evening with New York socialite Carole Rome in a church ceremony. Crist, 52, and Rome, 39, met at a dinner in New York City in September 2007 and the romance took off quickly. Less then 10 months later, Crist proposed, giving the millionaire socialite a sapphire engagement ring at his rented condo in downtown St. Petersburg.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-1213crist,0,5029608.story
-Funds put Everglades on road to restoration
$1 million allocated to help solve water flow problems with the Tamiami Trail
By David Fleshler | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Bush administration officials gathered Friday at Everglades National Park to announce additional restoration funding and prepare to hand over to a new administration the difficult, frustrating, lawsuit-producing job of restoring the South Florida wilderness.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbeverglades1213sbdec13,0,1616547.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida Gov. Crist's wedding tonight marries money to politics
By Fred Tasker, Miami Herald
The weather should be beautiful -- crisp and clear, in the low 60s -- at 9 p.m. tonight when Charles Joseph ''Charlie'' Crist Jr., 52, weds Carole Rome, nee Oumano, 39, before 200 or so friends and allies at the United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/810399.html
-Florida pulling plug on Port of Miami tunnel
Florida pulled the plug for a Miami tunnel that's been in the works since the late 1980s. Will the DOT reallocate more than $1.3 billion to other projects?
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/811231.html
-Miami shows off its help for the homeless
Many big cities are reporting a rising homeless population, but Miami isn't one of them.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/811269.html
-Deerfield Beach mayor arrested on felony corruption charge
BY JOSE PAGLIERY jpagliery@MiamiHerald.com
The mayor of Deerfield Beach, who once claimed the city would be better off in his hands, was spending Friday night in Broward County Jail. Albert Capellini, who has held public office for almost two decades, was charged with corruption by the state attorney's office on Thursday.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/811141.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Challenge to Florida Democratic Party chairwoman folds
By Michael C. Bender
Miami-Dade Democrat Bret Berlin just closed his campaign to unseat Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman. Continue reading for his letter explaining why.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/12/12/challenge_to_florida_democrati.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
-Florida Crystals opposing state deal with US Sugar
A major competitor of U.S. Sugar filed a complaint alleging its $1.34 billion dollar deal to sell the state land won't advance Everglades restoration and only lines the pockets of U.S. Sugar, a spokesman for Florida Crystals said Friday.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/gen/ap/FL_Everglades_Restoration.html
-Previous deals cloud new House speaker
By Alex Leary
House Speaker Ray Sansom appointed key policy leaders for the 2009 Legislature on Tuesday, but the news remained in the shadow of a controversy that has been the talk of the Capitol for weeks.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article931989.ece
-House speaker sold political soul, and at a bargain price
Sunday, December 07, 2008
At first, the job that one of Florida's three most powerful politicians took
at a state college just looked bad. Now, it looks awful. House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin, accepted a $110,000 administrative position at Northwest Florida State College last month on the same day he was sworn in as speaker. It looked bad because, according to what was known at the time, Rep. Sansom this year had sponsored a bill to let the former Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Rep. Sansom's Panhandle district get a new four-year mission and a new "State College" designation.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/12/07/a16a_leadedit_sansom_1207.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
From Safe Schools South Florida
-Jamaican Lesbian Spoken Word Poet Staceyann Chin
Comes to Miami January 19-23, 2009
Featuring Tigertail SpeakOut Workshops & Slam for Gay Youth
Tigertail Productions continues its SpeakOut project for the GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered) community with a weeklong residency with nationally recognized New York-based Jamaican lesbian spoken word poet and performer Staceyann Chin. School and community workshops, as well as a poetry slam evening, geared towards GLBT youth, and a reading and panel discussion for the general audience, take place throughout Miami-Dade County. All events are free. For more information and a full schedule visit www.tigertail.org or call Tigertail Productions at 305 324 4337. [...] In addition, there will be a similar open-to-the-public teen workshop held at Pridelines Youth Services, 180 NE 19th Street in Miami, on Tuesday, January 20 at 6:00 pm.
WHEN: January 19-23, 2009
*Workshops for gay teens at high schools and community venues, Tuesday through Thursday, January 20-22
*Slam and open mic for gay teens, Thursday, January 22, 5:30 pm, at Miami Beach Regional Library, 227 22nd Street, Miami Beach Panel Discussion, Race, Sex and Gender Panel Discussion, Monday, January 19, 7:30 pm, The Light Box at Miami Light Project, 3000 Biscayne Boulevard, Suite 100, Miami
*Reading and Performance, Friday, January 23, 7:30 pm, Books & Books, 265 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables
*All events are free. For more information call 305 324 4337 or online at
www.tigertail.org
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Gov. Crist weds in St. Petersburg
By Brendan Farrington | The Associated Press
Gov. Charlie Crist became the first sitting Florida governor to wed in nearly 42 years, exchanging vows Friday evening with New York socialite Carole Rome in a church ceremony. Crist, 52, and Rome, 39, met at a dinner in New York City in September 2007 and the romance took off quickly. Less then 10 months later, Crist proposed, giving the millionaire socialite a sapphire engagement ring at his rented condo in downtown St. Petersburg.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sfl-1213crist,0,5029608.story
-Funds put Everglades on road to restoration
$1 million allocated to help solve water flow problems with the Tamiami Trail
By David Fleshler | South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Bush administration officials gathered Friday at Everglades National Park to announce additional restoration funding and prepare to hand over to a new administration the difficult, frustrating, lawsuit-producing job of restoring the South Florida wilderness.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbeverglades1213sbdec13,0,1616547.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Florida Gov. Crist's wedding tonight marries money to politics
By Fred Tasker, Miami Herald
The weather should be beautiful -- crisp and clear, in the low 60s -- at 9 p.m. tonight when Charles Joseph ''Charlie'' Crist Jr., 52, weds Carole Rome, nee Oumano, 39, before 200 or so friends and allies at the United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/810399.html
-Florida pulling plug on Port of Miami tunnel
Florida pulled the plug for a Miami tunnel that's been in the works since the late 1980s. Will the DOT reallocate more than $1.3 billion to other projects?
http://www.miamiherald.com/460/story/811231.html
-Miami shows off its help for the homeless
Many big cities are reporting a rising homeless population, but Miami isn't one of them.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/811269.html
-Deerfield Beach mayor arrested on felony corruption charge
BY JOSE PAGLIERY jpagliery@MiamiHerald.com
The mayor of Deerfield Beach, who once claimed the city would be better off in his hands, was spending Friday night in Broward County Jail. Albert Capellini, who has held public office for almost two decades, was charged with corruption by the state attorney's office on Thursday.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/breaking-news/story/811141.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Challenge to Florida Democratic Party chairwoman folds
By Michael C. Bender
Miami-Dade Democrat Bret Berlin just closed his campaign to unseat Florida Democratic Party Chairwoman Karen Thurman. Continue reading for his letter explaining why.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/12/12/challenge_to_florida_democrati.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
-Florida Crystals opposing state deal with US Sugar
A major competitor of U.S. Sugar filed a complaint alleging its $1.34 billion dollar deal to sell the state land won't advance Everglades restoration and only lines the pockets of U.S. Sugar, a spokesman for Florida Crystals said Friday.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/gen/ap/FL_Everglades_Restoration.html
-Previous deals cloud new House speaker
By Alex Leary
House Speaker Ray Sansom appointed key policy leaders for the 2009 Legislature on Tuesday, but the news remained in the shadow of a controversy that has been the talk of the Capitol for weeks.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article931989.ece
-House speaker sold political soul, and at a bargain price
Sunday, December 07, 2008
At first, the job that one of Florida's three most powerful politicians took
at a state college just looked bad. Now, it looks awful. House Speaker Ray Sansom, R-Destin, accepted a $110,000 administrative position at Northwest Florida State College last month on the same day he was sworn in as speaker. It looked bad because, according to what was known at the time, Rep. Sansom this year had sponsored a bill to let the former Okaloosa-Walton Community College in Rep. Sansom's Panhandle district get a new four-year mission and a new "State College" designation.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2008/12/07/a16a_leadedit_sansom_1207.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Thursday, December 11, 2008
GLBT DIGEST December 11, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Day to `call in gay' finds few willing to strike
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121003164.html
-Showtime develops coming-out series
By James Hibberd
Showtime is developing a reality series documenting gay people coming out to friends and family. The project is titled "Way Out." In each episode, a closeted individual reveals their true sexual orientation during a group meeting.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121100201.html
-Bill Ayers's Unreal Past
Charles Lane
Three decades after the end of the Weather Underground, he's still justifying its means.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121002948.html
=
Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Ricky Martin shows off his babies
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
=
365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Looming marriage battle in New York
By James Withers
It's not a good sign when a politician issues a threat to a reporter, but that is what state senator Ruben Diaz Sr. did. Elected to the New York State Senate in 2002, Diaz, Sr. has been in the news recently as one member of the Gang of Three, a trio of Democrats who promised to support state Senator Malcolm A. Smith as leader of the senate as long as he followed certain rules. One of those regulations was to keep same-sex marriage from being voted on.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/withers-looming-marriage-battle-in-new-york/
-Gay soldiers (not) home for Christmas
By Jennifer Vanasco, editor in chief, 365gay.com
Lee Quillian, now retired from the Navy, remembers one holiday season when she was serving on a ship in the Middle East. "They risk outing their partner." All the other sailors were going to a special room to film video messages to their sweethearts. But not Quillian. She didn't record a message.
http://www.365gay.com/living/gay-soldiers-not-home-for-christmas/
-Nobel Prize ceremony honors AIDS discovery
(Stockholm) Scientists who discovered the AIDS virus, an outspoken U.S. economist and a Finnish diplomat who helped solve some of the world's thorniest conflicts were honored Wednesday with the 2008 Nobel Prizes.
http://www.365gay.com/news/nobel-prize-ceremony-honors-aids-discovery/
-Illinois civil union bill likely dead
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
Legislation to allow civil unions for same-sex couples in Illinois appears to have little chance of coming to a vote as the state grapples with the nationwide economic crisis and the scandal that has enveloped Illinois over Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D).
http://www.365gay.com/news/illinois-civil-union-bill-likely-dead/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-U.S. Still Unattached to United Nations' First Gay Rights Statement
A United Nations joint statement calling for countries to decriminalize homosexuality and keep LGBT people safe has been backed by nearly every Western nation -- except possibly the United States.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68209.asp
-Obama to Name Out L.A. Deputy Mayor to Environmental Post
A Democratic aide has confirmed to The Advocate that President-elect Obama will be naming Los Angeles deputy mayor Nancy Sutley, who is gay, as a senior member of his environmental team, as reported Wednesday by the Los Angeles Times.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68150.asp
-Video: [This is a must see]
Daily Show's Jon Stewart Corners Mike Huckabee on Gay Marriage Former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee dropped by Jon Stewart's Daily Show Tuesday to promote his new book, Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68162.asp
-LGBT Band Marches for Inaugural Parade
President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural parade on January 20 will be the first in history to include an openly LGBT group. The Lesbian and Gay Band Association will march down Pennsylvania Avenue following Obama's swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68184.asp
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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-The New Religious Right
Link: The Advocate
Mormons make up only 2% of California's population, so the fact that they played such an outsize role in the Yes on 8 campaign testifies to their rigid and efficient organization as a religious community. Because the church requests that members tithe 10% of their annual income, LDS leaders are able to gain an accurate picture p of how much their congregants earn. With this information in hand, bishops in local communities went from house to house in California asking for specific amounts of money for the Yes on 8 campaign -- an incredibly effective fund-raising tactic. Mormons boast high rates of involvement in church-related activities, including commitments that can be quite demanding, such as missionary work, whereby members spend up to two years proselyting, often in far-flung overseas locations.
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Nepal to support LGBT rights statement at UN
The Prime Minister of Nepal has instructed his country's UN Ambassador to support an oral statement on the universal rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The statement will be read out at the UN General Assembly next week.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9820.html
-New York Democrats refuse to give in on gay marriage
A power struggle between Democrats in the New York State Senate that at one point threatened the party's commitment to gay marriage continues.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9819.html
-South Africans still not OK with same-sex relationships
82% of the adult population of South Africa think that sex between two men or two women could be considered 'always wrong,' according to the latest South African Social Attitudes Survey.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9813.html
-Gay political leader pledges to cut German aid to homophobic countries
An openly gay politician in Germany has said that if he is appointed Foreign Minister next year he will cut aid to countries that discriminate against women or sexual minorities.
-Italian TV channel attacked for showing cut version of Brokeback Mountain
Italy's national broadcaster has said it will show gay cowboy love story Brokeback Mountain in full after it came under fire for broadcasting a cut version.
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Family Equality Council
We've got some good news and some not-so-good news. The good news is 73 families have stepped up to the plate in our Spread the Cheer Challenge! What is the Spread the Cheer Challenge? If we reach 300 donations by December 21st we will receive $25,000 for our families. The not-so-good news is that we are still 227 donations away from winning this challenge. We can do it-but we need your help to make it happen. 2009 promises to be a critical year for family equality-please stand with the Family Equality Council team, and all of our families across the country by making a contribution today. 73 donors have made a difference, 227 to go-please be our 74th donor and help us win $25,000. Together we are making a difference.
https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?ievent=104468&en=ewJ0IeNPLkIYK5OPLeLYIbPPJhLWIiO1KdKVKfO0JqK9LrPeE
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-No On 'Gay is Black'
Patricia Nell Warren | The Bilerico Project
"Gay is the new black." It's slick as a slogan, but dangerous as a dogma. I understand what its purveyors are trying to do with it. But it's dangerous ground to stand on, and already is blowing up in their faces. I agree with activist Michael Crawford that it's proving to be divisive and hurtful, and doesn't represent the positioning of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered/intersex people who are black. The slogan promotes a habit of equating one civil-rights cause with another. Equating is ignorant and presumptuous. Just because two groups are aiming for equal protection under U.S. law doesn't mean that their issues are alike in any way. So "gay is the new black" is provoking resentful reactions from some African Americans. They state that we gays should not dare to equate our situation to their centuries in slavery - that they suffered far more than we did. But how do they know how much we suffered? The conservative churchgoers among them would probably not stop and consider what it was like to be burned for sodomy in Renaissance Italy, or hung for sodomy in the American colonies. After all, they believe that we're evil and deserved the punishment. Read more
-In the Name of God, Sod Off
Andrew Brown | The Guardian
The headline on this piece was actually taken from life: it was the conclusion of a letter sent to Lord Runcie at Lambeth Palace by a disaffected Anglican. It's by no means the nastiest thing ever sent to a liberal bishop by fellow Christians. Others have had dogshit sent them or been told they should have their balls cut off with rusty scissors. But every once in a a while, usually in the USA, a liberal bishop gets into self-expression too. Here is the Bishop of Washington explaining the Anglican schism to his flock. To understand what follows, you have to know something that none of the British press actually reported last week, which was the latest stage in the Anglican schism. A number of splinter groups, with perhaps 350 congregations between them, in the USA and Canada announced they were leaving the Episcopal church there and forming their own, which they hope will be recognised eventually by the rest of the Anglican Communion, whatever that may be. In the first place, they want recognition from the Gafcon grouping, some of whose members have already consecrated some of the new splinter groups' bishops. Anyway, it all made a front page story in the New York Times. Read more
-CA: More attacks, lies and threats
Equality California
Anti-gay extremists are trying to intimidate justices on the California Supreme Court by threatening a recall if they rule that that Prop 8 is invalid. "You will see a mobilized group like you have never seen in the state of California. There are grounds for a recall. We saw that with Gray Davis. We have an oligarchy, an oligarchy in judges' role in the state of California."1 Protect California leaders who stand with us-make a donation today. http://www.eqcapac.org/protect-ca-leadership More . . . .
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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Obama urged to back UN LGBT rights statement
by Peter Tatchel:
Decriminalisation statement now expected 15 to 20 December
Still time to lobby governments to support UN initiative
"I urge Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the US Congress to speak out in support of the forthcoming UN statement on LGBT human rights," said Peter Tatchell of the British lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights movement, OutRage! "To draw a line under the homophobic policies of the Bush administration, they need to publicly endorse this UN initiative for LGBT human rights. "If the US government does not sign up, it will be aligning itself with homophobic non-signing regimes like Iran, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Belarus," he said. The presentation of the ground-breaking statement on LGBT issues to the UN General Assembly is now expected to take place between 15 and 20 December (not 10 December, as previously reported). The exact date is yet to be finalised. It partly depends on other UN business. [...] See the global survey of homophobia, published by the International Gay and Lesbian Association:
http://www.ilga.org/news_results.asp?LanguageID=1&FileCategoryID=9&FileID=1165&ZoneID=7
and
http://www.ilga.org/statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2008.pdf
-Analysis: What does the UN statement on LGBT rights say?
http://gay.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9809.html
-Vienna - When Stefan Petzner said after the death of Joerg Haider in October that the far-right leader was his "Lebensmensch", the most important person in his life, he probably did not guess that Austrians would vote the term as buzzword of the year. Although the word usually describes a close, important friendship, the public saw Petzner's use of the term as having a more intimate meaning, said professor Rudolf Muhr, the head of the panel of linguists at the University of Graz who announced the results of the online vote Thursday. "It was seen as a public acknowledgment of homosexuality," he said about the comment by Petzner, who was Haider's deputy as leader of the Alliance for the Future of Austria and is now a member or parliament. As Haider had carefully maintained his image as a mountain-climbing family man, Muhr said, "the word was like a bomb falling from the sky." When the 58-year-old Alliance leader and governor of the Carinthia province died on October 11 in a car accident, he left behind his wife Claudia and two grown-up daughters.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/245728,haiders-sexuality-inspires-austrian-word-of-the-year--feature.html
-TASMANIAN GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS GROUP
COUNCIL SAYS 'SORRY' FOR GAY ARRESTS
In a moving ceremony in the Hobart Town Hall last night, the Hobart City Council apologised for banning a gay law reform stall from the city's popular Salamanca Market and ordering the arrest of those staffing and supporting the stall. In 1988 a stall gathering petition signatures to repeal Tasmania's laws against homosexuality was shut down on Council orders and over subsequent weeks more than 100 people were arrested defending the stall in what became Australia's largest ever act of gay rights civil disobedience. The apology delivered by Lord Mayor, Rob Valentine, to an emotional audience of 200 former arrestees, LGBT community members and civic leaders including State Premier, David Bartlett, coincided with the 20th anniversary of the the arrests and the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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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
-Outdoor drag shows at Miami Beach bar get OK to continue
BY TANIA VALDEMORO
The drag queen show at the Palace Food Bar will go on. Miami Beach put a stop to the Ocean Drive bar's outdoor performances, citing noise complaints and a need to keep sidewalks clear for pedestrians. But at a Nov. 26 hearing -- attended by several female impersonators decked out in platform boots and colorful wigs, as well as a throng of supporters -- the city's Planning Board unanimously agreed to give owner Tom Donall a permit that allows performances on the terrace of the restaurant and bar at 1200 Ocean Dr.The entertainers, who previously would leave the bar to perform for passersby, will still be barred from singing and dancing on the sidewalk or across the street. The shows have been a South Beach staple for two decades.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/beaches/story/795295.html
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Truth Wins Out
by Wayne Besen
http://www.truthwinsout.org/
Today, I took a big risk for equality. I placed a $6,000 full-page ad in the Salt Lake Tribune with the limited funds of a small organization in tough economic times.
www.truthwinsout.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/two_ad_large.jpg [...]
Together, we can stand up to anti-gay lies and win full equality. The days of sitting back and doing nothing are over. Please join our "Group of Sixty" by giving a $100 gift right now. You have always been able to count on T.W.O. to speak the truth, and now, we are counting on you. P.S. If you are able to give more we would greatly appreciate it. If you are unable to give at this level, please consider a gift of $10 or more and help us fight back. Every dollar helps.
http://www.truthwinsout.org/donate.html
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Jesse's Journal
by Jesse Monteagudo
-Miami's Gay Bar Scene in 1974
Miami in the 1970's was a great time to be young and gay. As my fictional alter-ego, Joe Martinez, said in one of his adventures, "Miami was a candy store for a young gay guy just out of the closet." With no AIDS in sight, and most venereal diseases treated with a simple shot, it was "the golden age of gay sexuality." It was also a golden age for Miami-Dade County's lesbian and gay bar scene. Not only were there far fewer raids than before, but local laws that made it a crime for "known homosexuals" to be served liquor or congregate in a tavern were overturned. The legal drinking age was 18, which made things very convenient for a young gay man who was just coming out.
Contact Ray's List for the full article.
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Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's - GLAAD
http://www.glaad.org/
"The Best & Worst of National News"
November 2008
THE BEST
-MSNBC's Keith Olbermann Gives Heartfelt Special Comment Against the Passage of Proposition 8
During the November 10 broadcast of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, the host devoted six minutes of the program to a highly personal special comment concerning the passage of Proposition 8. Olbermann stated, "In a time of impermanence and fly-by relationships, these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option." The host called upon those who had voted for or supported the anti-gay legislation and asked them to examine the impact that taking marriage away form loving, committed same-sex couples has had on so many, gay and straight alike. He continued, stating, "They want what you want. A chance to be a little less alone in the world. Only now you are saying, 'No.'" Olbermann also said of the passage of Prop 8, "This vote is horrible. Horrible. Because this isn't about yelling and this isn't about politics. This is about the human heart. And if that sounds corny, so be it."
VIEW CLIP:
http://www.glaad.org/stf_app/media_player.php?media_file=http://www.glaadbackup.com/2008/Video/MSNBC_Olbermann_SpecialComment_111008.mov&title=MSNBC%2011.10.2008
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Keith Olbermann and thank him for talking about the significance of marriage for same-sex couples.
CONTACT:
Keith Olbermann
KOlbermann@msnbc.com
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
countdown@msnbc.com
-The New York Times Calls Attention to the Murder of Duanna Johnson
Earlier this month, Duanna Johnson, a 40-year-old African American transgender woman, was murdered in Memphis, Tenn. While local coverage was slow and often missed the mark, The New York Times reporter Robbie Brown penned a respectful and informative piece about Johnson on November 17 titled, "Murder of Transgender Woman Revives Scrutiny." Johnson's story first garnered media attention when she was the victim of police brutality in February. The incident was caught on tape, which led to substantial local and national media coverage. The news of her death did not garner the same volume of coverage, with the exception of this article in The New York Times. Reporter Robbie Brown spoke to local advocates who put Johnson's murder in context and helped to underscore the human side of the tragedy. "Duanna Johnson's case was tragic before, and now it's an almost unimaginable loss,"said Jared Feuer, Southern Regional Director of Amnesty International.
READ ARTICLE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/us/18memphis.html?em
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact reporter Robbie Brown and The New York Times and thank them for bringing national visibility to Duanna Johnson's tragic death and the pervasive problem of hate violence against transgender people.
CONTACT:
The New York Times
letters@nytimes.com
-The Washington Post Brings Attention to the Struggles of the Gay Community in India
A national debate over equal rights erupted in India this past summer when Section 377 of the Indian Penal code, which criminalizes being gay, was unsuccessfully challenged. Unfortunately, there is very little media coverage of the LGBT community in India. But in an article published on November 15 for the The Washington Post, titled "For Gays in India, Fear Rules," Emily Wax explores the struggles that members of the LGBT community in India face every day. With no protection from the state and coercive societal pressure to marry members of the opposite sex, gay people are forced to find solace in secret and commonly face threats of being blackmailed or outed. But as Wax points out, there is a growing support coming from younger Indians, many of whom work for multinational companies with LGBT-inclusive policies. The overall story is a vital reminder of the persecution faced by members of the LGBT community abroad.
READ ARTICLE:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/14/AR2008111403645.html
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Emily Wax and The Washington Post and thank them for bringing much-needed attention to the current discrimination LGBT people face in India.
CONTACT:
Emily Wax
waxe@washpost.com
Washington Post
letters@washpost.com
THE WORST
-Fox's Bill O'Reilly Continually Misses the Mark in November Coverage of LGBT Issues
In the weeks following the election, Bill O'Reilly has continued to provide a platform for anti-gay views and misinformation about LGBT issues. The host gave former House Speaker Newt Gingrich a platform to spew incendiary defamatory anti-gay rhetoric, going so far as to associate the gay community with "secular fascism." On the November 14 broadcast, Gingrich stated, "I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it. I think it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion." Earlier in the month, O'Reilly made a similarly appalling comparison, stating that the marriage ruling in Massachusetts was a result of "fascism." But that wasn't all for O'Reilly this month. On the November 12 broadcast, Dennis Miller made a sophomoric and juvenile jab at openly gay Chairman of the House of Financial Services Committee Barney Frank. When O'Reilly suggested that Frank be arrested, Miller stated, "Barney might want to be arrested," to which both responded with laughter, exaggerated gestures and innuendo. Additionally, following the passage of the anti-gay Proposition 8 in California, O'Reilly devoted several segments to debates that pitted African American and LGBT communities against each other. The host consistently categorized the African American community as largely or uniformly anti-gay, despite the availability of data and information that indicates otherwise. Instead, O'Reilly chose to misrepresent the issue and misinform his viewers.
VIEW CLIPS:
Fox News - The O'Reilly Factor 11.12.08: Proposition 8
Fox News - The O'Reilly Factor 11.12.08: Dennis Miller
Fox News - The O'Reilly Factor 11.14.08: Newt Gingrich
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact Fox News executives and remind them that the LGBT community and our allies will continue to call out Fox News Channel and the producers of The O'Reilly Factor for the harmful anti-gay sentiments he perpetuates, which continue to reflect poorly on the News Corporation brand.
CONTACT:
Mr. John Moody
Senior Vice President, News Editorial
FOX News Channel
moody@foxnews.com
Ms. Sharri Berg
Senior Vice President, News Operations
FOX News Channel
sharri.berg@foxnews.com
-Clear Channel Refuses to Issue an Apology for Jim Quinn's Attack Against the LGBT Community
During the November 6 broadcast of the nationally syndicated radio program The War Room with Quinn & Rose, co-host Jim Quinn made highly offensive and ignorant statements regarding the gay community. In a discussion on the passage of the anti-gay Proposition 8 in California, he asserted, "[G]ay marriage doesn't produce anything that the state has an interest in. Gay sex produces AIDS, which the state doesn't have- or should have an interest in. They should charge homosexuals more for their- for their health insurance than they charge the rest of us." On November 7, GLAAD issued a Call to Action, asking the community and its allies to contact Clear Channel Communications and voice their concerns. Despite numerous complaints, Clear Channel has refused to issue an apology and has not disciplined Quinn for his disgusting and unacceptable remarks.
LISTEN TO AUDIO CLIP:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200811070005?f=h_latest
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact Clear Channel Communications and express your concern over the complete lack of responsibility taken by the syndicate in response to Quinn's reprehensible statements.
CONTACT:
Lisa Dollinger
Chief Communications Officer
Clear Channel Communications
(210) 822-2828
lisacdollinger@clearchannel.com
Kathryn Johnson
Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations
Clear Channel Communications
(210) 822-2828
KathrynMaysJohnson@clearchannel.com
Sanda Coyle
Clear Channel Radio
(210) 822-2828
sandacoyle@clearchannel.com
-University of Washington Student Paper Publishes Juvenile Anti-Gay Defamation
A November 25 op-ed in the University of Washington's student newspaper The Daily likened marriage for same-sex couples to bestiality, among other defamatory comparisons. The column was illustrated with a highly offensive graphic of a man standing next to a sheep. In the column, writer John Fay repeatedly makes a series of offensive statements about the gay community throughout the op-ed, titled "Gay marriage? Let's stop and think about this." After making a host of illogical arguments, he suggests that "homosexuality is more of an emotional condition," claiming that if same-sex couples are given the right to marry, "�why not polygamy, incest, bestiality or any other form of union? If the only criteria is that people love each other, then who says it's wrong for a 70-year-old man to marry 10 underage girls?" Such ignorant remarks serve to distract and sensationalize rather than focus on the real issue of extending protections for same-sex couples in marriage.
READ ARTICLE:
http://dailyuw.com/2008/11/25/gay-marriage-lets-stop-and-think-about/
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact John Fay and The Daily and let them know that publishing such grossly offensive commentary and defamatory imagery is unacceptable.
CONTACT:
John Fay
opinion@dailyuw.com
Sarah Jeglum
Editor-in-Chief
The Daily
editor@dailyuw.com
http://www.glaad.org/BestAndWorst/Nov2008.php
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Day to `call in gay' finds few willing to strike
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121003164.html
-Showtime develops coming-out series
By James Hibberd
Showtime is developing a reality series documenting gay people coming out to friends and family. The project is titled "Way Out." In each episode, a closeted individual reveals their true sexual orientation during a group meeting.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121100201.html
-Bill Ayers's Unreal Past
Charles Lane
Three decades after the end of the Weather Underground, he's still justifying its means.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121002948.html
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Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Ricky Martin shows off his babies
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Looming marriage battle in New York
By James Withers
It's not a good sign when a politician issues a threat to a reporter, but that is what state senator Ruben Diaz Sr. did. Elected to the New York State Senate in 2002, Diaz, Sr. has been in the news recently as one member of the Gang of Three, a trio of Democrats who promised to support state Senator Malcolm A. Smith as leader of the senate as long as he followed certain rules. One of those regulations was to keep same-sex marriage from being voted on.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/withers-looming-marriage-battle-in-new-york/
-Gay soldiers (not) home for Christmas
By Jennifer Vanasco, editor in chief, 365gay.com
Lee Quillian, now retired from the Navy, remembers one holiday season when she was serving on a ship in the Middle East. "They risk outing their partner." All the other sailors were going to a special room to film video messages to their sweethearts. But not Quillian. She didn't record a message.
http://www.365gay.com/living/gay-soldiers-not-home-for-christmas/
-Nobel Prize ceremony honors AIDS discovery
(Stockholm) Scientists who discovered the AIDS virus, an outspoken U.S. economist and a Finnish diplomat who helped solve some of the world's thorniest conflicts were honored Wednesday with the 2008 Nobel Prizes.
http://www.365gay.com/news/nobel-prize-ceremony-honors-aids-discovery/
-Illinois civil union bill likely dead
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
Legislation to allow civil unions for same-sex couples in Illinois appears to have little chance of coming to a vote as the state grapples with the nationwide economic crisis and the scandal that has enveloped Illinois over Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D).
http://www.365gay.com/news/illinois-civil-union-bill-likely-dead/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-U.S. Still Unattached to United Nations' First Gay Rights Statement
A United Nations joint statement calling for countries to decriminalize homosexuality and keep LGBT people safe has been backed by nearly every Western nation -- except possibly the United States.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68209.asp
-Obama to Name Out L.A. Deputy Mayor to Environmental Post
A Democratic aide has confirmed to The Advocate that President-elect Obama will be naming Los Angeles deputy mayor Nancy Sutley, who is gay, as a senior member of his environmental team, as reported Wednesday by the Los Angeles Times.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68150.asp
-Video: [This is a must see]
Daily Show's Jon Stewart Corners Mike Huckabee on Gay Marriage Former Republican presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee dropped by Jon Stewart's Daily Show Tuesday to promote his new book, Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68162.asp
-LGBT Band Marches for Inaugural Parade
President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural parade on January 20 will be the first in history to include an openly LGBT group. The Lesbian and Gay Band Association will march down Pennsylvania Avenue following Obama's swearing-in on the steps of the Capitol.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68184.asp
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Marriage Equality News
http://samesexmarriage.typepad.com/weblog/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-The New Religious Right
Link: The Advocate
Mormons make up only 2% of California's population, so the fact that they played such an outsize role in the Yes on 8 campaign testifies to their rigid and efficient organization as a religious community. Because the church requests that members tithe 10% of their annual income, LDS leaders are able to gain an accurate picture p of how much their congregants earn. With this information in hand, bishops in local communities went from house to house in California asking for specific amounts of money for the Yes on 8 campaign -- an incredibly effective fund-raising tactic. Mormons boast high rates of involvement in church-related activities, including commitments that can be quite demanding, such as missionary work, whereby members spend up to two years proselyting, often in far-flung overseas locations.
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Nepal to support LGBT rights statement at UN
The Prime Minister of Nepal has instructed his country's UN Ambassador to support an oral statement on the universal rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. The statement will be read out at the UN General Assembly next week.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9820.html
-New York Democrats refuse to give in on gay marriage
A power struggle between Democrats in the New York State Senate that at one point threatened the party's commitment to gay marriage continues.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9819.html
-South Africans still not OK with same-sex relationships
82% of the adult population of South Africa think that sex between two men or two women could be considered 'always wrong,' according to the latest South African Social Attitudes Survey.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9813.html
-Gay political leader pledges to cut German aid to homophobic countries
An openly gay politician in Germany has said that if he is appointed Foreign Minister next year he will cut aid to countries that discriminate against women or sexual minorities.
-Italian TV channel attacked for showing cut version of Brokeback Mountain
Italy's national broadcaster has said it will show gay cowboy love story Brokeback Mountain in full after it came under fire for broadcasting a cut version.
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Family Equality Council
We've got some good news and some not-so-good news. The good news is 73 families have stepped up to the plate in our Spread the Cheer Challenge! What is the Spread the Cheer Challenge? If we reach 300 donations by December 21st we will receive $25,000 for our families. The not-so-good news is that we are still 227 donations away from winning this challenge. We can do it-but we need your help to make it happen. 2009 promises to be a critical year for family equality-please stand with the Family Equality Council team, and all of our families across the country by making a contribution today. 73 donors have made a difference, 227 to go-please be our 74th donor and help us win $25,000. Together we are making a difference.
https://www.kintera.org/AutoGen/Simple/Donor.asp?ievent=104468&en=ewJ0IeNPLkIYK5OPLeLYIbPPJhLWIiO1KdKVKfO0JqK9LrPeE
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-No On 'Gay is Black'
Patricia Nell Warren | The Bilerico Project
"Gay is the new black." It's slick as a slogan, but dangerous as a dogma. I understand what its purveyors are trying to do with it. But it's dangerous ground to stand on, and already is blowing up in their faces. I agree with activist Michael Crawford that it's proving to be divisive and hurtful, and doesn't represent the positioning of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgendered/intersex people who are black. The slogan promotes a habit of equating one civil-rights cause with another. Equating is ignorant and presumptuous. Just because two groups are aiming for equal protection under U.S. law doesn't mean that their issues are alike in any way. So "gay is the new black" is provoking resentful reactions from some African Americans. They state that we gays should not dare to equate our situation to their centuries in slavery - that they suffered far more than we did. But how do they know how much we suffered? The conservative churchgoers among them would probably not stop and consider what it was like to be burned for sodomy in Renaissance Italy, or hung for sodomy in the American colonies. After all, they believe that we're evil and deserved the punishment. Read more
-In the Name of God, Sod Off
Andrew Brown | The Guardian
The headline on this piece was actually taken from life: it was the conclusion of a letter sent to Lord Runcie at Lambeth Palace by a disaffected Anglican. It's by no means the nastiest thing ever sent to a liberal bishop by fellow Christians. Others have had dogshit sent them or been told they should have their balls cut off with rusty scissors. But every once in a a while, usually in the USA, a liberal bishop gets into self-expression too. Here is the Bishop of Washington explaining the Anglican schism to his flock. To understand what follows, you have to know something that none of the British press actually reported last week, which was the latest stage in the Anglican schism. A number of splinter groups, with perhaps 350 congregations between them, in the USA and Canada announced they were leaving the Episcopal church there and forming their own, which they hope will be recognised eventually by the rest of the Anglican Communion, whatever that may be. In the first place, they want recognition from the Gafcon grouping, some of whose members have already consecrated some of the new splinter groups' bishops. Anyway, it all made a front page story in the New York Times. Read more
-CA: More attacks, lies and threats
Equality California
Anti-gay extremists are trying to intimidate justices on the California Supreme Court by threatening a recall if they rule that that Prop 8 is invalid. "You will see a mobilized group like you have never seen in the state of California. There are grounds for a recall. We saw that with Gray Davis. We have an oligarchy, an oligarchy in judges' role in the state of California."1 Protect California leaders who stand with us-make a donation today. http://www.eqcapac.org/protect-ca-leadership More . . . .
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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Obama urged to back UN LGBT rights statement
by Peter Tatchel:
Decriminalisation statement now expected 15 to 20 December
Still time to lobby governments to support UN initiative
"I urge Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and the US Congress to speak out in support of the forthcoming UN statement on LGBT human rights," said Peter Tatchell of the British lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) human rights movement, OutRage! "To draw a line under the homophobic policies of the Bush administration, they need to publicly endorse this UN initiative for LGBT human rights. "If the US government does not sign up, it will be aligning itself with homophobic non-signing regimes like Iran, Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, Uganda and Belarus," he said. The presentation of the ground-breaking statement on LGBT issues to the UN General Assembly is now expected to take place between 15 and 20 December (not 10 December, as previously reported). The exact date is yet to be finalised. It partly depends on other UN business. [...] See the global survey of homophobia, published by the International Gay and Lesbian Association:
http://www.ilga.org/news_results.asp?LanguageID=1&FileCategoryID=9&FileID=1165&ZoneID=7
and
http://www.ilga.org/statehomophobia/ILGA_State_Sponsored_Homophobia_2008.pdf
-Analysis: What does the UN statement on LGBT rights say?
http://gay.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9809.html
-Vienna - When Stefan Petzner said after the death of Joerg Haider in October that the far-right leader was his "Lebensmensch", the most important person in his life, he probably did not guess that Austrians would vote the term as buzzword of the year. Although the word usually describes a close, important friendship, the public saw Petzner's use of the term as having a more intimate meaning, said professor Rudolf Muhr, the head of the panel of linguists at the University of Graz who announced the results of the online vote Thursday. "It was seen as a public acknowledgment of homosexuality," he said about the comment by Petzner, who was Haider's deputy as leader of the Alliance for the Future of Austria and is now a member or parliament. As Haider had carefully maintained his image as a mountain-climbing family man, Muhr said, "the word was like a bomb falling from the sky." When the 58-year-old Alliance leader and governor of the Carinthia province died on October 11 in a car accident, he left behind his wife Claudia and two grown-up daughters.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/245728,haiders-sexuality-inspires-austrian-word-of-the-year--feature.html
-TASMANIAN GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS GROUP
COUNCIL SAYS 'SORRY' FOR GAY ARRESTS
In a moving ceremony in the Hobart Town Hall last night, the Hobart City Council apologised for banning a gay law reform stall from the city's popular Salamanca Market and ordering the arrest of those staffing and supporting the stall. In 1988 a stall gathering petition signatures to repeal Tasmania's laws against homosexuality was shut down on Council orders and over subsequent weeks more than 100 people were arrested defending the stall in what became Australia's largest ever act of gay rights civil disobedience. The apology delivered by Lord Mayor, Rob Valentine, to an emotional audience of 200 former arrestees, LGBT community members and civic leaders including State Premier, David Bartlett, coincided with the 20th anniversary of the the arrests and the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
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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
-Outdoor drag shows at Miami Beach bar get OK to continue
BY TANIA VALDEMORO
The drag queen show at the Palace Food Bar will go on. Miami Beach put a stop to the Ocean Drive bar's outdoor performances, citing noise complaints and a need to keep sidewalks clear for pedestrians. But at a Nov. 26 hearing -- attended by several female impersonators decked out in platform boots and colorful wigs, as well as a throng of supporters -- the city's Planning Board unanimously agreed to give owner Tom Donall a permit that allows performances on the terrace of the restaurant and bar at 1200 Ocean Dr.The entertainers, who previously would leave the bar to perform for passersby, will still be barred from singing and dancing on the sidewalk or across the street. The shows have been a South Beach staple for two decades.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/miami_dade/beaches/story/795295.html
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Truth Wins Out
by Wayne Besen
http://www.truthwinsout.org/
Today, I took a big risk for equality. I placed a $6,000 full-page ad in the Salt Lake Tribune with the limited funds of a small organization in tough economic times.
www.truthwinsout.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/two_ad_large.jpg [...]
Together, we can stand up to anti-gay lies and win full equality. The days of sitting back and doing nothing are over. Please join our "Group of Sixty" by giving a $100 gift right now. You have always been able to count on T.W.O. to speak the truth, and now, we are counting on you. P.S. If you are able to give more we would greatly appreciate it. If you are unable to give at this level, please consider a gift of $10 or more and help us fight back. Every dollar helps.
http://www.truthwinsout.org/donate.html
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Jesse's Journal
by Jesse Monteagudo
-Miami's Gay Bar Scene in 1974
Miami in the 1970's was a great time to be young and gay. As my fictional alter-ego, Joe Martinez, said in one of his adventures, "Miami was a candy store for a young gay guy just out of the closet." With no AIDS in sight, and most venereal diseases treated with a simple shot, it was "the golden age of gay sexuality." It was also a golden age for Miami-Dade County's lesbian and gay bar scene. Not only were there far fewer raids than before, but local laws that made it a crime for "known homosexuals" to be served liquor or congregate in a tavern were overturned. The legal drinking age was 18, which made things very convenient for a young gay man who was just coming out.
Contact Ray's List for the full article.
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Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation's - GLAAD
http://www.glaad.org/
"The Best & Worst of National News"
November 2008
THE BEST
-MSNBC's Keith Olbermann Gives Heartfelt Special Comment Against the Passage of Proposition 8
During the November 10 broadcast of MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann, the host devoted six minutes of the program to a highly personal special comment concerning the passage of Proposition 8. Olbermann stated, "In a time of impermanence and fly-by relationships, these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option." The host called upon those who had voted for or supported the anti-gay legislation and asked them to examine the impact that taking marriage away form loving, committed same-sex couples has had on so many, gay and straight alike. He continued, stating, "They want what you want. A chance to be a little less alone in the world. Only now you are saying, 'No.'" Olbermann also said of the passage of Prop 8, "This vote is horrible. Horrible. Because this isn't about yelling and this isn't about politics. This is about the human heart. And if that sounds corny, so be it."
VIEW CLIP:
http://www.glaad.org/stf_app/media_player.php?media_file=http://www.glaadbackup.com/2008/Video/MSNBC_Olbermann_SpecialComment_111008.mov&title=MSNBC%2011.10.2008
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Keith Olbermann and thank him for talking about the significance of marriage for same-sex couples.
CONTACT:
Keith Olbermann
KOlbermann@msnbc.com
Countdown with Keith Olbermann
countdown@msnbc.com
-The New York Times Calls Attention to the Murder of Duanna Johnson
Earlier this month, Duanna Johnson, a 40-year-old African American transgender woman, was murdered in Memphis, Tenn. While local coverage was slow and often missed the mark, The New York Times reporter Robbie Brown penned a respectful and informative piece about Johnson on November 17 titled, "Murder of Transgender Woman Revives Scrutiny." Johnson's story first garnered media attention when she was the victim of police brutality in February. The incident was caught on tape, which led to substantial local and national media coverage. The news of her death did not garner the same volume of coverage, with the exception of this article in The New York Times. Reporter Robbie Brown spoke to local advocates who put Johnson's murder in context and helped to underscore the human side of the tragedy. "Duanna Johnson's case was tragic before, and now it's an almost unimaginable loss,"said Jared Feuer, Southern Regional Director of Amnesty International.
READ ARTICLE:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/18/us/18memphis.html?em
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact reporter Robbie Brown and The New York Times and thank them for bringing national visibility to Duanna Johnson's tragic death and the pervasive problem of hate violence against transgender people.
CONTACT:
The New York Times
letters@nytimes.com
-The Washington Post Brings Attention to the Struggles of the Gay Community in India
A national debate over equal rights erupted in India this past summer when Section 377 of the Indian Penal code, which criminalizes being gay, was unsuccessfully challenged. Unfortunately, there is very little media coverage of the LGBT community in India. But in an article published on November 15 for the The Washington Post, titled "For Gays in India, Fear Rules," Emily Wax explores the struggles that members of the LGBT community in India face every day. With no protection from the state and coercive societal pressure to marry members of the opposite sex, gay people are forced to find solace in secret and commonly face threats of being blackmailed or outed. But as Wax points out, there is a growing support coming from younger Indians, many of whom work for multinational companies with LGBT-inclusive policies. The overall story is a vital reminder of the persecution faced by members of the LGBT community abroad.
READ ARTICLE:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/14/AR2008111403645.html
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD encourages you to contact Emily Wax and The Washington Post and thank them for bringing much-needed attention to the current discrimination LGBT people face in India.
CONTACT:
Emily Wax
waxe@washpost.com
Washington Post
letters@washpost.com
THE WORST
-Fox's Bill O'Reilly Continually Misses the Mark in November Coverage of LGBT Issues
In the weeks following the election, Bill O'Reilly has continued to provide a platform for anti-gay views and misinformation about LGBT issues. The host gave former House Speaker Newt Gingrich a platform to spew incendiary defamatory anti-gay rhetoric, going so far as to associate the gay community with "secular fascism." On the November 14 broadcast, Gingrich stated, "I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us, is prepared to use violence, to use harassment. I think it is prepared to use the government if it can get control of it. I think it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion." Earlier in the month, O'Reilly made a similarly appalling comparison, stating that the marriage ruling in Massachusetts was a result of "fascism." But that wasn't all for O'Reilly this month. On the November 12 broadcast, Dennis Miller made a sophomoric and juvenile jab at openly gay Chairman of the House of Financial Services Committee Barney Frank. When O'Reilly suggested that Frank be arrested, Miller stated, "Barney might want to be arrested," to which both responded with laughter, exaggerated gestures and innuendo. Additionally, following the passage of the anti-gay Proposition 8 in California, O'Reilly devoted several segments to debates that pitted African American and LGBT communities against each other. The host consistently categorized the African American community as largely or uniformly anti-gay, despite the availability of data and information that indicates otherwise. Instead, O'Reilly chose to misrepresent the issue and misinform his viewers.
VIEW CLIPS:
Fox News - The O'Reilly Factor 11.12.08: Proposition 8
Fox News - The O'Reilly Factor 11.12.08: Dennis Miller
Fox News - The O'Reilly Factor 11.14.08: Newt Gingrich
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact Fox News executives and remind them that the LGBT community and our allies will continue to call out Fox News Channel and the producers of The O'Reilly Factor for the harmful anti-gay sentiments he perpetuates, which continue to reflect poorly on the News Corporation brand.
CONTACT:
Mr. John Moody
Senior Vice President, News Editorial
FOX News Channel
moody@foxnews.com
Ms. Sharri Berg
Senior Vice President, News Operations
FOX News Channel
sharri.berg@foxnews.com
-Clear Channel Refuses to Issue an Apology for Jim Quinn's Attack Against the LGBT Community
During the November 6 broadcast of the nationally syndicated radio program The War Room with Quinn & Rose, co-host Jim Quinn made highly offensive and ignorant statements regarding the gay community. In a discussion on the passage of the anti-gay Proposition 8 in California, he asserted, "[G]ay marriage doesn't produce anything that the state has an interest in. Gay sex produces AIDS, which the state doesn't have- or should have an interest in. They should charge homosexuals more for their- for their health insurance than they charge the rest of us." On November 7, GLAAD issued a Call to Action, asking the community and its allies to contact Clear Channel Communications and voice their concerns. Despite numerous complaints, Clear Channel has refused to issue an apology and has not disciplined Quinn for his disgusting and unacceptable remarks.
LISTEN TO AUDIO CLIP:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200811070005?f=h_latest
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact Clear Channel Communications and express your concern over the complete lack of responsibility taken by the syndicate in response to Quinn's reprehensible statements.
CONTACT:
Lisa Dollinger
Chief Communications Officer
Clear Channel Communications
(210) 822-2828
lisacdollinger@clearchannel.com
Kathryn Johnson
Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations
Clear Channel Communications
(210) 822-2828
KathrynMaysJohnson@clearchannel.com
Sanda Coyle
Clear Channel Radio
(210) 822-2828
sandacoyle@clearchannel.com
-University of Washington Student Paper Publishes Juvenile Anti-Gay Defamation
A November 25 op-ed in the University of Washington's student newspaper The Daily likened marriage for same-sex couples to bestiality, among other defamatory comparisons. The column was illustrated with a highly offensive graphic of a man standing next to a sheep. In the column, writer John Fay repeatedly makes a series of offensive statements about the gay community throughout the op-ed, titled "Gay marriage? Let's stop and think about this." After making a host of illogical arguments, he suggests that "homosexuality is more of an emotional condition," claiming that if same-sex couples are given the right to marry, "�why not polygamy, incest, bestiality or any other form of union? If the only criteria is that people love each other, then who says it's wrong for a 70-year-old man to marry 10 underage girls?" Such ignorant remarks serve to distract and sensationalize rather than focus on the real issue of extending protections for same-sex couples in marriage.
READ ARTICLE:
http://dailyuw.com/2008/11/25/gay-marriage-lets-stop-and-think-about/
TAKE ACTION:
GLAAD urges you to contact John Fay and The Daily and let them know that publishing such grossly offensive commentary and defamatory imagery is unacceptable.
CONTACT:
John Fay
opinion@dailyuw.com
Sarah Jeglum
Editor-in-Chief
The Daily
editor@dailyuw.com
http://www.glaad.org/BestAndWorst/Nov2008.php
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 11, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Calls for Governor to Quit in Scandal on Senate Seat
By SUSAN SAULNY
Leaders called for Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois to step aside, as elements of the case came into focus.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/us/politics/11illinois.html?_r=1&hp
-Massacre in Congo, Despite Nearby Support
By LYDIA POLGREEN
A spasm of violence is a study in the cruelty meted out by the armed groups fighting for power in eastern Congo and the problems that have plagued U.N. peacekeepers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/world/africa/11congo.html?hp
-Obama Team Set on Environment
By JOHN M. BRODER
Barack Obama picked a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Steven Chu, as his energy secretary.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/us/politics/11appoint.html?hp
-House Passes Auto Rescue Plan
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and DAVID E. SANGER
The fate of the measure remained uncertain because of shaky support among Senate Republicans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/business/11auto.html?hp
-Effort to Relax Pollution Limits Is Dropped
The Bush administration said Wednesday that it was abandoning its pursuit of two proposed regulations relaxing air-pollution standards for power plants, surprising both industry and environmentalists by ending its pursuit of one of the last remaining goals set out by Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force in 2001.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/washington/11enviro.html
-Darfur, Another Year Later
The world is still waiting for Sudan to call off its murderous militias, stop obstructing deployment of a strengthened peacekeeping force and begin serious peace talks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11thu1.html?ref=opinion
-Now They Say They Can Do It
Detroit's automakers should drop their increasingly untenable legal assault on California's efforts to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11thu2.html?ref=opinion
-Mr. Rangel's Problems Roll On
There can be no clean start until the House ethics panel answers all of the questions about Representative Charles Rangel of Harlem.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11thu3.html?ref=opinion
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Pakistan Closes Charity's Offices
U.N. had declared group a front for a Pakistani terrorist organization linked to Mumbai attacks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121100901.html?hpid=topnews
-Federal judges hear Fla. Christian fraternity case
By ERRIN HAINES
A Christian fraternity asked federal judges Wednesday to recognize the group as part of student life at the University of Florida, despite a school rule that bars Gator groups from discriminating based on religion.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121001926.html?hpid=sec-religion
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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Graft Case Touches
Jesse Jackson Jr.
The scandal surrounding Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's alleged attempt to sell a U.S. Senate seat widened on Wednesday, threatening to taint rising Democratic star Jesse Jackson Jr. and pull in one of the nation's biggest labor unions.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122892517879794913.html
-Obama Gets Strong Support in New Poll
Obama is entering the White House with a huge reservoir of goodwill from an American public that is rooting for his success in the face of bad economic times.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122894997230096117.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-That Barack Hussein Obama "name" thing
Should the incoming president use his middle name during next month's swearing in ceremony? It looks like Barack Obama will following in the tradition of other presidents. The issue has come up before, particularly from those who still want America to believe that our 44th president is either a Muslim, a foreigner who's ineligible to hold the office or the Antichrist. (He's neither!)
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/theslant/blog/2008/12/that_barack_hussein_obama_thin.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama mania grips the capital
By Mike Madden
With over 4 million expected for the inauguration, city services will be taxed to the max. But bar owners and locals with digs for rent hope to make bank. Hotel rooms for Barack Obama's inauguration are all booked, it's true. And yes, city officials expect up to 4 million people to flock to town next month to celebrate the first few moments of the Obama era. But even with an inaugural housing crunch, it's hard to fathom exactly what made the owners of a house in the Virginia suburbs -- a mile and a half away from the nearest subway stop -- think someone wanted to pay $10,000 to stay there for the week. In the District itself, people have gotten even more ambitious -- how else to explain the $40,000 townhouse rental listed Wednesday?
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/12/11/inauguration/index.html
-RNC Field Sorts Itself Out
Although Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest is blotting out the sun in the political world, there has been a series of developments worth noting in the race to become the next chairman of the Republican National Committee.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/rnc_race_ramps_up.html?nav=rss_blog
-Can Obama Escape the Taint of Blagojevich?
By Massimo Calabresi / Washington
On more than one occasion during his stunning press conference on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald bluntly said he has found no evidence of wrongdoing by President-elect Barack Obama in the tangled, tawdry scheme that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich allegedly cooked up to sell Obama's now vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. But for politicians, it's never good news when a top-notch prosecutor has to go out of his way to distance them from a front-page scandal. And indeed, there are enough connections between the worlds of Blagojevich and Obama that the whole thing has the potential to grow beyond a colorful Chicago tale of corruption to entangle members of the presidential transition team, test Obama's carefully cultivated reformist image and distract the President-elect just as he is preparing to take office.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1865370,00.html
-Al Qaeda Remains a Threat
The terrorist threat remains real and dangerous, Christopher Brown writes
By Christopher Brown
In the last several months, there have been a number of voices, both official and unofficial, eulogizing al Qaeda. These voices have sounded a note of increasing triumphalism over the terrorist organization's perceived general defeat, citing al Qaeda's increasing withdrawal from Iraq, loss of standing within the Islamic world, and movement to the peripheries of Africa and South Asia. Unfortunately, this celebration is premature and perhaps even dangerous.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2008/12/09/al-qaeda-remains-a-threat.html
-Democrats hurt by scandals
Blagojevich charges are more ammo for Republican Party
By Janet Hook | Washington Bureau
The charges against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich mark the latest in a series of scandals erupting around Democratic politicians-an ironic turn for a party that won control of Congress in 2006 in part by saying it would end a "culture of corruption" under Republican leadership.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-blagojevich-corruption-11-dec11,0,7331110.story
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Calls for Governor to Quit in Scandal on Senate Seat
By SUSAN SAULNY
Leaders called for Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich of Illinois to step aside, as elements of the case came into focus.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/us/politics/11illinois.html?_r=1&hp
-Massacre in Congo, Despite Nearby Support
By LYDIA POLGREEN
A spasm of violence is a study in the cruelty meted out by the armed groups fighting for power in eastern Congo and the problems that have plagued U.N. peacekeepers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/world/africa/11congo.html?hp
-Obama Team Set on Environment
By JOHN M. BRODER
Barack Obama picked a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, Steven Chu, as his energy secretary.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/us/politics/11appoint.html?hp
-House Passes Auto Rescue Plan
By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN and DAVID E. SANGER
The fate of the measure remained uncertain because of shaky support among Senate Republicans.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/business/11auto.html?hp
-Effort to Relax Pollution Limits Is Dropped
The Bush administration said Wednesday that it was abandoning its pursuit of two proposed regulations relaxing air-pollution standards for power plants, surprising both industry and environmentalists by ending its pursuit of one of the last remaining goals set out by Vice President Dick Cheney's Energy Task Force in 2001.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/washington/11enviro.html
-Darfur, Another Year Later
The world is still waiting for Sudan to call off its murderous militias, stop obstructing deployment of a strengthened peacekeeping force and begin serious peace talks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11thu1.html?ref=opinion
-Now They Say They Can Do It
Detroit's automakers should drop their increasingly untenable legal assault on California's efforts to regulate and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars and light trucks.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11thu2.html?ref=opinion
-Mr. Rangel's Problems Roll On
There can be no clean start until the House ethics panel answers all of the questions about Representative Charles Rangel of Harlem.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/11/opinion/11thu3.html?ref=opinion
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Pakistan Closes Charity's Offices
U.N. had declared group a front for a Pakistani terrorist organization linked to Mumbai attacks.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/11/AR2008121100901.html?hpid=topnews
-Federal judges hear Fla. Christian fraternity case
By ERRIN HAINES
A Christian fraternity asked federal judges Wednesday to recognize the group as part of student life at the University of Florida, despite a school rule that bars Gator groups from discriminating based on religion.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/10/AR2008121001926.html?hpid=sec-religion
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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Graft Case Touches
Jesse Jackson Jr.
The scandal surrounding Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich's alleged attempt to sell a U.S. Senate seat widened on Wednesday, threatening to taint rising Democratic star Jesse Jackson Jr. and pull in one of the nation's biggest labor unions.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122892517879794913.html
-Obama Gets Strong Support in New Poll
Obama is entering the White House with a huge reservoir of goodwill from an American public that is rooting for his success in the face of bad economic times.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122894997230096117.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-That Barack Hussein Obama "name" thing
Should the incoming president use his middle name during next month's swearing in ceremony? It looks like Barack Obama will following in the tradition of other presidents. The issue has come up before, particularly from those who still want America to believe that our 44th president is either a Muslim, a foreigner who's ineligible to hold the office or the Antichrist. (He's neither!)
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/theslant/blog/2008/12/that_barack_hussein_obama_thin.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Obama mania grips the capital
By Mike Madden
With over 4 million expected for the inauguration, city services will be taxed to the max. But bar owners and locals with digs for rent hope to make bank. Hotel rooms for Barack Obama's inauguration are all booked, it's true. And yes, city officials expect up to 4 million people to flock to town next month to celebrate the first few moments of the Obama era. But even with an inaugural housing crunch, it's hard to fathom exactly what made the owners of a house in the Virginia suburbs -- a mile and a half away from the nearest subway stop -- think someone wanted to pay $10,000 to stay there for the week. In the District itself, people have gotten even more ambitious -- how else to explain the $40,000 townhouse rental listed Wednesday?
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/12/11/inauguration/index.html
-RNC Field Sorts Itself Out
Although Gov. Rod Blagojevich's arrest is blotting out the sun in the political world, there has been a series of developments worth noting in the race to become the next chairman of the Republican National Committee.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2008/12/rnc_race_ramps_up.html?nav=rss_blog
-Can Obama Escape the Taint of Blagojevich?
By Massimo Calabresi / Washington
On more than one occasion during his stunning press conference on Tuesday, U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald bluntly said he has found no evidence of wrongdoing by President-elect Barack Obama in the tangled, tawdry scheme that Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich allegedly cooked up to sell Obama's now vacant Senate seat to the highest bidder. But for politicians, it's never good news when a top-notch prosecutor has to go out of his way to distance them from a front-page scandal. And indeed, there are enough connections between the worlds of Blagojevich and Obama that the whole thing has the potential to grow beyond a colorful Chicago tale of corruption to entangle members of the presidential transition team, test Obama's carefully cultivated reformist image and distract the President-elect just as he is preparing to take office.
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1865370,00.html
-Al Qaeda Remains a Threat
The terrorist threat remains real and dangerous, Christopher Brown writes
By Christopher Brown
In the last several months, there have been a number of voices, both official and unofficial, eulogizing al Qaeda. These voices have sounded a note of increasing triumphalism over the terrorist organization's perceived general defeat, citing al Qaeda's increasing withdrawal from Iraq, loss of standing within the Islamic world, and movement to the peripheries of Africa and South Asia. Unfortunately, this celebration is premature and perhaps even dangerous.
http://www.usnews.com/articles/opinion/2008/12/09/al-qaeda-remains-a-threat.html
-Democrats hurt by scandals
Blagojevich charges are more ammo for Republican Party
By Janet Hook | Washington Bureau
The charges against Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich mark the latest in a series of scandals erupting around Democratic politicians-an ironic turn for a party that won control of Congress in 2006 in part by saying it would end a "culture of corruption" under Republican leadership.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-blagojevich-corruption-11-dec11,0,7331110.story
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST December 11, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
South Floridian Uses Education, Information To Fight Hate Crimes
There are some types of criminals who aren't after money or sex or drugs. They're after people like Jack Rutland. I'm a gay man. I'm 52, and I don't know anyone my age that hasn't been targeted," Rutland said. He says he's been chased, taunted and harassed simply because he's gay. "To a small degree -- being called names, to having beer bottles thrown at you on the streets or people chasing you," Rutland said. So, he's made it his life's work to make a difference. Rutland is the executive director of Stonewall Library in Ft. Lauderdale. It's an organization that, among other things, documents hate crimes. "This is a very thorough, very academic record of what goes on around the country," he said. One of the well known cases on file is the murder of Simmie Williams Jr., a 17-year-old who was wearing women's' clothing the night someone shot him to death. "I was so physically and emotionally overwhelmed by that," said Rutland. The library keeps records of cases, police reports and news articles as a way to educate the public and spot trends. According to Stonewall Library records, hate crimes are up, particularly on the playground. Rutland is hoping to slow it down through information and education. He said the more people know the better. He also feels it's important for people to file a police report when a hate crime happens so investigators can get an accurate reading on what's going on and where it's happening.
http://www.local10.com/print/18227702/detail.html
=
Bill Kamal, Former S. Fla. Weatherman Released From Prison
Former Channel 7 weatherman Bill Kamal has been released from prison. Kamal spent nearly the last five years in a Massachusetts federal prison after his conviction for allegedly using the Internet to arrange sex with a person he thought to be a teenage boy. The person turned out to be an undercover police officer. Kamal pleaded guilty and has been in prison since 2004. In an extensive jailhouse interview with Local 10 in 2005, Kamal denied committing the crime but said he pleaded guilty because he feared going to prison for the rest of his life. Kamal was released late last week to a halfway house program. He will be permitted to work during the day but must spend nights at the halfway house until his sentence ends in March. Prison officials confirmed Kamal's release into a Philadelphia-area halfway house program, but they would not say if he would remain in Philadelphia to serve out the halfway house sentence.
http://www.local10.com/print/18247828/detail.html
=
Women Sponsor Holiday Toy Drive
Lavender Events for Women at the GLCC is organizing a toy drive to benefit Children's Diagnositc Treatment Center. Please donate toys that are new and unwrapped and at least $10 in value. All Toys must be dropped off at one of the sites below by Saturday, December 13.
Drop-off Sites:
Gay and Lesbian Community Center - 1717 N. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale
One Tea Lounge - 2037 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Best Buy - 2829 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale
Sports Authority - 1901 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale
PC Lauderdale - 2412 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
=
Holiday Lights benefiting Care Resource
SOUTH FLORIDA LIGHTS DISPLAY TO BENEFIT HIV/AIDS NON PROFIT AGENCY.
December 3, 2008--For over 15 years, Holiday Lights display at the Enchanted Place has dazzled South Floridians. Located on 137th NE Terrace in North Miami, this amazing neighborhood light display is a must see holiday tradition. As you drive through the street to see the magical lights, Care Resource volunteers will hand out candy to the kids and they might even catch a glimpse of Santa. This event runs from December 5th - 31st from 6:00pm-11:30pm. There is no charge to see this display, but donations are welcomed. Care Resource is the beneficiary of this event. About Care Resource Care Resource is conveniently located in both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and collectively provides services for over 8,000 clients. Our dedicated and loyal staff takes pride in creating and/or implementing prevention strategies within our affected communities. Our outreach and education initiatives, including testing, on-site medical care, research protocols as well as family counseling and support, offer a wide array of programs that respond to every need of our HIV at-risk and infected areas. We are pleased to announce that today over 3,000 HIV patients have benefited from participation in studies of promising new anti-HIV drugs conducted by our agency, resulting in 13 new FDA drug approvals.
=
Here's a great Holiday Gift idea:
Our Friends at the Broward Center have released the remaining tickets for the Kinsey Sicks performances of "Oy Vey In A Manger" at the Parker Playhouse this Saturday, as a 2 for 1 special; buy one ticket at regular price and get the second for free! That means you can get friends two tickets to see this great show for as little as $25 plus tax and fees. What a terrific present! Just call 954 462-0222 and use the code "KINSEY". This offer is by phone only The Kinsey Sicks is at the Parker Playhouse this Saturday, December 13 with shows at 6pm and 9pm. Sorry, but this offer is for additional sales only and does not apply to previously purchased tickets, or other promotional offers.
=
The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told
Contains Nudity for the Holidays
Paul Rudnick's Hit Comed about Adam, Steve, Jane & Mabel
Rising Action Theatre - 840 East Oakland Park Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Performances are Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 and Sundays at 7 pm. Saturday November 22 show is at 10 pm. For tickets go to www.risingactiontheatre.tix.com or call 1 800-595-4849. Groups call 954 815-8826.
=
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-HRC Winterfest Boat Parade Party
Come to their best local fundraising event of the year
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#22939
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Low-cost health insurance coverage to start Jan. 5
Dec 11, 2008
The 3.8 million Floridians without health insurance will get a chance to buy low-cost but bare-bones coverage under a new program launched Wednesday by Gov. Charlie Crist. [...] As of Jan. 5, companies will offer 10 policies in South Florida that must insure all who apply to the Cover Florida program, even if they are seriously ill. Prevention-only coverage starts at $24 per month at age 19. A person age 64 can buy a policy with hospitalization for $225. By comparison, full individual coverage from an employer costs an average of $400. Insurance industry officials said the new policies would appeal mainly to people with chronic illnesses or pre-existing conditions who cannot find any other coverage, but they will offer little to healthy people who can already buy better coverage for like prices.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flrxinsure1211sbdec11,0,2414874.story
-Broward County Commission gets petty
There is petty. There is embarrassing. And then there is the Broward County Commission. Did we mention childish?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-neweditbrowardcomm1209,0,3886604.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Miami-Dade School Board votes to sue state over funding
The Miami-Dade School Board will sue the state to make up funding it says it's not getting from local taxes.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/808055.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Chiles clan accuses Florida of neglecting children
By Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The widow and son of former Gov. Lawton Chiles are using the 10th anniversary of his death to contend that Florida is backsliding on his signature issue, its commitment to take care of children. Former first lady Rhea Chiles and Lawton "Bud" Chiles III joined child advocates Wednesday in criticizing the state's current leaders for putting a higher emphasis on tax cuts than on human services for children.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article932716.ece
-Florida House speaker keeps the dough, forfeits the authority
By Howard Troxler, Times columnist
Looks like the new speaker of the Florida House, Ray Sansom, is pretty dug in about keeping that $110,000-a-year community college job that he got the same day he became speaker.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article933148.ece
-Florida's budget deficit jumps by $150 million to $2.3 billion
Florida's budget deficit widened to $2.3 billion, forcing state lawmakers and officials to consider many ideas, like cutting Medicaid and housing inmates in tent cities.
By MARC CAPUTO AND STEVE BOUSQUET
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/808099.html
-Crist wedding: more homey than hoopla
By Stephanie Hayes, Times Staff Writer
Hey, paparazzi! Charlie Crist and Carole Rome are getting married! (Chirp. Chirp.) Didn't you hear? GOVERNOR. WEDDING.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article933318.ece
-Farm bureau blasts U.S. Sugar deal; government group expresses concerns
By JENNIFER SORENTRUE and PAUL QUINLAN
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/12/10/1210sugarglades.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=76
-Amid Everglades deal, U.S. Sugar identifies other buyers
By SUSAN SALISBURY
U.S. Sugar Corp., which has agreed to be bought by the South Florida Water Management District, has identified a number of other potential buyers and is set to begin discussions with them as early as next week, U.S. Sugar President and CEO Robert Buker said in a letter to employees and stockholders released Wednesday.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/business/epaper/2008/12/10/bid10.html
-State's hypocrisy on gay adoptions could tear apart this family
Mike Thomas | COMMENTARY
Frank Gill and his partner rescued two abused brothers, now ages 4 and 8, from a Miami crack house. The foster parents provided a loving home that healed physical and emotional damage. And now the Department of Children and Families, which gave the boys over to Gill, is trying to break up the family, spending $260,000 so far on the legal effort.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-miket1108dec11,0,6798631.column?track=rss
-Who is eligible for low-cost health coverage?
Under the plan backed by Gov. Charlie Crist, anyone up to age 64 who has been uninsured for at least six months or recently unemployed, and who does not qualify for other government or job-based coverage, can apply starting Jan. 5. As of Jan. 5, companies will offer 10 policies in South Florida that must insure all who apply to the Cover Florida program, even if they are seriously ill.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flrxinsurebox1211sbdec11,0,6710285.story
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
South Floridian Uses Education, Information To Fight Hate Crimes
There are some types of criminals who aren't after money or sex or drugs. They're after people like Jack Rutland. I'm a gay man. I'm 52, and I don't know anyone my age that hasn't been targeted," Rutland said. He says he's been chased, taunted and harassed simply because he's gay. "To a small degree -- being called names, to having beer bottles thrown at you on the streets or people chasing you," Rutland said. So, he's made it his life's work to make a difference. Rutland is the executive director of Stonewall Library in Ft. Lauderdale. It's an organization that, among other things, documents hate crimes. "This is a very thorough, very academic record of what goes on around the country," he said. One of the well known cases on file is the murder of Simmie Williams Jr., a 17-year-old who was wearing women's' clothing the night someone shot him to death. "I was so physically and emotionally overwhelmed by that," said Rutland. The library keeps records of cases, police reports and news articles as a way to educate the public and spot trends. According to Stonewall Library records, hate crimes are up, particularly on the playground. Rutland is hoping to slow it down through information and education. He said the more people know the better. He also feels it's important for people to file a police report when a hate crime happens so investigators can get an accurate reading on what's going on and where it's happening.
http://www.local10.com/print/18227702/detail.html
=
Bill Kamal, Former S. Fla. Weatherman Released From Prison
Former Channel 7 weatherman Bill Kamal has been released from prison. Kamal spent nearly the last five years in a Massachusetts federal prison after his conviction for allegedly using the Internet to arrange sex with a person he thought to be a teenage boy. The person turned out to be an undercover police officer. Kamal pleaded guilty and has been in prison since 2004. In an extensive jailhouse interview with Local 10 in 2005, Kamal denied committing the crime but said he pleaded guilty because he feared going to prison for the rest of his life. Kamal was released late last week to a halfway house program. He will be permitted to work during the day but must spend nights at the halfway house until his sentence ends in March. Prison officials confirmed Kamal's release into a Philadelphia-area halfway house program, but they would not say if he would remain in Philadelphia to serve out the halfway house sentence.
http://www.local10.com/print/18247828/detail.html
=
Women Sponsor Holiday Toy Drive
Lavender Events for Women at the GLCC is organizing a toy drive to benefit Children's Diagnositc Treatment Center. Please donate toys that are new and unwrapped and at least $10 in value. All Toys must be dropped off at one of the sites below by Saturday, December 13.
Drop-off Sites:
Gay and Lesbian Community Center - 1717 N. Andrews Avenue, Fort Lauderdale
One Tea Lounge - 2037 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
Best Buy - 2829 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale
Sports Authority - 1901 N. Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale
PC Lauderdale - 2412 Wilton Drive, Wilton Manors
=
Holiday Lights benefiting Care Resource
SOUTH FLORIDA LIGHTS DISPLAY TO BENEFIT HIV/AIDS NON PROFIT AGENCY.
December 3, 2008--For over 15 years, Holiday Lights display at the Enchanted Place has dazzled South Floridians. Located on 137th NE Terrace in North Miami, this amazing neighborhood light display is a must see holiday tradition. As you drive through the street to see the magical lights, Care Resource volunteers will hand out candy to the kids and they might even catch a glimpse of Santa. This event runs from December 5th - 31st from 6:00pm-11:30pm. There is no charge to see this display, but donations are welcomed. Care Resource is the beneficiary of this event. About Care Resource Care Resource is conveniently located in both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and collectively provides services for over 8,000 clients. Our dedicated and loyal staff takes pride in creating and/or implementing prevention strategies within our affected communities. Our outreach and education initiatives, including testing, on-site medical care, research protocols as well as family counseling and support, offer a wide array of programs that respond to every need of our HIV at-risk and infected areas. We are pleased to announce that today over 3,000 HIV patients have benefited from participation in studies of promising new anti-HIV drugs conducted by our agency, resulting in 13 new FDA drug approvals.
=
Here's a great Holiday Gift idea:
Our Friends at the Broward Center have released the remaining tickets for the Kinsey Sicks performances of "Oy Vey In A Manger" at the Parker Playhouse this Saturday, as a 2 for 1 special; buy one ticket at regular price and get the second for free! That means you can get friends two tickets to see this great show for as little as $25 plus tax and fees. What a terrific present! Just call 954 462-0222 and use the code "KINSEY". This offer is by phone only The Kinsey Sicks is at the Parker Playhouse this Saturday, December 13 with shows at 6pm and 9pm. Sorry, but this offer is for additional sales only and does not apply to previously purchased tickets, or other promotional offers.
=
The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told
Contains Nudity for the Holidays
Paul Rudnick's Hit Comed about Adam, Steve, Jane & Mabel
Rising Action Theatre - 840 East Oakland Park Blvd.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Performances are Wednesday, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 and Sundays at 7 pm. Saturday November 22 show is at 10 pm. For tickets go to www.risingactiontheatre.tix.com or call 1 800-595-4849. Groups call 954 815-8826.
=
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-HRC Winterfest Boat Parade Party
Come to their best local fundraising event of the year
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm#22939
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Low-cost health insurance coverage to start Jan. 5
Dec 11, 2008
The 3.8 million Floridians without health insurance will get a chance to buy low-cost but bare-bones coverage under a new program launched Wednesday by Gov. Charlie Crist. [...] As of Jan. 5, companies will offer 10 policies in South Florida that must insure all who apply to the Cover Florida program, even if they are seriously ill. Prevention-only coverage starts at $24 per month at age 19. A person age 64 can buy a policy with hospitalization for $225. By comparison, full individual coverage from an employer costs an average of $400. Insurance industry officials said the new policies would appeal mainly to people with chronic illnesses or pre-existing conditions who cannot find any other coverage, but they will offer little to healthy people who can already buy better coverage for like prices.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flrxinsure1211sbdec11,0,2414874.story
-Broward County Commission gets petty
There is petty. There is embarrassing. And then there is the Broward County Commission. Did we mention childish?
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/opinion/sfl-neweditbrowardcomm1209,0,3886604.story
=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Miami-Dade School Board votes to sue state over funding
The Miami-Dade School Board will sue the state to make up funding it says it's not getting from local taxes.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/808055.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Chiles clan accuses Florida of neglecting children
By Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau
The widow and son of former Gov. Lawton Chiles are using the 10th anniversary of his death to contend that Florida is backsliding on his signature issue, its commitment to take care of children. Former first lady Rhea Chiles and Lawton "Bud" Chiles III joined child advocates Wednesday in criticizing the state's current leaders for putting a higher emphasis on tax cuts than on human services for children.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article932716.ece
-Florida House speaker keeps the dough, forfeits the authority
By Howard Troxler, Times columnist
Looks like the new speaker of the Florida House, Ray Sansom, is pretty dug in about keeping that $110,000-a-year community college job that he got the same day he became speaker.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article933148.ece
-Florida's budget deficit jumps by $150 million to $2.3 billion
Florida's budget deficit widened to $2.3 billion, forcing state lawmakers and officials to consider many ideas, like cutting Medicaid and housing inmates in tent cities.
By MARC CAPUTO AND STEVE BOUSQUET
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/top-stories/story/808099.html
-Crist wedding: more homey than hoopla
By Stephanie Hayes, Times Staff Writer
Hey, paparazzi! Charlie Crist and Carole Rome are getting married! (Chirp. Chirp.) Didn't you hear? GOVERNOR. WEDDING.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/state/article933318.ece
-Farm bureau blasts U.S. Sugar deal; government group expresses concerns
By JENNIFER SORENTRUE and PAUL QUINLAN
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2008/12/10/1210sugarglades.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=76
-Amid Everglades deal, U.S. Sugar identifies other buyers
By SUSAN SALISBURY
U.S. Sugar Corp., which has agreed to be bought by the South Florida Water Management District, has identified a number of other potential buyers and is set to begin discussions with them as early as next week, U.S. Sugar President and CEO Robert Buker said in a letter to employees and stockholders released Wednesday.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/business/epaper/2008/12/10/bid10.html
-State's hypocrisy on gay adoptions could tear apart this family
Mike Thomas | COMMENTARY
Frank Gill and his partner rescued two abused brothers, now ages 4 and 8, from a Miami crack house. The foster parents provided a loving home that healed physical and emotional damage. And now the Department of Children and Families, which gave the boys over to Gill, is trying to break up the family, spending $260,000 so far on the legal effort.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/columnists/orl-miket1108dec11,0,6798631.column?track=rss
-Who is eligible for low-cost health coverage?
Under the plan backed by Gov. Charlie Crist, anyone up to age 64 who has been uninsured for at least six months or recently unemployed, and who does not qualify for other government or job-based coverage, can apply starting Jan. 5. As of Jan. 5, companies will offer 10 policies in South Florida that must insure all who apply to the Cover Florida program, even if they are seriously ill.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flrxinsurebox1211sbdec11,0,6710285.story
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
GLBT DIGEST December 10, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
Trutn Wins OutContact: Wayne Besen
Web: www.TruthWinsOut.org
by Wayne Besen
-Truth Wins Out Fights Back Against Lie Campaign With Hard-Hitting Full Page Ad In The Salt Lake Tribune
'We Refuse To Allow Anti-Gay Activists To Rewrite History and Pose As Beacons of Religious Tolerance,' Says TWO
NEW YORK - Truth Wins Out (TWO) unveiled a hard-hitting full-page ad today that will be published in The Salt Lake Tribune on Thursday, under the headline, "Lies in the Name of the Lord." TWO's provocative advertisement is in response to an ad by anti-gay activists in last Friday's New York Times, that falsely portrayed protests against Proposition 8 - a ballot measure in California that prohibited same sex couples from marrying - as mob violence.
The TWO ad also criticized the culture warriors who ran the Times ad under the name, "No Mob Veto," for their disingenuous claim of religious tolerance and their posture as staunch defenders of the Mormon Church.
"These anti-gay activists are crying wolf on the Proposition 8 protests, but they actually are a wolf in sheep's clothing that preaches religious tolerance while practicing the most defamatory form of religious bigotry," said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. "We refuse to permit this orchestrated campaign to rewrite history, nor will we allow some of the most notorious Mormon bashers in America to pose as friends of the Latter-day Saints."
TWO exposes "No Mob Veto's" hypocrisy, after the group wrote in the Times, "Beginning today, we commit ourselves to opposing and publicly shaming anyone who resorts to the rhetoric of anti-religious bigotry, against any faith, on any side of the cause, for any reason." In its ad, TWO agreed to take the signers of the "No Mob Veto" ad at their word, including convicted felon Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship; Rich Cizik, National Association of Evangelicals; and William Donohue, The Catholic League, and remind America of their past incendiary statements against other religions, particularly the Mormon church. "Activists like Colson, Cizik and Donohue must decide if they are 'people of faith' or 'people of fibs' - they can't be both," TWO proclaimed in its ad. "Lying is wrong, especially when it's done in the name of God." "There is a concerted and ongoing effort by anti-gay forces to portray peaceful marchers exercising their First Amendment rights as violent troublemakers," said Besen. "We hope to set the record straight and refuse to let No Mob Veto get away with their blatant lies." Singer Pat Boone contributed to the "Big Lie" this week when he wrote a column in World Net Daily that compared nonviolent Proposition 8 protesters with the terrorists who wantonly murdered nearly 200 innocent people in Mumbai. Truth Wins Out is a non-profit organization that counters right wing propaganda, exposes the "ex-gay" myth and educates America about gay life.
View the ad:
http://www.truthwinsout.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/two_ad_large.jpg
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Today!
Day Without a Gay
If you live in San Francisco, New York or another gay-friendly city, you may notice some empty chairs in your office today. You've heard of Day Without an Immigrant, right? That was May 1, 2006, when immigrants boycotted schools and businesses in order to protest policies perceived as anti-immigrant. Well, welcome to Day Without a Gay.
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/day-without-a-gay/?scp=3&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Family Keeps Vigil for Beaten Brooklyn Man
By KAREEM FAHIM
An Ecuadorean immigrant who was brutally beaten in Brooklyn last weekend in what the police have described as a possible bias attack was declared brain-dead on Tuesday, a law enforcement official said. But the man was being kept on life support while his family decides whether to donate his organs, the official said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/nyregion/10assault.html?scp=4&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Iowa Justices Hear Same-Sex Marriage Case
By KIRK JOHNSON
In a case that could make Iowa the first Midwestern state to legalize same-sex marriage, the Iowa Supreme Court on Tuesday pressed lawyers for both sides with sharp questions on topics like the 4,000-year-old history of marriage and whether a ruling favoring gay couples would open the door to polygamy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10iowa.html?scp=5&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Minnesota: Senator Larry Craig Loses Bid to Withdraw Plea
An appeals court denied a request by Senator Larry E. Craig of Idaho to withdraw his guilty plea in connection with a sex sting at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport last year. Mr. Craig, a three-term Republican who is leaving office next month, was arrested on June 11, 2007, by an airport police officer who said Mr. Craig tried to solicit sex from him in a men's restroom there. Mr. Craig pleaded guilty in August 2007 to a charge of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. But after political uproar followed the public disclosure of the case, Mr. Craig, who had often supported conservative social positions, insisted that his actions had been misinterpreted, that he was not gay and that he had entered his guilty plea in haste. He vowed to go to court to withdraw the plea and seek a trial. The appellate court affirmed a lower court's ruling that Mr. Craig entered his guilty plea voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently, meeting the legal standard.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10brfs-SENATORLOSES_BRF.html?scp=7&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists
SAN FRANCISCO - They're calling it Stonewall 2.0. Outraged by California voters' ban on same-sex marriage, a new wave of advocates, shaken out of a generational apathy, have pushed to the forefront of the gay rights movement, using freshly minted grass-roots groups and embracing not only new technologies but also old-school methods like sit-ins and sickouts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10marriage.html?hp
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Calling in 'gay' to work is latest form of protest
Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" _ scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants _ also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120900809.html
-NJ commission says state should allow gay marriage
A commission has concluded that New Jersey legislators should allow gay couples to marry, setting up what could be a spirited debate over whether the state should be the first to allow gay marriage by passing a law, rather than by court mandate.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120903090.html
-Gay Rights: Religious Justification And Condemnation Equally Irrelevant
Why would anyone care whether there is a biblical case to be made for gay marriage? You might as well ask whether there is a religious or biblical case to be made for or against slavery. The answer, of course, is that the Bible can be cited in support of or in opposition to any human behavior and human need. That is why, as voters and legislators, we ought not to be asking ourselves what the Bible or particular religions say about anything and should stick to what seems reasonable in modern society and legal under our Constitution. I have often irritated atheists on this blog by saying that I do not agree with Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins about the perfidy of "moderate" religions as enablers of extremist religion. However, this question about whether there is a religious case to be made for gay marriage embodies the worst aspect of moderate, or liberal, faith. Those who go around searching for scriptural support for gay marriage, and other liberal causes, are really swallowing the conservative religious line that everything needs some sort of sacral justification.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/susan_jacoby/2008/12/gay_rights_religious_justifica.html
-Newsweek Turns the Bible on Its Head
Newsweek offers a revisionist argument for the acceptance of same-sex marriage. But it is not a thin extreme of fundamentalist Christians who stand opposed to same-sex marriage -- it is the vast majority of Christian churches and denominations worldwide.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/r_albert_mohler_jr/2008/12/turning_the_bible_on_its_head.html
-Once Detected, HIV Can Be Manageable
Ten years ago, an intelligent, reserved software engineer -- a woman with the complexion of Halle Berry and the physique of a marathoner -- came to my infectious-disease clinic, accompanied by her fiance.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503136.html?hpid=sec-health
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Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Pat Boone compares terrorism in India to gay protests in America
Gay activists are seething over singer Pat Boone's commentary posted Dec. 6 on WorldNetDaily. Among Boone's points: He compares the recent terrorist violence in India to protests in November after voters banned gay marriage in California, Florida and Arizona. One point that puzzles me: Every homosexual citizen has the same, identical rights as any other American. The Constitution says nothing about marriage, and shouldn't. [...] Here is Boone's complete blog posting
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Comment on Day Without a Gay
By Emma Ruby-Sachs, Blogger
Tomorrow, organizers with Join the Impact are asking all LGBTQ people to call in gay to work. That, literally taken, means you get the chance to call your boss and sadly complain, "Can't make it today, turns out I'm gay."
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-comment-on-gay-without-a-gay/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Miami Beach to Vote Again on Domestic Partnerships
Miami Beach's commissioners will vote Wednesday to affirm the city's domestic-partnership policy after Florida passed Amendment 2, invalidating rights for residents in nonmarital relationships like domestic partnerships offered through cities and counties.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68111.asp
-Volunteer Efforts Shape Day Without a Gay
On the heels of nationwide rallies and protests, response to the passing of antigay legislation in four states on Election Day kicks into high gear Wednesday, December 10, with Day Without a Gay. As tempting as it may be to spend the day catching up on TiVo, organizers are urging gays and lesbians to spend the day volunteering and putting a human face on the "people that this equal rights battle is about."
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid68088.asp
-A Friend to Gays and Antigay Dictators Alike
COMMENTARY: It's not surprising that Sean Penn, thanks to his star turn as Harvey Milk, is becoming a hero of the gay community -- likely to be showered with acting prizes, and deservedly so. But his outspoken admiration for the Castro and Chavez regimes should make everyone think twice.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid68058.asp
-LGBT Leaders Voice Concerns Over Lack of Openly Gay Appointees
The LGBT community played a prominent role in helping elevate President-elect Obama to the highest office in the land and now some powerful activists are hoping to see more inclusion in senior-level administration positions. No openly gay people have gotten the nod to date.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid68050.asp
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Men sought by police in connection with homophobic chanting at Portsmouth game
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Police in Portsmouth have released photos of sixteen people they want to trace in connection with racist and homophobic chanting at a football match. Portsmouth FC's Sol Campbell, a former England defender, was subject to abusive taunts from the crowd during a Premiership game against Tottenham Hotspur on September 28th.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9805.html
-Gay band to march in Presidential inauguration parade
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
For the first time in American history, a gay group has been asked to march in the Inaugural Parade. President-elect Obama will take the oath of office on January 20th during an elaborate day of celebrations in Washington DC.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9804.html
-Urban Outfitters removes pro-gay marriage t-shirt from California stores
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
A leading retailer has removed t-shirts from sale that carried a slogan supporting gay marriage. Urban Outfitters' has previously been targeted by gay activists because of the political views of its chairman.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9800.html
-Teen accused of homophobic murder ruled fit to stand trial
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Lawyers representing a 14-year-old California boy accused of the murder of an openly gay classmate have failed in an attempt to have him declared developmentally incapable of standing trial. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee made his decision after Brandon McInernery after hearing the conclusions of a court-appointed psychologist and psychiatrist.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9797.html
=
Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-NH: Gay Marriage Bill Begins an Important Debate
Concord Monitor
After a recent screening of Rachel Getting Married at Red River Theatres in Concord, an older woman in the audience commented that the entire film struck her as far-fetched - not because of the grim drama of drug addiction and family dysfunction, but because the wedding at the center of the story was between a black man and a white woman. Those two, she said, would never be together. Younger audience members reacted to her in puzzled disbelief, as if to say, What on earth are you talking about - it's the 21st century, for Pete's sake. Of course, marriages like that of the fictional Rachel and Sidney were once taboo in this country. In much of the United States, they were illegal. In fact, for generations, marriages between two black people, assuming they were slaves, brought none of the privileges or protections afforded white couples. Mercifully, times change, and the rules of marriage have changed as well. Black people can marry each other, as can blacks and whites. Both changes faced strenuous resistance at the time - but most Americans today would surely agree that those were changes for the better. Read more
-Showdown in the Big Tent
By CAITLIN FLANAGAN and BENJAMIN SCHWARZ
THE attitude of white, liberal Hollywood toward African- American churches has long been one of almost participatory respect. Whether it's Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard, or the Blind Boys of Alabama on the iPod, or a serious - reverential - mention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference over dinner, the understanding is clear: the black church is a foundational institution in the history of the civil rights struggle, and its music (although it makes reference to Jesus Christ as a personal savior) is smoking hot. It was only recently that the A-list discovered that this love is unrequited. Last month, Proposition 8 passed, making gay marriage illegal in California, and the demographic that lent insult to injury was the state's African-American voters. They came to the polls in record numbers to support Barack Obama, and they brought with them a fiercely held and enduring antipathy toward homosexuality: 7 in 10 blacks voted in support of traditional marriage. Whether that was the game-changer or not is a question for near-constant debate. Many gay activists have begun quietly to suggest that had Hillary Clinton been the Democratic nominee, Prop 8 would not have passed. Read more
-Legislator's Anti-Gay Sentiments Come Back to Haunt Mormons
Paul Rolly | The Salt Lake Tribune
Had the Utah Legislature not balked so vehemently at any hate-crime legislation that included protections for gays and lesbians, the state might now have better tools to prosecute those committing hate crimes against members and property of the LDS Church. That's the irony emerging from the ugly aftermath of California's Proposition 8 vote banning gay marriage in that state. Because members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at the urging of their ecclesiastical leaders, played such a prominent role with their money and time in the passing of the proposition, their church is now a target. Church services have been disrupted by protesters, members have been blocked from entering churches, glue has been poured into the locks of church buildings, glass doors of churches have been shattered by BB guns, LDS temples have received packages containing mysterious white powder that proved harmless, and church buildings and signs have been spray-painted. But the perpetrators, if caught and charged in Utah, don't face penalty enhancements for targeting a specific group for harassment. That is because a majority of Utah legislators, not wanting to appear to be coddling people who are gay, refused to include them in hate-crime legislation as a special class. Read more
-Homosexuality Causing Health Crisis in Massachusetts
Posted by: Dr. Richard Swier | Red County
Finally, even the state of Massachusetts can't hide the fact that gay, lesbian and bisexual behavior is bad for your health and well being. The Massachusetts Department of Health released a comprehensive tudy on the impact of homosexuality on heath of individuals. Here are some key findings:
* The odds of being a current smoker were 2.5 times greater for gays and lesbians compared to heterosexuals.
* Bisexuals were 3.1 times more likely than heterosexuals to report feeling tense or worried.
* Lesbians were 2.2 times more likely than heterosexual women to be obese.
. . . .For the full study go here. More . . . .
-Oklahoma City Mayor, Pastor Team Up to Purge Libraries,
Detain Gays in Ex-Gay Re-Education Camps
Michael Airhart | Truth Wins Out
Oklahoma Baptist Pastor Steve Kern, husband of notorious Oklahoma state Rep. Sally Kern, reportedly believes gay Americans should be incarcerated and forcibly "cured." "We have to get rid of that and start curing those sinners. It's past time that this nation stopped placating sin and start putting them in education programs. Courts can force drug offenders into treatment centers and violent people into anger management. There's no reason our courts can't do that with homos." More . . . .
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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Current list of signers of the planned UN resolution:
Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela.
-Fr. Lombardi Clarifies Holy See's Position on Decriminalisation of Homosexuality
The Catholic Church never has and never will support the violation of human rights or any form of unjust discrimination against the human person. That was the message at the heart of a statement released today by Director of the Vatican Press Office, Fr Federico Lombardi in response to press reports regarding an interview given by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican's permanent observer at the United Nations in New York, to a French news agency, following a proposal led by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy to decriminalise homosexuality. In the statement Fr. Lombardi points out that Archbishop Migliore's interview, read in it's entirety, is clear; no-one can or wants to defend the death penalty for homosexuals, as some people aim to insinuate.
http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=249433
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Lambda Legal
This morning, Lambda Legal argued our historic marriage case, Varnum v. Brien, before the Iowa Supreme Court. "We hope that the Court breathes life into the Iowa Constitution's promise of equality," said Camilla Taylor, Senior Staff Attorney and chief architect of the lawsuit. The case was argued this morning on behalf of Lambda Legal's six plaintiff couples and their children by co-counsel Dennis Johnson, former Iowa Solicitor General and partner at the firm Dorsey and Whitney. Lambda Legal would like to invite you to a telephone briefing this Thursday, December 11, at 2:00 pm EST (1:00 pm CST, 11:00 am PST) to learn more about this landmark case. We are making history again, and we would like for you to share in this historic moment on the road to marriage equality. Please join us for our one-hour briefing Thursday, December 11 at 2:00 pm EST (1:00 pm CST). Our Senior Staff Attorney and architect of the marriage case, Camilla Taylor, and Dennis Johnson, former Iowa Solicitor General and partner at the firm Dorsey and Whitney, will provide an overview of this latest case for marriage equality in Iowa.
Here are the call-in instructions:
Step 1: Call 888-640-7748
Step 2: Enter code 958621#
Questions can be emailed before and during the call to
libertycircle@lambdalegal.org.
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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
-The Future Of Obscenity
By Mark Kernes
Although President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Eric Holder as his replacement for current Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the former Deputy Attorney General under Clinton's AG Janet Reno is far from assured the position. [...] And, of course, one topic which Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch is sure to bring up - since he did so with both Gonzales and Mukasey - is Holder's commitment (or lack thereof) to prosecuting "pornography."
http://avn.com/law/articles/33665.html
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
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Trutn Wins OutContact: Wayne Besen
Web: www.TruthWinsOut.org
by Wayne Besen
-Truth Wins Out Fights Back Against Lie Campaign With Hard-Hitting Full Page Ad In The Salt Lake Tribune
'We Refuse To Allow Anti-Gay Activists To Rewrite History and Pose As Beacons of Religious Tolerance,' Says TWO
NEW YORK - Truth Wins Out (TWO) unveiled a hard-hitting full-page ad today that will be published in The Salt Lake Tribune on Thursday, under the headline, "Lies in the Name of the Lord." TWO's provocative advertisement is in response to an ad by anti-gay activists in last Friday's New York Times, that falsely portrayed protests against Proposition 8 - a ballot measure in California that prohibited same sex couples from marrying - as mob violence.
The TWO ad also criticized the culture warriors who ran the Times ad under the name, "No Mob Veto," for their disingenuous claim of religious tolerance and their posture as staunch defenders of the Mormon Church.
"These anti-gay activists are crying wolf on the Proposition 8 protests, but they actually are a wolf in sheep's clothing that preaches religious tolerance while practicing the most defamatory form of religious bigotry," said Wayne Besen, Executive Director of Truth Wins Out. "We refuse to permit this orchestrated campaign to rewrite history, nor will we allow some of the most notorious Mormon bashers in America to pose as friends of the Latter-day Saints."
TWO exposes "No Mob Veto's" hypocrisy, after the group wrote in the Times, "Beginning today, we commit ourselves to opposing and publicly shaming anyone who resorts to the rhetoric of anti-religious bigotry, against any faith, on any side of the cause, for any reason." In its ad, TWO agreed to take the signers of the "No Mob Veto" ad at their word, including convicted felon Chuck Colson, Prison Fellowship; Rich Cizik, National Association of Evangelicals; and William Donohue, The Catholic League, and remind America of their past incendiary statements against other religions, particularly the Mormon church. "Activists like Colson, Cizik and Donohue must decide if they are 'people of faith' or 'people of fibs' - they can't be both," TWO proclaimed in its ad. "Lying is wrong, especially when it's done in the name of God." "There is a concerted and ongoing effort by anti-gay forces to portray peaceful marchers exercising their First Amendment rights as violent troublemakers," said Besen. "We hope to set the record straight and refuse to let No Mob Veto get away with their blatant lies." Singer Pat Boone contributed to the "Big Lie" this week when he wrote a column in World Net Daily that compared nonviolent Proposition 8 protesters with the terrorists who wantonly murdered nearly 200 innocent people in Mumbai. Truth Wins Out is a non-profit organization that counters right wing propaganda, exposes the "ex-gay" myth and educates America about gay life.
View the ad:
http://www.truthwinsout.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/two_ad_large.jpg
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Today!
Day Without a Gay
If you live in San Francisco, New York or another gay-friendly city, you may notice some empty chairs in your office today. You've heard of Day Without an Immigrant, right? That was May 1, 2006, when immigrants boycotted schools and businesses in order to protest policies perceived as anti-immigrant. Well, welcome to Day Without a Gay.
http://economix.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/day-without-a-gay/?scp=3&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Family Keeps Vigil for Beaten Brooklyn Man
By KAREEM FAHIM
An Ecuadorean immigrant who was brutally beaten in Brooklyn last weekend in what the police have described as a possible bias attack was declared brain-dead on Tuesday, a law enforcement official said. But the man was being kept on life support while his family decides whether to donate his organs, the official said.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/nyregion/10assault.html?scp=4&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Iowa Justices Hear Same-Sex Marriage Case
By KIRK JOHNSON
In a case that could make Iowa the first Midwestern state to legalize same-sex marriage, the Iowa Supreme Court on Tuesday pressed lawyers for both sides with sharp questions on topics like the 4,000-year-old history of marriage and whether a ruling favoring gay couples would open the door to polygamy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10iowa.html?scp=5&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Minnesota: Senator Larry Craig Loses Bid to Withdraw Plea
An appeals court denied a request by Senator Larry E. Craig of Idaho to withdraw his guilty plea in connection with a sex sting at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport last year. Mr. Craig, a three-term Republican who is leaving office next month, was arrested on June 11, 2007, by an airport police officer who said Mr. Craig tried to solicit sex from him in a men's restroom there. Mr. Craig pleaded guilty in August 2007 to a charge of disorderly conduct, a misdemeanor. But after political uproar followed the public disclosure of the case, Mr. Craig, who had often supported conservative social positions, insisted that his actions had been misinterpreted, that he was not gay and that he had entered his guilty plea in haste. He vowed to go to court to withdraw the plea and seek a trial. The appellate court affirmed a lower court's ruling that Mr. Craig entered his guilty plea voluntarily, knowingly and intelligently, meeting the legal standard.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10brfs-SENATORLOSES_BRF.html?scp=7&sq=GAY&st=cse
-Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists
SAN FRANCISCO - They're calling it Stonewall 2.0. Outraged by California voters' ban on same-sex marriage, a new wave of advocates, shaken out of a generational apathy, have pushed to the forefront of the gay rights movement, using freshly minted grass-roots groups and embracing not only new technologies but also old-school methods like sit-ins and sickouts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10marriage.html?hp
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Calling in 'gay' to work is latest form of protest
Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" _ scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants _ also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120900809.html
-NJ commission says state should allow gay marriage
A commission has concluded that New Jersey legislators should allow gay couples to marry, setting up what could be a spirited debate over whether the state should be the first to allow gay marriage by passing a law, rather than by court mandate.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120903090.html
-Gay Rights: Religious Justification And Condemnation Equally Irrelevant
Why would anyone care whether there is a biblical case to be made for gay marriage? You might as well ask whether there is a religious or biblical case to be made for or against slavery. The answer, of course, is that the Bible can be cited in support of or in opposition to any human behavior and human need. That is why, as voters and legislators, we ought not to be asking ourselves what the Bible or particular religions say about anything and should stick to what seems reasonable in modern society and legal under our Constitution. I have often irritated atheists on this blog by saying that I do not agree with Sam Harris and Richard Dawkins about the perfidy of "moderate" religions as enablers of extremist religion. However, this question about whether there is a religious case to be made for gay marriage embodies the worst aspect of moderate, or liberal, faith. Those who go around searching for scriptural support for gay marriage, and other liberal causes, are really swallowing the conservative religious line that everything needs some sort of sacral justification.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/susan_jacoby/2008/12/gay_rights_religious_justifica.html
-Newsweek Turns the Bible on Its Head
Newsweek offers a revisionist argument for the acceptance of same-sex marriage. But it is not a thin extreme of fundamentalist Christians who stand opposed to same-sex marriage -- it is the vast majority of Christian churches and denominations worldwide.
http://newsweek.washingtonpost.com/onfaith/r_albert_mohler_jr/2008/12/turning_the_bible_on_its_head.html
-Once Detected, HIV Can Be Manageable
Ten years ago, an intelligent, reserved software engineer -- a woman with the complexion of Halle Berry and the physique of a marathoner -- came to my infectious-disease clinic, accompanied by her fiance.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503136.html?hpid=sec-health
=
Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Pat Boone compares terrorism in India to gay protests in America
Gay activists are seething over singer Pat Boone's commentary posted Dec. 6 on WorldNetDaily. Among Boone's points: He compares the recent terrorist violence in India to protests in November after voters banned gay marriage in California, Florida and Arizona. One point that puzzles me: Every homosexual citizen has the same, identical rights as any other American. The Constitution says nothing about marriage, and shouldn't. [...] Here is Boone's complete blog posting
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Comment on Day Without a Gay
By Emma Ruby-Sachs, Blogger
Tomorrow, organizers with Join the Impact are asking all LGBTQ people to call in gay to work. That, literally taken, means you get the chance to call your boss and sadly complain, "Can't make it today, turns out I'm gay."
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-comment-on-gay-without-a-gay/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Miami Beach to Vote Again on Domestic Partnerships
Miami Beach's commissioners will vote Wednesday to affirm the city's domestic-partnership policy after Florida passed Amendment 2, invalidating rights for residents in nonmarital relationships like domestic partnerships offered through cities and counties.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68111.asp
-Volunteer Efforts Shape Day Without a Gay
On the heels of nationwide rallies and protests, response to the passing of antigay legislation in four states on Election Day kicks into high gear Wednesday, December 10, with Day Without a Gay. As tempting as it may be to spend the day catching up on TiVo, organizers are urging gays and lesbians to spend the day volunteering and putting a human face on the "people that this equal rights battle is about."
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid68088.asp
-A Friend to Gays and Antigay Dictators Alike
COMMENTARY: It's not surprising that Sean Penn, thanks to his star turn as Harvey Milk, is becoming a hero of the gay community -- likely to be showered with acting prizes, and deservedly so. But his outspoken admiration for the Castro and Chavez regimes should make everyone think twice.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid68058.asp
-LGBT Leaders Voice Concerns Over Lack of Openly Gay Appointees
The LGBT community played a prominent role in helping elevate President-elect Obama to the highest office in the land and now some powerful activists are hoping to see more inclusion in senior-level administration positions. No openly gay people have gotten the nod to date.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid68050.asp
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Men sought by police in connection with homophobic chanting at Portsmouth game
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Police in Portsmouth have released photos of sixteen people they want to trace in connection with racist and homophobic chanting at a football match. Portsmouth FC's Sol Campbell, a former England defender, was subject to abusive taunts from the crowd during a Premiership game against Tottenham Hotspur on September 28th.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9805.html
-Gay band to march in Presidential inauguration parade
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
For the first time in American history, a gay group has been asked to march in the Inaugural Parade. President-elect Obama will take the oath of office on January 20th during an elaborate day of celebrations in Washington DC.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9804.html
-Urban Outfitters removes pro-gay marriage t-shirt from California stores
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
A leading retailer has removed t-shirts from sale that carried a slogan supporting gay marriage. Urban Outfitters' has previously been targeted by gay activists because of the political views of its chairman.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9800.html
-Teen accused of homophobic murder ruled fit to stand trial
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Lawyers representing a 14-year-old California boy accused of the murder of an openly gay classmate have failed in an attempt to have him declared developmentally incapable of standing trial. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee made his decision after Brandon McInernery after hearing the conclusions of a court-appointed psychologist and psychiatrist.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-9797.html
=
Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-NH: Gay Marriage Bill Begins an Important Debate
Concord Monitor
After a recent screening of Rachel Getting Married at Red River Theatres in Concord, an older woman in the audience commented that the entire film struck her as far-fetched - not because of the grim drama of drug addiction and family dysfunction, but because the wedding at the center of the story was between a black man and a white woman. Those two, she said, would never be together. Younger audience members reacted to her in puzzled disbelief, as if to say, What on earth are you talking about - it's the 21st century, for Pete's sake. Of course, marriages like that of the fictional Rachel and Sidney were once taboo in this country. In much of the United States, they were illegal. In fact, for generations, marriages between two black people, assuming they were slaves, brought none of the privileges or protections afforded white couples. Mercifully, times change, and the rules of marriage have changed as well. Black people can marry each other, as can blacks and whites. Both changes faced strenuous resistance at the time - but most Americans today would surely agree that those were changes for the better. Read more
-Showdown in the Big Tent
By CAITLIN FLANAGAN and BENJAMIN SCHWARZ
THE attitude of white, liberal Hollywood toward African- American churches has long been one of almost participatory respect. Whether it's Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard, or the Blind Boys of Alabama on the iPod, or a serious - reverential - mention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference over dinner, the understanding is clear: the black church is a foundational institution in the history of the civil rights struggle, and its music (although it makes reference to Jesus Christ as a personal savior) is smoking hot. It was only recently that the A-list discovered that this love is unrequited. Last month, Proposition 8 passed, making gay marriage illegal in California, and the demographic that lent insult to injury was the state's African-American voters. They came to the polls in record numbers to support Barack Obama, and they brought with them a fiercely held and enduring antipathy toward homosexuality: 7 in 10 blacks voted in support of traditional marriage. Whether that was the game-changer or not is a question for near-constant debate. Many gay activists have begun quietly to suggest that had Hillary Clinton been the Democratic nominee, Prop 8 would not have passed. Read more
-Legislator's Anti-Gay Sentiments Come Back to Haunt Mormons
Paul Rolly | The Salt Lake Tribune
Had the Utah Legislature not balked so vehemently at any hate-crime legislation that included protections for gays and lesbians, the state might now have better tools to prosecute those committing hate crimes against members and property of the LDS Church. That's the irony emerging from the ugly aftermath of California's Proposition 8 vote banning gay marriage in that state. Because members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, at the urging of their ecclesiastical leaders, played such a prominent role with their money and time in the passing of the proposition, their church is now a target. Church services have been disrupted by protesters, members have been blocked from entering churches, glue has been poured into the locks of church buildings, glass doors of churches have been shattered by BB guns, LDS temples have received packages containing mysterious white powder that proved harmless, and church buildings and signs have been spray-painted. But the perpetrators, if caught and charged in Utah, don't face penalty enhancements for targeting a specific group for harassment. That is because a majority of Utah legislators, not wanting to appear to be coddling people who are gay, refused to include them in hate-crime legislation as a special class. Read more
-Homosexuality Causing Health Crisis in Massachusetts
Posted by: Dr. Richard Swier | Red County
Finally, even the state of Massachusetts can't hide the fact that gay, lesbian and bisexual behavior is bad for your health and well being. The Massachusetts Department of Health released a comprehensive tudy on the impact of homosexuality on heath of individuals. Here are some key findings:
* The odds of being a current smoker were 2.5 times greater for gays and lesbians compared to heterosexuals.
* Bisexuals were 3.1 times more likely than heterosexuals to report feeling tense or worried.
* Lesbians were 2.2 times more likely than heterosexual women to be obese.
. . . .For the full study go here. More . . . .
-Oklahoma City Mayor, Pastor Team Up to Purge Libraries,
Detain Gays in Ex-Gay Re-Education Camps
Michael Airhart | Truth Wins Out
Oklahoma Baptist Pastor Steve Kern, husband of notorious Oklahoma state Rep. Sally Kern, reportedly believes gay Americans should be incarcerated and forcibly "cured." "We have to get rid of that and start curing those sinners. It's past time that this nation stopped placating sin and start putting them in education programs. Courts can force drug offenders into treatment centers and violent people into anger management. There's no reason our courts can't do that with homos." More . . . .
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Forwarded from Gays Without Borders
Contact rays.list@comcast.net for the full article
-Current list of signers of the planned UN resolution:
Andorra, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chile, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Estonia, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Montenegro, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Venezuela.
-Fr. Lombardi Clarifies Holy See's Position on Decriminalisation of Homosexuality
The Catholic Church never has and never will support the violation of human rights or any form of unjust discrimination against the human person. That was the message at the heart of a statement released today by Director of the Vatican Press Office, Fr Federico Lombardi in response to press reports regarding an interview given by Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican's permanent observer at the United Nations in New York, to a French news agency, following a proposal led by the French president Nicolas Sarkozy to decriminalise homosexuality. In the statement Fr. Lombardi points out that Archbishop Migliore's interview, read in it's entirety, is clear; no-one can or wants to defend the death penalty for homosexuals, as some people aim to insinuate.
http://www.oecumene.radiovaticana.org/en1/Articolo.asp?c=249433
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Lambda Legal
This morning, Lambda Legal argued our historic marriage case, Varnum v. Brien, before the Iowa Supreme Court. "We hope that the Court breathes life into the Iowa Constitution's promise of equality," said Camilla Taylor, Senior Staff Attorney and chief architect of the lawsuit. The case was argued this morning on behalf of Lambda Legal's six plaintiff couples and their children by co-counsel Dennis Johnson, former Iowa Solicitor General and partner at the firm Dorsey and Whitney. Lambda Legal would like to invite you to a telephone briefing this Thursday, December 11, at 2:00 pm EST (1:00 pm CST, 11:00 am PST) to learn more about this landmark case. We are making history again, and we would like for you to share in this historic moment on the road to marriage equality. Please join us for our one-hour briefing Thursday, December 11 at 2:00 pm EST (1:00 pm CST). Our Senior Staff Attorney and architect of the marriage case, Camilla Taylor, and Dennis Johnson, former Iowa Solicitor General and partner at the firm Dorsey and Whitney, will provide an overview of this latest case for marriage equality in Iowa.
Here are the call-in instructions:
Step 1: Call 888-640-7748
Step 2: Enter code 958621#
Questions can be emailed before and during the call to
libertycircle@lambdalegal.org.
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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
-The Future Of Obscenity
By Mark Kernes
Although President-elect Barack Obama has chosen Eric Holder as his replacement for current Attorney General Michael Mukasey, the former Deputy Attorney General under Clinton's AG Janet Reno is far from assured the position. [...] And, of course, one topic which Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch is sure to bring up - since he did so with both Gonzales and Mukasey - is Holder's commitment (or lack thereof) to prosecuting "pornography."
http://avn.com/law/articles/33665.html
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#####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 10, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Portrait of a Politician: Vengeful and Profane
Little in Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's background prepared the people of Illinois for the man who was revealed in the criminal complaint that dropped like a bombshell here on Tuesday. Delusional, narcissistic, vengeful and profane, Mr. Blagojevich as portrayed by federal prosecutors shocked even his most ardent detractors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10blago.html?_r=1&hp
-While Detroit Slept
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Someone is already developing an alternative to Detroit's business model. I don't know if it will work, but I do know that it can be done - and Detroit isn't doing it. [...] And when it is, our bailout of Detroit will be remembered as the equivalent of pouring billions of dollars of taxpayer money into the mail-order-catalogue business on the eve of the birth of eBay. It will be remembered as pouring billions of dollars into the CD music business on the eve of the birth of the iPod and iTunes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/opinion/10friedman.html?ref=opinion
-Accountability and the Court
The Supreme Court should rule that Javaid Iqbal has the right to try to prove that John Ashcroft and other top officials denied him his constitutional rights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion
-Democrats and Bush Near Deal on Auto Bailout
A vote in the House expected as soon as Wednesday, as President Bush sought Republican support for the plan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/business/10auto.html?hp
-18 and Under: What to Do When the Patient Says, 'Please Don't Tell Mom'
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/health/09klas.html
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A Human Rights Agenda
Jimmy Carter
We have the opportunity to restore the moral authority behind the movement. [...] Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. With a new administration and a new vision coming to the White House, we have the opportunity to move boldly to restore the moral authority behind the worldwide human rights movement. But the first steps must be taken at home.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120902776.html
-Trial by Absurdity
The alleged authors of Sept. 11 seek death -- and a propaganda coup -- in a flawed legal system.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120902783.html
-Pakistan Detains Extremist
House arrest of suspected terrorist leader Masood Azhar draws scoffs from U.S. and Indian officials.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120903165.html?hpid=topnews
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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Pakistan Intensifies Crackdown
Pakistan arrested about 40 people in raids while India police released the names of nine suspected Islamic militants killed during their attack on Mumbai, bolstering India's charges that all of them came from Pakistan. But a senior Pakistani official made it clear that no suspect arrested by Pakistan would be handed over to India.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122889700300394357.html
-Bush and Detroit
A bailout that won't enhance the Republican's legacy.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122886832631393161.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Immigration agents accused of stepping over the line during sex slave sting Immigration agents who busted up a sex slave ring are under investigation for allegedly abusing undocumented immigrants during the arrest, an agency spokeswoman said Tuesday. Immigrant advocates praised U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for going after the human traffickers in the ring. But they said the agents used excessive force, profiled racially, assaulted some of those detained and pointed guns at their heads as children looked on. The agents arrested 77 immigrants during the raids who were not charged criminally in the sex ring. They were detained on immigration violations. [...] On Nov. 19, ICE raided homes in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale , Homestead, Miami and elsewhere that they said were used as brothels or "stash" houses where the women were kept, according to court records.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbcomplaint1210sbdec10,0,4527753.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-ADMINISTRATION: Bush's biggest regret? Mmm . . . none
Remember that long-ago news conference when President George W. Bush couldn't think of any mistakes he had made? Unbelievably, he still can't. When ABC's Charles Gibson, interviewing Bush at Camp David, asked the president what one ''do-over'' he'd like to have, this was Bush's reply:
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/806566.html
-Turning reality, truth inside out
OUR OPINION: With exit in view, Bush, Rice push revisionist history It's to be expected that an outgoing administration, whether it is the government or a private business, will attempt to put its achievements in the most favorable light possible. This is not true of the Bush administration. As eight years of the Bush presidency comes to an end, the president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are going beyond sprinkling pixie dust on the administration's failed policies. Some of their remarks have been wholly disconnected with either reality or truth.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/805162.html
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Portrait of a Politician: Vengeful and Profane
Little in Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich's background prepared the people of Illinois for the man who was revealed in the criminal complaint that dropped like a bombshell here on Tuesday. Delusional, narcissistic, vengeful and profane, Mr. Blagojevich as portrayed by federal prosecutors shocked even his most ardent detractors.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/us/10blago.html?_r=1&hp
-While Detroit Slept
THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Someone is already developing an alternative to Detroit's business model. I don't know if it will work, but I do know that it can be done - and Detroit isn't doing it. [...] And when it is, our bailout of Detroit will be remembered as the equivalent of pouring billions of dollars of taxpayer money into the mail-order-catalogue business on the eve of the birth of eBay. It will be remembered as pouring billions of dollars into the CD music business on the eve of the birth of the iPod and iTunes.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/opinion/10friedman.html?ref=opinion
-Accountability and the Court
The Supreme Court should rule that Javaid Iqbal has the right to try to prove that John Ashcroft and other top officials denied him his constitutional rights.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/opinion/10wed2.html?ref=opinion
-Democrats and Bush Near Deal on Auto Bailout
A vote in the House expected as soon as Wednesday, as President Bush sought Republican support for the plan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/10/business/10auto.html?hp
-18 and Under: What to Do When the Patient Says, 'Please Don't Tell Mom'
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/health/09klas.html
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-A Human Rights Agenda
Jimmy Carter
We have the opportunity to restore the moral authority behind the movement. [...] Today marks the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. With a new administration and a new vision coming to the White House, we have the opportunity to move boldly to restore the moral authority behind the worldwide human rights movement. But the first steps must be taken at home.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120902776.html
-Trial by Absurdity
The alleged authors of Sept. 11 seek death -- and a propaganda coup -- in a flawed legal system.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120902783.html
-Pakistan Detains Extremist
House arrest of suspected terrorist leader Masood Azhar draws scoffs from U.S. and Indian officials.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120903165.html?hpid=topnews
=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Pakistan Intensifies Crackdown
Pakistan arrested about 40 people in raids while India police released the names of nine suspected Islamic militants killed during their attack on Mumbai, bolstering India's charges that all of them came from Pakistan. But a senior Pakistani official made it clear that no suspect arrested by Pakistan would be handed over to India.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122889700300394357.html
-Bush and Detroit
A bailout that won't enhance the Republican's legacy.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122886832631393161.html
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Immigration agents accused of stepping over the line during sex slave sting Immigration agents who busted up a sex slave ring are under investigation for allegedly abusing undocumented immigrants during the arrest, an agency spokeswoman said Tuesday. Immigrant advocates praised U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents for going after the human traffickers in the ring. But they said the agents used excessive force, profiled racially, assaulted some of those detained and pointed guns at their heads as children looked on. The agents arrested 77 immigrants during the raids who were not charged criminally in the sex ring. They were detained on immigration violations. [...] On Nov. 19, ICE raided homes in West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale , Homestead, Miami and elsewhere that they said were used as brothels or "stash" houses where the women were kept, according to court records.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbcomplaint1210sbdec10,0,4527753.story
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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-ADMINISTRATION: Bush's biggest regret? Mmm . . . none
Remember that long-ago news conference when President George W. Bush couldn't think of any mistakes he had made? Unbelievably, he still can't. When ABC's Charles Gibson, interviewing Bush at Camp David, asked the president what one ''do-over'' he'd like to have, this was Bush's reply:
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/806566.html
-Turning reality, truth inside out
OUR OPINION: With exit in view, Bush, Rice push revisionist history It's to be expected that an outgoing administration, whether it is the government or a private business, will attempt to put its achievements in the most favorable light possible. This is not true of the Bush administration. As eight years of the Bush presidency comes to an end, the president and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are going beyond sprinkling pixie dust on the administration's failed policies. Some of their remarks have been wholly disconnected with either reality or truth.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/editorials/story/805162.html
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST December 10, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Equality Florida
Mark Your Calendar - 2009 Rally in Tally!
After the passage of Amendment 2, we need to tell our government and our state we are not going away. That's why, this year, Equality Florida will have its biggest legislative session yet. We will introduce bills to repeal Florida's shameful ban on gay and lesbian adoption, create domestic partnerships in Florida, provide basic housing and employment protections to LGBT Floridians and to end hate violence against all members of our community. In order to make our state a more fair place to live, WE NEED YOU. It can be done; last year we passed the anti-bully bill. Now more than ever, our legislature needs to hear from all of us. This year Equality Florida is partnering with allies across the state for a Rally in Tally for LGBT Rights on Monday, March 16. The rally will mark the start of our second annual Equality Florida Lobby Week. Come join us in Tallahassee for the rally, then stay for all or part of the week and talk to legislators about why your family matters. To register for Lobby Week, March 16-19, click the button below:
http://ga4.org/Equalityflorida/events/rallytally/register.tcl?=&_cm_=1
-In-District Visit Week
For those of you who don't want to wait until March to talk to your legislators, we are having an In-District Visit Week January 19-23. In-District visits allow constituents to talk to legislators without traveling to Tallahassee, the meetings are held in their local office. Equality Florida will help you set an appointment and train you to talk to your Representative or Senator. To sign up and receive your training, click here:
http://ga4.org/Equalityflorida/events/in_district_visit_2008/register.tcl?&_cm_=1
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Care Resources
-Angel Toy Drive to Benefit HIV Positive Low Income Families.
December 2, 2008--The AIDS Ministry at St Stephen's Episcopal Church provides anonymous emergency financial assistance to persons with HIV/AIDS spectrum disease in Dade & Broward and has collected toys for the Food for Life Network, a subsidiary of Care Resource http://www.careresource.org/ffln/ for the past 10 years. The Food for life Network is a non-profit organization providing food, food vouchers and meals to people and families living with AIDS/HIV. These are families living in poverty as defined by the United States Government. A family of 4 may earn no more than $18,850.00 per year. This leaves little or nothing for gifts at Christmas or any other time. This year the Day School Student Council is working in conjunction with the Aids Ministry to provide some cheer for these unfortunate families. Together outreach at St. Stephen's Church and Day School hope to make a significant impact during these trying financial times especially for those who are suffering with HIV/AIDS. At this Holiday Season we ask that you please help those less fortunate than you by taking an ornament from the tree and return it attached to a new, un-wrapped age appropriate gift for a boy or girl no later than Friday, 12th December. Volunteers, including neighborhood children, will be sorting and packaging toys December 12, 2008 from 1pm to 3pm. This is a perfect opportunity for you to cover this event before the toys are placed on the truck and sent to Care Resource. For more information about please contact Christopher Donahue, PR/Marketing Manager of Care Resource, at 305-576-1234 or donahue@careresource.org
About Care Resource Care Resource is conveniently located in both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and collectively provides services for over 8,000 clients. Our dedicated and loyal staff takes pride in creating and/or implementing prevention strategies within our affected communities. Our outreach and education initiatives, including testing, on-site medical care, research protocols as well as family counseling and support, offer a wide array of programs that respond to every need of our HIV at-risk and infected areas. We are pleased to announce that today over 3,000 HIV patients have benefited from participation in studies of promising new anti-HIV drugs conducted by our agency, resulting in 13 new FDA drug approvals.
-4th Annual Holiday Stocking Affair Benefiting Care Resource.
On Wednesday, December 17th, 2008, Bill's, (2209 Wilton Drive) and Care Resource present the 4th Annual Holiday Stocking Affair benefiting South Florida's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization. Beginning at 6:30 PM, this event will once again prove to be very exciting as attendees are given the opportunity to bid on uniquely created, filled holiday stockings donated by community artists, merchants, organizations, and local celebrities such as yourself. 100% of the proceeds raised from this event will help us serve the needs of Care Resource clients. The past three years have seen this event blossom into an amazing success and this year the Holiday Stocking Affair is sure to be even bigger. We invite you to join in the fun! Let your imagination run wild! Think outside of the box! Create or sponsor a stocking (remember, creativity is important) and submit it to Care Resource for auction (or call us for a pickup) Attend the charity auction on Wednesday, December 17th. Eat, Drink and Support a worthy Cause For further information please feel free to contact me at 305-576-1234 Ext. 210 in Miami/Dade County or email me at the address below. We'll be contacting you soon to answer any questions you may have or schedule your stocking pickup!
Have a wonderful and joyous Holiday Season!
Christopher Donahue
Public Relations & Marketing Manager
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-AMENDMENT 2: Gay marriage here to stay
BY HOWARD SIMON
The vote approving Amendment 2 (the so-called ''marriage protection'' amendment) was a devastating but temporary setback for the cause of equal treatment for all.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/806567.html
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Change may fail more schools
Under a new state grading formula, Florida could be handing out a lot more F's. And even A and B schools could drop down to C and D schools.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/806547.html
-Broward leads nation in certified teachers
More teachers in Broward County have earned National Board Certification than any other district in the country. In Broward, 1,633 teachers have the certification, which is gained through a rigorous process. In Miami-Dade, 1,350 are certified, ranking it third in the nation and second in Florida, which leads the United States. Broward and Miami-Dade were also first and third nationally in the number of teachers certified in 2008: 358 in Broward and 221 in Miami-Dade, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The voluntary certification process takes one to three years to complete. In Florida, certified teachers receive an annual bonus for 10 years. Last school year, the bonus was about $5,300. However, state lawmakers cut funding for the program this year, reducing money paid to teachers who mentor colleagues seeking certification.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/806488.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Early-voting sites inadequate, state elections chief says
By Wes Allison, Times Staff Writer
Florida's elections chief plans to ask the state Legislature to expand the number of early-voting sites before the next election, saying the law simply doesn't permit enough sites to handle demand.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/article932025.ece
-Governor Crist and entourage traveled in style across Europe as businesses and taxpayers footed the bill
By Megan O'Matz
This summer, as the state's economy plunged, Gov. Charlie Crist took an entourage to Europe on a 12-day trade mission.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flgovtrip07sbdec07,0,5721620.story
-U.S. Sugar approves sale of 181,000 acres to Florida
By Craig Pittman, Times Staff Writer
The board of directors of U.S. Sugar voted Monday to approve a $1.3-billion deal to sell 181,000 acres to the state for Everglades restoration. "After a lengthy day of discussions, the contract was signed, sealed and delivered unanimously by our board of directors," U.S. Sugar vice president Bob Coker said.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/article930877.ece
-Florida ranks last in access to emergency care
By PHIL GALEWITZ
Florida ranks dead last in a national report card rating access to emergency care, according to a study released Tuesday by the American College of Emergency Physicians. Out of 50 states surveyed, Florida placed 50th.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/business/epaper/2008/12/09/1209er.html
-Welfare exploding in Fla. due to economy
The Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida's top welfare official says public aid has exploded in the past 19 months due to the slumping economy. Department of Children & Families Secretary George Sheldon said 1.7 million Floridians are getting food stamps, up 45 percent since April 2007. He said that's the biggest increase in the nation.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/806063.html
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Local10.com
http://www.local10.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Broward School Board To Ask For Federal Loan
The Broward County School Board voted Tuesday to empower its superintendent to ask for federal money. "We are not asking for a handout at all," said Superintendent Jim Notter. "We want to sit down and work out a no-interest loan to be paid back over 15 or 20 years."
http://www.local10.com/education/18239772/detail.html?treets=mia&tid=2655619429813&tml=mia_7am&tmi=mia_7am_-1_06000112102008&ts=H
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Equality Florida
Mark Your Calendar - 2009 Rally in Tally!
After the passage of Amendment 2, we need to tell our government and our state we are not going away. That's why, this year, Equality Florida will have its biggest legislative session yet. We will introduce bills to repeal Florida's shameful ban on gay and lesbian adoption, create domestic partnerships in Florida, provide basic housing and employment protections to LGBT Floridians and to end hate violence against all members of our community. In order to make our state a more fair place to live, WE NEED YOU. It can be done; last year we passed the anti-bully bill. Now more than ever, our legislature needs to hear from all of us. This year Equality Florida is partnering with allies across the state for a Rally in Tally for LGBT Rights on Monday, March 16. The rally will mark the start of our second annual Equality Florida Lobby Week. Come join us in Tallahassee for the rally, then stay for all or part of the week and talk to legislators about why your family matters. To register for Lobby Week, March 16-19, click the button below:
http://ga4.org/Equalityflorida/events/rallytally/register.tcl?=&_cm_=1
-In-District Visit Week
For those of you who don't want to wait until March to talk to your legislators, we are having an In-District Visit Week January 19-23. In-District visits allow constituents to talk to legislators without traveling to Tallahassee, the meetings are held in their local office. Equality Florida will help you set an appointment and train you to talk to your Representative or Senator. To sign up and receive your training, click here:
http://ga4.org/Equalityflorida/events/in_district_visit_2008/register.tcl?&_cm_=1
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Care Resources
-Angel Toy Drive to Benefit HIV Positive Low Income Families.
December 2, 2008--The AIDS Ministry at St Stephen's Episcopal Church provides anonymous emergency financial assistance to persons with HIV/AIDS spectrum disease in Dade & Broward and has collected toys for the Food for Life Network, a subsidiary of Care Resource http://www.careresource.org/ffln/ for the past 10 years. The Food for life Network is a non-profit organization providing food, food vouchers and meals to people and families living with AIDS/HIV. These are families living in poverty as defined by the United States Government. A family of 4 may earn no more than $18,850.00 per year. This leaves little or nothing for gifts at Christmas or any other time. This year the Day School Student Council is working in conjunction with the Aids Ministry to provide some cheer for these unfortunate families. Together outreach at St. Stephen's Church and Day School hope to make a significant impact during these trying financial times especially for those who are suffering with HIV/AIDS. At this Holiday Season we ask that you please help those less fortunate than you by taking an ornament from the tree and return it attached to a new, un-wrapped age appropriate gift for a boy or girl no later than Friday, 12th December. Volunteers, including neighborhood children, will be sorting and packaging toys December 12, 2008 from 1pm to 3pm. This is a perfect opportunity for you to cover this event before the toys are placed on the truck and sent to Care Resource. For more information about please contact Christopher Donahue, PR/Marketing Manager of Care Resource, at 305-576-1234 or donahue@careresource.org
About Care Resource Care Resource is conveniently located in both Miami-Dade and Broward Counties and collectively provides services for over 8,000 clients. Our dedicated and loyal staff takes pride in creating and/or implementing prevention strategies within our affected communities. Our outreach and education initiatives, including testing, on-site medical care, research protocols as well as family counseling and support, offer a wide array of programs that respond to every need of our HIV at-risk and infected areas. We are pleased to announce that today over 3,000 HIV patients have benefited from participation in studies of promising new anti-HIV drugs conducted by our agency, resulting in 13 new FDA drug approvals.
-4th Annual Holiday Stocking Affair Benefiting Care Resource.
On Wednesday, December 17th, 2008, Bill's, (2209 Wilton Drive) and Care Resource present the 4th Annual Holiday Stocking Affair benefiting South Florida's oldest and largest HIV/AIDS service organization. Beginning at 6:30 PM, this event will once again prove to be very exciting as attendees are given the opportunity to bid on uniquely created, filled holiday stockings donated by community artists, merchants, organizations, and local celebrities such as yourself. 100% of the proceeds raised from this event will help us serve the needs of Care Resource clients. The past three years have seen this event blossom into an amazing success and this year the Holiday Stocking Affair is sure to be even bigger. We invite you to join in the fun! Let your imagination run wild! Think outside of the box! Create or sponsor a stocking (remember, creativity is important) and submit it to Care Resource for auction (or call us for a pickup) Attend the charity auction on Wednesday, December 17th. Eat, Drink and Support a worthy Cause For further information please feel free to contact me at 305-576-1234 Ext. 210 in Miami/Dade County or email me at the address below. We'll be contacting you soon to answer any questions you may have or schedule your stocking pickup!
Have a wonderful and joyous Holiday Season!
Christopher Donahue
Public Relations & Marketing Manager
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-AMENDMENT 2: Gay marriage here to stay
BY HOWARD SIMON
The vote approving Amendment 2 (the so-called ''marriage protection'' amendment) was a devastating but temporary setback for the cause of equal treatment for all.
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/other-views/story/806567.html
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Change may fail more schools
Under a new state grading formula, Florida could be handing out a lot more F's. And even A and B schools could drop down to C and D schools.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/806547.html
-Broward leads nation in certified teachers
More teachers in Broward County have earned National Board Certification than any other district in the country. In Broward, 1,633 teachers have the certification, which is gained through a rigorous process. In Miami-Dade, 1,350 are certified, ranking it third in the nation and second in Florida, which leads the United States. Broward and Miami-Dade were also first and third nationally in the number of teachers certified in 2008: 358 in Broward and 221 in Miami-Dade, according to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards. The voluntary certification process takes one to three years to complete. In Florida, certified teachers receive an annual bonus for 10 years. Last school year, the bonus was about $5,300. However, state lawmakers cut funding for the program this year, reducing money paid to teachers who mentor colleagues seeking certification.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/806488.html
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Early-voting sites inadequate, state elections chief says
By Wes Allison, Times Staff Writer
Florida's elections chief plans to ask the state Legislature to expand the number of early-voting sites before the next election, saying the law simply doesn't permit enough sites to handle demand.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/elections/article932025.ece
-Governor Crist and entourage traveled in style across Europe as businesses and taxpayers footed the bill
By Megan O'Matz
This summer, as the state's economy plunged, Gov. Charlie Crist took an entourage to Europe on a 12-day trade mission.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flgovtrip07sbdec07,0,5721620.story
-U.S. Sugar approves sale of 181,000 acres to Florida
By Craig Pittman, Times Staff Writer
The board of directors of U.S. Sugar voted Monday to approve a $1.3-billion deal to sell 181,000 acres to the state for Everglades restoration. "After a lengthy day of discussions, the contract was signed, sealed and delivered unanimously by our board of directors," U.S. Sugar vice president Bob Coker said.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/article930877.ece
-Florida ranks last in access to emergency care
By PHIL GALEWITZ
Florida ranks dead last in a national report card rating access to emergency care, according to a study released Tuesday by the American College of Emergency Physicians. Out of 50 states surveyed, Florida placed 50th.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/business/epaper/2008/12/09/1209er.html
-Welfare exploding in Fla. due to economy
The Associated Press
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida's top welfare official says public aid has exploded in the past 19 months due to the slumping economy. Department of Children & Families Secretary George Sheldon said 1.7 million Floridians are getting food stamps, up 45 percent since April 2007. He said that's the biggest increase in the nation.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/806063.html
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Local10.com
http://www.local10.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Broward School Board To Ask For Federal Loan
The Broward County School Board voted Tuesday to empower its superintendent to ask for federal money. "We are not asking for a handout at all," said Superintendent Jim Notter. "We want to sit down and work out a no-interest loan to be paid back over 15 or 20 years."
http://www.local10.com/education/18239772/detail.html?treets=mia&tid=2655619429813&tml=mia_7am&tmi=mia_7am_-1_06000112102008&ts=H
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
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Tuesday, December 09, 2008
GLBT DIGEST December 09, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Attack on Ecuadorean Brothers Investigated as Hate Crime
The two brothers from Ecuador had attended a church party and had stopped at a bar afterward. They may have been a bit tipsy as they walked home in the dead of night, arm-in-arm, leaning close to each other, a common tableau of men in Latino cultures, but one easily misinterpreted by the biased mind.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/nyregion/09assault.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse
-Op-Ed Contributors: Showdown in the Big Tent
Los Angeles: THE attitude of white, liberal Hollywood toward African- American churches has long been one of almost participatory respect. Whether it's Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard, or the Blind Boys of Alabama on the iPod, or a serious - reverential - mention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference over dinner, the understanding is clear: the black church is a foundational institution in the history of the civil rights struggle, and its music (although it makes reference to Jesus Christ as a personal savior) is smoking hot.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/opinion/07flanagan.html?scp=7&sq=gay&st=cse
-A Lifestyle Distinct: The Muxe of Mexico
Mexico City - Mexico can be intolerant of homosexuality; it can also be quite liberal. Gay-bashing incidents are not uncommon in the countryside, where many Mexicans consider homosexuality a sin. In Mexico City, meanwhile, same-sex domestic partnerships are legally recognized - and often celebrated lavishly in government offices as if they were marriages.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/weekinreview/07lacey.html?scp=9&sq=gay&st=cse
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Calling in 'gay' to work is latest form of protest
Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay"
Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" _ scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants _ also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120900809.html
-Gay group organizes 'Pink Christmas' in Amsterdam
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- A Dutch gay group said Monday it has planned a "Pink Christmas" festival for the first time in Amsterdam, featuring a manger stall with two Josephs and two Marys.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120801239.html
-Next stop on gay marriage debate in courts: Iowa
The gay marriage debate moves to the Midwest this week as the Iowa Supreme Court hears arguments in a challenge to the state's ban on same-sex marriage. If the high court rules in favor of the half-dozen gay couples who sued, it would make Iowa the fourth state after Massachusetts, California and Connecticut to uphold the right of same-sex couples to legally marry. In California, however, voters have negated the courts by amending the state constitution to ban gay marriage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/07/AR2008120701390.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Brazil: Serial killer is suspected
ATHENS AO PAULO PARIS JERUSALEM - Brazilian police are investigating whether a possible serial killer is behind the murders of more than a dozen gay men in a park in suburban Sao Paulo. Police chief Paulo Fernando Fortunato told the O Globo newspaper that 13 gay men were killed there between February 2007 and August 2008. He said police are not sure whether a single person is responsible. Undercover police are now patrolling the park at night.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flaworlddig1209081sbdec09,0,2953947.story
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Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Some ask: Is 'call in gay' to work protest wise?
Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" - scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants - also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Video | Lesbian and Gay Band Association will march in the 2009
Presidential Inaugural Parade
The Lesbian and Gay Band Association has announced it will be part of the upcoming Obama inaugural parade. From the group's website: America's first gay and lesbian contingent. We are extremely pleased to announce that the Lesbian and Gay Band Association will be included as a marching contingent in the Inaugural Parade. This is the first time that an LGBT group will be represented in a Presidential Inaugural Parade, truly our chance to make history.
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Demonstrators to protest at Gov. Crist's wedding
Marriage rights supporters vow to crash Florida governor's nuptials
When Gov. Charlie Crist legally weds his longtime girlfriend Carole Rome on Dec. 12, St. Petersburg's First United Methodist Church will be packed with cheering family members, friends and the most inside of Florida insiders. Outside the church, in nearby Williams Park, hundreds of supporters of equal marriage rights-the outsiders of the Nov. 4 vote in Florida-will also cheer the governor and his bride. But it will be a double-edged celebration.
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-4/news/localnews/5330.cfm
-Be a holiday Angel for local GLBT youth in need
Pridelines youth initiative asking for donations
The holidays are a time for helping and giving to others and Pridelines Youth Services needs your help more this time of year than any other. For the holidays, Pridelines invites you to become an "Angel" with their "Operation Angel." Many of the young people who are helped by Pridelines have become homeless due to their sexuality. Holiday gifts are something they would like to receive but know it won't happen.
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-4/news/localnews/5336.cfm
-Homophobe to head the RNC?
Former Ohio Secretary of State and U.N. ambassador Ken Blackwell is in the running to chair the RNC, according to the Washington Times. Blackwell is also a senior fellow at the Family Research Council, the anti-gay fundie organization.
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm?blog_id=22858
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Iowa's Constitutional Protections
The Iowa Supreme Court is set to hear their gay marriage case tomorrow morning. As the fourth state on the brink of legalizing same-sex marriage, the fight in Iowa is much more significant in many ways.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-iowas-constitutional-protections/
-Mexico's third gender
In the New York Times this weekend, a story investigated the treatment of cross-dressing men in a small indigenous community outside of Oaxaca. This community has a separate word and separate gender category for men who are drawn to the dress and behavior of women. Many are supported by their families and permitted to dress and act like a woman without community reprisal. Mexico is not the only country with this "third sex," but that doesn't make it any less interesting that the support for male femininity is significantly higher in small town Mexico than most of the United States.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-mexicos-third-gender/
-Bill O'Reilly channels Ted Baxter
Sorry to bore you with a Bill O'Reilly post, but this was way too good to let go. The mouth over at Fox News is in a tizzy over two displays in the Olympia, Washington statehouse. There is a Nativity scene and right next to it a sign sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. You can imagine what the sign says right?
http://www.365gay.com/blog/120808-oreilly-doesnt-understand-free-speech/
-Fighting Charlie Crist
There is an etiquette to celebrating a wedding, but most certainly protest is not found in the guidelines from the Emily Post Institute. Protest, however, is part of Impact-Florida's plan on Dec. 12, when the once-divorced governor of Florida marries Carole Rome.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/neff-fighting-charlie-crist/
-Amsterdam gay Christmas features same-sex Nativity
(Amsterdam, Netherlands) A Dutch gay group said Monday it has planned a "Pink Christmas" festival for the first time in Amsterdam, featuring a manger stall with two Josephs and two Marys.
http://www.365gay.com/news/amsterdam-gay-christmas-features-same-sex-nativity/
-LA Episcopal diocese OKs gay bishops, unions
The feud between liberals and conservatives within the worldwide Anglican Church has grown wider with the decision by the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese to call for the lifting of a moratorium on consecrating gay bishops.
http://www.365gay.com/news/la-episcopal-diocese-oks-gay-bishops-unions/
-Nobel Winner predicts HIV vaccine in 5 years
(Stockholm) One of the scientists sharing the Nobel Prize in medicine for discovering the HIV virus said on the weekend that he believes there will be a therapeutic vaccine to treat it within five years.
http://www.365gay.com/news/nobel-winner-predicts-hiv-vaccine-in-5-years/
-Will you "Call in Gay" on Dec. 10?
Yes.
No, but I'll participate in the economic boycott.
No, but I would if I could.
No, I don't think it's a good idea.
http://www.365gay.com/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-GLAAD, Outfest Say Yes to Sundance
Mormons poured millions of dollars into a successful effort to pass California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. And ever since the election, there's been talk among gay people about a ban on all things Utah, including the Park City-based Sundance Film Festival. But now two prominent gay groups -- the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and Outfest -- have announced that they will participate in the prestigious film showcase. Read the full story
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid67962.asp
-Newsom Swears in New Gay City Supervisor
With Tom Ammiano leaving the San Francisco board of supervisors to take his new post in the state assembly, his successor, David Campos, was sworn in early by Mayor Gavin Newsom to assume the duties for the session's remaining days.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68004.asp
-Court Ruling May Pave Way for End of DADT
A court ruling handed down on Thursday may pave the way for "don't ask, don't tell" to be repealed. According to a decision by the ninth U.S. circuit court of appeals in San Francisco, Air Force major Margaret Witt's earlier victory invalidating her discharge will be allowed to stand, leaving the military to acquiesce -- or go to the Supreme Court, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. In May, Witt, a decorated nurse, won her case before a three-judge panel of the appeals court, which ruled that the military must show why an individual soldier is being discharged for being gay. The Air Force now has 90 days to appeal to the Supreme Court, the Chronicle reports; otherwise, the new requirement becomes binding in the eight states of the ninth circuit, including California. (The Advocate)
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid67967.asp
-GLAAD, Outfest Say Yes to Sundance
Mormons poured millions of dollars into a successful effort to pass California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. And ever since the election, there's been talk among gay people about a ban on all things Utah, including the Park City-based Sundance Film Festival. But now two prominent gay groups -- the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and Outfest -- have announced that they will participate in the prestigious film showcase. Read the full story
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid67983.asp
-Trevor Project Scores Big With Cracked Xmas
California's passage of the same-sex marriage ban Proposition 8 was a recurring theme running through Cracked Xmas 11, the annual holiday fund-raiser for the teen help line the Trevor Project. Newly out comedian Wanda Sykes got a standing O, Anne Hathaway auctioned herself off for a night of drinking, and Fantasia stomped her way through the audience in song.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid67969.asp
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Maltese gays want to emigrate because of discrimination
Three-quarters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in Malta would emigrate if they had the chance, according to a new survey.
-South Korea challenged over "rampant discrimination" against gays
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in South Korea face "rampant" discrimination, a coalition of LGBT groups and straight supporters have said.
-Same-sex marriage bans lead to Day Without A Gay protests
A novel form of civil protest will be practised by gays in the US tomorrow. For those angry at bans on gay marriage, tomorrow is the Day Without A Gay.
-US Supreme Court decides Obama is not British and can become President
America's highest court has declined to even hear a case brought by a retired lawyer that claimed President-elect Barack Obama is not qualified to take the highest office in the land.
-Comment: Moscow Pride organisers appeal to Council of Europe
The organisers of Moscow Pride have written to the Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe - the event has been banned every year.
-Italian footballer claims top players pay him for sex
An Italian man has claimed that up to 30 top flight footballers have paid him for sex.
-US Armed Forces look to foreign recruits - as long as they are straight America's military leaders have approved a one-year pilot programme that aims to recruit up to 1,000 foreign nationals to plug chronic staff shortages.
-Cliff Richard "loves" the enigma surrounding his sexuality
Veteran pop star Sir Cliff Richard has described his sex life as an enigma. Sir Cliff, 68, is one of the UK's best-known Christians, has been the victim of persistent rumours and innuendo about his sexuality.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Our Mutual Joy
Lisa Miller | Newsweek
Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel-all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments-especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," says the apostle, in one of the most lukewarm endorsements of a treasured institution ever uttered. Would any contemporary heterosexual married couple-who likely woke up on their wedding day harboring some optimistic and newfangled ideas about gender equality and romantic love-turn to the Bible as a how-to script?
-The Protests are Working-Keep Them Up
by: Maura Hennessey | Pam's House Blend
The protests are working. Every time that the enemies of our equality fire back and try to intimidate us into disavowing the protests, they are admitting fear of us and that we are succeeding. If we buy into their propaganda by reacting to it this time, we lose what is obviously a winning strategy. We cannot win the war of words or a debate because they are incapable of compromise or change. Their understanding of their God forbids it. Yes, we are protesting, yes it is directed at a conspiratorial organisation claiming to be a religion as well as individuals. And yes, we will KEEP ON protesting to deter others from denying us citizenship, equality.
-A Patronizing "Pastoral Message"
By Timothy Kincaid | Box Turtle Bulletin
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, has issued A pastoral message to homosexual Catholics in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles assuring gay Catholics that they "are cherished members of the Catholic Church, and that we value you as equal and active members of the Body of Christ". I know what the Cardinal is trying to say. He just wants gay Catholics to know that this very personal action that he encouraged to harm their life wasn't personal. It's not out of some desire to hurt them, you see, it's just out of Mahony's absolute certainty about how things should be. And that while he actively seeks to eliminate any measure of equality for same-sex attracted persons either in society or in the Church, he values them as equal members of the Body of Christ. You're equal in the eyes of God, you see, but dogma and doctrine require that you be treated as intrinsically disordered, not to be protected from death sentences, and psychologically suspect due to your "deep-seated homosexual tendencies."
Read more
-Why Does the Word "Homosexual" Piss Me Off?
Waymon Hudson | The Bilerico Project
I find myself cringing when I hear the word "homosexual." Yes, I know it is a scientific term and meant to be clinical. And I know it is odd that this word bothers me when I embrace other words like queer, which is horribly offensive to some. I know this may be in my mind, but I still have a guttural reaction when I hear the word. To me, it seems that more and more the word "homosexual" is becoming the new "faggot." It is being used by the religious right, conservatives, the media, and just about everyone else as a fill-in for a derogatory term.
Read more
-A Gay Marriage Surge
By Arian Campo-Flores | Newsweek Web Exclusive
When voters in California, Florida and Arizona approved measures banning same-sex marriage last month, opponents lamented that the country appeared to be turning increasingly intolerant toward gay and lesbian rights. But the latest NEWSWEEK Poll finds growing public support for gay marriage and civil unions-and strong backing for the granting of certain rights associated with marriage, to same-sex couples.
-'Newsweek' Examines The Biblical Relation to Gay Marriage
By Carlos Santoscoy | On Top Magazine
In Our Mutual Joy, Newsweek's cover story for December 15, available today on magazine racks, Religion Editor Lisa Miller concludes there is nothing in the Bible prohibiting gay marriage and quite a bit for it. Miller explains that the institution of marriage is continually evolving, and that "traditional marriage" as we think of it today did not exist during Biblical times. Instead, Miller believes the Bible supports an argument for gay marriage.
-IRQR Urges the UN General Assembly to Adopt the France Resolution on Dec 10
In Memorial of Makvan- who was Executed in Iran. Last year in Iran on December 5, 2007 Makvan Mouloodzadeh 21-years old was executed. Homophobia runs deep into Iranian society. This, of course, partly reflects the influence of the conservative Islamic legal and religious standards promoted by the government.
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Colin Powell helps raise $1 million for MLK memorial, calls on public to donate to project
Gen. Colin Powell helped deliver a $1 million gift Monday for the planned Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and called on all Americans to donate to the National Mall project. The foundation building the memorial has raised $102 million of the $120 million needed to complete the project slated for the Tidal Basin between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-king-memorial-colin-powell,0,6032143.story
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Attack on Ecuadorean Brothers Investigated as Hate Crime
The two brothers from Ecuador had attended a church party and had stopped at a bar afterward. They may have been a bit tipsy as they walked home in the dead of night, arm-in-arm, leaning close to each other, a common tableau of men in Latino cultures, but one easily misinterpreted by the biased mind.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/nyregion/09assault.html?_r=1&scp=3&sq=gay&st=cse
-Op-Ed Contributors: Showdown in the Big Tent
Los Angeles: THE attitude of white, liberal Hollywood toward African- American churches has long been one of almost participatory respect. Whether it's Gospel Brunch at the House of Blues on Sunset Boulevard, or the Blind Boys of Alabama on the iPod, or a serious - reverential - mention of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference over dinner, the understanding is clear: the black church is a foundational institution in the history of the civil rights struggle, and its music (although it makes reference to Jesus Christ as a personal savior) is smoking hot.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/opinion/07flanagan.html?scp=7&sq=gay&st=cse
-A Lifestyle Distinct: The Muxe of Mexico
Mexico City - Mexico can be intolerant of homosexuality; it can also be quite liberal. Gay-bashing incidents are not uncommon in the countryside, where many Mexicans consider homosexuality a sin. In Mexico City, meanwhile, same-sex domestic partnerships are legally recognized - and often celebrated lavishly in government offices as if they were marriages.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/weekinreview/07lacey.html?scp=9&sq=gay&st=cse
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Calling in 'gay' to work is latest form of protest
Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay"
Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" _ scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants _ also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120900809.html
-Gay group organizes 'Pink Christmas' in Amsterdam
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- A Dutch gay group said Monday it has planned a "Pink Christmas" festival for the first time in Amsterdam, featuring a manger stall with two Josephs and two Marys.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120801239.html
-Next stop on gay marriage debate in courts: Iowa
The gay marriage debate moves to the Midwest this week as the Iowa Supreme Court hears arguments in a challenge to the state's ban on same-sex marriage. If the high court rules in favor of the half-dozen gay couples who sued, it would make Iowa the fourth state after Massachusetts, California and Connecticut to uphold the right of same-sex couples to legally marry. In California, however, voters have negated the courts by amending the state constitution to ban gay marriage.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/07/AR2008120701390.html
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Brazil: Serial killer is suspected
ATHENS AO PAULO PARIS JERUSALEM - Brazilian police are investigating whether a possible serial killer is behind the murders of more than a dozen gay men in a park in suburban Sao Paulo. Police chief Paulo Fernando Fortunato told the O Globo newspaper that 13 gay men were killed there between February 2007 and August 2008. He said police are not sure whether a single person is responsible. Undercover police are now patrolling the park at night.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sfl-flaworlddig1209081sbdec09,0,2953947.story
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Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Some ask: Is 'call in gay' to work protest wise?
Some same-sex marriage supporters are urging people to "call in gay" Wednesday to show how much the country relies on gays and lesbians, but others question whether it's wise to encourage skipping work given the nation's economic distress. Organizers of "Day Without a Gay" - scheduled to coincide with International Human Rights Day and modeled after similar work stoppages by Latino immigrants - also are encouraging people to perform volunteer work and refrain from spending money.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/
-Video | Lesbian and Gay Band Association will march in the 2009
Presidential Inaugural Parade
The Lesbian and Gay Band Association has announced it will be part of the upcoming Obama inaugural parade. From the group's website: America's first gay and lesbian contingent. We are extremely pleased to announce that the Lesbian and Gay Band Association will be included as a marching contingent in the Inaugural Parade. This is the first time that an LGBT group will be represented in a Presidential Inaugural Parade, truly our chance to make history.
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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Demonstrators to protest at Gov. Crist's wedding
Marriage rights supporters vow to crash Florida governor's nuptials
When Gov. Charlie Crist legally weds his longtime girlfriend Carole Rome on Dec. 12, St. Petersburg's First United Methodist Church will be packed with cheering family members, friends and the most inside of Florida insiders. Outside the church, in nearby Williams Park, hundreds of supporters of equal marriage rights-the outsiders of the Nov. 4 vote in Florida-will also cheer the governor and his bride. But it will be a double-edged celebration.
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-4/news/localnews/5330.cfm
-Be a holiday Angel for local GLBT youth in need
Pridelines youth initiative asking for donations
The holidays are a time for helping and giving to others and Pridelines Youth Services needs your help more this time of year than any other. For the holidays, Pridelines invites you to become an "Angel" with their "Operation Angel." Many of the young people who are helped by Pridelines have become homeless due to their sexuality. Holiday gifts are something they would like to receive but know it won't happen.
http://www.floridablade.com/2008/12-4/news/localnews/5336.cfm
-Homophobe to head the RNC?
Former Ohio Secretary of State and U.N. ambassador Ken Blackwell is in the running to chair the RNC, according to the Washington Times. Blackwell is also a senior fellow at the Family Research Council, the anti-gay fundie organization.
http://www.floridablade.com/blog/index.cfm?blog_id=22858
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Iowa's Constitutional Protections
The Iowa Supreme Court is set to hear their gay marriage case tomorrow morning. As the fourth state on the brink of legalizing same-sex marriage, the fight in Iowa is much more significant in many ways.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-iowas-constitutional-protections/
-Mexico's third gender
In the New York Times this weekend, a story investigated the treatment of cross-dressing men in a small indigenous community outside of Oaxaca. This community has a separate word and separate gender category for men who are drawn to the dress and behavior of women. Many are supported by their families and permitted to dress and act like a woman without community reprisal. Mexico is not the only country with this "third sex," but that doesn't make it any less interesting that the support for male femininity is significantly higher in small town Mexico than most of the United States.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/ruby-sachs-mexicos-third-gender/
-Bill O'Reilly channels Ted Baxter
Sorry to bore you with a Bill O'Reilly post, but this was way too good to let go. The mouth over at Fox News is in a tizzy over two displays in the Olympia, Washington statehouse. There is a Nativity scene and right next to it a sign sponsored by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. You can imagine what the sign says right?
http://www.365gay.com/blog/120808-oreilly-doesnt-understand-free-speech/
-Fighting Charlie Crist
There is an etiquette to celebrating a wedding, but most certainly protest is not found in the guidelines from the Emily Post Institute. Protest, however, is part of Impact-Florida's plan on Dec. 12, when the once-divorced governor of Florida marries Carole Rome.
http://www.365gay.com/opinion/neff-fighting-charlie-crist/
-Amsterdam gay Christmas features same-sex Nativity
(Amsterdam, Netherlands) A Dutch gay group said Monday it has planned a "Pink Christmas" festival for the first time in Amsterdam, featuring a manger stall with two Josephs and two Marys.
http://www.365gay.com/news/amsterdam-gay-christmas-features-same-sex-nativity/
-LA Episcopal diocese OKs gay bishops, unions
The feud between liberals and conservatives within the worldwide Anglican Church has grown wider with the decision by the Los Angeles Episcopal Diocese to call for the lifting of a moratorium on consecrating gay bishops.
http://www.365gay.com/news/la-episcopal-diocese-oks-gay-bishops-unions/
-Nobel Winner predicts HIV vaccine in 5 years
(Stockholm) One of the scientists sharing the Nobel Prize in medicine for discovering the HIV virus said on the weekend that he believes there will be a therapeutic vaccine to treat it within five years.
http://www.365gay.com/news/nobel-winner-predicts-hiv-vaccine-in-5-years/
-Will you "Call in Gay" on Dec. 10?
Yes.
No, but I'll participate in the economic boycott.
No, but I would if I could.
No, I don't think it's a good idea.
http://www.365gay.com/
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The Advocate
http://advocate.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-GLAAD, Outfest Say Yes to Sundance
Mormons poured millions of dollars into a successful effort to pass California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. And ever since the election, there's been talk among gay people about a ban on all things Utah, including the Park City-based Sundance Film Festival. But now two prominent gay groups -- the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and Outfest -- have announced that they will participate in the prestigious film showcase. Read the full story
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid67962.asp
-Newsom Swears in New Gay City Supervisor
With Tom Ammiano leaving the San Francisco board of supervisors to take his new post in the state assembly, his successor, David Campos, was sworn in early by Mayor Gavin Newsom to assume the duties for the session's remaining days.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68004.asp
-Court Ruling May Pave Way for End of DADT
A court ruling handed down on Thursday may pave the way for "don't ask, don't tell" to be repealed. According to a decision by the ninth U.S. circuit court of appeals in San Francisco, Air Force major Margaret Witt's earlier victory invalidating her discharge will be allowed to stand, leaving the military to acquiesce -- or go to the Supreme Court, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. In May, Witt, a decorated nurse, won her case before a three-judge panel of the appeals court, which ruled that the military must show why an individual soldier is being discharged for being gay. The Air Force now has 90 days to appeal to the Supreme Court, the Chronicle reports; otherwise, the new requirement becomes binding in the eight states of the ninth circuit, including California. (The Advocate)
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid67967.asp
-GLAAD, Outfest Say Yes to Sundance
Mormons poured millions of dollars into a successful effort to pass California's anti-gay marriage Proposition 8. And ever since the election, there's been talk among gay people about a ban on all things Utah, including the Park City-based Sundance Film Festival. But now two prominent gay groups -- the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and Outfest -- have announced that they will participate in the prestigious film showcase. Read the full story
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid67983.asp
-Trevor Project Scores Big With Cracked Xmas
California's passage of the same-sex marriage ban Proposition 8 was a recurring theme running through Cracked Xmas 11, the annual holiday fund-raiser for the teen help line the Trevor Project. Newly out comedian Wanda Sykes got a standing O, Anne Hathaway auctioned herself off for a night of drinking, and Fantasia stomped her way through the audience in song.
http://www.advocate.com/exclusive_detail_ektid67969.asp
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Pink News - UK
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Maltese gays want to emigrate because of discrimination
Three-quarters of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in Malta would emigrate if they had the chance, according to a new survey.
-South Korea challenged over "rampant discrimination" against gays
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people in South Korea face "rampant" discrimination, a coalition of LGBT groups and straight supporters have said.
-Same-sex marriage bans lead to Day Without A Gay protests
A novel form of civil protest will be practised by gays in the US tomorrow. For those angry at bans on gay marriage, tomorrow is the Day Without A Gay.
-US Supreme Court decides Obama is not British and can become President
America's highest court has declined to even hear a case brought by a retired lawyer that claimed President-elect Barack Obama is not qualified to take the highest office in the land.
-Comment: Moscow Pride organisers appeal to Council of Europe
The organisers of Moscow Pride have written to the Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe - the event has been banned every year.
-Italian footballer claims top players pay him for sex
An Italian man has claimed that up to 30 top flight footballers have paid him for sex.
-US Armed Forces look to foreign recruits - as long as they are straight America's military leaders have approved a one-year pilot programme that aims to recruit up to 1,000 foreign nationals to plug chronic staff shortages.
-Cliff Richard "loves" the enigma surrounding his sexuality
Veteran pop star Sir Cliff Richard has described his sex life as an enigma. Sir Cliff, 68, is one of the UK's best-known Christians, has been the victim of persistent rumours and innuendo about his sexuality.
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Forwarded from Victoria Lavin
Daily Queer News
www.dailyqueernews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Our Mutual Joy
Lisa Miller | Newsweek
Let's try for a minute to take the religious conservatives at their word and define marriage as the Bible does. Shall we look to Abraham, the great patriarch, who slept with his servant when he discovered his beloved wife Sarah was infertile? Or to Jacob, who fathered children with four different women (two sisters and their servants)? Abraham, Jacob, David, Solomon and the kings of Judah and Israel-all these fathers and heroes were polygamists. The New Testament model of marriage is hardly better. Jesus himself was single and preached an indifference to earthly attachments-especially family. The apostle Paul (also single) regarded marriage as an act of last resort for those unable to contain their animal lust. "It is better to marry than to burn with passion," says the apostle, in one of the most lukewarm endorsements of a treasured institution ever uttered. Would any contemporary heterosexual married couple-who likely woke up on their wedding day harboring some optimistic and newfangled ideas about gender equality and romantic love-turn to the Bible as a how-to script?
-The Protests are Working-Keep Them Up
by: Maura Hennessey | Pam's House Blend
The protests are working. Every time that the enemies of our equality fire back and try to intimidate us into disavowing the protests, they are admitting fear of us and that we are succeeding. If we buy into their propaganda by reacting to it this time, we lose what is obviously a winning strategy. We cannot win the war of words or a debate because they are incapable of compromise or change. Their understanding of their God forbids it. Yes, we are protesting, yes it is directed at a conspiratorial organisation claiming to be a religion as well as individuals. And yes, we will KEEP ON protesting to deter others from denying us citizenship, equality.
-A Patronizing "Pastoral Message"
By Timothy Kincaid | Box Turtle Bulletin
Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, Archbishop of Los Angeles, has issued A pastoral message to homosexual Catholics in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles assuring gay Catholics that they "are cherished members of the Catholic Church, and that we value you as equal and active members of the Body of Christ". I know what the Cardinal is trying to say. He just wants gay Catholics to know that this very personal action that he encouraged to harm their life wasn't personal. It's not out of some desire to hurt them, you see, it's just out of Mahony's absolute certainty about how things should be. And that while he actively seeks to eliminate any measure of equality for same-sex attracted persons either in society or in the Church, he values them as equal members of the Body of Christ. You're equal in the eyes of God, you see, but dogma and doctrine require that you be treated as intrinsically disordered, not to be protected from death sentences, and psychologically suspect due to your "deep-seated homosexual tendencies."
Read more
-Why Does the Word "Homosexual" Piss Me Off?
Waymon Hudson | The Bilerico Project
I find myself cringing when I hear the word "homosexual." Yes, I know it is a scientific term and meant to be clinical. And I know it is odd that this word bothers me when I embrace other words like queer, which is horribly offensive to some. I know this may be in my mind, but I still have a guttural reaction when I hear the word. To me, it seems that more and more the word "homosexual" is becoming the new "faggot." It is being used by the religious right, conservatives, the media, and just about everyone else as a fill-in for a derogatory term.
Read more
-A Gay Marriage Surge
By Arian Campo-Flores | Newsweek Web Exclusive
When voters in California, Florida and Arizona approved measures banning same-sex marriage last month, opponents lamented that the country appeared to be turning increasingly intolerant toward gay and lesbian rights. But the latest NEWSWEEK Poll finds growing public support for gay marriage and civil unions-and strong backing for the granting of certain rights associated with marriage, to same-sex couples.
-'Newsweek' Examines The Biblical Relation to Gay Marriage
By Carlos Santoscoy | On Top Magazine
In Our Mutual Joy, Newsweek's cover story for December 15, available today on magazine racks, Religion Editor Lisa Miller concludes there is nothing in the Bible prohibiting gay marriage and quite a bit for it. Miller explains that the institution of marriage is continually evolving, and that "traditional marriage" as we think of it today did not exist during Biblical times. Instead, Miller believes the Bible supports an argument for gay marriage.
-IRQR Urges the UN General Assembly to Adopt the France Resolution on Dec 10
In Memorial of Makvan- who was Executed in Iran. Last year in Iran on December 5, 2007 Makvan Mouloodzadeh 21-years old was executed. Homophobia runs deep into Iranian society. This, of course, partly reflects the influence of the conservative Islamic legal and religious standards promoted by the government.
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Colin Powell helps raise $1 million for MLK memorial, calls on public to donate to project
Gen. Colin Powell helped deliver a $1 million gift Monday for the planned Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and called on all Americans to donate to the National Mall project. The foundation building the memorial has raised $102 million of the $120 million needed to complete the project slated for the Tidal Basin between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/sns-ap-king-memorial-colin-powell,0,6032143.story
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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 09, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
Hopefully!!!! We're back. If we don't show up with Ray's List, you'll know it isn't for lack of trying.
Best,
Ray and Michael
=
Forwarded from Sharon Goldenburg
-New Rule Lifts Ban on Firearms in National Parks
The Bush administration has issued a new rule allowing concealed weapons in national parks. People will soon be able to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks and wildlife refuges. The Bush administration said Friday it is overturning a 25-year-old federal rule that severely restricts loaded guns in national parks.
http://www.truthout.org/120708E
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New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Washington Takes Risks With Its Auto Bailout Plans
The realignment of the auto industry described by Barack Obama sounds perilously close to a word no one in his camp wants to say: nationalization.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/business/economy/09nationalize.html?hp
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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-FBI Arrests Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
FBI agents this morning arrested Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich (D) and his chief of staff on conspiracy and bribery charges, including allegations that the governor was seeking to benefit financially from his appointment of a successor to the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. The arrest of Blagojevich and his top aide, John Harris, capped a lengthy investigation into public corruption at the highest levels of state government.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120900987.html
-A Vote for Senator Caroline
On the question of Caroline Kennedy for Senate, my head says no, on balance. My heart says yes! Yes! Right now, as you might guess from the hedging on the former and the exclamation points on the latter, my heart is winning.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803294.html
-A Whitewash for Blackwater?
The federal manslaughter indictment of five Blackwater Worldwide security guards in the horrific massacre of more than a dozen Iraqi civilians in Baghdad may look like an exercise in accountability, but it's probably the exact opposite -- a whitewash that absolves the government and corporate officials who should bear ultimate responsibility.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803297.html
-Obama's Military Bridge Builder
In naming retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki as veterans affairs secretary, President-elect Barack Obama made what may be the most politically and morally significant choice of his transition.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803293.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Jeb Bush doesn't need to be a senator. But the Senate could use Jeb Bush.
When the former Florida governor spoke at the National Review Institute's "Conservative Summit" in January 2007, many in the audience came to the same conclusion: If his surname hadn't been Bush, he would have had an inside track to the 2008 presidential nomination. 2006 had been a punishing year for Republicans coast to coast - but not in Florida, where candidates proudly identifying themselves as "Jeb Bush Republicans" had held their own.
Bush left office with a 60 percent approval rating.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGM0ZGVkNmUxMDBmZWZmMTcwZmQ1OGRjYmI2OWEwYjU=#more
-Outside Pressure Grows for GM to Oust Wagoner
General Motors Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner is coming under increasing pressure from outside the company to resign as part of any broad bailout of the auto maker by the federal government. On Sunday, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.), a supporter of emergency loans for Detroit, suggested Mr. Wagoner should go if the government follows through and provides billions of dollars to help the auto giant restructure and return to profitability.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122868452234486231.html
-Chris Matthews, Please Run For U.S. Senate
Move Over, Palin -- He'd Be Another Blessing For Journalists
This is an open letter to Chris Matthews, the often outspoken and always unpredictable MSNBC anchor: I sure hope you follow through with the tease that you are weighing a run for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania in two years.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/05/business/marketwatch/main4649450.shtml?source=RSS&attr=HOME_4649450
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Hopefully!!!! We're back. If we don't show up with Ray's List, you'll know it isn't for lack of trying.
Best,
Ray and Michael
=
Forwarded from Sharon Goldenburg
-New Rule Lifts Ban on Firearms in National Parks
The Bush administration has issued a new rule allowing concealed weapons in national parks. People will soon be able to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks and wildlife refuges. The Bush administration said Friday it is overturning a 25-year-old federal rule that severely restricts loaded guns in national parks.
http://www.truthout.org/120708E
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Washington Takes Risks With Its Auto Bailout Plans
The realignment of the auto industry described by Barack Obama sounds perilously close to a word no one in his camp wants to say: nationalization.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/09/business/economy/09nationalize.html?hp
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-FBI Arrests Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich
FBI agents this morning arrested Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich (D) and his chief of staff on conspiracy and bribery charges, including allegations that the governor was seeking to benefit financially from his appointment of a successor to the U.S. Senate seat that was vacated by President-elect Barack Obama. The arrest of Blagojevich and his top aide, John Harris, capped a lengthy investigation into public corruption at the highest levels of state government.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120900987.html
-A Vote for Senator Caroline
On the question of Caroline Kennedy for Senate, my head says no, on balance. My heart says yes! Yes! Right now, as you might guess from the hedging on the former and the exclamation points on the latter, my heart is winning.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803294.html
-A Whitewash for Blackwater?
The federal manslaughter indictment of five Blackwater Worldwide security guards in the horrific massacre of more than a dozen Iraqi civilians in Baghdad may look like an exercise in accountability, but it's probably the exact opposite -- a whitewash that absolves the government and corporate officials who should bear ultimate responsibility.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803297.html
-Obama's Military Bridge Builder
In naming retired Gen. Eric K. Shinseki as veterans affairs secretary, President-elect Barack Obama made what may be the most politically and morally significant choice of his transition.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/08/AR2008120803293.html
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Jeb Bush doesn't need to be a senator. But the Senate could use Jeb Bush.
When the former Florida governor spoke at the National Review Institute's "Conservative Summit" in January 2007, many in the audience came to the same conclusion: If his surname hadn't been Bush, he would have had an inside track to the 2008 presidential nomination. 2006 had been a punishing year for Republicans coast to coast - but not in Florida, where candidates proudly identifying themselves as "Jeb Bush Republicans" had held their own.
Bush left office with a 60 percent approval rating.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MGM0ZGVkNmUxMDBmZWZmMTcwZmQ1OGRjYmI2OWEwYjU=#more
-Outside Pressure Grows for GM to Oust Wagoner
General Motors Corp. Chairman and Chief Executive Rick Wagoner is coming under increasing pressure from outside the company to resign as part of any broad bailout of the auto maker by the federal government. On Sunday, Sen. Christopher Dodd (D., Conn.), a supporter of emergency loans for Detroit, suggested Mr. Wagoner should go if the government follows through and provides billions of dollars to help the auto giant restructure and return to profitability.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122868452234486231.html
-Chris Matthews, Please Run For U.S. Senate
Move Over, Palin -- He'd Be Another Blessing For Journalists
This is an open letter to Chris Matthews, the often outspoken and always unpredictable MSNBC anchor: I sure hope you follow through with the tease that you are weighing a run for the U.S. Senate in Pennsylvania in two years.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/05/business/marketwatch/main4649450.shtml?source=RSS&attr=HOME_4649450
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
FLORIDA DIGEST December 09, 2008
**IF YOU CAN'T ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE, CONTACT US AT rays.list@comcast.net and we'll be happy to send the full article.
Hopefully!!!! We're back. If we don't show up with Ray's List, you'll know it isn't for lack of trying.
Best,
Ray and Michael
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Take action to save Domestic Partnerships in Miami-Beach
As of November 4th Floridians live in a state whose constitution contains the discriminatory Amendment that is positioned to threaten not only the passing of equal rights legislation in the future, but existing rights as well. The so-called "marriage protection amendment" was written so that it could be used as the means, not to prevent gay marriage (which was already illegal in Florida), but to prevent and make illegal any measure to attain relationship recognition from the state. In Tampa, we are already seeing the early stages of the city's domestic partnership policy being challenged because of the passage of Amendment 2. As we wait to see what happens in Tampa, elected officials in the City of Miami Beach are stepping up and being pro-active. The City of Miami Beach has a Domestic Partnership Policy that hundreds of people rely on for the benefits and security. With this in mind the Mayor and commissioners of the City of Miami Beach will vote on a resolution (Click here to read the resolution) to reaffirm their support on its Domestic Partnership Policy. Here's how you can help. Residents of the City of Miami Beach, please make your voices and opinions heard by the mayor and commissioners, by attending the City of Miami Beach Commission's meeting.
Date - December 10th
Time - 10:00 a.m.
Place- City Commission Chambers,
3rd Floor, City Hall
1700 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach
Please also consider writing a letter of support to the mayor and commissioners. Below you'll find a link to download a letter of support that can be customized to reflect the sender and recipient. Below we have also provided a link where you can locate all the contact information for the mayor and commissioners of the City of Miami Beach. Thank you for your support. Link to downloadable letter of support:
http://www.savedade.org/letterofsupport.doc
Link to City of Miami Beach website: http://web.miamibeachfl.gov/elected/
And just for good measure, carbon copy savedade@savedade.org so that we know you've done your part.
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Dolphin Democrats Annual Holiday Party
Wednesday - December 10 - 7:30-9:30 pm
Wilton Station Clubhouse
2605 NE 14th Ave - Wilton Manors FL
Donation - $10
Free with your paid renewal or 2009 membership
www.dophindems.org
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2008 Annual Holiday BASH!
Sunday December 14, 2008 2-6pm
GLCC ~ Fort Lauderdale
Parents, wanna-be parents, family & friends ALL are welcome.
1717 N Andrews Ave (just s. of Oakland Park Blvd on west side)
www.GLCCSF.org
International buffet, dessert extravaganza, our Famous holiday Crafts table for the kids, Santa, Hanukkah Harry and so much more. Bring a dish to share. Appetizer, Entrée, Side, or Dessert. Every parent MUST bring 1 labeled gift for each of their children. (under $10.00) labeled and wrapped.
If you are willing and able to help with other items needed, please contact mikeyg75@aol.com for a list of options; ie: coolers, ice, soda, set ups, decorations…. And lots more!
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The Human Rights Campaign Presents the 3rd Annual
Winterfest Boat Parade PartyMain Event - 7:00pm - Midnight
Please join us for a wonderful evening of heavy hors d'oeuvres, complimentary cocktails, live entertainment, fireworks, and of course, the most unique parade around! Your ticket is also your HRC annual membership!
Suggested Attire: South Florida Chic
General Admission: Pre-Registration $95 / Onsite $125
Ticket Includes: Food, Drink, Live Entertainment, Fireworks and Annual
Membership
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/actioncenter/events/sflboatparade08/details.tcl
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ACTION ALERT
The State of Florida currently sends a dangerous message that the health and well being of gay youth is of no concern to state officials. This can no longer stand. Please contact your state representative and senator today and ask them to co-sponsor Rep. Evan Jenne’s Florida House of Representatives bill, HB 19, and Sen. Jeremy Ring’s Senate bill, SB 268, which will delete the following language from the Florida State Statute requiring, with regard to instruction in HIV/AIDS, that a school shall: Section 1003.46, Subsection (2)(a) Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school age students while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage. With new infections rising among gay and bisexual males, especially in youth of color, heterosexist language designed to ignore gay youth, and intimidate HIV/AIDS prevention educators, must end. To find out your Senator and Representative contact information
http://votesmart.org/
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Safe Schools South Florida Participates in National Safe Schools Roundtable
Safe Schools South Florida participated in the recent National Safe Schools Roundtable in Washington, D.C., - a gathering that brought together a select group of 35 representatives of organizations from throughout the United States to discuss and strategize around the Safe Schools movement that is becoming a more dynamic element of change in public education for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Safe Schools South Florida trainer and Miami-Dade County Public School counselor Lisa La Monica represented the organization at the roundtable, and Safe Schools South Florida was the only organization represented from Florida at the roundtable.
http://safeschoolssouthflorida.org/
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Florida AG prepares appeal in gay adoption case
The Florida Attorney General’s office is preparing to appeal a ruling by a Miami judge striking down the state ban on adoptions by gays and lesbians.
http://www.365gay.com/news/florida-ag-prepares-appeal-in-gay-adoption-case/
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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:
- Former Florida Rep. Bob Allen, Loses Another Appeal
A former Republican lawmaker convicted of soliciting an undercover officer for oral sex has lost another appeal. The 5th District Court of Appeal denied former state Rep. Bob Allen's appeal on Friday. Authorities say Allen agreed to pay $20 to perform oral sex on an undercover police officer in a men's restroom at a park. Allen maintains his innocence. Read More...
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Inquiry urged into remains buried at school for boys
Former residents of the Florida School for Boys recounted painful memories while pushing the state to investigate the unmarked graves at the school and identify the bodies. Convinced the 32 unmarked graves at the Florida School for Boys in Marianna are the bodies of boys abused and killed there decades ago, four former residents of the school are demanding the governor and state and federal attorneys investigate.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/805176.html?asset_id=804715&asset_type=gallery
-Wasserman Schultz to head Dems’ incumbent retention
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) was handed perhaps the most important vice chairmanship in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Commmittee (DCCC)on Monday, taking on incumbent retention in the cycle ahead.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/wasserman-schultz-to-head-dems-incumbent-retention-2008-12-08.html
-Thurman to Crist: Refund taxpayers for Europe trip
Responding to a Sun-Sentinel story Sunday about Gov. Crist's European trade trip costing Florida taxpayers $430,000 -- $180,000 more than had been estimated -- state Democratic Chairwoman Karen Thurman called on the governor to reimburse the state for what she calls a "taxpayer-financed vacation." Her press release/letter to Crist: As you know, Florida is facing a major budget crisis. After cutting billions of dollars from vital education, healthcare and public safety programs last year -- cuts that hurt Floridians struggling to get by during these tough economic times -- our state still faces larger and ballooning deficits.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/12/thurman-to-cris.html
-U.S. Sugar approves sale of 181,000 acres to Florida
The board of directors of U.S. Sugar voted Monday to approve a $1.3-billion deal to sell 181,000 acres to the state for Everglades restoration.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/article930877.ece
-Panel nominates 5 judges for Fla. Supreme Court
A state panel Monday nominated five judges, including a woman and a Hispanic man for a Florida Supreme Court opening. The Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission sent the names to Gov. Charlie Crist. He will appoint a replacement for Justice Harry Lee Anstead, 71, who is retiring in January when his current six-year term ends.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_SUPREME_COURT_APPOINTMENTS_FLOL-?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-12-08-21-59-15
-Hastings, Wexler blast Haiti deportations
Two Palm Beach area congressmen denounced on Monday a decision to resume U.S. deportations to Haiti. Reps. Alcee Hastings and Robert Wexler, both Democrats, said the policy was further punishing a country that has been ravaged by hurricanes and food crises.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/12/08/hastings_wexler_blast_haiti_de.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Hopefully!!!! We're back. If we don't show up with Ray's List, you'll know it isn't for lack of trying.
Best,
Ray and Michael
~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~
Take action to save Domestic Partnerships in Miami-Beach
As of November 4th Floridians live in a state whose constitution contains the discriminatory Amendment that is positioned to threaten not only the passing of equal rights legislation in the future, but existing rights as well. The so-called "marriage protection amendment" was written so that it could be used as the means, not to prevent gay marriage (which was already illegal in Florida), but to prevent and make illegal any measure to attain relationship recognition from the state. In Tampa, we are already seeing the early stages of the city's domestic partnership policy being challenged because of the passage of Amendment 2. As we wait to see what happens in Tampa, elected officials in the City of Miami Beach are stepping up and being pro-active. The City of Miami Beach has a Domestic Partnership Policy that hundreds of people rely on for the benefits and security. With this in mind the Mayor and commissioners of the City of Miami Beach will vote on a resolution (Click here to read the resolution) to reaffirm their support on its Domestic Partnership Policy. Here's how you can help. Residents of the City of Miami Beach, please make your voices and opinions heard by the mayor and commissioners, by attending the City of Miami Beach Commission's meeting.
Date - December 10th
Time - 10:00 a.m.
Place- City Commission Chambers,
3rd Floor, City Hall
1700 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach
Please also consider writing a letter of support to the mayor and commissioners. Below you'll find a link to download a letter of support that can be customized to reflect the sender and recipient. Below we have also provided a link where you can locate all the contact information for the mayor and commissioners of the City of Miami Beach. Thank you for your support. Link to downloadable letter of support:
http://www.savedade.org/letterofsupport.doc
Link to City of Miami Beach website: http://web.miamibeachfl.gov/elected/
And just for good measure, carbon copy savedade@savedade.org so that we know you've done your part.
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Dolphin Democrats Annual Holiday Party
Wednesday - December 10 - 7:30-9:30 pm
Wilton Station Clubhouse
2605 NE 14th Ave - Wilton Manors FL
Donation - $10
Free with your paid renewal or 2009 membership
www.dophindems.org
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2008 Annual Holiday BASH!
Sunday December 14, 2008 2-6pm
GLCC ~ Fort Lauderdale
Parents, wanna-be parents, family & friends ALL are welcome.
1717 N Andrews Ave (just s. of Oakland Park Blvd on west side)
www.GLCCSF.org
International buffet, dessert extravaganza, our Famous holiday Crafts table for the kids, Santa, Hanukkah Harry and so much more. Bring a dish to share. Appetizer, Entrée, Side, or Dessert. Every parent MUST bring 1 labeled gift for each of their children. (under $10.00) labeled and wrapped.
If you are willing and able to help with other items needed, please contact mikeyg75@aol.com for a list of options; ie: coolers, ice, soda, set ups, decorations…. And lots more!
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The Human Rights Campaign Presents the 3rd Annual
Winterfest Boat Parade PartyMain Event - 7:00pm - Midnight
Please join us for a wonderful evening of heavy hors d'oeuvres, complimentary cocktails, live entertainment, fireworks, and of course, the most unique parade around! Your ticket is also your HRC annual membership!
Suggested Attire: South Florida Chic
General Admission: Pre-Registration $95 / Onsite $125
Ticket Includes: Food, Drink, Live Entertainment, Fireworks and Annual
Membership
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/actioncenter/events/sflboatparade08/details.tcl
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ACTION ALERT
The State of Florida currently sends a dangerous message that the health and well being of gay youth is of no concern to state officials. This can no longer stand. Please contact your state representative and senator today and ask them to co-sponsor Rep. Evan Jenne’s Florida House of Representatives bill, HB 19, and Sen. Jeremy Ring’s Senate bill, SB 268, which will delete the following language from the Florida State Statute requiring, with regard to instruction in HIV/AIDS, that a school shall: Section 1003.46, Subsection (2)(a) Teach abstinence from sexual activity outside of marriage as the expected standard for all school age students while teaching the benefits of monogamous heterosexual marriage. With new infections rising among gay and bisexual males, especially in youth of color, heterosexist language designed to ignore gay youth, and intimidate HIV/AIDS prevention educators, must end. To find out your Senator and Representative contact information
http://votesmart.org/
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Safe Schools South Florida Participates in National Safe Schools Roundtable
Safe Schools South Florida participated in the recent National Safe Schools Roundtable in Washington, D.C., - a gathering that brought together a select group of 35 representatives of organizations from throughout the United States to discuss and strategize around the Safe Schools movement that is becoming a more dynamic element of change in public education for gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth. Safe Schools South Florida trainer and Miami-Dade County Public School counselor Lisa La Monica represented the organization at the roundtable, and Safe Schools South Florida was the only organization represented from Florida at the roundtable.
http://safeschoolssouthflorida.org/
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365Gay.com
http://www.365gay.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:
-Florida AG prepares appeal in gay adoption case
The Florida Attorney General’s office is preparing to appeal a ruling by a Miami judge striking down the state ban on adoptions by gays and lesbians.
http://www.365gay.com/news/florida-ag-prepares-appeal-in-gay-adoption-case/
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National Gay News
http://nationalgaynews.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/
Go to this link for the following articles:
- Former Florida Rep. Bob Allen, Loses Another Appeal
A former Republican lawmaker convicted of soliciting an undercover officer for oral sex has lost another appeal. The 5th District Court of Appeal denied former state Rep. Bob Allen's appeal on Friday. Authorities say Allen agreed to pay $20 to perform oral sex on an undercover police officer in a men's restroom at a park. Allen maintains his innocence. Read More...
~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Inquiry urged into remains buried at school for boys
Former residents of the Florida School for Boys recounted painful memories while pushing the state to investigate the unmarked graves at the school and identify the bodies. Convinced the 32 unmarked graves at the Florida School for Boys in Marianna are the bodies of boys abused and killed there decades ago, four former residents of the school are demanding the governor and state and federal attorneys investigate.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/story/805176.html?asset_id=804715&asset_type=gallery
-Wasserman Schultz to head Dems’ incumbent retention
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) was handed perhaps the most important vice chairmanship in the Democratic Congressional Campaign Commmittee (DCCC)on Monday, taking on incumbent retention in the cycle ahead.
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/wasserman-schultz-to-head-dems-incumbent-retention-2008-12-08.html
-Thurman to Crist: Refund taxpayers for Europe trip
Responding to a Sun-Sentinel story Sunday about Gov. Crist's European trade trip costing Florida taxpayers $430,000 -- $180,000 more than had been estimated -- state Democratic Chairwoman Karen Thurman called on the governor to reimburse the state for what she calls a "taxpayer-financed vacation." Her press release/letter to Crist: As you know, Florida is facing a major budget crisis. After cutting billions of dollars from vital education, healthcare and public safety programs last year -- cuts that hurt Floridians struggling to get by during these tough economic times -- our state still faces larger and ballooning deficits.
http://blogs.tampabay.com/buzz/2008/12/thurman-to-cris.html
-U.S. Sugar approves sale of 181,000 acres to Florida
The board of directors of U.S. Sugar voted Monday to approve a $1.3-billion deal to sell 181,000 acres to the state for Everglades restoration.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/environment/wetlands/article930877.ece
-Panel nominates 5 judges for Fla. Supreme Court
A state panel Monday nominated five judges, including a woman and a Hispanic man for a Florida Supreme Court opening. The Supreme Court Judicial Nominating Commission sent the names to Gov. Charlie Crist. He will appoint a replacement for Justice Harry Lee Anstead, 71, who is retiring in January when his current six-year term ends.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_SUPREME_COURT_APPOINTMENTS_FLOL-?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2008-12-08-21-59-15
-Hastings, Wexler blast Haiti deportations
Two Palm Beach area congressmen denounced on Monday a decision to resume U.S. deportations to Haiti. Reps. Alcee Hastings and Robert Wexler, both Democrats, said the policy was further punishing a country that has been ravaged by hurricanes and food crises.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/palmbeach/floridapolitics/entries/2008/12/08/hastings_wexler_blast_haiti_de.html?cxntfid=blogs_q_florida_politics
=
[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####
Sunday, December 07, 2008
NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST December 07, 2008
A note from Ray's List,
We're having problems with Comcast. Hopefully, we'll have this resolved within a couple days. In the meantime, we'll send Ray's List when we can. Best to you! Ray and Michael
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Editorial: The Pakistan Connection
Pakistan's government has fiercely denied any role in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai that killed more than 160 people. We hope that is true. But there are strong signs that the terrorists were members of the Pakistani-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, a former proxy of Islamabad's powerful intelligence service that - despite being officially banned - continues to operate in plain sight in Pakistan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/opinion/06sat1.html?ref=opinion
-Op-Ed Contributor: The Real Bill Ayers
Chicago: IN the recently concluded presidential race, I was unwillingly thrust upon the stage and asked to play a role in a profoundly dishonest drama. I refused, and here's why. Unable to challenge the content of Barack Obama's campaign, his opponents invented a narrative about a young politician who emerged from nowhere, a man of charm, intelligence and skill, but with an exotic background and a strange name. The refrain was a question: "What do we really know about this man?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/opinion/06ayers.html?ref=opinion
-Obama Pledges Massive Public Works Program
President-elect Barack Obama committed Saturday to the largest public works building program since the creation of the interstate highway system a half century ago as he seeks to put together a plan to resuscitate the reeling economy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/us/politics/07radio.html?hp
-Simpson Sentenced to at Least 9 Years in Prison
Four times, in a halting, broken voice, a humbled O. J. Simpson said Friday, "I'm sorry." Yet for all his compunction about the September 2007 raid and armed robbery at a casino hotel for which he was convicted of 12 felonies, Mr. Simpson also continued to insist that he did not think at the time that he had done anything illegal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/us/06simpson.html?hp
-Kennedy Is Said to Cast Her Eye on Senate Seat
Caroline Kennedy, a daughter of America's most storied political family who for many years fiercely guarded her privacy, is considering whether to pursue the Senate seat expected to be vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton early next year, a family member said Friday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/nyregion/06demwomen.html?hp
-Thieves Winning Online War, Maybe in Your PC
Internet security is broken, and nobody seems to know quite how to fix it. Despite the efforts of the computer security industry and a half-decade struggle by Microsoft to protect its Windows operating system, malicious software is spreading faster than ever. The so-called malware surreptitiously takes over a PC and then uses that computer to spread more malware to other machines exponentially. Computer scientists and security researchers acknowledge they cannot get ahead of the onslaught.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/technology/internet/06security.html?hp
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-An Enduring Crisis for the Black Family
In the nearly half-century in which we have gone from George Wallace to Barack Obama, America has another, less hopeful story to tell about racial progress, one that may be even harder to reverse. In 1965, a young assistant secretary of labor named Daniel Patrick Moynihan stumbled upon data that showed a rise in the number of black single mothers. As Moynihan wrote in a now-famous report for the Johnson administration, especially troubling was that the growth in illegitimacy, as it was universally called then, coincided with a decline in black male unemployment. Strangely, black men were joining the labor force more, but they were marrying -- and fathering -- less.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503088.html
-A Pre-Nup for the West Wing
To judge by the moans coming from Democratic lobbyists eager to serve in the next administration, Barack Obama's transition has struck a nerve with its new rules regarding conflicts of interest. But if the next president really wants to transform the culture of Washington, he'll go further and close down another revolving door: the ability of top aides to cash in by peddling tales of what they saw.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503170.html
-Mr. Putin's Bluff
The Russian leader claims to be expecting major concessions from the Obama administration. VLADIMIR PUTIN'S unsubtle campaign to intimidate President-elect Barack Obama continues apace. In a broadcast appearance Thursday, the Russian prime minister claimed to have detected some "positive signals" from the incoming administration. For example, "we hear from people close to the president-elect" that "there should be no rush" toward NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia, because "one should not spoil relations with Russia." Also, "we already hear that [Obama] should rethink the expediency of deploying" missile defense systems.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503360.html
-Test Obstacles
A recommendation for routine HIV testing is going unheeded. THE FEAR and stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS make it difficult to persuade people to get tested. A series of studies presented at a conference in Arlington last month showed that clinicians and insurance companies also are obstacles to the care and counseling needed to prolong lives and protect the uninfected. As a result, far too many cases of HIV infection go undiagnosed and untreated.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503361.html
-Economy: Obama Offers Highlights of His Economic Stimulus Plan
President-elect Barack Obama today proposed an economic recovery act that spends billions of dollars to make public buildings energy-efficient, to rebuild the nation's crumbling highways, to renovate aging school buildings, to extend high-speed Internet to underserved areas and to modernize hospitals. Obama's plan, announced in the weekly Democratic radio address and online video, came with no price tag and few details.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/06/obama_offers_highlights_of_his.html?hpid=topnews
-Blackwater Guards Indicted In Deadly Baghdad Shooting
5 Face Trial Over Incident That Killed 17 Civilians, Sources Say
Five Blackwater Worldwide Security guards have been charged in a September 2007 shooting that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead and raised questions about the U.S. government's use of security contractors in combat zones, according to two sources familiar with the case.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120500309.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Justices to Decide Legality of Indefinite Detention
Case of Qatari National, Held Without Formal Charges, Is Test of Executive Power
The Supreme Court said yesterday it will decide whether the president may order the indefinite detention of suspects living lawfully in the United States, one of the broadest claims of executive power the Bush administration has asserted in the nation's anti-terrorism efforts.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120501884.html?hpid=sec-nation
-Panama: Canal open to Russian warships
PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Panama said its canal is open to all, including a Russian warship sailing through the transoceanic waterway on Friday. The destroyer Admiral Chabanenko is the first Soviet or Russian military ship to traverse the 50-mile (80-kilometer) waterway since World War II.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120501876.html?hpid=sec-world
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-300,000 Apply for 3,300 Obama Jobs
Brenda Benton, a veteran media relations employee with the Los Angeles Police Department, is now part of a record-breaking political phenomenon. Ms. Benton was so thrilled with the election of Barack Obama as president that she has become one of about 300,000 people who have, so far, put themselves forward for posts in the new administration. At the equivalent time in the George W. Bush transition eight years ago, with his election still in dispute, there were about 44,000 applicants, according to Clay Johnson, who led the Bush transition effort. Mr. Johnson said the final figure was about 90,000.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/us/politics/06seek.html?hp
-Companies with business with Iran may get none in Florida
State Sen. Ted Deutch has a vision where Florida puts a stop to Iran's nuclear ambitions. His weapon: Public opinion. His ammunition: a $125-million tank farm being built in Port Canaveral by one of the world's largest oil traders.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/article927912.ece
-White House, Democrats reach deal on $15 billion auto aid
Democratic leaders and the White House reached a deal to provide billions of dollars in relief to the ailing U.S. auto industry, a senior congressional aide told Reuters on Friday. The package, which Democratic leaders hope to win passage of next week and send to President George W. Bush, totals between $15 billion and $17 billion, the aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503479.html
-Op-Ed Contributor: The Real Bill Ayers
IN the recently concluded presidential race, I was unwillingly thrust upon the stage and asked to play a role in a profoundly dishonest drama. I refused, and here's why. Unable to challenge the content of Barack Obama's campaign, his opponents invented a narrative about a young politician who emerged from nowhere, a man of charm, intelligence and skill, but with an exotic background and a strange name. The refrain was a question: "What do we really know about this man?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/opinion/06ayers.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1228540255-1Z0M/9+PBvTJDTkrm/kHRA
#####
We're having problems with Comcast. Hopefully, we'll have this resolved within a couple days. In the meantime, we'll send Ray's List when we can. Best to you! Ray and Michael
=
New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Editorial: The Pakistan Connection
Pakistan's government has fiercely denied any role in the terrorist attacks on Mumbai that killed more than 160 people. We hope that is true. But there are strong signs that the terrorists were members of the Pakistani-based group Lashkar-e-Taiba, a former proxy of Islamabad's powerful intelligence service that - despite being officially banned - continues to operate in plain sight in Pakistan.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/opinion/06sat1.html?ref=opinion
-Op-Ed Contributor: The Real Bill Ayers
Chicago: IN the recently concluded presidential race, I was unwillingly thrust upon the stage and asked to play a role in a profoundly dishonest drama. I refused, and here's why. Unable to challenge the content of Barack Obama's campaign, his opponents invented a narrative about a young politician who emerged from nowhere, a man of charm, intelligence and skill, but with an exotic background and a strange name. The refrain was a question: "What do we really know about this man?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/opinion/06ayers.html?ref=opinion
-Obama Pledges Massive Public Works Program
President-elect Barack Obama committed Saturday to the largest public works building program since the creation of the interstate highway system a half century ago as he seeks to put together a plan to resuscitate the reeling economy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/07/us/politics/07radio.html?hp
-Simpson Sentenced to at Least 9 Years in Prison
Four times, in a halting, broken voice, a humbled O. J. Simpson said Friday, "I'm sorry." Yet for all his compunction about the September 2007 raid and armed robbery at a casino hotel for which he was convicted of 12 felonies, Mr. Simpson also continued to insist that he did not think at the time that he had done anything illegal.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/us/06simpson.html?hp
-Kennedy Is Said to Cast Her Eye on Senate Seat
Caroline Kennedy, a daughter of America's most storied political family who for many years fiercely guarded her privacy, is considering whether to pursue the Senate seat expected to be vacated by Hillary Rodham Clinton early next year, a family member said Friday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/nyregion/06demwomen.html?hp
-Thieves Winning Online War, Maybe in Your PC
Internet security is broken, and nobody seems to know quite how to fix it. Despite the efforts of the computer security industry and a half-decade struggle by Microsoft to protect its Windows operating system, malicious software is spreading faster than ever. The so-called malware surreptitiously takes over a PC and then uses that computer to spread more malware to other machines exponentially. Computer scientists and security researchers acknowledge they cannot get ahead of the onslaught.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/technology/internet/06security.html?hp
=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-An Enduring Crisis for the Black Family
In the nearly half-century in which we have gone from George Wallace to Barack Obama, America has another, less hopeful story to tell about racial progress, one that may be even harder to reverse. In 1965, a young assistant secretary of labor named Daniel Patrick Moynihan stumbled upon data that showed a rise in the number of black single mothers. As Moynihan wrote in a now-famous report for the Johnson administration, especially troubling was that the growth in illegitimacy, as it was universally called then, coincided with a decline in black male unemployment. Strangely, black men were joining the labor force more, but they were marrying -- and fathering -- less.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503088.html
-A Pre-Nup for the West Wing
To judge by the moans coming from Democratic lobbyists eager to serve in the next administration, Barack Obama's transition has struck a nerve with its new rules regarding conflicts of interest. But if the next president really wants to transform the culture of Washington, he'll go further and close down another revolving door: the ability of top aides to cash in by peddling tales of what they saw.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503170.html
-Mr. Putin's Bluff
The Russian leader claims to be expecting major concessions from the Obama administration. VLADIMIR PUTIN'S unsubtle campaign to intimidate President-elect Barack Obama continues apace. In a broadcast appearance Thursday, the Russian prime minister claimed to have detected some "positive signals" from the incoming administration. For example, "we hear from people close to the president-elect" that "there should be no rush" toward NATO membership for Ukraine and Georgia, because "one should not spoil relations with Russia." Also, "we already hear that [Obama] should rethink the expediency of deploying" missile defense systems.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503360.html
-Test Obstacles
A recommendation for routine HIV testing is going unheeded. THE FEAR and stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS make it difficult to persuade people to get tested. A series of studies presented at a conference in Arlington last month showed that clinicians and insurance companies also are obstacles to the care and counseling needed to prolong lives and protect the uninfected. As a result, far too many cases of HIV infection go undiagnosed and untreated.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503361.html
-Economy: Obama Offers Highlights of His Economic Stimulus Plan
President-elect Barack Obama today proposed an economic recovery act that spends billions of dollars to make public buildings energy-efficient, to rebuild the nation's crumbling highways, to renovate aging school buildings, to extend high-speed Internet to underserved areas and to modernize hospitals. Obama's plan, announced in the weekly Democratic radio address and online video, came with no price tag and few details.
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2008/12/06/obama_offers_highlights_of_his.html?hpid=topnews
-Blackwater Guards Indicted In Deadly Baghdad Shooting
5 Face Trial Over Incident That Killed 17 Civilians, Sources Say
Five Blackwater Worldwide Security guards have been charged in a September 2007 shooting that left 17 Iraqi civilians dead and raised questions about the U.S. government's use of security contractors in combat zones, according to two sources familiar with the case.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120500309.html?hpid=moreheadlines
-Justices to Decide Legality of Indefinite Detention
Case of Qatari National, Held Without Formal Charges, Is Test of Executive Power
The Supreme Court said yesterday it will decide whether the president may order the indefinite detention of suspects living lawfully in the United States, one of the broadest claims of executive power the Bush administration has asserted in the nation's anti-terrorism efforts.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120501884.html?hpid=sec-nation
-Panama: Canal open to Russian warships
PANAMA CITY, Panama -- Panama said its canal is open to all, including a Russian warship sailing through the transoceanic waterway on Friday. The destroyer Admiral Chabanenko is the first Soviet or Russian military ship to traverse the 50-mile (80-kilometer) waterway since World War II.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120501876.html?hpid=sec-world
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-300,000 Apply for 3,300 Obama Jobs
Brenda Benton, a veteran media relations employee with the Los Angeles Police Department, is now part of a record-breaking political phenomenon. Ms. Benton was so thrilled with the election of Barack Obama as president that she has become one of about 300,000 people who have, so far, put themselves forward for posts in the new administration. At the equivalent time in the George W. Bush transition eight years ago, with his election still in dispute, there were about 44,000 applicants, according to Clay Johnson, who led the Bush transition effort. Mr. Johnson said the final figure was about 90,000.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/us/politics/06seek.html?hp
-Companies with business with Iran may get none in Florida
State Sen. Ted Deutch has a vision where Florida puts a stop to Iran's nuclear ambitions. His weapon: Public opinion. His ammunition: a $125-million tank farm being built in Port Canaveral by one of the world's largest oil traders.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/business/energy/article927912.ece
-White House, Democrats reach deal on $15 billion auto aid
Democratic leaders and the White House reached a deal to provide billions of dollars in relief to the ailing U.S. auto industry, a senior congressional aide told Reuters on Friday. The package, which Democratic leaders hope to win passage of next week and send to President George W. Bush, totals between $15 billion and $17 billion, the aide said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/05/AR2008120503479.html
-Op-Ed Contributor: The Real Bill Ayers
IN the recently concluded presidential race, I was unwillingly thrust upon the stage and asked to play a role in a profoundly dishonest drama. I refused, and here's why. Unable to challenge the content of Barack Obama's campaign, his opponents invented a narrative about a young politician who emerged from nowhere, a man of charm, intelligence and skill, but with an exotic background and a strange name. The refrain was a question: "What do we really know about this man?"
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/06/opinion/06ayers.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1228540255-1Z0M/9+PBvTJDTkrm/kHRA
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FLORIDA DIGEST December 07, 2008
A note from Ray's List,
We're having problems with Comcast. Hopefully, we'll have this resolved within a couple days. In the meantime, we'll send Ray's List when we can.
Best to you! Ray and Michael
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Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Gay man seeks direct ruling by Florida Supremne Court on adoption Appeals court to decide on bypassing case
Lawyers for a gay North Miami man seeking to adopt two foster children he's raised since 2004 have asked a Miami appeals court to send the controversial case directly to the Florida Supreme Court, which is expected ultimately to decide the boys' fate.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbadoption1206sbdec06,0,6390385.story
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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-TALLAHASSEE: Florida GOP chairman billed party for personal expenses
State Republican chief Jim Greer, already under fire for his spending decisions during the election, charged personal expenses to the party. Republican Party of Florida chairman Jim Greer charged personal expenses to the state party during a fundraiser this summer, adding fresh details to growing complaints that his money management was hurting the party. Confronted with a $5,100 bill showing he used party money on spa treatments, seafood dinners and limousines during a party fundraiser at the Breakers Hotel, Greer said he would reimburse the party for some of the expenses Friday.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/801575.html
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We're having problems with Comcast. Hopefully, we'll have this resolved within a couple days. In the meantime, we'll send Ray's List when we can.
Best to you! Ray and Michael
=
Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-Gay man seeks direct ruling by Florida Supremne Court on adoption Appeals court to decide on bypassing case
Lawyers for a gay North Miami man seeking to adopt two foster children he's raised since 2004 have asked a Miami appeals court to send the controversial case directly to the Florida Supreme Court, which is expected ultimately to decide the boys' fate.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/services/newspaper/printedition/local/sfl-flbadoption1206sbdec06,0,6390385.story
=
Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:
-TALLAHASSEE: Florida GOP chairman billed party for personal expenses
State Republican chief Jim Greer, already under fire for his spending decisions during the election, charged personal expenses to the party. Republican Party of Florida chairman Jim Greer charged personal expenses to the state party during a fundraiser this summer, adding fresh details to growing complaints that his money management was hurting the party. Confronted with a $5,100 bill showing he used party money on spa treatments, seafood dinners and limousines during a party fundraiser at the Breakers Hotel, Greer said he would reimburse the party for some of the expenses Friday.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/florida/story/801575.html
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