Saturday, March 07, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - March 07, 2009

**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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Tonight! It's time for clocks to 'spring forward' 1 hour
Daylight saving time began early Sunday, meaning that clocks needed to be turned forward one hour as of 2 a.m.


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Ruling could mean civil unions for all in Calif.
By LISA LEFF
The California Supreme Court could decide that there are two kinds of same-sex couples: those who can't get married, and those who already did. A ruling that upholds both voters' November decision to ban gay marriage and the 18,000 same-sex marriages conducted earlier in California could come off as a safe compromise. But it also promises to keep alive an issue that has split the state as few others have.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030600240.html

-Gays and lesbians recreate prom at weekend fete
By GILLIAN GAYNAIR
Back in his small Iowa hometown, Tate attended his high school senior prom by himself, dressed in slacks and a tie. It was an awkward night, one he likened to standing outside a window watching people inside having fun at a gathering that "was not designed for you," said 24-year-old Tate, a Silver Spring, Md., accountant who is biologically female, but presents a masculine exterior in clothing and mannerism. He prefers the masculine pronoun to refer to himself, and does not use his legal first name, listing himself as D. Tate on his company directory.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/07/AR2009030700253.html

-Ill. panel seeks advice preventing youth suicide
By DEANNA BELLANDI
Trying to come to grips with the recent suicides of three young children, Illinois lawmakers are asking experts for advice about how to prevent future tragedies. With many families struggling to cope with a widening recession, it's more important than ever to identify at-risk children and get them help, experts told a House committee on Friday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/07/AR2009030700397.html

-Conn. bill would update law for same-sex marriages
By STEPHANIE REITZ
As Connecticut lawmakers consider updating state law to conform with a court ruling that allows same-sex marriages, opponents of gay marriage fear their effort will go too far to promote homosexuality.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030602641.html


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Gay.Com
http://www.gay.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-On A POZitive Note: Full Disclosure
Posted by Todd Zax
On my final loop of the crowded gay bar I had to squeeze by this cute guy. Our eyes met, we smiled, and before I knew it we were making out.
http://lifestyle.gay.com/2009/03/on-a-pozitive-note-full-disclosure.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Gay Marriage: Is California's Supreme Court Shifting?
By Michael Lindenberger
The prospects of same-sex marriage in California grew dimmer Thursday, when two Supreme Court justices who helped create the right for gays to marry in last year's historic decision expressed deep reservations about attempts to strike down a statewide referendum passed last fall to ban the practice. "You would have us choose between these two rights: the inalienable right to marry and the right of the people to change their constitution," said Justice Joyce L. Kennard, one of those two key judges. "You ask us to willy-nilly disregard the right of the people to change the constitution of the state of California. But all political power is inherent in the people of California." (See the top 10 ballot measures.)
http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1883508,00.html


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Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if you can't access the article

-THE Legal Challenge to DOMA (the "Defense of Marriage Act") is Filed!
Gay and Lesbian Advocates & Defenders has filed a challenge to the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a provision of federal law that requires the federal government to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages, or to treat the partners in same-sex marriages as spouses, for any purpose of federal law. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Boston under the name of Gill v. Office of Personnel Management on March 3, brings together the claims of fifteen plaintiffs, all of whom were lawfully married in Massachusetts soon after the Goodridge decision went into effect on May 17, 2004.
http://newyorklawschool.typepad.com/leonardlink/2009/03/the-legal-challenge-to-doma-the-defense-of-marriage-act-is-filed.html

-Calif. high court weighs gay marriage ban
The mood was somber among gay rights supporters after a bruising, three-hour hearing before the justices of California's highest court, who expressed considerable skepticism at the idea of overturning the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage. Thursday's arguments pitted the right of the people to change their constitution against the right to wed. The California Supreme Court's seven justices indicated a wariness to override the will of voters, who approved Proposition 8 in November -- 41/2 months after the same court had ruled 4-3 to legalize gay marriage. Couples like Chloe Harris, 28, and Frankie Frankeny, 42, who married during the 41/2-months same-sex marriage was legal, said they were disheartened by the tone of the hearing and not very hopeful the justices would rule in their favor.
http://www.suntimes.com/news/nation/1464080,w-california-gay-marriage-court-030609.article

-Cook County: Craigslist's 'erotic' section must go
by Greg Sandoval
The sheriff of Illinois' Cook County, which includes Chicago, filed suit in federal court Thursday against Craigslist, alleging that the Web's largest classifieds publication is "facilitating prostitution." Sheriff Tom Dart has asked the court to force Craigslist to remove the Web publication's erotic section. Cook County also wants $100,000 in compensation for the man hours the county has had to pay police to investigate alleged criminal services being advertised on the site. In an interview with CNET News following a press conference, Dart made clear that he isn't blaming Craigslist for prostitution in his county and said Craigslist is great for renting rooms or selling cars and hundreds of other legal uses. But he said all the statistics shows Craigslist is the country's biggest marketing tool for the illegal sex trade and also makes it harder for law authorities to catch bad guys.

-National AFL-CIO Calls On California Supreme Court To Invalidate Proposition 8
Miami, Florida- As the AFL-CIO Executive Council gathers in Miami this week, hearing addresses from Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis dealing with the economic crisis and its impact on workers across the country, the Executive Council has spoken up again for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers by passing a resolution, in unanimity, calling on the California Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8. The resolution strengthens a previous resolution, passed in 2005 that called for the full inclusion and equal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the workplace. The most recent resolution, passed yesterday, on the eve of the day that the California Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Proposition 8 case, states that Prop 8, "ended the right to marry enjoyed by gay and lesbian couples in California and cast a cloud over the legal status of thousands of California marriages...depriving one class of citizens of rights enjoyed by all others."
http://prideatwork.org/page.php?id=636

-IGLHRC Update: More on the Anti-Gay Seminar in Uganda
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) have learned new details about the ongoing 3-day anti-gay conference in Uganda featuring some of the most virulent homophobes from the U.S. religious right. Here are some developments from the first day, reported by our partners who attended the event: 1. Prior to the start of today's workshop, Stephen Langa, leader of Family Life Network (the Ugandan organization hosting the workshop) and his American guest speakers met with several members of the Ugandan parliament. 2. During the morning session, Stephen Langa told the group that homosexuality is a big problem in Uganda and the existing laws that criminalize gay people are not good enough. He claimed that gay rights activists recruit young people into homosexuality. Langa told the audience that he knows 2 girls at a particular boarding school who were given a lot of money by gay activists in Uganda to recruit their colleagues into lesbianism. "By the end of the year, they had managed to recruit 13 friends, all of whom were given money to recruit others," Langa alleged. 3. Don Schmierer, a member of the board of the American "ex-gay" organization Exodus International told participants that one of the biggest causes of homosexuality is the lack of "good upbringing" in families. He said that 56% of homosexuals experience abuse and violence in their families during their childhood. The abuse leads to pain, anger and hatred in the life of a child and this turns them into homosexuals. IGLHRC and SMUG will continue to monitor the situation and will post new updates on our blog as more information becomes available. The workshop will end on Saturday, March 7.
http://iglhrc.wordpress.com/

-CREATORS OF MILITARY GAY BAN TELL AUTHOR IT WAS 'BASED ON NOTHING'
Definitive Book on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Out Tuesday; Speaking Tour Begins Today
SANTA BARBARA, CA - Military officials exaggerated the threat to unit cohesion and ignored research and data when formulating the current policy on gay troops, according to the much-anticipated new book, Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America," out tomorrow. The book, based on a a decade of research and hundreds of interviews, was written by Dr. Nathaniel Frank, senior research fellow at the Palm Center, and one of the nation's most widely recognized authorities on gays in themilitary. Dr. Frank is appearing with Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher today at the Center for American Progress. Publication of the book by St. Martin's Press falls on the 15th anniversary of the policy. Frank spoke to key military and political architects of the policy, many of whom acknowledge in the book that "don't ask, don't tell" was "based on nothing" but "our own prejudices and our own fears."
www.unfriendlyfire.org

-Increasing Risk of HIV Among Older People,
Doctors Failing To Diagnose Cases in Population, WHO Study Says People ages 50 and older are more likely to have unprotected sex than younger groups, increasing their risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, according to a recently released World Health Organization study, Reuters UK reports. According to the WHO Bulletin report, "The Unexplored Story of HIV and Aging," physicians are failing to diagnose new HIV cases in this population because the virus still is considered to affect mostly younger populations. Older generations are "assumed not to be at risk," but HIV prevalence and incidence in people ages 50 and older "seem surprisingly high, and the risk factors are totally unexplored," the study said.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=57280

-Same-sex spouses sue federal government
Legally married couples say they suffered injustices under the Defense of Marriage Act, which deprives them of benefits accorded others.
By Carol J. Williams
Saying they suffered injustices under the Defense of Marriage Act, a dozen legally married same-sex spouses filed suit against the federal government Tuesday, alleging that the 1996 law deprives them of a range of benefits accorded other couples. The suit filed in Boston by the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, or GLAD, challenges a section of the federal law denying gay couples access to more than 1,000 federal programs and legal protections in which marriage is a factor.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-defense-of-marriage-act4-2009mar04,0,3987332.story

-Weighing their own decision on marriage
Army Sgt. Bob Claunch and Lt. Jack Reavley fell in love in 1951. Still together today, they had no interest in wedding when same-sex unions were briefly legal. Now they think differently.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bobandjack5-2009mar05,0,1874140.sto

-Uganda: The U.S. Religious Right Exports Homophobia to Africa
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) condemned a seminar designed to attack lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Ugandans under the cloak of religion. The 3-day seminar in Kampala, which opens Thursday, March 5, features an array of U.S. speakers known for their efforts to dehumanize LGBT people and for their belief that homosexuality can be "cured." The speakers include Scott Lively, Don Schmierer, and Caleb Lee Brundidge-leading voices in the crusade by religious extremists to roll back basic human rights for LGBT people in the United States. Brundidge is affiliated with Extreme Prophetic Ministry in Phoenix, Arizona. Schmierer is on the board of the so-called "ex-gay" organization Exodus International. Lively is well known for his belief that the Nazi Holocaust never happened.
http://www.iglhrc.org

-Post editor to uphold policy on identifying sources as gay
Brauchli speaks out on gay topics, bloggers and state of industry The new executive editor of the Washington Post intends to maintain the newspaper's policy of not mentioning a subject's sexual orientation in an article unless it's relevant to the story. Marcus Brauchli, who took the Post's reins in September, discussed his views on sexual orientation and the state of the newspaper industry in an interview Jan. 30 with the Blade.
http://www.washblade.com/2009/2-6/news/localnews/14057.cfm

-RAINBOW HUMANISTS AWARD MADE TO NIGERIANS
The executive secretary of the Nigerian Humanist Movement Leo Igwe, and his Humanist colleagues, have been awarded the Rainbow Humanist Award by Nordic Rainbow Humanists (NRH) for their outstanding and risk-filled public support of LGBT rights in that African nation. The award was made to Leo Igwe and his colleagues "for their courageous defence of LGBT rights and dignity in the face of ferocious attacks from homophobic Nigerian politicians, parliamentarians and religious leaders calling for the imprisonment of those having homosexual relations and those who dare to support such relations, and for reminding fellow countrymen and women in Nigeria of the need to safeguard the spirit of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the need for reason, common sense, thoughtfulness, knowledge, love, tolerance, solidarity and empathy, instead of hate and homophobia." "We are very proud to salute African humanists for speaking out so forcefully on behalf of LGBT rights which have long been supported by the International Humanist and Ethical Union", said NRH secretary Bill Schiller.
http://www.pinktriangle.org.uk/


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

-Guyana: Stop Dress Code Arrests
Repeal Discriminatory Laws
Georgetown, March 5, 2009) - Guyana should halt arrests and police abuse of transgender people and repeal a repressive law that criminalizes wearing clothes considered appropriate only for the opposite sex, six human rights organizations said today in a letter to President Bharrat Jagdeo.The letter was signed by the Caribbean Forum for Liberation of Genders and Sexualities (CARIFLAGS), Global Rights, Guyana Rainbow Foundation (Guybow), Human Rights Watch, International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC), and the Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD). They called on the Guyanese authorities to drop the charges against seven people arrested under the law in February, 2009, and investigate allegations of abuse by the police. "Police are using archaic laws to violate basic freedoms," said Scott Long director of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. "This is a campaign meant to drive people off the streets simply because they dress or act in ways that transgress gender norms."
http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/03/05/letter-president-republic-guyana

-Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, answers ILGA-Europe's question
On 6 March 2009, Hillary Clinton, the US Secretary of State, participated in a "Townhall" meeting with young Europeans hosted by the European Parliament. Maxim Anmeghichean, ILGA-Europe's Programmes Director, was one of the participants and as Ms Clinton was excited by the fact that Maxim was wearing a t-shirt saying 'I love Hillary', he had a chance of posing a question on how the US foreign policy in the field of sexual rights and LGBT issues is going to change under a new administration. Ms Clinton said that it is unfortunate and unfair that discrimination against gay and lesbian people still exists around the word and sometimes is even condoned or protected by the states. She went on to say that it will be one of the priorities for the administration to tackle the issue and some of changes in the policy on HIV prevention have already started. She also expressed a hope that she will witness the day when any type of discrimination, including on the ground of who one loves, will be abolished.
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/wps-europarl-internet/frd/vod/player?eventId=20090306-1030-SPECIAL&language=en&byLeftMenu=research

-National AFL-CIO Calls On California Supreme Court To Invalidate Proposition 8
Miami, Florida- As the AFL-CIO Executive Council gathers in Miami this week, hearing addresses from Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis dealing with the economic crisis and its impact on workers across the country, the Executive Council has spoken up again for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender workers by passing a resolution, in unanimity, calling on the California Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8. The resolution strengthens a previous resolution, passed in 2005 that called for the full inclusion and equal rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people in the workplace. The most recent resolution, passed yesterday, on the eve of the day that the California Supreme Court hears oral arguments in the Proposition 8 case, states that Prop 8, "ended the right to marry enjoyed by gay and lesbian couples in California and cast a cloud over the legal status of thousands of California marriages...depriving one class of citizens of rights enjoyed by all others."
http://prideatwork.org/page.php?id=636

-IGLHRC Update: More on the Anti-Gay Seminar in Uganda
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) have learned new details about the ongoing 3-day anti-gay conference in Uganda featuring some of the most virulent homophobes from the U.S. religious right. Here are some developments from the first day, reported by our partners who attended the event: 1. Prior to the start of today's workshop, Stephen Langa, leader of Family Life Network (the Ugandan organization hosting the workshop) and his American guest speakers met with several members of the Ugandan parliament. 2. During the morning session, Stephen Langa told the group that homosexuality is a big problem in Uganda and the existing laws that criminalize gay people are not good enough. He claimed that gay rights activists recruit young people into homosexuality. Langa told the audience that he knows 2 girls at a particular boarding school who were given a lot of money by gay activists in Uganda to recruit their colleagues into lesbianism. "By the end of the year, they had managed to recruit 13 friends, all of whom were given money to recruit others," Langa alleged. 3. Don Schmierer, a member of the board of the American "ex-gay" organization Exodus International told participants that one of the biggest causes of homosexuality is the lack of "good upbringing" in families. He said that 56% of homosexuals experience abuse and violence in their families during their childhood. The abuse leads to pain, anger and hatred in the life of a child and this turns them into homosexuals. IGLHRC and SMUG will continue to monitor the situation and will post new updates on our blog as more information becomes available. The workshop will end on Saturday, March 7.
http://iglhrc.wordpress.com/

-CREATORS OF MILITARY GAY BAN TELL AUTHOR IT WAS 'BASED ON NOTHING'
Definitive Book on "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Out Tuesday; Speaking Tour Begins Today
SANTA BARBARA, CA - Military officials exaggerated the threat to unit cohesion and ignored research and data when formulating the current policy on gay troops, according to the much-anticipated new book, Unfriendly Fire: How the Gay Ban Undermines the Military and Weakens America," out tomorrow. The book, based on a a decade of research and hundreds of interviews, was written by Dr. Nathaniel Frank, senior research fellow at the Palm Center, and one of the nation's most widely recognized authorities on gays in themilitary. Dr. Frank is appearing with Congresswoman Ellen Tauscher today at the Center for American Progress. Publication of the book by St. Martin's Press falls on the 15th anniversary of the policy. Frank spoke to key military and political architects of the policy, many of whom acknowledge in the book that "don't ask, don't tell" was "based on nothing" but "our own prejudices and our own fears."
www.unfriendlyfire.org

-Increasing Risk of HIV Among Older People,
Doctors Failing To Diagnose Cases in Population, WHO Study Says People ages 50 and older are more likely to have unprotected sex than younger groups, increasing their risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, according to a recently released World Health Organization study, Reuters UK reports. According to the WHO Bulletin report, "The Unexplored Story of HIV and Aging," physicians are failing to diagnose new HIV cases in this population because the virus still is considered to affect mostly younger populations. Older generations are "assumed not to be at risk," but HIV prevalence and incidence in people ages 50 and older "seem surprisingly high, and the risk factors are totally unexplored," the study said.
http://www.kaisernetwork.org/daily_reports/rep_index.cfm?DR_ID=57280

-Same-sex spouses sue federal government
Legally married couples say they suffered injustices under the Defense of
Marriage Act, which deprives them of benefits accorded others.
By Carol J. Williams
Saying they suffered injustices under the Defense of Marriage Act, a dozen legally married same-sex spouses filed suit against the federal government Tuesday, alleging that the 1996 law deprives them of a range of benefits accorded other couples. The suit filed in Boston by the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, or GLAD, challenges a section of the federal law denying gay couples access to more than 1,000 federal programs and legal protections in which marriage is a factor.
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-defense-of-marriage-act4-2009mar04,0,3987332.story

-Weighing their own decision on marriage
Army Sgt. Bob Claunch and Lt. Jack Reavley fell in love in 1951. Still together today, they had no interest in wedding when same-sex unions were briefly legal. Now they think differently.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-bobandjack5-2009mar05,0,1874140.sto

-Uganda: The U.S. Religious Right Exports Homophobia to Africa
The International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission (IGLHRC) and Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) condemned a seminar designed to attack lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Ugandans under the cloak of religion. The 3-day seminar in Kampala, which opens Thursday, March 5, features an array of U.S. speakers known for their efforts to dehumanize LGBT people and for their belief that homosexuality can be "cured." The speakers include Scott Lively, Don Schmierer, and Caleb Lee Brundidge-leading voices in the crusade by religious extremists to roll back basic human rights for LGBT people in the United States. Brundidge is affiliated with Extreme Prophetic Ministry in Phoenix, Arizona. Schmierer is on the board of the so-called "ex-gay" organization Exodus International. Lively is well known for his belief that the Nazi Holocaust never happened.
http://www.iglhrc.org

-Post editor to uphold policy on identifying sources as gay
Brauchli speaks out on gay topics, bloggers and state of industry The new executive editor of the Washington Post intends to maintain the newspaper's policy of not mentioning a subject's sexual orientation in an article unless it's relevant to the story. Marcus Brauchli, who took the Post's reins in September, discussed his views on sexual orientation and the state of the newspaper industry in an interview Jan. 30 with the Blade.
http://www.washblade.com/2009/2-6/news/localnews/14057.cfm

-RAINBOW HUMANISTS AWARD MADE TO NIGERIANS
The executive secretary of the Nigerian Humanist Movement Leo Igwe, and his Humanist colleagues, have been awarded the Rainbow Humanist Award by Nordic Rainbow Humanists (NRH) for their outstanding and risk-filled public support of LGBT rights in that African nation. The award was made to Leo Igwe and his colleagues "for their courageous defence of LGBT rights and dignity in the face of ferocious attacks from homophobic Nigerian politicians, parliamentarians and religious leaders calling for the imprisonment of those having homosexual relations and those who dare to support such relations, and for reminding fellow countrymen and women in Nigeria of the need to safeguard the spirit of the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights and the need for reason, common sense, thoughtfulness, knowledge, love, tolerance, solidarity and empathy, instead of hate and homophobia." "We are very proud to salute African humanists for speaking out so forcefully on behalf of LGBT rights which have long been supported by the International Humanist and Ethical Union", said NRH secretary Bill Schiller.
http://www.pinktriangle.org.uk/


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[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

NATIONAL & WORLD DIGEST - March 07, 2009

**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.


=
Tonight! It's time for clocks to 'spring forward' 1 hour
Daylight saving time began early Sunday, meaning that clocks needed to be turned forward one hour as of 2 a.m.


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

-A Moderate Manifesto
By DAVID BROOKS
You wouldn't know it some days, but there are moderates in this country - moderate conservatives, moderate liberals, just plain moderates. We sympathize with a lot of the things that President Obama is trying to do. We like his investments in education and energy innovation. We support health care reform that expands coverage while reducing costs. But the Obama budget is more than just the sum of its parts. There is, entailed in it, a promiscuous unwillingness to set priorities and accept trade-offs. There is evidence of a party swept up in its own revolutionary fervor - caught up in the self-flattering belief that history has called upon it to solve all problems at once. So programs are piled on top of each other and we wind up with a gargantuan $3.6 trillion budget. We end up with deficits that, when considered realistically, are $1 trillion a year and stretch as far as the eye can see. W end up with an agenda that is unexceptional in its parts but that, when taken as a whole, represents a social-engineering experiment that is entirely new.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/opinion/03brooks.html?_r=1&th=&emc=th&pagewanted=print


-The Big Dither
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Published: March 5, 2009
Last month, in his big speech to Congress, President Obama argued for bold steps to fix America's dysfunctional banks. "While the cost of action will be great," he declared, "I can assure you that the cost of inaction will be far greater, for it could result in an economy that sputters along for not months or years, but perhaps a decade."
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/opinion/06krugman.html

-The Rove-Miers Deal
The House Judiciary Committee has hammered out what appears to be a good deal to compel Karl Rove and Harriet Miers to testify about the United States attorneys scandal. Although it makes a few unfortunate concessions, the agreement is strong where it matters - requiring the two former Bush administration officials to testify under oath about the improper politicization of the Justice Department.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/opinion/07sat3.html?ref=opinion

-Three Blind Mice
By CHARLES M. BLOW
The Republicans have reached a new low, literally. According to the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, the percentage of Americans who view the Republican Party positively is at an all-time low. Meanwhile, President Obama's positive rating is at an all-time high, and the Democratic Party's positive rating is near its high.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/opinion/07blow.html?ref=opinion

-Justices Erase Ruling That Allowed Detention
By ADAM LIPTAK
The Supreme Court on Friday erased a lower-court ruling on perhaps the most fundamental national security question of all: Does the president have the power to order the indefinite military detention of legal residents of the United States?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/washington/07scotus.html?hp

-Crash Injures Zimbabwe Premier
By THE NEW YORK TIMES
HARARE, Zimbabwe - The prime minister of Zimbabwe, Morgan Tsvangirai, was hurt and his wife, Susan, was killed Friday when an S.U.V. carrying them was sideswiped by a truck that delivers American-supplied medicines about 45 miles south of the capital, American officials said Saturday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/08/world/africa/08zimbabwe.html?hp

-Madoff Expected to Plead Guilty Thursday
By DIANA B. HENRIQUES
Bernard L. Madoff is expected to plead guilty on Thursday to charges that he operated a worldwide $50 billion Ponzi scheme, according to court documents filed late Friday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/business/07madoff.html

-Judges Uphold Bribery Conviction of a Former Alabama Governor
By ADAM NOSSITER
A federal appeals court panel in Atlanta upheld the bribery conviction of former Gov. Don Siegelman of Alabama on Friday, giving new weight to a prosecution that Democrats have contended was an example of political use of the courts during the Bush administration.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/us/politics/07siegelman.html

-Doctoral Candidates Anticipate Hard Times
By PATRICIA COHEN
Chris Pieper began looking for an academic job in sociology about six months ago, sending off about two dozen application packets. The results so far? Two telephone interviews, and no employment offers.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/arts/07grad.html


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Job Losses Could Drown Stimulus
Unemployment Soars to 1983 Level, Testing U.S. Response
By Neil Irwin and Annys Shin
The nation is losing jobs so quickly that the government, racing to deal with the crisis, is having trouble keeping up. The U.S. unemployment rate last month leapt half a percentage point, to 8.1 percent, the highest level since 1983, according to data released yesterday. The stunning pace of job losses raises the possibility that, perhaps as early as this summer, one in 10 Americans will be out of a job even though they are actively looking for work. It also means that the government faces even more pressure to take further action to stabilize the economy and the financial system.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030601063.html?hpid=topnews

-In Obama Tax Plan, A Shift of Wealth From the Top Down
By Lori Montgomery
It has been called a Robin Hood budget: The spending plan President Obama sent to Congress last week would give the poor new tax cuts, new college loans and a new health care system by taking nearly $1 trillion from the rich in new taxes. Conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh and other Republicans are blasting the plan as "socialist" and accusing the administration of "class warfare." Even Democrats are balking at a key element of the plan, a proposal to raise money for health care reform by limiting the value of itemized deductions, including on mortgage interest and charitable contributions, for the nation's top earners.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030603367.html?hpid=topnews

-With Obama in Charge, Reid Returns to Preferred Role
By Shailagh Murray
Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid defined the terms of his relationship with the newly elected president when he announced in early January: "I do not work for Barack Obama. I work with him."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030603526.html?hpid=topnews

-Limbaugh's Audience Size? It's Largely Up in the Air
By Paul Farhi
How many people actually listen to Rush Limbaugh, the radio talk titan White House officials have spent the past week characterizing as "the head of the Republican Party"?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030603435.html?hpid=topnews

-2 Kenyan Rights Activists Slain
Pair Had Been Campaigning Against Illegal Killings by Police
By Stephanie McCrummen
NAIROBI, March 6 -- Human rights groups, U.N. officials and Kenya's prime minister on Friday called for an independent investigation into the execution-style killings of two Kenyan human rights activists, as political tensions are once again rising in this East African nation. In what appeared to be an ambush, Oscar Kamau Kingara and John Paul Oulu were shot at close range Thursday while their car was stuck or deliberately trapped in traffic in downtown Nairobi, witnesses told the Associated Press. Two gunmen fled.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/06/AR2009030603059.html?hpid=sec-world


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Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us

-Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad Will Resign
Associated Press
RAMALLAH, West Bank -- The Palestinian Prime Minister submitted his resignation Saturday, a move that could help pave the way for an elusive power-sharing deal between Palestinian moderates and militants.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123641994996461521.html

-The GOP's Limbaugh Dilemma
Radio Host's Prominence Underscores Party's Challenge to Forge New Identity
By NAFTALI BENDAVID and GREG HITT
Rush Limbaugh is right where he wants to be and right where the White House wants him: in the news. But Republicans have more mixed feelings about the controversial talk radio host's recent elevation.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123638814117858605.html

-Obama Channels Cheney
Obama adopts Bush view on the powers of the presidency. The Obama Administration this week released its predecessor's post-9/11 legal memoranda in the name of "transparency," producing another round of feel-good Bush criticism. Anyone interested in President Obama's actual executive-power policies, however, should look at his position on warrantless wiretapping. Dick Cheney must be smiling.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123638765474658467.html


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-What to do if you lose your job
If you have lost your job, the first thing you should do is apply for unemployment. ''People wait for some reason or another. You can't get those weeks back,'' said Kelly Allen, a spokeswoman for Workforce One of Broward. The government-funded entity helps job seekers find work and employers who are hiring -- at no charge. Here are some other suggestions for what to do next.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/southflorida/story/937119.html


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-While fighting earmarks in budget bill, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison tops list
of Texas' earmarkers
By LAURA ISENSEE
Todd J. Gillman contributed to this report.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison fought against earmarks this week, urging her colleagues to trim wasteful spending from a $410 billion bill and even voting to strip all 8,500 earmarks from the measure. Yet Hutchison also was the state's biggest sponsor of earmarks - more than $150 million for Texas.
http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/national/stories/DN-earmarks_06nat.ART.State.Edition2.4a6f6e8.html

-Obama: Endure, Find Opportunity in Time of Crisis
Sounding theme of hope, Obama encourages citizens to endure, then prosper from big challenge
By BEN FELLER
President Barack Obama appealed Saturday to his fellow citizens to endure, find opportunity in these hard times and ultimately prosper from the challenge.
http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=7028917

-I Would Still Vote Obama
Christopher Buckley
A self-loathing elitist responds. My old and dear friend Peter Robinson (we single-handedly won the Cold War together as Bush I speechwriters at the White House in the early 1980s) takes me to task Friday on Forbes.com for having recognized--finally, after all these weeks--that President Obama is a hard-left ideologue big-spender. He also congratulates David Gergen and David Brooks for similarly having come to their senses.
http://www.forbes.com/2009/03/06/rush-limbaugh-obama-opinions-contributors-christopher-buckley.html

-Dean for surgeon general?
By CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN & BEN SMITH
Howard Dean has said he doesn't want the job. The White House hasn't even contacted him about it. But that hasn't stopped Dean admirers from pushing his name for surgeon general, a post that opened up Thursday when CNN's Sanjay Gupta removed his name from consideration.
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0309/19732.html

-The TNR Roundtable Part 5: What Should Obama Do About Darfur?
by Elizabeth Rubin
Obama should back the ICC.
To: Alex de Waal, Richard Just, Eric Reeves, Alan Wolfe
I would like to respond to Alan's final question which gets to the heart of all the debates in recent years on justice versus peace and the nature of interventions. Alan ends by saying that perhaps the ICC should have thought about the political consequences of its decision especially when those consequences may prove so harmful.
http://www.tnr.com/politics/story.html?id=d1cc6e4e-6c75-4291-8220-16d8dc79d0b0

-Census Bureau said to be behind schedule, computer glitches may affect 2010 count
By HOPE YEN
With the 2010 census fast approaching, computer glitches, operational missteps and ballooning costs could overwhelm the government's ability to conduct the once-a-decade count of the nation's population, congressional investigators said Thursday. Reports released by the Government Accountability Office show critical preparations for the 2010 census are behind schedule and the Census Bureau has no clear strategy for improving the count of hard-to-reach minorities.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/politics/sns-ap-census-2010,0,3356182.story

=

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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - February 07, 2009

**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.


=

Tonight! It's time for clocks to 'spring forward' 1 hour
Daylight saving time begins early Sunday, meaning that clocks needed to be turned forward one hour as of 2 a.m.

~~FLORIDA GLBT NEWS~~

OUTLET4YOUNGWOMEN
OUTletWomen@gmail.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Announcing "OUTlet: Plugging Young Women into the Arts - A First Ever
Conference in South Florida for and by Young Lesbian, Bi, Trans, Queer, Questioning Women and our Allies" For the first time ever South Florida's young lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning young women and their allies ages 15 to young adult have a place to expand minds, experience creativity and meet other young people like themselves. Through the generous support of Aqua Foundation for Women and under the leadership of Safe Schools South Florida, "OUTlet: Plugging Young Women into the Arts - A Conference for and by Young Lesbian, Bi, Trans, Queer and Questioning Women and our Allies" will take place on Saturday, April 18th at Sunserve in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, 1480 South West 9th Avenue, 33315. The electric OUTlet: Plugging Young Women into the Arts First Ever Conference" is absolutely free to all participants in Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties. In order to attend you must register on line at:
www.outlet4youngwomen.com


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Do your part - Support your GLBT Candidates
Oakland Park, Ft. Lauderdale and Dania Beach!

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Final opportunity to help Get Out The Vote: Sunday, March 8th
Dolphin Democratic Phone Bank begins at 4pm - 6pm
Please bring your cell phone and charger.. Let's burn some of those FREE weekend minutes for a great cause. At 6pm, we will celebrate with some beer/wine and cheese, etc. reception. Your time will be most effective as we call GLBT and GLBT friendly voters in: Oakland Park for Anthony Niedwiecki, Anne Sallee, and Suzanne Boisvenue; Ft. Lauderdale, Dist# 4 for Coleman Prewitt; Dania Beach for Derrick Hankerson and Jimmy Crimminger. For more information, please call JD Camp at (954) 802-2202If you can't make it Sunday, then call to see how you can help on Monday or Election Day (Tuesday).


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Sunshine Cathedral - Ft. Lauderdale
http://www.sunshinecathedral.org/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-The annual Florida AIDS Walk in Broward County is fast approaching and will be held on Sunday, March 15th, in downtown Fort Lauderdale. Every dollar we raise will provide critical HIV/AIDS services to those in need in Florida, and we need your help to accomplish our goal! You can help by making a commitment today to join our team (Sunshine Cathedral MCC) and walking with us. Even if you are not able to walk, you can sign up to be a virtual walker and help raise money. If you have any questions or want to donate money in person, Team Captain Robert Beemer (robertbmr@yahoo.com) will be in the social hall after the Sunday morning services. All donations go directly to Florida AIDS Walk. To register to walk on our team or support our team financially online, go to www.floridaaidswalk.com and click "Register" near the top of the page. Then click on the "Join a Team" icon. Search for our church team by entering "Sunshine Cathedral" in the search box at the bottom of the page. Then scroll down and click "Join" next to Sunshine Cathedral MCC. You can then join our team as a walker or virtual walker, and donate directly online.
sunburst@sunshinecathedral.org


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Florida signs $1.2 billion construction contract to rebuild Interstate 595
Deal projected to pump up to $1 million a day into local economy The $1.2 billion project to rebuild Interstate 595 will soon be under way. Gov. Charlie Crist on Thursday announced that the Florida Department of Transportation has signed an agreement with ACS Infrastructure Development Inc., a Spanish construction conglomerate.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flb595x0306sbmar06,0,60031.story

-Florida's delinquent condo owners force neighbors to pay more
Daniel Vasquez
Althea Prescott and her husband, Louis, struggle to pay their family bills, which include increasingly higher maintenance fees for their Arbor Keys Condominium unit in Tamarac. And what do they get for the higher association costs? No additional services. No extra landscaping. Just the bitterness of knowing they must pay more because about 140 of their 232 neighbors are delinquent or in foreclosure.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/custom/consumer/sfl-flbcondocol0305sbmar05,0,6668955.column


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Fort Report
http://www.fortreport.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-It's official: Greene resigns from Palm Beach County Commission
By JENNIFER SORENTRUE
Palm Beach County Commissioner Addie Greene disregarded her doctors' orders last year when she ran for a third term. She won in November, taking 77 percent of the vote .
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/03/06/0306greene.html

-Departure of 4 commissioners in 3 years leaves Palm Beach County government transformed
By GEORGE BENNETT
They changed the face of Palm Beach County for decades to come by pledging millions to woo The Scripps Research Institute. They gorged themselves on property-tax revenue during the county's real estate boom without fear of voter backlash. But the proud and politically untouchable Palm Beach County Commission of this century's first few years no longer exists.
http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2009/03/06/0306pbccomm.html

-Gov. Crist promotes cheaper health insurance
By ILEANA MORALE
Gov. Charlie Crist is championing a less-expensive health insurance program for uninsured Floridians. Crist touted the initial success of the state's partnership with six private insurance companies to offer Cover Florida Health Care Access Program, saying it has saved uninsured residents $2.3 million.
http://www.floridatoday.com/article/20090306/BREAKINGNEWS/90306036/1006/NEWS01

=

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#####

GLBT DIGEST - March 06, 2009

**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:

-California Court to Weigh Gay Marriage Ban
By JESSE McKINLEY and JOHN SCHWARTZ
Under intense pressure from both sides in the debate over same-sex marriage, the California Supreme Court will hear arguments Thursday on the ballot initiative passed by voters last November that outlawed such unions.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/05/us/05marriage.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse

-California Court Weighing Gay Marriage Ban
By JOHN SCHWARTZ and JESSE McKINLEY
In a bruising hearing, California's Supreme Court justices seemed ready on Thursday to uphold the ban on same-sex marriage that was passed by the state's voters in November. But the justices, who ruled just last May that same-sex marriage is a constitutional right, also appeared reluctant to undo the 18,000 marriages conducted before the ban was passed.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/06/us/06marriage.html?scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse


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Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Gay activists march in Calif. ahead of showdown
By LISA LEFF
Same-sex marriage advocates are pinning their hopes on California's highest court as it prepares to hear arguments on a trio of lawsuits seeking to overturn the state's voter-approved ban on gay unions.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/05/AR2009030500472.html


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Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-'The Future of LGBT Politics' to be discussed March 14 at Wolfsonian-FIU
Here's information about an interesting event, Beyond Straight Supremacy and the Myth of Change: The Future of LGBT Politics, to be held Saturday, March 14, at The Wolfsonian-FIU:
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/


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Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Let gays serve openly
As we prepare to send more troops to Afghanistan and focus on the danger in that region, we are reminded that the military is seriously hamstrung by the ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy. Those who are found to be gay or lesbian are discharged. I stand with the veterans of VoteVets.org in calling for the policy to be changed.
JEFF WEINBERGER, Plantation
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters/story/935314.html


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

-New York gays to posthumously honor NY native Harvey Milk
By The Associated Press
Slain gay rights activist Harvey Milk is being honored posthumously by a network of gay and lesbian organizations in his native New York.
http://www.365gay.com/news/new-york-gays-to-posthumously-honor-ny-native-harvey-milk/


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

-Scottish Parliament committee backs hate crimes bill
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
The Scottish Parliament's Justice Committee has published its Stage 1 Report on proposed legislation that allows courts to impose tougher sentences for offences aggravated by the victim's disability, gender identity or sexual orientation.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11451.html

-FA to launch anti-homophobia campaign
By Jessica Geen
The Football Association is planning to release a DVD to raise awareness of homophobia in the sport. After a number of incidents involving anti-gay chants and abuse, the organisation is teaming up with Kick It Out, the Professional Footballers Association and Peter Tatchell to produce the video.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11457.html

-Police murder hunt underway after gay couple attacked at home
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
A gay couple were attacked in their home on Tuesday, leaving one dead and the other in hospital with stab wounds. Police were called to reports of an assault in a flat in a converted house in Page Heath Villas, off Bickley Road, Bromley at around 8pm.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11454.html

-California Supreme Court to hear gay marriage arguments
By Tony Grew
The 18,000 gay and lesbian couples who legally married in California last year may find out today if they are valid.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11453.html

-US adoption websites accused of gay discrimination cease trading in New York
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
New York's Attorney General has announced that an American adoption service provider has ceased trading in the state.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11441.html

-US Christians accused of exporting anti-gay message to Africa
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
A conference in Uganda which begins today has been condemned by human rights groups. The 3-day seminar in Kampala, which opens today, features several American speakers known for their efforts to dehumanise LGBT people and for their belief that homosexuality can be "cured."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11449.html


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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Anti-trans assault reported at D.C. gay bar
Women allegedly attacked trans men outside Fab Lounge
By LOU CHIBBARO JR, Washington Blade
Two female-to-male transgender patrons at the Dupont Circle gay bar Fab Lounge told police they were verbally harassed and assaulted by two female customers who denounced one of the men as androgynous. The D.C. Police Department's Gay & Lesbian Liaison Unit was assisting Second District detectives in investigating last week's incident to determine whether it should be classified as an anti-transgender hate crime, said acting Lt. Brett Parson, who oversees the unit.
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=24369


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

-Antigay Comment Kills Univ. Student Union President's Campaign
By Rhiza Dizon
Guolong Li withdrew his candidacy for the presidency of Cambridge University's
student union a day before the polls opened after staff and students condemned him for making a homophobic statement. When asked of his stance on LGBT policies and platforms during a debate, Li answered, "I think it's more important that we provide help for them.to persuade them to be normal, to no longer be LBGT, to change them," according to the Telegraph.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid74414.asp

-S.D. Mayor's Daughter to Marry Girlfriend
By Michelle Garcia
San Diego mayor Jerry Sanders, who gave an emotional speech in 2007 in support of marriage equality, has announced the engagement of his gay daughter, Lisa. The Republican mayor made the announcement at the Eve of Justice rally, held in anticipation of Thursday's supreme court hearing to challenge the validity of Proposition 8. According to Towleroad.com, about 400 people attended the rally at the San Diego Hall of Justice. Lisa Sanders plans to marry her partner, Meaghan Yaple.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid74342.asp

-Mormons Set Sights on Killing Civil Unions in Illinois
By Neal Broverman
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints recently sent a private e-mail to its Illinois members urging them to contact state legislators and voice opposition to civil union legislation the state is currently considering. According to the Human Rights Campaign, the e-mail was sent to at least one LDS ward in Illinois and was authorized by a bishop named Chris Church.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid74341.asp

-18,000 Marriages Depend on Six Words
The fate of the 18,000 same-sex marriages that were legally performed in the state of California prior to Prop. 8's passage depend on six words: "Regardless of when or where performed." As lawyers deliver oral arguments before the California supreme court, the validity of those marriages depends on how you interpret the following sentence from Prop. 8 when it appeared on the ballot: "Only marriage between a man and a woman will be recognized in the state of California, regardless of when or where performed." Though lawyers arguing against Prop. 8 say the law is prospective, not retrospective, the discussion keeps returning to that brief phrase. Watch oral arguments live at CalChannel.com.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid74379.asp

-Ken Starr: The People Can Do Stupid Things
The bulk of Ken Starr's argument in favor of invalidating the 18,000 same-sex marriages that took place in the state of California before Prop. 8 was passed seems to hinge on one thought. Though the people may make stupid decisions, they "have the raw power to do it." Case in point: Chief Justice Ronald George counters with a hypothetical. The voters decide to do away with free speech from the First Amendment. Is that an amendment or a revision, and do the people have the right to do it? After much banter back and forth, Starr says they do. When the justices counter and ask Starr if his argument would be the same had Prop. 8 stripped gays and lesbians of all the rights they enjoy under California law, he assures the justices the proposition did not -- but says that his argument would indeed be the same.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid74386.asp


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

-RachelWatch: Wedding Trashers
By Ali Davis
Steele the One
Republican National Committee Member Dr. Ada Fisher has had enough of RNC Chairman Michael Steele and his leadership technique of issuing transcendently ridiculous sound bites and then frantically backpedaling away from them in much the same way that Wile E. Coyote does when he realizes that he's out of cliff.
http://www.365gay.com/living/rachelwatch-wedding-trashers/


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

-Blackpool Pride line-up announced
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
Organisers have confirmed that acts such as Toyah, Andy Scott-Lee and ex-S Club 7 singer Jo O'Meera will be performing at Blackpool's fourth Pride festival. However, the headliner, rumoured to be a big-name star, is being kept under wraps for now.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11486.html

-Men arrested over 'homophobic' murder in south-east London
By Jessica Geen
Two men have been arrested over the murder of a gay man in Bromley, south-east London. Police confirmed that a 59-year-old man and a 46-year-old man have been questioned over the attack.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11487.html

-Human rights organisations call for end to 'police abuse' of trans people in Guyana
By Jessica Geen
Human rights organisations in Guyana have called for an end to the arrest and abuse of trans people for not conforming to gender-typical dress codes. In a letter to President Bharrat Jagdeo, six groups said a repressive law that criminalises wearing clothes considered appropriate only for the opposite sex must be repealed.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11488.html

-Exclusive: British Prime Minister Gordon Brown declares Prop 8 gay marriage
ban "unacceptable"
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk
The first-ever reception at No10 Downing St for the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered) community was hosted by the Prime Minister and his wife this evening.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11468.html

=

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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - March 05, 2009

**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~~

Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-2 Yulee students challenging Nassau County Schools
The Associated Press
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Two Yulee High School students will be in federal court seeking a preliminary injunction which will allow them to start a Gay-Straight Alliance club on their north Florida campus.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/florida/AP/story/933709.html

-Let gays serve openly
As we prepare to send more troops to Afghanistan and focus on the danger in that region, we are reminded that the military is seriously hamstrung by the ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy. Those who are found to be gay or lesbian are discharged. I stand with the veterans of VoteVets.org in calling for the policy to be changed.
JEFF WEINBERGER, Plantation
http://www.miamiherald.com/opinion/letters/story/935314.html

=
Steve Rothaus
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Jesse's Journal -- Homage to Gore Vidal
BY JESSE MONTEAGUDO
If I had to be stranded on a desert island with only the works of one author, I would pick the works of Gore Vidal. Brilliant, erudite, perceptive and sarcastic, Vidal is a one-man library. He is the author of twenty-three novels, five plays, two memoirs, numerous screenplays and short stories, and well over two hundred essays. By virtue of heredity, luck and talent, Vidal has witnessed almost a century of American political and social life. His most famous series of novels - Burr, Lincoln, 1876, Empire, Hollywood, Washington DC and The Golden Age - is a fictional history of the United States from the American Revolution to the recent past. A frustrated politician - Vidal ran for Congress in 1960 and the U.S. Senate in 1982, and lost both races - Vidal channeled his political genius into literary forms, chronicling the Decline and Fall of the American Empire in a series of perceptive essays that, as United States: Essays 1952-1992, won the 1993 National Book Award. Last year, Vidal's best essays were collected in The Selected Essays of Gore Vidal, edited by his literary executor, Jay Parini (Doubleday; $27.50)
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay

-Social issues, including religion and sexual orientation, play stealth role in Fort Lauderdale race
BY AMY SHERMAN
On the campaign trail, Fort Lauderdale City Commission candidates Coleman Prewitt and Romney Rogers discuss the same topics: cutting the budget, promoting tourism and protecting neighborhoods.
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay

-Upcoming events for women at Halo and Yuca Lounge
From Pandora Events: EVERY THURSDAY SWEET AT HALO
Stop by for a drink, a girl, a friend and stop the clock at midnight!
7-9pm half price drinks &hors d'oeuvres
9pm-2am DJ Jennie Foxx spinning the funkiest blend of 80s and 90s
$7 Finlandia drinks & $3 Peroni ALL NITE
Midnight-1am Beat the Clock Open Bar
Never a cover
http://www.MiamiHerald.com/gay


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South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Top Cop
Openly gay Oakland Park deputy receives employee of the year
By JASON MICHAELS
Broward County Sheriff's Department Deputy, Jonathan Bleiweiss, 28, received the 2008Employee of the Year award for the Oakland Park Division for his outstanding work, at a ceremony on the evening of Wednesday, March 4, 2009 at the Oakland Park City Hall. This is the first time an openly gay deputy received this award from BSO.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/3-5/news/localnews/5598.cfm

-Dame Edna
Fabulous star brings show to FTL
By J.W. ARNOLD
Is South Florida ready for the biggest celebrity of all? Next week, Dame Edna Everage, the glamorous, self-proclaimed Australian "megastar," arrives in Fort Lauderdale where "she" will be holding court at the Parker Playhouse through March 28. Dame Edna-the high-society alter ego of comedian Barry Humphries, who has created a complex backstory of Edna's "family" and social status-is an international star of the Broadway stage and the screens of Hollywood, easily recognizable for her lavender-colored bouffant and shrill accent. Her shows are improvisations with the audience, shocking participants with her often-insensitive, politically-incorrect views.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/3-5/arts/nitelife/5605.cfm

-Skipper's killer gets life
A Polk County jury convicts Joseph Bearden of second-degree murder
By JUAN CARLOS RODRIGUEZ
Joseph Bearden was sentenced to life in prison, after being convicted of second-degree murder Friday for the stabbing death of Ryan Skipper, an openly gay student in Polk County, Fla.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/3-5/news/localnews/5599.cfm

-Elections 2009
Three openly-gay candidates remain in Broward Elections
By JUAN CARLOS RODRIGUEZ
The Broward County Election of 2009 continues! After winning enough votes to qualify for the March 10 run-off elections, Dania Beach City Commission candidate Derrick Hankerson and Fort Lauderdale City Commission candidate Coleman Prewitt face one last election to secure their seats. Also in the running is Anthony Niedwiecki, who is seeking a seat on the Oakland Park City Commission.
http://www.floridablade.com/2009/3-5/news/localnews/5601.cfm


~~FLORIDA GENERAL NEWS~~

Sun-Sentinel
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Democrats plan to answer Rush Limbaugh near his Palm Beach home
Democrats seek winning retort to post near radio host's Palm Beach home
By Andy Reid
Democrats are gearing up for a PR war with their political archenemy Rush Limbaugh and have picked Palm Beach County as the place to launch the first salvo at the king of the dittoheads.
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-flprush0306pnmar06,0,3770337.story


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JustNews.com
http://www.justnews.com
Go to the links for the following articles:

Biden To Speak In South Florida
Vice President To Address AFL-CIO
Vice President Joe Biden will address the nation's largest union groups as Congress is considering the heavily union-supported Employee Free Choice Act. The AFL-CIO Executive Council meeting and newly appointed Labor Secretary Hilda Solis are both in Miami this week drumming up support for the bill that would give workers the option of unionizing by getting a majority of the workers to sign cards or a petition instead of holding secret ballot elections.
http://www.justnews.com/news/18861154/detail.html?treets=mia&tml=mia_12pm&ts=T&tmi=mia_12pm_1_11000103052009


=

[Send your comments about articles to Rays.List@Comcast.net]
#####

Wednesday, March 04, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - March 04, 2009

**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:

-2 Indicted in Fatal Beating of Ecuadorean Immigrant
By KAREEM FAHIM
The two men accused of fatally beating an Ecuadorean immigrant with a bat and a bottle after shouting epithets about Hispanics and gays face 78 years to life in prison if convicted on charges handed up by a Brooklyn grand jury and unsealed on Tuesday.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/04/nyregion/04ecuadorean.html?_r=1&scp=4&sq=gay&st=cse


=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Russian scholar says US will collapse _ next year
By MIKE ECKEL
MOSCOW -- If you're inclined to believe Igor Panarin, and the Kremlin
wouldn't mind if you did, then President Barack Obama will order martial law this year, the U.S. will split into six rump-states before 2011, and Russia and China will become the backbones of a new world order.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030400327.html

-Penn says he assumes Calif. gov will honor Milk
The Associated Press
Sean Penn, who won an Oscar for playing gay rights hero Harvey Milk, says he is confident California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will sign a bill recognizing Milk's birthday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030401229.html


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

-Utah the USA's Online Porn Capital
Utah not only led the charge with donations to pass California's gay marriage ban -- the state also leads the pack with the highest level of online pornography usage. In fact, traditionally "red" states fill out the top three spots. Alaska is close behind, followed by Mississippi. California is way down the list at number 39. People in the 27 states banning gay marriage boast 11 percent more porn subscribers than states which don't specifically restrict same-sex marriage. Out of every 1,000 broadband users in the state of Utah, the report says 5.47 are porn subscribers.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid74249.asp


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

-California Attorney General: 'Prop 8 comparable to 1960s racism'
The Attorney General of California, Jerry Brown, has called for Proposition 8, which bans same-sex marriage in the US state, to be deemed unconstitutional and stricken down.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11429.html

-THT launches new guide for teachers on gay relationships
A free guide for teachers with ideas they can use to help discuss topics like same sex relationships and homophobia with their students has been produced. Click here for full article
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11434.html

-Men with prostate cancer have "worst" NHS experience
A new survey has revealed a lack of knowledge that men living with prostate cancer - the most common cancer in men - continue to have to deal with the 'historical legacy of neglect' surrounding the disease. Click here for full article
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11433.html

-Pelosi cites hate crimes and employment protection as priorities
The Speaker of the US House of Representatives has said that three gay equality issues will be tackled. The Democrats control both Houses of Congress as well as the White House. Click here for full article
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11431.html

-Barack Obama 'consulting advisors on lifting military gay ban'
Barack Obama is discussing how to lift the ban on gay men and women serving in the US military, according to reports. Click here for full article
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11428.html

-Increased rights for Colombian same-sex partners "not automatic"
Gay and lesbian couples in Colombia still face challenges after a ruling granting them increased rights. Click here for full article
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11419.html

-Director receives death threats over Channel 4 documentary about gay Muslims
Executives at Channel 4 are bracing themselves for a backlash against a programme showing gay and lesbian Muslims. Click here for full article
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11416.html

=
Forwarded from Kenneth Sherrill - Ken's List
kenslist@groups.queernet.org
Go to the links for the following articles:
Contact rays.list@comcast.net if you can't access the article

-Maker of Mormon beefcake calendar won't get degree
SALT LAKE CITY -- Brigham Young University has denied an appeal to award a diploma that the creator of a Mormon beefcake calendar says he earned. Chad Hardy's diploma was withheld by BYU last fall after he was excommunicated from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which owns and runs the school. Hardy was excommunicated during the month between completing his courses and graduation ceremonies.Hardy appealed and met with Dean of Students Vernon L. Heperi on Feb. 13. In the meeting, Heperi sought to determine whether Hardy's life is guided by the school's honor code, which reflects the values of the Mormon church.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/bizarre/6290585.html

- Church-goers bought less online porn on Sundays - a 1% increase in a postal code's religious attendance was associated with a 0.1% drop in subscriptions that day. However, expenditures on other days of the week brought them in line with the rest of the country, Edelman finds. Residents of 27 states that passed laws banning gay marriages boasted 11% more porn subscribers than states that don't explicitly restrict gay marriage.
http://www.boingboing.net/2009/02/27/red-states-consume-m.html

-Same-sex marriage laws at odds with separation of church and state
The United States of America is supposed to be the land of freedom. Yet, inane restrictions abound, turning us into a rather hypocritical society. Why, in this day and age, are we even debating the issue of same-sexmarriage? Progress and change should bring with it open-mindedness, tolerance and acceptance. Unfortunately, our country seems trapped in irrational fear, prejudice and intolerance. It's shameful, sad and embarrassing. Banning same-sex marriages is a clear-cut violation of the basic rights we've been entitled to as a people since this country was established. We've all been taught that our forefathers declared us to all be created equal, be entitled to the pursuit of happiness, freedom of religion and the separation of church and state.
http://www.news-leader.com/article/20090228/OPINIONS/902280303/1006/OPINIONS

-Slain Teen's Family "Sues Everybody For Not Destroying His Gayness"
Headline courtesy of Joe.My.God, who has provided extensive coverage of the Lawrence King tragedy since the California student was murdered one year ago. Another high school student is currently facing trial for the murder, which has been charged as a hate crime and which shocked civil rights activists across the country. In a suit filed last year, the King family claimed their son 's school was at fault for failing to enforce its dress code. Their theory was that the teen's gender-nonconforming attire and makeup made him a target for violence. That's right: since they can't exactly blame the victim, their own son, they're doing the next best thing:
blaming his gender expression, and the school authorities for failing to suppress it.
http://polyperversity.blogspot.com/2009/02/slain-teens-family-lawrence-kings.html

-Campus Pride to Examine LGBT Campus Climate & Safety
at U.S. Colleges & Universities
CHARLOTTE, NC, March 2, 2009 - Do you consider your campus to be gay-friendly? Does your campus have work to be done on transgender issues? What does it mean to be a lesbian, gay, bisexual or a transgender (LGBT) student, staff, or faculty member on your campus? LGBT students, faculty, staff, and administrators are encouraged to respond to the Call for Participation for Campus Pride's National LGBT College Climate Survey announced today. Go online to http://www.campuspride.org/research.


=
Truth Wins Out - TWO
by Wayne Besen
http://www.truthwinsout.org/

-Do Tell, Live In Hell
Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) introduced a bill this week to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, a law that prohibits gay and lesbian military personnel from serving openly. While this is welcome news, there is no guarantee of a "welcome mat" for gay and lesbian soldiers if the ban is lifted. In the years since Don't Ask, Don't Tell was adopted in 1993, there has been a rigorous effort to force religion into the barracks. Fundamentalist Christian groups have infiltrated some of our leading military bases and have made life uncomfortable for anyone who does not conform. This first came to light in 2005 after the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs had become a bastion of Anti-Semitism and Christian proselytizing. The problem escalated as some cadets were reportedly harassed and called "filthy Jews." A chaplain who complained about the Biblical abuse was unceremoniously demoted and shipped off to Japan. To stop the attempted conversions, the military brass had to meet with the Anti-Defamation League.
http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/do-tell-live-in-hell/


=

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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - March 04, 2009

**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~~

SunServ - Ft. Lauderdale
South Florida's Premier LGBT Social Service Agency

-Join Us for The 6th Annual Valuing Our Families Awards Gala!
NATIONAL VALUING OUR FAMILIES AWARD
at Fort Lauderdale and Miami Gay Men's Choruses' Florida Premier Performance of "Songs of My Family"
Saturday, March 14, 2009 Sunshine Cathedral Center for Worship and the Performing Arts
2009 National Award Winners - Marriage Equality National Spokespersons
GEORGE TAKEI (Star Trek's Mr Sulu) and his partner BRAD ALTMAN
Award presented by SHARON GLESS
SunServe Spokesperson and 2004 National Award winner
VIP Reception 6:30 - 7:45 pm
Concert and Award presentation 8:00 pm
Reception and performance tickets: $100 per person
To purchase on line click here www.SunServe.org
Or call Mark at 954-764-5150


=
SunShine Cathedral - Lecture Series Continues
The Future of Peace in the Middle East
Tonight - 7pm! 1480 SW Ninth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
This week' presenter: Mr. Altaf Ali, Executive Director, Council on American-Islamic Relations
1480 SW Ninth Ave., Fort Lauderdale

=

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#####

GLBT DIGEST - March 03, 2009

**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:

-Suit Seeks to Force Government to Extend Benefits to Same-Sex Couples
By ABBY GOODNOUGH and KATIE ZEZIMA
The legal advocacy group that successfully argued for sex-same marriage in Massachusetts intends to file suit here on Tuesday seeking some federal benefits for spouses in such marriages. The target is the Defense of Marriage Act, passed by Congress in 1996, which prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriage. That law denies federal benefits, like Social Security survivors' payments, to spouses in such marriages.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/03/us/03marriage.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=gay&st=cse


=
Washington Post
http://www.washingtonpost.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Penn to lobby for Harvey Milk Day in California
The Associated Press
Fresh from his best actor Oscar for his performance as Harvey Milk, Sean Penn is pushing California to officially recognize the late gay politician's birthday.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/03/AR2009030300645.html

-I am one of the 12,500 military personnel discharged under this archaic law.
The Air Force felt the need to search my private e-mails in Iraq; apparently ferreting out alleged homosexuals is far more important than fighting insurgents. I know firsthand the ugly face of discrimination by our federal government. I've paid a heavy price emotionally and financially for being who I am, including losing all retirement benefits. I greatly look forward to the day when it is no longer "open season" on gays in the military and I can resume my service to our nation as an officer and a gentleman.
-- Mike Almy, former Army major, the District
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/02/AR2009030202751.html


=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us

-Philanthropy and Its Enemies
By NAOMI SCHAEFER RILEY
Activists want to redistribute foundation wealth based on racial quotas. Nonprofit leaders are reeling from the recent news that President Barack Obama's proposed budget would limit tax deductions on charitable contributions from wealthy Americans. But now the philanthropic world has something else to worry about. Today the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy (NCRP), a research and advocacy group, will release a report offering "benchmarks to assess foundation performance." Its real aim is to push philanthropic organizations into ignoring donor intent and instead giving grants based on political considerations.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123604548985015461.html


=
Miami Herald
http://www.miamiherald.com/
Go to the links for the following articles:

-Prop. 8 resolution contends California constitution improperly revised
By Susan Ferriss
Just days before a historic state Supreme Court hearing on Proposition 8, the Legislature approved a resolution Monday declaring that voters alone did not have the right to adopt the gay-marriage ban.
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics/AP/story/929871.html


=
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Gay marriage ban supporters to rally in Raleigh
N.C. is only southern state with no such ban
Supporters of a ban on gay marriage in North Carolina will lobby the Legislature for the second time in a week. A Christian conservative group called Return America has scheduled a "Stand Up for Traditional Marriage" rally on Tuesday in downtown Raleigh. A similar outdoor event attracted thousands in 2007.
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=24293

-Lawsuit over gay-marriage speech at L.A. City College spurs reactions
By Gale Holland
Ruben Rivera was dropping off papers to charter a new gay unity club at Los Angeles City College one recent day when he spotted half a dozen middle-aged people milling around the campus quad.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-speech3-2009mar03,0,13714.story?track=rss


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

-U.S. Supreme Court Rules Against Fred Phelps
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against Fred Phelps this week. The anti-gay pastor had attempted to erect a statue in a government plaza in Kansas condemning homosexuality and slain student Matthew Shepard. Phelps' monument read: "Matthew Shepard Entered Hell October 12, 1998, in Defiance of God's Warning 'thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22." The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that government parks receiving monument donations are not required to accept every offer. Last month, Phelps and his daughter Shirley Roper-Phelps were prevented from entering to UK to protest a production of The Laramie Project because of their extremist behavior.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid74138.asp


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

-3 charged in violent attack at gay bar
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
Galveston gays are crediting police with swift action in arresting three people in connection with a violent weekend attack on two gay men in a gay bar.
http://www.365gay.com/news/3-charged-in-violent-attack-at-gay-bar/

-A response to a Morehouse College concern
By James Withers
Recently there was an article, disjointed nightmare really, that wondered what would happen to Morehouse College, an all men's school, if it kept being tolerant of gay men. Would it become competition for its sister institution Spelman College, an all women's school, because all those gay men would follow the dream of every male sodomite: being a fabulous woman. Writer Leethaniel Brumfield II, with care and precision, takes the previous essay to task for its hysteria and double standards when the conversation turns to gay male students.
http://www.365gay.com/blog/030309-a-response-to-a-morehouse-man/


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

-Director receives death threats over Channel 4 documentary about gay Muslims
By Jessica Geen
Executives at Channel 4 are bracing themselves for a backlash against a programme showing gay and lesbian Muslims. A Jihad for Love will be aired tonight on More 4 and shows gay Muslims kissing, holding hands and discussing getting married.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11416.html

-Employees claim they were victimised by gay charity
By Jessica Geen
Two former employees of Manchester's Lesbian and Gay Foundation claim they were victimised and discriminated against by the charity.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11420.html

-Microsoft: 'It's hard to police Xbox homophobia'
By Jessica Geen
Xbox Live policy manager Stephen Toulouse has given further explanation of why gamers cannot use the word 'gay' in their profiles or gamertags. According to Eurogamer, Mr Toulouse said the problem was in determining was a slur or not when used in game.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11413.html

-Man raped in Plymouth
By Jessica Geen
A 23-year-old man was raped in the city of Plymouth on Friday night. The victim, from Newton Abbot, was visiting his girlfriend at the time of the attack.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11422.html

-Employees claim they were victimised by gay charity
By Jessica Geen
Two former employees of Manchester's Lesbian and Gay Foundation claim they were victimised and discriminated against by the charity. At a tribunal, to begin next Monday, Alistair Gault and Molly Dunn will be appearing to claim that the organisation discriminated against them due to their ages.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-11420.html


=

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#####

FLORIDA DIGEST - March 03, 2009

**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~~

Steve Rothaus
www.MiamiHerald.com/gay
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Gay activists, allies to 'Rally in Tally' on March 16
Rally in Tally for Domestic Partnerships
Largest gathering for LGBT equality in Florida history!
The Family Equality Council is excited to partner with Equality Florida and others to bring you the Rally in Tally, the largest gathering for LGBT equality in Florida history. Last year, Equality Florida coordinated a breakthrough for equality in the Sunshine State. Jeff's Law, which protects LGBT students from bullying, was passed. It's time to keep the momentum going.
http://miamiherald.typepad.com/gaysouthflorida/


=
Please Help Your Local Community Champions!
Broward Municipal Election Endorsements
from Equality Florida Action PAC

These are Champions for our Community!
Please vote and donate
Key Dates / Limits EQUALITY FLORIDA ACTION PAC
* Broward Municipal Election, March 10th
* General Contribution Limit: $250 Supporting Trailblazers and Champions
Equality Florida Action PAC only endorses candidates who meet a combination of our strategic criteria:
They must be Champions of LGBT equaligy. They must be running strong in competitive races. In particular, we support qualified, openly LGBT candidates who can bring a vital perspective and much-needed voice to the political debates that impact our lives.

--Coleman Prewitt
Race: City Commission, Ft. Lauderdale, District 4
Click here for Coleman's Website
Click here to donate to Coleman's Campaign
COLEMAN NEEDS ELECTION DAY VOLUNTEERS - VISIT HIS WEBSITE TO SIGN UP TODAY
Coleman received a 100% rating on our candidate questionnaire and is endorsed by the Broward Sun-Sentinel and the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund. A seventh-generation Floridian, Coleman Prewitt is a partner in the law firm of Seidman, Prewitt, DiBellos & Lopez. When Mayor Jim Naugle received wide media coverage for disparaging gay people and opposing the Stonewall Library, a gay and lesbian archive to be housed in the library, Coleman helped organize protest rallies that protected Broward's image as a progressive community. He is also involved in the Dolphin Democrats, the Gay and Lesbian Community Center of South Florida, Lambda Legal, the Gay, Lesbian Business Exchange, and The Sunshine Community Foundation. Coleman finished second in the Feb. primary for this seat and this runoff election will come down to a handful of votes. Coleman has an excellent chance of winning but he needs our immediate support.

..Anthony Niedwiecki
Race: City Commission, Oakland Park, District 4
Click here for Anthony's Website
Click here to donate to Anthony's Campaign
Anthony has been an advocate for equality both as a law professor and as a community activist. He has received a 100% rating on our questionnaire and is running a very strong campaign. Anthony has also been endorsed by the AFL-CIO, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, and many other community groups. Anthony is a professor and administrator at the law center at Nove Southeastern University, where he directs and teaches Lawyering Skills & Values. He also teaches employment discrimination law, labor law and current constitutional issues in the law. As a longtime community organizer, Anthony will be a powerful voice for Equality on the Oakland Park City Commission.

..Suzanne Boisvenue
Race: City Commission, Oakland Park, District 5
Phone: 954-298-8899
Email: SuzanneBoisvenue@yahoo.com
Suzanne has received a 100% rating on Equality Florida's candidate questionnaire. As commissioner she has been a strong voice for Equality and was instrumental in adding gender identity to the Oakland Park Human Rights Ordinance. Suzanne is a champion who deserves our support for another term.

.. Anne Sallee
Race: City Commission, Oakland Park, District 1
Click here for Anne's Website
Click here to donate to Anne's Campaign
Anne has received a 100% rating on Equality Florida's candidate questionnaire. She is also endorsed by the Broward County AFL-CIO and the President of the LGBT Democratic Caucus. She is committed to preserving the diversity that is at the heart of Oakland Park and will be a strong ally for Equality.


=

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#####

Tuesday, March 03, 2009

GLBT DIGEST - March 02, 2009

**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:

-Indian Youth Festival Puts Sexy Back in Dialogue About Safe Sex
By Rama Lakshmi
NEW DELHI -- A recent youth festival aimed at raising awareness about health issues and HIV in India did something unique to draw visitors. Amid all the sobering talk of at-risk communities, safe sex and health care, the festival invited bashful attendees to talk about pleasure.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/01/AR2009030101705.html

-Deja new: Prop. 8 challenge reaches Calif. court
By LISA LEFF
A year after the state Supreme Court entertained arguments on extending marriage to gay couples, many of the same lawyers will be back before the same justices this week arguing why California's voter-appproved ban on same-sex marriage should stand or fall.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/02/AR2009030200288.html


=
Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/public/us

-Generalísimo Francisco Franco Is Still Dead -- And His Statues Are Next Socialist Government Banishes Fascist Icons Though Nostalgia for the Dictator Lives On
By THOMAS CATAN
MADRID -- Every Nov. 20, for the past dozen years, Sinforiano Bezanilla has visited a pigeon-covered statue of Gen. Francisco Franco to pay homage to Europe's longest-serving fascist dictator.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123594813501604681.html


=
South Florida Blade
http://www.floridablade.com/
Go to this link for the following articles:

-Tauscher to introduce 'Don't Ask' repeal
Bill has 144 bipartisan co-sponsors
From Washington Blade staff reports
An aide of Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) has said she will introduce legislation today to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the ban against gays and lesbians serving openly in the military, according to The Politico. Tauscher is the lead sponsor of the MIlitary Readiness Enhancement Act.
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=24270

-Obama to boost domestic AIDS spending
But 2010 budget seen as a 'mixed bag' on HIV
By LOU CHIBBARO JR
President Barack Obama has released a summary of his proposed $3.6 trillion federal budget for fiscal year 2010 that calls for an unspecified increase in funding for domestic AIDS program, including HIV prevention efforts.
http://www.floridablade.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=24265


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

-Challenge to Arkansas gay adoption ban continues
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
Attorneys for a dozen families who are challenging an Arkansas law banning unmarried couples from becoming foster or adoptive parents have asked a judge to deny a state motion to have the lawsuit dismissed.
http://www.365gay.com/news/challenge-to-arkansas-gay-adoption-ban-continues/

-Argentina officially ends trials for homosexual acts in military
By The Associated Press
(Buenos Aires, Argentina) Members of Argentina's armed forces will be tried by civil courts rather than military tribunals under a new rule - part of a government effort to increase control over the military.
http://www.365gay.com/news/argentina-officially-ends-trials-for-homosexual-acts-in-military/

-No charges in San Diego gay pride shooting death
By 365gay Newscenter Staff
A seven month investigation by San Diego Police and the District Attorney's office into the police shooting of a man during a gay pride boat cruise has concluded that officers acted legally.
http://www.365gay.com/news/no-charges-in-san-diego-gay-pride-shooting-death/

-Second suspect arrested in Sucuzhanay murder
By James Withers
At the height of the first OJ Simpson trial (yeah he killed his former wife and her friend), I heard many a conversation about the perfidy of defense lawyers. "I could never be a defense attorney," was the standard refrain. "I care too much about the truth."
http://www.365gay.com/blog/030209-second-suspect-arrested-in-sucuzhanay-murder/


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

-MPs and celebs back petition on gay asylum seekers
More than 4,000 people have signed a petition on the Downing St website calling for an end to gay deportations. It asks the Prime Minister to stop deporting gays and lesbians to countries where they may be imprisoned. Click here for full article

-Lesbians who have IVF win right to name partners on birth certificates
Lesbians who have children through IVF will be able to name their partners on birth certificates from next month. Click here for full article

-Analysis: What the new IVF parenthood laws mean for lesbians
From April 6th, lesbian couples will automatically have both their names added to the birth certificate of children conceived following fertility treatment. Click here for full article

-Sean Penn wants to take Milk to the White House
Oscar-winning actor Sean Penn has said that his film Milk is "one of the steps forward" in the battle for gay marriage. Mr Penn won the Academy Award for his portrayal of Harvey Milk. Click here for full article

-Norwegian lesbians celebrate "first" humanist marriage ceremony
Humanists in Norway are claiming to have conducted their first legal same-sex marriage ceremony. Cecilia Patricia Stensland, 24, and Janne Lemvig Abrahamsen, 38, wed in Oslo last week. Click here for full article

-Roman Catholics complain about teachers "promoting equality"
A new code for teachers has been branded "unacceptable" by Roman Catholic leaders because it promotes equality. Click here for full article

-Gay marriage vigils planned ahead of Prop 8 appeal to Supreme Court
Lesbian, gay and bisexual Californians and their supporters will take to the streets of more than a dozen cities next month to protest against a ban on gay marriage in the state. Click here for full article

-Catholic bishops 'helped defeat' domestic partnerships bill in New Mexico
Lesiglation to provide gay and straight unmarried couples with the right to enter into domestic partnerships under state law has been rejected by the New Mexico state Senate. Click here for full article

-Republican politician partially apologises for comparing gays to murderers
A state Senator in Colorado has admitted he has caused insult by comparing gay and lesbian people to murderers and adulterers. Click here for full article

-Lithuania's EU Commissioner denies she is a lesbian
A leading Euro politician has responded to speculation about her personal life. Dalia Grybauskaite is the EU Commissioner for Financial Planning and Budgets. Click here for full article


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

-Support the Iranian people, oppose Tehran's clerical fascism
Peter Tatchell says solidarity with the Iranian freedom struggle is non-negotiable, no matter how much the US threatens a military strike.
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/Support-the-Iranian-people-oppose

-From Richard J. Rosendall
I have extracted the HIV/AIDS-related items from the U.S. State Department's Country Reports on Human Rights Practice for 2008. You can find the extracts online. Richard J. Rosendall
http://www.glaa.org/archive/2009/CountryReportsHIV2008.shtml
=

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#####