An Ohio Democrat has introduced new legislation that would ban Republicans from adopting children, a move aimed at embarrassing the GOP over moves to block gay adoptions.

State Sen. Robert Hagan (D-Youngstown) admits his bill is purely "tongue-in-cheek" but says that the message is anything but a joke.

In an email sent to fellow legislators, and obtained by Knight Ridder Newspapers, Hagan says he's looking for co-sponsors to "introduce legislation in the near future that would ban households with one or more Republican voters from adopting children or acting as foster parents."

Earlier this month a bill to ban gays, bisexuals, and transgenderds from adopting was proposed by 10 far-right Republicans. It was introduced in the House this month by state Rep. Ron Hood (R-Ashville)

"We need to see what we are doing," said Hagan, who called Hood's proposed bill blatantly discriminatory and "homophobic."

When Hood introduced his gay adoption ban he said that, "Studies have shown that the optimal setting to raise children in is a traditional setting with a mom and a dad."

Hood claims that children raised in gay households are at "increased risk" of physical and emotional problem.

In Hagan's email to fellow lawmaker's he skewers Hood's assertions, offering his own "credible research" shows that adopted children raised in Republican households are more at risk for developing "emotional problems, social stigmas, inflated egos, and alarming lack of tolerance for others they deem different than themselves and an air of overconfidence to mask their insecurities."

Hagan knows his mock bill has no chance of getting to the floor for a vote let alone passing. And, Hood's bill appears to be headed for a similar fate.

via 365gay.com

Related:
Gay Adoption: The Next Republican Election Strategy

Interesting statement from Taiwan. Makes you wanna say wah-wah-what? The President of Taiwan says that the relationship the island nation has with the United States is like the message in "Brokeback Mountain", the film by Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee about two cowboys in love.

365gay.com reports:

"It motivates us... to understand all of us are bound to make difficult decisions in life, yet we must strive to dispel prejudice... and seek ways to reconcile and cooperate with one another," President Chen Shui-bian told a gathering of more than 500 American business leaders in Taipei.

"There is a 'Brokeback Mountain' in each and every one of us."

"I deeply believe that the common pursuit of a 'great new world' by both Taiwan and the United States will guide us to a place where universal values - democracy, freedom, peace and prosperity - can be fully realized in the world we share," Chen told the business leaders.

While touting his government's economic policies he made no mention of his plan for unification with the People's Republic of China, something the U.S. opposes.

"Brokeback Mountain" has been playing to packed theaters in Taiwan where Ang Lee is highly revered.

But, across the Taiwan Strait in China the film has been banned by government censors.

Posted by Bryan Harding

DAMN. That's some cash.

The shirts worn by the stars of Brokeback Mountain-which play a major part in the film's powerful climax-garnered a record $101,100.51 for Variety, the Children's Charity of Southern California, in a recent eBay auction. The previous record was held by the car used in Herbie: Fully Loaded, which sold for $24,002. Gay philanthropist and Hollywood memorabilia collector Tom Gregory placed the winning bid. "It's the ultimate prop from an extraordinary movie," said Gregory in a statement. "The fact that the proceeds benefit Variety made it even more compelling." Variety provides lifesaving and life-enriching assistance to abused, addicted, physically challenged, neglected, and underprivileged children in Southern California. (Advocate.com)

For some reason I'm not thinking that little Jakey will be missing his shirt. I sure don't...

-Bryan Harding

Zoliswa Nkonyana, a 19-year-old girl was walking down the street with her friend, an unnamed 17-year-old girl. A woman approached them and began taunting them, saying they "wanted to get raped". The two girls blew it off and asked that this woman leave them alone and said that they were lesbians. The woman left. Not too long after she returned with a group of 20 people. The mob began attacking the two teens. The 17-year-old managed to run away to safety. The other, 19-year-old Zoliswa Nkonyana wasn't so lucky. While she did try to run, the mob threw bricks at her--and continued to do so even while she lay bleeding to death on the street.

They continued to throw bricks until she was dead. What the hell is wrong with people. It is absolutely horrifying. This murder took place in Cape Town, South Africa, two weeks ago.

Six teens have been charged with the crime. Their ages range from 17-19. The brutality of beyond me. It's hard to even comprehend that humans could treat one another in this manner.

It's extremely troubling to think that the religious extremists play a big part in this. In all my years, I've never been taught to hate in the name of God--yet this is what these groups are teaching. Hate spews from their hypocritical mouths every time they speak. How can anyone claim Christianity while preaching and practicing such disgusting "morals" that couldn't be further from the teaching of Christ?

Christians need to speak out against such hate. How about putting the Christ back in CHRISTian? How about trying to be more Christ-like? What happened to loving thy neighbor?

Very troubling.

Posted by Bryan Harding

As the leaders of the extreme right continue to look for new ideas to GOTV, gays and lesbians continue to be scapegoat #1. It looks as if they are positioning gay adoption to be one of the big issues for 2008 or even for 2006.

USA Today:

Efforts to ban gays and lesbians from adopting children are emerging across the United States as a second front in the culture wars that began during the 2004 elections over same-sex marriage.

Steps to pass laws or secure November ballot initiatives are underway in at least 16 states, adoption, gay rights and conservative groups say.

Read the entire story here.

Last year in Oregon there were a few attempts that didn't go very far... will we see it again?

Studies say that at least 65,000 lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans are currently serving in the U.S. military. More than 10,000 have already been discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the last ten years. The current "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" law keeps able-bodied Americans from serving amidst serious problems in recruiting and retaining troops being faced by our armed forces today.

The "Call to Duty" Tour at Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government will feature seven gay and lesbian former service members and Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA), sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act that would repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

Led by seven gay and lesbian former service members, the seven week nationwide tour of selected colleges, universities, congressional offices, and veterans' service organizations is taking place from February 20th to April 7th, 2006. The tour, which has stops at 20 colleges and universities, will use media events, education programs, and lectures from former service members to highlight problems with the Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy.

To learn more about the tour, visit http://www.calltodutytour.org/

Related Posts:
Discharging Gays From Military Costs Taxpayers $363.8 Million

Posted by Bryan Harding

A huge breakthrough in the fight against HIV. Researchers at the CDC are reporting that two drugs, when used in combination, have proven to prevent lab monkeys from contracting HIV. At this point, researchers aren't positive that it would work with humans, nor what dosage humans would require. Still - very encouraging.

How they conducted the research:
The team of researchers injected the monkeys with a form of Truvada (commonly used in AIDS 'cocktails'), the once-a-day pill from Gilead Sciences that includes Viread, or tenofovir, and Emtriva, or emtracitibine. Half of the monkeys were given the medication - the other half were not. The researches then exposed the monkeys to HIV via the anus. Those monkeys given the drugs did not develop HIV, the monkeys that were not inoculated did.

On the flip side... researchers noted that current recommended doses of Truvada would not be sufficient in humans to prevent contracting HIV.

In a statement from the CDC:

"Study authors believe the findings may be the strongest animal data yet suggesting that potent antiretrovirals given before HIV exposure may prevent sexual HIV transmission."

Another notable HIV/AIDS development:

Scientists in Germany say that a sunflower plant could be used in new drugs to fight HIV.

Researchers at the University of Bonn discovered the link while they were looking at antifungal properties the sunflower uses to fight off sclerotinia, a disease commonly known as white mold.

The antifungal substance is also found in the artichoke and wild chicory. Researchers said it would be cheaper to make the drug from the sunflower plant.

But PLEASE keep your clothes on.


Tonight at 7pm ladies and gents! I'll be there with my boy. Single and couples encouraged! This is going to be one of the best events this year. Click here to find out more.

Also - new to the site is a preview of the "Dream Dates". View the Dream Dates here.

In a press release this afternoon, Ben Westlund officially announced his bid for Oregon Governor.

Oregon Senator Ben Westlund (I-Bend) announced on Tuesday that he plans to seek the people's nomination for Governor by gathering signatures to run as an independent. To qualify for the ballot, he must submit just over 18,000 valid signatures by the end of August 2006.

"I have re-registered and am not a member of a party, not because I think Republicans or Democrats are bad, but because I feel that extreme partisanship is keeping us from solving Oregon's most pressing problems and the party label was keeping me from truly being able to provide leadership on the issues Oregonians care about."

A successful small businessman, Westlund has served as a Republican in the state legislature since 1997, and was elected first as state representative from rural Central Oregon. Westlund was appointed in the final days of the 2004 session to fill a vacancy in the Senate and was elected to the seat in November 2004, receiving both the Democrat and Republican nominations and over 80% of the votes cast.

Westlund's politics defy party labels. He came under fire last session with a threatened recall for his sponsorship of SB1000, which would have made it illegal to discriminate against gays and lesbians and allowed civil unions for same-sex couples in the state. Westlund is a strong advocate for reducing health care costs for individuals and businesses and believes that primary and preventative healthcare is a fundamental right. He is a champion of reforming Oregon's tax structure which is heavily dependent on the income tax. He received a 100% rating from AG- PAC for his efforts on behalf of farmers and ranchers and the Oregon League of Conservation Voters', an environmental organization named him "Best Consensus Builder" of 2005.

"Ask any Oregonian to describe themselves and very few will list party first, second or even third. We register to vote as Republicans, Democrats, Greens, Libertarians or no party at all -- but that does not define us. We are all Oregonians first and we all should be working together to make Oregon a better place."

Based on that conviction, Westlund aided in the creation of the Oregon Open Primary Initiative which aims to open Oregon's primaries to all voters. "We have a closed primary system that excludes independent voters and elects the most democratic Democrats and the most republican Republicans and then we send them all to Salem and wonder why they can't get along. It's time we return to the Oregon way of getting things done: putting ideas before ideology and people before politics."

Westlund is the former co-chair of the budget writing Ways and Means Committee and has earned a reputation for understanding complex issues and for developing relationships on both sides of the aisle. He says voters find his solutions-oriented approach refreshing, and media coverage about his potential candidacy has generated emails, letters and calls of support. In August, The Oregonian, the statewide newspaper, suggested that he throw his hat into the ring calling him "the nearest facsimile in Oregon politics to the mythical beast that independent voters often tell pollsters they are looking for: a pro- education, pro-business moderate willing to buck his party." The Statesman Journal editorialized that Ben is "the ideal candidate" while the Source, Central Oregon's independent weekly, editorialized on " Why Ben Should Run," explaining, "His record is that of a lawmaker who's able to work both sides of the aisle to forge consensus. He's also proven that he's guided by principle rather than party loyalty or dogmatic ideology."

A lung cancer survivor, Westlund brought many in the capitol to tears in June 2003 when he delivered his "return from the hospital" speech on the floor of the Oregon State House where he called on his colleagues to put aside partisanship and "stop being politicians who think only of the next election and start being statesmen who think only of the next generation."

Upon recovery, he became a tireless advocate for health care, traveling the state to promote innovative solutions to the severe health care crisis facing the state. Last session he sponsored legislation to save businesses money by allowing them to pool their prescription drug costs, and was a chief sponsor of expanding insurance equity to the mentally ill. But still, he believes not enough was done to address the "health care crises of moral and economic proportions."

For the first time, Westlund has turned to the initiative process to take some of these issues before the people. "When the Legislature fails to act, fails to address the critical problems facing the future, it's up to the people to step forward and offer solutions."

He is currently touting his HOPE for Oregon Families initiative, which makes access to primary and preventative health care a basic right of all Oregonians and directs the Legislature to increase health care access in the state. He is also sponsoring the Children's Wellness Act initiative, which ensures access to basic health care to all Oregon children and provides subsidies to small employers to cover many of their uninsured workers.

Westlund also worked last session to decrease our dependency on foreign oil by expanding solar tax credits. He was disappointed that partisan gridlock prevented the passage of a biofuels package and has since signed on to an initiative with former Governor John Kitzhaber (D) to increase biofuel production and renewable energy projects across Oregon.

"I'm hopeful about the future of Oregon. As I talk to Oregonians around the state, I'm encouraged by the support I'm seeing. Every day people, from both sides of the aisle are asking me to run for Governor, not as a member of a party, but as an Oregonian. Oregonians may not agree with me 100%on every issue but they want leaders who are courageous about important issues like health care and fair taxes. They're ready for solutions and they appreciate that I'm actually offering some."

Posted by Bryan Harding

Ben Westlund, known for working to bring both sides of the aisle together is now running for "Oregon's Next Top Governor". I personally love this man and have a whole lot of respect for him. He's dropped his party affiliation (GOP) and is now an Independent. Next stop is the Governor's office... all signs point to yes.

"Ask any Oregonian to describe themselves and very few will list party first, second or even third. Those two little letters after our name do not represent us, nor do they represent Oregon well. It is time to put Oregon first, to put ideas before ideology, to put people before party.

It is time to stop being mere politicians who think only of the next election and start being statesman who think only of the next generation."

Go Ben!

Could Bill Frist be any more cynical and mean-spirited? He's planning a vote on a national ban on gay marriage for JUNE. As in, The Most Popular Wedding Month. The news media are focusing on this being an election-year move on Frist's part to rile up GOP supporters so they're good and ready to vote Republican in the fall. But that's to be expected. What strikes me as newsworthy is his timing: when all those senators are attending the formal white weddings of their hetero offspring, nieces, nephews, children of high-powered friends, many (though not enough) will vote to prevent queers from ever walking down those aisles. Nice one, Frist-rhymes-with-fist. As if you really needed to rub it in.

Post by Meg Daly

Wow. A study finds that it costs us taxpayers double what the US Gov. reported.

The report, to be released Tuesday by a University of California Blue Ribbon Commission, questioned the methodology the Government Accountability Office used when it estimated that the financial impact of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy was at least $190.5 million.

"It builds on the previous findings and paints a more complete picture of the costs," said Rep. Marty Meehan, D-Mass., who has proposed legislation to repeal the policy.

Congress approved the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in 1993 during the Clinton administration. It allows gays and lesbians to serve in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps as long as they abstain from homosexual activity and do not disclose their sexual orientation.

Read more here.

Ok so not funny that a man got shot - but funny that Dick Cheney was the one that shot him... with a shotgun no less.

Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot and injured a man during a weekend quail hunting trip in Texas, his spokeswoman said Sunday. The man is doing fine. Harry Whittington, 78, was "alert and doing fine" after Cheney sprayed him with shotgun pellets on Saturday while the two were hunting at the Armstrong Ranch in south Texas, said property owner Katharine Armstrong.

Armstrong said Whittington was mostly injured on his right side, with the pellets hitting his cheek, neck and chest, and was taken to the hospital by ambulance.

Read entire story here.

Since when did not seeing a film prevent anyone from sharing his or her strong opinions about it? Before the posters for "Brokeback Mountain" were even printed, everyone from the blogger Mickey Kaus to the Concerned Women for America to gay men all over the country had already said a lot about the film. (Their opinions were, respectively, con, con and pro.)

So, let's get to it: Remember when straight actors who played gay were the ones taking a professional risk? Those days are over. Shortly after Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, both straight, received Oscar nominations for playing gay cowboys in "Brokeback Mountain," conservative Christians were upset when they learned that a gay actor, Chad Allen, was playing a straight missionary in "End of the Spear."

Read Dan Savage's entire column at the NY Times - click here. It's a truly brilliant piece... Thanks Adam :)

This morning, Governor Kulongoski will sign an executive order to create the first "Anti-Discrimination Task Force" in Oregon.

The new task force will be made up of anywhere between eight to twelve members and will make recommendations to the 2007 Legislature on what changes are needed to assure equal protection for gays and lesbian Oregonians.

"That's why this task force is important - to continue the dialogue about how to make Oregon a state of economic and social opportunity for all of our citizens regardless of race, gender, age or sexual orientation," Kulongoski stated. "The issue involves basic fairness and making Oregon a better place for everyone to live."

Washington State just recently passed a statewide anti-discrimination law after 30 years of attempts. When we look back - it's been that exact situation here in Oregon. 30 years of trying. Last year we made it the furthest in history by passing Senate Bill 1000, then it was killed in the GOP led House. The main roadblock with SB1000 in the House was Karen Minnis as we all remember well.

This new task force will position us for victory in 2007.

[IT'S BEEN SIGNED!!! - Click here to view pdf in new window]

The Task Force will be chaired by Portland businessperson Paul Kelly, will make a recommendation on the proposal to ensure that all of state government affords the same rights and privileges to all Oregonians to the greatest extent permitted under federal law and the Oregon Constitution.

It will also ensure that Oregon law provides an appropriate legal pathway for grievance, enforcement and resolution if Oregonians experience unequal treatment in either the public or private sectors. The task force will not only examine Oregon's laws, but will also analyze anti-discrimination statutes adopted by other states, as well as related bills introduced during the 2005 session of the Oregon Legislative Assembly.

As Kulongoski signed the Executive Order, he said,"I'm very proud to be here today with Basic Rights Oregon as we continue to push the issue of basic fairness and equality forward. We fought together last session for anti-discrimination legislation and I am committed to continuing this fight until we achieve our goal of economic and social equality and justice for every person living in Oregon, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. Today is another step forward toward that goal, but it's just the beginning and I won't quit until antidiscrimination laws are on the books in Oregon."


Basic Rights Oregon's Roey Thorpe made the following statement:

"We know that when reasonable people look at the facts about discrimination against GLBT people and the positive impact of anti-discrimination legislation in other states they will agree that protecting all Oregonians is the right thing to do," said Thorpe. " We won't give up until equality is the law of the land. The formation of this task force is just the latest step in our campaign to make sure that next year the legislature finally sends a message that discrimination has no place in this state."

Recommended changes to Oregon law will be submitted to the Governor no later than December 31, 2006. A full roster of task force membership will be released next month. I will make sure to post updates as soon as I hear more information.

A priest's lawsuit alleges the Catholic Church is hiding pedophile clergy-and offers a stunning reason why...

Who knows whether Cardinal Edward Egan is sleeping soundly these days. But as head of the New York archdiocese-as the top Roman Catholic prelate in the state-he'd have every reason to be restless after the recent advent of a little-noticed lawsuit.

[...]

But that's not all his lawsuit claims. Halfway through the 44-page complaint, the priest-turned-advocate drops a bomb on the cardinal: He alleges that Egan is "actively homosexual," and that he has "personal knowledge of this." His suit names two other top Catholic clerics in the region as actively gay-Albany bishop Howard Hubbard and Newark archbishop John Myers.

Read entire story at The Village Voice.

Media previously reported Jacob Robida's gunshot wounds to the head were possibly caused by a police officer. An investigation now shows that the gun shot wounds, that eventually led to Robida's death, were in fact self-inflicted.

At a late afternoon news conference New Bedford District Attorney Paul Walsh Jr. said that ballistics test showed that the fatal shot was fired by Jacob Robid's own gun. We also now have confirmed information that the gunshot wound that also killed his passenger was in fact fired from Robida's gun as previously thought. His passenger, Jennifer Rena Bailey, 33, was picked up by Robida in West Virginia in his flight from Massachusetts. Unconfirmed information show that Robida may have been involved/or wanted to be involved with Bailey.

As most of you know, Robida also took the life of Gassville, Ark., police officer Jim Sell. Funeral services will be held this Friday, February 10th. A group from New Bedford, Mass. will attend the service, including New Bedford's Mayor, Chief of Police as well as a few members of the gay community.

Such a horrible situation with a deeply tragic ending.

We're getting a ton of traffic from people searching for "Jacob Robida" - so I wanted to do a wrap up of what we've covered so far. I'll try to keep this up at the top of our blog for the next couple of days.

Previous Posts of Jacob Robida (oldest to most recent):

When a man walks into a bar, asks if it's a gay bar and starts shooting...

Gay Killer Still on the Loose

Shot in the Head Twice - Jacob Robida is dead.

We've also archived his MySpace profile as a pdf (pdf wasn't working for users) jpg as it is no longer available on MySpace. Click here to view in a new window. It's a large file - just a warning.

A hilarious use of Back To The Future and Brokeback Mountain melded together to make a movie trailer depicting a love story between McFly and Doc Brown set to the music of Brokeback Mountain.

Has justice been served? I honestly don't know how to feel about this. You may remember us reporting on the horrific attack in the Massachusetts gay bar (story here). 18-year-old Jacob D. Robida was wanted for the brutal attacks on three men in a New Bedford gay bar. To refresh your memory... he walked into the bar, asked if it was a gay bar, had two drinks, then started off attacking a man with a hatchet - then pulled out a gun and open fire on the people in the bar. Authorities say he was "hunting gays". It was a hate crime.

These are two pictures from his MySpace profile. The one with the gun has the caption "Serial Killa".


Jacob Robida was on the run over the weekend and police were desperately trying to find the teen before he repeated the attacks. From Puzzles Lounge in New Bedford, Mass., Jacob drove to Norfork, Arkansas where he was pulled over for what seems to be a traffic stop. Jacob then led police on a chase. Finally drove over spike strips and lost control of his vehicle. He had a female passenger in the car with him. Jacob raised his gun to her head and shot her - killing her. He then aimed his gun at police and killed one officer. Officers returned fire and Jacob was shot in the head twice. He was taken to a Springfield, Missouri hospital - though died early Sunday morning.

So I was reading about this and learning more about the suspect. We've also archived his MySpace profile as a pdf (pdf wasn't working for users) jpg as it is no longer available on MySpace. Click here to view in a new window. (Warning - it's a large file) You can make your own judgement call on that. If the swastikas - the disillusioned obsession with the "Insane Clown Posse" - and if his group of friends don't give you a clue to just how fucked up this kid was, I'm not sure what will.

So now that I have written this I know how I feel. I am pissed off. He brutally attacked people with a hatchet - then open fire on them - then shot a girl in the head - killed a cop - then was killed himself. I feel bad for the pathetic asshole. He seems to act so tough - then takes the easy way out. He destroyed countless lives on his way out of this world. Pathetic.

Related Posts:

When a man walks into a bar, asks if it's a gay bar and starts shooting...

Gay Killer Still on the Loose

(New Bedford, Massachusetts) Police in New Bedford, Massachusetts believe someone may be helping a man accused of a shooting and hatchet rampage that injured three people in a gay bar on Thursday morning. First he attacked with a hatchet - then pulled out a gun and started shooting.

18 year old Jacob D. Robida was last seen shortly after the attacks when he briefly returned home. His mother told police that Robida had a cut on his head and was bleeding.

A few minutes later he left in her green 1999 Pontiac Grand Am. Despite a New Englandwide alert there has been no sign of either Robida or the car.

It is believed he has little cash on him and that he may be being shielded by friends he met through his personal internet site. Police have seized his computer in the hopes it may reveal names of friends in this coastal community about 50 miles south of Boston.

His Web site is full of references to the rap group Insane Clown Posse - known for its sinister clown makeup and violent lyrics. He posted lyrics from one of the band's songs - "Pass the Ax."

"Pass me something Sharp and Wicked and I'll pass it back don't worry I'll pass it back," the posting read. The logo for the band's label, Psychopathic Records, depicts a silhouette of a man wielding a hatchet.

Using the nickname "Jake Jekyll" Robida also posted pictures of himself on the Web site pointing a gun. The pictures bear the caption "serial killer."

A police search of his home following the attacks turned up Nazi paraphernalia and anti-Semitic writings.

Two people remain in hospital. Alex Taylor is at Massachusetts General Hospital. Police will not disclose the hospital where the other victim, Luis Rosado is being treated out of concerns about his safety. One of the men is in critical condition but police declined to say which one.

Meanwhile, the third victim, Robert Perry, returned to Puzzles bar Friday night, the scene of the attacks. Perry was released from hospital earlier in the day.

Appearing on television Friday night Perry was still visibly shaken. He has a five-inch cut on his right cheek, a hole in the center of his back, where a bullet barely missed his spine, and a black right eye.

He told WBZ television he was playing pool at the back of the club when the attack began.

"And when I turned around, there was this hatchet coming right for my face and it just came right into my face on the right side," Perry said.

"And within -- I would say, no more than five seconds -- I heard a gunshot. I felt a sensation in my back. I smelled the gun powder, and I'm like, 'I think I've been hit.'

"What was going through my mind is that I was going to die soon. This is the end. I knew I was going to die.

"I came so close to being completely paralyzed or being dead," Perry told the station.

via 365gay.com

Related Posts:
When a man walks into a bar, asks if it's a gay bar and starts shooting...
Shot in the Head Twice - Jacob Robida is dead.

Letters to the editor comparing anti-marriage equality amendments to racism; one says African American legislators against same-sex marriage use their church as justification, just as others used the Bible to justify slavery.

I grew up in segregated North Carolina, and I find it painful to see Virginia harking back to those dark times ["Gay Marriage Ban Advances Toward Va. Referendum," front page, Jan. 26]. The movement to ban gay marriage reminds me of a feeling I experienced long ago-of having a designated group we are supposed to hate and of being fearful of speaking out against this ugliness because we might be ostracized.

This proposed amendment goes far beyond declaring that marriage is between a man and a woman. It would deny legal status to any arrangements that two people of the same sex might make in order to live in a partnership-shared benefits, parenting responsibilities, medical directives. It even threatens a medical directive a widowed friend has assigned to me because even though we are not gay we are both women.

The idea that this un-Christian behavior will protect traditional marriage would be laughable if it weren't so cruel. I grew up in a conformist time, and it took me years to speak out against the racial discrimination that we all practiced but nobody talked about. This time I am speaking out.

ANN P. WOOD
Reston, VA

I cannot understand the thinking of African American legislators who support bans on gay marriage ["Gay Unions Fracture Md.'s Black Caucus," front page, Jan. 28]. Most claim to be following their churches, but the Bible has been used to justify slavery and discrimination.

In 1959 a Virginia judge sentenced Mildred and Richard Loving for breaking the law against interracial marriage. The judge said, "Almighty God created the races," and "he placed them on separate continents. And but for the interference with his arrangements there would be no cause for such marriages. The fact that he separated the races shows that he did not intend for the races to mix."

While it may be convenient for people to mask prejudice with religion, it is disturbing when the persecuted become the persecutors.

JULIE M. SIBBING
Alexandria, VA

via WaPo

A homeless man, who is accused of stabbing two men that were simply walking downtown Portland, went before a judge today.

The 25-year old suspect, Josh Blair, was officially charged with robbery, assault and intimidation. The third charge, intimidation, leaves the door open to prosecute Blair with a hate crime.

Blair stabbed the young men downtown Portland early Wednesday, after making a number of comments about their sexual orientation. One victim was stabbed in the neck in the brutal attack.

Blair will be back in court next week after the grand jury has had a chance to look at the case. Police say that Blair has a very long record of drug and robbery arrests.

Another one bites the dust... for now.

The Florida Division of Elections has confirmed that backers of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage failed to get enough signatures to have the issue placed on the November ballot.

The deadline for turning in signatures was 5pm ET Wednesday. 

Wednesday evening 365Gay.com reported that initial results showed that the initiative was likely to fail.

Florida4marriage turned in 455,730 signatures, well short of the 611,009 required the state confirmed Thursday morning.
The organization rushed to get the petitions in on time and used three planes to deliver the signature sheets to couriers, who then drove the signed petitions to various counties to be counted.

"The sheer volume of communicating with three-quarters of a million people is quite an undertaking, much more than I expected," said Orlando lawyer John Stemberger, chairman of Florida4marriage.

Stemberger said, however, that the fight is only delayed and not over. He said that the group will continue to collect names and resubmit the petitions for to have the amendment placed on the 2008 ballot.

Florida law allows petitions to be kept for four years.

If approved by voters the amendment would define marriage as "the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife," and would bar the state from recognizing any other arrangement. That would block civil unions and, according to opponents could nullify domestic partner benefits and contracts entered into by same-sex couples.

"I think they severely underestimated how fair-minded Floridians are," said Equality Florida spokesperson Brian Winfield.

"The failure of this initiative is not only a victory for fair-minded Floridians but for the constitution, which is intended to protect citizens, not to discriminate against them," he said.

Florida4marriage was heavily funded. The Florida Republican Party was its biggest sponsor.

Last month an investigation by the St. Petersburg Times into funding for  Florida4Marriage has found that of the $193,000 that has been raised by the group - $150,000 came from a single donor - the Florida Republican Party.

Yet Gov. Jeb Bush, the titular head of the party, publicly said in 2004 that he is opposed to an amendment and a spokesperson for the Governor said Bush was not aware of the donation. Bush said earlier this week, however, that if the group failed to get enough signatures to put the issue to voters he would look at ways of strengthening the state's Defense of Marriage Act which already prevents gay couples from marrying.

via: 365gay.com

Police on are seeking a man in connection with gun and hatchet attacks overnight at a gay bar in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Three people were wounded. One stabbed - two other shot in the torso. The bartender reports that one man was shot in the head - this is not confirmed. Authorities described suspect Jacob D. Robida, 18, of New Bedford as violent, armed and dangerous. He is wanted on suspicion of three counts of attempted murder and hate crimes, police said.

"At that time I was a little nervous as to why he was asking," the bartender said. "I don't know if it's because he felt out of place if he wasn't gay, or if it's because he wanted to actually find out if he's in the right place."

He said the man was dressed in a hooded, black sweat shirt, with the hood over his face, and baggy jeans. "He just had a stone cold look on his face ... just emotionless," Phillip said.

Recalling he checked the man's ID before serving him a drink, Phillip said the identification indicated he was 23, with an October 19, 1982, birth date.

After finishing the drink and ordering a second one, Philip said, the man moved to the back of the bar, watching a game of pool briefly before taking out a hatchet -- a small ax the size of a hammer, Phillip said. "He started swinging the hatchet on top of this customer's head," he said.

The bartender said he then called 911, trying to keep the phone from view, and urged patrons out the door.

Meanwhile, the attacker struck a second patron with the hatchet, pulled out a gun and shot the first victim in the face and the second twice in the head, Phillip said. A third person also was shot in the abdomen.

Phillip said he came face to face with the attacker at the bar door and the man pointed a gun at his face and pulled the trigger but nothing happened.

A helicopter transported one of the victims to a hospital in Boston, about 50 miles north of New Bedford, and the other two went to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford. Police said they are in serious condition.

The Massachusetts Gay and Lesbian Political Caucus issued a statement in response to the attack. "Unfortunately, the gay community is used to hate crimes," the statement said.

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Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese made the following statement in the wake of a violent anti-gay hate crime in Massachusetts Wednesday evening.

"When a man walks into a bar, asks if it's a gay bar and starts shooting, there couldn't be any more glaringly obvious and enraging example that we need uniform hate crimes law and that Congress has stubbornly failed to act," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "The Senate can change this today. Whether the hate crime occurs in New Bedford, Massachusetts, or Roanoke, Virginia, local law enforcement deserve access to the same tools. The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act would do this.

"I am infuriated and deeply saddened. Our hearts are with the families and friends of those wounded in this tragic hate crime," added Solmonese. "This harrowing crime is a sobering and shocking reminder of the way anti-gay prejudice manifests to violence and that we need to deal with this as a country.

"We are thankful that the local authorities are investigating this as a hate crime. We stand by Congressional allies who have been working for years to pass a measure giving critical tools to police officers and district attorneys working for justice in the wake of horrifying hate crimes."

According to reports a man walked into a lounge in New Bedford, Mass., asking if it was a gay bar. He then brandished a hatchet, swinging it at victims, and later drew a gun, opening fire and wounding several people.

In the course of prosecuting the killers in the anti-gay hate crime in Laramie, Wyo., in which Matthew Shepard was murdered, local law enforcement was forced to furlough several officers due to scarcity of resources. The Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, already passed by the House in the fall and by the Senate in years past, would give grants to local law enforcement to fully prosecute these crimes. Senate leadership is stalling a vote on the bill.

SENATOR KENNEDY'S STATEMENT ON NEW BEDFORD ATTACKS
"Hate crimes have no place in our society, and this hateful act is a sad reminder of how far we have to go," Senator Kennedy said. "I join all of New Bedford and all of Massachusetts in praying for the victims' recovery and in demanding justice.

After eight long years of delay, it's essential that we finally pass long overdue federal legislation to combat these despicable crimes."

Related Posts:
Gay Killer Still on the Loose
Shot in the Head Twice - Jacob Robida is dead.

As I sat there watching The State of The Union last night... I puked a little in my mouth many times. Despite the horror on the television, I still was able to laugh at what a dumb fuck our President is. Now a rant...

"A more hopeful nation"... Bush says:

"Yet many Americans, especially parents still have deep concerns about the direction of our culture and the health of our most basic institutions. They're concerned about unethical conduct by our elected officials and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage. They worry about children in our society who need direction and love. And about fellow citizens still displaced by natural disasters and about suffering caused by treatable diseases."

OK. First of all Mr. President, your calculations on what the nation and "especially parents" are truly concerned about are pretty off. How about the failing education system you have created? How about a strong job market for when these kids graduate? What about healthcare prices or lack of healthcare for millions and millions of Americans--and livable wages, Mr. President? I have a good feeling that gay marriage is not issue #1 for people in this country.

As far as elected officials and their unethical conduct - you may want to speak with your party about that. Then Mr. President have a serious look at your own administrations conduct. Wiretapping all international calls coming in and going out of America is quite ridiculous and this leaves me to disagree with you that you are creating a "more hopeful nation". It's a nation out of control.

Mr. President, you also mention "suffering caused by treatable diseases". I would say that HIV/AIDS falls into this category. We cannot cure it at this point - yet it can be treated so that people can live much, much longer lives. So why Mr. President are you handing out 25% of your $15 billion effort to fight AIDS to religious groups, and aggressively pursuing new church partners that often emphasize disease prevention through abstinence and leave out the part about condom use - while "sharing the good news of Christ"? So how much $$ is going to 'sharing good news' and how much is going to actually preventing this disease?

Abstinence only programs do not work. We've seen the results - or lack of results already. An Epidemic Failure.

Tim McFeely, President of the Center for Policy Alternatives, had some smart things to say on the Bush's speech:

"In his meandering, theme-less State of the Union Address last night, near the conclusion Bush declared:
They [the American people] are concerned about unethical conduct by public officials and discouraged by activist courts that try to redefine marriage.

In 8 seconds, the president dismissed the corruption scandals gripping Congress and his Administration and equated these in the American mind with judges who have applied state constitutional precepts on equality to lesbian and gay couples. The reaction? Applause from both sides of the proverbial aisle - Democrats want to underscore the unethical conduct reference and Republicans want to take another swing at scapegoating homosexuals for the moral decline of America.

It's yet another example of the way conservative wordsmiths "frame" and mischaracterize events and issues. This simple sentence conjoins public officials who pervert their duties by accepting bribes from the Abramoff crowd with state judges who see unlawful discrimination in denying marriage rights to same-sex couples. Corrupt congressmen and courageous jurists are framed in the same photo and filed under "bad characters" that Americans don't like. Instead of seeing the real photo of Abramoff gripping Bush, we get a contrived portrait of Randy Cunningham hugging Margaret Marshall (now that's a mind-bender!)

What's the answer? At a minimum media commentators and the rest of us need to WAKE UP and deconstruct these faulty frames. And all of us need to watch our backs and fight back every time this word-poison is injected into the public discourse."

I read somewhere today that it was another call for the revival of the federal DOMA. Though unfortunately for the wingnuts - it's already lost, what is is - three times now? It's all just a way to keep his base humming with anti-gay glee.