Protests in response to Boy Scouts ruling
The Hartford Courant reports that the U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold the right of the Boy Scouts of America to deny membership to gay men, has had no affect on the Girl Scouts' more liberal attitude.
Girl Scouts USA national Executive Director Marsha Johnson responded: "At this time, we can't speculate on how or if the ruling would affect our organization. We can tell you our position on Girl Scout membership. The Girl Scout organization does not discriminate."
The BSA posted the following statement on their website: "We are very pleased with the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the Dale case. This decision affirms our standing as a private association with the right to set its own standards for membership and leadership. ... We believe an avowed homosexual is not a role model for the values espoused in the Scout oath and law.''
Meanwhile, July 5, more than 100 activists from Baltimore, Washington, D.C. and throughout the Atlantic Coast region rallied in front of the Baltimore Boy Scouts' headquarters and called on Boy Scouts of America to end its policy of discrimination based on sexual orientation.
The Baltimore rally is just the beginning of a summer of protest against BSA. Scouting For All has planned a National Day of Protest Aug. 21. Members of Scouting For All and their supporters will be protesting both in front of Boy Scouts of America's national headquarters in Irving, Texas, and in local communities throughout the U.S. Contact Scott Cozza, president, at ( 707 ) 778-0564; cozzahived@aol.com
In Toronto, there was little opposition when a gay and lesbian scout troop recently held one of its first camp-outs as part of the nationwide Gay Pride celebrations. Eight young people have registered with the troop. The gay scout troop was launched last year with the support of the Christos Metropolitan Community Church and Scouts Canada.
Louisiana keeps sodomy law; fight continues
As the Louisiana Supreme Court last week announced its 5-2 decision upholding the state's sodomy statute, the American Civil Liberties Union's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project said it will continue the fight against that law and sodomy laws in 17 other states and Puerto Rico.
The ACLU had filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the case.
Under Louisiana's sodomy law, consenting adults—gay or straight—can be punished for up to five years for engaging in private, non-commercial oral or anal sex.
Puerto Rico and 18 states currently have sodomy laws on the books. In five of those states, the laws apply only to gay men and lesbians.
The ACLU's challenge to Puerto Rico's sodomy law is pending before a Court of Appeals there. Last month, the ACLU filed a class-action lawsuit challenging Minnesota's statute.
Stonewall Dems testify before DNC committee
A representative of the National Stonewall Democratic Federation testified last week before the Democratic National Committee's Platform Drafting Committee, which will draft the proposed platform that will be voted on and adopted at the Democratic National Convention in August.
Dr. Bob Whitelaw, a member of the NSDF Board of Directors from Atlanta, provided the testimony to the committee meeting in St. Louis. He called on the committee to include five issues:
1 ) Support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. 2 ) Support for expansion of the Federal Hate Crimes Act to include GLBT citizens. 3 ) An end to the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy in the U.S. military. 4 ) Support for legal recognition of same-sex partnerships. 5 ) Support for adoption of children by gay and lesbian individuals and couples.
The NSDF also announced that it will hold its 2000 National Convention Aug. 10-12 at the Marquis Resort in Palm Springs. Call ( 202 ) 783-8670; www.stonewalldemocrats.org
Gay 'Survivor'
sues over arrest
The New York Post reports that Richard Hatch, the out gay Survivor contestant from Rhode Island who was charged with child abuse, is suing state officials claiming his notoriety triggered the arrest. Hatch, 39, was arrested last April, shortly after he returned from spending 39 days on an island as part of the CBS TV show.
Last week, the corporate trainer filed two separate federal suits against the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families ( DCYF ) and Middletown, R.I., police, charging they violated his civil rights, persecuting him because of his celebrity status, the Post said.
Officials charge that Hatch hit his son after the nine-year old faltered after running six miles. The charges came after police interviewed the child when bruises on his body were reported by administrators at the Aquidneck School in Middletown.
DCYF officials took custody of the boy, whom Hatch adopted two years ago after taking him in as a foster child, and did not return the boy until ordered by a judge in late May, reports The New York Post.
S.F. health officials change story on HIV rate
Recent reports that HIV infections in San Francisco had gone up from 500 to 900 in the past year appear to have been a misrepresentation of the facts, according to the Bay Area Reporter.
The story was that the Dept. of Health had reviewed a dozen or so indicators of the infection rate in the city's gay community, and found the rate of new infections had doubled, or even tripled, in the last few years.
Officials who leaked the information are now backpeddling on the statistics, and DPH director Mitch Katz told the Bay Area Reporter that the increase in infections may have something to do with the increase in gay men living in the city.
Soulforce protest
Episcopal Conference
On July 4, gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender individuals, and their families, friends and allies joined together in Denver to protest the practices by many churches and bishops in the Episcopal Church USA and support the inclusion of GLBT individuals in all aspects of the church.
As Bishops and Deputies arrived at the Episcopal Conference at the Colorado Convention Center, Soulforce volunteers peacefully and symbolically blocked the entrance. After ordered by police to disperse, the demonstrators refused and were handcuffed and arrested. Several groups of protesters then followed the same pattern, until 73 people were arrested in all.
In November, a Soulforce delegation will conduct another civil disobedience at the meeting of the National Council of Catholic Bishops in Washington, D.C.
For additional information on the Soulforce action, or to sign up for civil disobedience training and non-violent direct actions, go to www.soulforce.org or call ( 949 ) 455-0999.
In another incident, the Rev. Nelson W. Koscheski, a Dallas delegate to the Episcopal national convention, resigned after he scattered salt, believed by some to be a method of battling the devil, under the tables of openly gay delegates and their supporters. He later expressed regret for causing embarrassment to the diocese, its delegation and the convention, according to reports.
Presbyterians ban
same-sex ceremonies
In Long Beach, Calif., the chief policy-making body of the Presbyterian Church ( U.S.A. ) voted by a narrow margin two weeks ago to recommend barring its ministers from officiating at commitment ceremonies for gay couples, reports AP.
The measure still must be ratified by ministers and elders at congregations nationwide before it can become part of the Book of Order, the constitution for the 2.6 million-member denomination.
The measure passed the church's General Assembly by a vote of 268-251, with four abstentions.
If the ministers and elders approve, the ban will go into effect at next year's meeting of the General Assembly, AP said.
Study: Gays more likely to be left-handed
Reuters reports that Canadian researchers have discovered that gay men and lesbians are more likely to be left-handed than heterosexuals. A finding, researchers claim, that indicates sexual orientation, like handedness, may be determined before birth.
In a study published in the July issue of Psychology Bulletin, researchers said the odds that gays and lesbians would be left-handed was 39 percent greater than for heterosexuals.
Catholics drop
interfaith group vote
In Denver, Colo., the Roman Catholic Church gave up voting privileges in an interfaith church group after it admitted a predominantly gay church, reports AP.
The Catholic Church voted against admitting the predominantly gay Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches to the Colorado Council of Churches. Protestant council members supported the gay church, but Denver Archdiocese officer Bill Beckman said the council's decision to admit the gay church might mislead Catholics about the church's stance that homosexual activity is a sin, AP said.
Baptist Homes rejects contract with Kentucky over fired lesbian
The Louisville Courier-Journal reports that a two-year battle over the refusal of Kentucky Baptist Homes for Children to employ homosexuals came to a head June 28, with the group rejecting its state contract.
The decision means that Kentucky must find new homes for 340 children who are wards of the state and that Baptist Homes will have to lay off at least half of its 465 workers.
The state and Baptist Homes have been at odds since October 1998, when they fired social worker Alicia Pedreira because she is a lesbian. Pedreira has filed a federal lawsuit against Baptist Homes and the state, the Journal reported.
GLSEN denounces Ore. anti-gay initiative
The Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network has denounced the Oregon Citizens Alliance efforts to advance its latest anti-gay initiative, the "Student Protection Act."
GLSEN warns that the ballot initiative would not protect, but further isolate lesbian and gay students. They say the initiative would result in the loss of counseling and support services for students and would jeopardize HIV/AIDS education and other health-related classes. It would also lead to the banning of school library books or materials that represent gay historical figures or culture—unless those representations are negative, GLSEN alleges
GLSEN calls on community members elsewhere to support Basic Rights Oregon and its campaign to stop the so-called Student Protection Act. See www.basicrights.org; or call ( 503 ) 222-6151.
Pope denounces gay pride, blesses murderers and rapists
The Associated Press reports that last week Pope John Paul II denounced the gay pride festival in Rome as offensive to Christians and said that homosexual acts are "contrary to natural law." But just before that, he had visited a prison, where he celebrated Mass and offered his blessing to murderers, thieves, rapists and drug dealers.
The pontiff spoke the day after thousands of people took part in an international gay pride parade in Rome, that was the climax of a weeklong festival the Vatican had tried to get canceled, AP said.
The Pope expressed his bitterness that the festival took place "during the grand Jubilee of the year 2000 and for the offense to Christian values in a city that is so dear to the heart of Catholics all over the world.'' He said homosexuals should not be the victims of discrimination, and that they should be treated with "respect, compassion, delicacy'' because homosexuality is a "disorder.''
The Rev. Penny Nixon, Co-Pastor of the Metropolitan Community Church of San Francisco, responded quickly: "Keep in mind this is the Holy Father we are talking about. What kind of father calls his children evil? The remarks today by Pope Paul II condone, justify, even encourage hatred and violence against gay people. Pope Paul II today was irresponsible and intrinsically wrong. He does not speak for us. It is important to realize the Pope is not the only person who can claim to speak for God. There are many Christians, many spiritual people and others who do not share the views of the Pope."
African-American gay man
murdered in West Virginia
In Grant Town, W. Va., an African-American gay man was beaten to death July 4, then run over with a car by two teenagers trying to cover up their crime, reports The Charleston Daily News.
Arthur "J.R." Warren Jr., 26, was reportedly beaten to death after he stopped by a vacant house on Route 17. Investigators say his 17-year-old killers had been painting at the building, and the three had known each other for some time. After beating him, the teens allegedly dumped Warren's body and tried to make it look like he had been hit by a car.
A 16-year-old is also being questioned in connection with the slaying—he told his mother and then police that he helped the two 17-year-olds clean up the murder scene.
The two older teens have reportedly confessed and been charged with first-degree murder.
Warren's parents have come forward to say they want the killers charged with a hate crime. National gay groups, and gay groups in West Virginia, are also calling for hate-crime charges.
But the state's legislature recently voted against expanding the hate-crime law to include gays.
In addition, authorities will not confirm that Warren's murder was linked to his sexuality, and police say there is no evidence of this being a hate crime, the Daily News said.
"In none of the statements that I received, no one that I've talked to thereafter has ever indicated to me that its cause was sexuality or the color of his skin," Marion County Sheriff Ron Watkins said, according to CNN. "Until I receive that evidence, I can't very well say it was a hate crime."
Parents Brenda and Arthur Warren said they also hope the three white teenagers would be tried as adults, reports CNN.
And at the service, people attending were urged to call the prosecutor to ask that the youths be charged with a hate crime.
"If it's not hate, what is it?" Brenda Warren said to CNN. "I just want someone to tell me what it is. I want them, and my friends and my entire family want them to be tried as adults."
Arthur Warren Sr.. ordered that his son's coffin be left open during services last Saturday, so everyone could see what had happened to his son.
The Human Rights Campaign and the West Virginia Lesbian & Gay Coalition are urging Marion County Sheriff Ron Watkins and Prosecutor G. Richard Bunner to investigate the murder of Warren as a possible hate crime.
Angela Dunlap, a board member of the W. Va. Lesbian and Gay Coalition, reported that Arthur Warren had spoken to her last year about being intimidated and attacked various times by unidentified high school boys in his hometown, in the north-central part of the state. The town has only about 700 residents.
Thursday the teens go to court and learn whether they will be charged as adults, and they could face both murder and conspiracy charges.
