A coalition of the nation's largest right wing 'pro-family' organizations announced the launch of a $2 million newspaper ad campaign to express their gratitude to President Bush for announcing his support of the 'federal marriage amendment' which if passed, would amend the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the recognition of marriages of same-sex couples and prevent any court in this country from extending any of the 'incidents' of marriage to unmarried couples, thus endangering all other forms of family recognition, such as domestic partnerships and civil unions. The ads say, 'We can think of no more crucial issue for our nation than the preservation of the institution of marriage.' The ads will appear in every major U.S. newspaper, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Dallas Morning News, Chicago Tribune (one ran last Sunday), Seattle Times, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Arizona Republic, and 12 others. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force stated: 'The abject hypocrisy of these so-called 'pro-family' groups never ceases to amaze us. Task Force analysis shows that these organizations care little about the real problems American families face, such as divorce, affordable healthcare, poverty and domestic violence. Instead, they are obsessed with homosexuality and this $2 million ad campaign is just another example of that obsession.'
Democratic Congressman and presidential candidate Dennis J. Kucinich opposes Bush's proposed anti-gay marriage amendment to the Constitution. Eighteen popular Chicago-area bands are playing benefit concerts through March 14 at six venues around Chicago to help raise awareness for Kucinich. Call (773) 486-7660, drlora@ameritech.net .
Ralph Nader's entrance into the presidential race has caused great concern among progressives. Even The Nation urged Nader not to run, and many fear he will again pull votes away from Democrats. Nader is running as an independent, and says he backs same-sex marriage.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger may have a tough-sell on his budget and bond initiative, reports the San Jose Mercury News. Schwarzenegger recently condemned the actions of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom for illegally issuing same-sex marriage licenses in the city. The state's first lady, Maria Shriver, was expected to enter the region to push the governor's budget and bond referenda on yesterday's ballot. Gay marriages are expected to continue in California at least throughout the week.
Only weeks after the state of Florida won the right to continue discriminating against potential gay adoptive parents, a gay couple sued the state for the right to marry, reports the South Florida Sun Sentinel. James Stewart, 61, and Wayne Clark, 54, filed suit against the state of Florida for not allowing them to get a marriage license.
A man impersonating a New York plastic surgeon is wanted for murder, reports Fox News. Dean Faiello, 44, was spotted as a go-go dancer in a gay club in Costa Rica, after he left New York City. Faiella is suspected of killing a New York City banker, Maria Cruz. Cruz's body was found in a suitcase buried under Faiella's home. Cruz disappeared after she had an appointment with Faiello who was portraying a plastic surgeon.
The Broward County, Fla., library system is putting its money where its mouth is, according to the Sun Sentinel. The library system rejected federal funds for Internet access because the federal government requires Internet filters at libraries that accept federal money. Currently the library has lost about $100,000 in federal funds. However, Library Director Bob Cannon said the government is threatening to withhold as much as $500,000 if the library does not install filters that the library says will deny access to Web sites on breast cancer and gay youth. County Commissioner Ben Graber said the county should not be willing to be blackmailed into doing what's wrong.
Philadelphia may have its first transgender police officer, reports AP. Firearms instructor Heladio Gonzalez sent a letter to his supervisor stating that he would return to work as Maria Gonzalez. Gonzalez, 57, says she has suffered many losses as a result. Her wife threw her out of the house and, she says, she has lost many friends and family after the announcement. Police Commissioner Sylvester Johnson said in a statement that the department would support Gonzalez's decision.
Charges have been dropped against Darrell D. Rice, the man charged in the 1996 slaying of a lesbian couple at Shenandoah National Park, reports the Washington Post. Rice was indicted in 2002 when Attorney General John Ashcroft announced that Rice would be the first man to face the death penalty because of a law allowing stronger penalties when the crime is based on anti-gay bias. Evidence from the scene of the crime recently suggests that another person or persons are responsible for the murders.
Congressmen Jerry Nadler, D-NY, and John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., took issue with Scott J. Bloch, the head of the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) for removing information about gay harassment from the office's Web site and complaint forms, reports the Washington Post. The OSC is tasked with providing protections for federal employees who feel they have been unfairly discriminated. Bloch said he questioned whether federal law specifically protected gay employees from discrimination. Congressmen Nadler and Conyers, both on the House Judiciary Committee, told Bloch in a letter that his position is 'at odds with established practice, the plain meaning of the law, and how that law has been interpreted for decades.'
Two unlikely newlyweds are off the radar of most media outlets, but the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin nailed the story of Warren Stanley Nyback and Michael Glenn Witmer's February marriage. Why is the marriage so interesting? Both men are in the business of law and religion. Nyback is a former Episcopal priest and Witmer is a Los Angeles County deputy district attorney. The men say even if their marriages are invalidated, their names are in the 'book of life.'
Entering its fourth season next month, the Showtime original series Queer as Folk may see more straight characters if star Hal Sparks gets his way. According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, Sparks, who plays Michael Novotny, says the show needs one thing: more straight characters. Sparks argues that because most of the shows viewers are likely straight women, a few extra heterosexual characters would be a good move. The only regular hetero character is Michael's mother, Debbie, played by Sharon Gless.
The director of Equality Illinois has commended Chicago's Francis Cardinal George for his comments on gay clergy and the gay community following the release of the study documenting Roman Catholic clerical sexual abuse of children. Among the findings of the review board was that a majority of victims were boys. Cardinal George cautioned that this figure should not be construed to mean that the priest perpetrators were gay. 'Homosexuals are normally, I'm told, attracted to homosexual men,' the cardinal said. 'So, it's unfair to homosexuals, to the gay community, to scapegoat them.' Maureen O'Connor a prominent psychologist on the panel buttressed Cardinal George's statement. Despite the high number of same-sex abuse 'that doesn't tell us anything about [the abusers'] sexual orientation,' she said.
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