Pictured Protesters at Latvia's first gay-pride parade. Wockner News Service photo by Mikael Björk Blomqvist/QX.se.
'The crowds of thousands started aggressive homophobic chanting and displayed grossly offensive homophobic posters such as 'Gays fuck our nation,' 'Your rights start where my ass begins,' 'Shame parade' and many more. The opponents followed the marchers and continued their chanting during the entire route. On several occasions they tried to block the route by holding together their arms, sitting on the streets in front of the march, and the police had to use force to remove and arrest several protesters. [ They ] threw eggs and tomatoes to the marchers, sprayed tear gas, ripped off and destroyed posters from some marchers' hands, and tried to reach the marchers with obvious attempt of physical assault. They were shouting to the police to stop protecting the 'pederasts' and to instead join them. Some homophobes [ shouted ] : 'We know your faces and we will get you when the police is not there.' ... The first attempt of the Latvian LGBT people to peacefully march through Riga turned into a massive hysterical homophobic event. ... Something is horribly wrong with the Latvian state, politics and society.' — Juris Lavrikovs of the European Region of the International Lesbian and Gay Association, reporting from the July 23 gay-pride parade in Riga, Latvia.
'This is a short note to inform you that we had to remove one or more of the images from your LeathermensDungeon.com profile because we do not have a scanned copy of your Photo ID on file, and due to new regulations by the United States Government we need to have such documentation on file for any sexually explicit images on the site. If you wish to continue displaying sexually explicit photos in your profile you'll need to first upload a scanned copy of your Photo ID, such as your drivers [ sic ] license or passport. ...' — An example of the effects of new rules added to the Child Protection and Obscenity Enforcement Act of 1988 ( 18 U.S.C. §2257 ) that took effect June 23. Cruisy gay Web sites are among those where users can no longer post pictures of themselves that show such things as two people naked, a naked person with a pet, a hand touching genitals, a hand down one's pants, a hand spreading apart buttocks, bondage or sadomasochistic abuse—unless the Web site has documented proof the people depicted in the photos are over age 18.
'We felt very good about Zach coming here because ... to let him see for himself the destructive lifestyle, what he has to face in the future, and to give him some options that society doesn't give him today.' — 365Gay.com on Joe Stark, the father of a gay teenager who wrote in a Web log that he was being sent against his will to a camp run by a group called 'Love in Action International' to 'cure' him of his homosexuality is defending his actions. In an interview with the Christian Broadcasting Network Stark says he did the right thing when he sent his 16 year-old-son Zach to the camp near Memphis.
'I refuse to deal with people who are only focused on their one-sided ( biased ) agendas. It isn't fair to anyone.' — Teen Zach Stark writing in his blog after his 56-day stay at Love In Action's Refuge camp to 'cure' gay teens. He says homosexuality is still a 'factor' for him, but he won't let it 'run my life,' reported the Southern Voice.
'In the past 30 years since leaving the 'ex-gay' ministry I have seen nothing but shattered lives, depression and even suicide among those connected with the 'ex-gay' movement. I challenge Christians to investigate all sides of the issue of being gay and Christian. The Church has been wrong in the past regarding moral issues and I'm sure there will be more before Christ returns.' — Love In Action's co-Founder and former ex-gay John Evans, in a letter to John Smid, Love In Action's current director, rebuking gay conversion groups.
'Instead of preparing for his son's back to school immunizations, pre-school enrollment, and school supply shopping, Ronald Paris, Jr. is awaiting sentencing for the senseless murder of his three-year-old, Ronnie. Paris was convicted of second-degree manslaughter last week by a Florida jury, after delivering a fatal lesson in manhood to his son. Paris didn't want Ronnie to grow up to be a 'sissy,' according to the local newspaper, The Tampa Tribune. He instructed his wife not to hug their son, slammed the three-year-old against a wall when he showed any signs of weakness or illness, and was teaching the boy how to fight in brutal boxing bouts, which ultimately caused him to fall into a deadly coma, with microscopic brain tears and subsurface bruising.' — From a press release by Gender Public Advocacy Coalition ( GenderPAC ) .
'Ronnie Paris' murder is shocking and sad, but this tragedy did not happen in a vacuum. This father—like countless fathers—was dead set on raising Clint Eastwood and not Alan Alda.' — Riki Wilchins, executive director of GenderPAC.
