Indiana

Girl Scouts 'Radicalized Organization' Promoting 'Homosexual Lifestyles', Says Indiana Republican

Jillian Rayfield | February 21, 2012, 10:06AM

Next time you buy a box of Tagalongs, you might be helping to fund an abortion.

Or, at least, that's what one Republican lawmaker in Indiana might have you believe. State Rep. Bob Morris (R) wants to kill a resolution honoring the Girl Scouts because they are a "radicalized organization" that promotes "homosexual lifestyles" and funds Planned Parenthood.

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Proposition 8

Proposition 8: What Happens Next?

Jillian Rayfield | February 8, 2012, 6:18AM

Now that a Ninth Circuit panel has ruled that California's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional, it seems inevitable that the ruling on Proposition 8 will eventually be appealed to the Supreme Court. But whether the Supreme Court agrees to hear it is another story.

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Michigan

Lawsuit By Michigan Conservative Christian Group Seeks To Overturn Hate Crimes Law

Jillian Rayfield | January 17, 2012, 12:02PM

Gary Glenn of the Michigan branch of the American Family Association thinks the federal hate crimes law is trying to promote "thought crimes" and "eradicate religious beliefs opposing the homosexual agenda."

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

GOPer Wants To Reinstate 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' In The Oklahoma National Guard

Jillian Rayfield | January 12, 2012, 11:13AM

A Republican lawmaker in Oklahoma wants to reinstate "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" in the state's National Guard, because "nobody except a couple of radical activists found any harm in the policy."

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Alliance Defense Fund

Anti-Gay Legal Guns For Hire: How The Right Uses 'Religious Liberty' To Fight Discrimination Suits

Jillian Rayfield | January 12, 2012, 5:48AM

Phyllis Young, the owner of the Aloha Bed And Breakfast in Oahu, Hawaii says that being gay is "detestable" and "defiles our land." That's why she denied a lesbian couple a reservation in 2007, and that is why the couple filed a discrimination suit against her in December.

But Young's got a little high-powered help. Her attorney, from the Alliance Defense Fund, argues that the lawsuit threatens Young's religious freedom because "no business owner should be forced to violate his or her religious beliefs because someone is offended by those beliefs."

This argument is a mainstay with the ADF -- which has for years attached itself to similar legal battles across the country -- as well as the broader movement against anti-discrimination suits by members of the right-wing.

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Gay Rights

The Battle Over Gay Marriage Set To Go Nationwide

Jillian Rayfield | January 5, 2012, 5:51AM

Washington is the latest state to start up a battle for marriage equality, in a year that was already going to be full of major fights for gay rights.

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Tennessee

Tennessee Bill Would Give Anti-Bullying Laws A 'Religious And Political Beliefs' Loophole

Jillian Rayfield | January 4, 2012, 1:33PM

A proposed bill in Tennessee would create a loophole in the state's anti-bullying laws to protect those expressing religious, philosophical or political beliefs, which one proponent says would ensure that people can still express their "views on homosexuality."

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National Organization for Marriage

Anti-Gay Groups Struggle, Make Year-End Pleas For Financial Help

Jillian Rayfield | December 30, 2011, 5:00AM

This holiday season, give the gift of support to your favorite struggling anti-gay group.

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Stop SB48

Anti-Gay Groups Mobilize Against CA's 'Indoctrinating' Gay History Law

Jillian Rayfield | December 12, 2011, 5:58AM

A number of anti-gay groups are pushing initiatives to gut a California law that mandates classes on the contributions of prominent minorities, because they say the inclusion of gays and lesbians in the language "endorses" being gay and is part of the "sexual brainwashing" and "indoctrination" of our nation's youth.

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California

New Push To Strip Mention Of Gays And Lesbians From CA's History Law

Jillian Rayfield | November 21, 2011, 3:57PM

Opponents of California's gay history law are pushing ballot initiatives that would strip the "gays and lesbians" language from the part of the law that mandates schools include classes about prominent minorities in their curriculum.

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Michigan

Michigan House GOPers Back Away From Loophole In Anti-Bullying Bill

Jillian Rayfield | November 8, 2011, 1:28PM

The Michigan Senate passed an anti-bullying bill last week that includes a "moral convictions" loophole, but the Republican Speaker of the House says the final legislation will probably not go that far.

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Bullying

Michigan GOP Gives Anti-Bullying Bill A Loophole

Jillian Rayfield | November 4, 2011, 5:32AM

Michigan Dems say the Republican Senate gutted an anti-bullying bill when they added a clause that allows bullying based on "moral convictions."

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Shorter University

University To Staff: Swear You're Not Gay Or You're Fired

David Taintor | November 1, 2011, 3:50PM

A Christian college in Georgia is asking all employees to sign a "personal lifestyle statement" declaring their heterosexuality.

Shorter University instituted the pledge in late October, the GA Voice reports, and it reads, in part, "I reject as acceptable all sexual activity not in agreement with the Bible, including, but not limited to, premarital sex, adultery and homosexuality."

According to university president Don Dowless, the pledge doesn't intend to offend. "Our goal is to declare who we are" he told WSB-TV. But if you don't sign it, your job may be at risk.

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Stop SB48

Group Against CA Gay History Law Fails To Get Enough Signatures For Repeal

Jillian Rayfield | October 13, 2011, 10:47AM

The group petitioning against California's law to promote history of prominent gays and lesbians failed to collect enough signatures to force a ballot referendum in the November 2012 elections.

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Stop SB48

Group Opposing CA's Gay History Law Accused Of Tricking People With Anti-Sexual Predator Petition

Jillian Rayfield | October 7, 2011, 5:41AM

A group petitioning against California's law to promote history of prominent gays and lesbians is being accused of tricking people into signing their petition by presenting it as an effort to crack down on child molesters and murderers.

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Gay Rights

High School Student Alleges Principal Assaulted Him Over Pro-Gay Shirt

Jillian Rayfield | October 5, 2011, 10:03AM

The ACLU has gotten involved on behalf of a student who alleges that his high school principal physically and verbally assaulted him for wearing a shirt in support of establishing a gay-straight alliance at the school.

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Gay Rights

Anti-Gay 'Pastor': Gay Activists Behind My Six Fraud Charges

Jillian Rayfield | October 3, 2011, 5:55AM

An anti-gay activist in Montana who describes himself as a pastor says that the six theft, fraud and conspiracy charges he was slapped with may have been the work of gay activists.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Mullen: DADT Repeal Is 'First And Foremost A Matter Of Integrity'

Jillian Rayfield | September 20, 2011, 2:52PM

Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen Discussing the End of Don't Ask, Don't Tell.

The repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy that banned gays and lesbians from serving openly in the armed forces went into effect Tuesday, which Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta called "an historic day for the Pentagon and the nation."

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Sally Kern

OK GOPer: Gay People Are More Dangerous Than Terrorists

Jillian Rayfield | September 12, 2011, 1:58PM

State Rep. Sally Kern (R-OK)

Oklahoma state Rep. Sally Kern (R) argues that homosexuality is "more dangerous" than terrorism because "It's something they have to deal with every day. Fortunately we don't have to deal with a terrorist attack every day, and that's what I mean."

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Peter LaBarbera

IRS Revokes Tax-Exempt Status For Group That Calls Gay Rights 'Demonic Manipulation'

Jillian Rayfield | August 3, 2011, 12:02PM

The IRS has revoked the tax-exempt status of Americans for the Truth About Homosexuality (AFTAH), a group whose leader once said that gay rights is "Satan's point of attack on the United States of America."

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California

Right-Wing Group: Repeal CA's Gay History Law That 'Promotes Homosexuality'

Jillian Rayfield | July 26, 2011, 10:48AM

Classrooms in California are now required by law to include lessons about the historical contributions of a number of minorities, including gays and lesbians. Sounds innocent enough, no? Well, according to a conservative group that is pushing to repeal the law, it both "promotes the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender lifestyles" and "forces children to study materials that tell them their families' values are wrong."

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Report: Obama Administration Will 'Likely' Appeal Block Of DADT

Jillian Rayfield | July 12, 2011, 5:39PM

The Obama Administration will reportedly "likely" appeal the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to block the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, according to a Washington Blade source.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Military Suspends DADT And Will Now Accept Openly Gay Recruits

Jillian Rayfield | July 8, 2011, 4:06PM

The Pentagon announced Friday that it is suspending its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy of banning openly gay servicemen and women.

The Army Times reports that the Department of Defense will comply with a Ninth Circuit ruling earlier this week that ordered the military to halt the policy.

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Gay Marriage

CA Lawmakers Pass Bill To Teach History Of Gays And Lesbians In Schools

Jillian Rayfield | July 6, 2011, 10:40AM

California lawmakers have passed a bill that would require public schools to include lessons about the historical contributions of gays and lesbians in their curriculum.

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National Organization for Marriage

New York Gay Marriage Decision Another Blow To NOM

Ryan J. Reilly | June 28, 2011, 5:45AM

NYS Senator the Rev. Ruben Diaz Sr., left, marches with Brian Brown, right, of the National Organization for Marriage

The National Organization for Marriage has a flair for the dramatic. Their much-mocked advertisement against gay marriage featured literal clouds forming over the heads of actors portraying regular American citizens whimpering at the thought of an impending gay marriage-acalypse.

If they'd chosen a cinematic interpretation of the "D-Day" metaphor they used in emails to anti-gay marriage supporters before their big loss last week, it might feature flamboyant soldiers invading the shores of the Hamptons.

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Gay Marriage

Minnesotans Evenly Split Over Vote To Constitutionally Ban Same Sex Marriage

Jon Terbush | June 2, 2011, 12:22PM

Demonstrators both for and against a constitutional ban on same sex marriage inside the Minnesota State Capitol

As California's constitutional ban on same sex marriage winds its way through the courts, a showdown over a similar marriage-defining referendum is brewing in Minnesota. And according to a PPP poll released this week, that battle could be hotly contested, as it found voters there are evenly split on the issue.

In the poll, 46% of registered voters said the state should amend its Constitution to stipulate that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, while 47% said they opposed such an amendment.

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Gay Rights

Former MI Asst. AG: I'm A Victim Of A 'Homosexual Activist Agenda'

Jillian Rayfield | May 11, 2011, 8:44AM

Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell

Andrew Shirvell, the former Michigan Assistant Attorney General who was booted for harassing the student body president of the University of Michigan, Chris Armstrong, for being gay, is arguing that Armstrong's "course of conduct" and lawsuit against him are "politically motivated and intended to make an example out of [Shirvell] in order to deter others from criticizing [Armstrong]'s homosexual activist agenda."

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Arson

Fire That Killed Eight Horses May Have Been A Hate Crime

Jillian Rayfield | April 26, 2011, 5:48PM

whiz media group

Authorities in Ohio are investigating whether a barn fire that killed eight horses, which was ruled arson, was also a hate crime.

The barn was owned by Brent Whitehouse, who may have been targeted because of his sexuality. The barn's remains were been spray-painted with epithets like "fags are freaks" and "burn in hell." The State Fire Marshal's Office said in a statement that "in addition to the fire, investigators are also looking into messages painted on the barn and barn doors prior to the fire."

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Andrew Shirvell

Michigan Student Sues Former Asst AG Who Harassed Him For Being Gay

Jillian Rayfield | April 6, 2011, 4:42PM

Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell

University of Michigan student body president Chris Armstrong has filed a lawsuit against former Michigan Assistant Attorney General Andrew Shirvell, who was fired in November of last year for a series of blog posts that targeted Armstrong for being gay.

The suit was filed on Friday in Washtenaw County Circuit Court, and asks for more than $25,000 in damages for "defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, abuse of process, invasion of privacy, and stalking."

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Newt Gingrich

Newt Gingrich Helped Jump-Start Campaign To Oust Iowa Judges

Jillian Rayfield | March 3, 2011, 4:03PM

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA)

Newt Gingrich secured $200 thousand for a successful campaign by anti-gay groups last fall to oust Iowa Supreme Court justices who voted to allow gay marriage in Iowa, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"It wouldn't have happened without Newt," said David Lane, executive director of the group that spearheaded the campaign, Iowa For Freedom.

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Gay Marriage

Supreme Court Rejects Gay Marriage Challenge In D.C.

Rachel Slajda | January 18, 2011, 11:03AM

The Supreme Court today rejected, without comment, a challenge to the legalization of same-sex marriage in Washington, D.C.

The rejection means the law will stand.

Bishop Harry Jackson, a pastor from Maryland, wanted the high court to hear his case against the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics. The board refused to put a marriage initiative on the ballot, arguing that such a move would amount to discrimination.

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National Organization for Marriage

Anti-Gay Activist: Gay Rights Groups Stole The Rainbow From Us!

Jillian Rayfield | December 16, 2010, 8:42AM

An activist for a sub-group of the anti-gay group the National Organization for Marriage is speaking out against the use of the rainbow as a symbol for gay rights. "We are the real rainbow coalition. The gay lobby does not own the rainbow," she said.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

McCain On DADT Repeal: 'I Will Not Agree To Have This Bill Go Forward'

Rachel Slajda | December 3, 2010, 2:11PM

Sen. John McCan (R-AZ)

At the end of the today's hearings on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) announced that he will still block the National Defense Authorization Act if it includes a repeal of the policy.

"I will not agree to have this bill go forward," he said. "Because our economy is in the tank."

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American Family Association

Bryan Fischer: Gay Rights Groups Should Pay For AIDS Research

Jillian Rayfield | December 3, 2010, 8:34AM

Conservative Radio Host Bryan Fischer

Bryan Fischer, the "Director of Issues Analysis" for the conservative Christian group the American Family Association, doesn't think that taxpayers should fund AIDS research anymore, since "we know what causes AIDS: homosexual sex and injection drug use," and "since we know the cause, we know the cure: stop engaging in homosexual sex and stop shooting up with drugs."

"Homosexual activist groups likewise are pushing a lifestyle that kills," Fischer wrote Wednesday, on World AIDS Day. "If anybody should be obligated to pony up funds to mitigate a health crisis, it ought to be the organizations that are responsible for advocating the very behavior that created and perpetuates the epidemic."

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Pentagon: No Separate Facilities For Gay Servicemembers

Rachel Slajda | November 30, 2010, 5:15PM

Marines aboard the USS Blue Ridge

One of the more contentious points of the Don't Ask, Don't Tell debate was whether the Pentagon was considering building separate barracks and showers for gay servicemembers, with some fearing a "separate but equal" mandate.

But the Pentagon report on how best to repeal the policy, released today, recommends no separate facilities, saying such a move would "wrongly isolate and stigmatize" gay troops.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Gates Calls For DADT Repeal In Lame Duck As Levin And McCain Discuss Stripping It

Rachel Slajda | November 8, 2010, 9:40AM

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in Australia on Sunday that he would like to see Don't Ask, Don't Tell repealed in the lame duck session of Congress.

Asked if he saw any prospect for repeal of the policy in the lame duck, Gates replied, "I would like to see the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell, but I'm not sure what the prospects for that are and we'll just have to see."

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Log Cabin Republicans Ask Supreme Court To Block DADT Enforcement

Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2010, 3:41PM

The Log Cabin Republicans, which is fighting Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the court system, today asked the Supreme Court to block an appeals court's decision to allow the military to enforce the policy.

Last week, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the military could continue enforcing DADT while the federal government appeals a lower court's ruling that the policy is unconstitutional. The lower court had issued an injunction ordering the military to immediately stop enforcement.

The Log Cabin Republicans, which brought the original lawsuit, is now asking the Supreme Court to vacate the appeals court's stay of the lower court's injunction. In other words, they are trying again to end the enforcement of DADT immediately.

Don't Ask Don't Tell

Potential House Armed Services Chair: 'Unwise' To Repeal DADT In Lame Duck

Rachel Slajda | November 5, 2010, 8:37AM

Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon (R-CA)

Rep. Buck McKeon, the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee and a candidate for the chairmanship come January, doesn't think Congress should pass repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell during the lame duck session.

"I think that's unwise," McKeon said Wednesday in an interview with Reuters, noting that the Pentagon's review of how best to repeal the policy will not be released until early December.

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Don't Ask Don't Tell

Reid On DADT: 'I Think It's Something We Could Work Out' In Lame Duck

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2010, 5:14PM

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said today that it is his "goal" to pass the Defense Authorization bill -- and with it, repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell -- in the Senate's lame-duck session, but warned that it'll be a tough squeeze.

According to The Hill, Reid said today that being able to pass the massive, traditionally must-pass funding bill will depend on Republican cooperation and support.

"The problem we have with the defense authorization bill is that it takes a while to get done," he said. "If we can get some agreement from the Republicans that we can move the bill without a lot of extraneous amendments, I think it's something we could work out. That would be my goal."

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Same sex marriage

Anti-Gay Groups Defeat Iowa Supreme Court Justices

Rachel Slajda | November 3, 2010, 10:39AM

The "Judge Bus"

Three of Iowa's Supreme Court justices were voted out of office last night, chalking up a victory for the national anti-gay groups that spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the race.

With nearly all precincts reporting, the three justices -- David Baker, Michael Streit and Chief Justice Marsha Ternus -- were voted out by an average margin of 55% to 45%.

It's the first time an Iowa Supreme Court justice has been ousted since Iowa instituted its system of appointment and retention in 1962.

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