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Student wins settlement after being suspended for t-shirt8:53PM EST Sunday, 4/4/2004 [link to this item]
Student Natalie Young, who was suspended in 2002 for wearing a t-shirt saying "Barbie is a Lesbian" to school, will receive $30,000 from a settlement with her school. Natalie, who was in middle school at the time, was pulled out of class and asked to change her shirt. When she refused, she was suspended for the day, despite the absence of a dress code or other clear grounds. Attorney Ron Kurby filed the suit in the federal court on her behalf in June of 2003. Natalie expressed hope that the suit will help other openly gay kids, saying"I think they should feel more comfortable about who they are." Read the CNN article here.
Couples from states where same-sex marriage is illegal cannot marry in Mass., says Attorney General4:00PM EST Thursday, 4/1/2004 [link to this item]
Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly announced on Wednesday that under a law passed some 91 years ago, the state cannot issue marriage licenses to couples who would not be allowed to marry in their home state. This means that when same-sex marriages become legal on May 17th, only couples who reside in Massachusetts and eleven other states without so-called “defense of marriage” laws will be granted licenses. Same-sex couples from out of state will be required to sign an affidavit affirming that their marriage would be legal in their home jurisdiction, as straight couples are already required to do. Read the CNN article here.
Mass Convention Approves Amendment8:17AM EST Tuesday, 3/30/2004 [link to this item]
Legislators in the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention voted 105-92 to approve a so-called compromise amendment banning gay marriage and allowing civil unions. The amendment now must pass a vote the legislature in 2005 and a referendum in 2006 before becoming law. In the meantime, same-sex couples will be able to marry beginning May 17th as ordered by the Supreme Judical Court. Gov. Mitt Romney has asked Attorney General Tom Reilly to ask the SJC to extend that deadline pending the outcome of the amendment process, claiming that allowing the marriages to be performed would create confusion. Reilly has refused to do ask for the extension, saying “It was very clear to me as attorney general that the majority of the Supreme Judicial Court have made up their minds. Do I agree with their decision? No. Absolutely not. But that is the law of the state.” Read the CNN article here and the NY Times article here.
Mass Constitutional Convention Reconvenes9:15AM EST Monday, 3/29/2004 [link to this item]
The Massachusetts Constitutional Convention reconvened today to discuss a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. The amendment, which has been called a compromise, would allow civil unions. The convention has previously convened twice, voting on several versions of the bill and passing none of them. Read the CNN article here.
Elementary School limits access to children's book9:03AM EST Monday, 3/29/2004 [link to this item]
A committee at Freeman Elementary School in North Carolina decided on Friday to lock up the children’s book King & King in the school’s library, making it available only to adults. The book, in which a prince falls in love with another prince, caused controversy after two written complaints were filed by parents of students at the school objecting to the availability of the book. One of the parents, Michael Hartsell, conceded that the book “might be appropriate in certain situations,” but said “a child of this age shouldn’t have a choice.” Heather Stroker, another parents, disagreed, saying “I feel like it’s my responsibility to make it clear that these things exist. It doesn’t mean we have to agree with it. It’s not about right or wrong. It’s just different.” Read the CNN article here.
I received an email from Cory Smith of Human Rights First regarding the case of Rodi Alvardo, a Guatemalan woman seeking gender-based asylum in the United States. The following is an excerpt from that email:
[Rodi Alcardo] suffered years of horrific abuse at the hands of her husband, and [her] government did nothing to protect her from such abuse, which included repeated rape, severe beatings, knocking windows out with her head, attempting to chop her hands off with a machete, threats and humiliation, sodomy, and beating her unconscious in front of her children.Ms. Alvarado actively sought the protection of her government, but in every instance protection was denied.Ms. Alvarado fled Guatemala and sought safety in this country because she could not find it in Guatemala.
Granting Ms. Alvarado asylum, as recently recommended by the Department of Homeland Security, would protect a very narrow class of women and girls fleeing gender-based persecution.Theexperience of Canada, which has recognized gender-based persecution as a basis for refugee status since 1993, demonstrates that such recognition does not lead to a proliferation of such claims.Canadian government data reveal that gender-based claims consistently constitute only a tiny fraction of overall asylum claims - never more than two percent of the total – and that such claims have actually declined since 1994. DHS has done the right thing but now Attorney General Ashcroft has the power to make the final decision on whether or not to grant Rodi-Alvarado asylum.
By granting Rodi Alvarado asylum we will protect a very narrow class of women and girls fleeing the very worst gender-related violence including domestic violence, sexual trafficking, sexual slavery, rape, coercive family planning, female genital mutilation, and honor killings.
On Background A Tripartite Council, formed in accordance with Organization of American States resolutions CP/Res. 861 (February 19, 2004), CP/Res. 862 (February 26, 2004) and UN resolution S/1529...
Coretta Scott King opposes amendment6:12AM EST Thursday, 3/25/2004 [link to this item]
Coretta Scott King, widow of the late Martin Luther King Jr., spoke out against a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, saying that she believes constitutional amendments should be used to expand rights rather than restrict them. She also said “Gay and lesbian people have families, and their families should have legal protection, whether by marriage or civil union. A constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages is a form of gay bashing and it would do nothing to protect traditional marriage.” Read the NY Times article here.
Rev. Dammann aquitted by Methodist court6:06AM EST Thursday, 3/25/2004 [link to this item]
The Methodist court trying the Rev. Karen Dammann unanimously voted Saturday to allow her to continue practicing as a minister. Conservatives within the church threatened retaliation at next month’s quadrennial conference in Pittsburg. Many also warned that the decision may “tear apart” the Church, which has 8.3 million members in the US, including George W. Bush. Read the NY Times article here.
Senate hearing on proposed amendment5:51AM EST Thursday, 3/25/2004 [link to this item]
The United States Senate held hearings Tues regarding a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Among those testifying before the Judiciary Committee included Rep. Barney Frank, Sen. Wayne Allard, Phyllis Bossin, and Teresa Stanton Collett. Despite the staunch support of President Bush, the amendment is not expected to pass either the House or Senate. Read the CNN article here.
Oregon county bans all marriages5:42AM EST Thursday, 3/25/2004 [link to this item]
On Wednesday, Benton County banned all marriages pending a decision by the state of Oregon on who can wed and who cannot. Commissioner Linda Modrell said “We need to treat everyone in our county equally.” She and the county’s two other commissioners had originally planned to start issuing licenses to same-sex couples this week but decided against it in the wake of lawsuits filed across the country. Read the CNN article here.
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Humor:
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