Gay woman is awarded parental rights to ex-partner's child
The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) - Gay and lesbian civil rights advocates have applauded a Supreme Judicial Court ruling that said a gay woman from Freeport who was "committed" to her ex-partner's biological child is entitled to full parental rights.



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Board to ask for marriage law repeal
 By Jenny Huang : The Herald-SunCARRBORO -- The Board of Alderman will ask the N.C. General Assembly to repeal the state's "defense of marriage" law so marriages of same-sex couples performed in other states can receive full legal recognition here.


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3 OF 4 IN CONN. BACK GAY CIVIL UNIONS
April 7, 2004 -- STORRS, Conn. - Connecticut residents support the concept of civil unions for same-sex couples, but are divided over whether gay marriage should be legal, says a University of Connecticut poll. In the survey, released yesterday, 74 percent of the 606 people polled from March 25 through 29 said they support the idea of a law to allow same-sex couples to legally form civil unions. However, when asked about gay marriages, 49 percent support the idea, while 46 percent are opposed.


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House falls short on amendments
GOP gets a debate on three constitutional issues, but no approvals
Associated Press
LANSING — It has been a tough few weeks for constitutional amendments in the Michigan House.
Representatives haven’t been able to come up with the two-thirds vote needed to put before voters measures to limit marriage to one man and one woman, end the ban on the death penalty and cap the income tax rate at 3.9 percent after it drops that low this summer.



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Gay marriage fits Republican values
AL JIWA

 As the leader of the Yale College Republicans, I find my personal politics ever compared with the national standard of the GOP. As one might expect of any member of the Republican Party, my stances lean right on a number of issues: I am firmly committed to the foreign policy of President Bush, believe strongly in the private sphere, and often prioritize the rights of states above federal jurisdiction. While I support our President and will emphatically wave the Republican banner, my political views frequently diverge sharply from those of orthodox conservatives -- my friends refer to me as a "moderate" on most days and as a "liberal" before their morning caffeine. Much of this heckling derives from my positions on a number of social platforms: as opposed to many in the Republican Party, I find myself to be more accepting of traditionally "Democrat" views on topics ranging from gun control to the welfare state.

An integral part of my purported "centrism" however, stems from my views on the issue of gay marriage. In opposition to the stance of President Bush (and indeed, much of the GOP) on the sanctity of traditional marriage, I do not support any type of constitutional amendment or federal legislation which limits or denies the rights of homosexual couples. The Republican Party stands for individual liberty and limited government; in calling for a constitutional amendment for the express reason of denying the validity of gay unions, we are contradicting these core principles, violating the dignity of our fellow citizens, and perpetuating lines of discrimination.