Married gays may not file jointly says IRS


Falls Church, VA, Jun. 14 (UPI) -- A conservative policy group released a letter Monday from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service that says same-sex couples cannot file federal taxes as marrieds.

"Only married individuals," as defined under the federal Defense of Marriage Act, "could elect to file a joint tax return," the IRS said in response to a letter from the Public Advocate of the United States. "Even though a state may recognize a union of two people of the same sex as a legal marriage for the purposes within that state's authority, that recognition has no effect for purposes of federal law."

"A taxpayer in such a relationship may not claim the status of a married person on the federal income tax return," the agency said.

The group said the IRS letter represents, "a victory for the American family."


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Gay rights focus of concerns
York commissioner says many constituents don't want human relations board to include protection for homosexuals.
By MIKE HOOVER
For The Evening Sun
(PA)

Doug Kilgore has heard the complaints resonating from people throughout York County for about a month.

The overwhelming majority of those complaints question whether a proposed countywide human relations commission should expand discrimination laws to include sexual orientation.

"This issue is pretty emotional for people," Kilgore said.

At their weekly board meeting last week, Kilgore and his fellow county commissioners were reminded of the opposition when they were asked by Roy C. Jones of Dover to pledge not to expand protection to include homosexuals.


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ELCA office joins opposition to federal marriage amendment


CHICAGO-The Lutheran Office for Governmental Affairs (LOGA), Washington, D.C., the federal public policy office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), joined 25 other religious organizations to urge members of the U.S. Congress to reject the proposed "Federal Marriage Amendment." The religious organizations said the proposal threatens individual civil rights and religious freedom.

The amendment, proposed in February by President George W. Bush, states that "Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution or the constitution of any State, nor state or federal law, shall be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups."

The religious organizations released a copy of a letter addressed to members of Congress at a congressional briefing in Washington.

Karen Vagley, LOGA director, said the letter was not a statement about homosexuality or gay marriage but reflected the church's concern for civil rights.



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Bollywood News, India: We will put down 'Girlfriend' protests: police chief


Mumbai, India : City police commissioner A.N. Roy said here Monday his force will give protection to theatres showing the controversial film "Girlfriend" and take strong action against vandals.

Referring to the storming of a city theatre by workers of the Bharatiya Vidyarthi Sena (BVS), the student wing of the Shiv Sena, Roy told IANS: "We will take strong action against protestors and provide security to theatres screening the movie."

 After about 100 BVS workers disrupted a show of "Girlfriend" at Premier Cinema House in central Mumbai, a stronghold of Shiv Sena, the hall suspended the screening of the film.  

Karan Razdan, director of the film, which deals with the theme of alternative sexuality, termed the action as unfortunate.