Michigan State police target gay men during Pride weekend; Police re-open “Bag a Fag” operation
by Triangle Foundation

HOLT- Entrapment operations are never a good thing. But during the past weekend (11-12 June 2004) the Michigan State Police (MSP) chose a very peculiar time and place to revive the practice of targeting and profiling gay men in the Lansing area: it was Pride weekend.

At least a dozen men were arrested and others were detained at a rest area near Holt on northbound M-127, just outside Lansing, including Mid-Michigan activist and Triangle Foundation operative Todd Heywood.

According to Heywood, he had stopped at the public facility to use the rest room. As he attempted to leave the scene and continue his drive home his car was blocked and a plainclothes officer attempted to arrest him. A second officer, with whom Heywood had a previous conversation, approached and told his fellow officer: “No, that’s the wrong fag, he’s cool,” whereupon Heywood was told to leave the area immediately.

Heywood returned to the rest area almost immediately, however. Within minutes of his encounter with police, Heywood notified Triangle Foundation and Sean Kosofsky, Triangle Foundation Director of Policy, joined Heywood as the two of them went back to the rest area where they observed the sting operation and saw at least one gentleman leaving after apparently being arrested by police.



~

for those who care, and those who think are all this same..

A to Z list of gay marriage applicant occupations
By Bill Dedman, Globe Correspondent  


From boat builders and CEOs to judges and state troopers, the gays and lesbians married in Massachusetts work in all corners of the economy. Here are some of the occupations listed by the gay and lesbian couples applying for marriage licenses during the first week of same-sex marriage, according to the Globe's survey of city and town clerks.

The list extends from A to Z -- well, nearly. Could there be a xylophonist and a zookeeper somewhere in the Commonwealth with wedding plans?

Acceptance tester, Accounting manager, accounts payable manager, activist, activity director, advertising, administrative assistant, administrator, airline employee, anesthetist, antiques dealer, appraiser, area manager, architect, artisan, artist, arts administrator, assembler, assembly technician, astrologer, at-home mom, athletic coach, athletic trainer, attorney, audiovisual coordinator.

Baker, bank branch manager, bank executive, banquet manager, bartender, billing coordinator, boat builder, book dealer, bookstore manager, buyer. (and more...)



~

Trial Date Set For Pastors Who Performed Gay Marriages 
by Doug Windsor
365Gay.com Newscenter
New York Bureau 


(New Paltz, New York) Oral arguments will begin at the end of this month in the case of two Unitarian ministers who wed same-sex couples in the town of New Paltz.

The Revs. Kay Greenleaf and Dawn Sangrey were charged after they performed 25 marriages for gay couples without licenses in March.

The Unitarian Universalist ministers agreed to conduct the services after New Paltz mayor Jason West was charged and ordered not to perform more weddings in the town north of New York City.

Even though same-sex couples cannot get marriage licenses in New York state West began performing the marriages February 27 saying that the state ban on same-sex marriage was unconstitutional.


~

Massachusetts Catholic church urging parishioners to rebuke lawmakers on gay marriage
BOSTON (AP) --

The lobbying arm of the state's four Roman Catholic dioceses is sending letters to every parish in the state, urging Catholics to let lawmakers who did not vote to ban gay marriage know of their "profound disappointment."

At the same time, the letter encourages the "highest praise" for lawmakers who opposed gay marriage during the March constitutional convention when the Massachusetts Legislature voted narrowly to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2006.

The amendment would ban gay marriage while allowing civil unions for same-sex couples.

The letter from the Massachusetts Catholic Conference does not endorse particular candidates or compare incumbents to challengers on the issue. All 200 seats in the Legislature are up for grabs in November.


~

Jamaica: Amnesty says urgent government action needed to protect gay people from homophobic violence

Amnesty International has issued an urgent appeal to people all over the world to write to the Jamaican Prime Minister asking him to take urgent steps to protect gay people from violence, and to repeal legislation which criminalises same sex relations.

Amnesty International has received many reports of vigilante action against gay people by members of the community, and of ill-treatment or torture by the police. Gay men and women have been beaten, cut, burned, raped and shot on account of their sexuality. Once a person’s homosexuality becomes known to family or community, they are frequently at risk.

Amnesty International UK Media Director Lesley Warner said:

“We have talked to people who have been forced to leave their communities after being publicly vilified, threatened or attacked on suspicion of being gay. They face homelessness, isolation or worse.

“We are concerned that these reports are just the tip of the iceberg. Many gay men and women in Jamaica are too afraid to go to the authorities and seek help.”