Gay-amendment bid may backfire
Same-sex gambit may boomerang
ANALYSIS
By Richard Stevenson, New York Times


WASHINGTON -- From the beginning, gay marriage has been an issue that President Bush has tried to finesse.

Under election-year pressure from his social conservative base, Bush endorsed the effort to adopt a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage. In the last few days he has turned up the volume on the issue, talking about about it in his weekly radio address on Saturday. He telephoned wavering senators over the past day or two in an attempt to shore up support for the measure as it headed toward a crucial procedural vote on Wednesday.

But after endorsing the measure in February, he would often go weeks without mentioning it in public, suggesting either a personal or political reticence about pushing it too hard, or both. And when he did
raise the topic, he was careful to modulate his message to avoid alienating moderate voters, warning in particular against allowing the issue to become an excuse for gay bashing.


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National Gay Helpline launched
by di-ve news

VALLETTA, Malta (di-ve news) -- The Malta Gay Rights Movement (MGRM) launched the National Gay Helpline to assist gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender persons and other individuals who are discovering their sexuality, who are in need of support.

The service which will start operating on Monday will be available on phone number: 21430006. At first the helpline will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays between 1800CET and 2100CET. The rates will be normal.

In a press conference, the Social Protection Official within the MGRM, Gabriella Calleja, explained that the volunteers who will be answering the phone were trained professionally with Appogg Agency. Some of them also have experience with the helpline 179.