Ads Fault Republicans Over Gay Marriage Amendment
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK

Two gay groups - one of them a gay Republican group - are starting advertising campaigns in the New York market during the Republican convention to attack the party's conservative turn, including the president's support for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.


The Log Cabin Republicans, a group of gay party members, is expected to announce today that it will be running commercials in the New York market this week, people briefed on the plans said. One person briefed on the plans said the commercials would quote from President Ronald Reagan on the subject of the party as a "big tent." Christopher Barron, political director for the Log Cabin Republicans, disputed certain descriptions of the plans but declined to elaborate.

Last week, the Log Cabin Republicans condemned the final draft of the Republican platform for its position on same-sex unions. The first draft supported President Bush's call for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Conservatives on the platform committee added provisions opposing same-sex domestic partnerships or civil unions created by states as well.


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Angry gay Republicans accuse Bush


New York: Gay Republicans warned US President George W. Bush on Sunday that he was at grave risk of losing their vote, accusing him of selling out to the party's 'radical right' over homosexual marriage.

The Log Cabin Republicans, a group of openly gay party members, fired the shot across Bush's bows ahead of start the party's convention, a festival of party unity at which he will be nominated for a second term.


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UK couples hold mass commitment ceremony
By Stacy Farrar


About 70 same-sex couples have staged a mass commitment ceremony in Manchester as part of the Manchester Pride festival.

All of the couples received a "marriage" certificate from organisers.

Manchester Metropolitan Church reverend Andy Braunston officiated.


"The ceremony was a chance to celebrate our love and campaign for the right to marry so that we are treated equally," Braunston told the BBC.


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Pastor blesses 15 gay, lesbian holy unions
By David Heitz


Government officials stopped them from being legally married, but nobody could silence their public declaration of love.

Several gay and lesbian couples who were denied marriage licenses last week at the Scott and Rock Island county courthouses unofficially tied the knot Sunday during holy unions performed at Duck Creek Park in Davenport.

“I think it’s important for us to stand up together,” said Connie Jarvis of Davenport after exchanging vows with her partner, Pat Hooper. “The public can think what they want to think. What’s important to us is having our family and friends here.”

yEquality Quad-Cities and Quad-Citians Affirming Diversity, gay advocacy groups, organized the ceremonies. Rich Henricks, a Metropolitan Community Church pastor, officiated.


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The dollars and cents of gay marriage
By David R. Francis


Gay marriage challenges society. It roils contemporary politics and raises moral objections for some. But on economists' screens, it barely registers.

That's because legalizing gay marriage isn't that costly in economic terms. In fact, research suggests it should save money for federal and state governments. And for corporate America, the costs of extending benefits to the partners and families of gay employees are small.

Did you ever wonder why more and more companies, state and municipal governments, and colleges and universities are granting benefits to gay workers' partners and children? One big reason: It's cheap. On average, it would add 1 percent - 2 percent tops - to employers' benefit costs, says Susan Sandler, editor of a newsletter, HRfocus, for the Institute of Management and Administration in New York.


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Archbishop shows frustration over church's divisive homosexuality row
Stephen Bates, religious affairs correspondent
The Guardian


Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, yesterday voiced his frustration at the divisions that have racked the Church of England, and the worldwide Anglican communion which he also leads, over the issue of homosexuality.

Speaking during a question and answer session at the Greenbelt Christian festival, attended by more than 15,000 people at Cheltenham race course over the bank holiday weekend, the archbishop spoke of the rawness of the anger of the factions in the church.


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Parents criticize gay themes at youth summit
BY DIETTE COURRÉGÉ
BRISTOL HERALD COURIER


BRISTOL, Va. – Outraged parents of Washington County students want the School Board to make policy changes after their children were exposed to gay themes at a youth summit.

Four months ago, about 30 students from the county and Bristol attended a conference at Emory & Henry College. During one of the day’s sessions, students broke into small groups and discussed various diversity issues using visual aids.



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Little talk of rights at party for gay Republicans
By Julia Duin
THE WASHINGTON TIMES


NEW YORK — The Log Cabin Republicans threw a party for their fellow delegates yesterday, but three of the featured speakers didn't show and of the four who did, two avoided references to homosexual rights.

    But the early-afternoon reception in support of the Republican homosexual caucus did attract a surprise guest who didn't mince words.


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Guilty! Assault on gay pastor not "trivial"
Self-proclaimed prophetess blamed God for her acts


The morning of our marriage we were driven to the Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (MCCT) by a security professional in a vehicle with darkened windows. The driver, trained to ensure we weren't being followed, drove along side-streets, until we approached the police barricades that protected our church. We were told to remain in the van until the police were ready for us. Emergency response vehicles stood by in the streets. Mounted units on chestnut horses were in a row on a side-street. When the van's door opened, we were instructed to move quickly through the line of the police and into the church where our body guard was waiting for us.


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'No one has the right to murder a gay'
Express News Service


New Delhi, August 30: "If a man is gay, society may not like it. But no one has a right to murder him,’’ said Pushkin’s father, Anil Chandra, about his son after the police made the arrests.

‘‘No one wants to be a gay by choice. If god has made you so, what can you do,’’ said Chandra, talking to Indian Express for the first time after the murder of his son.

‘‘Pushkin was an intelligent boy who had made his choices clear to us. When the question of marriage cropped up, he said do you want me to spoil some girl’s life. If you want I can marry, but it would do no good,’’ he said.

‘‘After that we accepted the way he was. If we did not have any problem with his being gay, what right has the society to meddle,’’ said Chandra. He was miffed at the way his son had been portrayed in the media, where the spotlight was taken away from the murder and focused on his personality.