Free Republic

PHILADELPHIA -- This may be the last free Thanksgiving dinner for the Boy Scouts of Philadelphia. Citing a local 1982 "fair practices" law, the city solicitor has given the Scouts until Dec. 3 to renounce its policy of excluding homosexuals or forfeit the grand, Beaux-Arts building it has rented from the city for $1 a year since 1928. "While we respect the right of the Boy Scouts to prohibit participation in its activities by homosexuals," the solicitor, Romulo Diaz, said last week in an interview, "we will not subsidize that discrimination by passing on the costs to the people of...

City Wide Youth Leadership Agency's William Mackey spends a lot of time talking about toys, but he isn't playing around. He and other anti-violence advocates believe children playing with fake guns can potentially turn into a game of life or death, and Mackey's group is dedicated to boycotting stores who carry them. "This is very, very important," Mackey said. "Philadelphia's streets are a bloodbath." With the holiday season right around the corner -- and people already shopping for presents -- Mackey and his friends want stores that carry toy guns to hear their message. He and others promise to not...

A pro-family leader in Pennsylvania says families should stay away from Philadelphia until city officials there stop catering to homosexuals. Philadelphia Mayor John Street recently took part in the unveiling of 36 permanent rainbow street signs in an area near the historic district known for its large homosexual population.Hear This Report   One homosexual news website declares that the rainbow-branded street signs are "an internationally-recognized welcome symbol" that demonstrates Philadelphia's "commitment to diversity and inclusiveness." But Diane Gramley, president of the American Family Association of Pennsylvania, contends the presence of the signs in an area known as the "Gayborhood"...

Sunoco Philadelphia Freedom Concert The city that gave the world LiveAid, raising unparalleled global awareness and funds for the fight against hunger, is about to step into the spotlight again - this time in the critical fight against HIV/AIDS. Sir Elton John will be coming to Philadelphia to headline the SUNOCO PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM CONCERT and PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM BALL on Monday, July 4, 2005, to raise two million dollars for HIV/AIDS awareness. Proceeds will be split to support the grant making activities of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, which raises international awareness and resources for HIV prevention and care services, and...

As an introduction, there is a local "conservative" talk show host in Philadelphia named Michael Smerconish. He calls himself conservative, but is even more liberal than Sean Hannity. He is always talking about things that bug him, and how the government ought to make laws against these common annoyances. Today, he actually said that Terry Schiavo's husband loved her and had her best interests in mind, and that he would want to die too if he were PVS like her. I was shocked, so I wrote this letter to him. It is important that we get ALL media talking the...

PHILADELPHIA -- Some long-suffering Philadelphia Eagles fans are so desperate to get to the Super Bowl that they're borrowing against their homes to pay for the tickets. Take Kevin P. O'Donoghue, a lifelong fan from the suburbs, who told his wife after the Eagles advanced to their first Super Bowl in 24 years, "I don't care if we have to mortgage our house, I'm going." She replied, "Wait a minute, maybe that's a good idea." So O'Donoghue sunk $4,000 on a Super Bowl package that includes round-trip airfare, a four-night hotel stay and one ticket to the Feb. 6 game...

The Eagles' faithful suffered through three consecutive losses in the conference championship game, and when their football team made it to the Super Bowl on Sunday for the first time in more than 20 years, they erupted in joy. "I've been to all the championship games, and this, I can't explain," said Easton resident Felipe Garcia as he sniffed back tears. "It's priceless. We deserve it." Garcia was one of about 200 Lehigh Valley residents who rode one of four Trans Bridge Lines buses to the landmark game at Lincoln Financial Field. "This was history today," said Jack Trimble of...

Now that we all know that the New England Patriots will be meeting the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX next month in Jacksonville, it's time to start building the hype, so let the games begin!