Free Republic

Citing concerns about the poor and vulnerable in Minnesota in light of a state budget deficit, Minnesota’s Catholic Bishops are calling for an increase in state income taxes. In their recently released Pastoral Statement, Sharing Our Blessings and Our Burdens, Minnesota’s Catholic Bishops urge lawmakers to resist further funding cuts to human service programs to balance the state budget. In the statement, the Bishops note, “Because human needs require it and other resources are not available to meet these needs, we believe that it is right and proper to raise income taxes justly and equitably.” According to the statement, cuts...

PHILADELPHIA -- Philadelphia's first transgender police officer is in a lot of trouble after she is accused of shooting near another officer during firearm's training. Police officials will only say that officer Maria Gonzalez has been reassigned to desk duty because of an incident that internal affairs is investigating that allegedly happened Friday night at a firing range. Gonzalez, 57, is scheduled for a sex change operation next summer. She takes hormones and other medication. Back then, Gonzalez told NBC 10 in January that she notified her police department about her life change and her officers were supportive. "All I...

Canada's largest bank has canceled its promotion of homosexuality with its employees after a pro-family organization sponsored a national boycott of the institution. As WorldNetDaily reported, the Royal Bank of Canada directed its employees to "be supportive" of "gay, lesbian and bisexual issues" and to show that support by displaying the homosexual movement's rainbow triangle symbol in the workplace. The statements were made in the first edition of a new newsletter called "Rainbow Space." "Voluntarily displaying this sticker shows gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered co-workers that they can feel safe with you, and shows unsupportive co-workers that you won't tolerate...

Inclusiveness has its limits. The Palm Beach County chapter of the gay Log Cabin Republicans learned that lesson this month when it was excommunicated by the national gay Republican organization. he local club's heresy? Endorsing the reelection of President Bush. The board of the national Log Cabin Republicans, displeased with Bush's support for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, voted 22-2 last month to withhold its endorsement in the presidential race. But the head of the Palm Beach County chapter, Maurice Bonamigo, is a vocal Bush supporter who said he and his 17 club members would continue to back the...