Free Republic

President Obama today announced that he now supports same-sex marriage, reversing his longstanding opposition amid growing pressure from the Democratic base and even his own vice president. In an interview with ABC News’ Robin Roberts, the president described his thought process as an “evolution” that led him to this place, based on conversations with his own staff members, openly gay and lesbian service members, and conversations with his wife and own daughters. "I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of...

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is announcing a wide-ranging effort to use U.S. foreign aid to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, including combating attempts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality. In a memorandum issued Tuesday, President Barack Obama directed U.S. agencies working abroad, including the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, to use foreign aid to assist gays and lesbians who are facing human rights violations. And he ordered U.S. agencies to improve protections for gay and lesbian refugees and asylum seekers. “Our deep commitment to advancing the human rights of all people is strengthened...

The Obama administration is announcing a wide-ranging effort to use U.S. foreign aid to promote rights for gays and lesbians abroad, including combating attempts by foreign governments to criminalize homosexuality.

Tomorrow the Senate will hold the first hearing on The Respect for Marriage Act, which repeals the Defense of Marriage Act, thus granting to all lawfully married couples—including same-sex couples—to receive federal marriage benefits and protections if they are joined by a valid marriage in a state where such marriages are legal. “The president has long called for a legislative repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, which continues to have a real impact on the lives of real people --our families, friends and neighbors,” White House press secretary Jay Carney said at today’s press briefing. “He is proud...

California lawmakers on Tuesday sent the governor a bill that would make the state the first requiring public schools to include the contributions of gays and lesbians in social studies curriculum. The bill, passed on a party-line vote, adds lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people as well as people with disabilities to the list of groups that schools must include in the lessons. It also would prohibit material that reflects adversely on gays. Democratic Assemblyman Tom Ammiano of San Francisco says SB48 is crucial because of the bullying that happens to gay students. Republicans called it a well-intentioned but ill-conceived...

America now has a gay-rights majority. Gallup reports that for the first time ever, most people -- 53 percent -- favor legalizing same-sex marriage. That's up from 27 percent just 15 years ago. The nation has moved, and it's not going back. It's nice to think that in a democracy, public policy will soon follow public opinion, with same-sex marriage becoming the norm, not the exception. But that's not how democracy works in a big, diverse federal system. On this emotional issue, the citizenry is divided, and marriage laws as well as politics will reflect that division for a long...

Just as Barack Obama wants to change what it means to be America, controversial author Rob Bell wants to change what it means to be Christian. The cover story for the Easter Week edition of Time magazine is about Rob Bell’s book, Love Wins. Bell, perhaps the most widely known of a group of young supposedly evangelical writers who emphasize “love” and dismiss the Biblical view of judgment/retribution (referred to in Christian circles as “hell), has prompted discussions throughout the church and, indeed, throughout a wide swath of American culture, about the meaning of Christianity and the basic theological doctrines...

Orange County public schools may soon be mandated to teach gay history as part of regular social studies instruction. Senate Bill 48, approved on Thursday by the Senate and now before the state Assembly, would require lessons about the contributions of gays and lesbians in the state and country as part the state curriculum.California would be the first state to adopt the landmark measure.

The Fair Housing Act prohibits housing discriminate based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, disability, or families with children. While sexual orientation and gender identity are not prohibited bases of discrimination under the federal Fair Housing Act, housing discrimination against someone who is LGBT may, in certain circumstances, violate the Act's existing provisions, including its prohibition against gender discrimination. "While 20 states and over 200 local governments have led the way to make LGBT-related housing discrimination illegal, HUD is firmly committed to supporting the right of LGBT individuals and families to lead productive and dignified lives, free from housing...

Four branches of the military have begun sending training material to 2.2 million active and reserve troops as a prelude to opening the ranks to gays, with instructions on, for example, what to do if an officer sees two male Marines kissing in a shopping mall.

http://www.wgrz.com/news/article/113261/1/Same-Sex-Marriage-Advocates-Noncommittal-On-Vote-In-New-York-State-Senate

Why does same-sex marriage make sense to so many people? The momentum toward the full legalization of same-sex marriage seems to intensify with every passing month - or even faster. The moral divide in this nation is now seen most clearly in the distance between those for whom marriage is exclusively heterosexual and thus a settled issue and, on the other hand, those who honestly see the legalization of same-sex marriage as a moral mandate required by justice. Given the venerable status of marriage and its universally established heterosexual character - at least until very recently - the burden of...

A vile, homosexual-themed anti-Semitic musical play that was performed at Concord-Carlisle High School (CCHS) in December 2009 is the subject of community outrage. The high school has long been a center of aggressive homosexual indoctrination and the accompanying hostility toward religious belief. Intimidation of students and parents with traditional religious values has become an everyday occurrence there. Recently a group of CCHS teachers publicly "came out" as homosexuals and lesbians to a group of students - and encouraged the students to do the same -- in a widely celebrated after-school event. But this was possibly the most outrageous and insulting...

The perfect companion to this story describing how social cons are coping with the idea that their interests are momentarily subordinate to fiscal conservatism. Rather than quote, let me toss out a few of Pew’s graphs so that you can see how dramatic the trends are. The silver lining for conservatives: Support for gun rights is way up too.Libertarian fee-vah — catch it?And the gun rights data:A near majority of independents (49/45) favors marijuana legalization and clear majorities of indies side with the overall majority on the other three. The long-term national trends explain the results on gay marriage and...

President Barack Obama has been denounced by Republicans for asserting federal power at the expense of state sovereignty. But last week, he was denounced by Republicans for ... not asserting federal power at the expense of state sovereignty. It happened after the Justice Department announced it would not litigate to uphold the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The president thinks one section of the law is unconstitutional -- a section that prohibits the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. In practice, that means married homosexuals lack all sorts of privileges extended to married heterosexuals. They may not file their federal...

CHICAGO - The city of Chicago ordered its police force not to enforce the law against a mob of homosexualist activists who disrupted Mass at the Holy Name Cathedral to protest “anti-gay bigots” who support the Church’s teaching on marriage. The Gay Liberation Network staged the rally on the eve of Valentine’s Day, shouting and chanting loudly as churchgoers entered to celebrate Sunday Mass.

The homosexual rights movement is on the verge of destroying marriage. If successful, it will permanently alter society. And President Obama is playing a pivotal role in this attack on traditional America. Mr. Obama ordered the Justice Department on Wednesday not to defend the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). In the face of lawsuits, the federal government is abdicating its role to uphold laws enacted by Congress - at least those the administration does not agree with.

Pentagon leaders preparing for a new culture of gays serving openly in the military are serving notice that discrimination will not be tolerated. Defense Secretary Robert Gates also directed his policy staff in a memorandum to move ahead carefully, but expeditiously, to end the 17-year-old "don't ask, don't tell" policy instituted during the Clinton administration. Officials said they will complete implementation plans for the new policy by next Friday and will commence training in February.

SOUTH BEND — Students at Indiana University South Bend may have noticed something missing from their lunch menu. Chick-fil-A sandwiches are no longer allowed to be sold on campus. The university decided to remove Chick-fil-A as a campus vendor after news that a Pennsylvania franchise will be donating food for an event hosted by a known anti-homosexual group. "Chick-fil-A's already known as a Christian organization,” said IU South Bend senior Brian Jernigan. “So, I'm not really surprised that they would donate to an organization that's against homosexual values." News of the ban spread quickly, prompting Chick-fil-A's president to release an...

For months, the family values wing of the Republican Party has been protesting the inclusion of GOProud, a right-wing gay group, at this year's Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC). You won't hear any protesting, however, from conservative media mogul Andrew Breitbart. "We're going to have a big ol' gay party," he said on a radio show Wednesday. Breitbart says gays deserve a place within the Republican Party and he's been "offended" by efforts to exclude them. Therefore, he's throwing an 80's-themed gay party to welcome them on board. If this sounds like uncharacteristic behavior for Breitbart, his additional remarks should...