Free Republic

Days after President Obama announced his support for same-sex marriage, the Presbyterian Church's Northern California governing body refused to rebuke a retired minister for marrying gays and lesbians when it was legal in California. The Presbytery of the Redwoods, which governs churches from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oregon border, voted 74 to 18 Tuesday to reject the church's official denunciation and instead support the Rev. Jane Adams Spahr, who had been found guilty by an ecclesiastical court of violating the Presbyterian Constitution and her ordination vows for marrying 16 same-sex couples

Ken Mehlman, President Bush’s campaign manager in 2004 and a former chairman of the Republican National Committee, made a shocking confession today in an interview with The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinger: Privately, in off-the-record conversations with this reporter over the years, Mehlman voiced support for tax increases and told of how, in private discussions with senior Republican officials, he beat back efforts to support the Bush tax cuts. The reaction by conservative pundits and leaders was praise for Mehlman following his conscience and being true to himself. Okay, not really. Maybe in an alternate universe that would happen, but in D.C....

Rosie O'Donnell has confirmed that she and longtime girlfriend Kelli Carpenter are on the rocks. In a new interview with USA Today, she says, "We're a family. We will remain a family forever. And we are working on our issues." The 47-year-old O'Donnell -- who has been suggesting a split on her blog -- wouldn't confirm a National Enquirer report that Carpenter, 42, has moved out of their Nyack, NY, home and into Manhattan. (USA Today notes that Carpenter was not at the house during the interview.) Meet Rosie O'Donnell and other stars' surprise BFFs "We're a family, we remain...

Tel Aviv police pursue unidentified persons who smashed windows of Geulat Yisrael synagogue in Tel Aviv. Left behind graffiti warning: 'If we don't march in J'lem – you won't walk in Tel Aviv'. High Court to deliberate issue again Avi Cohen Published: 11.02.06, 11:45 The formidable snowball effect of the pride parade controversy reached the normally sedate Tel Aviv Sheinkin area early Thursday morning. An unidentified group of people smashed in the window panes of the Geulat Yisrael synagogue and sprayed graffiti on the wall warning the temple-goers that "If we don't march in Jerusalem – you won't walk in...

Human Rights Commission director addresses rights amendment Human rights officials for other cities offer insights SOUTH BEND — Lonnie Douglas said after Monday’s Common Council meeting, there will be no more “what ifs” about enforcing changes to the human rights ordinance. “If the mayor and the council decide that this is going to happen, we’re going to enforce it, end of story,” he said. “All that other conjecture means nothing to me.” The Common Council is expected to vote Monday on a proposal to add sexual orientation and gender identity to the city’s anti-discrimination code. Douglas, executive director of the...

Loney says camp closing because of his homosexuality Former hostage James Loney is accusing an Ontario Catholic camp he once worked for of closing its doors because of his homosexuality. James Loney alleged that a youth camp closed its doors in an act of discrimination. The closure of the Ontario Catholic Youth Leadership Camp by the Knights of Columbus Ontario State Council, which finances the camp, was an act of discrimination, Loney told a news conference Tuesday. Loney said he and his supporters struggled with the decision to go public with the allegations, but finally decided to come forward. "We...

State pays money to settle a lawsuit at the Hawaii Youth Correctional Facility The state is paying money to settle a lawsuit over abuse and harassment at the Hawaii Youth Correctional facility. The state agrees to pay $625,000 dollars to three plaintiffs. The American Civil Liberties Union filed the suit on behalf of the three youths, a 17-year-old male to female transgender girl... an 18-year-old lesbian... and an 18-year-old male perceived to be homosexual. The suit alleged the plaintiffs were abused and harassed by staff facility and their peers based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. The suit also...

Candidate says incumbent Republican not advocating biblical values enough A Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Ohio wants to make homosexual behavior a capital crime punishable by the death penalty. Merrill Keiser Jr. is a trucker with no political experience, but he hopes to beat fellow Democrat Rep. Sherrod Brown in the May primary. The winner will try to unseat Republican incumbent Sen. Mike DeWine, assuming he wins the GOP primary. "Just like we have laws against murder, we have laws against stealing, we have laws against taking drugs – we should have laws against immoral conduct," Keiser told...

At the Capitol, a gay youth joins in fightagainst proposed constitutional amendment E-mail Croft -- include name, town, phone number for verification For all the propaganda about anti-gay constitutional amendments being needed to protect children, here's one kid everybody should meet: Gregory Casajuana, a 16-year-old student at Cobb County's Harrison High School. He was among the speakers Saturday at a rally opposing a bill to make the state Constitution say that gay people can never marry -- and a push to codify the same sentiment in the federal Constitution, which President Bush has suggested he would support. Others at the...

Brace yourself. The "Guidelines for Comprehensive Sex Education" include for ages 12 to 15 that "a few boys engage in a very dangerous and sometimes fatal form of masturbation that involves limiting their air supply," and for ages 9 to 12 that "homosexual love relationships can be as satisfying as heterosexual relationships," and for ages 5 to 8 that "touching or rubbing one's own genitals to feel good is called masturbation." These "guidelines" represent the foundation of comprehensive sex education (also known as "abstinence-first" or abstinence-plus-condoms sex education) developed by the Sexuality Information and Educational Council of the United States...