Free Republic

A New York Democratic congressional candidate celebrated the House passing a $60 billion bill to fund Ukraine while hoping for the death of the MAGA movement, a message posted to X shows. "Slava Ukraine," New York congressional candidate Nate McMurray posted to X Saturday afternoon. "Die MAGA die. You lose," he added of former President Trump's supporters and those who agree with the "Make America Great Again" platform. McMurray's tweet followed the U.S. House passing a bill Saturday that provides $60 billion to Ukraine amid the nation's ongoing war against Russia. The aid package passed 311 to 112, with more...

Ghana’s parliament on Wednesday approved a bill that will see people jailed simply for ‘identifying’ as LGBTQ+ or campaigning for queer rights. Being gay has been illegal in the West African nation since the 19th century in a law originating from colonial times. But lawmakers introduced the bill in 2021 to toughen the anti-LGBTQ+ laws already in the books. The legislation, known as the Promotion of Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghananian Family Values Bill 2021, is among the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ measures on the African continent, according to Amnesty International. If signed into law by President Nana Akufo-Addo, being LGBTQ+...

A couple of items from the passing parade: The Lancashire Constabulary have "added two new liveried cars to our fleet to highlight the Trans and bi-sexual community". These are decked out with their exciting new badge (right), showing the rainbow flag under the crown of Royal authority and bearing the slogan "Police with Pride". Some years ago I wrote about an Oxford student who spent a night in the slammer and was fined £80 for asking a mounted policeman (if you'll forgive the expression): "Do you know your horse is gay?" With hindsight, it seems entirely reasonable to assume, if...

Via The Seattle Times: Mayor Ed Murray’s soda-tax legislation led to criticism it was unfair because white and affluent people tend to drink more diet drinks. The mayor’s revised proposal lowers the tax rate slightly and adds diet soda. The changes were recommendations that emerged when staff from the mayor’s office and the office of Councilmember Tim Burgess studied disparate impacts the tax could have on people with low incomes and on people of color, according to Murray. That work involved conversations with community advocates, public-health professionals and business owners, according to the mayor. After Murray’s initial announcement, some suggested...

Sen. Lindsey Graham said Tuesday night that he thought President Obama made a “compelling” case for U.S. military action in Syria in his address to the nation. “I thought the moral case was very persuasive quite frankly and compelling, and that was what I remember most about the speech,” Graham said on CNN shortly after Obama spoke. Graham, who has been outspoken in his support of U.S. action in Syria, said the president may have changed a few minds in Congress with the address from the White House. “I think he probably stopped some Democratic bleeding,” Graham said. Asked if...

Jim McGreevey to begin Episcopal seminary classes http://www.nydailynews.com/gossip/2007/09/01/2007-09-01_jim_mcgreevey_to_begin_episcopal_seminar.html http://tinyurl.com/2p469w BY CHRISTINA BOYLE DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER Saturday, September 1st 2007, 4:00 AM Jim McGreevey, the nation's first openly gay governor, is returning to the classroom Tuesday as a seminary student. The former New Jersey governor will begin full-time studies at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in Chelsea, where he will pursue a three-year Master of Divinity program. McGreevey, 50, switched denominations from Roman Catholic to Episcopalian earlier this year and has expressed an interest in becoming a priest. "I hope that Jim McGreevey finds some contentment and...

A DIRECTIVE by Italian bishops ordering Catholic politicians to vote against gay rights legislation has caused a political uproar and prompted fresh charges of Church interference in domestic affairs. The long-awaited note, issued yesterday by the Italian Bishops Conference, was significant because it specifically targeted politicians as they consider a law to give homosexual and heterosexual unmarried couples more rights. While not specifying any punishment by the Church, it says Catholics could not hide behind "the principle of pluralism" or compromise on what it called the ethical needs of society. The note said Catholic politicians had "the moral duty to...

GAY rock star Sir Elton John has delivered an "up yours" message to Prime Minister John Howard for opposing same-sex marriages. Sir Elton, in Sydney last night for the first of three concerts, said he was unimpressed with the lack of legislation to protect gay couples in Australia. The 59-year-old and his partner David Furnish last December became one of the first gay couples in England to tie the knot in a civil partnership ceremony. "It was just a commitment I wanted to make because I love him, and vice-versa, and it was just a great day," Sir Elton told...

With the "hearts and minds" of 6.5 million schoolchildren on the line, a pro-family group has called a news conference today to protest a series of bills approved by the Legislature that would turn the California public school system into "sexual indoctrination centers." The event is being held by the Campaign for Children and Families, which has been active in lobbying against the changes in state law, at the state Capitol in Sacramento. "The simple message for (Gov. Arnold) Schwarzenegger will be: Veto these bad bills or turn off family-values voters," the group said in its announcement Monday. "(The bills)...

ACTOR Lily Tomlin has criticised the United States and Australian governments over their opposition to same-sex marriage, saying everyone should have the right to wed. The openly-gay Hollywood veteran, 66, has been with her female partner, Jane Wagner, a writer and producer, for 35 years. While she and Wagner have no plans to marry, Tomlin feels all people should have the choice. US President George W Bush and Australian Prime Minister John Howard have both spoken out against same-sex marriage, and the Federal Government recently quashed ACT legislation allowing homosexuals to create civil unions. "I am happy for anybody who...

A single vote kept Washington from becoming the first state in which same-sex couples could come from anywhere in the U.S. to obtain a marriage license. The state Supreme Court today decided 5-4 that Washington's law limiting marriage to one man and one woman does not violate the state constitution. The court dealt a "devastating setback to same-sex marriage proponents," asserted Mathew D. Staver, founder and chairman of the public-interest legal group Liberty Counsel. The decision is very significant, he said, because, unlike Massachusetts – which in 2003 became the only state to establish same-sex marriage – Washington does not...

ROWING, hockey, marathon, square dancing and best bondage or leather outfit competitions are all events at the first Out Games, preceded by the opening today of a human rights conference. Organisers of this "alternative" gay games said they expect some 12,000 amateur athletes, thousands of spectators and delegates from 100 countries for the rights conference. Co-president and swimmer Mark Tewksbury, a gold medallist in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, said he hoped the event would also nurture tolerance in sports. "Homophobia is rampant in professional sports. The locker room mentality says we can't develop in a virile, masculine world....

LONG ISLAND, NY, July 13, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – The New York State Supreme Court has denied a homosexual couple spousal benefits, despite their being “married” in Canada two years ago, the New York Times reports. The case was brought forward by Duke. L. Funderburke, who was attempting to obtain medical benefits reserved for married couples from the Uniondale Union Free School District, for his homosexual partner, Bradley Davis. NY Supreme Court Justice Edward W. McCarthy, however, referred back to last week’s decision by New York’s Appellate Court as the basis for his refusing to extend such benefits to the homosexual...

WASHINGTON, D.C., July 12, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Forget about traditional morality—Christianity should focus on eradicating poverty, protecting the environment and ending the war in Iraq, according to the general secretary of the National Council of Churches, Dr. Bob Edgar. “Jesus never said one word about homosexuality, never said one word about civil marriage or abortion,” said Dr. Edgar to CBS News at a recent gathering of liberal Christian leaders in Washington. The gathering was the latest effort by the “religious left” to gain back some of the political power the group enjoyed during the 60’s and early 70’s. 30 years...

WASHINGTON, D.C., June 8, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - "And it's 5:00 p.m. here in Washington. Does a Catholic cardinal agree with the Catholic Church, certainly against gay marriage? You might be surprised to see how he feels about same-sex civil unions." That was the teaser CNN's Wolf Blitzer used prior to airing his interview with Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the outgoing Archbishop of Washington D.C. Cardinal McCarrick appeared last night on Blitzer's Situation Room in support of homosexual civil unions, while insisting that the definition of marriage itself be left alone. However, as the CNN host indicated before the interview, the Cardinal's...

The Federal Government has announced it will move to disallow the ACT's Civil Unions Bill. The ACT (Australian Capital Territory) Government has passed legislation to recognise same-sex relationships, despite opposition from the Federal Government. Federal Cabinet considered the matter today, and Prime Minister John Howard has announced he will move to disallow the legislation. Attorney-General Philip Ruddock says the Federal Government cannot allow the ACT's legislation to stand. "We have decided to defend the fundamental institution of marriage against the laws that were passed here in the Australian Capital Territory," he said. "The Marriage Act makes it clear that marriage...

CHARLOTTE, NC, April 26, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - The first-ever "Not Ashamed Charlotte" rally will unite Christians from different churches to proclaim their faith in the public square, replacing the annual gay pride event usually scheduled for early May in Marshall Park. The Christian rally will be held from 3-4 p.m. May 6 in the park. According to Dr. Michael L. Brown, Director of the Coalition of Conscience and organizer of Not Ashamed Charlotte, the timing of this event is highly significant. "For the last four years," Brown explains, "on the first Saturday of May, Marshall Park has been will filled...

Dozens of homosexual parents who spent the night outside the White House on Friday will attend this morning's Easter Egg Roll on the South Lawn, and they will be joined by President Bush and first lady Laura Bush. The homosexual parents plan no overt protest at the children's event -- no chants, no signs. But they will be wearing rainbow-colored leis to push their message that homosexual parents are equally as capable as any of raising children. "I don't think this is a protest," said Jennifer Chrisler, executive director of the Family Pride Coalition. "Showing up, participating fully in an...

IRONDALE, AL, April 3, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Two days ago, LifeSiteNews was forwarded a firestorm of emails from faithful Catholics in Canada regarding the world's largest Catholic media network - Eternal Word Television Network - not airing programs on homosexuality in Canada and Europe. The emails referred to an exchange between a Canadian viewer of the network and a producer at the network. In response to questioning about a show on homosexuality not being aired in Canada, as was scheduled and aired in the United States, Amalia C. Zea, the producer of the popular program Life on the Rock responded,...

THE Federal Government will legislate against any attempts by the ACT to give gay couples the same rights as married couples, Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said today. Mr Ruddock said today the Government would investigate what it could do to block attempts by the ACT Labor Government to pass laws that would establish civil unions for homosexual couples. The ACT legislation would allow those in a civil union the same rights as marriage in everything but name. Under the constitution, the Commonwealth has responsibility for marriage and in 2004, with bipartisan support, the Federal Government legislated to effectively ban gay marriage....