Free Republic

If you have followed my writing and speaking over the decades, you will know that Catholicism has not been a focus of my ministry, either praising it or criticizing it. At the same time, I recognize the important role of the Catholic Church in standing for the sanctity of life and the meaning of marriage. That’s what makes the recent pronouncement of Pope Francis, allowing priests to “bless” same-sex couples, especially distressing. What act of apostasy will be next?My Catholic colleague John Zmirak wrote on Tuesday, “Today I got one of those emails nobody wants to receive. You know, the...

Members of Birmingham’s Muslim community will walk at the front of this year’s Pride parade alongside the primary school teacher at the centre of a row over LGBT-inclusive relationship education. Andrew Moffat, assistant head teacher at Parkfield Community School and pioneer of the inclusive No Outsiders programme, will walk “arm in arm” with LGBT+ Muslim campaigners on Saturday (May 25).  Birmingham Pride co-director Lawrence Barton said: “We’re delighted that Andrew [Moffat] is going to be leading the carnival parade this year, joined by Muslim friends, in a space that celebrates equality, freedom, respect and tolerance for all communities. “There’ll...

The former talk show host was slammed on social media Thursday for tweeting, "If you’re wondering why Republicans took a sick day today, it’s probably because it’s #NationalComingOutDay. Looking at you @LindseyGrahamSC." Many on social media were not amused and derided Handler’s joke as homophobic, tired, and lazy. “Not sure homophobic insults are the cleverest means of attacking opponents… Yikes.,” wrote one Twitter user. As for Graham -- he doesn't care what Handler has to say. "I don't think much about what she says at all," Graham told TMZ. "If she wants to live her life that way, that's up...

Almost half of us are okay with the idea of two people getting married to avoid inheritance tax. In a study carried out by Amarách Research for RTÉ’s Claire Byrne Live, 48% of people said they would support two people getting married where the sole purpose is to avoid inheritance tax. […] The poll comes after two friends went on RTÉ’s Liveline on Friday afternoon and said they were marrying for tax reasons. The show heard from 85-year-old Matt, who told Joe Duffy that Michael O’Sullivan was his best friend and that he planned to leave him his house when...

This pic was on Alexander's Twitter feed.

The Christian owners of an Illinois wedding venue have vowed that they will never host same-sex wedding ceremonies at their family-run bed and breakfast even after they were forced to pay over $80,000 in fines. Jim and Beth Walder, the owners of Timber Creek Bed & Breakfast in Paxton, Illinois, were fined by the state's Human Rights Commission on Tuesday for declining to host the wedding of Todd and Mark Wathen in 2011. After the Wathens reached out to Timber Creek to express interest in having their wedding there, Jim Walder responded with an email saying that they could not...

A gay rights group will be allowed to march in Boston's St. Patrick's Day parade, event organizers said Saturday, reversing a 20-year-long stance after the city's new mayor intervened. It was unclear, however, if marchers from MassEquality, one of the largest gay rights advocacy groups in Massachusetts, would be permitted to carry signs or use slogans identifying themselves as gay men and women, which may yet prove a sticking point. "We don't ban gays, we just want to keep the parade an Irish parade," Tim Duross, the lead organizer of the parade that celebrates the city's Irish heritage and honors...

Normally, when people confront her on gay rights, Michele Bachmann has a response ready.

They've lived together for 42 years and share a bedroom, but the people who produce "Sesame Street" made it clear on Thursday: Bert and Ernie are not gay. Nor are they heterosexual. They just are. "Bert and Ernie are best friends. They were created to teach preschoolers that people can be good friends with those who are very different from themselves. "Even though they are identified as male characters and possess many human traits and characteristics, they remain puppets, and do not have a sexual orientation," Sesame Workshop said in a statement posted on Facebook. ...

Story at link.

WASHINGTON - Sen. Larry Craig will file court documents Monday asking to withdraw his guilty plea in a sex sting that seems likely to end his career, his attorney said. Craig, an Idaho Republican, pleaded guilty in August to disorderly conduct following a sting operation in a men’s bathroom at the Minneapolis airport. He has said he regrets that decision, which he said he made hastily and without talking to an attorney. He said he was under stress and pleaded guilty only to put the matter behind him. Attorney William Martin said Sunday night that a request to withdraw that...

His future in doubt, with allies denouncing his behavior and former staffers voicing disbelief at his arrest, Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, is expected to hold a press conference this afternoon that may answer questions about his political future. Long dogged by rumors about his sexuality, the married and conservative three-term senator is expected to address the June 11 incident at Minneapolis Airport in which an undercover officer arrested him on charges of lewd conduct in a men's room. Craig will give a statement this afternoon concerning his arrest at 2 p.m. Mountain Time in downtown Boise, a spokesman said. Craig's...

(03-24) 15:05 PDT SAN DIEGO -- The man who once sang as the police officer in the Village People band has been arrested. Again. Police in Universal City arrested Victor "Macho Man" Willis, 55, early Friday morning. A woman, who described herself as Willis' girlfriend, told police she had been choked and threatened with a knife. The woman told officers that Willis had been abusive and was out on bail on a similar assault charge from last month, police said. Last year, when Willis was arrested in San Francisco for drug possession, he gave officers a fake name. They didn't...

NEW YORK - Former "Beverly Hills, 90210" star Jason Priestley has married longtime girlfriend Naomi Lowde, the actor's publicist, Marla Weinstein, said Tuesday. Priestley and Lowde wed Saturday on Paradise Island in the Bahamas, Weinstein said. No further details were available. After several years together, the 35-year-old actor and Lowde, a makeup artist, became engaged last May. It is the second marriage for Priestley, who was married to Ashlee Peterson, also a makeup artist, for less than a year before divorcing in early 2000. Priestley, who played Brandon Walsh on the long-running teen drama, was seriously injured in an August...

Philadelphia was host to one of the first gay-rights marches in the country in July 1965 in front of Independence Hall. Since then, a flourishing gay-friendly community known as the "gayborhood" has grown up around the area of 12th and Locust Streets in Center City. RON CORTES / Inquirer Artist Ann Northrup, 54, sits on the scaffolding in front of her mural, “Pride and Progress,” on the western wall of the William Way Community Center on Spruce Street. The mural, which takes up almost an entire block, was started in August. Northrup and 20 others used more than 50 gallons...