Freedom Democrats

Comment from Freedom Democrats: Another LGBT Hate Crime....very sad and they say in Tallahassee we don't need an all encompassing hate crimes bill. Does your representative care about the lives of their GLBT constituents?

RYAN KEITH SKIPPER: 1981 - 2007

Sheriff Calls His Polk County Stabbing Death a Hate Crime

By Eva Kis & Gabrielle Finley

The Ledger

Nothing about the brutal killing of Ryan Keith Skipper makes sense to Stephanie Strickland.

Ever since a Polk County sheriff's detective came to her door at noon March 15 and informed her of her good friend's death, she has been struggling to understand what happened to him, and why.

"He's the best friend I ever had in my whole life," she said. "I never thought something like this could happen to someone so kind.

"Even while talking with the detective, Strickland kept looking out the window of her Auburndale home, expecting Skipper's new powder blue Chevrolet Aveo to come down the road. They were supposed to have lunch, then run errands together - a rare idyllic afternoon for both. She has a 3-year-old daughter; he has done little else besides work and study since enrolling in Traviss Career Center's information technology program about four or five months ago.

"I just fell apart," she said. "It still feels like somebody just told me.


"Skipper, 25, was found stabbed to death by the side of Morgan Road near 19th Street West in Wahneta by a passing driver about 1:20 a.m. March 15. Deputies have arrested William David Brown Jr., 20, and Joseph Bearden, 21, charging them with first-degree murder and declaring the slaying a hate crime. A witness told detectives Skipper was killed because he was gay.

Though the Sheriff's Office is investigating Skipper's murder as a hate crime, that fact will not weigh on the prosecution of Brown and Bearden. Designating a crime as hate-motivated is a "sentencing enhancement," not a separate charge, which means it makes the punishment more severe for the crime committed, Chip Thullbery, spokesman for the State Attorney's Office, said Wednesday.

[The photograph is of Ryan Keith Skipper from his myspace profile]

In Florida, the designation doesn't apply to life or capital felonies because the punishments for those charges - either life in prison or execution - are the most severe, and therefore can not be enchanced. "There is no such thing as a hate crime first-degree murder, by the law,'' he said.

'THE GUY WITH A HEART OF GOLD'

Messages of love and memories now fill Skipper's MySpace Web page, from the people who knew him best to those who had met him briefly, but remember him."

I know you are missed by many people ... you left a legacy of your warmth, sweetness and big-heartedness behind," wrote Joshua, 22.

Ranay, 23, posted a photograph of her infant daughter holding her favorite plush toy - a gift from Skipper, who told her, "she will always know who she got it from because of the pretty rainbow colors."

"Ryan was a special person. He made a good impression on people. And he was enlarging his vision to make a better life for himself and his family and friends around him. And they took it away from him," said Nancy Moschetti, who had known Skipper for six months.

Meaghanne, 22, remembered being the new girl at school, and Skipper helping to ease that transition.

"You were one of the first to take me under your wing and make me feel like I belonged," she wrote. "The guy with a heart of gold ... why would anyone ever feel anything but love for you?"

Strickland, 24, has the same question, but doubts the answers that have been released by the Sheriff's Office.

Skipper met Bearden while driving through Wahneta about 11 p.m. looking to pick up someone, according to the Sheriff's Office.

Strickland finds that scenario preposterous. Skipper was handsome and popular, and did not approach men randomly, she said.

A year older than Strickland, Skipper had taught her to drive a stick shift, to make safe turns - and to never pick up hitchhikers.

"I know he never would've picked up someone on the side of the road unless it was someone he knew, someone who needed help," she said. "To hear them say he picked someone up on the side of the road and solicited them for sex is just ridiculous."

Skipper's family thinks so, too.

"We're appreciative and grateful for the Sheriff's Office. They worked around the clock and in the first 72 hours arrested the individuals. We're disappointed and discouraged by the comments (Polk Sheriff) Grady Judd made that appeared to be blaming the victim," said Damien Skipper, Ryan's older brother.

Sheriff's Chief W. J. Martin acknowledges that what was said was based on comments from the two suspects. "Unfortunately, Ryan Skipper is not here to tell his side," said Martin, who heads the agency's criminal investigations bureau. "In these kind of cases you have two suspects trying to minimize their involvement to make themselves look better."

LATE DINNER

The night of March 14, Skipper closed the Lakeland sunglass store where he worked and had a late meal with co-worker and friend Karl von Hahmann at Mimi's Cafe at Lakeside Village.

The two men met each other at work six months ago. "Just instantly we were like best friends," von Hahmann said.

Lately, Skipper, who had mainly worked at the Sunglass Hut in Macy's department store in Winter Haven, started helping out at the standalone store at Lakeside Village.

The two had either lunch or dinner together every day, depending on what shift they were working, von Hahmann said.

On this night, the two talked about a trip to Miami they were planning and an upcoming visit to see Skipper's brother in Las Vegas.

"He also mentioned to me that he was the happiest he had ever been," von Hahmann said. "Things were just starting to go right for him. He had just come into a comfort zone that was unbelievable."

The friends went their separate ways 10:30 p.m.

Shortly before 11 p.m., von Hahmann said he called Skipper on his cell phone, reminding him he had to drop off a key for a co-worker to open the store the next day. "He told me that he'd call me back in a little while, which was nothing unusual," von Hahmann said. "That was the last time I spoke to him."

Skipper went to his home at 211 Richburg Road in Winter Haven. A roommate said he came in and put leftovers from dinner in the refrigerator.

According to the Sheriff's Office, he was accompanied by Bearden and that the the two smoked marijuana and discussed using Skipper's computer to commit check fraud. After a short time, they took the laptop computer and left.

Strickland disputes this account, saying that Skipper did not use illegal drugs and did not own a laptop computer.

It is a portrayal that has deeply hurt Strickland, who said her friend was simply too trusting and naive.

Instead of Skipper picking up Bearden, a more likely scenario, she said, is that Brown was waiting for Skipper when he arrived home.

She said Brown knew a previous tenant at the house, and had come looking for him soon after Skipper moved in. Strickland said Skipper's roommates told her that Brown, who lives two blocks away from Skipper's home, had since come around several times on a bicycle in the weeks before Skipper's death, asking about him, what he was doing, when he would come home.

"The only thing I can understand about it is that he trusted these people enough to give them a ride somewhere," she said.

That somewhere was the home of Brown's uncle, where they met up with Brown. Sheriff's officials say said it was then that Bearden and Brown decided to rob Skipper of the laptop and his car. So they persuaded him to give them a ride somewhere else.

Brown and Bearden returned to the house in Skipper's car about 15 minutes later. Skipper was not with them. The inside of the car was so bloody, according to the Sheriff's Office, that the two cut out a seat belt because they couldn't clean it.

After trying to clean and sell the car, they eventually abandoned it on a dock on Lake Pansy in Winter Haven and set it on fire. But the flames only caused minor damage, and both their fingerprints have been recovered from the car.

Deputies arrested them on March 16. A witness told detectives that Brown had said Skipper was "messing with him," or making sexual advances, that night, and that is why he was killed.

Strickland doesn't think Skipper would do that, but feels he may well have been killed out of hate.

"I feel he was targeted, yes, because he was gay," Strickland said. "But they also had this planned out, to do something to him."

Both Bearden and Brown have arrest records for minor offenses, but neither has previously been charged with a violent crime.

FINDING HIMSELF

Born April 28, 1981, in Winter Haven, he was the son of Pat Mulder of Auburndale and Durl Skipper of Bartow.

His brother, Damien, who is 3 1/2 years older, said he remembers looking out for his Ryan when they were younger.

"Being the older brother you try and show your younger siblings the ropes," he said.

During their younger years, Ryan "liked to be the center of attention, but he always made sure everyone around him was comfortable and happy," his brother said. "He was intelligent. He was very genuine and very honest."

He attended First Missionary Baptist Church of Auburndale as a child, then Grace Lutheran Church and School in Winter Haven, where he was an altar boy.

Strickland remembers meeting Ryan Skipper at the beginning of their freshman year at Winter Haven High School. He had some trouble adjusting to public school, but Strickland said the teenager with the sunny smile easily fit in with her clique.

"I knew him before he even admitted he was gay," she said. Still, when he came out to his friends during their final years at Winter Haven High, it was with some trepidation. Despite being his best friend, Strickland said she was not the first person to know.

"He claimed the reason he didn't tell me was because he thought I wouldn't love him as much," she said. "I told him, 'Ryan, I love you even more for being honest."

He endured teasing and harassment from some classmates. "He'd smile at them because they were ignorant," she said. "I don't think it bothered him that he was gay. Ryan was happy with who he was."

Skipper was raised in the church and believed in God; he made peace with his faith and homosexuality in his own way,'' she said. "I know his philosophy was that, 'God's not going to discriminate against me because of my sexuality."

A BRIGHT FUTURE

After graduation from high school in 2000, Skipper drifted for a while, moving in and out of his mother's house. He was arrested twice for marijuana possession, once in 1999, then again in 2001, but friends say he had stayed away from drugs since.

Recently, he had gotten serious and was studying computers at Traviss Career Center. He had tinkered with computers since Strickland had known him, fixing others' machines and building his own.

"He's a complete wiz on the computer," she said. "The past couple of years, he really decided that that's what he wanted to do with his life." He took classes at Traviss in the morning and worked in the evening at either the Lakeland or Winter Haven sunglass shop, striving to keep his finances in order.

Kelly Evans, Skipper's roommate for the past year and a half, said she, Skipper and roommate Joyce Fraley were like family.

The trio were likened to The Three Stooges.

"He came home from work and we would always sit down and talk. The three of us know everything about each other and what we were striving for in our lives. We gave Ryan a lot of praise for going to school."

Since being accepted at Traviss, "I saw his spirit lifted a lot. Ryan was at a point in his life where he was proud of himself.

"When he bought the brand-new 2007 Aveo on Valentine's Day, it was entirely with his own money. "I think the car to him was a token of accomplishment," she said.

Ironically, it would become a key piece of evidence that would lead detectives to the suspects who are accused of taking his life for it just a month later.

A MISSING PIECE

Skipper had a way with children. He related to them and "got down to their level," Evans said.

Skipper and Evans worked together once in a retail store.

A woman once visited the store with her young daughter and Skipper played with the girl while she was in the store, Evans said. Before the girl left Skipper bent down to hug the child and told her she was beautiful, Evans said.

"Now every time (the woman and her daughter) see the store she (the daughter) says, 'That's the man that told me I was beautiful,'" Evans said. "He made an impact. You could meet him one time and never forget him."

When Strickland became pregnant with her daughter, Kayden, in 2003, she knew she wanted the friend she never saw without a smile to have a part in something he may not have the chance to experience.

"You're not manly enough to be a godfather, but you're not girly enough to be a godmother, so you can be her godfairy," she told Skipper.

He laughed - and accepted on the spot.

Skipper visited the hospital and held Kayden the day she was born, and called regularly asking what new things she's done, Strickland said. "He was real excited to be a part of her life," she said. "It bothers me that maybe she won't remember him when she's older."

Angela Justice, another of Skipper's best friends, said his death seems like a nightmare that she tries to wake up from.

She said she'll never forget the promise she and Skipper made to each other one night. Skipper promised Justice, who was diagnosed with stomach and intestinal cancer in 2003, that he'd help take care of her three children, ages 15, 11 and 9, if anything happened to her.

But he made her promise if anything happens to him, that she'd watch after his two roommates.

"I'm going to fulfill his promise to Kelly and Joyce. I'm not going to hesitate," Justice said. "I feel very empty. I feel lost without him. Life isn't the same without him.

Justice said she watches a video of Skipper being a "goofball." It makes her laugh every time she watches it.

That home video and some pictures of him are all she has left. "I'm going to hang onto it," Justice said. "I just want him back."

Eva Kis can be reached at eva.kis@theledger.com or 863-802-7550.

For all information related to this article please see:
http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070329/NEWS/703290493/0/FRONTPAGE

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 11:54 AM | Permalink

Democrat makes history on the N. Shore as GOP wins big on South Shore

By TOM WROBLESKI and TEVAH PLATT

STATEN ISLAND ADVANCE

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Democrat Matthew Titone made history last night, becoming the first openly gay lawmaker to be elected on Staten Island when he easily won a three-way special election for the vacant North Shore Assembly seat.

"It's a good day for the [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] community," Titone, 46, the son of the late Judge Vito Titone, told supporters in the Staaten, West Brighton. "Except, I guess, for gay Republicans."

In the South Shore special, Republican Lou Tobacco won handily, beating back questions about his Island residency and a late write-in campaign against him.

Tobacco, 34, thanked South Shore voters for showing confidence in him.

"We start now," he said at Nino's Restaurant in Grasmere. "I'm going to hit the ground running. I won't let you down."

With turnout particularly low in both races, Titone got 2,888 votes, or 49 percent, in the heavily Democratic North Shore. Republican-Conservative Rose Margarella got 1,866 votes, or 32 percent. Independence Party candidate Kelvin Alexander pulled 1,122 votes, good for 19 percent.

On the reliably Republican South Shore, it was Tobacco with 2,234 votes, or 70 percent. John Mulia, who was running on the Democratic, Independence and Conservative lines, got 976 votes, or 30 percent.

Tallies were not available last night for write-in candidate Todd Tabacco, who claimed he got between 700 and 800 votes. Write-in votes will not be tabulated until the borough Board of Elections does its standard recounting of the machine vote, which won't come before April 4.

'A POSITIVE SIGN'

"I think the North Shore is a very inclusive community, and people are basing votes on [the candidates'] abilities," borough Democratic Party chairman John Gulino said of Titone's victory. "It's a very positive sign that we're looking at people as people."

Titone, who ran unsuccessfully for state Senate last year, replaces Assemblyman John Lavelle, the Democratic Party chairman who died of a stroke in January.

"This victory is very bittersweet," said Titone, who was also on the Working Families Party line. "I would never be here but for John Lavelle's confidence in me. I make a promise to the Lavelle family: I will do my best to make him proud."

"I'm completely ecstatic for Matt," said Lavelle's son, Daniel, who lost a bid for the Democratic nomination for his late father's seat. "I think he will do a perfect job of carrying on my father's legacy."

Speaking at Nino's, Ms. Margarella, 53, said that while many people told her they were sorry about her loss last night, "I'm not sorry. In my heart of hearts, I thank God for putting me here."

"She's to be commended," said borough GOP chairman John Friscia. "Rose ran a good, honest, reputable campaign."

Alexander, 50, could not be reached for comment last night.

A CONTROVERSY

Tobacco lived in Arizona for six months last year, and with the state constitution mandating that Assembly candidates live in the district for 12 months before election day, Tabacco and others had said Tobacco was ineligible to run.

"Talk about a carpetbagger," Mulia, 53, said at the Staaten. "As soon as a seat came up, he came back."

But Tobacco said voters responded to his message of Albany reform and improving traffic conditions and health care.

"The people of the South Shore care about the issues," said Tobacco, who lost an Assembly election to Eric Vitaliano in 1996. "At the end of the day, that's what they voted."

Tobacco also ran on the Albany Reform Party line.

"The people chose wisely," Rep. Vito Fossella (R-Staten Island/Brooklyn) said in a telephone interview. "Lou Tobacco will serve with honor and distinction in Albany."

The South Shore seat became available when Vincent Ignizio was elected to the City Council in January.

"I'm going to sit back, and stay involved in the community, stay active with the parties and in the communities," said Mulia.

Tabacco, 26, who handed out rubber stamps with his name on them to voters so they wouldn't misspell his name in the voting booth, said he was "really happy" with his results.

"I think it says something," he said. "People want choices, they want new leadership. They want new faces in politics. Next time we'll be on the ballot and it'll be a different ballgame."

Friscia called Tabacco's campaign "entertaining" and "amusing."

"Maybe it's a cry for attention that he's not receiving in other parts of his life," Friscia said.

Tom Wrobleski may be reached at wrobleski@siadvance.com. Read his polit.bureau blog at http://www.silive.com/newslogs/politics/

For all information related to this story please see:
http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1175083204140580.xml&coll=1

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 10:01 AM | Permalink

LITTLE ROCK -- A bill to ban gay people and unmarried couples from adopting children or becoming foster parents failed to clear a House committee Tuesday.Senate Bill 959 by Sen. Shawn Womack, R-Mountain Home, failed in a voice vote in the House Judiciary Committee. The measure passed in the Senate this month in a 20-7 vote.

The bill failed for lack of a motion when it came before the House committee Tuesday morning, but in the afternoon Rep. Jim Woods, R-Springdale, who supported the bill, asked for a vote."I suspect a lot of (lawmakers) will get phone calls over the next few days, and a lot of House members will be upset that they didn't get a chance to vote on this," Womack said after the afternoon vote.Womack did not rule out another try on the bill, however, saying "that depends on when we go home."

The bill is a response to a June 2006 state Supreme Court decision upholding a lower court ruling that struck down a state regulation banning gays from becoming foster parents.
Pulaski County Circuit Judge Timothy Fox ruled in December 2004 that in imposing the ban the state Child Welfare Review Board overstepped the authority granted by the Legislature.

After the ruling, the state stopped asking prospective foster parents about their sexual orientation.Womack testified Tuesday his bill would not be unconstitutional. The courts struck down the state regulation only on the basis of separation of powers, he said."

They did not go to the issue of whether this was unconstitutional on its face," Womack said.

He said a Florida law banning adoption by gays has been challenged and upheld three times. He also noted Gov. Mike Beebe said during his campaign a child raised by gay parents might be stigmatized.

Asked Tuesday about Womack's bill, Beebe said he has "constitutional concerns with, not one aspect of it, but virtually all of it."Several committee members raised concerns about the bill."What about somebody who five years ago engaged in a homosexual act but otherwise has been a heterosexual?" asked Rep. David Johnson, D-Little Rock.

Womack said prospective adoptive or foster parents would be asked to state their sexual orientation. Later, Womack added, "Well, what if we have someone that's a sex offender from years ago?"

"If I were a homosexual and I wanted to adopt, I just don't mark the box, and then someone has an idea that I am a homosexual, how would they follow up and how would they prove that?" asked Rep. David "Bubba" Powers, D-Hope."

They would put on evidence for the court to make a determination, just like they would on any other aspect of your qualifications," Womack said.Walt McKay of Mountain Home, a licensed counselor, testified children, especially those who have been put up for adoption or removed from their home, need a stable environment.

"Statistically, homosexuals and heterosexuals who aren't married are not able to provide it," he said.

Rep. Kathy Webb, D-Little Rock, asked McKay if he was aware of research by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association which suggests the development, adjustment and well-being of children with homosexual parents does not differ greatly from that of children with heterosexual parents.

"It's really difficult to find an unbiased opinion on either side," McKay said.Rep. Steve Harrelson, D-Texarkana, asked McKay if he believed a 60-year-old celibate homosexual without a partner would be unable to provide a healthy environment for a child.

"I'd have to take that on a case-by-case basis," McKay said"And that's exactly what I'm asking DHS to do," Harrelson said.The committee heard testimony from two teenagers who have been raised by homosexuals. Shay Stout, 15, of Shannon Hills, testified that he has never been harassed by his peers because he has lesbian parents.

Devon Bearden, 15, of Little Rock, said she has been in a home with a mother and a father and in a home with her lesbian grandmother, and "the best one was with my nana."

Woods proposed an amendment to the bill allowing a gay person to adopt a child if he or she is related to the child. The bill already includes an exception allowing an unmarried cohabiting adult to adopt a relative.

The committee rejected the amendment in a voice vote.

"I don't believe anybody should be adopted or go into a home that doesn't have a male figure and a female figure in the house, unless they're blood related," Woods said in an interview.

Johnson said he voted against adopting the amendment because he did not believe it made the bill better. He said he opposed the bill because "the Legislature should stay away from excluding an entire class of people, many of whom may be very well qualified to be foster parents or adoptive parents."

The Morning News' Doug Thompson contributed to this report.

For all information related to this story please see:
http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/2007/03/28/topics/assembly07/032807lrleggayban.txt

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 11:49 PM | Permalink

Tampa Bay Newspapers

Largo Leader

By Suzette Porter

LARGO – After listening to opinions for almost six hours, the Largo City Commission voted, 5-2, to fire long-time City Manager Steve Stanton just after midnight on Saturday.

Mayor Pat Gerard and Commissioner Rodney Woods voted against the resolution to terminate the city manager’s contract.

Stanton has been on paid administrative leave since Feb. 27 when the council first approved, 5-2, a resolution spearheaded by Commissioner Mary Gray Black to begin the termination proceedings. The vote came less than a week after Stanton made a public announcement that he was transgendered and planned to undergo gender reassignment.

Largo’s city charter includes a provision that allowed Stanton to request a public hearing, which was scheduled on Friday, March 23.

Stanton’s attorney Karen Doering began Friday’s proceeding shortly after 6 p.m. Stanton’s plan had been to educate the public and the commission. His hope had been to change the mind of at least one commissioner. The city’s charter requires a minimum of five commissioners to support termination of a city manager’s contract.

On his side, Stanton had the testimony of two successful transgendered women as well as a medical expert described by Doering as the leading authority in the United States and internationally on transgendered persons.

Stanton took almost 30 minutes to tell his story. He told the commissioners that the position of Largo City Manager was more than a job. He said it was his “passion.” About 70 people, from as far away as Jacksonville and Lakeland, took their turn at the podium. Several came from Tampa, including a few USF students. At least 14 were transgendered. Not quite half of the speakers were from Largo.

The majority, almost 70 percent, asked the commission to reconsider its decision. Not all the speakers were in support of Stanton. Some admitted they didn’t even know the man. They urged the commission to vote for diversity in the work place. Many said the decision to terminate the city manager’s was job discrimination. Religious leaders asked commissioners to show compassion.

Speakers supporting the decision to fire the city manager urged commissioners to not listen to “outsiders” and to continue to hold firm and “do the right thing for Largo.” Some were employees or relatives of employees who had been fired by Stanton. Several used religious doctrine to support their opinion that Stanton must go.

But all the words, the many wearing T-shirts that said “Don’t Discriminate,” and a bomb scare, didn’t sway the five who in the end stuck with their initial decision that it was time for Stanton to go.

Gerard and Commissioner Gay Gentry thanked Stanton for his 17 years of service and 14 years of work as city manager.

“I join the mayor in thanking Steve for his service,” Gentry said. “I hope he will continue to be my friend.”

For all information related to this story please see:
http://www.tbnweekly.com/pubs/largo_leader/content_articles/032407_lle-01.txt

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 1:29 PM | Permalink

Note: Please view a wonderful 8 minute documentary video on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. This is something you may want to see and share with your family and friends. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQDP0_Y3UmU

March 20, 2007

6:00 pm.

The following was written by Ken Ahonen-Jover of Equality Giving:

Juan Ahonen-Jover, of Equality Giving, welcomed the callers and then introduced Dixon Osburn, Esq. the Executive Director and Founder of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network.

Equality Giving arranged a conference call with Dixon Osburn, Esq. for South Florida residents and friends of Equality Giving to update us all on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” lawsuits in place, and what we can expect in the coming months.

Freedom Democrats were on this call.

Dixon started off by saying that this has been a very busy year so far for SLDN. He mentioned that SLDN was founded in 1993 in response to the new "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" (DADT) law banning gays and lesbians in the military that congress passed and President Clinton signed. SLDN provides free legal services to servicemembers hurt by the law, coordinates with other legal organizations (such as the ACLU), and has created legislation to overturn DADT.

Dixon then gave examples of how the law has affected servicemembers, who where outed various ways such as by simply holding hands for two seconds, giving a quick kiss on the cheek, having their personal diaries confiscated, or when they requested leave to attend to their dying partners back home. Discharge from the military under the DADT policy leads to loss of all retirement benefits and being labeled as a "homosexual" on official military discharge documents.

Since 1993, over 11,000 servicemembers have been discharged under the DADT law, though there was a 52% decline in discharges after 9/11, which is consistent with other drops in discharge rates during war time.

Some of the discharges include servicemembers with critical skills such as Arabic translators and physicians, and some were top graduates at military academies. Many have been discharged despite the objection of their own supervising commanders.

With regards to legal challenges, their case of Cook v Gates includes 12 plaintiffs who are simply asking for their jobs back to serve their country. Oral arguments were heard on March 7th, but a decision is not expected until the fall. This case has the potential to win while past cases had failed, since the plaintiffs are using the new, favorable Lawrence v Texas Supreme Court ruling, while past cases had lost based on the unfavorable Bowers v Hardwick ruling.

Regarding the legislative process, SLDN has put forth the "Military Readiness Enhancement Act" which currently has 115 co-sponsors, including three Republicans.

Recent polls show that American public support of repeal of DADT is about 80%. A poll of Iraq war veterans showed that 78% of them support having gay or lesbian servicemembers working beside them, and 23% knew of an openly gay or lesbian member.

Pace's recent statement that he thinks homosexuality is immoral and therefore gays and lesbians should not serve in the military has brought the issue of DADT back into the news, and several prominent GOP politicians have stated that they now support repeal of DADT though they voted for it in 1993.

While all this shows progress towards legislative repeal of DADT, Dixon emphasized that the exact timing is critical because it must come up for a vote only when it is certain to win. Otherwise a loss would be a tough setback.

Questions from the callers included asking Dixon the reason why SLDN and other LGBTQ organizations chose to call for an apology from Pace rather than a resignation. Dixon said that calling for an apology was a more respectable approach that could bring in more people to influence the desired result.

Another caller questioned what strategies to use to get the 2008 presidential candidates on board to repeal DADT. Dixon said that the key is to get them fully educated on the issue as well as the other issues pending such as ENDA and Hate Crimes.

Dixon concluded the call by saying that he is available to answer other questions from donors or give advice or assistance in any way he can. Their website is http://www.blogger.com/www.SLDN.org and his email address is cdo@sldn.org.

The call started at 5:00 pm ended at 5:30 pm EDT.

Please view a wonderful 8 minute documentary video on “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell”. This is something you may want to see and share with your family and friends.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQDP0_Y3UmU

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 1:11 PM | Permalink

FROM THE DESK OF JOE SOLMONESE, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN FUND ("HRC")

Please go to http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/actioncenter/home.html to learn about and act on advocay campaigns from HRC.


"This week the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act will be re-introduced in the House of Representatives. This crucial legislation seeks to give local law enforcement agencies extra tools and resources they need to prevent and combat hate violence.

Despite the progress that our community has made in combating anti-gay bigotry and discrimination, today one in six reported hate crimes are motivated by the victim’s sexual orientation. It’s even more startling to realize that today’s federal laws don’t include any protections for people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.

We've waited too long for comprehensive hate crimes legislation. It has been almost a decade since Matthew Shepard was brutally attacked and killed in Laramie, Wyoming for being gay.

Just weeks ago, Andrew Athos, a 72-year old Detroit resident, was riding home on a city bus when another male passenger asked him if he was gay. The man subsequently followed Andrew to his apartment, attacked him and beat him with a pipe so severely that his injuries left him paralyzed from the neck down and unable to speak above a whisper. Anthony ultimately passed away on February 25 as the result of this attack.

In New York City, a few months before Anthos's murder, 29-year old Michael Sandy was also killed in an antigay assault where he was beaten, chased into traffic on a busy highway, hit by a car, and then dragged off the road and attacked a second time by his assailants.

Hate crimes legislation that includes sexual orientation and gender identity must be put into law this year.

Here are the steps we need you to take today:

* Click here to determine if your Senators or Representatives have pledged their support for ending hate violence against members of our community by co-sponsoring the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

* If your Representative or Senators are co-sponsors, use the link above to go to a page where you can send them a Thank You message for their support.

* If your Representative or Senators are are not currently co-sponsors, use the link to send a message urging them to immediately become a co-sponsor of this vital legislation.

After more than a decade of having updated hate crimes legislation derailed by the anti-gay leaders in Congress, we now have an unprecedented opportunity to put in place this and other key federal protections and rights for our community. Let's work together to make this happen."

Sincerely,
Joe Solmonese
Executive Director, HRC

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 9:51 AM | Permalink

March 19 -- As reported from Equality Florida

Throughout last week, nearly 100 Equality Florida supporters and coalition members traveled from across Florida to lobby their lawmakers for Safes Schools and / or Fair Adoption laws.
The highlight of our week was when we learned that students had picked up the support of Governor Crist for an inclusive bill that specifically prohibits the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity.

More importantly, our issues continue to take center stage in hearings over the coming weeks and your continued involvement can help make Florida a more tolerant and accepting place for LGBT citizens.

Safe Schools Lobby Days - Students Gain Support of Governor


Nearly 50 students, parents, teachers and child advocates arrived in the Capitol on Monday and, over the course of two days, lobbied lawmakers as part of the Safe Schools Coalition's Annual Lobby Days. Students asked legislators to pass an anti-bullying bill that includes specific prohibitions against the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity / expression.

On Tuesday, our students got a vote of support from the highest level of government. Governor Crist stated his support for an inclusive bill that specifically prohibits the most common forms of bullying: physical appearance, sexual orientation and gender identity.

The anti-bullying bill, "Jeffrey Johnston Stand Up For All Students Act," is named for Cape Coral teenager who killed himself in 2005 after being bullied for years. Those taunts often included anti-gay insults and accusations. If passed, the law would define "bullying" and direct schools to set up clear rules for how to handle threatening behavior and provide training for teacher.

The bill currently defines "sexual, religious or racial harassment" as bullying, but makes no mention of the three most common forms of harassment in Florida schools.

Nadine Smith, Equality Florida Executive Director, testified at a House K-12 Education Committee hearing last Tuesday, and told lawmakers that, without an amendment, the bill would leave students unprotected. Nadine also had a chance to tell the committee about an awful incident that had just happened to three of our students who went to lobby Rep. Alan Hays (R- Umatilla).

According to Jess Osborn: "After telling him my story he proceeded to say he was repulsed by homosexuals and we needed extensive psychological treatment."

The actions of Rep. Hays, this verbal attack on students by a member of the Florida Legislature poignantly illustrates exactly why specific prohibitions of anti-gay harassment are needed. With bigoted leaders like Rep. Hays, we can't leave it to chance that LGBT students will be protected from harassment and violence in Florida's schools.

Adoption Lobby Days

Over two days, nearly 35 families, parents, social workers and other child advocates from across the state called on the Florida Legislature to pass a bill that would allow children to be adopted by gay foster parents. If passed, the legislation would also permit a gay individual to adopt a child if that person is named as the child's guardian and the biological parents of the child are deceased.


Florida is the only state with a statutory ban that prevents a child from being adopted by a person, no matter how well qualified, simply because the person is gay. The legislation, SB 1012 and HB 789, would allow a judge to determine whether such an adoption is in the best interests of the child.

Our focus now is getting the bills heard in committees, not an easy thing to do. There's a lot of resistance to even talking about changing the 30-year-old adoption ban and this is one place you can help.

We're working with and handful of lawmakers, such as Sen. Nan Rich and Rep. Brandenburg, who are willing to champion fair adoption laws. In the coming days and weeks, we will need
you, our E-Activists, to contact lawmakers and ask them to support fair adoption laws in Florida.

For all information related to this story please see:
www.EQFL.org

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 9:43 AM | Permalink

PRESS RELEASE From The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Roberta Sklar, Communications Director
(Office) 646.358.1465
(Cell) 917.704.6358
rsklar@theTaskForce.org





Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, leader of Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, and Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, blocked traffic and were arrested next to the Times Square Armed Forces Recruiting Station.
Credit: Inga Sarda-Sorensen


WASHINGTON, March 15 — Matt Foreman, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, leader of Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, were arrested outside the Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square this afternoon in protest of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy and Gen. Peter Pace’s recent comments that homosexuality is “immoral.”

The arrests were part of a noontime demonstration in which protestors demanded that Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, be fired. Members of ACT UP, Queer Justice League and others held an enormous rainbow flag that stretched around the crowd, while additional demonstrators spoke in front of an enormous English- and Arabic-language banner that said “We Will Not Be Silent.”

Foreman, Kleinbaum and longtime movement leader Larry Kramer repeatedly knocked on the door of the recruiting station; the doors remained closed. Next, Foreman and Kleinbaum stretched the rainbow banner across Broadway, in the heart of Times Square, fully blocking traffic. When police confiscated the banner, Foreman and Kleinbaum sat in the street and were promptly arrested.

Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

“The equation is simple: General Pace has got to apologize or resign. No more, no less. Politicians and those on the campaign trail have got to stop equivocating over the validity of his remarks. They should simply call him out for what he is — a dangerous bigot.”

For all information related to this story please see:
www.TheTaskForce.org

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 10:25 AM | Permalink

From Senator Hillary Clinton

As reported on The Hotline: http://hotlineblog.nationaljournal.com/archives/2007/03/hrc_homosexuali.html

"Well I've heard from a number of my friends and I've certainly clarified with them any misunderstanding that anyone had, because I disagree with General Pace completely. I do not think homosexuality is immoral. But the point I was trying to make is that this policy of Don't Ask, Don't Tell is not working. I have been against it for many years because I think it does a grave injustice to patriotic Americans who want to serve their country.

And so I have called for its repeal and I'd like to follow the lead of our allies like, Great Britain and Israel and let people who wish to serve their country be able to join and do so. And then let the uniform code of military justice determine if conduct is inappropriate or unbecoming. That's fine. That's what we do with everybody. But let's not be eliminating people because of who they are or who they love."

From Senator Barack Obama

As reported from the head of his Florida Campaign Office:

From: Bill Burton [mailto:bburton@barackobama.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2007 3:20 PM
To: 'Bill Burton'; 'Dan Pfeiffer'
Subject: Statement from Senator Obama on General Pace

“As the New York Times reported today, I do not agree with General Pace that homosexuality is immoral. Attempts to divide people like this have consumed too much of our politics over the past six years.”

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 4:17 PM | Permalink

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE STONEWALL DEMOCRATS

Stonewall Democrats Statement on Comments by Senators Clinton and Obama Democrats Must be Clear in Speaking of Morality and American Families

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, March 15, 2007

Washington, DC - Today, the National Stonewall Democrats issued the following statement in response to remarks made by Senators Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Barack Obama (D-IL) when each was asked to clarify if a same-sex sexual orientation made someone immoral.

Both Senators have refused to answer the question which followed comments made by Marine General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, to the editorial board of the Chicago Tribune in which called American service personnel immoral:

"Most Democrats understand, and should understand, that morality isn't derived from sexual orientation or gender identity. Morality is how you treat your neighbor, support your community and sacrifice for your family and country. When I tuck my daughter into bed at night, those are the values I teach her. We expect Democratic candidates and elected officials to reaffirm those same values, to speak up when families or individuals are scapegoated or maligned for political gain, and to proactively argue the benefits of treating all Americans equally under the law without regard to their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Morality is also embodied in action. Our Democratic presidential candidates support employment non-discrimination legislation, the extension of health care benefits to our families, and oppose constitutional amendments that attack lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people for political gain. Those are moral actions and positions that each candidate should be proud to campaign on.

National Stonewall Democrats looks forward to further working with our Democratic candidates so that, in the future, they can speak with moral clarity and continue to positively partner with our community."

- Jo Wyrick, Executive Director, National Stonewall Democrats

In comments reported this week by the Chicago Tribune, General Peter Pace unfavorably compared homosexuality to adultery, saying he believed both were immoral. "I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is okay to be immoral in any way," Pace said. ""I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts."

Senators Clinton and Obama were each asked, in response to the comments made by General Pace, if sexual orientation was an immoral trait. Each Senator, so far, has declined to answer the question.

Congressman Marty Meehan (D-MA) has recently introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act that would revoke the current policy on gay personnel. The removal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue" policy is supported by leading Democrats and is the official position of the Democratic Party as espoused in the 2004 platform of the Democratic National Convention.
------
National Stonewall Democrats is the only national organization of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender Democrats, with more than 90 local chapters across the nation. NSD is committed to working through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

For all information related to this story please see:

www.StonewallDemocrats.org

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 2:30 PM | Permalink

(Miami) Earlier today, U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore denied the Okeechobee School Board's motion to dismiss the a lawsuit brought by members of the Gay-S traight Alliance of Okeechobee High School.

"We are hopeful that Judge Moore will now quickly grant a preliminary injunction so that all Okeechobee students, both straight and gay, can finish this school year in a climate that is safe and free from discrimination," said the GSA's lawyer, Rob Rosenwald of the ACLU of Florida.
"We are confident that at the end of the day the school board will have to cease discriminating and right its wrongs," Rosenwald added.

The ACLU is seeking a preliminary injunction on behalf of the Okeechobee High School students so that they can meet on school grounds – as other extracurricular clubs already do – while the lawsuit proceeds. The lawsuit ultimately seeks a permanent injunction to guarantee equal access for the Okeechobee GSA. Under the federal Equal Access Act, schools that allow one club to meet on campus are required to allow any club to meet on campus.

Full Story as written on ACLU website:

http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/youth/29025prs20070313.html

Judge Rejects Okeechobee School Board’s Attempt to Block Gay-Straight Alliance Anti-Discrimination Lawsuit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: media@aclu.org

OKEECHOBEE, FL – The American Civil Liberties Union of Florida today applauded U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore’s decision to deny the Okeechobee School Board’s motion to dismiss the case alleging discrimination against gay and straight students at Okeechobee High School. “Today was a major victory for the students of the Okeechobee Gay-Straight Alliance.

We are pleased that Judge Moore found that the Okeechobee County School Board can be held liable for its violation of these students’ federally guaranteed rights,” said Rob Rosenwald, Director of the ACLU of Florida’s LGBT Advocacy Project.

“We are hopeful that Judge Moore will now quickly grant a preliminary injunction so that all Okeechobee students, both straight and gay, can finish this school year in a climate that is safe and free from discrimination.”

The ACLU is seeking a preliminary injunction on behalf of the Okeechobee High School students so that they can meet on school grounds – as other non-curricular clubs already do – while the lawsuit proceeds. The lawsuit ultimately seeks guaranteed equal access for the Okeechobee GSA. Under the federal Equal Access Act, schools that allow one club to meet on campus are required to allow any club to meet on campus. The ACLU has won several similar cases across the country, most recently in White County, Georgia.

“We are confident that at the end of the day the school board will have to cease discriminating and right its wrongs,” Rosenwald said. Additionally, because Judge Moore found that the school board can be held liable to the GSA students, the ACLU agreed to release Okeechobee High School principal Toni Wiersma from the lawsuit.

The original hearing on the defendants’ motion was held in Miami on Wednesday, February 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. Gay-Straight Alliance of Okeechobee high School et al v. Okeechobee School Board was filed in U.S. Federal Court on November 15, 2006. Counsel for the case include Rosenwald and Randall Marshall, ACLU of Florida Legal Director.

More information can be found at: www.aclufl.org/issues/lesbian_gay_rights/index.cfm.

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 9:44 PM | Permalink

From Governor Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee --

"When Ann Coulter said what she did the other day, everyone came down
on her. Her own party was mortified, as they should have been. It is
wrong to discriminate. It is wrong to call folks out for who they
are and this party isn't going to do it because we welcome everybody
you can think of in the Democratic Party because we are all
Americans, we all serve, we all go to the military when we need to. I thought what Peter Pace said was wrong the other day.

Because there are 65,000 gay people in America supporting
[applause] some have died for their country. How many of you know
that the first soldier who was wounded in the line of duty in Iraq
was a gay man? We need leadership at the top that understands the
sacrifices of the troops in the field. That's what we need."

--
DNC Chairman Howard Dean

3/14/07

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 9:28 PM | Permalink

PRESS RELEASE FROM THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE

MEDIA CONTACTRoberta Sklar, Director of Communicationsmedia@theTaskForce.org646.358.1465

WASHINGTON, March 13 — U.S. Marine Corps General Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and principal military advisor to President George W. Bush, said yesterday to the Chicago Tribune that lesbian, gay and bisexual service members are “immoral.” Pace said, “I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.” He elaborated by comparing homosexuality to adultery, declaring that “I would not want [acceptance of gay behavior] to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else’s wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behavior.”

Statement by Matt Foreman, Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

“It’s hard to compound the immorality of ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,’ but General Pace has done it. His statements are not only an insult to the 65,000 lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in the military, serving their country in wartime while being forced to conceal their sexual orientation, they are an affront to all gay Americans and our families.

“What’s immoral? The reality that Don’t Ask Don’t Tell has resulted in the discharges of an estimated 10,000 service members, including 50 specialists in Arabic, according to a 2005 government audit.

“What’s immoral? The reality that Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, one of Pace’s own fighting men and thought to be the first seriously wounded soldier in the war in Iraq, could only come out to his combat buddies and friends after he retired from the Marine Corps.

“What’s immoral? The war in Iraq.

“We join the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network in calling for a prompt and unconditional apology from General Pace — not his lame statement of ‘regret’ — and if he fails to do that, his prompt dismissal.”

For all information related to this article please see:
http://www.thetaskforce.org/press/releases/prMF_031407

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 5:45 PM | Permalink

From Democracy for America
Tom Hughes
Executive Director

“Senator John Edwards wants you to know where he stands on Iraq.

Last month, Democracy for America members petitioned the presidential candidates to oppose any escalation of the Iraq War, demand a swift end to the occupation, and propose a plan that brings our brave men and women home. We delivered over thirty thousand signatures and comments to every candidate and asked them to respond.

Senator Edwards took time to shoot a video response to you and we are excited to make it available today:

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/edwardsresponse

Senator Edwards believes Congress should use their funding authority "to force George Bush to steadily bring troops out of Iraq." He believes troop levels should be "capped initially at one hundred thousand" and wants all combat troops out of Iraq in about a year. Senator Edwards closes his remarks with a thank you:

"Thank you for organizing at a grassroots level and building a movement to try to end this war in Iraq... and for helping build a movement to deal with all the big issues that matter in this country."

http://www.democracyforamerica.com/edwardsresponse

This video is just the beginning.

Over the next several months, DFA members will work together to pressure the presidential candidates on the most important issues. The road to the Democratic nomination is a long one and each candidate will be working hard for your endorsement and your vote. Victory in 2008 is up to us.

Thank you for everything you do,

Tom Hughes
Executive Director

P.S. John Edwards is the first candidate to answer your call for a direct response. If you like what you see and hear, I encourage you to sign up for his campaign and help in any way you can:

http://www.johnedwards.com

That said, this message should not be construed as an endorsement of Senator Edward's candidacy. In the months ahead other candidates for president will be reaching out to Democracy for America members too, because you have the power to shape the presidential primaries in a way no one else can.”

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 2:41 PM | Permalink

CALL TO ACTION from HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN and Sgt. Eric Alva (ret.)

From Sgt. Eric Alva (ret.), writing from The Human Rights Campaign in Washington DC

Dear Friend,

Yesterday, Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Chicago Tribune that he supports the Pentagon’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” ban on gays serving in the military because homosexual acts “are immoral,” and compared it to an adulterous affair with the spouse of another service member.

It’s this kind of blind prejudice against the estimated thousands of gay and lesbian military personnel that defend our nation each and every day that is truly immoral.

In fact, Sen. John Warner, R-Va., ranking member on the Senate Armed Services Committee issued a statement today opposing Gen. Pace's comments. "I respectfully, but strongly disagree with the chairman's view that homosexuality is immoral," Warner said.

Earlier this month, I announced that I am a gay American as I stood with Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA) to introduce the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” It was one of my proudest moments when I told Americans across the country that my sacrifice as the first US military wounded in Iraq was for all Americans, including members of the GLBT community.

Please join me in sending a message to Gen. Pace and our nation’s leaders that this type of discrimination is wrong.

I urge you to contact the Department of Defense and the White House today to demand that General Pace apologize for his bigoted remarks. You can use the talking points at the bottom of this email to help compose your messages.

To contact the Department of Defense, click here.
To contact the White House, email:comments@whitehouse.gov
To thank Senator Warner for his comment, clickhere.
To take further action, please contact your Representative and encourage them to become a co-sponsor of the Military Readiness Enhancement Act, legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Yours,

Sgt. Eric Alva (ret.)

Suggested Talking Points:

1. The vast majority of Americans support the right of service members to serve openly and honestly, and the majority of service members are comfortable serving alongside gay and lesbian troops.

2. Judging gay men and women in the military for factors unrelated to their willingness and ability to serve our country undermines our military’s effectiveness.

3. "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" poses exorbitant costs to the military and nation.

4. This kind of prejudice is going to continue to have a direct impact on our national security as we fire qualified gay, lesbian and bisexual members of the military for no good reason.

5. General Pace’s bigotry must be condemned and he should immediately apologize to the nation and the estimated tens of thousands gay, lesbian and bisexual individuals currently serving in the military.

6. President Bush should also demand an apology from General Pace.

For all information related to this piece please see:
http://www.hrc.org/

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 12:30 PM | Permalink

By PAULINE JELINEK, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon's top general expressed regret Tuesday that he called homosexuality immoral, a remark that drew a harsh condemnation from members of Congress and gay advocacy groups.

In a newspaper interview Monday, Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had likened homosexual acts to adultery and said the military should not condone it by allowing gays to serve openly in the armed forces.

In a statement Tuesday, he said he should have focused more in the interview on the Defense Department policy about gays — and "less on my personal moral views."

He did not offer an apology, something that had been demanded by gay rights groups.
"General Pace's comments are outrageous, insensitive and disrespectful to the 65,000 lesbian and gay troops now serving in our armed forces," the advocacy group Servicemembers Legal Defense Network said in a statement on its Web site.

The group, which has represented some of the thousands dismissed from the military for their sexual orientation, demanded an apology.

Pace's senior staff members said earlier that the general was expressing his personal opinion and did not intend to apologize. They spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not allowed to speak on the record.

Rep. Martin Meehan, who has introduced legislation to repeal the current policy, criticized Pace's comments.

"General Pace's statements aren't in line with either the majority of the public or the military," said the Massachusetts Democrat. "He needs to recognize that support for overturning (the policy) is strong and growing" and that the military is "turning away good troops to enforce a costly policy of discrimination."

In an interview Monday with the Chicago Tribune, Pace was asked about the "don't ask, don't tell" policy that allows gays and lesbians to serve if they keep their sexual orientation private and don't engage in homosexual acts.

Pace said he supports the policy, which became law in 1994 and prohibits commanders from asking about a person's sexual orientation.

"I believe that homosexual acts between individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace said in the audio recording of the interview posted on the Tribune's Web site. "I do not believe that the armed forces of the United States are well served by a saying through our policies that it's OK to be immoral in any way."

Pace, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and a 1967 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, said he based his views on his upbringing.

"As an individual, I would not want (acceptance of gay behavior) to be our policy, just like I would not want it to be our policy that if we were to find out that so-and-so was sleeping with somebody else's wife, that we would just look the other way, which we do not. We prosecute that kind of immoral behavior," he said, according to the audio and a transcript released by his staff.

The newspaper said Pace did not address concerns raised by a 2005 government audit that showed some 10,000 troops, including more than 50 specialists in Arabic, have been discharged because of the policy.

Louis Vizcaino, spokesman for the gay rights group Human Rights Campaign, said Pace's comments were "insulting and offensive to the men and women ... who are serving in the military honorably."

"Right now there are men and women that are in the battle lines, that are in the trenches, they're serving their country," Vizcaino said. "Their sexual orientation has nothing to do with their capability to serve in the U.S. military."

"Don't ask, don't tell" was passed by Congress in 1993 after a firestorm of debate in which advocates argued that allowing homosexuals to serve openly would hurt troop morale and recruitment and undermine the cohesion of combat units.

John Shalikashvili, the retired Army general who was Joint Chiefs chairman when the policy was adopted, said in January that he has changed his mind on the issue since meeting with gay servicemen.

"These conversations showed me just how much the military has changed, and that gays and lesbians can be accepted by their peers," Shalikashvili wrote in a newspaper opinion piece.

For all information related to this article please see:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070313/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/military_gays_14

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 3:15 PM | Permalink

Washington, DC – Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) today strongly condemned remarks by General Peter Pace, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, calling lesbian and gay personnel “immoral.” In an interview with The Chicago Tribune, Pace said that "I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts.”

He went on to reiterate his support for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” by saying that “I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way.” SLDN demanded that General Pace apologize for his remarks.

“General Pace’s comments are outrageous, insensitive and disrespectful to the 65,000 lesbian and gay troops now serving in our armed forces,” said C. Dixon Osburn, the group’s executive director. “Our men and women in uniform make tremendous sacrifices for our country, and deserve General Pace’s praise, not his condemnation. As a Marine and a military leader, General Pace knows that prejudice should not dictate policy. It is inappropriate for the Chairman to condemn those who serve our country because of his own personal bias. He should immediately apologize for his remarks.”

General Pace likened homosexuality to adultery, which he said was also immoral, The Tribune reported on its Web site. He also announced his opposition to Congressional legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

The Williams Project at the University of California-Los Angeles estimates at least 65,000 lesbian and gay Americans are currently serving on active duty and the reserves. Another 1 million gay Americans, the group has estimated, are veterans of the armed forces.

“Regardless of one’s opinion about ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’ every service member deserves respect,” said Osburn. “Secretary of Defense Gates should immediately condemn Pace’s remarks. Their apologies should be swift and sincere.”

For all information related to this story please see:
http://www.sldn.org/templates/press/record.html?record=3652&section=2

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 2:17 PM | Permalink

From CQ Weekly

By Shawn Zeller

The Bush era has been tough on the gay rights lobby, to put things mildly. The president’s support for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, by some accounts, was the wedge issue that allowed the president to win his close 2004 re-election. And the anti-gay slur by conservative pundit Ann Coulter at this month’s Conservative Political Action Committee conference in Washington dramatizes anew the clear split between most of the conservative movement and the campaign for gay equality.

But gay activists are regrouping, now that the Bush administration continues to lose popular support and a Democratic Congress is in power. The first priority, they say, is to move two pieces of long-stalled legislation targeting hate crimes and workplace discrimination against gays and lesbians. Getting both bills enacted — a goal that leaders say is well within their reach — would mark the gay rights movement’s first substantial legislative victories in Washington this decade.

“We are no longer on the defensive, spending time and resources fighting the federal marriage amendment,” says Allison Herwitt, legislative director for the Human Rights Campaign, the country’s largest gay rights group. “We can now pursue proactive legislation.”

Eleven years ago the Senate rejected, by just one vote, legislation that would have outlawed bias against homosexuals in most American workplaces; other bids to revive the bill during the GOP’s reign on Capitol Hill came up empty. Legislation that would make crimes motivated by hatred of gays a federal offense have come closer to becoming law. The House included such language in a measure targeting sex offenders in 2005, but the language was abandoned later in the process. The Senate has added hate-crime amendments to bills in 1999, 2000 and 2004, but each time the provisions have been dropped in conference negotiations with the House.

Now House Judiciary Chairman John Conyers Jr., a Michigan Democrat, is preparing to introduce a bill federalizing gay hate crimes and providing resources to law enforcement agencies and prosecutors to target such cases. Its backers say a floor vote is expected this spring.

Gay rights activists also believe that the job- discrimination bill could be on the House floor as early as this summer. It will be introduced soon by Democrats Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Republicans Deborah Pryce of Ohio and Christopher Shays of Connecticut. Last month, the HRC announced that it had joined forces with the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force to marshal stories of workplace bias as part of the bill’s lobbying push.

Democrat Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts will likely captain the effort behind both bills in the Senate.

The Human Rights Campaign also is looking to move legislation that would permit employees and companies to make pretax payments toward a same-sex domestic partner’s medical costs. That bill will be sponsored, in all likelihood, by Democratic Rep. Jim McDermott of Washington and two senators, Democrat Charles E. Schumer of New York and Republican Gordon H. Smith of Oregon.

To kick off the new legislative agenda, a group of 300 HRC members came to Washington from around the country for a lobbying day this month — the group’s largest turnout ever, according to spokesman Brad Luna. Among the activists was former Marine Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, who was wounded in Iraq in 2003. He joined with Democratic Rep. Martin T. Meehan of Massachusetts when Meehan introduced a bill to end the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy barring gays in the military.

That same week, New York’s Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton addressed the group’s board. Another Democratic presidential contender, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, is scheduled to speak at an HRC dinner in Los Angeles next week.

Such overtures from the presidential field underline a newly upbeat mood in gay activist circles, Herwitt says: “There is a real excitement in the community. They are motivated.”

Another sign of the times: Social conservatives are already talking as though they will be playing defense. Gay lobbyists are “emboldened by the results in the last election, and they are very well-funded,” says Tom McClusky, vice president for government affairs with the Family Research Council. “On an issue like hate crimes, there are enough Republicans that it could very easily pass.”

For all information on this article please see:
http://www.cqpolitics.com/2007/03/gay_groups_plan_to_go_on_legis.html

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 11:34 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON (AP) - The chairman of the U.S. military's joint chiefs of staff said Monday he considers homosexuality immoral and the military should not condone it by allowing gay soldiers to serve openly, the Chicago Tribune newspaper reported.

Marine Gen. Peter Pace likened homosexuality to adultery, which he said is also immoral, the newspaper reported on its website.

"I do not believe the United States is well served by a policy that says it is OK to be immoral in any way," Pace told the newspaper in a wide-ranging interview.

Pace, a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., and a 1967 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, said he bases his views on his upbringing.

He said he supports the Pentagon's "don't ask, don't tell policy" in which homosexual men and women are allowed in the military as long as they keep their sexual orientation private. The policy, signed into law by former president Bill Clinton in 1994, prohibits commanders from asking about a person's sexual orientation.

"I believe homosexual acts between two individuals are immoral and that we should not condone immoral acts," Pace said.

The newspaper said Pace did not address concerns raised by a 2005 government audit that showed some 10,000 troops, including more than 50 specialists in Arabic, have been discharged because of the policy.

With Democrats in charge of Congress, U.S. Representative Martin Meehan has introduced legislation to reverse the military's ban on homosexuals serving openly.

For all information related to this story please see:
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2007/03/12/3741608-ap.html

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 9:21 PM | Permalink

Stement from Cyndi Lauper:

"This morning on "The Today Show," I announced the launch of the True Colors Music Tour in support of GLBT equality.

I wanted to give Human Rights Campaign members and supporters the exclusive opportunity to purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public.
March 12-14, HRC members & supporters can purchase tickets before they go on sale to the general public.

Check out the dates below or visit:
http://www.hrc.org/truecolors

For the next three days, from March 12-14, HRC members and supporters can purchase tickets before they go on sale beginning March 16. The tour schedule with links to purchase tickets is below. You can use the code "HRC" to get your tickets today!

My older sister Elen taught me to always stand up for what you believe in, and that if you pitch in and do anything -- even something small -- then you are contributing. The True Colors Tour was inspired by my desire to raise awareness about the discrimination the GLBT community faces in this country and bring gay and straight audiences together in support of equality.

I will be traveling to 15 cities across the country this summer along with incredible performers like Debbie Harry, Erasure, The Dresden Dolls, The Gossip and The Misshapes as well as other special guests in select cities like Rufus Wainwright, Rosie O'Donnell and Indigo Girls. I'm also thrilled to announce that Margaret Cho will be the MC for all of the shows! The tour, presented by LOGO, begins June 8 in Las Vegas and ends June 30 in Los Angeles with many stops in between. And HRC will receive a portion of every ticket sold!

You know, I'm not a politician. But I'm a mom, a sister, an aunt, a niece and a friend. And I know that if we stand up together, there's no way they can turn us away.

Thank you and I hope to see you at one of the shows.

Locations & Dates
Click the location below and use the code "HRC" to purchase your pre-sale tickets.
www.hrc.org/truecolors

Las Vegas, NV
MGM Grand Garden Arena
Friday, June 8th

Salt Lake City, UT
USANA Amphitheater
Saturday, June 9th

Denver, CO
Red Rocks Amphitheater
Sunday, June 10th

Chicago, IL
Auditorium Theater
Tuesday, June 12th

Atlantic City, NJ
Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa
Friday, June 15th

Boston, MA
Bank of America Pavilion
Saturday, June 16th

Washington, DC
Merriweather Post Pavilion
Sunday, June 17th

New York, NY
Radio City Music Hall
Monday, June 18th

Toronto, ON
Molson Amphitheater
Tuesday, June 19th

Atlanta, GA
Chastain Park Amphitheater
Thursday, June 21

Dallas, TX
Smirnoff Music Centre
Saturday, June 23rd

Houston, TX
Cynthia Woods
Sunday, June 24

San Diego, CA
SDSU Open Air Theater
Wednesday, June 27

San Francisco, CA
Greek Theatre
Friday, June 29th

Los Angeles, CA
Greek Theatre
Saturday, June 30th"

For all information please see:
http://www.hrc.org/truecolors

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 3:18 PM | Permalink

Assemblyman David R. Parks of Nevada

by Jill Switzer

Freedom Democrats Note: This story come from Assemblyman Parks speaking to the Northern Nevada Stone Wall Democrats.

David Parks was “outed” over 20 years ago in the Las Vegas Sun, after he was fired from his job with the City of Las Vegas for “being gay and dying of AIDS”; this assumption by his employer, based on the fact that he was working on AIDS/HIV issues in his spare time.

When he was first asked to run for State Assembly (Clark County District 41) in 1997, everyone wondered if he could be the first openly gay elected official in the State of Nevada. Ten years later, he’s still there, doing his part to make Nevada a better place to live for all of us. He serves as Chair of the Select Committee on Corrections, Parole and Probation; as Vice Chair of the Taxation Committee; and is a member of the Ways and Means Committee, as well as a subcommittee of that committee.

Assemblyman Parks addressed the March 5th meeting of the Stonewall Democrats of Northern Nevada, giving the twenty or so people in attendance a current legislative update, as well as an interesting history of progress made on LGBT issues in Nevada:

1993 – The sodomy law, which was intended to outlaw homosexual sex rather than heterosexual, was repealed.

1995 – The Hate Crimes Bill, championed by Assemblywoman Jan Evans, was passed.

1999 – The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, with critical assistance from the ACLU, was signed by then-Governor Kenny Guinn. Unfortunately, in order for it to pass, transgender had to be removed from the language of the bill.

2001 – The Safe and Respectful Learning Environment bill was passed. Authored by Assemblyman Parks, it outlined an anti-bullying strategy for public schools, but it had no real “teeth.”

2003 – Assemblyman Parks tried to strengthen the above law, but was met by strong opposition from Janine Hansen and the Eagle Forum.

2003 – Through the Health and Human Services Committee, Parks led a successful bill to expand rights for hospital visitation and end of life decision-making. LGBT partners can now fill out a downloadable form, which hospital personnel must honor.

2005 – Assembly Bill 5, proposed by Parks, was passed. Codifying a policy of nondiscrimination in public accommodation, it was prompted by situations similar to one at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, where two LGBT couples were dining in an expensive restaurant when they got harassed by a large group of people seated close by. Rather than moving either group or reprimanding the harassers, management asked the LGBT couples to leave!

2005 – Parks, with the help of Dr. Joe Hardy, was finally able to pass a bill strengthening his anti-bullying legislation. By law, incidents of harassment/bullying intimidation by all school staff, volunteers or students are to be reported to the Attorney General’s office.

Currently, Assemblyman Parks has two bills in the works: Bill Draft Resolutions 1052 and 1057. BDR 1052 aims at defining repercussions for violating the Nondiscrimination in Public Accommodations law. BDR 1057 will try to update outdated statutes (created around 1989) relating to HIV/AIDS issues. He is also keeping his eye on bills introduced by other members of the Assembly and Senate on which he may be able to add a friendly amendment. He has not seen any bills introduced so far this session that appear to be harmful to the LGBT community.
Parks explained that once a bill is introduced in either house of the legislature, it is referred to a committee, where it is reviewed, possibly reworded and amended. It goes back to the floor for a vote, and if passed, it goes to the second house where it goes through the same process. Parks emphasized that it’s important for citizens to contact committee members either to support or oppose a bill being reviewed. He said the best means of contact is via e-mail, identifying yourself as a constituent. Another option is to lobby (either as individuals or an organized group) lawmakers who are not in support of a bill of interest, but possibly persuadable. If a person has particular knowledge or expertise on a proposed bill, they can go so far as to testify before the reviewing committee.

Assemblyman Parks provided the group with copies of the 2007-2008 Guide to the Nevada State Legislature. All of the information in the booklet, as well as frequent updates on the progress of the legislative session, including the ability to track individual bills, can be found at www.leg.state.nv.us.

After some discussion regarding issues that need to be addressed in upcoming sessions, when the climate will hopefully be more LGBT-friendly (such as clearly defining the term “spouse”; including sexual identity and expression in ENDA; and a Reciprocal Beneficiary Bill, which would allow local government entities to provide domestic partner benefits), Assemblyman Parks ended his presentation by mentioning that he will soon fall victim to term limits unless that statute is overturned. I think our community, and all Nevadans, would lose a faithful and hard-working public servant – unless he could be persuaded to fight the odds, once again, and run for another office?

For all information related to this story please see:
http://www.renoout.com/Stonewall_democrats.html

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 4:04 PM | Permalink

CALL TO ACTION from Human Rights Campaign

Open Letter to Members and Friends,

Please Click Here Now (HRC Campaign)

Yesterday, we asked you to send a message to Lee Salem, Executive Vice President and Editor of Universal Press Syndicate, the media group that syndicates Ann Coulter’s column to demand UPS drop Coulter’s column.

You leaped into action and sent over 20,000 emails to Lee demanding Universal Press Syndicate drop Coulter’s column. By responding so quickly, you sent a strong message that our community will not stand by silently while UPS continues to serve as a platform for hateful and destructive language in the media.

As you may know by now, UPS has flatly defied the protests of thousands of fair-minded Americans nationwide by refusing to stop distributing Coulter’s column. In fact, UPS dismissively replied to many of your emails saying “the many writers and cartoonists we represent call for specific products and we have no legal interest in what they may do or say outside of that relationship.”

Well, we know that Coulter’s use of the demeaning and harmful word “faggot” is so beyond the pale that anyone who uses it should not be given a platform as a respected voice in the political discourse of our country.

UPS said, "of course, any of her subscribing newspapers can drop her column at any time." And that's exactly why we need your help again.

Keep the heat on Coulter by encouraging individual newspapers to not provide platforms to bigots.

Send a message today to the editors of newspapers that have not stepped up to plate by dropping Coulter’s column and demand that these publications stop allowing their pages to be used to spread Coulter’s hate.

Please Click Here Now (HRC Campaign)

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
HRC President

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 5:40 PM | Permalink

Open Letter From:

Rand Hoch
President and Founder
Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc

Dear GLBT Ally,

Yesterday the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council wrote asking you to contact your legislators in our effort to amend the Florida Civil Rights Act to prohibit discrimination based on sexual harassment.

Today's message addresses the other bill we are promoting in Tallahassee. If enacted, this bill will amend the Florida Educational Equity Act to prohibit discrimination against students and employees in Florida's public education system -- from kindergarten through college.

House Bill 609 is sponsored by Representative Shelley Vana (D-West Palm Beach ) and Co-Sponsored (so far) by Representatives Mary Brandenburg (D-West Palm Beach) , Susan Bucher (D-West Palm Beach), Ari Porth (D-Coral Springs) and Priscilla Taylor (D-West Palm Beach).

IF YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT YET A CO-SPONSOR, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY.

For a link to the House Web Page for the bill, which includes a list of current sponsors as well as a link to the complete text of the bill, please go to:

http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=_h0609__.doc&DocumentType=Bill&BillNumber=0609&Session=2007

The companion bill in the Senate, S 2574, was introduced by Senator Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton). The bill number was just assigned, so there are no Co-Introducers so far. For a link to the Senate Web Page for the bill, please go to: http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/index.cfm?Mode=Bills&SubMenu=1&BI_Mode=ViewBillInfo&Year=2007&BillNum=2574

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR AND ASK HIM OR HER TO SIGN ON AS A CO-INTRODUCER TODAY.

For your convenience, "talking points" are included below.

The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council has hired lobbyist Todd Parrish to assist in Tallahassee.

We have been told by many legislators that they do not want to be flooded with e-mails, snail-mail and phone calls on this matter. The most effective way to assist in our efforts is to call the legislators that you know personally and ask them to sign on as Co-Sponsors or Co-Introducers. For those legislators with whom you have a more remote relationship, you may be better off putting something in writing, requesting a meeting

Please do whatever you can do as soon as possible, and keep us posted on your progress.

Thank you.

Rand Hoch, President and Founder
Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc.

P.S. Despite the unjustified firing of Largo's City Manager last week, neither HB 609 nor S 2574 includes "gender expression" or "gender identity". Since harassment of students based on gender expression has been a problem in certain parts of our state, PBCHRC wanted to include "gender expression" in this bill. However, supportive Legislators told us that our best chance for progress would be to first get "sexual orientation" included. Therefore, PBCHRC deferred to their legislative expertise.

________________________________________

TALKING POINTS ON H.B. 609 and S 2574,

BILLS TO AMEND THE FLORIDA EDUCATIONAL EQUITY ACT

TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION AGAINST STUDENTS AND EMPLOYEES

IN FLORIDA'S PUBLIC SCHOOLS (KINDERGARTEN THROUGH COLLEGE)

BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION

Enumeration is the essential device used to make the duty not to discriminate concrete and to provide guidance for those who must comply.

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the Court in Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 (1996)

- - - - - - -

The Florida Educational Equity Act provides, "No person in this state shall, on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, disability, or marital status, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any public K-20 education program or activity, or in any employment conditions or practices, conducted by a public educational institution that receives or benefits from federal or state financial assistance."

The Florida Educational Equity Act does not prohibit discrimination against students and employees of public K-20 schools based on sexual orientation.

"Sexual orientation" means the condition of being heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual.

H,B. 609 and S 2574 would add "sexual orientation" to the list of protected classes in Florida Educational Equity Act.

Polling data for the past thirty years has consistently shown that Americans overwhelmingly support legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment and housing based on sexual orientation.

In May 2006, the Gallup organization asked 1,002 randomly selected adults aged 18 and above whether homosexuals should have "equal rights in terms of job opportunities." 89 percent of Americans favored equal employment rights. Only 9 percent disagreed.

Anti-discrimination laws should provide the same protections regardless of where one works or attends public school in the Florida.

Many Florida public schools have written policies or statements specifically prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and/or provide procedures for filing complaints of discrimination based on sexual orientation. These public schools include, but are not limited to the following:

School Districts: the School Districts of Broward, Clay, Columbia, Escambia, Jefferson, Lee, Leon, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Pinellas, St. Johns, Sarasota, Suwannee, and Volusia Counties.

State Universities: Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida International University, New College of Florida, the University of Central Florida, the University of North Florida, the University of South Florida, the University of West Florida and the University of Florida.

Community Colleges: Brevard Community College, Broward Community College, Central Florida Community College, Florida Keys Community College, Hillsborough Community College, Indian River Community College, Lake-Sumter Community College, Miami-Dade College, Manatee Community College, Palm Beach Community College, St. Johns River Community College, Santa Fe Community College, Seminole Community College, South Florida Community College, and Valencia Community College.

For further information contact Palm Beach County Human Rights Council President and Founder Rand Hoch at (561) 804-9399 (home/office) or 358-0105 (cell) or the Council's lobbyist in Tallahassee Todd Parrish, who can be reached at (407) 761-8906.

The Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc. is dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression.

The Council promotes equality through education, advocacy, direct action, impact litigation, and community outreach.

To keep informed of our activities:

Click on the PBCHRC logo at the top of this email to be directed to our website, http://www.blogger.com/www.pbchrc.org

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 3:24 PM | Permalink

By DEVLIN BARRETT, Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON - Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton told the nation's leading gay rights group in an unpublicized speech that she wants a partnership with gays if elected president.

Clinton also said she opposes the "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding gays in the military that was instituted during her husband's presidency.

"I am proud to stand by your side," Clinton said in a keynote speech Friday to the Human Rights Campaign. Neither Clinton's campaign nor her Senate office made any announcement that she would be making the Friday address.

In the speech, Clinton joked that she shares the same initials as the group, and pledged to maintain the same close working relationship that last year helped defeat the federal amendment which would have banned same-sex marriage.

"I want you to know that this is exactly the kind of partnership we will have when I am president," Clinton told the group. "I want you to know that just as you always have an open door to my senate office, you will always have an open door to the White House and together we can continue this journey."

Clinton's husband Bill Clinton was president when the Pentagon instituted the "don't ask, don't tell" policy, which says gays may serve in the military only if they keep their sexual orientation private. In 1999, as she prepared to run for the Senate from New York, Clinton publicly opposed that policy.

Previous to Bill Clinton's administration, gays were flatly forbidden from serving in the military.
Sen. Clinton said it would be safer for the nation if openly gay soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen could wear the uniform.

"This policy doesn't just hurt gays and lesbians, it hurts all our troops and this to me is a matter of national security and we're going to fix it," Clinton said.

Her chief rivals for the Democratic nomination, John Edwards and Barack Obama (news, bio, voting record), also favor repealing the policy.

She also attacked the Bush administration for making political appeals based on gay rights issues, vowing that her presidency would mark "the end of leadership that has politicized the most personal and intimate issues."

Human Rights Campaign vice president David Smith said Clinton's comments were "very well received," though he added the group is not endorsing any candidate and does not anticipate making an endorsement "anytime soon."

Clinton spokesman Blake Zeff said Tuesday the candidate "affirmed her desire to have a strong partnership with the community as president," adding they were "delighted" the speech was available on the Internet.

Clinton aides said no announcement was made because the group's gathering is traditionally closed to the press. Video of the speech was posted on the group's Web site.

Smith said such annual board meetings have always been closed to the press, but it was the first time he could remember that a speech at such a meeting had been made public afterward.

"There's no contradiction," he said. "The event is always closed to the press and we wanted to make (the remarks) available for people to see."

For all information related to this story please see:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070305/ap_on_el_pr/clinton_gays_1

Posted by Freedom Democrats at 1:33 PM | Permalink

From Rand Hoch, President and Founder
Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc.

March 5, 2007

Dear Fair Minded Friend and members of Freedom Democrats of Miami Dade:

The Legislature Session is about to begin and for the first time in more than a decade, there is a chance that the Florida Civil Rights Act and Fair Housing Act can me amended to prohibit discrimination against lesbians and gay men in employment, housing and public accommodations.

House Bill 639 is sponsored by Representative Kelly Skidmore (D-Boca Raton) and Co-Sponsored (so far) by Representatives Mary Brandenburg (D-West Palm Beach) , Susan Bucher (D-West Palm Beach), Keith Fitzgerald (D-Sarasota),Ari Porth (D-Coral Springs), Scott Randolph (D-Orlando), Priscilla Taylor (D-West Palm Beach) and Shelley Vana (D-West Palm Beach).

IF YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE IS NOT YET A CO-SPONSOR, PLEASE CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATOR TODAY.

For a link to the House Web Page for the bill, which includes a list of current sponsors as well as a link to the complete text of the bill, please go to:
www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=35242

The companion bill in the Senate, S 2628, was introduced by Senator Ted Deutch (D-Boca Raton). The bill number was just assigned, so there are no Co-Introducers so far.
For a link to the Senate Web Page for the bill, please go to:
http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/index.cfm?Mode=Bills&SubMenu=1&BI_Mode=ViewBillInfo&Year=2007&BillNum=2628

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR AND ASK HIM OR HER TO SIGN ON AS A CO-INTRODUCER TODAY.

For your convenience, "talking points" are included below.

Thank you.

Rand Hoch, President and Founder
Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc.

SPECIAL NOTE: Neither HB 639 nor S 2628 includes "gender expression" or "gender identity". Supportive Legislators have repeatedly told PBCHRC that our best chance for progress on civil rights would be to first get "sexual orientation" included. PBCHRC has deferred to their legislative expertise.

________________________________________

The following is OPINION: From Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, Inc.

TALKING POINTS:

ON H.B. 639 and S. 2628, BILLS TO AMEND THE FLORIDA CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1992 AND THE FLORIDA FAIR HOUSING ACT TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION BASED ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION IN EMPLOYMENT, HOUSING AND PUBLIC ACCOMMODATIONS

“Lesbians and gay people are a permanent part of the American workforce, who currently have no protection from the arbitrary abuse of their rights on the job. For too long, our nation has tolerated the insidious form of discrimination against this group of Americans, who have worked as hard as any group, paid their taxes like everyone else, and yet have been denied equal protection under the law.”
-- Coretta Scott King

“Enumeration is the essential device used to make the duty not to discriminate concrete and to provide guidance for those who must comply.”
-- U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, writing for the Court in Romer v. Evans, 517 U.S. 620 (1996)

- - - - - - -

The Florida Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination only because of race, c