News: James Franco, DNA, Mason Wyler, Deforestation, Britney

Judy Shepard's message on the 10th anniversary of Matthew's death: no progress.

Computer proclaims James Franco essentially perfect.

Truth or Cheetos: Preview of new documentary on Britney Spears. "I sit there and I'll look back and I'm like: I'm a smart person. What the hell was I thinking?"

Lebanese-Croatian TV producer and writer, based in Beirut: Anti-gay attacks abound in Croatia.

Jennifer Lopez to sue The Daily Beast over Kevin Sessums' article about her nervous breakdown?

Socialist ex-Spanish trade minister under fire for homophobic comments: "Javier Gómez-Navarro said mothers of gay children wanted to see them out of the house...Gómez-Navarro, who is currently President of the High Council of Chambers of Commerce, has said that the mothers of homosexuals want their children to be diplomats so as not to have them at home. He said mothers of other children in Spain wanted to see them become lawyers."

American Family Association ends McDonald's boycott following executive's resignation: "The conservative Christian group had been calling for Richard Ellis, formerly McDonald's vice president of U.S. communications, to step down from the board of the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce. Ellis recently left his U.S. post and returned to an executive position in McDonald's Canadian operation, McDonald's officials said. Because Ellis is based in Canada and the gay and lesbian chamber is a U.S. association, Ellis resigned from its board, said Bill Whitman, a McDonald's spokesman...The American Family Association also said McDonald's notified it that the restaurant giant has no plans to renew its membership in the chamber when it expires at the end of the year."

Plan for gay high school in Chicago unveiled: "The Pride Campus of Social Justice High School would be open to all students citywide but would provide a safe, 'gay-friendly' atmosphere to combat the high bullying, dropout and depression rate many LGBTQ students experience nationwide, advocates say."

Gay adult film actor Mason Wyler says he was gang-raped by a Captain in the U.S. Army (site NSFW).

Paul Broussard: 17 years after gay man's murder in Houston, only one of 10 defendants remains in prison.

STUDY: Global economy losing more money from disappearance of forests than the banking crisis. "It puts the annual cost of forest loss at between $2 trillion and $5 trillion. The figure comes from adding the value of the various services that forests perform, such as providing clean water and absorbing carbon dioxide. Speaking to BBC News on the fringes of the congress, study leader Pavan Sukhdev emphasised that the cost of natural decline dwarfs losses on the financial markets. 'It's not only greater but it's also continuous, it's been happening every year, year after year,' he told BBC News."

Ryan Gosling takes the pooch for a walk.

Danny Cipriani is just as hot with clothes.

Russian officials ban gay rights demonstrations in the city of Tambov: "Local officials said they had received numerous letters and phone calls from townspeople, urging them to forbid the demonstrations as an offense to the city's traditions, Interfax news agency reported."

Mysterious DNA strands have resisted evolution over eons.

Nuts: Stem cells from testicles seen as possible alternative to embryos: "The new type of stem cells could be useful for growing personalized replacement tissues, according to a study in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. But because of their source, their highest promise would apply to only half the world's population: men. Embryonic stem cells can give rise to virtually any tissue in the body and scientists believe they may offer treatments for diseases like Parkinson's and diabetes and for spinal cord injuries. The testicular cells avoid the ethical dilemma of embryonic stem cells, which are harvested in a process that destroys the embryos."

Same-sex couple wins right to adopt in Brazil.

Sarah Palin refuses to issue Alaskan proclamation for National Coming Out Day.

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A Prayer for Texas

Above, Hurricane Ike bears down on the Texas coast:

"Waters rose rapidly along the Texas coast as Ike moved within hours of striking low-lying areas near Houston with a possible 20-foot (6-meter) storm surge in what may be the worst storm to hit Texas in nearly 50 years. The National Weather Service warned that people in coastal areas could face "certain death" from the storm's massive storm surge. Ike was a Category 2 storm with 105 mph (165 kph) winds as it moved on a course that pass directly over Houston -- the nation's fourth-largest city. Ike was expected to come ashore late on Friday or early on Saturday as a dangerous Category 3 storm on the five-step intensity scale with winds of more than 111 mph (178 kph), the National Hurricane Center said."

Our thoughts go out to all of you down in Texas.

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News: Bigfoot, Kanye West, Maine, Google Android, Iris Prize

CNN removes scare quotes from Ellen DeGeneres-Portia de Rossi wedding slug. And here's a first look at the wedding album.

Surprise: Dead Bigfoot was a rubber costume shop suit.

According to the Bush administration's definition of torture, John McCain was not tortured in Vietnam. Additionally, he needs to be questioned about the cross in the dirt story.

Brad Pitt to write on a Kiehl's bottle.

List of entries for Cardiff's gay and lesbian Iris Prize are announced. Last year's winner of the £25,000 award was Dee Rees' Pariah.

Rise in gay tourism to Israel causing unease: "...this is also a country where there is no separation between religion and state, and in which the majority of tourists come here for some form of religious experience – which all leads to a rather ambivalent official attitude toward the phenomenon."

W advance team hits Denver.

The 411 on the upcoming Google Android phone, made by HTC.

Killer of gay man in Houston gets life sentence: "Terry Mark Mangum, 27, of Cypress, killed Kenneth Cummings, 46, because he hated homosexuals, the Brazoria County jury found Wednesday. Mangum had been out of prison just three weeks when he met Cummings at a Houston bar on June 4, 2007, testimony showed. He had served a five-year sentence for burglary. The two parted ways and then met again later that night at another club. Security cameras showed them buying wine and beer at a Houston supermarket. They then went to Cummings' Pearland home. Sometime that night Mangum slit Cummings' throat and stabbed him in the back of the head, breaking 1.5 inches of a knife blade, prosecutors said." The jury concluded that the murder was a hate crime. He'll be eligible for parole in 30 years.

Janice Dickinson signs new gay deaf model Martin.

A Will Smith sex payoff?

Christian protestors clash with gays in Londonderry, Northern Ireland: "It happened at the launch of the festival at the City Hotel. About 30 Christian protestors, including a Free Presbyterian minister, gathered outside the venue. Two gay rights activists attempted to stand in front of the protestors' banners with a placard of their own, before police moved them on. Reverend Ian Brown said it had been a minor incident. 'It was not violence and we would oppose all violence against any persons,' he said."

Kanye West is a "champion" in new video.

More on Bill Donohue of The Catholic League's ongoing obsession with ass.

Robert Buckley visits the house bunny.

Equality Maine endorses Tom Allen for Senate: “Throughout his long career, Congressman Allen has supported fairness and equality while opposing discrimination. His voting record on LGBT issues is exceptional. He has worked to eliminate discrimination in jobs, housing, public accommodations and financial matters, and we look forward to working with him to win fully-inclusive federal employment non-discrimination legislation." His opponent, Susan Collins, has been endorsed by the Human Rights Campaign.

According to GLAAD, 1,049 newspapers across the nation now accept wedding announcements for same-sex couples. That's up from 69 six years ago.

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News: Ian McKellen, Cher, The Onion, Larry Sinclair, Gay Androids

Supreme Court rules in favor of right to bear arms.

Sir Ian McKellen made a Companion of Honour by the Queen.

Cher has a stalker who tried to grab her by the wrist in Nashville.

Obama-accuser Larry Sinclair, who was arrested last week when his criminal record caught up with him following an appearance at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., is being defended by some as a "political prisoner".

Remember Britain's Got Talent's angelic bullied choirboy Andrew Johnston? He didn't win, but he did just get a £1 million deal with Simon Cowell's record label.

Houston-area homes and vehicles targeted by spray paint vandals using racial and homophobic slurs: "Fort Bend County Sheriff's detectives are investigating more than a dozen incidents of theft and vandalism involving racist and obscene words spray painted on homes and vehicles. The incidents were reported about 7:30 a.m. Sunday in the New Territory development, said sheriff's spokeswoman Terriann Carlson. 'It appears that white spray paint was used on all of the vehicles and the residences and racial and derogatory slurs such as the swastika symbol, and male body parts,' Carlson said. The slurs also targeted homosexuals, she said."

HRC President Joe Solmonese on the first congressional hearings to educate members about gender identity issues. More on the hearings from Pam.

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies: HIV/AIDS infection rates for drug users, prostitutes and gay men around the globe are on the rise. "'HIV is a long-term and complex disaster on many levels ... For marginalized groups across the world — injecting drug users, sex workers and men who have sex with men — rates are on the increase,' said the Geneva-based humanitarian agency. Those groups, living on the fringes of society in many countries and especially in the developing world, 'often face stigma, criminalization and little, if any, access to prevention and treatment services,' it added."

West Hollywood's historic 'Tara' mansion may get new life as a same-sex wedding location.

The Onion celebrates Gay Pride.

Lesbians in Vancouver claim comedian crossed homophobic line during routine: "Ms. Pardy alleges that she and her same-sex partner were subjected to a tirade of homophobic and sexist comments by Mr. Earle. Mr. Earle denies that he discriminated, while admitting that his interactions with Ms. Pardy and her partner were heated."

A Cristiano Ronaldo fix for you.

18-year-old gay Boston drop-out Alex Quince triumphs with perfect score on the GED reading test: "A quiet teenager making A's and B's, he ran away from home, dropped out of school, and tried everything from marijuana to heroin. He struggled with his sexual orientation. When his mother called his cellphone, sick with worry, he responded with a text message. 'I'm gay,' it said. 'I'm not coming home.'"

Hugh Jackman has left the beaches of Sydney and is now stunning onlookers in St. Tropez.

Does everyone in the world have a sex tape?

A police force of 2,000 guarded today's gay pride parade in Jerusalem. If numbers are correct, that's one officer for every person who took part.

Gays in Oregon question commitment of Senator Gordon Smith. HRC's David M. Smith: "Our view of Gordon Smith is, he has been a leader on a number of our issues. His record is strong and he is very clear about it, and we appreciate everything he's done and continues to do. [But] we will not be endorsing him."

With Wall-E on the verge of release, Radar posts a brief history of gay androids.

ABC: Barack and Michelle Obama putting mark on the fashion world.

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News: PTown, Derek Jarman, Sao Paulo, Diet Coke, Birmingham

Two men charged for sodomy using "crimes against nature" law in North Carolina.

Did Al Reynolds, Jr. get some new Manhunt shots?

Cleveland-bound pilot sees "an object with a flaming tail and a trail of smoke" fly past cockpit shortly after take-off from Houston: "The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is involved in the investigation, but officials said they believe the object seen by the pilot just east of Houston's airport on Monday was a model rocket."

First California same-sex marriages to take place on June 14?

POLL: More than half of Californians support ballot measure ban on same-sex marriage. "Fifty-four percent of registered voters would back the measure, according to the survey by The Los Angeles Times and KTLA-TV. Thirty-five percent oppose the proposed measure, which is expected to be on the November ballot. The measure, sponsored by a coalition of groups that favor traditional marriage, would define marriage as 'between a man and a woman,' and effectively overturn a May 15 decision by the California Supreme Court that voided two state laws that forbade recognition of same-sex marriages. The poll, published on Friday, found 52 percent disagreed with that decision while 41 percent agreed."

Mario Lopez hits the beach...

Alan Ball developing British prison drama Bad Girls for HBO.

New Provincetown police chief Jeff Jaran promises fresh focus on preventing hate crimes.

Glitterbox: Derek Jarman DVD box set to be released. "Mr. Jarman once lamented that heterosexuals had so colonized and despoiled the screen — his actual phrasing was less polite — 'that there’s hardly room for us to kiss.' He made it his mission to create that room."

Excerpt from Hiding in Plain Sight, the story of Raymond Burr's secret gay life: "...Raymond had been living a closeted life in Hollywood for over a decade without even the whiff of anything 'untoward' about his lifestyle. Part of that had to do with his status as a supporting actor in the shadows, out of the spotlight's direct glare. Leading-man types—Cary Grant, Randolph Scott, and Errol Flynn among them—were grist for the rumor mill, but Raymond had always flown under the radar. Until now. His much-publicized relationship with Natalie Wood helped his straight-arrow image, and he was well liked among the major gossip columnists, especially Hedda Hopper. And with her sonny boy making a name for himself on Perry Mason, Hedda had extra incentive to ensure Raymond's name was kept away from 'those' rumors..."

The Details on Christian Bale.

Massive: Sao Paulo Gay Pride parade draws between 3 and 5 million people, but has it become just a dangerous street carnival?

Pete Wentz sells advertising...on his face.

Leona Lewis and David Beckham to close Beijing Olympics with London hand-off.

Birmingham, Alabama Mayor Larry Langford says he won't interfere with plans for a gay pride parade there on June 7: "Langford on Friday he would not sign a proclamation, allow banners on city property or sign a parade permit. The mayor said he rejected those requests because it was inappropriate for government to endorse a lifestyle. Today Langford said he will not block the police from issuing the parade permit. That permit is not normally signed by the mayor. Previous mayors have quietly signed the proclamation and allowed the banners. 'I thought I had stated my position very clearly. If I were to sign the permit to put up banners on city right of ways I would be condoning that which I don't condone,' he said. 'To give a proclamation is totally under the purview of the mayor.'"

If you're a wounded bird and Jodie Foster's around, don't look weak.

Drink up: Diet Coke to drop DNA-damaging additive Sodium Benzoate.

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Judy Shepard: 'We Need to Change Hearts and Minds'

Yesterday I posted about Judy Shepard's appearance at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. While in Houston, she also spoke at the Human Rights Campaign's gala dinner. Her powerful and, at times, funny speech, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Nearly 10 Years After Matthew's Death, Judy Shepard Soldiers On

The Houston Chronicle spoke with Judy Shepard as she appeared at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts as part of the "Campaign to Erase Hate".

Says Shepard: "I'm just somebody's mom who got really angry at the system and felt I had the opportunity to make a change. In my own mind, speaking like I did today, that is my grief process. I get to keep Matthew with me. I've always been a person who believed things happen for a reason," she said. "When I figure out what this reason is, I hope I'm open to it. And I hope that losing my son was part of it."

She doesn't plan on forgiving the two young men who put her on this path: "It's not a part of my process. I don't blame them 100 percent. I sort of blame society for creating the environment to make them think they could get away with it."

Shepard also says her new life has changed many of her relationships with friends at home: "There are a lot of them who don't know how to talk to me. They don't know what to ask me. They don't really know who I am anymore. They wonder how the Judy they knew could be doing what this Judy is doing."

Rewards, if you can call them that, come in the form of a great need: "...from the reception she got at Houston's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts last week, she's also a surrogate mother of sorts to a generation of young gays. After her speech at HSPVA, attended by hundreds, many of those students line up backstage to meet her. Most throw their arms around her and tell her in a gush about coming out to their parents or describe their horror at homophobia. Several just want to tell her how much her work means to them. There's a sense of urgency to share with her because she somehow will agree and, most of all, understand."

'A journey of personal change' [houston chronicle]

Recently
Judy Shepard Has a Message for Anti-Gay OK State Rep Sally Kern [tr]

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D.A. in Lawrence v. Texas Exposed as Racist Adulterer

Houston District Attorney Chuck Rosenthal, who represented Texas in the landmark sodomy case Lawrence v. Texas, made this statement to the Supreme Court during that case:

"Even if you infer that various States acting through their legislative process have repealed sodomy laws, there is no protected right to engage in extrasexual — extramarital sexual relations, again, that can trace their roots to history or the traditions of this nation."

Rosenthal has now resigned as D.A. Why? Because of emails that he tried unsuccessfully to delete from his computer which expose him as a racist adulterer that have been discovered as the result of subpoenas from two federal lawsuits unrelated to the Lawrence v. Texas case.

AVN reports: "Even though he'd dragged much of the offending correspondence – 'thousands of emails,' by one report – to the trash and emptied the trash, government technicians are currently busy reconstructing the documents, which had been the subject of a subpoena in Kelley's suit before Rosenthal attempted to destroy them. But at the moment, what's more interesting is the stuff Rosenthal didn't destroy. Besides a cartoon depicting an African-American suffering from a 'fatal overdose' of watermelon and fried chicken, Rosenthal had also retained sexually-explicit video clips and love notes to his secretary (who'd been his mistress during his previous marriage) in his 'saved' mail. One interchange with the secretary had Rosenthal writing, 'I love you so much' and 'I want to kiss you behind your right ear,' to which she replied, 'Go spend time with your family.'"

The Anti-Sodomist [daily dish]
'Lawrence v. Texas' D.A. Resigns During Scandal Probe [avn]

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Homophobic Former Houston Mayor Louie Welch is Dead

Former Houston Mayor Louie Welch, whose political career was brought to an end by a homophobic comment heard over a television microphone, has died of lung cancer.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

"After unsuccessful mayoral bids in 1952 and 1954, Welch was elected mayor for the first time in 1963. Welch was mayor in 1967 when two days of battles erupted between police and students at predominantly black Texas Southern University. A police officer was killed, and about 500 Texas Southern students were arrested. The events created a rift between the administration and many of the city's blacks. Years later, Welch acknowledged that accusations of racism still bothered him. 'It hurt,' Welch said. 'It still hurts to be accused of racism. It's just a bum rap.' In 1973, he did not run for re-election, joining what was then the Houston Chamber of Commerce. But he came back in 1985 in an attempt to take the mayor's job from Kathy Whitmire. He lost the race after saying on an open television microphone that one way to stop the spread of AIDS was to 'shoot the queers.' He made the remark without realizing the microphone was on. Some gays responded with T-shirts that sported the slogan: 'Don't shoot, Louie!' After losing to Whitmire, Welch said he had lost 'the instinct to fight in the rough and tumble that campaigns have become.'"

Welch was 89.

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Murderer in 1991 Gang Killing of Gay Man Denied Parole in Texas

A couple of weeks ago I posted a report that Jon Buice, one of ten men convicted in the gay bashing death of Paul Broussard, was up for parole for the third time.

Broussard's mother was concerned and angry. She said: "They not only took Paul's life, they took his future. I know in reality, he will not spend 45 years.' Rodriguez, from Georgia, plans to make her plea to the parole board. Regardless of who it was or who he was, nobody should have to die like that. This was a horrible, horrible thing. If you read the autopsy -- it took me years to read it -- and he actually carved my child up like you would a deer. He meant to kill him."

Buice, who has served one-third of his 45-year sentence, has been denied parole, it was reported yesterday.

Gay prison activist Ray Hill, who once lobbied for the killers' convictions, has since had a change of heart. He said recently: "What we have is a bunch of teenagers, drunk and stoned — chemicals played a major role in this — who came to Houston from The Woodlands...The whole theory of homophobic murder was a convenient way to get media attention. I created that illusion myself, but it probably was not true. ... I know all of the boys, though, and none of them are homophobic."

Said Andy Kahan of the Mayor's Crime Office, who is working with Broussard's mother: "We're thankful the parole board saw fit to deny parole to someone who has not served half of his sentence. We'll be back in 2009 to continue the battle."

That year is Buice's next opportunity for parole. More on the backstory here.

You may have missed...
A Mother's Fears as Gay-Bashing Killers Prepare for Parole [tr]

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Hate Sheet: Pennsylvania, Houston, Northern Ireland, Scotland

Not a lot of fun writing this post up, but there was quite a bit of news on this topic today, so here it is:

Police investigating potential hate crime in Bucks County, Pennsylvania: "State police in Dublin are looking for two men who assaulted 40-year-old Brett Saylor along Route 313 near the Dublin Star Diner at about 4:45 a.m. Saturday. Saylor, who was on his way to work, was treated at Doylestown Hospital. Saylor, who moved to the area four months ago from Louisville, Ky., said the two men called him abusive names indicating they knew about his sexuality. He said they did not take his money or valuables."

Killer of gay man in Houston is up for parole: "Paul Broussard, 27, was brutally beaten and stabbed to death while walking in Montrose in 1991 because he was gay. One of the attackers, Jon Buice, is serving a 45-year prison sentence for Broussard's murder. Buice is up for parole for the third time. 'They not only took Paul's life, they took his future,' said Nancy Rodriguez, Broussard's mother. 'I know in reality, he will not spend 45 years.' Rodriguez, from Georgia, plans to make her plea to the parole board. 'Regardless of who it was or who he was, nobody should have to die like that,' she said. 'This was a horrible, horrible thing. If you read the autopsy -- it took me years to read it -- and he actually carved my child up like you would a deer. He meant to kill him.'" Read a bit more of the backstory on this here.

A group of gay tourists has been attacked in Bogside, Northern Ireland: "Members of Gay and Lesbian Youth Northern Ireland (GLYNI) and their Australian guests came under fire from the youths at Rossville Street on Saturday afternoon. The visitors were enjoying a tour of the Bogside when they were confronted by the gang who shouted homophobic abuse, threw bottles and stones, and toted the replica firearms. Details of the incident only emerged yesterday afternoon. David McCartney, of Derry-based gay, lesbian and transsexual support group, the Rainbow Project, said it was a "terrifying experience" for the tourists."

Two men have pleaded guilty to a lethal assault on a gay man in Perth, Scotland: "Mr Kerr, who worked as a civic officer for Perth and Kinross Council, died in Dundee's Ninewells Hospital hours after being repeatedly kicked in the head. Meehan, Soutar and the 15-year-old all admitted punching him on the face and knocking him to the ground. Meehan and Soutar admitted kicking him numerous times on the head, with Meehan admitting landing the blows which amounted to murder."

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News: Posh Spice, Jason Lewis, Houston Pride, Baghdad Blood

Catholic Bishop in Piedras Negras, Mexico calls recent legislation legalizing same-sex unions in the state of Coahuila "an attack on the institution of marriage."

Two of Saddam Hussein's aides have been hanged in Baghdad.

Victoria Beckham and her nipples arrive in L.A., inspiring attention from the locals.

Police officer in Corvallis, Oregon tasers man during traffic violation pick-up: "Rodney Quinn, 49, was pulled over at NW Jackson Avenue and NW 10th Street after committing several traffic violations in his pickup truck, police said. According to police, Quinn crawled out of his pickup window and yelled, 'Are you a homosexual?' and other statements at the officer who pulled him over. Quinn didn’t respond to orders from police to stay back and continued to approach the officer, police and witnesses said. Authorities said the officer defended himself by using a Taser gun on Quinn."

Setting Rosie O'Donnell aside for a moment, Donald Trump weighed in over the weekend on a couple of political figures. The New York Daily News reports on some comments he made to Sean Hannity about Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice: "[Americans] want someone that knows how to negotiate, that knows the art of the deal. In all fairness, I see Condoleezza Rice - she goes on a plane, she gets off a plane, she waves, she goes there to meet some dictator. ... They talk, she leaves, she waves, the plane takes off. Nothing happens, it's a joke, nothing ever happens. I think she's a very nice woman, but I don't want a nice woman. I want someone that's not necessarily nice." On another note, Trump said of Hillary Clinton: "She is a very capable woman. She has done an amazing job as a senator of New York."

Sex and the City's 'Absolut Hunk' Jason Lewis, who has just started a seven-episode stint as Matthew Rhys' love interest on Brothers & Sisters, tells Extra that having to kiss a man on screen was "scary".

Tim Gunn in, Queer Eye out at Bravo. Gunn: "I'm practically delirious that Bravo has given me this incredible opportunity and together, we vow to redefine 'makeovers.' This series aims to be one-part education and two-parts fun, and you'll see me being a fashion therapist, not a svengali."

Houston considering moving gay pride parade out of gay Montrose neighborhood. Activist Ray Hill: "I mean, there's queer blood on most of these . There's lesbian blood on some of them. ... We may not all live here anymore, but this is where we built a community. And we built a community because we cared for one another."

Madonna threatened in high-speed Fifth Avenue car chase.

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28 Cars Vandalized Outside Houston Gay Bar

Tires were slashed and windshields shattered on over two dozen vehicles parked in a lot used by patrons of EJ's Bar in Houston. The vandalism happened early Tuesday morning between the hours of 2 and 3 am.

One victim, Ronnie Siebert, told Houston's KPRC News, "I really honestly do think this was a hate crime and that people are tired of the gays parking on their lot. It's really sad what has happened here tonight."

The parking lot is not equipped with surveillance equipment and police are asking for anyone with information to come forward and contact Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS.

Gay Bar Patrons Find Vehicles Vandalized [click 2 houston]

Recently
A Mother's Fears as Gay-Bashing Killers Prepare for Parole [tr]

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A Mother's Fears as Gay-Bashing Killers Prepare for Parole

Jaime and Javier Aguirre, two of ten men who brutally murdered Paul Broussard outside a Houston-area nightclub in 1991, are due to be released on parole in days, and the victim's mother says she fears for her family. She has asked authorities for current photos of the inmates.

The "Woodlands 10" as the gang came to be known, murdered Broussard after being turned away from a Montrose nightclub. Said Broussard's mother Nancy Rodriguez: "You should see the autopsy report. They just didn't stab my son, they gutted him."

Gay prison activist Ray Hill (there's a profile on Hill here. Scroll down), a man the Houston Chronicle says once "agitated for the killers' arrests and convictions", has since become friends with them, says they have changed in prison, are not homophobic, and is lobbying against their scheduled deportation to Mexico, where they are from.

Said Hill: "What we have is a bunch of teenagers, drunk and stoned — chemicals played a major role in this — who came to Houston from The Woodlands...The whole theory of homophobic murder was a convenient way to get media attention. I created that illusion myself, but it probably was not true. ... I know all of the boys, though, and none of them are homophobic."

Probably not much comfort to a mother who lost her son. A third member of the Woodlands 10, Leandro Ramirez, is set for release in March.

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News: Robbie Williams, Houston Serial Rapist, Hot Music

Tribunal throws out appeal by HSBC banker Peter Lewis, who lost his £5m lawsuit against the bank in May. It was the first trial to test Britain's 2003 sexual orientation discrimination legislation.

Robbie Williams, seen here showing off his football skills while in Australia for a set of concerts, recently said that he enjoys going out to gay clubs with the Pet Shop boys: "We go to Heaven nightclub and I f**kin' love it - it's great. They enjoy seeing it through my eyes, I think, and I enjoy being with them and being accepted."

Bryan Singer to direct American version of Brit hit Footballers' Wives.

Indian runner fails gender test, loses medal after placing second in the woman's 800 meters at the Asian Games.

Pitchfork lists its 50 top albums of 2006. The Knife's Silent Shout tops the list.

Another pastor at Ted Haggard's church resigns over sexual misconduct. It's not known whether this was the straight or gay variety.

Elton John and David Furnish content after one year of being legally hitched: "This year has gone so quickly and it has been a great year for us. We feel great and we're going to Venice to celebrate our anniversary and have a very quiet dinner together. We're very happy."

Houston-area serial rapist targeting white males in their late teens and early 20's at gunpoint: "Victims were always accosted at their parents' homes. Sometimes he confronted them in the driveway or yard and then usually forced them to go inside. Sometimes he would simply surprise them by breaking into the homes. 'He always caught them when they were alone,' Clifford said. The attacker would demand money, but seemed more interested in sex, investigators said. While he tried to force every victim into sexual contact, some managed to thwart him and run away."

Joe.My.God asks, who is the Queer of the Year?

A high school senior who ejaculated into bottle of ranch salad dressing at Wheaton North High School outside Chicago has been charged with disorderly conduct and attempted aggravated battery.

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Bigotry Results in Big Bucks for Houston's Garden Guy

In mid-October, Houston landscapers Sabrina and Todd Farber made headlines with their decision to decline to work for a gay man and his partner. In an email response to the couple's inquiry for a quote, they wrote:

"Dear Mr. Lord, I am appreciative of your time on the phone today and glad you contacted us. I need to tell you that we cannot meet with you because we choose not to work for homosexuals. Best of luck in finding someone else to fill your landscaping needs. All my best, Sabrina."

The email went viral, catching the attention of the mainstream media. Saturday, in a follow-up interview, Sabrina Farber told the New York Times that, because of the attention, their company has picked up $40,000 in business in the past two weeks.

Said Farber: "I’m not saying that to gloat. Why can’t people handle it when you say the truth?"

The Times notes that the law, in this case, is on the Farbers' side: 'The federal law of public accommodations says if you hang out a shingle or open your door you don’t get to say, 'Only to whites,''[Lisa Graybill, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas] said. But sexual orientation is not protected. And while some localities, like Seattle, have adopted ordinances extending antidiscrimination protection to gay men and lesbians, she said, Houston has not."

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Anti-gay Houston Landscaper Garden Guy Reaps What He Sows

Last week an email sent from Houston business owners Todd and Sabrina Farber to a gay man and his partner interested in finding a landscaper for their new home blew up as the outraged couple's anger expanded to include hundreds of others to whom the email had been forwarded.

The email, sent following the inquiry from Michael Lord about a quote to do landscaping work, read in part: "Dear Mr. Lord, I am appreciative of your time on the phone today and glad you contacted us. I need to tell you that we cannot meet with you because we choose not to work for homosexuals. Best of luck in finding someone else to fill your landscaping needs. All my best, Sabrina."

Immediately the email became a viral bullet, inspiring hundreds of emails to the landscaping business and angry postings on internet forums dedicated to gardening, including one on the couple's website, Garden Guy, Inc.

The couple reported that they have had to unlist their phone number and turn off their office phone due to the amount of phone calls they received. Said Sabrina Farber: "We have experienced threats on Todd's life. One was, 'You'd better watch your back, something's going to happen to your husband.' I woke up this morning to e-mails full of profanities." She described the experience to Rick Casey of the Houston Chronicle as being "privileged to see just what happens when you make the homosexuals and the devil mad."

Casey actually defends the Farbers and their 'suffering':

"Those who lashed out at the Farbers were probably no more representative of gays as whole than the Farbers are of Christians as a whole. But there is no excuse for hateful phone calls, e-mails and forum postings, much less death threats. And certainly not for the Internet posting of the Farbers' home address and phone number. (Nor for the posting of the address and driver's license numbers of the gay couple they turned down.) This is one ugly side of the Internet, its ability with its international reach to magnify the rancid spewings of a relative few. The Farbers shouldn't be going through what they are suffering."

The Garden Guy website says that the company is a member of the Association of Professional Landscape Designers, but that group says that it is not: "APLD does not support discriminating against clients based on sexual orientation. APLD will take steps to see that the former member ceases any representation that he or she continues to be a member of APLD."

The Farbers, whose Garden Guy website quotes scripture and promotes 'traditional' marriage) issued something of an apology on Friday afternoon: "We did not refuse service with malicious intent. We do not hate homosexuals and we are sorry that we hurt [ the gay couple ]. We meant to uphold our right as a small business owner to choose who our clients are. We are humbly sorry for the hurt that it has caused."

Here's the kicker however. The Farbers did nothing illegal (video). While Texas cities Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth and El Paso all have ordinances prohibiting discrimnation based on sexual orientation, Houston does not. So while the Farbers' behavior is certainly deplorable and bigoted, it's not illegal. Houston's laws, unfortunately, endorse this kind of bigotry.

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