Ball State University Student Attacked in Anti-Gay Hate Crime

Kyle Flood (pictured), a 21-year-old student at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana, and four friends were attacked by two men after leaving a bar early Friday morning, the Star Press reports:

"Flood said the incident happened around 3 a.m. as he and four friends were leaving Moe's bar, where they had been singing karaoke. Two college-age men on foot approached the group as they were at Dill Street and University Avenue and started calling Flood and his friends '[expletive] faggots,' Flood said. When a woman in Flood's party asked one of the men to 'move on,' the man put the woman in a choke hold and threw her to the ground, Flood said. As Flood attempted to intervene, he was knocked to the ground and punched in the face. Flood reported that another man in his group was also attacked. The attackers fled with a third person, who was not involved in the attack, Flood said. Witnesses told Flood they saw the men get into a car at the Ball State Federal Credit Union. Ball State police arrived quickly and attempted to track the men down but were unsuccessful, Flood said. The attack, and the fact that the men remained at-large, has affected Flood's sense of safety. 'I don't think I'll be going to the bars in Muncie in a long time,' Flood said."

Indiana Equality yesterday published a first-hand account of what appears to be the same crime.

Law enforcement called anti-gay attacks rare on campus. Said Ball State University Police Chief Gene Burton: "Let me put it this way, I've seen it before. But I could not tell you the last time."

Ball State student says attack was hate crime [the star press]
Ball State Bias Crime [indiana equality]
(image via flood's wikipedia page)

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Clinton Options Dwindle with Tiny Indiana Victory, Loss in NC

Hillary Clinton put on a strong facade last night as she cheered supporters on in Indiana, but it's the cancelation of all public appearances today (reported by Talking Points Memo) and the anointment of Obama as nominee by Tim Russert, Matt Drudge, and MSNBC's Chuck Todd that have people wondering about the direction the Clinton campaign will take next.

Obama won a 14-point victory in North Carolina, and lost by just 23,000 votes in Indiana.

The Washington Post reports: "Both candidates looked ahead to contests next week in West Virginia and May 20 in Oregon and Kentucky, but Clinton was nearly out of opportunities to change the course of the race. 'We have seen that it's possible to overcome the politics of division and distraction, that it's possible to overcome the same old negative attacks that are always about scoring points and never about solving our problems,' Obama said at a victory rally in Raleigh, North Carolina. The Illinois senator's 14-point victory in North Carolina was a dramatic comeback from a difficult campaign stretch that began last month with a big loss in Pennsylvania and was prolonged by the controversy over racially charged comments by his former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright."

The NYT reports: "The results from the two primaries, the largest remaining Democratic ones, assured that Mr. Obama would widen his lead in pledged delegates over Mrs. Clinton, providing him with new ammunition as he seeks to persuade Democratic leaders to coalesce around his campaign. He also increased his lead in the popular vote in winning North Carolina by more than 200,000 votes."

The candidates' speeches, below:

Russert told Keith Olbermann: "We now know who the Democratic nominee is going to be, and no one is going to dispute it."

Watch that clip, AFTER THE JUMP...

Additional reading
Reality Has Well-Known Obama Bias [huffington post]
If You Want to Crown Him [shakesville]
An obituary for the Clinton campaign [daily voice]

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Indiana House Leader Refuses to Hear Gay Marriage Ban

Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, did as he promised and refused to hear Senate Joint Resolution 7, legislation that included a ban on same-sex marriage, effectively killing the measure as it is required to pass in two consecutive legislatures to get on the ballot.

The Indianapolis Star reports: "Pelath and opponents argue the state already has a law banning same-sex marriages and that the amendment’s language was ambiguous and could result in unintended consequences on issues ranging from domestic violence protection to businesses’ ability to recruit employees. 'This really is a very simple decision,' Pelath said. 'The reality is, we have no gay marriages in Indiana. It is against the law. Nobody has brought me evidence of a gay marriage taking place in this state. There’s no reason to put very poorly crafted verbiage into our constitution, out state’s highest document, that could potentially be a lawyer’s dream with all sorts of unintended consequences.' Eric Miller, founder of the conservative activist group Advance America, blames Bauer, who he said has intentionally sent the amendment to Pelath’s committee to kill it. 'It is a tragedy for the people of Indiana that one man — Speaker Pat Bauer — stopped the 100 members of the House being able to vote to protect marriage and prevented the citizens of Indiana from having the opportunity to vote to protect marriage,' Miller said. 'It’s not only a disappointment, it’s wrong.' Pelath rejected that argument. 'That’s not what our constitution says. It doesn’t just say you throw out an idea and you throw it out for a vote — that’s not how we do it,' he said. 'We don’t send everything up for referendum here. We make decisions and do our jobs. I’m abiding by the constitution.'"

If the measure passed the next two legislatures, voters might have a chance to vote on it in 2012.

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News: Coral, Indiana, Rufus Wainwright, Berlin, Neil Patrick Harris

Indiana Senate votes 39-9 to ban same-sex marriage: "The amendment now goes to the House, where it died last year and where it's stalled again this year. State Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, the chairman of the House Rules and Legislative Procedures Committee, which was assigned the bill, has already said he will not give it a hearing because this session's focus is on property taxes."

Someone commit him: Ambulance-chasing Bobby Trendy holds Britney vigil outside UCLA medical center.

Elton John holds fundraiser for gay London mayoral candidate and former top cop Brian Paddick.

California same-sex marriage foes relaunch drive for constitutional amendment: "Signature gatherers have been spotted by people out in the field, [Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California] told the Bay Area Reporter Tuesday, January 29. He said the measure's supporters have raised over $350,000 so far, and he said signatures are being collected in the Sacramento and Central Valley areas, as well as in Southern California. Kors said there isn't "extensive visibility" yet and that he wasn't aware of signatures being gathered in the Bay Area. Kors said the anti-gay groups need about 1.1 million signatures by April 21 in order to collect the nearly 700,000 valid signatures needed to put the measure before voters. Kors said he and others just learned of the group's efforts last week, and are working to develop plans of their own."

Gray January: NYC gets no snow for first time in 75 years.

Carson Kressley on Carson Kressley: "I can't say what people are thinking, but I'm never going to defend my actions as being one way or another. I defend them as me being me. If I say I was being stereotypical and I do what "shouldn't" be stereotypical, then I'm living my life for somebody else and I'm marching to the beat of somebody else's drummer, and that, I think, is a worse thing."

The case for Katie Holmes faking the NY Marathon.

Researchers: Human sunscreen killing off coral reefs around the world. "Four commonly found sunscreen ingredients can awaken dormant viruses in the symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae that live inside reef-building coral species. The chemicals cause the viruses to replicate until their algae hosts explode, spilling viruses into the surrounding seawater, where they can infect neighboring coral communities. Zooxanthellae provide coral with food energy through photosynthesis and contribute to the organisms' vibrant color. Without them, the coral "bleaches"—turns white—and dies...The researchers estimate that 4,000 to 6,000 metric tons of sunscreen wash off swimmers annually in oceans worldwide, and that up to 10 percent of coral reefs are threatened by sunscreen-induced bleaching."

More Becks on the beach photos.

Rufus, Rufus, Rufus: Victoria Beckham isn't the only one appearing naked on those new Marc Jacobs T-shirts.

New York City comptroller William Thompson leads anti-discrimination charge with the LGBT Community Center and the New York City Pension Funds, calling on more than two dozen large companies including ExxonMobil to ban discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity: "We must work together to make sure that corporate America embraces acceptance and affords all employees the same protections..."

New York Post endorses Barack Obama.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka to duet for Broadway Backwards 3, the gender-bending concert of show tune favorites benefiting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.

Hundreds of Pennsylvania students sign petition to force administrators to take on anti-gay bullying: "The petition circulated after an openly gay senior student left school halfway through the year, claiming he was repeatedly harassed by fellow students. Superintendent David Volkman says the district has formed a new committee to look at the issue. He says the school is already looking at ways to reinforce its harassment policy, and has created 'safe rooms' for students who would like to talk with teachers about the issue."

Europe's first gay old folks home fully booked.

New York's Gay City News endorses Obama: "The McClurkin episode, unfortunate as it was, pales in comparison to the divisiveness that Senator Clinton has allowed her campaign to devolve into. Her comparison between the roles played by Dr. King and President Lyndon Johnson in advancing civil rights can be chalked up to inartfulness. The comments coming from her surrogates are far more disturbing, forming a pattern that sadly can no longer be ignored."

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News: New Mexico, Tom Cruise, MRSA, Jesus Kidnap, Mariah Carey

Domestic partners bill revived in New Mexico.

Zac Efron treats paparazzi to unique version of 'Blue Moon'.

Anti-gay marriage speakers meet with resistance from Vermont audience after proclaiming "Marriage can be the union between man and woman or it can be the union of any two people. Vermont cannot have both." Audience member: "It's nonsensical that marriage can't have multiple meanings. That's simply scare tactics." Outright Vermont launches statewide outreach effort: "A rainbow-colored bumper sticker, a "queer-mobile" that travels to remote and rural areas, paid spots on the radio, an online resource and a monthly newsletter are all strategies for a queer youth visibility campaign launched Thursday in Burlington. Outright Vermont, the state's largest 'queer' organization in its 20th year that works specifically with youths, wants to make Vermont the most "queer-friendly" state in the country – one person at a time."

Tom Cruise producing partner Paula Wagner speaks out about Scientology video leaks: "I am not a Scientologist, nor are most of the people Tom and I work with, but that doesn't mean I can sit by silently while he is attacked for his religious beliefs. As a film-maker and an American, I feel strongly that an individual's religion should have no bearing on their professional life."

Actress Suzanne Pleshette dies at 70.

Michigan neighborhood kidnaps devout dachshund owner's Jesus statuette: "We are holding Jesus ransom until you clean up the poopie from your wieners and trust us we see you take your wieners for long walks w/out picking up their poopie in our yards. This has upset us dearly so please clean up all the weiner poopie, if you want to see Jesus unharmed."

Gay porn Marine Matt Sanchez paranoid that a "gay jihadist" stalker/crank caller is out to defame him!

NYT on how the MRSA staph 'superbug' story went viral: "On Monday, a team of researchers led by doctors from the University of California at San Francisco announced that gay men were “many times more likely than others” to acquire a new strain of drug-resistant staphylococcus, a nasty, fast-spreading and potential lethal bacteria known as MRSA USA300. And sure enough, the study, published online in the Annals of Internal Medicine, was quickly picked up by reporters round the world and across the Internet, including a London tabloid which dubbed the disease 'the new H.I.V.' But for gay men in the Castro neighborhood here, which was an early epicenter for the AIDS epidemic and a current hot spot for MRSA, the report also seemed to cast an unfair, and all too familiar, stigma on their sexuality."

High school principal apologizes for inviting anti-gay pastor Ken Hutcherson to give lecture to students on civil rights.

Paula Abdul wants you to dance like there's not tomorrow.

Could volcanoes be facilitating the melt of the Antarctic glaciers? "In an article published Sunday on the Web site of the journal Nature Geoscience, Hugh Corr and David Vaughan of the British Antarctic Survey report the identification of a layer of volcanic ash and glass shards frozen within an ice sheet in western Antarctica. 'This is the first time we have seen a volcano beneath the ice sheet punch a hole through the ice sheet' in Antarctica, Vaughan said."

That chick Mariah Carey dishes out new album cover.

Spencer Livermore: the most powerful gay man in British politics.

LOGO to screen Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin all week.

Indiana wingnuts irate at lawmaker's refusal to hear proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage: "Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City, who is chairman of the House Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee, said today that the most urgent issue facing the state is property taxes, not same-sex marriage, which already is banned by Indiana law. 'I’m not planning on having a hearing,' Pelath said. 'The short session (of the legislature) was designed to deal with emergencies. We have a very serious problem with the property tax system, and we don’t have any gay marriages in Indiana.' The Senate committee plans to debate the amendment Thursday, but Eric Miller, who has pushed for passage of the amendment as founder of the conservative group Advance America, called that 'disingenuous.' The legislature, he said, is dealing with plenty of issues besides property tax reform and has the time to debate and vote on this amendment before its March 14 deadline."

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Defendant Pleads Guilty in Beating Death of Indiana Gay Man

I wrote about the beating death of Aaron "Shorty" Hall of Crothersville, Indiana last June. Hall was attacked and fatally assaulted after allegedly propositioning 19-year-old Garret Gray and 18-year-old Coleman King. Crothersville is a southern Indiana town halfway between Indianapolis and Louisville.

Daily Kos wrote at the time that Gray and King "were so freaked out when 'propositioned' by Aaron Hall on April 12th, that they proceeded to beat the 100 pound, 5'4 man for hours, using their fists, boots, dragging him down a staircase while his head slammed into each step, and then throwing him in a ditch and leaving. Aaron managed to crawl out of the ditch and out into a nearby field, where he died, alone and naked."

Mainstream media hardly noticed.

Today it was reported that Gray admitted to voluntary manslaughter under a plea agreement: "The agreement calls for Gray to serve a 30-year prison sentence and dismisses a charge of murder, which carried a potential sentence of 45 to 65 years upon conviction."

Gray's accomplice King pleaded guilty under identical terms and will be sentenced at the end of the month.

According to the Courier-Journal, "A third defendant, James Hendricks, 21, still faces a charge of assisting a criminal for allegedly helping Gray and King dump Hall's body...Hendricks drove Gray's truck while the other two continued beating Hall in the bed of the pickup until they dumped him in a ditch, the affidavit said. The document said the men went back days later, wrapped the body in a tarp and put it in an outbuilding at Gray's house, where police later found it."

2nd man guilty in fatal beating [courier journal]

Previously
Indiana Hate Crime Ignored as Killers Prepare 'Gay Panic' Defense [tr]

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News: NSA Wiretapping, Lee Hazlewood, Mars Probe, Kurt Russell

Iran newspaper banned for interviewing gay activist. PAPER: "We had an article which was an interview with an expatriate writer. They said she had moral problems, they say she is homosexual and promotes that in her weblog. But we talked to her as a poet."

AfterElton interviews Paul James, who plays gay teen Calvin on the hit ABC Family series Greek: "My parents are very great people. My dad grew up in Alabama, in the Civil Rights movement, and so there just wasn't any tolerance for bigotry in the house at all. And then I went to college and I majored in theater and was around a lot of gay and lesbian people. Everyone was shocked at first, [because] you know in high school you weren't really around that. But you just realize that they're the same people as you are. It probably comes from being black, too. You hear people discriminate against gay people, you can just replace gay with black and go back 30 or 40 years and it's the same thing."

Singer/songwriter Lee Hazlewood dies at 78 after battle with cancer. Wrote Nancy Sinatra hit "These Boots are Made for Walkin'" and many others.

Arjan previews a new single from Ari Gold: "Where The Music Takes You".

Bush signs legislation expanding right to eavesdrop on American citizens: "Congressional aides and others familiar with the details of the law said that its impact went far beyond the small fixes that administration officials had said were needed to gather information about foreign terrorists. They said seemingly subtle changes in legislative language would sharply alter the legal limits on the government’s ability to monitor millions of phone calls and e-mail messages going in and out of the United States."

Warhol vs. Banksy to open in London.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy not happy to be photographed by Associated Press photographers while vacationing at New Hampshire lake: "'He was happy and smiling and he waved at the security people as he was coming out,' [photographer Jim] Cole said of the president. 'And then he noticed us taking pictures and his happy demeanor diminished immediately.' The men said they watched through their lenses as Sarkozy pointed toward them and his boat began moving in their direction. Coming alongside Cole's boat, Sarkozy, clad only in swim trunks, jumped aboard and began shouting at them. 'The president was very agitated, speaking French at a loud volume very rapidly,' [freelancer Vince] DeWitt said."

UCLA releases independent investigator's report on student tasering incident.

Kurt Russell in his birthday suit.

Space probe on its way to Mars: "If all goes as planned — a big if considering only five of the world's 15 attempts to land on Mars have succeeded — the spacecraft will set down on the Martian Arctic plains on May 25, 2008, and spend three months scooping up soil and ice, analyzing the samples in minuscule ovens and mixing bowls. The Phoenix Mars Lander won't be looking for evidence of life on Mars but rather traces of organic compounds in the baked and moistened samples, which would be a possible indicator of conditions favorable for life, either now or once upon a time."

Now that's butch: Gay sports bar "Nellie's" opens in D.C.

Newsweek interviews gay historian and professor John D’Emilio about the August 9 Forum on LGBT issues, aka the "gay debate": "They’ll be up on the stage for [two hours] articulating their stands on gay issues. What will they actually say? Are they trying to not antagonize anyone? Are they trying to carve out a really clear position? Who are they trying to appeal to in their statements? Are they trying to appeal to the gay audience or are they trying to appeal to the non-gay audience? No matter what their position, I think that candidates who waffle will really be hurt in the gay community." And more on the candidates' lip service.

Roseanne Barr has blogorrhea: "Barbara Walters is well over one hundred years old now. She is all head, like joan rivers. I am only at the pee in your pants stage of old ladyism, but look forward to having a huge head in the future."

Tragic Indiana case illustrates discrimination gays face in visitation rights.

Southern Christian Leadership Conference to honor disgraced dogfighting football pro Michael Vick at annual convention: "We will recognize Vick for being an outstanding human being. We will work with anyone who opens their heart and arms to us." (americablog) And in related news, buy your dog a Michael Vick chew toy.

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Indiana Hate Crime Ignored as Killers Prepare 'Gay Panic' Defense

It's a crime that seems to have been virtually ignored by the media. It took place on April 12th in Crothersville, Indiana, a small town halfway between Indianapolis and Lousiville.

DailyKos reports: "Two young men in Jackson County Indiana said they were so freaked out when 'propositioned' by Aaron Hall on April 12th, that they proceeded to beat the 100 pound, 5'4 man for hours, using their fists, boots, dragging him down a staircase while his head slammed into each step, and then throwing him in a ditch and leaving. Aaron managed to crawl out of the ditch and out into a nearby field, where he died, alone and naked."

The sole paper to report on the crime, The Bloomington Alternative, reported that "[19-year-old Garrett] Gray (in stripes, behind), [18-year-old] Coleman [King] (center) and others, including 21-year-old Robert Hendricks and uncharged co-conspirator John Hodge, told police remarkably similar stories about a violent reaction to a homosexual advance in Gray's Crothersville home, according to court documents filed by police in the case."

The paper also notes the media's deafening silence:

"According to the local paper, The Crothersville Times, a witness said 19-year-old Garrett Gray, upon learning that Hall was dead, 'began vomiting and making statements of what his dad would say when he found out about this incident.' The fact that this tale has received almost no media attention outside Jackson County, Monroe's far southeast-corner neighbor, is but one of its bizarre twists. Another is the suggestion that Hall made no sexual advance on 18-year-old Coleman King, the other accused, that he and Gray made up the story as an excuse for murder. There's a legal theory for their argument. It's called the 'gay panic defense,' and it suggests that temporary insanity from exposure to homosexuality is a defense against murder. Matthew Shepard's killers tried to use it."

Indiana Bloggers are questioning the media's inaction as well.

Give the Bloomington Alternative piece a read. This story needs more attention.

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Indiana Teacher Transferred, Barred from Teaching Journalism for Allowing Pro-Gay Tolerance Essay

The story of an Allen County, Indiana teacher I posted in February has taken another outrageous turn. You may remember that Amy Sorrell was put on paid leave in March following the publication of a pro-gay tolerance essay by sophomore Megan Chase in the Woodlan Junior-Senior High School Tomahawk (which Sorrell supervises) that read, in part:

"I can only imagine how hard it would be to come out as homosexual in today’s society. I think it is so wrong to look down on those people, or to make fun of them, just because they have a different sexuality than you. There is nothing wrong with them or their brain; they’re just different than you."

Following a warning for "insubordination" by the school's principal Edwin Yoder, Sorrell was suspended from teaching and put under "investigation" Yoder also said all future issues of the school newspaper would require his approval before going to press.

The results of the school's "investigation," according to the Indianapolis Star? Sorrell will be "transferred to another school and barred from teaching journalism for three years."

All for allowing a student-written essay that said people should tolerate gays and lesbians.

The Star: "Sorrell had to choose between 'the students of Woodlan High School and a free press and the children living in her home,' said Jack Groch, a union representative with the Indiana State Teachers Association who represented her. Sorrell, who grew up in Monroeville, southeast of Fort Wayne in Allen County, attended East Allen schools. She always wanted to teach there, Groch said. But Sorrell felt she couldn't take the chance of losing her job, he said. 'She is not a wealthy person and felt she couldn't maintain her family if she had to undergo a long appeal process.'"

School administrators held a press conference after the settlement decision, saying they were the victims of "character assassination", apparently upset that their bigoted behavior had been exposed in the media.

Said Superintendent Kay Novotny (pictured, in blue): “EACS senior administrators have been able to set aside their frustrations with the spin applied to this situation to give Amy Sorrell a second chance to prove, despite her relative youth and obvious inexperience, that she can make as great a positive mark on EACS education as the administrators whose reputations her comments and actions have helped tarnish."

Sorrell was also apparently made to issue an apology "stating that she did not intend her actions or comments over the last three months to suggest that administrators were intolerant toward homosexuality."

Added Novotny: "(We) assume that her statement of apology was sincere and heartfelt and not some shallow, insincere statement made, with her fingers crossed behind her back, in order to save her job."

Absolutely sickening.

Journalism teacher to be moved [indy star]
EACS: Sorrell’s job saved by compassion [fort wayne journal gazette]

You may have missed...
Gay Tolerance Puts Indiana Teacher Under Investigation [tr]
HS Pro-Gay Tolerance Editorial Gets Warning from Principal [tr]

School information, after the jump...

(260) 446-0290 Woodlan Junior-Senior High School
Principal Phone:, 219-446-0290 ext 7401

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Pro-Gay Jesus Billboards Going Over Well in Indiana

Remember those billboards put up around Indianapolis by the Jesus Metropolitan Community Church challenging Christian assumptions about homosexuality?

In addition to this defacement, "a billboard on Kentucky Avenue carried the original message 'The early church welcomed a gay man' but had the word 'man' sprayed with black paint..." according to the Indianapolis Star.

Said the church's pastor Jeff Miner: "I think it shows the lengths some people will go to suppress ideas rather than have a dialogue."

The Star adds: "Several church leaders in the city say the ad campaign is built on false statements and distorted readings of scripture. But Rev. Andy Hunt of Body of Christ Community Church said vandalism is always a wrong response. 'It ignites passions whenever someone brings a lie against the god you worship,' Hunt said. 'But we can’t go down to their level.'"

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News: Hairspray, Knut, Day of Silence, Cannes Film Festival

"Day of Silence" tensions, combined with the recent fever over violence at Virginia Tech, lead to lockdown at Indiana High School: "The Day of Silence at New Castle Chrysler High School coincided with a national Day of Silence and aimed to support gay, bisexual and transgender students. 'People were in their shirts for it, people were in their shirts against it, and it just caused a lot of drama that I didn't think was needed,' said student Kayla Boyles."

Berlin's global warming icon, Knut the baby polar bear, is the target of an anonymous death threat.

Middlebury College in Vermont, one of the Advocate's top 100 colleges for gays and lesbians, is tagged with anti-gay graffiti.

Netflix cashes in on Virginia Tech killings, featuring Oldboy, film killer modeled himself after.

Line-up announced for Cannes Film Festival: Wong Kar Wai's My Blueberry Nights to open fest; Gus van Sant back in competition with Paranoid Park...

ERUPTING: Thousands flee Colombian volcano.

Purported David Beckham nude an instant internet hit!

Gaydar founder Gary Frisch, who plunged to his death from an eighth-floor balcony in early February, was found to have raised levels of ketamine in his body: "Estate agent Stephen Ruddock was standing outside a nearby building when he saw Mr Frisch's body hit the ground. He said Mr Frisch shouted 'Waheey' moments before he plunged to his death. Mr Ruddock said: 'It was a celebratory thing. I saw his body come into my line of sight. It arced in the air and hit the ground.' Pathologist Dr Peter Wilkins said raised levels of ketamine were found in Mr Frisch's blood and liver. He added: 'It can have similar effects to LSD, confusion and hallucinations.' Recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner, Dr Paul Knapman, said: "I don't think that it can be said he intended to kill himself. 'This is not suicide at all. He jumped to his death from the balcony of his flat on the eighth floor while under the influence of drugs.'"

Baby pilot whale found swimming in Brooklyn, dies.

Hairspray trailer hits the internet Aqua Net.

Kathmandu, Nepal gets its first gay beauty salon: "The salon, which offers regular beauty parlour services like haircuts, facials, manicures and pedicures, is also a training academy for members of the gay community who want to train as beauticians. The first batch of 10 young metis - gay men who dress as women - is running the salon under the aegis of the Blue Diamond Society (BDS), Nepal's sole gay rights group." The Blue Diamond Society recently received two awards from the International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission for grassroots groups making an impact in gay rights.

The Emma dilemma: "A 7-year-old girl is at the center of a court battle that is equal parts gay rights struggle, jurisdictional quandary and legal ethics question."

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Indianapolis to Receive Pro-gay Message from Jesus

A new campaign from Jesus Metropolitan Community Church of Indianapolis, with help from Faith In America and Metropolitan Community Churches this week began blanketing the Indianapolis area with billboards challenging Christian assumptions about homosexuality.

According to Faith in America, the five billboards (pictured) direct viewers to a website that provides support for the claims made on each.

Said Rev. Jimmy Creech, Executive Director of Faith In America: "In the past, many Christians misused the Bible to support slavery, oppose equal rights for women, and oppose interracial marriage. They went so far as to accuse people on the other side of being unbiblical. The same thing is happening again with respect to same-gender relationships. It has to stop."

Added Pastor Jeff Miner of Jesus Metropolitan Community Church: "Right now, most people think this is a debate between people who love the Bible – conservative Christians – and people who want to throw out the Bible – godless homosexuals. Nothing could be further from the truth. Our Church welcomes hundreds of devout gay Christians who love the Bible deeply. Our goal is to rescue the Bible from misinterpretations driven by cultural prejudice, so its true message of grace, hope, and peace can come through."

The Indiana legislature recently killed a proposed ban on same-sex marriage despite dogged efforts by religious and "pro-family" conservatives (including Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy) to pass it.

The billboard campaign is slated to remain up for a month.

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Gay Marriage Ban Suffers Defeat in Indiana

A tied (5-5) vote in the House Rules and Legislative Procedure Committee effectively killed the proposed amendment banning gay marriage in Indiana for what could be a year. Five Democrats opposed the amendment, with four Republicans supporting it. They were joined by one Democrat.

"The Democrats who voted against the proposed amendment said they had no problem with the first section of the amendment, which states that marriage is between a man and a woman. Each said they believe in that portion, but had concerns about the consequences of a second section which states that no law can be construed as granting the legal incidents of marriage to anyone other than a married man and woman."

Just last week, a crowd of over 1,000 came out to show their support for the amendment, packing the statehouse as legislators debated.

Indiana Democrat Dan Parker applauded the amendment's defeat and criticized Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels for refusing to touch it.

Said Parker: House Democrats took a stand today against ill-crafted legislation that would have done more harm than good. This wasn’t a vote against traditional marriage; it was a vote for protecting vulnerable Hoosiers and promoting job growth....[Governor Daniels should show] some kind of leadership on the amendment, especially in light of his much-touted commitment to economic development. The governor has had multiple chances to say something about this amendment, but he’s nowhere to be found."

Same-sex marriage ban defeated [indy star]
Marriage Amendment Could Be Dead For Year [ap]

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Crowd Packs Indiana Statehouse to Oppose Gay Marriage

Over 1,000 people jammed the Indiana statehouse today to support an amendment that would ban gay marriage, according to the South Bend Tribune:

"The conservative group Advance America organized the rally, which drew a crowd so large that many watched speeches from the upper levels of the Statehouse. Advance America founder Eric Miller urged lawmakers to repeal property taxes and support a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage.

'It's not a Republican or Democrat issue,' he said. 'It's right versus wrong.'"

It's possible the amendment could appear on the 2008 ballot should this legislature pass it, as it requires two separately-elected General Assemblies to pass the measure, and it was passed already in 2005.

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NFL and Indianapolis Colts Coach Dungy Raise Money for Anti-Gay Hate Group [tr]

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News: Hitler, Tom Cruise, Naomi Campbell, Apple TV

GLAAD taken to task by Here! Networks for policy of excluding gay media from its award ceremonies. Letter: "We believe that all gay media companies should be allowed to submit work for consideration. That collective group of LGBT voices in print and online journalism, radio, television, Telco, podcasts, and videocasts are quite literally changing the world. The New Gay Media has grown, matured and in many cases is taking the lead on groundbreaking points of view, yet GLAAD remains entrenched in old "mainstream" thinking."

New photoblog Shorpy features images from 100 years ago.

UK House of Lords set to debate rules requiring religious agencies to accept same-sex couples as adoptive parents.

Simon Cowell's package reportedly not a British landmark. A Socialite's Life: "On Monday night's airing of The Late Show With David Letterman, American Idol judge Paula Abdul revealed an unfortunate nickname for her colleague, Simon Cowell. When Letterman asked Abdul, 'You honestly hate Simon, don't you? He's smug and he's arrogant. And he thinks you want to have sexual activities with him,' Abdul responded, 'You are right about that. But that will never happen - because his nickname is 'Small Ben.'' We look forward to hearing what Cowell's nickname is for the former pop princess."

Pete Doherty drops trou for French magazine.

Major Indiana employer comes out against gay marriage ban: "The Columbus engine-maker [Cummins, Inc] said the measure would make it harder to recruit good workers and give the domestic partner benefits it now offers its employees."

"World's first supermodel" banned from fashion show for bad behavior.

Naomi Campbell turns community service into a fashion statement: "Yesterday at 8 a.m., the catwalker - performing her court-ordered community service - strode into the Pier 36 Sanitation Department in a Chanel cap and $1,000 Christian Louboutin boots, her work shoes slung over the shoulder of her $1,500-plus Azzedine Alaia coat. The penitent prancer could have bought two years' worth of gear for the price of her outfit. Sanitation employees are given a $900 yearly uniform allowance, which they use for things like shoes, vests, shirts and gloves. But instead,Campbell dressed for a fashion show, not a day mopping floors and scrubbing toilets."

Apple TV, which will allows users with iTunes to watch movies, listen to music, and view photos on their televisions by sending them wirelessly from their computers, is shipping and the first reviews are in!

Director Bryan Singer and Tom Cruise attempt to assassinate Hitler in new film.

Human rights activists urge go-ahead for Moscow Gay Pride parade.

Andy Roddick: I touch myself.

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NFL and Indianapolis Colts Coach Dungy Raise Money for Anti-Gay Hate Group

It's been talked about for weeks, but last night Indianapolis Colts Coach Tony Dungy stood before a staunchly anti-gay crowd at the Indiana Family Institute Banquet benefit and declared himself to "embrace" them in the gay marriage debate.

Said Dungy: "I appreciate the stance they're taking, and I embrace that stance...IFI is saying what the Lord says. You can take that and make your decision on which way you want to be. I'm on the Lord's side....We're not anti- anything else. We're not trying to downgrade anyone else. But we're trying to promote the family -- family values the Lord's way."

Earlier this month the Colts released a statement distancing themselves from the event: "Coach Dungy's feelings on the importance of marriage and family are well known. He, of course, is free to speak to any group he wishes. The club does not take positions in political issues in which it is not directly involved. The Colts do not endorse any political or religious position taken by any group that any Colts employee decides to speak or lend his or her name to."

They did, however, provide signed sports equipment to be auctioned off to raise money for the anti-gay organization: "Previous IFI banquets had drawn at most 440 guests, according to organizers. But the appearance of the Super Bowl-winning coach to receive the institute's "Friend of the Family" award set a record. Seats for the event at the Ritz Charles, one of the institute's largest annual fundraisers, went for $75 apiece. In addition to the more than $50,000 raised from ticket sales, the institute auctioned off enough Dungy-signed Colts footballs, helmets and paraphernalia to raise nearly another $20,000. In keeping with the Colts theme, Dungy was introduced by Colts punter Hunter Smith, whose Christian band Connersvine served as the evening's entertainment."

Imho, raising $20,000 for a hate group means the Colts (and therefore the NFL) is endorsing them.

Dungy: 'I embrace' same-sex marriage ban [indianapolis star]

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Gay Tolerance Puts Indiana Teacher Under Investigation

In February I posted about the publication of a student-written pro-gay tolerance article in a high school newspaper at Woodlan High School in Indiana. The article caused a major stink with the school's principal, Edwin Yoder, who then demanded that he be able to sign off on every issue of the newspaper. He also gave the supervising English and journalism teacher, Amy Sorrell, a warning for "insubordination".

The article read, in part: "I can only imagine how hard it would be to come out as homosexual in today’s society. I think it is so wrong to look down on those people, or to make fun of them, just because they have a different sexuality than you. There is nothing wrong with them or their brain; they’re just different than you."

Now the news from Indiana is that Sorrell has been put on paid leave "while the district investigates allegations that could lead to terminating her contract."

Sorrell tells the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette that she has no idea what's going on: "I’m assuming it’s with this whole mess of all this other stuff, but I really don’t see how it got this far. At this point, I’m just waiting to find out what the allegations are."

The principal's new rules have caused the students to stop publishing their newspaper and start studying about freedom of the press, the Gazette reports.

Student news adviser put on paid leave [fort wayne journal gazette]

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HS Pro-Gay Tolerance Editorial Gets Warning from Principal [tr]

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News: Tony Dungy, Clinton Requiem, Nip/Tuck, SA Divorce

As a sixth paper drops Ann Coulter's column, the AP wonders if she's reached a tipping point.

Madonna to guest star on Nip/Tuck, possibly opposite Rosie O'Donnell.

One of the first gay couples to register for a civil union in South Africa, Richard Thornton and Andries Jacobs, have filed for divorce: "Barely a month after a chance encounter in a West Rand shopping mall, they exchanged rings and vows of fidelity on January 5, one of the first same-sex couples to be married in South Africa under the then newly enacted Civil Unions Act. Ironically, they could become the first divorced under the legislation. Just two months later, the marriage has crumbled and 52- year-old Thornton has filed for divorce on the grounds of irreconcilable differences and desertion. Jacobs, 20, packed his bags in the dead of night just weeks into the marriage as arguments over coming home late and overpossessiveness escalated."

Hilary Duff hits the gay bar circuit.

Beckham impostors attempt to crash Hollywood power lunch spot The Ivy. This time they weren't hawking fragrance.

Priest in Saskatchewan cut from church for performing gay marriages. Rev. Shawn Sanford Beck considers his position an act of civil disobedience: "I felt unable to say no to those requests. That goes against everything else I'm about in my ministry and everything else that the church stands for...I have no desire to get myself off the hook. I'm trying to send a very strong message to the gay and lesbian community, and to other communities that have been alienated from the church, that we don't all think the same and there are people willing to go to the wall."

House conservatives attempt to neuter global warming committee by appointing chief climate skeptic.

Ford Motor Co. said that American Family Association had nothing to do with their decision to cut ties with GLAAD Media Awards.

Roxy R.I.P. - a New York Times obituary.

David Mixner's requiem for the Clinton era: "Today, the Clintons run the political machine trying to save the status quo in the Democratic Party. Their fundraising operation is notorious for its ruthlessness and elitism. Their circle of advisors and friends are tough and aggressive with anyone who refuses to pledge allegiance. They are surrounded by money collectors like Terry McAuliffe who shakedown donors with warnings that they will be punished if they give to another candidate. Senator Clinton’s position on the Iraq War is by far the most calculated of any candidate. And on so many other issues, her positions are measured and break no new ground. Each appearance is predictable and perfectly arranged. Whether by necessity or choice, the spontaneity, exuberance and hope we saw in both of the Clintons in 1992 is gone."

Sick mugger attacks 101-year-old woman in Queens.

Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy back under the microscope for anti-gay Indiana Family Institute fundraiser. Colts release statement: "Coach Dungy's feelings on the importance of marriage and family are well known. He, of course, is free to speak to any group he wishes. The club does not take positions in political issues in which it is not directly involved. The Colts do not endorse any political or religious position taken by any group that any Colts employee decides to speak or lend his or her name to."

Utah Governor Jon Huntsman signs bill targeting gay-straight alliances. The legislation would allow school districts to ban them should they not "maintain the boundaries of socially appropriate behavior." According to the AP, "The new law has more than a dozen pages of regulations, including requiring parental permission to join a club, a faculty sponsor for the club, prohibiting students at another school from joining the club and submitting written materials to the principal within 24 hours after a meeting so parents can review them."

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HS Pro-Gay Tolerance Editorial Gets Warning from Principal

Sophomore Megan Chase wrote an opinion piece for her school newspaper at Woodlan Junior-Senior High School in Woodburn, Indiana, calling for tolerance of gays and lesbians. It read, in part:

"I can only imagine how hard it would be to come out as homosexual in today’s society. I think it is so wrong to look down on those people, or to make fun of them, just because they have a different sexuality than you. There is nothing wrong with them or their brain; they’re just different than you."

The editorial really set off the school's principal Edwin Yoder, who not only sent a letter to the newspaper staff, he sent a letter to the journalism teacher at the school warning her of 'insubordination' for exposing children to 'inappropriate' materials and threatened to fire her. He also demanded that he be able to sign off on every issue of the newspaper.

Woodlan Editorial on Gays Ignites Firestorm [journal gazette]

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News: Air Force Rapist, John McCain, Light Bulbs, Nova

Continental Basketball Association relieves Tim Hardaway of his duties.

In bid to cut greenhouse gases, Australian government plans to phase out incandescent light bulbs within three years: "Turnbull said the banning of incandescent bulbs would help trim 800,000 tons from Australia’s current emissions level by 2012 and lower household lighting costs by 66 per cent."

300 rally with Candace Gingrich at Indiana Statehouse to demonstrate against amendment that would define marriage as between a man and a woman. Gingrich: "You know what? Same-sex marriage already is illegal in Indiana, but it's the second part of this that they (proponents) don't want you to know anything about, that they want you to ignore. They don't want you to dig into the second part of the amendment because it could harm not just gay Hoosiers, but all Hoosiers." According to the Indy Star "The amendment's first sentence defines marriage as between a man and a woman. The second says neither the constitution nor state law can be construed as giving 'the legal incidents' of marriage to unmarried couples or groups."

Sirius and XM Satellite Radio announce plans for $4.6 billion merger.

Sarah Silverman's neighbors Steve and Brian not your typical TV gays.

Creepy: Court martial begins for Air Force officer accused of drugging and raping four men and attempting to rape two others: "Prosecutors told Col. Thomas Cumbie, the military judge, that the victims described experiences similar to the effects of gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, also known as the date-rape drug. Prosecutors said the men met Taylor at bars, had drinks and then blacked out."

A Q&A with the founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales.

John McCain slams Rumsfeld: "We are paying a very heavy price for the mismanagement - that's the kindest word I can give you - of Donald Rumsfeld, of this war. The price is very, very heavy and I regret it enormously. I think that Donald Rumsfeld will go down in history as one of the worst secretaries of defense in history." Although what he said upon Rumsfeld's retirement was far different: "While Secretary Rumsfeld and I have had our differences, he deserves Americans' respect and gratitude for his many years of public service."

QueerCents announces weekly series intended to guide gays and lesbians through tax season.

Two female pop stars choose divergent paths.

Early-rising amateur astronomers can spot a nova with the naked eye right now if you look hard enough.

Italy's government in closed-door sessions with the Vatican over draft bill giving legal rights to same-sex and unwed couples: "The meeting, at which Bertone and other prelates met Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi, President Giorgio Napolitano and other officials, was a regular diplomatic event but was the first since the disputed bill was proposed earlier this month. Pope Benedict has accused political 'lobbies' of damaging the family. 'Divorce and free unions are on the rise, meanwhile adultery is viewed with an unjustifiable tolerance,' he said on Saturday."

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