Gay student stripped of university student senate seat

Injustice or a matter of procedure?? Lezgetreal.com is reporting that a lesbian student at Valparaiso University was stripped of her senate seat in the student government. The seat was apparently set aside for minority students, and the bylaws do not include LGBT in the definition of minority. Students are saying that the admin used this technicality to minimize LGBT representation on the campus.

In February, Tia Kolasa, an openly gay undergraduate at Northern Indiana’s Valparaiso University, was overwhelming elected by her classmates to fill a student senate seat designated for minority students. Kolasa sought to fill that seat so she could represent the gay community on campus.

Sources at the school say Kolasa is well liked and popular with her peers on the senate. They also say she was doing “a great job” as a senator, that she was bringing a new awareness of LGBT issues to non gay students and had instilled a sense of pride in the members of Valparaiso University LGBT student community.

But a few weeks after Kolasa assumed her new responsibilities as a student senator, questions were raised by some students and school administrators if being gay should be considered a minority and soon after Valparaiso University officials informed the counsel that sexual orientation did not qualifying under the student senate’s bylaws or under school policies for minority status and directed that Kolasa be removed from her seat.

In issuing his ruling, President Mark Heckler said the issue of unseating Kolasa was entirely a matter of procedure. Heckler also said the ground rules were established from the beginning, and that changing those rules in midstream to seat someone was the reason for Kolasa was removed.

Read the rest of this article after the jump...

Why the African American community should embrace gay rights.

The Bay Area's Contra Costa Times just published an opinion piece by Pastor and syndicated columnist, Byron Williams. Williams makes some pretty good points, check it out:

WHENEVER THERE is a discussion about gay rights and the African-American community, someone can be depended upon to offer the juvenile critique that the cause of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is not the same as the historical Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and '60s.

It's not uncommon to hear African-American pastors suggest "my skin cannot be compared with their sin" as a way to poetically justify their homophobia.

This argument assumes a collective understanding of what the Civil Rights Movement is and what the LGBT movement is not.

If one views the civil rights movement and the current LGBT struggle through the linear paradigm of race and sex, I would agree there is little that connects the two.

If, however, one understands the civil rights movement as something that helped America get closer to the democratic values to which it committed itself in 1776, along with the preamble of the Constitution that reads: "We the people of the United States in order form a more perfect union," then I would suggest the LGBT struggle is very much an extension in the ongoing civil rights struggle.

Find the rest of the article after the jump...

Anonymous E-mail Accuses Diversity Program of Promoting ‘Gay Agenda’

Julie Bolcer at the Advocate is reporting that a mass email has been sent to thousands of parents of a California high school complaining that the school's diversity program is advancing the "gay agenda". It seems like the email didn't illict the response the author had hoped for:

An anonymous e-mail potentially sent to thousands of parents accused the Castro Valley High School in California of promoting a "gay agenda" in its diversity program last week.

The high school near San Francisco is the alma mater of lesbian MSNBC host, Rachel Maddow.

The two-day “Days of Diversity” program, now in its ninth year at the school, teaches students about the history of their community and country, including inter-religious relations and civil rights, according to Principal Pete Alvarez.

Whoever sent the e-mail thinks otherwise, however.

“I find out that the influence of the gay agenda at CVHS is much worse than I had been led to believe,” said the message. “I already knew that most of my child’s teachers were gay.”

Officials are unclear how the sender received the e-mail addresses of parents, many of whom expressed their disgust with the anti-gay sentiments.

Find the original article after the jump...

South Africa: 'Corrective Rape' Spreads To 'Fix' Lesbians

The Huffington Post is featuring a story by The Guardian on the rise of sexual violence against lesbians in South Africa:

The partially clothed body of Eudy Simelane, former star of South Africa's acclaimed Banyana Banyana national female football squad, was found in a creek in a park in Kwa Thema, on the outskirts of Johannesburg. Simelane had been gang-raped and brutally beaten before being stabbed 25 times in the face, chest and legs.As well as being one of South Africa's best-known female footballers, Simelane was a voracious equality rights campaigners and one of the first women to live openly as a lesbian in Kwa Thema.

You can find the rest of the article after the jump...

HRC Launches Endthelies.org

The Human Rights Campaign launched a new website this past week. When the right-wing attacks the LGBT community, their messages usually consist of one main ingredient - lies. HRC's EndtheLies.org will help you counter to those lies with the truth. EndtheLies.org has videos, audio, pictures and quotations calling out those who knowingly use lies and misinformation to disrupt the LGBT community's path to equality. Users can add comments on multimedia discussion boards, learn how to fight the far-right's misdeeds and nominate their own candidates for inclusion on the interactive wall of shame.

Click here to find more!

Morehouse Men Respond to Homophobia

The brave men at Morehouse are again confronting homophobia face on, and they're doing it in an impressive way. This article comes from the Southern Voice:

Morehouse College under fire again for alleged homophobia
Student newspaper column questions masculinity of gay men at all-male institution
By DYANA BAGBY, Southern Voice | Feb 17, 4:51 PM

A Morehouse College student newspaper column titled “Is Gay the Way?” has caused a stir in Atlanta as well as the national blogosphere, with many gay and transgender activists accusing the writer of being homophobic. The opinion article, published Feb. 16 in The Maroon Tiger, questioned masculine norms at the all-male historically black college.

Gerren Gaynor, who wrote the column and serves as the paper’s associate opinions editor, told Southern Voice he believes his message has been misunderstood.

“In no way was my article an anti-gay piece,” said Gaynor, a sophomore English major.

“This article was exclusive about the way in which it affects the campus of Morehouse College and no other institution, not even the United States government … While I do agree that I went about my topic the wrong way — and please be advised that this was an article done over night for a weekly college publication — it is completely wrong to disregard the feelings of other students on campus, gay and straight, because every homosexual is not comfortable with seeing a man with feminine qualities,” he said. “Nowhere in my article do I attack gays. The article is strictly a critique on gender norms.”

In his column, Gaynor states, “It’s not so much that ‘straight’ men of Morehouse are uncomfortable with the gay lifestyle, but more so because that the lifestyle is constantly and robustly thrown in their faces. Does being a gay man include adopting the traits of a woman? Because if that’s the case, there’s a more fitting school, and it’s not an all-male institution.

You can find the rest of the article after the jump...

Faith Leaders from LGBT Groups Issue Joint Statement Denouncing Vatican, Supporting UN Resolution

The Vatican has taken a position against decriminalizing homosexuality as the UN moves to encourage such a measure in countries around the world that hold on to such draconian laws. HRC has just released a statement about the Vatican's decision:

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign Foundation, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender civil rights organization, along with faith program directors from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation and National Black Justice Coalition today issued a joint protest over the Vatican's recent decision to oppose an initiative to decriminalize homosexuality. Advocates are pushing the U.S. State Department to support the initiative and urging media to cover this life and death concern.

The following joint statement was issued on United Nations Human Rights Day and the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

“For far too long people around the world have been ostracized, imprisoned, tortured and denied basic rights to housing, health care and employment simply because they are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender (LGBT). In more than 70 countries people can be imprisoned for homosexuality and in several countries same gender love is a crime punishable by death.

“This is why the French government, backed by 27 European Union nations, put forward a proposal, on Human Rights Day to recognize that LGBT rights are human rights and to decriminalize homosexuality. Such a statement simply affirms the most basic of rights for LGBT people: that they be allowed to live in dignity and safety. As faith leaders who work every day with LGBT people who feel the stigma of discrimination, this UN initiative speaks to our core belief that we show our love for God when we care for our neighbors, particularly those who are shunned and marginalized.

“As faith leaders we were shocked by Vatican opposition to this proposed initiative. By refusing to sign a basic statement opposing inhumane treatment of LGBT people, the Vatican is sending a message that violence and human rights abuses against LGBT people are acceptable. Most Catholics, and indeed most Catholic teachings, tell us that all people are entitled to live with basic human dignity without the threat of violence. The Catholics we know believe that Scripture asks us to be our brother and our sister's keeper. Many are speaking out against this immoral stance in the name of religion.

“Compounding the Vatican's opposition is the inaction to date of the government of the United States. As faith leaders and citizens of the United States, we call on the U.S. government to join the 50 countries throughout the world that have officially supported this U.N. proposal. We urge U.S. leaders to stand against discrimination. It is time to let the teachings of the world's great religions guide us toward justice rather that encouraging prejudice, fear and violence. It is time for the U.S. to stand as a moral leader for LGBT people and to help create a more just world for all of us.”


Harry Knox, Director
Religion and Faith Program
Human Rights Campaign Foundation

The Rev. Rebecca Voelkel, Director
Institute for Welcoming Resources and Faith Work
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force



Dr. Sylvia Rhue, Director
Religious Affairs
National Black Justice Coalition

Ann Craig, Director
Religion, Faith & Values Program
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD)

Bittersweet Day for LGBT Americans

Nov. 5th marks a bittersweet day for LGBT Americans. There is great celebration within our community surrounding the election of Barack Obama to the presidency. His efforts of inclusion were exemplified again in his victory speech, where he made mention of gay Americans. This is a remarkable achievement of progressive advocates everywhere, that work so hard to see Obama elected.

Unfortunately, discriminatory measures were passed in states across the US:

WASHINGTON—Voters in Arizona and Florida passed amendments to their states’ constitutions enshrining discrimination against LGBT people and denying marriage, and in some cases civil unions or domestic partnerships as well, to same-sex couples. Proposition 8 in California still remains too close to call.

“We all know that our marriages did not begin with a court decision and they will not end with a vote on a discriminatory amendment,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

“In California, we firmly believe that all votes should be counted before calling the race. Several million votes in CA have yet to be counted. We are waiting to see the final results from those ballots and we should not be speculating about something as important as people’s fundamental rights,” continued Solmonese.

“Although we lost our battles in Arizona and Florida, we will not allow the lies and hate—the foundation on which our opponents built their campaign—to break our spirits. We are on the right side of history—and we will continue this journey.

“The continuing movement in public opinion underscores that it is only a matter of time before we undo this loss and add more states to the march for marriage equality,” Solmonese continued.

HRC played a key role in the efforts to defeat Proposition 8 and other the other ballot measures in Arizona and Florida. (HRC Press Release)

We must continue the fight to bring fair-minded Americans together in support of equality, as well as support a president that values who we are as a community.

Soulforce Activists Arrested at Christian College in Alabama

Three gay rights activists were arrested for trespassing at a Christian university on Friday after attempting to deliver letters advocating for the acceptance of LGBT students. The activists, all women, are affiliated with Soulforce's Equality Ride, which is touring university campuses across the South this fall to promote religious tolerance of gay students.

The Equality Riders met with one student during their stop at Heritage Christian University in Florence, Ala., who described the atmosphere on campus as a "homophobic panic." Faculty and students had been warned by school administrators not to communicate with the Riders.

The three arrested were Caitlin MacIntyre, 19; Katie Higgins, 26; and Taueret Manu, 21. Equality Ride codirector Jarrett Lucas said in a statement that the university is clearly unwelcoming of LGBT people. "The school’s choice to arrest us shows just how far they will go to suppress the message we bring," Lucas said. "HCU trains missionaries to go beyond the walls of their school to spread the inclusive gospel of Christ, but today they chose not to uphold the principles they preach."

HCU is the sixth school on the tour, which ends in November. The Riders are also planning to visit Mississippi College, the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, and the Simmons College of Kentucky. (Michelle Garcia, The Advocate)

Gay teens face hard times in Tri-Cities

By Sara Schilling, Herald staff writer

Gay and lesbian teens in the Tri-Cities say they've been targeted in the community and at school because of their sexual orientation.

They've been whispered about, laughed at and called names such as "faggot" when they're on the street and in school hallways, they say.

"I've had people try to fight me because I'm gay. I've had people try to fight me because I hang out with people who are gay and stand up for them," said Alex, 17, who goes to high school in the Tri-Cities.

The Herald agreed not to fully identify students to protect them from harassment.

Their experiences are backed up by a national survey released this month. It found that 86 percent of students who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered -- abbreviated as LGBT -- had been verbally harassed at school in the past year.

Find more after the jump...

86% of LGBT teens face harassment in US schools

By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk

The most comprehensive study ever undertaken into the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) students in the United States has found they face widespread abuse.

GLSEN, the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, released the 2007 National School Climate Survey yesterday.

6,209 middle and high school students took part.

GLSEN said nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students (86.2%) experienced harassment at school in the past year, three-fifths (60.8%) felt unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation and a third (32.7%) skipped a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe.

“The 2007 National School Climate Survey reveals that, on a whole, the situation is still dire for many LGBT youth when it comes to school safety,” GLSEN Executive Director Kevin Jennings said.

Find more after the jump...

Gay man injured in new D.C. bias attack

By JOSHUA LYNSEN | Oct 3, 5:47 PM

D.C. police arrested two men today after a gay man was attacked in Georgetown.

Acting police Lt. Brett Parson said the “aggravated assault” occurred near the neighborhood’s canal area around 3 a.m. Parson declined to discuss the circumstances surrounding the attack, but noted it was being handled as a hate crime.

Parson said that police arrested two men soon after the attack. Prosecution was being handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, which confirmed that both men were in custody today and would be arraigned Saturday.

Parson said the gay man who was injured in the attack was treated and released from a local hospital.

A source familiar with the case told the Blade that the injured man, a 23-year-old Georgetown medical student, was walking along the canal path with a 22-year-old man when two men approached them.

The source said the men, who he described as Muslim and being of “Middle Eastern descent,” asked the other men if they were gay. When one of the men answered yes, the source noted that the man and his companion began using “profane language.”

At one point, the source said, the two men told the gay men, “If you were to do this type of behavior back in our country, you’d be stoned,” and that “a man’s asshole is for shitting not fucking, you fucking faggots.”

Find more after the jump...

Racist "Obama Waffles" Sold at "Value" Voters Summit

Black, gay blogger extraordinaire Rod 2.0 is reporting this story, take a look:

Over the weekend at the Values Voters Summit, conservative activists eagerly bought boxes of "Obama Waffles" that featured several racist caricatures of Sen. Barack Obama on the front, back and top flap. The Democratic presidential nominee is depicted with "popping eyes and big, thick lips" and another image depicts Obama wearing an Arab-like headdress on its top flap. "Point toward Mecca for tastier waffles!" reads the instructions.

Find more after the jump...

Anti-Gay Protest Fizzles, Obama Pride Sizzles in NYC

by Kilian Melloy
EDGE Contributor
Tuesday Sep 9, 2008

An Obama Pride gathering sizzled in New York City last weekend, while a few blocks away a Hispanic anti-gay demonstration fizzled.

Sunday, Sept. 7 saw two very different gatherings taking place in Manhattan, with one--a GLBT Obama rally--attended by a supportive throng, while the other--an anti-gay protest led by Hispanic clergy--drew only a relatively paltry crowd.

The anti-gay clergy and their supporters met at 25 Federal Plaza, even as the Obama Pride crowd assembled mere blocks away.

As noted by gay Web blog Blabbeando, the NYC Obama Pride gathering took place at City Hall, while an estimate 250-300 people showed up for the anti-gay event, which Blabbeando reported featured homophobic speeches, including an address from "the very non-Latino... Joseph Mattera of the Christ Covenant Coalition," whom Blabbeando said had "been at work in 'diversifying' religious opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion-rights for more than a few years perhaps in order to make discrimination a tad bit more palatable to the general masses."

Find more after the jump...

HIV-Positive Man Sues McDonald's for Wrongful Termination

A man is suing a McDonald's restaurant in Dyersville, Iowa, allegedly it fired him because he is a gay man with HIV. Daniel Carver claims he was promised a promotion and a full-time schedule, which he did not receive, according to the Dubuque Telegraph Herald newspaper. A manager punched him in the stomach, and another employee called him a "faggot rat" and slapped him with a slice of cheese, Carver alleges. Additionally, he claims he received death threats from other employees. Though he reported the problems to a manager, the incidents continued. He was fired in February 2008, after almost four months of employment.

He has filed his claim with the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. The commission has sent Carver, 46, a right-to-sue letter, prompting him to file suit in the Dubuque County district court.

Iowa law prohibits workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Since the law was enacted in 2007, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission has received six complaints for gender identity discrimination and eight for sexual orientation discrimination, according to the Telegraph Herald. State law also bans discrimination against an employee who is HIV-positive. The state's department of health reports that nearly 2,000 Iowans have HIV. (The Advocate)

Find the article here.

Palin supporters, black Obama voters will help pass Florida's gay marriage ban

Mary Ellen Klas
Miami Herald


TALLAHASSEE -- The ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage in Florida continues to be in trouble, a new poll released Monday by Quinnipiac University found, so promoters are now pinning their hopes on presidential politics to push them over the top.

The poll found Florida voters support the same-sex marriage ban by 55-41 percent, but that falls short of the 60 percent needed to become law.

Supporters say that both Sarah Palin, the right-leaning Alaskan governor credited for firing up the Republican's conservative base, and the historic candidacy of Democrat Barack Obama will bring out more proponents of Amendment 2.

''Palin may turn out more conservative voters who might have stayed home,'' said Steve Strang, founder of Orlando-based Charisma Magazine for evangelicals. ``If they support Sarah Palin, they most likely will vote on this amendment.''

OBAMA SUPPORTERS

Meanwhile, Obama will draw black voters ''who know and understand this issue,'' said John Stemberger, president and general counsel of the Florida Family Policy Council, which is promoting the Yeson2 campaign.

The poll of 1,427 Florida voters was conducted Sept. 2-4 and has a margin of error of 2.6 percentage points. Amendment 2 would define marriage as a legal union between a man and a woman.

Although same-sex marriage is already illegal in Florida, the amendment enshrines it in the constitution and prevents the establishment of civil unions by adding that ``no other legal union that is treated as marriage or the substantial equivalent thereof shall be valid or recognized.''

Find more after the jump...

Bashing victim publishes photos of injuries

By ZACK ROSEN, Washington Blade

One of three men injured in an Adams Morgan anti-gay attack in July has sparked renewed media interest in the case by releasing photos of his injuries.

In the July 13 incident, three gay men were assaulted by a group of five men who used anti-gay epithets. The Blade covered the attack a week after it happened. This week, the victim released photos of himself that appeared on a blog, thenewgay.net. Since then, local radio station WAMU has covered the story.

The victim in question, who asked to be identified only by his first name Todd, said that he chose to release the graphic photos to raise awareness about homophobia and hate crimes in Washington.

Find more after the jump...

Uncovered Questionnaire Shows Republican VP Nominee Palin Opposes Hate Crimes Laws

WASHINGTON – During her 2006 run for Governor, Sarah Palin filled out an Alaska Eagle Forum questionnaire that reveals even more about her stance and view on equality for LGBT equality.

One of the questions the conservative group asked her on the questionnaire was her views on expanding hate crimes laws. The question reads, “Will you support an effort to expand hate crimes laws?”

Palin answered, “No, as I believe all heinous crime is based on hate.”

Another question from the same survey asked, “Do you support the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling that spousal benefits for state employees should be given to same-sex couples? Why or why not?”

Palin answered, “No, I believe spousal benefits are reserved for married citizens as defined in our constitution.”

And last, but not least, Palin was asked what her top three priorities, as regards to families, would be while Governor.

Palin answered, “#2 - Preserving the definition of ‘marriage’ as defined in our constitution.”

“I’d say we have a pretty definitive understanding of where Sarah Palin stands on issue of equality for our community. Sarah Palin is against recognizing our relationships, against domestic partner benefits, and against hate crimes laws. She championed that her second top priority in office would be preserving an anti-gay definition of marriage. The more we find out about her record, the more frightening her record becomes,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

The full questionnaire and answers can be found here...

When asked about the right-wing’s reaction to the choice of Gov Palin, the New York Times quoted Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition as saying, “They’re beyond ecstatic”.

Highlights of Governor Palin’s Anti-Equality Record

· Prior to being elected governor, Palin supported the 1998 constitutional amendment barring marriage for same-sex couples and has said she would support a ballot measure overturning a state supreme court decision mandating benefits for domestic partners of state employees

· She is close to “traditional values” groups, like Family Research Council, because she is strongly anti-choice

Marriage and Relationship Recognition

· Palin told the Anchorage Daily News that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment on marriage.

· In addition, she told the Daily News that she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to the domestic partners of public employees, which were ordered by an October 2005 decision of the Alaska Supreme Court, because, she said “honoring the family structure is that important." http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/governor06/story/8049298p-7942233c.html

· While she followed the Court’s decision and he also signed legislation –her first legislative act as Governor of Alaska—to put the issue on the April 2007 ballot for a nonbinding advisory vote. This was the only issue on the ballot and that election cost the state taxpayers $1.2 million. This measure passed, but the legislature did not follow the public’s advice and it chose not to take any further action to overturn the court’s decision.

· She did, however, veto legislation passed by the state legislature in 2006 that would have prohibited providing DP benefits to state workers, in defiance of the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling. She did this after the Supreme Court had already ruled and the Attorney General (Republican) advised her that the legislation was unconstitutional. Palin went on to state that, as a matter of policy, she was in favor of the bill.

Ties to Anti-LGBT Groups

· She will be honored alongside anti-gay Representative Michelle Bachman (R-MN) at an event at the 2008 Republican Convention, the “Life of the Party,” sponsored in part by long-time opponent of GLBT rights, Phyllis Schlafly.

McCain Courts Female VP: Smooth Move

“America may not know much about Sarah Palin, but based on what our community has seen of her, we know enough,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese.

WASHINGTON – Today, presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Senator John McCain announced he has chosen first term Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his choice to be his Vice Presidential running mate. Although only holding an executive, state-wide office for less than two years, Gov. Palin has already shown that she is a fierce opponent of equality.

“America may not know much about Sarah Palin, but based on what our community has seen of her, we know enough,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. “Sarah Palin not only supported the 1998 Alaska constitutional amendment banning marriage equality but, in her less than two years as Governor, even expressed the extreme position of supporting stripping away domestic partner benefits for state workers. When you can’t even support giving our community the rights to health insurance and pension benefits, it’s a frightening window into where she stands on equality.”

When asked about the right-wing’s reaction to the choice of Gov Palin, the New York Times quoted Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition as saying, “They’re beyond ecstatic”.

Highlights of Governor Palin’s Anti-Equality Record

· Prior to being elected governor, Palin supported the 1998 constitutional amendment barring marriage for same-sex couples and has said she would support a ballot measure overturning a state supreme court decision mandating benefits for domestic partners of state employees

· She is close to “traditional values” groups, like Family Research Council, because she is strongly anti-choice

Marriage and Relationship Recognition

· Palin told the Anchorage Daily News that she supported the 1998 constitutional amendment on marriage.

· In addition, she told the Daily News that she would support a ballot question that would deny benefits to the domestic partners of public employees, which were ordered by an October 2005 decision of the Alaska Supreme Court, because, she said “honoring the family structure is that important." http://dwb.adn.com/news/politics/elections/governor06/story/8049298p-7942233c.html

· While she followed the Court’s decision and he also signed legislation –her first legislative act as Governor of Alaska—to put the issue on the April 2007 ballot for a nonbinding advisory vote. This was the only issue on the ballot and that election cost the state taxpayers $1.2 million. This measure passed, but the legislature did not follow the public’s advice and it chose not to take any further action to overturn the court’s decision.

· She did, however, veto legislation passed by the state legislature in 2006 that would have prohibited providing DP benefits to state workers, in defiance of the Alaska Supreme Court’s ruling. She did this after the Supreme Court had already ruled and the Attorney General (Republican) advised her that the legislation was unconstitutional. Palin went on to state that, as a matter of policy, she was in favor of the bill.

Ties to Anti-LGBT Groups

· She will be honored alongside anti-gay Representative Michelle Bachman (R-MN) at an event at the 2008 Republican Convention, the “Life of the Party,” sponsored in part by long-time opponent of GLBT rights, Phyllis Schlafly.

GOP Paltform Resoundingly Anti-GLBT

Rod 2.0, gay political and social commentator, is balking on his blog at the Log Cabin Republican's assessment of their party's platform. This years GOP platform is once again resoundingly anti-GLBT calling for the works, constitutional bans and all! But, the Log Cabin Republicans are saying that the platform is "symbolic". Here's part of what Rod 2.0 had to say:

Here is some straight talk for Scott Tucker, the Log Cabin Republicans and other gay McCain groupies: The Reopublican presidential nominee is just not that into you. What "battles" will you fight? McCain supports the marriage bans in California and Arizona and opposes pro-gay legislation such as ENDA or expanding hate crime definitions. The Log Cabinettes are quick to remind us that McCain opposes a federal amendment but he sure did campaign for the Arizona marriage amendment that ultimately failed. These are not “symbolic” gestures, these are positions and legislation that affects millions of gay men, lesbians and transgenders.

Find more of Rod 2.0's commentary on this issue after the jump...

Find the AP article on the GOP Platform here...