Free Republic

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) - You don't have to be a history buff to know about 1945's V-J Day in Times Square. The iconic picture, known as "Kissing Sailor," portrays a U.S. Navy sailor grabbing and kissing a stranger in a white dress. The photo was taken on Victory over Japan Day just hours after the announcement that Japan had surrendered and World War II was finally over. The sailor in the photo was on a date in Times Square and decided to celebrate by kissing the closest nurse, a stranger who was not his date. Navy soldier Bryan Woodington, 33,...

Some residents of small-town Sardis, Miss. say they are very troubled at officials’ decision to knowingly crown a registered sex offender as “Grand Marshal” of their annual Christmas parade, according to a report from KAIT. Carolyn Whaley, who owns The Eclectic Emporium on Main Street where the Christmas parade passed by on Tuesday, says “everyone in Sardis knows that Michael Saripkin, the Grand Marshal, is a sex offender,” KAIT reports. “Everybody knows that; it’s a small town,” Whaley said. “It doesn’t bother me. He’s a very nice, friendly man. He has donated more money, helped the fire department, helped the...

Former Olympian and transgender activist Caitlyn Jenner was on The View Wednesday to talk about their new book and how they felt about Donald Trump. While criticizing Trump’s record on transgender issues, Jenner said they still identified as a conservative for issues like national security. Jenner’s answer prompted one host to excitedly ask Jenner to run for political office. The interview began with host Whoopi Goldberg asking about Jenner’s relationship with Trump: WHOOPI: What can you say to him that says, ‘Listen. You need to remember. We're all Americans here.’ How can you help us? Jenner responded that Trump’s ruling...

Governor Cuomo celebrated Pride Weekend and the overturning of DOMA by announcing the launch of a tourism website aimed at the LGBT community, because all out-of-state dollars are equal in his eyes. [NBC New York]

The ongoing debate about gay marriage is an ongoing one that places the church’s theology in an apparently direct confrontation with modern liberal society. In the US, gay marriage has been legalized in some states and the UK is currently going through political discussions in Westminster as old-hand Tories (and that’s how they largely seem in this situation) argue against the senior members of their parties (and most members of the other parties) who suggest that it should be legalized in an opt-in manner such that opposing churches aren’t obliged to hold the services.

Bill #1098 has been introduced in the Connecticut legislature by Rep. Michael Lawlor and Sen. Andrew McDonald that orders the Catholic Church to reorganize. Its express purpose is “To revise the corporate governance provisions applicable to the Roman Catholic Church and provide for the investigation of the misappropriation of funds by religious corporations.” It specifies that each parish is to elect a board of directors to run all parish functions, thus stripping the Pastor of his authority.Catholic League president Bill Donohue responded as follows:“The Catholic League has been deluged with phone calls, e-mails and faxes from Catholics, as well as...

New Jersey could boost its economy by more than half a billion dollars over the next three years by promptly legalizing same-sex marriage, a California law professor told a state commission earlier.