Free Republic

Ideas have consequences. That is why it is sometimes difficult to understand how bad ideas can survive, and even thrive, in certain environments. One really bad idea that is thriving in higher education is the so-called trans-gendered rights movement. It is thriving not because of the work of trans-gendered persons but because of feminists who are willing to use them to advance their own ideas about gender and equality. Feminists have been increasingly enamored with the idea that there are no innate differences between men and women. In recent years, they have been arguing with greater and greater frequency that...

Video footage from KPSP CBS 2 Palm Spring News shows Proposition 8 protesters surrounding an elderly woman and the reporter trying to interview her, shouting and blocking the camera's view of the woman, ultimately forcing the two to flee from the encircling crowd. Phyllis Burgess, a supporter of true marriage, had been assaulted earlier as she displayed a large cross in front of the protesters. Video footage shows the anti-marriage crowd pushing Burgess, slapping the cross out of her hand and stomping on it as they surround her. When reporter Kimberly Chang attempted to interview Burgess shortly thereafter, she grew...

The same California Supreme Court that created a "right" to homosexual "marriage" earlier this year has now ruled that the state may force healthcare professionals to provide services that support an immoral and physically dangerous lifestyle. California's highest court was unanimous in its decision on Monday that Christian doctors may not refuse to perform artificial insemination for homosexual patients. (See "California court says no religious exemption for doctors") Attorney Brad Dacus, president of the Pacific Justice Institute (PJI), reacts to the ruling. "This is a clear violation of the fundamental rights of individuals to live and practice their faith," he...

The father and uncle of honour killing victim Banaz Mahmod were jailed for life today for her murder. Mahmod Mahmod, 54, was told he will have to serve a minimumn of 20 years while his brother Ari, 51, will have to serve at least 23 years. Horrific details were revealed yesterday of the last hours of the young Kurdish woman murdered by her family for falling in love with the wrong man. Banaz Mahmod, 20, was brutally raped and stamped on during a two-hour ordeal before being garotted. One of her killers, the Old Bailey was told, was 30-year-old Mohamad...

PANORAMA CITY, Calif. -- A man who barricaded himself with two hostages in a Panorama City condominium for about three hours surrendered to police early Friday.

Texas voters Tuesday overwhelming approved a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, making their state the 19th to take that step. In Maine, however, a proposal to repeal a new gay-rights law was trailing in early returns. The contest in Texas was decided quickly _ the ban was receiving more than 74 percent of the votes in early returns. Like every other state except Massachusetts, Texas didn't permit same-sex marriages previously, but the constitutional amendment was touted as an extra guard against future court rulings. The campaign had been enlivened over the past week because of a controversial tactic by the...

International gay leaders are planning a 10-day WorldPride festival and parade in Jerusalem in August, saying they want to make a statement about tolerance and diversity in the holy city... [L]eaders of the three faiths -- Christianity, Judaism and Islam -- are making a rare show of unity to try to stop the festival... "They are creating a deep and terrible sorrow that is unbearable," said Shlomo Amar, Israel's chief Sephardic rabbi, "...We are all against it." ..."That is something new I've never witnessed before, such an attempt to globalize bigotry," said Hagai El-Ad, the executive director of Jerusalem Open...

A Home for a Gay Channel By BILL CARTER Published: May 30, 2004 EXECUTIVES of MTV Networks seemed to be caught a bit off guard by the hostile reaction to their announcement last week that they intend to create the first cable entertainment channel devoted to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender viewers, called Logo. Religious groups, including the Traditional Values Coalition, denounced the idea as amounting to "moral anarchy" and promised to organize a boycott of companies that advertise on the channel. But the executives behind the project remain convinced that MTV Networks will be able to overcome any impediments....

(CNSNews.com) - The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force says it is time to repeal America's "archaic and unjust" sex laws. The Task Force announced it is taking part in a project to analyze sex laws throughout the United States and identify which ones need to go. The point is to "educate Americans about the prevalence and abuse of antiquated and unjust sex laws in the nation, and to give grassroots activists policy and organizing tools to work to change these laws," the Task Force said in a press release. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force said it is...

After publicity sparked by a WND story, a university canceled a student group's "National Outdoor Intercourse Day" and related "Pornfest" this year. One year ago, Western Washington University in Bellingham, Wash., held its 11th annual "celebration" with offerings such as condom hunts, a masturbation information table and "Pornfest," a showing of award-winning pornographic films along with discussion sessions. Brochures were distributed to inform students of the "repercussions of sex outdoors," and a guest lecturer from a "sex-positive" community center in Seattle spoke on dispelling the "myths" surrounding polyamory – having sexual relationships with more than one person at a time....

To hear homosexual agitators tell it, same-sex "marriage" is no threat to the institution that civilized humans have reserved for one man and one woman for thousands of years. They scoff at the notion that vaporizing traditional marriage will break down barriers prohibiting unions involving multiple partners, close relatives or other species. But the facts say otherwise. More than a decade ago, homosexual marriage was legalized in Scandinavia and now dogs are routinely sodomized in Sweden to the point where they need medical treatment. Now the same court that conjured up a same-sex marriage right in Massachusetts has ruled that...

Flint -- School officials are taking action over allegations that lesbian students at Central High School and other buildings are harassing other girls. There appear to be more complaints and rumors this year regarding lesbians fighting and sexually harassing students, said Larry Watkins, director of the office of school safety. The school doesn't track incidents by sexual orientation, so Watkins said he doesn't know for sure if the problems are increasing. But suspensions for fighting and sexual harassment have included at least one fight between two girls arguing about a relationship, he said. In response to concerns, the district reviewed...

Dutch Politicians Want Bestiality Banned Thu Mar 11, 8:13 AM ET AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - Two Dutch political parties called Wednesday for laws prohibiting sex with animals after a man suspected of having sex with a pony was set free. Wearing nothing but a T-shirt, the man was arrested by police in Utrecht Monday after the pony's owner caught him by surprise in his stable. "He was caught in the stable, busy with the pony, and was arrested for animal mistreatment," Mary Hallebeek, a prosecution spokeswoman said. The prosecutor set him free because there was no evidence of a crime. Dutch...

Back rubs, slumber parties, holding hands, and playing with each others’ hair: This is all typical teenage girl behavior. While boys tend to rough-house, girls tend to be more affectionate. It’s always been innocent. Until now, that is, writes Washington Post writer Laura Sessions Stepp. Nowadays, “sexual preference is a shifting concept” among adolescent girls, and in our sex-charged culture affectionate behavior between girls has gone well beyond child’s play. It’s hard to tell whether these girls are acting on attraction or are simply vying for attention. For example, in one Washington, D.C., private school, a group of girls charged...

Gay Men Lose Challenge to Florida Gay Adoption Ban By Catherine Wilson Associated Press Writer Published: Jan 28, 2004 MIAMI (AP) - Four gay men lost a federal challenge Wednesday to the only blanket state law banning homosexuals from adopting children, a statute passed at the height of Anita Bryant's anti-homosexual campaign. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against the men, who are foster parents seeking to adopt children in their care despite the 1977 law. "Obviously we're crushed," said Paul Cates with the American Civil Liberties Union's Lesbian and Gay Rights Project. Gov Jeb Bush said he...

CHICAGO - Something queer is happening to the word "queer." Originally a synonym for "odd" or "unusual," the word evolved into an anti-gay insult in the last century, only to be reclaimed by defiant gay and lesbian activists who chanted: "We're here, we're queer, get used to it." Now "queer" is sneaking into the mainstream - and taking on a hipster edge as a way to describe any sexual orientation beyond straight. Jay Edwards, a 28-year-old gay man from Houston, has noticed it. "Hey Jay," a straight co-worker recently said. "Have you met the new guy? He's really cute and...

ORONTO, Aug. 30 — When David Andrew, a 41-year-old federal government employee, heard that the highest Ontario court had extended marriage rights to same-sex couples two months ago, he broke into a sweat. "I was dreading the conversation," he said, fearing that his partner would feel jilted when he told him that he did not believe in the institution. "Personally, I saw marriage as a dumbing down of gay relationships. My dread is that soon you will have a complacent bloc of gay and lesbian soccer moms." When he moved in with David Warren, a 41-year-old software company project officer,...

It used to be said, before gays "came out," that they were in "the closet." I wish they would go back into it. The rest of us have been in "Pandora's Box ever since. Not that long ago, in kinder, gentler times, when grown adults actually kept their private business private, and fringe rebels did not get in everyone's face to make their point, what is now considered to be an alternative lifestyle" was in fact, a deviancy. The only thing that has changed is that in 1973, (the same notorious year that also gave us Roe vs. Wade) the...

ATLANTA (Reuters) - A growing number of gay and bisexual men in the United States are engaging in risky sex with partners they meet on the Internet, raising fears that the AIDS virus could be poised for a major comeback in the group hardest hit by the epidemic. Online chatrooms and Web sites are replacing gay bathhouses and sex clubs as the most popular meeting point to arrange high-risk sex, according to two new studies presented on Tuesday at the 2003 National HIV (news - web sites) Prevention Conference. The findings come amid growing evidence of an apparent resurgence of...

This morning I decided to let BRAVO have an earful. Here is my email:"As a DirecTV subscriber, I am notifying you I am permanently blocking BRAVO from my menu on my DSS receiver.Your push for homosexual-'friendly' programming demonstrates your pandering to an audience that exhibits behavior that is not only detrimental to their own health, but the health and safety of families everywhere. I refuse to risk allowing my children to see promo material on your channel, so I find it necessary to block BRAVO and will encourage others to do so. Your advertisers will no longer reach me or...

<p>The city is opening a full-fledged high school for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students - the first of its kind in the nation, The Post has learned.</p> <p>Operating for two decades as a small alternative program with just two classrooms, the new Harvey Milk HS officially opens as a stand-alone public school with 100 students in September.</p>

American companies continue to lead the world in politically correct foolishness. Perhaps General Motors should be the poster child for this stupidity disease. The company's "diversity" initiative includes spending company money to support "affinity groups" that celebrate the "collective mixture of similarities and differences" that make up GM's workforce. However, the company has refused to recognize groups of employees that share a common religious background, while openly supporting at least one affinity group of gay and lesbian employees. The "logic" behind this discrimination is bewildering. One employee won't stand for it any longer and has filed a discrimination complaint against...

For education and discussion only. Not for commercial use.A German man who confessed to killing and eating a man he met through a website for cannibals has been charged with murder, prosecutors have said. The 41-year-old suspect, identified as Armin M, is alleged to have killed the 43-year-old victim in March 2001 in the town of Rotenburg in central Germany, after meeting him through the site. He then carved up and froze portions of the man's flesh, later eating some of it, prosecutors allege. The crime was apparently carried out with the victim's full consent, however state prosecutor Hans-Manfred Jung...

Personally, I'm relaxed about sodomy, which isn't the same as being relaxed during sodomy. But one does one's best to keep up with the times. I use the word ''sodomy,'' incidentally, mainly because I still can. I would wager that one of the consequences of the Supreme Court decision striking down sodomy laws will be that they've also struck down the word. I see New York is revising its statutes to eliminate such anachronistically pejorative terms, and in Georgia, where the DAs have made hip, busy cop-show acronyms out of their archaic legislation, I don't suppose ''SOLCAN''--as in ''Soliciting a...

I have a few items to inform you of before we get to the pics. First, I would like to recognize that...... most gay people are not the sort of freaks you are about to see. ...judging gays by these people is like judging heterosexuals by Pee-Wee Herman, Marv Albert, Bill Clinton, Larry Flynnt and Scott Ritter. ...most gay activists are pretty much just the sort of freaks you’re about to see, but sometimes even worse (as in, absolutely hateful). Also, you’ll be interested to know that by some bizarre coincidence, every one of the male couples in this Gay...

Selling Homosexuality to America By Craig von Buseck CBN.com Producer In this exclusive interview, Paul Rondeau talks about his in-depth study, Selling Homosexuality to America, which was recently published in the Regent Law Review. CBN.com – In his recent study, Selling Homosexuality to America, marketing expert Paul Rondeau explains, "Among America's culture wars, one of today's most intense controversies rages around the issue alternatively identified, depending on one's point of view, as "normalizing homosexuality" or "accepting gayness." The debate is truly a social-ethical-moral conceptual war that transcends both the scientific and legal, though science and law most often are the...

Transexuals will be allowed to marry in their adoptive sex and apply for birth certificates showing their new genders under new Government proposals. But in a concession to the Anglican Church, priests will for the first time be able to refuse to carry out a marriage ceremony if the bride or groom is a transexual. Minister at the Department for Constitutional Affairs, Lord Filkin, said the concession was a result of "disquiet" from some in the Church over the new rights. Transexuals who want to register under their new genders will be able to apply to a new authorising body,...

Big Business Targets Gay Customers Companies Eager For Piece Of Multi-Billion Market Gay purchasing power now surpasses $450 billion a year, by some estimates, and big companies are taking notice. Travel Web site Orbitz.com is just one of several major companies now catering to gay and lesbian customers. In fact, the company is now airing a gay-targeted ad on two cable networks. Volvo is also going after a newly recognized gay demographic: families. Ford is doing the same. Wes Combs is president of the D.C. marketing firm Ford hired to target the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender market. "Gay...

<p>NEW YORK - MSNBC on Monday fired Michael Savage for anti-gay comments.</p> <p>The popular radio talk show host who did a weekend TV show for the cable channel referred to an unidentified caller to his show Saturday as a "sodomite" and said he should "get AIDS and die."</p>

MONTREAL -- Swingers clubs will spring up across Canada because of a judge ruling their activities are not necessarily illegal, the head of a swingers group said yesterday. Municipal court Judge Denis Boisvert found five people guilty of swinging-related offences, but decided "contemporary Canadian society tolerates swinging and swingers clubs if the sexual acts take place in private." Jean Hamel, president of the 8,000-member Quebec Swingers Association, said Boisvert's ruling will have national significance. "I don't think more clubs will open in Quebec but I think it will open doors for other places in Canada, like Toronto." Judge Boisvert found...

Nudity, Crassness, Perversion on Display as San Francisco Celebrates Legal Sodomy 7/2/2003 By Allyson Smith Anti-Catholic 'Sisters' group takes shot at Vice President Cheney SAN FRANCISCO—Homosexuals were jubilant—and some naked—Sunday, June 29, as they celebrated last week’s Supreme Court ruling overturning Texas’ sodomy law during this city’s 33rd annual “gay pride” parade. This writer witnessed no attempt by city police to arrest those who were publicly nude, and no attempts to urge revelers to cover their private parts. The San Francisco "gay" celebration occurred just two days after President George W. Bush visited the city on a campaign stop to...

WAL-MART ANNOUNCES PLANS TO PROTECT GAY EMPLOYEES; Has expanded its antidiscrimination policy... DEVELOPING...

I have a sneaking sympathy for Dick Gephardt. Hitherto the Democratic Party's most reliably unexciting presidential candidate, the former House minority leader went bananas the other day and said if the Supreme Court did something he didn't like he'd sign an executive order overturning it. Several conservatives did a bit of pro forma huffin' an' a-puffin' about why this makes Gephardt unfit to be president. But, speaking personally, I can't see why rule by Dick-tat would be worse in principle than the present system, whereby the nation's course for the decades ahead is effectively set by executive orders from Sandra...

When gays rose up against police during the Stonewall Riots in 1969, they were living in a country that considered them criminals. But when their descendants in the struggle for equal rights march down Fifth Ave. in today's Gay Pride Parade, they will do so in a nation whose Supreme Court has forcefully ruled that they are "entitled to respect for their private lives." In the matter of Lawrence vs. Texas, the justices ruled 6 to 3 Thursday that the sodomy law in Texas, which criminalized consensual sexual activity between homosexuals, was unconstitutional. But the court didn't leave it at...

<p>Hordes of quivering GOP lawmakers and vast throngs of proudly homophobic right-wing Christian Americans fell into an adorable tizzy the other day as the entire really, really big country of Canada announced it will change its law to allow full-on homosexual marriage anywhere in the whole country including Vancouver and Toronto and even "that weird province with all the gay French people."</p>