Free Republic

Elmhurst College put a question on its admissions application that won’t appear on any other school's application. "Would you consider yourself to be a member of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered) community?” That optional question makes Elmhurst the first school in the country to ask applicants about their sexual orientation or gender identity, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Gary Rold, the dean of students at Elmhurst, stressed the question falls in line with the campus’ mission statement to increase diversity. "We're offering an incentive to a group of students who are looking for a home and may not find that...

Christopher Pye was convicted last year of sexual assault-- KAMLOOPS, B.C. (CP) -- A man caught trying to have sex with a dog told police he did it because he had been wrongfully convicted of sexually abusing a child and wanted to do something bad if he was going to jail. Christopher Pye pleaded guilty last month to bestiality. He was also convicted in provincial court last year of sexual assault on a nine-year-old girl. Judge William Sundhu reserved his decision Tuesday on Pye's sentence on both matters until Feb. 28. Pye was arrested after two people reported seeing a...

The ruling family of one of the seven United Arab Emirates has deposed its crown prince over claims that he was too sympathetic to women's rights. An official decree issued yesterday announced that Sheikh Khalid bin Saqr al-Qassimi, 63, had been dethroned in favour of one of his younger brothers. Sheikh Khalid had been the de facto ruler of the emirate of Ras al-Khaimah for the past four years since his elderly father, Sheikh Saqr bin Mohammed al-Qassimi, became frail. Sheikh Saqr is one of the world's longest-serving heads of state, having been ruler since 1948. The decree appoints Sheikh...

Thirty years ago, New Haven, Conn., civil rights lawyer John R. Williams thrust himself into the public eye representing Black Panther Party defendants. His latest cause, however, is that of a white male lawyer who claims state Attorney General Richard Blumenthal passed him over for a promotion due to an affirmative action program. The attorney general's position is that plaintiff Harold H. Burbank II was not hired as an assistant attorney general -- after years as a paralegal for the office -- because other candidates were more qualified. "They claim," Williams argued in his brief opposing Blumenthal's summary judgment motion...