Free Republic

Gov. Mitt Romney says he would be willing to talk about his Mormon religion in broad terms should he run for president but would shy away from debating specific beliefs. "I think initially some people would say, `Gosh, I don't know much about your faith. Tell me about it.' And I'd probably outline the fundamentals: I'm a religious person, I believe that Jesus Christ is my savior," Romney said during an appearance on PBS's "The Charlie Rose Show." "But then as you get into the details of doctrines, I'd probably say, 'Look, time out.'" Among other things, Mormons believed in...

It’s no wonder that the American people are frustrated with the Republican Congress. Americans deserve progress, but instead are bombarded with politics driven by fear and division. They deserve action on the challenges we face as a nation - an endless and costly war in Iraq, skyrocketing gas prices and soaring health-care costs. Rather than dealing with real priorities, the Republican leadership is focused on writing discrimination into the Constitution. Just like the circus surrounding the Senate’s effort to intrude into the Terry Schiavo case, today the Senate will begin debate on the Federal Marriage Amendment - a wholly inappropriate...

A transgender woman is alleging discrimination against a state trooper who called her “buddy” and “guy” and arrested her after she was caught speeding, flipped off the trooper, then stepped into traffic on Interstate 495. Clairese Renee Morgan of Malden has filed a complaint with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and wants troopers to go through mandatory training in transgender issues, according to Bay Windows newspaper. Morgan was traveling between 95 and 100 mph on Interstate 495 north when a trooper from the Andover State Police Barracks pulled her over April 28. Morgan told the paper the trooper repeatedly referred...

Voters nationally see Mitt Romney as a pretty face but an empty suit, giving him high marks for his chiseled good looks but low grades for honesty, conviction and uniqueness, according to a high-tech poll provided exclusively to the Herald. “He’s seen as the same old pol - nothing that makes him stand out,”said Aaron A. Reid, chief behavioral scientist for RKM Research and Communications. The survey used online responses from a scientific sample of participants to measure emotional “gut” responses to photographs of the candidates. Researchers say the cutting-edge technique - so far untested in the political polling field...

Gov. Mitt Romney flirted with abolishing a state advisory commission on gay youth for promoting a parade featuring a crossdressing master of ceremonies and embracing transgender teens, a spokesman said Friday. Initially, Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said the governor, who signed a proclamation hailing a similar parade in 2003, considering killing the Gov.'s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth because the parade press release was issued without the administration's blessing. On Friday, Fehrnstrom expanded on that explanation. "This year what was brought to our attention was a press release that was not authorized by this office but which went out...

Ever since her 5-year-old brought home a book from kindergarten that depicted a gay family, Tonia Parker has felt that her parenting has been under attack in the only state that allows same-sex marriage. She and her husband, David, didn't want to discuss sexual orientation yet with their son, and were shocked that the book was included in a "diversity book bag" last year. David Parker subsequently got arrested for refusing to leave a Lexington school after officials refused to meet his demand that he be notified when homosexuality was discussed in his son's class. Now the Parkers and another...

Bay State Congressman Barney Frank has joined a battle in defense of an openly gay soldier who was discharged after another private allegedly assaulted him in Arizona. Calling the move “dumb,” U.S. Rep. Frank (D-4th) blasted the Pentagon’s policy on gays in the military yesterday in light of the recent discharge. “It’s dumb right now because we have a shortage of people and you are losing thousands of people who want to join,” Frank said. Army Pvt. Kyle Lawson, 19, who was stationed at Fort Huachuca, was discharged from the military on Jan. 5 - two months after he was...

Gov. Mitt Romney's advance staff – young aides who spiff him up for public appearances – is twice the size of the advance staffs under Govs. William F. Weld and A. Paul Cellucci, aides to those former GOP governors said. The eager young Romney aides, clad in dark suits and outfitted with U.S. Secret Service-type earpieces, refer to Romney at events as ``70'' because he is the 70th Massachusetts governor. The four-person staff makes up an increasingly prominent coterie of handlers around the image-conscious governor, in sharp contrast to the unaffected style of Weld and Cellucci, former staffers said. ``Despite...

Boston and Cambridge are rolling out the rainbow carpet. Tourism officials hope to lure more gay and lesbian travelers through a new $100,000 advertising and marketing campaign. The Greater Boston Convention & Visitors Bureau has teamed with Man Around - a U.K. company billed as the world's largest long-distance gay-tour operator - to market Boston and Cambridge as gay-friendly destinations. Gay and lesbian travelers are an attractive market for the tourism industry, according to Pat Moscaritolo, the convention bureau's chief. ``Because they have higher income, they have a propensity or ability to travel,'' Moscaritolo said. ``They also have an affinity...

``What would Ted Williams think? Would he turn over in his freezer?'' Mary Clossey, a Newton mom of eight who has been a critic of gay-rights efforts, said of the Sox' decision to let three stars of the TV show ``Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'' throw out tomorrow's ceremonial first pitch. ``I'm tired of hearing about (homosexuality). Sunday is a family day at Fenway Park. Why would you want to do that on a Sunday?"

Better lock up Johnny Damon! Four of the Fab Five from ``Queer Eye for the Straight Guy'' will reunite with their fave jocks-to-tszuj June 5 when they toss out the first pitch at Fenway Park. Carson Kressley, Thom Filicia, Kyan Douglas and Jai Rodriguez (Ted Allen has some cuisiney conflict), are headed to the Hub to promote their Red Sox-themed season opener on June 7 and take part in Boston Pride Week festivities. As you are all too aware by now, the Fab Five - armed with blow dryers, manscaping wax and suit swatches - infiltrated spring training last March...

A Methuen fourth-grader who was attending school as a girl before February break has come back to school as a boy. The parents of the 9-year-old said their child was born with the body of a girl but the brain of a boy and has struggled with identity from an early age. The unidentified parents are now asking school officials to instruct teachers and students to refer to the child as a boy and begin using a new name to address him. The student has been attending the elementary school since first grade. The sudden change in the child's sexual...

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- Two women, including a Smith College student, pleaded innocent to charges they raped and handcuffed another female student and slashed her with knives. Rachel Ann Klobertanz, 22, and Augusta Claire Kendall, 22, were ordered held on $25,000 bail at their arraignment Tuesday in Northampton District Court. Both were charged with two counts of aggravated rape, three counts of assault and battery, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon and aggravated assault and battery.

The Mass. homosexual movement 2005: Plans, quotes, and photos from the Nov. 18 statewide homosexual activist strategy session. === If you think the homosexual movement is satisfied with their progress this past year, think again. They've got big plans for 2005 to do even more. To solidify what they've got, and to push the envelope even further. If you think you can just stop worrying because things can't get any worse, you're quite wrong. They've only just begun. On Thursday, November 18, the homosexual activists had a gala "public forum" at the fancy Colonnade Hotel in downtown Boston to celebrate...

Official may end effort to ban gay marriages Friday, November 05, 2004 By DAN RING dring@repub.com BOSTON - The legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts may have been a major factor in drawing religious conservatives to the polls across the nation and helping defeat U.S. Sen. John F. Kerry, D-Mass., in Tuesday's presidential election. But there was no backlash against gay marriage in the Massachusetts election. All state legislators who support gay marriage were re-elected Tuesday. Gay marriage is proceeding so smoothly in Massachusetts since starting May 17 that legislators may drop a proposed constitutional amendment to define marriage as...