CNN reports that 6 more men have been brutally murdered in Iraq simply for being gay...
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Six gay men were shot dead by members of their tribe in two separate incidents in the past 10 days, an official with Iraq's Interior ministry said.
In the most recent attack, two men were killed Thursday in Sadr City area of Baghdad after they were disowned by relatives, the official said.
The shootings came after a tribal meeting was held and the members decided to go after the victims.
On March 26, four additional men were fatally shot in the same city, the official said, adding that the victims had also been disowned by their relatives.
The official declined to be identified because he is not authorized to speak to the media.
Witnesses told CNN that a Sadr City cafe, which was a popular gathering spot for gays, was also set on fire.
MONTPELIER, Vt. -- A ten-year battle to grant same sex couples the legal right to marry culminated in a dramatic political showdown Tuesday at the Statehouse with the house voting to override Gov. Jim Douglas' veto of the gay marriage bill.The House voted 100-49 to override the veto Tuesday. The vote tally was greeted by rousing applause in the House chamber.The state House and Senate sent the bill to the Governor’s office Monday evening where, as expected, it met with rejection.The Senate began the override debate at about 10 a.m. as lobbying continued in the House chambers nearby. "This is our moment," Sen. Peter Shumlin told senate members as the Senate debate began.The debate was short as the Senate voted to override Douglas' veto 23-5.The secretary of the Senate delivered the bill to the governor's office Monday night, where his staff was ready, handing the bill back with a letter announcing the governor's formal veto and his reasons for it. The governor cited reasons he has shared before, saying he believes marriage is between a man and a woman. In his letter, Douglas said same-sex couples would be denied federal benefits even if the bill were to become law.
Douglas had yet to be overridden throughout his tenure."We've been talking with a lot of members. I feel it's a real possibility that we'll be able to put this bill into law tomorrow," House Speaker Shap Smith said.
Buck up fellow homos! Don't let Vermont get ya down! Iowa, the (what is Iowa famous for? Not potatoes, that's Idaho, hmmm) 'something state', has just made itself hospitable to gays who wanna marry (like those two charming gay-Iowan fellows above who I'd be happy for if I wasn't seething with so much envy)...
"The Iowa Supreme Court this morning struck down a 1998 state law that limits marriage to one man and one woman. The ruling is viewed as a victory for the gay rights movement in Iowa and elsewhere, and a setback for social conservatives who wanted to protect traditional families. The decision makes Iowa the first Midwestern state, and the fourth nationwide, to allow same-sex marriages. Lawyers for Lambda Legal, a gay rights group that financed the court battle and represented the couples, had hoped to use a court victory to demonstrate acceptance of same-sex marriage in heartland America. Richard Socarides, a former senior adviser to President Bill Clinton on gay civil rights, said today’s decision could set the stage for other states. Socarides was was a senior political assistant for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin in the early 1990s. 'I think it’s significant because Iowa is considered a Midwest sate in the mainstream of American thought,' Socarides said. 'Unlike states on the coasts, there’s nothing more American than Iowa. As they say during the presidential caucuses, 'As Iowa goes, so goes the nation.’'"
The good news is the Vermont House just approved a gay marriage bill, the bad news is it's probably not gonna make it past their governor (pictured top)...
Gov. Jim Douglas could still veto the bill, which he's promised to do, although that sentiment remains cloudy. Having already made it through the Vermont Senate, the state's House passed the measure 95-52 after four hours of intense debate on the floor, falling five Yays short of a 100-vote "veto proof" vote. Tomorrow there will be a "final approval" measure before it's sent to Douglas' desk.
If Douglas signs off on it, the U.S. will have eight percent of its states with legal gay marriage on the books. Tomorrow's decision in Iowa could bump that to 10 percent.
If your Swedish, gay, and wanna wed you can now do it in Sweden. Woohoo!!
"Sweden has become the fifth European country to allow gay marriage. Parliament on Wednesday adopted a new law that gives same-sex couples the same marriage rights as heterosexuals. The Parliament's Web site says the new law will take effect on May 1. The Netherlands, Norway, Belgium and Spain also allow gay marriages. Sweden has recognized civil unions between homosexual couples since 1994. However, the old law stopped short of calling them marriages, which gay rights activists said was discriminatory. It will still be up to individual churches to decide if they want to wed gay couples. Swedish news agency TT says the 349-seat legislature passed the measure in 261-22 vote, with 66 lawmakers abstaining or absent."
Dave Veeser is a former columnist for the Uptown Neighborhood News. His website work has been featured in Metro Magazine, The Minneapolis Star and Tribune, the St. Paul Pioneer Press, The Southwest Journal, and was twice bestowed the City Pages 'Blog of the Day'. You can email Dave at ZestyPress@yahoo.com
