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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 18, 2002)
umxrmnews January lfl. 2Ü01 passed the act for a decade now, but it has died each year because the Republican-controlled Sen ate has taken no action. Given the Assembly’s long-standing support for the act and Pataki’s call for passage, all the Senate needs to do is take up the mea sure this year, and it would become law. “We believe in equal rights and equal protections for all people,” Bruno said at a press conference after Pataki’s speech. “We’re open [to the act]. It’s on our agenda.” This is the best real estate buyer's market the desert has 24 hours seen in three years. Prices and interest rates are good and there is a great selection o f homes to choose from. Why wait? Now is the best time to buy your spot in the sun! open M IS S IS S IP P I A hate crimes amendment is among more than 1,000 bills that have been presented by Mississippi lawmakers for the 2002 session, which began Jan. 8. Last year Democratic state Rep. Erik R. Fleming intro Democratic state Rep. Erik R . Fleming has reintroduced duced legislation to add protec hate crimes legislation in Mississippi tion for people attacked be cause o f their sexual orientation or age. It decade, Congress blocked the district from using died in committee, but the issue o f people tar any local or federal funds to implement the law. The fiscal year 2002 District of Columbia geted because of their age was introduced in a appropriations bill lifted this prohibition. The separate hill, which passed. district now joins 130 other state and local gov Fleming has introduced House Bill 171, ernments nationwide offering domestic partner which mirrors 2001’s House Bill 162 in context. benefits for their public employees. • If passed, it would add sexual orientation and age to the Mississippi hate crimes law in July. 5 “The Judiciary B Committee didn’t even dis ridgestone/Firestone Inc., which an cuss the bill in 2001 when it was presented,” says nounced Nov. 18 an expansion of its diver Jody Renaldo, Equality Mississippi executive sity marketing efforts to include the sexual director. “Hopefully this time they will remem minorities community, is now under attack by ber our previous conversations and our current the American Family Association. ongoing conversations and give this bill the due The anti-gay organization issued an action attention it deserves.” alert Dec. 13, blasting the tire maker for appeal Equality Mississippi was founded in March ing to “homosexual lovers, cross-dressers and 2000 because of a hate crime. A close friend of gender-confused customers." President Don Renaldo’s was kidnapped, beaten and strangled Wildmon said, “Bridgestone is selectively to death and his body was dumped in the woods recruiting customers based solely on bedroom simply because he was gay. behavior— men who have sex with men, “Anyone that says that sexual orientation should not be added to the current state hate crime law is fooling themselves,” Renaldo says. “While I agree that in a perfect world, murder is murder and the same ‘eye for an eye’ sentence should be extended to all murderers, that isn’t always the case.” According to Renaldo, hate crimes laws across the country are a significant deterrent. If people know they could face a double sentence, they tend to contemplate whether to carry out such a crime, he believes. women who have sex with women, and those “Regardless of a person’s sexual orientation, color, religion, nationality, we all pay taxes and who aren’t sure what sex they are.” Bridgestone/Firestone has entered into a we all vote,” Renaldo says. “Our organization’s 6,000-plus members all over the state are defi sponsorship agreement with Gay.com and PlanetOut.com. Its marketing efforts also will nitely keeping an eye on this bill and will include targeted advertising with Triangle remember its outcome when it’s time to vote for Television Network, Out, Genre, Curve and new lawmakers." the Advocate. “We are proud to be the first tire company N A T IO N A L with a national marketing effort directed Y ) resident Bush signed a measure Dec. 21 I allowing the District of Columbia govern toward this important segment of the U .S. pop ment to fund a program giving domestic part ulation,” said Michael Fluck, the company’s Internet and diversity marketing manager. The ners of city employees access to health benefits move is part of a broader effort including the purchased at their own expense. The Human launch of a Spanish-language version of Rights Campaign praised his decision. TtreSafety.com, an Internet site designed to “The president’s signature culminates a improve highway safety. huge victory that has resulted from nearly a The Human Rights Campaign is urging peo decade of hard work on this issue," political ple to thank Bridgestone/Firestone for its for director Winnie Stachelberg said. “We applaud ward-thinking initiatives. E-mail should be sent our allies in Congress for passing this historic to diversity@bfusa.com. |F1 legislation and President Bush for signing it into law.” Compiled by News Editor J im R adosta , who can The D C . Health Care Benefits Expansion be reached at jhv@justout .com. Act was approved in 1992. But for nearly a TOYS NOVELTIES LOTIONS David Brinkman, Realtor Web: http://www.RltrDave.com Email: Dave @ RltrDave.com Cell: 760-861-3957 Fax: 760-416-5870 Prudential C A Realty 2905 Tahquitz Canyon Palm Springs, CA 92262 <■ * B ZlmoeesTone I look forward to meeting you soon! OF M A T North Portland • • PO RTLA N D 237 S E . 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