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18 Just sut- July¿2004 Coutil minster f5resbi^terian (2-burch Companions in Action Sunday Worship 10:00am 12250 SW Denney Road (at Hall Blvd ) Beaverton, OR 97008 www southmin.com I 503.644.2073 The ACLU initially brought a discrimina I ordered them to take action, they’d do the best tion claim against the university before the job they could.” He also recalls meetings with members of the Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations. Trying to avoid a hearing on the bias charges, influential Senate Armed Services Committee, Pitt brought this lawsuit in the Court of Com many of whom also opposed lifting the ban, including Chairman Sam Nunn. Clinton writes mon Pleas seeking an injunction to bar the com that he believed the Georgia Democrat’s argu mission from hearing the case. The court sided ments, and the opinions of others opposed to with Pitt. The case is now before the Common allowing open service, “could have been used wealth Court, which will decide whether the with equal force against [President HarryJ Tru-. commission can hear the case. “It’s astonishing how much time and man’s order on integration.” While Clintori notes that a slim majority of Attorney Mary Bonauto is fighting a racist resources the university has sunk into this law U.S. citizens backed his position on lifting the 1913 law that prevents out-of-state same-sex suit, just so it can cheat a small percentage of its ban, most members of Congress viewed the sup couples from marrying in Massachusetts employees out of the compensation they’re due,” attorney Witold “Vic” Walczak said. “It’s port as insufficient. “Congress thought it was a dead-bang loser MASSACHUSETTS precisely this type of behavior that proves why * for them,” he writes. “With congressional defeat day after the one-month anniversary of the we need ordinances like the one in Pittsburgh inevitable, [Defense Secretary] Les Aspin first same-sex marriages in Massachusetts, that protect gay people from discrimination.” worked with Colin Powell and the Joint Chiefs two lawsuits were filed June 18 in Suffolk Coun on a compromise,” which became known as ty Superior Court challenging the constitution NATIONAL ality and discriminatory enforcement of a 1913 resident Bush gave a lengthy HIV/AIDS “don’t ask, don’t tell.” Though not stated specifically in My Life, law denying licenses to out-of-state couples. speech June 23 in Philadelphia that made Clinton’s opposition on the policy has only Section 11 of Chapter 207 is being used to no mention of men who have sex with men. strengthened since leaving office. In October prohibit clerks from issuing licenses to out-of- The Human Rights Campaign, while heartened 2003 he said, “Simply put, there is no evidence state same-sex couples. Both suits charge that it that he acknowledged the urgency of the is unconstitutional as applied to gay and lesbian domestic crisis, emphasized that the only way to to support a ban on gays in the military.” couples. stop the epidemic is to give people—especially One lawsuit represents 12 cities and towns, youth and communities of color—the truth and the other represents eight out-of-state cou about prevention. new 39-page draft report shows that ples. According to the legal action, the state “The president supports abstinence-only- despite official Defense Department asser directive issued to clerks as well as the attorney until-marriage education—programs that time tions that the military takes anti-gay harassment general’s May 21 cease-and-desist order are and again have been proven ineffective in stop as seriously as bias against women and racial unenforceable because the law is being discrim- minorities, policies and practices reveal marked ping the spread of sexually trar«smitted diseases,” inatorily enforced against same-sex couples. HRC president Cheryl Jacques said. “Even the ly different enforcement and deterrent efforts for “We believe that Section 11 violates both Ugandan programs that President Bush cited these three forms of abuse. the liberty and equality provisions of the Massa Senior Pentagon officials chusetts Constitution,” said Mary Bonauto, Gay repeatedly have insisted that & Lesbian Advocates &. Defenders civil rights the military seeks to deter director. “This was a law that clerks were and punish all forms of abuse. instructed to ignore for decades, yet the gover Former Assistant Defense nor pulled it off the shelves just to deny marriage Secretary Kenneth Bacon, to some gay and lesbian couples.” for example, noted in 1999: In addition, the suits charge that the 1913 “There’s no room for harass law was passed in an era of race discrimination ment in the military. And to prohibit out-of-state interracial couples from this applies to harassment coming to Massachusetts to marry and is being based on race, harassment used in the same manner today against gay and based on sex and harassment lesbian couples. based on sexual orienta “This 1913 law was enacted to prevent the tion.... Just as racial harass state from becoming a haven for interracial cou ment is inappropriate, ples attempting to escape anti-miscegenation harassment based on sexual laws in their home states,” said Randall orientation is inappropriate.” Kennedy, a professor at Harvard Law School However, the Pentagon’s President Bill Clinton reflects on “don’t ask, don’t tell and the author of Interracial Intimacies: Sex, policies and practices regard autobiography, My Life Marriage, Identity and Adoption. “That authori ing training and education, ties today would seek to cabin the Supreme Judi today incorporated information about condoms measurement, reporting, processing of com cial Courts landmark Goodridge ruling by re as an essential part of the A-B-C model—that plaints, anti-retaliation and accountability all suscitating a statute tainted by racism is pro is, Abstain, Be Faithful, Condoms.” demonstrate far more meaningful efforts to pre foundly disturbing and regrettable.” Bush promised to immediately release $20 vent racial and sexual harassment than anti-gay million to alleviate the crisis conditions that bias. In the report, titled The Practical and Con PENNSYLVANIA exist in many state AIDS Drugs Assistance Pro ceptual Problems with Regulating Harassment in a he American Civil Liberties Union has grams. Jacques applauded the provision of these Discriminatory Institution, author Sharon Terman denounced University of Pittsburgh for critically needed funds. shows that regardless of military leaders’ inten asking a Pennsylvania court to strike down all “We hope that this is just the beginning of tions, the gay ban itself prevents the armed forces laws in the state against sexual orientation dis increased financial support for state ADAPs,” she from deterring anti-gay abuse. crimination. The ACLU’s statement came as it said. “Experts estimate that more than double According to Tobias Barrington Wolff, assis filed a brief June 24 in Commonwealth Court of that sum is needed to eliminate the emergency tant professor at University of California at Davis Pennsylvania in a suit related to its litigation conditions faced by thousands nationwide who Law School, the findings are “disturbing but not against the university are on wait lists for lifesaving drug therapies.” surprising. Harassment is a form of discrimina for equal employment tion, and the military continues to pursue an offi benefits for gay -5- cial policy of discrimination toward soldiers who employees. n his new autobiography, My Life, President are gay or lesbian. We won’t eliminate the harass In its brief, Pitt Bill Clinton recalls the public and congres ment until we eliminate the inequality.” argues that the city did sional debate concerning his promise to the lift not have the authority the military’s ban on gay, lesbian and bi service- to ban anti-gay bias members. prominent right-wing group has attacked because sexual orienta He writes that he met with the Joint Chiefs Shrek 2 for what it says are “subtle sexual tion was not covered of Staff, all of whom opposed changing the pol messages.” by state civil rights icy. “They maintained that letting [queers] serve The Traditional Values Coalition recommends protections. Such rea openly would be, in Gen. [Colin] Powell’s that parents reconsider taking their children to see soning would invali words, ‘prejudicial to good order and disci the animated movie, denouncing Dreamworks for date civil rights ordinances in other cities— pline,’ ” Clinton writes. In a new revelation, what it calls “promoting cross-dressing and trans including Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Lancaster, however, he adds that the chiefs, despite their genderism." Specific ally cited are scenes featuring York and Erie—that also cover sexual orientation. personal opposition, “made it clear that if Cinderella’s “ugly sister” depicted as a hefty bar- A A I- ÓO2 SE 38th Ave. Portland, OR 97214 503.231.39i2 Wed - Sat [PAUL MITCHELL jlo/ifsd/ Our professionals unit arrange your delivery Don Duncan owner Teleflora (503) 642-9992 1-800-356-1884 Aloha Market Centre 20455 SW TV Highway www. westsideflori st. net T Talk with us. He can help > > > > > > > > > I Pacific University’» Psychological Service Center 511 SW Kt" Avenue Portland Oregon 503-352-2400 Effective Treatment Depression» Anxiety» Groups Relationships • Families* Children ADHD* Learning Disabilities Conveniently located near MAX and bu» line* Affordable sliding »calc fee < < < < < < < A
