Exodus: Live Out Loud

Liberals to Fast-Track Gay Marriage Bill - Aim for Passage Prior to Summer Recess

http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2005/jun/05060205.html

In a last minute effort to guarantee passage, the Liberal Party has decided to fast track the gay marriage bill in exchange for the Democratic Party's support on other issues. This situation will prevent pro-family witnesses slated to testify before the committee from having any impact on the vote. "It became obvious today that there is an agenda to fast-track this. My clear indication from caucus was they want this bill done, they want it done before the end of June. They want it out of the House and over to the Senate, which is prepared to do the damn thing. I don't support that, there's a whole lot of us that don't support fast-tracking it." said Liberal MP Pat O'Brien

Gays Float New Hate-Crimes Bill

http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0036696.cfm

Openly gay legislators Sen Barney Frank-D Mass. and Rep. Tammy Baldwin D-Wis have proposed a bill giving protections and rights to transgendered persons above what is already constitutionally guaranteed to all American Citizens. The heart of this proposal involves real or "PERCEIVED" acts that are attempted or end in violence.

Kentucky Judge Upholds Same-Sex Amendment

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/26/AR2005052601960.html

"A judge on Thursday upheld the state's constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages, saying it was properly presented to voters last fall." - The Associated Press
Thursday, May 26, 2005; 11:31 PM

Drive is on to ban gay marriage

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/azstar/20050517/lo_azstar/driveisontobangaymarriagereligiousleaderssplitreadytodobattleonballotproposal

Religious leaders split, ready to do battle on ballot proposal

By Stephanie Innes and Howard Fischer , Arizona Daily Star Capitol Media Services -Tue May 17, 4:41 AM ET

Conservative Christians go to bat for legislation to outlaw legal status for the union of any unmarried couple that equals that of a married couple. The opposition, ironically, used the same argument that is being used across the country by radical judges and others who promote gay marriage  by proclaiming that such legislation is merely an act of prejudice and is therefore discriminatory and illegal.

Call for Veto on Colorado Gay Rights Bills

http://www.family.org/cforum/statenews/a0036564.cfm

May 16, 2005

by Mona Passignano, state issues analyst

The Governor of Colorado is considering two bills passed supposedly to protect the civil rights of gays and defend them from criminal injustice.. However, according to Melissa Fryrear, gender issues analyst at Focus on the Family, "Senate Bill 28 would create a new class of specially-protected people based on behavioral choices."

Unlike race and gender, she said homosexuality is not genetic, so "defeating these bills won't deny gays any of their rights—it just won't grant them special rights."

Joel McNally: Hate crime laws at odds with free thought, speech

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/index.php?ntid=38952&ntpid=1

By Joel McNally
May 6, 2005

Anyone who objects to government trying to criminalize thoughts and speech always has a tough time explaining why it's a bad idea to prosecute so-called hate crimes.

That's because the acts that have been defined as hate crimes are so, well, hateful.

State OKs Constitutional Ban On Gay Marriage

http://www.nbc5i.com/politics/4418617/detail.html?rss=dfw&psp=news

POSTED: 3:48 pm CDT April 26, 2005

UPDATED: 3:59 pm CDT April 26, 2005

AUSTIN, Texas -- State Representatives approved a constitutional amendment to ban gay couples from marrying.

The measure was intended to prevent possible challenges to existing state law that makes same-sex marriages illegal.

House Vote Would Add Gay Marriage Ban To Texas Consitution

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/keye/20050426/lo_keye/housevotewouldaddgaymarriagebantotexasconsitution

Mon Apr 25,10:01 PM ET

Texas House lawmakers have approved a constitutional amendment to ban gay couples from marrying. The measure is intended to stem possible challenges to the existing state law that makes same sex marriages illegal. It passed with a vote of 101-29, one vote more than what was required for approval of a constitutional amendment in the House.

Navajos outlaw same-sex marriage

http://www.freenewmexican.com/news/12974.html

The Associated Press April 23, 2005 WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. -- The Navajo Nation has outlawed same-sex marriages on its sprawling Indian reservation. The Tribal Council voted unanimously Friday in favor of the Diné Marriage Act of 2005. Diné is the Navajos' name for themselves. The act restricts a recognized union to a relationship between a man and a woman and prohibits plural marriages as well as any marriage between parents and children, grandparents and grandchildren, brothers and sisters and other close relatives.

Ex-Gay Legislation Introduced in Hate Crimes Bill

http://www.earnedmedia.org/pfox0412.htm

To: National Desk, Political Reporter

Contact: Regina Griggs, Parents and Friends of Ex-Gays & Gays, PFOX Executive Director, 703-360-2225, [email protected]

ANNAPOLIS, Md., April 12 /Christian Wire Service/ -- Many thanks to Maryland state senator Alex Mooney for introducing an amendment to include "former homosexuals" to the Maryland sexual orientation hate crimes bill. You can listen to Sen. Mooney's speech to the senate at http://mlis.state.md.us/asp/listen.asp  Under "Listen to Prior Senate Proceedings," select Wednesday, April 6, Session #2 and when the audio comes on, fast forward to 1 hour and 22 minutes (1:22) to hear the ex-gay speech. PFOX believes this is the first time ex-gay legislation has been introduced anywhere in the country.

Although the ex-gay amendment was rejected by a vote of 15 - 28, it alerted the Maryland state senate to the intolerance ex-gays face in Maryland. For example, our PFOX ex-gay representative on the Family Life Committee of the Montgomery County Maryland Board of Education had her ex-gay materials rejected by the Committee. Instead, the Committee and the Montgomery County, Maryland Board of Education approved materials published by gay activist organizations as school resources, even though some of these gay materials contain hateful claims about ex-gays. This was not considered "hate speech" because the hate was directed against ex-gays and not against gays.

Last year PFOX's ex-gay billboard in Rockville Maryland was interpreted as "hate" against gays by lesbian protestors and Equality Maryland, a gay rights organization.

Magellan Health Service, based in Columbia Maryland, is the largest managed behavioral health care company in the nation. Last month, Magellan dismissed psychology professor Dr. Warren Throckmorton from its National Provider Advisory Council because of complaints from gay activists that he counsels individuals struggling with unwanted same sex attractions.

The Prince George's Sentinel, a Maryland newspaper, refuses to accept PFOX news releases because it considers ex-gay press releases to be "hate mail."

Linda Wall, a former lesbian, was equated to the "Taliban crashing into the Twin Towers" by a gay activist because she shared her coming out of the lifestyle story with a student who had testified before the Maryland State Board of Education that he was "gay."

Maryland ex-gay author Richard Cohen was accused of hate against homosexuals when he released his new book 'Coming Out Straight'.

The list is endless because every day brings new hostile acts against the ex-gay community under the justification of fighting "hate" against homosexuals. In this climate of intolerance against ex-gays due to their very existence, support for the ex-gay community is interpreted as bigotry against homosexuals.

Claims of hate based on sexual orientation should not be used to silence the ex-gay community and their supporters. Nor should sexual orientation hate crime laws be misused to legitimize intolerance against ex-gays. To give sexual orientation protection to one group while excluding another is discriminatory.

A copy of this media advisory is available online at: http://www.pfox.org/asp/newsman/templates/newstemplate.asp?articleid=212&zoneid=2