As of Sept. 1, the diocese of Niagara will allow its priests to bless same-gender couples who have been civilly married.
Niagara becomes the second diocese in the Anglican Church of Canada, after the Vancouver-based New Westminster, to offer a sacrament for same-sex blessings. (The diocese of New Westminster, which allowed same-sex blessings in 2002, currently limits the rite to eight parishes.) The issue of same-sex blessings continues to deeply divide Anglicans in Canada as well as worldwide.
“The Niagara Rite is intended for the voluntary use of priests who wish to offer a sacrament of blessing regardless of the gender of the civilly married persons…” the diocese of Niagara said on its Web site, www.niagara.anglican.ca
The rite may also be used for the blessing or renewal of vows for couples “celebrating a significant moment in their married life together,” said an introduction to the Niagara Rite.
The approval of the rite came five years after the diocesan synod of Niagara passed a motion allowing civilly-married gay couples, “where at least one party is baptized,” to receive a church blessing. The diocesan bishop at that time, Ralph Spence, had refused to implement the motion. In January 2008, a similar motion was approved by Niagara’s diocesan synod, and this time, Bishop Spence gave his approval, but said he reserved the right to determine when the same-sex blessings would move forward.
Last fall, Bishop Spence’s successor, Michael Bird, informed a meeting of the Canadian house of bishops that he intended to develop the rite, saying, “I believe we are among those who have been called by God to speak with a prophetic voice on this subject.”
Under a list of protocols outlined by Bishop Bird, a cleric who wishes to offer the Niagara Rite must contact the bishop’s office “so that a conversation can take place between the bishop and the cleric involved.” The cleric is expected to provide details about the couple the cleric intends to bless “and should be prepared to have a conversation about the response of the parish to the blessings,” the list added. “A date for such a blessing should not be confirmed with the couple until after this conversation with the bishop has taken place.”
A parish is not required to get the approval of its vestry before it can offer such blessings.
Two other dioceses – Montreal and Ottawa – have also informed the house of bishops about their intention to move ahead with same-sex blessings. At that meeting, the house of bishops issued a statement saying that a “large majority” of its members could affirm “a continued commitment to the greatest extent possible” to a moratorium on the blessing of same-sex unions. But it acknowledged that the moratorium, which had been sought by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the primates of the Anglican Communion, would be difficult for some dioceses “that in confidence have made decisions on these matters.”
The issue of whether dioceses can offer same-sex blessings is likely to be revisited at the 2010 meeting of General Synod, the governing body of the Anglican Church of Canada. In 2007, General Synod had agreed that blessing rites for gay couples are “not in conflict” with core church doctrine, but refused to affirm the authority of dioceses to offer them. General Synod delegates had also voted to study revising the marriage canon (church law) to allow priests to marry all legally qualified persons. Marriage for gay people has been legal in Canada since 2005.
Last spring, Council of General Synod (CoGS), the church’s governing body in between General Synod meetings, decided not to ask General Synod 2010 to amend the marriage canon to allow for the marriage of same-sex couples. The decision was made after the faith, worship and ministry committee, which was asked by CoGS to prepare “a theological rationale to allow for the marriage of all legally qualified persons,” said that it found the request problematic. Janet Marshall, committee chair, told CoGS that some members felt uncomfortable about being asked to create a rationale for only one side of the argument.
See Diocese of Niagara to offer same-sex blessings
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
Tags:
Ace,
Act,
Ads,
Ahead,
Ali,
Ally,
Amon,
Amp,
Anc,
Anglican,
Anglican Church,
Anglican Church Of Canada,
Anglican Communion,
Anglicans,
Archbishop Of Canterbury,
Ased,
Ba,
Bia,
Bisexual,
Bishops,
Blessings,
Blog,
Blogger,
Blogs,
Bod,
Border,
Cal,
Canada,
Canon,
Celeb,
Chur,
Civ,
Civi,
Cleric,
Confi,
Confidence,
Conflict,
Coord,
Cou,
Coupl,
Couples,
Cr,
Current,
Decisions,
Delegate,
Diocesan Bishop,
Diocesan Synod,
Diocese Of New Westminster,
Diocese Of Niagara,
Dioceses,
Doc,
Era,
Eric,
Eve,
Expe,
Faith,
Fal,
Fir,
Fo,
Fr,
gay,
Gay Couple,
Gay Couples,
gay men,
Gay New,
Gay News,
Gay People,
Gender Couples,
General Synod,
Gin,
God,
google,
Gove,
Hb,
Hes,
House Of Bishops,
Images,
Ins,
Intention,
Intr,
Larg,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
Led,
Lesb,
Lesbi,
lesbian,
Lesbian News,
Lowe,
Lt,
Map,
Marr,
Marria,
marriage,
Married Life,
Married Person,
Marsha,
Mate,
Mates,
Members,
Michael Bird,
Mom,
Mong,
Moratorium,
Mp,
Mu,
Mus,
N News,
Nbsp,
Niagara Anglican,
Nod,
Offi,
Original Source,
Other Dioceses,
Ottawa,
Ouse,
Pac,
Paris,
Peop,
People,
Pl,
Pos,
Possi,
Pot,
Priests,
Primate,
Primates,
Prophetic Voice,
Protocols,
Ralph Spence,
Rea,
Reed,
Renewal Of Vows,
Rent,
Rig,
Rov,
Rr,
Sacrament,
Sat,
Sec,
sex,
Sex Couple,
Sex Couples,
Sex Union,
Shap,
Sig,
Sin,
Sit,
Sourc,
Spe,
Statement Saying That,
Stu,
Success,
Synod,
Tact,
Tag,
Target,
Tatement,
Ted,
Tent,
Transgender,
Uni,
Unions,
Url,
Vancouver,
Verd,
Vet,
Vote,
Vow,
Vows,
Wes,
Wh,
Wis,
Wit,
Wor,
Wou
The U.S. Senate voted 63-28 to attach gay-inclusive federal hate crimes legislation to the 2010 defense authorization bill. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D.-Mass., who first proposed amending U.S. hate crimes law to cover sexual orientation, issued a statement saying that the proposal would “[close] the flagrant loopholes that for too long have prevented effective prosecution of these shocking crimes that terrorize entire groups of communities across America.” Google/The Associated Press
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
Tags:
Ads,
Ali,
Amp,
Associated Press,
Ba,
Bia,
Bil,
Bisexual,
Blog,
Blog Blogspot,
Blogger,
Blogs,
Border,
Cib,
Colo,
Communities Across America,
Coord,
Defense Authorization Bill,
Dp,
Edward Kennedy,
Endi,
Era,
Eric,
Erica,
Eve,
Federal Crimes,
Federal Legislation,
Fir,
Flagrant Loopholes,
Fo,
Fr,
gay,
gay men,
Gay New,
Gay News,
Gin,
google,
Grou,
Groups,
Hate Crime,
Hate Crimes,
Hate Crimes Bill,
Hate Crimes Legislation,
Hes,
Holes,
Images,
Irs,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
Legislation,
lesbian,
Lesbian News,
Loo,
Loophole,
Lt,
Map,
Mp,
Mu,
N News,
Nbsp,
Nod,
Norm,
Orientation,
Original Source,
Pac,
Pos,
Pot,
Proposa,
Proposal,
Prosecution,
Rant,
Rea,
Rig,
Rose,
Rr,
Sec,
Senate,
Senate Vote,
sex,
Sexual Orientation,
Shap,
Shock,
Shocking Crimes,
Sourc,
Span,
Statement Saying That,
Tag,
Target,
Tatement,
Ted,
Tent,
Ties,
Transgender,
U S Senate,
Uni,
Ups,
Url,
Verd,
Vet,
Vote,
Wh,
Wou
The Bishop of Rochester has been accused of pandering to hate and homophobia after calling on homosexuals to repent. Michael Nazir-Ali provoked outrage among gay groups when he urged Church leaders to stick to traditional values instead of being swayed by “culture and trends”.
While calling for the “traditional teaching” of the Bible to be upheld, the Bishop said of homosexuals: “We want them to repent and be changed.”
His controversial remarks were published just hours after more than half a million people, including the Prime Minister’s wife, Sarah, took part in the Gay Pride parade in London.
Sharon Ferguson, of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, condemned Dr Nazir-Ali for making comments that she said would encourage hatred.
“It feeds to the more fundamental individuals who are looking to have their opinions ratified and speak hatefully and behave hatefully,” she said.
“His comments are likely to cause more of a schism within the Church of England. He’s saying their [gays and lesbians] sexuality is a sin. It’s not. It’s a gift from God. God made us all.”
She added: “He is telling people ‘You have to repent’ for something they have no control over. It’s like asking someone to repent because they have blue eyes.”
Peter Tatchell, the gay rights campaigner, said he was “shocked” at the level of anti-gay prejudice voiced by the bishop. “Homophobia is a social and moral evil, just like racism. Bigotry, even in the guise of religion, has no place in a compassionate, caring society,” he said. “I call on the bishop to repent his homophobia. His prejudice goes against Christ’s gospel of love and compassion.”
Labour MEP Michael Cashman accused the Bishop of Rochester of being “selective” about which parts of the Bible he upheld. “When he calls for the closure of all the banks, finance houses and credit card companies because of what it says in the Bible about usury, then I’ll take him seriously,” he said. “Until then, unless he can say anything good, he should shut up.”
In his comments, made to a Sunday newspaper, the bishop said homosexuals should be welcomed into the Church but that a person’s sexual nature could only be correctly expressed in a heterosexual union within marriage. His remarks reopened the row over homosexuality that has for years threatened to tear the Anglican Church apart.
He made them on the eve of today’s official launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans at Westminster Central Hall in London where he is expected to speak in support of the organisation. The UK branch of the Fellowship is regarded by many liberals within the Anglican movement as an attempt to create a church within a church with the aim of heading off moves to ease rules on homosexuality. Dr Nazir-Ali is to step down in the autumn and he is expected to play an important part in the Fellowship’s activities.
The Very Rev Colin Slee, the Dean of Southwark and a prominent liberal, was so alarmed by the the impending departure of Dr Nazir-Ali from the See of Rochester that he described it as “clearly a move towards a sectarian alternative church intentionally designed to create turbulence in the Anglican Communion”.
Canon Chris Sugden, of the Fellowship, said a message from the Queen will be read out during the ceremony but a Buckingham Palace spokeswoman called it nothing more than a “standard response” to the many requests made to the monarch each year. “It isn’t endorsing anyone’s point of view,” she said.
Zeal of the convert: The Bishop of Rochester
*Michael Nazir-Ali has been one of the most vocal and controversial of bishops of the past decade and has rarely been afraid to speak out.
He was a leading contender to become Archbishop of Canterbury when George Carey stood down but has found himself at odds with Rowan Williams, the incumbent.
The issue of homosexuality has been one of the biggest causes of friction between Dr Nazir-Ali, the Bishop of Rochester, and the liberal wing of the Anglican Church.
In 2008 the rift was so marked that he boycotted the Lambeth Conference, a meeting of Anglican Church leaders held once a decade, because of the row over homosexuality. He is part of an evangelical wing urging the Church to stick to a traditional interpretation of the scriptures regarded by liberals, especially on the issues of homosexuality and women priests, as backward.
This year he announced he would step down as Bishop of Rochester in September to allow him time to concentrate on representing the Church in parts of the world where Anglicans are a minority religion or oppressed.
Born in Pakistan to Catholic parents, he converted at the age of 20 and holds dual British and Pakistani nationality. Appointed the 106th Bishop of Rochester in 1994, he was the first non-white diocesan bishop in the Church of England. Since then he has been a frequent critic of the rise of Islam in Britain.
See
Tags:
Ace,
Achin,
Act,
Acti,
Ads,
Aig,
Ali,
Ally,
Amon,
Amp,
Anc,
Anglican,
Anglican Church,
Anglican Communion,
Anglicans,
Appo,
Archbishop Of Canterbury,
Attempt,
Ba,
Bia,
Bibl,
Bible,
Bigot,
Bigotry,
Bishops,
Blog,
Blogger,
Blogs,
Border,
Boycott,
Cal,
Campaigner,
Canon,
Caring Society,
Cathol,
Chism,
Church Leader,
Church Leaders,
Closure,
Commentator,
Commentators,
Condemnation,
Contender,
Control,
Controversial Remarks,
Coord,
Cou,
Courage,
Dea,
Dean,
Decade,
Depar,
Diocesan Bishop,
elect,
Endi,
Era,
Eve,
Expe,
Express,
Fellow,
Finan,
Finance Houses,
Fir,
Fo,
Fr,
Fun,
gay,
Gay Christian,
Gay Christian Movement,
Gay Group,
Gay Groups,
Gay People,
Gay Prid,
Gay Pride,
Gay Pride Parade,
Gay Pride Parade In London,
gay rights,
Gays,
Gays And Lesbians,
Gift From God,
Gin,
God,
God God,
google,
Grou,
Groups,
Gus,
Half A Million,
Hatred,
Hb,
Hell,
Hes,
Heterosexual,
Homo,
Homophobia,
Homosexual,
Homosexuality,
Homosexuals,
Images,
Incumbent,
Independ,
Independent,
Ins,
Intention,
Irs,
Islam,
Labour Mep,
Lambeth,
Lambeth Conference,
Launch,
Ld,
Lds,
Lea,
Lead,
Leading Article,
Leads,
Lear,
Led,
lesbian,
Lesbians,
Liberal Wing,
Liberals,
London,
Loo,
Lost,
love,
Lows,
Lt,
Map,
Marr,
Marria,
marriage,
Met,
Michael Cashman,
Michael Nazir Ali,
Mona,
Moral Evil,
Mp,
Mpa,
Mu,
Nan,
Nature,
Nazir,
Nbsp,
Nod,
Nyt,
Odds,
Offi,
Oral,
Original Source,
Ouse,
Outrage,
Pac,
Paki,
Paren,
Parents,
Parts Of The Bible,
Passion,
People,
Peter Tatchell,
Pi,
Pl,
Pos,
Pot,
Prejudice,
pride,
Pride Parade,
Priests,
Prime Ministe,
Prime Minister,
Prom,
Queen,
Racism,
Raid,
Rea,
Religion,
Rema,
Rent,
Rev C,
Rig,
Rio,
Rita,
Rose,
Rov,
Rowan Williams,
Rr,
Sage,
Schism,
Scripture,
Sec,
Sect,
sex,
Sexuality,
Sexuals,
Shap,
Sharon Ferguson,
Shock,
Sig,
Sin,
Slam,
Sourc,
Span,
Spe,
Spokeswoman,
Ssa,
Target,
Ted,
Tent,
Tg,
Tia,
Ties,
Time T,
Tis,
Tradition,
Traditional Values,
Uni,
Ups,
Urge,
Url,
Verd,
Vet,
Wh,
Wife Sarah,
Wit,
Woman,
Wor,
Wou,
Zi
Pentagon Studies Ways to Relax Enforcement as First Step; Impact on Troops Would be Minimal
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — In the wake of yesterday’s unexpected Pentagon announcement about gays in the military, experts say the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy may be on the brink of irreversible change that would speed up its demise. After speaking with President Obama last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates has asked military lawyers to explore how to modify enforcement of the policy in ways that are “more flexible until the law is changed.” The President Monday reiterated his intention to end discrimination against gay troops, saying he is working with Congress and the military to do so.
Christopher Neff, political director of the Palm Center, said the remarks by Secretary Gates marked the first time the Defense Secretary has made clear that the Pentagon is onboard with the President’s determination to lift the ban. “‘Don’t ask, don’t tell’ is a package — both a law and a policy — that hasn’t been penetrated for fifteen years,” Neff said. “This is a crack in humpty dumpty, and it gets the ball rolling for a political solution since it gives cover to lawmakers who have been waiting for a nod from the Pentagon.”
Last month, the Palm Center published a report which outlined several legal and political
rationales for executive branch
discretion in regulating, and even halting,
discharges provided for by
federal statute. One of those
rationales is closely linked to the new review announced by Secretary Gates. According to the Palm Center study, “the ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ policy itself, as codified by
Congress, also
grants authority to the
Department of Defense to determine the procedures under which investigations, separation
proceedings, and other personnel actions under the authority of 10 U.S.C. Section 654 will be carried out … The Secretary of Defense has
discretion to determine the specific manner in which ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ will be implemented.” Prior to the release of the Palm Center’s report, most
observers had assumed that only
Congress or the
federal courts end the firings of
gay troops.
Amidst mounting public pressure,
White House press
secretary Robert Gibbs said this week that he thought “don’t ask, don’t tell” would be repealed by the end of the
President’s first term. Nathaniel Frank, senior research
fellow at the Palm Center, said this week’s developments were politically significant. “Serious discussions have been launched by the
President himself,” said Frank. “
Obama has said this is a failed policy that harms
national security, so these
measures are not just fixes, but may be the
beginning of the end.” Frank added that any regulatory changes that fall short of halting all
discharges will be “window-dressing,” but he focused on the implications for further political change. “This means the
hot potato party may finally be over, as the
President understands where the buck stops.”
In the wake of this week’s developments, the Palm Center announced that it is preparing a more extensive legal analysis of administrative
options for relaxing the application of certain
provisions of “don’t ask, don’t tell.”
Neff said that the Defense Department should invite
public input as the rules are re-drafted, which would be consistent with past processes when military regulations have been
changed. “This review should be no different,” he said.
Tags:
Act,
Acti,
Actio,
Adm,
Ads,
Aig,
Akers,
Ali,
Ally,
Amp,
Anc,
Ased,
Ba,
Ban Don,
Beginning Of The End,
Bil,
Blog,
Blogger,
Blogs,
Border,
Brink,
Cal,
Cali,
Californ,
Carrie,
Center For American Progress,
Cho,
Choices,
Congress,
Consi,
Consu,
Controversial Social Issues,
Coord,
Cou,
Defense Secretary,
Depar,
Department Of Defense,
Direc,
Discharges,
Discretion,
Discrimination,
Driven,
Driven Approach,
Editorial,
Emotion,
Era,
Eric,
Erica,
Eve,
Exec,
Executive Action,
Expe,
Fal,
Federal Courts,
Federal Statute,
Fellow,
Fir,
Fo,
Focus,
Fr,
gay,
Gay Troops,
Gays,
Gays In The Military,
Gibbs,
Gin,
google,
Grants,
Hasn,
Hendrik Hertzberg,
Hes,
Hot,
Human Rights,
Human Rights Campaign,
Humpty Dumpty,
Ids,
Images,
Inevitability,
Ins,
Intention,
Invest,
Irreversible Change,
Irs,
Launch,
Lawmaker,
Lawmakers,
Lawyer,
Lawyers,
Lax,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
Lear,
Led,
Legal Defense Network,
Loc,
Lt,
Map,
Mate,
Measures,
Members,
Members Of Congress,
Mids,
Midst,
Military Experts,
Military Law,
Military Lawyers,
Mis,
Mp,
Mpa,
National Security,
Nbsp,
Neff,
Nev,
New York Times,
New Yorker,
Nod,
Notion,
Obam,
Obama,
Observers,
Operational Impact,
Opm,
Options,
Organization,
Original Source,
Ouse,
Pac,
Pentagon,
Pl,
Policy Outcomes,
Political Consultant,
Political Director,
Political Landscape,
Political Shift,
Political Solution,
Political Stalemate,
Pos,
Pot,
Premise,
president,
Press Secretary,
Proceedings,
Provision,
Provisions,
Public Discussions,
Public Input,
Rant,
Rationales,
Rea,
Rema,
Rent,
Research Fellow,
Richard Socarides,
Rig,
Rio,
Robert Gates,
Robert Gibbs,
Rov,
Rr,
Science,
Sec,
Secretary Robert,
Sect,
Servers,
Servicemembers Legal Defense Network,
Shap,
Sig,
Sin,
Sit,
Social Issues,
Sourc,
Spe,
Tag,
Target,
Tatement,
Ted,
Tent,
Tia,
Time T,
Uni,
University Of California,
Url,
Vet,
Wh,
White Hous,
White House,
White House Press,
Wis,
Wise Choices,
Wit,
Wor,
Wou
The South Dakota Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America voted today to uphold its current policy, preventing gay and lesbian clergy from being in a committed relationship while serving as pastors. The vote is only a recommendation from the South Dakota Synod. The recommendations will be taken to the ELCA national assembly in August.
Pastors and church members on both sides of the issue voiced their concerns before voting at the annual Assembly.
Nearly 800 members of the South Dakota ELCA gathered in Sioux Falls for the annual assembly. But, this years agenda included a heated debate: whether to support allowing gay and lesbian clergy to serve as pastors *and be in a committed same-sex relationship.
“I think we really need to wrestle with a new vision here,” Pastor Mindy Ehrke of Salem Lutheran Church in Mount Vernon said.
“As a Christian person, as a teacher, I need to turn to the word of God,” Pastor Daniel Ostercamp of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Webster said.
ELCA members were here to debate and vote on two resolutions: one would reject a change to the social statement and current teaching documents on sexuality, the other would reject a change in ministry policy to allow gay clergy in relationships.
One by one, church members and delegates stepped up to floor microphones to defend what they believe South Dakota should encourage.
“I think that we all need to take a step back and look at the other words that god’s taught us, love your neighbor as yourself, I think we all need to take a look at that right now,” Kristin Ackermann, member of Shalom Lutheran Church in Harrisburg, said. See SD Synod Votes To Keep Current Policy On Gay Clergy
KELOLAND TV
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
Tags:
Achin,
Ackermann,
Ads,
Agenda,
Ali,
Ally,
Amp,
Ba,
Bisexual,
Blog Blogspot,
Blogger,
Border,
Cal,
Christian Person,
Church Members,
Church Synod,
Clergy,
Committed Relationship,
Coord,
Cou,
Courage,
Current,
Debate,
Delegate,
Doc,
Ehrke,
Elca Members,
Era,
Eric,
Erica,
Evangelical Lutheran,
Evangelical Lutheran Church,
Evangelical Lutheran Church Of America,
Eve,
Fal,
Flo,
Fo,
Fr,
gay,
Gay And Lesbian,
Gay Clergy,
gay men,
Gay New,
Gay News,
Genda,
God,
google,
Gus,
Hb,
Hbo,
Hs,
Images,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
lesbian,
Lesbian News,
Loo,
love,
Lt,
Lutheran Church,
Map,
Members,
Ministry Policy,
Mp,
National Assembly,
Nbsp,
Neighbor,
Nod,
Original Source,
Pac,
Pastor Daniel,
Pastors,
Pos,
Rea,
Relationship,
Relationships,
Rent,
Rig,
Rr,
S Pastor,
Salem Lutheran Church,
Same Sex Relationship,
sex,
Sex Relations,
Sex Relationship,
Sexuality,
Shap,
Ships,
Sig,
South Dakota,
South Dakota Synod,
Span,
Synod,
Tag,
Target,
Ted,
Tia,
Transgender,
Tv Tags,
Url,
Vet,
Vote,
Wh,
Wit,
Wor,
Word Of God,
Wou
HOLLAND, Mich. - The Christian Reformed Church in America takes up gay issues and an apartheid-era anti-racism statement at a general meeting this week in Holland.
The 166,000-member church opens its General Synod on Thursday.
The agenda includes adoption of a document known as the Belhar Confession. It was drafted in 1982 during the struggle against the white supremacist system of apartheid in South Africa.
The church’s Web site says the statement was an “outcry of faith” and “call for faithfulness and repentance.” See Christian Reformed Church takes up gay issues Chicago Tribune - * Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
Tags:
Adop,
Adoption,
Ads,
Africa,
Agenda,
Ali,
Amp,
Anc,
Apartheid,
Apartheid In South Africa,
Ba,
Belhar Confession,
Bisexual,
Blog Blogspot,
Blogger,
Border,
Cal,
Chicago Tribune,
Christian Reformed Church,
Confession,
Coord,
Doc,
Eid,
Era,
Eric,
Erica,
Faith,
Faithfulness,
Fo,
Fr,
gay,
Gay Holland,
Gay Issues,
gay men,
Gay New,
Gay News,
Genda,
General Meeting,
General Synod,
google,
Images,
Ins,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
lesbian,
Lesbian News,
Lt,
Map,
Member Church,
Mp,
Nbsp,
Nod,
Original Source,
Outcry,
Pac,
Pos,
Racism,
Rea,
Reformed Church In America,
Rema,
Repentance,
Rig,
sex,
Shap,
Sig,
Sit,
South Africa,
Span,
Struggle,
Synod,
Tag,
Target,
Ted,
Tg,
Tia,
Transgender,
Url,
Vet,
Wh,
White Supremacist
By mid-afternoon, authorities reportedly had someone in custody in connection with the murder of Wichita abortion doctor George Tiller at his church on Sunday morning.
So far, we know nothing about the suspect. Though the motive for the crime we can all surmise in light of the vitriolic campaign that has been waged against Tiller for more than two decades by anti-abortion groups.
And if we’re right about that, then we already know the identities of his accomplices.
They include every one who has ever called Tiller’s late term abortion clinic a murder mill.
Who ever called Tiller “Tiller the Killer.”
The groups who spent decades fomenting hate toward a man who simply believed that he was serving a purpose by being one of the few doctors in the country performing late-term abortions.
Hate. Not heated opposition. Not strong disagreement.
But blind hatred.
The kind of hate that would prompt some maniac to take a gun into a church and shoot a man to death in front of friends and family.
His accomplices know they have blood on their hands, which might explain why they were quick to issue statements today expressing disapproval of Tiller’s murder.
Among them, the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue.
“Operation Rescue denounces the killing of abortionist Tiller,” read the headline of a new release posted on that group’s website.
Those words drip with hypocrisy.
After all, it was Operation Rescue that coined the nickname “Tiller the Killer.” It was Operation Rescue that was most responsible for ratcheting up the heated rhetoric toward Tiller over the past two decades.
The group issued the following statement today:
“We are shocked at this morning’s disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down. Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning. We pray for Mr. Tiller’s family that they will find comfort and healing that can only be found in Jesus Christ.”
Shocked? Are any of us really shocked that it would come to this after the many years of demonizing one man?
Certainly the group’s founder, Randall Terry, didn’t seem shocked when he issued a statement that, I would suggest, provides a truer sense of how the anti-abortion movement saw today’s events:
”George Tiller was a mass-murderer. We grieve for him that he did not have time to properly prepare his soul to face God. I am more concerned that the Obama Administration will use Tiller’s killing to intimidate pro-lifers into surrendering our most effective rhetoric and actions. Abortion is still murder. And we still must call abortion by its proper name; murder.
Those men and women who slaughter the unborn are murderers according to the Law of God. We must continue to expose them in our communities and peacefully protest them at their offices and homes, and yes, even their churches.”
I’d suggest that if anyone is in need of salvation right now it’s the anti-abortion movement in Kansas and across the nation.
As Terry’s statement makes clear, the same bullet that killed George Tiller also shattered the moral underpinnings of the movement that inspired its firing.
Tags:
Abortion,
Abortion Clinic,
Abortion Doctor,
Abortionist,
Abortions,
Accomplice,
Accomplices,
Ace,
Act,
Acti,
Actio,
Adm,
Ads,
Aig,
Ali,
Ally,
Amon,
Amp,
Authorities,
Ba,
Blind Hatred,
Blogger,
Blood On Their Hands,
Border,
Cal,
Churches,
Conn,
Coord,
Cou,
Cowardly Act,
Cue,
Dea,
Decade,
Decades,
Demo,
Disagreement,
Disapproval,
Disturbing News,
Dn,
Doc,
Doctor George,
Doctors,
Era,
Eve,
events,
Expos,
Express,
Face,
Fir,
Fo,
Fr,
Friends,
Friends And Family,
gay,
George Tiller,
God,
google,
Grou,
Groups,
Hatred,
Hes,
Hypocrisy,
Images,
Ins,
Jesus,
Late Term Abortion,
Late Term Abortions,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
Lear,
Led,
Loo,
Lt,
Maniac,
Map,
Men And Women,
Mid Afternoon,
Mis,
Mp,
Mpa,
Mu,
Murderer,
Murderers,
Mus,
Nbsp,
Nick,
Nod,
Obama,
Offi,
Operation Rescue,
Opposition,
Oral,
Original Source,
Pac,
Pi,
Pl,
Pos,
Prom,
Proper Channels,
Protest,
Rea,
Rh,
Rhetoric,
Rig,
Rio,
Rov,
Rr,
Sens,
Shap,
Shock,
Sin,
Sit,
Span,
Spe,
Sunday Morning,
Target,
Ted,
Tent,
Ties,
Time T,
Tis,
Underpinnings,
Uni,
Ups,
Url,
Vet,
Vigil,
Vigilantism,
Wh,
Wit,
Wor,
Wou
Russian gay rights campaigners are toasting Moscow’s homophobic mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, after he ordered the banning and violent suppression of last Saturday’s Slavic gay pride parade in the Russian capital – just hours before the Eurovision song contest was staged in the city.
“Luzhkov has done more than anyone to publicise gay rights in Russia,” beamed Nikolai Alekseev, the gay parade organiser, as we chatted on Sunday afternoon following his release from nearly 24 hours of police detention:
By stopping the gay parade he has provoked massive media coverage of our fight against homophobia. The Russian media has been full of reports about gay issues for the last week. This has hugely increased public awareness and understanding of gay people.
Slowly, we are eroding homophobic attitudes. Through this media visibility, we are helping to normalise queer existence. After our successive gay protests in Moscow since 2006, people are less shocked about homosexuality. We have a long way to go, but gradually we are winning hearts and minds, especially among younger Russians.
We ought to give Luzhkov an award. His violation of our right to protest has given us a remarkable platform, with day-after-day of publicity about lesbian gay human rights. It is the equivalent of about 200m roubles (£4m pounds) in free advertising.
AfteSee Thank you Mayor Luzhkov
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
Tags:
Act,
Acti,
Activist,
Activists,
Ads,
Aig,
Ali,
Ally,
Amon,
Amp,
Anc,
Ased,
Attitude,
Attitudes,
Ba,
Bea,
Bisexual,
Blog Blogspot,
Blogger,
Border,
Campaigner,
Campaigners,
Capita,
Coord,
Dn,
Era,
Euro,
Eurovision,
Eurovision Song Contest,
Existence,
Fo,
Fr,
France,
France 24,
gay,
Gay Activists,
Gay Human Rights,
Gay Issues,
gay men,
Gay New,
Gay News,
Gay Parade,
Gay People,
Gay Pride,
Gay Pride Parade,
Gay Protest,
gay rights,
Gay Rights Campaigners,
google,
Guardian,
Heart,
Hearts And Minds,
Hes,
Homo,
Homophobia,
Homophobic,
Homophobic Attitudes,
Homosexual,
Homosexuality,
Human Rights,
Icon,
Images,
Ins,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
lesbian,
Lesbian Gay,
Lesbian News,
Loc,
Los Angeles Times,
Lt,
Map,
Massive Media Coverage,
Media Visibility,
Moscow,
Mp,
Mpa,
Nbsp,
Nikolai,
Nod,
Norm,
Original Source,
Pac,
People,
Pl,
Police Detention,
Pos,
pride,
Protest,
Protests,
Queer,
Quot,
Rea,
Rema,
Rig,
Rov,
Rr,
Rush,
Russia,
Russian Capital,
Russian Gay,
S Media,
sex,
Sexuality,
Shap,
Shock,
Sig,
Sin,
Span,
Spe,
Sting,
Success,
Sunday Afternoon,
Tag,
Target,
Ted,
Tent,
Tis,
Transgender,
Url,
Vet,
Video Russia,
Violent Suppression,
Visibility,
Wikipedia,
Wit,
Wor,
Youtube,
Yuri
Russian gay rights campaigners are toasting Moscow’s homophobic mayor, Yuri Luzhkov, after he ordered the banning and violent suppression of last Saturday’s Slavic gay pride parade in the Russian capital – just hours before the Eurovision song contest was staged in the city.
“Luzhkov has done more than anyone to publicise gay rights in Russia,” beamed Nikolai Alekseev, the gay parade organiser, as we chatted on Sunday afternoon following his release from nearly 24 hours of police detention:
By stopping the gay parade he has provoked massive media coverage of our fight against homophobia. The Russian media has been full of reports about gay issues for the last week. This has hugely increased public awareness and understanding of gay people.
Slowly, we are eroding homophobic attitudes. Through this media visibility, we are helping to normalise queer existence. After our successive gay protests in Moscow since 2006, people are less shocked about homosexuality. We have a long way to go, but gradually we are winning hearts and minds, especially among younger Russians.
We ought to give Luzhkov an award. His violation of our right to protest has given us a remarkable platform, with day-after-day of publicity about lesbian gay human rights. It is the equivalent of about 200m roubles (£4m pounds) in free advertising.
AfteSee Thank you Mayor Luzhkov
* Tags = gay men gay news lesbian news transgender bisexual
Tags:
Act,
Acti,
Activist,
Activists,
Ads,
Aig,
Ali,
Ally,
Amon,
Amp,
Anc,
Ased,
Attitude,
Attitudes,
Ba,
Bea,
Bisexual,
Blog Blogspot,
Blogger,
Border,
Campaigner,
Campaigners,
Capita,
Coord,
Dn,
Era,
Euro,
Eurovision,
Eurovision Song Contest,
Existence,
Fo,
Fr,
France,
France 24,
gay,
Gay Activists,
Gay Human Rights,
Gay Issues,
gay men,
Gay New,
Gay News,
Gay Parade,
Gay People,
Gay Pride,
Gay Pride Parade,
Gay Protest,
gay rights,
Gay Rights Campaigners,
google,
Guardian,
Heart,
Hearts And Minds,
Hes,
Homo,
Homophobia,
Homophobic,
Homophobic Attitudes,
Homosexual,
Homosexuality,
Human Rights,
Icon,
Images,
Ins,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
lesbian,
Lesbian Gay,
Lesbian News,
Loc,
Los Angeles Times,
Lt,
Map,
Massive Media Coverage,
Media Visibility,
Moscow,
Mp,
Mpa,
Nbsp,
Nikolai,
Nod,
Norm,
Original Source,
Pac,
People,
Pl,
Police Detention,
Pos,
pride,
Protest,
Protests,
Queer,
Quot,
Rea,
Rema,
Rig,
Rov,
Rr,
Rush,
Russia,
Russian Capital,
Russian Gay,
S Media,
sex,
Sexuality,
Shap,
Shock,
Sig,
Sin,
Span,
Spe,
Sting,
Success,
Sunday Afternoon,
Tag,
Target,
Ted,
Tent,
Tis,
Transgender,
Url,
Vet,
Video Russia,
Violent Suppression,
Visibility,
Wikipedia,
Wit,
Wor,
Youtube,
Yuri
Andy Thayer, from the Gay Liberation Network in Chicago, in Red Square last night.Photo courtesy Glay Liberation Network.
By Andy
Thayer in
MoscowMOSCOW, May 14, 2009 (
Gay Liberation Network) – After 14 hours of flights, last night I found myself in Eastern
Europe for the first
time in my life, warmly greeted by
lesbian and
gay activists who, despite
state repression, are organizing their fourth annual
pride event in this city. This year’s event is dubbed ‘Slavic
Pride’, denoting the significant
participation of
activists from around the region.
The previous three years’
events have gone forward despite bans from the
authorities and
violence from neo-
fascists in
Russian orthodox and skinhead garb. This year the
authorities not only banned the
Pride event, but for good measure, approved the anti-
gays’ application to hold their own event this past Tuesday.
That same day, our
Moscow friends countered with their own unsanctioned action at the Department of Registration of Acts of Civil Status – an
attempt by two
lesbian activists to get a
marriage license.
Leading Slavic
Pride activist Nikolai Alekseev said the action was inspired in part by a February
civil disobedience action at a
marriage license bureau in Chicago. The
Moscow action received widespread international press coverage, including from the
New York Times.
As I shadowed Alekseev around the city last night, press coverage if anything seemed to build, with
Nikolai’s two cell phones ringing incessantly and meetings with Finish and Slovenian
journalists held near midnight just outside of
Red Square.
Slavic
Pride is slated for this Saturday, amidst the big ‘
Eurovision Fest’ being hosted this year by
Moscow. For those not familiar with what
Eurovision is, think
American Idol times ten, with a
profusion of media coverage and
street banners that puts Chicago’s
2016 Olympics bid hype to
shame.
While our specific plans for Saturday are necessarily secret at this time, the aim is to cause maximum embarrassment to the government if they
attempt to arrest us or allow the neo-
fascists to attack.
In response to
Moscow activists’ application for a permit this year,
police chief Vladmir Pronin told the Russian
news agency Interfax that
gay pride parades in the capital are “unacceptable -
gay pride parades shouldn’t be allowed”.
“No one will dare to do it, such ‘braveheart’ will be torn to shreds,” he added. “The West can say we’re bad guys, but our
people will see it is right. Our country is patriarchal, that’s [
sic] sums it up… I positively agree with the Church, with the
Patriarch,
politicians, especially with [Mayor] Luzhkov, who are convinced that man and
woman should
love each other. It is established by
God and
nature.”
However,
Moscow Pride organizers have vowed to move forward with this year’s
Pride event despite the
police chief’s threats.
“Mr. Pronin already showed his incompetency last year when his services were unable to prevent us unveiling a banner directed against the Mayor, right opposite his office,” said Alekseev.
The main
pride event successfully took place nearby at the monument to the famous Russian
gay composer, Peter Tchkaivosky, while the
authorities and neo-
fascists were hoodwinked in to thinking that it would take place outside of
homophobic Mayor
Yuri Luzhkov’s office.
Today at the start of a
gay rights conference at an
undisclosed location east of the city, I was joined by British
gay rights
campaigner Peter Tatchell and
LGBT activists from around
Russia and Belorussia Minsk, Rostof, Sochi, Ufa, St. Petersburg, Krasnodar, Ekaterinbourg, Volgodonsk, Ryazan and of course
Moscow.
As we gathered on a
coach to go to the conference,
Moscow activist Nikolai Baev explained how a group of young
activists from Ryazan, about 200 miles south of the capital, got involved in organizing this year’s Slavic
Pride:
“There is a very
discriminatory law in the
Ryazan region which prohibits so-called
propaganda about homosexuality20and among minors. The law passed in 2006 and we had
pickets that said that
homosexuality is absolutely normal and we are proud of our situation. We picketed in front of schools in Ryazan and we were detained because it was illegal.”
Two
people were found guilty and fined 1500 roubles (about $45 US) each. Alekseev came to Ryazan to help in the campaign and in the appeal of their cases to the
Constitutional Court of
Russia.
Then, Sergey Yenin, 19, explained how he became involved in
gay rights organizing in Belorussia :
“I felt myself to be
gay from my early childhood, he explained.
“Last year I came to Minsk and there I got acquainted with some
gay activists and I thought it would be great if I fought for my
gay rights. There are a
lot of
people who don’t fight for their rights, who don’t participate in such
activist movements, and they just consume our achievements.
“For example, we fought for our
gay club, our one
gay club in Minsk. It was in danger of being closed [by the government], but it still exists, due to us.”
I asked Sergey if he had participated in Minsk
Pride events before.
“Yes, of course. The most outstanding
Pride parade took place in 2001. But I didn’t participate because I was only 11 then. There were over 300
people participating in this event and 300 watching. This was fabulous This was an historical moment in Belorussia.
“The last one took place in October of 2008. It was named
Queer Walk and it took place on the 11th of October 2008, the international day of coming out, and we organized a
pride parade. It was a rather private, intimate event, there were fifty
participants because we cannot organize such a public event because of our government.
“If we applied for an event, we would be denied.
“There is an action that takes place [each year] called Chernobyl Way, and all of the
opposition parties take place there, and our
LGBT group participated last year and this year. Last year we raised the
rainbow flag and there were a
lot of bad comments about it, there were a
lot of thre ats [of
violence]. There were such
political parties as Right Alliance, and they threaten us all of the time. This year we didn’t20raise our
rainbow flag because the
organizer of the Belorussian National Front, the main
opposition party, they coordinated a call to us, do not raise your
rainbow flag, not because we have anything against you, because our fight for clean air, free of radiation will turn into a fight for
gay rights.”
I asked Sergey why he personally joined the 15 others for the ten hour
train ride from Belorussia to join this Saturday’s Slavic
Pride: “I [only] made the
conclusion [to come] on May 12 because I was really very frightened about myself and my
friends. I know that there is some information that
Pride is going to be canceled, and more than this, that
Pride participants are going to be beaten.
“Because this is my fight really.If I don’t go to the
pride parade, who will go there? My reasons to come was to support my
friends – and of course to support
gay rights.”
SEE ALSO
Tatchell To Attend Moscow Gay Pride. Despite threats to bash and arrest the marchers, British
gay human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell will attend this Saturday’s
Moscow Gay Pride parade – this year renamed Slavic
Gay Pride to support the
lesbian,
gay,
bisexual and
transgender (
LGBT)
equality struggles in all Slavic countries, Russian and non-Russian. (UK
Gay News, May 11, 2009)
Gay Marriage Campaign Starts in Russia.
Two women will apply for a
marriage license in
Moscow on May 12, it emerged this afternoon. The announcement was made today during a press conference for Slavic
Pride which is planned for later this month in
Moscow. (UK
Gay News, May 5, 2009)
Tags:
2016 Olympics,
Ace,
Act,
Acti,
Actio,
Activist,
Activists,
Ads,
Aig,
Ali,
Ally,
American Idol,
Amon,
Amp,
Anc,
Anger,
Attempt,
Authorities,
Ba,
Bea,
Bid,
Bisexual,
Blogger,
Border,
Cal,
Campaigner,
Capita,
Cell Phone,
Cho,
Civ,
Civi,
Civil Disobedience Action,
Coach,
Conclusion,
Constitution,
Constitutional Court,
Consu,
Coord,
Cou,
Depar,
Direc,
Discriminatory Law,
Dn,
Easter,
Eastern Europe,
Ebru,
Equality,
Era,
Eric,
Erica,
Euro,
Europe,
Eurovision,
Eve,
events,
Fascists,
Fir,
Flo,
Fo,
Fr,
Friends,
Ganda,
gay,
Gay Activist,
Gay Activists,
Gay Club,
Gay Human Rights,
Gay Liberation,
gay marriage,
gay men,
Gay New,
Gay News,
Gay Pride,
Gay Pride Parade,
gay rights,
Gays,
God,
google,
Gove,
Grou,
Guilt,
Heart,
Hell,
hiv,
Homo,
Homophobic,
Homosexual,
Homosexuality,
Hot,
Human Rights,
Human Rights Campaign,
Hype,
Ids,
Images,
Ins,
Irs,
Journalist,
Journalists,
Ld,
Lea,
Lead,
Leads,
Led,
lesbian,
Lesbian Activists,
Lesbian News,
Lgbt,
Lgbt Activists,
Lgbt Group,
Loc,
Lot,
love,
Lowe,
Lt,
Man And Woman,
Map,
Marr,
Marria,
marriage,
Marriage License,
Marriage License Bureau,
Mids,
Midst,
Mom,
Moscow,
Mp,
Mpa,
Mu,
Nature,
Nbsp,
New York Times,
News Agency,
Night Photo,
Nikolai,
Nme,
Nod,
Norm,
Nyt,
Offi,
Opposition,
Organizer,
Organizers,
Original Source,
Orthodo,
Pac,
Participant,
Participants,
Participation,
Patriarch,
Peg,
People,
Peter Tatchell,
Photo,
Picke,
Pickets,
Pl,
Police Chief,
Political Parties,
Politician,
Politicians,
Pos,
pride,
Pride Event,
Pride Events,
Profusion,
Propaganda,
Queer,
Rainbow Flag,
Rea,
Red Square,
Rig,
Roun,
Rov,
Rr,
Russia,
Russian Gay,
Russian Orthodox,
Ryazan Region,
S South,
Sec,
sex,
Sexuality,
Sham,
Shame,
Shap,
Sic,
Sig,
Sit,
Slate,
Spe,
Ssa,
Stab,
State Rep,
State Repression,
Stern,
Street Banners,
Struggle,
Success,
Tag,
Target,
Ted,
Thayer,
Ties,
Time In My Life,
Time T,
Tis,
Train Ride,
Transgender,
Two Women,
Uai,
Uk Gay,
Undisclosed Location,
Url,
Vet,
Violence,
Wh,
Wit,
Woman,
Wou,
Yuri
Next Page →