February 4, 2005
GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE 7
newsbriefs
Boy Scouts seek to get around United Way non-bias rule
Columbus-In an attempt to get around a United Way non-discrimination policy, the Central Ohio Boy Scout council is attempting to modify it.
The Simon Kenton Boy Scout Council signed a non-discrimination pledge hoping to become eligible for funding from the United Way of Central Ohio, but not before changing it to reflect a 2000 U.S. Supreme Court decision stating that opposition to homosexuality is a core value of the Boy Scouts'mission.
The Boy Scouts have used the ruling to continue purging their ranks of openly gay members and leaders.
In February 2004, the United Way of Central Ohio adopted a policy which barred it from funding any program that denies services, employment or volunteer opportunity for a list of reasons including sexual orientation.
Groups that want funding must state that they comply with the measure.
The Boy Scout council, which operates in 17 Ohio counties, didn't do this last year. That caused them to lose nearly $500,000 from the United Way, which serves Franklin County.
This year, by attaching a "clarification letter," which says they "will not unlawfully discriminate against anyone," the Boy Scouts want to create a statement "that is clearly reflective of the Boy Scouts," according to statements made to the Columbus Dispatch.
The United Way board will decide whether or not to accept the modified statement at its February 22 meeting.
Currently, the Central Ohio United Way is the only United Way operating in Ohio with such a nondiscrimination policy. The others fund Boy Scout and Salvation Army programs that discriminate against gays without further scrutiny
'Panic' killer guilty of lesser charge
Elizabethtown, Ky.-A man charged with killing a gay man and stuffing his body into a suitcase was convicted January 31 of seconddegree manslaughter, but not murder.
Joshua Cottrell, 23, was also found guilty of theft-for taking the victim's truck, wallet and cell phone and tampering with physical evidence. He faces up to 40 years in prison, but could have been sentenced to death if convicted of murder.
The defense used the so-called "gay panic" defense, describing Cottrell as frightened and
panicked as he defended himself against an unwanted sexual advance from Richie Phillips, 36, in the younger man's motel room in June 2003.
Fishermen found Phillips' body stuffed in a suitcase in Rough River Lake in nearby Breckinridge County eight days after his family reported him missing.
Prosecutor Chris Shaw said in closing statements that Cottrell harbored a "steaming anger" toward gay men and lured Phillips to his motel room to kill him.
Shaw said Cottrell's "intent all along was to kill" and dispose of the body in a "cold, calculated" scheme to "get away with murder."
Phillips' mother described her son as mildmannered and noted that he was very slightly built. One of Cottrell's aunts testified that he had admitted to her that he planned the murder.
In the days after Phillips' death, Cottrell was seen laughing, joking and partying by some of his relatives, Shaw said, undermining the defense's portrayal of Cottrell as scared and panicked.
The sentencing phase began February 2.
Kansas amendment is on April ballot
Topeka, Kansas-Another state is getting ready to consider a ban on same-sex marriage with the February 2 approval by the Kansas House of a state constitutional amendment.
Voters will consider ratifying the measure in an April 5 vote. The proposed amendment declares that only couples in a traditional marriage of one man and one woman are entitled to the benefits associated with marriage.
The Senate approved the measure in January.
Meanwhile, Republicans in the Iowa Senate introduced January 26 an amendment similar to one that lawmakers debated last year. That measure went down 25-24.
Chance for passage this year seems slim in the chamber, which is tied 25-25 between both parties, because leaders have pledged to avoid hot-button social issues.
Over a dozen other state legislatures are considering anti-marriage amendments. Arizona anti-gay activists are staging a petition drive to force a vote on an amendment. Legislatures in Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Maine,
New Jersey, North Carolina, South Dakota and Virginia are dealing with measures, while a petition drive is underway in the District of Columbia. Anti-gay groups in Florida and Maryland have promised efforts for amendments as well.
Legislatures in Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Tennessee are facing second votes on amendments that passed in earlier sessions.
Erie station to air canceled kids' show
Washington, D.C.-Erie, Pennsylvania's PBS affiliate affirmed that it will air a controversial episode of a children's show, while Cleveland, Youngstown and Akron area affiliates will not.
The Public Broadcasting System announced on January 25 that it will not distribute an episode of Postcards From Buster that shows the title character, an animated bunny named Buster, on a trip to Vermont. The episode includes two lesbian couples, although the focus is on farm life and maple sugaring.
A PBS spokesperson said that the decision was not caused by complaints from President Bush's new education secretary.
The Boston public TV station that produces the show, WGBH, is making the "Sugartime" episode available to other stations. WGBH also plans to air it on March 23. Including Erie's WQLN, at least 24 stations will air the episode. However, WVIZ in Cleveland, WEAO Alliance-Youngstown and its sister station WNEO in Akron will not.
PBS gets money for the Postcards from Buster series through the federal Ready-toLearn program, aimed at helping young children learn through television.
Education Secretary Margaret Spellings said the "Sugartime" episode does not fulfill the intent Congress had in mind for programming. By law, she said, any funded shows must give top attention to "research-based
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educational objectives, content and materials."
Oregon marriage ban is challenged
Salem, Ore. Only about a month after it went into effect, the ban on same-sex marriage approved by Oregon voters has been challenged in court.
Basic Rights Oregon on January 31 filed a lawsuit in Marion County Circuit Court in Salem arguing the ban revises the fundamental principles of the Oregon Constitution rather than merely amending it.
"Using the Constitution to treat some Oregonians differently violates every Oregon tradition of fairness and is an insult to the spirit of the Oregon Constitution," said Roey Thorpe, Basic Rights executive director.
But the attorney for the Defense of Marriage Coalition, which put the ban on the ballot last November, said the lawsuit was based on a “very weak theory” about constitutional law.
Oregon voters approved the gay marriage ban during the national election last November as the state joined 16 others to ban it in their constitutions. Oregon's vote was the smallest margin of passage for any of the measures that went through.
Challenges have also been filed against marriage ban amendments in Kentucky, Oklahoma and Georgia, and the American Civil Liberties Union is considering a challenge in Michigan.
The Oregon Supreme Court, meanwhile, is considering how to rule on an earlier lawsuit to determine if about 3,000 marriage licenses that Multnomah County issued last March to gay and lesbian couples are valid.
Compiled from wire reports by Brian DeWitt, Anthony Glassman, Patti Harris and Eric Resnick.
Equal rights bill
Continued from page 1
Rep. Todd Book of McDermott is the ranking Democrat on the committee. Joyce Beatty is the only committee member among the bill's co-sponsors.
Miller said Seitz has said little about the bill.
"He's given no indication that it will be heard," said Miller, "but he's given no indication to the contrary, either.”
Miller said he will push for proponent testimony in addition to sponsor testimony. Miller said the timing of the bill is impor-
tant.
"We're going into budget hearings," said Miller, "and the focus is going to be on economic improvement through more business activity."
"I don't think we can work on growing the
economy until we say everyone is a participant and everyone is welcome," said Miller. "People who work hard and play by the rules should share in the benefits. I see this as both a civil rights and an economic issue."
State Sen. Dan Brady is also planning to reintroduce his Senate version of the measure, Miller said. Brady, a Cleveland Democrat, first introduced it in 2003. Miller added that Brady has no timetable in mind.
Brady is prohibited from serving past 2006 due to term limits. Miller has indicated he will seek that Senate seat.
Other states with similar anti-discrimination bills pending are Oregon, Maine, Colorado, Delaware, and Montana.
Currently, 15 states and the District of Columbia include sexual orientation in their equal rights laws. Five also include transgender people.
Eleven Ohio cities have similar ordinances, covering a sixth of the state's population.
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