TOP6NEWS - Date 7.8.05

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1-NEWS: 8 WI cities want to intervene in dp lawsuit 
2-NEWS: Uganda criminalizes ssm
3-NEWS: OR CUs likely to pass Senate, dead in House
4-NEWS: San Francisco, gay couples file motion to fast track case to Supreme Court
5-NEWS: NEA bolsters gays in policy, practices
6-FEATURE: Students on reality show have problems putting together case for m
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1-NEWS: 8 WI cities want to intervene in dp lawsuit 

Associated Press
MADISON, Wis. - The city of Green Bay and seven other local bodies will fight a lawsuit seeking health benefits for partners of gay state employees, saying they will be forced to provide similar perks if the lawsuit succeeds.
The American Civil Liberties Union filed the lawsuit in April on behalf of six state workers, claiming state government's refusal to provide health insurance to their gay partners violates the equal protection clause of the Wisconsin constitution.
Earl Van Den Heuvel, a member of the Green Bay City Council, which voted Tuesday night to fight the lawsuit, said the case could force all Wisconsin cities to provide benefits to partners of gay employees and open up a floodgate of lawsuits from others seeking benefits.
"As a government, we just can't afford it," he said. "The biggest cost our city has is health benefits."

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2-NEWS: Uganda criminalizes ssm

Uganda To Jail Same-Sex Couples Who Marry by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: July 7, 2005  5:00 pm ET
Kampala)  Uganda's parliament has passed tough new laws against gays in the African nation. The new law makes it a criminal offense for same-sex couples to marry.
"Parliament has adopted a proposal to amend the Constitution so as to criminalize same-sex marriages," Bernard Eceru, a spokesperson for the government told the Ugandan Newspaper.  Eceru said that 111 MPs voted in favor of the amendment, 17 against and three abstained.
Specific jail terms for offenders were not included in the legislation but are to be laid out in revisions to the Ugandan penal code at a later date, Eceru told the paper.

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3-NEWS: OR CUs likely to pass Senate, dead in House

Bill expected to pass Senate today, but likely DOA in House
July 8, 2005
By Ron Strom
© 2005 WorldNetDaily.com
Though a bill to establish same-sex civil unions in Oregon is headed for likely passage in the state Senate today, opponents of the measure are confident it will die a quick death in the House of Representatives.
SB 1000 would give same-sex couples benefits similar to those of marriage. The bill also includes language outlawing discrimination against homosexuals in jobs, housing and public accommodation.
The Oregon Senate consists of 18 Democrats and 12 Republicans. Two Republicans who co-sponsored the bill likely will vote in favor and potentially all the Democrats. The bill passed the Senate Rules Committee June 23.

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4-NEWS: San Francisco, gay couples file motion to fast track case to Supreme Court

SAN FRANCISCO Early high court review of same-sex marriage ruling urged Bob Egelko, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, July 8, 2005
The city of San Francisco and 12 gay and lesbian couples joined Attorney General Bill Lockyer on Thursday in asking the state Supreme Court to bypass an appeals court and immediately review a judge's ruling that declared California's ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional.
Under usual procedures, the state Court of Appeal in San Francisco would get the first look at San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer's March 14 ruling, which found that the law discriminates on the basis of sex and violated the fundamental right to marry the partner of one's choice.

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5-NEWS: NEA bolsters gays in policy, practices

By George Archibald THE WASHINGTON TIMES July 8, 2005
LOS ANGELES -- The National Education Association ended its four-day convention here with a big victory for members promoting homosexual advocacy, but debate by conservatives seeking resolutions condemning adult-minor sexual contact and supporting respect for "all living things" was cut off.
    "It was a very obvious attempt to stifle dissent on issues with which they disagree -- biblical issues or issues on the [political] right," said David Kaiser, a retired teacher from Ohio, who was blocked from discussing his proposal to strike language allowing the right to abortion from the union's family-planning policy.

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6-NEWS: Students on reality show have problems putting together case for m

By HANNAH SELIGSON Gay City News
On the surface, it might not be clear how the gay marriage debate involves ten high-school seniors and a gay Ivy League admissions officer.
The common thread is in this summer’s new reality TV show “The Scholar,” which airs Monday night at 8 p.m. on ABC and is produced by Bunim Murray Produc The premise of the show is that ten high school seniors compete for a full scholarship to the college of their choice. ABC describes the teenage competitors as among America’s best and brightest students, but adds they “might not otherwise have an opportunity to attend one of America’s top universities.”
The scholarship awarded on the show will be donated by philanthropist Eli Broad, who became one of the wealthiest men in the world in the home construction and insurance industries.

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