TOP6NEWS - Date 7.13.05

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1-NEWS: CA Senate committee revives ssm bill
2-NEWS: Charges dropped against New Paltz mayor
3-NEWS: MI woman drops federal ssm suit
4-NEWS: Alberta adds religious protection since it can't stop ssm
5-NEWS: Most gays, psychologists reject 'conversion' from gay lifestyle
6-FEATURE: Buddhists, Thais and ssm
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1-NEWS: CA Senate committee revives ssm bill

Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Sacramento -- A state Senate committee voted Tuesday to approve a bill legalizing same-sex marriage, reviving legislation declared "dead for the year" just last month after it failed to pass out of the lower house.
The effort comes in the face of two previous failed attempts to pass the bill in the Legislature, a voter-approved ballot measure recognizing marriage as between only a man and a woman, and sentiment that the gay marriage movement galvanized support for President Bush in the presidential election last year.
The bill's author, Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, said he hoped pa

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2-NEWS: Charges dropped against New Paltz mayor

Poughkeepsie Journal (NY)
NEW PALTZ — Ulster County District Attorney Don Williams dropped the 24 misdemeanor charges against village Mayor Jason West for conducting same-sex marriages without marriage licenses last year.
Williams announced his decision Tuesday.
"We have fulfilled our obligation under the law. No useful or practical purpose exists to proceed further. Any additional action would serve only to advance personal agendas in a highly volatile manner," Williams said.
The district attorney said he made the decision after West's defense team withdrew its last motion to dismiss the case and submitted town court papers pertaining to the trial.
West and his supporters were looking forward to a resolution in a jury trial.

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3-NEWS: MI woman drops federal ssm suit

Associated Press, July 12, 2005
Lawyer drops suit seeking to strike down Michigan's gay-marriage ban
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) — A Bangor attorney has, for now, dropped her federal lawsuit that sought to strike down Michigan's constitutional amendment that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
Michigan voters approved the amendment with November's passage of Proposal 2.
Jessie Olson filed the suit June 8 in U.S. District Court in Kalamazoo and listed herself and her life partner, Tabitha A. Flatau, as co-plaintiffs. They claimed the amendment to the state constitution violates the equal-protection clause of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment.
Olson filed a notice of voluntary dismissal June 20, according to court documents. She said Tuesday she would reopen the lawsuit if the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan loses a similar suit it filed in state court in March.

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4-NEWS: Alberta adds religious protection since it can't stop ssm

Canadian Press, Canada, July 12, 2005
Alberta allowing same-sex marriage but adding protection to opponents BILL GRAVELAND
CALGARY (CP) - The Alberta government has grudgingly decided to allow same-sex marriage but is adding new legislative protection for anyone who opposes it on moral or religious grounds.
"We will proceed to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples, much to our chagrin, following proclamation of the federal Civil Marriage Act," Premier Ralph Klein said Tuesday. "We will develop legislative options to ensure the rights of religious officials and those Albertans who hold social or cultural beliefs or values, whether religious or non-religious," Klein told a news conference after meeting with his cabinet.
The new provincial law will enshrine the freedom to express opposition to same-sex marriage, Klein said, so that no one will "be required to advocate, promote or teach about marriage in a way that conflicts with their beliefs."

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5-NEWS: Most gays, psychologists reject 'conversion' from gay lifestyle

Updated: 7:29 a.m. ET July 13, 2005
BELLEVUE, Wash. — “God loves you, but —”
Many of the nearly 150 people gathered in the sanctuary of Newport Presbyterian Church were already nodding in agreement before Jallen Rix could finish the thought.
“‘God loves you, but — ’” he was saying. “That is not unconditional love.”
A decade ago, Jallen Rix was a well-known singer and songwriter on the gay pop scene, touring the country behind an album that was nominated for three Gay & Lesbian American Music Awards.

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6-FEATURE: Buddhists, Thais and ssm

Bangkok Post, Thailand, July 13, 2005
Religion and same-sex marriage
Will gay marriage be allowed by Buddhists in Thailand?
By METTANANDO BHIKKHU
The endorsement by the Spanish parliament of same-sex marriage has turned Spain into the third country in the European Union that recognises the rights of homosexual couples, after the Netherlands and Belgium.
Canada will soon be the fourth country in the world to adopt the same law. Despite strong protests by the Catholic Church, most likely the legalisation of same-sex marriage will domino in Europe and could easily spread to Asia.

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