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MODEST TURNOUT, MIXED MESSAGES FOR MADISON EQUALITY MARCH Madison - Sunny skies and brisk 20 degree tem - peratures greeted a crowd estimated between 100 to 200 marching for LGBT equality and more here December 5. Inspired by the National Equality March last October, Unified For Equality (UFE), a coalition of Madison and southern Wisconsin LGBT groups, organized the march and rally on the Capitol steps as a local follow-up to the Washington DC event. And, as often happens in coalition building, mes - sages at the rally became mixed. Quest correspondent Steve Vargas pegged the total at a little over one hundred, while rally organizers offered a more optimistic estimate of about 200. The march also briefly interrupted a Fair Wisconsin board of directors meeting when it passed the statewide organization’s State Street offices shortly after Noon. One board member told Quest the marchers “num - bered about 120.” In addition to calling attention to the recent Wis - consin Supreme Court hearing of McConkey lawsuit challenging that validity of the 2006 “Marriage Pro - tection” Amendment referendum, the rally’s focus Madison; OutReach/OutThere of Madison; P.E.A.C.E. Amendment and an executive order to overturn the expanded to include speakers advocating universal at UW-Whitewater and others. Organizers made “Don’t-Ask-Don’t-Tell” policy for military personnel. health care and protesting the ongoing wars in Iraq heavy use of email text and the social networking According to the UFE press release that announced and Afghanistan - especially President Obama’s De - site Facebook to promote the event. UFE spokesper - the march, the LGBT community “lacks everyday cember 1 decision to add 30,000 troops to the lat - son Jessie Otradovec reported that she was happy rights in addition to the marriage right and refuses ter battle theater. One chant called on the President with the turnout, though it was only a third of the to accept the status quo any longer. Unified for to act directly: “Hey Obama, let mama marry total that had committed to attend on Facebook. Equality works without pause to attain the rights mama!” marchers shouted. Among Unified for Equality’s stated demands are guaranteed to us by the 14th Amendment, but not The Unified for Equality coalition included the equal protection in all matters governed by civil law extended to us as a group. We now demand, not re - Madison Area Transgender Association; MATC Pride in all fifty states, the overturning of the state same- quest, equal rights for every citizen under the law & Alliance; the Madison branches of the International sex marriage ban in Wisconsin, the granting of na - the Constitution of the Unites States of America.” Socialist Organization; LGBTI Equality NOW at UW- tional anti-discrimination rights via 14th Los Angeles - The Episcopal Diocese of Los Ange - EPISCOPAL CHURCH ELECTS SECOND GAY BISHOP les has elected the second openly gay bishop in the God,” Glasspool told delegates to the diocese’s an - and has been elected four times to head the depu - national church and the world Anglican fellowship. nual convention just after they elected her on the tation to General Convention. The Rev. Mary Glasspool of Baltimore won election seventh balloting for one of two open suffragan, or Glasspool, 55, said she met her partner, Becki as assistant bishop in Los Angeles in voting De - assistant, bishop positions. Sander, while working in Massachusetts, and the cember 5. The first openly gay bishop, V. Gene Referring to the current church season of Advent, two have been together since 1988. Robinson of New Hampshire, was consecrated in a time of anticipation of the birth of Christ, Reverend Glasspool needs the approval of a major - 2003. Glasspool said, “This is my 56th Advent and I think ity of national church leaders before she can be con - Glasspool told delegates after her election that she I finally know the meaning of the word ‘wait.’ “ The secrated, but her election may spark yet another was excited about the future of the national church. delegates laughed. row. The election of Robinson already has deeply “I’m very excited about the future of the whole Epis - Ordained in 1981, Glasspool served in parishes in fractured the global Anglican Communion. The Epis - copal Church and I see the Diocese of Los Angeles Philadelphia and Boston and Annapolis before be - copal Church is the Anglican body in the United leading the way into that future. But for just for this coming canon to the bishops in 2001. She has States. Theologically conservative Episcopalians moment, let me say again, thank you, and thanks served on the diocese’s Standing Committee, the formed a rival church earlier this year, called the An - be to our loving and supporting God, a surprising board of Episcopal Community Services of Maryland, glican Church in North America. IMMINENT TRAGEDY IN UGANDA: DEATH FOR HOMOSEXUALITY American Evangelicals And GOP Senators May Have Hand In “Kill The Gays” Law Kampala - Life for Uganda’s notorious anti-gay activist such as Lively as the key estimated half-million gay and source behind the Ugandan “kill the gays” law, more lesbian men and women on a than a handful of Christian activists from America good day is considered horrible have had a part in the genesis of the bill. Many lead - by any human rights stan - ing U.S. Christians - including Obama favorite Rick dards. They currently can be Warren - have long standing ties to churches in jailed for years under some of Uganda, and appear to have had a hand in promot - the harshest anti-sodomy laws ing the policies that culminated in the new anti-ho - on the African continent. mosexuality bill. However when the “Anti-Ho - Warren has had a long association with Ugandan mosexuality Bill 2009” currently pastor Martin Ssempa, who has endorsed the pro - before the Ugandan Parliament Above: Scott Lively Right: Rick Warren consults with Presidnet Paul Kagame posed legislation. Ssempa has made multiple ap - passes - likely in the next few Scott Lively before speaking at a 2005 mass rally in Rwanda. pearances at Warren’s Saddleback Church in days according to the latest reports - they will face a life ual anarchy throughout the world under the guise of California and has been embraced publicly by both in prison or even death just for being identified as being ‘human rights’ and ‘family planning.’ “ Warren and his wife. Warren has - during appear - gay. Moreover, anyone who knows of gay Ugandan and Veteran Wisconsin gay activists will recall that self- ances in Uganda - called the country a “purpose fails to report it to the police within 24 hours also can ordained “pastor” Ralph Ovadal of the now-defunct driven nation,” echoing the rhetoric of the preacher’s be imprisoned for three years. Moreover, under the bill’s Wisconsin Christians United brought Lively to the top-selling American book “A Purpose Driven Life.” wide-reaching provisions, gay Ugandans who flee the state in the mid-1990’s to promote his book, which Warren attempted to distance himself from the country can be extradited from anywhere in the world claims that the Holocaust was a gay plot. Key Ugandan pastor in a recent Newsweek interview, but to face prosecution, imprisonment and death just for sources for Lively’s widely-discredited “research” did not disavow the legislation itself. “It is not my being gay. were German language books created by the prede - personal calling as a pastor in America to comment The current bill calls for a lifetime imprisonment on cessor agency of the U.S. CIA as part of a wartime or interfere in the political process of other nations.,” conviction of homosexuality, and creates a new cat - disinformation campaign that sought to discredit the he said. egory called “aggravated homosexuality” with provi - Hitler regime by “proving” the Fuehrer and his top Many top U.S. politicians also are invested in sions for the death penalty upon conviction. Among henchmen were homosexuals. Uganda. The Bush administration liked to present the the factors which can determine “aggravated homo - In their talks to the conference of parents, politi - country as a model of pro-abstinence, anti-condom sexuality” is if one partner is HIV-positive. The bill cians and educators, the trio provided a host of other AIDS prevention policies. Author Jeff Sharlet recently also mandates HIV testing to confirm the suspicion anti-gay talking points as well. They said homosex - revealed close ties between The Family -- the secre - of “aggravated homosexuality.” uals are “out to destroy the country,” according to re - tive network of conservative American Christians The specific language of Section 3 (2) states: “A per - ports from the scene, and they said that legalizing that includes leading Senators James Inhofe, Sam son who commits the offence of aggravated homo - homosexuality is akin to legalizing “the molestation Brownback, Tom Coburn and Mike Enzi -- and the sexuality shall be liable on conviction to suffer death.” of children or having sex with animals.” Lively was Ugandan legislator, David Bahati, who introduced the The bill also includes a complete ban on all activi - also invited to address the Ugandan Parliament. By tough new anti-gay bill. ties and organizations that could be construed as his own account, his hosts “were very pleased.” As horrendous as the Ugandan may be, it is only “promoting homosexuality,” effectively eliminating Following the conference, the Family Life Network part of a larger effort by right-wing fundamentalists the fundamental human rights for gay and lesbian and its political allies drafted and introduced the Anti- to ramp up anti-gay hatred on the African subconti - Ugandans.

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