National Post Offers Apology For Running Abhorrent Transphobic Advertisement

The National Post – Canada’s other national newspaper - ran an advertisement earlier this week that was beyond reprehensible. The ad,( found here) bought by the Institute for Canadian Values, headed by the vehemently and violently anti-gay evangelical Charles McVety, argued against aspects of the Ontario school curriculum that include instruction about certain aspects of human sexuality. Specifically, it objected to teaching young children — those between junior kindergarten and Grade 3 — about transsexual/transgender/intersexed/two-spirited issues. Under fire, the Post ran an apology Friday that read in part: “The National Post has procedures in place for vetting the content of advertising, especially advocacy advertising. The procedures are intended to ensure that such ads meet a standard of tone and respect that is consistent with furthering constructive dialogue about important public policy issues. In this case, those procedures were not followed. An ad that should not have run in its proposed form was allowed to run. This ad will not run in the National Post again. The National Post believes strongly in the principles of free speech and open, unhindered debate. We believe unpopular points of view should not be censored simply because some readers may find them disturbing, or even offensive. Free speech does not apply only to views that will not offend anyone. The ad in question was attempting to make the case that the Ontario curriculum was teaching very young children about issues that, at that age, should be the domain of parents. In addition, it made the case that even when parents or teachers may object to the material being taught, they did not have the right, in the case of parents, to remove their children from the class, or in the case of teachers, to decline to teach the material on the grounds that they objected to it. In an open society, these positions are worthy of being part of a debate on this issue. They are also legitimate arguments to make in a paid advertisement in a media outlet. Where the ad exceeded the bounds of civil discourse was in its tone and manipulative use of a picture of a young girl; in the suggestion that such teaching “corrupts” children, with everything that such a charge implies; and in its singling out of groups of people with whose sexuality the group disagrees. The fact that we will not be publishing this ad again represents a recognition on our part that publishing it in the first place was a mistake. The National Post would like to apologize unreservedly to anyone who was offended by it. We will be taking steps to ensure that in future our procedures for vetting the content of advertising will be strictly adhered to. The Post will also be donating the proceeds from the advertisement to an organization that promotes the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered people.”

Student Suspended For Harassing Jamey Rodemeyer’s Sister Alyssa At School Dance; Williamsville Schools Superintendent Publically Defends District’s Response To Jamey’s Suicide

A student accused of harassing the sister of Jamey Rodemeyer at the Williamsville North High School Homecoming dance last week has been suspended by the school district. The Buffalo News is reporting that district officials and the Amherst New York Police Department continue to investigate the homecoming incident and the bullying that Jamey endured before the high school freshman killed himself last month. No other suspensions or charges have been issued. The suspension stems from a tense encounter at the September 22 homecoming dance. Alyssa Rodemeyer said that as she and friends chanted Jamey's name, a "little group" of students approached her to say they were glad her brother took his life. "I think it's a step in the right direction," Timothy Rodemeyer, the father of Jamey and Alyssa, said of the suspension. There are other developments in the case: Alyssa revealed new details about the day Jamey killed himself and the events at the homecoming dance in an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper that airs Monday. Someone recorded parts of the homecoming incident, according to Alyssa, but police do not yet have the video. Alyssa spoke to Amherst police detectives Thursday, and she and other students are scheduled to meet with district officials Monday. Williamsville Schools Superintendent Scott G. Martzloff has begun to publicly defend the district's response to Jamey's suicide; he will attend a meeting Monday of the Parent Teacher Student Association at Williamsville North. "Let me be clear: We will not let the actions of any student threaten the emotional well-being of others," Martzloff said in a video posted late Thursday on the district's website that revealed the suspension. The suspension is the first disciplinary action taken since Jamey's September 18 suicide. Jamey was subjected to relentless bullying at Heim Middle School, harassment he documented in online forums where cyber-bullies attacked him. Jamey, who had questioned his sexuality and was seeing a school social worker and a counsellor, was 14 and had just started at Williamsville North. His sister told Cooper that she was the one who found Jamey's body in their backyard. "I didn't really have time to soak it all in because I was in a state of shock and I was trying to do everything to, you know, call 911, get my parents, you know, try to save him," Alyssa says in an "Anderson Cooper 360" interview transcript. The homecoming dance for Williamsville North, where Alyssa is a junior, was held the same night as a wake for Jamey. Alyssa went to the dance from the wake with some friends, at the urging of her parents and to take their mind off the pain of Jamey's death, she told Cooper. Jamey's favourite singer was Lady Gaga, and when one of her songs was played at the dance, Alyssa and her friends began singing along and chanting Jamey's name. That's when, Alyssa said, "like three" students came up to her group and told her they were glad Jamey took his life. Eventually, Alyssa said, the students stopped insulting her brother and they ran from the dance when it appeared they could get in trouble. "I don't understand who would have the heart to disrespect someone even after they're dead. It's mind-blowing," she told Cooper. A parent reported the incident to Amherst police, who interviewed a number of witnesses before talking to Alyssa on Thursday, said Amherst Police Capt. Michael Camilleri. The confrontation was over by the time off-duty police officers at the event began to investigate. Amherst police previously said two sets of students accused the other side of inciting the conflict. Police have interviewed the students named in the original police complaint but they haven't decided whether charges will be filed for anything that happened to Jamey before he died or to his sister at the homecoming event. The student's suspension stems from the school district's ongoing investigation into what was said and done during the homecoming festivities. "While our investigation continues, we have already identified a student that we believe is responsible for this incident, and have imposed a suspension to the fullest extent allowed under education law," Martzloff said in the online video the district posted Thursday. He did not provide details, and wasn't available Friday for an interview. District spokeswoman Rita M. Wolff said she could not reveal further information on the student. The Rodemeyers said they are glad the district has acted against a student accused of harassing their daughter, but they hope Jamey's bullies are held accountable. The Rodemeyers and their daughter will appear Monday on "Anderson Cooper 360." "I think it's awesome that all this attention is coming on. I think it's also somewhat a sad thing," Tim Rodemeyer said. "I think the reason it's getting all this attention is because [bullying] is such a big problem."

Congressman Jared Polis And Partner Marlon Reis Proud Parents Of Beautiful Baby Boy, Pentagon Releases New Guidelines Permitting Military Chaplains To Officiate At Same Sex Weddings, Majority Of North Carolinians Polled Oppose Constitutional Amendment Banning Same Sex Marriage, Toby Keith Supports Both Repeal Of Gay Military Ban And Same Sex Marriage, Gay Days At Disney Expected To Draw Thousands, Alex Pettyfer A Hot Mess

Colorado Congressman Jared Polis and his partner Marlon Reis announce that they are now the proud parents of an infant boy born Friday. The Denver Post reports that the couple’s birth announcement says the boy’s name is Caspian Julius. His birth weight is eight pounds and 12 ounces. “Baby and parents are doing well,” the announcement says, “baby has learned to cry already!” Polis, D-Boulder, said this June that the couple expected to have a baby in September. The congressman said at the time that most details would remain a private family matter, and there were few new details offered today. “No gifts please,” the birth announcement says, “just nice thoughts for Caspian, humankind, the planet, and the universe!” Caspian, by the way, judging by the photograph, could well be one of the cutest newborns ever.

U.S. military chaplains will be allowed to officiate at same-sex weddings under new guidelines following repeal of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on gays serving openly in the military, the Pentagon said on Friday. Reuters is reporting that a chaplain may participate in or officiate at any private ceremony on or off a military installation as long as the ceremony is not barred by state and local laws, the Defense Department said in a statement. Chaplains do not have to officiate at ceremonies that go against their religious tenets, it said. The repeal of the Defense Department policy that barred homosexuals from serving openly in the military -- known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -- took effect on September 20. More than 14,000 U.S. service members were thrown out under the rule, which dated from 1993. The new guidelines said that decisions on the use of military property should be made on a "sexual-orientation neutral" basis, the statement said. Six states and the District of Columbia allow same-sex marriage. Thirty-nine states specifically ban it.

56-percent of North Carolinians oppose a state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage, according to a new poll out of Elon University. WFMY News 2 reports that the poll was conducted September 25-29 and surveyed 594 North Carolina residents. The poll shows growing support for same-sex marriage, as opposition to same sex marriage has dropped 4-percent since the poll asked the same question in March of 2009. Additionally, the number of people who would prefer to see no legal recognition for same-sex couples has dropped 10-percent since pollsters asked the same question two years ago. North Carolinians will go to the polls in May to vote on a constitutional amendment after lawmakers approved the ballot measure late this summer. The poll also found a majority of North Carolinians disapprove of the job of the General Assembly, with 41-percent disapproving and 39-approving. Governor Bev Perdue's job approval rating stands at 41-percent approve and 51-percent disapprove. Gov. Perdue faces re-election next November, mere months after the vote on the constitutional amendment.

Perhaps a sign of the sea change regarding conservative America’s relationship to homosexuality, Toby Keith says he has no concerns about the recent repeal of the U.S. military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy banning openly-gay troops from enlisting and serving in the armed forces, although he questions the safety of females who are sent to the front lines of battle. "That whole gay issue thing, that's never bothered me," he told CMT Insider correspondent Allison DeMarcus. "I've never seen what that affects and [why] anybody should care -- and they never do affect me." He continued, "First of all, we're going to stop somebody from getting a marriage license because they're gay? You won't stop them from living together, so what have you accomplished? ... Wasting a lot of money here and a lot of time that could be spent working on this deficit that we're under ... I never saw the reasoning behind getting in people's personal lives." Keith went on to say, "But the military is a tough thing. I don't worry as much about the heterosexual people fighting as I do ... about the gays. ... In the military or any class in life, you have people who have problems with it, and I'm wondering how that's going to be compatible on the battlefield. That's the only question I have, other than that I don't care. It's just such a big issue that people make such a big stink about -- 'don't ask, don't tell’ ... And that sounds like our government: 'We'll fix it by saying, "Don't ask, don't tell." Everybody agree, raise your hands. All right, let's go get a snack,'" Keith added with a laugh. Keith said "You know, I don't know enough about what they proposed or what they've put in place here. ... Somebody's sexual preference is like, 'Who cares?'"

Once an underground gathering that was regularly protested by religious groups and conservative politicians, The Los Angeles Times reports that the annual Gay Days at the Disneyland Resort marks its 14th anniversary this weekend and is expected to draw more than 30,000 people to the Anaheim amusement parks. Though not officially sponsored by the Disneyland Resort, the annual celebration has become one of the most crowd-dependable and popular gatherings at the park. This year, there are to be Disney-themed "Gay Day" T-shirt sales, discount tickets for attendees, an ABC television screening, concerts and a chance to talk with 90-year-old actress Carol Channing or meet up with Emmy Award-winning actress Jane Lynch, a star of the hit TV show "Glee." The weekend-long celebration is sponsored by Alaska Airlines, Motorola and Paramount Pictures, among others. Gay Days got its footing in the 1990s with about 2,500 attendees, though at the time it triggered protests from Southern Baptists and the conservative American Family Assn., which also launched boycott efforts against Disney. Within several years though, the discord faded and, except for a lone Orange County minister with a history of protesting everything Disney, the protesters vanished.

Alex Pettyfer, sporting a seriously horrible-looking high-tech tracksuit, spotted arriving at the Chateau Marmont Thursday.

Fort Worth School Teacher Involved In Anti-Gay Suspension Returns To The Classroom

A Western Hills High School teacher who was accused of sending a student to the office for saying homosexuality is wrong was placed on administrative leave while the matter was investigated but is to return to school today. Kristopher Franks, 32, who has taught in the Fort Worth, Texas school district since 2006, was put on leave September 23. Interim school Superintendent Walter Dansby notified school trustees late Thursday that the matter had been resolved and that Franks would go back to work, Trustee Carlos Vasquez said. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports that his attorney, Melissa Mozingo, said earlier that Franks could not comment on the matter. Mozingo said the teacher has received harassing e-mails about the incident in his classroom. "He does want his side out there, but he cannot make comments due to the ongoing investigation," said Mozingo, who works for the United Educators Association. "But he's doing great. He's strong, and he has an effective support base that's helping him get through this process." District spokesman Clint Bond said he could not disclose the scope of the inquiry because it was a personnel matter. Last week, freshman Dakota Ary said he was sent to the principal's office and suspended for saying that he is a Christian and that homosexuality is wrong. Ary said then that the discussion of homosexuality came up in German class as students discussed religion in that country. Ary has said he was not discriminating or being a bully when he made the comments. "I was just expressing my beliefs," he said. Ary was sent to the office, where an assistant principal punished him with in-school suspension. The next morning, Ary, his mother and an attorney met with the principal, who reversed the punishment and said the incident would be cleared from the teen's record.

Purportedly Unable To Defend Its Citizens Against The Threat Of Violence Serbia Cancels Planned Gay Rights Parade

Reuters is reporting that Serbian authorities banned a gay rights parade in Belgrade on Sunday as well as all other public gatherings this weekend fearing a repeat of the violence at last year's event."The ban was issued in line with the law on public gatherings which prescribes such a measure in cases of probable disruption of public transport, threats to public health or safety of people and property," Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said on Friday. Traditionally conservative societies across the Balkans have been slow to accept open homosexuality and many gay rights events in the region have ended in violence. Another government official said that Serbia's National Security Council, comprised of heads of police, security agencies, the military and President Boris Tadic, ordered police to cancel the event after security assessments indicated "extremely serious security threats," the official adding that "Our intelligence indicated hooligans are poised to attack gay activists, police, media, offices of political parties, foreign businesses, embassies and burn cars." Goran Miletic, a human rights activist and an organizer of the pride parade, condemned the decision as a capitulation to hooligans, but said the rally would not go ahead. "We are shocked," he said. "With this the state capitulated ... a democratic state should be able to guarantee two hours of security to its citizens." More than 100 policemen were injured last year and dozens of right-wing activists were arrested after trying to disrupt the parade. Rioters attacked offices of the ruling coalition parties, set ablaze the headquarters of Tadic's Democratic Party and caused widespread damage across the capital Belgrade. Interior Minister Dacic, who heads the ruling Socialists, said the gay pride event posed a major security risk for ordinary people, property and police. "Police will not allow gatherings because if it does, there will be conflicts, casualties, blood and chaos," he said. Dacic said as many as 5,000 security personnel including anti-riot units, plainclothes agents and mounted police would be needed to ensure security around the parade. Cedomir Jovanovic, the head of the pro-Western opposition Liberal Democrats, said the ban "demonstrates the government's cowardice and weakness." Serbia must demonstrate its readiness to protect human rights to boost its European Union membership bid. But its society has deeply conservative elements resistant to change. Irinej, the patriarch of the influential Serbian Orthodox Church, labelled the gay pride event as the "parade of shame," adding "I would call this pestilence a parade of shame which is smearing human dignity and the holiness of life and family. I have an impression it was (to be) staged to hide and overshadow the tragic suffering of Serbs in Kosovo." More than a dozen Serbs and four NATO peacekeepers were injured this week in clashes over a contested border crossing in Kosovo's tense and predominantly Serb north.

Two Openly Gay Men Attacked In Immokalee Florida; Collier County Sheriff’s Office Continues To Investigate Gang Gay Bashing

Manuel Galan has not left his Immokalee, Florida home in a week. The Naples Daily News reports that the 27-year-old fears being attacked for his sexual orientation. Galan is gay. “I’m scared to walk out the front door,” Galan said. “In case someone sees me, alone, they can do more damage.” Galan and his friend, Cirildo Soliz, were jumped by five males last week, according to a Collier County sheriff’s incident report. The two were walking together on Carson Road near Eden Avenue in Immokalee. The Sheriff’s Office is calling it a possible hate crime. “It was right in the middle of the street,” Galan said. “People were walking all around us. No one stopped. No one did anything. It hurts me; I knew some of the people.” Both Galan and Soliz, 21, are openly gay but are just good friends, Galan said. They have lived in Immokalee for almost their entire lives and had been called names before. This was the first time verbal attacks got physical, they said. The attackers used their fists and feet on Galan’s and Soliz’ faces, ribs and limbs and repeatedly yelled derogatory names for gay people, the report said. Galan and Soliz refused medical treatment after the beating. “I don’t hate who I am. I like who I am. I don’t hide my life,” Galan said. “They just don’t like gay people, so they attacked us.” Galan, who has been open about his sexuality for 10 years, said he is friends with some of the attackers’ mothers, and that’s how he knows them. Soliz told deputies that once the kicking ceased, one of the attackers pointed his finger at him and said, “I’m going to kill you and I know where you live.” Galan said the attackers may have been members of the local gang, Brown Pride. The Sheriff’s Office also labelled the attack as gang-related. The two are in the process of pressing charges against the attackers. The Sheriff’s Office had not made any arrests in the case as of Thursday afternoon. “I just don’t understand why it had to happen that way,” Galan said. “I’m a very respectable person; I don’t ever do anything someone doesn’t want done to them.” Galan said there are not many people in the Immokalee community who are openly gay. “People come out and stay to themselves,” he said. “They don’t really talk to anyone; most of the gay people here are a little troubled. They don’t have anyone to talk to, have nowhere to go, it’s not accepted. Not around here.” Collier County had eight official hate crimes in 2010, Fort Myers and Cape Coral had one and Lee County had none, according to Florida Department of Law Enforcement figures. The count for 2011 is not yet complete. Three years ago, Ruth Dorfman, in Naples, was also a victim. Dorfman, an activist for the advocacy and support group Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, had her East Naples garage door defaced with swastikas and columns she had written in the Daily News. “I still get up every morning and look at my garage door and see if anyone has defaced it,” Dorfman, 66, said. “It’s not something you get over immediately.” Although a report was made, no one has been apprehended. She said there have been more hate crimes, but the victims are usually too frightened of repercussions to speak out. She commended Galan’s and Soliz’s strength to press charges. “I hope whoever is responsible feels the brunt of that,” she said. Until then, however, Soliz’s mother, Yolanda Vasquez, cringes each time Soliz leaves the trailer she has lived in for 25 years. Soliz is the youngest of her three children. “I’m the one that’s paranoid,” Vasquez, 51, said. “I tell him, ‘I don’t want you going out of the house, I don’t want them hurting you.’ He tells me, ‘I’m not going to hide from anybody.’ ”

Serbian Police Chief Warns Of Violence At This Weekend Gay Pride March, Russian Region Adopts Draft Law Prohibiting Any And All Events Promoting Homosexuality, Toronto Gay Hockey Association Calls On NHL To Ban Homophobia On And Off The Ice, Tom Brady Cuts His Hair, Anderson Cooper And An Alpaca, Hollyoaks Male Shirtless Sexiness

Serbia’s police chief warned Thursday violence by extremists is likely during this weekend’s gay pride march, and urged the organizers to cancel it. The Associated Press reports that Ivica Dacic said he made his warning so “bloodshed does not happen in Belgrade,” Serbia’s capital. A far-right extremist group has scheduled its own gathering on the same day, raising the prospect of violence. “If police would decide, there would be no gay pride march,” Dacic said, adding that “if the political stand prevails” to allow the march, police will protect the participants. Serbia is under Western pressure to respect human rights if it wants to one day join the European Union. Last year, more than 100 people were injured, cars were burned and shops looted during a similar pro-gay march. Dacic said anti-gay extremists could set buildings on fire in the suburbs of Belgrade on Sunday, while clashing with police in the center of the capital, and added that police lacked equipment before the march. “While we speak about human rights, we have to repair our water cannons,” Dacic told reporters. Government spokesman Slobodan Homen said that all those who have announced their public gatherings in accordance with the law “have the right to protest and be protected.”

Russia’s Arkhangelsk region has adopted a draft law banning all events promoting homosexuality, among them Gay Pride marches. RT reports that the draft was put forward by local activists, intellectuals and religious groups. They hope the law will protect the moral well-being of Russian children and put an end to what they consider to be the popularizing of homosexuality among the under-aged. Russian authorities have always been strictly against Gay Pride parades. Gay rights activists have been applying for permission to hold a parade in Moscow for several years without success, and bans are warmly supported by the Russian Orthodox Church. “All priests know that the souls of those who suffered through sinful homosexual experience are empty and desperate,” said Vsevolod Chaplin, head of the Russian Orthodox Church PR department. “And it is this insecurity in a minute-long pleasure that forces these spiritually unhealthy people to hold marches and other public demonstrations.” In July 2011, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the decision to repeatedly ban Gay Pride parades in 2006, 2007 and 2008 was unlawful. Russia has paid €30,000 in compensation to gay activists. Still, the parades are being banned due to the “negative response they provoke among Russians.” Russian gay rights activists, in response, have planned their demonstrations for the next hundred years – they have submitted their requests “to help mass cultural and educational activities from 2012 to 2112.” They say the aim is to expose what they call the “absurdity” of the laws which the authorities use to deny them the right to conduct their events. The legal loophole the activists are trying to exploit stipulates that applications to hold a demonstration should be filed to local authorities no less than 45 days before the event. The law does not prohibit filing requests earlier.

In response to the NHL’s decision not to punish Philadelphia Flyers Wayne Simmonds for making an obvious anti- gay slur directed toward New York Rangers forward Sean Avery in an exhibition game Monday night, The Toronto Gay Hockey Association is calling on the NHL to enforce an absolute ban of homophobia on and off the ice. According to a press release, the TGHA says that “The NHL and its member teams must promote a fair and inclusive environment for all fans regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation. Furthermore, we challenge the NHL to adopt inclusive policies that protect homosexual players in the league who are afraid of coming out of the closet.” The Toronto Gay Hockey Association (TGHA) is a league made up of 9 teams and over 120 players in the greater Toronto area. The TGHA participates in gay hockey tournaments in Toronto and around the world that has featured former NHL players, politicians, community leaders, physicians, teachers and students.

Tom Brady cut his hair.

Anderson Cooper brings an alpaca to The Late Show with David Letterman.

The Hollyoaks smoking sexy male cast, specifically James Atherton, Ashley Taylor Dawson, and Danny Mac, frolic shirtless in the park.

Federal Appeals Court Dismisses Case Challenging Constitutional Validity Of DADT Arguing Repeal Has Rendered Case Moot

A federal appeals court refused Thursday to decide the constitutionality of the military's now-repealed "don't ask, don't tell" policy banning openly gay troops, saying the issue has been resolved since Americans can enlist and serve in the armed forces without regard to sexual orientation. The Associated Press reports that a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco tossed out a lawsuit that had challenged the military policy as a violation of gay service members' civil rights. In doing so, the appeals court also dismissed a Southern California trial judge's year-old ruling that the policy was unconstitutional. The gay rights group Log Cabin Republicans filed the lawsuit in 2004 challenging the policy. The group's lawyer, Dan Woods, said he would ask the full 9th Circuit to review the panel's decision. The group recently argued the lower court ruling, which also barred enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell" should remain in effect despite this month's repeal because future administrations and lawmakers could reintroduce a ban on gay service. The three judges strongly disagreed in their Thursday opinion, saying the case is moot because there is nothing left to challenge regarding the policy enacted as section 654. "This suit became moot when the repeal of section 654 took effect on Sept. 20," the ruling said. "If Log Cabin filed suit today seeking a declaration that section 654 is unconstitutional or an injunction against its application (or both), there would be no Article III controversy because there is no section 654." The panel specifically rejected Log Cabins' assertion that the appeals court should decide the underlying constitutional issues to prevent future limitations or outright bans on military service by gay and lesbian Americans. "We cannot say with virtual certainty that the Congress that passed the Repeal Act — or a future Congress whose composition, agenda, and circumstances we cannot know — will re-enact don't ask, don't tell," the judges said. "We can only speculate, and our speculation cannot breathe life into this case." Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director R. Clarke Cooper said he was disappointed, noting that the favourable ruling his group obtained in the lower court played a major role in persuading policy makers to repeal the measure prohibiting openly gay military personal from serving. "Log Cabin Republicans v. United States said more than 'don't ask, don't tell' should be repealed — it stood for the fundamental constitutional rights of service members not to be discriminated against by the nation they serve," Cooper said. "This decision by the 9th Circuit denies more than 14,000 discharged gay and lesbian service members an important means of obtaining justice for the wrong perpetuated against them under the ban, and leaves open the possibility of future violations of service members' rights." One of the three panellists, Judge Diarmuid O'Scannlain, went out of his way in a concurring opinion to dispute that either the U.S. Constitution or the Supreme Court's interpretation of it provided "a member of the armed forces (with) a constitutionally protected right to engage in homosexual acts or to state that he or she is a homosexual while continuing to serve in the military." O'Scannlain also criticized the lower court judge who invalidated "don't ask, don't tell" last year, U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips. He accused Phillips of wilfully failing "to apply established law" so she could issue a ruling "that invalidated a considered congressional policy and imposed a wholly novel view of constitutional liberty on the entire United States."

Ventura Country California Judge Sentences Man To Five Years In Prison For Anti-Gay Attack; Jurors Found Nicholas Klopp Guilty Of Assault And Ruled That Assault A Hate Crime

After denying a request to allow Nicholas Klopp out on bail pending his appeal on a hate crime conviction, a judge on Wednesday sentenced him to five years in prison. The Ventura County Star reports that in July, a jury found Klopp guilty of felony assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the December attack on a gay man who was at a birthday party at a Ventura restaurant. Jurors also found true that the assault was a hate crime. Klopp, of Piru, also had been charged with battery for punching another man in the incident, but jurors found him guilty of the lesser misdemeanour crime of simple assault. He was found not guilty of the hate crime relating to the simple assault. Ventura County Superior Court Judge Kevin DeNoce denied a motion for a new trial by Klopp's attorney, Jean Farley, who works with the Public Defender's Office. Klopp's wife, Ashley, who is pregnant and testified in the trial, briefly wept when the judge read the sentence. The judge said there was more than sufficient evidence to support the jurors' verdicts. He described the jury's analysis of the case as being "surgical" because they convicted Klopp of the lesser crime of simple assault involving the second man, and didn't find that a hate crime had been committed on the misdemeanour. A judge can allow a convicted felon to post bail if there is a "substantial legal question that is likely to result in a reversal" by an appeals court, according to DeNoce. In addition, the court must find that the convicted felon is not a flight risk. DeNoce said this wasn't the case in Klopp's trial. Prosecutors had said Klopp was at O-Sabi Japanese Restaurant when he threw a drinking glass at Brian Schumacher, who is gay, hitting him above the eye and causing a cut that required three stitches to close. Klopp then punched Aaron Argueta in the jaw. Schumacher, Argueta and others were leaving a birthday party at O-Sabi when Klopp yelled derogatory, sexually oriented comments and a racial slur and then attacked them. Some of the 18 or so people who attended the party were gay, court testimony showed. On Wednesday, prosecutor Anthony Sabo told the judge that Klopp claimed he was attacked by a "mob of people" and he didn't know what happened because he was too drunk, and therefore Klopp still was unwilling to take responsibility for his actions. Sabo said Schumacher and Argueta suffered emotional trauma as a result of Klopp's actions. Farley told the judge that Klopp was remorseful, but did not remember what happened. Farley said Klopp does not have any history of being involved in drunken brawls or picking on people because of their race, gender or sexual orientation. When he was arrested for the assaults, Klopp was days away from completing his five-year probation for being involved in a commercial burglary. He was convicted of stealing $50,000 worth of merchandise from a video store with two store employees. Farley said Klopp had paid $8,000 as restitution to the owner. "It was a fairly significant heist where the defendant did go inside the store," the judge said in denying Farley's request to reduce this felony crime to a misdemeanour. During the sentencing, Klopp admitted violating his probation for the commercial robbery and was given jail time, which will be served concurrently with the five-year prison sentence.

Arizona Again Asks Federal Appeals Court To Review Ruling Allowing Benefits To Domestic Partners Of Its Gay State And University Employees

Two top state officials are asking the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to let Arizona deny benefits to the domestic partners of its gay state and university employees. Ahwatukee Foothills News reports that legal papers filed by Attorney General Tom Horne contend that a three-judge panel of the appellate court got it wrong when it concluded earlier this month that it is illegal for the state to provide health care and other benefits to the partners of married workers while refusing to do the same for same-sex couples. He said the state is allowed to make such distinctions. Horne, who filed the appeal on behalf of Governor Jan Brewer, also said it is legally irrelevant that Arizona voters constitutionally banned gays from getting wed, even if that means that, unlike same-sex couples, they have no legal way to get benefits for their partners. The legal papers his office filed also charge that the ruling of three-judge panel “attempts to indirectly invalidate Arizona’s marriage laws,” something the state contends the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled is beyond the purview of federal judges. And Brewer, in a prepared statement said the appellate court was “bent on installing a social agenda.” Hanging in the balance is whether gay workers will lose benefits they have had since 2008. That is when then-Governor Janet Napolitano got her Department of Administration to rewrite the state’s personnel rules to expand the definition of who is a “dependent” for purposes of state employment. Under those rules, that included someone living with the employee for at least a year and expected to continue living with that person. The rules, which did not specify the gender of the partner, also required a showing of financial interdependence and an affidavit by the worker affirming there is a domestic partnership. But in 2009, after Napolitano resigned to take a post in the Obama administration, the Republican-controlled Legislature approved — and Brewer signed — a state law narrowing the definition and specifically excluding unmarried couples. The Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund sued on behalf of gay workers, saying that they, unlike heterosexual employees, had no other legal remedy. A federal trial judge and, more recently, the three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit, agreed, blocking the state from cutting benefits, at least for the homosexual workers; straight employees lost domestic partner benefits last year. Horne said Wednesday the state does not discriminate based on sexual orientation, noting the same insurance is available to gay employees as for their straight coworkers. He said, though, lawmakers can decide to spend taxpayer dollars extending those benefits only to partners of workers who are legally wed. “Why the heck can’t the domestic partner get a job and get health care coverage?” he asked. Horne said lawmakers do not have to ask the same question of spouses. “Sometimes the spouse is a mother who is raising children and wants to be home with the children,” he explained. Nor was he dissuaded by the fact that some gay couples also are raising children. “I think that may be an argument to be made to the Legislature,” Horne said. “But I don’t like the idea of federal judges dictating to the state what it can spend money on, and what it can’t.” Judge Mary Schroeder, who wrote the appellate opinion earlier this month, agreed that Arizona lawmakers are free to decide whether to spend tax dollars to provide or not provide benefits to workers. “But when a state chooses to provide such benefits, it may not do so in an arbitrary or discriminatory manner that adversely affects particular groups that may be unpopular,” she wrote. In the state’s legal brief, though, Horne defended the distinction. “Married state employees have a legal responsibility to care for their partners, whereas no such duty is imposed on domestic partners,” the legal papers say. According to the Department of Administration, there are 226 employees of the state, the University of Arizona and Arizona State University who are receiving same-sex domestic partner benefits. He said the annual cost is slightly more than $5 million a year. Northern Arizona University, which is subject to the same law — and the same injunction — has a separate insurance program. Cost figures were not immediately available.

Marriage Equality Rhode Island Courts Senator Reed To Repeal Defense Of Marriage Act, Ferndale Michigan Police Remove Openly Gay Volunteer Priest After Male Companion Dies At His Own Of Drug Overdose, Hickory North Carolina City Officials Cancel Pride Festivities, Channing Tatum, Taylor Lautner

A group that favours recognition of same sex marriage has launched a campaign to get Rhode Island Senator Jack Reed to support the repeal of a law that, for purposes of federal benefits, defines marriage as between men and women. "Reed is the only member of the Rhode Island Congressional delegation who has yet to cosponsor the Respect for Marriage Act," according to a news release from the group, Marriage Equality Rhode Island, that has issued an open letter asking Reed to change his position. The "Respect" bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which President Bill Clinton signed into law in 1996. The Providence Journal reports that the letter to Democrat Reed argues, in part, that the federal law should be changed because several states have passed laws recognizing gay marriage and others, including Rhode Island, recognize gay couples married under state jurisdictions. The 1996 law effectively denies to gay couples certain benefits that marriage confers under federal law, such as the tax breaks available to married couples who jointly file income tax returns. Reed may join in support of the repeal bill, according to his office. Reed spokesman Chip Unruh said in an email Wednesday that the senator's "strong record of supporting equal protection" includes opposition to constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage. Reed believes "each state has authority over marriage issues," Unruh wrote. As for supporting the repeal measure, Unruh wrote that the senator is "taking a look and listening to what Rhode Islanders have to say."

Ferndale, Michigan police said they removed a prominent gay preacher from his volunteer position as a police chaplain after medical technicians responded to a 911 call at his home last week for drug overdoses that sent him to the hospital and likely caused his companion’s death, but, according to The Detroit Free Press, the Rev. Mark Bidwell will not face criminal charges in the incident, since “we don’t have evidence to proceed with criminal charges — the investigation is over,” Lt. Bill Wilson said Thursday. The chaplain was hospitalized again Tuesday and released today on another suspected drug overdose, Wilson said. According to a police report, Bidwell called Ferndale police at 5:30 am on September 21 and said that a man was not breathing. Emergency medical technicians found Steven Fitch, 43, of Lincoln Park, unresponsive with skin turned blue, the report said. The two men met the night before on a Web site that caters to gay men, Bidwell, 52, told police, according the police report Bidwell told police the pair watched pornography, had sex and, as midnight approached, “Fitch and Bidwell decided to try crystal meth, which was brought to the home by Fitch,” the report says. Crystal methamphetamine is a potent and illegal stimulant. According to the police report, Bidwell said Fitch went online to find a third person to invite and at 3:30 am, a 28-year-old Bret Colpaert of Mt. Clemens arrived. At 5:00 am, Fitch began having trouble breathing and the newcomer gave him CPR, Bidwell said in the report. Fitch was pronounced dead at 6:53 am at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, where Bidwell was hospitalized but released a day later, according to the police report. Bidwell is pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Detroit. It uses space at Ferndale’s Drayton Avenue Presbyterian Church. He is widely known for performing commitment ceremonies for gay and lesbian couples, often in tandem with Ferndale’s mayor. “He’s a good guy and obviously lost his way,” Oakland County Commissioner Craig Covey of Ferndale said, adding “This situation shows once again the absolute danger of meth use by anyone. It’s a very seductive, dangerous substance.”

The city of Hickory, North Carolina cancelled a gay pride event that was supposed to take place on Saturday. Catawba Valley Pride organizers of the event said that they are expecting 800 people to attend, and now are attempting to find another location. Pam Payne showed WSOC Channel 9’s Dave Faherty some of the items she planned on taking to the Gay and Lesbian Pride event scheduled at LP Frans Stadium. Organizers said they signed a contract with the stadium and had paid the $1,200 fee only to find out Tuesday night that the city had not approved it.“When we got the call it was just shock. It was devastating,” Payne said. “I was hurt. I was hurt,” said organizer Tara Bradley. Channel 9 has learned the Hickory Crawdad, which leases the stadium from the city, can allow other events, but according to the contract signed in 2008, they must have written permission from Hickory City Council. Hickory Mayor Rudy Wright explained why the city needs the advance notice, “Fire protection, security, parking, transportation in and out.” Even though the group signed its contract earlier this month with the stadium, the city didn’t learn about the event until Tuesday when the stadium emailed them about possible protesters. Wright was asked if they had been notified several weeks ago, would the gay and lesbian pride event been approved? "I can't believe they wouldn't have gotten four votes, and that's what they needed," he said. The group said they've been promised they will get their $1,200 back. Organizers insist that the event will happen and they are working hard to find another location. The stadium office was contacted inquiring about the contract, but they have yet to comment.

Channing Tatum spotted in robe on the set of Magic Mike, a film based loosely on his early career as a male stripper.

Taylor Lautner spotted in Paris.

Jamey Rodemeyer’s Parents And Sister Tape Talk Special With Anderson Cooper

Jamey Rodemeyer's message about bullies continues to echo across America. WIVB News 4's George Richert was in the New York studio where Jamey's parents told their story on Anderson Cooper's daytime talk show. With his new show just two weeks old, Anderson Cooper flew the parents and sister of Jamey Rodemeyer to New York for his one hour show that focused on bullying. "To see Jamey, to see him on that video where he himself is reaching out to other people who are being bullied to try to tell them that it gets better, and then to know that no matter what he said, a few months later he took his own life, I mean it's just sickening. I lost a brother to suicide. I know what that grief is like and I just wanted to do something. I just think it's important to continue to talk about it and to focus and shine a light," said Cooper. Cooper brought in child psychologists, the Williamsville School Superintendent, he interviewed George Richert about News 4's coverage of the story, and even Jessica Ramini, the Williamsville North student who admitted to News 4 that she has been guilty of bullying in the past. "We as a community, as a school can just change. I believe that there will be a little bit of change. We are going to see some type of change because people are out there like me who see this tragedy and want to change," said Ramini. But it hasn't happened yet, according to Jamey's sister, Alyssa, who talked about what happened at the homecoming dance last Saturday night. "They played a Lady Gaga song, so we all started chanting for them because Lady Gaga was his life, and a group of like three of his bullies started yelling back like they're glad he's dead and they're so happy he killed himself," said Alyssa. Jamey's father, Tim Rodemeyer, said, "These people have no hearts. They're terrible, terrible people. We came here to make awareness of bullying and get the word out that it's still going on, that it needs to stop and I think this was a good forum to do that and I think a lot of people are going to listen."

Under Pressure Asheville North Carolina Mayor Signs Pride Proclamation, 60 Year Old Corrections Officer Arrested In Pittsburgh Charged With 92 Counts Of Institutional Assault Including Sexual On Gay And Transgender Inmates, Gay Coffee To Debut At Folsom Street Fair, GLAAD’s Annual Where We Are On TV Report Reveals Decline In Gay Characters

Asheville, North Carolina Mayor Terry Bellamy, a past opponent of city gay-rights initiatives, signed a proclamation Tuesday honouring the Saturday Blue Ridge Pride festival after pressure on multiple fronts. The downtown festival, according to the proclamation, “promotes unity, visibility and self-esteem among lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender persons and provides an opportunity to celebrate in harmony with their allies.” The Asheville Citizen-Times reports that Bellamy’s move Tuesday comes after public pressure from City Councilman Bill Russell and a meeting with gay-rights activists, who as a group have been open critics of the mayor’s stances. The proclamation also comes amid polarizing public debate on an upcoming state constitutional referendum to ban same sex marriage, including now-famous comments that the city is a “cesspool of sin,” from a state senator supporting the ban. After a September 15 request from Russell via e-mail, the mayor responded that she would put the proclamation on the agenda for a vote, an unusual move since most proclamations are read at the beginning of council meetings with no vote. Russell wrote back, saying he would prefer the proclamation be handled like others and that it “doesn’t need to be politicized,” according to e-mails provided by Russell. Bellamy met with Blue Ridge Pride organizers before the Tuesday meeting, said organization spokeswoman Ashley Arrington, where the mayor told them she thought she had already issued a recent proclamation for the group and didn’t want to issue another because that would violate a policy limiting proclamations for single groups. “Once she realized it was two different groups, she signed it,” Arrington said. Blue Ridge Pride organizers then asked that the proclamation be pulled from the agenda. Other proclamations read at the start of the meeting included a “Salute to Families Celebration,” headed by conservative ministers. Bellamy did not respond to a call, e-mail and text requesting comment. After the meeting, she was visibly upset and refused to comment. She referred a reporter to Russell and walked away. Arrington spoke during the public comment session at the end of the meeting, saying she had differences with the mayor over her stances against giving benefits to same-sex partners of city employees and an equality resolution, but was “thrilled” Bellamy agreed to sign the proclamation.

A corrections officer at the State Correctional Institution at Pittsburgh was arrested Tuesday morning on charges that he assaulted -- both sexually and physically -- more than 20 inmates at the prison. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that Harry Nicoletti, 60, of Coraopolis, is charged with 92 counts of institutional sexual assault, official oppression, terroristic threats and simple assault. The investigation has been ongoing for several months by the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Office of Special Investigations and Intelligence and the Allegheny County District Attorney's office. More arrests are expected, according to the DA's office. The charges were filed based on testimony of inmates and prison staff before the county investigating grand jury. On Thursday, a federal lawsuit was filed against eight corrections officers and the DOC, alleging a "common plan and conspiracy to sexually abuse, physically abuse and mentally abuse inmates who were homosexual," along with those who were transgender or convicted of sex crimes. One victim, identified only as John Doe, specifically named Nicoletti as having threatened him to be raped, perform oral sex or touch the officer's genitals, or receive physical abuse and misconducts. Nicoletti, in a Post-Gazette story on Friday, denied the allegations. "There is no truth to any of this whatsoever," said Nicoletti, who worked in the prison for 10 years. "It makes me sick to my stomach that someone can make accusations like that. It's totally false, and there's eight [correctional officers] out on the street with no pay, no benefits." Nicoletti has been suspended since January 5, said DOC spokeswoman Susan McNaughton. Seven other officers were suspended in April. "I think these charges send a strong message to everyone that the Department of Corrections does not tolerate violence in its prisons."

Something new is brewing in the coffee world -- Gay Coffee – a gay owned and operated coffee company founded by Artisan Coffee Roaster Melissa Krueger of Massachusetts. The company will introduce five new hand-roasted coffee blends for purchase at the Castro Street Fair October 2, and online at www.gaycoffeecompany.com. The five blends are Stone Butch Breakfast Blend, Good Morning Mary!, Red Hanky Roast, Second Date, and Weekend Pass. According to the company’s press release, all Gay Coffee roasts are fairly traded and organically sourced, respecting coffee growing partners, and the planet's health, with 1-percent of all profits donated to the LGBT Task Force.

The number of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered characters on broadcast television for the 2011-12 season has declined slightly, according to a new report from watchdog group GLAAD. The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation’s 16th annual “Where We Are on TV” report has found that after significant gains during the 2010-11 primetime season, the overall number of LGBT characters on scripted television has dipped to 2.9-percent of scripted series regulars, down slightly from the 3.9-percent registered last year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “While the number of LGBT characters is down, some of the most popular shows with critics and viewers such as Glee, True Blood and The Good Wife weave story lines about gay and lesbian characters into the fabric of the show,” GLAAD acting president Mike Thompson said in a statement announcing the news. “Whether it’s the growing household of Mitchell and Cameron [Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Eric Stonestreet] on Modern Family or the recent wedding of Callie and Arizona [Sara Ramirez and Jessica Capshaw] on Grey’s Anatomy, Americans expect to see the diversity of our country represented in their favourite programs and that includes gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people,” he added. Fox, which broadcasts GLAAD comedy series co-winner Glee, ranked as the most inclusive broadcast network, with 6.8-percent of regular characters being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, marking a massive improvement from the group’s 2007 report which failed to find one LGBT series regular on the network. The 2011-12 report marked the first time ABC was not in the lead for six years. NBC ranked third, followed by the CW and CBS. On cable, the figures effectively stayed the same with the number of announced LGBT series regulars dipping to 28 but the number of recurring characters rising to 54, even with last year, HBO leading with 11 LGBT characters, seven of which are series regulars, followed by Showtime (10), ABC Family, FX and Teen Nick (four each) followed by TNT and BBC America (three each). HBO’s True Blood and Showtime’s Shameless scored as the most LGBT inclusive series on cable with six characters on each drama.

Williamsville School District Takes Over A Week To Respond To Jamey Rodemeyer Suicide; Parents Say Board “Blew It”

The Buffalo News reports that parents of Williamsville students and the School Board president say the district's recent actions to address bullying in the wake of Jamey Rodemeyer's suicide are late in coming. "I don't believe the district is dealing with this situation in an ideal manner," said board President Michael J. Littman. "The impression I get, and the impression the community gets, is the school district is not doing enough to address the issue." In a message to parents posted to the district's website Monday, officials said they will review the district's practices regarding the handling of bullying incidents. They also are in the process of scheduling school meetings to address parent concerns. "We are planning to meet with parent groups at each of our middle and high schools starting next week," said district spokeswoman Rita M. Wolff. "We're taking this extremely seriously. ... We already partner with parents, and we're looking to strengthen that." But parents say they aren't thrilled that the district waited until this week to actively respond to parent concerns. Until Monday, they said, the only communication that some parents received was a standard, four-paragraph letter from the principal of Williamsville North High School stating that Jamey, a 14-year-old freshmen, had died. "I just think the school really blew it," said Rebecca C. Rohan, who has two children in middle school. "This was an opportunity for the district to give more than lip service to their anti-bullying programs." Jamey killed himself September 18 after chronicling a history of bullying and harassment in middle and high school. His case has received worldwide attention, and parents, peers and advocates in the gay community have since been on a mission to keep other teens from suffering the same fate. Williamsville School District leaders, however, have kept a relatively low profile during this time and have been accused of being reactive instead of proactive."What response?" complained one parent, who asked not to be identified out of concern for district backlash. "There's been no response." The mother, a school counsellor in another district, said one of her own children had been bullied in Williamsville schools. While middle school counsellors tried to be helpful, she said, "There were no repercussions for the kids who were bullying her, ever." In Monday's letter to parents, Superintendent Scott G. Martzloff stated that Jamey's death "highlights the pervasive problem of bullying and cyber bullying. In Williamsville, we are actively reviewing all current processes related to bullying." Martzloff said the district would be meeting with administrators, mental health staff and faculty to review procedures and reinforce the importance of intervening in bullying incidents. Martzloff was unavailable to comment Tuesday, Wolff said. In addition, only two of the board's nine members were reachable to comment late Tuesday afternoon despite messages left for all of them. Wolff described the soon-to-be-scheduled meetings with parents as one way to make sure parents know about the programs and interventions already in place to support students. Littman, who spoke with The Buffalo News on Monday, said he convened a brief closed-door meeting of the School Board with Martzloff at 5:00 pm Friday. The media were not told of the meeting in advance. The board is responsible for ensuring the safety and welfare of all students, Littman said, and he and other board members urged Martzloff to respond more actively to parent concerns. "We've asked Scott to deal with these issues," he said, "and hopefully, over the short term, these things will be dealt with." He and board member Patricia M. Losito said they want more information from the district about how bullying is handled. Losito said she believes that a needs assessment should be conducted at every grade level. "My son was bullied, so I'm sensitive to the issue," she said. "It's very upsetting." Rohan and other parents who have contacted The News said many schoolchildren beyond Williamsville North are talking about the issue, as are many parents throughout the district. But school staff members are not leading such discussions, when they should be capitalizing on a teachable moment as part of their anti-bullying programs, the parents said. "All the kids were talking about it," said Rohan, whose daughter at Mill Middle School came home last week with "No H8" — No Hate — written on the palm of her hand. "As a district, I trust these people to take care of my kids during the day. I trust them to do what's right." She added, "For something that was this big, that affected kids all over the district and affected everybody — I mean this got national exposure — for them to pretend to the kids that this didn't happen just blows my mind. ... This is the district's chance to join the national discussion and really have something to contribute, so it's too bad they're trying to avoid it instead." Martzloff has previously said he doesn't want to discuss Jamey's case because he wants to be sensitive to the Rodemeyer family. "I just want parents and students and communities to know that safety is our No. 1 priority," he said last week. "We will do everything we can to keep students safe at all times." Amherst police have pledged to determine whether any harassment charges may be warranted in association with Jamey's case. A spokesman said Tuesday that the Rodemeyer family will be interviewed later this week. As first reported in The News on Saturday, tensions flared Thursday night at Williamsville North during football homecoming festivities. Police were called to address allegations that at least one student told Jamey's 16-year-old sister, Alyssa, that she was happy Jamey killed himself. Police Chief John C. Askey had said a high school parent called police that evening to report malicious words being hurled at Alyssa, who is a junior at the school. In the original complaint, a parent told police she understood that some students made harassing statements "suggesting that they're glad that Jamey's dead." When uniformed, off-duty police officers at the event came to investigate, however, the alleged confrontation was over and two different sets of students were accusing the other side of inciting conflict, Askey said. Police are trying to determine what words were exchanged, the chief said, adding that this information may help with the broader investigation.

Brian Burke Says NHL “Should Be Workplace Free” Of Anti-Gay “Commentary,” Sam, I Am Blogger Comes Out To Parents, Openly Gay David Norris Formally Returns To Irish Presidential Campaign, Matthew Francis Sentenced To Two Years For Role In Stonewall Inn Hate Crime, Cambria California Police Continue To Investigate Anti-Gay Hate Crime, Theatre Cutie Grant Gustin Headed To Glee As Gay Warbler Who Eyes Blaine

Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brian Burke says there is no place for anti-gay slurs on the ice, but he agrees with the National Hockey League’s decision to not suspend Wayne Simmonds of the Philadelphia Flyers for his actions in a game Monday.New York Rangers forward Sean Avery accused Simmonds of uttering a homophobic comment toward him — a charge Simmonds denied Tuesday — during a verbal confrontation. “I don’t think a player should be suspended until the league has made it clear it’s a suspendable offence,” said Burke, who has become a champion of gay rights. Burke’s son, Brendan, who died in a car accident last year, had previously gone public with the fact he was gay. According to The Ottawa Citizen, Burke says the NHL must clamp down on an environment that often accepts gay slurs. “I do think it should be a workplace that’s free of commentary like that,” he said. “I do think it’s habitual. It has got to stop. I don’t think Wayne Simmonds was saying anything about the other player. It has still got to go, but I don’t think he should have been suspended.” Earlier Tuesday, Colin Campbell, the NHL’s senior executive vice president of hockey operations, said there were conflicting reports of what exactly was said, but he allowed that “certain lines cannot be crossed” when it comes to racial and sexual comments. Burke was in favour of Campbell’s message. “I think it’s the right step,” he said. “I think it’s the right step. I think sport has to go that way. We want our game to be open to everybody.” Burke also had no issue with Avery commenting on something that happened within the game, praising the Rangers forward for his support of gay and lesbian causes.

A 16 year-old high school swimmer named Sam, who started a blog in late September – Sam, I Am - documents coming out to his mother and father.

Openly gay Irish senator David Norris succeeded Tuesday in securing the backing of the four local councils he needs to get his name on the ballot paper in the October 27 presidential election. AFP reports that The long-time champion of gay rights is now expected to be one of a record seven candidates, including former IRA commander Martin McGuinness, who will be chasing the largely ceremonial head-of-state job when nominations close on Wednesday. Another independent candidate, former MEP and 1970 Eurovision song contest winner Dana Rosemary Scallon, said she was "just thrilled" after she also secured the necessary backing of councils on Tuesday. Scallon was an unsuccessful candidate in the 1997 presidential election when President Mary McAleese was elected for her first seven-year term. Under Ireland's constitution, those seeking to succeed McAleese need either the backing of 20 parliamentarians or four councils to get on the ballot paper. Joycean scholar Norris had abandoned his bid to become the country's first gay president last month after controversy about a statutory rape case involving a former lover. It emerged that he wrote to the Israeli authorities pleading for clemency for his former partner Ezra Yitzhak, who was accused of the statutory rape of a 15-year-old Palestinian boy in 1992. Yitzhak pleaded guilty to the charge and was convicted in 1997. Norris re-launched his campaign earlier this month saying people love a comeback and his "would be the biggest comeback in Irish political history.” After he secured his fourth council nomination Norris tweeted, "Many many thanks to the Councillors of Dublin City Council! I have secured the last nomination needed! I am looking forward to the campaign!" A poll in last weekend's Sunday Business Post found Norris was the front-runner with 21 percent support in what is the most crowded race ever for the presidency. The newspaper warned, however that he might struggle to get transfer votes under Ireland's proportional representation voting system and it described the race as "completely wide open.”

A man has been sentenced to two years in prison for an anti-gay attack at the Stonewall Inn, NBC News reports. Matthew Francis did not speak at his sentencing Tuesday. Prosecutors say Francis punched a man in the bar's bathroom after using an anti-gay slur. The 22-year-old pleaded guilty September 8 to assault as a hate crime and to attempted robbery in an incident last October at the Stonewall, where a 1969 riot became a defining moment in the gay rights movement. Defense lawyer Robert DePalma says Francis was high on prescription pills and alcohol at the time and hopes to get drug abuse counselling in prison. Co-defendant Christopher Orlando also pleaded guilty. The 18-year-old is awaiting sentencing. He was accused of tackling the victim and holding him down.

Detectives are still investigating a series of hate crimes reported in Cambria on September 14 and 15. The San Luis Obispo Tribune reporting that in the first incident, the words “fag from 432” were spray-painted on a residential garage door. In the second two incidents, the word “fag” was spray painted on the same door. The number 432 is a reference to Cambria American Legion Post No. 432. The victim is a member of the Sons of the American Legion, with is affiliated with the post. “It's still an open case, we're still working on it, people are keeping their eyes and ears open to see if something or someone comes forward,” Rob Bryn, Sheriff’s Department spokesman, said Tuesday. “Whoever the perpetrator was either knows the victim or knows enough about him to know he’s affiliated with the Legion Post,” Bryn said, “so it was clearly not a random crime against an unknown victim.” The person who did it could also be charged under malicious mischief laws, Bryn said. Conviction on either charge could result in a fine and time in county jail or state prison, depending on if charges are filed as a felony or misdemeanour. Those decisions would be up to the district attorney, Bryn added, taking into consideration evidence and statements made by the perpetrator. “It’s a wobbler,” Bryn said. “It could go either way.”

Sources confirm to TVLine.com exclusively that Glee has tapped up-and-coming theatre actor Grant Gustin to play the recurring role of Sebastian, a gay Dalton Academy Warbler who sets his sights on Blaine. Both Fox and the show’s producers declined to comment, but the buzz is that Sebastian is the polar opposite of Kurt in every possible way. He is more like the male version of Santana in that he’s both promiscuous and scheming. “He’s our villain this season,” an insider tells me. “It’s a major role.”Glee producers found Gustin — whose credits include playing Baby John in the national tour of West Side Story — after an exhaustive, weeks-long casting search. He’s slated to turn up in this season’s fifth episode.

Videos From Same Sex Marriage Federal Trial To Remain Sealed While Appeals Court Considers Arguments By Proposition 8 Sponsors

The videos of last year's same-sex marriage trial in San Francisco will remain sealed, at least for now, while a federal appeals court considers arguments by sponsors of Proposition 8 that making the recordings public would endanger witnesses and damage the "credibility and integrity of the federal judiciary." The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Chief U.S. District Judge James Ware ruled September 19 that the videos would be released this Friday unless a higher court intervened. On Monday, the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco issued a temporary stay, which is likely to be renewed while the appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court review the dispute. Ware's predecessor, Judge Vaughn Walker, presided over the January 2010 trial on Proposition 8: the 2008 initiative that banned same-sex marriage in California. Under a new rule that allowed camera coverage, Walker approved a live telecast to other federal courthouses and proposed recording the trial for the court's website, but the Supreme Court overruled him. The court ruled 5-4 that Walker had not allowed enough time for public comment under local court regulations. The justices also indicated they agreed with Proposition 8's sponsors that cameras would intimidate their witnesses. Walker continued recording the trial and told the opposing lawyers they could use the videos in their closing arguments. He said he did not intend a public broadcast. Walker ruled in August 2010 that Proposition 8 discriminated unconstitutionally against gays and lesbians, a decision that the measure's sponsors have challenged in the appeals court. Walker has played brief excerpts of the videos in lectures at colleges, both before and after leaving the bench in February, prompting accusations by Prop. 8's sponsors that he was violating his own promises, the court's rules and the Supreme Court's decision. In last week's ruling, however, Ware said the Supreme Court had prohibited only a telecast during the trial and did not require that the videos, which are part of the court record, be permanently sealed. He agreed with lawyers for same-sex couples, the city of San Francisco and media organizations that the recordings should be made public. Ware's ruling "threatens deep and lasting harm to the integrity and credibility of the federal judiciary," Charles Cooper, lawyer for Proposition 8's sponsors, said in asking the appeals court for an emergency stay. Unsealing the recordings would expose pro-Proposition 8 witnesses to "a serious and well-substantiated risk of harassment or worse" and would cause them to refuse to testify at any future proceedings, Cooper said. He did not present any supporting statements from the witnesses. Proposition 8's opponents, on the other hand, are circulating a comment from the sponsors' chief witness, traditional marriage advocate David Blankenhorn, who said in an online exchange last week that he "never felt physically threatened" by the presence of cameras at the trial.

Golden State Warriors Hires Openly Gay Rick Welts; Former Phoenix Suns Head Left For California To Be With Partner

Rick Welts has found the ideal fit: a new position in the Bay Area with the Golden State Warriors. The Associated Press reports that Welts was hired as Golden State's president and chief operating officer Monday and will report to owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber while handling the franchise's business operations. The team planned to introduce Welts on Tuesday at the team's practice facility. He replaces Robert Rowell, who resigned in June as the club's top executive for business operations. Welts left a position as president and chief executive of the Phoenix Suns earlier this month for personal reasons, four months after he became the first senior sports executive to openly acknowledge he was gay. Welts said at the time he would relocate to Northern California to be with his partner. "It's an opportunity probably for the first time for me to align my personal and professional lives," he said. The 58-year-old former NBA front office executive — he was third in command when he left in 1999 — said he hoped to return to work for a professional sports franchise in the Bay Area. He didn't have to wait long for that opportunity. "His track record in all facets of the business — sponsorship, marketing, public relations, event management, team services, merchandising — and his ability to be strategically creative and cutting-edge make him the ideal candidate to lead our organization," Lacob said. "Quite honestly, I'm convinced that we could not have found a better candidate for the job." Welts joined the Suns in 2002 as president and had the additional title of CEO the past two seasons. He announced in May that he was gay. He said his life since then has been "fascinating" and that he intended to do more work to promote the cause of "treating everyone equally." Welts has 36 years of NBA experience. "It's hard to express how excited I am to embrace this opportunity and be part of a collective group in building the Warriors into a championship calibre organization," Welts said. "I've been most impressed with Joe Lacob and Peter Guber's vision and desire to do something great. Not good, but great. Many of the ingredients are here — the Warriors' rich history, the team's amazing fan support, and the strength of the Bay Area as a sports market. "We have a lot of work to do and I can't wait to get started." Lacob and Guber, who bought the Warriors for a record $450 million in July 2010 from longtime owner Chris Cohan, have wasted no time putting their stamp on the organization. There have made major changes in a matter of months. In April, they gave general manager Larry Riley a new contract to stay in his current position as GM and executive vice president of basketball operations, and hired former sports agent Bob Myers as the team's assistant GM and vice president of basketball operations to serve as Riley's right-hand man and contract expert. The Warriors parted ways with coach Keith Smart after one season and replaced him with Mark Jackson. Smart led Golden State (36-46) to 10 more victories than a year ago after taking over last minute last September for the NBA's career wins leader, Don Nelson. Golden State hired Jerry West this spring to serve in an advisory role in the front office."Peter Guber and I have made it quite clear since we assumed control of this team in November that we're looking to build a world class organization from top to bottom," Lacob said. "We feel that we've taken a quantum leap in that direction today with the addition of Rick Welts as our president and COO. Rick is simply one of the most highly regarded executives in the NBA and his accomplishments at both the team and league levels are extremely impressive."He's been an integral part of every organization that he's worked for in the NBA, including the league office in New York, where he earned the respect and admiration of Commissioner David Stern, as well as with the SuperSonics in Seattle and the Suns in Phoenix." Welts began his NBA career as a ball kid for the SuperSonics in 1967. He worked for 17 years in the NBA front office, rising to the position of executive vice president and chief marketing officer.

Flyers Winger Wayne Simmonds Now “Strongly Denies” Ever Having Called Sean Avery An Anti-Gay Slur; NHL Unwillingly To Take Any Action

Philadelphia Flyers winger Wayne Simmonds strongly denied Sean Avery's claim that he directed a gay slur at the New York Rangers' forward in Monday's exhibition game. The Philadelphia Inquirer is reporting that on Tuesday, Simmonds had a conversation with league officials about the alleged incident. He was not fined as of late Tuesday afternoon. The maximum he could be fined is $2,500 for this type of incident, an NHL official said. In his previous game, a contest in London, Ontario, against Detroit, a fan threw a banana on the ice at Simmons in an apparent racial gesture. Simmonds is one of the league's few black players. “I’m getting press for things I wouldn’t like to get it for,” Simmonds said after Tuesday’s practice in Voorhees. “I’d rather see myself getting press for my play, instead it is other things.” The 23 year-old Simmonds was ordered to talk with Colin Campbell, the NHL’s vice president of hockey operations, before Tuesday’s practice. “He asked me if I called him a gay slur and I said no. I said a lot of other things, but that wasn’t one of them. There a lot of things I said to him and obviously I’m not going to repeat them but I didn’t say that to him.” Simmonds, acquired in the deal that sent Mike Richards to Los Angeles, said he became incensed when he heard Avery say, "I really don't want to have to kill fucking (Claude) Giroux," among other comments. Previously, Simmonds said to ESPN that he could not recall “everything” he said to Avery, and implied that he could have indeed called Avery a gay slur, -“fucking faggot,” if the videotape of the incident is to be believed. Simmonds denial Tuesday arrives as GLAAD demanded that the Flyers and the NHL insist that Simmonds apologize, adding that both organizations “have a responsibility to take action and educate their fans about why this word is unacceptable.”

131,729 Same Sex Couples In The United States Report Being Married According To Newly Released Statistics Collected By Census Bureau

The U.S. Census Bureau released today new statistics on same-sex married couple and unmarried partner households. According to revised estimates from the 2010 Census, there were 131,729 same-sex married couple households and 514,735 same-sex unmarried partner households in the United States. The results of the 2010 Census revised estimates are closer to the results of the 2010 American Community Survey for same-sex married and unmarried partners. The 2010 ACS estimated same-sex married couples at 152,335 and same-sex unmarried partners at 440,989. The new, preferred figures revise earlier estimates of same-sex unmarried partners released this summer from the 2010 Census Summary File 1 because Census Bureau staff discovered an inconsistency in the responses in the 2010 Census summary file statistics that artificially inflated the number of same-sex couples. In addition, a breakdown of couples who reported as same-sex spouses is now available. The summary file counts originally showed that there were 349,377 married couple households and 552,620 same-sex unmarried partner households. Statistics on same-sex couple households are derived from two questions on the census and ACS questionnaire: relationship to householder and the sex of each person. When data were captured for these two questions on the 2010 Census door-to-door form, the wrong box may have been checked for the sex of a small percentage of opposite-sex spouses and unmarried partners. Because the population of opposite-sex married couples is large and the population of same-sex married couples in particular is small, an error of this type artificially inflates the number of same-sex married partners. After discovering the inconsistency, Census Bureau staff developed another set of estimates to provide a more accurate way to measure same-sex couple households. The revised figures were developed by using an index of names to re-estimate the number of same-sex married and unmarried partners by the sex commonly associated with the person's first name. "We understand how important it is for all groups to have accurate statistics that reflect who we are as a nation," said Census Bureau Director Robert Groves. "As scientists, we noticed the inconsistency and developed the revised estimates to provide a more accurate portrait of the number of same-sex couples. We're providing all three - the revised, original and ACS estimates - together to provide users with the full, transparent picture of our current measurement of same-sex couples." The 2010 Census preferred estimates have been peer-reviewed by Gary Gates, a demographer with the UCLA School of Law's Williams Institute on Sexual Orientation Law and Public Policy, by Philip Cohen, a professor of sociology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and by Megan Sweeney, professor of sociology at UCLA. These experts concluded the methodology behind these revised estimates was sound. All three sets of estimates are available at both the national and state levels and provide estimates of the presence of the couple's own children. The 2010 Census revised estimates provide a 10-year benchmark, while the ACS estimates are useful for looking at a yearly time series.

At Homecoming Dance, While Lady Gaga Song Dedicated To Jamey Rodemeyer Played, Bullies Chant “You’re Better Off Dead”

Even after a teen-ager tragically committed suicide in suburban Buffalo this month in the wake of constant harassment, the bullying allegedly did not stop with his death. The parents of 14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer, who was found dead at their home on Sept. 18, indicated in an exclusive interview with TODAY’s Ann Curry on Tuesday that their daughter endured further taunts at a school function immediately after Jamey’s wake. At a homecoming dance she attended shortly after her brother’s death, a potentially poignant moment turned ugly after a song by Lady Gaga, Jamey’s favourite artist, who recently dedicated a song at a concert in his memory. “She was having a great time, and all of a sudden a Lady Gaga song came on, and they all started chanting for Jamey, all of his friends,’’ Jamey’s mother, Tracy, told Curry. “Then the bullies that put him into this situation started chanting, ‘You’re better off dead!’ and ‘We’re glad you’re dead!’ and things like that. “My daughter came home all upset. It was supposed to be a time for her to grieve and have fun with her friends, and it turned into bullying even after he’s gone.’’ Tim Rodemeyer, Jamey’s father, said “I can’t grasp it in my mind, I don’t know why anyone would do that. They have no heart, that’s basically what it comes down to.’’

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Sean Avery Confirms Wayne Simmonds Called Him Anti-Gay Slur; NHL Says It Has Authority To Discipline For Language Used On Ice But Has Never Employed That In Case Of Anti-Gay Comments

A Winter Classic press conference Monday afternoon touted the New York Rangers-Philadelphia Flyers rivalry as one of the best in sports, but the animosity took an ugly turn during the Rangers' 5-3 loss to the Flyers at Wells Fargo Center on Monday night. ESPN reports that Rangers winger Sean Avery confirmed that Flyers forward Wayne Simmonds called him a homophobic slur during the first period of the bitter preseason contest. A video replay showed Simmonds hurling the epithet towards Avery while on the ice near the Flyers bench."To be here now having to answer the questions about what he did is disappointing for me. I'm disappointed for him," Avery said. Rangers coach John Tortorella said: "I did not hear it, but I'm sure Sean Avery is not lying about it." Simmonds was on the other side of a racially offensive display last week when a fan hurled a banana on the ice during the Flyers' exhibition game against the Red Wings on Thursday in London, Ontario. The 23-year-old winger said he did not remember everything that was said between him and Avery during the game but did not deny crossing the line. Simmonds said he felt Avery sucker-punched him in a scrum early in the first and said the two continued to verbally spar after that. "Honestly, we were going back and forth for a while there," Simmonds said. "I don't recall everything that I did say to him but he said to me some things I didn't like and maybe I said some things that he didn't like. I can't recall every single word I said." Avery felt he said nothing to prompt such a response. Flyers coach Peter Laviolette didn't comment on the exchange. As for what he saw of it, Laviolette said, "It was a couple of guys battling out there." The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation has contacted both the NHL and the Flyers about taking action on the incident. "Hate speech and anti-gay slurs have no place on the ice rink," GLAAD acting president Mike Thompson said in a statement. "The word that Simmonds used is the same word that is hurled at LGBT youth on the playground and in our schools, creating a climate of intolerance and hostility. He should not only apologize for this anti-gay outburst, but the Philadelphia Flyers and the NHL have a responsibility to take action and educate their fans about why this word is unacceptable." When asked if he felt slurs such as the one he received Monday night should be treated the same as racially-charged language and other egregiously offensive on-ice displays, Avery pointed to a recent example in the NBA. "Kobe Bryant got fined ($100,000)," Avery said, referring to the April incident in which Bryant was fined for calling a referee the very same derogatory term Simmonds used during the game. NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly had not seen the video clip when reached by email Monday night but said the league is "looking into it." In an email, Daly added "We have (the) ability to discipline for language used on the ice," although he noted that the league has never employed that authority in the case of an anti-gay slur. When asked if he would like to see the league take a hard-line stance on the incident, Avery didn't want to comment. But the 31-year-old forward -- who has been an outspoken advocate for the LGBT community -- appeared in a public service announcement in May supporting gay rights and marriage equality. "It's an issue," he said. "It's an issue that people are dealing with and trying to overcome and ten years ago, maybe it wasn't so much an issue but it's certainly an issue politically with people in the game. And just in life in general."

In Weeks Before He Took His Own Life Jamey Rodemeyer Sought Solace From Struggles With Sexuality And Bullying; School Councillors Appear To Have Repeatedly Failed Jamey

The Buffalo News reports on the parents of Jamey Rodemeyer, who, attempting to make sense of the tragic suicide of their 14 year-old son, retrace the events leading up to that fateful Sunday. Jamey and his older sister, Alyssa, according to their mother Tracey Rodemeyer, were more than good kids. They were smart and independent kids. Shortly before Jamey died, his mother, Tracy, recalled thinking to herself that she was lucky to have children who could take care of themselves. "If anything ever happened to me," she recalled thinking, "they'll be OK." A week after Jamey's suicide, she and her husband, Timothy, wonder how they could have been so wrong about everything. A visit to Jamey's bedroom in the Rodemeyers' Amherst home tells us he wasn't far from childhood when he died. Barney the Dinosaur and other stuffed animals lined the upper shelves of his room, along with a stack of Nintendo DS games. Letter stickers spell out his name, each in a different color, when visitors first open the door. The rest of his wall space is devoted to pop star Lady Gaga. Jamey enjoyed vacations and trips with his family, thought SpongeBob SquarePants was hilarious and overcame a shy streak to become talkative once he got to know you. He also was devoted to Alyssa, 16, a junior at Williamsville North, the same high school that Jamey attended for a mere two weeks before he killed himself at age 14. "Since he was born, the two of them would just click," said Tracy Rodemeyer, sitting with her husband on the couch in their home. When they got older, it was Jamey who taught Alyssa the dance moves to Lady Gaga songs such as "Judas," which the two would perform for the family's entertainment. And to Alyssa's annoyance, her friends became her brother's friends. "Pretty much whatever friends Jamey has made since elementary school, he kept forever," Tracy Rodemeyer said. Jamey played the cello, tried to teach himself music on the keyboard and was addicted to the Food Network. "He almost never cooked the same thing twice," his father said. "Everybody would be afraid to try it." Jamey was as sensitive as he was giving, his parents said. Even in elementary school, he would get upset when he saw boys picking on girls in his class."He just hated to see that," his mother recalled. "He'd say, 'I hate those boys. They're so mean, they're so mean, they're so mean!'" When he advanced to Heim Middle School, bullying became focused on Jamey, who had mostly girls as friends. “‘You girly girl,' they'd say, or, 'What are you, a girl?'" Tracy Rodemeyer recalled. For a long time, it only got worse, his parents said, escalating to gay slurs and other harassing behaviour. That led to long conversations after school and around the dinner table when Jamey's parents said they did their best to console their son. They talked with the school about Jamey and his issues, the parents said, but in retrospect, they should have done more. Middle school officials knew that Jamey needed help. They contacted his parents periodically. And Jamey's friends reported the abuse he got in school to teachers, parents and guidance counsellors, his mother said. Jamey was paired with a school social worker starting in sixth grade. He also met with the guidance counsellor who followed all the children in Jamey's grade. When counsellors heard about bullying incidents involving Jamey, they called in both parties and talked with them, the Rodemeyers said, but that was all. "As far as I know, it never really left the guidance office," Tracy Rodemeyer said. Instead, she said, the counsellors told the parents that if the bullying continued to be a problem, they should let the school know. The school counsellors weren't proactive about dealing with the issues, Jamey's mother said, and that was a mistake. The Rodemeyers added that they tried to get their son assigned to a different guidance counsellor because Jamey's rebuked him and essentially told him that he caused his own problems because he was hanging around with the wrong kids."She said, 'You just got to stop hanging out with the girls,'" the father recalled the counsellor telling his son. By the end of seventh grade, without his parents' knowledge, Jamey had created an online Formspring account, which permits anonymous posts. After that, the bullying got dramatically worse. "I think he was trying to reach out to people, but that was such the wrong way to do it," his mother said. Jamey started getting hateful comments from people who said he would be better off dead. Once again, it was his friends who warned the school that Jamey was in trouble. When his parents heard from the school, they sat their son down in front of their home computer and forced him to deactivate his account, they said. His parents also had him visit a therapist early this year, they said, but the therapist told them that their son didn't need continual therapy. Last year and earlier this year, Jamey asked his parents if he could be home-schooled, but the Rodemeyers said they resisted because they both had full-time jobs. Now, they said, they wish they had done as he asked. In eighth grade, Jamey and the rest of his class were given a different guidance counsellor, who was more understanding and sensitive to Jamey's issues, according to his parents, who said they noticed an improvement in their son. It was also early this year when, unbeknown to his parents, Jamey began telling people online that he was bisexual. Tracy Rodemeyer said Jamey told her he might be gay when he was 13."He said, 'Maybe I am gay.' He said, 'Everybody says it. Maybe I am.'" The mother said she responded that it might be too soon for Jamey to know. She asked him if there was any particular boy he liked. Jamey said no. His mother recalled saying they would resume the conversation if he knew for sure of any boy to whom he was attracted. But Jamey never told her, his mother said. If he had, neither she nor her husband would have been condemning, they said. They've never denigrated gay people, and Timothy Rodemeyer has gay relatives, they said. What Jamey didn't tell his parents, he told the rest of the world through his computer. His online life was practically an open book to those who knew where to find him. At one point, he had three online accounts -- social networking sites and forums including Facebook, Formspring and Tumblr. Although the Rodemeyers permitted their children to open Facebook accounts, they required, as parents, that they be made Facebook friends so Timothy and Tracy could keep tabs on what Jamey and Alyssa were posting. But the Rodemeyers said they had no idea that Jamey had apparently reactivated his Formspring account and continued to use it through much of the last school year. Neither did they know that their son had a Tumblr blog, nor that he had posted a YouTube video about himself in May. Tracy and Timothy Rodemeyer said social networking sites such as these were foreign to them. To make up for their lack of knowledge, they installed a software program on their computer that would spit out reports stating what sites their children were visiting and take screen pictures of what their kids were looking at. But that wasn't the safeguard they thought it was. The mother said Jamey fooled them into thinking he was excited about high school and had good things to say regarding his first two weeks at Williamsville North. She even checked his grades the Friday before he died and saw that Jamey -- an honour student in middle school -- was getting A's in his classes. But a study of Jamey's Tumblr blog, which was active until just hours before his death, paints a far different picture. Throughout his blog were posted images of Lady Gaga and attractive young men, some in provocative poses. He often posted comments or images multiple times a day, chronicling his emotional roller coaster and occasional conflict with his parents. By the end of the first week of school, he told the followers of his blog that he wished he had a boyfriend, that he was the only gay kid in his grade and that no one at his school cares about preventing suicide or bullying. He described September 9, nine days before he killed himself, as "the worst day ever" and put up repeated posts stating that he wanted to kill himself. That day, he relayed a single school incident on his page: "Well, here is what happened today," he said in a post. "During lunch, these popular people come over and are like 'here we have extra brownies! want some?' they put it on our table and then this girl is like 'we made them with love.' actually they spit on them." He subsequently said people at school had found his Tumblr blog and were deriding it. He also said he was hiding from his parents the fact that he went to a Gay-Straight Alliance meeting at his school."I told my dad I went to drama club," he said. Even his Tumblr profile blurb warned students away from his creative blog space. "If you're from North High School and you think of following me, don't because I probably hate you. Male. Gay. Single," the profile stated. "I'm a selfish punk." Jamey's father said he has experienced a raw mix of emotions since the day his son died. Sometimes, he said, he feels angry. Angry that his son died, angry that so many people failed him, angry at himself for not being more computer-savvy, and "angry at people who get their kicks out of making people cry." Both parents said they are determined to spread Jamey's message that bullying is wrong, even though both of them have always considered themselves private people. "Jamey has given us strength I never knew we had," his mother said. Both parents said they will continue to speak out on the issue of bullying. "It's near and dear to our heart now because it took my boy away," Tracy Rodemeyer said. God had a mission for Jamey, they said, and now, as his parents, they're determined to champion his cause."We're going to be his guardians to make sure it's complete," his mother said. Eventually, the parents said, Jamey will change the world.