A Canadian soldier who served in Afghanistan says he received a threatening note, written by someone working at Kandahar Airfield, because he is gay. Warrant Officer Andrew McLean, who had tried to hide his sexual orientation, told CBC News that he found the letter on his work station in September, during his 4½-month tour of duty in Kandahar. "It said, 'You're gay. Because of this, minus-2' … that's metric [for] six feet, 6½ feet under?" McLean said in an interview from Winnipeg, where he recently took part in the Rick Hansen Relay. "I went through a lot of emotions. I went through anger, embarrassment, humiliation … fear for my safety." Canadian Forces officials said a harassment complaint was launched when McLean came forward with the discovery, but a full investigation could not be conducted without knowing who left the note at the NATO-run airfield. Officials told CBC News on Monday that McLean's complaint was taken seriously, and new military camp harassment policies were even developed as a result. McLean has since been moved to another job. McLean said he had spent years trying to hide the fact that he was gay. "I tried every trick in the book to be heterosexual," he said. When asked why, he replied, "Because that's the conflict. That's what society expects you to be. You see the negativity all around you, and why would anybody choose to confront that?" McLean said he was deployed to Afghanistan in mid-July and spent two months there before the note was left on his desk. "It was a gut punch," he said. "I had been there for two months, doing a really good job. We were working together." McLean said he struggled for two days before taking the threat (and the truth about his sexuality) up the chain of command. "These types of notes are what pushes people over the edge," he said. Now with his sexuality out in the open, McLean said he feels like he is 100-percent himself for the first time in his life. He said he hopes his experience will empower other gay men and women to take a stand. While he said he may never know who left the note on his desk in Kandahar, he said he won't ignore what happened. "If I don't stand up, who's going to stand up?" he said. "If I don't identify something, then who's going to identify it?"
More than 300 protesters filled a courtyard in front of the State House in Annapolis, Maryland on Monday evening, listening to ministers and chanting slogans in opposition to a same sex marriage bill introduced by Governor Martin O'Malley. "We ask the government to fix the problems we already have, not create new ones," said the Rev. Michael DeAscanis, a Roman Catholic priest in St. Agnes and St. William of York Parish in Baltimore. The crowd roared with approval and broke into a chant directed at state lawmakers: "Do your job! Do your job!" At another point, protesters yelled "one man and one woman" over and over again, stressing their support for traditional marriage. The Baltimore Sun reports that the rally was intended to set a defiant tone before a Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee hearing scheduled Tuesday on O'Malley's bill to legalize gay unions. The governor is scheduled to pitch the legislation in person, a rare appearance before a legislative committee. A same sex marriage bill passed the Senate last year, but was pulled from the floor of the House of Delegates when Democratic leaders determined they were a few votes short of passage. That chamber never voted on the measure. Over the summer, O'Malley pledged to include a similar bill in his legislative package for the 2012 session, and put the full force of his office behind passing it. If he succeeds, most expect that it will be petitioned to referendum and voters will decide on the November ballot. On Monday, protesters latched on to remarks made last week by Maryland first lady Catherine Curran O'Malley, who called some delegates "cowards" for preventing the measure from passing last year. She later said she regretted her choice of words. One man, who declined to give his name, held up a sign that read "Katie O'Malley, Only 'Cowards' endorse the immorality of LIBERALS." Another held a handwritten sign that said "Mrs. O'Malley, I'm not a coward." Several Republican lawmakers wore yellow buttons with the phrase "Proud to be a coward. Defend marriage." Robin Robertson, 54, of Damascus said that he came to the evening rally because he feels "bullied" by "the gay agenda." A Catholic with five children, he said, "I feel like I'm having to accept something that I don't believe in."
The suspect in a hate crime case stemming from an alleged anti-gay taunt and threats in a parking lot at Pike and Broadway remains jailed after pleading not guilty to malicious harassment and a weapons charge in Seattle Municipal Court. Michael Roderick, 25, returned to court today for a pre-trial hearing. In the alleged bias crime, police say Roderick yelled anti-gay taunts and attempted to pick a fight with the victim in the parking lot on Thursday night, January 12th. After the victim reported the incident to 911 and police responded to the scene, Roderick reportedly approached officers and was pointed out by the victim. Police placed Roderick under arrest and found he was carrying an air pistol and alleged drug dealing paraphernalia including a scale and containers with drug residue. No drug charges are currently filed in the case. He is currently jailed on $5,000 bail. A female also arrested in the incident has been charged with assault and has pleaded not guilty.
Henry Cavill (and a pair of tight trousers) spotted leaving the Chateau Marmont.
Tom Hardy and Chris Pine attend the United Kingdom premiere of the film This Means War, co-starring Reese Witherspoon.
David Beckham’s H&M underwear ad.
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