By Ramy Eletreby

Kentucky Governor's Anti-Gay Decisions Could Hurt State Economy

Business leaders are concerned that Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher's April 11 stripping of the word "sexuality" from a longstanding executive order that bars discrimination in the public service could drive companies away. "Bigotry is bad for business and having a governor who is obviously bigoted is fundamentally incompatible with business," Alan Hawse of the California-based Cypress Semiconductor told The Lexington Herald-Leader. According to Gary Gates of the Williams Institute, statistics indicate that the concentration of same-sex households within a specific region is the strongest predictor of a vibrant economy because creativity thrives in places that are tolerant, open and diverse.

Meanwhile on April 25, Christina Gilgor, executive director of the LGBT Kentucky Fairness Alliance filed a lawsuit to prevent Fletcher from giving $11 million in public money to the University of Cumberlands, a private Baptist school. The school recently expelled a gay student, Jason Johnson, after he displayed his sexual orientation on a public Web site. "Gov. Fletcher has failed to uphold his duty to protect Kentucky citizens and enforce the Kentucky Constitution," which prohibits using taxpayer money to support religious institutions or entities that discriminate, Gilgor told reporters, according to the Courier-Journal.

Equality Riders Arrested During Protest at West Point

On April 26, 21 out of 50 members of the Soulforce Equality Ride were arrested on the campus grounds of the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y. protesting the Pentagon's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. When the 21 protesters entered the grounds, they were briefly detained by military police and issued citations for entry to military property for unlawful purposes. In observance of the National Day of Silence, the remaining protesters stood outside the gates and wore black tape over their mouths, reports advocate.com.

"From our position, freedom to express personal opinion is one of the hallmarks of our democracy," West Point spokesman Lt. Col. Kent Cassella said. "But federal law prohibits protests on military installations."

The Equality Riders have been touring the country since March 10, protesting at conservative Christian and military colleges which have discriminatory admission policies against LGBT students. Equality Riders have been arrested five previous times, in addition to being victims of vandalism. On April 14, 10 riders were charged with disorderly conduct at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. The West Point visit marked the last stop of the 20-stop tour.

500,000 Students Lead 10th National Day of Silence

On April 26, an estimated 500,000 students nationwide participated in the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network's (GLSEN) 10th national Day of Silence to end anti-LGBT bias in schools.

"We don't have an official number yet," GLSEN spokesperson Riley Snorton told IN, "but definitely over 4,000 schools participated and for the most part, the day went without a hitch."

GLSEN released findings from the 2005 National School Climate Survey, which documented the experiences of students who identify as LGBT at school. Among the findings: 75.4 percent of students heard derogatory remarks such as "faggot" or "dyke" frequently, and 89.2 percent reported frequently hearing "that's so gay" or "you're so gay" -- meaning stupid or worthless; 37.8 percent experienced physical harassment and 17.6 percent had been physically assaulted based on sexual orientation; and 26.1 percent had been harassed and 11.8 percent had been physically assaulted because of their gender expression

"[The survey] reveals that anti-LGBT bullying and harassment remain commonplace in America's schools," said Kevin Jennings, GLSEN founder and executive director. "On the positive side, it also makes clear that inclusive policies, supportive school staff and student clubs, like Gay-Straight Alliances, all relate to reduced harassment and higher achieving students." For more information, go to www.glsen.org.

FDA Says No to Medical Marijuana

On April 20, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) formally rejected the use of marijuana for medical purposes. In a statement, the FDA concluded "that no sound scientific studies supported medical use of marijuana for treatment in the United States, and no animal or human data supported the safety or efficacy of marijuana for general medical use."

In 1999, however, the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine said that "marijuana's active components are potentially effective in treating pain, nausea, the anorexia of AIDS wasting and other symptoms, and should be tested rigorously in clinical trials," according to The Associated Press.

In 1996, California passed Prop. 215 to allow the use of marijuana for medical purposes. Since then a number of states have followed suit and local jurisdictions, including L.A. County, have passed ordinances to allow for the distribution of medical marijuana with a doctor's prescription.

"If anybody needed proof that the FDA has become totally politicized, this is it. This isn't a scientific statement; it's a political statement," said Bruce Mirken, director of communications for the Marijuana Policy Project. "For the FDA to ignore all that evidence is embarrassing. They should be red-faced." -- Karen Ocamb

Boston Court Judge Dismisses DADT Lawsuit

On April 24, U.S. District Judge George A. O'Toole Jr. in Boston threw out a lawsuit filed by the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) challenging the constitutionality of the U.S. military's 1993 "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. O'Toole concluded that Congress, not the judiciary, must deal with consequences of the policy. "The legitimacy of the end Congress sought to serve -- maintaining effective military capability by maintaining high standards of morale, good order and discipline, and unit cohesion -- cannot be doubted," O'Toole wrote in his 41-page decision, reports the Boston Globe. "[However], deciding that Congress has made a rational choice is not the same as deciding it has made a wise choice ... [T]he remedy for bad decision-making by the political branches is to be found in the working of the political process."

Originally filed in December 2002, the lawsuit estimates that there are currently 65,000 LGBT servicemembers in the military who are at risk of being discharged. According to O'Toole, the 12 SLDN plaintiffs failed to prove that their constitutional rights were violated when they were forced to leave the service. This dismissal is the ninth time the policy has been challenged unsuccessfully in U.S. courts.

Duke Athlete to Stand Trial in Washington

On April 25, Collin Finnerty, one of two Duke University lacrosse players charged with raping an exotic dancer in Durham, N.C. last March, was ordered to stand trial in Washington, D.C., for allegedly assaulting a man he apparently perceived to be gay outside a Georgetown restaurant last year. According to court documents, Finnerty and two friends allegedly punched a man when he told them to "stop calling him gay and other derogatory names." Finnerty's attorney Steven McCool told reporters that the "incident had been grossly mischaracterized." Prosecutors revoked a plea agreement that required Finnerty to pay a fine, stay out of trouble, and participate in a diversion program with 25 hours of community service. A trial date is set for July 10, according to the Durham Herald Sun. If convicted of simple assault, Finnerty could get six months in jail and a fine of $1,000.

Affected by HIV? MTV Wants Your Story

The HIV epidemic began 25 years ago, and the MTV generation grew up in its shadow. MTV is seeking short videos about HIV and its impact on individuals' lives for a special half-hour show airing this summer. Whether you are positive or are the son or daughter, parent, teacher, student, partner, lover or friend of someone who is, they want to see what you see, hear what you have to say, and know what it means to be young and be affected by HIV. For guidelines and more information, go to www.mtv.com/thinkmtv/features/sexual_health/HIV_25/.