By Staff, World News Magazine
The murder of Matthew Shepard in 1998 became a cause célèbre for homosexual activists who said Shepherd’s murderers targeted him because he was gay.
Now comes a new book saying Shepard and his murderers partied together, had sex together and used drugs together.
The Book of Matt, out in early October to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the murder, is causing buzz because the writer is himself gay and a credible investigative reporter.
One of the more interesting reviews of the book came from gay journalist Andrew Sullivan: “If you’re going to base a civil rights movement on one particular incident, and the mythology about a particular incident, you’re asking for trouble, because events are more complicated than most politicians or most activists want them to be.”
Family Research Council Shooter Gets 25 Years
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The man who planned mass shootings at several Washington-based conservative organizations was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for the thwarted plot.
Floyd Corkins II walked into the lobby of the Family Research Council (FRC) in August 2012 with a backpack full of Chick-fil-A sandwiches, a gun and 100 rounds of ammunition.
Security guard Leo Johnson tackled and subdued Corkins, but not before the attacker fired three shots, hitting the guard in the arm.
The government asked the judge to give Corkins 45 years. His lawyers said he didn’t deserve to serve more than 11½.
In a statement before the court, FRC President Tony Perkins said he did not seek vengeance but justice: “Mr. Corkins has so far shown no remorse. The facts show he planned his attack in great detail and hoped for massive casualties. … As he admits, this crime was premeditated and had been on his mind for years before he decided to act on his plan.”
FDA Stands Firm on Gay
Blood Donor Ban
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Despite pressure from gay rights groups to lift the ban on gay and bisexual men donating blood, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has stood firm, citing the agency’s charge to safeguard American health.
The FDA said it will consider lifting the ban, “only if supported by scientific data showing that a change in the policy would not present a significant and preventable risk to blood recipients.”
Today’s U.S. blood supply is remarkably safe, but that wasn’t always the case. Thousands contracted AIDS in the 1980s from blood tainted with HIV, a death sentence at the time. As a result, the FDA began its lifetime ban on gay and bisexual blood donations: Any male who has had sex with another male since 1977 is excluded.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports gay men are more severely affected by HIV than any other group, accounting for 63 percent of HIV infections and 78 percent of newly infected men in 2010. Since banning their donations, the risk of getting and HIV infection from today’s blood supply is now less than one in a million, according the CDC.
Gay groups claim the ban is discriminatory and fosters the stereotype that gay and bisexual men are a danger to the nation’s health. They claim that with advances in testing, their donations can be resumed safely.
Unfortunately, someone infected with HIV doesn’t immediately test positive for the virus, creating a window during which infected blood could be banked. Blood would also need to be stored awaiting test results, and some experts fear infected blood could inadvertently be released for use.
Same-Sex Benefits
Extended To All States
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Obama Administration said last week that same-sex couples “legally married” in one of the few states that offer such marriages now enjoy the same federal rights as other married couples when it comes to pensions, 401(k)s, health plans and other employee benefits. That’s true even if they live in states that don’t recognize their union, the Labor Department said.
According to the Associated Press, “The new guidance is the latest effort by the Obama administration to clarify questions left unanswered after the Supreme Court’s landmark ruling in June which invalidated part of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.
The interpretation is consistent with a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service last month that legally married gay couples can file joint federal tax returns even if they reside in states that do not recognize same-sex marriages.”
Football Analyst Fired
for Criticizing Homosexuality
Fox Sports fired college football analyst Craig James after a video surfaced in which he said he opposed homosexual civil unions.
James, a former pro running back for the New England Patriots, made the comments at a debate in Texas during his unsuccessful run in 2012 for the U.S. Senate seat now held by Ted Cruz.
In the video, James, in response to a question about whether benefits should be extended to those in same-sex civil unions, refers to homosexuality as “a choice,” adding that those who engage in homosexuality will “have to answer to the Lord for their actions.”
James added, “We should not give benefits to those civil unions. … It should not occur. We have to stay strong on this. This is important. … We have a fiscal issue in this country but we also have a moral issue in this country, and as Christians, we need to stand up.”
When asked for comment, a Fox Sports spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News, “We just asked ourselves how Craig’s statements would play in our human resources department. He couldn’t say those things here.”
According to Sports Illustrated, the highest levels of management at Fox Sports had not thoroughly reviewed the decision to hire James.
Colorado Businessman Wins Latest Victory Against
Contraceptive Mandate
A U.S. District Court issued a preliminary injunction in early September to a Colorado businessman challenging Obamacare’s contraceptive mandate in court.
The owner of six senior care businesses, Steve Briscoe believes protecting unborn babies is part of his larger mission to value all life, both young and old.
While he waits for his case to wind through the courts, Briscoe will not face fines for not offering contraceptives under his employee health insurance plan.
Air Force Shoots Down Vet Over Biblical Marriage Views
An Air Force veteran of 19 years was relieved of duty last month because of his beliefs about same-sex marriage, according to Fox News.
Senior Master Sgt. Phillip Monk, stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, ran into trouble when he disagreed with his senior officer about whether she should severely punish a chaplain who had expressed objections to homosexuality.
Breitbart news reported that Maj. Elise Valenzuela lives an openly lesbian lifestyle and ordered Monk to tell her whether he thought those who disagreed with same-sex marriage discriminated against homosexuals. Monk is a Christian and believes marriage should only be between one man and one woman.
“I was relieved of my position because I don’t agree with my commander’s position on gay marriage,” Monk told Fox News. “We’ve been told that if you publicly say that homosexuality is wrong, you are in violation of Air Force policy.”