FROM Equality Maryland:
You Made the Difference:
WEAA RADIO UPDATE
Washington Times reporter Robert Redding Jr. disclosed Wednesday in his online Redding News Review that complaints to WEAA-FM radio in Baltimore have resulted in the "removal" of the host whose remarks led to anti-gay protesters at Pikesville High School last week. From the story:
A Morgan State University administrator says the school has "removed" a radio host from the airwaves after a gay rights group claimed he used his show to spread "blatant homophobia."
Clinton Coleman, public relations director for the university, said Duane Johnson, a radio host on state run WEAA-FM, was removed from the Baltimore station because he failed to run a disclaimer, when he assailed homosexuals and asked his listening audience to protest a "Coming Out" event being held at Pikesville High School last Monday.
Coleman said it is not clear when or if Johnson will return to his Sunday show.
"He was taken off the air until a decision is made about what action will be taken," he said.
Redding News Review first reported Monday (see story) that Dan Furmansky, executive director for Equality Maryland, asked his members to complain to the university's radio station about Johnson, who he said yelled anti-gay slogans at students.
"I am asking people to register their complaints," said Furmansky, who heads what claims to be "the state's largest civil rights organization." **
"The station deserves to know how the listeners feel," he said.
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**Actually, Equality Maryland claims to be the state's largest LGBT civil rights organization, and not the state's largest civil rights organization.
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Defend Maryland Marriage Says "Lines Are Being Drawn" Over 2005 Jazz Brunch
Del. Don Dwyer (R-Anne Arundel) and Pastor Rick Bowers, the guiding forces behind "Defend Maryland Marriage," sent an email message to their list of marriage "defenders" Wednesday indicating that "ever dollar raised is a nail in the coffin of traditional marriage. Every dollar invested here brings civil unions and other homosexual goals closer to becoming reality." He has urged his members to "work against any candidate or incumbent" that is listed on the Honorary Host Committee list, and is using this as an opportunity to raise money for Defend Maryland Marriage.
Please let the candidates and elected members of the Honorary Host Committee know that you appreciate their support. If you would like to contact someone but cannot find their contact information online easily, just let us know by emailing
info@equalitymaryland.org with the name of the legislator or candidate you would like to thank.
Meanwhile, it seems that yesterday's Washington Post was speaking directly to Del. Don Dwyer:
"Within the Republican Party, there is a small, vocal minority for whom this is an issue above all others. It has become obsessive. We have spent so much time on the gay and abortion issues to the exclusion of the people's real problems."
- Del. Gary Reese, as quoted in yesterday's Washington Post. Reese was defeated in the Republican primary in the 67th District in western Fairfax, Va. His challenger, Chris Craddock, won after repeatedly mentioning that Reese had once been endorsed by the Washington Blade, a gay newspaper. It wasn't true.
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How Do You Say 'I Do' in Punjabi?
A town hall on marriage equality and the Asian Pacific American communities
WHAT: Town hall on marriage equality to inform and involve the Asian Pacific American (APA) communities and their allies in light of the recent ACLU marriage equality lawsuit, Deane & Polyak v. Conaway, challenging Maryland's refusal to issue marriage licenses to lesbian and gay couples.
WHEN: Wednesday, November 2, 2005 at 7:30 pm
WHERE: University of Maryland at College Park, Adele H. Stamp Student Union Building, Prince George's Room
WHY: According to the 2000 census, the DC metropolitan area has one of the highest populations of Asian Pacific Americans in the country, ranking fifth after traditionally large communities in California and New York. A significant number of that population self-identifies as LGBT. As APA communities across the nation begin to address issues of diversity within their own communities and, subsequently, of issues of civil rights, conversations about marriage equality are essential.
WHO:
Phil Nash, Professor at the University of Maryland at College Park, CEO of
CampaignAdvantage.com Moderator: Ben de Guzman, AQUA Advisory Committee Member
Panel:
· Gita Deane, Lead plaintiff in Deane & Polyak v. Conaway
· Genie Cortez, Development Director of the Lesbian & Gay Rights and AIDS Projects of the ACLU
· Dan Furmansky, Executive Director of Equality Maryland
· Jon Melegrito, National Federation of Filipino American Associations
· Adam (Gus) Collins, Student and President of Pride Alliance at the University of Maryland at College Park
Co-sponsors:
Equality Maryland * Pride Alliance of the University of Maryland at College Park * Asian American Student Union of the University of Maryland at College Park * National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum-DC * Asian/Pacific Islander Queers United in Action * KhushDC * Asian Pacific Islander Queer Sisters *
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Equality Maryland Seeks Lobby Day District Coordinators
Equality Maryland is looking for people to help get people out to our annual lobby day and rally in Annapolis!
On February 13, 2006, Equality Maryland will be hosting our annual lobby day and rally in Annapolis. Thousands of people will be gathering in Annapolis to demand that our state delegates and senators protect our rights and give greater equality to LGBT Marylanders. We need your help to get people to this event and arrange meetings with our state leaders.
Please get involved as district coordinator. We need you to recruit as many people as possible to come to Lobby Day from your district and from others. We also need you to help us by setting up appointments with your state delegates and state senator, and to help arrange transportation for people in your district.
Equality Maryland will help you every step of the way! We'll be conducting trainings around the state in December and January to help you get people to Lobby Day and arrange transportation and lobby visits.
Call Patrick Wojahn, Equality Maryland Outreach Chair, at 240-988-7763, or e-mail him at
equalitypgc@hotmail.com, to get a copy of the job discription.
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Centerstage Hosts a Night Out for Equality Maryland
Come out and support Equality Maryland at Centerstage for November's Night Out featuring, Hay Fever. All bar tips for this evening's reception will go to support Equality Maryland.
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University of Maryland School of Law educate us on Rumsfeld v. FAIR
On December 6, 2005 The U.S. Supreme Court hears, Rumsfeld v. FAIR, a case that deals with the issue of whether or not universities can prohibit the military from recruiting on campus as a protest to its discriminatory "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy. A federal law, called the Solomon Amendment, forces law schools to assist military recruiters or risk losing federal funding for the school's entire campus. A group of 38 law schools and law faculties formed an association, the Forum for Academic and Institutional Rights (FAIR) to challenge the Solomon Amendment as a violation of Free Speech. The Third Circuit ruled in favor of the law schools, but now the Supreme Court will have the final word.
Please join others at the University of Maryland for a Two-Part Series on Rumsfeld v. FAIR and the Solomon Amendment. There will be an address by Prof. Chai R. Feldblum, the lead organizer of FAIR and a nationally known activist and scholar.
Also speaking will be James Leipold of the National Association for Law Placement (NALP), and Sharra E. Greer of the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN). NALP and SLDN filed amicus briefs in Rumsfeld v. FAIR.
When: Tuesday, November 1
Where: University of Maryland Law School - 500 W. Baltimore St. Baltimore, MD - Ceremonial Moot Court Room from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Reception to follow in the Krongard Room.
This event is sponsored by the Triangle Alliance, American Civil Liberties Union, Career Development Office and Faculty Committee on Professionalism and Diversity.
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