Seventh District Democratic Congressional candidate Kris Kiser is running for office in Indianapolis, where he claims he has been a resident for the past year according to an interview he gave to Indianapolis' GLBT newspaper, The Word. Property tax records for the District of Columbia, however, where he formerly worked as a lobbyist, show that he is claiming a homestead deduction on two condominiums he owns there.
According to publicly accessible property tax records for the District of Columbia, Kiser owns two condominiums at 1307 T Street, NW (Unit 4) and 1309 T Street, NW (Unit 2). They are currently valued at $745,790 and $764,460, respectively. The Homestead Status indicates that both properties are receiving the Homestead Deduction, which reduces the real property's assessed value by $60,000.
The homestead deduction in D.C. is limited to residential property. In order to qualify, the property must be occupied by the owner and contain no more than 5 dwelling units (including the unit occupied by the owner), and the property must be the principal residence of the owner. According to a statement from the D.C. Taxpayer Service Center, "If you are not domiciled in the District or the property is not your principal residence, you are obligated to inform the Office of Tax and Revenue."
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove found himself in a similar controversy last year when the Washington Post disclosed that he was claiming a homestead deduction on both his home in D.C. and a home in Texas where he is registered to vote. The D.C. government demanded that Rove repay the taxes he avoided paying by falsely claiming the homestead deduction. Rove agreed to repay the D.C. government $3,400 for the taxes he saved by claiming the credit.
Presumably, Kris Kiser has registered to vote in Indianapolis and is claiming his home here as his principal residence in order to qualify as a candidate for Congress in Indiana, in which case he is not eligible to claim the homestead deduction on his valuable residential property in D.C. It is unclear why he is able to claim the homestead deduction on two separate residential properties in D.C on T Street--perhaps they've been combined into a single unit.
Curiously, we reported last week that a person approached Kiser and his partner, Daryl Johnson, in a local gay bar, and the two told the person they were from Louisville. Oh what a tangled web we weave, when at first we practice to deceive.
Hat tip to the anonymous tipster for this note-worthy item.
Monday, March 20, 2006
And They Said The Taliban Were Bad
ABC News reports that an Afghani faces the death penalty for the unthinkable crime of converting from Islam to Christianity. The man was found with a Bible. But there's hope for the guy according to the judge--he could be found insane and be spared the death penalty. "We want to know that the doctors have given him a green light on his mental state, because he is not normal when he talks," says the judge. ABC News reports:
Our State Department is watching the case closely according to ABC News and considers it "a barometer of how well democracy is developing in Afghanistan." "Our view … is that tolerance, freedom of worship is an important element of any democracy," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "And these are issues as Afghan democracy matures that they are going to have to deal with increasingly."
So what's wrong here? You all thought that Afghanistan had just adopted a new constitution which ensures basic freedoms, including the freedom to worship the religion of your choosing, and that it had just conducted democratic elections. That's true, but there's a hitch--a big hitch. Islam is the recognized religion of Afghanistan, and Islamic law trumps the civil laws, making the individual rights provided under the constitution meaningless. In other words, true religious freedom, or any First Amendment rights we enjoy in this country, are non-existent in Afghanistan.
So what the hell are our soldiers fighting and dying for in Afghanistan and Iraq? It sure isn't the freedom and democracy we understand and appreciate.
Abdul Rahman, who is in his 40s, says he converted to Christianity 16 years ago while working as an aid worker helping Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Relatives denounced him as a convert during a custody battle over his children, and he was arrested last month. The prosecutor says Rahman was found with a Bible.
Our State Department is watching the case closely according to ABC News and considers it "a barometer of how well democracy is developing in Afghanistan." "Our view … is that tolerance, freedom of worship is an important element of any democracy," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said. "And these are issues as Afghan democracy matures that they are going to have to deal with increasingly."
So what's wrong here? You all thought that Afghanistan had just adopted a new constitution which ensures basic freedoms, including the freedom to worship the religion of your choosing, and that it had just conducted democratic elections. That's true, but there's a hitch--a big hitch. Islam is the recognized religion of Afghanistan, and Islamic law trumps the civil laws, making the individual rights provided under the constitution meaningless. In other words, true religious freedom, or any First Amendment rights we enjoy in this country, are non-existent in Afghanistan.
So what the hell are our soldiers fighting and dying for in Afghanistan and Iraq? It sure isn't the freedom and democracy we understand and appreciate.
Feingold Wants To Help Welsh Unseat Pence
Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI), a potential 2008 Democratic presidential candidate, plans to target 10 Democratic congressional hopefuls for extra help in this year's election. According to Sherri Welsh, wife of 6th District congressional candidate Barry Welsh (D) (no relation to AI Editor Gary R. Welsh), her husband is one of the candidates Feingold wants to help.
Sherri Welsh posts on an Illinois blog, SoapBlox, that her husband recently received a phone call from Sen. Feingold's staff. She writes, "Barry explained that Senator Feingold had a goal of helping 10 well qualified congressional candidates by recognizing them on his website and thru communications that one would eventually get picked to reward, WOW – I was tempted to say, are you SURE that it was Russ Feingold – THE Senator?? But I knew better than that." There's more about her hitting a deer, but we'll omit that part of her post.
While Welsh may be getting support from Feingold, he isn't expecting much from the Indiana Democratic Party according to his wife. Welsh writes, "The state party is underfunded as we all are, but they are not shuting (sic) us out. There are more districts than employees at state party headquarters. They will do what they can, but there won't be financial help." She adds, "There is a strong statewide Indiana Progressive PAC, which includes all state PAC's but they can't legally help Barry much because of FEC laws."
His wife indicates that her husband's expectations of unseating the popular incumbent, Pence, are realistic. She said, "I asked Barry this morning if he was going to win this thing. He said he would be crazy to say we were going to win, but we can win! He's right. We are on the way to winning, but there is still much work to do."
Sherri Welsh posts on an Illinois blog, SoapBlox, that her husband recently received a phone call from Sen. Feingold's staff. She writes, "Barry explained that Senator Feingold had a goal of helping 10 well qualified congressional candidates by recognizing them on his website and thru communications that one would eventually get picked to reward, WOW – I was tempted to say, are you SURE that it was Russ Feingold – THE Senator?? But I knew better than that." There's more about her hitting a deer, but we'll omit that part of her post.
While Welsh may be getting support from Feingold, he isn't expecting much from the Indiana Democratic Party according to his wife. Welsh writes, "The state party is underfunded as we all are, but they are not shuting (sic) us out. There are more districts than employees at state party headquarters. They will do what they can, but there won't be financial help." She adds, "There is a strong statewide Indiana Progressive PAC, which includes all state PAC's but they can't legally help Barry much because of FEC laws."
His wife indicates that her husband's expectations of unseating the popular incumbent, Pence, are realistic. She said, "I asked Barry this morning if he was going to win this thing. He said he would be crazy to say we were going to win, but we can win! He's right. We are on the way to winning, but there is still much work to do."
Mayor Peterson Has Some Explaining To Do
Mayor Bart Peterson (D) assured Indianapolis residents that they would realize an annual savings of $9 million if the city-county council adopted his plan to merge the Indianapois Police Department and the Marion Co. Sheriff's Department. It seems that Mayor Peterson based his projected savings on sheriff's department employees being able to opt out of social security as IPD employees have been able to do since it's own pension system was established under an older law. There's just one small problem, you can't do it now.
The Star's Brendan O'Shaughnessy tells readers today that this blunder on Peterson's part will result in a loss of nearly $4 million instead of a projected savings of $1.3 million as forecast by Peterson's administration. The result means that even more law enforcement officers will have to be laid off, or taxes will have to be increased.
The Indiana Public Employees Retirement Fund has requested an advisory opinion from the Social Security Administration to determine if the sheriff's department employees can opt out. However, the Star reports that a similar request by Louisville officials was met with a denial several years ago. O'Shaughnessy wrote, "In Louisville, which merged city and county government in 2003, federal officials said public employees in Social Security could not opt out of the program, according to Mark Miller, a Louisville police union attorney. Miller said he saw no reason why Indiana would be treated any differently."
Indianapolis relied heavily on the experience of Louisville in pushing the merger plan. How could this major detail have been overlooked by the Peterson administration? We're all for the merger, but you have to be straight with folks about these things. This raises the question of whether Peterson intentionally inflated the numbers to make the merger plan look more attractive to council members? Can you imagine Democrats' reaction if we learned at some point in the near future that the State was only getting $1.7 billion from the lease of the toll road instead of the $3.4 billion promised?
The Star's Brendan O'Shaughnessy tells readers today that this blunder on Peterson's part will result in a loss of nearly $4 million instead of a projected savings of $1.3 million as forecast by Peterson's administration. The result means that even more law enforcement officers will have to be laid off, or taxes will have to be increased.
The Indiana Public Employees Retirement Fund has requested an advisory opinion from the Social Security Administration to determine if the sheriff's department employees can opt out. However, the Star reports that a similar request by Louisville officials was met with a denial several years ago. O'Shaughnessy wrote, "In Louisville, which merged city and county government in 2003, federal officials said public employees in Social Security could not opt out of the program, according to Mark Miller, a Louisville police union attorney. Miller said he saw no reason why Indiana would be treated any differently."
Indianapolis relied heavily on the experience of Louisville in pushing the merger plan. How could this major detail have been overlooked by the Peterson administration? We're all for the merger, but you have to be straight with folks about these things. This raises the question of whether Peterson intentionally inflated the numbers to make the merger plan look more attractive to council members? Can you imagine Democrats' reaction if we learned at some point in the near future that the State was only getting $1.7 billion from the lease of the toll road instead of the $3.4 billion promised?
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Doolittle And Earn Big Bucks
Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) appears to be the next congressman in line to earn an indictment for political corruption according to TPM Muckracker. Rep. John Doolittle's wife, Julie, shows us all how to "doolittle" and earn big bucks.
The congressman had his wife to set up a phony fundraising consulting firm, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions. Of course, two of her clients were her husband's own political action committees. Ms. Doolittle earned a 15% commission for every dollar raised by her husband's political action committees, even if he made the fundraising calls himself, as long as she furnished him with the list of names to call. Since 2001, Ms. Doolittle has made $180,000 in commissions.
According to TPM Muckraker, Rep. Doolittle insists that he is not his wife's major client. He will not, however, identity who her other clients are. TPM Muckraker has been able to identify some of her clients, and they are the usual suspects. A restaurant and charity owned by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff are a couple of her clients. Another client is a business connected to Ed Buckham, another D.C. lobbyist who is also in hot water for questionable lobbying activities, and who is tied to Abramoff and Rep. Tom DeLay.
So now we have another suggestion for congressional lobbying reform:
The congressman had his wife to set up a phony fundraising consulting firm, Sierra Dominion Financial Solutions. Of course, two of her clients were her husband's own political action committees. Ms. Doolittle earned a 15% commission for every dollar raised by her husband's political action committees, even if he made the fundraising calls himself, as long as she furnished him with the list of names to call. Since 2001, Ms. Doolittle has made $180,000 in commissions.
According to TPM Muckraker, Rep. Doolittle insists that he is not his wife's major client. He will not, however, identity who her other clients are. TPM Muckraker has been able to identify some of her clients, and they are the usual suspects. A restaurant and charity owned by disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff are a couple of her clients. Another client is a business connected to Ed Buckham, another D.C. lobbyist who is also in hot water for questionable lobbying activities, and who is tied to Abramoff and Rep. Tom DeLay.
So now we have another suggestion for congressional lobbying reform:
All immediate family members of a Member of Congress shall be barred from accepting compensation in any form for services performed for any of the following: the member's campaign committee; any political action committee established by the member; any nonprofit organization established by the member; any business in which a controlling interest is owned by a person registered to lobby Congress; or any nonprofit organization in which a person registered to lobby Congress serves as an officer or key employee.
As for the new lobbying reforms already under consideration by Congress, lobbyists tell the Washington Post they don't pose a problem. The Post writes today, "Some of Washington's top lobbyists say that they expect to find ways around congressional efforts to impose new restrictions on lobbyists' dealings with lawmakers in the wake of the Jack Abramoff corruption scandal, and that any limits will barely put a dent in the billions of dollars spent to influence legislation." Isn't that comforting?
Realtors Lobby Screws Indiana Homesellers
The Indiana Law Blog picks up on a letter to the editor in today's Star, which discloses how the Indiana realtors lobby has screwed Indiana homesellers big time through a new law which quietly made its way through the Indiana General Assembly and was recently signed into law by Gov. Daniels. The bill, HB 1339, will effectively shield traditional real estate agents from competition they are now getting from low-cost agents.
Patrick Woodall, a senior researcher with the Consumer Federation of America, clues us in on how the new law screws Indiana's homesellers:
HB 1339 was sponsored by Rep. Tim Harris (R-Anderson) and Sen. James Merritt (R-Indianapolis). It passed the House on a 56-38 bipartisan vote, and it passed the Senate unanimously. Even some traditionally pro-consumer legislators in the House sold out to the realtors lobby, including Rep. Bill Crawford (D-Indianapolis), Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington), Rep. Clyde Kersey (D-Terre Haute) and Rep. Peggy Welch (D-Elletsville).
The Indiana Law Blog notes the irony of the legislation. In a March 6, 2006 entry, the blog had an entry discussing how real estate agents were becoming an endangered species, quoting from an NPR Morning Edition report. That report talked about the pressure Internet-based services were placing on traditional real estate agents and how they might be going the same way as travel agents and stock brokers. The blog now writes that "real estate agents have now become 'a protected species' in Indiana."
Advance Indiana wonders just what impact this new law will have on Indianapolis-based Homeyeah.com. Their fees are 40%-90% less than the traditional real estate brokers' fees. As it describes its services, "Our proprietary business model and technology allows buyers and sellers to take more control of their transaction without sacrificing necessary information and licensed professional guidance at critical points during the transaction process."
Patrick Woodall, a senior researcher with the Consumer Federation of America, clues us in on how the new law screws Indiana's homesellers:
At the urging of traditional real estate brokers, the Indiana legislature quickly and quietly passed a bill that would make homeownership even more expensive. House Bill 1339 requires all real estate brokers to provide "minimum services." This seemingly innocuous change is an attempt to protect brokers' 6 percent commission from market competition. Unfortunately, Gov. Mitch Daniels signed this anti-consumer bill.
The change will require real estate agents to provide a full set of services -- marketing the home, receiving offers from potential buyers, sales negotiation and handling closing procedures -- even if the homeowner doesn't want or need these advisory services. It is an attempt to prevent consumers from accessing a range of new, lower-cost real estate models.
New brokers, for a much lower fee, will market homes in the multiple listing service and provide marketing support but allow the homeowner to handle everything else -- show the house and negotiate the closing -- or hire a different party to provide those services. For example, many homeowners have turned to for-sale-by-owner services, which provide little more than a multiple listing and a yard sign . . .
In other services, new business models using the Internet and technology brought improvements years ago -- such as in securities brokerage and travel -- but the changes are only beginning to affect the real estate industry. Rather than embracing market competition, industry leaders are attempting to use government to preserve the old model and prevent consumers from using less expensive real estate services. Similar efforts to limit competition from Internet real estate brokers drew a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit against the National Association of Realtors. And the same effort is behind the Indiana legislation.
The Antitrust Division of the Justice Department, along with consumer groups and many new real estate brokers, opposes the law. Gov. Mitch Daniels did not act in the best interests of consumers and homeowners when he signed this legislation.
HB 1339 was sponsored by Rep. Tim Harris (R-Anderson) and Sen. James Merritt (R-Indianapolis). It passed the House on a 56-38 bipartisan vote, and it passed the Senate unanimously. Even some traditionally pro-consumer legislators in the House sold out to the realtors lobby, including Rep. Bill Crawford (D-Indianapolis), Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington), Rep. Clyde Kersey (D-Terre Haute) and Rep. Peggy Welch (D-Elletsville).
The Indiana Law Blog notes the irony of the legislation. In a March 6, 2006 entry, the blog had an entry discussing how real estate agents were becoming an endangered species, quoting from an NPR Morning Edition report. That report talked about the pressure Internet-based services were placing on traditional real estate agents and how they might be going the same way as travel agents and stock brokers. The blog now writes that "real estate agents have now become 'a protected species' in Indiana."
Advance Indiana wonders just what impact this new law will have on Indianapolis-based Homeyeah.com. Their fees are 40%-90% less than the traditional real estate brokers' fees. As it describes its services, "Our proprietary business model and technology allows buyers and sellers to take more control of their transaction without sacrificing necessary information and licensed professional guidance at critical points during the transaction process."
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Al-Sistani Issues Death Order For Iraqi Gays
In the U.S., the Rev. Fred Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas has been leading controversial demonstrations at the funerals of fallen American soldiers from the war in Iraq, including several right here in Indiana. Phelps believes that the soldiers deserved to die because America accepts homosexuality and their death is a punishment from God. In a strange paradox, a Muslim cleric who American troops have enabled to become the most powerful religious leader in Iraq, has issued his own death order against gays and lesbians in Iraq.
Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has been a critical ally of American coalition forces in bringing about a so-called "democratically-elected" government in Iraq. The huge turnout in Iraq's recent elections is largely attributed to al-Sistani, who issued a decree that it was a religious obligation of Shiite Muslims to vote. After playing second fiddle to Iraq's Sunni Muslim population under Hussein, the Shiite majority now has the opportunity to call the shots in Iraq thanks to the sacrifices of American and coalition soldiers in the effort to liberate Iraq from Hussein's dictatorial rule.
With Iraq's new constitution recognizing Islamic law as superior to the civil law, Iraq will now enjoy a de facto dictatorship by al-Sistani. Exercising his new-found power, al-Sistani has issued a fatwa against gays and lesbians. The Advocate reports on the fatwa:
If Rev. Fred Phelps' controversial funeral protests are not finding a sympathetic ear here in America, they certainly are in Iraq, and with the full blessing of Allah no less. Perhaps Rev. Phelps should be thanking these fallen soldiers for giving voice and power to an anti-gay bigot whose words are backed up with real violence against gays and lesbians. Somehow, we doubt this was an outcome our fallen soldiers in Iraq envisioned.
Shiite cleric Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani has been a critical ally of American coalition forces in bringing about a so-called "democratically-elected" government in Iraq. The huge turnout in Iraq's recent elections is largely attributed to al-Sistani, who issued a decree that it was a religious obligation of Shiite Muslims to vote. After playing second fiddle to Iraq's Sunni Muslim population under Hussein, the Shiite majority now has the opportunity to call the shots in Iraq thanks to the sacrifices of American and coalition soldiers in the effort to liberate Iraq from Hussein's dictatorial rule.
With Iraq's new constitution recognizing Islamic law as superior to the civil law, Iraq will now enjoy a de facto dictatorship by al-Sistani. Exercising his new-found power, al-Sistani has issued a fatwa against gays and lesbians. The Advocate reports on the fatwa:
Written in Arabic, the fatwa comes from a press conference with the powerful religious cleric, where he was asked about the judgment on sodomy and lesbianism. “Forbidden,” Sistani answered, according to OutRage, “Punished, in fact, killed. The people involved should be killed in the worst, most severe way of killing.”
Considering Sistani's stature and influence within the Iraqi Shiite majority, OutRage member Ali Hili declared the cleric's statements extremely dangerous.
“Sistani's murderous homophobic incitement has given a green light to Shia Muslims to hunt and kill lesbians and gay men,” said Hili. “We hold Sistani personally responsible for the murder of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Iraqis. He gives the killers theological sanction and encouragement.”
If Rev. Fred Phelps' controversial funeral protests are not finding a sympathetic ear here in America, they certainly are in Iraq, and with the full blessing of Allah no less. Perhaps Rev. Phelps should be thanking these fallen soldiers for giving voice and power to an anti-gay bigot whose words are backed up with real violence against gays and lesbians. Somehow, we doubt this was an outcome our fallen soldiers in Iraq envisioned.
Sorry Indiana Democrats, SVRS Works
Forget that yesterday's first day of testing for Indiana's new Statewide Voter Registration System (SVRS) was just that--a test designed to fine tune the program. Forget that the only problem which surfaced was related to the new hardware just installed the night before to run the software. Forget that there are several more days of testing to work out any other potential problems. And forget that elections in Indiana can be conducted with or without SVRS just as they have for every election in the history of the state. The only point Democrats want you to believe is that SVRS is a major bust and a failure, and it's all Secretary of State Todd Rokita's and the Republicans' fault.
Reacting to the glitch in the new hardware and Democratic cries of doom and gloom, Rokita told WTHR that it was "a tempest in a teapot." He's right. Once the problem with the new hardware was detected, the state's computer consultant on the project, Quest Information Systems had the system up and running within two hours. And it ran smoothly. As Rokita observed, "No Hoosier, if this was election day, would have expected to loose their vote. We have backups in laws and technology." Even with the delay, election workers were able to check more than twice the number of voter registrations during the testing as had originally been played. More days of testing are being conducted next week.
Democrats, who have been quick to criticize Gov. Daniels for using out-of-state vendors for state work, could care less that this major contract is being undertaken by an up-and-coming Indianapolis-based IT company. The bottom line as far as they are concerned is that SVRS must fail. It must fail so Rokita looks bad and they have an issue that might defeat him, because that's the only way they may be able to win back the Secretary of State's office. It must fail because the elimination of duplicative voter registrations--about a quarter of a million so far--means less voter fraud, which might mean fewer votes for Democratic candidates.
Marion Co. Democratic election board member, Joel Miller, has served as the Democrats' designated hit man for the effort. He called the testing "a mess, a terrible mess." Even though Marion Co. election officials readily admit they can conduct an election without SVRS just like they have in every election before now, Miller couldn't help but fan the flames. Miller told WTHR, "One of the reasons for the mock election was to give those of us using the system confidence that it would work election day. If that was the goal it failed miserably."
Sorry to inform Indiana Democrats, but SVRS is here and it's staying. It works, and it's going to be much more difficult for election day workers of either party to engage in election day chicanery. That's good news for our electoral process. And that' s good news for Indiana.
Reacting to the glitch in the new hardware and Democratic cries of doom and gloom, Rokita told WTHR that it was "a tempest in a teapot." He's right. Once the problem with the new hardware was detected, the state's computer consultant on the project, Quest Information Systems had the system up and running within two hours. And it ran smoothly. As Rokita observed, "No Hoosier, if this was election day, would have expected to loose their vote. We have backups in laws and technology." Even with the delay, election workers were able to check more than twice the number of voter registrations during the testing as had originally been played. More days of testing are being conducted next week.
Democrats, who have been quick to criticize Gov. Daniels for using out-of-state vendors for state work, could care less that this major contract is being undertaken by an up-and-coming Indianapolis-based IT company. The bottom line as far as they are concerned is that SVRS must fail. It must fail so Rokita looks bad and they have an issue that might defeat him, because that's the only way they may be able to win back the Secretary of State's office. It must fail because the elimination of duplicative voter registrations--about a quarter of a million so far--means less voter fraud, which might mean fewer votes for Democratic candidates.
Marion Co. Democratic election board member, Joel Miller, has served as the Democrats' designated hit man for the effort. He called the testing "a mess, a terrible mess." Even though Marion Co. election officials readily admit they can conduct an election without SVRS just like they have in every election before now, Miller couldn't help but fan the flames. Miller told WTHR, "One of the reasons for the mock election was to give those of us using the system confidence that it would work election day. If that was the goal it failed miserably."
Sorry to inform Indiana Democrats, but SVRS is here and it's staying. It works, and it's going to be much more difficult for election day workers of either party to engage in election day chicanery. That's good news for our electoral process. And that' s good news for Indiana.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Bush Under Attack From Right For Allowing HIV+ Attend Gay Games
The Bush administration has granted special permission for overseas attendees of the Gay Games in Chicago this summer who are HIV+ to enter the country, and right-wing bigots in Illinois are none too happy. The Chicago Sun-Times reports, "A 'pro-family' group wants the Bush administration to revoke its decision to allow HIV-positive foreigners to enter the country for the Gay Games in Chicago this summer."
Under a 1993 provision of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, people infected with HIV and other highly infectious diseases that are considered public health risks are not allowed visas unless special waivers are granted. A blanket waiver for attendees of the Gay Games was granted by the Bush administration, similar to a waiver granted to attendees of the 1994 Gay Games in New York.
Right-wing bigots claim that the Bush administration's decision to grant the waiver will pave the way for the spread of HIV in this country. "The people of Chicago should know we have a ban on HIV travelers, it's there to protect citizens, and it's not a wise move to remove the ban," Peter LaBarbera of the Illinois Family Institute said. "People on the pro-family side are not too pleased with it, and we're putting pressure on to reinstate the ban," he said. A spokesman for the Gay Games called the groups efforts to block the waiver as "abhorrent and irresponsible . . . fear mongering."
The Sun-Times reports that "the eight-day Gay Games are expected to draw 12,000 athletes from 100 countries competing in 30 sports ranging from softball to swimming." The opening ceremonies are set for July 15 at Soldier Field.
LaBarbera focused on a sponsorship of the event by a gay bathhouse as justification for his position. The Sun-Times says that he "argues that the Gay Games bathhouse sponsor and other 'extracurricular' activities show the event is about promoting a lifestyle more than athletics." "These bathhouses can be very dangerous when you invite HIV in with an exception. The doors are closed, and you don't know what's going on inside," LaBarbera said. "That shows there's much more going on than just playing softball. . . . They're celebrating homosexuality and the more unseemly aspects of it."
It sounds like LaBarbera's been spending a little bit too much time in the gay bathhouses himself. A spokesman for the Gay Games calls it a "tired right-wing strategy" that no longer works.
Under a 1993 provision of the Immigration and Naturalization Act, people infected with HIV and other highly infectious diseases that are considered public health risks are not allowed visas unless special waivers are granted. A blanket waiver for attendees of the Gay Games was granted by the Bush administration, similar to a waiver granted to attendees of the 1994 Gay Games in New York.
Right-wing bigots claim that the Bush administration's decision to grant the waiver will pave the way for the spread of HIV in this country. "The people of Chicago should know we have a ban on HIV travelers, it's there to protect citizens, and it's not a wise move to remove the ban," Peter LaBarbera of the Illinois Family Institute said. "People on the pro-family side are not too pleased with it, and we're putting pressure on to reinstate the ban," he said. A spokesman for the Gay Games called the groups efforts to block the waiver as "abhorrent and irresponsible . . . fear mongering."
The Sun-Times reports that "the eight-day Gay Games are expected to draw 12,000 athletes from 100 countries competing in 30 sports ranging from softball to swimming." The opening ceremonies are set for July 15 at Soldier Field.
LaBarbera focused on a sponsorship of the event by a gay bathhouse as justification for his position. The Sun-Times says that he "argues that the Gay Games bathhouse sponsor and other 'extracurricular' activities show the event is about promoting a lifestyle more than athletics." "These bathhouses can be very dangerous when you invite HIV in with an exception. The doors are closed, and you don't know what's going on inside," LaBarbera said. "That shows there's much more going on than just playing softball. . . . They're celebrating homosexuality and the more unseemly aspects of it."
It sounds like LaBarbera's been spending a little bit too much time in the gay bathhouses himself. A spokesman for the Gay Games calls it a "tired right-wing strategy" that no longer works.
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