Equally Speaking
The following is a transcript of HRC’s morning news webcast "Equally Speaking." To view the current videos visit the main Equally Speaking page.
Good morning, and thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking, your morning dose of GLBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Tuesday, July 22nd. I'm Cuc Vu.
And I'm Tommy Lodge. First up, the latest news concerning "Don't Ask, Don't Tell."
According to a new poll from the Washington Post and ABC News, 75 percent of Americans say gay and lesbian servicemembers should be allowed to serve openly in the U.S. military. These numbers are up from 62 percent in early 2001 and 44 percent in 1993. On Wednesday, Congress is scheduled to hold its first hearing on the repeal of the military's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.
The Human Rights Campaign announced last week that musicians Cyndi Lauper and Rufus Wainwright have been added to the line-up of "Rock to Win" in Denver, Colorado. The event, which is being held during the Democratic National Convention, is a celebration of GLBT equality and a grand kickoff to the hard work leading up to the November elections. Lauper and Wainwright will join previously-announced performer, Oscar and Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Etheridge. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster.
HRC's Camp Equality, a training program for campaign activists working to elect fair-minded legislators, arrives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, this weekend, July 26th and 27th. For a list of remaining cities on HRC's Camp Equality tour and instructions on how to register, visit http://www.hrc.org/campequality.
An investigation began yesterday into the police shooting of Steven Paul Hirschfield, a man rescued by San Diego Harbor police after falling overboard during a Pride-related cruise. A struggle ensued during the rescue, resulting in the death of Hirschefiled. The San Diego Police and the District Attorney's Office will oversee the investigation.
About 150 protesters gathered outside San Diego's Manchester Grand Hyatt on Friday to protest owner Doug Manchester's financial donation to a ballot initiative that could ban marriage for gay and lesbian couples in California. The protest was organized by Californians Against Hate, a group dedicated to defeating the initiative known as Proposition 8. A counter protest also occurred on Friday, but was not well-attended.
Newsweek magazine's current cover story sheds light on school violence against GLBT students, exploring, specifically, the February 2008 murder of Larry King by classmate Brandon McInerney. As the case is investigated leading up to McInerney's trial, the magazine interviews faculty, students and parents regarding the tragic shooting of 15-year-old King. HRC's Welcoming Schools anti-bullying curriculum is available online for elementary school educators at http://www.welcomingschools.org/.
That's the news from us today. Thanks for tuning in to Equally Speaking.
Thanks for watching, and we'll see you back here again tomorrow morning.