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 LGBT news from the Human Rights Campaign for Monday, July 6th. I’m John Greene.
And I’m Candace Gingrich. First up, news from California.
In California, a federal judge said a lawsuit seeking to overturn Proposition 8 likely will make its way through the courts quickly. U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn Walker said last week that he wanted to conduct a full trial on the lawsuit to settle any factual disputes before the case reached a higher court. Walker added that he wants to put the case on an accelerated timetable because it involves serious civil rights issues.
Stephen Andrew Moller, the man convicted in June 2008 of the death of 20-year-old Sean Kennedy, was released early after only one year in prison last week. Witnesses at the trial testified that Moller shouted anti-gay slurs while punching Kennedy outside a Greenville, S. C., bar in May of 2007. HRC has publicly condemned Moller’s early release.
Officials are saying that the death of a gay sailor, murdered last week as he stood guard outside of Camp Pendleton, does not appear to be a hate crime. A Navy spokesman said the death of Seaman August Provost was a random act completely unrelated to his sexuality. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service has taken a “person of interest” into custody but has not filed any charges.
An experimental HIV vaccine developed by a Canadian professor may soon be brought to the United States for human testing. The professor, Dr. Chil-Yong Kang, says the drug has been tested on animals without any adverse side affects. The makers of the vaccine are waiting for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to approve the drug before they begin testing on humans. So far, 70 countries have patented the new drug.
A group of gay and lesbian Mennonites gathered outside their church’s official convention in Columbus, Ohio, last week clad in bright pink outfits to protest their exclusion from the faith. About 100 ministers and church members gathered at the convention to pray, sing hymns and tell stories of feeling ostracized from their church. The gay rights movement in the Mennonite Church first gained steam a few months ago when about 1,400 ministers signed a letter demanding equality for LGBT churchgoers.
HRC launched a national action campaign asking voters to let the White House know why they think the ban on HIV-positive visitors and immigrants should be lifted. July 2nd marked the beginning of a 45-day comment period where the public has the opportunity to weigh in on Obama’s proposal that the ban be removed. To learn more, or to submit your own commentary, visit HRCBackStory.org.
That’s the news from us today – thanks for tuning in.
Have a great day and we’ll see you back here again tomorrow morning.