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 1st. I’m Tommy Lodge.
And I’m John Greene. First up, news from California.
The sponsors of a proposed ballot initiative to ban marriage for gay and lesbian couples in California say that Republican presidential nominee John McCain has given them his support. ProtectMarriage.com says their campaign received an e-mail from McCain, stating his support of their cause and applauding their efforts. To read HRC’s report on Senator McCain’s record of opposing GLBT rights, please visit HRC.org/McCain.
Vallejo City Councilman Michael Lepley Wilson and Peter Lepley Wilson are getting married Thursday. The couple, who have been married twice before but have never been legally recognized, are asking their family and friends to donate to HRC in lieu of gifts. To make a contribution in honor of a couple's upcoming wedding or commitment ceremony to benefit the HRC California Marriage PAC, please visit HRC's Wedding Registry at HRCActionCenter.org.
Reverend Mark Holick of Spirit One Christian Center in Wichita, Kansas, was arrested Sunday as he led a protest against a gay pride festival in the city. Holick was asked to leave the festival after causing a raucous, and subsequently was arrested on suspicion of battery for striking the vice president of Wichita Pride, who had organized the festival. Last year, Holick was arrested at Wichita’s Pride Festival and charged with criminal trespassing, although the charge against him was eventually dropped.
Members of the Canadian Armed Forces for the first time took part in Toronto’s Sunday Pride parade. 5,000 people participated in the event. Controversy erupted in June when Canada’s military had been banned by organizers of Ontario Pride from participating in its parade because of alleged human rights violations.
Eighty-eight people were arrested for attacking participants in Bulgaria’s first-ever gay pride march on Sunday. Security concerns had forced organizers in the Bulgarian capital of Sofia to change the route of the march twice and employ a large number of police to protect the crowd. Those arrested — including the leader of the Nationalist Union — had thrown firecrackers, rocks, and at least one bomb at participants.
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.