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Scouts Gamble On Future
With Selective Policy EnforcementDespite exclusionary policies which ban Gay youth and atheists from becoming Boy Scouts, ostensibly because it goes against policy, the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) have flagrantly ignored another policy in order to honor an owner of numerous gambling casinos.
At a recent fundraiser, the Boulder Dam Area Council of the BSA awarded Las Vegas mogul E. Parry Thomas the "Good Scout Award," even though the Cub Scout Leader Book explicitly opposes gambling, and the BSA Finance Division adds that "General guidelines for money-earning projects include...no gambling." The event was held at the Treasure Island Gambling Casino.
In addition, the BSA faced a protest of concerned parents and defenders of diversity at the May 9 Orange County (California) Scout-O-Rama. On May 6, the Berkeley (California) City Council voted 8-1 to deny free marina space to the Sea Scouts, an affiliate of the BSA, because local ordinances make it illegal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or religion.
The BSA is also facing mounting pressure to provide equal access to all boys from Scouting For All, an organization headed by 13-year-old Boy Scout Steven Cozza. "The BSA does not have a policy of excluding Gays from scouting," said Scouting For All's Scott Cozza, Steven's father. "Steven himself started the Scouting For All movement based on Scout law, believing that you should treat others as you yourself would like to be treated. I don't think anyone would like to be discriminated against. The Boy Scouts of America are not being consistent in adhering to their own law." On May 12, Steven Cozza was honored at a San Francisco benefit for his "courageous effort to end the Boy Scouts' anti-Gay discrimination." For more information contact Scott Cozza (Scouting For All) at 707.778.0564. [GLAAD]
George Michael Sentenced
Openly Gay singer-songwriter George Michael was sentenced May 14 to two years' "informal probation," an $810 fine, 80 hours of community service, and five one-hour sessions of psychological counseling regarding sex, as his attorney entered a no contest plea to one misdemeanor count of lewd behavior. The maximum penalty for the charge is six months in jail and a fine of $1,000. Michael was also banned from returning to Beverly Hills Will Rogers City Park, where he was arrested Apr. 7 in a bathroom in the course of an undercover operation. The exact nature of his behavior has still not been revealed, although it did not involve touching the police officer.
Former Los Angeles County District Attorney Ira Reiner represented Michael, who has been free on $500 bail and was not present at the hearing. Beverly Hills Municipal Court Judge Charles Rubin said, "The court is concerned he not get into this situation again." Michael had told CNN shortly after his arrest, "I won't even say it's the first time it's happened." [Newsplanet]
Beware Drug Combos
With ViagraViagra, Pfizer's new erectile dysfunction treatment, is sweeping the U.S., but it may pose some serious hazards in conjunction with "poppers" (amyl and butyl nitrate, often inhaled to enhance sexual experiences), protease inhibitors, and some antibiotics.
Pfizer itself warns strongly against combining Viagra with poppers, which together could cause a precipitous drop in blood pressure. Because use of nitrates as a recreational drug is illegal in the U.S., no contraindication is listed in Pfizer's Viagra literature, but the company is mailing a notice about the problem to physicians. The Gay and Lesbian Medical Association, GLMA, also warns against the combination. Of course medical professionals have long preached against use of poppers even by themselves, but this combination could lead to a stroke or death.
GLMA is further warning caution about combining Viagra with protease inhibitors, although Pfizer disagrees. In fact, no actual clinical tests have been performed on this combination. Because the two drugs use similar chemical pathways in the liver, there's a fear that Viagra could diminish the effectiveness of the protease inhibitors which have so often proved almost miraculous in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. There's also a likelihood that the protease inhibitors could enhance the more common side-effects of Viagra, headaches and flushing.
Similarly, the new antibiotics known as macrolides, such as Clarithromycin or Azithromycin, are metabolized by the same route as Viagra, so the combination might change the effective dosage of either drug. Pfizer is currently testing Viagra with Azithromycin. Erythromycin has already been found to increase blood serum levels of Viagra, effectively increasing the Viagra dosage. [Newsplanet]
Indigo Girls
Protest In CourtIrmo High School is now facing a federal lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of South Carolina for suspending students involved in a peaceful protest of the school's cancellation of a scheduled concert by the Grammy-winning openly Lesbian duo the Indigo Girls.
Irmo was the first of at least three high schools to cancel free appearances by the Indigo Girls, and the only one to publicly admit to doing so as a result of parent protest at the duo's sexual orientation.
Five of at least ten students who received suspensions for demonstrating in support of Gays and Lesbians are suing for cancellation of the suspensions, clearing of their records, and damages and attorneys' fees, arguing that their constitutional rights were violated, in a hearing before a judge in Charleston May 13. An ACLU attorney attempted to negotiate with school officials on May 12 to no avail.
As many as 200 students were involved in the walkout on the morning of May 7 at the time the concert would have taken place. Although the school district had said previously that at least ten of those students had received eight-day suspensions, it's now reporting that eight students received eight-day suspensions, two more received shorter suspensions, and another's punishment is still being determined, while many more may receive detention for tardiness. The school district maintains that it is simply following its regular policy in meting out the discipline. Irmo Principal Gerald Witt had reminded students two days before the demonstration of the policy that students who walked out for less than ten minutes would be marked tardy while those who stayed out for more than ten minutes would be marked absent and receive a Saturday detention. But the school district considers those students targeted for the heaviest punishment to have rejected a direct order by Witt by remaining outside for an hour after they were told to return to class, and policy calls for an eight-day suspension for such disobedience.
"It's like picketing a segregated restaurant and being charged with felony riot," ACLU/SC executive director Steven Bates told Columbia's The State newspaper. "The Constitution does not forget about high school students," added the ACLU/SC attorney in the case, Andy Brumme.
Ironically, Irmo High School was also in the news recently as a recipient of South Carolina's highest arts award, the Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award from the South Carolina Arts Commission. That honor had been announced in late Feb., long before this month's flap over the cancellation of the Indigo Girls, and is apparently merited by the school's teachers and programs. But the same award also went to the major development corporation Burroughs & Chapin-a major arts contributor-after it had used its authority as Myrtle Beach's leading landlord to deny a concert venue to the Village People as part of South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride festivities. In fact Burroughs & Chapin actually went on to change its lifelong slogan to substitute "pride" for "family values" in reaction to the statewide pride observance. [Newsplanet]
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