Firefighters Sexually Harassed
A jury determined Tuesday that four San Diego firefighters were sexually harassed for being ordered to participate in a gay pride parade and awarded them combined damages of $34,300. The firefighters Alex Kane, Chad Allison, Capt. John Ghiotto and Capt. Jason Hewitt claimed they were subjected to sexually charged conduct and lewd comments while riding a fire engine in the July 2007 parade, which drew about 150,000 spectators.
The firefighters' attorney, Charles LiMandri, said during his closing argument that his clients were targets of vulgar gestures and catcalls while being forced to watch barely clothed men and women simulate sex acts and touch themselves and one another. "The Fire Department knew what goes on there," LiMandri told the jury.
Several of the firefighters said they thought comments such as “let me see your hose” and “give me mouth to mouth,” were directed at them. The firefighters are all married and have Catholic backgrounds. Other firefighters testified about their experiences in previous parades. Some were offended, but others found the parade humorous or entertaining.
A crew that volunteered to ride a fire engine pulled out shortly before the parade because the captain's mother died. LiMandri told the jury that department supervisors didn't try to find other volunteers, but gave the assignment to the crew in the city's Hillcrest area, home to a large gay population where the parade is held. The firefighters' attorney argued that his clients objected but weren't taken seriously. The city said the firefighters expressed discomfort but didn't complain of sexual harassment at the time.
This was the second trial on the firefighters' claims. In October, jurors were unable to reach a verdict. The firefighters' attorneys sought $4 million for each firefighter at the first trial.
San Diego Gay & Lesbian Times
A rural Alabama church is stirring up Cullman County with a month-long focus on sex, including billboards that read: "Great sex: God's Way."
The Cullman Times quotes Jerry Lawson, pastor of Daystar Church, as saying a big reaction is exactly what he is looking for. "Absolutely, we wanted to shock people,” Lawson tells the newspaper. "Talking about the issue proactively is the key.” The paper says Lawson's campaign includes a series of videos on the church's website, including a humorous discussion about sex with an actor portraying the devil.
The Associated Press quotes local evangelist Roland Belew, a former trucker who now preaches at a truck stop, as saying the whole idea goes against the teaching of New Testament apostles. "Paul said preach the Gospel," the AP quotes Belew as saying. "Talking about sex ain't gonna get nobody to heaven." But Lawson says the church needs to be out front on the topic in a culture awash in sex. "It comes down to God saying the most healthy place for sex and the only right place for sex is within a marriage — one man, one woman, and one marriage," he says.
CNN's Kiran Chetry speaks to a pastor whose congregation put up billboards to promote his sermons in this video below.
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A 32-year-old Garland man was sentenced to 30 years in prison Wednesday, March 4 for his role in a brutal anti-gay hate crime that occurred in the heart of Oak Lawn community of Dallas, Texas last July. 
Gunter and Singleton reportedly drank about six pitchers of beer between them at an unidentified establishment near Forest Lane and Greenville Avenue before traveling to Oak Lawn, according to witness testimony. Six empty 16-ounce beer cans also were found in their vehicle, and they reportedly fired the handgun twice en route to the area. Gunter and Singleton, who were initially apprehended by security guards from nearby gay nightclubs, were charged with aggravated robbery because they were in possession of a Zippo lighter and a set of keys belonging to Dean.
A string of attacks against gay people in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood over the past two months has fueled a bubbling stew of emotions in the community. Residents demonstrated their strong sense of concern at a Saturday night march and rally against the targeted violence. A crowd of about 300 people gathered for a candlelight vigil and march against hate at the Plymouth Pillars Park at Boren and Pike overlooking downtown Seattle. The crowd rallied in occasional drizzle before marching up Capitol Hill, down Broadway and through the heart of Pike/Pine. As the march progressed, chants brought onlookers out of bars and restaurants and even managed to bring David Schmader's performance of Straight to a halt as the crowd marched up Pike in front of the Annex Theater.
Knight says he had come from a party, and was wearing a sailor's outfit. That could have made him a target. He says he doesn't specifically remember what happened leading up the assault - but he does remember the expletives and anti-gay slurs being yelled at him. "As of now, there's feelings of shame, of guilt," he says. "What could I have done to not put myself in that position? Did I encourage this? And was I strong enough?" After he stumbled back to his apartment that night, Knight did something to remind himself to be angry later on. "I took a photo of myself before I washed myself up, because I knew that this will anger me," he says.
