BRITAIN: Gay Magazine Editor And Partner Gay-Bashed In London Park

The editor of a British gay online magazine and his partner were gay-bashed by a mob of six men last night as they walked home from dinner through London's Betts Park.  Gay Star News reports:

The couple was intercepted by a group of six men, who started speeding up and following the couple down the path. [Christopher] Bryant told GSN that as soon as they started running, the men started running as well, and first caught his partner Damon. He told GSN: ‘It all went down so fast.’ When Bryant doubled-back to get the attackers off his partner, they beat him to the ground, kicking his face and saying ‘stay down faggot’. Bryant said that every time he tried to look up, his attackers would kick him in the face and said ‘don’t try anything’.

The attackers also stole Bryant's wallet and phone and warned the couple to stay on the ground for five minutes or they'd be killed. Police examined the park's surveillance tapes but were "unable to track the suspects leaving the park."

VIDEO: At The Vigil For Mark Carson

TOMORROW: The LGBT Community will hold a march.

Monday, May 20th at 5:30 p.m. beginning at the Center, 208 W 13th Street, and proceeding to West 8th Street and 6th Avenue. Following a string of heinous bias attacks against gay men, including the murder of a 32 year old man on Friday night, community members, elected officials, LGBT community leaders and allies will march to the site of Friday's shooting to demand an end to hate crimes against the LGBT community. At the end of the march, we will rally to denounce hate violence, call for justice and to mourn the death of Marc Carson. Please join the Center, the NYC Anti-Violence Project, Speaker Quinn, community leaders and elected officials to reclaim our city for all New Yorkers.

The NYC Gay Men's Chorus remembered Mark Carson today at the AIDS Walk in Central Park.

CA Hate Group Calls On Parents To Keep Kids Home On Harvey Milk Day

Save California has launched a radio and web campaign urging parents to keep their kids out of school during Harvey Milk Day observations.  In 2009 then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed the bill designating May 22nd as a "special day of recognition" in California.  Save California has called for keeping kids out of school every year since then, but this year's marks their first radio campaign on the issue. Listen to the spot here.  The group has also produced flyers for parents to hand out. Note how they've inserted the word "gay" into the title of the day in the excerpt below.

The Sacramento Bee reports on the ads:

An anti-gay rights group has purchased hourly radio spots to urge parents to keep their children home from school on Harvey Milk Day, which honors the gay rights pioneer.  Randy Thomasson, president of the SaveCalifornia.com, said the group bought more than 100 time slots for a radio ad in Los Angeles and Sacramento. It urges parents to "protect your children from Harvey Milk indoctrination," by keeping them home from school on Wednesday. "This is harmful to children," Thomasson said. "This is not academic, it's brainwashing."

RELATED: In 2011 Save California head Randy Thomasson claimed that Harvey Milk Day would  "unleash a tsunami of perversity" that would include "mock gay weddings" at public schools. In 2010 Thomasson claimed that Harvey Milk Day would include "cross-dressing contests" and that Milk endorsed pedophilia. In 2009 Thomasson claimed that Harvey Milk Day would mean that California had passed Massachusetts in the "sexual indoctrination of children." Below is the YouTube clip that Save California posted last year.

GEORGIA (Country): PM Denounces Anti-Gay Violence At Pride Rally

"The right to gather peacefully and to freely express one’s opinion is fundamental to our democracy. Every Georgian citizen benefits fully and equally from this right. Acts of violence, discrimination and restriction of the rights of others will not be tolerated, and any perpetrators of such acts will be dealt with according to the law." - Georgia Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, reacting to the violent mobs that chased gay pride demonstrators through the streets of Tbilisi on Friday.  Seventeen people were injured.

The anti-gay demonstration was organized by priests from the Orthodox Church.

In extraordinary scenes that saw chaos spread through the capital, those occupying the street held posters reading 'We don't need Sodom and Gomorrah!' and 'Democracy does not equal immorality!' A number of protesters carrying bunches of stinging nettles threatened to use them on gay activists. They insist that homosexuality runs against Georgia's traditional Orthodox Christian values. Father David, a priest who was one of the organizers of Friday's anti-gay rally, said the parade 'insults people's traditions and national sentiments.' Georgia's authorities had given the green light for the gay parade to take place, saying that all Georgian citizens, irrespective of their sexuality, are entitled to voice their views in public. 'We are against the propaganda of homosexuality,' 21-year-old student Nikolai Kiladze said.

 New Europe reports that members of the mob were shouting, "Kill them! Tear them to pieces!"

Watch this horrifying video of gay activists being attacked by thousands of God's Gentle People as they attempt to escape the scene in police buses.

RELATED: The commenters on Free Republic are cheering.

Stefon Says Goodbye To SNL

Stick around for the big reveal in the second half.

Rail Service Suspended Indefinitely After Metro-North Commuter Train Crash

Commuters may face weeks of difficulty in getting to New York City after Friday's train collision, which left dozens injured.

Metro-North's New Haven Line service east of Fairfield -- and Amtrak's service between New York and Boston -- was suspended in the wake of the crash, and authorities said it could take two weeks or more before service resumes. The investigation is expected to run from seven to 10 days, the NTSB's Earl Weener said, and only after the investigation is complete can Metro-North crews begin the labor-intensive process of repairing the rails and the overhead catenary wires that provide power to the trains.

Metro-North's New Haven line alone has a monthly ridership of over three million. Grand Central may be a ghost town this week.

Quote Of The Day - Matt Barber

 

"Our sources have provided Liberty Counsel an internal DOJ document titled: 'LGBT Inclusion at Work: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Managers.' It was emailed to DOJ managers in advance of the left’s so-called 'Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month.' The document is chilling. It’s riddled with directives that grossly violate – prima facie –employees’ First Amendment liberties.

"Following are excerpts from the 'DOJ Pride' decree. When it comes to 'LGBT pride,' employees are ordered: 'DON’T judge or remain silent. Silence will be interpreted as disapproval.' (Italics mine) That’s a threat. And not even a subtle one.  'DO display a symbol in your office (DOJ Pride sticker, copy of this brochure, etc.) indicating that it is a 'safe space.' Are you kidding? Does this administration really think it’s legal to compel managers to 'attend LGBT events,' or to 'display pride stickers' against their will? That’s compulsory expression. That’s viewpoint discrimination. That’s unconstitutional.

"Got it? For Christians and other morals-minded federal employees, it’s no longer enough to just shut up and 'stay in the closet' – to live your life in silent recognition of biblical principles (which, by itself, is unlawful constraint). When it comes to mandatory celebration of homosexual and cross-dressing behaviors, 'silence will be interpreted as disapproval.'

"This lawless administration is now ordering federal employees – against their will – to affirm sexual behaviors that every major world religion, thousands of years of history and uncompromising human biology reject. Somewhere, right now, George Orwell is smiling." - Hate group leader Matt Barber, writing for World Net Daily.

RELATED: Here is the DOJ Pride brochure that Barber claims the Obama administration is "ordering" all DOJ employees to obey. As you'll see, the brochure is nothing more than a list of standard helpful suggestions to improve office morale. NOWHERE in the message is any threat of punishment or discipline, not that any employee group such as DOJ Pride has that sort of power. But that little fact has gone unnoticed by hundreds of frothing WND commenters.

Say His Name: MARK CARSON

Hundreds of LGBT New Yorkers turned out tonight for a candlelight vigil held at the West Village corner where Mark Carson, 32, was murdered early yesterday morning. The event was organized by Adam Feldman and speakers included activists Eugene Lovendusky, Robert Pinter, and Brendan Fay. Among the local politicos in attendance were state Sen. Brad Hoylman, state Assemblyman Micah Kellner, and City Council candidate Corey Johnson.  Speaker after speaker exhorted the crowd: "Say his name!"  Everybody: "Mark Carson, Mark Carson, MARK CARSON!" 

NOTE: On Monday there will be a rally at the LGBT Community Center at 5:30PM, followed by a march to the scene of the murder.

PERSONAL:  Specials thanks go out to the many JMG readers who attended tonight. I just wish I'd gotten to meet you under better circumstances.

TONIGHT: Vigil In West Village

In response to last night's hate crime murder of a gay man, tonight there will be a candlelight vigil at midnight at the scene of the crime in the West Village.  Gather at the corner of Sixth Avenue and Eight Street near the Gray's Papaya restaurant.  The location is one block from the Ninth Street PATH station and two blocks from the Christopher Street 1 train station.

UPDATE: The New York Times has released the victim's name.

Mark Carson did not hide that he was gay, and when he went out on the town he would often head to Greenwich Village, where years before he was born, much of the struggle for gay liberation unfolded. Yet late Friday night, just blocks from the Stonewall Inn, among the most important landmarks of that struggle, he was confronted with a man screaming antigay slurs, who then stalked him before pulling out a silver revolver and fatally shooting him, the police said. Mr. Carson, who was 32, had recently moved from Harlem to Brooklyn after scrimping and saving money from his job at a yogurt shop in Midtown, according to Kay Allen, a friend for more than a decade. “He was a proud gay man,” Ms. Allen said. “A fabulous gay man.” She noted that he loved going to the Village. “His spirit was too big for this city,” she said. “He didn’t have a negative bone in his body.”

Much more about the crime is at the link.

UPDATE II: The New York Daily News has published the victim's photo.

From the Daily News story:

Sources said Carson and his 31-year-old friend were dressed in tank tops and cut-off shorts with boots. “Look at these faggots,” one of the suspect’s crew barked at the pair. “What are you, gay wrestlers?” The two groups exchanged words, but Carson and his pal decided it was better to walk away. But as they turned the corner, the suspect and one of his cohorts confronted the pair again and taunted them by shouting “faggot” and “queer,” Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said. One of the bigots got nervous and ran away as the suspect asked the two gay men, “Do you want to die here?” Kelly said. Suddenly, the suspect whipped out a silver .38-caliber revolver and shot Carson in the face. The shooter ran away as Carson collapsed on the sidewalk.

UPDATE III: CNN has named the man in custody. He reportedly confessed to the NYPD early this morning.

Around 4 a.m., a police officer, responding to a radio alert of the shooting, came across the alleged gunman and apprehended him. The suspect turned over a silver Taurus .38-caliber six-shot revolver, according to police. Police later identified the suspect as Elliot Morales, 33. Police said the suspect had forged identification and they used facial recognition technology to determine his true identity. Morales faces a charge of second-degree murder as a hate crime, authorities said. The identities of the suspect's two companions -- at least one of whom Kelly said left the suspect before the shooting -- are still not known.

Denmark Wins Eurovision 2013

Denmark won tonight's Eurovision 2013 finals in Malmo, Sweden. The top ten is above, the full list of where each nation finished is here.

Emmelie de Forest had been the overwhelming favourite among the 26 entries, with her song Only Teardrops. The UK's Bonnie Tyler came 19th, an improvement on last year when Engelbert Humperdinck came second from bottom. There was disappointment for Ireland's Ryan Dolan as he finished in last place with just five points. Second in the vote was Azerbaijan's Farid Mammadov, who was 47 points behind the winner, followed by Ukraine in third and Norway in fourth. Denmark, which will have the job of hosting the contest next year, had previously won the contest in 1963 and 2000.

Romania's Cezar, the operatic Klaus Nomi clone who was my pick to win this year, finished a "respectable" 13th place. Below is Denmark's entirely forgettable winning entry. At least the Azerbaijan cutie and his eyebrows got second place. He had an interesting performance gimmick, too.

BREAKING: Gay Man Shot To Death In West Village Hate Crime, Suspect In Custody Has Confessed

A gay man was shot to death early this morning after being chased out of a West Village fast food restaurant by a man shouting homphobic slurs. This is the fourth and obviously most grievous anti-gay hate crime to hit Manhattan in the last few weeks.  The New York Post reports on the murder and provides the below photo of the suspect:

The 32-year-old Brooklyn victim was shot in the head at about midnight at West 8th Street and Sixth Avenue and died at Beth Israel Hospital. His name was not released pending family notification, cops said. The gunman ran five blocks before cops collared him at West Third Street and MacDougal Street, according to police radio transmissions. The shooter appeared crazed and confessed to the shooting after he was nabbed, a police source said. “It was a quickie. He shot him and he went straight to the ground,” said a bouncer at a nearby club. “Half his body was lying on the sidewalk and half was on the street.”

New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn issued a statement this afternoon.

“I am horrified to learn that last night, a gay man was murdered in my district after being chased out of a Greenwich Village restaurant and assailed by homophobic slurs. I stand with all New Yorkers in condemning this attack. There was a time in New York City when hate crimes were a common occurrence. There was a time in New York City when two people of the same gender could not walk down the street arm-in-arm without fear of violence and harassment. We refuse to go back to that time. This kind of shocking and senseless violence, so deeply rooted in hate, has no place in a City whose greatest strength will always be its diversity. I thank the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force and the 6th Precinct for their swift response in apprehending the suspect responsible for this incomprehensible murder and urge anyone with additional information about this attack to contact the Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS."

Also issuing a statement today is Sharon Stapel, head of the NYC LGBT Anti-Violence Project.

"AVP is deeply disturbed by this act of violence and is working closely with the Speaker and the NYPD to determine what happened. AVP will be gathering community members on Friday Night, May 24th, for a Community Safety Night and we ask everyone to join us."

Gray's Papaya is one block from the eastern end of Christopher Street and is a popular late-night stop for clubgoers. New York City activists staged an anti-hate crimes protest rally outside of Madison Square Garden just two days ago.

UPDATE: More details on the crime.

Law enforcement sources say the victim, who lived in Brooklyn, was walking with a friend along Sixth Avenue at about midnight when a group that included the suspect, made anti-gay remarks. A short time later, the suspect and the victim crossed paths again. Then, the suspect allegedly pulled out a .38 caliber revolver and shot the victim once in the head. The gunman ran five blocks before cops captured him at West Third Street and MacDougal Street, on the edge of the NYU campus. The busy and well-traveled intersection of 8th Street, Sixth Avenue and Greenwich Avenue is just a few blocks from Washington Square Park. The suspect had a fake ID on him when he was taken into custody.

UPDATE II: NY1 has further details.

Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said the shooting took place shortly after midnight at West 4th Street and Barrow Street and it is classified as a hate crime. Kelly said the suspected gunman was caught urinating on the outside wall of a West Village bar, and then he walked into the bar and threatened the bartender with a silver pistol. The suspect then left the bar with two other men, and the trio confronted the victim and a male companion walking down the street. The alleged shooter called the victim and companion anti-gay slurs and asked if they were "gay wrestlers," according to Kelly. After the victim was shot once, the suspect fled to MacDougal Street and West 3rd Street, where Kelly said the alleged gunman dropped his weapon and was caught by police.

FRANCE: Man Fires Gun During Live Show At Cannes Film Festival

Oscar-winner Christopher Waltz was being interviewed live on French TV yesterday when a man fired a starting pistol and rushed the stage claiming to have a grenade.

The drama unfolded when the Django Unchained actor was being interviewed for France's Le Grand Journal at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday (May 17) when gunfire was heard.Speaking to the Daily Mail, Waltz said: ''I was on a panel at the Studio Canal platform off the beach when a man produced a gun. I think it was a pistol and he fired but luckily for me they were blanks. ''Then he shouted he had a grenade and again luckily for me there was no grenade. ''The police have him. They tackled him to the ground. I don't know who he was or where he came from or what his problem was.'' The male suspect was arrested at the scene and police discovered he was carrying a fake grenade and a knife.

The show resumed shortly after the arrest.

NEW YORK CITY: Theater Critic Tosses Cell Phone Of Audience Member

Two days ago libertarian author and National Review theater critic Kevin D. Williamson was slapped by an audience member sitting next to him after he grabbed her cell phone and threw it towards the exit. He was then ejected by theater management. The incident has since spawned discussions on numerous sites, but not everybody is defending his action. Today Williamson spoke to Playbill.

"It's bench seating there in the back, so she was basically in my lap," said Williamson. "I asked her politely if she'd put [her cell phone] away because it was distracting, and her response was, 'So don't look.'" After a back-and-forth argument, Williamson grabbed the patron's cell phone and tossed it across the room — aiming for the exit. The angered theatregoer slapped Williamson and "stormed out," crossing directly in front of the action in Natasha, Pierre. "Maybe ten minutes later," Williamson continued, "the security guy came and got me, and that was that." "At that point, there was already a fair disruption underway," he said. "She'd gotten quite loud when I was trying to talk her into behaving herself. Yeah, unquestionably what I did was a disruption, [but] I think I can make the case that I did it in the greater good, [although] it wasn't quiet."

Williamson's Twitter feed has been quite active since the phone-throwing.

CONNECTICUT: Dozens Injured, Five Critically, In Commuter Train Collision

Last night two Metro-North commuter trains collided near Fairfield, Connecticut after a southbound train derailed at 60mph.  Dozens were injured, five critically.

The derailed train apparently clipped the front of the oncoming train then scraped along its side, officials said. About 700 people were thrown about the two trains when they collided, said MTA spokesman Aaron Donovan. “It wasn’t a straight head-on collision, but the fronts of the two trains struck each other,” Metro-North spokesman Aaron Donovan said.  Malloy said 60 passengers were rushed to St. Vincent’s and Bridgeport hospitals. Five were in critical condition, and one was in very critical condition, Malloy said. The National Transportation Safety Board will lead an investigation with the FBI, the Connecticut Office of Emergency Management and the Federal Railroad Administration to determine the cause of the derailment, but Malloy doesn’t believe the rails were sabotaged.

Metro-North is the nation's busiest commuter rail service.

UPDATE: Commenters on Breitbart are blaming the president. And unions. And "Connecticut libtards."

Porn Industry Eyes Google Glass

You knew this was coming.

Because Google Glass is worn just like a regular pair of glasses at eye level, it allows users to take videos and photos from a distinctly first-person perspective and upload them directly to the Internet. Porn shot from that vantage point, POV style, has, according to Boyer, been popular for quite some time. “Obviously a device that allows you to shoot high-quality video in a truly hands-free fashion will make shooting POV porn that much easier,” Boyer noted.

MEXICO: President Enrique Pena Neito Issues Message Against Homophobia

Yesterday Mexican President Enrique Pena Neito issued the above tweets in recognition of the International Day Against Homophobia. "This May 17, International Day of the Fight Against Homophobia, I endorse my committment to a #InclusiveMexico, free of discrimination. Making Mexico a society of rights implies equality in dignity and eliminating all types of discrimination."

FRANCE: President Francois Hollande Signs Gay Marriage Bill Into Law

As he had promised, French President Francois Hollande signed the marriage equality bill into law this morning.

Hollande acted a day after the Constitutional Council threw out a legal challenge by the right-wing opposition, which had been the last obstacle to passing the bill into law. The legislation also legalises gay adoption. But while gay rights groups hailed the move, opponents of the measures have vowed to fight on.

Hollande made "marriage for all" a central plank of his presidential election campaign last year. On Friday, he tried to turn the page on months of bitter opposition to the measures, arguing it was "time to respect the law and the Republic". And he warned that he would tolerate no resistance.

"I will ensure that the law applies across the whole territory, in full, and I will not accept any disruption of these marriages," said the president. French Justice Minister Christiane Taubira, who steered the legislation through parliament, has said the first gay marriages could be celebrated as early as June.

Manif Pour Tous says they will hold their massive anti-gay rally on May 26th as scheduled.

Big Layoffs At The Village Voice

Gawker reports that the Village Voice has laid off some its best known staffers, including the one person most closely identified with the title.

We hear that executives from the Voice's parent company flew in for today's massacre. Michael Musto, the Voice's nightlife columnist and most high profile remaining staffer, has been let go, as was rumored last week. (There had apparently been some talk of Musto's column hanging on in some form, but that does not seem to have worked out.) Also let go, sources tell us, was Robert Sietsema, the Voice's longtime food critic, and Michael Feingold, the paper's theater critic. Feingold was scheduled to host the Obie Awards for the Voice next week. That just makes the timing that much more shocking.

Musto tells Gawker: "So many people have come out to offer their love (and opportunities). I'll update you on all my new beginnings. My brand will be feistier than ever."

Religion's Gifts To The World

Fifth in a monthly series.

Quote Of The Day - Andrew Sullivan

"Has this president broken the law, lied under oath, or authorized war crimes? Has he traded arms for hostages with Iran? Has he knowingly sent his cabinet out to tell lies about his sex life? Has he sat by idly as an American city was destroyed by a hurricane? Has he started a war with no planning for an occupation? Has he started a war based on a lie, and destroyed the US’ credibility and moral standing while he was at it, leaving nothing but a smoldering and now rekindled civil sectarian war? So far as I can tell, this president has done nothing illegal, unethical or even wrong." - Andrew Sullivan, responding to Peggy Noonan's claim that "We are in the midst of the worst Washington scandal since Watergate."

BERLIN: Protesters At Barbie Dreamhouse

Yesterday German feminists picketed outside the newly-opened Barbie Dreamhouse attraction:

“This dream world suggests that women can’t be anything less than beautiful and slim,” said Franziska Sedlak from protest group Occupy Barbie Dreamhouse. “And life is not about being beautiful all the time.” The movement began in March when members of a youth group affiliated to Germany’s far-left party, die Linke, created an Occupy Barbie Dreamhouse Facebook page.

“Our protest is not directed towards little girls and their dreams,” member Michael Koschitzki said. “But, for us, this so-called Dreamhouse symbolizes the beauty craze and the discrimination of women in modern day life. It presents a cliché of the female role in society.” Demonstrators included a woman with bare breasts holding a burning cross with "life in plastic is not fantastic" written on her body.

North Miami Chose "Luciefer"

"I AM A TRUE CHRISTIAN WOMAN. NOT ONLY I AM COVERED UNDER THE BLOOD OF JESUS...I AM SWIMMING IN IT. MY JESUS HAS CONTROL OVER MY LIFE & THE TITLE OF MAYOR DOESN'T DEFINE WHO I AM AS A PERSON. NORTH MIAMI CHOSE 'LUCIEFER' OVER JESUS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST & SUPPORT, YOUR FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION, AND MOST IMPORTANTLY- YOUR PRAYERS ! I HAVE LOST A HARD FOUGHT BATTLE BUT NOT A WAR." -  North Miami mayoral candidate Anna Pierre, writing on her Facebook page. Pierre made national news earlier this week when she declared that Jesus had endorsed her candidacy. On Tuesday she received 56 votes and finished last.

Retweeted By Matt Barber

Gay Dads Meet Their Twin Babies

This week New Yorkers Matt and Josh met their newborn twins in India, where they were born through gestational surrogacy. The couple has been chronicling their journey into parenthood at their blog, New Dads On The Block.  I first met Josh several years ago when he was part of our gay press junket to Key West.  Congratulations to both proud papas!

Tweet Of The Day - Bette Midler

Michelle Malkin's Twitchy is going nuts.

Headline Of The Day

Leesburg Today has the news:

This week, Al Nevarez, Delgaudio’s 2011 opponent for supervisor who is helping lead the effort, confirmed the group of community organizers formed under a group called Sterling Deserves Better had surpassed the 558 signatures—equal to 10 percent of the number voting in the 2011 election—needed for the group to make its case before a judge. But he said that a larger outreach plan was underway to generate more community awareness of the recall effort and Delgaudio’s actions as a supervisor. Delgaudio has served as the Sterling District supervisor since 1999.

The paper notes that there has never been a successful recall effort in Virginia. This would be a fantastic start. (Tipped by JMG reader Blair)

The Periodic Table Song

I would have totally memorized this in middle school.

RELATED: Dr. Jeff suggests memorizing this one too.

BREAKING: France's Constitutional Court Rules In Favor Of Marriage Bill

President Francois Hollande promised yesterday that he will sign the bill immediately. Suck it, Manif Pour Tous!

Allen West Joins Fox News

And now for the most unsurprising news of the day. Via the Atlantic:

Outgoing members of Congress are rarely hard-pressed for jobs (even when they've gone out in disgrace). Tea Party star Allen West just accepted the one that was perhaps the most predictable: contributor to Fox News. The Hill quotes Fox's executive vice president of networking: "Representative West’s congressional and military experience along with his fearless approach to voicing key issues will provide a valuable point of view to the FOX News lineup." How unique that point of view will be on Fox News is open to debate.

Portugal Approves Gay Adoption UPDATE: Not So Fast

UPDATE: The below-linked source has edited their opening sentence to read: "Portuguese parliament has approved Friday a bill that will allow same-sex married couples to adopt their partner’s biological or adopted children."

So it's not full adoption rights. Below is my original post.

Today the Portuguese Parliament narrowly approved adoption rights for same-sex couples. The vote was 99-94 with nine abstentions.

The bills were supported by the ruling center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD) and the progressive Socialist Party (PS). The Portuguese parliament had approved the right to same-sex marriages in 2010, but without adoption rights. The law allowed gay couples the same rights as married heterosexual couples, including taxes, inheritance and housing, but didn’t offer the right to adopt children.  Portugal is among the first 10 counties in the world to allow same-sex marriage. As recently as 1982, homosexuality was a crime in Portugal. Today, Portugal has wide-ranging anti-discrimination laws and is one of the few countries in the world to contain a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation in its Constitution.

(Tipped by JMG reader Pedro)

FRANCE: Homocons Stage Press Paris Conference With Manif Pour Tous

Note the Manif Pour Tous logo on the rainbow flags. France's Constitutional Council may announce their ruling on the marriage bill today. Check their Twitter feed for messages about item #669. The ruling is expected to be positive.

GEORGIA: Thousands Of Anti-Gay Protesters Force End To Pride Rally

Led by priests from the Orthodox Church, thousands of anti-gay protesters forced the cancellation of a gay pride rally today in Georgia's capital of Tbilisi.

Police in Tbilisi guarded several dozen gay activists and bused them out of the city center shortly after they arrived at the gathering. Those occupying the street held posters reading "We don't need Sodom and Gomorrah!" and "Democracy does not equal immorality!" A number of protesters carrying bunches of nettles threatened to use them on gay activists. They insist that homosexuality runs against Georgia's traditional Orthodox Christian values. Father David, a priest who was one of the organizers of Friday's anti-gay rally, said the parade "insults people's traditions and national sentiments." A gay rally in Tbilisi last year was also short-lived and ended in a scuffle.

VIDEO: Priests and young men chased rally participants to buses.  Seventeen people were reportedly injured.

MAP: Racially Tolerant Nations

The Washington Post created the above map in response to a survey examined by Swedish economists. According to the survey responses, the least racially tolerant places are India, Jordan, Hong Kong, and Bangladesh.

Among the dozens of questions that World Values asks, the Swedish economists found one that, they believe, could be a pretty good indicator of tolerance for other races. The survey asked respondents in more than 80 different countries to identify kinds of people they would not want as neighbors. Some respondents, picking from a list, chose “people of a different race.” The more frequently that people in a given country say they don’t want neighbors from other races, the economists reasoned, the less racially tolerant you could call that society. (The study concluded that economic freedom had no correlation with racial tolerance, but it does appear to correlate with tolerance toward homosexuals.)

The Post notes that some people surely lied to pollsters and that the "unanswerable question" is whether people in some countries are more likely to be honest about their racism.  A follow-up article from the Post examines the countries which are most ethnically diverse.

Human Rights Watch Names 2013 "Hall Of Shame" Anti-Gay Villains

To mark today's International Day Against Homophobia, Human Rights Watch has posted its top four global villains in the battle for LGBT rights. Among those named is Pat Robertson's ACLJ, which has been exporting anti-gay hate across the globe.

The American Center for Law and Justice; President Yahya Jammeh of Gambia; Vadym Kolesnichenko, a member of Ukraine’s parliament; and the Ukrainian political party Svoboda are undermining human rights by actively promoting homophobic policies, Human Rights Watch said. The 2013 Human Rights Watch “Hall of Shame” inductees were selected for endangering the lives and dignity of LGBT people in 2013. They strongly contributed to a homophobic and transphobic environment during the past year, Human Rights Watch said.

Here's what they say about Pat Robertson's group.

The American Center for Law and Justice (ACLJ), for attempting to export homophobia to Africa. Founded in 1990 by the Baptist Minister and televangelist Pat Robertson, and headed by Jay Sekulow, its chief counsel, the ACLJ strongly opposes LGBT equality and reproductive rights in the United States and across the globe. It works through offshoot organizations such as the East African Centre for Law and Justice (EACLJ) in Kenya, the African Centre for Law and Justice (ACLJ) in Zimbabwe, and the Brazilian Center for Law and Justice (BCLJ) in Brazil. The EACLJ unsuccessfully lobbied against Kenya’s progressive new constitution in 2010 solely on the basis that the constitution’s anti-discrimination clause could eventually be used to advance LGBT equality and that it allows for abortion when the mother’s health is at stake.

My most recent posts about the ACLJ are here.