Issue 1551, October 15, 2014

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October 15, 2014

Issue 1551

YouGov Poll: Only Tucson sparkles with Pride 18 states oppose marriage equality OBSERVER STAFF Headlines about last week’s YouGov Poll focused mainly on congressional and gubernatorial races, but it also included a state-by-state breakdown of support for same-sex marriage. Many Arizonans may be shocked to know that Arizona comes in right about average, with 47 percent approving and 40 percent disapproving, or a net approval of 7 percent. (Virginia showed the same results.) Michigan,

where

pro-

Inside Arizona campaign ads ... always a fustercluck Page 4

Gay marriages begin in Las Vegas Page 5 October declared ‘TIHAN Appreciation Month’ Page 6

87-year-old nudist bared all for politics but lost in primary Page 13

Fun pix begin on page 7

equality respondents outnumbered opponents by 47 percent to 39 percent, and North Dakota at 48 percent to 39 percent, were other states with near-average approval rates. In only 18 states did opponents outnumber supporters, with the worst being Tennessee (29 to 58 percent) and Alabama (28 to 60 percent). New Mexico, to the east of Arizona, had a solidly progressive approval rate of 57 percent to 32 percent. Coninued on page 7

Major shift at the Vatican:

Bishops think we may be human after all

Photo: Bill Morrow

With two parades in two days, the downtown scene was colorful throughout the weekend. The parades helped ring in the start of Coming Out Week and Pride-related festivities that continue through to Tucson’s Pride in the Desert on Oct. 18. Our Pride coverage extravaganza begins on page 7.

Train wreck planned for Saturday:

The Absolute Worst Drag Show 3 -- Third Time is Not the Charm

By John Gallagher QUEERTY

By Mark Kerr SPECIAL TO THE OBSERVER

Is there such a thing as a kinder, gentler homophobia? It seems we’re about to fi nd out. After decades of saying that gayness was “a disordered sexual inclination which is essentially self-indulgent,” the Catholic Church seems poised to make a major change in its attitude toward homosexuality. In short, the Vatican may actually think we’re human.

Efforts continue for Tucson’s LGBT and straight supportive bowling tournament, Chuzapalooza (online at chuzapalooza.com), scheduled for Jan. 16-19, which is over Martin Luther King Weekend.

In an interim report released by the bishops attending the extraordinary synod in Rome, the church has started to sing from a new hymnal when it comes to LGBT people. The report says that “homosexuals have gifts and qualities to offer to the Christian community” and asked, “Are we capable of welcoming these people, guaranteeing to them a fraternal space in our communities?” Even as a rhetorical question, that’s a remarkable statement. Who would have imagined that the Church wanted to welcome us, let alone say we have something to offer? That’s not the kind of rhetoric that Pope Francis’ immediate predecessor would ever have used.

Chuzapalooza has been Continued on page 4

GOP’s shrinking umbrella still not small enough for some of its stars By R.D. Smith GUEST COLUMNIST

Except this time, where do the homophobes go?

anti-gay hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Some stars of the Republican Party are threatening to leave the GOP because it won’t fight hard enough against the will of U.S. voters.

“I am utterly exasperated with Republicans and the so-called leadership of the Republicans who have abdicated on this issue,” Huckabee said last week in an interview on American Family Radio’s “Today’s Issues.”

Huckabee and his ilk soiled their bloomers last week when most GOP leaders were silent after court decisions expanding same-sex marriage, potentially adding more than a dozen more states.

Put another way, if the GOP intends to keep winning elections, people like the Rev. Mike Huckabee, one of its recent presidential candidates, say they’ll be outta there. It’s the same strategy used by outraged segregationists when they bolted the Democratic Party after the Civil Rights Act and gave the GOP its “southern strategy” of the past 30 years.

“I’m gone,” Huckabee ranted. “I’ll become an independent. I’ll start finding people that have guts to stand. I’m tired of this.” American Family Radio, of course, is a broadcasting tentacle of the American Family Association, identified as an

With 53 percent of voters supporting marriage equality and 80 percent of 18- and 20-year-olds on board, Huckabee didn’t offer an explanation about how the GOP continues to oppose it and still remains a national power. Because there isn’t an explanation to give at this point.


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