1569 February 18, 2015

Page 1

February 18, 2015

We only waited six weeks for DuceyDouglastan to become a public pee fight. Yay, AZ!

Issue 1569

Whistlin' Dixie

Diane Douglas, the state’s new superintendent against public instruction, doesn’t want the public to know what she’s about to say Friday during a hearing, so she simply slides the media microphones away before continuing.

funding away from the schools she was elected to oversee.

OBSERVER STAFF PHOENIX -- Whatever state school superintendent Diane Douglas intends to prove with her political career, it’s hard to see how she plans to do it -- unless it’s driving even more

Inside This advice by Freud on how to cure a gay child might surprise you Page 15 Urban Outfitters sets off firestorm with pink triangle Page 7 Tucson’s 33rd annual Peace Fair & Music Festival is free, open to everyone and challenging poverty Page 7 AZ’s Rep. Salmon pushes more asshattery to bully people weaker than himself Page 10

NEEDED: A community conversation Page 4

Mexico: Another place being ruined by ‘American values’ Page 3

One: Celebrating her second month in office by getting into an open war with the governor. That erupted Continued on page 12

Ex-gay group's claims ruled to be consumer fraud

Same-sex couples and their supporters camp outside the Mobile, Ala., probate court during their three days of waiting to be issued marriage licenses. Judge Callie Granade specifically ordered the judge to issue licenses there, but as of Tuesday about 20 of the 67 counties still refused. Cornpone Chupacabra Roy Moore, chief justice of the state's Supreme Court, is still gathering information to put federal courts in their place!

Wingspan Dinner keynote: Striking reminder of fight ahead

JERSEY CITY, N.J. -- A Hudson County Superior Court judge ruled last week that representing homosexuality as a mental disorder violates state consumer fraud law.

OBSERVER STAFF TUCSON – Attendees of the first Wingspan Dinner since the organization merged with the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation were treated to a night of awards recognition, entertainment, and a showstopping reality check from marriage equality plaintiffs Jennifer Hoefle-Olson and Kelli Olson.

Judge Peter F. Barsio Jr. made the ruling in a case involving Jews Offering New Alternatives for Healing, known as JONAH. The case will continue in order to determine whether JONAH actually made the fraudulent claim, but even if it did, New Jersey law allows discrimination to continue if it's religion-based. As has often been stated since last year's Hobby Lobby ruling by the Supreme Court, it's hard to see how any law meant to protect the LGBT community can mean much, since almost all such discrimination is religion-based. The same is true for blacks and women. But the Southern Poverty Law Center said the case is still "monumental" in light of Barsio's ruling. "For the first time, a court has ruled that it is fraudulent as a matter of law for conversion therapists to tell clients that they have a mental disorder that can be cured," said David Dinielli, the SPLC's deputy legal director, in a press release.

Keynote speakers at Wingspans Annual Dinner Jennifer HoefleOlson and Kelli Olson believe marriage equality is not the biggest issue facing the LGBTQ community.

The two were invited to Continued on page 5

Democrats in Congress enjoy ‘thwarting’ right back By R.D. Smith GUEST COLUMNIST I’ve often said that with the exception of Grijalva (Tucson’s own), Democrats in Congress have been pretty useless for 30 or 40 years now -- sitting on their asses except when they react to something the Republicans did. So I have to admit I’ve enjoyed the past month. I’d say there’s only one reason for Dems suddenly deciding they can speak up just like real congresscritters: Six Continued on page 4

And since Congress passed the flawed Obamacare bill, why doesn’t Congress just pass a correction?


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