14. APRIL 8, 2016, THE PRIDE LA

the pride

MOVIES: 04.08.2016 WAR AND ETHICS BY “EYE IN THE SKY” ⚫ 16

UNDERSTANDING “RELIGIOUS FREEDOM” & WHY YOU CARE ⚫ 10

WWW.THEPRIDELA.COM

BREAKING SOUTH CAROLINA RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

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ISSUE NUMBER 7, VOLUME 2 1 APRIL 8 — APRIL 21, 2016

LOS ANGELES

THE LOS ANGELES LGBT NEWSPAPER

OBITUARY ⚫ 14

Bill Rosendahl service attended by hundreds of friends and family WEHO LAWSUIT ⚫ 8

West Hollywood City Attorney explains quiet on Ian Owens lawsuit GOVERNMENT ⚫ 11

Anti-gay laws draw CA gov biz travel bans to Hateland states nationwide NEWS ⚫ 7

L.A. man said to kill son for being gay, prosecutors say

OUTRAGE IN MISSISSIPPI:

AS RELIGIOUS LIBERY BILLS CONTINUE TO SPREAD LGBT ADVOCATES HAVE TAKEN TO THE STREETS, THE COURTS AND THE BOARDROOM.

Everything you need to know about anti-LGBTQ religious freedom bills

⚫ Religious Freedom bills appear unconstitutional

but they are not. They highlight the need for a federal bill to protect LGBT citizens.

⚫ A flood of anti-LGBT bills being pushed in 2016 by

anti-equality activists around the country. There are nearly 200 anti-LGBT bills in 34 states.

⚫ 2

04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

New Odefsey is now available ®

ODEC0005_OdefseyJrnlAd-B_Spread_10x11-7_ThePride.indd 1-2

04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

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One small pill contains rilpivirine, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF).

Ask your healthcare provider if ODEFSEY is right for you.

To learn more visit ODEFSEY.com

Please see Brief Summary of Patient Information with important warnings on the following pages.

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04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

Brief Summary of Patient Information about ODEFSEY ODEFSEY (oh-DEF-see) (emtricitabine, rilpivirine and tenofovir alafenamide) tablets Important: Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about medicines that should not be taken with ODEFSEY. There may be new information about ODEFSEY. This information is only a summary and does not take the place of talking with your healthcare provider about your medical condition or treatment.

What is the most important information I should know about ODEFSEY? ODEFSEY can cause serious side effects, including: • Build-up of lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis). Lactic acidosis may happen in some people who take ODEFSEY or similar medicines. Lactic acidosis is a serious medical emergency that can lead to death. Lactic acidosis can be hard to identify early, because the symptoms could seem like symptoms of other health problems.

Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms which could be signs of lactic acidosis: – feel very weak or tired – have unusual (not normal) muscle pain – have trouble breathing – have stomach pain with nausea or vomiting – feel cold, especially in your arms and legs – feel dizzy or lightheaded – have a fast or irregular heartbeat • Severe liver problems. Severe liver problems may happen in people who take ODEFSEY. In some cases, these liver problems can lead to death. Your liver may become large and you may develop fat in your liver. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of liver problems: – your skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow (jaundice) – dark “tea-colored” urine – light-colored bowel movements (stools) – loss of appetite – nausea – pain, aching, or tenderness on the right side of your stomach area • You may be more likely to get lactic acidosis or severe liver problems if you are female, very overweight (obese), or have been taking ODEFSEY or a similar medicine for a long time.

• Worsening of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. ODEFSEY is not approved to treat HBV. If you have HBV and take ODEFSEY, your HBV may get worse (flare-up) if you stop taking ODEFSEY. A “flare-up” is when your HBV infection suddenly returns in a worse way than before.

– Do not run out of ODEFSEY. Refill your prescription or talk to your healthcare provider before your ODEFSEY is all gone.

– Do not stop taking ODEFSEY without first talking to your healthcare provider.

– If you stop taking ODEFSEY, your healthcare provider will need to check your health often and do blood tests regularly for several months to check your HBV infection. Tell your healthcare provider about any new or unusual symptoms you may have after you stop taking ODEFSEY.

ODEC0005_OdefseyJrnlAd-B_Spread_10x11-7_ThePride.indd 3-4

What is ODEFSEY? ODEFSEY is a prescription medicine that is used to treat HIV-1 in people 12 years of age and older: • who have not received HIV-1 medicines in the past and have an amount of HIV-1 in their blood (“viral load”) that is no more than 100,000 copies/mL, or • to replace their current HIV-1 medicines in people who have been on the same HIV-1 medicines for at least 6 months, have a viral load that is less than 50 copies/mL, and have never failed past HIV-1 treatment.

It is not known if ODEFSEY is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age or who weigh less than 77 lb (35 kg).

When used to treat HIV-1 infection, ODEFSEY may help: • Reduce the amount of HIV-1 in your blood. This is called “viral load”.

• Increase the number of CD4+ (T) cells in your blood that help fight off other infections.

Reducing the amount of HIV-1 and increasing the CD4+ (T) cells in your blood may help improve your immune system. This may reduce your risk of death or getting infections that can happen when your immune system is weak (opportunistic infections).

ODEFSEY does not cure HIV-1 infection or AIDS. You must keep taking HIV-1 medicines to control HIV-1 infection and decrease HIV-related illnesses.

Ask your healthcare provider about how to prevent passing HIV-1 to others. Do not share or re-use needles, injection equipment, or personal items that can have blood or body fluids on them. Do not have sex without protection. Always practice safer sex by using a latex or polyurethane condom to lower the chance of sexual contact with semen, vaginal secretions, or blood.

Who should not take ODEFSEY? Do not take ODEFSEY if you also take a medicine that contains: • carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Epitol®, Equetro®, Tegretol®, Tegretol-XR®, Teril®) • dexamethasone (Ozurdex®, Maxidex®, Decadron®, BaycadronTM) • dexlansoprazole (Dexilant ®) • esomeprazole (Nexium®, Vimovo®) • lansoprazole (Prevacid®) • omeprazole (Prilosec®, Zegerid®) • oxcarbazepine (Trileptal®) • pantoprazole sodium (Protonix®) • phenobarbital (Luminal®) • phenytoin (Dilantin®, Dilantin-125®, Phenytek®) • rabeprazole (Aciphex®) • rifampin (Rifadin®, Rifamate®, Rifater ®, Rimactane®) • rifapentine (Priftin®) • the herb St. John’s wort or a product that contains St. John’s wort

What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ODEFSEY? Before taking ODEFSEY, tell your healthcare provider if you: • have liver problems including hepatitis B or C virus infection • have kidney and bone problems • have had depression or suicidal thoughts • have any other medical conditions • are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ODEFSEY can harm your unborn baby. Tell your healthcare provider if you become pregnant while taking ODEFSEY.

04.08.2016

Pregnancy registry: there is a pregnancy registry for women who take HIV-1 medicines during pregnancy. The purpose of this registry is to collect information about the health of you and your baby. Talk with your healthcare provider about how you can take part in this registry.

• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Do not breastfeed if you take ODEFSEY. – You should not breastfeed if you have HIV-1 because of the risk of passing HIV-1 to your baby.

– At least one of the medicines in ODEFSEY can pass to your baby in your breast milk.

It is not known if the other medicines in ODEFSEY can pass into your breast milk.

– Talk with your healthcare provider about the best way to feed your baby.

Tell your healthcare provider about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Some medicines may interact with ODEFSEY. Keep a list of your medicines and show it to your healthcare provider and pharmacist when you get a new medicine.

• You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for a list of medicines that interact with ODEFSEY. • Do not start a new medicine without telling your healthcare provider. Your healthcare provider can tell you if it is safe to take ODEFSEY with other medicines.

How should I take ODEFSEY? • Take ODEFSEY exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it. ODEFSEY is • • • • •

taken by itself (not with other HIV-1 medicines) to treat HIV-1 infection.

Take ODEFSEY 1 time each day with a meal.

Do not change your dose or stop taking ODEFSEY without first talking with your healthcare provider. Stay under a healthcare provider’s care when taking ODEFSEY. Do not miss a dose of ODEFSEY. If you take too much ODEFSEY, call your healthcare provider or go to the nearest hospital emergency room right away.

When your ODEFSEY supply starts to run low, get more from your healthcare provider or pharmacy. This is very important because the amount of virus in your blood may increase if the medicine is stopped for even a short time. The virus may develop resistance to ODEFSEY and become harder to treat.

What are the possible side effects of ODEFSEY? ODEFSEY may cause serious side effects, including: • See “What is the most important information I should know about ODEFSEY?” • Severe skin rash and allergic reactions. Skin rash is a common side effect of ODEFSEY. Rash can be serious. Call your healthcare provider right away if you get a rash. In some cases, rash and allergic reaction may need to be treated in a hospital.

If you get a rash with any of the following symptoms, stop taking ODEFSEY and call your healthcare provider right away: – fever – skin blisters – mouth sores – redness or swelling of the eyes (conjunctivitis) – swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat – trouble breathing or swallowing – pain on the right side of the stomach (abdominal) area – dark “tea-colored” urine

LOS ANGELES

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• Depression or mood changes. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have

any of the following symptoms: – feel sad or hopeless – feel anxious or restless – have thoughts of hurting yourself (suicide) or have tried to hurt yourself • Change in liver enzymes. People with a history of hepatitis B or C virus infection or who have certain liver enzyme changes may have an increased risk of developing new or worsening liver problems during treatment with ODEFSEY. Liver problems can also happen during treatment with ODEFSEY in people without a history of liver disease. Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your liver enzymes before and during treatment with ODEFSEY. • Changes in body fat can happen in people who take HIV-1 medicine. These changes may include increased amount of fat in the upper back and neck (“buffalo hump”), breast, and around the middle of your body (trunk). Loss of fat from the legs, arms and face may also happen. The exact cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known.

• Changes in your immune system (Immune Reconstitution Syndrome) can happen when you start taking HIV-1 medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in your body for a long time. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you start having any new symptoms after starting your HIV-1 medicine.

• New or worse kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before you start and while you are taking ODEFSEY. Your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking ODEFSEY if you develop new or worse kidney problems.

• Bone problems can happen in some people who take ODEFSEY. Bone problems may include bone pain, softening or thinning (which may lead to fractures). Your healthcare provider may need to do tests to check your bones.

The most common side effects of rilpivirine, one of the medicines in ODEFSEY, are depression, trouble sleeping (insomnia), and headache.

The most common side effect of emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide, two of the medicines in ODEFSEY, is nausea.

Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

• These are not all the possible side effects of ODEFSEY. For more information, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist.

• Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

This Brief Summary summarizes the most important information about ODEFSEY. If you would like more information, talk with your healthcare provider. You can ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for information about ODEFSEY that is written for health professionals.

For more information, call 1-800-445-3235 or go to www.ODEFSEY.com.

Keep ODEFSEY and all medicines out of reach of children.

Issued: March 2016

ODEFSEY, the ODEFSEY Logo, GILEAD, the GILEAD Logo, and GSI are trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies. All other trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners. © 2016 Gilead Sciences, Inc. All rights reserved. ODEC0005 03/16

3/30/16 11:09 AM

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NATIONAL

NEWS & POLITICS

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04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

⚫ BY TROY MASTERS

Mississippi enshrines antigay discrimination as a right Mississippi is part of a flood of anti-LGBT bills being pushed in 2016 by anti-equality activists around the country. There are nearly 200 anti-LGBT bills in 34 states.

M

ississippi Governor Phil Bryant has signed a bill into law that allows religious groups and private businesses to refuse service to gay couples based on religious beliefs.

The measure clears the way for employers to impose their religious beliefs in implementing workplace policies, hiring, dress code, grooming and bathroom and locker access. It even allows real estate companies to deny housing based on sexual orientation and perceived gender.

Mississippi is latest state to draw national attention for passage of anti-LGBT laws. North Carolina recently barred transgender people from choosing bathrooms consistent with their gender identity and also prohibited its municipalities from enacting measures that would protect LGBT people.

Tennessee is considering similar legislation related to school bathrooms, and civil rights groups are watching a similar measure in Missouri. Last week, the governors of Georgia and Virginia vetoed “religious liberty” bills.

Mississippi’s governor signed House Bill 1523 into law despite universal opposition from gay-rights groups and many major businesses who say it is outright discrimination.

The law aims to protect the rights of those who believe marriage should be only between one man and one woman, that sexual relations should only take place inside such marriages, and that male and female genders are unchangeable.

“This bill merely reinforces the

GOVERNOR BRYANT IS RUMORED TO HAVE A GAY SON.

rights which currently exist to the exercise of religious freedom as stated in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” the state’s Republican governor wrote in a statement posted on Twitter.

The law allows churches, religious charities and privately held businesses to decline services to people whose lifestyles they say violate their religious beliefs. Individual government employees may opt out of facilitating services and programs for LGBT people, although the measure says governments must still provide services.

“This bill does not limit any constitutionally protected rights or actions of any citizen of this state under federal or state laws,” Bryant said. “It does not attempt to challenge federal laws, even those which are in conflict with the Mississippi Constitution, as the Legislature recognizes the prominence of federal law in such limited circumstances.”

Bryant signed the measure into law within hours of receiving the bill.

Only days before the Supreme Court of the United States rebuked a Mis-

sissippi law that prohibited LGBT people from adopting children.

“This bill flies in the face of the basic American principles of fairness, justice and equality and will not protect anyone’s religious liberty,” Jennifer Riley-Collins, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi, said in a statement.

“Far from protecting anyone from ‘government discrimination’ as the bill claims, it is an attack on the citizens of our state, and it will serve as the Magnolia State’s badge of shame.”

“This is a sad day for the state of Mississippi and for the thousands of Mississippians who can now be turned away from businesses, refused marriage licenses, or denied housing, essential services and needed care based on who they are,” she said.

The ACLU, which is involved in a federal lawsuit challenging a similar law in North Carolina, said it was considering strategy in Mississippi.

Private sector businesses have pushed back against such legislation elsewhere; the North Carolina law was almost immediately opposed by

Apple Inc, Twitter Inc, Pay Pal, Amazon, Well Fargo, Alphabet Inc and dozens of other high-profile corporations with interests in that state.

On Tuesday, PayPal Holdings Inc, for example, canceled plans to open a global operations center in Charlotte, North Carolina and will withhold an investment of $3.6 million locally the discriminatory law..

In Mississippi, a growing number of private sector critics include Nissan North America and MGM Resorts International.

More than two-thirds of Mississippi residents and voters support the law, according to the Family Research Council, an influential Christian lobbying group.

“This new law gives fresh momentum to efforts on the federal and state level to stop government discrimination against people who believe that marriage is between a man and a woman,” its president, Tony Perkins, said in a statement.

Human Rights Campaign issued a MISSISSIPPI continued on p. 13

04.08.2016 HOMOCIDE LOS ANGELES

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LOS ANGELES

⚫ 7

FAMILY CRIME

⚫ BY TROY MASTERS

L.A. man killed son because he was gay D

ozens of people from the San Fernando Valley LGBT group Somos Familia Valle, gathered in peaceful protest in North Hills on Monday April 4 following the alleged murder of Amir Issa, a gay man who prosecutors say was killed by his own father for being gay.

Prosecutors say Shehada Khalil Issa, 69, shot and killed his son outside their North Hills home. Amir had gunshot wounds to the face and abdomen and was pronounced dead at the scene. Amir’s mother, Rabihah Issa, 68 was also found dead inside the house. She had been stabbed, police said, and may have been dead for some time before her body was discovered.

The rally was held near the murder scene.

Los Angeles police officers arrested Issa after finding Amir’s body outside the residence. The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office say Issa previously had threatened to kill his 29-year-old son because of his sexual orientation. Neighbors suggested that a long-brewing mix of drugs, mental illness, homophobia and extreme family dysfunction contributed to the murder.

“The murder was committed because of the victim’s sexual orientation and because of the defendant’s perception of that status and the victims’ association with a person and a group of that status,” prosecutors said in a statement, according to the AP. Issa, who used a shotgun in the killing, has been charged with one count of premeditated murder, The Los Angeles Times reported.

If convicted, Issa could serve life in prison without the possibility of parole, according to the Los Angeles Daily News.

Shehada Khalil Issa, arrested for the murder of his own son. “It’s just my son acting crazy again,” Issa told him. “It’s the drugs. I called the cops,

so I’m just waiting for them,” he told a neighbor during a previous family incident.

Shehada Khalil Issa, arrested for the murder of his own son. “It’s just my son acting crazy again,” Issa told him. “It’s the drugs. I called the cops, so I’m just waiting for them,” he told a neighbor during a previous family incident.

Issa told police, according to the Daily News, that he didn’t kill his wife, but instead found her in their home’s bathroom, where she was already dead. The paper reported Issa claims he armed himself after finding her body. He says he then encountered his son who threatened him with a knife. He claims he shot him in self-defense.

Police found the son’s body in the backyard, according to NBC affiliate KNBC. “The suspect made incriminating statements implicating himself in the death of (the son) and was arrested for murder,” Operations Valley Bureau homicide detective John Doerbecker told the Daily News. “He claimed (the son) was armed with a knife, and there was no knife to be found (there).

“It was a horrible family tragedy.”

Doerbecker added that the father and son had a history of conflict, with the son vandalizing the home and his parents attempting to kick him out of the house. Neighbors told the paper that the father and son were often overheard fighting.

That there was no knife found at the scene is a critical detail.

Amir Issa has had a troubled past, with bouts of violence and mental illness.

The Los Angeles Times found court records of a man with the name Amir Issa (whose parents live in Los Angeles) and who was convicted in San Diego of assault with a deadly weapon in 2010. Issa slashed his ex-boyfriend’s face with a knife. The ex-boyfriend

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⚫ 8

LEGAL

CITY COUNCIL

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04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

WEST HOLLYWOOD

⚫ BY KAREN OCAMB

WeHo City Attorney Mike Jenkins explains silence around Ian Owens lawsuit Owens claimed he was the victim of retaliation for reporting alleged misconduct and that John Duran sexually harassed him instead of helping him.

L

ong before Ian Owens was suspended from his job as deputy to West Hollywood City Councilmember John Duran in January 2015 amid allegations he bugged the office of John Heilman’s council deputy Fran Solomon, residents agitated for a thorough public airing of the perceived shenanigans behind the council deputy system. After the city recently settled Owen’s lawsuit against the city and Duran alleging sexual harassment and wrongful punishment for $500,000, the clamor for transparency grew even louder, especially since the settlement included no confession of wrongdoing.

“This agreement shall not in any way be construed as an admission by defendants or Owens of the truth of any allegations, or an admission of any unlawful acts or other liability whatsoever,” the Los Angeles Times quotes the settlement as saying.

The T imes also quotes WeHo City Attorney Mike Jenkins as saying that an independent investigation showed Duran “did not engage in sexual harassment.”

So why did the city settle and why can’t the whole unsavory af fair be aired and disclosed in public for the city’s residents to ask questions?

At the Monday, April 4 City Council meeting, Jenkins responded to the growing frustration.

WEHO CITY ATTORNEY MIKE JENKINS

First, Jenkins said, the decision to settle and to pay Owens was a “calculated business decision” made by the city’s insurers, not the city or Duran.

And because he was named in the lawsuit, Duran was recused from any of the discussions or decisions.

Secondly, Owens’ attorneys have said that comments about the case made at the council meetings could lead to yet another lawsuit. Additionally, any public discussion of a lawsuit just filed by Councilmember John D’Amico’s for mer deputy, Michelle Rex, could compr omise the city’s defense.

Third, such constraints, while legally necessary, are frustrating for councilmembers, as well as understandably upset residents.

“When the City Council decided to support settlement of the Owens case, the Council was resolved to schedule a public discussion of some of the matters raised in the lawsuit, matters that the Council felt were important to air in public. That discussion has yet to

be scheduled, principally because of the potential complications that could arise from such a discussion. By way of example, the City’s insurance pool has cautioned the City to avoid public comments that could trigger additional potential litigation at the risk of losing its insurance coverage. Mr. Owens’ lawyer has threatened the City with new litigation if statements are made that his client regards as actionable,” Jenkins explained. “The City must navigate through this very complicated minefield. And, while this frustrates the public, it is also very frustrating to the Council, which is being told that conversations it believes are important to conduct in the open must be postponed until we find a way to do it safely and protectively of the rights of everyone involved.

Here’s a transcript of Mike Jenkins’ full remarks: “I would like to take a moment and clarify for the public some misinfor mation that has been communicated

in these chambers about the recent settlement of the lawsuit brought against the City by former Council deputy Ian Owns.

As you know, city business is ordinarily conducted in public, in these chambers. In certain exceptional circumstances, the city council may meet behind closed doors where the public’s interests would be compromised by an open discussion. One of those circumstances is the discussion of litigation, where an open discussion would hurt the City and its residents by alerting adversaries to the City’s strategies. This constraint makes it more difficult to communicate with the public about litigation matters.

The extent to which the details of litigation can be shared varies depending on the type of litigation. Obviously, when someone challenges a City law or a decision by the Council to approve a project, we have a lot of latitude to share the details of the case with the public. A case brought by a City employee involving personnel WEHO SETTLEMENT continued on p. 9

04.08.2016 WEHO SETTLEMENT continued from p. 8

matters is very different – employees enjoy statutory and Constitutional rights of privacy that prevent the City from disclosing certain information, both during and after the resolution of the case. That circumstance frustrates the ability of the Council to do what it wants to do and ordinarily does – share and explain its decision making with the public. What elected officials like least is when their lawyers tell them not to talk.

The City is not alone in the defense of litigation brought against the City.

Like most individuals, the City has insurance and some lawsuits come within the scope of the City’s insur ance coverage, meaning that once the City’s deductible – called a “self-insured retention” — is satisfied, the insurance pool pays for the cost of defense and ultimately pays for any monetary judgment against the City; hence, the insurance pool plays a decision making role when it comes to defense strategies and the City, in turn, owes the insurer a duty of cooperation.

Former Council deputy Ian Owens named both the City and Councilmember Duran as defendants in his lawsuit, alleging that Councilmember Duran engaged in behavior outside the scope of his duties. Consequently, Councilmember Duran was recused from participation in the Council’s deliberations regarding the case – meaning that Councilmember Duran was excluded from closed sessions and played no role in the Council’s decision making regarding the case.

Lawsuits always have complications and it is almost never possible to predict with certainty the outcome of a lawsuit. As a case proceeds towards trial, many factors contribute to a party’s strategy – how much will it cost to take the case to trial? If we lose on just one disputed point and win on all others, will we nonetheless be responsible for paying our adversaries’ legal fees? Will the City be distracted from its important work by devoting substantial time towards defense of the lawsuit? Does the lawsuit present a principle worth fighting for? These are just a few.

When an insurance carrier deter mines that the balancing of these factors favor an early settlement, the City has a duty to cooperate. If the City fails to cooperate, its coverage could be jeopardized. In this instance, after weighing all the relevant factors, the City’s carrier determined that an early settlement was the most desirable outcome, exclusively from a financial

point of view. The four members of the Council participating in deliberations about this case unanimously concurred. Councilmember Duran was not involved in that decision. These are not easy decisions and, our inability to address the details of litigation matters publicly is frustrating to us and to the public.

When the City Council decided to support settlement of the Owens case, the Council was resolved to schedule a public discussion of some of the matters raised in the lawsuit, matters that the Council felt were important to air in public. That discussion has yet to be scheduled, principally because of the potential complications that could arise from such a discussion. By way of example, the City’s insurance pool has cautioned the City to avoid public comments that could trigger additional potential litigation at the risk of losing its insur ance coverage. Mr. Owens’ lawyer has threatened the City with new litigation if statements are made that his client regards as actionable. Just last week another lawsuit has been filed against the City arising out of some of the same factual circumstances – this one by former Council deputy Michelle Rex – the defense of which could be potentially compromised by a public discussion of the Owens case. The City must navigate through this very complicated minefield. And, while this frustrates the public, it is also very frustrating to the Council, which is being told that conversations it believes are important to conduct in the open must be postponed until we find a way to do it safely and protectively of the rights of everyone involved.

I do want to observe that, as required by law, the City has a sexual harassment policy in place; makes that policy available to all employees; conducts training for employees; encourages reporting of harassment and investigates all such reports timely and thoroughly; retains the services of an outside investigative firm as a City “ombudsperson” who employees may contact directly to report harassment or any other wrongdoing to initiate an independent investigation, if they are reluctant to file a report internally. Every case filed with the City is taken seriously. Every city employee has a duty to report harassment against themselves or harassment that they witness. Despite the policies in place, the City is in the process of conducting an audit of our human resources policies and practices to ensure our employees are protected from harassment, discrimination and retaliation.”

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⚫ 10

EDITORIAL OUR VIEW

04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

>

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM?

⚫ BY TROY MASTERS

“Religious Freedom” laws grow more onerous and go viral

PUBLISHER & EDITOR TROY MASTERS

troy@smmirror.com CONTRIBUTORS MATTHEW S. BAJKO, CYNTHIA LAIRD, HENRY SCOTT, CHARLES KAISER, LISA KEEN, MAER ROSHAN, KIT WINTER, BRAD LAMM, DAVID EHRENSTEIN, STEVEN ERICKSON, ORIEL GUTTIEREZ, SETH HEMMELGARN, THOMAS LEONARD, KAREN OCAMB, STEVE WEINSTEIN, CHRIS AZZOPARD, DIANE ANDERSON-MINSHALL, ALLEN ROSKOFF, JOHN PAUL KING

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NATIONAL DISPLAY ADVERTISING Rivendell Media / 212.242.6863

Religious Freedom bills appear unconstitutional but they are not. They highlight the need for a federal bill to protect LGBT citizens.

A

lmost in a blink of the eye since the Supreme Court of the United States made same-sex marriages legal nationwide, Religious Freedom bills have been debated or implemented across the country in whack-a-mole fashion.

Even before last June’s ruling, LGBT rights groups had been putting out Religious Freedom bill fires

across the nation— successfully in some places. But recently we have seen them grow in scope, going as far as preventing local municipalities from enacting laws that protect LGBT people and crafting an outright license to discriminate.

There’s no real mystery about the political strategy of the “Religious Freedom Restoration Act.” The bills seek to strengthen the legal argument in the Hobby Lobby case that allows one person to discriminate against another citing their “sincerely held religious belief” as their reason. That case gave employers a wide path to discrimination and even allows them to withhold employment based insurance coverage of medical procedures they deem in conflict with the owners personal faith. That is why LGBT rights groups, along with a slew of

corporations and celebrities, have protested the bills and laws as they have arisen.

Just this week an antigay Religious Freedom bill was vetoed by the Governor of Georgia but another in North Carolina that also prohibits local municipalities from enacting pro-LGBT ordinances has so far persevered.

On Tuesday, April 5, Republican Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant signed into law what is widely believed to be the most sweeping anti-LGBT legislation in the U.S., granting denial of products and services in a wide range of venues. The bill passed 7047 in the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives, despite several procedural attempts to kill or delay the bill by Democrats. Bryant RELIGIOUS FREEDOM continued on p. 12

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04.08.2016 ANTIGAY BILLS REACTION

LOS ANGELES

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CALIFORNIA

⚫ BY MATTHEW BAJKO

Anti-gay laws draw CA gov biz travel bans West Hollywood is among several municipalities in California to ban travel to states that have passed antigay Religious Freedom laws.

T

he nationwide backlash against anti-gay laws recently passed in Georgia and North Carolina is aiding efforts to enact legislation in California that would ban taxpayer-funded travel to such states, LGBT advocates say.

Admonishment by a wide array of critics, from Hollywood, Silicon Valley, and sports leagues, led Georgia Governor Nathan Deal (R) to veto his state’s homophobic legislation on Monday.

A similar onslaught of ridicule and scorn has been lodged at North Carolina after its governor, Republican Pat McCrory, last week signed into law a bill that overturns LGBT protections enacted by cities and other local jurisdictions in the Tar Heel State. It prompted San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee to ban city-funded travel to the state, with the mayors of Seattle and New York City, as well as New York’s governor, following suit with their own travel bans.

Unlike his counterpart in the Peach State, McCrory has continued to defend his state’s law, releasing a video message late Tuesday in which he decried other politicians from across the country for launching a “vicious, national smear campaign” against North Carolina. He also criticized his state’s attorney general for announcing he would not defend the state’s law in court; a number of civil liberties and LGBT rights groups filed a lawsuit against the legislation this week.

The travel bans and threats of cor-

porate boycotts are particularly effective tools when petitioning governors because of the potential negative economic impacts, said Daniel Zingale, a gay man who was a top official in the administrations of former California Governors Gray Davis (D) and Arnold Schwarzenegger (R).

“I think you are right, economics are a powerful force. When a governor has to contemplate economic consequences for the state’s residents, employees and customers, it makes a difference,” said Zingale, a senior vice president for policy and communications for the California Endowment.

“In this case it is a perfect storm of the loss of basic rights and the loss of economic opportunities, which I think is very compelling against these proposals.”

The L.A.-based health care foundation sent letters last week to four corporations it holds stock in – Delta Air Lines, Home Depot, First Data, and HD Supply – that are based in Georgia and the governor’s office warning it would pull its investments if the law were enacted.

It had sent a similar letter last year to Indiana’s governor, who had signed into law an anti-gay bill but then worked with legislative leaders to amend it due to the hostile backlash it generated.

In a phone interview shortly after Deal had vetoed the legislation, Zingale told the Bay Area Reporter that the endowment was reviewing its several million dollars worth of holdings in companies based in North Carolina and would be mailing off letters next week to the governor and corporate leaders in the state.

“We did weigh in, first and foremost, on our fiduciary responsibilities because we are concerned about our investments in discriminatory environments,” Zingale said about the endowment’s decision to take a public stance on the anti-gay laws in Indiana TRAVEL BANS continued on p. 18

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04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

“Religious Freedom” has devolved into open bigotry RELIGIOUS FREEDOM continued from p. 10

said he signed the bill “to protect the sincerely held religious beliefs and moral convictions of of individuals, organizations, and private associations.”

In a fuck you move, Mississippi’s state’s Religious Freedom bill was signed into law days after the Supreme Court of the United States ruled Mississippi’s ban against child-adoption by same-sex couples was unconstitutional.

Most Democrats were furious. “This is the most hateful bill I have seen in my career in the legislature,” said Rep. Stephen Holland, telling his Republican colleagues, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”

What are these laws? Why do we fear them? What do they do? What is their history? The original impetus for Religious Freedom laws is worth a look to provide a wider context for such targeted discrimination.

Originally, the idea for “religious freedom” laws had no connection to same-sex marriage or gay rights. In the early 1960s, the Supreme Court took on a case called Sherbet v. Verner and with it established a basic standard for protecting the free exercise of religion. The government could pass laws that impacted free exercise if it was possible to demonstrate a “compelling interest.” An example of such a compelling interest might be protecting public safety — or, following enactment of civil rights laws, preventing discrimination based on race.

But a series of rulings during the early 1990s drew outrage when the federal courts allowed the government to infringe upon Native American religious practices — in part by withholding unemployment benefits from people who used peyote. The Court reasoned such laws were ok because they did not single out specific religions — even though the ruling effectively impeded the practice of certain faiths. Congress responded to the infringement by passing a federal Religious Freedom law. The Senate vote was overwhelming and bipartisan (97-to-3) and was signed by President Bill Clinton.

The federal religious freedom law said the government may not “substantially burden” the practice of

KATHRYN GARNER AND SUSAN HROSTOWSKI, TWO WOMEN CHALLENGED MISSISSIPPI’S BAN ON ADOPTION AND FOSTER CARE BY SAME-SEX COUPLES. PHOTO BY AP

religion without a “compelling interest.” And even if the government does have such an interest, the law said, it must shield the interest in the “least restrictive” way. The Supreme Court clarified that religious freedom law could apply only to federal action and that lead some state legislatures to pass their own laws. Most state constitutions already provided residents with similar guarantees.

Fast forward through 20 years of silence on the matter. In 2014, the Supreme Court ruled in the Hobby Lobby case that corporations could essentially act as people and create discriminatory rules if the corporate owners had “sincerely held religious beliefs.” (http://www.nytimes. com/2014/07/27/magazine/whatthe-hobby-lobby-ruling-means-for america.html).

That gave religious conservatives the impetus to morph the ruling over Obamacare and contraception coverage into a backlash over the rapid legal advances and social acceptance of LGBT people. In states without gay rights laws on the books, last June’s Supreme Court ruling requiring each state to honor same-sex marriages provided impetus to conservatives to use religious freedom laws to construct what they hope will be a gay rights firewall.

WE ARE NOW TALKING ABOUT AS MANY AS 36 PROBLEM STATES Most of us fear these laws are a cudgel that allow willy-nilly discrimination against LGBT people. Some say the laws give cover to people of faith to practice aspects of their religion that heretofore have been have kept in check by civil rights laws, such as denying public services and accommodations.

Others say the laws are a poorly constructed — but necessary – intersectional negotiation of the freedom of religion and the mandates of civil law. For LGBT and allied civil rights advocates, recent events in North Carolina and Mississippi show that newer executions of so-called religious liberty laws are more onerous and broaden challenges to non-traditional gender pairings, mores and identity.

Religious freedoms laws have grown beyond the question of faith and have moved into the realm of individual personal discomfort (such as the basic right to pee) and one’s right to express anger over that discomfort, thus denying basic civil rights. The laws have evolved to give businesses and business owners broad leeway to pick and choose which customers they will serve, which employees to hire or fire, etc. Worst yet, in states where the laws were passed

as so-called anti-transgender “ bathroom bill,” any individual can now act as the “genital police” and challenge someone going into a bathroom to prove that they match the gender assigned to that bathroom. The bills essentially criminalize peeing, based solely on one individual’s perception of another individual’s personal appearance. A straight “butch-looking” woman with short cropped hair could be challenged upon entering the “Ladies Room” if someone perceives her to be a guy in disguise.

Religious freedom laws and LGBT rights are now on an inexorable collision course.

Because there is no federal overarching LGBT civil rights bill that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, LGBT people must rely on a patchwork of state and local laws. This is why LGBT and allied civil rights advocates are pushing for the Equality Act, which has been introduced in Congress but is not expected to even get a hearing under current Republican-control.

TARGETING “COMPELLING INTERESTS” Meanwhile, Mississippi and North Carolina’s new laws give business owners protection they didn’t have before. And by going the extra step of invalidating local laws that protect LGBT people, these states have gone much farther than before. An LGBT individual trying to rectify and find justice for their discrimination case will find no sympathetic judge who can point to a city’s ordinance banning LGBT discrimination. Legal recourse for those who suffer discrimination is a near impossibility — something Lambda Legal and the ACLU noted in their challenges, referring to the famous Supreme Court case Romer vs Evans in 1996 that overturned Colorado’s anti-gay Amendment 2.

But until the Supreme Court rules these laws unconstitutional, Religious Freedom laws like these, once cloaked in religious protection, are simply OKed open bigotry.

I know there is a tendency to say that these states are the exception. I think the map proves otherwise and combined with the toxicity of the current election cycle, it shows how vulnerable we are without federal protections. Elections matter.

04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

Mississippi’s hateful legacy MISSISSIPPI continued from p. 6

statement: “Under this new law, religion could be used by any individual or organization to justify discrimination against LGBT people, single mothers, unwed couples and others. Tax-payer funded faith-based organizations could: refuse to recognize the marriages of same-sex couples for provision of critical services including emergency shelter; deny children in need of loving homes placement with LGBT families including the child’s own family member; and refuse to sell or rent a for-profit home to an LGBT person -even if the organization receives government funding. It would also give foster families the freedom to subject an LGBTQ child to the danger ous practice of “conversion therapy,” and subject a pregnant unwed girl to abuse, without fear of government intervention or license suspension.

It would even allow individuals to refuse to carry out the terms of a state contract for the provision of counsel-

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ing services to all eligible individuals, including veterans, based on the counselor’s beliefs about LGBT people or single mothers.”

Schools, employers, and service providers in Mississippi can now refuse transgender people access to appropriate sex-segregated facilities consistent with their gender identity -- all in direct conflict with the U.S. Department of Justice’s enforcement of federal law. HB 1523 even legalizes Kim Davis-style discrimination by allowing government employees to abdicate their duties and refuse to license or solemnize marriages for LGBT people.

Mississippi is the latest in an onslaught of anti-LGBT bills being pushed in 2016 by anti-equality activists around the country, including nearly 200 anti-LGBT bills in 34 states. As of today, at least half of these bills have been beaten back around the country.

Mississippi’s HB 1523 is the third stand-alone anti-LGBT bill signed in law in 2016.

Shehada Issa murdered his son MURDER continued from p. 7

was hospitalized. Issa fled to Las Vegas during jury deliberations but was sentenced to treatment at a state mental hospital and placed on three years’ probation. He was ordered to undergo mental health treatment.

Amir’s struggles have played out in public recently, too.

On Facebook just days before his death he posted that his family was “literally controlling me in my sleep,” that “they tell people to rape and molest me and make it seem like I enjoy that. If there is a devil or evil spirit, I truly believe it manifests itself in my family” Amir also posted a video to his Facebook page interrogating his parents about whether they had performed certain sex acts.

“That’s not appropriate for a child to ask his parents,” his mother says in the video. His father calls him a “pervert” and shouts “None of your relatives want to have anything to do with you.”

A sociologist at UCLA who asked to remain anonymous said the Facebook postings can’t be dismissed but do not in themselves mean he’s in the midst

of a mental collapse. “He’s clearly distress -- and so is the mother and father -- but the videos alone do not inform beyond that. The video and the posts certainly don’t let the father off the hook for murder. It’s obvious the family dysfunction was profound.”

Organizers held the rally to advocate for family acceptance toward all LGBTQ children as well as to demand an end to discrimination and violence.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center’s Anti-Violence Project has highlighted a Los Angeles County report that “onethird of the reported hate crimes occurred at the homes of the survivors.”

“When one of these family tragedies happen, this sends a strong message that there’s a lot more work that we need to do, anti-violence work, work to educate our communities to rise above homophobia and transphobia and most importantly, to really address mental health issues,” rally organizer Ronnie Veliz told the A.P. Issa is being held without bail on one count of premeditated murder as a hate crime. He’s scheduled to be arraigned at L.A. County Superior Court on April 11. If convicted, he faces life in prison without the possibility of parole.

AMIR ISSA, 29, WAS SHOT TO DEATH BY HIS 69-YEAR-OLD FATHER, SHEHADA ISSA, FOR BEING GAY.

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PIONEERS LOS ANGELES

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04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

OBITUARY

⚫ BY CNS, TROY MASTERS AND KAREN OCAMB

Bill Rosendahl service attended by hundreds Bill Rosendahl was overwhelming. Big, boisterous, unbounded joy spouting out of his aura like a spiritual eruption of Old Faithful. Bill died Wednesday morning, March 30, 2016, of cancer. He was 70, though evergreen in his winning attitude of gratitude.

A

Catholic mass was held today Santa Monica today to remember the life of former City Councilman Bill Rosendahl, the city’s first out gay councilmember.

Rosendahl died last week after a long and courageous battle with cancer (read Karen Ocamb’s obituary here).

Hundreds of friends, dignitaries and elected officials packed a Santa Monica church today to celebrate the life of former Los Angeles City Councilman, hailing him as a public ser vant with a zest for life and an open door to the rich and poor alike.

Rosendahl died March 30 at age 70 after a four-year battle with cancer.

City Councilman Mike Bonin, who served as Rosendahl’s chief of staff and ultimately succeeded him representing the 11th District, asked attendees at the St. Monica’s Church serve to pray for Rosendahl, “a cher ished friend and exemplary public servant, beloved partner, a brother, an uncle, a mentor, a colleague, a boss, a role-model and an inspiration.’’

Former Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, who delivered the eulogy, invoked one of Rosendahl’s favorite catch-phrases in describing his former colleague.

Bill_Rosendahl_Worship_Aid-1”Billy was great, great, great, great, great, great, great!’’ he said, prompting applause from mourners.

Villaraigosa said Rosendahl had an ``unbridled enthusiasm for life’’ and was the type of man who welcomed people of all backgrounds into his home.

“You could go to Billy’s house and see a billionaire and a homeless person there, and Billy holding court,’’ he said.

Rosendahl once also “found a place to live’’ for Zuma Dogg, a well- known City Hall gadfly, Villaraigosa said.

“Zuma Dogg would beat us all up, he certainly beat me up!’’ he said.

“He would beat Billy up from time to time. But that was Billy. He was a man (who) embraced love and embraced people. He was someone committed to working for the homeless, someone who understood that to whom much is given, much is expected.’’

One of Rosendahl’s legacies was in bringing the “safe parking concept to Los Angeles,’’ which would have allowed those who are homeless to park and live in their vehicles in a lot overnight, Villaraigosa said.

H e s a i d the i d ea w as “foi l ed b y petty politics and bureaucracy,’’ but there is now another chance to implement this idea under Rosendahl’s successor, Bonin.

“We owe it to Bill’s legacy to make it happen this time,’’ Villaraigosa said.

Villaraigosa also hailed Rosendahl for his ability to be civil, even in the midst of political debate.

“Even when we argued he made sure we did it with civility and respect,’’ he said. “It was never per sonal for Billy. And in this political season when too much is personal, not enough of our debate is civil, we should think about Billy. He made me proud and I know he made you proud to have him asa colleague.’’

BILL ROSENDAHL WAS A BELOVED POLITICAL PIONEER OF LOS ANGELES’ LGBT COMMUNITY

Rosendahl, a for mer cable television executive and public affairs broadcaster, served on the council from 2005 to 2013, when he retired to fight stage-four cancer. Toward the end of his tenure in office, Rosendahl was an ardent supporter of medical marijuana, which he used to fight the side effects of his cancer treatments.

He was often r eferr ed to as the ``conscience of the City Council.

Mayor Eric Gar cetti, who could not attend the Catholic mass service because he was traveling back from a trip to Washington, D.C., is expected to speak at another event honoring Rosendahl, “GREAT GREAT GREAT: A Celebration of Life,’’ which is also set for 2 p.m. April 16 at Mar Vista Park.

The public is welcome to RSVP for the service and make donations to three organizations in lieu of flowers at http://www.11thdistrict.com.

The organizations, which serve the homeless, are Safe Place for Youth, New Directions for Veterans and the Jeff Griffith Youth Center at the

Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.

In July 2012, after collapsing suddenly, Rosendahl was diagnosed with cancer of the ureter, a tube that connects the kidney to the bladder. He was told he did not have long to live.

He said that for several months, he would suffer from delirium and underwent numerous chemotherapy treatments, which reduced him from 225 pounds to 170.

It was only after his doctor suggested he use marijuana to help him ease the pain and get more sleep that he began to recover. The extra rest helped save his life, Rosendahl said in 2013.

He resumed his City Council duties in September 2012, throwing himself into getting a medical marijuana law passed and becoming the only council member to oppose a plan to expand an LAX runway closer to some of his constituents. In April 2013, Rosendahl announced he was in remission.

ROSENDAHL continued on p. 19

04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

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FILM REVIEW EYE IN THE SKY

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04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

MOVIE KING

⚫ BY JOHN PAUL KING

War and ethics as told by the “Eye In The Sky” M

aking a military drama today — at least one with a contemporary setting — can be problematic. Though combat-oriented films stand a good chance of doing well at the box office, a hawkish viewpoint will put off liber al-minded audiences, while a movie that smacks of pacifism risks alienating those on the opposite end of the political spectrum.

A few recent films have attempted to navigate this volatile divide, but because American studios are inclined to take the safer path, the majority of their movies dealing with war have chosen to focus on action rather than issues.

Fortunately, “Eye in the Sky” is a British film.

Directed by Gavin Hood, from a screenplay by Guy Hibbert, it’s a taut thriller following a mission, jointly executed by British, American, and Kenyan forces, against a group of terrorists in a Nairobi neighborhood under the control of Muslim extremists.

The operation is r emotely commanded from Sussex by British colonel Katherine Powell (Helen Mirren), while real-time drone surveillance is provided by an American pilot (Aaron Paul) in Nevada.

Although the initial objective is to capture the targets, an escalation of circumstances forces Powell to order a precision missile strike on the terrorists’ location; but when the drone’s cameras spot a young Kenyan girl within the kill zone, the risk of her becoming a collateral casualty (and the political firestor m that would result) halts the mission. His requests for authorization to proceed with the strike is passed up the chain of command all the way to the highest-ranking of ficials in the British and American governments.

The events of “Eye in the Sky” take place in the space of a few hours,

which results in tight pacing and underscores the story’s sense of growing urgency; it is not, however, a movie that hinges on action; rather, it is a cerebral one. Although Hood makes it a very cinematic film, visually speaking, Hibbert’s screenplay operates more like a play. It introduces a variety of characters, allowing them to present the various viewpoints inherent in its premise, thoughtfully, and with eloquence.

More importantly, it refrains from forcing a moralistic judgment on any of them in the process.

As a result, the movie comes off as a balanced, intelligent, and timely look at the ethics of modern warfareconducted from safe and comfortable rooms, hundreds of miles away from the action, with the assistance of precision technology and the kind of electronic sophistication that provides the vantage point, sometimes literally, of a fly on the wall at ground zero.

It weighs the good of the many against the good of the few, it examines the necessity and the frustration of thorough debate and discourse in making split-second decisions, it finds the nobility and the cowardice found on both sides of the issues in question, and in the end it poses the basic question that has been at the core of warfare since the dawn of history: does the end justify the means?

It does not attempt to answer that question; it leaves us to ponder it for ourselves, just as the film’s characters- and anyone who has ever been a real-life participant in war, at any level- must do, presumably for the rest of their lives.

In keeping with the script’s theatrical flavor, the cast is made up largely of English actors- headlined by the always superb Mirren- who have cut their teeth on the stage. They per form as a crack ensemble, keeping the tension wound tight even through

From “Eye in the Sky”

the most dialogue-heavy scenes, and succeeding in making strong connections with each other despite the fact that many of the principals never even filmed in the same room at the same time.

Special mention must be made, also, of the late Alan Rickman, as Mirren’s superior, whose mellifluous delivery and richly human presence bestows the film with kind of heavy but heartfelt wisdom; though it was his last live action performance on screen, it may also be one of his best, reminding us of how much he will be missed.

“Eye in the Sky” falls short of being a truly great film. Though well-written and acted, the play-like structure of the script sometimes results in a didacticism that feels a tad deliber ate, and the well-wrought tension is marred just before the climax by a by a too-calculated plot complication that strains credibility and dilutes our emotional involvement just when it should instead be heightened.

These are minor flaws, though.

Overall, Hood’s film is an excellent thriller, suspenseful, provocative and timely, and it is better than any mainstream movie in recent memory in considering the morality of war; it looks beyond black-and-white

arguments to a place where politics become irrelevant, and that in itself is a rare enough accomplishment to make it a must-see for any thinking film lover.

EYE IN THE SKY Director: Gavin Hood Screenplay: Guy Hibbert Music composed by: Paul Hepker, Mark Kilian Producers: Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Colin Firth, Ged Doherty, David Lancaster PLAYING: Cinemark Playa Vista and XD 12746 W Jefferson Blvd, Los Angeles CA 90066 | (310) 862-5667 Showtimes: 11:00 am | 12:35 pm | 3:10 | 5:50 | 7:00 | 8:30 | 11:05 Pacific’s The Grove Stadium 14 189 The Grove Drive, Los Angeles CA 90036 | (323) 692-0829 Showtimes: 10:25 am | 12:45 pm | 3:20 | 5:15 | 7:40 | 10:05

04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

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California issues state biz travel bans to Hatelandia TRAVEL BANS continued from p. 11

and Georgia. “At the same time, what is really happening when you have the business community and state and local governments and religious institutions and athletics and the arts and labor, virtually every sector of our society saying discrimination is

unacceptable, that is really the force at work here. There is a growing consensus across all sectors, who often don’t agree on anything, that there is a bottom-line to discrimination.”

CA TRAVEL BAN BILL The spotlight on the two Southern states comes as California lawmakers are being asked to adopt AB 1887,

legislation authored by gay Assemblyman Evan Low (D-Campbell) that would prohibit state-funded travel to any state with a law in effect that sanctions or requires discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.

“The passage of such a regressive piece of legislation in North Carolina

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and the bill (that was) on the governor’s desk in Georgia obviously show the need for AB 1887,” said Jason Howe, spokesman for Equality California, the statewide LGBT advocacy organization that is co-sponsoring Low’s legislation.

The Assembly Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take up the bill, for a second time, at its meeting next Tuesday, April 5. Low told the The Pride this week that the actions taken by the Southern states are precisely why he introduced the travel ban bill.

“It certainly demonstrates that, while in California we are a place of inclusion versus exclusion, discriminatory proposals are still occurring throughout the country,” said Low. “I would also argue that much of the dialogue and discussion around the backlash on these proposals in some of these other states, like North Carolina and Georgia, came from our corporate partners. And so without vocal opposition from corporations, from politicians, from average citizens, I think these bills would have flown through the legislature to the governors’ desks for his or her signature.”

There continues to be debate over how Low’s bill, which would also apply to both the University of California and California State University systems, would be overseen if implemented. It remains unclear which state official or agency would track anti-gay laws passed in other states and place them on a banned travel list.

(The bill would not apply to travel necessary for the enforcement of California law, to meet prior contractual obligations, or for the protection of public health, welfare, or safety.)

Low told the The Pride that the implementation questions would be answered as lawmakers review his bill.

“Along the process we have an opportunity to have discussions on implementation and what that looks like and who will be in charge of keeping track of such states that have these discriminatory laws in place,” said Low. While the bill has no registered opposition to it, answering the implementation questions is “the really tricky part,” said EQCA legislative manager Jo Michael. The judiciary committee could vote next week to pass the bill on to the Assembly Committee on Accountability and Administrative Review, added Michael, where those questions could be furTRAVEL BANS continued on p. 19

04.08.2016 TRAVEL BAN continued from p. 18

ther addressed.

The anti-gay legislation taken up in North Carolina, Georgia, and numerous other states this year is demonstrating the need for Low’s bill, argued Michael.

“We have gotten to the point where it is clear to folks how important it is and how urgent it is to address what is going on in the country,” said Michael.

While laws governing nonprofits bar the California Endowment from endorsing legislation, Zingale said it does support the intent behind Low’s legislation.

“We do support the principal of state and local governments joining the fight against these discriminatory proposals,” he said.

Low told the The Pride he has not gotten any indication from Governor Jerry Brown (D) on if he supports the bill.

“What I am pleased to see are additional municipalities and other jurisdictions have passed proactive language in support of the same legislative intent” as his bill, said Low. Brown does not need to wait for the Legislature to send him AB 1887 to act. He could sign an executive order banning state-funded travel to North Carolina.

“I would be ecstatic if the governor signed an executive order stating as

LOS ANGELES such,” said Low. “Absent that, I believe that our role can also be part of the public dialogue to help make such an affirmative statement.”

Spokespersons for Brown did not respond by press time to the The Pride’s questions on if he would issue such a ban, backs Low’s bill, or has a preference for which state agency should be tasked with implementing it.

LOCAL TRAVEL BANS By enacting his travel ban to North Carolina, Mayor Ed Lee’s goal was “to have other cities follow suit and have a cumulative impact on the economy of North Carolina and their bigoted decision,” Paul Henderson, a gay man who is the mayor’s deputy chief of staff and director of public safety, told the The Pride.

So far it has not convinced San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo or Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf, who like Lee last year had banned city-funded travel to Indiana, to enact travel bans to North Carolina.

Schaaf’s office did not respond to the The Pride’s request for comment, while a spokesman for Liccardo said the mayor would need to work with the city council to enact such a travel restriction. By press time Wednesday, Liccardo’s office had not said if it would do so.

As it turns out, taxpayer-funded travel to North Carolina, other than for a few days earlier this month, has

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been banned in Santa Clara County since last June. In response to the Indiana bill, the Board of Supervisors, at the request of gay Supervisor Ken Yeager, adopted its own travel restriction to states with anti-LGBT laws.

In addition to North Carolina and Indiana, the county also banned employees from traveling to Arkansas and Michigan.

“In an informal Internet search, I found that many of the states listed passed ‘religious freedom acts’ that included clauses to allow discrimination based on religious objection including the Michigan adoption bill,” explained Maribel Mart’nez, manager of the county’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs, in an email.

According to the office of County Executive Jeffrey V. Smith, only one travel request has been denied since the travel ban policy went into effect. In August Medical Examiner Dr. Matrina Schmidt had requested $2,606 in order to attend the 2015 National Association of Medical Examiners Annual Meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, in October. Smith denied the funding due to the county’s travel ban law, and the supervisors approved his decision.

After the The Pride’s inquiries regarding Santa Clara County’s travel ban policy, the Office of the County Counsel this week announced it had updated the list of banned states. As of March 11, Indiana and Michigan

were removed.

North Carolina, which had also been removed from the list as of that date, was returned to it as of March 28. Arkansas remains on the list, while Mississippi and Tennessee were added to it on March 11.

Arkansas and Tennessee are on the list for having laws similar to North Carolina’s that prohibit cities and towns from adopting local anti-discrimination laws that protect LGBT people. A 2000 statute that bans adoption by same-sex couples is why Mississippi is listed.

“As you can see, since its passage, some states have been removed while other states have been added. This list is reviewed on a regular basis by county counsel, with special attention given during peak activity times for state legislatures,” wrote Mart’nez.

“Should any other state pass similar laws to those already listed or any other law that discriminates against LGBTQ individuals or communities, it will be added to the list upon its passage.”

Low, whose hometown of Campbell is in Santa Clara County, said the county’s travel ban to states with anti-LGBT laws shows such a policy is workable and enforceable.

“This is nothing new,” he said in reference to AB 1887. “But again, we join in the conversation that we will not use taxpayer dollars to subsidize discrimination.”

Fred Harris and George McGovern.

Rosendahl ran for office as openly gay, which was something that had never been done before. Two previous council members, Jackie Goldberg and Joel Wachs, came out after they were elected.

Rosendahl came out as gay in 1995 when his partner, Christopher Lee

Blauman, died of complications of AIDS. Rosendahl is survived by his partner, Hedi El-Kholti; brother Thomas and sister -in-law Sheila, and their sons, Robbie-Paul, Ricky-Luke and Arthur; brother Steven; sister Mary LeMothe; sister Helen Davoren; and nephew Christopher.

BILL ROSENDAHL, IN A PHOTO FROM MIKE BONIN’S FACEBOOK ROSENDAHL continued from p. 14

“The amount of love I’ve gotten has been phenomenal,’’ he told his colleagues on his first day back from medical leave. ``People have brought food to the house. People have prayed with me, people have sung with me.

They put all kinds of positive energy

toward me.’’

Rosendahl was at one time a vice president of communications company Adelphia and arrived on the council to represent the 11th Council District in 2005 after years as a cable channel host covering public affairs.

Prior to that, he worked on presidential campaigns for Robert Kennedy,

⚫ 20

04.08.2016

LOS ANGELES

®

FIAT 500X. ALL PRIDE. ZERO PREJUDICE.

34 HWY MPG

fiatusa.com Based on EPA estimated MPG. EPA EST. 31 HWY MPG on model shown. Actual results may vary. ©2016 FCA US LLC. All Rights Reserved.

FIAT is a registered trademark of FCA Group Marketing S.p.A., used under license by FCA US LLC.

JOB: 97583_CBC_LGBT Fiat_10x11.7_B TRIM: 10 in x 11.7 in

SPECS: 4C – CMYK LIVE: N/A

DATE: 03/30/2016 BLEED: N/A