What Don't Ask Don't Tell Can Do

Lawyer: Men Accusing Airman of Rape LiedMELISSA NELSONAssociated Press WriterWednesday, February 21, 2007
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AP) _ Men who say they were drugged and raped by an Air Force officer lied to avoid being revealed as gay in the military, a defense attorney told a military jury Tuesday. Capt. Devery L. Taylor, former chief of patient administration at Eglin Regional Hospital, is gay and engaged in consensual sex with the men, his civilian attorney, Martin Regan, said during opening arguments in Taylor's court-martial. Taylor, 38, pleaded not guilty Monday to raping four men and attempting to rape two others; prosecutor Capt. Eveylon Westbrook describes him as a serial rapist. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole if convicted of all the charges against him. The charges are two counts of attempted sodomy, four counts of forcible sodomy, three counts of kidnapping and one count of unlawful entry. ''This case is about homosexual activity that is not approved of by the military services in our country at this time. Every one of these individuals but one is either in the military service or wants to be in the service,'' Regan said. Under the military's ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy, members who are openly gay are subject to discharge. Westbrook said Taylor met his victims in bars, spiked their drinks with the ''date-rape drug'' gamma-hydroxybutyrate, or GHB, and kidnapped them. ''Each victim will tell you they felt like they were drugged before he either assaulted or attempted to assault them,'' she said. A Pensacola paramedic later testified that he and Taylor were friends and had consensual sex on a previous occasion before the two met again at a bar in July 2004. The man said that he had one beer and that Taylor then bought him a shot, which caused him to become extremely ill. He said that he woke up in Taylor's home and that Taylor raped him repeatedly, but that he couldn't fight Taylor because he felt drugged. ''My brain knew what was going on, but my body just wouldn't cooperate,'' he said. The man said he did not report the encounter to authorities until two years later, when he read a newspaper report about Taylor's arrest. An Air Force lieutenant who worked with Taylor at the base hospital testified about his 2004 encounter with Taylor. He said he blacked out and does not know whether he was raped. The lieutenant, who is married, said he never had consensual sex with Taylor. Col. Thomas Cumbie, the military judge, turned down a defense request Tuesday to limit testimony about GHB. Defense attorneys said that its effects were similar to that of alcohol and that none of the victims had traces of the drug in their bodies, but Cumbie said the symptoms were common among all the victims. Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Hawaii Bows Out

HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii lawmakers effectively killed a proposal to create civil unions for gay couples by declining to vote on the legislation.
More than 100 people packed the House Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, many waving pink signs reading, "Civil Unions. Equal protection, justice for all." At least 400 people submitted extensive written or oral testimony.
After five hours of testimony, though, the committee declined to vote. Representatives offered little explanation to the public, but it was a sign that the bill lacked enough support to become law.
Civil unions had been suggested as a way for the state to sidestep a controversy over gay marriage, but they proved to be nearly as contentious.
Opponents argued that civil unions were being used as a step toward legalizing gay marriage. Proponents said they want the legal guarantees granted to married couples, such as tax breaks, adoption rights and health benefits.
"This is essentially a re-examination of the same-sex marriage issue except with a different title," said Kelly Rosati, a spokeswoman for the Hawaii Catholic Church and executive director for the Hawaii Family Forum.
Gay rights advocates said the law was needed in order to give same-sex couples equal rights as heterosexuals.
"For me, it's very clear cut that it's gender discrimination," said Scott Orton, who is gay. "I would like to take on a partner in the future and have the same rights as a married person."
Hawaii nearly legalized gay marriages more than a decade ago before stiff public opposition came from family advocacy groups, the Catholic Church and the Mormon Church.
A decision by the Hawaii Supreme Court would have allowed same-sex marriages, but a 1998 constitutional amendment and a law defined marriage as between two people of opposite sexes.

gay tourism

CLEVELAND (AP) — Tourism officials hope to bring gay visitors to the city by designing a travel guide that features gay-owned businesses, along with other attractions.The Convention and Visitors Bureau of Greater Cleveland has asked the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Community Center of Greater Cleveland for help with content, design and distribution. The guide should be finished this year.“When I travel, I want to make sure that where I stay is a gay and lesbian friendly place,” said Sue Doerfer, the center’s executive director. “I want to make sure I’m not going to be given a hard time.”About 65 cities have made a noticeable effort to attract tourists who are gay, said Ed Salvato, editor of The Out Traveler magazine.The designers of Cleveland’s plan have to work around a 2004 ballot initiative that amended the Ohio Constitution to ban gay marriage.Chris Long, president of Ohio’s Christian Alliance, said the visitors bureau should concentrate more on attracting families.Salvato said Cleveland tourism officials would have to make sure gay travelers feel safe and comfortable in the city. He suggested a business could have a rainbow flag decal on the door.“Gay people don’t want to be thought of as only a target market, a way to make money,” Salvato said. “We want to feel welcome and invited. I think it really has to be sincere.”The visitors bureau could pair attractions such as gay restaurants and nightclubs with the region’s arts and culture, ethnic neighborhoods and shopping, said Tamera Brown, vice president of marketing.

Club Meeting In Trumbull County

The club will meet on March 1 at the Trumbull County Democratic Party Headquarters in Niles.