Pizza Extremists. The Ava Maria School of Law, MI, bankrolled with $50 million by Domino's Pizza founder Tom Monaghan, opened for biz in August with 77 students. Combining legal theory with staunch Catholic theology, the law school--whose governing board includes Henry Hyde and Catholic officials, and whose staff includes Robert Bork--is expected to train a cadre of antiabortion lawyers. Source: Associated Press, 8/25/00
Making Gays Latter-day Lepers. At its 170th Semiannual General Conference in Salt Lake City, tens of thousands of Mormons twirled handkerchiefs and gave a "Hosanna Shout" at the dedication of a new church conference center, as LDS Church officials promised to continue active anti-gay lobbying attacks. Source: Salt Lake City Tribune, 10/9/00
Not A Good Day. Police arrested the parents of a 17-year-old Bronx youth for severely beating their gay son with a lead pipe while yelling, "God will punish you for your lifestyle." The parents' answering machine greets callers with the salutation: "God bless you. You have a good day." Source: New York Daily News, 8/13/00
Muslim Wife-Beating Urged. A Spanish Koranic scholar's book Women in Islam describes how to bring rebellious women into line: hit without leaving marks. Blows should be administered to feet and hands with a rod that "is not too thick," writes Mohamed Kamal Mostafa. Source: The Telegraph [UK], 7/23/00
Ditto, Turkish Handbook. The Muslim's Handbook by cleric Kemal Guran, published by a state-funded religious foundation in Turkey, prescribes wife-beating and polygamy, shuns contraception and even music, which is sinful because it "arouses sexual desire." It advises readers "not to strike the woman's face" but to hit her "gently" elsewhere "just as a warning." Source: The Telegraph [UK], 8/12/00
Bishop Blames Rape Victims. As a Mexican state debated a proposal to jail rape victims who have abortions, Guadalajara Bishop Juan Sandoval Iniguez blamed women for rape "because the way they dress is provocative. Women must be more decent and not encourage it." Source: Reuters, 8/17/00
Polygamy USA. It is not unusual for a single family in Colorado City, AZ, home to the polygamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to have 50 members, according to Ben Bistline, a local historian. Prophet Rulon Jeffs, 92, whose recent order caused a mass exodus from public schools this fall, reportedly has 16 wives and as many as 90 children. Source: Los Angeles Times, 10/10/00
Muscular Christianity. A grandmother, 63, was the second person in her parish to be arrested in connection with homophobic harassment of Rev. Neil Follett, the vicar of St Paul's, Knightsbridge, who fled in fear of his life last summer. Source: [London] Times, 8/18/00
One Can Believe This. Arizona's House Chaplain, the GOP-appointed Rev. Charles Coppinger, 36, explained he realized he is gay last spring, but it took him half a year to work up the courage to tell lawmakers. Source: Arizona Republic, 10/11/00
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