Peace Corps among agencies to observe "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month."
Read and comment on this story from the World Net Daily that the Peace Corps will be one of the Federal Agencies that will observe "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month." However, the Department of Justice had barred homosexual employees from holding a "gay pride" event this month at the department's headquarters. Read the story at:
Amid threats by some of President Bush's conservative supporters to bolt the Republican Party for appeasing homosexual activists, several federal agencies are observing "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month."
A June 3 memo from the Interior Department's J. Michael Trujillo said the agency "will recognize the many achievements and contributions made by Gay and Lesbian Americans" in a special observance this month.
A memo issued by Lou Gallegos, the Department of Agriculture's assistant secretary for administration, said the agency has included sexual orientation in its nondiscrimination policy statement since 1993. "However, preventing discrimination is not enough; diversity should also be celebrated."
Gallegos noted the USDA is known as "The People's Department."
The Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department and the Peace Corps also will observe "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month."
However, the Department of Justice had barred homosexual employees from holding a "gay pride" event this month at the department's headquarters, according to Melissa Schraibman, a homosexual who works in the agency's tax division.
The department has held such events annually since the early 1990s when Janet Reno was attorney general under the Clinton administration, Agence France-Presse reported.
Homosexual activists say "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month" takes place in June to remember the "Stonewall Riots," June 27, 1969, which they count as the beginning of the "gay liberation" movement. On that night, homosexuals at a bar called the Stonewall Inn resisted a raid by New York City police. In 1999, President Clinton officially named June as "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month."
Attorney General John Ashcroft "will not allow us to hold our annual pride ceremony in the building," Schraibman told AFP.
Leading conservative groups were sharply critical of last year's event when Deputy Attorney General Larry Thompson showed up.
Schraibman told AFP the decision is "in accord with a new department policy that prohibits commemoration unless it is supported by a presidential proclamation."
"This is something we have never heard of before," she said. "It doesn't exist in writing yet."
Concerned Women for America President Sandy Rios praised Ashcroft for his "refusal to politicize sexuality."
"Homosexuality is immoral and dangerous behavior, and taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize its promotion," Rios said in a statement.
She warned that the federal agencies' facilitation of "gay pride" events alienates the administration from its pro-family grass-roots base.
Conservative leaders such as Ken Conner of the Family Research Council, James Dobson of Focus on the Family, Gary Bauer of American Values and Phyllis Schlafly recently have criticized Republican leadership over stances on homosexual activism.
They chastise the party for not strongly supporting Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., after he was attacked for defending Texas's sodomy law, and for Republican National Chairman Marc Racicot's meeting with the Human Rights Campaign, a leading homosexual activist group.
At the meeting, Racicot reportedly did not object to the group's agenda for homosexual marriage, speaking instead of "tolerance" and "inclusiveness," the conservative leaders said.
Rios said CWA has learned the Department of Transportation allocated taxpayer funds to celebrate "gay pride" activities.
The Interior Department's memo said "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month is part of the schedule of educational programs we annually provide for our employees."
"The Department's theme for this year's observance is 'Respecting Diversity,'" the memo said, noting it has scheduled an observance for June 24 featuring homosexual Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., as guest speaker.
Interior Department "managers and supervisors are encouraged to allow all employees to participate in ceremonies and activities in observance of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month," the memo said.
The USDA said it will hold a June 11 celebration with keynote speaker Rep. Steve Gunderson, R-Wis.
"I encourage all Headquarters employees to join me in attending this event, and I also encourage employees outside of the Washington area to hold Gay and Lesbian Pride Month celebrations in your offices or work sites during the month of June," the USDA's Gallegos said. Click on a link below for more stories on PCOL
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