GAY MARRIAGE-COUNTY CLERKS
Clerk prayed over decision to stop issuing marriage licenses
COVINGTON, Ky. (AP) — A county clerk in Kentucky says she prayed and fasted for months before deciding to stop issuing all marriage licenses once the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis testified Monday in a federal hearing stemming from a lawsuit brought against her by two gay couples and two straight couples. She says the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives her the right to not issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples because it violates her religious beliefs.
Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union say Davis’ rationale would mean local officials could also deny marriage licenses to people who have been divorced or committed other actions that some consider sinful.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning says he will decide the case by the middle of August.
Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed)
229-w-32-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor, with Liberty Counsel attorney Roger Gannam)–A county clerk in Kentucky says she prayed and fasted for months before deciding to stop issuing marriage licenses once the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (20 Jul 2015)
< 209-a-10-(Roger Gannam of Liberty Counsel, attorney representing Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, in AP interview)-“word of God”-Liberty Counsel attorney Roger Gannam says county clerk Kim Davis has stopped issuing all marriage licenses rather than issue them to same-sex couples. (20 Jul 2015) < 210-a-13-(Roger Gannam of Liberty Counsel, attorney representing Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, in AP interview)-“licenses at all”-Liberty Counsel attorney Roger Gannam says county clerk Kim Davis has a religious conviction that marriage is only the union of a man and a woman. (20 Jul 2015) < 211-a-07-(Roger Gannam of Liberty Counsel, attorney representing Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, in AP interview)-“for religious liberty”-Liberty Counsel attorney Roger Gannam says a federal judge is expected to rule in the case in a few weeks. (20 Jul 2015) < GAY MARRIAGE-ALABAMA Groups urge Alabama Supreme Court to resist marriage ruling MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — Two groups are urging the Alabama Supreme Court to resist the U.S Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. The Alabama Policy Institute and the Alabama Citizens Action Program in court filings earlier this month urged the court to resist the ruling the same way some states resisted pro-slavery laws. At a minimum, they urged the justices to protect probate judges who don’t want to issue the licenses on religious grounds. The Alabama justices asked for input on what to do next on same-sex marriage. The court in March directed probate judges to refuse the licenses. Some probate judges said the issue was ended with the federal decision overturning state bans on same-sex marriage. GOSHEN COLLEGE-SAME-SEX HIRING Goshen College now hiring workers in same-sex relationships GOSHEN, Ind. (AP) — A Mennonite college in Indiana says it will hire people in same-sex relationships and expand benefits to include employees in gay marriages. The changes came after the board of directors of Goshen College updated the school’s non-discrimination policy to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The Elkhart Truth reports that the college could previously hire gay people, but those employees were expected to remain celibate. The board adopted the new policy after consulting with the Mennonite Education Agency Board of Directors, which serves as an intermediary between Mennonite schools and the Mennonite Church USA. College President James Brenneman said the school remains rooted in the Anabaptist tradition and maintains a strong relationship with Mennonite Church USA. He said the school recognizes “the diversity of interpretation of Scripture on this issue within our denomination and the broader Christian church. ASHLEY MADISON-HACKED Infidelity dating site suffers cyberattack, exposure threat NEW YORK (AP) — The Bible warns that “your sin will find you out.” A website for married people seeking affairs says it suffered a cyberattack after hackers claimed to have stolen confidential customer information and threatened to publish it unless the company is shut down. Ashley Madison, whose slogan is “Life is short. Have an affair,” says its customers are anonymous. But online security blog KrebsOnSecurity.com posted what appeared to be a screenshot of the site’s home page on Sunday bearing a message from hackers, who said Ashley Madison lied about a service allowing members to erase their profile information. The hackers say the data don’t go away. But Ashley Madison’s owners say they’ve taken steps to secure would-be adulterers’ personal profiles. Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed) 191-v-33-(Steve Coleman, AP religion editor)–A website for married people seeking affairs says it suffered a cyberattack after hackers claimed to have stolen confidential customer information and threatened to publish it unless the company is shut down. AP Religion Editor Steve Coleman reports. (20 Jul 2015) < 161-v-32-(Warren Levinson, AP correspondent)–The parent company of Ashley Madison, the website that seeks to match up cheating spouses, says it has been hacked. AP correspondent Warren Levinson reports. (20 Jul 2015) < 162-c-16-(Warren Levinson, AP correspondent)-“alerted law enforcement”-AP correspondent Warren Levinson reports the adultery matchmaking website Ashley Madison has had a computer break-in. (20 Jul 2015) < 163-c-13-(Warren Levinson, AP correspondent)-“did not deliver”-AP correspondent Warren Levinson reports the Ashley Madison hackers posted a manifesto. (20 Jul 2015) < WOMAN DEAD IN JAIL Texas officials release video from jail in Sandra Bland case HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) — Authorities in Texas have released a video covering the three hours before Sandra Bland was found dead in her jail cell. A transcript of the video released Monday by the Waller County sheriff’s department shows that for more than 90 minutes before the 28-year-old Naperville, Illinois, was found dead, there was no movement in the hallway leading to her cell. Bland was arrested July 10 after officials said she became uncooperative during a traffic stop. She was found dead in her cell on July 13. Authorities say Bland hanged herself, but her family and church supporters question that account. The Rev. Jamal Bryant says a dashcam video of the traffic stop shows Bland should not have been arrested. Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed) 233-a-12-(The Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant, African American religious activist, at news conference)-“her own life”-The Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant says he believes police were in some way at fault in Sandra Bland’s death. (20 Jul 2015) < 234-a-11-(The Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant, African American religious activist, at news conference)-“out the window”-The Reverend Jamal Harrison Bryant says Sandra Bland should never have been arrested. (20 Jul 2015) < 225-a-11-(Capt. Brian Cantrell (kan-TREHL’), Waller County Sheriff’s Department, at news conference)-“self-inflicted asphyxiation”-Captain Brian Cantrell says so far the evidence supports the theory that Sandra Bland took her own life. (20 Jul 2015) < 226-a-12-(Capt. Brian Cantrell (kan-TREHL’), Waller County Sheriff’s Department, at news conference)-“to perform CPR”-Captain Brian Cantrell says Sandra Bland was found in her cell, and jailers were unable to revive her. (20 Jul 2015) < 227-a-10-(Capt. Brian Cantrell (kan-TREHL’), Waller County Sheriff’s Department, at news conference)-“or sitting down”-Captain Brian Cantrell says Sandra Bland’s death was ruled a suicide. (20 Jul 2015) < 228-a-09-(Capt. Brian Cantrell (kan-TREHL’), Waller County Sheriff’s Department, at news conference)-“a criminal act”-Captain Brian Cantrell says the evidence indicates there was no foul play connected to Sandra Bland’s death. (20 Jul 2015) < UNITED STATES-NIGERIA Obama praises Nigerian leader for pursuing safety, security WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has welcomed Nigeria’s new president to the White House. Obama praised President Muhammadu Buhari (moo-HAH’-mah-doo boo-HAH’-ree) for working to bring “safety, security and peace” to a nation challenged by economic strains, a history of corruption and violence unleashed by the Islamic extremist group Boko Haram. The group, which has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State Group, has killed thousands across northern Nigeria. Nigeria’s government and military have failed to locate more than 200 school girls, most of them Christian, who were kidnapped by Boko Haram from the northern town of Chibok in April 2014. The abduction led to international condemnation and a campaign to “Bring Back Our Girls” that reached as far as the White House. Obama, speaking to reporters at the outset of the meeting, said Buhari has “a very clear agenda in defeating Boko Haram and extremists of all sorts inside of his country.” Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed) 180-a-08-(President Barack Obama, with reporters)-“they’ve carried out”-President Barack Obama says Nigeria’s new president is determined to defeat Islamic terrorists in the nation’s north. (20 Jul 2015) < 181-a-06-(President Barack Obama, with reporters)-“cooperate on counter-terrorism”-President Barack Obama says he and Nigeria’s new president are concerned about the spread of the Islamic terrorist group Boko Haram. (20 Jul 2015) < CAMEROON-BOKO HARAM Suspected Boko Haram fighters kill 23 in north Cameroon YAOUNDE, Cameroon (AP) — Residents of a village in the northern tip of Cameroon say suspected Boko Haram militants killed more than 20 people including multiple children in an attack Sunday night. Pastor Edward Ngosu, a Nigerian missionary based in Kamouna village, said Monday there were only seven Cameroonian soldiers stationed in the village when more than 80 attackers arrived. He said all the soldiers could do was shoot in the air to try to scare off the attackers, who killed 23 people. Nigeria-based Boko Haram, which this year became the West African franchise of the Islamic State group, has targeted northern Cameroon repeatedly in retaliation for the country’s participation in a regional military effort against the extremists. BRITAIN-EXTREMISM UK’s Cameron offers plan to counter attraction of extremism LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister David Cameron is warning young Muslims that if they join the Islamic State group, they’ll only become “cannon fodder.” Cameron has announced new powers designed to put those who radicalize young people “out of action,” together with plans to allow parents to cancel their children’s passports to prevent them from traveling abroad to join a radical group. He said the measures are meant to crush the infrastructure that has made it possible for as many as 700 young Britons to join radicals abroad. In a wide-ranging speech that targeted the ideology of extremism, Cameron chose a school in Birmingham, a center of the Muslim community in Britain, to argue that it’s time to counter the narrative that has attracted so many young people to the Islamic State group. Some Muslim organizations reacted with dismay, sensitive to suggestions that they are somehow to blame for extremism. Sound: (3:06 a.m. audio feed) 137-a-14-(British Prime Minister David Cameron, in speech on extremism)-“the Iraq war”-British Prime Minister David Cameron says the view that people, often young Muslims, become radicalized because of historic injustices or poverty should be challenged. (20 Jul 2015) < 138-a-18-(British Prime Minister David Cameron, in speech on extremism)-“ones murdering Muslims”-British Prime Minister David Cameron says people who think that historic injustices provides some kind of justification for violent extremism must be countered by the facts. ((note cut length)) (20 Jul 2015) < 139-a-13-(British Prime Minister David Cameron, in speech on extremism)-“western university education”-British Prime Minister David Cameron says he rejects the idea that poverty somehow automatically leads to violent extremism. (20 Jul 2015) < VATICAN-CLIMATE Eco-friendly pope to encourage likeminded mayors at Vatican VATICAN CITY (AP) — Dozens of environmentally friendly mayors from around the world are meeting at the Vatican Tuesday to bask in the star power of Pope Francis and commit to reducing global warming and helping the urban poor deal with its effects. It’s the latest Vatican initiative to keep the momentum alive after Francis released his landmark environment encyclical and as governments head into crucial climate negotiations in Paris in December. Some 60 mayors signed up to attend the two-day meeting at the Vatican. California Gov. Jerry Brown and the mayors of New York City, Boston, San Francisco and Boulder, Colorado, are attending. The conference is also addressing another of Francis’ priorities: human trafficking. Organizers say climate issues and trafficking both involve the exploitation of the Earth and its people, with the poor hit the hardest. BIRTH CONTROL-MISSOURI Appeals court reverses lower court on Missouri lawmaker case ST. LOUIS (AP) — A federal appeals panel has overturned a lower court’s rejection of a challenge to the Affordable Care Act brought by a Missouri lawmaker fighting required birth control coverage in his state-sponsored insurance plan. The Eighth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis on Monday reversed a U.S. District Court’s 2013 ruling dismissing the complaint brought by Republican state Rep. Paul Wieland and his wife Teresa against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and other federal agencies. Wieland’s lawyers cited the Supreme Court’s earlier decision that private companies such as Hobby Lobby with religious objections can opt out of the federal insurance plan’s contraceptive requirement. The Wielands say the mandate violates their sincerely held religious beliefs. The appeals decision sends the case back to district court. CATHOLIC CHURCHES VANDALIZED Diocese of Providence ‘very concerned’ over recent vandalism PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Spray-painted graffiti found on bricks in front of the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul is the latest in a recent wave of vandalism occurring at Catholic churches across Providence, Rhode Island. WJAR-TV reports that graffiti was also found at Saint Aldabert’s. Both churches were able to clean the paint before services Sunday morning. Cathedral parishioner Gregory Langelier called the vandalism a “hate crime” and said he was very saddened that someone would “do something so awful to a house of God.” A vandal smashed a granite pulpit and stole rosary beads from Our Lady of the Rosary Church less than two weeks ago. The Diocese of Providence said in a statement that it was very concerned and encouraged church members to be vigilant about safety and security. FRIENDSHIP TOWER-AIR CONDITIONING DISPUTE Residents of church-owned apartments plead for cooler air ATLANTA (AP) — Low-income residents of an apartment building near downtown Atlanta are pleading with a local church that owns the structure to fix what tenants say is a broken air conditioning system. On Sunday morning, some residents went to services at Friendship Baptist Church to try and get help, holding signs proclaiming “Shame on Friendship” and “God is Watching.” The Associated Press’ phone calls and emails to the church office and messages left with two of its pastors were not returned Monday morning. Representatives of an affiliated group, Pennsylvania-based American Baptist Churches USA, didn’t immediately respond to phone and email messages Monday. In 2013, the Friendship Baptist congregation voted to accept a $19.5 million offer for their church property so the Atlanta Falcons can build a new stadium downtown. Friendship Baptist’s congregation dates to the early days of the American Civil War, and the father of the late Atlanta Mayor Maynard Jackson once preached there.
