Religious Left

by Val Walton The Birmingham News Central Alabama Pride Inc. filed a federal lawsuit today against Birmingham Mayor Larry Langford in his official capacity, contending he discriminated against the group when he refused to allow city workers to hang banners supporting Gay Pride Week. The suit said the city has hung flags or banners in support of many diverse events in Birmingham, including City Stages music festival and the Magic City Classic. The 20th Gay Pride Parade was held June 7 in Five Points South. Langford refused to issue a proclamation for Gay Pride Week and denied permission for banners on city property. The mayor said he denied the request because it is inappropriate for a government to endorse a lifestyle, and his decision should not have surprised anyone familiar with his personality and religious views. full article

(San Diego, California) Two conservative Christian groups have asked a federal judge to overturn a California law prohibiting discrimination against gays and transgendered students. In a lawsuit filed in San Diego, Advocates for Faith and Freedom and the Alliance Defense Fund claim portions of the legislation - particularly those covering "gender identity" - are unconstitutionally vague and violate student privacy. The author of the legislation, state Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Santa Monica) calls the lawsuit frivolous. Kuehl said the bill did not change existing California law, only made it clearer so that school districts would have less trouble adhering to it. A law banning LGBT discrimination in schools has been on the books in California since 1999, said Kuehl, who is one of several gay members of the California legislature. "There's no change in the law; it was always the same. All of these truly silly claims that they make about what could happen could have been hap...