Marriage Equality, LGBTQ, Politics, Homophobia; Cosmos, Creationism; Church and State, Atheism, Francis Effect; Intolerance of Religion, Sex Abuse Scandals; Rape, Sexism, Culture Clash, Abortion and Birth Control

Marriage Equality

• Gay Marriages Continue in Wisconsin—But Trouble Looms
• Methodists fear split over same-sex marriage
• US: Church expels volunteer over gay commitment ceremony
• March To Nowhere: D.C. Anti-Gay Event Was Heavy On Rhetoric But Low On Facts
• Largest US Presbyterian Church Votes to Allow Gay Marriage
• Obama Administration To Extend Family Leave To Same-Sex Couples
• Hillary Jabs At NPR Host Over Gay Marriage
• Scott Walker Refuses To State A Position On Same-Sex Marriage
• Mike Huckabee: Martin Luther King Jr. would agree that gay marriage is like the Holocaust
• Mozilla under fire: Inside the 9-day reign of fallen CEO Brendan Eich
• Slovakia bans gay marriage in constitution
• Luxembourg Approves Same-Sex Marriage Bill

LGBTQ

• On Father's Day, Texas Sen. Chuy Hinojosa Says He Loves His Gay Daughter Unconditionally
• WWE Exec and Hall of Famer Pat Patterson Comes Out as Gay on 'Legends' House'
• AsapTHOUGHT: Coming out twice
• Allstate's "Safe in My Hands" gay pride ad is raw, moving
• Without fanfare, Obama advances transgender rights
• My beef with the (SJW) transgender community
• Denmark ends forced sterilisation for sex changes

Politics

• Oklahoma Candidate Says Gays Should Be Stoned
• House Committee Invites Witness To Go On Anti-Gay Rant, Because Religious Freedom
• Texas Governor Perry compares homosexuality to alcoholism
• CNBC Anchor Confronts Rick Perry About Remark Comparing Gays To Alcoholics
• More Or Less Everyone Agrees That Rick Perry Is a Moron for Comparing Homosexuality to Alcoholism
• Rick Perry Defers To Scientists On Gay Conversion Therapy, Forgets They Already Trashed It
• GOP Rep. Kevin Cramer Skeptical That LGBT Workplace Discrimination Exists
• Obama to Sign Executive Order on LGBT Discrimination
• Alabama appeals court rules state's sodomy law unconstitutional
• Gay candidate Brett Smiley has a very cute campaign ad
• First black, openly gay man confirmed as U.S. federal judge—Make that two.
• Canada: Kathleen Wynne's Liberals win majority government—"The first woman elected premier of Ontario — and Canada's only openly gay first minister ever — Wynne bested Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, who announced his resignation, and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath."

Homophobia

• Judge: Gay Fathers' Names Cannot Appear On Their Biological Children's Birth Certificates
• UK: 30 schools using textbooks that teach homosexuality is a choice
• U.S. cuts aid to Uganda, cancels military exercise over anti-gay law
• Cop placed on leave after refusing to work at gay pride parade—"The Salt Like City police officer will be the subject of an internal investigation, the department announced." Salon
• Clubber sprayed with concentrated ammonia outside Vauxhall bar in homophobic attack

Cosmos

• "Why is God telling me to stop asking questions?"—Meet the woman behind Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Cosmos" Salon
• Neil deGrasse Tyson vs. the right: "Cosmos," Christians, and the battle for American science—"The real reason conservatives are freaking out about Neil deGrasse Tyson: He's laying bare their worst hypocrisies." Salon
• The 5 most important lessons from Neil deGrasse Tyson's "Cosmos"—"'Cosmos' may be ending on Sunday, but lessons will keep us thinking." Salon
• The Curious Passions of Mr. Cosmos: Neil deGrasse Tyson On Space, Climate, and Why Curiosity Wins Every Time
• Fox News guest says white liberal nerds love Neil deGrasse Tyson so much "he could defecate on them" Salon

Creationism

• Creationist author asks: If evolution is true, "is rape wrong?"—"Darek Isaacs appeared on 'Creation Today' with ridiculous claims about evolution." Salon
• Can This Class Be Saved? Bible Course Teaches That Adam and Eve Were Actual Historical People
• A Decade Later, This is the 500-Page Creationism Book a Public School Biology Teacher Gave His Students
• New creationism museum says Noah brought baby dinosaurs aboard the ark—More likely to believe Gilgamesh did it. Salon
• 4 in 10 Americans Believe God Created Earth 10,000 Years Ago
• UK: Government bans all existing and future Academies and Free Schools from teaching creationism as science
• Creationism Isn't Science, and Shouldn't Be Taught That Way

Church and State

• Faced with Threat of Atheists Speaking at Meetings, Troutman (NC) City Council Caps Invocations at Two Minutes
• A Church-PAC Link Raises Questions in Mississippi—"If a church's resources were used to help Senator Thad Cochran, the church could lose its tax-exempt status." NYT
• U.S. Supreme Court rejects appeal over school graduation in church
• With Eric Cantor Defeat, Congressional Republicans Lose Only Non-Christian
• Dave Brat's Land of Magical Thinking—"The GOP's newest star doesn't believe that Wall Street deserves much of the blame for the financial crisis, that the U.S. should be a lot more like China, and that the fix for American banks is to 'preach the gospel and change hearts and souls.'"
• Bible-waving MN GOP Supreme Court nominee places God above U.S. law
• Kissing Congressman Reconsiders Retirement After Apologizing To God
• Sympathy for the Devils: Scenes From the Social Conservative Collapse—"There was a time when the bigoted, Bible-thumping crowd ran roughshod over D.C. Now, not so much."
• Christian-themed Park Will No Longer Be Getting a $140,000 Boost from Iowan Taxpayers
• Pagan Forbidden from Opening Temple in Beebe, Arkansas Because His God Isn't the Christian God
• UK: Taxpayers' cash should not be used to fund faith schools, say voters—"Labour wants talks on teaching of religion as poll shows 58% of the public urge abolition or axing of state funds."
• Australia: Father wins High Court challenge on federal funding of school chaplains program

Atheism

• Atheism explodes in Saudi Arabia, despite state-enforced ban Salon
• Convicted Heavy Metal 'Christian' Singer Admits Being Atheist, Duped Fans to Sell Music
• Bible Verses That Atheists Love—"We asked prominent atheists what parts of the Bible they find inspiring and beautiful."

Francis Effect

• Pope Francis Meeting With Israeli, Palestinian Leaders For Prayer
• Pope Francis Warns The Global Economy Is Near Collapse
• Pope tells super rich, bankers to find some ethics
• Pope Francis: Mafiosi are excommunicated from the church'—"Vatican spokesman Father Ciro Benedettini said the pope's stern words did not constitute a formal over-arching decree of canon (Church) law, regarding excommunication, which is a formal legal process."
• Pope doesn't see the point of having a bullet-proof car at his old age—Uhhhh... is this wise?

Intolerance of Religion

• Rape victims say Bob Jones University told them to repent—"Former students at 'the fortress of faith' who reported sexual abuse say they were told they had sinned."
• Obama Caricature Becomes Urinal Cake at Faith and Freedom Conference
• Religious right looks beyond gay marriage to next battles: 'We are in a war'
• More Mormons facing church scrutiny for online comments
• 10 most un-Christian church signs Salon

Sex Abuse Scandals

• St. Louis Archbishop Carlson claims to be uncertain if he knew sexual abuse was a crime
• Catholic church has 'sociopathic disregard for sex abuse victims'—"Victim of Marist brother speaks out at royal commission after church's counsel tries to discredit him over past drug use."
• Catholic Church: Our Priest Raped Off Duty, You Can't Sue Us
• Christian radio personality from Michigan arrested on sex assault charge involving children
• Jehovah's Witness elders were 'spiritually corrupt and morally bankrupt', court told—""Mark Sewell, 53, has denied 12 sex charges against girls and women across a 10-year period, at Merthyr Crown Court."

Rape

• 'Rape culture wins': Feminist freakout after Miss Nevada dares suggest self defense training for women—Miss Nevada is right.
• Angelina Jolie: Shame the rapist, not the victim Salon
• An OB/GYN's Open Letter To George Will About His Rape Column
• Major Newspaper Dumps George Will, Apologizes For 'Offensive' Rape Column
• George Will's Latest: College Rape Charges Fueled By 'Sea Of Hormones And Alcohol'
• Cleared Oxford Union president says rape accused should not be identified—"Oxford union president Ben Sullivan said identity of those accused should be withheld at least until police carry out a preliminary investigation."
• Long-forgotten rape evidence finally reveals its clues in Northern Virginia lab WaPo
• Congress poised to approve $41 million to help clear backlog of untested rape kits WaPo

Sexism

• Female Your Party member interrupted by sexist heckles—"A member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly said Thursday she was hurt by sexist remarks made by male politicians during a session the previous day in which she was ridiculed for being unmarried and lacking children."
• American Apparel boots CEO for being a pervert, stock surges
• Study: Judges with daughters are more likely to rule in favor of women WaPo
• Female prison inmates sterilized illegally, California audit confirms
• Facebook Lifts Ban on Exposed Nipples in Breastfeeding Pictures
• Hurricanes with Female Names Are Deadlier Than Masculine Ones

Culture Clash

• A Fight as U.S. Girls Face Genital Cutting Abroad—"Female genital cutting has been banned in the United States since 1996, and now it is also illegal to transport girls for 'vacation cutting.' But some are concerned that such cutting is on the rise." NYT
• Female genital mutilation exposed in Swedish class—"Some 60 cases of genital mutilation have been discovered in Norrköping in eastern Sweden since March with all 30 girls in one school class found to have undergone the procedure."
• Iranian child bride faces execution for killing the man she was forced to marry—"Iran's judiciary urged to halt Razieh Ebrahimi's execution as international law prohibits execution for crimes by juveniles."
• Pakistani woman: My relatives shot me, threw me in canal for marrying neighbor
• Pakistan: Man murders daughter for wearing makeup
• Pakistani woman raped, hanged
• Sexual assault on student sparks outrage in Egypt
• Tunisia: Man burns daughter to death in suspected honor killing
• YouTube refuses Egypt's request to remove footage of Tahrir Square sexual assault
• UK law banning forced marriage takes effect—"Those found guilty of the largely hidden practice face up to seven years in prison."

Abortion and Birth Control

• Republican: If a Woman Has Right to an Abortion, a Man Should Have Right to Force Himself on a Woman
• Kansas county twice rejects IUD grants, equating the devices to murder
• Louisiana governor signs into law new abortion restrictions
• Florida Gov. Scott Signs Late Term Abortion Bill
• GOP Governors Paying Big Bucks to Controversial Marriage Therapist to Defend New Abortion Laws
• Chris Christie Falsely Claims Democrats Barred Anti-Abortion Speakers From Conventions
• Michigan lawmakers push bill to repeal controversial abortion insurance law
• Utah's Catholic bishop: If you're pro-life, you're pro-Medicaid expansion
• Condom Use Drops Among US Teens—More fodder for MTV.
• Melinda Gates: 'Gates Foundation Has Decided Not to Fund Abortion'

Towel Day, Killer Robots, Universe, Science! SpaceX; Cosmos, Oklahoma

Towel Day

• Pope Francis Says He Would Definitely Baptize Aliens If They Asked Him To
• Aliens Exist And Will Be Found Pretty Soon, Say Scientists
• Aliens? Yes Please. UFOs? No Thanks

Killers Robots

• The struggle to ban killer robots
• Ban killer Robocops before it's too late, rights groups say
• Only five countries actually want to ban killer robots

Universe

• Simulation shows that dark energy and matter can reproduce the Universe—"Takes 350 million light years of space from 12 million to 12 billion years old."
• Binary Supermassive Black Hole System Discovered
• Thanks to budget cuts, we may never know for sure why the universe is expanding WaPo
• Why `is it Dark at Night?
• Jupiter's Great Red Spot turning into little red dot

Science!

• Bill Nye: "You Can Hate Me, You Can Hate Everything, But Science Education Is What Leads to Innovators"
• Scientists 'freeze' light for an entire minute
• Scientists discover how to turn light into matter after 80-year quest
• What's It Like to Consult for The Big Bang Theory?

SpaceX

• SpaceX injunction dissolved; US can buy Russian rockets for space launches—"Court sides with government, rules purchases don’t violate executive order."
• Russia targets space station project in retaliation for U.S. sanctions
• Russia's New Space Sanctions Mean SpaceX Is About to Get Paid
• GOP Congressman Wants To Block Elon Musk From Competing In Space
• Elon Musk blames bribery for Air Force awarding rocket contract to a competitor
• Elon Musk says he lost a multi-billion-dollar contract when SpaceX didn't hire a public official

Cosmos

• Ken Ham's worst nightmare come true: Why Neil deGrasse Tyson has creationists flipping out—"With each passing episode, 'Cosmos' is cementing its host as Christian fundamentalists' new public enemy No. 1." Salon
• Creationists grow increasingly desperate in feud with Neil deGrasse Tyson—"The 'Cosmos' host continues to put science first -- much to the chagrin of religious fundamentalists." Salon
• Creationists now losing their minds because Neil deGrasse Tyson explained electricity Salon
• WVUE technical glitch interrupts 'Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey' evolution sequence—Pathetic.
• FOX 21 gets slammed for Cosmos broadcast—"Apparently.... multitudes of duplicated commercials interrupted the program multiple times."
• 'Cosmos on Weed' Puts the 'Grass' in 'Neil deGrasse Tyson'

Oklahoma

• Oklahoma to pay $300,000 in legal fees after 'preemptively' banning Sharia law
• Oklahoma school board members met privately with Hobby Lobby president on Bible class
• Oklahoma Judge Denies Motion To Dismiss Atheists' Ten Commandments Lawsuit—One out of three for rational thinking.

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day, Islamic, Church and State, Prayer, Educamation, Creationism, Atheism

Everybody Draw Mohammed Day

• Islamic Extremists Now Crucifying People in Syria—and Tweeting Out the Pictures
• Suffering under ISIL rule: testimonies from al-Raqa—"Syrian residents living under the rule of the al-Qaeda-inspired 'Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant' (ISIL) in al-Raqa suffer "daily oppression" and "crackdown on freedoms"."
• Sudan judge sentences Christian woman to death for apostasy
• Saudi Arabia calls for criticism of religion to be outlawed in Norway
• Deemed "disparaging," anti-Muslim website denied trademark—"Activist claims decision based on fears of reprisal from 'Islamic supremacists.'"

Islamic

• Lloyds Bank accused of religious discrimination over free overdrafts on Islamic accounts
• Subway removes ham and bacon from nearly 200 stores and offers halal meat only after 'strong demand' from Muslims—The (paying) customer is always right?
• Keep Indonesia Secular, Yudhoyono Urges

Prayer

• Town Meetings Can Have Prayer, Justices Decide—"In a 5-4 ruling that split the Supreme Court's liberal and conservative members, the justices said that towns may start their sessions with sectarian prayers." NYT
• Town of Greece v. Galloway: Roanoke, Virginia, already seeing the effects of the Supreme Court prayer decision.
• Prompted by U.S. Supreme Court Ruling, Florida Satanist Wants to Open Meeting With Prayer
• Roanoke County Supervisor Reiterates That Non-Christians Will Be Banned from Delivering Invocations—"The freedom of religion doesn't mean that every religion has to be heard."
• Hindu Prayer Interrupted In Senate By Christians

Church and State

• Here's the First Look at the New Satanic Monument Being Built for Oklahoma's Statehouse
• Iowa GOP Senate Candidates Vow To Block Judges Who Won't Follow 'Biblical' Law
• Occupy Christ? White House hopeful wants state religion, gays off TV, and CEO pay cap
• Watch: Alabama Chief Justice Says Freedom of Religion Should Only Apply to Christians
• Americans Claim to Attend Church Much More Than They Do NYT

Educamation

• 'Trojan horse' teacher breaks into girl's phone—"Parent complains to police over school's action to uncover 'forbidden' relationship with a fellow 16-year-old pupil."
• Public School Superintendent Says No to Graduation Prayers; Now He's Under Fire from the Community
• Teen ejected from prom after dads experience 'impure thoughts'
• Seattle school renames Easter eggs 'Spring Spheres'
• Bryan College losing nearly 25% of faculty after 'Adam and Eve' controversy—"The dispute at Bryan College, named for William Jennings Bryan, began in February when trustees clarified the school's statement of belief to state that Adam and Eve were historical people who were not created from previously existing life forms."

Creationism

• Science wins: Religious language struck from South Carolina state fossil bill—Fossilized thinking in the Palmetto State.
• Pat Robertson says Young Earth Creationists are "deaf, dumb and blind"—"The televangelist also says the belief that Earth is only 6,000 years old makes fundamentalists 'look silly.'" Ken Ham reacts.
• Leading GOP Senate Candidate: Creationism Should Be Taught in Public Schools—"Inside Montana Rep. Steve Daines' curious ties with creationism—and dinosaur museums."

Atheism

• Christianity's faith-based freakout: Why atheism makes believers so uncomfortable—"Rather than respecting the right of atheists to disbelieve, christians are constantly forcing them to fake it." Salon
• Atheist TV: Coming soon to a television near you WaPo
• Ken Ham Is Furious That My Book Will Be Handed Out to High School Students in Kentucky

Marriage Equality, Cases; Schools; Latta, Intolerance, LGBT; War on Women, Abortion and Birth Control; Religion, Think of the Children

Marriage Equality

• Republican Activists Push Party On Gay Marriage
• Illinois GOP Replaces Officials Who Opposed Chairman On Gay Marriage
• Nauseating political cynicism led to inspiring gay marriage triumph—"A new book details how Obama's evolution on marriage equality was orchestrated. It's sickening -- but encouraging." Salon
• Idaho Won't Allow Lesbian Veteran To Be Buried With Her Wife
• Stop twisting the Bible: There is no message against same-sex marriage—"Moses and Paul are being misinterpreted: They were against gang rape and pederasty, not loving relationships." Salon
• Blast from the Past: Wrestler "Stone Cold" Steve Austin Body-Slams Marriage Equality Critics

Cases

• Judge: Indiana Must Recognize Gay Couple's Marriage
• 10th Circuit arguments on gay marriage ban focus on family, fairness
• Ted Olson: Va. gay marriage ban 'flatly unconstitutional'
• Prop 8 lawyer's views on gay marriage evolving
• Italian Court Recognizes Gay Marriage for First Time
• Malta: Same sex unions approved - Celebrations in Valletta - Opposition abstains because of adoptions

Schools

• College basketball player comes out as gay
• Best Protest Ever: Students Walk Out During Anti-Gay Lecture, Leaving Room All but Empty
• Law society rejects school over gay policy—"Ontario's law society has refused to accredit a new law school at a faith-based university over a policy prohibiting same-sex intimacy that some say is discriminatory."
• Publicly funded school with anti-gay policy spurs Alberta review—"Alberta's education minister faced questions today about why tax dollars are going to a school with anti-gay policies."
• Religious Oregon teens wear 'Gay Is Not OK' shirts to school to protest lack of 'straight day'
• Washington school district will hire gay administrator forced out of Catholic school
• Trans teacher reinstated by school board following parent complaints

Latta

• Mayor Who Fired Lesbian Police Chief Caught On Tape In Homophobic Tirade—"I would much rather have.. and I will say this to anybody's face… somebody who drank and drank too much taking care of my child than I had somebody whose lifestyle is questionable around children."
• Latta council fights for chief's job—"Mayor refuses to discuss police leader's dismissal before a packed meeting."
• South Carolina town rallies 'round fired gay police chief

Intolerance

• Tea Party Activist: 'Gay Supremacy Is Becoming A Monster That Carries Greater Evils Than White Supremacy Ever Did'
• Boy Scouts of America Shuts Down Seattle Troop Over Gay Scoutmaster
• Man gets 2 1/2 years for beating disabled brother to 'push the gay out'
• Brunei's new law permits stoning gay people to death
• Mistrust and Hate: The Frightening New Lives of Homosexuals in Uganda
• Serial Killer Arrested For Killing Gay Men In Pakistan
• For young women in China, slash fanfiction is a dangerous hobby

LGBT

• A frat boy's "gay experience"—"I always considered myself straight. What happened with Tom left me questioning everything about my sexuality." Salon
• Artist Creates Unique Portrait of Tom Daley to Combat Hate
• It's Not Just Frozen: Most Disney Movies Are Pro-Gay—"By preaching acceptance and questioning gender, the company's kids films offer a queer-studies crash course."
• Gun Barrel City mayor promises end to police surveillance of gay bar Garlow's
• Chelsea Manning: A Statement on My Legal Name Change

War on Women

• Chelsea Clinton's pregnancy gives birth to new conspiracies—"The news that Hillary Clinton is to become a grandmother has prompted questions about her ability to run for presidency. It's breathtaking sexism."
• Mitch McConnell Says He Stood Up for Women in a Senate Sexual-Harassment Scandal. The Real Story Is Damning.—"McConnell claims he led a 1995 investigation against a GOP senator accused of sexual misconduct. Actually, he took steps to keep it quiet."
• Prominent Republican: Women Need To Be Paid Less So They Can Find Husbands
• GOP Lawmaker Says Women Don't Deserve Equal Pay Because They're Lazier
• GOP Candidate: I'm Not Waging A War On Women Because I'm A Woman

Abortion and Birth Control

• North Dakota abortion ban ruled unconstitutional
• Lawsuit: Texas Hospital Caved to Anti-Abortion Activists' Demands
• Virginia GOPer: Incest exceptions in abortion restrictions unnecessary because sometimes incest is "voluntary"—"Asked to defend the remark, the delegate said, 'I don't care. ... if I say something in public, I say it in public.'" Salon
• South Carolina Bill Wants to Apply 'Stand Your Ground' Law to Fetuses
• Tennessee legislature passes bill to criminalize pregnancy: Women who have stillbirths after using illegal drugs may be charged
• The secret anti-abortion law that's sweeping America—"Pro-lifers can't reverse Roe v Wade. So they're shutting down clinics with red tape and a smile. Don't believe the lie."
• Nearly one-third of morning-after pills in Peru are fake

Religion

• Popes John Paul II and John XXIII made saints in double canonisation
• Pope Francis 'told divorced and remarried woman there is nothing wrong with her taking Communion', Italian newspaper says
• Britain in post-Christian era, says former archbishop of Canterbury—"Lord Williams says time of habitual worship is over and further decline of widespread faith likely in UK."
• "A Masturbation Lawsuit Is Rattling Christian Homeschoolers—"The sexual abuse lawsuit against 'Biblical Patriarchy' leader Doug Phillips is dividing Christian homeschoolers."
• Army approves 'humanist' as religious preference
• Court upholds ban on religious services in NYC public schools
• Shakespeare and atheism: What his works tell us about the playwright's religious views

Think of the Children

• Pope Francis asks forgiveness for child abuse by clergy
• Couple accused in death of daughter, 12, seek to exclude mention of faith healing
• 'Baptism is a crime against children': ECHR
• 'Muslim morality squads' accused of confiscating students' Easter eggs in U.K.
• SC Republican wants to end public schools: Nothing 'in the Bible about state education'
• W. Va. School Removes Bible Verse after Complaint
• US school's Bible class: Sinners will suffer

420, Medical Marijuana, War on Drugs, Law and Disorder, Prison, Mexico; Easter, Church and State, Creationism, Islamists

420

• How 420 became code for marijuana
• Colorado legalized marijuana tax revs ahead of expectations: Moody's—"Colorado, the first state to tax legalized recreational marijuana sales, expects to bring in an estimated $98 million in revenue this year, exceeding the state's original expectations by 40 percent."
• 3 Months Later, Here's What Denver Looks Like Since Legalizing Marijuana

Medical Marijuana

• Uruguay Considers Using Medical Marijuana To Treat Cocaine Addicts In Prison
• Nurse practitioners added to list of those who can prescribe medical marijuana
• Weed Eases Anxiety, Says the Federal Government
• Corbett wouldn't legalize pot even if toddler grandson needed it
• Boston Mayor Walsh says he aims to block dispensaries—"Urges state to reject applications with errors."
• Pro-pot group files to recall Arizona senator—"A pro-marijuana group is trying to recall Arizona Sen. Kimberly Yee after she refused to hear a bill that would have helped fund research into the effects of medical marijuana on post-traumatic stress disorder."
• Missouri Rep Tells Marijuana Patient To "Get A Job And Get Off Dope"

War on Drugs

• Jesus would end the war on drugs—"Christian leaders issue Easter statement denouncing drug war and mass incarceration of minorities."
• Let's Just Get Rid of the DEA Already—"America's drug cops are determined to keep weed illegal just to maintain their jobs."
• Legalized pot 'makes us fight harder,' top DEA official tells Congressional committee
• DEA raids woman's Shorewood home after she shops at garden center
• Shocking police overreach haunts Southern city: Racial profiling, quotas and secret "conviction bonuses"—"How a federal grant incentivized a police department to go nuts on drug arrests -- and terrorize its community." Salon
• Utah cops warrantlessly search prescription drug records of 480 emergency personnel—"When searching for morphine thief, Utah cops have almost carte blanche powers to search database."
• Law professors demand cannabis legalization—"Over 120 German professors of criminal law are supporting an initiative to legalize cannabis. They have called on the Bundestag to discuss the issue. Merkel's coalition is skeptical."
• Maryland Decriminalizes Marijuana Possession

Law and Disorder

• Matt Taibbi: U.S. Should Be Ashamed It Treats Pot Smokers Worse Than Wall St. Criminals
• Remember when legal marijuana was going to send crime skyrocketing?
• LAPD officer gets community service, probation for lying under oath—"A Los Angeles police officer was sentenced Wednesday to community labor and three years' probation for falsely testifying about the details of a 2008 drug arrest."
• Dashcam from traffic stop of driver from legalized marijuana state—"Roseen believes he was profiled by the trooper because he had a Washington driver's license, Colorado license plates and had just crossed into Idaho from Oregon. All three of the other states have some form of legalized marijuana."
• "Free Jeff Mizanskey" Efforts Continue with Billboards and 360,000 Signatures
• 5 Accused of Trafficking Drugs, Using Day Care as Cover
• Woman, unhappy with pot purchase, calls cops

Prison

• Feds to Reconsider Harsh Prison Terms for Drug Offenders
• US Panel Votes to Reduce Drug-Dealing Sentences
• California Governor Jerry Brown Grants Dozens Of Drug Pardons
• Louisianan Given 13-Year Prison Sentence for Possession of Two Marijuana Cigarettes

Mexico

• Tracing the U.S. heroin surge back south of the border as Mexican cannabis output falls WaPo
• The Grisly Reality Behind Soaring Lime Prices—"Mexican cartels are making the citrus more expensive in the United States."
• Mexican drug lord's insider notes may set him free after 10 years—"Vicente Zambada, son of Sinaloa kingpin, struck deal with US to inform on cartels in exchange for reduced sentence."
• Mexico catches No. 2 in once-powerful Beltran Leyva drug cartel
• Mexico prepares first illegal drug financing blacklist—Is HSBC on that list?
• Two drug tunnels, with rail systems, found at U.S.-Mexico border

Easter

• Yes Candida, Christians Did Steal Easter—People like Candida push ignorance to hide the truth.
• Spanish village called 'kill Jews' mulls name change
• There Are No Errors in the Bible, Says Christian Pastor Who Clearly Hasn't Read the Bible
• Papyrus fragment put to test—"None of the testing has produced any evidence that the [Gospel of Jesus' Wife] fragment is a modern fabrication or forgery."

Church and State

• Louisiana Lawmakers Vote to Make the Bible the State Book
• Oklahoma School's 'Hobby Lobby Bible Curriculum' Raises Bias Concerns
• Atheist Witch Hunt: South Carolina Lawmakers Spar Over Appointed Official’s Supposed 'Godlessness'
• Warren mayor says atheist can't put up 'reason station' inside city hall
• After Being Denied "8THEIST" License Plate, New Jersey Woman is Suing State's Motor Vehicle Commission
• Media, rights groups urge court to revisit takedown of anti-Muslim YouTube video—"Media says decision allows subjects of news events to control coverage."
• Pastafarians rejoice as Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster is granted permission to register as a religion in Poland

Creationism

• Bill Nye says he underestimated debate's impact
• The Real Darwin Fish—"Why creationists hate Tiktaalik."
• FunnyOrDie: Creationist Cosmos

Islamists

• Islamist plot: six schools face Ofsted special measures—"Six schools implicated in the so-called 'Trojan Horse' plot by extremists to 'Islamise' secular state education face being placed in special measures."
• State schools isolate non-Muslims—"Schools in Birmingham discrimate against non-Muslim students and restrict GCSE teaching to fit in with Islamic beliefs, according to official report."
• 'Sinful': Video of British Muslims dancing to Pharrell Williams's hit Happy comes under attack
• Poster dictates music haram in UK school
• 1,000 Christian, Hindu girls forced to convert to Islam every year in Pakistan: report
• China official says Islamists seek to ban laughter and crying

Ukraine; Discrimination, Arizona, Uganda; Church and State, Scouts; Sex Abuse Scandal; Catholic Coffers; Religion

Ukraine

• Ukraine orders full military mobilisation over Russia moves—Which is a considered a 'declaration of war.'
• Ukraine Finds Its Forces Are Ill Equipped to Take Crimea Back From Russia NYT
• Obama urges Putin to pull troops back
• Harper recalls ambassador, tells Putin to withdraw
• Russia told to 'back off' by Abbott
• UK pulls out of preparatory talks for G8 summit in Sochi
• Kerry condemns Russia's 'incredible act of aggression' in Ukraine
• UNSC, EU, NATO to hold urgent meetings over Ukraine
• Thousands March In Pro-Invasion Rally In Moscow
• The Wikileaks cables that anticipated the Russian invasion of Crimea
• UNSC, EU, NATO to hold urgent meetings over Ukraine
• The Wikileaks cables that anticipated the Russian invasion of Crimea

Discrimination

• The Week The 'Religious Freedom' Movement Hit Its High Water Mark
• When 'Religious Liberty' Was Used To Justify Racism Instead Of Homophobia
• Who Favors Discrimination against Gay Newlyweds? Most Republicans, old People, Southerners, Evangelicals
• GOP lawmaker says he 'regrets' offensive statements about gays, abortion
• NYC Church Warns That 'Homo Demons' Unleashed By Obama Will Steal Men

Arizona

• Arizona's antigay bill: Did warnings about Muslim religious freedom help prompt a veto?
• Arizona Not Done! Bill Would Allow Judges To Discriminate Against Gays
• It's Still Legal to Fire Gays in Arizona—"Jan Brewer’s veto of SB 1062 doesnt change a thing: discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity is quite alright by the law."
• Tempe, Ariz., approves LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance
• Opinion: Arizona Did Us All a Favor—"Recent legal movements are fraught with trouble for a country founded on the idea that church does not dictate to state." NYT
• Stephen Colbert Makes a Cake for Gays

Uganda

• World Bank delays loan to Uganda over anti-gay law—Uganda claims this is 'blackmail.'
• Scots bid to offer Ugandan gay law asylum
• Anti-gay filmmaker Jason 'Molotov' Mitchell challenges for NC Senate seat—"Mitchell made news nationally in 2010 when he posted a video in support of a Ugandan anti-homosexuality law that would have imposed the death penalty on violators."
• Uganda bans miniskirts, pornography
• Ugandan women protest anti-miniskirt mobs

Church and State

• Alabama House committee passes school prayer bill without votes
• Ten Commandments bill on way to Alabama Senate after passing out of committee
• Conservatives Boot American Atheists From Booth At Conference
• Deal could allow gays in Boston St. Pat's parade
• Texas Religious-right Politicians Fall Prey to Scam by ‘Godly Man’

Scouts

• Disney cuts ties with Boy Scouts over ban on LGBTQ troop leaders—"The Walt Disney Company's corporate guidelines ban discrimination based on sexual or gender identity." Salon
• Small tent: Georgia pastor boots Boy Scouts to keep gay scouts from camping with other boys
• N. Va. priest who ousted Cub Scouts over gays kept the popcorn money for Christian group—"Fairfax cleric who severed ties with Cub Scouts over gays kept $4,000 to fund new Christian group." WaPo
• Boy Scouts See Ranks Shrink After Policy Shift on Gays—"Says other factors could contribute to the lower number of participants."
• Alternative to Boy Scouts, formed in wake of gay controversy, finds its footing

Sex Abuse Scandal

• Mom of two abused boys: Archdiocese is trying to blame me
• Former altar boy reveals grim details of Philadelphia priest’s alleged sex abuse
• Catholic church will publicly name 50 or more former priests who abused kids in western Montana
• Croatia Church finds priest guilty of pedophilia
• Brisbane Archbishop Mark Coleridge dismayed by Catholic Church sex abuse claims—Those who "had ignored and excused sex abuse claims."

Islam

• Nigeria school raid 'leaves dozens dead'—"Suspected Islamist militants from the Boko Haram group in north-eastern Nigeria have attacked a school and shot some students, the military has said."
• 19 Islamic words banned for non-Muslims in Brunei—"They are azan; baitullah; Al Quran; Allah; fatwa; Firman Allah; hadith; haji; hukum syara'; ilahi; Ka'bah; kalimah al syahadah; kiblat; masjid; imam; mufti; mu'min; solat; and wali."
• Muslims Worldwide Sign Petition to Ban Blasphemous Katy Perry Video from YouTube
• Tunisian pardoned over Prophet cartoons—"Decree clears man jailed since 2012 for posting caricatures of Prophet Muhammad online, but no word yet on his release."
• US court orders removal of anti-Islam film from YouTube—Should freedom of speech pay the price because of a spurious copyright notice? Google doesn't think so.

Catholic Coffers

• Pope Talks Poverty, Eyes Overhaul Of Vatican Finances
• Pope revolutionizes Vatican by opening finances to scrutiny
• Big Spending NJ Archdiocese Doesn't Want To Talk About Pope's Call For Modesty
• A Church So Poor It Has to Close Schools, Yet So Rich It Can Build a Palace NYT
• Bling bishop used charity millions for HQ: report—"A disgraced German bishop who spent €31 million building a new headquarters used cash reserved for good causes to fund his lavish projects...."

Religion

• Why must Jesus be sexy in film?—Mmm... homem bonito.
• Kentucky Baptists use gun giveaways to lure unchurched to Christ
• Pastor of Korean Megachurch Convicted for Embezzling $12 Million
• Illinois Woman Charged With Vandalizing 20 Churches, Mosques
• "Hipster" Christianity: 9 hilarious attempts by the religious right to be cool Salon

Marriage Equality, Religion, LGBT, Michael Sam, Trans*, Intolerance; Church and State, Extremists, Porn and Sex, Abortion and Birth Control, Women; Science Under Siege, Creationism, Atheism, Bible Studies

Marriage Equality

• Yep, SCOTUS Lit A Slow Fuse To End Marriage Bans Across The USA
• It's Over: Gay Marriage Can’t Lose in the Courts
• Attorneys general switching sides on gay marriage
• Federal Judge: Virginia Gay Marriage Unconstitutional
• Wisconsin Democrats Introduce Bill To Repeal Gay Marriage Ban
• Gay Marriage Ban Push Suffers Big Setback in Indiana—Read about one state senator's meltdown on Twitter.
• Social conservatives: lawsuit fighting gay-marriage ban is like Bull Connor fighting civil rights—"With Florida's gay-marriage ban threatened in Miami court, social conservatives launched a counteroffensive Friday, accusing same-sex union proponents of opposing civil rights."
• How Alabama Tried To 'Erase' This Gay Man's Marriage
• Ted Cruz Introduces Anti-Gay Marriage Bill—Despicable action, but expect more to come.

Religion

• Methodists in crisis over gay marriage, church law
• Mormons, Evangelicals, And Catholics: Opposing Marriage Equality Isn't Anti-Gay—Keep digging.
• Church offers prayers after same-sex weddings – but bans gay priests from marrying—"Church of England draws up guidelines for ‘new reality’ of gay marriage but liberal campaigners dismiss arrangements as 'dog's breakfast.'"

LGBT

• Gay Republican House candidate features partner in ad [H/T Hector]
• Male sexual orientation influenced by genes, study shows—"Genes examined in study are not sufficient or necessary to make men gay but do play some role in sexuality, say US researchers."
• Homophobic Note on Birthday Invite a Hoax, Radio Hosts Say

Michael Sam

• Retired NFL Receiver Destroys Argument Against Gay Players
• Michael Sam's father denies remarks—"The father of Michael Sam told the Galveston (Texas) Daily News he was 'terribly misquoted' by The New York Times in a recent article about the reaction to his son's announcement that he is gay."
• Sam Wheeler, Kent State Wrestler, Suspended For Anti-Gay Tweets About Michael Sam

Trans*

• Polish Catholic Church declares war on 'gender theory'
• Transgender woman Avery Edison moved to women's jail after outcry online
• Facebook is no longer for males and females only—"Facebook is finally on the road to trans*, androgynous, cis-, and beyond."
• Transgender, Schlumpy and Human—"We finally have transgender characters in movies and TV. But what about transgender actors?" NYT
• How a transgender "foreign hope" is challenging the pro StarCraft world

Intolerance

• Kansas House passes bill allowing service refusal to gay couples—Andrew Sullivan asks: What the hell just happened in Kansas? Even the Kansas clergy has called this bill "a license for bigotry." Update: Probable backtracking in the works by the Kansas Senate?
• Idaho bill would protect business owners from denying services to gays
• Tennessee Lawmaker Introduces 'Turn the Gays Away' Bill Allowing Religion-Based Discrimination
• Arizona GOP Advances Wide-Sweeping Religious License To Discriminate Against Gays Bill
• Bobby Jindal: Anti-discrimination laws are a 'Silent War on Religious Liberty'—Religious liberty has become an oxymoron.
• Ugandan President To Sign Anti-Homosexuality Bill
• Russia Expands Adoption Ban—"Targets single people of any orientation in countries where gay marriage is legal."

Church and State

• Religious conservatives behind push to rewrite U.S. Constitution using obscure maneuver
• The 19 most religious states all voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 WaPo
• India a religious country, but too much corruption: Dalai Lama
• Sex, Lies and Hinduism: Why A Hindu Activist Targeted Wendy Doniger's Book—"Dinanath Batra has arm-twisted publisher Penguin India into recalling and destroying American scholar Wendy Doniger's book, The Hindus: An Alternative History. Here's why he has a problem with it."
• Denmark outlaws Jewish and Muslim ritual slaughter as of next week

Extremists

• Wielding Whip and a Hard New Law, Nigeria Tries to 'Sanitize' Itself of Gays—The bigots are out in force. NYT
• Syrian girl stoned to death for using Facebook account
• Destruction of the Idols
• Embrace Islam or die!

Porn and Sex

• Strong Religious Beliefs May Drive Self-Perception of Being Addicted to Online Pornography
• Porn Site Claims 1/3 Of Its Amateur Videos Are Created in Bible Belt
• Tennessee Republican Lawmakers Freak Out Because Adults Want to Talk About Sex With Other Adults
• Canada: Let's end the world's oldest debate—"Isn't it time we call an erotic massage parlour a brothel? Why not stop the hypocrisy and legalize prostitution once and for all."

Abortion and Birth Control

• Federal court rules North Carolina 'Choose Life' license plate unconstitutional
• Virginia Senate votes to repeal forced ultrasound law
• Houston abortion clinic shut down by state
• America's Plan B problem: The contraception misinformation epidemic Salon

Women

• Overlooked consequences of organized religion can be harmful to women
• A Catholic School Just Fired a Teacher for Getting Pregnant. That Actually Happens All the Time.—Would a father with a child out of wedlock been fired as well?
• France's tough stance on female genital mutilation is working, say campaigners—"Parents and 'cutters' have been jailed in France but concerns remain that parents go abroad – including to UK – for FGM."
• #StripForJackie Campaign Gains Momentum

Science Under Siege

• 1 In 4 Americans Thinks The Sun Goes Around The Earth, Survey
• Bill Nye tells Bill Maher: America can't afford a generation of 'scientifically illiterate' children
• Naturalist Sir David Attenborough Loses His Patience With Bible Literalists

Creationism

• The Cruelty of Creationism—"A new documentary shows how biblical fundamentalism imprisons the mind."
• Right-wing pastor: Pat Robertson committed 'blasphemy' by mocking creationism
• State Sen. Mike Fair Blocks Evolution From South Carolina Science Standards
• Unprecedented Attack On Evolution 'Indoctrination' Mounted In Missouri
• Al Jazeera Arabic Calls The Theory Of Evolution A Myth and Praises Creationism and Allah

Atheism

• High School Administrator in North Carolina Blocks Formation of Atheist Club Because It Wouldn’t 'Fit In'
• Hospital Apologizes For Telling Patient That Atheists Shouldn't Be Allowed to Procreate, But Stonewalls Inquiry
• Satirical spaghetti monster image banned by London South Bank University as 'religiously offensive'—The studient union has apologized. How can they disprove that Pastafarianism is a religion. ;)

Bible Studies

• Appearance of camels in Genesis called sign of authors' distance from history—"New carbon dating evidence shows animals not domesticated until centuries later."
• The Truth About Numbers
• The Holy Bible, King Toike Edition

Pope Francis, Religion, Atheism; Marriage Equality, LGBT, Sochi 2014, Duck Dynasty

Pope Francis

• Pope Francis removes former La Crosse Bishop Raymond Burke —"Pope Francis on Monday removed two American-born cardinals — including former La Crosse Bishop Raymond Burke — from the Vatican's Congregation for Bishops, meaning the ultraconservative prelate will lose his influential role in the appointment of bishops in the United States." Journal Sentinel
• Pope Francis To Vatican Bureaucrats: No More Gossip, Squabbling
• Pope Francis' Vatican reforms may prompt curial pushback
• How Pope Francis has changed Catholics and the church
• The Vatican radical: James Carroll on Pope Francis
• Pope celebrates birthday with four homeless men (and one cute dog)
• The Advocate names Pope Francis its person of the year Salon
• 'Jesus the Homeless' sculpture may find home in Rome—Pope Francis blesses a sculpture rejected by cathedrals in New York and Toronto.

Religion

• Fundamentalist: When founders said 'religion,' they meant Christianity—Politifact says: "Pants on fire"
• Troops complain about Nativity scene at Guantanamo WaPo
• Controversial preacher Harold Camping dies at 92—He of the May 2011 rapture debacle.
• Pentecostal pastors in Africa push prayer, not drugs, for people with HIV WaPo
• Two guilty of Lee Rigby murder—The evil these extremists do.

Atheism

• NY State Senator Says Times Square Atheist Billboard is Religious Persecution Like the Kind That Led to the Holocaust
• Last Night, the 'Keep Saturn in Saturnalia' Billboard Was Nearly Set on Fire
• Atheist Group's 'Flying Spaghetti Monster' Displayed In Wisconsin Capitol—Ramen.

Marriage Equality

• New Mexico Legalizes Same-Sex Marriage—Makes it 17.
• Federal judge strikes down Utah ban on same-sex marriage—And, for now, 18. Ironic for the conservative state that bankrolled California's Prop 8.
• Fort Bragg chapel holds first same-sex ceremony
• US pastor expelled over gay wedding offered job in another church
• The history of same-sex marriage in the US, 1970 to now Boston Globe

LGBT

• Former Bush Official Devised Plan To 'Ship Out' Gay Staff, IG Report Finds
• Apple CEO Tim Cook Gives Remarkable Speech on Gay Rights, Racism
• Boy Scouts lose support from donor Lockheed Martin over anti-gay policy—"After reviewing philanthropy standards, aerospace giant will cease funding the Boy Scouts due to its ban on gay adult leaders."
• Students protest after gay vice principal asked to resign—"Students and staff at Eastside Catholic School were protesting Thursday morning after discovering their vice principal was asked to resign because he married his male partner, the Seattle Times reported."
• Ugandan MPs pass life in jail anti-homosexual law
• Supreme Court rules homosexuality is a crime. Archbishop of Mumbai: Gays are not criminals
• Meet America's first openly gay Imam

Sochi 2014

• Sochi Olympics: Gay athletes to join US delegation
• Brian Boitano announces he's gay before trip to Sochi—So that's what he'd do.
• Caitlin Cahow: Sending gay athletes to Sochi Games a "huge moment" for the U.S.

Duck Dynasty

• 'Duck Dynasty': Phil Robertson Suspended Indefinitely Following Anti-Gay Remarks
• Cracker Barrel pulls select 'Duck Dynasty' items
• Duck Dynasty Has Freedom of Speech, Not Freedom From Criticism
• Jon Stewart defends "Duck Dynasty" star's right to free speech—Stewart instead mocked Fox News for its hypocritical campaign to counter a 'War on Christmas.'" Salon
• Blast from the Past: Duck Dynasty’s Robertson men as younger, clean-shaven athletes