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Local briefs
Voices of the Desert Announces Auditions
Phoenix — Voices of the Desert is looking for males and females aged 21 and over to sing four part harmony in the newly formed chorus. The group is looking for singers of all ability levels, sound and light techs, a stage manager, ushers and ticket sellers as well.
Co-founders, Ron Casola, founding artistic director, and Craig Mann, production manager, will be auditioning for the first show, On the Radio May 14, 17, 21 and Aug. 6, 9 and 13. Contact Casola or Mann for exact times. The location of the auditions will be in the Barrington Regent's Little Theater, 825 W. Osborn Road, Phoenix.
The first show, On The Radio, is a compilation of songs starting from the 1930s to present. The show will be performed Jan. 17 and 18, 2009, at the newly renovated Memorial Hall at Steele Indian School Park.
The second show will be Sounds of Disney next May 2 and 3, location to be announced. This show will be a fundraiser for Children with AIDS Project of America, located in Tempe (www.aidskids.org).
For more information, call 602-448-8839 or visit www.voicesofthedesert.com on the Web.
National briefs
Military Using Convicted Felons To Replace Drummed Out Gays
Washington — Newly released data shows that the Army and the Marine Corp, under pressure to increase their numbers, have sharply raised the number of recruits who have felony convictions.
The information, released April 21 by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, shows that the number of soldiers admitted to the Army with felony records jumped from 249 in 2006 to 511 in 2007. And the number of Marines with felonies rose from 208 to 350.
The bulk of the crimes involved were burglaries, other thefts and drug offenses, but nine involved sex crimes and six involved manslaughter or vehicular homicide convictions. Several dozen Army and Marine recruits had aggravated assault or robbery convictions, including incidents involving weapons.
The use of felons to the fill the ranks comes as two people every day are dropped from the military for being gay under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," the ban on gays serving openly in the armed services.
In the 10 years that DADT has been in force, more than 10,000 personnel have been discharged as a result of the policy, including 800 with skills deemed “mission critical,” such as pilots, combat engineers and linguists.
A study conducted last year concluded that the U.S. military could attract as many as 41,000 new recruits if gays and lesbians in the military were able to be open about their sexual orientation.
Vermont Commission Makes No Recommendation On Gay Marriage
Vermont — A state commission on Vermont's civil union law submitted its report to the Legislature April 21, but made no recommendations on revising the law to allow for same-sex marriage.
Nevertheless, GLBT groups hailed the report as a major breakthrough that will help lawmakers realize civil unions, though well intended, do not go far enough.
The Vermont Commission on Family Recognition and Protection detailed months of hearings it held throughout the state, where same-sex couples complained they were still discriminated against because employers, hospitals and insurance companies do not see their relationships as the equivalent of marriage.
Opponents of same-sex marriage complained that the report did not contain their objections to gay unions.
It will now be up to the Legislature to decide what to do with the report. Lawmakers supportive of same-sex marriage say they intend to begin crafting a marriage equality bill. Nothing is expected to be done about it until after the election, however. That means there is no likelihood of a bill before 2009.
Bill To Expand Colorado Gay Bias Law Advances
Denver — Legislation to ban discrimination against gays and lesbians in housing and credit in Colorado is expected to go to the House this week after a raucous debate in the Senate.
Colorado already makes it illegal to discriminate against gays in employment.
During Senate debate on the expanded human rights legislation, Republicans argued there is no evidence that gays and lesbians are discriminated against when seeking a job or a home.
Gov. Bill Ritter's office has indicated he will sign the legislation if it is approved by the House. Last year Ritter signed the initial rights bill into law, making it illegal to discriminate in the workplace on the basis of sexuality.
The current bill would add protections in public accommodation, consumer credit, participation in labor unions and in school enrollment. The law already protects people in the areas of race, gender and creed.
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