Tag: USA

  • Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Video Suggests Gays Can Be Changed

    Jehovah’s Witnesses’ Video Suggests Gays Can Be Changed

    A video from the Jehovah’s Witnesses has suggested that gay people can be changed, by simply quoting bible verses and talking about the paradise that awaits them.

    UPDATED: 20:02PM

    CREDIT: Jehovah-s-Witnesses photo.ua
    CREDIT: Jehovah-s-Witnesses photo.ua

    The Jehovah’s Witnesses have released a video entitled: Lesson 22: One Man, One Woman, in which a school child is told that gay people can be made to change if you preach bible verses to them, along with telling them about the paradise that awaits them if they stop being gay.

    In the video, which looks like it’s been produced as an educational tool for children, a parent tells her daughter that, “people have their own ideas about what is right and what is wrong, but what matters is what Jehovah feels”, after she shares that a fellow classmate drew a picture of her family, with two mums.

    The mother goes on to say that,

    “He wants us to be happiest and that’s why he invented marriage the way he did.”

    The video then goes on to liken homosexuality to taking a forbidden item on to a plane – but in order to gain access to the plane (or paradise) we all have to follow Jehovah’s standards.

    The mother then goes on to suggest that people can change – which is why Jehovah’s Witnesses ‘spread his message’.

    The video which has been made available to download for free on the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ website, was produced by Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York Inc.

  • LGBT Business Becomes First To Be Named National Small Business

    LGBT Business Becomes First To Be Named National Small Business

    For the first time in history an LGBT business has been awarded a national accolade.

    CREDIT: GaudiLab/bigstock
    CREDIT: GaudiLab/bigstock

    A Californian coffee shop has become the first LGBT business to be recognised as the National Small Business of the year from the United States’ Small Business Adminstration (SBA). It has become the first openly LGBT run business in the SBA’s 63 years.

    The SBA awarded Equator Coffees & Teas in California the National Small Business award, making the coffee shop the first LGBT business to be recognised in the awards.

     


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    The SBA was created in 1953  to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy of the United States.

    Speaking at the award cermony Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration said,

    “It is my extreme pleasure and honor to announce that business partners Brooke McDonnell and Helen Russell from Equator Coffees & Teas headquartered in San Rafael, California are this year’s national Small Business Person(s) of the Year. It all started in 1995 when they started to roast coffee in Brooke’s garage.  Equator now has 90 employees and 350 wholesale customers including the renowned French Laundry restaurant, cafes at LinkedIn, micro-kitchens at Google and three retail stores in Northern California with two more on the way,” Contreras-Sweet said. “Helen and Brooke purchased their own roasting plant using an SBA 504 loan. They have worked diligently with their farmers for 17 years and were one of the first roasters to support the Fair Trade movement to gain better wages for growers.”

    “The overall competition was extremely competitive this year. The highlight of my day was to be able to meet and award every state and territory winner and thank them for all they do for their local economy and America’s small business community. Two out of three net new jobs in America are created by small businesses and it’s all of our small business winners today who are leading the way,” Contreras-Sweet added.

    According to the Equator Coffees & Teas website the business “was established in 1995, when business partners Brooke McDonnell and Helen Russell began roasting coffee in a Marin County garage, it marked the beginning of their journey to build a high-impact coffee company focused on quality, sustainability and social responsibility.”

     

  • Cirque Du Soleil Add Their Names To North Carolina Boycott

    Cirque Du Soleil Add Their Names To North Carolina Boycott

    Internationally renowned entertainment group Cirque Du Soleil have announced plans to boycott North Carolina over its anti-LGBT laws.

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  • Ringo Starr Pulls Out Of North Carolina Gig Over Anti-LGBT Law

    Ringo Starr Pulls Out Of North Carolina Gig Over Anti-LGBT Law

    Former Beatles superstar Ringo Starr has pulled out of a gig in North Carolina because of its anti-LGBT laws.

    CREDIT: mazzzur / Bigstock Photos
    CREDIT: mazzzur / Bigstock Photos

    Another rock legend has pulled out of a gig in the US state of North Carolina because of its discriminatory laws against LGBT people.

    The star’s decision to pull out of a gig follows Bruce Springsteen and PayPal‘s decisions to effectively boycott the state.

    Ringo Starr, 75, the former drummer for The Beatles, released a statement in which he stated,

    “I’m sorry to disappoint my fans in the area, but we need to take a stand against this hatred. Spread peace and love.”

    “How sad that they feel that this group of people cannot be defended.”

    Last month North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory signed a law which will allow business owners to discriminate against LGBT people on the grounds of religious belief.

    The law also requires trans people to use the public toilet that aligns with the gender that is on their birth certificate.

    Canadian rocker Bryan Adams cancelled a concert in Mississippi in protest over a similar law which is due to be enacted in July.

    Calls on social media have asked that gay icon Dolly Parton follow in Springsteen’s steps and cancel her upcoming date in Greensboro, North Carolina. The star has yet to make a statement on whether she will cancel on continue with her date.

    A spokesman for the venue, Andrew Brown, speaking about Springsteen’s cancellation, told CNN that no other performer had threatened to pull out over the measure,

    “Obviously we’re concerned, but this is the first cancelation we’ve had.”

  • Bryan Adams Cancels Show Over Anti-LGBT Laws

    Bryan Adams Cancels Show Over Anti-LGBT Laws

    Bryan Adams has become the latest star to pull out of an event because of a State’s anti-LGBT laws.

    Bryan Adams
    CREDIT: S Buckley / BigStock

    International rock star Bryan Adams has pulled out of a concert in Mississippi because of the State’s anti-LGBT law.

    The law which is similar to those now enforced in North Carolina, which caused Paypal to pull out of a $3.6 million investment and Bruce Springsteen to cancel his appearance at the Greensboro Coliseum.

    The cancelled show was due to take place on Thursday at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum in Biloxi.


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    The Canadian singer said couldn’t “in good conscience” perform where “certain people are being denied their civil rights due to their sexual orientation”.

    The “Religious Liberty” bill 1523, which will come into affect on the 1st July will allow some private businesses and religious groups to refuse services to LGBT people in accordance with their religious beliefs.

    It is the first of it’s kind law which will allow the discrimination of anyone, including single mothers and gay couples, who to offend someone’s “sincerely held religious belief.”

    Users of social media have now made calls for other stars,including Dolly Parton, to join Bruce Springsteen in standing up for LGBT rights in North Carolina.

    https://twitter.com/TheCamrynStone/status/719193458464808960

  • Bruce Spingsteen Pulls Out of North Carolina – Will Dolly Or Justin Bieber?

    Bruce Spingsteen Pulls Out of North Carolina – Will Dolly Or Justin Bieber?

    Legendary rock star Bruce Springsteen has pulled out of his North Carolina performance because of the State’s anti-LGBT laws.

    Bruce Stringsteen
    CREDIT: Kathclick/BigStock

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  • Paypal Pulls Out Of North Carolina Over Anti-Gay Legisation

    Paypal Pulls Out Of North Carolina Over Anti-Gay Legisation

    Tech giant PayPal has cancelled a large-scale investment plan after the US state of North Carolina enacted anti-LGBT legislation.

    CREDIT: PayPal
    CREDIT: PayPal

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  • Balans Restaurant Founder Found Dead, 59

    Balans Restaurant Founder Found Dead, 59

    The founder of Balans Restaurants has been found dead at his home in Miami.

    Balans

    The founder of the restaurant chain Balans, Prady Balan, has been found dead in his Miami home. The cause of death has been confirmed as a heart attack according to the Miami-Dade County medical examiner’s office He was just 59.

    The restaurateur was found by his son, Jonathan, according to the Miami Herald.

    The chain was started in Soho in 1993 and grew to 7 locations across London. In 1997 Mr. Balan opened his first Miami restaurant in 1997.

    The chain is as famous for its food as it is for the celebrities who are known to visit. Louis Walsh has been spotted eating in the Miami branch.


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    Last year the English branches were bought off Mr. Balan by his business partner David Taylor.

    David Taylor said during his 2015 interview,

    Having bought out my partner from the English Balans, I’m now more determined than ever to bring back some sparkle and excitement to the restaurants and invite the outsiders in.

     

  • Victim Of Brutal Gay Bashing Shares Message Of Hope

    A gay man from San Francisco, who was a victim of a gay bashing, has shared a video on Facebook that has a message of hope.

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  • US State Makes Gay Sex Illegal

    The state of Michigan has made gay sex illegal with a penalty that could land you in jail for 15 years.

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  • Which States Still Have Anti-Gay Sex Laws?

    Despite there being a Supreme Court ruling that anti-sodomy laws are unconstitutional, 12 States still have anti-gay sex laws.

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