CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Veteran U.S. Rep. Barney Frank offered a mix of life advice and political opinion to Harvard University graduates Wednesday, light-heartedly counseling budding politicians to "stay out of trouble" if elected to office and "obey every law that you have voted for."The Massachusetts Democrat and Harvard alum spoke to students, their families, and fellow alumni as part of the school's Class Day events. He covered a range of topics, including his openly gay status, his time at Harvard and his work in Congress. The congressman is retiring at the end of his term after more than four decades in office.He told students to find a line of work where their personal characteristics are strengths not weaknesses, pointing to his own decision not ... Continue reading →
PORTLAND, Ore. May 23, 2012, 04:55 pm ET PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Max Hirsh says he sensed something wasn't quite right when the psychiatrist focused on his failures with sports and teenage girls, as well as his deficient relationships with older men, particularly his father. Hirsh became convinced of the psychiatrist's rationale for those questions by the fourth session, when he essentially told the openly gay Hirsh that his true sexuality was in the closet. "But you're heterosexual," Hirsh recalls the psychiatrist telling him. Hirsh insisted he was gay; the psychiatrist wasn't buying it. "He said 'No,' like he had some extra information about my sexuality that I didn't," Hirsh said. Hirsh, 22, contends the Oregon psychiatrist was practicing "conversion therapy" to change his sexual ... Continue reading →
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama's re-election campaign is beginning to express some confidence that the president's historic, yet politically risky, embrace of gay marriage may not hurt him in the November election.In a conference call announcing efforts to get gay and lesbian voters engaged in the Obama campaign, officials said poll numbers on same-sex marriage were increasingly tilting in their favor."A lot of recent polls show that support for gay marriage across the country is growing," said Clo Ewing, an Obama campaign spokeswoman.That includes a Washington Post-ABC News poll out Wednesday showing 53 percent of Americans say gay marriage should be a legal, a new high for the poll. Thirty-nine percent, a new low, say gay marriage should be illegal.A separate poll showed that just 7 percent ... Continue reading →
PRINCETON, NJ -- The 41% of Americans who now identify themselves as "pro-choice" is down from 47% last July and is one percentage point below the previous record low in Gallup trends, recorded in May 2009. Fifty percent now call themselves "pro-life," one point shy of the record high, also from May 2009. Gallup began asking Americans to define themselves as pro-choice or pro-life on abortion in 1995, and since then, identification with the labels has shifted from a wide lead for the pro-choice position in the mid-1990s, to a generally narrower lead for "pro-choice" -- from 1998 through 2008 -- to a close division between the two positions since 2009. However, in the last period, Gallup has found the pro-life position significantly ahead on ... Continue reading →
Story Created: May 23, 2012 at 5:14 AM CDT Story Updated: May 23, 2012 at 5:14 AM CDT Continue reading →
By DAVID CRARY The Associated Press NEW YORK — As more of America's children are raised by relatives other than their parents, state and local governments need to do better in helping these families cope with an array of financial and emotional challenges, a new report concludes. This February 2011 photo provided by MikeStogPhotography.com shows Morrisella Middleton, seated at center, at her home in Baltimore with three of her grandchildren, from left, LaQuanna Jordan, Shane Morrell, Jr. and Bryonna Reed. Middleton, now 62, raised LaQuanna and Shane for many years after their mother battled with drug abuse and their father died. She also raised Bryonna for a shorter period. Middleton is among an increasing number of grandparents and other relatives raising children whose parents are ... Continue reading →
NEW YORK (AP) — As more of America's children are raised by relatives other than their parents, state and local governments need to do better in helping these families cope with an array of financial and emotional challenges, a new report concludes.Compared to the average parent, these extended-family caregivers are more likely to be poor, elderly, less educated and unemployed, according to the report, "Stepping Up For Kids", being released Wednesday by the Baltimore-based Annie E. Casey Foundation.Yet despite these hurdles, child-welfare experts say children who can't be raised by their own parents fare better in kinship care than in the regular foster care system."We urge state policymakers to make crucial benefits and resources available to kinship families so that their children can thrive," said ... Continue reading →
BATON ROUGE, La. — A bill prohibiting doctors from performing abortions 20 weeks after fertilization by declaring the fetus can feel pain has passed the Senate without opposition. The measure by Senate President John Alario declares that the state should protect "the lives of unborn children from the stage at which substantial medical evidence indicates that they are capable of feeling pain." Doctors who violate the prohibition would face a prison sentence up to two years. Alario's proposal makes exceptions for women whose lives are in danger due to complications with their pregnancies. Supporters say the legislation would only affect a small number of abortions in Louisiana. They say six other states have similar laws. The bill passed 35-0 Tuesday and heads to the House. ... Continue reading →
