Minnesota Independent

Anti-gay bullying continues to be a contentious issue in Anoka-Hennepin School District

By Andy Birkey | 12.16.10 | 11:42 am

Monday night’s meeting of the Anoka-Hennepin School Board was a contentious one as the issue of bullying and suicide in the district again came up. The state’s largest school district opened an investigation into the suicides of nine students over the past year — some by students who were allegedly bullied for their sexual orientation — and said that it found no evidence that any of the nine were bullied. Students and parents criticized the district for its statement — at times the conversation devolved to shouting — while district officials said there’s not much they can do if students and parents don’t report incidents to the schools.

Franken urges Obama administration not to appeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell repeal

By Andy Birkey | 10.13.10 | 1:00 pm

Sen. Al Franken is urging Attorney General Eric Holder not to appeal a United States District Court decision on Tuesday that ruled the military’s ban on openly serving gay and lesbian servicemembers unconsitutional. In a letter, signed with 18 other senators, Franken wrote that Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell “not only weakens our military, but neither is it an effective use of our government resources or taxpayer monies.”

Religious right group faxing ‘voter guides’ to area churches

By Andy Birkey | 10.01.10 | 7:45 am

Metro area churches have become the target of a “Shock and Awe” voter guide put out by a group called the Pray in Jesus Name Project (PIJNP), a ministry in Colorado Springs, Colo. The group is encouraging it’s members to fax voters guides to churches in all 50 states, and the guides have started showing up in Minnesota.