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Supreme Court Justice Too Close? |
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Compiled by GayToday
Since then, Kennedy, a Florida-based TV preacher who heads the homophobic Coral Ridge Ministries and an affiliated group called the "Center for Reclaiming America," has taken up Moore's cause as his own. Kennedy recently announced he would be hosting a summer cruise to Alaska featuring Moore, who will be sharing his ideas on "America's Christian heritage." Prices for the cruise start at $1,200. Americans United believes Moore's close personal and financial relationship with Kennedy is problematic. "I can't believe the people of Alabama want their chief justice to be first mate on a TV preacher's love boat," said the Rev. Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United. "This ship is sinking in an ethical swamp, and Judge Moore and Rev. Kennedy ought to hit the lifeboats." Kennedy's cruise is the latest in a series of arrangements that reflect close ties between the Religious Right figure and Alabama's chief justice. When Moore brought his religious monument to the judicial building in July, he did so secretly after state employees had left the building. In fact, Moore never notified any of his colleagues on the state Supreme Court about the stunt. Moore did, however, notify Kennedy and offered the TV preacher an exclusive opportunity to film the entire installation.
Central Alabama's Equality Begins at Home: 'Judge is Incapable of Judging Gays-Lesbians' "All the citizens of Alabama deserve to be judged equally and fairly" says a press release from Equality Begins at Home of Central Alabama, a group "working for equal rights for all citizens of Alabama regardless of sexual orientation or identity." The organization notes: "Judge Roy Moore has shown that he is not capable of judging gay and lesbian citizens fairly and should resign immediately." The Associated Press reports that the custody of three teen-agers went to their father in preference to their gay mother. Alabama's chief judge wrote that homosexuality is "an inherent evil" and shouldn't be tolerated. He castigated the children's mother as an unfit parent, saying that homosexuality is "abhorrent, immoral, detestable, a crime against nature, and a violation of the laws of nature."
In a letter to Judge Moore, Baker wrote: "I do not know the facts of this case and do not know who would make the better parent but I do know that the sexual orientation of one parent should not be the deciding factor. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has endorsed homosexual adoption, saying gay couples can provide the loving, stable and emotionally healthy family life that children need. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the American Psychological Association also support homosexual adoption. Same-sex couples are no better or worse parents than opposite-sex couples. They are just parents who have the same concerns about their children's safety and nurturing." He continued: "I believe that the inflammatory language that you are reported to have used is very irresponsible and will incite even more violence against gays and lesbians in Alabama. "Tuesday, February 19 marks the third anniversary of the brutal murder of Billy Jack Gaither in Sylacauga by two men who believed as you do that homosexuality is 'an inherent evil and shouldn't be tolerated.' "Due to your inability to judge cases involving gays and lesbians as well as their friends and family members and your poor judgment in using such inflammatory language to incite hatred and violence against Alabama citizens, I ask that you immediately resign your position as Chief Justice of the State of Alabama." |
Florida minister the Rev. D. James Kennedy: Getting some Alabama home cookin'? 
Justice Roy Moore 