For the first time in nearly 50 years, a Republican will hold the seat left vacant by the death of U.S. Senior Senator Ted Kennedy. Kennedy, one of the most powerful U.S. Senators in U.S. history, was a strong ally to the gay community. Republicans in Washington, D.C. and around the country said Scott Brown’s victorious U.S. Senate campaign in Massachusetts is a harbinger of a broader party surge, calling it a repudiation of President Obama’s agenda that gives them renewed confidence for the 2010 midterm elections.

A Superior Court judge in the District of Columbia ruled Thursday that same-sex marriage opponents do not have a right to hold a public referendum on whether those marriages should be legal in the District. In her ruling, Judge Judith N. Macaluso stated the board “properly rejected the proposed initiative” because of the Human Rights Act.

The law was proposed in Uganda’s Parliament following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy for gays to become heterosexual. However, at least one of those leaders has denounced the bill, as have some other conservative and liberal Christians in the United States.

I found it bad taste for Oprah Winfrey to host the “White House Christmas” television special. We are in the middle of a major recession; states have no money, people continue to become homeless, jobs continue to shrink, people are starving right here in the United States, and homosexuals may soon be executed in the Republic of Uganda.

Republic of Uganda proposes law to executive homosexuals. The worldwide outrage continues. In a groundbreaking move, a representative of the Pope in the audience read a statement strongly condemning the criminalization of homosexual conduct. A powerful U.S. Representative urged the Republic of Ugandan to ‘come to their senses’ and reject a controversial proposed law that would punish homosexuality with life in prison, without the possibility of parole or pardon.

Earlier this week, Garrard County resident Roger Ayres filed to run against Representative Lonnie Napier (R) in the 36th District because “U.S. President Obama saying the United States is no longer a Christian nation made my blood boil.”

More than 80,000 people have joined an online movement seeking the revocation of tax-exempt status from churches that were involved in the repeal of Maine’s marriage equality law. The law was repealed last week when 53 percent of voters chose to repeal the law using Maine’s unique system of law called “the people’s veto.”