Kentucky legislators pass Holocaust resolution

The General Assembly yesterday approved a resolution calling for expanded opportunities for Kentucky public school children to learn about the Holocaust and other acts of genocide.

House Joint Resolution 6 is named after the late Ernie Marx of Louisville, a Holocaust survivor who made a life's mission to spread education about the horrors he witnessed.

The resolution would direct the Department of Education to make curriculum materials available for optional use in public schools by March 2009.

The resolution reflects four years of efforts by middle-school students at St. Francis of Assisi School in Louisville, where Fred Whitaker offers instruction on the Holocaust and takes students to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington.

"These middle school students really knew something we should all know," Whitaker said. "They really knew there was something powerful that (happens) to anyone when they study the Holocaust and genocide."

The Senate deleted a clause in the House version that cited other people the Nazis deemed "undesirable" because of their "race, nationality, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, religion, and political ideology."

Whitaker said he received indications earlier in the session that the reference to sexual orientation was a "red flag" that could have endangered the bill.

Whitaker said that, even without the language on other victims of the Nazis, "you can't study the Holocaust and not also come across pink triangles," the insignia that homosexual prisoners were forced to wear.

The Holocaust museum says the Nazis arrested about 100,000 men as homosexuals and that an unknown number died amid brutal conditions.

Marzian said she could accept the Senate changes.

"You have to compromise in legislation," she said.

full article

Kentucky Bill Would Ban Domestic Partner Benefits

(Frankfort, Kentucky) Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear (D) says he will veto a bill that would bar state funded agencies or colleges from offering domestic partner benefits if the measure arrives on his desk.

The bill passed the state Senate 30 - 5 on Wednesday with five Democrats voting against it. Among them was Sen. Ernesto Scorsone of Lexington, the only openly gay man in the Senate.

"The only thing that drives this measure is a gay-bashing effort," said Scorsone.

The bill was prepared after the University of Louisville decided in July to offer the benefits - making it the first publicly funded college in the state to do so. (story) The University of Kentucky later followed also offering health benefits to same-sex domestic partners.

Attorney General Greg Stumbo issued a legal opinion that the university plans would violate the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The attorney general in releasing the opinion said that if the university did not expand the program, and stuck to providing benefits to unmarried couples, he would take the university to court.

Following that the University of Kentucky expanded its benefits plan to include all dependants who reside with university workers. (story)

Throughout the country about 300 universities and colleges provide health and insurance benefits to the domestic partners of their workers. In addition more than half of the Fortune 500 companies, provide benefits.

full article