Georgia and it’s anti-LGBT Bill

Going through Georgia’s legislature these past few weeks was a controversial bill that would have allowed discrimination against the members of the LGBT community that call the state their home. The bill would have allowed businesses to turn away gay customers as well as gay potential employees. Numerous big business companies and entertainment companies have voiced their opposition. Netflix, AMC, and others have threatened vacate the state if the law were to become final.

A lot of Georgia’s revenue comes from the entertainment industry. If passed, the law would have caused a significant decrease in the state’s revenue. With that in mind, Governor Nathan Deal vetoed the law. The governor had promised to veto any bill that “allows discrimination in our state in order to protect people of faith.” The LGBT community in Georgia now have companies like Netflix and AMC to thank for their continued non-discrimination laws.

Los Angeles Father Murders His Son for Being Gay

            Amir Issa, a 29 year old gay man, was found shot to death in his family home on March 29 along with his mother who was found stabbed to death in the bathroom. Issa’s father, 69-year-old Shehadeh Khalil Issa, was accused of killing his son because he was gay. He was charged with murder on Friday, April 1.

According to prosecutors, Issa had threatened to kill his son because of his sexuality in the past. Issa told the police that he had found his wife dead at his home, and that he had heard noises and grabbed his gun and then found his son outside. He claims his son was holding a knife and threatening him and that’s when he shot him. No knife was found on the scene.

Police say that Issa used a shotgun to kill his son and a felony complaint has been filed against the him. Detectives on the case say that Issa and son were having problems and Issa claimed that Amir had vandalized the family home. They say that Issa and his wife were attempting to evict their son, neighbors say that they often heard yelling from the house.

In the end, Shehada Khalil Issa was charged with one count of premeditated murder. If he is convicted, he will be sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Dominicans May See More LGBT Rights Thanks to Gay U.S. Diplomat

            Deivis Ventura is a candidate for the Dominican Republic’s Chamber of Deputies, which is the lower house of the Dominican Republic’s bicameral National Congress. Ventura is the first openly gay person to run for his country’s Congress. He is reportedly happy that his campaign has not come across as much hostility as it would have in the past.

“The fact that we have openly LGBT candidates in an important political party speaks of change,” said Ventura during a break in campaigning with a transgender friend.

Soon Ventura won’t be the only openly gay person to run for a political office. Yimbert Telemin is running in the May election for city council in La Romana. The fact that these candidates can run is a sign of a cultural shift in the Dominican Republic. Activists say that this shift may have been helped by the presence of U.S. Ambassador James Brewster. His appointment did anger some religious leaders and their followers, but Brewster has become an important part of the movement in the country.

North Carolina’s anti-LGBT Law and How It May Be the State’s Downfall

            New York Times reported that the Obama Administration is working to figure out if North Carolina’s new anti-LGBT law would make the state ineligible for government funding for schools, highways, and housing.