Local
Markell: Same-sex marriage is in Delaware’s ‘best interest’
Governor on new bill, Ken Mehlman and gay GOP state leader

āItās also about having a sense of whatās in the best interest of our state,ā he said as he discussed the impact he said nuptials for gays and lesbians would have on Delawareās economy. āBusinesses want to hire the very best people. They donāt care about their race. They donāt care about their gender. They donāt care about their sexual orientation. They just want to get great people. We want to have the kind of welcoming environment where talented people no matter their background feel welcome.ā
Markell, who signed Delawareās civil unions bill into law in 2011, spoke with the Blade a day after he and other elected officials attended a Wilmington press conference at which state Rep. Melanie George Smith (D-Bear) formally introduced the same-sex marriage proposal.
None of House Bill 75ās 22 co-sponsors in both legislative chambers are Republican.
The governor told the Blade that former Republican National Committee Chair Ken Mehlman expressed a āwillingness to make some phone calls he thought would be helpfulā when they met in New York City after the civil unions law took effect in January 2012.
āIām sure weāll tap into a lot of people who are interested in helping,ā Markell said.
He added he feels marriage rights for same-sex couples should not be a partisan issue. The governor also responded to reports the executive committee of the Sussex County Republican Committee on Monday approved a non-binding resolution to remove John Fluharty, the state GOPās gay executive director, over his support of same-sex marriage.
āItās just one more reason that the Republicans really need to think through how theyāre going to win elections in the future,ā Markell said. āPeople are looking for political parties that are open and inclusive and that have big tents. I know a lot of Republicans who donāt share the view of some of those who wanted to push him out.ā
Neighboring Maryland is among the nine states and D.C. in which same-sex couples can legally marry.
Lawmakers in Rhode Island and Illinois are expected to vote on proposals in the coming weeks that would extend marriage rights to gays and lesbians in their respective states.
Markell said he spoke earlier this year with Maryland Gov. Martin OāMalley about same-sex marriage, although he described the issue as āstate-by-state.ā He applauded Equality Delaware for its efforts leading up to HB 75ās introduction.
āThe most important thing we have is a very strong group of advocates,ā Markell said. āThey [Equality Delaware] have done just an excellent job and I think that will be the single most important factor in getting something done here.ā
A Global Strategy Group poll that Equality Delaware commissioned in February shows 54 percent of Delawareans support same-sex marriage. An ABC News/Washington Post survey released last month indicates 58 percent of Americans back nuptials for gays and lesbians.
āWeāre a reflection of the changing mood nationally around this issue,ā Markell told the Blade in response to a question about how he feels Delaware factors into the same-sex marriage movement that continues to gain momentum. āFour years ago in Delaware it was legal to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, and we have a potential of going in four years from that to marriage equality. That is a major step forward.ā
Maryland
A Baltimore theater educator lost jobs at Johns Hopkins and the Kennedy Center
Tavish Forsyth concluded they could not work for Trump

BY WESLEY CASE | Tavish Forsyth had come to a conclusion: They could not work for President Donald Trump.
So the 32-year-old Baltimore resident stripped down, turned on their camera, and lit their career on fire.
āFāā Donald Trump and fāā the Kennedy Center,ā a naked Forsyth, an associate artistic lead at the Washington National Operaās Opera Institute, which is run by the Kennedy Center, said in a video that went viral. The board of the nationās leading cultural institution had elected Trump just weeks prior as its chairman after he gutted the board of members appointed by his predecessor, President Joe Biden.
The rest of this article can be read on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
Little Gay Pub to host April 25 celebration of life for Patrick Shaw
School teacher, D.C. resident praised for āwarmth, humor, kindnessā

Co-workers and friends will hold a celebration of life for highly acclaimed schoolteacher and D.C. resident Patrick Shaw beginning at 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 25 at The Little Gay Pub 1100 P St., N.W.
Little Gay Pub co-owner and Shawās friend, Dusty Martinez, said Shaw passed away unexpectedly on April 19 from a heart related ailment at the age of 60.
āPatrick touched so many lives with his warmth, humor, kindness, and unmistakable spark,ā Martinez said. āHe was a truly special soul ā funny, vibrant, sassy, and full of life and we are heartbroken by his loss.ā
In an Instagram posting, Shawās colleagues said Shaw was a second-grade special education teacher at the J.F. Cook campus of D.C.ās Mundo Verde Bilingual Public Charter School.
āPatrick brought warmth, joy, and deep commitment to Mundo Verde,ā his colleagues said in their posting. āHis daily Broadway sing-alongs, vibrant outfits, and genuine love for his students filled our community with energy and laughter.ā
The posted message adds, āPatrick was more than a teacher; he was a light in our school, inspiring us all to show up with heart, humor, and kindness every day. His spirit will be deeply missed.ā
The Washington Blade is preparing a full obituary on Patrick Shaw to be published soon.
District of Columbia
D.C. police seek help in identifying suspect in anti-gay threats case
Victim threatened with assault, called āfaggotā as he left Capitals game

D.C. police are seeking help from the public in identifying a male suspect whose image was captured by a video surveillance camera after he allegedly shouted anti-gay slurs and threatened to assault a man at 6th and H Streets, N.W. on March 20 at about 9:54 p.m.
A police report says the victim told police the incident took place shortly after he exited the nearby Capital One Arena where he had attended a Washington Capitals hockey game.
The police report says the incident began when the victim saw the suspect yell a racist slur at a person behind the victim and started to berate a valet operator.
āSuspect 1 then turned his attention to Victim 1 and called him a āfaggotā among other homophobic slurs,ā the report says. It says the victim then used his phone to record the suspect, prompting the suspect to walk away before returning and āsnatchingā the phone from the victimās hand.
āSuspect 1 walked several feet as Victim 1 followed, requesting his phone back,ā the report continues. āSuspect 1 stopped and turned to Victim 1 and while yelling other obscenities exclaimed āif you keep recording, Iām going to kick your ass.āā The report concludes by saying the victim was able to recover his phone.
It lists the incident as a āThreats To Do Bodily Harmā offense that is a suspected hate crime.
āAnyone who can identify this suspect or has knowledge of this incident should take no action but call police at 202-727-9099, or text your tip to the Departmentās TEXT TIP LINE at 50411,ā according to a separate police statement released April 23.
The statement says police currently offer an award of up to $1,000 to anyone who can provide information that leads to an arrest and indictment of the person or persons responsible for a crime committed in D.C.
D.C. police spokesperson Tom Lynch said the case has been under investigation since the incident occurred on March 20. He said the video image of the suspect, most likely obtained from a security camera from a nearby business, was released to the public as soon as it was obtained and processed through the investigation.
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