Secrets of the City

The Matthew Shepard Act was recently signed into law. It expands the definitions of hate crimes and when the feds can prosecute them, but some locals aren’t happy. Specifically, Jan Markell of the Maple Grove–based Olive Tree Ministries:

“I think that Christians who dare to tell the truth — including this program — about the social, moral, spiritual and health consequences of illicit homosexual acts are accused of hate speech and intimated into silence with threats of fines or jail,”

By the way, the hate crime bill very clearly protects freedom of speech: the legislation has provisions that ensure that prosecution would be based only on violent acts based on bias.

From the Associated Press: A nurse who authorities say got his kicks by visiting Internet suicide chat rooms and encouraging depressed people to kill themselves is under investigation in at least two deaths and could face criminal charges that could test the limits of the First Amendment.

Via Minnesota Independent: According to Cappello, Wells Fargo introduced a program in 2002 called “Loan Economics,” which gave loan officers the authority to offer discounts to loan applicants. The savings on lower fees and interest rates could be significant, ranging from $500 to as much as $10,000 per loan. The suit claims that the Los Angeles area Wells Fargo manager refused to allow loan officers operating in certain minority neighborhoods to offer the program. Borrowers in predominantly white neighborhoods were given access to the software.

Cappello said the suit stemmed from complaints by black and Hispanic loan officers for Wells Fargo, who said they asked to use the software in their branches but upper management refused.

From the Star Tribune: Four years after Abercrombie & Fitch refused to let a teenager help her autistic sister try on clothes at its Mall of America store, state officials have fined the company $115,264 for discriminating against a disabled person.

Well, this just seems like bad teaching: When the boy wrote a report on Ben Franklin, Cleveland allegedly said before the entire class that the boy had a “thing for older men.” Another teacher, Walter Filson, said in front of other students that the boy “enjoys wearing women’s clothes.” When the boy decided to report on Abraham Lincoln, Filson allegedly said, “Since you like your men older …” the Human Rights report said.

Cost the Anoka-Hennepin School District $25k to settle it as well.

Mediation posts Al Franken’s first exchange with Sonia Sotomayor, which, surprisingly, was on the subject of Net neutrality. Franken’s concern, as he told Sotomayor, was that the Supreme Court is “”the last place a person can go to protect the free flow of information on the Internet.” (Similar questions to Franken’s were also raised by a Huffington post article) “It’s frightening,” Franken said, presenting the subject as a First Amendment issue and making the case that ISPs could block the flow of information unless directed to do otherwise. Sotomayor seemed to indicate that this was an issue for Congress, but what sort of an issue do you think it is?

The Strib reports: A failed three-year effort to put limits on the bar is going to cost the city $201,000. That’s how much it’s paying Gabby’s to make a federal lawsuit go away after the bar alleged that the city was trying to drive away black patrons of its hip-hop nights. (Via)

From Minnesota Independent: “What Would Jesus Do” if he owed money to a collection agency? That’s one of several questions raised by a lawsuit filed in a Minnesota court. A Monticello debt collection company is facing a federal class action lawsuit because it sent out collections notices with a WWJD header. The case pits the religious rights of a small business against the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act which prohibits harassing, oppressive or abusive communication in debt collection procedures.

The Mn Supremes look at Coleman’s case in the Franken v. Coleman senate race. Uptake offers a live video feed, while MPR offers live updates. As of this moment, the judges do not seem very sympathtic to the case.

The Star-Tribune reports: The next round of the perennial battle over same-sex marriage in Minnesota was officially joined on Thursday. A bill that would define marriage as a civil contract between “two persons,” rather than a man and a woman, was introduced in the state Senate, sponsored by five DFL members.