NewsWrap for the week ending January 21, 2006 (As broadcast on This Way Out program #930, distributed 1-23-06) [Written this week by Greg Gordon and Jon Beaupré, with thanks to Graham Underhill and Rex Wockner] Reported this week by Sheri Lunn and Rick Watts   While many national and regional governments have pushed for bans on same gender marriage, a new law pending in Nigeria not only mandates five year prison sentences for anyone contracting or facilitating such unions, but punishes anyone who advocates on behalf of LGBT rights of any kind. Nigerian Information Minister Frank Nweke told the BBC that his government was taking what he called this "pre-emptive step" because of developments elsewhere in the world.  "In most cultures in Nigeria," he claimed, "same-sex relationships, sodomy and the likes of that, is regarded as abominable."  The move was also seen as a reaction to developments in Nigeria's far more queer-friendly neighbor South Africa, whose constitution specifically includes anti-bias provisions and whose high court recently ordered lawmakers to enact marriage equality legislation. The draconian measure was strongly endorsed by Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, who cited Christian and Muslim principles as the basis for the legislation.  It was supported by his political ally and friend, the notoriously anti-gay head of the Anglican Church in Nigeria, Archbishop Peter Akinola.  The bill was developed and written by the Federal Executive Council and will be forwarded to the National Assembly for its expected endorsement.   An update to Estonia's family law is set to ban gay and lesbian marriages and block recognition of those performed in other countries. Several non-governmental organizations have banded together to fight the legislation, and to demand passage of a civil-partnership law for same gender couples. Their letter to government officials charged that "The family law banning same-sex marriages runs counter to the Constitution and fuels injustice, intolerance and discrimination in Estonian society.  The ban is a major retreat from the principles of democratic society and deserves a broad negative reaction across the E[uropean] U[nion]," the letter said.  It also said that "Four to six percent of Estonian society has sent a clear message of having a strong need for an institution that would define the partners' rights and obligations in same-sex families.  Family... means love, [a] safe home, [a] socially secured position, common values of humanity, protection of children and assets -- what kind of country would not want to support such an initiative?"   And Estonia could indeed be courting trouble.  The European Parliament this week passed a resolution warning that E.U. member states who fail to treat gays and lesbians equally could face legal action in the Court of Human Rights.  The M.E.P.s also ordered the European Commission to propose how legally married same-gender couples' rights can be protected if they decide to reside in member countries where those marriages are not recognized. The resolution called on member states to take action "in the fight against homophobia, sexual orientation discrimination, and to promote and implement the principle of equality in their society and legal order."  While it did not mention any countries by name, the resolution referred to "a series of worrying events in a number of E.U. member states where gay prides or equality marches were banned, and led to leading political and religious leaders using inflammatory, hate or threatening language". New Polish President Lech Kaczynski has been outspokenly homophobic.  As mayor of Warsaw he actively blocked Pride marches there the past 2 years.  Latvia recently passed an amendment to its constitution restricting marriage to a man and a woman, and Lithuania -- where a similar amendment has been proposed -- has also banned Pride demonstrations. Polish M.E.P. Konrad Szymanski opposed the debate on homophobia as "a waste of time" and claimed that "there is no need to organize some sort of union to protect homosexuals, as it would - quite on the contrary - undermine European integration."  Openly gay British M.E.P. Michael Cashman called for even stronger action, saying "Where E.U. countries breach the human rights of gay and lesbian people, the council of ministers must consider action to suspend member states’ membership of the E.U."   Italian gays and lesbians and their supporters rallied for marriage equality in Rome this week.  The crowd, estimated by police to number about a thousand, demanded both legal recognition for lesbigay and unmarried heterosexual couples, and that the Pope not inject himself or the Church in the upcoming general elections there.  "Let's free love from religious phobia," read one banner. The Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano" predictably denounced the rally as a "provocation."  Ministers in Premier Silvio Berlusconi's conservative government issued scathing condemnations.  "These demonstrators are really nauseating," Reforms Minister Roberto Calderoli told the Italian news agency ANSA.  "Family is a serious thing, based on love between a man and a woman." Pope Benedict continued his now regular attacks on gay and lesbian couples last week, saying it was "a serious mistake to obfuscate the value and functions of the legitimate family based on marriage by attributing legal recognition to other forms of legal union for which there is no real social demand". But queer activists hit back with a statement reading, "What a pity the Pope has not taken advantage of the occasion to affirm that Christianity means love and acceptance of all people," it said.  "The Pope has closed the door, but in any case history does not stop at the gate of Saint Peter's."   There are courtroom battles over same gender marriage in several U.S. states, and equality advocates won an early skirmish in Maryland this week.  Baltimore City Circuit Court Judge Brooke Murdock ruled that a 1973 statute that defines marriage as between a man and a woman violates the state constitution.  She stayed the opinion, however, until a higher court can review her decision, so gay and lesbian couples in Maryland can't make wedding plans just yet.  As elsewhere, most pundits expect the issue to ultimately be decided by the state's Supreme Court. "Although tradition and societal values are important," Murdock wrote in her ruling, "they cannot be given so much weight that they alone will justify a discriminatory statutory classification.  When tradition is the guise under which prejudice or animosity hides, it is not a legitimate state interest." Republican Governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., who faces a strong challenge to his re-election bid from Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley, criticized the ruling and reiterated his belief that marriage should be an exclusively heterosexual institution.  He did this week propose legislation that would help same gender couples make medical decisions for one another, saying it was an alternative to a more comprehensive bill he vetoed last year that was supported by the queer community.  Eric Stern, Executive Director of the National Stonewall Democrats, complained that, "A bridal registry at Target [Department Stores] would offer same-sex couples more benefits than this watered-down, election-year ploy by Governor Ehrlich." Same gender couples are also suing for marriage licenses in the states of California, New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Iowa and Washington.  That state's high court is expected to issue a ruling at any time. In Washington, perhaps strangely, gays and lesbians do not enjoy basic anti-discrimination protections.  but the state House took steps toward correcting that this week.  A bill to add "sexual orientation" to a state law that bans bias in housing, employment and insurance was passed by a 60 to 37 vote, with 6 Republicans joining 54 Democrats for the wide margin of approval.   Businesses with fewer than eight employees would be exempt. Queer activists have been lobbying for an anti-discrimination bill for more than 30 years.  The most recent attempt failed in the Senate last year by one vote.  However, Republican Senator Bill Finkbeiner announced earlier this month that he would switch his vote to yes, and pundits have said that all but assures its passage.  Democratic Governor Chris Gregoire has said she will sign the bill if it gets to her desk.   And finally, children of gay and lesbian families plan to take part in the traditional White House Easter Egg Roll in April, but religious conservatives are going "splat" over that faster than Humpty Dumpty.  "Action Alerts" about queer plans to "crash" the event have been circulating on right wing Web sites. "It's important for our families to be seen participating in all aspects of American life," said Family Pride Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler, whose group is heading up the push for inclusion.  She said Family Pride has received "a flood of hate-filled, venomous messages telling us that our families aren't welcome.  It's not surprising that the right would be against it," she said. "They are very clear about wanting to make our families invisible." The egg roll, in which children use spoons to push colored eggs through the White House lawn in a race, has been an Easter holiday tradition in Washington since the mid-19th century.  A limited number of free tickets to the event are usually handed out on a first-come, first-served basis. An ugly confrontation between GLBT families and religious conservative opponents seems almost inevitable.  "I'm a parent first," said Chrisler.  "I would never want to put my child, or anyone else's child, in harm's way." When asked this week if President Bush would take some action to block the children of lesbigay families from participating, White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan would only say, "[W]e'll talk about it as we get closer." We wonder what Jesus would have to say about all of this.