Gay Partners Struggle With "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"
As gay pride celebrations kick off this weekend, the issue of gays in the military is bubbling up in California. The state Senate's Veterans Affairs committee this week passed a resolution calling for the end of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." The policy went into effect in 1994, as a response to concerns that having gays and lesbians serve openly in the armed forces would harm unit cohesion and discipline. Almost 13,000 people have been discharged from the military under the policy. But what's not so well known is the toll it's taking on the partners of gay service members.
Stonewall 2.0
40 years ago this weekend, a police raid on a gay bar in New York sparked violent demonstrations. The Stonewall Riots gave birth to the gay civil rights movement. That struggle is being commemorated this weekend at San Francisco's gay pride celebration. Stonewall veterans will be marching in the parade, and right behind them, a group of young gay activists under the banner of Stonewall 2.0.
Horses and Stem Cells
The University of California in Davis is the place to go for the latest, experimental stem cell treatments. That is, if you're a horse. Injured horses are the only patients at a new medical clinic here, and they're getting stem cell treatments so new that they are not even available to humans...yet.
Remembering Michael Jackson
The death of pop icon Michael Jackson this week stunned fans across the world. The singer's music attracted a diverse and vast fan base, and many have personal stories about listening to Jackson's music. At Youth Radio in Oakland, there were plenty of Jackson fans among the staff and students, who range in age from 18 to 30. They gathered in their studios to talk about their relationship with the music of Michael Jackson.
An Appreciation of Ali Akbar Khan
Michael Jackson was just one of the big-name entertainers we lost this week. Ed McMahon and Farrah Fawcett also passed away. Musician Ali Akbar Khan wasn't as well-known, but he was instrumental in introducing classical Indian music to new audiences in America. The musician died last week at the age of 87 in his San Anselmo home.