British activist Peter Tatchell informs us that an Iraqi gay activist was gunned down at a barber shop this morning. This is only one of many, many murders carried out since the American invasion, most of which are carried out by organized death squads.

Tatchell wrote a good summation of the violence in today's edition of the Guardian, which went to press before the most recent assassination.

After the jump, a video on the "sexual cleansing." It's very depressing and called Gay Life, Gay Death in Iraq.

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Gay rabble-rouser Peter Tatchell's calling for Iris Robinson's head.

Robinson, a politician from Northern Ireland, gained international notoriety this month when she suggested gay people can be "cured," called us sinners and then later compared sodomy and child abuse, a charge she denied.

Speaking last night at an Amnesty International event, Tatchell insisted that Robinson must resign - he also pointed out that had she targeted another group, she would be out already:

Tatchell said she would have been forced from office if she made similar comments about other minorities.

"People would have said that such comments are totally unacceptable," he said. "The fact that many are making excuses for people, saying that her conscience or religion gives her an excuse for making these remarks, I find unconscionable."

Of course, not everyone's making excuses for Robinson. Some of her colleagues, in fact, are wondering if she's gone mental.

You've got to be fucking kidding us:

A group of reggae artists, backed by their record label, will openly embrace their heterosexuality this upcoming Labor Day weekend.

"Although reggae is known for its militancy and its resistance to injustice," TCOOO Productions proclaimed, "the reggae community has remained calm throughout the attack on the music by Peter Tatchell and other Gay activists (sic) groups."
…
"The Straight Pride Parade is a chance for Heterosexuals to gather together and proudly embrace their sexuality," said reggae artist Jango Fresh. "The Parade will also allow reggae and dancehall fans who are in New York City for the Labor Day celebrations to get together and celebrate reggae, dancehall and family in love and unity."

Yes, because tracks condemning homosexuality are all about love and unity. Gawd!

As anti-gay Anglicans threaten to seize the international movement, activists are raising their voices - and fists - against the conservative sect. But, of course, that same sect's not about to stand by silently:

Gay rights activists have been thrown out of a summit of rebel Anglicans opposed to liberalisation of church teaching on issues such as homosexuality.

Campaigner Peter Tatchell and fellow protesters attempted to storm the meeting in central London which follows the setting up of a break-away group threatening the union of the world-wide communion.
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Mr Tatchell said: "this breakaway faction of the Anglican Church is based on prejudice against women and gay people; it has nothing to do with Christ's gospel of love and compassion."

Nor, we think, does it have to do with the gays. It's about playing power games, pure and simple.

There's quite a queer contradiction in the United Kingdom's gay policy.

As you know, the international embassies have embraced gay pride, flying the rainbow flag in hostile territories like Poland and Latvia. In addition, the Foreign Office distributed hundreds of "LGBT toolkits," a handy dandy guide to all things gay.

Too bad things aren't the same at home, where international gay refugees have faced uphill battles. Remember Mehdi Kazemi, the gay Iranian teen who finally received asylum after nearly a year in legislative limbo? And then there's Syrian refugee Jojo Jako Yakob, who had been detained in Scotland. He was released last week, but must still face the Home Office. Well, now there's word of yet another queer who faces an uncertain fate.

And officials doesn't seem to give a damn…

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This weekend saw some rabble-rousing in London, where thousands of activists took to the streets to protest Olympic host China's perpetual oppression of Tibet.

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What would Michael Lucas say!

Two prominent personalities - CNN's Glenn Beck and activist Peter Tatchell - compared asylum seeking gay Iranian Mehdi Kazemi's plight to that of Nazi fleeing Jews. Watch Beck's comments above and Tatchell's after the jump.

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What a difference a day makes! BBC Radio 1 reversed its decision to censor The Pogues' "Fairytale of New York," a holiday-themed track that includes the word "faggot".

A bulk the radio's listeners apparently approve of the questionable word's inclusion. Radio 1 manager Andy Parfitt released this statement:

After careful consideration, I have decided that the decision to edit A Fairytale of New York was wrong. Radio 1 does not play homophobic lyrics or condone bullying of any kind. It is not always easy to get this right, mindful of our responsibility to our young audience.

While we would never condone prejudice of any kind, we know our audiences are smart enough to distinguish between maliciousness and creative freedom.

In the context of this song, I do not feel that there is any negative intent behind the use of the words, hence the reversal of the decision. The unedited version will be played from now on.

Gay activist Peter Tatchell isn't happy, to say the least, and wonders if people would feel the same way about the word "nigger". He's doubtful.

Meanwhile, in other Peter Tatchell-related news. The British activist recently spilled some ink to blast Nigeria's 2014 Commonwealth Games nomination:

It would be wrong for the 2014 Commonwealth Games to be held in Nigeria, given the country’s serious human rights abuses, widespread corruption and flawed elections.

I would love an African country to host the games, but not Nigeria. Awarding Abjua the games would reward bad governance, grave social injustices and the denial of civil rights to millions of Nigerians.

The CG Federation will announce tomorrow whether Abjua or Glasgow will host the big event. And, can we just tell you, we're all pins and needles. Really, it's the most exciting thing we've heard since clear Pepsi.

Buju Banton's under gay fire once again.

Despite earlier promises not to smear the queers, the dread-ful musician took time last weekend to croon his famously homophobic tune, "Boom Bye Bye". And gay activist Peter Tatchell's Outaged!

It was reported in Guyana's Stabroek News that at the concert Buju also said on stage "Buju nah like no batty boy and dem batty boy attack Buju"

Peter Tatchell, head of the gay rights campaign group, OutRage, which spearheaded Stop the Murder Music, a three year pressure campaign against the reggae star, told The Voice: "We offered Buju Banton a deal. We agreed to call off our campaign if he agreed to stop performing songs advocating killing gay people. Buju has now broken this agreement so we will be consulting with our human rights allies in Jamaica and throughout the Caribbean. I suspect they will want to resume the campaign. Most black and gay and human rights groups will now insist there is a world wide boycott of him."

The move should really come as no surprise. Banton previously denied signing the Stop Murder Music contract.

• We started the day gossiping about alleged pervo Lou Pearlman. Let's go out with one of his more successful boy bands, 'N Sync. And, yes, we like this song…

• Ask Hillary Clinton about HIV.

• We're contractually obligated to wish our media-obsessed sibling Jossip a happy fourth birthday. Cruise on over and see what they have to say for themselves. Our editor even makes a brief cameo. Also, daddy David can't tell the difference between pink and fuchsia.

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Gibraltar's under the gay gun again. Activist Peter Tatchell took aim at the overseas territory last week when he blasted their allegedly anti-gay discrimination.

Now, European Parliamentarian Michael Cashman's hoping to strike down Gibraltar's uneven age of consent laws - and plans on bringing in the big names, like England's Prime Minister, Gordon Brown:

I will be raising the issue personally with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, who is a passionate supporter of equality. We have given the Gibraltarian government long enough - now is the time to change the laws.

Those laws grant 16-year heteros the right to fool around, while homos have to wait until they're 18.

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Peter Tatchell took a trip to British overseas territory Gibraltar - and he didn't like what he saw.

Speaking during a press conference yesterday, the ever-outspoken activist blasted the government's anti-gay actions:

Many people I have met recalled instances of discrimination, harassment and other abuses. However, they all expressed their unwillingness to report officially or publicly discuss the human rights violations they had suffered, out of fear of retribution from state officials.
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The people of Gibraltar are wonderful, but the government appears to be drifting towards autocracy… It is failing to respect the human rights of its own citizens, especially gay people, the disabled and immigrants.

It's shocking to hear that Gibraltar, that famous rock over which the Spanish and the Brits have warred, would have backward policy. Spain and Britain are both very gay friendly nations. Perhaps Gibraltar's government's using repression to assert its self-determination: never a good move in the political arena. And tacky, too.