text:
(CNN) -- Penny Ireland's family is so scattered around the world that Facebook, the popular social networking site, has become the family's No. 1 way to communicate.

The fastest-growing age group on Facebook is women older than 55, Inside Facebook says.

"We call it our living room," the 56-year-old mother said by phone from her home in Houston, Texas. "Everybody can tell what everybody else is doing."

"Everybody" includes Ireland's five kids and her 83-year-old mother, who has a Facebook profile she accesses daily, Ireland said.

While online social networks like Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are known hang-outs for younger adults and teenagers, older generations in recent months have been taking to the medium at a faster rate than any other age group, according to industry reports.

Many of these older folks use social networks to keep tabs on younger family members and they often find fruitful connections with their peers after they've friended all of their kids and grandkids, according to an informal survey by Stanford University professor BJ Fogg. Join a conversation on this topic at CNN's Facebook page

The trend is still relatively confined. Only about 7 percent of people older than 65 have online social-networking profiles, according to research from the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

But Facebook's popularity is growing most quickly among women older than 55, according to a site called Inside Facebook, which tracks Facebook's growth.

There are now about 1.5 million female users older than 55 on the site, the group says -- roughly a 550 percent increase over six months ago. By comparison, membership among people younger than 25 grew by less than 20 percent over the same period, Inside Facebook says.

Facebook now says it has 200 million users, making its user base larger than the populations of all the world's countries except China, India, the United States and Indonesia. Such a vast presence, coupled with news media buzz about all social media, has pushed online social networking to a "tipping point," said Amanda Lenhart, a senior research specialist at the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

Fogg, the Stanford instructor, said the trend has spread outward from college towns, where Facebook was first adopted, and inward from the American coasts. Facebook today has a global presence, with 70 percent of users living outside the U.S., the site says.

"We've reached critical mass where there's been enough talk about Facebook and people have gotten so many invitations from their friends, they're going, 'OK, what is this Facebook thing? I've got to get onboard or I'm going to be left in the dust,' " Fogg said.

Parents who are interested in their kids' online activities contribute to the sharp increase in older users on Facebook, said Linda Fogg-Phillips, a 49-year-old who, with her brother, co-taught a six-week class at Stanford called "Facebook for Parents."

"Parents are finally at the point where they realize this is not going away. They better figure out how to get on it and they'd better figure out how to use it," said Fogg-Phillips, who is a mother of eight in Las Vegas, Nevada. "It's a snowball effect. It's viral in a good sense."

Older people often must overcome fears about privacy issues before they will join Facebook, Fogg-Phillips said. Once they do, they often find unexpected uses for the network, she said. iReport.com: Facebook, Twitter growing pains?

That was the case for Craig Costa, a 55-year-old fly-fishing guide in Park City, Utah, who said family members forced him to join Facebook.

Costa still finds parts of the site annoying, and isn't comfortable having his personal information made public, but he has connected with old friends he wouldn't have otherwise -- including his ex-wife, who now is a Facebook friend of his current wife.

"It's been really interesting because so many people have a connection to me," he said. "I was married before and my wife is now talking to my ex-wife. And some of her old friends are telling old stories about me to my wife. It's just bizarre for me."

Costa said he also can more easily keep up with his 28-year-old son, who lives in New York and also keeps a Facebook page for his dog.

Karen Essman, 61, uses Facebook but said she has trouble convincing her peers to join social-networking sites. They often don't understand the interface or are afraid of scams, she said.

"It's a little bit more difficult for older people," she said.

Margaret Brooks, 63, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, joined the site because there was no other place for her to see her 18-year-old grandson's artwork.

She asked to be his friend online, and at first she worried he wouldn't respond.

"I did think, 'Oh my goodness, I'm old grandma. He doesn't want to have anything to do with grandma on Facebook,' " she said. "But he did, and every time I send something to him he sends something to me."

Joanne Woeppel joined Facebook so she could keep tabs on her 13 grandkids.

But the Web site also has helped the 71-year-old keep up with other people without changing her routine.

"I'm pretty much what you would call a loner. I'm content in my own company. I can find things to do to entertain myself that I don't need to be out and about," she said by phone from her three-bedroom house near Dallas, Texas. "I don't go out to socialize."

A former call center worker and aspiring sci-fi author, Woeppel visits the online social network about once a day. Spending time on Facebook, which she joined in September, helps her feel connected to family all over the country -- especially to the youngsters, she said.

She has family members who live nearby, but says she's found a way to communicate with them in their own language through Facebook.

"Let's face it, kids that age aren't really interested in talking to people my age very much. It's more, 'Hi grandma how are ya? ... Bye!' " she said with a laugh. "That's basically what I get from my grandkids, so if I can engage them through just a little bit of chit-chat [online], it's a lot more than I can get over the phone."

text: CNN

text: Penny

text: Ireland

text: 's

text: family

text: is

text: so

text: scattered

text: around

text: the

text: world

text: that

text: Facebook

text: the

text: popular

text: social

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text: 's

text: No

text: way

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text: communicate

text: The

text: fastest

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text: age

text: group

text: on

text: Facebook

text: is

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text: Inside

text: Facebook

text: says

text: We

text: call

text: it

text: our

text: living

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text: old

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text: Everybody

text: can

text: tell

text: what

text: everybody

text: else

text: is

text: doing

text: Everybody

text: includes

text: Ireland

text: 's

text: five

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text: and

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text: old

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text: has

text: a

text: Facebook

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text: Ireland

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text: online

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text: have

text: been

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text: medium

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text: a

text: faster

text: rate

text: than

text: any

text: other

text: age

text: group

text: according

text: to

text: industry

text: reports

text: Many

text: of

text: these

text: older

text: folks

text: use

text: social

text: networks

text: to

text: keep

text: tabs

text: on

text: younger

text: family

text: members

text: and

text: they

text: often

text: find

text: fruitful

text: connections

text: with

text: their

text: peers

text: after

text: they

text: 've

text: friended

text: all

text: of

text: their

text: kids

text: and

text: grandkids

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: informal

text: survey

text: by

text: Stanford

text: University

text: professor

text: BJ

text: Fogg

text: Join

text: a

text: conversation

text: on

text: this

text: topic

text: at

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Facebook

text: page

text: The

text: trend

text: is

text: still

text: relatively

text: confined

text: Only

text: about

text: percent

text: of

text: people

text: older

text: than

text: have

text: online

text: social

text: networking

text: profiles

text: according

text: to

text: research

text: from

text: the

text: Pew

text: Internet

text: American

text: Life

text: Project

text: But

text: Facebook

text: 's

text: popularity

text: is

text: growing

text: most

text: quickly

text: among

text: women

text: older

text: than

text: according

text: to

text: a

text: site

text: called

text: Inside

text: Facebook

text: which

text: tracks

text: Facebook

text: 's

text: growth

text: There

text: are

text: now

text: about

text: million

text: female

text: users

text: older

text: than

text: on

text: the

text: site

text: the

text: group

text: says

text: roughly

text: a

text: percent

text: increase

text: over

text: six

text: months

text: ago

text: By

text: comparison

text: membership

text: among

text: people

text: younger

text: than

text: grew

text: by

text: less

text: than

text: percent

text: over

text: the

text: same

text: period

text: Inside

text: Facebook

text: says

text: Facebook

text: now

text: says

text: it

text: has

text: million

text: users

text: making

text: its

text: user

text: base

text: larger

text: than

text: the

text: populations

text: of

text: all

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: countries

text: except

text: China

text: India

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: and

text: Indonesia

text: Such

text: a

text: vast

text: presence

text: coupled

text: with

text: news

text: media

text: buzz

text: about

text: all

text: social

text: media

text: has

text: pushed

text: online

text: social

text: networking

text: to

text: a

text: tipping

text: point

text: said

text: Amanda

text: Lenhart

text: a

text: senior

text: research

text: specialist

text: at

text: the

text: Pew

text: Internet

text: American

text: Life

text: Project

text: Fogg

text: the

text: Stanford

text: instructor

text: said

text: the

text: trend

text: has

text: spread

text: outward

text: from

text: college

text: towns

text: where

text: Facebook

text: was

text: first

text: adopted

text: and

text: inward

text: from

text: the

text: American

text: coasts

text: Facebook

text: today

text: has

text: a

text: global

text: presence

text: with

text: percent

text: of

text: users

text: living

text: outside

text: the

text: U.S.

text: the

text: site

text: says

text: We

text: 've

text: reached

text: critical

text: mass

text: where

text: there

text: 's

text: been

text: enough

text: talk

text: about

text: Facebook

text: and

text: people

text: have

text: gotten

text: so

text: many

text: invitations

text: from

text: their

text: friends

text: they

text: 're

text: going

text: OK

text: what

text: is

text: this

text: Facebook

text: thing

text: I

text: 've

text: got

text: to

text: get

text: onboard

text: or

text: I

text: 'm

text: going

text: to

text: be

text: left

text: in

text: the

text: dust

text: Fogg

text: said

text: Parents

text: who

text: are

text: interested

text: in

text: their

text: kids

text: online

text: activities

text: contribute

text: to

text: the

text: sharp

text: increase

text: in

text: older

text: users

text: on

text: Facebook

text: said

text: Linda

text: Fogg

text: Phillips

text: a

text: old

text: who

text: with

text: her

text: brother

text: co

text: taught

text: a

text: six

text: week

text: class

text: at

text: Stanford

text: called

text: Facebook

text: for

text: Parents

text: Parents

text: are

text: finally

text: at

text: the

text: point

text: where

text: they

text: realize

text: this

text: is

text: not

text: going

text: away

text: They

text: better

text: figure

text: out

text: how

text: to

text: get

text: on

text: it

text: and

text: they

text: 'd

text: better

text: figure

text: out

text: how

text: to

text: use

text: it

text: said

text: Fogg

text: Phillips

text: who

text: is

text: a

text: mother

text: of

text: eight

text: in

text: Las

text: Vegas

text: Nevada

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: snowball

text: effect

text: It

text: 's

text: viral

text: in

text: a

text: good

text: sense

text: Older

text: people

text: often

text: must

text: overcome

text: fears

text: about

text: privacy

text: issues

text: before

text: they

text: will

text: join

text: Facebook

text: Fogg

text: Phillips

text: said

text: Once

text: they

text: do

text: they

text: often

text: find

text: unexpected

text: uses

text: for

text: the

text: network

text: she

text: said

text: iReport.com

text: Facebook

text: Twitter

text: growing

text: pains

text: That

text: was

text: the

text: case

text: for

text: Craig

text: Costa

text: a

text: old

text: fly

text: fishing

text: guide

text: in

text: Park

text: City

text: Utah

text: who

text: said

text: family

text: members

text: forced

text: him

text: to

text: join

text: Facebook

text: Costa

text: still

text: finds

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: site

text: annoying

text: and

text: is

text: n't

text: comfortable

text: having

text: his

text: personal

text: information

text: made

text: public

text: but

text: he

text: has

text: connected

text: with

text: old

text: friends

text: he

text: would

text: n't

text: have

text: otherwise

text: including

text: his

text: ex

text: wife

text: who

text: now

text: is

text: a

text: Facebook

text: friend

text: of

text: his

text: current

text: wife

text: It

text: 's

text: been

text: really

text: interesting

text: because

text: so

text: many

text: people

text: have

text: a

text: connection

text: to

text: me

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: was

text: married

text: before

text: and

text: my

text: wife

text: is

text: now

text: talking

text: to

text: my

text: ex

text: wife

text: And

text: some

text: of

text: her

text: old

text: friends

text: are

text: telling

text: old

text: stories

text: about

text: me

text: to

text: my

text: wife

text: It

text: 's

text: just

text: bizarre

text: for

text: me

text: Costa

text: said

text: he

text: also

text: can

text: more

text: easily

text: keep

text: up

text: with

text: his

text: old

text: son

text: who

text: lives

text: in

text: New

text: York

text: and

text: also

text: keeps

text: a

text: Facebook

text: page

text: for

text: his

text: dog

text: Karen

text: Essman

text: uses

text: Facebook

text: but

text: said

text: she

text: has

text: trouble

text: convincing

text: her

text: peers

text: to

text: join

text: social

text: networking

text: sites

text: They

text: often

text: do

text: n't

text: understand

text: the

text: interface

text: or

text: are

text: afraid

text: of

text: scams

text: she

text: said

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: little

text: bit

text: more

text: difficult

text: for

text: older

text: people

text: she

text: said

text: Margaret

text: Brooks

text: of

text: Idaho

text: Falls

text: Idaho

text: joined

text: the

text: site

text: because

text: there

text: was

text: no

text: other

text: place

text: for

text: her

text: to

text: see

text: her

text: old

text: grandson

text: 's

text: artwork

text: She

text: asked

text: to

text: be

text: his

text: friend

text: online

text: and

text: at

text: first

text: she

text: worried

text: he

text: would

text: n't

text: respond

text: I

text: did

text: think

text: Oh

text: my

text: goodness

text: I

text: 'm

text: old

text: grandma

text: He

text: does

text: n't

text: want

text: to

text: have

text: anything

text: to

text: do

text: with

text: grandma

text: on

text: Facebook

text: she

text: said

text: But

text: he

text: did

text: and

text: every

text: time

text: I

text: send

text: something

text: to

text: him

text: he

text: sends

text: something

text: to

text: me

text: Joanne

text: Woeppel

text: joined

text: Facebook

text: so

text: she

text: could

text: keep

text: tabs

text: on

text: her

text: grandkids

text: But

text: the

text: Web

text: site

text: also

text: has

text: helped

text: the

text: old

text: keep

text: up

text: with

text: other

text: people

text: without

text: changing

text: her

text: routine

text: I

text: 'm

text: pretty

text: much

text: what

text: you

text: would

text: call

text: a

text: loner

text: I

text: 'm

text: content

text: in

text: my

text: own

text: company

text: I

text: can

text: find

text: things

text: to

text: do

text: to

text: entertain

text: myself

text: that

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: need

text: to

text: be

text: out

text: and

text: about

text: she

text: said

text: by

text: phone

text: from

text: her

text: three

text: bedroom

text: house

text: near

text: Dallas

text: Texas

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: go

text: out

text: to

text: socialize

text: A

text: former

text: call

text: center

text: worker

text: and

text: aspiring

text: sci

text: fi

text: author

text: Woeppel

text: visits

text: the

text: online

text: social

text: network

text: about

text: once

text: a

text: day

text: Spending

text: time

text: on

text: Facebook

text: which

text: she

text: joined

text: in

text: September

text: helps

text: her

text: feel

text: connected

text: to

text: family

text: all

text: over

text: the

text: country

text: especially

text: to

text: the

text: youngsters

text: she

text: said

text: She

text: has

text: family

text: members

text: who

text: live

text: nearby

text: but

text: says

text: she

text: 's

text: found

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: communicate

text: with

text: them

text: in

text: their

text: own

text: language

text: through

text: Facebook

text: Let

text: 's

text: face

text: it

text: kids

text: that

text: age

text: are

text: n't

text: really

text: interested

text: in

text: talking

text: to

text: people

text: my

text: age

text: very

text: much

text: It

text: 's

text: more

text: Hi

text: grandma

text: how

text: are

text: ya

text: Bye

text: she

text: said

text: with

text: a

text: laugh

text: That

text: 's

text: basically

text: what

text: I

text: get

text: from

text: my

text: grandkids

text: so

text: if

text: I

text: can

text: engage

text: them

text: through

text: just

text: a

text: little

text: bit

text: of

text: chit

text: chat

text: online

text: it

text: 's

text: a

text: lot

text: more

text: than

text: I

text: can

text: get

text: over

text: the

text: phone

question: What does one mother say Facebook has become?

answer: the family's No. 1 way to communicate.

text: the family's No. 1 way to communicate.

question: Who said Facebook was like her family's living room?

answer: Ireland's

text: Ireland's

question: What do some older family members use the site for?

answer: to keep tabs on younger

text: to keep tabs on younger

question: What is the fastest-growing age group on Facebook?

answer: women older than 55,

text: women older than 55,


text:
Editor's note: David Craig is a film, television and Web producer, an adjunct professor at the Annenberg School of Communications at the University of Southern California, and a gay rights activist.

David Craig says there's growing support for recognition of gay unions and gay marriage.

LOS ANGELES (CNN) -- My battle for marriage equality began in 1990, after my partner, Brian Binder, and I had a commitment ceremony. The ceremony was held at the end of a conference for Parents and Friends of Lesbian and Gays and was attended by more than 300 friends and members of both our families.

We were featured in a couple of books on gay marriage because the concept was so new at the time. We also registered as domestic partners and entered into every possible form of legal recognition available at the time.

A few years later, Brian was visiting his parents in Nevada to inform them that he was giving up his battle with AIDS. Something went horribly wrong, and he was rushed to the hospital. I flew there immediately.

As his caretaker, I knew his medical condition and had been involved in every medical decision. We had shared the joy of making a commitment to one another and the pain and suffering of a horrible disease.

But when I arrived, I was told I could not see him because I was not "family" and because my legal documents were valid only in California. Even as I heard him calling out my name, they refused to let me see him because we were not married. Brian died in 1992.

In 1995, I helped organize the first Freedom to Marry March in Los Angeles. Ten years later, the idea for A Day Without Gays was conceived. iReport.com: Are you taking part in "A Day Without Gays?"

I was discussing same-sex marriage with Delia Fine, my colleague at the A&E Network. I proposed a gay version of Lysistrata, an ancient Greek satire about Athenian women who withheld sex from their husbands until they agreed to stop going to war.

She replied, "what if gays went on strike instead?" and the idea was born.

We convinced A&E to produce a movie based on the idea, which became a romantic comedy called "Wedding Wars" that aired on the network in 2006. Critics compared the film to "A Day Without a Mexican," which led to the one-day protest by the Latino community called A Day Without Immigrants.

In the wake of the passage of Proposition 8 in California, which banned same-sex marriage, I posted the event on Facebook. My fellow organizer, Steve Holzer, inspired by the Latino protests, suggested we call it A Day Without Gays.

We soon discovered that other organizers had conceived of the same idea simultaneously, and we all agreed to schedule the protest for December 10, which is International Human Rights Day. A week later, Join The Impact, the group that organized City Hall rallies nationwide November 14, joined forces with us.

Our goal is to raise awareness that marriage is a "basic human right" as declared by the U.S. Supreme Court in Loving v. Virginia, the case that ended race-based restrictions on marriage.

We believe that to deny gays and lesbians that right, and the 1,400 state and federal legal and economic benefits of marriage, is discrimination and in violation of the 14th Amendment.

We are asking people who support us to "call in gay" to their workplace by taking the day off or to shut down their businesses. Our goal is to raise awareness that we are gay and lesbian Americans who work, own businesses, pay our taxes and support the economy to the tune of $712 billion a year, according to an analysis by Witeck-Combs Communications, a public relations agency that specializes in the gay and lesbian consumer market. This is a declaration that we take our rights seriously and demand full equality.

Our Facebook site has had a million visitors, and more than 225,000 people indicate that they will or might participate. There are also more than 17,000 postings from participants who have taken the time to debate, support and/or deride these issues.

There is still much to do. Thirty states have passed bans on same-sex marriage. Thirty states allow employers to fire someone based on sexual orientation, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. Some states have instituted or are considering bans that directly or indirectly prevent gays and lesbians from adopting or fostering children.

In addition, the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act by Congress in 1996 denies civil unions what Barack Obama's campaign described as the more than 1,100 benefits of marriage including immigration, taxation, Social Security and veteran's benefits.

A recent Newsweek poll reflects that, for the first time, a majority of Americans now believe that gay and lesbian couples deserve recognition, with 55 percent supporting legally sanctioned unions. It found increased backing for inheritance and other rights and found that 39 percent favor gay marriage.

The tide is clearly turning in our favor, and I believe that love, equality and support for all families will triumph. In the words of Tony Kushner, "We will be citizens. The time has come."

The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Craig.

text: Editor

text: 's

text: note

text: David

text: Craig

text: is

text: a

text: film

text: television

text: and

text: Web

text: producer

text: an

text: adjunct

text: professor

text: at

text: the

text: Annenberg

text: School

text: of

text: Communications

text: at

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: Southern

text: California

text: and

text: a

text: gay

text: rights

text: activist

text: David

text: Craig

text: says

text: there

text: 's

text: growing

text: support

text: for

text: recognition

text: of

text: gay

text: unions

text: and

text: gay

text: marriage

text: LOS

text: ANGELES

text: CNN

text: My

text: battle

text: for

text: marriage

text: equality

text: began

text: in

text: after

text: my

text: partner

text: Brian

text: Binder

text: and

text: I

text: had

text: a

text: commitment

text: ceremony

text: The

text: ceremony

text: was

text: held

text: at

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: a

text: conference

text: for

text: Parents

text: and

text: Friends

text: of

text: Lesbian

text: and

text: Gays

text: and

text: was

text: attended

text: by

text: more

text: than

text: friends

text: and

text: members

text: of

text: both

text: our

text: families

text: We

text: were

text: featured

text: in

text: a

text: couple

text: of

text: books

text: on

text: gay

text: marriage

text: because

text: the

text: concept

text: was

text: so

text: new

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: We

text: also

text: registered

text: as

text: domestic

text: partners

text: and

text: entered

text: into

text: every

text: possible

text: form

text: of

text: legal

text: recognition

text: available

text: at

text: the

text: time

text: A

text: few

text: years

text: later

text: Brian

text: was

text: visiting

text: his

text: parents

text: in

text: Nevada

text: to

text: inform

text: them

text: that

text: he

text: was

text: giving

text: up

text: his

text: battle

text: with

text: AIDS

text: Something

text: went

text: horribly

text: wrong

text: and

text: he

text: was

text: rushed

text: to

text: the

text: hospital

text: I

text: flew

text: there

text: immediately

text: As

text: his

text: caretaker

text: I

text: knew

text: his

text: medical

text: condition

text: and

text: had

text: been

text: involved

text: in

text: every

text: medical

text: decision

text: We

text: had

text: shared

text: the

text: joy

text: of

text: making

text: a

text: commitment

text: to

text: one

text: another

text: and

text: the

text: pain

text: and

text: suffering

text: of

text: a

text: horrible

text: disease

text: But

text: when

text: I

text: arrived

text: I

text: was

text: told

text: I

text: could

text: not

text: see

text: him

text: because

text: I

text: was

text: not

text: family

text: and

text: because

text: my

text: legal

text: documents

text: were

text: valid

text: only

text: in

text: California

text: Even

text: as

text: I

text: heard

text: him

text: calling

text: out

text: my

text: name

text: they

text: refused

text: to

text: let

text: me

text: see

text: him

text: because

text: we

text: were

text: not

text: married

text: Brian

text: died

text: in

text: In

text: I

text: helped

text: organize

text: the

text: first

text: Freedom

text: to

text: Marry

text: March

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Ten

text: years

text: later

text: the

text: idea

text: for

text: A

text: Day

text: Without

text: Gays

text: was

text: conceived

text: iReport.com

text: Are

text: you

text: taking

text: part

text: in

text: A

text: Day

text: Without

text: Gays

text: I

text: was

text: discussing

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: with

text: Delia

text: Fine

text: my

text: colleague

text: at

text: the

text: A&E

text: Network

text: I

text: proposed

text: a

text: gay

text: version

text: of

text: Lysistrata

text: an

text: ancient

text: Greek

text: satire

text: about

text: Athenian

text: women

text: who

text: withheld

text: sex

text: from

text: their

text: husbands

text: until

text: they

text: agreed

text: to

text: stop

text: going

text: to

text: war

text: She

text: replied

text: what

text: if

text: gays

text: went

text: on

text: strike

text: instead

text: and

text: the

text: idea

text: was

text: born

text: We

text: convinced

text: A&E

text: to

text: produce

text: a

text: movie

text: based

text: on

text: the

text: idea

text: which

text: became

text: a

text: romantic

text: comedy

text: called

text: Wedding

text: Wars

text: that

text: aired

text: on

text: the

text: network

text: in

text: Critics

text: compared

text: the

text: film

text: to

text: A

text: Day

text: Without

text: a

text: Mexican

text: which

text: led

text: to

text: the

text: one

text: day

text: protest

text: by

text: the

text: Latino

text: community

text: called

text: A

text: Day

text: Without

text: Immigrants

text: In

text: the

text: wake

text: of

text: the

text: passage

text: of

text: Proposition

text: in

text: California

text: which

text: banned

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: I

text: posted

text: the

text: event

text: on

text: Facebook

text: My

text: fellow

text: organizer

text: Steve

text: Holzer

text: inspired

text: by

text: the

text: Latino

text: protests

text: suggested

text: we

text: call

text: it

text: A

text: Day

text: Without

text: Gays

text: We

text: soon

text: discovered

text: that

text: other

text: organizers

text: had

text: conceived

text: of

text: the

text: same

text: idea

text: simultaneously

text: and

text: we

text: all

text: agreed

text: to

text: schedule

text: the

text: protest

text: for

text: December

text: which

text: is

text: International

text: Human

text: Rights

text: Day

text: A

text: week

text: later

text: Join

text: The

text: Impact

text: the

text: group

text: that

text: organized

text: City

text: Hall

text: rallies

text: nationwide

text: November

text: joined

text: forces

text: with

text: us

text: Our

text: goal

text: is

text: to

text: raise

text: awareness

text: that

text: marriage

text: is

text: a

text: basic

text: human

text: right

text: as

text: declared

text: by

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Supreme

text: Court

text: in

text: Loving

text: v.

text: Virginia

text: the

text: case

text: that

text: ended

text: race

text: based

text: restrictions

text: on

text: marriage

text: We

text: believe

text: that

text: to

text: deny

text: gays

text: and

text: lesbians

text: that

text: right

text: and

text: the

text: state

text: and

text: federal

text: legal

text: and

text: economic

text: benefits

text: of

text: marriage

text: is

text: discrimination

text: and

text: in

text: violation

text: of

text: the

text: Amendment

text: We

text: are

text: asking

text: people

text: who

text: support

text: us

text: to

text: call

text: in

text: gay

text: to

text: their

text: workplace

text: by

text: taking

text: the

text: day

text: off

text: or

text: to

text: shut

text: down

text: their

text: businesses

text: Our

text: goal

text: is

text: to

text: raise

text: awareness

text: that

text: we

text: are

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: Americans

text: who

text: work

text: own

text: businesses

text: pay

text: our

text: taxes

text: and

text: support

text: the

text: economy

text: to

text: the

text: tune

text: of

text: billion

text: a

text: year

text: according

text: to

text: an

text: analysis

text: by

text: Witeck

text: Combs

text: Communications

text: a

text: public

text: relations

text: agency

text: that

text: specializes

text: in

text: the

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: consumer

text: market

text: This

text: is

text: a

text: declaration

text: that

text: we

text: take

text: our

text: rights

text: seriously

text: and

text: demand

text: full

text: equality

text: Our

text: Facebook

text: site

text: has

text: had

text: a

text: million

text: visitors

text: and

text: more

text: than

text: people

text: indicate

text: that

text: they

text: will

text: or

text: might

text: participate

text: There

text: are

text: also

text: more

text: than

text: postings

text: from

text: participants

text: who

text: have

text: taken

text: the

text: time

text: to

text: debate

text: support

text: and/or

text: deride

text: these

text: issues

text: There

text: is

text: still

text: much

text: to

text: do

text: Thirty

text: states

text: have

text: passed

text: bans

text: on

text: same

text: sex

text: marriage

text: Thirty

text: states

text: allow

text: employers

text: to

text: fire

text: someone

text: based

text: on

text: sexual

text: orientation

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: American

text: Civil

text: Liberties

text: Union

text: Some

text: states

text: have

text: instituted

text: or

text: are

text: considering

text: bans

text: that

text: directly

text: or

text: indirectly

text: prevent

text: gays

text: and

text: lesbians

text: from

text: adopting

text: or

text: fostering

text: children

text: In

text: addition

text: the

text: passage

text: of

text: the

text: Defense

text: of

text: Marriage

text: Act

text: by

text: Congress

text: in

text: denies

text: civil

text: unions

text: what

text: Barack

text: Obama

text: 's

text: campaign

text: described

text: as

text: the

text: more

text: than

text: benefits

text: of

text: marriage

text: including

text: immigration

text: taxation

text: Social

text: Security

text: and

text: veteran

text: 's

text: benefits

text: A

text: recent

text: Newsweek

text: poll

text: reflects

text: that

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: time

text: a

text: majority

text: of

text: Americans

text: now

text: believe

text: that

text: gay

text: and

text: lesbian

text: couples

text: deserve

text: recognition

text: with

text: percent

text: supporting

text: legally

text: sanctioned

text: unions

text: It

text: found

text: increased

text: backing

text: for

text: inheritance

text: and

text: other

text: rights

text: and

text: found

text: that

text: percent

text: favor

text: gay

text: marriage

text: The

text: tide

text: is

text: clearly

text: turning

text: in

text: our

text: favor

text: and

text: I

text: believe

text: that

text: love

text: equality

text: and

text: support

text: for

text: all

text: families

text: will

text: triumph

text: In

text: the

text: words

text: of

text: Tony

text: Kushner

text: We

text: will

text: be

text: citizens

text: The

text: time

text: has

text: come

text: The

text: opinions

text: expressed

text: in

text: this

text: commentary

text: are

text: solely

text: those

text: of

text: David

text: Craig

question: What protest is scheduled for December 10th?

answer: A Day Without Gays

text: A Day Without Gays

question: What are the benefits of marriage?

answer: immigration, taxation, Social Security and veteran's

text: immigration, taxation, Social Security and veteran's

question: Where is the protest going to be?

answer: nationwide

text: nationwide

question: How long has Craig been battling for gays?

answer: began in 1990,

text: began in 1990,

question: What is gaining support?

answer: recognition of gay unions and gay marriage.

text: recognition of gay unions and gay marriage.

question: What kind of marriage rights is David Craig fighting for?

answer: gay

text: gay

question: What kind of protest is Craig organizing for December 10?

answer: A Day Without Gays

text: A Day Without Gays

question: What does a relevant poll indicate?

answer: majority of Americans now believe that gay and lesbian couples deserve recognition,

text: majority of Americans now believe that gay and lesbian couples deserve recognition,


text:
Port-au-Prince, Haiti (CNN) -- Breathlessly, they came, carrying suitcases, plastic bags and just about anything that would hold the few belongings they still had.

Thousands of Haitian people, most of them homeless, have flooded the port, hoping for a ticket to hope, on board a ferry, being paid for by the Haitian government.

This ferry, the Trois Rivieres, is headed for Port Jeremie on Haiti's far western tip, far away from the hopelessness that has become Port-au-Prince.

"The government gave us 1500 gallons of fuel to go back to Jeremie to evacuate more people," said Roger Rouzier, director general of Marinetec, the ferry boat owner.  Anaika Clement has been here three days with her mother and her friend. Their homes have been destroyed.

She and the others wait at a filthy wharf, littered with garbage and human feces, with cracks in the ground, from the day the earth moved in Haiti, last week. In creole, Anaika told CNN's Ivan Watson that they came here after Wednesday morning's 5.9 aftershock.

"I don't know how many days we're going to stay here," said Anaika.

Wednesday's seismic rattle appeared to have pushed desperate people into action. For some, it didn't matter where the ferry would take them, as long as it left Port-au-Prince.

With the USNS Comfort, a hospital ship in sight of them, mothers, fathers, children, infants, and their belongings, packed themselves into small, overcrowded row boats.  Latest updates l  Full coverage l  Twitter

In the words of one man, "All of our hopes are with the international community. We are not able to sustain ourselves," he said.

Many of the rowboats sat with too many people, too low in the water, and had the look of a potentially new tragedy.

They would row about a mile, to the Trois Rivieres ferry, which was docked at the other end of the port. The owner docked it far away so that people could not board it, while it sat awaiting fuel from the government.  iReport: Search list for missing and found

"First of all I have to put fuel on board. And I would prefer to put fuel on board before the people get in," said Roger Rouzier, the ferry boat owner.

"It's a little bit dangerous while you are refueling to have people on board," he said.

Seeing the ferry boat, the people used the row boats to make their way out to the ferry, to board themselves.

Once there, they climbed up the side of the boat, and designed their own assembly line of people to help pass luggage, and children, from one person to the other, on board the ferryboat. CNN witnessed one infant passed up along a sea of hands from their dinghy all the way to the top of the ferryboat.  iReport: Are you there?

"No one is helping us with crowd control here. No one. We don't have any help from no one. Even from the government," said ferry owner, Roger Rouzier.

"The government gave us fuel and told us to evacuate people to Jeremie and that's it," he said.

CNN watched as one lone Haitian coast guard vessel tried to approach the ferryboat to curtail the rowboaters, but they were quickly overpowered by the sea of people fleeing.

The ferry's owner told CNN his ferry is licensed to carry 600 people, but on the last trip to Port Jeremie, there were over 3000 onboard.

With no serious crowd control and no lifeboats on board, Rouzier's only option to stop the crowds, is to leave.

"They'll do anything to get on the boat. And then it becomes very, very dangerous," he said.

CNN took their own rowboat onto the Trois Rivieres, and saw a boat, slowly filling with the desperate refugees. They all appeared to relax once onboard. Perhaps, now they can begin to have hope about tomorrow.

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: Haiti

text: CNN

text: Breathlessly

text: they

text: came

text: carrying

text: suitcases

text: plastic

text: bags

text: and

text: just

text: about

text: anything

text: that

text: would

text: hold

text: the

text: few

text: belongings

text: they

text: still

text: had

text: Thousands

text: of

text: Haitian

text: people

text: most

text: of

text: them

text: homeless

text: have

text: flooded

text: the

text: port

text: hoping

text: for

text: a

text: ticket

text: to

text: hope

text: on

text: board

text: a

text: ferry

text: being

text: paid

text: for

text: by

text: the

text: Haitian

text: government

text: This

text: ferry

text: the

text: Trois

text: Rivieres

text: is

text: headed

text: for

text: Port

text: Jeremie

text: on

text: Haiti

text: 's

text: far

text: western

text: tip

text: far

text: away

text: from

text: the

text: hopelessness

text: that

text: has

text: become

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: The

text: government

text: gave

text: us

text: gallons

text: of

text: fuel

text: to

text: go

text: back

text: to

text: Jeremie

text: to

text: evacuate

text: more

text: people

text: said

text: Roger

text: Rouzier

text: director

text: general

text: of

text: Marinetec

text: the

text: ferry

text: boat

text: owner

text: Anaika

text: Clement

text: has

text: been

text: here

text: three

text: days

text: with

text: her

text: mother

text: and

text: her

text: friend

text: Their

text: homes

text: have

text: been

text: destroyed

text: She

text: and

text: the

text: others

text: wait

text: at

text: a

text: filthy

text: wharf

text: littered

text: with

text: garbage

text: and

text: human

text: feces

text: with

text: cracks

text: in

text: the

text: ground

text: from

text: the

text: day

text: the

text: earth

text: moved

text: in

text: Haiti

text: last

text: week

text: In

text: creole

text: Anaika

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Ivan

text: Watson

text: that

text: they

text: came

text: here

text: after

text: Wednesday

text: morning

text: 's

text: aftershock

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: how

text: many

text: days

text: we

text: 're

text: going

text: to

text: stay

text: here

text: said

text: Anaika

text: Wednesday

text: 's

text: seismic

text: rattle

text: appeared

text: to

text: have

text: pushed

text: desperate

text: people

text: into

text: action

text: For

text: some

text: it

text: did

text: n't

text: matter

text: where

text: the

text: ferry

text: would

text: take

text: them

text: as

text: long

text: as

text: it

text: left

text: Port

text: au

text: Prince

text: With

text: the

text: USNS

text: Comfort

text: a

text: hospital

text: ship

text: in

text: sight

text: of

text: them

text: mothers

text: fathers

text: children

text: infants

text: and

text: their

text: belongings

text: packed

text: themselves

text: into

text: small

text: overcrowded

text: row

text: boats

text: Latest

text: updates

text: l

text: Full

text: coverage

text: l

text: Twitter

text: In

text: the

text: words

text: of

text: one

text: man

text: All

text: of

text: our

text: hopes

text: are

text: with

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: We

text: are

text: not

text: able

text: to

text: sustain

text: ourselves

text: he

text: said

text: Many

text: of

text: the

text: rowboats

text: sat

text: with

text: too

text: many

text: people

text: too

text: low

text: in

text: the

text: water

text: and

text: had

text: the

text: look

text: of

text: a

text: potentially

text: new

text: tragedy

text: They

text: would

text: row

text: about

text: a

text: mile

text: to

text: the

text: Trois

text: Rivieres

text: ferry

text: which

text: was

text: docked

text: at

text: the

text: other

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: port

text: The

text: owner

text: docked

text: it

text: far

text: away

text: so

text: that

text: people

text: could

text: not

text: board

text: it

text: while

text: it

text: sat

text: awaiting

text: fuel

text: from

text: the

text: government

text: iReport

text: Search

text: list

text: for

text: missing

text: and

text: found

text: First

text: of

text: all

text: I

text: have

text: to

text: put

text: fuel

text: on

text: board

text: And

text: I

text: would

text: prefer

text: to

text: put

text: fuel

text: on

text: board

text: before

text: the

text: people

text: get

text: in

text: said

text: Roger

text: Rouzier

text: the

text: ferry

text: boat

text: owner

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: little

text: bit

text: dangerous

text: while

text: you

text: are

text: refueling

text: to

text: have

text: people

text: on

text: board

text: he

text: said

text: Seeing

text: the

text: ferry

text: boat

text: the

text: people

text: used

text: the

text: row

text: boats

text: to

text: make

text: their

text: way

text: out

text: to

text: the

text: ferry

text: to

text: board

text: themselves

text: Once

text: there

text: they

text: climbed

text: up

text: the

text: side

text: of

text: the

text: boat

text: and

text: designed

text: their

text: own

text: assembly

text: line

text: of

text: people

text: to

text: help

text: pass

text: luggage

text: and

text: children

text: from

text: one

text: person

text: to

text: the

text: other

text: on

text: board

text: the

text: ferryboat

text: CNN

text: witnessed

text: one

text: infant

text: passed

text: up

text: along

text: a

text: sea

text: of

text: hands

text: from

text: their

text: dinghy

text: all

text: the

text: way

text: to

text: the

text: top

text: of

text: the

text: ferryboat

text: iReport

text: Are

text: you

text: there

text: No

text: one

text: is

text: helping

text: us

text: with

text: crowd

text: control

text: here

text: No

text: one

text: We

text: do

text: n't

text: have

text: any

text: help

text: from

text: no

text: one

text: Even

text: from

text: the

text: government

text: said

text: ferry

text: owner

text: Roger

text: Rouzier

text: The

text: government

text: gave

text: us

text: fuel

text: and

text: told

text: us

text: to

text: evacuate

text: people

text: to

text: Jeremie

text: and

text: that

text: 's

text: it

text: he

text: said

text: CNN

text: watched

text: as

text: one

text: lone

text: Haitian

text: coast

text: guard

text: vessel

text: tried

text: to

text: approach

text: the

text: ferryboat

text: to

text: curtail

text: the

text: rowboaters

text: but

text: they

text: were

text: quickly

text: overpowered

text: by

text: the

text: sea

text: of

text: people

text: fleeing

text: The

text: ferry

text: 's

text: owner

text: told

text: CNN

text: his

text: ferry

text: is

text: licensed

text: to

text: carry

text: people

text: but

text: on

text: the

text: last

text: trip

text: to

text: Port

text: Jeremie

text: there

text: were

text: over

text: onboard

text: With

text: no

text: serious

text: crowd

text: control

text: and

text: no

text: lifeboats

text: on

text: board

text: Rouzier

text: 's

text: only

text: option

text: to

text: stop

text: the

text: crowds

text: is

text: to

text: leave

text: They

text: 'll

text: do

text: anything

text: to

text: get

text: on

text: the

text: boat

text: And

text: then

text: it

text: becomes

text: very

text: very

text: dangerous

text: he

text: said

text: CNN

text: took

text: their

text: own

text: rowboat

text: onto

text: the

text: Trois

text: Rivieres

text: and

text: saw

text: a

text: boat

text: slowly

text: filling

text: with

text: the

text: desperate

text: refugees

text: They

text: all

text: appeared

text: to

text: relax

text: once

text: onboard

text: Perhaps

text: now

text: they

text: can

text: begin

text: to

text: have

text: hope

text: about

text: tomorrow

question: in what port is the ship?

answer: Port-au-Prince.

text: Port-au-Prince.

question: what does the ferry owner say?

answer: "The government gave us 1500 gallons of fuel to go back to Jeremie to evacuate more people,"

text: "The government gave us 1500 gallons of fuel to go back to Jeremie to evacuate more people,"

question: What are people passing up the side of the boat?

answer: luggage, and children,

text: luggage, and children,

question: How many Haitians tried to board the government ship?

answer: Thousands

text: Thousands

question: Where was the ship headed?

answer: Port Jeremie

text: Port Jeremie

question: Who is trying to board a government ship to Port Jeremie?

answer: Thousands of Haitian people,

text: Thousands of Haitian people,

question: What did the Ferry owner say?

answer: "The government gave us 1500 gallons of fuel to go back to Jeremie to evacuate more people,"

text: "The government gave us 1500 gallons of fuel to go back to Jeremie to evacuate more people,"


text:
(CNN) -- A U.N. official said Monday that the global economic crisis is hurting efforts to clear land mines in Afghanistan, one of the world's most heavily mined countries.

An Afghan soldier inspects a land mine in Herat, western Afghanistan.

Haider Reza, program director of the U.N. Mine Action Center for Afghanistan, said more than 82,000 anti-personnel mines were cleared in Afghanistan last year.

But he said the $500 million needed to meet the goal of clearing all mines by 2013 is under threat.

"We are at a very critical point, and this country and people cannot afford to see a devastating situation where not much money will come," Reza said, in remarks included in a U.N. news release.

More than 4 million people live in "mine-contaminated" areas in Afghanistan, the U.N. says.

The clearance of explosives is considered of key importance for the country's development.

The anti-personnel mines and 900 anti-tank mines cleared this past year constitute more than 20 percent of mines cleared from the country since 1989, the United Nations said.

The Ottawa Convention on land mines specifies that Afghanistan must be completely cleared of mines and unexploded ordnance by 2013.

The Afghanistan Compact, the partnership between the Afghan government and the international community, is calling for "70 percent of explosive-infested land to be cleared by 2011."

"If the resources flow into the program, we have the technical capacity and we can do the job," said Reza, who is reaching out to new donors, such as Persian Gulf nations.

"God forbid that the security situation throughout the country, especially in areas where we have to do the job, deteriorates to the extent that would not allow our de-miners to do their job. Otherwise, I am very confident we will make it," he said.

text: CNN

text: A

text: U.N.

text: official

text: said

text: Monday

text: that

text: the

text: global

text: economic

text: crisis

text: is

text: hurting

text: efforts

text: to

text: clear

text: land

text: mines

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: 's

text: most

text: heavily

text: mined

text: countries

text: An

text: Afghan

text: soldier

text: inspects

text: a

text: land

text: mine

text: in

text: Herat

text: western

text: Afghanistan

text: Haider

text: Reza

text: program

text: director

text: of

text: the

text: U.N.

text: Mine

text: Action

text: Center

text: for

text: Afghanistan

text: said

text: more

text: than

text: anti

text: personnel

text: mines

text: were

text: cleared

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: last

text: year

text: But

text: he

text: said

text: the

text: million

text: needed

text: to

text: meet

text: the

text: goal

text: of

text: clearing

text: all

text: mines

text: by

text: is

text: under

text: threat

text: We

text: are

text: at

text: a

text: very

text: critical

text: point

text: and

text: this

text: country

text: and

text: people

text: can

text: not

text: afford

text: to

text: see

text: a

text: devastating

text: situation

text: where

text: not

text: much

text: money

text: will

text: come

text: Reza

text: said

text: in

text: remarks

text: included

text: in

text: a

text: U.N.

text: news

text: release

text: More

text: than

text: million

text: people

text: live

text: in

text: mine

text: contaminated

text: areas

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: the

text: U.N.

text: says

text: The

text: clearance

text: of

text: explosives

text: is

text: considered

text: of

text: key

text: importance

text: for

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: development

text: The

text: anti

text: personnel

text: mines

text: and

text: anti

text: tank

text: mines

text: cleared

text: this

text: past

text: year

text: constitute

text: more

text: than

text: percent

text: of

text: mines

text: cleared

text: from

text: the

text: country

text: since

text: the

text: United

text: Nations

text: said

text: The

text: Ottawa

text: Convention

text: on

text: land

text: mines

text: specifies

text: that

text: Afghanistan

text: must

text: be

text: completely

text: cleared

text: of

text: mines

text: and

text: unexploded

text: ordnance

text: by

text: The

text: Afghanistan

text: Compact

text: the

text: partnership

text: between

text: the

text: Afghan

text: government

text: and

text: the

text: international

text: community

text: is

text: calling

text: for

text: percent

text: of

text: explosive

text: infested

text: land

text: to

text: be

text: cleared

text: by

text: If

text: the

text: resources

text: flow

text: into

text: the

text: program

text: we

text: have

text: the

text: technical

text: capacity

text: and

text: we

text: can

text: do

text: the

text: job

text: said

text: Reza

text: who

text: is

text: reaching

text: out

text: to

text: new

text: donors

text: such

text: as

text: Persian

text: Gulf

text: nations

text: God

text: forbid

text: that

text: the

text: security

text: situation

text: throughout

text: the

text: country

text: especially

text: in

text: areas

text: where

text: we

text: have

text: to

text: do

text: the

text: job

text: deteriorates

text: to

text: the

text: extent

text: that

text: would

text: not

text: allow

text: our

text: de

text: miners

text: to

text: do

text: their

text: job

text: Otherwise

text: I

text: am

text: very

text: confident

text: we

text: will

text: make

text: it

text: he

text: said

question: How much is needed to clear all mines?

answer: $500 million

text: $500 million

question: How many mines were cleared in Afghanistan last year?

answer: 82,000

question: Where were the UN forces clearing mines from?

answer: Afghanistan,

text: Afghanistan,

question: How many people live in mine-contaminated areas in Afghanistan?

answer: 4 million

text: 4 million

question: Amount of anti-personnel mines were cleared in Afghanistan last year?

answer: 82,000

question: How many people live in this country in areas with mines?

answer: More than 4 million

text: More than 4 million

question: How much money is needed to clear all mines?

answer: $500 million

text: $500 million

question: How many people live in "mine-contaminated areas of Afghanistan?

answer: More than 4 million

text: More than 4 million

question: Amount of people that lied in mine-contaminated areas?

answer: More than 4 million

text: More than 4 million

question: Number needed in cash to clear all mines?

answer: $500 million

text: $500 million


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Ohio congressman David Hobson is the latest Republican to announce his exit from the House of Representatives, telling constituents Sunday he would step down in 2008 after nine terms.

Rep. David Hobson, shown in February, was the lone Republican on Rep. Nancy Pelosi's Mideast trip this year.

Hobson, 71, is a senior member of the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees the Pentagon. He has represented his district, which includes parts of the Dayton and Columbus areas, since 1991.

His fellow Ohio Republican, House Minority Leader John Boehner, praised his "effective leadership and dry wit" in a statement issued Sunday evening.

"During the remainder of his term, I am certain that Dave will continue to represent his constituents with the same energy and dedication that have been the trademarks of his tenure in the U.S. House," Boehner said.

"I look forward to continuing our close work over these next 14 months, and when the 111th Congress begins, I'll be eager to work beside a new Republican from Ohio's 7th District."

Hobson is the 12th GOP House member to announce retirement ahead of the 2008 elections, when the Republican Party will be seeking to reclaim the congressional majorities it lost to Democrats in 2006.

Another Republican representative, New Mexico's Heather Wilson, has said she will run for the Senate seat being given up by Sen. Pete Domenici -- one of five Republicans retiring from the Senate in 2008 rather than seeking a new term.

"Ohio's 7th Congressional District is a strong Republican seat that will continue to elect candidates that fight to keep taxes low, the economy strong and the nation secure," said Rep. Tom Cole, the chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee.

"We will be working with local activists and party leaders to send a candidate that fights for those same values back to Congress in 2008." E-mail to a friend

CNN's Jessica Yellin and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: Ohio

text: congressman

text: David

text: Hobson

text: is

text: the

text: latest

text: Republican

text: to

text: announce

text: his

text: exit

text: from

text: the

text: House

text: of

text: Representatives

text: telling

text: constituents

text: Sunday

text: he

text: would

text: step

text: down

text: in

text: after

text: nine

text: terms

text: Rep.

text: David

text: Hobson

text: shown

text: in

text: February

text: was

text: the

text: lone

text: Republican

text: on

text: Rep.

text: Nancy

text: Pelosi

text: 's

text: Mideast

text: trip

text: this

text: year

text: Hobson

text: is

text: a

text: senior

text: member

text: of

text: the

text: House

text: Appropriations

text: subcommittee

text: that

text: oversees

text: the

text: Pentagon

text: He

text: has

text: represented

text: his

text: district

text: which

text: includes

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: Dayton

text: and

text: Columbus

text: areas

text: since

text: His

text: fellow

text: Ohio

text: Republican

text: House

text: Minority

text: Leader

text: John

text: Boehner

text: praised

text: his

text: effective

text: leadership

text: and

text: dry

text: wit

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: issued

text: Sunday

text: evening

text: During

text: the

text: remainder

text: of

text: his

text: term

text: I

text: am

text: certain

text: that

text: Dave

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: represent

text: his

text: constituents

text: with

text: the

text: same

text: energy

text: and

text: dedication

text: that

text: have

text: been

text: the

text: trademarks

text: of

text: his

text: tenure

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: House

text: Boehner

text: said

text: I

text: look

text: forward

text: to

text: continuing

text: our

text: close

text: work

text: over

text: these

text: next

text: months

text: and

text: when

text: the

text: Congress

text: begins

text: I

text: 'll

text: be

text: eager

text: to

text: work

text: beside

text: a

text: new

text: Republican

text: from

text: Ohio

text: 's

text: District

text: Hobson

text: is

text: the

text: GOP

text: House

text: member

text: to

text: announce

text: retirement

text: ahead

text: of

text: the

text: elections

text: when

text: the

text: Republican

text: Party

text: will

text: be

text: seeking

text: to

text: reclaim

text: the

text: congressional

text: majorities

text: it

text: lost

text: to

text: Democrats

text: in

text: Another

text: Republican

text: representative

text: New

text: Mexico

text: 's

text: Heather

text: Wilson

text: has

text: said

text: she

text: will

text: run

text: for

text: the

text: Senate

text: seat

text: being

text: given

text: up

text: by

text: Sen.

text: Pete

text: Domenici

text: one

text: of

text: five

text: Republicans

text: retiring

text: from

text: the

text: Senate

text: in

text: rather

text: than

text: seeking

text: a

text: new

text: term

text: Ohio

text: 's

text: Congressional

text: District

text: is

text: a

text: strong

text: Republican

text: seat

text: that

text: will

text: continue

text: to

text: elect

text: candidates

text: that

text: fight

text: to

text: keep

text: taxes

text: low

text: the

text: economy

text: strong

text: and

text: the

text: nation

text: secure

text: said

text: Rep.

text: Tom

text: Cole

text: the

text: chairman

text: of

text: the

text: National

text: Republican

text: Congressional

text: Committee

text: We

text: will

text: be

text: working

text: with

text: local

text: activists

text: and

text: party

text: leaders

text: to

text: send

text: a

text: candidate

text: that

text: fights

text: for

text: those

text: same

text: values

text: back

text: to

text: Congress

text: in

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Jessica

text: Yellin

text: and

text: Deirdre

text: Walsh

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: What does the House Appropriations defense subcommittee do?

answer: oversees the Pentagon.

text: oversees the Pentagon.

question: When will Rep. David Hobson step down?

answer: 2008

question: What year did the GOP lose the congressional majorities?

answer: 2006.

question: After how many terms will Rep. David Hobson step down?

answer: nine

text: nine

question: gop seeking what

answer: to reclaim the congressional majorities it lost to Democrats in 2006.

text: to reclaim the congressional majorities it lost to Democrats in 2006.


text:
(CNN) -- Gay slurs hurled by three figures in professional sports in the last month are more than just testosterone-fueled temper tantrums, some say.

The behavior, they say, is symptomatic of a deeper problem and should be used as an opportunity to tackle homophobia in professional sports.

"Kobe Bryant, Joakim Noah and Roger McDowell are not any different from many people in our society who use offensive language like that on a daily basis," said Jarrod Chin of the Society for the Study of Sport in Society at Boston's Northeastern University. "These incidents provide a real opportunity for the NBA and MLB to take a strong stance against homophobia."

In April, a frustrated Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant laced a referee with an epithet that gays find offensive.

Bryant quickly apologized and was fined $100,000. Bryant was apparently angry that the referee penalized him for a technical foul.

In early May, Atlanta Braves pitching coach Roger McDowell made national headlines for tossing anti-gay slurs at a group of fans in San Francisco. He also made crude gestures at the fans, in full view of children who were in the crowd.

After a short suspension, an emotional McDowell apologized at a news conference.

And last week, bombastic Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah was captured by television cameras lobbing a similar slur at a fan after his second foul in the game. Noah apologized right after the game and was slapped with a $50,000 fine.

"When sports stars use slurs, it is especially damaging because their increased public profile means many more people are exposed. These people seem to have lost sight of the fact that in their prime, in pivotal moments in games, they are one of the most influential people in the world," said former NBA player John Amaechi.

Amaechi knows all too well about homophobia in sports. He is credited as being one of the few professional stars to admit he is gay.

But Amaechi came out of the closet after he retired. He said he did not feel comfortable disclosing his orientation during his 5-year NBA stint.

Amaechi says he still remembers the pointed response from NBA star Tim Hardaway that followed his disclosure.

"First of all, I wouldn't want him on my team," Hardaway told a radio host in 2007. "You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known. I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States."

Hardaway later apologized for his statement -- but the sentiment persists among many athletes, Amaechi says.

"Sports stars need to remember that being a positive role model is as much a part of their job as making lay-ups, hitting home runs or scoring touchdowns," he said.

Rick Welts, president and CEO of the Phoenix Suns, says he had kept his sexual orientation secret throughout his long career.

Welts came out when the Kobe Bryant epithet caused a stir. He said Bryant's slur solidified in his mind that he needed to go public.

"Well, the irony of the timing is it was the day before that I had been sitting in David Stern, the (NBA) commissioner's office, to kind of discuss this with him. And then the next night, Kobe went off," Welts told CNN's Eliot Spitzer. "You know, I think it reinforced that probably it was time, because I think that will probably be remembered as a teaching moment."

While his disclosure has been received positively for the most part, Welts says is apprehensive about his future and feels that he is in uncharted territory.

"I don't know what my future is. I don't know where my career is going to go," he said. "I think that's part of the big problem with players. There's no example out there. No one has ever done it. No one really knows what's going to happen."

The NBA recently released a pubic service announcement featuring players Grant Hill and Jared Dudley about anti-gay language.

"Using gay to mean dumb or stupid... Not cool," Hill says in the commercial that is running during the playoff games.

"It is offensive to gay people," Dudley adds.

But some say more needs to be done.

"Male professional sports do have an issue with homophobia, but so does society in general," Chin, of Northeastern University, said. "The NBA and MLB are great vehicles for educating folks about this issue and could really turn these negative events into a positive teachable moment."

text: CNN

text: Gay

text: slurs

text: hurled

text: by

text: three

text: figures

text: in

text: professional

text: sports

text: in

text: the

text: last

text: month

text: are

text: more

text: than

text: just

text: testosterone

text: fueled

text: temper

text: tantrums

text: some

text: say

text: The

text: behavior

text: they

text: say

text: is

text: symptomatic

text: of

text: a

text: deeper

text: problem

text: and

text: should

text: be

text: used

text: as

text: an

text: opportunity

text: to

text: tackle

text: homophobia

text: in

text: professional

text: sports

text: Kobe

text: Bryant

text: Joakim

text: Noah

text: and

text: Roger

text: McDowell

text: are

text: not

text: any

text: different

text: from

text: many

text: people

text: in

text: our

text: society

text: who

text: use

text: offensive

text: language

text: like

text: that

text: on

text: a

text: daily

text: basis

text: said

text: Jarrod

text: Chin

text: of

text: the

text: Society

text: for

text: the

text: Study

text: of

text: Sport

text: in

text: Society

text: at

text: Boston

text: 's

text: Northeastern

text: University

text: These

text: incidents

text: provide

text: a

text: real

text: opportunity

text: for

text: the

text: NBA

text: and

text: MLB

text: to

text: take

text: a

text: strong

text: stance

text: against

text: homophobia

text: In

text: April

text: a

text: frustrated

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: Lakers

text: star

text: Kobe

text: Bryant

text: laced

text: a

text: referee

text: with

text: an

text: epithet

text: that

text: gays

text: find

text: offensive

text: Bryant

text: quickly

text: apologized

text: and

text: was

text: fined

text: Bryant

text: was

text: apparently

text: angry

text: that

text: the

text: referee

text: penalized

text: him

text: for

text: a

text: technical

text: foul

text: In

text: early

text: May

text: Atlanta

text: Braves

text: pitching

text: coach

text: Roger

text: McDowell

text: made

text: national

text: headlines

text: for

text: tossing

text: anti

text: gay

text: slurs

text: at

text: a

text: group

text: of

text: fans

text: in

text: San

text: Francisco

text: He

text: also

text: made

text: crude

text: gestures

text: at

text: the

text: fans

text: in

text: full

text: view

text: of

text: children

text: who

text: were

text: in

text: the

text: crowd

text: After

text: a

text: short

text: suspension

text: an

text: emotional

text: McDowell

text: apologized

text: at

text: a

text: news

text: conference

text: And

text: last

text: week

text: bombastic

text: Chicago

text: Bulls

text: center

text: Joakim

text: Noah

text: was

text: captured

text: by

text: television

text: cameras

text: lobbing

text: a

text: similar

text: slur

text: at

text: a

text: fan

text: after

text: his

text: second

text: foul

text: in

text: the

text: game

text: Noah

text: apologized

text: right

text: after

text: the

text: game

text: and

text: was

text: slapped

text: with

text: a

text: fine

text: When

text: sports

text: stars

text: use

text: slurs

text: it

text: is

text: especially

text: damaging

text: because

text: their

text: increased

text: public

text: profile

text: means

text: many

text: more

text: people

text: are

text: exposed

text: These

text: people

text: seem

text: to

text: have

text: lost

text: sight

text: of

text: the

text: fact

text: that

text: in

text: their

text: prime

text: in

text: pivotal

text: moments

text: in

text: games

text: they

text: are

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: most

text: influential

text: people

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: said

text: former

text: NBA

text: player

text: John

text: Amaechi

text: Amaechi

text: knows

text: all

text: too

text: well

text: about

text: homophobia

text: in

text: sports

text: He

text: is

text: credited

text: as

text: being

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: few

text: professional

text: stars

text: to

text: admit

text: he

text: is

text: gay

text: But

text: Amaechi

text: came

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: closet

text: after

text: he

text: retired

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: did

text: not

text: feel

text: comfortable

text: disclosing

text: his

text: orientation

text: during

text: his

text: NBA

text: stint

text: Amaechi

text: says

text: he

text: still

text: remembers

text: the

text: pointed

text: response

text: from

text: NBA

text: star

text: Tim

text: Hardaway

text: that

text: followed

text: his

text: disclosure

text: First

text: of

text: all

text: I

text: would

text: n't

text: want

text: him

text: on

text: my

text: team

text: Hardaway

text: told

text: a

text: radio

text: host

text: in

text: You

text: know

text: I

text: hate

text: gay

text: people

text: so

text: I

text: let

text: it

text: be

text: known

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: like

text: gay

text: people

text: and

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: like

text: to

text: be

text: around

text: gay

text: people

text: I

text: am

text: homophobic

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: like

text: it

text: It

text: should

text: n't

text: be

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: or

text: in

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: Hardaway

text: later

text: apologized

text: for

text: his

text: statement

text: but

text: the

text: sentiment

text: persists

text: among

text: many

text: athletes

text: Amaechi

text: says

text: Sports

text: stars

text: need

text: to

text: remember

text: that

text: being

text: a

text: positive

text: role

text: model

text: is

text: as

text: much

text: a

text: part

text: of

text: their

text: job

text: as

text: making

text: lay

text: ups

text: hitting

text: home

text: runs

text: or

text: scoring

text: touchdowns

text: he

text: said

text: Rick

text: Welts

text: president

text: and

text: CEO

text: of

text: the

text: Phoenix

text: Suns

text: says

text: he

text: had

text: kept

text: his

text: sexual

text: orientation

text: secret

text: throughout

text: his

text: long

text: career

text: Welts

text: came

text: out

text: when

text: the

text: Kobe

text: Bryant

text: epithet

text: caused

text: a

text: stir

text: He

text: said

text: Bryant

text: 's

text: slur

text: solidified

text: in

text: his

text: mind

text: that

text: he

text: needed

text: to

text: go

text: public

text: Well

text: the

text: irony

text: of

text: the

text: timing

text: is

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: day

text: before

text: that

text: I

text: had

text: been

text: sitting

text: in

text: David

text: Stern

text: the

text: NBA

text: commissioner

text: 's

text: office

text: to

text: kind

text: of

text: discuss

text: this

text: with

text: him

text: And

text: then

text: the

text: next

text: night

text: Kobe

text: went

text: off

text: Welts

text: told

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Eliot

text: Spitzer

text: You

text: know

text: I

text: think

text: it

text: reinforced

text: that

text: probably

text: it

text: was

text: time

text: because

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: will

text: probably

text: be

text: remembered

text: as

text: a

text: teaching

text: moment

text: While

text: his

text: disclosure

text: has

text: been

text: received

text: positively

text: for

text: the

text: most

text: part

text: Welts

text: says

text: is

text: apprehensive

text: about

text: his

text: future

text: and

text: feels

text: that

text: he

text: is

text: in

text: uncharted

text: territory

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: what

text: my

text: future

text: is

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: where

text: my

text: career

text: is

text: going

text: to

text: go

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: think

text: that

text: 's

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: big

text: problem

text: with

text: players

text: There

text: 's

text: no

text: example

text: out

text: there

text: No

text: one

text: has

text: ever

text: done

text: it

text: No

text: one

text: really

text: knows

text: what

text: 's

text: going

text: to

text: happen

text: The

text: NBA

text: recently

text: released

text: a

text: pubic

text: service

text: announcement

text: featuring

text: players

text: Grant

text: Hill

text: and

text: Jared

text: Dudley

text: about

text: anti

text: gay

text: language

text: Using

text: gay

text: to

text: mean

text: dumb

text: or

text: stupid

text: Not

text: cool

text: Hill

text: says

text: in

text: the

text: commercial

text: that

text: is

text: running

text: during

text: the

text: playoff

text: games

text: It

text: is

text: offensive

text: to

text: gay

text: people

text: Dudley

text: adds

text: But

text: some

text: say

text: more

text: needs

text: to

text: be

text: done

text: Male

text: professional

text: sports

text: do

text: have

text: an

text: issue

text: with

text: homophobia

text: but

text: so

text: does

text: society

text: in

text: general

text: Chin

text: of

text: Northeastern

text: University

text: said

text: The

text: NBA

text: and

text: MLB

text: are

text: great

text: vehicles

text: for

text: educating

text: folks

text: about

text: this

text: issue

text: and

text: could

text: really

text: turn

text: these

text: negative

text: events

text: into

text: a

text: positive

text: teachable

text: moment

question: How much was Joakim Noah fined?

answer: $50,000

question: What did John Amaechi say?

answer: "When sports stars use slurs, it is especially damaging because their increased public profile means many more people are exposed.

text: "When sports stars use slurs, it is especially damaging because their increased public profile means many more people are exposed.

question: What did an expert say sports leaders can do?

answer: "These incidents provide a real opportunity for the NBA and MLB to take a strong stance against homophobia."

text: "These incidents provide a real opportunity for the NBA and MLB to take a strong stance against homophobia."

question: What team does Joakim Noah play for?

answer: Chicago Bulls

text: Chicago Bulls

question: For what was Joakim Noah fined $50,000?

answer: lobbing a similar slur at a fan

text: lobbing a similar slur at a fan

question: Who was fined $100,000 for his statement?

answer: Bryant

text: Bryant

question: How much was Kobe Bryant fined?

answer: $100,000.


text:
(CNN) -- Five purported Amish splinter group members, who are suspected in a string of hair-cutting attacks on Amish men and women in their community, are scheduled to be back in court Wednesday morning for arraignment, said the sheriff of Jefferson County, Ohio.

Four separate incidents are being investigated in the eastern Ohio counties of Jefferson, Holmes, Carroll and Trumbull, said Frank Abdalla, the Jefferson County sheriff.

Officials report the first assault happened on September 6. The last attack was on October 4, just days before three of the five suspects were arrested. The men are accused of breaking into multiple homes and holding the victims down before using scissors or battery operated clippers to forcibly cut off women's hair and men's beards.

Lester Mullet, 26, Johnny Mullet, 38, and Levi Miller, 53, were arrested last Friday in Jefferson County, Abdalla said. Daniel Mullet and Eli Miller turned themselves in to Holmes County authorities a few days later.

All five men are charged with kidnapping and burglary. They were released on $50,000 bond, which was paid by Bishop Sam Mullet, who, according to Abdalla, is the leader of an extreme Amish splinter group.

Three of the suspects are Mullet's sons; a third is his nephew.

Abdalla is not the only one who believes Mullet may be behind the attacks.

"This renegade leader is like a cult," said Donald Kraybill, an Amish scholar at Elizabethtown College. "He (Mullet) masquerades under the Amish name, using religion as a way to create a kind of barrier between him and law enforcement."

"Nothing moves in this (particular) Amish community unless (Bishop Mullet) says it moves," Abdalla said.

According to the sheriff, Mullet instigated the attacks after being "shunned from his faith some years ago."

"His behavior contradicts all the standard Amish expectation for behavior," Kraybill said.

The assaults are considered a particularly egregious offense in the Amish society, and can be considered an attack on the Amish identity.

"It's very shameful," said Kraybill.

As a symbol of adulthood, Amish men typically grow beards after they get married and Amish women do not cut their hair, said Kraybill. The practices are based on biblical teachings, Kraybill said.

"I don't know of any other cases like this," said Kraybill. "Amish-on-Amish violence is very rare." Kraybill also pointed out that it's not correct to call the attacks Amish-on-Amish violence because Mullet is not recognized by the mainstream group.

Both Holmes and Jefferson counties have large Amish populations. It is rare for the deeply private religious group to involve outsiders in their internal and religious problems.

But Kraybill said when it becomes serious or involves some kind of violence, they will turn to outside agencies for help.

This "is a difficult, terrible crime," Abdalla said. "We are doing everything we can do."

text: CNN

text: Five

text: purported

text: Amish

text: splinter

text: group

text: members

text: who

text: are

text: suspected

text: in

text: a

text: string

text: of

text: hair

text: cutting

text: attacks

text: on

text: Amish

text: men

text: and

text: women

text: in

text: their

text: community

text: are

text: scheduled

text: to

text: be

text: back

text: in

text: court

text: Wednesday

text: morning

text: for

text: arraignment

text: said

text: the

text: sheriff

text: of

text: Jefferson

text: County

text: Ohio

text: Four

text: separate

text: incidents

text: are

text: being

text: investigated

text: in

text: the

text: eastern

text: Ohio

text: counties

text: of

text: Jefferson

text: Holmes

text: Carroll

text: and

text: Trumbull

text: said

text: Frank

text: Abdalla

text: the

text: Jefferson

text: County

text: sheriff

text: Officials

text: report

text: the

text: first

text: assault

text: happened

text: on

text: September

text: The

text: last

text: attack

text: was

text: on

text: October

text: just

text: days

text: before

text: three

text: of

text: the

text: five

text: suspects

text: were

text: arrested

text: The

text: men

text: are

text: accused

text: of

text: breaking

text: into

text: multiple

text: homes

text: and

text: holding

text: the

text: victims

text: down

text: before

text: using

text: scissors

text: or

text: battery

text: operated

text: clippers

text: to

text: forcibly

text: cut

text: off

text: women

text: 's

text: hair

text: and

text: men

text: 's

text: beards

text: Lester

text: Mullet

text: Johnny

text: Mullet

text: and

text: Levi

text: Miller

text: were

text: arrested

text: last

text: Friday

text: in

text: Jefferson

text: County

text: Abdalla

text: said

text: Daniel

text: Mullet

text: and

text: Eli

text: Miller

text: turned

text: themselves

text: in

text: to

text: Holmes

text: County

text: authorities

text: a

text: few

text: days

text: later

text: All

text: five

text: men

text: are

text: charged

text: with

text: kidnapping

text: and

text: burglary

text: They

text: were

text: released

text: on

text: bond

text: which

text: was

text: paid

text: by

text: Bishop

text: Sam

text: Mullet

text: who

text: according

text: to

text: Abdalla

text: is

text: the

text: leader

text: of

text: an

text: extreme

text: Amish

text: splinter

text: group

text: Three

text: of

text: the

text: suspects

text: are

text: Mullet

text: 's

text: sons

text: a

text: third

text: is

text: his

text: nephew

text: Abdalla

text: is

text: not

text: the

text: only

text: one

text: who

text: believes

text: Mullet

text: may

text: be

text: behind

text: the

text: attacks

text: This

text: renegade

text: leader

text: is

text: like

text: a

text: cult

text: said

text: Donald

text: Kraybill

text: an

text: Amish

text: scholar

text: at

text: Elizabethtown

text: College

text: He

text: Mullet

text: masquerades

text: under

text: the

text: Amish

text: name

text: using

text: religion

text: as

text: a

text: way

text: to

text: create

text: a

text: kind

text: of

text: barrier

text: between

text: him

text: and

text: law

text: enforcement

text: Nothing

text: moves

text: in

text: this

text: particular

text: Amish

text: community

text: unless

text: Bishop

text: Mullet

text: says

text: it

text: moves

text: Abdalla

text: said

text: According

text: to

text: the

text: sheriff

text: Mullet

text: instigated

text: the

text: attacks

text: after

text: being

text: shunned

text: from

text: his

text: faith

text: some

text: years

text: ago

text: His

text: behavior

text: contradicts

text: all

text: the

text: standard

text: Amish

text: expectation

text: for

text: behavior

text: Kraybill

text: said

text: The

text: assaults

text: are

text: considered

text: a

text: particularly

text: egregious

text: offense

text: in

text: the

text: Amish

text: society

text: and

text: can

text: be

text: considered

text: an

text: attack

text: on

text: the

text: Amish

text: identity

text: It

text: 's

text: very

text: shameful

text: said

text: Kraybill

text: As

text: a

text: symbol

text: of

text: adulthood

text: Amish

text: men

text: typically

text: grow

text: beards

text: after

text: they

text: get

text: married

text: and

text: Amish

text: women

text: do

text: not

text: cut

text: their

text: hair

text: said

text: Kraybill

text: The

text: practices

text: are

text: based

text: on

text: biblical

text: teachings

text: Kraybill

text: said

text: I

text: do

text: n't

text: know

text: of

text: any

text: other

text: cases

text: like

text: this

text: said

text: Kraybill

text: Amish

text: on

text: Amish

text: violence

text: is

text: very

text: rare

text: Kraybill

text: also

text: pointed

text: out

text: that

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: correct

text: to

text: call

text: the

text: attacks

text: Amish

text: on

text: Amish

text: violence

text: because

text: Mullet

text: is

text: not

text: recognized

text: by

text: the

text: mainstream

text: group

text: Both

text: Holmes

text: and

text: Jefferson

text: counties

text: have

text: large

text: Amish

text: populations

text: It

text: is

text: rare

text: for

text: the

text: deeply

text: private

text: religious

text: group

text: to

text: involve

text: outsiders

text: in

text: their

text: internal

text: and

text: religious

text: problems

text: But

text: Kraybill

text: said

text: when

text: it

text: becomes

text: serious

text: or

text: involves

text: some

text: kind

text: of

text: violence

text: they

text: will

text: turn

text: to

text: outside

text: agencies

text: for

text: help

text: This

text: is

text: a

text: difficult

text: terrible

text: crime

text: Abdalla

text: said

text: We

text: are

text: doing

text: everything

text: we

text: can

text: do

question: who did  belong to an extremist splinter group?

answer: Lester Mullet, 26, Johnny Mullet, 38, and Levi Miller, 53,

text: Lester Mullet, 26, Johnny Mullet, 38, and Levi Miller, 53,

question: How many men face kidnapping and burglary charges?

answer: Five

text: Five

question: What do they belong to?

answer: Amish splinter group

text: Amish splinter group

question: The five Amish men face kidnapping and

answer: breaking into multiple homes

text: breaking into multiple homes

question: Who is the group's leader?

answer: Bishop Sam Mullet,

text: Bishop Sam Mullet,