2 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, November 30, 2004 NATION/WORLD Social issues brought before court NEws IN BRIEF Justices will not decide ion gay marriage case WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court sidestepped a *dispute over gay marriage yesterday, rejecting a challenge by con- servative groups to the status of Massachusetts as the only state that sanctions same-sex marriages. Justices had been asked to overturn a year-old decision by the Massachusetts high court that legalized gay marriage. They declined, without comment. In the past year, at least 3,000 gay Massachusetts couples have wed, although voters may have a chance next year to change the state constitution to permit civil union benefits to same-sex couples, but not the institution of marriage. Critics of the November 2003 ruling by the highest court in Mas- sachusetts argue that it violated the U.S. Constitution's guarantee of a republican form of government in each state. They lost at the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston. Their attorney, Mathew Staver, said in a Supreme Court filing that *the Constitution should "protect the citizens of Massachusetts from "heir own statesupreme court's usurpation of power." *Federal courts, he said, should defend people's right "to live in a republican form of government free from tyranny, whether that comes at the barrel of a gun or by the decree of a court." Merita Hopkins, a city attorney in Boston, had told justices in court papers that the people who filed the suit have not shown they suffered an injury and could not bring a challenge to the Supreme Court. "Deeply felt interest in the outcome of a case does not consti- tute an actual injury," she said. -. :,.J NiW i W::1WR ; . i' .; .. IA '4 i, 4O . VIENTIANE, Laos Lyn Jones of Brockton, Mass., dressed as a Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court justice, burns a copy of the state's constitution during a protest against gay marriage in Lexington, Mass., earlier this month. High court skeptical of medicinal mari/una use Asian nations form free trade union Southeast Asian nations and China signed an accord yesterday to create the world's biggest free trade area by removing tariffs for their 2 billion people by decade's end. Leaders in the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations also signed a pact to flesh out their agreement last year to create an ASEAN Community along the lines of a unified Europe by 2020. It aims to create a common market with common security goals. "China's initiative has put both the U.S. and Japan on the defensive," said Chao Chien-min, an analyst of China and political science professor at Taiwan's National Chengchi University. "China is using its huge market as a bait to lure ASEAN countries away from the U.S. and Japan and build closer relations." The run-up to the ASEAN summit in the Laotian capital was clouded by concerns that Thailand's crackdown last month on a protest that left 85 Muslims dead could inflame regional militants, and over Myanmar's failure to deliver on pledges to go from military rule to democracy. Some countries indicated they might call those two ASEAN members to task in what a break with the group's tradition of keeping out of domestic affairs. CAIRO, Egypt On video, bin Laden deputy threatens U.S. Osama bin Laden's top deputy vowed in a videotape aired yesterday to keep fight- ing the United States until Washington changed its policies. In a brief excerpt broadcast on Al-Jazeera television, Ayman al-Zawahri offered Americans "one last advice" for dealing with Muslims, adding, "I am sure that they will not heed it." "You have to choose between one of two methods to deal with Muslims: either on mutual respect and exchange of interests, or to deal with them as if they are spoils of war," al-Zawahri said. "This is your problem and you have to choose yourself. You have to realize that we are a nation of patience and endurance. We will stand firm to fight you with God's help until doomsday." The bearded and bespectacled al-Zawahri sat before a brown background, with a gun leaning against the wall. One shoulder was covered by a brown blanket. His voice sounded calm and steady, as in previous tapes. BAG HDA D, Iraq Insurgents kill seven in suicide bombings Insurgents stepped up attacks on Iraq's fledgling security forces, killing seven Iraqi police and guardsmen yesterday in a suicide bombing hours after storming a police station north of the capital. Two U.S. soldiers died in a bombing in Baghdad. In addition, two U.S. Marines were killed in a weekend bombing south of the capital, a U.S. official said yesterday. U.S., British and Iraqi forces have been sweeping through the area to clear Sunni insurgents from a string of towns and cities between Baghdad and the Shiite shrine cities of Najaf and Karbala. Military offensives in Fallujah and elsewhere have made November the second deadliest month for U.S. troops since the March 2003 invasion, with at least 130 American dead. KIEV, Ukraine Outgoing president proposes new election Ukraine's supreme court gave the prime minister's legal team until today to study evidence of fraud presented by the opposition in last week's presidential election, while outgoing President Leonid Kuchma endorsed the idea of a new vote "to preserve peace" in the bitterly divided former Soviet republic. Kuchma said yesterday a new vote might be the only way to resolve the weeklong standoff in which tens of thousands of opposition supporters have blocked official buildings in the capital and eastern provinces are threatening to seek autonomy. The demonstrations continued last night as throngs packed snowy Kiev's Indepen- dence Square, waving Ukrainian flags and orange flags showing their support for oppo- sition candidate Viktor Yushchenko, who addressed them. WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court appeared hesitant yes- terday to endorse medical marijuana for patients who have a doctor's recommen- dation. Justices are considering whether sick people in 11 states with medical marijuana laws can get around a federal ban on pot. Paul Clement, the Bush administra- tion's top court lawyer, noted that Califor- nia allows people with chronic physical and mental health problems to smoke pot and said that potentially many people are subjecting themselves to health dangers. "Smoked marijuana really doesn't have any future in medicine," he said. Justice Stephen Breyer said supporters of marijuana for the ill should take their fight to federal drug regulators. Dozens of people camped outside the high court to hear justices debate the issue. Groups such as the Drug Free America Foundation fear a government loss will undermine campaigns against addictive drugs. The high court heard arguments in the case of Angel Raich, who tried dozens of prescription medicines to ease the pain of a brain tumor and other illnesses before she turned to pot. Supporters of Raich and another ill woman who filed a lawsuit after her Cali- fornia home was raided by federal agents argue that people with the AIDS virus, cancer and other diseases should be able to grow and use marijuana. Their attorney, Randy Barnett of Bos- ton, told justices that his clients are law- abiding citizens who need marijuana to survive. Marijuana may have some side effects, he said, but seriously sick people are willing to take the chance. 9 1 1 - - - -- - ----------- - - -- --- -- ----------------- .. , - 13 i The Martha Cook Building Historic esidence for 'Women In the heart of Centra(Campus Sma((number of Room & Board( 'V/acancies in Dou[e fRoms Availabefor 'Winter'Term Beginning anuar3', d2005 Appfy to: Mvarion Scier, Director Phone: (734) 763-2084 HEAT IT UP TONIGHT. DO IT IN THE KITCHEN. HAVE A STEAMY ENCOUNTER. AND OTHER DOUBLE ENTENDRES. J' ~ o ': ts I Besides California, nine other states allow people to use medical marijuana: Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Mon- tana, Nevada, Oregon, Vermont and Washington. Arizona also has a law per- mitting marijuana prescriptions. The San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled against the government in a divided opinion that found federal prosecution of medical marijuana users is uncon- stitutional if the marijuana is not sold, transported across state lines or used for non-medicinal purposes. Bush appoints new trade secretary WAS HINGTON (AP) - President Bush yesterday chose Carlos Gutierrez, a native of Cuba who rose from truck driver to chief executive officer of Kel- logg Co., to be secretary of Commerce., If confiriiedbthe Sente; Gutir- rez would succeed Commerce Secre- tary Donald Evans, a Texas confidant of Bush's, who announced his resigna- tion shortly after the Nov. 2 election. The president called the 5i.-year-old Gutierrez a "great American success story" and a visionary executive who understands the world of business from the "first rung on the ladder to the very top"~ "Carlos's family came to America from Cuba when he was a boy," Bush said in the Roosevelt Room. "He learned English from a bellhop in a Miami hotel and later became an American citizen. When his family eventually settled in Mexico City, Carlos took his first job for Kellogg as a truck driver, delivering Frosted Flakes to local stores." Gutierrez, who was joined by his wife, son and two daughters, is the first new member of Bush's economic team for his second term. Bush's chief economic adviser, Stephen Friedman, announced last week that he is leav- ing. Other changes are also anticipated, although Treasury Secretary John Snow would like to stay. "The secretary views his service to the president as an honor and a privi- lege," Rob Nichols, a Treasury Depart- ment spokesman, said of Snow. "Like all his Cabinet colleagues, he serves at the pleasure of the president" Former Michigan Gov. John Engler, president of the National Association of Manufacturers, hailed the appointment. "Gutierrez understands every level of manufacturing and he will use that knowledge to further strengthen the U.S. economy," Engler said. Looking ahead to his second term, Bush is already making changes to his current economics team. And, private economists say it is possible that could include a change at the Treasury post. In early February 2003, Snow, 65, a former chief at railroad giant CSX, replaced Paul O'Neill, who was fired by Bush as part of a shake-up of the president's eco- nomic team. FOOD FOR THOUGHT Baby Killer When a slain soldier's photo Compiled from Daily wire reports I-- - MARKET UPDATE MON. CLOSE CHANGE DOW JONES 10,475.90 - 46.33 NASDA 2,106.87 + 4.90 s & so 1,178.57 -4.08 0 a www.michigandaily.com The Michigan Daily (ISSN 0745-967) is published Monday through Friday during the fall and winter terms by students at the University of Michigan. One copy is available free of charge to all readers. Additional copies may be picked up at the Daily's office for $2. 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