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Friday, October 29, 2010
Rally to Restore Sanity
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Arkansas School Board Member Clint McCance: 'Fags' Should 'All Commit Suicide'
McCance is a school district board member, which makes his attack on gay youth all the more upsetting, given his position of power to oversee their education.
The initial post read:
Seriously they want me to wear purple because five queers committed suicide. The only way im wearin it for them is if they all commit suicide. I cant believe the people of this world have gotten this stupid. We are honoring the fact that they sinned and killed therselves because of their sin. REALLY PEOPLE.
After folks started leaving comments on McCance's Facebook wall (which is now locked down), he responded:
No because being a fag doesn't give you the right o ruin the rest of our lives. It you get easily offended by being caleld a fag then don't tell anyone you are a fag. Keep that shit to yourself. I don't care how people decide to live their lives. They don't bother me if they keep it thereselves. It pisses me off though that we make special purple fag day for them. I like that fags can't procreate. I also enjoy the fact that they often give each other AIDS and die. If you aren't against it, you might as well be for it.
Laura Bush on Antigay Bullying
Former first lady Laura Bush has joined the chorus of people calling for a stop to antigay bullying, saying “bullying of any kind, certainly gay teens ... is terrible.”
Bush, who in the years since her husband left the White House has come out as pro-choice and in support of marriage equality, talked about bullying Tuesday for the Yahoo Newsmakers series at the Women's Conference 2010 in California.
“Bullying of every kind, certainly gay teens, but any children is really terrible,“ she said. “We've read cases of children on the Internet where kids are committing suicide. It's really terrible. As adults, we have to be the ones who do something about it.”
Bush also said she was proud of gay Fort Worth, Texas, city councilman Joel Burns, one of the first public officials to share a story of being bullied as a teenager and tell teens “it will get better.“
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Ken Buck: 'I Disagree Strongly With The Concept Of Separation Of Church And State'
Well that last statement is, of course, a lie. Obama does call the "Christmas Tree" just that. As for his statement that the Constitution does not say there is a separation of church and state:
"Congress shall pass no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
Revenge of the Fallen - Sean Bielat and Ken Buck
| The Colbert Report | Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c | |||
| Indecision 2010 - Revenge of the Fallen - Sean Bielat & Ken Buck<a> | ||||
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Gay youth activist Joseph Jefferson commits suicide
He shared this final message with his Facebook friends:
“I could not bear the burden of living as a gay man of color in a world grown cold and hateful towards those of us who live and love differently than the so-called ’social mainstream.’ Belonging is one of the basic human needs, when people feel isolated and excluded from a sense of communion with others, they suffer.
“I have been an advocate for my peers and most importantly youth because most have never had a deep emotional attachment to anyone. They don’t know how to love and be loved in return. The need to be loved can sometimes translate to the need to belong to someone or something. Driven by that need….. Most will do anything to belong.”
Meg Whitman Endorses Jerry Brown?
Meg Whitman remembers 30 years ago when "anything was possible" in California. Thirty years ago, Jerry Brown was governor.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
WeHoKnights at Gay Men's Chorus Video shoot for the It Gets Better Campaign with Greg Louganis
WeHo Knights Television captures the behind the scenes making of the Gay Men's Chorus "It get's better" powerful message to the gay teens. Hosted by Alejandra Duque & Anthony Cortez along side city officials & celebrities such as Greg Louganis... the message is clear.
Uganda Paper Calls For Gays To Be 'Hanged'
The front-page newspaper story featured a list of Uganda's 100 "top" homosexuals, with a bright yellow banner across it that read: "Hang Them." Alongside their photos were the men's names and addresses.
In the days since it was published, at least four gay Ugandans on the list have been attacked and many others are in hiding, according to rights activist Julian Onziema. One person named in the story had stones thrown at his house by neighbors.
A lawmaker in this conservative African country introduced a bill a year ago that would have imposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others. An international uproar ensued, and the bill was quietly shelved.
But gays in Uganda say they have faced a year of harassment and attacks since the bill's introduction.
The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy they say allows gays to become heterosexual.
"Before the introduction of the bill in parliament most people did not mind about our activities. But since then, we are harassed by many people who hate homosexuality," said Patrick Ndede, 27. "The publicity the bill got made many people come to know about us and they started mistreating us."
More than 20 homosexuals have been attacked over the last year in Uganda, and an additional 17 have been arrested and are in prison, said Frank Mugisha, the chairman of Sexual Minorities Uganda. Those numbers are up from the same period two years ago, when about 10 homosexuals were attacked, he said.
In the days since it was published, at least four gay Ugandans on the list have been attacked and many others are in hiding, according to rights activist Julian Onziema. One person named in the story had stones thrown at his house by neighbors.
A lawmaker in this conservative African country introduced a bill a year ago that would have imposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others. An international uproar ensued, and the bill was quietly shelved.
But gays in Uganda say they have faced a year of harassment and attacks since the bill's introduction.
The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy they say allows gays to become heterosexual.
"Before the introduction of the bill in parliament most people did not mind about our activities. But since then, we are harassed by many people who hate homosexuality," said Patrick Ndede, 27. "The publicity the bill got made many people come to know about us and they started mistreating us."
More than 20 homosexuals have been attacked over the last year in Uganda, and an additional 17 have been arrested and are in prison, said Frank Mugisha, the chairman of Sexual Minorities Uganda. Those numbers are up from the same period two years ago, when about 10 homosexuals were attacked, he said.
Christine O'Donnell Confesses To Using Campaign Money For Personal Expenses
The watchdog group Citizens For Ethics in Washington responds: "Ms. O'Donnell has spent years embezzling money from her campaign to cover her personal expenses. Republicans and Democrats don't agree on much these days, but both sides should agree on one point: thieves belong in jail not the United States Senate."
Facebook Shuts Down Pope Kiss-In
According to the Reader, the Queer Kissing Flashmob generated interest among 12,000 Facebook users for its plan to hold the kiss-in in Cathedral Square in Barcelona on November 7. Then Facebook shut them down, the group claims.
”This has added greater fuel to the fire, and one of the organisers, Marylène Carole, expressed her 'disbelief' that a couple kissing in public could be considered 'outrageous' in this day and age,” reported the Reader.
Zachary Quinto Quiet on Gay Rumors
The New York Timestalked with the actor, who will star as Louis Ironson in the Signature Theater Company’s off-Broadway revival of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America, opening this Thursday.
“Despite Mr. Quinto’s efforts to keep his private life private, the blogosphere is rife with speculation about his sexuality, no doubt fueled by his support for gay rights and organizations like the Trevor Project,” reports the Times. “He prefers not to feed that rumor mill with either substantiation or dismissal. He speaks passionately about gay marriage, about ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ and about the recent wave of gay bullying and suicides.
“The fact that these things are such hot-button issues right now, socially and politically, I would much rather talk about that than talk about who I sleep with,” Quinto told the Times. “I would love to be a voice in this maelstrom of chaos and obsessive celebrity infatuation that says, ‘Let’s talk about something that matters,’” he added.
Monday, October 25, 2010
Majority Of Americans Agree: Churches Contribute To LGBT Suicides
Janet Porter Prays for Christian Control of Government
Dear Jesus, please save us all from your followers. Amen.
Outed Gay Ugandans Report Attacks
Mugisha, who works with Sexual Minorities Uganda, said one woman was almost killed after neighbors threw stones at her house. He said most of the people whose names were printed in Rolling Stone magazine have been harassed.
A “kill the gays” bill proposed by a member of parliament made headlines last year, but after an international outcry, a year later, it has yet to be formally debated. Homosexuality is illegal in Uganda.
“We have got people who have been threatened to be thrown out of work, people who have been threatened by their own family members, who want to throw them out of their own houses,” Mugisha said.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
Gay Kids Are Dying, Fuck Your Feelings
Dan Savage: October 14, 2010
Dear Dan: I was listening to the radio yesterday morning, and I heard an interview with you about your It Gets Better campaign. I was saddened and frustrated with your comments regarding people of faith and their perpetuation of bullying. As someone who loves the Lord and does not support gay marriage, I can honestly say I was heartbroken to hear about the young man who took his own life.
If your message is that we should not judge people based on their sexual preference, how do you justify judging entire groups of people for any other reason (including their faith)? There is no part of me that took any pleasure in what happened to that young man, and I know for a fact that is true of many other people who disagree with your viewpoint.
To that end, to imply that I would somehow encourage my children to mock, hurt, or intimidate another person for any reason is completely unfounded and offensive. Being a follower of Christ is, above all things, a recognition that we are all imperfect, fallible, and in desperate need of a savior. We cannot believe that we are better or more worthy than other people.
Please consider your viewpoint, and please be more careful with your words in the future.
—L.R.
Savage:
I'm sorry your feelings were hurt by my comments.
No, wait. I'm not. Gay kids are dying. So let's try to keep things in perspective: Fuck your feelings.
A question: Do you "support" atheist marriage? Interfaith marriage? Divorce and remarriage? All are legal, all go against Christian and/or traditional ideas about marriage, and yet there's no "Christian" movement to deny marriage rights to atheists or people marrying outside their respective faiths or people divorcing and remarrying.
Why the hell not?
Sorry, L.R., but so long as you support the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples, it's clear that you do believe that some people—straight people—are "better or more worthy" than others.
And—sorry—but you are partly responsible for the bullying and physical violence being visited on vulnerable LGBT children. The kids of people who see gay people as sinful or damaged or disordered and unworthy of full civil equality—even if those people strive to express their bigotry in the politest possible way (at least when they happen to be addressing a gay person)—learn to see gay people as sinful, damaged, disordered, and unworthy. And while there may not be any gay adults or couples where you live, or at your church, or in your workplace, I promise you that there are gay and lesbian children in your schools. And while you can only attack gays and lesbians at the ballot box, nice and impersonally, your children have the option of attacking actual gays and lesbians, in person, in real time.
Real gay and lesbian children. Not political abstractions, not "sinners." Gay and lesbian children.
Try to keep up: The dehumanizing bigotries that fall from the lips of "faithful Christians," and the lies about us that vomit out from the pulpits of churches that "faithful Christians" drag their kids to on Sundays, give your children license to verbally abuse, humiliate, and condemn the gay children they encounter at school. And many of your children—having listened to Mom and Dad talk about how gay marriage is a threat to family and how gay sex makes their magic sky friend Jesus cry—feel justified in physically abusing the LGBT children they encounter in their schools. You don't have to explicitly "encourage [your] children to mock, hurt, or intimidate" queer kids. Your encouragement—along with your hatred and fear—is implicit. It's here, it's clear, and we're seeing the fruits of it: dead children.
Oh, and those same dehumanizing bigotries that fill your straight children with hate? They fill your gay children with suicidal despair. And you have the nerve to ask me to be more careful with my words?
Did that hurt to hear? Good. But it couldn't have hurt nearly as much as what was said and done to Asher Brown and Justin Aaberg and Billy Lucas and Cody Barker and Seth Walsh—day-in, day-out for years—at schools filled with bigoted little monsters created not in the image of a loving God, but in the image of the hateful and false "followers of Christ" they call Mom and Dad.
Dear Dan: I was listening to the radio yesterday morning, and I heard an interview with you about your It Gets Better campaign. I was saddened and frustrated with your comments regarding people of faith and their perpetuation of bullying. As someone who loves the Lord and does not support gay marriage, I can honestly say I was heartbroken to hear about the young man who took his own life.
If your message is that we should not judge people based on their sexual preference, how do you justify judging entire groups of people for any other reason (including their faith)? There is no part of me that took any pleasure in what happened to that young man, and I know for a fact that is true of many other people who disagree with your viewpoint.
To that end, to imply that I would somehow encourage my children to mock, hurt, or intimidate another person for any reason is completely unfounded and offensive. Being a follower of Christ is, above all things, a recognition that we are all imperfect, fallible, and in desperate need of a savior. We cannot believe that we are better or more worthy than other people.
Please consider your viewpoint, and please be more careful with your words in the future.
—L.R.
Savage:
I'm sorry your feelings were hurt by my comments.
No, wait. I'm not. Gay kids are dying. So let's try to keep things in perspective: Fuck your feelings.
A question: Do you "support" atheist marriage? Interfaith marriage? Divorce and remarriage? All are legal, all go against Christian and/or traditional ideas about marriage, and yet there's no "Christian" movement to deny marriage rights to atheists or people marrying outside their respective faiths or people divorcing and remarrying.
Why the hell not?
Sorry, L.R., but so long as you support the denial of marriage rights to same-sex couples, it's clear that you do believe that some people—straight people—are "better or more worthy" than others.
And—sorry—but you are partly responsible for the bullying and physical violence being visited on vulnerable LGBT children. The kids of people who see gay people as sinful or damaged or disordered and unworthy of full civil equality—even if those people strive to express their bigotry in the politest possible way (at least when they happen to be addressing a gay person)—learn to see gay people as sinful, damaged, disordered, and unworthy. And while there may not be any gay adults or couples where you live, or at your church, or in your workplace, I promise you that there are gay and lesbian children in your schools. And while you can only attack gays and lesbians at the ballot box, nice and impersonally, your children have the option of attacking actual gays and lesbians, in person, in real time.
Real gay and lesbian children. Not political abstractions, not "sinners." Gay and lesbian children.
Try to keep up: The dehumanizing bigotries that fall from the lips of "faithful Christians," and the lies about us that vomit out from the pulpits of churches that "faithful Christians" drag their kids to on Sundays, give your children license to verbally abuse, humiliate, and condemn the gay children they encounter at school. And many of your children—having listened to Mom and Dad talk about how gay marriage is a threat to family and how gay sex makes their magic sky friend Jesus cry—feel justified in physically abusing the LGBT children they encounter in their schools. You don't have to explicitly "encourage [your] children to mock, hurt, or intimidate" queer kids. Your encouragement—along with your hatred and fear—is implicit. It's here, it's clear, and we're seeing the fruits of it: dead children.
Oh, and those same dehumanizing bigotries that fill your straight children with hate? They fill your gay children with suicidal despair. And you have the nerve to ask me to be more careful with my words?
Did that hurt to hear? Good. But it couldn't have hurt nearly as much as what was said and done to Asher Brown and Justin Aaberg and Billy Lucas and Cody Barker and Seth Walsh—day-in, day-out for years—at schools filled with bigoted little monsters created not in the image of a loving God, but in the image of the hateful and false "followers of Christ" they call Mom and Dad.
Gay Couple Denied Wedding Announcement by Major NH Newspaper
gay teen takes his life — another case of anti-gay bullying
Terrel’s mother, Cheryl Williams, found her son in their Lakewood home — he had hanged himself in his bedroom closet. Terrel left a suicide note:
“I’m sorry to my immediate loved ones, but I feel suicide is the only way out. I felt coming out, and being happy with Daric, was the best thing I could’ve ever done. But I didn’t think it would lead to my death at an early age.
“Today, was the record worst day of my life, some kids at school stole some of my stuff that I got from people I really cared about, and that really pushed me over the top, next to being shoved into a wall, and my ribs being broken.”
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Rally To Restore Sanity's Roots: 'Real America'
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| On Topic: In the News - The Real America | ||||
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Anita Hill Contacted By Virginia Thomas, Clarence Thomas' Wife
The wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas called Anita Hill to ask her to apologize for accusing the justice of sexually harassing her, 19 years after Thomas' confirmation hearing spawned a national debate about harassment in the workplace.
Virginia Thomas said in a statement Tuesday that she was "extending an olive branch" to Hill, now a Brandeis University professor, in a voicemail message left over the weekend.
In a transcript of the message provided by ABC News, which said it listened to the recording, Thomas identified herself and then said, "I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology sometime and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband. So give it some thought and certainly pray about this and come to understand why you did what you did. OK, have a good day," Thomas said.
When Hill heard the voicemail, she contacted Brandeis' public safety office, which in turn informed the FBI.
"I certainly thought the call was inappropriate," Hill, who worked for Clarence Thomas in two federal government jobs, said in a statement released Tuesday night.
"I have no intention of apologizing because I testified truthfully about my experience and I stand by that testimony," she added.
No Scout leadership post in NC for Mormon parents
A Presbyterian church was happy to have Jeremy and Jodi Stokes as Cub Scout leaders, at least until officials there found out they are Mormons and told them they would have to step down because the church does not consider them real Christians.
The Stokeses enrolled their sons as Scouts at Christ Covenant Church, a Presbyterian congregation about 10 miles from Charlotte, then expressed interest in volunteering as leaders. Church officials were initially thrilled earlier this month, the Stokeses said, until they saw on the couple’s application forms that they belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After two Scout meetings, the Stokeses were told their sons, 6 and 8 years old, could remain in their packs, but the parents couldn’t serve as leaders.
“I can’t believe they had the audacity to say, ‘You can’t be leaders but we want your boys,’” Jodi Stokes said. “Are you kidding me? Do you really think I’d let my boys go there now?”
The Stokeses enrolled their sons as Scouts at Christ Covenant Church, a Presbyterian congregation about 10 miles from Charlotte, then expressed interest in volunteering as leaders. Church officials were initially thrilled earlier this month, the Stokeses said, until they saw on the couple’s application forms that they belong to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
After two Scout meetings, the Stokeses were told their sons, 6 and 8 years old, could remain in their packs, but the parents couldn’t serve as leaders.
“I can’t believe they had the audacity to say, ‘You can’t be leaders but we want your boys,’” Jodi Stokes said. “Are you kidding me? Do you really think I’d let my boys go there now?”
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Hours Before Spirit Day, Another Gay Teen Suicide
The Michigan Messenger is reporting that a nineteen-year old Oakland University student has succumbed to suicide, just hours before the start of today’s nationally-recognized “Spirit Day,” an event created to honor and show support for LGBTQ teens who took their lives because of anti-gay bias and bullying.“Local officials report the body of 19-year-old Corey Jackson was found in a wooded area of the campus. Police and the medical examiner’s office tell the Oakland Press the young gay man hung himself.
“The suicide happened Tuesday night, as activists across the nation were preparing for a Facebook driven day of activism to counter a wave of suicides of young gay people across the country that have been tied to bullying.
“Police say there is no indication bullying was a factor in Jackson’s suicide.
“And while bullying may not be a factor, Melissa Pope, director of the university’s Gender and Sexuality Center said the issue points to larger, hidden epidemic of suicides among LGBT youth.”
“We must look beyond the term “bullying” to the overall treatment of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) community to begin to grasp the long-standing epidemic of suicide among our LGBT youth."
“While the national press has picked up this issue over the last two months, we have been losing high numbers of LGBT youth to suicide for decades. In recent years, we’ve labeled the cause as bullying. But the root cause goes deeper – it goes to the very core of our society that discriminates against the LGBT community on all levels, including the denial of basic human rights that are supposed to belong to every person.”
DOJ Appeals for Immediate Stay
“We respectfully request that the Court enter an administrative stay by today October 20, 2010, pending this Court’s resolution of the government’s motion for a stay pending appeal, which would maintain the status quo that prevailed before the district court’s decision while the Court considers the government’s stay motion,” said the filing.
Federal judge Virginia Phillips rejected the Justice Department’s motion for a stay late Tuesday afternoon, Pacific time.
Anti Gay Slurs at High School Football Game
At North High School in Eastlake, Ohio (home of the Rangers!) "dozens" of students are now on YouTube screaming "powder blue faggots" at the South High competition, who wear blue uniforms. Student Heather Ike recorded the video: "I sat there for a little bit thinking it would stop, and it happened again, and it happened three times."
High Schoolers Behind 'Powder Blue Faggots' Chant Won't Be Suspended
When students at Ohio's North High School in Eastlake, Ohio, began taunting their football team's opponents with a "power blue faggots" cheer (a nod to the color of Willoughby South's uniforms), Principal Jennifer Chauby (pictured) insists she "was at the game and heard the students chanting in the stands. The assistant principal and I stopped it immediately." The clip of the chant is only 30 seconds, so maybe Chauby did step in to stop it! Except student Heather Ike, who originally uploaded the clip to YouTube, noted, "No teachers or parents from the sidelines intervened to stop the problem, and this chant occurred 3 times in the first 3 minutes of the game." Okay then. But now that the game is over (the Rangers lost), how is Principal Chauby handling the aftermath? By not suspending anyone.Because there were too many kids shouting the cheer. And even though Chauby has identified many of the students in the video, it's not like she can suspend the entire school, or something.
Chauby said that a number of students admitted that they were just following everyone else and that they didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings. Chauby also said that she didn't see what good would come from suspending about 300 students. "What the students learned is a life lesson," Chauby said. "This is an opportunity to learn from a mistake."
But they will be punished.
Superintendent Keith Miller said he is disgusted and this behavior will not be tolerated. He attended the game, but missed the pregame and didn’t hear the students. “We will take disciplinary action against those students,” he said.
And everybody is at least getting a talking to.
South High Principal Paul Lombardo said Chauby and Willoughby-Eastlake administrators are doing their best to get rid of negativity at games. “The administrators are on the sidelines by the student section,” he said. “We do our best to put a stop to inappropriate actions we see or hear from students. We have asked kids to leave the game."
Chauby said there was general announcement made on Monday to the student body stating she was disappointed in their behaviors. She has been meeting with students to identify those who were chanting, however, her main goal is to educate. “It’s important to educate students on how hurtful that term is to so many people,” she said. “Every student I spoken to didn’t realize the gravity of that word.”
[Superintendant Keith] Miller said the school plans to hold an assembly, and Chauby will continue to talk to students in groups or one-on-one. “The student body has taken notice (of their actions),” he said. “The students said they didn’t mean anything negative by the chant.” Chauby said the school has groups in place that deal with issues of bullying. “The school has a gay-straight alliance group that meets after school,” she said. “We also have an anti-bullying program we started to address any issues students been having because of race, orientation, ethnicity, or status in school. We hope that has helped open the lines of communication to address those needs.”
"Didn't mean anything negative by the chant?" Is this man kidding himself? They meant to taunt the other team. By using a word that marginalizes an entire class of students. Would the response be different if they screamed "powder blue niggers" or "powder blue kikes"? I believe so.
Chauby says the chant is nothing new — it began several years ago, but it hadn't resurfaced (to her knowledge) until this game. And when parents wonder why their complaints about bullying fall on the deaf ears of administrators, it's because of people like Chauby, happily in the dark about what's going on inside their own schools.
In Debate, Christine O'Donnell Asks, 'Where in the Constitution is the Separation of Church and State?'
At a Widener Law School debate this morning against her Democratic opponent Chris Coons Delaware Teabagger GOP Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell inspired gasps and laughter from the audience as she appeared not to know that the First Amendment calls for barring the government from establishing religion, the AP reports:
Coons said private and parochial schools are free to teach creationism but that "religious doctrine doesn't belong in our public schools."
"Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?" O'Donnell asked him.
When Coons responded that the First Amendment bars Congress from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, O'Donnell asked: "You're telling me that's in the First Amendment?"
Coons said private and parochial schools are free to teach creationism but that "religious doctrine doesn't belong in our public schools."
"Where in the Constitution is the separation of church and state?" O'Donnell asked him.
When Coons responded that the First Amendment bars Congress from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, O'Donnell asked: "You're telling me that's in the First Amendment?"
‘Hang them’: Uganda paper publishes photos of gays
The front-page newspaper story featured a list of Uganda’s 100 “top” homosexuals, with a bright yellow banner across it that read: “Hang Them.” Alongside their photos were the men’s names and addresses.
In the days since it was published, at least four gay Ugandans on the list have been attacked and many others are in hiding, according to rights activist Julian Onziema. One person named in the story had stones thrown at his house by neighbors.
A lawmaker in this conservative African country introduced a bill a year ago that would have imposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others. An international uproar ensued, and the bill was quietly shelved.
But gays in Uganda say they have faced a year of harassment and attacks since the bill’s introduction.
The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy they say allows gays to become heterosexual.
“Before the introduction of the bill in parliament most people did not mind about our activities. But since then, we are harassed by many people who hate homosexuality,” said Patrick Ndede, 27. “The publicity the bill got made many people come to know about us and they started mistreating us.”
In the days since it was published, at least four gay Ugandans on the list have been attacked and many others are in hiding, according to rights activist Julian Onziema. One person named in the story had stones thrown at his house by neighbors.
A lawmaker in this conservative African country introduced a bill a year ago that would have imposed the death penalty for some homosexual acts and life in prison for others. An international uproar ensued, and the bill was quietly shelved.
But gays in Uganda say they have faced a year of harassment and attacks since the bill’s introduction.
The legislation was drawn up following a visit by leaders of U.S. conservative Christian ministries that promote therapy they say allows gays to become heterosexual.
“Before the introduction of the bill in parliament most people did not mind about our activities. But since then, we are harassed by many people who hate homosexuality,” said Patrick Ndede, 27. “The publicity the bill got made many people come to know about us and they started mistreating us.”
Briefs Filed to Keep Prop. 8 Ruling
Theodore Olson and David Boies, lead attorneys for the plaintiffs in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, wrote that the U.S. Supreme Court has stated marriage is a fundamental right of all individuals at least 14 times.
Additionally, lawyers for the city of San Francisco also filed briefs to counter an appeal brought forward to the court by Proposition 8's sponsors. The city wrote that Prop. 8's sponsors failed to make a sound case for preventing marriage equality while still allowing gay and lesbian couples to adopt children, according to the Associated Press.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Judge Likely To Deny Government On Gay Troops Order
A federal judge said on Monday that she is learning toward denying a government request to delay her order halting the military from enforcing its ban on openly gay troops.
U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips said she would review the arguments from Justice Department lawyers and issue a ruling as early as Monday, or by Tuesday.
"My tentative ruling is to deny the application for a stay," Phillips said at the start of the hearing.
Phillips said the government has not proven that her order would harm troops or in any way impede efforts to implement new regulations for the military to deal with openly gay service members.
If she rejects the request, Justice Department officials say the Obama administration would appeal. Experts say they will likely find friendlier venues in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco and, ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court.
U.S. District Judge Virginia Phillips said she would review the arguments from Justice Department lawyers and issue a ruling as early as Monday, or by Tuesday.
"My tentative ruling is to deny the application for a stay," Phillips said at the start of the hearing.
Phillips said the government has not proven that her order would harm troops or in any way impede efforts to implement new regulations for the military to deal with openly gay service members.
If she rejects the request, Justice Department officials say the Obama administration would appeal. Experts say they will likely find friendlier venues in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit in San Francisco and, ultimately, the U.S. Supreme Court.
Anti-transgender bullying alarmingly high
More than half of transgender or gender non-conforming people who experienced bullying or harassment have attempted suicide, according to a recently released study.
The National Transgender Discrimination Survey, conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, revealed that 41 percent of respondents had attempted suicide, compared to a national estimated rate of 1.6 percent.
"From our experience working with transgender people, we had prepared ourselves for high rates of suicide attempts, but we didn’t expect anything like this," said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Our study participants reported attempting suicide at a rate more than 25 times the national average."
The National Transgender Discrimination Survey, conducted by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the National Center for Transgender Equality, revealed that 41 percent of respondents had attempted suicide, compared to a national estimated rate of 1.6 percent.
"From our experience working with transgender people, we had prepared ourselves for high rates of suicide attempts, but we didn’t expect anything like this," said Mara Keisling, Executive Director of the National Center for Transgender Equality. "Our study participants reported attempting suicide at a rate more than 25 times the national average."
In state races, gay marriage resurfaces as issue
This election will be the first since the 1990s without a measure to ban gay marriage on any state ballot, yet the divisive issue is roiling races across the country during a time of tumult for the gay rights movement.
In Minnesota, New Hampshire, California and New York, gubernatorial campaigns have become battlegrounds for rival sides in the debate, with the Democratic candidates supporting same-sex marriage and the Republicans opposed.
In Iowa, voters will decide whether to oust three state Supreme Court justices who joined last year's unanimous decision making the state one of five where gay marriage is legal.
And in Rhode Island and California, Democratic candidates are seeking to become the fourth and fifth openly gay members of Congress. The Californian, Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, has a husband and 4-year-old twins, and would be Congress' first openly gay parent.
The races are unfolding on a rapidly shifting gay rights landscape, with activists elated by important court rulings, irked at setbacks in Washington and jolted by high-profile cases of anti-gay violence and bullying-provoked suicides.
The mixed emotions have been evident in recent days as a federal judge ordered a halt to enforcement of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Obama administration says it agrees with the judge that gays should be allowed to serve openly. Yet to the frustration of gay activists, the administration appealed the ruling, saying it preferred that Congress repeal the policy.
"It's the best of times and worst of times," said Richard Socarides, a former Clinton White House adviser on gay rights.
"Culturally you see a huge increase in acceptance of gays and lesbians, and in the federal courts you see for the first time a willingness to embrace the Constitution as a vehicle for securing equality for gay people," Socarides said. "Yet in our nation's politics, we see essentially the opposite."
He said President Barack Obama has failed to deliver on his pledges to gays regarding marriage recognition and repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."
"The president made a conscious decision coming in that these were second- and third-tier issues," Socarides said. "People were very excited by him. But he overpromised and underdelivered."
Obama said Thursday that the military policy "will end and it will end on my watch," but he acknowledged the constraints of the legal process.
In Minnesota, New Hampshire, California and New York, gubernatorial campaigns have become battlegrounds for rival sides in the debate, with the Democratic candidates supporting same-sex marriage and the Republicans opposed.
In Iowa, voters will decide whether to oust three state Supreme Court justices who joined last year's unanimous decision making the state one of five where gay marriage is legal.
And in Rhode Island and California, Democratic candidates are seeking to become the fourth and fifth openly gay members of Congress. The Californian, Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, has a husband and 4-year-old twins, and would be Congress' first openly gay parent.
The races are unfolding on a rapidly shifting gay rights landscape, with activists elated by important court rulings, irked at setbacks in Washington and jolted by high-profile cases of anti-gay violence and bullying-provoked suicides.
The mixed emotions have been evident in recent days as a federal judge ordered a halt to enforcement of the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy. The Obama administration says it agrees with the judge that gays should be allowed to serve openly. Yet to the frustration of gay activists, the administration appealed the ruling, saying it preferred that Congress repeal the policy.
"It's the best of times and worst of times," said Richard Socarides, a former Clinton White House adviser on gay rights.
"Culturally you see a huge increase in acceptance of gays and lesbians, and in the federal courts you see for the first time a willingness to embrace the Constitution as a vehicle for securing equality for gay people," Socarides said. "Yet in our nation's politics, we see essentially the opposite."
He said President Barack Obama has failed to deliver on his pledges to gays regarding marriage recognition and repeal of "don't ask, don't tell."
"The president made a conscious decision coming in that these were second- and third-tier issues," Socarides said. "People were very excited by him. But he overpromised and underdelivered."
Obama said Thursday that the military policy "will end and it will end on my watch," but he acknowledged the constraints of the legal process.
NOM Releases New Ad Against Marriage Equality
Looks like The National Organization for Marriage is still trying to associate the King name with their cause.
NOM, which earlier this month released ad attacking New Hampshire Governor John Lynch for signing gay marriage into law, has now partnered with The Minnesota Family Council to release an ad that encourages voters to support Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer because he does not support marriage equality. The ad uses images and soundbites of Martin Luther King, Jr. with a voice-over that is a vacuous and blatant scare tactic.
Says the ad:
"Gay marriage has consequences. Legal experts predict same-sex marriage will result in a flood of lawsuits against individuals, small businesses and religious groups who don’t accept it. When Massachusetts imposed gay marriage, second graders were taught that boys could marry other boys. In the District of Columbia, Catholic Charities was forced to end its eight-decade old adoption and foster care programs."
NOM, which earlier this month released ad attacking New Hampshire Governor John Lynch for signing gay marriage into law, has now partnered with The Minnesota Family Council to release an ad that encourages voters to support Minnesota Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer because he does not support marriage equality. The ad uses images and soundbites of Martin Luther King, Jr. with a voice-over that is a vacuous and blatant scare tactic.
Says the ad:
"Gay marriage has consequences. Legal experts predict same-sex marriage will result in a flood of lawsuits against individuals, small businesses and religious groups who don’t accept it. When Massachusetts imposed gay marriage, second graders were taught that boys could marry other boys. In the District of Columbia, Catholic Charities was forced to end its eight-decade old adoption and foster care programs."
Justin Bieber to Take Public Stand Against Homophobic Bullying After Being Hit with 'Faggot' Slur
The NY Post reports: "During the game of laser tag Friday evening in British Columbia, an overly aggressive player kept targeting Bieber which lead the frustrated singer to tell him, 'That's enough.' ... 'What are you gonna do about it, f*ggot?' the kid responded. 'Excuse me?' the 16-year-old star said in disbelief. 'You're a f*ggot' the belligerent player repeated. At that point Bieber pushed the kid's hand out of his way to make his escape from his tormentor. Police said they were reportedly investigating a claim of assault made by the 12-year-old's father against Bieber. But a police source told the celebrity gossip website that investigators do not believe Bieber was at fault."
TMZ adds: "Law enforcement tells TMZ it was the boy's father who filed the complaint hours later ... and our source says the father was heard at the scene repeatedly telling people, 'I'm a lawyer.' The police investigation is ongoing, but our sources say police already know the fault does not lie with Bieber."
Now TMZ reports: "Justin Bieber will take a stand against bullying and homophobia after he was on the receiving end of some hateful words this weekend...Bieber is telling friends he had no idea how hurtful these comments could be -- but even though he's a straight teenager, he now wants to take a stand against bullying and homophobia. We're told Bieber will be going public -- probably within the next week -- to lend his support to the anti-bullying campaign. And this is interesting ... our sources say Bieber's own people wanted to keep the specifics of the confrontation under wraps, but Justin felt it was important for people to know what happened."
Walmart Sells "Ex-Gay" Kids Book
Chased by an Elephant: The Gospel Truth About Today’s Stampeding Sexuality is written by Janice Barrett Graham, whose husband, Stephen, runs the antigay group Standard of Liberty.
In the book’s introduction Graham says she wrote the book to “help shed the clear light of truth on today’s dark and tangled ideas about male and female, proper gender roles, the law of chastity, and the God-given sexual appetite.”
Graham’s son Andrew claims he successfully changed his sexual orientation and is now a happily married man. In his book Captain of My Soul, Andrew Graham writes that he was “lured into same gender internet pornography during his high school years, and recruited into cursory homosexual experimentation with older men while at Brigham Young University.”
McCain: I'll Filibuster DADT Repeal
According to The Huffington Post, McCain spoke in a pretaped interview for Sunday Square-Off on Arizona’s Channel 12.
“When asked how far he would go to prevent an attempt to repeal the controversial policy from being approved in the upper congressional chamber, McCain responded by saying, ‘Absolutely I will filibuster or stop it from being brought up until we have a thorough and complete study on the effect of morale and battle effectiveness.’”
McCain, who is up for reelection this year, leads Democratic challenger Rodney Glassman in polls. He notes that if he wins, and Republicans win a Senate majority, he would become the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Federal judge may rule on ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’
A federal judge who halted the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy for gays is expected to decide Monday whether to permit its enforcement pending an appeal.
Judge Virginia Phillips in Riverside, Calif., issued an injunction against enforcing the 17-year-old policy last week in a lawsuit filed by a gay rights group.
The military has promised to abide by the judge’s injunction as long as it remains in place. However, the Department of Justice has asked the judge to stay the ruling while it prepares an appeal.
The government asked Phillips to issue her decision by Monday.
Under the 1993 law, the military cannot inquire into service members’ sexual orientation and punish them for it as long as they keep it to themselves.
President Barack Obama has said he wants the law repealed in Congress, rather than addressed in a court.
Judge Virginia Phillips in Riverside, Calif., issued an injunction against enforcing the 17-year-old policy last week in a lawsuit filed by a gay rights group.
The military has promised to abide by the judge’s injunction as long as it remains in place. However, the Department of Justice has asked the judge to stay the ruling while it prepares an appeal.
The government asked Phillips to issue her decision by Monday.
Under the 1993 law, the military cannot inquire into service members’ sexual orientation and punish them for it as long as they keep it to themselves.
President Barack Obama has said he wants the law repealed in Congress, rather than addressed in a court.
Cuomo Wants Marriage Equality for N.Y.
Cuomo, the Democratic nominee for governor, spoke in Manhattan during the reception before the fall dinner of the Empire State Pride Agenda, the statewide LGBT lobbying group. His brief remarks, which included a denunciation of the agenda of his Republican opponent, Carl Paladino, set the tone for an evening focused on the upcoming elections under the pall of recent LGBT youth suicides and a brutal gang-related hate crime in the Bronx.
“Let me be clear,” said Cuomo, who has not yet been endorsed by the Pride Agenda. “I don't want to be the governor who just proposes marriage equality. I don't want to be the governor who lobbies for marriage equality. I don't want to be the governor who fights for marriage equality. I want to be the governor who signs the law that makes equality a reality in the state of New York.”
Vince Vaughn Wants To Keep 'Gay' Joke In Movie
Vince tells Deadline:
"Let me add my voice of support to the people outraged by the bullying and persecution of people for their differences, whatever those differences may be. Comedy and joking about our differences breaks tension and brings us together. Drawing dividing lines over what we can and cannot joke about does exactly that; it divides us. Most importantly, where does it stop."
In the old trailer for the Ron Howard-directed 'The Dilemma,' Vince's character said, "Ladies and gentleman, electric cars are gay."
Anderson Cooper first brought attention to the controversy when he went on 'Ellen' to talk about gay bullying. "I just find those words, those terms, we've got to do something to make those words unacceptable cause those words are hurting kids," he said.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Family Embraces "Princess Boy"
The Kilodavis family has no problem with the fact that 5-year-old Dyson likes to dress as a princess. In fact, they're so supportive, mom Cheryl has written a book about it. Now, Dyson's school uses My Princess Boy as an antibullying tool.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
3 Teens Accused of Beating Boy, 14, For Being Gay
Less than two weeks after a gang beat and sexually assaulted several men in the Bronx, three Long Island teens were arrested for twice attacking a victim they thought was gay. The attacks took place two days in a row--and both attacks were carried out on a school bus.
The victim had been harassed for months, media stories said. When the bias-motivated bullying got physical on the afternoon of Oct. 12, the beating was severe: WPIX-TV reported in an Oct. 14 story that the 14-year-old victim was stomped on and kicked by the three teens, who were identified as David Spencer, 18, Chase Morrison, 16, and Roy Wilson, 14. The assault was carried out on the school bus after classes that day.
The three assailants repeated their attack the following morning, again on the bus, on the way back to school. The boys slapped the victim and hurled anti-gay abuse at him, the article said. The driver and a bus monitor were questioned as to what happened. Though the driver stopped the bus at one point due to the assault, neither adult reported the attack against the boy.
The victim had been harassed for months, media stories said. When the bias-motivated bullying got physical on the afternoon of Oct. 12, the beating was severe: WPIX-TV reported in an Oct. 14 story that the 14-year-old victim was stomped on and kicked by the three teens, who were identified as David Spencer, 18, Chase Morrison, 16, and Roy Wilson, 14. The assault was carried out on the school bus after classes that day.
The three assailants repeated their attack the following morning, again on the bus, on the way back to school. The boys slapped the victim and hurled anti-gay abuse at him, the article said. The driver and a bus monitor were questioned as to what happened. Though the driver stopped the bus at one point due to the assault, neither adult reported the attack against the boy.
AFA's Bryan Fischer: Parents Who Let Kids Identify As Gay Are Responsible If They Kill Themselves
Insists Fischer: "It bears repeating: speaking the truth about homosexual behavior is not bullying. Nor is it harassment, as much as the deviancy cabal wants it to be." And: "Paladino has already, of course, been accused of fomenting violence against homosexuals, now that truth has become the new hate speech."
Because "homosexuals cannot reproduce," insists Fischer, "they have to recruit. It's the only way to swell their numbers." Which means "homosexual activists are not totally innocent in these [bullying] tragedies." The "sexually normal," then, "should never sanctify those relationships with the term 'marriage' or even 'domestic partnerships' or even 'civil unions.'" And that's where GLSEN comes in, trying to get young people to "come out of the closet and declare a disordered sexual preference for themselves." And any adult who complies will "share some culpability for those that take their life. Just like an adult encouraging a young student to experiment with injection drug abuse."
Friday, October 15, 2010
Pentagon Issues DADT Ban Orders
The Department of Defense issued new orders via email late Thursday afternoon informing all five branches of the military that they must comply with an injunction ordered by a federal judge on enforcement of “don’t ask, don’t tell,” according to a Pentagon spokeswoman.
“The Department of Defense will of course obey the law, and the email noted that, in the meantime, the Department will abide by the terms in the court's ruling, effective as of the time and date of the ruling,” Cynthia Smith said in an e-mail. “Earlier today, the Staff Judge Advocate Generals [J.A.G.] from the Military Services, in consultation with the OSD Office of General Counsel, sent to their Service Staff Judge Advocate counterparts in the field an email informing them of the ruling by Judge Virginia Phillips of the Central District of California.”
“The Department of Defense will of course obey the law, and the email noted that, in the meantime, the Department will abide by the terms in the court's ruling, effective as of the time and date of the ruling,” Cynthia Smith said in an e-mail. “Earlier today, the Staff Judge Advocate Generals [J.A.G.] from the Military Services, in consultation with the OSD Office of General Counsel, sent to their Service Staff Judge Advocate counterparts in the field an email informing them of the ruling by Judge Virginia Phillips of the Central District of California.”
Jackass 3D Screened at Leather Bar
The Eagle, a Los Angeles gay leather bar, was treated to a screening of the new Johnny Knoxville film, Jackass 3D.
Knoxville, wearing a leather vest, described the Eagle as his favorite leather bar, adding that he was at the establishment with "some very hungry bears."
Filled with homoerotic stunts and half-dressed pranksters, Jackass 3D is perfectly suited for gay audiences and was greeted with a warm reception at the Eagle.
Steve-O, another Jackass star, recently told Vanity Fair, "We always thought it was funny to force a heterosexual MTV generation to deal with all of our thongs and homoerotic humor. In many ways, all our gay humor has been a humanitarian attack against homophobia. We’ve been trying to rid the world of homophobia for years, and I think gay people really dig it too."
Knoxville, wearing a leather vest, described the Eagle as his favorite leather bar, adding that he was at the establishment with "some very hungry bears."
Filled with homoerotic stunts and half-dressed pranksters, Jackass 3D is perfectly suited for gay audiences and was greeted with a warm reception at the Eagle.
Steve-O, another Jackass star, recently told Vanity Fair, "We always thought it was funny to force a heterosexual MTV generation to deal with all of our thongs and homoerotic humor. In many ways, all our gay humor has been a humanitarian attack against homophobia. We’ve been trying to rid the world of homophobia for years, and I think gay people really dig it too."
Govt. Appeals DADT Injunction
The Department of Justice requested a stay Thursday of a federal judge's injunction barring enforcement of "don't ask, don't tell."
Justice Department attorneys filed the request to U.S. district judge Virginia A. Phillips in Riverside, Calif., this afternoon.
Should Phillips deny the request for a stay, government attorneys will file an emergency request to the U.S. court of appeals for the ninth circuit.
“At a minimum, this case raises serious legal questions, and without the entry of an order immediately staying the application of this Court’s judgment, defendants will be irreparably harmed before they can appeal this Court’s decision to the Ninth Circuit,” assistant U.S. attorney Paul G. Freeborne wrote.
Few were surprised by news, least of all the leadership of the Log Cabin Republicans, which will oppose the application for a stay of Phillips's injunction.
“After years of fighting this lawsuit, Log Cabin Republicans expected that the Obama administration would continue to pull out all the stops to defend ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’” said Christian Berle, deputy executive director of the organization. “Log Cabin Republicans will continue to advocate on behalf of the American service members who every day sacrifice in defense of our nation and our Constitution.”
But Richard Socarides, a New York lawyer and former LGBT adviser to President Bill Clinton, said getting the stay on the suspension of discharges was not guaranteed and that if the court of appeals failed to grant it, the Justice Department would have to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In order to get the stay, Socarides said the government would have to prove it would suffer serious, irreversible damage if it were denied.
“It’s considered an extreme remedy,” Socarides said. “Just coming in and saying that it would be better to do it in a more orderly fashion isn’t enough.”
Socarides explained that DOJ was also in a tricky situation given the president’s position that he believes gays and lesbians should ultimately be able to serve openly in the military.
“They have severe political restrictions on what they can say,” Socarides said, noting that the Justice Department cannot argue, for instance, that allowing gays to serve openly would be harmful to the military. “They’re now in difficult position of having to articulate a position as to why, on an emergency basis, an order that is wholly consistent the president’s position should be denied.”
Justice Department attorneys filed the request to U.S. district judge Virginia A. Phillips in Riverside, Calif., this afternoon.
Should Phillips deny the request for a stay, government attorneys will file an emergency request to the U.S. court of appeals for the ninth circuit.
“At a minimum, this case raises serious legal questions, and without the entry of an order immediately staying the application of this Court’s judgment, defendants will be irreparably harmed before they can appeal this Court’s decision to the Ninth Circuit,” assistant U.S. attorney Paul G. Freeborne wrote.
Few were surprised by news, least of all the leadership of the Log Cabin Republicans, which will oppose the application for a stay of Phillips's injunction.
“After years of fighting this lawsuit, Log Cabin Republicans expected that the Obama administration would continue to pull out all the stops to defend ‘don’t ask, don’t tell,’” said Christian Berle, deputy executive director of the organization. “Log Cabin Republicans will continue to advocate on behalf of the American service members who every day sacrifice in defense of our nation and our Constitution.”
But Richard Socarides, a New York lawyer and former LGBT adviser to President Bill Clinton, said getting the stay on the suspension of discharges was not guaranteed and that if the court of appeals failed to grant it, the Justice Department would have to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
In order to get the stay, Socarides said the government would have to prove it would suffer serious, irreversible damage if it were denied.
“It’s considered an extreme remedy,” Socarides said. “Just coming in and saying that it would be better to do it in a more orderly fashion isn’t enough.”
Socarides explained that DOJ was also in a tricky situation given the president’s position that he believes gays and lesbians should ultimately be able to serve openly in the military.
“They have severe political restrictions on what they can say,” Socarides said, noting that the Justice Department cannot argue, for instance, that allowing gays to serve openly would be harmful to the military. “They’re now in difficult position of having to articulate a position as to why, on an emergency basis, an order that is wholly consistent the president’s position should be denied.”
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Clovis family speaks out against bullying
A valley family speaks out against bullying after their transgender teen commits suicide.
Justin Lacey graduated from Buchanan High School in 2009. Just recently, the 18-year-old started living as Chloe -- a transgender woman.
Chloe's family says overall, her peers accepted her for who she was. But, she was still terrified of being bullied for coming out. They say that's what led her to commit suicide.
According to gay rights group Equality Forum, in the past month, 7 teens have taken their own lives over these very same issues.
At Buchanan High School, Justin Lacey was your typical guy. He liked snowboarding, BMX riding, and art. But, when the 18-year-old decided to transition into Chloe earlier this year, family members say she struggled with fears of harassment and abuse.
Chloe's mom says, "Who wants to see a young man walking down the street with a dress on? In his eyes, that was the worst fear of all time, for someone to throw rocks at him, beat him up. It's just the overall society judgment is what did this."
Just days before her 19th birthday, Chloe shot and killed herself inside her Eureka home where she was living for school. Her family says Chloe's death mirrors that of other teens who have recently committed suicide due to bullying.
Last month, Rutgers University freshman, Tyler Clementi committed suicide after his roommate leaked a private encounter between clementi and another male on the internet. Weeks before that incident, 13-year-old Kern County resident Seth Walsh, hung himself after he was bullied at school for being gay.
Chloe's step-dad says, "That's what we're creating as a society. We're creating this incredible cloud of fear for these individuals and they feel they have nowhere to go."
Justin Lacey graduated from Buchanan High School in 2009. Just recently, the 18-year-old started living as Chloe -- a transgender woman.
Chloe's family says overall, her peers accepted her for who she was. But, she was still terrified of being bullied for coming out. They say that's what led her to commit suicide.
According to gay rights group Equality Forum, in the past month, 7 teens have taken their own lives over these very same issues.
At Buchanan High School, Justin Lacey was your typical guy. He liked snowboarding, BMX riding, and art. But, when the 18-year-old decided to transition into Chloe earlier this year, family members say she struggled with fears of harassment and abuse.
Chloe's mom says, "Who wants to see a young man walking down the street with a dress on? In his eyes, that was the worst fear of all time, for someone to throw rocks at him, beat him up. It's just the overall society judgment is what did this."
Just days before her 19th birthday, Chloe shot and killed herself inside her Eureka home where she was living for school. Her family says Chloe's death mirrors that of other teens who have recently committed suicide due to bullying.
Last month, Rutgers University freshman, Tyler Clementi committed suicide after his roommate leaked a private encounter between clementi and another male on the internet. Weeks before that incident, 13-year-old Kern County resident Seth Walsh, hung himself after he was bullied at school for being gay.
Chloe's step-dad says, "That's what we're creating as a society. We're creating this incredible cloud of fear for these individuals and they feel they have nowhere to go."
Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns' Amazing Tearful Statement to Bullied Gay Teens
Fort Worth City Councilman Joel Burns broke down at last night's City Council meeting during an emotional personal statement about his own taunting by anti-gay bullies as a teen.
"I was cornered after school by some older kids who roughed me up. They said that I was a fag, and that I should die and go to Hell where I belonged."
Burns went on to discuss meeting his partner, getting elected, and developing a bond with his dad, promising teens, "It gets better."
Facebook Steps Up Monitoring of Anti-Gay Hate Speech
GLAAD reports that it has been working with Facebook following anti-gay remarks left on a memorial page for those who have taken their lives to due to bullying, and says that the social network is increasing its enforcement of violations to its terms and conditions dealing with hate speech.
Said Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes. to GLAAD: "Educating people about the lasting and damaging impacts of ignorant and hateful comments is a responsibility shared by parents, educators, organizations like GLAAD, and services like Facebook. We take our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities very seriously and react quickly to reports of inappropriate content and behavior. The goal of these policies is to strike a very delicate balance between giving people the freedom to express their opinions and viewpoints–even those that may be controversial to some–and maintaining a safe and trusted environment. We have policies that prohibit hateful content and we have built a robust reporting infrastructure and an expansive team to review reports and remove content quickly. In addition to responding to reports, we have automated systems that use a number of factors to flag content that might violate our policies, so we can review and take it down as quickly as possible and before it’s reported.”
Said Facebook spokesman Andrew Noyes. to GLAAD: "Educating people about the lasting and damaging impacts of ignorant and hateful comments is a responsibility shared by parents, educators, organizations like GLAAD, and services like Facebook. We take our Statement of Rights and Responsibilities very seriously and react quickly to reports of inappropriate content and behavior. The goal of these policies is to strike a very delicate balance between giving people the freedom to express their opinions and viewpoints–even those that may be controversial to some–and maintaining a safe and trusted environment. We have policies that prohibit hateful content and we have built a robust reporting infrastructure and an expansive team to review reports and remove content quickly. In addition to responding to reports, we have automated systems that use a number of factors to flag content that might violate our policies, so we can review and take it down as quickly as possible and before it’s reported.”
Mom Counters Perkins on Suicides
“Mr. Perkins’ tactic, and that of others like him, is to use faith and religion to divide us,” Walker writes in a piece published Tuesday. “They seek to thwart efforts to deal with a problem at the heart of this current crisis — anti-gay bullying and harassment. But Perkins goes further — his ‘facts’ are taken out of context and are, frankly, untrue.” For one thing, she says, Perkins claims that there is no empirical evidence linking antigay discrimination to higher rates of depression and suicide among LGBT people, when in fact there is.
After her son’s suicide, Walker, who describes herself as “a devout Christian,” became involved with the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network and its efforts to end bullying in schools. Some friends and relatives told her they thought GLSEN’s work controversial, but she is now a GLSEN board member, and she has this to say about bullying:
“If schools perceive addressing anti-gay bullying as a controversial issue, then they’ll continue the status quo of putting their heads in the sand and hoping the issue takes care of itself . ... I know all too well that if schools and society are unwilling to name the specific types of bullying that occur most frequently, we will never get a handle on this problem.”
DOJ Files Appeal in DOMA Case
The Department of Justice filed a one-page “notice of appeal” Tuesday in the case of Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, a challenge to Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act. The case was heard in May by U.S. district court judge Joseph L. Tauro, who on July 8 ruled Section 3 of DOMA unconstitutional.
Mary L. Bonauto, director of the Civil Rights Project at Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, the organization that brought the case, said she was not surprised by the filing.
“We fully expected an appeal and are more than ready to meet it head on,” said Bonauto. “DOMA brings harm to families like our plaintiffs every day, denying married couples and their children basic protections like health insurance, pensions, and Social Security benefits. We are confident in the strength of our case.”
Martha Coakley, the attorney general for Massachusetts who filed the case along with GLAD, echoed Bonauto's statements.
"We look forward to presenting our case," Coakley said in a statement. “DOMA is an unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional law that discriminates against Massachusetts married couples and their families. DOMA denies same-sex married couples from being treated equally under the law across a wide range of areas, from accessing basic health care, retirement, and social security benefits to being buried with their loved ones in a veteran’s cemetery.”
According to a press release from GLAD, the next step will be for the government to file its brief to the first circuit court of appeals arguing against Judge Tauro’s ruling. GLAD will then file its brief in opposition to the government, and finally the government will file a reply brief. At that point the appeal will be scheduled for oral argument. Briefing could be concluded by next spring, with oral argument to follow in the fall.
The government also today filed its notice of appeal in the related case Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Department of Health and Human Services.
Mary L. Bonauto, director of the Civil Rights Project at Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, the organization that brought the case, said she was not surprised by the filing.
“We fully expected an appeal and are more than ready to meet it head on,” said Bonauto. “DOMA brings harm to families like our plaintiffs every day, denying married couples and their children basic protections like health insurance, pensions, and Social Security benefits. We are confident in the strength of our case.”
Martha Coakley, the attorney general for Massachusetts who filed the case along with GLAD, echoed Bonauto's statements.
"We look forward to presenting our case," Coakley said in a statement. “DOMA is an unjust, unfair, and unconstitutional law that discriminates against Massachusetts married couples and their families. DOMA denies same-sex married couples from being treated equally under the law across a wide range of areas, from accessing basic health care, retirement, and social security benefits to being buried with their loved ones in a veteran’s cemetery.”
According to a press release from GLAD, the next step will be for the government to file its brief to the first circuit court of appeals arguing against Judge Tauro’s ruling. GLAD will then file its brief in opposition to the government, and finally the government will file a reply brief. At that point the appeal will be scheduled for oral argument. Briefing could be concluded by next spring, with oral argument to follow in the fall.
The government also today filed its notice of appeal in the related case Commonwealth of Massachusetts vs. Department of Health and Human Services.
Perkins: Gay Community Causing Suicides
Family Research Council president Tony Perkins recognized National Coming Out Day by blaming recent youth suicides on the gay community in an online column for The Washington Post. In the Post’sOn Faith blog, Perkins wrote that the “homosexual movement” was responsible for creating a sense of despair that drives some gay people to suicide.
“Some homosexuals may recognize intuitively that their same-sex attractions are abnormal — yet they have been told by the homosexual movement, and their allies in the media and the educational establishment, that they are ‘born gay’ and can never change,” he wrote. “This — and not society's disapproval — may create a sense of despair that can lead to suicide.”
Watchdog group Media Matters criticized the Post for giving the antigay Perkins a platform, in what appears to be a tendency for the publication.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Chicken Nuggets Are Made From This Pink Goop
This is mechanically separated chicken. Chickens are turned into this goop so we can create delicious chicken nuggets and juicy chicken patties. It's obscenely gross and borderline alien but it's not going to stop me from eating nuggets. They're too good.
The process works a little something like this:
There's more: because it's crawling with bacteria, it will be washed with ammonia, soaked in it, actually. Then, because it tastes gross, it will be refalvored artificially. Then, because it is weirdly pink, it will be dyed with artificial color.
Coulter May Face Voter Fraud Charges
The State Elections Enforcement Commission will vote next week on whether to pursue charges against Coulter based on a complaint made by Daniel Borchers, an activist with Citizens for Principled Conservatism.
In his complaint Borchers cited a New York Daily News article alleging Coulter voted illegally in Connecticut in the 2002 and 2004 elections by submitting an absentee ballot from her home in New York.
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