Read Full Story Here at Lezgetreal.com
We're hearing more and more stories like this of younger and younger children being 'bullied' to death, and in so many cases it's because they were rumored to be gay; perhaps a young boy was slight or shy, or a girl was a tomboy...
How do the parents of the children accused of doing the bullying sleep at night? How do they live with the thought that their child contributed to the death of another child? Or do they just shrug it off as "God's judgment" on someone who was sinning? These are children who have not had a chance to even know for sure if they're gay, let alone ACT on it!! Besides, since when does God use children to pass judgment on and take the life of another child? Get it right society, there's something wrong with a young child finding their life so intolerable that they are willing to kill themselves. They should be full of hope and joy at the thought of having a long life ahead of them, not so full of despair that they hang themselves, take too many pills, or find a gun and shoot themselves. (What kind of society allows 12 and 13 yr old children to get their hands on guns anyway?) These children are supposed to be our future! Don't you realize that each time a child dies, we lose a scientist who may cure AIDS, a doctor who may save your life, perhaps even a President?
WAKE UP SOCIETY!!!
Wednesday, September 29
Wednesday, September 22
Third drill to start advancing toward 33 trapped miners - CNN.com
Third drill to start advancing toward 33 trapped miners - CNN.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
While I am not denigrating Chile's attempts to get these miners out of the underground hell they've been trapped in, (as a matter of fact, I applaud them) I can't help but be reminded of the differences between the reactions of other countries to tragedy, and America's reactions to its tragedies. Somehow there appear to be disparities in America's reactions that just don't sit well with me.
Take Hurricane Katrina for instance. There are still people struggling to recover in Louisiana from the beating they took, yet Haiti is continually receiving attention, money, and relief efforts (Haiti in NY Times) some of which could be going to help United States citizens. I am not against other countries getting assistance by NO means, but when I see some of the poverty-stricken areas we have right here I have to wonder why we don't do more to help our own. America is supposed to be the richest nation on earth, so why are so many of our own starving to death? I just feel like in all of this attention on the crises occurring in other countries these days, the crises right here in America are largely being ignored. Yes, America needs a more accessible health care system, but what good will that do those who live in areas with no health care facilities? What good does the war on terrorism do to those whose biggest terror is the rats chewing on their babies at night, or the meth-addicted young man from next door breaking in to steal whatever he can and perhaps kill them?
There needs to be a balance! America needs to invest as much time, effort, and most of all money into feeding its own hungry before going out to feed another country's. We need to take care of our own disasters and crises before we can begin to take care of another country's. America, clean up your own backyard, and make sure your own children are fed before you go take care of your neighbor's!
While I am not denigrating Chile's attempts to get these miners out of the underground hell they've been trapped in, (as a matter of fact, I applaud them) I can't help but be reminded of the differences between the reactions of other countries to tragedy, and America's reactions to its tragedies. Somehow there appear to be disparities in America's reactions that just don't sit well with me.
Take Hurricane Katrina for instance. There are still people struggling to recover in Louisiana from the beating they took, yet Haiti is continually receiving attention, money, and relief efforts (Haiti in NY Times) some of which could be going to help United States citizens. I am not against other countries getting assistance by NO means, but when I see some of the poverty-stricken areas we have right here I have to wonder why we don't do more to help our own. America is supposed to be the richest nation on earth, so why are so many of our own starving to death? I just feel like in all of this attention on the crises occurring in other countries these days, the crises right here in America are largely being ignored. Yes, America needs a more accessible health care system, but what good will that do those who live in areas with no health care facilities? What good does the war on terrorism do to those whose biggest terror is the rats chewing on their babies at night, or the meth-addicted young man from next door breaking in to steal whatever he can and perhaps kill them?
There needs to be a balance! America needs to invest as much time, effort, and most of all money into feeding its own hungry before going out to feed another country's. We need to take care of our own disasters and crises before we can begin to take care of another country's. America, clean up your own backyard, and make sure your own children are fed before you go take care of your neighbor's!
Tuesday, August 24
Judge denies Troy Davis appeal | ajc.com
All the witnesses have recanted, there was no physical evidence whatsoever, and yet they still refuse to let him go?? What is there about this case that is making the government so adamant about putting him to death?
SAVANNAH -- A federal judge Tuesday denied Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis' innocence claim after a rare hearing.
The ruling against Davis sets the stage for Georgia officials to move forward with executing him for the 1989 shooting death of Mark MacPhail, an off-duty Savannah police officer.
In June, U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. heard two days of testimony from witnesses seeking to cast doubt on Davis' conviction. The Supreme Court ordered the hearing for Davis a year ago.
Davis has been spared from execution three times as his attorneys pushed their argument that new evidence showed police ignored MacPhail's real killer as they rushed to pin the shooting on Davis.
For more than a decade, Davis has sought to present in open court his claims of innocence, including the testimony of seven key prosecution witnesses who have recanted or contradicted their trial testimony.
Davis' innocence claims have attracted international attention, including former President Jimmy Carter and Pope Benedict XVI urging that he be spared from execution. In recent years, Davis' scheduled execution has been halted three times -- on one occasion just two hours before he was to be put to death by lethal injection.
SAVANNAH -- A federal judge Tuesday denied Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis' innocence claim after a rare hearing.
The ruling against Davis sets the stage for Georgia officials to move forward with executing him for the 1989 shooting death of Mark MacPhail, an off-duty Savannah police officer.
In June, U.S. District Court Judge William T. Moore Jr. heard two days of testimony from witnesses seeking to cast doubt on Davis' conviction. The Supreme Court ordered the hearing for Davis a year ago.
Davis has been spared from execution three times as his attorneys pushed their argument that new evidence showed police ignored MacPhail's real killer as they rushed to pin the shooting on Davis.
For more than a decade, Davis has sought to present in open court his claims of innocence, including the testimony of seven key prosecution witnesses who have recanted or contradicted their trial testimony.
Davis' innocence claims have attracted international attention, including former President Jimmy Carter and Pope Benedict XVI urging that he be spared from execution. In recent years, Davis' scheduled execution has been halted three times -- on one occasion just two hours before he was to be put to death by lethal injection.
Saturday, July 31
The Movie "The Kid's Are Alright!"
There has been a lot of conversation going on about this movie, and there are some comments being made that just disturb the heck out of me. I think there are a few things that lesbians need to remember if/when they go to see this movie:
1. It’s just a movie! It’s a Hollywood construct, it’s make-believe, it’s a STORY that someone wrote, someone who was most assuredly straight, and even more assuredly MALE. This is the opinion of some scriptwriter somewhere who probably masturbates just thinking about 2 women in bed together. Why are we so stressed out about the opinion of some homophobic straight man? How does it affect us? So what if he portrayed the straight sex as hotter? If we had written it wouldn’t we have portrayed the lesbian sex as the better of the two?
2. We go to a movie to be entertained. If every time we go to a movie or watch a television program which has lesbians in it we dissect it and pick it apart, how are we going to enjoy it? I certainly don’t want to spend all the money a movie costs these days and go to a movie, only to have the only part that stands out in my head be the part with the lesbians. I want to either say “Wow, that was a good movie.” or “Damn, that was a rotten movie.” Then if I want to add something like “They coulda made the lesbian sex a little hotter.” fine, I’ll add it, but at least I’ll gotten something out of the whole movie.
3. We have come such a loooong way from where we used to be; how long ago was it that you never ever saw or even heard anything at all mentioned about homosexuals in the movies? And if you did hear anything it was always derogatory. It was usually about flaming queens or stone butches, and they were always portrayed in either over the top flamboyant roles, or gritty, motorcycle mama type roles. When did you ever hear of a movie with two normal looking women, in a relationship, with a family? Now we have it, and instead of saying “It’s about time; although they could have done it differently” we’re dissecting the movie, comparing the differences in the sex scenes!
4. Different people have different tastes in porno, and what turns them on. So what if they were watching gay males? I personally am turned on watching two men, and at one time had a lover who also was; we had two gay friends who’d let us watch them and we’d be so hot we probably would have burnt the covers if someone tried to put them over us!! Who cares about what they were watching? Why do you care? So it’s not what you’d watch, when you see a straight couple in a movie watching hetero sex do you denigrate the entire movie because they weren’t watching what you would have wanted them to watch, or doing what you would have wanted them to do in bed?
5. Most straight males have no idea what we do in bed, other than the basic muff-diving and toy-playing. How would you have wanted the filmmaker to portray either of those in an R movie? As a matter of fact, while we are a lot further than we were, we still are not to the point of total enlightenment in this society; to portray the two women the way women actually behave is still a taboo subject, and would probably have gotten the movie a much higher rating if not shelved entirely. I think that would have been a shame, since from what I’ve heard, this was actually a good movie. (No, I haven’t seen it.)
All I’m trying to say is, ladies stop being so hard on the movie. If it was a documentary and was supposed to be a true story representing true people, then it would be something to get so up in arms about, but come on, give it a rest, it’s just a movie! I think a lot of you need to stop going to movies with any hint of lesbianism in them and zeroing on that! No, most of the time they don’t get it right, but at least they are portraying us now! One day they will actually get it right, just like they finally stopped portraying blacks as mammies and shuffling “yes ma’am, yes suh” servants.
Tuesday, April 27
Shades Retreat Personal You
April 25, 2010
“We’ve been in a dream, now it’s time to go back to reality.”
This is a phrase I overheard this morning as we packed and swept and moved and washed and rearranged everything in preparation for the trip home. What was the dream?
Shades Retreat, Personal You.
3 days spent in the glory of nature at its best, surrounded by the beauty and energy that only a group of same gender loving women of color can engender.
“This is awesome.”
A phrase I heard (and used) repeatedly. Even when it rained all day Saturday, and there was thunder and lightning which caused even the most studly among us to jump a bit, and blink like a startled deer, we had workshops in the common hall, which over the course of the weekend was anything BUT common. We shared meals there, we shared words there, we sang, we laughed and we cried. We cheered the poetesses, we cheered the artists, we cheered the founder of it all Kat Williams, and we even cheered ourselves. It was a weekend of discovery for some, reunion for others; a weekend of meeting women you’d only known online and putting a face to the words you’d only seen on a computer monitor. It was joy personified. We had workshops on sexuality, on reiki, on personal growth, on why did I get out of bed. We discussed love altars, facial cleansing, wearing a red glove, using crystals to heal and cleanse the body, focusing our energies positively. We listened to spoken word art that thrilled us, energized us, saddened us, made us think, and excited us. We watched studs with swagger strut, and we watched femmes glide seductively, breasts stuck out and hips rolling. It was a beautiful time of communion with like-minded sistahs, sistahs who gathered together to learn about themselves and about each other.
To get down to it…..
Shades Retreat was organized by “Kat” Williams, also known as the hostess of SippinonInk. She and her partner Tami Brown did a beautiful job of it, pulling off an event that seemed like a vacation, a seminar on empowerment, a college course in self, and a midtown coffee shop all in one. There were approximately 40 beautiful same gender loving women of color in attendance; several had traveled 8 hours to be there! Folks traveled from as close as “down the road a piece” to as far as Knoxville, Tennessee and Gainesville, Florida to take part in this wonderful first time event. Most of them had found Shades Retreat either through FaceBook or through knowing someone who knew about it. The fact that she was able to gather so many people to attend as well as so many fabulous writers, photographers, artists and speakers to present their work is a testament to Kat’s hard work, her personality, her dedication, her conviction, and her vision.
We were out in “the woods”; FD Roosevelt State Park in Pine Mountain, GA. There was no cell phone service and no internet access, and the bathroom/shower was a communal building a “fur piece” away from some of the cabins. And cabins they were; wooden floored, with 12 rickety steel spring beds in each. Most of us brought air mattresses or sleeping bags; who knew what bugs may have made a bed in the mattress, or what avian visitor might have left a deposit? They were clean though, and well lit, and even though there was no heat/ac, we didn’t need it. Pajamas and a soft comforter were all that was necessary.
The food was simple but good, even the lone vegan (me!) and the vegetarians that were there left the table feeling satiated. Kat and Tami had planned a great menu, and if there were any problems in the kitchen they did a great job of not letting us know it! It seemed like the trays of food just appeared at mealtime; there was always enough, and it was always good.
The workshops; oh my, what can I say about the workshops.So many different subjects, presented by so many different women…. So many varied and eclectic topics, yet they all seemed to flow together into a huge tapestry of talent and knowledge which proclaimed “This is what SGL sistahs can do; this is how smart we are!
This year we planted the seeds; I can’t wait until next year to see what has grown from those seeds. I know that next year’s Shades Retreat is going to be even more spectacular event, so if you think you’d like to come to the next one, please make sure to join Shades Retreat on FaceBook so that you’ll be kept informed each step of the way. You don’t want to miss out!!!
“We’ve been in a dream, now it’s time to go back to reality.”
This is a phrase I overheard this morning as we packed and swept and moved and washed and rearranged everything in preparation for the trip home. What was the dream?
Shades Retreat, Personal You.
3 days spent in the glory of nature at its best, surrounded by the beauty and energy that only a group of same gender loving women of color can engender.
“This is awesome.”
A phrase I heard (and used) repeatedly. Even when it rained all day Saturday, and there was thunder and lightning which caused even the most studly among us to jump a bit, and blink like a startled deer, we had workshops in the common hall, which over the course of the weekend was anything BUT common. We shared meals there, we shared words there, we sang, we laughed and we cried. We cheered the poetesses, we cheered the artists, we cheered the founder of it all Kat Williams, and we even cheered ourselves. It was a weekend of discovery for some, reunion for others; a weekend of meeting women you’d only known online and putting a face to the words you’d only seen on a computer monitor. It was joy personified. We had workshops on sexuality, on reiki, on personal growth, on why did I get out of bed. We discussed love altars, facial cleansing, wearing a red glove, using crystals to heal and cleanse the body, focusing our energies positively. We listened to spoken word art that thrilled us, energized us, saddened us, made us think, and excited us. We watched studs with swagger strut, and we watched femmes glide seductively, breasts stuck out and hips rolling. It was a beautiful time of communion with like-minded sistahs, sistahs who gathered together to learn about themselves and about each other.
To get down to it…..
Shades Retreat was organized by “Kat” Williams, also known as the hostess of SippinonInk. She and her partner Tami Brown did a beautiful job of it, pulling off an event that seemed like a vacation, a seminar on empowerment, a college course in self, and a midtown coffee shop all in one. There were approximately 40 beautiful same gender loving women of color in attendance; several had traveled 8 hours to be there! Folks traveled from as close as “down the road a piece” to as far as Knoxville, Tennessee and Gainesville, Florida to take part in this wonderful first time event. Most of them had found Shades Retreat either through FaceBook or through knowing someone who knew about it. The fact that she was able to gather so many people to attend as well as so many fabulous writers, photographers, artists and speakers to present their work is a testament to Kat’s hard work, her personality, her dedication, her conviction, and her vision.
We were out in “the woods”; FD Roosevelt State Park in Pine Mountain, GA. There was no cell phone service and no internet access, and the bathroom/shower was a communal building a “fur piece” away from some of the cabins. And cabins they were; wooden floored, with 12 rickety steel spring beds in each. Most of us brought air mattresses or sleeping bags; who knew what bugs may have made a bed in the mattress, or what avian visitor might have left a deposit? They were clean though, and well lit, and even though there was no heat/ac, we didn’t need it. Pajamas and a soft comforter were all that was necessary.
The food was simple but good, even the lone vegan (me!) and the vegetarians that were there left the table feeling satiated. Kat and Tami had planned a great menu, and if there were any problems in the kitchen they did a great job of not letting us know it! It seemed like the trays of food just appeared at mealtime; there was always enough, and it was always good.
The workshops; oh my, what can I say about the workshops.So many different subjects, presented by so many different women…. So many varied and eclectic topics, yet they all seemed to flow together into a huge tapestry of talent and knowledge which proclaimed “This is what SGL sistahs can do; this is how smart we are!
This year we planted the seeds; I can’t wait until next year to see what has grown from those seeds. I know that next year’s Shades Retreat is going to be even more spectacular event, so if you think you’d like to come to the next one, please make sure to join Shades Retreat on FaceBook so that you’ll be kept informed each step of the way. You don’t want to miss out!!!
Wednesday, April 21
About Work at Home programs
I'd never heard of Clark Howard before a friend recommended the site to me tonight. She said I should look into which sites he found were scams and which were not, and follow his advice to help me get a work-from-home position. Well, I've been perusing this site for several hours now, and I'm seeing more space devoted to what scams to avoid and questions/comments from people asking about different sites than I see what sites are NOT scams. It's a lot of material on this site to read to not find out what I want to know. Clark Howard might actually be the "Scam Guru" some people seem to think he is, but he is definitely not the one to go to for help in finding a legitimate work-at-home job. He's the one you go to to check up on the site that just sent you an email telling you how much money you can make by taking payments from people and sending out checks from your account to this company over seas. He can tell you REAL quick that you're going to get scammed - as if we didn't already know that!
in reference to: Clark Howard: Work At Home Help on clarkhoward.com (view on Google Sidewiki)Friday, February 5
Firefighters Disciplined After Failing To Check Shooting Victim - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA
This is pitiful, that firefighters would not at the very least do more than glance at an injured person. I understand that they've probably had plenty of experience with gunshot wounds and death, but you would think that unless half the man's head was gone, they would have at least checked for a pulse or put a hand on his chest to see if he was breathing.
Firefighters Disciplined After Failing To Check Shooting Victim - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA
Firefighters Disciplined After Failing To Check Shooting Victim - 11Alive.com | WXIA | Atlanta, GA
Saturday, January 23
Lisa Miller given 30 more days in hiding before arrest warrant
I have been following this story from the start, and it's unbelievable how long it's continued. I can't believe that the judge is still giving her chances. If this was a heterosexual couple, where the woman had taken the child away from an abusive husband, she would have been thrown in jail by now and the child given back to him. Because it's two lesbians though, we're to just totally disregard the fact that she's been ORDERED by a JUDGE to turn the little girl over, and HAS NOT!! This is so tooth grinding....
Lisa Miller given 30 more days in hiding before arrest warrant
Timothy Kincaid
January 22nd, 2010
From the Washington Post:
A judge is giving a Virginia woman at the center of a lesbian custody dispute 30 days to appear in court with her 7-year-old daughter or face possible arrest.
Despite all the accusations of judicial activism from the supporters of Lisa Miller, Judge Cohen has been, to my way of thinking, extremely generous in giving Miller chance after chance after chance to simply conform to the custody to which she agreed. And even though it is clear that Miller is actively thwarting the will of the court, he generously gives her more time.
Of course those who see the world in terms of good (Miller) and evil (militant radical deviant homosexualist bloggers like me) will continue to denounce Cohen as a tool of Satan and see this continued generosity as a sign of the miraculous hand of God.
Tuesday, November 24
Census worker in Kentucky killed self, officials conclude | McClatchy
By Bill Estep | Lexington Herald-Leader
A U.S. Census worker found dead in a secluded Clay County cemetery killed himself but tried to make the death look like a homicide, authorities have concluded.
Bill Sparkman, 51, of London, might have tried to cover the manner of his death to preserve payments under life-insurance polices that he had taken out. The policies wouldn’t pay off if Sparkman committed suicide, state police Capt. Lisa Rudzinski said.
“We believe it was an intentional act on his part to take his own life,” said Rudzinski, who helped lead the investigation.
Bill Sparkman, the census worker found hanged Sept. 12 in a remote patch of Daniel Boone National Forest in Clay County. An autopsy report is pending. Photo courtesy of Corbin Times-Tribune. AP - FILE - In this undated 2008 photo, Bill Sparkman speaks to a 7th grade class during a lesson about sound waves. Authorities have released Sparkman's body to his family nearly a month after he was found dead with a rope around his neck in rural eastern Kentucky. (AP Photo/The Times-Tribune, File)
Sparkman’s nude body was found Sept. 12 by people visiting the cemetery. There was a rope around his neck tied to a tree, and he had what appeared to be the word “fed” written on his chest in black marker.
His census identification card was taped to his head.
The bizarre details of the death caused a firestorm of media coverage and widespread speculation on the Internet, including that someone angry at the federal government attacked Sparkman as he went door to door, gathering census information.
There has been some anti-census sentiment in the country this year, and Sparkman apparently tried to capitalize on that with his ruse.
If there had been no writing on his chest and his identification hadn’t been taped to him, police could have concluded more quickly that Sparkman’s death was a suicide, Rudzinski said.
Instead, it took considerably more investigation to rule out homicide. Police even analyzed the ink on Sparkman’s chest to see how the letters were applied, in order to determine whether it was more likely that someone else wrote on him or he wrote on himself.
Tests indicated that the letters were applied from the bottom to the top — not the way an assailant facing Sparkman would write them. Police concluded that Sparkman wrote on himself, Rudzinski said.
Ultimately, there was no evidence to point to murder, she said.
Tests results showed that there was no DNA other than Sparkman’s on the rag in his mouth or on another rag found near his body. Those results, which police received only recently, were a pivotal development.
Other evidence also pointed to suicide as the manner of Sparkman’s death, police said.
For instance, there was no evidence that Sparkman had struggled with anyone. There were no wounds on his body, Rudzinski said.
Tests ruled out any theory that he was drugged and unconscious when he was tied to the tree, making the lack of signs of a struggle more significant. Also, Sparkman’s glasses were taped to his head. The question that raises is why a killer would care whether Sparkman, who had poor vision, could see what was going on.
On the other hand, if Sparkman was writing on his chest or preparing to kill himself, it would matter that he could see.
And although it is true that Sparkman died of asphyxiation from the rope around his neck, he was not dangling from the tree the way people commonly perceive hanging, Rudzinski said.
His legs were bent at the knee and his knees were less than six inches off the ground, Rudzinski said.
Sparkman could have stood up, taken the pressure off his neck and not died.
Sparkman’s hands were bound, but loosely, allowing him to move them shoulder-width apart, Rudzinski said.
The significance of that is that Sparkman could have created by himself all the conditions found at the scene, such as tying the rope around his neck and putting a rag in his mouth, Rudzinski said.
A U.S. Census worker found dead in a secluded Clay County cemetery killed himself but tried to make the death look like a homicide, authorities have concluded.
Bill Sparkman, 51, of London, might have tried to cover the manner of his death to preserve payments under life-insurance polices that he had taken out. The policies wouldn’t pay off if Sparkman committed suicide, state police Capt. Lisa Rudzinski said.
“We believe it was an intentional act on his part to take his own life,” said Rudzinski, who helped lead the investigation.
Bill Sparkman, the census worker found hanged Sept. 12 in a remote patch of Daniel Boone National Forest in Clay County. An autopsy report is pending. Photo courtesy of Corbin Times-Tribune. AP - FILE - In this undated 2008 photo, Bill Sparkman speaks to a 7th grade class during a lesson about sound waves. Authorities have released Sparkman's body to his family nearly a month after he was found dead with a rope around his neck in rural eastern Kentucky. (AP Photo/The Times-Tribune, File)
Sparkman’s nude body was found Sept. 12 by people visiting the cemetery. There was a rope around his neck tied to a tree, and he had what appeared to be the word “fed” written on his chest in black marker.
His census identification card was taped to his head.
The bizarre details of the death caused a firestorm of media coverage and widespread speculation on the Internet, including that someone angry at the federal government attacked Sparkman as he went door to door, gathering census information.
There has been some anti-census sentiment in the country this year, and Sparkman apparently tried to capitalize on that with his ruse.
If there had been no writing on his chest and his identification hadn’t been taped to him, police could have concluded more quickly that Sparkman’s death was a suicide, Rudzinski said.
Instead, it took considerably more investigation to rule out homicide. Police even analyzed the ink on Sparkman’s chest to see how the letters were applied, in order to determine whether it was more likely that someone else wrote on him or he wrote on himself.
Tests indicated that the letters were applied from the bottom to the top — not the way an assailant facing Sparkman would write them. Police concluded that Sparkman wrote on himself, Rudzinski said.
Ultimately, there was no evidence to point to murder, she said.
Tests results showed that there was no DNA other than Sparkman’s on the rag in his mouth or on another rag found near his body. Those results, which police received only recently, were a pivotal development.
Other evidence also pointed to suicide as the manner of Sparkman’s death, police said.
For instance, there was no evidence that Sparkman had struggled with anyone. There were no wounds on his body, Rudzinski said.
Tests ruled out any theory that he was drugged and unconscious when he was tied to the tree, making the lack of signs of a struggle more significant. Also, Sparkman’s glasses were taped to his head. The question that raises is why a killer would care whether Sparkman, who had poor vision, could see what was going on.
On the other hand, if Sparkman was writing on his chest or preparing to kill himself, it would matter that he could see.
And although it is true that Sparkman died of asphyxiation from the rope around his neck, he was not dangling from the tree the way people commonly perceive hanging, Rudzinski said.
His legs were bent at the knee and his knees were less than six inches off the ground, Rudzinski said.
Sparkman could have stood up, taken the pressure off his neck and not died.
Sparkman’s hands were bound, but loosely, allowing him to move them shoulder-width apart, Rudzinski said.
The significance of that is that Sparkman could have created by himself all the conditions found at the scene, such as tying the rope around his neck and putting a rag in his mouth, Rudzinski said.
Sunday, November 22
Vermont Judge Awards Custody of Child to Non-Biological Lesbian Mom
I don't know if I agree with either of the partners getting sole custody, although since the biological parent refused to comply with the court's orders I can somewhat understand the judge's reasoning. I think both parents need to remain in the child's life, but putting your child's feelings and best interests first is not something that a person can be forced to do, it is something that they need to do on their own, because they want to. Unfortunately, the biological mom is putting herself and her own feelings in front of all else, and that's why she lost her daughter. I just pray there isn't a case of parental kidnap in this poor little girl's future...
11/22/09-by Paula Brooks (LezGetReal)
In a stunning decision, Rutland Vermont Family Court Judge William Cohen ruled Friday that he is awarding sole custody of 7-year-old Isabella Miller to her non-biological lesbian mother, Janet Jenkins.
For six years, the case has been jumping between courts in Vermont, where Jenkins lives, and Virginia, where her former lesbian spouse, Lisa Miller, now lives.
The couple split up in 2003 after entering a civil union in Vermont, have since then been battling in the courts over custody and visitation rights to their daughter Isabelle, who was born to Miller.
However, Miller soon fled to her home state of Virginia and declared that she was no longer a lesbian. She then engaged the Conservative Christian law firm, The Liberty Council, to attempt to deny her partners the visitation right awarded to her by the Vermont Court by demanding sole custody in a Virginia court.
In 2007, Virginia’s Supreme Court sided with Jenkins and the Vermont courts.
After that ruling Miller and the Liberty Council then appealed to the US Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case.
The Liberty Council returned to the Virginia Circuit Courts to halt the visitation order, but the judge in that case stated that Virginia’s Supreme Court had already ruled.
The Liberty Council then again appealed to the Virginia’s Supreme Court. A Virginia Supreme Court Justice however cited the Parental Kidnap Prevention Act, which requires courts in other states to adhere to pre-existing custody and visitation awards and is meant to prevent just this kind of “Justice Shopping” and refused to hear the case, again giving sole jurisdiction to Vermont.
On January 28th of this year, the case was returned to Vermont, where Vermont Judge William Cohen allowed Miller to retain custody, but ordered unsupervised visitation to Jenkins for four days in March, over the Memorial Day holiday and for five weeks in this summer.
In September after Miller failed to comply with the visitation order, Cohen told her and her lawyers that he was tired of Miller’s repeated disobedience to his visitation orders and warned Miller that she would lose custody if she didn’t comply with the prior orders.
Friday, Cohen said in his order that granting sole custody of Isabella to Jenkins was in the child’s best interest because Miller has consistently refused to comply with prior custody and visitation orders.
“The court concludes that it is in the best interest of (Isabella) that Ms. Jenkins exercise parental rights and responsibilities,” the judge said Friday. “This court stated that continued interference by Ms. Miller with the relationship between (Isabella) and Ms. Jenkins could lead to a change of circumstances and outweigh the disruption that would occur if a change of custody were ordered.”
Judge Cohen did note in his decision that the change in custody would cause some short-term disruption in Isabella’s life because she would need to move to a new home, school, and community. However, Cohen said, the transition wouldn’t be out of the norm for a 7-year-old.
Lisa Miller’s attorneys vowed to appeal the order, but legal experts both in Vermont and Virginia say that Miller may be running out of legal options and caution that Virginia’s court of appeals, where Miller’s lawyers say they will file an appeal to Cohen’s order, have previously upheld the Vermont judge’s decisions and may not look kindly upon another appeal.
11/22/09-by Paula Brooks (LezGetReal)
In a stunning decision, Rutland Vermont Family Court Judge William Cohen ruled Friday that he is awarding sole custody of 7-year-old Isabella Miller to her non-biological lesbian mother, Janet Jenkins.
For six years, the case has been jumping between courts in Vermont, where Jenkins lives, and Virginia, where her former lesbian spouse, Lisa Miller, now lives.
The couple split up in 2003 after entering a civil union in Vermont, have since then been battling in the courts over custody and visitation rights to their daughter Isabelle, who was born to Miller.
However, Miller soon fled to her home state of Virginia and declared that she was no longer a lesbian. She then engaged the Conservative Christian law firm, The Liberty Council, to attempt to deny her partners the visitation right awarded to her by the Vermont Court by demanding sole custody in a Virginia court.
In 2007, Virginia’s Supreme Court sided with Jenkins and the Vermont courts.
After that ruling Miller and the Liberty Council then appealed to the US Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case.
The Liberty Council returned to the Virginia Circuit Courts to halt the visitation order, but the judge in that case stated that Virginia’s Supreme Court had already ruled.
The Liberty Council then again appealed to the Virginia’s Supreme Court. A Virginia Supreme Court Justice however cited the Parental Kidnap Prevention Act, which requires courts in other states to adhere to pre-existing custody and visitation awards and is meant to prevent just this kind of “Justice Shopping” and refused to hear the case, again giving sole jurisdiction to Vermont.
On January 28th of this year, the case was returned to Vermont, where Vermont Judge William Cohen allowed Miller to retain custody, but ordered unsupervised visitation to Jenkins for four days in March, over the Memorial Day holiday and for five weeks in this summer.
In September after Miller failed to comply with the visitation order, Cohen told her and her lawyers that he was tired of Miller’s repeated disobedience to his visitation orders and warned Miller that she would lose custody if she didn’t comply with the prior orders.
Friday, Cohen said in his order that granting sole custody of Isabella to Jenkins was in the child’s best interest because Miller has consistently refused to comply with prior custody and visitation orders.
“The court concludes that it is in the best interest of (Isabella) that Ms. Jenkins exercise parental rights and responsibilities,” the judge said Friday. “This court stated that continued interference by Ms. Miller with the relationship between (Isabella) and Ms. Jenkins could lead to a change of circumstances and outweigh the disruption that would occur if a change of custody were ordered.”
Judge Cohen did note in his decision that the change in custody would cause some short-term disruption in Isabella’s life because she would need to move to a new home, school, and community. However, Cohen said, the transition wouldn’t be out of the norm for a 7-year-old.
Lisa Miller’s attorneys vowed to appeal the order, but legal experts both in Vermont and Virginia say that Miller may be running out of legal options and caution that Virginia’s court of appeals, where Miller’s lawyers say they will file an appeal to Cohen’s order, have previously upheld the Vermont judge’s decisions and may not look kindly upon another appeal.
Friday, November 20
Bay Windows - New England's largest GLBT newspaper
Bay Windows - New England's largest GLBT newspaper
Pastor Donnie McClurkin’s gay church
by Rev. Irene Monroe
Bay Windows Contributor
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is the largest African American and largest Pentecostal church in the United States. It’s also the largest denominational black church in the country and the loudest in rebuking homosexuality.
Many of the gospel music industry mega-stars can be heard at COGIC. The church’s charismatic worship style shouts to a black male queer gospel aesthetic making COGIC a church is conflicted with itself.
Black gay male mega-stars are now ex-gay or closeted. They publicly deny their sexual orientation at the church’s annual convocation.
Case in point: speaking at the COGIC’s 102nd Holy Convocation International Youth Department Worship Service on Nov. 7 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, Pastor Donnie McClurkin, the poster boy for African American ex-gay ministries, talked about his conflict.
"God did not call you to such perversions. Your only hope is Jesus Christ. Were it not for this Jesus, I would be a homosexual today. This God is a deliverer," McClurkin told his audience.
McClurkin attributed his homosexuality to being raped twice as a child, first at age eight at his brother’s funeral by his uncle, and then at age thirteen by his cousin, his uncle’s son.
Confusing same-gender sexual violence as homosexuality, McClurkin misinterpreted the molestation as the reason for his gay sexual orientation. McClurkin says that his cure was done by a deliverance from God and a restoration of his manhood by becoming the biological father of a child.
In his book Eternal Victim, Eternal Victor, McClurkin writes, "The abnormal use of my sexuality continued until I came to realize that I was broken and that homosexuality was not God’s intention...for my masculinity."
At the Convocation, McClurkin espoused his ex-gay rhetoric by castigating former gospel industry worker Tonéx (Anthony Charles Williams II) who unapologetically stated that he "didn’t struggle with his sexual attraction to men."
A talented singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, dancer, producer, and preacher, Tonéx has won six Stellar Awards, a GMA Award, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Soul Gospel Album for his 2004 gold album "Out The Box."
Known for his outlandish multi-colored hairstyles and flamboyant garbs with feather boas and fur coats, Tonéx’s image caused consternation in the black gospel and contemporary Christian music communities.
"It wasn’t me trying to make a statement; I’ve always been different," he told George Varga of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "And it really worked. Out of church, people are always asking me what my tattoos mean."
According to McClurkin, black males like Tonéx are gay because of sexual molestation, an absentee father, or because they didn’t have strong male images around them. Tonéx is the son of the revered late Dr. Anthony Williams, Senior Pastor and District Elder in the Truth Apostolic Community Church in suburban Spring Valley.
In an open letter to the Convocation about McClurkin’s homophobia, Bishop Yvette Flunder, an out lesbian who is a third generation preacher with roots in the Church of God in Christ, licensed in the COGIC, and who is now the Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship and Senior Pastor, City of Refuge United Church of Christ, wrote the following:
"I watched a clip of Pastor Donnie McClurkin at the COGIC Convocation Nov. 11, 2009 where he used the words perversion and vampirism in reference to feminine young men and ’evil’ butch young ladies. He suggested that the church had failed them and not been active enough in helping these young people find deliverance. He ranted against gospel artist and pastor Tonéx with regard to Tonéx’s recent affirmation of his own same gender orientation."
Pastor Donnie knows, just as I know, that Tonéx is more the ’rule’ than the exception to the rule. What makes Tonéx unique is not that he is a gay gospel music artist and Pastor, but that he told the truth about his sexuality while not claiming to be delivered.
Gay males continue to find ways of being supported in the COGIC.
For example, "blaquebigayministers" is a Yahoo gay ministers group, boasting 787 members since July 2000 and was founded by COGIC Elder Ronald Kimbrew. Kimbrew served in the Arkansas 1st Jurisdiction as the Assistant Secretary of the Pastors & Elders Council of COGIC from December 1996 to March 19, 2005, and is now the Public Relations Director at Greater Trinity, a COGIC congregation in Arkansas.
The "blaquebigayministers" website states the following:
"Welcome. This fellowship is for support and encouragement especially of black Christian ministers and friends who are ’family’ (bi or same-gender loving) and need a place of refuge. Enjoy the ’fellowship.’"
Kimbrew organized meetings of bisexual and same-gender loving COGIC ministers for most of the national meetings like Memphis Holy Convocation that McClurkin used to take part in, but now denounces.
A reporter following the Convocation asked, "Is COGIC going to be silent while an organized culture of homosexual ministers and bishops populate its pulpits?"
And the answer is yes.
COGIC reaps the benefits of soul, spirit, and sound of black male queer gospel performers each and every Sunday. No one knows this better than McClurkin himself. Imagine the bounty if the church accepted the truth before them.
Pastor Donnie McClurkin’s gay church
by Rev. Irene Monroe
Bay Windows Contributor
Wednesday Nov 18, 2009
The Church of God in Christ (COGIC) is the largest African American and largest Pentecostal church in the United States. It’s also the largest denominational black church in the country and the loudest in rebuking homosexuality.
Many of the gospel music industry mega-stars can be heard at COGIC. The church’s charismatic worship style shouts to a black male queer gospel aesthetic making COGIC a church is conflicted with itself.
Black gay male mega-stars are now ex-gay or closeted. They publicly deny their sexual orientation at the church’s annual convocation.
Case in point: speaking at the COGIC’s 102nd Holy Convocation International Youth Department Worship Service on Nov. 7 at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, Pastor Donnie McClurkin, the poster boy for African American ex-gay ministries, talked about his conflict.
"God did not call you to such perversions. Your only hope is Jesus Christ. Were it not for this Jesus, I would be a homosexual today. This God is a deliverer," McClurkin told his audience.
McClurkin attributed his homosexuality to being raped twice as a child, first at age eight at his brother’s funeral by his uncle, and then at age thirteen by his cousin, his uncle’s son.
Confusing same-gender sexual violence as homosexuality, McClurkin misinterpreted the molestation as the reason for his gay sexual orientation. McClurkin says that his cure was done by a deliverance from God and a restoration of his manhood by becoming the biological father of a child.
In his book Eternal Victim, Eternal Victor, McClurkin writes, "The abnormal use of my sexuality continued until I came to realize that I was broken and that homosexuality was not God’s intention...for my masculinity."
At the Convocation, McClurkin espoused his ex-gay rhetoric by castigating former gospel industry worker Tonéx (Anthony Charles Williams II) who unapologetically stated that he "didn’t struggle with his sexual attraction to men."
A talented singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, rapper, dancer, producer, and preacher, Tonéx has won six Stellar Awards, a GMA Award, and received a Grammy nomination for Best Soul Gospel Album for his 2004 gold album "Out The Box."
Known for his outlandish multi-colored hairstyles and flamboyant garbs with feather boas and fur coats, Tonéx’s image caused consternation in the black gospel and contemporary Christian music communities.
"It wasn’t me trying to make a statement; I’ve always been different," he told George Varga of the San Diego Union-Tribune. "And it really worked. Out of church, people are always asking me what my tattoos mean."
According to McClurkin, black males like Tonéx are gay because of sexual molestation, an absentee father, or because they didn’t have strong male images around them. Tonéx is the son of the revered late Dr. Anthony Williams, Senior Pastor and District Elder in the Truth Apostolic Community Church in suburban Spring Valley.
In an open letter to the Convocation about McClurkin’s homophobia, Bishop Yvette Flunder, an out lesbian who is a third generation preacher with roots in the Church of God in Christ, licensed in the COGIC, and who is now the Presiding Bishop of The Fellowship and Senior Pastor, City of Refuge United Church of Christ, wrote the following:
"I watched a clip of Pastor Donnie McClurkin at the COGIC Convocation Nov. 11, 2009 where he used the words perversion and vampirism in reference to feminine young men and ’evil’ butch young ladies. He suggested that the church had failed them and not been active enough in helping these young people find deliverance. He ranted against gospel artist and pastor Tonéx with regard to Tonéx’s recent affirmation of his own same gender orientation."
Pastor Donnie knows, just as I know, that Tonéx is more the ’rule’ than the exception to the rule. What makes Tonéx unique is not that he is a gay gospel music artist and Pastor, but that he told the truth about his sexuality while not claiming to be delivered.
Gay males continue to find ways of being supported in the COGIC.
For example, "blaquebigayministers" is a Yahoo gay ministers group, boasting 787 members since July 2000 and was founded by COGIC Elder Ronald Kimbrew. Kimbrew served in the Arkansas 1st Jurisdiction as the Assistant Secretary of the Pastors & Elders Council of COGIC from December 1996 to March 19, 2005, and is now the Public Relations Director at Greater Trinity, a COGIC congregation in Arkansas.
The "blaquebigayministers" website states the following:
"Welcome. This fellowship is for support and encouragement especially of black Christian ministers and friends who are ’family’ (bi or same-gender loving) and need a place of refuge. Enjoy the ’fellowship.’"
Kimbrew organized meetings of bisexual and same-gender loving COGIC ministers for most of the national meetings like Memphis Holy Convocation that McClurkin used to take part in, but now denounces.
A reporter following the Convocation asked, "Is COGIC going to be silent while an organized culture of homosexual ministers and bishops populate its pulpits?"
And the answer is yes.
COGIC reaps the benefits of soul, spirit, and sound of black male queer gospel performers each and every Sunday. No one knows this better than McClurkin himself. Imagine the bounty if the church accepted the truth before them.
Tuesday, August 18
Trans Woman Sues Over Photo Request
They asked for a photo? There shouldn't be any problems about rest rooms and locker rooms if Manpower doesn't give anyone that impression; Manpower was either telling companies that she was transgender, or there really was no problem and that woman was just being nosey!
In 2007, Kate Lynn Blatt, was employed by Manpower Inc., a staffing services agency that placed Blatt at an aluminum products manufacturer for $10 per hour as a temporary factory worker. However, she was let go by the plant after a supervisor said she was not healthy enough to complete her job.
Shortly following her dismissal, Blatt returned to the Manpower office to regain employment. It was at this time that Irene Kudziela, a Manpower branch manager, said she needed to turn in a letter from her surgeon that documented her sex-reassignment surgery along with a photograph of her genitalia, which Kudziela said would solve problems related to appropriate use of restrooms and locker rooms.
Blatt, 28, told the Philadelphia Gay News that she found the request “disgusting,” refused to comply, and promptly filed a bias complaint with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, saying she was dismissed wrongfully due to her gender identity and her disability -- she identified her disability as sexual dysphoria.
“I was trying to work there in a dignified and private manner, but my dignity and privacy were constantly being violated,” she said.
A spokeswoman for Manpower Inc. told the Philadelphia Gay News that she could not comment on the specifics of the case, but said the company works to ensure a safe and nonexploitative work environment.
Now Blatt is looking to prevent similar situations. Currently unemployed, she said she’d be interested in advocating on behalf of the transgender community, assisting companies through tolerance training.
Sunday, July 26
Health Care in Our Country
I don't normally do this, but I feel this is an important issue going on, especially with what's happening with Obama and the Health Care Plan. This is a picture of my friend Francine, or "Frankie" as she's called. Frankie is on dialysis, as you can see; she's been on it since October of 2008, and unfortunately she's not on a transplant list yet. Why? Because she's 5'9, and weighs 447 lbs. The doctors have said that until she gets down to less than 200 lbs she will not be put on the list. (Which to me is ridiculous, but that's my opinion and another story.) In order to lose that much weight, she needs to have gastric bypass surgery. Now, she does have Medicare, which will pay for the surgery; however, and this is the crazy part, there is $500.00 in administrative costs which Medicare WILL NOT PAY!! She is on SSI, which is very limited, and has rent, utilities, and transportation to pay out of that, so where is she supposed to get $500.00? Why does her insurance not pay for that too? They're paying thousands of dollars for not just the bypass surgery but also for the surgeries she will need afterward to move the excess skin, so why not pay a measly $500.00 administrative costs? Grrrr, it makes me so angry....
Anyway; $200.00 of the $500.00 has already been paid, and an organization has already pledged to pay at least $100.00 of the remaining $300.00. That just leaves $200.00 to be raised by August 20, 2009. I want so much to help Frankie; she's a very good friend of mine who right now can't work, or swim, or do any of the physical things she loves to do. She wants to work with homeless addicts helping them to recover and get jobs and permanent housing, and there's a place willing to give her a job, but with her going for dialysis 3 times a week and then the fact that she can't walk very far or stay on her feet long is really going to get in her way. Please, I'm asking for help. Anything that you can do will be appreciated; even if it's only a dollar, every penny helps. Frankie has PayPal; please send it to her at Frankielm@yahoo.com on PayPal. Please, I'm asking for a friend, but I'm also asking for a human being; a citizen of this country who needs help, and who, if this country had the Health Care Plan it should have, would not have to be online asking for help. Please, help her get her surgery, get off dialysis, and back to doing what she's always done, being a productive member of society.
Thanks!!
Monday, July 20
Anger over 'transphobic' columnist
By Staff Writer, PinkNews.co.uk • July 14, 2009 - 14:38Dozens of members of the Queer Youth Network have written to complain about Sun columnist Jon Gaunt, who described gender reassignment as "misguided" and "slightly sick".
The LGBT youth organization has also lodged a complaint with the Press Complaints Commission.
The article in question focused on Kim Petras, the German 16-year-old trans singer. She underwent gender reassignment a year ago, having fought to have the law changed. Usually, only those over the age of 18 are permitted to undergo the surgery.
Columnist and radio presenter Jon Gaunt described her as "sad and slightly sick". He went on to describe her gender reassignment surgery as "drastic body mutilation" and compared her with Michael Jackson.
In a subsequent SunTalk radio show, Gaunt spoke to Erica Davies, the Sun journalist who first interviewed Kim.
Davies explained that Kim had felt she was "trapped in the wrong body" since the age of two, adding that the "bright" teenager was accepted by her family.
Gaunt said he had no problem with those over the age of 18 undergoing gender reassignment but was "not comfortable" with a child having the procedure, saying it could set "a dangerous precedent".
He added: "I'd love to get Kim on the show but after what I've just said, she probably won't come in."
David Henry, of the Queer Youth Network, has said Gaunt should apologise.
He said: "We accept The Sun is a tabloid newspaper and celebrity gossip mixed with sensationalism is part of what it does best, however demeaning and dehumanising young people in this manner is absolutely unacceptable and potentially damaging to thousands of people, many of whom have strikingly similar experiences to those of Kim Petras.
“Transgender people and those who do not conform to gender norms experience more than their fair share of ridicule and social torment in their every days lives as it is - we do not need this continued abusive onslaught from the mainstream media.
"We accept many people will not be surprised by this offensive and inaccurate comments made by Jon Gaunt in this article, but as Britain's most read-newspaper we would like to hear at least an acknowledgment from the editor of the upset this has caused our community by printing one of the many letters sent in by our members, if not a full apology from Jon Gaunt himself.”
Friday, July 17
Light Sentence for Suspect in Gay Murder
This is truly disgusting; I'm even thinking curse words it makes me so angry! If some man grabs my butt when I'm walking down the street, I'm allowed to beat him to death and get away with it??? What kind of world is this??
By Julie Bolcer
A man suspected of murdering a gay man in a street attack in Washington, D.C., last year pleaded guilty to a lesser charge and avoided substantial jail time, reports WLJA-TV.
Robert Hannah (pictured) pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor assault charge on Thursday in the death of Tony Randolph Hunter, who was 37. Invoking a "gay panic" defense, Hannah’s lawyer had argued that Hunter had touched his client inappropriately.
Hunter and two other gay men were attacked while on their way to a gay bar formerly known as BeBar on September 7. Left lying unconscious in the street after the attack, Hunter was taken to Howard University Hospital and died of severe head trauma 10 days later.
Although the murder was at first investigated as a hate crime, it was never characterized as one in court. Under the plea deal, the maximum possible sentence that Hannah, 18, could receive is 180 days in jail. Human Rights Campaign president Joe Solmonese called that prospect “outrageous” in a statement issued by the group on Thursday.
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