Teen Suicide Note | Excerpts from GAY U.S.A. and SDGLN

The eulogies effectively conveyed the message that EricJames had sought to impart, when he noted so succinctly in his final written words: “My pain is not caused because I am gay. My pain was caused by how I was treated because I am gay.”

Never before had the sound of ‘Edge of Glory’ been so inconceivable; EricJames Borges chose Lady Gaga, and not only for the echo that would pave his heavenly journey but as a benefactor, leaving the last of his life’s dealings to his icon. Five hundred dollars would go to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, $500 to the Trevor Project, $521.56  to the Human Rights Campaign and almost $2,500 to his rescuer, Jennifer McGuire for her upcoming same-sex wedding.  “I want it to go where it deserves; to life, love and equality.”

His parents tortured him by not protecting him from the extensive bullying.  His parents tortured him through their relentless, extremist religious teachings.  His parents tortured him with shame and intolerance and emotional and physical abuse that most of us can’t even begin to imagine.  And yes, I blame them, and not just a little, but for a majority percentage… His parents killed him.”

All the love and support in the world would not be enough to save EricJames from the gushing wound of his childhood and the piercing gashes of his preceding teen years.

Read the full Articles by Clicking on the Screen shots on the left.

Suicide Prevention and Resources can be found at end of SDGLN Article.

http://www.sdgln.com/news/2012/01/26/bullied-gay-teen-suicide-note-insight-ericjames-borges-death-19

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
@melanienathan1
All Rights Reserved© 2012

One year Memorial in Uganda for our Murdered Comrade David Kato

Ugandan LGBTI activists are holding a day of remembrance and services for brother David Kato , the outspoken LGBTI activist who was brutally murdered last year.

Kato known to be  the most vocal gay rights advocate in Uganda, a country where homophobia is so severe that Parliament is considering a bill to execute gay people.  Mr. Kato had received a stream of death threats, his friends said last year.

In 2010, Rolling Stone Tabloid,  a Ugandan newspaper ran an antigay diatribe with Mr. Kato’s picture on the front page under a banner urging, “Hang Them.”  Kato took the tabloid to court and won his case , with the court ordering an injunction and fines against Rolling Stone publication.

Months later, Mr. Kato was beaten to death with a hammer and the perpetrator has been convicted.  Although the confessed murderer has been sentenced, many speculate that Kato was set up by authorities. Police officials were quick to chalk up the motive to robbery, but members of the small and increasingly besieged gay community in Uganda suspect otherwise.

“David’s death is a result of the hatred planted in Uganda by U.S. evangelicals in 2009,” Val Kalende, the chairwoman of one of Uganda’s gay rights groups, said in a statement at the time. “The Ugandan government and the so-called U.S. evangelicals must take responsibility for David’s blood.”

Today, January 26  Mleuben Maccarthy from the newly established St. Paul’s Voice Center in Uganda who is attending today’s event told me, “we cant wait for our rights which KATO was fighting for.”

Today’s memorial is open and will be held at Emerald Hotel Bomb road – Kampala Uganda.  Thursday 26. 01.2012 from 0900 AM.

Comrade David Kato R.I.P.

See Video of memorial held in Castro one year ago featuring Melanie Nathan and Michael Petrelis

Oakland | An Evening Dedicated to Lesbian Poets of the Harlem Renaissance

OAKLAND – California,  and a night of poetry, music, and celebration. This event will be featuring local lgbtiqqaa poets of color, and will be dedicated to the poets of the Harlem Renaissance.

Interweave and GLBT Historical Society is bringing this important event to Oakland and judging by the program and participants it promises to be excellent.

The Harlem Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the “New Negro Movement”, named after the 1925 anthology by Alain Locke. Though it was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of New York City, many French-speaking black writers from African and Caribbean colonies who lived in Paris were also influenced by the Harlem Renaissance.

One such performer, Gladys Bentley (August 12, 1907 – January 18, 1960) was an American blues singer during the Harlem Renaissance.

Bentley was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of American George L. Bentley and his wife, a Trinidadian, Mary Mote. She appeared at Harry Hansberry’s “Clam House” on 133rd Street, one of New York City‘s most notorious gay speakeasies,^[1] in the 1920s, and headlined in the early thirties at Harlem’s Ubangi Club, where she was backed up by a chorus line of drag queens. She dressed in men’s clothes (including a signature tuxedo and top hat), played piano, and sang her own raunchy lyrics to popular tunes of the day in a deep, growling voice while flirting outrageously with women in the audience.

On the decline of the Harlem speakeasies with the repeal of Prohibition, she relocated to southern California, where she was billed as “America’s Greatest Sepia Piano Player”, and the “Brown Bomber of Sophisticated Songs”. She was frequently harassed for wearing men’s clothing. She claimed that she had married a white woman in Atlantic City.

Bentley was openly lesbian during her early career, but during the McCarthy Era, she started wearing dresses, married a man (who later denied that they ever married), and studied to be a minister, claiming to have been “cured” by taking female hormones.  She died, aged 52, from pneumonia in 1960.

Fictional characters based on Bentley appeared in Carl Van Vechten‘s Parties, Clement Woods’s Deep River, and Blair Niles’s Strange Brother. She recorded for the OKeh, Victor, Excelsior, and Flame labels.

PROGRAM:

A Love Supreme

Performers include:

Potluck                    Gather for food and community

Four Directions       Zemaya

Poetry                      Talibah Barker

Poetry                      Marvin K. White

Song                         Zach Hodges

Poetry                      Ron Weissberg

Song                         Linda Hodges

Poetry                      Sauda Burch

Poetry                      Randall Wright

Poetry                      Jezebel Deliah X

Music                       Regina Wells

Poetry                      Bushmama

Poetry                      Rasheedah Sabeen Shakir

Drum/Poetry           Jaynie Lara

 MC: Jaki Lee

ALSO on the program:

Tiye Yayu Square-Levias, Ava Square-Levias, Bushmama, Griot Noir, Deborah Marks,  Taku Ronsman, Stephanie Thames, Rasheedah Sabeen,  Shakir

 The program begins with a potluck at 6pm. Please email randallwright90@gmail.com or jakilee63@yahoo.com for further information.

South Africa DASO Controversial Nude Interracial Ad Campaign | The Gay Version

A campaign by the student wing of South Africa’s official opposition party is just perfect for a country that has an all inclusive Constitution; and so why the big deal?  Well the Ad has caused a storm and depicts a black woman embraced by a white man. Judging by the social network comments, it would seem, sadly, that SA may not be ready to embrace true post racism post apartheid as it forges into reality; and yet worse  it may still be stuck in mud of Calvinistic persuasion that pervaded apartheid’s reign! But what about the recognition of same-sex relationships? Is that going to far?

The Poster Ad campaign sensation would revert to one of high tolerance indeed; with one generation believing it is just another poster and the older generation’s collective heads doing a 360 degree swirl. The key to comments abounding social media would still be what is the issue; the nudity, the interracial or the same-sex component?  My sense is the South Africans may well still be hang up on the nudity first! Or am I dreaming?

The campaign by the Democratic Alliance Student Organisation (DASO) features a topless white man and black woman embracing.  The poster, which is an advert of the organization’s 2012 membership campaign, also comes with the tagline:

“In OUR future, you wouldn’t look twice”.

And back a mere decade ago the visual of black and white in sexual nuance would have sent hats flying as if in a 100 mile per hour hurricane and look at the hallabaloo on social media and you wills see that it still does!

Now the double-take could feasibly at the sight of not the interracial, but the two young men and their pose for the future of South Africa. Is that wishful thinking?

This could be the future of Africa and perhaps an opposition party whose youth shows it will indeed embrace the intent of its post-apartheid nickname, ‘The Rainbow Nation.’

This could be a form of educational conditioning and why the heck not – after all it is real and it is true! Some of us happen to prefer same-sex relationships.

And while it may seem repugnant to some in the region, what it could serve to do is make the sight of two men and interracial as not such a big deal after a while.

We call that conditioning! And that is precisely what Africa needs.  The more one looks, the more one sees, and the more okay it shall be!

With increasing dissatisfaction toward the party of Madibe, President Nelson Mandela, the ANC’s current failed leadership in the form of Jacob Zuma, which has been disastrous on almost every level – in the delivery of basic services to all South Africans (water, electricity, housing, food), the fight against rampant crime, and in the need to protect LGBTI people against hateful sexuality violence, This DASO campaign might be just what the doctor ordered or it could send the opposition party running for cover!

The conditioning that the poster affords South Africa is the start of what should be, an embracing of a Constitution that is all inclusive, unique in the World; it specifically includes sexual orientation and gender identity. At least there is one party willing to abide! And bravely so, especially given the underbelly of the argument which always seem to go back to so called cultural tradition.

So here is to the new world order – the youth and just maybe South Africans will take the lead on a continent that is in dire need of the basic human right, to decriminalize a sexual orientation that is indeed a natural order, scientifically proven, just another spectrum!

Unprecedented Ruling on Immigrants’ Right | Freedom from Arbitrary Detention

Posted by Melanie Nathan, January 20, 2012

District Court Rules that “Arriving Aliens” May Not Be Subjected to Prolonged Detention Without a Hearing To Determine Whether Detention Is Justified

SAN DIEGO — A district court today ruled that the Department of Homeland Security may not detain an immigrant for a prolonged period without proving that detention is justified in an individualized hearing. It is the first ruling to find that immigrants classified as “arriving aliens” – a large group encompassing all individuals stopped at the border, including asylum seekers – are entitled to fair hearing protections against arbitrary detention. DHS had argued that it has sole discretion to decide whether to detain or release an “arriving alien” and that the law does not require detention hearings.

The San Diego ACLU brought a habeas petition on behalf of Glorismel Centeno Ortiz in August 2011 after he had languished in immigration detention for three years. The government had held Centeno without a hearing to determine whether his detention was justified by classifying him as an “arriving alien,” a category that can apply even to individuals who have lived in the United States for decades with legal status. The government relies on Cold War-era rulings to justify its position that “arriving aliens” like Mr. Centeno have no due process rights to physical liberty.

Mr. Centeno, an asylum seeker who has lived in the United States since he was 11 years old was released from custody shortly after the ACLU filed the habeas petition. The government then argued that the habeas petition was moot.

Today’s ruling by Chief Judge Irma Gonzalez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California rejected both the government’s mootness argument and its position that arriving aliens could be detained without so much as an individualized hearing to determine whether their detention is justified.

“Under the court’s ruling, asylum seekers who are fleeing persecution and torture in their home lands should finally receive a fair hearing to determine whether their detention serves any purpose,” said Sean Riordan, staff attorney of the San Diego ACLU. “For too long the government has withheld this kind of minimal due process protection to those who need it most.”

Centeno was brought to Los Angeles by his mother, who was fleeing the violence of the Salvadoran civil war, in which her brother was killed by guerillas. As a teenager, Centeno became entangled with gangs and was convicted of armed robbery and deported to El Salvador, even though his petition for asylum was still pending. Fearing for his life Centeno returned to Los Angeles and obtained counseling from Homies Unidos, an organization that helps young people leave gangs.

Since his return to the United Sates, Centeno has dedicated his life to helping other young men leave the life of gangs. He has lead camping trips and given talks at schools, all the while working as a dishwasher, car mechanic, air conditioning repairman and raising his son. According to a senior staff member at Homies Unidos, Centeno is “one of our most reliable and committed volunteers.”

In 2007, Centeno went to Tijuana to enjoy a night out with friends. When he returned to the border, he was immediately arrested and charged with criminal illegal reentry after deportation. In July 2008, a judge dismissed criminal charges against Centeno, but he remained in detention several more years, until his release in September.

Zulu King Homophobic Spit on South African Constitution | President Jacob Zuma Stands by in Silence

I am calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobic remarks on Center stage in harsher terms; his feeble attempt at reprimand does not make leadership grade!
By Melanie Nathan – January 23, 2011

Johannesburg – Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini has criticized people who engage in same sex relationships, labelling them as “rotten”, according to a newspaper report on Monday; and did it in the face of the South african President, Jacob Zuma who stood by and said nothing!

He went on to ignorantly claim that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex relationships.” Now is he talking about the act of homosexuality or conducting of a relationship; my sense is he does not known the difference…  read on..

“There was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten,” The Times quoted him as saying.

“I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.” said the Monarch,  speaking at Nquthu, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, during the 133rd commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana, which the Zulu regiments won.

However it may come as surprise but what our dear King does not realize and maybe ought to review is his long dead notorious relative Shaka Zulu, the greatest warrior of all time was more than likely gay than Elton or Martina; and he lived some centuries ago, way in the traditional day – of which King  Jolly Good speaks.

Apparently there is indeed some evidence that Shaka Zulu was gay and that he used to “use”  his soldiers for his pleasure.

What the King also does not realize is that homosexuality is proven scientifically to be a natural born orientation and the genes implicated have probably been around since way before Australopithecus.

On Sunday, Zwelithini shared the stage with President Jacob Zuma; Zuma should publicly denounce the remarks and a failure to do so is ahem should we say a little bit unconstitutional!

After I wrote this story above yesterday, a Press release from Lance Weyer, Mr. Gay South Africa was submitted:

This week Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini stated that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex-relationships” He must have missed the history books where many historical experts believe that Shaka Zulu is to have encouraged intercrural intercourse among his troops to “create intimacy and loyalty”. (Bring on the Zulu hate mail…)

He went on to say that “there was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten. I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.”

Whether Shaka was gay or not is quite irrelevant. What is actually important here is that what the King said is in clear conflict with our Bill of Rights and Section 9 of the Constitution specifically, regardless of his interpretation of history.

We have to note the devastating effect deeply rooted homophobia by leaders is having on communities. How can someone who is being paid a salary by the South African government (i.e. taxpayers) have such a blatantly unconstitutional view? Violent homophobia is real, and as much as I respect your right to practice and live your Zulu culture, I think it’s about time that we started being as passionate about the dignity and well being of ALL our citizens and refugees seeking shelter.

In a further slap in the face to the constitution, President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges – challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.” Many will remember that in 2006 Zuma himself came under fierce criticism for the homophobic statements he made at Heritage Day celebrations

The  ANC friendly South African Press is now reporting with the following under the  (in my opinion exaggerated) headline :  “Zuma rebukes king over gay remark”  -  and I hardly call this statement a rebuke: ” According to The Times President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges . challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.”

Unlike Weyer I believe the heritage and denial of King Shaka’s sexuality is an imperative component, not to slander Zulu people, but to note that tradition and cultural pretense cannot escape the facts and reality of scientific data.  That said I agree an imperative point is the fact that the Zulu King has in fact spat on the constitution in his flagrant disregard for its content and the well being of young LGBTI and all South Africans.

I am calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobic remarks on Center stage in harsher terms; his feeble attempt at reprimand does not make leadership grade!

UPDATE:

Zulu Royal Family blames comments on reckless translation? Please … give me a break the insult only endures from this submitted explanation….

Durban – The Zulu royal household has criticised what it called a “reckless translation” of King Goodwill Zwelithini’s speech on Sunday.  “At no stage did his majesty condemn gay relations or same sex relations,” Prince Mbonisi Zulu said.

Zulu said the newspaper translated the Zulu monarch’s speech incorrectly. “The main focus of his speech was on the creation of a compassionate society with men protecting the vulnerable members of society, especially the elderly, women, and children.”  Zulu said the king had said that in the past men would go for months in battles to fight the enemy without their wives, and that they did not harass each other sexually. “He said nowadays you even have men who rape other men. The king said this was a clear sign of moral decay and he said he condemned those involved, no matter who they were.”

Melanie Nathan: “So can someone from the Zulu  Royal family kindly provide an English transcript of the actual speech? What a feeble worm around and besides, the comments are still flagrant insult to SA LGBT and the Constitution.“

Note the words harass! Moral decay! Need we say more…

By Melanie Nathan : nathan@privatecourts.com

Picture: Photo Ndumie Funda and Melanie Nathan with Gay Flag at Smuts Monument, 3/2011© all rights reserved

Zulu King Homophobic Remarks insult to his Gay Ancestor Shaka Zulu

By Melanie Nathan: I am calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobic remarks on Center stage in harsher terms; his feeble attempt at reprimand does not make leadership grade!

Johannesburg – Zulu monarch King Goodwill Zwelithini has criticized people who engage in same sex relationships, labelling them as “rotten”, according to a newspaper report on Monday.

He went on to ignorantly claim that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex relationships.”

Now is he talking about the act of homosexuality or conducting of a relationship; my sense is he does not known the difference…  read on..

“There was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten,” The Times quoted him as saying.

“I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.” said the Monarch,  speaking at Nquthu, in northern KwaZulu-Natal, during the 133rd commemoration of the Battle of Isandlwana, which the Zulu regiments won.

However it may come as surprise but what our dear King does not realize and maybe ought to review is his long dead notorious relative Shaka Zulu, the greatest warrior of all time was more than likely gay than Elton or Martina; and he lived some centuries ago, way in the traditional day – of which King  Jolly Good speaks.

Apparently there is indeed some evidence that Shaka Zulu was indeed gay and that he used to “use”  his soldiers for his pleasure.

What the King also does not realize is that homosexuality is proven scientifically to be a natural born orientation and the genes implicated have probably been around since way before Australopithecus.

On Sunday, Zwelithini shared the stage with President Jacob Zuma; Zuma should publicly denounce the remarks and a failure to do so is ahem should we say a little bit unconstitutional!

After I wrote this story, a Press release from Lance Weyers, Mr. Gay South Africa was submitted:

This week Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini stated that “Traditionally, there were no people who engaged in same sex-relationships” He must have missed the history books where many historical experts believe that Shaka Zulu is to have encouraged intercrural intercourse among his troops to “create intimacy and loyalty”. (Bring on the Zulu hate mail…)

He went on to say that “there was nothing like that and if you do it, you must know that you are rotten. I don’t care how you feel about it. If you do it, you must know that it is wrong and you are rotten. Same sex is not acceptable.”

Whether Shaka was gay or not is quite irrelevant. What is actually important here is that what the King said is in clear conflict with our Bill of Rights and Section 9 of the Constitution specifically, regardless of his interpretation of history. We have to note the devastating effect deeply rooted homophobia by leaders is having on communities. How can someone who is being paid a salary by the South African government (i.e. taxpayers) have such a blatantly unconstitutional view? Violent homophobia is real, and as much as I respect your right to practice and live your Zulu culture, I think it’s about time that we started being as passionate about the dignity and wellbeing of ALL our citizens.

In a further slap in the face to the constitution, President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges – challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.” Many will remember that in 2006 Zuma himself came under fierce criticism for the homophobic statements he made at Heritage Day celebrations

The  ANC friendly South African Press is now reporting with the following under the  (in my opinion exaggerated) headline :  “Zuma rebukes king over gay remark”  -  and I hardly call this statement a rebuke: ” According to The Times President Jacob Zuma, who shared the stage with Zwelithini, did not directly respond to the king’s remarks. Instead, he said: “Today, we are faced with different challenges . challenges of reconciliation and of building a nation that does not discriminate against other people because of their colour or sexual orientation.”

By Melanie Nathan : I am calling on President Jacob Zuma to condemn homophobic remarks on Center stage in harsher terms; his feeble attempt at reprimand does not make leadership grade!

note: He is widely credited with uniting many of the Northern Nguni people, specifically the Mtetwa Paramountcy and the Ndwandwe into the Zulu Kingdom, the beginnings of a nation that held sway over the large portion of southern Africa between the Phongolo and Mzimkhulu Rivers, and his statesmanship and vigour marked him as one of the greatest Zulu kings.^[2] He has been called a military genius for his reforms and innovations, and condemned for the brutality of his reign.^[3][4] Research continues into the character and methods of the Zulu warrior king, whose reign still greatly influences South African culture.

Tunisia | Interior Minister Gay Scandal Inflames Homosexual Panic

By Guest Dan Littauer, Executive Editor of Gay Middle East

Gay Tunisia Scandal

Tunisia’s new interior minister, Ali Larayedh, has been embroiled in controversy and scandal as a leaked video allegedly shows him in a gay prison sex video.  This scandal has outraged and inflamed public opinion against homosexuality which was already jittery, due to the  electoral political tactics that have used sexuality in order to discredit various opponents. Gay Middle East explains and investigates.

On the 18.1.12, a 45 minute long black and white video dating from 1991, showing two men having sex, was posted on YouTube.  The occasional close-up on one of the men’s faces resembles Ali Larayedh, the current interior minister and a member of the ruling Islamist party Ennahda who won last years’ October elections after the first Arab spring rebellion which deposed dictator Ben Ali. The poor quality of the video makes it difficult to determine the video’s authenticity, or whether Larayedh is actually in the video.  The video on the site was quickly removed, although it is still available on file-sharing sites.

In 1990 Ali Larayedh was arrested by Ben Ali’s police for his activity as a member of the then illegal Ennahda party and was sentenced to 15 years in prison after a show trial. He alleges that he has been tortured while serving his jail sentence, while in 1992 his wife was sexually assaulted during an investigation at the Ministry of the Interior.

The alleged video of Ali Larayedh from his time in prison was posted shortly after an announcement by the Tunisian government that three arrest warrants had been issued for senior officials at the Ministry of the Interior. Responsibility for uploading the video was claimed by Jalel Brick, a well known left wing opponent to the ruling islamist party Ennahdha, who claimed he got the video tape from a Tunisian secret police officer.

Tarek, Tunisian Editor for Gay Middle East notes that “the security forces of Tunisia have largely remained intact since the time of Ben-Ali and thus many of its personnel are potentially hostile to the Ennahda party,” In other words, the video may have been leaked by someone in the Ministry of the Interior, or perhaps former a high-ranking police officer, wishing to undermine Ali Larayedh by further inciting public opinion using a tactic dubbed “porno politics” by Tunisian activist Ahmed Manaï.  According Manaï’s book, book, “Tunisian Torture: The Secret Garden of General Ben Ali”, tactics to discredit political opponents through exposing sexual scandals, and in particular homosexual ones were used by the deposed Tunisian dictator Zine al-Abidine Ben Ali, during the early 1990s.

The background to this scandal is important to note.  Two days before this incident (16.1.12) Naji Behiri, the brother of the Tunisian Minister of Justice, Noureddine Behiri, was released from prison under presidential amnesty, despite allegation from his hometown that he raped a young boy.

Tarek notes: “A wave of public anger erupted across the nation accusing Ennahda party of being at league with homosexuals and paedophiles, terms that were used interchangeably.  Highly homophobic comments were posted on related news articles and throughout the social networking sites, mostly asking that Naji Behiri remains in prison and tried and punished for sodomy.  Conspiracy theories of homosexual corruption and cover up within the Ennahda party have become commonplace.”

These two scandals have ignited a kind of “homosexual panic” according to Tarek. Many people have been voicing their opinions that the Interior Minister should resign as his behaviour contradicts Islamic values while others even called for him to be indicted for violating Article 230 of the Tunisian penal code that punishes homosexual acts between consenting adults with up to three years imprisonment.

Public discourse has been saturated with conspiracy theories that the ruling party is rife with homosexuals, protecting gays/paedophiles or failing to protect Tunisia from a homosexual epidemic. Mocking satires such Ennahda is a “fag” party, “they are all shaz (fags in arabic) in Ennahda”, are “quite commonly heard in the streets of Tunisia” stated Tarek, “often  conflating the terms ‘paedophilia’, ‘homosexuality’, ‘sodomy’ and ‘Islamists’ intentionally.”  The picture to the left, spread via Facebook, depicts two veiled women are portrayed kissing, while on the right it reads: “Legal fags/Haraam fags” with the logo of the Ennahda party below.

In an attempt to stop such allegations, Samir Dilou, a spokesperson for the Tunisian government, claimed the video was an attempt at a set-up and that the private life of politicians should not be used as a political weapon. All the Tunisian political parties condemned what they called an unjustified attempt to discredit the minister. Tunisian media has not published even one frame shot from the video.

However the current wave of “homosexual panic” and homophobia can be traced to the pre-election campaigning. Firstly to discredit the preceding dictatorship, the party claimed that the deposed Ben Ali and preceding dictator Habib Bourguiba encouraged homosexuality, prostitution and vice which would be swept clean should Ennahda be elected.

During this period nationwide marches entitled أعتقني aatakni (“Leave me alone”) were held in support of the secular parties and against the islamsits.

Supporters of Ennahda used the fact that in some of these marches the PEACE rainbow flag (often used in Italian rallies) were waved, alleging and ridiculing that aatakni are in fact gay pride marches. For example in the following poster the viewer is asked to “spot the pictures of Tunisian aatakni from a variety of ‘aatakni’ marches worldwide”, which Israeli gay prides (pictures 2,7), gay pride marches (4,5,8) and Tunisia (1,3,6), where in picture 6 the logo of the secular and tolerant Modern Democratic Pole” (MDP) is almost equated with the star of David.  Thus creating and associative link of aatakni=fags=zionists, i.e. bad and morally corrupt/suspect, which was spread via social networking sites such as Facebook and twitter.

Opposing political parties were singled out using this “homosexual panic” tactic.  For example in this Photoshop edited picture the banner of the Socialist Party has been altered to read “sodomy is the basis of the republic”, most likely sodomy replaced the word “freedom.” Tarek testifies “many banners reading ‘give us freedom, we want freedom’ were reworked replacing ‘freedom’ with ‘sodomy’ on blogs and facebook pages of supporters of the Ennahda party.”

Supporters of Ennahda did not stop there and vilified leaders or public figures they saw as opposing to their political ideas via scandalous allegations as to their sexuality or support of “social vices”.  Most notably this was the case with Dr. Olfa Youssef a famous female intellectual, writer, psychoanalyst and director of the National Library of Tunisia. She is a public figure that appears on TV shows and writes many articles regarding freedom, women’s rights and human rights in general. She was consistently called a lover and supporter of prostitutes and fags. The Facebook page where the picture above was posted is entitled “Against Olfa Youssef who says liwat (sodomy) is not haraam”.

It thus appears that the current “homosexual panic” has its roots in the campaigns started by supporters of the Ennahda party against competing parties.  The islamists used far more public and forceful tactics than the old style Ben-Ali “porno politics” that formed the probable basis of the Ali Larayedh scandal.  This was done by linking unpopular subjects which were previously taboo, like homosexuality and prostitution, to spread fear, rumours and ridicule of opponents.

Jalel Brick claimed that he uploaded the video of Ali Larayedh to counter balance Ennahdha’s method of denigrating and attacking its opponents morality online and via gossip.

The opposition adopted identical methods to Ennahda during the two recent scandals of Naji Behiri and Ali Larayedh, which found an already receptive public which has been continuously imbued with bigotry throughout the electoral campaign.   Tarek explains: “what shocked me most is the readiness and enthusiasm that opposition supporters that champion Human Rights and democracy have readily adopted such homophobic discourses previously used by the islamists against the islamists Ennahda party.  I did not expect them to use this as a weapon, it created a kind of public consensus and consciousness of homosexuality as something evil and sick”.

Tarek despairingly notes that “the main victims of this ‘homosexual panic’, are unfortunately, the Tunisian LGBT community.  In public discourse homosexuality has now become synonymous with pedophilia and hypocrisy, entrenching further negative stereotypes.  Under Ben-Ali dictatorship we were invisible, with the occasional scandal and harassment, but this increased negative and smear campaigning has inflamed public opinion and brought immense fear to gays and lesbians living in Tunisia.”  The one ray of hope is that all the political parties have now committed themselves not to use any such tactics further. “This I hope will be a lesson for Ennahda, since they let loose this tactic only to find it rebounded on themselves. I really hope this realization is going to last.”

Image Source Wiki Commons

Liberian Gays Assaulted | African Press and The Anti-Gay Attacks

by Melanie Nathan, January 22, 2012

In Liberia where same-sex relationships are outlawed and sodomy criminalized with fines, a Liberian pro-Gay group, “Movement in Defence of Gay and Lesbian Rights”  came under physical assault when promoting LGBT  rights.

The group’s leaders, LeRoy Archie Pon-pon and Abraham Kamara, apparently escaped death last week at the hands of fellow students on campus where they had gone to rally for support, as reported by anti-gay Zimbabwe Press article which we have carried here to illustrate the anti-gay stance of press as noted in the first paragraph of the article.

In the wake of British Prime Minister David Cameron’s  comments that Britain would withhold aid to countries that do not reform legislation banning homosexuality, and the  pro LGBT human rights speech in Geneva by U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton  calling on African leaders to helm decriminalization of homosexuality in their Countries, the backlash has been severe both on the ground and in the African press.

Cameron, in an interview with BBC One’s Andrew Marr Show, threatened to cut aid to anti-gay countries, declaring that nations receiving British aid should “adhere to proper human rights.”

Religious leaders and local anti-gay critics had a field time asserting  the British premier and Secretary lacked understanding of African cultural values.

Here is a recent report, illustrating how the comments of the leaders have been used  against LGBTI people in Africa producing biased and rhetorically enriched articles that can only serve to incite more gay hate in those countries, even in the wake of  physical attacks against gay activists in the country.

It is also important to note that the Articles written in these publications were never gay friendly to start with, often using debauched and insulting language long before western leaders were so forthright. It seems to be a losing battle either way.

Here is the report on the Liberian issue and the attacks written in a way that is typical to African Press. Though it does t does give voice to an anonymous source which is pro -LGBT safety and equality, the rhetoric and choice of language speaks volumes:-

Liberia: More gays and lesbians on show – Throble Suah allafrica.com | 2012-01-19 16:39:00

MONROVIA Liberia is said to have more people involved in homosexuality gay and lesbianism this paper has gathered.  Though there is no exact data to say how many people are homosexuals, many people interviewed believe the number is expected to rise if same-sex marriage is legislated in Liberia.

A man who spoke to this paper on condition of anonymity, but a self-confessed homosexual, said many Liberians were involved in the practice both at home and abroad, including former and current public officials, who could not wait to see the legalisation of same sex marriage introduced.

Besides Liberians, you have expatriates, who are part of it and are inducing others into it.

These people take up assignment with various diplomatic missions here, including foreign embassies, non-governmental organisations, as well as concessionaires and many more, the source noted.

The source, like others behind the scenes involved in the practice, quietly welcomes the campaign by the United States and Europe for gay and lesbian rights.

“I, like others (gay and lesbian) here, are grateful to the US and Europe for their campaigns to get us our rights.  At the same time, we frown on those opposing it. Let them know that love is not force, but a consensus between two people of the same or opposite sex.”

Though gay and lesbian practices are forbidden according to the Constitution of Liberia, particularly in the commission of the crime (sodomy), it is silent on public debate on the issue.

However, the source expressed optimism that when introduced in the House, a Bill seeking the protection of the rights of homosexuals will not face any obstacle.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives Alex Tyler and some members of the House have opposed calls for the legitimisation of homosexuality. I am a Methodist and traditionalist.

I will never support a gay Bill because it will be damaging to the survival of the country, Tyler noted.

Speaker Tyler recently told the local Press that any Bill introduced in the House for the protection of gay and lesbians rights will be thrown into the Du-River or the Montserrado River in Monrovia.

Why must people have problems with same-sex marriage and not with forms of pornography? All human beings have their rights to do what pleases them. Therefore, those opposing it must leave us alone, the source noted.

Since the US and British governments set the legalisation of gay and lesbians rights as precondition for giving aid to Africa, there has been strong criticism and opposition on the issue.

In Liberia, there have been public debates at various street corners, offices, entertainment centres, homes and even at higher institutions of learning such as the University of Liberia, where a campaign group named, Movement in Defence of Gay and Lesbian Rights was assaulted.

The group leaders, LeRoy Archie Pon-pon and Abraham Kamara, escaped death last week at the hands of fellow students on campus where they had gone to rally for more support.

I have decided to carry the voices of local activists and local academics here on my site. Such as the articles of Charles Zambia, which will show educated analysis of issues rather than the retaliatory flamboyant nonsense spewed by writers who have no clue about the meaning of human rights.

In the meantime I am posting this article so you can see how gay Africa is fuel for fodder of the ignorant…

Uganda | Visiting South African Mbeki Slams Bahati’s Kill-The-Gays Bill

Former South African president Thabo Mbeki has hit out at Ndorwa West MP David Bahati’s anti-gay Bill, telling a public audience in Kampala that what two consenting adults do in private “is really not the matter of law.”

by Melanie Nathan

Finally, a South African leader has spoken out publicly and forcefully against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill, otherwise known as the “Kill the Gays Bill;” and it has been done on Uganda’s home turf.

Mr. Mbeki, a guest of the Makerere Institute of Social Research (MISR), issued the comments during a three-hour public question and answer session on Thursday evening debating post-cold war Africa and why the continent is reliant on external interventions in dealing with local issues.

The visiting former head of state’s comments on the issue of homosexuality should have been made a long time ago, and and should have been expressed  by current President Jacob Zuma, who, despite governing under an all inclusive South African Constitution,  has failed to show leadership on issues pertaining to homosexuality and its criminalization on the continent of Africa.  These comments by Mbeki come as a significant boost for LGBTI rights as human rights in Africa.

Mr Bahati’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill, first tabled in the 8th Parliament, is currently collecting dust on the shelves of the 9th Parliament following wide international uproar in large part for a clause that seeks to hand down the death penalty for aggravated homosexuality, including the spreading of HIV/Aids.

The Ugandan Monitor is reporting  that Mbeki’s stand on gay rights followed a question by Sylvia Tamale, a strong proponent “of sexual parity,” who asked what the  former leader would “say to Mr Bahati about the plight of a lesbian woman seeking recognition of her divergent sexual orientation.”  (Note: the word divergent is quoted and considered a politcally incorrect description in the West and South Africa.)

“I would say to the MP; sexual preferences are a private matter,” said Mr Mbeki. “I don’t think it is a matter of the state to intervene.” Mr Mbeki said he was certain that Mr Bahati would disagree with his stand and argue that African culture does not permit same sex relations, a reason at the heart of the continent’s wide spread antipathy towards homosexuals.

Mr Mbeki said apartheid South Africa prohibited sexual relations “across the colour line” aided by The Immorality Act which handed the police legal ground to raid “people’s bedrooms” before dragging them to court for prosecution.

“I mean what would you want? It doesn’t make sense at all. That is what I would say to the MP. What two consenting adults do is really not the matter of law,” he said.

Mr Mbeki also responded to a series of questions about the failure of Africa’s present day intellectuals to cultivate ideas for progressive movement of change on the continent and the weakness of the African Union in defending and promoting the interests of Africans.

He said a weak and selfish political class, responsible for collaborating with Western imperialists to lead external intervention for selfish end on the continent, had played a leading role in clamping down progressive intellectuals since viewed as opposition to their hold on power.

 Mr Bahati responded with his usual depth of misunderstanding on the issue of criminalization per se  and said the Bill was brought to curb several issues including inducement, recruitment and funding homosexuality.

“His excellency (Mr Mbeki) needs to read the Bill and understand the spirit in which it was brought and the context in which we are talking about,” Mr Bahati said.

The minister’s response is really nonsensical as I am sure Mbeki has read the Bill and even if he has not, none of the reasons outlined by Bahati in this response justify criminalizing private consensual behavior, which the bill in effect does.

Mbeki has tapped into the South African post apartheid ideal that no group or minority would ever be discriminated against in South Africa again.  Immediately after apartheid, under the leadership of  Madibe, former President Nelson Mandela sought to fulfill that ideal ; and so sexual orientation and gender identity equality was specifically  included in the New South African Constitution.

Unfortunately the current South African leadership has failed to make its mark on the rest of Africa and the 37 countries which criminalize homosexuality. President Jacob Zuma has yet to speak out against the Anti-homosexuality Bill in Uganda and made matters worse by sending Jon Qwelane the indicted homophobic envoy to Uganda as South Africa’s ambassador.

Gay rights activsts applaud the words of Mbeki on center stage and as one unnamed South African source informed me: “I wish our current President had the balls of Mbeki, after all our Constitution would expect such leadership!”

by Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
@melanienathan1
Original Source for information -Uganda Monitor

Gay Zambia | Constitutional Recognition of Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Sexual Orientation

by Charles Zambia, Guest Writer

“Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals in Zambia live in constant fear of detention, discrimination in education, employment, housing, and access to services, and extortion – all buttressed by the existence of sections 155 – 157 of the Penal Code and the lack of specific legal protections for LGBT people under Zambian law.”

 Introduction:

Human rights treaties do not specifically mention sexual orientation. However, discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation has been determined to be incompatible with adherence to the the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and reflected in all other universal and regional human rights instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.[1] The African Charter, and the International Convention on Social Economical and Cultural Rights. In their preambles,the treaties ‘recall that human rights are universal and shall apply to all individuals, and stressing therefore its commitment to guarantee the equal dignity of all human beings and the enjoyment of rights and freedoms of all individuals without discrimination on any ground’ .However, despite being signatories to the treaties ,Many African states retain criminal sanctions for same-sex relationships that are derive from the colonial era; prominent among them, is the Republic of Zambia, were removing of such criminal sanctions from the statute book remains very much an up-hill struggle. The following paper shall seek to shade more light on the country’s current legal status concerning same sex relations, furthermore it shall elucidate the political, religious as well as Social adverse impact discrimination has LGBT person in Zambia.

Legal Issues:

The legal basis for non-discrimination amongst people in Zambia is firmly laid. Article 11 of the Constitution of Zambia of 1991, as amended by Act no. 17 of 1996, establishes that “every person in Zambia has been and shall continue to be entitled to the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individual, that is to say, the right, whatever his race, place of origin, political opinions, color, creed, sex or marital status [2]

Further Article 23(1) [3]states that “no law shall make any provision that is discriminatory either of itself or in its effect”.

The constitutional anti-discrimination clause is set out in Article 23(2) [4]that reads “no person shall be treated in a discriminatory manner by any person acting by virtue of any written law or in the performance of the functions of any public office or any public authority”.

Article 23(3)[5] defines “discrimination” as any “different treatment to different persons attributable, wholly or mainly to their respective descriptions by race, tribe, sex, place of origin, marital status, political opinions color or creed whereby persons of one such description are subjected to disabilities or restrictions to which persons of another such description are not made subject or are accorded privileges or advantages which are not accorded to persons of another such description”.

This right to non-discrimination is not limited to enumerated grounds. Every international and regional human rights instrument that protects against discrimination includes “other status” or language equivalent thereto. Zambia is a state party of the UN’s International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) following its accession on April 10, 1984.

Article 2(1) of the ICCPR[6]: states “Each State Party to the present Covenant undertakes to respect and to ensure to all individuals within its territory and subject to its jurisdiction the rights recognized in the present Covenant, without distinction of any kind, such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, Property, birth or other status.” Despite this, and the Zambian Constitution’s strong anti-discrimination Articles, it is deplorable that hatred of the small but significant Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) community – and the violation of their rights – continues unabated in a country that claims to embrace fundamental human rights principles by ratifying them at both regional and international level.The African Charter for example calls on the individual to act in a spirit of “tolerance, dialogue and consultation”.

in addition Article 2[7] of the Charter promotes “Every individual shall be entitled to the enjoyment of the rights and freedoms recognized and guaranteed in the present Charter without Distinction of any kind such as race, ethnic group, color, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or any status” If this was the case in practice and not just in words, then Zambia would not be a place where bigoted homophobia could thrive.

Equal Protection in International Law

• · Article 26 of the ICCPR: “All persons are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to the equal protection of the law. In this respect, the law shall prohibit any discrimination and guarantee to all persons equal and effective protection against discrimination on any ground such as race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.”[8]
• · Article 3 of the African Charter: “Every individual shall be equal before the law. Every individual shall be entitled to equal protection of the law.” [9]Although the instruments listed above do not include “sexual orientation” among the enumerated categories, these categories are clearly intended to be illustrative and not exhaustive.
• The use of the phrase “or other status” means that the list of categories is open-ended. That is why the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights offered a similar explanation of the term “other status:” when it stated ‘The nature of discrimination varies according to context and evolves over time. A flexible approach to the ground of “other status” is thus needed to capture other forms of differential treatment that cannot be reasonably and objectively justified and are of a comparable nature to the expressly recognized grounds in Article 2(2) of the (ICESCR) which reads “The States Parties to the present Covenant undertake to guarantee that the rights enunciated in the present Covenant will be exercised without discrimination of any kind as to race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” These additional grounds are commonly recognized when they reflect the experience of social groups that are vulnerable and have suffered and continue to suffer marginalization.[10]

These provisions should be interpreted as prohibiting all forms of discrimination including discrimination based on sexual orientation. The Human Rights Committee[11] followed such an equality-based approach in the case of Toonen v Australia.[12] In this case, the Human Rights Committee decided that the criminalization of sexual relations between persons of the same sex constitutes a violation of the right to non-discrimination in the ICCPR.[13] In its decision, the Human Rights Committee found that the criminalization of sexual acts between persons of the same sex constitutes a violation of Mr Toonen’s rights against discrimination as well as to equal protection before the law.

The most outrageous violation of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights in Zambia is constituted by the Zambian Penal Code, Act of 1995, Cap 87 of the laws of Zambia that criminalizes same-sex sexual conduct in private between consenting adults – so contravening Articles 2(1), 17 and 26 of the ICCPR, were the Human Rights Committee was of the view that,with ‘the reference to “sex” in articles 2, paragraph 1, and 26 was to be taken as including sexual orientation’.[14]     PLEASE CONTINUE READING  click here

South Africa Gay Men Murders | Possible Serial Killer Ignored by Police

“The police may well be indifferent and unmotivated to solve the murders because of the men’s sexual orientation….“

SOUTH AFRICA – On 17 December 2011, 39-year-old activist and television presenter Jason Wessenaar was found stabbed to death in his home in Pretoria. The killing occurred in the early morning hours as neighbors heard screams for help, only to find the victim with seven stab wounds to his neck.

Wessenaar, who was openly HIV-positive, was an HIV and gay rights activist. In 2004 and 2005 he presented the SABC 1 television show Siyayinqoba – Beat It, which highlighted stories of people living with HIV and related issues.

It seems Wessenaar is not the first in what now seems to be a series of gay men murders in the around the Johannesburg area, Gauteng Province South Africa.

With a spate of killings, this latest gay man murder seems hauntingly familiar with similarities to a spate of unsolved murders of gay men which have occurred the past two years in the area.

There are at least six other unsolved murders of gay men that took place in private homes in the province.

The murder spree began with Manolis Veloudos, who was killed in April 2010. He was followed in 2011 by Jim Cathels, Oscar O’Hara (33), Siphiwe Selby Nhlapo (36), a 47-year-old un-named landlord and Barney van Heerden (39) in September.

These murders had a number of similarities: the men were all bound; they were killed in private homes; there was no sign of forced entry; and, in most cases, little or nothing was stolen.

To date, the police have insisted that a serial killer is not responsible for the murders and have rejected calls for a single, specialized task team to be appointed to investigate the killings.

“According to a source connected to the cases, little or no progress has been made in the investigations. The source suggested to Mambaonline that the police may well be indifferent and unmotivated to solve the murders because of the men’s sexual orientation.”

Despite calls for action, the LGBT Hate Crime Task Force, established last year by the Minister of Justice, as well as the National Prosecutor’s Office have been silent on the matter.

See Petition urging action for Wessenaar’s murder investigation – http://www.gnpplus.net/en/news-and-events/other-news/1770-demand-justice-for-jason-wessenaar

Russia | Pussy Riot Rock Group Arrested Protesting Putin & Sex Tourism

Russian police detained a punk group called Pussy Riot on Friday after they performed a protest song criticising Vladimir Putin next to Saint Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow.

The Pussy Riot an all-female band, wearing  brightly colored mini-dresses and balaclavas, were arrested after their protest song slammed  the “Putin-system,” prostitution, and sexism. The all female group, born in Ukraine, denounce the state of mass-sex-tourism and prostitution in Eastern European countries.  See the VIDEO protest below -

The group  climbed over railings onto a stone platform next to the cathedral to sing a song called Putin Has P***** Himself.

The  four members were later charged with the non-criminal public order offences and disobeying police, carrying a maximum punishment of 15 days behind bars, according to one band member who uses the nickname Garadzha Matveyeva.

In December the band gave a roof-top concert next to the police cell where protest leader and blogger Alexei Navalny was serving a short sentence.

They have also performed in the Moscow metro.

 

California Health Care Bill | Senator Leno’s Single-Payer Bill Clears Senate Appropriations

Senator Mark Leno

SB 810 Creates a Private-Public Partnership That Provides Universal Coverage by Redirecting the Funds Californians Already Spend on Health Care

 SACRAMENTO – The Senate Appropriations Committee today approved the California Universal Health Care Act, authored by Senator Mark Leno (D-San Francisco). Senate Bill 810 guarantees all Californians comprehensive, universal health care while reducing the state’s ballooning health care costs and improving the quality of care and delivery of health services statewide. The legislation passed with a 6-2 vote.

California currently spends about $200 billion annually on a fragmented, inefficient health care system that wastes 30% of every dollar on administration. Under Senate Bill 810, that wasteful spending is eliminated. The bill redirects the funds Californians already spend on health care to allow comprehensive coverage. In fact, studies show that the state would save $8 billion in the first year under this single-payer plan.

“California is being overrun by out-of-control health care costs, which have a significant impact on families, businesses and the state budget,” said Senator Leno, D-San Francisco. “Health care premiums in the last few years have grown five times faster than our economy. Consequently, fewer employers are providing health benefits to their employees, and those workers who are fortunate enough to receive coverage are paying higher premiums for diminishing services. By guaranteeing universal access for all Californians, our single-payer plan will reduce the health care burdens that are hurting families and our state’s economy.”

SB 810 creates a private-public partnership to provide every California resident medical, dental, vision, hospitalization and prescription drug benefits and allows patients to choose their own doctors and hospitals. This single payer, “Medicare for All,” type of program works by pooling together the money that government, employers and individuals already spend on health care and putting it to better use by cutting out the for-profit middle man.

 ”SB 810 is the only proposed solution to the continuing patient care crisis that guarantees healthcare for all Californians and controls costs while eliminating the denials of care and restrictions of provider choice imposed by private insurance companies,” said DeAnn McEwen, a registered nurse at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center and co-president of the California Nurses Association. CNA is one of the co-sponsors of SB 810.

“Health is a right, not a privilege,” said Maria Lemus, executive director of Vision y Compromiso, a co-sponsor of SB 810. “All Californians, without exception, need access to quality medical services. Senator Leno’s single-payer proposal would provide California residents access to health services with an opportunity to prevent illness, the right to choose their doctor and control inflation without increasing health care costs in California.”

SB 810 is sponsored and supported by a broad coalition of patients, nurses, doctors, teachers and school employees, small businesses, faith community members, retirees, local governments and school districts. These groups represent more than 2 million Californians. The bill is co-sponsored by the California Nurses Association, Health Care for All California, California One Care, California School Employees Association, Physicians for a National Health Program-California, Single Payer Now, Campaign for a Healthy California, California Federation of Teachers, California Alliance of Retired Americans, Amnesty International, League of Women Voters, California Council of Churches, Progressive Democrats of America, California Consumer Federation, National Organization for Women-California, Vision y Compromiso, Wellstone Democratic Renewal Club, Dolores Huerta Foundation, California Health Professional Student Alliance and Courage Campaign.

 

Newt Gingrich Defecated on Traditional Marriage

Open marriage and divorce seems to be what Newt Gingrich thinks marriage is about. The old news is now well documented, Newt Gingrich, who while engaged in an affair with Callista, so insensitively asked his ex-wife Marianne for a divorce, over the phone while she was attending her mother’s 84^th birthday. The would be Republican presidential nominee Newt Gingrich acted in flagrant disregard of the most critical emblem pertaining to so called traditional values prescribed by so called traditional marriage; fidelity and monogamy.

While Newt Gingrich was and still is giving political speeches platforming same-sex relationships as unworthy of the  institution of marriage, we in the LGBT community are struggling to have our already entrenched rights recognized under the civil laws of this country, such as our right to marriage equality.  Now we know that Gingrich is the last voice that has any right to opine on the issue of marriage.  Thousands of same-sex couples who have been in faithful and monogamous relationships, some for decades, have been denied the right that Newt Gingrich chose to defecate upon.

Newt Gingrich’s second wife Marianne in interviews with ABC news and Washington Post alerts that Newt asked for an “open marriage” or a divorce at the same time he was giving speeches around the country on family and religious values.

Marianne Gingrich said she first heard from the former speaker about the divorce request as she was waiting in the home of her mother on May 11, 1999, her mother’s 84th birthday. Over the phone, as she was having dinner with her mother, Newt Gingrich said, “I want a divorce.”

Shocked, Marianne Gingrich replied: “Is there anybody else?” she recalled. “He was quiet. Within two seconds, when he didn’t immediately answer, I knew.”

WAPO: The next day, Newt Gingrich gave a speech titled “The Demise of American Culture” to the Republican Women Leaders Forum in Erie, Pa., extolling the virtues of the founding fathers and criticizing liberal politicians for supporting tax increases, saying they hurt families and children.

Clearly tapped into the hypocrisy the ex- Mrs. Gingrich like all questions, “How could he ask me for a divorce on Monday and within 48 hours give a speech on family values and talk about how people treat people?”

Asked about the timing of the revelations, she said she had had so many requests for interviews that “it was unavoidable.” She said that during a campaign season, “I knew I wouldn’t get through this year without” doing the interview.

The ABC interview will be released in transcript form today.

Even after seeing a counselor, to possibly save his marriage, our erstwhile Mr. Marriage could not find his way out of the arms of then paramour and now wife Callista back to Marianne.

The audacity of this man! He has stood on a platform that says gays and lesbians are unfit for his so called ‘traditional institution of marriage.’ It is my opinion that we now have confirmation that Newt Gingrich has taken a dump on marriage; yes can it be clearer? Newt Gingrich Defecates on Traditional Marriage!

Anybody in the gay community in a hurry to share Newt’s values?

Gay U.S.A. Crashes GOP Debate from www.gayusathemovie.com on Vimeo. Note VIMEO Embed use must credit www.gayusathemovie.com © all rights reserved.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

@melanienathan1

NOTE: Picture by  Kristina Lapinski © who confronted Newt Gingrich in New Hamshire, asking about LGBT rights – Gingrich commented that he considers DADT a social experiment.

SOPA BLACKOUT | WordPress Announces Internet Blackout Day For Protests

 

WordPress.org is officially joining the protest against Senate Bill 968: the Protect IP Act that is coming before the U.S. Senate next week. As I wrote in my post a week ago, if this bill is passed it will jeopardize internet freedom and shift the power of the independent web into the hands of corporations. We must stop it.

On January 18, 2012 many sites around the web — from small personal blogs to internet institutions like Mozilla, Wikipedia, reddit, and I Can Has Cheezburger? – will be going dark in protest and to drive their visitors to sites like americancensorship.org to take action and help fight the passage of the Protect IP Act. So will WordPress.org.

If you want to join the protest by blacking out your WordPress site or applying a ribbon, there is now a variety of blackout plugins in the WordPress.org plugins directory.

While joining the protest in this manner is laudable, please don’t forget to also make those phone calls to U.S. Senators — they’re the ones with the voting power.

I plan to Protest too – with an applicable  Ribbon.

SOPA BLACKOUT | Google and Wikipedia Go Dark

We have come to rely on Wikipedia, Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Twitter – our everyday lives so impacted  and adjusted accordingly. Thousands of websites are going dark today to protest the Stop Online Piracy Act, (SOPA) which is designed to thwart copyright infringement but that Web experts warn could threaten the Internet as we know it.

Encyclopedia giant Wikipedia, popular news-sharing site reddit, browser pioneer Mozilla, photo-sharing favorite Twitpic and are blocking access to content throughout Wednesday, symbolizing what the bill may allow content creators to do to sites they accuse of copyright infringement.

Other websites, including Google, are expressing solidarity with the protests by featuring anti-SOPA content on home pages.

I looked up a word on Wikipedia and when I clicked the site I saw the content for less than 2 seconds and it jumped to a black background with white writing as follows:-

Wikipedia notes:  Imagine a World
Without Free Knowledge

For over a decade, we have spent millions of hours building the largest encyclopedia in human history. Right now, the U.S. Congress is considering legislation that could fatally damage the free and open internet. For 24 hours, to raise awareness, we are blacking out Wikipedia. Learn more.

LGBTI South Africa | Human Rights Conference Deals with Homophobia and Health Issues

PRETORIA – The Aids and Rights Alliance of Southern Africa (Arasa)  addressed a meeting of Human Rights Defender organizations to discuss human rights issues with a focus on LGBTI issues and how to improve resources for health and responses to homophobia.

The two day meeting, in Pretoria, South Africa, began today and brings together human rights defenders from Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania and South Africa.

Lynnette Mabote, the Arasa advocacy team leader said Arasa  asserted that the great need to convene this special meeting of human rights defenders, especially those from civil society organizations working on human rights or HIV programs.  She noted the belief that  many in these positions were often unwilling or unable to address LGBTI rights violations, noting that usually the response from grassroots organizations was very weak as LGBTI were rarely involved in the design and delivery of programs.

Those in the room agreed describing the many challenges faced by organizations dealing with LGBTI or sexual minorities. Apparently the various country legal environments and misunderstandings were cited as a great barrier for LGBTI led organizations or human rights organizations that support LGBTI rights work.

One of the objectives of the meeting was to understand the national challenges faced by partners working on human rights issues concerning LGBTI communities. The hope is that by sharing the knowledge and resources, a  collaboration could fill in the gaps that hamper progress in the work of the groups.

The meeting will end Wednesday and participants will try to establish what can help at the grassroots, national and regional levels to foster tolerance and acceptance in response to discrimination in institutions and amongst the general public.

The meeting will also look into how to deal with statements by some African heads of state which further enforce state sponsored homophobia.

Australian Open | Laura Robson’s Rainbow Hairband Defies Margaret’s Court

by Melanie Nathan, January 17, 2012

British tennis player Laura Robson defied the Court by wearing a rainbow colored hair band in Melbourne on Monday in support of gay and lesbian rights during her match at the Australian Open. There may well be a lot more to what was meant as a gesture of solidarity in a country where marriage equality has made major news.

Robson, 17, wore the rainbow hair band onto the tennis court named after Australia‘s most decorated female player, Margaret Court, who now an evangelical Christian and who  recently sparked criticism by openly gay tennis champions Martina Navratilova and Billie Jean King as well as commentator Australian Rennae Stubbs,  for making anti-gay remarks.

Robson, who via international press knew about Court’s anti-gay comments, claimed not to be making a political statement, and said she was unaware of a call by gay rights activists to take rainbow-colored flags into the Margaret Court Arena. According the UK Guardian, Robson said “It was just a rainbow-colored hair band. I didn’t see anything about a protest today. I wore it because I believe in equal rights for everyone. That’s it.”

According to the UK Guardian, Margaret Court, a Catholic but became an evangelical Christian in 1972, the year before winning the last of 11 Australian titles. She won a record 24 grand slams and is regarded as one of the greatest players in the game’s history. She is now the senior pastor at the Victory life Centre in Perth, which she founded in the 1990s.

The Guardian “However, her reputation has taken a battering since she made remarks last month that infuriated gay rights activists and provoked criticism from openly gay tennis champions such as Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King and the Australian Rennae Stubbs, who commentates on tennis on Australian television.

Court accused gay people of indulging in “abominable sexual practices” and described same-sex marriages, promoted by legislation introduced by the current Labor government in Australia, as “unhealthy, unnatural unions”.

She told the Australian newspaper: “I’ve nothing against homosexual people. I help them to overcome. We have people [at the Victory Life Centre] who have been homosexual who are now married.”

In an interview last month with the West Australian, Court said: “Politically correct education has masterfully escorted homosexuality out from behind closed doors, into the community openly and now is aggressively demanding marriage rights that are not theirs to take. The fact that the homosexual cry is, ‘We can’t help it, as we were born this way’, as the cause behind their own personal choice is cause for concern.”

Navratilova, who has been open about her sexuality for many years, was appalled when told of Court’s views.

“A lot of people have evolved,” she told the tennis website tennischannel.com, “as has the Bible. Unfortunately, Margaret Court has not … Her myopic view is truly frightening as well as damaging to the thousands of children already living in same-gender families.”

Tennis Australia, the sport’s governing body in the country, was embarrassed when the furore broke and issued a statement condemning Court’s views: “Her personal views are her own, and are definitely not shared by Tennis Australia.

“We concur wholeheartedly with the WTA [Women's Tennis Association] who stated that ‘all human beings, regardless of gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation or otherwise, should be treated equally.’”  See more of the Guardian Article here…

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. on Meet the Press 1965 Watch Video

Ned Brooks on NBC’s meet the Press in 1965 with guest Dr. Martin Luther King Jnr., from San Francisco after he delivered his sermon at Grace Cathedral.  A must watch video below will remind us on this important day of the force of the Civil Rights movement and what it takes to bring change. MLK Jr. is grilled by critics.

Former President Truman was quoted by AP  as saying that the march in Alabama was  “silly can’t and accomplish a darn thing except to attract attention!”  Dr. MLK Jr. answered.. that the march was NOT silly at all…  did more to dramatize the indignities and injustices that negro people faced in south.  ….. The most powerful and dramatic civil rights process that has ever taken place in the South.”

Note MLK Jr. speaks about poverty and the promises of an Equality Bill for the poor.

THE PHOTO above depicts March protests in Chicago which will be on display at the 30th anniversary MHRC Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Awards Dinner in Marin County

LGBTI Refugees hurt if Canada changes Refugee Sponsorship Program

Asylum for LGBTI refugees is fraught with hurdles. Canada has been viewed as a country that provides some measure of promise and hope; but now the Canadian government is proposing changes to regulations pertaining to refugee sponsorship, which could have a dramatic impact on LGBTI applications for asylum.

The Department of Citizenship and Immigration (CIC) has published the proposed changes in the Canada Gazette, which will limit refugees sponsored under the groups of five (G5s) and community sponsors (CS) categories.

According to Janet Dench, executive director of the Canadian Council of Refugees (CCR) this could mean refugees who have been persecuted for being gay will not be allowed to apply, resulting in gay claimants and other marginalized refugees either being excluded or having to face much bigger hurdles.

Currently, although still difficult to attain, refugees can enter Canada under what is known as a G5 category. In this case a refugee must be sponsored by five or more Canadian citizens or permanent residents who act as guarantors for the claimant. These sponsors include both for-profit and non-profit organizations willing to sponsor refugees and provide funds for them after they are in Canada.

Under the new proposals, the government would instead bring in refugees recognized by either the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) or a state, thereby curbing the private sponsorship program.

Apparently Canada is trying to limit the number of refugees brought into the country by sponsorship agreement holders (SAHs). These are usually religious, cultural or humanitarian groups that have signed multiyear agreements with the ministry in order to be able to sponsor refugees more than once.

The government instead would now bring in more government-assisted refugees solely from the UNHCR list and how this will ultimately impact LGBTI refugees may be dire.

“Certain groups of people would be excluded,” says Dench. “In quite a lot of countries in Africa, it’s not the UNHCR that does the recognition but the state – but if that state does not recognize applications from refugees on the basis of sexual orientation, which is not by any means universally applied, then that would mean that the G5s couldn’t respond to them.”

Proponents of the changes have argued that the amendments would serve to increase program efficiency as a whole and improve the volume and quality of applications. The anticipated higher approval rates for G5/CS applications will make it easier for CIC to predict and manage the number of applications received each year from private sponsors relative to the annual levels tabled in Parliament.”

But that does not serve the marginalized; those whose only access would be to file via the private sponsorship, often obtained through personal underground connections. In my own advocacy work, I have seen this with gay, lesbian and transgender people in Africa who often view the help of private Canadian sponsors as their only resort.

The application process is complicated, says Dench, and it requires a range of documents that vary depending on which country the applicant comes from. A full explanation can be found here at Canadian News who reported on this story.

Concerns have also been expressed about the use of visa offices to process applications for UNCHR-recognized refugees:

“Who gets to decide which applications will be forwarded . . . this is where homophobia is going to raise its ugly head, because people who are working in the Canadian visa office are not separate from their own culture,” says Chris Morrissey, of the Rainbow Refugee Committee. “Even though the guidelines from Canada on sexual orientation and gender identity are covered, there is always that concern individuals have – will this person be fair? Will there be homophobia? Will they be rejected? All of that stuff comes into play, if it comes out of a visa office.”

Moreover, because UNHCR-recognized refugees must leave their country of origin in order to apply for recognition and eventual resettlement, Morrissey says there are additional challenges for lesbians fleeing persecution.

“There are so many barriers for lesbians in terms of permission [to leave the country, often required from their fathers], in terms of education, in terms of being able to survive in any way outside of sex trade work,” Morrissey says. “For them it’s much more difficult.”

Morrissey says Rainbow Refugee’s work with queer refugees will not be affected – it works with sponsorship agreement holders, and these groups are not bound to sponsor only UNHCR refugees. Its terms with the government mean those refugees it sponsors will not be applied to the SAH’s caps.

“The problem is we have to work with an SAH, and the SAHs know that they’ve got a cap, and the SAHs don’t quite trust that our applications won’t be counted as part of their applications,” Morrissey says.

Picture: Artwork Melanie Nathan’s private collection©

Saudi Man Arrested for Gay Dating via Facebook

By Guests Dan Littauer and Sami Hamwi, 13.01.2012

Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)

As British Prime Minister, David Cameron visits Saudi Arabia today, activists report the plight of a man arrested by the religious police who may face corporal punishment.

Activists are concerned for the safety of a 30-year-old man arrested by the religious police in Saudi Arabia for allegedly using Facebook to date other men.  The man, whose exact identity is not known, was arrested on 23 December (2011) but full details of the incident are only now becoming clear after a detailed investigation by Gay Middle East. Experts warn he may face blackmail and/or corporal punishment.

He is being held in custody in the Dammam Police Department awaiting the Dammam’s General Attorney office for prosecution. The case has been reported to Amnesty International, while Facebook declined to comment.

The report by Sabaq electronic journal mentions that a Saudi citizen reported an unnamed 30-year old man to the Religious police in Saudi Arabia, known as the Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which proceeded to apprehend the man who finally confessed that “the Facebook profile is his and that he had been using it for obscenity acts with other men”.

KSA law is not strictly codified and its implementation, in either a lenient or severe manner, depends mostly on religious Sunni judges and scholars, as well as royal decrees (and thus subject to extreme variability).  Generally speaking punishments for homosexuality range from imprisonment and/or flogging to the death penalty. Conviction and severity of punishments depends on the social class, religion and citizenship of the accused, whereby non-western migrant workers receive usually harsher treatment than upper class Saudi citizens.

Sami Hamwi, Syria Editor of Gay Middle East, and former Saudi resident explains: “Native born Saudi citizens who are Suni or from the Bedouin tribes in the country are often let off, while punishment are severely executed against minorities like Shiites and or newly naturalised citizens. Punishments regarding homosexuality are also held against expatriates working in Saudi Arabia, especially those coming from Asian, African and Arab countries. Dammam is a largely Shiite area and if the 30 year old aforementioned man is a Shiite, he is likely to be trailed and sentenced harshly.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron is visiting Saudi Arabia today – already under pressure to raise human rights abuses with his hosts.

A British Foreign and Commonwealth spokesperson told Gay Middle East:

“We are aware of the reports and seeking further information. The UK opposes all discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people in all circumstances. We are committed to combating violence and discrimination against LGBT people as an integral part of our international human rights work. We believe that human rights are universal and that LGBT people should be free to enjoy the rights and freedoms to which people of all nations are entitled.”

Condemnation of this case has been forthcoming from NGOs:

A spokesperson for Amnesty International said :”Amnesty International is seeking more information on this case. If the man reported in the Sabq story has been arrested and charged with homosexuality, Amnesty International would consider him to be a prisoner of conscience and call for his immediate and unconditional release. Saudi Arabia has sentenced people convicted of homosexuality and ‘sodomy’ to a range of penalties including corporal punishment and even the death penalty. The criminalization of homosexuality encourages the dehumanization of lesbians, gay men, bisexual people and transgender people (LGBT) as their very identity is criminalized.”

“Amnesty International considers the use of ‘sodomy’ laws to imprison (usually) men for same-sex relations in private to be a grave violation of human rights, including the rights to privacy, to freedom from discrimination, to freedom of expression and association, which are protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

The Lesbian & Gay Foundation also voiced concerns: “It is extremely worrying to hear that that the Saudi police have entrapped this man when we know that Saudi-Arabia is one of the remaining countries in the world where homosexual acts are punishable at worst Death, but also by severe corporal punishment and imprisonment.”

“We understand that because of the very nature of the country’s Draconian anti LGBT legislations there exists, by necessity, an underground gay scene, and if people are discovered to have fallen foul of official prohibitions they risk such entrapment, jail and flogging.”

“The Lesbian & Gay Foundation would like to see the UK government do whatever it can to make sure that LGBT issues across the region are seen as a significant human rights problem and we would urge all those concerned to put pressure on authorities such as The British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the US State Department and others to be vocal in their condemnation of such acts which ignore the most basic of human rights.”

Peter Tatchell, Director of the human rights lobby, the Peter Tatchell Foundation, said:

“I urge the Foreign Secretary William Hague, and the EU Foreign Minister Catherine Ashton, to make representations to the Saudi government to secure the release of this man. His detention violates all the norms of international human rights law. In the longer term, Britain and US must stop colluding with the Saudi royal dictatorship. Sanctions should be imposed against the regime until it ensures democracy and human rights for all its citizens.”

Gay Middle East sent and email to the Embassy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in London which was read and ignored. To the knowledge of Gay Middle East, this is first known reported case of entrapment for homosexuality via facebook in the KSA.  Gay Middle East therefore thought that a user of any social networking site has a right for privacy and asked Facebook for their comments on the case and its possible ramifications.  Despite an email and a phone call, Facebook refused to comment on the issue.

While this case may seem to Western readers as breaching the privacy rights, Saudi Arabia does not provide the right to privacy.  In fact the religious police encourage reporting of any “deviant” behaviour and deliberately entrap a person for homosexuality, for example a British male Nurse who was recently entrapped via fake SMS sent by the religious police.

Entrapment by the religious police does not necessarily lead to prosecution, but often results in life-long financial and/or sexual black-mail.  Hamwi stated: “sexual blackmail and abuse by the Religious Police is unfortunately quite common.  When I lived in Medina, a neighbour who was a member of the religious police raped my neighbour’s son, a 12 year-old boy, at that time.  The same man entrapped and arrested a Pakistani national for homosexuality; the guy was whipped 80 times and before being deported. Such a sentence often applied when a sexual intercourse cannot be proven.”

If a person is outed by the religious police via a trail the consequences can be severe not only in terms of punishments, but lifelong ostracising by the family, the community and reduced or almost no job prospects.  “The person may simply become a social outcast,” adds Hamwi, “it is a kind of a social-death or in some cases may lead to persecution by the family until the person is killed to save the so-called ‘honour’ of the family.”

Furthermore private communication is also not subject to what ordinarily would be considered in the West as the right for privacy. All communications (including electronic) can be seized by the government for evidence in criminal trials; previously men have been arrested for homosexuality via paltalk (a social networking site popular in the Gulf), and gay-dating sites.

Hamwi explained further: “the use of internet in Saudi Arabia is subject to monitoring, censorship and restrictions. Most online dating and social media website are blocked under the current Saudi laws. When trying to access banned or blocked websites users usually get screens stating “Sorry, the requested page is not available.” However, Saudis manage to override the Saudi proxy settings and access the websites they need.”

Hamwi interviewed several men living in the KSA about the situation for gay men in the kingdom.

Ahmad, a 37-year-old Saudi engineer, mentioned that he is concerned with using online dating services and websites. “Anyone from the “Hay’ah”, (the religious police) can use those websites to entrap gay men. This is not common, but it happened before and I don’t want to be socially humiliated.” Ahmad affirmed that non-Saudis and Saudi Shiites are more likely to be subject to the legal Islamic penalties than the Sunni Saudis.

Munir, a 29-year-old Syrian graphic designer working in KSA, said that the situation in Saudi Arabia is dangerous for gay men. “You see, when you are not Saudi, they can arrest you, put you in jail, lash you, and deport you. It is easier to be sexually deprived than having to face all the dangers coming from online dating.”

Fahad, a 42-year-old Saudi citizen, said that he rarely uses the online dating websites while in Saudi Arabia. “The situation here is complicated because of all the religious, social, and legal restrictions. Gay men in Saudi Arabia prefer not to have to struggle with the laws, since the media can easily raise a social anger when they expose their cases. This happens a lot.”

Permission to Publish granted by GME.

Suicide of Gay Anti Bullying Activist EricJames Borges

Raised in an extremist Christian household, assaulted in classroom with a teacher present, EricJames Borges, 19,  was repeatedly bullied, tormented, terrorized,  for the duration of his childhood and teen  years. He came out with the video “it Gets better”  below, yet he could not live through the pain. EricJames committed suicide yesterday!

“Disgusting, perverted, unnatural and going to hell” is what his parents told him as he was kicked out of his house.  Exorcisms, beatings and extreme Christianity pervaded his young life  and did not “cure” him – rather it killed him!

The death on Wednesday of this young filmmaker  has shocked his friends. “He advocated pro-life for gays. He wouldn’t want anyone to [commit suicide],” said close friend James Criss. “It’s so shocking to see that he did it himself.” (ABC News)

Borges made a video just last month for the “It Gets Better” project, a campaign that features personal hope-filled videos to LGBT teens to get them through difficult times.  Although he said “it gets better” he could not live through the  extensive damage to his psyche and the pain that life had brought to him.

In his video EricJames says he works form the Trevor project.  In a very sad voice, he tries to convince that “it gets better.” Dont ever give up, says Eric, but the sadness of his voice is pervasive.  Many of us believe it should not “have to get better,” but that we should be sending the message  to kids “don’t wait for it to get better – speak out now!”  No American or global child should have to endure what EricJames did.

EricJames Borges lived in an area – Central California, Visalia, known for extreme homophobia.

UPDATED:
After covering this story, Kristina Lapinski from GAY USA the Movie and I went down to Visalia to attend the memorial of EricJames.  I was having a difficult time understanding why he would do this while attached to the Trevor Project – what I found out helped me on a personal level and so I wrote about it.  I was given a copy of his suicide note and also the kind cooperation of those closest to him at the end – my updated report can be found at GAY U.S.A. the Movie and Blog:

Never before had the sound of ‘Edge of Glory’ been so inconceivable; EricJames Borges chose Lady Gaga, and not only for the echo that would pave his heavenly journey but as a benefactor, leaving the last of his life’s dealings to his icon. Five hundred dollars would go to Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, $500 to the Trevor Project, $521.56 to the Human Rights Campaign and almost $2,500 to his rescuer, Jennifer McGuire for her upcoming same-sex wedding. “I want it to go where it deserves; to life, love and equality.” READ MORE:-  http://gayusathemovie.com/2012/01/gay-teen-suicide-wills-money-to-lady-gaga/

ERIC James Favorite Quotes (from FB

QuotationsCarry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.

“To the person in the Bell Jar, blank and stopped as a dead baby, the world itself is a bad dream.” -Sylvia Plath

You wouldn’t worry as much about what people think of you if you knew how seldom they do.

“EricJames, I tried to think of something clever to say back to you…but I got nothin.” –English Professor

“Isn’t it funny that the people who are the quickest to take someone’s basic rights to happiness are always the loudest to scream when someone attacks their right to do so?” – Rob Thomas

“It (the Bible) is full of interest. It has noble poetry in it; and some clever fables; and some blood-drenched history; and some good morals; and a wealth of obscenity; and upwards of a thousand lies.” -Mark Twain

“There is one notable thing about our Christianity: bad, bloody, merciless, money-grabbing, and predatory. The invention of hell measured by our Christianity of today, bad as it is, hypocritical as it is, empty and hollow as it is, neither the deity nor his son is a Christian, nor qualified for that moderately high place. Ours is a terrible religion. The fleets of the world could swim in spacious comfort in the innocent blood it has spilled.” -Mark Twain

Born this way and ostracized by so many is cruelty of the worst kind.

SABC Allows use of Airwaves to Attract Listeners to Pastor’s Anti- LGBTI Agenda

The South African LGBT community is in an uproar about Riekert Botha, a radio evangelical from South Africa who has been spewing anti-gay comments at the expense of the South African taxpayer. South Africa, which  has a fully inclusive constitution outlaws discrimination against LGBTI people and have anti-hate speech laws to  protect groups against hate speech.

Botha  broadcasts a program on Derrich Gardner’s program, RSG (Afr) which airs on Saturdays between 9.30 am and 10 am, streaming on http://www.rsg.co.za/luister-nou.asp. The program is in the Afrikaans language which caters to mostly white South Africans.

Botha uses his platform on RSG (national state radio) to attract followers to his Facbook page where he has more than 7000 likes and then  on the Facebook pages spews, amongst other things,  homophobic commentary,  such as this statement on his Facebook page, as translated from the original Afrikaans:

“Beware of trying to be ‘en vogue.’ If you suffer from an inferiority complex being ‘en vogue’ won’t heal you. It is ‘fashionable’ to cohabitate and be promiscuous.  It is ‘trendy’ to be gay and to consider the Bible old-fashioned. It is ‘fashionable’ to have no scruples and declare yourself god.  It is ‘en vogue’ to be religious without *knowing* Jesus. It is ‘fashionable’ to proselytize peace without acknowledging the Prince of Peace. In God’s eyes being fashionable in this sense is very very unfashionable. You have to choose: ‘favorable’ in God’s eyes and ‘un-trendy’ in the eyes of people, or conversely. If you make a poor choice your misery will only worsen.”

(Afrikaans:  ”Pasop om “in” te probeer wees. As jy aan minderwaardigheid lei gaan om “in” te wees jou nie genees nie. Dis “in” om saam te bly en rond te slaap. Dis “in” om gay te wees en die Bybel as oudtyds te beskou. Dis “in” om geen grense te hê nie en jouself as god te verklaar. Dis “in” om godsdienstig te wee sonder om Jesus te ken. Dis “in” om vredeliewendheid te predik sonder om die Prins van Vrede te erken. By God is “in” baie, baie “uit”. Jy moet kies: “in” by God en “uit” by die mense of andersom. Kies jy verkeerd sal jou mismoedigheid net vergroot.”)

Here is the page: (first post)  :http://www.facebook.com/PleisersVirSielBlad (Dis die eerste pos). And then under the post is a “come on” link to hit the radio site, stating “RSG – This is the one! Listen Now! “RSG – Dis die een! || Luister Nou “ www.rsg.co.za

The South African Broadcasting Corporation is a public service and commercial broadcasting organization. The SABC’s core business is to deliver a variety of high quality programs and services through television, radio and new media platforms that informs, educates, entertains and supports the public interest.

When South African activists complained to  RSG station manager Magdaleen Kruger, she said that although she received a number of complaints via e-mail, it was no more than the amount the station normally receives.

GLAAD South Africa  and activists are calling for action and have sent complaints to the Station head. Coenie Kukkuk of Mr. Gay South Africa provided me with a copy of a which has been sent to the Station head and reads as follows:-

“It was with immense dismay that I saw Riekert Botha’s latest nonsensical tirade on his Facebook fan page. Botha makes the platform granted by RSG quite prominent on his Facebook fan page, subsequently his thoughtless comments could have an impact on the brand and image of RSG and the SABC by extension.

I have to object to RSG giving a platform to this misinformed individual. He might have noble intentions most of the time and bring about positive influence through his programme (pleisters vir die siel) but his latest statement makes his continued appearance on a platform funded by the state and the public increasingly untenable.

The state, and the public have a constitutional obligation to respect the rights of everyone and it is thus regrettable that a publicly funded radio station supplies a platform to a person who makes improper and insensitive comments based on his misguided personal beliefs.

It has never been en vogue to be gay, au contraire. The vast majority of LGBTI/Gay people suffer years of anguish, battering, social rejection and pariah status. What also baffles is that Botha groups “gay” with a motley assortment of societal leprosy. There is absolutely no connection between the mention of the vulnerable gay grouping and the rest of the tirade.

Botha might have made a serious error in judgment but we won’t know until he clarifies his view. In the meantime the continued platform supplied by RSG might be construed as tacit agreement.

The Constitution protects vulnerable groups and forbids discrimination based on sexual orientation. It also provides for freedom of religion. I do not dispute that Botha should have a right to his beliefs, I just don’t think he ought to use it in this context (which isn’t based on biblical text).

We believe we can live in harmony, united in our diversity and that there’s no need for disparaging demagoguery.

We urge of you to clarify your position on this matter.

If no response is received, we will have no option but to send the matter for review to the Press Ombudsman and the South African Human Rights Commission.”

While Botha may assert religious freedom perhaps he should be spewing his evangelical  interpretations inside the closed enclave of his Church, but not at the South African  taxpayers expense nor on the pages of the very public Facebook, in flagrant disregard of the SA constitution and what it represents.

Here are e-mail addresses to send your complaints:-  magdaleen@rsg.co.za; mterrance@sabc.co.za; smutlwane@sahrc.org.za; terrance@rsg.co.za; nuus@beeld.com; bccsa@nabsa.co.za

UPDATED
Here is Botha’s “apology”  per his Facebook:

After the last few days it has come to my attention that people of the conversations about homosexuality hurt. I’d like to respond:

1) It was by no means my intention or plan to get people hurt, and if you experienced me as I humbly ask for forgiveness. I am in the ministry of grace and share with many people their tears and worries – sometimes to the detriment of my own family. There are a lot of pain caused by sin, and I dare not hurt to add it.

2) If you understand my reaction, I reject gays, I strongly deny it. If God does not reject gays, how can I?

3) I believe unequivocally in the integrity and inspiration of Scripture as God’s Word that the Person, Character, Truth and Way of Jesus Christ to our opening. It includes Paul’s letters.

4) I believe that Jesus died and rose again to redeem us from all and any sins.

5) I believe that homosexuality is sin – as the scripture says.

6) I do not want to call sin something mean to someone to judge – especially if the Bible is very clear about it. (Translated from Afrikaans)

 

by Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
@melanienathan1

Oprah Winfrey on First Graduation for South African School – The Class of 2011

The South African school year ends in December in time for summer vacation. Oprah Winfrey is in South Africa to attend graduation of the first graduating class of her elite academy and while she has spent millions on this school for underprivileged South African girls, she is now contemplating the question of  lways to make money work to help more struggling Africans.

One thing South Africa does not need is to create an elite; but what it did need was BRAND Winfrey; and the role model that stands behind it! Now perhaps some  lessons from the graduating class of 2011, shedding light on the great need for education resources in that country.

Winfrey spoke Friday on the eve of the first graduation for her school, The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, in Henley-on-Klip Johannesburg. Of the 75 students who started school in 2007, 72 will graduate Saturday and all are headed to universities in South Africa and the United States to pursue studies in medicine, law, engineering and economics.

In dismal contrast, across the rest of South Africa, 496,000, only half of Class of 2011 sat for final examinations, while only 25% of that number qualified for College.

“We’re taking a victory lap here, for transformation,” Winfrey told AP. “Every single girl is going to leave here with something greater to offer the world than her body.”

South Africa is struggling to overcome low unemployment, failures to deliver basic services such as water and electricity, high incidence of rape, poverty and exceedingly high crime rates. The country is short of schools and resources at every level.

Winfrey spent $40 million on the school campus, said her focus was “just to change one girl, affect one person’s life.” But she acknowledged hers “is not a sustainable model for most people in most countries.”

If the ANC would fulfill its post apartheid mandate, it would end corruption and enhance education; and perhaps the rest of South Africa’s youth could be as fortunate as the girls from the Winfrey academy!  What Winfrey has done is shown that with money and focus education can be accomplished at the highest of levels. The question is why the ANC has not allocated the resources.

Another new class starts at Winfrey’s school next week. But to help more young Africans, Winfrey said she would be working with established philanthropies to identify schools around the developing world that can be strengthened with money.

She hopes to adapt some of the practices of her school, including creating strong support networks for students. “It takes a lot of support, it takes a whole team,” she said, saying teachers and communities would have to be active participants.

Her focus on girls was not among the strategies she would change. Winfrey said studies have shown helping girls helps entire communities, in part because girls and women give back so much.

Marriage Equality Bill Introduced into Washington State Senate with 2 Republicans Sponsoring

Republican Steve Litzow, a family man; not afraid of Equality for all Americans

Today, the Washington state senate filed a bill that would make the State seventh in the union to legalize marriage equality.  If the bill passes the Senate and is signed into law, anti-LGBT groups are likely to try and overturn it at the November ballot.

The senate bill which is supported by Gov. Christine Gregoire has 23 sponsors including two Republican Senators, Steve Litzow and Cheryl Pflug.

“SOMETIMES it takes just one individual to stand on principle and let others follow,”  noted the Seattle Times as it reported the decision of Litzow, the first Republican Senator to make the decision.

Sen. Litzow’s website has posted the following comment, perhaps serving to show other Republicans that supporting equality is really not that difficult to do; the undramatic tone is indicative of changing attitudes; that Americans are turning to favor equality and that it is indeed the right thing to do:-

Last week I voiced my support for a bill that would make gay marriage legal in Washington, which you can read about in this Seattle Times editorial.

For years I have been a supporter of equal rights for gay and lesbian couples and have welcomed the overwhelming support from everyone who has contacted my office throughout the last week.

Washington United for Marriage, a broad statewide coalition of organizations, congregations, unions and business associations that will work to obtain civil marriage for lesbian and gay couples in Washington State in 2012, today applauded the introduction of SB 6239, “an act relating to providing equal protection for all families in Washington by creating equality in civil marriage and changing the domestic partnership laws, while protecting religious freedom. The bill needs 25 votes in the senate for passage and was introduced with 23 sponsors.”

An October poll found that 55 percent of the state’s independent and moderate voters support marriage equality.

The proposed legislation would not force religious organizations to marry or recognize same-sex unions.

Study of Teens of Lesbian Parents shows Happy as Teens from Heterosexual Parents

The quality of life of 17-year-olds reared in lesbian-parent families did not differ from that of a matched group of adolescents who grew up in heterosexual-parent families, according to a new study published in the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics.

The study took 78 17-year-olds from the NLLFS—all of whom have lesbian mothers—and matched them based on gender, age, parental education, and ethnic background with 78 17-year-olds who have opposite-sex parents. All were scored based on their responses to statements like, “I feel I’m getting along with my parents/guardians,” “I look forward to the future,” and ”I feel good about myself.” The result? Both groups “responded generally in the same way.”

“Consistently, over the past three decades, researchers have found that the daughters and sons of same-sex parents are psychologically well-adjusted. And now our new data demonstrate that 17-year-olds raised from birth by lesbian mothers are as happy as their peers,” said lead author Loes van Gelderen, MSc, University of Amsterdam.

The study also found, among teens with lesbian mothers, no difference in quality of life based on donor status (whether they had been conceived by known or unknown donors), experienced stigmatization (whether or not they had experienced discrimination), or maternal relationship continuity (whether their mothers were still together or had separated).

“The favorable outcomes for these adolescents are a reflection of good parenting by mothers who prepared their daughters and sons for the prospect of adversity,” said Principal Investigator Nanette Gartrell, MD, of the Williams Institute.

In the study, Quality of Life of Adolescents Raised From Birth by Lesbian Mothers, 78 17-year-olds with lesbian mothers were matched on gender, age, parental education, and ethnic background with adolescents in heterosexual-parent families that were drawn from a representative statewide sample.

The adolescents in both groups gave a numerical score (0 = minimum; 10= maximum) to each of a series of statements such as, “I feel I’m getting along with my parents/guardians,” “I look forward to the future,” and ”I feel good about myself.”

The adolescents with lesbian mothers responded generally in the same way as the teenagers with heterosexual parents.

The data in the new report comes from adolescents whose families are participants in the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study (NLLFS), the longest-running and largest prospective investigation of lesbian mothers and their children in the United States.

Initiated by Nanette Gartrell, MD, in 1986, the NLLFS examines the social, psychological, and emotional development of the children as well as the dynamics of planned lesbian families.

This study was conducted by Loes van Gelderen, MSc. (University of Amsterdam), Henny Bos, PhD (University of Amsterdam; Williams Visiting International Scholar 2012), Nanette Gartrell, MD (University of Amsterdam; 2011-12 Williams Institute Visiting Distinguished Scholar ), Jo Hermanns, PhD (University of Amsterdam), and Ellen C. Perrin, MD (Floating Hospital, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA).

For more information about this study, please see Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. 33 (1): 1-7. For more information about the NLLFS, visit www.nllfs.org

Picture: Teen Daughter of  Melanie Nathan©

Court Rules against Anti-Gay Breakaway Episcopals in Church Property Case

A Virginia judge today has ruled against the conservative anti-homosexual breakaway Episcopal Church in Northern Virginia. The conservative group of congregations, which included infamous Truro Church, Fairfax, broke away from the main Episcopal Church and now cannot keep their historically desirable Church building and site properties worth tens of millions of dollars.

Openly Gay Bishop Gene Robinson

The ruling was handed down after a battle over who owns the real property that the seven breakaway churches inhabit. The seven churches, including The Falls Church and Truro Church in Northern Virginia, severed ties with the Episcopal Church in 2006 mainly over their refusal to accept the consecration of openly gay Bishop Gene Robinson

Some say the case gained worldwide attention because of the myriad of legal and religious questions it raises; yet it is probably fair to say that the surrounding scandals have brought further infamy to the Churches concerned.

Episcopal Rev. Marshall Brown, was one of the louder voices in helping the breakaway   in protest of  Bishop Robinson was since fired by Truro Church after being caught viewing pornography on church computers. It was Brown’s Truro Church that spearheaded the continuing schism in the American Anglican Church over the ordination of gays.

Yet even now there are anti-homosexuality linkages that are far more sinister.

Also the Church is linked to David Bahati, the author of the Anti-homosexuality Bill, (otherwise known as The Kill-the-Gays Bill.)  Bahati stayed as a guest in the home of notable Church members, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Klenk, of Falls Church, VA, while on a visit to the U.S.A. in 2010. At the time Bahati was barred from entering the Conference he came into the States to attend and this was known to Klenk, a retired career government official in the Department of Education.

Klenk and his wife visited Uganda recently as members of the Truro Church to support the contributions of the Church to local facilities.

The judge’s decision on Tuesday reversed the decision he made back in 2008 where he ruled in favor of the local congregations keeping their properties. The Virginia Supreme Court overturned that ruling and ordered a new trial.

The anti-gay breakaway churches issued a press release today containing the following statements.:

“Regardless of today’s ruling, we are confident that God is in control, and that He will continue to guide our path,” said Jim Oakes, spokesperson for the seven Anglican congregations.

The Rev. John Yates, rector of The Falls Church, an historic property involved in the case, stated,

“The core issue for us is not physical property, but theological and moral truth and the intellectual integrity of faith in the modern world. Wherever we worship, we remain Anglicans  because we cannot compromise our historic faith. Like our spiritual forebears in the Reformation, ‘Here we stand. So help us God. We can do no other.’”

The seven Anglican congregations are members of the newly established Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic, a member diocese within the Anglican Church in North America.

A spokeswoman for the congregations said they were considering their next step, but a letter sent to some 4,600 congregants sounded as though they are bracing for the worst. Each congregation has a contingency plan if they have to vacate, said Caitlin Bozell Manaois.

We obtained a copy of  the notice to Congregants:

Hello all-

We wanted to make you aware of the press release that has been finalized and is being distributed on behalf of the seven congregations (see below). Please feel free to use parts of this as needed in communicating with your parishioners about the ruling.

Scott Ward has requested that any messages that are distributed to members be reviewed by each congregation’s legal counsel in advance since the wording could impact appeal possibilities. Here are a few sentences that Scott shared, which may be helpful in framing the ruling:

 Judge Bellows found against our churches and in favor of The Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in the lawsuits that TEC and the Diocese filed against our churches.

 Judge Bellows’ opinion directs that the real property (the land and buildings) of the churches and the personal property of the churches acquired before January 31 or February 1, 2007 (depending upon the congregation) are to be turned over to the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia.

 Judge Bellows’ opinion indicates that a proposed final order reflecting these rulings is to be submitted to the Court within 45 days

We will be providing more details in the next couple of days, but wanted to give you some information right away. Judge Bellows’ opinion will be posted on the DOMA website. (NO! NOT THAT DOMA!)

As a reminder, if you are contacted directly by members of the media via phone, email or in-person, we urge you to refer them to CRC Public Relations.

Also, in the wake of this unfortunate news, Truro will hold a prayer and worship service in the main sanctuary today, January 11 at 7:30 pm for the entire parish.

Prayerfully,
Jim Oakes

Braced with having to move, the anti-gay Truro Church has not only  put out letters consoling its congregants but also provided pointers on how to handle children’s questions.  The Rt. Rev. John A. M. Guernsey, who leads Truro is lamenting at having to leave his residence on Parish site.

But regardless of all the Godly’ justification the members are subjected to, perhaps justice is metered out in a heavenly way after all!  God Bless Bishop Gene Robinson!

CA State Sen. Mark Leno, Rep. Lynn Woolsey to be Honored by MHRC at MLK Jr. Award Dinner

Marin County’s Human Rights Commission Highlights Connections to Civil Rights Movement30^th Anniversary Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.  Award Dinner Jan. 19th.

Martin Luther King Jr., ‘The Little Rock 9,’ ‘Tuskegee Airman,’ and LGBT Education Bill SB 48 will all top this year’s renowned Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Annual Marin Awards Dinner, while the Marin Human Rights Commission celebrates a special 30^th Anniversary rendition of its annual award event.  Representatives, leaders and youth from Marin will be honored for their dedication and excellence to humanity and community.  While tickets are still available, this must attend event is expected to be sold out.

The MHRC evening  will be “Steeped in History & Drenched with Inspiration!”  Human Right’s Commissioner Melanie Nathan.

This year the Commission has produced a superlative program with awards that span the generational spectrum and touch the myriad of civil rights and social issues impacting the Marin community.

Openly Gay, state Senator Mark Leno, who last year successfully brought the controversial Educational Bill SB 48 into California’s legislation, will helm the agenda, delivering a short keynote address. The Senator will receive one of the three Commission awards for outstanding service to Marin. Congresswoman Lynn Woolsey, who is not seeking reelection in 2012, will also be honored, in absentia, with a similar award.

The evening, one of the most inspirational of all annual Marin events, will include civil rights activist Melba Beals, one of only 381 U.S. civilians to receive the Congressional Gold Medal. A faculty member at Dominican University of California in San Rafael, Ms. Beals will be honored for her historic role in the Civil Rights movement.

While most teenage girls in 1957 were listening to Elvis and Buddy Holly, Melba Beals faced the wrath of segregationists and the Governor of Arkansas, when together with 8 other African American teens she entered the white-only Central High School, setting off a firestorm, as The Little Rock 9” impacted the course of history.

In perfect tandem, 8 aspiring youth will hear Ms. Beals bear witness to times gone by and at the same time they will receive MLK Jr. Youth Awards for their own contribution to the community.  The young awardees include Brenda Ayala, Jamie Coleman, Pablo Landaverde, Edwin Martinez, Emerald Nau, Michael Sitzmann, Kayla Thompson, and Paulina Villalobos.

A special program award will be presented to the teen board of directors of the organization “Beyond Differences,” founded in memory of past MHRC posthumous honoree, Lili Rachel Smith.

Humanitarian awards will be presented to Elizabeth Emerson, Cio Hernandez, Caroline Kornfield and Darnell Roary.

With thanks to the generous contribution of Fair Housing of Marin, a profound bonus to the event is a rare color photographic exhibit from the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. open housing marches in Chicago in 1965 and 1966, notably depicting years when the Marin Commission was formed.

The Commissioners will also provide a special tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, whose story will be fully presented in the Program and who will be represented in a feature film release by George Lucas the same week.

This much anticipated event which is usually sold out has expanded the venue for this year and  is being held at Embassy Suites, San Rafael on Thursday January 19^th, from 5.30 PM. Tickets can be purchased from Jaime Powell at 415-473-6189 and are $40.00 per ticket.  Invitations and tickets can also be obtained through the website at www.marinhrc.org

Sponsorship opportunities are still available for this important event. Kindly contact Melanie Nathan at Nathan@privatecourts.com.

The Marin Human Rights Commission, established 1966 by the Marin County Board of Supervisors, seeks to eliminate prejudice, intolerance, and discrimination based on race, religion, national origin, gender, age, cultural background, sexual orientation and /or disability. The Commission meets on the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 PM at the Marin County Civic, Room 410 B. The public is invited to attend. Complaints for the Commission can be submitted to 415-473-6189.

NOTE: THIS is taken from Commission’s Press Release and can be re-posted without Credit to this site!

Petition New Hampshire: Hands off Marriage Equality Rights

by Melanie Nathan, January 12, 2012,

New Hampshire wants to reverse two year old marriage equality law and we cannot let that happen. The U.S. is turning toward marriage equality and not away from it. If you have not signed this petition please consider doing it now. The entire country is impacted by marriage equality in each and every state. Tell the Republican conservative law makers to get their hands off our rights!
http://www.change.org/petitions/new-hampshire-state-legislators-dont-repeal-the-freedom-to-marry

Dear Melanie,

I served as a Marine in Iraq to defend freedom and liberty. But now the New Hampshire state legislature might take away an essential freedom from my brother Calvin, who is gay, and thousands of others: the freedom to marry the people they love.

New Hampshire finally granted marriage equality two years ago. It was a great day for my family. But the New Hampshire legislature may repeal that freedom — they could vote to ban marriage equality as soon as this week.

I started a petition on Change.org asking the New Hampshire state legislature not to repeal marriage equality — will you sign it? Just click here.

Growing up, my brother Calvin was tormented for being gay. The pain he felt is a direct reflection of the isolation caused by telling LGBT people that they do not have the same rights as every other law abiding citizen: that they are not worthy of marriage.

I’m a conservative Republican, and I believe in small government. I don’t think our legislators have any business telling my brother he can’t get married. The people of New Hampshire don’t want marriage equality to be repealed, either — more than 60% of people in New Hampshire support keeping the equal marriage law in place.

So far, more than 2,000 Granite Staters and 72,000 people across the country have signed my petition. Miley Cyrus even tweeted about it. But we haven’t won yet. The NH legislature needs to hear from people like you and me who support everyone’s freedom to get married. Please click here to sign my petition now.

Thank you for your time,

- Craig