Challenging the Powers That Be

Pittsburgh: Brutality Alleged in Honor Student Arrest (0)

January 26, 2010 • Category: Crime and Punishment, Goverment and Politics

On a cold Pittsburgh evening around 11:00 pm January 11, 2010, Miles Jordon, who had just turned 18 the day before, began his usual ritual of walking from his mother’s home to his grandmother’s home 5 blocks away in the Homewood neighborhood, where he spent most nights. The classical musician and Honor Student at Pittsburgh’s prestigious Creative and Performing Arts High School never made it. The 5′6” 150 pound teenager who had been sheltered from street life by his family never had a chance.

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And in other news»

Myra Chanel Ical, 51, Murdered (0)

Transgender persons are now 17 times more likely to be murdered than the national average, much higher than any demographic group. The murders are also more likely than not to be solved (a suspect is arrested, tried, and convicted of some crime for the death). Murder remains one of the leading causes of death for transgender persons in the United States (according to experts and available government statistics, Mortality and Morbidity reports, etc).

Crime and Punishment»

Hate 101: A Tale of Two Soldiers (1)

In the end, without a statement from Maj. Hasan himself, we may never know what the actual cause or causes is or were behind what he allegedly did. While he is off the ventilator, he remains in ICU and, at last report, is not communicating (he is either unconscious or refusing to speak, there is no clarification).

Goverment and Politics»

Supreme Court Removes Campaign Spending Limits on Corporations (0)

This effectively ends democracy, as one person one vote becomes one dollar one vote, with corporations holding trillions of dollars to sway any election their way. Look to Haiti to see how this will effect those who are not wealthy, and the Peoples Republic of China to see how the government will operate in relation to the governed.

Health and Science»

Health Care Hysterics, er, Reform (0)

Clearly, something needs to change. Having tens of millions of US Citizens without any access to health care services beyond rudimentary emergency care presents a very serious health risk for the entire nation on a number of levels. Add to that millions of immigrants, both legal and illegal, who are also uninsured or underinsured, and you have all the ingredients of a health care disaster. Problem is, the insurance issue isn’t only one crashing the health care system.

Lifestyle»

On Celebrity Outings and Labelling (0)

More than a few writers and commentators have suggested that Baxter is not a “real lesbian,” but is instead a lesbian-identified bisexual. Now, normally, I’m not a huge fan of labels, but this particular one, especially in the context it is used in, not only denies Baxter’s self-identification and expression of herself as a lesbian, but negates her entire past, not to mention her journey of self-exploration to find her true self and the happiness she sought.

News»

Texans Ban Marriage, in 2005? (0)

It would appear, in the race to add constitutional amendments to prevent LGBT persons from becoming equal with their heteronormative counterparts, that Texas, as usual, took some fairly extreme measures.  Because, in that effort to keep inequality legal, 22 words brought LGBT Texans much closer to equality than heteronormative Texans would have guessed, or wanted.
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Opinion and Editorial»

An Open Letter to Ronald Gold (0)

Last week, The Bilerico Project welcomed their newest contributing writer, Ronald Gold, co-founder of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, and a gay rights activist for decades. What became clear, in his very first article, was that he had no concept as to just how inclusive Bilerico is. The article, one of the most transphobic I have ever seen outside of the usual religious extremist sites and publications, was pulled shortly after it appeared, along with the hundreds of angry replies to it.