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» D.C. Hate Criminal Pleads Guilty
"A man arrested for assaulting a gay man in Georgetown has pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court to two charges, including felony assault with bias intent. Ruddad Abdulgader, 19, faces a maximum sentence of five and a half years in prison for the bias-related assault charge and the second charge to which he pleaded guilty — possession of a prohibited weapon, a liquor bottle. In appearing Nov. 12 before Judge Harold Cushionberry, Abdulgader acknowledged a statement by prosecutors that he used a glass vodka bottle to strike a 23-year-old man in the face while making anti-gay remarks, knocking him unconscious in an unprovoked attack Oct. 3." [Wash Blade] |
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"This is the first time in U.S. history that the majority voted to strip the rights of a minority. Who will be next?" asked Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center CEO Lori Jean, who also credited young people as the driving force of the movement, saying "We now pass the torch to you!" The protests, organized via the website www.jointheimpact.com, spread through sites like Facebook, Myspace & Twitter. Many of you sent in photos, videos and stories of the day. After the jump, we present some of these snapshots from across the country. You may want to grab a hankie. |
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» No Protection…
"A gay D.C. police officer on Oct. 26 found anti-gay graffiti scrawled on his locker at the Third District police substation, where he is assigned. The incident marks the second time in less than a year that an officer became the target of anti-gay graffiti at a D.C. police facility." [Washington Blade] |
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» Detained.
"D.C. police announced Monday that they arrested a teenage male suspect in connection with a July 13 incident in Adams Morgan in which five male attackers assaulted three gay men while shouting anti-gay names. Police listed the incident as a hate crime." [Washington Blade] |
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» Identity Crisis.
Washington DC's gays are migrating away from increasingly gentrified gay ghetto Dupont Circle, which leaves the neighborhood wondering "We're here, we're what?" [Washington Business Journal] |
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» Attacked, Treated, Released…
"Two gay men were treated and released from a local hospital and another suffered bruises and cuts after the three were assaulted last week. Police and a friend of one of the victims said five unidentified male attackers shouted anti-gay names at them on July 13 about 4:20 a.m. on the 1800 block of Kalorama Road in Washington’s Adams Morgan neighborhood." [Washington Blade] |
» Frank Talks.
New Jersey-born homo-politico Barney Frank offers favorite places in DC. He also offers some frank talk on the GOP's gay ways: "There's a very large gay staff presence on Capitol Hill. And it's larger than people would think on the Republican side. But most of them have to be closeted. Not necessarily in their offices — they'll say, "Oh, my boss knows and they're very proud." But the boss doesn't want anybody in the district to know." [PlanetOut] |
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The editorial union of these men counts as the first in a sporadic series called "Homo Encounters," during which our editor moderates a conversation between two notable homos from various fields. Today's one super Tuesday, so we thought Hudson and Foreman could offer some interesting thoughts on where the gay movement remains today - and where it's meant to go tomorrow. We don't want to give too much away, but be prepared for the pros and cons of incrementalism, how the Democrats can shape up (or ship out), why the federal level ain't the shit and which political enemies should be our mentors - after the jump, naturally. |
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A Washington DC church faces a serious schism after the Washington Blade published some very unJesus like emails from an irate choir member to their pastor, Bishop Alfred Owens Jr. The woman, who has not been identified, tells Owens that she can no longer attend the church because of all the queers in the choir. She also took it upon herself to out 107 church members. From The Blade: The outings added to the inner turmoil experienced by a large number of gays who attend services at the 7,000-member Greater Mount Calvary Holy Church, located on Rhode Island Ave., N.E., according to a gay former member who provided copies of the e-mails to the Blade. No doubt Owens appreciated the heads up - he's got a long history of homophobia, including saying that real men, not faggots, can love Jesus. The National Black Justice Coalition released a statement blasting Owen and his ilk: "We know that many of the gays that go there like the traditional setting of a church like that. It tears at your soul." |
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Jensen hopes that he won't have to do the same. That's why he heads up the 400-strong Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies, which strives to revamp the Department's employment policies. Our editor recently sat down with Jensen to talk shop. The results are intriguing, particularly because Jensen - who spoke in fairly calm, nearly monotonous tones - attempts to toe the line while also advocating for gay rights. It's an odd combination, to be sure, but not surprising considering the circumstances. Andrew Belonsky: First, what exactly is your role - what's your job? Aaron Jensen: My job job? AB: Yeah. AJ: I'm a desk officer for the State Department, but I'm not going to focus or really talk about my professional job. AB: Okay… So you work for the State Department. Why did you decide to work there? AJ: It's what I always wanted to do - since about college. It sounded really great - a diplomatic corp that goes around representing the United States' interests to various countries in the world. You really get to know what it's like to live and work in a foreign country. AB: And where have you traveled? AJ: Guanjo, China, Madrid, Spain and Kabul, Afghanistan. AB: How many languages do you speak? AJ: Really just Spanish and Chinese. AB: Afghanistan must have been a struggle, must have been a challenge. AJ: Yeah, it was a challenge. I didn't speak the local language, so I relied on translators when I dealt with Afghans who didn't speak English. The main challenge, I would say, was social. The work was super exciting - you worked long hours, but people work long hours here. AB: What do you mean "social challenges"? Because you were working all the time? AJ: No. For security reasons your social group is primarily the people you live and work with. AB: Tell me about your work with Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies. AJ: I'm the president of the organization presently - until March. AB: How long are your terms? AJ: One year. I have an opportunity to go abroad - I thought I would stay another couple years, but I'm going to go abroad. But [GLIFAA is] a department recognized employee affinity group, [whose] main responsibility is advocating for gay and lesbian issues in the State Department. Our priority is trying to get equality in benefits for gay and lesbian employees and equality in benefits for families of gay and lesbian employees. AB: You're "department recognized". What is your relationship with the State Department. Is it just that they respect you? That's the "recognition"? AJ: There are - let's see - we are considered to be the equivalent to Blacks in Government or the State… We don't get a budget from the department, but it's recognized that we can meet occassionally with state officials, if they so choose. AB: Do you guys have regular meetings with officials or is it case-by-case? AJ: It had been case-by-case, but the director general, the head of human resources, basically - he's going to meet quarterly with all affinity groups. We also have members from the US Agency for International Development, the Foreign Agricultural Service and the Foreign Commercial Service… AB: Do you get involved in international advocacy? AJ: Never. AB: You're primarily concerned with employee equality, but are there other issues with which you engage, make statements? AJ: Almost never. Never. Never, ever, ever do we advocate on U.S. foreign policy. No. That's not our purview. Just advocacy for State employees. AB: And that's an internal decision? AJ: Yes. We do have speakers from various international GLBT organizations, but we ourselves do not speak out publicly on any foreign policy issues. |
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» DC Center Launches Blog
Washington DC's LGBT center decided to join the blogosphere. If you're from the DC area, in the DC area or want to read about people in the DC area, head on over to the ingeniously entitled The DC Center. |
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Congress and President Bush have done the right thing, lifting a disastrous nine-year ban that prevented Washington from using locally raised tax dollars on needle-exchange programs that help fight the spread of AIDS. Unfortunately, that still leaves in force an even broader and more damaging law that prohibits the use of federal funds for needle-exchange programs in the United States or abroad. And that's the truth, Ruth. |
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Friday Night Metro Ride Turns Bloody
DCist paraphrases the Fox News video: As the doors closed at Metro Center, the group surrounded and beat Nathaniel, kicking him as he fell to the floor and yelling "faggot". Police refused to share surveillance footage with Fox. They're obviously very concerned with finding these jack-offs. |
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Have We Done The Time Warp?
Via ABC:
What?! Our Republican controlled government ignores blacks and gays? How retro! |