The FBI needs to take over the investigation. This HAS to become the FIRST hate-crime tried under President Obama’s new law. Puerto Rico is part of the U.S., it is our backyard, and many, many gays, live there. It has always been a welcoming place for us, and we need to show the government that we want to keep it that way. Governor Luis Fortuno is a young, brilliant guy, and he needs to hear our voices. This was a KID who was killed.

I WANT TO SEE FROM MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS HERE the same passion used to debate Adam Lambert or the Marine in porn guy or Chaz Bono. PLEASE.
Otherwise, WE ARE THE ONLY ONES TO BLAME. NOT heteros, not authorities, us. For being complacent.

And do you know why this shit keeps happening? Do you know why we have no power, as an LGBT COMMUNITY? It’s because the politics of self-division have been so successful. It’s because our lobbying organizations prove themselves impotent, our movement is roiled by socio-economic divisions, and because we allow ourselves to buy into flawed narratives that assume that simply by being who we are, trannies or faggots to use the above nomenclature, we deserve this shit.

We deserve respect, equality and safety and we should be fighting others to prove it, not ourselves.

First of all, Queerty, this wasn’t a “gay bashing.” This was a TRANS bashing. Jorge Mercado was not murdered because of sexual orientation, but because of gender identity.

And to the commenters:
If you say “The murder wasn’t justified, but…” you ARE blaming the victim, and you ARE defending the murderer. Period.

Trans people do not deceive; Cis people have ciscentric views of the world and blame trans people when that isn’t the case.

And by a legitimate reason, I mean a reason like… if someone just killed your family and you had do something because they were coming at you to torture then kill you and your new-born son.

Okay, I stopped reading about halfway up, during Joe’s and Terrwill’s argument.

Let me just ask this: since WHEN does lying about your genitalia/gender/whatever justify MURDERING them?

Since when is murder JUSTIFIABLE at ALL?! Cold blooded, without conscience, murder?!!!

It’s NOT! No matter how “mad” or “scared for his life” that ass who killed Jorge got because the person he allegedly “found out was a man underneath it all” wasn’t what he wanted, that doesn’t mean he can go and kill him. Confrontation or not, there is no excuse for murdering another person.

And let me just define the difference between Murder and Killing in NORMAL social standards:

Murder: the taking of someone else’s life with no compassion or remorse, or second thoughts not having to do with one’s own future or “ass on the line.”

Kill: can be described in a number of ways, but is or isn’t the taking of someone’s life to save your OWN life (FOR A LEGITIMATE REASON), or taking their life for the hell of it.

Sheesh..

you’re post makes sense but I don’t think Terriwell really thinks that. After reading Terriwell’s many posts I do think he’s blaming the victim vs saying the victim inflamed the situation.

let’s repeat what you wrote:
violence against someone—even if they deceive you—is inexcusable

http://www.facebook.com/home.p.....0548070102

This wasn’t the first time the murderer had been in the area where he picked up Jorge, this told by other women and transgender who “work” in that area, they were also the ones who helped the police to solve this crime. These areas in PR are very well known by pretty much everyone so I’m sure he knew what he was getting into. This guy had already been in jail for abusing the mother of his kids, neighbours have told local news that he liked to intimidate them, this guy has a past of violence and drugs….

I understand what you are trying to say but I think you are wrong. NO ONE has the right to do this to any person or any animal under NO circumstances. There are photos in the internet of how Jorge’s body was left, I wish I had not seen them because I think I’m scared for life. I don’t agree with what Jorge might be doing that night but as someone less than perfect my heart cries that he had to go trought something like this. I think Joe is right when he tries to make you understand that the same way you are judging transgenders is the way many straight people would talk about and justify their deslike of gay men or women. We weren’t there so we don’t know what happened but I think your opinion is based just in prejudice you might have. Let there be peace with everyone suffering with this tragedy. RIP Jorge

if not “tranny” which word is ok? i don’t like “tranny”…but i honestly don’t know what to say instead. hence the qutoes.”

You can just say “trans”, it’s not that hard.

And we shouldn’t speculate on ze’s identity right now, maybe Marcado identified as a gay dragqueen/crossdresser or a trans woman. The news reports haven’t really said so already.

And Terrwill, do us all a favor and play in the street or something.

That poor kid.

thanks for the civil “discussion”. be safe.

And I think I get where you’re coming from. It’s a dangerous system of bigotry that needs to be navigated even as it’s being dismantled. And unfortunately there really is no easy or safe way to do that, as of yet.

as for the power structure, and the con idea….i don’t mean that it is always a con….but it is still deceptive to not make sure both people in the sexually charged situation are on the same page. it seems like it would be safer to say so up front … the hostility potential has to be less at that point than at a latter point when someone is expecting a female but finds a trans male.

note though, that i’m not saying it’s right for it to be this way….but trans individuals are ultimately responsible for their own safety, just like the rest of us. as a gay man, there are places i know not to go to becuase their environments have a far greater potential for trouble than others.

fair? no. stupid, yes. but that doesn’t make it less real. trans folks have to guage their safety. but no matter what, it can’t be beneficial to their safety if they don’t make it clear to a would-be romantic/sexual fling that the reality is what it is.

what else can we say? we all have to take care to be safe. and that is certainly more difficult for trans people than others. but not being up front in a sexually charged situation will always increase the potential for a negative and possibly violent reaction.

If anything, it does not protect them, but makes them more vulnerable. I personally don’t have any answers as to when the proper time for disclosure is (and I think that’s a decision which is VERY specific to all individuals involved in any particular situation), but to generalize it as some kind of con, I think, is to greatly misunderstand the power structure in these situations.

Also, to reiterate, using “tranny” is pretty much equivalent to using “faggot”. So unless you’re trans, you should really try to avoid it. Otherwise, you really have no place asking people to stop using any other derogatory terms against LGB folks.

(Oh, and as an aside, the “Joey” who posted comment #27 isn’t me)

but i don’t think terwill means that it’s Mercado’s fault he was beaten….simply that he, or she, could have inflamed the situation by being deceptive.

his point about deception is important and no one should freak on him for making it. it is inexcusable for anyone to lead on someone like that (i knoow, mercado didn’t necessarily do this, but for those who do do this). no one wants to hit on someone and then find out they were being mislead in such a fundamental way. and it DOES happen. a str8 friend of mind had it happen several years ago—-he didn’t react violently, but he was pissed. and the “tranny” or whatever word you prefer didn’t seem to think it should have mattered!!

that’s bullshit. i’m gay, and when a girl flirts with me, it’s my responsibility to tell her….not lead her on. likewise, if i hit on a guy and he’s not gay, he damn well should tell me. it’s embarrassing to think you are hitting it off with someoen and then realize you were reading the situation totally wrong (we’ve all been there, no??).

it’s the same with a tranny. if you are MTF and a guy is hitting on you, you damn well better make sure he knows. cause it is fucked up to wait till you are getting naked.

having said that, reacting violently to that type of deception is not justifiable. jsut to reiterate.

He KNEW he was a man. Do you believe that bullshit confesion? The murderer made attempts to a female prostitute and a MALE prostitute, they declined and then apparently Jorge Steven accepted. The police found two condoms with all the evidence that this piece of shit was trying to get rid off and he flushed down the toilet. So do you really believe his bullshit story? This guy is the typical closet gay “macho man”, know his only concern is that people don’t think his gay…Give me a break! The guy is lying and he knew all the time Jorge Steven was a male plan and simple.

He was only 19!!! He was just a fucking kid!!! This is just too gruesome and sick for words & I hope that this person gets what he deserves… and ironically, I’m sure a lot of prison rape will be in store for this maggot.

You really don’t like trans people, do you?

People, you need to understand that the conflation in mainstream society between gender and sexuality plays a huge part in BOTH homophobia and transphobia. Trying to justify the one only perpetuates the other.

I hear what you’re saying and I agree 100%.

I do, however, think that one can reduce one’s exposure to dangerous situations. For example, take walking alone at night. I don’t think it’s blaming the victim to point out why that’s not a good idea. We use date rape stories to encourage people to be careful who they get drinks from, so why not use nighttime rape stories to encourage people to be safe when walking at night? Rapes, of course, do occur elsewhere and at other times day, but it’s a smart step to take a friend with you when walking at that time of day (this goes for men, too), not just because of rape, but for all sorts of crimes.

I did mention a gay guy coming onto a straight guy, though, as that’s the most direct parallel to what you said, and the most common justification for gay bashings. Thus is born the “gay panic” defense. You know, the one mentioned in the article? The one that will likely be used in court by the murderer in this case?

But please, continue to yell. It makes your viewpoint look extremely well-informed and persuasive.

“I’m not saying the rape/murder is justified, but if only only the woman had not gotten shit-faced/wore the mini skirt/walked by herself at 3 AM, etc., the rape/murder could have been prevented.”

Sigh. Some things never change.