In October 2009, Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed two bills that would have ensured Transgender/GLBTQ safety in the state prison system. Thankfully, the LGBT Prisoner Safety Act was reintroduced last January, and here, the author provides the reader with the information to ensure that the incompetent Governor passes it this time!
4/16/09
Judge frees Maine woman who killed abusive husband
By The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Maine — A 50-year-old Portland woman who killed her abusive husband with a butcher knife has been sentenced to the seven months she already spent in jail.
Laureen Rugen, who was free on bail, left the courthouse a free woman after Friday’s sentencing. She was initially charged with murder but pleaded guilty in February to manslaughter.
The judge agreed with prosecution and defense lawyers that Rugen suffered two decades of physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of her 61-year-old husband, Christian Rugen.
Rugen stabbed her husband more than 25 times on April 8, 2008.
Prosecutor Lisa Marchese said the case involved a unique set of circumstances and does not signal that it’s OK to kill an abusive spouse.4/16/09
Judge frees Maine woman who killed abusive husband
By The Associated... more
Here, the author speaks on the similarities between the transgender and Indigenous communities and why it is imperative that they ally themselves and work together.
Want a Good Laugh? Check Out the SAFE Act!
What if you knew a bill had been introduced in Congress in which most of the findings were misleading, outdated, or simply false? Welcome to wonderful, wacky world of HR 739, the Security and Financial Empowerment Act (SAFE).
The bill contains 53 different claims. Only 4 of those claims can be verified as accurate, current, and truthful. As for the remaining 49 claims, whoever dreamed up this stuff has an incredible sense of humor!
The following bold-faced quotes come straight from the SAFE Act findings. They are followed by the actual facts. So get ready for some side-splitting humor:
"Violence against women has been reported to be the leading cause of physical injury to women."
Here's what the website of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services shows (http://mchb. hrsa.gov/ whusa08/hstat/ hi/pages/ 226i.html):
Under the graph the DHHS states, "All of the leading causes of injury in 2006 were unintentional. " But domestic violence is an intentional cause of injury. In other words, DV is not even on the list of leading causes of injury.
"According to recent Government estimates, approximately 987,400 rapes occur annually in the United States"
Here's what the FBI really says: "In 2007, the estimated number of forcible rapes (90,427) decreased 2.5 percent from the 2006 estimate." http://www.fbi. gov/ucr/cius2007 /offenses/ violent_crime/ forcible_ rape.html So the SAFE number is off by about 900,000. We'll just call it a rounding error.
Now ready to have a real belly laugh? Check out RADAR's critique of the SAFE findings: http://www.mediarad ar.org/docs/ RADARanalysis- HR739Findings. pdf
After you see all the misleading claims, misrepresentations, and outright falsehoods, tell your Representative that people shouldn't be making a joke of domestic violence.
Tell your congressman to vote 'No' against the SAFE Act. As always, please remember to be polite.
To find your Representative' s contact information go to http://www.house. gov and enter your zip code in the upper left corner.
R.A.D.A.R. – Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting – is a non-profit, non-partisan organization of men and women working to improve the effectiveness of our nation's approach to solving domestic violence. http://www.mediaradar.org.RADAR ALERT:
Want a Good Laugh? Check Out the SAFE Act!
What if you knew a bill... more
An openly gay honor student in a small Louisiana town wants to wear a tuxedo in her yearbook photo instead of a traditional drape.An openly gay honor student in a small Louisiana town wants to wear a tuxedo in her... more
39% of victims of domestic violence are men, but you'd never know it from these public service announcements.39% of victims of domestic violence are men, but you'd never know it from these... more
The challenges facing the US public education system are enormous.
Despite attempts over the years to give all young Americans access to a decent education regardless of race or social class, the gap between educational haves and have-nots remains wide.
These problems will be solved with the implication of the Baha'i Peace Plan and it's educational mandate.The challenges facing the US public education system are enormous.
Despite attempts... more
Shop for your best girlfriend, your mother or your sister this International Women's Day AND have a percent of every sale go to Women For Women International!
It’s interesting when I call up prosecutor’s who are misbehaving. Nobody is willing to step up and be accountable for their actions. It happened with Jennifer Weiler of Thurston County and the Jeremy Kanoa Hughes case, and now it’s happening again with Mary N. Kellet, Assistant District Attorney/Hitwoman for Maine’s 7th district court. She’s not talking. Period.
A new rape “trial” for the Vladek Filler family has been ordered due to her misconduct up in Ellsworth, Maine where as many as 4 men per month have been indicted on multiple counts of Rape, each carrying up to 30 years in prison. The details are disturbing, especially the conduct of Ms. Kellett within the courtroom itself.
So, I contacted Micheal Povich this afternoon to get the prosecution’s side of the story. He was a likable fellow who actually brought up many good points. One of his points was burden of proof. He asked me initially if I presumed that all rape charges were innocent? I wondered in return, if he thought all rape charges were presumed guilty? He asked me how I would decipher evidentiary accusatory material brought forth concerning rape. I simply answered him that accusations do not constitute rape. I left that statement not sure whether he was in agreement with me or not. But, he seemed to want to understandably justify his position. I was wondering if that justification was for the victims only or whether that also included the accused. Either way, I’d like to remind Mr. Povich that the system would be much more equitable if allegations of perjury were treated as equally as those of domestic violence.
Michael would not discuss this case, even though it was thrown out of court the first time that it was tried. It will be tried again, even though Ms. Kellett is trying at this moment to kill certain evidence against her “client” in the Maine Appelate courts. Why that is, is still a question to be answered. It has been my experience that those who hold public office and have something to hide, decline all offers. Mr. Povich, to his credit, did speak with me today.
So, I left Mr. Povich with one last telling question concerning accountablilty. I simply asked him if he would be willing to openly discuss this case once it has been settled. He neither declined, nor accepted, yet alluded to his answer to be in line of “slimy lawyers” as his excuse. I certainly hope that it is not an excuse. I equally hope that he will accept my offer as I will be following this case to its conclusion. At that point, I will again contact Mr. Povich and it should then be clear as to the motives of what kind of office he is running up there. One that will stonewall public answers or one that is accountable to their public.Mary Kellett - Nobody’s Talking…
March 13th, 2009
It’s... more
IN his first press conference after his re-election in 2004, President Bush memorably declared, "I earned capital in the campaign, political capital, and now I intend to spend it." We all know how that turned out.
Barack Obama has little in common with George W. Bush, thank God, his obsessive workouts and message control notwithstanding. At a time when very few Americans feel very good about very much, Obama is generating huge hopes even before he takes office. So much so that his name and face, affixed to any product, may be the last commodity left in the marketplace that can still move Americans to shop.IN his first press conference after his re-election in 2004, President Bush memorably... more
Family roles have changed substantially since the 1950s. Mom now works outside the home. And dad is expected to be more involved in raising the kids. But as parental roles and responsibilities become less defined, psychologists question: Are there essential characteristics of fathering versus mothering?
FIU’s Fatherhood Lab explores these issues and Psychology Professor Gordon Finley, who runs the lab, focuses specifically on how divorce impacts fathers and the development of their children. Finley has found that a father’s role is unique and far too often neglected by the family court system.
Finley found that children of divorce really miss their fathers. According to Finley, they are denied a relationship with them because of present-day family law and court practices.
The take-home message, according to Finley, is simple: “Fathers matter. Children need their fathers and, as it turns out, fathers need their children,” he says.
Divorced fathers are eight to 10 times more likely to commit suicide than divorced mothers. They also are higher on most indices of personal and social distress than divorced mothers.
Social policy, Finley argues, needs to catch up to the research: “Family law should be based on social science research – not ideology.”
Finley is a frequent contributor to journals that influence public policy. His study, “Father Involvement and Long Term Young Adult Outcomes: The Differential Contributions of Divorce and Gender,” was published by Family Court Review, an interdisciplinary communication forum for judges, attorney, mediators and professionals in the mental health and human services.Family roles have changed substantially since the 1950s. Mom now works outside the... more
Philip Spooner, an 86 year old veteran and life long republican gives his point of view for Maine's marriage equality bill on April 22, 2009. Nearly 4,000 people attended the hearing, with marriage equality supporters out-numbering the opposition 4 to 1.
Every person is equal and dissevers the same rights.Philip Spooner, an 86 year old veteran and life long republican gives his point of... more
Earlier this year, the National Alliance to End Homelessness estimated that 1.5 million people would be made homeless over the next two years as a result of the recession. In this series of profiles, DailyFinance speaks with some of the people who have fallen victim to layoffs, foreclosure, unforgiving creditors and plain old bad financial luck. Here are their stories.
The descent into homelessness can occur with terrifying speed. For Mike, a 33-year-old aspiring Web developer, it happened after an emergency loan from a relative suddenly fell through, driving his family out of a motel and onto the streets of San Francisco in September.
His wife and two kids were lucky to get a bed at a shelter, but there was no room for Mike (he asked us not to disclose his last name). So he ended up spending four nights in Golden Gate Park, a sprawling urban greenscape that, while popular with tourists and locals alike during the day, can be dangerous after dark.
"I couldn't believe it," says the former Seattle resident. "I wasn't technically well off, but I could keep a job, and I was thinking, 'How the hell did I get here?'"
Just one year ago, everything seemed possible. Mike was living with his family in the pleasant beach-side community of West Seattle and was in the middle of an exciting career change. After a decade of working as a chef, he was looking forward to finding a job as a Web developer. To make ends meet while he was finishing up a bachelor of science degree in software engineering at Eastern Washington University, he was working for a company that did catering for private jets.
A Sobering Reality
In February, the catering company Mike worked for dramatically cut his hours. Thanks to the Great Recession, people just weren't flying in private jets much anymore. Mike was no longer able to pay the bills and started collecting unemployment, which he viewed as a stopgap measure until he could graduate in June and get a job working for one of Seattle's technology firms.
By the time graduation came, however, Mike was confronted with a sobering reality: "I was looking for tech jobs all over the place, but no one would hire a guy fresh out of college," he says. "I was even looking for restaurant jobs, but restaurants had all cut back as no one was going out to eat."
Mike and his family decided to make a bold, if risky, move. In the beginning of September, they scraped together what little money they had left and relocated to the San Francisco Bay area, the nation's tech mecca, where Mike was certain he would find a job. For weeks, the family stayed in cheap hotel rooms booked on Priceline.com while Mike looked for work, cold-calling recruiters and sending out resumes.
The Money Dries Up
Toward the end of September, the unemployment money that was supposed to last them through the entire month ran out. Making matters worse, a relative who'd promised to give them a loan changed her mind at the last minute. Their only option was to try to get beds in one of San Francisco's shelters, already maxed-out with all of the other newly homeless looking for places to sleep.
Mike and his family ended up at Hamilton Family Center, one of the largest providers of homeless shelter and support services in San Francisco. The city has the highest per capita rate of homelessness -- nearly 1 for every 100 residents -- of any major U.S. city, and Hamilton and other nonprofit agencies like it have their work cut out for them. Even more disturbing is that homelessness is increasingly a family affair here. As many as 40% of homeless people in San Francisco are part of a homeless family.
"It's organizations like ours that are the last safety nets for this community," says Hamilton's Executive Director Beth Stokes, adding that funding cuts are leaving this net increasingly frayed. "We're all worried about what's going to happen next year."
According to Mike, Hamilton only had enough space for his wife and their children, ages 6 and 4. That's when he headed to Golden Gate Park.
Help in the Nick of Time
"I found a little private bush and made sure nobody saw me," Mike says. "I chose a part that wasn't very popular since I know there are areas where the homeless like to congregate."
After four nights sleeping outside, another unemployment check came through. The money allowed Mike and his family to move back into a cheap motel in early November. A few weeks later, they finally caught a break. Thanks to money made available through the federal economic stimulus program, Hamilton was able to enroll the family in its First Avenues program, which helps families keep or find homes, depending on their situation. Since it started in 2006, First Avenues has prevented 375 families from getting evicted and helped another 500 homeless families get permanent housing.
Through the program, which will last 18 months, the family has received money for a deposit on an apartment in Oakland, Calif., as well as assistance paying the $875 rent. Mike says the neighborhood is much grittier than their old community in Seattle, but he's grateful for the roof over his family's head.
"It's a really nice unit," he says. "The kids are less stressed out."
Staying Positive
The one-year anniversary of Mike's unemployment is approaching in February. He is trying to stay positive, but sometimes it's hard to remain upbeat. He's sent out more than 75 resumes for tech and cooking jobs and has gone on a few interviews. One potential tech employer told Mike that he didn't have enough experience. A recruiter at another firm said he would like to hire him, but would wait to see if he had the money to do so in next year's budget.
If that's not overwhelming enough, Mike's family lost its eligibility for food stamps when they moved to Oakland. Mike says nobody ever told them they would have to reapply. To boot, their car died, making it harder to get over to the county office to drop off the application.
Mike finds what little solace he can in the kind gestures of others -- the landlord back up in Seattle who's letting them pay off their last month's rent owed bit-by-bit at $25 a month, or the folks at the First Avenues program who helped them get their apartment. "They've been really nice," he says.Earlier this year, the National Alliance to End Homelessness estimated that 1.5... more
Good on her for stepping up to the plate. Not that Wanda was completely "in" before but the more who speak up, the better. Thanks, Wanda! Love ya!Good on her for stepping up to the plate. Not that Wanda was completely "in"... more
Whatever you believe in the nature vs. nurture argument over homosexuality’s cause, the issue of marriage has been trivialized by many straight couples, while numerous same-sex couples are fighting for their chance to experience the happiness that the true, loving, lasting marriages have the opportunity to feel.Whatever you believe in the nature vs. nurture argument over homosexuality’s... more
"The Iowa Supreme Court this week will hear a same-sex marriage case that could become a national victory for the gay rights movement or a chance to reinforce Iowa's decade-old gay marriage ban.
Oral arguments on Tuesday will pit six same-sex Iowa couples against Polk County and supporters of the state law that defines marriage as the union of a man and a woman.
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The case, Varnum vs. Brien, could make Iowa the first state in the Midwest to legalize same-sex marriage. Other high-court decisions that favor gay rights advocates have come from traditionally liberal coastal states, including California, Massachusetts and Connecticut.
"This is the heartland of America - a place where family values are revered," said University of Iowa law professor Angela Onwuachi-Willig, who has signed a court brief supporting gay-marriage rights. "It would be an incredibly strong signal for the Iowa Supreme Court to find that same-sex marriages are legal.""The Iowa Supreme Court this week will hear a same-sex marriage case that could... more
No matter what your personal beliefs are, if you want to protect the constitiutional rights of every american, sign this petition.No matter what your personal beliefs are, if you want to protect the constitiutional... more
A religious group trying to support proposition 8 in California found itself the target of outrage in San Francisco's Castro district this past friday night.
Members of the gay community said that almost every Friday night, a Christian group meets at the corner of Castro and 18th Streets, in the heart of the city's gayest neighborhood. They try to convert gays and lesbians into a straight lifestyle.
Members of the gay community insisted that their reaction to the Christian group was spontaneous. It was not an organized thing. We're tired of it. It's not religious. It's not a racial thing. It's about hate. We're trying to send a message across the world that we're standing up and we don't want this to go on anymore said Adam Quintero. Some demonstrators told KTVU (Fox channel 2) that they are planning on more than protests. They say they plan to break away and carry out acts of civil disobedience.
San Francisco Police officers in riot gear formed a line and escorted the religious group into a van to safely get them out of the area.
Is this action necessary for gays to have equal rights, or the same their opponents to suppress those same rights? If the religious radicals have won the temporary battle, for votes? Then why has this Discrimination not been met with harsher backlash? Why if this discrimination (against gays) is to legally to occur is it that gays are fiscally required to contribute yet civically remain a second class citizen?A religious group trying to support proposition 8 in California found itself the... more
