Trans-woman bashed up in McDonald's. DO SOMETHING.

Hello fellas and felletes (idk?)!

Today, i received an email which is calling on for a petition. Usually, i'd ignore some of these emails but this one was against McDonald's and i was wondering why. I mean, fast food establishments vs homosexuality, there's almost nothing to petition against. Then i read the email. There's a reason why i'm blogging about it. It's not only shocking, it's repulsive, sickening and disgusting.

Read the email, if you like. Watch the video, if you like.

---- START OF EMAIL ----

Dear jallen,

On Friday, Adrian Leigh Cowan of Baltimore started a petition on Change.org, speaking out in response to a shocking online video of a transgender woman being brutally beaten at a local McDonald’s.

As Adrian told our team of organizers, “I was moved to start this petition because when I first viewed the video, I was brought to tears. How anyone could stand by and allow this to happen is unfathomable to me." More than 30,000 Change.org members had the same reaction, and joined Adrian in signing the petition.

If you haven’t watched the horrifying video of this hate crime, please click this link (WARNING: Video contains extremely graphic violence). Then add your name to Adrian's petition calling on McDonald’s and Maryland authorities to hold those involved accountable.

If you would prefer not to watch the video posted by Adrian, you should know what it documents: A 22-year-old transgender woman is pulled out of a McDonald’s bathroom and viciously beaten by two customers. She is punched, knocked to the ground, dragged across the floor by her hair, and kicked in the face until she appears to experience a seizure.

Instead of coming to this woman’s assistance, one McDonald’s employee filmed the assault while others can be heard cheering the assailants on as they attack the victim. After the brutal incident, the video was posted to the Internet, where an employee bragged that the assault was OK because the victim “was a man dressed like a woman.”

Sadly, this attack is a reminder of the rampant harassment and discrimination that transgender people face every day. Nationwide, more than half of all transgender people experience verbal or physical abuse when trying to access public accommodations like restrooms. Brutal acts of violence are all too common -- and authorities often fail to prosecute these crimes to the fullest extent of the law.

Not surprisingly, McDonald's lacks standard policies for protecting transgender individuals, despite a decent record of workplace discrimination protections for gays and lesbians. And while the company has pledged to “take appropriate action” against all employees involved in this heinous event, just one has been punished.

Please join Adrian Leigh Cowan in demanding that McDonald’s and Maryland authorities hold accountable both the assailants in this beating and the employees who cheered it on -- and to make sure that an attack like this never happens again:

http://www.change.org/petitions/demand-that-the-employees-on-duty-at-mcdonalds-be-held-responsible-in-the-beating-of-a-trans-woman

We can’t let this brutal hate crime in Maryland go unpunished. Thank you for taking action today.

- Eden and the Change.org team

---- END OF EMAIL ----

Okay, let's assume you didn't read nor watch the video. In summary, it's about a couple of guests whacking and bashing up a trans-gendered woman in a McDonald's. Granted that it was not the employees of McD doing the bashing, one of them was filming everything down whilst the rest either did not bother to stop, interfere or help the poor lady being bashed, they actually cheered on. One of them said it's okay, because she's a "man in a woman's clothing".

Repulsive.

In fact, it doesn't take a transsexual, homosexual or anyone to be bashed up for another person to interfere and stop a bashing. Seriously, you see a woman getting bashed and you wouldn't help? Or in fact, you see ANYONE of ANY gender getting bashed up and all you can think of is to film it down?!

Guys, nothing justifies a bash up. Nothing justify a person getting whacked so badly.

What kind of sick joke is this?

I hope the person being bashed up is fine :( It's really annoying how some people can think this way, act this way and get away with the whole bashing and stuff. It's unfair, isn't it?

If you agree with me, join me in signing this petition, a petition calling for attention of the public how absurd some people can be, a petition calling for fairness for the poor lady-man, a petition to show the world that there's absolutely no reason one can bash another person up like that. Please sign it. Join me in signing this petition to call for the attention of the Maryland authorities to take action against the bastards who bashed her up, against the employees who encouraged and filmed the whole process. Something needs to be done! :(

HERE'S THE LINK: PETITION

& In case you might think it's not worth the trouble creating an account signing something that probably doesn't work, let me clarify, this petition site DOES WORK. It's not a scam nor is it fake, it worked before and will work if you do your part in this. Please do!

Thanks.

Jallen

Singapore General Elections

With the General Elections coming up for Singapore, why hasn't anyone on those bloody damned talk shows, interviews and question-and-answer sessions ask a single thing about homosexuality?Seriously, do they really screen all the questions before you're actually allowed to ask them to the ministers and people?

I mean, honestly speaking, isn't it kinda fake and propaganda-ish if the point of the tv shows is to portray a good, healthy, reliable image through the use of questions and answers by people who already have questions that readily have answers to them? Might as well ask your own questions, answer your own questions, heck, why not do a stand-up talk show about yourself instead.

There's so many questions i really wanna ask. So little ways of reaching them. Or at least so little ways of reaching them and getting a response, i believe.

Sigh.

They should have me on a talk show. Like, invite me to one of those interview sessions with the minister (oh how honored i'd be) and give me a freedom-of-speech-and-question card just for that hour and let me ask everything i have to ask. Or better yet, who's with me? Maybe we can like attend it altogether. And ask questions together.

If you can actually give me a response that's reasonable, i swear, my whole damned life i'd be voting for you.

But the problem is, do you even have the courage to face the questions without having a screen-test? :)

Self-Proclaimed.

Arghhhhh. So one of my friends and i was having a conversation casually and this conversation has been bugging me ever since.

It goes when i was looking at some paintings and said how this guy i fancy is Christian. For the sake of blogging, let's name him, D.

Me: "*blah blah blah*...D is Christian."

Friend: "He's Christian? And he's gay?"

Me: "Yeah."

Friend: "Then he must be a self-proclaimed Christian."

At that moment, a certain part of me inside was really riling with anger and annoyance. But the better part of me told myself to calm down and she probably didn't mean to offend.

But either way, till now, it annoys me so fucking much. And it's cause immediately, she associated being gay and being Christian to be something not on the same line, like as though they're on opposites. And i disagree.

Besides, what exactly do YOU mean self-proclaimed?

This whole Christian-homosexuality issue has been ongoing for eons and yet, some people, at this point of time, still don't get it. How thick are your skulls.

If religions has something to do with sexuality, then your religion either isn't very impartial or your religion is biased and not as "pure" and "holy" as it supposedly seem. No? Discrimination should be a big no-no in any religions, i believe.

Besides, aren't most Christians self-proclaimed? Gay or straight, you proclaim yourself to be a believer of a certain religion. I certainly bet my fucking ass that there's no tangibility in choosing a religion. Like, yes, some people might "see a sign" (Oh how magical) and some people "hear God's wise words" but that can all be easily made up so i'm not taking that as a tangible indication. God certainly didn't tangibly appear in front of you and said "Hey, i proclaim you a Christian". No he didn't. And i'm pretty definite that your choice of religion is based on your faith. Is that, then, not self-proclaimed? So yes, you're self-proclaimed too, my friend.

Another issue is, the insinuation of how gays can't be Christian. Or at least from that short exchange i inferred that much.

Whoever gave you the title God and allowed you to choose his believers, followers and worshipers? Seriously, some people need to stop abusing God's good name and make use of the religion to spread something they personally disagree with. I've repeated this like a gazillion times. People, you're not "protecting" any sanctity of your religion, you're just putting yourself and your religion to shame and insults.

Furthermore, considering my mood, i kinda imagined that if i were to argue, it'll kinda go like this:

Me: "Well then, what's your sexuality?"

Friend: "Straight."

Me: "Have you ever dated someone?"

Friend: "No." (I know that she hasn't.)

Me: "Well then, how do you prove your sexuality then? Is it not self-proclaimed now, considering you have had no experience, no prove and no backings?"

See. Sometimes, people should use their brain a little more and think before they speak. Intangibles such as beliefs, faith, religions, sexuality, need not be proven. Indeed, others can be different but different doesn't make it wrong. Neither does being different allows you to judge others immediately.

Grow the hell up.

Jallen.

Presbyterian Minister was wrong for preaching against homosexuality

Source: http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/03/27/presbyterian_minister_changes_mind_about_gays/index.html

(Via Twitter: @rightclick5ave)

So i was reading an article about a Presbyterian Minister changing his opinions and the way he views homosexuality now. You see, as a Minister of a church, and being brought up in an environment whereby homosexuality is seen as a sin, i would say it's reasonable for some people to hate it blindly. Blindly with misguided faith.

Many a times, you'd realize how many Christians or Catholics or any other religions might use bible as a source of reference for the "homosexuality is a sin" debate but have any of them actually sat down to read and research into the true meaning behind each sentence in the bible?

Liken to an article i read at: HUQueerPress

It's actually an interesting site i stumbled upon when i was reading tweets about how Harding University (whereby the students who created the site are from) blocked this very website just cause it contains homosexual contents. And for god's sake, these homosexual contents has nothing but words and recounts of gay students at the university and how they deal with issues. Nothing sexual, nothing offensive and definitely nothing worth blocking.

If anything, it should be publicized, considering how this site and the posts it contains, will help gay youths to discover themselves, deal with the issue themselves (for most of them are much more alone than you think they are sometimes) and thereby, handle their coming out much more appropriately. Considering the hike in suicide cases of gay youths, i would say this website is definitely an aid.

It's really worth reading. Fucking interesting piece on Bible interpretations on homosexuality, which will come in handy if you'd love to argue with bigots when they quote on the bible. ;)

What caught my attention was this article which states how each interpretation about homosexuality being a sin is actually misread, or taken at literal value. The bible is an article, a literature relating the words of God. Why would such wisdom be spoken in words meant to be taken literally?

Also, to take into mind the context of the situation whereby the words are being said, it was in ancient times where certain situations made sense and certain words made sense. But these words only made sense if it's spoken in that context and during that era.

I shall not spoil the article for you, go take a peek: http://huqueerpress.com/the_zine.html

Anyway, back to the article on the Minister claiming he was wrong for preaching against homosexuality.

His article made me think. Why do you believe in your religion? What is the basis of Christianity, or any other religion for that matter? Why do you go to church for? Is it for a sole purpose of hatred and a communion of people with the same goal of going against homosexuality? Or is the very purpose of your religion, of going to church, stemmed out from something positive in the first place?

The funny thing is, how much money is wasted by Christian organizations during the fight against homosexuality when the very basis of these organizations was to help the poor, feed the hungry and provide shelter for the homeless. When these money can be used for greater good, they use it for a fight against homosexuality. Indeed, you might believe homosexuality to be wrong, but from what it seems like, these organizations seem to exist now just for the sole sake and purpose of going against homosexuality, which doesn't make sense or good anymore. It loses its good nature and seems to exist for a reason of hate. Digression into fighting against homosexuality seems to now be it's greater goal in mind.

You don't go to church just to riot and vote against homosexuality. Do you even remember why you visit a church for? For prayers, for gatherings, to give thanks and to seek forgiveness. You don't go to a church to find hate. You don't go to a church to spread hate. You certainly don't go to a church to condemn someone. Someone you probably never ever taken a single minute of your time to try and understand. Someone you were told to hate ever since you grew up and you don't even have a legitimate reason to hate. Someone you never knew. Someone whom you judge as someone not deservingly as important and as significant as you are. Someone who probably don't even know why he/she was hated so badly and don't even know what he/she did wrong.

And another point raised up by the article, was how straight couples have their issues of marriages. Divorces. Divorces certainly don't uphold any sanctity of marriage. Should these people be condemned too? (Personally i don't think so, people make mistakes and mistakes, so long it's learned and amended, should be forgiven.)

Lastly, i love the theory that the Minister in the article believes. He stated how homosexuality was judged because it was easier to be judged. Let's say, if people are being judged by lust or greed, as a societal and religion benchmark, many people would certainly have fallen below the bar, considering that most people actually struggled with these issues. However, if i'm straight, it's easy and with definite confidence for me to say that i'll never have to struggle with any odds of "going gay", and thereby, judging the homosexuals would be an easier job cause it will then be definitely about them, and not myself. Get it?

It made perfect sense. People are not perfect. We all have lust, greed and all the heck of other sins we're committing each and every day. We make mistakes. But sometimes, when some people would like to cover up their tracks and their faults, it's easier for them to do so by directing the attention unto someone else. And whether or not that group of people have made any mistake, the first one to call always wins. And in this case, these people called "homosexuality a sin" before anyone else has a say and judged it.

Homosexuality is not a sin. But hatred and spreading of it, i believe, is. Stop spreading something about someone you don't even know a thing about. Take your time, we understand, to understand us first. Maybe you'll see we're not any different from who you are.

Jallen