when the police go overboard and throw their power around, and use arrests as a way to intimidate a group of people, it not only does damage to the relationship between the police and that group, but harms the Police’s credibility overall. The Police have no easy job, yet one has to wonder if they make it harder than it has to be in some situations.
If you haven’t seen it, I wanted to point you towards the CityPaper article about the rally and and following event with the police.Of all the papers, I think they captured a great perspective on the story. http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A99773
I saw Lauren Jurysta last evening and she told me that the hearings for those arrested is today at 12:30 pm. I have a very full day at work but will try and get away to go if I can swing it. I know nothing about 3 of the people arrested nor do I know the facts surrounding Japenga’s arrest. The 5th person who was arrested, in my opinion didn’t do anything wrong, so I’m[Read More…]
As I was videotaping the arrest, another officer came running at me with a can of mace or pepper spray or something and told me to get the hell out or I would be arrested too. I backed away but kept taping.
When there is so much anger, there is no solution- no way for these two “sides” to work together for the greater good, and from my experience here, this is one of the two big issues that the rally accentuates.
Lizzie Anderson of WRCT interviewed me/taped me at the homophobia rally Wednesday evening, and I understand it will be broadcast on Monday August 29th at 6PM . WRCT is at FM 88.3, or you can listen online at wrct.org.
What happened to Lauren could happen to any of us. Homophobes are out there, and when they are carrying guns it gets even scarier. It is essential that we are all willing to stand up and demand that this type of behaviour does not belong in our neighborhoods. We have every right to live and enjoy our lives no matter if we are gay, lesbian, bi, trans, queer, straight or any other way people self identify.
Much to post about the rally tonight so watch the blog. Suffice to say as a start, that what started as a quiet and peaceful rally, turned nasty. I saw so much and videotaped quite a bit. Some will talk about tonight as if the police were the problem and they proved why so many within the LGBTQ community don’t trust the police. Others will say that young queers who have no respect for any[Read More…]
But what are the “take home” messages from what happened in Bloomfield (both the beating and the rally), and how do we see continuing benefits for our diverse community and the city as a whole? So here are my take home messages.
Crimes against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender people happen everywhere. It could be in the smallest most conservative place, or in the biggest gay mecca, like West Hollywood. Yet, no matter where, violence like this is unacceptable, and the solution is for the community to rise up and demand an end to these types of happenings.