5/31/12

Cece McDonald Sentencing Monday: Please Write The Judge


If one person reads this post and writes before 1:00pm central Friday June 1st I will be happy. I know its short notice but our letters could make the critical difference during her sentencing.

email your letter to mpls4cece@gmail.com and the support committee will print and hand carry them to the judge.

From the Support Cece McDonald Committee

Write to Judge Moreno!
CeCe's sentencing is scheduled for this coming
Monday, June 4, at 1:30pm. Our expectation is that she will be sentenced to 41 months in prison (between time already served and time off for good behavior, the time left that she'll remain incarcerated is likely under two years), in accordance with her plea agreement.


HOWEVER, we believe that CeCe's status as an African American transgender woman makes her especially vulnerable to abuse while incarcerated, and so we are asking Judge Moreno to exercise his judicial discretion and order that she serve her sentence *on house arrest rather than in prison.*



We are calling on supporters to take a few minutes and write a letter to Judge Moreno, urging him to order house arrest rather than prison.



Letters should be addressed to Judge Daniel C. Moreno, but *submitted to the CeCe Support Committee via email (mpls4cece@gmail.com) by THIS FRIDAY, June 1, AT NOON.* We're going to deliver them all at once to the judge personally.



We have met with her lawyers and the following are their suggestions on how best to write letters.

Please consider the following points when crafting your letter:

-Genuine sentiment and honesty are more important than length and eloquence. Don't worry about how articulate your letter is--just say what you mean (in a respectful manner)!

-Letters should speak to any or all of the following topics:

--That house arrest is a reasonable option given the offense CeCe pled to and which adequately addresses her vulnerability in the prison system

--CeCe's good character (explain your relationship to her in the letter, and include anecdotal evidence of what a loving, caring and constructive person she is)

--That CeCe poses no threat to the community

--Ways that CeCe's imprisonment will have an unduly negative impact on her friends and family (if you have personal knowledge of this)

-DO NOT disparage or even comment on Dean Schmitz, or any of the other people (including CeCe's attacker) present that night.

-DO NOT comment on issues of innocence vs. guilt. DO NOT claim that CeCe is innocent, or that she was falsely or unfairly convicted or coerced into taking a plea deal, or that she acted in self-defense. In considering her sentence, the Judge will be looking at whether or not CeCe takes full responsibility for the action she pled guilty to, and any arguments undermining that taking of responsibility may do more harm than good.

-DO NOT use the letter to make arguments about the unjust nature of the criminal legal system. We all feel it, but the Judge won't!


In solidarity,
the CeCe Support Committee


++++++++++++++++++

The following is a letter sent by a friend. You can use it as a example, if you wish. You can find my letter at the bottom of the post. Your letter does not have to be long, just words from your heart.

+++++++++

Dear Judge Daniel C. Moreno,

I am writing you in regard to the case of CeCe McDonald who has a sentencing hearing scheduled on June 4, 2012 at 1:30 PM.
... I would like to ask you to show discretion and take into account her time served along with good behavior in her sentence. Please take into consideration the possibility of allowing her serve her sentence under house arrest.

I feel incarceration in a public facility could be detrimental to CeCe’s mental health and physical safety since she is not only African American but also a transgender woman. I fear this will make her even more vulnerable to physical abuse if housed with the general population.

While I do not personally know CeCe I have followed her case since the beginning and have had many communications with her support group. In following those communications I do truly believe that CeCe wants to take full responsibility for her actions. I know she has a solid support system of family and friends which will give her a solid foundation of support during the service of her sentence. She is of no danger to herself or a threat to the community.

Thank you for taking all options into consideration and I hope you will give CeCe a chance to redeem herself and have the opportunity to give back to her community.

######################

The letter I just sent.......

Dear Judge Daniel C. Moreno,

I am writing you in regard to the case of CeCe McDonald who has a sentencing hearing scheduled on June 4, 2012 at 1:30 PM.

As a advocate and columnist I have become aware of the terrible times transgender people in general population face, and this would even be worst for Cece being a woman of color.

I have been following this case since the beginning and have faithfully read her supporters statements. I believe Cece could be trusted to do her time under house arrest. She is of no threat to the general population and I believe, not a risk to flee.

Cece has an amazing support network who truly care for her waiting to help this young woman become a productive citizen.

Thank you,

Kelli Busey

Dallas Transgender Advocates and Allies (Co Admin)
http://dallastaa.ning.com

planetransgender
http://planetransgender.blogspot.com



5/30/12

"Ain't No Homo Making It To Heaven" Sings 4 Year Old To Standing Church Ovation

This was a very proud moment for Pastor Sangl. It must have took hours to teach these words to this baby who obviously was clueless to their meaning or why everyone reacted the way they did when he parroted his teacher.
The congregation in the church, which according to Free Thought Blog is the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle Church in Greensburg, Ind 47270., gives a standing ovation after the child sings, "I know the Bible’s right, somebody’s wrong...ain't no homos gonna make it to heaven."

"Welcome to Apostolic Truth Tabernacle - where our doors are open to you regardless of your background or where you are on your spiritual journey."

"We are striving to become the kind of church described in the Bible, where there's relevant teaching, heart-felt worship, honest friendships, constant prayer, and compassionate care for those in need. In short, we'd like to have the kind of contagious Christianity that can influence and encourage the entire community, one life at a time.
"
"So whether you're a spiritual seeker who's just starting to ask questions about God, or a committed Christian who wants to sink the roots of your faith even deeper, you can find a home here at Apostolic Truth Tabernacle. You'll find that this is a place where you really matter — because you matter to God."

I called. You can too but please as descent humans remember Christians have a long way to go to become christian so be gentle and courteous. Hate has never stopped hate. Ever.

ph: 812-662-8224
pastorsangl@apostolictruthtabernacle.net

Kiev Christians, Neo Nazi's and Gang Members Beat Gay man to protect "Family Values"

A bus load of gang members, Christians and police were bused to Kiev by the goverment to attack gay pride participants while uniformed police stood by. Do I have proof the goverment brought them there? No but its all too obvious they did. This should serve us as a reminder the USA is but one presidential election away from placing in to power Mitt Romney who also champions the same family values.
Who they were sent to beat up....

The Day of the Pride and events leading up to the attack....


The beasts sent by Putin ariving.....



And the people Putin's power brokers brought to beat up the LGBT people.

A picture of a street protest? No, its not. Russia's Mariinsky shocks with Putin protest opera



5/28/12

Video: Russian Orthodox "Christians" and Police Beat and Arrest LGBT Rally

Полиция при поддержке "православной общественности" разогнала акцию в поддержку прав геев и лесбиянок. 27 мая 2012

Police with the support "of the Orthodox community," broke up a rally in support of the rights of gays and lesbians. May 27, 2012





27 мая в Москва планировался гей-парад, однако, столичные власти в очередной раз его запретили. Члены ЛГБТ-сообщетсва устроили две акции - у Городской Думы и у памятнику Юрию Долгорукову напротив мэрии Москвы. Союз православных хоругвеносцев и другие противники ЛГБТ-движения пришли, чтобы выразить свое несогласие с требованием равных прав для людей любой сексуальной ориентации.



May 27 in Moscow planned gay pride parade, but the city authorities have once again banned it. The members of the LGBT community has work staged two shares - at Town Hall and in front of the monument to Yuri Dolgoruky in Moscow mayor's office. Union of Orthodox Bannerbearers and other opponents of the LGBT movement have come to express their disagreement with the requirement of equal rights for people of all sexual orientations.

5/27/12

K-11 is Cruel and Unreal Punishment For Transgender People



Synopsis: K-11 is a riveting drama that deals with the politics of race and gender-identity in the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail.

The film follows Raymond Saxx Jr. (Goran Visnjic), a powerful record producer who wakes from a drug-induced blackout to find himself locked up and classified "K-11." Plunged into a nightmarish world ruled by a transsexual diva named Mousey (Kate del Castillo), Raymond is truly a fish out of water. Complicating matters are a troubled young transgender named Butterfly (Portia Doubleday), a predatory child molester (Tommy 'Tiny' Lister) and the ruthless Sheriff's Deputy, Lt. Johnson (D.B. Sweeney). Ray's struggle to contact the outside world and regain his freedom seems impossible, but he must learn to navigate this new power structure if he is ever going survive and be in control of his life again.

The movie sports a tour de force cast that includes Goran Visnjic (Beginners; The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Kate del Castillo (La Reina del Sur), Portia Doubleday (Youth in Revolt), D.B. Sweeney (Hard Ball), Jason Mewes (Clerks), Tommy 'Tiny' Lister (The Dark Knight), Tara Buck (True Blood; Justified) and Cameron Stewart in his feature film debut.

After watching the K-11 trailer I had mixed emotions. First I was enthralled, then quizzical, then I stated to wonder, what the fuck if this anyways? So I made my own little movie.



The synopsis of K-11 presents this as a drama and makes no mention that it is fantasy. So I began reading the comments and one after another they all sounded very similar to the ones we found on the "ticked off "T" with Knives" trailer. Misogynistic transphobes delighting in the sexual stereotyping, objectification, commercialization and dehumanization of transsexuals.

Until I read this one:

"If you want to see a real film about this serious subject, I encourage everyone to watch the documentary "Cruel and Unusual" which is a film about actual trans women in the prison system. It's on YouTube.
This is the actual world they live in, not a bunch of non-trans people's creepy fantasy about it."



Snyopsis: After arrest, no matter the crime, countless transgender women are incarcerated in men's prisons across the United States. These transwomen are denied medical and psychological care as well as the hormone therapy that keeps their system regulated. While painfully struggling against sudden chemical deficiency, these women are often victims of heinous crimes committed by the general prison population and prison staff including assault, rape, and murder. CRUEL AND UNUSUAL is an often unsettling documentary that candidly presents the challenges and inhumane treatment faced by these women. For additional information about this film or to purchase the DVD, please visit Outcast Films.com

Cruel and Unusual is real, not a glitzy Hollywood production pandering to sexually deprived fetishists gay and straight alike. It should be made clear to audiences that K-11 is a fantasy especially given the recent hard won improvements in inmate care in Los Angeles.

Our locked down sisters like Cece McDonald are the onces who will suffer directly from K-11. And the crew of K-11 will laugh about that fact, all the way to the bank. This is the truth.



McDonald had to plea down to manslaughter to avoid spending her life in prison for defending hereslf so here's how we can do to Support Cece.

Watch:: Against Me! Laura Jane Grace "Ain't No Little Bo Peep" Trans Punk Rocker Ist Concert

This is the first video to hit the web of Friday's coming out gig for recently out Transgender punker Laura Jane Grace. Her band Against me opened for the Cult in San Diego on Friday and according to the Rolling Stone interview after the show:

Charging through a 40-minute set at Humphreys Concerts by the Bay in San Diego – the first stop in a month-long U.S. tour with British rockers the Cult – the quartet played six new songs, including the rollicking anthem "Transgender Dysphoria Blues," the title track of an album they're working on. Decked out in a loose-fitting black tank top, tight black jeans and black eye shadow, Grace was in high spirits as she delivered her trademark, throat-shredding screams.

"I was worried that some people expected me to come out looking like Little Bo Peep or something," Grace said after the show while hanging out at the merch table with her wife, Heather. (They're doing the tour as a family; their toddler daughter, Evelyn, was sleeping with a nanny in the tour bus.)



OH HELL yeah baby.... Ready or not....HERE....SHE....COMES!!! June 20thy Dallas House of Blues!!!!! YES!!! Want to see this amazing woman too? Here's the Full Tour Schedule for Against Me!