The Recent Self-Disclosure of UMass Basketball Player Derrick Gordon

last week, university of massachusetts basketball player derrick gordon became the first division one male player to publicly self-identify as gay. his story was reported with great sensitivity by cyd zeigler of outsports magazine. in addition to the locker room teasing, zeigler noted, was a photograph of gordon and his boyfriend outside a gay bar in new jersey posted on instagram.

sadly, gordon admitted he considered leaving the sport he loves so passionately. uncomfortable in his own skin, he told his teammates he was straight, hoping their "snickers and snide remarks," would cease. but they didn't. some wouldn't shower with him. the sophomore guard, who averaged 9.4 points last season, avoided parties, stayed up nights crying and isolated - fearful of his sexuality being exposed.

gordon said, "most of the time when you see me on campus, i'm alone. i eat alone a lot. since the school year started in september i haven't been to one party. i'm always working out or lifting in my room. i do the same thing over and over every day. i feel like i can't be who i am or live my life. nobody should ever feel that way."

earlier this month, at his request, umass head coach derek kellogg called a team meeting. kellogg, in the spirit of support, told his team gordon was gay. however, gordon was not alone. he'd met some openly gay athletes and visited philadelphia, where he saw their comfort and happiness. in fact, two of the men were with him in the locker room as he shared his gay identity with his teammates.

as gordon poignantly shared his story of alienation, loneliness and shame, many of the men wept openly. later, one of the gay men said, "it was powerful for these players to see one of their brothers be so vulnerable. these are some inner-city kids, some rough, tough kids who derrick wants to be friends with. they understand who he is a little bit better now."

gordon now benefits from support outside the team. nba veteran and brooklyn nets forward jason collins - whom gordon credited with encouraging him when he came out a year ago - tweeted his praise for gordon. collins wrote, "i'm so proud @flash2gordon. another brave young man who is going to make it easier  for so many others to live an authentic life. #courage.       

the school, in a statement, is supportive. athletic director john mccutcheon said, "umass is proud to have derrick gordon as a member of our athletic family and to honor his courage and openness as a gay student-athlete. umass is committed to creating a welcoming climate where every student-athlete, coach and staff member can be true to themselves as they pursue their athletic, academic and professional goals."

UCONN Men's and Women's Teams Win 2014 National Championship

the university of connecticut men's basketball team on monday defeated the university of kentucky 60-54 to win the national championship. the game was played in front of over 75,000 fans at the at&t stadium in arlington, texas. the huskies are now one of only six schools in ncaa history with four titles - all coming in the last 15 years.

uconn's all-american point guard shabazz napier was named most outstanding player. napier had 22 points, six rebounds and three assists. his teammate, sophomore guard ryan boatright was a defensive standout and scored 14 points. afterwards, napier said, "honestly, i want to get everybody's attention real quick. you're looking at the hungry huskies. ladies and gentleman, this is what happens when you banned us."

a short year ago uconn (32-8) was banned for poor grades. their longtime coach jim calhoun left 18 months ago due to health issues. after 20 years in the big east, the school moved to the american athletic conference. 40 year-old kevin ollie, nba journeyman, former huskies player and calhoun's former assistant coach, led his team to an improbable run in only his second year as head coach.  

the university of connecticut women's basketball team on tuesday dominated notre dame 79-58 to win their record ninth championship. uconn (40-0) coach geno auriemma broke a tie with pat summit of tennessee for most all-time. played in nashville, tennessee, the historic contest pitted two undefeated teams in a title game for the first time in women's college basketball history.

ap player of the year, huskies' sophomore breanna stewart was named most outstanding player. she had 21 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. stewart also won the award last year. their all-american center, stephanie dolson finished with 17 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists and four blocks. the 6'5 senior was pulled from the game with a minute left and gave her coach a big hug.

auriemma has never lost in a title game. his nine championships in just 20 years at the helm is unparalleled and unprecedented. his teams have featured star players like rebecca lobo, swin cash, diana taurasi, tina charles and maya moore. but its their hard word, integrity and passion which speaks to his value as one of the most successful coaches in the history of basketball - high school, college or nba.   

Obama to sign executive orders closing wage gaps impacting race and gender

not long after he became the first bi-racial president of the united states, barack obama faced widespread criticism regarding his commitment to the plethora of issues facing black communities. on tuesday, president barack obama will sign two executive orders specifically designed to close wage gaps impacting an individual's race and gender.

one requires contractors doing business with the federal government to include race and gender information when reporting all compensation data. the other prohibits contractors with federal contracts from retaliating against employees who share compensation information. this is important, because in some instances, employees were unaware they were paid less than their peers, which is discriminatory. 

in one of the highest-profile cases involving such discrimination, lilly ledbetter sued the goodyear tire and rubber company for paying her substantially less than male managers in the same role over her career with the company. she worked there over two decades.

in 2007, the supreme court ruled ledbetter missed the window for suing in the case because she hadn't filed her suit within 180 days of receiving her first paycheck. however, she didn't learn her male colleagues earned substantially more than she did until many years after the fact - which made it impossible for her to have adhered to such requirements.

the supreme court ruling against ledbetter would eventually lead to the passage of the lilly ledbetter fair pay act of 2009, the first bill obama signed into law after taking office. an amendment to the civil rights act, the statute resets the clock regarding fair-pay lawsuits. as a result, future plaintiffs aren't limited to the 180-day window.

many employers discourage and often prohibit employees from discussing their salaries and wages with one another. ledbetter worked for a private company: their personnel will not be directly affected by the executive orders. still, this action is a much needed step in amending historical wrongs among hard-working, law-abiding, tax-paying folks.

    

 

Kentucky State House Rejects Senate's Restrictions on Voting Rights Bill

the kentucky state house on wednesday rejected the senate's changes to a voting rights bill reducing the number of people eligible for voting rights restoration by half. the original bill, hb 70, would give voters the opportunity to approve a constitutional amendment enacting automatic rights restoration for most individuals with felony convictions.

in previous years, similar bills which passed in the democratic-controlled house always failed in the republican-controlled senate. last month, the senate approved the voting rights bill for the first time, but only after adding several restrictions, including a five-year waiting period and exclusions for individuals with multiple prior offenses.

according to an analysis by the league of women voters in kentucky, the senate's restrictive version of hb 70 would delay or deny the restoration of voting rights for over 55% of the 180,000 people in kentucky currently banned from voting due to felony disenfranchisement policies.

earlier this month, a 50th anniversary reenactment of a civil rights march on frankfurt became a rally for voting rights. thousands gathered near the state capitol to hear speakers urge support for the original hb 70. later that day, house legislators rejected the senate's changes to the bill. if the senate doesn't drop its changes, hb 70 goes to a conference committee to hopefully reach a compromise.   

carl wicklund, executive director of the american probation and parole association, wrote an op-ed in the lexington herald leader a few weeks ago, urging the state legislature to pass hb 70 in its original form, without the senate's restrictive changes. he feels successful parole and probation systems prevent future crime by helping individuals reintegrate into their communities - rather than continuing to punish them after serving time.  

wicklund believes voting rights are an important part of effectively becoming a productive member of society. he says, "civic participation strengthens the ties between...individuals and their fellow citizens.  when people vote, they are making an investment in their community." 

last month, the herald-dispatch published an editorial in support of hb 70, lauding the state for moving forward on voting rights. the piece affirmed current probation and parole systems already provide a reasonable waiting period. still, the authors conclude, even the senate's restrictive version of the bill would "be a step forward for kentucky that we hope voters would approve."  

Obama Has Ordered A Review Of His Administrations' Deportation Policies

early in his first term, president barack obama had a plan, in theory, for comprehensive immigration reform. the administration's strategy was to increase border security and deportations of immigrants who entered the country illegally.

even some republicans conceded obama's approach was helpful in generating broad support for comprehensive reform in the senate. but in the gop-lead house, it didn't matter. they've been unwilling to accept concessions as part of a bipartisan compromise.

on thursday afternoon obama met with hispanic lawmakers in the oval office. the president said deportations of immigrants who enter the country illegally should be more humane. according to a white house statement, he told them he had "deep concern about the pain too many families feel from the separation that comes from our broken immigration system."

afterwards, representative luis v. gutierrez (d-ill) said it was "clear that the pleas from the community got through to the president." last night, the white house issued a statement saying obama "has asked secretary of homeland security jeh johnson to do am inventory of the department's current practices to see how it can conduct enforcement more humanely within the confines of the law."

the senate approved a bill designed to boost economic growth and lower the deficit. the bill is supported by business leaders, immigrant advocates, labor unions and people of various faiths. but republican leaders won't allow a vote. hopefully, the administration's inventory review will inspire congress to extend compassion to people who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. 
     

Wisconsin's Racial Impact Statement Bill

wisconsin has the highest rate of black male incarceration in the u.s. state lawmakers are proposing legislation to address this. senator nikiya harris and representative sandy pasch have co-sponsored the minority impact statement bill, which requires a legislative committee to prepare a racial impact statement before codifying a new crime, or modifying the criminal penalty for an existing crime.

under the legislation, if the committee concludes a bill has a disparate impact on racial minorities, the bill's author would be required to make amendments or provide a written explanation for advancing the unchanged bill. if successful, wisconsin would join three other states - connecticut, iowa and oregon - to require minority impact statements on criminal laws.

minnesota's sentencing commission electively conducts this analysis. florida and mississippi lawmakers are considering similar bills. recent reports have shown one in eight working age black men in wisconsin were in state prisons or local jails: almost double the national average. although black men constituted less than five percent of dade county's adult male population, they accounted for over 40% of its prison admissions in 2012.

wisconsin also leads the nation in their incarceration of native american men. 7.6% of working age men (or 1 in 13) were in state prisons and local jails in 2010, compared to 3.1% (or 1 in 32) nationally. by contrast, the state's rate of incarceration of white men is similar to the national average, which is 6.7% (or 1 in 15).

in 2010 the u.s. census bureau conducted its decennial count of wisconsin residents. the ten worst states for incarceration of black men showed wisconsin had the highest rate. the other nine states, in respective order, were oklahoma, iowa, pennsylvania, california, indiana, louisiana, texas, colorado and kansas.      

Surgery, After Care and other shit...

last Monday i went to mount sinai hospital in harlem for surgery. my appointment was for 10:30 am. they treated me around 2:30 pm. i woke up an hour later, oblivious to the magnitude of my tenuous physical condition. i felt disoriented, fatigued, groggy - and hungry as a muhfuh.

this was my first experience with surgery. as such, i had no blueprint on how to deal (read: not complain) with the unknown. i was instructed to neither eat nor drink after midnight. i complied. also, i was kindly accompanied by a trusted friend, whom helped ease my anxiety, fear and uncertainty. without an escort home i would've had to re-schedule.

about 15 months ago my primary care physician was concerned i might have anal cancer. i was treated by a specialist who did a biopsy, pap smear and tried to remove some of the pre-cancerous cells. he suggested i follow up in six months. i missed that appointment but saw him the first week of january.

he inserted a tube (with a scope) inside my anus to assess the damage, then he applied some alcohol to my anal area while asking me to relax. when he tried to stick me with a needle i screamed like a white girl with a nightmare on elm street. real talk. the pain was unbearable. he seemed (!) frustrated and said i'd have to be put to sleep for the procedure to work...

wateva.

i have anal condyloma. i don't know anyone on the planet with anal condyloma. do you? a google search mentioned embarrassment and psychosocial stress are common symptoms. the surgeon said laser treatment can be effective but is not a cure. he said there may, or may not be, cancerous cells dormant in my anus. i was instructed to follow up in two weeks and be monitored every six months.

i asked him would i need to change my diet after surgery. he said no. i asked him would the surgery affect my bowel movement. he said no. i asked him will i feel any pain during the surgery. he said no. i was given lidocaine ointment, percosets, stool softeners and a cream to ease my pain. he told me i'd be sore for a week. and i am. ten days later.

he was dead ass wrong how surgery affects my bowel movement.

it took more than 24 hours to take a shit. when i did, i felt like i was in labor. i squeezed and squeezed and squeezed and it seemed like a large brick was coming out of me slow as molasses. i was unable to get it all out, as my body contorted like a gymnast in the olympics for half an hour. the pain was unlike anything i've experienced, which is why it's taking me this long to write about it.

i've been in physical pain everyday. everyday. i've been constipated daily. the ointments and percosets gave me temporary relief - but it still hurt to cough, laugh, move or sit. i feared each bowel movement because i knew i'd have to endure more pain. i felt a burning, stinging, throbbing sensation which lasted for hours and hours and hours.

i didn't understand this pain. i had no language for this pain. i wanted this pain to immediately disappear and never come back and it only got worse each breathing moment. sadly, i had a number of disheartening thoughts which included suicide. i know god will never give me anything more than i can handle but i felt like this pain was more than i can handle.

a couple of days ago i called my primary care physician at home. i was desperate for relief and willing to do whatever it takes to heal. she suggested i stop taking percosets because they constipate my anus, which makes bowel movements painful. she told me to take two 800 mg of ibuprofen daily, warm baths with epsom salt, use witch hazel on my anus and lots of lidocaine ointment afterward.  

she also suggested i eat fruit in the morning, salad for lunch and vegetables for dinner. i was grateful for her input because i was still indulging in fried foods and microwaveable dinners. it took me a week to realize my unhealthy diet impacts my bowel movement and because the area is so delicate i need to eat softer foods which can be digested without disturbance.  

its almost 4:10 wednesday morning. i just took a warm bath with epsom salt. i'm listening to bill withers. i'm grateful for the family members, friends and other folks who've prayed for me. i'm grateful for the phone calls, e-mails and texts graced with loving energy. a loving god has angels everywhere. i'm starting to see a light in the midst of this darkness.

thank you god. thank you god. thank you god.

Chokwe Lumumba Makes His Transition

chokwe lumumba succumbed to heart failure on tuesday and made his transition. the 66 year-old black revolutionary, human rights activist, lawyer and mayor of jackson, mississippi was revered within the black community, and among progressive folk worldwide.

safiya omari, his chief of staff, told usa today, "it is with heavy heart that we inform you that our beloved brother, human rights activist and mayor of the great city passed away this afternoon. we ask that you pray for his children and family, his friends and for this great city of ours."

lumumba was born edwin taliaferro in detroit. he rejected his "slave name," renaming himself for congolese independence leader patrice lumumba, - and chokwe, an angolan tribe. he helped a group of students take over a western michigan university campus building the day after rev. dr. martin luther king, jr. was assassinated. they demanded more black professors and scholarships for black students and black studies.

as a black nationalist, lumumba worked as a leader for the republic of new afrika, proposing an independent black country in the u.s. in 2011, while serving as a city council for jackson's ward 2, he campaigned successfully for mississippi governor haley barbour to pardon the scott sisters, who served 16 years for a robbery they denied committing.

lumumba successfully ran for mayor of jackson, mississippi. he sought to revive a crumbling city dealing with an eroding infrastructure, middle-class flight and poverty. former naacp president ben jealous tweeted, "you were a man's man and a servant of humanity. it was an honor to help you free so many wrongly convicted people." 

jackson council member melvin priester, jr. said, "he was a great mayor because he was always open and transparent. we didn't agree about everything, but you could talk to him, and if you had disagreements you could vent it out. he brought a spirit of openness."

   

Arizona Governor Vetoes Anti-Gay Bill

arizona governor jan brewer on wednesday vetoed a polarizing measure intended to allow state businesses to deny service to gay and lesbians for religious beliefs. during a hotly anticipated news conference at the state capitol she said, "the bill could result in unintended and negative consequences. i sincerely believe that senate bill 1062 has the potential to create more problems than it purports to solve."

gay rights advocates gathered outside the capitol broke out in cheers, hugs, kisses and smiles immediately after brewer's announcement. the contentious bill sparked outrage with the lgbt community and their allies, drawing vocal criticism from business interests, civic leaders and state economic groups.

senator john mccain (r-az) urged brewer to veto the bill. he said he "hopes we can now move on from this controversy and assure the american people that everyone is welcome to live, work and enjoy the state." former secretary of state hillary clinton said her veto - of what clinton called "discriminatory" legislation - recognizes "that inclusive leadership is what the 21st century is all about."

alessandra soler, executive director of the aclu of arizona said, "discrimination has no place in arizona, or anywhere else. we're grateful that the governor has stopped this disgraceful law from taking effect, and that arizona will remain open for business to everyone." sarah kate ellis, president of glad said brewer, "demonstrated that basic respect for lgbt people extends across party lines, and anti-lgbt bias isn't just bad politics, it's bad for business."

defenders of the measure said it was a key safeguard for religious freedom. the lawmakers who backed it said it was intended to add another layer of protection from lawsuits to individuals who assert their religious beliefs in refusing service to gays and lesbians. the center for arizona policy, a prominent social conservative group and architect of the bill said, "today's veto of sb 1062 marks a sad day for arizonans who cherish and understand religious liberty."

in the last week, a number of major corporations strongly voiced their opposition to sb 1062. among them were american airlines, delta airlines, intel, major league baseball, marriott hotels, petsmart and yelp. apple, inc., which recently announced plans to build a new manufacturing plant in mesa, arizona, joined others against the bill.

arizona is scheduled to host next year's super bowl. however, that coup de grace was in jeopardy. in fact, sports illustrated reported the nfl was seriously considering moving the game (super bowl 49) from the phoenix-area city of glendale, if the bill were signed into law.

several republicans, including mccain, senator jeff flake and former gop presidential nominee mitt romney, pressed brewer to veto the bill. even three state lawmakers - who voted for the proposed law initially - asked her to veto the bill. the republican-controlled state legislature passed the measure last week. however, brewer was in washington, d.c. for the national governors association meeting at the time, and did not return to phoenix until tuesday. 

sb 1062 would permit any business, church or person to cite the law as a defense in any legal action brought by the government or individual claiming discrimination. proponents called the bill a slight adjustment to the state's existing freedom law, which doesn't protect people based on sexual orientation. the law would've trumped local ordinances offering protections for lgbt people in cities like flagstaff, phoenix and tucson.  

Jason Collins plays for the Nets and becomes first openly gay NBA player

with 10:28 left in the second quarter and the brooklyn nets leading the los angeles lakers 35-26, jason collins entered the game. he was greeted warmly by the staples center fans. he played ten minutes, gathered two rebounds, had one steal and missed his only field goal attempt. although the nets beat the lakers 108-102, their win belied nba history.

collins became the first openly gay athlete to play in one of the four major professional sports. he spoke after the team's victory and said, "i thought it was great. being an l.a. kid, i can't think of a better situation, playing for the nets and playing here, and getting the win. i'm just glad kobe and shaq weren't out there."

brooklyn general manager billy king said, "the decision to sign jason was a basketball decision. we needed to increase our depth inside, and with his experience and size, we felt he was the right choice for a ten-day contract." however, collins was not their first choice. its no secret brooklyn coveted orlando's glen davis, but they were unable to sign him.

the nets are owned by russian billionaire mikhail prokhorov. his pro-lgbt stance alienated him from people and  politicians in a country where anti-homosexual propaganda was the subject of controversy at the 2014 winter olympics in sochi. before purchasing the nets, prokhorov ran for president and came in third place, losing to vladimir putin. 

nba commissioner adam silver - less than one month into his new job - welcomed collins into the league with open arms. he said, "jason told us that his goal was to earn another contract with an nba team. i want to commend him on achieving his goal. i know everyone in the nba family is excited for him and proud that our league fosters an inclusive and respectful environment."

collins, 35, is a savvy 12-year veteran. he played seven seasons with the nets - when they were in new jersey - and the team's point guard, jason kidd, is now the nets' coach. the 7' center helped them earn consecutive nba finals appearances; losing to the lakers in 2002 and spurs in 2003. also, collins has been a teammate of several current nets players, including veteran forward paul pierce.

pierce said, "in the society we live in, this was going to happen eventually. he is a guy that is going to be able to open up the door for athletes around the world. it doesn't matter your race, gender or sexuality because it's about being part of a team and caring for one another. every guy in here does their own thing and so be it. in this sport everything is magnified and it's great to have him here to open up doors for so many athletes."

collins played 38 games with boston and washington in 2013, averaging less than two points and two rebounds per game in limited minutes. last april he revealed he's gay - on the cover of sports illustrated. collins' article led to a media explosion, and the subject of gay athletes in sports was ablaze in america. still, he remained an unsigned free agent.

although the personable african-american downplayed the magnitude of his experience, collins is fully aware of his impact on societal attitudes and sports policy. during a crowded news conference after the game he said, "right now i'm focusing on trying to learn the plays, learning the coverages and the game plan and the assignments. so i didn't have time to really think about history." 



   
  

Attorney General Schneiderman to introduce Unjust Imprisonment Act

attorney general eric schneiderman announced he will propose legislation to revise section 8-b of the new York state court of claims act. the act presently allows people who are wrongfully convicted of a crime, imprisoned and subsequently had their convictions overturned to present a claim for damages against the state.

scheiderman's newfound initiative, the unjust imprisonment act, would remove unjust and burdensome provisions from current law. These barriers can stop people - falsely convicted and imprisoned - from recovering damages from the state of new York.

adopted in 1984 and updated in 2007, the law, today, negatively impacts people who can prove their innocence, even after pleading guilty. in fact, some of these people falsely confessed. but the attorney general, in the spirit of equality, fairness and justice, wants those erroneously convicted and imprisoned to get restitution by pursuing their claims.

President Obama disapponted with proposed Anti-Homosexuality Bill in Uganda

on sunday president barack obama released a statement voicing his displeasure with the proposed anti-homosexuality bill in uganda. the bill seeks to punish same-sex relations with life imprisonment, and denies bail to those accused of "aggravated homosexuality."   

obama wrote, "as a country and a people, the united states has consistently stood for the protection of fundamental freedoms and universal human rights. we believe the people everywhere should be treated equally, with dignity and respect, and that they should have the opportunity to reach their fullest potential, no matter who they are or whom they love."

"that is why i am so deeply disappointed that uganda will shortly enact legislation that would criminalize homosexuality. the anti-homosexuality bill in uganda, once law, will be more than an affront and a danger to the gay community in uganda. it will be a step backward for all ugandans and reflect poorly on uganda's commitment to protecting the human rights of its people. it also will mark a serious setback for all those around the world who share a commitment to freedom, justice and equal rights."

"as we have conveyed to president museveni, enacting this legislation will complicate our valued relationship with uganda. at a time when, tragically, we are seeing an increase in reports of violence and harassment targeting members of the lgbt community from russia to nigeria, i salute all those in uganda and around the world who remain committed to respecting the human rights and fundamental human dignity of all persons." 

under existing colonial-era law in uganda, anyone found guilty of "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" can face sentences up to life imprisonment. this new bill expands penalties; it bans the promotion of homosexuality, makes it a crime punishable by prison not to report gay people to the authorities, and enables life sentences to be imposed for various same-sex acts, including touching in public.

uganda is one of 37 countries on the african continent where homosexuality is illegal. ugandan gay activists have accused some of their country's political and religious leaders of being influenced by american evangelicals. susan rice, the u.s. national security adviser, said on sunday on twiter she spoke "at length" with museveni on saturday night and urged him to not sign the bill. the u.s. is uganda's largest donor, sending more than $400 million in aid annually in recent years.   

Black Teen Jordan Davis' Killer Found Guilty on Four of Five Counts

michael dunn, the 47 year-old white man accused of killing jordan davis, an unarmed 17 year-old black male outside a jacksonville, florida gas station in november of 2012, was found guilty on saturday of four of the five counts. dunn was found guilty on three counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of shooting into an occupied vehicle. the jury was deadlocked on the first-degree murder charge.

judge russell l. healey declared a mistrial on the first-degree murder charge. he thanked the jurors for their service, told them they could speak with reporters if they chose to, and dismissed them. judge healey told florida state attorney general angela corey she can decide if she wants to pursue a trial on the first-degree murder charge on march 24 at 9:00 am.

dunn will serve at least 60 years without the opportunity of parole as the three counts of second-degree murder fir the shots fired at the other three teens in the vehicle carries 20 years apiece. the firearm charge can carry up to 15 years depending on the judge's ruling.

after the verdict, davis' parents spoke to reporters. "it is sad for mr. dunn that he will have to spend the rest of his life in prison torture...we will pray for him and we will pray for his family," said davis' mother, lucia mcbath. "it's not in my nature to lash out, or to say inflammatory statements, so i've had to hold all that in...but my son was a good kid...he (dunn) must be remorseful over the killing of my son. he must not be allowed to see it as another day at the office, "said ron jones, davis' father.

also reacting to the verdict was benjamin crump, who has served as an attorney for trayvon martin. "as much as we want to put faith in the criminal justice system, it seems to fail us every time. this verdict reminds me not only of trayvon martin, but of all our sons, brothers, cousins and friends. i'm filled with mixed emotions," said crump.

crump said, "yes, i am happy that michael dunn will live out the rest of his life behind bars, but i am also disturbed that jordan davis' family has yet to receive justice, in the same way that trayon's parents have yet to receive justice. if the american judicial system is truly colorblind, then why does it always seem to fall between the lines of black and white?"

mcbath sent a message on twitter early saturday. "tomorrow is my boy's 19th birthday. i pray we will celebrate not only him but a just and righteous verdict." but after nearly 30 hours of deliberation and repeated urgings by the judge, they did not reach a consensus on the first-degree murder charge. the jury consisted of four white females, four white males, two black females, one asian female and one latino male.      

the jacksonville, florida jury upheld the controversial stand your ground laws, which are on the books of 22 other states. dunn fired ten bullets at davis and his three friends - all unarmed - because they wouldn't turn down the "thug music" he despised. dunn claimed he feared for his life, testifying he saw an object in their vehicle resembling a shotgun barrel. but his emotionally distraught girlfriend fully denied his story when she was on the witness stand.
 

The Public Sexual Disclosure of Michael Sam: A Different Perspective

on sunday, university of missouri defensive lineman michael sam disclosed his gay identity to the world. sam, the 2013 sec co-defensive player of the year, could become the first nfl player whose homosexuality is self-disclosed. his stunning announcement sent america into a media frenzy, with analysts on cnn, espn, fox sports, nfl network and msnbc weighing in on his possible impact in the nfl.

i've watched a number of talk shows and sense a heightened, somewhat disturbing, anxiety with heterosexual men. when questioned about how to deal with sam's orientation, they attempted to smile and say the right things on television. but they've never had to deal with a man, a black man, who's confident, handsome, talented, open and proud of being gay - before he enters the nfl. 

not that the nfl, a multi-billion dollar industry, has other 'issues' to contend with. nfl commissioner roger goodell is currently dealing with annual pro bowl game dissatisfaction, concussion settlements, international expansion, medical marijuana, and their not-for-profit tax status. nonetheless, sam's historic revelation is unprecedented and the league will have to respond to long-standing and recent concerns of anti-homosexual attitudes within the hallowed institution.

just days before playing the baltimore ravens in super bowl 47, san francisco 49ers cornerback chris culliver was interviewed and asked if an openly gay man would be welcomed on an nfl team. said culliver, "i don't do the gays, man. i don't do that. no, we don't got no gay people on the team, they gotta get up out of here if they do. can't be with that sweet stuff...nah...can't be in the locker room, man. nah."

last year, the manti te'o girlfriend hoax saga was, for some, a media ploy to hide his homosexuality. the former notre dame all-American linebacker vehemently denied such claims. in january 2013, former 49ers offensive tackle kwame harris was charged with felony domestic violence and assault charges involving a former boyfriend. their situations were very different, but the nfl's don't ask, don't tell policy silenced any meaningful discourse on same-sex relationships.     

chris kluwe is a free agent, after eight seasons with the minnesota vikings as their starting punter. he's also an ambassador for the pro-lgbt group athlete ally. last month, he wrote a poignant article for deadspin saying he was "pretty confident" the reason the team let him go - rare among nfl punters - in march 2013 was because of his advocacy for lgbt rights.

there have been other gay-identified athletes in the nfl, including wade davis, dave kopay, roy simmons, jerry smith and esera tuaolo. each of these men went public many years after they retired from the game. and, there have been other gay athletes in the nfl who chose not to disclose their orientation publicly. their identity was not a secret to teammates, coaches, general managers and owners.

michael sam, however, is unintentionally, though perhaps by default, forcing the nfl, as well as western society, to "come out."  similarly, the nfl, from my perspective, is neither more nor less anti-homosexual than faith-based institutions, fox news, hip hop, historically black colleges and universities, hollywood, or the republican party.

some pundits believe sam will be a third or fourth-round draft pick. others fear his stock will drop considerably because he told the world he's gay. but according to cameron weiss of empire athletes, which represents the personable missouri grad, he's been contacted by 26 of the 32 nfl teams. weiss said, "michael should be drafted in the first two days of the draft."

seven former sec defensive players of the year were chosen in the first round. eric berry, morris claiborne, glenn dorsey, jarvis jones, rolando mcclain, patrick peterson and patrick willis have all enjoyed varying degrees of success after their transition from college ball to the nfl. as such, history is on the side of sam's historical self-disclosure. 

last august, sam courageously told his teammates he's an openly gay man. their unequivocal support proved to be liberating. he said, "i could go on campus and go around local gay bars in columbia and not worry about anybody judging me. prior to coming out, i would be in a local restaurant with my boyfriend and coaches would come in and i would feel insecure and want to sneak out."

sam's play on the field was evident of a man with a sense of freedom. his sack total increased from three and a half in his junior year, to 11 1/2 as a senior in 2013. the team finished with a 12-2 record and won the cotton bowl. at 6'2, 260 pounds, he's a ruthless pass rusher with a wing span of nearly seven feet. missouri coach gary pinkel recently said, "michael sam has raised the bar for expectations and excellence." 

2014 will be the most anticipated draft in nfl history. everyone will be watching sam's performance in the upcoming nfl combines. everyone will be listening to how he handles the projected media onslaught. but he won't be accepted by everyone. some might become jealous of his attention. players will resent being asked - more than once - how they feel about his sexual orientation.

will someone lose their job for inadvertently (or not) using a homophobic slur on live television?

right before last year's super bowl, former pittsburgh steelers running back and current espn analyst jerome bettis told the huffington post, "you always think because of the odds and the numbers there are gay players in the nfl. they haven't obviously come out and told anyone about it not even behind the scenes."

bettis said, "obviously there will be people who disagree and people who don't have a problem with it, but that will be in life as well. i don't think it is going to affect someone's play. because it is so testosterone driven, it'd be really difficult for a gay player to stand up and say, hey, i'm gay, and i'm an nfl player."

in the spirit of cultural icon, global diva and living legend diana ross, michael sam has literally proclaimed, 'i'm coming out, i want the world to know-oh, got to let it show-oh...i'm coming out, i want the world to know-oh, got to let it show-oh."     
    

The Origins of Black History Month

black history month, also known as african heritage month, is a time to appreciate, celebrate and rejoice in the magnanimous beauty and unparalleled brilliance of the motherland and her people. in acknowledging africa's extraordinary contributions to global society, we honor all members of the diaspora. let us begin by taking an in-depth look at how this cultural phenomenon originated.

in the early 1900's, omega psi phi, one of the oldest black fraternities, commended the achievements of black people on february 12, abraham lincoln's birthday. later, in 1916, dr. carter g. woodson, an honorary member of the fraternity, convinced the association for the study of negro life and history - an organization he started - to sponsor "negro history week."  his aim? to reach a larger, more diverse audience.

dr. woodson began the annual celebration in 1926 to increase awareness of, and interest in, black history amongst blacks and whites. he vigilantly distributed promotional brochures and pamphlets to various state boards of education, elementary and secondary schools, colleges, universities, women's clubs, white scholarly journals, and black newspapers and periodicals: implementing different ways to document truth.

unequivocally accepted as the founder of a national movement and observance, dr. woodson comes from humble beginnings. his parents were enslaved and illiterate. as an adolescent, he worked in the west virginia coalmines to support his family. as a result, he began school later than most children, yet he earned a high school diploma with honors. his motto in life was "it is never too late to learn."

dr. woodson received his masters and ph.d. at harvard university. he also studied at the prestigious sorbonne in paris, france. but while developing as a scholar he recognized a disturbing pattern in history and literature books: africans were intentionally omitted from history. and, if they were mentioned, it was only to advance the culturally oppressive myths regarding africa and her people. this social engineering fostered in europeans a false sense of superiority and in africans a fatal sense of inferiority.

for example, the african ancestry of alexander pushkin is "blacked-out" from standard history texts. he was heralded as the father of russian literature, yet was castigated for embracing his heritage. another literary giant of african descent, alexander dumas, spent most of his life in france. dumas once stated publicly, "when i discovered i was black, i was determined to act so that men should be beneath my skin."

in germany, the word "mohr" designates black. in english, however, that same word is spelled, moor. one of the world's most revered and treasured musicians is a man of african origin: ludwig van beethoven. in germany, he's referred to as the "blackamoor." in other countries, he's known as the "black spaniard."

many folks thought we celebrated black history month in february because its the shortest month of the year, and it was 'given' to us by guilt-ridden whites. but dr. woodson, chose the second week in february to commemorate the birthdays of lincoln, and more significantly, frederick douglass. in the early 1970's, his vision was extended throughout the entire month of february. and, the use of the noun "black," symbolizing power, pride and purpose, was ceremoniously added to the title.

today, dr. woodson is generally best known for his groundbreaking book, the miseducation of the negro. he wanted black history affirmed everywhere it is researched: on every continent and in every culture. like w.e.b. dubois, marcus garvey and malcolm x, dr. woodson clearly understood the power of accurate history within a community's collective self-value and self-worth.

we can share dr. woodson's third eye this month, and everyday of our lives, by honoring our ancestors, cultivating our spirit, and expressing our creativity. dr. woodson left behind a powerful legacy for people of African descent to begin treating our brothers and sisters with compassion, dignity, kindness, love, respect, selflessness and trust. 


 

Justice Department will extend federal benefits to same-sex couples

the justice department on monday will extend a new package of federal benefits to same-sex couples. attorney general eric holder said the benefits will give "lawful same-sex marriages full and equal recognition, to the greatest extent possible under the law."

in remarks prepared for a speech on saturday night to the human rights campaign in new york, holder said the new benefits apply to gay couples who are legally married. he said they will also be extended to couples who live in states which do not recognize same-sex marriage.

the moves are the latest in a series of actions following the u.s. supreme court's ruling in june on the defense of marriage act (doma). prior to the court's historic ruling, doma barred the federal government from recognizing legally valid same-sex marriages. "our nation moves closer to its ideals of equality and fairness for all, " said chad griffin of the human rights campaign, in response to the announcement.

under the new directive, government lawyers will operate under the assumption same-sex spouses should have the same rights in federal courts as opposite-sex couples - such as declining to testify against a spouse. that rule will apply in federal criminal and civil cases, holder said, "even in states where same-sex marriages are not recognized."

same-sex couples will also receive federal death benefits and educational payments given to surviving spouses of public safety officers who suffer catastrophic injuries or die in the line of duty. "the federal government should stand by that hero's spouse - no matter whether that spouse is straight or gay," holder said.

inmates in federal prison who have same-sex spouses will be given the same benefits as those in opposite-sex marriages, including visitation rights and eligibility for compassionate release or reductions in sentences based on the incapacitation of a spouse. additionally, the justice department feels same-sex couples should be treated equally in federal bankruptcy proceedings.

holder made civil rights one of the top priorities for the justice department upon his appointment by president obama. with this newfound initiative, he acknowledged his commitment to fighting racial discrimination. he said, "my commitment to confronting discrimination based on sexual orientation runs just as deep."  

        

A Visit With My Doctor

last thursday afternoon i visited my primary care physician for a routine check-up at a clinic in the bronx. she's a powerful latina; 60 years old, compassionate, kind, loving, progressive, and very thorough with her medical assessments. she always encourages me to honor my body, mind and spirit, no matter what challenges life presents me.  

while giving me the results of my blood work from the last session, she informed me i'm pre-diabetic, which is her major concern regarding my health at this point in my journey. she said my "number" is 5.8. and, if the "number" reaches 6.5, it means i'm diabetic - and will require treatment, in the form of medication.

i tried to act cool in her presence, but i feel anxious, overwhelmed, sad, upset and worried. diabetes is not pervasive in my family, however, my mother and aunt maxine have diabetes. also, i just learned my oldest brother, michael, was diagnosed in march, 2012. he shared this with me on facebook as we chatted around 2:00 saturday morning.

all of these feelings have competed for undivided attention since i left her office. additionally, i'm 15 pounds overweight and developed fatty tissues underneath both armpits. initially, i thought the excess fat was a side effect from stribild, the daily pill i take for hiv. well, at least, i was hoping she would tell me this to relieve me from the responsibility of having to do something about it.

when i look in the mirror i don't feel good about my physical self. i've never had to deal with fatty tissue underneath my arms. never. several months ago i began to have this nagging feeling something isn't quite right. every time i lifted my arms i'd feel a new and unwarranted sensation. i thought it would go away. when it didn't, i struggled to survive my emotions.

i've recently fantasized about surgery to remove the uncomfortable weight. at age 53, my body seems to betray me. i try to eat right and hit the gym three times a week. still, i've been unhappy with the results. normally i would try to cover my emerging self-pity with fried foods and ice cream. but that unhealthy remedy stopped working years ago.

over the last decade or so, i've inventoried my dysfunctional relationship with food. i have a weight problem: i can't wait to eat. my weight tends to go up and down like luther and oprah, though not as extreme. last august i weighed 192 pounds. but when i got on the scale the nurse said i was 206 pounds. i asked him to delete a few pounds because i was wearing boots. i felt embarrassed.

when my doctor told me to lose 15 pounds last summer, i complied. not for her, but for me. I felt so good about my accomplishment. she was pleased as well, giving me a high five in her office after doing a double-take reviewing my chart. nonetheless, at the moment, i can't remember how i did it. the news she gave me has fully compromised my brain.

she asked me what foods have i been eating to cause weight gain. my first impulse was to lie by omission, a familiar shortcoming to mask old feelings of inadequacy, shame and worthlessness. I felt naked and vulnerable in her office as she looked me in the eye with her penetrating gaze. our relationship spans a decade and I trust her loving care.

she has my best interest at heart.

if i want to prevent diabetes, i have to stop eating what hurts me. she suggested bread, pasta and wheat products once a month only. i like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on wheat bread. for my lunch, it's economical, quick and tasty. i like turkey and veggie burgers on wheat bread. for dinner, these sandwiches also serve the same purpose.

i like to buy pre-packaged sandwiches for lunch, normally with salmon or turkey on wheat bread. not anymore. damn. i've decided to eat salads regularly for lunch. i like huge salads with bananas, croutons and mixed nuts. my doctor gave me a recipe for a salad dressing with olive oil and vinegar. i need to buy some cooking utensils to make it happen. sigh. 

i like organic pasta with turkey meatballs and newman's sauce for dinner. $10 covers three meals, which takes about 10 minutes to cook. and now i have to change. i'll buy more frozen vegetables to eat with salmon, turkey burgers and veggie burgers. it's' another adjustment i have to make, yet i don't feel confident in my ability to discipline myself without slipping into old, familiar patterns. 

i truly believe in my heart god won't give me more than i can handle, regardless of how i feel about the issue at hand. i've learned feelings sometimes don't make sense. i need to rely on his strength and courage, along with putting spiritual living first. am i scared? yes. do i believe i will be okay? yes. i don't want diabetes. however, i know i'm neither alone nor unique. i will survive, with a smile.

George Zimmerman and DMX preparing to fight in a "celebrity" boxing match

george zimmerman agreed to fight embattled rapper dmx in a pay-per-view, so-called "celebrity" boxing match to be broadcast online. the bizarre announcement was made on the same day as trayvon martin's birthday. he would have been 19 years old.

fight promoter damon feldman suggests the fight will bring "justice" to martin. but feldman, who lost his promoter's license and was banned from promoting fights in his native pennsylvania - after admitting 95% of his matches were rigged - stands to profit handsomely from a racially polarizing event.

zimmerman announced on monday he wanted to fight kanye west, because west "attacks defenseless people." yet during his infamous trial, zimmerman claimed he feared for his life in a struggle with an unarmed teenager, whom he ultimately shot and killed. martin is similar in height and weight to dmx.

the fight's details are scheduled to be outlined at a press conference on wednesday. march 14 is the projected date, and  floyd mayweather, sr. is to be the referee. however, dmx has yet to finalize his contract and no corporate sponsors have signed on. dmx is 43 years old. zimmerman is 30 years old. feldman says he got over 15,00 e-mails about the fight, but no one knows where it will be held.

Seattle Seahawks crush Denver Broncos to win Super Bowl 48

the seattle seahawks defeated the denver broncos 43-8 to win their first super bowl title. seattle completely disarmed the highest offense in league history. on denver's first play, their center snapped the ball over peyton manning's head, resulting in a safety. denver never established a rhythm, and seattle's top ranked defense coerced four costly turnovers.

the championship game, played at met life stadium in east rutherford, new jersey, was hyped as a classic between the two best teams. denver ended 2013 with a record 606 points, averaging nearly 39 points per game. manning set single-season records with 5,477 passing yards and 55 touchdowns, and was voted league mvp earlier in the week.

the seahawks defense, fueled by all-pro cornerback richard sherman, led the nfl in forcing turnovers and making interceptions; they surrendered just 16 touchdowns all year. their front four punished opposing quarterbacks regularly, and their secondary is the most physical in recent memory. some pundits compared their victory to the 1985 bears and 2000 ravens.

punctuating the seahawks' dominating performance was a 69-yard interception return by linebacker malcolm smith, giving seattle a 22-0 to take into the locker room. smith was named mvp - just the third linebacker to win the award. when percy harvin opened the second half with an 89-yard kickoff return, their fans - known in seattle as the 12th man - chanted, "l.o.b. l.o.b. their hard-hitting secondary is called legions of boom.

smith was a seventh-round draft pick. both he and sherman referenced their unheralded teammates as "misfits with a chip on our shoulder." he said, "i always imagined myself making great plays, but never thought about being the mvp." sherman said, "i hope we etched our names into the record books." all-pro safety earl thomas said, "it's all about making history. this was a dominant performance from top to bottom."

seattle's average age is 26 years, 138 days, youngest in super bowl history. the victory was particularly sweet for coach pete carroll, fired by the jets in 1994. he was let go by the patriots after three seasons at the helm. after a brief stint out of coaching, he won two national titles at the university of southern california.       

carroll won just four years after coaching the seahawks, and eight years after seattle lost their only super bowl trip against pittsburgh. his team was labeled too brash, too inexperienced and too young. but after lifting the vince lombardi trophy, there was nothing left to prove - to themselves and others. super bowl 48 was the most watched event in television history, with 111.5 million viewers.

Stop and Frisk Policy will be reformed by Mayor de Blasio

mayor bill de blasio on thursday committed to reform stop-and-frisk police tactics, agreed to the appointment of a monitor and seeks to end a 14-year court fight culminating in a judge's ruling the new york city police department discriminated in carrying out the controversial program.

"we believe these steps will make everyone safer," de blasio told a brooklyn news conference shortly after city lawyers asked the second u.s. circuit court of appeals to return the case to the lower court "for the purpose of exploring a full resolution." he also said, "this will be one city where everyone rises together, where everyone's rights are protected." 

de blasio said the city agreed to the appointment of a monitor for three years to oversee the creation of reforms aimed at ending discrimination. the monitor will oversee a process in which those communities most affected by the stop-and-frisk tactics, will provide input on the reforms.

"i can't wait to get started," said vincent warren, executive director of the center for constitutional rights, which has represented plaintiffs in the lawsuits. but he cautioned the announcement won't immediately end discrimination. warren said, "nobody standing here today is pretending this mission is accomplished. the problem hasn't been solved. we will have a collaborative reform process. we'll have a court monitor to ensure these reforms move forward."

police commissioner william bratton said the policy, as it had been carried out for years, left too many people who were frisked wondering, "why,why me?" while police officers, being pressed to make more arrests - even as crime rates fell dramatically - were wondering, "why more?' he said the practice tore the fabric between the police and the population. he said, "we need to repair it."

a judge ruled last year the nypd discriminated against blacks and latinos when stopping, questioning and sometimes frisking people on the street. the judge ordered major reforms to the nypd's implementation of the policy. former mayor michael Bloomberg vehemently appealed the decision. but de blasio, who took office last month, prioritized this issue in his campaign, and wants results.

during bloomberg's 12-year tenure, stops had soared to more than five million in the past decade, primarily black and latino men. about 10% of the stops resulted in arrests or summons; weapons were found 2% of the time. four men sued the nypd in 2008, saying they were unfairly targeted because of their race.

u.s. district court judge shira scheindlin presided over a 10-week bench trial. she heard testimony from a dozen new yorkers who said they were wrongly stopped. she agreed, imposing a court-appointed monitor to oversee reforms. but her ruling has been on hold pending the appeal.

the federal appeals court took the unusual step of removing scheindlin from the case, saying she misapplied a related ruling allowing her to accept it to begin with, and had inappropriately spoken publicly about the case. plaintiffs' attorney jonathan moore said the city's decision to drop the appeal "vindicates the findings by judge scheindlin and provides the opportunity for the nypd to reform policies and practices that the district court found unconstitutional."

        

Li Na and Stanislaw Wawrinka Win 2014 Australian Open Singles Titles

li na of china beat dominika cibulkova of slovakia, 7-6, 6-0 on saturday to win the 2014 australian open women's singles title. she turns 32 next month, and became the oldest female champion down under in the open era. this was her third australian open final in four years, losing to kim clisters in 2011 and victoria azarenka last year.

li never faced a top 20 opponent en route to the final. she defeated the two youngest players in the tournament, and saved a match point in the third round against lucie safarova. in the semifinals she beat the upstart canadian, 19 year-old eugenie bouchard. afterwards, she immediately went into the stands to thank her coach, carlos rodriguez. "finally i got her...last two times was very close," she said, upon lifting the daphne akhurst trophy with joy.

cibulkova, at 5'3, is the first slovakian female to reach a major final. she beat four seeded players, including former champion maria sharapova in the third round and defending champion azarenka in the quarterfinals. the 20th seeded cibulkova was a crowd favorite with her energy, grit and smile. she will jump 11 places from #24 to #13 in the wta rankings on monday. li na will move up to #3.

stanislaw wawrinka of switzerland upset world #1 rafael nadal of spain 6-3, 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 on sunday to win the 2014 australian open men's singles title. wawrinka claimed his first ever major singles win in his first ever major final. the 28 year-old wawrinka had never taken a set off the charismatic nadal in their 12 previous meetings.

wawrinka became the first man in 21 years to beat the #1 and #2 players en route to a major title. he beat novak djokovic of serbia in five sets in four hours in the quarterfinals, ending a run of 14 consecutive losses to him. wawrinka moves from #8 to #3 in the new rankings, surpassing - for the first time in his career - his countryman, doubles partner and good friend roger federer, who lost to nadal in the semifinals. 

nadal became visibly injured early in the second set and fought gallantly until wawrinka delivered a blistering forehand winner on match point. during the trophy ceremony, wawrinka said, "rafa, i'm really sorry for you, i hope your back is going to be fine, you're a really great guy, good friend and amazing champion." 34 of the last 35 majors went to federer, nadal, djokovic and andy murray.

16 Year-old Black Male sexually assaulted by Philadelphia Police

darrin manning, a 16 year-old black male in philadelphia, was stopped by police while going to a high school basketball game with his friends. he claims a female officer handled him aggressively and his genitals were injured. manning was forced to have emergency surgery - and faces the prospect of being infertile.

manning's brutal assault, mistreatment and trauma on January 7 is shameful. yet the philadelphia district attorney r. seth williams intends to press charges against him. the group of friends started running away, but manning said he stopped running and tried to comply with police orders because he was innocent of any wrongdoing.

after he was arrested, manning said an officer violently patted him down and "grabbed and squeezed and pulled my private parts and i felt something pop." despite a court order to reduce it, philadelphia continues to utilize the polarizing stop and frisk policy at a very high rate. black and brown youth are disproportionately targeted by a department with a history of racial oppression.

manning is a straight a student and star athlete with no criminal history. like trayvon martin, he was unarmed, posing no thereat to society. despite being victimized, he faces three misdemeanor charges: reckless endangerment to of another person, resisting arrest, and simple assault. his attorney called the charges outrageous. 

lewis small, manning's attorney, said, "it's horrible. it's sexual assault, as far as i'm concerned. national outrage has unified efforts to demand the charges are dropped immediately, and the officers involved held accountable by law. one of the officers visible in the security footage has been placed on desk duty. it's unclear if that officer searched manning.

police commissioner charles h. ramsey said internal affairs investigators would like to speak with manning. but his attorney will not let manning speak with police until his charges are dropped. small said, "i'm not going to allow my client to sit down and give a written statement. that's in effect malpractice by any attorney while criminal charges are outstanding." 

Indian Village Court orders gang rape of woman as punishment for her boyfriend

village elders in india ordered the gang rape of a 20 year-old woman after they found out she was in a relationship with a man from a different community, police said on thursday. 13 people were arrested in a rural part of west bengal in connection with the alleged offense which left the woman in critical condition in the hospital.

birbhum police chief c. sudhakar told the bbc, "the relationship was going on for almost five years. when the man visited the woman's home on monday with the proposal of marriage, villagers spotted him and organized a kangaroo court. during the proceedings, the couple were made to sit with hands tied."

sudhakar said the elders took action because the woman was from their tribal community and her boyfriend was from a non-tribal community nearby. kangaroo courts, made up of village elders, do not have an official capacity but are not uncommon, especially in the rural areas in india.

the woman said she was assaulted at night on january 20 in the district of birbhum. sudhakar said the lead elder, who is among those arrested, initially ordered the woman's family to pay 25,000 rupees ($400). but they were too poor to pay the fine - and he told the alleged gang rapists "go enjoy the girl and have fun," according to a complaint filed by the family.

according to a report by reuters, the men appeared in court and are now remanded in jail. the issue of sexual violence against women and girls in india became a national and international concern last year after a 23 year-old student was killed in a brutal gang rape in delhi in 2012. the case shocked the world, which led to nationwide protests and a toughening of the laws covering sex crimes.
      

Russian President Vladimir Putin equates homosexualitty with pedophilia

russian president vladimir putin has offered new assurances for gay athletes, fans and progressive folks attending the 2014 sochi winter olympics next month. yet he defended russia's anti-gay law by equating gays with pedophiles. he said russia needs to "cleanse" itself of homosexuality if it wants to increase its birthrate.

putin's views aired in an interview broadcast on sunday with russian and foreign television stations. a russian law passed last year banning "propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations" among minors has caused an international outcry. he refused to answer a question from the bbc on whether he believes people are born gay or become gay.

russian law suggests information about homosexuality can somehow influence a child's orientation. the polarizing law has contributed to growing animosity towards gays in russian society. activists have reported a rise in abuse, harassment and intolerance.

global fears about how gays will be treated in sochi are being diffused by olympic organizers and russian officials who said no discrimination will take place in sochi. during the televised interview, putin reiterated their stance by stating, "there are no fears for people with this nontraditional orientation who plan to come to sochi as guests or participants."

putin said the law was aimed at banning propaganda of homosexuality and pedophilia, suggesting  gays are more likely to sexually abuse children. he noted with pride how russian law saw more births than deaths last year for the first time in two decades. population growth is vital for russia's development and, he said, "anything that gets in the way of that we should clean up."

the russian president, in the interview, accused the united states of double standards in its criticism of russian law. putin noted there are currently laws on the books, in some u.s. states, classifying gay sex as a crime. the u.s. supreme court, however, ruled in 2003 such laws are unconstitutional. homosexuality was a crime in the entire former soviet union, which collapsed in 1991. it was decriminalized in russia two years later.

the sochi winter olympics will be held february 7 through february 23.        

  

Nigerian man whipped 20 times in court for sodomy conviction

a young man convicted of sodomy was whipped 20 times thursday in a northern nigerian shariah court. though mubarak ibrahim was found guilty under shariah law, it's the first conviction of a gay man in nigeria since president goodluck jonathan signed a bill which furthers the criminalization of homosexuality under the west african nation's westernized penal code.

activists believe the new law promotes homophobia and endangers gay people in a country where lynchings and mob justice are common. but the muslim rights concern group on thursday said it was "the other way round as the practice of homosexualism and lesbianism is most capable of instigating widespread hatred and turning society upside down."

the group praised jonathan for resisting pressures from western powers who've condemned the law and urged them to stop what it called meddling in nigerian internal affairs. they said, "most reprehensible is the attempt by foreign powers to intimidate and coerce nigeria into absorbing their despicable culture by threatening to withhold foreign aid."

ibrahim, a 28 year-old unemployed artisan in the city of bauchi, pleaded guilty to committing one act of sodomy seven years ago. he said he was misled into the act by the principle of the high school he was attending. he also said he hasn't committed a homosexual act since. judge nuhu mohammed said he'd spare ibrahim the sentence of death by stoning because the crime occurred so many years ago, and the young man had shown "great remorse."

the 20 lashes were administered in the public court. ibrahim was also ordered to pay a fine of 5,000 naira ($30). it wasn't immediately clear if he'd been able to pay and go free. ibrahim was among 12 men - 11 muslims and one christian - arrested by police since christmas for belonging to a gay club. dorothy aken'ova, a human rights activist whose organization is helping with lawyers, said police lured four of the men, and tortured them into providing a list of 168 wanted gay men.         

shariah commission chairman mustapha baba llela has denied any of those arrested were tortured.  additionally, the police, he told the associated press, were hunting for other members of a gay club, but would not say how many. 

the same sex marriage prohibition act jonathan signed into law january 7 brought widespread condemnation from abroad - including the united states, britain, canada, the european union and the united nations. the unaids agency says the law could criminalize people in programs to fight hiv/aids. the u.s. says it violates the rights of all nigerians to free speech and association. 

Alex Rodriguez ruled ineligible by a federal arbitrator for the 2014 MLB season

new york yankees third baseman alex rodriguez has been ruled ineligible for the entire 2014 major league baseball season. he was originally given an unprecedented 211-game suspension for his involvement in the biogenesis scandal, but it was reduced on saturday by a federal arbitrator.

according to the ruling, by arbitrator fredric horowitz, rodriguez will also not be able to play in any postseason games, should the yankees qualify this year. the ruling brings to a close a months-long process in which rodriguez challenged major league baseball's initial suspension.

said rodriguez, "the number of games sadly comes as no surprise, as the deck has been stacked against me from day one. this is one man's decision, that was not put before a fair and impartial jury, does not involve me having failed a single drug test, is at odds with the facts and is inconsistent with the terms of the joint drug agreement and the basic agreement, and relies on testimony and documents that would never have been allowed in any court in the united states because they are false and wholly unreliable."

rodriguez vowed to contest the decision in federal court. he admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs while a member of the texas rangers from 2001-2003. but he says he's been clean as a member of the new york yankees. although he will not be paid for 2014, he's slated to earn $25 million in 2013 and $61 million total from 2015-17.

  

Amiri Baraka Makes Transition at 79

on thursday newark, new jersey lost a son, father, husband, uncle, friend and leader. the world lost a poet, activist, revolutionary, author, historian, professor, scholar, freedom fighter, pan-africanist, and critical thinker. baraka was, in his own words, describing james baldwin during his home going service at riverside church in harlem, 'god's black revolutionary mouth.'

baraka was one of the leading organizers of the black and puerto rican convention in newark in 1969. he supported the political careers of ken gibson, sharpe james and others. the convention - a grassroots effort to put folks in office - led to the election of newark's first black mayor, ken gibson.

newark's first latino mayor, louis quintana, said "we're going to remember him always for his contributions to newark, new jersey and america." baraka's political leadership empowered blacks and puerto ricans to organize collaboratively in order to achieve equal representation in newark city government.

baraka was a keynote speaker and organizer at the 1972 gary convention. the convention, a black political convention, was hosted by gary mayor richard hatcher, one of the first black mayors of a major city. the gary convention was considered controversial, by some, for many reasons.

the gary convention excluded whites. the convention worked deliberately to establish a national black political agenda. this agenda included community control of schools, national health insurance and proper political representation. it was a progressive political movement specifically designed to put black candidates in office, unlike the occupy movement, for example.    

baraka was a literary virtuoso. he was a poet, playwright, essayist and novelist. his acclaimed writings included blues people, dutchman, preface to a twenty volume suicide note, the system of dante's hell, the slave and somebody blew up america. baraka always challenged poets and artists to engage in political activism with their work.

baraka was a leader in the black arts movement, establishing the celebration of kwanzaa in newark. he was the architect of the black arts repertory theatre/school in harlem. he believed artists had to be engaged in the community, and he wanted art to "help with the liberation of black people."

still, his work also invited controversy and criticism. he distanced himself from some of his more provocative comments made about rev. dr. martin luther kin, jr., his anti-homosexual attitudes concerning gays, as well as his verbal assaults of whites, in general. admittedly, baraka caused harm, made amends, evolved politically and grew spiritually. 

in 2004, the 70 year-old baraka spoke at the malcolm x shabazz high school. the auditorium was filled with black art, black kids and black love. he eloquently read lines from "wise why's, y'z." he told them, " at the bottom of the atlantic ocean there's a railroad made of human bones - black ivory."

imamu amiri baraka made transition at the age of 79.

Father in New Zealand disowns anti-homosexual daughter by letter

a trusted friend recently forwarded me a letter from a father in new zealand to his daughter. in the letter, the father responds to his daughter, who disowned his grandson because he's gay. the letter was written october 2, 2013, and has gone viral. here is the letter in it's entirety:

"dear christine. i'm disappointed in you as a daughter. you're correct that we have a "shame in the family," but mistaken about what it is. kicking chad out of your home simply because he told you he was gay is the real "abomination" here. a parent disowning her child is what goes "against nature."

the only intelligent thing i heard you saying in all this was that "you didn't raise your son to be gay." of course you didn't. he was born this way and didn't choose it any more than he being left-handed. you however, have made a choice of being hurtful, narrow-minded and backward.        

so, while we are in the business of disowning our children, i think i'll take this moment to say goodbye to you. i now have a fabulous (as they gays put it) grandson to raise, and i don't have time for heart-less b word of a daughter. if you find your heart, give us a call." - dad.

Overweight and Overhelmed: A Perspective

the last time I went to visit my primary care physician I was struggling with anxiety, insecurity and self-pity. when the nurse asked me to step on the scale and weigh myself I wanted to run home and eat some buffalo wings and french fries. why? because I knew I'd gained weight during the holidays and didn't want to face the reality of my growing stomach...

physically, i felt bloated. emotionally, i was disappointed with myself for lacking discipline and over indulging in foods i'd worked hard to steadfastly remove from my regular diet. spiritually, i'd lost the motivation to engage god with my ongoing dilemma, as it relates to my sense of undesirability.

even though i don't celebrate holidays, i attended a spiritual gathering in brooklyn. the first thing i noticed were two long tables of food: chicken, turkey, lasagna, ziti, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, spinach, mixed vegetables, cranberry sauce, salad and candied yams. the assortment of cakes, cookies and pies helped me empathize with the winner of the biggest loser.   

my mind and my body were now in spiritual warfare. i have a weight problem: i can't wait to eat. i tried to embody james dean, but i was in deep shit. my relationship with food is co-dependent - like me and mrs. jones, we got a thing going on, and we both know that its wrong, but its much too strong, to let it go now. 

i proceeded to eat like there was no tomorrow. i rationalized my extra full plate because i was told people were still bringing in dishes and there would be more than enough to go around. i was also encouraged to take a plate home, which i did. its hard for me to say no to free food. it was on and popping.

damn. i quickly reverted back to my old ways. i was ordering fried foods on the down-low. i was buying ice cream, on sale, and devouring it at three o'clock in the morning. i was drinking soda, again. the compulsion was driving my sanity away. i would look in the mirror and pretend someone else was there. i stopped going to the gym and blamed my apathy on the weather. damn... 

before I got on the scale, i asked the nurse to keep in mind the brand new timberlands i sported would add three to five pounds to my weight. she was pleasant, yet seemed more concerned with doing her job and not getting involved with my bulging waistline - and need to be right.

the scale read 202 pounds. omg. i wanted a second opinion, but realized i was being weighed, not prepped for surgery. last summer, when i peaked at 207, my doctor told me to lose 15 pounds, and I did. my weight tends to fluctuate 10-15 pounds every few months or so. and, it's easier to take it off than keep it off.

i began to reminisce how i felt when my doctor, obviously stunned, looked into her computer screen, and realized the 15 pounds she asked me to lose was my latest accomplishment. she proudly gave me a high five and praised me for healthy living. i want that feeling back. or, as nene on the real housewives of atlanta says, "i want my happy back." 

this week, i decided to re-commit myself to healthy living. for the next five days, i will only eat one salad. i bought mixed nuts to snack on. but let me confess my obsession with chocolate. almost every night i eat a large cadbury roast almond with milk chocolate bar. this will continue during my five day rehab. ideally, chocolate with 60% cacao is healthier, but fuck it, i want what i want when i want it.

and in that order :-)

Macy's faces another discrimination lawsuit

in a discrimination lawsuit filed on friday, an african-american shopper said macy's security personnel stopped him after he bought a $2,400 louis vuitton bag and an alarm went off as he tried to exit the store.

club promoter halim sharif said he was detained, and his bag was searched. yet a half-dozen white customers left the store - at the same time - without being detained or searched. sharif said those very same customers also set off alarms at the macy's flagship store's west 34th street exit.

the incident happened april 19, 2013. sharif said he was the only person stopped. he said he has cellphone audio and video to prove his claim. he told the new york times, "it was as clear as black and white. there was no gray area. i saw people exit before me and after me, and none of them looked like me. they lacked pigmentation."

the 37 year-old promoter, who indicated he's suing macy's for unspecified damages, said he decided to speak up after reading accounts of four alleged instances of racial profiling at macy's, and another retailer: privately owned barney's new york. 

brooklyn resident kayla phillips, who alleged she was racially profiled at barney's in february, also filed a discrimination lawsuit on friday in brooklyn supreme court, according to the daily news. macy's, through a representative, said the company was looking into sharif's allegation, but would have no comment due to pending litigation.

according to the representative, "macy's has a zero tolerance for discrimination of any kind. if macy's policies have not been upheld, we will take swift and immediate action." both stores named in the lawsuits said new york city police department officers were the culprits in earlier incidents targeting black shoppers, including phillips, rob brown, trayon christian and art palmer. the nypd said its officers were merely acting on information provided by store employees.

macy's joined several retailers whom signed a customer 'bill of rights' earlier this month. civil rights leaders, including rev. al sharpton, met with retailer representatives to draft the document, which is to be posted on participating department store websites. other signatories include barney's new york, macy's-owned bloomingdale's, and hudson's bay company subsidiaries lord & taylor, and saks fifth avenue.     



  

 

NYC Mayor-elect De Blasio's daughter reveals substance use issues

chiara de blasio, daughter of new york city mayor-elect bill de blasio, released a five-minute video detailing her struggles with anxiety, depression, alcohol and marijuana. the free-spirited 19 year-old spoke openly about her personal struggles with courage, grace and humility.

a college sophomore who played a central role in her father's successful campaign, chiara de blasio was candid about her painful past. she said, "it made it easier, the more i drank and did drugs, to share some common ground with people. it didn't start out as, like, a huge thing for me, but then it became a really huge thing from me."

de blasio said she thought she could leave the problem behind when she went to college in california, only to realize her "physical insecurity" got worse. she said, "my mom was trying really hard to help me and my dad was really busy. they were both very emotionally committed to trying to find out some way to get me better."

she said she eventually found success in group therapy at a treatment center in new york. de blasio said, "removing substances from my life opened so many doors for me. i was actually able to participate in my dad's campaign. getting sober is always a positive thing, and by no means is it easy - it's the hardest thing i've ever done - but it's so worth it." 

in a statement accompanying the video, bill de blasio and his wife, chirlane mccray, said they were "so proud of chiara and love her deeply." they said, "as parents, our instinct has been to protect our daughter and privately help her through a deeply personal struggle. but not only has chiara committed to own her health, she is also committed to helping young people everywhere who face similar challenges."

the campaign did not say what prompted it to release the video on christmas eve, a day when many news consumers are more concerned with family, money, shopping or traveling - instead of current events. but the announcement was framed in a way to help other families who struggle with depression and substance use during the holiday season.

during the campaign, de blasio spoke about his father's battle with substance use, particularly alcohol. his father later committed suicide. white house drug policy director gil kerlikowske released a statement late tuesday praising chiara de blasio's decision "to give voice to the millions who suffer from substance abuse disorders."  
       

President Obama Commutes Eight 'Unduly Harsh' Drug Sentences

president obama on thursday commuted the sentences of eight federal inmates throughout the united states. all eight were convicted of non-violent crimes involving crack cocaine. each inmate spent more than 15 years in prison.

at the time of the convictions, mandatory sentencing laws required severe punishment for drug offenders who possessed, sold or used crack cocaine. however, the sentencing guidelines for drug offenses involving powder cocaine were far less oppressive.

in 2010, obama signed the fair sentencing act, which lessened the punishment for crimes involving crack cocaine. the new guidelines made sentencing similar for both forms of the drug. after the laws changed, numerous inmates remained incarcerated with long sentences for their previous crimes.

as reported by cnn, obama commuted the eight drug offenders' sentences as they were "unduly harsh and issued outdated sentencing regime." obama also said releasing the inmates is "an important step toward restoring fundamental ideals of justice and fairness."

a bi-partisan bill introduced by senators richard j. durbin and mike lee allows for the release of inmates sentenced before the fair sentencing act was signed. if the bill passes, the law would provide inmates with an opportunity to have their cases reviewed for early release. 

the new york times reports families against mandatory minimums estimates nearly nine million inmates will qualify for early review if the bill gets legalized. under current law, the inmates would have been released years ago, saving the taxpayers thousands of dollars. the president's actions foster an urgency to relax sentencing guidelines filling u.s. prisons with non-violent offenders.    

the bureau of prisons was given 120 days to release the six men and two women. one inmate was sentenced to 20 years, another was sentenced to 24 years. four were sentenced to life, one was sentenced to life at age 17 and another was sentenced to three life terms at age 22. obama's bold and compassion decision gives each inmate an opportunity to reunite with their families and become productive members of society.     

TransAfrica Mourns Nelson Mandela

the entire transafrica family is saddened by the loss of nelson rolihlahla mandela on thursday. we wish to take this opportunity to express our sincere condolences to the people of south africa and the mandela family. the african world has lost an unparalleled leader and hero. mandela inspired people in every corner of the globe, and that is why the loss of this great man echoes around the world.  

nelson mandela, the nobel peace prize laureate and first president of a multi-racial democratic south africa, persevered and inspired others in the pursuit of truth and justice until his final days. whether it was leading the struggle against apartheid regime, championing the cause of people with hiv/aids, or challenging the great powers of the globe to build a better world: mandela continuously gave us strength to speak truth to power.

nicole lee, president of transafrica said, "we will continue to carry on mandela's legacy of courageous activism. even when unjustly imprisoned on robben island by the apartheid government, he and his fellow activists in the liberation movement inspired us all with their vision of a free, just and democratic south Africa. no obstacle was too great for nelson mandela in his quest for a brighter tomorrow. as we work to change powerful systems that perpetuate economic and social injustice, we are reminded of madiba's courage."

danny glover, actor, activist and chair of transafrica's board of directors said, "today, i join with the people of south africa and many millions around the world in mourning the loss of nelson rolihlahla mandela. let not sadness overcome us, let us rejoice in his life-long sacrifice for freedom, and retain his living memory as we remain forever vigilant in sustaining freedom, democracy and human dignity. madiba treated me like a son and i am forever grateful for his personal guidance and wisdom."

to mandela, attaining a free and just south africa did not mean taking over power and forgetting the poor and disenfranchised. both during his time in office and out, mandela worked tirelessly to resolve conflicts within the  african continent. throughout his life, mandela embodied the sentiment "another world is possible," and this was most eloquently illustrated with his statement at the rivonia trial in april, 1964: 

"during my lifetime i have dedicated myself to this struggle of the african people. i have fought against white domination, and i have fought against black domination. i have cherished the idea of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. it is an ideal which i hope to live for and to achieve. but if it needs be, it is an ideal for which i am prepared to die."

even in his final days mandela challenges us. he said, "if we are to stop the aids epidemic from expanding we need to break the cycle of new hiv infections. all of us working together with government, communities and civil society can make the difference that is needed. together we have the power to change the course of destiny."