News Round-Up: June 7, 2019

(via Instagram/JoeBlizzard)

Some news items you might have missed:

• InstaHunk Joe Blizzard (above) has one lucky dog.

• Less than half of the 20+ presidential candidates mention LGBTQ rights on their campaign websites.

• Brad Pitt has demanded the organizers of the so-called 'Straight Pride Parade' in Boston to cease and desist using his name and likeness for their event.

• Christians surprise LGBTQ Pride parade marchers with signs apologizing for anti-LGBTQ views.

i cried so hard #RiseUpTogether pic.twitter.com/By0YonuARE

— frida kahloka (@merillravago) June 30, 2018

• Sad news from Philadelphia - Deputy Sheriff Dante Austin, the department’s LGBT liaison, was found dead in his office on Friday morning of what is thought to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

• Pride Flag flies over Wisconsin capitol for the first time; Republicans whine, "This is divisive."

• Carolyn Vaughn, a county commissioner in Texas, refused to sign a Pride Week proclamation honoring the lives lost in the Pulse nightclub shooting. "Just because you’re the LGBT—whatever it’s called, community, does not mean that I have to suck it up and support it.”

• And how about one more from InstaHunk Joe Blizzard as I send you all into the weekend :)

View this post on Instagram

Beach vibes ✌️🌴 🏖 . . . . . #beach #travel #sea #nature #summer #sun #photography #gaybear #beardedmen #instagood #tattoo #beautiful #vacation #florida #getoutdoors #landscape #beachlife #exploreandwonder #travelphotography #beard #photo #sexymen

A post shared by JOE BLIZZARD (@joeblizzard) on Jun 7, 2019 at 4:58am PDT

Philadelphia Gay Man Attacked By Homophobic Mob Outside Popular Gay Bar

Josh Schonewolf (screen capture via 6ABC)

The Philadelphia LGBTQ community is shook after another violent attack took place on Sunday night outside a popular gay bar.

The victim, a 50-year-old patron of The Toasted Walnut, was standing right outside the bar around 11PM on Sunday night when the assault took place.

According to police reports, four men and a woman took part in the assault.

Josh Schonewolf, the bartender who was working that night, saw the attack as it happened.

“All of a sudden a car full of guys decided to jump out and attack one of the patrons here right in front,” said Schonewolf.

Schonewolf tells local news station 6ABC that the attackers “were definitely calling him some gay slurs as they were beating him up.”

Some witnesses attempted to stop the assault, but were attacked as well.

“The general manager happened to be outside, and he was also punched in the face,” said Schonewolf.

The mob of attackers jumped back in their car and fled the scene before police arrived.

The victim was treated at the hospital for a head injury.

Police tell 6ABC that hate crime charges may be added once they have finished their investigation. The final determination will be made by the district attorney’s office.

In the meantime, LGBTQ folks in Philly are rattled by the attack in their own gayborhood.

Said Schonewolf, “Some people refer to this part of town as Midtown Village but to me - I'm from Philly - it is always going to be the Gayborhood.”

“And if this is happening at 13th and Walnut, I don't know where we're supposed to feel safe," he added.

The LGBTQ community has seen similar attacks not only in Philadelphia, but in Chicago where openly gay Empire star Jussie Smollett was brutally assaulted with bleach and a noose, as well as Austin, Texas, where two gay men were beaten for holding hands as they were leaving a gay bar.

In all of those assaults, the victims report their attackers using homophobic slurs.

Documentary: 'The Last Mile' Explores Impact Of 1993's 'Philadelphia' On Stigma Of AIDS

In advance of this year’s World AIDS Day (December 1) and as a long-standing supporter of HIV/AIDS awareness and research, Coca-Cola is partnering with (RED) to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the groundbreaking film, Philadelphia, with a new documentary titled, The Last Mile.

Inspired by the progress made in HIV/AIDS since the 1993 release of Philadelphia, The Last Mile features cast members Tom Hanks, Mary Steenburgen and Denzel Washington along with writer, Ron Nyswaner, discussing director Jonathan Demme’s sensitive vision for the film.

The illustrious group also discusses how the film changed perceptions about HIV/AIDS from fear to compassion, from stigma to empathy.

“It’s hard for people now to realize how intense that moment in time was,’ Steenburgen says in the newly-released trailer. “There was a tremendous amount of fear and a lack of knowledge.”

“I remember the different scarred faces – people with scars on their faces. I remember the sadness,” says Washington.

“Going in and out of New York City, you ended up seeing it all over the place ― men were pushing other men around in wheelchairs,” adds Hanks, who would go on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor for his powerful performance of a Philadelphia lawyer diagnosed with AIDS.

Tom Hanks

The documentary short is produced by Coca-Cola as part of the beverage giant’s social initiative Project Last Mile, which works to improve availability of life-saving medications to more and more regions of Africa.

The film shares the work of dedicated healthcare workers in Africa who are changing the face of the AIDS epidemic.

“The strides, they’re extraordinary,” says Hanks of the work being done there. “But, there is still a massive amount of need for attention that something like the pandemic of AIDS is going to require.”

“We have come a long way,” adds Steenburgen. “I think it’s time to continue to be inspired.”

Health worker in Africa delivering HIV medications

In terms of progress, there are nearly 22 million people living with HIV who now have access to treatment. But in 2017, nearly 1 million people around the world died from AIDS - a disease that is both preventable and treatable.

The new documentary hopes to help empower those on the front lines of the epidemic by reinforcing continued awareness and support.

The Last Mile will be available on November 15 at red.org/cocacola.

Watch the trailer below.

Philadelphia Transit Strike Threatens Election

In what looks to be a reckless, irresponsible move by the 4,700 workers of Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority, the union decided to strike early Tuesday morning affecting nearly one million riders a day.

Plus, being in the middle of early voting and Philadelphia being a huge Democratic stronghold, it could affect the outcome of the election.

From the New York Times:

The authority’s regional rail service — the commuter lines that extend from the city into the suburbs — continued operating, providing an alternative in some parts of the city for riders who would usually take buses or subways. The commuter trains accepted transit passes and express trains made local stops to take on more passengers.

But the regional rail service, which normally provides 130,000 rides a weekday, could absorb only a fraction of the overflow. Trains became crowded and some ran as much as an hour late into the Center City area. The transportation authority warned of possibly dangerous overcrowding on commuter rail platforms during the evening rush.

Members of Transport Workers Union Local 234 had voted to go on strike at midnight if a contract settlement was not reached, and negotiations on Monday failed to produce an agreement. The union last walked out in 2009, in a strike lasting six days.

(h/t JoeMyGod)

News Round-Up: December 18, 2015

Some news stories you may have missed:

• "Otterly adorable" dude gets "discovered" by news reporter taking a shirtless jog in the rain.

• The U.S. Senate Intelligence committee is looking into whether Sen. Ted Cruz accidentally shared classified info during the GOP debate last night.

• A judge in Baltimore declares mistrial in the case of the police officer accused of killing Freddie Gray.

• Oh, did you hear violent Philly gay-basher Kathryn Knott was found GUILTY of assault and a few other things? Share the good news :)

• This guy got 18 months in jail for performing oral sex on a passed out straight guy.

• Six Republican presidential candidates have pledged to make discriminating against LGBTs legal IF they become president. (Don't worry - none of them will...)

• And speaking of Republicans - did you miss this week's Republican debate from Las Vegas? No worries - CNN has the 90 highlights reel. Check it out below.

Transgender Woman Beaten And Murdered In Philadelphia

 Twenty-two year old transgender woman Kiesha Jenkins was shot twice in the back early this morning in North Philadelphia.

Via Huffington Post:

"She was known to the LGBTQ community as a transgender individual," the spokeswoman said.

Police are treating the case as a homicide -- not a hate crime -- though that could change as the investigation continues, she added.

Jenkins was jumped by five to six men, physically assaulted, then shot in the back, police said.

A $20,000 reward is being offered to anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction of the men.

Keisha Jenkins is one of at least 16 transgender women of color reportedly killed in the U.S. this year.

Which Way Do You Sway?

Chipotle reps were apparently handing out these little double entendres at Philly Pride.

Clever :)

Philadelphia: Derailed Amtrak Train Was Traveling At Twice The Speed Limit

Several sources are now reporting that the Amtrak train derailement last night near Philadelphia, killing seven and injuring dozens, may have been caused by the train traveling at more than twice the speed limit.

An Amtrak train involved in a fatal crash here appears to have been traveling at more than 100 miles an hour as it entered a sharp curve where it derailed Tuesday night, killing at least six people, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation.

The speed limit in that section of track drops to 50 miles per hour, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.

Investigators are focusing on the possibility that excessive speed was a factor in the derailment, one of these people said.

Multiple cars overturned, severely injuring some passengers and pinning others. Six people were killed and more than 200 were injured, including eight who were in critical condition.

Accused Center City Gay Bashers Look To Have Charges Dropped

Lawyers for the three accused gay bashers in Center City last September plan to ask the court to reduce or throw out charges at a pre-trial hearing on April 16th.

Of course, sinners in hell want ice water, but that's not happening either.

Via CBS News:

The three defendants — Kevin Harrigan, Philip Williams and Kathryn Knott — all of whom are in their mid 20’s, appeared with their lawyers for the status hearing.

At the preliminary hearing stage in December, a Municipal Court judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to prosecute them on aggravated assault, conspiracy, and other charges.

Defense lawyer Louis Busico, who represents the 24-year-old Knott, says all of the defendants maintain their innocence:

“Perhaps some of the charges may never see a courtroom, or they all may. That’s the purpose of reviewing discovery.”

The three are charged with two counts of aggravated assault, two counts of simple assault, two counts of recklessly endangering another person and one count of conspiracy.

Rosie O'Donnell Talks With Philadelphia Gay-Bashing Twitter Sleuth

Twitter user @FanSince09, who has been credited in leading a social media manhunt in identifying the suspects in the September 11 gay bashing in Center City, Philadelphia, appeared on The View to share why he decided to put his social media skills to work and help solve a crime.

The social media sleuth - @FanSince09 - chose to keep his identity anonymous:

"I did maybe about 45 minutes of work, but with crowd sourcing, we got at least three people identified within two hours."

Since the violent attack, a bill that would amend Pennsylvania's hate crimes statues to include protections for sexual orientation and gender identity has recently passed the House Judiciary Committee 19-4.

Philadelphia Gay-Bashing: Affidavit of Probable Cause Released

(L to R) Kevin Harrigan; Kathryn Knott; Philip Williams

According to recently released court documents regarding the violent gay bashing in Center City two weeks ago, the victims were punched and repeatedly called "faggots" by the three charges suspects.

It should be noted that nowhere in the report is there any mention that the three acted in "self-defense."

From PhillyMag.com:

Now that Kathryn Knott, Kevin Harrigan and Philip Williams have been charged with the crime, an affidavit of probable cause describing the incident has been made available by the court.

According to that document, the incident began when "words were exchanged" between the two groups of people, with suspect Kevin Harrigan allegedly calling the victims "faggots" several times before a "heated argument developed." The affidavit also alleges that Knott screamed "faggots" at them and hit one of them in the face.

See the affidavit below. Here is a transcript of the affidavit:

On September 11, 2014, at approximately 10:45PM, Conplainant #s 1 and 2 were walking east on the 1600 block of Chancellor Street when they encountered a large group of males and females who were walking north on 16th Street. Words were exchanged between the two groups and one male in the second group, later identified as Kevin Harrigan, called the complainants "faggots" several times. A heated argument developed and, during the resulting altercation, another member of the second group, later identified as Philip Williams, punched Complainant #1 in the face an undetermined number of times, causing Complainant #1 to fall to the ground. Complainant #2 approached Williams and Williams punched Complainant #2 in the face, also causing him to fall. The second group then left the area north on 16th Street.

Complainant #1 was transported to Hahnemann Hospital with extensive injuries to his face, including a broken orbital bone, a broken jaw and a deep laceration that required twenty-four stitches to close. Complainant #2 suffered injuries to his face that did not require hospital treatment.

Video was recovered from the surrounding area that showed the second group in its entirety. That video was aired on local news programs and on social media. As a result, the whole group was identified. Photo arrays containing individual photos of that group were shown to the complainants and several witnesses. Kevin Harrigan was identified by both complainants as initiating the incident and calling the complainants "faggots". Complainant #2 also identifies Harrigan as striking him during the physical altercation.

Both complainants positively identified Philip Williams through photo arrays. Williams was identified by Complainant #2 as punching him. Williams was identified by Complainant #1 as being part of the group and being one of the "main aggressors".

Another member of the group, Kathryn Knott, was positively identified by Complainant #1, after viewing a photo array, as calling them "faggots". Complainant #2 identified Kathryn Knott from the video as screaming "faggots" at both complainants and striking Complainant #2 in the face. A witness at the scene who was interviewed by detectives further positively identified Knott from a photo array as striking Complainant #2.

Philadelphia: Despite Rain Over 300 Rally Against Hate Crimes

Over 300 people ignored rain to rally against #LGBT hate crimes - Thank you! A summary: http://t.co/FfXzDDb3pN pic.twitter.com/aXMzs9ap9E
— Rep. Brian Sims (@RepSims) September 25, 2014

Openly gay Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims shared this tweet earlier today in reference to the Love Park rally held today in support of adding sexual orientation to the state's current hate crimes bill.

At the rally Sims said, "There are some in Harrisburg who object to restoring sexual orientation and gender identity protections to the hate-crime law. But they haven't been calling for repeal of the law's remaining protections, for victims targeted because of their race, color, religion or national origin -- they know they would take a political hit for that. Unfortunately, they think there's no political penalty or constituent outrage to face for leaving out women, LGBT people, or people targeted because of their ancestry or mental or physical disability. Pennsylvanians who don't like this injustice need to let their state representative and senator know now."

Watch Sims' impassioned speech this past Tuesday in the state capitol where he expressed his frustration about the LGBT community's lack of rights outside of marriage.

This state doesn't offer a single statewide LGBT civil right to people like me other than marriage, and that's ridiculous," Sims said, gesturing emphatically.

"Don't let people tell you that we only have six or seven days left in session," Sims added. "That's B.S.!"

Philadelphia City Council Poised to Pass Hate Crime Ordinance

A new city hate crime ordinance introduced today by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown and Councilman Jim Kenney looks sure to pass as the proposal was co-sponsored by the entire city council.

The measure comes just weeks after the brutal gay-bashing in Center City on September 11th that left two men hospitalized, one requiring his jaw to be wired shut for 8 weeks.

From Buzzfeed:

“We value diversity and diversity matters, and for those who don’t get it, there’s a price to be paid,” Reynolds Brown told BuzzFeed News when reached by phone. “Right at the door, all of the members get it and understand the value in putting forth this important measure to close this loophole in the law.”

She said she can “predict quite confidently” the ordinance will pass and be signed into law by Mayor Michael Nutter. “I can’t say that about too many pieces of legislation,” she added.

The Philadelphia proposal would ensure that hate crimes based on a victims actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability will carry consequences in addition to existing criminal charges such as up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000, according to the councilwoman.

Meet Philadelphia Gay-Bashing Defendant Kathryn Knott

LGBT advocate Scott Wooledge has Storified several of Philadelphia gay-bashing defendant Kathryn Knott's Tweets to give the public a glimpse into the 20-something's mind.

According to Scott, "She seems nice. And a little racist, and a little homophobic. And frequently drunk or hungover."

I think it's interesting to note that Knott is the daughter of Chalfont, Bucks County Police Chief Karl Knott. Neighbors of the Knotts were reportedly "not surprised" by the charges brought against Kathryn.

UPDATE: All three defendant's have turned themselves in according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Philadelphia: Three Suspects Charged In Violent Gay Bashing

Arrest warrants have been issued and charges filed in the brutal gay bashing incident of almost two weeks ago in Center City Philadelphia.

With charges ranging from aggravated assault, simple assault, conspiracy and reckless endangerment, three Bucks County residents - two men and one woman - will be charged for the violent attack of September 11, 2014, on two gay men.

From NBC Philadelphia:

District Attorney Seth Williams issued the arrest warrants for Philip Williams, 24; Kevin Harrigan, 26; and Katherine Knott, 24. No word yet if any of the trio surrendered to authorities.

“I would like to thank the police for their thorough investigation and the public for the outpouring of information and tips in this case,” said Williams. “This vicious attack shocked the entire country. An assault on people because of their sexual orientation has no place in Philadelphia.”

Police say one of the suspects also snatched a victim's bag containing a cellphone, wallet and credit cards. The group then fled in an unknown direction.

"It was a bunch of screams at first," said witness Geoff Nagle. "...a lot of punching and kicking."

Another witness, who asked to remain anonymous, says he heard the group screaming homophobic slurs.

"It was surprising that it happened in front of me, I never witnessed a hate crime based on that," the witness said.

Here's a report from the local NBC affiliate summarizing the violent episode:

Philadelphia: Gay Bashing Suspects To Be Arrested This Week

According to a source close to the current police investigation of the Center City gay bashing incident, arrests should happen this week and "people are going to get locked up."

As of this morning, police had interviewed 18 possible suspects and witnesses.  One more key person of interest - "the girl in the middle of it all" - will be interviewed today.

The process has been time consuming as police want to make sure they "get it right," and each interview takes at least four hours:

"We've had to schedule with the attorneys for all the different times for them to come in," the source said. "But Monday morning as soon as the stores opened, we started working through the video and then we started the interviews. We want to make sure whoever threw a punch or whoever was part of this assault will be arrested. What happens with cases like this is that, if you rush it and don't do a good job, they'll start throwing out charges later on. These kids all have top-notch attorneys, so if our case isn't put together on our end, they're going to pick it apart. But we've put together a great case for the DA and we'll be working in conjunction with the DA to bring the charges."

“The stories have been pretty consistent so far,” the source said. “It looks like it started by either a bump or words being exchanged, and then punches were thrown. But not everyone in the crowd knew what was going on. People were kind of staggering, and some didn’t seem to realize the extent of the one guy’s injuries.”

“It’s a tragedy for the two guys who were hurt and it’s a tragedy for some of the people in the crowd because the majority weren’t involved,” the source said. “But the guys who were involved are going to pay the price.”

The violent attack has renewed attention on the lack of hate crime laws with respect to crime on LGBT people.

In 2002, the state legislature had added sexual orientation to the hate crime laws, but it was later challenged and repealed on a technicality. State Rep. Brendan Boyle has introduced a bill to amend the current hate crime law to include LGBT citizens.

Meme of the day: Gay Bashers in Philly Claim "Self-Defense"

Via Memeographs

Philly gay-bashing witness - It wasn't self-defense

Philly Mag has reached out and spoken to one of the witnesses of the vicious gay-bashing that took place in Center City last week.

In light of one of the alleged attacker's lawyer bringing up the idea of self-defense, Philly Mag asked the witness what he saw and if the violence could have been motivated by "self-defense."

Here's just a portion of the interview:

Do you have a sense of what set this off?
It seemed to me that the two larger guys were fed up with what the other guys were saying, and one of the victims was pushing one of the women away, but just a little bit. And I could also hear some slurs like "fucking faggot" and I also heard someone say "I am sick of this fucking faggot." If you saw the victims, they were small, not as large as the two guys. And then, it happened so quickly, one of the victims is lying unconscious, bleeding from the head. There wound up being a one- to two-foot puddle of blood where he was hit and knocked unconscious. He wasn't moving. There was a blood stain on the ground until it rained two days later.

Was the whole group of 12 punching and kicking the victims?
Not that I saw when I got over to my window. There was really one guy that inflicted what I saw. The punches I saw from him were what knocked the one guy out. You see those kinds of punches in boxing matches a little bit, but you don't see them in person. It really connected. The guy got knocked out cold.

How did the attack end?
It was a quick thing. Punches were exchanged. And I think that when they realized how serious it was, they went on their way. The women started covering their faces. He hit the concrete and didn't pop back up. When the paramedics got there, it looked like he had two faces on one side of his face. It was serious. You could see all that just within a couple of minutes.

Was police response quick?
Cops were literally there within a minute. Paramedics were literally 30 seconds behind. I was very impressed by the cops.

It's been reported that some of the suspects might be trying to invoke a self-defense argument.
I don't see how it could be self-defense. There were 12 people there. The self-defense thing is a little crazy to me. It wasn't like a guy just threw a punch to protect himself and ran away. That's not what happened here. There were multiple punches to the one guy's face — on both sides of his face.

City Councilman Asks Federal Government To Explore Hate Crime Charges For Philly Gay-bashing

City Councilman James Kenney

Amid the outrage caused by a gay-bashing in Center City last week that sent a gay couple to the hospital, City Councilman James Kenney has called for the federal government to bring hate-crime charges against the group suspected in the attack.

Kenney called the incident "a violent and vicious attack on two human beings because they are gay."

"It's a crime of violent bias that calls for the full weight of federal prosecution by the United States Department of Justice," he said in a statement.

Currently, a crime related to LGBT animus is not covered under hate-crime laws in Pennsylvania, but it is covered under federal law. Sexual orientation had been a part of the hate crime statute until 2008, when the state Supreme Court ruled that such inclusion was a violation of the state constitution.

Police are currently interviewing "persons of interest" but no arrests have been made as yet.

Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims

In related news, state Rep. Brian Sims - who represents the area where the attack took place - says he will push to change the hate crime law to include gender identity, sexual orientation, and physical and mental disability to the hate crime law. Already introduced in 2013, the legislation is not likely to see any activity until 2015.

“One of the things I’ve learned is that sometimes it takes a horribly negative experience to get people out of their seats, for them to be active and engaged,” says State Representative Brian Sims of his colleagues in Harrisburg. “It’s not necessarily because they’re opposed but because they aren’t aware of the need. So we are going to be sure to utilize this horrible event to make sure that they hear about it. I’m going to be bringing two people with me who will be able to tell them all about it.”

You can watch Councilman James Kenney speak to the City Council about the attack below:

Philadelphia: One Member Of Gay-Bashing Mob Fired From Catholic High School

NBC Philadelphia is reporting that some of the members of the mob who are "persons of interest" in the attack on two gay men last week which sent them to the hospital with severe injuries were alumni from Archbishop Wood High School in nearby Warminster, PA.

One of the persons of interest was also the assistant basketball coach at Archbishop Wood before the school dismissed him from his duties Wednesday, according to a school spokesman.

“He was not a teacher at the school but serving as a coach on a contract basis. He was terminated this evening and will not be permitted to coach in any Archdiocesan school,” the spokesperson said. “We expect all those who work with students in our schools to model appropriate Christian behavior at all times.”

UPDATE: The AP is reporting that the assistant basketball coach, Fran McGlinn, resigned from his position at the school when confronted about the allegations, and was not fired. One has to wonder - if innocent, why would McGlinn resign so quickly after being identified?

Four of the alleged attackers arrived at the police station to give statements accompanied by their lawyers.  One lawyer told the press that the vicious attack was in self-defense because one of the two gay men threw the first punch.

Right, because two gay men when confronted by a homophobic mob like to instigate a fight on a dark street when they are outnumbered 6 to 1.  Makes perfect sense.  I'd like to see the mob's defensive wounds...

The high school, Archbishop Wood High School, issued this statement in regard to the attack:

Earlier today, Archbishop Wood High School became aware that some of its former students were allegedly involved in the assault of two men in Center City last week.

This afternoon, administrators communicated with the entire Archbishop Wood school community to make it emphatically clear that the school does not, under any circumstances, tolerate or condone the violent and hateful behavior displayed by those who took part in this senseless attack.

Administration also stressed that Catholic schools are centers of learning where students are expected to treat each other in a Christ-like manner at all times and that everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity. The actions of those who took part in the attack are reprehensible and entirely unacceptable. They are not an accurate reflection of our Catholic values or of Archbishop Wood High School.

Watch the report from the Philadelphia NBC affiliate below:

(via JMG)