Local
Activists protest ‘Kill the Gays’ bill outside Ugandan embassy
Ugandan lawmakers are expected to potentially vote on the measure before Dec. 14
More than a dozen people gathered outside the Ugandan embassy in Northwest D.C. on Saturday to protest the African countryās so-called āKill the Gaysā bill that would impose the death penalty upon anyone convicted of repeated same-sex sexual acts.
Members of the Maryland Light Brigade, which placed illuminated signs in support of last monthās referendum that upheld the stateās same-sex marriage law on interstate overpasses, organized the protest. They held lighted black panels along the sidewalk in front of the 16th Street, N.W., compound that read āReject Ugandan Homophobia.ā
Several motorists honked their horns in support of the protesters as they drove past the embassy.
āThose lawmakers are better than what theyāre doing,ā D.C. resident Moses Shaba, who is originally from Uganda, told the Washington Blade. āThey are absolutely better than what theyāre doing. I am so surprised to see that they are going on with this bill and the kind of articles and provisions that are in that bill because in the long run when this bill if itās passed they will see their friends, their kids, their daughters, their brothers all going to jail. Thatās how bad it is.ā
Shaba and other protesters also sought to highlight the role they feel Scott Lively and other American evangelicals have played in exploiting homophobic attitudes in the East African country before Parliamentarian David Bahati introduced the bill in 2009. Sexual Minorities Uganda, an LGBT advocacy group, accused Lively of violating international law when he allegedly conspired with the countryās political and religious leaders to further promote these sentiments in a lawsuit it filed in a Massachusetts federal court in March.
āNormally I might say that I wouldnāt push my way into a foreign countryās internal affairs, but one of the big problems here is thereās a lot of American support for this bill,ā Charles Butler said. He specifically referred to the Foundation, the group also known as the Family that organizes the annual National Prayer Breakfast, as one organization to which Bahati and other anti-gay Ugandan lawmakers and religious leaders have ties. āI just feel that itās our responsibility to fight the Americans who are trying to export homophobia to Africa.ā
Advocates expect Ugandan parliamentarians could potentially vote on the āKill the Gaysā bill before the legislative session ends on Dec. 14. The Associated Press and other media outlets have reported Bahati has removed the death penalty provision from his measure, but activists and even the U.S. State Department officials have questioned these reports.
Both President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have spoken out against the Anti-Homosexuality Bill ā they also condemned Ugandan LGBT activist David Katoās 2011 murder. Clinton also honored SMUG Executive Director Frank Mugisha and other Ugandan human rights advocates at the U.S. Embassy in Kampala, the countryās capital, in August.
The White House and British Prime Minister David Cameron have also suggested the allocation of international aid should hinge upon a countryās record on LGBT rights.
Back in D.C., Maryland resident Deb Friedman described the āKill the Gaysā bill as āa horrific policy.ā
āItās taking the whole human community a step backwards,ā she told the Blade. āI happen to be a lesbian. Even if I wasnāt I would consider it worth of protesting. Whether or not itās going to do any good in terms of the government of Uganda and who they listen to, but I feel you have to stand out no matter what the outcome or the results are. You canāt just let it happen and not take a stand.ā
Rockville resident Steve Brooks, who continues to advocate on behalf of LGBT activists in Zimbabwe in southern Africa, agreed.
āOur brothers and sisters in Africa are facing the prospect of losing their lives and their livelihoods so iām out here to support them,ā he said.
Maryland
Montgomery County police chief discusses arrest of trans student charged with planned school shooting
County executive tells news conference studentās trans identity is irrelevant to criminal charge
Montgomery County, Md., Police Chief Marcus Jones joined other county and law enforcement officials at a news conference on Friday, April 19, to provide details of the police investigation and arrest of an 18-year-old high school student charged two days earlier with threats of mass violence based on information that he allegedly planed a mass shooting at the high school and elementary school he attended in Rockville, Md.
In charging documents and in a press released issued on April 18, Montgomery CountyĀ PoliceĀ identified the arrested student as āAndrea Ye, of Rockville, whose preferred name is Alex Ye.ā
One of the charging documents states that a friend of Ye, who police say came forward as a witness who played a crucial role in alerting authorities to Yeās threats of a school shooting, noted that Ye told the witness that Ye identified as the transgender student he wrote about asĀ aĀ character in a 129-page manifesto outlining plans for a schoolĀ shooting. Police have said Ye told them theĀ manifestoĀ was a fictional story he planned to publish. Ā
At the news conference on Friday, Police Chief Jones and other law enforcement officials, including an FBI official and Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich, referred to the student as Alex Ye and Mr. Ye. None of the officials raised the issue of whether Ye identified as a transgender man, seven though one of the police documents identifies Ye as a ābiological female.ā
County Executive Elrich appeared to express the views of the public officials at the news conference when one of the media reporters, during a question-and-answer period, asked Elrich why he and the others who spoke at the news conferment failed to āadmit that this individual was transgender.ā
āBecause itās not a lead,ā Elrich replied, asking if the press and law enforcement authorities should disclose that someone arrested for murder is āa white Christian male whoās heterosexual.ā Elrich stated, āNo, you donāt ā You never publish somebodyās sexual orientation when we talk about this. Why you are focusing on this being a transgender is beyond me. Itās not a news story. It is not a crime to be transgender.ā
The reporter attempted to respond but was cut off by the press conference moderator, who called on someone else to ask the next question.
In his remarks at the press conference Chief Jones praised the so far unidentified witness who was the first to alert authorities about Yeās manifestoĀ appearingĀ to make threats of a mass school shooting.
āNow, this is a situation that highlights the critical importance of vigilance and community involvement in preventing potential tragedies,ā Jones said. āI commend the collaborative efforts of the Montgomery County Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Rockville City Police Department, and the Montgomery County Public Schools, as well as Montgomery County Health and Human Services,ā he told the gathering.
āThanks to their swift action and cooperation a potentially catastrophic event was prevented,ā Jones said.
Jones pointed out that during the current school year, police have received reports of 140 threats to the public schools in Montgomery County. He said after a thorough investigation, none of them rose to the level where an arrest was made. Instead, police and school officials took steps to arrange for the student making the threats and their parents to take remedial action, including providing mental health services.
āBut this case is different,ā Jones said. āThis case is entirely different that takes it to a different level. It was a concerned witness who brought this matter to light by rereporting the suspectāsĀ manifestoĀ to the authorities. This underscores the value of community engagement and the āsee something say somethingā approach,ā he said.
Jones mentioned at the press conference that Ye was being held without bond since the time of his arrest but was scheduled to appear in court for a bond hearing on Friday shortly after the press conference took place to determine whether he should be released while awaiting trial or continue to be held.
In his manifesto obtained by police, Ye writes about committing a school shooting, and strategizes how to carry out the act. Ye also contemplates targeting an elementary school and says that he wants to be famous.
In charging documents reported on by WJLA 7 and WBAL 11, the 129-page document, which Ye has referred to as a book of fiction, included writings that said, in part:
“I want to shoot up a school. I’ve been preparing for months. The gun is an AR-15. This gun is going to change lives tomorrow … As I walk through the hallways, I cherry pick the classrooms that are the easiest targets. I need to figure out how to sneak the gun in. I have contemplated making bombs. The instructions to make them are surprisingly available online. I have also considered shooting up my former elementary school because little kids make easier targets. High school’s the best target; I’m the most familiar with the layout. I pace around my room like an evil mastermind. I’ve put so much effort into this. My ultimate goal would be to set the world record for the most amount of kills in a shooting. If I have time, I’ll try to decapitate my victims with a knife to turn the injuries into deaths.”
Maryland
Rockville teen charged with plotting school shooting after FBI finds āmanifestoā
Alex Ye charged with threats of mass violence
BY BRETT BARROUQUERE | A Montgomery County high school student is charged with what police describe as plans to commit a school shooting.
Andrea Ye, 18, of Rockville, whose preferred name is Alex Ye, is charged with threats of mass violence. Montgomery County Police and the FBI arrested Ye Wednesday.
The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.
District of Columbia
New D.C. LGBTQ+ bar Crush set to open April 19
An āall-inclusive entertainment haven,ā with dance floor, roof deck
D.C.ās newest LGBTQ+ bar called Crush is scheduled to open for business at 4 p.m. on Friday, April 19, in a spacious, two-story building with a dance floor and roof deck at 2007 14th St., N.W. in one of the cityās bustling nightlife areas.
A statement released by co-owners Stephen Rutgers and Mark Rutstein earlier this year says the new bar will provide an atmosphere that blends ānostalgia with contemporary nightlifeā in a building that was home to a popular music store and radio supply shop.
Rutgers said the opening comes one day after Crush received final approval of its liquor license that was transferred from the Owl Room, a bar that operated in the same building before closing Dec. 31 of last year. The official opening also comes three days after Crush hosted a pre-opening reception for family, friends, and community members on Tuesday, April 16.
Among those attending, Rutgers said, were officials with several prominent local LGBTQ organizations, including officials with the DC Center for the LGBTQ Community, which is located across the street from Crush in the cityās Reeves Center municipal building. Also attending were Japer Bowles, director of the Mayorās Office of LGBTQ Affairs, and Salah Czapary, director of the Mayorās Office of Nightlife and Culture.
Rutgers said Crush plans to hold a grand opening event in a few weeks after he, Rutstein and the barās employees become settled into their newly opened operations.
āStep into a venue where inclusivity isnāt just a promise but a vibrant reality,ā a statement posted on the Crush website says. āImagine an all-inclusive entertainment haven where diversity isnāt just celebrated, itās embraced as the very heartbeat of our venue,ā the statement says. āWelcome to a place where love knows no bounds, and the only color or preference that matters is the vibrant tapestry of humanity itself. Welcome to Crush.ā
The website says Crush will be open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m., Thursdays from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Fridays from 4 p.m. to 3 a.m., Saturdays from 2 p.m. to 3 a.m., and Sundays from 2 p.m. to 12 a.m. It will be closed on Mondays.
Crush is located less than two blocks from the U Street Metro station.
-
District of Columbia2 days ago
Reenactment of first gay rights picket at White House draws interest of tourists
-
District of Columbia2 days ago
New D.C. LGBTQ+ bar Crush set to open April 19
-
Arizona2 days ago
Ariz. governor vetoes anti-transgender, Ten Commandments bill
-
Africa4 days ago
Ugandan activists appeal ruling that upheld Anti-Homosexuality Act