Number of mainstream US news outlets or web sites to either write about Secretary of State Rice's comments about gay human rights abuses around the world or post the transcript of her May 27 speech in San Francisco: Zero.
Number of mainstream Arab news sites to do so: 1.
Arabic News web site
Reports, proud muckraking, photos, videos and musings from the veteran LGBT and AIDS human rights advocate Michael Petrelis. Based in San Francisco since 1995. Contact: MPetrelis_at_AOL_dot_com. Vote Petrelis for BART Board District 9 in November!
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
In her talk in San Francisco on May 27, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the following in response to a question about abuses of gay human rights abroad:
"And the United States issues something called a Human Rights Report every year that talks about the human rights conditions in each country and so -- very much in line with the notion that every citizen needs to be represented and rights protected. We believe that this is the way to handle this situation."
The State Department's latest annual human rights report was issued on February 28 and, after a few Google searches, does not seem to have generated any news coverage in either the gay or mainstream press. (Source: State Dept. report )
I looked at the reports for countries where I knew anti-gay activities had occurred and to my surprise, the reports were rather inclusive of the terrible bashings, governmental discrimination and detention, murders and other forms of harassment suffered last year by gays, lesbians, transgenders and people with AIDS. Who would expect the Bush administration to give a damn about the widespread abuse of gay human rights around the globe and to consider the abuses worthy of inclusion in a human rights report? Not me.
Now that we know the State Department's human rights report documents the discrimination gays face abroad, what steps should the department take to both prevent and prosecute the abuses our brothers and sister suffer? What is State doing about the reports of gay human rights abuses? Offering help to the victims and issuing condemnations? Maybe withholding foreign aid until gay human rights are protected by abusive governments?
One thing I'd like to see is press attention, perhaps tied to Rice's comments in San Francisco, as a way to keep pressure on the State Department to at least monitor the situations faced by gays around the globe.
Here are many excerpts from the 2004 human rights report that were of interest to me. It is not a comprehensive list of all the country reports that mentioned gay rights, but a large sampling of what's in the full report, which I hope will be read by more gay activists.
^^^
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
February 28, 2005
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41666.htm
Albania
[snip]
The AHRG claimed that police targeted the country's homosexual community. According to the General Secretary of Gay Albania, the police often arbitrarily arrested homosexuals and then physically and verbally abused them while they were in detention. In October, the General Secretary of Gay Albania claimed that he was refused citizenship because he was homosexual.
In 2003, the AHRG claimed that police targeted the country's homosexual community. According to the General Secretary of Gay Albania, the police often arbitrarily arrested homosexuals and then physically and verbally abused them while they were in detention. However, the police denied these charges and stated that when homosexuals were arrested, it was for violating the law--such as disturbing the peace--not for their sexual preference.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41751.htm
Brazil
[snip]
There was a history of societal violence against homosexuals. Although the Constitution does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, state and federal laws do prohibit such discrimination, and the federal and state governments remained committed to combating it.
According to the Ministry of Health, there were approximately 180 killings of homosexuals during the year.
No further information was available, and none was expected, in the August 2003 trial of military police officers accused of the 2000 beating death of transvestite Henrique de Souza Lima in Curitiba, Parana.
In December 2003, state prosecutors charged Mayor Elcio Berti of Bocaiuva do Sul, Parana State, with violating state and federal antidiscrimination laws and abuse of administrative power for issuing a decree in December 2003 prohibiting homosexuals from living in the town. The town's public prosecutor convinced Berti to revoke the decree to avoid a public investigation and filing of the case. In a hearing on June 16 for a civil case against the mayor, filed by the human rights NGO Grupo Dignidade, Berti claimed that the decree was an internal joke that was mistakenly released to the press. Grupo Dignidade filed a further case against the mayor with the National Council to Combat Racism. The case remained pending at year's end.
During the year, four gang members convicted in the 2000 killing in Sao Paulo of Edson Neris da Silva received sentences ranging from 2 to 19 years in prison.
The Secretariat of State Security in Rio de Janeiro, in partnership with NGOs, operated a hotline and offered professional counseling services to victims of anti-homosexual crimes.
In November, Rio de Janeiro state lawmakers reversed the governor's veto on a bill that gives same-sex partner benefits to government employees. The state's 70-member assembly voted 37 to 21 to override the veto and the law went into effect. In July, a Sao Paulo state court ordered 15 health insurance companies to recognize same-sex couples in their coverage.
In April, the Special Secretariat for Human Rights launched the "Brazil Without Homophobia" program, which sought to stop violence against homosexuals, provide legal counsel to victims of violence, and prevent anti-homosexual sentiment by providing tolerance training for school-aged children. According to the National Secretariat for Human Rights, the program aims to strengthen public institutions and NGOs that promote homosexual rights and combat homophobia; offers training to professionals and representatives in the homosexual community; creates publicity campaigns to raise awareness and disseminate information about homosexual rights and to promote homosexual self-esteem; and encourages reporting of violence against homosexuals.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41637.htm
Burma
[snip]
Many citizens view homosexuals with scorn. The penal code contains provisions against "sexually abnormal" behavior that have been used to bring charges against gays and lesbians who have drawn unfavorable attention to themselves.
Nevertheless, homosexuals have a certain degree of protection through societal traditions. Transgender performers commonly provide entertainment at traditional observances. Some are spirit ("nat") worshipers and, as such, they have special standing in the society. They participate in a well?established week?long festival held near Mandalay every year. The event is considered a religious event, free of sexual overtones or activities, and is officially approved by the Government. No one, including the military or police, interferes with the festival.
During a 2?month period in 2002, Government border officials had administered involuntarily HIV/AIDS tests to returning citizens. Those who tested positive were forced first into a hospital and then into a detention center. The Foreign Minister reported this situation to the Ministry of Health as discrimination, and the Health Ministry ended the practice. Nevertheless, HIV?positive patients were discriminated against, as were the doctors who treated them. The Government worked to address this issue and has drafted a protocol for Voluntary Confidential Counseling and Testing for HIV/AIDS that is intended to provide protection for the right to privacy. It was not promulgated by year's end.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41640.htm
China
[snip]
No laws criminalize private homosexual activity between consenting adults. The 1997 criminal code abolished the crime of "hooliganism," which had previously been used to prosecute gay men and lesbians. In 2001, medical authorities removed homosexuality from the national diagnostic handbook of psychiatric disorders. In May, prohibitions on homosexuality were dropped from regulations governing the behavior of individuals serving sentences. In July, the country's delegation to the 15th annual AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, included representatives of an NGO advocating gay rights. Gay men and lesbians stated that official tolerance has improved in recent years. However, societal discrimination and strong pressure to conform to family expectations deter most individuals from publicly discussing their sexual orientation.
During the year, the Government officially outlawed discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B under a new Contagious Disease Law and adopted regulations forbidding employment discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B. However, discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS remained widespread in many areas. Hospitals and physicians often refused to treat HIV-positive patients.
In February, the Government created the State Council AIDS office, putting policy formation regarding the AIDS issue at the highest Government level. The Government also introduced the China CARES Program, the goal of which was to provide care and treatment to 60,000 poor, rural people with HIV/AIDS. The program began in 51 pilot counties in April and added an additional 76 counties in June. The day before World AIDS Day, President Hu Jintao publicly shook hands with an AIDS patient and spoke about the need for the country to address the disease candidly without stigma. Regulations were also revised to permit, for the first time, those with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B to work as civil servants.
Information about the number of HIV/AIDS cases in the country remained difficult to gather and assess. Officials acknowledged that over 1 million citizens were infected with HIV, although the Government had not updated its official estimate of 840,000 persons infected.
Activist Li Dan was beaten and Pan Zhongfeng detained in Shangqiu, Henan Province, during a July demonstration protesting closure of an AIDS orphanage and school. Henan Province activists Wang Guofeng and Li Suzhi claimed they received inadequate treatment while detained and that authorities refused to provide them with test results or allow them to travel to Beijing to see specialists after they were released on bail (see Section 1.c.).
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41720.htm
Egypt
[snip]
In 2002, three domestic human rights associations, as well as two international organizations, presented their allegations and findings to the U.N. Committee Against Torture (the "Committee"), a subcommittee of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. The Committee's report expressed concerns about the continued implementation of the state of emergency; consistent reports of torture and ill treatment; abuse of juveniles and homosexuals; the continued use of administrative detention; the lack of access by victims of torture to the courts and lengthy proceedings; and disparities in the awarding of compensation.
[snip]
Although the law does not explicitly criminalize homosexual acts, police have targeted homosexuals using Internet-based "sting" operations leading to arrests on charges of "debauchery." There were no reports of new internet entrapment cases during the year (see Sections 1.c, 1.e., and 2.a.).
[snip]
In February 2003, a court rejected the appeal of foreign national Wissam Toufic Abyad, who had been convicted of "habitual debauchery" after arranging to meet a police informant posing as a homosexual man on an internet site. Abyad, serving a 15-month sentence, was unable to get his case heard by the Court of Cassation. He was released in May.
[snip]
In February 2003, a Court of Appeal in Agouza, Cairo upheld the 3-year sentences of 11 allegedly homosexual men convicted of "habitual debauchery." A twelfth defendant was tried in juvenile court and later sentenced to 2 years' imprisonment. Lawyers for the 12 appealed the case to the Court of Cassation, but no court hearing date had been set, and the 12 remained in prison during the year.
Individuals suspected of homosexual activity and arrested on "debauchery" charges regularly reported being subjected to humiliation and abuse while in custody.
In March, the HRW Executive Director visited the country to unveil the new report "In a Time of Torture," which focused on harassment and abuse of alleged homosexuals.
During the year, there were no reports of widescale internet entrapment of homosexuals.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41762.htm
Guatemala
[snip]
Police sometimes threatened commercial sex workers with false drug charges to extort money or sexual favors. Police sometimes harassed homosexuals or transvestites with similar threats of false charges. Suspected gang members sometimes were imprisoned without charges or with false drug charges. Detainees were not always promptly informed of the charges filed against them.
On July 7, Lesbiradas, an organization for the promotion of the rights of lesbians, received at least six threatening phone calls. The Public Ministry was investigating the case at year's end.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41765.htm
Honduras
[snip]
In September, AI alleged that thousands of homosexual and transgender persons in the country faced discrimination and attacks on a daily basis.
On August 27, the Government granted legal recognition to three NGOs working on homosexual issues: the Violet Collective, the San Pedro Gay Community, and Kukulcan.
In September 2003, AI reported that approximately 200 homosexual and transsexual workers were killed between 1991-2003. In July 2003, two policemen allegedly shot and killed Eric David Yanez, a transgender member of the NGO San Pedro Sula's Gay Community. The investigation into the killing was pending at year's end.
HIV positive persons were at risk of discrimination. In 2002, UNAIDS estimated the overall HIV prevalence rate at 1.9 percent, although available data on HIV/AIDS incidence was underreported. The male to female ratio of HIV infection was 1.2:1. UNAIDS estimated there were at least 63,000 adults living with HIV and almost 14,000 orphans in the country due to HIV/AIDS related deaths. An estimated 30 to 50 percent of total AIDS cases are still not reported. According to the Ministry of Health in July, 21,196 HIV positive cases had been reported, with 16,346 AIDS cases (9,580 men and 6,765 women).
[snip]
-
"And the United States issues something called a Human Rights Report every year that talks about the human rights conditions in each country and so -- very much in line with the notion that every citizen needs to be represented and rights protected. We believe that this is the way to handle this situation."
The State Department's latest annual human rights report was issued on February 28 and, after a few Google searches, does not seem to have generated any news coverage in either the gay or mainstream press. (Source: State Dept. report )
I looked at the reports for countries where I knew anti-gay activities had occurred and to my surprise, the reports were rather inclusive of the terrible bashings, governmental discrimination and detention, murders and other forms of harassment suffered last year by gays, lesbians, transgenders and people with AIDS. Who would expect the Bush administration to give a damn about the widespread abuse of gay human rights around the globe and to consider the abuses worthy of inclusion in a human rights report? Not me.
Now that we know the State Department's human rights report documents the discrimination gays face abroad, what steps should the department take to both prevent and prosecute the abuses our brothers and sister suffer? What is State doing about the reports of gay human rights abuses? Offering help to the victims and issuing condemnations? Maybe withholding foreign aid until gay human rights are protected by abusive governments?
One thing I'd like to see is press attention, perhaps tied to Rice's comments in San Francisco, as a way to keep pressure on the State Department to at least monitor the situations faced by gays around the globe.
Here are many excerpts from the 2004 human rights report that were of interest to me. It is not a comprehensive list of all the country reports that mentioned gay rights, but a large sampling of what's in the full report, which I hope will be read by more gay activists.
^^^
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2004
Released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor
February 28, 2005
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41666.htm
Albania
[snip]
The AHRG claimed that police targeted the country's homosexual community. According to the General Secretary of Gay Albania, the police often arbitrarily arrested homosexuals and then physically and verbally abused them while they were in detention. In October, the General Secretary of Gay Albania claimed that he was refused citizenship because he was homosexual.
In 2003, the AHRG claimed that police targeted the country's homosexual community. According to the General Secretary of Gay Albania, the police often arbitrarily arrested homosexuals and then physically and verbally abused them while they were in detention. However, the police denied these charges and stated that when homosexuals were arrested, it was for violating the law--such as disturbing the peace--not for their sexual preference.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41751.htm
Brazil
[snip]
There was a history of societal violence against homosexuals. Although the Constitution does not prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, state and federal laws do prohibit such discrimination, and the federal and state governments remained committed to combating it.
According to the Ministry of Health, there were approximately 180 killings of homosexuals during the year.
No further information was available, and none was expected, in the August 2003 trial of military police officers accused of the 2000 beating death of transvestite Henrique de Souza Lima in Curitiba, Parana.
In December 2003, state prosecutors charged Mayor Elcio Berti of Bocaiuva do Sul, Parana State, with violating state and federal antidiscrimination laws and abuse of administrative power for issuing a decree in December 2003 prohibiting homosexuals from living in the town. The town's public prosecutor convinced Berti to revoke the decree to avoid a public investigation and filing of the case. In a hearing on June 16 for a civil case against the mayor, filed by the human rights NGO Grupo Dignidade, Berti claimed that the decree was an internal joke that was mistakenly released to the press. Grupo Dignidade filed a further case against the mayor with the National Council to Combat Racism. The case remained pending at year's end.
During the year, four gang members convicted in the 2000 killing in Sao Paulo of Edson Neris da Silva received sentences ranging from 2 to 19 years in prison.
The Secretariat of State Security in Rio de Janeiro, in partnership with NGOs, operated a hotline and offered professional counseling services to victims of anti-homosexual crimes.
In November, Rio de Janeiro state lawmakers reversed the governor's veto on a bill that gives same-sex partner benefits to government employees. The state's 70-member assembly voted 37 to 21 to override the veto and the law went into effect. In July, a Sao Paulo state court ordered 15 health insurance companies to recognize same-sex couples in their coverage.
In April, the Special Secretariat for Human Rights launched the "Brazil Without Homophobia" program, which sought to stop violence against homosexuals, provide legal counsel to victims of violence, and prevent anti-homosexual sentiment by providing tolerance training for school-aged children. According to the National Secretariat for Human Rights, the program aims to strengthen public institutions and NGOs that promote homosexual rights and combat homophobia; offers training to professionals and representatives in the homosexual community; creates publicity campaigns to raise awareness and disseminate information about homosexual rights and to promote homosexual self-esteem; and encourages reporting of violence against homosexuals.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41637.htm
Burma
[snip]
Many citizens view homosexuals with scorn. The penal code contains provisions against "sexually abnormal" behavior that have been used to bring charges against gays and lesbians who have drawn unfavorable attention to themselves.
Nevertheless, homosexuals have a certain degree of protection through societal traditions. Transgender performers commonly provide entertainment at traditional observances. Some are spirit ("nat") worshipers and, as such, they have special standing in the society. They participate in a well?established week?long festival held near Mandalay every year. The event is considered a religious event, free of sexual overtones or activities, and is officially approved by the Government. No one, including the military or police, interferes with the festival.
During a 2?month period in 2002, Government border officials had administered involuntarily HIV/AIDS tests to returning citizens. Those who tested positive were forced first into a hospital and then into a detention center. The Foreign Minister reported this situation to the Ministry of Health as discrimination, and the Health Ministry ended the practice. Nevertheless, HIV?positive patients were discriminated against, as were the doctors who treated them. The Government worked to address this issue and has drafted a protocol for Voluntary Confidential Counseling and Testing for HIV/AIDS that is intended to provide protection for the right to privacy. It was not promulgated by year's end.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41640.htm
China
[snip]
No laws criminalize private homosexual activity between consenting adults. The 1997 criminal code abolished the crime of "hooliganism," which had previously been used to prosecute gay men and lesbians. In 2001, medical authorities removed homosexuality from the national diagnostic handbook of psychiatric disorders. In May, prohibitions on homosexuality were dropped from regulations governing the behavior of individuals serving sentences. In July, the country's delegation to the 15th annual AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, included representatives of an NGO advocating gay rights. Gay men and lesbians stated that official tolerance has improved in recent years. However, societal discrimination and strong pressure to conform to family expectations deter most individuals from publicly discussing their sexual orientation.
During the year, the Government officially outlawed discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B under a new Contagious Disease Law and adopted regulations forbidding employment discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B. However, discrimination against persons with HIV/AIDS remained widespread in many areas. Hospitals and physicians often refused to treat HIV-positive patients.
In February, the Government created the State Council AIDS office, putting policy formation regarding the AIDS issue at the highest Government level. The Government also introduced the China CARES Program, the goal of which was to provide care and treatment to 60,000 poor, rural people with HIV/AIDS. The program began in 51 pilot counties in April and added an additional 76 counties in June. The day before World AIDS Day, President Hu Jintao publicly shook hands with an AIDS patient and spoke about the need for the country to address the disease candidly without stigma. Regulations were also revised to permit, for the first time, those with HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis B to work as civil servants.
Information about the number of HIV/AIDS cases in the country remained difficult to gather and assess. Officials acknowledged that over 1 million citizens were infected with HIV, although the Government had not updated its official estimate of 840,000 persons infected.
Activist Li Dan was beaten and Pan Zhongfeng detained in Shangqiu, Henan Province, during a July demonstration protesting closure of an AIDS orphanage and school. Henan Province activists Wang Guofeng and Li Suzhi claimed they received inadequate treatment while detained and that authorities refused to provide them with test results or allow them to travel to Beijing to see specialists after they were released on bail (see Section 1.c.).
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41720.htm
Egypt
[snip]
In 2002, three domestic human rights associations, as well as two international organizations, presented their allegations and findings to the U.N. Committee Against Torture (the "Committee"), a subcommittee of the U.N. Commission on Human Rights. The Committee's report expressed concerns about the continued implementation of the state of emergency; consistent reports of torture and ill treatment; abuse of juveniles and homosexuals; the continued use of administrative detention; the lack of access by victims of torture to the courts and lengthy proceedings; and disparities in the awarding of compensation.
[snip]
Although the law does not explicitly criminalize homosexual acts, police have targeted homosexuals using Internet-based "sting" operations leading to arrests on charges of "debauchery." There were no reports of new internet entrapment cases during the year (see Sections 1.c, 1.e., and 2.a.).
[snip]
In February 2003, a court rejected the appeal of foreign national Wissam Toufic Abyad, who had been convicted of "habitual debauchery" after arranging to meet a police informant posing as a homosexual man on an internet site. Abyad, serving a 15-month sentence, was unable to get his case heard by the Court of Cassation. He was released in May.
[snip]
In February 2003, a Court of Appeal in Agouza, Cairo upheld the 3-year sentences of 11 allegedly homosexual men convicted of "habitual debauchery." A twelfth defendant was tried in juvenile court and later sentenced to 2 years' imprisonment. Lawyers for the 12 appealed the case to the Court of Cassation, but no court hearing date had been set, and the 12 remained in prison during the year.
Individuals suspected of homosexual activity and arrested on "debauchery" charges regularly reported being subjected to humiliation and abuse while in custody.
In March, the HRW Executive Director visited the country to unveil the new report "In a Time of Torture," which focused on harassment and abuse of alleged homosexuals.
During the year, there were no reports of widescale internet entrapment of homosexuals.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41762.htm
Guatemala
[snip]
Police sometimes threatened commercial sex workers with false drug charges to extort money or sexual favors. Police sometimes harassed homosexuals or transvestites with similar threats of false charges. Suspected gang members sometimes were imprisoned without charges or with false drug charges. Detainees were not always promptly informed of the charges filed against them.
On July 7, Lesbiradas, an organization for the promotion of the rights of lesbians, received at least six threatening phone calls. The Public Ministry was investigating the case at year's end.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41765.htm
Honduras
[snip]
In September, AI alleged that thousands of homosexual and transgender persons in the country faced discrimination and attacks on a daily basis.
On August 27, the Government granted legal recognition to three NGOs working on homosexual issues: the Violet Collective, the San Pedro Gay Community, and Kukulcan.
In September 2003, AI reported that approximately 200 homosexual and transsexual workers were killed between 1991-2003. In July 2003, two policemen allegedly shot and killed Eric David Yanez, a transgender member of the NGO San Pedro Sula's Gay Community. The investigation into the killing was pending at year's end.
HIV positive persons were at risk of discrimination. In 2002, UNAIDS estimated the overall HIV prevalence rate at 1.9 percent, although available data on HIV/AIDS incidence was underreported. The male to female ratio of HIV infection was 1.2:1. UNAIDS estimated there were at least 63,000 adults living with HIV and almost 14,000 orphans in the country due to HIV/AIDS related deaths. An estimated 30 to 50 percent of total AIDS cases are still not reported. According to the Ministry of Health in July, 21,196 HIV positive cases had been reported, with 16,346 AIDS cases (9,580 men and 6,765 women).
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41740.htm
India
[snip]
Section 377 of the Penal Code punishes acts of sodomy, buggery and bestiality; however, the law is commonly used to target, harass, and punish lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons. Human rights groups stated that gay and lesbian rights were not viewed as human rights in the country.
Gays and lesbians faced discrimination in all areas of society, including family, work, and education. Activists reported that in most cases, homosexuals who do not hide their orientation were fired from their jobs. Homosexuals also faced physical attacks, rape, and blackmail. Police have committed these crimes and used the threat of Section 377 to ensure the victim did not report the incidents. The overarching nature of Section 377 allowed police to arrest gays and lesbians virtually at will, and officers used the threat of arrest to ensure no charges would be filed against them.
On September 2, the Delhi High Court dismissed a legal challenge to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Plaintiffs filed the case in June 2001 after police arrested four gay and lesbian rights workers at the NAZ Foundation International and National Aids Control Office premises in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for conspiring to commit "unnatural sexual acts" and possessing "obscene material" which was reportedly safer-sex educational materials construed as pornography. The AIDS workers were kept in captivity for more than 45 days and were refused bail twice before it was granted by the High Court. The Court ruled that the validity of the law could not be challenged by anyone "not affected by it," as the defendants had not been charged with a sex act prohibited by law.
Homosexuals have been detained in clinics for months and subjected to treatment against their will. The NAZ Foundation filed a petition with the NHRC regarding a case in which a man was subjected to shock therapy. The NHRC declined to take the case, as gay and lesbian rights were not under its purview.
Authorities estimated that HIV/AIDS had infected approximately 4½ million persons, and there was significant societal discrimination against persons with the disease. According to the ILO, 70 percent of persons suffering from HIV/AIDS faced discrimination.
In Ahmedabad in April, an HIV positive woman committed suicide at her home after allegedly being harassed by her co-workers.
HRW said that many doctors refused to treat HIV-positive children, and that some schools expelled or segregated children because they or their parents were HIV-positive. Many orphanages and other residential institutions rejected HIV-positive children or denied them housing.
In January, a Mumbai High Court ruling determined that HIV-positive persons could not be fired. There was no information available on the implications of this ruling at year's end.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41723.htm
Israel
[snip]
In June, bystanders verbally harassed participants in a gay pride parade in Jerusalem. At the same time, a photograph and the telephone number of a homosexual Jerusalem city council member was plastered on that city's billboards along with accusations that he would bring disaster to Jerusalem. Anonymous callers threatened to bomb the parade; however, there was no violence.
In 2003, the Association of Gay Men, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgendered in Israel complained of several incidents in which police allegedly engaged in verbal and physical harassment of homosexuals in a Tel Aviv public park. Representatives of that organization subsequently met with the police to discuss ways to improve relations, and the police appointed contact persons in all police districts who serve as liaisons to the homosexual community. No similar complaints were reported during the year.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41766.htm
Jamaica
[snip] Violence against individuals suspected or known to be homosexuals occurred, as did discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS.
[snip] On June 9, unknown assailants stabbed and killed Brian Williamson, one of the country's most visible homosexual rights activists (see Section 5).
[snip] The law prohibits homosexual relationships, and a culture of severe discrimination persisted. There were numerous cases of violence against persons based on sexual orientation, including by police and vigilante groups (see Section 5).
[snip] From Section 5
The Offenses Against the Person Act prohibits "acts of gross indecency" (generally interpreted as any kind of physical intimacy) between men, in public or in private and is punishable by 10 years in prison. Prime Minister Patterson stated that the country would not be pressured to change its anti-homosexual laws.
The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All Sexuals, and Gays (J-FLAG) continued to report allegations of human rights abuses, including police harassment, arbitrary detention, mob attacks, stabbings, harassment of homosexual patients by hospital and prison staff, and targeted shootings of homosexuals. Police often did not investigate such incidents. Some of the country's most famous dancehall singers gained the attention of international human rights groups during the year for their homophobic lyrics, which incited violence against homosexuals. A 2001 poll found that 96 percent of citizens were opposed to legalizing homosexual activity.
On June 9, Brian Williamson, a prominent homosexual rights activist and founding member of J-FLAG, was found stabbed to death at his home in Kingston. Human rights groups believed that the brutality of Williamson's death indicated a hate crime, but the JCF maintained that the crime was a robbery. A suspect was remanded in custody at year's end.
On June 24, a group of armed men, reportedly including famous dancehall artist Buju Banton, forced their way into a house in Kingston and beat two occupants while shouting homophobic insults. Human Rights Watch expressed concern that Banton may never face charges and warned that the artist's fame and the stigma attached to the homosexual victims hindered a thorough and expedient police investigation. At year's end, Banton had been arrested and released on bail; there was no information concerning the others involved.
Male inmates deemed by prison wardens to be homosexual are held in a separate facility for their protection. The method used for determining their sexual orientation is subjective and not regulated by the prison system. There were numerous reports of violence against homosexual inmates, perpetrated both by the wardens and by other inmates, but few inmates sought recourse through the prison system.
Homosexual men were hesitant to report incidents against them because of fear for their physical well being. Human rights NGOs and government entities agreed that brutality against homosexuals, both by police and private citizens, was widespread in the community.
No laws protected persons living with HIV/AIDS from discrimination. Human rights NGOs reported severe stigma and discrimination for this group. Although health care facilities were prepared adequately to handle patients with HIV/AIDS, health care workers often neglected such patients. [snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27905.htm
Mexico
[snip]
On June 22, the 25th Annual Gay-Lesbian parade took place in Mexico City with 30 floats and an estimated 30 to 80 thousand participants.
In June, the Citizens Committee against Homophobic Hate Crimes reported that at least two killings of homosexuals in homophobic hate crimes occurred during the year; however, the figure may be as high as six. On June 1, the bodies of Jorge Armenta Penuelas, director of the Nogales, Sonora Gay-Lesbian Collective, and his partner Ramon Armando Gutierrez Enriquez, were found showing signs of torture. On June 13, the press reported that unknown persons attacked 12 gay children who congregated at Bosque de Aragon in Mexico City. One of the children was thrown from a height of 18 feet and sustained serious injuries. Local authorities said they could not intervene because the park is federal property.
According to press reports in January, various schools in Yucatan state expelled five children whose parents were HIV positive allegedly because the schools feared that the children could infect others with the virus.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41742.htm
Nepal
The Constitution does not recognize sexual minorities, but the country does not have any laws that specifically criminalize or proscribe sanctions against sexual minorities. Government authorities, especially police, sometimes harassed and abused homosexuals. On August 9, 39 homosexual rights advocates were arrested and detained for 11 days under the Public Offenses Act. They were subsequently released on bail. According to the Blue Diamond Society (BDS), an NGO that works to support the well-being of the country's sexual minorities, after a 2003 meeting between BDS and police, the police Inspector General issued a letter to all police stations expressing concern at the level of police violence against homosexuals.
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41699.htm
Netherlands
[snip]
Homosexuals increasingly faced harassment by pockets of mainly Muslim youth in the larger cities. The Government started an information campaign to counter homophobia among Muslim youth.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41771.htm
Peru
[snip]
Despite the absence of formal prohibitions, homosexuals faced extensive discrimination. On August 11, a Lima supermarket's manager asked two male members of the Homosexual Movement of Lima to leave after they exchanged kisses in the supermarket's public cafeteria. Other clients had complained about their behavior.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41701.htm
Poland
[snip]
Homosexuality is not criminalized; however, polls indicated that most Poles did not discuss the issue publicly. In May, right-wing groups and football hooligans armed with eggs and stones attacked a gay rights demonstration in Krakow. Police moved to protect the group, but the counter-protesters attacked the police. The mayor of Warsaw stated that this violence contributed to his decision to deny approval of a gay rights parade in Warsaw in June, organized by the International Gay and Lesbian Association. Gay rights activists held a peaceful rally on the day following the date the parade was to have taken place. Counterdemonstrators picketed the rally, including members of the ultraconservative All Poland's Youth Association, which had been associated with violent incidents in the past. However, there were no reported incidents of violence at the rally.
In November, several organizations and political parties, including Lambda, the Green Party and the New Left, organized a March of Equality in Poznan on International Tolerance Day. Despite protests from conservative parties, Church authorities and associations, city authorities granted permission for the march. The march was provided with a police escort but was blocked by soccer hooligans and members of All Poland's Youth. These groups attempted to break the police cordon and attack the marchers but were thwarted by the police escort. Following the attempted disruption, the police and organizers agreed to change from a march format to a rally. Opponents threw eggs and lemons and verbally abused the rally participants. Police detained or arrested a number of counterdemonstrators.
A Polish Radio poll found 49 percent opposed public demonstrations for gay rights. Television stations in Wroclaw and Lodz aired anti-gay commercials sponsored by the fascist political organization Narodowe Odrodzenia Polski.
[snip]
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41625.htm
Sierra Leone
[snip]
On October 5, a prominent gay activist was killed in her office. Media reports initially indicated that she was raped repeatedly, stabbed, and her neck broken. International human rights groups identified the killing as a possible hate crime. Police investigators were investigating the case at year's end; however, initial investigation suggested that the victim died of asphyxia and that there was no evidence of rape or stabbing. The primary suspect in the case was a recently dismissed domestic employee, who was also being investigated for theft. At year's end, the former employee's case was before the court.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41710.htm
Sweden
[snip]
The law prohibits hate speech that makes "agitation against ethnic groups" a crime. Under this law, neo Nazi groups were not permitted to display signs and banners with provocative symbols at their rallies (see Section 5). In July, Pentecostal Pastor Ake Green was convicted under this law in connection with a sermon in which he voiced condemnation of homosexuality. He was sentenced to 1 month's imprisonment; he has appealed the verdict on the basis of freedom of speech.
Societal violence and discrimination against homosexuals was a problem. In 2003, 326 crimes with homophobic motive were reported to the police, a sizable increase from 2002.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41715.htm
Ukraine
[snip]
On September 18, a homosexual man, Dmytro Pakhomov died, reportedly while being questioned by police in Kryvyy Rih. According to human rights groups, police officials made derogatory remarks about Pakhomov's sexual orientation to his mother and told her that, in the midst of interrogation, her son suddenly jumped out a window and fell four floors to his death. When she retrieved her son's body at a local hospital, medical staff told her that Pakhomov had suffered multiple internal injuries, including liver, kidney, lung, and neck vertebrae damage not consistent with the police version of his death. The family of the deceased declined to request an investigation.
[snip]
A leading NGO that works to protect the rights of gays and lesbians reported that a law called "On Protection of Morals" passed by Parliament in November 2003 was used to discriminate against homosexuals. For example, the law requires that newspapers containing gay and lesbian ads may only be sold if they are sealed in a hermetic package, and then only in specialized medical institutions that have a special license to treat individuals with sexual disorders. However, in practice, gay and lesbian ads appeared in many popular publications.
On February 12, the Ombudsman's office received a complaint from a pair of gay men in Volynska Oblast who alleged that they were harassed by local police. The case remained open at year's end. On September 8, a gay man also died in suspicious circumstances in Kryvyy Rih while in police custody (see Section 1.a.).
Persons living with HIV/AIDS faced discrimination in the workplace, job loss without legal recourse, harassment by law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial authorities, and social isolation and stigmatization within their communities.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41634.htm
Zimbabwe
[snip]
President Mugabe publicly denounced homosexuals, blaming them for "Africa's ills." Although there is no statutory law proscribing the activities of homosexuals, common law prevents gay men, and to a lesser extent, lesbians, from fully expressing their sexual orientation and in some cases, criminalizes the display of affection between men.
On August 4, a mob chased members of the Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) from the GALZ stand at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. A group of youths approached GALZ officials at the stand and threatened to beat them, after which the GALZ members fled.
The Government has a national HIV/AIDS policy that prohibits discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS, and the law aims to protect against discrimination of workers in the private sector and parastatals; however, societal discrimination against persons affected by HIV/AIDS remained a problem. Despite an active information campaign by international and local NGOs and the Government through its Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council to destigmatize HIV/AIDS, ostracism and condemnation of those affected by HIV/AIDS continued.
[snip]
India
[snip]
Section 377 of the Penal Code punishes acts of sodomy, buggery and bestiality; however, the law is commonly used to target, harass, and punish lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender persons. Human rights groups stated that gay and lesbian rights were not viewed as human rights in the country.
Gays and lesbians faced discrimination in all areas of society, including family, work, and education. Activists reported that in most cases, homosexuals who do not hide their orientation were fired from their jobs. Homosexuals also faced physical attacks, rape, and blackmail. Police have committed these crimes and used the threat of Section 377 to ensure the victim did not report the incidents. The overarching nature of Section 377 allowed police to arrest gays and lesbians virtually at will, and officers used the threat of arrest to ensure no charges would be filed against them.
On September 2, the Delhi High Court dismissed a legal challenge to Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code. Plaintiffs filed the case in June 2001 after police arrested four gay and lesbian rights workers at the NAZ Foundation International and National Aids Control Office premises in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, for conspiring to commit "unnatural sexual acts" and possessing "obscene material" which was reportedly safer-sex educational materials construed as pornography. The AIDS workers were kept in captivity for more than 45 days and were refused bail twice before it was granted by the High Court. The Court ruled that the validity of the law could not be challenged by anyone "not affected by it," as the defendants had not been charged with a sex act prohibited by law.
Homosexuals have been detained in clinics for months and subjected to treatment against their will. The NAZ Foundation filed a petition with the NHRC regarding a case in which a man was subjected to shock therapy. The NHRC declined to take the case, as gay and lesbian rights were not under its purview.
Authorities estimated that HIV/AIDS had infected approximately 4½ million persons, and there was significant societal discrimination against persons with the disease. According to the ILO, 70 percent of persons suffering from HIV/AIDS faced discrimination.
In Ahmedabad in April, an HIV positive woman committed suicide at her home after allegedly being harassed by her co-workers.
HRW said that many doctors refused to treat HIV-positive children, and that some schools expelled or segregated children because they or their parents were HIV-positive. Many orphanages and other residential institutions rejected HIV-positive children or denied them housing.
In January, a Mumbai High Court ruling determined that HIV-positive persons could not be fired. There was no information available on the implications of this ruling at year's end.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41723.htm
Israel
[snip]
In June, bystanders verbally harassed participants in a gay pride parade in Jerusalem. At the same time, a photograph and the telephone number of a homosexual Jerusalem city council member was plastered on that city's billboards along with accusations that he would bring disaster to Jerusalem. Anonymous callers threatened to bomb the parade; however, there was no violence.
In 2003, the Association of Gay Men, Lesbians, Bisexuals, and Transgendered in Israel complained of several incidents in which police allegedly engaged in verbal and physical harassment of homosexuals in a Tel Aviv public park. Representatives of that organization subsequently met with the police to discuss ways to improve relations, and the police appointed contact persons in all police districts who serve as liaisons to the homosexual community. No similar complaints were reported during the year.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41766.htm
Jamaica
[snip] Violence against individuals suspected or known to be homosexuals occurred, as did discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS.
[snip] On June 9, unknown assailants stabbed and killed Brian Williamson, one of the country's most visible homosexual rights activists (see Section 5).
[snip] The law prohibits homosexual relationships, and a culture of severe discrimination persisted. There were numerous cases of violence against persons based on sexual orientation, including by police and vigilante groups (see Section 5).
[snip] From Section 5
The Offenses Against the Person Act prohibits "acts of gross indecency" (generally interpreted as any kind of physical intimacy) between men, in public or in private and is punishable by 10 years in prison. Prime Minister Patterson stated that the country would not be pressured to change its anti-homosexual laws.
The Jamaica Forum for Lesbians, All Sexuals, and Gays (J-FLAG) continued to report allegations of human rights abuses, including police harassment, arbitrary detention, mob attacks, stabbings, harassment of homosexual patients by hospital and prison staff, and targeted shootings of homosexuals. Police often did not investigate such incidents. Some of the country's most famous dancehall singers gained the attention of international human rights groups during the year for their homophobic lyrics, which incited violence against homosexuals. A 2001 poll found that 96 percent of citizens were opposed to legalizing homosexual activity.
On June 9, Brian Williamson, a prominent homosexual rights activist and founding member of J-FLAG, was found stabbed to death at his home in Kingston. Human rights groups believed that the brutality of Williamson's death indicated a hate crime, but the JCF maintained that the crime was a robbery. A suspect was remanded in custody at year's end.
On June 24, a group of armed men, reportedly including famous dancehall artist Buju Banton, forced their way into a house in Kingston and beat two occupants while shouting homophobic insults. Human Rights Watch expressed concern that Banton may never face charges and warned that the artist's fame and the stigma attached to the homosexual victims hindered a thorough and expedient police investigation. At year's end, Banton had been arrested and released on bail; there was no information concerning the others involved.
Male inmates deemed by prison wardens to be homosexual are held in a separate facility for their protection. The method used for determining their sexual orientation is subjective and not regulated by the prison system. There were numerous reports of violence against homosexual inmates, perpetrated both by the wardens and by other inmates, but few inmates sought recourse through the prison system.
Homosexual men were hesitant to report incidents against them because of fear for their physical well being. Human rights NGOs and government entities agreed that brutality against homosexuals, both by police and private citizens, was widespread in the community.
No laws protected persons living with HIV/AIDS from discrimination. Human rights NGOs reported severe stigma and discrimination for this group. Although health care facilities were prepared adequately to handle patients with HIV/AIDS, health care workers often neglected such patients. [snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27905.htm
Mexico
[snip]
On June 22, the 25th Annual Gay-Lesbian parade took place in Mexico City with 30 floats and an estimated 30 to 80 thousand participants.
In June, the Citizens Committee against Homophobic Hate Crimes reported that at least two killings of homosexuals in homophobic hate crimes occurred during the year; however, the figure may be as high as six. On June 1, the bodies of Jorge Armenta Penuelas, director of the Nogales, Sonora Gay-Lesbian Collective, and his partner Ramon Armando Gutierrez Enriquez, were found showing signs of torture. On June 13, the press reported that unknown persons attacked 12 gay children who congregated at Bosque de Aragon in Mexico City. One of the children was thrown from a height of 18 feet and sustained serious injuries. Local authorities said they could not intervene because the park is federal property.
According to press reports in January, various schools in Yucatan state expelled five children whose parents were HIV positive allegedly because the schools feared that the children could infect others with the virus.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41742.htm
Nepal
The Constitution does not recognize sexual minorities, but the country does not have any laws that specifically criminalize or proscribe sanctions against sexual minorities. Government authorities, especially police, sometimes harassed and abused homosexuals. On August 9, 39 homosexual rights advocates were arrested and detained for 11 days under the Public Offenses Act. They were subsequently released on bail. According to the Blue Diamond Society (BDS), an NGO that works to support the well-being of the country's sexual minorities, after a 2003 meeting between BDS and police, the police Inspector General issued a letter to all police stations expressing concern at the level of police violence against homosexuals.
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41699.htm
Netherlands
[snip]
Homosexuals increasingly faced harassment by pockets of mainly Muslim youth in the larger cities. The Government started an information campaign to counter homophobia among Muslim youth.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41771.htm
Peru
[snip]
Despite the absence of formal prohibitions, homosexuals faced extensive discrimination. On August 11, a Lima supermarket's manager asked two male members of the Homosexual Movement of Lima to leave after they exchanged kisses in the supermarket's public cafeteria. Other clients had complained about their behavior.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41701.htm
Poland
[snip]
Homosexuality is not criminalized; however, polls indicated that most Poles did not discuss the issue publicly. In May, right-wing groups and football hooligans armed with eggs and stones attacked a gay rights demonstration in Krakow. Police moved to protect the group, but the counter-protesters attacked the police. The mayor of Warsaw stated that this violence contributed to his decision to deny approval of a gay rights parade in Warsaw in June, organized by the International Gay and Lesbian Association. Gay rights activists held a peaceful rally on the day following the date the parade was to have taken place. Counterdemonstrators picketed the rally, including members of the ultraconservative All Poland's Youth Association, which had been associated with violent incidents in the past. However, there were no reported incidents of violence at the rally.
In November, several organizations and political parties, including Lambda, the Green Party and the New Left, organized a March of Equality in Poznan on International Tolerance Day. Despite protests from conservative parties, Church authorities and associations, city authorities granted permission for the march. The march was provided with a police escort but was blocked by soccer hooligans and members of All Poland's Youth. These groups attempted to break the police cordon and attack the marchers but were thwarted by the police escort. Following the attempted disruption, the police and organizers agreed to change from a march format to a rally. Opponents threw eggs and lemons and verbally abused the rally participants. Police detained or arrested a number of counterdemonstrators.
A Polish Radio poll found 49 percent opposed public demonstrations for gay rights. Television stations in Wroclaw and Lodz aired anti-gay commercials sponsored by the fascist political organization Narodowe Odrodzenia Polski.
[snip]
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41625.htm
Sierra Leone
[snip]
On October 5, a prominent gay activist was killed in her office. Media reports initially indicated that she was raped repeatedly, stabbed, and her neck broken. International human rights groups identified the killing as a possible hate crime. Police investigators were investigating the case at year's end; however, initial investigation suggested that the victim died of asphyxia and that there was no evidence of rape or stabbing. The primary suspect in the case was a recently dismissed domestic employee, who was also being investigated for theft. At year's end, the former employee's case was before the court.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41710.htm
Sweden
[snip]
The law prohibits hate speech that makes "agitation against ethnic groups" a crime. Under this law, neo Nazi groups were not permitted to display signs and banners with provocative symbols at their rallies (see Section 5). In July, Pentecostal Pastor Ake Green was convicted under this law in connection with a sermon in which he voiced condemnation of homosexuality. He was sentenced to 1 month's imprisonment; he has appealed the verdict on the basis of freedom of speech.
Societal violence and discrimination against homosexuals was a problem. In 2003, 326 crimes with homophobic motive were reported to the police, a sizable increase from 2002.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41715.htm
Ukraine
[snip]
On September 18, a homosexual man, Dmytro Pakhomov died, reportedly while being questioned by police in Kryvyy Rih. According to human rights groups, police officials made derogatory remarks about Pakhomov's sexual orientation to his mother and told her that, in the midst of interrogation, her son suddenly jumped out a window and fell four floors to his death. When she retrieved her son's body at a local hospital, medical staff told her that Pakhomov had suffered multiple internal injuries, including liver, kidney, lung, and neck vertebrae damage not consistent with the police version of his death. The family of the deceased declined to request an investigation.
[snip]
A leading NGO that works to protect the rights of gays and lesbians reported that a law called "On Protection of Morals" passed by Parliament in November 2003 was used to discriminate against homosexuals. For example, the law requires that newspapers containing gay and lesbian ads may only be sold if they are sealed in a hermetic package, and then only in specialized medical institutions that have a special license to treat individuals with sexual disorders. However, in practice, gay and lesbian ads appeared in many popular publications.
On February 12, the Ombudsman's office received a complaint from a pair of gay men in Volynska Oblast who alleged that they were harassed by local police. The case remained open at year's end. On September 8, a gay man also died in suspicious circumstances in Kryvyy Rih while in police custody (see Section 1.a.).
Persons living with HIV/AIDS faced discrimination in the workplace, job loss without legal recourse, harassment by law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial authorities, and social isolation and stigmatization within their communities.
[snip]
-
http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2004/41634.htm
Zimbabwe
[snip]
President Mugabe publicly denounced homosexuals, blaming them for "Africa's ills." Although there is no statutory law proscribing the activities of homosexuals, common law prevents gay men, and to a lesser extent, lesbians, from fully expressing their sexual orientation and in some cases, criminalizes the display of affection between men.
On August 4, a mob chased members of the Gays and Lesbians Association of Zimbabwe (GALZ) from the GALZ stand at the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. A group of youths approached GALZ officials at the stand and threatened to beat them, after which the GALZ members fled.
The Government has a national HIV/AIDS policy that prohibits discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS, and the law aims to protect against discrimination of workers in the private sector and parastatals; however, societal discrimination against persons affected by HIV/AIDS remained a problem. Despite an active information campaign by international and local NGOs and the Government through its Ministry of Health and the National AIDS Council to destigmatize HIV/AIDS, ostracism and condemnation of those affected by HIV/AIDS continued.
[snip]
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Today I am proud to call myself a citizen of the People's Republic of San Francisco, a city where gay rights are considered crucial political and civic matters and visiting public officials are asked about the human rights violations of gay people around the world.
Thanks to a written question from gay journalist Matthew S. Bajko of the Bay Area Reporter, which was posed to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her May 27 talk to the San Francisco Commonwealth Club, Rice was asked about the struggles of gay people in two countries.
The response from Rice embodied both good and bad things.
First, on the positive side, I am amazed any member of President Bush's cabinet endorses tolerant societies that include democratic ideals that extend to all people, regardless of sexual orientation.
And, to her credit, Rice seems to conflate the matter of gay issues into a larger human rights context in China and Egypt.
However, Rice's words are mere crumbs tossed at a local audience which of course welcomes such comments, and her words are not matched by enough actions to protest the many abuses of the civil rights of gays around the world.
For example, when was the last time the Rice or anyone at the State Department publicly deplored the arrest and punishment of gay men in Saudi Arabia in the past few months?
Nevertheless, I'm damn pleased Rice had to address gay rights in her talk, and I wish that her questioner, Gloria Duffy, CEO of the Commonwealth Club, had not phrased Bajko's question as one that can and should only come up in San Francisco, when we all know concerns about gay human rights should be broached everywhere.
Even with gay matters raised during Rice's appearance here, I didn't find any reference to her comments on this in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post or other mainstream stories that came up from a Google news search.
Yes, I would expect at least the hometown rag to make a passing reference to gay human rights issues in Rice's comments, but that didn't happen, and I hope readers of the Chronicle ask why.
You can find the audio tape of her speech, including loud shouts from the handful of protesters who interrupted her talk, and the transcript at the State Department's web site.
Here is the excerpt of the exchange about gay civil rights:
[snip]
MS. DUFFY: Moving on from Iraq, let's talk about human rights a bit. We are here in San Francisco and there's a question, what are you doing to ensure that countries like China and Egypt uphold the civil rights of its gay citizens, of their gay citizens?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, obviously, from our point of view, a democratic and tolerant society is exactly that. It is a society in which all people are included. It does not matter what race, what gender, it does not matter what sexual orientation -- all that matters is that you are a citizen of that country. And indeed, we note that in countries that are democratic, in countries where there can be pressure on government, in countries where there can be checks and balances on government, then the rights and -- the rights of the most vulnerable in society tend to be more protected. And so we are concentrating in places like China and in Egypt and in other places on human rights. Whenever we have discussions with these countries, we talk about human rights. And the United States issues something called a Human Rights Report every year that talks about the human rights conditions in each country and so -- very much in line with the notion that every citizen needs to be represented and rights protected. We believe that this is the way to handle this situation.
[snip]
The full transcript is at: Public Affairs Office, State Department .
Thanks to a written question from gay journalist Matthew S. Bajko of the Bay Area Reporter, which was posed to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during her May 27 talk to the San Francisco Commonwealth Club, Rice was asked about the struggles of gay people in two countries.
The response from Rice embodied both good and bad things.
First, on the positive side, I am amazed any member of President Bush's cabinet endorses tolerant societies that include democratic ideals that extend to all people, regardless of sexual orientation.
And, to her credit, Rice seems to conflate the matter of gay issues into a larger human rights context in China and Egypt.
However, Rice's words are mere crumbs tossed at a local audience which of course welcomes such comments, and her words are not matched by enough actions to protest the many abuses of the civil rights of gays around the world.
For example, when was the last time the Rice or anyone at the State Department publicly deplored the arrest and punishment of gay men in Saudi Arabia in the past few months?
Nevertheless, I'm damn pleased Rice had to address gay rights in her talk, and I wish that her questioner, Gloria Duffy, CEO of the Commonwealth Club, had not phrased Bajko's question as one that can and should only come up in San Francisco, when we all know concerns about gay human rights should be broached everywhere.
Even with gay matters raised during Rice's appearance here, I didn't find any reference to her comments on this in the San Francisco Chronicle, the Washington Post or other mainstream stories that came up from a Google news search.
Yes, I would expect at least the hometown rag to make a passing reference to gay human rights issues in Rice's comments, but that didn't happen, and I hope readers of the Chronicle ask why.
You can find the audio tape of her speech, including loud shouts from the handful of protesters who interrupted her talk, and the transcript at the State Department's web site.
Here is the excerpt of the exchange about gay civil rights:
[snip]
MS. DUFFY: Moving on from Iraq, let's talk about human rights a bit. We are here in San Francisco and there's a question, what are you doing to ensure that countries like China and Egypt uphold the civil rights of its gay citizens, of their gay citizens?
SECRETARY RICE: Well, obviously, from our point of view, a democratic and tolerant society is exactly that. It is a society in which all people are included. It does not matter what race, what gender, it does not matter what sexual orientation -- all that matters is that you are a citizen of that country. And indeed, we note that in countries that are democratic, in countries where there can be pressure on government, in countries where there can be checks and balances on government, then the rights and -- the rights of the most vulnerable in society tend to be more protected. And so we are concentrating in places like China and in Egypt and in other places on human rights. Whenever we have discussions with these countries, we talk about human rights. And the United States issues something called a Human Rights Report every year that talks about the human rights conditions in each country and so -- very much in line with the notion that every citizen needs to be represented and rights protected. We believe that this is the way to handle this situation.
[snip]
The full transcript is at: Public Affairs Office, State Department .
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
In a message dated 5/24/2005 11:35:08 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, tnolan@openhand.org writes:
> Dear Mr. Petralis,
> Thank you for your recent email to which I'm happy to respond. Project Open Hand is proud that, in these uncertain times when so many organizations have had to cut back on services because of funding cuts, we have not had to reduce services to our clients. The quantity and quality of food, the availability of counselling and personal attention for our clients living with HIV/AIDS, the homebound critically ill and seniors, has not changed. We haven't cut back on services. No one has been put on a waiting list. We are constantly looking at new and creative ways to enhance the quality of our service. The consistent high level of our clients' satisfaction attests to this.
> Project Open Hand, while founded to provide "meals with love" for persons with AIDS expanded its mission six years ago to include serving seniors at congregate sites and later to serving anyone who is homebound and critically ill. Today we actually serve more meals to seniors in San Francisco and Alameda County than we do persons with HIV/AIDS.
> For an agency of our size, providing nutrition services to at risk communities, the salaries of our senior staff are comparable to other similar agencies. Our administrative costs have consistently been below 20% of overall expenses, a figure well within the guidelines for non-profit agencies. We do everything possible to ensure the most funds possible go directly into client services.
> In recent years, rather than cut services to our clients, I have laid off management staff so that the senior staff that is remaining are all doing more work, taking on multiple, additional responsibilities, which they do gladly, in order for Project Open Hand to continue its important mission in the community.Our current staffing is about 120 while three years ago is was around 145.
> I take complete responsibility for all administrative salaries and I am satisfied that they are fair and comparable to positions in other organizations of this size.
> In terms of my own salary, that is set by the Board of Directors at Project Open Hand and to arrive at the figure they agreed upon, they considered salaries of comparable organizations in the Bay Area and around the country. To address my salary directly, you would need to speak to the Board of Directors. .
> If you have any further concerns, please feel free to contact me.
>
> Sincerely,
> Tom Nolan
Dear Mr. Nolin:
Thanks for the rapid reply. Yes, I would like to speak with the board of directors of Project Open Hand about your excessive salary. How do I contact them?
Regards,
Michael Petrelis
> Dear Mr. Petralis,
> Thank you for your recent email to which I'm happy to respond. Project Open Hand is proud that, in these uncertain times when so many organizations have had to cut back on services because of funding cuts, we have not had to reduce services to our clients. The quantity and quality of food, the availability of counselling and personal attention for our clients living with HIV/AIDS, the homebound critically ill and seniors, has not changed. We haven't cut back on services. No one has been put on a waiting list. We are constantly looking at new and creative ways to enhance the quality of our service. The consistent high level of our clients' satisfaction attests to this.
> Project Open Hand, while founded to provide "meals with love" for persons with AIDS expanded its mission six years ago to include serving seniors at congregate sites and later to serving anyone who is homebound and critically ill. Today we actually serve more meals to seniors in San Francisco and Alameda County than we do persons with HIV/AIDS.
> For an agency of our size, providing nutrition services to at risk communities, the salaries of our senior staff are comparable to other similar agencies. Our administrative costs have consistently been below 20% of overall expenses, a figure well within the guidelines for non-profit agencies. We do everything possible to ensure the most funds possible go directly into client services.
> In recent years, rather than cut services to our clients, I have laid off management staff so that the senior staff that is remaining are all doing more work, taking on multiple, additional responsibilities, which they do gladly, in order for Project Open Hand to continue its important mission in the community.Our current staffing is about 120 while three years ago is was around 145.
> I take complete responsibility for all administrative salaries and I am satisfied that they are fair and comparable to positions in other organizations of this size.
> In terms of my own salary, that is set by the Board of Directors at Project Open Hand and to arrive at the figure they agreed upon, they considered salaries of comparable organizations in the Bay Area and around the country. To address my salary directly, you would need to speak to the Board of Directors. .
> If you have any further concerns, please feel free to contact me.
>
> Sincerely,
> Tom Nolan
Dear Mr. Nolin:
Thanks for the rapid reply. Yes, I would like to speak with the board of directors of Project Open Hand about your excessive salary. How do I contact them?
Regards,
Michael Petrelis
Patricia Bass
Director, AIDS Activities Coordinating Office
Philadelphia Department of Public Health
1101 Market Street, 9th floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
Dear Ms. Bass:
In your capacity as chair of the Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief Coalition, a Washington-based lobbying organization, you're responsible for answering questions about the coalition's finances, which is why I am writing to you.
The CAEAR Coalition's agenda is clearly spelled out on its web site; lobby Congress and the White House to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act this year with at least one billion dollars to assist people with AIDS. (Source: CAEAR Coalition )
The IRS 990 file from 2002 for the coalition shows it received $1,748,250 in government grants and the 2003 IRS report says the coalition took in $1,675,407 from government contributions. (Sources: 2003 tax return , page 1; and 2002 tax return , page 1.)
So for this two-year period the coalition received a total of $3,423,657 from government funding sources and I am not aware of any government entity at either the federal or local level that doles out money for lobbying purposes.
Since the IRS 990 form does not disclose if that $3.4 million came from federal or local governments, I would like to know from you where this money came from.
Did the federal Health Resources and Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency responsible for administering Ryan White CARE Act funds, contribute any amount to your coalition's rather large advocacy budget? Were any other sub-agencies of HHS responsible for donating public funds to your group?
If the answer to either question is yes, please then inform me of how much money was given and by which part of HHS.
On the other hand, if your coalition's funding came from local governments, I would like to know which cities and counties contributed local taxpayer dollars for your lobbying efforts.
Frankly, I've never heard of any federal or local government endowing a private tax-exempt organization with taxpayer funds for lobbying purposes and believe the public deserves to know which government bodies contributed to your group.
A prompt reply is requested and appreciated.
Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
Director, AIDS Activities Coordinating Office
Philadelphia Department of Public Health
1101 Market Street, 9th floor
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
Dear Ms. Bass:
In your capacity as chair of the Communities Advocating Emergency AIDS Relief Coalition, a Washington-based lobbying organization, you're responsible for answering questions about the coalition's finances, which is why I am writing to you.
The CAEAR Coalition's agenda is clearly spelled out on its web site; lobby Congress and the White House to reauthorize the Ryan White CARE Act this year with at least one billion dollars to assist people with AIDS. (Source: CAEAR Coalition )
The IRS 990 file from 2002 for the coalition shows it received $1,748,250 in government grants and the 2003 IRS report says the coalition took in $1,675,407 from government contributions. (Sources: 2003 tax return , page 1; and 2002 tax return , page 1.)
So for this two-year period the coalition received a total of $3,423,657 from government funding sources and I am not aware of any government entity at either the federal or local level that doles out money for lobbying purposes.
Since the IRS 990 form does not disclose if that $3.4 million came from federal or local governments, I would like to know from you where this money came from.
Did the federal Health Resources and Services Administration of the Department of Health and Human Services, the agency responsible for administering Ryan White CARE Act funds, contribute any amount to your coalition's rather large advocacy budget? Were any other sub-agencies of HHS responsible for donating public funds to your group?
If the answer to either question is yes, please then inform me of how much money was given and by which part of HHS.
On the other hand, if your coalition's funding came from local governments, I would like to know which cities and counties contributed local taxpayer dollars for your lobbying efforts.
Frankly, I've never heard of any federal or local government endowing a private tax-exempt organization with taxpayer funds for lobbying purposes and believe the public deserves to know which government bodies contributed to your group.
A prompt reply is requested and appreciated.
Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
Monday, May 23, 2005
Five years ago around this time, AIDS experts in San Francisco, along with SF Chronicle and NY Times reporters, sounded a loud alarm about allegedly rising HIV and STD rates for gay men here.
About the only things that were supposed to be blowing on Castro Street were tumbleweeds and dust. We were at the dawn of gay San Francisco being wiped out, almost overnight, as infections climbed towards unseen heights.
Well, there's been a remarkable reversible of those dire predictions, and no one from the Department of Public Health is saying why this good news is happening or really congratulating sexually active gays for what appears to be a stunning flatness or decline of disease rates.
The director of STD control, according to recently web posted minutes from the May 3 S.F. Health Commission meeting, reported that "In general over the past five years gonorrhea rates have been level or have declined, most dramatically in young adults age 15-19. Importantly, these declines are most pronounced in high-risk groups, including African Americans."
I consider gonorrhea rates a better surrogate marker for HIV rates, which, as we all know thanks to Bay Area Reporter front page stories, are continuing to plateau.
Syphilis rates, which are on the upswing, in large part because of the massive numbers of tests for it performed by DPH, are not a good indicator of possible new gay HIV transmissions. And don't forget that syphilis is vastly easier to transmit and contract than HIV.
The STD director for DPH at the May 3 meeting also said, "San Francisco does a lot more testing than other areas, and this might be a factor in higher rates," in response to a question about testing rates influencing HIV/STD positivity rates. (Source: SF Health Commission)
If you want proof that another major American city is also seeing surging syphilis statistics, without a corresponding increase in HIV infections, look to Seattle, Washington.
The Emerald City's daily Post-Intelligencer reported on May 19 that Seattle's leading STD/HIV public health official, openly gay Dr. Robert Wood, said "There is no evidence to suggest that the rising rates of syphilis in the region are contributing to an increase in HIV infection rates as well." (Source: Seattle P-I )
The SF STD control and prevention head's contention that gonorrhea statistics are level or declining comes just two months after the DPH released its latest annual STD report, which was for 2003.
The report noted "Gonorrhea in San Francisco decreased by 15 percent from last year, and decreases were observed among both men and women.
"Male rectal gonorrhea cases were also stable between 2002 and 2003." (Source: Latest annual STD report for SF, page 4.)
But this plateau didn't generate a single story. Guess the DPH experts don't see much point in saying anything when STD infections are under control. You really can't generate more federal funding if you're succeeding at stabilizing diseases, so why call press attention to the success?
Since receptive male anal sex is one of the easiest ways to contract HIV, I consider male rectal gonorrhea figures indicative of potential new HIV infections, so having both the HIV infection rate and the level of male rectal gonorrhea flat, says the epidemic's wild fire has cooled.
Too bad our DPH is not holding any public meetings to discuss why this decline and flatness has occurred, much less how to keep the numbers either level or drive them down even further.
About the only things that were supposed to be blowing on Castro Street were tumbleweeds and dust. We were at the dawn of gay San Francisco being wiped out, almost overnight, as infections climbed towards unseen heights.
Well, there's been a remarkable reversible of those dire predictions, and no one from the Department of Public Health is saying why this good news is happening or really congratulating sexually active gays for what appears to be a stunning flatness or decline of disease rates.
The director of STD control, according to recently web posted minutes from the May 3 S.F. Health Commission meeting, reported that "In general over the past five years gonorrhea rates have been level or have declined, most dramatically in young adults age 15-19. Importantly, these declines are most pronounced in high-risk groups, including African Americans."
I consider gonorrhea rates a better surrogate marker for HIV rates, which, as we all know thanks to Bay Area Reporter front page stories, are continuing to plateau.
Syphilis rates, which are on the upswing, in large part because of the massive numbers of tests for it performed by DPH, are not a good indicator of possible new gay HIV transmissions. And don't forget that syphilis is vastly easier to transmit and contract than HIV.
The STD director for DPH at the May 3 meeting also said, "San Francisco does a lot more testing than other areas, and this might be a factor in higher rates," in response to a question about testing rates influencing HIV/STD positivity rates. (Source: SF Health Commission)
If you want proof that another major American city is also seeing surging syphilis statistics, without a corresponding increase in HIV infections, look to Seattle, Washington.
The Emerald City's daily Post-Intelligencer reported on May 19 that Seattle's leading STD/HIV public health official, openly gay Dr. Robert Wood, said "There is no evidence to suggest that the rising rates of syphilis in the region are contributing to an increase in HIV infection rates as well." (Source: Seattle P-I )
The SF STD control and prevention head's contention that gonorrhea statistics are level or declining comes just two months after the DPH released its latest annual STD report, which was for 2003.
The report noted "Gonorrhea in San Francisco decreased by 15 percent from last year, and decreases were observed among both men and women.
"Male rectal gonorrhea cases were also stable between 2002 and 2003." (Source: Latest annual STD report for SF, page 4.)
But this plateau didn't generate a single story. Guess the DPH experts don't see much point in saying anything when STD infections are under control. You really can't generate more federal funding if you're succeeding at stabilizing diseases, so why call press attention to the success?
Since receptive male anal sex is one of the easiest ways to contract HIV, I consider male rectal gonorrhea figures indicative of potential new HIV infections, so having both the HIV infection rate and the level of male rectal gonorrhea flat, says the epidemic's wild fire has cooled.
Too bad our DPH is not holding any public meetings to discuss why this decline and flatness has occurred, much less how to keep the numbers either level or drive them down even further.
Walter Armstrong
waltera@poz.com
Editor
POZ Magazine
Dear Mr. Armstrong:
Stop the presses!
A miracle has occurred in the San Francisco AIDS world and must quickly be reported, so other similar miracles can start happening elsewhere.
In the midst of massive cutbacks in federal and local government funding for vital AIDS programs for people with AIDS and those at risk of HIV, with private funding sources shrinking, forcing groups and programs to cease operations, an AIDS executive has sacrificed a portion of her salary.
Yes, the normally avaricious Pat Christen, during the last year of her reign as empress, er, executive director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, suffering pangs of an almost-absent conscience, had her pay reduced.
Strange as it may seem, in 2003 Christen's salary was $190,266, and in 2004 it plummeted down to $189,974. (Sources: SFAF 2003 tax return page 21, and SFAF 2004 tax return page 21.)
She lost a gargantuan amount: $292.
Let me spell that out for you. Two-hundred ninety-two smackaroos.
Have you ever seen such a noble act from an AIDS leader?
No, of course not and the POZ audience should be made aware of this tremendous financial loss to Christen, who probably just didn't fill up the tank for her Mercedes SUV a few times last year.
I tell you, Mother Theresa up in heaven is smiling down at this AIDS executive's miracle. May Mother Theresa's sainted blessings and the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi assist in bringing about additional such miracles among directors of other AIDS charities across the land.
How can POZ ignore Christen willing giving up $292 in pay to help keep people with AIDS alive?
I look forward to a POZ article about the Christen miracle.
Best,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
waltera@poz.com
Editor
POZ Magazine
Dear Mr. Armstrong:
Stop the presses!
A miracle has occurred in the San Francisco AIDS world and must quickly be reported, so other similar miracles can start happening elsewhere.
In the midst of massive cutbacks in federal and local government funding for vital AIDS programs for people with AIDS and those at risk of HIV, with private funding sources shrinking, forcing groups and programs to cease operations, an AIDS executive has sacrificed a portion of her salary.
Yes, the normally avaricious Pat Christen, during the last year of her reign as empress, er, executive director of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation, suffering pangs of an almost-absent conscience, had her pay reduced.
Strange as it may seem, in 2003 Christen's salary was $190,266, and in 2004 it plummeted down to $189,974. (Sources: SFAF 2003 tax return page 21, and SFAF 2004 tax return page 21.)
She lost a gargantuan amount: $292.
Let me spell that out for you. Two-hundred ninety-two smackaroos.
Have you ever seen such a noble act from an AIDS leader?
No, of course not and the POZ audience should be made aware of this tremendous financial loss to Christen, who probably just didn't fill up the tank for her Mercedes SUV a few times last year.
I tell you, Mother Theresa up in heaven is smiling down at this AIDS executive's miracle. May Mother Theresa's sainted blessings and the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi assist in bringing about additional such miracles among directors of other AIDS charities across the land.
How can POZ ignore Christen willing giving up $292 in pay to help keep people with AIDS alive?
I look forward to a POZ article about the Christen miracle.
Best,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Who knew that wacky music video of sexy sashaying British soldiers would cause the UK's Ministry of Defence web site to crash due to high demand from viewers?
My sometimes goofy gay brother Andrew Sullivan on his blog this weekend linked to a great musical video clip of sexy sashaying British soldiers in Iraq, many shirtless and a good number in their undies.
Those with an appreciation of military men will definitely get off on the dancing hunks in the desert.
The clip is a cross between a 1930s Hollywood musical number choreographed by Busby Berkeley and an extended circular tracking shot filmed by Hungarian auteur Bela Tarr. It's wild, wacky as if the creators were on weed, and cinematic.
Give the video a look at this site in the UK and tell me what you think of it.
Then let's discuss how someone desperately needs to give those British boys over there a spanking for their lack of geographic knowledge.
The boys titled their clip, "Is This the Way to Armadillo?," but they're seen parading around as the "Is This the Way to Amarillo?" song plays in the background.
Any volunteers want to step forward to teach these soldier boys the difference between a scaly animal and a city in Texas?
Those with an appreciation of military men will definitely get off on the dancing hunks in the desert.
The clip is a cross between a 1930s Hollywood musical number choreographed by Busby Berkeley and an extended circular tracking shot filmed by Hungarian auteur Bela Tarr. It's wild, wacky as if the creators were on weed, and cinematic.
Give the video a look at this site in the UK and tell me what you think of it.
Then let's discuss how someone desperately needs to give those British boys over there a spanking for their lack of geographic knowledge.
The boys titled their clip, "Is This the Way to Armadillo?," but they're seen parading around as the "Is This the Way to Amarillo?" song plays in the background.
Any volunteers want to step forward to teach these soldier boys the difference between a scaly animal and a city in Texas?
Friday, May 20, 2005
Tom Nolan
Executive Director
Project Open Hand
San Francisco, CA
Dear Mr. Nolan:
I'm sure you are well aware of how government and private funds for AIDS service organizations in San Francisco have declined in the past few years, and that some local AIDS groups are either on the verge of ceasing operations or shutting down major components of their programs because of reduced funding, potentially harming people with AIDS.
In looking over the IRS 990 files from 1995 through the present for your organization, I see during these years you earned a total of $947,273. (Source: www.guidestar.org )
Your current salary is listed at $153,935 for services rendered, a salary level many people would consider excessive for the head of charity.
The latest IRS 990 form for Project Open Hand shows that the total compensation for the five highest paid employees other than yourself comes to $415,033, and that there are eleven additional employees earning at least $50,000, which means those eleven people eat up a minimum of $550,000 of your budget.
Adding up your salary with those of the sixteen other top managers of your nonprofit comes to a whooping $1,118,968.
In my view, taking $1.1 million of your $8.9 million budget this year just to pay the top executives is exorbitant and may come at the expense of providing nutritious, fresh meals and staples to people with AIDS.
Given the current climate of declining funding for all AIDS nonprofits in San Francisco, I am today suggesting that you and your top staff immediately cut your compensation packages, in order to better meet the needs of AIDS patients and that in these belt-tightening times, you and Project Open Hand are committed to making sacrifices.
A prompt reply is requested and appreciated.
Regards,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
Executive Director
Project Open Hand
San Francisco, CA
Dear Mr. Nolan:
I'm sure you are well aware of how government and private funds for AIDS service organizations in San Francisco have declined in the past few years, and that some local AIDS groups are either on the verge of ceasing operations or shutting down major components of their programs because of reduced funding, potentially harming people with AIDS.
In looking over the IRS 990 files from 1995 through the present for your organization, I see during these years you earned a total of $947,273. (Source: www.guidestar.org )
Your current salary is listed at $153,935 for services rendered, a salary level many people would consider excessive for the head of charity.
The latest IRS 990 form for Project Open Hand shows that the total compensation for the five highest paid employees other than yourself comes to $415,033, and that there are eleven additional employees earning at least $50,000, which means those eleven people eat up a minimum of $550,000 of your budget.
Adding up your salary with those of the sixteen other top managers of your nonprofit comes to a whooping $1,118,968.
In my view, taking $1.1 million of your $8.9 million budget this year just to pay the top executives is exorbitant and may come at the expense of providing nutritious, fresh meals and staples to people with AIDS.
Given the current climate of declining funding for all AIDS nonprofits in San Francisco, I am today suggesting that you and your top staff immediately cut your compensation packages, in order to better meet the needs of AIDS patients and that in these belt-tightening times, you and Project Open Hand are committed to making sacrifices.
A prompt reply is requested and appreciated.
Regards,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
In a message dated 5/19/2005 11:01:34 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, slabaton@yahoo.com writes:
Mr. Petrelis:
Thank you for sending me a copy of your note to Mr.
Okrent. The first article you mention states that Mr.
Tomlinson joined the board in Sept. 2000. I think most
readers know that Mr. Clinton was president then. Mr.
Tomlinson remains on the board only because he was
reappointed by President Bush.
-Stephen Labaton
Dear Mr. Labaton:
Thanks for replying to my note. I must disagree with you about what most readers may have thought after reading what you reported about how Kenneth Tomlinson got on the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Citing a former member of the board, you wrote on May 2, "But once Mr. Tomlinson, a former editor in chief of Reader's Digest, joined in September 2000 and President Bush's election changed the board's political composition, the tenor changed, she said." Some readers may interpret that to mean he applied for the board without the involvement of former President Clinton.
Also, your stories did not report on President Bush reappointing Tomlinson to the CPB board, as you note in your reply.
I wish that in one your stories you had reported something along the lines of what Paul Farhi wrote in today's Washington Post related to Tomlinson and the former and current president: "Tomlinson, who was appointed to the CPB board by President Bill Clinton in 2000 and was named chairman by President Bush in September 2003, has also caused unease within public broadcasting circles with a series of recent hires." (Source: Wash Post)
As it now stands, Washington Post readers have the full picture about how Tomlinson got on the CPB board and eventually became chairman, but NY Times readers don't.
Regards,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
Mr. Petrelis:
Thank you for sending me a copy of your note to Mr.
Okrent. The first article you mention states that Mr.
Tomlinson joined the board in Sept. 2000. I think most
readers know that Mr. Clinton was president then. Mr.
Tomlinson remains on the board only because he was
reappointed by President Bush.
-Stephen Labaton
Dear Mr. Labaton:
Thanks for replying to my note. I must disagree with you about what most readers may have thought after reading what you reported about how Kenneth Tomlinson got on the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Citing a former member of the board, you wrote on May 2, "But once Mr. Tomlinson, a former editor in chief of Reader's Digest, joined in September 2000 and President Bush's election changed the board's political composition, the tenor changed, she said." Some readers may interpret that to mean he applied for the board without the involvement of former President Clinton.
Also, your stories did not report on President Bush reappointing Tomlinson to the CPB board, as you note in your reply.
I wish that in one your stories you had reported something along the lines of what Paul Farhi wrote in today's Washington Post related to Tomlinson and the former and current president: "Tomlinson, who was appointed to the CPB board by President Bill Clinton in 2000 and was named chairman by President Bush in September 2003, has also caused unease within public broadcasting circles with a series of recent hires." (Source: Wash Post)
As it now stands, Washington Post readers have the full picture about how Tomlinson got on the CPB board and eventually became chairman, but NY Times readers don't.
Regards,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
May 18, 2005
Daniel Okrent
Public Editor
The New York Times
Dear Mr. Okrent:
I write to you today about two recent stories in the New York Times about the chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Kenneth Tomlinson.
The first article ran on May 2 and the second one appeared on May 16. (Sources: NY Times and NY Times)
In the May 2 story, the Times reported the following: "Mr. Tomlinson's tenure has brought criticism that his chairmanship has been the most polarizing in a generation. Christy Carpenter, a Democratic appointee to the board from 1998 to 2002, said partisanship was 'essentially nonexistent' in her first years. But once Mr. Tomlinson, a former editor in chief of Reader's Digest, joined in September 2000 and President Bush's election changed the board's political composition, the tenor changed, she said."
What the Times failed to report is that Tomlinson was appointed to the CPB's board by former Democratic President Bill Clinton. (Source: CPB)
The Times' May 16 article said, "Last month, the corporation's board, which is dominated by Republicans named by President Bush, told the staff at a meeting that it should prepare to redirect the relatively modest number of grants available for radio programs away from national news, officials at the corporation and NPR said."
Again, the Times didn't inform readers that Tomlinson, chair of the CPB board, got on the board thanks to Bill Clinton.
The Times also made no reference to Tomlinson's many donations to GOP politicians since 1987, according to Federal Election Commission records, which are listed below. (Source: NewsMeat)
Frankly, I think the Times owes readers all the facts about who appointed Tomlinson to the CPB board and his generous donations to GOP politicians.
Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
^^^
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$200
primary03/09/05
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$200
primary02/09/05
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
BURNS, CONRAD R (R)
Senate - MT
FRIENDS OF CONRAD BURNS - 2006
$500
primary11/19/04
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$250
general09/23/04
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
BUSH, GEORGE W (R)
President
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Tomlinson, Kenneth
Middleburg, VA 20118
Retired
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House (VA 10)
FRIENDS OF FRANK WOLF
$1,000
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
WARNER, JOHN WILLIAM (R)
Senate - VA
SENATOR JOHN WARNER COMMITTEE
$1,000
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$250
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MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$500
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$250
primary03/25/97
TOMLINSON, KENNETH
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READER'S DIGEST
KELLY, SUE W (R)
House (NY 19)
SUE KELLY FOR CONGRESS
$200
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
MILLER, JAMES CLIFFORD III (R)
Senate - VA
MILLER FOR SENATE (1996)
$1,000
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
FORBES, STEVE (R)
President
FORBES FOR PRESIDENT COMMITTEE INC
$1,000
primary02/20/96
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
BUCHA, PAUL W (R)
House (NY 19)
COMMITTEE TO ELECT PAUL W BUCHA
$200
primary08/29/94
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READERS DIGEST
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$350
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READER'S DIGEST
PAUKEN, THOMAS W (R)
House (TX 03)
PAUKEN FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
$1,000
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READERS DIGEST
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President
JACK KEMP FOR PRESIDENT '88
$500
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TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
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President
JACK KEMP FOR PRESIDENT '88
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Daniel Okrent
Public Editor
The New York Times
Dear Mr. Okrent:
I write to you today about two recent stories in the New York Times about the chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Kenneth Tomlinson.
The first article ran on May 2 and the second one appeared on May 16. (Sources: NY Times and NY Times)
In the May 2 story, the Times reported the following: "Mr. Tomlinson's tenure has brought criticism that his chairmanship has been the most polarizing in a generation. Christy Carpenter, a Democratic appointee to the board from 1998 to 2002, said partisanship was 'essentially nonexistent' in her first years. But once Mr. Tomlinson, a former editor in chief of Reader's Digest, joined in September 2000 and President Bush's election changed the board's political composition, the tenor changed, she said."
What the Times failed to report is that Tomlinson was appointed to the CPB's board by former Democratic President Bill Clinton. (Source: CPB)
The Times' May 16 article said, "Last month, the corporation's board, which is dominated by Republicans named by President Bush, told the staff at a meeting that it should prepare to redirect the relatively modest number of grants available for radio programs away from national news, officials at the corporation and NPR said."
Again, the Times didn't inform readers that Tomlinson, chair of the CPB board, got on the board thanks to Bill Clinton.
The Times also made no reference to Tomlinson's many donations to GOP politicians since 1987, according to Federal Election Commission records, which are listed below. (Source: NewsMeat)
Frankly, I think the Times owes readers all the facts about who appointed Tomlinson to the CPB board and his generous donations to GOP politicians.
Sincerely,
Michael Petrelis
San Francisco, CA
^^^
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$200
primary03/09/05
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$200
primary02/09/05
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
BURNS, CONRAD R (R)
Senate - MT
FRIENDS OF CONRAD BURNS - 2006
$500
primary11/19/04
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$250
general09/23/04
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR.
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
BUSH, GEORGE W (R)
President
BUSH-CHENEY '04 (PRIMARY) INC
$1,000
primary08/24/04
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
SPRINGBROOK FARM
DEMINT, JAMES W (R)
Senate - SC
DEMINT FOR SENATE COMMITTEE INC
$500
06/21/04
TOMLINSON, KENNETH
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
MARTINEZ, MEL (R)
Senate - FL
MARTINEZ FOR SENATE
$500
primary06/15/04
Tomlinson, Kenneth
Middleburg, VA 20118
Retired
WOLF, FRANK R (R)
House (VA 10)
FRIENDS OF FRANK WOLF
$1,000
primary01/20/04
TOMLINSON, KENNETH
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
WARNER, JOHN WILLIAM (R)
Senate - VA
SENATOR JOHN WARNER COMMITTEE
$1,000
primary04/23/02
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$250
general10/06/98
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$500
primary03/10/98
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
MIDDLEBURG, VA 20118
RETIRED
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$250
primary03/25/97
TOMLINSON, KENNETH
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READER'S DIGEST
KELLY, SUE W (R)
House (NY 19)
SUE KELLY FOR CONGRESS
$200
primary06/27/96
TOMLINSON, KENNETH
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
MILLER, JAMES CLIFFORD III (R)
Senate - VA
MILLER FOR SENATE (1996)
$1,000
primary05/14/96
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
FORBES, STEVE (R)
President
FORBES FOR PRESIDENT COMMITTEE INC
$1,000
primary02/20/96
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
BUCHA, PAUL W (R)
House (NY 19)
COMMITTEE TO ELECT PAUL W BUCHA
$200
primary08/29/94
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READERS DIGEST
ROHRABACHER, DANA (R)
House (CA 46)
COMMITTEE TO RE-ELECT CONGRESSMAN DANA ROHRABACHER
$350
primary01/24/92
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READER'S DIGEST
PAUKEN, THOMAS W (R)
House (TX 03)
PAUKEN FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
$1,000
03/14/91
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
READERS DIGEST
KEMP, JACK (VICE-PRES) (R)
President
JACK KEMP FOR PRESIDENT '88
$500
primary12/18/87
TOMLINSON, KENNETH Y MR
CHAPPAQUA, NY 10514
KEMP, JACK (VICE-PRES) (R)
President
JACK KEMP FOR PRESIDENT '88
$500
primary01/06/87
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Like a good political junkie, I've been following the sordid tale of Rep. Don Sherwood, R-PA, the allegations he choked his girlfriend while giving her a back rub last fall and won't seek a divorce from his wife.
It was surprising, to say the least, given the relish many newspapers have when reporting on a political scandal involving the sexual follies of family values politician, that his hometown rag, the Scranton Times, refused to write about Sherwood's problems with his girlfriend.
On May 8, the editor of the Scranton Times, Lawrence K. Beaupre, explained in a schoolmarm way why he won't cover the scandal.
In a letter to readers, he said, "Call me crazy. Call me stubborn. But I don't think anyone's private, so-far legal affairs are my business. Or yours. Not even if it's a politician. Not even if the matter is tawdry."
Reading that, alarms rang in my head. He and his reporters must have donated to Sherwood's campaign, I thought. Convinced of this, I searched the Federal Election Commission files at www.tray.com expecting to find contributions from the paper's editors and reporters.
Boy, was I wrong.
First of all, the publishers; Edward J., George V., and William R. Lynett, and their sister, Cecelia L. Haggerty, along with other family members, have made large donations.
Second, practically all of their federal political giving has been to Patrick Casey, the man who twice ran against Sherwood.
I'm trying to make sense of this. The Scranton Times owners have long supported Sherwood's opponent with their cash, Sherwood gets into hot water related to his affair, and the paper can't be bothered to report on his woes.
What kind Democratic publishers would cover-up such a scandal involving their representative in Congress and allow their editor to suppress news?
Maybe they think in allowing their editor to not inform readers on Sherwood's affair and the police report about the choking incident, they're showing how their donations don't influence coverage. I wish I knew why the Lynett family is silent about their editor's decision to ignore this story.
In any event, below are the FEC donation listings for the Scranton Times' publishers' and their extended family, which show all their political check-writing went to Democrats, except for the one donation to George W. Bush in 1999.
^^^
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
5/25/1993 $1,000.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
3/31/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
4/25/1994 -$1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
4/25/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
LYNETT, EDWARD J
3/31/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/31/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
LYNETT, EDWARD III
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18508
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J III
6/29/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J JR
7/20/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GREGORY
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN
6/29/1998 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
BOST, JENNIFER LYNETT
4/10/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
3/2/1998 $500.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/31/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
9/30/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MARION, HAROLD F JR
7/13/1998 $500.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MCGRATH, JEAN H
6/29/1998 $250.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GEORGE V
9/2/1999 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J III
12/16/1999 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J JR
9/9/1999 $1,000.00
CLARKS GREEN, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J JR
3/7/2000 $1,000.00
CLARKS GREEN, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GEORGE V
3/7/2000 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GREGORY
12/16/1999 $500.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GREGORY
6/28/2000 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/31/1999 $500.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
BUSH FOR PRESIDENT INC
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/27/2000 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
8/10/2000 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN L
11/12/1999 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN L
9/25/2000 $800.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN L
10/6/2000 $200.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MCGRATH, JEAN H
10/6/2000 $250.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MCGRATH, JEAN H
10/17/2000 $250.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
It was surprising, to say the least, given the relish many newspapers have when reporting on a political scandal involving the sexual follies of family values politician, that his hometown rag, the Scranton Times, refused to write about Sherwood's problems with his girlfriend.
On May 8, the editor of the Scranton Times, Lawrence K. Beaupre, explained in a schoolmarm way why he won't cover the scandal.
In a letter to readers, he said, "Call me crazy. Call me stubborn. But I don't think anyone's private, so-far legal affairs are my business. Or yours. Not even if it's a politician. Not even if the matter is tawdry."
Reading that, alarms rang in my head. He and his reporters must have donated to Sherwood's campaign, I thought. Convinced of this, I searched the Federal Election Commission files at www.tray.com expecting to find contributions from the paper's editors and reporters.
Boy, was I wrong.
First of all, the publishers; Edward J., George V., and William R. Lynett, and their sister, Cecelia L. Haggerty, along with other family members, have made large donations.
Second, practically all of their federal political giving has been to Patrick Casey, the man who twice ran against Sherwood.
I'm trying to make sense of this. The Scranton Times owners have long supported Sherwood's opponent with their cash, Sherwood gets into hot water related to his affair, and the paper can't be bothered to report on his woes.
What kind Democratic publishers would cover-up such a scandal involving their representative in Congress and allow their editor to suppress news?
Maybe they think in allowing their editor to not inform readers on Sherwood's affair and the police report about the choking incident, they're showing how their donations don't influence coverage. I wish I knew why the Lynett family is silent about their editor's decision to ignore this story.
In any event, below are the FEC donation listings for the Scranton Times' publishers' and their extended family, which show all their political check-writing went to Democrats, except for the one donation to George W. Bush in 1999.
^^^
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
5/25/1993 $1,000.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
3/31/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
4/25/1994 -$1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
4/25/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
LYNETT, EDWARD J
3/31/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/31/1994 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CITIZENS FOR SENATOR WOFFORD
LYNETT, EDWARD III
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18508
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J III
6/29/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J JR
7/20/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GREGORY
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN
3/2/1998 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN
6/29/1998 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
BOST, JENNIFER LYNETT
4/10/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
HAGGERTY, CECELIA L
3/2/1998 $500.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/31/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
9/30/1998 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
SCRANTON TIMES - TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MARION, HAROLD F JR
7/13/1998 $500.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MCGRATH, JEAN H
6/29/1998 $250.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GEORGE V
9/2/1999 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J III
12/16/1999 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J JR
9/9/1999 $1,000.00
CLARKS GREEN, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, EDWARD J JR
3/7/2000 $1,000.00
CLARKS GREEN, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GEORGE V
3/7/2000 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GREGORY
12/16/1999 $500.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, GREGORY
6/28/2000 $1,000.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES-TRIBUNE -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/31/1999 $500.00
CLARKS SUMMIT, PA 18411
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
BUSH FOR PRESIDENT INC
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
3/27/2000 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
LYNETT, WILLIAM R
8/10/2000 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18503
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN L
11/12/1999 $1,000.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN L
9/25/2000 $800.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
ROSE, KATHLEEN L
10/6/2000 $200.00
SCRANTON, PA 18509
THE SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MCGRATH, JEAN H
10/6/2000 $250.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
MCGRATH, JEAN H
10/17/2000 $250.00
DUNMORE, PA 18509
SCRANTON TIMES -[Contribution]
CASEY FOR CONGRESS COMMITTEE
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Free speech, one of the most pesky parts of American law and culture, was dealt a death blow by the Board of Supervisors in the People's Republic of San Francisco on May 10.
In a unanimous vote, the eleven Supes voted to prohibit what they deem to be "discriminatory" statements by any citizen during public comment at the full Board's meetings and all meetings held by city commissions.
This has come about because of outrageous sexist, anti-gay and comments made recently by residential housing developer Joe O'Donoghue, who also questioned whether a pregnant woman was an appropriate pick for a commission.
O'Donoghue, originally from Ireland, seem to really get in hot water when he questioned Mayor Gavin Newsom's sexual orientation. He's been a thorn in the side of many politicians at City Hall as he's carried out his building and contracting business agendas, and he's not well-liked in many circles.
I mention O'Donoghue's place of origin and ancestry, which is why he's got a thick brogue, because when he speaks at meetings carried on the city's government access channel, I wish for subtitles. I can't understand more than half of what he says, but under the new rules, I would be barred from saying anything about his way of speaking.
But his poem about Newsom's sexuality, offensive remarks about he suitability of a pregnant commissioner to decide important housing issues for the city and calling Board president Aaron Peskin "an angry dwarf," are protected under the First Amendment, and it's disturbing that this city, of all US cities, now bars speech that the Supes don't approve of.
According to the Chronicle, quoting Peskin, they passed a resolution about derogatory speech to "make a clear statement that discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, weight, height or place of birth will not be tolerated in San Francisco city government." (Source: SF Chron )
So how will the Supes and assorted city commissioners know what constitutes offensive speech? The Chronicle says one of the Supes wants the Board to "follow up the resolution with some kind of training for city commissioners so that they can identify inappropriate public testimony and put a stop to it."
As we watch the Supes grapple with figuring out how to restrict speech they don't like, and actually believe it has nothing to do with free speech, let's hope civil libertarians get off their asses and put a stop to this incredibly dangerous effort in San Francisco to hinder offensive remarks during public comment at City Hall meetings.
The Examiner reports today that "Supervisor Tom Ammiano said this week he was relieved that the board had come together to send a message that attacks on one's political positions are acceptable even if they're uncomfortable, but attacks on one's humanity are not." (Source: SF Ex )
All of a sudden Ammiano is worried about attacks on Dubya's humanity, which have livened up many a boring meeting?
One last point. I fear Republicans will use the anti-free speech resolution to put a stop to the Supes making derogatory comments and jokes about President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. My favorite part of Supes' meetings is when they're trashing our leaders in Washington and that could come to an end, if the rules of the resolution are evenly enforced, and who really wants that?
In a unanimous vote, the eleven Supes voted to prohibit what they deem to be "discriminatory" statements by any citizen during public comment at the full Board's meetings and all meetings held by city commissions.
This has come about because of outrageous sexist, anti-gay and comments made recently by residential housing developer Joe O'Donoghue, who also questioned whether a pregnant woman was an appropriate pick for a commission.
O'Donoghue, originally from Ireland, seem to really get in hot water when he questioned Mayor Gavin Newsom's sexual orientation. He's been a thorn in the side of many politicians at City Hall as he's carried out his building and contracting business agendas, and he's not well-liked in many circles.
I mention O'Donoghue's place of origin and ancestry, which is why he's got a thick brogue, because when he speaks at meetings carried on the city's government access channel, I wish for subtitles. I can't understand more than half of what he says, but under the new rules, I would be barred from saying anything about his way of speaking.
But his poem about Newsom's sexuality, offensive remarks about he suitability of a pregnant commissioner to decide important housing issues for the city and calling Board president Aaron Peskin "an angry dwarf," are protected under the First Amendment, and it's disturbing that this city, of all US cities, now bars speech that the Supes don't approve of.
According to the Chronicle, quoting Peskin, they passed a resolution about derogatory speech to "make a clear statement that discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, religion, color, ancestry, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, weight, height or place of birth will not be tolerated in San Francisco city government." (Source: SF Chron )
So how will the Supes and assorted city commissioners know what constitutes offensive speech? The Chronicle says one of the Supes wants the Board to "follow up the resolution with some kind of training for city commissioners so that they can identify inappropriate public testimony and put a stop to it."
As we watch the Supes grapple with figuring out how to restrict speech they don't like, and actually believe it has nothing to do with free speech, let's hope civil libertarians get off their asses and put a stop to this incredibly dangerous effort in San Francisco to hinder offensive remarks during public comment at City Hall meetings.
The Examiner reports today that "Supervisor Tom Ammiano said this week he was relieved that the board had come together to send a message that attacks on one's political positions are acceptable even if they're uncomfortable, but attacks on one's humanity are not." (Source: SF Ex )
All of a sudden Ammiano is worried about attacks on Dubya's humanity, which have livened up many a boring meeting?
One last point. I fear Republicans will use the anti-free speech resolution to put a stop to the Supes making derogatory comments and jokes about President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. My favorite part of Supes' meetings is when they're trashing our leaders in Washington and that could come to an end, if the rules of the resolution are evenly enforced, and who really wants that?
David Webb of the Dallas Voice has written an excellent story about both my efforts to get Bush's FBI file and the efforts of the Dallas Morning News to also pry loose information about Bush from the FBI. If you want to read what the FBI recently released to me, you can find those slim pages at http://annoy.com/sectionless/Bush-FBI-File.PDF and also at http://rawstory.rawprint.com/0405/bush_fbi_1 .
^^^
http://dallasvoice.com/articles/dispArticle.cfm?Article_ID=6026
May 6, 2005
The Dallas Voice
Bush’s slim FBI file lets down gay activist who wanted more
FBI spokesman says many people request copies of President Bush’s file but most information available about a living president is restricted
By David Webb
E-mail: webb@dallasvoice.com
San Francisco activist Michael Petrelis’ quest for President Bush’s FBI file was finally successful, but it has only left him thirsting for more information.
Petrelis, who filed the request eight months ago under the Freedom of Information Act, obtained 20 pages of information about the sitting president last month. The information was limited to scant details of the FBI’s investigation of a few threats against the president.
“At first I was happy because I didn’t think I would ever get anything from the FBI,” said Petrelis, who investigates a wide range of issues and posts the information on his blog site. “But when I saw the slim, slim number of pages, I was disappointed.”
Petrelis said he expected to find information about the president’s visits to the White House when his father, the senior George Bush, was the vice-president and later the president. Information about President Bush’s years as governor of Texas should also be in the files, he said.
“The most interesting thing to me about the file was what was missing,” Petrelis said.
After he received the information Petrelis immediately appealed to the FBI to release its entire file on President Bush.
“I think that as an American I need to know everything about the president that the FBI can release, because he is going to be the president for four more years,” Petrelis said.
Petrelis said that he had searched for information about President Bush’s FBI file on the Internet, and that he was unable to locate any reference to it by media outlets in Texas or any other parts of the country. That surprised him, he said.
“I have done 30 or 40 Web searches to try to find where the Dallas Morning News or any other reporters in Texas had ever requested his file,” Petrelis said. “I’ve never been able to find any proof on the Web that someone else has requested it.”
Petrelis said he believes that if a major metropolitan daily sought the FBI file, the federal agency would reveal much more.
“If I, as a single blogger activist, can force the FBI to release anything from its vaults on Bush through the Freedom of Information Action, imagine what an intrepid reporter, with lawyers and other resources at his or her disposal, could pry loose from the FBI,” Petrelis said.
But Robert W. Mong Jr., editor of The Dallas Morning News, said Petrelis’ contention that the media had failed to pursue available information about President Bush is “ill-informed.” The newspaper undertook exhaustive investigation of the president dating back to when he announced plans to run for governor of the state, he said.
“We filed for tons of things,” Mong said. “It’s just inconceivable to me that we didn’t ask for an FBI file.”
Mong said it would be unlikely that every other major newspaper in the country had not sought information from the FBI about President Bush.
Paul Bresson, a spokesman for the FBI, said Petrelis has likely received everything from the FBI about President Bush that anyone could.
“There is only a limited amount of information under the Freedom of Information laws that we are able to provide at this time about a living and current president,” Bresson said.
Bresson said that more information would probably be available if Petrelis had the president’s consent for it to be released or if the president had died. The Privacy Act prohibits the release of much information, and the FBI would not release anything that provides details about techniques or sources, he said.
“For most people who are alive and they don’t provide consent, there’s absolutely no information we can release,” Bresson said. “In this case, because he’s a public figure and he’s the president of the United States, there is a limited amount of information that can be released.”
Bresson said that the FBI has processed numerous requests for information about President Bush.
“He’s not the only one to get the information,” Bresson said. “It’s pretty typical when you have a president or someone of high stature that we would get multiple requests for information.
Bresson said that he could not say for sure whether any of the requests for Bush’s FBI file had been made by members of the media.
“I would think that would be the case,” Bresson said.
Bresson said that the FBI always receives requests for information about politicians and other celebrities when they die because privacy ceases to be an issue. Those requests often come from the media, he said.
Petrelis, who spent 72 days in the San Francisco County Jail in 2001 for harassing public officials who objected to his abrasive style of activism, acknowledges that he has his own “rather impressive FBI file.”
Petrelis has said that after his arrest he learned to go about his activism less aggressively.
^^^
http://dallasvoice.com/articles/dispArticle.cfm?Article_ID=6026
May 6, 2005
The Dallas Voice
Bush’s slim FBI file lets down gay activist who wanted more
FBI spokesman says many people request copies of President Bush’s file but most information available about a living president is restricted
By David Webb
E-mail: webb@dallasvoice.com
San Francisco activist Michael Petrelis’ quest for President Bush’s FBI file was finally successful, but it has only left him thirsting for more information.
Petrelis, who filed the request eight months ago under the Freedom of Information Act, obtained 20 pages of information about the sitting president last month. The information was limited to scant details of the FBI’s investigation of a few threats against the president.
“At first I was happy because I didn’t think I would ever get anything from the FBI,” said Petrelis, who investigates a wide range of issues and posts the information on his blog site. “But when I saw the slim, slim number of pages, I was disappointed.”
Petrelis said he expected to find information about the president’s visits to the White House when his father, the senior George Bush, was the vice-president and later the president. Information about President Bush’s years as governor of Texas should also be in the files, he said.
“The most interesting thing to me about the file was what was missing,” Petrelis said.
After he received the information Petrelis immediately appealed to the FBI to release its entire file on President Bush.
“I think that as an American I need to know everything about the president that the FBI can release, because he is going to be the president for four more years,” Petrelis said.
Petrelis said that he had searched for information about President Bush’s FBI file on the Internet, and that he was unable to locate any reference to it by media outlets in Texas or any other parts of the country. That surprised him, he said.
“I have done 30 or 40 Web searches to try to find where the Dallas Morning News or any other reporters in Texas had ever requested his file,” Petrelis said. “I’ve never been able to find any proof on the Web that someone else has requested it.”
Petrelis said he believes that if a major metropolitan daily sought the FBI file, the federal agency would reveal much more.
“If I, as a single blogger activist, can force the FBI to release anything from its vaults on Bush through the Freedom of Information Action, imagine what an intrepid reporter, with lawyers and other resources at his or her disposal, could pry loose from the FBI,” Petrelis said.
But Robert W. Mong Jr., editor of The Dallas Morning News, said Petrelis’ contention that the media had failed to pursue available information about President Bush is “ill-informed.” The newspaper undertook exhaustive investigation of the president dating back to when he announced plans to run for governor of the state, he said.
“We filed for tons of things,” Mong said. “It’s just inconceivable to me that we didn’t ask for an FBI file.”
Mong said it would be unlikely that every other major newspaper in the country had not sought information from the FBI about President Bush.
Paul Bresson, a spokesman for the FBI, said Petrelis has likely received everything from the FBI about President Bush that anyone could.
“There is only a limited amount of information under the Freedom of Information laws that we are able to provide at this time about a living and current president,” Bresson said.
Bresson said that more information would probably be available if Petrelis had the president’s consent for it to be released or if the president had died. The Privacy Act prohibits the release of much information, and the FBI would not release anything that provides details about techniques or sources, he said.
“For most people who are alive and they don’t provide consent, there’s absolutely no information we can release,” Bresson said. “In this case, because he’s a public figure and he’s the president of the United States, there is a limited amount of information that can be released.”
Bresson said that the FBI has processed numerous requests for information about President Bush.
“He’s not the only one to get the information,” Bresson said. “It’s pretty typical when you have a president or someone of high stature that we would get multiple requests for information.
Bresson said that he could not say for sure whether any of the requests for Bush’s FBI file had been made by members of the media.
“I would think that would be the case,” Bresson said.
Bresson said that the FBI always receives requests for information about politicians and other celebrities when they die because privacy ceases to be an issue. Those requests often come from the media, he said.
Petrelis, who spent 72 days in the San Francisco County Jail in 2001 for harassing public officials who objected to his abrasive style of activism, acknowledges that he has his own “rather impressive FBI file.”
Petrelis has said that after his arrest he learned to go about his activism less aggressively.
Thursday, May 05, 2005
The long-troubled Filipino Task Force on AIDS will shut its doors at the end June because of insurmountable financial problems.
After reading the minutes of the March 22 meeting of the Joint Conference Committee of the S.F. Health Commission, which detail some of the fiscal troubles facing the Filipino agency, I called them and spoke with their executive director Efren Bose. (Source: SF DPH Committee Minutes.)
He said the task force is trying to find a lawyer to help with filing for bankruptcy and dealing with past payroll taxes that have not been paid. Bose said his group will stop functioning by the end of June and that he's in the process of trying to find other AIDS groups to take over their programs.
I'm not surprised this AIDS agency is going out of business, but what does concern me is that the AIDS Office of the health department, which was supposed to be providing oversight and preventing such financial problems, is again proving lax when keeping tabs on community based groups receiving government funds.
I'm not sure if the Filipino Task Force on AIDS was receiving federal money in addition to city funds, but I suspect if the San Francisco media get around to reporting on this group going out of business, we'll learn which government agencies gave it grant money.
Just how deep in financial trouble is the task force? Well, the opening page on their web site, after a two-paragraph mission statement, asks for funds. Donations can be made by check, credit card, or, by sending them cash. That's right, an AIDS agency is asking donors to mail cash through the US postal service! (Source: FTFA site.)
So what about some recent AIDS stats for Filipinos in San Francisco?
The latest quarterly surveillance report for full-blown AIDS cases shows that for all Asian Pacific Islander cases, including Filipinos, the stats are down.
In 2001 there were 32 API cases, 29 in 2002, then 28 in 2003, 10 cases in 2004 and for the first quarter of 2005, only one case was reported. (Source: SF DPH.)
Declining numbers like that may be due to the past work of the soon-to-be defunct Filipino Task Force on AIDS.
Finally, questions must be raised about why and how the S.F. health department allowed the situation at this group to reach the point where it has to close up shop.
We need oversight of those at the health department who are supposed to be doing ove
After reading the minutes of the March 22 meeting of the Joint Conference Committee of the S.F. Health Commission, which detail some of the fiscal troubles facing the Filipino agency, I called them and spoke with their executive director Efren Bose. (Source: SF DPH Committee Minutes.)
He said the task force is trying to find a lawyer to help with filing for bankruptcy and dealing with past payroll taxes that have not been paid. Bose said his group will stop functioning by the end of June and that he's in the process of trying to find other AIDS groups to take over their programs.
I'm not surprised this AIDS agency is going out of business, but what does concern me is that the AIDS Office of the health department, which was supposed to be providing oversight and preventing such financial problems, is again proving lax when keeping tabs on community based groups receiving government funds.
I'm not sure if the Filipino Task Force on AIDS was receiving federal money in addition to city funds, but I suspect if the San Francisco media get around to reporting on this group going out of business, we'll learn which government agencies gave it grant money.
Just how deep in financial trouble is the task force? Well, the opening page on their web site, after a two-paragraph mission statement, asks for funds. Donations can be made by check, credit card, or, by sending them cash. That's right, an AIDS agency is asking donors to mail cash through the US postal service! (Source: FTFA site.)
So what about some recent AIDS stats for Filipinos in San Francisco?
The latest quarterly surveillance report for full-blown AIDS cases shows that for all Asian Pacific Islander cases, including Filipinos, the stats are down.
In 2001 there were 32 API cases, 29 in 2002, then 28 in 2003, 10 cases in 2004 and for the first quarter of 2005, only one case was reported. (Source: SF DPH.)
Declining numbers like that may be due to the past work of the soon-to-be defunct Filipino Task Force on AIDS.
Finally, questions must be raised about why and how the S.F. health department allowed the situation at this group to reach the point where it has to close up shop.
We need oversight of those at the health department who are supposed to be doing ove
Monday, May 02, 2005
I'm always happy when other voices pipe up about the problems of endless alarming scare tactics and messages from AIDS Inc and government, but one issue I have with Rofes' comments is that he frequently gives interviews with out-of-town newspapers about what needs addressing with HIV prevention and queer male health, but when it comes to actually getting his ideas implemented in his own backyard in San Francisco, he seems to do little.
In any event, I hope Rofes' thoughts launch a frank discussion in San Francisco about important matters related to the social marketing campaigns targeting queer men in this town.
The biggest hindrance to making that much-needed debate happen here is that dozens of government-funded AIDS and queer groups would want to hold meetings and control the dialogue, which is part of the problem. Queer men in San Francisco can't have a talk amongst ourselves about HIV and all of our health needs and concerns without the health department and AIDS groups using any forum to raise more moolah for themselves and justify their bloated staffs.
For now, I'll be pleased if a discussion about forcing a "time-out" from all the social marketing efforts starts on gay web sites.
Here's an excerpt from the interview.
^^^
May 2, 2005
To Be
Ottawa, Canada
Eric Rofes Speaks
By Kat Coric
[snip]
Kat: What role does government play?
Eric: I am not sure how to answer the rest of the questions. I think more than anything we need a few years of “time out” from directive AIDS prevention work for gay men. We need to get away from all the messaging, all the marketing, all the “crises of the week” used to terrify gay men into sexual sterility (here I am talking about “new” strains of HIV, or the crisis of crystal, or the crisis of barebacking, or the crisis of low-self-esteem or any of the “second wave” of AIDS we’ve supposedly been seeing over the past 15 years).
I think gay men need time out, time on our own, to heal, to discover, and to return to a place where our sex and desires and bodies were things of joy and excitement, and pleasure and intense spiritual connection. Frankly, many of us have forged our own “time out” from all of the violence sent down to us by AIDS prevention. Many gay men do their very best to avoid the messaging, avoid the social marketing, avoid getting caught up in the drama of crisis about our sex. Many others have turned to substances to provide us with a time out from the dissonance. I think one of the appeals of the circuit and of massive party weekends such as International Mr. Leather or Gay Pride is that one can take a time out from all of the intense marketing and messaging we receive in our everyday lives about what it means to be a gay man, what our sex should be like, what rights we should have or not have…
What effects does the colonization of bodies and desires have on a people when it is allowed to go on for 25 years? Stop already. Stop the madness. Stop the manipulation. Stop telling us things that we know are lies (“condoms are fun!” “drugs are bad!”). Give us a time-out to heal.
Kat: And what about social marketing?
Eric: The use of social marketing as the primary tool in HIV education and prevention has been a disaster with consequences we never imagined. While social marketing might be useful for the simple presentation of non-directive information, AIDS prevention for gay men has almost NEVER been non-directive. Instead social-marketing has become the primary way well-intentioned public health leaders have attempted to colonize the bodies and desires of gay men. To their credit, gay men have rebelled, resisted, and developed our own sex cultures and sex values that are quite contrary to most social marketing values. It’s the difference between abstinence only (“use a condom every time”) and harm reduction (providing people with information and trusting them to move forward on their own volition). I’ll stop there.
In any event, I hope Rofes' thoughts launch a frank discussion in San Francisco about important matters related to the social marketing campaigns targeting queer men in this town.
The biggest hindrance to making that much-needed debate happen here is that dozens of government-funded AIDS and queer groups would want to hold meetings and control the dialogue, which is part of the problem. Queer men in San Francisco can't have a talk amongst ourselves about HIV and all of our health needs and concerns without the health department and AIDS groups using any forum to raise more moolah for themselves and justify their bloated staffs.
For now, I'll be pleased if a discussion about forcing a "time-out" from all the social marketing efforts starts on gay web sites.
Here's an excerpt from the interview.
^^^
May 2, 2005
To Be
Ottawa, Canada
Eric Rofes Speaks
By Kat Coric
[snip]
Kat: What role does government play?
Eric: I am not sure how to answer the rest of the questions. I think more than anything we need a few years of “time out” from directive AIDS prevention work for gay men. We need to get away from all the messaging, all the marketing, all the “crises of the week” used to terrify gay men into sexual sterility (here I am talking about “new” strains of HIV, or the crisis of crystal, or the crisis of barebacking, or the crisis of low-self-esteem or any of the “second wave” of AIDS we’ve supposedly been seeing over the past 15 years).
I think gay men need time out, time on our own, to heal, to discover, and to return to a place where our sex and desires and bodies were things of joy and excitement, and pleasure and intense spiritual connection. Frankly, many of us have forged our own “time out” from all of the violence sent down to us by AIDS prevention. Many gay men do their very best to avoid the messaging, avoid the social marketing, avoid getting caught up in the drama of crisis about our sex. Many others have turned to substances to provide us with a time out from the dissonance. I think one of the appeals of the circuit and of massive party weekends such as International Mr. Leather or Gay Pride is that one can take a time out from all of the intense marketing and messaging we receive in our everyday lives about what it means to be a gay man, what our sex should be like, what rights we should have or not have…
What effects does the colonization of bodies and desires have on a people when it is allowed to go on for 25 years? Stop already. Stop the madness. Stop the manipulation. Stop telling us things that we know are lies (“condoms are fun!” “drugs are bad!”). Give us a time-out to heal.
Kat: And what about social marketing?
Eric: The use of social marketing as the primary tool in HIV education and prevention has been a disaster with consequences we never imagined. While social marketing might be useful for the simple presentation of non-directive information, AIDS prevention for gay men has almost NEVER been non-directive. Instead social-marketing has become the primary way well-intentioned public health leaders have attempted to colonize the bodies and desires of gay men. To their credit, gay men have rebelled, resisted, and developed our own sex cultures and sex values that are quite contrary to most social marketing values. It’s the difference between abstinence only (“use a condom every time”) and harm reduction (providing people with information and trusting them to move forward on their own volition). I’ll stop there.
Sunday, May 01, 2005
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will be voting on May 3 on a resolution endorsing this year's World Pride gay festival in Jerusalem this coming August.
Religious leaders of many faiths in Israel, usually fighting each other and agreeing on nothing, have united to condemned the pride activities and demand it be canceled.
Organizers of World Pride from the Jerusalem Open House, a gay advocacy and social support agency, are very determined to make the event a success and could probably use a vote of confidence and public support from San Francisco's elected officials.
If you live in San Francisco, contact your supervisor and let him or her know you support this resolution. Follow this link to call or email your supervisor: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=7271 .
For more information on this year's World Pride, visit http://www.worldpride.net/.
The excerpt below is from the agenda for the May 3 Board of Supervisors meeting:
http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/bosagendas/materials/050755.pdf
[Supporting the WorldPride celebration in Jerusalem]
Supervisors Dufty, Ammiano, Maxwell, Daly, Mirkarimi, Ma
"Resolution supporting the WorldPride celebration in Jerusalem.
"4/26/2005, REFERRED FOR ADOPTION WITHOUT COMMITTEE REFERENCE AGENDA AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
"Question: Shall this Resolution be ADOPTED?"
In my opinion, the resolution should be adopted with enthusiasm by the full board.
Religious leaders of many faiths in Israel, usually fighting each other and agreeing on nothing, have united to condemned the pride activities and demand it be canceled.
Organizers of World Pride from the Jerusalem Open House, a gay advocacy and social support agency, are very determined to make the event a success and could probably use a vote of confidence and public support from San Francisco's elected officials.
If you live in San Francisco, contact your supervisor and let him or her know you support this resolution. Follow this link to call or email your supervisor: http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/bdsupvrs_index.asp?id=7271 .
For more information on this year's World Pride, visit http://www.worldpride.net/.
The excerpt below is from the agenda for the May 3 Board of Supervisors meeting:
http://www.ci.sf.ca.us/site/uploadedfiles/bdsupvrs/bosagendas/materials/050755.pdf
[Supporting the WorldPride celebration in Jerusalem]
Supervisors Dufty, Ammiano, Maxwell, Daly, Mirkarimi, Ma
"Resolution supporting the WorldPride celebration in Jerusalem.
"4/26/2005, REFERRED FOR ADOPTION WITHOUT COMMITTEE REFERENCE AGENDA AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING.
"Question: Shall this Resolution be ADOPTED?"
In my opinion, the resolution should be adopted with enthusiasm by the full board.
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