Protesters Disrupt Historic Reading of Senate Prayer By Hindu

I'm so relieved that, finally, after more than four years of collusion between the American government and American journalism (approx. from Sept 11, 2001 to August 29, 2005), we appear to finally be getting undiluted, uncensored access to the full breadth and spectrum of newsworthy national and international events regarding all groups -- including so-called "minority" groups such as the GLBT community, non-Christian religous groups, etc.

So... Why did I have to go to The Guardian (a British newspaper) to read this? Why do I have to rely on the international media to tell me about shit that happens in *my own fucking country*?

There was TONS of American news coverage when Senator Keith Ellison was sworn in using a copy of the Koran when *no one* protested. Why no coverage for a Hindu prayer (Hinduism, an even older religion) requested by Senate majority leader Harry Reid when it IS protested?

Is the copy not as good? Last I checked, "fundamentalist morons with a bug up their ass" was *always* good copy. Is it becauses the religion isn't as well known in the States? The only Hindu practicing person I can name apart from my sister is Apu from "The Simpsons." Is it because there's no such thing as "Hindu extremism?" You don't hear about a lot of Hindu suicide bombers killing people.

Who knows. I did a Google search of "Senate Hindu protest." Several blogs popped up, the United Press International wire service, The Washington Post was the most well-known media source to cover the incident. Yet it wasn't the Number One result on the page.

That honor went to Al Jazeera English. How fucking embarrasing for us.

Thanks evilmaniclaugh.

The Murder of Aaron Hall

This is "The Other Gay Cancer" I wrote about in my thesis: hate crimes against members of the LGBT community that get a *minimum* of coverage in the press.

I googled Aaron Hall's name right after this and cross-checked it with "murder." Fortunately, it seems more media has picked up the story since the initial crime *back in April*, but most of it seems to be online alternative newspapers and blogs. I guess a gay man's murder doesn't warrant in the print world where space is a precious commodity.

Ruth Holladay, a writer in Putnam County, Indiana speculated in her blog about a possible conspiracy to cover up the story by the Crothersville Times AND a dubious rumor of a short-handed Indianapolis Star staff not being able to take it up b/c they "can't afford to send a reporter out to cover the trial." Bollocks.

This murder is more than two months old. It's disgusting that *someone* in the national press hasn't written about this. If anyone wants to read more, this is what I found:

5/8/2007 Holladay: Aaron Hall Killed Twice, Second Time By Media

5/12/2007 Hoosier Hyperbole -- "I Suppose Hoosier Boys Don't Count"

5/23/2007 Advance Indiana -- "Another Strange Twist in Aaron Hall Hate Crime Murder Case"

6/6/2007 The Bloomington Alternative -- "Hate Crime in Indiana?"

The Bloomington Alternative -- "New Bloomington Alternative series to explore Aaron Hall murder"

6/12/2007 Free Republic -- Crothersville: Victim's family says murder was 'hate crime'

6/12/2007 Julius Speaks --"Violent Hate Crime in Indiana -- Why No Coverage?"

6/12/2007 Citizen Crain -- "Matthew Shepard All Over Again?"

6/14/2007 Queerty -- "The 'Queer' Case of Aaron Hall"

"I remember being 17 and looking at a guy who went to John's art college who was 24 and thinking, God, that's awfully old. He had a 5 o' clock shadow, and I really felt very sorry for this guy. But when I became 24, I thought, This is a fabulous age. And 34, similarly fabulous. And 64, too."

I love Paul McCartney.

..who will have stories and pics posted later today.

But first, let us all take a moment to reflect on the passing of Mr. Jerry Falwell, the man who blamed 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina on gays and feminists, who said AIDS was a divine cleansing of heathens and "deviants", who *did* not lose his virginity to his mother in an outhouse (but sued Hustler magazine for saying so and is directly responsible for one of the most important precedent-setting cases in media law), and who presented himself as a "simple man of god" while collecting enough money from the five million members of his "Moral Majority" to become as fat as a Pharisee.

I found out he'd passed through a text message from a friend (and "family member") of mine from college: "Did you hear the good news? Jerry Falwell died today. :-)" This may be proof that I am finally becoming a good Buddhist because I did not get the urge to jump for joy at this news. The news of someone dying is unlikely to ever make me happy. I *was* quite amused, however.

As a former Catholic neo-pagan Satanic Nichiren Buddhist, I have some interesting ideas about the afterlife. One thing I believe is that the things and issues that plague you in life will follow you after death if you don't find a way to let go *now*. This has been the center of my study and practice for the past two years: learning to forgive, to let go, to accept and to learn for my own sake as well as for others. It is the responsibility of a bodhisattva (or a religious "leader"): to confront those things in ourselves that impede our own enlightenment and constantly reform and reshape our ideas and thoughts in order to act in a way that is for the utmost benefit of ourselves and those around us.

Where is Mr. Falwell now? My grandpa thinks he's in a side room getting browbeaten by an angry god. My friends suspect he's already been drop kicked into the lowest ring of hell for spreading intolerance and causing so much pain during his time on earth. My thoughts: I think he's living in supervised housing somewhere in the ether -- in the same apartment block as Harvey Milk, Quentin Crisp, Hibiscus from the Cockettes, Roddy MacDowell, Alan Watts, Tsunesaburo Makiguchi, Steve Biko, Elizabeth Glaser and Ryan White. With mandalas and posters of AIDS victims on every wall and a PA system playing "We Are Family" on a continuous loop.

I can think of no better way for such a person to reach enlightenment.