With approximately 6 weeks and counting, 2011 is briskly winding up as it faces the reality of becoming a distant memory for both you and COP 2/7. Amazing as it seems, our calendar for 2012 and perhaps many of you already have dates penciled in and schedules being arranged to meet other deadlines. Is time picking up speed or are there so many things on the bucket list that must be accomplished that it just appears so. All of us live and die by our individual hour glass that contains so much "time sand" that will eventually run out. Facing that time frame, COP 24/7 is poised to continue to go to the trenches, stand in the gap and fortify our mission to bring our readers the latest updates, breaking news, opinion and the foremost information for the GLBTQ community and beyond. We welcome your backtalk, submissions, inquires and above all you support for this effort. Come join us! Either by bookmarking, following us, opt-in for email alerts, on Twitter and Facebook. All will be well in 2012 when we ramp up this site with additional original videos, investigative post, guest commentaries, contest, prizes and so much more. We are here... Hot, Live and Otherwise! Stay locked and loaded....
Call to Action
Deficit Super Committee Deadlines Looms Large
The "super committee" of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction which is directed to submit recommendations by November 23 needs to hear from consumers and end users. According to a "call to action" alert, citizens are highly encouraged to engage their Representatives and Senators to urge them to support measures that will not disproportionately impact programs such as Ryan White, Medicare, Medicaid or other prevention funding. Local organizations, The Living Affected Corporation, Arkansas HIV Community Advocates and national entity The National Association of Black and White Men Together, Inc joined the effort by signing on to a circulated "sign on" letter forwarded from a cadre of groups including The Treatment Access Expansion Project, the Health Care Access Working Group, the AIDS Budget and Appropriations Coalition and the SHARP (State Healthcare Access Research Project) initiative. In an effort to support activist and advocates, a complete advocacy package was created and forwarded as a guidepost to lobby not only the bi-partisan committee but any congressional member. Bullet points from the packet emphasize that cuts to vulnerable populations and funding for health and HIV programs could mean higher rates of infections, worse health outcomes and higher health care cost. Arkansas is slated to receive $8.373.354 of Ryan White funds according to Health Resources and Services Administration web portal. At this time Arkansas's state budget has no line item dedicated for prevention measures despite impending efforts from The Living Affected Corporation's advocacy team which has approached the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus for support of a 2.3 Million allocation. COP 24/7 stands with these organizations in this advocacy "call to action" and challenges everyone to speak up and out on this important issue. Contact your policy maker to inform them that you are aware and concerned with the decisions being made by this committee. Don't know who to contact? Check out www.Congress.org, enter your zip code and the website will directly led you to a link. You can e-mail, call, write letters to your local newspaper, share your views in this forum and share this post with allies. Need more??? You can directly reach out and touch committee members with a click to: www.deficitreduction.gov/public/index.cfm/contact. Keep us informed of your activity and responses.
Transgender Remembrance Day November 20
The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering our Dead" web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved. Arkansas has had numerous of cases that have also gone unsolved such as 25 year old Marcel Camero Ty who was murdered in March 2011 and local entertainer Alexis Fairchild whom also was murdered by an assailant several years ago. Statistics at this time are sketchy at best on incidences or tracking of such crimes. In the Marcel Ty case, local authorities were reluctant to classify that murder as a "hate crime" but rather another unsolved homicide. To date their has been no arrest in the case.
Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people.
![[Photo from San Francisco DOR 2001]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_vGhJxoNnxZrcY9EOVqeBQSzuRSBsY07Um4GHN4JK4y4gRRMyXFj4KqiWFpT36I9ySULX01P8uASYp3szw0xWocPw9Myk14wzOc3dk9HU4mT-tlmpIyNRHV00RHjtEM=s0-d)
We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating.
The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence. For more information concerning Arkansas connections you can check out http://ar-tg-spport.org This website appears to have some outdated information and links may not be active.
(content credit: http://www.rememberingourdead.org/day/what.html)
Who is Occupy Little Rock?Members of Occupy Little Rock, part of the national Occupy protests, will participate in a panel discussion about the reasons behind their ongoing encampment in downtown Little Rock. Panelists include:
- Tim Brunson, a grandfather of three who has participated in the Occupy Little Rock camp since it began. He is a member of the Occupy Little Rock donations working group.
- Marie Mainard O'Connell, a graduate of Hendrix College and the University of Central Arkansas and mother of two who is part of the Occupy Little Rock donations working group.
- Phillip McGarry, a certified 7th- to 12th-grade social studies teacher who plays a key role in the Occupy Little Rock Education working group.
- Aaron Stewart, a U.S. Navy veteran and Little Rock resident who heads the Occupy Little Rock security working group.
- Katie Vandruff, a UALR student who facilitates Occupy Little Rock general assembly meetings as part of the facilitators working group.
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2011
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. – Panel discussion
Where: Clinton School of Public Service
Sturgis Hall
*Reserve your seats by emailing publicprograms@clintonschool.uasys.edu, or calling 501-683-5239.
Call to Action
Deficit Super Committee Deadlines Looms Large
The "super committee" of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction which is directed to submit recommendations by November 23 needs to hear from consumers and end users. According to a "call to action" alert, citizens are highly encouraged to engage their Representatives and Senators to urge them to support measures that will not disproportionately impact programs such as Ryan White, Medicare, Medicaid or other prevention funding. Local organizations, The Living Affected Corporation, Arkansas HIV Community Advocates and national entity The National Association of Black and White Men Together, Inc joined the effort by signing on to a circulated "sign on" letter forwarded from a cadre of groups including The Treatment Access Expansion Project, the Health Care Access Working Group, the AIDS Budget and Appropriations Coalition and the SHARP (State Healthcare Access Research Project) initiative. In an effort to support activist and advocates, a complete advocacy package was created and forwarded as a guidepost to lobby not only the bi-partisan committee but any congressional member. Bullet points from the packet emphasize that cuts to vulnerable populations and funding for health and HIV programs could mean higher rates of infections, worse health outcomes and higher health care cost. Arkansas is slated to receive $8.373.354 of Ryan White funds according to Health Resources and Services Administration web portal. At this time Arkansas's state budget has no line item dedicated for prevention measures despite impending efforts from The Living Affected Corporation's advocacy team which has approached the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus for support of a 2.3 Million allocation. COP 24/7 stands with these organizations in this advocacy "call to action" and challenges everyone to speak up and out on this important issue. Contact your policy maker to inform them that you are aware and concerned with the decisions being made by this committee. Don't know who to contact? Check out www.Congress.org, enter your zip code and the website will directly led you to a link. You can e-mail, call, write letters to your local newspaper, share your views in this forum and share this post with allies. Need more??? You can directly reach out and touch committee members with a click to: www.deficitreduction.gov/public/index.cfm/contact. Keep us informed of your activity and responses.Transgender Remembrance Day November 20
The Transgender Day of Remembrance was set aside to memorialize those who were killed due to anti-transgender hatred or prejudice. The event is held in November to honor Rita Hester, whose murder on November 28th, 1998 kicked off the "Remembering our Dead" web project and a San Francisco candlelight vigil in 1999. Rita Hester’s murder — like most anti-transgender murder cases — has yet to be solved. Arkansas has had numerous of cases that have also gone unsolved such as 25 year old Marcel Camero Ty who was murdered in March 2011 and local entertainer Alexis Fairchild whom also was murdered by an assailant several years ago. Statistics at this time are sketchy at best on incidences or tracking of such crimes. In the Marcel Ty case, local authorities were reluctant to classify that murder as a "hate crime" but rather another unsolved homicide. To date their has been no arrest in the case.
Although not every person represented during the Day of Remembrance self-identified as transgender — that is, as a transsexual, crossdresser, or otherwise gender-variant — each was a victim of violence based on bias against transgender people.
We live in times more sensitive than ever to hatred based violence, especially since the events of September 11th. Yet even now, the deaths of those based on anti-transgender hatred or prejudice are largely ignored. Over the last decade, more than one person per month has died due to transgender-based hate or prejudice, regardless of any other factors in their lives. This trend shows no sign of abating.The Transgender Day of Remembrance serves several purposes. It raises public awareness of hate crimes against transgender people, an action that current media doesn’t perform. Day of Remembrance publicly mourns and honors the lives of our brothers and sisters who might otherwise be forgotten. Through the vigil, we express love and respect for our people in the face of national indifference and hatred. Day of Remembrance reminds non-transgender people that we are their sons, daughters, parents, friends and lovers. Day of Remembrance gives our allies a chance to step forward with us and stand in vigil, memorializing those of us who’ve died by anti-transgender violence. For more information concerning Arkansas connections you can check out http://ar-tg-spport.org This website appears to have some outdated information and links may not be active.
(content credit: http://www.rememberingourdead.org/day/what.html)
Who is Occupy Little Rock?Members of Occupy Little Rock, part of the national Occupy protests, will participate in a panel discussion about the reasons behind their ongoing encampment in downtown Little Rock. Panelists include:
- Tim Brunson, a grandfather of three who has participated in the Occupy Little Rock camp since it began. He is a member of the Occupy Little Rock donations working group.
- Marie Mainard O'Connell, a graduate of Hendrix College and the University of Central Arkansas and mother of two who is part of the Occupy Little Rock donations working group.
- Phillip McGarry, a certified 7th- to 12th-grade social studies teacher who plays a key role in the Occupy Little Rock Education working group.
- Aaron Stewart, a U.S. Navy veteran and Little Rock resident who heads the Occupy Little Rock security working group.
- Katie Vandruff, a UALR student who facilitates Occupy Little Rock general assembly meetings as part of the facilitators working group.
When: Wednesday, November 16, 2011
6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. – Panel discussion
Where: Clinton School of Public Service
Sturgis Hall
*Reserve your seats by emailing publicprograms@clintonschool.uasys.edu, or calling 501-683-5239.
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