Baltimore, Maryland Transgendered Woman Almost Killed While Apathetic and Insensitive Crew Members Encourage Assailants

 

Welcome to McDonald’s, Where Violence and Homophobia are More Popular Than the Big Mac!

(Baltimore, Maryland Transgendered Woman Almost Killed While Apathetic and Insensitive Crew Members Encourage Assailants)

McDonald’s has finally reached the ultimate pinnacle in their quest to provide the perfect family dining experience.  They now offer you dinner theatre with their mouthwatering Big Macs, delicious fries, Filet Fish sandwiches, Value Meals and Fruit Smoothies. Now, customers can watch murderous homophobic female thugs, as they attempt to kill members of the LGBT community, while Management and crew members cheer them on and video tape horrific violent assaults to later post on YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK and other HIP HOP Social networks.

Sound unbelievable??? Well, that is exactly what happened on a chilling Baltimore evening at around 8 p.m., inside a McDonald's restaurant in the 6300 block of Kenwood Avenue. What fueled the incident was when a Transgendered woman made her way toward the women’s restroom to use the facility. The victim first asked one of the McDonald crew members if she could use the restroom and was told that she had to purchase some food in order to use the facility. She responded by saying that she really had to go right away and could not wait. According to the woman, while walking toward the restroom an unidentified man apparently approached her, possibly one of the girl’s boyfriends, in an attempt to flirt with her, but the woman declined his offer and immediately went into the restroom. When she came out two African-American females, 14 and 18 spat in her face and began arguing with her, expressing their objection to the woman using the bathroom and one of the women accused her of flirting with her boyfriend. The argument escalated into what has become one of the most violent attacks ever viewed on the internet. As a matter of fact, immediately after the video was uploaded to several popular social networks, it went viral!

When I first learned of this incident, I was warned that the video is extremely violent and graphically disturbing, but never in my wildest dreams, could I have ever imagined just how horrific and disgusting it would be to watch! All through the video, I was overwhelmed by a variety of emotions. All the while, cringing in disbelief and thinking to myself, “This cannot be happening and why isn’t anyone making any real attempt to stop this violent attack, phone the police; and my God, where is the manager?” And then out of nowhere, after several minutes which seemed like hours of brutal beating, an elderly woman dressed in white like an angelic emissary appears on the scene to rescue the woman in distress. Even though, it is clear that she is no match for the two younger women attacking the victim, she literally places her life in jeopardy, in a courageous attempt to defuse the situation and ward off the attackers. While her efforts were not completely successful (because the assailants later returned to beat the woman even more viciously), still her intervention delayed the attackers and may possibly have saved the woman’s life.

Now, you are probably wondering, like me, where was the staff and where was the manager? That’s an easy question to answer; the manager is making a half- hearted attempt to stop the fight while others can be heard in the background, peering through video phone camera lenses, boasting about how they are going to put the video on YOUTUBE and other social networks. The Manager on duty made an insincere attempt to intervene only after the badly beaten victim was viciously dragged by the hair to the front door by the young female thugs who seemed intent upon murder. After a sustained barrage of brutal kicks to the head, the victim began convulsing; bleeding from the mouth, all of which was followed by a violent seizure.

Moreover, while this occurred, the crew was gleefully cheering the thugs on while videotaping it, never making a genuine attempt to defuse the attack and/or phone the police. Instead of the manager locking the door and retaining the two women who had attacked the victim until the police could arrive, the employees encouraged them to flee for their own protection and the manager walked over the victim’s body lying in the doorway (as he can be seen doing throughout the video) like she was a piece of trash that was totally unworthy of any type of assistance.  

When Baltimore County officers finally arrived, they found a 22-year-old woman convulsing and having seizures. She was still lying in the doorway of the restaurant. After the woman had recovered to some degree, the officers questioned the woman and apparently ran a make on the woman to determine if she had a criminal history. Their inquiry revealed that the victim had a lengthy rap sheet, which of course had nothing at all to do with the incident or the fact that she had been undeservedly almost beaten to death by vicious attackers. The victim’s criminal history and even home address were made public after the unmerciful beating, further jeopardizing the woman’s safety and adding to the emotional duress, physical and mental trauma caused by her assailants.  

IS KOBE BRYANT HOMOPHOBIC OR JUST A PRODUCT OF HIS ENVIRONMENT

Out of the Abundance of the Heart the Mouth Speaks!

(A Tree is Known by the Fruit it Bears)

<sup>43 For there is no good tree that bringeth forth corrupt fruit; nor again a corrupt tree that bringeth forth good fruit. 44 For each tree is known by its own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 The good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. (Luke 6:43-45 ASV).
For years I have been a Laker fan. I've attended Laker parades, purchased Laker gear, attended countless Laker games and can be found glued to the television as they play out of town games that I can not personally attend. Days on end I can be seen proudly wearing my favorite Laker hat and my purple and gold, like it is a ritual. Even while traveling last summer to the Big Apple (NY, NY) I engaged in countless conversations on and off airplanes and trains about my Lakers! I can't even articulate how wonderful it is to travel all over the country doing book signings, only to arrive in a new city to see them selling Laker gear like it is going out of style.

However, Tuesday night was the first time in my life that I felt embarrassed to even be called a diehard Laker fan. I have seen my Lakers lose games and still I believed in them and supported them, in spite of what anyone had to say, but I must tell you that it broke my heart (as a same-gender-loving black man) not to receive the same support and respect back. Yes, I know that many of you will say, "He's just over reacting and blowing an unintentional comment, verbalized in the heat of frustration and anger out of proportion. Besides, it's not really all that serious!" But the truth of the matter is that it is very serious! As a matter of fact, on a scale of 1 to 10 it's a 50!

Whenever someone who is as highly respected and admired like Kobe Bryant, loses control at a nationally televised NBA Game and calls an NBA Referee, a F@#KIng Faggot, that's nothing to sneer at! Of course Kobe claims that it was out of "frustration, pure frustration" after being slapped with his 15th technical of the season. This may be true, but it is also true that millions of young men and women look up to Kobe, worship the ground he walks on, and incessantly dream of one day being just like him.

Yes, I agree that Kobe was indeed angry, so he reached into his arsenal of words and found the most derogatory, demeaning term and hurled it at the Referee with the intention of doing the most emotional and psychological damage to the man that he could. No one can convince me that if he didn't think gays were the scum of the earth that he would not have purposely selected this word. As stated previously, he merely expressed what he really feels at the core of his being and reached into his arsenal of weapons with the full intent to annihilate the man in the worst way possible verbally - striking back like a foolish child throwing a temper tantrum.

Now, just so you don't think I'm being too hard on Kobe, I know firsthand what it means to be in the public's eye and constantly scrutinized and I know what it is to be revered by thousands of people all over the world and have to live up to a glorified image and inflated expectations. But in times of frustration, I don't resort to calling people names or using derogatory slurs because I am infuriated. The reason that I don't do these things is not because I possess some type of supernatural control over my emotions, but because these things are not in my heart! Intense anger has a way of exposing what has been intentionally or unintentionally embedded in our hearts. Contrary to popular opinion, anger is not necessarily a bad emotion when bridled and tempered by self-control. But anger can be a double-edged sword betraying us and exposing ideas and prejudices deeply rooted in our hearts and minds. In one ungarded moment, the heart can bypass the mind and express itself, revealing its true content when tested by the refining fires of life.

Kobe has already gone out of his way to apologize and demonstrate his deep remorse for having acted so stupidly and I applaud him for doing so, but I also would like to recommend that he allow the purifying light of God's love and truth to flush out what has been implanted in his being which has been secretly defiling him and the multitudes for decades.
The gay community has been desperately striving to make us comprehend for years that "LIFE AND DEATH IS IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE!" Here is one of the greatest wisdom principles that one could ever learn, and that is "WORDS CAN CREATE AND DESTROY!" What we contemplate and think upon constantly is a form of meditation (with unlimited ability to shape our thinking) that is why rap music is so powerful! Eventually that which we think upon for an extended period of time shapes our thinking and behavior. One of the greatest spiritual truths of all time is "THOUGHTS ARE THINGS AND WORDS HAVE POWER!" Moreover, thoughts and behavior reveal what is truly in our hearts and minds long before we begin to speak it!
I believe that in some ways, Kobe is a victim himself and didn't fully realize it until this unfortunate incident occurred. You must realize that it has only become distasteful and unacceptable to use terms against gays in the last two or three years. For years, well known rappers spewed out homophobic slurs as often as it rains in Seattle. Consquently, it was acceptable to do so because if a man was gay, he was considered to be the scum of the earth. Furthermore, though many rap artists have toned it down fearing the wrath of organizations like HRC and GLAAD, they have done nothing to undo the damage in the hearts and minds of millions of fans influenced negatively for years who now view gays, lesbians and transgender people as people who are worthless, demented, incomplete and/or distorted.
This prevailing attitude is not only something that plagues African countries like Uganda but is also expressed in America's overt refusal to grant same-gender-loving people equal rights. It is clear that the people living in the hood aren't the only ones brainwashed by relentless subliminal homophobic hate messages which cause our young people to commit suicide at an alarming rate, and tempts conservative religious extremists with ideas of reinstating Jim Crow laws under the guise of "reclaiming their country from a supposed incompetent Black leader."

And the comments! The comments are so offensive until it sickens me at the core of my being to even know that people think hating anyone is okay. Just listen to the comments posted on the Lakers' BlogSpot, YOUTUBE and in the Los Angeles Times.
LA TIMES COMMENTS:
Comments like:
"Don't apologize, Kobe. You've explained yourself. That's enough. What do we play for? RINGS!!! Lakers Today... Lakers Tomorrow... Lakers Forever! GO LAKERS!!!"
"I don't think this should be an issue that generate much money for the nba...its just an expression that wasn't directed to anybody...which should have not been given attention...these gays/lesbians have just been so pampered when in fact they are not very sensitive to the society as a whole...has the media been attentive to these gays/lesbians when they attack personally the pope, the clergy when these persons are morally upright than them..."
"Ha ha ha .. that was really funny, the gays are so hurt, poor gays... their feeling are truly hurt"
"Kobe, do not try to appease the homosexual community by being in one of their sick sodomy celebrating parades and don't allow them to extort money from you. Society is supporting you against these ...whiners."

Additional YOUTUBE COMMENT:
"...and fags are offended as always, crybabies, and then they wonder why nobody likes them!"
When I read these comments, I realized just how very far we as Americans still have to go to reach The Promised Land of Equality. Every day, I personally see young Blacks and Hispanics being verbally and physically abused by people who just don't give a damn! And I think to myself, if Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. were still on the planet, he would be grieved tremendously to see us treating one another with no regard for human life and no regard for our children's future or well-being. But then again, it's clear from the majority of comments that I read that it's perfectly okay to do it to them because we hate them anyway. The real truth of the matter is that we all have brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews, uncles, aunts, step-children, husbands, wives, friends and lovers who are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender. We may not know it, but it is a true fact! And suffice it to say, that the Lakers have more gay fans than they could ever imagine who regularly purchase season tickets, show up at parades and proudly wear and display their Lakers' gear without any reservation. It's just too bad that many of these people will be murdered, ruthlessly persecuted and beaten beyond recognition by peers simply because they are gay!

Even though maniacs and misguided people and diehard Laker fans want to blatantly overlook Kobe's foolish mistake, because after all "it didn't really hurt anybody or endanger anyone" - which is what many will be inclined to think and say. Statistics prove otherwise, or didn't you note the epidemic of suicides among gay and lesbian children and young adults this year and the year before? And of course it had nothing to do what the fact that stars, rappers and athletes in a fit of anger slipped and called someone a "F#@*king FAGGOT!" The only problem is that you will never be able to convince the mother, father and grandparents of that gay child who has been abused or even heartlessly murdered that these mishaps were harmless and inconsequential! There is, however; one statement written among the numerous comments that appropriately expresses a truth that I think all Americans need to read and consider upon which I will conclude.</sup>

"This is a sad day for Kobe, for the Lakers, and for the NBA. That he came out, in a moment in anger with such a nasty slur, it means that deep inside he holds a deep seated homophobic hatred. If the Ref or another player would have called Kobe the infamous politically incorrect 'N' word' - wow, would Kobe have been angry! Kobe should be penalized more heavily for this. He should be suspended for at least one game. We have too many big shot athletic 'heroes' who are continually giving the wrong message to their fans, especially young people. It has to stop somewhere...whether it is using verbal insults or shooting up steroids, there are major morality issues we collectively must face. I am a big Lakers fan and still love Kobe Bryant. Howver, after this outrageous remark, he is just as guilty as the Barry Bonds and A-Rods who abuse their position, their salaries, and place in society."

Who knows, perhaps Kobe can donate the $100,000 fine he was forced to pay to the families of all the innocent same-gender loving people (that supported the Lakers for years) who have been beaten to death by homophobic abusers to defray the cost of funeral expenses!
by Terry Angel Mason
WWW.TERRYANGELMASON.COM

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LGBT GOSPEL GAY ARTISTS PROUDLY COME OUT REJECTING THE CHURCH'S ANTIQUATED HOMOPHOBIC TEACHINGS

This morning after dragging myself out of bed, I stumbled into my living room and sat down in front of my computer in order to check my email. After wiping the sleep from my eyes, I was shocked when I read an email from BlackPlanet.com and Newsone.com disclosing the fact that DeJuaii Pace (a renowned gospel singer, a member of the famous Pace Sisters) had just announced to the entire world that she is a lesbian and has been suppressing her natural inclinations since the age of four. The article also mentioned the fact that she would be telling her story of how she had overcome her food addiction and had come to terms with her sexuality this Tuesday on the OWN Network (owned and operated by Oprah Winfrey).

As I finished reading the article, I immediately scrolled down to the comment section of the article (s) to get some type of idea as to what other reader's reactions would be, regarding DeJuaii's disclosure. I have to tell you that after reading several of the comments, my heart literally sunk into the pit of my stomach, due to the fact that the comments were filled with so much hatred and homophobic venom. The comments were so extreme until it made me ashamed to even refer to myself as a Christian! Nothing that anyone had to say even mirrored anything that looked, acted or sounded like the love of God! And the most offensive thing of all was that they did it in the name of Jesus, and felt justified in doing so! Anyone who knows anything about Christianity or the Bible will tell you that love is kind, patient, forgiving, not boastful, never arrogant, edifies and never destroys!

DeJuaii, like thousands of African-American children, grew up in a Pentecostal, holiness environment and any notion of even sleeping with a man before wedlock was completely out of the question and frowned upon by the Church in every way. If a young woman would come up pregnant, she would immediately be ostracized from the church and/or prohibited from participating in any aspect of ministry until she had come before the entire congregation to repent and ask forgiveness, before she could be reinstated. Instead of DeJuaii, yielding to the temptation of sleeping with a male or a female (like most contemporary Christians do) she did something that most of us could never fathom, and that was to remain sexually inactive. Even today, at the age of 45, she is still a virgin.

Tonex, now known as B. Slade was also publically and ruthlessly attacked by his gospel peers, (and so-called brothers and sisters in Christ) after disclosing that he was a same-gender-loving Christian man. Almost immediately, other gospel artists (who had claimed to be die-hard friends and fans) began to venomously slander him and quickly distanced themselves from him. Furthermore, they could even be heard in public arenas referring to him as a pervert, sexual vampire and heretic!