It may seem to many of you that I like writing about politics. When I think back on it, I find myself thinking that actually, I don’t. I can think of so many better things to write about and I’ve shown this by my work as a novelist. I’d much rather be writing adventures and [...]
GD Library Error: imagecreatetruecolor does not exist - please contact your webhost and ask them to install the GD libraryGD Library Error: imagecreatetruecolor does not exist - please contact your webhost and ask them to install the GD library
Boston pays $170k to settle recording lawsuit with Glik
The City of Boston has agreed to pay Simon Glik $170,000 in damages and legal fees to settle a civil rights lawsuit. Glik was arrested in 2007 on Boston Common for using his cell phone to record the arrest of another man. Police then arrested Glik, too, and charged him under the strict Massachusetts wiretapping [...]
Madonna to Break a Bad Law in St. Petersburg Russia
I will come to St. Petersburg to speak up for the gay community and to give strength and inspiration to anyone who is or feels oppressed. I am a freedom fighter. I don’t run away from controversy, I will speak during my show about this ridiculous atrocity.Madonna
U.S. pop singer Madonna has promised to defy a recent law against homosexual “propaganda” in Vladimir Putin’s hometown of St. Petersburg on her upcoming tour through Russia this summer.
Calling the legislation, which imposes fines for promoting homosexuality among minors, a “ridiculous atrocity” on her Facebook page, she said she would address the issue during her show.
“I will come to St Petersburg to speak up for the gay community, to support the gay community,” she said. Her Russian tour begins in August, months after the Moscow opening of her private gym named after the artist’s 2008 album “Hard Candy”.
Homosexuality, punished with jail terms in the Soviet Union, was only decriminalized in Russia in 1993, but much of the homosexual community remains largely underground as anti-gay prejudice runs deep.
The legislation was signed into law in March by St. Petersburg mayor and Putin-ally Georgy Poltavchenko.
It imposes a fine of up to 500,000 roubles ($17,100) for spreading what the bill calls homosexual “propaganda” that could “damage the health, moral and spiritual development of the underaged”, defined as those under the age of 18.
The law has caused concerns among the gay community that it could be used to clamp down on Russia’s rare public displays of homosexuality, such as gay parades.
Gay rights activists in Moscow and St. Petersburg, have scheduled two “Slavic gay parades” during Madonna’s tour according to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender website GayRussia.eu.
Numerous attempts to hold gay protests in Moscow, ruled illegal by the authorities, have ended in multiple arrests and clashes with ultra-Orthodox believers who say homosexuals should be punished or treated in hospital for “illness”.
In 2010 the European Court of Human Rights fined Russia for banning homosexual parades in Moscow, in what gay rights activists described as a historic victory.
Madonna sparked protests by Russian Orthodox church activists on a visit to Moscow in 2006, when she sang “Live to Tell” on a crucifix while wearing a crown of thorns. ($1 = 29.2875 Russian roubles)
More at the St. Petersburg Times.
Architecture Student Detained for Taking Pictures of Buildings
The Guardian reported this week that:
An Italian Architecture student was questioned by law enforcers in Britain for what they called “suspicious, possibly terrorist” activities: that is, taking pictures of architecture. The student took video of the encounter, which revealed that after this young woman refused to bow to the law enforcer’s unfounded demands, she was ticketed for allegedly riding her bicycle the wrong way down a one-way street. It is obvious from the video that despite the fact that the student posed a threat to no one, the law enforcers persisted in harassing her until she was made their official victim. Video of the encounter can be found here.
Fr33 Agents Radio News 2012-03-26
Fr33 Agents Radio News for Monday, March 26, 2012
Stories this week include:
Agent @derrick J reports from FreeKeene in the Shire:
George Clooney Prevents Genocide
Agent @eddiefree reports from the District of Criminals:
Ban To Stop Left-Handed People From Marrying Introduced Into NH Bill
Agent @talleytv reports from FreeKeene in the Shire:
“Chaulkupy” the Police in Richmond, VA
