Lake View: The problem is...

by Rev. Deborah E. Lake
Windy City Times

Laura Washington's May 19 Chicago Sun-Times article and Amy Wooten's May 28 follow-up article in Windy City Times have sparked new energy in an ongoing debate between the business owners and residents of Chicago's Lakeview Boystown neighborhood, and some adult Black LGBTQ self-identified youth advocates. The debate, often heated, passionate and littered with accusations of racism, is over how to handle the teens who come to the gay-focused Boystown from the South and West sides of Chicago.

Yes, we have choices to make. We can continue to honor taboos, look for blame, act out of guilt and treat one another with suspicion. We can continue to see each other as “those” people, and continue to argue about who has the right to make change happen. We can continue the fight about change all while another year passes and the only change we see is in the faces of the people arguing. Another year passes and the only change that happens is more young people are lost to HIV, addiction or abuse.

The problem is not race, although race is part of the picture. The problem is not age, although age is part of the picture. The problem is not grandstanding, although grandstanding is part of the picture. The problem is us. The problem is our community has become stuck in ancient battles, old ways, and irrelevant rhetoric. The problem is we are silent in the face of people who prey on the innocent and hide in the chaos. The problem is me. The problem is you.

This means that the solution must be us.

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39 years of Pride, Chicago Pride 2008, June 28th

The Chicago Gay Pride Parade is held on the last Sunday of June in Chicago, Illinois.

This year it falls on June 29th. This year will celebrate the 39th annual Pride Parade.

The Chicago PrideFest happens the preceeding day, June 28th.

For parade maps, tips and photos visit the Chicago Pride Website.

Christian spin on Champaign hate crime

All of a sudden right wing Christian websites are stepping up to defend Brett Vanasdlen's alledged attack on Steven Velasquez.

Rev. Ted Pike had this to say on the truth tellers website [article]:

The police department of Champaign, Illinois is reported to be under pressure from higher authorities to increase its quota of hate crimes convictions. Brett Van Asdlen, an 18 year-old Christian college student on a baseball scholarship, didn’t know this. On April 12 he and a friend saw two homosexuals leaning on each other and holding hands, walking toward them on the sidewalk. “Look at those two guys holding hands,” Brett said to his friend and walked past them. According to Brett’s mother, the next thing he knew, one of the homosexuals (whom he perceived to be drunk) had grabbed him by the shoulder, putting his face up to Brett’s and repeatedly shouting, “What did you say?” Brett told him to go away several times and then pushed him. The homosexual fell over backwards. On his back, the homosexual told his partner to call the police. In eight minutes, four officers arrived. Two interviewed Brett and his friend and assured them there would be no problem. Brett had been physically accosted and detained, clearly an assault. The other two officers interviewed the homosexual, who was taken to the hospital.

For those of you, like me, who've never heard of Ted Pike he is director of the National Prayer Network in Clackamas, Oregon. Over at Right Wing Watch they have an article about him.

Since there were several witnesses it will be interesting to see how this all turns out.

Initial story with comments

Community response story

One hate crime on campus is too many

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
editorial

The old cliche says that every cloud has a silver lining and last Friday afternoon was no exception. As storms moved into the area, campus prepared for what looked to be a dreary night. But something rather inspiring made the rain an afterthought.

Two weeks ago, a hate crime was committed against a University student walking down Green Street. The assailant screamed a hateful slur before physically assaulting the victim, who had tried to ignore it. The victim ended up in the hospital, and the perpetrator is awaiting trial.

Such an ugly incident is usually followed by fear, anger and sadness, but thanks to the efforts of PRIDE and the Office for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Resources, students fought hate with the best weapon in the world: humanity.

Instead of lashing out, friends and members of the LGBT community confronted fellow students Friday with Hershey's kisses, flowers, information about hate crimes and perhaps most important of all, hugs.

There was nothing complicated or extravagant about the event, and perhaps that's the way it should be. After all, grappling with the complex issues surrounding bigotry and homophobia is difficult. In some cases, it's just impossible to understand. Sometimes something as simple as a hug can go a long way to make things better.

Of course, we know that hugs alone won't solve everything. While it is somewhat comforting when University figures remark at how rare an occurrence a hate crime is, it's still safe to assume that acts of hate both large and small occur everywhere, including on this campus.

Whether they are reported or not, one hate crime is one too many.

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LGBT community responds to hate crime with peaceful Hug-In

By Stephanie Benhart
Just after 1 a.m. April 12, a man screaming derogatory names at a group of students walking down Green Street attacked University student Steven Velasquez.

Velasquez, sophomore in Business, said the man screamed "faggot," assuming he and a friend walking together with two other students were members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community.

They continued walking and Velasquez asked, "Why does he have to be like that?"

The man then grabbed Velasquez and shoved him to the ground, which knocked him unconscious.

Incidents like these are classified as hate crimes or bias incidents, said Kaamilyah Abdullah-Span, assistant dean of students. A bias incident is motivated by membership in a particular group, whether it is ethnic, racial or sexual orientation-based, but is not punishable by law.

Hate crimes are motivated by a person's bias, but fall into criminal categories, she said.

In response to the most recent attack, a Hug-In was held along Green Street on Friday night, sponsored by Pride and the Office of LGBT affairs. The Hug-In featured LGBT community students and their allies offering free hugs to anyone walking on Green Street. They were also handing out cookies, flowers, Hershey's hugs and kisses and handbills with hate crime information.


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backstory

House rejects benefits for partners of gay Chicago teachers

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois House has rejected a measure aimed at helping gay teachers in Chicago.

The measure involves pension benefits that surviving spouses can collect after a teacher dies. The change would have allowed gay teachers to give survivor benefits to their partners, just as married couples can.

The legislation failed 43-67 Tuesday.

Supporters say the change wouldn't have cost taxpayers anything. Teachers would have paid all costs.

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Illinois: Hate Crime in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN- Emotional words from the victim of a hate crime. It happened on Green street in Champaign just after one in the morning on Saturday. Police arrested Brett Vanasdlen and he was in court Monday. They say he made comments about the student being gay and then pushed him to the ground.

Steven Velasquez is a student at the U of I. He was walking with friends when he says he was attacked for his sexual orientation. He says in this day and age he couldn't believe this could happen and even worse on campus where he thought he was safe.

He was walking down Green street with two girls and another guy when a man started yelling at them for being gay. "It upset me so much that he had no idea who I was, I didn't even try to stick up for myself, I ignored him to go on with his action and throw me to the ground it was such a shock."

"Yes this happened but I have to move on I can't let it affect me because it will take over and inhibit my ability to embrace who I am." Velasquez was released from the hospital the following day Doctors say he was knocked out unconscious and suffered from some head trauma. The man arrested.. Brett Vanasdlen is charged with a hate crime. He's out on bond.

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Video Report

Illinois: A gay old time as Journal is honored by OPALGA

BIG GAY NIGHT: Almost a decade back, Oak Park passed a landmark Domestic Partner Registry. The front-page headline on that week's Wednesday Journal read "BIG GAY DAY." Big as life. All caps.

Saturday night, the Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association posted a framed copy of that front page at its annual gala. It was one of several Journal front pages on display as OPALGA honored the paper with one of its OPAL Awards

Have to be honest and say, though, that this award has great meaning to me. We have made a conscious decision that the "ascendancy of gays"-a line from my speech Saturday night that brought prideful ribbing from Michael Cochran, a co-chair of the group-is a notable Oak Park story.

Thanks to OPALGA for recognizing our efforts. Thanks to so many people at this paper who have helped tell the story over 20 years. Thanks to gays in Oak Park for letting us capture their voices.

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Get moving on staffing hate crime panel

Sometimes hate doesn't stay harbored in the heart. It is released by bigots who strike out cruelly and violently against those different from them in color, culture, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.

An increased number of such incidents in recent years throughout the country warranted the creation of a new category in criminal law -- hate crime.

To its credit, the state of Illinois in 1999 took a leadership role in finding ways to fight hate crime and promote tolerance by creating the Governor's Commission on Discrimination and Hate Crimes.

But of late, the commission has been nothing but a bunch of empty chairs.

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