Will Clark World

UPDATE - ARREST Made In Murder of George Steven Lopez Mercado | Back2Stonewall.com

A man was arrested in the early morning hours today in Cayey suspect in the murder of George Steven Lopez Mercado, the 19-year-old was brutally decapitated, dismembered and partially burned in an apparent hate crime for homophobia.

via www.back2stonewall.com

Just after I posted the above article about the Mercado murder, Back2Stonewall posted this update (translated from Primahora.com) - that there has been an arrest made. There seems to be some consideration that an offer of money for sex was made.

So what of it? That excuses such a brutal senseless crime? It does not!

They tried to "soften" the Shepard killing by claiming that Matthew was on drugs or well, whatever.. but NOTHING excuses this type of violence. Nothing!

Is it wrong to want the perpetrator to fry?

Visit www.avp.org for more info

Hate Crime: Gay Puerto Rican Teen George Steven Lopez Mercado Brutally Killed - Associated Content - associatedcontent.com

According to CNN iReport 19 year old gay Puerto Rican teen, George Steven Lopez Mercado, was found on November 14, 2009 burned, dismembered and decapitated. Mercados arms, legs and head had been torn off before the body was dumped. Active and known in the gay communityHate Crime: Gay Puerto Rican Teen George Steven Lopez Mercado Brutally KilledDate: November 14, 2009 of Puerto Rico, Mercado was a victim of a brutal, disgusting and torturous hate crime. His body was left a few miles out of his home town in Caguas, literally torn limb from limb. This grotesque crime is made worse by the response of the police. The police investigator responded to questions concerning the murder of George Steven Lopez Mercado that "people who lead this type of lifestyle need to be aware that this will happen." The police investigator, when making a public statement, has the power to affect the community. By choosing to warn the gays in Puerto Rico instead of the murderers he is colluding with the murderers. He had the power to reinforce that these actions were illegal and justice would be served in this torture and murder hate crime case. He instead chose to warn other gays in Puerto Rico that this should be expected as though citizens who are gay are not protected under the law.According to the Towleroad translation of local news, some Puerto Ricans are demanding that the police investigator be replaced because he is prejudiced in this case. Those requests are being made to Superintendent Figueroa Sancha.Puerto Rico has a conservative religious climate, being strongly influenced by Roman Catholicism and socially conservative protestantism. Puerto Rico is also a United States territory. As a result the brutal murder of George Steven Lopez Mercado is a hate crime under the hate crime legislation signed into law by President Barak Obama of the United States. To date no murder has yet been classified as a hate crime in Puerto Rico. Homosexuality in Puerto Rico is not illegal and George Steven Lopez Mercado deserves as much protection under the law as any other Puerto Rican citizen.

via www.associatedcontent.com

This just makes me sick. How can we continue to let this happen?

I'm going to go to the candlelight vigil here in NYC on Sunday evening November 22nd at 8pm (location to be determined still).. who is with me? I will keep posting updates to this story as they occur including the vigil.

Ironically (and maybe thankfully) we have the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project as our beneficiary tomorrow night at Bingo. If you haven't donated to them to help their mission yet, please do so today in the name of Steven Lopez Mercado.

That's all I can think of to say at this point.. I'm literally speechless at the intense violence of this ugly ugly act against the LGBT community!

Go to www.avp.org for more info

IT’S ALIVE

Yes, I made it through one nasty ass flu just in time to vote this morning. You know, there’s simply something cool about knowing exactly where to go to vote. It’s even cooler to see the names of friends and neighbors as they’re flipping through the book that you have to sign in. In this crazy world, it’s good to be able to find the joy in smaller things.

Tonight I’m heading to the Leslie Lohman (26 Wooster) and you oughta go too. Photographer Michael Harwood is one of fifty artists who have work showing tonight as part of their GMHC: ART AND AIDS: LIVING FOR THE MOMENT exhibition. The party begins at 6. The exhibit then runs through to the end of the week from noon to 6.

Then, tomorrow night November 4th before Bingo, if you’ve always felt you were better than Barbie (at least better in bed if not better dressed),check out the BAD BARBIE exhibhit from photographer David Levinthal at the John McWhinnie in Glenn Horowitz Bookseller (50 ½ E. 64th Street) from 6pm to 8pm. The reception is tomorrow night but the exhibit will be up through to December 5th.

Coco Peru begins a two weekend run at the Laurie Beechman this Friday November 6th – Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 8pm through November 15th. Catch this sharp toothed siren now before you get something in your eye. “IN YOUR EYE!” (Naturally we’ll have tickets for this fab show at Bingo this and next week as well as ticks for the just extended DIARY OF ANN FRANKENSTEIN) You can get tickets for both shows at SpinCycle!

Some notable events coming up: GLEE’s Jane Lynch will be at the Center next Monday night November 9th. Tickets are $35; this should be a MUST for any fan of the show (or of her work in JULIE/JULIA and the NOM video).

That same night (November 9th), if you have a little bit more cash, consider grabbing tickets to the Gay/Lesbian Anti Violence Project’s annual Courage Awards at the W New York Ballroom (541 Lexington Ave). It’s a big deal fundraising event for one of the best organizations in town which annually honors excellence in the community. This year they’ll recognize playwright Tony Kushner and Clifford Chance US LLP for their commitment to LGBTQH (the H stands for HIV-affected) rights and extensive work on behalf of the communities AVP serves. Plus, AVP will honor blog creators Bil Browning, Joe Jervis, Pam Spaulding and Andy Towle for the effect that their blogs have had on getting information out to the queer (and not so queer) masses. VIP reception starts at 6 and then the main event runs from 7 to 9.

There are some other super cool events (like the annual Glaad Out Auction on November 15th) coming up which I’ll write more about later this week.

SHOCKING VIDEO OF ATTACK

I'm guessing that you've all seen this video - the one of the guy in Queens getting beaten to within an inch of his life - but here it is anyway just in case.

and if you can keep your lunch down during the attack itself and during the questionable rationalization of the interview subject, than you're a better person than I am.

Community Alert – AVP Condemns Violent Hate Crime in College Point, Queens

SUPPORT AVP , SHOW YOUR OUTRAGE!!

TODAY'S PRESS RELEASE FROM AVP:

October 13, 2009 

Community Alert – AVP Condemns Violent Hate Crime in College Point, Queens

The New York City Anti-Violence Project is saddened and outraged to learn of another incident of hate violence – the third in as many weeks – which occurred in College Point, Queens on Friday.  The victim, Jack Price, was reportedly beaten by two men as he went to the store and was hospitalized and is in serious condition as of Monday afternoon.  One suspect has been arrested and charged with a hate crime and another suspect is being sought.  This follows two other publically reported incidents of violence against gay men, including Blake Hayes who was assaulted with two friends in Hell’s Kitchen where the police reportedly refused to take an incident report, and Jesse Archer who alleges the police assaulted him in Grand Central.

“This latest incident continues a national trend documented by the National Coalition of Anti- Violence Projects in a recent report revealing that throughout 2008 and into 2009 severity of violence against LGBT people is increasing. Violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people throughout the city is reported to AVP practically daily,” said Kim, Fountain, Deputy Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, “This violence must stop.  We will continue to work in coalition with organizations throughout the city to end anti-LGBT violence.”  

“Our thoughts are with Mr. Price and his family and friends.  AVP continues to work with elected officials, the NYPD and the MTA Transit Police to address these incidents of violence and police response,” said Sharon Stapel, Executive Director of the New York City Anti-Violence Project, “In this instance the police responded swiftly and appropriately.  However,  we continue to call for training of all NYPD and MTA police officers to assure that all anti-LGBT violence is dealt with in this same way: swiftly and appropriately. It is critical for people to report anti-LGBT violence. Whether or not they are comfortable reporting to the NYPD, they can always report to AVP's 24-hour English/Spanish hotline at 212-714-1141.”

AVP encourages anyone who knows anything about the incident which occurred in College Point to contact the NYPD. We also encourage anyone who has experienced violence or is troubled by recent incidents to call AVP’s 24-hour bilingual hotline at 212-714-1141.  

COMMUNITY ALERT: HELL’S KITCHEN BIAS ATTACK

Below is a press release I got this afternoon from the Anti Violence Project.. just posting it verbatim while I'm away from home... this is stuff we all have to remember to take very very seriously especially as the National Equality March becomes big news in the next couple weeks (it's at times of high queer visibility -i.e. Pride - when more attacks happen). - Will Clark

COMMUNITY ALERT: HELL’S KITCHEN BIAS ATTACK

The New York City Anti-Violence Project (AVP) has learned of a bias attack in New York’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood which occurred in the early morning hours on Saturday, September 26, 2009. During this incident, three men were physically assaulted by an individual using anti-gay epithets and hate language toward the victims.

AVP is also concerned about allegations of police inaction by the responding members of the NYPD.  The victims have reported that the officers at the scene refused to take a report of the incident.  AVP believes that every person who calls the police has the right to expect that the police will fully pursue all allegations.  AVP has learned that the police are investigating the incident that occurred and the police response to the incident.  We are encouraged by Commissioner Kelly’s commitment to investigate and urge the NYPD to make a thorough assessment of how it responds to anti-LGBT hate violence . AVP is working with the Hate Crimes Task Force and the New York City Council Speaker’s Office and continues to investigate this attack. 

AVP wants people to know that even if they do not feel like they can call the police, they can always call the Anti-Violence Project.  Anyone who has experienced an assault or threats of violence should call AVP’s 24-hour bilingual hotline at 212-714-1141.  AVP knows that hate violence incidents such as this can affect any one of us—even if we are not the direct victims.  We encourage community members to contact our hotline at 212-714-1141 and speak with a trained counselor if you feel like you need support. All services are free and confidential.

GO TO THE AVP WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.AVP.ORG FOR SAFETY TIPS AND MORE INFORMATION

MY POINT IS.. AND I DO HAVE FIVE

1. If you’re like me and a big fan of ONE LIFE TO LIVE, you’re literally on the edge of your seat waiting for the “Kish Kiss” that’ll air tomorrow, Thursday August 5th at 2pm EST. I know for many of you, a same sex kiss on a daytime soap isn’t anything much to care about, but both guys in the storyline are pretty sexy and the friend that witnesses the kiss has been eye candy on the show for years. I’ll be twittering about it tomorrow so join me at www.twitter.com/willclarkworld  !

2. If you have been following the IML controversy, myself and blogger Eric Leven did a talk for The Occasional Fag last week and it went up last Thursday. You can listen in to our conversation by going to http://theoccasionalfag.com/index.php?post_id=509579

3. The Advocate has been making people sit up and notice the past few months and certainly last month with their Perez Hilton cover that earned some serious complaints. On August 19th their latest cover, a riff on the Obama “Hope” portrait with the word “NOPE” replacing Hope. You can read the interview here advance of the newsstand edition. www.advocate.com/issue_story_ektid102115.asp

4. Tonight Wednesday August 5th at Bingo we’re going to celebrate the 14th anniversary of my introduction into the adult industry (on August 4th, 1995). The GingerHeadMan guys wrote a little tribute which makes me turn even redder than I already am. <blush> You can read what they wrote (and enjoy pics of other hot n sexy redheads while you’re there) at:
www.gingerheadman.com/2009/08/ginger-world-ginger-porn-icon-will.html

5. Finally, the Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project has called for people to gather tonight for a vigil following the murders of two people at the Tel Aviv LGBT Community Center this past Saturday night. The vigil will run TONIGHT, Wednesday August 5th from 7pm to 8pm at the Congregation Beth Simchat Torah, 57 Bethune Street (between Washington and West Streets) in Manhattan. For more info, go to www.avp.org