VIDEO: Transgender Marylanders Describe Hate Crimes & Discrimination // WAKE UP TO YOUR ROLE IN THE PROBLEM

Yesterday Maryland Juice noted that over twenty State Senators introduced a bill to prohibit discrimination against transgender individuals. To bolster the effort today, a number of transgender Maryland residents released a video describing the shameful, violent and inhumane treatment they are prone to receiving from members of our community.

But before I present their courageous statements, I wanted to pause and lament once again that we are even having a debate over this non-discrimination law. I admit that I should be excited to see that this common-sense bill may finally be signed into law, but I can't help but feel sad and angry that we are having to cyclically prove the worth of some group of humans to the rest of society. Indeed, I won't hold my breath for State Senator Norm Stone to get behind this effort, given that he represents the worst example of the kind of hateful policymaking I am talking about -- and he's a Democrat! As you are likely aware by now, Sen. Norm Stone previously voted against interracial marriage in Maryland and has since then continued voting against individual liberty and human rights. What a POS.


GET OVER YOURSELF: I get very tired of humanity's hateful impulses sometimes. Too many people seem to think they have some right to not be offended by the sight or lifestyles of other people -- even if they are not actually being affected by the people they are seemingly obsessed with. The law should not exist to give rise to personal discrimination or to protect people from the unrealized paranoia of their own views.  To be fair, the history of the United States (including today) is rife with examples where we have allowed our laws to become instruments of illogic. But over time members of the advocacy community often succeed in pointing out and correcting the injustices we as a society often create. The question I have is why the other members of society constantly force us to wage decades-long struggles in order to achieve policy results that are simply humane? Get over yourself.


LEAVE THE HOUSE MORE OFTEN: In particular, the resistance to anti-discrimination laws protecting transgender individuals makes me wish people in the United States would travel more. Every time I leave the country, I'm struck by the simple observation that ordinary people in every nation appear to want the same things we do (eg: good health, employment, security for their loved ones, etc), and they laugh, cry and fear things just as we in the U.S. do. But every once in a while when I leave the country, I am also struck by how the things that pass as "normal" in other societies can be so wildly different than at home. In particular, after a couple recent swings through Southeast Asia, I was astonished to see a decent number of transgender individuals going out about their lives and working without drama in various retail establishments. Guess what? The sky is not falling in those countries. I'm also tempted to point out that at least some of the victims of discrimination in the United States may have biological factors pushing their gender identity -- but that really seems besides the point.


FAIRNESS FOR ALL ACT OF 2013: The summary for the transgender anti-discrimination law currently moving in the Maryland Senate states the following goals:

BILL SUMMARY: Prohibiting discrimination based on gender identity with regard to public accommodations, housing, and employment and by specified licensed or regulated persons; prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity with regard to commercial leasing; altering an exception for employers relating to standards concerning dress and grooming; providing specified immunity; requiring State personnel actions to be made without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation; defining the term "gender identity"; etc.

TRANSGENDER MARYLAND RESIDENTS SPEAK OUT: A handful of brave transgender Marylanders produced the video below to explain their circumstances and support this bill:



SHOCKING REMINDERS: Lest you think the claims from these residents are exaggerated, let me provide you with some recent video exhibits to make the case.  WARNING: these videos are unpleasant:

APRIL 2011: Rosedale, Maryland Transgender Attack at McDonald's

FEBRUARY 2008: Memphis Cop Beats Up Transsexual Under Custody

AN INDIGNANT RESPONSE: The Memphis police beating led a number of people to post response videos on YouTube, and I appreciate the indignation expressed by this gentleman (Note: the video contains cursing, if that sort of thing bothers you):



One relieving aspect to these hate crimes is that communities tend to rally around the victims. Even still, the common nature of violent hate crimes against transgender residents leads me to wonder to what extent our collective (unwarranted) fears lay the groundwork for these assaults. Here's to hoping that Maryland passes the "Fairness for All Act."

UPDATE: Sam Arora Clarifies Explanation of Marriage Equality Flip-Flop // BTW: Arora Has Less Than $3,000 Cash on Hand

BACKGROUND: Maryland Juice recently published televised comments from Democratic lawmaker Sam Arora where he attempted to explain why he betrayed a promise to support marriage equality legislation. His convoluted response implied that I personally had some sort of political agenda in asking about his flip-flop. Moreover, Arora strangely claimed that he was in fact a supporter of equal rights. This last claim baffled many marriage equality advocates and led an anonymous source to weigh in with harsh comments (excerpt below):

ANONYMOUS SOURCE #1: As far as I can tell, there is nothing in the formal legislative record of him ever exercising his tiny little brain to actually draft an amendment and submit it for his colleagues consideration.  Once again -- he is trying to rewrite history -- and avoid the legitimate scrutiny that his lies deserve....

ARORA CLARIFIES HIS FLIP-FLOP (KIND OF) - Today The Washington Blade followed up with additional coverage of Sam Arora's explanation of his marriage equality flip-flop. Sam responded to a media call from The Blade by revealing evidence of the amendment he was talking about. It turns out that Arora joined Delegates Tiffany Alston and Geraldine Valentino-Smith in trying to turn the marriage equality bill into a civil unions bill. But Arora declined to mention that Alston ultimately voted for the marriage equality bill, while he voted against it. Check out a quick excerpt from The Blade's coverage:

WASHINGTON BLADE:  Maryland Del. Sam Arora (D-Montgomery County) - who campaigned on a pledge to support a marriage equality bill then voted against it -  has offered his first public explanation for the vote.

"A lot of us wanted the goal of full legal equality for all couples," Arora said during a Jan. 8 segment of NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt in response to a question from David Moon of Maryland Juice, a website that covers state politics....

Arora also referenced an amendment that he, Del. Geraldine Valentino-Smith (D-Prince George’s County) and former Del. Tiffany Alston introduced that would have replaced marriage with civil unions in the bill - he directed the Washington Blade to it in response to a request for comment on Moon’s question....

The Blade also published comments from Del. Mary Washington highlighting that civil unions were not a serious alternative to the marriage equality legislation being debated at the time:

DEL. MARY WASHINGTON: "We were pushing for full marriage equality and that civil unions has been found to be inadequate," she said. "In fact states that have civil unions are actually now looking to full marriage equality...."

WATCH: Sam Arora Finally Explains Why He Voted Against Marriage Equality // Maryland Juice Corners Him on Live TV

UPDATE: MORE LIES FROM SAM ARORA - AmericaBlog is now weighing in on Sam Arora's explanation for the marriage equality flip-flop, and it sounds like they aren't buying it: "Sam Arora claims didn’t do 180 on gay marriage." In addition, an anonymous reader calls Sam Arora a pathological liar and says his new videotaped response contains more lies. They challenge his assertion that he proposed an amendment to the marriage equality law:

ANONYMOUS READER: At about 1:56 into the first clip -- Sam states "I proposed an amendment" to the marriage bill, suggesting that he was somehow involved in trying to find a path to legal equality for same sex couples (?) other than civil marriage.

As far as I can tell, there is nothing in the formal legislative record of him ever exercising his tiny little brain to actually draft an amendment and submit it for his colleagues consideration.  Once again -- he is trying to rewrite history -- and avoid the legitimate scrutiny that his lies deserve.

All of the amendments submitted to the marriage bill, in both House & Senate Committees, as well as on the floor of both chambers are shown in the links below.  There is no amendment of any kind offered by Arora - not in Committee and not in the full House.  Note that in 2011 Delegate Cheryl Glenn tried to amend the bill  to civil unions and this failed.  Similarly in 2012, Don Dwyer tried to amend the marriage to civil unions, but this also failed.

In 2011, Sam voted to allow the marriage bill out of Judiciary Committee, and later stated that he did this so that it could be considered on the full floor of the House -- not because he supported the bill.  On the day that the bill was considered in the full House (when it was recommited to the Judiciary Committee without a vote), Sam spoke to the Speaker of the House and told him that if it came for a vote, he (Sam) would vote against the marriage bill. 

In 2012, the gutless weasel abstained from voting when it was considered in Judiciary Committee (because he was hoping it would fail again, and that he would be able to assert factually that he never "voted against" the marriage bill).  Ultimately, he had to vote on the marriage bill in the full House, and he voted against it.

Here are links to the legislative record for the Civil Marriage Protection Act for 2011 & 2012:

SB 116 - 2011: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?ys=2011rs/billfile/sb0116.htm

HB 438 - 2012: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?ys=2012RS/billfile/hb0438.htm

 
SAM ARORA EXPLAINS HIS BETRAYAL ON MARRIAGE EQUALITY (KIND OF) - Below Maryland Juice features Sam Arora's long-awaited explanation for why he voted against marriage equality legislation after claiming he would support it. Last week Sam appeared on News Channel 8's NewsTalk show with host Bruce Depuyt. The freshman member of the Maryland House was asked to preview issues that will be debated in this year's legislative session. But as in the past, News 8 took live calls for their studio guest. Maryland Juice couldn't resist the opportunity to call in and finally try and get an answer out of the secretive lawmaker. In his bizarre and convoluted response, Sam Arora now appears to claim that he was in support of equal rights for same-sex couples. Watch below:

BACKGROUND: Last year, Maryland lawmaker Sam Arora made himself the focal point of national civil rights organizing when he betrayed a campaign promise to support marriage equality (see eg: Sam Arora's Equality Maryland survey promising to co-sponsor marriage equality legislation). Indeed, with LGBT rights advocates struggling to find enough votes for passage in the Maryland House, Arora's turncoat behavior created an extremely tense and uncertain environment.

Ultimately, we know that marriage equality would come to be signed into law and approved by a majority of voters. But even still, Sam Arora's friends, colleagues and constituents have sought an explanation for his betrayal. To this date, they have not received a substantive response. Notably, Sam campaigned on the issue and sought donations from marriage equality supporters. Everyone from Bill Clinton to Kal Penn (aka Kumar from Harold & Kumar) tried to contact him and ask him to keep his promise. As a result of this failure, many have felt that there needs to be a deterrent effect for potential future backstabbers.  Based on Sam's interview below, it seems unlikely they will get what they are looking for without a direct electoral challenge for his seat in 2014.

In any case, below you can watch Sam Arora's explanation for why he voted against marriage equality. I isolated his comments on the issue for the YouTube video below, but I also included his full interview at the bottom of this post.

WATCH SAM ARORA'S FULL INTERVIEW ON NEWS CHANNEL 8

MONDAY: Sam Arora's Ex-Friends Host Play About Marriage Equality // Challenger Jay Hutchins Featured in Post-Show Chat

SAM ARORA BACK ON THE HOT SEAT: Yesterday, Maryland Juice received word of a very interesting event being held at Silver Spring's Roundhouse Theatre on Monday night. The DC Theatre Collective is hosting a one-time production of a play called 8, which chronicles the federal court challenge to California’s Proposition 8 (ticket link).

Notably, the shows producers are two former supporters of Maryland's anti-gay lawmaker Sam Arora, and they have invited Arora's principal challenger Jay Hutchins to speak to the audience after the show.

Check out the message and event announcement from a disappointed former supporter of District 19 Delegate Sam Arora below:

FORMER SAM ARORA SUPPORTER: I sent you an email about this event a couple weeks back but I have some news to share - Jay Hutchins, who as you know is running to replace Sam Arora in District 19, will be joining our post-show discussion panel for "8" the play (this Monday at Round House Theatre Silver Spring). Chris Geidner will be moderating the panel (cool piece on his participation in Fishbowl today).

I know you've written extensively about Sam Arora. I've personally known him for over 10 years and was an ardent supporter and donor to his campaign. This is one of the reasons we were inspired to produce this play in Silver Spring in the first place. His betrayal hit me and our mutual friends really hard - many of whom are gay and were told BY SAM, to their faces, that he supported their right to marry. We can't forget Sam's betrayal the next time his name is up at the ballot box.

Jay Hutchins, District 19 Delegate Candidate

NOTE // 2014 SLATE IN DISTRICT 19 - JAY HUTCHINS & BONNIE CULLISON + 1 (???): Delegate Sam Arora currently serves in a 3-member State House district with Delegates Bonnie Cullison and Ben Kramer. But Kramer may run for Montgomery County Executive in 2014 and create an open seat in District 19.

If that happens, to defeat Sam Arora, there will need to be two strong challengers running to replace Sam and create a de facto progressive slate with Delegates Bonnie Cullison and Jay Hutchins.  

Folks who care about knocking out Sam Arora in 2014 need to start thinking about that possibility.

See the press release about the marriage equality play below:

DC THEATRE COLLECTIVE ANNOUNCES READING OF  DUSTIN LANCE BLACK’S NEW PLAY “8”

Actors, Activists, and Community Leaders Join Fight to  Protect Marriage Equality in Maryland with Landmark Marriage Equality Play
[Silver Spring, MD] – Less than a month before Marylanders go to the polls to make an historic decision about same sex marriage, a local group will build momentum for marriage equality with a unique night of theater and activism.

The DC Theatre Collective, with license from the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) and Broadway Impact, is proud to announce a one-night-only benefit reading of “8,” a play chronicling the historic trial in the federal constitutional challenge to California’s Proposition 8. The event, which will take place on October 8 at Round House Theatre Silver Spring, will feature a post-show discussion moderated by award-winning journalist Chris Geidner of BuzzFeed. Panelists include Jay Hutchins (candidate for Maryland State Delegate in District 19, Silver Spring), Rabbi Stephanie Bernstein (Foundation Board President of Equality Maryland), and Katie Rooney (advocate and volunteer with Marylanders for Marriage Equality). Hutchins is running for the seat currently held by Del. Sam Arora, who voted against Maryland’s marriage equality bill earlier this year. “8” is written by Dustin Lance Black, the Academy Award-winning author of the feature film Milk. Proceeds from the event will benefit AFER and Equality Maryland.

“This election day, Marylanders will vote on Question 6 – the Civil Marriage Protection Act – which provides civil marriage licenses to committed gay and lesbian couples,” said Jenny Lynn Towns, Director/Producer of “8”and Co-Founder of the DC Theatre Collective. “We must do everything in our power in the weeks before the election to protect marriage equality for our friends and neighbors in MD – by getting people to the ballot box, building resources for the organizations fighting for it, and raising awareness about what’s at stake if anyone sits on the sidelines this November.”

The cast of well-known local actors includes Helen Hayes Award winners and nominees, as well as several openly gay and lesbian actors. The cast includes: Frank Britton, Caleb Caudill, Felicia Curry, Chris Dinolfo, Lee Mikeska Gardner, Will Gartshore, Chris Geidner, Rick Hammerly, Lisa Hodsoll, James Konicek, Susan Lynskey, Rose McConnell, Scott McCormick, Carl Menninger, Jared Mercier, Tom Story, MaryBeth Wise, and Jaysen Wright.

When: October 8, 2012 @ 7:30pm

Where: Round House Theatre Silver Spring | 8641 Colesville Road | Silver Spring, MD 20910

Tickets: Online at www.roundhousetheatre.org or by phone at 240-644-1100

“8” is an unprecedented account of the Federal District Court trial in Perry v. Schwarzenegger (now Perry v. Brown) – the case filed by AFER to overturn Proposition 8, which stripped gay and lesbian Californians of the fundamental freedom to marry. Dustin Lance Black, the Academy Award-winning writer of the feature film Milk and the film J. Edgar, based “8” on the actual words of the trial transcripts, first-hand observations of the courtroom drama, and interviews with the plaintiffs and their families.

“8” had its much-heralded Broadway world premiere on September 19, 2011, at the sold-out Eugene O’Neill Theatre in New York City, and had its West Coast premiere reading at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Saturday, March 3, 2012, in Los Angeles. The West Coast reading featured an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Martin Sheen, and was directed by AFER Founding Board Member Rob Reiner. The two readings collectively raised more than $3 million for the fight to secure full federal marriage equality.

“People need to witness what happened in the Proposition 8 trial, if for no other reason than to see inequality and discrimination unequivocally rejected in a court of law where truth and facts matter,” said AFER Founding Board Member Dustin Lance Black. “The goal of ‘8’ is to show the world that marriage equality is a basic constitutional right.The facts are on our side and truth always finds the light. AFER and Broadway Impact are doing all we can to help speed that process along.” Throughout 2012, AFER and Broadway Impact are licensing “8”for free to colleges and theatres nationwide in order to spur action, dialogue, and understanding.

“The DC Theatre Collective believes in creating theatre that challenges audiences and inspires them to act. When I read ‘8,’ I knew it was a piece that could do that,” said Towns. “I also believe it’s a piece that will remind people of what’s at stake this November.”

Tickets can be purchased online at www.roundhousetheatre.org or by phone at 240-644-1100.

Follow DC Theatre Collective on Twitter, Facebook, or visit www.dctheatrecollective.com

###

WASTED: Del. Don Dwyer Crashes Boat, Injures Children // MD Tea Party Official Admits Boating While Drinking, Sinks Vessel

Tea Party Del. Don Dwyer on a Boat (2009). Source: Facebook.

DELEGATE DWYER SINKS BOAT WITH 2.5 TIMES LEGAL BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT: Maryland politicos are buzzing with news that GOP Delegate Don Dwyer drove a boat while drunk last night, resulting in seven injured people -- including three children. According to WBAL, Del. Dwyer's blood alcohol content (BAC) was .2, which is two and a half times over the legal limit for Maryland automobile drivers. Driving with .08 BAC is per se illegal in Maryland, and Dwyer admits boating while boozing, so his actions likely constitute a criminal offense in the Free State. We first learned of the news from a report in the LGBT-oriented publication, The Metro Weekly (excerpt below):

Anti-Marriage Equality Lawmaker Sam Arora is Getting Married (To a Woman) // Double-Standard for Maryland Politician?

UPDATE: A number of readers are pointing out that Sam Arora's wedding would've been illegal in 1967 (especially if Maryland Senator Norm Stone would've prevailed in outlawing interracial marriage). Additionally, in the comments section below a reader points out that Sam's wedding in DC is ironically on the same day as DC's annual pride parade.

Congratulations are in order for Maryland lawmaker Sam Arora! After breaking a campaign promise to support marriage equality, Montgomery County's lone state legislator to oppose equal rights is now getting married himself. Though he won't allow others to get married, Sam Arora and his bride to be (yes, he is marrying a woman), apparently submitted their announcement to the Washington Post's Express newspaper (hat tip to an anonymous source):

Notably, Sam Arora is a member of Washington, DC's Capitol Hill Baptist Church and is therefore holding his wedding in the District of Columbia. The current state of the law in Maryland allows same-sex couples to get married in DC too, and to have those marriages recognized in Maryland. I guess Sam now has something in common with the LGBT families he has discriminated against. The main difference could be that Sam might pay his wedding license fees to Maryland (where he lives), whereas Maryland's LGBT couples will hand that revenue to DC -- unless Maryland voters approve marriage equality this November.

You can congratulate Del. Sam Arora on his forthcoming wedding at the following email addresses:

sam.arora@house.state.md.us
info@samarora.com

Sam Arora Crossword Puzzle: "Deception"

Two Maryland Juice readers forwarded us a Sam Arora-themed crossword puzzle that a blogger recently created. The Baltimore 21201 blog provides some background about the project, but we re-print the puzzle below (with a slight layout modification).

Quick Reminder: Sam Arora is a Democratic lawmaker in Maryland from a progressive legislative district. He campaigned and raised funds based on his support for same-sex marriage, but then he backstabbed constituents and supporters by voting no on marriage equality this month. Temporary Del. Sam Arora is now refusing to explain his betrayal. It is no wonder that the anger continues to build. One has to be pretty pissed off to spend this kind of effort on such project, no?

Sam Arora Crossword Puzzle

LEAKED DOC: Resignation Letter from Arora Staffer Who Quit // Huffington Post: "Sam Arora's Political Career May Be Over"

The Washington Blade has managed to get its hands on a leaked copy of the resignation letter from Josh Lapidus, temporary Maryland Delegate Sam Arora's legislative director.

WASHINGTON BLADE: A senior adviser to Maryland Del. Sam Arora has abruptly resigned in protest over Arora’s vote against the state’s same-sex marriage bill.

Joshua Lapidus, Arora’s legislative director, quit Friday night just after the marriage vote in a scathing resignation letter obtained by the Blade: