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LGBT News People are killing us, and we can't fight back

Discussion in 'Current Events, World News, & LGBT News' started by Pret Allez, Sep 16, 2014.

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  1. Pret Allez

    Pret Allez
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    So, this story made me extremely angry to the point I couldn't even read all of it.

    The following is a huge trigger for transphobic violence, street harassment, and legal injustice.
    As angering and saddening as the article is, it's a good primer on transphobic violence, particularly violence against women of color.

    In this latest incident, Eisha Love, a trans woman of color and her friend (possibly also trans) were involved in an incident of transphobic street harassment. The harasser escalated physically by hitting her in the face, and the two women fought back, leading to her attacker to summon more attackers. The two women retreated to their car, whereupon more men joined, for a four-against-two battle. They were intentionally blocked from behind by a vehicle, and the initial attacker was trying to gain entry into the car. He moved around to the front of the car, and in panic, Love accelerated and collided with the man, pinning his leg to the wall directly in front of her.

    In the ensuing chaos, Eisha and her friend were able to escape to safety. She later called the police, and learned that the man had lost his leg. She was also arrested for attempted murder.

    The above is just about the best paraphrased version of the events I can give.

    With this story in mind, and CeCe MacDonald and others, we're seeing an increasingly clear story. Transgender people are the targets of some of the most extreme violence directed against any demographic in the United States, yet we face the most brutal wrath of the legal system for defending ourselves. Ultimately, it's hard to figure out which is worse: being dead, or having the State destroy your life once you do successfully defend yourself.

    For what it's worth, I think it's not just a women's self defense problem or a trans self defense problem. It seems particularly to be racialized as well. Marissa Alexander, a cis woman of color has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for firing warning shots to deter her physically abusive husband.

    It seems that all marginalized people have a uniquely hard time defending themselves and are subjected to just as much or even more violence by the legal system that is ultimately supposed to address the crimes being committed against them in the first place.

    What the fucking hell is going on with our legal system? What the hell is so wrong with American jurors? What the hell is so wrong with American prosecutors?
     
    #1 Pret Allez, Sep 16, 2014
  2. alwaysforever

    alwaysforever
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    yeah ... it pretty much sucks :frowning2:
     
    #2 alwaysforever, Sep 16, 2014
  3. FrenchKid98

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    What the fuck...?
    I knew the US legal system was fucked up but not to this point... It's very sad :frowning2:
     
    #3 FrenchKid98, Sep 18, 2014
  4. Awesome_trans_girl13

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    this makes me not want to come out ever
     
    #4 Awesome_trans_girl13, Sep 19, 2014
  5. Yosia

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    This is why i hate the system in most countries, if i got arrested for defending myself i would be so unbelievably pissed off i would end up killing several people anyway.
     
    #5 Yosia, Sep 19, 2014
  6. Hel

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    Where I live, self defense is very hard to prove, it's like it doesn't exist. So unfortunately, this cases are common all over the world... Justice is not blind.
     
    #6 Hel, Sep 19, 2014
  7. DMark69

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    I would defend myself anyway, regardless of the law. It's better to be judged by 12 then carried by six.
     
    #7 DMark69, Sep 19, 2014
  8. NDark

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    Woah... I'm so glad I live in Canada, and not the U.S. Mind you, I don't know how much better Canada is.
     
    #8 NDark, Sep 19, 2014
  9. Jinkies

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    Canada is infinitely better than the US, hands down. Almost any country that's not in Africa (with the exception of South Africa) is better than the US, at this point.

    ---------- Post added 19th Sep 2014 at 11:15 AM ----------

    Just saw this is taking place in CHICAGO. Yippee. Not surprising the CPD would be absolutely no help in this case, let alone be the ones victim-blaming. I couldn't even get a good set of directions from them, and they pull this shit. Chicago needs a new Police force, pronto.
     
    #9 Jinkies, Sep 19, 2014
  10. GeeLee

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    What in the blue hell is wrong with law enforcement and the legal system across the pond? That Alexander story has made me physically angry, seriously 20 years for warning shots!?

    And that Love story? The mind boggles. I take it none of her attackers got their collars felt?
     
    #10 GeeLee, Sep 19, 2014
  11. HM03

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    I know right.

    That's a pretty fucked up story:confused:
     
    #11 HM03, Sep 19, 2014
  12. Nychthemeron

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    i can not fucking believe this. just... just... just

    fuck

    this disgusts me
     
    #12 Nychthemeron, Sep 19, 2014
  13. Kasey

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    I don't want to read this...


    But I will comment that while I'm a six foot tall 190 lb trans woman with a black belt in karate, I feel very... Exposed and afraid when I go out. Things like this just add to it.
     
    #13 Kasey, Sep 21, 2014
  14. juliegt6

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    No matter how you defend yourself, know a lawyer and if you ever do defend yourself, don't say a thing without their advice. You don't consent to searches, you don't talk to police without counsel, you basically be polite but not aid the police in any way that could possibly harm yourself.

    This is tragic how this went down. If she truly was in the midst of hostility and was prevented from fleeing, hitting her attacker with her car was self defense. I hope at trial that the jury puts aside their prejudice against trans people and views the facts of the case and finds accordingly.
     
    #14 juliegt6, Sep 21, 2014
  15. WannaBeMe

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    That's why when i am able to, I will be carrying pepper spray around with me wherever I go. The legal system is messed up and the have no right to relabel something as it isn't. When the girl accidentally accelerated, was not attempted murder it could be labeled correctly as near involuntary manslaughter. They are stupid.
     
    #15 WannaBeMe, Sep 22, 2014
  16. Gregarity

    Gregarity
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    Welp l don't even need to read the link to know that it's grade A sad bullshit thanks to America's wonderful judicial system

    Petition for the US to fuse with Canada, anyone?
     
    #16 Gregarity, Sep 24, 2014
  17. MycroftTARDIS

    MycroftTARDIS
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    The American justice system is full of fucking shit. I never curse, and just used two cuss words in a sentence. This means that this is something incredibly fucking stupid and I definitely want to move to Mars/Gallifrey/the moon :angry:
     
    #17 MycroftTARDIS, Sep 25, 2014
  18. Tokumei

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    "trans panic" ? Seriously ? Can I beat those jerks and called it "jerk panic" then ?
     
    #18 Tokumei, Sep 25, 2014
  19. Skaros

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    We have a Police force?
     
    #19 Skaros, Sep 25, 2014
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