JAY´CORY JONES, R.I.P. -- Shame on accessories to murder who promote difference, bully and spew their ignorance with careless words of hate!

¨You could tell it upset him because like he didn’t understand why people couldn’t accept him for who he was,”

Prayers ascending for Jay´Cory Jones, rest in peace and rise in Glory

Rochester, Minnesota – A 17-year-old openly gay teen succumbed to overwhelming bullying, taking his own life this past Sunday. Jay’Cory Jones jumped to his death into traffic from a pedestrian bridge near Century High School, according to police reports. According to his father, Jones was beaten down by the incessant school bullying he endured for being open and vocal about his sexual orientation. His father, JayBocka Strader, told the  PostBulletin, “He said all of his life they always picked on him. He’d still try to keep his head up at school, but then he’d come home and be really sad about it.” Mr. Strader went on to say that his son was depressed because other boys wouldn’t accept him for who he was.

Jones knew of his sexual orientation since he was a little boy. He took pride in who he was, and declared on his Facebook page that he was “Gay & Proud.” A member of the Century Gay Straight Alliance, he sought help with his feelings from the Gay and Lesbian Youth Services in Rochester where he attended weekly meetings. In the end, the pressure on him from his peers was just too much to bear...¨ please read it all,  HERE

·  Thanks to Unfinished Lives, sidebar
·  Thanks to Post Bulletin, Minnesota

DAVID KISULE KATO, THE BIOGRAPHY: There is a ¨call for materials¨ regarding the real life work and legacy of LGBTI African Anglican/Activist David Kato, R.I.P.

Anglican, Integrity Uganda Member, David Kisule Kato, R.I.P.

Submissions on the life and times of Ugandan activist David Kisule Kato

¨This is a call for materials for a biographical book on the life, work and legacy of David Kisule Kato – the deceased Ugandan human rights defender for sexual (and other) minorities. The biography is being developed and written by researchers in the Law, Gender and Sexuality Research Project of the Faculty of Law at Makerere University – Kampala.

We are interested in a range of materials including essays, fiction, poetry, web blogs, art, crafts, photographs, film, documentaries, speeches, diaries, letters and other correspondence, music, academic publications, etc. that reflect any aspect of the life and work of David Kato. We invite materials from family, friends, lovers, partners, colleagues, allies, students, other human rights defenders and advocates, social justice activists, sexual minorities, academics, clerics, parliamentarians, journalists and anyone else with something (whether positive or negative) to say about David Kato’s life, work and legacy. Materials about the different commemoration activities and memorial events held after David’s death are also welcome.

The materials will be collected alongside interviews and focus group discussions conducted in rural and urban Uganda among those who knew David Kato. Although the main language of the biography will be English, relevant materials written in Luganda, Kiswahili, French, Portugese, Spanish and any other African tongue will be translated for inclusion. The deadline for submission is 16th December 2011. All received materials will be duly acknowledged.¨  HERE

David Belongs to All of Us Now:  African Activist  HERE

Please send material to:

Stella Nyanzi
Law, Gender and Sexuality Research Project,
Faculty of Law,
P. O. Box 7062, Kampala – Uganda.
Email:
snyanzi@law.mak.ac.ug
 or
stellanyanzibah@googlemail.com

·  Thanks to Stella Nyanzi, Kampala
·  Thanks to Law, Gender and Sexuality Research Project, Uganda
·  Thanks to Gay Kenya, Denis Nzioka, sidebar
·  Thanks to African Activist, sidebar

HONORING ANGLICAN/UGANDAN DAVID KATO: Bishop Gene Robinson Spearheads Call for Prayer and Remembrance at The National Prayer Breakfast, Part Eight

Prayers for David Kato, Ugandan Hero, R.I.P.

¨Key religious leaders are calling for ‘A Prayer for David Kato' on February 3rd, the first day of the National Prayer Breakfast, to honor the Ugandan gay rights activist who was killed last week, amidst a storm of anti-gay sentiment in his country. Episcopal Bishop Gene Robinson and Auburn Theological Seminary are spearheading this national call for prayer and remembrance.

Mr. Kato was one of the few openly gay Ugandans willing to speak out against the anti-gay fervor spawned by a bill that proposes life sentences and even the death penalty in some cases for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Members of “The Family,” the private group that organizes the influential National Prayer Breakfast, were widely reported as having inspired this legislation last year.

"Coming off of the brutal murder of David Kato, and with this death penalty legislation potentially heading for a vote, it is vital now more than ever that the organizers of the National Prayer Breakfast join us in ending this hatred and violence," said Bishop Robinson. "As an act of good faith, we urge that at the National Prayer Breakfast this Thursday, they lead a prayer of compassion and concern for the family, friends and colleagues of David Kato, and pray for their protection from further harm."

Bishop Robinson and a coalition of religious leaders organized the American Prayer Hour as an alternative to the National Prayer Breakfast last year, and asked President Obama to use his appearance at the National Prayer Breakfast to denounce the anti-gay legislation in Uganda. He did, calling the legislation "odious"; and this past week the President released a statement about David Kato's recent murder: "David showed tremendous courage in speaking out against hate... The United States mourns his murder, and we recommit ourselves to David’s work." read it all, HERE

· Thanks to Walking With Integrity, sidebar
· Thanks to Bishop V. Gene Robinson, TEC diocese of New Hampshire
· Thanks to Anglican David Kato, R.I.P.