ISIS anti-gay atrocities is one of the confirming indications that ISIS is directed and controlled by Russian intelligence, specifically GRU, as was noted by many observers previously, since this type of anti-gay entrapment became quite popular in Russia recently
M.N.: Are gay entrapment operations still practiced by the police departments in America? - Google Search
They were, as recently as 2013:
» Gay Man Arrested In Sting Operation In Baton Rouge Due To State’s Refusal To Repeal Anti-Sodomy Law / Queerty
11/05/15 19:06 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Queerty. This is 2013, not 1953, right? It’s understandable if you’re as confused as we are about the century you’re in after learning that deputies in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana a...
-
John Delgado was NOT having any of this. Delgado took the office to task, demanding an apology to the men who were arrested and calling the sheriff’s office out for using children as a pawn in their game of anti-sodomy chess.
Frankly, I was somewhat surprised to learn that it was a long and (dis)"honorable" tradition in the history of American policing. Did it set the valuable example for others and in other places?
If it still practiced, what is the difference in principle between them and ISIS:
» ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare Homosexuals
11/05/15 17:45 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Comments on: ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals. ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals Share on facebook 9766 Share on email Share on google_plusone...
or the sick Egyptian homophobes:
» Grindr's Warning That Egypt Uses It For Anti-Gay Sting Operations Is Horrifying
11/05/15 19:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Being openly gay on social media can have serious ramifications in countries where homosexuality is outlawed. That’s why hookup app Grindr is trying to ensure its users’ safety around the globe. A...
or the criminal Russian torturers and extortionists:
I guess, the sick homophobes are the same everywhere, be it the street gang, or some police departments or some government officials.
The different types of inflicted pains, deaths and "punishments" are the secondary matter.
But the main association I had to the report of ISIS anti-gay atrocities is not this sad history, it came up in the process of "googling" and is a side issue, although important: this criminality, just like others, has to stop, categorically and unconditionally.
The main thought is that this ISIS activity is one of the confirming indications (although hypothetical, just like almost everything is hypothetical) that ISIS is directed and controlled by Russian intelligence, specifically GRU, as was noted by many observers previously, since this type of anti-gay entrapment became quite popular in Russia recently: see the corresponding searches and articles.
The other indications are:
ISIS military leadership was or is mostly the left over Saddam Hussein's Baathist generals, who had very close ties with Russia and its agencies prior to war and most likely retained these ties and support during and after the war, and
significant number of Chechens among the fighters and military political leaders, and they, most likely are the Russian agents.
Other indications are the sophisticated methods and ways of propaganda and use of social media and information warfare which are very close to the moda operandi of "hybrid" warriors, in Ukraine for example.
11/05/15 19:36 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from NOLA River. At least 12 men have been arrested since 2011 on suspicion of "crimes against nature," after undercover East Baton Rouge sheriff’s deputies had been meeting gay men at local parks and arr...
Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing was posthumously pardoned for gross indecency, but thousands of British men’s lives are still blighted by similar charges. Their primary offence? Being gay. We hear their stories
Stephen Close
Stephen Close: ‘I was charged with gross indecency and sent for court martial. There was a lot of abuse from other staff and I was beaten up. All my army friends turned their backs on me. It was horrible.’ Photograph: Andrew Jackson for the Guardian
Mike Pattenden
Saturday 28 March 2015 05.00 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 7 April 2015 04.51 EDT
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Share on LinkedIn Share on Google+
Shares
8,258
Comments
468
You don’t need a spoiler alert before being told how the Oscar-winning film, The Imitation Game, ends: mathematician and war hero Alan Turing was prosecuted for homosexual acts and, two years later, took his own life. In 2013, Turing was granted a posthumous royal pardon, but there are many more men whose lives were destroyed because of their sexuality, and who have lived with criminal records since.
The film inspired Matthew Breen, editor-in-chief of gay publication The Advocate, to set up a change.org petition demanding a pardon from the British government for 49,000 men convicted of consenting same-sex relations under the “gross indecency” law, 15,000 of whom are thought to be alive. A full-page advertisement in the Guardian in January, paid for by the movie’s producers, the Weinsteins, and signed by Benedict Cumberbatch and director Morten Tyldum, helped propel the pardon49k.org petition to over half a million signatures; it was delivered to Downing Street the day after this year’s Oscar ceremony by Turing’s family.
Last month, Liberal Democrat justice minister Simon Hughes said his party would demand a pardon in any coalition deal, though concerns have been expressed that a handful of paedophiles might slip through the net as a result. Campaigners say this could be avoided by introducing two amendments to current legislation: ensuring that the sex took place between consenting men, and that they were aged over 16.
While the 1967 Sexual Offences Act finally legalised homosexuality, it did little to end public and police persecution. According to research by campaigner Peter Tatchell into arrest figures during the 1980s, there were more than 20,000 convictions for the predominantly gay-related offences of gross indecency, soliciting and procuring. Entrapment was common, with police acting as agents provocateurs in public toilets.
All of this came to an end in 2003, with the repeal of the crime of gross indecency between men. In 2012, it became possible for those convicted of homosexual “sex offences” to have their criminal records erased under the Protection Of Freedoms Act – though not those deemed to have been committed in a public place such as toilets, where much of the entrapment went on.
The process is slow and often painful, however, and campaigners such as James Taylor, head of policy at Stonewall, want to see it simplified and extended. “There are still thousands of men out there who face difficulties because of convictions on their records,” Taylor says. “The fight for gay rights is not over.” These are some of their stories.
Stephen Close, 52, Salford
Stephen Close Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Stephen Close: ‘I served four months. It wasn’t long, but I was in pieces.’ Photograph: Andrew Jackson for the Guardian
I joined the army in 1980 because I was confused about my sexuality. Coming from a deprived, working-class area, we had no education about things like that. I thought the army might make a man of me.
I was sent to serve in Berlin, where one of my jobs was guarding Rudolf Hess. He was one of the architects of the Final Solution, which included the imprisonment and murder of thousands of gay men. Ironically, a month later I was myself in a British prison for being gay.
Alan Turing got an apology from Gordon Brown, but no one else has. It ruined my life
I was 20 and I’d had a few drinks with another soldier one night. There was some chemistry there. We started kissing, but unbeknown to us, another soldier was watching. The following day I was on the firing range when two military policemen arrived. I was escorted back to camp, where they put the allegations to me. I denied it. After several days of constant questioning, I cracked. At that point, I was charged with gross indecency and sent for court martial. There was a lot of abuse from other staff and I was beaten up. All my army friends turned their backs on me. I suppose they were afraid. It was horrible.
I had no legal representation at the court martial. I was sentenced to six months in military prison and discharged with disgrace. I was then flown out of Berlin under armed escort and transferred to Colchester military prison, where I had to wear red ribbons on my uniform to signify my crime, so the guards could keep an eye on me. My mum and dad came to visit me in prison. They were very understanding, really.
I served four months. It wasn’t long, but I was in pieces. I broke down on the train home to my parents – it felt like my life was in tatters. I spent a lot of time in my old bedroom. I had suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem and no confidence.
When I was released, my father gave me a talk. He said: “Although we don’t have much money, we will find a way of paying for a cure.” I told him there was no cure and I had come to terms with what I am. My father embraced me and told me he still loved me.
Stephen Close at Catterick firing range
Stephen Close at Catterick firing range in 1981, aged 19. Photograph: Andrew Jackson for the Guardian
Because of my record, I found it very difficult to get any decent work. I’d left a good job as an apprentice engineer to join up, too. In 2007, I had a job with a cleaning company and worked my way up to a supervising role. They won a contract to clean the local police stations, but that meant a criminal record check. I was told they wouldn’t give me clearance. I had to explain why to my manager and hand in my notice. I was angry and hurt again.
Then, in January 2013, two police officers came to my house demanding I go to the station to give my DNA or I’d be arrested. My mum was frantic, asking to know what I’d done wrong. It turned out to be part of Operation Nutmeg, in which criminals with convictions predating routine DNA collection could have theirs taken and added to the national database.
Advertisement
Afterwards, I sat in my car, devastated. All the life was sucked out of me. I couldn’t believe it was still haunting me after 30 years. Then Peter Tatchell launched a campaign and the DNA was destroyed. I applied to have my criminal record erased shortly afterwards, and eventually received a letter from the MoD saying my army record was now clear. There was no apology. It took a very long time to trust anyone, though I did go on to have two long-term relationships.
Now I want a pardon and an apology. Turing got one from Gordon Brown, but no one else has. It ruined my life. I have a poor job as a caretaker, no savings and no pension. I’m 53 and it’s too late to start a new career. All for a kiss.
Martin, 40, south London
In 1989 I was in my early teens and at secondary school in Kent, struggling to come to terms with my sexuality. I needed someone to talk to, so I confided in an English teacher. She asked if I was sexually active and, foolishly, I said I was. I expected advice, but instead my parents were informed and social services were brought in. Then the police became involved. They even used me in a covert operation, aimed at a local spot known for cruising. Fortunately, no one turned up, but my trust in everyone had evaporated. My school performance dropped and I left at 16, in 1991, with poor qualifications.
I’d wanted to be an electrician, but I ended up in a local department store. The owner made it clear he was aware of my sexuality from the off, so obviously the school had informed him when he asked for a reference.
Not long after, I met a lad my age in the park. I was relieved to find someone I could relate to. We saw each other a few times, then one week he wasn’t there. I was disappointed, because I’d hoped we could have a relationship. A few weeks later, just after my 17th birthday, I was called into the boss’s office. Two policeman arrested me and I was taken out in handcuffs in front of everyone. At the station, I was left in a cell for hours. I asked for a solicitor, but was told one wasn’t available.
When I was questioned, it transpired the boy I’d met was 15. It was a shock. I hadn’t asked, and it wasn’t as if he was in school uniform. In fact, I thought he was older than me. Nothing very sexual had gone on anyway, and at the time of our meetings there was a matter of months between us; we were both under the age of consent. A boy and a girl so close in age would not have been arrested.
When the indecent assault charges were read out in court, they had added “attempted buggery” to the list. I hadn’t done any such thing, nor was it on the original charge sheet. I had no legal advice to stop it. I was sent for trial at crown court and bailed.
That week I opened the local paper and there was my picture, coming out of court that day, along with some other people, and a story about a paedophile ring. I’d never seen any of them before. When I went back to work, I was attacked. Eventually, thankfully, a solicitor got the buggery charge dropped, but I was found guilty of gross indecency and indecent assault, and given two years’ probation.
I left the store, but it was hard to find work because of my criminal record. I got a job in a warehouse, then someone from my old school arrived and told everyone. I wasn’t taken on after my probation. I began to suffer from depression. I lost self-esteem and became increasingly careless about my own safety. In 2000, I was diagnosed HIV positive. I would have killed myself without the psychiatric help I got as a result of that.
The Turing petition has highlighted what went on in this country. An apology might help me move on, but it won’t make me HIV negative. Nothing will take away the pain I’ve suffered.
Today, I’m living in a council flat on benefits that the state are trying to stop. I’m studying so I can be an electrician, but I refuse to take a poorly paid job. Why should I, after everything? I’d rather die.
George Montague, 91, Brighton
I served my country during the second world war. I don’t want a pardon because I’m not guilty. I want an apology
George Montague, 91 Facebook Twitter Pinterest
George Montague: ‘A friend, a local doctor, went before a jury for a similar offence and was found not guilty, but it didn’t matter, because the story was in the press. It ruined him and he died a broken man.’ Photograph: Adam Ferguson for the Guardian
After the war, I lived in a small village called Hitcham in Buckinghamshire, where I ran an engineering business employing 40 people. I was a scout commissioner and a pillar of the community.
In 1974, when I was 50, I went to Slough for the day. There was no one else of my persuasion in Hitcham, so I used to go looking for company. There was no internet or gay scene, and hardly any bars, so we used to gravitate to “cottages”, or public toilets.
The place was empty but for one man in a cubicle. I went into the adjoining cubicle and locked the door. There was a hole in the wall between us, a sure sign it was a gay haunt.
I had a glance through and the chap was much older than me. I blocked up the hole and waited for him to go, but instead he pushed the paper out and attempted to put his penis through. At that moment there was a scuffling outside and a police officer craned over the top of the door. I was doing nothing; I hadn’t invited any contact from the other man, but the timing was awful. We were both arrested and taken to the police station.
During questioning, they produced a “queer list” with my name on it. They made it their business to find out the name of anyone locally who was gay. They’d do it by arresting a young gay boy and threatening him until he gave them as many names as possible. I was charged with gross indecency and sent for trial. I employed a solicitor and counsel, which cost a lot of money, and pleaded not guilty.
A friend, a local doctor, went before a jury for a similar offence and was found not guilty, but it didn’t matter, because all the details came out anyway. The story was in the press regardless. It ruined him and he died a broken man. The man in the adjoining cubicle to me pleaded guilty, which, I suppose, he was. That was also all over the papers – that he was a married man with children. The disgrace for many men was terrible.
There was no story about me, despite me being found guilty. I had a few contacts on the local paper because of my community work, and they were kind. There was suspicion in the scout movement, though, which made me angry and upset. I know the word “paedophile” was used, and that was humiliating. I resigned, which hurt a great deal.
I was fearful it would come out, though. My wife knew I was gay when she married me – she was a wonderfully supportive woman – but no one else knew: not friends, not my children. I took it in my stride. I came to terms with it, and had several relationships subsequently. Today, I live with my long-term partner of 18 years.
I was lucky, really, compared with some, but I remain very angry about what happened to me. I served my country during the second world war. I don’t want a pardon because I’m not guilty. I’m angry with the government and the entire establishment throughout the 20th century. They need to apologise to the gay community on behalf of their predecessors, and the police need to apologise for the way they enforced the law. There are many men out there with this stigma hanging around their neck.
Peter, 57, north London
I was 21 in 1979, when I was caught, entrapped, in public toilets, twice in one year.
The first time, I went into a toilet in Stockport and stood at the urinal nearest the door. A man at the far end kept staring at me. Then he moved one cubicle closer. At that moment, two policeman shot out of the washroom behind us, and we were arrested and taken to the station. I protested that I hadn’t done anything, but they said they’d seen us and that the other man had an erection, which was untrue. I was charged with soliciting and released.
I went home pretty fearful and looked up a solicitor in the Yellow Pages. When I explained what had happened, he asked if I was gay. When I said I was, he said, “Just plead guilty.” I did as I was told, and was given a £100 fine and a criminal record.
The following day, to my horror, it was the front page of the Manchester Evening News. People at work knew I was gay, but it was hugely embarrassing. I was far more worried about what my parents would say. My dad was very traditional, captain of the local golf club, that sort of thing. To this day, it’s never been discussed.
Alan Turing
Alan Turing aged 16; he was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ in 1952. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Six months later, I went into a public toilet in Manchester city centre. I was in a rush, but I noticed a pretty guy stood in a urinal a few places along. His face was very flushed. He kept looking at me, giving the impression he was masturbating. As I glanced at him, another man entered the toilet, walked behind us, then walked straight out. When I left, he was waiting outside. He stopped me and arrested me for soliciting. The young guy came out and turned out to be a policeman. Nothing sexual had happened, but they both testified I had an erection, which was, again, totally untrue. I was taken to the station, where the conviction from earlier in the year inevitably came up: “You’ve got a record for this sort of thing, haven’t you?”
I couldn’t believe it. I was charged and let go. I found another solicitor, whose advice was the same: plead guilty. In court, I was given a heavier fine and another conviction for a sexual offence was added to my record. This time, the story only made page three of the Manchester Evening News.
People will wonder why I didn’t make more of a fuss at the station, but Manchester was a very precarious place for gay men back then. I had first-hand experience of their hypocrisy even before those two incidents.
When I was 18, I was walking home from a gay bar when an older man attacked me under a railway arch and raped me. He was huge and I couldn’t fight him off. I agonised about it for a few days, then decided to report it, so I went to the local police station. As I approached, the desk sergeant looked up from his pad: it was the man who had raped me. I turned around and ran out.
I got over what happened reasonably well. Last year, I married my long-term partner and I have a decent job where no one cares that I’m out. But I’m still angry about what happened. I don’t want a pardon, because I didn’t commit an offence. I want an apology and I want these convictions taken off my record, although I don’t hold out much hope.
Richard, 69, Warwick
I grew up in a small mining town in Staffordshire. In 1962, I was 16 and had just left school to go to college. It wasn’t the sort of place where you acted gay if you had any sense, so you looked for a cottage. I met a few local lads that way. Then we met an older guy in his 40s who had a car.
There was no grooming, but one of the boys let it slip that he had been with another lad, and his parents reported what was going on. I was stopped in the street one day and taken to the station. Once they had me in there, I was told that the others had confessed to having sex, which turned out to be untrue. I was terrified. They had to bring my father in. He got hold of a solicitor, who was useless. As the pressure built, he didn’t stop me from talking. He was more like, “Get it off your chest.” I was asked if this older guy was involved. I said yes and he was arrested, too. We were all told to plead guilty. The older guy pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty.
I don’t feel sorry for myself, but I do feel sorry for the men who killed themselves because of their treatment
I went before a magistrate and was remanded in custody, on the basis I might reoffend. I can recall the disgust on the magistrate’s face. I was in tears and no one from my family was there to help. A black maria came and I was taken to Winson Green prison to await sentence.
There was no induction wing, so I was put among the men. I appealed on the basis that the older guy had been found not guilty, so I couldn’t have done anything, either. It was thrown out and I was sent to borstal. It was complete summary justice.
I was taken to Shrewsbury prison and then moved to Wormwood Scrubs, which was the holding prison, while they waited for a place at Feltham Young Offenders. I was in the Scrubs for a month before I finally moved to Feltham, where I was put in a separate unit with about 100 others, all in single rooms because of our status. About 70 or 80 of us were in for homosexual offences, the rest were rapists and the like.
I was in there for about 15 months, on top of the three I’d served on remand. It was tolerable. I wasn’t beaten up, fortunately. My family came to visit once. Inside, I had a job as a carpenter’s assistant with a member of staff who used me for sexual favours and paid me in tobacco.
When I got out, I returned home for a while, but I hardly ever went out – I was too scared. Eventually, I left and moved to Birmingham. My relationship with my parents never recovered.
I’ve buried what happened to me, but the scars are there. Only a few people know what happened, and there’s always that fear of being exposed. My ex-wife knew, because I’m bisexual, but my kids don’t.
I don’t feel sorry for myself, but I do feel sorry for the men who killed themselves because of their treatment. I didn’t know I could have my conviction quashed until now, and I’m going to apply. I believe there should be a pardon for all those treated so badly. I can forgive my parents for what happened, but I’ll never forgive the police and the justice system. Some names have been changed
They were, as recently as 2013:
» Gay Man Arrested In Sting Operation In Baton Rouge Due To State’s Refusal To Repeal Anti-Sodomy Law / Queerty
11/05/15 19:06 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Queerty. This is 2013, not 1953, right? It’s understandable if you’re as confused as we are about the century you’re in after learning that deputies in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana a...
-
John Delgado was NOT having any of this. Delgado took the office to task, demanding an apology to the men who were arrested and calling the sheriff’s office out for using children as a pawn in their game of anti-sodomy chess.
Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office Was Protecting The Kids With Anti-Gay Sting: “Sorry ‘Bout It Though”
-Frankly, I was somewhat surprised to learn that it was a long and (dis)"honorable" tradition in the history of American policing. Did it set the valuable example for others and in other places?
If it still practiced, what is the difference in principle between them and ISIS:
» ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare Homosexuals
11/05/15 17:45 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Comments on: ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals. ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals Share on facebook 9766 Share on email Share on google_plusone...
or the sick Egyptian homophobes:
» Grindr's Warning That Egypt Uses It For Anti-Gay Sting Operations Is Horrifying
11/05/15 19:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Being openly gay on social media can have serious ramifications in countries where homosexuality is outlawed. That’s why hookup app Grindr is trying to ensure its users’ safety around the globe. A...
or the criminal Russian torturers and extortionists:
St. Petersburg Gang Extorts Thousands in Fake Pedophile Sting ...
The Moscow Times-Jan 14, 2014
I guess, the sick homophobes are the same everywhere, be it the street gang, or some police departments or some government officials.
The different types of inflicted pains, deaths and "punishments" are the secondary matter.
But the main association I had to the report of ISIS anti-gay atrocities is not this sad history, it came up in the process of "googling" and is a side issue, although important: this criminality, just like others, has to stop, categorically and unconditionally.
The main thought is that this ISIS activity is one of the confirming indications (although hypothetical, just like almost everything is hypothetical) that ISIS is directed and controlled by Russian intelligence, specifically GRU, as was noted by many observers previously, since this type of anti-gay entrapment became quite popular in Russia recently: see the corresponding searches and articles.
The other indications are:
ISIS military leadership was or is mostly the left over Saddam Hussein's Baathist generals, who had very close ties with Russia and its agencies prior to war and most likely retained these ties and support during and after the war, and
significant number of Chechens among the fighters and military political leaders, and they, most likely are the Russian agents.
Other indications are the sophisticated methods and ways of propaganda and use of social media and information warfare which are very close to the moda operandi of "hybrid" warriors, in Ukraine for example.
______________________________________
» Policing Gender And Sexuality In 2015
11/05/15 21:25 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from pridesource.com/Between The Lines News. Policing Gender And Sexuality In 2015 BY AJ TRAGER Originally printed 4/15/2015 (Issue 2315 - Between The Lines News) DETROIT - Historically, the LGBT community has ...
11/05/15 21:25 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from pridesource.com/Between The Lines News. Policing Gender And Sexuality In 2015 BY AJ TRAGER Originally printed 4/15/2015 (Issue 2315 - Between The Lines News) DETROIT - Historically, the LGBT community has ...
» Cottaging - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
11/05/15 21:24 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Wikipedia - Recent changes [en]. Cottaging From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search This article is about the sexual behavior. For other uses, see Cottage (disambiguation) . The a...
11/05/15 21:24 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Wikipedia - Recent changes [en]. Cottaging From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation , search This article is about the sexual behavior. For other uses, see Cottage (disambiguation) . The a...
» From the Closet of History
11/05/15 21:23 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . First Chapter: 'The Other Side of Silence' or many otherwise well-meaning Americans, homosexuality and its attendant controversies -- gay marriage, military service, AIDS policy, sex education curriculums -- ...
11/05/15 21:23 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . First Chapter: 'The Other Side of Silence' or many otherwise well-meaning Americans, homosexuality and its attendant controversies -- gay marriage, military service, AIDS policy, sex education curriculums -- ...
» Vladimir Putin's New Anti-Americanism - The New Yorker
11/05/15 21:21 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . In January, 2012, Michael McFaul, a tenured political scientist from Stanford and President Obama’s chief adviser on Russia through the first term, arrived in Moscow with his wife and two sons to begin ...
11/05/15 21:21 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . In January, 2012, Michael McFaul, a tenured political scientist from Stanford and President Obama’s chief adviser on Russia through the first term, arrived in Moscow with his wife and two sons to begin ...
» 18 Anti-Gay Groups and Their Propaganda
11/05/15 21:20 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Even as some well-known anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family moderate their views, a hard core of smaller groups, most of them religiously motivated, have continued to pump out demonizing propaganda aimed...
11/05/15 21:20 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Even as some well-known anti-gay groups like Focus on the Family moderate their views, a hard core of smaller groups, most of them religiously motivated, have continued to pump out demonizing propaganda aimed...
» Latvian Anti-Gay Movement Spills Over to U.S.
11/05/15 21:18 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On the first day of July, Satender Singh was gay-bashed to death. The 26-year-old Fijian of Indian descent was enjoying a holiday weekend outing at Lake Natoma with three married In...
11/05/15 21:18 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . SACRAMENTO, Calif. — On the first day of July, Satender Singh was gay-bashed to death. The 26-year-old Fijian of Indian descent was enjoying a holiday weekend outing at Lake Natoma with three married In...
» UPDATED: Reporter Accused of Gay-Baiting Military Spokesman
11/05/15 21:16 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from NLGJA. Mediabistro’s journalism gossip blog FishbowlDC has a letter to the Miami Herald from US Navy Commander Jeffrey D. Gordon–the chief spokesman at Guantanamo– accusing reporter...
11/05/15 21:16 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from NLGJA. Mediabistro’s journalism gossip blog FishbowlDC has a letter to the Miami Herald from US Navy Commander Jeffrey D. Gordon–the chief spokesman at Guantanamo– accusing reporter...
» LOS ANGELES LEWD CONDUCT DEFENSE ATTORNEY
11/05/15 21:16 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Shouse Law Group. "Lewd Conduct" & The Entrapment Trap You're strolling out of the mall at closing time when the guy of your dreams starts cruising you big time. I mean, you pinch yourself to make sure...
11/05/15 21:16 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Shouse Law Group. "Lewd Conduct" & The Entrapment Trap You're strolling out of the mall at closing time when the guy of your dreams starts cruising you big time. I mean, you pinch yourself to make sure...
» A history of political gay-baiting.
11/05/15 21:15 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Slate Articles. Last month, former Republican National Committee chairman Kenneth Mehlman came out of the closet , saying he'd taken 43 years to get comfortable with this part of himself. "Encouraging adul...
11/05/15 21:15 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Slate Articles. Last month, former Republican National Committee chairman Kenneth Mehlman came out of the closet , saying he'd taken 43 years to get comfortable with this part of himself. "Encouraging adul...
» Cameroon police entrap gay men to extort bribes
11/05/15 21:13 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from 76 CRIMES. By Erin Royal Brokovitch In 2014, Cameroon was ranked by Transparency International as among the world’s worst in terms of corruption — the 136th out of 174 countries. (Photo courtes...
11/05/15 21:13 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from 76 CRIMES. By Erin Royal Brokovitch In 2014, Cameroon was ranked by Transparency International as among the world’s worst in terms of corruption — the 136th out of 174 countries. (Photo courtes...
» WATCH: Jon Stewart and Documentary Filmmaker Talk Russia's War on Gays
11/05/15 21:13 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Advocate.com - Gay News | The Advocate | The World's Leading Source for LGBT News and Entertainment. Filmmaker Ben Steele was the special guest during a recent episode of The Daily Show to discuss his ...
11/05/15 21:13 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Advocate.com - Gay News | The Advocate | The World's Leading Source for LGBT News and Entertainment. Filmmaker Ben Steele was the special guest during a recent episode of The Daily Show to discuss his ...
» Human rights: The gay divide
11/05/15 21:12 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . THERE was a teenager in Arizona in the 1970s who “could no more imagine longing to touch a woman than longing to touch a toaster”. But he convinced himself that he was not gay. Longing to be ̶...
11/05/15 21:12 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . THERE was a teenager in Arizona in the 1970s who “could no more imagine longing to touch a woman than longing to touch a toaster”. But he convinced himself that he was not gay. Longing to be ̶...
» Russian Neo-Nazis Allegedly Lure, Torture Gay Teens With Online Dating Scam
11/05/15 21:11 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Gay Voices - The Huffington Post. Russian Neo-Nazis Allegedly Lure, Torture Gay Teens With Online Dating Scam The Huffington Post | By Cavan Sieczkowski Posted: Updated:
11/05/15 21:11 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Gay Voices - The Huffington Post. Russian Neo-Nazis Allegedly Lure, Torture Gay Teens With Online Dating Scam The Huffington Post | By Cavan Sieczkowski Posted: Updated:
» A Filmmaker’s Chilling View Of Russia's Antigay 'Vigilantes'
11/05/15 21:11 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. W ASHINGTON -- The terror drifts through the dim apartment in muffled grunts. The hostage’s assailants hold him down, threatening to rape him with a stick or urinat...
11/05/15 21:11 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. W ASHINGTON -- The terror drifts through the dim apartment in muffled grunts. The hostage’s assailants hold him down, threatening to rape him with a stick or urinat...
» Russian Anti-Gay Vigilantes Are Free To Proudly Display Their Atrocious Activities Online!
11/05/15 21:10 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Gay and transgender people in Russia are increasingly being targeted. The violence has now unfortunately extended to the entrapment, kidnapping and torture. Like Us Share The Story Subscribe to Carbonated Sub...
11/05/15 21:10 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Gay and transgender people in Russia are increasingly being targeted. The violence has now unfortunately extended to the entrapment, kidnapping and torture. Like Us Share The Story Subscribe to Carbonated Sub...
» Disgusting Russian Anti-Gay-Law turns gays and gay-activists into criminals - YouTube
11/05/15 21:10 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Published on Jun 11, 2012 I am not going to tolerate any offensive, intolerant or rude comments! You are going to be deleted and reported! NO RUSSIAN!
11/05/15 21:10 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Published on Jun 11, 2012 I am not going to tolerate any offensive, intolerant or rude comments! You are going to be deleted and reported! NO RUSSIAN!
» Gay-Bashing in Russia (Graphic Video) - YouTube
11/05/15 21:09 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Published on Jan 24, 2013 Translation of soundbite #1 - Elena Kostyuchenko, Gay-rights campaigner and journalist with Russia's leading independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta: "The law absolutely does not define ...
11/05/15 21:09 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Published on Jan 24, 2013 Translation of soundbite #1 - Elena Kostyuchenko, Gay-rights campaigner and journalist with Russia's leading independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta: "The law absolutely does not define ...
» WATCH: Russian Homophobes Are Using Social Media To Lure, Entrap, and Torture Gay Teens - VIDEO| Gay News
11/05/15 21:09 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Towleroad News #gay. The report and video come from Spectrum Human Rights Alliance , an LGBT advocacy group in Eastern Europe... "Infamous Russian ultranationalist and former skin head, Maxim Martsinkevich...
11/05/15 21:09 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Towleroad News #gay. The report and video come from Spectrum Human Rights Alliance , an LGBT advocacy group in Eastern Europe... "Infamous Russian ultranationalist and former skin head, Maxim Martsinkevich...
» Gay teenagers tortured and made to come out on video by militant ‘anti-paedophilia’ group · PinkNews
11/05/15 21:08 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from PinkNews. A neo-Nazi Russian group has taken to social media to publicise images and videos of gay teenagers lured in on the promise of a date, before torturing them and forcing them to come out to friends...
11/05/15 21:08 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from PinkNews. A neo-Nazi Russian group has taken to social media to publicise images and videos of gay teenagers lured in on the promise of a date, before torturing them and forcing them to come out to friends...
» Russian Skinheads Entrapping, Torturing LGBT Teens
11/05/15 21:08 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Bilerico Project. Filed By John M. Becker | July 25, 2013 4:45 PM | Filed in: Living Tags: anti-gay laws , anti-gay legislation , anti-gay propaganda , entrapment , gay propaganda law , Kremlin , Mosco...
11/05/15 21:08 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Bilerico Project. Filed By John M. Becker | July 25, 2013 4:45 PM | Filed in: Living Tags: anti-gay laws , anti-gay legislation , anti-gay propaganda , entrapment , gay propaganda law , Kremlin , Mosco...
» Cops Accused of Entrapping Gay Men | Local | News
11/05/15 21:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from All South Florida Gay News News Articles. SFGN’s Year Long Investigation Reveals PBSO Targeting Gay Men In Parks Randy McGilton, Shawn Browser, and Gerry Sanders have never met but they have somethin...
11/05/15 21:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from All South Florida Gay News News Articles. SFGN’s Year Long Investigation Reveals PBSO Targeting Gay Men In Parks Randy McGilton, Shawn Browser, and Gerry Sanders have never met but they have somethin...
» Gay Manhattan man's entrapment suit vs. city lives
11/05/15 21:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Top News. A federal judge Tuesday refused to toss out a gay Manhattan man's malicious-prosecution suit against the city, saying the NYPD 's actions in arresting him appeared "unsettling and inappropriate."...
11/05/15 21:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Top News. A federal judge Tuesday refused to toss out a gay Manhattan man's malicious-prosecution suit against the city, saying the NYPD 's actions in arresting him appeared "unsettling and inappropriate."...
» Gay rights group says men unfairly targeted by police stings at Kent County parks
11/05/15 21:06 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . GRAND RAPIDS — Gay men in Kent County are being targeted and entrapped by Kent County Sheriff’s deputies for behaviors that would be deemed acceptable for straight couples, a group of gay rights a...
11/05/15 21:06 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . GRAND RAPIDS — Gay men in Kent County are being targeted and entrapped by Kent County Sheriff’s deputies for behaviors that would be deemed acceptable for straight couples, a group of gay rights a...
» ISIS goes undercover to catch homosexuals
11/05/15 21:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from WND. ISIS has posted photographs on social media of members tossing gays off rooftops. ISIS terrorists have taken to subterfuge to root out homosexuals, get them to admit their homosexual tendencies –...
11/05/15 21:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from WND. ISIS has posted photographs on social media of members tossing gays off rooftops. ISIS terrorists have taken to subterfuge to root out homosexuals, get them to admit their homosexual tendencies –...
» The ISIS Hug of Death for Gays - The Daily Beast
11/05/15 21:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . via Twitter First there were embraces and then the barbaric execution by stoning. Photographs of hugs that jihadists gave a condemned gay couple before killing them in north Syria have gone viral, prompting o...
11/05/15 21:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . via Twitter First there were embraces and then the barbaric execution by stoning. Photographs of hugs that jihadists gave a condemned gay couple before killing them in north Syria have gone viral, prompting o...
» Florida cops regularly entrapped men in sex predator stings
11/05/15 21:04 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Raw Story. Officers taking part in a Florida sheriff’s sting operations against alleged sexual predators used questionable tactics and frequently targeted men without any history of sex-related crimi...
11/05/15 21:04 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Raw Story. Officers taking part in a Florida sheriff’s sting operations against alleged sexual predators used questionable tactics and frequently targeted men without any history of sex-related crimi...
» LGBT Activist Calls Out Houston Police Sting Operation| Gay News
11/05/15 21:01 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Towleroad News #gay. Veteran LGBT activist Ray Hill tells Houston's OutSmart magazine that more than 20 men arrested in Memorial Park last Thursday and charged with solicitation of prostitution were target...
11/05/15 21:01 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Towleroad News #gay. Veteran LGBT activist Ray Hill tells Houston's OutSmart magazine that more than 20 men arrested in Memorial Park last Thursday and charged with solicitation of prostitution were target...
» Sheriff's Office Defends Anti-Gay Entrapment With Comparisons To Public Masturbation [Updated]
11/05/15 21:01 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from ThinkProgress. by Zack Ford Posted on Share this: " Sheriff’s Office Defends Anti-Gay Entrapment With Comparisons To Public Masturbation [Updated] " Share: The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office...
11/05/15 21:01 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from ThinkProgress. by Zack Ford Posted on Share this: " Sheriff’s Office Defends Anti-Gay Entrapment With Comparisons To Public Masturbation [Updated] " Share: The East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office...
» Entrapment Operations in San Antonio Parks: a new collection donated by San Antonio activist Michael McGowan
11/05/15 21:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Top Shelf. “I am primarily concerned with this grieving family in my parish, with the fact that we have lost such a wonderful man, and the news media played such an important part in driving him ...
11/05/15 21:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Top Shelf. “I am primarily concerned with this grieving family in my parish, with the fact that we have lost such a wonderful man, and the news media played such an important part in driving him ...
» South Carolina county sheriffs warned over illegal entrapment of gay men
11/05/15 21:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Gay Star News. South Carolina’s Greenville Country Sheriff’s Office has been criticized for entrapping and then arresting gay men and others for behaviors which are not illegal. The American Ci...
11/05/15 21:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Gay Star News. South Carolina’s Greenville Country Sheriff’s Office has been criticized for entrapping and then arresting gay men and others for behaviors which are not illegal. The American Ci...
» NYC Settles With Victim Of False Arrest In Massive Gay Entrapment Operation / Queerty
11/05/15 21:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Queerty. Robert Pinter in 2009. Photo by Vadim Shepel. The City of New York has paid a whopping $450,000 settlement in a fedral civil rights lawsuit this week, filed by a gay man who claimed he was falsely...
11/05/15 21:00 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Queerty. Robert Pinter in 2009. Photo by Vadim Shepel. The City of New York has paid a whopping $450,000 settlement in a fedral civil rights lawsuit this week, filed by a gay man who claimed he was falsely...
» The War Against Gays In Russia'
11/05/15 20:57 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . <iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-W9SLGS" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe&...
11/05/15 20:57 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . <iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-W9SLGS" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe&...
» The War Against Gays In Russia' Examines Nation's Climate Of Fear For LGBT Community
11/05/15 20:56 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Gay Voices - The Huffington Post. By Brian Lowry LOS ANGELES (Variety) - Deeply disturbing, HBO's "Hunted: The War Against Gays in Russia" documents elaborate harassment campaigns conducted by vigilante gr...
11/05/15 20:56 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Gay Voices - The Huffington Post. By Brian Lowry LOS ANGELES (Variety) - Deeply disturbing, HBO's "Hunted: The War Against Gays in Russia" documents elaborate harassment campaigns conducted by vigilante gr...
» St. Petersburg Gang Extorts Thousands in Fake Pedophile Sting Operations, Report Says | News
11/05/15 20:54 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . A gang in St. Petersburg posing as police officers has extorted thousands of dollars from men looking to have sex with boys after setting up meetings using fake social media accounts,...
» Public reacts to East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office sting operations targeting gay community11/05/15 20:54 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . A gang in St. Petersburg posing as police officers has extorted thousands of dollars from men looking to have sex with boys after setting up meetings using fake social media accounts,...
11/05/15 19:36 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from NOLA River. At least 12 men have been arrested since 2011 on suspicion of "crimes against nature," after undercover East Baton Rouge sheriff’s deputies had been meeting gay men at local parks and arr...
» One State Is Still Enforcing Its Anti-Sodomy Law
11/05/15 19:35 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Wire. An investigation by The Advocate revealed a Baton Rouge sheriff's office has been arresting gay men after they've agreed to consensual sex with another man that does not i...
11/05/15 19:35 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from The Wire. An investigation by The Advocate revealed a Baton Rouge sheriff's office has been arresting gay men after they've agreed to consensual sex with another man that does not i...
» Is The Palm Springs Police Department Anti-Gay?| Gay News
11/05/15 19:34 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Towleroad News #gay. An article in today's San Francisco Chronicle questions the gay-friendly reputation of Palm Springs, at least as far as law enforcement in that city goes. The criticism stems mainly fr...
11/05/15 19:34 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Towleroad News #gay. An article in today's San Francisco Chronicle questions the gay-friendly reputation of Palm Springs, at least as far as law enforcement in that city goes. The criticism stems mainly fr...
» Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office Was Protecting The Kids With Anti-Gay Sting: “Sorry ‘Bout It Though”
11/05/15 19:32 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from LGBT News. The sheriff ‘s office of East Baton Rouge has addressed all those anti-gay sting operations it undertook against at least a dozen men since 2011, claiming that it was for the p...
11/05/15 19:32 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from LGBT News. The sheriff ‘s office of East Baton Rouge has addressed all those anti-gay sting operations it undertook against at least a dozen men since 2011, claiming that it was for the p...
» Detroit Settles ACLU Lawsuit Challenging Police Sting Operation Against Gay Men | American Civil Liberties Union
11/05/15 19:30 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Detroit Settles ACLU Lawsuit Challenging Police Sting Operation Against Gay Men Facebook Twitter Reddit July 23, 2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DETROIT--The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan announced to...
11/05/15 19:30 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Detroit Settles ACLU Lawsuit Challenging Police Sting Operation Against Gay Men Facebook Twitter Reddit July 23, 2002 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE DETROIT--The American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan announced to...
» TWO Calls On Mayor Bloomberg To Order Sting Operations To Stop Anti-Gay Attacks In New York City
11/05/15 19:30 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Truth Wins Out. The nation was stunned last week after a thug shot and killed Mark Carson in Greenwich Village for being gay. This resulted in a Village rally that drew hundreds calling for an end to hate ...
11/05/15 19:30 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Truth Wins Out. The nation was stunned last week after a thug shot and killed Mark Carson in Greenwich Village for being gay. This resulted in a Village rally that drew hundreds calling for an end to hate ...
» D.C. police target gay men in online sting
11/05/15 19:27 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Comments on: D.C. police target gay men in online sting. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said she is aware of the sting and supports it through the department’s participation in an Internet Crimes Aga...
11/05/15 19:27 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Comments on: D.C. police target gay men in online sting. D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said she is aware of the sting and supports it through the department’s participation in an Internet Crimes Aga...
» Grindr's Warning That Egypt Uses It For Anti-Gay Sting Operations Is Horrifying
11/05/15 19:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Being openly gay on social media can have serious ramifications in countries where homosexuality is outlawed. That’s why hookup app Grindr is trying to ensure its users’ safety around the globe. A...
11/05/15 19:07 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Being openly gay on social media can have serious ramifications in countries where homosexuality is outlawed. That’s why hookup app Grindr is trying to ensure its users’ safety around the globe. A...
» Gay Man Arrested In Sting Operation In Baton Rouge Due To State’s Refusal To Repeal Anti-Sodomy Law / Queerty
11/05/15 19:06 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Queerty. This is 2013, not 1953, right? It’s understandable if you’re as confused as we are about the century you’re in after learning that deputies in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana a...
11/05/15 19:06 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Queerty. This is 2013, not 1953, right? It’s understandable if you’re as confused as we are about the century you’re in after learning that deputies in East Baton Rouge, Louisiana a...
» Are gay entrapment operations still practiced by the police departments in America? - Google Search
11/05/15 19:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results ISIS goes undercover to catch homosexuals <a href="http://WND.com" rel="nofollow">WND.com</a> - Apr 28, 2015 “Homosexuality is anathema to the group and in recent weeks the ji...
11/05/15 19:05 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results ISIS goes undercover to catch homosexuals <a href="http://WND.com" rel="nofollow">WND.com</a> - Apr 28, 2015 “Homosexuality is anathema to the group and in recent weeks the ji...
» gay bashing russian intelligence special operations - Google Search
11/05/15 18:50 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Brainwashing in America: 'WHY FEW DARE CALL IT ... teapartyorg.ning.com/.../brainwashing-in-america-why-few-dare-call-it-c... Cached Apr 1, 2014 - Last month, Russian paramilitary forces invaded Crimea with t...
11/05/15 18:50 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Brainwashing in America: 'WHY FEW DARE CALL IT ... teapartyorg.ning.com/.../brainwashing-in-america-why-few-dare-call-it-c... Cached Apr 1, 2014 - Last month, Russian paramilitary forces invaded Crimea with t...
» gay bashing cover russian intelligence special operations - Google Search
11/05/15 18:48 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Mitrokhin Archive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitrokhin_Archive Cached Similar The KGB sword and shield emblem appears on the covers of the six published ... of files hidden in hi...
11/05/15 18:48 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Mitrokhin Archive - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitrokhin_Archive Cached Similar The KGB sword and shield emblem appears on the covers of the six published ... of files hidden in hi...
» gay bashing cover russian intelligence - Google Search
11/05/15 18:47 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results Latvian Anti-Gay Movement Spills Over to U.S. | Southern ... <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/" rel="nofollow">www.splcenter.org/get-informed/</a> intelligence .../the...
11/05/15 18:47 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results Latvian Anti-Gay Movement Spills Over to U.S. | Southern ... <a href="http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/" rel="nofollow">www.splcenter.org/get-informed/</a> intelligence .../the...
» Anti-Gay Movement of Immigrant Fundamentalist Christians Threatens Western States
11/05/15 18:46 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . On the first day of July, Satender Singh was gay-bashed to death. The 26-year-old Fijian of Indian descent was enjoying a holiday weekend outing at Lake Natoma with three married Indian couples around his age...
11/05/15 18:46 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . On the first day of July, Satender Singh was gay-bashed to death. The 26-year-old Fijian of Indian descent was enjoying a holiday weekend outing at Lake Natoma with three married Indian couples around his age...
» gay baiting operations - Google Search
11/05/15 18:44 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . We're all trolls now, for better and for worse: How the Internet lost its ... Salon - May 9, 2015 ... who “fish for flames,” just as fishermen troll for a catch by trailing bait on a line. .... or...
11/05/15 18:44 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . We're all trolls now, for better and for worse: How the Internet lost its ... Salon - May 9, 2015 ... who “fish for flames,” just as fishermen troll for a catch by trailing bait on a line. .... or...
» Entrapment: Police sting operations for "lewd conduct in public" - YouTube
11/05/15 18:40 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Published on Jul 1, 2013 More info at <a href="http://www.shouselaw.com/lewd-conduct-lawyers.h" rel="nofollow">www.shouselaw.com/lewd-conduct-lawyers.h</a> tml Criminal defense attorn...
11/05/15 18:40 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Published on Jul 1, 2013 More info at <a href="http://www.shouselaw.com/lewd-conduct-lawyers.h" rel="nofollow">www.shouselaw.com/lewd-conduct-lawyers.h</a> tml Criminal defense attorn...
» gay entrapment russia - Google Search
11/05/15 18:39 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results CBC.ca WATCH: Russian Homophobes Are Using Social Media To Lure ... Towleroad - Jul 25, 2013 "Infamous Russian ultranationalist and former skin head, Maxim ... after President Vladimir Putin si...
11/05/15 18:39 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results CBC.ca WATCH: Russian Homophobes Are Using Social Media To Lure ... Towleroad - Jul 25, 2013 "Infamous Russian ultranationalist and former skin head, Maxim ... after President Vladimir Putin si...
» gay entrapment - Google Search
11/05/15 18:38 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . The Hindu 'The Roosevelts:' Ken Burns Closets Eleanor, Disappears FDR's ... Huffington Post - Sep 23, 2014 How could we not hear about the scandalous anti- gay witch hunt ... with the men they entrapped , and...
11/05/15 18:38 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . The Hindu 'The Roosevelts:' Ken Burns Closets Eleanor, Disappears FDR's ... Huffington Post - Sep 23, 2014 How could we not hear about the scandalous anti- gay witch hunt ... with the men they entrapped , and...
» Honeytrap tactic used by special squad of religious police | Latest News | Breaking UK News & World News Headlines
11/05/15 18:37 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . EXCUTION: A gay man is videoed being thrown to his death at ISIS' unofficial capital HQ Raqqa [IG] Graphic propaganda pictures of the Medieval-style murders have been distributed on at least four separate tim...
11/05/15 18:37 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . EXCUTION: A gay man is videoed being thrown to his death at ISIS' unofficial capital HQ Raqqa [IG] Graphic propaganda pictures of the Medieval-style murders have been distributed on at least four separate tim...
» ISIS using ‘honeytraps’ to find gay men and execute them · PinkNews
11/05/15 18:36 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from PinkNews. The group known as Islamic State have reportedly been employing “honeytraps” to coerce men into homosexuality before executing them. Members of the terrorist group, which has publishe...
11/05/15 18:36 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from PinkNews. The group known as Islamic State have reportedly been employing “honeytraps” to coerce men into homosexuality before executing them. Members of the terrorist group, which has publishe...
» ISIS militants trick gay men into dates so they can be 'arrested and killed'
11/05/15 18:36 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from News | Mail Online. Religious police are posing as gay men to prove victim's homosexuality The men are then arrested and murdered, sources inside ISIS territory say Vile videos have shown men being t...
11/05/15 18:36 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from News | Mail Online. Religious police are posing as gay men to prove victim's homosexuality The men are then arrested and murdered, sources inside ISIS territory say Vile videos have shown men being t...
» gay entrapment operations - Google Search
11/05/15 18:35 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results ISIS militants trick gay men into dates so they can be 'arrested and ... Daily Mail - May 9, 2015 Sick ISIS fanatics are setting up dates with gay men so they can lure ... 'Jihadists have been ...
11/05/15 18:35 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Search Results ISIS militants trick gay men into dates so they can be 'arrested and ... Daily Mail - May 9, 2015 Sick ISIS fanatics are setting up dates with gay men so they can lure ... 'Jihadists have been ...
» anti-gay "sting operations" russia - Google Search
11/05/15 18:33 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Variety 'Hunted: The War Against Gays In Russia ' Examines Nation's ... Huffington Post - Oct 4, 2014 Steele's crew spent time with members of different anti-gay groups, ... Some perform what amount to sting ...
11/05/15 18:33 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Variety 'Hunted: The War Against Gays In Russia ' Examines Nation's ... Huffington Post - Oct 4, 2014 Steele's crew spent time with members of different anti-gay groups, ... Some perform what amount to sting ...
» anti-gay "sting operations" - Google Search
11/05/15 18:32 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Grindr Warns Its Egypt Users About Anti-Gay " Sting Operations " By ... Bustle (satire) (press release) (registration) - Sep 29, 2014 Being openly gay on social media can have serious ramifications in countri...
11/05/15 18:32 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story . Grindr Warns Its Egypt Users About Anti-Gay " Sting Operations " By ... Bustle (satire) (press release) (registration) - Sep 29, 2014 Being openly gay on social media can have serious ramifications in countri...
» ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare Homosexuals
11/05/15 17:45 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Comments on: ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals. ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals Share on facebook 9766 Share on email Share on google_plusone...
See articles copies at:
Policing Gender And Sexuality In 2015
Russian Neo-Nazis Allegedly Lure, Torture Gay Teens With Online Dating Scam
ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare Homosexuals | Public reacts to East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office sting operations targeting gay community11/05/15 17:45 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinks
mikenova shared this story from Comments on: ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals. ISIS Sets ‘Honey Traps’ to Ensnare and Execute Homosexuals Share on facebook 9766 Share on email Share on google_plusone...
See articles copies at:
Policing Gender And Sexuality In 2015
Russian Neo-Nazis Allegedly Lure, Torture Gay Teens With Online Dating Scam
____________________________________________________________
Enigma codebreaker Alan Turing was posthumously pardoned for gross indecency, but thousands of British men’s lives are still blighted by similar charges. Their primary offence? Being gay. We hear their stories
Stephen Close
Stephen Close: ‘I was charged with gross indecency and sent for court martial. There was a lot of abuse from other staff and I was beaten up. All my army friends turned their backs on me. It was horrible.’ Photograph: Andrew Jackson for the Guardian
Mike Pattenden
Saturday 28 March 2015 05.00 EDT Last modified on Tuesday 7 April 2015 04.51 EDT
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via Email Share on LinkedIn Share on Google+
Shares
8,258
Comments
468
You don’t need a spoiler alert before being told how the Oscar-winning film, The Imitation Game, ends: mathematician and war hero Alan Turing was prosecuted for homosexual acts and, two years later, took his own life. In 2013, Turing was granted a posthumous royal pardon, but there are many more men whose lives were destroyed because of their sexuality, and who have lived with criminal records since.
The film inspired Matthew Breen, editor-in-chief of gay publication The Advocate, to set up a change.org petition demanding a pardon from the British government for 49,000 men convicted of consenting same-sex relations under the “gross indecency” law, 15,000 of whom are thought to be alive. A full-page advertisement in the Guardian in January, paid for by the movie’s producers, the Weinsteins, and signed by Benedict Cumberbatch and director Morten Tyldum, helped propel the pardon49k.org petition to over half a million signatures; it was delivered to Downing Street the day after this year’s Oscar ceremony by Turing’s family.
Last month, Liberal Democrat justice minister Simon Hughes said his party would demand a pardon in any coalition deal, though concerns have been expressed that a handful of paedophiles might slip through the net as a result. Campaigners say this could be avoided by introducing two amendments to current legislation: ensuring that the sex took place between consenting men, and that they were aged over 16.
While the 1967 Sexual Offences Act finally legalised homosexuality, it did little to end public and police persecution. According to research by campaigner Peter Tatchell into arrest figures during the 1980s, there were more than 20,000 convictions for the predominantly gay-related offences of gross indecency, soliciting and procuring. Entrapment was common, with police acting as agents provocateurs in public toilets.
All of this came to an end in 2003, with the repeal of the crime of gross indecency between men. In 2012, it became possible for those convicted of homosexual “sex offences” to have their criminal records erased under the Protection Of Freedoms Act – though not those deemed to have been committed in a public place such as toilets, where much of the entrapment went on.
The process is slow and often painful, however, and campaigners such as James Taylor, head of policy at Stonewall, want to see it simplified and extended. “There are still thousands of men out there who face difficulties because of convictions on their records,” Taylor says. “The fight for gay rights is not over.” These are some of their stories.
Stephen Close, 52, Salford
Stephen Close Facebook Twitter Pinterest
Stephen Close: ‘I served four months. It wasn’t long, but I was in pieces.’ Photograph: Andrew Jackson for the Guardian
I joined the army in 1980 because I was confused about my sexuality. Coming from a deprived, working-class area, we had no education about things like that. I thought the army might make a man of me.
I was sent to serve in Berlin, where one of my jobs was guarding Rudolf Hess. He was one of the architects of the Final Solution, which included the imprisonment and murder of thousands of gay men. Ironically, a month later I was myself in a British prison for being gay.
Alan Turing got an apology from Gordon Brown, but no one else has. It ruined my life
I was 20 and I’d had a few drinks with another soldier one night. There was some chemistry there. We started kissing, but unbeknown to us, another soldier was watching. The following day I was on the firing range when two military policemen arrived. I was escorted back to camp, where they put the allegations to me. I denied it. After several days of constant questioning, I cracked. At that point, I was charged with gross indecency and sent for court martial. There was a lot of abuse from other staff and I was beaten up. All my army friends turned their backs on me. I suppose they were afraid. It was horrible.
I had no legal representation at the court martial. I was sentenced to six months in military prison and discharged with disgrace. I was then flown out of Berlin under armed escort and transferred to Colchester military prison, where I had to wear red ribbons on my uniform to signify my crime, so the guards could keep an eye on me. My mum and dad came to visit me in prison. They were very understanding, really.
I served four months. It wasn’t long, but I was in pieces. I broke down on the train home to my parents – it felt like my life was in tatters. I spent a lot of time in my old bedroom. I had suicidal thoughts, low self-esteem and no confidence.
When I was released, my father gave me a talk. He said: “Although we don’t have much money, we will find a way of paying for a cure.” I told him there was no cure and I had come to terms with what I am. My father embraced me and told me he still loved me.
Stephen Close at Catterick firing range
Stephen Close at Catterick firing range in 1981, aged 19. Photograph: Andrew Jackson for the Guardian
Because of my record, I found it very difficult to get any decent work. I’d left a good job as an apprentice engineer to join up, too. In 2007, I had a job with a cleaning company and worked my way up to a supervising role. They won a contract to clean the local police stations, but that meant a criminal record check. I was told they wouldn’t give me clearance. I had to explain why to my manager and hand in my notice. I was angry and hurt again.
Then, in January 2013, two police officers came to my house demanding I go to the station to give my DNA or I’d be arrested. My mum was frantic, asking to know what I’d done wrong. It turned out to be part of Operation Nutmeg, in which criminals with convictions predating routine DNA collection could have theirs taken and added to the national database.
Advertisement
Afterwards, I sat in my car, devastated. All the life was sucked out of me. I couldn’t believe it was still haunting me after 30 years. Then Peter Tatchell launched a campaign and the DNA was destroyed. I applied to have my criminal record erased shortly afterwards, and eventually received a letter from the MoD saying my army record was now clear. There was no apology. It took a very long time to trust anyone, though I did go on to have two long-term relationships.
Now I want a pardon and an apology. Turing got one from Gordon Brown, but no one else has. It ruined my life. I have a poor job as a caretaker, no savings and no pension. I’m 53 and it’s too late to start a new career. All for a kiss.
Martin, 40, south London
In 1989 I was in my early teens and at secondary school in Kent, struggling to come to terms with my sexuality. I needed someone to talk to, so I confided in an English teacher. She asked if I was sexually active and, foolishly, I said I was. I expected advice, but instead my parents were informed and social services were brought in. Then the police became involved. They even used me in a covert operation, aimed at a local spot known for cruising. Fortunately, no one turned up, but my trust in everyone had evaporated. My school performance dropped and I left at 16, in 1991, with poor qualifications.
I’d wanted to be an electrician, but I ended up in a local department store. The owner made it clear he was aware of my sexuality from the off, so obviously the school had informed him when he asked for a reference.
Not long after, I met a lad my age in the park. I was relieved to find someone I could relate to. We saw each other a few times, then one week he wasn’t there. I was disappointed, because I’d hoped we could have a relationship. A few weeks later, just after my 17th birthday, I was called into the boss’s office. Two policeman arrested me and I was taken out in handcuffs in front of everyone. At the station, I was left in a cell for hours. I asked for a solicitor, but was told one wasn’t available.
When I was questioned, it transpired the boy I’d met was 15. It was a shock. I hadn’t asked, and it wasn’t as if he was in school uniform. In fact, I thought he was older than me. Nothing very sexual had gone on anyway, and at the time of our meetings there was a matter of months between us; we were both under the age of consent. A boy and a girl so close in age would not have been arrested.
When the indecent assault charges were read out in court, they had added “attempted buggery” to the list. I hadn’t done any such thing, nor was it on the original charge sheet. I had no legal advice to stop it. I was sent for trial at crown court and bailed.
That week I opened the local paper and there was my picture, coming out of court that day, along with some other people, and a story about a paedophile ring. I’d never seen any of them before. When I went back to work, I was attacked. Eventually, thankfully, a solicitor got the buggery charge dropped, but I was found guilty of gross indecency and indecent assault, and given two years’ probation.
I left the store, but it was hard to find work because of my criminal record. I got a job in a warehouse, then someone from my old school arrived and told everyone. I wasn’t taken on after my probation. I began to suffer from depression. I lost self-esteem and became increasingly careless about my own safety. In 2000, I was diagnosed HIV positive. I would have killed myself without the psychiatric help I got as a result of that.
The Turing petition has highlighted what went on in this country. An apology might help me move on, but it won’t make me HIV negative. Nothing will take away the pain I’ve suffered.
Today, I’m living in a council flat on benefits that the state are trying to stop. I’m studying so I can be an electrician, but I refuse to take a poorly paid job. Why should I, after everything? I’d rather die.
George Montague, 91, Brighton
I served my country during the second world war. I don’t want a pardon because I’m not guilty. I want an apology
George Montague, 91 Facebook Twitter Pinterest
George Montague: ‘A friend, a local doctor, went before a jury for a similar offence and was found not guilty, but it didn’t matter, because the story was in the press. It ruined him and he died a broken man.’ Photograph: Adam Ferguson for the Guardian
After the war, I lived in a small village called Hitcham in Buckinghamshire, where I ran an engineering business employing 40 people. I was a scout commissioner and a pillar of the community.
In 1974, when I was 50, I went to Slough for the day. There was no one else of my persuasion in Hitcham, so I used to go looking for company. There was no internet or gay scene, and hardly any bars, so we used to gravitate to “cottages”, or public toilets.
The place was empty but for one man in a cubicle. I went into the adjoining cubicle and locked the door. There was a hole in the wall between us, a sure sign it was a gay haunt.
I had a glance through and the chap was much older than me. I blocked up the hole and waited for him to go, but instead he pushed the paper out and attempted to put his penis through. At that moment there was a scuffling outside and a police officer craned over the top of the door. I was doing nothing; I hadn’t invited any contact from the other man, but the timing was awful. We were both arrested and taken to the police station.
During questioning, they produced a “queer list” with my name on it. They made it their business to find out the name of anyone locally who was gay. They’d do it by arresting a young gay boy and threatening him until he gave them as many names as possible. I was charged with gross indecency and sent for trial. I employed a solicitor and counsel, which cost a lot of money, and pleaded not guilty.
A friend, a local doctor, went before a jury for a similar offence and was found not guilty, but it didn’t matter, because all the details came out anyway. The story was in the press regardless. It ruined him and he died a broken man. The man in the adjoining cubicle to me pleaded guilty, which, I suppose, he was. That was also all over the papers – that he was a married man with children. The disgrace for many men was terrible.
There was no story about me, despite me being found guilty. I had a few contacts on the local paper because of my community work, and they were kind. There was suspicion in the scout movement, though, which made me angry and upset. I know the word “paedophile” was used, and that was humiliating. I resigned, which hurt a great deal.
I was fearful it would come out, though. My wife knew I was gay when she married me – she was a wonderfully supportive woman – but no one else knew: not friends, not my children. I took it in my stride. I came to terms with it, and had several relationships subsequently. Today, I live with my long-term partner of 18 years.
I was lucky, really, compared with some, but I remain very angry about what happened to me. I served my country during the second world war. I don’t want a pardon because I’m not guilty. I’m angry with the government and the entire establishment throughout the 20th century. They need to apologise to the gay community on behalf of their predecessors, and the police need to apologise for the way they enforced the law. There are many men out there with this stigma hanging around their neck.
Peter, 57, north London
I was 21 in 1979, when I was caught, entrapped, in public toilets, twice in one year.
The first time, I went into a toilet in Stockport and stood at the urinal nearest the door. A man at the far end kept staring at me. Then he moved one cubicle closer. At that moment, two policeman shot out of the washroom behind us, and we were arrested and taken to the station. I protested that I hadn’t done anything, but they said they’d seen us and that the other man had an erection, which was untrue. I was charged with soliciting and released.
I went home pretty fearful and looked up a solicitor in the Yellow Pages. When I explained what had happened, he asked if I was gay. When I said I was, he said, “Just plead guilty.” I did as I was told, and was given a £100 fine and a criminal record.
The following day, to my horror, it was the front page of the Manchester Evening News. People at work knew I was gay, but it was hugely embarrassing. I was far more worried about what my parents would say. My dad was very traditional, captain of the local golf club, that sort of thing. To this day, it’s never been discussed.
Alan Turing
Alan Turing aged 16; he was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ in 1952. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images
Six months later, I went into a public toilet in Manchester city centre. I was in a rush, but I noticed a pretty guy stood in a urinal a few places along. His face was very flushed. He kept looking at me, giving the impression he was masturbating. As I glanced at him, another man entered the toilet, walked behind us, then walked straight out. When I left, he was waiting outside. He stopped me and arrested me for soliciting. The young guy came out and turned out to be a policeman. Nothing sexual had happened, but they both testified I had an erection, which was, again, totally untrue. I was taken to the station, where the conviction from earlier in the year inevitably came up: “You’ve got a record for this sort of thing, haven’t you?”
I couldn’t believe it. I was charged and let go. I found another solicitor, whose advice was the same: plead guilty. In court, I was given a heavier fine and another conviction for a sexual offence was added to my record. This time, the story only made page three of the Manchester Evening News.
People will wonder why I didn’t make more of a fuss at the station, but Manchester was a very precarious place for gay men back then. I had first-hand experience of their hypocrisy even before those two incidents.
When I was 18, I was walking home from a gay bar when an older man attacked me under a railway arch and raped me. He was huge and I couldn’t fight him off. I agonised about it for a few days, then decided to report it, so I went to the local police station. As I approached, the desk sergeant looked up from his pad: it was the man who had raped me. I turned around and ran out.
I got over what happened reasonably well. Last year, I married my long-term partner and I have a decent job where no one cares that I’m out. But I’m still angry about what happened. I don’t want a pardon, because I didn’t commit an offence. I want an apology and I want these convictions taken off my record, although I don’t hold out much hope.
Richard, 69, Warwick
I grew up in a small mining town in Staffordshire. In 1962, I was 16 and had just left school to go to college. It wasn’t the sort of place where you acted gay if you had any sense, so you looked for a cottage. I met a few local lads that way. Then we met an older guy in his 40s who had a car.
There was no grooming, but one of the boys let it slip that he had been with another lad, and his parents reported what was going on. I was stopped in the street one day and taken to the station. Once they had me in there, I was told that the others had confessed to having sex, which turned out to be untrue. I was terrified. They had to bring my father in. He got hold of a solicitor, who was useless. As the pressure built, he didn’t stop me from talking. He was more like, “Get it off your chest.” I was asked if this older guy was involved. I said yes and he was arrested, too. We were all told to plead guilty. The older guy pleaded not guilty and was found not guilty.
I don’t feel sorry for myself, but I do feel sorry for the men who killed themselves because of their treatment
I went before a magistrate and was remanded in custody, on the basis I might reoffend. I can recall the disgust on the magistrate’s face. I was in tears and no one from my family was there to help. A black maria came and I was taken to Winson Green prison to await sentence.
There was no induction wing, so I was put among the men. I appealed on the basis that the older guy had been found not guilty, so I couldn’t have done anything, either. It was thrown out and I was sent to borstal. It was complete summary justice.
I was taken to Shrewsbury prison and then moved to Wormwood Scrubs, which was the holding prison, while they waited for a place at Feltham Young Offenders. I was in the Scrubs for a month before I finally moved to Feltham, where I was put in a separate unit with about 100 others, all in single rooms because of our status. About 70 or 80 of us were in for homosexual offences, the rest were rapists and the like.
I was in there for about 15 months, on top of the three I’d served on remand. It was tolerable. I wasn’t beaten up, fortunately. My family came to visit once. Inside, I had a job as a carpenter’s assistant with a member of staff who used me for sexual favours and paid me in tobacco.
When I got out, I returned home for a while, but I hardly ever went out – I was too scared. Eventually, I left and moved to Birmingham. My relationship with my parents never recovered.
I’ve buried what happened to me, but the scars are there. Only a few people know what happened, and there’s always that fear of being exposed. My ex-wife knew, because I’m bisexual, but my kids don’t.
I don’t feel sorry for myself, but I do feel sorry for the men who killed themselves because of their treatment. I didn’t know I could have my conviction quashed until now, and I’m going to apply. I believe there should be a pardon for all those treated so badly. I can forgive my parents for what happened, but I’ll never forgive the police and the justice system. Some names have been changed
____________________________________________________
Comments
Post a Comment