US Attorney General Loretta Lynch Sworn In!

America, we finally have a United States Attorney General!

She had to wait over 160 days for it,  but Loretta E. Lynch is now officially the second woman, second African American and first African-American woman to become Attorney General.

She was sworn in earlier today, and here's that historic moment.

US Trans Survey Coming This Summer

The National Transgender Discrimination Survey that was conducted in 2010 as a joint project of the Task Force and NCTE it the largest survey ever conducted on transgender discrimination,

It was subsequently released in the 2011 Injustice At Every Turn report was not only groundbreaking, it has been the gift that keeps on giving in terms of trans advocacy work.

There were 6450 respondents that took part in the original survey, and the link to the 2011 survey on the Task Force website has been accessed more than 15,000 times by advocates, academics, media and policymakers.   It has been broken down into 24 state profiles, including Texas. I've referred to those stats generated in the 2011 report in numerous blog posts and when doing lobbying or advocacy on behalf of the community.

It was also great to know that enough trans people of color took the NTDS to come up with statistical breakdowns in the African-American, Latin@, Asian-Pacific Islander communities.

And now, renamed the US Trans Survey, will be conducted during the summer of 2015 and subsequently every five years to take the pulse of the trans community.   

And when it happens, we need in Trans World to double the over 6450 respondents that took part in the original survey and get enough participation so we can get statewide data for all 50 states..

We also need to make sure we get increased participation from trans communities of color so we get even better statistics that we can use for the next five years.

Where Does Hillary Stand On Trans Issues?

Former secretary of state Hillary Rodham Clinton declared today she is a candidate for the 2016 Democratic nomination for president. 

While many people are justifiably excited on our side of the political spectrum that she has finally done so, she's seen as a prohibitive favorite to win the nomination, the general election and be inaugurated as the 46th and first female president of the United States, there is still a long way to go until that possibly happens.

Should we have that happen, and on January 20, 2017 we end up with a second President Clinton, one of the questions we are currently asking in Trans World is whether she would be as great a president on trans issues as President Obama currently is.



The question on whether she would be that trans friendly president combined with her early endorsement by an HRC we were royally pissed at in 2007 is why many of us in Trans World (myself included) not only supported then Senator Obama, we also took the unprecedented step of putting our money where our mouths were by setting up an ActBlue page.

That page raised over $10K for his ultimately successful capturing of the Democratic nomination in June 2008 and the presidency five months later, and as we'd hoped, President Obama did indeed become the most trans friendly POTUS ever.

Now there is no fracking way I'll be voting for a Teapublican in 2016.  I know this election is far too important.   Four SCOTUS seats may pop open during this next term. There are still vacant seats in the federal judiciary.   We have serious issues like income inequality and global warming amongst others to tackle. 

And with the GOP controlling both houses of Congress, we will need a Democratic POTUS standing by with her (or our eventual nominee) veto pen.

You ignore the trans community at your political peril, as we proved in 2008.   But I have to ask if a President Clinton will appoint a qualified trans person to either her cabinet or to positions in her administration?  Will she continue the trans inclusive policy direction that the Obama administration has set in motion?  

Will she push for a trans inclusive ENDA?   Will her attorney general interpret the 1964 Civil Rights Act as covering trans Americans and vigorously prosecute anti-trans discrimination?

Will she even say 'transgender' or acknowledge our existence during and after her we hope will be successful campaign?

She stated she wants to be a champion for everyday Americans/   Does that extend to trans* Americans?

These are questions that many of us in Trans World will need to have answered by her or her campaign before many trans skeptics will be 'Ready For Hillary'.

 

150th Anniversary Of Lee's Surrender To Grant

150 years ago today CSA General Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia after abandoning the Richmond-Petersburg area, headed west in an attempt to link up to the Confederate forces in North Carolina while pursued by Union forces under .Lt. Gen Ulysses S. Grant.

The Confederate retreat was cut off at Appomattox Court House, and Lee launched an attack that morning that sought to break through the Union force in front of him under the assumption it was just a cavalry unit.   When it turned out it was backed up by two Union corps size infantry units, Lee had no choice but to surrender, and did

The surrender of Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia to Grant effectively ended the War To Perpetuate Slavery combat in Virginia.   But as word spread of Lee's surrender, it had seismic effects with the rest of the starving and disillusioned Confederate armies still in the field.

Gen. Joseph E. Johnston surrendered his army in North Carolina on April 26 to Gen. William T. Sherman in Durham, NC.  Gen Edmund Kirby Smith surrendering the Trans-Mississippi Department near New Orleans and Nathan Bedford Forrest (the future KKK founder) surrendering in May. 

The last battle of the Civil War took place in Texas at Palmito Ranch on May 12-13, and the last sizable Confederate unit under Gem Stand Watie surrendered in Oklahoma on June 23.

It also meant that with the military defeat of the Confederacy, it mean the end of their traitorous armed insurrection against the US government, their attempt to win by force keeping slavery alive and the emancipation of my ancestors. 

FBI Director Comey's Speech On Race And The Po-Po's

FBI Director James Comey basically said the same thing Attorney General Eric Holder said a few years ago, but peeps are going to go gaga over this narrowly tailored speech on race and law enforcement because a white male said it.

Director Comey traveled to Georgetown University on February 12 and spoke to the assembled crowd about the need for law enforcement officers and the citizens they serve to discuss the historic and problematic disconnect between the police and communities of color.

Will be interesting to see the freak out the conservafools have about this speech.

President Obama Says The 'T' Word In His 2015 SOTU Speech!

"That’s why we defend free speech, and advocate for political prisoners, and condemn the persecution of women, or religious minorities, or people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender."
--President Barack Obama, January 20, 2015

The 2015 State of the Union speech was broadcast to our nation earlier tonight.

While there was a lot to like in President Obama's speech, one of the things that has electrified Trans Nation was the fact that he made a little history by mentioning us in it.

While cynics will say that the POTUS uttering the word 'transgender' in the State of the Union speech won't magically change the lives of trans people in the United States, it still matters to every trans person inside the borders of this country.  

What it does do is act as a shot of inspirational self esteem to a downtrodden and maligned community that damned sure can use it.  At a time when the Religious Right and the conservative movement is increasingly attacking us with falsehoods and lies, it makes us feel included in the life of this country.

We'll also be standing a little bit taller in the morning with wider smiles on our faces. 

It's wonderful when the leader we trans peeps elected with our votes twice in 2008 and 2012 recognizes us with the nation's and the world's television cameras on him.

It says to us trans folks, we matter.   It also mattered that our trans kids got to hear their president say 'transgender' tonight along with their trans elders.
 
Yeah, we in Trans America know we have a lot of work ahead of us until trans human rights are a reality across this nation.  But hey, let us trans peeps revel in our historic moment.

This is one State of the Union speech we'll never forget.

DOJ Will Interpret 1964 Civil Rights Act As Protecting Trans Government Employees

With Christmas being a week away,  US transpeeps just got a wonderful human rights present from the Department of Justice.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that they will now interpret the 1964 Civil Rights Act as protecting transgender government employees from discrimination.

Going to take legislation for that to happen for the rest of us trans Americans, but if you're working in the government sector this is fantastic news.

In a memo released today, Holder wrote that the "best reading of Title VII's prohibition of sex discrimination is that it encompasses discrimination based on gender identity, including transgender status." Holder said that while Congress "may not have had such claims in mind when it enacted Title VII, the Supreme Court has made clear that Title VII must be interpreted according to its plain text."

In a statement, Holder called the move an “important shift" that "will ensure that the protections of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are extended to those who suffer discrimination based on gender identity, including transgender status."

You will call the Employment Litigation Section of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division.  They have the responsibility of enforcing Title VII claims against state and local governments.   The DOJ doesn't prosecute claims against private employers, and you would need to see the EEOC for that.

But in a 2014 Christmas season where we could use some good news in Trans World, this is a start.

Team USA Is Going To Canada!

The USA women's team on Sunday finished handling their CONCACAF business in PPL Park and captured their seventh title with a 6-0 rout of Costa Rica on the strength of Abby Wambach's four goals and another clean sheet by Hope Solo.

The Ticas aren't too disappointed.  They will be heading to their first ever Women's World Cup thanks to their showing in this CONCACAF qualification tournament in which they won their group and made it to the finals.

Oh yeah, did I forget to mention Team USA also qualified for next year's Women's World Cup in Canada in addition to winning the tournament?

That qualification business was handled when Team USA beat Mexico 3-0 in the semifinals on Friday to avenge that 2-1 loss Mexico pinned on them four years ago.

Speaking of Mexico, they will be going to the World Cup next year along with the Ticas after beating Trinidad and Tobago 4-2 in the Third Place game to capture the third CONCACAF auto qualifying spot.

As for Trinidad and Tobago's heartwarming quest to make history and become the first ever Caribbean based female squad to make it to the World Cup, they will have to play a two leg aggregate score playoff against CONMEBOL rep (South America) Ecuador in order to punch their ticket to Canada.

Since the Mexican team plays their games at high altitude (7200 feet),the Mexican Football Federation has made the classy offer of a training facility in Mexico City to help Trinidad and Tobago get ready for that 9300 foot altitude November 8 first leg in Quito that awaits the Soca Princesses.   The return leg is in Trinidad and Tobago on December 2.

Congrats to Team USA and all the CONCACAF nations that will be playing next summer in Canada.   Hopefully Trinidad and Tobago will get to join that party. 

And I'm hoping Team USA finally gets to add that third star on their jerseys next summer.

The SCOTUS Starts Its 2014-15 Session Today

Hide the Constitution, because the SCOTUS is in session starting today through June 2015

And yeah, have no love for the four conservafool politicians in black robes and their kneegrow sycophant who is a disgrace to the memory and distinguished legal career of Thurgood Marshall

As to what cases they will accept  for argument, while they are ducking same sex marrige for now, they are taking on a potentially important race-discrimination case to its 2014-15 docket.

It's a case that could have major implications for would-be borrowers, banks, and businesses.

As of yet don't see any voting rights cases on the docket or any others that impact LGBT rights, but you know I'll be paying close attention and will post any news of what happens there if one pops up between now and June 2015.

2014 FIBA World Cup Watch-Back To Back FIBA Champions!

Team USA started this basketball business trip at the end of August with a few goals in mind.  They wanted to become only the third nation to win back to back FIBA titles.  They wanted to keep  their winning streak going, and most importantly, qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic basketball tournament.|

But to accomplish all of those goals, they would first nento get to the title game and win it.

That road to the title game started with a what was anticipated to be a tough semifinal matchup with Lithuania.   The USA is 5-1 against Lithuania since 2000, but the loss was in pool play during the 2004 Olympics, and they have been single digit margin wins.

And this semifinal game stayed true to the pattern they had established in this tournament.  They got off to a slow start, an led Lithuania by only seven points at halftime.

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Then came the third quarter and the 10-0 USA run that broke the game wide open.  They finished with a 33-14 quartet that turned what was a close game into a comfortable 96-68 romp to the FIBA final in Madrid.

With host nation Spain now out of the tournament due to their upset loss to France, they came into Sunday's title game as heavy favorites to walk away with the James Naismith Trophy.

Their opponent was Serbia, who knocked off France in the other semifinal.

Serbia jumped out to a 15-7 first quarter lead before Kyrie Irving shattered and splattered their upset title dreams by personally igniting a 15-0  USA run in which he lit up the Serbians with 15 first quarter points on 6 of 7 shooting and trigger the 9 of 12 three point shoot barrage that blew the game wide open and sent Team USA romping to a 129-92 win.

In addition to completing their tournament run and shutting up the international skeptics with a spotless 9-0 record, they (and the Brazilians as the host nation) get to chill while everyone else in the FIBA Americas Zone tries to qualify for Rio.

They also became the first men's squad to win four straight international B-ball tournaments (2008 and 2012 Olympics, 2010 and 2014 

And what's scary for the rest of the FIBA basketball world to contemplate, we won this title without LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Blake Griffin, and Chris Paul . 

The 2016 Rio Games should be fun to watch.

2014 FIBA World Cup Watch-Rolling To The Semis

When I last checked in with Team USA in the 2014 FIBA World Cup Tournament in Spain they were just clinching the top spot in Group C pool play in Bilbao after blowing out New Zealand and the Dominican Republic. 

Their final Group C game was on September 4 against Ukraine, who have been coached since 2011 by Mike Fratello, the former Atlanta Hawks head man and NBA TV analyst.  

Thanks to another slow start by Team USA in which they didn't score for the first nearly 5 minutes of the game,  Ukraine led 19-14 at the end of the first quarter and 27-25 midway through the second until a 19-5 run over the last 4:43 of the second quarter propelled Team USA to a 44-32 halftime lead.  

The third quarter has been Team USA's quarter in this 2014 FIBA World Cup tournament, and this game was no exception to that pattern. 

The USA lead grew to 69-54 by the end of it, and two quick baskets to start the fourth quarter ensured that Team USA would close this game out with a spotless 5-0 record in pool play with the 95-71 victory over Ukraine. 

James Harden made us all happy in H-town with his 17 points to lead all USA scorers. Stephen Curry added 14 points with Anthony Davis chipping in 12. 

After a day off to travel to Barcelona, because Team USA finished in their accustomed spot at the top of the group standings, they were rewarded by an initial Round of 16 knockout game on September 6 with the fourth place team from Group D, which turned out to be our southern neighbors Mexico. 


While there is a bitter rivalry between the USA and Mexico in men's and women's soccer, that's not the case on the basketball court.  The last time we played Mexico was during the 2007 FIBA Olympic Qualifying tournament quarterfinals, and the last time we met in FIBA World Cup action was 1967. 

To make it more daunting for Mexico, this game was being played in the Palau Saint Jordi Arena, where the Dream Team romped to gold in 1992.  

Unlike the previous Group C pool games, Team USA got off to a fast 13-2 start.  Mexico pushed back with a 7-0 run of their own but Team USA finished the quarter with a 23-13 lead and surged to a 42-27 halftime edge.

Then Stephen Curry started lighting the Mexicans up from 3 point range and propelled Team USA to the quarterfinals.  He hit two of his six three pointers back to back to start a personal 11-0 run that pushed the USA third quarter lead to 50-27. 

Curry finished with a team high 20 points on 7 of 10 shooting, of which 9 of his 10 shot attempts were behind the FIBA arc.  Klay Thompson contributed another 15 points to the Team USA cause while James Harden chipped in 12 points to send Team USA to the quarterfinal game against Slovenia with an 86-63 victory. 

In yesterday's quarterfinal against Slovenia, Team USA reverted to its previous slow start pattern.  It missed its first seven shots and finished the first half shooting a miserable 36.2% but aggressive offensive rebounding kept them in the game.   They finished the first half with 16 offensive rebounds and a narrow seven point lead.          

Once again, the third quarter has been the killer quarter for Team USA and they lived up to their tournament rep.  They stormed out of the locker  room and scored 37 points in the quarter to blow the game open, finish with 50% shooting and romp to a tournament high 119-76 win over Slovenia. .

Klay Thompson had team high scoring honors with 20 points off the bench with Kenneth Faried and Anthony Davis clocking double-doubles.  Derrick Rose started looking like his old self with 12 points and five assists to help send Team USA to the semifinals against the always dangerous Lithuania.

The repeat is not complete yet.  The host nation Spain is looking equally as impressive on their side of the bracket and they want nothing more than to avenge that Olympic loss to the USA in Madrid.   But they have to get through France first.

Meanwhile Team USA needs to up their game to get past Lithuania and earn that trip to Madrid for the final   .       
 

2014 FIBA World Cup Watch-Just Winning, Baby!

The 2014 FIBA World Cup started while I was chilling in Louisville, and I got the opportunity when I wasn't running around hanging out with various peeps to watch Team USA take on Group C in Bilbao.

This version of Team USA is the youngest one (average age 24) we have sent to FIBA competition since we started using NBA ballers to handle our international basketball business.  

The first game for Team USA on August 30 was against Finland, and it was the first time since the 1964 Tokyo Olympics that we'd played the Wolfpack in an international basketball game.  

Team USA made short work of Finland by shooting 59% from the field, holding them to 0-17 shooting and a pair of free throws in the second period while rolling to a 60-18 halftime lead.  

They blew them out of the Barakaldo Arena 114-55 for their 55th straight win in FIBA competition and their first one in group C play.   

The next day was the 2010 FIBA final rematch against Turkey, and it wasn't the walk in the park that the Finland game was.   Turkey slowed the game down to their pace, dared the USA shooters to hit three pointers (only one of those 9 first half three point attempts went in), clogged up the lanes with Omer Asik and fouled USA players to prevent fast break baskets when Turkey turned it over.  Thanks to 37%  first half shooting, sloppy ball handling and subpar defense, Team USA found itself trailing 40-35 at the half.

Coach K implemented the full court pressure defense to start the second half, and that got Team USA's fast break offense jumpstarted.



They trailed Turkey through much of the third quarter and tied at 59 with 3:10 left before they woke up,  fixed the turnover issues and the dynamic duo of Kenneth Faried and Anthony Davis asserted themselves.   Faried led all scorers with 22 points with Davis scoring all 19 of his in the second half as Team USA used a 7-1 third quarter closing burst for a 66-60 lead.   The fourth quarter opening 10-0 run helped put the game away and powered Team USA to a hard fought 98-77 win and a 2-0 record in Group C play.

After getting Labor Day off, Team USA resumed its quest for a FIBA title repeat by facing the Tall Blacks of New Zealand yesterday.  

New Zealand brought their rugby tradition of doing the haka dance to Barakaldo Arena before they played Team USA.   After the Tall Blacks showed off their haka dance moves, Team USA proceeded to dance all over New Zealand 98-71.    

It was Faried and Davis doing the damage once again, with Davis scoring a game high 21 points and Faried contributing a double double with 15 points and 11 rebounds to keep Team USA unbeaten in Group C play at 3-0 before they face the 2-1 Dominican Republic at 3:30 EDT. 

So far so good in Spain so far.  

TransGriot Update:  After another slow start, Team USA woke up to run away with a 106-71 win over the Dominican Republic and clinch the top spot in Group C.   They play their final group game tomorrow against Ukraine before they head to Barcelona to begin knockout round play against the 4th place team in Group D. 

40th Anniversary Of Nixon's Presidential Resignation

The Watergate saga came to an end when embattled President Richard Nixon, who was about to become the first president to be impeached and removed from office, resigned effective at noon EDT on August 9, 1974 rather than face the ignominy of being impeached and removed from office.

And yeah, as a teenaged political junkie, I watched the speech that Nixon gave to the nation on the night of August 8, 1974

50th Anniversary Of The Civil Rights Act of 1964 Signing

I was a mere toddler when this event happened, but it was a critical one in determining the type of America I got to grow up in as an African-American child.

On this date in 1964, with the Rev. Dr Martin Luther King, Jr as one of the witnesses, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the landmark Civil Rights Act into law.

It was the signature legislation of the Civil Rights Movement.  The law barred segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. 

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 It fundamentally changed our country for the better with its passage and when the voting rights, fair housing, and other civil rights legislation was passed in its trailblazing wake followed by court cases that further validated, clarified and built upon that landmark legislation. . 

Here's what President Johnson had to say about the Civil Rights Act at the time when he signed it.  

2014 WH LGBT Pride Reception Today

I know two people who will be in the room when this happens at 4:30 PM EDT, and will probably find out in a few hours who the other peeps were who were in attendance.

The White House LGBT Pride reception happens today, and as soon as the video of President Obama's remarks is up, I'll embed it in this post. 

One of the people I know who will be there and repping my community well is Dr. Kortney Ryan Ziegler.    One of my fellow Texans will be in the room as well.

Congratulations to those of you who were invited to attend.  Y'all have fun while you are in DC.    

USA 2014 World Cup Watch-Escaping The 'Group Of Death'

The USA went into their final Group G match with FIFA number 2 ranked Germany in pretty good shape despite the disappointing draw with Portugal.   

A win would put them atop the group, and a draw would allow them to advance.as well.  There was also conspiracy theory chatter before the game that speculated because a draw would suit both nations purposes and with all the interlocking connections both sides had, both teams would park the bus and play keep away for 90 minutes and a 0-0 draw.  

Even if they lost to the Germans, as long as Portugal beat Ghana in Brasilia and didn't score more than 5 goals the USA would advance to the knockout round that way. 

But on a soggy pitch in Recife in which torrential rain rain fell in the city and during much of the match Die Mannschaft blew that speculation out of the window.   They came out of the gate relentlessly attacking the USA who had one less day rest than they did.   Thanks to Tim Howard making some outstanding saves and Omar Gonzales doing yeoman's work to clear the crosses peppering the USA box the game went into the half drawn at 0-0.

The other thing making American fans less nervous about the game was hearing that Portugal was up 1-0 in their match with Ghana thanks to a John Boye own goal

Things changed after halftime with the insertion of Miroslav Klose into the game for Germany.   In the 55th minute Howard punched out an initial Per Mertesacker's header that unfortunately went right to Thomas Muller.

Muller blasted it past a diving Howard into the right corner for his fourth goal of the tournament.

To make things worse two minutes later word came from Brasilia that Ghana's Asamoah Gyan scored an equalizing goal to level that match at 1-1.   But Cristiano Ronaldo saved the day once again for his nation by burying a horrendous clearance in the 80th minute for what turned out to be the winning goal for Portugal and the one that sent the USA through to the knockout round. 

Meanwhile in stoppage time the USA was fighting to get on the board and had its two best scoring chances of the match.  A counter attack in which Alejandro Bedoya unleashed a laser toward the German goal but Phillipp Lahm's sliding challenge blocked it.   Then the ensuing cross fell to Dempsey at point blank range, but his header went agonizing over the crossbar to end with the Germans on top 1-0. 

Germany takes Group G as expected, but the USA for the second straight World Cup advances out of the group stage as the surprising to the soccer pundits Group G runners-up .   

They get to rest after a brutal travel schedule and prep for a short 420 mile trip for them to their knockout round date Tuesday July 1 in Salvador against Group H winner Belgium. 
 

USA 2014 World Cup Watch-Missed Opportunity

Going into the USA's second Group G match in Manaus with FIFA number 3 ranked Portugal, thanks to their thrilling 2-1 win against Ghana, the USA with a win was in the unexpected position by international soccer pundits to clinch a spot into the knockout round.

But Portugal and their all-everythang player Cristiano Ronaldo were pissed off about the 4-0 buttkicking Germany handed them.   Ronaldo was even more pissed off about the criticism he was taking for not producing goals for his nation on his sports biggest stage. 

Portugal was playing for their World Cup lives.and the opening minutes of this match reflected it.  Just a mere five minutes into the match a failed clearance by Geoff Cameron was pounced on by Nani and he buried it into the upper left hand corner of the net over Tim Howard for a 1-0 Portugal lead they took into halftime.

But it wasn't for lack of trying by the USA.  In the 28th minute a Michael Bradley strike skidded agonizingly wide a few feet of the right goalpost.  

In the 55th minute came the USA's best chance to score and even the match.   A fantastic run by Fabian Johnson drew out the Portuguese keeper and Johnson crossed to a trailing Michael Bradley who had the goal and defender Ricardo Costa in front of him.   Costa got just enough of his knee out to deflect the almost sure goal to keep his side in the lead.

Then in the 64th minute came the equalizing laser from distance by Jermaine Jones to knot the score at one all and cause soccer fans across the USA to collectively exhale.



The USA kept attacking and was rewarded in the 81st minute with captain and my fellow Texan Clint Dempsey's go ahead goal off a Graham Zusi cross.   2-1 USA!

All the USA had to do was play keep away for 15 minutes and they were headed out of Arena da Amazonia with a signature win over a Top 5 ranked FIFA squad and a punched ticket to the knockout round. 

The USA successfully did so for 14:30.  Then Ronaldo proved in stoppage time why he gets $40 million to play the beautiful game.   A midfield giveaway turned into a Portuguese counterattack led by Ronaldo, a perfectly crossed ball by him into the box that Silvestre Varela headed past Tim Howard for the goal that salvaged a draw and had Americans going WTF? 




Ronaldo salvaged a tie out of the jaws of World Cup defeat and elimination.  

While the USA got a point out of the disappointing draw and can still advance out of the 'Group of Death' with a win or draw against the FIFA number 2 ranked Germans, they could have made their lives a lot easier tomorrow had they handled their World Cup business in Manaus last Sunday.

Because if they fail to get out of the group, they will be thinking about that missed opportunity and that Varela goal for the next four years. 

We'll see what happens in Recife tomorrow.

USA World Cup 2014 Watch-Revenge!

When the World Cup draw happened a few months ago with the USA ending up in the Group G  'Group of Death' with Germany, Portugal and Ghana, the June 16th game with Ghana was the one the USA pointed to.

Ghana was responsible for eliminating the USA out of the 2006 and 2010 World Cup Finals knockout rounds and payback was on the menu in this 2014 Brazilian edition.

The USA wanted to get off to a fast start in their opening Group.G match played in Natal and they did. 

Clint Dempsey scored 32 seconds into the match with the sixth fastest goal scored in World Cup history to stake the USA to an early 1-0 lead they stubbornly held despite determined Ghanian counterattacks until the 82nd minute.

Andre Ayew received a gorgeous back heel pass that he blasted past USA goalkeeper Tim Howard to tie the game and give USA fans 'there they go again' nightmares of another World Cup loss to Ghana . 

But not on this night.   In the 86th minute sub John Brooks headed in the winning goal off a corner kick and made a little USA World Cup  history by doing so.  He became the first USA sub ever to score a World Cup goal.

The USA still had to navigate the rest of the second half and 5 nerve wracking minutes of extra time to secure their opening Group G win and a vital 3 points in the standings.

And oh yeah, beating Ghana was the most delicious part of it. 

But this win was costly as striker Jozy Altidore left in the first half with a hamstring injury, Matt Besler had a milder version of one in the second half and Clint Dempsey ended up with a broken nose after being kicked in the face.

It only gets tougher for Team USA.  They face a Portugal team in Manaus mauled by Germany 4-0 that will be pissed off, determined to show the world they can play better than they did June 16 and fighting for their World Cup lives.

And if Team USA survives that match, they will close out group play in Recife on June 26 against Germany.  

   

Director Thompson, How About A 'Transgender' Category For the 2020 Census?

US Census Bureau Director John H. Thompson wrote a blogpost yesterday announcing that a Local Census Office was opening in Washington  DC for a Local Census Test scheduled to take place on July 1.

It will be conduced in 200,000 homes in parts of Washington DC and Montgomery County, MD and is designed to research way to make the 2020 Census more cost effective, efficient and easier for people to respond to accomplish its goal off accurately counting the population of our country.

That announcement has also got me thinking once again about something that I have been pushing for to happen ever since I made my first trip to DC 16 years ago this month.   I have been asking for as part of the identity options available for checkoff on the US census forms to add a 'transgender' category to it. 

So what say you, Director Thompson?   Transpeople have been part of our country for over a century and it's past time we started counting them.  I've been saying 1-3% of the population is transgender based on the Lynn Conway prevalence of of transsexualism ratios she came up with, and it would be nice to have some hard Census data to back that up.    

We need to find out exactly how many transpeople reside in the borders of the United States and get US census data on our lives that can't be dismissed or ignored by our conservafool opponents.. 

Nations such as Nepal and India already do so.   It would be nice to walk into a city, state or federal legislative office when you're lobbying them for a human rights issue, and when they deploy the 'I have no trans constituents' lie, the rebuttal can be "The census says you have X amount of trans people in your district."

With the next US Census being six years from happening, it's time we as a community began pushing hard now for the ability of transpeople to be counted in 2020. 

2014 WH Proclamation For LGBT Pride Month

May 30, 2014
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL, AND TRANSGENDER PRIDE MONTH, 2014

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION

As progress spreads from State to State, as justice is delivered in the courtroom, and as more of our fellow Americans are treated with dignity and respect -- our Nation becomes not only more accepting, but more equal as well. During Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Pride Month, we celebrate victories that have affirmed freedom and fairness, and we recommit ourselves to completing the work that remains.

Last year, supporters of equality celebrated the Supreme Court's decision to strike down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act, a ruling which, at long last, gave loving, committed families the respect and legal protections they deserve. In keeping with this decision, my Administration is extending family and spousal benefits -- from immigration benefits to military family benefits -- to legally married same-sex couples.

My Administration proudly stands alongside all those who fight for LGBT rights. Here at home, we have strengthened laws against violence toward LGBT Americans, taken action to prevent bullying and harassment, and prohibited discrimination in housing and hospitals. Despite this progress, LGBT workers in too many States can be fired just because of their sexual orientation or gender identity; I continue to call on the Congress to correct this injustice by passing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. And in the years ahead, we will remain dedicated to addressing health disparities within the LGBT community by implementing the Affordable Care Act and the National HIV/AIDS Strategy -- which focuses on improving care while decreasing HIV transmission rates among communities most at risk.

Our commitment to advancing equality for the LGBT community extends far beyond our borders. In many places around the globe, LGBT people face persecution, arrest, or even state-sponsored execution. This is unacceptable. The United States calls on every nation to join us in defending the universal human rights of our LGBT brothers and sisters.

This month, as we mark 45 years since the patrons of the Stonewall Inn defied an unjust policy and awakened a nascent movement, let us honor every brave leader who stood up, sat in, and came out, as well as the allies who supported them along the way. Following their example, let each of us speak for tolerance, justice, and dignity -- because if hearts and minds continue to change over time, laws will too.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim June 2014 as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.  I call upon the people of the United States to eliminate prejudice everywhere it exists, and to celebrate the great diversity of the American people.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirtieth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.

BARACK OBAMA