AG Holder Speech On Race And Justice System

The National Action Network 's 14th annual convention is happening in Washington DC through April 14 as I write this.  You folks in DC you may want to head down to the Convention Center and check it out.

Yesterday Attorney General Eric Holder was the opening speaker at the event and talked about the Trayvon Martin Case, voting rights, and defending Section 5 of the 1965 Voting Rights Act which is being challenged by the conservafools

Where's George? Finally In Jail

Where's George Zimmerman?  If you wish to find him it'll be at his current address at the Seminole County Jail.

It took 45 days too long, but he has finally been arrested and charged with 2nd degree murder in the case of Trayvon Martin.   He'll be standing in front a judge tomorrow copping his plea.

Finally, we will get the opportunity to see if the justice system works when the victim is an unarmed Black teen and the perp is a white male with a history of profiling African Americans and anger issues to go with it

Looks like we'll have another Florida trial the country and the world will be watching unfold in its television screens.
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Tona's Take On Barbara Walters 'The View' Interview

Tona sounds off about the piss poor Barbara Walters 'The View' interview of Jenna Talackova that has the trans community fired up, and not in a good way.

Barbara Walters 'The View' Inteview Of Jenna

Here's the problematic interview Barbara Walters conducted with Jenna Talackova on 'The View'

Houston Astros Inaugural Game Anniversary

This is a bittersweet season for Houston Astros fans since this is the last one in the National League no thanks to Bud Selig before we get forcibly moved to the American League, but fifty years ago today the Houston Colt 45's played their inaugural National League game in town at Colt Stadium against the Chicago Cubs.  

It was a successful debut as the Colt 45's routed the Cubs 11-2.

The Colt 45's eventually finished that maiden season 64-98 and in eighth place in the National League ahead of the Cubs and the New York Mets, but it would be three more years before the Astrodome would open, the nickname of the team changed to the Astros and 1972 before the team would experience its first pennant race.   

But it was the first season of 50 years of major league baseball in H-town, and it started on a winning note today.

Why Do People Have A Problem With Trailblazing Black Female Athletes?

I recently had to troll nuke a random fool who wandered over to my blog throwing 'That's A Man' shade at Brittney Griner.   But in the process of compiling that post, it got me pondering the question of why people are so threatened by trailblazing African-American female athletes?

In Brittney's case, I suspect that some of it is pure jealousy.  Some of the men throwing this shade can't hit a free throw much less dunk a basketball.   I also believe the 'unwoman' meme is also playing a role in this along with femininity policing.  

She is 6'8", but is also redefining how the women's game is played and even coached.   Baylor head coach Kim Mulkey noted during a recent interview that she had to ask several male coaches how to work with an athlete her size since people with Brittney's skill set and physical gifts are rare in the women's game.   

But yeah, I'm tired of the misgendering insults thrown at her. 

When Florence Griffith-Joyner was dominating the track world in the late 80's with her combination of blazing speed and off the charts glamour, not long after she began lowering the women's 100m and 200m world records in times that still haven't been touched, much less threatened by current female sprinters, critics were accusing her of either taking steroids or claiming she 'ran like a man' .

It didn't occur to them that she also busted her butt in practice
honing her skills in order to run those times that garnered her Olympic  medals.

Despite the fact she never failed a post race drug test, the accusations dogged her to the point that when she unexpectedly passed away in 1999 due to an epileptic seizure her family asked for an autopsy probably to shut up the critics.

That autopsy revealed no evidence of steroid usage.

My favorite tennis playing siblings, Venus and Serena Williams have their share of detractors as well but keep piling up the major tournament wins and Number one rankings despite the transphobic shade and racist epithets being hurled at them as well.

Oh yeah, Serena won the Family Circle title yesterday in Charleston, SC against another one of those Eastern European tennis Amazons in straight sets 6-0, 6-1.    .

And Williams haters, she not only looked good in dominating Lucie Safarova of the Czech Republic, just a reminder the French Open is next month followed by Wimbledon and the Olympics.

And BTW, the Olympic tennis venue is Willaims-don AKA the All England Lawn Tennis And Croquet Club.

So I ask the question once again.   Why do people have a problem with trailblazing Black female athletes?

It doesn't matter if your white sheets are showing .  Despite your jealousy and Hateraid you're sipping from 55 gallon drums, they will confidently continue to excel and in many cases look good doing it.

University Of Pittsburgh Imposes A Transphobic Gendered Facilities Policy

When the 2012-13 school year rolls around, I'll be joining much of the Big East Conference in hatin' on the University of Pittsburgh for a different reason other than their upcoming 2013 departure from the Big East for the ACC.

In a step that would make transphobic rad fems and the Exterminationalist Twins proud, the University of Pittsburgh took a transphobic step backwards in regards to campus gendered facility policy for trans students.

Last month the Pitt Anti-Discrimination Policies committee, one of the standing advisory committees of the University Senate, unanimously passed a resolution that would allow students to use bathrooms allocated to the gender they identify with, not their birth one. .The ADP committee includes Pitt faculty, staff and two Pitt students who do not have voting power: Board member Julie Halinan and Rainbow Alliance President Tricia Dougherty.  .  

On Tuesday an unidentified Pitt spokesperson stated that students must use the gendered facilities that correspond with gender on their birth certificate, not how they currently present.

That's problematic on several levels.  Pennsylvania is one of the states that only allows birth certificate changes if the person in question undergoes SRS.   That's an out of the question expense for many trans college students.  It also doesn't take into account some states like Tennessee will not allow or offer new or amended birth certificates under any circumstances.  

Pitt's transphobic policy is also in conflict with the recently adopted NCAA competition policies for trans student athletes, the non-discrimination laws in the city of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County and could open trans students to anti-trans violence if forced to use a gender facility that doesn't correspond with their gender presentation.

And as trans Pitt student Alice Haas pointed out, "“I find it absolutely barbaric and appalling that the University of Pittsburgh requires forced castration in order for me to be considered female, especially when my driver’s license and passport both state otherwise,” Haas said. “It is in no way just or appropriate to force me to provide information on my genitals or my birth certificate.”

Pennsylvania was also one of the states in which the Republifools got control of the state legislature in 2010, so peeps who don't pay attention to politics, this is another fine example of how lack of attention to what's happening politically can bite you in the behind.

Stay tuned, this battle in the Keystone State and on the Pitt campus is going to get interesting.

Tona Talks About Jenna Talackova