This And That In The News

There were a number of articles in this morning’s news all of them not good.

Man Charged With Hate Crime, Accused Of Attacking Transgender Women In Queens
CBS New York
March 18, 2017

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly attacked two transgender women outside a McDonald’s in Jackson Heights, Queens.

Patrick O’Meara, 38, was charged with a hate crime in the Friday afternoon incident, police told CBS2.

Police alleged that around 4:30 p.m. Friday, the suspect began yelling at the women as they tried to enter the McDonald’s at 37-59 82nd St. and called them slurs. He then allegedly pushed one woman to the ground and punched her and kicked her, police said.

The attacker has been arrested.

Visa Delayed: Transgender US judge’s visit cancelled
Victoria Kolakowski, who became the first transgender trial court judge in 2010, was expected to participate in a programme on LGBT law and policy as part of an event by the US Embassy
The Indian Express
Written by Shubhajit Roy
March 19, 2017

An American transgender judge has been forced to cancel her trip to India this week after her visa was allegedly stalled. Victoria Kolakowski, who became the first transgender trial court judge in 2010, was expected to participate in a programme on LGBT law and policy as part of the American Embassy’s speaker programme.

In a Facebook post, Kolakowski, 55, wrote that the visa was not ready a day before her departure on March 9 even as she had applied applied for it on February 20. Kolakowski was told to return in the afternoon on March 9 when she visited the front office for Indian visas. She was later told to come back again the next morning to get a manager’s authorisation to pick up the visa at the Indian consulate in San Francisco. “We came back Friday morning at 9 a.m., with my bags in the car, awaiting a 1:40 p.m. flight.” Kolakowski was eventually told the visa was still unavailable while the organisers told her “they were in urgent discussions” with US State Department officials.

Kolakowski later went to the consulate with her invitation letters and other documentation. “Just before they closed at noon, a man came out to return the letters,” she said. “He pointed to the letter where it said ‘to participate in a program on LGBT law and policy in India.’ He explained that they needed to know more about the programme, so they had directed their inquiries to the Indian Embassy in DC, who forwarded the matter to the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi.”

Ah yes… we don’t want you LGBT here in India stirring up trouble. Bigotry knows no international boundaries.

Bigots in Oklahoma are feeling they can discriminate against with impunity.

Oklahoma City Restaurant Warns 'We Don't Have A Transgender Bathroom'
On Top Magazine
By Carlos Santoscoy
March 18, 2017
A restaurant owner's anti-transgender bathroom policy is raising concerns in Oklahoma City.

Bob Warner, owner of the Steak and Catfish Barn, began warning his customers 10 months ago that his restaurant does not have “a transgender bathroom.”

“We do not have a transgender bathroom,” a sign outside the eatery reads. “So don't be caught in the wrong one. Thank you, Bob.”

Paula Schonauer, a transgender woman, said that the sign carries “an implied threat” of violence.

Warner told NBC affiliate NewsChannel4 that he was just trying to protect his property and customers.

“We have a lot of redneck guys that come in here,” Warner said. “Truck drivers and everything. They're big husky guys and I said, 'Man alive! If their wife or their little girl walked in that bathroom and a man followed them in there, I wouldn't have a restaurant.'”

The green has been given by the Republicans for violence and discrimination.