Last Monday night, Scott Rowin stopped by The Loft on Fifth Avenue in San Diego and inquired about a job. He left past 8 p.m. and headed south, towards his downtown apartment, intending to call an Uber.
His memory is hazy, but somewhere within a few blocks, he heard what sounded like two people yelling gay slurs.
“Started hearing f*** this, f*** that.
Moments later, he heard footsteps behind him.
As he turned around, he says he caught a quick glimpse of one of the people, a man in his 20s or 30s. At the same time, he says a liquid was thrown at him, with the consistency of water.
“Immediately after that, I went up like coals on a barbecue. It started off really big,” said Rowin.
On fire, Rowin says stopped, dropped, and rolled on the cement, patting himself and quickly putting out the flames.
“Just in survival mode. Just in the zone, I have to save my life,” said Rowin.
Rowin suffered second-degree burns, mostly along his side and back. It’s unclear if he’ll need surgery.
“This is absolutely a hate crime. The slurs were hate-filled,” said Rowin. “Nobody walks around with flammable liquid like without an agenda. In my opinion, they were obliviously out there targeting the LGBT community,” said Rowin.
San Diego County resident Robert Wilson, a known neo-Nazi, was arrested Tuesday by Polish authorities on suspicion of projecting an anti-Semitic message on the Anne Frank House
Former San Diego County resident Robert Wilson, a known neo-Nazi, was arrested Tuesday by Polish authorities on suspicion of projecting an antisemitic message on the Anne Frank House, according to experts who monitor extremist activity around the globe.
The Amsterdam police said a 41-year-old suspect was arrested in Poland after an investigation into the incident in February, when a laser projection appeared on the former home of Anne Frank claiming her diary was a hoax. The stunt gained international attention and condemnation.
The Anti-Defamation League, which monitors Wilson’s activity, believes he has been living in Poland since fleeing the U.S. to evade hate crime charges in San Diego.
It’s a crazy story and long investigation that must be read from the source. Please click the above link for more information.
*Robert Frank Wilson (left) arrested – along with Goyim Defense League found Jon Minadeo II (right) – while visiting Auschwitz and holding anti-Semitic signs.
At a ceremony at the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company in San Diego on Friday, the “first cut” of steel was rendered for the Navy’s newest ship the USNS Harvey Milk named after the famous slain gay civil rights leader and San Francisco Supervisor in the 70s, Harvey Milk was California’s first openly-gay politician.
As a Navy diving instructor in the early 50’s, Milk was stationed briefly in San Diego. Less well known, is that when the Navy found out Harvey Milk was gay, he was forced out of the service for being gay.”
Stuart Milk, Harvey Milk’s nephew attended Friday’s event and said naming the ship — known as a fleet oiler — after his uncle sends a message to people around the world.
He told the gathering, “”For those who will be working on this ship, it’s important to note his legacy. If anyone asks, ‘did Harvey dream of this day,’ the answer is yes. It’s what gave him the courage to face those bullets 41 years ago. He dreamed of all of us being included, and we would not be diminished because of that. When we worked so hard to get rid of the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Policy,’ it sent a message that the Armed Services weren’t going to discriminate against anyone.”
This “sends a global message of inclusion more powerful than simply ‘We’ll tolerate everyone,’ ” Milk said. “[It says,] we celebrate everyone.”
USNS Harvey Milk begins build today at ceremony in San Diego, the US Navy command vessel is being built along with its 4 sister ships, the John Lewis, the Robert F Kennedy, the Sojourner Truth & SCOTUS Chief Justice Warren. Honored to speak alongside inspiring San Diego leaders! pic.twitter.com/0lDZLdfgt9
The Transgender Day of Awareness, an annual event to honor those who lost their lives to anti-transgender violence, was held Nov. 17 in the Hillcrest neighborhood of San Diego
Officer Christine Garcia, who transitioned last year, and helped plan the event and was part of the Police Department security detail that watched over a commemorative march down University Avenue. After the march, when Garcia tried to enter the event as a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community, she was asked to leave because her uniform could upset “trigger” others in attendance.
Since news of Garcia’s rejection has come to light, San Diego LGBT Community Center CEO Dr. Delores Jacobs has released an apology for what she called a “misunderstanding”:
“When [police officers] are attending events, they are not here to ‘police’ The Center — though they may be in uniform or on-duty…
We do not wish to ever make any community member feel unwelcome at The Center — these officers are valued members of our community.”
Nonetheless, Jacobs did note “that The Center has a responsibility to respect members who may not trust uniformed officers.”
“While we need to support those that are uncomfortable and honor their reactions to valid and understandable difficult previous experiences, we also need to explain that… our LGBTQ San Diego police liaisons are a valued part of our community,” Jacobs wrote.
Longtime LGBTQ activist, City Commissioner Nicole Murray-Ramirez, said the incident was an outrage.
“Any officer, be they gay or straight, should be welcomed into our community center in uniform,” he said. “They protect our community and neighborhoods and make San Diego a better place.”
Murray-Ramirez said relations between the LGBTQ community and the Police Department have vastly improved over the last several decades, in part because of the work done by liaisons such as Garcia.
“They’ve really reached out to the community,” he said of the department. “They’ve gotten to know the community. There are always rotten apples, but on a whole we have progressed greatly. And we’re very appreciative of them and that progress.”
LGBT Weekly publisher Stampp Corbin is being accused of filing a fraudulent recall notice in an effort to keep in office San Diego’s embattled Mayor Bob Filner, who faces allegations of sexual harrasment. The case against Filner has been brewing since mid-July, when a former member of his administration, Donna Frye, told a news conference there were serious accusations that Filner mistreated women. Since then six other women have stepped forward accusing Filner of sexual harrasment.
Corbin, who has a history of strong support and close involvement with Filner, surprised the San Diego political world on Thursday, July 25, when he was the first to initiate a recall notice against Filner via a classified ad in the UT San Diego. But many say its a political ploy to actually keep Filner in office. By triggering the recall process Corbin appears to be taking time away from organizers to mount a proper campaign. And it calls into question whether another recall effort led by land-use consultant Michael Pallamary, who has given Filner until yesterday, July 29, to resign or face a recall petition, can now go forward.
Further complicating matters, Corbin has announced that he will not mount a funded campaign with paid campaign staff to collect signatures, and instead will simply make a copy of the petition available to anyone who stops by his office at LGBT Weekly.
Observers say the biggest risk is that Corbin could walk into the City Clerk’s Office any day with a few signatures, and get the petition rejected automatically. Such a rejection by the City would guarantee six extra months in office for Filner, as city rules prohibit filing of recall petitions against a city official if a petition has failed within the past six months.
According to one longtime Republican political activist who is friends with Corbin , she said they has spoken several times last week and she is convinced that Corbin is playing “Chicago-style politics.”
“He bragged to me that it would be a way to stop the group getting ready to file” their own recall drive, Jester told the UT San Diego. “He said, ‘It occurred to me that it would derail the other group.’”
Corbin has denied the accusations but told 10News San Diego that he did indeed make the statements but was not being serious..
“When you’re two leaders and on opposite sides of the issue and you’re friends, you often make jokes,” said Corbin. “You often make jokes and be inappropriate because it’s fun!”
Michael Pallamary who also wants to mount a recall petition against Filner has given Corbin 24 hours to drop his campaign or he would file a complaint with the District Attorney’s Office, charging him with violations of the state elections code.
Last Friday, The San Diego LGBT Community Center’s board of directors went on record demanding Filner’s resignation and the San Diego Democrats for Equality issued the same demand on Thursday, along with the San Diego Democratic Party and Debbie Wasserman Shultz of the National Democratic Party.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris has come out swinging after yet another brief opposing efforts to halt marriages of gay and lesbian couples in California has been filed , The lawsuits which are nothing more than last ditch efforts by anti-gay bigots in Californiawas filed a San Diego Clerk named Ernest J. Dronenburg who does not want to marry same-sex couples.
On Friday, Dronenberg filed two requests with the California Supreme Court, similar to complaints filed by the Prop. 8 Proponents the week before. One seeks to immediately stop marriages in California, the other seeks to limit the scope of the federal court decision that ruled Prop. 8 unconstitutional.
Attorney General Harris’s office says the California Supreme Court should deny the request “because [the] petitioner [County Clerk Dronenberg] has no likelihood of success on the merits.”
On Friday, the San Diego County Clerk filed two requests with the California Supreme Court, similar to complaints filed by the Prop. 8 Proponents the week before. One seeks to immediately stop marriages in California, the other seeks to limit the scope of the historic federal court decision that ruled Prop. 8 unconstitutional.
“The filing offers no new arguments that could deny same-sex couples their constitutionally protected civil rights. The federal injunction is still in effect, and it requires all 58 counties to perform same-sex marriages. No exceptions.”
The San Diego County Board of Supervisors is also distancing themselves from Dronenberg’s lawsuit .
Board Supervisor Greg Cox, released the following statement:
“The County Clerk has acted independently on this matter. No one else from the County was consulted or had any part of this court action, including the Board of Supervisors. The County’s position is and always has been that we, the County, will follow applicable law with regards to same sex marriage.”
Gay Republican (oxyMORON) City Councilman Carl DeMaio who is running for Mayor of San Diego received a hostile reception from the crowd as he traveled the San Diego Pride parades route With many of the crowd booing and some turning their backs on DeMaio as part of an organized protest.
DiMaio who is nicknamed “Dirty DeMaio” has voted in the past against death benefits for widows and orphans of fallen police officers, supported the out-sourcing San Diego jobs.
But worst of all DeMaio has accepted numerous contributions from ‘Yes on 8’ donors and other anti-gay special interests and has made promises anti-gay individuals such as Charles Limandri, former council for anti-gay organization ‘National Organization for Marriage’, who stated in an email that “Carl DeMaio specifically promised me, as a condition of my support, that he would not push the gay agenda issues”
San Diego Tea Party Leader Michael Kobulnicky who is accused of a Feb. 25 abduction and sexual assault of a 56-year-old woman who was walking alone near her home
Surveillance footage of the area near the assault gave police evidence to pursue a suspect. They released a picture of the suspect to the public, and many identified the suspect as Kobulnicky, police said.
Kobulnicky was booked into San Diego Central Jail on numerous felony charges, including kidnapping, sexual assault and sex with a foreign object.
Whats NOT being reported though is Kobulnicky’s political ties and support of gay GOP Mayoral candidate and current city councilmember Carl DiMaio.
Yesterday we posted a story about Will X. Walters (above) who was arrested at the 2011 San Diego Pride on a charge of public nudity and the resulting lawsuit Williams has brought against the SDPD and the head of Pride security, Shawn Chamberlain.
Walters who was dressed in “leather gear consisting of boots, a black leather gladiator kilt, black underwear, and a black leather harness with chrome rings and says he was forcibly escorted out and had his phone knocked from his hand as he attempted to record the incident.
This incident is being over publicized by Mr. Walters and his legal counsel. Mr. Walters allegations of battery of his camera are false. I never struck him or his camera. He was afforded every opportunity to cover his ass crack which was exposed with every step as he was not wearing anything under his flap. This event permits children.
Mr. Walters was simply asked to cover his crack, he refused the situation was taken without force outside the side gate for everybody’s safety. Just outside the venue and in plain sight the conversation continued between the San Diego Police (6) officers including a Lieutenant and Sergeant along with myself the only representative of San Diego Pride.
When he refused to cover himself he was informed of the San Diego and Penal Cde sections he was violating and that he would be subject to citation if he refused to comply. At this time he called his attorney as well he video taped the conversation. He was allowed to make his calls and continue to video tape throughout the ordeal.
It was decided that the incident was not going to resolve and a citation was issued. The citation was explained to him in it entirety and he refused to sign the citation which would constitute his promise to appear in court. Based on his repeated refusal and his escalation in his attitude he was ultimately
During the entire incident I was allowed to speak with Mr. Walters during the initial encounter to attempt to resolve this incident as the Pride lason. Mr. Walters was asked to comply by simply covering his ass crack and enjoy the event. He refused. Prior to issuing the citation I was permitted again to attempt to resolve this issue to which Mr. Walters again refused. When the citation was issued and Mr. Walters refused to sign, I was allowed again to attempt to resolve this issue as well as inform Mr. Waters that they were considering arresting him and f that happened he would be taken to jail dressed as he was.
Mr. Walters continued his defiance and was ultimately arrested. This incident took over 40 minutes to play out. I am accused of striking the camera from Mr. Walters hand which is a false statement. I never touched Mr. Walters and will defend not only my Name but my reputation in the community. Mr. Walters was dressed inappropriately and refused to change his attire to conform with the request of the police dept furthermore refused to give his promise to appear which resulted in his arrest.
Well I have to say that from the above photo I have seen much more risque outfits at many other Gay Pride Parades and at Mardi Gras. So whats the problem?
The one line in Chamberlain’s response.
“This event permits children.”
Well all parades permit children. But its the parents responsibility not to take them and expose them to things they don’t deem fit to see. But with the recent “gayby” influx over the past 10 years this puts all Prides in a precarious situation.
Do they tone down the festivities to make them “family friendly” or do they also hold separate “Family Pride Events”?
IMO children have no place at a Pride Parade. Its always been a day of celebration, frivolous fun, and letting go. That’s part of the point of it. And to be so prudish to censor some to make it palatable for others is what we fight against daily. And for San Diego Pride to allow and to be part of one of our community to be arrested is inconceivable. If anything San Diego Pride should have been defending Will X’s right to freedom of expression and also his leather community roots
Thanks to the San Diego Police Dept. and San Diego Pride Will X. Walters now holds the dubious honor of being the ONLY person in the history of the City of San Diego to be arrested and booked on a charge of public nudity.
The problem is that Mr. Walters wasn’t nude.
The arrest happened at the 2011 San Diego Pride Parade and Walters who was dressed in “leather gear consisting of boots, a black leather gladiator kilt, black underwear, and a black leather harness with chrome rings and says he was forcibly escorted out and had his phone knocked from his hand as he attempted to record the incident.
Walters is now suing the City of San Diego, several police officers, San Diego Pride, and head of Pride security, Shawn Chamberlain, seeking an injunction and compensatory and punitive damages for violations of the Fourteenth and Fourth Amendments, false arrest, battery, negligence and violation of his civil rights under California’s Civil Code, Courthouse News Service reports:
Will X. Walters claims city police selectively enforced a municipal policy on public nudity, which allows women to wear g-strings and thongs, but not gay men.
Walters also claims that San Diego Pride “wholeheartedly endorsed” the policy, to “curry favor” with the police department, to appeal to mainstream sponsors, and to make the event palatable to straight people and families.
“Will Walters is a Hispanic, gay man who owns the dubious distinction of being the only person in the history of the City of San Diego to be arrested and booked on a charge of public nudity,” the complaint states. “Mr. Walters was arrested for public nudity at the 2011 Lesbian Gay Bi-Sexual Transgender Pride (‘Pride’) event while wearing an opaque gladiator type kilt over black underwear. Under any definition, he was not nude, as his buttocks and genitalia were fully covered. Nonetheless, he was ushered out of the event, humiliated, arrested, and incarcerated.
At the jail Mr. Walters was placed in a single cell visible to all inmates being checked in. San Diego County sheriffs deputies encouraged the incoming inmates to ridicule Mr. Walters, who was wearing only his kilt and underwear, and the deputies joined in the verbal harassment. In going from the hot environment of an overheated car to the air conditioned jail, Mr. Walters was chilled. The deputies refused Mr. Walters any additional clothing or a blanket. However, upon his release from jail, Mr. Walters was ordered to change into clothing provided by the jail. Mr. Walters was released from the jail at approximately 2:15 am, Sunday, July 17, 2011, after posting $190 bond. He had been given nothing to eat or drink since his arrest, some twelve hours prior.”
Is this just another attempt at assimilation and making Pride Events “gaybie” Family Friendly?
If so it’s just WRONG.
The whole point of Pride is to celebrate WHO we are, MAKE A STATEMENT and HAVE FUN.
We do not hold Pride Parades to impress heterosexuals with how “normal” we are are.
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