the week in lgbt courage

[dsc]

This has been a very busy week for courageous gays. First up is Billy Van Raaphorst. While not exactly this week as the incident happened on July 31st, it came to light this week which makes it count. Mr. Van Raaphorst is an umpire for collegate level baseball. He evidently also umpires independent leagues such as the Golden Baseball League in Canada. On July 31st, he was subjected to a profanity and bigotry laden tirade that has to literally be read to be believed.

“You know what I heard?” Bowers screamed. “I heard you are a f---ing (expletive). The rumor from several managers and people at the league is that you are a (expletive) ... So what do you do you f---ing (expletive)? Do you take it up the f---ing (expletive), you (expletive)?”

As his verbal meltdown continued, Bowers, a second-round draft pick of the Toronto Blue Jays in 1989, bent over and grabbed his ankles.

“Is that how you like it, you f---ing (expletive)?... I know he’s a (expletive),’’ Bowers ranted. "I was told by Garry Templeton (a manager in the league) and Kevin Outcalt (commissioner of the league) that he is a f---ing (expletive).”

Van Raaphorst, a former 290-pound center at San Diego State, resisted the urge to defend himself.

“I kept telling myself, ‘Don’t hit him,’" Van Raaphorst remembered. “I felt trapped. I couldn’t do what I wanted to do.”

end of quote

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/gay-umpires-ordeal-shows-sad-state-of-sports-081310

Truely I can't imagine taking that kind of abuse in front of a stadium full of people and not either running, fighting or crying. The league initially was going to fine the manager $500 but after the rest of the umps threatened a work stopage he was made to resign.

Next up are the plaintiffs in the prop 8 case. Much has been written, and deservedly so, about the masterful decision of Judge Walker and the devastating lawyering of Olson and Boies. Without them the prop 8 decision wouldn't have happened. But there are also two plaintiff couples. They are Kristin Perry and Sandra Steir as one couple and Paul Katami and Jeffery Zarrillo as the other couple. These couples presumedly could have married during the prop 8 window. But they didn't. I am willing to bet that these plaintiffs were chosen to hold back so they could be used for this lawsuit in case of a loss at the ballot box. The couples in this case, or any case like this for that matter, have to be chosen carefully since they get a ton of scrutiny. They don't grow on trees. These couples risked never being able to marry to help give us the right to marry. Plus they allowed their personal lives to become public records (I don't simply mean coming out here I mean personal lives).

On Wednesday, we were introduced to our next profile in courage. Captain Jonathan Hopkins via the Rachel Maddow show. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/ns/msnbc_tv-rachel_maddow_show/

Captain Jonathan Hopkins was fired on Tuesday for being gay. He graduated 4th in his class from West Point in 2001. He led the assults on Faluja and Kirkuk. He got 3 bronze stars, one with valor. Yet the man on that interview was clearly on the verge of tears but kept going anyway. By coming out and not taking his firing in secret, as he well could have, he lent his name to end the policy that cost him his job. On the same show we had to more profiles in courage Cadet Sergent Katherine Miller and Lt. Col. Farhenbach.

Finally, there was Stephanie Miller on Friday. Coming out on her show and discussing both why she remained in the closet professionally for so long and why she finally came out. It was a primer in the way gay celebrities' private lives affect the public profiles and vice verse. As someone who is out at work in an enviroment where more people know who I am than I know who they are, I know the courage involved a little. I don't know the courage to be out to a whole nation though. I am not sure I could be that courageous.

This has been a hell of a week for lgbt courage.

[ThomCat]

1. Mr. Raaphorst, blatantly denied the advancement in his career,

because he is gay. And now dealing with such blatant homophobia in front of an entire stadium. He's a strong man to endure.

So many careers lost, destroyed, or damaged. So many people hurt in so many ways. We have all had to be strong.

Someday I hope it ends. :(

[costahawk1987]

2. You have "all had to be strong."

And you have earned my respect, love and admiration along the way.

[dsc]

3. I really appreciate that but I am a piker compared to those in my OP

[Billy Burnett]

6. Blatant homophobia like this is hard to endure for any caring human being, gay or not.

It can't end soon enough. :hi:

[laughingliberal]

4. K & R nt

[Dragonbreathp9d]

5. kick, cant rec unfortunately