Rally Sunday In Savannah For Victim Of Gay Bashing By Two Marines, Anti-Defamation League Praises Authorities For Investigating Whether Crime Meet Criteria Of Hate Crime, Meet Gay Bookworm Blogger Brett The 15 Year Old Out To Reform Libraries, Ontario Liquor Control Board Wishes You A Happy And Intoxicated Pride, Kellan Lutz Is Immortal In A Loin Cloth, Inside The Locker Room With Cristiano Ronaldo

A group of gay activists in Savannah, Georgia are responding to the brutal, senseless beating of 26 year old Kieran Daly early Saturday by two Marines – 22 year old Keil Joseph Cronauer and 23 year old Christopher Charles Stanzel – that left Daly unconscious and still suffering from seizures. The men were charged with a misdemeanour assault, and were released into the custody of military police. The FBI have been called in to investigate whether the attack under the guidelines set out by the just enacted Matthew Shepard James Byrd Jr. Hate Crime Prevention Act, since Georgia is one of only five states that does not have a hate crimes ordinance . Georgia Equality has written an open letter and have planned a rally for Sunday, June 20th, at 2:00 pm in Johnson Square in Savannah’s downtown. The letter, in part, reads “Savannah has an unfortunate history of gay assaults in the historic district and, worse yet, a history of its leaders – including those in law enforcement, City Hall, in the business community and in the military – turning a blind eye to the violence. Nothing has changed in 30 years! We find it ironic that money is being spent to attract creative and high tech business, while a broader message is being sent that if you are educated, creative, and gay, there’s a chance you will be assaulted, and that Savannah’s leaders will avert their eyes.”

Meanwhile, Wednesday the Anti-Defamation League released a statement commending the Savannah police department and the FBI for investigating whether the assault meets the criteria for prosecution as a hate crime under the aforementioned newly enacted federal hate crimes prevention act. Bill Nigut, Southwest Regional Director of the ADL said “If this is a hate crime, prosecution under the new law will send a strong statement to the people of Savannah that violence against gays will not be tolerated.”

Meet 15 year old Brett, a Kentucky blogger, a voracious reader, and an assured, smart writer. Brett, along with his best friend forever Emily publish a blog – Naughty Book Kitties – about books, naturally, but Brett has authored a guest piece ostensibly on his quest to have his local libraries stock more books with gay characters, although the essay is much more than that; a tale of Brett first understanding the word gay, and then understanding and accepting that he is gay. When Brett wanted to find gay novels that would reflect his own nascent sexuality, he was frustrated. “When I set out to find more LBGT titles, I turned to my school’s library. Honestly? It was pathetic. There was not a single LGBT novel. But oh, of course the librarian went out of her way to buy books about gangs, drugs, and teen pregnancy. Like, for real, the people who actually do care about gangs, drugs, and teen sex sure as hell don’t read – they’re too busy (note: gangs, drugs, and teen sex. Yeah, they’re going to interrupt all that fabulous action to sit and read a good novel!) When I asked her about it, she replied, “This is a school library. If you are looking to read inappropriate titles, go to a book store.” Uhm, how in the hell is LGBTYA lit ‘inappropriate?’” Brett ends his essay with a call for reform, for “librarians who serve the purpose of finding the right book to put in the right person’s lap. Not librarians who think that they can decide what’s ‘inappropriate’ and what’s not, based on their personal prejudices. There are tons of gay teens, struggling to find a group to fit in. LGBTYA lit helps us find out that no, aren’t alone and no, we aren’t worthless or disgusting. It helps us discover that are a part of a group. The LGBT group. Which is the group to be in. Tons of brilliant people, doing brilliant things, fighting for brilliant causes (Straight people with gay tendencies included).

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario wants to wish you a Happy Pride, while reminding you, apparently, to drink heavily.

Kellan Lutz brightens any day, but when Kellan Lutz appears clad in only a gold loincloth, well, we need sunglasses it is so bright.

Nike encourages you to go inside the locker room with Cristiano Ronaldo, to which I say, well thank you, I will, and good luck getting me to leave.