Jersey City resident Corey Andrew, like thousands of other job seekers, recently posted his profile on a popular career-based web site, hoping to nab some work as a copywriter. But the response he received was anything but typical.
The posting on CareerBuilder.com brought several potential suitors, including an Army recruiter who replied in late February.
However, Andrew had no interest in joining the Army for a number of reasons, including the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian citizens from putting on the uniform. Andrew identifies himself as gay.
His lack of interest didn't stop him from asking the recruiter whether he was able to serve in the Army as a gay man. The question sparked a bizarre three-day exchange, escalating into a bigoted tirade from the recruiter and an official military investigation.
Using a military email address, U.S. Army recruiter Sgt. Marcia Ramode fired off an email in capital letters that "IF YOU ARE GAY WE DON'T TAKE YOU. YOU ARE CONSIDERED UNQUALIFIED."
After more prodding from Andrew on the Army's recruitment policy, the messages escalated into a bigoted tirade. For example, Ramode told Andrew that "being gay is disgusting and immoral."
In a separate email, Ramode wrote, "You must be a total idiot and so stupid to presume that you do not know what gender you are." Ramode added that Andrew should be more grateful to the military for defending his freedoms, but that as a gay man "he should leave the United States."
The insults were not only flying one way, as Andrew criticized her vocabulary and poor spelling and, after finding out she was a Native American, wrote:
"So take that to your next rain dance."
Ramode didn't limit her email attacks to insults about Andrew's sexual preferences.
Andrew, who is black, criticized Ramode's word choices and poor spelling. In response, the apparently enraged sergeant said in graphic language that Andrew should "GO BACK TO AFRICA AND DO YOUR GAY VOODOO LIMBO TANGO AND WANGO DANCE AND JUMP AROUND AND PRANCE AND RUN ALL OVER THE PLACE HALF NAKED THERE."
The U.S. Army Recruiting Command's Staff Judge Advocate has referred the email exchange to Ramode's commander for "review, investigation and appropriate action," Sgt. Douglas Smith, a public affairs officer based Fort Knox, Texas, said in a statement.
Under the Department of Defense's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, recruiters do not ask applicants any questions about their sexual orientation.
"If an applicant makes a statement that he or she is homosexual, the recruiter must inform the applicant in a professional manner that they are not eligible for enlistment," the statement said.
Andrew, who is also a singer-songwriter and has worked for New York's advertising giant Young & Rubicam, said he thinks the Army contacted him because the Iraq war has made it harder to recruit.
Steve Ralls, a director of communications for the Service Members Legal Defense Network, which helps victims of discrimination under the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, says Ramode should be fired.
"The recruiter's remarks were outrageous and offensive in almost every way," Ralls said. "Anti-gay harassment throughout the military is well documented but this is particularly egregious because the recruiter's language is so homophobic and racist."
Ralls is relieved the Army appears to be taking the email exchange seriously.
"The command expects its recruiters to conduct themselves in a professional manner in all dealings with potential applicants and members of the public," said Smith of the Army. "We are ambassadors for America's Army."
Ramode did not return phone calls seeking comment.
Because they might bring hellfire down upon all the troops while they are training. Plus the gay virus might infect the other troops, and then we'd have a whole bunch of sissies wanting to do nothing but cook pies and talk about their feelings while penetrating each other anally and probably involving animals as well. And a whole army of people like that just wouldn't protect our interests very well, now would they?
"everybody was admiring a woman who is able to tie crocodiles to her body." made me laugh.
For the second article. I don't think it is as cut and dry as they try to make it seem. It's not like the recruiter went out of her way to harrass the guy. He initiated the whole thing. I know the recruiter sent a letter first, but that was in response to his resume, and he started the dialogue by asking about the policy. It was a personal matter, and when people try to attack somebody else, they go for what hurts; often racial slurs or homophobic slurs or, as in this case, both.
The real reason for not having homosexuals in the military is one of the reasons they never wanted women: You don't want to have two lovers fighting side by side. It impairs your judgement. If your best buddy dies, it won't cause you to lose your head as much as if you lost your lover. It's just a much deeper emotional attachment that they want to avoid. Even with women now in the military, it's relatively easy to keep them seperated from the men, but it causes serious logistic problems when you want to find a way to keep guys from hooking up with their roomates. It's kind of funny because the Spartans had the exact opposite philosophy. They believed that you would fight twice as hard for your lover as for your comrade. So, they encouraged the soldiers to be involved in relationships with each other. When a young boy joined the military, he was typically paired with an older man who became his teacher and diddled him. Isn't history grand?
teehee, you said "diddled him." And yes; history is quite grand.
I feel bad for not thinking of the emotional bonds created between lovers though... I've always pictured the army as some group of manly men, getting their heads shaved and going out to attack other people. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of the people who thinks fighting is worthless; I have great respect for the people who dedicate their lives like that. My thoughts were more along the lines of illithid's statement though.
Yahoo News:Metallica may be a cool name for a heavy metal band, but a Swedish couple is struggling to convince officials it is also suitable for a baby girl.
Michael and Karolina Tomaro are locked in a court battle with Swedish authorities, which rejected their application to name their six-month-old child after the legendary rock band.
"It suits her," Karolina Tomaro, 27, said Tuesday of the name. "She's decisive and she knows what she wants."
Although little Metallica has already been baptized, the Swedish National Tax Board refused to register the name, saying it was associated with both the rock group and the word "metal."
Tomaro said the official handling the case also called the name "ugly."
The couple was backed by the County Administrative Court in Goteborg, which ruled on March 13 that there was no reason to block the name. It also noted that there already is a woman in Sweden with Metallica as a middle name.
The tax agency appealed to a higher court, frustrating the family's foreign travel plans.
"We've had to cancel trips and can't get anywhere because we can't get her a passport without an approved name," Tomaro said.
I think they're(the authorities) just worried she might become a famous singer and her name would conflict with some little metal band.
Uhh that's very weird, I would think that it wouldn't really be a problem to name your kid whatever you want. What law do they have that allows them to reject it?
Maybe in Sweden. I don't know. I bet it would pass swiftly through without a hitch in America here. It's not like the name is an obscenity or something.
A lot of countries (the US included) will prevent people from changing their names to those of celebrities, as it is generally seen as an attempt to leech off of their success. I can't just go change my name to "Justin Timberlake", for example.
Jersey City resident Corey Andrew, like thousands of other job seekers, recently posted his profile on a popular career-based web site, hoping to nab some work as a copywriter. But the response he received was anything but typical.
The posting on CareerBuilder.com brought several potential suitors, including an Army recruiter who replied in late February.
However, Andrew had no interest in joining the Army for a number of reasons, including the military's ban on openly gay and lesbian citizens from putting on the uniform. Andrew identifies himself as gay.
His lack of interest didn't stop him from asking the recruiter whether he was able to serve in the Army as a gay man. The question sparked a bizarre three-day exchange, escalating into a bigoted tirade from the recruiter and an official military investigation.
Using a military email address, U.S. Army recruiter Sgt. Marcia Ramode fired off an email in capital letters that "IF YOU ARE GAY WE DON'T TAKE YOU. YOU ARE CONSIDERED UNQUALIFIED."
After more prodding from Andrew on the Army's recruitment policy, the messages escalated into a bigoted tirade. For example, Ramode told Andrew that "being gay is disgusting and immoral."
In a separate email, Ramode wrote, "You must be a total idiot and so stupid to presume that you do not know what gender you are." Ramode added that Andrew should be more grateful to the military for defending his freedoms, but that as a gay man "he should leave the United States."
The insults were not only flying one way, as Andrew criticized her vocabulary and poor spelling and, after finding out she was a Native American, wrote:
"So take that to your next rain dance."
Ramode didn't limit her email attacks to insults about Andrew's sexual preferences.
Andrew, who is black, criticized Ramode's word choices and poor spelling. In response, the apparently enraged sergeant said in graphic language that Andrew should "GO BACK TO AFRICA AND DO YOUR GAY VOODOO LIMBO TANGO AND WANGO DANCE AND JUMP AROUND AND PRANCE AND RUN ALL OVER THE PLACE HALF NAKED THERE."
The U.S. Army Recruiting Command's Staff Judge Advocate has referred the email exchange to Ramode's commander for "review, investigation and appropriate action," Sgt. Douglas Smith, a public affairs officer based Fort Knox, Texas, said in a statement.
Under the Department of Defense's "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, recruiters do not ask applicants any questions about their sexual orientation.
"If an applicant makes a statement that he or she is homosexual, the recruiter must inform the applicant in a professional manner that they are not eligible for enlistment," the statement said.
Andrew, who is also a singer-songwriter and has worked for New York's advertising giant Young & Rubicam, said he thinks the Army contacted him because the Iraq war has made it harder to recruit.
Steve Ralls, a director of communications for the Service Members Legal Defense Network, which helps victims of discrimination under the "Don't Ask Don't Tell" policy, says Ramode should be fired.
"The recruiter's remarks were outrageous and offensive in almost every way," Ralls said. "Anti-gay harassment throughout the military is well documented but this is particularly egregious because the recruiter's language is so homophobic and racist."
Ralls is relieved the Army appears to be taking the email exchange seriously.
"The command expects its recruiters to conduct themselves in a professional manner in all dealings with potential applicants and members of the public," said Smith of the Army. "We are ambassadors for America's Army."
Ramode did not return phone calls seeking comment.]
Sure, the recruiter was a bigot, but the kid was doing his best to elicit some bigotry. I don't know why he, or anyone, was surprised.
I agree, the guy was completely being a troll. They both look bad in the end. But, the recruiter should have just ignored him, since it's her job to deal with the public and make the military look good.
It was a personal matter, and when people try to attack somebody else, they go for what hurts; often racial slurs or homophobic slurs or, as in this case, both.
People need to take out their frustration on somebody. It's just easier to attribute your problems in life to a single entity of some sort rather than to a nameless, faceless system. I kinda feel bad for the recruiter because if any other recruiter had gotten to his resume first, she wouldn't have had to deal with him and the whole mess could have been avoided.
Bus drivers have nicknamed a white cat Macavity after it has started using the No 331 several mornings a week.
The feline, which has a purple collar, gets onto the busy Walsall to Wolverhampton bus at the same stop most mornings - he then jumps off at the next stop 400m down the road, near a fish and chip shop.
The cat was nicknamed Macavity after the mystery cat in T.S Elliot's poem. He gets on the bus in front of a row of 1950s semi-detached houses and jumps off at a row of shops down the road which include a fish and chip shop.
Driver Bill Khunkhun, 49, who first saw the cat jumping from the bus in January, said: "It is really odd, the first time I saw the cat jumping off the bus with a group of passengers. I hadn't seen it get on which was a bit confusing.
"The next day I pulled up on Churchill Road to let a couple of passengers on. As soon as I opened the doors the cat ran towards the bus, jumped on and ran under one of the seats, I don't think any of the passengers noticed.
"Because I had seen it jump off the day before I carried on driving and sure enough when I stopped just down the road he jumped off - I don't know why he would catch the bus but he seems to like it. I told some of the other drivers on this route and they have seen him too."
Since January, when the cat first caught the bus he has done it two or three times a week and always gets on and off at the same stops.
Passenger, Paul Brennan, 19, who catches the 331 to work, said: "I first noticed the cat a few weeks ago. At first I thought it had been accompanied by its owner but after the first stop it became quite clear he was on his own.
"He sat at the front of the bus, waited patiently for the next stop and then got off. It was was quite strange at first but now it just seems normal. I suppose he is the perfect passenger really - he sits quietly, minds his own business and then gets off."
Well, it doesn't take up a seat and behaves itself well, so maybe they let him ride free as long as it doesn't leave them any "presents" before it gets off.
(KUTV) LOS ANGELES - For the second day in a row, police chased a fugitive driving a stolen car through the streets of greater Los Angeles – during which the suspect drove erratically, tossed items from the vehicle and waved to television cameras.
The pursuit started Friday morning in El Monte, a suburb of Los Angeles after police noticed something suspicious about the rickety, old Honda and tried to pull it over. Instead, the driver took off.
Speeds varied from moderately fast to slow during the pursuit. With numerous TV news helicopters in the air, the suspects gestured to the cameras several times – obviously enjoying their time in the spotlight.
The driver of the stolen Honda navigated several neighborhood streets during the chase. After a while -- and attempts by police to stop the car with spike strips -- the tires on the vehicle started to deteriorate.
With less than 10 police cars in tow, the fugitive eventually stopped in the middle of the road after about an hour– perhaps because the car would not go any further – and surrendered. (Click here to see photos of the chase)
Both people inside the car emerged slowly with their hands raised, and walked backwards toward police officers to be handcuffed.
No one was injured during the chase.
Friday’s chase was the second high-profile pursuit in the Los Angeles area in less than 24 hours.
A day earlier, a fugitive led officers on a chase through the city’s streets, and appeared to be relishing his joyride. At one point, the fugitive nearly climbed out of the driver’s side window as the car was in full motion.
At another time, the driver – also in a stolen car – spun “donuts” in a busy Los Angeles intersection. The first attempts by police to stop the vehicle were not successful – and even ripped the rear bumper off.
Eventually, performed a PITT maneuver on the fugitive’s vehicle which sent it into a center median. The suspect, knowing he was cornered, methodically emerged from the car and laid on the ground to be arrested.
NEW PORT RICHEY - For about eight minutes on Tuesday, through the streets near downtown, police chased a driver who had no arms and one good leg.
He got away.
He is used to this sort of thing.
Authorities say the driver was Michael Francis Wiley, 40, who overcame three amputations, taught himself to drive with stumps and proceeded to become one of Pasco County's most accomplished traffic violators.
His license has been suspended so many times that driving itself has become a felony.
Which brings us to Tuesday, about 12:50 p.m., when a New Port Richey Police officer spotted Wiley in a suspicious vehicle - a blue Ford Explorer - at a convenience store off U.S. 19, according to Capt. Darryl Garman. When the officer went to investigate, the Explorer took off.
The chase, eventually joined by a second officer, led down the highway to Sunset Road and Veterans Drive, back to 19, back to Sunset, and finally over the bridge into Port Richey.
But the Explorer was spotted a minute later on Grand Boulevard, Garman said. From there it went to River Gulf Road, then south on Washington Street to Massachusetts Avenue. About 1 p.m., the officers broke off the chase because it could have put others in danger, Garman said. The Explorer was last seen heading south on Grand.
Police will seek an arrest warrant for Wiley today; charges could include fleeing to elude and habitually driving with a revoked license.
If it really was Wiley behind the wheel Tuesday - and it is hard to imagine him being confused with another driver - this was not his most spectacular car chase. In 1998, while driving a green Corvette, he led deputies down Interstate 75 at nearly 120 mph.
According to court records, Wiley has stolen a car, kicked a state trooper and attacked his wife headfirst. He is awaiting trial on separate drug and illegal-driving charges. He faces up to five years in prison.
Most Ford Explorers have automatic transmissions, though several people say Wiley is perfectly competent with a stick shift.
"He is one of the best drivers I've ever seen in my life, " said Lee Michie, a longtime acquaintance. "But he's the worst person I've ever met."
Thomas Lake can be reached at tlake@sptimes.com or toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6245.
INWOOD, W.Va. - A thief covered his face with a pair of blue women's underwear and used a pistol-shaped cigarette lighter in a botched robbery of a convenience store, police said. "I couldn't make this stuff up if I tried," State Police Sgt. T.C. Kearns told The Journal in Martinsburg.
The cashier at first thought it was a joke and refused to give the man any money, so he ran to a Jeep Cherokee and drove away at about 4 a.m. Wednesday, Kearns said.
A few minutes later, police stopped a vehicle matching that description and took two men into custody.
Police later charged Steven Clay Stephenson, 34, of Ranson in the convenience story robbery.
Kearns said police found a pistol-shaped lighter while searching Stephenson. The underwear was recovered nearby.
Stephenson is charged with nighttime burglary, attempted robbery, first-offense driving under the influence, petit larceny and improper registration.
He was being held Thursday at the Eastern Regional Jail. The Berkeley County Prosecuting Attorney's Office had no record of a defense attorney being assigned yet to represent Stephenson.
Comments
...Hey, wait...
But that's probably what real homophobic people think.
Still, I think it'd defuse the Iraq situation. No time for jihad when you have delicious pie!
Real reason: Illithid pretty much covered it.
For the second article. I don't think it is as cut and dry as they try to make it seem. It's not like the recruiter went out of her way to harrass the guy. He initiated the whole thing. I know the recruiter sent a letter first, but that was in response to his resume, and he started the dialogue by asking about the policy. It was a personal matter, and when people try to attack somebody else, they go for what hurts; often racial slurs or homophobic slurs or, as in this case, both.
The real reason for not having homosexuals in the military is one of the reasons they never wanted women: You don't want to have two lovers fighting side by side. It impairs your judgement. If your best buddy dies, it won't cause you to lose your head as much as if you lost your lover. It's just a much deeper emotional attachment that they want to avoid. Even with women now in the military, it's relatively easy to keep them seperated from the men, but it causes serious logistic problems when you want to find a way to keep guys from hooking up with their roomates. It's kind of funny because the Spartans had the exact opposite philosophy. They believed that you would fight twice as hard for your lover as for your comrade. So, they encouraged the soldiers to be involved in relationships with each other. When a young boy joined the military, he was typically paired with an older man who became his teacher and diddled him. Isn't history grand?
I feel bad for not thinking of the emotional bonds created between lovers though... I've always pictured the army as some group of manly men, getting their heads shaved and going out to attack other people. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of the people who thinks fighting is worthless; I have great respect for the people who dedicate their lives like that. My thoughts were more along the lines of illithid's statement though.
To paraphrase Bill Hicks: I don't want any gay people around me while I'm killing little kids. They're just immoral and wrong.
I think they're(the authorities) just worried she might become a famous singer and her name would conflict with some little metal band.
Sure, the recruiter was a bigot, but the kid was doing his best to elicit some bigotry. I don't know why he, or anyone, was surprised.
People need to take out their frustration on somebody. It's just easier to attribute your problems in life to a single entity of some sort rather than to a nameless, faceless system. I kinda feel bad for the recruiter because if any other recruiter had gotten to his resume first, she wouldn't have had to deal with him and the whole mess could have been avoided.
Edit: Fixed.
Edit:Or not.