ACT-UP joins #Occupy in call for Wall Street Healthcare Tax

Members of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power, (ACT-UP), joined forces with members of Occupy Wall Street on Wednesday to draw attention to a plan that would provide better health care for the uninsured.

About nine activists were arrested during the protest, held in the heart of New York’s financial district.

According to the Washington Post,”New York Stock Exchange workers jeered from the sidewalk as handcuffed protesters wearing Robin Hood costumes were loaded into police vans after chaining themselves together and blocking traffic in the area around Wall Street. Police used chain cutters to remove them.”

“The protestors are asking for the government to tax market trades by investment banks, hedge funds and other financial outfits to fund universal health care,” explains an ACT-UP blog post. “The AIDS activists met up with Occupy Wall Street supporters at City Hall to rally for what they call a “Financial Speculative Tax.” They contend the funds generated by such a tax would help treat HIV-positive people and those who are uninsured — and that it would register as barely a blip on the bottom line of most Wall Street firms.”

Eric Sawyer, who is one of the group’s founding members tells the Washington Post,”When it comes to AIDS and housing services…big business is not funding anything, but they got the bailout.”

Act-Up was founded in 1987 amid the AIDS crises, the group has since gone international with chapters around the world.

According to the group,”Today, out of the 34 million people living with HIV worldwide, about 6.6 million people in low- and –middle income countries have access to HIV treatment with nearly 8 million additional people still in need.”

Tuned In: May-Chang To Appear on Signorile Show

Independent journalist and human rights activist, Jody May-Chang maybe one of the hardest working reporters in Idaho these days.  After years of trying to warn the country about former Idaho Values Alliance head fascist Bryan Fischer, a recent report  authored by herself and fellow journalist Jill Kuraitis seems to be gaining some traction.

Their report, “The Propagandists,” which follows Fischer’s infamous rise from Idaho pastor to current position as American Family Association’s ” Director of Issues Analysis” was released earlier this month by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Since the report’s release,  May-Chang has been popping up all over the place from an articles published on several national LGBTQ websites to an appearance on News Radio 1310 KLIX in Twin Falls.

Next stop: “The Gist” with Michelangelo Signorile.  Signorile, who all but invented the concept of “outing” hypocritical political homophobes during the 80’s, is one of America’s biggest names when it comes to LGBTQIA activism.  A former columnist for the Advocate, he is also the author of several best selling books. You can hear his interview with May-Chang this Friday, October 21st, at  1:30 pm MST on Sirius/XM’s OUTQ Channel 108. (If you don’t have a satellite you can still listen online by signing up for a free trial here.  There’s also “an app for that”.  Check your mobile device’s app store)

Update: Student Suspended in Jamey Rodemyer Bullying Case

Remember the sicking story about the bullies who chanted, “We’re glad you’re dead” at Jamey’s sister during a homecoming dance? Well it appears one of those bullies may have been caught.

LGBTQ Nation is reporting that, “The (School) district identified a single student believed responsible for the Sept. 22 incident at the homecoming event, and that he has imposed a long-term suspension which was “to the fullest extent allowed by state education law.”

The School District made the announcement via You Tube:

Three other students could be facing criminal charges for the bullying that led up to Rodemyer’s suicide. LGBTQ Nation says “The Amherst Police Department Special Victims Unit has opened a criminal investigation to determine whether to charge some students with harassment, cyber-harassment or hate crimes. “