News: Brazil, Vin Diesel, Red Wings, Lauren Hutton, 'Ex-Gays'

Brief altercations reported at Tel Aviv gay pride: "The demonstrators held signs which read: 'Animals! You have nothing to be proud of, take your medication.'" Thousands attend...

Vin Diesel is a daddy — literally.

McGreevey lawyer during closing arguments: "She gets nothing!"

Detroit Red Wings have a friend, and his name is Stanley.

Following her Sex and the City gay sluts rant, Lauren Hutton has made another bizarre appearance, this time at Bravo's A-List awards.

Archbishop of Uganda demands that "pro-gay bishops must apologise and renounce their support for sexual perversion" in order to mend rift in Church: "The Archbishop of Uganda, Henry Luke Orombi, made the appeal on Wednesday, while addressing journalists at the provincial headquarters in Namirembe, Kampala. He was announcing the departure of a team of Church of Uganda bishops to the Anglican Communion scheduled for June 22-29 in Jerusalem. According to Orombi, conservative Christians worldwide, who believe in the Bible, will meet in Jerusalem to 'prepare for an Anglican future in which the gospel is uncompromised and a Christ-centred mission is a top priority.'"

Gay Brazilian soldier who came out on national TV arrested after taping show for desertion from the army. AWOL or victimized?

Gay activist slams Norther Irish politico's statement that gays and lesbians can be "turned around". Said the MP: "I have a very lovely psychiatrist who works with me in my offices and his Christian background is that he tries to help homosexuals - trying to turn away from what they are engaged in. I'm happy to put any homosexual in touch with this gentleman and I have met people who have turned around and become heterosexuals."

Meet the Top 20 contestants on So You Think You Can Dance.

Brody Jenner kicks back in Hawaii.

Isaac Mizrahi makes hair pomade at home.

Brazil's first gay cruise!

This weekend's Love Won Out "ex-gay" conference in Orlando to be protested by gay activists: "Protesters, organized by Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays, will meet outside First Presbyterian Church in Orlando, where organizers say the conference is expected to draw about 500 participants. The conference coincides with Gay Days, which annually attracts thousands of gays to Orlando and Disney World."

Videos of McCain's awful speech being removed from YouTube?

Sphere: Related Content

Report: Gay Detroit Senior Andrew Anthos Was Not Attacked

Detroit Police said on Wednesday that gay senior Andrew Anthos, who was reportedly attacked in front of his apartment with a pipe of February 13 after his assailant had taunted him over his sexuality, died of natural causes and was never attacked.

This has been the account: "According to family members, Anthos said he was riding a city bus home from the library on Feb. 13 when a young man asked him if he was gay and uttered a slur. Anthos said the man followed him off the bus and confronted him again. Anthos said he told the man he was gay as he went to help a friend whose wheelchair was stuck in a snowbank, according to his cousin, Athena Fedenis."

In the days following the incident, Anthos, 72, clung to life in a Detroit hospital before slipping into a coma and dying.

According to the AP, "the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office concluded that Anthos fell because he had an arthritic neck, and detectives were unable to find witnesses to a beating, police said...Medical Examiner Dr. Carl Schmidt said evidence did not support the report of an attack on Anthos and said a head injury likely came from falling. Anthos probably flexed his neck, which caused arthritic spurs to compress his spinal cord enough to paralyze his legs, Schmidt said."

Said police spokesman James Tate to the Detroit News: "There's no evidence that an assault occurred. They determined that he died of natural causes."

Homicide unit supervisor Lt. Linda Vertin said the case would be closed due to lack of evidence of an assault. The report of the attack on Anthos sparked a renewed outcry in Michigan and across the country from gay advocacy groups for hate crime legislation.

The AP notes, "It was unclear what police made of the friend's account." It's also unclear where police came up with a sketch of Anthos' attacker which was released on March 1st.

Athena Fedenis, Anthos' cousin, whom police did not talk to before going public with their findings, expressed shock that the case was closed: "I'm just livid about this. Andrew didn't have any reason to make this up. I won't let this rest. I can't let this tarnish him. I don't want anyone to think it wasn't a hate crime."

Police, coroner: Detroit gay man died naturally, not from beating [detroit news]
Police Say Gay Man Not Fatally Beaten [nyt]

You may have missed...
Vigil for Andrew Anthos Tonight; Sketch Released of Killer [tr]
Detroit VIPs Silent on Gay Senior Andrew Anthos' Murder
Gay Senior Citizen Brutally Beaten in Detroit Hate Attack Dies [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Vigil for Andrew Anthos Tonight; Sketch Released of Killer

Police have released a sketch of a man wanted for the fatal beating of 72-year-old Andrew Anthos, clubbed to death with a pipe in front of his Detroit apartment in an anti-gay hate crime. Anyone with information is asked to call Detroit Police at (313) 596-2260 or anonymously call 1-800-SPEAK-UP.

Anthos' niece told Gay.com yesterday: "I promised two things, that I would get the dome lit and (pass) hate crimes (legislation). I don't think I'll be getting enough rest till this is all done."

More from Gay.com: "At Wednesday's funeral in Center Line, Mich., Fedenis said, about 80 people gathered to share memories of Anthos and how he had touched their lives. They included friends, loved ones and folks from the post office and library branch from which Anthos used to post and e-mail his voluminous correspondence. The Singing Librarians, a chorale of Detroit Public Library workers, performed two numbers, one by Gershwin and one from 'Show Boat' that had been sung by his beloved Ava Gardner. 'I can handle the R-E-E-L world,' Detroit Free Press columnist Susan Ager remembered him telling her, 'but the R-E-A-L world scares me.' Melissa Pope, director of victim services for Michigan's Triangle Foundation, described the tribute as 'very loving'. Different branches of the family had never met prior to this horrific murder,' Pope said. 'They felt Andrew had brought them together.' Anthos' family has set up a foundation to raise funds toward his dream of lighting the dome. Donations may be made to Andrew's Light, P.O. Box 66164, Roseville MI 48066."

Additionally, a candlelight vigil will be held this evening outside the apartment where Anthos was struck down. 6:30 p.m. at Windsor Towers, 1600 Antietam, Detroit MI 48207.

You may have missed...
Detroit VIPs Silent on Gay Senior Andrew Anthos' Murder
Gay Senior Citizen Brutally Beaten in Detroit Hate Attack Dies [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Detroit VIPs Silent on Gay Senior Andrew Anthos' Murder

The reaction to the cold-blooded hate killing of Detroit gay senior Andrew Anthos has been pathetic at best:

"It has been 16 days since someone killed Andrew Anthos, a 72-year-old openly gay man, by beating him with a pipe. Before and after the beating, the killer shouted anti-gay slurs. In 16 days, only one person with any sort of a well-known name in southeast Michigan has stepped forward to say it is wrong to beat a 72-year-old man to death with a pipe because he is gay."

Sen. Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit, pictured) has been the only public official to come forward. He said: "It’s so sad and tragic. I can see why an elected official may not want to be involved."

Columnist Bill McGraw asks: "Is the high-level silence here because Anthos was gay, or is it because everyone has grown immune to metro Detroit’s never-ending mayhem? Last week, a 13-year-old and 11-year-old were shot and killed, execution-style, in a Detroit dope house. Public officials mostly have remained silent on that outrage, too."

Background...
Gay Senior Citizen Brutally Beaten in Detroit Hate Attack Dies [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Andrew Anthos Death Inspires Reintroduction of Hate Crime Bill

Sometimes it takes a horrific tragedy, in this case the cold-blooded murder of Detroit senior Andrew Anthos, to move people to action.

The Detroit Free Press reports that Senator Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) says he'll re-introduce legislation to expand Michigan's hate crime statues to include sexual orientation. Similar legislation, of which Clarke was a co-sponsor, failed to pass last year. Hopefullly Anthos' murder will inspire people to see that it needs to happen.

Said Clarke: "I believe Mr. Anthos death will be a watershed. It’s going to be successful."

Clarke also vowed to give Anthos what he campaigned for for nearly 20 years — the lighting of the Michigan statehouse dome in red, white, and blue. Anthos cousin, Athena Fedenis, said it was his dying wish:

"One of the last things he said to me was 'Promise me my dearest cousin,' to continue the fight."

Neal Rubin, of the Detroit News, has written a column about Anthos' attempts over the years to get his message heard.

Sadly, it took a metal pipe, a crushed spine, and a man's soul for people to finally listen.

Background
Funeral Set for Slain Gay Detroit Senior Andrew Anthos [tr]
Gay Senior Citizen Brutally Beaten in Detroit Hate Attack Dies [tr]
72-Year-Old Detroit Man Paralyzed After Brutal Anti-Gay Attack [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Funeral Set for Slain Gay Detroit Senior Andrew Anthos

Funeral arrangements have been set for Andrew Anthos, the 72-year-old gay senior citizen who was beaten to death in a homophobic hate crime last week in Detroit.

A public viewing and visitation will be held from 2-9pm tomorrow - Tuesday, February 27 and a service will be held at 1pm on Wednesday at the Ford Funeral Home, 26560 Van Dyke, Center Line, Michigan 48015; (586) 754-2464.

The other tragedy? A senior citizen who campaigned for 20 years is beaten to death with a pipe in an anti-gay attack and not one item from CNN, or the other major outlets. Pathetic.

ADDENDUM: A tipster writes in, "The family has requested that donations be made in the family’s name to go toward Mr. Anthos’ dome fund and to assist them in their campaign to fight hate crimes. Funds in the Anthos family name can be mailed directly to the funeral home, however, I have no idea what or how funds will be used specifically or what anti-hate crime campaign the family plans to commence."

Background
Gay Senior Citizen Brutally Beaten in Detroit Hate Attack Dies [tr]
Gay Senior Victim of Detroit Hate Attack Given Last Rites [tr]
Gay Senior Citizen Patriot Clings to Life After Attack [tr]
72-Year-Old Detroit Man Paralyzed After Brutal Anti-Gay Attack [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Gay Senior Citizen Brutally Beaten in Detroit Hate Attack Dies

Andrew Anthos, 72, the gay senior citizen who waged a nearly-two-decade campaign to have the Michigan capitol dome lit in red, white, and blue, died yesterday from injuries sustained in a brutal hate attack.

Anthos, whom his niece says had a lifelong disability, was riding a bus home and a stranger, apparently offended that Anthos was singing, asked Anthos if he was gay, followed him off a bus, and beat him with a pipe. Anthos spent the last few days in a coma, paralyzed from the neck down, before dying yesterday.

Cold-blooded murder.

Police have not found the attackers. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has offered to pay for his funeral.

For background, see...
Gay Senior Victim of Detroit Hate Attack Given Last Rites [tr]
Gay Senior Citizen Patriot Clings to Life After Attack [tr]
72-Year-Old Detroit Man Paralyzed After Brutal Anti-Gay Attack [tr]

Sphere: Related Content

Gay Senior Victim of Detroit Hate Attack Given Last Rites

Andrew Anthos, the 72-year-old victim of the horrific gay bashing in Detroit I've been reporting on, was administered last rites on Thursday evening. He is not expected to make it.

His niece reports: "His breathing is very shallow and doctors don't expect him to make it through the next 24 hours."

It had been reported that the victim was asked if he was gay before the beating, but a few of these details are new: "According to family members, witnesses said the attack came after a fellow passenger on a city bus took offense to Anthos' singing, then followed him off the bus. The man then reportedly called Anthos a 'faggot' and beat him with a pipe."

No arrests have been made and "Detroit Police spokesman Leon Rahmaan declined Friday to assign a motive." Uh, doesn't screaming "faggot" and beating someone into a coma with a pipe pretty much describe the motive? Come on!

If folks think we've moved beyond the Matthew Shepard days, think again!

Sphere: Related Content

Gay Senior Citizen Patriot Clings to Life After Attack

A sad update on the recent Detroit hate attack:

Andrew Anthos, the 72-year-old Detroit man I reported on Wednesday was brutally beaten with a pipe outside his apartment after a stranger approached him on a bus and asked him if he was gay, now clings to life in a coma and is not expected to live through the weekend, according to the Detroit News.

The beating left Anthos paralyzed from the neck down and unable to speak above a whisper. Doctors reportedly performed emergency spinal surgery but were not able to reverse the paralysis. His niece, Athena Fedenis, 45, told the paper that Anthos is gay: "There's nothing else they can do but keep him comfortable. He wasn't robbed. It strictly was a hate crime. This monster gave Andrew a slow, painful death...Our family is just sick. We can't understand why someone would do something like this."

The only lead police have of the perpetrators is a vague description Anthos gave them before he slipped into a coma.

Anthos is apparently well-known in Detroit for his 18-year-campaign to light the Capitol Dome, according to the Landing State Journal (see photo):

"Anthos, who lived in Lansing at the time, often stopped in to get copies of the copious leaflets he created in the course of his 18-year-long Quixotic campaign to convince state officials to illuminate the Capitol dome with red, white and blue lights at least once a year, on Independence Day.

With typical Anthos flair, he told one of several State Journal reporters who interviewed him over the years: '(Lighting the dome was) ... a noble, fair, inexpensive and very patriotic proposal - a symbol of what liberty, democracy and freedom espouse.'

Anthos collected endorsements for his idea the way some people collect autographs. He got letters of support from Detroit Tigers and Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch, actress Ava Gardner, Detroit radio personality J.P. McCarthy - even recent GOP gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos.

If there's anyone on earth who would appreciate letters and cards from well-wishers, it's Anthos. They may be sent to him at:

Andrew Anthos, Detroit Receiving Hospital, 4201 Saint Antoine, Detroit, MI 48201."

Here's a touching article about Anthos from the State News from five years ago: "The 67-year-old Detroit resident, who collects 'Titanic' movie paraphernalia and idolizes the late actress Ava Gardner, says his biggest passion is his 15-year-old dream to light the outside of the Capitol 'with the soft colors of red, white and blue' on special occasions and holidays."

Anthos was obviously a true patriot who loved his country. If this is not enough to get Michigan to wake up and realize that sexual orientation needs to be part of the hate crime laws, I don't know what is.

While the Lansing State Journal reports Anthos' condition as conscious, the Detroit News obviously reports a more grim situation. I pray that Anthos will come out of it and the police catch the sad, pathetic excuse for a human being who committed this crime.

Our thoughts go out to Anthos and his family.

You may have missed...
72-Year-Old Detroit Man Paralyzed After Brutal Anti-Gay Attack [tr]

(photo source top)
(photo source bottom)

Sphere: Related Content

72-Year-Old Detroit Man Paralyzed After Brutal Anti-Gay Attack

A disgusting story out of Detroit — a 72-year-old man pursued and beaten in a sick attack that appears to have been motivated by the man's perceived sexual orientation.

WDIV reports:

"The victim, Andrew Anthos (right), was riding a city bus back to his residence at Detroit's Windsor Tower apartments on Feb. 13 when another male passenger asked him if he was gay, Anthos's niece, Athena Fedenis said. Anthos was followed by the man from the bus and beaten with a pipe in front of his apartment, Fedenis said."

Due to the repeated beating, Anthos is now paralyzed from the neck down and cannot speak above a whisper.

Said the victim's aunt: "It just doesn't make any sense. Why do people have to hurt each other?"

This is what you get in America for being perceived as gay.

Detroit police are investigating the attack and asking for anyone with information to come forward. Unfortunately, sexual orientation is not covered under Michigan's hate crime statutes.

Man Left Paralyzed In Brutal Beating [WDIV]

Sphere: Related Content