UHD Student Targeted with Anti-Gay Flyers Printed with Medical Records and HIV Status

Some disturbing attacks on a student at the University of Houston-Downtown where Kris Sharp, a (not yet official) candidate for student government has been targeted by flyers posted around campus printed with Sharp's medical records that accuse him of promoting a "homosexual agenda".

Houston Press's Hair Balls blog reports:

"I was initially really devastated that this could happen," Sharp, who has taken a week to digest the message, told Hair Balls. "What was going through my head was, 'How quickly can I transfer?'"

Sharp, who'd recently spoken openly about both his sexuality and HIV status, had heard that the flyers were floating around. He'd heard mention that someone was handing them out to passersby, but doesn't know whether anyone's yet laid eyes on the individual, or individuals, who spread these papers through campus. He only knows that he wasn't expecting something this despicable, this horrific, when he initially announced an interest in running for student body president next month...

..."I've never seen anything like this -- this is the very first time anything like this has occurred [on campus]," says Sharp. "There's a culture at UHD that is somewhat less accepting of LGBT youth, but something of this magnitude is completely mind-blowing. I knew, going into the election, that I could possibly be targeted because of my sexuality -- but I had no idea that it would go to this level."

The university and its police department has begun an internal investigation, and say they believe it's an anomaly, and not indicative of the attitude on campus or the school's policies. Sharp says he believes he knows who did it and wants an apology, not criminal charges.

The Daily Cougar adds:

The clinic Sharp goes to, Thomas Street Health Center, is a few blocks away from the school, and patients will not be seen without proper documentation — even with an appointment. He doesn’t have a car, so he brought a folder of the required medical information with him. As a student senator, he shares a common office space with the other members of the Student Government Association and believes someone got the information from his briefcase when he was away.

While some students have been giving him a hard time, he has not lost the support of his running mate.

“(Isaac’s) been a trooper,” Sharp said. “If I was him, and I was straight, I’d probably drop me.”

Sharp sent an email to several news outlets and posted a response on Facebook, making it clear they would not respond to the negativity by engaging in illicit behavior.

“We will instead continue to progress in our campaign to enhance the student experience at the University of Houston-Downtown for all students — no matter their race, nationality, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity and expression.”

Don't Ask, Don't Tell, The Musical: VIDEO

Bayou City Performing Arts in Houston has turned the battle to repeal 'Don't Ask, Dont' Tell' into a musical production and will be performing it this weekend at the Cullen Theater at Wortham Center, Think Progress LGBT reports.

Check it out, AFTER THE JUMP...

Houston Pastor Calls on Mayor Annise Parker to Step Down for Support of Same-Sex Marriage

Houston Pastor Steve Riggle, who has been on a crusade against Mayor Annise Parker since she took office, and last year spearheaded a coalition of clergy demanding that she rescind a sweeping non-discrimination order protecting LGBT people, used his megachurch pulpit over the weekend to demand that she step down over her decision to join dozens of other U.S. mayors in Freedom to Marry's national campaign calling for marriage equality.

The Houston Chronicle reports:

Speaking at the congregation's 10 a.m. service, Riggle promised some 3,000 worshippers "the shortest sermon that has ever been preached in this congregation." After reading 25 Bible versions of the Genesis account of marriage as a man "leaving his father and mother and being joined to his wife," Riggle spent the next 50 minutes reading a letter he wrote to Parker last week, summarizing her response and then reading a new letter he has written to the mayor.

Parker responded with a statement:

"Houston is a city supportive of equal rights and tolerant of opposing opinions – a city where individuals may disagree with one another without being personal," said Parker. "I am standing with 160 mayors, including other Texas mayors, who have taken the same public position.My focus remains on creating jobs and building a safer city."

The paper adds that Riggle received "numerous ovations" for his attacks on Parker.

He said that he was not anti-gay nor a "gay-hater," noting that he had prayed with gay people dying of AIDS. "Just because I disagree with the life style choices that people make does not mean that I hate the people who make those choices," Riggle said, as his listeners responded with applause.

Conservative Radio Host Michael Berry Rips TV Station's Gay Bar Hit-and-Run Story: AUDIO

Michael Berry blasted Houston TV station KPRC for doing a "hit piece" on him in its report that he had been seen on security cameras in a hit-and-run accident with another vehicle outside TC's Show Bar in Houston's Montrose District on January 31, All Access reports:

Berry opened today's show by saying that he would go against the "very expensive" advice of his attorneys and would speak on the reports, and then, after saying "I don't care what people see on some TV station," he said that "the fourth-place TV station" had "run out of house fires to report on, so they decided to do a hit piece on me" using "unnamed sources."  Reading the story posted on KPRC-TV's website, he noted the repeated use of the term "gay bar" and ripped the station for running the story on TV three nights in a row.  He asserted that he has never "bashed gays" and called the TV station's report "a smear campaign" and threatened to respond with his own "unnamed sources on you S.O.B.s... you will not smear my name and me go down without a fight."

Last week, Berry claimed he was being framed by his enemies, as surveillance footage was broadcast which appeared to show him at the bar.

Added Berry on his show today: "I went into a bar. There were gay people inside. You know why I went in to a bar? Let me confess. Because there was cold beer waiting inside. Is that a crime? The fact that I'm not afraid of the fact that some of the people inside may be gay makes it a bad thing? Would it have been better if I was at a strip club, or a Hooters? Well if it would then maybe you should now know, I don't hate gays. I don't fear gays. I don't need to bash gays."

Berry goes on to say that he went in the gay bar because he didn't want to be bothered.

Listen to Berry's angry rant, AFTER THE JUMP...

Conservative Talk Radio Host Michael Berry Was Definitely At That Gay Bar In Houston ...

... and we know this because the establishment's security footage has finally been released to the public.

As Andy reported: Michael Berry, a Republican, former city councilman, and syndicated radio talk show host famous for thinking murderous thoughts about those of his fellow citizens who happen to be Muslims, has been accused of perpetrating a hit-and-run outside of T.C.'s Show Bar in the Montrose gayberhood of Houston on January 31st, 2011. Berry allegedly reversed some 70 feet in a Chevy Tahoe, slammed into the car of a bouncer named Tuderia Bennett, who happened to be standing right outside the bar, and sped away. Witnesses confirmed the hit and run, and Bennett says he got a clear look at the perp before he drove off, as well as a good reading of the vehicle's license plate. When traced, the plate number turned out to be Berry's.

From Raw Story:

Berry, a former Republican city councilman, suggested on his radio show on Thursday that he had been framed by his “enemies.”

“I’ve always said when you do what I do, the way I do it, you make enemies,” he said. “When you poke your finger in as many people’s eye as I do every day, you make enemies,” adding that they will “will accuse you of most anything.”

Now, a man who looks very much like Berry can be seen by all on footage from T.C.'s security cam, which was posted yesterday by KHOU 11. With the tape, the witnesses, and the license plate number, Houston police have more evidence than is usually brought to bear on hit and run cases. Nevertheless, they've so far declined to launch a full investigation of Mr. Berry. Bennett suggests this is because of Berry's connections in local government.

For the record: There was a drag show in progress during Berry's visit to T.C.'s Show Bar, and while it's odd to catch a professional right-winger in such environs, Berry's presence is not necessarily indicative of hypocrisy. Berry celebrates at least one drag queen on his website, which features a page devoted to the comedic stylings of Shirley Q. Liquor.

Anyway -- watch KHOU 11's coverage, as well as the uncovered security footage, AFTER THE JUMP ...

Conservative Radio Host Michael Berry Accused of Hit-and-Run Accident After Patronizing Gay Bar

Conservative radio host and former City Councilman Michael Berry was reportedly seen on security cameras in a hit-and-run accident with another vehicle outside TC's Show Bar in Houston's Montrose District on January 31, KPRC reports.

Tuderia Bennett, of Galena Park, told Houston police that he was working as a bouncer at the front door during a popular cross-dressing 'drag show' that was going on inside the club.   He watched the crash happen and told police he rushed up to the car after impact and got a good look at Berry behind the wheel.

Berry may have been leaving the bar:

The report also states, "The ongoing investigation indicates that the suspect is Michael Berry, a local radio talk show host."

Managers of the bar then turned over security camera video from inside the club to HPD investigators, and they write in an e-mail to Local 2 Investigates that their video confirms that Berry was in their establishment that night.

The e-mail reads, "Mr. Berry is one of those customers who has been to our establishment. The video in question that shows Mr. Berry in our establishment is in our possession. The local authorities have requested this same video and they are in possession to assist with their investigation." ...

...The victim told Local 2 Investigates he believes the conservative activist is trying to avoid the issue entirely because of his public stances involving gay people.

"If you're going to stand up and say anti-gay things and be conservative and be Mr. Good Guy, and then when something happens that points you out and puts you in a place with the exact business that you aim to shut down, it kind of makes it seem like I need this to go away and I need it to go away quickly," said Bennett.

The Houston Press publishes some more of Berry's bloviating about subjects like the Grammys and the Ground Zero mosque.