About these ads
Archive | July, 2012

Oregon songwriter copes with assault over cycling shorts

30 Jul

Help this ‘Troubled Piece of Fruit’

by Bernard-Charles

Stephan holds his new CD ‘A Troubled Piece of Fruit’ while showing his swollen jaw from Friday’s assault.

Stephan Nance known for his original piece “Song for Losers” on YouTube announced on his blog Sunday that three unidentified men assaulted him for wearing cycling shorts by the Willamette River.

I was sitting by the river across from this little island; three guys and a girl came around the side of it and waded back to the riverbank, where they confronted me about how I needed to “put on some fucking clothes”…

The tension in his story continued to unfold as I interviewed him this afternoon over Facebook. In our brief exchange, he confirmed his sexuality as “queer” and it wasn’t the first time his cycling fashion attracted homophobia.

Interestingly (to me, anyway), I’ve encountered hostility before while riding in cycling clothes, though only verbal. On multiple occasions I’ve been waiting at a light, for example, and someone driving by (or a passenger, perhaps) has yelled “faggot” at me, completely out of the blue.

Stephan shows his back all scratched. Ouch!

It’s sad when it takes wearing appropriate attire to ride a bicycle to unleash so much hate into the world. “I really wonder whether the people who assaulted me did so because they perceived me to be queer… a nancy-boy cyclist or whatever” he said.

Contrary to the irony of Nance’s song, I believe that Nance is not a loser in this situation, just a victim of social ignorance. Because I too have survived the ‘Hunger Games’ in my life and can attest that being different comes with an unneeded price, but nothing to this extent. According to Youth Pride, Inc. “A 2001 study found that LGBQ teenagers are more likely to experience, witness, and/or perpetrate violence than their straight peers,” I will venture to assume that this energy certainly follows into adulthood. Homophobia is ignorant to age.

Moving forward with your help

Unfortunately the way the cards lay, Nance posted that he doesn’t have insurance or seen a doctor since the incident. Not seeing a doctor could be rather risky, but I understand when money is tight and sacrifices are made. However seeking proper medical attention is strongly advised, especially since it was basically a three to one ratio and more than a shove!

They all freaked out, pushed me into a blackberry bush, punched me a few times, and threw a rock at me, as I blew the whistle and screamed for help (screamed bloody murder, seriously) again and again and again.

Rising above the ashes has been a useful reference for this year and so many new changes are abound with this phoenix energy that I ask you to show your support for Stephan Nance by sending him your own words of encouragement to his Facebook or Twitter. Thoughts are things after all. If you wish to give even more, you can buy his new CD entitled ‘A Troubled Piece of Fruit.’ Hopefully, this will put some dollars in his wallet to go see a doctor and heal those bruises.

The bright side in all of this has been the support shown to me by such an astonishing number of people online.

-Stephan Nance

About these ads

Tags: ,

Scotland’s marriage law got bitten by the love bug

25 Jul

Equality is contagious

by Bernard-Charles

And I think a lot of it has to do with America’s Future Talk Show Host coming into the country.

Oh alright, I did not set my foot down in any governing meetings, or end up going to Glasgow PRIDE, but I did conjure up happy thoughts for love as I traveled to various places in Scotland like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and St. Andrews.

Most of you following me, know that I believe in the words: “thoughts are things.” So, I kept thinking how amazing it would be for more awareness of the true meaning of love. Since residing in the UK for over a month, my intuition yells out to me. Bernard, this place has amazing history and beautiful landscapes it surely knows a thing or two about love.

I just wrangled with the deeper notion that I need to live where I know my love can be felt and I wouldn’t have to hide it from the world. I eventually want to raise children and subconsciously feel like I am on a hunt for the right breeding ground. Well, I think I may have found a good place to consider.

The BBC reports that Scotland will be the first UK country to allow same-sex marriages.

Scotland is set to become the first part of the UK to introduce gay marriage after the SNP government announced plans to make the change.

How exciting!

The Scottish government said;

  • it would work with UK ministers to amend equality laws, to ensure those views were safeguarded and protect celebrants from legal or disciplinary action if they refuse to take part or speak out against same sex ceremonies.
  • and a bill would be brought forward to the Scottish Parliament to bring in the change.

So, I am thoroughly impressed with how synchronicity cleverly works in the universe. I don’t think casual coincidences that are often dismissed as such is something we are dealing with here. The world is changing and hopefully my part in it will make it shine farther than the next galaxy in the sky.

Yet, I do want to brace everyone that today I was reminded to look out for illusions. This could very well mean that the retrograde we are dealing with here and the trickery of the shadows have the act to deceive. This is great news for Scotland’s gay community, and a positive lead for the world, but remember to not let your guard down when you’re the happiest. I know in the Unites States, inter-racial marriages are still not fully embraced by all, so it will take time for the world to understand the core values of love.

Tags: , ,

Library of Innerpeffray is ‘valued above all’

20 Jul

My Scottish Internship

by Bernard-Charles

The ways of the universe are truly untold, but we all experience moments where these so-called sporadic happenings of the old Earth work not against us, but for us. A miracle if you will.

Originally, I was placed in an advertising internship with Adspad, but when I got to Scotland things changed. Just one more thing to add to the cumbersome list of study abroad regrets, or so I thought.

The internship change was a benefit indeed and a clever result of synchronicity too! Working at Scotland’s oldest free public lending library, Library of Innerpeffray, I slip off into memories of when I volunteered at Milton Hershey School’s library. Though there is no need for checking out books or remembering a library card, the fundamental motif in this-is-Bernard’s-life chapter is “the library.”

What does a library mean to you?

Well, it just gets creepier too, I did have my if study abroad falls through plans–I would volunteer at my hometown’s community library. The world placed me at a library nonetheless this summer, so libraries are good boys and girls!

Provided by The Library of Innerpeffray

The Library of Innerpeffray (est. 1680) is nestled quietly among Scottish trees and the tales of history and folklore are concealed by its thick walls. So thick that getting an internet signal is the equivalent to squeezing water out of desert dry stones. Certainly meeting my match as a social media intern.

I’ve only been to the library twice now, but what to say so far about the internship would be at novel’s length. However,the most important aspect thus far is the unique energy that exists because of how old the library is and that it’s founded upon philanthropic efforts. Which align perfectly with the history of Milton Hershey and his establishment of Milton Hershey School. Another jab at the inner workings of the universe, I know.

I personally don’t think anyone could capture in words the exact feeling of the place because each person comes and leaves differently, but what happens inside this library is life-enhancing.

Today, a man who grew up in Australia and fought alongside the American Navy in WWII, walked around the library in such reverence for the collection that noticing a shaggy blonde hair kid typing away on a computer stuck out like a sore thumb. Modern technology and this library? Could it happen? Not to mention, a young person sighting.

The library staff  introduced me to the visitors  and we all had a profound talk about the ways of language. How “organic” (as my supervisor put it) information and knowledge is when communicated throughout time.

Next thing I knew, I was by myself with this man. He stood there telling me of his war-filled past and I waited for the right moment to ask one question– “Did you ever think of writing a book?” Those words which I thought were innocent had turned into real passion. Apparently, his sons had given him a notebook to write down his passing thoughts so that his grandchildren’s children would know what kind of man he was in his lifetime. He mentioned a quote from when Barack Obama spoke to the American Library Association (He is a retired librarian by the way and represents ALA in Australia) and he finished the quote and stepped away. I turned my head to notice that his wife who had been chatting with my supervisor was waiting on him to finish his talk with me. The time froze. He just stopped and bowed his head down and the tears of his past, present, and future were running down his face. I held back my own.

Moments like this happen when humans connect with one another sincerely.

The library has this rare quality that helps shed your self-awareness at the door and as you climb the spiral steps and enter a room full of leatherbound books and century old fingerprints, your emotions then kick into autopilot. The reactions are genuine and the feelings are real.

I saw a lot of my grandfather in him and found his story to be beautiful and wanted to share it with you all. And to show that the library is truly a valuable site.

Every visitor who comes to Innerpeffray encounters a place where books and the knowledge they contain are valued above all.

-George Chamier, author of The First Light, 2008

Tags: , ,

← Older Entries