The Death Of Hitchbot

PHILADELPHIA: Protesters Disrupt Scott Walker's Appearance At Local Eatery

Business Insider reports:

Presidential candidate and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) was heckled while participating in the time-honored tradition of grabbing a cheesesteak in Philadelphia on Tuesday. Photos of the event showed at least two protesters holding up rather lewd signs while Walker schmoozed at Geno's Steaks, a cheesesteak joint famous for expecting its customers to order in English. The Associated Press reported that a campaign aide stood on a bench and tried to block the signs. It wasn't clear why the protesters did not like Walker. However, one video showed a heckler shouting the name of Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), a Democratic presidential candidate.

(Tipped by JMG reader Ed)

When The Pope Comes To Philadelphia

Philadelphia's blogs are chattering about security measures and road closures slated for when Pope Francis visits at the end of September.

As far as the city is concerned, no-vehicle boundaries will likely fall as such: Girard to Ridge to Spring Garden to the north, South Street to the south, the Delaware River to the east and 38th Street to the west. Basically, “no vehicles in greater center city/ucity,” the source said. “That’s why we’ve been calling it the traffic box. No traffic.” West Philly boundaries remain a bit hazy for city planners, but they do know a Pope fence will go up around the Parkway, probably from the Art Museum to City Hall, about two blocks wide on either side. “Pretend it’s a blizzard,” the source said. “Nothing functions normally during a blizzard.” Here’s what that would look like, with the red area representing the fence that will be put up and the black area representing the full security boundaries. It’s still being worked out what those boundaries might mean for residents. Papal event consultants confirmed to PlanPhilly that the Ben Franklin Bridge between Philadelphia and New Jersey will be shut down, and they’ve even made suggestions that the city should, for some period of time, shut down I-95.

City planners are bracing for crowds of up to 1.5 million over the weekend. Residents of the affected areas have reportedly been told they should "plan to walk miles" to reach their usual destinations. The majority of the city's rail system will be dedicated to express shuttles for papal worshipers and most regular stops will be bypassed. Craigslist is already seeing home rental listings for as much as $25,000 for the three-day papal visit. One optimistic fellow is asking $10K for his one bedroom apartment.

PHILADELPHIA: Prosecutors Make Plea Offers To Alleged Gay Bashers

Philly Mag reports that the suspects in last year's brutal gang gay-bashing have been offered a plea deal by prosecutors.

Sources on both sides of the case confirm that all three suspects now have plea offers in hand and that they are are weighing their options. "On behalf of my client, we are reviewing a plea offer from the District Attorney," says Williams' attorney Fortunato Perri. Williams stands accused of punching both victims, Zachary Hesse and Andrew Haught, according to court documents. Haught suffered the greatest injuries, requiring hospitalization.

Louis Busico, attorney for Kathryn Knott, says that he's "always happy to have open lines of communication" with prosecutors but wouldn't say whether Knott is going to take the deal. While Williams and Harrigan were allegedly the more physical aggressors, it was Knott who received the brunt of public backlash after homophobic rants were found on her Twitter feed.

Harrigan's attorney, Josh Scarpello, did not return calls seeking comment. According to an affidavit of probable cause in the case, Harrigan initiated the confrontation when he called the victims "faggots," and he struck Hesse.

According to the above-linked report, if convicted on all charges at trial the trio could face from 34 to 68 years in prison. That result is highly unlikely as none of the three had been arrested before. If the plea offer is accepted, an insider predicts sentences of 12-24 months in county jail. Jury selection will begin in September if they don't take the deal.

50 Years Ago In Philadelphia

Via the Associated Press:

Gay rights activists gathered in front of Independence Hall in Philadelphia on the Fourth of July to mark the progress of their movement and pay tribute to those who launched it a half-century ago — but also made it clear that the fight for equality was far from over. "In too many communities, you can still get married on Sunday and then fired on Monday . Marriage equality was a critical milestone but not the final destination," said activist Aisha Moodie-Mills, referring to the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriages nationwide. "If history has taught us anything, it's that no community's rights are one and done with a simple piece of legislation. . Equality is not set in stone," Moodie-Mills said. The event was part of a weekend-long celebration of some of the earliest gay rights marches, including a gathering of about 40 protesters calling for equality at the same location on July 5, 1965.

More from the Wall Street Journal:

Most people associate the beginning of the LGBT rights movement with the Stonewall Riots in 1969, when a police raid at the Stonewall Inn caused many patrons to fight back. But four years earlier, on July 4, 1965, a group of 40 activists, led by organizers Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings, held what was at the time the largest demonstration in support of gay rights in the world. This began what became known as the “Annual Reminders” demonstrations, strategically held each year at Independence Hall where the Liberty Bell then resided, reminding people of the Declaration of Independence’s proclamation of the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” After the Stonewall riots, Kameny and Gittings suspended the annual reminders to focus on organizing a demonstration to commemorate Stonewall, launching in 1970 what has since become known as NYC’s first-ever Pride Parade.

RELATED: From Philadelphia's tourism agency.

PHILADELPHIA: Jim Obergefell Places Wreath At Site Of 1965 Gay Rights Rally

Via the Associated Press:

Regina Sullivan started crying as she squeezed her arms around the man at the center of the latest gay rights milestone: Jim Obergefell, whose lawsuit led to the U.S. Supreme Court ruling making same-sex marriage the law of the land. Sullivan, 17, offered her embrace before a ceremony Thursday where Obergefell helped place a wreath at a historical marker commemorating one of the movement’s first milestones: a rally near Philadelphia’s Independence Hall a half-century ago. “For me, it’s an honor to be here to pay tribute to those people who took much bigger risks than I did and laid the groundwork for John and me to be married and for us to stand up and have the courage to fight,” said Obergefell. “Without the people here in Philadelphia 50 years ago, I wouldn’t be here.”

Handed Out At Philly Pride

Source. (Tipped by JMG reader Daddy Ray)

Comcast Donates $1.5M In PSA Airtime For LGBT 50th Anniversary Celebration

Via press release:

Organizers announced today that Comcast Corporation is the lead marketing sponsor of the National LGBT 50th Anniversary Celebration. Comcast is providing $1.5 million worth of airtime to broadcast a 30-second National LGBT 50th Anniversary public service announcement (PSA). “Comcast NBCUniversal is a longstanding supporter of national and regional LGBT organizations. We are grateful to Comcast NBCUniversal for its generous support of the National LGBT 50th Anniversary Celebration. Through Comcast’s support, the 50th Anniversary PSA will be the most broadcast LGBT television PSA in history,” stated Malcolm Lazin, Chair, National LGBT 50th Anniversary Celebration. “The PSA commemorates the launch of the organized LGBT movement at Independence Hall, civil rights progress, and shared American values." The organized LGBT civil rights movement was launched when activists from New York, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia staged demonstrations for equality each Fourth of July from 1965 to 1969. When 40 activists picketed in front of Independence Hall in 1965, it was the largest demonstration for gay equality in world history.

Philadelphia's Annual Reminder Day was launched by pioneering activists Frank Kameny and Barbara Gittings. The celebration runs from July 2nd - July 5th and most events are free. Learn more here.

Amtrak Resumes NYC-Philly Service

Via the New York Times:

Amtrak trains began rolling on the busy Northeast Corridor early Monday, the first time in almost a week following a deadly crash in Philadelphia, and officials vowed to have safer trains and tracks while investigators worked to determine the cause of the derailment. Amtrak resumed service along the corridor with a 5:30 a.m. southbound train leaving New York City. The first northbound train, scheduled to leave Philadelphia at 5:53 a.m., was delayed and pulled out of 30th Street Station at 6:07 a.m. About three dozen passengers boarded the New York City-bound train in Philadelphia, and Mayor Michael Nutter was on hand to see the passengers and train off. All Acela Express, Northeast Regional and other services were to also resume.

Amtrak Crash Engineer Is Openly Gay

Teabagistan is ablaze tonight after the engineer of the Amtrak train that crashed in Philadelphia was identified as Brandon Bostian, an openly gay man who campaigned against Prop 8 while living in San Francisco and for gay marriage after moving to New York. Via Heavy:

Brandon Bostian, 32, has been an engineer for Amtrak since December 2010, according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously worked for four years with the company as a conductor. Bostian, originally from Memphis, graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia in 2006 with a degree in business management and administration. He also worked as a cashier at Target while in college and previously lived in San Francisco. Bostian is gay and was quoted in a 2012 story by The Midtown Gazette about the fight for gay marriage in New York. He said he moved to New York from San Francisco and had been active in the Proposition 8 fight. “It’s kind of insulting to have to beg people for my right to marry,” he told the newspaper. “I feel like we shouldn’t even have to have this fight.” GotNews, which first reported his name, called him a “gay activist,” and many Twitter users have reacted negatively to his sexuality, claiming he may have been a “diversity” hire by the government-funded Amtrak.

GotNews is a far-right site run by the despicable Chuck C. Johnson, who is loathed even by some of his fellow wingnuts for his habit of trolling the victims of rape.

REPORT: Amtrak Train Was Traveling Twice Speed Limit At Time Of Crash

Via the Wall Street Journal:

An Amtrak train involved in a fatal crash here appears to have been traveling at more than 100 miles an hour as it entered a sharp curve where it derailed Tuesday night, killing at least six people, according to two people with knowledge of the investigation. The speed limit in that section of track drops to 50 miles per hour, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Investigators are focusing on the possibility that excessive speed was a factor in the derailment, one of these people said. The locomotive and all seven passenger cars of the train went off the tracks at a tight curve at Frankford Junction, north of Philadelphia city center. Multiple cars overturned, severely injuring some passengers and pinning others. Six people were killed and more than 200 were injured, including eight who were in critical condition.

Update On Amtrak Derailment

It's ten hours later and transit officials have not yet announced a cause for last night's Amtrak disaster in Philadelphia, which has claimed six lives at this writing. The crash occurred where the track curves through the Port Richmond neighborhood and it's the site of a 1943 train crash that killed 79 passengers. That crash remains one of the deadliest in US history. Amtrak issued a statement early this morning:

We are deeply saddened by the loss of life from Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 188 that derailed north of Philadelphia Tuesday evening. We ask the news media to be respectful of our customers, our employees, and their families. There were approximately 238 passengers and 5 crew members on board. Individuals with questions about their friends and family on this train should call the Amtrak Incident Hotline 800-523-9101. Amtrak has also established a Family Assistance Center to work closely with family and friends of individuals on the train. Local emergency responders are on the scene and an investigation is ongoing. On Wednesday, May 13, modified Amtrak service will be provided between Washington and Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Philadelphia, and New York and Boston. There will be no Amtrak service between New York and Philadelphia, but New Jersey Transit will honor Amtrak tickets between New York City and Trenton.

Rail service may not resume between NYC and Philadelphia for several days.

RELATED: Shortly after the crash Donald Trump took to Twitter to declare that only he can fix the nation's crumbling infrastructure. Trump was immediately castigated as a crass opportunist by all sides, but especially on right wing sites where talk of infrastructure spending is akin to communism.

Headline Of The Day

But still no hate crime charges. Details.

PHILADELPHIA: Lawyers For Accused Gay Bashers Want Charges Dropped

Via Philadelphia's CBS affiliate:

Defense lawyers for the three Bucks County defendants charged with attacking a gay couple in Center City last September intend to file pre-trial motions, in an attempt to eliminate or reduce the charges. The three defendants — Kevin Harrigan, Philip Williams and Kathryn Knott — all of whom are in their mid 20’s, appeared with their lawyers for the status hearing. At the preliminary hearing stage in December, a Municipal Court judge ruled there was sufficient evidence to prosecute them on aggravated assault, conspiracy, and other charges. Defense lawyer Louis Busico, who represents the 24-year-old Knott, says all of the defendants maintain their innocence.

The hearing is set for April 15th.

PHILADELPHIA: Pam Geller Wins Battle To Place Anti-Islam Ads On Public Transit

Crackpot Pam Geller has won yet another court battle, this time against Philadelphia's public transit system.

Last June, SEPTA rejected the ads from New Hampshire-based American Freedom Defense Initiative by pointing to the transportation authority's "anti-disparagement standard," rules attempting to limit inflammatory messages. But the American Freedom Defense Initiative, a pro-Israel group headed by conservative blogger Pam Geller, challenged SEPTA's rejection in court. And she did so with momentum in her stride, as her group has fought and won similar battles from San Francisco to New York. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Mitchell Goldberg sided with Geller, calling SEPTA's ad restriction "certainty laudable," but "such aspirations do not, unfortunately, cure First Amendment violations." In an email, Geller called the decision "another historic AFDI victory."

(Tipped by JMG reader Rudy)

Philly To Host 2016 Dem Convention

The other finalists were New York City and Columbus. The GOP convention will be in Cleveland.

Timeline: 50 Years Of LGBT Rights

Philadelphia's William Way LGBT Center has created a 50-year timeline of important moments in LGBT rights activism, starting with Philly's Annual Reminder Day protests, which launched on July 4, 1965. The 50th anniversary of the Annual Reminder protests will be marked with a yearlong series of events that will include a major exhibit at Philadelphia's National Constitution Center. Hit the link and dig in. (Tipped by JMG reader Ed)

PENNSYLVANIA: Philadelphia's Alleged Gay-Bashers Get First Hearing TodayUPDATE: There WILL Be A Trial

Via Philly Magazine:

The case will be brought before a municipal court judge to determine if there was probable cause to arrest the suspects in September. Attorney for Kevin Harrigan, Josh Scarpello, tells me, “we won’t decide the truth of the matter in that first hearing. It is a probable-cause hearing to establish if the case should go to trial.” Scarpello confirms that all three defendants have pleaded not guilty. District Attorney's office spokesperson Tasha Jamerson tells me chief assistant district attorney of the central unit, Michael Barry, is prosecuting the case. During the preliminary hearing he will present all evidence, and the judge will hear testimony from witnesses, police, and the complainants and defendants. "The judge will listen to both sides and determine if there is enough to hold them to trial," Jamerson says.

If the judge rules for a trial and if no plea bargain is reached, a jury trial would likely not take place for a couple of months at the earliest. I'll update this post after the hearing concludes. (Tipped by JMG reader Edward)

UPDATE: There WILL be a trial on all charges. BOOM.

UPDATE II: Here's the first recap from the AP:

A gay man is testifying about a late-night confrontation with young adults out on the town in Philadelphia that left his boyfriend in a pool of blood. The 28-year-old says the September attack began when 26-year-old Kevin Harrigan used slurs to ask if he and his partner were gay. The witness says he used the same language back to say they were, and the fight soon got physical. Harrigan, 24-year-old Philip Williams and 24-year-old Kathryn Knott are charged with aggravated assault, conspiracy and other counts. Defense lawyers hope to have the case dismissed at Tuesday's preliminary hearing, arguing that both parties were at fault. But witness Geoff Nagle questions whether the second gay man could have thrown a punch as he was beaten to the ground with a broken jaw.

Pope Francis Confirms 2015 US Visit

Via NBC Philadelphia:

The pontiff confirmed Monday he plans to attend the highly-anticipated World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia next year. "I wish to confirm according to the wishes of the Lord, that in September of 2015, I will go to Philadelphia for the World Meeting of Families," he told a gathering of religious leaders in Rome. The three-day visit will include a public Sunday mass on the Ben Franklin Parkway on Sept. 27, 2015. Officials estimate up to 2 million people could come to see the pope. "This will be the largest event in the city's modern history," Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter said. The mayor called the visit a "massive undertaking" that will require a "tremendous amount of coordination."

According to the Catholic News Agency, Pope Francis will also visit New York City and Washington DC, but the Vatican has not yet confirmed that. 

NOTE: The Philadelphia event has no relation to the NOM-backed and viciously anti-gay World Congress Of Families, which recently called for more nations to criminalize homosexuality.

Venerable Philly Bar Closes After 50 Years

Philadelphia's Westbury bar, which was first advertised in gay guides back in the early 60s, has closed after last month's fire in the hotel above it. From their Facebook page:

With a very broken heart, I have to announce, the Westbury Bar and Restaurant will not be reopening. Our extensive efforts trying get an exception from the city have not worked. After 30 years in our current location, and many years at the 15th Street location, the Westbury has given our all to serve the community with a friendly oasis from the rigors of life. I hope we will be remembered fondly. I would like to thank all the local business's and patrons who supported the hourly employees these past 3 weeks. The community support was just overwhelming. In closing, I would like to thank our neighborhood sports teams, choirs, etc. Our loyal customers who always became part of the family. And a special thanks to the most dedicated and hard working staff I could ever have hoped to work with. Thanks for the great years!

According to Philadelphia Gay News, the entire building must be retrofitted with a new sprinkler system. JMG reader Ed provides us with an epitaph:

The Westbury was a come-as-you-are corner joint, as welcoming to lesbians, hipster gays and their straight posses, and the community's most colorful members as much as the ball-cap-and-jeans crowd of mature-ish men who dominated the clientele. The tavern fare was reasonable both in price and quality, and the extensive beer selection a welcome gay-bar-first in one of America's top beer towns. Marred only by horrible, horrible music from one of those bar-destroying digital jukeboxes, the atmosphere was warm and open, arranged for interaction with friendly patrons around the central bar, viewing/ignoring all the sportsing happening on those giant flat screens, and allowing quiet confabs in the elevated corner by the fireplace where you could still evaluate prospects being carded at the door. I got laid. It will be missed.

Several weeks ago friends and I dropped in at the Westbury for what we thought would be a solemn early afternoon cocktail before heading to a funeral. We were surprised to find the place mobbed with rowdy rugby players scarfing pizza. We agreed that our late friend would have enjoyed that. Visit the Gayborhood Guru for a fascinating history of the Westbury.