Thursday, November 24, 2016

Texas Company Selling A Truck Decal Of A Hog-Tied Woman Accused Of Promoting Sexual Assault



1. A Texas-based car decal company called Hornet Signs has recently been accused of promoting rape culture.







2. Users began attacking the company online over their decal, furious that Hornet Signs would think something like the abuse and kidnapping of women is something to joke about.







3. Hornet Signs put out an official statement, saying that they wanted to use the controversy to help victims of abuse:




Let's embrace the situation and take this opportunity to help victims of abuse all over this great country. Take the outrage and turn it into positive solutions. We have not profited by one penny on this but go to our website to find out who can! Take our challenge and let's be proactive in bringing awareness and finding solutions. Go to our facebook page and share with us what others are doing to bring awareness and solutions to this disturbing social issue. We have read every comment between Friday and now. We have seen a tremendous amount of negativity but with that somewhere there has to be just as much positive activity! The negativity still keeps the issue in front of us but we want to try and convert that into positive solutions.






4. Hornet Signs also asked outraged Facebook users to vote on what the company should do.







5. Hornet called it a “an experiment in marketing,” offering to put the hog-tied woman decal on eBay and give the proceeds to charity.







6. As of Monday, the majority of users just want the company to take it down.







7. There's also a petition that's being circulated, hosted on Moveon.com.







8. A local news station picked up the story, as well, interviewing Hornet's owner Brad Kolb, who said the woman on the decal was an employee who volunteered to be photographed.







9. On Sunday, Hornet posted a YouTube video explaining that their experiment in marketing was raising awareness to the issue of violence against women.







10. They, also, made it clear that “Hornet Signs and our individual employees do not condone abusive behavior, in any form to any individual.”







11. Hornet Signs said they are teaming up with The Advocacy Center For Crime Victims And Children and donating money for each like they receive on Facebook for the rest of September.







12. As The Frisky points out, Hornet is not the first company to sell this kind of image.





Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/texas-company-selling-a-truck-decal-of-a-hog-tied-woman-accu


The post Texas Company Selling A Truck Decal Of A Hog-Tied Woman Accused Of Promoting Sexual Assault appeared first on Automotive Guide To Everything.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

You spin me right 'round. And I'm not liking it. BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { if (BF_STATIC.bf_test_mode) localStorage.setItem('posted_date', 1409091307); }); BF_STATIC.timequeue.push(function () { document.getElementById(“update_posted_time_3429094”).innerHTML = “posted on ” + UI.dateFormat.get_formatted_date(1409091307); });

1. By now, you've probably seen some of the chatter surrounding Sofia Vergara's sketch at the Emmys.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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NBC

It involved Vergara posing on a giant spinning platform, the joke being that her Latina-brand hotness would provide a welcome distraction from a boring speech (which mentioned diversity) by Television Academy CEO and chairman Bruce Rosenblum. But for many on Twitter, the stunt was more cringe-worthy than funny.


2. Vergara has responded to the backlash, telling her critics to “lighten up.”


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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Fox / Via whatculture.com

“I think its absolutely the opposite,” she said. “It means that somebody can be hot and also be funny and make fun of herself. I think it's ridiculous that somebody started this - I know who she was - who has no sense of humor [and should] lighten up a little bit.”


And some agree. At Mediaite, Cathy Reisenwitz wrote, “Vergara stepped up on that pedestal because she had something to say about her industry. If you can't hear it over the sound of her beautiful body, that is your malfunction.”


3. No word on who Vergara thinks “started this.”


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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Paramount Pictures / Via soletstalkabout.com

Who invites you to tea and then won't serve it? Come on, Sofia.


4. But pop culture events that play out in front of a large audience aren't just about one person at one moment.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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Columbia Pictures / Via reactiongifs.us

Vergara's participation in that sketch - and the fact that it was pitched, written, and approved - makes this moment bigger than Sofia Vergara. This moment is about Latina representation in general.


5. So. Let's put the sketch in context.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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Disney / Via tumblr.com

We live at a point in history where women in general and Latinas in particular are both underrepresented in popular media, as well as portrayed in a sexualized and stereotypical manner more often than not.


6. If Vergara's partcipation in the sketch was an attempt to satirize that reality, it fell flat…


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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ABC / Via i.perezhilton.com

..and there's a reason for that.


7. Here are just a few examples of her participation in maintaining a stereotypical portrayal of Latinas:


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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ABC / Via lovebabymama.com What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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ABC / Via tumblr.com What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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ABC / Via tumblr.com What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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ABC

11. See what I mean?


It's not successful satire if you're complicit in the problem you're satirizing.


12. And the truth is that Sofia Vergara is better than these roles.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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Bravo / Via i.perezhilton.com

She has great comedic timing. She's business-savvy, extending her brand to include clothing, accessories, and jewelry. She's marketable, landing endorsement deals for giant brands like Head & Shoulders and Pepsi. She's won a SAG Award, a Glamour Award for her comedic skills, and even an NAACP Image Award. She's been the highest-paid actress on television “by a long shot” for two years running. She's at a point in her career where she could make a point of demanding better, more nuanced (and still funny) material.


13. But she doesn't.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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Fox / Via img4.wikia.nocookie.net

Besides defending the Emmys sketch, she has also defended Modern Family against critics' claims that the show's creative team has a problem when it comes to race and ethnicity, and that her character can veer into stereotypical territory.


And so things remain the same…


14. …which has a very real impact on the women, especially Latina women, who are Vergara's peers.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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Columbia Pictures / Via tumblr.com

Taking the easier path will, more often that not, leave the path a little less smooth and a lot more cluttered with obstacles and garbage for those who journey behind you. A great example of how that domino effect has played out for black actresses and characters is The Grio's post on “the changing image of the African-American 'leading lady.'


15. Of course Sofia Vergara has agency. Of course she gets to decide what to do with her body and with her image.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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CW / Via tumblr.com

And that's just the problem. The choices she is making don't exist in a vacuum. No one actress can or should represent an entire diverse ethnicity, but the fact remains that 1) there are very few visible, powerful Latinas in Hollywood, and 2) she is one of them.


And so the choices she makes have a very real impact on the way Latinas are represented in popular culture, the roles that are seen as being in demand, and the stories deemed worth the time and money it takes to make them.


16. I just hope she keeps that in mind.


What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas

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ABC / Via tumblr.com

Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/alexalvarez/what-is-satire-even


The post What Sofia Vergara's Emmys Sketch Means For Latinas appeared first on Automotive Guide To Everything.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Evangeline Lilly pimps prog cell service, hopes you'll use her promo code; Updated

http://twitter.com/#!/EvangelineLilly/status/370327219286974464


“Lost” and “Hobbit” actress Evangeline Lilly is trying to sell her followers on CREDO, a mobile phone service reseller that donates a portion of payments to prog groups like Media Matters, Planned Parenthood and Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Here's her Facebook post:


For the past six months or so, I have been using the only progressive mobile service carrier in the US: @CREDOmobile. http://www.credomobile.com/


CREDO uses a large percentage of my cell phone bill payments to help me fight for the causes I believe in, they keep me informed on issues that I care about and on top of all that, they provide the best, most personal service I've ever experienced from a cell phone carrier.


We're gonna have to stop you right there. CREDO uses a “large percentage” of your cell phone payments to fund left-wing causes? Sure thing, if by “large percentage” you mean one percent, according to a recent Washington Free Beacon article.


One. Percent.


Math is so very hard. But let's see what else Lilly has to say about CREDO.


For the first time EVER, I feel really good about paying my cell phone bills.


Would you like to make the switch? Learn more here: http://www.credomobile.com/


If you switch to CREDO mobile, tell them I sent you using this code: 91436


Lilly is such a selfless giver that she wants credit for sending new customers to CREDO. Say, that wouldn't be an affiliate code that compensates Lilly for new signups, would it?


Update:


It seems she's finally figured out how this math business works:


http://twitter.com/#!/EvangelineLilly/status/370612560703143936


Her full Facebook post:


It has been brought to my attention that @CREDOMobile uses 1% of my cell phone bill towards progressive activism. In my Facebook note I wrote “a large percentage”. Obviously 1% is not a larger percentage. I did not mean to be misleading, I was not intentionally being inaccurate. I hope I didn't cause anybody too much distress with this carelessness.


On the flip side, for me, 1% of my cell phone bill is a LOT more money than any other cell phone carrier is offering to donate to progressive action on my behalf. ($73 million since 1985 as Doug Long pointed out.)


Thank you.


Uh, you're welcome.


Read more: http://twitchy.com/2013/08/22/evangeline-lilly-selflessly-pimps-progressive-cell-service-hopes-youll-use-her-promo-code/


The post Evangeline Lilly pimps prog cell service, hopes you'll use her promo code; Updated appeared first on Automotive Guide To Everything.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Miley Cyrus' VMA outfits got attention. But the incredible way she ended the night was even cooler.


The MTV Video Music Awards happened last night. It's OK if you missed them.


The show went until almost midnight, and (if you're like me) you're probably too old and uncool to recognize half the performers. Hey, I totally get it.


Here's what you'll be seeing in many of the headlines recapping the event:



  1. Kanye West announced he's running for president in 2020.

  2. It looks like Justin Bieber started crying on stage after his performance.

  3. Nicki Minaj definitely has a beef with Miley Cyrus, and she wasn't afraid to talk about it on stage.

  4. Nicki did, however, seem over her feud with Taylor Swift, whom she performed with to open the event.




They weren't A-listers. They didn't dress in flamboyant outfits to grab our attention. But Miley's friends from Happy Hippie (you can learn more about all of them here) welcomed her to the stage, shedding a light on an important issue that deserves our attention: homelessness of LGBTQ youth.









Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images.


Sharing her time on stage with her Happy Hippie squad shouldn't come as surprise to anyone who's been paying attention to Miley. She's been pretty clear on her intentions to give a voice to young people who don't have one.



“When you have all eyes on you, what are you saying? And that's what I had to ask myself a lot,” Miley told the Associated Press of her activism in May 2015.



“It's like, I know you're going to look at me more if my [breasts] are out, so look at me. And then I'm going to tell you about my foundation for an hour and totally hustle you.”




She's not afraid to hustle us at award shows, too. Last year's VMAs were no different.



At the 2014 award show, Miley won Video of the Year for her single, “Wrecking Ball.” But instead of giving a speech, she gave the spotlight to then-22-year-old Jesse Helt, who'd battled homelessness while living in Los Angeles.






Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images.



His heartfelt words went down in VMA history:



“I am accepting this award on behalf of the 1.6 million runaways and homeless youth in the United States who are starving, lost, and scared for their lives right now. I know this because I'm one of these people. … I've survived in shelters all over the city. I've cleaned your hotel rooms. I've been an extra in your movies. I've been an extra in your life. Although I may have been invisible to you on the streets, I have a lot of the same dreams that brought many of you here tonight.”



You may not be a fan of her twerking, her choice of wardrobe, or the … uniquename of her new album. But there's no denying Miley's heart of gold when it comes to an issue that should be a bigger priority to all of us.


To learn more about and support the Happy Hippie Foundation, visit the organization's website here.


Read more: http://www.upworthy.com/miley-cyrus-vma-outfits-got-attention-but-the-incredible-way-she-ended-the-night-was-even-cooler?c=tpstream


The post Miley Cyrus' VMA outfits got attention. But the incredible way she ended the night was even cooler. appeared first on Automotive Guide To Everything.

Saturday, November 19, 2016

15 Books Every Young Gay Woman Should Read

Because all the best ladies are well-read.

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thatcutesite.com

1. Inferno (A Poet's Novel) by Eileen Myles


Inferno (A Poet's Novel) by Eileen Myles

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stephanielanesays.wordpress.com

“My English professor's ass was so beautiful,” is the first line you'll read in this story of a young female poet attempting to understand her sexuality in the crazed environment that is New York City. And after you read that opening line? Well, you won't put this one down until it's over.


Get a copy here.


2. Ash by Malinda Lo


Ash by Malinda Lo

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malindalo.com

In this retelling of Cinderella, Ash is young girl left at the mercy of her cruel stepmother after her father's death. Just like Cinderella, Ash waits for the day her fair prince – or in this case, a fairy named Sidhean – will come and whisk her away. The only problem? She meets the King's Huntress, Kaisa, and suddenly her “happily ever after” is a bit more complicated. All fairytales should get a makeover like this.


Get a copy here. Also be sure to take a peek at the prequel Huntress.


3. Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson


Oranges Are Not The Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson

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npr.org

Winterson's award-winning novel is the story of a girl adopted by working-class evangelists in the North of England in the 1960′s – and leaves at the age of 16 for the woman she loves. The book (and subsequent BBC mini series) are loosely based on Winterson's actual life in Accrington, Lancashire. While the story is written in first person, Winterson claims the story “isn't autobiography in the real sense.”


A parallel account of her life at this time is given in her 2011 memoir, Why Be Happy When You Can Be Normal? which is also a must read.


Get a copy here.


4. Unbearable Lightness by Portia De Rossi


Unbearable Lightness by Portia De Rossi

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“Shame weighs a lot more than flesh and bone.” It's lines like that from actress Portia De Rossi's honest memoir that make this a must-read for anyone struggling to accept themselves. The pages cover her struggles with anorexia, her experiences being a gay woman within the Hollywood realm, and – of course – how she meets and later falls in love with Ellen DeGeneres.


Get a copy here.


5. Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Care by Fannie Flagg


Fried Green Tomatoes At The Whistle Stop Care by Fannie Flagg

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shetreadssoftly.blogspot.com

A story-within-a-story, two women meet in a nursing home and develop a friendship through the older woman's fantastic telling of her life – particularly her story about two women named Ruth and Idgie. For anyone who has seen the film, you already know how perfectly the two stories play off each other, each taking place in very different time periods (the mid-1980s and 1920s). Both sides of the novel remind you that family is something you choose, not something you're born into. Grab a box of tissues for this one and maybe make some fried green tomatoes of your own.


Get your copy here.


6. The Price Of Salt by Patricia Highsmith


The Price Of Salt by Patricia Highsmith

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goodreads.com

Take Manhattan in the 1950's, add a budding friendship between two lonely women and a cross-country road trip, finally sprinkle in a game of cat-and-mouse involving a private investigator (hired by Carol's husband – GASP!) – and you end up with The Price Of Salt. This 1952 romance novel was very popular among lesbians of the time period. Not all that surprising due to the unconventional characters that defied stereotypes about being gay.


Get your copy here.


7. Her Name in the Sky, Kelly Quindlen


Her Name in the Sky , Kelly Quindlen

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amazon.com

Falling for your best friend is confusing. Falling for your best friend is difficult. And, perhaps most of all, falling for your best friend is unbelievably scary. In Her Name In The Sky, 17-year-old Hannah falls for her best friend Baker – really the last thing she ever wanted to do during her senior year – and we are reminded just how true all those sentiments are. While this book focuses on a young gay teenager, it's completely relatable to anyone at all who went through (survived) high school.


Get a copy here.


8. Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown


Rubyfruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown

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Brown's novel, which often parallels with her own life, is first and foremost about growing up as a lesbian in America. Or, as the cover says quite nicely, “being different and loving it.” Molly Bolt – fearless and feisty – grows up dirt poor in the South where she realizes early on that she is attracted to girls. The story follows her escapades as she attempts to find herself and actively takes pride in what makes her so “different”. Bonus: The term “rubyfruit jungle” is slang for lady parts.


TL;DR: Badass coming of age novel for all the young badasses out there. Get a copy here.


9. Happy Accidents by Jane Lynch


Happy Accidents by Jane Lynch

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livetalksla.org

Sometimes it's nice to read something that simply makes you laugh. Jane Lynch's memoir will make you laugh. One chapter begins with with this confession: “Like any good, closeted young lesbian of the seventies, I developed a raging crush on Ron Howard.” But don't expect to be in stitches the entire time, as Lynch also delves into her personal fight against alcoholism and her struggle to become comfortable with her sexuality. Even through the serious topics, Lynch constantly adds her touch of wry humor that seems to come so naturally.


Get a copy here.


10. The World Unseen By Shamim Sarif



goodreads.com



amazon.com


 

Sarif's novel immerses you in 1950s South Africa, where apartheid is only just beginning. The laws won't stop Amina from running a cafe with her business partner, who happens to be a black man, in a conventional Indian community. Miriam on the other hand is a traditional housewife that wouldn't even dream of breaking, let alone bending, any rules. When the two women are thrown together you can imagine what happens… so, I'll just let you read it. Two of Sharif's novels are now feature length films that are also worth seeing after you've done your reading.


Get a copy here.


11. Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden


Annie On My Mind by Nancy Garden

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wrrh322fall11.wordpress.com

Published in 1982, Garden's novel tells the story of two teenage girls whose friendship turns into a lot more than just friendship, if you catch my drift. What makes this story different [Spoiler Alert] is that despite the pressures from family and school, they actually get a happy ending.


Get a copy here.


12. Fall On Your Knees by Anne-Marie MacDonald


Fall On Your Knees by Anne-Marie MacDonald

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autostraddle.com

There is a good reason Ann-Marie MacDonald's novel has been translated into over seventeen different languages. The story begins in Nova Scotia in the midst of World War I and ends in New York City. What happens in-between? Terrible family secrets, attempted murder, and forbidden love. Enough said.


Get a copy here.


13. Empress Of The World by Sara Ryan


Empress Of The World by Sara Ryan

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bluemetropolis.org

Nicola Lancaster has her world turned upside down when she meets a charming blonde dancer named Battle at a summer institute for “gifted youth”. After all – she has always liked boys! AH, those famous last words. An Oregon Book Award winner, Empress Of The World was re-issused recently and now includes three graphic novel stories about the characters.


Get a copy here.


14. Valencia by Michelle Tea


Valencia by Michelle Tea

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amazon.com

Valencia is a drama-filled account of the narrator's own personal experiences in San Francisco's queer neighborhoods. Tea takes you through a string of experiences – and ex-girlfriends – as she rebels against her tight-laced southern upbringing in the city by the bay.


Get your copy here.


15. Zami: A New Spelling Of My Name by Audre Lorde


Zami: A New Spelling Of My Name by Audre Lorde

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goodreads.com

Audre Lorde's stunning autobiography begins with childhood memories in Harlem and spans through her early-adulthood in the 1950s. She creates a “biomythography” by flawlessly blending together her own poetry, popular songs, journal entries, and personal memories.


Get a copy here.


This is a great start, but now we turn it over to you. Add your own suggestions below!


Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/skarlan/15-books-every-young-gay-woman-should-read


The post 15 Books Every Young Gay Woman Should Read appeared first on Automotive Guide To Everything.

Gay Radio Hosts Turn Hate Into A Message Of Hope



Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times Via latimes.com




First erected in July, the radio show's billboard near the corner of Beverly Boulevard and La Brea Avenue was covered in purple paint over the summer. The replacement was later pelted with paintballs in November. But after the second hate crime, co-host Craig Olsen opted not to have the advertisement reprinted. Instead, he commissioned artist Jaime Ochoa to turn the hate into a piece of art.


“I wanted to turn this [gay] hate crime into a positive message for the community,” Olsen tells FishbowlLA.


The investigation following the November vandal has resulted in no leads. While Olsen remains on edge, he's clearly more confident now that the billboard has been enhanced by the artwork. The co-host is reminding people in the neighborhood that “[they] belong here.”


“It's almost like my holiday card to my community,” he tells the Los Angeles Times while being photographed in front of the billboard. “I want the person who did this to walk by and see that I made it better.”




Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/stacylambe/gay-radio-hosts-turn-hate-into-a-message-of-hope


The post Gay Radio Hosts Turn Hate Into A Message Of Hope appeared first on Automotive Guide To Everything.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

Russian Activist Sentenced To Forced Psychiatric Treatment For Protest



A Russian court sentenced an opposition activist to forced psychiatric treatment for an indefinite period Tuesday after finding him guilty of violence during an anti-Putin protest in May last year.


Moscow's Zamoskvoretsky District Court convicted Mikhail Kosenko of attacking a police officer and participating in mass riots, Russian news agencies reported. Kosenko, who is schizophrenic, was found to have behaved “mentally incompetently” and will be confined to an inpatient facility for an indefinite period of time. His lawyer said he would appeal the verdict.


Kosenko was one of several hundred people arrested after a demonstration against Vladimir Putin's return to the Russian presidency turned violent last year. Twenty-six other protesters have been charged under the riots statute, which carries a maximum sentence of ten years in prison; two of them have already been convicted, and most of the rest have been in jail for nearly a year and a half. Kosenko was not allowed out to attend his mother's funeral last month.


Opposition activists say the charges are part of an attempt to crackdown on dissent. Amnesty International has recognized Kosenko and two other defendants as prisoners of conscience. During Kosenko's trial, the policeman he was accused of hitting, Alexander Kazmin, said he did not recognize the man who attacked him and did not want Kosenko to be convicted of a crime he did not commit. Prosecutors relied on the testimony of another officer who said he saw Kosenko's hands move in Kazmin's general direction.


Kosenko's sister told Human Rights Watch that he had willingly taken his medication for over a decade and never required any special treatment or hospitalization. After he was arrested last year, however, doctors from Moscow's Serbsky Institute diagnosed him with paranoid schizophrenia and recommended he be confined for treatment, despite the fact that he had never shown signs of aggression.


During the rule of Leonid Brezhnev, Soviet dissidents such as Nobel laureates Joseph Brodsky and Andrei Sakharov were diagnosed with mental disorders for disagreeing with Communist ideology and forcibly confined to psychiatric institutions.






“Mikhail held himself together very courageously. Really firmly and decisively. An example for all of us,” opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who attended the sentencing, wrote.





“The Kosenko thing's awful, awful. The main point is that nobody's even pretending that 'forced treatment' has anything to do with treatment.”





“The Kosenko case is the renaissance of punitive psychology a-la Brezhnev: murderers in white coats have come to the aid of the murderers in epaulettes and judges' robes!”



@tikhondzyadko Дело Косенко-ренессанс карательной психологии аля Брежнев:убийцы в белых халата пришли на помощь убийцам в погонах и мантиях!


- Rouslan Gassanov (@Rouslan5) October 8, 2013



Read more: http://buzzfeed.com/maxseddon/russian-activist-sentenced-to-forced-psychiatric-treatment-f


The post Russian Activist Sentenced To Forced Psychiatric Treatment For Protest appeared first on Automotive Guide To Everything.