Today is the annual Transgender Day of Remebrance....

So far for 2013 .... there have been 238 cases of trans persons being murdered.... just for being who they are.... nothing more...

Those are just the reported cases ......

20 years of age and under ...... 22 murdered so far this year.... half of which were under 18 years of age....

Macaiba Brazil .... 13 year old girl

Ibipora Brazil .... 14 year old girl

Jamacia ..... 16 year old girl .... kicked out of her home July 14th...

This is a very sad and troubling story currently underway in the United States.

http://www.transadvocate.com/what-happens-when-pji-is-confronted-by-parents.htm

Please have a look at this article for content and context.

A young transgender student is charged with harassment and other nasty things by a group that claims to represent other students and parents.   It ends up just one...

I have just had a talk with the head of Canadian Jews for Peace in the Middle East. She is very upset that the Israeli government is displacing 40,000 Bedouin Israelis from land they have lived on for centuries, and whose ownership of that land as private property was recognized by both the British and the Ottoman empires.

Now, these bedouin are Israeli citizens. Let us be clear on that. The land they live on is owned by them. But their land and their homes are being taken away by government fiat.

Why?

Interesting book review from Salon. Basically an author suggests that the persecution of Christians by the Roman Empire was exaggerated or non-existent save in a few brief periods (eg. Diocletion's persecution). May give it a read. In my reading of Roman history the persecution certainly was no more severe than the persecution of some other traditions and philosophies they didn't lile (eg. The Druids, Domitian's attack on the Stoics).

http://www.salon.com/2013/02/24/the_myth_of_persecution_early_christians...

In the discussion about "Most Palestinians support killing Jews," Berserk noted: "A Christian pastor in Iran has just been condemned to death by Shariah law for refusing to recant his conversion from Islam." 

I thought the issue of Iranian persecution of minorities deserved its own thread. So here are two articles on the matter...

Iran’s history of persecution

By Daniel D. Tovrov | September 29, 2011 6:06 PM EDT

Blessed are they that have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when [men] shall reproach you, and persecute you, and say all kind of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven… You are the light of the world. (Matthew 5:10-14a)