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Somebody asks whether TG persons should "arm" themselves.

The answer depends on what you mean by "arm".

IMQO, they should learn martial arts, or at least take self-defense classes. So should everyone.

And non-lethal defensive sprays are okay.

However, knives and guns are like "two-edged swords".
Deadly weapons can enable the all-too-common process of prejudiced police blaming the victim.

And deadly weapons can be taken from you (UNLESS you're skilled in martial arts), and then used against you.

The African-American civil rights movement went downhill after a few small (but highly publicized) groups gave up nonviolent action and took up guns.
If queers and TG persons would study the histories of our sister movements (black, brown, red, etc.), we could learn valuable lessons.

TG persons weren't the first to be lynched,
nor will they be the last.

-- Tortuga,
for SUN
20 June 2004

read your history - the "civil rights" movements only gained credibility when some sectors decided to arm themselves. moderates depended parasitically on the radicals they criticizes for reforms to be pushed through. the movement went downhill after the FBI started murdering the BPP, but if blaming the victim makes you feel better, then go ahead.

No offense, but the killing has got to stop.
Did the lynching of African Americans stop when a few took up arms?
Does the killing of genetic females stop when they own a gun?
Yes.
Transgenders are tired of being messed with. Do you all understand that?
Gay men, Lesbians and Straight people all have problems with transgenders.
Enough is enough.
We want to be treated like human beings.
As a transgender I would LOVE to learn Martial Arts, but who will teach it to me?
How can I afford martial arts training? Guns cost under $300.00.
What martial arts expert will accept me for who I am and train me to defend myself from all enemies.
WHO WHO WHO?

This is a message to surrounding community.
Call the Hayward Hall of Justice and tell them if those men are not convicted then the times will get more violent for the transgender community.
This cannot happen at all costs, but when a bunch of speed freaks can kill an innocent person and get away with it then we have to get desperate.
No offense, any Gay man or Lesbian is not qualified to comment or come up with a better idea than the ones I have said here on this site.
If you want to support the transgender community then hire us, sympathize with us, respect us, and best of all STOP discriminating against us or we will discriminate against you.
If there are any transgenders out there who oppose my comments then it is you who is making the mistakes. The transgender community has to many transgenders with their own agenda's.
Each transgender should be fighting for their own community not competing for the first.
Peace, Love and Understanding is all it takes.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2004/06/22/ARAUJO.TMP
The Gwen Araujo murder trial has been declared a mistrial.
Time to protest is NOW
Calling all trannies: Get out in the streets NOW, scream yell and tell the world we will tolerate violence anymore.

Calling all Allies: We need you. Help!

I will be more than happy to teach. I notice this blog is kinda old though, I hope you get this message. More so, It would be one of your own teaching, Im Intersex and Im current writing for which I believe the very first manual for transgenders, which is Self Defense for Transgenders. I look forward to completing it by fall. I would love to dialogue with you more. Contact me. All the Best! Janna