Breaking News Events

[RockOn]

errrr ... that would be "Angelou"

[*Anya*]

By LISA LEFF
41 minutes ago

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Medicare can no longer automatically deny coverage requests for sex reassignment surgeries, a federal board ruled Friday in a groundbreaking decision that recognizes the procedures are medically necessary for some people who don't identify with their biological sex.

Ruling in favor of a 74-year-old transgender Army veteran whose request to have Medicare pay for her genital reconstruction was denied two years ago, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services review board said there was no justification for a three-decade-old agency rule excluding such surgeries from treatments covered by the national health program for the elderly and disabled.

"Sometimes I am asked aren't I too old to have surgery. My answer is how old is too old?" the veteran, Denee Mallon, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, said in an email interview before the board issued its decision. "When people ask if I am too old, it feels like they are implying that it's a 'waste of money' to operate at my age. But I could have an active life ahead of me for another 20 years. And I want to spend those years in congruence and not distress."

Jennifer Levi, a lawyer who directs the Transgender Rights Project of Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders in Boston, said the ruling does not mean Medicare recipients are necessarily entitled to have sex reassignment surgery paid for by the government.

Instead, the lifting of the coverage ban means they now will be able to seek authorization by submitting documentation from a doctor and mental health professionals stating that surgery is recommended in their individual case, Levi said.

No statistics exist on how many people might be affected by the decision. Gary Gates, a demographer with The Williams Institute, a think tank on LGBT issues based at the University of California, Los Angeles, has estimated that people who self-identify as transgender make up 0.3 percent of the U.S. adult population. Over 49 million Americans are enrolled in Medicare.

The cost of gender reassignment surgery varies, but typically ranges from $7,000 to $50,000, according to the Transgender Law Center in Oakland, California.

In Friday's ruling, the appeals board said that HHS lacked sufficient evidence in 1981 when it made a "national coverage determination," or NCD, holding that Medicare recipients were ineligible for what it then called "transsexual surgery" because the procedure was too controversial, experimental and medically risky.

The panel went on to say that regardless of what the record showed then, studies and experts have since shown the efficacy of surgical interventions as a treatment for gender dysphoria, the diagnosis given to people who experience extreme distress due to the disconnect between their birth sex and their gender identity.

"We have no difficulty concluding that the new evidence, which includes medical studies published in the more than 32 years since issuance of the 1981 report underlying the NCD, outweighs the NCD record and demonstrates that transsexual surgery is safe and effective and not experimental. Thus, as we discuss below, the grounds for the ...exclusion of coverage are not reasonable," the civilian panel said.

The appeals board's decisions are binding on HHS unless they are appealed in federal court. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, the agency within HHS that manages Medicare, opted not to defend the transgender surgery exclusion before the five-member board and had initiated the process for lifting it on its own before Mallon filed her complaint.

The ruling does not apply to Medicaid, which provides health coverage for individuals and families with low-incomes and is regulated by the states. Some states have exclusions on sex reassignment surgeries and the sex hormones transgender people often take during their transitions, while others evaluate claims on a case-by-case basis.

Transgender health advocates said that because private insurance companies and Medicaid programs often take their cues from the federal government on what is considered medically necessary, elective or experimental, the decision could pave the way for sex-reassignment surgeries to be a routinely covered benefit.

Mallon was born a man and has lived as a woman on and off since she was a teenager and full time since 2009. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services must eliminate its blanket exclusion on transition-related surgeries within 30 days and re-evaluate Mallon's medical claim in light of the change, the HHS board said.

"This decision means so much to me and to many other transgender people. I am relieved to know that my doctor and I can now address my medical needs, just as other patients and doctors do," Mallon said in a statement Friday.

http://news.yahoo.com/medicare-ban-s...184352761.html

[Kobi]

All the support the Baltimore Ravens gave Ray Rice this offseason as he dealt with his domestic violence incident evaporated after TMZ released video of the running back knocking out his wife.

The team cut him on Monday afternoon.

That's how powerful the video of the incident is. There was no way they could keep Rice around any longer.

Just a few months ago, members of the Ravens roster and front office were singing a different tune:

Haloti Ngata, defensive tackle, according to the Ravens website: “He’s a great guy.Always been a great guy. Jokes around, has fun. He’s the same guy.”

Ozzie Newsome, Ravens general manager: "We respect the efforts Ray has made to become the best partner and father he can be. That night was not typical of the Ray Rice we know and respect.

John Harbaugh, head coach, in March: "He will be part of our team. He's a person of character. The thing that's really important is to be able to support the person without condoning the action. He makes a mistake. There's no justifying what happened. When you drink too much in public, those kind of things happen."

Those are supportive comments from three different levels of the organization, and they're just a sampling. The Ravens went out of their way to support Rice this offseason, even after he was suspended two games by the NFL.

Maybe public pressure on Monday got to the team. The outrage over Rice was fierce on Monday after the video was released by TMZ. Maybe the Ravens didn't realize how ugly the incident was, although that's dubious considering everyone knew for many months that Rice knocked out his then-fiancee, and it's tough to think the team didn't realize that a NFL running back knocking out a woman was a disgusting act before seeing the video of it.

Whatever the reason for the 180-degree turn in support, the Ravens gave up on Rice on Monday. It's hard to imagine, after the video came out and current and former NFL players strongly spoke out against Rice, that any other team would welcome him in its locker room.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...183053516.html

------------------------------------------------------


The video was deliberately not included in this post. If you have the need to see it, follow the link. if you have a weak stomach or trigger issues, I strongly advise you do not watch it.

[Kobi]

In addition to being cut by the Ravens, Rice has also been suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

[JDeere]

Originally Posted by Kobi

In addition to being cut by the Ravens, Rice has also been suspended indefinitely by the NFL.

I am quite glad he was cut and suspended for good! I like the new NFL rules, though. I don't care if you are a celebrity aka football player and make tons of money, domestic violence and any other form of rule breaking, etc. you deserve to be banned/suspended or sit out games!

[Happy_Go_Lucky]

Thank you Kobi for posting this today. RE: Ray Rice aka Wife beater supreme.

I will just expand to address many, many comments I read on the internet, as well as sports commentators making light of this attack, and more than enough blaming her.

FOX morning news blowhards thought it funny to say 'she should take the stairs' next time. *This assault was in an elevator.

The meme of "Why did she marry him?" "She gets paid enough to be with him." Blaming the victim is status quo and rather ordinary these days. "She started it!" I also read. "They both should be charged!"

"Why did she stay with him?" is the big one. Here are some reasons why:



Do not underestimate the effects of domestic violence on its victims. Abused women experience isolation, shame, embarrassment, and humiliation. Women may not immediately leave an abusive relationship because:
•They fear their abusers will become more violent—perhaps fatal—stalking them if they leave.
•Friends and family may not support their decision to leave.
•They fear being a single parent with little money.
•There are periods of calm, nurturing and love between incidents of violence (see The Cycle of Abuse).
•They may be unaware of sources of advocacy and support.
•They may be unaware of shelters and other resources that offer safety and support.

The reasons women stay in abusive relationships typically fall into three categories.

Lack of resources
•Most abused women have at least one minor child.
•Many abused women are not employed outside the home.
•Many abused women don't have property that is solely theirs.
•In many cases, abusers have cut off access to cash or bank accounts.
•Most abused women fear losing joint assets and custody of their children.
•Abused women fear a lower standard of living for themselves and their children.

Responses by services and authorities
(See How Professionals Can Respond)
•Often, clergy and social workers are trained to "save the family" rather than to stop violence.
•Police often treat incidents of domestic violence as mere "disputes" rather than as serious crimes in which one person is physically assaulting another.
•Police may try to discourage women from pressing criminal charges.
•Attorneys are often reluctant to prosecute cases. Justices rarely assign the maximum sentence or fine possible.
•Restraining orders and peace bonds (see Stalking) do little to prevent abusers from repeating their violent patterns of behavior. Sadly, there are too few shelters to keep women safe.

Traditional thinking
•Many women don't view divorce as a viable alternative.
•Many abused women don't accept the notion of single parenting. They believe a bad father (or in the case of a lesbian relationship, a bad partner) is better than none at all.
•Many women are conditioned to believe they are responsible for making their marriage or relationship work; that if the relationship fails, they have failed as women. Society has often taught these women that their worth is measured by their ability to get and keep a man.
•Many abused women feel isolated from their families and from society. Isolation is either the result of the abuser's possessiveness or jealousy, or it may be an attempt on the part of the victim to hide signs of abuse from the outside world. Either way, such isolation leads many victims to feel they have nowhere to turn.
•Many victims externalize or rationalize the reasons for their abuser's behavior, casting blame of circumstances such as stress, financial hardship, job stress, chemical dependency, etc.
•Between violent episodes, there are periods of calm during which the abuser is charming, nurturing, and caring. Those traits which initially attracted him/her to his/her victim resurface and the victim sees her abuser as a loving person, thereby reinforcing her decision to stay.

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Happy_Go_Lucky

Thank you Kobi for posting this today. RE: Ray Rice aka Wife beater supreme.

This entire scenario has been bugging me.

I wish I could say kudos to the Ravens and the NFL for taking decisive action, for recognizing the importance of dealing with domestic violence head on, for enforcing the player code conduct, for doing the right thing.

As more and more is revealed as to how this played out with the Ravens and the NFL, my gut says they both did what they did for damage control, not out of conviction.

My gut also says that doing the right thing for the wrong reason sends the wrong message.

[Happy_Go_Lucky]

You are spot on.

NFL rarely in history or principle, stands by any alleged 'victim' of any of their football players.

Their change of heart with this case was from public outcry, as in social media, stockholders. (who loathe bad press)

In this case as others where the man is the abuser, I must ask, why would this football player marry a woman whom he hates so much he would knock unconscious? Why? Has THAT question been asked ad nauseam as the question to her is....... "Why did she stay?"

Answer is NO.

[JDeere]

As a victim of DV myself, in the past, I stayed because I had no other place to go.

However my feeling is that his wife, can get out and leave but I think she stays because of the money he had, since he has lost all his endorsements.

[Happy_Go_Lucky]

Originally Posted by JDeere

As a victim of DV myself, in the past, I stayed because I had no other place to go.

However my feeling is that his wife, can get out and leave but I think she stays because of the money he had, since he has lost all his endorsements.

My heart goes out to you JDeere. You and so many victims are dealt that hand. So many, many reasons a victim stays in an abusive relationship, yours is one of numerous.

Here is to hoping you are in a better and safer and peaceful place now.

(((hugs)))

[JDeere]

Originally Posted by Happy_Go_Lucky

My heart goes out to you JDeere. You and so many victims are dealt that hand. So many, many reasons a victim stays in an abusive relationship, yours is one of numerous.

Here is to hoping you are in a better and safer and peaceful place now.

(((hugs)))

Thank you HGL, I am in a way better place and safe, very peaceful time in my life, for a change!

(((hugs )))

[Femmadian]

I'm finding this situation emotionally draining to keep on top of but I'm glad it's prompting larger conversations, at least for now. Time will tell what the long term effect(s) will be, if any.

I thought the segment they had on Democracy Now! this morning was really insightful and made some powerful points, which you can see here.
[TW: they DO show the video footage of the incident several times during the broadcast]

Maddow also had a good segment on it as well and mentioned the atrocious reactions by the Fox News hosts which Happy_Go_Lucky alluded to (atrocious even for Fox News). Video is available here.

I have no doubt in my mind whatsoever that the NFL did this as a mad dash to save face and to avoid bad PR (and potential loss of ad revenue and ticket sales) as opposed to any human moral convictions. They have a long, notorious history of covering up violence against women committed by their players and the whole reason it's getting attention now and didn't so much when it first came to light is because of this most recent video tape showing "objectively" what happened - because the victim's word is never good enough.

They knew for months what happened, knew he knocked her out cold, knew he was arrested, knew there was footage. If it was done out of personal conviction by the NFL, why wait until the video came out and was leaked to the public?

Furthermore, the Ravens' own official Twitter account posted that Janay Rice "deeply regrets the role she played the night of the incident." That tweet has since been deleted (only as of 24 hours ago), but hey, screencaps:

The Ravens also staged a press conference where Janay Rice was made to sit beside Ray Rice and apologized at Ray Rice's goading: "I think my wife has something to say. I don’t want to be the only one who [speaks]. We’re in this together." Cue the forced apology from the woman who was abused... by her abuser.

You can find the written transcript from their conference if you don't want to watch the video here.

One of the points worth mentioning that I've heard is how the NFL's resultant new policy for dealing with DV cases (resulting in suspensions and bans for the players, depending on the number of offenses) may actually discourage women from coming forward as it threatens their primary source of income in what is an already typically short-lived but lucrative career. I don't have a perfect alternative solution to this but I think it's something worth considering.

One silver lining I've found in this is the sort of conversations which are happening, especially on social media. On Twitter specifically, there are currently two main hashtags, #WhyIStayed and #WhyILeft, which are full of women (and men) writing about their own experiences with DV. There's also a #WhenILeft hashtag which is talking about the things which happened after they left their abuser. I've been seeing it all over my Twitter timeline since this story gained momentum and have seen tweets with those hashtags retweeted by people I never would have expected to retweet them. I have also seen people I know personally opening up about their stories for the first time and engaging in hard conversations and putting their face to the issue for the people in their lives in a big way. So, I see that as one big positive to come out of an incredibly negative situation.

I'm very cynical when it comes to professional sports culture and women (and frankly, after Penn State, children) and I suspect this will not be the last public outcry from this kind of incident, but if nothing else I'm glad people are talking, even (especially) if the NFL won't.

[Kobi]

Originally Posted by Femmadian

RL]

I'm incredibly cynical when it comes to professional sports culture and women (and frankly, after Penn State, children) and I suspect this will not be the last public outcry from this kind of incident, but if nothing else I'm glad people are talking, even (especially) if the NFL won't.

Funny you should bring up Penn State and Sandusky.

Monday, the NCAA reduced the sanctions against Penn State, that were imposed as a result of the Sandusky cild sexual abuse scandal. Their scholarships are reinstated and they will be allowed to play in the post season this year. Story here.

[Femmadian]

Originally Posted by Kobi

Funny you should bring up Penn State and Sandusky.

Monday, the NCAA reduced the sanctions against Penn State, that were imposed as a result of the Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal. Their scholarships are reinstated and they will be allowed to play in the post season this year. Story here.

Offfff course they are...

Thanks for bringing this up. I hadn't heard this bit of news yet.

I think that's what makes me the most angry, having it confirmed time and time again how truly systemic and institutionalized this all is. It's rarely a case of "oh, we fucked up, but now we've grown as people and an institution and are doing our best to move forward." It's more often than not "quick, let's give them some of what they want to shut them up for now then quietly revert back to the way things were and hope no one notices." It's one thing to not act or to act insufficiently when something like the Ray Rice case is placed in your lap. It's quite another to, after months and months of intense public scrutiny and abuse allegations and convictions and public national and international condemnation, quietly renege on your commitment to the victims.

Where there's money to be made by a bunch of young men throwing around a ball, by god, nothing gets in the way of profits. Not women. Not children. Not human rights abuses. Not lifetime imprisonment. Nothing.

They really do hate us.



(I need a hug.)

[Happy_Go_Lucky]

If only Home-Depot handed out military grade flame retardant clothing for all their shoppers, and armed them with tanks. It's all the rage.

http://www.wrcbtv.com/story/26494760...ower-in-escape


Home Depot shoplifter uses flamethrower in escape








SAN DIEGO (NBC) -- A shoplifter trying to smuggle high-end items out of a San Diego Home Depot used an improvised flamethrower to ward off employees while his wife and baby waited in a getaway car outside, San Diego County Sheriff's investigators told NBC 7.

Ignacio Lorenzo Brambila, 37, of Lakeside told NBC 7 in a jailhouse interview Monday that he does not remember a lot of what happened Saturday night around 10 p.m., when he allegedly went to the Home Depot in the 12000 block of Tech Center Drive in Poway.

"Things just kinda went, went a little the wrong way," said Brambila. "Things didn't happen right. I mean, everything that got put on me and [his wife]-- I think they try to put anything they can on you, everything they can on you."
Sheriff's department spokesperson Jan Caldwell said Brambila was pushing a stroller, and he put expensive tools from the store in it.

As Brambila neared the exit, workers noticed the suspect had equipment, not a baby, in the stroller and confronted him.

Poised with an aerosol can and lighter in hand, Brambila sprayed the flammable contents over the flame, creating a "street flamethrower" in a large fiery blast aimed at the workers, Caldwell said.

The employees backed off, and Brambila ran to the parking lot, authorities say. There, his wife of 17 years, Sarrah Brambila, 34, waited in a vehicle with their 18-month-old child in the backseat, according to Caldwell.

More at the link

[Happy_Go_Lucky]

Not that I've been following this case with a fine toothed comb, followed it peripherally. There were some glowing discrepancies in his testimony and eye-brow raising actions from Oscar Pistorious during the death of his girlfriend. But hey! The judge ruled.




Judge in Oscar Pistiorius case says state has not proven premeditated murder.





PRETORIA, South Africa — After months of hearings, the judge in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius said on Thursday that there were “not enough facts” for him to be found guilty of premeditated murder, the most serious charge facing the double amputee track star.

The judge, Thokozile Matilda Masipa, also found that Mr. Pistorius could not be found guilty of a lesser form of murder in the killing of his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, 29, when he shot and killed her in the early hours of Feb. 14, 2013. Sitting in a woooden dock, Mr. Pistorius sobbed as the judge spoke.

In a lengthy recitation of the facts, Judge Masipa said that Mr. Pistorius had acted “unlawfully,” but did not immediately disclose her ruling on the lesser charge of culpable homicide which would bring a lower sentence than murder charges she dismissed.

The judge said that Mr. Pistorius had been a “very poor witness” who had delivered evasive and inconsistent testimony under harsh cross-examination.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/12/wo...dict.html?_r=0

[Kobi]

While the NFL drowns in a flurry of speculation about who in the league office saw the Ray Rice tape and when, another domestic violence crisis grows ever more pressing.

Carolina Panthers defensive lineman Greg Hardy was declared guilty by a North Carolina judge of assaulting his former girlfriend, Nicole Holder, in an incident that allegedly involved hair-pulling, slamming a toilet seat on her arm, and putting his hands around her neck. While he awaits the next step in his legal process, a jury trial, Hardy played in the team's season-opening game last weekend, and is scheduled to play this Sunday.

Hardy had an excused absence from Panthers practice Wednesday, but is expected to be available for Sunday's game against the Detroit Lions, coach Ron Rivera told reporters in a conference call.

On Wednesday night, Panthers owner Jerry Richardson tearfully defended himself and his franchise at an awards dinner in his honor – an event that commissioner Roger Goodell reportedly cancelled out of.

"I stand firmly against domestic violence, plain and simple,” Richardson said. “To those who would suggest that we've been too slow to act, I ask that you consider not to be too quick to judge. Over the course of our 20 years, we have worked extremely hard to build an organization of integrity.”

Richardson was given an “award against indifference” on Wednesday, but indifference is what’s coming through. The league has frozen when confronted with red flags, rather than acting proactively in response to a clear warning. Doing nothing, as the Baltimore Ravens chose and as the Panthers are choosing, is not enough. Not anymore.

That's painfully clear in a letter Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti sent to season-ticket holders and sponsors on Tuesday. He began by saying the people of Baltimore "deserve an explanation," and yet he didn't provide one.

"Why didn't we act earlier?" is the right question, but it's never answered. Here is the key paragraph:

"In March, the prosecutor dropped the case against Janay [Palmer], but elevated the charge against Ray from simple assault to aggravated assault. At this point, we decided to defer action until completion of the court proceedings. We stopped seeking to view or obtain a copy of the video. We halted our fact-finding. That was a mistake on our part."

So why did the Ravens defer action until completion of the court proceedings? Why the paralysis?

The charge against Rice was elevated. It had been simple assault, which is often related to an altercation and charged as a misdemeanor. It turned into aggravated assault, which is classified in all states as a felony and often involves a deadly weapon or a serious injury.

Is it a guilty verdict? No. But it certainly is a tell that something terrible happened in the elevator at that casino. Goodell told CBS' Norah O'Donnell that that Rice's version of the events in the elevator was "ambiguous." This elevation of a charge is not ambiguous. It means something potentially felonious happened to Palmer. That should have been enough reason to take a precautionary step: keep the arrested player off the field without cutting him or his pay. In the post-Ray Rice world, that’s a step that teams like the Panthers should be taking.

Instead, nothing was done in Baltimore, and nothing has been done in Charlotte. It can seem prudent to those who want to respect due process. But it looks callous and calculating to victims, and to fans who are now watching these decisions more closely than ever.

We're two years removed from a woman being killed by an NFL player in an episode of domestic violence. In December of 2012, Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Jovan Belcher murdered his girlfriend, Kasandra Perkins, and then killed himself at the team facility. That was the alarm that should have led to the six-game suspension now instituted by Goodell for domestic violence.

It didn't. And even though the Rice incident has the nation talking, the inaction continues at both the league and team level. Domestic violence matters will be reviewed on a case by case basis, says the league. That leads to more paralysis. And more of the judging Richardson fears.

So we have Greg Hardy likely playing on Sunday. And we have Ray McDonald likely playing on Sunday, despite being arrested for allegedly assaulting his pregnant girlfriend.

It's one thing if there is exculpatory evidence. If the 49ers or Panthers have reason to believe violence did not occur at the hands of players on their teams, that's a valid reason to wait. But a player being a nice guy is not reason to wait. A player's role in the community is not a reason to wait. A player's value to his team on the field is not reason to wait.

There has been plenty of hand-wringing over Ray Rice that was presented to the public. Bisciotti called him "a model citizen in the community and terrific teammate for six seasons."

That is not evidence that should be used to keep a player on the field after an arrest for domestic violence. There's always a fear of punishing a player for one bad decision, but that gives offenders way too much credit. To say that an offender acted completely out of character is an easy answer. It's more likely they acted completely out of the character they portray to the public.

And the public has a major stake in this. As the Charlotte Observer points out, $87 million in taxpayer money went into the stadium where Hardy will be featured on Sunday. The newspaper's editorial board is calling for fans to turn their backs on Sunday if Hardy plays.

"The Panthers can say they are letting the legal process play out," the Observer states, "but it appears they just want to bulk up their pass rush."

The Panthers owner abhors that kind of thinking. But letting the legal process play out after a judge has ruled looks like a transparent effort to make it all go away. He can’t afford that perception any more than Roger Goodell can. This problem is not going away in society, and it is not going away in football. It might be showing up Sunday in Charlotte.

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl-s-n...033425803.html

[Kobi]

In case you need a reminder, here is a little refresher course on ten celebrities who’ve admitted to partner abuse or faced serious charges of it, and gone right on working.

1. Mel Gibson

You might have noticed in the last few days that when a wealthy man is caught beating a woman he purportedly loves, a lot of people want to talk about her love of money.

Not about the fact that even your average, middle- and lower-class abusers routinely control household finances, to keep their partners dependent on them. And not about the fact that wealthy, famous men can, in most cases, use money to make charges of violence against women go away.

No, people want to talk about how women like Janay Palmer must be gold-digging ninnies to stay with men who beat them—even though there are endless reasons why victims stay, including that leaving is when they’re most likely to be killed. And even though actual gold-digging ninnies also do not deserve to be punched out, or beaten with baseball bats, or shot in their own homes.

If you’ve said or thought something along those lines recently—that she must see the money as a decent trade-off for the occasional broken bone or concussion—I want you to do me a favor. Go listen to the second audiotape Mel Gibson’s ex made of him screaming, growling, and panting at her like a rabid dog, from 6:30–6:50. Listen to her say, as calmly as possible, “I don’t give a damn if you don’t spend another penny on me. I’m just fearing for the life of my daughter.” And then listen to Gibson positively roar, “Cunt, bitch, golddigger, cunt, whore!” in response.

Keep hearing that voice in your head every time you’re tempted to diagnose an abuse victim with gold-lust. Every time you’re tempted to say she must love money more than she hates being beaten—or worse, that she’s lying about the abuse to extract money from her spouse. Remember Mel Gibson’s explosive rage, and know that you’re making the same argument he is. Cunt, bitch, golddigger, cunt, whore.

The Expendables 3, featuring Mel Gibson, is currently in theaters. The successful movie franchise has also starred Mickey Rourke, who was charged with spousal abuse in 1994; Wesley Snipes, who allegedly beat one of his girlfriends until she was mostly deaf in one ear; Sylvester Stallone, whose late half-sister accused him of abuse; Stone Cold Steve Austin, accused more than once of assaulting an intimate partner; Eric Roberts, ditto; Jean-Claude Van Damme, whose third wife charged him with spousal abuse; and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who, as governor of California, repeatedly blocked spending on domestic-violence programs and shelters. Just in case you were tempted to think of Gibson as some kind of anomaly.



2. Sean Penn

In 1987, the actor reportedly hit his then-wife, Madonna, with a baseball bat, sending her to the hospital. He was charged with felony domestic assault. In 2003 he won his first Academy Award for best actor. In 2008, he won another.

In 2014, he made the news for donating 65 guns he personally owned to artist Jeff Koons, who would melt them down and make a sculpture of them, at the behest of Penn’s new girlfriend, Charlize Theron. Theron’s father was shot to death by her mother one night after the father came home firing a gun and screaming that he would kill them both. (Although there have so far been no reports of violence in this relationship, it’s worth noting that girls who grow up in violent households often choose abusive partners.) Sean Penn is widely respected as an exceptionally talented actor and activist for various humanitarian causes.



3. Charlie Sheen

In 1990, his fiancée, Kelly Preston, found herself shot by Sheen’s gun, supposedly by accident, although she broke up with him immediately thereafter. (One of Mickey Rourke’s exes was shot by a gun belonging to him in a very similar manner.) Five women with whom Sheen had intimate relationships subsequently made formal complaints of abuse against him. His latest television show, Anger Management, broke a ratings record when it debuted.



4. Chris Brown

'Member when he beat the shit out of his girlfriend, Rihanna, in 2009, and pictures of her bruised, bloody face were all over the internet? 'Member when he won a Grammy, in 2012? 'Member when the news came out this week that he’ll soon be on Dancing With the Stars and Saturday Night Live, in support of his sixth studio album? He's 25.



5. Josh Brolin

Arrested for spousal battery in 2004. Widely lauded a few years later for his performances in No Country for Old Men, W., and Milk. Still working plenty.



6. Axl Rose

Accused of domestic violence enough times that his Wikipedia page has a whole section on it. Inducted into Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, along with two other apparent abusers from the original line-up of Guns N’ Roses, in 2012.



7. Michael Fassbender

Accused by an ex of breaking her nose and dragging her alongside a car, among other things. Widely perceived as the thinking woman’s sex symbol, owing to his European accent(s) and large, frequently filmed wang.



8. Nicolas Cage

Ruined his first chance at marrying wife number one, Patricia Arquette, by “throwing an almighty tantrum at the airport.” Eventually reconciled with her, but then divorced and moved on to an “explosive” marriage to his second wife, Lisa Marie Presley, featuring fights after which he’d call his wife and say, according to her, “he was sorry, wish he hadn't done it, things like that.“ Arrested for assaulting his third wife, Alice Kim, in 2011. Finally seems to have worn out his Hollywood welcome, but he’s still working. There’s probably a role for him in Expendables 4.



9. Terrence Howard

Accused of assaulting six different women between 2000 and 2013. Nominated for an Academy Award in 2005. Defended Chris Brown in 2009, then took it back when he realized people weren’t cool with that. Will soon be seen in the acclaimed St. Vincent.



10. John Lennon

The man composed tender love songs, opposed war, imagined peace, and wrote the lyric, "I used to be cruel to my woman/ I beat her and kept her apart from the things that she loved." He meant it. The late Beatle told Playboy in 1980, “I used to be cruel to my woman, and physically—any woman. I was a hitter. I couldn't express myself and I hit. I fought men and I hit women. That is why I am always on about peace, you see. It is the most violent people who go for love and peace.”

- See more at: http://www.damemagazine.com/2014/09/....Q75hRQmN.dpuf

[ksrainbow]

http://www.advocate.com/commentary/2...and-how-fix-it

[MrSunshine]

www.fortytonone.org