**** Ray Hill (wikipedia)
*****************************************************************************
Ray Hill known as champion for Houston's gay community ... Thanx to KHOU 11
This posting will be to highlight and honour a local Texas civil rights and LGBT rights advocate/ activist, Ray Hill, out of Houston. This posting will serve 3 series for this journal, "Public Patriots", "Incarcerated American", and "Taste of Texas" ... with a little opening news video above. Part of the posting's title was inspired by the old "Adventures of Superman" tele series I watched as a little kid, they would say something like "fighting for truth, justice, and the American way", which I thought was fitting. Superman of course was a fictional superhero, and Ray is a real life hero. Ray was considered as a type of trouble maker, Hellraiser, or radical by many in our semi- puritanical society establishment ... you know ... the kinds of folks I love to highlight in the "Public Patriots" series. But for LGBT folks that been hiding for decades, due to persecution, and victims of assault (sexual and physical), and even murder, looked at Ray as a friend and hero of sort. Ray came out as being gay back in 1958, when it was a tough time to come out, especially being the quarterback of his high school football team, but he was one that did not like hiding, and was ready at the drop of a hat to stand up against the grain if necessary. Ray even co- organized the first gay rights organization in 1967 Houston, doing things like this, even anywhere in the U.S. was bold, especially in Texas. Ray took that attitude to the streets back in the 1970's to Houston's Montrose gay community, and done so much in pushing the LGBT movement, involved in so many groups and starting groups and activism throughout the city, Texas, and involved nationwide, he got well known for it ... you need to talk, or got problems? ... call Ray. Ray was not only open about being gay, but willing to challenge anyone, even on the local community radio show on KPFT, a station that already had their transmitter bombed twice right after they first went on air in 1970. When anti- homo folks called in to give him death threats, he would give them directions on how to get to the station, heh, heh, heh, heh, heh {:-) ... you're my kind of guy, Ray! {:-) Ray meant so much and gave much strength and inspiration to so many young LGBT folks in Houston ... and even challenged local law enforcement, laws, and took his shit all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, he loved to utilize what rights we have as Americans, something all of us should do. I mean, we alwayz hear that we are a "right to work state", eh? ... we also are a "right to fight" state and country, never forget that.
But Ray done much more than just rattling the gay bars in Houston back in the 1970's, the gay bars back then, Ray describes as a sort of church or sanctuary for LGBT Houstonians, it was about the only place to congregate and organize to take action. Ray was also rattling the bars as well in the Texas prison system (TDCJ) back in the 1970's. Ray served a little over 4 years in prison, he was sentenced to 160 years in prison, and appealed the sentence, having it reduced to 8 years, got early release for good behaviour after 4. He won the appeal deal for reduction of the original sentence, appealing it on the grounds that it was so severe of a sentence for a non- violent crime, although, he was guilty, and admitted his guilt. You see, Ray got 8 consecutive 20 year sentences back to back, he was convicted of multiple cases. I know a little about Ray's case ... when Ray was young and working jobs that paid not enough to live the way he wanted, he started to do theft. But Ray was not the type that would go out and rob folks, he was more into high end commercial burglaries, and merchandise that was insured ... jewelry, electronics, antiques, etc. Instead of trying to fence it for say 10/ 20/ 30 points on a buck/ dollar for example, he had a space/ shop he rented out of state, to turn much. Well, since Ray was an activist at heart, he also took that activism for prison reform, and helping prisoners, and making it so that many incarcerated were able to talk to their families via his radio show, called "The Prison Show". I think what really hit Ray, when he was incarcerated, was seeing how so many folks were locked up, for non- violent crimes such as petty drug charges, etc. Ray himself understood that he actually done what he was locked up for, but many should not have been in there. I understand what he may feel on this, and I feel the same way ... I mean, when I was locked up, I actually deserved to be locked up, and actually committed a crime, but met many inmates, who committed no crime against anyone or business, such as petty drug offenses. Ray fully understands the privatized prison industry in this country and how that works too, as far as profiteering, he is in YouTube videos speaking out on it. Ray done much work in helping inmates and their families too! Ray recommends to those who want to understand how our prison system worx in America, to read Michelle Alexander's book called "The New Jim Crow", I also recommend it. I would also recommend watching Ava DuVernay's documentary called "13th".
The many, many injustices against LGBT people have historically been enormous in this country, and worldwide, which makes no sense, even denied basic rights that are supposed to be for them and every other American. My wife and I have had gay friends for years, and attended social gatherings they invited us to. My daughter attended a performing arts school for 4 years, for dance, theatre, and music, so she had several gay friends involved in the arts, and still has gay friends and clients in her professional career as an adult, as well as her husband. These folks lived just like the rest of so called "normal people" living "normal lives", work hard, contribute to their communities, and pay their taxes like anyone else ... what justifies so many years of persecution? Below, there are some links and video about Ray I chose to highlight here. I also wanted to close out at the bottom with a song to dedicate to Ray, from Houston's "ZZ Top" band, called "Beer Drinkers & Hellraisers", it was a favourite of mine for many years, and I found it fitting to dedicate to Ray! Thank You for all you contributed to so many over the years, Ray.
Word Out ....
***** OUTSMART MAGAZINE | HOUSTON: Legendary Gay Activist Ray Hill Has Died ... (newsread)
"The Trouble with Ray" ... Thanx to Margo Williams
***** HOUSTON CHRONICLE: Ray Hill, a Houston icon and civil rights activist, dies at 78 ... (newsread/ video)
The Prison Show KPFT Houston ... Thanx to Chris Flakus
*****************************************************************************
***** PD/ RCJ: "PUBLIC PATRIOTS" ... PART'S 58 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "INCARCERATED AMERICAN" ... PART'S 32 THRU 1
***** PD/ RCJ: "TASTE OF TEXAS" ... PART'S 31 THRU 1
*****************************************************************************
ZZ Top- Beer Drinkers & Hellraisers (Live 1980- Rockapalast TV- Germany) ... Thanx to frederiquenen
*****************************************************************************
*****************************************************************************
***** RANCH CHIMP JOURNAL "WELCOME" POST
***** RCJ MUSIC/ ART'S HONOUR ROLL SOCIETY (my hand- selected music/ arts picks)
***** "THE RESISTANCE | PERILS OF THE POWER POSSE" ... ( a 2 part futuristic Ranch Chimp Journal dream to dream on )
*****************************************************************************
No comments:
Post a Comment