Tuesday, November 17, 2009

George Steven Lopez Mercado Murdered in Puerto Rico

Say his name: George Steven Lopez Mercado. Say his name every day, out loud, until he receives justice. George Steven Lopez Mercardo was brutality murdered, his legs and arms ripped off, his body partially burned, decapitated, and his torso ripped in half near Cayey in Puerto Rico. Thanks to an iReport by Christopher Pagan we know about this tragedy. No thanks to CNN or any other major U.S. News Source.

Puerto Rico is a colony of the United States. Since 1898, the U.S. has owned Puerto Rico and used it as a fat cash cow. Each year the island pumps more than $20 billion in tax and other revenue into the U.S. economy, yet the island exists as a third world country, its per capita earnings each annum is about half that of Mississippi or roughly around $8,000. As a colony, the island is required to follow federal laws, the FBI has jurisdiction on the island, and the U.S. is responsible for enforcing basic human rights standards. The fact that there has been almost no coverage of this heinous murder of a well known queer youth in Puerto Rico is endemic to the role of Puerto Rico in the U.S.: most people don't know we own it, it's a cheap vacation spot for U.S. tourists, and we don't care about the island unless the islanders get restless.

I do not support the recent hate crimes legislation signed into law by President Obama specifically because it is going to increase sentences for people of color. But, since it has been passed and signed into law, and since Puerto Rico is under federal jurisdiction, the law needs to be applied thoroughly to this case. And since every damn news outlet in the country covered the murder of Matthew Shepherd, here is a chance to set racism and colonialism aside and remember George Steven Lopez Mercado.

It's bad enough that this young man's life was brutally ended, but the detective, Angel Rodriguez, in charge of the investigation has basically said that based on George's sexual orientation, he deserved what he got. Excuse me?

I am willing to bet that the police detective has had his cock sucked more than once. Bugarrones make me sick.

I lived in Puerto Rico. I know that the queer community there is vibrant. I also know that I met more "straight" men that liked to take it up the butt than anywhere else I have ever been.

First off the F.B.I needs to take over investigation of this crime.

Secondly the police detective that made the fucked up comments regarding this tragic murder needs to be fired and charged with compromising an investigation, obstruction of justice, and intentional assholery.

Then the individual or individuals responsible for this crime need to be locked in an iron cage and dropped off the tip of El Morro Castle directly into the ocean.

Thank you to Christopher Pagan for bringing this to our attention, and thank you to www.towleroad.com for ensuring that Christopher's iReport has gotten the coverage it deserves.

George Steven Lopez Mercado, you will not be forgotten.

5 comments:

  1. the brutality of this crime, makes me emotional just thinking what this man's last moments alive must have been like...and I am PISSED that nothing has been covered on it...

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  2. Thanx for bringing this horrible story to us. I'll pass it along.

    And PR is my favorite vacation destination. Do we have to treat it like Jamaica now - a hotbed of homophobia not worthy of our tourist dollars?

    I'd hate to see that happen. We have to see justice done in this case and Det. Rodriguez workin' the graveyard shift as a security guard.

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  3. @Taylor Thankfully the island does have a strong out queer community both in San Juan and Mayaguez. This was in the "country" and just like in the "country" of the U.S. things get really fucked up and folks tend to look the other damn way.

    I did hear that they now have a suspect in custody that is linked to the crime through a significant amount of public evidence. As I hear more, I will post more.

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  4. Thank you for sharing this story with me. It is an injustice when certain stories receive far more widespread media attention than others. George Steven Lopez Mercado deserves justice. I hope he gets it. Is there any way we can help him?

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  5. @Xiomara I think, right now, the best thing that we can do is continue to spread the word about this murder through our networks. If you are connected to a media source, ask them to report on the story. I also think that we need to watch the investigation very closely to ensure that the lead investigator's homophobia doesn't play a roll in keeping justice from being done with regard to George. Also, though I am extremely loathe to suggest this, I would suggest that we can also contact the F.B.I national headquarters in DC and also send letters/emails to Obama at the White House demanding the federal government make sure that justice is served in this situation.

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