Bring him to justice – silence

Approximately a month ago, the Toronto Police Service issued a Public Safety Alert regarding a man named George Flowers, aka Mr Flowas, wanted for aggravated sexual assault.  According to the alert, this man was diagnosed HIV positive in 1996 but never told his sexual partners.  Here’s the link to the police alert:  http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/pdfs/24254.pdf

As I wrote in my original posting, “Bring him to justice”, I know two people who dated this man and therefore have an emotional interest in seeing this man off the streets.  According to what people have told me, I’m the only person who has been writing about this, trying to keep his name before the public.  I find this surprising.  Surely I can’t be the only person who knows someone whose life has been affected by this man and is willing to do their part to see him brought to justice.  Someone has suggested nobody else is writing about this from fear; that they are afraid of possible repercussions from supporters of this man.  I beg your pardon.  So if I understand this, you’re more concerned about your own well-being than you are about publicly supporting your friends?  Is that correct – you’re not willing to stand up for your friends since there may be some risk involved?  Are you sure you’re a friend?

It has been suggested that it’s the media’s job to publicize this sort of thing.  Yes, they should be doing their part, but consider just how many releases of all kinds the papers, radio and television stations receive during the course of a day.  They have to go through this flood of information and decide which of the various releases will attract the attention of their audience.  I understand CP24 did publicize this once.  A check on Google did show that many radio stations did make reference to the bulletin on their news sites, including stations as far afield as Winnipeg, Edmonton and New Westminster, B C.

I was told two weeks ago that I seem to be the only person trying to do something on this matter and that others may be afraid to speak up. I hadn’t planned on writing another “Bring him to justice” piece until either I had more concrete information, or he was in custody, but those comments have been eating at me.  And if you’re a long-time reader, you know that if something bothers me, I’m going to write about it.  Those comments have been bugging me, so this piece is the result.

To my followers and readers, enjoy your week.  Thank you for your interest in my writings and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.

Cat.

*I define “artist” as anyone who engages in a creative pursuit – art, poetry, writing, photography or anything else creative*

C.

The law is a ass

Can’t speak for the rest of the world, but Canada’s laws have become so skewed in favour of the criminal it passes being ridiculous.

According to an item on the CITY TV newsite, here’s what happened: A man and his girlfriend came home to find their front door ajar and a strange pair of large black shoes in the front hall.  While his girlfriend called 9-1-1, he went to the kitchen to arm himself with a weapon – the article says he got “a large kitchen knife” – then began searching his home for this intruder.  At the time, his girlfriend’s mother was upstairs sleeping.  He found the intruder hiding behind the door to the mother’s bedroom.

A struggle followed, during which the intruder was stabbed and slashed several times.  The man has made no comment on the relative position of both men, while the intruder claims he was running away when he was injured.  According to the article, the intruder spent “a few weeks” in hospital recovering from a collapsed lung and slash wounds.

Here is where the “hug-a-thug” aspect of Canadian law gets thrust into the spotlight.  The intruder was sentenced to twenty months for the break and enter.  The man who was defending not only his property, but his girlfriend and her mother, has been charged with aggravated assault for the attack.  This charge carries a maximum sentence of 14 years if he’s found guilty.  What’s wrong with this picture?  Parliament has recently passed a law, dubbed the “Lucky Moose Law”, so named after the store owned by a gentleman who also was charged for protecting his property, to allow people to use reasonable force to defend property and person.  It would seem to me this is a prime example of someone doing just that.  And with a strange intruder in the house, a “large kitchen knife” doesn’t seem to me to be unreasonable either.

If you came home and found your door ajar and strange shoes in the hall, knowing there was someone sleeping upstairs, wouldn’t you arm yourself before going to look for the intruder?  I know I would.

The feds have been saying they are going to get “tough on crime”, which to them, from all I’ve read, means throwing more people in jail.  But when I read this article, it seems to me the criminals the feds are targeting are ordinary citizens trying to defend themselves.  And this does remind me of a line from Dickens – a line that really seems to be accurate in this case.  Can’t recall which book it’s from but the line is “The law is a ass.”

To my followers and readers, enjoy your week and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.

Cat.

I’ll be back

Over the past couple of weeks I’ve published a series of postings under the general title “Bring him to justice” about a man wanted by Toronto Police for aggravated sexual assault.

Now obviously by doing so I have upset some people who appear to be supporting him.  On her Facebook profile one of these people posted links to some photos I have here on WordPress and was asking if anyone knew who I was.  Part of the rant accompanying these links read as follows: THIS IS THE LAST AND FINAL WARNING TO YOU CAT HOWARD and a little further on in the rant is the following:  BETTER STOP I AM DONE ASKING.  People I’ve spoken with who are trained in risk and threat assessment rated these as “credible” threats and suggested I take certain steps to stay safe. In a comment on WordPress, not approved by the way, she claimed she never threatened me.  Oh really?  I have a professional telling me what I’ve posted here should be considered serious threats, yet she says they aren’t threats.  What would she consider a threat – waving a weapon in my face?

One of those steps was to deactivate my Facebook account.  Before I did so, I opened a new profile under my first name (Cat is my professional name for my writing and photography), then invited certain friends to join me there.  Just before the weekend I was made aware that this new profile had seemingly been compromised as well.  So I have once again deactivated an account (Facebook must love me doing that twice in a week) and will let things be for a few days.

To the lady I referred to as “Ms M” in our chats on Facebook, I say the following ”Ms M, I value your friendship and when I get a new profile set up, you will be the first person I invite to be a friend.  Hugs, Cat”.

To my followers and readers, enjoy your Labour (or Labor) Day, stay safe and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.

Cat.

More Ford foolishness

I’m beginning to think the entire Ford clan suffers from acute arrogance.  I’ve previously mentioned Mayor Rob’s antics, including reading documents while driving on an expressway at 45 miles an hour during rush hour.  When asked about it he said “I’m a busy man”.  As has been mentioned in the press, his honour feels he’s above the law because he’s a “busy man”.  I suppose that he’s busy is also supposed to excuse talking on a cell phone while driving, which is a no-no in Ontario.

His brother, councillor Doug, apparently had some kind of altercation with a cyclist one day when the cyclist didn’t get out of the way of Doug’s vehicle fast enough.  I suppose Doug is also a “busy man” although he was only going to a radio station to co-host Robbie’s Sunday afternoon talk show.

In the latest case of “do as I say, not as I do” arrogance, and it can be called nothing less than arrogant, Doug’s daughter (and Rob’s niece) Christa has added her three cents worth (I know, it should be “two cents worth”, but I’ve allowed for inflation since the saying was coined) to a news item.  According to an article in today’s online edition of the Toronto Sun, the Toronto Police Service held a press conference about a series of sexual assaults in an area of Toronto.  Following that, Christa tweeted the following: Stay alert, walk tall, carry mace, take self-defence classes & don’t dress like a whore.  The tweet has since been removed.

Well Christa, Mace is illegal in Canada.  Not everyone can afford to take self-defence classes.  So that takes care of those two suggestions.  The first two make sense although the first would mean not listening to your music or using your phone as you walk along.  It’s the last one I have a problem with considering who tweeted the advice.

“Don’t dress like a whore”.  This is the Ford arrogance shining brightly.  Christa Ford was a member of the Toronto Triumph of the Lingerie Football League.  Excuse me Ms Ford?  You wore what and appeared before how many people in an arena and you expect not to get called on it when you give women advice on how to dress? Slutwalk Toronto called her tweet “victim-blaming and misguided” which sounds about right for the Fords.

Actually, I’m not sure which I find more worth shaking my head about: that someone who played football while wearing skimpy clothing is giving fashion advice, or that the Mayor’s niece is advocating carrying illegal weapons.  I suppose if I wanted to be generous (and sarcastic – after all, this is the Cat) I might suggest that perhaps Christa suffered concussions while playing football.  But, I don’t want to be generous – I’ve only had one coffee so far.  She was out of line, plain and simple.

Ah well.  There are times that, even though I don’t live in Toronto, I’m glad Rob Ford is mayor because it gives me so much to write about.

Enjoy your day and remember to hug an artist – we need love too, no matter how we’re dressed.

Cat.

Oh!  There will be no weekend fiction this week as I’m going away for the long weekend.

C.

This and that

Can anyone please explain to me why the engagement of two singers, Chad Kroeger of Nickelback and Avril Lavigne, warrants such news coverage?  I mean it isn’t as if they are both Canadian rock royalty.  People get engaged every day and the press never makes a fuss over it, but because these two are entertainers there’s this big hue and cry over it.  At least I presume they’re entertainers.  Couldn’t name anything either her or his group have sung, but I’ve heard them and I’ll admit I think they’re both better than Justin Bieber.  At least these two have had the sense to keep their mouths shut on controversial topics like abortion and rape.   (As an aside, Justin Bieber’s comment on rape [“stuff happens”] was almost as vacuous and ill-informed as Akin’s.)  Anyway, these two have decided to get engaged.  Good for them.  Now can we get back to news that matters?

On the topic of news that matters, if you’re a regular reader, you are aware that on August 14 I wrote a piece, “Bring him to justice” with a followup two days later called, naturally enough, “Bring him to justice – followup” about a Toronto Police Public Safety Alert.  The police are looking for one George Flowers, aka “Mr Flowas” for aggravated sexual assault.
Briefly, this man was diagnosed HIV positive in 1996, but never told any of his sexual partners.  Given this, you would think the media would be all over this alert.  I read the online editions of both the Toronto Star and Toronto Sun.  I read the online version of CP24, Toronto’s news channel, plus CTV, CBC and City TV, Nothing at all on this on any of them.  If I look him up on Google, I see some radio stations have the bulletin on their websites, including stations as far afield as New Westminster, B C.    But the main media in Toronto – not a thing.  You would think that purely from the standpoint of warning women this man has slept with – suggesting they get checked – there would be something in the papers.  A friend pointed out that it is almost impossible to walk into a coffee shop anywhere in the Greater Toronto Area without finding a copy of the Sun there, free for the reading, but apparently they’ve overlooked this completely.  Two days ago, I sent an email to the Sun asking them to help get this menace off the streets, and gave them links to my postings and the police bulletin.  They haven’t responded.

To my readers, enjoy your day and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.

Cat.

Bring him to justice – followup

Approximately a day-and-a-half ago, I posted “Bring him to justice”, about a man named George Flowers, aka “Mr Flowas” who is wanted by the Toronto Police Service for aggravated sexual assault.  Mr Flowers has been HIV positive since 1996, but apparently never mentioned that detail to his partners.  As I said, I know two people who have slept with George after he learned of his condition and he said nothing to them.

Again, as I wrote in the original piece, he has ties to Jamaica and is rumoured to be in Jamaica now, with a scheduled return to Canada of mid-September. Based on reports I suspect this is a smoke screen, for according to one source he was constantly borrowing money and I doubt he could afford round-trip airfare to Jamaica.  Talking with others, the general consensus is  that someone is hiding him, probably in Toronto.  If someone is, I’d like to remind them that could get you charged with aiding and abetting a fugitive.

I have also received a report that despite being diagnosed HIV positive in 1996, in 2002, either the Department of Health or the police sent him a written warning to advise any sexual partners of his condition again.

As I write this, it is about 10:20 pm August 15 and according to the stats on WordPress, the original posting has had 102 direct views.  I say “direct views” because there are many, many views under the heading “home page/archives”, which could also mean some of those readers have read “Bring him to justice.”  You would think with this many views, there would also be a great number of “likes” and comments.  Not for this one.  There have been two likes.  There was one single comment, from someone using what appears to be an alias.  Her message told me George Flowers was all over Google (it is, I checked); telling me she’s known him for years, then asking me for the name of the person who tested positive.  Well, excuse me, but if I didn’t name these people in the original post, there is no way I’m going to do it in response to a comment.  Especially when she didn’t say “please”.

I have also received more information on this person.  Apparently she has known him for years and seems to be taking up a defence of him.  She wanted the name of this person and whether she’d been to the police to report it to George, possibly to give him some idea of what evidence the police had against him, or possibly to attempt to get this person to change their story.  Sorry sweetie.  The previous two sentences can be summed up succinctly in one word: “busted”.

I’m going to end this followup with the last sentence from the original posting:  If you know George Flowers, also known as “Mr Flowas”, if you know where he is, please, I urge you to do a lot of women in his life, past, present and future a huge favour and turn him in.  You can report his whereabouts anonymously and, should you choose to file a report with the police, that too can be done without your name becoming known.

Cat.

Bring him to Justice

DATE: Aug 14

TITLE: Bring him to justice

If you’ve followed the link from Facebook to get here, you’ve no doubt also noticed the other link I posted earlier this morning to the Toronto Police website.  If you haven’t looked at it yet, please read it and repost it if you wouldn’t mind.  As I write this, the police have issued this Public Safety Alert, but I’m unable to find any local media that has picked it up.

For those readers not on Facebook, I’ll cut and paste the body of the posting on the police site:

Public Safety Alert,
Man wanted in aggravated sexual assault investigation,
George Flowers, 43,
Photograph of suspect released
Broadcast time: 15:54
Monday, August 13, 2012
55 Division
416−808−5500
The Toronto Police Service is requesting the public’s assistance locating a man wanted in an
aggravated sexual assault investigation.
It is alleged that:
− the suspect has been aware of his HIV positive status since 1996
− he has had sex with women since
George Flowers, 43, a.k.a. Mr. Flowas, of Toronto, who works in the music entertainment
field, is wanted for Aggravated Sexual Assault.
Police believe there may be other victims.
Anyone who has had sexual relations with the suspect is advised to seek medical assistance
and contact police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416−808−5505, Crime Stoppers
anonymously at 416−222−TIPS (8477), online at http://www.222tips.com, text TOR and your
message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime
Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.
Constable Wendy Drummond, Corporate Communications, for Detective Constable Nancy
Johnston, 55 Division
ID: 24254 1 / 2

If you prefer to check it yourself, here’s the link to the above alert:  http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/pdfs/24254.pdf

Why am I writing about this and publicizing the police alert?  Very simple.  Because I know two people George Flowers slept with without revealing his status.  One tells me she’s been checked and is clean.  The other is not. She told me she’s gone through fifteen years of hell because of this man. He has basically robbed her of any kind of life. This man has been spreading this virus for sixteen years and who knows how many people he has infected.  From these two friends, I am aware that he likes to have a harem around him, so I would suspect the number is considerable.  I’m hoping others in addition to the brave people who obviously filed complaints do come forward on this.

George Flowers is one in a long line of wanna-be rappers with more ego than talent.  I say this from personal experience because I’ve met him and heard his music. He can be a real charmer when it suits him, which is probably how he was able to infect so many women.  He didn’t try his charms on me, not that they would have worked for I found him arrogant. He lives in Toronto and may very well still be there, but he also has ties to Jamaica.

If you know George Flowers, also known as “Mr Flowas”, if you know where he is, please, I urge you to do a lot of women in his life, past, present and future a huge favour and turn him in.

Cat.

What can I say?

In “And how did they manage that?” of July 22, I mention that Elections Ontario, those wonderful people in charge of elections in this province, managed to “misplace” two flash drives (thumb drives, USB drives – whatever you choose to call them) containing information on about 50 ridings (electoral districts to my American readers).  These drives contained voter information – name, age and other details – and were neither encrypted nor password protected.  I live in one of the affected ridings possibly affected.  As I write this, I just heard on the news that Elections Ontario used new USB drives to replace the data and once again didn’t encrypt them.  According to the item, Elections Ontario had no idea what “encryption” meant.  No further comment because I rarely commit to paper the language currently circling in my head regarding that.

I had contacted a law firm about joining in a class action suit against  Elections Ontario and today I received an email from them, reading in part as follows: Currently, we are interested to know whether you have reason to believe you may have been affected by, or suffered any measurable harm as a result of the breach.  They also mention that I am in one of the affected ridings. (Oh joy!)

How can I answer this?  As I wrote in “Don’t think you’re safe” on July 9, until about five years ago, possibly less now that I think about it, I was bothered by a stalker.  My home phone number is unlisted; building management has removed my name from the directory in the lobby and I generally maintain a low profile, all of which I’m sure have helped him lose interest.  Well, that and the fact a friend contacted some of her old high school classmates who ride motorcycles, have big crests on the backs of their leather jackets and are “known to police” as the current jargon puts it.

My fear is that having this information out there somewhere could bring on another stalker, or a return of the original one.  But does this fear fall under the criteria mentioned in the email?  Does this qualify as “measurable harm”?  I suspect they are referring to the possibility of identity theft.  And does my fear qualify as “believing I may have been affected”?  Of course, my answer is “hell, yes!”, but I’d like to hear other opinions on this.  I can probably wait until the weekend before I respond to the email, which is why I’m asking for other opinions.  Perhaps some of you have been in a similar predicament.  So, please, let me know what you think.

Thanks,

Cat.

Oh yes – remember to hug an artist – we need love (and the occasional bit of advice) too.

C.

Don’t think you’re safe (a cautionary tale)

As I wrote in “Welcome to Catsworld” on June 21 I’m transgendered, which for the most part is a non-issue.  It does however play a role in the piece which follows.  What I didn’t mention, and also has a bearing on this essay, is that I’m in my late ‘60s.

If you have access to Facebook, you can look at my photos and judge my appearance for yourself.  Just  search for the email address “gcathoward@gmail.com”.  And, if you send me a friend request and mention WordPress, I’ll accept.  Now that I have that out of the way, I’ll continue.

About five years ago I had to deal with a stalker.  Yeah – late sixties, trans, 5 foot 11 and (at the time) about 180 lbs and being stalked by some wacko.  If any of my readers have had the experience of being stalked, you understand the terror at knowing someone out there considers you prey and is actively hunting you.  In my case, this sense of panic was heightened by the fact my stalker was an Emergency Services Supervisor and he would frequently use his supervisor’s vehicle.  As it was painted with the same colour scheme as the local ambulances, every time I saw a vehicle in those colours, I’d look for a place to hide, in case it was him and not an ambulance.  For all those years I was his target, I prayed I wouldn’t need EMS services, knowing he’d probably show up.  Fortunately I’m reasonably healthy for 60 something; not prone to falling down and am careful when crossing streets.

Being trans, when I reported this to the police, they were less than sympathetic; in fact they did nothing.  I suspect part of the reason no action was taken is because they saw the EMS supervisor as being “one of their own” and part was the discrimination I face daily.  My problem was eventually solved by a friend.  She contacted some of her former classmates who ride motorcycles and are considered anti-social by most people and these friends had a “chat” with this stalker.  Interesting thing: these men had seen me about town and told my friend that while they didn’t really understand, they did admire my courage.

So, dear readers, just because you may not be a doppelganger for Angelina Jolie or any other male epitome of female beauty, don’t think it can’t happen to you.  If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.  My advice is simple: If the same person shows up wherever you happen to be twice, it could be coincidence, if they show up three times or more, this person may have targeted you.  Tell someone, preferably someone you trust, as soon as you can.  And always be aware of your surroundings – not just the physical surroundings, but the people as well.  Just an idea, but I got into digital photography after these incidents, so usually have a camera with me and am always looking around for things to photograph.  If I see someone suspicious, or just makes me nervous, I take their  photo and record date, time and location.  If they keep appearing, I take more photos, but I’ve found that usually one photo is enough because I make no effort to conceal the fact I am photographing them. You don’t have to be a photographer, but most cell phones these days have cameras.  Don’t be afraid to use it for things like this.  And if the person persists, go to the police with those photos and, if possible, a written report.

Since it’s Monday, enjoy your week and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.  And always be aware of what’s happening around you.  It could save you a lot of stress or worse.

Cat.