This is a little personal for me.  A transgender person named Moses “Teish” Cannon, in Syracuse, NY was murdered for the outside presentation.  The alleged murderer, Dwight DeLee was arrested a short time later.  The case is being referred to the Syracuse District Attorney to qualify as a hate crime.

SYRACUSE, NY – Dwight R. DeLee shot and killed Moses “Teish” Cannon with a .22-caliber rifle Friday night because he didn't like that Cannon was openly gay, Syracuse police said.

Cannon, 22, and his brother, Mark Cannon, 18, both of 404 Arthur St., were shot as they sat in a car parked in front of 411 Seymour St., where they had been invited to a party. The bullet grazed the left arm of Mark Cannon, who was in the driver's seat, and hit Moses Cannon in the chest, police said.

Police have charged DeLee, 20, of 420 Gifford St., with second-degree murder. DeLee went into the home at 411 Seymour St. to get the rifle after guests at the party started “making profane and vulgar comments in regards to the sexual preference of our two victims,” police Chief Gary Miguel said.

“There was no previous argument between these individuals, there was no previous fight, there was no bad blood,” Miguel said. “Our suspect took a rifle and shot and killed this person, also wounding his brother, for the sole reason he didn't care for the sexual preference of our victim. Isn't that sad? Isn't that a sad situation that that's the sole reason why?

I know some of you are scratching your heads and wondering why this is personal for me.  It's personal because I'm from teh Syracuse area of Central New York and sadly, knowing the climate I grew up in, this isn't surprising.  There are very few schools that participate in the “Day of Silence.”  There are few bars or places where gay people can go and feel comfortable.

Growing up, I was not out for the very reason above.  And since growing up and moving away, I've only learned of one other person being gay and he moved to Las Vegas since being out of high school.

As the Transgender Day of Rememberance comes up soon we need to make sure to remember Teish and all others who have died at the hands of those who hate.  While we lick our wounds from the elections, we need to remember our brothers and sisters who've died in this struggle for equality.