Canada: The Family Of Jun Lin (Luka Magnotta’s Victim) Releases Statement, Asks For Magnotta’s Extradition

The family of Jun Lin has prepared this statement and asked Concordia University to share it with the media. The family is not ready for media interviews at this point:

Open Statement from Jun Lin’s Family
June 11, 2012

• As Jun Lin’s family, we would first like to express our deepest appreciation to different levels of both the Chinese and Canadian governments, the related embassies and consulates, the Montreal police, Concordia University, the Chinese community and many other kind-hearted people for their goodwill and humanitarian support for us at this exceptionally difficult time. Through the kindness of many people, we were able to arrive in Montreal at the earliest possible time. Soon after our arrival in Montreal last Tuesday night, the Chinese Consulate in Montreal helped to arrange a meeting with Montreal police, city government officials, and Concordia University’s senior administration. Everyone has showed great sympathy and compassionate support to help to make things easier for us. We have come to know so many people, such as the police, members of the Chinese Consulate, the university staff, The Chinese Students and Scholars Association at Concordia University, and Jun Lin’s friends who have been working endlessly to help us out. We are deeply touched by the kindness inspired by this human tragedy. Jun Lin was our beloved son. As the only son in the family, he was our pride and hope. Jun Lin believed in Buddhism. He was very kind and always enjoyed helping others. To his parents, he was a loving and considerate son. To his sister, he was a big brother who was always there for her. The Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science at Concordia University told us he was an excellent student. His employer at the convenience store he worked at called him a model employee. His friends said he was optimistic, ambitious, and open-minded. He always trusted people with a positive approach to life. This tragic loss is not only a devastating attack to our family, but also has had a tremendous impact on the whole society. Love and trust must be rebuilt. We are pleased that Concordia University along with the Concordia Chinese Students and Scholars Association has established Jun Lin Award to assist Chinese students. This award perfectly reflects Jun Lin’s compassionate spirit. We were told that soon after the announcement that Concordia University also established a special fund to help out our family as well as the Jun Lin Award, because so many kind-hearted people have reached out to extend their compassionate support. We are very grateful and moved by the kindness and sympathy for us. It is our wish to take this opportunity to turn a devastating situation into something positive that brings the goodness and peace back to society. We are calling for the extradition of the murderer suspect back to Canada as soon as possible in order to bring justice and peace to our family, the Chinese community and the whole society. To commemorate Jun Lin, please let us remember his kindness, diligence and love for life. Thank you.

2012 Global Atheist Convention: Tribute To Christopher Hitchens 

He’s greatly missed. His work influenced minds and hearts, and in it, in his work, will live on.

Webby Awards Pay Special Tribute To Steve Jobs

Song Of The Day: Bee Gees - Massachusetts 

R.I.P. Robin (and Maurice) Gibb.

Donna Summer Tops Charts Ahead Of Private Farewell 

The NY Daily News reports:

Donna Summer’s sudden death turned her ’70s and ’80s classics into hot stuff once again.

“The Journey: The Very Best of Donna Summer” soared to No. 1 on Amazon’s list of best-selling CDs, while the disco diva’s “On the Radio: Greatest Hits Vol. 1 and 2” sat at No. 6.

The musical story was the same on iTunes, where “On The Radio” climbed to No. 9 and “The Journey” hit No. 13.

Five Summer albums were listed in the iTunes Top 40, while seven selections from the Queen of Disco reached Amazon’s Top 50 following her Thursday death.

While the public eagerly snapped up her music, a private funeral for family and friends was announced Friday as the “Last Dance.”

The chart-topping singer’s family announced their low-key plans in a statement thanking fans for their support, while asking for privacy in mourning the 63-year-old singer.

“On behalf of the Sudano family, the overwhelming outreach from the media, fans and friends alike has been most truly appreciated,” said the statement from Brian Edwards, Summer’s publicist.

“The services being planned will be private to include only family and close friends. Thank you for continuing to respect the family’s privacy during their time of loss.”

The statement provided no other information about the funeral service.
Summer — who had a daughter from a previous relationship — was married to songwriter Bruce Sudano for 31 years, and the couple had two daughters.

The five-time Grammy winner died at her Florida home after a secret 10-month battle with lung cancer. Few outside her husband and kids were aware of Summer’s plight.

While fans [couldn’t] attend her funeral, they turned out on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to leave flowers and cards on Summer’s star.

Shane Bitney Crone: It Could Happen To You

Grab a tissue for this one.

Christopher Hitchens. Funeral & Memorial Arrangements

Peter Hitchens, Christopher’s brother, writes for Mail Online:

First may I once again thank the many people who visited this site to express condolences on the death of my late brother, Christopher. I was most moved that so many people crossed the divide of opinion to do so.
Second, I felt I should post here two facts that, although they are to be found on the Internet, are still unknown to many.
Some people have asked me when and where my brother’s funeral took place. In fact, as Christopher donated his body to medical science, there has not been and will not be any funeral. He took this decision partly because of his religious (or rather non-religious) opinions, and partly because, much influenced by his friend Jessica Mitford and her book ‘The American Way of Death’, he disliked what he regarded as the excesses of the American funeral industry.
There are many discussions now taking place about various other forms of commemoration. There will certainly be a memorial gathering in New York City during the Spring, most probably in April. I would expect that, later on, there will also be some sort of event in London. I would hope to be able to post details when these are clear.

Joe.My.God. comments:

The post below this one reminds me of one of the very first I wrote for JMG. Originally posted here on June 8th, 2004.

Yesterday I watched Ronald Reagan’s body being ceremoniously placed for viewing in the Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California. The honor guard, comprised of all military services, moved with stiff dignity while placing Reagan’s flag-draped coffin on its pedestal. The Marine Corps band played Hail To The Chief then My Country ‘Tis Of Thee.

Tiny Nancy Reagan was lead in, followed by her children. Other military and governmental dignitaries filed in and were seated behind the Reagan family. And as the service began, as the religious figure began his familiar droning, as the mourners held each other and dabbed their eyes…I found myself….weeping. But I wasn’t weeping for Ronald Reagan. I wasn’t weeping for Nancy or her kids.

I was weeping for my friends. Friends that died of AIDS during Reagan’s presidency. Friends that never had the slightest chance of surviving their illness because Reagan refused to even speak the word AIDS until many years into the epidemic.

I wept for Barney. Barney the party-thrower, the generous host, the bon vivant. Barney, who could make a stranger feel comfortable in a room full of a hundred new people. Barney, who actually got me to climb up and dance on a nightclub’s speakers with him. I wept for Barney who died choking from pneumocystis, in the middle of the night, alone.

I wept for Peyman. Peyman, the Iranian student left stranded in Florida when the Shah fell from power. Peyman, the fashion plate with his beautiful black hair and flashing brown eyes, who wore Parachute and WilliWear and always looked fabulous. Peyman, who taught me that Iranians were not Arabs and how to curse in Farsi. I wept for Peyman who died blind, paralyzed, shrieking and demented.

I wept for Nathan. Nathan, the shy Southern boy with the Star Trek obsession. Nathan, who finally afforded me an understanding of the infield fly rule. Nathan who had an adorable habit of taking a short jump in the air when something pleased him. I wept for Nathan, whose family refused receipt of his remains.

I thought about my little black address book with ‘D’ for ‘deceased’ next to so many names. I’ve had friends tell me it’s macabre to keep using it. I don’t care. This is all so fucking unfair. I should be sending those guys silly birthday cards about being middle-aged instead of wondering who has their ashes.

As Reagan’s funeral proceeded, my tears to turned to anger and back to tears. This was so not fucking right! I wanted this man to suffer more! I wanted his mind fully engaged and aware of every diaper change. I wanted him to endure endless indignities and know the same fear and ostracism and neglect that my friends had. Knowing that his mind had escaped its physical prison, I felt cheated. My revenge was incomplete.

And then I felt shame for thinking that, even about Ronald Reagan.

For the first time that I can recall, yesterday I felt my absence of faith. It’s hard to invoke the satisfying image of somebody burning in hell for eternity when you don’t actually believe that hell exists.

I finally turned off the television. I thought viewing Reagan’s funeral would bring to me a sense of finality. Instead, I was surprised to learn that I can still cry. I didn’t think I could anymore. Not like that.

Just wanted to share this because many of us often forget about the struggle people went through back when being gay meant being HIV+ and being disowned. Also, it’s important to point out that we shall remind those who’ve forgotten or don’t know about it, specially to the new LGBT generations and to those who hypocritically praise those who made our struggle even worse either by ignoring it or by acting against our community’s (and in this case, everybody’s) best interests. Shame on Reagan’s legacy.

Bill Maher: In Memoriam

Well Known Faces We Lost In 2010