thedailywhat:

This Is Also All Kinds Of Wrong of the Day: Daniel Chong, an innocent UC San Diego student, spent five days in a holding cell without food, water, or human contact after he was wrongfully detained during a raid of a friend’s house by the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The 23-year-old wasn’t charged with a crime, but officers forgot to release him. He kicked, screamed, and cried, but no one came to his aid: “They never came back, ignored all my cries and I still don’t know what happened. I’m not sure how they could forget me.”

Chong was forced to drink his own urine for hydration and he carved the words “Sorry Mom” into his arm with glass in a fit of psychosis. “I had to do what I had to do to survive,” he said. “I was completely insane.”

On Chong’s fifth day in the small, windowless room, officers finally heard his pleas for help. Upon his release, he was incoherent and had to be hospitalized. He was found to have eaten glass and treated for a perforated lung.

Chong is considering filing a lawsuit against the DEA, which has apologized to him and promised a review of the incident.

[huffpo]

thedailywhat:

In Case You Missed It of the Day: During the 90th birthday bash NBC threw for Betty White last night, President Obama (whose wife was also born January 17th) delivered an official birthday message to the golden girl, poking fun the infamous birth certificate conspiracy.

Transcript below:

Dear Betty,

You look so fantastic and full of energy. I can’t believe you’re 90 years old. In fact, I don’t believe it. That’s why I’m writing to ask if you will be willing to produce a copy of your long form birth certificate. Thanks, and Happy Birthday, no matter how old you are.

[gotcha.]

thedailywhat:

Heartbreaking Tearjerker of the Day: Ed Watson wanted nothing more than to marry his loving, loyal partner of 40 years, Derence Kernek, before succumbing to his rapidly progressing Alzheimer’s.

Back in March, the couple, with the help of the Courage Campaign, released a video plea asking for assistance in convincing the 9th Circuit Court to lift California’s ban on same-sex marriage until a decision on the constitutionality of Proposition 8 was reached.

The court ignored their plea, and, sadly, Ed passed away today, never knowing the joy of marrying his significant other.

“It’s ironic that he died on the eve of appeals about peripheral issues around a case that should have been settled more than a year ago,” said Courage Campaign founder and chairman Richard Jacobs. “None of this will matter to Ed or Derence.”

The LA Times notes that, in addition to depriving the couple of Ed’s dying wish, the ban also prevented him from being covered by his partner’s out-of-state retirement plan, which led to financial hardships.

As a testament to that, Derence could not be reached for comment as their phone had recently been disconnected.

[latimes / jmg.]

This needs to stop. Equal rights for everyone now.