Yes, Virginia, homophobic hate crimes do exist

[gracepoole]

I’m sharing this because I’ve read several posts lately in which people have claimed that gays and lesbians are purposely exaggerating and/or outright lying about the violence they might experience.

"A court has sentenced four relatives to years in prison for their roles in kidnapping and assaulting a gay man in Kentucky

The four were accused of luring Kevin Pennington into a truck in April 2011 and driving him up a deserted road into Kingdom Come State Park.

They pulled him out of the car and assaulted him, and as they were looking for a tire iron to kill him, he escaped, according to prosecutors."

cnn.com/2013/06/20/justice/kentucky-gay-man-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

 

[Boston_Sem]

I’m sharing this because I’ve read several posts lately in which people have claimed that gays and lesbians are purposely exaggerating and/or outright lying about the violence they might experience.

"A court has sentenced four relatives to years in prison for their roles in kidnapping and assaulting a gay man in Kentucky

The four were accused of luring Kevin Pennington into a truck in April 2011 and driving him up a deserted road into Kingdom Come State Park.

They pulled him out of the car and assaulted him, and as they were looking for a tire iron to kill him, he escaped, according to prosecutors."

cnn.com/2013/06/20/justice/kentucky-gay-man-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

I don’t really understand the point you are trying to make. Help me understand as you do.

One example does not mean that every homosexual is at risk of such events. Now, I don’t really know what you are responding to. If I did, I might be better able to speak of this.

Not to mention, we don’t know all the circumstances of this attack. There could have been other variables involved, but the homosexual implication could be used to garner sympathy and support.

One could also bring up Harvey Milk. He wasn’t assassinated cause he was gay; he was killed by a disgruntled former employee.

 

[gracepoole]

I don’t really understand the point you are trying to make. Help me understand as you do.

One example does not mean that every homosexual is at risk of such events. Now, I don’t really know what you are responding to. If I did, I might be better able to speak of this.

Not to mention, we don’t know all the circumstances of this attack. There could have been other variables involved, but the homosexual implication could be used to garner sympathy and support.

One could also bring up Harvey Milk. He wasn’t assassinated cause he was gay; he was killed by a disgruntled former employee.

On more than one occasion, a fellow poster has claimed that homophobia and homosexual hate crimes are fictitious concepts used to dishonestly advance the LGBT cause. And on more than one occasion, I’ve asked that we all agree at least that while some may be mislabeled, true hate crimes against gays and lesbians do in fact occur. Whether we dispute the number and frequency is another matter. Even then, however, this kind of violence is brushed aside. No matter where folks stand on the issues pertaining to homosexuality and/or the Church’s teachings on it, surely we should all recognize that what occurs in incidents like the one highlighted here is abhorrent, immoral, completely antithetical to the Church, and completely unchristian. I’d like to think that’s obvious to everyone but it seems not.

 

[agnes_therese]

I’m sharing this because I’ve read several posts lately in which people have claimed that gays and lesbians are purposely exaggerating and/or outright lying about the violence they might experience.

"A court has sentenced four relatives to years in prison for their roles in kidnapping and assaulting a gay man in Kentucky

The four were accused of luring Kevin Pennington into a truck in April 2011 and driving him up a deserted road into Kingdom Come State Park.

They pulled him out of the car and assaulted him, and as they were looking for a tire iron to kill him, he escaped, according to prosecutors."

cnn.com/2013/06/20/justice/kentucky-gay-man-attack/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Let the justifications begin.

 

[MaryT777]

On more than one occasion, a fellow poster has claimed that homophobia and homosexual hate crimes are fictitious concepts used to dishonestly advance the LGBT cause. And on more than one occasion, I’ve asked that we all agree at least that while some may be mislabeled, true hate crimes against gays and lesbians do in fact occur. Whether we dispute the number and frequency is another matter. Even then, however, this kind of violence is brushed aside. No matter where folks stand on the issues pertaining to homosexuality and/or the Church’s teachings on it, surely we should all recognize that what occurs in incidents like the one highlighted here is abhorrent, immoral, completely antithetical to the Church, and completely unchristian. I’d like to think that’s obvious to everyone but it seems not.

I completely agree that what happened in the highlighted incidents is abhorrent, immoral, against Church teachings and un Christian.

The Church does not condone hate crimes of any kind.

Mary.

 

[Orogeny]

I reject the concept of “hate crimes”. It gives more value to one group over another. Murder should be treated exactly the same regardless of the motivation of the killer.

Peace

Tim

 

[fix]

Let the justifications begin.

Yes, let the gay agenda continue to push its way onto all of society. We could point out the bishop who recently told the story of how his secretary was killed by a “gay” man because she spoke against his immoral behavior.

 

[on_the_hill]

Not to mention, we don’t know all the circumstances of this attack. There could have been other variables involved, but the homosexual implication could be used to garner sympathy and support.

Looking at it from an objective, maybe cynical viewpoint–this is what lobbyists and advocates do for any and all interest groups.

 

[JackyB]

I reject the concept of “hate crimes”. It gives more value to one group over another. Murder should be treated exactly the same regardless of the motivation of the killer.

Peace

Tim

 

[agnes_therese]

Yes, let the gay agenda continue to push its way onto all of society. We could point out the bishop who recently told the story of how his secretary was killed by a “gay” man because she spoke against his immoral behavior.

Some folks just find it absolutely impossible to say “No, a person’s same-sex orientation is NOT justification to murder them or otherwise assault them.” That’s all this thread is about. There’s already been a thread on the bishop’s statement.

 

[fix]

Some folks just find it absolutely impossible to say “No, a person’s same-sex orientation is NOT justification to murder them or otherwise assault them.” That’s all this thread is about. There’s already been a thread on the bishop’s statement.

No, that is not it at all. This is a propaganda issue. No one supports murder or unjust discrimination. The straw man is the homophobic concept that gets tossed about like a ball.

 

[Nimzovik]

I reject the concept of “hate crimes”. It gives more value to one group over another. Murder should be treated exactly the same regardless of the motivation of the killer.

Peace

Tim

Precisely. A crime is a crime. Period. Same penalty for all. Gays should not be considered a more privileged member of society than my grandma.

 

[SwizzleStick]

I reject the concept of “hate crimes”. It gives more value to one group over another. Murder should be treated exactly the same regardless of the motivation of the killer.

Peace

Tim

This.

 

[SwizzleStick]

Some folks just find it absolutely impossible to say “No, a person’s same-sex orientation is NOT justification to murder them or otherwise assault them.” That’s all this thread is about. There’s already been a thread on the bishop’s statement.

There is no justification to murder or assault any person, ever. There is also no need to create a special label for any group. Crime is crime.

 

[RKO]

I don’t really understand the point you are trying to make. Help me understand as you do.

One example does not mean that every homosexual is at risk of such events. Now, I don’t really know what you are responding to. If I did, I might be better able to speak of this.

Not to mention, we don’t know all the circumstances of this attack. There could have been other variables involved, but the homosexual implication could be used to garner sympathy and support.

One could also bring up Harvey Milk. He wasn’t assassinated cause he was gay; he was killed by a disgruntled former employee.

wow. That is a scary post.

 

[kelvinf]

No, that is not it at all. This is a propaganda issue. No one supports murder or unjust discrimination. The straw man is the homophobic concept that gets tossed about like a ball.

Exactly. A gay man was brutally attacked in France and we all condemn such attacks.

But mere opposition to same sex marriage is labelled as hate by some.

 

[LaSainte]

wow. That is a scary post.

It is. And while I agree that assault is assault is assault, the idea that labeling the motivations of certain people is useless is beyond absurd. Of COURSE motivations matter. If we didn’t examine motivation, then how would we have been able to fight against the heinous acts of the KKK in the '60s?

There are people on this site who are flat-out prejudiced against gays to the point where they are blinded of any sympathy or compassion. The first thing they feel when they read stories like this is annoyance that the “gay lobby” is going to use this as propaganda. Keep in mind that a HUMAN BEING was nearly killed, and yes, it does matter WHY.

Whenever you have a group of people who are targeted for violence just because of the color of their skin or their mannerisms or who they choose to be with or who they voted for in the election, you have tyranny and hatred and terrorism and fear. And that MATTERS.

 

[Nimzovik]

Don’t matter to me. If the KKK were prosecuted as they should have been prosecuted, then they would have been dealt with. We do not need a new law every time someone** fails to enforce** an old law.

When one kills or harasses or persecutes another, it is never done out of love! It is always done out of hate. So what is new?

 

[SwizzleStick]

It is. And while I agree that assault is assault is assault, the idea that labeling the motivations of certain people is useless is beyond absurd. Of COURSE motivations matter. If we didn’t examine motivation, then how would we have been able to fight against the heinous acts of the KKK in the '60s?

There are people on this site who are flat-out prejudiced against gays to the point where they are blinded of any sympathy or compassion. The first thing they feel when they read stories like this is annoyance that the “gay lobby” is going to use this as propaganda. Keep in mind that a HUMAN BEING was nearly killed, and yes, it does matter WHY.

Whenever you have a group of people who are targeted for violence just because of the color of their skin or their mannerisms or who they choose to be with or who they voted for in the election, you have tyranny and hatred and terrorism and fear. And that MATTERS.

I don’t know anyone who supports assault and violence against anyone or the murder of any person for any reason. Ever. All of those things are immoral. When it happens to people who are homosexual that does not make it more immoral. It is always wrong and should be prosecuted. I see no need to create another class of prosecution or more punishment for when these crimes occur against certain groups of people. Crime should be prosecuted and punished. Period.

Also, isn’t some degree of hate/hatefulness involved in all crimes, in all murders?

 

[Nimzovik]

Hmmmmmmmmmm… By analogy. Should we prosecute Obama and the Liberal Democrats for their hate crimes against Catholics?