hate crime
Function: noun
Date: 1984
: any of various crimes (as assault or defacement of property) when motivated by hostility to the victim as a member of a group (as one based on color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation)
Whenever I hear the word "hate" I always think of one thing. All the times I said it as a child, and my mother would tell me that hate was "a strong word" and I should never use it. I think that every child's been told that time and time again. Hate IS a strong word, and it's a strong emotion, and I think that any one who ever's truly felt hate towards another individual (which I have) can testify to that. Hate crimes. It's something that in 2009, you hope you wouldn't have to hear too much about. Sadly that isn't the case.
From lynchings of African Americans, to Anti-Semetic attacks on Jews, to the murder of Brandon Teena, history has been plagued with violent violent attacks on groups and individuals for things that can't change about themselves and things that make them who they are. It was October 6th 1998 when Matthew Shepard was lured from the bar that cold, fateful night. His skull was smashed with a pistol butt as he was lashed to a fence, and left for dead in near freezing temperatures. Nearly eighteen hours later he was found by passersby and taken to a hospital where he remained in a coma for seven days until slowly slipping away. at his funeral, picketers carried signs saying "God Hates Fags" and "Fags Deserve to Die". Now over a decade later, while progress has been made, innocent individuals are still being attacked on a daily basis all because of who they are.
I've had my own personal experiences with hate crimes throughout my life. Ranging from countless vocal attacks based on my race and/or sexual orientation, and then unfortunately my first physical attack happened in Dublin in 2007 when I had a bottle broken over my head for both my race and sexual orientation. (It's a rough life us black gays lead! I'm two walking hate crimes just waiting to happen. lol. I'm sure white supremacists would use my facebook pictures for rifle shooting practice rounds if they could. Morbid I know, sorry I digress). Anyway my second and most recent physical hate crime interaction actually occurred a couple months ago in broad daylight in Central Park. While I wish it hadn't occurred at all, I must brag about the fact that while I took one hard punch and busted my lip open; my attacker took one hard punch from me, and got knocked the fuck out. I warn all gay bashers: Don't fuck with a black gay with a napoleon complex who's just trying to walk his puppy… But back to the point, in a terrifying most recent statistic from the FBI, over EIGHT THOUSAND hate crimes were reported in the year of 2008. These included nine MURDERS, and numerous violent sexual assaults. And we can only imagine how many have gone unreported that would probably only cause those numbers to skyrocket.
In June, right before pride, one of my friends was viciously attacked in Washington Heights by a group of six men. I can't even begin to express how absolutely heartbreaking is was to see the pictures of his face and body afterwards. His ENTIRE face was covered in blood, bruises, welts, and two black eyes which took a while to heal. It was discovered that this group had been attacking numerous gay men in the area…
And now, I just learned that a couple of people who are the nearest and dearest to my heart, were attacked last night in the middle of Hells Kitchen on 9th ave of all areas. An area where most gay men, where I, would feel the most comfortable…It all started when a guy threw a lit cigarette at my friend. When he turned around the assailant said "Keep moving, faggot." Words were exchanged, they got more heated and they the guy attacked my group of friends. One was thrown against a car so hard it was dented, another got punched twice in the face, and another got kicked to the ground. This was all before the bouncer of McCoy's (where the attacker had just walked OUT of to smoke), even attempted to stop. Police were called, and after five cops showed up, they asked for both sides of the story. Then, in what is possibly the most infuriating and depressing part of the story, the police did NOTHING! They refused to give my friends the guy's information so they could file their own report (stating they wouldn't because the guy was a Marine), and they even refused to run the plates of the car that was dented because "They're NJ plates." And then on top of that, the bouncer at McCoy's, allowed the man who had just PHYSICALLY ASSAULTED three INNOCENT individuals BACK INTO THE BAR!!! As you can tell, I'm getting very fucking angry again, and obviously I'm sure every one of you are as well… This behavior is just completely unacceptable. Obviously I want to beat the shit out of that guy to begin with, but honestly I'm even more disgusted and devastated by the behaviors of both the NYPD and the staff of McCoy's. There is absolutely no excuse for it, and for the people that are supposed to be protecting the innocent and the attacked, to showcase their own prejudice and hatred, and to let it get in the way of them doing what they're paid to do is unforgivable. It should not be tolerated, and every single last one of them should be out of a job.
When it passed the Hate Crimes Act of 2000, the New York State Legislature stated that:
"Hate crimes do more than threaten the safety and welfare of all citizens. They inflict on victims incalculable physical and emotional damage and tear at the very fabric of free society. Crimes motivated by invidious hatred toward particular groups not only harm individual victims but send a powerful message of intolerance and discrimination to all members of the group to which the victim belongs. In a democratic society, citizens cannot be required to approve of the beliefs and practices of others, but must never commit criminal acts on account of them. Current law does not adequately recognize the harm to public order and individual safety that hate crimes cause. Therefore, our laws must be strengthened to provide clear recognition of the gravity of hate crimes and the compelling importance of preventing their recurrence. Accordingly, the legislature finds and declares that hate crimes should be prosecuted and punished with appropriate severity."
And yes they should be prosecuted and punished with appropriate severity. So what can we do to help? Well first of all, some phone calls need to be made. If anyone has any media contacts in the news or anything please let me know. Also, it would be greatly appreciated if some phone calls could be made to McCoy's bar letting them know that it is completely unacceptable for any individual who fought and attacked innocent people outside to be allowed BACK into the bar. Their information is as follows:
McCoys
(212) 957-8055
Also, even more phone calls need to be made to the police department that blatantly refused to deal with this case professionally… or at all for that matter. They acted completely inappropriately and that is repugnant and offensive. Please please please send a phone call their way and let them know that those cops need to be penalized. Their information is as follows:
Midtown Department
306 West 54th Street
212- 767- 8400
And finally, it would be amazing if everyone could come out and show their beautiful faces at the National Equality March in DC October 10th-11th. We need to speak our minds, we need to be heard, we need to create change, and we need to do it NOW. Get more info at broadwayimpact.com or equalityacrossamerica.org/march
I've now babbled on long enough. I apologize if this blog was a rough read but as many of you know I work overnights and I just got home from a horribly long shift and haven't gone to sleep yet. (Meanwhile it's 12:14pm lol). So it may not be as well written as it would've been had I gotten some sleep, but I felt the strong need to post this and I'm hoping that all of you help out in making some phone calls… All my love to each and every one of you, and please, be safe...
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