In what appears likely to have been a hate crime, a 17 year old gay teenage boy who was dressed in women's clothing has been shot and killed in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (http://www.miamiherald.com/news/broward/story/430210.html). Police investigators are looking at the case as a possible hate crime. Meanwhile, conservative “Christians” like anti-gay bigot Ken Hutcherson, pastor of Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Washington, continue to preach their message of hatred towards gays. As reported by Seattle psychologist Valerie Tarico, who has made it her business to attend services at many of the large, conservative churches in the Seattle area, Hutcherson recently made the following loving remarks which I’m sure Jesus would not condone:
"God hates soft men" and "God hates effeminate men." Hutcherson went on to say, "If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I'd rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end."
I find it impossible to believe that the constant anti-gay litany coming out of the Christian Right which is then echoed by the GOP is not influencing and creating a mindset where violence against gays is deemed acceptable. As noted by the Seattle Post Intelligencer (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/352368_faith23.html):
“. . .you have to dehumanize somebody before you beat them up. Labeling some men as "soft" and "effeminate" and saying "God hates them" does that. Hutcherson, it should be noted, is not alone in such statements. In some churches a video called "The Gay Agenda" is popular. The tape shows gay people doing perverse things and then alleges this is what gay people are like, which is pretty much on par with showing Internet porn and saying this is what heterosexual people are like.
I can think of no other situation where hate and revulsion against a segment of society could be systematically preached without having severe legal or other consequences. Yet the Christianists under the guise of freedom of religion get away with tactics reminiscent of the Third Reich attacks against Jews. In any event, here are story highlights on this most recent gay murder:
Simmie Williams Jr., 17, was attacked on the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard by two young men who wore dark clothing and might live in the neighborhood, police said. Williams, who was wearing a dress and was known in the area by his first name or as "Chris" or "Beyonce," was shot about 12:45 a.m. Friday and soon afterward died at Broward General Medical Center, police said. It’s unclear what Williams was doing in the area, about four miles from his house, but police are investigating whether he was working as a prostitute, officials said.
Williams had signed up Wednesday for Job Corps, a federal government program designed to teach students vocational skills. He planned to get his GED and then go to culinary school, his mother said.
"We're looking into the possibility of a hate crime. There were some words exchanged prior to the shooting," said Detective Katherine Collins, spokeswoman for Fort Lauderdale police. She would not elaborate on what was said before Williams was killed. It is believed that Williams, who also went by the names Chris and Beyoncé, was involved in an argument with two men, both dressed in black, said Detective Kathy Collins, a Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman. People nearby heard gunshots and saw the men run off.
"God hates soft men" and "God hates effeminate men." Hutcherson went on to say, "If I was in a drugstore and some guy opened the door for me, I'd rip his arm off and beat him with the wet end."
I find it impossible to believe that the constant anti-gay litany coming out of the Christian Right which is then echoed by the GOP is not influencing and creating a mindset where violence against gays is deemed acceptable. As noted by the Seattle Post Intelligencer (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/352368_faith23.html):
“. . .you have to dehumanize somebody before you beat them up. Labeling some men as "soft" and "effeminate" and saying "God hates them" does that. Hutcherson, it should be noted, is not alone in such statements. In some churches a video called "The Gay Agenda" is popular. The tape shows gay people doing perverse things and then alleges this is what gay people are like, which is pretty much on par with showing Internet porn and saying this is what heterosexual people are like.
I can think of no other situation where hate and revulsion against a segment of society could be systematically preached without having severe legal or other consequences. Yet the Christianists under the guise of freedom of religion get away with tactics reminiscent of the Third Reich attacks against Jews. In any event, here are story highlights on this most recent gay murder:
Simmie Williams Jr., 17, was attacked on the 1000 block of Sistrunk Boulevard by two young men who wore dark clothing and might live in the neighborhood, police said. Williams, who was wearing a dress and was known in the area by his first name or as "Chris" or "Beyonce," was shot about 12:45 a.m. Friday and soon afterward died at Broward General Medical Center, police said. It’s unclear what Williams was doing in the area, about four miles from his house, but police are investigating whether he was working as a prostitute, officials said.
Williams had signed up Wednesday for Job Corps, a federal government program designed to teach students vocational skills. He planned to get his GED and then go to culinary school, his mother said.
"We're looking into the possibility of a hate crime. There were some words exchanged prior to the shooting," said Detective Katherine Collins, spokeswoman for Fort Lauderdale police. She would not elaborate on what was said before Williams was killed. It is believed that Williams, who also went by the names Chris and Beyoncé, was involved in an argument with two men, both dressed in black, said Detective Kathy Collins, a Fort Lauderdale police spokeswoman. People nearby heard gunshots and saw the men run off.
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