Section One
Friday,
April 8, 2005
Volume 33,
Issue 14
Sat, Nov 21, 2009
IN THE SGN
SECTION ONE
Front Page
MORE/ALL
SECTION ONE
STORIES
SECTION TW0
Arts & Entertainment
Hatred of Gay men |
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| Hatred of Gay men compromised the jury in convicting Micah Painters attackers | ||
| Commentary by Mike McNamara
- SGN Contributing Writer
Justice was served in the Micah Painter stabbing, just not very well. Hatred of Gay men compromised the jury in convicting Micah Painters attackers. These men, who yelled Die faggot, die! during the attack, were convicted of second degree assault with a deadly weapon and assault in the fourth degree with a deadly weapon enhancement. Not the attempted murder charge, and conviction, this case blatantly demanded. This is not necessarily a win for Gay, Trans, Bi and Lesbian people locally or nationally. The facts of this case and its outcome raise a few important issues. Where is the GLBT Movement in regard to acceptance and tolerance along the Northwest I-5 Corridor? How has an ever increasing intolerance on a national level affected this region? Are we safe on the streets of Seattle? Bellingham has always seemed to be an accepting town with a liberal college, a few Gay bars and a healthy number of GLBT community groups. So it is a bit of a surprise that such violence is tolerated, even among its straight inhabitants. The attackers had histories of violence, still their community of family and friends, mainly from Bellingham, came regularly to the trial and supported the verdict. All three defense attorneys played the Gay is bad card, at one point quoting from a 30-year old California case. Given that the jury pool was an extra large cross-section of King County this watered-down conviction is also a red flag for the Movement in the greater Seattle area. According to reports, six of the 12 jurors felt this compromised verdict was needed to keep this case from going into a mistrial. Hatred toward Gay men made this a distinct possibility in progressive King County. We are now well into the second four years of Republican rule, Republicans who continue to spit vile lies about our community. These lies do stick in some peoples minds, particularly in minds that are prone to violence in the first place. The constant barrage of Gay is bad coming out of the CONSERVATIVE MEDIA makes it easier for someone on the edge of murderous violence to slip off that edge. Is Seattle a safe place? Until the political pendulum swings back the other way and people are properly punished for murderous violence, I may want to walk with a friend, on the streets, by a Gay bar, at night. Mike McNamara is a long time Seattle GLBT activist and can be reached at mmcnamara2001@aol.com. |
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 GENERAL GAYETY Leslie Robinson |
 NOT THINKING STRAIGHT Madelyn Arnold |
