Gay Hate Crimes, What do you think? Options

[rOckThISshYt]

There are hate crimes all over the time. Some of them happen to be on homosexual/bisexual people. Some of them are even murders. I have an example of one for a gay male and one for a gay female. I just wanted to hear your opinions on the reports and hate crimes of all kinds and anything else you have to add.

New Details Emerge in Matthew Shepard Murder
Killers Talk About Crime That Shocked the Nation
Dec. 1, 2004 - Six years ago, on a cold October night on the outskirts of Laramie, Wyo., 21-year-old gay college student Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten, tied to a fence and left for dead. He was found 18 hours later and rushed to the hospital, where he lingered on the edge of death for nearly five days before succumbing to his injuries.

The story garnered national attention when the attack was characterized as a hate crime. But Shepard's killers, in their first interview since their convictions, tell "20/20's" Elizabeth Vargas that money and drugs motivated their actions that night, not hatred of gays.

While Shepard lay unconscious in a hospital, the national press quickly arrived in Laramie. Cal Rerucha, who prosecuted the case, told Vargas the media descended on Laramie "like locusts."

"We knew in the newsroom the day it happened, this is going to be a huge story, this is going to attract international interest," said Jason Marsden of "The Casper Star-Tribune."

"I remember one of my fellow reporters saying, 'this kid is going to be the new poster child for gay rights," he added. News of Shepard's death sparked reaction overseas and demonstrations across America.

"I think a lot of gay people, when they first heard of that horrifying event, felt sort of punched in the stomach. I mean it kind of encapsulated all our fears of being victimized," said writer Andrew Sullivan, a prominent gay rights advocate.

But as the push for gay rights found new force, so did a corresponding backlash from anti-gay opponents who came from out of state to grab a piece of the media spotlight.

Tensions were so high that Shepard's father wore a bulletproof vest under his suit when he spoke at his son's funeral service.

"The saddest part of this whole case was at Matthew's funeral, when they, these people, refused to let Matthew be buried with dignity," said Rerucha. "I never saw people that could hate so much."


Killers Both Receive Two Consecutive Life Sentences
Local residents Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, both 21 at the time, were charged with Shepard's murder. Henderson's case came before the court first. To avoid the possibility of receiving the death penalty, he pleaded guilty to murder and kidnapping and received two consecutive life terms in prison.
McKinney's case went to trial a year after Shepard's death. He was convicted of felony murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping. Before the jury was about to decide his sentence, he, too, reached a deal that allowed him to avoid a possible death penalty. Both men are serving double life sentences in prison.

Authorities asked "20/20" not to disclose the prison location.

Man Admits Killing Gay Teen, Gets 20 Years

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - A man who admitted fatally stabbing a 15-year-old lesbian during a confrontation on a downtown street was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison.

Richard McCullough had faced up to 30 years after pleading guilty last month to aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and bias intimidation.

McCullough, 30, had been charged with bias murder in the May 2003 killing of Sakia Gunn, but that charge was dropped as part of a plea bargain.

Gunn and four other girls were waiting for a bus in downtown Newark when McCullough and another man drove up and asked them if they wanted to go to a party. Officials said the girls responded that they were lesbians and were not interested.

The men began spewing homophobic insults and a fight began, authorities said. Gunn was stabbed as she came to the defense of a friend.

[sweet_devil]

I think that's horrible! Just because people are gay doesn't mean you have to hate them. It's something they can't change. People with strong feelings for the same sex shouldn't be punnished.

[rOckThISshYt]

I think that's horrible! Just because people are gay doesn't mean you have to hate them. It's something they can't change. People with strong feelings for the same sex shouldn't be punnished.

I heart you.

[fameONE]

A hate crime is a hate crime and all offenders should get the same and equal punishment.

A black man kills a white man for being white should get the same punishment as a white man killing a hispanic for being hispanic. The same goes for a straight male/female killing a gay male/female.

[kyuubi319]

It's not fair at all. They're the same as people who are straight! Gay/Lesbian people don't think differently of straight people so why should straight people think differently of them?! It's shit like that makes me a bit insecure.

[rOckThISshYt]

It's not fair at all. They're the same as people who are straight! Gay/Lesbian people don't think differently of straight people so why should straight people think differently of them?! It's shit like that makes me a bit insecure.

Thank you. I mean, we are different in some ways (obviously) but not in any bad ways. There is no reason to have violence towards homosexuals/bisexuals because they are that sexuality.

[dispn0ygonekrazy]

their aint nothing with gay or lesbian yenno shit cant help it if your born that way..pisses me off people dont understand that..i mean yenno love is love cant help it..nothing but accept it..and for those who are disgusted of seeing gay/lesbian people..yall should be disgusted of your selves being cold hearted..i mean hell if they had a kid gay/lesbian i bet they would fight for it..just because everyday people are used to seeing guy and girl that dont mean guy/guy and girl/girl is any different.. we're all people despite our personalities and difference..shiet people accept people with disorders..why cant accept people who're gay/lesbian yenno what im saying haha gay/lesbian dont matter to me the point is their people too they got feelings ane being treated different is just wrong

[pandamonium]

wow i used to live where that second crime occured. newark nj. if they are going to kill people who are different they might as well kill everyone in the world cause no 2 people are the same.

[rOckThISshYt]

wow i used to live where that second crime occured. newark nj. if they are going to kill people who are different they might as well kill everyone in the world cause no 2 people are the same.

I never thought of it specificly that way. But you are so right.

[yupimchuck]

They make me sick.
The people who do those things are horrible.
And it's peopel liek them that make me scared to tell anyone that I'm bi.

[karrar]

I consider myself a religous person. Though i never have and never will associate my self with homosexual persons, i would never think of killing one just becuase of there sexual prefrence.

[nerdxcore]

it's sad when things like this happen. but will people only really think it's an issue until it happens to someone they know? hate crimes happen all the time everywhere. it's bad and i wish people weren't like this. but i guess we can't hate the haters, can we?

[rOckThISshYt]

I consider myself a religous person. Though i never have and never will associate my self with homosexual persons, i would never think of killing one just becuase of there sexual prefrence.

You know.. I used to get all fired up when people would say things like "I never have and never will associate myself with homosexual persons.." but I think it's fine now. I still don't like it and think it's wrong because the way I see it is that you're looking down on the person and don't believe they have the right to be near you or talk to you or anything else like that. Now, I could be wrong but... I duno.... At least you wouldn't kill someone because of their sexual prefrence. Hopefully you wouldn't do anything more than ignore them or tell them to go away.

By the way, I guarentee you that you have associated yourself with a homosexual or bisexual and you just don't know it. There is no doubt about that. And I can tell you that you probably do have a homosexual or bisexual friend. If you don't, it's probably because they know you're view on it and don't like to have friends that think that way.

[rOckThISshYt]

Sorry for the double-posting.


A hate-crime was recently done at the highschool in my district. Not to that extent, thank God. But it's still legally a hate crime.

Swastikas we spray painted all over the tennis courts. Everyone knows who did it but they don't have evidence to support it but detectives are doing their jobs and quickly getting more and more evidence (at least that's what they're telling us).

This is considered a hate crime to Jews, Africans, homosexuals, and so many other ethnicities and groups it's not even immaginable. Whether these people had all these groups in mind, it still counts against all of them.

[ItzOnlySydney]

err that's...bad? how do you respond to that

[heyyfrankie]

what do you want me to say? i mean, all hate crimes are bad. it's not like gay people are going around killing others for being straight...well, at least not that i have heard. <__<"

[FoOd]

Thats sad.... I really hope that man-kind(well some of them) have a new perspective of things.

Its just love and it doesn't matter. I mean,
Same sex marriages are waaay overated by some people. Some say its a sin and such(hope thats correct.)
However, you barely see in the news about an interacial marriage. Back then, we refused it. But I think history will takes its course and eventually, people will accept same-sex marriages.

[sadolakced acid]

well, i have a taste of what gays get.

for a week, i let this homophobic bully kid think i was gay. man, it's hell for everyone who goes through that every day of thier lives...

it's why i'm a gay rights advocate. i defend my kind. they're human beings and people just like everyone else.

hate crimes really suck...

[simx]

Hate crimes occur everyday.... of course it's horrible and blah blah blah but half if not most of these crimes go unnoticed, we can't really do anything about it if there aren't enough people out there that care. I'm bi, and of course I think these kinds of things are horrible, but it's the reality of the world today.

[Saeglopur]

.... I don't think they deserve to be living in a country like this. For one thing, this country was purely made out of tolerance and we have about 23874298374 people hating on everyone else because they're different. That's just plain idiotic. I think it's because we don't have enough respect for each other.

[Justingamemaster]

it's just a swastika...

[XoJennaoX]

it's just a swastika...

it's not the swastika itself, it is the intolerant mind behind the swastika that can be dangerous.

[*xcaitlinx*]

those people are good for nothing, shallow inhuman creatures. they have nothing better to do in their lives than to make fun of / abuse people that are different from them. they should burn in hell.

[yupimchuck]

well, i have a taste of what gays get.

for a week, i let this homophobic bully kid think i was gay.  man, it's hell for everyone who goes through that every day of thier lives... 

it's why i'm a gay rights advocate.  i defend my kind.  they're human beings and people just like everyone else. 

hate crimes really suck...

It is horrible for the kids.
And the peopel nowdays are just horrible and vicious to kids.
I mean really, can you help it if you're gay?

[sammi rules you]

I consider myself a religous person. Though i never have and never will associate my self with homosexual persons, i would never think of killing one just becuase of there sexual prefrence.

do you associate yourself with people who aren't christian or that don't believe in the christian god and worship him? cause disbelief is a sin too ya know.

(by the way, if you reply to this post, you're associating yourself with someone who doesn't believe in god.)

just making a point..

even if they are gay, why can't you talk to them? or be around them? it's not like they're gonna be like "BE GAY WITH ME!!!" or something. if they're gay, how does it affect you?

[madchenallein]

While the crime is the violence, the problem is the hate. I believe that whatever you harbor in your heart, hate, love, tolerance, bigotry, will come back to you.

Just because I don't agree with someone or don't like what they're doing, doesn't justify acting against the more important belief of respecting another person simply because they are a human being.

You don't have to like how a person acts: gay behavior, bigoted behavior, intolerance of any kind; but don't demean yourself by acting dishonorably.

I think there would be far less problems if people kept their personal lives to themselves. No one needs to be kissing in public, I don't care what gender the two parties are. No one needs to insult people, particularly not in public.

If you have specific beliefs in your heart, fine, other people who want tolerance may not be able to change your personal beliefs, but you need to keep them to yourself if you can't act civilized in public.

If people treated each other with more compassion in general instead of immediately seeing a person and saying to themselves 'I don't like him because he's black' or 'I don't like her because she's gay', the world would be a much less violent place.

Here is a BIG thing with me. So many Chistians act like gay acts are the worst sins in the world, then they go home to their own families and smack their wives around, or beat up their kids, or watch violent movies or tell dirty jokes or neglect their parents (if the parents are elderly) or something like that. Why is it that they feel their 'little' sins are less bad than homosexuality. Jesus never said gay people will burn in extra hot fire. The Bible says a lazy attitude is wrong, an unforgiving heart is wrong, so many other behaviors, and even attitudes, it seems to me that gay behavior is small potatoes compared to the hypocrisy and uncharitableness of too many 'Christians'.

But that's just my opinion. I'm a Catholic and I'm far from perfect, but I do want to be an ambassador for Christ's love.

[karrar]

do you associate yourself with people who aren't christian or that don't believe in the christian god and worship him? cause disbelief is a sin too ya know.

(by the way, if you reply to this post, you're associating yourself with someone who doesn't believe in god.)

just making a point..

even if they are gay, why can't you talk to them? or be around them? it's not like they're gonna be like "BE GAY WITH ME!!!" or something. if they're gay, how does it affect you?

I'm not christian woman .

[waitwaitwait]

A hate crime is a hate crime and all offenders should get the same and equal punishment.

A black man kills a white man for being white should get the same punishment as a white man killing a hispanic for being hispanic. The same goes for a straight male/female killing a gay male/female.

Kudos to that.

[Paradox of Life]

A hate crime is a hate crime and all offenders should get the same and equal punishment.

A black man kills a white man for being white should get the same punishment as a white man killing a hispanic for being hispanic. The same goes for a straight male/female killing a gay male/female.

It's wrong to kill someone because of what they are. And legally it's wrong because.. Well, you're killing someone. Duh, hate crimes are unfair morally, but they're the same as just a regular attack legally so they should get normal consequences. Am I making sense?

[rOckThISshYt]

Kudos to that.

Yeah. I agree. If it's on the same level (ex: black man kills white man or straight male kills gay male) it should obvoiusly be the same punishment.