What is Digg?311 Comments
- Makubex, on 10/11/2007, -16/+185Disgusting. I felt sick when I heard the Matthew Shepard story, and I feel sick now reading this. I've gotten numerous propositions from gay men, it's no reason to beat them to death. Imagine if you walked up to a female at a bar and used a pick up line, then suddenly, she and three of her female friends are dragging you behind their mustang to a field where they beat you to death with lead pipes. It's the same thing. It's sick. Anyone who is going to assault someone just because of their sexual preference should be put to death. That kind of close mindedness is the type of ***** that is making this country as bad as it currently is.
Disclaimer: I am not homosexual, I am happily involved in a serious heterosexual relationship. I'm just a strong believer that a person should be able to live how they want to live without fear of being humiliated or assaulted because of their beliefs. - MatttK, on 10/11/2007, -6/+138@makubex: You just hit on something that is even more sad about society. When defending homosexuality, heterosexuals have to defend themselves against allegations of homosexuality because people assume that anyone crazy enough to defend homosexuals must be homosexual themself. Surely it couldn't be that homosexuals are human beings and that your sexual orientation has no bearing on whether or not you have compassion for your fellow man.
- XXchromosome, on 10/11/2007, -8/+116No kidding. I'm in Indiana and I stay fairly current with the news. I've never heard about this story.
- Coven, on 10/11/2007, -2/+48OR
A lesson to straight men: If a gay man hits on you, accept it as a compliment, be flattered, politely inform the guy that you are straight and wish him luck on his search for a partner.
That's usually how I handle it. The line "Dude, you're barkin up the wrong tree." also works just fine. - SuperCUBE, on 10/11/2007, -4/+44I live in New Palestine, IN and I haven't heard a single thing about this.
The car-jacking rate has increased tenfold this year alone. It's disgusting how terrible central Indiana is becoming. - Zippo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+40Hate crime or not, this is 1st degree murder. They didn't kill in the heat of the moment, they beat this man for hours and then went and shot him with the intent to kill. And they have no remorse for any of it... they just don't want to go to jail. In the end, an innocent man died. Don't give me this ***** about "gay panic". These guys were filled with nothing but hate.
I hope they rot in jail. - MasterChi, on 10/11/2007, -2/+40"This should be a lesson to all mo's, dont hit on other guys unless yo KNOW they are gay."
And in the same respect: Don't hit on other females unless you KNOW they are straight or you will get beaten to death by said females in a slow and painful fashion.
Doesn't sound too good when the same can happen to you, does it? - Ninjab3ar, on 10/11/2007, -2/+34Yes, thats true. But the reason the laws are the way they are is to protect the wrongfully accused.
I know, I know, the other 95% of correctly accused criminals can take advantage of the leniances offered because of this, but killing an innocent person for a crime they didnt commit will cause public outcry.
I for one wouldnt feel safe if there werent laws to save my life if I was wrongfully accused of murder. - lokee73, on 10/11/2007, -2/+32WTF is wrong with you?!
Maybe you should reajust YOUR thinking. When I've been hit on by gay men, I take it as a complement. All you have to say is, "Thanks, but I don't swing that way." and that's it; the situation is disarmed. They aren’t going to hit on you after that, and if you are at a party word will spread and no other gay men will hit on you.
Grow up and get over your own insecurities. - noisician, on 10/11/2007, -4/+33"Personally, I believe that after conviction, the sentencing, e.g. death penalty, or life with or without parole, should be decided by the victim's family."
that is exactly who should NOT make the decision
the victim's family is certainly not going to have any objectivity about the matter
currently we differentiate between REVENGE and JUSTICE, but it sounds like you are not happy with that distinction - obliviousfool, on 10/11/2007, -6/+35Also IN here. I'd never heard about it either.
- killiansman, on 10/11/2007, -1/+27all of you get hit on by men? haha, i don't even get hit on by girls!
- Verfel, on 10/11/2007, -3/+28I dont know about that, the citation checks out and the comments dont seem weighed one way or the other. What makes you think it's a propaganda site? Please inform =)
- Kryptik1, on 10/11/2007, -4/+29leffunov - Thing is....these guys are using the fact that the victim was gay as a DEFENSE. That's admitting that he was killed BECAUSE HE WAS GAY.
That's the definition of a hate crime. Committing a violent crime against a victim, simply for what that person is, be it race, religion, sex, sexual preference, etc.
That's all the history of anti-gay action that should be necessary. The fact that the guy was murdered his horrible. The fact that he was beaten that long is reprehensible. The fact that he was killed and beaten that long simply because he was gay is inexcusable, especially when it's used as an excuse BY THE ACCUSED THEMSELVES. - darnoKonrad, on 10/11/2007, -12/+34"Sure there are hate crimes. Crimes are worse if they are committed against gays are minorities because they are better than white hetero males and deserve more rights."
I'll buy your smug attitude when white heterosexual males are murdered for being nothing more than white hetrosexual males. When that equality comes true then we can all pat ourselves on the back by making idiotic moral platitudes in sarcastic tones. - boyasunder, on 10/11/2007, -2/+24People that are bringing up their own issues with hate crime laws are entirely missing the point of this story (which, I might _doesn't even mention hate crime laws_).
The point of the article is to question why there has been no mention of this particularly horrible crime and to ask if, just maybe, it's because the victim was gay and was killed because of it. The fact that people call it a "hate crime" means they are recognizing that the motivation came from a place of hatred for gays, not necessarily that they are calling for increased punishment for the accused men. Besides, Indiana doesn't have a hate crime law.
People are seeing two words and ignoring the point of the story. Read the damn thing. - xspinkickx, on 10/11/2007, -5/+27@makubex
I completely agree, and I love the disclaimer. But I agree I don't understand why some guys when propositioned by a gay man take it so offensively they should just treat it like when they get propositioned by a female they have no interest in. Take it as a compliment and theres no need to ruin your life, and to take someone else's. - trer, on 10/11/2007, -6/+28@Verfel
Probably because the link doesn't lead to Foxnews, so anything that's not Foxnews is obviously liberal propaganda... - clownshoez, on 10/11/2007, -6/+27@jcm267
***** jerks who use bigotry and hate to justify killing someone. - blueire, on 10/11/2007, -0/+19They beat him for hours; doesn't that kinda cancel out the 'gay panic' defense?
People are so sick, twisted, and stupid. These idiots should spend life in prison without parole, a death sentence is far too kind. - Hetman, on 10/11/2007, -0/+19Im originially from indiana and where I grew up it was full of homophobes. Anyways these teens deserve what they get. If by calling it a hate crime they get more time in prison I will be happy. Seriously there is something completly wrong with beating someone for hours and leaving him to die. This is basically torture before death which probably should be considered a hate crime regardless of who is being tortured and then killed.
- eladon, on 10/11/2007, -17/+35"Murder is murder, the same thing should be done to them."
Translated.
"Two wrongs make a right". - GeneralFault, on 10/11/2007, -2/+20And the usual pseudo-conservatives can be found at every one of these stories. The "A crime is a crime..." crap does not hold up to the fact that these guys committed multiple crimes. The murder was one, the threat to the gay community was another. Two crimes, not one, two. A hate crime is actually two crimes that when committed together as they often are, are grouped into one term that is easy for most people to understand. When someone commits multiple criminal acts, any multiple criminal acts, they are tried and sentenced for each act, not just the "worst" (by your definition) crime.
"The right side" my ass. - akzidenzgrotesk, on 10/11/2007, -5/+23@ makubex
that's exactly what i was thinking. i've certainly gotten my fair share of creepy vibes from guys hitting on me, i even had a hint of "panic" once when a man a lot older and bigger than me kept shadowing me around the bar i was in and actually followed me out to the parking lot. but i never once considered gathering my friends together and beating him to a pulp. and i'm a 5'5" 120lb girl, not a grown man getting hit on my a man who's nickname is "shorty." gay panic is a ridiculous idea, and it's a really sad state of affairs when anyone (even the perps) considers it a legitimate defense. - Easty, on 10/11/2007, -8/+24@nostoppingus:
There's 'getting the ***** kicked out of you', and there's 'being beaten for hours with fists and boots, dragged down a staircase while your head hits each step and then being left in a ditch to die'. - morningmatters, on 10/11/2007, -1/+15The sad thing is that the victim's brother said that the victim isn't even gay. It's just likely that the killer made up the whole gay solicitation story just to get sympathy from the local community. Of course, this says a lot about the local community..
- Myonosken, on 10/11/2007, -2/+15How does reducing a sentence because someone was gay help the wrongly accused?
- Zippo, on 10/11/2007, -2/+15I disagree. On one side, yes, you could argue it takes away equality... not that America has a lot of equality these days. But if someone kills another because they're white, that's still a hate crime. If a gay man kills another because they're straight, that's also a hate crime. A hate crime is a crime committed with a specific motive in mind - illogical and irrational hate, prejudice, and bigotry. And any law that puts people like this in jail longer is a-ok with me.
Someone who pulls a gun and just shoots a person in the heat of the moment is one thing, but someone who actively goes out of their way to murder someone because of their race/color/nation of origin, religion, or sexual orientation has a mind filled with blinding hate and ignorance. As a result, they should be made example of... and kept away from society so as to try and protect it. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -8/+21@wushugushupork
How does it take away from the idea that "all men are created equal"? Please explain because hate crimes apply to everyone. Punishment for committing crimes often depend on the motive of the person who committed it , the severity of the crime, and the degree to which the prosecuter pursues punishment. It varies from case to case. - Grova, on 10/11/2007, -2/+15***** disgusting....hopefully they go to jail and have all they're worst fears realized.
And it won't just be a "proposition!" - jsowder18, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13Does anyone else find it strange that America is more interested in some rich bitch getting outta jail early than this??
- chronichyjinx, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12Stupid Rednecks
- northwatuppa, on 10/11/2007, -3/+15Yeah, I sympathize, but the story appears to be true. http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=6433072
- darnoKonrad, on 10/11/2007, -1/+13I think Emmett Till would disagree with you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmett_Till
There is a difference between believing in equality and ignoring inequity. The simple fact is, white heterosexuals are not murdered for simply being white heterosexuals. What about that inequity? Hate crime laws acknowledge that inequity and treat it appropriately.
The fact that there are many different types of murder speaks to that fact as well. To pretend that "how" or "why" a murder is committed is unimportant is stupid. The law already comes down harder on people that plan murders, rather than murders committed in "passion".
Are you going to complain that "thought crime" is misplaced? Motives and circumstances are important in crimes, and they always have been. - Pseudorious, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11RIP Aaron Hall
I'm just saddened I'm the first of 83 commenters to say it. I cannot conceive of how distraught and devastated I would be were I to lose one of my gay friends in a situation such as this. - inactive, on 10/11/2007, -16/+27Murderers have too many ways to get off. Murder is murder, the same thing should be done to them.
- Iconwolf, on 10/11/2007, -1/+12"what should actually be happening is for the media to get responsible and help raise awareness that stuff like this STILL HAPPENS EVERYDAY."
The media has much more "important" matters to deal with. Like who's Anna Nicole's baby's daddy. (sigh) - j519638, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11Unbelievable! The lawyers, psychologist, or doctor who came up with that defense needs to have their license removed and brought before an ethics board.
- slickhare, on 10/11/2007, -3/+13I don't think the point here is that it was a "hate crime" but the fact that they used this "gay panic defense" thing. I've never heard of it before, but it's pretty rediculous that someone could consider this justification for taking the life of another human being, or perhaps not justification, but reason for leniency in sentencing.
- Pfhreak, on 10/11/2007, -3/+13"because this didn't happen. BLOG SPAM. If it's not list on a local tv or newspaper site it didn't happen (PERIOD)"
You're either an idiot or someone in desperate need of a sarcasm tag. The Daily Kos article links to an article in The Bloomington Alternative, a local newspaper in Bloomington, Indiana. - chronichyjinx, on 10/11/2007, -3/+13Ask CNN why they have no coverage on this story using the following link.
http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form1.html?35 - sethisastud, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11Um...I'd have to disagree about the not having a hate crime law. I live in Boston (pretty liberal city) and was on the phone with a friend and said something about my boyfriend, minding my own business, while in 7-11 late one night, when I went outside 3 guys that were in the store earlier were waiting for me, said "we're going to kill you *****," shoved me against the wall and punched me in the face before someone else came out of the store. I'd have to say that if I were referring to my girlfriend on the phone this wouldn't have happened. The only reason I was assulted was because I'm a 'mo. It's great to know that some people on here think I should die because of that.
- northwatuppa, on 10/11/2007, -1/+10http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=6433072
Story on local news website. With pictures. Sorry the url didn't show up on previous post. (above) - killiansman, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10I think gay guys can be scary. Not because they are gay, but because they tend to have huge muscles. I wouldn't wanna mess with one.
- luther70, on 10/11/2007, -4/+12We make a distinction in our legal system between different types of murders (self defense, premeditated) and take that in to account for sentencing purposes. So why do people have a problem with “Hate Crime” laws. Its not like these laws will prevent you from saying “I hate Fags” it just gives you increased sentence when you kill some. You still had to commit crime before “hate crime” portion kicks in.
- AnteChronos, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9@bidness
"Getting hit on by a gay guy is . . . like a declaration that he thinks that I look like a fag"
Careful, your homophobia is showing. And tell us, what do "fags" look like? What's that, you say? You don't know, but you don't want someone saying that you look like one? Here's a free clue for you: Gay people look just like straight people (except for the few who go out of their way to emphasize their orientation). If a guy hits on you, it's not because you "look like a fag". It's because he thinks you're attractive.
"...and I don't think that is a complement. Or maybe that is just me."
Unfortunately, it's *not* just you, but hopefully society will come around in the next few generations, and homophobia will be much less of an issue. - SylvyrPhoenix, on 10/11/2007, -2/+9Disliking gays is not a crime, but beating and killing them because they are gay definitely is. It is considered a hate crime, because these bashings occur under the presumption that it's ok to murder "certain" groups of people. That's why the hate crime provision was put into place, so that we can try to keep these types of things from happening and also to keep society from just overlooking the killing of so-called "second-class citizens".
- Coven, on 10/11/2007, -2/+10They're gonna be somebody's bitches. That's for sure.
- twistx, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9You're saying if gay people hit on straight people they should have the right to attempt to kill them, or that gay's should walk around with big signs that indicate their homosexuality?
- xGeneric, on 10/11/2007, -3/+10Hmmm, if it was a story about a pretty white girl getting murdered, we'd be hearing about this for weeks.
The media cares little for justice. It's all about the headlines. Sick but true. -
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