Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyOctober 27th, 2011
You will have to go to WSYX’s web site to see the video, but a fifteen-year-old student at Chillicothe, Ohio’s Union-Scioto High School was attacked because he was gay, and the attacker posted the video on Facebook. This was two days after the attacker left anti-gay comments on the victim’s Facebook page. The teen has a chipped tooth and possible concussion, and the attacker was suspended from school for three days.
There are two things wrong with this. Number one: a “possible concussion”? Let’s get him to a doctor and find out.
And number two: suspension for three days? Of course that’s not enough, but what can a school do but suspend a student? The mother is considering pressing a criminal complaint. That is exactly what neesd to happen, and it should have been the first response, not a backup plan. We have video evidence of a crime taking place. We have a Facebook account. We have a victim with injuries. We have witnesses who can be identified and possibly investigated as accessories to the crime. We have everything we need for someone to call 911 and launch a criminal investigation. This should not have been brought to the school’s attention first. The first step should have been to call the police.
Apropos of this post yesterday, if we really want for things to get better, then we need to start treating crimes as crimes. It’s not the school’s job to enforce the law. All they can do is suspend students, and sometimes expel them under extreme circumstances. But it’s law enforcement’s job to, you know, enforce the law. And it’s everyone’s job to call the police first when a crime takes place.
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Regan DuCasse
October 27th, 2011
The school’s appropriate response should have been having the attacker ARRESTED.
Then and ONLY then a young person know the gravity and consequences of his actions.
I’m sick of adults treating the issue as if it’s results and motives aren’t the same in the adult world.
Which wouldn’t accept it at all.
Certainly, since the gay panic defense is given weight, let’s turn the tables and see what would happen to a GAY student who’d been just ACCUSED of some kind of harassment, let alone there being any evidence it was true.
The school is DE FACTO defending the bully with such a weak response. Any young person who is caught assaulting another person should be EXPELLED.
Period. End of issue.
That way the parents of the bully will ALSO get the message and have the opportunity to do something about their child’s behavior.
WTF?!
Why ARE people so damn weak responding to such a serious threat in this way?
What are they WAITING for?
Don’t they get that the liability is in their inaction, not a definitive and decisive action against violence?
Erin
October 27th, 2011
He stood over him and pummeled him with his fists. A young man in my college was killed because a mugger punched him in the temple to debilitate him long enough to get away with his wallet and cell phone. This needs to be treated as battery. The injuries could have been way worse. And then who pays the medical bill when there is a broken jaw or nose. The school needs to send a message and ask the local police to press charges. The victim doesn’t always have to.
CPT_Doom
October 27th, 2011
Note: on the “possible concussion” – it is entirely possible, and in fact likely, that this was the diagnosis from a doctor. Concussions can be hard to diagnose and depending on how long it took to get the kid to appropriate medical care, the symptoms may have subsided enough to make the diagnosis uncertain.
I am also in total agreement that criminal charges must be filed – in fact I would support an arrest at the school, with a full perp walk in front of all the other students.
enough already
October 27th, 2011
This is America in 2011. By giving the student who did such grievous harm to the other student (In Germany, this would be premeditated assault with death or incapacitation as assumed and accepted result) a slap on the wrist, the school made clear that it is perfectly OK to attack gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.
Instead of appointing people who hate us and oppose our civil and human rights as the DNC did with Derrick Harkins, the Democratic Party should be rushing to provide this family with all the medical and legal aid they can.
The ACLU needs to be involved.
The FBI obviously needs to monitor the progress of the local police. This was a hate crime and a three day suspension for premeditated brutal assault is a joke.
I remember a time, about 25 years ago now, when young Turkish immigrants in Germany were beating up gay men for the fun of it. The police turned a blind eye to it. It finally stopped when the gay community stood together, laid traps for the attackers and beat them to a pulp.
Maybe it is time for American GLBT kids to start taking courses in self-defense.
GDad
October 27th, 2011
Chillicothe isn’t that far from me. I wonder if a local voice might mean something to these people.
tomchicago
October 27th, 2011
I’m startled that criminal charges were not the first response to what is assault and battery. Cut and dried. What is the problem?
Lucrece
October 27th, 2011
Schools always try to bury evidence, anyways.
So the first steps should be procuring a lawyer and calling the police.
You don’t even need to be financially well off to get a lawyer if you research the options well enough.
Administrations are bureaucracies, and bureaucracies never accept blame and in fact seek to suppress any proof of wrongdoing and negligence.
StraightGrandmother
October 27th, 2011
Over at Towel Road in the comments people have provided phone numbers and e-mail addresses for the Supt of schools, the Principal and the District Attorney. 3 days suspension is an outrage. And as a commenter over there said at least one other kid was in on it as s/he started video taping while the bully waited for the gay student to walk in.
StraightGrandmother
October 27th, 2011
Regan DuCasse I am so glad to see your comment as I was wondering how to reach you, I hope you check back. Did you know that the Huffington Post created a section called Gay Voices? As luck would have it I was the very first commenter on the very first article where they introduced the section. I didn’t win a prize though :(
They were asking for suggestion on bloggers they could add to the section and I recommended you. I have seen your comments on various LGBT websites and have always thought that
a) you are very smart,
b) you are very wise philosophically and street smart,
c) You write really well in a style I like. You pull no punches and I like that.
If you don’t write a blog and would like to contribute from time to time you might contact the Huffington Post. Just tell them that the very first person to comment on their new section recommended you. I know it is not much, but hey it is an opening for you.
AdrianT
October 28th, 2011
I suggest that local community demonstrates at the school and perhaps the pupils should organize a strike for the day, until justice is seen to be done.
enough already
October 28th, 2011
OK,
I talked to a school official. A long while back, I mentioned having spent a miserable time in that area as a kid when my folks were in the ‘States. A friend from since back then is now in the school administration.
He told me this, summed up in bullet points.
1) This video surfaced after the incident and no students originally came forward – until just now, it was word against word. Apparently some students came forward.
2) Charges have been filed, but privacy laws mean the school district can’t discuss anything on the matter which is relevant (my words).
3) The administration, including the Christians are very upset about this and not even the most conservative Christians are trying to hide or downplay anything.
My friend says that their main concern is this will lead to anti-bullying laws including us.
I suggest – and coming from gentle, meak and mild, never ever censored or moderated me (!) that has to carry some weight, that we be polite and courteous and not in-your-face confrontational to the school administrators and politicians and police on this one.
Generally speaking, I advocate throwing the Christians to the lions. In this case, it might just might be that some real justice comes of this. It was simply too much. So, by all means write and call, just, please – the folks you are going to be talking to are not the Christian enemy.
Horrible, Just plain awful. That poor, poor child and his mother.
Ben In Oakland
October 28th, 2011
Straightgrandmother–I’ve been thinking of writing for that, but have been unable to find out how.
Any info?
customartist
October 28th, 2011
Here is the Bottom Line:
It is safe to say that the Police are indeed aware now.
When Local Authorities do not respond according to National Hate Crime Laws, which this planned attack clearly falls under, then the FBI will step in.
Everyone should ask the FBI for help:
John Weld Peck Federal Bldg.
550 Main Street, Suite 9000
Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 421-4310
Fax: (513) 562-5650
E-mail: Cincinnati@ic.fbi.gov
Rob in San Diego
October 28th, 2011
The attacker needs to be thrown in jail, and we need to do everything we can to let our brother know that things will get better. We have to make sure that this kid doesn’t take his life as so many others have. Hang in there bro, I know life sucks right now but as you get older things will get better! There is no need for an investigation, we have the video. The attackers parents should be thrown in jail as well!
beachcomberT
October 29th, 2011
Schools very very seldom call in outside police. Typically, their own security guards, euphemistically called resource officers, are supposed to break up fights. A lawsuit will be the only thing that gets this school’s attention. The perp should have been transferred to another school, or, better yet, a secure treatment center. Jail will probably just harden him and make him more antisocial.
Erin
October 29th, 2011
@ Rob in San Diego: “The attackers parents should be thrown in jail as well!”
NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!!!!!
First amendment!!!!!
There is no evidence his parents told him to do that, and it wasn’t just peer pressure or his own insecurities manifesting into violence. Would gay rights supporters please stop saying things like this!?
enough already
October 30th, 2011
Frankly, Erin, I am not so sure but what a bit of parental responsibility for the actions of their minor children would not be misplaced.
I’ve spoken here clearly (and, for me highly unusually) in favor of patience and letting the system work.
We can leverage this to apply pressure against the Christians in order to achieve passage of anti-bullying legislation which covers the LGBT community. Something sadly lacking, due to Christian hatred, at the moment.
There is, however, a politically correctness driven, self-actualization mentality in American education which has absolved parents of all responsibility for the actions of their children. This is wrong. By holding parents accountable, they learn that raising their children with Christian values leads to jail time for the violent acts which those Christian values demand.
madridespana
October 31st, 2011
We don’t know all the facts other than a 1 minute 43 second video. It wouldn’t surprise me if the teen who was bashed had been harassing other boys in the classroom before he was hit.
This case aside, if a homosexual is going to be anti-social such as harass another man (proposing repeatedly after a man has said no is criminal harassment) or grab another man’s butt or groin against will (assault&battery) after which the man reacts by bashing or killing the gay, while it maybe excessive force, the man overreacted to a crime the gay did. & don’t give me the scenario of what if a man did this to a woman-many men have been bashed or killed after they sexually harassed a woman-in fact many innocent men have been punished for sexually harassing women only to be learned she made it up. So gays have no right to complain if they get bashed after they’ve been anti-social.
madridespana
October 31st, 2011
BTW, if you’re going to go into religion, my reasons for being against homosexuality & GID is simple-eugenics. Gay & lesbian activities like sex change maimings goes against the idea of perfect people. They must abolish sex changes.
Why people take part in gay & lesbian activities is the same as why people get heart attacks. Some people take part in gay & lesbian activities because of bad biology (perhaps birth defect if it’s genes or hormones) & some people take part in gay & lesbian activities because sex abuse messed up mind-if a boy is homosexually raped repeatedly in youth the likelihood is more he’ll take part in gay activities in adulthood vs. if he wasn’t. These people are gay behaviourally speaking though gay may not be true orientation.
Regardless, cure homosexuality. I’m sure that gay & lesbian activities are higher among American Indians because if a woman smokes pot while she is pregant, then there maybe a possible link between smoking pot & it deforming the baby that it turns out gay in adulthood. American INdians have higher drunkard rates, pot use, etc. Anyhow, I’m a eugenicist & pot is gay. There’s a reason why pot is called fag. Finally, wonder if the teen bashed in this video is American Indian. Did his mom smoke so much pot while pregnant that her son possibly turned out homosexual because of it? That would be interesting to study.
madridespana
October 31st, 2011
If it’s true that the bashed teen harassed his attacker for days before the bashing happened, then if posters like Regan DuCasse or Straightgrandmother want to give scenarios of what if a man makes ‘unwanted advances’ on her, my answer to both of them is that they’re too old for most men to want to harass. It’s a fact that most women who’re sexually harassed are pre-puberty girls to 35 year old women. After 40 a woman’s chances of getting raped or sexually abused start falling significantly & after menopause it’s almost none.
But as said, if a man were to sexually harass a woman after which the woman or the woman’s husband or boyfriend bashes or even kills the man, many people wouldn’t sympathise with him. They’d say that while excessive force was used, the man was bashed or killed because he committed sexual harassment-something he had no right to do. There maybe more to this bashing than what we’ve seen in the 1 minute 43 second video. It’s possible that the teen who was bashed had harassed others incl. the boy who beat him up. Yes, getting bashed would be excessive. If the bashed teen was harassing the boy who bashed him, then the boy should’ve reported it to the school officials & he used excessive force. But if it turns out that the gay was harassing others, then I don’t sympathise with him being bashed because while it’s excessive, it’s an overreaction to something the gay had no right to do.
enough already
October 31st, 2011
I see another one of god’s gentle christians has found their way here.
How does that line go again? They’ll know us by our love?
A-Yup.
Priya Lynn
October 31st, 2011
Madridespana said “BTW, if you’re going to go into religion, my reasons for being against homosexuality & GID is simple-eugenics. Gay & lesbian activities like sex change maimings goes against the idea of perfect people. They must abolish sex changes.”.
Spana, there’s no such thing as a perfect person. We own our bodies and we have a right to do whatever we want with them as long as it does not hurt others. Its not for you to decide for someone else what makes them a “perfect” or better person. To a transexual a sex change brings us closer to “perfection” than we were before. Its none of your business.
madridespana
October 31st, 2011
Enough Already, it’s predictable you’d call me a Christian when I’m not even religious-I’m a EUGENICIST-1 can be non-religious such as myself be against homosexuality & sex changes. I’m also against American Indian cultures, crack addicts, Down Syndrome etc. Some ethnic groups & cultures are superior to others (this poster is well traveled-been to China, etc. Germans invented the Volkswagen while American Indians didn’t, Blacks have excellent agility on the average) & things like homosexual & lesbian behaviours, Gender Dysphoria, etc. violate the idea of creating perfect people or as perfect as you can. Priya Lynn, your view being an apologist for sex changes is the same as a drug user trying to justify his pot use. But that’s getting away from this case & my main point-we may not know all the facts surrounding the victim. Did this victim have a history of abusing others in the classroom before he got bashed? Most violence against gays & lesbians are domestic violence cases-this incl. homicides. What I’ve found in the few cases of where straight men bash gays, they almost always do so reacting or overreacting to criminal abuse the gay did. It wouldn’t surprise me if it turns out if the bashed teen had a history of committing assault&battery on others (perhaps while as drugs are so gay & Injun)before he got bashed by another teen who got 3 day suspension. Even if the teen didn’t harass the boy who bashed him, the teen could’ve harassed & abused others. I know you’ll predictably call it ‘gay panic’ defense, but I call it the gay abuse reaction.
Priya Lynn
October 31st, 2011
Spana said “Priya Lynn, your view being an apologist for sex changes is the same as a drug user trying to justify his pot use.”.
Yes and no. Its different in that smoking is harmful to a person while a sex change is harmless and can and often does alleviate severe depression and make the person better than he or she was before. Its the same in that just as with sex changes a person owns their body and has a right to do whatever they want with it, even if that is harmful or fatal. You have no right to tell anyone what they can do with their body when they aren’t harming you.
Priya Lynn
October 31st, 2011
And Spana, you have no evidence whatsoever that the victim abused anyone. Yours is just the typical blame the victim B.S. of a bigot.
Spana said “Most violence against gays & lesbians are domestic violence cases-this incl. homicides. What I’ve found in the few cases of where straight men bash gays, they almost always do so reacting or overreacting to criminal abuse the gay did.”.
And that quite simply is a pack of lies. In virtually every case of gay bashing the victim did nothing to encourage the attack, they were singled out solely on the basis of their appearing gay. The vast majority of gay bashings are totally unprovoked attacks on a stranger and bigots like you have helped create the environment of hate that both motivates the basher and provides him with specious justification.
enough already
October 31st, 2011
Wow. Just, wow.
Priya Lynn, I hope you’re sitting down because I agree with you.
In the immortal words of Ruth Brown: Oh, pappa tooney, we got us a looney.
madridespana
October 31st, 2011
Priya Lynn, you’re rerunning the same things I’ve heard you say before.When you can’t come up with anything you call me a liar, bigot, etc. We’ve talked before & I know what rubbish you’ll say.Gay bashings almost never have any other witnesses besides the 1 who did it & the victim. Most gay bashings by straight men I’ve found almost always happen after the gay committed assault&battery such as grab a man’s butt or groin after which the man reacts or overreacts violently. Once knew a case where it happened. Information by gay groups on this is to be discarded-it’s almost always caused by a criminal act the gay did. With this case, what is the ‘bashed victim’s’ history ? Did he harass others such as in the bathroom? Regan DuCasse was an apologist for Lawrence King (cobra), though Lawrence King used to harass other boys in the bathroom & in 1 case, Lawrence King even masturbated (touched himself) in front of others. 1 boy who had enough of Lawrence King’s abuse, shot & killed him twice-this was brought out during the trial. I know what you’ll basically say because I’ve read your bunk before-you’ll side with the gay no matter what, even if the gay harassed others committed assault&battery, etc. It’s possible that the teen bashed has a bad history that we haven’t heard yet, just as Lawrence King did. The main reason I’ve said that gay groups hate ‘gay bashings’ is because they hate the fact that a straight man wouldn’t take the abuse the gay did. Anyhow, go ahead & condemn me, but what gay groups score as ‘gay panic’, I call the gay abuse reaction.
Doug
October 31st, 2011
I’m sure Judy and Dennis Shepard would be so “interested” in hearing your point of view. What a relief it would be to their grief.
And I must say I wish I had known your hypothesis some years back when my partner at the time was jumped by some high school morons one night because he had the unfortunate luck to be out shoveling snow off our driveway at 11pm after he came home from work.
What a relief it would have been to him with his broken nose, and blood all over him, to know it was obviously because he somehow made an unwanted advance apparently without his knowledge.
Priya Lynn
October 31st, 2011
Spana, you’re just making up B.S. after B.S. Lawrence King teased the other boys as a way of getting back at them for bullying him, it was his only method of defense.
You know nothing about gay bashing and your sole purpose here is to demonize gays to help create the environment that motivates gay bashers and gives them a specious justification for the attacks. You’ve got blood on your hands, you are an evil person.
madridespana
October 31st, 2011
Priya Lynn, you’re evil to make excuses for Lawrence King. Lawrence King was anti-social. Just because Lawrence king was called a queer gave Lawrence King no right to harass others in the bathroom & masturbate in front others as Juju Chang mentioned on 20/20 & the fact that you would make excuses for Lawrence King doing this evil. You then accuse me of making things up-that just proves how evil you are. With this case, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s shown that the boy who was bashed in this facebook video did the same thing Lawrence King did. If you’re called names, then you call other people names back. But the facts don’t matter to you or any1 else here. People like you & Regan DuCasse think that gays can masturbate in front of others as Lawrence King (cobra) did because they can’t take being called names.
Darina
October 31st, 2011
Hello, madridespana, I’m one of the Gay Life forum moderators at about.com, and what you write looks very familiar to me. I’m pretty sure it will look familiar to Jen the Christianity forum moderator too.
Don’t feed the troll, people.
Priya Lynn
October 31st, 2011
Spana you’re a liar, king did no such thing. You admit you know nothing about this gay bashing and just like you’ve done with King you’re making up lies about this victim. Typical of bigots like you, rather than taking responsibility for the climate of violence you help create you blame the victim in a pathetic attempt to excuse your role in the violence.
Your goal here is obviously to further the climate of violence that leads to such gay bashings. If only you had morals and a conscience.
Jim Burroway
October 31st, 2011
madridespana has been placed on moderation for committing more egregious violations to our comments policy than any one person can count.
Darina
October 31st, 2011
Thank you, Jim. I’ll send you an email from my other email address, which I use for actual correspondence, in a minute.
Cass
November 3rd, 2011
Disturbing, Gut wrenching, heartbreaking, sad, infuriating, sickening, and just down right appalling are just a few words used to describe the vicious and malicious attack. Hi, my name is Casandra, and the young man that all of you have seen being brutally beaten in this Union-Scioto attack is my nephew. He is 15years old and has been avidly discriminated against for years for being homosexual. Every time I even think of this video or the attack I want to vomit. Our family can not even begin to express the magnitude of our appreciation for the support we have received on so many avenues. He, is staying strong and positive. His voice needs to be heard and through all of you and your support that is happening. This attack has changed his life for ever not only emotionally but mentally as well. Today I say to everyone don’t be afraid to be who you are, god made you the way you are and just like Lady Gaga says ” I was born this way” each and everyone of us were born to be who we are. Again I say the support that we have received for all of you is more than any family could have dreamed of Thank you all from the deepest part of our hearts.
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