Is Provincetown Safe For Gays ?

Last Monday's Alleged Gay Bashing in Provincetown Together With Other Recent Incidents of Police Mis-Handling and Anti-Gay Biases Have Gays Questioning Whether Provincetown is Really Safe

Most LGBT people would think twice about travelling to vacation spots known to be unsafe for gay people.  These would include the Island of Jamaica which has all but told gays not to think about visiting, many Muslim countries where gay men are arrested for being "flamboyant" or found in gay clubs and even now Russia, where anti-gay hostility in Moscow has lead to riots and arrest of gay visitors.  But should Provincetown, Massachusetts, once known as the gay Mecca and land of tolerance be added to the list of destinations unsafe for gays?

Think about it, you are a middle aged gay man visiting Provincetown.  You decide to end your evening by buying a pizza at Spiritus on Commercial Street.  You leave this well-known pizza parlor around 12:30 AM and as you walk down the street, you come face to face with three men, one of whom calls you a "faggot."  You react, as many of us would, especially since you are in a town where this is not supposed to happen, with a "smart" comeback.  In this case, something to the like of, "shut up pencil dick."  Thinking, "I sure told them," you continue your walk and within seconds you feel a blow to your right temple and hear a hollow echo as the world around you begins to close in on you.  The last thing you think to yourself before you lose consciousness is "this is it, it's over..." 

About an hour later you are awakened by the Provincetown Police on the beach as they were responding to an anonymous phone call to the station.  Your face covered with abrasions which gives the impression that you were forcefully dragged.  Your cargo shorts have pockets full of sand.  Your wallet is intact with over $200 still in it.  You try to recount for Officer Joudrey, who took the report, what happened.  You are able to remember coming out of Spiritus Pizza, being called a faggot and the horrific blow to the side of your head.  Your face is covered in blood and you tell the officer that you cannot, for the life of you, remember how you got to the beach.  The police take your report (listed as an assault on the formal police report), do not call medical help for you even though you are clearly exhibiting signs of head trauma but release you to drive your car back home to New Bedford. 

Around 12 noon the next day, you admit yourself to St. Luke's Hospital in New Bedford.  At immediate sight, the orderly puts you in a wheelchair, administers an IV, and puts a neck collar around you in response to the obvious head trauma.  You are asked when this happened to you.  You respond, "around 12 hours ago."  You are told by the doctor "that is when you should have gone to the hospital, 12 hours ago." 

What the HELL is going on in Provincetown?  We want to know.  KnowThyNeighbor has a call into Sgt. Lopes who is "handling the case" and will provide a follow-up when we hear.  The Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project also is demanding to know if an investigation is active and if the perpetrators are being sought.  The victim asked the officer who found him what the police are going to do about this in a telephone call and was allegedly told, "there is nothing we can do because you told us that you couldn't identify the three men that did this, so it is best to leave it alone."

Up until yesterday at around 2pm, the brother of the owner of Spiritus Pizza, Carl Yingling, was unaware of any incident near his establishment.  So it seems that the police did not contact Spiritus or check out its webcam to see if any of this was recorded that evening. 

So if a bonifide gay bashing and hate crime doesn't get the Provincetown Police's attention, what does? Let's see, in July 2006, when anti-gay marriage petition signer and Provincetown Trolley owner, Yvonne Cabral gets called a "bigot" by Rick Hines in the local supermarket, that prompts an international press frenzy, the then Chief Ted Meyer to call a meeting of the "No Place For Hate" Committee and a criminal complaint and trial against Mr. Hines.  And in July 2007, when the same Yvonne Cabral calls the police to complain twice about a party being held a mile away from her house, the police certainly responded.  As you might remember this incident last July when the police arrested celebrity DJ Barry Scott, threw him up against a wall and charged him with inciting a riot because he announced to party goers that the police want the party shut down and want to wreck their time.  Multiple complaints against the Provincetown police were filed.

Hate crimes, gay bashing, police brutality, overly zealous harassment of gays by local trouble makers, biases, preferential treatment, possible cover-ups??  Forget the "No Place For Hate" bumper stickers, if Provincetown doesn't get its act together, the bumper stickers will read, "No Place for Gays."

**If you wonder what the victim of Monday's gay bashing looked like before the assault, see the below photo which he sent KTN--it was taken a day before the attack**

Tom Lang, Director

To Contact Provincetown Manager,
Sharon Lynn slynn@provincetown-ma.gov

To Contact Provincetown Police Chief,
Warren Tobias wtobias@provincetown-ma.gov 

Comments

[Finocchio]

Just for comaprison:

This photo was taken the 18 hours earlier.

[Finocchio]

Hi Tom-

Will you post the photo I've just sent you?

It should have been sent along with the gay bashing ones and I don't know how to post photos at the KTN site.

Thanks.

[musclehippy]

Hmmm...sounds like the pigs, errrr cops can't do their jobs in P-Town! Or...maybe they ARE doing there jobs by taking their marching orders from right wing bigots like this Yvonne Cabral character. Hmmm......Perhaps some street patrols are in order here. For all we know perhaps the attackers were off duty pigs, errrrrr cops themselves!

[Tudor586]

I have the distinct sense that P-Town is trying to cover up this gaybashing. That's the worst possible thing they could do.

[Tom]

To the victim: I would prefer to address you by name; but there was no name in the story posted here. I can only imagine the alienation and bewilderment and pain (physical and emotional) that would accompany such a vicious and barbaric attack -- in Provincetown, let alone Massachusetts! All of us in the gay community live with the fear that someday such inhumanity will visit our lives or those we love. Your community is with you in this. Obviusly, we still have along way to go to overcome bigotry. Please heal quickly.

[Lula]

Tom, indeed.

Our thoughts are all with you, "F."

Another senseless, hateful, violent act helped perpetuated by the regular stream of senseless and hateful rhetoric aimed at the gay community.

[Finocchio]

Thanks to everyone who's written kind words of support. The groundswell of kindness helps salve the wounds.

And just because I have nothing to hide?

My name is Richard.

Please feel free to call my by it.

Thanks. The bastards can't have us... no way. Keep the faith all.

[Finocchio]

by the way?

"Finnochio" is the Italian word for "faggot".

I thought it, at least, ironic that I use it as my username.

[musclehippy]

Is that your actual middle or last name? Just curious.

[Lula]

Richard, I think most of us have been called "faggot" or worse while minding our own business walking down the street. Most of us, however, have escaped what you have had to endure.

I am so sorry.

I only hope your story helps enlighten those that would otherwise speak out against the gay community with a vitriol and hostility that only helps perpetuate these kinds of hateful acts.

Speedy recovery from your physical AND your spiritual/psychological wounds, Richards; your wounds are our wounds.

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

Lula, I know you will join me in saying that being sorry isn't good enough anymore. We need action. Every single person who reads this blog should pick up the phone, or at least email the Provincetown Authorities and demand they investigate this matter.

I am still in shock that they have been so cavalier about this whole thing. Richard, I hope you have retained a good lawyer, and I hope you make this error cost them plenty. If they can't listen to reason perhaps they'll listen to their pocketbook.

[Lula]

JH, you know I've argued that there is a direct link between the increase in anti-gay violence and the anti-SSM movement.

When a gay man is called "faggot" walking down Commercial Street, then is severely beaten...well, that only adds weight to my claim.

It is tragic and infuriating that the opposition is completely clueless as to its involvement in this increasing problem.

[Jane Know]

Lula said "JH, you know I've argued that there is a direct link between the increase in anti-gay violence and the anti-SSM movement." I agree.

Fannie's Room addresses the Hate Crime issue in a very good article today (http://fanniesroom.blogspot.com/2007/09/bigotry-101-special-rights-myth-and.html.)

I think the best way to retaliate against this is with emails/letters/phone calls to Provincetown mayor and PD, as suggested by Tom Lang.

[Mad John]

Concealed-carry permits, folks. How many of these incidents must we hear about? Ultimately, only you can defend you.

Two or three well-publicized cases of gays embracing their second amendment right to self-defense is all it will take to make gay-bashers think twice. If you don't do it for yourself or your loved ones, do it for that next gay kid who's going to be viciously beaten.

[Lula]

Mad John, did you just come from seeing THE BRAVE ONE?

;)

Actually, I agree.

Years ago I received my state police certification in handgun use, acting as companion to a female friend who had been attacked and wanted to defend herself by learning, then mastering.

When I hear about these incidents, I find myself wondering if I should renew my certification and make a purchase.

[John]

"Concealed-carry permits, folks."

I concur.

[ryan charisma]

The chief of police needs to be taken care of. I still can't believe the officers didn't call him an ambulance.

[John]

Indeed, Ryan, that may well be the most shocking part of the story.

"To protect and to serve", my ass.

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

I agree Ryan, and this sort of action speaks volumes about how seriously they took this crime. Honestly, to send a guy on his way who is covered in his own blood and clearly disoriented? What the fuck are these idiots doing?!

This issue needs to be escalated out of the towns hands and into some other arm of law enforcement that will act more appropriately.

Did everyone here send an email or pick up the phone today?

[musclehippy]

What's the e-mail address or phone #?

[Tom Lang]

Musclehippy,

Email links to the town manager and police chief added to above blog post. Thank you for bringing my attention to it.

[Jan Cook]

I am not presently "gay". Though most of my life was spent in lesbian behavior I met the Savior and He set me free.

With that said, I do not believe that anyone wants to see this kind of thing happening on our streets.

Many activists attempt to portray all Christ followers as hateful, evil persons. That is just not so.

These were young cocky punks who thought they were doing a justice for society in what they did. It is too bad that anyone, young or old would have such hatred in them to do this.

I do not favor "hate crimes" legislation though. Simply because it will bring about thought policing and assumptions that will cost the right to freedoms for all who oppose ssa behaviors. That is true hatred my "gay" friend.

[mamcwifey]

The only freedom it will cost the anti-gay folks is the freedom to beat a person up simply because they're gay.

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

True hatred is lying to yourself and saying that God healed the gay out of you, like you were diseased or something. Plenty of people have taken this route, and all I have seen of it is a privitization of their pain. Now they live a secret life like Ted Haggard.

[kellie]

i hope transsexauls and transgendered are safe at provincetown. and i also hope all gay lesbians and everyone else is safe there.
please lok out for each other and to the town and police please make provincetown safe again. i am not sure if it is safe anymore or if i should vaction at ptown anymore, i do not feel safe anymore after reading that.