Gay Bashers A Protected Class in Massachusetts

If You Are Looking To Beat Up Some Queers, Welcome to Massachusetts.  From Provincetown to Boston's South End to Gloucester It Appears That Hunting Season On Gays Is Now Open.  But Who Ever Thought The Latest Gay Bashing Would Be In a Boston Municipal Court Room  

A very dangerous precedent was set last week by Judge Thomas Horgan in Boston who handed down a two year suspended sentence to gay-basher Fabio Brandau, 29, for his brutal attack on a group of gay people last August in Boston's South End.  Brandau and three other attackers left two men so badly beaten that they were sent to the hospital with major concussions.  "Fucking faggots," were the words being used by Brandau continually throughout the assault.  On May 27th Brandau pleaded guilty to nine criminal charges and four civil rights violations however, Judge Thomas Horgan felt that Brandau's realized penalties for this should only include paying the victim's medical bills, an order to stay out of the South End, an order to stay away from the victims, and a court sponsored "anger management" program.  So much for those out there who believe hate crime legislation is a crock of shit, evidently in Judge Thomas Horgan's courtroom it is.

The Fenway Community Health Center's Violence Recovery Program's Emily Pitt, provides statistics that hate crimes increase during times of extreme anti-gay rhetoric such as one finds during the "dialogue" caused in legislative reviews of LGBT rights such as our fight for marriage equality and the media reporting.  One wonders what sort of additive effect a stupid and reckless decision such as Judge Thomas Hogan's has on hate crimes here in Massachusetts.  One can only summise that Judge Hogan has opened the door to alot more of the same.  

Boston/South End Gay Bashing 2008/2009:  BayWindows 

Provincetown May 2009: Boston Herald  

Gloucester April 2009:  Boston Globe 

Boston/South End Gay Bashing 2008:  BayWindows via Edge 

Provincetown Summer of Hate 2007:  Cape Cod Times

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Tom Lang, Director  KnowThyNeighbor.org

Comments

[Brian Miller]

Hate crimes legislation *IS* a crock (and I say that as a gay man).

So is this ruling.

The answer to this isn't "hate crimes" legislation, it's the creation of mandatory jail terms for individuals who commit violent assaults such as this. That way, whether this sort of moron beats me up, or beats up my aging straight mother, he'll go to prison for a long time.

The "hate crimes" laws, in contrast, would ensure that he wouldn't go to jail if he attacked my mother -- someone far less capable of defending herself than I am.

[ryan charisma]

Brian, the hate crimes bill is not only a deterrent to the perpetrator, in terms of making what happens to gays and/or your mother more/less heinous. It's to give support to the gays of those towns/cities where the police are (how do I say this nicely?...) not as supporting of the glbt community. And that's putting it mildly. In other words, the hate crime laws will force the enforcers to enforce. There are many towns/cities where the police are not exactly good to/for us.

So yes a murder is a murder and a mugging is a mugging. But until it's made clear that beating up the gay isn't just a fun thing to do on a drunken Saturday night. We need these laws.

Sad isn't it?

[The Patriot]

Wow a sensible reply from a sensible person, Brian

Your response doesn't fit the agenda of KTN

[ryan charisma]

Patriot, you're douchiness is showing.

[schag]

Perhaps it is time to bash back. Enough is enough. http://www.pinkpistols.org/

[Tom]

Ryan, in a very basic way you summed up one of the best responses to those who question the need for hate crimes legislation. Your tone was particularly effective too!

[The Patriot]

Above is a great example of the hate and intimidation that festers here at KTN. The kind that Hosty et al say doesn't exist. How would you like schag showing up at your door for a chat about gay marriage?

STOP THE HATE