Second Georgetown Univ. student victim of anti-gay attack

[theHandpuppet]

Another Anti-Gay Attack Reported Near Georgetown
Attacker asked victim, "Are you a homo?"
By MATTHEW STABLEY
Updated 1:17 PM EST, Mon, Nov 2, 2009

WASHINGTON -- For the second time in a week, a Georgetown University student has been victimized in an apparent anti-gay attack.

Witnesses reported a physical assault near 36th and N streets to the Department of Public Safety early Sunday morning. A man repeatedly asked the victim "Are you a homo?" before attacking the victim, who was taken to the emergency room at Georgetown University Hospital, according to a DPS public safety alert.

The PSA sent Sunday afternoon did not specify when the actual attack took place, only that it was reported at 1:32 a.m.

On Tuesday two men allegedly verbally and physically assaulted a female student because she was wearing a gay rights shirt. She suffered minor injuries that did not require treatment.... More

:mad: :mad: :mad:

[PDJane]

1. What in hell is wrong with these people?

Gay isn't a disease.

It's not contagious.

This stuff makes my heart hurt.

[theHandpuppet]

2. Here's a report on the first attack

Student Attacked Over Gay Rights Shirt: Georgetown
The student was perceived to be gay because a shirt she was wearing
By MATTHEW STABLEY
Updated 2:36 PM EST, Sat, Oct 31, 2009

Edited to add link: http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local-beat/Student-Attacked-Over-Gay-Rights-Shirt-Georgetown-67708467.html

WASHINGTON -- Two men allegedly attacked a Georgetown student because they thought she was a lesbian, according to the university's Department of Public Safety.

The student was perceived to be gay because of the gay rights shirt she was wearing when she was verbally and physically Tuesday night near the campus entrance on Canal Road, officials said.

She told public safety the men directed derogatory insults at her and blocked her way. They allegedly took her book bag, struck her upper body, pushed her to the ground and then struck her with the book bag.

<snipping>

"As Georgetown's LGBTQ & Allied student organization, Georgetown University Pride expresses our deepest regret that a member of our community has been targeted in a discriminatory manner," GU Pride said in a statement released Thursday.... More

[Deep13]

3. Goddamn cave man.

Except actual cavemen were not indocrinated to hate gay people. What is so damn threatening about gay rights? The suggestion is not to allow gay marriage, but ban everyone else's. It's simply live and let live. What is so damn bad about that?

[imdjh]

4. I wonder if DC will let this guy off too.

[theHandpuppet]

5. Didn't take long for this thread to get an unrec'd

Predictable. I think some of you here on DU would be be quite surprised at just how many homophobes are wandering the halls here.

[PDJane]

6. No, I wouldn't be surprised.......

But it is still hurtful.

[QC]

8. No, I promise I would not be surprised at all. n/t

[Ian David]

10. Well, I Rec'd it. n/t

[theHandpuppet]

12. It just amazed me...

That this thread got an unrec almost before it got the first reply. It seems there are some folks out there who pounce on and unrec'd any thread having to do with GLBT rights. Too bad these cowards won't show their faces.

Thanks for the rec'd, BTW. Too bad this thread has to be about yet another assault -- and on the day the second round of hearings are being held in D.C. with regard to gay marriage rights!

[Ian David]

14. Aside from bigotry, there's another possibility...

See this thread:

I wonder if some people don't understand how the Unrec is supposed to work.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=6909220&mesg_id=6909220

[theHandpuppet]

16. Bizarre, but also possible

I guess some folks think they have to rec/unrec every thread they read. I guess I'm a bit more discerning about hitting those buttons.

[FreeState]

18. I wish there was some transparency with the feature

there should be a link that shows the names of those that have recommended and unrecommended a post that everyone can see IMO.

[tbyg52]

26. Transparency? On DU?? Shirley you jest.

http://tinyurl.com/possibly-of-interest

[FreeState]

13. Cant Admins see who is doing this?

Seriously - there is no reason people that go around and constantly unrec all post dealing with GLBT rights belongs on DU. If admin can see who is doing it they should be tracking them and give them a warning atleast.

[QC]

21. Yes. One especially nasty headcase got banned

for unreccing all the homothreads.

[JackBeck]

22. If the Admins want to see who is abusing this function

They should take a look at this thread:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=221x144870

[theHandpuppet]

24. Agreed!!

I really do believe there are some folks around who are specifically targeting GLBT threads.

[JackBeck]

28. Unfortunately....

Some of the LGBT posters on this board are going out of their way to marginalize those that are actually out in the community fighting for equality.

[jonnyblitz]

27. a thread on anti-semitism in the editorial forum was

getting UNREC'd earlier today and it had NOTHING to do with the Israel/Palestine debate. NOTHING.:hi:

[JackBeck]

29. Come on....

You and I both know that LGBT posters (mostly from other places) were the ones un-recommending my post.

[jonnyblitz]

30. yikes. i honestly didn't think of *that* for your particular case

but now that you mention it...er..(i hear ya)

[tbyg52]

31. I'd say "unbelievable," but this *is* DU..... nt

[JackBeck]

32. Right. Only on DU would the LGBT community unrec a thread that was pro-gay.

[WillParkinson]

23. That's what makes the unrec feature so bad...

Threads that should be paid attention to can be pushed off far enough that they'll never get seen. With smaller groups, like this one, it doesn't take much.

[theHandpuppet]

25. I suppose I hadn't considered that perspective

I had assumed that most of the rec/unrec wars took place on the large fora where there's a lot of traffic. But you're right -- on smaller forums such as this one it doesn't take much to sabotage a thread. Yet why would anyone bother unless they had a real agenda to torpedo GLBT threads? Why so threatened by mere discussion on GLBT topics, especially on DU?

[imdjh]

7. murder of gay people = 6 months in jail

http://www.towleroad.com/2009/10/robert-hannah-gets-six-months-for-assault-that-killed-gay-man.html

[theHandpuppet]

9. Too bad he couldn't have been charged with a hate crime

I'm so sick of this shit!

[noiretextatique]

17. unbelievable

just unbelievable.

[DFW]

11. My nephew goes there

To my knowledge, he's not gay. If he is, he hasn't made it obvious, and as I don't care one way or the other,
I've never inquired. But he goes by 36th and N all the time, and it's a pretty ritzy residential neighborhood.
I would think it's partolled by both University and city cops pretty regularly. How this could happen is not
at all clear to me, and it reeks of complicity, whether or not there is any. Something stinks there if this
has happened more than once.

[MountainLaurel]

20. It would be DC cops only

GU police don't really patrol off campus much, where they have no jurisdiction, or at least they didn't when I was working there a couple years ago. As for the DC police, they tend to be fairly reactive in general. In Georgetown, you're much more likely to see them patrolling the busy commercial areas. Most of the crime in the neighborhoods around the university tend to be things like acquaintance rape, alcohol-related events, and minor theft, so they don't often do drive-throughs of the neighborhoods.

I can't say this surprises me though -- I've heard a lot about homophobia at Georgetown from students as well as faculty. It's not an easy place to be gay.

[mitchtv]

15. I suppose the stident should count himself lucky

that the police even took a report.

[theHandpuppet]

19. And yet some folks still question why GLBTs...

... should be included under the Federal Hate Crimes umbrella.

[mikey12561]

33. Are you F****** Serious

This is BS I mean I'm tired of hearing people acting like to other people. Are we different then everyone else. No I think not. This is stupid and absurd.