now it's personal
Not that it hasn't always been. This is going to be a little scattered- a little grace would be appreciated.
News broke today about an attack on two men on Vanderbilt's campus. The attack happened on September 9. One of the men was an undergraduate and the other was a recent graduate of the Divinity school (the professional school that I am also enrolled in). They were getting food at a Quizno's that is attached to a campus dorm. The two men were apparently being affectionate and two other men (well, one is technically a boy at the age of 17-he's a freshman and the other guy was his friend/guest) began to vocalize homophobic slurs. The Div school student asked if there was a problem, and the perpetrators said something along the lines of 'get out of my face.' As the two affectionate men (self-identified as gay) left, the other two followed, attacked the Div student and beat his face while repeating the homophobic slurs. Both the Vanderbilt and Nashville Metro police departments are investigating and charges have been filed. You can find out more here~ http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/4766. You can also see channel 4's coverage of the incident here~ http://www.wsmv.com/news/14135106/detail.html.
I have a friend who isn't a big fan of the phrase 'hate crime.' Truth be told, there are probably a number who take issue with the phrase. But I don't even know how else to respond to this, and the nashville police have labeled it such (even though there is no federal legislation that will back that claim up for crimes where sexual orientation is the motivator). Reading about it, talking about it, thinking about it, I feel violated. It makes that threat of violence so real. I actually feel very similar to how I felt after I was mugged. This crime is not about money or personal vendettas, it is simply about hating someone because of who they are, and feeling justified and empowered by the society around you to express that hatred violently. There have been numerous stories and rumors about such things happening around campus, especially to gay men, but now it's undeniable. And as the co-chair of the divinity school's GLBTQ organization, and as an activist, and as someone who gives a shit, I'm called to act, react, and lead. But I'm struggling to figure out how.
News broke today about an attack on two men on Vanderbilt's campus. The attack happened on September 9. One of the men was an undergraduate and the other was a recent graduate of the Divinity school (the professional school that I am also enrolled in). They were getting food at a Quizno's that is attached to a campus dorm. The two men were apparently being affectionate and two other men (well, one is technically a boy at the age of 17-he's a freshman and the other guy was his friend/guest) began to vocalize homophobic slurs. The Div school student asked if there was a problem, and the perpetrators said something along the lines of 'get out of my face.' As the two affectionate men (self-identified as gay) left, the other two followed, attacked the Div student and beat his face while repeating the homophobic slurs. Both the Vanderbilt and Nashville Metro police departments are investigating and charges have been filed. You can find out more here~ http://www.insidevandy.com/drupal/node/4766. You can also see channel 4's coverage of the incident here~ http://www.wsmv.com/news/14135106/detail.html.
I have a friend who isn't a big fan of the phrase 'hate crime.' Truth be told, there are probably a number who take issue with the phrase. But I don't even know how else to respond to this, and the nashville police have labeled it such (even though there is no federal legislation that will back that claim up for crimes where sexual orientation is the motivator). Reading about it, talking about it, thinking about it, I feel violated. It makes that threat of violence so real. I actually feel very similar to how I felt after I was mugged. This crime is not about money or personal vendettas, it is simply about hating someone because of who they are, and feeling justified and empowered by the society around you to express that hatred violently. There have been numerous stories and rumors about such things happening around campus, especially to gay men, but now it's undeniable. And as the co-chair of the divinity school's GLBTQ organization, and as an activist, and as someone who gives a shit, I'm called to act, react, and lead. But I'm struggling to figure out how.
Labels: hate crime, vanderbilt
posted by skirt at 11:11 PM
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