Well actually it’s not comforting and won’t be for you ‘Alas’ readers who are LGBT. We’ve been hearing a lot of vehemently homophobic rhetoric in the past few years with the neoconservatives taking firm control of the Legislature and the Executive. Perhaps the Judiciary later on. Hate-speech against people of the LGBT Community seems to be gaining momentum and even unfortunately becoming acceptable. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force have certainly have caught on to this and have made some troubling findings.
“The leaders of America’s anti-gay industry are directly responsible for the continuing surge in hate violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people. While other forms of crime continued to fall, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs has documented a 4% increase in anti-LGBT crime in 2004, coming on the heels of a 26% increase in the last half of 2003. This spike in violence parallels the exact same period since the Right went into demonic, anti-gay hyperdrive following the Supreme Courts Lawrence v. Texas decision in July of 2003. Since then, church pews and the public airwaves have been awash in ugly, anti-gay rhetoric and fear-mongering.
“These words obviously do not just vanish into the ether – as intended, they are absorbed and become fuel and justification for violence. To say otherwise defies reality.
The literal blood of the thousands of gay people physically wounded by hate during 2004 is on the hands of Jerry Falwell, James Dobson, Tony Perkins, and so many others who spew hate for partisan gain and personal enrichment.”
Hey now. I’m sure it’s apart of their “Hypocrisy “Culture of Life” message. Oy, shit…..
While I agree that they share responsibility, I doubt “directly” is a good word to use in terms of describing that. I think it lifts some responsibility formt he people who commited the crimes.
Hmm nobody’s allowed to criticize fundagelicals or prevent them from getting confirmed in government positions because of their chosen lifestyle, but they can do the same to LGBT folks who just are that way.
um Josh, if you read the post again you’ll see that it’s not the acts themselves we are claiming that the leaders of America’s anti-gay industry are directly responsible for, rather it’s the SURGE in such acts.
It’s individual acts versus a social phenomenon, and the latter is definitely caused by the social-environment/mileau that is constructed through predominant discourses.