As satisfying as we may find it to see harsh punishment meted out to those who terrorize or kill as this guy did, I fear the real solution does not lie in the criminal justice system. It will take the concerted effort of all of us to combat prejudice at every turn, teach our children well, insist on civil rights (including marriage) for all, and so on, and so on, and so on, until those who spew hate cannot get a hearing and until having sex with any other consenting adult, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, is so "normalized" (sorry to use that word, but it's the correct one) that "gay panic" and similar psychological bullshit fades away ... because there is simply nothing to be panicked about.
Utopian? Perhaps. But we have to change how society sees gender and sexuality to get rid of this scourge of violence.
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04-24-2009
Hybrid Mode
