From: john@anasazi.com (John R. Moore)
Subject: Re: GayBashing question
Organization: Anasazi Inc, Phoenix AZ USA
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 1993 05:20:41 GMT

]The point is not that there isn't hatred, nor is it that there isn't 
]anger and resentment in non=white communities that can boil over into
]violence and aggression.  Of course there is.  But in the end white
]males are statistically less likely, given there numbers in the 
]population, of being attacked and injured in a violent attack.  Gays are

That's true. Young inner city blacks attack each other even more than
than they attack white people - probably because of opportunity. However,
statistics also indicate that a young inner city black is far more likely
to commit a hate crime than a white.

]being attacked in disproportionate numbers given their representation
]in the overall population.  When that happens you start to ask why, because
]something is skewing the statistical curve. 

I have seen no evidence that gays are being attacked disproportionately,
but I wouldn't be surprised at some excess given the anti-gay feelings
that I have seen.

]And if, as I believe is that case,  Gay men and women are being attacked
]for the simple reason that they are gay and in contact with non=Gay males,
]then something is SERIOUSLY amiss.  The same argument can be made for 

Oh, you mean that humans aren't perfect. Gosh, what a shock! Actually,
it seems to be human nature to attack those who are different. In
a civilized society, we try to restrain that nature. As far as I can tell,
the best way to restrain it is not some special protection laws, but
a general societal disapproval for intolerance.

]women being attacked, usually by males.  These are, in my opinion, hate
]crimes.  Hate crimes strike at the very root of society because they are
]so totally irrational.  If I am driving around in a black neighborhood in
]the middle of a riot I can at least understand, as Reginald Denny does,
]that there were some extentuating circustances in my beating.  If I am

Extenuating circumstances, my ass! 
If you can see extenuating circumstances for the slime that attacked
Reginald Denny, then you have really lost it on the moral/ethics front.
If you want a fine example of a hate crime, it is the beating of
Reginald Denny. Do you think a hate crimes law would have made any
difference? The perpetrators came very close to facing murder
charges as it is!

]simply walking down the street and am set upon and beaten because I am Gay, or
]black, or Jewish, or foreign, or female, then all of us must look on each
]new encounter as one fraught with danger and society changes.

That's why whites are afraid of blacks. That's not an excuse for enacting
"hate crime" laws. It is already illegal to beat you up, whether because
someone didn't like your gayness, or because they didn't like your
color, or the color of your shirt. There is nothing special about
"hate crimes" other than it is one more way to create a list of
favored victims.
-- 
John Moore NJ7E, 7525 Clearwater Pkwy, Scottsdale, AZ 85253  (602-951-9326)
john@anasazi.com ncar!noao!asuvax!anasaz!john anasaz!john@asuvax.eas.asu.edu
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