Frontline style, building its case with facts, figures, and the unforgettable faces of the murdered. Through Billy Jack Gaither's tormentors, we see the insanity that is homophobia.
Problem is, to millions, homophobia is perfectly healthy.
The murder story at the heart of 'Assault on Gay America' is sad and shocking, but the program doesn't tell us much more about the roots of this crime and others like it than we already know. But according to 'Frontline,' anecdotal and scientific evidence suggest the clich has some truth. The program wanders away from the subject of hate crimes and heads into moral territory with its interviews of Christian religious leaders. What the Bible says about homosexuality is a moot point to non-Christians. The real heart of the hour, however, belongs to Billy Joe Gaither, who struggled to live discreetly in a backwater town.