A Man Walks Into A Bar...
By Keith Boykin, in sexuality
Thursday, February 2 2006, 1:08PM
A man walks into a bar and... Usually when you hear that line, you know there's a joke to follow. But this case is no laughing matter. Last night a teenager entered a Massachusetts gay bar, attacked patrons with a hatchet and opened fire with a hand gun. The attack took place around midnight at Puzzles Lounge in New Bedford, an hour south of Boston. The gunman, identified as 18-year-old Jacob Robida, fled the scene.
The attack raises many troubling questions. What was this 18-year-old doing in a bar in the first place? What would compel a teenager to attack other people just because of their sexual orientation? Was this a planned attack, and if not, why was this young man in a bar with a hatchet and a gun? When will we learn to settle our differences without violence? And perhaps most importantly, how do we stop the cycle of hatred that leads people to demonize their fellow human beings?
Comments conceal
alicia
February 2 2006, 1:28PM
keith
thanks for all the news etc...
pseudo-christian gaybashers make this boy's bloody "walk" a sacred and divine one
hatred is taught
and this murderous student has graduated with honors
shame!
ab
Liquid Fonts
February 2 2006, 1:37PM
It seems that whenever the news networks get onto the subject of homosexuality they pair it with a response from christian conservatives as if one goes in hand with the other. I wouldnt be surprised it this is enough to excite the crazies to into violence. Thats why whenever the media starts blasting gay this and gay that,I dont hang out as much in my small town cuz I know that all it takes is one fool who heard something about gays on the news, associate it with me, and bam! instant hate crime.
Jaun Mosby
February 2 2006, 2:28PM
I am so sick of this.
It seems to me that people just need something, anything to hate to deflect their own self-loathing.
There is no excuse for behavior like this and we cannot afford to tolerate it, otherwise we invite more incidents such as these.
I hope the 18 year old is caught and severely punished for these abominable acts.
Frederick Smith
February 2 2006, 2:40PM
Thanks for the post, Keith. I wasn't aware of this story yet. There's no excuse for violence as a means to solve conflicts or problems.
I've often wondered when/if gay clubs will strenthen security from the parking lot to the club door... not necessarily to protect us from each other, but for protection from folks who are not supportive of the communities hanging in gay clubs.
Shouldn't have to be that way, but with so much hatred and violence against the LGBT community, I gotta wonder...
fs
blacklatina
February 2 2006, 3:43PM
Oh my...this is horrible
Randy Boyd
February 2 2006, 4:31PM
POINGNANT question you pose today, Keith:
"And perhaps most importantly, how do we stop the cycle of hatred that leads people to demonize their fellow human beings?"
A question we all need to ask and answer.
Mel Smith
February 2 2006, 9:03PM
Now, where are the 'Christians' at? They speak out in the name of God, when it comes to discriminating against people, but I think many of them seem to always be silent when violent situations occur.
Magaly
February 3 2006, 8:43AM
Christians will only defend their perspective. They already believe that same sex couples is a sin, thus might use this as a tool to say things like "this is why God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" or "the devil will work in many ways to take us down." So, unless the scenario does not affect Christianity specifically, or challenge it (i.e., same sex marriage), the church will do nothing, and this proves it. The sad part of it all is that the young man will probably not receive the same sentence to that if the victims were hetersexuals.
Legal Rebel
February 3 2006, 1:21PM
Kieth once again you have targeted the isse at hand, "how do we stop the cycle of hatred that leads people to demonize their fellow human beings?" We can't depend on the hipocrital fundamentalist Christian Movement that teaches hatred behind the auspices of peace. We have to take a personal interest in curtailing hatred. We have to educate our family, our neighbors and community. We have to lead by example. Only then will the extremist see us as their brethren and not as outcast. We must personify their dehuminization.
Shabaka
February 6 2006, 1:34AM
Update on the case. The young man was gunned down by the police on Sunday.
See below link:
http://edition.cnn.com/2006/US/02/05/robida/index.html
dashawn_06
February 6 2006, 2:09PM
This is the kind of stuff that keeps me from coming out, it's hurt me feeling when will ALL of america except us......WHEN!