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Monday the 2nd of August, 2004

Where is the Love?

HATE CRIMES VIGIL
TUESDAY, AUGUST 3 AT 7:30 PM
ALABAMA STATE CAPITOL (Dexter Avenue Steps)

During the last two weeks, at least two men have been killed in Alabama due to their sexual orientation.

Scottie Joe Weaver, 18 of Bay Minnette, was beaten, strangled, stabbed, partially decapitated and burned. Capital murder defendant Robert Holly Lofton Porter expressed his hatred of homosexuals and told others he wanted to kill Scotty Joe Weaver days before the victim was killed, according to a lawyer representing co-defendant Christopher Ryan Gaines.

Roderick George, 40 of Montgomery, was shot in his car on Tuesday evening and died Wednesday. Anthony T. Johnson has been charged with capital murder in George’s slaying. He told police that the shooting was brought on by “inappropriate sexual advances” from George.

THE SILENCE MUST END – THIS IS NOT ACCEPTIBLE!

Hate crimes are committed to cause fear and panic within a community or group. Such crimes are intended to send a message that an individual and their kind will not be tolerated.

The recent debate over marriage equality has empowered bigots and scared insecure cowards into striking out.

In July, an Austin Texas man, was tortured, beaten and strangled for two hours while his four attackers quoted the Bible and referred to “gay marriage”. As the suspects destroyed the victim’s home, they screamed, “We’ve done this before and we’ll do it again. This is what we do to AIDS-ridden fags.”

WHERE IS THE OUTRAGE? WHERE ARE OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, WHERE ARE THE VOICES CONDEMNING THIS BEHAVIOR?

Join Equality Alabama Tuesday evening to say NO to hate and violence!

“We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented. Sometimes we must interfere.” - Elie Wiesel, 1986 Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech

Posted by rtkenmore at 01:47 AM on the 2nd of August, 2004.
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