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GAY BASHING.   Term Paper ID:22221 Click to get this paper

Essay Subject: Political, legal & social issues, incidence, examples, as hate crime, motivation of basher, legal system response, state laws.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Political, legal & social issues, incidence, examples, as hate crime, motivation of basher, legal system response, state laws. Paper Introduction: GAY BASHING Unfortunately, gays and lesbians in America are still being harassed because of their sexual preferences. Hate crimes, or "gay bashing," has been on the rise in this country, and others, since the early 1990s. This paper will discuss the political, legal and social issues related to hate crimes against lesbians and gays, as well as gay bashing. The discussion will include an analysis of the problems created by gay bashings, and will also highlight some of the most publicized assaults and murders of gay victims which have occurred in recent years. In addition, this paper will outline some of the legislation which certain states and communities are considering in response to the rise in gay bashing incidents. Moreover, the paper will present the arguments for and against the proposed legislation. The paper will also suggest some solu Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Lopez, N. Commonweal, p. The right's new strategy: In Oregon hate rages in thename of Dan Quayle's "family values". Moreover, many murders of gay men have been documented in Colombia inrecent years. Pope backs hate crimes. TheNation, p. (1991,October 7). 7). (1993,May 1 ). Chief Gilbert considers his campaign as part of hisduty to promote citizens' health and safety (Guly, 1993, p. The gay rights groupdeplored the police's inability to identify the killers and claimed thatthe Mexico City police were not interested in punishing people who commitcrimes against gays and lesbians (Smith, 1992, p. Boulard, G. America is not the only country which is experiencing a rise in hatecrimes against gays and lesbians and other related gay bashing incidents.The celebration of the month long Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras festival inSydney, Australia was characterized by the increase in crimes against gaysand lesbians. NYC police statements on four hate crimes is linked topressure. Unlike Australian gay activists, Colombian gay activists arealmost nonexistent as gays fear reprisals by the police as well as privatecitizen vigilantes, and government has also shown no interest ininvestigating any of the horrible murders (Marin, 1991, p. Although Mr. Jones says heis now repentant and would not repeat his crime (Monagle, 1992, p. Gallagher, J. Following the October 1994 conviction of a teenager who invoked thisdefense in Laurel, Mississippi, perpetrators of hate crimes are now morecautious about using this patently transparent defense (Boulard, 1995, p.22). However,the categorization of the murders as crimes against gays for investigativepurposes has done little to curtail the hate crimes. The Advocate, p. 8 ). 4 . Storming the ramparts: Roseanne Skoke lead a fiercecrusade against gay rights. Statistics showthat the murders of gay men in Texas are rising. Gay activists say that their activities have pressuredthe New York City Police Department into admitting that the crimes weremotivated by a prejudice against gays (Bull, August 1991, p. People are getting hurt: The rise in gay bashing.(1993, February 23). 31. Rauch, J. Mr. Giangrosso received a suspended sentence in Texas for the murder.Giangrasso gave conflicting testimony regarding the incident, but allegedthat he killed in a panic because of Resendez' unwanted homosexual advances(Lopez, 1991, p. (1992, April 3). And inone unusual case, an electrical supply salesman, Jimmy Baines, reformedhimself from being an erstwhile teenage gay killer into a staunch supporterfor anti-gay prejudice. The killing trails. 23. The voice of a victim. This paper has discussed the controversy surrounding the issue of gaybashing. The legislation's sponsors did not believethat a person's sexual orientation qualifies someone as a minority(Gallagher, 1991, p. TheAdvocate, p. Since the Resendez murder case,experts have begun raising doubts about the effectiveness of this strategy. 8 . (1992, April 3). Rauch, J. 23). Guly, C. 368).Predictably, gay and lesbian activists are now demanding that the policeagencies provide them with more protection against hate crimes as well assensitivity training for police officers. (In response, gay and lesbian groups have adopted measuresto defend themselves against would be attackers) (Kwasniewska, 1992, p.38). The Advocate, p. Colorado initiative spurs organizing among activists.(1991, September 1 ). Fulton, E. 24). Those statistics also revealed that, overall,lesbian victims of sexual assault found little sympathy for their physicaland emotional injuries in the medical support community (Brownsworth, 1991,p. (1994, December 27). N. No "special rights" for gays; Colorado voterspass an anti-gay amendment, with disturbing results. Some experts suggestthat the increase in hate crimes against gays and lesbians reflects theincreased visibility of gays and lesbians in society. 6 . Finally, in Mexico City, the gay rights groupcalled "El Circulo Cultural Gay" urged the Amnesty International and theNational Human Rights Commission to get involved in the investigation ofunresolved gay murders in Chaipas, Mexico City. But blocking the accreditation of gay organizations and prohibitinggays and lesbians from access to funding is not the worst of the recentinjustices suffered by gays and lesbians. The gay teenager said his lifestyle is not achoice, but just part of him (Tarshis, 1992, p. Beyond oppression: Homosexuals and victimology. TheAdvocate, p. A. (1992, August 17). 32). 18. 18). The directiverepresented an attempt to form a political campaign to encouragediscrimination against gays and lesbians. (1992, November 23).Newsweek, p. 7. A community in fear: Gays in Montreal live with violence.(1993, November 23), p. A. 17. This transformation came about after Mr. Bainesunderwent counseling and realized that gays, like straight people, arehuman (Bull, 1992, p. Specifically, eight gaymen have been murdered in Texas since April of 993, and the killers havebeen teenage boys out on gay bashing sprees. (1993, December 28). Giangrosso was one of the first people to raise the"panic" defense. ScholasticUpdate, p. In addition, this paper willoutline some of the legislation which certain states and communities areconsidering in response to the rise in gay bashing incidents. Newsweek, p. Experts have offered a variety of reasons for the increase in hatecrimes and incidents of gay bashing in the 199 s. Zeman, N., & Meyer, M. These gayrights opponents say that the model for future gay political activismshould be "moral example," voluntary outing, and gays joining straights infighting all crimes of violence in society (Rauch, 1993, p. The Advocate, p. Cage, M. Two years later, gaysandlesbians in New York reported that they still feel very threatened after aseries of gay bashings occurred in the city during August and September of1993, as well as because of the presence of a gay serial killer whoremained on the loose in New York City. ScholasticUpdate, p. While state have proposed legislation to discriminate againstgays, most states and communities are responding by attempting to punishthe perpetrators of hate crimes against gays and lesbians. In thatsurvey, students gave myriad reasons for being against gay rights. Gayand lesbian groups responded by considering a boycott of the Colorado law(Zeman & Meyer, 1992, p. 31). However, the city's gay community is critical of theseactivists groups and they simply want them to leave (Boulard, 1994,December 27, p. The Advocate, p. (1991, November19). In contrast to the attitude projected by the new law in Colorado,proposed legislation in Nova Scotia will classify certain crimes againstgays and other minorities as hate crimes. Most members of the gay and lesbian community can recall at least oneincident where they were ridiculed or embarrassed by someone else afterhaving revealed their sexual preference to that person. Boulard, G. 368. Smith, J. Although gay activists declaredthe directive "an outrage," they also criticized civil libertarians and theliberal press for failing to respond to the issue ("Pope", 1992, p. Gallagher, J. G. Anderson, G. Also,some student leaders at the University of Alabama cited stated that theywere against gay rights because of a legal ruling prohibiting the use ofbuildings and money for gays because they believe that supporting gayrights promotes sodomy. The Advocate, p.22. The Advocate, p. The Advocate, p. Came, B. The Advocate, p.28. The Chronicle of Higher Education, p.A22. Moreover,the paper will present the arguments for and against the proposedlegislation. 6 ). Since then, several other people accused of violentcrimes against gays and lesbians have attempted to justify their actions asa reaction to sexual advances made by a gay victim. (1992, December 1). For example, inLewiston, North Carolina, Police Chief Laurent Gilbert, Sr., has committedhimself to protecting victims of gay bashing and has actively campaigned touphold gays' rights. Colombian gays pay with their lives; death squads targetgay men. Marin, J. C. An unreported crisis. Judicial gay bashings: A Texas tradition? 41). Bull, C. 12. The Advocate, p. A year of antigay violence comes to light in rural Mexico.(1992, September 22). 24. 25. 5. Moreover, many gays and lesbians have since reported thatthey were fired from their jobs after the Colorado legislators voted not toafford them state legal protection against employment discrimination. A recent case in which New York Mayor Dinkins was assaulted whilemarching in a gay rights parade raises the question whether the law shouldsingle out crimes of prejudice for harsher penalty (Rauch, 1991, p. In America, the rise of gay bashing incidents has increaseddramatically during the 199 s, especially in the incidents of murder of gaymen. Kwasniewska, M. 5 . 157. (1995, March 21). Portrait of a hate crime. 54). 17).Gay rights advocates argue that hate crimes against gays and lesbians arelike crimes against other minorities and that the perpetrators of gaybashing incidents should be subjected to severe penalties because thecrimes are motivated by bigotry and therefore, are more reprehensible andoffensive. (1992, July 3 ). (1992, March 23). (1992, March 1 ). 5), gayand lesbians leaders believe that many gay bashing perpetrators would bediscouraged if there were harsher penalties for hate crimes against gaysand lesbians. (1993, March 1 ). For instance, one man, George Jones of Street, Maryland wasimprisoned for taking part in an attack against a gay man. However, agitation by radicalgroups such as ACT-UP AND Queer Nation is straining the relationshipbetween the police officers and the gay community and making the policeunwilling to increase their regulation of gay bashing incidents (Baker,1991, p. 41. In 1994, after two gay men were murdered by unknownassailants in Laurel, Michigan, gay activists converged on the city toprotest the crimes. Finally,others suggest that religious teachings which advocate that the gaylifestyle is inherently sinful also inspire gay bashing (Anderson, 1993, p.16). Anew fad had emerged in states like Texas, where even some teenagersconsider it fashionable to murder gay men. Recent surveys indicate that openly gay and lesbian college studentshave been the target of harassment and violence from other students whobelieve that homosexuality is wrong. The response of the local gay community in Laurelindicated that the gay bashing incidents are so controversial that theyhave even resulted dissension between gay communities as to how to addressthe crimes. K. Thispaper will discuss the political, legal and social issues related to hatecrimes against lesbians and gays, as well as gay bashing. Bull, C. But, being gay orlesbian is a something that a lot of Americans still have trouble with, asis evidenced by the recent increase of embarrassing incidents and accountsof ridicule into actual assaults and crimes against gays and lesbians. For example, manyprosecutions for gay bashing result in acquittals or light sentences sincemany criminal justice professionals and jurors are homophobic and believethat the gays provoked violence through sexual (Minkowitz, 1992, p. Also, an allegedly gay rector ofthe Anglican Church was found murder in his Montreal home in November of1993 (Came, 1993, p. (1993, October 18). Hate crimes, or "gay bashing," hasbeen on the rise in this country, and others, since the early 199 s. Other opponents of laws designedto protect gay rights argue that gays are not an "oppressed" class in theUnited States, despite the escalating incidents of gay bashing. GAY BASHING Unfortunately, gays and lesbians in America are still being harassedbecause of their sexual preferences. The paper will also suggest some solutions for curtailing therecent increase in the violent acts against gays and lesbians in America. 5 ). M. Nevertheless gays and lesbians are gaining support for their waragainst gay bashing in many other parts of the country. McCleans, p. Another gay rights opponent is the Catholic Church's Congregation forthe Doctrine of Faith, which, in June of 1992, directed their UnitedStates' bishops to oppose gay rights legislation. The Advocate, p.22. Vanity Fair,p. If words could kill. This strategy iscalled the homosexual panic defense. InMontreal, Quebec, 14 gay men were murdered between 1989 and the late 1993.And, the gay community in Montreal was very upset because the police didnot vigorous investigate any of the heinous crimes (only five of the 14murders have been solved by the police). As one gay highschool student put it, he has experienced so much bigotry over the factthat he is gay that he actually tried to commit suicide because he did notfeel accepted by his peers. Battling the bias: Can gays and cops come together?(1991, November 25). (1994, November 1). Some statistics show that, as between gay men and lesbian women,violent assaults against lesbian women increased during the 198 s, butsimilar crimes against men, including gay men, dropped 12 percent.Specifically, violent assaults on all women, both straight and gay, rose 49percent in the 198 s. The New Republic, p. This recent series of murders of gay men inTexas is raising fears that the rhetoric of anti-gay, fundamental religiousright is encouraging such violent action (Boulard, 1994, November 1, p.4 ). 18. 12). One University of California at LosAngeles survey of 213, freshmen showed that 38 percent of all studentsand 49 percent of the male students at UCLA think that homosexuality shouldbe prohibited. 46). Yankees, go home. The Advocate, p. Boulard, G. Although New York officialscondemn such gay bashing acts and encourage New Yorkers to vocally opposesuch behavior ("A hack," 1993, p. 25). It's still open season on gays. The Advocate,p. Fun and fear in Sydney. 31), it is likely to be enacted. The Nation, p. Although Mrs. Skoke, a liberalmember of parliament from Nova Scotia, thinks homosexuality is "unnaturaland immoral," and is therefore leading the fight against the new lawbecause she believes that the law would give gays special rights (Fulton,1994, p. In New York City, New York police announced four shootings in CentralPark were classified for investigative purposes as being related to anti-homosexual bias. Gay and lesbian leaders arecomplaining that the American judicial system simply has not adequatelyresponded to the wake of the gay bashing violence. 54. The discussionwill include an analysis of the problems created by gay bashings, and willalso highlight some of the most publicized assaults and murders of gayvictims which have occurred in recent years. Openly gay students face harassment and physical assaultson some campuses. Minkowitz, D. 157).Also, anti-gay rights proponents in Oregon initiated legislation designedto lump homosexuality with necrophilia and other similar aberrant behaviorin the state's Constitution. Brownsworth, V. Southern justice. Today, the gaypanic defense is not likely to help a murderer escape a conviction.Finally, gay and lesbian leaders are asking for increased policeprotection, police investigation of murders and other crimes motivated by aperson's sexual orientation, and harsher penalties against the perpetratorsand accomplices of gay bashing incidents. 46. (1994, November 28). 28). That campaign resulted in a wave of hatecrimes and a lawsuit against gay activists who believed that thelegislation was a strategy to intimidate the gay population (Gallagher,1992, p. Tarahis, L. 32. Other experts claimthat social encouragement given by police apathy as well as the lack ofresponse by the judicial and legislative systems has helped to cause therise in the number of hate crimes against gays and lesbians. References A heck of a town. Incidents of murder of gay men are rising in other parts of America,particularly in big states such as Texas and New York. The main event. The Advocate, p. (1991, November 5). Monagle, K. "We threw a homo off a bridge": a gay bashing killer turnshis life around. 48). The killers' motives may be adeep fear of gays as predators, a myth fostered by the religious right(Bissinger, 1995, p. However, after the gay activists lost theirfight against the legislation and Colorado passed the measure removinglegal protection for homosexuals, 23 hate crimes against gays and lesbianswere reported. 16 Baker, J. Finally, students at Ohio Northern Universityrecently used the Bible as to buttress their actions which resulted in theblocking of the accreditation of a gay student organization (Cage, 1993, p.A22). Moreover, some gay rights advocates are discussing thepossibility of including peers who encourage such crimes in legislationwhich could subject those peers to some form of accomplice liability. (1991, August 27). Other states, like Michigan, have also reported recent incidents ofgay bashing. In Colorado, gay activists in Colorado fought a proposed ballotinitiative which planned to exclude homosexuals from anti-discriminationand hate crime legislation. 18), there is no indication that thenumber of murders or gay bashing incidents in New York is declining. (1995, February). Another UCLA survey of senior college students found thatonly a minority of college students (33 percent), support anti-gaylegislation or laws to protect the gay and lesbian population. 38. Thought crimes: The other side of hate crimes. 31. (1991, October 8). When questionedby authorities about his motivation, he blamed boredom, but, states that heagreed to the crime because of peer pressure. Bissinger, H. One of the first well-publicized cases was involved the violentmurder of Charlie Perez Resendez, which was committed by Nicole Giangrosso. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.