Monday, March 16, 2009

Anti-Hate Speech Leads to Hate Crimes

The Christianists and Mormons feel that they have the right to disseminate all types of anti-gay propaganda, often depicting LGBT Americans as a threat to civilization, the family, religious freedom, and similar drivel. Sadly, these intentional untruths lead to more than merely heated debate. As new data reported by the Mercury News indicates, rising levels of anti-gay propaganda - as in California with Proposition 8 - lead to more hate crimes against law abiding LGBT Citizens who are targeted by those who feel they have religious based approval of their acts of violence. Concerned Women for America and Family Research Council are leaders in the anti-gay hate propaganda field yet incredibly Barack Obama is kissing their asses and inviting these organizations to the White House. Here are some highlights from the MercuryNews:
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Hate crime cases involving anti-gay sentiment shot up in Santa Clara County last year, a striking increase that a leading prosecutor attributes to controversy over Proposition 8, the voter-approved ban on gay marriage. Anti-gay incidents accounted for more than half of hate-crime cases last year — 56 percent — a big jump from only 15 percent in 2007.
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"My belief from having done this work for many years is that surges in types of hate incidents are linked to the headlines and controversies of the day,'' said Deputy District Attorney Jay Boyarsky, who is assigned to monitor hate crimes. "Marriage equality and Proposition 8 have been in the news, and we have seen an increase in gay-bashing.''
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The increase in anti-gay acts in Santa Clara County saddened South Bay activists, who opposed the gay marriage ban that garnered 52 percent of the vote in November. "When there's a lot more information about gays and lesbians on TV or in the news, it brings out the worst in people who have an inherent bias against groups they don't belong to,'' said Leslie Bulbuk, president of BAYMEC, a regional political action group representing the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. "It seems like visibility makes people come out of the woodwork.''

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