Gay bashing

MicraBoy

From the Irish Independent

A YOUNG gay man was fighting for his life in a Dublin hospital last night after being viciously attacked by a gay-bashing gang on a city street.

Labour TD Joe Costello said physical assaults on homosexual men and women were now a regular occurrence, with 'hit groups' waiting for people leaving gay establishments at certain flash points.

Last night, Mr Costello called on the gardai to step up patrols in the areas where the gangs operate, particularly in and around the Christ Church/Merchant's Quay areas.

The young man attacked at the weekend is in a coma with severe brain damage.

"He was coming from a gay establishment on Saturday night when a gang set upon him," said Mr Costello. "He was viciously beaten, was thrown over a railing into St Audeon's Park and left for dead at 1 on Sunday morning and was found at 9am.

"The same young man had also been assaulted a week previously and robbed by a group who were identified as gay bashers," said Mr Costello. He said a number of gangs were operating in the area and people coming from gay establishments were regularly attacked.

"Something must be done about this issue as it has been going on almost without being reported," he said.

Brian Finnegan, editor of 'Gay Community News', urged people to be vigilant when leaving gay bars. He also expressed concern that the election of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as the new Pope - a man who has expressed views against homosexuality. This, he fears, "will increase hate crime against lesbians and gay men".

Boston

Theres about 10,000 gardi on the streets afaik. At any one time there is only about a third of them on dutty and at any one time about a third of those on dutty are stuck doing paperwork or administration. That leaves very few gardi on the streets at night. Compare that with the nubmer of people that converg on dublin city centre every weekend. Dublin's not a safe city, epecially if you're gay.

azezil

Sobering read, I've been lucky to date and have to admit have become rather complacent of late.

ixoy

That's not a nice thing to have to read. I've never had any hassle myself, like azezil, and could be a bit complacent about it too. I was out on that Saturday night too and had had a few pints so, if I were caught in the same position, I'd have had no means to defend myself. Terrible story but I agree with NoTSoB - there's a severe lack of Gardai on the streets at weekend nights, particularly around known trouble areas. Until those numbers are changed, I dunno what can be done.

Hmm_Messiah

Doesn't the term "gaybashing" diminish the seriousness of the crime though ?

like terms such as joyriding, donutting etc .

And this crime is an assualt on a person.

It is a truly awful thign to happe. I have never felt threatened in any way, but I do know of people who have been, some with serious attacks, others just verbal stuff that can be also very disturbing/hurtful .

Good of Joe Costello to at least refer to it. however if there are "hit groups" as mentioned why can't these at least be tackled by the Gardai; it's one thing not being safe on Dublin streets, its another when groups are known to congregate in waiting.

Hope the young chap gets some help. Is there any pro-active response from LGB groups where support etc can be offered to him, his family and friends?

fortysixand2

I've never had any trouble within the Republic - only time I've ever been hassled was in Belfast (PT 2002). I was just thnkful afterward that I got away relatively unscathed, the guy who tried to attack me was too off his face on glue to actually manage to do any real damage to me - my jacket was ripped open down the back from when he grabbed it and tried to pull me about though. Kind kind Tadhg O'Brien bought be a shot of whiskey to calm my nerves afterwards, I was rather grateful

fozzle

Jesus, that poor guy, that really is a sobering read. As has been said already, without increasing Garda numbers I don't see what can be done. It's all over the country too, I only wish there was a simple solution.

Boston

I always looked at my college as a safe place. A kinda little bubble of sanity inside dublin city centre, where my boyfriend and I can hold hands and kiss without hassels from ignorance inbread tools. But yesterday as we stoped to make out by the rugby pitch a group of lads took objection and started grunting loudly the words queer's and fag's. It was hard to make out at first because the cowards were trying to mask what they were saying, but they got more auditable the futher away they got. It was really upsetting, I was about to go over to them but my boyfriend gave me a look, and we walked off. What really pisses me off is the cowardist of all. The underhanded way people are willing to put a pisser on my day.

Don't know why Im posting this, just need to say it to someone I suppose.

Annasopra

Hmmm

Trinity (I'm presuming) you're referring to Trinity has an LGBTRO

Maybe you should just mention this to her

memphis

This kind of behaviour is sickening.

To think that this sort of thing can happen in this day and age. Whgat do these thugs get outta doing such a thing, I know I couldn't live with myself if I did such a thing.

FranknFurter

Ugh!

I guess I am a bit too complacent too these days, when I was in london ya had to be very very aware. Not sure why / when I stopped being so aware tbh,.........

Poor guy, hope he gets over it with the least pain possible

the_syco

Hmmm... "gay bashing", eh? Good idea, calling it that. If the Gardai said young people were getting targeted and attacked after coming out of certain premises, there'd be a public outcry, and it would be cracked down by the Gardai.

Pityfully, because its called "gay bashing", it'll be ignored as a "little problem" that only happens to "that tye of people".

Divine

Maybe he was wandering around talking loudly in one of those really gay girly sort of voices. I dont know about anyone else but those bloddy feckers always freak me out lol

ixoy

Divine wrote:

Maybe he was wandering around talking loudly in one of those really gay girly sort of voices. I dont know about anyone else but those bloddy feckers always freak me out lol

And if his voice wasn't as deeply pitched as some other men, how does that justify an attack in any way? It may "freak you out" (care to say why?) but your smiley face insinuates that what happened was, in some way, reasonable.

Boston

Divine wrote:

Maybe he was wandering around talking loudly in one of those really gay girly sort of voices. I dont know about anyone else but those bloddy feckers always freak me out lol

I know straight men that talk in that way. It has nothing to do with sexuality. What a vain person you are to judge a person on the way they speak. Compare whatever discomfort you feel listening to someone with that sort of voice, to the discomfort I feel listening to you make excuses for evil. Do you wear sort skirts out to clubs, how would you feel if you where raped and someone used that as an excuse, cop on love.

Johnnymcg, what use would charlie have been after the fact?

Divine

Well as a rule i normally wouldnt mind gays at all. But when they are near you and start doing all that gay talk etc that just seems so put on then it just really spooks me and i have to move away. I dont mean to cause offense but in a sense the gay fella is the one who is doing something wrong if he was doing that.

Dont you aggree?

P.S. Im Male

Boston

You're a guy? What a girly name. some thugs really should give you a good kicking for having such a girly username. That seems fair.

Wouldn't you agree.

Divine

Nah only a gay guy would think my name was girly

memphis

Divine, never seems to have anything constructive to say on here, and I'm surprised that he hasn't been banned for his attempt at mindless humour.

Its ignorant hompphobics like you divine that seem to find this sort of behaviour appropriate, you know I often wonder if you are in denial about your own sexulaity, and feel the need to mock us GLB people as a means of making yourself feel good!

Boston

Lets not do the whole "homophobes are gay" thing. Some people are just assholes.

damien

LiouVille wrote:

Some people are just assholes.

And it's not an exclusively straight quality.

Hmm_Messiah

Lets not do the whole "homophobes are gay" thing. Some people are just assholes.

I'd agree.
Sad as it is to hear of some one being attacked its also sad to see some one like Divine who must live a very blinkered life, and one less lived because of petty intolerance.

The Idea though of questioning some one's sexuality seems to go against stuff said in other posts ( the suicidal guy etc) where it seemed accepted that no one should presume/question some other's sexuality.

I also find it strange that LGB groups have not found a more accurate term than "gaybashing" and encourage the media etc to move away from that term.

ixoy

memphis wrote:

Divine, never seems to have anything constructive to say on here, and I'm surprised that he hasn't been banned for his attempt at mindless humour.

It crossed my mind when it appeared to be trolling but I thought, much like the paedophile thing recently, it's better sometimes to hear the view points so they can be openly discussed/ridiculed as appropriate.

you know I often wonder if you are in denial about your own sexulaity, and feel the need to mock us GLB people as a means of making yourself feel good!

I used to think that, but that's too much of a Psych 101 approach - it may seem like the obvious thinking but that doesn't make it so. It's just as LiouVille says - some people are twits. Doesn't mean I'm saying that about Divine. Doesn't mean I'm not either..

Boston

Not every thread requires this sort of input. It tend to bring out the worst in people, and give the impression of being very defensive, I often wonder do replies like his and mine discourage newbies from posting. It would be nice to talk about the issues without arguing with trolls.

Hmm_Messiah

LiouVille has a point. I've even found myself replying to posts and then wondering was I more interested in me being right that contributing to what the OP was about.
It is hard to let stupidity go unremarked on though

maybe to do just that: the one line remark and back then onto the more useful purporse of the thread.

Doing that:

I hope the guy is recovered/recovering well. I hope it doesn't alter how he lives his life.
And I'd still liek to see some other term than "gaybashing" used.

memphis

My appology for such a strong outburst, but Divine is an asshole.

I have previously been banned, as has he because he felt the need to mock my sexuality. I dislike the guy, and always will.

Now, I'm gonna shut up now in case I get banned once more.

Divine

All i said was i can understand why someone might be angered by a gay guy shouting outloud and waving in arms around in a cissy kind of way. I still hope he gets better without any permenant damage and hopefully he will learn a thing or two from his rather bad experience but do you all not think he was partly to blame for acting in such a way in a dangerous city, at a dangerous time and in a country that is renound for its Homophobia?


And the reason i was picking on Memphis so much is because in the Tippinst thread he kept making gross lewd remarks to another gay moderator there in a discussion form thats meant to be about college. Memphis by the way, Hows that whole hearing aid thing working out for you?

Ha ha ha!

BuffyBot

What exactly, should he have to learn?

Why should his sexuality make a difference? Since when did "arm waving" become an excuse for violence? Should a straight guy who act's "cissy" be beaten for it?

damien

Divine wrote:

And the reason i was picking on Memphis so much is because in the Tippinst thread he kept making gross lewd remarks to another gay moderator there in a discussion form thats meant to be about college.

You're not in the Tipp Inst forum anymore, Dorothy.

Hmm_Messiah

All i said was i can understand why someone might be angered by a gay guy shouting outloud and waving in arms around in a cissy kind of way. I still hope he gets better without any permenant damage and hopefully he will learn a thing or two from his rather bad experience but do you all not think he was partly to blame for acting in such a way in a dangerous city, at a dangerous time and in a country that is renound for its Homophobia?

Remark: Pathetic

Who says the guy was acting in any "cissy" way? or shouting aloud? or waving arms (though he may well of been shouting and waving his arms in the futile hope some one would come to his assistance)

The only thing I see "cissy"-like about the incident is a group of people attacking one guy.

I can only guess at what you think he should learn from the experience. The point is that its NOT ok for a country, or city or time to be dangerous for any one, yet you find the solution in him changing his behaviour!!!!

I seriously wonder when you reread your contribution do you not see something very flawed in it, verging on offensive. That you can continue a squabble with some guy over different forums might make your contribution more understandable.

My boss keeps emailing tasks as if my desk was not already overflowing. It angers me; maybe I should go upstairs and beat him til he needs to be hospitalised?

Zulu

Firstly I want to be clear:

• I condemn this action
• I hope the gang rot in hell for their pathetic actions
• and I believe this poor man should have the freedom to live his life as he wishes

but Divine has hit on a point I'd like to explore.

I'm a straight male, and am honest enough to admit I was a homophobe at one stage in my life. I believe I'm not anymore. I'm certainly more open-minded. There is one thing that has always bugged me, and continues to bug to this day. (Well bug is a little strong - but it does impact me negatively)

What is with the whole "flamboyant" gay thing? Is it completely fake? or is it just the way some people are? Just so we're clear - I'm talking about the universal gay accent/attitude some gay people adopt, and I stress some because I'm pretty sure it's a minority. I personally understand it to be the gay equivalent of the D4 accent some people adopt, or the "fighting is cool" attitude some cretins adopt. (Perhaps I'm way off the mark - please correct me if I am) As such I tend to hold these people (D4/thugs/flamboyant) with a similar level of contempt, and they remain outside my social sphere.

Following on from this (I'm getting to a point ), I can kinda understand Divine's point. Should these people tone it down?
Fair enough - we should all be allow express ourselves without fear of a beating - please don't misunderstand me, but perhaps a little cop on is required. If I'm walking past a group I suspect to be dodgy - I don't wave a flag at them. I don't attract their attention. Do some members of our society go over board trying to define themselves and end up attracting the wrong attention to themselves?

Again, I truly hope this guy pulls through. It's a disgrace we can't live in peace. It's disgusting that "groups" would hang around areas to target specific people.