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From: manis@ubc-cs.UUCP (Vince Manis)
Newsgroups: net.motss
Subject: Turning the other cheek
Message-ID: <116@ubc-cs.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 5-Dec-85 19:21:43 EST
Article-I.D.: ubc-cs.116
Posted: Thu Dec  5 19:21:43 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 6-Dec-85 21:38:29 EST
Reply-To: manis@ubc-cs.UUCP (Vince Manis)
Organization: UBC Department of Computer Science
Lines: 33

A few days, a group of five Toronto teenagers was convicted of the murder
(by beating) of a 40-year old gay man. The five had, in the course of a 
boozy evening, decided that they would go and ''beat up a fag'' (their
words). So they got in their car, headed out to a cruising area, and
shortly after midnight accosted a victim and beat him to death.

The five were found guilty and were sentenced to prison terms varying 
from 9 to 12 years. All of them expressed the sentiment that they got
what they deserved.

I'm not going to ask what would cause a group of [apparently] normal
15-year olds to do something like that. Apparently, there was no history
of homophobic behaviour on the part of any of them, or anything except
perhaps a tendency for them to follow the leader a bit too much. (No,
I'm not trying to make excuses for them.) 

As a result, they are each going to spend the next few years in prison.
But if their statements are honest, this is going to be something that
will haunt each of them for the rest of his life.

My problem is that I'm ending up feeling very sorry for these kids. 
Politically, I ought to be happy that queerbashers were caught and 
punished. Yet, I can't see any benefit to anyone coming from this
tragedy. And I really wish these kids didn't have this hanging over
them. I'm beginning to see them as much victims of homophobia as the
man they murdered. 

-----

On a mildly lighter note, I was unable to think of a subject heading
for this posting that didn't involve a double entendre. ''Turning
the other cheek'' was the best I could do--perhaps I'm just getting
too jaded.