Two Gays Assaulted in Front of 19 Bar

Last weekend, two people got eggs thrown at them as they walked into the 19 Bar. An email from OutFront confirms:

Last weekend, two of my friends were egged as they walked into Minneapolis's oldest gay bar. They were in the crosswalk heading to the entrance when they were hit with eggs flying from the windows of a passing SUV.

I know hate crimes still happen, but I was still shocked when it happened to people I knew. I couldn't help but feel saddened about how much farther we have to go before gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people are safe and free to live their lives.

Luckily, Minnesota is home to one of the nation's largest and most effective GLBT advocacy organizations. OutFront Minnesota works to change society and the systems within our society to become accepting and respectful of GLBT people.

Laura McCarty Development Director

The Backlash Continues

A gay Florida couple's home was burglarized and the words "Die Fag" were scrawled on the front steps. [Story]

A Virginia United Church of Christ is defaced with anti-gay vandalism and an attempted arson. [Story]

A GLBT bar in Fayetteville Arkansas is hit with not one, but two arson attempts. [Story]

Arsonists burned a Brownsville, Texas GLBT bar, leaving gas cans behind. [Story]

Two lesbians walking down the sidewalk holding hands are beaten by a woman with a baseball bat in Kansas City, Missouri. [Story]

Each of these incidents have happened over the past two months.

Of course, with people like Sen. Michele Bachmann running around saying things like:

"Any of you who have members of your family that are in the lifestyle - we have a member of our family that is. This is not funny. It’s a very sad life. It's part of Satan, I think, to say this is gay. It's anything but gay." - Michele Bachmann at EdWatch National Education Conference, 11/6/04, Bloomington, MN [Link]

And Rep. Dan Severson saying things like:

"What homosexuals are seeking is not access to marriage. They want to change the fundamental definition of marriage." [Link]

And people like Tom Prichard, Dan and Michele's 'bigot buddy' saying things like:

"The fact is that vulnerable children are the ones being drawn into homosexuality and targeted by gay activists in our schools." [Link]

....it's only a matter of time before this kind of violence errupts in Minnesota. These kind of statements contribute to the Culture of Hate, as does obvious discrimination such as a constitutional ban on GLBT relationships.

Get involved or Minnesota will become like a cold Arkansas. And we know we're better than that. OutFront Minnesota is leading the effort in Minnesota to stop these people. And they are asking for our input. The Republicans will use gay marriage in 2006 to get the bigotted and ignorant folks to the polls. We can't let them use us for their political gain.

UCC target of anti-gay vandalism

The United Church of Christ is the largest Christian demonination to endorse same-sex marriage. One UCC church in Middlebrook, Virginia was a victim of anti-gay vandalism and attempted arson, apparently because the UCC embraces it's gay and lesbian members and recognizes their relationships.

"The outside of the church was vandalized with anti-gay messages and a declaration that United Church of Christ members were sinners. The graffiti’s message appeared to be a reference to the national church’s decision earlier this week to endorse gay and lesbian marriages." [Staunton News Leader]

In Mankato, Minnesota, the First Congregational United Church of Christ has indicated that they will marry same-sex couples. Have Minnesota's political leaders created an atmosphere that this could happen here? Here's a quote:

"Any of you who have members of your family that are in the lifestyle - we have a member of our family that is. This is not funny. It’s a very sad life. It's part of Satan, I think, to say this is gay. It's anything but gay." - Michele Bachmann at EdWatch National Education Conference, 11/6/04, Bloomington, MN

This is the kind of rhetoric that leads to the type of vandalism that occurred in Virginia. And this woman wants to represent Minnesota in the US Congress?