 |
| |
|
|
Guynemer
|
|
This item was in today's Detroit Free Press, one of two major papers in town...
---------------------------------
Gay man is beaten to death in park
A gay man was beaten to death over the weekend in a park in Vancouver, Canada, apparently the victim of a hate crime, people said Monday.
Aaron Webster, 41, was found near death in Stanley Park by his best friend, authorities said. The friend, Tim Chisholm, tried to revive Webster but he died before help arrived Saturday.
Police said Webster had been beaten with either a baseball bat or a pool cue by a group of three or four men. They said they did not have any suspects.
----------------------------------
Now, the other reason we got even this much information was due to our proximity to Canada; every Saturday night, you can hear the opening theme of Hockey Night in Canada wafting over the Detroit River from Windsor. Have any of our Canadian posters heard more about this?
I'm rather shocked. I spent some time in Vancouver this summer, including the better part of a day in Stanley Park. It was--by a country mile--the most beautiful city I had ever seen, and Stanley Park was magnificent. I saw gay & lesbian couples walking around, hand-in-hand, carefree and open--it was a great thing to see, the only time I've seen it outside of Ann Arbor. But now someone's been beaten to death for it? In Stanley Park? This shakes my whole perception of the city... I know it shouldn't, probably just an isolated incident, but still. Has anyone else experienced something like this, finding a place that they just instantly fall in love with, and then later hear a horrible story like this one?
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
Guynemer
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by Giancarlo
What if he was mugged? That is the thing about the media... those idiots make assertions without any evidence. A person gets beaten up in the park... big deal... that always happen. I am sorry to say but that is how it is. You can get beaten up for a wallot or some money.
However, I do recognize this could infact be a hate crime. But my opinion is always a possiblity. |
I certainly don't discount that possibility; I'm only saying what was in the paper, that police are investigating this as a "hate crime." (By the way, for the record, I'm against "hate crime" legislation.)
However, the description doesn't quite fit my mental picture of a mugging. Three or four perps? A mugging, I'd expect one; two max. Otherwise, there just isn't enough cash to go around to everyone. Plus, baseball bats/pool cues? Again, I'd expect a different weapon; perhaps a knife. Easy to conceal. Plus, you've got to really want to hurt someone to kill with a bat or a cue; one or two hits aren't going to do it, unless you get "lucky".
Anyway, have you heard anything about this, Osweld?
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Bob Dornan
|
|
You're all pathetic:
We don't even know if this is a hate crime, murderer probably didn't even know he was gay.
Even if it was a hate crime, far more blacks and whites die than gays from hate movitated crimes. We never hear about them.
Like been said, a murder is a murder, it doesn't matter if it was hate motivated. I suggest execution but in fairyland Canada it won't happen.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
RedFred
|
 |
Vancouver
Jun 1999
time: 21:16
|
|
Some facts: this has been a major item in the news. To put it in context, it was Vancouver's thirteenth homicide of the year.
There was a big parade in the West End supporting the victim. Both gays and straights, over 1,000, I think.
The second beach area of Stanley Park is supposed to be a big gay cruising spot after dark. I only go by there in the daytime during my long runs on Sunday.
The time of the incident was about three in the morning. The victim was found clad only in hiking boots. Police suspect that this was a hate crime against a gay individual, but are by no means certain. The crime would be no less henious if it turned out to be a random act of violence. Apparently the guy was beaten to death.
Intolerence and prejudice exists everywhere, I hope people will realise that this is an extremely rare incident and that they don't view Vancouver as a dangerous or redneck kind of city.
Last edited by RedFred on 21-11-2001 at 04:55
|
|
| |
|
|
|
WhiteElephants
|
 |
Toledo Ohio
Mar 2000
time: 00:16
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by SlowwHand
I've said before, but if you missed it, here it is again.
Contrary to what Bob the Lip says, hate crimes are real.
There is very much difference between "crime of passion", "incidental murder" while committing another crime, and "hate crimes".
Anyone that attacks and/or kills another due to the difference in outlooks on life, is the worst of the bad.
Let's look at it this way, and I'm going to use The Lip's own view.
The Taliban terrorists are loathesome.
They kill when viewpoints don't mirror their own.
BtL recognizes and acknowledges this belief.
So why is it any different when one individual is targeted?
Easy answer. No difference.
What we have here is domestic terrorism, committed against an individual. |
Ah, bull crap.  Hate crimes are PC laws set in motion by a large gay and minority lobby, nothing more, nothing less. Who's going to decide if it was a hate crime? Why weren't the rioters in Cincinnati brought up on hate crime charges when African Americans pulled innocent whites from their cars and beat them up?
If I ever decide to murder anyone I'll make sure it's random acts of violence that my society prefers over hate crimes.
Damn it man, I'm allowed to hate whoever I want for whatever reason I want. Get this warm and fuzzy legislation crap out of my face. If you kill someone you kill someone. The only difference is that it's sometimes an accident. There's no need to interject emotion into the picture. Next thing you know we'll have "I don't like you crimes". No exactly hate, but you damn well know you don't like the person. Bah!
|
|
| |
|
|
|
Guynemer
|
|
quote:
Originally posted by RedFred
Some facts: this has been a major item in the news. To put it in context, it was Vancouver's thirteenth homicide of the year.
There was a big parade in the West End supporting the victim. Both gays and straights, over 1,000, I think.
The second beach area of Stanley Park is supposed to be a big gay cruising spot after dark. I only go by there in the daytime during my long runs on Sunday.
The time of the incident was about three in the morning. The victim was found clad only in hiking boots. Police suspect that this was a hate crime against a gay individual, but are by no means certain. The crime would be no less henious if it turned out to be a random act of violence. Apparently the guy was beaten to death.
Intolerence and prejudice exists everywhere, I hope people will realise that this is an extremely rare incident and that they don't view Vancouver as a dangerous or redneck kind of city. |
Thanks, RedFred. I certainly don't view Vancouver in that way at all; thanks for passing along the info, and for getting back to the point of the post amidst all this threadjacking.
Please, someone start a separate "hate crimes: pro & con" thread to carry on this debate. I just wanted to hear some news from someone close to the incident.
|
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
vlad
|
|
Of Nanaimo British Columbia
Dec 1999
time: 21:16
|
|
So now lets say hypothetically that the man was a convicted pedophile who raped one of the 4 mens little brothers. Would your opinions change? How about he was a bisexual man who spread AIDS to one of the 4 mens wives or sisters? Maybe the guy was trying to rob one of the men after they had been to some batting cages??
I think when you post something as vague as this you really need to add more details for anyone to really make conversation about it.
I will be flying into Vancouver in less than a month and this certainly doesn't tarnish my thoughts of how nice of a place it is. People die everyday from lots of things, thats just life.
On the topic of hate crimes, I always laugh when i hear that term.Like there is a difference, dead people are dead people no matter who or what they are.
|
|
| |
All times are GMT. The time now is 05:16.
Apolyton Time is 00:16. |
top of page
|
| archivepost |
|
Forum Rules:
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
|
HTML code is ON
vB code is ON
Smilies are ON
[IMG] code is ON
|
|
|
|
|
|
20-11-2001 21:19
), but because he was gay does not necessarily make this a hate crime.
|