Monday, October 12, 2009

Gay Man Of Color Beaten Into A Coma In Queens




While we marched and sang at yesterday's National Equality March, an out, proud gay man of color was fighting for his life after being beaten within an inch of his life by a pair of rabid homophobes who hurled slurs at him during their attack. 49-year-old Jack Price was beaten so severely he suffered a broken jaw, ruptured spleen, every one of his ribs were fractured, and his lungs both collapsed. He languishes in a coma, on a ventilator, in a city hospital as the NYPD hunts down the second of Price's two attackers.

Price's assailants reportedly taunted him in a deli near his home, then deliberately chased him, cornered him, and attempted to murder Price. Witnesses quoted one of the two thugs as screaming "My father's a C. O. [NYC Corrections Officer]! Nothing will happen to us!", echoing similar rants made by transwoman Carmela Etienne's attackers in St. Albans last summer. This prevailing sentiment that people can injure and kill gays and lesbians, and get away with it because we are "less than" our attackers, or that our mere existence is justifiable provocation, is increasing. The Anti-Violence Project's Kim Fountain told ABC News, "It's not just that people are being shoved or punched. It's that their lips are being split or they're ending up in the hospital or they're being murdered."

Public apathy towards these brutal incidents is nowhere more clearly reflected than in the silence of our political leadership, both here and on the state and national level. Another gay man of color hovers near death in the hospital, a victim of his rightful choice to be out and proud in his neighborhood, and I have yet to hear a peep about this from Mayor Bloomberg, his opponent Bill Thompson, Queens Borough President Helen Marshall, or even Queens DA Richard Brown. What a way to return from marching in Washington for our right to be treated fairly and decently as human beings.

6 comments:

  1. that apathy is so sad...the fear so palpable. ..

    Peace,
    Ocean
    http://brothaluvacafe.blogspot.com

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  2. Yes, it is. I hope the day will come, within my lifetime, when the LGBT community can live without fear.

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  3. OMG, I can't believe this, not again!!! I am from Queens, born and raised. This is REDICULOUS. I am so angry! I hope they find those bastards. This have to end. NOW!

    We are having a rally against this very same issue both with a focus on LGBT youth of color Saturday, Oct. 17th (3 PM-5 PM) in Harlem, NY see details at www.queerblackcinema.org.

    I urge everyone to come out and show your support! This have got to end!! I know of this guy and met him about a year ago. He is a wonderful guy. I can't image he was out starting trouble. I am so angry. And yes, I like to hear what Bloomberg have to say about this or Al Sharpton.

    Much Love to Nathan
    I hope you make it through

    Angel L. Brown
    Executive Director

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  4. There wil be a meeting TODAY to ORGANIZE an ACTION.
    It will be at The Jewish Community Center in Jackson Heights
    The address is 77th street and 37th avenue in jackson heights. Please spread the word far and wide!

    http://rainbowcollective.com

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  5. I want to send my condolences to Nathan, his family and those who are praying for his speedy recovery. I'm so sorry to hear about this and angry at the continued attacks on homosexuals in the Black community. We'll support an R&B singer who likes urinating on minors, but we won't speak up against homophobia. It's enough of a problem that we are a damaged people still suffering from post-slavery psychosis. But when you see Black trash (the worse of our community) act out like this, it just makes me feel so ashamed. Again, my condolences; and I hope that these wanna-be Black men get maximum time in prison!!!

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  6. It wasn't me that got so horribly attacked, it was Jack Price of College Point, as my post describes. But rest assured I will be speaking out against this and all the other atrocities which keep us looking over our shoulders every day.

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