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Manhattan Diary by Cahir O'Doherty

Discrimination copper fastens hate

Posted on Friday, September 02, 2011 at 10:20 AM

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Last Friday night a slightly built 20-year old Salt Lake City resident named Dane Hall was leaving a gay themed nightclub in Utah when he was followed by four men. They began to shout gay slurs at him.

Moments later one of them attacked the young man from behind, punching him on the back of the head and knocking him to the ground.

Another assailants then grabbed his shirt and began punching him repeatedly in the face. When Hall fell to the ground the attacker placed his open mouth over the street curb and stomped on the back of his head, knocking out six of Hall's teeth in a move commonly referred to as 'curb checking.'

It's an action which can result in death in many cases.

A piece of bone from Hall's jaw jammed into his brain. His mouth has been wired shut now. In the ambulance he cried because he knew he couldn't afford the health costs he'd be charged for his hospitalization. The young man who weighs 150 pounds won't be able to eat solid food for ten weeks.

It's the second serious hate crime attack outside the same club since April. So far no arrests have been made in either attack. Why isn't this all over the news? Have a guess.

Utah, by the way, is the home of former Republican Senator Chris Buttars who became famous for telling a documentary filmmaker in 2009 that gay people don't have any morals and for comparing gay activists to radical Muslims, saying they're one of America's greatest threats.

In 2010 a survey found that 44 percent of gay and bisexual Utahns said they have been fired or denied a job or a promotion due to sexual orientation or gender identity.

Everything connects. Create a culture of suspicion and intolerance, mark a minority out for opprobrium, then stand back and let the thugs do the work.

Hall himself has offered a $10, 000 reward for information leading to the apprehending of these criminals.

He should't have to. But that's the country we're still living in.

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errigal | Sep 07, 2011, 11:20 AM EDT

WE ALL HAVE A VOTE AND WE WILL REMEMBER DAVE HALL AND WHAT HAPPENED IN SALT LAKE CITY IN THE GREAT STATE OF UTAH.

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Stiofain | Sep 05, 2011, 08:59 PM EDT

If you are in Utah, Idaho,Wyoming,or the area in general, and are just a little different, including an accent, you are in for trouble.

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slainte9 | Sep 03, 2011, 11:46 AM EDT

"Mormons" may be puritanical and intolerant, but they are also devoutly non-violent. It's difficult to see this attack as directly related to the mainstream LDS church based in Utah.

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seanomelbourne | Sep 02, 2011, 06:46 PM EDT

And the assailants probably vote republican, after all they are only follwing the lead of their republican congressional masters and the discredited Fox news channel who are happy to give air time to homophobics.

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sirpeter | Sep 02, 2011, 04:28 PM EDT

My God!!That's an awful beating he got and it's compounded by the fact the state won't pay for his injuries.If that's the case he NOW would be better off as a citizen of even commie Cuba which has universal health care.

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eiriamach | Sep 02, 2011, 01:28 PM EDT

Unless the media keep the focus on, there are likely to be more attacks. When news media and blogs report them, there's pressure on law enforcement to investigate, on the courts to prosecute, and on people to speak out against the hate speech linked with these hate crimes. See also "Anti-Gay Hate Crimes: Doing the Math," by Mark Potok on the SPLC web site. According to Potok, Between 1995 and 2008, "There were 15,351 anti-homosexual hate crime offenses, ... which amounts to 17.4% of the total of 88,463 reported violent hate crimes. The figures for the remaining victim groups were Jews, 7.7%; blacks, 41%; Muslims, 1.5%; Latinos, 8.8%; and whites, 13.3%." Adjusting the figures to the percent that each group represents of the whole population, Potok concludes that homosexuals are victims of violent hate crimes 8.3 times more often than other minority groups. America, the home of peace and tolerance!

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Searlit | Sep 02, 2011, 12:20 PM EDT

You get it, Colkelley! Sláinte!

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mayoman | Sep 02, 2011, 11:53 AM EDT

I'm quite certain that the victim's medical expenses will far exceed his $10K reward.

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hollabackgurl | Sep 02, 2011, 11:38 AM EDT

If you're openly gay anywhere in places like Utah or other cities and states that have made no secret of their anti-gay outlook, you should probably carry something to protect yourself, because sadly you're not safe.

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JohnKinMD | Sep 02, 2011, 11:38 AM EDT

I agree that it was a act of cowardice on the part of the attackers. But, if Hall was crying about not being able to afford the health costs, where did he get the $10.000 for the reward. I wish the reporters would get there stories right, who prof reads this stuff.

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FGreggMeagher | Sep 02, 2011, 10:24 AM EDT

How many of the bigots have gay children? Or are still hiding in a closet covering-up their gender as homosexual? With wives or husbands who live in the shadows? Go to church: a Catholic Empire created by known homosexuals of those times? Confess to gay priests? Are sterile? At any rate these attackers and the noted politician demonstrate straight and undeniable ignorance and cowardice: They need 4 of them to take on 1 young person. I regret that I am not in Utah. As a Decorated Vietnam Combat Veteran (US Marine Corps); I would certainly enjoy making a citizen's arrest outside that club of these attackers!!!And I would certainly donate my time turning votes away from Senator Buttocks.

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colkelley | Sep 02, 2011, 10:14 AM EDT

Four men ganging up on one person for any reason shows only cowardice on the part of the "brave lads." I was raised NEVER to allow this and my record was making a 9 to 1 "fight" 9 to 2. Regardless of who or what the victim is, I will not allow this if I am present.

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