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Last summer, well-known performer and drag queen Kevin Aviance was beaten and kicked in the middle of 14th Street and First Avenue by four youths yelling homophobic slurs. Aviance, who had been wearing black sleeveless hoodie, black shorts and boots, suffered a broken jaw and other injuries; Mayor Bloomberg called the attack a disgrace.
The four youths were charged with assault as a hate crime and yesterday, they all pleaded guilty. Hate crime convictions can bring sentences of up to 25 years in prison, so perhaps that's why they pleaded guilty. Seventeen-year-old Gerard Johnson faces 15 years in prison for first-degree assault as a hate crime; 21-year-old Akino George and 21-year-old Jarell Sears face 8 years in prison for first-degree gang assault; and 19-year-old Gregory Archie faces 6 years in prison for second-degree assault as a hate crime (they all face post-release supervision). They will be sentenced in April and May.
Another high-profile gay hate crime case is the death of Michael Sandy. Gotham Gazette had a good article looking at the details last October.
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*If the city’s black advocates paid even a tiny fraction of the attention they pay to shootings by criminals as they pay to shootings by police, they could change the face of the city. If demonstrators gathered outside the jail cell of every rapist and teen stick-up thug, cameras in tow, to shame them for their attacks on law-abiding minority residents, they could deglamorize the gangsta life. Think you’ll find Sharpton or Barron patrolling with the police in dark housing project stairways, trying to protect residents from predators? Not a chance.*
–Heather MacDonald, www[dot]city-journal.org
this isn't a sarcastic rhetorical question... where the fuck is al sharpton for this? a high-profile hate crime against an african american, and sharpton isn't there? i guess gays don't get the same protection.
Hey- I'm black, and I don't see your question as sarcastic at all.
Al is only interested in people whose victimization will look good in front of a camera to his narrow-minded, easily led followers.
Yawn.
People demonstrate for the war, abortion, gay rights, etc, some of the time right, some of the time wrong, some of the time misguidingly.
You get a spotlight hog with a perm(and a good PR machine), and suddenly he's the great racial shuckster, the black pied piper that inevitably ALL poor urbanites must follow(at least according to the liberal media). Because, well, of course african americans in NYC are a monolithic force, lol.
What I love more about Sharpton is how he brings out the closet racists. Sharpton's only power is that he's a focal point for the press, kinda like when there's a huge lawsuit it seems you always have the same lawyers commenting giving their two cents. Sharpton's the go to guy for black racial attacks. His actual pull and power is pretty much nil, except for the politians who fear offending Sharpton less he go use his media power to crucify them.
But, I love how everyone tries to go out of their way to discredit him, as if that helps sooth their guilt.
don't discount shaprton's pull, reg. divisive leaders like him feed the anger of the people he claims to represent. he panders to anyone who wants to blame white america for all their problems while relieving them of personal responsibility (honestly, what an easy job). he helps people think their segregationist viewpoints are viable. he works to perpetuate young black male anger and that effect is anything but 'nil'. many people discrediting him want truth and equality not guilt relief.
I mean, cops shooting and killing a group that was found to be unarmed after the fact would be a media frenzy based on race no matter what. It's just how it is in America.
My point about Sharpton(and the concept of black leadership in general) is that its assumed they have this magical pull in the inner city, as if you go to the average project apartment and they've got a gold encrusted Reverand Al picture next to Jesus. Al being able to make race a hotbed isn't hard, because if we want to or not, it IS a hotbed issue that even beyond being a reality...sells papers. Black Youth anger is just that, I mean considering how horrible nyc's education system can be and how poor some of those kids are, are they really checking for Al Sharpton news conferences? I think not.
No John Liu press release?
I don't blame Johnny for ignoring this one. Even i would have told the queen it brought this on itself.
Fred Phelps forever!!!
no, reg, it would not be the same for every race. there would be outrage, not knee-jerk racism claims.
there are equally disenfranchised communities without divisive leaders that have moved beyond 'hotbed issues' and helped themselves. in fact, pretty much every ethnicity BUT the one being prodded by rev al and co. what other community leaders get media time? gee, do you think maybe that's a reflection of his popularity? look at chinatown. why aren't those poor, underrepresented young men commiting over half the violent crimes in the city? only a fool would discount his influence. he has defenders far and wide parroting his words.
you all need to get off Al Sharpton's pipe ! I mean com on now, Yes Al is for Blacks and only Blacks no matter the circumstance . We get the point that you all are trying to make here . Is Al Sharpton a divisive motherfuka ? Yep without a doubt, But you have to stop tossing the guy into every story line that involves a crime . Sharpton does care about Whites, Asians, Arabs, Europeans, or any other ethnicity aside from blacks . You all have someone that sticks up for you within your race . Inquire as to why there not stepping up and complaining about things going on . Don't get it twisted, If I ever find myself in that type of situation Al Sharpton will not be in my corner !
I'm the farthest thing from a racist and I resent being called one whether you were directing your post to me or not.
I have opinions on Sharpton and his bullshit grandstanding. If anyone's a racist, it's Sharpton and his cronies—they blame the "white man" and "white politics" on every misfortune of the black man. It's pathetic. How about take some accountability for your actions and get your family and community to a higher standard.
of course this also goes for white, hispanic and asian people as well... responsibility. that's all i ask for...
Why does what he was wearing have ANYTHING to do with this? Would it have been OK to beat him mercilessly if he was wearing his makeup and a more flamboyant outfit?