Unfinished Lives

Remembering LGBT Hate Crime Victims

Gay Hate Crime in Nebraska Capital Draws Ire From Hundreds

Hundreds rally to protest alleged anti-gay hate crime at the Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln. [Journal Star photo]

Lincoln, Nebraska – A woman’s report of a horrendous anti-gay hate crime has galvanized the progressive community in the Nebraska capital city to demand a stop to the violence.  Social media spread the news of a break-in at the woman’s Lincoln home on Sunday, drawing hundreds to the steps of the capitol building for a vigil in a show of support for all victims of LGBTQ hate crimes.

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the woman was seized early Sunday morning in her home by three men in masks who stripped her, bound her hand and foot with zip ties, and proceeded to slice her skin all over her body. The victim told police that her attackers cut homophobic slurs into her flesh before splashing gasoline on the floor and setting it aflame.  As they fled the scene, the victim managed to flip and roll outside where her screams caught the attention of neighbors. Her name has not yet been released, and police are not yet speculating on a motive for the crime.

Police informed reporters for KVNO News that the victim was treated at a local hospital and released. The Lincoln LGBTQ community, who believe she was singled out because of her sexual orientation, has rallied to the victim’s support.  One local source, frustrated at the foot-dragging of the police on naming  hate crime as a motive, claims that the message, “We found you, Dyke!” spray painted in the basement of the victim’s home.

At the “Vigil Against Violence” Sunday night at the State Capitol, leaders of the LGBTQ and straight-allied community, already empowered by the recent Star City Pride Festival and a vigorous debate on the “Fairness Amendment” that would ban discrimination in housing and employment against LGBTQ people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, came out to let their voices be heard in droves–over 300 by the start of the vigil, according to the Star Journal.  Tyler Richard, president of Outlinc, a group that supports lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in Lincoln, called upon the community to support the investigation with calm and resolve.  “We are shocked and saddened by the report of an alleged hate crime involving a member of the LGBT community early Sunday morning,” Richard said. “Our hearts go out to the victim, her family and close friends. Many in our community are understandably experiencing a great deal of sadness, anger and confusion. We look to our entire community to pull together in this difficult time.”

No one has been arrested as of late Sunday night in connection with the crime.

July 23, 2012 - Posted by | Anti-LGBT hate crime, Beatings and battery, GLBTQ, Hate Crimes, Heterosexism and homophobia, home-invasion, Lesbian women, LGBTQ, Nebraska, Outlinc, Slashing attacks, Slurs and epithets, Unsolved LGBT Crimes, Vigils | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

3 Comments

  1. Nebraska is one of the most intolerant states in the union. As the unicam (the state legislature) continues to ignore the plight of LBGTQ people, the hate crime rate keeps going up. Frankly, few people out here want to confront the issue (and that includes many in the gay community itself). Last year a man was attacked outside of a gay bar by one of our local homophobes and it never even went to court. The witness to the attack was a COP and the victim, after months of hundreds of anonymous calls threatening his life, dropped charges. (I would have too with people calling me daily threatening my life).
    Lincoln has had an incredibly high hate crime rate over the last few years and, for many, it’s easier to look the other way and pretend things are fine out here in the heartland..
    BUT things are NOT ok. Here in Nebraska we don’t even have recognition of our basic civil rights. Discrimination against LGBTQ people runs rampant. We can be fired from our jobs and be evicted from our homes without any legal recourse what so ever.
    To your average het Nebraskan “Gay marriage” is an “agenda.” According to many folks out here gay marriage is part of the gay agenda to destroy the American family (I have yet to find one straight person who can explain to me why gay folks would want the family unit destroyed but ..it seems since we gays are such awful sinners our logic and common sense are suspect as well).
    Out here in the cornland they fire people from their jobs for the SUSPICION of an employee being gay (I know a straight man who was fired because another employee started a rumor he was gay…the SUSPICION of gayness can get ya fired out here.. it’s ridiculous).
    I came to Lincoln from San Francisco so when I arrived in Lincoln and saw what gay people were dealing with, I was beyond appalled. Nine years later I feel crushed and without hope for any justice for our community in this state.
    If anyone has an agenda it’s the “Christian right” their agenda is violent, vile and twisted.
    I have concluded that the best thing I can do is to move and I *will* be out of Nebraska as soon as possible but in the meanwhile…
    Men with masks are attacking people people in our community and can any of us really be sleeping soundly?
    This must be someone’s idea of hell. If no one else, MINE!
    Thank you for your report. Be well and take care.
    Chris

    Comment by Chris Wolfe | July 23, 2012

    • Thank you, Chris. Please take care of yourself, and let us know about what we need to be covering in “cornland.”

      Steve Sprinkle

      Comment by unfinishedlives | July 23, 2012

  2. […] Gay hate crime in Nebraska capital draws ire from hundreds […]

    Pingback by Periodical Political Post *118 « milkboys – The Boys Blog | July 27, 2012


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