Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Investigators: House may have been torched because owner was gay
11.11.2008 1:35pm EST
(Newton, North Carolina) A fire that destroyed a home in Newton, North Carolina may have been started by someone targeting its owner because he is gay, county and state investigators say.
Melvin Whistlehunt was at work when his mother called to tell him that his home was on fire. When he arrived home firefighters were sifting through the wreckage.Firefighters found homophobic and racist slurs spray painted on the back of the building.
The Catawba County Fire Marshal’s Office has called in the Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation arson unit to help find the cause of the blaze the Observer-News-Enterprise of Newton reports.
Both Whistlehunt and his mother, who lives next door, say the graffiti had not been on the building when he left for work.
Whistlehunt said the has never experienced homophobia in the past in the area.
Fire chief Jason Drum told The Observer-News-Enterprise that there were signs the the fire was set intentionally.
“I’ve been in the fire service 10 years and I’ve never seen anything like this,” Drum told the paper.
Twenty-eight firefighters and seven trucks were used to battle the flames. At one point Drum called the firefighters out of the building fearing it would collapse on them.
If the person or persons behind the blaze are caught they would be charged with arson, but could not be charged with a hate crime. The North Carolina hate law does not include crimes against LGBT people. It is one of 14 states with hate crime laws that exclude gays.
Federal hate crime legislation passed the House in 2007 and the White House threatened to veto it. In an effort to get around a veto, the Senate version was tied to the 2008 defense authorization bill. It passed, but then went to conference, where it was stripped out.
Last month, the FBI released statistics showing that hate crimes in general had dropped across the country except for those against LGBT people. The bureau report showed a 6 percent increase in anti-gay hate crimes.
If the Shepard Act is passed, it would allow federal charges to be pressed in hate crimes against gays and give judges the power to impose tougher sentences.
So if the house was owned by a Jew (or black/asian/Russian etc) it would be a hate crime, but not if the owner is gay? Typical stupidity…..
We make pretty speeches and they murder and burn down houses. Whats wrong with this picture?
Well, so much for “Liberty and justice for all”.
I was born in Newton, NC 55 years ago and left at age 16, now in New York. This is a good reality check for when I’m feeling nostalgic about the past.
How sad! I’m a born in the USA, therefore a Citizen. But do not have Equal Rights. Why ?
Is it that I do not speak Loud enough, act belligerently enough ? Drink enough beer? Hate enough ?
Or is it that organized people that do hate teach their Children to hate, therefore I cannot be equal, because “THEY” say I can’t.. Is that Fare ? Is that Equal Justice for ALL ? Is that what our country is about ? Oh whoa is me.
Has Bush and Cheney (don’t forget Cheney people, have started the “Fall of the American Empire” (Dream) Can O’bama or anyone save it?
We MUST. We must demand, fight for, cajole, intimidate, coerce our elected officials and all people until we are excepted as 100% equal citizens. I at 60+ years will. Will you ?
Or will you just read these articles and postings and grunt and groan about them and sit back and have another cup of coffee and let someone else do it.
Not I Say I !!!! Rise UP and tell your congressman/Senator (State Level too) that you will not take it anymore and if he/she doesn’t act. You will work vigorously to get them out of office. That’s what makes them think. especially just as they are taking the new office! NOW is the time. Get to them before they forget about us again for another 2 or 4 or 6 years! Hit them where it hurts, the VOTES, therefore their pocketbook. (no vote = NO JOB).
The Senate needs to fast-track the Shepard Act and get it to Obama within his first 100 days. That would be HUGE for him, he will sign it.