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(Orlando, Florida) Police in Polk County, in
central Florida, are searching for the person who torched the home of a gay
couple after spray painting "Die Fag" on the front
steps.
Paul Day and Christopher Robertson returned home from shopping to find their
mobile home in ruins.
The couple said that it is the latest in a series
of attacks - mostly verbal abuse by a group of teens and young adults hurled at
them when they checked their mail.
Police say that a number of items appear to have
been stolen from the home. An arson investigation is underway and a
spokesperson for the Lakeland Fire Department said it appears the fire had been
set in several areas of the trailer.
But, neighbors at the Kings Manor Mobile Home Park
where the units sit side by side in rows claim they saw nothing.
Day and Robertson had recently done extensive
renovations of the mobile home. The fire has devastated them both emotionally
and financially.
The couple, in their mid 20s, have lived in the
Orlando area most of their lives and say that homophobia appears to be on the
rise.
State statistics confirm that. In 2003, the most
recent year for which data has been released, 20 percent of all hate
crimes were against gays and lesbians.
This summer has seen a number of arson attacks
across the country attributed to homophobia.
Last week a gay club in Brownsville, Texas was
gutted by arson. (story)
The week before, fire destroyed the only gay club in Fayetteville, Arkansas in
what police there also are calling arson. (story)
On July 9, fire damaged a gay-positive church in
Middlebrook, Virginia. Police said the arsonist had scrawled a message on the
exterior of St. John's Reformed United Church of Christ saying that UCC members
were sinners.
The United Church of Christ endorsed a resolution
days earlier endorsing same-sex marriage. The resolution was not binding on the
denomination's 1.3 million members. (story)
©365Gay.com 2005
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