12/18/2006
Catholic Leader Assaults Gay Marriage Supporter at Rally
Larry Cirignano, executive director of the Catholic Citizenship group, was speaking at an anti-gay marriage rally in Worcester, Massachusetts, and reportedly left the podium to assault a woman who was there to counter-protest:
"Sarah Loy (left), 27, of Worcester was holding a sign in defense of same-sex marriage amid a sea of green 'Let the People Vote' signs when Larry Cirignano of Canton, who heads the Catholic Citizenship group, ran into the crowd, grabbed her by both shoulders and told her, 'You need to get out. You need to get out of here right now.' Mr. Cirignano then pushed her to the ground, her head slamming against the concrete sidewalk...Ms. Loy was holding a sign that read, 'No discrimination in the Constitution' and counter-demonstrators were chanting, 'You lost, go home, get over it,' when she was pushed to the ground. Afterward, Ms. Loy, in tears, arose and yelled to no one in particular, 'That’s what hate does. That’s what hate does.'"
Pathetic. These Massachusetts wingnuts are so backed into a corner because their bigotry is not succeeding in that state that they're resorting to violence.
Worcester Rally Takes Ugly Turn [worcester telegram]
Let the People Vote - or Else [ryan's take]
Posted 11:30 AM EST by Andy Towle in Catholic Church, Crime, Gay Marriage, Massachusetts, News | Permalink
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Now this should wake Americans up about who the belligerents are.
Posted by: Karim | Dec 18, 2006 11:41:48 AM
I'm so tired of hearing about this. How about we just accept the term, civil unions, and get what we want, which is legal equality and they can keep the term marriage. Both sides are happy.
Posted by: Matt | Dec 18, 2006 11:44:37 AM
I hope she is planning on filing charges against him.
Posted by: gryphon773 | Dec 18, 2006 11:45:56 AM
It wouldn't surprise me that these sort of attacks increase as the zealots against gay marriage lose their political-moral-judicial positions.
Posted by: homer | Dec 18, 2006 11:49:49 AM
"they're resorting to violence"
This surprises you?
2,000 years of burnings and massacering of gnostics, pogroms against jews, the inquisition, the burning of midwives and herbalists as witches, the utter destruction of whole nations by the sword who would nto convert, etc
Posted by: jimmyboyo | Dec 18, 2006 11:50:35 AM
I hope she sues the Frack out of him and his frackin' orginazation. This is yet another reason why we need to demand full and equal rights. I hope she is ok and totally pissed.
Posted by: Dave O | Dec 18, 2006 11:57:53 AM
I hope Ms. Loy files assault charges against this thug.
Posted by: Bill | Dec 18, 2006 12:02:53 PM
She reportedly is okay, but it's still a disgusting story and she could have easily been hurt in the fall. Ironically, she was there with her husband! This is just one reason why having allies in our cause is so important.
Thanks, Andy, for looking at the story. I think it's an important story. When a mouse is boxed in, they'll often go after the cat. I think this is one of those stories - they're so boxed in a corner, they don't have any other options left.
The state leg would do well, on the next ConCon (Jan 2nd) to kill this amendment once and for all and ignore this whole semantically-recharged "let the people vote" crowd that are just a bunch of hypocrites who realized they couldn't sell the state on homophobia, so now they're using different language. And it's still not working.
Posted by: Ryan's Take | Dec 18, 2006 12:06:29 PM
I find it odd that they (ie the worchester telegram) say the rally "turned ugly". I don't see what's attractive about protesting against another human beings rights.
Posted by: EireKev | Dec 18, 2006 12:19:59 PM
Oh, and thank you to Mrs Loy and her husband. I, and I'm sure everyone else here, appreciate it.
Posted by: EireKev | Dec 18, 2006 12:21:22 PM
Matt, I think it's wishful thinking to say that both sides would be happy with civil unions. They won't. I don't have any particular problem my relationship being described as a civil union, but even here in bluest-of-blue Wisconsin they passed a constitutional amendment prohibiting anything that even APPROXIMATES the status of marriage. I think it's obvious that religious conservatives would not be happy with a "separate but equal" status. They will only be happy when gay men and lesbians are either invisible or dead.
Never underestimate the power of religion when it comes to violent behavior. When logic and critical thinking are abandoned, and when people are dehumanized in the process, terrible things happen.
Posted by: Brian | Dec 18, 2006 12:24:49 PM
I've noticed several mentions that she should sue...but where were the police to arrest his for assaulting her? There are laws in every state agsinst physically attacking another person for ANY reason. Sad.
But kudos to her for her guts.
Posted by: Ben | Dec 18, 2006 12:29:28 PM
If this bothers you, join me in letting Larry Cirignano know how you feel!
Larry Cirignano
617-755-7668 (phone)
617-507-8263 (fax)
larryvote@aol.com
Posted by: Ulrich | Dec 18, 2006 12:39:16 PM
Disgusting. I applaude her efforts. I am amazed at the idiocy that still troubles our society. Did no one come to her aid? Indeed, where were (are) the police? The violence is unforgivable, unforgettable and sadly, continuing.
I live in RI and in recent weeks, I've met many gay/lesbian couples and singles that are moving from MA to RI. Leaving won't change those people but I'm getting a better understand of why they find RI citizens to be less homophobic. I'm not sure if RI has a better/bigger "gay community" or if its just more relaxed.
Posted by: Rob (lrdarystar) | Dec 18, 2006 12:43:18 PM
Hey, Andy -- Is there any way to get contact information for Sarah Loy? Well, not her home address or personal email given the wingnuts out there, but a "safe" way to send this woman something tangible to thank her for what she did? That photo of her in tears gets my blood boiling; especially after reading how she was the lone counter-protestor in that vicious crowd. As a communtiy we've sent flowers to thank Barbara Boxer and to support folks waiting to get married in San Francisco; why not do the same for Sarah?
Posted by: J.C. | Dec 18, 2006 12:50:26 PM
I'm so tired of hearing about this. How about we just accept the term, civil unions, and get what we want, which is legal equality and they can keep the term marriage. Both sides are happy.
Posted by: Matt | Dec 18, 2006 11:44:37 AM
How about religious nutjobs should just accept the term "gay marriage" and stop resorting to violence?!?!?! Wouldn't THAT make more sense? Seriously, Larry Cirignano should have been arrested for what he did to Mrs.Loy. He's a bastard who needs to keep his hands to himself. And he is proof that gay marriage isn't the real threat here.
Posted by: ___________________ | Dec 18, 2006 12:52:46 PM
We should figure out how to thank her.
Posted by: Anon | Dec 18, 2006 1:03:21 PM
Dave O, small quibble, but it's "frak".
PS. Turn on the subtitles. ;)
Posted by: Tread | Dec 18, 2006 1:13:40 PM
When I was growing up Catholic the Church recommended something called "ejaculatory prayer". (which are short prayers repeated often throughout the day, not shouting the Lord's name at the point of no return.)
I recommend this one:
Sweet Jesus. Save us from the Christians.
Posted by: Christopher | Dec 18, 2006 1:15:24 PM
Something tells me if I had been holding that sign instead of her, that freakin' coward would not have put his hands on me.
What's next, tripping up old ladies?
Posted by: mark m | Dec 18, 2006 1:19:21 PM
Ben, you're exactly right!!! Those chicken shit police didn't arrest him? They don't need Loy's permission to arrest when an assault is committed.
Posted by: Anon1 | Dec 18, 2006 1:20:51 PM
"That's what hate does, that's what hate does"
She is absolutely correct. That's what hate does...
Posted by: Greg | Dec 18, 2006 1:26:15 PM
The thing we should be asking is what's going to happen here? Personally, I want to see Cardinal O'Malley, of the Boston Archdiocese, apologize or at the very least ask Cirignano to step down and implore no more violence take place. Cirignano was very close to the Cardinal's efforts to get rid of gay marriage, O'Malley was a huge fan of these mini rallies. Just look at this picture: http://ryanpadams.blogspot.com/2006/12/hey-cardinal-omalley.html - Cirignano is standing with Cardinal O'Malley and Former Boston Mayor and Ambassidor to the Vatican Ray Flynn, both of whom spoke (hate) in Worcester on Saturday.
Posted by: Ryan's Take | Dec 18, 2006 1:30:03 PM
What a low life. I am sure he felt like a big man being able to push a woman down. Bet he was upset when he found out she wasn't a lesbian.
Posted by: Marco | Dec 18, 2006 1:51:42 PM
I think it's time to release a bit more information on events like this. This is actually the third issue in a series of events since a man was arrested at the Liberty Sunday event in front of Tremont Temple Baptist Church. There was another event that got no attention at the November 9 ConCon, in which a gay man was severely beaten after exchanging words with one of the "Christians" and he needed to be taken away by ambulance. Police would not have acted, but I pressed the issue and they got the assailant's name and story. Now we have this by the leader of the Catholic Citizenship Group himself. It's time to start standing up and say "no more".
Posted by: John Hosty | Dec 18, 2006 3:10:43 PM