11/07/2008
Gay Men with Rainbow Flag Attacked by Republican on Election Night
Two gay men celebrating Obama's win and carrying a rainbow flag following celebrations on election night were attacked in Washington D.C. by a disgruntled Republican coming out of the hotel where the GOP was commiserating over its loss:
"As two men celebrating the Democratic victory passed the hotel, someone darted at them and attacked them, according to the men and witnesses. 'He seemed to be a little intoxicated and maybe he was a little upset because his candidate didn't win,' said Zack Pesavento, one of the two men who said they were attacked and filed a police complaint...Witnesses say it started when one man lunged at the other two and grabbed their rainbow flag, the symbol of gay rights. 'When I tried to grab it away from him, he started hitting me, trying to attack me,' said Steve Kensinger, the other of two men who reported the attack. 'He was very aggressive and very threatening and it definitely scared me.' Pesavento says his friend got the worst of it. 'It was really violent and it it was really frightening and it seemed like he was really trying to hurt him,' Pesavento said."
The attacker, who claims he did not know what the rainbow flag symbolizes, has been charged with assault.
ABC cameras caught the end of the altercation.
Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 10:37 AM EST by Andy Towle in Crime, Election 2008, News, Rainbow Flag, Republican Party, Washington DC | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Can't gay men defend themselves ? Two men against one and still we lose. If a straight guy tried to hit me, he'd be on the floor crying. Enough with the eternal path of victimhood, we need to defend ourselves.
Posted by: nellie | Nov 7, 2008 10:52:45 AM
Nope, you can't take that away!
Posted by: JeffRob | Nov 7, 2008 10:56:38 AM
Seriously, enough with the victimhood. No offense, but pick up some weights, not a flag, and start defending OURSELVES as it seems no one else is willing to do so...
Posted by: Cj | Nov 7, 2008 10:56:42 AM
Good idea, Nellie, we'll all carry guns and shoot each other.
Posted by: Chad | Nov 7, 2008 11:00:55 AM
Gay men shouldn't be ashamed that many of us abhor violence. The problem is that those of us who don't like to fight are the ones who get gay-bashed & whupped. Those gay men who do fight give off an aura of confidence--and so they don't USUALLY get fucked with.
Us precious pansies are easy targets: we either better learn to fight back or carry a straight razor...no, an ice pick is neater. But it may lead to jail. Honey, I know.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 7, 2008 11:04:49 AM
off topic (kinda), but this is great you guys:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2008-11-06/you-can-forget-my-taxes/
Posted by: hella | Nov 7, 2008 11:10:21 AM
Well they got the right guy, had it been a drag queen with that sign, that two bit bigot would have got beat down. Have to give the queens credit, they will fight to the end, and, will not be disrespected by anyone. This passive nature is just awful, come up on me with that trash talk, and, swinging arms, and, you will get the fight of your life.
This is one gay man who has had it with hate and am going to let them know it if confronted.
Posted by: Sebastian | Nov 7, 2008 11:20:12 AM
Guns are fine -- we as a community SHOULD be willing to defend ourselves (and each other), be it with guns, fists, or words. If more faggots were known to be armed, bashers might stop and think before attacking us.
Posted by: tjc | Nov 7, 2008 11:22:10 AM
Enough with victimhood, in DC or CA. ACT UP/Civil disobedience is what we need now.
Who was the guy....he should publicly exposed. Is there a mug shot of him?
Posted by: Chris | Nov 7, 2008 11:22:19 AM
I fight back with witty repertoire and clever innuendo.
Posted by: crispy | Nov 7, 2008 11:39:48 AM
Yeah, CRISPY, I used a cleaver innuendo on a gay-basher one night in the late 70s... I cut that motha' all right. And all the wit in the world couldn't save him.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 7, 2008 11:55:30 AM
Think! I was stupid enough to fight back when the guy shoved me. His two friends appeared out of nowhere and broke my jaw. I would have been better off just walking away from the shove and calling the police.
Posted by: Mike in the Tundra | Nov 7, 2008 11:57:32 AM
First of all Nellie. I think the point here is that violence is wrong. You say what you would do, but when it happens to you, you don't always have time to align your HUGE manhood with what is going on in your head (the one on your shoulders hopefully containing brains......another one
Posted by: Wazz | Nov 7, 2008 12:03:29 PM
Take a martial arts class, bitches. Be versatile.
Posted by: Brendan | Nov 7, 2008 12:07:30 PM
There are 10 comments on this story and each one is bashing the victims. What the fuck are you guys smoking?
Posted by: Kyle | Nov 7, 2008 12:24:58 PM
Try: www.pinkpistols.com
Posted by: Mike Hunt | Nov 7, 2008 12:25:31 PM
A conservative is a liberal who's been mugged?
Posted by: anon | Nov 7, 2008 12:34:18 PM
Interesting observation and approrpriate message, KYLE. I would bet, or guess, that for every gay person who reports a violent gay-bashing there are probably 20 more who don't. We tend to blame ourselves. We shouldn't but we do. The reason many of us blame ourselves is that everyone has been telling us since we were toddlers, "fight back!" What appears to be blaming the victim can also be trying to stop the shame, and stopping the low self-esteem--even when we didn't do anything to be ashamed of.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Nov 7, 2008 12:59:24 PM
Yes, attacking the victims is wrong. But this nonsense of engaging in "non-violence" when being attacked is absurd.
Violence is absolutely wrong when used in the offensive. But used in one's self defense, it really isn't violence.
I am generally a peaceful person. In Florida I had to drive and walk by plenty of anti-gay marriage supporters and I never once fell prey to the urge to rip up their signs or flip them off.
But if one of them had attacked me, I would have fought back to the best of my (or my Glock's) abilities. And I would not have been engaging in "violence." It would be self defense.
Posted by: PatrickPatrick | Nov 7, 2008 1:45:10 PM
I'm so thankful my dad made me take martial arts when I was 15 yrs and getting my ass beat then. Fast forward 24 yrs later, heavy weights, thai boxing and judo black belt, the 2 str8 bashers who attack me in NYC got a wicked beating, discolated jaw, and the respect of NYPD.
Posted by: LL | Nov 7, 2008 1:50:57 PM
The proper amount of pressure applied to the attacker's testicles or a swift blow to snap a knee can work wonders. I've seen big men brought low when their victim squeezes and twists their genitalia or applies a swift kick to the knee. You don't always need a weapon, just the right moves. Until gays stop allowing themselves to be victims, these assaults will only increase. Self defense should become compulsory training for all gay men and women.
Posted by: Bob R | Nov 7, 2008 2:52:43 PM
Thanks CHRIS, it is again time for us to organize civil disobedience ACT UP style. We shouldn't be quietly tolerating 3rd class citizen treatment. It's time to start marching again. Let's remember, too, the mention we received from Obama in his speech on election night. Our voice IS being heard, there's still work to be done.
What makes a victim is a victimizER - plenty of people are ambushed, assaulted and murdered, it doesn't make them weak or inferior. Get a grip!
Posted by: Vince in Florida | Nov 7, 2008 3:05:46 PM
I sympathize with the victoms but we have got to stop this. Enough with the Dukakis non-violence bullshit. If you are attacked, fight back. Take your rainbow flag and beat the shit out of the drunken bigot. Fight back and most bullies will run away. If they do not then go down swinging: Eyes, neck, balls, and knees.
Posted by: rudy | Nov 7, 2008 3:55:06 PM
They should have pinned the Republican down and did his hair.
Posted by: Dave | Nov 7, 2008 3:57:30 PM
Damn skippy! Get a damn gun! We can carry guns down here in Texas. If this happened to me I would have popped a cap in his ass or head for that matter if he attacked me! no ifs ands or buts. That guy would be dead and there isnt a court of law down here that would put me in jail for it! Self defense rules the law! It is time to get it with it guys! Learn to shoot a gun and know that the middle ages are upon us. This is just the beginning of our dystopian days! Be prepared be always prepared. They hate us and it is time to hate them at least a little more. Embrace Israel's mantra, "Never again! Never again! Never again!
Posted by: Clay | Nov 7, 2008 4:30:37 PM