11/02/2009
Georgetown University Sees Third Anti-Gay Hate Crime in a Week
Two students at Georgetown University were targeted in anti-gay assaults this week, The Hoya reports:
"According to a DPS Public Safety Alert, a male suspect repeatedly asked the victim, 'Are you a homo?' before physically assaulting the victim. The victim was taken to the emergency room of Georgetown University Hospital by GERMS to be treated for injuries sustained in the assault.
The PSA e-mailed to campus Sunday afternoon said the incident was reported at about 1:32 a.m. Sunday morning, but did not specify when the incident took place.
The suspect was described as a white male wearing red and white face paint and a black leather jacket. DPS notified the Metropolitan Police Department and an investigation is in progress, the PSA said.
A female student was allegedly physically assaulted on Canal Road last Tuesday by two unknown males after being taunted on the basis of her perceived sexual orientation. She said she was wearing a T-shirt expressing support for gay rights at the time."
Georgetown students rallied against the incidents in Red Square on Sunday night. (image the hoya)
Additionally, an anti-gay slur was written across the door of the school's LGBTQ Resource Center.
The University sent out an email: "As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we are committed to fostering a community that is welcoming to all and values understanding, tolerance, inclusion and respect. Over the past week, we have seen several incidents take place on or near campus that are especially troubling because they have targeted members of our community with homophobic language and disrespect. Two incidents were off campus assaults and today a written slur was posted on the door of the LGBTQ Resource Center. These acts are unacceptable. We take these incidents and the safety of our campus community very seriously and are taking steps to address the needs of our students at this time."
Watch a report on the attacks from MyFoxDC, AFTER THE JUMP...
Posted 7:08 PM EST by Andy Towle in Crime, Education, Gay Slurs, News, Washington DC | Permalink
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Good old Georgetown. Lots of gals with eating disorders who look like Olive Oyl on crack, lots of incredibly hot and homophobic frat boys, and lots of mamby-pamby Jesuits talking about 'faith-based celebrations of diversity and inclusiveness,' blah blah blah.
Posted by: Yeek | Nov 2, 2009 7:29:18 PM
Meanwhile, the Catholic church is bashing gay rights in Maine with $$$. Those efforts are not without consequences for the LGBT community, although they may be more subtle than outright violence. Empty reassurances...just what I've come to expect from the church.
Posted by: KJ | Nov 2, 2009 7:34:43 PM
"As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we are committed to fostering a community that is welcoming to all and values understanding, tolerance, inclusion and respect."
Hmm. Funny how like sounds like a joke when you first read it.
Posted by: Paul R | Nov 2, 2009 7:39:39 PM
As a gay Georgetown student, I'd just like to say that while some of the stereotypes mentioned above are still visible, the present-day student body is a lot more diverse than you give it credit for. Even most of the "frat boys" I know on campus are generally pro gay rights. That's why these sort of hate crimes are such a big deal. And keep in mind that Georgetown's catholic identity is about as far removed from the haters in Maine as you can get. The university is surprisingly liberal, and we are one of the only catholic universities in the world to even have an LGBTQ Center.
Also, if any other Gtown kids read this, remember to come to the rally in red square at 8:30pm!
Posted by: gu senior | Nov 2, 2009 7:53:58 PM
Thanks GU Senior. I'm sick of these gay guys trying to stick people into neat little categories like "homophobic frat boys."
Posted by: JT | Nov 2, 2009 8:16:15 PM
Well, it's been 6 years since I was there. Maybe things have changed. But, I stick to the evidence of my experience for now: there were a lot of homophobic frat boys when I was there. Not all of 'em, but "a lot." It sounds like not much has changed. As for this incident...red and white face paint? Maybe it was a homophobic clown or Cherokee brave and not a sports fan.
Oh, and that LGBTQ center? The University caved because the city of DC named them in a lawsuit.
Posted by: Yeek | Nov 2, 2009 8:38:36 PM
yeah, because there's like two or three gay frat guys in "progressive" frats! Admittedly, when you adjust for closeted, it goes down to two, but they're representin'!
The jesuits used to be the holders of the torch of knowledge. Descartes was taught 'rithmetic by jesuits...and now look at them... That said, georgetown's got solid academics, is progressive as per the statement, and is a respectable place to go to school, making this all the more disturbing. But good on those holding rallies.
Posted by: TANK | Nov 2, 2009 9:01:27 PM
Sounds like Pazuzu has infiltrated the Georgetown area yet again. Call Father Merrin.
Posted by: Ed | Nov 2, 2009 10:54:47 PM
I apologize, Yeek, if it seemed like I was trying to attack you personally on that one. I didn't mean that, and I won't diminish what you claim you've experienced. But, what exactly is a "frat boy" in general? A white college student under age 25. Statistically-speaking, that's a relatively pro-gay-rights category.
Posted by: JT | Nov 2, 2009 11:45:13 PM
As an openly gay alumnus of Georgetown University, it bothers me when people try to stereotype the students with loaded phrases like "frat boys."
When I was a student, there were no fraternities at Georgetown. As far as I know, there never have been fraternities at Georgetown. Georgetown would not tolerate a "Greek system" like the one at UVA, for instance.
Hence, no "frat boys" at Georgetown -- homophobic or otherwise.
Posted by: Rick Sincere | Nov 2, 2009 11:56:22 PM
^pazuzu... lol!
sorry yeek, but you're just wrong. The LGBTQ center was established my sophomore year as a result of student pressure on the administration, which eventually responded quite proactively. No lawsuits were involved. You're probably thinking of the establishment of GU Pride, which did involve a lawsuit because of the District's human rights code. But that was a long while back.
I know that gay people at georgetown tend to be more cynical towards the university than others. but things have only gotten better since I got here. No sense not to give the administration and the student body some credit for that.
Posted by: gu senior | Nov 3, 2009 12:02:19 AM
Well thank God he wasn't African American!
Posted by: Chris | Nov 3, 2009 12:44:14 AM
Rick Sincere, you make it sound like the Greek system is part of UVA's administration and/or controls the school or its social life. Frats are private entities that throw parties attended by a small portion of the student population. That's about it.
I had no problems being out at UVA 20 years ago, including at frat parties. Actually that's usually how I got laid.
Posted by: Paul R | Nov 3, 2009 1:15:14 AM
Most white men are pro gay rights?
Since when?
Have you all noticed that young white men grow up to become those old farts in the GOP?
That doesn't happen by accident folks. Many of these old hands got an early start by joining the College Republicans. That has always been the case. Obviously, a political party isn't viable without new recruits. And for the Republicans, white males have always been the demographic that's most receptive to their message. A party whose message is so anti-gay it can't even bring itself to take a stand against criminalizing homosexuality.
Although I'm sure none of the "Conservagays" could bring themselves to even admit it, the 83 member strong LGBT caucus in Congress is made up of mostly women and minorities. One of the Vice Chairs of the caucus is Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN), a black man and the only Muslim in Congress. You know, that horrible "savage" religion that must be destroyed at all costs.
Posted by: John | Nov 3, 2009 4:40:36 AM
That's your preferred fantasy, though, John. The rest of us go by data, polls, and statistics.
Posted by: JT | Nov 3, 2009 4:50:16 AM
JT,
Why is it a fantasy?
Why do you use data, polls, and statistics as your weapon against African Americans?
Is your prejudice ass aware that data, polls, and statistics is only a smidget of whatever ones talking about?
Why hide behind the cover of racism using data, polls, and statistics. Are you suggesting that all whites just love gays? Can you prove that all of the white gays have wonderful relationships with their families still in spite of their objection to this lifestyle?
So I'm not sure who the rest of you are when you say that? I'm assuming your Mom and Pop who's home training taught you well about trying to be sophiscated about your hate. Instead just being the cocksucking queen you are and just say because of data, polls, and statistics I HATE BLACKS!
Dumb ass queen!...Why girls like you don't have mouth like this live in person?
Posted by: Chris | Nov 3, 2009 7:20:17 AM
Fantasy implies a metaphysical conjuring of untruths.
- I'm pretty sure the LGBT caucus exists.
- I'm pretty sure Congressman Ellison exists.
- And I'm pretty sure that presidential election polling exists too. If white men in this country had their way, we'd be saluting President McCain and Vice President Palin right now. You can go to CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, or even FOX and look at the data yourself.
It would have been a Republican landslide. And not just in the Deep South either. Obama would've lost his *home state* of Illinois in an all Caucasian and male election. Not to mention New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and several other must win states for a Democrat.
Yeah, real "pro gay" there, white men. Electing Grandpa and Miss Alaska - the people who explicitly endorse homophobia as a public policy - will certainly mean all sorts of progress for homosexuals.
And you're accusing minorities of living in a "fantasy"?
Posted by: John | Nov 3, 2009 12:13:37 PM
Rick, GU Senior
1) "Frat Boy" does of course refer to someone who is as member of the Greek fraternal orders, but in common parlance it is also slang for a beer-pounding, obnoxiously loud althetically-obsessed male who associates almost exclusively with similar individuals and is often hostile to those outside his clique. There's some good examples on Urban Dictionary. That's the sense I intended here. I think most people get that, but if it was too subtle then I hope this clarifies. I would say that someone wearing Phillies-colors face-paint during the world series accosting someone not far from Tombs falls into this possible category. Maybe not, but it certainly recalls some negativity.
2) GU pride was the source of the original lawsuit, but the LGBT center was an inevitable fait accompli once the university was forced to acknowledge a legitimate campus gay group. The legal argument had been conceded and the original incident was a PR disaster for the university. The fact that Georgetown is one of the only universities with an LGBT center is not a product of its enlightened nature, but rather a product of the DC local governance, student pressure, and a failed battle in the past. I think it's a good thing, but you're very mistaken if you think they wouldn't get rid of that center in a second if they thought they could weather the legal and PR storm.
I hope Georgetown is getting better. Most of the graduate programs are ok, though the medical school is notoriously unkind to gay students. The undergraduate regard for gay people left me unimpressed when I was there and stories like this one make that skepticism hard to dismiss.
Posted by: Yeek | Nov 3, 2009 6:07:39 PM
Those wacky Jesuit intellectuals!
The bourgeois radical 'progressives' aren't really interested in equality. Their agenda, psychologically and ideologically, goes much deeper than that. And the more open-minded and empathetic you are, the more they will find reason to mock you for not doing enough. No good deed goes un-punished. Truer words have never been said.
Posted by: John | Nov 4, 2009 4:14:47 AM