STATEMENT from PEREZ HILTON
"Words can hurt. I know that
very well, from both sides of the fence. The other night in Toronto,
after feeling physically threatened by a verbally abusive Will.I.Am of
the Black Eyed Peas, I chose the most hurtful word I know to hurl at
him. I was in an out-of-the ordinary situaton and used a word that I
would not utter under normal circumstances. My intention – however
misguided it may have been – was to stand up for myself and tell this
belligerent man that I had enough of his badgering and was not going to
continue to let him berate and intimidate me. I wanted to hurt him with
the word I chose, not anyone else. Unfortunately, the one who got hurt
was me and, subsequently, a lot of other people. I wish none of it had
happened. I can't take it back. I did what I thought was best at the
moment to stand up for myself in a non-violent yet still assertive way.
Clearly, I am not homophobic. Also, I am not nor have I ever claimed to
be a spokesperson for the gay community. I am just speaking for myself,
a gay man. One who is labeled "flamboyant" in the media. An American
that is not granted equal rights under the law. I will continue to
speak out for equality and I will continue to say things that upset
both gay people and straight people. Who I am as a person and what I do
for a living are two separate things. I've come to terms with all my
incongruities and am proud of who I am and what I do.
In closing, words
can hurt. But words should not provoke someone to violence. Stripped
away from the mask of Perez Hilton, I have been extremely bothered by
the public reaction to my assault. Violence should never be condoned
with such statements as "It's Karma" or "I don't believe in violence
but….". In fact, several television and radio shows over the past couple of days echoed the sentiment "He
had it coming". Would they have said the same thing if I was a woman?
Would I have "deserved it" if I had been stabbed? Or shot? Or killed? I
was attacked from behind without warning and repeatedly punched in the
head in a cold, disgusting and unnecessarily violent manner by Polo
Molina, the road manager for the Black Eyed Peas, who I did not even
speak with that evening. I did not share any words with him and his
assault on me was completely unprovoked. I feel like everything happens
for a reason and I leave this traumatic experience as a person with
more compassion. Specifically, there was an instance last year when
actor Jesse Metcalfe was attacked outside of a Hollywood nightclub by a
fellow entertainer. I did not condone the violence, but I did make
light of that situation. I regret that. Sincerely.
There are many ways
to deal with disagreements, both good and bad, but violence is never
the answer. Never. I now know that first-hand. It should not be
condoned, promoted or accepted. No one "deserves" to be the victim of
violence. No one "has it coming." NO ONE. And victims should not be
ridiculed. I look forward to marching for equality in Washington, D.C.
this October. And I look forward to standing up for my rights in a
Toronto courtroom shortly, as I fully intend to seek every lawful
remedy against the man that attacked me."
(source)
