A gay couple in St. Peter, Minnesota says they and their daughter have been threatened in an anonymous letter sent by someone they suspect lives nearby. The alleged letter, which is full of anti-gay slurs, calls the couple “filth” and says their daughter needs to “look out behind her back.”
The writer of the letter, which was published by the Mankato Free Press, also threatens to torch their home and says “a gun could be used to eliminate you.” An attorney representing the couple also published the letter to Facebook.
The Mankato Free Press reports:
St. Peter police are investigating the letter as a possible crime, Chief Matt Peters said. It isn’t part of a trend; there haven’t been any similar letters in St. Peter recently, he said.
The women say they were shocked to receive the letter, which was typed and mailed, and have no idea who wrote it.
“I have never, ever in my entire life felt unsafe in St. Peter,” one of the women said. “This is where I grew up. This is my home.”
The supportive response — including on Facebook, where a family member and the couple’s attorney posted the letter — have been heartening.
“If anything, it’s made me more proud to live in St. Peter,” she said. “Reading and hearing and seeing all the amazing things that people are saying and doing for us.”
The daughter’s school has also been made aware of the threats.
