A Georgia homeowner says he “absolutely” experienced a hate crime after he found anti-gay slurs keyed into his car and his tires slashed.
Taner Bayram of Brookhaven, was home last Saturday night with a friend when “heard a hiss” and ran to the door, but was unable to catch the culprit in the act.
He found his tires had been slashed, the side of his car had been keyed, and someone had scratched: “He takes d**k” with a crude picture of male genitalia, and an unfinished message reading “he has A-.” His friend’s car was similarly vandalized.
Bayram, who immigrated 20 years ago from the Middle East where he knew of LGBTQ people who were harmed for their sexuality, says he believes the incident constitutes a hate crime, not just a property crime.
“It’s a hate crime, it’s absolutely a hate crime,” he told Atlanta area CBS affiliate WGCL-TV. “Whoever it was was trying to [write] I have AIDS.”
He believes the culprit or culprits were able to get away before Bayram and his friend could reach the window to see what the noise was.
What’s even more mysterious is that Bayram only recently moved into his home three weeks ago, so he doesn’t believe he’s been around long enough to make enemies or develop suspicions about his neighbors.
A report from the Brookhaven Police Department classified the crime as having no bias motivation — which can be tough to prove — meaning it is not currently classified as a hate crime. But that could change if police obtain more evidence or identify the vandals.
Brookhaven Police are asking neighbors with any information or possible security video footage to come forward. Tips can be submitted by calling the department at 404-637-0477, or submitted anonymously through the Crime Stoppers Greater Atlanta hotline at 404-577-TIPS(8477).
In the long scheme of things, Bayram says he’ll be able to move on with his life, but believes the vandals carry a lot of hatred in their hearts.
“This is a little scratch for me, it shook me a little bit, but at the end of the day it’s a financial hiccup. No biggie,” he said. “In a couple weeks it’s going to be fixed but that person should be fixed.
“Hate kills. I feel sorry for them,” he added. “I forgive them but I think they have a bigger issue than my forgiveness.”
LGBTQ Victory Fund, the national organization dedicated to electing LGBTQ leaders to public office, is denouncing a series of robotexts emphasizing the sexual orientation of Rashaun Kemp, a Democratic candidate for state representative in Georgia.
The robotexts, which were sent to thousands of voters within the district, showed a screenshot of a Facebook post that includes a picture of Kemp and his husband kissing on their wedding day.
The texts say: "It's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer Pride Month and we are winning thanks to voters like you! I will make it my business to push the movement forward. I need you to advance the PRIDE agenda! RaShaun Kemp for Georgia! #pride."
Ukrainian soldiers are wearing their pride on their chest with a unicorn patch as an act of defiance against Russia and the country’s attempted erasure of LGBTQ+ people.
Out LGBTQ soldiers currently fighting for Ukraine’s sovereignty from Russia have been donning unicorn patches to signal to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and Russia as a whole, that they won't be silenced.
Back in 2014, Russia invaded Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula. During that invasion, there was an overwhelming push by the Russian military to remove anyone from its ranks who identified as a part of the LGBTQ community.
A minister who regularly preaches against homosexuality, and has advocated for the death penalty to punish people who engage in homosexual behavior, recently railed against Pride Month at a city council meeting in Arlington, Texas.
"God's already ruled that murder, adultery, witchcraft, rape, bestiality, and homosexuality are crimes worthy of capital punishment," Jonathan Shelley, the pastor of Stedfast Baptist Church in Fort Worth, said at last week's council meeting.
Shelley made the remarks during a public comment period along with several dozen other people who had come to the May 26 council meeting to demand that their elected officials stop recognizing June as LGBTQ Pride Month and remove displays about LGBTQ topics from local public libraries.
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