Eggings and Beatings: Is Gay Hate-Crime on the Rise in Long Beach?

Details: By Greggory Moore; | Thursday, 04 August 2011 07:00

9:39am | On July 25 I wrote of an egging at The Library coffeehouse, suggesting that circumstantial evidence pointed to its having been a gay-bashing. And even though I didn't claim there was definitive proof that it was so, several commenters seemed to flinch at considering the possibility.

Today — August 3, as I write this — someone egged my friend Asya's house, in front of which she flies a gay pride flag.

"I put this flag up during Gay Pride, and I had more than one person ask me if I was worried about something happening to my house because of it," Asya recalls. "'No, of course not,' I said. 'This is Long Beach!'"

I know, I know: this isn't proof it was a gay-bashing. Asya doesn't says it's proof, either. We can't know for sure.

But we do know that in the two weeks between the eggings, police say that on Broadway Ave. — the same street on which The Library is located — three separate incidents of violence against gay men took place.

Long Beach Police Sgt. Rico Fernandez was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying, "We don’t believe any of these three are connected in any way.”

But with due respect to the good sergeant and the rest of the LBPD, if (as the police indicate) there were anti-gay slurs used in all three attacks, I'd say there's at least one connection.

In response to my July 25 column, commenter Eagle Eye wrote: "Gee, another gay agenda piece by Greggory." And in one sense he's right on. I wrote that — and write this — because I do have a gay agenda: I want everyone who self-identifies as gay to enjoy all of the rights and freedoms I get simply because I happen to be heterosexual.

And I think talking openly about what is going on in our community, discussing all the possible ways in which homophobia may be rearing its ugly head, furthers that agenda.

To that end, a Unity Gathering will take place 6 p.m. Thursday, August 4, at Hot Java coffeehouse (corner of Broadway and Junipero Ave.). For more information on the gathering, click here.

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Archived Comments (10)

karel

There is a growing backlash against GLBT community because of the growing acceptance. Historically, it happens to every minority as they gain ground. Also, in a bad economy, tensions get amplified. Couple that with the fact Long Beach is going to hell (crime in Rose Park is soaring, daytime burglaries, defacating in front of people's garages, mugging on Temple and 8th just yesterday...yes GLBT community is feeling it, but so is everyone. Long Beach is going back to being a dangerous hood. Thanks budget cuts.

Zan

I haven't lived in Long Beach in a few years, but I can tell you- The Library Coffeehouse has been a target for years. I witnessed three separate incidents during my patronage there. The first, an ice cold beverage was tossed out a passing car window toward the group of people standing around outside The Library. The second time, a container of restaurant leftovers were tossed at us. And the third, a round of M80's were thrown at the crowd. Thankfully, these guys had horrible aim and not once did anyone get hurt... but it was disconcerting to say the least! We called the police all three times. The first two times, the cops never showed up. The third time, with the M80's, they took their sweet time and didn't show up until an hour later. I think I might have felt more safe in LB as an openly gay woman had the police taken these incidents more seriously.

JohnD

Attn : Gay community
I have nothing against gay people. But what ever you do, just dont parade. Your parade last year (prop 8 -I think) blocking streets (especially Broadway). Fight your cause, but people DO need to go home to their family.

Dave in Alamitos Beach

I live relatively close to the corner of 4th & Cherry and I can say that the neighborhood has really changed in the last two years or so. Lots more graffiti, lots more confrontational men, lots more noise, more gunfire, etc. When the prisons are emptied, I really fear for Long Beach.

Lorenzo (San Diego)

I just heard this on the new, and its a horrible thing. The only way is for all LGBT people to come together to strike back! We are stil opressed for being a wonderful race of love. We will not hate but we will fight!

JohnD that's a separate issue irrelevant to this one, but since you brought it up, gay folks have families too, and they were protesting to gain back the right they lost, to go home to the same kind of families as everyone else. Unless you're suggesting that the recent assaults are related to anger about a traffic jam, I'd say doubtful, but even if so, gay folks don't negotiate with terrorists. Folks could bring it to their councilman instead of threatening and fighting. Long Beach has long been known as one of the gayest cities in the country and that isn't going to change. Folks need to accept that reality. Once there is equality, there will be no more need for protests, and hopefully less hate crimes, once the backlash settles down.

vcb2011

As long as the Blue Line ends downtown it will never get any better.

willy

nice piece, mr moore. One thing: Long Beach Police Sgt. Rico Fernandez was quoted in the Los Angeles Times as saying, "We don't believe any of these three are connected in any way."

But with due respect to the good sergeant and the rest of the LBPD, if (as the police indicate) there were anti-gay slurs used in all three attacks, I'd say there's at least one connection. IN some quotes I saw, something like "except of course for the status of the victims". I think we know what they mean: These attackers werent working together.

Zwindorz

Many in the African-American and Latino communities are continualy being bombarded from the pulpits of fundamental and evangelical churches that homosexuality is a sin and gay marriage is destroying our culture, so the youth of these groups feel empowered to act out against gays. A sad outcome from what is supposed to be an inclusive and welcoming religion.

John B. Greet

I think hate crimes legislation is counter-productive.

A battery is a battery and shouldn't be prosecuted any differently based upon the motivation behind it. It no doubt "feels" more fair and just to some, to punish people for feeling a hateful emotion and then acting upon that emotion in an unlawful manner. But to say that a battery is a *more* significant offense because it is considered a "hate crime," is likewise to say that a battery that is not considered a "hate crime" is a *less* significant offense.

This is hardly an example of equal justice under the law.

The non-hate crime victim is just as battered, but his attacker is punished to a *lesser* degree than is somone eles's attacker who supposedly acted out of hate?

Get rid of the whole divisive and nebulous question of hate v. non-hate and just punish *all* criminals more severely for committing *all* crimes.

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