Well, I've had my first instance of "hate crime" even though it wasn't a monetary loss, just upset me very badly. I even cried. I had a flat tire this morning so I took my mom's car to work. My son took the tire off my car and when I got home from work we went to get it fixed. As I was driving home, into the sun BTW, I noticed a penis had been drawn on my windshield in the area where the wipers can't reach. Underneath it it said DYKE. I called the police and talked to a young female police officer (yeah, she was very cute, but that's beside the point). She said that they couldn't really do anything about it but would take note of what had happened. Can't prove that the nail was deliberately planted. I honestly think it was. Paranoid much? I live in an area full of fraternities and sororities, most of whom are very conservative. I don't usually part in the street but had to last night. The one night my car is out there this happens. BTW, my son said the penis was very poorly drawn. I thought so too. LOL
Really not sure how to react to that other than to say I hope you're OK and offer a little hug emoticon (*hug*)
Makes me wonder whether it was one of my kids playing a joke. Except for the flat tire. Pretty sick if so.
so sorry that happened to you...hopefully the nail was just a bad coincedence...but the art work was just rude...hopefully it will never happen again (((HUGS)))
Biotech, that sucks big time. I so sorry that happened to you. People can be ignorant assholes. But there are more and more people all the time who reject homophobia. I hope one day the perpetrator will be ashamed of what he or she did.
Don't feel too bad about this, some people are just no damn good. But also, don't let the police brush this off. If it was just an intentional nail that would have been straight and stupid vandalism, but when they drew the penis and wrote "dyke", that (in my not so humble opinion) makes this a "hate crime", even if it isn't a serious underlying criminal act. If your jurisdiction recognizes hate crimes as serious escalations of other crimes in terms of the classification of punishment, it is important to take this matter up with someone in the district attorney's office, so that if any further events happen, it will be handled as a more serious act and part of an intentional persecution of you based on your sexual orientation. You might also want to think about putting a GoPro camera in your car to capture any activity of this type on video.
There is nothing worse than hate, intolerance and ignorance mixed together, especially when it's cloaked under the umbrella of religiosity or "conservative family values." Be strong, know you're loved; these people don't know you. But if it was me, I would be really rattled. Scary people out there but they are stupid cowards.
I've never liked frats and sororities, they've always struck me as rich kids clubs that just perpetuate the status quo. I work at a major university, and I'd love to see them banned, or limited to not having 'houses'. They cause a lot of problems, and don't tend to promote diversity, but to encourage separation: of class, of race, of gender. Not to say it was their doing, but I wouldn't put it past them.
Ugh. Not cool. I hear ya on the paranoid thing though- well, the wondering, I think is what I would call it. Had one of my back car lights smashed about a month ago when I was out w/ my gf. Had to wonder... Decided to go with the "new teenage driver accidentally backed into me in the parking lot and drove away, embarrassed." Feels better. Sorry you had to experience the wondering. And the flat.
Biotech, is there a sticker or anything else attached to your car? If so, you know how "cowards run in packs," and there in fact could be peer pressure among fraternity members. However, it may not have been someone from a fraternity at all. I was profiling. I hope this stops. And your son's sense of humor probably helped take some of the stress out of the situation. ---------- Post added 19th Nov 2013 at 01:50 PM ---------- I agree with you. However, if the school is public, there's not much they can do. They are a calling card for schools steeped in that tradition. Some private schools have their charters written up to forbid them for the very reasons you mention. It continues the clique system from high school and I don't see its value. However, the clique system continues into the work world and in adult life, so maybe they are a part of basic reality. Regardless, I think they do way more harm than good. Their one or two community efforts a year don't offset their vandalism, hazing, noise, and caste system like behavior.
I hope you're okay. Don't let their narrow mind constrict yours. @Stupid judgemental folk, go mind your own business!
Ditto the first part. Regarding the second? Hopefully (maybe to OP's name will factor in here) they discover their capacity for love and acceptance when their own children come out to them! :badgrin: ---------- Post added 19th Nov 2013 at 10:29 PM ---------- Humble or not, Yossarian has nailed it in one (please forgive the despicable pun). This was a hate crime, no doubt. Make certain your law enforcement office labels it as such!
Peeps can be so fucked up.. .so sorry you had to go through that. Yeah... it was a hate crime. Sending you loads of virtual luv.. use as detergent to wash it away. Hugs!
Well, I am hoping it was an isolated incident. I won't be parking my car in the street unless I have to! I do have an HRC equality sticker on the back bumper. Still... Yeah, people can be homophobic jerks but there seem to be fewer of them around these days. Those who can't accept us for who we are are on the losing side of history.
