Gay Man Says He Was Attacked, Branded By Men With Knife (Kansas City, MO)

[Duncan Grant]

***Thursday December 16th***
<snip>
Augustine reported that Elliott was attacked in his parking lot in the 10900 block of 19th Street South. The men held him down and cut his forehead and abdomen with a knife and then branded his chest. Elliott said the men used a lighter to heat up the knife. He said he believes they wanted to burn a homosexual slur on his skin.

"I'm just branded and sliced and cut and hurt on the inside emotionally. But I'm still here. I'm surviving and living," Elliott said.

The case is under investigation by police.

"I don't want to be run out of my own home because of two monsters and let them win," Elliott said.
<snip> emphasis mine

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/4003342/detail.html

I'm posting this because I want the conservative-religious-right-wing assholes who lurk here to explain this cruelty to me. Please note that it's always 2 or more who perpetrate violence against GLBT people - it's never a fair fight.

Okay all you Bible thumping moral beacons, explain to me who the REAL perverts are here. Just because you're not as overt in your homophobia doesn't mean you're not culpable. You are culpable.

And a quick note to the African-American clergy who say that GLBT civil rights have nothing in common with "the civil rights movement": Would you care to make that argument with Mr. Elliott from the story above?

I have no tolerance for this inhumanity toward GLBT people; it infuriates me! :grr:

[shraby]

1. I hope they catch the hate-mongers!

I have no tolerance for people who do such horrid things to others. I hope he can identify them so they can be put in jail for a long time.

[progressivedancer]

2. WOW

"The meek shall inherit the earth."

I'm not Catholic or Christian, but as a Buddhist I take it that this means the most prosecuted shall inherit the Earth?

It's times like these that make me wonder about the conscience of human beings.

[Cronus Protagonist]

3. The story seems unbelievable

I don't want to be overly cynical, but I also don't want to be gullible. People do things like this to themselves all the time for attention and other sick reasons.

He's a VERY big guy. If only two people attacked him, one held him down while one person heated the knife and branded him. Wouldn't that be the time to make an escape? And why no marks on the back or buttocks - only in places that could be self-inflicted. And why no description of the "attackers"? Additionally, it seems the marks of the point of the blade indicates the attacker to be left-handed, or perhaps would it be more likely a self-inflicted wound by a right-handed man?

Sorry, but his credibility is in question until I get more info on it and it looks like there isn't any more info to be had.

[jukes]

4. escape from 2 men

@ least 1 armed w/ a knife? you've watched too many movies. unless you're really well trained & *used* to violence, this scenario is pretty intimidating.

when i was a cop, i handled several attacks on gay men, razor cuts to the face, etc. i'll give him the benefit of the doubt until there's some evidence to prove he was nuts enough to slice himself up & brand himself.

but you go ahead & believe whatever makes you more comfortable.

[Cronus Protagonist]

6. The point is that I don't believe it - I prefer proof

You can get by on his claims alone if you want, but I want to see proof.

Where's the marks on his back from being forced against the ground by two men? Where's the bruises he incurred in the struggle? Cracked ribs? Abrasions? Torn fingernails? Scuffs on his shoes?

Are we supposed to believe that two men walked up to him, showed him a knife and he stood there, letting them cut him up, without raising his forearms to stop the blade, and he never fought back?

Then one heated up a knife with a lighter on a windless street and burned the guy's chest in a pattern of letters using his left hand.

He didn't need restraint, he was compliant because, well, there were two of them and he's only 325 pounds.

Sorry, doesn't fit. Give it a week or two and we'll see how it turns out. I say there's not enough evidence to believe any of his claims.

Again, I'm not saying he's lying, I'm saying it sounds fishy and the evidence is not there one way or the other.

[Terran]

13. There's little point in being skeptical

because you've only heard the bare minimum of alleged facts in the case. There's a police report somewhere that no doubt has all the information necessary to make this case credible or not. No marks on back or buttocks? Maybe he was wearing a jacket and shirt at the time, because it's been cold, ever think of that? No injuries from a struggle? How do you know? And does it occur that many gay men are too shy and non-violent to put any kind of a struggle against something like that? Especially a guy that's chubby and not athletic? Sorry, it fits just fine.

Also, the story is tagged Kansas City, but actually took place in Independence, a good-sized city due east of KC and in its metro area. KC proper is liberal and friendly to gays, although not violence-proof. Independence is the burbs, and likely far more subject to such behavior.

[Duncan Grant]

5. The story seems believable.

Maybe I'm being gullible while not wanting to be cynical.

Yes, it's possible that Mr. Elliott isn't credible - perhaps this is a hoax.

It's also possible that people who are subjected to violence are capable of all manner of inexplicable behavior. Ask anyone here who's been bashed about their rational and competent behavior during a bashing.

The article doesn't say that Elliott couldn't describe his attackers. It may be that the police have embargoed that information as part of their investigation. Maybe the reporter didn't ask, "Please describe your attackers". That might be another possible explanation.

His wounds may be self-inflicted or because of the season, he may have been wearing enough extra clothing (coat, gloves, etc.) that some of the violence was thwarted in its intended severity.

Additionally, the marks of the point of the blade look to be made by a right-handed person, imho. Maybe Elliott is starved for attention or maybe he's telling the truth. I would offer that my hypothesis is also valid at this point.

Tomato, tomahto :shrug:

[Cronus Protagonist]

7. I think you illustrated the point well

Since your possibility is equally valid and perhaps even more likely.

I would think, however, that the press would be saying, "Police are looking for two white men, one about n feet n, nnn pounds...", etc., and that ain't happening in this case, which tells you they either know the perpetrators or they have no good descriptions.

Perhaps they're already known to the police. That seems entirely possible.

[Misunderestimator]

12. And it doesn't change the fact that hate crimes like this exist...

no matter what the details of this case... and the questions you raise in your OP are still valid. :hi:

[davidwhite0570]

8. lets not turn the victim into the criminal........

[Cronus Protagonist]

9. Nobody's doing that

Just raising doubt since the story doesn't have a lot of details that an assault of this nature would usually have. Could just be missing, or could be an indicator of something else.

[kweerwolf]

15. Follow-up to the story

I'm in Kansas City and just wanted to provide a follow-up on the story. As it turns out, today (Dec. 27) the one local TV station that carried the original story reported tonight that the man who reported the assault has been charged with filing a false police report and that the wounds he suffered were self-inflicted.

It's sad that someone would do this - whether it's for attention, because of some mental health issues, or even as a misguided sort of "revenge" against the religious right.

It seemed odd that when the story was first reported only one TV station picked up on it. Apparently the reporter either didn't bother to check with the police who had expressed some doubts about the story or was in a hurry to "scoop" the other stations with the story.

A little over a decade ago I volunteered on an anti-violence hotline in Kansas City that took reports of anti-gay violence and discrimination. There were a number of things we were trained to look at when taking reports that would raise doubts, and the original story reported in the media had several warning signs. I can remember only two or three reports that raised serious doubts or lacked any sort of credible evidence durig my time on the hotline. Unfortunately, when someone makes a false report of a hate crime, they usually believe they are doing something that will help their community; but in the long run is costs more in lost credibility.

[Duncan Grant]

16. Looks like I was the gullible one. Here's a link:

http://www.thekansascitychannel.com/news/4027371/detail.html

Thanks for the update on the story, kweerwolf. Welcome to DU! :hi:
edit: 's

[Duncan Grant]

17. I was wrong about this.

Apologies to you Cronus Protagonist for my snarky remarks - you brought up legitimate points about the attack. I'll cast a more critical eye next time around...

Eating my hat here in San Francisco. :hi:
edit: subject line

[Lefty48197]

10. I hate to say it, but I think America voted FOR this kind of crap

I'll bet the attackers claim some kind of "electoral capital" or a mandate to hate of some sort.
I'm sure some of the Christian fundamentalists will say that they were doing "God's work".

[Brian_Expat]

11. "It wasn't a homophobic attack, it was a botched robbery!"

That's what the Republicans will probably claim. I mean, it's as ordinary for someone to etch "faggot" on someone's chest with a knife as it is for them to string up someone to a fence and beat them to death as part of a robbery, right? :mad: :puke:

[tjwmason]

14. There's no such thing as homophobia

Just like there's no such thing as being gay. If a person who pretends that he is gay is attacked, then obviously it has nothing to do with the viceral hatred demonstrated in certain fora for gays (whoops, people who think that they're gay).

/right-wing nutter