Terrorism in Ada, Oklahoma

[BR_Parkway]

As someone who has experienced hate crimes in Tulsa, Oklahoma, I know firsthand what it is like to be on the receiving end of this brand of American terrorism. Republicans support this brand of terror as they REFUSE to do anything to pass Hate Crimes Legislation. They call any kind of protection against this terrorism as a "special right" for the LGBT community. Almost makes ya want them to experience some of our "special rights" doesn't it? Whether it be discrimination, violence or abuse, Republicans happily call any kind of legislation against it "special rights." Isn't that special?

Terrorism in Ada
By Staff Reports
1/2/2007

It was terrifying to read (Dec. 11) that two men in Ada attacked a woman on the street and carved "lesbian" in her arm and then fled. Then to read (Dec. 12) that another young lesbian woman in Ada was attacked, tied to a tree and the words "hell bound" were written on her chest. Such hate crimes are a form of terrorism because they cause many people, including parents, children, friends and entire communities to live in fear that they or someone they love could be attacked anytime.

In this era when homosexuality is being fiercely debated in churches and is causing denominations to split, it is important that people of faith, and especially religious leaders, carefully consider the impact of what they say from their pulpits. Homophobia remains one of the last prejudices that can be construed as socially acceptable and justified because of religion. Such beliefs can breed a form of terrorism right here in America.

Marlin Lavanhar, Tulsa

Editor's note: The Rev. Marlin Lavanhar is senior minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa.

http://64.23.65.203/2007/01/terrorism-in-ada.html#links

[ck4829]

1. K&R to expose the terrorists

[Mabus]

7. ditto

Giving it its fifth.

[Horse with no Name]

2. Ada was also the setting for John Grisham's latest book

which is a true story.

[karlrschneider]

3. Wow! My mom attends that church in Tulsa.

Yikes.

[eleny]

4. How awful

Just last night I watched the documentary of the cruise Rosie O'Donnell organized for gay families. It was a beautiful time with a few weddings and all sorts of nice activities. Then they stopped on one of the Carib islands and were protested. But mostly it appeared to be a lovely vacation time. At the end of the cruise, one woman commented that now they have to go back to the real world. But they got a taste of how it should be.

I'd recommend this documentary to everyone. It even had me misted up at the end. It didn't help that I'd just watched "You've Got Mail" right before the Rosie movie. I always cry at the end of that story - I'm such a softy.

[RoyGBiv]

5. Ahh, the memories of home ...

Lived in Ada for 30 years of my life. First _Dreams of Ada_, the _Innocent Man_ and now anti-gay and lesbian terrorists.

Wonder why I moved?

Sarcasm aside, I'd be interested in some bland details of this. Ada has a very active support structure for the gay and lesbian community. Yes, I know, small town and all, but it's also a college town, and the faculty tend toward the liberal side of things. I was a founding member of an Atheists and Agnostics organization (about which I could make many, many bad jokes) and was also active from the time was a teen in various organizations along these lines. An old professor sponsored the gay and lesbian groups.

Not that I'm suggesting this didn't happen. For every liberal, there's two conservatives, and three complete idiots. (Knew a guy who actually went out on weekends with the intent of starting bar fights.) I'm just wondering if I know the people involved and under what circumstances this all took place.

[rebel with a cause]

6. Don't these people know how to do anything right?

A large scarlet letter is sufficient. :sarcasm:

I sometimes feel that I am living in the wrong century. These guys definitely are. Such ignorant evil idiots.

[Phredicles]

8. Agreed (& recc'd) - these ARE acts of terrorism.

[BR_Parkway]

9. Certainly seems to be under the expanded definition of the Patriot

Act:

Section 802 of the USA PATRIOT Act (Pub. L. No. 107-52) expanded the definition of terrorism to cover "domestic," as opposed to international, terrorism. A person engages in domestic terrorism if they do an act "dangerous to human life" that is a violation of the criminal laws of a state or the United States, if the act appears to be intended to: (i) intimidate or coerce a civilian population; (ii) influence the policy of a government by intimidation or coercion; or (iii) to affect the conduct of a government by mass destruction, assassination or kidnapping. Additionally, the acts have to occur primarily within the territorial jurisdiction of the United States and if they do not, may be regarded as international terrorism.

[Recursion]

10. The real terror in this country is against the GLBT community

I'm straight and I wouldn't even know about this if I didn't have gay friends. It's absolutely horrible and something must be done.

[BR_Parkway]

12. But they can't call it terror cause it's the faux religious groups promoting

the violence. Except for the body counts, I really don't see a big difference between the Shiites, Sunnis and Focus on the Family rhetoric

[NaturalHigh]

11. I read about this a few weeks ago.

It seemed like the police weren't really convinced that this happened the way she said it did.

[RoyGBiv]

13. Couple stories and a pic ...

From the Ada Evening Drivel ... I mean News:

GSA member: ‘We're queer and we're not going anywhere’
By Derek Frazier

ADA — Members of East Central University’s Gay-Straight Alliance rallied Tuesday afternoon on Ada’s Main Street to convey awareness concerning recent attacks on two lesbian women in as many weeks.

“I'm really pleased with the turnout,” Dr. Christine Pappas, a sponsor for the Gay Straight Alliance at ECU, said. “The message we'd like to convey today is that we don't want any kind of special rights, we just want equal rights. And when the crime is perpetrated against one of us, it should be handled the same way as anybody else, and that's not a special right, but it might require special attention to get that done.”

According to 20-year-old Sara Kaspereit, she was attacked Dec. 4 in the driveway of her home by two men whom carved the word “lesbian” into her arm. Approximately one week prior, another young lesbian woman was allegedly attacked at her home in Pontotoc County.

Ada assistant police chief Carl Allen said the investigation is ongoing and they have been consulting with the FBI on the issue. Pontotoc County sheriff Pete Peterson was unavailable for comment.

More. . .

From the Daily Disappointment ... I mean Oklahoman

By Julie Bisbee
Staff Writer
ADA — Local and federal law enforcement agencies continue to investigate claims that two women were targeted and attacked because of their sexual orientation.

In both attacks, there were no witnesses and the victims had little or no information about their assailants, according to police reports.

Sarah Kaspereit, 20, told Ada police she was coming home from work on Dec. 4 when two men jumped from a black truck, threw her down and carved "lesbian” into her left forearm. A neighbor who was interviewed by police said he had his windows open that night and didn't hear anything unusual.

A week earlier, Brenda Johnson, 20, told sheriff's deputies she was tied to a tree after being hit on the back of the head and knocked out on Nov. 28.

"Hellbound” was written deeply on her chest in ink. Johnson said she had taken a walk into the woods behind her rural Pontotoc County home and was reading the Bible when she was hit from behind.

More. . .

Pic of a small group rallying to draw attention to hate crimes in Ada

http://www.adaeveningnews.com/local/images_sizedimage_347144108/xl

[B Calm]

14. Ada's police are something else too. Read "The Innocent Man" by

John Grisham!

[RoyGBiv]

15. It's a mix, like most things ...

It was worse in the 70's and most of the 80's, when the major events described in the book took place.

I knew some good cops in Ada, cops who regularly (and at volume) railed against the bad cops and who sometimes ended up not getting that promotion they'd been working for because of it. I had a cop in Ada pull his gun on me and make me eat windshield after pulling me over for an expired inspection tag, expired one month before the inspection tags were no longer going to be required on a truck that was all but brand new, thus the reason I let it expire. Had another cop who came on the scene make that other cop apologize to me, and the judge dropped all charges. There was another who shot a kid for no good reason and tried to claim the kid was trying to take his gun away from him, and then another cop served as a witness against the first cop.

A CLEET training center is in Ada now, and the University has a law enforcement program. The latter turns out people who tend to make pretty good cops, because they actually know some law, but who tend not to stay in Ada long. Several try to get their first jobs straight out of college, or while still there, with the county or one of the many, small PD in the area. They move to something better once they have some experience to put on a resume'.

Now, the DA was something else altogether.