| Those words were on the t-shirt worn by one of the courageous group of speakers who gave a press conference in Newark today following a closed-door meeting held with city officials. Leaders from Newark's LGBT community called for the meeting yesterday, demanding to know whether the city had inquired into the possibility that the horrific killings of three recent high school grads and the torture and attempted murder of another this summer could have been a hate crime.
Today, we learned at least one basis for the community's concern:
The victims were friends from high school, and like all high school kids, hung out in a certain clique. Some of the kids who hung with that clique were gay, some weren't, but it was widely known as "the gay clique." And at least one of the killers went to West Side High, knew the victims as belonging to that clique, and would likely have perceived them all as gay.
Since New Jersey's Hate Crimes Law is supposed to cover not only crimes perpetrated because of a victim's sexual orientation, but also of their perceived orientation, this fact - until yesterday unreported in any media outlet - is an important one. And it was the point today's speakers kept trying to make: this could be crucial evidence of the killers' motive. It could implicate people, or exonerate people - we don't know. But, it is essential that the city investigate the question.
Tell that to the media in attendance at today's press conference. Amid television crews from ABC and CBS, a half-dozen or more print reporters, and the occasional heckler, the main question they seemed to want to ask, and asked repeatedly, was "yeah - but were these kids gay?" When told that it didn't matter, and that the question wasn't asked because it was not the purpose of this press conference to out the victims of this heinous crime, one reporter in attendance reacted angrily - "you mean you didn't even ASK?!" he shouted. Others were visibly, and audibly, annoyed upon their realization they would not be getting this juicy tidbit they had come for.
No, this press conference wasn't about outing the victims, but of seeking justice. These Newark LGBT leaders want there to be an investigation - a full investigation, not just "we looked into it" - and as painful as it may be, to let the chips fall where they may.
As for the meeting with the city, it was led by West Ward Councilman Ron Rice, Jr., with at least two other Councilmembers - Dana Rone and Bill Payne - in attendance. Also present was at least one family member of the victims, the stepmom of the sole survivor, Natasha Aeriel.
The group calling for action believed that their concerns were heard at the meeting, but know the real proof will be in what the city does next. It's clear this story has yet to completely unfold. |
