Indicted in Beating of Gay Couple

[JackBeck]

Saturday, November 03, 2007

By MICHAELANGELO CONTE
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

UNION CITY - Two former employees of a Burger King on Bergenline Avenue have been indicted on hate crime charges in connection with the vicious beating of a same-sex couple outside the restaurant earlier this year, officials said yesterday.

Angel Caraballo, 28, of Duncan Avenue, and Christopher Soto of Prospect Street, both of Jersey City, were charged with aggravated assault and a first-degree hate crime in connection with the July 22 beating, officials said. The hate crime offense carries a possible sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.

...Garden State Equality and Hudson Diversity Action Council will hold a rally against hate on Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Pride Connections Center, 32 Jones St., Jersey City.

http://www.nj.com/news/jjournal/index.ssf?/base/news-0/1194069488210440.xml&coll=3

------------------------------

:mad:

Anyone who wants to join me at the rally let me know. And feel free to share your poster ideas.

[cboy4]

1. And some people wonder why there a need to enact

hate crime laws.

"The hate crime offense carries a possible sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison."

[JackBeck]

2. And we're fighting to be ADDED

to the already existing Hate Crimes Laws, bringing stiffer Federal penalties, as well as Federal funding for areas that need help in prosecuting.

[goodgd_yall]

16. In my home town

the FBI is involved in investigating a racial hate crime the a county office is involved in. The hate crime isn't a murder. If only the LGBT community could get that kind of response. We didn't when a young man was killed here after being taunted with homophobic slurs.

[LisaL]

21. Pardon me, but if somebody beat a straight couple, would that

be any better?

[cboy4]

22. Yes, beating a straight couple would be better...in fact,

I support the beating of straight people. :eyes:

[Bluebear]

25. But don't sue.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=389&topic_id=2185153#2195711

Response 230, et al.

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

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[Bluebear]

24. Yes, that would be much better. We are all advocating that, in fact.

:silly:

[Cerridwen]

26. Pardon me; lotta straight bashing going on in your neck o' the woods?

Straight couples pretending they're not straight or couples for fear of losing their homes, their children, their jobs or their life?

Lotta straight couples not holding hands in public for fear some jerkoff is going to start hurling epithets or bricks at them?

Lotta straight couples pretending they're gay so's not to be ridiculed or attacked?

Lotta straight couples denied rights simply because they're straight?


It's about *why* they were beat; not just *that* they were beat. No one should have to fear they will be attacked simply for being who they are. Period.

edit: add word to clarify

[JackBeck]

29. You must be talking about those roving lesbian gangs

that O'Reilly was fantasizing about.

:eyes:

Seriously, though, by adding sexual orientation to existing hate crimes laws would not only protect gay couples, but sex discordant couples as well.

[NMMNG]

30. When is the last time somebody was beaten for being straight?

:shrug:

[Bluebear]

31. :chirp chirp chirp:

[donheld]

60. This imaginary straight couple...

were they beaten for being straight?

[terrya]

3. I wish I could join you, Jack.

I can't believe this shit. From the article:

The two victims, Union City men in their early 40s, were in the Burger King, on the 3500 block of Bergenline, when they asked someone behind the counter for a refund for an item that was not available, officials said.

One employee allegedly asked the other who was asking for the refund and he replied with a derogatory term for a homosexual, according to a news release issued by the gay rights advocacy group Garden State Equality.

The couple left the restaurant, but a group of Burger King employees followed them outside, where "they beat them mercilessly," while repeating anti-gay slurs, the news release says.


The gay men were beaten up. All because they asked for a refund. Because they were THERE.

I can't come up with any poster ideas right now. All I wish is that these HATERS rot in prison for a long, long time.

[JackBeck]

4. You'll be there in spirit, friend.

New Jersey has been racking up its progressive credits in the LGBT rights department for years. The fact that this still happens around where I live doesn't really floor me, since we're still getting beaten down on Christopher Street. And I haven't even gone into how many times Jon and I have been called "faggots" walking around the City. I'm raging right now. I'm sick of looking over my shoulder when walking down the street.

[terrya]

5. I will be, my friend.

Sometimes, living in a place, a city or state that may have GLBT protections...such as New Jersey...or here, Chicago...sometimes we're stunned when we encounter pure bigotry. Personally. I've gotten called "faggot" just walking around. There are places in Chicago where I would look over my shoulder walking down the street. It's so demeaning. I get sick of it also.

Fight the good fight for me, friend. For all of us.

[JackBeck]

8. ...

:hug:

I hope to have pictures. And this is happening on the heels of the one-year anniversary of the NJSP gay marriage decision. The night of that decision, I went to a rally and was overwhelmed by the turn-out. I'm hoping for the same.

[terrya]

10. Please do post pics.

You may also want to post about this in GLBT if you haven't. Others there will see it and can join you.

:hug:

[JackBeck]

15. Done.

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[terrya]

7. I don't care what nationality or religion they are.

This is shameful. This is a fucking outrage.

Those two are about to meet the legal system. I hope they rot in prison for a long time.

[karlrschneider]

9. I don't care either but an awfully high percentage of hatemongers fit the profile I described.

It's just a fact.

[Cerridwen]

13. Let's see - names as indication of prejudice - how about Goebbels, Mengele,

Hitler, Goering, Himmler...fine bunch of Aryan names, there huh, karlrschneider?

[Bluebear]

20. Oooh

Burn! :)

[karlrschneider]

36. You think I would defend THOSE guys?

jeezusfuckingchrist...
:eyes:

[goodgd_yall]

14. You don't fight bigotry with more bigotry

Homophobes come in all races, nationalities and religion or non-religion (although there is always a religious base somewhere there, even if not directly).

There are many latino gays as well, I'm sure you know that. You alienate them with your comments.

[AuntPatsy]

19. I honestly don't agree with that statement, strange and takes away from what is really

the more important point of this thread.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

35. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

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[AuntPatsy]

50. Wow, what was said? I just noticed all those posts gone and I didn't get a chance to read the reply

[JackBeck]

51. One sentence that insulted immigrants, race and religion.

Not to mention, a complete hijack of my thread.

[Bluebear]

52. 'Not to mention, a complete hijack of my thread.'

You said it.

[JackBeck]

55. Classic case of deflecting the pain away from an inconvenient reality.

[AuntPatsy]

54. I'm sorry about that, didn't realize such would happen.

[JackBeck]

56. I hope this subthread stands and doesn't get deleted.

Just to show how much hate some people hold in their heart.

[Bluebear]

57. That's the problem with deleted posts

Yes, the ugliness goes away, but then again you can't see who soiled and garden and how.

PS Oh yeah, and kick! :)

[Toasterlad]

58. I REALLY Agree With You, BB.

I hate to see ANY post deleted, but I especially hate to see posts which show just how much ignorance and/or intolerance there is in the world, and particularly on this site. Presumably, we're all big girls and boys. We should confront hatred when we see it, not pretend it doesn't exist.

[ulysses]

11. you'd bet they're "illegal" why? c'mon, karl.

[EFerrari]

48. I'm probably glad I didn't see that. n/t

[JackBeck]

12. I'd bet in a heartbeat that most hate crimes against the LGBT

community are perpetrated by legal, American citizens.

[Karenina]

17. Karl, your comment is really disgusting.

:puke:

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

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[Karenina]

32. Have "known" him for YEARS.

Usually I ignore it as THAT'S JUST KARL and KARL IS KARL, but sometimes he needs a raspberry blown in his direction.

This one's for YOU, KARL! :spank:

[Name removed]

42. Deleted message

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[karlrschneider]

39. Facts are often uncomfortable.

...

[EFerrari]

53. Facts: "The Myth of Immigrant Criminality"

http://www.ailf.org/ipc/special_report/sr_022107.pdf

Sheesh! I've posted this damn thing about a brazillion times.

[Bluebear]

18. 'Probably fucking illegal too.' - Why are you a Democrat, exactly?

Seriously.

[karlrschneider]

40. Wky am I a Democrat? Oh, because they're so good at stopping the Iraq invasion.

...

[NMMNG]

33. Damn that's racist and offensive

:puke:

[karlrschneider]

41. Not racist. You are confused about the meaning of race. It might be offensive to

assholes, I sure hope so.

[NMMNG]

43. I guess you'd know all about *those*

:popcorn:

[karlrschneider]

44. That is an interesting comment. It almost seems you are trying to insult me by implying I am gay.

Is that it?

[NMMNG]

45. Who mentioned gay people?

Certainly not me.

[Critters2]

34. I believe you forgot this:

:sarcasm:


Oh, and Spanish names might just as easily be Puerto Rican....that is to say, American.

[Name removed]

38. Deleted message

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[EFerrari]

49. Um, it's possible to have a Spanish name and be American.

In fact, most of Central and South AMERICA enjoy that privilege.

Oh, you nationalists. You are such kidders.

[EFerrari]

47. MFers. K&R

[wiley]

59. You're the best Jack!

Twenty years in prison is too little for these creeps. Send them to a prison in Kansas and let them see how cool their new friends think it is that they beat up two gay guys. Hating gay people and hurting people make them just like those people who hate and hurt gay people, kill and harrass black people, hate and harrass Jews, right? Wrong. People who hate or hurt gay people are just pathetic losers whose masculinity has always been less than even they would consider to be adequate. If other oppressed people think that dissin gays will get them higher up on the social food chain or more rights, they are so sorely mistaken.

[Bluebear]

61. kick for the a.m.

[flvegan]

62. "...a group of Burger King employees followed them outside..."

At which point the beating commenced by at least 2 of those employees.

Once BK is done paying any/all medical bills, I hope they sue the franchise, the franchise owner and the owner of the property if different than the owner of the franchise.

I hope those punks get what's coming to them.

[JackBeck]

63. Jon said the same thing when I showed him this story last night.

He said he'd sue the hell out of Burger King.