Hey, does anyone have any information on this hate crime?

[readmoreoften]

Apparently, the reporters at CBS are less observant and articulate than 4th graders who forgot to take their ritalin. Here's the original link. Someone open-fired on a gay AA meeting and, apparently, someone was killed. Is anyone a local? Does anyone know?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2256476

[msongs]

1. might not be a hate crime, one must wait for facts nt

[Solo_in_MD]

2. Insufficient Data to call it a hate crime

The article was pretty weak too.

No data:

- On the victim (seemed almost and afterthought)
- Was there any turmoil or significant issues going on in the victim's life or that of another attendee
- On what else was going on in the area
- About other shootings in the area/neighborhood
- Other events going on in the area
- Was it widely known as a gay AA session (most AA sessions are not publicized)

Could it be, sure. Is it? No way to tell from what has been made public. My guess would be no, given some of the items above, but its a guess, nothing more.

[readmoreoften]

3. Well, no, there's no evidence that it's a hate crime yet.

But there's no information about it at all. Other than someone open fired on a Gay AA meeting and killed one person. Maybe the person was looking for an individual. And Gay AA meetings ARE publicized. Of course they are! How do you think alcoholics find out about where the meetings are.

How can your "guess" be "no" when the only information is that someone opened fired on a gay event? Because the reporter doesn't seem to care enough to do a good job of reporting the event?

Since there is no information, I have no recourse but to ask people on DU if they have information.

[Solo_in_MD]

4. Most AA meetings are not publicized.

You call the local chapter and they refer you. The time and place of meetings are normally guarded to protect privacy of participants. There would not have been a banner out front that says "Gay AA Meeting here tonight at 7:00PM"


Occam's Razor is why I do not think it is likely to be a hate crime, since the majority of crimes, even those against gays or other minorities, are not hate crimes.

[readmoreoften]

5. You can find out in any gay paper when AA meetings meet.

As well as in a local AA directory given out during meetings. I've even seen it posted on the marquees on the outside of AA clubhouses. The members of AA are anonymous, that doesn't mean they don't publicize their meetings. They're not an underground organization. Hell, there's even a LINK to GAY AA meetings on this very CBS news site.

When someone open fires on a congregation of gay people, Occam's razor says it's probably going to be a hate crime-- although anything is possible.

If it was a one-on-one killing of a gay person, I'd say probably not. But "open fire on the group" is another thing altogether.