Welcome To A Road Less Traveled

If you will click on the title you can go straight to the link where I found this. When I read this article, which is pretty current news, I was simply stunned. I was stunned on many levels. To have a hate crime of this magnitude to go on in the community I recently moved away from sent chills down my back... To have a hate crime this brutal to someone I knew (not a close friend) put tears in my eyes... To have adults withold information that could help catch these murderers, stuns me. I simply do not get it!! I have seen individuals in this community turn their back on what they know to be unjust and unfair before, but to this magnitude? I would never have thought in a million years anyone would do what is listed in the article I ran across.

Actually, I do not know if the article is accurate in all fairness, and if it is not accurate I would love to know about it. It certainly would help how I feel to know this is not true. However, from what I have seen within the community this is to have occurred, I truly should not be too surprised.

Additionally when I read this, the following came to mind:

First They Came for the Jews

First they came for the Jews
I did not speak outbecause I was not a Jew.

Then they came for the Communists
I did not speak out because I was not a Communist.

Then they came for the trade unionists I did not speak out because I was not a trade unionist.

Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Pastor Martin Niemöller

I have processed the reasons why a bar full of people would turn their back on a woman who was drunk. And perhaps I understand because some professionals go there for Happy Hour and are afraid of being outted. But I do not understand how any decent human being could have allowed this woman to be groped by three straight men, how any bar owner or bartender could have served her to a blivy and then allowed this to happen, or how any responsible person could have allowed three men with a clear agenda to remove this woman from the bar. I don't care what anyones job title is or where anyone works... There comes a time one has to stand up... If these men get away with this others are going to be placed in harms way. I also realize some of this may be well meaning friends of the bartender or bar owners. It seems to me the taking of a person's life is far more important than any fine the bar or bartender could receive. I also understand that the owner of this bar has been missing for over a year and possibly two years. I have to ask myself as quiet as his disappearance was kept and this bar is still running, if there are concerns about more surfacing around the bar owner's disappearance. I cannot help but ask myself at this point because of the magnitude of blatent selective blindness as to what has happened to Pat. Additionally I understand the fear of not having any place as gays and lesbians to go in such a small community. Well, there comes a time when one's social life is not the most important issue. It may very well be someone elses life you are saving down the road. Last but not least Pat's family deserves closure. AND these men need to be held accountable. IF YOU KNOW SOMETHING, PLEASE DO THE RIGHT THING AND CONTACT THE AUTHORITIES.

I guess I have said what I believe needs said... If this turns out to be an inaccurate article I would appreciate it if someone would send me the correct version of it.

Is it not enough that we have been betrayed by a world who does not understand us, that we do not betray one another?

Nuff Said
Lorretta

Hate Crime in South Texas Article Woman Killed While "Walking" On SH 35
Pat's Obit
The Truth About Texas Hate Crime Legislation