On their side
The alleged gay bashing incident in which two US visitors were severely beaten is bad news for the island. While the details of exactly what transpired are still emerging, the word has spread quickly and the fact that one of the victims is a senior CBS News producer ensured prominent coverage on US television.
To what extent their being homosexual played a role in the beating remains to be determined, although everything points in that direction. There are also versions that suggest there may have been some provocation as well, but nothing justifies the kind of beating these tourists were obviously given, especially using a wheel wrench as a weapon.
The latter makes it not only a despicable and barbaric act, but also one of cowardice, as the victims were reportedly unarmed. If the culprits felt the need to prove their manhood by beating up on gays, they at least could have had the guts to fight them fairly, with their bare hands.
The disservice these punks have done the island should not be underestimated. Social acceptance of homosexuality has grown considerably over the years, also in the US, with an increased number of popular television shows based on the gay lifestyle as perhaps the best proof.
Last week’s incident has rightfully sparked outrage among not just gays and social rights activists, but among ordinary people who cannot believe human beings would be treated this way because of their sexual preference on an island like St. Maarten, where everyone usually gets along.
It’s important that tourism authorities do what they can to make clear that this was an isolated incident. Hopefully, it will remain just that and the culprits can be brought to justice.
The complaint that police do not show much interest in responding to crimes, especially at night, has been heard too often to ignore. In this case they arrived on the scene when the victims had already been taken to the hospital and they could not speak to them there because of their condition.
Nevertheless, law enforcement officials need to keep in mind that in addition to solving crimes and putting away the bad guys, it’s also important to deal with the victims in a manner that gives them confidence their plight is being taken seriously. They simply need to feel that the law is on their side.
Give us your opinion on this story ![[new]](/images/new.gif)
Post a message on our message board! Click Here!
