Phrases have certain connotations, indications and purposes, and there is one that I have always found to be particularly annoying. "Black on black crime". It has always seemed to me as if this phrase has always been used as a minimalizing, marginalizing method to signal that it is "those peoples" problem.
As the details continue to unfold regarding the gunman who murdered more than 50 people in a gay club in Orlando last weekend, new information has come to light. There are reports that the perpetrator was gay himself. He was known for frequenting "Pulse", the club where the shooting occurred, and exploring gay dating sites. This is not the first time that this has happened, it is a well known fact that men who commit violent crimes against gay people are often "wrestling" with who they think they are. They're either gay and in denial, or have gay tendencies that scare them to death so they deem it appropriate to destroy those things that represent what they feel and are ashamed of feeling. As a result, they commit horrible crimes. But these crimes are never called gay on gay crimes. They are called hate crimes. Hate crimes are worthy of mass sympathy, mass empathy, and national cries for tolerance and justice. Black on black crimes are worthy of pity, disdain, and head shaking, and finger pointing. With little or no understanding of what it is like to be part of a group of disenfranchised people. Of course, there are no excuses for those who commit violent crimes against anyone else. I just find the application of phrase interesting and quite telling.
With that being said, I can guarantee you that neither the gay community or conservatives will allow this tragedy to be classified as a gay on gay crime. The gay community knows that labeling this tragedy a hate crime will give their cause more traction, and the conservatives know that they cannot blame terrorist groups if this massacre is labeled a gay on gay crime.
PR
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