season's beatings
More articles in the local gay press like this have me worried. While I've lived in DC for over ten years, assaults, muggings and beatings seem to have been happening more frequenly in the past two years, particularly on the 9th Street corridor, Columbia Heights and near the U Street/Cardozo MetroRail station. I personally know five people who have been beaten and/or robbed by gangs of youth, three of them requiring hospital stays and/or advanced treatment, all within the past two years.
While gays or those percieved to be gay seem to be targets, everyone needs to stay aware when walking around at night. Taking a cab home from the bar or a party is a lot cheaper than brain damage or getting your jaw reconstructed. Text messaging while walking through a 'hood is not immunity to assault, keep your eyes up and be alert. Run and shout if you're being pursued. If you're taking MetroRail late at night, take the car closest to the train operator, and keep your eye on the door and alert button in the car. And don't walk home, I don't care if you have to work off your booze carbs or stop at the 7-Eleven to satisfy a late night donut fix, just take a cab and eat a goddamn bowl of cereal when you get home.
An interesting view of American culture from across the pond. Git 'er done. Goddamn. 'merca.
Self awareness alert: you know you're a washed up ex-wife of a dead rockstar when you send a friend request to me on MySpace and I deny you. Courtney, stay off the pills and collagen, please.
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..thanks for posting this. I was involved in a hate crime in front of Playbill cafe some weeks ago..Metro Weekly and The Blade did a piece on a rally my friend (who was also got manhandled)and I held around the Logan Circle statue. It shook me up because, I had never been attacked before and it never dawned on me that I could be assaulted just because I'm gay. Needless to say, I stay close to home now....around 10th and M and go out very rarely now. It's strange, because now that I've been a victim of hate crime my awareness of it has grown exponentially...I was just reading the other day about a hate crime that took place near BeBar (which I sometimes go to because it's near the house) where a man suffered a head injury and (according to yesterdays rss feed) was still unconscious in the hospital. I just don't know where this world is going.....anyways...thanks for posting this....it is so true and very helpful.
The key is to be aware of your surroundings... and probably catching the perps doing this and putting them away.
Thanks, Jimbo. I think a lot of us take it for granted that we could never be gay-bashed.
I haven't been physically accosted since middle-school, but as an adult I've had people scream "FAGGOT" at me out of a car, and even that left me shaken. Were they going to pull over and pile out of the car? Scary stuff.
It's a good reminder to play it safe.
Jimbo, raising awareness that we are targeted as easy prey is a good thing! I was attacked many moons ago in Texas before it was a hate crime and it made me very aware yet was mugged once here in DC many moons ago too! Certain parts of our community does not like gentrification especially by gays. Now when I hear a comment directed at me (faggot) I turn and say Where? and then, takes one to know one and walk away! So far no bad results!, but it is usually daytime and crowded and they are usually so shocked they are speechless. I dont recommend this policy for everyone! I just call it playing in DC. But one point you made that I always follow when I leave the comfort of my space, Take a Taxi!!!! Thanks for the post and a space for me to vent!!!!!!!