In the early morning hours of Saturday, March 3rd, Daniel was brutally attacked by a group of neo-Nazis, ranging in age from 18-25, simply because of his sexual orientation. He sustained serious and irreversible brain damage during the attack and lied in a drug-induced coma for 3 weeks. Tuesday night, Daniel Zamudio, succumbed to his injuries.
Chilean police have the 4 men who are allegedly responsible for this heinous crime in custody. The level of hatred directed at Daniel was astonishing. Amongst other things, they carved swastikas into his flesh. Just because he was gay!!
"Why all the gay posts?" Because, madness like this must end! Because, hating someone on such a deep level, simply because of their sexuality!, that you're willing to mutilate them is a symptom of a contagion that's affecting the entire globe. Because, people who are LGBT deserve to live a rich, full, and happy life just as much as their non-LGBT counterparts. With so many people standing at the ready to humiliate and shame them, to discriminate against and minimize their worth as a human being, to inflict emotional and/or physical harm on them, sometimes to the point where it costs them their lives, I'm going to be on the front line every single day letting them - US!!! - know that we are second-class citizens to no one!
Daniel Zamudio's life should not have ended the way it did. NO human being should ever have to endure that level of hatred and intolerance. Ever. Gay, straight, black, Jewish, or whatever. It is not okay with me to know that we live in a world where what I do in the privacy of my own home, with someone I love, can get me killed! It shouldn't be okay with anyone. Yet, it happens. Worse, I live in a country where we have politicians working to pass laws that condones and encourages this level of brutality against the LGBT community. And, it will continue to happen as long as people sit on the sidelines, shake their heads, and say their dutiful "that's terrible" or "this has to stop" rather than get involved, at some level!, in bringing about a difference.
Daniel, the world mourns you. May you rest in peace.
for love, regardless of it's orientation or expression, to engender hate in another is a foreign concept within me ... how? how can it effect the hater so badly as to force them to be so defensive ... so offensive ... so expressive of negative emotion? I love many of the sexual spectrum : my Bi love, my bi son, friends and couples in gay relationships close enough to me to be brothers and sisters from other mothers. Love multiplies ... it doesnt negate .. unless there is a fundemental lack in the soul of someone who choses to hate
ReplyDeleteI've just discovered your page Ron, and am now following you. I too am passionate about tackling this kind of hate crime and to do that, we have to raise awareness of it. That may not be comfortable for others but that's their issue. When the hatred and bullying stops, we can stop writing about it. Daniel's story is truly horrific but it needs telling. I applaud you for setting up this blog, for telling Daniel's story and for speaking out on something which is taboo, but which shouldn't be.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post.... I wish I had words for how outraged I am, how sad this is, how tragic, infuriating this world has become. You are certainly right when you say that "NO human being should ever have to endure that level of hatred and intolerance" -- we have to find a way, as human beings, to rise out of this madness and end hate crimes and the mentalities that feed them.
ReplyDeleteThis is so horrible. It must end.
ReplyDeleteHeart wrenching. I sometimes wonder if humanity can ever redeem itself. But I guess we need to live as the world should be, to show it what it can be. I will pray for this boy, and his family. No one deserves to die like that. No one.
ReplyDeleteRIP , Gods Love and Peace to you and your family.
ReplyDeleteSuch a sad world we live in that we as a nation can not get along.
I pray for Justice for you and for your family and all those who are and have been killed, abused and hurt just for being themselves.
Peace
Delmer Cox
Paix à son âme.
ReplyDeleteHonte aux assassins et honte à celles et ceux qui par leurs mots, tuent.
Drey.
My heart aches. Thanks for promoting awareness. xo
ReplyDeletebeautifully said. I hadn't heard about this. thanks for speaking up for Daniel.
ReplyDeletehow sick and insecure must these men be??
ReplyDeleteRon, keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI agree enough is enough. This is not right and shall be abolished in time. I feel terrible for daniel. Thank you for posting to make us more aware.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. Daniel. Handsome young man! Life taken way too soon!
ReplyDeleteThat was my reaction to his picture...so handsome, a child of God, died a horrible death needlessly!
DeleteR.I.P.Daniel I dont understand why people are so mean why cant they just let people live the lives they want to lead and them be happy.They need to live their own lives and mind their business when it comes to others.
ReplyDeleteThank you for bringing attention to this injustice, and to a young man who could have been my friend - my brother.
ReplyDeleteI'm a Chilean citizen and I can assure you that this horrible crime has been an eye opener for many people who simply turn the other cheek. We can only hope that Daniel gets justice, unfortunately here in Chile the capital punishment has been abolished since 2001, and the maximun sentence this "people" might be getting is life in prison, which could never be enough punishment for the hate they showed to Daniel.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that absolutely NO-ONE should suffer any kind of discrimination because of what they do or don't do with a loved one in the privacy of their home. Everyone has the same rights to choose and should not walk in fear because of the crazy closed minded people that still exist in our world.
Claudia Sánchez
RIP you were to good for this evil world
ReplyDeleteThe truly ironic thing in all this madness, is the fact that these neo-Nazis fail to realize/remember that the people they are emulating, were of a majority themselves, homosexuals.
ReplyDeleteRIP Danielle.
ReplyDeleteHis name is Daniel, not Danielle (sarcasm?)
DeleteI believe that people who beat or murder gay people is because they dont like it because they see it in themselves,have experimented in it, or think about it and are ashamed. Grow up and be who you are. That boy had more balls then the skinheads that killed him
ReplyDeleteSeee this kinda stuff pisses me off to the point of rage. Im a gay man and i wish the lil BASTERD'S that did this to him would come here and try that shit with me... they would find out real fast that the shoe would be on the other foot. This kind of stuff has to stop and I'm on the war path to do just that...I'm so tired of hearing things like this... If it take's four to jump on one than what does that say about them??? I have one word P_ _ _Y'S!!! To the fam my heart is with you and you will be in my prayer's Daniel is with Jesus now and he dont have to fight anymore. To the one's that think they can do things like this you had better hope that you dont run across one like me cause it will be a verry dark day for you... we have the right to be here just as much as you do and you dont have the right to judge us only one has that right and I dont think you have that high of a standing with him...That would be God;s place not yours. Again to the fam my prayer's, heart are with you.
ReplyDeleteI have been following this case since it first appeared on the news. It has affected me every day and every time I hear about it. It is another Matthew Shepard case in the world that must stop. I thank you Ron for talking about this. Now, I really hope God can erase those last moments of torture and horror so Daniel can just feel the love of all those anonymous people around the world. Daniel your light will shine forever.
ReplyDeleteI said, "I CANNOT read another one of these," and then forced myself to. Ripping my heart open again and again ensures that it never scars, never toughens. Perhaps someone with a hard heart will read your blog and "get it". Please, God.
ReplyDeleteMy heart is broken by this news, but remains empowered to work toward a world free of such horrific cruelty.
ReplyDeleteThere has been too much hatred and killing for any reason; may no more families endure such a loss.
Those who spew hatred at gays, other ethnic groups, etc. probably do not like what they see when they look in a mirror. Our most violent prejudices are generally the things we fear most in our own psyches. We should consider the true meaning of the line from Shakespeare, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much." Those who spew hatred against gays are often homoerotic but raised in a culture that condemns it. They hate themselves and project their hatred onto other targets. No, I do not feel sorry for them. It is an explanation for their behavior, not an excuse. But those who have children spewing hate should take this as an object lesson and get them to a psychiatrist. And the young men who perpetrated this crime should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law and given maximum allowable sentences. Proud PFLAG here.
ReplyDeleteI have been insulted, humiliated, beat and make fun of just for who I love and my sexuality. I sometimes just feel like giving up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this blog. Keep up the good work Ron. Thanks for supporting us.
Hopefully, these things aren't still happening to you. Whatever you do, though, DON'T GIVE UP!!! There a massive support system here for you. If you haven't already, join the facebook blog page community. http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange
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