Same Sex Living

In Queens, New York a 49-year-old man was brutally beaten outside his home. Jack Price lived as an openly gay man and for this, and this alone, he was attacked and is now in a medically induced coma in an area hospital. The two perpetrators taunted and yelled anti-gay hate speech prior to violently attacking Price. A security surveillance camera taped the incident. This latest attack on the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community occurred only days before the United States Senate is scheduled to vote on hate crimes legislation including the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Act.

One of the attacker's fathers, Daniel Rodriguez, Sr., spoke on camera about the beating. While fighting back tears, Rodriguez said he was "sorry for his son" (AP). He took the blame for his son's heinous acts by saying that, as a father, he had failed his son. He was clearly very distraught that his son had participated in this type of crime. His willingness to speak about it sends a strong message of support for the LGBT community despite the fact that it was his family that had caused the pain.

Price's sister, Joanne Guarneri, also spoke saying that she felt badly for Mr. Rodriguez. She said he now has to go "down a long road with his son, just as we do with my brother"(AP). She continued, "It's heartbreaking that three families are torn apart"(AP). Unfortunately, these types of hate crimes have a ripple effect and touch many lives and many families with pain. Contact your representatives in Congress and urge them to support the hate crimes legislation that is now before them.