Punish the Haters
I am writing in response to Mike Gibson's [March 20] article, "Taking Back the Night." As a longtime friend and neighbor to Jonathan Rule, I have strong feelings about the attack and lack of coverage given to it by local media. To my knowledge, Metro Pulse and WATE are the only two to cover this attack. And to my surprise, I read nothing in the Sentinel about it.
Many of our questions are left unanswered. The first and foremost of mine would have to be "Why?" Why—in a world filled with so much violence and hate already—would three men attack one sitting outside of a coffee shop smoking a pipe? What threat did he represent to them? What did they hope to accomplish by beating him three on one? I will confidently say that I am sure Jon did nothing to provoke their attack. It was often his habit to go to the Old City to indulge in coffee and conversation.
Secondly, how did two underage patrons obtain alcohol in a bar, and what will be done to this bar in response? As a 26-year-old bartender, I know firsthand both the responsibility and the liability that come from serving underage patrons.
At the same time, how much (if any) of this attack do we, as society, attribute to alcohol consumption? In the legal field, intoxication is not a valid defense. Nor is it in this case. How much of this attack was provoked merely by the sight of a 19-year-old smoking a pipe?
Am I to believe that the assailants merely threw around the term "faggot" so freely? Although Jon is not what they coined him, I am of the firm conviction that these three believed him to be so; because they saw him smoking a pipe outside of a coffee shop. Of course, they would not tell police that they had committed a hate crime (a punishable felony), and they would have us believe that they just used the term "faggot." This attack proves that hate crimes are virtually not punishable, and we must not accept vague laws against these crimes.
My heart goes out to this family. I feel privileged to have known them as long as I have. None of them deserve the aftermath of this attack—least of all Jon.
I am really curious to see how the attackers' punishments will unfold. How harshly will the state punish the brutal acts of these three grown men? The sentence must be harsh. They should not be given the freedom to interact in our society. We must protect public safety. Such a slap on the wrist as probation is not acceptable. A 19-year-old now lives with the effects of this attack, and how much remorse do his attackers feel? His family must bear the costs of his medical treatment, and I am sure that these three have no means of repaying this cost. Also, Old City patrons live with fear. The fear of being accosted on the streets, because some are served "too much" alcohol.
This attack shows us all the need for hate crime laws, harsher punishments for serving underage patrons, and the deplorable state of our society. It also shows the need for a more tolerant community. So today, I pray not only for Jon and his family, but I also pray for a more loving and accepting community.
Brandy Severs
Knoxville
Protest is Colorblind
I was glad to read Attica Scott's article on Knoville's growing antiwar movement in your March 20 issue. Ms. Scott has brought attention to the very important fact that all of Knoxville, black and white, needs to be involved in opposing U.S. aggression in Iraq.
I would like to add to her argument that, despite what particular "white people" have said to her about not including people of color in the protests, the inclusion of all demographics in antiwar efforts has been of general concern to all the organizers involved since the beginning of our efforts. Ms. Scott is quite right to mention that much of the organizing activity has taken place via email, often excluding those who have no access to the Internet. She would be quite rash, however, to imply that this exclusion is deliberate. We use email because it is effective, not because it is exclusive.
In contrast to her conversations with "white people," Ms. Scott has written that her "African American and Latino brothers and sisters" lament a lack of engagement between white and non-white organizers.
I do wish that Ms. Scott would come down to the Saturday protests at the West Town Mall, where people of all demographics are joining in opposition to the war. I hope that she hears the community announcements in rotation at WKGN, Knoxville's black-owned radio station, the first Knoxville station to allow any broadcast of community support for the anti-war effort (unlike WIVK, which I hear has banned the Dixie Chicks).
Ultimately, I hope that Ms. Scott can put aside the divisive coloring to her apparent agreement with our common purpose.
Baba Singh
Knoxville
Critical of the Critic
Bravo to Arlene Goldstine for her excellent letter [March 20] about the Richard Jolley retrospective at KMA!
We've come to expect the best print journalism in town from Metro Pulse, but Ms. Joyner's column is a disappointment.
Pseudo-intellectual cynicism is no substitute for thoughtful, knowledgeable, informative commentary.
Nick Wyman
Knoxville
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