NEWS REPORT
Associated Press - Ian Deitch, Writer - 08/01/09 9:21PM EDT

Israeli police say a gunman entered a youth club for gay teens in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night and sprayed the interior with automatic rifle fire, killing three people and injuring 11.

Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said it was "most likely a criminal attack and not a terror attack." Tel Aviv has been a target for Palestinian militants in the past.

He said the gunman burst into the basement of the Tel Aviv Gay and Lesbian Association and opened fire on a support group for gay teenagers.

Police are searching the area for the gunman, who fled the scene, he said. Roadblocks were set up.

Rescue services said six of the wounded were badly hurt.

"This was a hate crime, a premeditated attack," witness Yaniv Weisman told Channel 10 TV. He said Cafe Noir, the basement club, was popular with youth.

"Those hurt were very young," he said.

Openly gay Knesset lawmaker Nitzan Horowitz said it was "without a doubt the biggest ever attack on the Israeli gay community, we are all in shock."

Witnesses told Israeli media that the gunman was dressed all in black, and described the scene as a "bloodbath."

END OF NEWS RELEASE

I was truly saddened to see this news release come over the wire. An isolated act of hate in a country scarred by years of turmoil over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel is a society with a heightened sense of security. For this act to happen here is an insult to the goals of Israel as a Nation and Judaism itslef.

But what is worse is that it could have happened anywhere. This was not a terrorist attack, it was an act of ignorant bigotry. How many anti-gay bigots have you crossed paths with in the struggle we term life. They are everywhere.

How can we fight this? We can't post armed quards and do strip searches and full body cavity searches at the doorway, although I'm sure that might sound appealing to some of you. It is only through education that we can combat ignorance. Seek out and support Gay, Lesbian & Transgender community groups in your area and support their work. Ask friends who are comfortable with you being gay to also support them.

The alternative is to build a wall of protection around us. To do so will only trade our old closet of denial for a prison of fear.

Thoughts and prayers to the victims of this horrible crime.

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Upate - Based on information from Associated Press, 08/02/09 2:51AM EDT

Two of the victims have been identified as a 17-year old female and a 24-year old male. Even the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, a frequent critic of gays in Israel, has issued a statement condemming the attack.

Community support, always strong for gays in Tel Aviv, has lead thousands to impromptu marches in support of the victims of this crime and calling for tolerance. The Mayor of Tel Aviv has pledged to continue the city's "pluralistic nature". Gay and lesbians enjoy great freedom and liberties in Israel. Gay musicians and actors are among the country's most popular. Nitzan Horowitz is an openly gay member of the government. Gays openly serve in the military, something even US gay citizens can still not do.

There were unconfirmed reports from London sources that the gunman may have tried to gain entry into another gay gathering spot a short while later, but was turned away. This report can not yet be verified.

My personal fear is that such incidents fan the flames of hatred hidding in the hearts of bigots and could inspire copy cat crimes. I fear the rainbow around the world is shedding tears of blood tonight.

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We've had more than enough violent acts of bigotry and hatred against gays here, even with increasing acceptance and hate crimes laws in more and more places. I hate to say it, but all too often the gay community as a whole does not do all it can to help put a stop to it.

Yes, there are plenty of involved men and women like me who have spent decades working to break down the divisions and animosity, but here in the US these days, we have far too many people who have no concept of where we were 40, even 10 years ago. The notion of having to get off one's ass and actively participate to make further progress, much less defend what we have, escapes too many. The horrendous failure known as Prop 8 in California is squarely on us, no matter how convenient it is to simply scapegoat the conservative zealots. That we still don't have a more fundamental part of the foundation -- across-the-board, universal human rights laws here in the US -- after all these years of feel-good debate leaves the door wide open to discrimination and violence against us or any other "inconvenient" minority group.

The other thing that must also be considered (but is often lost) is that there will always be someone who is such a sick nut case that it doesn't matter what the societal norms or laws are: if they're hell bent on bloodshed, they're going to do it. There doesn't need to be a conscious act of hate toward any "protected" group...to wit, Columbine or Virginia Tech, or countless incidents of shoot-em-up by disgruntled employees, spouses, rivals, just plain psychotics.

While it is important to draw attention for the need to respect others regardless of their skin, gender or affiliation, it is far more important that we don't lose sight of the bigger picture: The taking of another life is a deplorable act. Period. If the asshole who shot these people is caught alive, bring the full weight of the law down on him or her. However, many killers will choose death by policeman when cornered...making the laws or societal imperatives moot. Society should stop fretting over classifying "victims" and focus on eliminating the misunderstanding, barriers, labels, stigmas, other negative factors and influences that encourage or enable such desperate and deplorable behavior.

__________________
I have a need for seed!

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