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James Martin, S.J.November 03, 2009

   

Here's the story from the Washington Post:

For the second time in a week, a Georgetown University student has reported being attacked and called an anti-gay slur while walking near campus, prompting yet another student gathering Monday evening to show support for the victims."A lot of people are really hurt and are trying to figure out what the next step is," said Robert Byrne, a Georgetown junior who organized Monday's Vigil Against Assault. "We want to use this time as a healing moment and to express solidarity with the victims."  Attendees estimated that at least 100 students, staff members and others gathered in the middle of campus on a chilly night, listening to a university vice president and representatives from several student organizations....On Friday, about 50 Georgetown students rallied on campus to show solidarity for another victim of an anti-gay assault. A female student was walking on Canal Road near the entrance to Georgetown's campus about 9 p.m. last Tuesday when she was confronted by two white men in their late 20s. The men shouted anti-gay insults at the student, who was wearing a gay rights T-shirt, according to campus police.  The assailants grabbed her book bag, pushed her to the ground and hit her with the bag.

More here.

In response, the University sent out this email, which was posted on the Vox Populi blog, the blog of the Georgetown Voice.

As a Catholic and Jesuit university, we are committed to fostering a community that is welcoming to all and values understanding, tolerance, inclusion and respect.  Over the past week, we have seen several incidents take place on or near campus that are especially troubling because they have targeted members of our community with homophobic language and disrespect. Two incidents were off campus assaults and today a written slur was posted on the door of the LGBTQ Resource Center. These acts are unacceptable. We take these incidents and the safety of our campus community very seriously and are taking steps to address the needs of our students at this time.

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15 years ago
I wish the Catholc Bishops  would have spoken up in favor of the hate crimes bill that the president recently signed into law.   The Catholic League was against it and I only noticed some non-Catholics like [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Wallis]Jim Wallis[/url] of Sojourners endorsing it.   I'm glad Georgetown University cares about this stuff.
15 years ago
I wonder which homophobic "Catholic" blogs the suspects are active in posting and reading.
Martin Gallagher
15 years ago
Greg, which Catholic blogs do you find homophobic?  Do they actually advocate disrespect and mistreatment of homosexual people, or do they simply advocate Church teaching of chastity and marriage.  There's a big difference.
Jim McCrea
15 years ago
Martin:  you really need to stop avoiding reality.  If the RCC is against the LGBT communities being themselves; if they continue to parrot “intrinsically disordered” and then are shocked (shocked I say!) where that little “nudge, nudge, wink, wink” expression is interpreted by the masses to mean evil, sinful, despicable and worthy of active resistance in the political, emotional and physical arenas; then it cannot cloak itself in the mantle of “we are simply defending our beliefs.”  If what is sown reaps violence, hate and oppression, then take a look at what is being sown and discern if there might be something wrong in that method, message and/or intention.
Or, to put it another way:  enough of this
Martin Gallagher
15 years ago
Jim, I disagree with your understanding of Church teaching.  The Church teaches that unchaste sexual activity is immoral whether it is homosexual or heterosexual.  The Church has been entrusted with the truth and thus cannot teach differently.  However, it also teaches compassion to those who fall short of the teaching (and we all do). 
 
What approach would you recommed it take?  How could it teach the truth but better emphasize compassion?

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