Action Required

This is Andrew Anthos, described by his local newspaper as "a private, gentle man whose twin passions to support military veterans and public transportation earned him a reputation for community service." Here is a beautiful newspaper article, from 2002, that describes his community activism. Here is an archived NPR piece where you can hear him talk about his passion.

He is dead.

He died Friday from a beating, inflicted upon him with a metal pipe, because he was gay.

The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force has put out a press release:

WASHINGTON, Feb. 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/

A 72-year-old Detroit man who was attacked Feb. 13 and left paralyzed from
the neck down died today in what his family is calling a hate crime.

Andrew Anthos, who was known in Michigan for his long time campaign to
illuminate the dome of the state capitol for one night each year in red, white
and blue lights, was on a city bus when a man reportedly approached him and
asked him if he was gay. The man continued to harass Anthos, followed him off
the bus at the stop in front of his building and then viciously beat Anthos with
a metal pipe, striking him from behind. Anthos, who family members said was gay,
was in a coma in the days immediately preceding his death.

Statement by Matt Foreman,
Executive Director, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

"The hatred and loathing that led to the vicious murder of Andrew Anthos
only because he was gay is not innate. Instead it is being taught every day by
leaders of the so-called Christian right and their political allies who use
their vast resources, media networks and affiliated pulpits to blame lesbian,
gay, bisexual and transgender people for all the ills of society. They disguise
their bigotry as 'deeply-held religious beliefs. 'They cloak themselves in 'family values.'

"For years, Michigan has been subjected to the homophobic rants of Gary Glenn of the American Family Association of Michigan, while so many otherwise good and decent people have been silent. Just two years ago, the state endured an ugly campaign, led by Cardinal Adam Maida, to 'protect marriage' by writing anti-gay discrimination into its constitution. Based on that amendment, a three-judge panel of Michigan's court of appeals voted last month to terminate medical insurance coverage for families of LGBT government workers throughout the state.

"It is appalling hypocrisy for these forces to pretend that their venomous words and organizing have no connection to the plague of hate violence against gay people, including the murder of Mr. Anthos.

"Our hearts and sympathies go out to the members of Mr. Anthos' family and to our colleagues at the Triangle Foundation who have been at his bedside and with his family for the last two weeks. As a small token of the condolences of our national community feels, we will be covering funeral costs."

Please go HERE to sign a petition, sponsored by Human Rights Campaign, in support of federal hate crimes legislation. Under the current federal hate crimes statute, federal authorities have no jurisdiction to assist in this investigation, even if local authorities were to request that assistance. It’s past time for a comprehensive federal hate crimes bill and we cannot stand by and let one more person go unprotected.

And if you live in Michigan, PLEASE contact your legislators and express your outrage that Michigan, unlike 20 other U.S. States, does not consider attacking people for being gay to be worthy of inclusion in its hate crimes statute.

We MUST do more to stop this senseless violence.

Read Blue's post here.

(Thanks to NG Blog for the press release.)