For any Police officer to suggest that a victim was ‘asking for it’ because of his lifestyle ‘choice’ is dangerous, untrue and shows his own prehistoric mindset… He is certainly not someone who should be a police officer. This institutional homophobia just breeds the circumstances that allowed someone to kill 27 gays and remain at large for so long… I really do hope that changing attitudes to sexuality among a lot of young people will allow things to improve in the future. That the dinosaurs who think only heterosexuality is a valid lifestyle will go the way the real dinosaurs went…

I’m hopeful, but yes it angers me to that a young lad was killed simply because of who he chooses to love.. and it angers me that (some) people out there still think thats okay.

Steve

Also, here’s a reminder that not too long ago, there was a serial killer in Puerto Rico who killed 27 gays before he was caught and he is still in prison.

Here is the latest news:

hxxp://www.365gay.com/news/murder-charge-filed-in-puerto-rico-gay-teen-slaying/

Oh, and Steve, I’m afraid I also thought your comment made light of the matter and I am glad that Mark has had the professionalism to expand on your experience and your point of view.

As for me, these murders of young gay men just infuriate me so that I can be flippant sometimes. No offense.

I had a friend called Paulo who was a streetkid.. He stayed some nights, but would often still hang out with his friends who were also homeless….He was executed one night (with a friend of the same age) whilst they slept behind a building. It was all over the news at the time because it was two boys (17 and 18) found slain.. The suspects were believed to be 2 security guards.. What happened? NOTHING.. NADA. His killers have never faced a courtroom and likely never will. No justice for a streetkid.

He was not gay, nor was this ‘gay-related’, he was just a ‘nuisance’ to someone, simply a ‘problem’ to be got rid of… Life sure is cheap here if you are poor.

However, from what I see (here), gay youth and straight youth DO get on and relate to each other much better than anything I ever saw or experienced in Europe… Still having somewhat of a British outlook, it still amazes (and pleases) me to see it. … The gay community is very large here and the local authority very supportive of gays and gay rights. The gay community is very vocal and visible here and the gay parades are packed with people from all over Recife…gay and straight.

…and yes, it is just Recife and yes, it is local youths from the squares and street corners… but I think THAT is where real change starts..?

Thanks again for your post.

Steve.

For the record, I did not ‘start dismissing’ what you said as being ‘generalizations’.. I said that I felt it was ‘somewhat of a generalization’. (as indeed most comments are usually). Clearly, it does not apply to ALL places? Yes, it maybe that where I am living, and where I travel is safer than others, I can only comment on the place where I live and no more.. But maybe you know this place better than me, who knows? (and how long have YOU lived here in Recife exactly?)

I can, with respect, only post my own observations on what I have seen of the interactions of local youth HERE and that is what I did. I could not post what it’s like in Rio or Sao Paulo (which I didn’t) and I have heard my fair share of horror stories from those places..

I’m sorry if you missunderstood the intention of my posting as being to ‘dismiss’ anything you said, that was not the case.

Steve, (Mr B/B/B)

You got it. Personally, I think your comment was an understatement!!

Thanks for sheding so much light on this atrocious murder.

Yesterday, Peurto Rican newspaper “El Nuevodia” reported that the killer’s name is Juan Antonio Martinez Matos, a 26-year old father of four who had previously served time in prison for domestic violence.

Forensic evidence is being investigated by the FBI, and the DA has qualified this as a hate crime.

“The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force” suspects the killer will likely use a ‘homophobic panic’ defense, arguing for a plea of temporary insanity.

Now for the important stuff, I hope the weather is quite agreable in Brazil today, and that the boys on the corner are getting along well.

I am originally from the UK, lived for 4 years in the Czech Republic, then spent 4 months in Amsterdam before moving to Brazil. I have been here for 1 1/2 years. One of the things that struck me straight away was the very different way youth, gay and straight, interact here.

I have never seen anything like it in Europe. I live in Recife, N/E Brazil and I still cannot get used to the way gay and straight youth here are totally at ease with each other. There seems to be a genuine affection between each other and straight youths can often be seen in squares and street corners hanging around with gay lads …

Straight youth in the majority of Europe, and certainly the UK would not be seen dead socialising in the street with openly gay guys… My experience so far has actually been a more ‘live and let live…..whatever…’ attitude amongst young Brazilians. I have found it to be one of the best things about living here!

This is sickening. How could anyone does this to an innocent child? And if the police did make homophobic comments, that’s just disgusting. He wasn’t some sinister gay intelligentsia, he was just a 14 year old boy.

This story deserves our attention, and Puerto RIco’s gay activist, Pedre Julian Surrano, needs to know that the LGBT world community, and that includes us, is listening and is supportive.

hxxp://www.progressivepuppy.com/the_progressive_puppy/2009/11/puerto-rican-gay-teen-burned-decapitated-dismembered.html