GAY NEWS
Male cheerleader assaulted: Hate crime or just a sore loser?
By Walter Armstrong
Published Sep 28, 2006
Published Sep 28, 2006
High-school football games between the Melrose Red Raiders and the Maldon Lions are typically high-spirited events, given that their Massachusetts' rivalry dates back to 1889. But this year the nation's second-oldest high-school gridiron competition took on an ugly new twist when a male cheerleader from the Malden squad was the victim of an anti-gay attack by Medford students.
Following a nail biter won by Malden, 19-16, on Friday evening, September 15, two Melrose students assaulted the 17-year-old Malden cheerleader as he made his way through the crowd to the team bus. The first assailant, a female, harassed him with anti-gay slurs. When he ignored the taunts, her companion—"a white male with a lip piercing and wearing a black hat," according to the Malden Observer— punched him repeatedly in the face and chest.
Members of the Malden football team intervened to stop the attack, and the assailants fled from the scene. The victim was taken to a local hospital, along with a second Malden student, who began hyperventilating while witnessing the assault, and was treated for "a bloody lip."
The police filed no charges in the incident, despite the many eye-witnesses to a clear-cut case of anti-gay violence. Officials from both schools teamed up to conduct an "investigation"—interviewing a handful of students—and then announced a "diversity rally," to be held simultaneously at both schools Friday, September 28. "It was mutually decided," the rivals' press release read, "that this is an opportunity for a teachable moment."
"Neither school feels this rises to the level of being a hate crime," the Melrose superintendent told the Malden Observer. "I think what took place was a lot of bad judgment, with a scuffle that followed."
The male cheerleader, a minor, could not be reached for comment.
Following a nail biter won by Malden, 19-16, on Friday evening, September 15, two Melrose students assaulted the 17-year-old Malden cheerleader as he made his way through the crowd to the team bus. The first assailant, a female, harassed him with anti-gay slurs. When he ignored the taunts, her companion—"a white male with a lip piercing and wearing a black hat," according to the Malden Observer— punched him repeatedly in the face and chest.
Members of the Malden football team intervened to stop the attack, and the assailants fled from the scene. The victim was taken to a local hospital, along with a second Malden student, who began hyperventilating while witnessing the assault, and was treated for "a bloody lip."
The police filed no charges in the incident, despite the many eye-witnesses to a clear-cut case of anti-gay violence. Officials from both schools teamed up to conduct an "investigation"—interviewing a handful of students—and then announced a "diversity rally," to be held simultaneously at both schools Friday, September 28. "It was mutually decided," the rivals' press release read, "that this is an opportunity for a teachable moment."
"Neither school feels this rises to the level of being a hate crime," the Melrose superintendent told the Malden Observer. "I think what took place was a lot of bad judgment, with a scuffle that followed."
The male cheerleader, a minor, could not be reached for comment.
BHathlete wrote:
A lawsuit should be filed against both schools, their respective superintendents and the state of Mass. This is definately a hate crime! Yes, "this is an opportunity for a teachable moment" but it is also the time for appropriate action and a "diversity rally" is not it!
Oct 04 5:10 PM
PHLmuscle8 wrote:
"...Bad judgement?!!"
Had the victim received a concussion (merely due to a luckier blow) rather than "a bloody lip" would this attack be deemed a "scuffle"???
That superintendent is now as guilty as the perpetrators. What a moron.
Oct 02 12:35 PM
tsukahara wrote:
Lucky they were not harrasing college male cheerleaders. i was a cheerleader in college and my band of brothers on my squad were not the kind of guys you wanted to mess with.
Oct 02 4:41 AM
ptaquafox wrote:
How in the world could this NOT be a Hate Crime? This is just ridiculous. Both school offical should be ashamed and embarrassed how this was handled. Or I should say, NOT handled.
Sep 30 8:24 PM
DenveRyk wrote:
Not a hate crime?? The administrators of these two schools need to be taught a serious lesson. This kid's family needs to bring a major law suit. Schools that have not taken assaults like this seriously have been loosing in court left and right. Seems like the only way to ge the message across sometimes.
Sep 30 5:36 PM
mrtwist wrote:
What are those school officials thinking? That being harrassed with anti-gay slurs ISN'T a hate crime? Perhaps those same administrators and police officers should remember when the ''N'' word was more commonly used. Nowadays, the use of that could be considered a hate crime. Tell the kids parents' to demand charges be filed or those assailants will feel that they can get away with this same thing again in the future.
Sep 29 3:30 AM