Man shot and killed outside club in Milwaukee...

[LeftHander]

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=711750



"Vic" Milford

This shook me. This is where I go. Walker's Point area. It is where all the gay clubs are. Worse I remember chatting with him at a bar sometime ago. You don't run into South African accents very often...

I feel sick. There was a vigil last night. I have heard numerous reports of assaults on gay men in this area. Two of my friends had encounters. One had a gun pointed in his face. Another was beaten with baseball bat.

This has rocked Milwaukee's LGBT community.

[readmoreoften]

1. Gay man killed in Boston last week.

Well, at least we're making news. :sarcasm:

[JackintheGreen]

2. I hate this...

I don't even know what to say anymore. :hug:

[TechBear_Seattle]

3. Three murders in Seattle's gay neighborhood in just the last three weeks

None of the victims were gay, but that is beside the point: all of them occured in Seattle's gay neighborhood, Capitol Hill, and all of them occured within half a mile of where I live.

[Dhalgren]

5. Jesus, TechBear! You stay safe!

I know that there is no way to stay safe from hate, but it just really freaks me out that this shit is still going on. I am constantly checking on my niece and her wife, I know they think I am a fussy old man, but this is just so unacceptable to me - this kind of brutal persecution and oppression! And even our own Democratic leaders won't support equality - it is just unconscionable...

[TechBear_Seattle]

6. A big part of the problem is gentrification

Whole sections of Capitol Hill are being torn down and developed into condos and night clubs. Nearly all of the people moving into those condos are straight, and so all of the clubs opening up cater to a straight crowd. Two of the three murders were related to violence in these clubs. (The third was a well-known activist for The Sierra Club and various green causes; her murder is still under investigation as to motive.)

While none of the murders were gay related, there is a direct impact on the community: gay-bashing and other hate crimes in this once-safe neighborhood has greatly increased in 2007, largely because the new clientel is unaware of the makeup of Capitol Hill and think that all the "queers" are ruining the "ambiance" of "their" turf. It is getting bad enough that I might move before too long.

[cboy4]

4. The article doesn't even suggest that this could be a hate

crime.

The implication is that it's a random robbery attack.

Are Milwaukee police investigating this as a hate crime homicide??

[LeftHander]

7. The fact is....thugs have been preying on the gay communuity....

It is not a random robbery attack. Thugs lay in wait for people coming out of the bars, walking to cars in nearby residential streets where the only parking is available. They lay in wait and target gay men. Doesn't sound so random when they are stalking gay people. Getting "rolled" and mugged in Walker's Point is nothing new.

In that area. Parking is not well lit. Cops rarely seen. Their have been assaults and numerous car break-ins.

He handed over the wallet and they shot him anyway.

The full details of the shooting have not been disclosed yet. The man shot was with three others. So we will find out soon.

But this is all fitting a pattern fostered by the right wing religious God Hate's Fag nut jobs. They are always in our face at every gathering in Milwaukee.

He was a director at Miller and you can be sure this will not be swept under the rug. Unlike the shooting that occurred a few days before a few blocks from my house.

[cboy4]

8. My question was, if this happened in the gay part of

town, why wasn't this mentioned in the article?

Naturally, I don't doubt this wasn't a random robbery attack.

It's just that most larger city newspapers mention police are at least investigating whether this could possibly be hate related.

I'm wondering why none of this was mentioned in the article.

[LeftHander]

9. Milwaukee media has a way of denying a rather large LGBT community....

They are playing cautious. However, the LGBT community will no doubt become very vocal over the coming days.

If you have been to Milwaukee....Walker's Point is where most of the gay clubs are, a dozen or more.

Walker's Point = LGBT in Milwaukee. The article today talked about the victim's work with Miller Brewing and who survived him including a life partner.

Like I said. Assaults on gay men in Milwaukee have typically gone underreported because the Police have little in the way of resources or motivation in dealing with it. It is just another stat in a already very violent city. (Highest rates of gun murders in U.S.)

The problems in Walker's Point have been escalating for sometime. Now someone was shot.

[Jella]

10. I don't go out anymore

in Milwaukee, as I've moved to the suburbs. I didn't know him personally, but know the bar and the owner. When I saw it on the news last night I just felt sick. Milwaukee is a violent city, and the area is a mix of new developments and gang activity. I can't say with certainty that this was gay related, but the bars are well known in the area. What a waste, I hope the gay community here raises hell.

[cboy4]

11. Wow. Not to say that I don't watch my back at all times when

I'm out == because I do.

However, living in California, I'm just not used to the concept of going out and feeling anything but mostly comfortable -- especially in San Francisco and West Hollywood.

The law enforcement agencies in these cities (and others, including Sacramento), actually recruit gay officers to help deal with gay hate-related crimes, etc.

But yea, I know we're talking about Milwaukee .. certainly not the bastion of gay culture by any means.

Pretty much have to drive down to Chicago for that.

[plantwomyn]

12. Had the same problems in the 70's

We banded together and patrolled the parking lots with big Mag lights. We challenged the thugs if they came on our turf. sounds very West Side Story but it worked. Many of us would volunteer an hour or two, hell the bar would bring us out beer. In Chicago, we'd walk people to their cars and walk to the bars in groups. There was a time in the way back when some of us "girls" even went trolling to catch us a few punks . We'd have a little cutie walking in front of us a ways and jump on anyone who bothered her. I can assure you they never preyed on Dykes again. In Chicago and San Francisco we were our own gang in many ways. The most stupid thing I ever saw a group of gaybashers do was to get out of a van on Castro street and tried to beat up a gay guy. They are the ones that got bashed. Hate to tell you to fit fire with fire but a mans got to do what a mans got to do.
BE safe.
BTW you might want to start raising hell at city council meetings. Get some of your mommas and grannies to raise hell too. "What are you doing to protect our children'?

[Jella]

13. They just had a

press conference, and announced they have arrested two gang members from the latin kings in the shooting. Geez how odd, gang members.