Targets On Our Backs

We all know when we walk out the door anything can happen from being harassed, to being assaulted, and to even being killed.

Oh, that doesn’t happen here in Connecticut…

New Haven police investigate assault on gay man with possible hate crime elements
New Haven Register
By Esteban L. Hernandez
POSTED: July 6, 2017

NEW HAVEN >> The 26-year-old man said the first clenched fist struck the back of his head. The second one struck his jaw.

The Hartford resident was on Kensington Street Tuesday when he said he was attacked by at least three individuals, who struck him until he fell to the ground. The victim said the individuals kicked him while he lie on the ground. The entire attack took several minutes, though he said it felt like years.
[…]
The individuals used gay slurs while attacking the man, who is gay and said he believes his sexual orientation played a role in the attack. He also believes the three attackers may have thought he was a sex worker.

Down in Philadelphia,

Police: Philadelphia paintball attacks appear to target transgender victims
6 ABC
By Chad Pradelli
July 06, 2017

SOUTHWEST PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Police are investigating a recent series of attacks in Southwest Philadelphia where the suspects seem to be targeting transgender people.

Investigators do not know for certain at this time that the transgender victims were targeted, but they are treating the incidents as such.
[…]
The car was caught on surveillance cameras near 42nd Street and Baltimore Avenue where an occupant or occupants fired on two residents walking down the road with paintballs. Both were hit.

A half hour later, at 50th Street and Woodland Avenue, several residents of the Morris Home, a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for transgender, were sitting on the front porch of their facility when the Infiniti passed by and more paintballs were fired.

The victims scattered and dove for cover, but not before three were hit.

Instead of welts all over their body it could have been a lot worst.

In D.C. they also had an incident of trans violence,

Trans Woman Attacked In Southwest With Roman Candles And Metal Bat
DCist
By Rachel Kurzius
July 6, 2017

After a transgender woman of color was attacked and injured in Southwest D.C. on July 2, members of the community have raised thousands of dollars toward her recovery.

Desiree Copeland was walking to visit members of her family near the boundary between the Navy Yard and Waterfront neighborhoods when she says a young man started walking behind her.

He shot off a Roman candle firework in her direction, hitting her, according to the Metropolitan Police Department report. Copeland asked him to stop, but he continued to shoot the fireworks, resulting in burns on her neck and face.

Copeland says when she asked him to stop, he said, "I can do whatever I want," and called her derogatory names.

When the President of the United States sets the tone of hate in the hate mongers crawl out of the woodwork… "I can do whatever I want" thinking is given the green light by the Presidnt of the United States.