Yesterday Was Hartford Pride, But…

Earlier in the week an act of hate was done on the community.

Hartford church hit with anti-LGBTQ+ graffiti. A ‘really vile slur’ as city is set for Pride weekend.
Hartford Courant
By Alison Cross
September 12, 2024

As the city of Hartford prepares to celebrate Pride this weekend, police are investigating an alleged act of vandalism targeting the LGBTQ+ community at a local church.

The Rev. Jay Terbush, the senior transitional minister at Immanuel Congregational Church, said an unknown vandal defaced the church’s large rainbow walkway with explicit graffiti containing a homophobic slur.

“It is always surprising, and yet it isn’t surprising to me in another way, that people who live in this state still harbor those kind of hostile reactions toward people that are different,” Terbush said. “Part of my sadness is that this active vandalism and really vile slur is happening in this week when the city is embracing all people by having Hartford Pride.”

Since 2000, Immanuel has identified as an “Open and Affirming” congregation, a designation from the United Church of Christ that reinforces a church’s commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion. Immanuel’s rainbow walk has served as a testament to these values for the last several years, leading parishioners from Farmington Avenue to the doors of the church’s sanctuary.

Everywhere it is not safe from violence and hate, we here in Connecticut are a lot better off than other states… but there is still hate here.

It has always been here but it was mostly covert, hidden away in the corners of the state but it has been green lighted by the current national and local political candidates.

Other Pride events in Connecticut have been no stranger to anti-LGBTQ+ hate.

Johanna Schubert, the co-chair of West Hartford Pride, said that in the lead-up to the organization’s fifth annual Pride celebration this June, West Hartford Pride and its organizers received “several threats” via social media channels.

“Two of them were specific enough that the Police Department opened an investigation and, in one case, consulted with the FBI,” Schubert said.

Now the haters have been embolden by the Republican party with all their anti-LGBTQ legislation and rhetoric. The swamp creators feel that they have the courts behind them, with their claims of “religious freedom.” to discriminate.

In a statement to the Courant, Hartford Pride President Charlie Ortiz said that “in the last 15 years of Pride,” the annual celebration has “not had any incidents.”

Still, Ortiz said Hartford Pride organizers “do not let our guard down.”

“Based on conditions, we have increased security and police presence during our Pride event over the years,” Ortiz said. “We look forward to a peaceful and enjoyable event and also recruit our audience: ‘If you see something, say something.’”

Anne Stanback, an LGBTQ+ activist who served at the forefront of Connecticut’s fight for marriage equality, joined Immanuel 23 years ago.

When Stanback learned about the graffiti, she said she “got that sick feeling in my stomach” again.

“This isn’t the first time that I have seen incidences of vandalism and hate like this,” Stanback said. “I know this kind of thing still happens, but it is still so saddening and disappointing that it’s happening here in the city of Hartford.”

People say that there are no bias crimes, that we don’t need them. That there is no difference between an assault and a bias crime.

Well in murder we have;

• Involuntary murder,
• Second-degree murder,
• First-degree murder.

So what is the difference between them. Intent. Involuntary murder, you didn’t mean to kill anyone, it just happened. You push a protester out of the way and he falls, hits his head and dies.
 

While murder in the second degree is, you get in to a fight and pick up a rock and bash his head in. you didn’t plan on killing him but in the anger of the moment you do.
 

First-degree murder is planned. You are in that bar room fight, you go out to the car get your gun and come back to kill him.

It all boils down to what was the reason you did it. For a bias crime it is because they are LGBTQ+ that is the motive for the crime. Also the crime affects the whole community, it creates fear.

How many times have you heard, “I’m afraid to go out.” after a gay man is attacked. It is not just an attack on a trans woman but an attack on all trans women. That is why there are bias crime laws.

Fox 61

City of Hartford celebrates pride and inclusion with festival on Church Street

NBC Connecticut

Hartford Pride brings thousands to downtown area

The local ABC and CBS affiliates did not carry any stories about Hartford Pride, however CBS WFSB Ch 3 did carry a story about vandalism at the church.

Hartford police investigate anti-LGBTQIA vandalism outside of church