Transgender Murder Trial: Hate Crime Charge May Be A First

[Guest]

It's a mob mentality from the days of witch trials. People say they believe in equal human rights for everybody but it's just not true. There's them, then ther's us as if we are somehow less human than them. We are human beings and murder against us is just as wrong as it is against them. It is never OK to kill someone no matter what the reason. Do realize that certain family and religious groups that are against us believe that we are better off dead or out of their sight. They don't get that this is exactly like the cup cake days of pinning pink triangles to mark us. When you tell them that they are offended. Hatefull no not them. They're just fighting immorality they say. The fact that makes us second class human beings doesn't phase them at all. If they could find a way to get us all back in closets they would or worse.

Any Transgender person would say "whoa let's talk first" before having full sexual relations. She knew full well his discovering a surprise was going to threaten her life. I do not buy that this guy didn't know first. In fact it's likley he was told which is why he killed her. Because she was transsexual doesn't make murder OK. Those that feel that way feel we are less than dogs. Dogs would be protected at least. This is not the old West where you just string us up for an angry mob. While the law doesn't protect our community it doesn't say it's ok to murder us either.

As to deceit they;ll cheat on their taxes or with their neighbors wife. Being your True Self is not deceit. It's everyones right but apparantly not ours. Our only deciet is to oursleves before we discover what we truely are. Then we at least correct it. What else is left, non-existence. I don't know about you but i'm not wearing a pink triangle saying Transsexual in big letters to announce it to eveyone I meet for anybody. That's like painting a target on yourself. Aim here. Do note that their biggest fear of hate crimes legislation is that they will loose the right to their national sport of calling LGBT people names and tearing us apart. This is depite the fact it's not true and won't spoil their fun.

Laura

[Guest karen_h]

One question to ask. Does tacking a hate crime on to a murder charge make it less likley the crime will be committed? Do extra penalties deter crime?

Laura

One thing i find disturbing is that the jury will be allowed to consider the lesser charge of second degree murder, if convicted on this charge, the expletive deleted , could serve as little as 4 years for angies murder

kinda shows what kind of value we put on life

karen_h

[Guest Leigh]

my comment got through! still...i doubt any of those haters will read it. they probably just post their hate and go on with their hateful lives.

but there was an update type article also:

http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/2009/04/18/...amily-at-trial/

[Guest Elizabeth K]

I did it again - posting the following after the update came in:

Elizabeth K April 20th, 2009 6:12 pm ET

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

I am very concerned with what I read in these comments. Much of it shows descrimination and hatred beyong reason. Please understand we transgender ARE responsible for our actions, and we know that. And Angie Zapata should have been 100% truthful - and I am not certain that she wasn’t. I mean, as the ‘deceased’ victim no one can ask her now. As a transgenedered person, Ms Zapata would not have been able to hide her ’secrets’ forever and I am sure that was on her mind.

But - as a transgenderd person myself - I am appalled at the remarks herein, from what are probably otherwise good, loving people. There are opinions - but no real knowledge - of what being transsexual really is all about. I repeat here, we do NOT chose this condition. It is NOT a life style choice, it is NOT a sexual orientation - it has almost everything to do with gender and almost nothing to do with sex.

This transwoman was trying to find happiness and was playing a dangerous game with an aledged gang memeber. He killed her because he was afraid of what people would think about him, not because he was angry - that’s my opinion.

But he will face - “something” - when the trial is over. Many here, some making terribly judgemental and inaccurate statements, will go on, unabatted, possibly passing on their hatred and misinformation to new generations.

It needs to stop. Everyone needs to research the transsexual phenominum. We are really just like you - but … hummmm… now I am not so sure that is such a good thing.

I guess I have a bit of an uphill battle - but I cannot let it go!

Lizzy

[Guest Ryles_D]

On another site there was a person who called transwomen "men". I couldn't actually figure out what they were talking about, because in one paragraph they said some were obviously supposed to be women while some just looked like men in dresses. I asked them, actually said please, to not refer to transwomen as men, partly because it was really confusing at first. I didn't even get into how offensive it is to call MtFs men because I didn't want to sound like I was being too harsh or critical. They acted like it was a direct assault and told me that I shouldn't attack people who are supporting us.

I was happy they wished us well and acknowledged they don't understand how hard it is to be trans, definitely. But that they had this "I accept you, so you better back off and let me call you what I want" attitude really got to me. Maybe I'm overreacting to this, but it seemed manipulative to react that strongly and say that I/we shouldn't be allowed to say a word against our supporters- even if their support comes in the form of calling women men.

I want to see the world change in my life. I want to be able to be myself, my non-binary, neutrois gender identity and have it accepted. I want people to stop being killed for being themselves, and if that's not possible I want people to at least see it for as awful as it is. It probably won't happen, but I want it to. And it's sad that I'll probably never see it, and the next few generations might not, either. As long as it happens some day, though, and what I do in my life helps, even if only a tiny bit, to make that day come sooner- I guess I'll be happy with that.

[Guest mia 1]

I don't know if adding extra charges really has much of an effect. I think what you really need is education and you need people to realize that we are all just people. Adding up more charges and having people sit in jail longer will not help anything except an increase in our taxes

April

I know you don't like being reduced to a stereotype and no one does but we do pay taxes for a reason. Throw the monster in jail and I'll pay for it myself..!...Living outside of Colorado your taxes are not paying this state's prison system.....we will take care of our own and if we have to hang the monster at high noon we will...(but we won't) he will rot in jail and I'll guarantee Guilty of Murder In The First Degree.......

[Guest ~Brenda~]

Laura,

Your caring and concern is certainly comforting. I am concerned for you, my dear, that your fear has moved to such anger that you are very militant! The good works you have done has been absolutely astounding. You literally have helped so many people throught the world!! Many of us can attest to the fact that we were terribly lost until we found your website! But now, I think it is time that we helped you. You don't have to take this all on your shoulders alone!! We are all here to help you too. We love you. I love you. It is time that I start working on building a bridge that we all can walk safely on. This is my risk, not yours! You deserve to let others start walking for you.

My thoughts for you

bernii