Our View

Remember Charlie Howard

By Editorial Board

Jul 10, 2009 12:00 am

"[Homosexuality] is a pathetic little second-rate substitute for reality, a pitiable flight from life. As such it deserves fairness, compassion, understanding and, when possible, treatment. But it deserves no encouragement, no glamorization, no rationalization, no fake status as minority martyrdom, no sophistry about simple differences in taste-and, above all, no pretense that it is anything but a pernicious sickness."

— Time magazine, "The Homosexual in America," Jan. 21, 1966

Eighteen years after these words were printed, three miscreant teenagers in Bangor threw Charlie Howard into Kenduskeag Stream to drown because he was gay. His death helped obliterate social pretenses like those espoused by Time, and helped make the 25 years since much more tolerant.

It would be simple to mark this transition by milestones. The passage of same-sex marriage legislation in Maine this year, for example, or the prior enactment of equal rights laws. Yet the real landmark evolution is not occurring in law books and legislatures, but in the hearts and minds of American citizens.

Over a short period, infinitesimal considering the age of our society, our popular opinion of homosexuality has changed measurably. Increasing sensations of social tolerance and acceptance have been reported by gays, lesbians and heterosexuals over past decades, as social barriers between lifestyles have broken down.

Even milestones that may seem unhelpful are actually indicative of progress. The summer comedy "Bruno" may feature a faux-gay character that's an outrageous homosexual caricature, but it carries a moral message through making unsuspecting people confront their biases and stereotypes in blunt fashion.

It's vital to remember, however, that the immense freedom to pillory these petty biases has come at a devastating price, like the life of Charlie Howard, who was merely minding his business on a Bangor street in 1984 when three bigoted teens decided to let their demons out to play.

Howard died of drowning and fear in the swirling waters of the Kenduskeag, while his killers were tried and convicted as children and released back into the world as adults. This is far from justice, but at least Howard's death has helped destroy the small-minded justifications that caused it.

There is still far to go. The looming repeal of same-sex marriage in Maine is indicative of the historical divide, and the same social studies that have applauded the growing tolerance have also noted, somewhat ominously, that reports of violence and threats toward homosexuals still exists in intolerable numbers.

Only if these acts are forever extinguished, should we allow the memory of Howard to fade. Until then, his tragic passing serves as a stark signpost, marking the deplorable nature of intolerance, as well as a turning point for public attitudes about homosexuality in Maine, and perhaps the nation.

editorialboard@sunjournal.com

Comments

Christian behavior ?

Submitted by Taxpoor on Fri, 07/17/2009 - 05:16.

Christian behavior ? Organized religion is a sham and a crutch for weak-minded people. This is so true. I dont need a book to know a man & a man or a woman & a woman living as married people are very sick. People should be in a nut house that think its ok or better yet put to sleep like you do a sick pet. You dont put them to sleep because you hate them, you do it because you love them and dont want them to suffer. So dont call it a hate crime or say God made them the way they are. Thats BS They are sick and want everyone to think they are normal. Theres no treatment for it so I guess this is the only thing we can do for them.

Surprised people are scared

Submitted by joeziehmer on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 13:11.

Surprised people are scared to sign the petition its like well you can have a voice but if you say it the wrong way or if you believe the wrong way in these "liberal" times then its in the wrong to believe what you want to believe. Should there be gay marriage? No, but still do not misunderstand me the standard I still hold is judge not lest ye be judged. I don't believe it sounds homophobic anymore marriage= 1 woman+1 man= true family. Does it sound homophobic? Yes it might sound homophobic if others believed it as such but it is not. We have the rights to voice our own ways and paths but we can have our points of view without others shutting us up.

Joe Ziehm
Lewiston ME

There are two kinds of Republicans in this world moderate and conservative for so long I've picked the moderate that now it is time to consider the path less traveled.

So, in Dan's world, if a

Submitted by Gil on Tue, 07/14/2009 - 05:02.

So, in Dan's world, if a heterosexual kills a homosexual, then it's a hate crime and could only have happened due to the victim's sexual orientation. But, if it's the other way around, and the heterosexual is murdered by a homosexual, why, it couldn't have anything to do with Sexual orientation. What a load and how ignorant to even portray it as such. But then Dan was never one for logic and truth.
"A government big enough to give you what you want is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

jotter says "No gay person

Submitted by tron on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 08:35.

jotter says "No gay person has ever beaten a man and left him to die because he was straight" and gil refutes with "Homosexuals murder straights" then proceeds to name a list of killers who were homosexual AND gil thinks he's countered jotter's argument. Typical of the extreme right haters to twist facts to fit their own rebuttal. Is it any wonder this country is in trouble?

In what sane universe where

Submitted by Gil on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 14:43.

In what sane universe where rational people think, how is what I posted twisted? jotter made a claim and I refuted it with facts. I left out the part where same sex domestic violence is the same as that of opposite sex couples. Or the fact that same sex sexual assault cases are just as prevalent. It's not a fairy (kind of a pun intended) tale world where everybody dresses up and goes to non stop parties and parades. There are just as many problems, just as many violent crimes, and just as many ignorant people on both sides of the fence. To pretend otherwise is asinine.
"A government big enough to give you what you want is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

Well, in the off beat chance

Submitted by tron on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 19:39.

Well, in the off beat chance that gil is REALLY this stupid, and I don't believe he is, here's the key point that jotter made: killed someone because he was straight
You failed to provide any examples of a gay person killing a breeder simply because he was straight. But you knew that, didn't ya?

Jotter, as is normally the

Submitted by Gil on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 07:38.

Jotter, as is normally the case when libs speak from emotion rather than logic, you are wrong. Homosexuals murder straights, the only difference is that it doesn't make front page news because it doesn't fit in the agenda. What's that? You want examples? OK - Jesse Dirkhising (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesse_Dirkhising), or how about - Mary_Stachowicz (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Stachowicz) or - Jason Shephard (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1708518/posts), and this gem where the homosexual lad kills his own mother (http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2009/may/09052809.html) Then of course, we have a long line of homosexual serial killers - Jeffrey Dahmer, Andrew Cunanan, John Wayne Gacy, Luis Alfredo Garavito, Randy Steven Kraft, Wayne Williams, Juan Corona, David P. Brown (a.k.a.- Nathaniel Bar-Jonah), David Edward Maust, Erik Menendez, Arthur Gary Bishop, etc.. Hate to burst your bubble with those troublesome facts and all
"A government big enough to give you what you want is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

I'd like to remind Taxpoor

Submitted by jotter on Sun, 07/12/2009 - 07:04.

I'd like to remind Taxpoor that all you people who are scared, spiteful bigots can go to another state that's scared, spiteful bigot-friendly. No gay person has ever beaten a man and left him to die because he was straight. You can take your hate and fear somewhere else.

Wouldn't it be nice if all

Submitted by James on Sat, 07/11/2009 - 06:59.

Wouldn't it be nice if all the self righteous opponants of gay marriage worked on making themselves better, rather than telling others how to live? The Bible says, "Judge not," but these characters can only find hate in the Bible. Who among we "straight people" would trade places with a gay person? Certainly not I. Leave the gays alone and strive to develop more Christian behavior in your own lives.

Hal..... Why dont we just

Submitted by Hal on Sat, 07/11/2009 - 04:35.

Hal..... Why dont we just leave people alone and let them live their own life in peace. It's God's will that they are the way they are. Every one doesnt think alike, look alike, feel alike, we're all different in all ways. Im not homosexual and its not because I choose to be that way its because I was born to feel this way. Homosexuals were born to feel the way they do. Why do the rest of us have to be to high and God almight? Let's just mind our own business.

Marriage is a time honored

Submitted by skippy on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 18:45.

Marriage is a time honored commitment between a man and a woman. I am tolerant enough to recognize a need for a legal mean for those who do not choose to commit as such to having the opportunity to have their union recognized legally and with the same basic rights and responsibilities be it a homosexual union or just a plain shack up, but please don't call it a marriage. Just like I would never dream of calling my wife my "domestic partner", I can not tolerate calling these unions a marriage. If the homosexals want to come out of the closet it is fine, but let them and all realize that these are not your common relationships and must be differentiated.

Sounds like skippy wants to

Submitted by lebearun on Mon, 07/13/2009 - 17:12.

Sounds like skippy wants to keep marriage a "special right" for heterosexuals. "Equal but separate" has been tried before, and it just doesn't work.

Publikwerks, ya got it wrong

Submitted by Gil on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 15:26.

Publikwerks, ya got it wrong kinda, I think. Reciprocity is the agreement between states to honor things like drivers licenses and marriage. Full faith and credit has more to do with judicial findings, warrants, charges, etc. Reciprocity is not guaranteed. That's why I can legally carry in Maine, but not in Mass. Reciprocity is an agreement made between states. It can be denied.
"A government big enough to give you what you want is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

I agree with you Dan. and

Submitted by momof4 on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 14:36.

I agree with you Dan. and post it as many times as you want. REPEAL, I SAY!!!!!!!

Time magazine had it right

Submitted by Dan Cooper on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 12:01.

Time magazine had it right in 1966.

Time was right.

Submitted by Dan Cooper on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 11:59.

Time was right.

"What one state holds to be

Submitted by Hulk on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 11:53.

"What one state holds to be true, all states must respect." Really!
So if that premise is true than the drinking age for the country is whatever the state with the lowest age decides it to be. No.
Or if I have a CC permit in Maine all other states must respect that and allow me to conceal carry there? No.
How about drivers licenses? If it's suspended here does that mean every other state must recognize that? No.

I'm no lawyer, but my better instincts say you're wrong.

States are not allowed to make up their own rules for federal government programs, joint filling, Medicare/Medicaid food stamps welfare etc.

That's one of the reasons I say get government (federal. State and local) out of marriage.

We should treat all people

Submitted by geomax on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 10:22.

We should treat all people in the same way that we wish to be treated. Charlie Howard should not have been killed simply because he was different. However, that does not mean that those same people should have special rights because of that difference and their wish to fit into society. Marriage has always been between one man and one woman, and should remain that way. I'm hoping that's how the people will speak by their votes in November.

"I say equal treatment for

Submitted by T on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 10:07.

"I say equal treatment for all, get government out of marriage and we'll achieve that goal."...So...you're in favor of gay marriage then...

__________________
"A government big enough to give you what you want is strong enough to take everything from Gil" TJ

No, as I've stated I believe

Submitted by Hulk on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 10:17.

No, as I've stated I believe marriage is between a man and a woman.
I have no trouble with homosexuals or any other people living together in a committed relationship. I see that as a good thing.
Just don't call it marriage, and most of all don't use the force of government to make us do so.
I will be voting for repeal.

To Taxpoor........I would

Submitted by Blue Eyes on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 08:55.

To Taxpoor........I would rather "lack something upstairs" then have what you have upstairs.

I will vote to repeal this

Submitted by Taxpoor on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 08:40.

I will vote to repeal this law. The governor should never have signed it knowing that the people have always turned it down in the past. Let all the people vote on this and see what the majority of the people want and then stop trying to sneak it into law because that is the only way it will ever pass. All you people that are Homosexual can always go to another state and live where they are Homosexual friendly. Same-sex marriage is just not natural. Anyone that thinks its OK is lacking something upstairs.

"Same-sex marriage is just

Submitted by Hulk on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 10:11.

"Same-sex marriage is just not natural"

It's got nothing to do with nature. Same sex "marriage" is a misnomer, marriage is between a man and a woman, pretty simple.
Now a relationship between a man and a man or a woman and a woman though it maybe as loving as that between a man and a woman is not marriage.

Homosexual couples have the same right to "the pursuit of Happiness" as any other couple. A right to marriage? Does anyone have a right to marriage?
Is that even anything that a government can bestow on a person?
No.

Get government out of marriage.

(source: FBI statistics

Submitted by Gil on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 08:29.

(source: FBI statistics 2007) newest I could find
335 were crimes of intimidation (shouting or name-calling)
448 were crimes of simple assault (defined as pushing or shoving without physical injury)
242 were crimes of aggravated assault (defined as bodily harm)
Out of a total number of 855,856
Do the math - 242 actual cases of assault = 0.02827578411446785% of all aggravated assaults.
They also reported only 9 murders in 2007out of ALL reported hate crimes, not just against gays. Again, do the math. 365/9=1 every 40 days. And that's including all murders for that year classified as hate crimes.
Nice try triumph. Bad math
"A government big enough to give you what you want is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

Hate crime stats are

Submitted by Gil on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 08:11.

Hate crime stats are ludicrous and used as an example for or against something is useless. One person in an incident being a minority does not make it a hate crime. If a hetero male gets into a fight with a gay male, regardless of the reason, it gets coded as a hate crime. Same result if it is between a white guy and a black guy, or an Hispanic, or an Indian, or an Eskimo. (Funny how it doesn't work the other way) You cannot tell what is in the mind of the offender unless it is stated out loud. And I seriously doubt that homosexuals are being murdered at the rate of 1 every 13 days just because they are gay. It's just another propaganda tool of the pink mafia to get sympathy or empathy from those to weak to actually think for themselves. A sexual preference does not a minority make. If it did, then pedophiles, animal lovers, etc, would be able to lay claim to a protected status also. As such, a vote to repeal is a vote to uphold what Americans believe in.
"A government big enough to give you what you want is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

I think comparing gay

Submitted by mad dad on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 06:40.

I think comparing gay marriage to throwing someone off a bridge, or gay-bashing is pretty far out. I also believe that gay-bashing will continue in states that have legal gay marriage the same as any other crime which has no boundries. Many people feel the defination of the word marriage should remain to be between male and female. Just because government passes a law that allows gays to be married doesn't mean that everyone will accept it.

The FBI cites a gay hate

Submitted by triumph on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 05:18.

The FBI cites a gay hate crime every six hours. A death from gay-bashing every thirteen days, making gay-bashing the third highest incidence, right after race and religion. The editorial board wrote this after being the only major newspaper to oppose the recent marriage equality bill which has now become law in Maine, joining all of the rest of the New England states except Rhode Island. It is a step in the right direction, but it is unfortunate that the editors did not acknowledge their hypocricy. Still, the past can inform the future making Maine the way life should be, allowing life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all, except Charlie Howard. Vote to repeal and you vote against what America stands for.

"A death from gay-bashing

Submitted by Hulk on Fri, 07/10/2009 - 09:03.

"A death from gay-bashing every thirteen days"

The FBI "Hate" crime statistics for 2007 (the latest available) sites 9 murders in total for the year 2007.
Thats total for all "Hate" crimes, which works out to 1 death every 40.5 days. Not "A death from gay-bashing every thirteen days"
http://www.fbi.gov/ucr/hc2007/incidents.htm

To put that in perspective there are an average of 9 murders every 7 days in Chicago, the Presidents home turf.

"Vote to repeal and you vote against what America stands for."

The same could be said with regards to voting for Barack Hussein Obama, but that didn't stop you from voting for him now did it?

I say equal treatment for all, get government out of marriage and we'll achieve that goal.

Add comment

Contests

Radio City Racing

NASCAR fantasy racing at its finest! Compete for local and national prizes. This year's grand prize is a flat screen TV from Radio City valued at $800.. Click here to play!

Subscribe to Daily Headlines