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The Brutality of Homeless Unveiled: 2011 NCH Report The National Coalition for the Homeless dedicates this report to the thousands of homeless men, women and children whose lives were changed by violence and hatred. To those who have died, may they rest in peace. To those who continue to live among us, may their wounds begin to heal and their pains lessen. And may we, as a nation, work toward rejecting hatred and eradicating The Brutality of Violence Unveiled.
Hate the Sin, Love the Sinner Neil J. Donovan In order to remain free of the toxins which accompany more than a decade of researching hate crimes against the homeless, the National Coalition for the Homeless works to recognize the fundamental humanity of both the victims and perpetrators of hate crime. We recognize the need to understand and report on the consequences of criminal acts of hate, as well as the motivations which lie beneath. The National Coalition for the Homeless challenges Americans to adopt a similar resolution for the New Year, as a means of ending bias motivated crimes. A hate crime occurs when a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership in a certain social group. The unique identity of the victim can be secondary, but most often is simply unknown. The path to purging America of hate crimes lies in our collective ability to acknowledge one another as unique individuals. When we know each other, this very knowledge strips us of any ability to generalize a bias upon another. In 2011, the Unites States not only saw an increase in hate motivated lethal deaths, but a rise in those crimes as serial murders. An equally alarming trend was the rate of violent and lethal acts committed by juveniles, some as young as thirteen. This devolution in hate crimes speaks to the nature of the relationship between the victim, the criminal and the crime. Like never before, we are seeing individuals strike out with unbridled malice towards an individual or individuals of their own mind’s making. Healthy reasonable individuals can quickly determine that a person, whose sole identifying characteristic is a lack of a home, does not deserve to be detested. In such cases, only a disturbed mind is capable of applying such an intense passion of dislike, as to act upon his biased feelings towards another. These acts deserve to be condemned and the motivation for such bias must be labeled for what it is, A Hate Crime in both action and in law. The initial work of ending bias motivated crime must start by separating the act of hate from the hater. We face two tasks demanding equal attention, certainty and force. We must define the victims of these crimes as needing the same protections as other social groups currently protected by law. We also must choose to believe that the perpetrators, though often responsible and accountable for their actions, are unique from hate itself. We as a country will benefit immeasurably from this understanding and this compassion. It is only through understanding and compassion that we can find the strength and resolve to educate the ignorant, treat the mentally ill, and Hate the sin, love the sinner.
Protesters like this man took to the streets after Thomas’ brutal murder
Police Leave Homeless Man’s Body Mangled FULLERTON, CALIFORNIA–July 5, 2011 the street. Police officers then rushed to the scene. InKelly Thomas was described as “a free spirit” by his terestingly, one of the bouncers told the manager she younger sister Tina Kisner. “You couldn’t go anywhere was wrong for lying, and consequently, the bouncer without him knowing someone,” said childhood friend was fired for “insubordination” and “violating comEddie Florence. Unfortunately however, this 37-yearpany policy.” He has now filed a sixteen million dollar old homeless man was not liked by everyone. He died lawsuit against the restaurant for wrongful terminaof brain injuries after 5 days in a coma following a brution. Three of the police officers involved in Thomas’s tal beating from six Fullerton police officers. Thomas’s death have been indicted by the Orange County Disinjuries were so severe that his father, Ron Thomas, trict Attorney. Manuel Ramos, 37, was charged with said, “When I first walked into the hospital, I looked at second-degree murder and involuntary manslaughter what his mother described as my son… I didn’t recogand Jay Cicinelli, 39, was charged with involuntary nize him.” Medical records released manslaughter and excessive force. by Thomas’ family indicate that he Both plead not guilty. Ramos is “When I first walked into the reported to have told Thomas that, had a broken nose, a broken cheekhospital, I looked at what his “These fists are ready to mess you bone, several broken ribs and severe internal bleeding. One witness “de- mother described as my son… I up,” as he snapped on latex gloves. scribed seeing officers slamming Ramos and Cicinelli, along with didn’t recognize him.” Thomas’s face into the concrete after one of the other police officers inhe was tied.” The coroner reported volved in the beating have ended the cause of death as asphyxia due to chest compression their employment with the city. The brutality of the when Thomas was being pinned. police behavior while arresting an unarmed, mentally Why did the police officers attack this innocent man? ill man has sparked widespread outrage. Thomas’ faJeremy Popoff, owner of the Slidebar Rock-N-Roll ther has been active in mobilizing a community reKitchen, established a “no-homeless-people policy,” in sponse saying, “We all recognize this as a hate crime which police were called every time a homeless peragainst the homeless and the mentally ill.” There have son was found loitering outside of the restaurant. Bebeen weekly demonstrations drawing in hundreds of cause the cops would often be delayed in their response people, and three City Council recall elections have to the calls, Popoff told Slidebar’s manager, Jeanetter been initiated as a result of the incident. A musician named Julian Porte sang a song in tribute to DeMarco, to take all necessary measures to keep the Kelly Thomas. A video of his homeless away at all times. The night of Thomas’s performance can be found at the following link: death, DeMarco allegedly gave the police a false report, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUorquYMgC0 claiming that Thomas was breaking into cars alongside
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