Gay Man Murdered in Wake of "Yes on Prop 8" Campaign
Christian Church
November 17, 2008
Marriage equality activities are outraged at the murder of Moses "Teish" Cannon, 22, who was shot and killed Friday night for being openly gay, according to local authorities in Syracuse, New York. The alleged shooter, Dwight R. DeLee, 20, has been charged with second degree murder.
"The senseless killing of Moses "Teish" Cannon is a clear example of why we need to redouble our efforts on education and awareness to ending hate violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "We commend the Syracuse Police Department for its swift action and investigating this as a crime of hate. Hate crimes rend the fabric of our society and fragment communities because they target a group and not just the individual victim. The purpose of our government, first and foremost, is to protect all of our citizens — whether they are black, disabled, Christian or gay."
The Human Rights Campaign contacted Syracuse Police Chief Gary Miguel and confirmed weekend media reports. Miguel said the suspect had no prior knowledge of the victim before this incident. At the party, a conversation between the victim and the suspect led to the victim sharing his sexual orientation. It was at this time the suspect retrieved a rifle and shot the victim, according to the police. The case is now in the hands of the district attorneyīs office.
The murder follows the passage of Proposition 8, the discriminatory anti-gay, anti-same-sex marriage initiative financially supported by members of the Mormon Church, who have a history of racially discriminatory practices. According to BYU Professor Robert Millet, Mormons arenīt even ashamed of their racist past. Frank Lockwood, a reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, reports that African American men were not allowed to enter a Mormon temple. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints barred black men from the priesthood, which is conferred on virtually all faithful white Mormon men and boys ages 12 and up," Lockwood wrote. "As a result, blacks were not allowed to become missionaries, to distribute the Lordīs Supper, to have their marriages 'sealed for time and eternity' or to serve as elders, bishops, apostles and prophets." While the Mormon Church has recently abandoned these racist practices ostensibly for political purposes, "they have not abandoned the scriptures that undergirded them," Lockwood continued.
Lockwood goes on to say that passages in the Book of Mormon proclaim that "dark skin is a sign of divine disfavor and a punishment from God." The church's sacred writings describe mixed-race offspring as accursed and portray dark-skinned American Indians, for example, as "loathsome" and "an idle people full of mischief." Lockwood adds that Mormons believe these passages are the word of God and are "as sacred as the Bible itself."
The Mormon Church has not released an apology for contributing to the murder of Moses Cannon. The President of the Mormon Church asked members to financially support Proposition 8 and thus fueled the lies and hatred Prop 8 supporters perpetrated against lesbians and gays to ensure its passage. To this date, there remains no federal hate crimes law protecting people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In October, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its annual report which showed the incidence of bias-motivated crimes based on sexual orientation increased by 6 percent in 2007. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation remain the third most common type of hate crimes, behind race and religion.
Federal legislation is crucial to ensuring local law enforcement is given the tools they need to combat hate violence in our communities. If signed into law, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act / Matthew Shepard Act would give the federal government expanded jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute violent crimes based on a personīs race, color, religion or national origin as well as their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, and disability. The Act also provides assistance to local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence. Existing federal hate crimes law covers only certain hate crimes that are based on a victimīs race, color, religion and national origin.
Itīs time to end bigotry, discrimination, hatred and yes, murder against people who simply love another person of the same sex.
To find out who the donors were for the "Yes on Prop 8" Campaign, click here.
"The senseless killing of Moses "Teish" Cannon is a clear example of why we need to redouble our efforts on education and awareness to ending hate violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "We commend the Syracuse Police Department for its swift action and investigating this as a crime of hate. Hate crimes rend the fabric of our society and fragment communities because they target a group and not just the individual victim. The purpose of our government, first and foremost, is to protect all of our citizens — whether they are black, disabled, Christian or gay."
The Human Rights Campaign contacted Syracuse Police Chief Gary Miguel and confirmed weekend media reports. Miguel said the suspect had no prior knowledge of the victim before this incident. At the party, a conversation between the victim and the suspect led to the victim sharing his sexual orientation. It was at this time the suspect retrieved a rifle and shot the victim, according to the police. The case is now in the hands of the district attorneyīs office.
The murder follows the passage of Proposition 8, the discriminatory anti-gay, anti-same-sex marriage initiative financially supported by members of the Mormon Church, who have a history of racially discriminatory practices. According to BYU Professor Robert Millet, Mormons arenīt even ashamed of their racist past. Frank Lockwood, a reporter for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, reports that African American men were not allowed to enter a Mormon temple. "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints barred black men from the priesthood, which is conferred on virtually all faithful white Mormon men and boys ages 12 and up," Lockwood wrote. "As a result, blacks were not allowed to become missionaries, to distribute the Lordīs Supper, to have their marriages 'sealed for time and eternity' or to serve as elders, bishops, apostles and prophets." While the Mormon Church has recently abandoned these racist practices ostensibly for political purposes, "they have not abandoned the scriptures that undergirded them," Lockwood continued.
Lockwood goes on to say that passages in the Book of Mormon proclaim that "dark skin is a sign of divine disfavor and a punishment from God." The church's sacred writings describe mixed-race offspring as accursed and portray dark-skinned American Indians, for example, as "loathsome" and "an idle people full of mischief." Lockwood adds that Mormons believe these passages are the word of God and are "as sacred as the Bible itself."
The Mormon Church has not released an apology for contributing to the murder of Moses Cannon. The President of the Mormon Church asked members to financially support Proposition 8 and thus fueled the lies and hatred Prop 8 supporters perpetrated against lesbians and gays to ensure its passage. To this date, there remains no federal hate crimes law protecting people on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In October, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released its annual report which showed the incidence of bias-motivated crimes based on sexual orientation increased by 6 percent in 2007. Hate crimes based on sexual orientation remain the third most common type of hate crimes, behind race and religion.
Federal legislation is crucial to ensuring local law enforcement is given the tools they need to combat hate violence in our communities. If signed into law, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act / Matthew Shepard Act would give the federal government expanded jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute violent crimes based on a personīs race, color, religion or national origin as well as their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender, and disability. The Act also provides assistance to local law enforcement to investigate and prosecute bias-motivated violence. Existing federal hate crimes law covers only certain hate crimes that are based on a victimīs race, color, religion and national origin.
Itīs time to end bigotry, discrimination, hatred and yes, murder against people who simply love another person of the same sex.
To find out who the donors were for the "Yes on Prop 8" Campaign, click here.
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