Wednesday, June 6, 2018

Victim of Assault, Gay Teacher Brandon Soriano: 'Homophobia is Real'

It is June. During this month, while the Catholic Church celebrates the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Body and Blood of Christ, others celebrate the National Puerto Rican day parade and Gay Pride. It is supposed to be a time of summer fun as the days get warmer and many have months off to enjoy it. However, one young man has been forced to start this time on bad terms.

Brandon Soriano, a 25-year-old elementary school teacher was brutally assaulted after leaving Queens Pride. In New York, each borough has a set day to celebrate Gay Pride. Queens starts it off, then Brooklyn, Staten Island, The Bronx with Manhattan ending it all with the much larger Gay Pride parade. Many LGBTQ and others participate in each event in a show of pride and solidarity.

Despite many advances made on how society sees and treats the LGBTQ community in recent years, some hate still remains. Soriano was enjoying his day at Queens pride and left after it was over. He was going to pick up some food before going to his apartment when two people yelled anti-gay slurs and brutally beat him up.  He was left unconscious on the sidewalk with a busted lip and very large bruises on his head and face. 

The attack was unprovoked, according to Soriano who said it occurred at around 10 at night on 37th Avenue and 84th Street in the Jackson Heights section of Queens. Soriano is hoping the perpetrators are caught. He says that if he sees them again that he will cross the street to avoid them. The attack has left him uneasy. He says that "Homophobia is real and it's annoying." The NYPD Hate Crime Task Force is current investigating the incident and is asking the public for any information that may lead to arrests.

As a Catholic, I disagree wholeheartedly with the LGBTQ lifestyle; however, this does not mean that I or any Catholic has justification to hate the LGBTQ. We are called to love our neighbors as ourselves (Mark 12:31). Not all neighbors will be Catholic. Jesus did not specify and left it in a general sense.
Any Catholic or anyone who claims to love God and hates gays, or assaults them physically does not love God at all.  He or she is defying God's will to love one another. We can disagree with each other, but we must never hate one another. This is just not God's way.  Moreover, the Catechism of the Catholic Church says it clearly:

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.

As it says, "They must be ACCEPTED with RESPECT, COMPASSION, and SENSITIVITY.  Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided."  Calling them f*gs, sodomites or any derogatory term is uncharitable and a sin against our neighbor which offends God and our neighbor. Moreover, assaulting a homosexual or anyone is never justified, unless in the case of self-defense of course (which is rare). I have many gay friends and it pains me to learn that this young man was attacked for no reason other than because he is gay. This could have been any one of my friends.  Let us pray for one another and protect one another. Let us sow the seeds of love in everyone we encounter. Despite our differences and alternate views, we are all children of God.  If you are a victim of hate, please report it to the authorities and do not keep the incident quiet. This will empower those with hateful hearts.   

If you have any information on this case, contact the NYPD: https://www1.nyc.gov/site/nypd/services/law-enforcement/hate-crimes.page    



Source:

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2018/06/04/queens-pride-parade-hate-crime/

2 comments:

  1. Why should we respect gay life style in itself is destructive.

    Should we celebrate cancer and have cancer pride parades

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. We should not celebrate sin, but we also should not endorse violence against those who publicly sin.

      Delete

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