Solidarity

In a previous blog, I wrote about Charlie Rogers, a woman who was attacked in an apparent hate, anti-gay crime. The recent updates in this event are that she has been arrested by the Lincoln Police Department for staging the entire thing. Since the original reporting, there has been speculation that what happened was not entirely true. Everything about this is unfortunate.

I worry that it discredits victims of crime in general. Sadly, some are already reluctant to come forward for fear of retaliation, embarrassment, stigmatization, or undue/unfair questioning of their motives. We need more people to come forward and report hainous acts, not fewer. And we need them to be taken seriously one hundred percent of the time. Especially for those people whom are marginalized in society. Often assault (of any kind) goes unreported. Any type of violence against another person should be taken seriously and I want those victims of violence to not be ostracized or concerned of the consequences of reporting such horrible acts. Unfortunately when events like the one with Charlie Rogers do happen, it may open up the door for those who may want to deny that violence, hatred, intolerance, or despicable acts do occur. There was an article in the Lincoln Journal Star that, I feel, addresses my concerns. Read it here: Supporters: Don't let arrest erode anti-hate efforts.

In moments like this I know I must trust and put my faith in humanity, hoping that we are able to see the complicatedness and complexities of life rather than making assumptions and rash generalizations. I also pray that it brings community together, uniting people rather than dividing them. I'm proud that after the first reports of the assault people in Lincoln came together to stand up against intolerance. This unity was not in vain. Intolerance still exists in a myriad of forms. And we must continue to show our solidarity against it.

Neal Obermeyer is a political cartoonist with extreme talents for adequately touching upon current issues at hand.