Under the shade of oak trees on Johnson Square in the historic district of Savannah, Ga., with City Hall as a backdrop, dozens of LGBT activists gathered June 20 to express outrage over the recent alleged beating of a gay man by two U.S. Marines.
While the incident remains under investigation, it raises serious questions about homophobia in the military — which will face significant scrutiny if “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is repealed — and whether Georgia needs to finally pass a state hate crimes law.
The purpose of the rally was to bring attention to the need for a state hate crimes law and to demand that city leaders address violence against LGBT people in Savannah, said Kevin Clark, Savannah chapter director for Georgia Equality, the state’s largest LGBT group.