HOME
your socialist home on the internet
ABOUT US
who we are, our politics, and what we do
GET ACTIVE!
joining ysa, getting active locally, making a difference
NEWS & VIEWS
articles, fliers, statements and opinions
THEORY
what is socialism, reading lists and study guides
CONTACT US
our email, snail mail, phone number and club directory
LINKS
socialist, youth, activist, labor, feminist, anti-racist, and other important sites
WHAT'S NEW
listing of what's been recently added
sakia gunn
On Sunday, May 11 a group of four young Black women at
a bus stop in Neward, New Jersey were approached by
two older men. The two men proceeded to make lewd and
suggestive comments to the women, one of whom, Sakia
Gunn, stepped forward and told the men that she was a
lesbian. She was then stabbed to death by one of the
men.
This outrageous tragedy has shocked the nation, and
highlighted just how prevalent and deadly homophobia
continues to be in capitalist America. Sakia Gunn,
who was only 15 years old, was murdered because of her
sexual preference. And while many people condemn this
type of attack, we should hardly be surprised given
the anti-queer climate that exists in this country.
Both Republican and Democratic politicians habitually
employ homophobia in their speeches and election
campaigns. Anti-sodomy laws remain on the books in a
number of states, making homosexuality illegal. Gay
bashing and anti-gay harassment are an everyday
reality for millions of queer Americans, and the
state, the schools, employers and the courts do little
if anything to address this problem.
To honor the memory of Sakia Gunn, and to show our
outrage at this type of blatant hate crime, vigils
were held throughout the country. Here in Duluth, MN
a solemn vigil of two dozen people was held by Queer
Resistance, Youth for Socialist Action, and others.
This vigil ironically and tragically took place one
month after the same groups that organized this vigil
had held a rally denouncing the Minnesota state
legislature’s denial of same sex partner benefits to
state workers – a sobering reminder of where the hate
that killed Sakia comes from.
The article above was written by Adam Ritscher of Lake Superior YSA.
