The hate-crime laws in North Carolina do not cover sexual orientation, so even if the attackers of a gay couple from Asheville are arrested, they can be charged only with assault, despite claims by the victims that the crime was anti-gay motivated.
Dustin Martin and Mark Little were leaving Scandals, a bar in Asheville, when, they claim, they were followed by a vehicle of girls who tauntingly called them “faggots” 15 to 20 times. When Martin told them to fuck off, a guy, who the couple hadn’t seen inside the car, jumped out and attacked them. Martin was beaten first, getting hit in the head and collarbone. When Little tried to protect him, he was punched in the face. They were left bloodied and bruised but with no major injuries.
“I would rather be mugged,” Martin said of the bashing. “Your pride is taken when you are hit because you like other men. We both had the impression that this was something they knew they were going to do. They were asking for a response. They were wanting to get a rise out of somebody. You just don’t slow down your car and start calling someone a ‘faggot’ for no reason.”
Oh, the injustice. Too bad North Carolina laws are a bitch, but good thing karma is too. . .
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