Richard AmmonRemembering Daniel Zamudo–another brutally murdered young gay man
Santiago, Chile
April 13, 2012
24-year-old Chilean Daniel Zamudio (photo right) died March 28, 2012 from severe head trauma, a broken right leg and body burns which he suffered in a horrific homophobic beating on March 3. A swastika was marked on Daniel’s chest by neo-Nazis skinheads (who were soon apprehended).
Vice President Rodrigo Hinzpeter responded by saying Chile must enact a hate crimes law to deal with such attacks. Opposition politician Gabriel Silver also condemned the beating and urged the government to move quickly on such anti-discrimination legislation.
“This terrible event was in every newspaper, every radio and TV station,” reported Nicholas, a local gay man, to GlobalGayz. “Everybody is talking about it and condemning the acts of hate against any kind of difference, including religion, race, origin or sexual orientation. Before this event, the conservative government had not supported the hate-crime initiative because they considered it not necessary. But that is now changed. Everyone here is shocked.”
And if this attack on Daniel were not enough, said Nicholas, “a lesbian girl was stabbed by neo-Nazis for appearing on national TV condemning what they had done to Daniel… but still I wouldn’t say it’s something that happens often.”
Indeed, they should be shocked, not just at the killing itslf but at the life-taking hatred that is continuously and universally aimed at homosexual individuals. Such brutal emotions emerge from ignorance and blind conditioning that teaches people, from a young age, that homosexuality is a sin, disorder or a crime, thus an acceptable target.
The major teachers of such filth are the churches, synagogues, temples and mosques across Chile, and the world, that continue to condemn homosexuality as an ‘abomination’ (despite many compassionate and loving clergy persons in religious communities). The result of such teachings is murder, and any religious organization that preaches such violence is culpable for that crime.
(photo right: gay(?) boys playing balalaikas-do they deserve death?)
Chile is dominated by the Catholic church which is an outspoken enemy of homosexuality, even to this day as it continues its toxic rage against gay marriage. The Catholic church is responsible for Daniel Zumado’s death to a significant degree. As long as the priests, bishops, cardinals and the pope proclaim against homosexually inclined people it will continue to be responsible for the consequences of their publicized bias and bigotry. There is no wiggle room or clever arguments that can absolve them from such crimes against humanity.
Teaching discrimination is teaching violence. Teaching hatred is evil and every clergy person who refuses to understand the natural varieties of human sexuality and condemns same-sex orientation is guilty of evil. Sexual orientation is not a ‘chosen’ lifestyle; it is an inherent trait found in all world cultures, ancient and present.
Homophobia is an irrational worldwide crime that must be stopped. The Catholic church and all religious systems that encourage homophobia must be stopped and proclaimed and exposed for their anti-Christ, anti-humanity behavior. They are spreading discrimination, bigotry, hate and fatal assaults against the innocent Daniel Zamudos of this world. Nothing less.
Shame, shame, shame on them. They must be condemned.
