Japanese.Does that make it clearer?

Any idea what the anti-gay epithets were? Probably no mistaken that's what they were but would still be interesting to hear exactly what it was.
Would also be interesting in hearing what led to their being asked to leave. While a beating would not be ok depending on what they were doing it may not have been surprising. Just giving one side of the story leaves room for suspicion and conjecture.

Taking your percentage as 'apocryphal truth,' why are the other ten percent so violent, angry(?), and so insensitive to mayhem? Who begets these people and why? How can they be identified, observed, and suppressed--in advance?

Wrong, Julia.

Being in the Air Force means at some time you have been stationed in Texas but NOT in San Antonio.

Actually the person that told me the story was another Air Force officer and a T-38 instructor pilot.

We were stationed together at Columbus AFB, Mississippi. The fact that it was coming from an otherwise nice, educated person is probably why it made an impression on me.

"This incident happened in New York, but I would never tar all New Yorkers with this,"

Too bad many of your compadres would tar a state, region, or ideology if it didn't happen in dark blue Long Island. If it happened in Birmingham or Omaha, I'm sure the stereotypical "intolerant bigot red state Christian" rants would be plentiful.

"because I'm not a bigot"

Having no love lost for a group that partakes in different or counter cultural behaviors than one's self isn't bigoted. Its actually quite natural. Taking violent, unnecessary action towards a group is. I personally don't care for the homosexual lifestyle, which doesn't make me homophobic, and I certainly do not seek to discriminate against them, and since we're citing third person anecdotes, my lesbian friends understand where I'm coming from (since they hold a similar view from the opposite side of the spectrum, being they detest children and see no societal need for marriage).

Bigot has a meaning. Applying it to everybody for not making a concerted effort to fall a step short of engaging in a lifestyle is disingenuous, and certainly takes away from the meaning and severity of the word. Certainly, these "gay bashers" were acting in a bigoted manner, and since actions define character, are bigoted. Simply not condoning a lifestyle isn't bigotry.

thank you for clearing that up Rand -- it's unfair for Blutus to make this solely about "Americans" -- it's just the evil side of human nature revealing itself through the use of anti-gay slurs and physical violence ...I hate ignorance just as much as the next American, but this is a worldwide problem that must be addressed and not just a local epidemic. (watch Top Chef tonight, BRAVO!!)

Thanks, us Floridians get enough crap without taking the heat for another state.



As usual, these pseudo-bad asses needed the safety of a large pack.

OK now lets not all get anal retentive at once.