August Provost, Gay Sailor, Found Dead On Base In Suspected Homicide

San Diego Union-Tribune:

CAMP PENDLETON -- The body of a 29-year-old sailor was found in a Camp Pendleton guard shack Tuesday, and a "person of interest" was taken into custody in connection with the suspected homicide, Navy officials said yesterday.

Read the whole story: San Diego Union-Tribune

Comments

[firstdawg]

And this is why talking one’s time to do something right is not a bad idea. I spent eight and a half years in the army and during that time I knew of and met a few people who where gay, both male and female. Now the think is this some people didn’t really care one way or the other but you had some who were just beyond belief, and those are the one who go from turning someone in to the beat downs. Me I always stood up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves but there are a lot of homophobic people in the service and before you overturn DADT you better be dam sure that people can be protected.

[felisa11]

thank you for standing up for people who couldn't. I have always taught my son that and he does as well. He is in charge of a group of sailors and he says he does not put up with discrimination of any kind to anyone,. not females, not gays not anyone.

[firstdawg]

Your son is a good man

[LintLass]

If people in the military can't obey orders, *they're* the problem, not LBGT people.

DADT doesn't 'protect' anyone, ...in fact it's a means by which servicemembers can be abused and threatened *without* having recourse.

[JackRusselTerrier]

This is what happens when the military lowers its recruiting standards.

Criminal record - no problem
Member of a fringe hate group - no problem
Gang affiliations - no problem

Somehow, some people will see this article and try to say this is why gays should not be in the military. They will blame the victim. They will excuse the fact that a good soldier died at the hands of a bad one.
That's the problem.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Until more facts are known, it is best not to assume who the murderer is and why he did this heinous act.

May the family find peace.

[klandish]

Why not assume? For arguments sake lets say he was Gay (his boyfriend announced that). He was being harassed (his family confirmed that). He was partially open to a select few (things get around). Now where were the laws and support to protect him if he was being threatened? NOWHERE. Get it.

[JackRusselTerrier]

You are absolutely right when you say all the details are not known at this time.

If my point was not clear - I apologise.

My point is that there are those who will twist this incident into something that it is not.

I was also trying to point out that DADT is not the only issue the military should be addressing. ( gang members etc. )

Regardless of any point I make, this is a tragedy for both families involved. I hope they can find peace and forgiveness.

[jestanle]

Gay?-no problem

19 Year old Marines from the hills of west virginia do not mix well with openly gay people. Don't ask don't tell must remain in effect....­...sad but true. I spent 6 years in the Marines and the culture of the corps is not ready.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

They also do not mix well with Blacks.

Best to wait to see what the facts are before deciding what happened.

My heart aches for this family.

[RuinedSaint]

I don't agree; Anyone that doesn't "mix well" with any other group doesn't have the honor necessary to serve in the MODERN United States Military. It's 2009, not 1009; time to stop catering to those who can't deal with it. The military has ways of dealing with racial bigots; they simply need to use the same methods to deal with sexual bigots.

[RayD]

Then, the culture must change. The truman administration forced the culture to change when it desegregated the military in the fifties so it can be done and it must be done or our military will become more like the force of a third world country controlled by elites at the top and barely educated meat at the botton.

[T2inDC]

They don't mix with bi-racial couples either. 4 Marines are being held in the murder, robbery and rape of a bi-racial couple. The 4 raped the wife and forced the husband to watch. Then they shot them both. Sad. Worse yet the husband was also a Marine. They took his dress blue coat as a trophy.

Keep protecting the haters. Because of this culture in the Military soldiers that are being harrassed cannot speak out and get protection. We all have blood on our hands when we don't speak out for those that must remain silent.

[chriss0114]

same can be said for "19 Year old Marines from the hills of west virginia do not mix well with" minorites

the Marines are taught to evolve and adapt socially just like they are taught to evolve and adapt in a military battle

deal with people from other parts of the country--people that are "different" than they are

the military has a history of integrating people and has been doing this since its inception and only recently with minorities (successfully) and CAN DO the same with gays

I know==I was on submarines and there were known gays on board--we all knew and we were all professional and did our J O Bs

[Mr. Cobb]

Well, you can all flood this thread but it doesn't change what probably happened and what I think.

[felisa11]

how sad. who is "you all"?

[Mr. Cobb]

I asked you earlier but the comment didn't go through. I'm sorry for your loss of your husband. There were about 500 killed in the first Gulf War. Your husband was one of those, you wrote. I was there as well and was curious what unit he was in. I know about that conflict intimately and just a few obscure words would verify it for me so I can know. Troops are like that.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Let's let the facts inform us of what happened.

[felisa11]

the only thing is sad is that some people can not accept that progress can be slow and cumbersome, but it is progress. This young man's is no longer with us. he was a US sailor, we mourn all our dead military personnel because they are our heroes. Not because of their sexual orientation.

[Steamboater]

You talk as if this young man died bravely on a battelfield. He was murdered on American soil. There may be martydom in that but there's nothing heroic about it.

[felisa11]

what is heroic is his decision to fight for our country, his dedication to honor and protect US citizens and yes, it's constituti­on., Just like black people have done even though they couldn't sit in a white restaurant or drink from a white only fountain,.

[CigarGod]

I have to disagree.
Deciding to serve his country in a profession known to have institutionalized hostile policies, is a bit beyond what a straight enlistee faces.

[hackerblaster]

How does it make you feel to belittle his service to his country. Simply being in the military (especially during two wars) means he can be deployed anywhere. I am going to make a guess that you probably never even went into the military.

[klandish]

Are you crazy, this wasn't some mistaken friendly fire incident .

"The only sad part is that people can not accept that progress can be slow and cumbersome, but it is still progress".

This is an American murdering another American who probably both happen to be soldiers exactly over (or perceived) SEXUAL ORIENTATION.

And our Countries Military leaders, the Congress, Senate and POTUS are absolutely complacent in his death.

[felisa11]

how would you possibly no what happened? the article reads,

CAMP PENDLETON — The body of a 29-year-old sailor was found in a Camp Pendleton guard shack Tuesday, and a “person of interest” was taken into custody in connection with the suspected homicide, Navy officials said yesterday.
The body of Seaman August Provost of Houston, Texas, was discovered about 3:30 a.m. on the western edge of the base, said Doug Sayers, a spokesman for Navy Region Southwest.
An autopsy was completed yesterday, but authorities were waiting for results of toxicology tests to determine a cause of death.

That are all the facts that was published. where are you getting yours?

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Perhaps it was due to race? Perhaps due to sexual orientation? Perhaps due to envy?

At this point, the person to blame is the murderer. We do not have any facts for motives.

[Mr. Cobb]

I've had one of my comments not posted where I expressed sorrow for your loss and asked what unit he served in. I was there, too. About 500 troops died in the first Gulf War. Far more died of Gulf War Illness afterwards.

[whitegayrepublican]

30th Medical group, USAF, Stationed out of Vandenberg AFB, CA

Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield here.

Proud Gay Veteran.

[HGfromOmaha]

I was with 11th Marines, which augmented to 1stBn/1st Marines, part of Task Force Ripper during the first war. Was in country from September through April 1991. I came down with Myasthenia Gravis in 2002. Partially paralyzed. Mayo Clinic saved my life. VA gave me 10% for foot injury. Denied all claims to my Myasthenia. They say I can't prove that it's service connected. Go figure.

Let's not count me being deployed on WestPac for 3 years. Let's not count me being in the jungle for 2 years. Let's not count being in country where I was exposed to all sorts of airborne pollutants & chemicals for almost 7 months. It doesn't matter to the VA.

So if I don't matter, do you think they care about gay sailors? Puhlease.

[felisa11]

I know that this story would not receive the attention it has had it been a straight female sailor. My daugher battlebuddy was found dead in their barracks last year. The family still doesn't know who or how it happened.

[gascelebrations]

Go play the victim elsewhere. Your callousness is appalling. No one is trivializing what happened except you, by saying "this kind of thing happens all the time, deal with it".

[felisa11]

those are your words, not mine. My point is why blame the President for this incident? you are the only one being callous and ignorant by ignoring inconvenience facts.

[HGfromOmaha]

Wow. That's pretty pathetic to say that.

[Steamboater]

All we heard about for several weeks on the news was about that pregnant woman murdered by the guy who made her pregnant and then fled to Mexico and we should have. It was important but to somehow trivialize what happened to that Gay man by bringing that up is empty of any reason with the exception that it just goes to show you can't trust the military to tell you the truth, and especially when they demand lies by Gay and Lesbian soildiers.

[felisa11]

one incident over a year ago., Do you think females have not died after that for nefarious reasons?

[felisa11]

people are always trying to find ways to blame the president. soo sick of your pissing. what about the military personnel, the police, the perpetrators? No let's just blame Obama because conveniet.

It's horrible what happen to this young man, but this article does not say he was killed because he was gay. If he was not gay, would you be this outraged, and find reasons to blame Obama?

[MrsFonebone]

Obama campaigned on the promise to end Don't Ask, Don't Tell. And then--surprise!--he reneged on the promise.
The leaders set the pace and tone and rules for the rank and file. Obama sent them the message that it's ok to discriminate, which means the victims are somehow not deserving of equal protection under the law.
So, yes, that's why he has to share the blame for this.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

None of this is true. Not a single bit.

The president remains committed to repealing DADT. It is not a broken promise; it just has not been done, YET.

No rank and file member has received any message that it is okay to discriminate and nothing about this story suggests that this is true. Further, numerous women are sexually assaulted in the military. ARe these bad apples or did they receive a message from the leaders that it is okay to sexually assault women.

[roblabrousse]

It did say that he had been having trouble with one person and he was advised to go tell his superiors. Think about the fact that if a gay person is being harassed or threatened or blackmailed or abused in any way he or she cannot lodge a complaint because he or she would be violating the DADT. A straight man or straight woman can lodge complaints or address sexually based issues without any risk of being kicked out.

As for digbydog how can you take her/him/it seriously when his name and moniker don't match?

Anyone in authority who supports this anti-American policy is in essence responsible: the President, officers, chaplains,military personnel of any sort. They are complicity hazing gay soldiers and supporting the denial of their of civil rights. There is no solid evidence to support its' effectiveness. The only thing it does is to reinforce every negative, ignorant, and prejudiced notion still alive in this country. Does DADT apply to every member of the military????

[Steamboater]

This July 4rth, if you have hang an American flag outside your home, hang it upside down and at half-mast. There's nothing to celebrate for gay people, nothing at all.

[felisa11]

if you can't find something to be grateful for, I feel very sorry for you. Black people have been and are still being discriminated against, killed and tortured because of inequality. and they find reasons to be grateful even happy. You should learn from them

[gascelebrations]

What a dishonorable thing to say - this man was a soldier. Are you protecting our country?

[Mr. Cobb]

It's very insulting to be here trivializing like you are when gays have just lost one of their own to murder for being gay. It's interesting that you don't understand that.

[YellowDogInRedCounty]

Interesting that when a gay person compares the struggle for equality we face with the struggle black folks faced we are criticized­...now you want us to "learn from them" which I think is hypocritical.

[roblabrousse]

I think your sentiments are sort of well intended. I believe that black soldiers aren't being told to DADT about whether they're black or not. And your method of coping or seeing things is your way. Of course any gay Black soldier still suffers the sting of DADT. A lot of people other than Blacks fought the civil rights battle for the Blacks. Some died for that struggle and injustice. So the point here is to demonstrate against the injustices still perpetrated. To highlight the sad irony that those of our citizens who are in the military willing to fight or who are fighting to safeguard our freedom, which includes the freedom to be who we are, are fighting against themselves because of DADT. Do you understand this? So these aren't the days of Mississippi Burning, or horrific assassinations, or lynching. But a young man was murdered and hung out to die on a fence, police violence has entered in one form or another into the lives of gays, basic rights have been denied, And still the insult of prejudice has to be born in this policy. No gay person ever takes for granted his or her safety. You can never become complacent. So you find your peace where you want Felisa....­and Praise whoever and whatever you want...but there are those of us who won't accept less than treatment.

[felisa11]

If black people( the most discriminated and tortured people in the US) can find reasons to celebrate Independence day, maybe you should look and learn from them.

[gascelebrations]

Most tortured??? Yay! Do you win an award? Or do you see HUMANKIND as opposed to color?

[Steamboater]

If you wanted to be a house slave, that's your business. II'm sick of everytime we talk about equality and Gay rights there's always some fool who plays the race card and says our suffereings were worse than yours and holds out a scorecard. Take your scorecard and put it where the sun don't shine. A man is dead, murdered, a Gay man and DADT is still on the books and under Obama's watch. If you wanna complain, take your complaints to the man in the Oval Office who should know better. I'm sure the two of you have lots in common. Obama should have suspended DADT by now but all we get are invitations to lunch, more talk. some crumbs. My flag goes upside down on July 4rth, a symbol of distress and at half mast, a symbol of shame and death.

[CigarGod]

Not that it is a contest, but I think it does a dis-service to Native American's to make that statement.

[anothervoice]

There are Native Americans who will have profound justified objections regarding your claims of discrimination and torture for black people. Not to diminish either. Less heat, more light.

[fbr79]

I will do no such thing. As an imigrant from a third world country with gay family members in my immediate family, I'm happy to be in a country where there is even a fight for equality. This weekend in my house we will fly the American flag and the rainbow flag.

[felisa11]

I wholeheartedly agree!

[Steamboater]

Well, I was born here and my parents too and three of my grandparents etc but you want to feel eleated come July 4th, have a good time and a nice BBQ. I not in a celebratory mood. To me, it's just another day in America and another day of non-equality.

[We-Are-The-Ones]

Excellent. This soldier fought for our country and claiming to honor him while flying the flag upside down is not about him at all. I doubt he would feel honored by such an act.

[ZenCrusader]

There is NOTHING for gay people to celebrate on July 4 ? ? ? While American Gays continue their struggle for full and equal rights they still have MUCH to be grateful for. Have you considered what their lives would be like in North Korea or Iran or Africa or most Muslim countries ? This gay male finds your attitude to be RIDICULOUS - are you a manic depressive ? Wake up and count your blessings and move on with your day like the rest of us and stop crying in food.

[MadHeart]

White gay males have always had the right to vote (unlike all women), the same rights as any other white males. White gay males have enjoyed being in positions others could never hope to attain in the past. I hardly call their cause the same as being designated as 3/5 of a human being, or treated like an animal, whipped, abused, and worse, being treated like property, with women having to bear the children of their oppressors. Even lesbians have never had the same kind of rights as white gay males.

[AnimalsRTasty]

This is why they are not ready for DADT to be repealed. All the gutless gays not serving in the armed forces need to back off and realialize they are putting folks in harms way. Obama will repeal it but please give him time so they can do it right.

[felisa11]

People who somehow find ways to blame the President for this incident couldn't be reasonable of patient.

Why not hold the perpetrators, the MP's. the police, the sergeants on the base responsible? It's easier to blame the President, sounds just like the republicans.

[AnimalsRTasty]

My comment is concerning all the Gays wanting DADT repealed and saying Obama is not living up to promises. What Obama is doing is putting pressure on the military leaders while listening to their concerns. He is sowing the seeds of change while trying to keep a law active to protect as many as possible. This death is an example of what happens when DADT is not followed.

The military believe it or not has many men and women trained to kill. Comradery is key in cohesiveness and production. Yes the perps should be found and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. My only point is if we repealed DADT you would have even more of this violence. I realize the gay community loves the spot light but they really should stop putting folks in the military in even more harm than when they are fighting the enemy.

[Steamboater]

The Gays that are in the military have more guts than any heterosexual serving. They have to stay in a closet for fear of being found out, most of them. They have to play this ridiculous game of playing straight because not only do their carreers depend on it but their very lives. And those young Gays that aren't in the military have no good reason to join. Other than this reckless war in Iraq going on and Obama's upping the ante in that other reckless one in Afghanistan, why should they join the military when they have to be something their not and there are severe consequences if found out. What are they for democracy? Certainly not theirs. Don't you have a clue?

[AnimalsRTasty]

You need to back up and read what I am saying instead of misreading. My point is that DADT is to protect gay service men and women and change has to come from the top down and become pervasive. It will not happen overnight, It will take years. It should have already started. Its just keeping it real.

It is appaulling that folks are losing their carreers over it. Hopefully this can be made right. But until they change the culture DADT is to protect those serving who are Gay.

[Steamboater]

If you're own country officially discrimates agaonst you then who killed this young man must have felt empowered to do it by the very policy of DADT. Don't trust the military to get to the truth of it and don't Obama to want the truth to come out. He's about to "humanize" DADT that still keeps the law in place. Whoever commits these kinds of acts has the government right there behind them so why not? This is going to highten the firestorm that we've seen from the Gay community all this past fewmonths and this timke, no one is going to be able to control it, not Gay rightts organizations that play into Obama's game or the DNC or Obama himself with another cozy lunch for Gay rights' activiists. This isn't the first time a Gay man has been murdered on base either. If DADT was overturned GAys would be safe in the military as the military would ahve to abide by ir and there would be no margin for murder, but if this is what Gays get when join they up under DADT and Obama's watch, the hell with the military and the hell with Obama.

[felisa11]

if he wasn't gay, would you blame the president then. would you even care?

[Mr. Cobb]

You're trying to deny the obvious and it doesn't work. The reality is a dead gay guy's body.

[Steamboater]

He wouldn't have been murdered if he wasn't Gay.

[truthartbeauty]

they hate us. they always will.

[anothervoice]

Good morning, sunshine. Any other rays of hope to share?

[sparkey]

Like everything else done under the third term of George Bush, nothing will be done about this. The perp will say he did it to preserve the honor of the Marine corp. He will then be given two hours of picking up trash and a promotion to officer.

[Debby Lyn]

Won't we see more of this if DADT is repealed? I don't understand how serving openly would have averted this attack? While I don't blame the victim; I don't think he should have violated DADT by telling a few "friends" about his sexual orientation.

And doesn't DADT also include a don't harras don't pursue clause?

[Insomn3ak]

"And doesn't DADT also include a don't harras don't pursue clause?"

Yes, but that's not the way Don't Ask Don't Tell works in the real world. Recruiters aren't allowed to ask you, drill instructors aren't allowed to say anything sexist (including gay harassment­)...but after that it's a whole different world.

In the Navy, the culture is replete with gay harassing/­joking/rid­icule, etc. If your gay, it's very uncomfortable. If people see that it bothers you, it's like fresh meat to them. Realistically you can't complain to the higher-ups about it, because you'll essentially be outing yourself. Your not allowed to come out and say your gay, but...gay jokes and gay bashing really bother you for some reason...y­our not gay though! Uh-huh.

Good luck after complaining too because you have to live on a ship out to sea, with those same people...f­or 6 months. Gay isn't the issue, it's that your now seen as the person who cant be trusted, and probably deserves to be messed with.

Essentially, DADT operates more like, "They can ask, joke, harass, bash...but you can't tell." The irony is that, having gay people serve openly will probably increase cohesiveness because there's nothing being hidden anymore. Everyone needs to trust each other and it's hard to do that when people think your hiding something from them. It's really not an issue of sexual orientation, it's more an issue of trust and openness.

[klandish]

You stated it perfectly.

[DC]

This story headline makes the assumption that this man was killed because he was a gay man instead of the fact that we have someone tragically killed who happens to be gay. This is an intent to politicize the death of an individual. An injustice to the man who was murdered.

Would we ever had a headline reading, "Heterosexual man murdered on Christopher Street." Of course, not as it would be making implications that are intended to incite and not report on the real truth of the tragedy of the murder.

Yet this headline does just that.

[Quislet]

Unfortunately, DADT and homophobia makes the fact that this sailor was gay something to consider. Could he have been killed for some other reason? Sure, but unless there is evidence to indicate that then his sexual orientation is a major factor.

Consider the Iraqi Christians that are being killed in Iraq. Would you say that they were tragically killed and just happen to be Christian?

[Steamboater]

There's no laws in the West Village or in NY for that matter or anywhere in the country that discriminates against someone precisely because that person is heterosexual. Discriminatory laws allow for crimes against those discrimated against. It happened to Jews, Gypsies and Gay s in Germany, to blacks, Chinese and Japanese-Americans here and DADT is just as responsible for this man's death as the person who murdered him.

[AndybHoboken]

Excellent obvservation.

[MadHeart]

There have been many laws against women, both heterosexual and lesbian (who are, after all, women). And white gay men, as long as they ddidn't broadcast the fact that they were homosexual, reaped the same rewards as any other white man in the past, even some thought to be gay. I'm not against gay white men, just your distortion of history.

[anothervoice]

Exactly. Excellent comment.

[martinchill]

this is a new story - WHY IS IT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE ALREADY?

i am NOT clicking on the morphing face of mj no matter how long you leave it on the front page.

LORD have mercy.

[felisa11]

a news story with precious little facts, or doesn't that matter? What if the headline would have been a female sailor was found dead, would you give it the time of day?

[Steamboater]

This is not a story about suppositions. This is not a story about a female heterosexual found dead.

[roblabrousse]

Yes. Especially if her death represented an injustice or a cruelty of fate. There are millions of deaths each year . Usually the deaths that symbolize so strongly the human struggle are the ones that see the headlines. Nada in Iran. Children who are sexually abused and murdered. A young college girl in Mexico. Deaths that warn us or tell us of evil or wrong doing.
Do you know the word "suspicion" Felisa. It means there's strong reason to believe...­..stop with your crusade to belittle this man's death. You don't know anymore than anyone else. But sweetie if he were shot in the back in the early morning hours and happened just to be a Black man , your song would change rapido I'm sure. I wouldn't blame you...I would be extremely suspicious too.

[anothervoice]

Huf-po seems to have a little of the National Enquirer genome. It is pretty tiresome. I blame the editorial staff.

[davyd56]

This is so sad. We have to deal with domestic terrorism all of the time.