wfn.org | Alabama Episcopalians condemn murder of gay man

[Daphne Mack <dmack@dfms.org>]

99-023
Alabama Episcopalians condemn murder of gay man

by James Solheim
(ENS) Episcopalians in Alabama joined public outrage over 
the February 19 murder of a "quietly gay man" in Sylacauga, a 
small town about an hour's drive from Birmingham.

Bishop Henry Parsley of the Diocese of Alabama called the 
murder a "tragedy," adding that "this sad event in our state 
reminds us all of the terrible consequences of prejudice and hate 
in our life together." He added, "Let us pray that it will spur 
us to deeper tolerance and understanding in our human 
differences."

The Rev. Timothy Holder, rector at Grace Episcopal Church in 
Woodlawn, joined several clergy colleagues in praying over the 
scarred patch of ground where Billy Jack Gaither was bludgeoned to 
death and his body set on fire. Next to a creek that has been used 
for baptisms, he said, "Evil has happened here. It is very important 
to face evil immediately with love. Love will conquer it, and that's 
why we are here." And members of the Alabama chapter of Integrity, 
a ministry with gays and lesbians, later made a pilgrimage to the site. 

A pair of local construction workers confessed to the crime, 
admitting that they killed Gaither because he was a homosexual, 
according to the sheriff's office. Charles Butler and Steven 
Mullins were charged with murder. They admitted that they lured 
him from a local bar, beat him with an ax handle, put him in the 
trunk of his car, drove to a secluded spot on the banks of 
Peckerwood Creek, beat him again and then set his body on fire in 
a pile of discarded tires.

Living in fear
Local reaction was disbelief-and outrage. Many people were 
comparing the crime with the murder of Wyoming college student 
Matthew Shepard. Alabama's hate crime legislation does not cover 
sexual orientation, only racial and religious persecution, but a 
legislator has announced his intention to introduce an amendment.

"We live under a fear that this could happen at any point, 
at any time," said an openly gay man, Cliff Tinney. "There is an 
underlying element of fear. The killing of Mr. Gaither has made 
that fear a reality." He blamed fundamentalist teachings preached 
in local pulpits for helping create the climate of fear.

"How absolutely deplorable," said an editorial in the 
Birmingham News. "What kind of sick individuals would kill 
someone just because of his sexual orientation?" The editorial 
noted that Gaither's murder was "drawing the attention of the 
national media and gay rights groups, and he's fast becoming a 
national gay martyr. His death in many ways mirrors that of 
Matthew Shepard. who was killed last year because he was gay." It 
concluded, "There's absolutely no place in our society for the 
kind of senseless hatred and cruelty he suffered. May justice be 
swift and severe for his killers."

Holder sprinkled water on the site from his parish's baptismal font 
"because at baptism, following the example of Christ, we renounce 
Satan and all the spiritual forces of wickedness that rebel against God.

We renounce the evil powers of this world which corrupt and destroy 
the creatures of God. At baptism, we commit ourselves to Christ by 
promising to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbor 
as ourself. We promise to strive for justice and peace among all people,
and respect the dignity of every human being."

The church must address the underlying issues, Holder said in a
statement,
it "must be out front, relevant, unafraid, speaking to the souls and
hearts of
people in and beyond the pews. There is hurt, confusion, denial,
hesitation,
dismay and abandonment. That's why there is killing."

Love replaces hate
The Alabama Integrity chapter deplored the failure of a Hate 
Crimes Resolution at the diocesan convention only a week earlier. 
The resolution didn't even make it out of committee, said Ron 
Gatlin, convener of the chapter. "How many more senseless crimes 
of hate must occur before action is taken?" he asked. He said 
that it was time for the church, as a community of faith, to speak 
out in witness that "no one of God's creations deserves such 
treatment."

"Our outrage against hate crimes grows each time we add 
another example to the list: Matthew Shepard for being gay, James 
Byrd, Jr. for being black, and so many others whose names never 
make the national headlines," said General Secretary Joan Brown 
Campbell of the National Council of Churches. She urged church 
members to speak out and press Congress and the 29 states that 
have no hate crimes protection for legislation.

In a letter to deputies and alternates to General Convention, Pamela 
P. Chinnis, president of the House of Deputies, said that "as people 
of conscience we must take action against murderous prejudice 
wherever it appears in our churches and communities," teaching and 
preaching tolerance and "working for a society in which every person 
can know the freedom of the children of God." She concluded, "We must 
find a way for love to replace hate."

Enclosed with her letter was a new "Stop Hate" brochure 
produced by the Episcopal Church's Peace and Justice Office. The 
brochure will be sent to all parishes.

The Rev. Brian Grieves, director of the office said, "The 
brochure is in direct response to the action of Executive Council 
and Chinnis and to a growing concern throughout the church."

--James Solheim is director of the Episcopal Church's Office of 
News and Information.