Killing in the Name of God

The blood of all gays who have been beaten or murdered cover the hands of conservative Christians. They are as guilty as those who attack and kill gays. This seems harsh, but these clergy, bloggers, and others can't get it through their thick heads that when they tell their congregations or readers that being gay is bad, or sinful, and that gays are going to hell, it spurs those whose characters border on psychotic to go out and hurt gays. Do these priests and bloggers condone gay bashing, of course not (well, they probably do, but won't admit it), but they are nevertheless just as culpable as the perpetrators who attack gays.

Terry Mark Mangum of Cypress, Texas, murdered Kenneth Cummings back in June because he was gay, and last week told the press from his jail cell he did it for God, and that God asked him to carry out a code of retribution by killing a gay man, because "sexual perversion is the worst sin." Of course we have to question Mangum's sanity, but then again, aren't those who attack people usually two feathers short of a boa, anyway?

Like a host letting a drunk drive home after the party, these people deserve to be held accountable for the actions of others they spur on.