An aunt of August Provost III, a gay sailor who was killed on guard duty at Camp Pendleton in San Diego last month, suggested that that her nephew may have been murdered by another closeted sailor for fear of being outed.

Rose Roy, of Beaumont, the sister of Provost’s father, said in a phone interview Tuesday, July 14 that she’s “not at liberty” to identify the source who provided the information to the family. But Roy said the source told the family Provost had a heated argument with the suspect a week before his murder, and that the sailor now being held as a person of interest by the Navy has a history of mental illness.

“This guy went the extra mile to make sure that my nephew would never be able to speak about his [the killer’s] sexuality,” Roy said. “My nephew died for reasons other than what the military is saying.”

This new wrinkle in the story marks a departure from allegations that Provost was the victim of a hate crime because he was gay.

I have been reluctant to cover this story (except when it first happened) because I didn’t want to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else and label Provost’s murder a hate crime until all the facts were known. I think there is tendency, albeit an understandable one, that the first thought we have any time an LGBT person is murdered, or dies under mysterious circumstances, is that it must be a hate crime. I think most of us are hardwired to think that way considering the hate and violence our community has and continues to endure. I think we are even more predisposed to think so in this case, because the military is involved. A military that practices open discrimination against the LGBT community in the form of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

In this case the allegations made by the LGBT community and family of August Provost are at odds with statements made by the military in an investigation that is still ongoing, with a person of interest in custody. The military’s refusal to be more open about the incident during an internal investigation has fueled the fires of a coverup. And as details continue to trickle out about the case, from other sailors and Provost’s family members, it becomes less and less clear what the truth really is. Is it a military trying to cover its ass? Or is it a family and community so wracked with grief that the only way to assuage it is to lash out a known enemy?

I think it would be wise to exercise caution, particularly in cases where not all the facts are known, before assuming any crime is a hate crime.  Sometimes it is blatantly obvious. Sometimes it is not. In those cases we need to be more careful. I would rather not arm our detractors with the ammunition they need to repeal (the hopefully soon to be passed) hate crimes laws because many of the cases were ultimately deemed frivolous or unfounded.

Yesterday a security guard was murdered at the Holocaust Museum in Washington by 88-year-old White Supremacist James W. von Brunn. A WWII veteran, von Brunn was author of an online book called “Kill the Best Gentiles,” and posted to rightwing websites questioning Barack Obama’s birth certificate and citizenship, a standard if tired meme pushed by the right.

A few weeks ago Dr. George Tiller was murdered in his church by anti-abortion activist Scott Roeder for performing late-term abortions. Though quickly denounced by leaders of the pro-life  movement, posters on rightwing sites heaped praise on Roeder for his actions just as many pro-lifers suggested that the murder, while a horrible act, was justified in order to save more unborn babies. The number and intensity of threats to abortion clinics have also increased in the days since Tiller’s murder.

Only a day later a Muslim convert shot and killed an army recruiter for political and religious reasons in Arkansas. Many on the right soon painted Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammad (formerly Carlos Bledsoe) as a leftwing extremist out of a need to balance the accusations leveled against Scott Roeder.

Extremism always seems to thrive during economic hardship, as people turn to religion and guns as sources of strength. Extremism was very much on display during the election as McCain/Palin supporters paraded their racism views for all the world to see, while the candidates and their their advocates did nothing to tone down the rhetoric. In fact they often seemed to encourage it.

So where does that leave us? A few isolated incidents or a fertile climate which is now breeding domestic terrorists?

Perhaps the answers lie in the controversial DHS reports that warned of domestic terrorism from both rightwing and leftwing extremists. Widely panned on both the right and left when released, with every murder the reports seems to take on a little more legitimacy. Even on Fox News. Watch the clips below:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hh6DiYA0TOg[/youtube]

Props to Shepard Smith for calling it like it is.

While I am hopeful that these acts are not symptoms of a much larger, growing problem, nothing in media leads me to believe otherwise. The growing hate and intolerance on display by the rightwing and people of faith gives me a lot of pause, as they target gays, people of color and anyone with a contrary point of view.

Keith Olbermann ended Countdown last night with a call to “quarantine” Fox News for facilitating domestic terrorism and creating a climate which made the assassination of abortion doctor George Tiller possible. Watch:

It’s been interesting to watch the reaction of the Pro-life movement to Tiller’s murder. While the act has been widely and appropriately condemned, many have gone as far as to say Tiller deserved it, “reaping what he sowed.” I’d classify most of these individuals as cowards who don’t have the courage of their convictions to commit the heinous act themselves, but were more than happy to let someone else do the dirty work. And those who aren’t cowards simply need a nudge, only too happily provided by Fox News and talk radio, etc., to push them over the edge…

Back to the quarantine. My current gym shows Fox News on one of its LCD televisions, and I’m constantly having to avert my eyes lest be put in a sour mood… (yes, seriously). We’ve asked them once to change the channel but they refused. Perhaps it’s time to ask again and be prepared to find another gym.

Update: Rachel Maddow ran a segment on her show this evening discussing individuals such as the ones I mentioned above, who are celebrating the death of Dr. Tiller. Watch:

In an appeal for public help, Sydney police have released a disturbing x-ray image of a young man who was brutally murdered by driving 34 nails deep into his skull with a nail gun.

The image is of Chen (Anthony) Liu, a gay Chinese immigrant whose body was found decomposing in the Georges river—wrapped in plastic, wire and extension cord—in November 2008, nearly two weeks after his disappearance.

From the Sydney Morning Herald:

“In 36 years, I’ve never seen a murder of this nature,” Supt Beresford told reporters in Sydney on Friday.

“It’s a particularly brutal and vicious murder and hence the reason we are seeking information from the public.”

He said 34 nails had entered “predominantly into the head area” at very close range, fired from an 85mm nail gun.

“We certainly believe the nail gun is responsible for the death, there’s no doubt about that,” he said.

And from the local television station:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfFJsmMXyxM[/youtube]

While the Sydney police are reluctant to qualify the Liu’s murder as a hate crime at this time, if it walks and talks like a hate crime… well my friends, it’s probably a hate crime. Whether it’s based on race, sexual orientation or both.

But if you ask Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council, who is vehemently opposed to the hate crimes legislation now coursing its way through Congress, he would likely disagree. From Perkins’ Fight Hate Crimes website:

Hate Crimes legislation is ultimately a Thought Crime law, allowing citizens to be prosecuted for their religious beliefs.

Hate Crimes legislation is a violation of our First Amendment rights of Free Speech and Free Exercise of Religion.

Hate Crimes legislation creates a special class of people based on their “sexual orientation” or “gender identity.”

The Constitutional rights of pastors and religious individuals to peacefully disagree on issues of sexual orientation should be protected.

Again we circle around to the whole religious persecution argument. Mr. Perkins, unless faith is proven to be a major and recurring motive in brutal slayings such as these, then you really don’t have anything to worry about. Or IS that what you’re worried about? This is a free country Mr. Perkins,  and you are entitled to your bigotry and hate, but not the violence that flows from it. And that violence should be punished in kind, not to diminish your faith, but to discourage the violence and hate that often uses religion as its source.

Hat tip to Gay News Blog.