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ILLINOIS PURSUES HATE CRIMES CHARGES AGAINST TEEN Champaign, IL
By Rev. Ted Pike
The State of Illinois has indicted 18-year-old Brett Van Asdlen for the
"hate crime" of pushing a homosexual, Steven Velasquez, backward to
the ground, allegedly causing trauma. Under Illinois enhanced hate crimes penalties,
Brett is charged with a Class 4 felony, punishable by up to three years in
prison.
WCIA-TV News in Champaign,
Illinois and numerous homosexual
websites quote Velasquez’ claim that Brett, with no provocation, verbally
abused him. Velasquez charges that he was then violently attacked because of
his sexual orientation.
As I related in my April 30 alert, Christian Teen Arrested for Hate
Crime, Brett’s side of the story is very different. Brett’s mother, desperate
to counter what she considered vicious media lies, called me and poured out her
heart. Here is my resume of what she told me, quoting my April 30 alert:
On April 12, he [Brett] and a friend saw
two homosexuals leaning on each other and holding hands, walking toward them on
the sidewalk. Look at those two guys
holding hands, Brett said to his friend and walked past them the next thing he
knew, one of the homosexuals (whom he perceived to be drunk) had grabbed him by
the shoulder, putting his face up to Brett’s and repeatedly shouting, What did
you say? Brett told him to go away
several times and then pushed him. The homosexual fell over backwards. On his
back, the homosexual told his partner to call the police. In 8 minutes, four
officers arrived. Two interviewed Brett and his friend and assured them there
would be no problem. Brett had been physically accosted and detained, clearly
an assault. The other two officers interviewed the homosexual, who was taken to
the hospital.
Brett told his parents that, contrary to prevailing media reports,
Velasquez did not lose consciousness before being taken to the hospital.
In last week’s e-alert, I called for telephone protest to the district
attorney, chief of police, and mayor of Champaign.
The following day, overwhelming response from my subscribers swamped the phone
lines to Champaign city government. This
protest continues, augmented by right wing and free speech websites that posted
my article. Many local residents who know Brett as a gentle and considerate
Christian teen, including members of his church, are also calling in outrage.
·
Call District Attorney Julia Reitz at (217)
384-3733. Ask her to drop her unfounded hate crimes
indictment.
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Lovers of freedom should also protest to WCIA-TV News, which
has already aired at least two inflammatory, one-sided stories against Brett.
Although they recently published a brief article giving Brett's attorney a few
lines, their journalistic ethics are in the gutter. Call WCIA-TV at (217)
373-3650.
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