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Rick Jones, his family, and their business, are under attack in Delta Utah simply because Rick is gay. There’s no other explanation.
Last week, while taking out the trash at the family restaurant, Grand Central Station Pizzeria, Rick Jones was beaten, robbed, nearly forced to drink bleach, and had the words “Die Fag” carved into his arm with a knife.
“I went out to take out the trash, and when I came back in, I thought it was strange that I didn’t hear the door close. I turned around to shut the door, and someone grabbed me by the head and slammed me to the wall. … I remember waking up and I was lying on the floor. Someone was on my chest and legs and they were trying to force me to drink bleach.” 
Rick passed out and when he woke up later, in the hospital, a medical team was considering life-flighting him to Salt Lake City, He was treated for the wounds, and the carvings into his flesh, held overnight and then released.
"I've lived here my whole live with my family. Nothing like this has ever happened to me before. I don't have any known enemies, but obviously I have one somewhere." — Rick Jones
But it wasn’t over; five days later, the words “Die Fag” were spray-painted on the family home, and then last week a Molotov cocktail was thrown through Rick’s bedroom window, and the house was spray-painted again, this time with “You’ll Die. Burn Fag.” The family restaurant was also hit by burglary, theft and vandalism that morning.
Millard County police are having a hard time finding suspects, because the young man, his family and his pizzeria seemingly have no enemies. And, sadly, in the town of Delta, little to no media attention has been given to the incidents, and the police are stretched pretty thin as they cover 7,000 square miles of land in Millard County. But Sheriff Robert Dekker has called the case a priority for his agency, and has assigned multiple detectives to the investigation.
"So many things go toward somebody trying to get somebody in the gay community. All of the cases indicate that's what they're after, that's what they're mad at. I would classify it as a hate crime." — Millard County Sheriff Robert Dekker
It’s very clearly a hate crime, and, luckily, the Utah Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce has stepped in with an offer of a $5,000 reward for new information leading to the successful apprehension and prosecution of the perpetrators of the attack. Those with information about the crimes committed against Rick Jones should contact Lt. Morris Burton of the Millard County Sheriff’s Office at 435-864-2755.
Terri Jones, Rick's mother, says she and her family refuse to be intimidated by the attacks:
"When you attack any member of our family, you attack everybody here. This is not just against my son, it is against every single one of us. We're not going to back down, we're not going to close the restaurant if we can keep from it. We're not going to move from Delta, we're not going to be afraid. … The only thing we can do is stand strong as a family."
And the local community, small though it may be, has also rallied behind the family, who opened their business just six months ago. Residents have approached the family to offer support, prayers and sympathy, and have made a point of patronizing the pizzeria to help the family stay open, and to show that this kind of crime will not be tolerated.
Even Lt. Governor Spencer Cox issued a statement:
"I was horrified and heart-broken to learn of this cowardly and barbaric assault. The Jones family is an upstanding, well-respected and beloved part of the Delta community. ... This will not stand."
Seriously. Is this what we can expect in any part of this country simply because a young man is gay? As I’ve said before, and before and before and before, if someone just beat up and robbed Rick Jones and the family business, that’s a hateful crime, but when they carve into his skin the words “Die Fag” and spray-paint the same words on his home, it’s Hate, pure and simple.
And it needs to be dealt with, quickly, and severely, to send a message that this will not be tolerated anywhere in this country.
It’s Hate, and it needs to stop.
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The Advocate
CNN
It's hate and the act of cowards.
ReplyDeleteHope they catch them soon.
and when the perps are caught, I suggest the same treatment be applied to them.
ReplyDeleteI will offer that IP wifi cameras around the business and home are necessary. The cameras themselves are sub $100 and infrared too. And you can find open source DVR software to monitor the feed. That way you can get a good picture of the son of a bitch doing this and turn it over to the police.
ReplyDeleteCowards, pure and simple. Wish they would just crawl under a rock and stay there. The fear in their heads/lives must be a gaping hole, because I really believe that's what it is--fear of something that they don't understand (and won't take the time to understand).
ReplyDeleteHe needs your help and support, please. We have created a
ReplyDeleteGo Fund Me Campaign #HelpStopHate
Intended use of funds: While there are yet unknown consequences and expenses resulting from the multiple attacks, Rick and his family will only use the funds raised to cover costs which are a result of the attacks. All remaining funds will be donated to a charity to further the family's belief in Human Rights which Rick and his family are directly involved with.
Some of the expected expenses are: Covering deductibles at both the business and residence for the times they have been robbed and vandalized, any items that have not been covered by insurance, HD security cameras and systems at home and their restaurant. Rick and other family members may be in need of some therapy and counseling and many mid-term therapies are not covered by insurance. Since this has happened multiple times, Rick and his family may have to temporarily relocate.
I wouldn't believe his story as far as I could throw him. It's another Charlie Rogers/Quinn Matney/Dayna Morales hoax, you'll see. And these cases do endless harm to the credibility of real gaybashing cases.
ReplyDelete