Gay couple attacked in Piedmont Park

          Last week I came a cross an article when the Atlanta Journal Constitution's twitter account posted the link. In short it told the story of two men who were enjoying a picnic in the park and were accosted by a group of young men who apparently attacked them for being gay. I was taken aback by the news for several reasons. As an Atlanta native, I am familiar with the demographics of Midtown and specifically the reputation that Piedmont park has for being frequented by many gays. In my mind, I'm wondering that if gays cannot be safe in Piedmont park, let alone Midtown and even further still Atlanta, then where is there refuge? Also, the youngest of the violent muggers was 13 years old. I admit that at 13 I may not have been able to form a logical argument in defense of gays in the military or same sex marriage but I certainly wasn't assaulting gays in the park either.


          I know that this type of treatment is not new and that this sort of thing has been going on since the beginning of time, but I'm about ready for it to end. I cannot believe we live in a society that thinks it's ok to deny rights to "some" people, typically justified by the belief systems of "some" other people. At some point we must realize that this type of violence is a result of the backwards policies that exist in this country.

Portions of the AJC article replicated below:

At approximately 10 p.m.,  Jarvis Johnson, 19, and five other males ranging in age from 13 to 17 approached two men having a picnic in Piedmont Park, asked if they were gay and then threatened them, the report states.

Noblitt said one of the suspects used a large stick to assault him, which he grabbed away from him and turned on his assailant.

Several other teenagers ran into the field to help Johnson and the other suspects in the beating, the report says.

Noblitt fled to Charles Allen Drive, where he called 911 from his cellphone, police said.

Noblitt told police that a suspect in a black tank top, who he believed to be Johnson, took the cellphone from him, put a gun to his face and demanded his wallet.

Noblitt sustained a visible head injury and back pain from being kicked in the head and kidneys, the report states.

After responding to the call, police found several of the suspects ducking behind a building, where they were approached by several officers. Further investigation revealed that the suspects were involved in a previous armed robbery minutes earlier in the evening at Linden and Central Park Place, police said.

Noblitt, the Social Justice Minister at St. Mark's Methodist Church, said he has worked with people in criminal justice before. Although he is happy his alleged assailants were caught, he worries about them.

"I saw on the police report that one of them was only 13. They could potentially be tried as adults because it was an armed robbery," he said. "I'm just sad that this whole thing happened. It breaks my heart."

          This article infuriated me! It made me want to do something equally powerful, something that would open minds. Something that would change opinions and if not at least light a fire in anyone that would read this blog post. As a photographer you can just about imagine what I did. Yes! I went out and found the hottest gays I could and shot them in a way that would show the irrefutable beauty of their love. Click HERE for my pictorial response Re: Gay couple attacked in Piedmont Park