Posted on 01/11/2005 9:38:30 PM PST by xm177e2
Ever since he was 12, Daniel Romano has cut a noticeable figure around Middle Village, a working class part of Queens. Mr. Romano, 20, who calls himself a Satanist, stands out, with his blue-tinted bouffant hairdo, his black clothing and fingernails, and the prominent crucifix, worn upside down.
Mr. Romano has long been teased for dressing like a "gothic kid" or simply a "goth," in a community with small homes, neat lawns and populated with many Roman Catholics.
But in recent weeks, two local teenagers began fixating on Mr. Romano, calling him names including "Satan worshiper," "baby sacrificer" and "hooker killer," the authorities say. On Sunday the verbal harassment turned into violence.
Mr. Romano, while walking on 72nd Street in Maspeth, was attacked by the two teenagers, the authorities say. Yesterday the Queens district attorney, Richard A. Brown, announced that the young men, Paul C. Rotondi and Frank M. Scarpinito, both 18 and from Middle Village, would be charged with hate crimes, which carry harsher penalties and are usually leveled when an attack involves a victim's ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
Prosecutors say they attacked Mr. Romano because of his religious beliefs: They thought he worshiped Satan. They were arraigned yesterday on charges of second-degree assault as a hate crime, possession of a weapon and aggravated harassment. The charges could carry prison terms of up to 15 years.
About 2 p.m. on Sunday, prosecutors say, the teenagers pulled up in a car and one yelled to Mr. Romano, "Hey, Satan!"
The authorities said that both defendants then attacked Mr. Romano - Mr. Rotondi using a metal club, and Mr. Scarpinito wielding an ice scraper. Mr. Romano was taken to Elmhurst Hospital Center, where he received 12 stitches. On Monday, he filed a complaint with police officers, who arrested the two youths.
At their arraignment yesterday, prosecutors asked that they be held in $75,000 bail, but a judge set it at $5,000 and they were released. An assistant district attorney, George J. Farrugia, said the defendants believed that Mr. Romano worshiped Satan and "over the last month and a half, they have had it in for this kid, and have been abusive."
Mr. Scarpinito's lawyer, Richard Leff, called the charges "an abuse of the hate crime status," and said his client had never been in trouble. Mr. Rotondi's lawyer, Sean A. McNicholas, said prosecutors were calling this a hate crime because of "politics and press."
"The kid is gothic with blue hair: He falls into a category of kid," Mr. McNicholas said. "At worst, this is a simple dispute between kids, not an attack on a minority."
"If the accusation was that he was black or Asian or Latino or Jewish, it's one thing," he said. "They see this as a religious practice. It's a dispute between kids, the same way you have the nerds, the jocks, the artsy kids and the teacher's pets. What's next? Someone being accused of attacking a preppie, or a nerd?"
In an interview last night at his apartment, which he shares with his mother, Mr. Romano said that he was raised Catholic but is now a Satanist. A hard rock musician, he attended Talent Unlimited High School in Manhattan and leads a band.
Mr. Romano said he was working at a bagel store last summer when Mr. Scarpinito, who worked next door at a hardware store, began making fun of him.
"My allegiance is to Satan and I hate Christianity, Judaism and Islam, but I don't hurt anyone," Mr. Romano said. "I take out my anger in mosh pits and S-and-M clubs. I think it's ironic that the Christians got violent with the Satanist."
His mother, Debbie Romano, 48, said, "I'm a Christian, but he went the other way; I don't understand his beliefs, but he doesn't hurt nobody."
But a hate crime is a hate crime. And if he was beaten because of his religion, then he's the victim of a hate crime. And if hate crime laws are going to be enforced, they must be enforced fairly. That means that Christians don't get a special right to beat up people they don't like.
"LOOK AT ME!!"
"I say...can you tell that I'M A SATANIST?! Well, I am a SATANIST!"
Gave him free what he usually has to for?
Gave him free what he usually has to pay for?
New headline:
Moron Beat Up By Two Other Morons
Actually, there is a little-known clause in the Great Commission. It deals with "going forth to beat up weirdos," or something like that. These guys were just doing tha Lard's work. OCICBW, I've only read the Bible through once. ;)
That means that Christians don't get a special right to beat up people they don't like.
Where does it say the kids were Christian?
In the Anti-Christ Handbook. Didn't you get a copy?
Sorry. Last one. "AHEM...BOO!"
this is exactly why we needto get rid of al lthe hate crime statutes these peopleare goingot get 15 years for assault and battery wich usually only carrys a 3-5 year sentence becasue of the thoughts that the people had in thier head at the time its just B.S all the way around no matter wich group its used against
Your on the right track, But here is my take and also a couple of links to LINK it all together for ya'll.
The Hate Crimes Laws are nothing more than the implementation of the Values set forth in the European Socialist Manefesto. They undermine our Gurantee of Freedom of Speech by the Constitution. The Hate Crimes were put into law to do just that. We have the right to Hate just as we have the right to Love.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1254190/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1318061/posts?page=6#6
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1318038/posts
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1318034/posts
In the Anti-Christ Handbook. Didn't you get a copy?
Apparently not.
I'm a bit selective about what I read though!
You know...garbage in, garbage out.
Ist hatt heb esty ouc ant ype, ord idy ouf alla sleepo nt hek eyboard? ; )
You're right, of course. How about this:
Commonsense and Occupationally-challenged Blue-Haired Individual Assaulted By Two Commonsense and Occupationally-Challenged Non-Blue-Haired Individuals
ping
would be charged with hate crimes, which carry harsher penalties and are usually leveled when an attack involves a victim's ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation.
WRONG!! A hate crime is when a person is attacked because of their ethnicity, EXCEPT if they are white, religion, EXCEPT if they are Christian or sexual orientation, EXCEPT if they are heterosexual.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.