Alright I just recently created a thread about how a man who burnt a cross on a black mans lawn was getting sentanced up to twelve years in jail. It was a hate crime and the Canadian courts said it had to be punished harshly. Many VGChartz members thought it was to harsh.

But today I turned on the CBC and was shocked to hear how little a homophobe was getting for an actual physical attack. A man named Shawn Woodward went to a gay bar specifically to pick a fight with a homosexual (According to proscicution). He then verbally assualted a gay man Richard Dowery before sucker punching him in the head. Richard Dowery fell to the ground and knocked his head hard on the tile.

Now Richard Dowery is in a long term care facility because he suffered severe permanent brain damage. I was shocked and horrified to hear that the man who did that to him is only going to get six years, he specifically targetted the man because he was gay. He hunted the man down and then brutally beat him in the head. The victim gets perminent brain damage in his 60's and for the rest of his life is going to be housed in a home.A friend of the victim said he doesn't remember his name. He said Richard is happy to see his friends come visit but can't remember them at all like as if he had alshiemers. He also can't feed or dress himself needing staff to do it for him.

Now I think if you go out target someone premeditated and give them severe brain damage you should at least get a higher sentence then 6 years. I mean you essentially killed the guy his life is over you should get at least 12-15. Then the fact that you did so out of hate and the other individual did absolutely nothing wrong to deserve it. You actually hunted him down, you should definatly get a life sentence or close to life in my mind.

What do you think, giving someone permanent brain damage just because they are different then you, shouldn't that get a higher sentance like premeditated murder? I mean it is essentially the same thing this innocent man was murdered that day don't you think?

Man I'm pissed

Case 1 - The aggressor has mental illness

Case 2 - There's more behind that story and the gay deserved to be punched for a private reason and it ended up like this.

Where did you hear that, I just watched the case on CBC and read three articles about it. I didn't once see or hear anything about him having a mental illness. Also I never heard anything about how he deserved to be punched in the face, CBC said he went to the gay bar and in the gay bar started using profanities and homophobic remarks toward Richard. He then punched him in the face after he accused the man of sexually assualting him. But the judge and court deemed he was not sexually assualted or attacked in any way and that the attack on Richard was unprovoked.

So where did you hear any of this? Is their a source I could read?

it doesn't matter that the guy targeted a gay man.

What matters is that he premeditated a fight, went out and searched for someone to fight, chose an innocent person to fight, and caused them brain damage.

For that, he should have the book thrown at him. That kind of premeditation shows a complete lack of remorse or humanity... the target being gay is irrelevant.

^ this

But he attacked him precisely for being gay.

So? Assault is assault is assault. You shouldn't be charged differently just because you went after a gay guy. Heck when most people go out looking for a fight they look for a man. Should that be a hate crime now?

well some people get out of jail for murder in less than 10 years...so the 6 years seems decent.

jail for burning the cross? was the guy a first time offender? cause otherwise, many people should go to jail by that standard... and not just white people.

Only if the troublemakers are women.

So? What if he attacked the guy because he was dressed emo? What he attacked him for wearing a Bears jersey and he's a Lions fan? What if he attacked him because he drove a Ford? What does that change? The guy went out looking for a fight and found one.