Changes

Another example of an alleged anti-homosexual "hate crime" occurred at Columbia University in 2005, when two drunken students scrawled racist and anti-homosexual symbols on a dormitory wall.  Initially charged with crimes carrying possible 4-year jail sentences, the charges were later dropped in exchange for some sensitivity training.<ref>[http://media.www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/paper865/news/2006/06/12/News/Ruggles.Vandalism.Case.Dismissed-2043702.shtml Ruggles Vandalism Case Dismissed], Elizabeth Kraushar and Eleazar David Meléndez, ''Columbia Spectator'', 6/12/06.</ref>  "I am pretty sure [the perpetrator] thought he was playing a joke," said one dormitory resident about the incident.<ref>[http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=510542 Hate Crime Rocks Columbia’s Campus], Noah S. Bloom, ''The Harvard Crimson'', December 13, 2005.</ref>

Another example of an alleged anti-homosexual "hate crime" occurred at Columbia University in 2005, when two drunken students scrawled racist and anti-homosexual symbols on a dormitory wall.  Initially charged with crimes carrying possible 4-year jail sentences, the charges were later dropped in exchange for some sensitivity training.<ref>[http://media.www.columbiaspectator.com/media/storage/paper865/news/2006/06/12/News/Ruggles.Vandalism.Case.Dismissed-2043702.shtml Ruggles Vandalism Case Dismissed], Elizabeth Kraushar and Eleazar David Meléndez, ''Columbia Spectator'', 6/12/06.</ref>  "I am pretty sure [the perpetrator] thought he was playing a joke," said one dormitory resident about the incident.<ref>[http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=510542 Hate Crime Rocks Columbia’s Campus], Noah S. Bloom, ''The Harvard Crimson'', December 13, 2005.</ref>

There are very few anti-homosexual murders.  The most publicized incident, the murder of [[Matthew Shepard]], was the result of severe drug abuse.  After the defense attorney failed to exonerate the killers with an argument of self-defense against homosexual advances, the lead killer admitted in jail that homosexuality had nothing to do with his drug-induced murder:<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=277685&page=3 New Details Emerge in Matthew Shepard Murder], ''20/20'', ABC News. Retrieved 22 July 2007.</ref>

There are very few anti-homosexual murders.  The most publicized incident, the murder of [[Matthew Shepard]], was the result of severe drug abuse.  After the defense attorney failed to [[exonerate]] the killers with an argument of self-defense against homosexual advances, the lead killer admitted in jail that homosexuality had nothing to do with his drug-induced murder:<ref>[http://abcnews.go.com/2020/Story?id=277685&page=3 New Details Emerge in Matthew Shepard Murder], ''20/20'', ABC News. Retrieved 22 July 2007.</ref>

:Asked [by ABC News] directly whether [the lead killer] targeted and attacked Shepard because he was gay, McKinney told Vargas, "No. I did not. ... I would say it wasn't a hate crime. All I wanted to do was beat him up and rob him."

:Asked [by ABC News] directly whether [the lead killer] targeted and attacked Shepard because he was gay, McKinney told Vargas, "No. I did not. ... I would say it wasn't a hate crime. All I wanted to do was beat him up and rob him."