In case you’ve been hiding under a rock since last week and have only just emerged, you should probably get something to eat. Also, you missed this video of a group of airline passengers (and definitely not Paul Rudd) tackling a homophobic aggressor at the Dallas Airport.
Here’s the update:
First things first, the attacker has been identified as one McCleish Christmas Benham, 27, of Shelbyville, Tennessee born 12/17/1986. So much going on already. Birthday is eight days before Christmas, middle name is Christmas. First name is McCleish? McCleish?? And isn’t Shelbyville the rival of Springfield on The Simpsons?
None of that actually matters, just needed to get it out.
How about we take this to the next level?
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The real story is that he may not face a single day of jail time for his clear-as-day anti-gay hate crime.
He was caught on video saying, “Queers is what I’m upset about! This faggot right here!” before violently attacking someone.
Yet he’s being charged with public intoxication and simple assault, both class-C misdemeanors each punishable by a maximum $500 fine.
In the official police report, the responding officer writes:
“[Victim] told Mr. Benham that the police were on the way and he needed to calm down. [Victim] said Mr. Benham called him a “San Frisco Faggot” and then punched him in his right eye.”
Pete Schulte, an openly gay Dallas criminal defense attorney and former police officer, told the Lone Star Q he was surprised the charges were so light.
We hope that justice catches up with McCleish and his charges are elevated to reflect the nature of his crime.
tardis
The only thing that’s shocking here is that he’s 27. Seriously, when I saw that video, he appeared to be 39.
I don’t think this warrants jail time. I think a hefty fine and some community service is fine.
DarkZephyr
@tardis: No, its NOT “fine”. These people need to face genuine consequences!
Charli Girl
Tardis… I couldn’t disagree more! That idiot NEEDS to be used as an example! How many LGBT kids are being bullied by idiots just like that insecure pos? I meet those punks everyday! UNCLE DADDY taught them well! He’s still a snot nose kid, so there’s plenty years ahead of him to do more damage until he’s taught a lesson!!
tardis
I agree with you, guys! I really do. I just don’t see how a jail sentence is going to help this guy. The justice system should be used to teach this guy a lesson. I’m not suggesting that this guy walk free with a pat on the back. Perhaps volunteer service at an LGBT center would help this guy more than a meaningless jail sentence.
Texasteacher
McCleish Christmas Benham (DOB: 12-17-14), 6’01” of 112 Lee Lane, Shelbyville, TN 37160, aka “Mac Benham,” horse trainer and exhibitor of Joe Martin Stables, Shelbyville, TN
http://www.dm.usda.gov/oaljdecisions/140212_13-0345_CD_HPA_McCleish%20C%20Benham_Redacted.pdf
TampaBayTed
This good ole boy needs to be taken out to the woodshed and taught a lesson in manners.
aliengod
The punishment seems appropriate to me. This wasn’t a hate crime. He was just being a drunken idiot. It didn’t seem from the video that he did much physical damage. I do like the idea of him having to do his community service time in an LGB center.
blackberry finn
@tardis: Would you want this guy at an LGBT center? Uh-uh.
blackberry finn
@aliengod: He called him a faggot and assaulted him. How could that be anything else but a hate crime? Just wonder how you came to draw that conclusion.
natriley
It always irks me when the Community goes into the rabid law and order mode. After so many gays are treated harshly by the criminal justice system, it is wise to remain calm. The bruiser who yelled faggot was arrested, fingerprinted and went to court. Ask anyone with a DWI if that is fun; it isn’t. Assaults come in degrees, and the airport hassle is the lowest degree of assault imaginable. There was virtually no contact. Saturday bar fights are more brutal, and they don’t bring jail sentences. I don’t know if this character will get his act together or go on to be more vile, but I’m not planning to live in a society where attempted assaults bring jail.
Dan Halen
Oh, lookie here: https://www.facebook.com/mac.benham
Dan Halen
@natriley: When someone assaults someone for no other reason but for being who they are (or wearing a pink shirt) then yes, there needs to be jail time. The attack was completely unprovoked. Comparing this to a bar fight is comparing apples to oranges.
aliengod
@blackberry finn: The man was clearly intoxicated and he behaved like an imbecile. He called him a name and barely hit him. Name calling and simple assault by a drunken idiot doesn’t constitute a hate crime by most standards. For all we know, once he sobered up he may have been embarrassed and remorseful for what he said and did. That, coupled with the fact that he was arrested and jailed, seem punishment enough.
jason smeds
He looks like a bear. If he weren’t intoxicated, I might even make a pass at him.
AtticusBennett
doesn’t look like he’s ever faced a toothbrush either…..
and of course this site’s cowardly trolls like aliengod are saying “it’s not a hate crime” – ten bucks says this drunken hick reminds them of their parents.
aliengod has no balls. and no brain. and nobody in his life who actually loves him. #fact
aliengod
@AtticusBennett: You’re so predictable. You attack everyone you disagree with by saying they have shitty parents or internalized homophobia. You should really spend some time to come up with a new response.
I’ve been out for over 20 years and have an incredibly accepting and loving family, so your assumption is wrong. Is it possible that you’re just a miserable queen with an unloving family and you project that misery on others? May I suggest that you get some sort of counseling. Sometimes it helps to talk about your problems and not just bottle them up like this.
AtticusBennett
@aliengod: i call your bluff. prove it.
🙂 you spew the same tired crap all the time. textbook trolling nonsense. “i can;t stand that effeminate flamer kid on tv! this drunk homophobe doesn’t need to be punished for threatening and attacking someone because he thought they were gay!”
click on my name, and you’ll see who i am. and my rather kickass life. something tells me you could never do the same. and, sadly, i think we all know why.
you have my pity.
tjr101
Had this bigot been a black man, in a state like Tex-ass there most definitely would’ve been jail time.
enlightenone
How ironic, he wasn’t tackled by ten or more cops and treated like a wild boar or shot up with bullets! Now there’s hangout with the gays, he barely hit the guy, I might make a pass at him, bears in an airport, had a couple too many… Pathetic!
I long road back from social damage.
aliengod
@AtticusBennett: Is it possible for you to make one single honest statement? I never once said “I can’t stand that effeminate flamer kid on tv” or “this drunk homophobe doesn’t need to be punished for threatening and attacking someone because he thought they were gay”. You made that up.
I wasted five minutes of my life and clicked on your name. It all makes perfect sense to me now why you act the way you do on here. Your “kickass life” consists of dividing your time between pride parades and trolling Grindr profiles for people using the word masculine or feminine so you can attack them like you do here. Awesome! You go girl. Not my cup of tea. And as far as making my identity known to the likes of people such as yourself, I’m no fool. You’re the type of internet troll that makes that impossible.
Cagnazzo82
@aliengod: He didn’t do much physical damage *because he was STOPPED by other passengers as soon as it started*.
How exactly are you going to assault someone in an airport and receive a small fine for it and a slap on the wrist? That’s absurd.
Cagnazzo82
@jason smeds: You would make a pass at someone that utterly disgusting?
This sub-human is utterly repulsive.
He belongs in a zoo. That’s where he actually belongs.
Billysees
@DarkZephyr:
“These people need to face genuine consequences!”
True. Wrist slapping won’t do much.
aliengod
@Cagnazzo82: I applaud the people that defended the victim without hesitation. As far as punishment for the aggressor, he was arrested and jailed for his offense. He received the same punishment that anyone else would in this situation. Do you believe he deserves a harsher punishment because he used language that we find offensive? Of course not. He got drunk, acted like and imbecile, and went to jail. That, along with a $500 fine, will apparently be his punishment. This incident isn’t any bigger than the charges; public intoxication and simple assault.
Cagnazzo82
@aliengod: What drunk? What is with people and drunk this and drunk that? Stop apologizing for him.
Every single person commenting here has gotten drunk… some perhaps even excessively so. How many of us have attacked someone for the color they’re wearing on account of being inebriated?
Stop talking about drunk. People drink all the time and they don’t start cursing and physically assaulting someone over perceived whatever (in this case sexual orientation).
He should do at least a couple months time and have it permanently on his record to teach him and other future people like him a lesson.
throwslikeagirl
I’m disgusted. I’d opt for community service and a fine if it was a LOT of community service in a LGBT related area and a LOT of fine. Possibly AA meetings as well. This isn’t doing much to lessen the Texas redneck-centered stereotype, either. If I were the guy who was attacked, I’d consider a civil suit, as well, with at least a portion of any cash payout going to a LGBT cause. I agree with the post that said if he were a black guy, he’d do jail time. Just awful. There’s NO excuse for this sort of behavior, especially having too much to drink. Surprised he didn’t invoke the “Twinky defense” as well.
SteveDenver
Does the victim have no rights in this situation?
aliengod
@Cagnazzo82: I’ve not apologized for him. In every response I’ve made, I’ve stated what I believe him to be; a drunken idiot. Are you telling me that you’ve never done anything, when drunk, that you regret? If so, you’re certainly in the minority. Proposing that this man should have to be incarcerated for two months, at taxpayer expense, for simple assault is ridiculous. You are acting as though this is some major life changing incident. It’s not!
Thankfully, our judicial system is not based on emotion. If so, I think some of you would put this man before a firing squad… all for using offensive language (name calling).
The best punishment for him is community service. Based on the language he used during the attack, I believe it should involve something that requires him to interact with the LGB community in a way that increases his sensitivity.
zoomlens
@Texasteacher:
>http://www.dm.usda.gov/oaljdecisions/140212_13-0345_CD_HPA_McCleish%20C%20Benham_Redacted.pdf
This is pretty amazing. This guy works at a stable and shows horses. Earlier this year he was found to have “shown” a horse while it was “sore.” For that offense, he was barred from his occupation for six months. Now he has physically attacked a gay man and charged with a misdemeanor with a max punishment of a $500 fine? Wow. If only the guy that he attacked in the airport had been a horse, then maybe some there would be consequences.
Damich
Yup no jail time… That’s why if that fucker was in my face I would of unleached years of pent up anti-bigot whip ass on that peice of shit leaving that country bumpkin retard with a lesson. Gays need to get mad and not be afraid to open up a can of crazy whip ass…how do you think Stonewall was started?! Out crazy the crazy.
enlightenone
@Damich: I’m with you. A man that knows how to swing his balls when necessary! Nothing worst that a weak gay “man.”
Gigi Gee
Ya, he’s a real tough guy. He ridicules a guy for wearing a pink shirt and then he kicks him in the balls and slaps him. My sister can fight better than that potato on legs.
nephilim71
@tardis: This guy also needs some serious counselling!
enlightenone
@nephilim71: Jail time and alcohol rehab before allowed back loose in public!