Some of you out there may be familiar with Peter Milligan’s late Vertigo comic series, Shade, The Changing Man, in which the titular character attempts to contain America’s collective madness. We sure could use him right about now now.
A California man has been charged with a felony hate crime after attacking a gay neighbor with his “Yes on 8” sign – that is, a sign showing his support for Proposition 8, which would overturn gay marriage in the Golden State.
Such violence isn’t new during this increasingly frenetic election season, but this story differs in a significant way: the men have known each other since junior high:
Joseph Storm, 23, got into a scuffle with a 22-year-old man wearing a “No on 8” button early Sunday in Torrance, according to Deputy District Attorney Janet Wilson.
Storm and the victim, whose identity has not been released, have known each other since junior high school, she said.
During the fight, Storm took the lawn sign and knocked the victim down with it, then punched him in the face and choked him, Wilson said.
Storm is also accused of calling the victim a derogatory name for homosexuals.
We can only guess what they name could have been – there are so many!
How about we take this to the next level?
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Carsen T.
Um, wow…I am not surprised. There are kids who have been shaking Yes on 8 signs in the faces of everyone who disagree with them, it was only a step away to attacking.
Tim
I don’t know if I can handle that much irony in one story
fredo777
Yeah, that is kind of ironic.
He should have beat the guy’s ass with his own No On 8 sign. Or at least pricked the punk in the ass with his No on 8 button.
That would have been funny.
CHURCHILL-Y
Bah….most likely they were dragging this fight btwn themselves way before the ballot initiative.
JJ
I blame the Mormons and Roman Catholic church for this divisiveness and violence.
Eric
This is really upsetting. I have see the Prop 8 man and woman on restroom signs for years, and never knew they were bigots.
Eric
Wait, I also see them on your blog’s masthead. Now I’m really confused!
Jeff Goldblum: Where would we be without rationalizations? Why, they’re more important than sex.
Tom Beringer: C’mon, man, what are you talking about? Nothing’s more important than sex.
Jeff Goldblum: Oh yeah? You ever go a week without a rationalization?
greybat
Thank heaven the “Yes on 8” movement isn’t about hatred or bigotry, or things might have gotten out of hand!
Oh…wait a minute…
crazylove
Well 2 things–
a) Not surprised by this. Wish I were. But I am not. This society is pathological.
b) On a lighter note- wow- total geek moment with the Shade, the Changing Man reference.
Me
First off the story above is missing many key parts to the story. James Domingo the victim was walking down that street where Joseph Storm lives at around 2:00 am in the morning, and James was removing the “Yes on prop 8†signs from the lawn of Joseph’s neighbors and throwing them in to the street. Joseph Storm saw this and told James Domingo to pick up sings that he was throwing out in to the street. James Domingo then turned and gave Joseph Storm the finger along with some words. Joseph Storm then confronted James Domingo and got in to an altercation. Joseph Storm did not know James Domingo was a homosexual nor did he see the button that James Domingo was wearing at that time. This incited was purely motivated by the fact that James Domingo was causing a public disturbance by throwing the “Yes on prop 8†signs out in to the middle of street. The story also said that James Domingo was a “gay neighbor†this is not true. Joseph Storm went to the same middle school as James Domingo however they that did not associate because James Domingo was in the grade below him. Before the media starts telling lies think a second did you know all the kids in your grade? Or how about the all kids in a grad below you? I’m sure your wonder how I may know all this, it’s because I went to school Joseph Storm for many years and know him fairly well. And also for the record I’m sure if you would have had asked Joseph Storm before this incident happened what his opinion was on “Prop 8†Joseph Storm would have said he opposed “prop 8†as do I ! Bottom line James Domingo is trying to capitalize on the fact that he is a homosexual and he was the subject of a hate crime. If prop 8 was not on the ballot for November 4th this issue would have not gotten pass the neighbor talking about some kind of scuffle that happened in the front yard the night before.
fredo777
How, “Me”, would Joseph Storm say he opposes Prop 8 when he supposedly had a Yes on 8 sign on his own lawn?
Me
It was not on his lawn it was on his neighbors.
fredo777
Regardless, he handled himself like a d-bag + noone really knows how he’d vote on Prop 8 but him.
Woof
VOTE VOTE VOTE – we can’t let these people beat us!
Me
Ferdo777,
Your correct he did handle the situation bad but the point here is he should be charged with assault not a hate crime. This was just a fight in the wrong place and in the time.
Me
My final point here is don’t let the media persuade you with there false opinions find out the real story. If the media would have done there job right the first time I’m sure Prop 8 would have never peered its ugly head in to the ballot! A scandal makes more money then the truth in there eyes!!
fredo777
Well, that remains to be seen. If he really did shout out a gay slur at the guy while he attacked him, it could very much shape up to be a hate crime.
Me
So are you saying you never say bad words when your mad? Joe had no clue that was james gay.
fredo777
Like I said, that remains to be seen.
He might have had a hunch, considering this guy was removing the Yes On 8 signs, according to your earlier comment. Not iron-clad proof, but he could have made that assumption.
Jaroslaw
Me – interesting points which I don’t necessariily agree with all of them, but when referring to someone’s point of view, etc. it is spelled THEIR (not there).
friend
This should not be a case tried under hate crime law, while other individuals on this site seem to be advocating to lock him up for a very long time, I believe that would just make this whole situation worse. I know that he looks like a skin head but he isn’t. I know Joe personally for many years and while he looks like a racist, he is not so, he has no affiliation to any gangs of any type. But based on your perception of him, who are the people that you think that he will have to associate with if he gets locked up in county? He will have to band with the white supremacists to survive, and be cause of this possibly come out a radically changed (for the worse) individual. Long prison time in a case like this would be detrimental to everyone. Throwing him in with racists and bigots will serve nobody.
He is friends with many people with different backgrounds. I myself am not white but was lucky count on someone that would back you up no matter what. While I do not condone violence on any level, when someone is perceived to be disrespecting the symbol that someone believes or identifies with, this sometime results in an altercation. It is a sad fact but it is true. I’m sure it wouldn’t matter the sexual orientation or the race of the person. That with the time (2 a.m) make me believe that alcohol could have been involved as well and impairing the judgment call. Don’t take this as an excuse for his actions but this is a complicated situation and I just wanted to present him in a different light rather then the bigot he is being portrayed to be.
Jaroslaw
Friend – you may be right and I might even agree with you up to a point. Unfortunately, Joe made the decision to be violent and must pay the consequences. But then we have a thing in our court system called “not guilty by reason of insanity” – I think ANYONE who kills for fun, sport, cruely whatever is mentally ill. The only killing that is justified is self defense. But unfortunately, again, life is unfair, laws are inconsistent etc. That is the chance you take when you break the laws, that you may come up against some of that.
friend
yes, he should pay the consequences but should not be classified under hate crime.
Me
OThis is not an attack just a different point of view…….Oddly enough not many people have said anything about that way Joe looks, but does it matter? It sure better not! The people that want his head on a stick are the same people that that say “don’t’ judge a book by its cover†but because having the upper hand can tend to cloud things, people well tend to forget that detail. Sure I understand profiling is a part of life and easy to do without a second thought. But when you get profiled the next that usually comes out of your mouth is “yes that’s true but you don’t understand!!â€.
fredo777
Who said anything about profiling?
friend
I’m sorry but it does matter, and because I know Joe personally I can present a different side of him. But I know that because of the way he looks he will be viewed differently from someone that looks like a complete angel. From what it sounds like is that it is one word against the other, and my question is this: what if the other person had won? would we believe Joe if he said that he was assaulted or would we believe that Joe deserved it because he looks the way he does? I think these are questions that should be asked in something that can be a mutual battery case.
fredo777
How, exactly, do most of us even know what this Joe looks like?
I certainly didn’t see a photo of him in the article linked to here.
friend
here is a link to the local newspaper website that his mugshot is shown. http://www.dailybreeze.com/ci_10847353
fredo777
Yeah, he doesn’t look exactly look like a boy scout but that’s not enough to go on.
If this got started over somebody throwing signs into the street, he should have just called the police. Hate crime or no, he was out of line.
fredo777
* doesn’t exactly look
My bad. A bit distracted.
Me
FRIEND send me an email [email protected]
Cain Hamm
Warning! The Mormon Church plans to have its followers distribute disgusting gay propaganda with their candy tonight..telling kids that if prop 8 passes their MOM will become their DAD! Details here: http://ItsOkToVoteNo.com. Spread the word! There’s not much time.
kiyomi
you are all ignorant. this had nothing to do with a hate crime, if you had actually READ the article instead of just the headline you would have read that they have known eachother since they were little. if his was such a hate crime wouldnt he have harassed the victim prior to 4 in the morning when the victim was trespassing and destroying property of his sick and elderly grandmother?
fredo777
@kiyomi:
Couldn’t get the point across once under the name “Kayla”?
Anyway, it is you who are ignorant.
Trying to make us sympathize with the dude who attacked the victim by mentioning his “sick + elderly grandmother”. Pfft. Gimme a break.
You act as if he burnt the lady’s house down. Anyway, that’s not the point. The point is he shouldn’t have physically attacked him, regardless of whether or not he removed a stupid lawn sign.
VIk
Hey what about all the broken windows in churches that are not report on the news? You think they will even cover those stories?
fredo777
@VIk:
Hopefully just as soon as they cover the situations where Yes on 8 supporters assaulted No on 8 protesters.
Jaroslaw
VIK What broken Church windows? Are they right in your neighborhood? How many Church Windows? How do you know they were broken by Anti 8 forces?
Not saying it didn’t happen, but the news cannot and does not cover everything but if it was happening on a grand scale, submit your documentation to YOUTUBE and let us know.
eddyboy
joseph storm (the basher) has also appeared on gay foot fetish sites under the name “seth.” not too many have those distinctive tattoos. crazy.