[Vision2020] Six gay men shot to death in Iraq

[Jennifer Ingalls]

I'm not sure I'd categorize the Wil Hendrick case as uncared-about. It
received national attention several years after the case was initiated with
some cold case show . . . I can't remember if it was an "America's Most
Wanted" or "Unsolved Mysteries" show, but something along those lines.
Certainly it received no less attention than other murder/missing persons
cases in this area--and perhaps more than some of those cases.

However, I do agree that it is more likely that some people will or do
discount crimes against minority populations--whether gay, black, Hispanic,
or Muslim--as "deserved," acceptable, or as simply having less importance or
connection to the community. This apathy is probably more prevalent in
white, middle class, protestant populations because there is less direct
connection to the case--less cause for the observer to reflect, "If that can
happen to him/her, it can happen to me." This, of course does not make it a
"right" reaction or a proper way of thinking about things, but I think
people tend to lend more compassion when they feel the victim is like them.
Just my observation . . .

--Jennifer