Hate Crimes: Oxymoron Much?

On May 16, 2007, Elke Kennedy of Greenville, SC had to face the hardest thing that any mother would have to face. Her son, Sean Kennedy, was dead. Drinking and driving or using drugs did not cause Sean’s death. He was simply being himself without causing harm or putting anyone in danger. Unless, you believe that being homosexual is a threat. Maybe that is what Stephen Moller thought when he ruthlessly punched Sean in the face hard enough to break his face bones.
“He fell back and hit the asphalt. This resulted in his brain to be separated from his brain stem and ricochet in his head” (Elke Kennedy/seanslastwish.org).
Moller performed a hate crime. According to PublicEye.org, a hate crime is “a legal term that describes criminal acts motivated by prejudice.” Sean’s life was taken away because he was, as Moller would claim, a “fagot”. In more fitting terms, Sean was a loving young man who loved whomever he wanted, despite what society thought.
“Sean loved everybody regardless of whom or what they believed in or stood for. He never judged but was always there to help people, either by listening or giving them whatever they needed” (Elke Kennedy/seanslastwish.org).
It seems like Sean would get nothing but justice for being almost helpless in this situation. Instead, Stephen Moller’s five-year sentence was reduced to three years, and is able to face parole after ten months in jail. As part of his parole, he will have to do thirty hours of community service and participate in anger management classes (seanslastwish.org). In the state of South Carolina, there are no laws specifically for hate crimes. Victoria Boynton, 19 of Charleston, South Carolina, said that she was not aware of the SC’s laws that were made especially for hate crimes. While Antoni Deas, 20 of Sumter, South Carolina responded as though she was disgusted with, “I don’t think we have any.”
The families of South Carolina hate crime victims may feel that there is no justice when it comes to the sentencing of the murders. Although Sean it is too late to give justice to Sean Kennedy, there is something to aim for in the future. Elke Kennedy does not want to create new laws, but to improve the ones South Carolina already has. She is pushing to add a “second degree murder charge and expand on the voluntary manslaughter charge” (Elke Kennedy). After Boynton and Deas defined what a hate crime is, they both came with the conclusion that “murder is murder.”
From this devastating situation, came a beautiful organization, Sean’s Last Wish. The organization’s name is in memory of Sean Kennedy’s life, but allows his dream to live on. Elke Kennedy says that SLW is here to inform anyone about what is missing in the SC laws to provide equal rights.
Kennedy states, “The purpose of SLW is to get people involved. The effect will be to change hearts and minds. They will learn what they can do, how to challenge and educate our legislators at the local, state, and federal level.”
Most people learn of the Kennedy’s circumstance and organization through gay pride festivals around the country, but Elke has bigger plans in the future. She would like to take it to the next level by speaking to all grade levels. Miss Kennedy believes that it is important to educate children while they are young, because that is where important impressions are made. Kennedy feels that the laws are not all that needs to be changed, but also the “hearts and minds) (Elke Kennedy).
SLW receives national and local support. Although Sean’s Last Wish is well on its way to being well known, both Boynton and Deas would like to see it in the public eye more often or even seeing a documentary.
“People are uneducated. Society is so black and white,” raves Deas, “Sean’s Last Wish can help raise awareness to parents if their child is coming out. [They] go through so much from everybody else, the last thing they need is their parents to not support them.”
“This really does happen. You can’t care about something that you don’t know about,” explains Boynton.
If you would like to get involved or more information about Sean’s Last Wish, please visit www.seanslastwish.org.