They were murdered 42 years ago. When they found them they were just skeletons. It took police 40 years to reconstruct their faces. They were lost for so long.
But at least now we know their names. One was Eric.
And the other was Richard.
And that they were probably both murdered by a serial killer who was targeting young gay men.
The murders have similarities to other cases in the summer of '67, when two young men were picked up in downtown Toronto's gay neighbourhood, then taken to rural areas and attacked.
A fact that wasn't mentioned in any of today's media reports, and one that makes me wonder how hard police tried to catch this serial killer back in the summer of '67. When Expo was getting underway, Canadians were happy and optimistic, Lulu was tearing up the charts.
Whoever she was.
And homosexuality was illegal. Gay men were being busted in their own homes, and beaten by police, and even jailed as dangerous offenders.
So why would the police do anything to help gay people when they considered them CRIMINALS? And so did so many other Canadians.
Eric and Richard probably had no chance for justice.
You know when I hear older gay guys going on about how the gay youth of today is ungrateful, spoiled, shallow, and stoopid, I sometimes get annoyed. Extremely annoyed.
But when I think about the Canada they had to live in.
I always forgive them....
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UPDATE: Or did the police catch the killer and not make the connection?
Will the Lost Boys get justice at last?
Wow. I've been hearing this story repeated all day and not once did I hear any mention that they were targeted for being gay. That's so sad.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this posting..
ReplyDeleteBack in the last 60's, the police likely thought of these crimes as a service to society by getting rid of undesireables. A good example of the brutal police attitude was the White Night Riot in San Franscisco where the cops invaded the Castro District in their war against gays. We fought back then, and we have to keep fighting for justice and equality.
I know from experience what it was like back then. My first job out of high school was to replace Everett George Klippert at Pine Point Mines in the NWT.
A very good indication of society's contempt and disgust of gays can be found in reading the SUPREME COURT OF CANADA's decision in the Klippert case here:
http://csc.lexum.umontreal.ca/en/1967/1967rcs0-822/1967rcs0-822.html
If anyone is foolish enough to think that those days are gone forever, think again and look at how Heir Harper is trying to destroy Human Rights Commissions. (or how Heritage Canada subsidizes hate propaganda like Catholic Insight magazine)
I pay my respects to all these young victims of hate and discrimination by keeping up the fight for justice and equality. I urge all your readers to do likewise. Then, maybe these beautiful young men may finally rest in peace.
Hi Jennifer...yes I don't know why they didn't. Maybe it was because they didn't want to offend the families by suggesting the lost boys might have been gay. I'd like to think not. But sadly I wouldn't be surprised...
ReplyDeleteHi anonymous...wow what an amazing story. And thanks for that link.It was absolutely chilling.
ReplyDeleteI would encourage anyone who read this post to read that if they want to understand how horrible Canada was for gay people back then.
What I also took away from that was how brave Everett Klippert was.
I think I've got a new gay hero... :)
And don't worry the struggle for justice and equality will continue...
If you are interested in where the Harperazi's are spending your tax dollars to subsidize anti-gay propaganda, read the internal HERITAGE CANADA documents here:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.mediafire.com/?wdgybj1zhbz
Simon:
ReplyDeleteI hope you don't think I'm one of those bitchy old gay guys who complains about today's youth but:
Did you know how gays were treated by the Nazis and how they were given the most brutal treatment in the concentration camps?
What might jar your conscience even more is how the Allies treated the gay inmates of the concentration camps.
Did you know that our soldiers liberated the Jews, the Gypsies, and the political prisoners from the death camps, but OUR SOLDIERS would not liberate the homosexuals because gays were thought to be criminals and they had to serve out their Nazi sentences.
Yup, this is the legacy of the brave men in the Canadain and American armies. Kinda makes you want to puke, doesn't it?