Tenn. Lesbian Couple Burned Out of Home

[Shana A]

Tenn. Lesbian Couple Burned Out of Home
by Kilian Melloy
Monday Sep 13, 2010

http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=110261

A lesbian couple in a tiny town in eastern Tennessee say that the fire that burned their house to the ground was an act of anti-gay hatred. They also say that they received numerous threats from a neighbor--including a threat to "kill them and burn down their house"--over the span of the five years they lived in the town, reported Knoxville, Tenn. news station WATE on Sept. 10.

Carol and Laura Stutte, long-time life partners who have been together for a decade and a half, were away when the house burned. They regard the fire as suspicious both because of the threats they received and because a spray-painted message was left on their garage, consisting of one word in large letters: "Queers."

[Julie Marie]

And we don't need anti hate crime laws or ENDA? 

[spacial]

Not really sure how threatening behaviour, for whatever reason, arson, vandalism and putting lives at risk can be construed as malicious mischief?

Surely, under any judicial system these would amount to 3 or 4 crimes.

Here is the UK, all carry potential prison sentences. The maximum penality for arson is life.

[Raven]

Don't really surprize me as there are people like that in that area, but all the same that's sad..