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" I have a dream... where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
-Martin Luther King Jr.
The modern societies have come a long way to fight against racism and discrimination since Martin Luther King made that statement in 1963. Cities like Metro Vancouver are filled with numerous minority groups with different languages, religions and cultures. Fortunately, we live in a multicultural society where we don't have to think about hate crime too much. In Vancouver most people live in a relative harmony and peaceful environment, where we enjoy our live so much. We can feel safe when going out on the street without being pasteurized by a mob of "haters". However, the incident happened in 2008 downtown Vancouver has sent a shock wave through out the city and across the country.
"Jordan Smith had never held hands with a man in public before. But late one September night in 2008, the 27-year-old airline pilot impulsively intertwined fingers with his boyfriend, as they walked home through the city's well-known gay neighborhood. Their affection lasted all of five minutes. A group of young men accosted the couple with a series of gay slurs. One of them then struck Mr. Smith from behind, sending him unconscious to the sidewalk, a hard tumble that broke his jaw. His assailant, Michael Kandola, was eventually sentenced to 17 months in prison, after a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the attack a hate crime." - The Global and Mail, July 2010
-Martin Luther King Jr.
The modern societies have come a long way to fight against racism and discrimination since Martin Luther King made that statement in 1963. Cities like Metro Vancouver are filled with numerous minority groups with different languages, religions and cultures. Fortunately, we live in a multicultural society where we don't have to think about hate crime too much. In Vancouver most people live in a relative harmony and peaceful environment, where we enjoy our live so much. We can feel safe when going out on the street without being pasteurized by a mob of "haters". However, the incident happened in 2008 downtown Vancouver has sent a shock wave through out the city and across the country.
"Jordan Smith had never held hands with a man in public before. But late one September night in 2008, the 27-year-old airline pilot impulsively intertwined fingers with his boyfriend, as they walked home through the city's well-known gay neighborhood. Their affection lasted all of five minutes. A group of young men accosted the couple with a series of gay slurs. One of them then struck Mr. Smith from behind, sending him unconscious to the sidewalk, a hard tumble that broke his jaw. His assailant, Michael Kandola, was eventually sentenced to 17 months in prison, after a B.C. Supreme Court judge ruled the attack a hate crime." - The Global and Mail, July 2010