Killing shows why ‘add words’ needed

In his column today, Shawn Vestal/SR says the brutal killing of a 49YO former UI student underscores why Idaho should “Add the Words”:

While culture warriors have been hysterically policing public restrooms, a truly horrific killing of a gay man in Idaho has flown mostly under the radar. And now, as police look for other possible victims, we are seeing a sadly perfect example of the problems raised by the state’s refusal to criminalize discrimination against gays and lesbians. Four young men from the Nampa area are accused of luring a Boise man to his death last month – using a personal ad to draw him to a meeting, and then beating and kicking him mercilessly, stripping and robbing him, and leaving him naked in the cold early morning at an outdoor recreation site near Nampa. The man, 49-year-old former University of Idaho student Steven E. Nelson, managed to walk a half-mile to a home and was taken to a hospital, where he died hours later. The four men have been charged with first-degree murder and robbery – but not with a hate crime. Full column here .