The 27-year-old man who police say shot and killed a California business owner over a Pride flag draped in her store appears to have had a yearslong history of posting disturbing — and often violent — anti-LGBTQ messages on social media.

The suspect, Travis Ikeguchi, gunned down Laura Ann Carleton, 66, on Friday, after confronting her and “yelling many homophobic slurs” over her clothing store’s Pride flag, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said at a news conference Monday. Shortly after fleeing the store, Mag.Pi, Ikeguchi was killed in a shootout with law enforcement.

  • Kerrigor@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    That is literally one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard.

    There is absolutely homophobia. There are people who very specifically go out of their way to harass primarily LGBTQ individuals. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US experienced this even in school as a child.

    • ZeroCool@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      No, it’s called bigotry.

      If I see a queer person, I don’t go running for the hills, nor do they make me feel irrationally uncomfortable or fearful.

      • MrSpArkle@lemmy.ca
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        1 year ago

        Is a hydrophobic material afraid of water? Or does it simply repel water?

        Similarly a homophobic person repels homosexuals from society via shame, discrimination, or violence.

      • Kalkaline @lemmy.one
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        1 year ago

        I get what you’re trying to say: “It’s not fear, it’s hate” but we call that hate homophobia and everyone agrees on the meaning.

        • ZeroCool@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          Exactly. And since we already have words for that, I don’t understand why people have to make up new terminology. If the article called him a bigot, I would still know what the shooting was about.

          • Landrin201@lemmy.ml
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            1 year ago

            What us the definition of “hydrophobia” as it relates to chemistry?

            I’ll wait for you to explain how some molecules are leterally afraid of water.

            • ZeroCool@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              What does that have to do with homophobia?

              The same point comes across if you call them a bigot instead of attaching new definitions to a word so that it fits the description of someone who is prejudiced.

          • yata@sh.itjust.works
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            1 year ago

            Bigotry is the overall term, homophobia is a subset of bigotry. You are the one attempting to redefine language in ways noone but yourself agrees with.

        • ZeroCool@lemm.ee
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          1 year ago

          They’re the ones getting hung up on that part of my comment and conveniently overlooking the second part. Not surprising.

            • ZeroCool@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              It’s not suspicious, I t’s more about the lack of enforcement in regards to how easy it is to get purchase a gun legally.

              It’s actually harder to get a driver’s license than something specifically made to kill, and that’s a big problem.

              The issue is, if the government tries to implement protocols, then they start crying about infringing on their right, as if it’s the only amendment that can’t be, wait for it….amended.

              Regardless of what kind of weapon you want, you should have to take a psychological evaluation beforehand. And depending on what type of firearm you purchase, you should be required to have a certain amount of hours for gun safety as well, for that specific type of firearm, i.e. handguns, rifles, shotguns, etc.