Nowhere to Turn: Gay Sailor Murdered at Camp Pendleton

There are some indications that the gay service member found murdered at Camp Pendleton was the victim of a hate crime, and a U.S. representative from California has called upon the military to explore that possibility.  From the LA Times:  Rep. Bob Filner (D-Chula Vista) said today he had asked the U.S. Department of Defense and the Marine Corps to investigate whether the killing of a sailor, who was gay, at Camp Pendleton was a hate crime.  Filner, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, said he wanted a complete investigation of circumstances surrounding the death of Seaman August Provost, 29, of Houston. Provost's body was found about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday in a guard shack on the western edge of the sprawling base...  Nicole Murray-Ramirez, chairman of the San Diego Human Relations Commission, said Provost's family said the sailor had been harassed by other personnel on the base.  Filner said initial indications are that Provost was shot and his body burned.

From San Diego.com:  Provost's partner, Kaether Cordero, said Provost was openly gay but kept his private life quiet for the most part.  "People who he was friends with, I knew that they knew," Cordero said from Houston. "He didn't care that they knew. He trusted them." Provost had recently complained to family members about a person who was harassing him, so they advised him to tell his supervisor, said his sister, Akalia Provost of Houston.  (But he couldn't do that because he would have been fired from his job, President Obama.)  Provost's sister also said that her brother was "the type that if someone comes at him, he walks away. He never stands and argues. He didn't deserve anything but a good life."

Seaman Provost was no doubt too worried about being outed and subsequently discharged to report to his superior officers that he was being intimidated and harassed.  Such is the malignancy of DADT.  Pam Spaulding nails it:  How on earth are service members placed in this position supposed to ask for help?  I hope someone asks Robert Gibbs about this at the next presser - or the President or Nancy Pelosi or Harry Reid.  How should a harassment dilemma of this kind should be addressed if one is to be truthful?  If Provost's death turns out to be a hate crime, the blood will be on their hands for the inaction - leaving gays and lesbians in uniform in harm's way for the sake of affirming homophobia in the ranks.

This brutal murder comes on the same day Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced that the Pentagon hopes to make "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" investigations and attitudes toward gays and lesbians more "humane."  (Well, not firing somebody simply because they're honest would be "more humane" - but that's not what Gates is currently proposing.) 

As it's been said time and again, as Commander-in-chief President Obama has the power to halt these discharges with the stroke of a pen.  He could do it now.  Today.  He could do it tomorrow.  Or the day after tomorrow.  And once that temporary measure was in effect, he could press Congress to push through the legislation that will end this INHUMANE policy forever.  Obama could become the "fierce advocate" he promised us he'd be. But it would require more leadership and resolve than he's been demonstrating.  And more heart.

UPDATE:  The director of public affairs for Navy Region Southwest claims that at this time there is "no evidence" that the murder of August Provost was a hate crime (which won't surprise anyone familiar with the way military brass spin potentially embarrassing incidents).  But Capt. Matt Brown also admits they have no motive in the case.  Two "persons of interest" were taken into custody; one of them was released yesterday.  Provost's family members believe it was a hate crime, and they have ordered an independent autopsy.

(Pictured above:  Seaman August Provost, Defense Secretary Robert Gates.  Editorial cartoon by David Horsey.)

 

Comments

[Bee Girl]

If it's a hate crime by one of their own they'll try to cover it up.

[Robert Black]

Thanks for the article. I've posted it on fb. You have a new fan.

[Trent]

I bet there's going to be a lot more that comes out on this story.

[angryinadk]

I cannot believe that our military would ever cover anything up. I would be surprised if anyone is ever held accountable for this, either as a hate crime or as a "regular" murder. The usual MO is to whitewash or pretend it did not happened, or to bury it so it never sees the light of day.

[Active Sailor]

OMG I can't believe the crap liberal media is spewing. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was previously stationed at ACU 5. I know how the watch he was standing is set up. For all any of you doom cryers know, which obviously isn't much unless you are personally involved with the situation, he was doing his military duty, standing a watch, and challenged someone that was not supposed to be on that compound, protecting other Sailors and goverment equipment. Serving honorably. Some of you people think we are all just a bunch of ignorant hillbilly's that want to run around and kill "fags" cause that isn't right with God. Truth of the matter is, most of us have served with homosexual people, known they were homosexual and never had a problem working side by side with them. Blaming DADT for this Sailor's death is stupid, he most likely would have died regardless of being in the Navy or not and the individual who killed him would have most likely murdered someone eventually whether they were gay or not. Removing DADT is not going to save anyones life! Most of you don't have any clue of the logistical nightmare it would be to incorporate open homosexuality into an environment that isn't set up for it. Sleeping arrangements for instance? Do we make everything CO-ED? Share showers and berthing? Not going to work and until someone comes up with a solution that will work for everyone and not just homosexuals, it will never work. Straight people should not have to be forced to accept a lifestyle that they do not agree with. So as far as this tragic event goes, let this Sailor's death be honorable serving his country instead of making it a BS political platform to move forward a gay agenda that still needs alot of work!

[bucky]

Poor "active sailor" ... get with the times. The ones that hollar loudest about sleeping arrangements and showers and stuff - well, you know the drill. Not every gay man is out to jump your insecure bones.

And, the Provosts family thinks its a hate crime cuz he was being harrassed. It prolly is. And the military will cover it up. (Not like they haven't done that before, right?)