Hostage Calm Release Statement On Fan Being Assaulted For Wearing Their Shirt

June 27th, 2013

Kriston McConnell

In case you missed the news earlier, a fan of Hostage Calm was assaulted recently because he was wearing their “I Support Same-Sex Marriage” shirt. The band has issued a statement on the matter, which you can check out by taking a look below the jump.

If you’re interested in picking up the shirt to show your support, you can grab one for yourself on the band’s Big Cartel merch store. I would probably recommend not going into any bars in North Carolina any time soon with it on though.

We were disappointed to hear this morning that a fan wearing the “I Support Same-Sex Marriage” shirt was violently assaulted in North Carolina yesterday. I am warmed by his conviction to express his support for the cause, and to not be silenced by the hostile attitudes of those other people at the bar, even in the face of violence. We’d like to thank him for sharing his story, and we’re reaching out to learn more and offer him anything we can do to help.

This incident, along with a number of others that have surrounded this shirt, serves a reminder that while much has been accomplished in this nationwide movement, American society remains deeply hostile towards marriage equality, and more importantly, towards the idea of equal respect and dignity for all LGBTQ individuals. Intolerance too often takes the form of violence, and I do hope this event sparks a larger discussion about what it might be like to face the threat of violence on a daily basis as a gay or transgender person. In the end, this incident only reinforces our conviction that punk rock can challenge the larger issues of oppression not just within its own community, but in the brutal world around us.