Florida A&M hazing victim was gay, family says, but that's not why he was murdered

Orlando, Fla. — The family of Robert Champion, Jr., the Florida A&M (FAMU) drum major who died after being beaten in a hazing ritual, said they've learned he was gay -- but do not believe the beating death was a hate crime.

Champion died on Nov. 19 after being attacked in a ritual band members called "Crossing Bus C," in which the victim was attacked as he walked to the back of a bus during a trip to a performance.

The family's attorney, Christopher Chestnut, told the FAMUan that his family didn't know he was gay until they started talking with bandmates. But, they want to make sure the crime is not shoved into the category of "hate crime."

"FAMU has a 50-year history of hazing in the band," Chestnut told the FAMUan. "Robert's alternative lifestyle did not define him. He was defined by the fact that he followed the rules and was against hazing."

However, the attorney for band director Julian White is already trying to seize on the issue -- and use it to minimize White's responsibility.

"Assuming that the assertions of the Champion family and their attorney Christopher Chestnut are true, then it is entirely possible that his tragic death was less about any ritualistic hazing and more tantamount to a hateful and fully conscious attempt to batter a young man because of his sexual orientation" Chuck Hobbs said. "As such, the efforts of Dr. White expended to root out and report hazing could not have predicted or prevented such deliberate barbarity."

My favorite Aunt has died

I was deeply saddened yesterday when I got news that my Aunt Violet in Orlando died at 5;30 p.m. She has been rather ill some time now with Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease so in some regards she is no longer suffering.

It got me to thinking though about the topic of life after death, as my cousin said when we spoke on the phone, that "she was in heaven on the streets of gold with her parents". This side of my family is still Conservative Southern Baptists but my Aunt Violet was the first extended family who loved me unconditionally, no questions asked when I came out about being gay and when I came forward about having AIDS. She was a big force in helping gather the support I needed from my family.

My Aunt Violet was an amazing woman who I adored more than words can say and it is a shame she is gone, but I am not so sure about this whole life after death idea. Is there life after death as some believe? Did she go to this life in heaven the minute she died? If there is life after death is it just heaven or heaven and hell? Who goes to heaven, who goes to hell, who decides? Or is is death just the end of everything with nothing else?

Questions I have asked myself for years and to some degree I thnk there is only heaven and how we live our lives idetermines how close we live to G-d. A very Jewish train of thought. That the people who do go to hell are the people who do huge injustices to mankind with no remorse or guilt for what they did, another Jewish train of thought.

This whole idea of Conservative thought of getting to heaven has bothered me for my entire life. That there is one one way and that is it, you don't go that way you don't get in--end of story. Some christians refer to it as salvation. Well, just one question does this mean that Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, Jehovah Witnesses, those who have no faith, Buddahists and all the rest of the "unsaved" go to hell? An entire life dedicated to the G-d you believe in and oh well, you made a mistake.

I think I want to open this idea up with just a simple poll--I don't want preacehd at, tried to be converted, or even preached at. I just want a glimpse into some thinking. In the mean time I hope Aunt Violet does rest in peace and that she knew knew how much I cared. In the meantime I am so glad we had this time together!