Times: Gay jibe case

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20121016/letters/Gay-jibe-case.441273
Tuesday, October 16, 2012 by Anne Jagla, Qawra

I sincerely hope that the recent ‘gay jibe’ case will go to appeal and an appropriate sentence will be given for the crime.

I was appalled to read that someone was conditionally discharged after deliberately running another person down.

When one takes this kind of action, one is automatically taking into account that the person may be killed. In my opinion, and in the opinion of most other civilised countries, this is a clear case of attempted murder and should be treated as such.

If this man is let off, this virtually gives licence to anyone who is insulted to take matters into his/her own hands, possibly with more serious consequences.

That the victim was not killed was pure chance and a charge of attempted murder should be brought regardless of the outcome of the incident.

I cannot help wondering whether a black person residing here in Malta who reacted in a similar fashion after being verbally abused would also have been conditionally discharged because of this ‘provocation’ or does this court ruling only apply to the “particularly sensitive” residents of Mellieħa?

The Maltese courts would do well to remember the old saying that sticks and stones may break my bones but calling names can never hurt me.

There is no way at all that any verbal abuse should entitle anyone to take such drastic action and be able to get away with it or, else, one seriously has to raise the question: what sort of a Third World society are we living in?