In my experience, we are all different enough that someone out there hates us for that difference.  My wife is latino. I’m a jew. Our best friends are gay.   You get the idea.

But, for me, I have never personally had anyone shout at me or physically attack me for being jewish. I know it happens.  I have read about it. But, it is always somewhere else to someone else.

Today, one of my closest friends had to face this.  And I am absolutely furious.

He dropped off his husband at work and went to park the car. They have been married for as long as you can be gay and married in Massachusetts. A lot longer than most hetero married couples I know.  And with a lot more positive energy and a lot less drama than most of the hetro married couples I know.

I’m sure they briefly kissed goodbye.  I’ve seen the drop off.  The kiss is a reassuring peck.  Sometimes accompaigned by a short hug.  I do the same thing with my wife. She can be leaving for the morning or a week or a minute and I get the quick kiss goodbye.  I’m sure you all do the kiss goodbye.  And none of us think much of it.

But, that kiss must have caught the attention of 2 guys that proceeded to follow my friend to where he was parking and start screaming “faggot” at him.  This is Newbury Street in Boston at 9:30AM in the morning. It should have been safe to park a car and walk down the street.  It should have been safe to drop your spouse at work.

My friend walked quickly away. I can’t imagine what that feels like. 

Then, a loud crash.  They had smashed the glass in his car with a bat.  They sped away. They did all these things.

Life is complicated. There are the bills and the kids and the family and the friends and the job and all the other random concerns that make up adult life. But, somehow they found the time to scream “faggot” at the kindest man I know and smash the glass on his car and run off.

The Boston Police came.  They took down the information.  They were helpful, concerned, actively anxious to make sure this doesn’t happen again. I have no doubt they will try to catch these guys.

But, if they catch them or not, I am furious. You should be too.