A 38-year-old gay man, Michael McKoy, was found stabbed to death in his Anacostia apartment on May 27. He is the fourth gay man killed in the D.C. area since December.

McKoy’s stabbing death follows two other slayings of gay men in Southeast D.C. neighborhoods over the past six months. In December, District resident Anthony Perkins was found shot to death inside his car, which was parked on the 2900 block of Fourth Street, S.E. Antwan Holcomb, 20, a nearby resident, has been charged with first-degree murder while armed in connection with the killing. A police affidavit says a witness told investigators Holcomb met Perkins through a gay phone chat line and Holcomb pretended he was gay as a means of luring Perkins to a location where Holcomb could rob Perkins.

On Jan. 10, Maryland resident Gordon Rivers, also gay, was found shot to death on the street next to his car along the 2600 block of Naylor Road, S.E. Police have said witnesses told them a suspect shot Rivers in a botched holdup attempt inside Rivers’ car. Anthony Hager, 22, of Temple Hills, Md., and William Wren, 17, of Southeast D.C., have since been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Rivers’ death.

Police said Rivers drove to the area where he was shot after Wren reportedly called Rivers, inviting him to meet with Wren. Police have declined to say how Rivers and Wren first met and whether their meeting was through the Internet or a phone chat line.

Gay D.C. middle school principal Brian Betts, who was found April 15 shot to death in his house in Silver Spring, Md., met through a sexually oriented Internet and phone chat line catering to gay men at least one of three 18-year-old men charged with his murder, according to police sources.

The growing number of cases where gay men appear to have been thusly targeted prompted Gays & Lesbians Opposing Violence to issue an alert warning locals of the dangers associated with meeting people through such venues.

Googling 'LGBT news' is a trying process. First, I come across a video in which Bill O'Reilly compares a gay-friendly McDonald's television ad in France to a terrorist-friendly one.  Then I read an article in which an Oklahoma City councilman compares Oklahoma City Pride to an assembly of "pedophiles". Then, Mr. McKoy's life is cut short, making him the fourth gay men found dead in DC in just six months. 

All of this, yet DADT doesn't have a chance for repeal until December, ENDA has failed to pass. I appreciate Obama's recent move to extend benefits to the same-sex partners of federal employees (even though this too is limited by existing law).  When is our nation going to wake up and realize the blatant hate we are allowing to pollute our televisions, newspapers, and laws?