British teenager Michael Causer died on August 2, 2008, aged 18, a week after being beaten and stabbed for being gay.
Almost three years after this brutal, homophobic hate crime, Michael’s family, along with the LGBT community in Liverpool and across the UK, are asking why the story was largely ignored by the national media in the UK. This short documentary on the subject, The Invisible Death of Michael, retells Michael Causer’s story and features interviews with his family and gay activists, including Peter Tatchell.
Michael lived in the village of Whiston, Merseyside, in the neighbourhood I call home. He was murdered a short distance away, in the adjacent town of Huyton. This documentary was jointly produced by Light Factory and Homotopia, the queer arts festival based in nearby Liverpool. If one positive has come of Michael’s tragic story, it’s that its horrific injustice has strengthened the resolve of the local LGBT to unite and fight homophobia in the city.
PLEASE NOTE:
Speaking of grossly ignoring the hate-crime attack and murder of Michael Causer!
Dr. Rowan Williams, Archbishop of Canterbury, was busy hosting ALL THE WORLDS Anglican Bishops at Canterbury for the every ten year Lambeth Conference when Michael was first attacked and then, days later up to and after Michael died! Amongst the subjects that were IGNORED by Rowan Williams, Archibshop of Canterbury and ¨first amongst equals at the Anglican Communion¨ was the real threat and real deaths caused by religious ignorance=exclusion/demonizing PREACHED at various provinces of the Anglican Communion against LGBTI Christians…the real ¨kicker¨ and I mean as in ¨kicked in our face¨ was the presence of Archbishop Drexel Gomez of Jamaica and West Indies who was chairperson of a punitive Anglican Covenant (that will have ¨consequences¨ for Anglican provinces who minister to the needs of REAL LGBTI Anglicans at Church). As +Drexel was wined and dined Michaels life faded away. Unfortunately Gomez and Williams have such out-of-touch thinking and beliving they are accustomed to fear/hate-driven slaughter of Gay people yet wish to focus on the punishment of ¨inclusive¨ Anglicans who show compassion and acceptance of neighbors like us…LGBTI family, friends and loved ones.
As Michael Causer was dying in Liverpool, Rowan Williams ignored the persecution and abuse of LGBTI Anglicans and others by continuing to let it EXIST unnoted…silence still equals DEATH.
Rowan Williams ought resign as he lost ANY moral leadership authority long ago and is knee deep in the blood of ¨Gay¨ martyrs and everyday innocent victims of hate crimes in England, in Uganda, in Nigeria, in Kenya, in Honduras, in Brazil and in the Middle East and Asia too…shame on mitred cowards at The Anglican Communion (and that goes for the Lord of York too)!
Rowan Williams, archbishop of Canterbury, RESIGN!