On Thursday, October 23, 2014, McCleish C. Benham was arrested for an assault at the Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport. He was caught on camera screaming homophobic slurs to a man who he assumed to be gay because he was wearing a pink shirt. He had previously verbally abused an American Airlines gate agent, who had called the police and was awaiting support from them.

In the startling video, it clearly shows Mr. Benham spewing homophobic vitriol to the man in the pink shirt as well as anyone else who would listen. When no one would join his one man hate group, he turned and kicked the victim in the groin before being taken to the floor by a brave group of strangers who were not willing to see an innocent man be attacked.

The police soon swarm to the scene and put Mr. Benham under arrest, but surprisingly, they have only decided to charge this hate spewing villain with a Class C misdemeanor. If he is convicted of the Class C misdemeanor, he's likely to only suffer a small fine (approximately $500 per charge) and no jail time.

At this time, he is not being charged with a hate crime even though he is caught on video screaming things like, (he) is a “San Frisco Faggot”

It is important to take this crime very seriously and to prosecute it to the fullest extent of the law. Firstly because the LGBTQ population in Dallas/Ft. Worth area and those who are traveling through the DFW airport need to feel safe. Secondly, because a man should not be made to feel a victim due to the color of his clothing that day. Pink shirts are not illegal and no one should feel threatened due to a color choice.

The DFW police choosing to not pursue hate charges in what is a very evident hate speech and assault is appalling and disturbing! It needs to be corrected! A slap on the wrist for Mr. Benham is not acceptable. This is a hate crime caught on camera for the world to see, and now our eyes are on the police force in Dallas. Please show us that the LGBTQ population in your city and the safety of LGBTQ people, and ALL people traveling through are of paramount importance. Do the right thing and charge Mr. Benham with the crime that he committed.

Intoxication is not an excuse for attacking someone and if an example is not made of Mr. Benham, it will empower other hate filled homophobes to follow in his footsteps.