A father is speaking out after his high school-aged teen daughter, a lesbian, was the target of harassment and vandalism at their Chicago-area home.
In what police say is a possible hate crime, attackers left a message on a “For Sale” sign: the 800 number to a suicide prevention hotline and the words, “go f*cking KYS.” KYS is shorthand for “kill yourself.” The attackers for reasons unknown also left dozens of white plastic forks strewn across the lawn.
“Suicide is real and tragic. It’s not a joke, it affects way too many families and it is truly hateful to wish it upon another individual,” Scott Nelles, the father of the victim, said at a village meeting, Chicago’s ABC 7 reports.
“The words ‘Go F—ing KYS’ in that barely literate juvenile handwriting will forever remain in my family’s life and those coward’s actions are likely to fade away to those involved as they continue to live an ignorant and hateful existence,” Nelles added.
“Hate is taught. It is not taught in our schools and it’s not taught in our community at large. Kindness is an easy choice. Love wins,” he concluded.
Locals applauded him.