Imagine, if you will, a disabled Army veteran who suffered a severe brain injury and PTSD after serving eight years overseas. Imagine that veteran having a 3-year-old child at home. Picture the outrageous act of that veteran having their truck set on fire after it was spray painted with “TRUMP” on the front and back.
“..ONE OF THE POLICE OFFICERS POINTED OUT THAT IT SAID ‘TRUMP’ ON THE HOOD AND THE BACK.”
Now envision this as a hate crime because the veteran is a trans woman. Not only will her young child likely never forget the fear of seeing the truck fully engulfed in flames inches from their home the woman, Elle (not her real name for her protection), must now consider herself a target. While the local authorities have not confirmed to any media outlets as of yet that they will consider this a hate crime Elle has made statements that investigators are considering it as such. Additionally, the Tennessee Equality Project made a statement on their Facebook page (which is closed to the public) that they have taken additional steps by notifying federal authorities with the intent of having this handled as a hate crime.
After hearing a noise at around 3:30 AM on Saturday morning, Elle looked outside and saw the door to her 2006 Harley Davidson edition F-150 pickup truck open. Thinking she had forgot to either lock or close it, she shut the door and went back inside. 3o minutes later she heard a car honk and when she looked outside, her truck was up in flames. “Most of (the paint) got burned off, but one of the police officers pointed out that it said ‘Trump’ on the hood and the back,” Elle said in an interview with the Tennessean.
At this time Elle stated that she cannot think of anyone who would have done this as she has not had any issues locally. While some incidents have occurred outside of her town based on her being a trans person, she is unsure who would have gone to this extent or why.
