BRIDGEWATER, Mass. — A student journalist at Bridgewater State University was attacked on campus Thursday evening becuase she wrote a pro-gay editorial in the college newspaper that advocated for same-sex marriage.
Destinie Mogg-Barkalow said she was approached by a tall male and a red-headed female in the Chapel parking lot and was asked if she worked for the student newspaper, The Comment — Mogg-Barkalow, who writes regularly for the paper and is the editorial page assistant editor, was wearing a “Comment” sweatshirt.
The couple, who were presumably students, asked if she had written the article advocating gay marriage that appeared in the newspaper’s current edition, and when Mogg-Barkalow, who is lesbian, confirmed that she was the author, the female allegedly punched her, Mogg-Barkalow claimed.
In the article, “Prop 8 generates more hate,” Mogg-Barkalow called out supporters of California’s ban on same-sex marriage as intolerant and bigoted. On Feb. 8, a federal appeals court declared the ban unconstitutional, saying it was a violation of the civil rights of gay and lesbian couples.
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Mogg-Barkalow told campus police she was stunned and walked back to the newspaper’s office where other members of the staff called for help.
Police released composite sketches of the two suspects on Sunday night. Because of the article’s content, police are investigating the incident as a hate crime, reported The Comment.
“I’m devastated. In 20 years as a journalist I’ve been sued and threatened, but no one has ever gone as far as physically attacking me like that,” said Dave Copeland, the Comment’s faculty adviser.
“It sickens me that something like this would happen on a college campus, where students are supposed to be able to express their opinions, values and ideas freely,” said Copeland.
