Update: Decorated Air Force Sergeant Was Our Attacker
Sunday, January 24, 2010 1:42PM

"Go ahead, try telling the cops, they won't do anything... you can't touch me."  That's what US Air Force Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ford told us after physically attacking us on 9th Avenue.  He threw punches and anti-gay slurs.  "Faggots."  "Homos."  "Get AIDS and die you f***ing queers."  

One dented car, two eyewitnesses, and at least 5 cops later we expected him to be punished.  But that night, he was right.  He walked away without a report even being filed.

But this past week, we moved a step closer to justice.  Under pressure from city officials, the NYPD stepped up shortly after the incident and have done a stellar job of identifying this guy and building a case against him.

He's currently based in London.  He defuses bombs.  He's done tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.  To America, he is a hero.  But that night, he was the farthest thing from it.

And he's finally being forced to answer for his violent outburst of ignorance.

Due to the difficulty of getting him back in time to face trial before a 90-day limit passes, the DA and the three of us have agreed to hand the case over to the military to dole out punishment.

This is a risk; can we depend on the US Air Force to punish one of their own for an anti-gay attack?  Especially when the entire US Military has anti-gay rhetoric on the books with laws like Don't Ask, Don't Tell?  We hope so, and have been reassured they intend to make an example of Sgt. Ford.

This case, more than anything, has highlighted the importance of repealing anti-gay laws like Don't Ask, Don't Tell.  How can we open the minds of our brave military heroes until we open the laws to include gay and lesbian servicemen and women?

Now we wait for word from London on Sgt. Ford's punishment.  We're also waiting for the NYPD to announce disciplinary action for the officers who gave Sgt. Ford a free pass on the scene.  Luckily, surveillance camera footage captured Sgt. Ford showing the officers what we assume was a military ID.

We'll keep ya posted.