Crime, especially violent crime, is a serious problem in the city of Birmingham.  In fact, Birmingham has the 7th highest murder rate in the country and is ranked 18th nationally for all forms of violent crime.

GLBT people in particular are vulnerable to victimization.  FBI statistics show that of more than 113,000 hate crimes committed since 1991, 14% were motivated by anti-GLBT prejudice.  Anti-GLBT violence does not occur in a vacuum but in the context of a culture that denigrates and dehumanizes gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.

Rev. Eddie Long is an especially notable purveyor of religiously based homophobia.  He uses his pulpit to declare that GLBT people are deserving of death, providing a religious framework which motivates anti-GLBT violence.