Almost as if to warn us not to get too cocky or pat ourselves on the back too much with the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Rebellion, America saw three very disturbing acts of anti-gay violence over the weekend. Any of us who pity the "poor brothers and sisters in states like Mississippi" should take notice that two of these incidents happened in New York City and San Francisco.

The worst has to be the incident of an 'official hate crime' committed by the Fort Worth, Texas police department. My thanks to Towleroad.com for their reporting on this incident and the photograph. Seems that police and agents of the Texas Alcohol Beverage Commission raided the Rainbow Lounge, a new gay bar in the Fort Worth area. The brutality used by the officers was employed to such a degree that a young man, Chad Gibson, received a serious brain injury. Apparently the police said an officer was 'groped' in the bar. Hard to imagine anyone one dumb enough to grope an uniformed policeman which makes the charges more ludicrous. Seven patrons were arrested and taken into custody and Gibson remains hospitalized with his head injuries. Police said Gibson resisted arrest. Friends of Gibson - who weighs about 150lbs - say he was tipsy and appeared to falter as the cops seized him. They threw him to the ground, jumped atop of him and caused the brain injury.

In San Francisco, the Pink Triangle goes up on the side of the hill above the Castro District every Gay Pride. The Triangle is to remember those members of the LGBT community who died in the Holocaust. Police report that flares were used in attempt to burn up the memorial to our honored dead.

Finally, again continuing his excellent reporting on hate crimes, Andy Towle reports that in New York, Joe Holladay (photograph) was assaulted outside his home by a group of young white men. Yelling "faggot" they attacked Holladay who fell unconscious to the sidewalk. His partner in the building ran out to discover him in a pool of blood. Holladay is recovering.

Unfortunately, these incidents are not isolated but just seem more powerful because of the 40th Anniversary celebrations. LGBT activist extraordinaire Dianne Hardy-Garcia has long talked about the epidemic of hate crimes in Texas where the motto is "Friday night football and Saturday night gay bashing". Clearly we can't expect to be protected by the police in Texas. But nevertheless, the Hate Crimes bill has lingered for years in Congress. You would think this is one of the easiest things to have passed in the first months of his administration and yet it has not been passed nor has the White House provided any resources in helping get it passed.

If at this stage we are still struggling with getting 'vanilla' legislation like hate crimes and ENDA passed, what hope do we have for the repeal of DADT and DOMA? We desperately need leadership from President Obama, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Harry Reid. How much more of these incidents have to happen before real progress is made? Do we have to wait for another symbolic Matthew Shepard in order to create outrage again?

God, I hope not.