Fag Fakes Hate Crimes

Drago, who is also the treasurer and an executive board member of GUTS, the college’s gay student group, started receiving threats last spring.

“Last semester, there was a series of problems on campus,” Rosenblum said. “The young man claimed in reports that because he was gay, there were threatening e-mails sent to him, swastikas on his door, and notes saying ‘We will get you; you will die.’”

Rosenblum said that in recent weeks, the attacks spread out, with a friend of Drago’s and GUTS’ offices receivingthreatening e-mails.

Drago, a psychology major, was brought in for questioning by campus police, and confessed to all the gay-themed crimes, Rosenblum said.

Rosenblum, however, did not know what Drago’s motive was.

During the height of the scare last semester, a large rally was held, said Jessie Burger, 19, a sophomore at the school.

“The rally had large faculty support, everybody was wearing the pink ribbons,” Burger said. “Drago spoke at the very end, and said that it was happening to him, that he was very upset. A lot of people were really upset, and a lot of effort was being put forth about it.”

According to published reports in Drago’s hometown paper, he came home one Saturday night in February and found the following note pushed under his door: “Die Faggot,” on one side, and the word “Beware,” along with a swastika, on the other.

After that, security at Drago’s residence hall was doubled, but a similar hate message was left for him outside the offices of GUTS.

In March, an explosive device was found on campus, and school officials worried that it was intended for Drago. It wasn’t and a freshman later was arrested for creating the makeshift bomb.

But Drago, apparently using the bomb scare to his advantage, ended up moving in with a female professor who offered to take him in, according to The Asbury Park Press.

Soon, another message was found, this time back in Drago’s old residence hall, the Press reported: “Hey Ed Drago get rid of security you f—— faggot! Stay away.”

TCNJ President R. Barbara Gitenstein was clearly upset by the turn of events yesterday.

“This is a very unfortunate situation,” Gitenstein said. “I regret the emotional toll taken on the college community, particularly on the gay community.”

She went on to say that the fact that a member of the gay community was the source behind the attacks should not trivialize the issue of harassment.

“Whatever the source, such threats undermine our sense of safety and community,” she said. “We will be judged as a community by how we respond in support of one another during this difficult time.”

The case will now become the domain of the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, said its spokesperson Casey DeBlasio.

“Our first step will be to determine whether the offenses are indictable matters or misdemeanors,” DeBlasio said.

Drago was released on his own recognizance after his confession.

The college will proceed with its own disciplinary action, Rosenblum said.