Bernstein Press Conference Statement 8/2/18
Press Conference Statement from Gideon & Jeanne Bernstein
August 2, 2018
Good afternoon. We are Blaze's parents Jeanne and Gideon Bernstein. Today is August 2 which is 7 months since Blaze disappeared from our lives and the subsequent devastating news to learn that Blaze had been murdered. Today we suffer an added layer of pain from learning he was likely killed simply because of who he was as a human being.
He was so many things and all of them were good. We are relieved that this amendment to the charges will enhance the sentencing for the crime against our son. Our only objective at this point is to make sure that maximum sentencing is an option to assure that no one is ever hurt or killed again by hate. As we look to the future we see that the truth as to what happened to our son will become more apparent as the evidence continues to be analyzed. That is all that we want now. The truth. We ask that you respect the legal process and allow there to be a fair trial.
We continue to walk in solidarity with the LGBTQ community, with all survivors of hate crime and all people that are afraid to be who they are. We walk with parents who are afraid for their gay children. We walk with parents like Dennis and Judy Shepard of the Matthew Shepard Foundation who have suffered as we do and have made a difference in this world. They erase hate and they continue to do good every day in spite of hate and the tragedy of their sons’s death. We are you – we are people who are suffering because of hate.
We live in a world where Hate is real and the people that practice it can be hiding in your home in your child’s computer. We continue to look towards the future and what we can do to make a difference. We continue to Blazeitforward for Blaze and for YOU and continuing his legacy of improving the human condition; One intentional act of kindness at a time. If we all started doing something about Hate and about intolerance – we could change the world in a good way to prevent this type of heartache and injustice from happening again. We are grateful to the OCDA and OCSD for their continued hard work to bring us closure.
For interviews contact:
David Thalberg, Stryker-Munley Group/Public Relations
917-952-2580 dthalberg@strykermunleygroup.com