Never forget

[MCake]

Hard to believe it's been 11 years already since Matthew Shepard was killed. A teenager at the time, this hate crime was incomprehensible and terrifying to me; it still is. Too exhausted to write much, here's something from Wikipedia:

Matthew Wayne Shepard (December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998) was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming in 1998. He was attacked on the night of October 6–7, 1998 and died at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado, on October 12 from severe head injuries.

During the trial, witnesses stated that Shepard was targeted because he was gay.

Shortly after midnight on October 7, 1998, 21-year-old Shepard met Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson in a bar. McKinney and Henderson offered Shepard a ride in their car. Subsequently, Shepard was robbed, pistol whipped, tortured, tied to a fence in a remote, rural area, and left to die (...) Still tied to the fence, Shepard was discovered 18 hours later by Aaron Kreifels, who initially mistook Shepard for a scarecrow. At the time of discovery, Shepard was still alive, but in a coma.

Shepard suffered a fracture from the back of his head to the front of his right ear. He had severe brain stem damage, which affected his body's ability to regulate heart rate, body temperature and other vital functions. There were also about a dozen small lacerations around his head, face and neck. His injuries were deemed too severe for doctors to operate. Shepard never regained consciousness and remained on full life support. As he lay in intensive care, candlelight vigils were held by the people of Laramie.

He was pronounced dead at 12:53 A.M. on October 12, 1998.

Recent article: Mother's mission: Matthew Shepard's death changes things (Oct 3rd, 2008)

"I knew Matthew was gay since he was 8," Judy said. "I'm not sure I know why I knew, but I just knew."
(...)
She's grown more angry with the years.

"In the beginning I was more emotional (speaking) about my family," she said. "Then I became more political, more strident. I'm angry that people are willfully ignorant. They know gay issues are out there. This is a civil rights issue. We should all be angry."

Though her son's death sparked a movement, a big part of Judy Shepard's message is that he was hardly a saint.

"People call him a martyr, but I take exception to that," she said. "I've tried very hard to keep him real. It's unfair to make him larger than life. He had foibles. He made mistakes. He was not a perfect child by any means.

(...)

When Matthew finally told his mother during a middle-of-the-night phone call at age 18, she replied, " 'What took you so long?' I told him we loved him, and we were there to support him, and that it made no difference in our family relationships. I told him to stay safe and watch out for his surroundings."

She accepts that Matthew failed to heed her warnings to always practice safe sex. "He didn't really do that," she conceded. After Matthew's death, the family found among his papers the results of his most recent HIV test - a test he had taken every six months.

The July test was negative, his mother said. But a test taken as he lay dying revealed he had just recently turned HIV positive.

"We don't think he knew," she said.

(...)
Matthew's body was cremated. The family planned to scatter his ashes, but could never decide where.

Judy Shepard hesitated.

"Actually - don't print this - well, I guess its OK to print," she said. "Matt's in a bank in a safety deposit box. We think he's very happy there. He had a wonderful sense of humor. I think he would find it most amusing, actually, that he was in a bank."

Never forget

[endzoner]

I remember hearing bout that tragic event , 10 yrs ago .. what a horrible crime and loss of a life . seems the unproper word to say but thanks for posting to help us remember Matthew
:praying

[soulsurvivor]

RIP Matthew.......

[warrens]

Matt

A horrible crime which muct be remembered. Saw a film about him the other day. I'll never forget...

We have made a great deal of progress, but have an awfully long way to go. May we see true, not tolerance (hate that word) but justice in our lifetime.

warren

[suki44883]

Such a senseless and horrific crime.

[Anna]

Thanks for posting this, Matt!

I remember the story very well, and I remember watching a movie about Matthew Shepard's life. The story has stayed with me to this day, and I know for sure, that his life will be remembered.

[least]

It's always been incredible to me how much damage hatred can do.

[indigo]

C'est tellement vrai least ( That's really true) In honour of Matthew, it seems like yesterday.

[aasharon90]

I was just thinking yesterday
about hatred will watching a
movie with kids being cruel
to each other.

What makes kids sit on the
side and mock and ridicule
other kids.

The outgoing, popular nice
looking kids that joke and
make fun of the dorks and
dweebs.

No one asked to be as they
turned out to be.

Kids and people are insensitive.

I taught my kids to be kind
and nice o others and treat
them the way they would
want to be treated.

As much as they tried that
tactic they still recieved
cruelty from others.

What's the matter with kids
to want to bully others around.

It's so sad as i reflect back
on my own childhood.

Childhood abuse, fear lead me
to being insecure.

I tried to wear a mask and be
tuff to ward off the bullies,
but they could see right thru
me. They could see my weak-
nesses.

Cruelty and abuse makes me
angry and sad.

[nandm]

Thanks for the thread Matt. Some good has finally come from the brutal killing of Mathew Shepard. Federal laws have changed here is a link worth reading about Love conquers Hate and the new laws: Love Conquers Hate

[ashleek]

I live in Kentucky and gay/lesbian/bisexual's are being accepted a little more these days. In the rural parts not so much. It always makes me so mad when people hate against other people. To me Love is Love!! Who cares if you are a white girl with a black man or a man with a man. The world is evolving and people should too!! It saddens me he had to die because he was gay but what awareness it has brought.

[MCake]

Thanks for posting that link, Nandm. It took me a couple of days to reply, as I had a very strong and mixed emotional reaction to this. I could ramble but, quite honestly, i'm all talked out.

Yeah.. it's progress.. *insert "tired smile" emoticon here*

[allport]

Just wanted to say that although attitudes are changing things are far from perfect, recently, in England, a gay man was beaten to death by a gang of teenage girls, his sexuality was the reason given by the girls for the crime.

It is our duty to fight predjudice whenever we come across it.

[Brentos]

Absolutely horrific, definitely never forget. This type of thing makes my blood boil too so I won't say too too much.

One death recently here in Toronto struck me hard. His name was Christopher Skinner and was attacked outside of a club a few weeks ago. He was beaten and then while on the ground they ran him over with their SUV. These animals need to get what's coming to them, regardless of if it was a hate crime or not (which I definitely believe had something to do with it). Ignorant, psychotic wastes of human life.

http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/na...service=mobile

[MCake]

Remembering Matthew, and all of those whose lives have been affected or taken by ignorance, prejudice and hate.

[Soberliner]

First time hearing about Matthew Shepard. Cant believe people can be so stupid to act on there hatered for anything. Its a touchy world we live in. Anti-gay activists cant see the effects of their views is having on a culture that has been around since the begining of time. It does make me think about whats important. Standing up for whats right or stay in the closet and wait forever for the the right time to come out. I'd rather die for something I believe in than hide in fear being in the closet unhappy alone. I still need to put my past in perspective before i can do that. Thanks for the post Matt....

[Anna]

Thanks for the reminder Matt.

There has been a rash of teen suicides linked to anti-gay harassment in the U.S recently and it is heart-breaking.

[Isaiah]

I still remember hearing this story for the first time. It happened right near the time I came out. It still leaves me sad, shocked, angry and afraid.

What I also try to remember is that Shepard's murder became news mainly because it was exceptionally brutal. The recent stories of gay teens committing suicide also became news because they took on a large scale. What I think also needs to come out of these stories though is the knowledge that events like this happen constantly. Shepard wasn't an unusual case of a gay man being murdered, it was unusual because he was more savagely murdered than the hundreds of other hate crime murders.