(no subject)
A living Memorial for Matthew Shepard.
For those of you who do not know the story of Matthew Wayne Shepard he was a 21 year old student who was killed because he was gay. He was not just Killed though, Matt was brutally beaten battered and left for dead. Matthew’s story related to me because of an incident I do not talk about to anyone. But one day I was lured to meet someone who posed to be gay and when I finally relented I was beaten. What was my crime, I am Gay.
Here is a little more information about Matt’s story.
Matthew Shepard (December 1, 1976 - October 12, 1998) was a student at the University of Wyoming who was the victim of a gay-bashing hate crime that was committed during the night of October 6 to October 7, 1998 near Laramie, Wyoming. Shepard died from the wounds he received and from exposure.
Shepard, a 21-year-old, met Aaron James McKinney and Russel Arthur Henderson in a bar. After he confided to them that he was gay, they deceived him into leaving with them in their car. He was robbed, brutally beaten, tied to a fence and left for dead. McKinney and Henderson also found out his address and burglarized his home. Shepard was discovered 18 hours later, alive and unconscious. He died in a hospital on October 12, 1998.
The blood on Shepard's face had been partially washed away by tears, indicating that he had been conscious, for some time, after the beating. He had been pistol-whipped 18 times with a .357-caliber Magnum.
Police apprehended McKinney and Henderson shortly thereafter, finding the bloody gun as well as the victim's shoes and credit card in their truck. The two murderers had attempted to get alibis from their girlfriends.
It is believed that McKinney and Henderson had posed as homosexuals in order to trick Shepard into trusting them. During court cases both of the defendants used varying stories to defend their actions. Most notably they used the "Gay Panic Defense," arguing that they were driven to temporary insanity by Shepard's homosexuality. At another point they stated that they had only wanted to rob Shepard, and never intended to kill him.
Henderson pleaded guilty on April 5, 1999 and agreed to testify against McKinney to avoid the death penalty; he received two consecutive life sentences, without the possibility of parole. The jury in McKinney's trial found him guilty of first degree murder. As it began to deliberate on the death penalty, Shepard's parents brokered a deal, resulting in McKinney also receiving two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. Shepard's parents stated, "We are giving him life in the memory of one who no longer lives" (local Roman Catholic clerics garnered considerable publicity when they stridently opposed the death penalty in the case). Since being imprisoned, McKinney and Henderson have both attempted to justify their actions by claiming that they were dictated by the Bible.
The heavy media coverage of Shepard's death brought issues of homophobia and gay-bashing to the forefront of public debate.
People in the entertainment industry expressed their own outrage as various creative expressions were brought forth in response to the hate represented by the attacks. Actress Ellen DeGeneres hosted Shepard's memorial services in Washington, D.C. where she said that her coming out of the closet shortly before the attacks was "to keep this type of thing from happening." Lesbian singer Melissa Etheridge penned the song "Scarecrow", a tribute to Shepard and referring to his initially being mistaken for a scarecrow when he was found. The fence upon which Shepard was tied and left for dead has been declared a nationally protected monument. Two films were made about the story of Shepard: "The Laramie Project" (based on the play of the same name) and "The Matthew Shepard Story." Both won numerous awards.
At Shepard's funeral, as well as the trial of his assailants, Rev. Fred Phelps and his supporters picketed. They displayed signs typical of their protests, with slogans like "Matt Shepard rots in Hell", "AIDS Kills Fags Dead", and "God Hates Fags". Phelps has since been making efforts to gain a city permit to build a monument "of marble or granite 5 or 6 feet in height" on which will be a bronze plaque bearing Shepard's picture and the words: "MATTHEW SHEPARD, Entered Hell October 12, 1998, in Defiance of God's Warning: 'Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22."
As a counter protest during Henderson's trial, a friend of Shepard's created "Angels of Peace", wherein individuals assembled in a circle around the Phelps group wearing white robes and gigantic wings that literally blocked the protesters (who were confined to a small protest square by police) from the view of passers-by. A similar angel tactic has been reused a number of times at other protests by Phelps, but less effectively as the "Angels" are now required to stay in their own separate protest square.
Matthew's parents Judy and Dennis are now active supporters of gay rights and tolerance educators.
The Shepard case prompted President Bill Clinton to renew attempts to extend federal hate crime legislation to include gays, women and the disabled. These efforts were rebuffed by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives in 1999.
Source, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard
The Attack took place on October 6th Through October 7Th 1998. So on October 6th 2004 I am asking all people, Gay Straight or whatever you may be, TO Make a stand against ignorance and intolerance of people who are different. You see this is not a gay rights campaign, This is a Human Rights Campaign. I ask everyone to on October 6th 2004 and every year from now on to wear a Yellow Band around their Right arm. Again this is for everyone to do. I want it to be visible that WE the people pf the USA will not stand for ignorance and intolerance of people who are different.
Matthew Wayne Shepard Died on October 12th at about 12:45 am. SO I am asking all people out their as a living memorial to the Memory of Matthew to wear Black, At least a Black T-shirt that says “MWS you are not forgotten.” again I want it to be visible to the world that You can take the life from a person but you can not take a spirit from a Community. Let us rise up and be seen. Stand in the gap for He who died to pave the way for us to be able to be different.
I thank you so much for your help in this matter. And I hope that you will pass this on to everyone that you can. Let us stand and be counted.
Devin Dzioba
For those of you who do not know the story of Matthew Wayne Shepard he was a 21 year old student who was killed because he was gay. He was not just Killed though, Matt was brutally beaten battered and left for dead. Matthew’s story related to me because of an incident I do not talk about to anyone. But one day I was lured to meet someone who posed to be gay and when I finally relented I was beaten. What was my crime, I am Gay.
Here is a little more information about Matt’s story.
Matthew Shepard (December 1, 1976 - October 12, 1998) was a student at the University of Wyoming who was the victim of a gay-bashing hate crime that was committed during the night of October 6 to October 7, 1998 near Laramie, Wyoming. Shepard died from the wounds he received and from exposure.
Shepard, a 21-year-old, met Aaron James McKinney and Russel Arthur Henderson in a bar. After he confided to them that he was gay, they deceived him into leaving with them in their car. He was robbed, brutally beaten, tied to a fence and left for dead. McKinney and Henderson also found out his address and burglarized his home. Shepard was discovered 18 hours later, alive and unconscious. He died in a hospital on October 12, 1998.
The blood on Shepard's face had been partially washed away by tears, indicating that he had been conscious, for some time, after the beating. He had been pistol-whipped 18 times with a .357-caliber Magnum.
Police apprehended McKinney and Henderson shortly thereafter, finding the bloody gun as well as the victim's shoes and credit card in their truck. The two murderers had attempted to get alibis from their girlfriends.
It is believed that McKinney and Henderson had posed as homosexuals in order to trick Shepard into trusting them. During court cases both of the defendants used varying stories to defend their actions. Most notably they used the "Gay Panic Defense," arguing that they were driven to temporary insanity by Shepard's homosexuality. At another point they stated that they had only wanted to rob Shepard, and never intended to kill him.
Henderson pleaded guilty on April 5, 1999 and agreed to testify against McKinney to avoid the death penalty; he received two consecutive life sentences, without the possibility of parole. The jury in McKinney's trial found him guilty of first degree murder. As it began to deliberate on the death penalty, Shepard's parents brokered a deal, resulting in McKinney also receiving two consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. Shepard's parents stated, "We are giving him life in the memory of one who no longer lives" (local Roman Catholic clerics garnered considerable publicity when they stridently opposed the death penalty in the case). Since being imprisoned, McKinney and Henderson have both attempted to justify their actions by claiming that they were dictated by the Bible.
The heavy media coverage of Shepard's death brought issues of homophobia and gay-bashing to the forefront of public debate.
People in the entertainment industry expressed their own outrage as various creative expressions were brought forth in response to the hate represented by the attacks. Actress Ellen DeGeneres hosted Shepard's memorial services in Washington, D.C. where she said that her coming out of the closet shortly before the attacks was "to keep this type of thing from happening." Lesbian singer Melissa Etheridge penned the song "Scarecrow", a tribute to Shepard and referring to his initially being mistaken for a scarecrow when he was found. The fence upon which Shepard was tied and left for dead has been declared a nationally protected monument. Two films were made about the story of Shepard: "The Laramie Project" (based on the play of the same name) and "The Matthew Shepard Story." Both won numerous awards.
At Shepard's funeral, as well as the trial of his assailants, Rev. Fred Phelps and his supporters picketed. They displayed signs typical of their protests, with slogans like "Matt Shepard rots in Hell", "AIDS Kills Fags Dead", and "God Hates Fags". Phelps has since been making efforts to gain a city permit to build a monument "of marble or granite 5 or 6 feet in height" on which will be a bronze plaque bearing Shepard's picture and the words: "MATTHEW SHEPARD, Entered Hell October 12, 1998, in Defiance of God's Warning: 'Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22."
As a counter protest during Henderson's trial, a friend of Shepard's created "Angels of Peace", wherein individuals assembled in a circle around the Phelps group wearing white robes and gigantic wings that literally blocked the protesters (who were confined to a small protest square by police) from the view of passers-by. A similar angel tactic has been reused a number of times at other protests by Phelps, but less effectively as the "Angels" are now required to stay in their own separate protest square.
Matthew's parents Judy and Dennis are now active supporters of gay rights and tolerance educators.
The Shepard case prompted President Bill Clinton to renew attempts to extend federal hate crime legislation to include gays, women and the disabled. These efforts were rebuffed by the Republican majority in the House of Representatives in 1999.
Source, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Shepard
The Attack took place on October 6th Through October 7Th 1998. So on October 6th 2004 I am asking all people, Gay Straight or whatever you may be, TO Make a stand against ignorance and intolerance of people who are different. You see this is not a gay rights campaign, This is a Human Rights Campaign. I ask everyone to on October 6th 2004 and every year from now on to wear a Yellow Band around their Right arm. Again this is for everyone to do. I want it to be visible that WE the people pf the USA will not stand for ignorance and intolerance of people who are different.
Matthew Wayne Shepard Died on October 12th at about 12:45 am. SO I am asking all people out their as a living memorial to the Memory of Matthew to wear Black, At least a Black T-shirt that says “MWS you are not forgotten.” again I want it to be visible to the world that You can take the life from a person but you can not take a spirit from a Community. Let us rise up and be seen. Stand in the gap for He who died to pave the way for us to be able to be different.
I thank you so much for your help in this matter. And I hope that you will pass this on to everyone that you can. Let us stand and be counted.
Devin Dzioba