"You tolerate bad hair days, not people" --- Judy Shepard
I had a ticket to see Judy Shepard speak tonight. (Matthew Shepard's mother) It was a really good speech/lecture type thing. First we watched this short video about how her and her husband are working against hate crimes and stuff, and then she came out. She walked out and we all immediately started clapping and everyone stood up. Me and Kat were practically crying already.
First thing she did was read the Family Impact Statement that she wrote for the trail, and that was really moving. She talked about Matthew and what he was like, and then what happened while he was in the hospital. When she started talking about how his younger brother was in the hospital room with him and talking to him, I just started crying. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that someone would kill someone else for such a stupid stupid reason.
But then after reading her statement, she talked a lot about fighting hate and how important it is to pass hate crime bills, and she talked a lot about coming out and that stuff. But what she said about educating people was really important. Because hate is born out of fear and ignorance, and if we can get rid of fear and ignorance then that's taking care of most of the problem. She was a very good speaker. She's very soft spoken, but very firm. Her voice is quiet but at the same time very strong. And I agree with a lot of what she was saying, about voting and stuff.
At the end, there was a meet and greet and if you wanted to meet her you could. Part of me wanted to, but I just wouldn't have known what to say to her, I would have burst into tears. But it was a really nice night. Well, not *nice* given what the event was about, but it was a good night anyway. You know what I mean...
~originally posted from dreamyemmy
First thing she did was read the Family Impact Statement that she wrote for the trail, and that was really moving. She talked about Matthew and what he was like, and then what happened while he was in the hospital. When she started talking about how his younger brother was in the hospital room with him and talking to him, I just started crying. I still can't wrap my head around the fact that someone would kill someone else for such a stupid stupid reason.
But then after reading her statement, she talked a lot about fighting hate and how important it is to pass hate crime bills, and she talked a lot about coming out and that stuff. But what she said about educating people was really important. Because hate is born out of fear and ignorance, and if we can get rid of fear and ignorance then that's taking care of most of the problem. She was a very good speaker. She's very soft spoken, but very firm. Her voice is quiet but at the same time very strong. And I agree with a lot of what she was saying, about voting and stuff.
At the end, there was a meet and greet and if you wanted to meet her you could. Part of me wanted to, but I just wouldn't have known what to say to her, I would have burst into tears. But it was a really nice night. Well, not *nice* given what the event was about, but it was a good night anyway. You know what I mean...
~originally posted from dreamyemmy