I must admit I'm a little bit boggled by the apathy above, so I thought I'd add a positive comment. Thanks for posting - Shepard shouldn't be forgotten.
I remember the first time I came across his story - must have been three years ago. I cried then, at the crime, but mostly for what his family and his community did to take the tragedy and turn the spotlight on the prevelance and result of homophobia in the world.
This attitude of "oh well someone died, so what?" ... I'm a little incredulous.
but why focus on this one person? turn the spotlight on him when 10 of thousands of people die everyday... death is spread across the tv daily and i spose people are just desensitised... people stop caring...
sure bashing people who are gay is wrong, killing them is worse... but so are alot of things in this world
perhaps its a case of sensory overload? were all supposed to care about everyone and everything... perhaps people are all about of empathy?
We're not just talking about someone who was killed and happened to be gay- we're talking about someone who was killed in a fucking horrendous manner because they were gay.
Yes, people do die all the time. I should know enough about that, shouldn't I? Point being, there's a bloody big difference between most people dying and someone dying because of a fucking hate crime that was directed solely at them for something they couldn't help- and which isn't hurting anyone.
Then there's the fact that even at Matthew's funeral, fucking bigots had to go and be disrespectful prats there, too. To have such utter hatred for a human being based on one characteristic about them, and to think they're worthy of the worst possible treatment while alive (and then in the afterlife that these folks believe in) is disgusting.
This did not happen in any old place, either. This happened in a country which prides itself on freedom and individuality.
Matthew Shepard's murder wasn't just a gay rights issue- it was a human rights issue. Because
( ... )
*huge hugs* I just saw your post about this, hon... *sighs*
It also greately worries me that my little brother is going to grow up in a world where he has to traverse and decipher the many horrible contradictions that exist.
D00d, word. Not only are people copping this, but they're being lied to and dumbed-down to and NO ONE is being asked to question anything anymore.
Lew's at childcare... there's around 30 kids in his age group there. I just think, "going on statistics, three of those kids will probably be gay/lesbian/bisexual... and they're going to grow up into a world where they're going to cop shit for that/be treated differently because of it."
It's bad enough that this has gone on for as long as it has, even though being gay is one of those things which has been around as long as being straight has... but the idea of it continuing and screwing over the next lot of people is just insane. I mean, where does the buck stop? In this case, it shouldn't have started, yanno?
You may be all out of empathy, and if that's all you can handle right now, fine. But please don't be surprised that there are other humans out there who do care what happens to some guy they'd never have met, even if he hadn't been tied to a fence, beaten, and left to die.
You seem to be saying that because tens of thousands of people die every day, we should all accept any and all violent acts as just part of life. One person is killed, and this shouldn't matter because ten others were killed as well? Please tell me you can see how apathetic and defeatist this attitude is.
I say, the more violence there is in the world the more concerned we should be. My response is to fight harder, not to give up. Social trends, personal views, and even laws can be changed, but only if people care. I'm not saying you have to care, but I am saying that there's a whole lot of people out there who do - passionately. Don't be so surprised...
I remember, too... I was a teenager. I'd honestly thought that the modern world had grown out of homophobia. I started writing Borderline not too long afterwards.
I only came across his site last year, but was a bit of a mess after that. He sounded like a bloody awesome person- and so do his family.
I worked in a office year ago where comments were regularly made in the tearoom. "All gays should be drowned at birth," announced generally nice Bill, apropos of whatever Jerry Springer episode was playing. I stood in the middle of the room blinking in shock as five more of my generally nice workmates agreed.
D00d! I remember you writing about that- and I remember that's how we met.
It was through Aja's journal, after she posted about a friend of hers and her involvement in gay rights and about coming out and stuff...
I never had that conversation when I was in retail- but I remember people making rude comments about some of our customers- the punk couples and the gay couple who came in. I made a snide comment back at them, which shut them up, but my manager later called me a bigot for saying that I couldn't deal with "sexist people, racist people, homophobes or people who were cruel to animals." Then again, he was a sexually-harrassing, bullying arsehole, so it wasn't a surprise hearing that.
I do remember when I was the one voice in the tearoom arguing that no woman asked to get raped, though. *shudders* Apparently being 16 meant that I didn't know sweet FA about what I was saying then.
*bigtime hugs because working with narrow-minded people fucking sucks*
Yeah, that'd be right. :) Either that, or through John (folk when he linked my review of pegkerr's The Wild Swans. Small place, sometimes, isn't it? ;)
*hugs* It bloody does. Fortunately, I don't any more. It's wonderful.
I remember the first time I came across his story - must have been three years ago. I cried then, at the crime, but mostly for what his family and his community did to take the tragedy and turn the spotlight on the prevelance and result of homophobia in the world.
This attitude of "oh well someone died, so what?" ... I'm a little incredulous.
It's a beautiful photo, isn't it?
Reply
sure bashing people who are gay is wrong, killing them is worse... but so are alot of things in this world
perhaps its a case of sensory overload? were all supposed to care about everyone and everything... perhaps people are all about of empathy?
Reply
We're not just talking about someone who was killed and happened to be gay- we're talking about someone who was killed in a fucking horrendous manner because they were gay.
Yes, people do die all the time. I should know enough about that, shouldn't I? Point being, there's a bloody big difference between most people dying and someone dying because of a fucking hate crime that was directed solely at them for something they couldn't help- and which isn't hurting anyone.
Then there's the fact that even at Matthew's funeral, fucking bigots had to go and be disrespectful prats there, too. To have such utter hatred for a human being based on one characteristic about them, and to think they're worthy of the worst possible treatment while alive (and then in the afterlife that these folks believe in) is disgusting.
This did not happen in any old place, either. This happened in a country which prides itself on freedom and individuality.
Matthew Shepard's murder wasn't just a gay rights issue- it was a human rights issue. Because ( ... )
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Exactly. Glad to see some love on this thread.
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It also greately worries me that my little brother is going to grow up in a world where he has to traverse and decipher the many horrible contradictions that exist.
D00d, word. Not only are people copping this, but they're being lied to and dumbed-down to and NO ONE is being asked to question anything anymore.
Lew's at childcare... there's around 30 kids in his age group there. I just think, "going on statistics, three of those kids will probably be gay/lesbian/bisexual... and they're going to grow up into a world where they're going to cop shit for that/be treated differently because of it."
It's bad enough that this has gone on for as long as it has, even though being gay is one of those things which has been around as long as being straight has... but the idea of it continuing and screwing over the next lot of people is just insane. I mean, where does the buck stop? In this case, it shouldn't have started, yanno?
*sighs some more and offers more hugs*
~Jess
Reply
You seem to be saying that because tens of thousands of people die every day, we should all accept any and all violent acts as just part of life. One person is killed, and this shouldn't matter because ten others were killed as well? Please tell me you can see how apathetic and defeatist this attitude is.
I say, the more violence there is in the world the more concerned we should be. My response is to fight harder, not to give up. Social trends, personal views, and even laws can be changed, but only if people care. I'm not saying you have to care, but I am saying that there's a whole lot of people out there who do - passionately. Don't be so surprised...
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I remember, too... I was a teenager. I'd honestly thought that the modern world had grown out of homophobia. I started writing Borderline not too long afterwards.
I only came across his site last year, but was a bit of a mess after that. He sounded like a bloody awesome person- and so do his family.
And... yes. I can't believe it, either.
~Jess
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Big lesson. It's out there, all right.
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It was through Aja's journal, after she posted about a friend of hers and her involvement in gay rights and about coming out and stuff...
I never had that conversation when I was in retail- but I remember people making rude comments about some of our customers- the punk couples and the gay couple who came in. I made a snide comment back at them, which shut them up, but my manager later called me a bigot for saying that I couldn't deal with "sexist people, racist people, homophobes or people who were cruel to animals." Then again, he was a sexually-harrassing, bullying arsehole, so it wasn't a surprise hearing that.
I do remember when I was the one voice in the tearoom arguing that no woman asked to get raped, though. *shudders* Apparently being 16 meant that I didn't know sweet FA about what I was saying then.
*bigtime hugs because working with narrow-minded people fucking sucks*
~Jess
Reply
*hugs* It bloody does. Fortunately, I don't any more. It's wonderful.
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