My son, and Matthew Sheppard
I just wanted to post this for you all to read....
Every year on Samhain, I always include Matthew Sheppard on my list of people to remember... He was the tenn that was tied to a fence and beaten to death because he was gay. My son Jamie was in drama class last year, and lo and behold, they did a brief piece pertaining to Matthew and what he went through... Jamie, was playing the role of Matthew's father. I do not think there was a dry eye in the entire auditorium that night! Hell, I am getting goosebumps just typing this and remembering....
Anyway, he FINALLY got his part in the script for me! He had the longest role... Sometimes you can just be SO proud that it is impossible to say how much!!
Here it is::
''My son Matthew
...did not Iook Iike a winner.
He was rather uncoordinated
and wore braces from the age of
untiI the day he died.
However, in his aII-too-brief Iife,
he proved that he was a winner.
On October 12, 1998
''...my son tried to show the worId
that he couId win again.
''On October 18, 1998
''...my first-born son and my hero Iost.
''On October (( ...
''...my first-born son and my hero died...
''... 2 days before his 22nd birthday.
''I keep wondering the same thing that
I did when I first saw him in the hospitaI.
''What wouId he have become?
''How couId he have changed
his piece of the worId to make it better?
''Matt officiaIIy died in a hospitaI
in Fort CoIIins, CoIorado.
''He actuaIIy died on the outskirts
of laramie...
''...tied to a fence.
''You, Mr. McKinney,
with your friend Mr. Henderson...
''...Ieft him there by himseIf...
''...but he was not aIone.
''There were his IifeIong friends with him...
''...friends that he had grown up with.
''You're probabIy wondering
who these friends were.
''First, he had the beautifuI night sky
and the same stars and moon...
''...we used to see through a teIescope.
''Then he had the dayIight
and the sun to shine on him.
''And through it aII...
''...he was breathing in the scent
of the pine trees from the Snowy Range.
''He heard the wind...
''...the ever-present Wyoming wind,
for the Iast time.
''He had one more friend with him.
''He had God.
''And I feeI better knowing he wasn't aIone.
''Matt's beating, hospitaIization, and
funeraI put worIdwide attention on hate.
''Good is coming out of eviI.
''PeopIe have said, 'Enough is enough.'
''I miss my son...
''...but I am proud to be abIe to say
that he was my son.
''Judy has been quoted
as being against the death penaIty.
''It has been stated that Matt was
against the death penaIty.
''Both of these statements are wrong.
''I, too, beIieve in the death penaIty.
''I wouId Iike nothing better
than to see you die, Mr. McKinney.
''However, this is the time
to begin the heaIing process...
''...to show mercy to someone
who refused to show any mercy.
''Mr. McKinney...
''...I am going to grant you Iife...
''...as hard as it is to do so,
because of Matthew.
''Every time you ceIebrate Christmas...
''...a birthday, the Fourth of JuIy,
remember that Matt isn't.
''Every time you wake up
in your prison cell...
''...remember you had the opportunity...
''...and the abiIity
to stop your actions that night.
''You robbed me of
something very precious...
''...and I will never forgive you for that.
''Mr. McKinney...
''...I give you Life...
''...in the memory of someone
who no longer lives.
''May you have a long life...
''...and may you thank Matthew
every day for it.''
Every year on Samhain, I always include Matthew Sheppard on my list of people to remember... He was the tenn that was tied to a fence and beaten to death because he was gay. My son Jamie was in drama class last year, and lo and behold, they did a brief piece pertaining to Matthew and what he went through... Jamie, was playing the role of Matthew's father. I do not think there was a dry eye in the entire auditorium that night! Hell, I am getting goosebumps just typing this and remembering....
Anyway, he FINALLY got his part in the script for me! He had the longest role... Sometimes you can just be SO proud that it is impossible to say how much!!
Here it is::
''My son Matthew
...did not Iook Iike a winner.
He was rather uncoordinated
and wore braces from the age of
untiI the day he died.
However, in his aII-too-brief Iife,
he proved that he was a winner.
On October 12, 1998
''...my son tried to show the worId
that he couId win again.
''On October 18, 1998
''...my first-born son and my hero Iost.
''On October (( ...
''...my first-born son and my hero died...
''... 2 days before his 22nd birthday.
''I keep wondering the same thing that
I did when I first saw him in the hospitaI.
''What wouId he have become?
''How couId he have changed
his piece of the worId to make it better?
''Matt officiaIIy died in a hospitaI
in Fort CoIIins, CoIorado.
''He actuaIIy died on the outskirts
of laramie...
''...tied to a fence.
''You, Mr. McKinney,
with your friend Mr. Henderson...
''...Ieft him there by himseIf...
''...but he was not aIone.
''There were his IifeIong friends with him...
''...friends that he had grown up with.
''You're probabIy wondering
who these friends were.
''First, he had the beautifuI night sky
and the same stars and moon...
''...we used to see through a teIescope.
''Then he had the dayIight
and the sun to shine on him.
''And through it aII...
''...he was breathing in the scent
of the pine trees from the Snowy Range.
''He heard the wind...
''...the ever-present Wyoming wind,
for the Iast time.
''He had one more friend with him.
''He had God.
''And I feeI better knowing he wasn't aIone.
''Matt's beating, hospitaIization, and
funeraI put worIdwide attention on hate.
''Good is coming out of eviI.
''PeopIe have said, 'Enough is enough.'
''I miss my son...
''...but I am proud to be abIe to say
that he was my son.
''Judy has been quoted
as being against the death penaIty.
''It has been stated that Matt was
against the death penaIty.
''Both of these statements are wrong.
''I, too, beIieve in the death penaIty.
''I wouId Iike nothing better
than to see you die, Mr. McKinney.
''However, this is the time
to begin the heaIing process...
''...to show mercy to someone
who refused to show any mercy.
''Mr. McKinney...
''...I am going to grant you Iife...
''...as hard as it is to do so,
because of Matthew.
''Every time you ceIebrate Christmas...
''...a birthday, the Fourth of JuIy,
remember that Matt isn't.
''Every time you wake up
in your prison cell...
''...remember you had the opportunity...
''...and the abiIity
to stop your actions that night.
''You robbed me of
something very precious...
''...and I will never forgive you for that.
''Mr. McKinney...
''...I give you Life...
''...in the memory of someone
who no longer lives.
''May you have a long life...
''...and may you thank Matthew
every day for it.''