Go to the mobile version of this Web site.

Login | Contact Us | Site Map | Paid archives | Electronic edition | Subscription Questions | Extras

Home › News › Local News

Judy Shepard statement on the 10th anniversary of Matthew's death

Judy Shepard

Published October 9, 2008 at 12:30 p.m.

Text size  

More Local News

More stories »

It’s hard to believe that it has been ten years since Matthew’s death. So much has changed yet so much remains the same. I want to thank all of THE individuals and organizations that have given us the Foundation and our family their unwavering support. Our work is far from over. I don’t mean the work of the Foundation only, I mean the work we all need to do at a personal level. We need to continue talking to our friends, families and co-workers. Unless we are honest about who we are and are able to share with those who love us what our lives are like, they will not know how to help us. We need those allies in this struggle to achieve equality across the board to realize all of our civil rights.

Great advances have been made in changing people’s attitudes and eliminating ignorance about the gay community even in my wonderful state of Wyoming. At least I thought so, until I read the readers’ comments following an article about the ten year observance of Matt’s death in the Cheyenne, Wyoming newspaper.

I understand that the readers who take the time to write in are doing so because they absolutely disagree with the article and those who do agree won’t bother to write comments. However, it brought home to me how much work is left to do to make the world an accepting place. The level of ignorance is astounding. The continuing belief that what happened to Matt was not a hate crime and the notion that ‘special people shouldn’t have special rights’, is beyond my comprehension. The level of ‘hate’ is frightening.

Our family and the Foundation staff are committed to doing all they can to ensure the message - ‘erase hate’ - is one that is known to the community and its allies as well as those who are trying learn more about the Foundation and the LGBT community at large. It is ignorance that ultimately results in hate and that may escalate into physical violence. The only way to combat that ignorance is to educate and tell our stories.

We are all aware of how important this election cycle is to all of us. Please take the time to know the issues and what is at stake for the LGBT community. Share your stories with those who care about you. It is the only way they will know how to vote to support you.

The privilege of having the right to vote is also a responsibility. We must remember that we are not voting only for a new President but also for representatives at the local, county, state and national level. Please vote and encourage everyone you know to vote. Apathy is unacceptable. We are at a cross roads in the movement and we need to show our support for those who support the LGBT community. We are all hoping the next ten years will be our time.

If you wish to learn more about the Foundation and the work we are doing now, please visit www.MatthewShepard.org or www.MatthewsPlace.com

Comments

  • October 9, 2008

    2:54 p.m.

    nfn3vet writes:

    (This comment was removed by the site staff.)

  • October 9, 2008

    4:26 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    happymike44 writes:

    This woman works to end injustice and hatred towards others.
    This is a tiredless effort to end hatred and anger towards all who are different.
    I never knew Matthew Shepard but he was alot braver then the dirtbags who murdered him.
    They were shopping for a gay person who would be an easy target to rob.
    They murdered him because he was a freak a homosexual and had no value to society
    I wonder how people can say being gay is a choice.
    Guess what there are animals in the wild who pair up to be all male and all female couples and the animals around them do not seek them out and kill them.
    Why is man so different because the bible a book tells them to murder anyone different.
    Well I hate to tell you this god loves everyone and everything and created all of the creatures on the planet.
    Including all the gay and lesbian people as well as including the hatefu pro christian movement people.
    Who preach anger and hatred the sad part is you are missing god's words of love and acceptance.
    Mrs Shepard wants to provide some form of comfort and love to those who like her son are opressed just for being who they are.
    What kind of man ties his fellow man to a fence and then beats him till he resembles a rag doll torn to shreds by a group of animals.
    It was pure hatred and nothing more and should never be accepted by anyone as normal behavior.
    I commend Mrs Sheperd to have the bravery to stand up and say no more children need to die like Matthew did.
    I want to say one final thing this could have been someone in any of our families.

  • October 9, 2008

    5:25 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    scootertrash writes:

    I agree with Happymike, she is a brave woman to stand up for what is right, the guys who murdered him are the biggest cowrds on the planet.

  • October 9, 2008

    5:58 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    nfn3vet writes:

    I would like you to name any other mammals,just one specie,that "pair up to be same sex couples".

  • October 9, 2008

    6:34 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    tgrtptoe writes:

    Apparently Judy reads these comments. I want to say that what happened to Matthew made me very sad. What happened last week & is happening now by people who think that just because they're on an anonymous forum, they can be just as rude and inane as they want to be makes me sad again. What's happened to our society when it's acceptable for people to completely disregard the feelings of the survivors and spread their venom online just because they can? I'm happen to be straight, not that it matters, but I do have friends who are gay. The anguish I have seen them go through leaves me with no doubt that it is not a 'choice'. It was how they were born. It would be nice if people could try to not be so evil-spirited & thoughtless when writing comments online.

  • October 9, 2008

    6:39 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    s494 writes:

    Koala bears

  • October 9, 2008

    7:32 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    fcmm88 writes:

    nfn3vet,

    If you actully spent even a few minutes looking for an answer to your own question, you would know that humans are NOT the only mamals to egange in homosexual behavior. Obviously, yes it requires a male and female to reproduce, but i can think of more than just a few straight couples who do not have and do not want children. So, what really makes it so wrong nfn3vet?

  • October 9, 2008

    10:36 p.m.

    Suggest removal

    arthistorybabe writes:

    nfn3vet, please go be argumentative someplace else. You have your opinion, we all get it. Is this the venue for your thoughts? This man is dead and his mother hurts. This is her statement regarding her son's murder. Would you want someone speaking to you the way you are speaking about her only child? Come on, this woman will never recover from this. Your messages are already edited - please be just a little kind to this woman.

  • October 10, 2008

    7:07 a.m.

    Suggest removal

    nfn3vet writes:

    I am always amazed at hypocritical peaople can be.I come across something calling a whole state of people (of which I a belong)ignorant.I ask for clarification of that and I am considered intolerant,rude,and hateful?