SOCIETY

Not Just a Wyoming Problem

In 1998, Jim Osborn was in charge of the University of Wyoming's gay support group. What he's learned in the 10 year's since Matthew Shepard's murder.

By Kurt Soller | Newsweek Web Exclusive

Oct 11, 2008 | Updated: 7:11 p.m. ET Oct 11, 2008

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Posted By: psberreth @ 10/15/2008 12:41:46 AM

Comment: I am so sick and tired of any problem or conflict that a homosexual or a black person has is because of prejudice. I have spoken with people, or the siblings of, who went to college at the time of Matthew Shepherd's death They all have said that the incident occured because of drugs. If Matthew had not been a homosexual, would this have had much press at all? Of course, not. Matthew is another person used to promote the homosexual agenda and hide the real facts.
By the way, 'gay' means happy. It is also the given name of hundreds of people - My aunt had to change her name because a group of people chose to corrupt a word that always had a joyful connotation.
- Posted By: Doc Howl @ 10/15/2008 2:37:25 PM
  
  Comment: You're full of crap. Just saying.
Posted By: Nowforthetruth @ 10/15/2008 12:26:33 AM

Comment: "Press Releases

AJC Strongly Condemns Rev. Jesse Jackson's Comment on American Jews
October 14, 2008 - New York - The American Jewish Committee (AJC) has condemned the Rev. Jesse Jackson's statement about 'Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades.'
"Rev. Jackson's remarks, which appeared in an interview with the journalist Amir Taheri in today's New York Post, echo classic anti-Semitic conspiracy theories about Jewish power," said AJC Executive Director David A. Harris. 'This statement, regrettably, is not the first troubling comment by Rev. Jackson regarding Israel, Zionism and the Jewish people.'

Arguing as a private citizen that an Obama administration could bring significant change to U.S. foreign policy, Jackson was quoted as saying that "Zionists who have controlled American policy for decades" would lose much of their influence should Senator Obama be elected president."

http://www.ajc.org/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ijITI2PHKoG&b=849241&ct=6107743

And people are upset about raciest comments some in the crowd are allegedly saying at Palin events? Isn't this the same Democrat leader who once called New York "Hymietown"?
Posted By: SarahO @ 10/13/2008 4:43:22 PM

Comment: It's clear that Joe6Pack is a born-again, Bible-believin' Christian complete with the pharisee disdain we all know and 'love'.
Posted By: clientsideshowbob @ 10/13/2008 10:19:41 AM

Comment: to Joe 6pack - why the open hatred? Matthew's death was a tragedy felt by America. Stories like this one serve as a way for us all to remember the bad times, learn from them and correct for the future. Open hostility does nothing but fuel the fire of bigotry and future violence.
- Posted By: Doc Howl @ 10/15/2008 2:39:02 PM
  
  Comment: Obviously, Joe SixPack hates America...at least any Americans that aren't just like him.
Posted By: joe 6pack @ 10/12/2008 11:15:59 PM

Comment: Matt was a drug addict, HIV+ and a depraved pervert.

A tragic death and a wasted life, but a reason for special protections for depraved perverts(homosexuals)? I doubt it.
Posted By: rickahyatt @ 10/12/2008 8:50:30 PM

Comment: You can also read about a "Missing Black Fisherman" whose Kenyan-made flies my son & I also found - And how and why I believe he died, and were his body may still be at the bottom of Blackhall Valley. Who I am sure tampered with his brake lines when I was at that garage - For the same reasons as the comment below. Report to Forest Service with found evidence - Nothing Done. htttp://www.rickhyatt.freeservers.com/pages/mekenny henderson.html
Posted By: rickahyatt @ 10/12/2008 8:45:20 PM

Comment: My son & I were subjects of an attempted Drug Dealer "Hit" on us 1995, because I'd been watching his place for the Police, also fueled by false rumors about my sexuality. The two tried to do us at a campground this Drug Dealer had suggested, but we survived because I was openly armed, and for other reasons. Reported it many times, nothing ever done. The whole story and more at http://www.rickhyatt.freeservers.com/pages/mckenney henderson.html
Posted By: rickahyatt @ 10/12/2008 8:43:04 PM

Comment: My son & I were subjects of an attempted Drug Dealer "Hit" in 1995, because I'd been watching his place for Police, also fueled by false rumors about my sexuality. We met McKenney & Henderson at a campground this Drug Dealer had suggested, but survived because I was openly armed, and for other reasons. Reported it, nothing Done The whole story and more hate at http://www.rickhyatt.freeservers.com/pages/mckenney henderson.html
Posted By: Maggymae @ 10/12/2008 4:43:48 PM

Comment: I'm not saying it was right, I'm sorry he was killed, may God bless him. I'm just saying it is no different from a man hitting on me. It is no different than anyone being murdered. It's never right and there is never a defense for murder. It just doesn't make it more important because he was gay.
Posted By: Maggymae @ 10/12/2008 3:48:54 PM

Comment: Sorry didn't know the first one went thru. The point is, gays aren't special. Anyone anywhere can be assaulted
or murdered for any reason. I was approached by a man in the post office lobby and I wasn't afraid of him because I was 'straight', and he was black. I was afraid because I was alone and with all the unemployment
you don't know who to trust. Tens years from now are we going to here about the homeless guy?
Posted By: Maggymae @ 10/12/2008 3:37:16 PM

Comment: You people make me mad.Being gay is your choice, Our laws are for everyone, we don't need special laws just for gays. all murderes are hate crimes. Look at all the homeless people being murdeed just for sport!!!!
What makes gays more important than them???? Why should a gay persons assault be headlines and a homeless person an after thought.? We were all born into this world equal.
- Posted By: shotz @ 10/12/2008 3:51:19 PM
  
  Comment: Are you gay, if not you have no right saying its a choice now do you ?
- Posted By: shotz @ 10/12/2008 3:49:53 PM
  
  Comment: Are you gay because if you are not you do not have the rigtht to say its a choice, now do you,
  - Posted By: Maggymae @ 10/12/2008 3:53:37 PM
    
    Comment: as much right as anyone. I know someone that tTHOUGHT HE WAS GAY, but dicovered he didnt have to be and desided he didnt want to be.
    - Posted By: Doc Howl @ 10/15/2008 2:40:50 PM
      
      Comment: Well, obviously, that speaks for all gays everywhere, doesn't it?
Posted By: Maggymae @ 10/12/2008 3:31:25 PM

Comment: You people make me mad. There are thousands of people every year that get assault or murdered for one reason or another. What makes gay people more improtant, that they have to have a new law? Hate crime?
Isn't all murder a hate crime? A little two year old was abused and murdered. Do we need a separate law for two year olds? I think not. Our laws cover EVERYONE.Homeless people are murdered all the time, are gays more important than them?Being gay is your choice, it doesn't make your life more important, or should I say your death.
Posted By: detrickmay @ 10/12/2008 2:40:41 PM

Comment: Ok so you are saying if someone upsets you it's ok to give them a swift ass kicking? Dam I would have kicked a lot of ass in my day if this were how life is. I have an odd name and was teased some what about it, so you really think if I kicked some ones butt for teasing me they wouldn't go on to tease some one else. Did you even read the story, these guys lead Shepard to beleive they were gay, who knows what they said, but they both admitt they tricked him out of the bar by posseing as gay men, so when he hit on them, he thought he was hitting on a gay man, who in case you didn't realize, invited him along for the "party" he didn't pick up two hitch hikers up and throw himslef at them. I mean how many guys push a girl further than they want to go, say when they agree to go "parking" with a statement like you knew what we were coming out here for, so what's the problem. I can honestly say, that of all the gay people I have talked to, almost 90% of them will not waste their time hitting on a straight person, the fear of rejection turns them away from that, plus they know it is wasted energy. The other 10% are not true gays, they are competitive men trying to get the gold price, a fine straight guy to cross over even if it is just one time and for experimental reasons, these guys usually sleep with women too, and nailing a straight guy is just another notch in their bed post. You are a very narrow minded person if you think the way you do after reading the entire story. Is it fair to say that you would expect licensed fence builder to be capable of building a fence, you hire the guy, and find out he isn't even a fence builder, who do you think really has the right to be mad, you for being lied too, or the fence builder for being expected to buikld a fence. Dah
Posted By: landonmkelsey @ 10/12/2008 2:29:40 PM

Comment: live by the sword and you will die by the sword
Posted By: glimmerofhope @ 10/12/2008 2:12:57 PM

Comment: mmerenz, if a woman is wearing a short skirt is she to be blamed if she gets raped? If a child is a little different and a little socially awkward is he to be blamed if the school bully beats him up? It's attitudes like yours that causes senseless violence.
Posted By: mmerenz @ 10/12/2008 1:56:19 PM

Comment: I'm not supporting murder but this article totally overlooks the fact that Shepard was hitting on the two men that killed him. That doesn't make murder "okay" but it does show that he wasn't being smart and is somewhat to blame for bad things that happened to him.

If some gay person hit on me I would be angry at them and it's hard to say what I would do. I doubt that I'm capable of murder but I would want to extract a certain amount of flesh. It's human nature for hetros to be totally turned off and angry by a gay person hitting on them. The two murderers just took it way to far. A swift ass kicking solves many problems amongst men. I don't think this Shepard would have made that mistake again had he received a fist to his nose.
- Posted By: Doc Howl @ 10/15/2008 2:42:57 PM
  
  Comment: Okay, and if you hit on a girl and she doesn't like it, her brothers should be legally allowed to pound you into jello. Fair's fair.
- Posted By: TheVigil @ 10/12/2008 8:09:23 PM
  
  Comment: No, you're just an angry bigot. You don't have the right to beat somebody because of a case of mistaken sexual identity. You go to jail or prison for that, a lot of places.
  
  Quite honestly, you might want to watch yourself. There are plenty of gay guys around who could probably pound you through the floor. And if you attacked them, not many will have an ounce of sympathy for you.
- Posted By: js2676 @ 10/12/2008 4:24:19 PM
  
  Comment: I'm a lesbian, and it squicks me out when guys hit on me...even when I tell them I'm not interested. Should I be allowed to kill them?
  
  There is *no* defense for this. None.
  
  May Matt rest in peace.
- Posted By: SJSharif @ 10/12/2008 3:29:48 PM
  
  Comment: mmerenz... You are what is wrong with America and humanity in a whole... No harm is done to a "hetero" by being "hit on" by a gay person.
  
  Why should physical abuse come to any person? Expecially when that violence is only a result of their being different. Accept other's difference. It affects you in no way.
  
  And remember, love goes a lot further than hatred and anger. Try to change the outlook on your life.