"...wE mUst bE thE chAnGe wE wiSh tO sEE iN thE wOrld..." K.G.

4/22/2009

scarecrow


look at these teens.... they look like any other teenagers, don't they?
they feel, they sleep, they need and want, they dream like other teens do.
i bet they even look forward to finding love one day.


now look at this country side fence, out in Wyoming. looks like a nice place to picnic, or ride a horse, or ride a bike, perhaps? I'm sure it was, and still is.... for the locals who live in that area. however it holds a secret.
and a memorial for some one who died there.


yes, some one died there.
this is Matthew Shepard.
he died there, tied to that fence where the memorial hangs. the 2 boys above took him there on a dark night in October, 1999..... beating him up on the way, until he was listless in the truck. they arrived to this spot, dragged him to the fence, tied him up, and beat him until he was unconscious. they hit him in the head with a pistol and robbed him, because he was GAY. and they didn't like "faggots." [their words, not mine] they must have viewed him as less than human. less than an animal. once he stopped fighting back, and hung listless on the fence, they left him there in the cold, dark night. to die. in the early morning hours as dawn was approaching, a bicyclist found him, and called for help. he died a few days later in the hospital, without ever gaining consciousness again, with his horrified and grieving family at his side. as soon as it hit the news, the world was horrified. why, they asked. WHY? because he was gay. nothing else. just that. never mind that he was human. never mind that he lived and dreamed and wanted and needed and had feelings and wanted to be loved and cared about. he had those rights, didn't he? not according to these 2 teens. they believed he was less than human because he was gay and they killed him. in their sick minds, the world was better off "without this faggot" in it.... who taught these teens this? was it their parents? their church? who? tell it to his parents. tell it to those who loved him. tell it to Matthew as he was dieing because he was a gay man. this is only one story. there are thousands more, all as sad, all as needless, all done by someone who thought they had the right to play God- and delete a person from this world because he loved differently than they. my heart is aching right now. this could happen to me. this could happen to my son. 10 years later and i am still devastated to think about this crime of hate. how do you feel about this? does it bring up any feelings for you? if it did, please use them wisely, use them to make a difference and stand up for equal rights for all. STOP HATE if the opportunity arises. i beg you to explain to those you may meet or know, who have this hate, that god would not want them to judge or harm anyone. every one of us has a chance to make a difference, however small, where ever we are planted in our own little garden of the world. teach your children tolerance. teach your children understanding. and acceptance. you don't have to believe it's OK to be gay. just don't hurt those who are. let God be our judge. i ask- no beg, through my tears.... please, please, stop the hate. and the judgement. i am gay. it does not make me less than you. if you are hetero, it does not make you any better than me. none of us is less than the other. none of us is less than human. we are all human. we are all ONE. we are all God's children. pray with me for Matthew Shepard. and for the boys who killed him.
crp
"forgive them father, for they know not what they have done"

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I really try to buy into "People are basically good at heart," but I am a little to pragmatic for that in all honestly. I try, but it doesn't fly for me. These kind of things, and it good not to forget them, since history is always repeating itself, try every decent feeling I have for humanity. Because the ugly side is just so very cruel and unrelenting.
~Mary

Busy Bee Suz said...

Things, actions like this, just break my heart. I don't understand hatred. I just don't get it.

ChiTown Girl said...

Such a sad, sad tragedy. Those boys have some serious issues. Thanks for helping us all to remember Matthew and his story.