Remembering Matthew Shepard, A Hate Crime that Sparked the Nation

Oct 1, 2011
Mary King

Matthew Shepard was Brutally Beaten, Tied to a Split-Rail Fence and Left to Die - Ted_Drake

The October 1998 crime sparked a wildfire of anger around the world. Matthew Shepard, brutally beaten and left to die, opened our eyes to bigotry and hate.

Matthew Shepard wanted to make his mark in the world just like any other young college student with a dream for success. The political science major from Caspar, Wyoming, had already traveled abroad during his high school years. He'd lived with his family for a short while in Saudi Arabia, and attended The American School in Switzerland. Back in the states, Matthew pursued his college studies at the University of Wyoming, in Laramie. Fluent in a number of languages and well-liked by most everyone that knew him, Matthew Shepard looked forward to a promising future. And then one night in early October 1998, a casual meeting went terribly wrong.

A Murder in Laramie

It was a cold night on October 7, 1998, when two men, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, first befriended and then lured Matthew Shepard to a remote area away from town. The men brutally assaulted Matt and tied him to a split-rail fence. They fled into the darkness, leaving the young man to suffer and die alone.

Eighteen hours later a bicyclist happened by and mistakenly thought he saw a scarecrow tied to the fence. To his horror it was a man. Five days later on October 12, Matthew Shepard died from his injuries. News of the heinous crime quickly spread around the globe.

A Hate Crime that Inspired Learning, Acceptance and Compassion

Matthew Shepard had an infectious smile. He had a passion for equality and a genuine respect for people from all backgrounds. He had the determination to make things right and a strong voice to speak for those who might not otherwise be heard. Matt had trust for people – a quality that was rare back then and still is today, but one that eventually led to his demise.

When news of the beating spread across the country, Americans responded to the hate crime in a way they'd never done before. Gay bashing wasn't new in America, but people suddenly realized that an innocent man had been targeted for death just because he was gay. Even media reporters voiced disbelief at the way the people responded with candlelight vigils, public and private prayers, and the flood of news coverage both local and abroad.

Anti-gay activists say young Matt Shepard got what he deserved and even went so far as to demonstrate their own hatred outside the church at the young man's funeral. But the voices of protestors were barely audible compared to the public outcry of rage for what had happened. The voices grew stronger after Matthew died.

Matthew Shepard's Legacy

Matthew's parents, Dennis and Judy Shepard, know that nothing can ever replace their beloved son. In his memory, they founded the Matthew Shepard Foundation. "... to honor Matthew in a manner that was appropriate to his dreams, beliefs and aspirations, the Foundation seeks to “Replace Hate with Understanding, Compassion & Acceptance” through its varied educational, outreach and advocacy programs and by continuing to tell Matthew’s story." (Matthew Shepard Foundation: "Our Story")

I remember well the national news coverage of Matthew Shepard's beating. Like so many others across the country, I was outraged by the events that took place on that October night. There was something "different" about Matthew's story, and it wasn't media-induced. The horrific attack on this innocent young university student actually seemed to wake up a lot of people who before had closed their eyes and minds to hate crimes.

Hate Crimes Will Not Be Tolerated

The death of Matthew Shepard sparked anger, but it was a constructive anger that fueled the need for change. Bullying and violent acts against persons homosexual are considered hate crimes and shall be treated as criminal acts of violence. This includes neighborhood schools, higher places of learning and places of employment. The past thirteen years have seen both controversy in our society and a new understanding toward persons who are gay (the general term). Progress continues and the tide is turning to acceptance. A handful of states now permit gay marriage. And that's not all ...

A few days before this article was composed and published, U.S. Pentagon officials from the Defense Department announced that military chaplains may perform same-sex marriage ceremonies as long as such ceremonies are not prohibited in the states where they reside. Other restrictions apply relative to personal and religious beliefs. (The Washington Post: Post Politics on Sept. 30, 2011).

I'd say that Matthew Shepard not only grabbed our attention, but he also had a hand in some of the most influential decisions this country and modern times have ever seen. Matthew Shepard has indeed accomplished his goal – he set out to make a mark in this world and he did just that. It's not likely his mark will fade anytime soon.

Sources

Matthew Shepard Foundation: (Online) "Our Story" (Dennis and Judy Shepard, No year).
Washington Post: Post Politics (Online): "Gay Weddings Can Be Performed by Military Chaplains, Pentagon Says" (Ed O'Keefe, September 30, 2011).