Remembering Matthew Shepard...

Gosh, it's been more than a decade since Matt Shepard was strung up like a scarecrow for being gay. Now young queer folks are jumping off of bridges for being "exposed" as being homosexual.

What's the big deal? If gays and lesbians really are just part of the human race, then why is it so sensational to capture two dudes showing affection for each other? I mean, why should a young gay dude feel the only solution is to leap off of a bridge? WTF does that say about us as a society?

Is the so-called "sin" of homosexuality - deserving of death? And what's up with all the silence regarding this most recent example of a queer dying way too young? Where is your voice? Is your silence due to being stunned by such a tragedy? Or is it due to homosexuals being something totally alien to you? I'd really like to know? Seriously.



QP
(aka QueerPoet)

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Things like this still happening is awful. I remember at university we were warned about where we go at night, because there were a number of attacks on gay guys. It really is disgusting the way some people are treated, and I just hope that I don't meet another person who has anything negative or prejudiced to say, because I'm not the kind of person to just stand back and let people behave like that.

 

If only more were like you. The world would be better off. Big time.

QP

 

P.S. A special shout out to Shale - his inspiring video gave me the extra push I needed to honestly speak the truth.

QP

 

Historically during times of economic difficulties the masses of people look for scapegoats...reasons for their troubles... Witch hunts if you want. Our society has had many of its favorite scapegoats taken away. Black People got totally fed up and handed shit back to the oppressing society. The communists have all gone to Starbucks. Nobody gets leprosy anymore. So now we have Illegal Immigrants and The Gays. I honest to God don't know how to change society except by one person at a time. Perhaps its because I lack the courage to make a difference but more its that I feel powerless against the mindless masses who charge around like a stampeding herd of cattle. On Towleroad's blog this morning there is a story of a gang who caught and tortured three gay people, two 17 year olds and a thirty year old...simply because they were believed to be Gay.
I fault the rightwing politics and fundimentalists of all stripes for helping fuel this mindless hate. My one vote never goes in that direction...my donations go to organizations that fight them. But one vote feels weak, being one member of an organization feels very small. So I'm stuck wondering how to deal with all the hate. I always wonder how my two copper colored sons will fare as they venture out in a world that marks them as a target...perhaps Illegals! Maybe just this talking about the crime society foists on a few will lead to more insight, more ideas for change. Thank You Poet, your ideas are indeed Queer...respect for our fellow beings...regardless of who they are...Queer indeed. Sign me up.

 

It's so sad on Matthew Shepard - No one so young deserves to have his life ended for him like that. It's funny because as a new member to the health community, I realize the highest levels of authority still pretend differences don't exist. Being sensitive to people's unique needs before it reaches a critical mass is important; we have to present a safe, private forum for people to voice their concerns and talk about who they are without fear of being judged if we're teachers, nurses, doctors, counselors, etc.

I wonder if this young man who committed suicide would have done this if he'd had a teacher in high school say, "I think what Harvey Milk did was good for everyone in America, not just the gay people in San Francisco," or, "I get the feeling you're different, and I like that about you. We don't all like the same things or people, and being true to that isn't such a bad thing." Not that he wouldn't have still been so trusting of his roommate, but maybe someone could have given him the tools to make a better choice.

I don't know. I'm rambling.

 

Not rambling, but telling the truth. And that is such a rare thing in these odd political times. So I thank you 101 times.

QP

 

this post makes me sad!! and mad, bc I used to live very near, matthew shephard got killed. It is truly a sad thing, when people can not feel comfortable just being who they are, without fear of someone hurting them. and some even feel the need to kill themselves, makes me really sad.
I had to hide my bisexuality from my parents and still do, bc of the preachiness, and the judgement. and that is nothing compared to what these people have gone through.
: (

 

I wonder if he saw MILK? That flick made me proud to be gay. Very, very proud.

QP

 

I appreciate that, QP. When we make an assessment of an individual, it seems like we're so acultural, for lack of a better word. The fact is, individuals have special needs. This whole, "We're all the same," thing holds very little water and I think it's hurt a lot of people. We can't pretend a gay youth doesn't have unique needs. That doesn't make him a cripple, but it doesn't make his needs less valid. It's true of a straight youth, too, and we have no problem accommodating that person. I did a lengthy rant about caring for disabled people of different sexual orientations in a class of mine, but there's no reason for me to punish you, too.

 

I doubt someone who's in the closet would engage in watching a movie that might get him accused. Harvey Milk was a good man. He makes me proud to be a former Californian.

 

those who go as far as to bash 'gays' fear what is even a slight inkling of familiarity.

I feel for the poor guy, it's still horrid to hear about and just as prevalent as ever.

 

Your empathy is worth more than gold. One fine day (I hope) we can all be what we really (honestly) are.

QP

 

Some people piss me off. This guy was just asking how to cure his son of 'the gay'. How far have people come??

So long as there's blood pumping through your veins, and air being breathed from your lungs that makes any gay person just as human as any strait one.

The fact that a claimed generation before didn't tolerate gays, like he more than comfortably proclaimed, doesn't mean we should continue to preach the methods of a selection of people who disregarded sexuality, abused racially and condemned a woman to the cooking stove.

Rant over. Just pissed off

 

I'm pretty sure that person was just trolling. I actually laughed because it was so silly. The fact he was talking about driving a 1964 Caddy means for that to be a hip machine for picking up the ladies, Daddy would have to be about 60. What 60 year old American is going to be on Hip Forums talking about curing his 18 year old son of "the gay?"

 

I'm not American so I know nothing about those cars

and whether it's trolling or not, somebody is insulting people for nothing and it does my head in. It's like someone you don't know calling you a fag, then saying 'i'm only teasing'

don't.

 

Say what? Never read/never want to read such silly words. I'm still recovering from the snake holding ministers. Yeah, I am a sad product of the south. They still can't figure me out.

QP

 

Oh, you poor thing!

 

Amen!!

 

i feel bad for the kid but come on to take it to that level and that extreme