Mother promotes equality

Speaker shares gay son's tragic death, message for equality

By Laura Pelner
and Vanessa Renderman

For Judy Shepard hate is a learned behavior that she wants society to unlearn.

"The world would be better if hate was not something we have to worry about," said Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard, the 21-year-old University of Wyoming student who was killed two years ago because he was gay.

Shepard spoke Wednesday night to more than 1,200 people at St. Thomas Aquinas Church about her son's life and her hope that another mother won't have to experience what she did.

"Matthew was a constant reminder of how good life can be and ultimately how hurtful," said Shepard.

Matthew died on Oct. 12, 1998, after being brutally attacked a few days earlier by two men who beat him with the butt of a gun, fractured his skull and left him tied to a fence for 18 hours.

Shepard said she and her family do not hate the men who did that to her son. "We made the choice to not hate, to not go to that place," said Shepard. "I never blamed them so I don’t need to forgive them."

People came from around the state to hear Shepard. A group of people from the University of Southern Indiana wished their parents could have heard her message.

"If it was more openly talked about, the stereotypes could be challenged," said Jeff Smith, a junior at the University of Southern Indiana. "There are so many people who nobody knows are gay."

Breck Jones, a sophomore in the School of Liberal Arts and a representative of the Purdue Equality Alliance, said she thought Shepard's speech was excellent and that it drew a wide audience to the issues surrounding hate crimes.

"I hope the administration was listening when she said educate, educate, educate," said Jones.

Education is what Shepard promoted as a way to prevent hate and ignorance in society.

Shepard said Matthew is dead because two men learned it was OK to hate. "We have a sick society, S-I-C: silent, indifferent, complacent."

There is one man who is not silent about his feelings for Matthew, a man who keeps a count of how many days Matthew has been burning in Hell. This man, Fred Phelps is vocally anti-gay. He picketed Mathew's funeral and still sends e-mails to Shepard.

"We like Fred because he causes discussion," said Shepard. "I don't hate him."

Throughout her hour-long speech Shepard cried only once - during her last few words.

Although Matthew was physically alone when he was left tied to the fence, Shepard said he had company. She said he had the beautiful night sky, the daylight and the sun, the wind and the smell of the Earth. He also had God.

"I feel better knowing he wasn't alone," she said as she choked back tears.

Mother promotes equality

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Correction

CAMPUS DESK PHONE:
(765) 743-1111 ext. 253

Campus editor: Laura Pelner

Assistant campus editors: Kurt Esposito, Dave Stephens

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