see that picture above? that's a picture taken at the funeral of Matthew Shepard. out of curiosity, you might ask what this has to do with all of us especially when we live half a world away in some far-off southeast asian country? well to tell you quite frankly, it has more to do with us than you think.
now, just who is Matthew Shepard and why are there people picketing his funeral?
Matthew Wayne Shepard was 21 year old political science student born in Casper, Wyoming on December 1, 1976 to Dennis Shepard and Judy Peck. according to what i got on the internet, he was also an all-around nice guy who basically got along with everybody. it is said he also had a passion for equality amongst different kinds of people regardless of beliefs, color, and the most important, GENDER.
yes, Matthew Shepard was a homosexual, but other than that, he was a good son, an intelligent student, and a person who stood for the rights of every human being.
on October 7, 1998, Matthew was brutally attacked by two men who robbed him, pistol whipped him, tied him to a fence, and left him to die. 5 days later, on October 12, 1998, Matthew died from the gravity of the injuries he sustained from the attack. later on, the two men were arrested and put to jail for murder after finding the bloody gun and Shepard's wallet in their truck.
the most disgusting thing about the murder wasn't the act itself, rather the motive behind it. at the trial, the girlfriends of the two men behind the assault testified and confirmed that the two spoke of intentions to rob and beat up a gay man.
as appalling as it may seem, this isn't where it ends. days later, members of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church picketed at Matthew Shepard's funeral with signs saying "God Hates Fags", "AIDS kills Fags Dead", and "Matt Shepard Rots In Hell" among others. this act is a clear sign that society still has a long way to go before the evils of division and discrimination could be a thing of the past.
personally, i see nothing wrong with homosexuals. i believe that sexual orientation should never be a reason to deny people of their basic human rights. i believe that regardless of the way you grew up or grew into the way you're wired now, you're still a human being, and that makes you no different from the billions of people here on earth. we only have one chance to live this life, and i believe we should all learn to love each other for what we are.
hatred and bigotry will bring nothing but suffering to the human race, and as long as i'm alive and breathing, i'll do whatever i can to ensure that the youth of tomorrow will not suffer from the same evil we saw in the eyes of Matt Shepard's murderers and in the teachings of the Westboro Baptist Church.
no matter what your age, gender, orientation, or beliefs may be, you still bleed the same red blood. THINK ABOUT IT.
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