More than six years have passed since the brutal beating and death of Matthew Shepard, and time has failed to ease the pain of it.
Now come his killers, Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, to talk about their motivation on that murderous night. In televised interviews from an out-of-state prison, the pair said the attack on the 22-year-old University of Wyoming student was intended as a robbery and was fueled by methamphetamine. It wasn't because Shepard was gay, they said.
Regardless of whether their statements about Shepard's murder change anyone's perception outside Wyoming, it's doubtful they'll have much impact inside the state.
The rest of the nation may have seen his death as a hate crime with elements of a robbery, but Wyomingites were -- and still are -- more likely to view it as a robbery with elements of a hate crime. In the days and weeks following Shepard's murder, Wyoming was unfairly painted as a place that tolerates such attacks. But that's a notion belied by the fact that his killers will spend the rest of their lives in prison for their actions -- courtesy of a Wyoming judge and jury.
The notion that hate crimes can happen here still stings. That's because there's an element of truth to it. There's still plenty of resistance to ideas that promote tolerance and diversity in Wyoming.
Nevertheless, even though Wyoming culture has its flaws, it's a mistake to think Matt Shepard was killed by culture. He was killed by opportunistic thugs.
http://www.casperstartribune.net/articles/2004/12/06/editorial/editorial/d1506aebc3b6311687256f6000267613.txt
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