The Last Days of Matthew Shepard

[Sapphocrat]

(No link; received via email, so quoting in full. Author at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pridelets )

The Last Days Of Matthew Shepard: October 6

On this day in 1998, while he wanted to help celebrate his friend Walter Boulden's birthday with dinner and a movie, Matthew Shepard regrettably cancels at the last minute so he can get things down for tomorrow's French exam. But the night is still very young.

By seven o'clock, he's over at The Library, having been unable to concentrate on the task at hand.

Studying is on just about everyone else's mind tonight, and he's not able to find a lot of conversation. There is, fortunately, a meeting of the University of Wyoming Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered Association to take his mind off things.

After a piece of pie and coffee with friends from the union meeting, he's back home by 9:00 p.m., though he really wants to take in The Fireside Lounge tonight. Studying can wait.

There's a crisp Autumn breeze in the air tonight as Matthew walks to the Fireside alone. Nobody wants to have fun! His friend, Doc O'Conner is busy at a meeting tonight, everyone from the union group is off with homework, and while he could be talking to his grandfather right about now, his cell phone's turned off (probably to avoid being interrupted at The Library.)

It's just not his night. Even his "gaydar" is out of whack and an engineering student he's flirting with just isn't receptive to an increasing awkward conversation. Sigh. At least he knows not to bother with the "couple" that just arrived who've headed to the bathroom to talk. Besides, they're not his type.

What Matt doesn't know is that . . . he is Aaron McKinney's "type": upper class, a pushover, and (according to his buddy Russell Henderson's girlfriend) gay. Tonight may just work out after all, if Henderson and McKinney can roll this Shepard dude for some drug money. They just need to figure out a plan.

By this time, Grandpa Shepard gives up trying to call Matthew.

"California student tourists" Henderson and McKinney sidle up to Matthew and start chatting about "the politics and struggle of the gay movement." Matthew doesn't deny being gay and offers to show the pair around town, (after his test of course.)

By midnight, Matthew realizes he's probably had more than enough to drink and make the 20 minute walk home safely. McKinney and Henderson are pleased to give him a ride in their truck.

===

"The Last Days of Matthew Shepard" © 2006 Thomas Allen Heald.

[Erika]

1. The Phelps group threatened our community

They wanted to put a gravestone saying "Matt Shepard is burning in Hell" next to the 10 Commandments in a public park.

Our mayor chose to move the Ten Commandments to a church yard across from the statehouse to avoid a legal battle. The new site has 100 times the traffic as the old.

Now the far righters want to challenge that move. Our mayor is a democrat in a red state.

[NMMNG]

2. The Phelps clan is utterly depraved

They are living proof that fundamentalism kills. It kills the mind, the heart, and the psyche.

[bperci108]

3. If you want to get an idea of what makes these lunatics tick, check out:

http://www.baptistwatch.org/fredphelps.html


What a completely depraved, dishonest and delusional family.

I'm sorry I have to share this state with them... :puke:

[NMMNG]

4. Egads

I could only get through one page of that before I had to give up. That man is bat-sh*t crazy and evil as hell. He needs to be locked up before he can infect more people with his hatred and cause more harm than he already has.

[Sapphocrat]

5. Oh, "Addicted to Hate".

Ya, I've read it through, more than once -- the second time to actually digest what wouldn't register the first time.

It's a must-read.

[okasha]

6. Fred Phelps:

In a Hell of his own making since November 13, 1929.