December 16, 2004
INCONVENIENT FACTS? IGNORE THEM:
Media finally face the truth on Shepard case (Michael Medved, 12/06/04, Jewish World Review)
Though mainstream media eagerly embraced Shepard as a victim of homophobia, both killers described a robbery gone wrong that had no connection to sexual orientation.Indeed, the trial transcript gave no evidence that the two meth-crazed perpetrators — who had brutalized several straight victims in the days, and even the hours, before they assaulted Shepard — had been motivated by homophobia. Nonetheless, all three of the TV movies about Shepard portrayed his death as a "hate crime," as did "The Laramie Project," a play performed across the country in high schools and other venues.
For gay activists, Shepard remains such a convenient martyr that they can't face the increasingly obvious facts about his tragic death.
Like the myth of black church burnings, it's most interesting for the misuse the media made of it. Posted by Orrin Judd at December 16, 2004 8:48 PM
Who are you going to believe? The actual killers or some activists who knowledge of Wyoming still consists entirely of "its one of those rectangular states." Matthew Shepard is merely the Ransom Stoddard of the New Improved West.
Posted by: Raoul Ortega at December 17, 2004 12:25 AMI had heard that he was killed after he made a pass at one of the men. Did this turn out to be untrue?
Posted by: Matt Murphy at December 17, 2004 12:43 AMThis points out the travesty of hate crime legislation.
Posted by: Jeff Guinn at December 17, 2004 7:10 AMMatt: If you simply do not believe what you hear you have a 150 yard head start on everybody else.
Posted by: at December 17, 2004 11:19 PM