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June 26th, 2009
03:08 PM ET
Matthew Shepard's Mom & Dad, On Hate Crimes Bill
In 2007, a bill named for Matthew Shepard was introduced in Congress. Two years later, and more than 10 years after his murder, lawmakers are still debating if they should expand federal hate crimes protections. Matthew's parents, Dennis and Judy Shepard, joined Kyra live in the NewsRoom.
You can find more information on The Matthew Shepard Foundation at matthewshepard.org.
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Robbery may be the intent but if they didn't have a someone they saw as an easy target would they just have picked someone else. If so why didn't they?
Unless a preacher is saying "Go kill Gay people" they have nothing to worry about. If that is what they are saying it is no different than yelling "Fire" in a theater.
Everyday people are targeted because the attacker sees them as weak in some way. That needs to be taken into account when people are charged and sentenced with a crime when they specifically target people based on age, color, race, creed, religion, sex or sexual orientation. It is called an extenuating circumstance.
Thank You Michael for sharing your talent with us and know that you will be missed beyond words. Rest in Peace now Michael. We love you. Forever... Richie C.
Cut out Michael Jackson already! I 've had enough already.He is not a Demi-god. Give it up! You are supposed to be a NEWS station. Please report the news! I plead with you!
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The Shepards are a perfect example of everything that is wrong with America. We are an extremely self-centered society. "Narcissistic" doesn't even begin to describe it. I am sorry that they have lost a son. That shouldn't happen to anybody. But the fact is that it does. Just because you lose a loved one, doesn't mean you have to go on a crusade and erode the rights of everyone else in this country.
People like the Shepards say they do this because they do not want it to happen to someone else. That is a lie. You can pass all of the thought crime legislation in the world, and you are not going to stop anything. And they know it. No law is going to end a human emotion. We do not need to expand these laws. We need to get rid of the stupid "thought crime" that are already on the books. A person who is gay, black, or female is not worth more than someone who is white, straight, or male. Anyone who thinks different is a bigot.
How about this government record Kyra?: Blacks murder three times as many whites; as compared to whites who murder blacks. THREE times as many, and they are only 12% of the population. But we never hear this, do we. So why are black people never charged with a hate crime for killing a white person? THAT is the problem with discriminatory legislation like this.
I found Mr. Shepard's claim that it is open season on gays to be extremely distasteful. It is just another lame effort to rationalize the unjust behavior he is indulging in. Gays are not murdered any more than straight people, just like blacks are not murdered more than whites. At least not BY whites.
This IS a no brainer Mrs. Shepard. If a gay person murders someone, I want them to get the exact same treatment a straight person would receive. Your vigilante sensibilities need to be demonized as just that. And your claim that this is not an assault on free speech is ludicrous. You are trying to outlaw an emotion. I can't think of a more heinous assault on free thought.
This entire thought crime debate is simply a matter of personal opinion. And as everyone is fond of saying, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
What you DO NOT have a right to, is pursuing legislation that forces your idiotic opinion upon the rest of us. If you think killing a gay person deserves more punishment than killing a straight person, you are entitled to have those bigoted thoughts. But you have ZERO right to force the rest of us to adhere to your psychotic belief system.
I swear, I hate America more every single day. As a white heterosexual male, the value of my life declines in the eyes of Americans every single day. Then you morons wonder where the hate comes from, and try to outlaw it.
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My heart goes out to the family of Matthew.
Matthew Shepard's death was tragic, but this bill's passage may be even more tragic. I see the individualism that once made this country great slipping away...