MATTHEW SHEPARD ONLINE RESOURCES
http://www.wiredstrategies. com/shepardx.html
 

        On October 9, 1998 Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay college freshman faced a horrid hateful murder ceasing anger, sadness and shock among millions of Americans and citizens of the world.  Matthew was abducted, pistol-whipped, strung up as though crucified, and then left to die for 18 hours on a cold Wyoming road.

        In a spontaneous show of anger and support, nearly 100 vigils have taken place around the UA and Canada to honor Shepard, highlight the menace of hate crimes, and demand that Congress immediately pass hate crimes legislation.  Concerned individuals across the US and from as far as Zimbabwe, Australia, and Russia sent emails to the United states Congress, the Wyoming Governor, and Web sites devoted to Matthew Shepard's memory, expressing their concern about the Shepard
case, and the need to pass hate crimes legislation.  In addition, Americans nationwide, and in countries as far as Hong Kong, telephoned US members of Congress over the last several days to demand passage of the bill (wiredstrategies.com).

        Shortly after this crisis  Wired Strategies website was created.  Wired Strategies is a   Washington, DC- based political Internet consulting firm specializing in public policy Internet strategies for the government, nonprofit and private sectors.   It is a pro-gay  web featuring a Matthew Shepard's Online resources link.   Over 640,000 visitors have came to the site since Sunday October 11, 1998 to show their support for Matthew and his family.

        The web's main focus is to give current information on the political views and injustices that are against homosexuals.  One main focus is passing the Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA); amending current federal law to include real or perceived sexual orientation, gender, and disability so the FBI would  be able to investigate and prosecute violent hate crimes against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals. Current law already allows investigation and prosecution on the basis of race religion, national origin and color, but doesn't include secular orientation.  This web contains many links from Poudre Valley Hospital - the hospital that treated Matthew to LGBTA - lesbian and gay student association home page at the Univ. of Wyoming.   The web also contains listings of reports of hate crimes against gay men and lesbians from 1984 until current, email, discussion online, advise on how to support the HCP act, and the bulletin board.  The bulletin board steamed controversy, causing the web site to temporarily shut
down due to the overwhelming anti-gay and anti-Shepard messages expressing anger that Shepard maybe "Man of the Year" according to a Time magazine's online poll indicating that Matthew was winning.    Enlight of this the web came back.

        After going through the various sections of the web I realized how Matthew Shepard's murder was a vehicle in gathering people together to form a political awareness and also a way of forming power for gay civil rights activists.

        The Matthew Shepard's web is a reflection of the struggles homosexual's deal with against our socially constructed society.  It gave the impression that if you are not living within the 'norm' of society you are considered deviant or condemned.  Your rights in society are not the same as people of the 'norm'.   This is an example of the cultural war that is going on. today.  People that live within the 'norm' of the structural society are given power and have massive civil rights.  Gay society has come a long way since the 1962 Stonewall riot, and Harvey Milk, but the reality is that there is still a struggle. The gay culture is not within societies norm and are not given the same justices. Matthew Shepard's murder was a rude awakening to this reality. The politicians are not in favor of passing the HCPA due to there stratified of hierarchy, they have the upper hand and that hand needs to be slapped.   Social change is a process, and gaining more gay civil rights will help change the injustice of hate crimes on homosexuals.   This website construes  the realities homosexuals face within everyday life and politically.    The cultural wars are evident in this web.  Hateful e-mails are shown giving an example of the hatefullness and dangers that surrounding the gay society.  ''"It's not too late to try and be STRAIGHT. Give up your Homo lifestyle or more fags will die and lesbians raped and impregnated and forced to bear straight children.  This is WAR against you Homo perverts!!!"'  this e-mail  indicates the cultural wars that are  going on against gays, the word War is clearly stated, which entails brutality and death, such as Matthew Shepard.

        Politically the support is weak to protect homosexuals against hate crimes. This is pointed out in the an excerpt on the web, titled " House Republicans Brag they killed Hate Crimes Bill'.   It pointed out that the house of Republican's conference is taking credit for having stopped the hate crimes bill.  the house leadership document contradicts claims form Senate Majority leader Trent  Lott's staff that the Hate Crimes Protection Act would not pass because Congress had run out of time."   This demonstrates the importances gay civil rights play within the political arena.  Once again it is another battle that must be dealt with against the dominant white heterosexual society.

        Wired Strategies is an assets to the pro-gay activist.  It establishes a unity among activities all over the world and gives knowledge of the realities a gay persons must face everyday of their lives; politically and socially. It educated and gave a perspective on how hard it is to be gay in today's society.  Naturally the media is not going to emphasis on dilemmas gay society has to face,  so thanks to modern technology the gay society has another tool to organize, unite and gain power throughout the world to fight for their civil rights.  Unfortunately hate crime was the motivating  factor of Matthew Shepard's web, but in  return it forms a greater strength among pro-gay activist against hate crime.  These websites will be mere catalyst in forming equality and justice in the gay society.

        In conclusion  I will end with John Aravosis  the founder and creator of Wired Strategies perspectives of his the fight for HCPA: "last week a part of us died, but another was reborn.  and while we didn't win the hearts of Congress, we captured the soul of America, and the world.  Many of us are no longer afraid, no longer alone and no longer complacent in the face of evil. While angry, said and dispirited, we finally fought back for one of our own., and  it felt good, and just."