Matthew Shepard

Although it was such a popular case, I had not been brought into this lovely world yet and had not hears about the killing of Matthew Shepard. As I read the story I was truly stunned for a couple reasons. The first reason of course being the murder and how it happened and what was done, and second the media framing.

I find it very sad that there are people out there who are so twisted to kill, and to murder and make Matthew suffer as they did was truly unreal to me. One can only hope that in his final concious hours he didn't feel as much pain as the suffering he went through.

What was almost as shocking as the death, was the media coverage. I think people needed to know about the cruelty but unfortunately it got more and more away from how he was beaten, and they really pushed forward the fact that he was gay. I am not saying they shouldn't have put that out there, but it almost took away from the fact that someone innocent was killed. I don't think people would have reacted like they did had it just been a normal white male. Candle light services and vigils were held around the country in his final days, laws of hate crimes were taken to legislation all because of the story being put out by the media. The sad thing is, once he passed away and once his killers were finally sentenced the media's job was over, people went on like normal because they felt justice was served. Matthew's parents were even unable to pass a law of a hate crime in his name in Washington D.C, while during his final days and the trial everyone agreed something needed to be changed. The media can frame up a good story line, but once they feel "justice is served' it's like it never happened  and by effect the people to have a drive to make a change is also put to rest.