Last week I noticed that it was the twentieth anniversary of death of a 21-year-old college student in Wyoming. Matthew Shepard, was a dimunitive 5'2" tall and from all accounts a gentle soul. He was in a bar when he was lured into a pick-up truck by two other young men. Shepard was gay, they were homophobic. They took him outside of town on a cold night, pistol-whipped him until his face was unrecognizable, and tied him to a fence. Matthew Shephard was found by a passing cyclist and taken to hospital, barely alive after spending 18 hours exposed to the elements. He died of his injuries and his two attackers were convicted of his murder. They told a number of people that hatred of Shephard's sexual orientation was motivation for their brutal attack, although they denied this during the trial.
In 2009 the United States Congress passed the Matthew Shepard Act which is hate crime legislation. There was a film and books and songs about Shephard's murder and legacy and his mother became a spokesperson about LGBTQ rights.
I was interested to see this week that today Matthew Shepard's ashes will be interred at the Washington National Cathedral in Washington DC. His parents appreciate this honour, although they aren't comfortable with any notion of sainthood for their son. https://cathedral.org/matthewshepard/
All of us can ponder the legacy of a young man who died tragically for no other reason than being gay. We need to recognize that LGBTQ persons regularly feel ostracized and mistreated in our more accepting culture, and experience violence. In other parts of the world being LGBTQ is illegal, and too often results in brutality and death. So-called Christian groups in America financially support repressive laws in countries such as Uganda and Franklin Graham has praised Vladimir Putin in Russia because of anti-LGBTQ legislation.
Today is an appropriate day to remember Matthew Shepard and pray for change around the globe.
Note: The 4,000 seat cathedral was filled for the memorial service, a powerful tribute.
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