Shepard died a gruesome death: tied to a fence & set on fire. A narrative quickly formed that he had been targeted because he was gay.
But later reporting would suggest that at least 1 of his murderers also slept with men, & that they actually had beef with Shepard over drugs.
Shepard's death in 1998 created a kind of perfect storm. Wyoming, where he lived, had just failed to pass a hate crime law. The media immediately drew that connection.
In response to his death, the government passed a federal hate crime law—despite *his parents* warning against the impulse to pass such legislation.
And to this day, Shepard is used to stoke panic about an epidemic of violence against gay people.
The media have continued for years to push out the fictional version of events unchallenged. A few examples from @HISTORY, @ABC, @CNN. (I get a particular kick out of the History Channel calling themselves "The Factual Entertainment Brand" here)
So why does it matter? We've expanded the police state—something the left says they oppose—based on a fiction.
And we continue to tell LGBTQ folks they could be the next Shepard. This isn't to downplay the real hate they face. But stoking fear based on a lie is not the answer.
Shepard's murder was nothing short of a travesty, & it directed important attention to LGBTQ bullying.
But facts matter. You can't revise history, even when you think you're on the right side of it. Doing so will ultimately undermine you.
Rest in Peace, Matthew Shepard.
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Priscilla Lefebure says she was raped multiple times by Barrett Boeker, an assistant warden at Louisiana State Penitentiary. Boeker was arrested after a medical exam corroborated an assault.
Here's where it gets even more infuriating, if that were possible.
The local DA, Samuel D'Aquilla, allegedly refused to examine her rape kit. He refused to meet her to discuss the case. And he refused to call any witnesses who could corroborate her story. reason.com/2021/10/13/lou…
An agent of the state killed an innocent man while responding to a prank call in Wichita. Andrew Finch opened his door & in 10 seconds he'd been shot dead by a sniper. No one rendered medical aid for 30 minutes.
Karen Garner was 73 years old when police threw her to the ground, broke her arm, and dislocated her shoulder while arresting her for stealing $13.88 from Wal-Mart.
The city will pay her $3 million. Let's talk about accountability.
First things first: Let us acknowledge how absolutely absurd it is that a 73-year-old—who has dementia—needed to be violently arrested & assaulted because she stole $13.88 worth of merchandise.
I wrote about that viral video of a cop supposedly overdosing by touching fentanyl—a medically impossible feat—& the perils of media regurgitating state claims without scrutiny.
Recycling a police press release is not journalism.
What most every publication left out: You cannot overdose on fentanyl by touching it.
What about airborne transmission? It takes 200 minutes for unmasked workers who produce fentanyl to register a dose of 100 mcg, which is still not an overdose. reason.com/2021/08/09/san…
This is an absolute horror story. These 3 Missouri men are serving life sentences for separate crimes that the government concedes they *did not commit*.
In a sane country, you'd be able to sue cops who violate your rights. A local legislature in NY wants to make sure that cops can sue you—potentially violating your rights in the process.
Nassau County legislators passed a bill allowing cops to sue people for a list of things, including "harassment," which would merit damages & an additional penalty of up to $50,000.
This isn't the first bill of its kind. Just last week, I wrote about a FL bill that would criminalize "indirect harassment" against cops if someone gets closer than 30 feet—effectively making it illegal to film them.