Will Anyone Write a Song about Eddie?
We recently marked the 4th anniversary of the murder of Matthew Shepard. Poor Matthew, he never meant to become a gay martyr. Just between us, Matthew probably just meant to get it on with a couple of cowboys and still make it to class the next day. As much as I hate to play �blame the victim�, Matthew�s greatest legacy maybe the Tuesday Tribes (who were all infants 4 years ago) vehement denouncement that young and tiny Matt should never have gotten into a pickup with two rednecks on speed in the first place.
My boys do have a point. Have I mentioned that I love my boys lately? I also love Matthew Shepard�s parents. If you have never read Dennis Shepard�s statement at the trial of his son�s murderer, you really must
Now
Meanwhile, 17 year old Eddie Araujo felt that God had made a mistake when he placed Eddie (or Gwen as he liked to be called) in a male body. Allegedly Eddie was killed by 3 men at a party who didn�t appreciate that the beautiful, flirty Gwen had dangling male parts. Gwen has strangled, beaten and buried in a shallow grave. You can read more about this horrible crime here.
I have heard the gay community accused of making Matthew Shepard oor own private martyr because he was young, white and beautiful. Someone on a message board I frequent asked if Matthew had looked like Nathan Lane, would we have shred as many tears? I don�t know. Do you remember the name of the two-spirited Navajo boy that was murdered or the gay Navy man that was beaten to death by his shipmates. How about the gay man that was murdered in Alabama? I�ll be honest, I remember the cases, but I didn�t remember their names or the outcomes of their cases until I looked it up. Fred Martinez, Allen Schindler and Billy Jack Gaither. Ready for the really shocking part? The Human Rights Campaign list of Hate crimes that have occurred since the dragging death of James Byrd in Texas is 52 pages long.
52 pages!
I�d tell you to get mad and write your congressman, but I already did that and got back a form letter stating that while the �congressman appreciates my input, murder is already illegal in Kansas, therefore we don�t need special legislation against hate crimes� Election day is in 2 weeks. Where does your congress person stand on Hate Crimes legislation?
I don�t have an answer. All I have is impotent anger.
TV was on at the psych hospital this afternoon. Maury was doing a show about drag queens and their mothers who loved them, but wanted their sons back anyway. Then all the drag queens had �back to male� makeovers. The patients all had a good laugh, but it wasn�t funny. I just kept thinking about Eddie
