Rep. King: Matthew Shepard’s Sexual Orientation Had Nothing To Do With His Murder

[Modbert]

Think Progress » Rep. Steve King: Matthew Shepard’s Sexual Orientation Had Nothing To Do With His Murder

KING: I didn’t make the point, but others did, that James Byrd was sentenced to death in Texas, and I don’t know if that sentence has been carried out yet. But he received highest penalty available under the law for the dragging death of James Byrd. And the Matthew Shepard case, there’s been a fair amount of information that came out that that really wasn’t the motivation of the people who killed him, but they did receive the maximum penalty under the law.

Are some Republicans so stupid and heartless that they insult the memory of Matthew Shepard in order to try and stop a bill? This isn't the first Republican to do so nor it is the first stupid comment from Rep Steve King.

He owes the Shepard family a apology.

 

[rdean]

Think Progress » Rep. Steve King: Matthew Shepard’s Sexual Orientation Had Nothing To Do With His Murder

KING: I didn’t make the point, but others did, that James Byrd was sentenced to death in Texas, and I don’t know if that sentence has been carried out yet. But he received highest penalty available under the law for the dragging death of James Byrd. And the Matthew Shepard case, there’s been a fair amount of information that came out that that really wasn’t the motivation of the people who killed him, but they did receive the maximum penalty under the law.

Are some Republicans so stupid and heartless that they insult the memory of Matthew Shepard in order to try and stop a bill? This isn't the first Republican to do so nor it is the first stupid comment from Rep Steve King.

He owes the Shepard family a apology.

Some?

 

[Modbert]

Some?

Yes, don't be a clown. Not all Republicans are complete fools. Don't allow the few whackos in charge to ruin your outlook on the rest of them. Judge each person based on your experience with them, not what political party they are.

 

[Qball]

James Byrd was the black man who was killed, not the killer. And while I don't believe Matthew Shepard was necessarily killed because of his sexual orientation (I think it was a matter of two thugs, hopped up on meth, beating and robbing a defenseless college kid who they figured wouldn't be much of a fight), I agree that it's a bit tacky to mention it within this context.

 

[Modbert]

James Byrd was the black man who was killed, not the killer. And while I don't believe Matthew Shepard was necessarily killed because of his sexual orientation (I think it was a matter of two thugs, hopped up on meth, beating and robbing a defenseless college kid who they figured wouldn't be much of a fight), I agree that it's a bit tacky to mention it within this context.

Killer: Shepard didn't make advances - Salon.com

"Far from that!" scoffed Sgt. Rob DeBree, the chief investigator in the case. "They knew damn well he was gay ... It started out as a robbery and burglary, and I sincerely believe the other activity was because he was gay."

 

[rdean]

Some?

Yes, don't be a clown. Not all Republicans are complete fools. Don't allow the few wackos in charge to ruin your outlook on the rest of them. Judge each person based on your experience with them, not what political party they are.

It's not a few wackos who are in charge of the Republican Party.

Women, American Citizens, in Iraq have been gang-raped. 30 US Senators, all Republican, voted to protect the US companies that allowed this to happen.

The CEO of Cigna makes nearly a quarter billion over 5 years, the BOD eats off gold plated plates and silverware, of the top 100 highest paid executives in the US, 5 work at Cigna, Cigna has two corporate jets valued at more then 68 million. Cigna makes nothing. They get that money by legally skimming insurance policies. All supported by Republicans.
How many denied operations does it take to make a million dollars?

Birthers.

Rush, Sean, Bill, Anne, Bill, Charles.....

Iraq. In spite of the fact the Christian Religion has been virtually wiped out, along with many of its people, that Islam is the "national religion" by constitution, and women now need a male escort to go to the store, Republicans have called this a "success" and a new "democracy".

Republicans in both houses, death panels and kill grandma.

It's not a "few" wackos. It's the majority of what's left of the Republican Party.

 

[Qball]

Women, American Citizens, in Iraq have been gang-raped. 30 US Senators, all Republican, voted to protect the US companies that allowed this to happen.

I think if they were reading this board, Politifact would give you one of these:

 

[garyd]

Neither defendant had said they knew shepherd to be gay at the time of the crime. What are you going to do hang them twice. Hate crimes laws are pointless wastes of time and effort. You don't generally rob and beat someone you like.

 

[FrankWillis]

Why did Matthew Shepard get in a car with straight Texan guys in the middle of the night? Recently in a Newsweek interview, his mother said that Matthew had a "dark side." (please note: I once had a boyfriend who pursued straight guys relentlessly. He was really sick). Since Matthew obviously had "gaydar," he knew he was going out with straight guys. Did he seek out dangerous situations with heterosexual males?
In a March, 1999 interview with Vanity Fair, Judy Shepard discussed that while Matthew was on vacation in Morocco during his senior year in high school, a gang there raped him. Again, it seems that Matthew Shepherd put himself in a dangerous situation with straight males (I've been to Morocco many times and people don't just get dragged off the street and raped).
Obviously, Shepard didn't deserve to be murdered, but it is doubtful that he was the saintly martyr he is made out to be.

 

[Luissa]

Why did Matthew Shepard get in a car with straight Texan guys in the middle of the night? Recently in a Newsweek interview, his mother said that Matthew had a "dark side." (please note: I once had a boyfriend who pursued straight guys relentlessly. He was really sick). Since Matthew obviously had "gaydar," he knew he was going out with straight guys. Did he seek out dangerous situations with heterosexual males?
In a March, 1999 interview with Vanity Fair, Judy Shepard discussed that while Matthew was on vacation in Morocco during his senior year in high school, a gang there raped him. Again, it seems that Matthew Shepherd put himself in a dangerous situation with straight males (I've been to Morocco many times and people don't just get dragged off the street and raped).
Obviously, Shepard didn't deserve to be murdered, but it is doubtful that he was the saintly martyr he is made out to be.

he was killed in Wyomning not Texas. Have you been to Laramie? They knew he was gay.

 

[Zander]

I like the hanging them twice idea. That'll teach 'em!!!

To illustrate the absurdity of "hate crimes" laws imagine that you have two sons. Both sons are murdered by a gang of meth addicts. One of your sons is gay, the other is not. Is the loss of your gay son more profound? Should the perp's be more harshly punished because he was gay? Murder is wrong and that is why we already have laws against it. New laws are not needed.

 

[Political Junky]

Screw King, hate crimes was signed into law in spite of him and many like him.

 

[rdean]

Some?

Yes, don't be a clown. Not all Republicans are complete fools. Don't allow the few whackos in charge to ruin your outlook on the rest of them. Judge each person based on your experience with them, not what political party they are.

Few whackos? These days, it's only a few Republicans that aren't whackos.

 

[rdean]

Why did Matthew Shepard get in a car with straight Texan guys in the middle of the night? Recently in a Newsweek interview, his mother said that Matthew had a "dark side." (please note: I once had a boyfriend who pursued straight guys relentlessly. He was really sick). Since Matthew obviously had "gaydar," he knew he was going out with straight guys. Did he seek out dangerous situations with heterosexual males?
In a March, 1999 interview with Vanity Fair, Judy Shepard discussed that while Matthew was on vacation in Morocco during his senior year in high school, a gang there raped him. Again, it seems that Matthew Shepherd put himself in a dangerous situation with straight males (I've been to Morocco many times and people don't just get dragged off the street and raped).
Obviously, Shepard didn't deserve to be murdered, but it is doubtful that he was the saintly martyr he is made out to be.

Not sure you point? That Matthew Shepard got what he deserved or "straight" guys are dangerous?

 

[rdean]

I like the hanging them twice idea. That'll teach 'em!!!

To illustrate the absurdity of "hate crimes" laws imagine that you have two sons. Both sons are murdered by a gang of meth addicts. One of your sons is gay, the other is not. Is the loss of your gay son more profound? Should the perp's be more harshly punished because he was gay? Murder is wrong and that is why we already have laws against it. New laws are not needed.

There is this kind of "determined" ignorance over hate crimes. Shoot someone and they are dead. Cut them with a knife and they are dead. At least it's over quickly.

Hate crimes are bad because the person/people doing the hating aren't satisfied with "death". They want the victim to suffer and hurt. Many times, they start off with some type of rape. Because it's degrading. Most times they don't even want the person dead. They want them to live in agony, crippled. They rarely use weapons like guns. They like to feel bone crunch. They want to stomp.

Worse, they go out looking for someone just to do hurt. They are not even robbing. They just want suffering. The crime should fit the punishment. People like you are really questioning if there really is a crime beyond some kind of simple assault. "They didn't die".
Or, it just got "out of hand". The victims of the crime listed below eventually committed suicide. He just couldn't take the more than 40 surgeries and the mental anguish. Guess it wasn't their fault that he committed suicide either. If they said they were "sorry", would it have been OK?

Prosecutor: Teen Beaten, Tortured at Party

The 17-year-old victim remained in critical condition Monday, Trent said.
The attackers stomped on his head with steel-toed boots, poured bleach into a patio-umbrella pole and sodomized him with it, tried to carve something in his chest, and doused his body with bleach, investigators said.
"It looks like they were really trying to kill him and torture him in any way they could," prosecutor Mike Trent said Monday during an initial court appearance for 17-year-old Keith Robert Turner.

Teen Victim of Rape Commits Suicide « SHADMIA’S WORLD

Tuck and Turner dragged the teenager outside, and for the next five hours stripped him naked, burned the victim with cigarettes, choked him with a gardening hose and proceeded to engrave a swastika into the victim’s chest, Tuck kicked Ritcheson with steel-toed boots, and furthermore violently kicked a PVC pipe up his rectum several inches while yelling racial slurs. After the sodomy ended, the perpetrators poured bleach on the victim’s body to conceal the evidence of the crime. According to County prosecutor Mike Trent, the attackers may have poured bleach inside the pipe as high levels of toxins were found in the boy’s organs.

 

[Fatality]

Why did Matthew Shepard get in a car with straight Texan guys in the middle of the night? Recently in a Newsweek interview, his mother said that Matthew had a "dark side." (please note: I once had a boyfriend who pursued straight guys relentlessly. He was really sick). Since Matthew obviously had "gaydar," he knew he was going out with straight guys. Did he seek out dangerous situations with heterosexual males?
In a March, 1999 interview with Vanity Fair, Judy Shepard discussed that while Matthew was on vacation in Morocco during his senior year in high school, a gang there raped him. Again, it seems that Matthew Shepherd put himself in a dangerous situation with straight males (I've been to Morocco many times and people don't just get dragged off the street and raped).
Obviously, Shepard didn't deserve to be murdered, but it is doubtful that he was the saintly martyr he is made out to be.

he was killed in Wyomning not Texas. Have you been to Laramie? They knew he was gay.

yeah cause all the gays are forced to walk around wiht GAY written on thier backs, so they would have known straight away. fucking christian republican rednecks!!