Some people will pick any port in a storm including this disgusting opinion
piece by Gabriel Arana. This article parrots the phony moralism of the right in
denying the truth about the cruel, degrading murder of Mr. Shepard.
This despicable article nothing but a fig leaf on middle class distain of the
oppressed.
"This familiar story -- Matthew as a pure, meek victim of anti-gay
bigotry -- remains an orthodoxy unquestioned by all but the most ardent
gay-rights opponents. In fact, Shepard was a deeply troubled young man.
He had a severe drug and alcohol problem, suffered from bouts of
depression, and failed out of school numerous times. He spent his money
on partying, leaving him unable to pay bills. He contracted HIV, most
likely through unsafe sex. These darker details are conspicuously
absent from the prevailing narrative about Shepard's life."
So what.
Gabriel Arana castigates and abstraction: the so-called "prevailing
narrative." The particulars of Matthew Sheppard's are disturbing, but not at
all unfamiliar to anyone with a passing knowledge of the gay community. HIV
rates among gay youth are skyrocketing. Safe sex is rarely practiced by the
millions of youth coming out. As a gay youth, he is more likely to be
depressed. ( I certainly would be in Wyoming. New Haven was bad enough.) Then
Arana chides Shepard on his poor budgeting as if that weren't enough.
In other words, Matthew Shepard resembles the face of gay oppression in an not
too extreme form: depression, HIV, drug addiction.... the only thing Arana
left off the usual right wing list is that he was alleged to be a drug
dealer.
Well none of his personal flaws need to be pointed out in order to defend him.
And the shocking news of his murder correctly through the spotlight on anti-gay
violence. I will leave it to the preachers and self styled moralists to bray
on about the serious problems facing the gay community, just as other oppressed
strata face.
As for the increase in sentencing time for violence against victimized
minorities... American criminal sentences are outrageously long and we should
oppose their increase. This article is a poor advocate for any progressive
policy reform.
Adam Richmond
San Francisco
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