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Hate crimes mournedOut in Akron vigil marks fifth anniversary of Wyoming murder of Matthew ShepardPosted on Wed, Oct. 08, 2003 Firestone student sings song he wrote about slaying. Event addresses violence, bias against homosexuals By Bob Dyer Beacon Journal staff writer As gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard hung lashed to a fence on a 30-degree night in the nation's least populated state, drifting in and out of consciousness after being pistol-whipped with a .357-caliber Magnum, he must have felt totally alone. Five years after his death, he would be astounded by the number of people who have rallied around his memory. Every October since the Hate Crime That Shook the Nation, Shepard is held up as a martyr by gay activists in places large and small. One of those places is the Church of Our Saviour in Akron, where on Tuesday evening -- five years to the day after his murder -- Shepard's demise was among those mourned in a candlelight vigil that included prayers, testimonials and a dramatic presentation. Since his 1998 murder, Shepard has been the subject of a stage play that has been performed all over the country, a TV adaptation of that play that aired on HBO, another movie on NBC, and a song by rock star Melissa Etheridge. And Shepard's murder was the focal point of Tuesday's activities in Akron, including an original song written and performed by local student (name omitted). They delivered an a cappella version of his piece, Remember, that included the lines, "I'd rather die than let you be forgotten/ I'll try and make them all remember." But Tuesday's vigil was not exclusively about Shepard. Members of a group called the Glamour Pride Youth Program staged a three-act drama dealing with the generic abuse of gays and lesbians that was interspersed with statistics. (Example: 42 percent of adolescent lesbians who have suffered a physical attack also attempt suicide.) Singer-songwriter, a Firestone High junior, has the aid of a supportive family. His father and mother were in attendance. But in that, he seemed to be the exception. Other members of his youth group took the microphone to detail physical and emotional abuse they have encountered at home and at school strictly because of their sexual orientation. The Rev. Meghan Froehlich offered a prayer, and eight members of the youth group lighted candles while reciting the stories of eight gays and lesbians who have been killed. The flames were spread to candles held by the crowd of about 75, which sat in chairs and on sofas in dim light in the church's sanctuary. The vigil was part of the sixth annual Out in Akron Celebration, a two-week drive designed "to raise awareness of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender culture." The festivities include concerts, church services, speeches and a road rally. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
