His name was Matthew. He was a nice kid, just a plain ordinary "boy next door" sort of guy. Friendly, kind and polite to everyone, but he died a violent death because of intolerence and ignorance. He was killed by two guys barely one year older than himself. Two guys who had somewhere learned hate and intolerance for people who are different, in this case, homosexuals. He could have been your son or your nephew, or he could have been mine.

We who are still among the living must ask ourselves who taught these two boys that homosexuality is such a terrible thing that all homosexuals must be extrerminated, and that others have the right to express their homphobia in acts of violence and even murder??Within my lifetime, our nation saw intolerence for people of color manifest itself in acts of violence and murder, and we still are laboring across this nation to ease the hurt and correct some of the injustices which were perpetrated against people of color, especially in The South. Hate crimes are on the increase across our land and with this increase the promise of Anerica based on the principle of freedom and justice is withering and becoming an empty hope for those in our society who are "different".

For me, the vitality and honor of America has always been based on the premise that all men indeed are "endowed by their creator with the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness"......it's a principle that I believe in and lies at the very core of the fundamental intentions of those who founded our nation, and those who in the words of Abraham Lincoln, "gave their last full measure of devotion" to the cause of freedom for all Americans for all time.

I served my country both in peace and in war, and was always proud to be an American, and proud of our heritage and the things which our country has always stood for both at home and abroad. I am no longer proud, but ashamed and saddened by the realities of intolerance and the growing wave of hate crimes which are being committed by citizens who believe that they have justification for becoming judge, jury, and sometimes executioner of others with whom they do not agree.

When I learned of Matthew's beating and subsequent death, my tears flowed like a torrent becasue of the sadness and despair that I felt for Matthew's parents and friends, and because of the agony that I know Matthew must have suffered during his ordeal. I cried also for our country and for those who would debase the proud traditions which have been our national character since the founding of the republic. My country where the Statue of Liberty stands and invites the world's oppressed and rejected:

Emma Lazarus

There has been a great outpouring of sentiment by the "Religious Right" in which they have denounced homosexuality as a sin and have couched their words in ways which have undoubedly fueled the fires of intolerance toward those who are gay. These organizations and individuals defend their words as "biblical truth" and then in the same breathe insist that they do not agree with violence against homosexuals, nor do they use language which is inflamatory. They in doing so live the lie of denial of the parallels between their churches and the church of the Inquisition. The Republican Party members in congress have bragged that they "killed" a hate crimes bill. Although no law can ever successfully deal with the character of our citizens, it would at least be a significant statement of our national resolve to eliminate hate crimes from our society.

Our nation is in crisis ! We are in peril of losing that most precious characteristic of our national character, the committment to tolerance for those who may differ with us, and their freedom to be safe and secure in our society, and to live without fear of violence or murder. We must take responsible action, all of us, to insure that we insure that out children, friends, and family appreciate and hold holy the rights of all Americans!

A CHALLENGE FOR PARENTS

 FAREWELL MATTHEW