LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
The Way I See It |
by Steve Elkins, Editor |
As Halloween approaches, gay people everywhere get this hot little tingle right down in the depths of our gay genesits time to play dress up! There just seems to be something about this holiday that brings out the kid in all of us. With this years festivities falling on a Saturday night, you can be sure that all your favorite hot spots will be in full swing. On a much more disturbing note, the real life horror of this Halloween season has been the terrible gay bashing and murder of University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard by some of his fellow students. On Thursday night, October 8, Shepard was savagely attacked, beaten, burned and left for up to eighteen hours tied to a wooden fence post outside of Laramie. Shepard died in the early morning hours of October 12. Attacks against gays and lesbians are not uncommon, as we all know. Over 11% of all hate crimes in this country are directed against members of our community. We can only hope that this brutal crime will focus national attention on the need for Congress to pass the Hate Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA) sponsored by Senators Kennedy, Specter, and Wyden, and Representatives McCollum and Schumer. If you remember, back in July both the House and Senate Judiciary Committees held hearings to change the current law to include sexual orientation, gender and disability and to increase federal law enforcement jurisdictionbut since the hearings, according to HRC (Human Rights Campaign) there has been no movement on this legislation. We must all agree with HRCs Winnie Stachelberg as she calls for the passage of HCPA"we are outraged and sickened by this attack performed by a group of cowards. How long does the brutality have to go on until Congress sends the message that this type of behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our society." The two motorcyclists who discovered Shepards body were reported to have said that they thought at first it was a scarecrow. To me it sounds a lot like a modern day crucifixion. With right wing religious organizations preaching anti-gay propaganda, is it any wonder that many young people in our society are confused on the issues. Why are we surprised when they explode violently if for their whole life theyve been fed gunpowder in the form of gay prejudice? It makes me especially proud to be involved with Epworth Methodist Church on Baltimore Avenue in Rehoboth. Epworth has joined the ranks of churches around the country that are standing up to welcome gays and lesbians into their congregations. In that action, the church is doing its small part to put an end to both gay bashing of this kind, as well as the tragic suicide rate among gay and lesbian teenagers trying to cope with who they are in a hostile world. In a somewhat lighter vein, the Rehoboth cultural scene continues to expand. The Henlopen Theater Project expects to produce its first year of professional theater during the summer of 1999 with a season of two plays and a special performance event. Help get them started; be a charter member. Call HTP at 302-226-4103 for details. Finally, the most exciting new cultural event in Rehoboth this fall is the Rehoboth Beach Independent Film Festival, November 12-15. Barry Becker, Rob Rector and a whole crew of volunteers have worked hard to make this a great experience for all of us. On page 20 of this issue, Barry Becker gives an overview of festival highlights, as well as a few films that may be of special interest to gay and lesbian film buffs. Watch for the Festival guide available October 19. Happy viewing, happy Halloween, and all that jazz! |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 8, No. 14, October 16, 1998. |