In an article written by Chas Sisk at The Tennessean had a feature on Matthew Shepard’s father, who arrived at the Tennessee State Capitol to voice his concerns about the laws being proposed by anti-LGBT lawmakers.
This last year has seen an embarrassing onslaught of anti-LGBT legislation in Tennessee from Stacy Campfield, who is pushing not just the “Don’t Say Gay” bill but also spreading lies about the homosexual community, to Rep. Richard Floyd (R) who, when asked about a recent case of a transgendered individuals rights to use the appropriate changing room at a department store, said, “I don’t care if he thinks he’s a woman and tries on clothes with them in there — I’d just try to stomp a mudhole in him and then stomp him dry. Don’t ask me to adjust to their perverted way of thinking and put my family at risk.”
Mr. Shepard, who lost his son Matthew in a brutal hate crime in 1998 which spurred much of the anti-hate movement, voiced his concerns about this government-sponsored prejudice at the state Capitol:
Dennis Shepard, the father of Matthew Shepard, said legislators are encouraging the bullying of gay, lesbian and transgendered people with bills aimed at them. These bills have contributed to the suicides of two Tennessee high school students in recent weeks, both of whom had complained of being bullied in school, Shepard said.
“That should be discouraged from day one,” Shepard said. “These bills disturb me, just the fact that they’ve been brought to the forefront and there’s so much publicity about them.”
For the full article and video of Mr. Shepard speaking, please visit The Tennessean.
Tommy Karr 