Hate Crimes

In a small town known as Laramie, Wyoming a kid was victimized by two boys the same age because of money issues and the stealing of drugs. It wasn't a typical day for 21 year old Matthew Shepard, the victim of the hate crime that happened the night of October 6, 1998. After reading the first few pages of Moisés Kaufman's book, The Laramie Project, it was surprising to see that after a tragic event that eventually killed Matthew had become major news making it an international news report around the world. Laramie wasn't known to be the small unknown town anymore but the town known to have hate crimes happen there. "If you would have asked me before, I would have told you Laramie is a beautiful town, secluded enough that you can have your own identity… Now, after Matthew, I would say that Laramie is a town defined by an accident, a crime. We've become Waco, we've become Jasper"(Kaufman 7). Laramie is a well known town because of the crime that happened and now Laramie has this reputation of a town that commits crimes. Everyone knew each other in Laramie and when Matthew first moved to Laramie he was shy and in the process of finding his identity until he met Romaine Peterson. They were very close before the incident happened. "I did hear from Matthew about forty-eight hours before his attack. And he told me that he had joined the gay and lesbian group on campus, and he said he was enjoying it, you know, he was getting ready for the Pride Week and whatnot"(Kaufman 18). Before Matthew's attack, he was living a life in which he enjoyed, having fun even though he was being made fun of his homosexuality. It has been said that Matthew Shepard wasn't tied up to a fence and brutally beaten because he was gay but because of money issues, stealing of drugs, and a disorder he had, but who knows the truth. Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, the murderers of Matthew Shepard both said that they have not remorse in the murder of Matthew. This world has become a crime scene whether it's a hate crime or another crime. People don't think twice about the hate crimes whether it's a murder or a beating that go on around them but instead just see it as a regular day to day thing.

       
  On June 7, 1998 an African-American known to be James Byrd was also murdered from a hate crime because of the color of his skin. When gotten offered a ride from three men to a church in Jasper, Texas, that James was suppose to attend that morning, they surely didn't take him there but instead to a remote road out of town. He was ultimately chained up behind a pick up truck by the ankles and was dragged the road for three miles leaving blood and body parts throughout the miles. "…His body gradually tearing into pieces before his head and right shoulder were severed from his torso by a roadside culvert"(The New York Times, Scott Veale). This punishment that occurred to James was brutal and horrific. The hate from the three men towards James was significantly cruel and had no reasoning behind the crime itself. The city of Jasper wanted to have some memorial that resembles James Byrd and his presence he brought to the city. What the town eventually did after the crime was build a memorial park after his name so people could remember him. This example shows the importance of James Byrd a how he made such an impact on not just the city of Jasper itself but all throughout the world. The main reason why Shawn Berry(Truck Driver), Lawrence Brewer, and John King killed James was because of his skin color. The remaining of James's body was thrown in front of an African-American cemetery. This reflected on people so much, they wanted to help and make a difference in the world. From the murder of James Byrd and Matthew Shepard this led to a hate crime law called the federal Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, also known as the Matthew Shepard Act.