Judy Shepard appeared on The Early Show this morning to discuss her gay son, Matthew, who was beaten and left for dead ten years ago today.

[via Towleroad]

It's not often that you see Republicans using gay rights as the positive foundation for a campaign commercial, but Oregonian Senator Gordon Smith is not your regular Republican.

The politico this weekend released an advert highlighting his support for gay-inclusive federal hate crime laws, measures Democratic Senator Ted Kennedy also supported.

Judy Shepard, whose son Matthew was murdered a decade ago, an event Smith's commercial invokes, praised the ad, saying: "I support Gordon. He’s been with us on everything except the gay marriage vote. He has shown tremendous leadership and compassion for all of our legislation. To lose that would be terrible."

Gay group Basic Rights Oregon, which has previously endorsed Smith, came out against the ad, and specifically took on the Senator's opposition to gay marriage. "…Gordon Smith was a poster child for 2004’s Measure 36, a (state) constitutional amendment that made gay Oregonians second-class citizens under the law by denying committed couples the security and dignity of marriage," said Basic Rights' executive director, Jeana Frazzini.

The Log Cabin Republicans are backing Smith's reelection.

A California-based reader has some seriously negative views on the Pink Pistols, which is sort of like the NRA, only for gay people.

We're not sure what why the missive was sent to us, but here it is:

I am a gay man in Sacramento. I heard about your group. Are you people DAFT? PINK PISTOLS? What the hell are you thinking? It's a STUPID IDIOTIC name, and insulting to any man with an ounce of self respect. You do great damage to the gay movement, by proving that we are just what the straights think, freakish pansy asses. I am utterly disgusted. Pull your heads out of your asses gentlemen, or should I say ladies?

THIS KIND OF SHIT IS WHAT LEADS TO BEATINGS OF KIDS LIKE MATTHEW SHEPPARD [sic]

FIND SOME SELF RESPECT YOU MORONS.

Oh dear…

Judy Shepard is basically the hardest working gay rights activist in the universe. The Wyoming-based mama has been campaigning nearly non-stop for a decade, since her son Matthew was beaten and left for dead.

Sure, fighting for inclusive hate crimes law's ain't easy, but Shepard says it's worth it.

"I'm just somebody's mom who got really angry at the system and felt I had the opportunity to make a change," Shepard said.
…
Her stump speech brings Matthew to life — his strong opinions, passion for politics, generous nature, short temper. It's also peppered with references to hope and barbs at the Bush administration.

The work is exhausting, but it has kept her family from becoming victims, she said in an interview afterward.

"In my own mind, speaking like I did today, that is my grief process," Shepard said. "I get to keep Matthew with me."

Another thing she'll keep with her - a distaste for his killers. There's no forgiving and forgetting here: "It's not a part of my process… I don't blame them 100 percent. I sort of blame society for creating the environment to make them think they could get away with it." Wag that finger, mama!

Judy Shepard ain't shutting up about the House's decision to ditch hate crimes legislation. Nor should she.

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The House of Representatives will be getting even more gay over the next few days. Less than a week after passing the non-inclusive ENDA, America's politicos seem poised to vote on the Senate-approved Hate Crimes Bill. Human Rights Campaign's Chris Johnson passes on the exciting news:

Following a meeting with Capitol Hill legislative staff this afternoon, our legislative team sent word that the House will likely appoint conferees tomorrow to the Department of Defense authorization bill.
…
The conferees are likely to meet on Wednesday and are expected to file the conference report before midnight tomorrow. We're also hearing that the conference report will be ready for floor action on Thursday, but that could slip to Friday.

That damn legislation sure does get slippery!

Johnson goes on to explain that if the House approves the bill, which has been tacked on to a Department of Defense authorization bill, President Bush will have ten days to sign or veto the measure. We all know how that one's going to work out.

Despite being in throes of a multi-million dollar guilty verdict for picketing a dead soldier's funeral (they were found guilty yesterday), about ten Westboro Baptist Church members spread their hate at the Matthew Shepard Awards in Los Angeles Saturday. Those zealots sure are tenacious!

According to one eye witness account, no one really gave a shit about the tacky picketing: "No one paid much attention other than a few homeless people".

Meanwhile, Fred Phelps and his spawn Shirley plan to appeal yesterday's ruling,, which left them with a $10.9 million bill. In this horror of a pdf press release, they write,

Not only did you fail to stop our preaching, but our message has gone forth to the entire world on this very day, because of your folly, like never before! Thank God for the $10.9 million verdict.

Yes, the world has heard your message and they think it's insane. The WPC will continue spreading its insanity at a forthcoming production of The Laramie Project, which happens to feature anti-gay activist Amy Contrada's lesbian daughter, Claudia.

Party!

[Thanks to Karen Ocamb for the photo!]

As part of his new segment, Gay Roundup, Comedy Central's Steven Colbert invited gay sexpert Dan Savage to explain the newly passed Matthew Shepard Act.

And, of course, what gay roundup would be complete with a little look at Larry Craig and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The results? Hilarious.

Russian rabble-rouser Nikolai Alexeyev will be the keynote speaker at Chicago's Matthew Shepard March this Saturday. Alexeyev's made international headlines for his tireless gay activism and the outing of prominent politico Alexander Chuev.

That stunt may earn Alexeyev slander charges.

Of Alexeyev's involvement, Gay Liberation Network's Andy Thayer says "[His work] demonstrates how rights have always been won, regardless of country."

Presidential candidate Barack Obama issued a statement supporting the hate crime bill's passage yesterday. He also "urges" President Bush to sign the bill, which he vowed to veto:

This vote was about who we are as Americans and whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality. Those who commit hate crimes should be punished no matter whether those crimes are committed on account of race, gender, religion, disability, or sexual orientation. Today's vote is a victory for all of us in upholding basic rights and protections in this country. I urge the President to reconsider his veto threat and support this legislation. Passing this bill will help us live up to the principle that in this country, we treat all of our citizens with dignity and respect.

President Bush, of course, will have stopped reading at "dignity".

Matthew Shepard's parents, Judy and Dennis, are elated to hear the Senate passed hate crime legislation. The couple released this joint statement:

Today’s Senate vote sends a bold and unmistakable message that violent crimes committed in the name of hate must end. The Matthew Shepard Act is an essential step to erasing hate in America and we are humbled that it bears our son’s name. It has been almost nine years since Matthew was taken from us. This bill is a fitting tribute to his memory and to all of those who have lost their lives to hate.

Mrs. Shepard went on to say she expects the White House to join the side of equality: "Today we join with millions of Americans to encourage the White House to follow Congress and ensure that the Matthew Shepard Act becomes law."

It's a good day in Washington, where the Senate just passed the Matthew Shepard Act. That act allows state authorities to use federal resources to investigate hate crimes. It also offers stricter punishments for anti-gay attackers. From Joe.My.God:

By a 60-39 vote, the Senate just passed Matthew Shepard Act. Sixty votes were required for cloture. Happy day! I don't know who the missing voter is yet.

Now we'll see if the president will veto the defense appropriations bill to which the MSA is attached, as he has threatened to do.

Maybe Bush will forget…

• Matthew Shepard's father, Dennis Shepard, wants you to support Congress' Matthew Shepard Act, which includes gays in hate crime legislation:

All of us—gay and straight alike–need to act. Hate affects each and every one of us. It knows no limits, follows no clear set of rules, and has infiltrated our society’s most basic institutions.

For more information on how to contact your respective Senators, visit Matthew Shepard's website.

• Rosie v. Paula Abdul: the legend begins.

• Uniqlo v. Gap: no contest.

• New York's Human Rights Division allegedly prefers white gay men, getting sued for discrimination.

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