When North Carolina Rep. Virginia Foxx said yesterday on the House floor that Matthew Shepard was murdered during a robbery, not because he was gay, and that calling his death a hate crime was a “hoax,” what she really meant to say was, “I listened to a ABC News report, and if I’m wrong, so too was ABC!”
Okay, what Foxx really said in a follow up damage control statement was: “The larger context of my remarks is important. I was referring to a 2004 ABC 20/20 report on Mr. Shepard’s death. The 20/20 report questioned the motivation of those responsible for Mr. Shepard’s death. Referencing this media account may have been a mistake, but if so it was a mistake based on what I believed were reliable accounts.”
So just what was in that ABC News report? Back in 2004, anchor Elizabeth Vargas was on The O’Reilly Factor and shared her findings: “The prosecutor who prosecuted these crimes says that he never believed it was a hate crime. He believes it was a drug crime. Aaron McKinney, according to Aaron McKinney himself and to several other witnesses, was coming down from a five-day methamphetamine binge. He freely admits he not only used methamphetamine but dealt them, sold them. Five days up with no sleep, strung out on drugs, desperate to buy more, desperate to rob somebody to get money to buy more drugs. This was the motive, according to Aaron McKinney and the other witnesses. … Even the prosecutor says there was more to the murder. The prosecutor who prosecuted these crimes says that he never believed it was a hate crime. He believes it was a drug crime.”
Fine. So Foxx was basing her conclusion on a flawed ABC News report. Which gives Keith Olbermann all the rope he needs to hang her (mark 2:40):
How about we take this to the next level?
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Did we mention Matthew Shepard’s mother Judy, a staunch gay rights advocate and supporter of hate crimes legislation, was in the House Gallery while Foxx delivered her remarks?
gayvirgo
Keith Olbermann. Say what you will about him, but when he says something he says it with a thought-full passion. He is a hero for the way he has championed gay issues. Few in the media have been as outspoken as he is about the causes that matter most to us.
unclemike
@HeteroDefenseLeague: Coming from you, that’s a helluva recommendation for the man. Go Keith!
vernonvanderbilt
Hettie wants Olbermann’s peepee into his doodyhole. He told me that.
gayvirgo
@HDL: Really? And I suppose that your response is measured, thoughtful, fair, and not the least bit juvenile.
Jennifer
HDL, it’s so sad to see the remnants of the Republican Party go slowly out of their minds, as the mess they made of the US is cleaned up. It must really gall to see that, no matter how much havoc you creatures wreaked upon your own nation, the New President is so damned smart, that he will pull it out of the hole. I hope you’re covered for good meds, dude.
wurdtourmutha
#2….pot…kettle…kettle…pot.
wurdtourmutha
sorry, that was not directed at “unclemike” but at hetro yadda yadda yadda. lol
RyanInSacto
Dear Queerty commenters,
I would like to make a modest proposal. First, anytime HDL posts, flag the post. Second, à la VernonVanderbilt, if you must respond, only do so in order to remind this fellow (if it is a fellow) that he has a chronic case of the gay just like the rest of us and throwing around all homophobic sound and fury in the world won’t change it. Then, perhaps, recommend your preferred flavor of pornography to him so that perhaps he’ll find a new online hobby.
Sincerely yours,
RyanInSacto
gayvirgo
Here is the link to email Rep. Foxx. Use her office address/zip code or it won’t go through:
http://www.house.gov/formfoxx/IMA/issue_subscribe.htm
240 Hwy 105
Boone, NC 28607
John Santos
I saw that 20/20 segment on ABC when it first aired. What Vargas failed to mention while on Bill’s show was that both killers admitted in prison that they killed Matt because he was gay. It was a highly biased and anti-gay segment produced by a homocon whose name I can’t recall now.
Here’s a good site with Judy’s comments about the show and Vargas’ selective editing:
http://tinyurl.com/dz9thh
Vargas made the killers out to be poor innocent victims and made the victim out to be a junkie sex fiend
Dabq
Is this hag for real? I saw her yapping and wanted to puke over her hate, just who are the people that keep voting her in?
ChristopherM
20/20 has been completely unwatchable ever since they gave John Stossel an anchor’s chair. He should just quit now and head over to Fox News. He’d probably be happier.
Dennis
@HeteroDefenseLeague:
Ahh, HDL, back again…you know, a day without you is like a day without little flecks of corn in my shit….and you know, you really are the corn in my shit, friend…always trying to stand out, refusing to blend in, demanding to be seen…
Just wanted to let you know you know YO DO have a Divine purpose on the planet…keep doing your important work.
Bruno
@HeteroDefenseLeague:
You’re Shirley Roper-Phelps, aren’t you?
sweetdog
@HeteroDefenseLeague:
What the *&!@ are you doing on a GAY website? Perhaps you should Google a blog for Carrie Prejean, join the conversation and leave your “radical bigoted left wing whacko wingnut basket case” comments there. Idiot!
alejandro
EVERYONE PLZ IGNORE HIM!! its starting to get real annoying..
Ian
I just love LOVE Keith Olbermann. He is my hero.
Educated Person
hahahahahahahaha!!! The Hoot-Smalley Act. Or was it the Boot-Smelly Act.
What an idiot. I thought rube Republican politicians were a dying breed.
And from Minnesota no less! I thought you people were smarter than that.
What an idiot.
Educated Person
What’s with Foxxy lady’s eyes, anyway? Looks like neurological scrambled eggs — and she talks like it, too.
OMG, how do these half-wits get elected?
Bloodless, brainless droids.
Sue
I am from NC and it is so hard to live in the state that this lady represents. To top it all, her property adjoins mine. Anyway when election time rolls around, I hope this group and Keith and whomever else can will help us shine the light on her heart, cold and stupid. We have more than our share, true, but we aren’t all homophobic rubes.
Todd
Matthew Shepard’s murder was NOT a hoax, but the media circus following it -including the funeral and court protests by Fred Phelps -were all planned 10 years in advance:
http://www.amazon.com/After-Ball-America-Conquer-Hatred/dp/0452264987