Rep. Virginia Foxx was J/K when she said that Matthew Shepard was not murdered for being gay. She was just relying on stories from the lying news media! That, um, didn’t sit so well with Matthew’s mom Judy, who was sitting in the House gallery when Foxx spoke, and has been campaigning for the past 10 years to pass federal hate crime legislation. Judy told Rachel Maddow last night: “It’s apologizing for semantics, not for her sentiment or actually what she said, her insensitivity or her ignorance.”
Empty Sorry
Geoff
I really admire Judy Shepard, she is an amazing woman and right on the money where V. Foxx is concerned.
Dennis
Thank you for posting this. Thank God for Rachel Maddow, she is one of the most intelligent people in television news today…that she’s a lesbian and has “liberal tendencies” is just icing on the cake.
Judy Shepard has taken a personal tragedy and turned it into a cause that benefits everyone, she has worked tirelessly for the past 10 years on this…truly a hero!
ajax
Virgina Fox should prosecuted for a hate crime against Judy Shepard.
Bruno
Something about the way Judy Shepard speaks so calmly, articulately, and intelligently chokes me up for some reason. I know it’s been over a decade, but she still strikes me as being so incredibly brave in the face of her tragedy.
DM73
Judy Shepard is a REAL hero. Unlike the hordes of Hannity wanna-be’s out there, this woman epotimizes what it truly is to be a self-less courageous and brave hero. It’s the Virginia Foxx’s of the world that are the real threats to this country. A thoughtless bully who has no regard to the suffering of anyone deemed beneath her social strata. She knew full well what she said on the floor. You don’t think she was briefed before hand what the bill consists of. You don’t think she had her little notes in her little genteel hands ready with her little parlour room zingers. She’s fully aware of every syllable that poured out of her taut mouth. Matthew Shepard’s death OR the death of anyone not deemed “normal” isn’t a hate crime in her reasoning. It’s what we deserve. Judy Shepard out of tragedy continues to fight creatures like Virginia for whom compassion is a thing to be found in pages of a book and not something one actively practices in their lives.
andy_d
Not too surprising, Rep. Foxx’s office has turned its phones over to answering machine mode. In the off chance one should get through, the office staff is just picking up and then immediately hanging up the phone.
You can leave a message calling for a PUBLIC apology to Judy Shepard by calling 202-224-3121 and asking for Rep. Foxx’s office.
sal
i feel for that mother
Hannah
Wow. Judy Shepard is an amazing woman for being so persistent, fighting for a decade for her son. My favorite part was when she said “It brings us to a level of equality” (or something to that effect), meaning she identifies with GLBTQQI individuals. Hate crimes send a message to the gay community, but leave a mark on heterosexual family members as well.
I also can’t believe how calm both women were. I’d be yellin’ and pissed off at Foxx’s comments and non-apology.