On October 8, 1998, a 21-year-old college student was picked up from a gay bar, tortured, and murdered because of his sexuality in a state that had no hate crime laws to protect him. More than twenty years later, we continue to remember his life and legacy.In this episode, we discuss the brutal murder of Matthew Shepard, the United States’ reaction, and the impact this tragic event had in bringing about stricter hate crime legislation.Additional Resources:Matthew ShepardMatthew Shepard, Victim of Anti-Gay Hate Crime, DiesMatthew Shepard: The Murder that Changed AmericaWitnesses Trace Brutal Killing of Gay StudentBeaten Gay Student Dies; Murder Charges PlannedMcKinney Gets Two Life SentencesGay Murder Trial Ends With Guilty PleaTwo Decades After Matthew Shepard's Death, LGBTQ Community Still Battles Hate ViolencePresident Clinton During Departure Statement (1998) (Matthew Shepard)Celebrity Vigil For Matthew ShepardThe Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act / Matthew Shepard ActMatthewsPlace.comSupport the showGet Your Merch

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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