Lansing - Matthew Shepard spent the last night of his life tied to a fence in a remote Wyoming field for 18 hours, the temperature close to freezing.
Earlier in the night, he was severely beaten with the butt of a gun and left to die - because he was gay.
The 1998 murder brought national headlines and has been used to bring attention to hate crimes. In remembrance of the four-year anniversary, the Triangle Foundation held an overnight candlelight vigil beginning Sunday night and lasting into Monday evening.
Though executive director Jeff Montgomery stayed the entire 18 hours, he said he didn’t mind the long, cold night to commemorate Shepard’s death.
“When you really think about why we’re here, the time is insignificant,” Montgomery said.
While Shepard suffered alone, Montgomery was thankful for the friends and family attending the vigil together.
“We selfishly complained about the bracing wind,” he said. “We’ve come to realize the wind was like the night Matthew Shepard was there.”
While mourning violent crimes of the past, holding the vigil on the steps of the Capitol symbolized hope for the future, Montgomery said.
“It’s also a way to refocus our energy on what needs to be done in this state and in this country to help protect the thousands of victims of violence against gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgendered people,” he said.
One such way is to “change the hearts and minds of people,” Montgomery said. The other is to “use the tools that are available through legislation.”
The organization is lobbying for a sexual-orientation clause to be added to civil rights laws, as well as anti-bullying and hate-crimes legislation, he said.
Montgomery said political leaders seem to be ambivalent to the suffering, and with elections coming on Nov. 5, the foundation is hoping for leaders who will push for hate-crimes legislation.
Lansing resident Bill Lingbeek said he wished the vigil would bring the LBGT community attention from lawmakers.
“I hope it gets the attention of the legislators to get some bills passed for hate crimes,” he said. “They need to make things better for the community. It’s long overdue.”
Lingbeek said he “can only say I hope,” that new representation at the Capitol will improve hate-crimes legislation.
“We have positive people running,” he said. “It’s bound to make a difference. We can only keep trying.”
MSU alumnus Kirk Taskila said he is willing to continue to help raise awareness.
The Lansing resident attended the vigil to remember the victims of hate crimes - but also to promote education.
“Hopefully, it will awaken some individuals to see that these people are in danger and that legislators have an obligation to protect them,” he said.
Tara May can be reached at maytara@msu.edu.
