Free Republic

ABC is preparing a major investigation of the Matthew Shepard gay-bashing murder that contends it may not have been a hate crime — but a mugging gone wrong. Friends and family of Shepard — who became a national symbol of the senseless violence against gays — as well as gay activists are upset about the report, scheduled to air on "20/20" later this month. [snip] In a press release promoting the show, ABC promised "surprising revelations, including Laramie's underground world of methamphetamine use that may have contributed to the crime and whether or not Shepard knew his killers." "ABC...

Racist views exist in Wyoming, advocates say By Becky Orr rep6@wyomingnews.com Published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle CASPER - When Marilu Duncan moved to Wyoming from Mexico nearly 20 years ago, life was suddenly different. "Something happened to me when I crossed the border," Duncan said Wednesday during the state's first cultural diversity summit here. For the first time in her life, she was mistreated because of her ethnic background. A clerk, unable to understand her accent, was rude. "The way I was perceived had nothing to do with the way I perceived myself," Duncan said as she described her culture...