^^^ The Confrontation in Wyoming
The article chilled me to the core. Wyoming will always be remembered, by me at least, as responsible for creating the killers of Matthew Shepard. My gut wrenched and my spine chilled as I read the article. A lesbian couple threatened by an organized group of loud, hateful "neighbors" who I have no doubt have been encouraged and gaslit by the GoS's divisive rhetoric and hate speech. Of all places in the US, Wyoming, some 22 years after Shepar's killing, still has no hate crimes legislation - unbelievable. It's clear from the article, that many people in those wide expanses, are in the "live-and-let-live" category but it only takes a few loud, hate-spoken bigots to make one feel daily not welcome, not safe. That's no way to live your life - "ain't none of nobody's business but ours..."
“We can’t be protected by weapons,” Shannon said. “We have an alarm system, surveillance cameras, all of that, but that can only help so much. It gives you a small sense of reducing the risks. But the courts aren’t going to protect us. … It’s just a simple trespass. I guess I just never realized before how vulnerable we are.”
I just don't know what to think about the folks that voted for the GoS anymore and the hateful messages being loudly projected by the GoP. How these so-called "Christian" people can spout, promote and silently endorse such indecency, disrespect and vileness is beyond my understanding. Have they been absolutely and totally brainwashed? I just shake my head and wonder if we will be able to move past this in my lifetime with all the damages done without significant change of hearts, minds and attitudes that we've not seen in a generation.
^^^ The article about the skier Hig Roberts coming out is another reflection of what the Wyoming lesbian couple (above) is feeling. When what ought to be "live-and-let-live" gives way to the deep impacts of fear for your life, fear for your being and seeing hate expressed by people you respect - it's hard to just be. We need to always be aware of these impacts. Even what could have been a slight passing comment, which people make, has lasting, significant impact. My hat's off to this young man.
"[Being in the closet] took away a lot of the experience and the joy I could have experienced during this life and that’s a shame,” Roberts tells Out. “I had moments of standing on the podium with national titles and still feeling depressed. I was almost in a daze because of the mental anguish I would feel. I had sleepless nights. I had anxiety attacks. I had big bouts of depression. I had to closet all of that from my teammates and my coaches.”
.... V.
