A feeling of utter repulsion washed over me as I read about a remarkable young man who was raped, terrorized, brutally beaten, and murdered all because of his sexual orientation. Matthew Shepard was a newly independent college student with a bright life in front of him, before it was viciously stolen from him. On October 11th, 1998, Matthew Shepard was beaten, while two despicable assailants ignored his pleas for his life. After having beaten him into a coma, the two soulless maggots left him helpless tied to a fence post. After being found, he died on Oct. 12th 1998, but never woke up to say goodbye to his family.

As I read more about Matthew Shepard‘s story, I found myself feeling nauseous. There is an anti-gay Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka who took it upon themselves to not only slander homosexuals, at Matthew Shepard’s funeral, but also at the trial of his killers. These signs were not preaching that sins could be repented, they were filled with hatred. The signs read "God Hates F***," "Matt in Hell," "F*** Die [sic] God Laughs" and "USA= F** Nation." Those were just a few of the utterly hateful and repulsive propaganda that was polluting the funeral of Matthew Shepard. I was speechless, and mortified at this point upon reading this. I decided to research into this church. From the websites I visited, I thought they had to be hoaxes. I thought they were jokes, parodies, mockeries of the people who do not support gay marriage. I then came to find horrible images, as well as writings from people like this who made me want to vomit at the mere thought of saying I was the same species as these haters. For what reason do these unintelligent parasites, think that they have the divine ability to cast judgment upon people? What I then came to unfold made me so utterly livid I barely was able to sit.

I find it hard to fathom that the Westboro Church now has a way to speak to God and find his true intentions with these acts. I find it pitiful that they are making a ventriloquist act of God. Using his image to spout of their despicable sayings and lies. These people scrounge on the lowest of filth for their hateful propaganda. They use their Bibles as shields in their pathetic quest for divine power against us mere mortals. The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) uses such appalling statements that make you wonder what twisted mind could formulate these unfathomable lines that bash and slander the helpless.

If desecrating Matthew Shepard’s funeral was not enough, then a monument MUST be erected. In some twisted way, he should be slandered for the rest of the monuments existence. The monument they hoped to erect was to say, “MATTHEW SHEPARD, Entered Hell October 12, 1998, in Defiance of God's Warning: 'Thou shalt not lie with mankind as with womankind; it is abomination.' Leviticus 18:22." If not for the lack of city permits, the law would allow this monument to stand “proud” in this boy’s town. Since when did smearing the name of the dead, become ok?