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10.29.03 - 12:19 a.m. Crazy shit in America: (Casper, Wyoming) Anti-gay preacher Fred Phelps has announced intentions to erect a monument to Matthew Shepard the gay college student brutally murdered five years ago near Laramie. But, the monument will be no memorial. Phelps says the monument would be 5 to 6 feet tall and made of marble or granite. It would bear a bronze plaque bearing the image of Shepard and have an inscription reading "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." The monument would be erected in downtown Casper, Shepard's home town. Phelps has sent details of the monument to the city of Casper city council and there may be nothing the city can do to prevent it. Phelps said he intends to put up the monument in City Park, already the location of a controversial statue of the Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments statue was donated to the city by the Fraternal Order of the Eagles in 1965. After a court battle over a similar monument in the city of Ogden, the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that any city that displays a Ten Commandments monument on public property must also allow monuments espousing the views of other religions or political groups on that same property. Phelps told Casper council in his letter that if it attempts to prevent him from erecting the homophobic monument he's prepared to go to court. "That is exactly what I said would happen," said Councilwoman Barb Watters. She said she warned the city when it accepted the Ten Commandments statue that the city risked other monuments advocating anti-Semitism and hatred of other minorities. "I think the hate language will find a very cold reception in this community," councilor Paul Bertoglio said. "I think this community's backbone is going to come up and say 'We are not going to accept it.'" The city council is looking at several options, one is fighting Phelps in court, another is moving the Ten Commandments out of the park, and yet another proposal would be to sell the land the park is on. Phelps says he doesn't care what the city decides. If he is unable to put the statue in City Park he said he will find another location in the city. During Shepard's funeral members of Phelps' Westoboro Baptist Church demonstrated in front of the chapel. Article © 365Gay.com, 2003 I really have nothing to say about this article...to be honest I find it very hard to believe. I sort of pretend people can't possibly be that ignorant and hateful...they just can't be. It's crazy on the homefront, too. No evil statues being erected in my backyard, but plenty of crazy living up stairs in the guest room. Dara is not getting any 'better,' and D. has brought it to my attention (as if I didn't already know...) that Dara is my friend (ex-friend?) and I should just confront her and give her an ultimatum of 800.00 by December 1st, or pack yer bags. I find myself in such a tough spot, because I am pissed off at her, and I feel equally sorry for her. She really does seem quite pittiful these days. I keep holding on for the moment when she 'sees the light' and does everything possible to make things right, but more and more I am realizing this is yet another example of me living in an idealistic, unrealistic world. I have been thinking more and more about how good guys really don't win. There is no great Karma wheel that spins and rewards those who try their best to show kindness and give whenever they can. Supposedly, Heaven or its cultural equal, is the great reward in the end for those do-gooders, but don't you think that should be a given for everyone. Life is a pretty difficult challenge...and if you get through it there should be something cool at the end, even if you were an asshole. I'm not looking for a winning lotto ticket that will fix all of my financial woes and make it easier for me to get by, although that would be quite nice. I just want a little somethin', somethin' to fall in my path and make me think to myself, "well shit, life is a pretty sweet fruit." Oh, and a nonsequitor of sorts...I have figured out why I am non-social..or at least I have justified. I don't really want any new friends. The ones I have suffice, at least the ones who don't take total advantage of me. They say (I have no idea who the 'they' is) that you should add new elements in your life via new found friends, and I think that even though I have known some of my friends for years, they still surprise me on a daily basis. Hell, I have known my mother my whole life and I am always learning some new element as to who she is as a person, as a human. Maybe, I have been burnt too many times, and I just don't trust anyone, but then that wouldn't fit in with my rose colored glasses approach to life. I am truly the divine fool.
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