LETTERS: Not appropriate at a vigil

To the Editor: I attended in the hope that it would be an evening to encourage understanding and unification within the Penn campus and the greater Philadelphia community. I hoped that it could be an end to the malice behind hate crimes, not only against the homosexual community but against other races and nationalities, for this is an enormous obstacle which the United States faces today, regardless of what strides have been made. Unfortunately, for many speakers, the vigil which was supposed to honor Matthew Shepard instead became a platform from which they could espouse their political viewpoints. Numerous negative references were made to the "ubiquitous far right" and the "hypocritical conservative Christian" church. Without a doubt in my mind, there are churches in the past and present that have condemned homosexuality and, along with the rest of the far right, have contributed greatly to anti-homosexual attitudes which resulted in the murder of Matthew Shepard. I do not condone that rhetoric. I do, however, find error in the decision by many speakers to use a service which was to be a memorial of a victim of a terrible crime as a place where they could further the rift between the church and the homosexual community. While they preached love and understanding, the very same speakers would attack the far right and conservative Christian church which they accused of the exact same wrongdoing. Reconciliation, understanding and, ultimately, love do not arise from such attitudes. When will the circle of hatred, accusations and denunciation end? Will Matthew Shepard be the last victim of a hate crime? I pray to God that he is, but I fear after Tuesday night that he will not be. Matthew Grove College '02