Judy Shepard rejects Rep. Foxx's apology - cross posted from LBN because it is important

[mtnester]

Source: MSNBC

NEW YORK - Judy Shepard doesn't think Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., was sincere when she apologized for calling the 1998 murder of Shepard's son, Matthew, "a hoax."

"Attacks of lesser consequence have been said about Matt since the beginning... but I never expected it to be called 'a hoax,'" said Shepard Thursday on "The Rachel Maddow Show."

During a debate in the House of Representatives Wednesday, Foxx said that the death of Matthew Shepard shouldn't be used to justify a hate crimes bill because it wasn't a hate crime. Foxx said Shepard was killed during a robbery.

In a statement released the following day, Foxx said her comments didn't convey what she meant to say. "The term 'hoax' was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill," Foxx said.

...

Judy Shepard, who was present when Foxx made the remarks, was unconvinced by the clarification. "It's apologizing for semantics but not her sentiment, her insensitivity or her ignorance," she said on MSNBC.

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30505428 /

When I read the "apology" myself, this was the exact impression I got too. She was apologizing for the unfortunate use of the word, NOT the sentiment behind it. Rep. Foxx is a tool of the HIGHEST order.

But for the grace of God go any of us parents of a GLBT child - I admire Judy Shepard deeply for her strength and poise.




On edit - the LBN link: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3857596

[tekisui]

1. knr!~

[xchrom]

2. recommend

[Zuiderelle]

3. k&r

[BOSSHOG]

4. Conservatives consistently amaze me

Every day they do or say something to make me hate them more intensely.

Not a hate crime, what an ignorant fucking moron!!

Murdering a person and hanging him on a fence?? Thats a conservative HOAX??

[niyad]

5. k & r

[David__77]

6. These Foxxs, Coburns, etc. etc. are the undoing of the GOP in most of the country.

I love that they are the spokespeople of the GOP. What many right-wingers do not seem to realize is that the "Reagan coalition" has dramatically shrank since the 1980s, and the "McGovern coalition" and the "Jesse Jackson coalition" has dramatically increased in size in the past 20 years. The country is simply different. And the GOP risks becoming a regional party, or a sectoral party VERY closely identified with right-wing protestantism rather than the general center-right. If Democrats are smart, they have a real opportunity of achieving substantial hegemony in a way not seen since the 1930's.

[mitchtv]

12. Only the Dems are not smart

they are always ready to betray some people in their coalition

[foxfeet]

7. K&R

[grace0418]

8. I'm surprised Foxx didn't go for the GOP standard non-apology: "I'm sorry you were offended."

Way to go Judy Shepard. She has courage, grace and class, qualities Virginia Foxx certainly doesn't possess.

[Steven_D]

9. Good for her

If my child's murder was called a hoax I wouldn't accept an apology either.

[rhett o rick]

10. Rep Foxx doesn't like laws against hate because she and her ilk, thrive on it. nm

[rhett o rick]

11. Yes hoax was a poor choice of words, just like all the rest of the words she used. Rep Foxx

is a poor choice of humans.

[yardwork]

13. First Elizabeth Dole, and now Virginia Foxx. NC may be starting to throw out the morans.

This is the state where Jesse Helms said whatever damn fool evil thing crawled out of his mouth and got away with it for decades. Maybe my state is finally starting to turn the corner into saying "enough!" to these horrible people.

[imdjh]

14. It sounds cold, but it's the only way. Shame builds character.

... and only the most "devout" , and of course those who make their living from having their head up their ass wouldn't feel it.

If you have never experienced shame for something you have said, you've been cheated. It's a growth experience, especially if you did the kind of damage that can never be undone. The old saying is that "shame builds character", but what a lot of people don't get is that only one kind of shame builds character- deeply felt shame. The other isn't really shame, it's embarrassment.