Local religious leaders organized a candlelight vigil in Austin at University Baptist Church last night to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the deaths of Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr., both of whom perished at the hands of men who learned to hate others because of their sexuality and/or race. Last night's event was an attempt to bring the community together to to battle the evils of homophobia and racism. Among the speakers was Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo who said that hate crimes are something that he will not tolerate:
"It hurts me as a person that we still average 10 hate crimes a year in our city," Acevedo said. "That's 10 too many."
Another speaker, Reverend Stephen Sprinkle, spoke out against the lack of federal laws dealing with hate crimes directed at victims based on sexual orientation, gender issues, and disability.
While hate crime victims Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. led very different lives, they are "forever united in a history of hope" for an end to prejudice-motivated crimes, the Rev. Stephen Sprinkle told a group gathered in Austin to commemorate the 10th anniversary of their deaths.
Sprinkle was the keynote speaker at a candlelight vigil Sunday night at University Baptist Church on Guadalupe Street to honor Shepard, a 21-year-old gay man who was killed in Wyoming, and Byrd, a black man who was killed in the East Texas town of Jasper.
"A decade ago, they lost their lives to men who learned to hate," said Sprinkle, a theology professor at Texas Christian University.
Sunday's event was organized by local religious leaders who wanted to bring people in the community together to combat racism and homophobia.
"We wanted to bring African Americans, the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) community, and people committed to hope and compassion," said the Rev. Karen Thompson of Metropolitan Community Church of Austin.
"Hope is always a better way, regardless of our differences."
The 1998 deaths of Shepard and Byrd brought national attention to hate killings in the United States. Shepard was robbed and tortured before being tied to a fence on Oct. 7, 1998, in Laramie, Wyo. He died in the hospital a few days later.
Four months to the day earlier, three white men attacked Byrd in Jasper, tied him to the back of a pickup and dragged him to his death.
Sprinkle was critical of the lack of federal laws dealing with hate crimes directed at victims based on sexual orientation, gender issues and disability.
He also said that not enough crimes have been prosecuted under Texas' James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Act.
"The real problem is not the murders," Sprinkle said. "It is that their deaths have not been vindicated."
Addressing the vigil, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said hate crimes are something that he will not tolerate.
"It hurts me as a person that we still average 10 hate crimes a year in our city," Acevedo said. "That's 10 too many."
University Baptist Church member Roy Larson said he was proud of his congregation for hosting the event.
"Our continued hope is that attitudes will change and that the laws will protect all people," Larson said
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