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Gay studer ASSOCIATED PRESS LARAMIE, Wyo. ? Even as outrage grows over the fatal beating of gay student Matthew Shepard, authorities are wrestling with new hate messages aimed at homosexual^. One such missive even applauded his death. Shepard was found a week ago and died Monday at a hospital in Fort Collins, Colo., where police were investigating both an offensive parade float and a violently worded e-mail message sent to two gay groups after his death. It closed with the words, "I hope it happens more often." The message was discovered by Brenda Hervey, executive director of the Rainbow Chorus, a "J wish choir made up of gay and heterosexual per- DCKiy C( formers. Members of us a tm the Lambda Commu- tlr*r? nf nity Center received the same e-mail. conside Hervey initially hate cri thought the e-mail was intended to inform her of Shepard's death. Alba "When I clicked to open the message and began reading, I was just sickened," she said Tuesday. Shepard was pistol-whipped and lashed to a fence post outside Laramie for 18 hours in near-freezing temperatures, authorities say. The 21-yearold University of Wyoming student died after five days in a coma. Police say robbery was the main motive, but Shepard's attackers apparently chose him partly because he was gay. His assailants apparently lured him from a campus bar, attacked him and left him hanging like a scarecrow. Charges against Russell Arthur Henderson, 21, and Aaron James McKinney, 21, include first-degree murder, aggravated robbery and kidnapping with intent to inflict bodily injury or terrorize the victim. Prosecutors haven't said whether they will seek the death penalty. The killing has drawn nationwide attention, including President Clinton's call for Congress to pass legislation making it easier for federal prosecution of hate crimes. Albany County Sheriffs Lt. Rob DeBree, the lead investigator in the case, said he and other local officers SMASH ONTOU TELEVISI Hey, you hi tin enter the 15th t till t I m Ym lilt ana you can win a New York. How to win: Make a five-minute VHS video (no tape to Conan O'Brien Band Search, Room 4880E, New York, NY 10112 received by November 30,1998. Ta on creativity, performance and eligi returned). Entrants must be 18 or c members must be enrolled in coller equivalent) by September 30,1998 receive a Late Night with Conan O'l "Live From 6A" CD. Not in the band? You can be a m One winner (and guest or guardian) i York to see the winning band live oi Conan O'Brien. Runners-ups will rec to The Gap, "Live From 6A" CD or a CD-ROM. For official rules and legal mumbo-jumbc Conan Rules, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, RoorT 10112. Requests must be received by No entry fee or purchase required. Employees ( Company, Inc., AT&T, The Gap and their i advertising and promotion agencies and I of each of the above are ineligible. Don't forget to watch Late Night with Conan O'Brit every weeknight 12:35AM/ on NBC. You will be tested 8oo ri c-all?yL Sponsored by: i :for prn 4 it's fatal bej have no legal guidance on what constitutes a hate crime. "I wish somebody could give us a true definition of what they consider to be a hate crime," DeBree said. The push for hate crimes laws following Shepard's killing is likely to draw out people with strong anti-gay feelings, experts say. "No one will say, 'I hate these people,' but it serves to confirm homophobic sentiments (exist)," said Valerie Jenness, professor of sociology at University of California, Irvine, and author of the book "Hate Crimes: New Social Movements and the Politics of Violence." Fort Collins police were trySOflie ing to find out >uld give how a sc?re" 0 crow mocking ie defini- homosexuals what theV appeared in a 1 Colorado State if tO be a University jme " homecoming RoBDeBree ny County Sheriff ^ ty said 11 students were scheduled for disciplinary hearings next week. Wyoming officials were bracing for the arrival of members of a Topeka, Kan., church who plan to carry antigay pickets at Shepard's funeral in Casper on Friday. Gov. Jim Geringer said officials can't stop the group from Westboro Baptist from coming but he wants them to know their presence is not wanted. j >A J : i u vvlicit we uuii t neeu is <x uuiiuii ui wing nuts coming in," Geringer said. Gay rights proponents held a news conference Tuesday to urge legislators to remove Wyoming from the list of nine states with no hate-crime law. "Wyoming has always reflected the e epitome of the Don't ask, don't tell' at- ^ titude," said Walt Boulden, a friend of Shepard. "This horrible murder has a shattered our ability to hide behind s that type of stance." s In Baltimore, Kweisi Mfume, pres- c ident of the National Association for E the Advancement of Colored People, renewed his call for Congress to pass 2 the Hate Crime Prevention Act, which j sets penalties for those who injure oth- p x YOUR WAY III NIGHT IONI is band... . Jjjn?a/ ''J 9 i trip to ^ longer!). Send the 30 Rockefeller Plaza, . All videos must be < pes will be judged ' it H^jjw tinner, too! will win a trip to New :eive a gift certificate , ill; I 14880E, New York, NY Jfl )f National Broadcasting the immediate families I 11:35PM on it! 3 11 I calls HH M ' iting raises USC remerm crime victin managing editor SARA LAPENHE1M A candlelight vigil will be held at 7 p.m. today in the Rutledge Chapel on the Horseshoe in memory of Matthew Shepard, the University of Wyoming student who, after being beaten last week, died Monday. "Matthew died a horrible death, but it was not in vain," said Harriet Hancock, co-chairwoman of the Columbia chapter of Parents, Friends and Families of Gays and Lesbians (P-FLAG), who is sponsoring the event along with the Carolina Rainbow Family coalition (CRFC) and the South Carolina Gay and Lesbian Pride Movement (SCGLPM). Hancock hopes this vigil will help make people aware that "hate crimes against gays and lesbians do occur across the United States," and there is a definite need for protection under state legislation. Such legislation has been proposed in the S.C. General Assembly under the 1997 Hate Crimes Legislation. These bills were proposed but never voted on. Peter Teply, a Columbia attorney and hate crimes legislation lobbyist, believes the actions of South Carolina Attorney General Charlie Condon directly resulted in the proposed legislation being suppressed. bnariie uonaon naa supported a proposed hate crimes bill, through members of the Assembly, that did not include crimes against someone due to gender [or sexuality]," Teply irs based on race, color, sexual orienation or national origin. In Albany, N.Y., a solemn crowd of ibout 250 people carried candles and ang songs outside the governor's manion in a demonstration against hate rimes Tuesday. New York also has lo hate crime law for violent acts. A day earlier, in College Park, Md., !00 people rallied at the University of Maryland to protest a campus newstaper column condemning homosexlality. Newspaper editors defended ' - ip K f/^,111^^w-r^i ((B^ * , BPPPPP|^L\i _ ^'W| ^S**. *^jpr r questions t 1 vers bate i with vigil said. "Charlie Condon withdrew his support from the bill after victims of [sexual- and gender-inspired] hate crimes testified. He told The State (March 22,1997 edition) he didn't want to be linked to 'gay activists' and 'feminists... [who are using his effort to focus on racial hatred] to bring attention to their various grievances against society.'" Tom Landis, a representative for the Attorney General's Office at the State Office of Public Information, said Condon "introduced it [hate crimes legislation] to combat church burnings. [However], he couldn't lend his support to the legislation." Tony Snell, president of SCGLPM, issued a statement on Monday that condemns Condon and Gov. David Beasley because they "refused to endorse hate crime protections for all South Carolinians." Shepard's memorial will feature several speakers, including the Rev. Patricia Voelker of the Columbia Metropolitan Community Church and Nekki Shutt, a Columbia attorney who will discuss the need for hate crimes legislation. According to an Associated Press article from Wednesday, the men charged with attacking Shepard, Russell Arthur Henderson, 21, and Aaron James McKinney, 22, had their charges upgraded to first-degree murJ TV*" rn ' 1XU uet uu mummy. iiie guuiiuiius ui uik murderers, Chastity Vera Pasley, 20, and Kristen Leann Price, 18, were charged as accessories to the crime. the publication as a matter of free speech. And in Sacramento, Calif., vandals scrawled obscenities on more than 20 chalk sidewalk sketches drawn to commemorate Gay Pride week at California State University, Sacramento. "Free expression is one thing, but this is hate speech," said Lou Camera, director of student activities. The sketches and the obscenities were erased with a hose. I I I <?plyHp-> I I NBC.com/conan ~ Safety Comm portable, per; senior writer KEVIN LANGSTON The University Safety Committee proposed the implementation of a personal alarm system for students, faculty and staff at Thursday's committee meeting. n ? m d:?i i oaiety v^uiiuiuttcc viicuiniiui luuiicuu Conant presented a letter from Microgistics Incorporated, a company that specializes in the personal alarm service. In the letter, Conant pointed out that this particular provider offers a state of the art protection service at no cost to the university. The service would be specific to the campus. Small radio receivers would be installed at various sites throughout campus. The letter states the service is at a "very reasonable price" for students, faculty and staff. "What is reasonable is anybody's guess," Conant said. The advancement of technology in the digital cellular phone industry was also brought to the attention of the committee members. It will soon be a requirement for all digital cell phones to be able to triangulate the position from where the call is coming. Conant added that skeptics feel this is an invasion of privacy, but he stood behind the advancement. "I still think it's a good technology," Conant said. The issue was whether to act on this field of protection or to wait until it was offered with digital cell phones. "So there is a question as to how far we push something that's a separate vance or a different field as opposed to waiting on the cell phone technology," Conant said '1 have a feeling a cell phone will be the wave of the future." "I would think that when this technology comes in, it would hopefully be more successful with the cell phone, ___ J i j i- :i_ i ii 1 anu we couiu pusn u, as a saieiy uasis, Conant said. In addition to this service, Conant indicated the obvious advantages of a cell phone. www. gamei The Gamecock. You y?in osi ?r?i> fldult Costume: AjL Mashs J+*. Mahe-up lbj| Treats & Ca decoration A Balloons BiBM 1241 Assembly St. Mon-Sat 8:00-5:30 ittee suggests sonal alarms "They could use it manually to call 911, or they could push the button," Conant said He addressed the inclination students would have over using a cell phone as opposed to an alarm unit, saying it is "more fashionable, and you can do more with it." Conant supported the usefulness of tma aeiviuc, aoyuig ui uuuisc uanig a call box would be difficult if you were being attacked." He stressed that this new technology would not make the call boxes obsolete. "They [the call boxes] would still be helpful for those who didn't have it [the service]," he said 'It would be for visitors and other guests, and for those who forgot it and left it in their rooms. Of course, these boxes are deterrents as well." The cost of this program w'as also an issue for the committee. Conant said ' most companies require an updront cost. "That is a problem," he said. "It is becoming more available, so hopefully it will come down in price...It is more likely we could get it in here if it is not going to cost a million or two up front." The estimated cost for students would be from $25 to $50 a semester. The program would act as a subscription, with the student paying for the service and a safety call unit. Conant was not optimistic about students wanting to pay the estimated amount for the service. "This cost added in with books can seem overwhelming to the student," he said. Conant suggested getting the information to the parents prior to a student enrolling in classes. "If we could reach the parents upfront with the registration package, that would be effective," Conant said. Microgistics, inc. oners individual profiles for the students with their complete medical histories. The committee plans to look into the use of similar programs at other universities to measure its success rate. COCt!.COM cock.sc.edu have our digital word. 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