TV program about killed teen misleading
I am writing this letter to voice my concern over an episode of 20/20 that aired this past Friday on the murder of Matthew Shepard, the gay teenager who was beaten to death.
During the episode, reporter Elizabeth Vargas narrated a story very different from the one the public has heard for the past six years. Among the issues discussed in the show were Shepard’s HIV status, his possible crystal meth use and his alleged previous relationship with one of his killers, Aaron McKinney.
Matthew, no longer the sweet gay angel we all thought he was, was portrayed as a sad, confused, hardcore drug user.
The show tried to use methamphetamine, instead of homophobia, to explain the motives behind Shepard’s killing.
If someone coming off a meth binge begins to beat a man after he puts his hand on his leg as part of a sexual advance, calling his actions a result of severe drug addiction instead of hate is a grave mistake.
Rumors of McKinney’s possible bisexuality were also cited in the episode. No one, not even McKinney, claims that what enticed the first hit was not Shepard’s touching McKinney’s leg. Matthew Shepard was a 21 year old who was killed because he was gay.
If Matthew was killed as part of a simple robbery that was the result of too much crystal meth, why was he beaten until his mother could not recognize him?
Rhetoric like that which 20/20 used is a dangerous, frightening thing. We must remember that sometimes people are killed because of who they are. Let us not, as the years pass, revise our history to make our monsters less monstrous or our country less flawed.
As a 21-year-old gay college student, which is how Shepard is so often described, all that I can say is that I hope I’m not the next man to be beaten to death because some loser has had too much meth that week and is worried he might like dudes. Because, if one would believe the thesis of this 20/20 episode, it has nothing to do with hate.
 
Tom Harang
Senior
English
Clinton should answer for private life
I am writing in response to Andrew Midgett’s column titled, “Media attacks accompany Clinton library.”
Mr. Midgett takes issue with the fact that the media was stuck on “something as inconsequential and private as an affair.”
First, I hardly believe anyone could say this is inconsequential, especially for a man sworn into office as president of the United States.
I expect my president to have high standards for the way he conducts business, in his life and in the office.
On the topic of privacy, sure our president must be allowed a private life, but President Bill Clintons actions were unfortunately exposed, and therefore had consequences. Moreover, they were in the Oval Office, the place where America hired him to work, not to have “sexual relations.”
The president must give 110 percent, and I fully agree with Mr. Midgett that our sitting president also must fulfill this duty in policies and reforms. But let’s not deny that he should fulfill this duty both in public and private life.
 
Evan Beasley
Senior
General Studies/ Pre-Med
Bus driver breaks for chips and coke
Last week I was reminded why I don’t ride the bus to class.
This past Thursday, I decided to return to my 3:10 p.m. class via the Tigerland bus. I walked to the bus stop at 2:45 p.m.
If anyone ever glanced over the bus route schedule, he would know the buses are supposed to pass every six minutes. But if you’ve ever taken the bus to class, you probably know it’s more like every 12 minutes.
Sure enough, at 2:57 p.m. a bus rolls down Alvin Dark. I was glad I accounted for a 12-minute wait instead of six. I still could have made it to my class on time. After passing through the traffic light at the intersection of Nicholson and Bob Petit, I noticed the bus slowing down. I didn’t see anyone waiting at the bus stop, so I wondered why we were stopping.
The bus stopped, and the bus driver lowered the bus and got out, without saying a word.
She walked into Tiger Market, not in any sort of hurry. I saw another bus coming. It was at the corner of Alvin Dark and Bob Petit. It was 3:04 p.m., and I was cutting it close, so I got out and prepared to catch that other bus.
I watched and waited, and then realized that this bus driver was taking a break at the Circle K. I reluctantly got back on the first bus and waited.
I was annoyed when our bus driver returned with a soda and a bag of chips.
I know bus drivers take breaks at Locket Hall, so why was it break-time in the middle of a route?
I was seven minutes late to my biology class, thanks to a Dr. Pepper and a Lay’s Bar-b-que grab bag. Next time I’ll just take my chances with trying to find a parking spot.
 
Amanda Brendt Ory
Senior
Animal Science
Pet stores can sell mistreated puppies
With the opening of a new Petland here in Baton Rouge, I feel it is important to make people aware of the potential consequences of buying a puppy from a pet store chain such as this.
When I first visited the new store on Siegen Lane, the first thing I noticed were the tiny cages used to house puppies. I decided to conduct some research on the store and discovered some very disturbing facts.
“Dateline” aired a story April 26, 2000 called “A Dog’s Life” that uncovered the horrors of the inhumane conditions of “puppy mills.”
Puppy mills are places where dogs are housed strictly for the purpose of breeding. Female dogs are forced to breed every heat until they die, and they and their puppies are kept in horrible conditions.
Dateline’s hidden cameras revealed sick and injured dogs living in their own waste and forced to live on wire-bottomed cages, in which their feet would become trapped.
At one mill, the dogs were never let out of their cramped cages and the food was covered in maggots.
In some cases, customers who purchased dogs from pet stores would bring their new puppies home only to discover that they were very sick a few days later, due to malnourishment or neglect.
Dateline uncovered evidence that puppies from most pet store chains come from USDA licensed go-betweens that get their puppies from puppy mills.
By deliberately obtaining their dogs from puppy mills, these pet stores are taking homes away from millions of healthy animals that are killed simply because they have no place to go.
I urge you to visit an animal shelter or humane society if you are looking for a pet. There are several organizations in Baton Rouge that have plenty of great and lovable dogs available for adoption.
I know how irresistibly cute those puppies are at the pet store, but you must think of the consequences of buying one.
I realize this might make it tempting to purchase a dog from a pet store to rescue it from these conditions, but you would only be contributing to the cycle.
 
Kristin Troxclair
Junior
Geography