ACT i V I S
Local PFLAG to Virginia Foxx:‘Hate is no Hoax’
Group places print ads in three
Winston-Salem newspapers
by Matt Comer . Q-Notes staff
WINSTON-SALEM — Members of a local
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and
Gays (PFLAG) chapter are encouraging com
munity members to make their concerns
known to Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), after she
called the motivation for the 1998 murder of
Matthew Shepard a “hoax.”
Tell Congresswoman Virginia Foxx:
Hate Is No “Hoax”
During a racant dabata on tha Housa floor, Ctmgraaawoman Fox* dasertbad tha brutal,
anttgay murder of coilaga student Matthew Shepard as a ‘‘hoax."
Tha real hoax, howavar, fa Foxx’s arguments against hats crimas laws.
The h^th Is this:
in 2007, vlolant crtmas against tha iesblwi, gay, bisaxuai aruf
transgarKlar community tncraasad by a staggering 24%.
Join (he Wirt»ton*Sdlem Chapter of Patents. Fdmilies and Fflends of Lesbians and Gays
(PFLAG) in making sure Congtesawoman Foxx knows the ti uth
Call (336) 778-0211. (8281 265-0240 or (202) 225-2071 and tell Congresswoman Foxx;
Hate Is No “Hoax.”
Our Loved Ones Osserve Protection - and Norbt Carolina Deaarvaa to Know the Tnith.
RFLAG
www.pflagwinston8alem.org
PFLAG Winston-Salem is spending more than $4,300
on this ad to Virginia Foxx in three area newspapers.
During debate on April 29 on the floor of
the U.S. House, Foxx, who represents the
northwestern Piedmont, lambasted a federal
hate crimes bill named in honor of Shepard, a
21 -year-old gay college
student who was severe
ly beaten and left for
dead after being lured
out of a bar by Russell
Henderson and Aaron
McKinney.
“The bill was named
after a very
unfortunate
incident that
happened, where a young man was
kill^, but we know that that young
man was killed in the commitment
of robbery. It wasn’t because he was
ga)^’the congresswoman said. “The
. bill was named for him, the hate
crimes bill was named for him, but
it’s, it’s really a hoax, that that con
tinues to be used as an excuse for
passing these bills.”
Thomas Farmer, president of
the Winston-Salem chapter of
PFLAG, said his group felt it was
necessary to address the situa
tion at the community and con
stituent level.
“There are very few times an
organization gets handed a situa
tion thev qan use as a teachable
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Attorney and Omnscllor at Law
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moment — as a chance to bring attention to the
fact that violent crimes committed against
GLBT people happen everyda)^’he told Q-Notes.
PFLAG Winston-S41em has spent more
than $4,300 to place half-page color ads in
three papers. The ads ran in the daily
Winston-Salem Journal and YES! Weekly on
May 6 and the weekly, African-American
community paper. The Winston-Salem
Chronicle, on May 7.
After coming under intense pressure
from constituents and citizens across the
country, Foxx released a statement saying
her comments reflected a “poor choice of
words.” She’s also sent a handwritten letter
apologizing to Judy Shepard, Matthew
Shepard’s mother, who was present in the
House Gallery when Foxx made her state
ments. Earlier in April, Foxx had also used the
racially-charged term “tar baby)’ also during a
House debate.
Farmer said Foxx’s apology hasn’t been
sincere.
“She needs to understand that this is not
just a gaffe,” he said. “It’s not just about using
the wrong word. It isn’t just semantics.”
Neena Mabe of Pfafftown, a PFLAG
Winston-Salem member whose 17-year-old
daughter is a lesbian, said she was extremely
upset by the controversy.
“It is unfortunate that any elected repre
sentative would be so ill-informed on the
specifics of this crime,” she said. “I think her
comments point out an inability to see the
Where they stand
The hate crimes bOl now heads to the
Senate. At press time, it had yet to be heard. ■
Q-Notes contacted spokespeople for both
Sen. Richard Burr (R) and Sen. Kay Ha^
(D) and asked their positions on the biU.
“No human being should be subject to
a crime just because they’ belong to a cer
tain group,” Burr said in a prepared state
ment through press secretary David Ward. .
“Any such crimes are despicable. Victims
suffer regardless of the motivation of the
crime which is why 1 support prosecuting
any individual who commits a crime to
the fullest extent of the law2
Hagan’s press seaetary, David Hoffman
reiterated her past statements in support of
hate crimes legislation. “Senator Hagan has
said that she will vote for the Matthew
• Shepard Act in the Senate,” Hoffman said. I
— Keep up mth the latest on
federal, state and local politics at
www.q-notes.com.
world through anything other than her own
experiences which significantly limits her
ability to be effective as a representative.”
Farmer said he hoped the ads encouraged
people to communicate with Foxx.
“We want people to let Virginia Foxx know
what their thoughts are on the issue, so that she
will know where all her constituents stand,” he
said. “We have to go to the heart of the issue,
ask how do we live with each other and support
each other. We have to find ways that we can
come together and talk about these things.” I
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MAY 16.2009‘QNotes 7