, at
1/24/2007 01:56:00 PM
The Old Media is downplaying the shocking aspects surrounding the case of a 40-year-old Pennsylvania man who murdered a 23-year-old man college student after drugging and attempting to rape the victim. The report in the Aberdeen American opens with:When I first read that, I thought it was a little far fetched. So, sure enough, I did a Google search. There were two pages of results, and not a single one of them linked to a media outlet outside of Pennsylvania. I went to the HRC website. Nothing. I did a search. Nothing. GLAAD is supposed to be the media watchdog for us. So you would think they would have something to say -- if not about the murder itself, at least about the media ignoring it. But you would be wrong. They did, however, have extensive coverage about the San Diego gay bashers from two months ago going to jail. The "Award-Winning National LGBt Newsmagazine" (de-emphasis mine), The Advocate, had to report on it, right? Not. A. Word.
'A Northern State University student who was found dead last week in Pennsylvania was strangled after rejecting sexual advances from a sales manager for the company he was interning for, authorities have said.'
Rejecting sexual advances? Fighting off a rapist after being drugged and is rejecting sexual advances?
It's ironic that the victim is Jason Shephard, his last name recalling another case involving homosexuality and murder. When Matthew Shepard was killed in 1998 the case got worldwide attention as a symbol of anti-gay violence. Don't look for much reporting on Jason's case, however. The perpetrator is gay and the victim was described by a friend as 'staunch Republican who liked to talk about his faith.'
Do a Google search. There's no coverage of the crime outside of the Philadelphia area where it took place and the upper Midwest where Shephard was from. Nothing in the New York Times or the Washington Post or the Los Angeles Times. No weepy segments on the Today Show or The View (c'mon Rosie, tell us what you think.) The GLBT media has yet to report the story and probably won't. Why is that?
As a friend of Jason's, I feel the need to clarify. Jason was not a "gay kid." The murder was done by a gay man to a straight kid, almost a reverse hate crime.
By , at
1/24/2007 01:56:00 PM
What is with the "gay" kid comment. Every report talks about how how "not gay" he was.
By , at
2/02/2007 09:24:00 AM
bill smithson killed Jason and i think that it doesn't matter if Jason was gay or straight-Bill killed him-bill alluded the police to his whereabouts and hid the body in his home three days. this is not a hate crime-it was a disguting and usueless sex crime and Jason needs to be honored for trying to fight and bill needs to pay for the pain he has caused.
By , at
2/04/2007 12:37:00 PM
'Are our "non-partisan" gay 'leadership' organizations and gay media really so callously inflicted with tunnel vision that they wouldn't report on a brutal murder of a gay kid because "the perpetrator is gay and the victim was described by a friend as 'staunch Republican who liked to talk about his faith.'"?'
--This is where the "gay kid" comment came from. I agree, Jason needs to be honored. He fought for his right up until the end. Smithson needs to pay for what he did. I know Jason would be okay with the fact that he's gone and he prevented other children or adults from being harmed. Your smile will be with us forever Jas, fly high buddy!
By , at
2/07/2007 06:00:00 PM
Media Bias. Unheard of. Slow news day. Most of all, you've got to hide it from the kids...not good for the digestion of people reading the paper over breakfast. Many reasons a story goes nowhere. Mostly bias is my guess.
By , at
4/16/2007 11:21:00 AM
Jason was one of my closest friends! It is absolutely deplorable how NOTHING is being covered in the national media! I think the media, and those who don't see this as a "big deal" should be in a cell right along with William Smithson! By not covering this, it is basically opening the door and blessing others to follow suit! This is an outrage!
By , at
7/12/2007 11:50:00 PM
No one will probably see this comment because it's the end of 2008 now, but I just heard about this case now, because it is currently in trial. I live in Chicago, the nation's 3rd largest news market...I work in media...and that I didn't hear about this says a lot. I am a gay man and I think it is deplorable the media ignored/is ignoring this story. This poor young man laid victim to the depravities of a sick mind. I'm sick of the media barely reporting anything about it - it's impossible to find a story. My condolensces go out to all of you who were his friends. He is in a better place now and is with his Maker. Just remember, when you lose a friend you gain an angel.
By , at
11/19/2008 09:46:00 AM
Thanks solicyte.
By , at
4/10/2009 08:04:00 AM
Adam drives h is friends crazy because he has an annoying tendancy to especially his tendency to take up positions he doesn't really believe in just for the sake of a good debate.
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