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"Matt loved people and he trusted them. He could never understand
how one person could hurt another, physically or verbally. They would hurt him, and he would give them another chance." Dennis Shepard, Matthew's Father |
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Where Matthew Met His Killers:
The Fireside Bar |
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"Howard is a Faggot"
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Words inscribed on a
message board inside the Fireside Bar -- June 2001. |
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The Fireside Bar is actually a nice facility on the edge of downtown Laramie. Initially, I could see why
anyone, even an openly gay man, would enjoy being there. It has a rather large dance floor, a decent sound system, three pool tables, and a large selection of beer. Outside, there is a partially open patio with, as the name suggests, a huge fireplace. In the picture above, you can see the fireplace on the lower left hand corner. During cold winter days, I could imagine the patio is inviting -- warm and cozy when the fireplace blazes at full force.
When we arrived, the bartender was there alone -- talking to a friend. The bartender was extremely
friendly. "A nice place to pass some time," I thought. After a while, however, I began to feel uneasy.
As I sat in the area of the pool tables, listening to a mix of rock and country music, I imagined what
Matthew listened to that night. I stared at the line of stools at the bar -- the same view of Matthew his killers had when they began to formulate their plan. Despite the uneasy feeling I felt, I pictured Matthew sitting -- offering a toast to my boyfriend -- encouraging us to have a good time.
I can't fault the bar for what happened. Employees testified that Matthew was a well-mannered
customer. One particular employee saw the would-be killers approach Matthew while he sat at the bar. The three left without any commotion or apparent problem. The bar appeared to me to care about its clients. Prominently displayed inside are two lists: one for a taxi ride, the other for the city's shuttle service in case they can't make it home on their own.
I didn't expect to see anything, but obviously missing from the bar is any tribute to Matthew. What did
stand out, however, was a large message board dedicated to the University of Wyoming's rodeo team. Among the inscriptions (in large letters) were the words, "Howard is a faggot". Sadly, it was allowed to stay. |
