When I saw that two lesbian teenagers had been found in a Portland, Texas park, both shot in the head, my stomach sank and my brain went immediately to an empty field in Laramie, Wyoming 14 years ago. Yes, I thought of Matthew Shepard. How could I not?
Like Shepard, Mollie Judith Olgin, 19, and Mary Christine Chapa, 18, were young. Homosexual. Brutalized. Left to die. And yet, as the Internet jumps to the conclusion that the fatal shooting of Olgin and the serious injuries sustained by Chapa are the result of a hate crime, I can't help wondering if we're missing the real story.
The why matters here, sure. If these girls were indeed attacked because of their sexuality, it marks yet another sad sign that society has a long way to go until people are all treated as people. If police determine the shooting of these lesbian teenagers is a hate crime -- as yet they haven't given any motive, so again, I say "if" -- this case could be added to a list a mile long of reasons why laws should exist outlawing discrimination in every state of the nation, not just a few.
But that's just half of the story, isn't it? Let's talk about the who here for a moment.
Two young women were shot. One is dead at just 19 years old. The other is in serious condition in a hospital at just 18 years old. They were kids! Shot! In the head!
These girls, these women really, have families and friends who love them. Olgin's family now has a lifetime of grief ahead of them, Chapa's a long battle that hopefully will lead to recovery but will still be tinged by trauma.
To people in their small Texas community, these teenagers are more than representatives of a cause. They are people. Let's not forget that.
What do you think happened in that park?
Image via CarbonNYC/Flickr
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Comments 25
wait what about men being evil?
ok let me seth the matthew sheppered story strait i live in wy i talked to locals and it wasnt a hate crime he owed alot of money for drugs what makes a better story
you people are stupid turning every thing into a hate crime we have no idea what happened! and also it was over meth mathew sheppered owed money for meth that he got from some guys in a bar in wy! dont beilieve me just google it
There is yet insufficient evidence to speculate. Let's allow the police do their job. And let us all remember that, as the author says, these were young women who had friends and family that are mourning them.
OK, stop bringing up Casey Anthony, she was acquitted of murder, and I never believed for one second she was guilty! Casey was a great mother and I'd leave any kid I had in her care over any man in the world, any day! I speculate her father was molesting Casey's little girl, was scared he'd get caught, and murder his own granddaughter to cover up.
Mostly likely another Hate Crime :(
@lydia: YOU ARE AN IDIOT! I'm just gonna flat out say it. Not all men are evil. I should know, I married a good man. It's that extreme feminist bullshit I hate. Get over yourself. You're no better than the people who hate homosexuals or racists. You are what we call a SEXIST. I've also seen many of your posts, and I admittedly say my first thought is, "What a dumb bitch". Stop preaching your anti-men crap, no one here wants to here it, nor do they even care. As for Casey Anthony, she is guilty and she knows it, but our system is too messed up for her to be behind bars still.
As for everyone else jumping on the author "assuming it's a hate crime". She clearly stated that she wasn't sure, and that whether or not they are in fact lesbians doesn't matter. They are human beings who were murdered for no good reason. I really wish people would actually read.