CHURCH VIGIL CONDEMNS VIOLENCE AGAINST GAYS; DOZENS GATHER IN NORTH HILLS.Byline: Leilani Albano Daily News Staff Writer At vigils across the country Sunday, including one in North Hills, thousands mourned the brutal beating death of a gay University of Wyoming UW is a national research university prominent in the fields of environment and natural resource research, specializing in agriculture, energy, geology, and water resource related fields. student. About 80 people gathered at the Sepulveda Unitarian-Universalist Church in North Hills to hear the Rev. James Bodman recall the ``tragic and senseless death'' of Matthew Shepard Matthew Wayne Shepard (December 1, 1976 – October 12, 1998) was an American student at the University of Wyoming who was fatally attacked near Laramie, on the night of October 6 – October 7, 1998 in what was widely reported by international news media as a savage . He urged the crowd to take a stand against violence and hatred wherever it may occur. Outside, a giant yellow ribbon surrounded the church building, marking the area as a ``hate-free zone.'' ``Within these boundaries of our church grounds is love rather than hate,'' said Lucy Cox, president of the 100-member congregation. ``We have a covenant taken from a background of different beliefs. . . . One of them is acceptance of one another.'' Vigils were held in cities throughout the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. on Sunday, including one in Dallas that drew hundreds of people to the Cathedral of Hope Cathedral of Hope may refer to:
Sunday's memorial service was among the first to be held in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . On Oct. 12, 500 marchers gathered in West Hollywood West Hollywood A community of southern California northeast of Beverly Hills. It is mainly residential. Population: 36,600. to protest the killing. The hourlong service was followed by a vigil that was marked by a circle of lights as mourners holding candles gathered around an illuminated sycamore tree and sang and prayed. According to according to prep. 1. As stated or indicated by; on the authority of: according to historians. 2. In keeping with: according to instructions. 3. police reports, Shepard was beaten, tied to a wooden post, burned and left in near freezing temperatures to die. Two men and their girlfriends have been arrested in the case. The suspects said robbery was their chief motive, but Bodman said Shepard was targeted because he was gay. Shepard died five days after he was found. Following news of the slaying, Wyoming Gov. Jim Geringer James Edward "Jim" Geringer (born April 24, 1944) was the 30th Governor of Wyoming. Geringer was raised on a farm in Wheatland, Wyoming. He attended Kansas State University and was a member of Triangle Fraternity, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. , asked the legislature to pass a state hate crime law. President Clinton pledged to push for the federal Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which has continually failed before Congress. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office also will seek to reintroduce a bill that would expand penalties for intentional murder based on sexual orientation sexual orientation n. The direction of one's sexual interest toward members of the same, opposite, or both sexes, especially a direction seen to be dictated by physiologic rather than sociologic forces. , said Carla Arranaga, a deputy district attorney at the vigil Sunday night in North Hills. Participants held back anger and searched for healing Sunday. ``Our grief is great, but our love is stronger,'' Bodman told the crowd during the service. According to a study from the city's Human Relations Commission, Los Angeles still leads the nation in the number of reported hate crimes, although anti-gay violence as well as other hate crimes have dropped by 17.6 percent. Findings in the commission's 1997 report reveal that about a third of the hate crimes in the San Fernando Valley were committed against gays, but overall, the majority of hate crimes in the area have been racially motivated. CAPTION(S): photo PHOTO The Rev. Gail Geisenhainer addresses participants in a candlelight vigil Sunday at the Sepulveda Unitarian-Universalist Church in North Hills. Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News |
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