Rep. Virginia Foxx backtracks, but does not apologize for “hoax” remark
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As reported earlier Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina called the murder of Matthew Shepard because he was gay, a hoax. Watch the video.
Foxx has since responded to the uproar. She doesn’t express regret—which is common for her ilk—nor apologizes—which almost never happens—she simply backtracks, trying to save her own ass.
“It has come to my attention that some people have been led to believe that I think the terrible crimes that led to Matthew Shepard’s death in 1998 were a hoax,” she said. “The term “hoax” was a poor choice of words used in the discussion of the hate crimes bill. Mr. Shepard’s death was nothing less than a tragedy and those responsible for his death certainly deserved the punishment they received.
“The larger context of my remarks is important. I was referring to a 2004 ABC 20/20 report on Mr. Shepard’s death. The 20/20 report questioned the motivation of those responsible for Mr. Shepard’s death. Referencing this media account may have been a mistake, but if so it was a mistake based on what I believed were reliable accounts.”
While Judy Shepard has yet to respond to the original remarks, others in Congress have. From Politico:
“Matthew Shepard’s mother was in the gallery yesterday and I believe she was back today — so I’m sorry she had to be around to hear it,” said Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.). “It’s an urban myth… And I’d tell her that man did land on the moon and the moon wasn’t made out of green cheese.”
Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.), who supports the hate crimes bill, stared in disbelief before answering a question about the statement.
“It’s just sad the Republican caucus has been reduced such a fringe,” she said. “It’s sad they would go out of their way to prevent people from getting justice.”
This isn’t the first time Foxx has put her foot in it. Two weeks ago she made some racially charged statements on the House floor. I’m sorry Virginia, but you are an ignorant, hateful bigot, and you need to immediately apologize for your remarks, especially to Judy Shepard. And then do us all a favor and walk out the f*cking door and never come back. And please, please, take Michelle Bachmann with you.
Virginia Foxx can be contacted via the methods below, and please, show her at least the same amount of respect she showed Judy Shepard.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Phone: (202) 225-2071
Fax: (202) 225-2995
CLEMMONS, N.C.
Phone: (336) 778-0211
Fax: (336) 778-2290
BOONE, N.C.
Phone: (828) 265-0240
Fax: (828) 265-0390
April 29th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
You want to hear what an example of hate is, simply listen to this witch spew hate out of her vile mouth and you will know the definition of hate.
I am going to assume here that this low-life, heartless human being is a mother and so she would know how it feels for another mother to lose a child either by mere accident or intent.
What really got me is that this North Carolina hag spewed her hate in the presence of Judy Shepard, the mother of Matthew Shepard.
Shame on you Rep. Foxx and excuse me, your apparent “apology” is not enough. A more appropriate way would be for you to step down, yes, step down because you are NOT WORTHY of your position. You MFC!
April 30th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I am also appalled by her ignorance and her intransigence. It invites us all to think that every conservative opinion is
as poorly “conceived.” But let us look at the germ of her “thesis”: that Matthew Shepherd died while being robbed. You can glibly characterize this crime by any coincident event. But when you take a fair look at the newspaper accounts, the police report and the medical examiner’s report, it is not possible to regard this as a mere robbery. Mere robbers do not torture and brutalize and attempt to dehumanize their victims once they have what they “really” want. The sheer rage of their attack on Matthew suggests that his killers could not get what they wanted most–to justify their own existence through the vileness of their hate. So they left him to die. Seems to me that Rep. Foxx and others of her ilk (Rep. Bachmann of Minnesota, e.g.) must be “ditto heads” regurgitating what they “learn” from Lummock Limbaugh or Poison Dweeb Levin with little apprehension of substance or context. Any honest inquirer after truth would have no trouble apologizing profusely after informing themselves. Whining about ones “poor choice of words” is just pathetic. Reps. Foxx and Bachmann inevitably reveal what they would most want to conceal: breath-taking ignorance!
April 30th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
So Judy Shepard was in the gallery. So what? Is this nation ruled by law or by sensitivity over whoever happens to be in the House gallery? Matthew Shepard was a drug addict who was murdered over drugs and money by two other drug addicts. They lied when they said they killed him because he was gay to avoid the death penalty, because the 3 prior felony murders related to drugs had resulted in the death penalty in CO. Unfortunately IT WORKED and they got life instead. They then recanted their testimony about the gay crap. But a propaganda icon was born! Mathew Shepard. Meth addict and lowlife, became elevated to Stonewall status. Virginia Foxx was right.
April 30th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
It truly amazes me how people can just manage to live their lives with intense hate in their hearts. Do we really know what the motives of McKinney and Henderson were? This is what we know – “McKinney and Henderson offered Shepard a ride in their car. Subsequently, Shepard was robbed, pistol whipped, tortured, tied to a fence in a remote, rural area, and left to die.” Whatever the motive was that fateful night back in 10/7/98, the end result was that a Matthew Shepard was murdered.
And just out of curiosity, what were these 2 doing at a gay bar cruising? If it was for drugs, why can’t they just go get their hit out on the streets, a corner, or an alley way? Whatever happen to having a dealer?
All of these apparent “facts” just like what Foxx spewed in front of everyone are a means to cloud the truth, just like lynching.
I hope someday when hate knocks at your door and takes away a loved one, you might want to look back and remember what you said here. You know karma’s a B!
“Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak out for me.”