“Erasing Hate: A Community Discussion,” a program sponsored by the Matthew Shepard Foundation, was brought to RWC by Student Life with the help of the Behavioral Science Department (including the endorsement of Dr. Edie Fisher) and the History, Art History, Philosophy & Political Science Department (with the endorsement of Dr. Ionas Rus). The Foundation, whose goal is to “replace hate with understanding, compassion, and acceptance,” designed the program to help participants start a dialogue on how hate manifests itself in their everyday lives and how they can combat it.
Thomas B. Howard, Jr., Ed. M., Programs Director for the Foundation, told the story of Matthew Shepard, a young man who was murdered in 1998 because he was gay, and shared the stories of other people who had felt the effects of hate, as well as anecdotes from his own life.
Howard also invited participants to share their own experiences with hate. One attendee shared a story of participation in the cyberbullying of a student caught “sexting,” who later committed suicide.
Commenting on what the public can do to stop hate, Howard said, “Come out as someone who says it’s never okay to hurt someone for who they are.”
The FBI estimates that over 7,000 hate crimes occur in the United States each year. There are also currently 926 active hate groups in the United States.
To learn more about the Matthew Shepard Foundation and the Erase Hate Initiative, visit www.matthewshepard.org.