In light of Pride Week in the homosexual community at PSU this week, there are billboards around campus that discuss the wonders of being gay. I noticed on one of the boards that "hate crimes" were discussed, specifically referring to the Matthew Shepard case.

While indeed the Shepard case was a tragedy, where was the outrage or, for that matter, the news coverage of the two gays in Bentonville, Ark., that murdered a 13-year- old-boy as they restrained him with drugs and duct tape and sodomized him with various objects? I don't recall the Collegian making any mention of this awful hate crime. I can guarantee you they didn't discuss it at the "journey" toward ending hate in January. And there was certainly no mention of it in MTV's special on the "Anatomy of a Hate Crime."

I guess two homosexuals sodomizing, torturing and killing a 13-year-old, straight child is just a "normal" crime, not motivated by hate at all. Therefore, according to some, it should carry a lesser sentence than, say, several men beating and leaving for dead a gay man. I'm sure as young Jesse Dirkhising laid there suffocating on the underwear that was shoved into his mouth, he was thinking, "Ah, this crime isn't that bad. I hope they don't get the worst punishment available." Unfortunately, the prosecutors in this case are only seeking life imprisonment rather than the death penalty. So, as the gay community celebrates their pride week this upcoming week, remember Jesse Dirkhising, too, as you foam at the mouth over hate crimes.