[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 151 (Wednesday, October 21, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S12961-S12962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         AN ATROCITY IN WYOMING

  Mr. DeWINE. Mr. President, if I can turn to a much sadder topic. One 
of the saddest duties of public life is having to express moral truths. 
It is sad because it should be unnecessary. Thomas Jefferson two 
centuries ago enunciated some truths that he said ``we hold to be self-
evident.'' We hold to be self-evident.
  It should be self-evident that in a country of liberty, a country of 
rule of law and respect for human rights that we should condemn the 
murder of any human being. We should, as a logical consequence of this 
principle, condemn the murder of people who have killed because the 
murderers disapprove of some aspect of the murder victim's personal 
life.
  That is why our national attitude toward the atrocity that took place 
in Laramie, WY, on October 7 is so very important.
  Let us all, as Americans, leave no doubt that the murder of young 
Matthew Shepard was a vicious, despicable crime. Again, it should--I 
repeat--should be self-evident. But Mr. President, I have seen news 
reports that protesters, demonstrators, hecklers went to this young 
man's funeral to spew hatred and venom. Some might say their 
demonstrations are protected by the first amendment, and that may or 
may not be true--and I am not going to deal with that and talk about 
that today --but what I wish to underscore today is that I, too, have 
first amendment rights--we all do--a right to tell the truth about 
these demonstrators' conduct. And to do so, polite phrases might not be 
enough.

  So let's make it very clear: The people who committed this crime are 
despicable, they are scum. And the people who intruded on the privacy 
of this poor family, the family of the deceased, the people who 
intruded on their privacy at that hour of sorrow, to mock the deceased, 
mock this young man, these people who did this are lowlifes--they 
should be condemned by all Americans. They deserve the contempt of all 
civilized people.
  Mr. President, I see that my colleague from Virginia has been on the 
floor for some time. I also note the majority leader may be coming back 
at any moment. I would advise my colleague, the majority leader, as 
well as my colleague from Virginia, that I have some additional 
comments about another topic that would be fairly extensive. I would be 
more than happy to yield at this point, either to the majority leader 
or to my colleague from Virginia, just with the understanding that I 
will have the opportunity before the Senate does go out of session for 
the year to make these comments.
  Mr. ROBB addressed the Chair.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Enzi). The Senator from Virginia.
  Mr. ROBB. Mr. President, I appreciate the consideration of my 
colleague, the Senator from Ohio. I had planned to yield to the 
majority leader.

[[Page S12962]]

 He had said that he was going to return to finish his wrapup. And, 
indeed, if he is ready to do so now, I will yield; otherwise, I will 
take advantage of this opportunity to make a few comments about the 
vote that we concluded this morning.
  Mr. DeWINE. If I could reclaim my time, just for a moment --and the 
majority leader I do not think was on the floor when I made the 
comment--I advised my friend from Virginia, as well as the majority 
leader, that I do have some additional comments about a separate issue. 
I know the majority leader needs to do the final wrapup. I am not sure 
whether he is ready to do that.
  Mr. LOTT. We are, I believe, ready to move through a number of 
nominations if you would allow me to proceed at this point.

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