Washington DC Matthew Shepard Vigil

Ellen DeGeneres

(Tons of applause)..... (FYI, she seemed near tears through out the speech, and I left a lot of her pauses, stuttering, etc., in to try and give a little more of the mood)
Well, just when they thought I'd shut up (laughter). I am so pissed off (applause), I can't stop crying (sympathetic calls from audience). You know, I, I, I just, I mean, I know we all feel the same way, I'm, I'm here, he's got his two close friends here, I don't even know him, and I'm thinking, "this is just really selfish of me," What I mean, "pull your self together," and it just hit me why I am so devastated by it. It's because this is what I was trying to stop, this is exactly why I did what I did (long applause). Boy, you see 'em come out in force when they think a Lesbian's going to be on television. The preachers come out then. Boy, you know, something like this happens ... where are they? Anyway, I, you know everybody has already said every thing. You're hearing the same things over and over again, and I really didn't know what I was going to say and I, um, I just started writing on, on the plane. Um, you know, I thought it was pretty good and then Anne read me what she wrote and I was going to throw it away. But, um, I wrote it, so I'm going to say it, and it is basically the same, over and over, but uh ... (starts reading) I've been trying to put into words what I want to say. My thoughts are that this world we live in today is filled with hate and darkness. Matthew Shepard was not the first Hate Crime, it happens every day. There are 2,500 reported this year. Many go unreported because most Gays and Lesbians are still in the closet for fear of this exact reason. When three white men dragged James Byrd, Jr., their truck and killed him just because he was black, I felt the same way. I don't see full page ads saying "stop the hate, stop the violence." These same evil, idiotic, so- called "God-loving" people who use the Bible to justify their hate, I'm sure feel deep down that Blacks aren't equal to Whites because the Bible was used to justify slavery. It took one man, It took one man, one white man, Abraham Lincoln, to free the slaves. He wasn't very popular for doing it, but he knew that it was the right thing to do. When Hitler was killing all the Jews, the church was silent, they did nothing. It was a few good Germans who helped to hide the Jews. Right now, homosexuals are the victims of, at the very least, discrimination, at the very worst, hate and violence. So I'm begging heterosexuals to see this as a wake up call, to help us end the hate. Please raise your children with love and non-judgement. Tell them that everyone has the right to love who they want to love. It shouldn't threaten you, or who you are. Explain that it's not OK to call someone a faggot, or a nigger or a kike. We shouldn't be asked to change who we are. The millions that the religious right spent on print ads or TV rights could be spent on helping change the homeless, or help to change men who abuse women. (Applause) Matthew Shepard wasn't hurting anyone, he was a good person, a gentle soul, who was tortured to death. He is with God now who I am sure is crying. My torture goes on every time I think of what those boys did to him, just because he was Gay. When will we learn ... just because someone is Black, just because someone is Jewish, just because someone is Gay? This is a war. We need your help. Please search your hearts. Think for yourselves. Be on the right side, the side of love and compassion. Thank you very much.

Anne Heche

Hi. I am so glad to be Ellen DeGeneres' wife (lots of applause), and to be a new member of the Gay and Lesbian community (applause). A little while ago, I called an 800 prayer line and I got a woman who immediately asked me my request. I requested an answer ... why the church hates Gays, why they boycott Disney and all that. She paused and then answered, "Because Gays are an abomination in the eyes of God." "Oh," I said, "would you mind telling me what an abomination is." She said, "Would you mind hanging on a minute while I find a dictionary" (laughter). She's taught to preach, but not to think. She just wants to do the work of the Lord Jesus Christ (laughter). After she hung up on me, I called back three times, but to three different operators who all hung up on me for asking their opinion. And that's a true story. But I can't blame them. (the audience shouts "what's the number, what's the telephone number") What? (They shout again) Good energy anyway, I couldn't hear you (they shout again, she hears them.) Oh (she puts her hands on hips), do you think I memorized it (laughter)? Turn on any late night station folks (laugher). But I can't blame them, ignorance attracts ignorance in the name of God all the time. And then there's the other breed of animal that probably can't get a job answering phones, because they dropped out of school. They decided to do their part in playing follow the leader, and joined their ignorance with brutality, to crucify a young brilliant boy who they perceived to be such a threat. Matthew was physically smaller than I am. I can see now that I am a giant to be reckoned with (applause). Mr. Trent Lott, Mr. New Gingrich, Mr. Jerry Falwell, how many Christs must bear the crosses until we learn that we are all children of God? (long applause). You have witnessed a demonstration of what your ignorant teachings about Gays and Lesbians breed. You preach and support groups that encourage me to change who I am, to become more like you. I .. DO ..NOT .. WANT .. TO .. BE .. LIKE .. YOU. (applause) You, you are the abomination in the eyes of my God. I do not wish to cross over to a group whose foundation is hatred. That spiral is headed down and Matthew Shepard's death is your proof. I will continue to fight for the freedom to love. It seems strange that that is a right I need to fight to keep. In my Bible, God gave me love by giving me life. In life, my life is precisely what I am now trying to protect. I hope one day, we will all join on the opposite side of hatred where one truly connects with God. Thank you.

Betty DeGeneres

Thank you, thank you so much (someone shouts "you go Betty" from crowd, there is laughter). There've been so many eloquent words here tonight. I've always found the words of the 23rd Psalm comforting and I'd like to share them if I can get through that.
"The lord is my shepherd, I shall not want
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.
He leadeth me beside the still waters
He restoreth my soul.
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness
for his names sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
I will fear no evil.
For thou art with me.
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me,
in the presence of mine enemies.
Thou anointest my head with oil,
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy
shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Thank you.
Posted by Worley1@aol.com [Oct.,98]

THE VIEW

I took time off to watch Ellen on the View show. She was obviously distraught, had a serious message she wanted to deliver, was professional in delivering it. Barbara Walters showed up for this episode. (I'm told she's usually not there in person.) She said Ellen had called her and volunteered to come on the show. They played some tape of Ellen's speech at the Washington, DC vigil last night.

Ellen looked tired, determined, excited. I imagine she took a commuter flight from DC to New York pretty early this morning. Ellen and Barbara spoke for quite a while. (They mentioned they are personal friends.) Later, Barbara made a point of calling Anne Heche out from the green room. As they sat together, Anne put her arm around Ellen's shoulders. Barbara asked which anniversary they were celebrating. Barbara sounded very friendly, as did the other interviewers (whose names I cannot remember, since I don't watch this show, so the only person I recognized was Barbara Walters).

Ellen's decided to go back to standup and she's developing another TV show. She made a point of saying it wasn't a sitcom. The ladies joked she was starting a chat show with FIVE interviewers (View has four). I was hoping she might be writing a book, but perhaps the A&E documentary is enough for now.

The audience gave both Ellen and Anne a standing ovation! What a greeting, I hadn't expected anything like that. I didn't know what kind of show this was, had assumed it was somewhat chatty, light. They got into serious stuff this morning, talking about the Matt Shepard murder. No holds barred. Walters - and the rest - seemed comfortable taking a stand. One of the interviewers even opened the topic of "what to do" by stating flatly one should not vote for homophobic politicians. (For our Non-US subscribers - the United States has a big national election coming up in just a few weeks, to elect state representatives to our national government.)

I think Walters' indulgent questioning about A&E's relationship, especially using a word like anniversary, was a deliberate effort on the part of a professional communicator to say she approves of the relationship between Ellen and Anne and considers it a marriage. Barbara Walters is a world class interviewer. That word didn't come out by accident.

This was an excellent breath of fresh air in a dismal week. It was good to see Ellen (who visibly mellows with Anne nearby) so obviously healthy, happy, active....Chita [October, 98]