Homophobes yelling abuse from cars could face imprisonment or be fined up to A$5,500 when new laws come into effect on january 1 1999. The Police Powers (Vehicle Legislation) Act 1998 will give NSW Police the power to demand the identification of a driver and the passengers if the vehicle is used in a suspected crime.

Police Commissioner Peter Ryan reportedly said in November this year that police needed the power to demand that owners of vehicles identify people who borrow their car and commit a crime. Ryan cited the viscous bashing of a man at Taylor Square in february this year as a case study for the new laws.

Mark Cochrane survived the bashing but his eyesight was saved only after reconstructive surgery, where metal plates were inserted into his face to compensate for his left cheekbone which was shattered in the attack.

A Time-ly but inappropriate remembrance
Debbie Woodell
PHILADELPHIA DAILY NEWS, December 22, 1998

So, how will we remember Matthew Shepard this Christmas?

All over the Internet these past couple of weeks, folks were urged to cast a vote for Shepard, the gay man brutalized to death in Wyoming in October, as Time magazine's Man of the Year.

Our browsers were pointed to Time's Web site and we were asked to choose Shepard for the magazine's top annual honor. When I first checked this decidedly unscientific poll, I don't think anyone else had double digits in voting percentage. The next time I checked, Sheppard had slipped into second, but was still on the heels of pro wrestler Mick Foley. And here's how legitimate the poll is and how credible the voters are When Foley fans learned Shepard was leading, they reportedly "trashed" a Shepard memorial Web site.

Of course, we knew our choice wouldn't be the real choice, but simply a popularity contest established as much to generate publicity for the magazine as to provide a forum for our opinions.

And now that the choice has been made, the debate will rage on. I understand the sentiment behind voting for Shepard, but I never expected him to win. Shepard already has been on magazine covers, the most gripping of which was the Advocate's, which featured a small photo on an otherwise black cover and which labeled him "The Ultimate Ex-Gay."

He was not the typical Time Man of the Year candidate. He did not set out to change the world or alter the course of history; tragically, his death did that. His death galvanized the gay-rights movement like never before and also brought a real, human face to the ongoing story of violence against gay men and lesbians - violence that has claimed a potential Time Man or Woman of the Year every year, for what seems like forever.

Call the Shepard story one of the top news events of the year. Recognize that his death will do more for gay rights than any high-profile coming-out stories or high-powered lobbying in political arenas.

But don't cheapen his memory with the magazine's cheap publicity stunt. I prefer to remember the eloquent, heartfelt writings and speeches in the wake of Shepard's death, the poignant candlelight vigils, the rage, the tears.

I want to remember how this senseless act helped bring us all closer together. I don't bear ill will toward those who did select Shepard, once, twice, even a dozen times. But I'm not interested either in placing tremendous importance on some stacked vote that will be forgotten by the time some other publication opens its Web site to readers' choices for the World's Sexiest Man or tries to determine the most significant public-opinion poll of the millennium.

But whether or not you helped build up the vote total, it's more important for you to build bridges to those on the other side of the chasm that separates gay people from straight people.

Don't get too caught up in this show of hands; show the world we are everywhere by coming out and making ourselves and our stories heard.

Rather than just cast an empty ballot, why not help fill the coffers of organizations trying to make sure we have no more Matthew Shepards?

So, how do we remember Matthew Shepard this Christmas?

Debbie Woodell is a Daily News sports desk editor. Send e-mail to woodeld@phillynews.com

NEW YORK  ­ Two Catholic activism groups placed a full-page ad in The New York Times  responding to the October murder of a 21-year-old homosexual Wyoming man by calling for an end to discrimination against homosexuals and lesbians. 

The ad was sponsored by Pax Christi USA, which promotes transforming society through non-violence, and New Ways Ministry, which has been controversial because of its promotion of the acceptance of homosexuality in contradiction to Catholic Church teaching. 

"If Catholics and all people of faith commit their hearts to acceptance and inclusion of gay and lesbian people, the escalation of violence can be overcome," said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry. 

"Misguided religious thought has fueled the homophobia that causes violence.  True Christian charity can correct it."  Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old, openly-homosexual college student, was allegedly killed by two Wyoming men, partly because of his sexuality.  Pro- homosexual groups pointed at the murder as a sign of increasing violence and hostility against them, which they said stems from religious and moral objections to their lifestyle.

Matthew Shepard T-shirt Designs Contest  
LAMBDA MIDWEST
Rodney A. Bell, II, B.A. P.O. Box 45357 Kansas City, MO 64171 
(816) 931-6829 lovespirit@earthlink.net

To Memorialize Matthew Shepard,  Lambda Midwest is holding a T-shirt contest to create awareness. We are so worried about profiteering, but we need to bring  about awareness and the T-shirt idea is still a good idea.  

The deadline for submissions is January 31, 1999. The winner will receive placement of his/her design on the Lambda Midwest Home Page and the pages throughout the links. The design will be used to promote funds for charities that fit the memory of Matthew Shepard, such as OUT Magazine's  Scholarship Fund or the newly established Matthew Shepard Memorial Fund set up by his family.

Donations of graphics, funds, printing, graphic design promotion and consultation and advertising will be needed at some point to print these and sell them. Contact me for further information on that. 

Please send me any/all possible suitable graphics i.e. pictures scanned  as jpgs or gifs to my ISP lovespirit@earthlink.net we would like to make this a contest with people voting on the most popular design and display the submissions on a special page on the Lambda Midwest Matthew Shepard Memorial Web Site (http//www.geocities.com/WestHollywood/Stonewall/2178/shepard1.html ).

So please send in your submissions quickly! And forward this email message everywhere!!! Voting on submissions will occur from 2/1/99-2/15/99.  The winner will be announced 2/16/99. We would love a lot of submissions.  The winning design will be displayed on a link from the Lambda Midwest Matthew Shepard Memorial Page.

Gay Men's Murderer Gets 168 Years
ALBUQUERQUE (AP)—A 20-year-old killer smirked after being told through an interpreter that he probably would spend the rest of his life in prison in the deaths of three gay men.

Ricardo Rodriguez was the first of four defendants to go on trial in the 1997 slayings. He was sentenced Wednesday to the maximum term—168 years—after he was convicted last month on 13 counts, including first-degree murder and kidnapping.

With three consecutive life sentences, each 30 years without parole, and three consecutive 18-year terms for first-degree kidnapping, "in all likelihood Mr. Rodriguez will die in prison," said prosecutor Jody Curran.

The bodies of Victor Monzon, 41, and Jesus Contreras, 30, were found bound, beaten and strangled in an Albuquerque motel in February 1997.

The decomposed body of Osvaldo Travieso, 37, was found dumped along Interstate 25 near Santa Fe two weeks later.

The four defendants were arrested in Salinas, Kan., driving Monzon's car.