In this backwater [crap]thole of a country this murderer will probably receive a gold medal of honor! It’s always been a complete puzzle to me why any true gay male would ever want to be a part of ANY organization which openly [craps] all over us?!? Military, church, ect, ect, ect. This sad list goes on and on and on…Is it for job security? For “benefits” that a gay male feels he can’t receive anywhere else? Some sort of misdirected feeling of “pride” and “honor” in wanting to serve in an organization whose ONLY purpose is imposing death and discrimination upon others??? Is one’s “need” to “fit” in with disgusting hetero society SO great that he would have to lower himself to the level of the U.S. Military or some half assed church group? Completely baffles me folks! I’m hearing a LOT of pro military rhetoric coming from the gay community these days and find it EXTREMELY sickening and heart wrenching! if you truly possess THAT low of an IQ level, then yes, maybe military service is for you, but please don’t go spouting this redundant drivel about “defending’ my freedoms(which never existed in this poor excuse of a “democracy” to begin with)! i can move to f**king Nepal and have more freedoms. Peace out.

I think there is a whole lot more to this story. First Shawn Freemore admits on his myspace page to being bisexual – but leans more towards guys. This removes this from a hate crime. In his statement he told the police he changed his mind about having sex and got out of the car and began walking home, when Michael Goucher got out of the car and went after him, and it was then that he stabbed him. I far from condone Shawn Freemore’s actions, and believe that if you use violence to solve your problems, you deserve to be punished. But I think this was a relationship that went horribly wrong for reasons we may never completely know, not a hate crime. This said, my sympathy goes out to the family of Michael Goucher – no one should lose a son or daughter this way – and I hope one day they will not only find justice for their terrible lose, but also some peace.

I just wanted to say that I live not far from where Michael was killed and it has been on our local news since he was found. His family is very upset and have been interviewed by the local media here they were crying and said what a wonderful man he was told of his volunteer work and his affiliation with his church and how he touched everyone he came in contact with

I’m a gay Army vet myself with 10 years in the Infantry. I met my partner of 8 years on the internet and we had a long-distance relationship for over a year before we met face to face for the first time.
I’ve known several folks both gay and hetero who have hooked up into long term relationships over the net.
Internet dating, hookups and relationships can be healthy, adventurous and help you find a life partner as long as you use some common sense when meeting someone for the first time. Make sure it’s a public setting. If they refuse a public meeting then that should be a serious warning sign.

Life in prison would be a bargain for Freemore. If he nad second thoughts about what he and Goucher had done, he could have said, “I don’t feel right about what we did and I don’t want to see you again.” Avoid two wasted male lives, one dead and one in prison for life. However, now that the irretreivable was done, being a lifer with no hope of parole would give Freemore many years to reflect on what he did and why to snuff out another man who was of no threat to his existence.
Unfortunately, it’s too late for regrets. He had plenty of opportunity to not do what he did to Goucher, he had a chance to think, “this is crazy, this is so not worth it.” But now that it’s done that’s it. All the tears (if he has any in that mean, hard-hearted person of his) will not bring a life back, nor will the tears keep him from having to do the time for doing the crime.

hmmm…. it would be interesting to do sum research, to kno,if freemore’ here had any background in religious’ exteremist’ setting, probably not now in his’ adult life by his’ criminal’ record, but by his’ childhood,or otherwise,sumthing suggest, he was programmed,or educated to second guess,or judge, his’ very own nature’

As for Groucher’s uncle, before he spouts off my lame excuses like “If there’s a lesson to be taken from this tragedy, it’s to warn kids, especially the younger kids, about the danger of getting together with strangers they meet online”. Maybe he should campaign to make it easier for gay youth to meet in real life without the fear of being beaten or being stabbed in public!

Sure, let the criminals into the military – just not the Gay and Lesbian folks. Really tragic. It’s high time the military abandon the requirement for gays to LIE about themselves while serving their country.