Essay on The Laramie Project - 1293 Words

Bethany L. Coderre Theater-3 Ms. Kewley Hate Crimes After reading â€Å"The Laramie Project† your left with so many questions, ideas and emotions. The play is a series of interviews (reenacted exactly as they happened) to give the audience facts and true statements so that they can form there own opinion. The play takes place in Laramie Wyoming, after the â€Å"hate crime† that left 21 year old Matthew Shepard fighting for his life that ended soon after all because the fact that he was gay. Hate is a feeling and hate crime is acting on that hatred, but what exactly is a â€Å"hate crime†? What makes it so different from any other crime? Isnt all crime hate crime? â€Å"People would like to think that what†¦show more content†¦These reactions can include; deep personal hurt/betrayal, feelings of powerlessness/vulnerability, anger or sadness, fear for personal and familys safety or even changes in lifestyle (where they walk, how they answer the phone,their reactions to strangers).† psychological problems like, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anger, taking as much as 5 years for a victim to overcome the psychological effects from an attack. In the article â€Å"All crimes are hate crimes† written by Jim McPherson, he states that â€Å"hate crime laws tend to promote inequality rather than curb it. Such laws create special classes of citizens who enjoy a special status.† When you think about it like that it opens the door for so many pros and cons of whether or not â€Å"hate crimes† should be treated different from any other crime. â€Å"It is inherently unjust to punish certain crimes more harshly than others simply because the victim is a member of a special chosen group, it demeans those who aren’t considered special and is contrary to the idea that laws should apply equally to everyone regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation or other variables. If someones grandfather is assaulted, should the law care less because he doesn’t happen to be gay?† Some people believe that hate crime laws are a threat to ourShow MoreRelatedThe Laramie Project and Shakespeare1099 Words   |  5 Pagesarts examples are The Laramie Project and Shakespeare as presented in the Secured Housing Unit (SHU) at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility (WVCF), a super-maximum security prison in the state of Indiana. These productions offer their creators and viewers alike, the opportunity to learn much about the attitudes and actions concerning how people relate to each other. They also offer an opportunity for people to understand themselves better, as well. The Laramie Project, developed by Moisà ©s KaufmanRead MoreThesis Essay for the Laramie Project1089 Words   |  5 PagesIn Moises Kaufmans, The Laramie Project the under lying theme of the novel is people are afraid of change. This can be proved from the novel with the character Cathy Connolly and the struggle that homosexuals have to live in there own society. The juxtaposition of anti-gay demonstrations sparked by religion at a homosexuals funeral, and even the physical setting is related to why people are afraid of change. Whether it is start by homophobia, religion, or opression, people are not just afraid ofRead MoreEssay The Laramie Project Critique673 Words   |  3 PagesThe Laramie Project Critique *No Works Cited The Laramie project captured the audiences attention by utilizing different design methods on stage. This included sound, stage and hand properties, light, and music. With an ensemble of 10 actors playing over 30 roles, this proved to be an amazing play to experience. The playwright was constructed in a clear manner, which eliminated the confusion of who is who. Through the usage of the stage elements as well as the dynamics of each characterRead MoreThe Laramie Project, By Moses Kaufman Essay1583 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Moses Kaufman is the producer of the successful play â€Å"The Laramie Project† after a horrific incident that occurred in Laramie. Members of the artistic group of Kaufman s, traveled to Laramie to find out more about the horrific incidence. The main aim of the whole project was to find the emotions, reactions, and reflections that the people of Laramie manifested concerning the beating and subsequent death of a twenty-three-year-old college student (Gale, 2016). A lot of questions wereRead MoreEssay about The Laramie Project1907 Words   |  8 Pages The Laramie Project, written by Moisà ©s Kaufman, is a compilation of interviews by The Tectonic Theater Project, news publications, and journal entries. After the brutal murder of Mathew Sheppard in 1998. Kaufman along with his theater troupe made six visits to Laramie, Wyoming, where the murder took place, to interview people about what happened and how they felt about the crime in their community. They interviewed about two hundred people, of which about sixty were included in the play. The playRead MoreLaramie Project Review Essay example1584 Words   |  7 PagesRevealed the World’s Concealed View on Homosexuality The Laramie Project is a play written by Moises Kaufman and the members of Tectonic Theater Project. The play is based on the interviews of the citizens of Laramie about what’s happening in Laramie and their responses to the murder of Matthew. In addition to the various themes suggested by the play, the author wanted to present the varying perspectives toward homosexuality in the Laramie community at the time of Matthew’s death. The author alsoRead MoreThe Laramie And Laramie Project1226 Words   |  5 PagesStatistics Report Released). Crimes against homosexuals have been reported nationwide, but a hate crime in Laramie, Wyoming has changed the gay community. October 12, 1998, twenty-one year old Matthew Shepard was brutally beaten and murdered by two young Laramie citizens because of Shepard’s sexual orientation. In The Laramie Project and The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later, the town of Laramie consisted of many social problems, which led to individuals viol ently projecting their bias towards homosexualsRead MoreThe Laramie Project1747 Words   |  7 Pagesfactory, car dealers, the University of Wyoming - reveals the town of Laramie, Wyoming, pop. 26,687. As the towns police sergeant says, Its a good place to live. Good people - lots of space. Were one of the largest states in the country, and the least populated. Laramie residents take pride in being part of the gem city of the plains, and appear to believe in the motto Live and Let Live. What happens to a town like Laramie when something unexpected, unconscionable and unforgivable rips itRead MoreThe Movie The Laramie Project 1135 Words   |  5 PagesAfter, reading and watching the movie of â€Å"The Laramie Project† I was left with so many emotions, ideas, and questions. The play was based on a series of interviews, in order to provide true facts and statements to the audience. Since I have been studying the case of Matthew, I am now able to see clearly and to understand that the ferocity committed to him is considered by the law to be a hate crime. â€Å"The term hate crime was coined in the 1980s by journalists and policy advocates who were attemptingRead MoreLaramie Project Reaction995 Words   |  4 PagesRachel Chollett The Laramie Project Laramie, WY, is a modest town which became ignominious overnight in the fall of 1998, when Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was found tied to a fence after being callously beaten and left to die, setting off a nationwide dispute about homophobia and hate crimes. My reaction to this moment in time initially is horror and shock that people did and do these unspeakable acts to their fellow human. However, I can also appreciate the many different views