The Laramie Project
Ignorance in Laramie, Wyoming Things don’t happen in a small town like Laramie, Wyoming, but when someone is beaten and left to die, the true colors of the residents come out. Some people in the town did not give a care in the world to him dying because he was gay and thought he should have died. Others thought it was down-right wrong, immoral, and a complete hate crime. Matthew chose to be gay, it was his right as a human being, and he was going to fight for that right. His fight for human rights continued after his death. It brought out the gay community in Laramie and they fought for that lifestyle and showed everyone there was nothing wrong it. It also brought out the gay community all around the United States to come out and feel proud of whom they were. Ignorance is defined within Kaufmann’s The Laramie Project not only as insensitivity but as stupidity and immaturity. The Baptist Minister was insensitive to the fact that two people of his town brutally beat an innocent young man and left him to die. If Matthew Shepard was not gay on the other hand, the Ministers outlook on his death would do a complete one-eighty, but Matthew was gay. The minister did not show any remorse toward Matthew’s death. He stated:
Now, as for the victim, I know that that lifestyle is legal, but I will tell you one thing: I hope that Matthew Shepard as he was tied to that fence, that he had time to reflect on a moment when someone had spoken the word of the Lord to him—and that before he slipped into a coma he had a chance to reflect on his lifestyle. (Kaufman 69)
That statement seem to shock Amanda Gronich, she had no words apparently or she was angry that someone could of said something so ignorant. It’s understandable that it says in the bible it is wrong to be gay, and people have their own beliefs on that subject, but that does not mean they should be brutally beaten for their lifestyle. It seemed that he showed no remorse at all to the death of Matthew, of course because
Now, as for the victim, I know that that lifestyle is legal, but I will tell you one thing: I hope that Matthew Shepard as he was tied to that fence, that he had time to reflect on a moment when someone had spoken the word of the Lord to him—and that before he slipped into a coma he had a chance to reflect on his lifestyle. (Kaufman 69)
That statement seem to shock Amanda Gronich, she had no words apparently or she was angry that someone could of said something so ignorant. It’s understandable that it says in the bible it is wrong to be gay, and people have their own beliefs on that subject, but that does not mean they should be brutally beaten for their lifestyle. It seemed that he showed no remorse at all to the death of Matthew, of course because
Cited: Page Kaufman, Moisés. The Laramie Project.. New York: First Vintage Books Edition, 2001. Print