The Laramie Project was supposed to highlight and unfold the story of how a town responds to tragedy, controversy and worldwide media attention. The citizens gave a chronology of events and how they were able to combat the disaster. The paper would discuss the unfolding events and their consequences in the town. Laramie gets a facelift after the Mathew Shepard’s murder.
Development Stages
In the play, Moises Kauffman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project went to get the reactions and impacts of the death that happened at Laramie (Kaufman, 2001). It introduces the theme of the play eloquently and continues to illustrate the critical incidents of the night of the murder. The over two hundred interviews and occasional visits to the town are essential for developing the moments of the play (Kaufman, 2001).
The protagonist, Laramie town, comes to grip with the events of October 6, 1998. The 21-year-old Mathew Shepard met his murderers in one of the bars in Laramie. Witnesses saw them being jovial at the time. After several drinks, the two friends decided to drive him to a remote place (Kaufman, 2001). They stole from him and tortured him. They left him unconscious. A biker accidentally discovered him within 24 hours and alerted the police. The Poudre Valley Hospital put him on full life support in the intensive care unit, but he died five days later.
After narrating the story, the play focuses on the reactions from the media and the residents (Kaufman, 2001). The media focused on the homosexual side of the story. It portrayed Mathew as a gay who the young men who tortured him did not want in the town. It described the city as a place where homosexuality is punishable by death. Most of its campaigns involved a lack of tolerance for the people who did not follow cultural values (Kaufman, 2001).
The religious institutions had mixed views. They lashed at the boy for being gay but thought that the punishment was severe. The Baptist church focused on fighting homosexual activities and portraying that Mathew’s soul did not go to heaven for being gay (Garrett, 2010). They preached against weird behaviors among the youths and even organized meetings to denounce such activities. They also demonstrated against any action that sought to show mercy to Mathew or promoted homosexual behaviors (Kaufman, 2001).
The town goes through a transformation of beliefs and conduct. It changes and develops the play so as to promote reconciliation and care for everyone. The citizens have to come to terms with an offense within the town that seriously affects its image. They have to stand up and show the way on how they can shed off the wrong picture. After a series of events, they become aware of their misgivings and start creating awareness workshops for capacity building. Even with attacks from a few corners and the church, they manage to make amends to their past (Kaufman, 2001).
The community came to light with these events and was fighting for its place as a town with morals. The reactions of the residents were varied. Some thought that Mathew had a right to live his life as he wished (Kaufman, 2001). Others thought that even though he had a right, he was not obligated to influence others to his gay behavior. The witnesses at the club portrayed Mathew as gay. They even stated how his friends tried to lure him using gay practices to his untimely death.
Although there were laws, the state and the country’s constitution did not set specific legislation to protect people’s sexuality, gender, and disability. The court found Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson guilty of kidnapping and murder and sentenced them to concurrent life in prison (Garrett, 2010). They have no chance of ever leaving prison for the crimes they did.
Achievement of Self- Awareness
The town achieved self-awareness. The residents’ agitation pushed the case to receive international attention. The state of Wyoming and the American nation started a process to have the Hate Crimes Prevention Act also to cover gender and sexually motivated crimes (Kaufman, 2001). It also extended to include sexual orientation, gender identity, and disability (Garrett, 2010). The international community also advanced laws that covered crimes of passion, gender inequality, disability, and sexual orientation.
The citizens also willingly participated in the creation of the Laramie Project. The play attracted international attention and later developed into a film. Other cities, towns, states, and countries started using the play and film to showcase the importance of tolerance. Some universities, colleges, and high schools also adapted it to teach how people can become cohesive and respectful towards other’s lifestyles (Garrett, 2010).
The Mathew Shepard Foundation leads the way into making the people more understanding and compassionate rather than being hateful (Garrett, 2010). The political and civil activism within the town changes the perspective of the residents. They lead the way in motivating the citizens to accept each other. The agitation moves a notch higher to include other sectors of life.
Conclusion
The Laramie Project is a good example of people owning up to their mistakes and starting the journey to correct them. The way they deal with the problem gives them a facelift. They become self-aware and start dealing with their colleagues in a sober manner.
References
Garrett, Y. (2010). Moisés Kaufman’s and members of the tectonic theatre project 2001 the laramie project. Seven Hills, Australia: Five Senses Education.
Kaufman, M. (2001). The laramie project, New York, NY.: Vintage Books.