The 1998 murder of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old gay student at the University of Wyoming, focused international attention on hate crimes, bigotry and homophobia. One month after Shepard ’s killing, playwright Moisés Kaufman and members of his theater company decided to travel to Laramie to document the town’s reactions to Shepard ’s death. After conducting more than 200 interviews, the writers assembled The Laramie Project, a unique play, which is also a film, created from verbatim excerpts of conversations with the residents of Laramie. At its core, The Laramie Project centers on a stark fact: Matthew Shepard was hated—and killed—because of who he was. In an era of increasing divisiveness, viewing this film and reading the play can inspire you to reflect on a myriad of vital and timely issues. These include the nature of tolerance, acceptance and pluralism; the meaning of community; and the struggle to overcome hate, bigotry and violence.
The Laramie Project contains frank language and references to sexual themes.
In order to grapple with these issues in a safe, academic setting, it is necessary to also examine what makes us human. You will express strong opinions, and you may find the discussions and materials disturbing, but this is a small price to pay for leading us all in the direction of a more tolerant future.
In order to grapple with these issues in a safe, academic setting, it is necessary to also examine what makes us human. You will express strong opinions, and you may find the discussions and materials disturbing, but this is a small price to pay for leading us all in the direction of a more tolerant future.
Before Reading/Viewing Activity
Read page 2 about the killing of Matthew Shepard and discuss your reaction to it on the Padlet below. Answer the poll questions posed on page 2 on the Google+ forum: Could an attack like the one on Shepard occur in Nanaimo? Continue reading about the process of creating the play (pages 4 and 5) and historical precedents for bias crimes (pages 6 and 7). Then turn to the Notebook section on page 8, and pose your reaction to the quotations in the Verbatim column--discuss your reaction in a blog. For example, how do you react to Zackie Salmon’s point that she would not feel comfortable showing affection in public for her same-sex partner? In your Ongoing Dictionary, define pertinent terms: homophobia, xenophobia, bigotry, tolerance, acceptance. Watch for examples of these behaviours while you read and view the play.
Givens:
1. Complete the Padlet below: your reaction to the killing of Matthew Shepard
2. Answer the Poll Questions on the Google+ forum (adapted from the Times Article)
3. Blog: Discuss your reaction to the quotations on page 8 (also post it on Google+)
4. SJ Dictionary: define pertinent terms.
Givens:
1. Complete the Padlet below: your reaction to the killing of Matthew Shepard
2. Answer the Poll Questions on the Google+ forum (adapted from the Times Article)
3. Blog: Discuss your reaction to the quotations on page 8 (also post it on Google+)
4. SJ Dictionary: define pertinent terms.
PADLET Discussion Board Activity
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“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.”
― Mahatma Gandhi, All Men are Brothers: Autobiographical Reflections