A Crime of Prejudice

The Laramie Project tells a story of a community stricken by disaster through various interviews of the residents of the town this disaster resided in. 21-year-old Matthew Shepard met his tragic end by the hands of two young men named Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. Knowing he was homosexual, the two men stated that he was hitting on them and proceeded to tie him to a post and beat him to death because of this. The details of this murder assert that this act was a hate crime against a homosexual.

The Webster Dictionary defines a hate crime as, “any of various crimes (as assault or defacement of property) when motivated by hostility to the victim as a member of a group (as one based on color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation).” In Matthew Shepard’s case, the two men were perceived to commit the crime based on sexual orientation. This “hate crime” came at surprise to the people of Laramie and they quickly responded that they were “pro gay” and the rest of the town is “not like this.”

Obviously, Laramie was considered an anti-gay location by the media and public at first, but this was before “the Laramie Project” made its big debut. Sherry Johnson’s interview in The Laramie Project caused an unusual observation of a hate crime. She talked about how another highway patrolman was killed and no one besides family and friends showed much concern. She posed the question as to why Matthew Shepard is so much more important than this patrolman. She then stated that a hate crime is not just about crime motivated by gender, race, or sexual orientation, but rather plainly, based on hatred. If this is the case, then one might be curious as to why Matthew Shepard became so famous and this highway patrolman didn’t. Two supposedly equal people, according to the U.S Constitution, had died, yet the case involving one of them was much more prevalent.

There are only a two logical answers to why Matthew’s case was more significant; Sherry Johnson’s definition of a hate crime is incorrect, or people are in fact not created equal. Matthew’s case is much more important than the patrolman’s because it is based off of crude hatred towards sexual orientation. The patrolman’s case was relatively unnoticed because this was a simple murder not based off of prejudice. People began to rally for Matthew Shepard because of the “hate crime” committed to him and not to the patrolman. The community also saw Matthew’s case as a representative of hate crimes. Some believed that to be gay was wrong and he “got what he deserved.” Others believed that what was done to Matthew was very wrong and to be gay is welcomed in the world we live in.

Sherry Johnson’s definition of a hate crime however, shows very plausible thinking. When a person hates another person and commits a crime against them it should obviously be called a hate crime. Just recently, on March 8, 2009, “An 88-year-old gunman with a violent and virulently anti-Semitic past opened fire with a rifle inside the crowded U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.” This man was motivated by hate according to Access World News. Showing a past history of anti-Semitism as well as time spent in prison, this man shot one security guard who later died in the hospital.

The circumstances of the elderly Nazi show a striking resemblance to Matthew Shepard’s case. Both of the victims were subjected to murder based on a hatred of a sexual orientation, or a belief. However, the elderly Nazi did not commit a hate crime towards a Jewish person. Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney committed a hate crime based on sexual orientation when they killed Matt. Though the security guard the Nazi killed was black, this was not the incentive to kill him. The Nazi showed that he hated the Jewish and all they stood for, but did not shoot a specific Jewish person. He wanted to prove that he disagreed with the Jewish and believed that this was enough motivation to attack. This nevertheless is a hate crime because the Nazi was showing prejudice towards the Jews. The attack was based off of a hate of a creed and even though the man who was shot and killed may not have been Jewish, the incentive for the attack was based on prejudice dating all the way back to the Holocaust. The Holocaust will always be known by the world as a time of hatred and fear. Since the Nazis targeted solo Jews, this act was a crime based off of creed and the beliefs the Jewish people hold. This giant “hate crime,” one might say, spawned World War II, which was much more prominent in the news than Matthew Shepard’s case.

On April 16, 2007, a man named Cho Seung-Hui committed one of the worst shootings in this nations history. He was responsible for the deaths of 32 people within Virginia Tech including students and teachers. After this rampage, he shot himself before S.W.A.T teams could detain him. According to The New Times, this attack was based off of a long building hatred and insecurity. The shooter had a long history of disturbing writings and was sent to counseling because of them. These writings show that he mostly hated “rich kids, debauchery and deceitful charlatans,” but also hated many others which provoked him to commit this massacre.

The hate crimes of the elderly Nazi, Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney, and even the Holocaust are all based off of prejudice, therefore they are considered hate crimes towards these types of people. These crimes are not based off of the person themselves, but what the person stands for. The criminal’s hatred is due to color, creed, gender, or sexual orientation, not, for example, a police officer being killed in trying to solve a crime. The Virgina Tech Massacre is not a hate crime, however. Cho Seung-Hui did not show any prejudice towards Americans, or any ethnic group, but rather students and specific people around him. Obviously this event is very significant and demonstrates a crime based on abhorrence, but not based on prejudice.

Sherry Johnson has associated “hate crime” with pure hatred when in fact it is actually concerning to prejudice. This title of hate crime is quite confusing in this sense. A logical name for a crime such as this would be a crime of prejudice, or to be specific to Matthew Shepard, a crime based on sexual orientation. If a hate crime were simply a crime based on hatred, the highway patrolman’s case should have been just as important to the public as Matthew’s. This would call for an entirely new name to the crime that was committed to Matthew Shepard.

However ambiguous the definition of a hate crime may be, the suffering that Matthew had to endure just from his sexual orientation is wrong. People around the world need to be aware that an act such as this is never acceptable. Gays are hated irrational reasons by some around the world, and these people need to be taught that hate crimes are unacceptable. The hate crimes legislation could easily be reinforced to teach people there is no need to show such hatred toward these people. Whatever their sexual preferences are shouldn’t matter to a person who is comfortable with their own.

Crimes of prejudice show no rational sense in the world we live in today. The word hate crime is confusing and baffles people as to what its true definition is. It should be changed from its original title to a more suitable one such as a crime of prejudice, because that’s what it actually is. Since this definition is so subjective, a hate crime could be considered to be any crime that any person shows anger or hatred to. Sherry Johnson believes this to be the definition of a hate crime. Many people probably share this definition as well, which is why this title of a hate crime needs to be changed to something that actually can be identified without debate.

Why Laramie?

Why Laramie?



Tragedies such as murders, rapes, and assaults are among many evils that plague this country each day and it is imperative to inform the public in order to eradicate these crimes and save our daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, and all the loved ones that come to be the unfortunate victims. Matthew Shepard is an example of an individual who was not so lucky when it came to saving his precious life. He had only experienced 21 years of life when he was brutally slaughtered because of his sexuality. As stated by the Matthew Shepard Foundation, he “was tied to a split-rail fence where two men severely assaulted him. He was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night” overlooking the beautiful vistas of Laramie, Wyoming. This devastating crime presents a convoluted question as to what type of community would allow two of their own children to commit this heinous crime justifying it through their homophobic excuses. All Laramie and American residents were conflicted with this matter which led a well-known theater company to investigate the truth behind Matthew Shepard’s death. The theater’s visit to Laramie was the beginning of the whirlwind media that would take the small town by a storm leaving everyone wondering “why Laramie?”


The Tectonic Theater’s visit resulted in over 200 interviews that composed a Broadway play and a motion picture film, The Laramie Project. The intrigue of Matthew Shepard’s death was explained to be rooted in the fact that “it was a hate crime, hate crime, hate crime” according to the Tectonic Theater Project. In The Laramie Project, “live and let live,” is a repetitive phrase that while it seems simple, it is, however, the mentality of life for Laramie residents. Whether it is racism, sexism, or homophobia, Laramie inhabitants regard any type of issue or lifestyle with a “live and let live” attitude. Even though this particular attitude might be considered as possessing a positive connotation where people do no pass judgments and allow others to be themselves, however, that is not the case in Laramie, Wyoming. A loss of a life proved to be the price in order to shine light on a very infamous issue residing in Laramie. Matthew Shepard’s murder triggered changes in perceptions and attitudes of the American public while it revealed true colors of his fellow neighbors, friends, family, and even enemies. “Live and let live” now had a different meaning behind it, it represented fear and trepidation of homosexuals, or the unknown. Although the local community of Laramie revealed mixed sentiments regarding Matthew Shepard’s death, the widespread media attention concerning this tragedy raised awareness of the cruelty of hate crimes. Matthew Shepard lost his life in order to educate the public and Laramie but it makes one wonder, why Laramie? Why did Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project choose Laramie of all places and depict its story? This particular hate crime received great attention for several reasons whether it’d be the tragic hate crime, appeal and mourning of an innocent boy, or Laramie itself. No answer is clear but what is certain is that Matthew’s murder attracted more media attention and nationwide sympathy than any other hate crime or brutality prior or following 1998.


With a mere population of nearly 27,000 people, Laramie does not present itself as a violent community but rather a place where its residents enjoy the small-town ways and simplicity of life. However, the whole town was taken aback when one of their own suffered an inhumane death committed by two other boys that were born, raised, and educated in Laramie. The combination of loss with the brutality and maliciousness with which it was perpetrated generates both sorrow and legitimate anger in Laramie and others all across the country. Crimes occur every day but hate crimes are particularly interesting because The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines hate crimes as “bias-motivated crimes where a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership of a certain group usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, and etc.” When a crime takes place targeting a certain group and it is motivated by hatred, the criminal act is more appealing to the public because of its repugnance allowing people to express their sorrow and disapproval. Although historically racial and religious biases have inspired most hate crimes, other social groups have increasingly become targets of bias-motivated intimidation. Matthew Shepard unfortunately died satisfying others’ hatred of homosexuals.


Although the maliciousness of this particular hate crime certainly attracted the media and public interest, it is also Matthew Shepard himself that intrigued everybody. As he was portrayed in The Laramie Project, whether he was supported or chastised for his lifestyle, he was nevertheless a regular, young, white male appealing to most of US, especially the Midwest. He is described by his father, Dennis Shepard, as “an optimistic and accepting young man who had a special gift of relating to almost everyone,” which is exactly why everyone could relate to Matthew even when he was made into a martyr following his tragic death. Because Matthew had a great passion for equality and always stood up for acceptance of people’s differences, people were able to sympathize with his death because he died for everything he believed in. Matthew had the courage to face death almost knowing the outcome of nationwide concern regarding his beliefs would be well worth dying.


Although Matthew himself appeals to Americans across the country, it is also Laramie’s qualities that enable us to relate and sympathize with this tragedy. As most of us have originated from a “Laramie” type of place or experienced a small-town lifestyle before, we can sense the pain and turmoil that forms a connection with Matthew Shepard and Laramie. In her essay “The Laramie Project: Western Pastoral,” Amy Tigner discusses Laramie’s mythic aura describing it as “a town out of a Western…where ordinary people raise their children.” Because Laramie consists of ordinary people, ordinary Americans are able to relate with an ordinary mother losing her child, or an ordinary girl losing her best friend. Since this particular hate crime occurred in a place where “hate is not a [Laramie] value”, as portrayed by The Laramie Project, the human reaction was exaggerated allowing this event to become a nationwide concern.


Matthew Shepard is no longer here but his spirit still roams among us as plays, movies, and celebrations are commemorated in his name. Even though his disturbing death attracted more attention than most hate crimes, it is because of this attention that we are able to celebrate him and his courageous values. Not only are we able to celebrate him but through Matthew Shepard and his sacrifice, we educate the public that homophobia or any other type of discrimination will not only be intolerable, but it will not be accepted.

Why Laramie?

Tragedies such as murders, rapes, and assaults are among many evils that plague this country each day and it is imperative to inform the public in order to eradicate these crimes and save our daughters, sons, mothers, fathers, and all the loved ones that come to be the unfortunate victims. Matthew Shepard is an example of an individual who was not so lucky when it came to saving his precious life. He had only experienced 21 years of life when he was brutally slaughtered because of his sexuality. As stated by the Matthew Shepard Foundation, he “was tied to a split-rail fence where two men severely assaulted him. He was beaten and left to die in the cold of the night” overlooking the beautiful vistas of Laramie, Wyoming. This devastating crime presents a convoluted question as to what type of community would allow two of their own children to commit this heinous crime justifying it through their homophobic excuses. All Laramie and American residents were conflicted with this matter which led a well-known theater company to investigate the truth behind Matthew Shepard’s death. The theater’s visit to Laramie was the beginning of the whirlwind media that would take the small town by a storm leaving everyone wondering “why Laramie?”


The Tectonic Theater’s visit resulted in over 200 interviews that composed a Broadway play and a motion picture film, The Laramie Project. The intrigue of Matthew Shepard’s death was explained to be rooted in the fact that “it was a hate crime, hate crime, hate crime” according to the Tectonic Theater Project. In The Laramie Project, “live and let live,” is a repetitive phrase that while it seems simple, it is, however, the mentality of life for Laramie residents. Whether it is racism, sexism, or homophobia, Laramie inhabitants regard any type of issue or lifestyle with a “live and let live” attitude. Even though this particular attitude might be considered as possessing a positive connotation where people do no pass judgments and allow others to be themselves, however, that is not the case in Laramie, Wyoming. A loss of a life proved to be the price in order to shine light on a very infamous issue residing in Laramie. Matthew Shepard’s murder triggered changes in perceptions and attitudes of the American public while it revealed true colors of his fellow neighbors, friends, family, and even enemies. “Live and let live” now had a different meaning behind it, it represented fear and trepidation of homosexuals, or the unknown. Although the local community of Laramie revealed mixed sentiments regarding Matthew Shepard’s death, the widespread media attention concerning this tragedy raised awareness of the cruelty of hate crimes. Matthew Shepard lost his life in order to educate the public and Laramie but it makes one wonder, why Laramie? Why did Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project choose Laramie of all places and depict its story? This particular hate crime received great attention for several reasons whether it’d be the tragic hate crime, appeal and mourning of an innocent boy, or Laramie itself. No answer is clear but what is certain is that Matthew’s murder attracted more media attention and nationwide sympathy than any other hate crime or brutality prior or following 1998.


With a mere population of nearly 27,000 people, Laramie does not present itself as a violent community but rather a place where its residents enjoy the small-town ways and simplicity of life. However, the whole town was taken aback when one of their own suffered an inhumane death committed by two other boys that were born, raised, and educated in Laramie. The combination of loss with the brutality and maliciousness with which it was perpetrated generates both sorrow and legitimate anger in Laramie and others all across the country. Crimes occur every day but hate crimes are particularly interesting because The Federal Bureau of Investigation defines hate crimes as “bias-motivated crimes where a perpetrator targets a victim because of his or her perceived membership of a certain group usually defined by racial group, religion, sexual orientation, and etc.” When a crime takes place targeting a certain group and it is motivated by hatred, the criminal act is more appealing to the public because of its repugnance allowing people to express their sorrow and disapproval. Although historically racial and religious biases have inspired most hate crimes, other social groups have increasingly become targets of bias-motivated intimidation. Matthew Shepard unfortunately died satisfying others’ hatred of homosexuals.


Although the maliciousness of this particular hate crime certainly attracted the media and public interest, it is also Matthew Shepard himself that intrigued everybody. As he was portrayed in The Laramie Project, whether he was supported or chastised for his lifestyle, he was nevertheless a regular, young, white male appealing to most of US, especially the Midwest. He is described by his father, Dennis Shepard, as “an optimistic and accepting young man who had a special gift of relating to almost everyone,” which is exactly why everyone could relate to Matthew even when he was made into a martyr following his tragic death. Because Matthew had a great passion for equality and always stood up for acceptance of people’s differences, people were able to sympathize with his death because he died for everything he believed in. Matthew had the courage to face death almost knowing the outcome of nationwide concern regarding his beliefs would be well worth dying.


Although Matthew himself appeals to Americans across the country, it is also Laramie’s qualities that enable us to relate and sympathize with this tragedy. As most of us have originated from a “Laramie” type of place or experienced a small-town lifestyle before, we can sense the pain and turmoil that forms a connection with Matthew Shepard and Laramie. In her essay “The Laramie Project: Western Pastoral,” Amy Tigner discusses Laramie’s mythic aura describing it as “a town out of a Western…where ordinary people raise their children.” Because Laramie consists of ordinary people, ordinary Americans are able to relate with an ordinary mother losing her child, or an ordinary girl losing her best friend. Since this particular hate crime occurred in a place where “hate is not a [Laramie] value”, as portrayed by The Laramie Project, the human reaction was exaggerated allowing this event to become a nationwide concern.


Matthew Shepard is no longer here but his spirit still roams among us as plays, movies, and celebrations are commemorated in his name. Even though his disturbing death attracted more attention than most hate crimes, it is because of this attention that we are able to celebrate him and his courageous values. Not only are we able to celebrate him but through Matthew Shepard and his sacrifice, we educate the public that homophobia or any other type of discrimination will not only be intolerable, but it will not be accepted.

What Difference Does Ten Years Make?

In one of the closing scenes of the Laramie Project, one of the interview subjects is heard asking, “what’s changed?” At the time of the interview no new hate crime legislation had been passed in Wyoming, however, the Federal Government passed an act that that extended Hate Crimes to people of alternate sexual orientations. The real question one should be left asking is why haven’t things changed not just in Wyoming, but in many states across the country?

The original Federal Civil Rights Act or 18 U.S.C. Section 245 was enacted to protect people with regards to their race or religion. While this act was important when it was passed in the 1960’s, it does little to protect people with regards to their sexual orientation. In 2009, Congress passed a more sweeping bill to protect the rights of these people. Titled The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009, the ill removed the requirement that victims be involved in federally protected activities such as voting or attending school, giving Federal authorities the power to pursue hate-crimes if local police choose not to, providing $15 million dollars over the next three years for states to investigate and prosecute these crimes and requires the FBI to track crimes against transgender people.

This legislation has been important for many people across the country in terms of making them feel that their fights are being protected. However, according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), over half the states, including Wyoming, still do not have hate crime laws that take into account sexual orientation in any way. Believe it or not, Wyoming is the only state that still does not have hate crimes legislation, period.

Now, many people complain that everyone hates Wyoming because of this one incident and that they are wrongly being branded as intolerant. But while most Wyomingites may be just as accepting as anyone else, their failure to pass any Hate Crimes Legislation, especially in the aftermath of Matthew Shepard’s death, has not helped their cause. Ten years after the fact, “The Equality State,” which was the first to give women the right to vote, is not liable for protecting the rights of those women who choose not to marry a man.

This is not for a lack of effort on the part of the Wyoming State Legislature. According to Wyoming Tribune-Eagle articles from October and November 1998, show there was a huge push in the immediate aftermath of Matthew Shepard’s death to pass a “bias crime” bill. Although the bill had support from the spontaneously created “Wyoming Bias Crime Coalition”, the bill was hotly debated by the legislature as well as gubernatorial candidates Jim Geringer and John Vinich. However, by February 1999, the State Legislature had attempted and failed to pass seven separate hate crimes bills.

It is all too easy to say that enough of Wyoming’s population is either ignorant or intolerant, as evidenced by there being enough representatives to vote these measures down. But if we are to look at a state like Colorado, which by many people is considered a fairly tolerant state, there doesn’t seem to be much progress for hate crimes legislation even only a few months after Matthew Shepard’s death. According to “The Gazette” in January of 1999, the Colorado State Legislature failed in “an annual ritual,” to expand hate crimes protection to not just different groups on the basis of sexual orientation, age and mental or physical disabilities.

It should be noted that the lawmakers who vote these type of bills down, be it in Wyoming or Colorado or any other state, do not necessarily (at least publicly) do so because they feel animosity towards people of color, or Muslims, or homosexuals. Instead, these legislators point to other reasons such as segregating certain groups in the eyes of the law or because the acts involved in committing a most hate crimes are already illegal. Colorado State Senator John Andrews said in 1999 that “all violence will not be tolerated… I become concerned that we… tribalize America,” with regards to passing new hate crimes legislation.

While it is true that making a crime more illegal appears not just redundant but meaningless as well as possibly emphasizing the boundaries we want to erase in our society, other legislators who favor more protections see it differently. “I’m not naïve enough not to think that it’s not sexual orientation that gets this bill in trouble every time I offer it,” says Senator Dorothy Rupert about her sponsorship of efforts to extend the protections of hate crimes legislation to new groups.

The fact of the matter is that while the Federal Government has been able to extend new protections to groups defined by their sexual orientation, the majority of the country not just Wyoming, is lagging behind. This does not even apply specifically to issues of sexuality. According to the ADL, 31 states do not classify hate crimes based on gender and 42 years after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., 10 states do not include provisions for crimes committed against a person because of their race, religion or ethnicity.

So what does this lack of change say about Americans? Is it possible that the Nation, not just Wyoming, is intolerant? The answer, I believe is no. As I pointed out before in this essay, many legislators did not elect to extend protections to various groups for reasons other than the fact that doing so would be against their religious beliefs or that they regarded a group as sub-human. However, this does not excuse others from the fact that they knowingly will not support any legislation geared toward homosexuals or others. For them, it appears that there is something more at stake than protecting the lives of everyone they have been elected to serve in spite of the fact that many people in their respective districts might share their views.

The great thing about the Federal Government is that although there are Representatives and officials that have never and will never support Homosexuality, there are enough that will be willing to protect everyone within the United States, even if they do not share their views. Congress represents the country as a whole and here is where Americans have proven their tolerance. Just as hate crimes are a statement against groups in our society, so is the legislation that our Nation has passed is a statement against intolerance and that is how we have changed for the better.

Assignment 1

Two-Sided Media: Depictions of the Matthew Shepard Case

The murder of 21 year old Matthew Shepard created a dialogue that extended out of Laramie, Wyoming. On national and international scales, people were moved to engage in conversation about the tragic event, as well as deeper and broader topics like equality, civil rights, and human nature. One main reason why people were pushed to question their own beliefs and even societal beliefs after the murder was because of the emotional response elicited by coverage of the events. At the time of the murder, countless newspaper journalists and news crews from all around the world flocked to Laramie to cover the case. These initial reports led to more emotional accounts, including “The Laramie Project” and “The Matthew Shepard Story”, both of which dig deeper into the story and Matthew’s life rather than simply reporting the facts. Despite covering the same event and having some similarities, these accounts differ greatly. They differ in how they approach covering the event, how they present the town of Laramie, the emotions that they push for, and the responses that they elicit. Because they differ so much, each form of media has a different influence on public perception and public reaction to the case. Personally, I felt that the plays were more successful in drawing an emotional response out of the audience, where the media was more successful in drawing worldwide attention to the case and the causes it represented.

The mainstream national media began to cover the Matthew Shepard murder like it would cover any other big event. Tons of journalists stormed the small, quiet town, bringing crowds like it had never seen before. The sole reason they were there was to get the facts about the murder and relay them to the public. In their attempt to gain the information that they wanted, the media was somewhat ruthless. In “The Laramie Project” the media is depicted as a frenzied mob that is so disorderly that the detective updating the public on Matthew’s health had to “ask that [they] respect [Matthew’s family’s] privacy, as well as Matthew’s” several times. Of course they would attempt to engage the public on an emotional level through the story that they produced, but they were not concerned with sitting down and talking to as many people of the town as possible when they entered Laramie. The mainstream journalists entered only to get the story. With the exception of a few interviews, they had a somewhat distant relationship with the townspeople. The people that they interviewed were questioned solely about the case, not necessarily their feelings toward the case.

The lack of a personal relationship had an effect on the portrayal of the town of Laramie. Although the mainstream media did not show the town in a negative light, it did keep its distance from the people, forcing viewers from the outside to conjure up their own image of the town. Piecing together what the media does say, either directly or indirectly, a viewer might suspect that Laramie is an intolerant town that is very conservative about issues regarding sexuality. The fact that the media made hate crimes and intolerance seem somewhat normal in Laramie may be what caused outsiders to have the opinion that the small town American West is, as Don Shewey puts it in his article “Town in a Mirror”, “a hotbed of Wild West homophobia.” Reactions like Shewey’s are shocking to someone who grew up in the West like me. Having lived in the West all my life, I felt like it was a reasonably open region of the country, especially compared to other areas. Although it’s impossible to have a place that completely lacks hatred, I don’t feel like the West is a place that is full of it either. But I understand how outsiders who only know that the crime happened in Laramie and who haven’t seen the people who live in the area could begin to hypothesize that hate crimes are commonplace in the region.

Despite being significantly less emotional than the plays that were written, the news reports did have some level of emotion to engage their audience. Without emotion, the media could not set up a dramatic story and no one would be interested in following that. Headlines are very important in a newspaper story; they are arguably the most important piece of the story because they are the first thing an audience sees. In an article titled “The Politics of Negotiating Public Tragedy: Media Framing of the Matthew Shepard Murder”, the authors note how the media approached the case and what the consequences were. To generate a story in the Matthew Shepard case, most of the initial reports put out by newspapers capitalized on the fact that he was gay. Even before all of the details were known, “the qualifier ‘gay’ that [began] each headline [constructed] the victim’s sexuality as the focal point of the story”. This targeted the GLBT community as a core audience, but also pushed the rest of the nation to focus on gay rights.

Moises Kaufman and his theater troupe approach the murder in a way that is completely different from how the media approached it. First, rather than coming in days after the murder, they came a month later. Next, instead of entering the town looking for facts about the case, they approached the townspeople as friends, seeking conversation rather than traditional interviews, and creating personal rather than distant relationships. In a letter titled “Into the West: An Exploration in Form” in American Theater Magazine, Moises Kaufman said they went to “learn more about why Matthew Shepard was murdered; about what happened that night; about the town of Laramie.”. In doing so, Kaufman set up an emotional conversation with the public.

In “The Laramie Project”, the people of Laramie use the close relationship between themselves and the troupe to clarify how they feel about the case and to combat how they are depicted by the media. For instance, several people state that when they heard about the murder, they had assumed and hoped that it was committed by someone from out of town because, to them, the people of Laramie would not do anything like that. They display shock and disappointment at the fact that the murderers were boys they knew from around town, and they reiterate that they still don’t feel that Laramie is a place where intolerance would be an issue. Unlike the mainstream media which tells the nation and the world that Laramie is a place where a violent hate crime could happen, the plays give the people a voice and a chance to say that Laramie is not that kind of a town. They voice the idea that Laramie is a “live and let live” kind of place.

The level of emotion that can be found in the plays is much higher than that in coverage by the mainstream media. Local media also has a high level of emotional appeal compared to the national media. Articles published in the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle attempt to show the local effects of the case. Headlines right after the murder in the Tribune-Eagle read “UW Shocked by Beating” and “Politicians Condemn Attack.” Words like shock and condemn attempt to talk about feelings; the plays took those feelings a step further through demonstration. “The Laramie Project” included several scenes with characters in tears, making it hard for the audience not to do the same.

Mainstream media coverage and more personal coverage of the Matthew Shepard murder accomplished several things, some similar some different. Mainstream media reporters brought the story to the world. Before that, few people were talking openly about gay rights. Dialogue, movements for hate crime legislation, and an acknowledgement of the gay community were results of media coverage of the story. Coverage like that found in plays written about Matthew Shepard came later and fueled all of those things. They allowed the public to get personally attached to the causes that came from the murder and push those causes further ahead. Both types of media worked separately from each other, but accomplished similar goals.

Exploring Sources for Our Next Assignment

Using the American West database available through Penrose Library, spend the next 15-20 minutes and explore the kinds of primary sources that are available within this database. Before the end of class, identify three sources that look interesting to you. Post their titles to our course blog and explain why they look interesting to you.

Before class on Monday, visit Penrose Library and find (at least) one book about the history of the American West that intrigues you. Check it out and bring it to class on Monday.

Defining and Responding to Turner’s Frontier

Let’s start class by reflecting on the excerpt from Frederick Jackson Turner’s essay that you read for today. One of the ways that Turner defines the frontier is this: “In this advance [of westward expansion], the frontier is the outer edge of the wave—the meeting point between savagery and civilization” (16). In your own words, explain what you think Turner means here. How does he define the frontier? How does this definition of the frontier relate to what it means to be an American? What group(s) of people does this definition celebrate? Who does it diminish or overlook? Ultimately, how does Turner’s discussion relate to your own understanding of the American West?