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Laramie Project Review

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A Death That Revealed 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 also wanted to explore how these perspectives may have changed as the result of Matthew’s death. Even though the citizens of Laramie persisted that hate is not a value they practice, they still showed contrasting and puzzled views towards homosexuality. Some of the citizens of Laramie, together with Reverend Fred Phelps and his people, displayed extreme hatred towards homosexuals. Reverend Phelps and his people gave an emphasis that Matthew Shepard deserved to die, for he was a sinner and a disgrace to God. They displayed placards with the picture of Matthew burning in the eternal flames of hell. Reverend Phelps says, “If God doesn’t hate fags, why does he put’ em in hell?” (79). Reverend Phelps wanted to tell every member and supporter of the LGBT community that God hates them. The undeniable proof of God’s hate to them was how he didn’t welcome Matthew into heaven and sent him to hell instead. Doug Laws, together with other citizens, showed dislike toward homosexuality. Doug says, “A family is defined as one woman and one man and one child. That’s a family” (25). Doug emphasized that God labeled the families and that there’s no such place for homosexuals in it. A family is consists of a wife, a husband and a child. Another person who displayed dislike towards homosexuals is the Baptist Minister; he believed that the lifestyle of homosexuals practice is not

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