In the late twentieth century, the story of the heinous hate crime of Matthew Shepard spiraled throughout many news outlets and eventually became world wide news. Hate crimes have become one of the most known violent acts towards the LGBTQ community. Ranging in actions such as vandalism, beatings, and even in some cases, death Although many cases as such have occurred, the realistic theatrical portrayal of Matthew Shepard in The Laramie Project, Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine, and From Hate Crimes to Human Rights: A Tribute to Matthew Shepard, display evidence and an oath to Matthew and his life. In the late twentieth century play, The Laramie Project, Moises Kaufman went to the town of Laramie to discover why the death of Matthew Shepard occurred. On October 6th, 1998, Matthew Shepard went into a bar and met a few men by the names of Aaron Mckinney and Russell Henderson. The trio ended up leaving the bar and while Matthew did not seem to be aware of any malicious actions, Mckinney and Henderson were. The troublesome duo initially beat Shepard and lured him into the outskirts of Laramie, where they proceeded to beat Shepard and eventually left him to die, helpless and alone. Being merely almost less than one hundred pounds, the chance of survival for Shepard became slim and he died six days later on October 12th, …show more content…
1998 in the Intensive Care Unit at Poudre Valley Hospital. Furthermore, after Kaufman was aware of the tragedy, in the year 2000, he and members of a group entitled “Tectonic Theatre Project” went to Laramie and interview real people on the subject matter of the hate crime that occurred to Matthew Shepard that October evening.
Eventually, Kaufman wrote The Laramie Project in hopes to figure out how such a tragedy could occur in such a beautiful part of Wyoming. Kaufman and Tectonics interviewed roughly over 2,000 people and found out about conservative views and how that could have lead to the death of Shepard. Uneasily, it was hard for anyone to grasp the thought of someone dying, due to sexual
orientation. All things considered, the team spent roughly two years in the town of Laramie and even included statements from the actual trial of Aaron Mckinney and Russell Henderson. The initial punishment for the two was the death penalty, but in accordance to a source it was stated that Matthew Shepard and his family did not believe in the death penalty, but that was highly untrue. The Shepard family did not want to see anymore hurt within the town of Laramie and excluding the death penalty upon the family's request, the duo were sentenced into life in prison. Following into the story of Matthew Shepard, a good friend of Matthew Shepard, Michele Josue wrote and directed the documentation of Matthew Shepard’s life in, “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine.” The significance of this written work is the personal background of Matthew Shepard and understanding private and personal issues that occurred in Shepard’s life, that could have lead and possibly prevented his death. When Matthew Shepard was a young boy, he and his family moved from Casper, Wyoming to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia to live out life while his father was working in the area. In time, he eventually transferred to a boarding school in Switzerland called, “American School.” It was then when his met Josue and the two became best friends instantly. While enrolled in this school Matthew was quite popular and lively. He was known to be one of the best student;s in the American School. Matthew was portrayed to be an adventurous, and wanted to make a difference in the world. He studied politics thoroughly and was very interested in traveling the globe. Being at a boarding school that offered an extensive amount of opportunity to make a difference and find enlightenment in the world, Shepard, Josue, and a few close friends traveled to Africa. Late one night in Africa, Josue stated that Shepard arrived to her hotel door screaming and crying that he had been a victim of rape by a gang of six men. Abruptly, the head of the school was notified, along with Shepard’s parents and he was sent home. He returned a few month’s later, but was apparently never the same after the rape. After the incident, Shepard began to seek light in the darkness of his life. He sought personal guidance in a priest once and was turned against by a so-called religious patronaat sitting in the church, frightened he left never to return. Along the way, it was said Shepard became clinically depressed and could not find himself, he was unhappy and not enjoying life the way he once used to. Shepard moved to Denver, Colorado for a year and his mother stated that it was one of the most terrible times in her son’s life, mainly because he was struggling so much with his sexuality and who he was. Friend’s in Colorado said it was nice to be around Shepard, but was hard to see him in a fragile like stage. He was noted to be almost childlike in believing in people and did not have much caution towards others towards the end of his recovery from the rape in Africa. Eventually, Shepard returned to his homeland of Wyoming in hopes for a fresh start. Being that he did not want to go to the same college as everyone else he had known went to, he eventually gave into it and enrolled into the University of Wyoming in Laramie, only to be struck by tragedy months after. Josue believes that if she and her friends did not go to Africa to being with, Shepard would still be alive. The gruesome twist of a striking tragedy in a situation where Matthew wanted to be safe was a shock to not only his family and friend’s, but the world. Like The Laramie Project, Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine took place being written mostly in Laramie to find factual evidence of why and how something as such could occur. The young sweet man Matthew Shepard was, just seemed to willow away once he died and Josue would not let the world forget her friend who was so life changing. Josue devoted a good portion of time into discovering the truths and mishaps of why Shepard was murdered and mainly, there was no motive. He was gay and McKinney and Henderson just took his sexuality out of proportion and murdered him by brutal beatings. Even a preacher, a man of god, did not condone their doings because of Matthew’s sexual orientation. The gay community of Wyoming is a small group, all of which knew Matthew and hope for brighter days for the gay community and eventually want all gay hate crimes to come to a complete stop. In addition to The Laramie Project and Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine, the written work entitled, From Hate Crimes to Human Rights : A Tribute to Matthew Shepard by Mary E. Swingonski, Robin S. Mama, and Kelly Ward is a primary source that focuses on the death of Matthew Shepard and hate crimes in the LGBTQ community. The novel is an important memoir of the Shepherd and closes examines the topics of religion, homosexuality in cultures, social and economical aid towards the LGBTQ community, human rights for LGBTQ citizens and how equal treatment is essential in order to live a life f freedom The novel is a key factor as to what could have been done to prevent the death of Matthew Shepard and those before and after him. The readings of hate crimes and how color, gender and sexual orientation can be factors in major harm to one who is apart of the LGBTQ community. Respecting other is a main subject matter in this piece. If we as the world cannot see that we must unite as one, the entire world is doomed from having the right to be free. Although in many countries, this entitlement to freedom is unknown of, we here in the United States of America must use this freedom and respect the choices of others, regardless of what their sexuality may be. Each author is primarily an advocate for human rights and each want to end the devastation of hate crimes. Primarily why this noel is written is to show the world how the gay community is affected by the simplest of things.Whether it is in the workplace or just a mere walk to the park, the LGBTQ community has been treated like Matthew Shepard was for many years. The death of Matthew could have been prevented if the country worked together years before. In a personal reference, the nineteen-eighties was a rough time for those who were gay. Many cases of hanging, burnings, and dragging gays tied up to vehicles was noticed, but justice was never served for the fear of supporting the gay community would result in personal punishment. Domestic Violence is highly written about in the novel itself, the punishments for being gay is outrageous, which is why Shepard died. The hate itself for another human expressing their right to be free is not a reason to result into violence. Justice was met for Matthew, but for many others, it is still hard to claim such rights. The tolerance of how far some people, like Aaron Mckinney and Russell Henderson would go to hurt those whom are gay is inexcusable. The gay community, along with any other community need to fully realize that it is not just about sexual orientation, but about human life. Regardless of any sexual orientation, human rights should be and will be taken seriously from matters here on out. Recently, President Obama signed a law to protect those of the LGBTQ community, the rights to marry any gender is now available, and slowly, but surely the gay community is gaining trust back into a nation that was once ripped apart by hate. The older generation of the gay community is talked about in this noel as well. Overcoming hate crimes and sexuality hate is a brave matter, considering the generation they grew up in and furthering into another generation which struggles with the gentle matter. In conclusion, theatre is a main escape from the realities of the harsh world. No matter what race, shape, gender or personal preference of coffee you’d like is shunned out. The theatrical works of The Laramie Project, Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine, and From Hate Crimes to Human Rights :A Tribute to Matthew Shepard” give many an insight of what happens to someone because of hate and how it can be prevented. Stated before, there is no superior gender, we are all equal and it is time we start acting so. Diversity within races and exuality is common and will continue on. Who is to say that in roughly a year to one hundred years a change cannot be made? It takes courage, strength, love, and acceptance to see brighter days in any community. Matthew Shepard sought to make a difference in the world and he did. Perhaps his death was meant to be in order to open the eyes of those whom are ignorant towards being gay. Of course, if Shepard was in fact alive today, it is almost certain he would have made a difference, just like he has after death. Our world has so many gifts and talents waiting to be seen, the bravery of Matthew Shepard and his journey throughout life attributes to the acceptance of the LGBTQ community, I know Matthew Shepard may have not been the first gay male to died in a tragic hate crime cause, and he may certainly not be one of the last to die either, but his story is one that goes to show the world that just one person who has been affected by a hate crime can surely lead to a generation of when hate crimes towards the gay community and all hate crimes in general can be seized and a unified nation can be born for once and for all.
Creemore Springs is a microbrewery in operation since the summer of 1987 located in the community of Creemore, Ontario. Customers of Creemore Springs beer are categorized as a niche market with interest in the brewer’s two lines of beer: Lager and UrBlock. The high quality, natural spring water, and recipe all contribute to Creemore Spring’s great tasting beer. They currently produce about 2.2 million bottles of beer each year. A recent discussion about the contract bottle cleaner’s poor performance has raised the question of whether Creemore Springs should clean their own bottles in-house.
Sam Sheppard was attacked by the media's unethical practices so much during his trial that journalism had set new boundaries to limit the power of the press following the final verdict. Because of the way that the media went about getting stories for their papers and the way stories were written, Sheppard was released from prison. Journalism then set up new boundaries to assure that every person accused of a crime got a fair and just trial. Even though he set precedent for new practices that the media still follows, it is a shame that it took something as horrific as his wife's murder to allow the media to see just how much power they had over justice.
Laramie project is very sensitive and crucial issue which was wisely broad up in the form of a docudrama in front of the community. The story of Matthew Shepard's highlighted many issues like hate crime, gay/lesbian relationship and personal identity which are still considered as tactful for many peoples. This play also described the role of media, police and an individual in the entire process and shows the influence of this incidence on a person's life.
The Jamestown Project discusses the monumental landmark, the colony of Jamestown, was in Atlantic History. The story of Jamestown is told in a much more authentic, elaborate style than our textbooks has presented. As Kupperman points out, Jamestown was not only important to United State’s history but also to British history. From the motivations to the lasting effects, she gives an accurate account of all components involved in Jamestown. Also, there is a chapter devoted to the Native American experience, which shows a non-Western view of events. The book is written in a format that is easily read but also compacted with information. More importantly she puts Jamestown in its right place in United State’s and British history, as the foundation of colonial United States and the British Empire.
Shepard was a homosexual man, and his murder was labeled as a hate crime, a murder which, in the late 90's, dominated the airwaves: “Matthew Shepard” was the name at the tip of everyone's tongue, but what made his murder special? JoAnn Wypilewski points out in her essay “A Boy's Life” that, “Gay men are killed horribly everywhere in this country, more than thirty just since Shepard – one of them in Richmond, Virginia, beheaded” (609). When so many men are killed in a similar context why do we specifically care about Matthew Shepard – or why don't we? Searching simply the name “Matthew Shepard” in the Google database yields thousands of results in the form of articles, news periodicals, and videos. The media exposure of the Matthew Shepard case is overwhelming. The overload of information can leave us clueless. As college students of the twenty-teens who are fifteen years removed from the incident how do we care about Matthew Shepard?
The Laramie Project, written by Moisés Kaufman, is a compilation of interviews by The Tectonic Theater Project, news publications, and journal entries. After the brutal murder of Mathew Sheppard in 1998. Kaufman along with his theater troupe made six visits to Laramie, Wyoming, where the murder took place, to interview people about what happened and how they felt about the crime in their community. They interviewed about two hundred people, of which about sixty were included in the play. The play showcases a small town in America in a historical time of tragedy. The production of The Laramie Project was simple. The stage setting was minimal and the the actors consisted of eight people portraying more than sixty. Through the patchwork of interviews The Laramie Project conveys the themes of identity, representation, and change.
A hate crime is defined as “a crime motivated by racial, sexual, or other prejudice, typically one involving violence” (Oxford Dictionaries). Matthew Shepard’s death caused great disorder in Laramie, despite the fact that it was originally an unknown town. In a sense, Laramie itself has changed due to the media attention of this event. Hate was originally “not a Laramie value” (Kaufman 15), but after this hate crime, the public has great sympathy for Matthew Shepard and distrust towards Laramie’s people. Even with all the support as well as the parade for Shepard, it is quite disappointing that there weren’t any regulations or protection offered to homosexuals, bisexuals, or transgender, after this crime.
Kennedy’s New Frontier Program As the President elect of the United States in 1960, John F. Kennedy aspired, to accomplish much during his presidency. Kennedy confidently called his initiatives “The New Frontier” taking on numerous major challenges. Some of the challenges were boosting the United States economy by ending a recession and promoting growth in the economy, aiding third world countries by establishing the Peace Corps sending men and women overseas to assist developing countries in meeting their own necessities. Additional challenges were too built-up the United States National Defense and furthered the National Aeronautics and Space Agency (NASA) programs.
Although there was quite a bit of death, the whole motive of the book was to inform people how the soldiers coped with death,
America has had quite a history. Moreover, America has had a distinct history concerning racial differences. From the Civil War to the Civil Rights Act, America has showed past that is unforgettable. However, America has showed a history concerning African Americans that still show up in our present today. The Little Rock Nine, staged in 1957, proves that we are not that far away from our previous actions against a different race. In the American heritage and main structure of government, it says that all men are created equal. This paper will tell of the Little Rock Nine and their struggle, and how it has changed America for the better.
Through all the media coverage, Sam Reese Sheppard began to have nightmares that his dad was electrocuted, and that he should be to (Quade). He has guilt that made him have the decision to not have kids because it is hard for him to hold his own life together. There has been a huge change in opinion from people who assumed Dr. Sam Sheppard was guilty. Now people see that he was unfairly convicted. This led people to believe that the death penalty should not be used. Although the case will probably never be decided, with all the evidence that has been found, Dr. Sam Sheppard should be considered innocent.
Milam and his Bryant had been tried once for Till’s murder, the public confession did not yield more charges and provoked a national outrage.. Both men were tried for murder, however an all-white, male jury acquitted them. Till 's murder galvanized the emerging Civil Rights Movement.
Discrimination has always been prominent in mainstream society. Judgments are quickly formed based on one’s race, class, or gender. The idea that an individual’s self-worth is measured by their ethnicity or sexual preference has impacted the lives of many Americans. During the early colonial period, a social hierarchy was established with white landowners at the top and African-American slaves at the bottom. As equality movements have transpired, victims of discrimination have varied. In the late 1980’s when Paris is Burning was filmed, gay rights were still controversial in society. The lack of acceptance in conventional society created hardships in the lives of transgender women and gay men.
Matthew Sheppard is one of the thousands of victims who have suffered from the form of violence known as hate crimes.
When one hears the words “LGBT” and “Homosexuality” it often conjures up a mental picture of people fighting for their rights, which were unjustly taken away or even the social emergence of gay culture in the world in the1980s and the discovery of AIDS. However, many people do not know that the history of LGBT people stretches as far back in humanity’s history, and continues in this day and age. Nevertheless, the LGBT community today faces much discrimination and adversity. Many think the problem lies within society itself, and often enough that may be the case. Society holds preconceptions and prejudice of the LGBT community, though not always due to actual hatred of the LGBT community, but rather through lack of knowledge and poor media portrayal.