Laramie Project Blog-Briana Regalado

Laramie Project Blog –Briana Regalado

  The Laramie Project is a play that reports the tragic murder of Matthew Shepard, an innocent homosexual living in Laramie, Wyoming. He was brutally murdered by two fellow classmates that were against homosexuality. The play is consisted of various interviews with the townspeople in Laramie and their views on the incident. Many of them have very diverse views on the subject based on cultural influences or being open minded. I shall discuss two people with completely different views on Shepard’s death.

  Matt Galloway was a bartender in Laramie. He received Shepard at the bar at ten. He completely disagrees with the incident. What happened was very wrong and dastardly. The two perpetrators say that Shepard was trying to hit on them. Galloway defends Shepard by saying “Why would he approach them? Why them? He wasn’t approaching anybody else in the bar…He came on to them? I don’t believe it” (Kaufman, 31). Galloway is a perfect example of an innate persona because he is a very open minded person. He respects people’s differences. He is not one to judge. These are the qualities of an honestly moral person.

  Unlike the Baptist Minister, who had very strict biblical views on homosexuality. He obviously disagrees with that lifestyle. The act committed was indeed wrong. The minister believes that Shepard should have thought about his way of life while he was slowly dying on the fence. He states, “I hope that Matthew Shepard as he was tied to that fence, that he had time to reflect on a moment…he had a chance to reflect on his lifestyle” (Kaufman, 69). The minister is strongly expressing his very strict biblical views on the matter. He did mention that he was not afraid to speak from the heart and state what he really feels about the subject. The minister is an example of someone who lives and bases their opinions on what they have been raised on, in this case its religion.

  Both the minister and Matt Galloway have completely different views on Matthew Shepard’s death. Galloway is on Shepard’s side. Matthew was an innocent, easygoing young man. He did not deserve to die. He was collective and the two perpetrators started the damage, not him. The minister strictly believes in his religion. His views are obvious.

         

  The attitudes expressed by the individuals stated above are innate. Galloway is the innate and the Baptist Minister is the culturally produced. Galloway is an example of a good ethical human being. He is open and does not judge people on the way they choose to live their life. The minister is strictly based on his religion. Since youth, one is taught their family views on life including religion. Therefore, the Baptist Minister bases his opinions on the lifestyle he has lived.