I have recently read your play, The Laramie Project, in my Humanities class while attending Sage College of Albany. I found the read to be quite compelling. It brought me to think of the world in a whole new light and left me with many questions on human behavior. It seems unreal to me that there can be people as cold and heartless as the boys who have committed such an act of hate upon Mathew Shepard. It also gives me hope, that in a time of such tragedy that the people hurt the most, could some how be so full of love that they still act with good judgment. Mathew's father, Dennis, spoke dignified during his statement to the court on November 4th, 1999. While standing face to face with the man who killed his son he was strong enough to say, "Good is coming out of evil. People have said "enough is enough." You screwed up, Mr. McKinney. You made the world realize that a person's lifestyle is not a reason for discrimination, intolerance, persecution, and violence. My son died of your ignorance and intolerance. I can't bring him back. But I can do my best to see that this never, ever happens to another person or family again. I miss my son, but I"m proud to be able to say that he is my son (5, Statement to the Court).".
I don't know that if under the same circumstances I could have been so unwavering.
I am sure that you have thought about the situation over and over. Obviously, you felt strong enough about the subject matter to do the research that was required to write such a play. After visiting Laramie Wyoming and talking to people as ignorant as Shannon who realizes and admits to being "a product of our society (62)." Was it hard for you to listen to the things that people were talking to you about? I couldn't stand there, listening to some of the people that were interviewed, without wanting to yell at them. I admire the patience it took for for you to interview some of these people and to listen to their ignorance without critisizm.
