Wednesday, September 30, 2009
'Laramie' Sequel Gives Voice to Killer
Backstage: "A decade after 'The Laramie Project' became a theatrical phenomenon, its creators are back with an epilogue highlighted by a riveting prison interview with the killer of gay college student Matthew Shepard — depicting him as candid but not remorseful over the murder."
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It's fascinating, but not at all in a good way, how hard people will hold on to their prejudices. Mckinney is so intriguing in choosing to hold on to the hate and prejudice for years rather than face that he believed and did something terrible. Its so sad to see that a person would choose to stay in prison and accept they are just "attracted to crime" and just hate certain people, rather than try to change themselves or overcome their prejudice. It's sad that someone could emotionally harden themselves so much, but is probably fascinating to see in a play. Hopefully this script can cause people to question prejudices and their own conscience.
I can't believe how apathetic Aaron McKinney seemed in his interview. After ten years, and with all of this publicity on this particular murder, I would think that he would at least feel some remorse for all of the chaos he's caused. I find it hard to comprehend that he still feels justified in what he did.
I cannot believe how prejudice McKinney was and is, stating that he has no remorse for the death he caused. With the snippets that the article leaves you with I really hope I can see the reading we are doing at CMU of this piece. I would really like to hear what the McKinney has to say of the destruction he caused. It should be an interesting project.
Last week Mary Margaret was writing the program note for the Laramie Project reading that will occur simultaneously at Canegie Mellon as well as several other places around the world. While discussing the event and what she wanted to get across in the note, we discussed how this was a stepping stone, a mark in time that would serve for us to look back on, maybe 10 or 20 years down the line and hopefully be able to remark on how much things have changed.
But the fact is that change is brought on by people and this article made it painfully evident that we evolve at a glacial pace and that the sad truth is that in 10 years we will look back and realize just how little progress we have made.
It is also true however, that there are some things that must stay stuck on day after day, as McKinney himself said about Judy Shepard: "Still, she never shuts up about it, and it's been like 10 years." Judy has been persistent in her love of her son in the same way that McKinney has been persistent in his hate and ignorance, the only difference is that Judy's persistence will hopefully bring on change.
This makes me incredibly angry. The nerve of this man to not have remorse or sympathy for the family is incredible and scarey. His open hate for gays makes me feel uncomfortable and if i was that intervieweer I would have spoken out- argued and become completlely frustrated. He says he was always attracted to crime- this man desrves nothing. He holds to his hate with no thought otherwise as something that is wrong.
I hope his hate is shown through the epilogue and people see how ridiculous this man and others like him are. He deserves to be in jail and forever. Hate like this spreads and needs to be cut at the source now. I wish I could see this show, but I have crew.
Although it is unfortunate that Aaron seems to not have evolved as much as people might have hoped I find his responses interesting. He could easily lie and say he is full of remorse and wants to be forgiven but he doesn't. He fully admits who he is and what he thinks about what happened. I would rather hear the truth then hear him lie to the world. I'm glad Tectonic has the habit of representing situations as honestly as they can. I hope this piece touches people as much as Laramie did. I think it's easy for us to be angry and outraged, and not unjustly I might add, but I think as a society we tend to want to hear certain stock responses to situations which is completely unrealistic. I'll take honesty before hypocrisy any day.
I find it very sad that Aaron McKinney's attitude hasn't seemed to change much. I hope that this work can help people to heal after the events in Laramie 11 years ago instead of ripping open a painful scab. I find that reading the quotes from McKinney in the article is painful; hopefully the whole work will provide more insight. The bond that formed between Pierotti and McKinney that was mentioned at the end of the article gives me hope.
It's unfortunate that McKinney has not changed his attitudes about how he feels towards his previous murders, but it seems that some people never will change their attitudes toward things. The way he is being portrayed in this epilogue is interesting though, and I believe going and seeing this show will be quite an experience. I don't understand how McKinney could not change in the least, and how he can feel okay with what he did, and not be able to accept others. Hopefully, people have been able to learn something from this tragedy and the publicity it gained through both the original play and this epilogue
As difficult as it was to read and be a part of the original performance, I am nervously anticipating what the new epilogue will have to add to the original script. Are we supposed to resent McKinney more, hate him for his apathy, or expect that time will heal him and it has not been long enough?
Whatever he chooses to believe, whether he clutches to his prejudice and hatred for as long as he is in jail, is entirely up to him. I just hope that the brutal honesty found in the Laramie Project resounds for the next ten years as much as it has the last.
People like him make me so angry. I don't understand how he can feel like that and have no sympathy. it really made me angry that he told the mother to get over it and that it was 10 years ago. he should stay in jail for life. Bryce was right, hatred needs to be cut at the source before it ca spread.
It's astounding to me that someone would have no remorse after doing something so terrible.
I am terrified of people like this. While I cannot comprehend how people are unable to like people who are of different religions, sexuality, or races, BUT I admire their ability to to live with them. It's the few people in the world like this that scare me.
I sometimes like to think we're in a time where at least people won't be hurt by being themselves; but, this just proves me wrong. I cannot believe that someone who did such a horrible thing would have no remorse for the family.
I really, Really don't want to see this show. But I will. It's just so fake sometimes and written from a totally biased point of view. From this article it is obvious that the audience is supposed to be shocked that he has no remorse. I am personally offended that he feels no remorse, but I don't think it should be shoved down the audience's throat. The whole point (in my opinion) of a documentary is examine and learn about events so that we may understand them more and have new feelings towards it. I dislike many documentaries (anything my Michael Moore for example) because of how one sided and controlled it is.
I understand that is is difficult to present a live theatre piece about this event in a non biased way, for obvious reasons, but at least take the time to examine the issue from more perspectives. If the town of Laramie doesn't provide you with the material you need to do that, then maybe this is not a good choice for a live show.
I feel like this is just going to end up adding fuel to the flame. I feel like I understand why it is important to see how people truly are, but I also feel like this is not a good way of helping to remember Matthew Shepard. I don't really understand how it is that he still doesn't feel bad about what he did at all, I would think that after all this time he would have had some time to think about it...
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