The Laramie Project is a play detailing the Laramie, Wyoming community's reactions to the murder of gay college student Matthew Shepard. As several residents recount the details of the event and reflect on the effects of the hate crime, two sentiments emerge: one that the media portrayal of the community following Shepard's death reflects their own feelings about Laramie, and the other that they find it contradictory to one's own vision. .Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The descriptions from the beginning of the play portray Laramie in a positive light and it seems that a murder like that of Matthew Shepard could hardly have taken place in such a quiet and friendly place. Many, like Rebecca Hilliker, believed that “you [had] the opportunity to be happy in your life here […] the sun was shining (Kaufman 4). Similarly, others, such as college student Jedidiah Schultz, describe Laramie as “a beautiful city… [where] you can have your own identity” (7). However, since this occurred, media coverage has shaped the city of Laramie's identity as closely associated with a hate crime, now “a city defined by an incident” (7). With Laramie recognition launched nationwide, the characters raise the question: Should Laramie be defined by the actions of Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson? The media coverage was overwhelming and unknown; Jon Peacock talks about hundreds of journalists and how the city “[was] not used to that kind of exposure” (46). It was unusual for Laramie to be scrutinized, and the intensity of such actions evoked feelings of resentment among citizens. Sergeant Hing calls the news flow “sensationalism,” while Eileen Engen believes Laramie has been “more or less vilified” by journalists (47). Hing and Engen are frustrated by what they perceive as a distorted portrayal of their community, by the press that reduces what should be known about Laramie to an indelible annoyance. In a way, these actions also serve as a way to ensure that the incident is not ignored or forgotten by Laramie residents. On the other hand, some residents align themselves with the news because they believe it helps expose their long-standing discomfort with Laramie. The people of Laramie are finally forced to confront their homophobia, Tiffany Edwards thinks, because “the media actually [makes] people responsible” (47). However, it is clear that some residents do not feel responsible. During a candlelight vigil in Laramie, Zubaida Ula describes with frustration how someone exclaimed “Come on guys, let's show the world that Laramie is not a good city” (57). Ula sees the citizens' obsession with regaining Laramie's good reputation as misguided, since they fail to recognize that the town's latent homophobia was the real reason for the hate crime. Instead, the community must focus on reforming inward before outward. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Through interviews conducted with Laramie residents, Moises Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project establishes various emotions toward the media's handling of Matthew Shepard's death. Some see this as damaging Laramie's reputation, while others believe the media coverage has directed attention to the real issue at hand: the cruelty and inconsistency present in their community. Ultimately, residents must, 6(2), 88-106.