For Immediate Release – November 11, 2010
CSU Fullerton Students to Hate Group: “The Show Must Go On!”
Santa Ana, CA – When Nick Rocz heard that an anti-gay group was planning to protest an upcoming performance of The Laramie Project, he had one thought: the show MUST go on. “The Laramie Project tells the story of a young man killed because he was gay. The idea that we would let a small group of anti-gay protestors stop us from telling that story is just unthinkable,” said Rocz, a senior at CSU Fullerton and performer in CSU Fullerton’s production of The Laramie Project. The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has announced plans to protest this Saturday’s performance through their website.
The Laramie Project is a performance piece based on interviews conducted in Laramie, Wyoming in the wake of the murder of Matthew Shepard. Shepard’s murder in 1998 became one of the most well-known cases of anti-gay violence in the US. “The Laramie Project is a story of prejudice and fear that results in inconceivable violence. It is also a story of love and hope,” explains Assistant Professor Karyl Ketchum, a faculty member in the Women and Gender Studies Department at CSU Fullerton. “In a time when hatred seems increasingly tolerated on the political stage and in our schools, it becomes critical that we listen to the lessons that stories such as The Laramie Project have to teach us.” CSU Fullerton’s production concludes its run with performances every night at 8 PM from Thursday, November 11 through Saturday, November 13 at the Grand Central Art Theater in downtown Santa Ana.
Click here to read the rest of this post.
The protesters are making hateful fun out of a tragedy. Mathew Shepard could have been helped to not be trapped in that lifestyle. Instead he was murdered by people who were bigger perverts than he was. These Westboro people ar hateful. They never take a positive or constructive approach to this problem.
Both the story and the comment miss the point. Of course the show should go on – this is America and we have a First Amendment. Of course the protest should go on – this is America and we have a First Amendment. Both the post and the comment act as if the protest is a form of hate – that is ridiculous. The protestors have just as much right to stand behind their beliefs as do those putting on the play.
You’re right about the first amendment, and I was really hoping those pricks would show up, because I thought they would actually add to the effectiveness of “The Laramie Project.”
But… you’re going to pretend the Westboro Baptist people are not hateful? The very definition of hateful? Come on. Have you been following things at all? I don’t think you want to argue that. Do you want to go there?
I think THEY would disagree with you.
The Westboro Baptist Church didn’t show up! Instead, hundreds of pro-equality people were there to show their support. Turned out to be a very positive event.
“pro equality” – what the heck does that mean?
Geoff,
You are a lawyer. Figure it out. Pro means you support something. Equality means exactly what you think it means, in this case equal civil rights.
That’s simple, Geoff. People who believe gays should be able to marry like all the rest of us. You still haven’t blessed us with your lawyerly thoughts on why that shouldn’t be the case. (Apart from simple mass rule.)
“Simple mass rule” is called democracy whether you like the decision or not.
Sure, but have you heard about this thing called the Consitution, the judicial branch, equal protection, and checks and balances?
I know you cheer the uninformed/bigoted vote of 52% of Californians, but you haven’t said why on this blog yet. Do gay marriages really make your marriage say “ouch?”
Except when Gore got more votes than Bush did…
The other bad thing about the WBC protesters (outside of their blatant bigotry) is that they cannot keep their commitments. Get people all riled up about their upcoming appearances and then no show. What do I have to do to find real good unintentional comedy around the OC these days? I’m getting real sick of calling John Campbell’s office and going to Irvine City Council meetings.
Wonder if they have the same booking agents as Guns ‘N Roses? At least Axl plays three songs or less before he has his hissy fit and storms off the stage.