GALA to protest church’s demonstration against play

The Gay and Lesbian Association from this college will be protesting the Westboro Baptist Church picketing of "The Laramie Project" at Our Lady of the Lake University March 27.

"The Laramie Project" is a play based on the murder of Matthew Shepard, who was murdered in his hometown of Laramie, Wyo., Oct. 12, 1998.

Shepard was kidnapped, beaten into a coma, tied to a fence and left for 18 hours until he was rushed to a hospital.

Five days later, he died from his injuries.

Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson, the men convicted of killing Shepard, said at the time they did not commit the act as a hate crime, saying robbery was their motive. Both are serving double life sentences.

However, members of the Gay and Lesbian Association at this college said they feel the murder was a hate crime and represented the violence committed against individuals for their sexual preferences.

"Everyone here agrees that the murder was definitely a hate crime, and it's also an important driving force of the gay rights movement," Amanda Benton, social work sophomore and president of the Gay and Lesbian Association, said Wednesday

"The Laramie Project," written by Moisés Kaufman, is directed by Victor Treviño and will be presented at 8 p.m. March 27 in Thiry Auditorium at OLLU.

GALA will stage a silent protest with signs that display hearts and promote a message of love, Richard Anthony, GALA secretary and communications sophomore, said Monday.

"We're not going to be hateful or screaming. We're going to show them love and kindness instead," Anthony said.

Westboro Baptist Church, located in Topeka, Kan., has been picketing various events nationally since 1991.

The church's protest will be from 7:15 p.m. to 8 p.m., an hour before the performance.

Church members will demonstrate with signs against what church member Zach Phelps-Roper, in a telephone interview Monday, called "fags and fag enablers."

For more information, call GALA at 486-0673 or e-mail galaofsac@gmail.com.

For ticket information on "The Laramie Project," visit www.ollusa.edu/s/1190/ollu.aspx?sid=1190&gid=1&pgid=4709.