Act 3

Act three of The Laramie Project describes the effect the case had on the people of Laramie. It impacted so many people. "And when I got there, there were thousands of people in just black, with umbrellas everywhere.And there were two churches-one for immediate family, uh, invited guest, people of that nature, and then one church for everyone else who wanted to be there. And then, still, hundreds of people outside that couldn't fit int either of the churches. And there was a big park by the church, and that's where these people were. And this park was full" ( Moises Kaufman 75). The vest number of people that came to Matt's funeral showed how many people were moved by his story and wanted to be there to support him and his family as they said goodbye. This case didn't effect everyone in a positive way." But this murder is different, because the fags are bringing us out here trying to make Matthew Shepard into a poster boy for the gay lifestyle. And we're going to answer it" (Kaufman 78). this case made people push back against the general public desire for change and acceptance. There was also a push back against the protesters."After seeing Fred Phelps protesting at Matthews funeral and found out that he was coming to Laramie for the trial of Russell Henderson, I decided that someone needed to stand toe-to-toe with this guy and show the difference" (Kaufman 79). As people protested it encouraged others to take a stand and fight for a change. No matter what way people were effected, everyone was impacted by this murder.

This crime not only made people think about gay rights but also about the death penalty. This created controversy for the people of Laramie. "How can I protest, if the Shepard's want McKinney dead? I just cant interfere in that. But on a personal level, I knew Aaron in grade school. We never called him Aaron, he was called A.J" (Kaufman 88). People didn't just have to think about f the crime was worth death but also if they would give the death penalty to an old childhood friend. Everyone of Laramie who grow up with Aaron was personally involved the case. "Parts of me wants McKinney to get it. But I'm not very proud of that. I was on and off, off and on. I cant say what I would do... I'm too personally involved"(Kaufman 88). Everyon0e had this connection to Aaron and Russell so no matter their view on the death penalty it was hard to decide what is right and wrong. Even if people didn't want the death penalty for Aaron, no one wanted him free. "I don't know about the death penalty. But I don't ever want to see them walk out of Rawlins Penitentiary. I'll pay my nickel, or whatever, my little percentage of tax, nickel a day to make sure that his ass stays in there and never sees society again and definitely never comes into my bar again"(Kaufman 88). Weather or not people wanted to see Aaron dead or not, no one wanted to see him free. This case caused so much controversy within the people of Laramie.

Nikki Brown, Gabe Adams analysis blog

"if you don't take care of your land, then you ruin it and lose your living" (Engen 4)

"the difference is that in Wyoming there are fewer places to blend in if you're anything other than prairie stock" (Kaufman 47)

"how can i protest, if the shepherds wants McKinney dead? I just can't interfere with that. But on a personal level, I new Aaron in grade school " (Ula 89)

Laramie Project act 2

The second act of The Laramie Project focus's on the mentality towards gay people in Laramie. Sergeant Hing describes his opinion on the view of gay people in Laramie."We have one of the most vocal populations of gay people in the state....And it's pretty much: Live and let live" (Moises Kaufman 45). It is a sad fact that people use this as a good mentality to have. It shouldn't just be live and let live, the community should be accepting of everyone no matter sexual orienting. Jeffrey Lockwood describes hes wish for the men who did this weren't from Laramie. "We don't grow children like that here. well, its pretty clear that we do grow children like that here..."(Kaufman 46). People are oblivious to the fact that Aaron and Russell grow up in Laramie and therefor where influenced by the communities view on gay people. The governor talks about pushing hate crime legislation. "I would like to urge the people of Wyoming against overreacting in a way that gives one group "special rights over others"" (Kaufman 48). He is not thinking about protecting gay people of Wyoming and more on disregard them. People may say they don't have a problem with people who have a different sexual orientations but it isn't true unless they are actually accepting and don't just believe people should live and let live.

 Media defined this case. Aaron's dad describes the effects he thinks the media had on his sons conviction. "Had this been a heterosexual these two boys decided to take out and rob, this never would have made the national news. Now my son is guilty before he's even had a trial"(Kaufman 49). The media made up its mind about the reasoning for the murder before the investigation was even finished and no one questioned it. Reporters came from all over the country to cover this case. "It was huge. Yeah. It was herds and -and were talking hundreds of reporters which makes a huge dent in this tows population. There's reporters everywhere, news trucks everywhere on campus, everywhere in the town. And were not used to that type of attention to begin with, were not used to that type of exposure" (Kaufman 47).  So many people came to Laramie and broad casted not only the case but everyone in the town. The medias coverage of the crime made the nation think but more specifically the people of Laramie think. "Look, I do think that, um, the media actually made people accountable. Because they made people think. Because people were sitting in their homes, like watching TV and listening to CNN and watching Dan Rather and going, "Jesus Christ, well that's not how it is here." Well how is it here?"(Kaufman 49). The exposure gay rights got from this horrible murder made everyone consider how accepting they and their community was. It brought out change and recognition to the gay community.

Laramie Project- defined and ignorance

Events can permanently define a place or person. The Laramie Project is a book containing interview from the people of Laramie about the Matthew Shepard case. "Laramie is a town defined by an accident, a crime." (Kaufman, 9) When people think of Laramie Wyoming, they think of Mathew. The Town of Laramie will forever be seen as the place this horrific hate crime took place. The town will never be seem for what it used to be or what it is not. "Now, when the incident happened with that boy, a lot of press people came here. And one time some of them fallowed me out to the crime scene. And uh, well, it was a beautiful day, absolutely gorgeous day, real clear and crisp and the sky was that blue that-it's just gorgeous. And the mountains in the background and a little snow on em'"(8) None that came to Laramie noticed the beauty of it, all they saw was the crime scene. The incident marked the town and that is all anyone can think of now when they heard Laramie. People bi pass everything else that Laramie is and only focus on the bad things, the things associated with the hate crime. "And they were just-nothing but the story. I didn't feel judged, I felt that they were stupid. they're, they're missing the point- they're just missing the whole point." (9) So many people came to Laramie after hearing about Mathew but none of them noticed anything other than the case. Even today, 16 years after his death, Laramie is defined as the place Matthew Shepard was beaten and killed.

Ignorance is a lack of knowledge and understanding. Many people believe that along with ignorance,
one finds bliss. This is the case for the people of Laramie in 1998 surrounding Mathew Shepard's murder. "they were happy. They were glad the sun was shining" (Kaufman 6).  Rebecca Hilliker describes the people of Laramie as being happy due to the simplest thing, they don't get dragged down by the whats going on elsewhere in the world. When you grow up in a small town around the same people your whole life, everyone tends to have the same opinions and attitudes towards stuff. "I would have told you Laramie is a beautiful town, secluded enough that you can have your own identity" (9) This isn't true, the seclusion makes it so everyone is influenced by the same thing and isn't exposed to different cultures and opinions. Laramie is a unique place. "I
thought it was strange that the sign said: WYOMING-LIKE NO PLACE ON EARTH instead of WYOMING-LIKE NO PLACE ELSE ON EARTH"(13) This shows how Laramie is secluded from the rest of the world, it cannot even be compared to it. Without different influences, people live life with an ignorance. This ignorance might be blissful but one misses out on so much knowledge and  grasp on the world.

Memoirs part 3

Friendship is one of the most powerful relationships one can have. It is an unbreakable bond that will forever connect two people. In Lisa See's memoir, Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, she describes her powerful bond with Snow Flower, the laotong she was paired with at the age of seven. "a laotong relationship is made by choice... when we first looked into each other's eyes in the palanquin I felt something special pass between us--like a spark to start a fire or a seed to grow rice. But a signal spark is not enough to warm a room nor is a single seed enough to grow a fruitful crop. Deep love--true-heart love-must grow" (See 77). A friendships takes an initial spark but also work and understanding. If two people puts in all the work a friendship will grow and be a connection forever. A friendship is the deepest connection that two people can have. A friendship can occur wife and husband but this is not the case for Lisa. "Snow Flower was my old same for life. I had a greater and deeper love for her than I could ever feel for a person who was my husband." (119) Friendships are the strongest connection people can have, they tie you together closer than a marriage or any other bond. A friendship teaches you the most important lessons in life. Lisa and Snow Flower learned a lot from the connection they had with each other. "I am still learning about love. I thought I understood it-not just mother love, but the love for one's parents, for one's husband, and for one's laotong. I've experiences the other types of love--pity love, respectful love and gratitude love. But looking at our secret fan with its messages written between Snow Flower and me over many years, I see that I didn't value the most important love--deep-heart love."(prologue) The bond between friends shines light on the most important lessons in life and the the real meaning of love. Friendship is the deepest connection and most valuable thing in life.

It takes a lot of guts and to be a Navy SEAL. Marcus Luttrell accounts his experiences as a seal in his memoir Lone Survivor. "Men of the special forces have had other options in their lives, other paths, easier paths they could have taken. But they took the hardest path, the narrow causeway that is not for the sunshine patriot. They took the one for the supreme patriot, the one that may require them to lay down their lives for the United States of America" (Luttell) There is differently easier jobs in the world but navy seals pick to put themselves in dangerous situations all in order to protect America. It takes a special kind of man to be a Navy SEAL. "In times of uncertainty there is a special breed of warrior ready to answer our Nations call; a common man with uncommon desire to succeed. Forged by adversity, he stands alongside Americans finest special operations forces to serve his country and the American people, and to protect their way of life. I am that man" (Luttell) One must have that unique desire in order to withstand the hardships that come along with being a SEAL. These men are held to a higher standard then anyone else. "I will never quit. I persevere and thrive on adversity. My Nations expects me to be physically harder and mentally stronger than my enemies. If knocked down, I will get back up, every time. I will draw on every remaining ounce of strength to protect my teammates and to accomplish our mission. I am never out of the fight" (prologue) SEALs must be stronger and barer than anyone they may have to fight. Not everybody has what it takes to be a Navy SEAL, it is a hard job that requires a lot, sometimes even the life, of the men that take on the responsibility.

Memoir presentations part 2

Many memoirs talk about the hard times people go though in their life and how those events have inspired them to be a better person. This is the case in the book It Calls You Back by Luis Rodriguez. He talks about his life growing up in a gang and his time in jail. Rodriguez's time in jail opened his eyes to the possibility of a better life. Rodriguez realized that he wanted to change his life and did just that. He struggled with drugs and violence while he was in the gang. In his book he describes how hard it was to leave his rage and addictions in his past. The events he suffered thought in his life inspired him to help kids so they don't go thought the same hardships that he did. He not only wanted to make a better life for himself but give kids in his same position a chance to have a better life as well. Rodriguez has changed his life and helped many others change theirs for the better.

Another person that suffered hardships in order to change his life for the better is David Myers, the author of The Pursuit of Happiness. Myers ran into financial trouble while tying to pursue his dreams of  being an entrepreneur. Even though his money troubles greatly impacted his life he did not let that stop him from chasing his dreams. Myers and his son become homeless for a while. He struggled to find motivating to keep going but he never gave in. Myers became a very successful stock broker due his persistence. He keeps his hopes up and never lets his kid think there is no hope. "If you want somethin', go get it. Period." Myers continues to inspire and motivate his son thought their hard times. He continues to believe that anything is possible. He never gives up and in the end he changes his life for the better.

memoir presentations

Running with Scissors a memoir written by August en Burroughs. He talks about growing up with his crazy family. At the age of 12, he moved in with Dr.Finch, a unconventional psychiatrist who seems to make his patients worse instead of helping them. He was adapted by Dr.Finch after he claimed Augusten's mom was too unstable. Augusten continuously worries and looks after his mother. Her mental state had a huge impact on Augustens way of life. He biological parents got divorced when he was 12. They had another son together named John Elder Robison, another author. John also wrote a memoir about growing up with his family (Look Me In The Eye). Even though they were together for most of each others childhood, John says they were raised by different families. John wasn't as involved and connected with Dr.Finch. These two books show how two people in the same institutions can have very different points of view of it. John briefly talks about his mos mental state but was not as effected by it as his brother was. The two boys were both involved in her situation but look two very different experiences and lesions away from it.

Memoirs are usually written to shine light on traumatic situations that need to be stopped or changed by society. For this reason, there are many memoirs about child soldiers. A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah, talks bout the inner conflict most kids go though during war. He says "even though I'm alive, i feel like each time ii accept a life, a part of me dies."
Kids are put in situations where they have no other choice them to kill or be killed, but no matter what happens that kids soul is being damaged In War Child by Emmanuel Jal, he describes how children carried riffles taller then they were kids are to young and innocent to be put in such horrible situations. Emmanuel also talks about how guns don't know old from young. Its not the weapons that are the problem, its the society that doesn't care who or what is being hurt by the guns. Both men now advocate for peace. Their memoirs were wrote to gain awareness to the child soldiers so change and peace can someday be obtained.

The War

The War is a movie about a war veteran who returns home from with PTS. It is about how he copes with the trauma and how it effects his family. The dad (Steven) returned home from war but cant keep a job because of his dreams or the fact that he stayed in a mental hospital for awhile after the war. While fighting and friend he went through training with was injured along with all the other soldiers with them. He carried his friend back to the helicopter but they only had room for one person. He had to leave his friend behind and get on the helicopter without him. After coming home, he got a job pumping water with a friend he made from a previous job. while they were working rocks fell on top of his friend. He refused to leave him behind like he did to his friend during war. His friend get free but causes more rocks to fall. They hit Steven and he is badly injured. He dies shortly after the accident. Stu (his son) puts all his focus on building a tree house, anything to distract him from his fathers death. He refuses to believe that it is true then turns and blames himself.
Stu and his sister have an ongoing feud with another family. The kids of the other family take over the tree house that they built. To get it back, they go thought their fathers old war stuff and prepare to fight for it. All the kids go crazy while fighting. Both going so far that they ruin the fort in the fight. The sister says they all "lost their minds" while fighting for the fort. Just like their dad lost his mind fighting during the war.

college essay part 2

Our class continued to work on our college essays this week. I have rewritten and revised my essay so many times but it still doesn't seem good enough. I'm not sure what to write about or how to word some of my sentences. There is a lot of pressure to have an amazing college essay. It is used to show what kind of person we are to our desired colleges. It can be a deciding factor for weather or not we get into that college. That is a lot to think about while trying to write these essays.
Even though I'm planning on going to a culinary school, and not a traditional college, I have to write three short essays. I am not the best writer, which is one reason culinary school is so desirable. I wont have to take any language arts, math, or science classes. So the fact that I have to write an essay to show how I would fit into the school is a little nerve racking.

college essays

I have been working on my college essays this week. It is really stressful to write a good essay. These essays could be the deciding factor for whether or not we get into the college of our choice. College essays could majorly impact our future's and it puts a lot of stress on us to make them good. It is hard to know what to write about. I'm not sure how personal I want to make my essay or how long. These are little questions but could actually have a big impact on my life.
My first choice college is a culinary school in California. It requires three essays with 100 word minimums. That seems easy enough, but i'm still stressed out that my essays will not be what they are looking for. The prompts are not the traditional college essay prompts, They are about my experience in the food industry, my passion for food, and my 5 year plan. It is hard to describe these things in writing. Hopefully I can pull off three good essays!

experiences

Our experiences shape the way we view the world and the other people around us. They mold our imagination and way of thinking. The events in our life impact us in a way that makes us think back on things when similar events happen, which then changes the way we handle ourselves. Where the experience is big or small, if it is meaningful enough to stay in your memories, it will have an impact on your life later on. I have grown up boating and have always loved being on the water. This little part of my life has made me really respect nature and made me love the outdoors.

memoirs

This week in class we talked about memoirs. Memoirs are true stories written by the person who went through the event. They are personal memories and feelings written down to be shared with the world. The most famous memoirs are usually about overcoming tragedy and a difficult life. Memoirs are different than an autobiography because they focus and a certain event or person in the writers life, not a full life summary.
I have picked to read Look Me In the Eye: My Life with Asperger's by John Elder Robison. This memoir is about John Robison's life growing up with asperger's syndrome and overcoming the many hurtles that comes with it. I'm looking forward to reading this book and seeing things from John's perspective.

DESSERT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANYTHING!

all about me

This picture represents me because I have a passion for baking. It is my desire to become a pastry chef after culinary school. I am also interested in decorating desserts, but recently I have really enjoyed the baking element of the process. The tools and ingredients in the picture are things I use on a regular basis to create tasty treats. I have grown up around baking. Many members of my family decorate and bake cakes and other desserts. I learned almost everything I know now from them.

This is an image of Lake Powell. I have been taking family/friend vacations there every year for the past 10 years. We stay on a house boat for a week and normal have about 15-20 of your friends with us. Being on the water for a whole week is so relaxing. There is also no cell reception witch makes the trip a nice get-a-way. My family has had a boat since before I was born. I have grow up skiing and just being on the water. Our trip to Lake Powell is always the highlight of my summer.

I have a desire to get out of Colorado after I graduate. I hope to move to California. I have wanted to move out of Colorado and travel some place new, different, and warmer for a while now. California seems like just the place to go. There is a culinary school near Napa Valley that I am interested in. It is called the Culinary Institute of America.. The school has dorms on campus,which many culinary school don't. This make my move to California a better possibility.