Years ago...four years ago (damn I'm getting older), a high school in Beaverton (western suburb of Portland) was going to put on The Laramie Project as a school play. The principal wouldn't hear of it and cancelled. The Laramie Project isn't sexy or violent and it deals with a real issue, hate crimes, which is already a reality for any kid in one form or another but because the play was about a queer boy, it was pulled.
Despite the fact that it was pulled, GodHatesFags showed up anyway to protest the fact that the school had even let it be a consideration and protested outside the school. It showed us as part of the counterprotest but was pleasantly surprised to see the kids take care of it themselves. You can read all about it on indy.
Tonight I was walking Dean down SE 26th St and saw one the Cleveland High School reader board that they were putting on the Laramie Project. I didn't really even have to think about it. I knew I was going. I had a few other plans and dropped them because I had to be there to support this production. Also, proceeds from the play went to the Gay Straight Alliance as well as Darfur refugees.
The play was great. The students were solid actors and there was even good live music performed. I got goosebumps at several points throughout the play. And I left there with a sense that the future holds good things as far as these students societal views. Like Whitney, I too believe that children are the future.
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