Editorial: Play overcomes hate

Friday, May 7, 2004 | 9:03 a.m.

On Saturday the Las Vegas Academy will stage its last performance of "The Laramie Project," a play that tells the story of Matthew Shepard, a student at the University of Wyoming who was brutally murdered in 1998 because he was gay. The high school production somehow came to the attention of a hate group from Kansas, calling itself the Westboro Baptist Church, which has condemned the play and plans on coming to our city next week to picket the Las Vegas Academy on Wednesday.

To get a sense of where the Westboro Baptist Church is coming from, it helps to visit its Web site, godhatesfags.com. The following passage is typical of the comments found on the group's Web site: " 'GOD HATES FAGS' -- though elliptical -- is a profound theological statement, which the world needs to hear more than it needs oxygen, water and bread." The Westboro Baptist Church not only extends its hatred toward gays, but also toward Jews, Catholics and Protestants, according to the Anti-Defamation League. In short, the Westboro Baptist Church hates any organized religion that doesn't adhere to its twisted belief that bigotry is the road to salvation. The group's Web site is sickening, and even has a link to one of its affiliated Web sites -- godhatesamerica.com -- that takes pleasure in former Arizona Cardinals football player Pat Tillman's death in Afgha nistan, saying that "Pat Tillman is in Hell!!" The Web site goes on to say that Tillman, a U.S. Army Ranger killed during c! ombat more than a week ago, "chose to go worship the filthy fag flag and serve in the fag military cramming America's filth down the world's throat."

We understand that it's difficult to read such disgusting comments, but it's important that the Las Vegas community understand that the "church" is nothing more than a publicity-seeking hate group that travels the country trying to get attention. If anything, that such hate still exists in this country makes it even more important that a play be shown that looks back on Matthew Shepard's life and death. Our community should be proud of the students and faculty at Las Vegas Academy for putting on this play.