The "Truth" Isn't Always So True, Huh?

It seems the nation, and the world for that matter, have been grossly mislead in regards to the Matthew Shepard case. Originally it seemed obvious that it was a hate crime. The Laramie Project made sure its readers left with that impression. It has been interesting to learn more about it from all sides and to see that in reality the "truth" is not necessarily true. The play teaches us a good lesson about how hate can tear families and communities apart, but it is not an accurate representation of the case for all people. Yes, it gives good insight into the people's lives who were somewhat involved, but what good are emotion-ridden humans? They're great if you're trying to illustrate human response to unusual stimuli. However, people went to jail for the remainder of their lives for this. It should not be taken as lightly as how people feel about it. Stephen Jimenez, in his video description of his beliefs and motives for his book, discusses the necessary expulsion of "mythologies" and the importance of sticking to "what is true", like the pastor in the play who said the "word is either sufficient or it is not".