The Laramie Project was a tragic murder, but after watching the videos, they only solidify my belief that it was not a hate crime. But what the video made clear was how people tend to fixate on one possibility with the exclusion of all others. Which in this case is the debate of whether or not it is a hate crime. Now I want to make it clear that I mean no disrespect to the Shepard's. But why they would kill Matthew because he was gay makes no sense, and its understandable to find any way to convict your sons murderer at any cost. But there is no indication that it was a hate crime, and the testimony's were ignored because people again were fixated on one thing, the idea that is was a hate crime. I just don't see it, Maybe if there was more evidence to prove it was in fact a hate crime I would agree. But with the case being clouded in mystery, I'm hard pressed to believe that accusation.