Granite Bay rallies to support The Laramie Project

Kevin Knauss

10 years ago

Granite Bay parents show support for Rainbow and The Laramie Project

Under the bright glow of the Granite Bay High School LED monument sign, local residents and students gathered to rally in support of the school play The Laramie Project. The famously anti-gay, hate filled, military funeral protesting Westboro Baptist Church had hinted that they might protest the LGBT themed play’s opening.

Westboro Baptist Church no-show

Beverly Kearney of the Love is Love Movement who organized a rally at the Roseville Galleria Mall last year, helped assemble the Granite Bay rally. People from all over the normally reserved south Placer County area showed up to support the student play’s message of acceptance and to be a show of force in case any members or sympathizers of the Westboro Baptist Church happened to arrive in protest.

Members of the Granite Bay Gay Straight Alliance at Laramie Project Rally

Community rallies to support Granite Bay High School

Kyle Holmes, drama teacher at Granite Bay High School, came out and thanked the community rally for their support. If there were any organized protesters to the play, they must have been scared off by the over 100 people in support of The Laramie Project production. But as Beverly Kearney noted, the play runs for several days over two weekends so cult members and followers of the Westboro Baptist Church might still appear in front of the high school.

The Laramie Project, breaking down walls

Granite Bay High School production of The Laramie Project

Since I live close, I can always run over to the high school and confront those who would protest against the acceptance of the natural human condition of being gay, lesbian, bi-sexual, transgender, queer or intersex. For the record, Granite Bay isn’t as close minded and homophobic as some folks might believe. Yes, the community tends to be conservative when it comes to politics, but I’ve never encountered any overt intolerance from fellow community members or neighbors. The number of people at the rally and honks of support from passing cars reinforces my belief that there is tolerance and acceptance in Granite Bay and south Placer County.