The Laramie Project

The Laramie Project

by

Moisés Kaufman

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on The Laramie Project makes teaching easy.

Russell Henderson Character Analysis

Russell Henderson is a nineteen-year-old Laramie Resident and one of Matthew Shepard’s murderers. Russell pleads guilty to participating in Matthew’s murder, driving the truck in which Aaron McKinney beat Matthew and then tying him to the fence to die. Russell Henderson purportedly had a troubled family life as a child. Russell was a member of the Church of Latter Day Saints before he is excommunicated from the church for his crimes. Russell and Aaron both become the center of debates between townspeople about who exactly is to blame for Russell and Aaron’s homophobia and whether violence could possibly be the proper punishment for their crimes.

Russell Henderson Quotes in The Laramie Project

The The Laramie Project quotes below are all either spoken by Russell Henderson or refer to Russell Henderson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Homophobia, Tolerance, and Acceptance Theme Icon
).
Act 2: Live and Let Live Quotes

Some people are saying he made a pass at them. You don’t pick up regular people. I’m not excusing their actions, but it made me feel better because it was partially Matthew Shepard’s fault and partially the guys who did it… you know maybe it’s fifty-fifty.

Related Characters: Murdock Cooper (speaker), Matthew Shepard, Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson
Page Number: 59
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2: Seeing Matthew Quotes

And quite frankly I wanted to lash out at somebody. Not at Matthew, please understand that, not one of us was mad at Matthew. But we maybe wanted to squeeze McKinney’s head off. And I think about Henderson. And, you know, two absolutely human beings cause so much grief for so many people.

Related Characters: Marge Murray (speaker), Matthew Shepard, Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson, Reggie Fluty
Page Number: 56
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2: Lifestyle 2 Quotes

Now, those two people, the accused… I think they deserve the death penalty…Now as for the victim, I know that that lifestyle is legal, but I will tell you one thing. I hope that Matthew Shepard as he was tied to that fence that he had time to reflect on a moment when someone had spoken the word of the Lord to him—and that before he slipped into a coma he had a chance to reflect on his lifestyle.

Related Characters: The Baptist Minister (speaker), Matthew Shepard, Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson, Amanda Gronich
Related Symbols: The Fence
Page Number: 67-68
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3: Snow Quotes

I decided that someone needed to stand toe to toe with this guy and show the differences. And I think at time like this when we’re talking about hatred as much as the nation is right now, that someone needs to show, that there is a better way of dealing with that kind of hatred. So our idea is to dress up like angels.

Related Characters: Romaine Patterson (speaker), Russell Henderson, Reverend Fred Phelps
Page Number: 73
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3: A Death Penalty Case Quotes

I think right now our most important teachers must be Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. They have to be our teachers. How did you learn? What did we as a society do to teach you that? See, I don’t know if many people will let them be their teacher. I think it would be wonderful if the judge said, “In addition to your sentence, you must tell your story.”

Related Characters: Father Roger Schmit (speaker), Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson
Page Number: 79
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Laramie Project PDF

Russell Henderson Quotes in The Laramie Project

The The Laramie Project quotes below are all either spoken by Russell Henderson or refer to Russell Henderson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Homophobia, Tolerance, and Acceptance Theme Icon
).
Act 2: Live and Let Live Quotes

Some people are saying he made a pass at them. You don’t pick up regular people. I’m not excusing their actions, but it made me feel better because it was partially Matthew Shepard’s fault and partially the guys who did it… you know maybe it’s fifty-fifty.

Related Characters: Murdock Cooper (speaker), Matthew Shepard, Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson
Page Number: 59
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2: Seeing Matthew Quotes

And quite frankly I wanted to lash out at somebody. Not at Matthew, please understand that, not one of us was mad at Matthew. But we maybe wanted to squeeze McKinney’s head off. And I think about Henderson. And, you know, two absolutely human beings cause so much grief for so many people.

Related Characters: Marge Murray (speaker), Matthew Shepard, Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson, Reggie Fluty
Page Number: 56
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 2: Lifestyle 2 Quotes

Now, those two people, the accused… I think they deserve the death penalty…Now as for the victim, I know that that lifestyle is legal, but I will tell you one thing. I hope that Matthew Shepard as he was tied to that fence that he had time to reflect on a moment when someone had spoken the word of the Lord to him—and that before he slipped into a coma he had a chance to reflect on his lifestyle.

Related Characters: The Baptist Minister (speaker), Matthew Shepard, Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson, Amanda Gronich
Related Symbols: The Fence
Page Number: 67-68
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3: Snow Quotes

I decided that someone needed to stand toe to toe with this guy and show the differences. And I think at time like this when we’re talking about hatred as much as the nation is right now, that someone needs to show, that there is a better way of dealing with that kind of hatred. So our idea is to dress up like angels.

Related Characters: Romaine Patterson (speaker), Russell Henderson, Reverend Fred Phelps
Page Number: 73
Explanation and Analysis:
Act 3: A Death Penalty Case Quotes

I think right now our most important teachers must be Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney. They have to be our teachers. How did you learn? What did we as a society do to teach you that? See, I don’t know if many people will let them be their teacher. I think it would be wonderful if the judge said, “In addition to your sentence, you must tell your story.”

Related Characters: Father Roger Schmit (speaker), Aaron McKinney, Russell Henderson
Page Number: 79
Explanation and Analysis: