Larry King Murdered for Embracing his Homosexuality
He was fifteen. Bright kid. Great smile. Handsome. Fun to be around. Settling into the eighth grade—and, apparently, finally comfortable enough with who he was to “come out” to his classmates.
Larry King’s fellow pupils at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, California, said the bullying started after Larry wore mascara, lipstick and jewelry to school one day in early February.
“They teased him because he was different,” 13-year-old classmate Marissa Moreno said. “But he wasn’t afraid to show himself.”
It was February 12, twenty-four of his fellow students around him, as Larry was in the school’s computer lab attending class and his alleged attacker, Brandon McInerney, walked into the room and, just like that, shot Larry in the head.
Brandon ran.
He was caught a few blocks away from the school some time later.
Prosecutors are charging the case as a hate crime.
Brandon is just fourteen.
Fourteen years old and an alleged murderer already.
The 9-1-1 call is chilling. First, teachers think Larry King shot himself. Or maybe another student did it. Or perhaps there’s a student walking through the school on a rampage.
No one seemed to know what happened.
Either way, Larry was on the floor, bleeding, while the school went into lockdown.
Last week, hundreds of mourners showed up at the Westminster Presbyterian Church to remember Larry. “God knit Larry together and made him wonderfully complex,” the Reverend Dan Birchfield told a tearful crowd. “Larry was a masterpiece.”
Larry King had just recently admitted he was gay, classmates told the New York Times, even though he was “enduring harassment from a group of schoolmates, including the 14-year-old boy charged in his death,” Larry didn’t back down.
Larry wore mascara and high heels to school. He was effeminate. He’d decided it wasn’t worth hiding who he was any longer—and it cost him his life.
Such has been the impact of the case, presidential contenders Clinton and Obama released statements just the other day.
Clinton said:
I was deeply saddened by the recent death of 15-year-old Lawrence King who was killed at his school in Oxnard, CA. No one should face intimidation or violence, particularly at school, because of their sexual orientation or the way they express their gender identity.
Obama added:
It was heartbreaking to learn about Lawrence King’s death, and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family. King’s senseless death is a tragic example of the corrosive effect that bigotry and fear can have in our society. It’s also an urgent reminder that we need to do more in our schools to foster tolerance and an acceptance of diversity; that we must enact a federal hate crimes law that protects all LGBT Americans; and that we must recommit ourselves to becoming active and engaged parents, citizens and neighbors, so that bias and bigotry cannot take hold in the first place. We all have a responsibility to help this nation live up to its founding promise of equality for all.
Why does everything have to be so scripted and taken as some sort of opportunity to spew your political views—especially during an election? Why can’t we have two candidates reacting to this terrible tragedy through their hearts, without their comments going through a presidential sifter?
It’s disgusts me.
But anyway, the shooting, as one might guess, bewildered residents of Oxnard, which until then seemed to be an uncomplicated, peaceful beach community just north of Malibu.
Prosecutors charged Brandon as an adult. It was a “murder as a premeditated hate crime and gun possession,” officials said. If convicted, Brandon faces a sentence of 52 years to life in prison.
If he served those 52, he’d be 66 upon his release.
According to the Times:
Lawrence wore his favorite high-heeled boots most days, riding the bus to school from Casa Pacifica, a center for abused and neglected children in the foster care system, where he began living last fall. Officials would not say anything about his family background other than that his parents, Greg and Dawn King, were living and that he had four siblings. Lawrence started attending E. O. Green last winter, said Steven Elson, the center’s chief executive. “He had made connections here,” Dr. Elson said. “It’s just a huge trauma here. It’s emotionally very charged.”
We at Crime Rant encourage everyone to visit www.rememberlarry.com and post a comforting note to Larry’s family and friends.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:22 am
This is horrible. People are encouraged to be who they are and look what happens. I like Hilary’s response a hell of a lot better. Don’t use a sentiment of condolence to the family for your political views! Bring it up at a later time and use his tragedy as an example but damn!
February 26th, 2008 at 9:51 am
I’m with you Matt…the candidates using someone else’s agonizing tragedy as a launching pad for a political agenda is self serving and disgusting.
This truly is a heartbreaking, extremely violent crime.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:55 am
Just heartbreaking. Such a beautiful boy. I don’t care that the kid who shot him is only 14, I don’t think he should EVER walk free again. Such hate obviously knows no bounds.
And yeah Obama, have a little compassion will ya. God sakes, do you have to spew your views even when addressing the family of a murdered child. That’s just plain sickening. IMO.
February 26th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Sorry guys, but you are wrong. GLSEN has been pushing this as a political issue. They were just responding. I am very sure they hasnt even heard of this horrible crime until it was forced for them to address it. GLSEN and its supporters were irked that this case hadnt gotten any attention.
And as far as this kids family goes, The kid was living in a center for abused children, so I am thinking they werent so hot either.
February 26th, 2008 at 10:21 am
“I am deeply saddened by the terrible news about the shooting of Lawrence King. My prayers go out to all of Lawrence’s friends and family,” said Judy Shepard, Executive Director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation. “This terrible incident underscores the fact that we cannot let hate go unchecked in our schools and communities. Our young people need our direction and guidance to prevent this type of crime from happening. I urge all parents and teachers to educate their children and students about acceptance, understanding and compassion.”
See what I am saying? Who is going to ignore Matt Shepard’s mom, who is apparently speaking for King’s absent parents. Not so easy for them to ignore when its being pushed on them in a very political way.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:07 am
I take exception to your headline: that poor dead child did not “embrace” his homosexuality – heck, NO ONE is comfortable in their sexuality at that age, and wearing the garb of another gender, when it is attracting negative attention from your peers, is an obvious cry for attention and help and not the actions of a “comfortable” person, gay or straight. Wearing lipstick doesn’t equal “embracing” homosexuality. Homosexuality and gender identity aren’t the same thing, anyway. Sadly, Larry King got a lot of negative attention and was killed before help came.
My heart bleeds for Brandon, too. What, in his brief life, caused the kind of pain, rage and hatred that such an act would require? The rest of his life isn’t going to be any picnic either.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:25 am
duffy, look up the term transgendered. You dont necessarily have to be gay to be transgendered, but you may not look so ignorant if you know these things.
And coming out at 15 is BRAVE. Most gay people know they are gay way before puberty. I wore lipstick when I was 15, and was completely comfortable with my sexuality, which just happens to be straight, but not by any choice of my own.
February 26th, 2008 at 11:56 am
Melissa – DUH. That’s what I said:
“homosexuality and gender identity aren’t the same thing.” Read thoroughly before you call people ignorant.
February 26th, 2008 at 12:47 pm
well you are ignorant if you think TG is a choice, DUH.
February 26th, 2008 at 1:02 pm
Duffy–I hear what you’re saying. Junior High is a brutal environment, to say the least. I agree that the lengths that Larry went to in his “coming out” statement seem to be about something much more than sexual preference or orientation. But I disagree with your offense over the word “embrace”. For whatever underlying reasons, Larry did make a strong show, and the word embrace does fit.
I can understand (from the standpoint of knowing kids) how awkward this must have been, and that Larry would have faced some serious social repercussions. For those that take their opinions to the level of hatred is not understandable. Something is seriously wrong with anyone who would gun down a classmate, for any reason.
February 26th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
As if living in foster care isn’t bad enough…the kid can’t even go to school, in peace. May God Bless him.
February 26th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
There doesn’t seem to be limit to the tragedy of this story. Larry was an incredibly brave young man, but what a formula for disaster. No matter how hard we want kids to be open minded and accepting, this was a situation that was not going to end well. I wonder about the young man that managed to bring a gun to school and commit this horrific act. What was happening in his life that Brandon’s behavior so challenged him he couldn’t cope with it any other way but with violence?
Here is an article about both boys.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/feb/24/it-doesnt-make-sense/
February 26th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Hello,
Charging a 14 yo boy as an adult seems incredible to me, and also qualifying the crime as “hate crime”. Obviously Larry King’s death is an absolute tragedy. But I can’t see the murderer as a dark minded hating psycopath : teenagers are very fragile about their sexualiy ; Larry was strong about his, assuming courageously his homosexuality and his taste for make-up and high heels. Some of his fellow students accepted that pretty well, but can you imagine how less secure and less mature boys perceived him ? (have you seen “summer of Sam” ?)
They probably refused to approach him, to be associated with him, not to be themselves suspected of beeing “fags”. And what if Larry had a crush on Brandon ? What if Brandon suddenly became himself a subject for mockery and harassment ? Brandon came from a very violent family and boys raised like that have often an archaic need of beeing respected as “true males” (As far as beeing gay prevent you from beeing a true male, stupid but common prejudice).
Maybe he hated Larry for the consequences on his own status among his pals (which can have a dramatic importance when teenager, especially when your family is rotten), not because the poor boy was homosexual.
Of course Brandon needs punishment and education, but a 50 years sentence is death penalty ! If he was an adult, and had killed Larry only because his sexual orientation, I would agree 100 p. 100 about the hate crime and the sentence. But here, I only see a tragic encounter between an innocent, brave boy and a victim of bad education, cruel history, turned into a murderer. I don’t know, maybe in Europe we tend to link responsibility to maturity ? Maybe we are less confident in our youth’capacity of choice between good and evil ? But we always try to analyse young murderers, and maybe analyse leads to clemency…
I’m sorry if I shock you, but even if my heart bleeds looking at Larry’s cute and sweet smile, I can’t help but feeling compassion about the other boy…
I read this article about the murder and found it very interesting :
http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/feb/24/it-doesnt-make-sense/
(Please excuse my language as I’m french)
Ultramarine
February 26th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
It was totally a recipe for disaster. Not only was Larry older, 15 as opposed to just turned 14 (assuming he got left back at some point) – There is one thing about being open about your homosexuality, quite another to taunt back by hitting on the kids who taunt you to mess with you back.
Not saying Larry should have dealt with this differently, because he was just a kid, so he probably felt justified, and KIDS deal with things in their own way. Nor do I think that this is his fault in any way.
I (obviously) have reservations about trying kids as adults, and will wait to hear the whole story. That last article screams CHILD IN TROUBLE to me, for BOTH of them.
And not for nothing, but Marine Corps training at 12/13? They are obscenely homophobic.
I think I will wait until I hear all the facts before I decide that THIS 14 year old is an adult.
I think both kids came from obviously EXTREME dysfunctional families, and YES, that can tend to make a kid not be able to distinguish right from wrong.
I dont think that Brandon deserves CLEMENCY per say. But still not on the fence that he is an adult because of the way he perceived his options.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
OT – and for a bit a levity, wondering if Larry King the 7 times married broadcaster who is a total womanizer is dealing with being googled as embracing his homosexuality lol.
February 26th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Melissa I made a mistake using the word “clemency”. I wanted to say that because of his background, in a European court, Brandon would benefit from extenuating circumstances, and in no way would be charged as an adult.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
I am wondering how this will turn out. He has become a poster child for the hate crime legislation already, which is apparent from the first posts.
If knowing MORE, will the prosecutors be able to charge him as a juvenile instead of an adult now?
Fact is, we dont know everything yet. I doubt the prosecutors do. I think the decision on the charges were premature to say the least.
I DO think that there are crimes where teenagers do deserve to be tried as adults. But on a case by case basis.
I havent heard enough yet. And unfortunately, the jury isnt going to have a choice if Brandon is deemed an adult.
February 26th, 2008 at 9:37 pm
In my previous post, I meant Larry’s behavior challenged Brandon.
I hope people can keep their wits about them and judge all the details before jumping to conclusions. It is tragic enough without compounding this terrible loss.
February 27th, 2008 at 2:38 am
Geez, I find this so hard to believe! My 17 year old has several gay friends and nobody thinks anything of it! They came out at about 15-16 and good for them. To shoot someone for it – he’s the one with problems!
February 27th, 2008 at 7:43 am
Good post Ultramarine.
February 27th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
When I read this in the papers I felt so bad for this boy. What is really upsetting is that someone in his life didn’t have a heart to heart with him about “toning” down his behavior. NOT because being a homosexual is wrong, but because there are others out there that think it is. He can be anything he wants in his mind, but unfortunately the general public still sets the standards for our public behavior. Still, none of that is cause to take a life.
February 27th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Thank you very much, Frankly Scarlett.
February 27th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
Brandon must have had a pretty dysfunctional, violent, crass, bigoted upbringing to actually believe it would be acceptable to shoot Larry. Damn, as enlightened as many of us are, there are still a lot of people (even young ones) who are threatened by homosexuality. But for a 14 year old to think it was okay to end a life because of it…that’s just really really sad.
If it turns out that Brandon was merely a victim himself of his upbringing and environment, I’m not sure I’ll agree with him being charged as an adult. My gosh, how capable of independent thought could he possibly be at the age of 14?
February 27th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
EM, read the links above. Both kids were a recipe for disaster, just like Rose said.
VERY sad.
February 28th, 2008 at 9:54 am
Lets see , how can I say this without sounding wrong ?
I understand that Larry was brave in coming out and not being ashamed of who he felt he was.
Although I do not agree with Homosexuality , I know it is a fact of this life for some.
However , I do not in anyway feel that because of that anyone should be treated differently or be hated, just the opposite infact. We do not have to be excepting of it , and I teach my son that he doesn’t have to agree with it , but he will not look down upon or bully or say anything to gay people. Let them live as they wish , just as the rest of are free to do. We are not judges , but we are required to treat eachother as we would want to be treated , no matter who you are.
Now having said all that… here is the part that might sting just a bit.
I believe that Larry should have been free to be himself , but as someone else said, he should have had someone to guide him in his actions . Knowing full well that not everyone in this world is nice about homosexuality , or any differences in people. I just feel that maybe if Larry hadn’t flaunted his sexuality , if he just went about it differently. I mean , those of us who are straight , we do not go around making sure that the rest of the world knows we are straight. We do not tease and taunt others about our sexuality ( not that Larry did , but it was said he was hitting on Brandon ) not that hitting on people is a bad thing , but knowing full well that Brandon was not gay , it should not have happened. Discretion I guess is what I am saying.
I hope this makes sense , I am not blaming Larry at all , just trying to figure it all out.
As far as Brandon , I do feel bad in a way for him because he is so young , and obviously something has gone terribly wrong in his thought pattern . BUT he obviously planned this , he brought the gun , he walked right up the that little boy and pulled the trigger. That to me is premeditated murder anyway you want to look at it he should be help accountable , and not with a slap on the wrist. At his age I am sure that maturity has not hit , but do you have to be mature to know that you do not KILL someone ?
I just don’t know what to feel or think about this whole thing.
Kim
February 28th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
I believe a lot of gay people do not “wish” to be gay. They simply are. It is silly to say that people decide to be gay, unless you agree that straight people decide to be heterosexual. I know of one gay man who said, “If I could take a pill that would make me not gay, I would do it.”
February 28th, 2008 at 1:50 pm
Thank you for putting a face on this particular school shooting. It came in the wake of several others and thusly seemed (without reading more into it) to be cut from the same cloth. Not so. Not at all.
Larry, if I could say one thing to you, I would say great job for being who you feel inside and for taking the risk to express your sexuality the way you feel it in your heart. You are a hero, I am sure, to many who are too afraid to be themselves.
If I could say one thing to the kid who shot Larry it would be this: Get your ass out in public schools and other venues where kids your age congregate and tell them how the ‘us versus them’ mentality of the tweens and teen years just is not cool and if you find yourself judging someone with a lethal weapon it will be the wielder who loses.
We cannot pour the fluid of our society into a homogenous ice cube tray and expect all the cubes to be perfect squares. Our human milk is best compared to a colorful soup poured into a pan to freeze then dropped on a floor once frozen….the pieces all different in shape, size, and form.
February 28th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
yeesh beeme, that last paragraph just sounded gross for some reason lol. I think it was the human milk part.
February 28th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Melissa…lol! I HATE MILK (and grew up in cow country, Ohio)…
Perhaps “sherbert”?
February 28th, 2008 at 11:29 pm
I just saw this story on Ellen. Such a sad, sad story. I thought the times of “Boys don’t cry” were a decade old.
February 29th, 2008 at 9:31 am
I just saw this on Ellen and I am sick. He was just a child…a beautiful child. What is wrong with people? It should not matter what our sexuality is…we are all the same on the inside.
Are there still those so ignorant that they don’t think gay people and their families have feelings?
We need more education, more programs on tv…whatever it takes to make people realize the truth about being gay. I get so pissed when people have the nerve to hate and judge….I’ve been through this…with stares and comments. Sometimes I just want to yell at them and sometimes I do. I love my child and it hurts me to hear what they say. I will always stand up for what’s right! I don’t like gay comments and jokes and I don’t like to hear kids say “that’s so gay”.
People need to shut it!
Most of them should look in the mirror before opening their mouth!
February 29th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Judy, not to go off topic but gay has more meanings than homosexual. And the term “thats so gay” doesnt necessarily mean anything about gay people.
Example, at work we have to do these daily meetings which is basically a rah rah session, and I contstantly refer to them as gay.
And seing as how Larry King was living in a center for abused children, I am not feeling the love for his family, as they obviously treated him very badly as well. Which is probably the reason Larry was so “in your face” it seems.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:11 am
That’s different than saying that’s so gay….I guess tho it really depends on how you use it. People should realize tho that parents of homosexuals and transgenders as well as they themselves are hurt by this. There are so many other word choices to use that will not hurt anyone.
I agree with you on his parents…so sad he had to have such a loveless life. It does sound like he was crying for attention. I wish I would have known him. I would have taken him in a heartbeat.
Everyone deserves happiness.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:32 am
Judy–When I read your first post I thought the same thing as Melissa, except to say that I hear kids saying this all the time. They aren’t trying to be hurtful, they’re just expressing themselves (generally speaking of course) with a slang term for “this sucks”. Most of the time it’s said in jest.
I’m sure your upset over Larry’s murder, but your post sounds like an “us” against “them” rant, which isn’t going to much to stop this type of hatred or ignorance (the type that led to Larry’s murder).
And, I gotta say that I disagree with this :”we are all the same on the inside”, and this: “Everyone deserves happiness”.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:43 am
I’m glad Brandon is being tried as an adult and I hope he gets life. It sounds harsh but when you decide to take a life away, no matter what age, no matter what background, there’s a line that you’ve crossed, that you shouldn’t be exempt from. My hope is that he regrets what he’s done, and maybe from this the rehabilitation and health can be restored to him. As for Larry King, my heart goes out to him wherever he is. He didn’t deserve to be murdered, he didn’t deserve to be prosecuted or bullied for what he was. What is wrong with kids today? Aren’t we advanced enough now to know that you can not judge a book by its cover?
February 29th, 2008 at 10:57 am
Yeah, because putting a young 14 year old in a prison full of hardened adults, a lot of them perverts has a lot of rehabilitative aspects to it.
Sarcasm intended.
February 29th, 2008 at 4:22 pm
I’ll wait to hear more on Brandon’s background, but my first thought is to try him as an adult. He took a life in a violent way, and should rightfully pay for what he has done.
From what I’ve read, Larry flirted with Brandon, was it to taunt him? Well that wasn’t right either, but he didn’t deserve to die over it. What did the school do about Larry’s dressing like a girl? Or did I miss that?
February 29th, 2008 at 4:27 pm
I cant begin to imagine what larry went thru. I believe that charging brandon as an adult is the correct way to go. there is no rehabilation for murders, at least this way he will be in prison and cant harm anyone else. And the presidental candidates talk about change and how we need to teach tolerance. well last time i checked our goverment who discriminated against gay people getting married is a huge part of the problem. i want to see a politican stand up for gay people and make them equal in the goverments eyes and then maybe then the country will stop all the hate and begin to accept
February 29th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
I see Brandon similar to children raised by the KKK. It is an environment of ignorance and hatred. What else could he possibly know? That does not make murder right, but it is certainly a mitigating circumstance. He should be punished, but I don’t know that an adult prison is the answer. Maybe he should be sentenced to a juvinile prison and forced to work with aids patients under supervision. He will have to have a personal breakthrough of understanding on his own to break the cycle of taught hatred.
By no means am I saying that Larry deserved to die because of his sexual preference.
February 29th, 2008 at 10:36 pm
I in no way think that Larry deserved to die either. Both kids apparently grew up in hell town, and both were apparently disturbed.
Brandon teases Larry, and Larry retaliates by being the tough guy and asking him out for Valentine’s Day in front of his friends and embarrassing him. Not a good reason for murder, but when exactly do kids become adults? Why are we wishy washy on the subject?
Trying them as an adult is about punishment, not teaching, and rehabilitating before they are beyond all help.
Crack head parents, abuse, no guidance for either of them. I know that the automatic response is to feel for Larry, may he be with God now. But good LORD. Can we hear about this case before we decide that this kid has the same resources as us and is NOT a kid because he reacted violently to something? There are so many gray areas as far as I can see, inasmuch the information I have been able to pick up.
Personally from what I have been able to gather about Brandon’s upbringing, he would have been better off in the abused children’s center as well. IMPO, Brandon’s parents should be held accountable. As well as Larry’s for that part. They were/are BOTH children. And have childish brains.
BTW Connie, people that kill aren’t sexual deviants, there are MANY reasons to kill. Rehabilitation for sexual offenders is kind of a tough spot, because there is a psychopathy there.
Then again, who among us is willing to put the 8 year old that bighead Dr. Phil put on the air for molesting his sister behind bars for the rest of his life?
Is an EIGHT year old a child?
February 29th, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Reading that came out wrong. There are people that have killed that are rehabilitated. They have learned. Sexual deviancy such as J. Duncan at that young, especially when he said all that he did. Not so much.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Melissa, why do you call us “wishy washy” (on this subject)?
Maybe Brandon can be “taught”, but it won’t bring Larry back. It’s another one of those situations where there is no do-over, and there never will be. Brandon ended one life…forever, but he also fucked up his own…forever.
Sad. Of course it’s just so sad. But for goodness sake, taking another life has life long consequences. It just does. There’s no education and rehabilitation that can undo what’s been done.
February 29th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
Maybe it comes down to how we individually view incarceration? Personally, I view prison as a place of punishment and containment of the dangerous.
Perhaps you view it as something else?
March 1st, 2008 at 8:20 am
What a senseless crime. But to charge the youth as an adult – crazy.
Sorry Meliis but the term “that’s so gay” is derogatory towards LGBT people. You may not mean it that way but it is. It implies that something is stupid, lame or second rate. To gay in this way is to discriminate and to make LGBT feel inferior.
March 1st, 2008 at 11:06 am
ya know, on a my space group for the girl Shanda Shirer (not sure of last name) someone brought up a good point. She was going to have her daughters read Aphrodite Jones book on the case to try and instill in her girls that hating people is wrong and acting on that hate is even worse. I wish more parents would get that involved in their kids lives. When I was in school the school wouldn’t do jack if you reported bullying. I don’t know how it is these days though. I hope they take it more seriously.
March 1st, 2008 at 11:43 am
Jeanne–The schools take bullying very serious these days.
What is LGBT?
March 1st, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Oh I see (not really) 14 year olds become adults when they fuck up.
As for bullying in the schools, obviously they still dont take it seriously enough.
LGBT = Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender
March 1st, 2008 at 6:20 pm
And Dan, but I disagree, and so do my gay friends. Who also use the term thats so gay, when referring to something lame.
Homosexual’s did not make up the word, nor do they have a monopoly on it.
It also means happy. Though not so much in current times.
March 1st, 2008 at 6:23 pm
Melissa says:
“As for bullying in the schools, obviously they still dont take it seriously enough.”
What is that supposed to mean? if it means that all schools don’t yet have metal detectors and frisking security guards at the entrance, then I see your point.
And premeditated murder is a pretty big “fuck up”, don’t you think?
March 1st, 2008 at 10:07 pm
What do you mean what do I mean? School shootings are still happening, kids are still being harrassed, the psychopathy still exists. Teachers will tell you that, school administrators will tell you that. I think I have said it before, but bullying needs to be addressed at a VERY young age in school, and taught throughout. Would be nice if we could get great parents, but anti-bullying classes should be taught from the start.
Yeah, I do. I still dont think he is an adult though. Do you?
And going by what I have read of his upbringing, NO I do NOT think he was aware of the ramifications and/or the seriousness of it. (just trying to stem your next argument, because I know what it will be)
He SHOULD, but he wasnt brought up like us.
March 1st, 2008 at 11:17 pm
My kids go to something called “counseling”, starting in grade school. It’s an actual class, within the public school, and they do address bullying, from many different angles (bully and victim).
In my town (and I don’t think we’re cutting edge, by any means) this education is ongoing. And in my experience, if the word “bully” or “bullying” is used, one can get the attention of the top administration immediately.
Education can happen, and intervention can be set in place, but how will it ever stop the hateful coward from packing a gun and offing the object of his despise? It never will. It’s more about preventing or stopping the smaller forms of harassment. Making it so people like Jeanne (only saying this because she’s brought it up) can attend school and not be ruthlessly picked on. If Jeanne were to go to a counselor or principle TODAY (if she was a student), she would be heard.
p.s. What punishment do you suggest for Brandon? And what was Larry’s life worth?
March 1st, 2008 at 11:26 pm
btw–no, I don’t think he’s an adult, but I’m not at all opposed to what amounts to an adult consequence…which isn’t much these days.
He’s lucky. He’ll be out by the time he’s 35 or 40, and still have a chance to enjoy some freedom and life.
Another p.s. The only thing that I consistently feel this way about is premeditated murder. The kind where a plan was involved. There’s something about taking a gun to someone’s head that puts this into a category of it’s own.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:21 am
He is lucky? He will be raped in prison, that is almost a given. He has been abused most of his life, and because he is/was ignorant, and did the worst thing possible to “stick up for himself”, he will live with this the rest of his life even if he is isnt tried as an adult.
He just turned 14 in December for Gods sake. He went along with bullies who made fun of the guy who wore makeup and high heels, and in retaliation he was hit on and asked out by the guy.
All in all, it sounds to me like he was probably egged on by other kids who have the same maturity level. Sorry if my level of justice doesnt equal yours. I think that Brandon should have been out of his household a HELL of a long time ago.
And btw, because he apparently will be tried as an adult, and this is a HATE crime, he will face stiffer penalties. As an adult that is.
Hey, at least he wont get death right?
I think that Larry’s death is a tragedy, brought on by his family, same as Brandon. Brandon can be saved. Are we THAT bloodthirsty that we cant see past these horrible families and look at these KIDS on a case by case basis?
I dont know the case well enough to wonder about his punishment. I assume he is being punished now, and will forever. He is however young enough to save hopefully.
Fact is, neither of us know about this case enough aside from what has been read here. The Internet sucks for a lot of reasons. One of them is you get one side, and that is usually the outraged. Ellen was WAY too simple for example.
March 2nd, 2008 at 12:22 am
As for that class btw. I think it should be a mandated course in all public schools.
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:01 am
The class is mandatory (in our school system).
I’m interested to hear from other moms or teachers, would like to know if they have similar mandatory (counseling) classes, beginning in grade school. Also, if they feel like bullying is taken seriously and what kind of reaction/response their administration gives when someone approaches with knowledge of a problem.
Gam? Others?
March 2nd, 2008 at 9:02 am
Melissa, I’ll rephrase this: He’s (Brandon) lucky compared to his victim (Larry).
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:32 pm
I know my N&N dont have them in their class, granted, they are only in first grade, but I firmly believe thats when it should start to be taught, and taught THROUGHOUT until grade 12.
March 2nd, 2008 at 4:33 pm
And in THIS particular case, when I say obviously not enough, there was bullying going on both ways. Brandon and his friends were bullying, and Larry was taunting. Not a good combo, and if all the kids knew it was going on I will guarantee the administration knew as well.
March 2nd, 2008 at 7:36 pm
It is not mandatory here in my children’s school and I think it should be. Apparently there is some bullying going on from three or four children in our neighborhood. One of them tried to start crap with my seven year old (he is eleven). I marched right on down to him and told him never to speak to or touch my boy again. (he was throwing rocks at him on the way home) Then I marched right home and spoke to the principal. He was awarded with in school suspension. I was however told that the next time anything happens on or off of school grounds I have the right to file charges against them and the parents and child will be brought to court.
I haven’t had any problems since then. I think he peed his pants when I ran down the road and caught up with him.
Needless to say, no, I don’t think they are tough enough on this nor do I feel that they do enough to educate the children.
Neither of these boys had a chance in life without the direction from a responsible and open adult to guide them.
March 3rd, 2008 at 8:22 am
I suspect that your district A is one of very few that has that class. It would be good if that class was nationwide and started in elementary school cause for me that is where the bullying started.
Anytime I brought up bullying to a teacher or administrator it only made the bullying worse. It got so bad that my 7th grade year they were going to print my “nickname” as part of the superlatives in the yearbook. I was in the midst of a move way away from there and didn’t want to have new people see that and have it start all over so we went to the vice principal and forced it to be blocked as a possibility.
My senior yearbook states “Jeanne Smith will still be on crutches in the year 2004.” well guess what? I wasn’t. I was really hurt by this and if I ever find out who entered it I will have a talk with them to find out why they felt it necessary to kick someone while they were down.
I had people loosen the nails on my crutches and almost hurt myself worse as well as draw on the shoulder pads etc. I had weak ankles growing up and was very athletic. The fall after I graduated I had surgery to correct one of my bunions and a year later the other one. Ironically, one of the guys that bullied me when his friends were around but was nice when they weren’t, I ran into his grandfather at the doctors office and we talked nothing but good things about him.
A lot of schools haven’t had their eyes opened wide enough apparently since we are still having school shootings etc. It doesn’t matter about metal detectors or anything else. The teachers who know obvious bullies etc. need to step in and take action before someone decides there is a need to bring a gun to school. The teachers and the administration aren’t blind, they just won’t act until poked enough times.
March 3rd, 2008 at 10:26 am
Jeanne–I’m truly sorry to hear that your were bullied. Kids can be cruel, for sure.
I didn’t realize that the mandatory counseling classes that are taught in my school district were unique, by an means. I’m still not sure if they are or not.
But make no mistake–At any time a violent, troubled kid could still smuggle a gun into school and shoot whomever he pleases. Even though there are counseling classes, and a police officer is parked om front of the high school every day, there’s still no way (short of metal detectors and lock in security) to absolutely prevent this tragic problem. And no matter how vigilant the school administration is, there will always be kids picking on other kids.
It’s the nature of things.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:47 am
It is amazing when you listen to the 911 recording that the first words out of everyone’s mouths are, “It was suicide.”
Now, when someone has their head shot off from the back, it is very unlikely that it is suicide. And in this day when everyone is hyper afraid of school shootings, if a gun was fired, shouldn’t you be looking for a shooter? Not a suicide?
Seems quite plain that the administration and teachers knew of Larry King’s situation, knew that he was being bullied, and thought, “Another fag took the easy way out.”
Yet, a killer was running down their halls and escaping their school. Maybe with a teachers help? If there were all these witnesses, why wasn’t someone on the 911 call shouting, “Look for a 14 year old named Brandon McInerney.”?
Go and listen to the tapes and keep what I observed in mind. A shooting in a school should not immediately be assumed to be a suicide, particularly when it wasn’t.
Don’t kid yourself, if you are gay and open about it in society, there are always those who hate you for no reason other than your sexual identity. You could be the greatest human being, but if your gay, well, how can you stand up to the fact that 85% of the buildings that religious people congregate at on Friday, Saturday and Sunday teach that it’s OK to hate and hurt gay people?
The 14 year old who killed Larry got the message somewhere that this was alright. More than likely he got it down on his knees in front of some Rabbi, Priest, Pastor or Aman. And the sad thing is, most of those are closet cases themselves.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:53 am
Mark–I could hardly make my way through your post. I’m sure you have your reasons, but it seems like you’re using bitterness to launch a counter attack on certain things. I find your rationale to be inaccurate and very offensive.
You say: “teachers thought; ‘Another fag took the easy way out’.”
How do you know what “teachers” think? And how do you justify your broad stroke stereotyping?
You say: “if your gay, well, how can you stand up to the fact that 85% of the buildings that religious people congregate at on Friday, Saturday and Sunday teach that it’s OK to hate and hurt gay people?”
Mark, do you have data on these teaching in 85% of religious institutions? This is such an offensive statement. I’ve never heard anyone, EVER promote or defend violence against any homosexual. Not in a religious institution, or any other enclave of society. I know it happens, but it’s not defended or promoted in the way that you’re suggesting.
Mark, maybe people don’t hate you because you’re gay. Maybe they don’t like you because you’re an asshole? Have you considered that?
March 4th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
72.4% of statistics are made up on the spot.
March 4th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Parents have a right to chain a 16 year old to her bed and let her burn alive (possibly without charges) and yet a 14 year old is tried as an adult. I’m lucky I never lived in the USA.
March 4th, 2008 at 6:29 pm
I think it’s important that we embrace reality. The fact of the matter is gays are a persecuted minority in the U.S. They can not marry in most of the U.S. and their rights are not ensured or protected. They are truly second class citizens. Gay’s can not even serve in your military. If you want stats, go see how many homosexuals received life destroying dishonourable discharges after giving their lives to their country.
I hold two degrees, one Anthro and one in Religious Studies. I guess that means even my opinion means more than your crap. Even in Canada, my family can NOT go to 12 of the 13 churches in our suburb. And even in the 13th, we can not get married even though it is legal in Canada. And it is far worse in the U.S. And I have seen huge amounts of supporting and condoning violence and discrimination from all of these churches.
Look to the fact that the coverage Larry King got on this was three lines on the A.P. The first I heard of this story was from the Ellen show last week.
As for your comments of people liking people, well, I guess that truly shows what kind of person you are. I will continue to embrace reality. You go on persecuting homosexuals with your lies. Until the U.S. accepts the reality that their homosexual population is a persecution second class that teaches it’s OK to blow off a 15 gay kids head, nothing can change.
My comments about the 911 recording stand. Go listen to it. It is a real eye opener. As for A., go bury your head up your arse. It seems to have found a happy home there.
March 4th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
A- I found out tonight your district may not be the only ones thankfully. I was talking to my nurse today while she removed the bandaging from my abdomen where ecoli grew under a sealed incision and she said that they are having it as early as elementary school in her area. I say kindergarten is never too early.
Heck, here they are trying to get test scores up by bribing the students with money in one county and in another splitting up the boys to one school and the girls to another. If they go so far as to split them they might as well do uniforms too so that there is absolutely nothing distracting them from studying because the people won’t be trying to outdue people with outfits etc. You can’t be judged on your looks as easily if everyone has to wear the same clothes.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Mark, with all due respect, your victim mentality certainly skews your opinion.
My advice: get some help. Be confident in your own skin, and courageous with your decisions (as long as they’re respectful of others), and let the rest of the crap go. As much as you believe that you know what the majority of other people think, you really don’t.
I personally don’t believe it serves the gay community well to consider themselves persecuted and to assume that 85% of any group feels, thinks or acts a certain way.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Jeanne–Many schools have come a long way. They’ve had too. With the violence that’s erupted over the past 15 years or so.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
I hold two degrees, one Anthro and one in Religious Studies. I guess that means even my opinion means more than your crap.
Love the Internet wannabes. You guessed wrong Mark.
BTW – I hold a doctorate in psychology, am a lawyer, and also a professor in ethics. I can say that, because THIS is the Internet. Your opinion means as much as anyone else’s IOW.
I agree with A. Being defensive from the start and being angry doesn’t point to you having any understanding of human nature. And maybe if you weren’t defensive from the start people might like you.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
And btw A. He didnt give you due respect, I think that you hold the higher ground by giving him ANY.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
BTW – being discharched (as much as I DO disagree on discharge on account of sexual orientation) does NOT mean you gave your life for your country.
The boys and girls coming home in boxes? THEY gave their lives to their country. How about you give THEM some respect?
There are MANY major corporations and companies that embrace equality for everyone, mine included. And we are a HUGE company. There are plenty of people getting ahead despite their sexual orientation. They pay bennies, they do it all. Not getting ahead in the USA because you are gay means you didnt try. Or didnt bother because you thought you would be excluded.
March 4th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Oh wow, overuse of BTW – will put myself in time out lol.
March 4th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
Lol. Btw, good points Melissa.
March 5th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Here is an abbreviated transcript of the 911 call. If A does not have the ability to see some glaring problems with these 911 calls, then A should simply be ignored as ignorant and unteachable.
As well, I add a post from a Catholic fellow on a different blog -
————————-
The following is edited to contain only the salient points of the conversation. Feel free to click on the URL and here the recording yourself.
From the 911 phone calls (http://www.venturacountystar.com/news/2008/feb/16/slain-teen-remembered-as-fun-quirky-at-rainbow/)
Administrator at School: We’re in lockdown.
911: Why?
Administrator at School: By room 42. I’m in the office in lockdown.
911: Where is the person with the gun?
Administrator at School: We need someone here immediately. I’m walking out right now. Their walking out right now, the kids. Joe, who’s the victim? Is there a victim? Larry? Shit.
__________________
[A different phone call, seconds later]
Administrator at School: We think it’s a student in room 42. No one’s with the victim right now. [remember, Larry was still alive at this point]
____________________
[Back to the first phone.]
Administrator at School: One of our kids shot himself, that’s what’s going on.
911: Do you know who shot him?
Administrator at School: No, I don’t right now. We know he shot himself.
911: He shot himself?
Administrator at School: Yes. [She asks someone else] Did he shoot himself? Yes, he shot himself.
911: We have police there now. And we have someone on the phone with the victim and we’re trying to help him. Where is the gun?
Administrator at School: No, we don’t [have the gun].
911: Where is the gun?
Administrator at School: [She again asks someone] Where is the gun at? The school psychologist has the gun.
911: Is it security that has the gun?
Administrator at School: One of our staff members has the gun. Is it suicide? Cause Mike said it was a suicide.
[End of tape]
_______________________________
This is Mark talking now; do you see the glaring holes? A shot rings out in a school – the school is in lockdown – the students are suddenly allowed to leave – the shot is declared a suicide – the victim (still alive) is left alone in the computer lab) – the school psychologist has the gun – everyone starts agreeing this is suicide – the murderer [a 14 year old boy without a gun[ is allowed to walk right out of the school which is going into lockdown. This all happens in the spare seconds after a murder.
____________________________________
In regards to the fact that the mainstream media and churches silence these matters and advocate them, here is an time: the following is from The Califorian Catholic Daily newspaper:
What an incredible tragedy for all concerned. However, as Bishop Fulton J. Sheen has noted, “Love is not tolerance” and, “a cry for tolerance never induces it to quench its hatred of the evil philosophies that have entered into contest with the Truth.” This situation calls for so much more than “tolerance” . At a time when young people are becoming aware of their own sexuality, a confused, apparent young teen aged boy is allowed to come to the school environment dressed suggestively as a member of the opposite sex. Who allowed this? Was it the home where he was being cared for, the school,etc. Obviously,he was troubled and needed help..indeed his behavior cried out for it. That this behavior was confusing and threatening to other boys, going through the so-called latency period of their own sexuality is not unusual or unexpected. He should never have been allowed into the school environment in the first place. His apparent dress was begging for a confrontation, it appears, and the home and the school allowed this to happen. Why? This situation should not have been “tolerated”. It should have been addressed and stopped before it led to this tragedy.
_______________________
Enough, I think I’ve made my points. And by the way, Melissa, if you’re so smart, what makes you think I want you as a friend or want to earn you liking me. Simply by the things you and A say, having someone like you like me would be quite the sad experience.
March 5th, 2008 at 9:39 am
Mark: School administration is not CSI. Whatever happened in the wake of what must have been a shocking situation, doesn’t exactly make the points the points, or feed the (hate) stats that you claim it does.
I can see how you can use your edited transcript to serve your agenda, but like I said in my earlier posts to you, I don’t think your serving it well with your bitter tone.
I can read the same transcript and see chaos, confusion, denial and shock. It fits with what I would assume happens in the wake of most sudden tragedies.
I only had time for half your post here—I’ll be back later to read what your catholic buddy had to say….
Can’t wait!
March 5th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Mark, your point was what? That the school administrator was confused because someone told him it was a suicide?
Do you think that the ambulance would have gotten there faster to save him if they knew it was a murder?
(Also – I doubt very seriously with Brando’s parents attended church, drug addicts and dealers rarely do.)
I agree with the article for the record. Larry WAS obviously a troubled kid. Does that make me intolerant? I think not. Schools SHOULD have dress codes. Not only would it decrease bullying, it would save on costs for parents, having to buy their kids the latest and greatest, because the other kids have them.
March 5th, 2008 at 2:03 pm
First, to revisit your take on the 911 transcript Mark, you say this:
“This all happens in the spare seconds after a murder.”
I ask you; have you ever been caught in a moment of tragic chaos? Have you ever misinterpreted a situation within “seconds” of it occurring? If you have, then maybe you can empathize with this transcript in a more human fashion, rather than looking at it with what appears to be your attitude of an agenda.
As far as the bishops apparent opinion in your Catholic newspaper article; it’s an opinion, and I can hear what he is saying. I don’t interpret it as hateful.
I don’t know why Larry was making such a strong statement any more than I know why Brandon was so personally affected by it. I do know that junior high school is rough under the best of circumstances, and when you add in extremes or misfits (just a term, not an insult) the conflicts increase dramatically. And, as Melissa said, these were both troubled boys with very specific, individual circumstances.
My bottom line opinion wrt your points Mark: You have such and obvious (everyone hates gays, it’s us against the world) stance, that it seems you’re willing to use anything and everything to fit into making your point. I believe that your filter is tainted by your perception, and that you are jumping to conclusions, rather than factoring in other elements of normal, human behavior.
Larry isn’t a gay symbol to me. He’s a kid who was murdered, and it was terrible and wrong, no excuses. If you (Mark) see Larry merely as a gay symbol, to be used to serve your agenda, I think you’re missing a basic element of humanity…which is compassion for humankind, regardless of belief, preference, or gender. In other words, you’re guilty of the very hate and intolerance that you claim to be the victim of.
March 5th, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Melissa and I were talking about this last night on the phone and she brought up stuff I didn’t know. The background of Brandon. It ties into how things in his life happen.
Also, I read in an article today that the shooting was not completely unprovoked. All the boys at the school had been uncomfortable with what Larry was wearing and 1 day prior to the shooting Larry and Brandon got in a vocal altercation about the subject.
The school knew about the rift and offered the boys counseling but that is all they did. They have a little part in all this as well.
I still like my idea of uniforms so no one can say they are better than someone else due to clothing and they can concentrate more on school than looks or someone’s background or lifestyle.
March 8th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Oh my f***ing god! have you even used your mind! there has to be some sexual harassment or something involved. It is not reasonable to kill someone just for a valentine from a gay dude. i hope brandon speaks out and if they send a 13 year old to prison, lets look at where our country has gone. he has to spend most of his life in prison, and by the time he gets out, he wont have any options. Im not saying it is right to kill a gay person, but dont you see the missing link
March 9th, 2008 at 6:49 am
They had been fighting for a while from what the school said. They said they knew about the rift and offered the boys counseling. Whether or not they took it hasn’t been revealed. They had a verbal altercation the day before the shooting. It is about more than just being gay. Think about the Jenny Jones case that never made it to air. Why did the case hold up in court? cause the dude was embarrassed as hell and knew it would be shown on national television.
Brandon was embarrased and probably teased by the other boys about said valentine.I hope he speaks so we can know more.
April 3rd, 2008 at 3:54 pm
100 years in jail ( sentence as adult ) with no -consecutive with any other sentence, to Brandon McInerney., this crime was hate crime and premeditated, he will be someone wife inside the jail and he will pay with his own flesh this crime.
April 3rd, 2008 at 4:05 pm
we have one World, and we need to live all toguether in this one , because ain’t no other World or place to go, we killing each others without a reason, white hate blacks, blacks hate hispanics, non gay hate the gays , and ect. this is not working for no one , is like a cats and dogs non sense chase, some people want to be supremasist’s other want to leave in peace and live to be , and be to live , STOP HATE CRIMES , STOP HATE, we all GOD creation and we need this World for all, no matter colors, religion or political desires.
May 4th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I am a 52 year old gay man who has been widowed since 1991.
Despite the prejudice, hatred and fear of gay people,I made my life with another man who filled me with his love and hopes and dreams.He died in 1991, killed by a drunk driver on the New Jersey Turnpike. (The killer was from North Carolina. He reveled at the trial that he was responsible for KILLING a FAG. The judge sentenced him to 7 to 12 years. He was released from prison in September, 1993, two years later. I had thought about killing him but I decided against that. Our kids and grandchildren needed me more than retribution against ignorance.
My accomplishments would have been greater if I did not encounter and ‘embrace’ the negative aspects of fear in a society that relegates gay people to comedy or subversion.
We adopted two children together. It was legal only because it cost a lot of money. We were not rich! We taught our children to RESPECT everyone.
It sickens me that nothing has changed in America.
We were able to survive as a gay parented family in our society by lying and being deceptive with our legal system. We wanted a family and children. We lied about EVERYTHING. Fortunately MY family helped us and the agency helped us (for $75,000) in 1983 ( a LOT of MONEY in 1983) and it was a miracle we lived in New York City, instead of some Baptist owned and operated backwater town run by NEO-CON CHRISTIAN FUNDIES.
Larry King DIED in California in 2008 because he was gay, killed by the hand of a teenage schoolmate who learned from his community and his peers that it is OK to kill gay people. For those of us who want to say the killer was just a child,he is- and so are the ‘teen’ killers in Iraq and Afghanistan who are brainwashed to kill ‘their’ enemies.
GAY people need to be protected under our Constitution like every other American, otherwise the Constitution becomes just another piece of paper. Maybe someday children like Larry King won’t be killed for being gay!
Fortunately I will live in NYC until I die! Our children by the way are both heterosexual. Our daughter has three children and lives in the suburbs. Our son still lives at home with me.
June 8th, 2008 at 11:04 pm
This is a horrible hate crime, but it’s also another gun in school.
One of my first thoughts after hearing about Larry King was; how can a kid get hold of a gun? Where did he get it from?
The US must spend billions of dollar on national security to protect its citizens from terrorists. One of the actions being; the war in the middle east. At the same time it seems that the people are still not familiar with the thought of reducing the private armys at home.
I find it very strange, although I admire the US for taking international responsibillity and making though descisions that no other country can or would do.
But the right to carry arms is not a right. The right to not get shot, or worry that you might get shot – that is a right.
Who are the americans protecting themselves from with the gun under their pillow? The blacks? The whites? The Jews? Or the young boy with a pair of high heels?
July 20th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
And we want Obama to be our President?? Anyways hate is the way of life right now and you can blame it on our way of life. Everything we do is either for power or to be popular and people will hate one or the other wether you have power or are popular. It’s true!…. Think about it.
July 21st, 2008 at 1:52 am
people people please.the crime committed was not based on hate because the boy was expressing his individuality.but because he was expressing it too much so towards another boy who obviously did not appreciate it.he hated it so much that he felt he was justified in shooting the boy. do you honestly think that Brandon would have shot Larry had he not harrassed the boy.im not saying that its good obviously the shooter had some issues that should have been dealt with and could have been dealt with instead of shooting…but…this is much more complex than a general hate crime its a case of emotional bullying. i am positive that the Larry knew that Brandon did not like him pressing on to him. had the school taken measures to prevent him from emotionally bullying the boys in that school maybe this issue wouldnt have happened.the school should have also took steps towards prevtenting the kids in that school from bullying him because of his individuality (which is really a hate crime) it wouldnt have gotten to the point that Larry felt justified in sexually harrassing the boys in the school. This issue is truely a hard one to solve and will always occur because freedom of speech and expressing ones self can b a two-sided sword as shown by this tragic incident.
August 14th, 2008 at 1:34 am
What blows my mind is that one boy was doing everything but scream “My name is Britney Spears” and the other was being brought up in an atmosphere of violence, and apparently not one adult stepped in to help either of them. Larry was apparently allowed to reach the point at which his behaviour would have constituted sexual harassment if directed at a girl, and no one did a thing to help him understand that finding someone attractive doesn’t excuse harassing them. Brandon apparently was so uninformed and insecure and programmed for violence that he had no rational response to Larry’s behavior, and no one did a thing to help him understand either Larry’s behavior or his own response to it. I think that before we damn Brandon as the sole cause of this, we ask ourselves where the devil the adults were while these two boys were on a collision course with disaster.
August 15th, 2008 at 7:23 am
Hello,
I only just heard about this today through a GLSEN networked email. What a horrible tragedy. I’m glad someone has had the sense to include Mrs. Shepard’s input.
I have worked with youth in foster care including those there because they were being abused because of their sexual orientation/gender identity. Victims, untreated, often shut down and some even become perpetrators to act out their fear and shame. I encourage our GLBT community, PLEASE don’t let Larry’s death or Brandon’s heinous act be an opportunity for anyone (including political candidates) to flag wave in the name of support. By all means, STAND UP where you are and find ways to be deliberately involved in GLBT rights, GSA’s, family outreach programs (like PFLAG), legal changes, etc. However, also gay or straight PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CHILDREN & TREAT THEM AS THE PRECIOUS GIFT THAT THEY ARE!
Also, note the fact that forums to openly discuss and review this horrible tragedy is a positive and of precious value which people seem to overlook.
As a gay man and a parent of three, my heart goes out to the families of both boys and their communities.
PEACE, PLEASE
September 19th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
PPC Classroom Bonus
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