Elliott

The Murder of LAWRENCE KING - Megan McBride

If you haven’t heard of Lawrence King, let me give you some information about him, since the media has not given sufficient coverage to his story. Lawrence King was a 15 year old, eighth grader at E.O. Green Junior High School in Oxnard, California.

Lawrence King


He appeared to be just like every other student in his class, happy and outgoing. Lawrence was special, and very brave, because he was an openly gay student. He didn’t hide who he was or what he was; in fact he even wore high heels and dramatic make-up to school from time to time! He was proud of who he was, and he understood that it was perfectly fine to be gay. Unfortunately, on February 12th, 2008, Lawrence was murdered for that very reason. Another eighth grader took his life simply because he was gay.


A few days prior to his murder, Larry asked fellow eighth grader 14 year old Brandon McInery to be his Valentine. Apparently, Brandon was so upset by this invitation that he decided Larry deserved to die for it. On February 12th, in a computer classroom with about 20 other students watching, Brandon McInery shot Larry in the head. McInery is now being charged with murder, bringing a firearm to school, and has also been given a hate-crime enhancement which means that, if convicted, he with spend the next 50 years, or more, in prison.

I would like to ask a very simple question. Where did Brandon McInery’s intolerance toward homosexuals come from? WHY AREN’T BRANDON’S PARENTS BEING HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR 14 YEAR OLD SON’S THOUGHTLESS ACTIONS? It is entirely possible that Brandon learned gross intolerance towards minorities in his home. He was of the mentality that killing Larry was somehow justified because he was gay. I do believe that McInery should be punished for what he did, but he isn’t the only one to blame. McInery was a victim too. He was a victim of hateful teaching.

The entire situation upsets me for a number of reasons, but there is one thing that really pisses me off. Why didn’t I hear of this murder when it actually took place? I didn’t hear about this incident until 2 weeks after the fact! We all hear about the idiot who killed 15 innocent people at a mall, for no reason, right away, but we haven’t heard enough about the innocent 14 year old boy who was shot in the head simply for being gay.

What is the difference between these two incidents? In both cases innocent people were killed. Well, what makes one more important than the other? What the hell is wrong with this country? Lawrence King absolutely did not deserve to die and it makes me sick to realize that, apparently, the media does not feel that his murder is important enough to cover. We hear all about tabloid headlines regarding which celebrities have put on weight, or what they are wearing, but not enough coverage has been given to an innocent child murdered because of his sexual orientation. This is ridiculous! Our country’s priorities are so fucked up it’s sickening. I am far from being through venting, but I’m going to end this anyway, because honestly I don’t know what else to say except that so many people have made so many mistakes that are unforgivable regarding this senseless act of violence.


Lawrence, I hope you are in a better place now and free of pain. You were a joy to those who knew you. We all miss you very much, and we will make sure that you are not forgotten.

©:EclecticInk.com

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Heretic

He might also have learned intolerance from other kids, though it still goes to who learned- or did not learn, what at home as well.

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

gorillamom

It's really sad to hear this boy died because of him being gay. There seem to be many factors that went untaught to these children. One, a school is a learning institution, not a place to flaunt who and what you are. His parents should have taught him that knowing there is still a large number of people who suffer from homophobia. Girls should not be allowed to wear high heels and makeup to school either. They are there to learn. After school it is up to the parents to let their children be who and what they are in proper social settings. There is still too much hate and this boy's death is proof of that. I started modeling when I was 4 years old and never wore makeup to school until my Junior year in high school. There is way too much focus on vanity and thinking that what we wear defines who and what we are. It does not. To show who and what we are comes from behavior and what is in your heart. Other than that we are nothing more that idiots trying to impress everyone else. As for this child who did the killing, lets hope he learned it doesn't pay to be so homophobic.

__________________

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop
On what day or what hour.
Now is the only time we have,
So live it with a will,
Don't wait until tomorrow,
The hands may then be still.

W.M.DEEEZ

This got some play around here.

It is pretty sad. We don't allow sex on t.v., but killing is fine.

Not much different with video games.

Perhaps we have it backward.

Our kids should learn to accept others, not shoot them dead.

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Don't it always seem to go, that you don't know what you've got til it's gone

Heretic

Everytime I hear my nephew use a slur I get on him for it. He was tossing around the four letter slur for Jews one day, and I sat him down to explain that just because you don't mean anything hateful by doesn't mean the guy with the tatooed numbers on his arm won't feel hurt or threatened.

And I chew him out for using "that's gay" for whatever.

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

gorillamom

He has a great teacher in you. I hope he learns from you and learns to ignore or walk away from any friends who say things like that as well.

__________________

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop
On what day or what hour.
Now is the only time we have,
So live it with a will,
Don't wait until tomorrow,
The hands may then be still.

Heretic

Let's put it this way. One day he was punched for being an ICP [Insane Clown Posse] fan, but didn't punch back. He said he didn't see a point in it. His dad chewed him out for not fighting [never mind that my brother's the biggest bluffer you'll ever hear of and either backs down or gets beat down anytime he starts a fight] and yet my nephew again came to me to ask again if he thought he did the right thing. I explained to him that most adults don't feel they need to fistfight to settle problems, that there's a right reason to fight and a right reason not to, and that he- at 13 years old, was starting to figure that out.

So yeah, he made me proud that day.

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

gorillamom

Right on. Sounds like you are a very good influence and role model for him.

__________________

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop
On what day or what hour.
Now is the only time we have,
So live it with a will,
Don't wait until tomorrow,
The hands may then be still.

Heretic

I still feel like Robin Harris, though.

"I ain''chr daddy! An' I ain't havin'it!" -Robin Harris, Bebe's Kids

__________________
"Enough!!" -so rang Barack Obama's voice off the walls of Mile High Stadium

gorillamom

I know the feeling. One was enough for me and he's 27 now. After ending up in cardiac recovery just having a kid, that was it.

__________________

The Clock of life is wound but once,
And no man has the power,
To tell just when the hands will stop
On what day or what hour.
Now is the only time we have,
So live it with a will,
Don't wait until tomorrow,
The hands may then be still.