Young, Gay and Murdered

[phk]

Young, Gay and Murdered

By Ramin Setoodeh

http://www.newsweek.com/id/147790/page/1 <-- for full story

At 15, Lawrence King was small—5 feet 1 inch—but very hard to miss. In January, he started to show up for class at Oxnard, Calif.'s E. O. Green Junior High School decked out in women's accessories. On some days, he would slick up his curly hair in a Prince-like bouffant. Sometimes he'd paint his fingernails hot pink and dab glitter or white foundation on his cheeks. "He wore makeup better than I did," says Marissa Moreno, 13, one of his classmates. He bought a pair of stilettos at Target, and he couldn't have been prouder if he had on a varsity football jersey. He thought nothing of chasing the boys around the school in them, teetering as he ran.

But on the morning of Feb. 12, Larry left his glitter and his heels at home. He came to school dressed like any other boy: tennis shoes, baggy pants, a loose sweater over a collared shirt. He seemed unhappy about something. He hadn't slept much the night before, and he told one school employee that he threw up his breakfast that morning, which he sometimes did because he obsessed over his weight. But this was different. One student noticed that as Larry walked across the quad, he kept looking back nervously over his shoulder before he slipped into his first-period English class. The teacher, Dawn Boldrin, told the students to collect their belongings, and then marched them to a nearby computer lab, so they could type out their papers on World War II. Larry found a seat in the middle of the room. Behind him, Brandon McInerney pulled up a chair.

Brandon, 14, wasn't working on his paper, because he told Mrs. Boldrin he'd finished it. Instead, he opened a history book and started to read. Or at least he pretended to. "He kept looking over at Larry," says a student who was in the class that morning. "He'd look at the book and look at Larry, and look at the book and look at Larry." At 8:30 a.m., a half hour into class, Brandon quietly stood up. Then, without anyone's noticing, he removed a handgun that he had somehow sneaked to school, aimed it at Larry's head, and fired a single shot. Boldrin, who was across the room looking at another student's work, spun around. "Brandon, what the hell are you doing!" she screamed. Brandon fired at Larry a second time, tossed the gun on the ground and calmly walked through the classroom door. Police arrested him within seven minutes, a few blocks from school. Larry was rushed to the hospital, where he died two days later of brain injuries.

The Larry King shooting became the most prominent gay-bias crime since the murder of Matthew Shepard 10 years ago. But despite all the attention and outrage, the reason Larry died isn't as clear-cut as many people think. California's Supreme Court has just legalized gay marriage. There are gay characters on popular TV shows such as "Gossip Girl" and "Ugly Betty," and no one seems to notice. Kids like Larry are so comfortable with the concept of being openly gay that they are coming out younger and younger. One study found that the average age when kids self-identify as gay has tumbled to 13.4; their parents usually find out a year later.

What you might call "the shrinking closet" is arguably a major factor in Larry's death. Even as homosexuality has become more accepted, the prospect of being openly gay in middle school raises a troubling set of issues. Kids may want to express who they are, but they are playing grown-up without fully knowing what that means. At the same time, teachers and parents are often uncomfortable dealing with sexual issues in children so young. Schools are caught in between. How do you protect legitimate, personal expression while preventing inappropriate, sometimes harmful, behavior? Larry King was, admittedly, a problematical test case: he was a troubled child who flaunted his sexuality and wielded it like a weapon—it was often his first line of defense. But his story sheds light on the difficulty of defining the limits of tolerance. As E. O. Green found, finding that balance presents an enormous challenge.

Larry's life was hard from the beginning. His biological mother was a drug user; his father wasn't in the picture. When Greg and Dawn King took him in at age 2, the family was told he wasn't being fed regularly. Early on, a speech impediment made Larry difficult to understand, and he repeated first grade because he had trouble reading. He was a gentle child who loved nature and crocheting, but he also acted out from an early age. "We couldn't take him to the grocery store without him shoplifting," Greg says. "We couldn't get him to clean up his room. We sent him upstairs—he'd get a screwdriver and poke holes in the walls." He was prescribed ADHD medication, and Greg says Larry was diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder, a rare condition in which children never fully bond with their caregivers or parents.

[Josh/Devilman88]

That is sad, what is wrong with the world.

[Wakie]

The life of Lawrence King is truly a sad story.  Obviously he was a kid who was born into a difficult situation and whose life ended tragically.

Now I have to ask a bigger question.  WTF was wrong with Brandon McInerney that he felt that it was appropriate to murder a classmate???

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Allow me to take the bait...




The boy shouldn't have been wearing makeup and women's clothing to school, especially if it was the distraction it seems to be. If he indeed was mentally troubled, he should have been placed in a class or school intended for that.


I know that doesn't justify murder.

[Torie]

Yet another reason for school uniforms and dress codes, isn't it? 

[Ebowed]

The boy shouldn't have been wearing makeup and women's clothing to school

Unlike Brandon McInerney's access to a gun, the kid wearing make-up to school doesn't affect anyone else.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

The boy shouldn't have been wearing makeup and women's clothing to school

Unlike Brandon McInerney's access to a gun, the kid wearing make-up to school doesn't affect anyone else.

At my public high school, people weren't allowed to wear distracting clothes hair or makeup, a loose rule strictly enforced, at the admin's discretion, a good policy.

[tik 🪀✨]

Now I have to ask a bigger question.  WTF was wrong with Brandon McInerney that he felt that it was appropriate to murder a classmate???

From later in the story:

The staff at E. O. Green tried to help as Larry experimented with his identity, but he liked to talk in a roar. One teacher asked him why he taunted the boys in the halls, and Larry replied, "It's fun to watch them squirm." But Brandon McInerney was different. Larry really liked Brandon. One student remembered that Larry would often walk up close to Brandon and stare at him. Larry had studied Brandon so well, he once knew when he had a scratch on his arm—Larry even claimed that he had given it to Brandon by mistake, when the two were together. Larry told one of his close friends that he and Brandon had dated but had broken up. He also said that he'd threatened to tell the entire school about them, if Brandon wasn't nicer to him. Quest, Brandon's defense attorney, says there was no relationship between Larry and Brandon, and one of Larry's teachers says that Larry was probably lying to get attention.

From there it explains that Brandon had had a difficult home life as well. Then there's this:

And then there was Valentine's Day. A day or two before the shooting, the school was buzzing with the story about a game Larry was playing with a group of his girlfriends in the outdoor quad. The idea was, you had to go up to your crush and ask them to be your Valentine. Several girls named boys they liked, then marched off to complete the mission. When it was Larry's turn, he named Brandon, who happened to be playing basketball nearby. Larry walked right on to the court in the middle of the game and asked Brandon to be his Valentine. Brandon's friends were there and started joking that he and Larry were going to make "gay babies" together. At the end of lunch, Brandon passed by one of Larry's friends in the hall. She says he told her to say goodbye to Larry, because she would never see him again.

I am not a psychologist, but I imagine what the kid did was, in his mind, self-defense.. from the ridicule of his peers mostly, which is extremely important at that age. Perhaps based on the example his parents set, he thought shooting Larry was what to do. He was being harassed. There is no excuse for his actions, but don't let anyone tell you it was out of nowhere, just because of how open Larry was. This is such an awful story. I feel bad for both of them.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Tik, thanks for sharing the rest of the story, the gay boy may have been murdered, but I see where Tik is coming from, it was his own fault, or the fault of the admin for allowing his behavior.

[tik 🪀✨]

Tik, thanks for sharing the rest of the story, the gay boy may have been murdered, but I see where Tik is coming from, it was his own fault, or the fault of the admin for allowing his behavior.

Err.. sort of. Both parties were at fault, but Brandon's behaviour was disproportionate and obviously inexcusable. The faculty and administration of the school were in a tight spot - fearing retribution for not allowing the expression of the boy who was, by all means, causing a disruptive environment. It's a hard balance to make. Larry was astoundingly courageous in his self-expression, perhaps to a degree he himself did not understand fully. But were his intentions noble or was he just seeking attention by being outrageous? Probably the latter. Unfortunately, in our society, a backlash was imminent. But absolutely not to this extent. This is a complicated story.

[The Man From G.O.P.]

Tik, thanks for sharing the rest of the story, the gay boy may have been murdered, but I see where Tik is coming from, it was his own fault, or the fault of the admin for allowing his behavior.

Err.. sort of. Both parties were at fault, but Brandon's behaviour was disproportionate and obviously inexcusable. The faculty and administration of the school were in a tight spot - fearing retribution for not allowing the expression of the boy who was, by all means, causing a disruptive environment. It's a hard balance to make. Larry was astoundingly courageous in his self-expression, perhaps to a degree he himself did not understand fully. But were his intentions noble or was he just seeking attention by being outrageous? Probably the latter. Unfortunately, in our society, a backlash was imminent. But absolutely not to this extent. This is a complicated story.

I agree,



I find the first post very misleading, I know it's linked, but if you want to do one of those stories, tell us the whole truth.

[Flying Dog]

To say the fault is of Larry's and the administrations alone is just wrong. Perhaps it was his fault that the didn't bend to a society that made people obey conformity, conformity, conformity.

If somebody murders somebody, out of no other reason then just to kill them, then it's their fault and their's alone. Nobody forced him to pull the trigger. Oh boo hoo! So you were embarrassed in front of your friends. I cannot tell you how many times I've been embarrassed like that in front of my friends.

[Хahar 🤔]

To say the fault is of Larry's and the administrations alone is just wrong. Perhaps it was his fault that the didn't bend to a society that made people obey conformity, conformity, conformity.

If somebody murders somebody, out of no other reason then just to kill them, then it's their fault and their's alone. Nobody forced him to pull the trigger. Oh boo hoo! So you were embarrassed in front of your friends. I cannot tell you how many times I've been embarrassed like that in front of my friends.

Regardless, Larry was being an asshole.

[opebo]

If the clothing or makeup is not 'distracting' on a girl, then it shouldn't be on a 'boy'.  We really need to stop State sanctioning of these silly gender distinctions.

[Duke 🇺🇸]

And the other kid probably knew no better, much like Larry didn't know any better. It's sad for the both of them, but in no way was Larry blameless in this whole mess. He might have been gay, but running around making others feel uncomfortable doesn't sit well with others. If gays wants acceptance, they need to respect others.

My mothers hair man is a flamer and insists on telling us about his sexual escapades every time she goes even when I was 13. I really am trying to be tolerant of gays, but the behavior of some of them makes it hard.

Still, this case is very sad for Larry and the kid who pulled the trigger.

[tik 🪀✨]

To say the fault is of Larry's and the administrations alone is just wrong. Perhaps it was his fault that the didn't bend to a society that made people obey conformity, conformity, conformity.

I don't think anyone said that. Saying it was simply one side's fault and other is completely fine is not taking everything into consideration.

You must be logged in to read this quote.

Of course the fact that Brandon shot Larry is Brandon's fault. No one is saying what he did was justified by any means. But he was being harassed. Should that be taken into consideration? Only to the extent that I think he should not be tried as an adult. Larry's own father understood his son was causing trouble.

The point that I and others are trying to make is not that what Brandon did has any excuse or justification, but that he did not shoot Larry "just because." The LGBT community, for trumpeting this story, is actually shooting themselves in the foot.

[opebo]

Tik, Duke, that's some impressive bigotry. 

[tik 🪀✨]

Tik, Duke, that's some impressive bigotry.

Bigotry? That's kind of amusing to me. I actually fully agree with your last post. You really have no idea how emotionally biased I am towards Larry's situation. And yet, I still try to remain even-handed. It's a pity we who champion LGBT rights cannot look at situations like this and try to remain reasonable.

[Хahar 🤔]

Tik, Duke, that's some impressive bigotry. 

I think you'll agree that Larry was incredibly stupid to be doing that, regardless of other considerations.

[Flying Dog]

And the other kid probably knew no better, much like Larry didn't know any better. It's sad for the both of them, but in no way was Larry blameless in this whole mess. He might have been gay, but running around making others feel uncomfortable doesn't sit well with others. If gays wants acceptance, they need to respect others.

My mothers hair man is a flamer and insists on telling us about his sexual escapades every time she goes even when I was 13. I really am trying to be tolerant of gays, but the behavior of some of them makes it hard.

"Knew no better..." What does that have to do with anything? I think the kid was at an age of where he could comprehend: Murder=Bad! Ignorance is no defense. I'm not saying what Larry did was right, or he didn't do anything wrong but, I mean, come on. I've been in tons of embarrassing situations and you don't see me going around blowing people's heads off. Also, did Brandon even tell Larry how his 'advances' made him feel. Maybe he should have done that before killing him...just a thought.

Nobody made Brandon pull that trigger but himself. In him, and him alone, the blame lies.

[tik 🪀✨]

And the other kid probably knew no better, much like Larry didn't know any better. It's sad for the both of them, but in no way was Larry blameless in this whole mess. He might have been gay, but running around making others feel uncomfortable doesn't sit well with others. If gays wants acceptance, they need to respect others.

My mothers hair man is a flamer and insists on telling us about his sexual escapades every time she goes even when I was 13. I really am trying to be tolerant of gays, but the behavior of some of them makes it hard.

"Knew no better..." What does that have to do with anything? I think the kid was at an age of where he could comprehend: Murder=Bad! Ignorance is no defense. I'm not saying what Larry did was right, or he didn't do anything wrong but, I mean, come on. I've been in tons of embarrassing situations and you don't see me going around blowing people's heads off. Also, did Brandon even tell Larry how his 'advances' made him feel. Maybe he should have done that before killing him...just a thought.

Nobody made Brandon pull that trigger but himself. In him, and him alone, the blame lies.

As has been said, most everyone agrees with you. I think the real point of contention is whether he should be tried as an adult or as a juvenile.

[Duke 🇺🇸]

I know no one made him pull the trigger, I am just saying that it isn't the other guys fault entirely. Just because you wouldn't kill someone doesn't mean someone else wouldn't. Just wcause you are different doesn't mean you can go around harrassing others. It's a bad situation, but making one side out to be completely blameless is inaccurate.

[Filuwaúrdjan]

As has been said, most everyone agrees with you. I think the real point of contention is whether he should be tried as an adult or as a juvenile.

If I read the first post right, McInerney was 14 at the time. So obviously he should be tried as a juvenile. Not sure why that's even an issue.

[Ban my account ffs!]

Trying to put any of the blame on Larry here is ridiculous.  If the other kid had punched him in the face, it would ahve been a different story... but to shoot him?  I'm sorry, but there is something wrong with the other kid.

It's like arguing that you speeding up and hitting a pedestrian is their fault because they were j-walking.  You're in a large vehicle, the pedestrian wasn't.

I'm sorry but I was just disgusted by the whole "well, he was gay.. he should have just acted like everybody else and tried to be somebody he wasn't and everything would have been okay" as if he invited himself to be killed and that was okay because he was 'taunting' the boys.

Just change gay into black here and somehow I don't think the responses would have been the same.  Unfortunately, homosexuality is just several decades behind the civil rights movement.

[tik 🪀✨]

As has been said, most everyone agrees with you. I think the real point of contention is whether he should be tried as an adult or as a juvenile.

If I read the first post right, McInerney was 14 at the time. So obviously he should be tried as a juvenile. Not sure why that's even an issue.

Probably because, if I remember from the article correctly, he isn't.

Edit for clarification: isn't being tried as a juvenile