OlderRemembering Lawrence King
CNN host Anderson Cooper just blogged about a shooting at a junior high school computer lab in California that happened two weeks ago. Consequently, as a result of a hate crime, 15-year-old Lawrence King was shot to death.
Anderson, 40, posed the question, “When does bullying become a hate crime?” Here’s his entry:
“We are focusing on a story that hasn’t received the attention it deserves. The story is about a young man named Lawrence King. He was 15 years old. On the morning of Feb 12, a classmate of Lawrence’s allegedly walked into the computer lab in front of some two dozen other students and shot Lawrence in the head. He was declared brain dead later at the hospital. According to authorities, this was not a random killing, it was a hate crime. Lawrence had recently told people he was gay, and apparently wore clothing that was viewed as effeminate. According to many accounts he had been bullied repeatedly, and some parents have even claimed students knew of threats to Lawrence’s life. At this point it doesn’t seem clear how much school officials knew of the bullying, but a full investigation needs to be done. If this had been an African-American student bullied by a teenage skinhead would it have received more attention? Would school officials have taken it more seriously if it had been a Christian campus leader attacked by another student because of his/her religious beliefs? I don’t have the answers to those questions, but I do think they are worth asking. Bullying is a problem in schools across the country. We’ve seen this time and time again. Is enough being done to stop it?”
In response to this hate crime, both Democratic presidential candidates released statements regarding this tragic event:
Said Hillary Clinton, “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.We must finally enact a federal hate crimes law to ensure that gay, lesbian and transgender Americans are protected against violent, bias-motivated crimes. We must send a unified message that hate-based crime will not be tolerated.”
Barack Obama is on the same page, adding, “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.”
The L.A. Times also has a write-up of last week’s memorial service for King: “At a memorial attended by more than 500 people in Port Hueneme, Lawrence “Larry” King was remembered Friday as a sensitive child who liked to draw, paint and crochet. One Christmas, he helped his mother crochet hundreds of scarves so that U.S. troops in Afghanistan wouldn’t be without a holiday gift.”
You can also visit the website that King’s family set up: RememberLarry.com.
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96 Comments
lawrence’s story made me sob in my office. it is so incredibly heartbreaking that such a young life was cut short by an act of unjustified hatred. i do not understand how somebody can hate somebody so much for something that they don’t agree with, to the point of committing murder and hurting so many lives so deeply with that act. how do they excuse their hatred of homosexuality (assumingly bc of religious beliefs?)…when they commit the most awful of sins in God’s eyes: murder of one His children?
this hatred and judgment we see in the States break my heart into pieces.
neil thanx for the link
April ur part of the reason why toterance is not respected
no one not even the presidential candidates said acceptance
“BUT EVERY HUMAN BEING HAS THE RIGHT TO CHOSE
WHO AND WHAT THEY WANT TO BE AND NO ONE BUT GOD HIMSELF CAN JUDGE “! REMEMBER THE
“GOLDEN RULE DO UN TO OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO DO UN TO YOU”! MAY GOD BLESS LARRY’S FAMILY AND GIVE THEM THE PEACE THEY SO DEEPLY DESERVE
ANDERSON COOPER…………YOU NEED TO BE THE ONE TO DO AN “EXPOSE’” ON THIS STORY.THE FLAMING BUSH GETS NOTICED FASTER THAN “THIS LIL LIGHT OF MINE’” SHINING ON SOME STOOL SOMEWHERE.
BLACK FOLK,WHITE FOLK, GAY FOLK, JEWS, SPICS, POLACKS….ON AND ON. BOYS REFERRING TO THERE GIRLFRIENDS AS “HOES”,,,,,IT’S NO WONDER PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD LOOK AT THE USA AS A VERRRRRY DANGEROUS PLACE IN THE WORLD.
WE GOTTA SMARTEN UP…..REEEEEL FAST, BECAUSE WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND EVERYTIME.!!!! WE’RE GONNA BE IN REAL TROUBLE IF WE …:WE THE PEOPLE ” DON’T GET ACTIVE AND START YELLIN OUR HEADS OFF ABOUT THIS CRAP!!! AND REALLY DEMANDING (WE HAVE THAT RIGHT AS CITIZENS TO DEMAND, YOU KNOW!!!) THAT OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS GET OFF THEIR COLLECTIVE GLUTEOS MAXIMUS (****, to those who don’t know Latin) AND START DOING THEIR JOBS…OR WE’RE GOING TO THROW THEM OUT.
WHERE IS OUR SENSE OF POWER ANYMORE??? WE GOTTA START TAKEING IT BACK, BY GOD!!!
WAKE UP!!!!!
It`s a shame and so sad.
just because he was gay.they`re is nothing wrong with it.
he was just a boy who want to bew himself.
best wishes to his family.
I am glad this story was written because it was being swept under the rug.
With that being said, i think saying “african americans getting more attention etc” perpetuates some sort of racism; instead of letting it be clear that no matter “who(race) and what(sexual orientation) gets EQUAL protection.
This happens too often in schools and it has a lot to do with parents values. This guy who shot Lawrence was so bold about it and I think that those people who new about the threats should be held as an accomplice as well as the parents or something. Just my thought.
thanks so much for posting jared
I agree with what cooper said; My god, prayers be with his family, and I have to say I agree with you Jill @ 02/26/2008 at 2:21 am
Great point, ALL AMERICANS MUST STAND UP FOR WHAT IS RIGHT. There are those who may not agree with the lifestyle, however to be silent is disgusting!!!
REPUBLICANS WE NEED YOU TO SPEAK UP!!!
ok, now the pic does not look like nick, and if it wasn’t larry king who was it?
Oh yeah by the way, i believe this story is very heartbreaking and should have never happed. Just because someone lives a lifestyle that you are uncomfortable with or think is wrong you should not kill them. I am, a Christan and i do believe homosexual acts are wrong but we should love them anyway and should not be unaccepting of them, not that we should be okay with what they’re doing but that we accept them as people, love them for who they are and not who they should be.
I don’t want to start anything here, but why does this type of thing always happen in the States? It’s really the only country (uncorrupt developed country, I should say) where this type of thing happens on a regular basis. Canada, Australia, England (all of Europe for that matter), it rarely, if ever happens.
This issue spans further than just homosexuality and frankly, Clinton and Obama’s responses were pretty weak and politically driven. Do you honestly think creating laws to punish hate crimes is going to solve the issue? It only puts a bow on the forever ticking bomb.
Thank for JJ for publicizing this story. As a mom who has a son entering the “public school system” in the Fall - it hit me like a ton of bricks. This needs to be publicized above all else so we can do something to stop it. We’re in MA and heard nothing about it. What a shame - my heart and thoughts go out to his family.
If only our candidates would actually do something about it rather than just talk…
That’s very sad. I didn’t even know this happened. Poor kid he was cute too. I hate bullies and haters who think they have the right to control and decide people’s lives just because they think they are superior and can mess with weak people.
To jenny and anyone else who feels the way they do, that is fine. When I say gay agenda I do not mean in this case. What I mean is, the face of this boy and what happened will be erased and it will be used as a platform for the gay agenda. What happened to this kid should never be tolerated. I do believe that some people are born homosexual, not making a choice. These days though…There are many, many people simply making the choice to behave a certain way. Almost as if it is a cool thing to do. Which then trivializes what true homosexual people endure and deal with. There may be many peole that go from the politicaly correct platform and try to make it all seem ok. The truth of the matter though, down deep in the core of human nature, homosexuality goes against all that is natural. You cannot procreate, or have sex in a normal manner which is the basic human nature and reason people get together. That you cannot argue or make any different. Killing or abuse of any kind cannot ever be tolerated for any reason. I won’t ever be won over to the politically correctness of accepting a behavior that does not correlate with basic human nature though.
I don’t agree with the gay lifestyle but i be damned if i think someone should be killed because of it. Only God can judge something like that no human being has the right to take another human being life. Unless its by the death penalty.
#73
And what exactly is a gay lifestyle?? Gay people don’t live their lives differently from straight people. Some may go to work, drive a car,watch tv, go to college….there is nothing uniquely gay about that.
Straight people have their idiosyncrasies and
fetishes too. The straight lifestyle isn’t any better. Whatever it is.
If you are a Christian, sex before marriage is wrong anyway.
So it’s still a sin to have your straight sex.
The bible never really condemns pedophilia and Christians
like to focus more on homosexuality rather than child sex abuse.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the family of this young man. I had not heard about this case, thank you to Anderson Cooper and Jared for shining the light on this horrible crime. I agree with with the Democratic candidates it is time for a hate crime law that includes all people who are victims including those persecuted because of their sexual orientation. Why are the Republicans quiet on this issue? When will people learn to teach tolerance and acceptance to their children? How many innocent people have to die?
April @ 02/26/2008 at 12:53 pm
April, your comment has a political taint to it and thus is misplaced here. No offence but it is inappropriate.
#69……… @ 02/26/2008 at 12:06 pm
I hate to disappoint you but I am Canadian and have traveled enough to know that America is not alone with its problems of hate and intolerance.
# 58 April
Are you SURE none of your kids are gay?
What are you going to do if they are huh?
methinks april is a self righteous b*tch. don’t you have perfect little family to tend to april? get off this thread c u n t.
thats terrible, i have a few friends who are bi or gay and a lot of other people at my school are, and no ones been shot there..but theres hate crimes that happen and of course the school officials are too busy dealing with their precious money to care. its horrible that he died but im not surprised it wasnt more public, news stations wont post about gays unless theyre famous which i think is stupid.
hilary really cant think that she can stop hate crimes like that? they’ll never stop, people break the law already. the school should care more about their students. i go to one of the top 250 high schools in the US, great education, most the teachers care, but anyone else on the schools staff like to make jokes about it there, theyd rather not deal with these things, they dont want to lose money, thats all its about.
They should TORTURE the shooter. Then, when found guilty, give him the DEATH PENALTY.
.
He does not deserve to live. He’s a monster.
.
He should *********** for what he did.
The shooter should _r_o_t____i_n____h_e_l_l_.
ITA Fred. That piece of human excretment should r o t i n h e l l.
Fcuking murderer.
#76, I’m not saying that hate and intolerance don’t exist everywhere else in the world because I know that they do. I’m simply wondering why things like school shootings only seem to occur in the States. Theres been 5 shootings in the US this year alone…and its only February!!
Maybe its just the shear size of the country that at least one is bound to happen? Or maybe they’re just not broadcast in other countries? I have no idea but it’s very scary the frequency these things have started to occur.
Jacinta, and Bianca, I think you must have dealt with these issues up close and personal to respond to me in such a way. I haven’t said anything that isn’t completely true. Obviously you were not able to discredit it so the best you can come up with is name calling, pitiful. As for my family if one of my children turned out to be gay, I would love that child just as much as any of my other children. That does NOT mean I would accept a lifestyle that included homosexuality. I believe that my children are not leaning that direction, as you can usually see something is off from early on. So I don’t think I will have to be faced with that certain issue. But…being the Mom of several children I will probably have issues that will come up that I will not find acceptable, and I will do my best to guide that child to the best of my ability through whatever it is. My problem is what I said would happen and from what I have read it is happening. Several groups of the gay lifestyle are starting to use this as a platform to try and further their agenda. Which is to push thier lifestyle on everyone else and make everyone accept it as if it is an ok way of life. This kid is going to be lost and his name used for others to benefit in the wrong way. Who is to say this kid was even really gay. He may have just been confused and lost, and with all the mixed messages their are these days that is highly likely. Point is this kid, someones baby, was killed for no lagitimate reason other than some other kid obviously being lost, confused, and angry.
to the editor of this website there are alot of TERRIBLE THINGS that happen to AFRICAN AMERICANS THAT ARE IGNORED EVERYDAY!
YOU ONLY HERE OF THEM MONTHS LATER BY WORD OF MOUTH OR THROUGH THE NEWS AFTER WE CONSTANTLY KNOCK ON THEIR DOORS TO LISTEN. I’M TIRED OF THE COMPARISON THAT BEING GAY AND BEING AFRICAN AMERICAN ARE THE SAME, HELLO IT’S NOT, WHEN WE WALK INTO THE ROOM YOU SEE BLACK PERSON, IF A GAY OR LESBIAN WALK INTO A ROOM YOU DON’T KNOW IT UNLESS THAT SPEAK ABOUT IT. AS FAR AS THE YOUNG MAN WHO WAS SHOT, HIS PARENTS SHOULD BE MORE ACTIVE LET THE NEWS AND ANYONE THAT WILL LISTEN KNOW WHAT HAPPEN TO THEIR CHILD EVERYDAY UNTIL SOMEONE LISTENS TO THEM, THAT IS WHAT WE AFRICAN AMERICANS HAVE TO DO…….POUND THE PAVEMENT WHEN YOU ARE TREATED UNFAIRLY.
Barack is right. This should teach parents, teachers and just about anyone who is an influence any kid out there to become more involved in these children’s lives.
#20. There are bullies everywhere, not just in public schools.
Barack is right. This should teach parents, teachers and just about anyone who is an influence to any kid out there to become more involved in these children’s lives.
#20. There are bullies everywhere, not just in public schools.
#84. I don’t think gays “push” their lifestyles on anyone. They just want to be accepted and not be treated like they’re less human because they love differently. And I don’t understand how you can say that if you had a gay kid, you would love them just as much as your other kids however you wouldn’t accept their lifestyle at the same time.
Hillary’s statement is true, we need to do something about this. This story is so sad. R.I.P Lawrence King
Hillary 08
I feel bad for BOTH families! He must have gotten it SOMEWHERE that it was OKAY to HATE GAYS, and have THAT much hate. Also where did he get the weapon? I feel bad for both families’ losses….. Especially if this young boys family thought his actions were ok. What a shame.
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