Lawrence King was the fifteen year old boy who was shot in the head in a computer lab in an Oxnard Middle School last Tuesday. Yesterday, reports came out that King was in critical condition but showed signs of improvement. However, late last night, Lawrence was pronounced brain dead by two neurosurgeons.
Lawrence King, 15, was declared brain dead by two neurosurgeons about 2 p.m. at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, said Craig Stevens, senior deputy Ventura County medical examiner. King’s body remains on a ventilator for possible organ donation, he said. He was shot early Tuesday in a classroom at E.O. Green Junior High School.
Authorities initially believed that King was improving. But the boy’s condition worsened early Wednesday, and he was placed on a ventilator a few hours later with his family nearby, said an official, who asked not to be named.
KNBC of Los Angeles reports Hueneme School District Superintendent Jerry Dannenberg as saying:
King had been receiving help from school support staff, Dannenberg said. He had no details on the type of assistance the teen needed.
“He was seeing a number of people trying to help him deal with his own personal issues,” he said.
And there’s your pretty little lie about Lawrence King. His “own personal issues” was code for “he was queer” and he was being bullied around by other students. The fact is that he told others he was gay and would show up at school dressed in girls clothing. The fact is that he wouldn’t back down when the other boys bullied him around.
But several students at the south Oxnard campus said King and his alleged assailant had a falling out stemming from King’s sexual orientation.
The teenager sometimes wore feminine clothing and makeup, and proclaimed he was gay, students said.
“He would come to school in high-heeled boots, makeup, jewelry and painted nails — the whole thing,” said Michael Sweeney, 13, an eighth-grader. “That was freaking the guys out.”
King was a “throw away kid”. Lawrence was under the Ventura County foster care program and living at Casa Pacifica, a nearby center for abused and neglected children. However, he wouldn’t step down when others tried to bully him around. Even the school administration ignored the problem when he was being bullied because it appears the bullying was chronic!
Several students said that a day before the shooting, King and several boys had some kind of altercation during the lunch period.
Jerry Dannenberg, the school district superintendent, said the school’s staff was aware that King had butted heads with other students, including the suspect, and offered both students help.
Dannenberg goes on to point to the murdered boy as the real problem:
“They had been doing a lot of counseling and a lot of work with [King] to help him deal with some of his concerns and issues,” Dannenberg said. “But I can’t go into specifics about what was going on.”
…because most feminine boys need to be bullied and kicked around once in a while, don’t they? I’m sure Superintendent Dannenberg can drive home proudly knowing that there will be one less queer kid who won’t be showing up at his school no more. And I’m sure he’ll have plans to “talk” to other students about bullying. There’ll be some student wide meetings about bullying. <yawn> Boring stuff that’s all put on to make sure everybody knows the school “cares”. But since the “problem child” is dead, the superintendent’s concern will last about seventy-two hours…maybe a few minutes more.
In a month, Dannenberg won’t even remember the kid’s name.
What does it take for a couple of professionally trained educators to see a 15 year old boy wearing make-up and girls clothes to keep an eye on the kid? Make sure he’s safe? An occasional “watchful eye” on the boy as he’s walking down the halls or out on the grounds? You can’t tell me every faculty member in that school knows which kids are living in Casa Pacifica and that those are the kids who don’t have a family to go home to. And here comes this strange little boy with fingernail polish and wearing a pair of girls high-heeled boots and their answer is to “send him to counseling”?!?!
And what about the suspect?
Student Juan Sandoval, 14, said he shared a fourth-period algebra class with the suspect, whom he described as a calm, smart student who played on the basketball team. “I didn’t think he was that kind of kid,” Sandoval said. “I guess you never know. He made a big mistake.”
If authorities can point the killing as a hate crime, the suspect will stand trial as an adult.
Ventura County Dist. Atty. Gregory Totten said prosecutors would decide whether the case should remain in Juvenile Court after reviewing the police investigation. Under state law, prosecutors can ask the court to try the suspect as an adult, he said. “In all probability he will be charged in adult court,” Totten said.
Don’t hold your breath on that trial. The suspect, hours after the shooting, was found a few blocks away still holding the gun. My bet will be; he won’t get more than a few years in jail. More likely, he’ll get probation.
- Lawrence King won’t have his family at the trial bawling and crying on behalf of their dead son.
- Ventura County and the school won’t have to pay for the kid’s education, housing or his food. The courts will wrap this case up really quick.
- The suspect will get a wizz-bang attorney because it’ll be an easy win and the attorney’s humping for a partnership.
If you hunt around on this story on your own, you’ll be stunned to see how many professional medial sites talk about the 
story and yet never once make mention of King’s sexual orientation. What’s even more tragic is seeing those same news sites dwelling on the fact that King “had problems” and he was “under a lot of counseling”. All of it slanting towards the idea that King brought it on himself.
Who will morn Lawrence King’s death? I will. And I’m guessing I’ll be in very small company.
Thank you John of the ComingOut group for bringing this to my attention.
Lansing Community College (Lansing, MI) Gay Straight Alliance will be holding a flashlight vigil on March 25th in memorial of Lawrence King.
Date: Tuesday, March 25, 2008
Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Location: Michigan’s Capital
Street:100 N Capitol Ave, Lansing, MI
GSA will provide some glowsticks, but are requesting you bring your own flashlights. For safety purposes, please, no candles. For more information, click to be a member at Yahoo Groups; “Coming Out“. The moderator will be happy to provide the details.
A person identifying himself as Lawrence King’s uncle has begun construction on a website in memorium of the victim and make a donation in rememberance. I’m sure there’s more than one person who could volunteer by helping him speed up the construction and get it presentable. You can visit the site by clicking here.
Hint: Help him set up a PayPal account so we donate to the fund electronically!
In the past three hours, he’s begun posting pictures of the boy in a variety of settings; Christmas, with his little dog, playing in the snow, etc.
The Los Angeles Times has released the name of the suspect as Brandon McInerney (14 yrs old). McInerneny has been charged for premeditated hate crime, and enhancements of the use of a firearm as well as listed as a hate crime. The boy, although a minor, could face up to 50 years to life in prison and is currently being held on $770,000 bail.
Under California law, the legal cut-off for charging an adolescent as an adult is 14 years, and Brandon turned fourteen just two weeks earlier on January 24th. This leaves the option open for prosecutors to add the additional case that he be tried as an adult.
The article also points out that McInerney grew up in Oxnard on the south side of town where his father has had a few bumps with the law. In 2000, charged with disturbing the peace and a few months later, charged with domestic abuse where he served 10 days and 36 months probation. In 2002, he plead guilty to drunk driving and driving without a license and served another 5 days in jail.
Students witnessed an altercation between King and bunch of boys, including McInerney the day before the shooting took place. It is still unknown how McInerney smuggled the weapon onto school grounds.
Also heartening, if that’s at all possible, is the groundswell of support coming out of the GLBT organizations in the area. Although King was living in Casa Pacifica, and it’s not made public as to why he was living there, he was involved with the local GLBT programs for teen and young adults.
The case is drawing attention from a growing number of gay rights groups, which said they would be watching developments closely.
“In the 15-year history of this organization, this is the first time we’ve seen the district attorney act this swiftly and clearly to say ‘This will not be tolerated,’ ” said Jay Smith, executive director of the Ventura County Rainbow Alliance, a nonprofit group that advocates for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender rights.
“We’re assuming that the hate crime component has to do with [King’s] sexuality,” Smith said. “Because of that, we are very eager to see the district attorney follow through.”
Smith said King had participated in Friday night rap sessions at the alliance’s offices in Ventura. The sessions are for youths ages 13 to 23 regardless of their sexual orientation, Smith said.
In a world of disconnections, one piece does shine through:
Student Averi Laskey, 13, said she had known King since grammar school and liked him. She said that only in the last two weeks had he begun dressing in a feminine manner.
“Even if he was different, he didn’t deserve it,” she said.
Laskey said King was happy at Casa Pacifica, although he had to take a long bus ride to and from school every day. He said he grew up in a troubled home, she said.
“He never felt like he had a family, but he told me when he got to Casa Pacifica that he had one there,” Laskey said.
We can can only hope God found a real family for that poor little guy. …In a place far away from Hate.
It’s time to change the message.
Ellen Degeneres touched this topic beautifully and she makes a valid point. Watch it here.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Brandon McInerney, Casa Pacifica (Neglected and Abused Children Ctr), ComingOut, Ellen Degeneres, foster children, Gay Straight Alliance, Gregory Totten (Ventura Co Dist Attny), hate crime, homophobia, Jerry Dannenberg (Hueneme School Dist), Lansing Community College (GSA), Lawrence King (gay-murdered), neglected children, school shooting, teen murder, Uncategorized, Ventura County |
The Fruit Fly 
Thanks for writing this up, both for Lawrence King and the media who did not tell the real story.
Lawrence King was being severely bullied and the school was clearly did nothing or not enough about it. Sometimes, ignoring just isn’t enough……were these bullies and other peers educated about Gays and Lesbians? That poor boy was simply being himself and proud of it. Now he is dead…..soooo sad.
I was no less saddened about his death after I found out he had CHOSEN to be openly gay.
I’m a married man (11 years) with 4 kids, I don’t agree with homosexuals in the sense that they claim they are born that way and have to remain in such a lifestyle.
I don’t hate, fear or feel uncomfortable around homosexuals, I just don’t agree with their CHOICE of lifestyle as being something you’re born with.
In NO WAY does this justify killing someone who has chosen to live this way. (In the times of Genesis however, this was a justified act because we were still under Mosaic Law)
I definitely feel very sad for ANY kid to be a victim of this type of crime.
No matter what type of crime you call it, the shooter should get the maximum punishment.
I truly feel equally sorry for both students and their families.
One student believes he has to live out his life as a homosexual and the other felt he needed to turn to a criminal act of violence, both are bad choices.
We all know that murdering someone is bad.
By the way, there is a such thing as justified killing (protection of ones self, protection of country, due punishment by current law or to save another person’s life) not to be mistaken for premeditated murder which is what the word “KILL” is originated from in the famous Commandment “Thou shalt not kill”
Now, let’s examine homosexuality:
“Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us so that we can have sex with them.” Lot went outside to meet them and shut the door behind him and said, “No, my friends. Don’t do this wicked thing.”
“Do not lie with a man as one lies with a woman; that is detestable.”
“If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads.” (This isn’t done now since we’re now under grace through faith in Jesus, not Mosaic Law)
God loves homosexuals just as much as he loves everyone. It’s not the person that he hates, its their sins. Fortunately, he provided a way of erasing the ultimate effect of our sins which is eternal separation from God. Because our sins have eternal consequences, an eternal payment for them was needed. Because God is so good, he cannot exist directly in the presence of sin and his standards of perfection obviously could not be met by any one of us. But because he loves us so much and wants every one of us to be with him forever, he became human and suffered and died for us and became that perfect eternal payment. That’s why getting into heaven does not depend on the good things we do, it depends on whether we trust in God’s payment for the debt we owe him (our sins).
Salvation is a free gift from God, but like all gifts, you need to accept it in order to use it. We are all like a people dying from a terminal disease (sin). God is the doctor and puts the medicine that will cure us within our reach, but it is up to us to take it. We can believe that the medicine will cure us, but that’s not enough, we must take it. It’s the same with God — its not enough for us to intellectually believe that Jesus is God become man, is the only payment for our sins, and that he rose from the dead, but we must receive him into our hearts by asking him to save us personally and committing our lives to follow him (we find out how through his word, the Bible). You can invite Jesus into your heart and life right now and be with him forever, or choose an eternity without God by rejecting his payment. The choice is yours…
Awww…
It’s so nice to have a Fundie out there take the time and opportunity to preach to the Heathens on the sins of homosexuality.
Yup. Whenever there’s a gay person murdered, they’ll be front and center with their Bibles and demand that all the people who’ve lined to pay their last respects, get a good lecture on the sins of homosexuality.
…Because that’s exactly how Jesus lived his life, don’t cha know. He taught Love, and Compassion…And when it comes to the little children, the Son of God said; “Suffer the Little Chidren..Except for that little one in the back – he looks a little queer to me!”
Go take your Bible and get lost you lame fuck. We deserve our time and space to ya know.
You want me showing up at your Christian funerals and times of mourning and remind everybody about Christians and the Spanish Inquisition? Christians and Witch Burnings? Christians and the Crusades? Christians and the Heretics?
Freakin’ hypocrits…
FF
This is a great post. I, too, am writing about this tragedy, and pray that people won’t forget or let this kid get swept under the rug.
We haven’t heard from the nuts yet, but we will as soon as funeral arrangements are announced. Since I’m on the opposite coast, I can only beg the Los Angeles GLBT community to come forward and make sure Larry’s life and death are memorialized in the honorable fashion he deserves, without interference from Fred Phelps or others of his ilk.
You did a great job of putting my thoughts and emotions into words that I am still too angry to express.
the person above me is a moron death has nothing to do with homosexuality/race/religion or beliefs! that other boy is a killer, and his parents should be punished for having a gun in the home!
This was a HATE CRIME against a gay teen! People need to stop blaming the victim by saying “he was troubled with issues”…. King was in foster care so OBVIOUSLY he had issues. You would too if your parents abandoned their responsibilities to take care of you. E.O. Green KNEW he was getting bullied by his peers and OBVIOUSLY they didn’t do their jobs right because now King is DEAD. This story has been reported to EVERY gay rights organization so the city of Oxnard is in for some major heat. Good luck to all of the adults who had a chance to stop this tragedy, but DIDN’T… karma will deal with you eventually!
How could anyone write this garbage? You would have to be the most heartless, evil person on the face of the earth. There is a young boy dead. And just because he was in a home for disturbed kids does not mean that no one loved him. I will mourn and love him and anyone who is half human will mourn and love him also.
The person with the problem is the heartless evil person who took away this young boys life he should have been in a home for disturbed youths – he is the one with the real problem and I hope he goes away for the rest of his life and his parents should follow.
Thank you Maxine!
God love ya, girlfriend.
XOOXOX
FF
i will mourn for you lawrence…and, i will do something to make sure you are not forgotten…for you are already a part of my life. i wish i’d had an opportunity to show you kindness. i wish i’d had an opportunity to invite you over to meet my family and play video games with my son and run in the yard with our dogs. i wish we could’ve taken pictures together. you know, you would’ve enjoyed going to the georgia aquarium with us this past weekend. it was AWESOME! i had no idea how much beauty lies beneath the sea. so many different species and colors and sizes! i wish we could’ve enjoyed the pride parade this past summer. even this coming summer. i’ll have to think of something to wear in your name. i wish you couldve met my 16 year old cousin before she died of cancer last winter. she wouldve given your a fierce hairstyle! lol. between my tears i speak to you, lawrence. please know that i will always think of you. i love you, baby boy. as hurt and confused and sad as i am….i know that you’re ok now.
There are a couple of things wrong with your post. First, the suspect was not found “hours” later and he was not still holding the gun. He was found shortly after, and he dropped the gun at the school.
Second, Casa Pacifica is NOT a home for “throw-away” kids. Many of those kids are placed there because for the time being their home life is not stable. Sometimes its because the parents aren’t equipped to handle their childrens behavior and other times the parents behavior presents a threat to the children, but regardless those children are LOVED and are CARED about by every single member of the staff out there. Just because you googled the home or read about it on some website does not mean you know what goes on out there. My dad works there, as do several of the people I know in this community, and they are all mourning.
You said “In a month, Dannenberg won’t even remember the kid’s name.” How can you even make such an assumption? Every person on the staff of that school, every person who has a child attending ANY school in the Hueneme School District, every person in the district office, and pretty much every person who is even remotely involved in this is grieving.
I can understand your disgust and anger at the media and their spin on it. I completely agree with you that Larry shouldn’t have been looked at as a “problem” and shipped off to counseling because he was “different”. However, you don’t know what issues were being discussed in counseling, you don’t know anything about him OR the perpetrator. I understand you are angry. We are all angry, we are all saddened, but to assume that this little soul will be forgotten so quickly, that this little boy will have nobody to mourn for him, that’s just a bunch of crap that the real citizens of this community don’t need to listen to.
Fact: Two souls were lost two days ago. Regardless of his sexual orientation, that’s the grief that this community is dealing with. And yes, it probably was because Larry was openly gay. But gay or straight, it doesn’t change the fact that this community is hurting right now. INCLUDING the superintendent, including the faculty and staff, including the police officers and medical staff at St. John’s, EVERYBODY. So please do MY community a favor and get off the band wagon for a while. Or at the very least, check your facts before you start spreading fallacies.
Jennifer…
Thanks so much for “straightening” me out. Why, if it hadn’t been for you, your “perfected point of view”, your “astounding” diplomatic behavior in showing up on my blog to wag your crooked little finger in my nose; I’m sure I would have gone full-tilt! Thankfully, you were there to bitch slap me into a parallel universe that fits your comfortable dime-sized world.
For criticizing your Dad’s employer, for even having a fucking opinion, certainly makes me a second-class citizen compared to your own glorious and distinguished unblemished life. For without people like you, like the Fred Phelps (God Hates Fags) guys and even like “Gary” who also stopped by to wag his crooked finger in my nose with a Bible in his hand, all of us would live our remaining lives an incomplete vessel. And on behalf of all of us, poor and broken down vessels, we humbly thank you for your perfected selves and the blessing you bestow on each and every single one of us.
While I researched the media for this story, I failed miserably your own blog entry on the topic. What was it entitled so I can read it myself?! Was it: “Jennifer’s Take On What Happened to Lawrence King: Everybody’s Bummed Out!!” What have you contributed to this horrible nightmare? Where are your plans?!
And finally, I would like to thank you for stopping by to fart in the room. I entitled the piece: “Who will morn Lawrence King’s Death?” hoping to point out a great injustice. You, the perfected “Angel of Truth and Enlightenment” so eloquently show up and have decided instead to shoot the messenger. Thanks so much for that.
I’ll keep my imperfect life and my untrained eye peeled looking for your own blog entries. For each and every entry, I will promise to make my own comments and rip all of your blog entries and shoot holes in your own opinions and attempt to make you look like shit. After all, it’s what you do best, isn’t it? I just like to learn from the Pros like you.
FF
(what an asshole… thanks for “mourning”, “…Bitch”)
I totally agree with the writer above (Jennifer) Regardless, we have two families left to wonder why? We have two children who lost their lives that day. It’s so completly sad to me to think that our society will forever judge and never completly learn to accept that whatever it is whether it’s a disability, sexual preference, race whatever it may be we all bleed the same color of blood. It all must start at home to learn to accept who we are as individuals and you should never judge or play “God”. My son attended E.O. Green last year and knew both boys and was completly shaken. He was left to wonder why as are the rest of the children who currently attend the Junior high school. Our prayers go out to both grieving families and also our grieving community.
RE: Gary’s comment on 02-14-08
EVERYONE is entitled to their opinion and that is all it is…..AN OPINION…preaching as you have done shows us all where the hate comes from….if you didn’t hate and had compassion for anything in this world you would not have sermoned here….this also goes for anyone else that has chosen to wag their tongues and point their fingers……..
Homosexuality is NOT a choice one makes
Heterosexuality is NOT a choice one makes
You, evidently are too close-minded to understand this.
A human life was taken by someone who evidently felt threatened by homosexuality because he didn’t understand the complexity of it. He also, committed a “mortal” sin…Thou shalt not kill.
Get off of your soapbox GARY and while you are doing that, EXAMINE IGNORANCE & STUPIDITY!!
I mourn and pray for the victim’s soul and I also pray for the murderer’s soul.
The media never reports truth anymore, school authorities and those in the know of all circumstances surrounding or circumstances that lead to this senseless crime will suffer the consequences for the rest of their days…unless any of them have a conscience about any of this and come forward about it and strive to make it right for the victim and his family, as well as for the family of the boy and the boy who committed the crime, there may be hope…otherwise their consciences will wreak havoc in their lives for the duration of their lives….I firmly believe this.
My OPINION …. cw
Fruitfly,
You are speaking about something that you know very little of. You know none of the facts, you know none of the circumstances and worst of all you are using this tragedy to add hurt to a grieving family.
Larry was loved by his parents, he was not a throw away child. The issues involved in his Casa Pacifica stay were not due to his sexuality of which his parents were very accepting.
The truth will eventually come out when things calm and you will look like a fool for spouting such hate and inaccuracies. I hope you will feel the obligation to apologize for your hurtful statements.
In the meantime practice good journalism and do not post what your theories are based on hearsay and your own emotion.
Many lives were turned upside down Tuesdsay morning, which is a very sad thing. Act responsibly for both the victim and the victims family.
A concerned Uncle
Dear Uncle:
1.) I never said Larry was living in the center because of his sexual orientation, nor was he there because of some abuse by his family. So, I beg to differ.
2.) I’m not a journalist, I’m a blogger.
3.) I’ve said very very little about Larry’s family whatsoever and so to accuse me of being irresponsible; well perhaps your own “journalistic” talents are shining through.
4.) As I’ve entitled the piece; “Who will mourn Lawrence King’s dead?”, I don’t believe I’m the enemy here.
5.) My deepest condolences to you and your family in this tragic loss.
FF
Find a place in your heart for Lawrence and just love him. Forget your differences and weep for this star we lost. God bless you Lawrence.
[…] Who will mourn Lawrence King’s death?! « The Fruit Fly Who will mourn Lawrence King’s death?! « The Fruit Fly […]
THIS is what the Religious Right should have drilled in them.
THIS is a crime for which someone – a James Dobson, a Pat Roberson, a Paul Cameron, a Gary Bauer or a Fred Phelps – should be prosecuted with complicity charges.
After decades, a climate is re-emerging that makes impressionable people believe there’s absolutely nothing wrong with killing a homosexual.
I’m going to make some predicitions, now:
1. At some point, either in the media frenzy leading up to the trial, or at the trial itself, 14-year old Brandon McInerey is going to say the 15-year old he killed, Lawrence King, made some sort of sexual advance to him, and that sent this poor, impressionable boy into a panic, or;
2. A defense attorney arguing that the quality of the dead boy’s life, being homosexual, was going to be so poor that, ultimately, the killer dead him a kind of favor and spared him that pain and torment, and the infamous Paul Cameron statistics will be dragged out, yet again;
3. Somehow, someway, the defense will manage to work in AIDS and “super staph”;
4. Somehow, someway, the defense will manage to pull on the heartstrings of the jury – say, maybe, the killer kid had eaten too much junk food, or had a history of ADD;
5. The dead boy’s family will swear their son wasn’t gay, that he was just acting up for attention.
I hope Oxnard has a prosecutor that won’t allow this little bastard to pull a Dan White. Since he’s being tried as an adult, I hope this little bastard isn’t being kept in a single person “cell” in juvie, but is, instead, in the REAL jail, with all the other adult detainees… and I hope one of them is horny as hell.
I am so fucking fed up that at the beginning of the 21st Century, we’ve fucking allowed our politicians and our lawmakers to push us back to the mid 1950s.
To Gary: That was one of the most senseless comments I have read in regards to this tragic issue. You accomplished nothing with it, only to express (albeit somewhat unknowingly) what was the very seed of why this happened.
First to “Gary” the “married man”…who I suppose decides to announce the the wold here that he is only “A married man” because for some reason he sat down to breakfast one day an decided to be a heterosexual as opposed ot being a “homosexual” which he could have been just as easily which his “theory” proports.
You “gary” are nothing more than the same pseudo-fascist type that got this boy shot to begin with. You come on here and do the usual “well this use to be okay but now it’s not so we musn’t murder gays” rheotoric, leading on to the usual “choice” crapola to justify your hidden supremacist views and finalizing with your particular translationis (there are only 500 different ones, all different to each other) of ancient biblical texts to further justify your “feelings”…all meant to deflect attention, change the subject and trivalize the victim.
It IS people like you who are at the root of situations like this…you spew veiled hatred and supremacist theories, base them on biblical texts (same thing the kKK, Nazis, fascists and other supremacists did and still do throughout history). You do it all very quietly and calmly (as Evil slithers slowly of course). You throw in some anti-violence statements regarding the targets of your supremacist views while at the same time giving the nutcases all the info and justification they need to carry out the deed and YET expect them to refrain.
It’s all rather disgusting and illogical. You teach hatred, you teach supremacy, both violent seeds. You water those seeds with justification and support and then expect those seeds not to bloom into flower. It’s the same story every time…and it’s getting more rediculous with every one. Whether you wish to accept it or not, it IS indeed you and your kind who sow the seeds that ended this childs life. That is a fact…and until that is accepted, THIS will continue.
I will mourn for this young man’s family and friends. I hope they will make sure his name stays in the media until something is done about this problem. No more murders of children! Identify problematic bullies early on and seperate them from the school population!
We extend our deepest condolences to the friends and family of Lawrence King.
We’re fighting to keep this from happening in our schools as well.
Peace
Well, Eric, you could be right. Already it’s being posted that Larry told Brandon shortly before Brandon killed him that he had a crush on him. Now, whether he said that because Brandon kept bullying him ,and it was Larry’s way of getting Brandon to back off was not mentioned. (Nor do I know if it’s even really true or ever happened.) However, I bet you’re right, and this will be brought up at trail.
Of course it will be brought up at trial – it’s part of “Defending Fag Killers 101.” The “Gay Panic” defense.
Whether it actually happened or not… well you can bet little Larry is going to swear to it… again and again and again.
By the time the trial actually starts, the defense attorney will have painted a picture in the press that this young cross-dresser (and, right now, that’s all he appears to have been – a transvestite. And, of course, the “normal” American response that transvestites are queers) had the young All-American apple-pie fed killer backed into a corner in the boy’s room, ready to rape him.
The defense: The queer wanted this kid, the kid didn’t want to go to school that day, but his Mommy didn’t believe he was sick and MADE him go… so since he had to go, and face the queer again, he decided to take a gun, just to protect himself.
There’s one other thing to remember: Unless it’s a bench trial, there’s going to be a jury of 12 people who are going to be predisposed to finding a reason to, at least, mitigate and, at worst, exonerate Brandon McInerey. Yes, Lawrence King is dead, and that’s tragic, but should McInery’s life be ruined, forever, because of a dead faggot? For the majority of the jurors, after the defense has carefully vetted them and used all the pre-emptory challenges permitted, there’s going to be at least ONE member of that jury who believes the only good queer is a dead queer… and hang the jury.
For the other inevitable christohet turds and for so-called “married man” anonymous “gary” – so cowardly as to pull a thought-out preach-by on a Mourning page – I warn you, you will pay. You will pay in your life, in your own family. You will regret every time like this one, and there are others no doubt, where you pulled a heartless attack on an actual wake for a young murdered boy. You will be punished, not enough for your social criminality, by your own children.
“Born Eunuchs”: Homosexual Identity in the Ancient World http://tinyurl.com/3dq79y
Argument: The eunuchs of the ancient world are the gay men of today. (with a listing of secondary sources) by Faris Malik
Notice especially the actual words of Jesus as recorded in your Bible, especially verses 10-12.
MATT 19: (1) And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these sayings, he departed from Galilee, and came into the coasts of Judaea beyond Jordan; (2) And great multitudes followed him; and he healed them there. (3) The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? (4) And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, (5) And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? (6) Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. (7) They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? (8) He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. (9) And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. (10) His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. (11) But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. (12) For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it. (13) Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. (14) But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (15) And he laid his hands on them, and departed thence. KJV, 1611
This is a terrible event, and I applaud FF for posting, but please, please watch out when you use language like asshole and bitch. . . where does bullying and harassment start? And whether we want to believe it bitch is still very much a gendered word. With words . . be angry, be whatever, but also be careful.
should be “For the other inevitable christohet supremacist turds….”
1,000 Turn Out For Larry King
http://tinyurl.com/2s2z45
In the comments, from Larry King’s father, Greg King:
Posted by gregk on February 17, 2008 at 9:22 a.m.
On behalf of our family, I would like to thank the organizers of the march. I pray that it helps you kids come to grips with the terrible tragedy that occurred at EO Green on Tuesday. A lot of lives were impacted and a lot of healing needs to happen and this is how it starts.
The family invites you to visit a memorial website we have set up for Larry.
http://www.rememberlarry.com
We are also having a memorial service for our son on Friday Feb 22. We scheduled it for 3:00PM so the students at EO Green could attend. It is at the Westminster Presbyterian Church on Bard Road across from Bubbling Springs Park.
Thank you for your continued support and prayers for our family.
Greg King (Larry’s Dad)
1,000 hit Oxnard streets to remember Larry King
Calling for peace
By Kathleen Wilson
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Photos by Dana Rene Bowler / Star staff
Students march during an event honoring the memory of slain Oxnard student Larry King on Saturday. Around 1,000 people participated in the march from E.O. Green School to Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard.
Marchers comfort each other during Saturday’s event, held in memory of 15-year-old Larry King, who died after he was shot during class at E.O. Green School in Oxnard. A 14-year-old student has been charged in the slaying.
Close to 1,000 people, many of them schoolmates of slain student Larry King, marched in Oxnard on Saturday to honor the eighth-grader who was shot last week in his junior high classroom.
The Hueneme High students who organized the march were overjoyed at the turnout.
“I’m so happy,” said Courtney La Forest, 16, who spearheaded the 3-mile march along with Hueneme student Melissa Crutcher, 16. “We were expecting a big turnout but nothing compared to this.”
The march started from a park behind E.O. Green School, the campus where the 15-year-old was shot in the head Tuesday, allegedly by another student in his class. King was declared brain dead the next day and removed from life support Thursday after his family donated his organs.
Prosecutors have charged 14-year-old Brandon McInerney with murder and a hate crime against King, who told friends he was teased because he was gay. McInerney, who is being tried as an adult, has not yet entered a plea and remains in custody in lieu of $770,000 bail.
Authorities have not released details on a motive, and prosecutors have declined to elaborate on the hate crime charge.
Crutcher said she began planning the march the day King was shot at the Oxnard junior high in the hopes of sending a message of acceptance.
The teens spread the word through fliers, word of mouth and MySpace. Crutcher hoped to influence at least one person with the event.
“I want to have at least one person be tolerant of other people and not be scared to be themselves,” Crutcher said after the event concluded at Plaza Park in downtown Oxnard.
The marchers lined the sidewalk along C Street for more than a mile as they walked to the park, drawing honks from motorists on the street.
Several wore T-shirts emblazoned with the smiling boy’s picture from the school yearbook. Some carried roses, held balloons aloft or wore clothing promoting acceptance of varying sexual orientations.
After arriving downtown on the brisk sunny day, the crowd formed a circle around Plaza Park. They yelled “Larry, Larry, Larry,” then observed a moment of silence.
Along with students, the marchers included parents, board members of Parents of Murdered Children, and elected officials.
But most were youths, moved by what had happened to the boy their age and hoping to make the world a more tolerant place.
“I hope we can affect it,” said Yvette Diaz, 15, a student at Oxnard High. “That’s pretty messed up — what happened to him. It’s not right.”
I have to say that I agree what a lot of what this website says. Where was everyone when he was alive? Everyone knew he had issues but him being a foster kid no one cared! I hope that everyone including the school district gets in trouble. Larry should have never been in that type of situation. I just pray he is in a better place now.
Hey Fruit Fly. I’m back to put you in your place once again. If you REALLY want to read my blog, you’ll find me on MySpace. Pay careful attention to the part where I talk about where hate stems from. I hardly think someone who flippantly calls someone an “Asshole….bitch” for speaking their mind is qualified to tell others not to hate. I don’t pretend I’m perfect, but I know enough to choose my words wisely. Think before you speak…and isn’t the whole point of this particular blog to start a dialogue and educate the masses on hate crimes? Oh, but only if the dialogue agrees with your opinions. I get it, FF. You’re no better than those on the opposite end of the spectrum preaching God. The only right view is your view, no matter how badly flawed.
What the hell is wrong with you? Seriously. What is wrong with you?!
Perhaps in your own statement: “Think before you speak…and isn’t the whole point of this particular blog to start a dialogue and educate the masses on hate crimes?”
This blog isn’t about starting a dialog about hate crimes and education for the masses on anything.
This particular blog entry isn’t about me.
This blog entry is about a little boy who was murdered because he was different.
This particular blog entry isn’t about you, either. But you insist on making it about you.
You, Jennifer. You clicked “COMMENT” and you, Jennifer – decided to go on a rampage to “correct” me. To “straighten” me out. To berate me about my “facts”. You did that Jennifer.
You screamed at me because something in your dime-sized world didn’t click with this particular blog entry.
How tragically sad.
I feel embarrassed for you Jennifer. And I feel sad for you.
Because you can preach at me all day about “hate”, scream and yell about how horrible of a person I am. And all you’ve done is ignore the obvious…
You ignored this little boy’s death.
I live a very long way from southern California. There isn’t anything I can do on behalf of this young boy’s tragic life. So I thought I’d write a blog entry, Jennifer. Me, and my partner when on the rememberlarry.com website and we signed our name to it. And that’s all that we can do.
And you’ve come back one week later to yell and shout at em all over again. To hate me all over and to again: completely ignore what happened to this little boy.
Jennifer – I’m not going to “look” for your Facebook account. Because I couldn’t give a fuck about your websites, your Facebooks or any other kind of Hate-Shit you want to spew. I don’t care about your … crap, Jennifer.
Please! Get some help! For yourself at the very least.
Get some help and get a life.
Meanwhile, I’ll go back to my blogs. Write some stuff that’s fun. Write some stuff that’s dumb. And maybe write something that’s interesting. Who knows?
But my particular blog about Lawrence King is mine. And I’d appreciate it if you’d leave it that way.
Get some help. Please.
FF
I am mourning Lawrence King’s death.
I have been bullied here in Oxnard and the police just don’t take it seriously until someone dies.
This is a foul place to live and our youth is suffering.
TK
You need to ask for help.
If you can’t do that: Then at the very minimum, you can dial 9-1-1.
FF
Blah Blah Blah
“He’s a victim of homophobia and hate,” including those who condemn him with the judgment that he “chose” to be gay. Perhaps these same self-proclaimed judges just choose to be ignorant.
Uncle Phil is lying!!! VTA County HSA had more than 20 referrals of abuse. Probation had to remove him on bogus charges, then he was placed at Casa Pacifica. His Dad is grieving from guilt. EO Green did know he lived there and had an open door policy which he utilized on a daily basis. The truth will come out Uncle. The sooner the better!!!
FF I stumbled on your BLOG so I hope I didn’t offend it. I just can’t stand the lies anymore. RIP Larry. And Gary…you are an idiot.
Thanks J – and no, you didn’t offend me. You’d be stunned by the amount of shitty comments I get that I don’t allow to be published on this blog entry. It’s been positively brutal.
Check your email – I have questions! Maybe I can do a follow up blog with some of the information that you know.
Peace,
FF
My god whats happening in the US You right guys are becoming the TALIBAN executing gay kids ! Glad that i live in Canada dont forget the world is watching you.
this should have not happened, i have great sympathy for larry, he had a very hard life, having been abused in the past and living w/o his parents. what has he done wrong? be gay? i thought we are in the 21st century and this is less of an issue.
brandon is a troubled kid as well, i believe he deserves to be punish but he live a hard life as well having an alcoholic dad who is also an abuser, how the hell he got an access to a gun. he is just 14 but his life is already ruined. Parents of today should take responsibility for their children until their old enough to decide for themselves, it is all about bringing them up properly
Perhaps it was a “self hate” crime.
And who can McInerney say that to?
Much easier to talk about hate and violence than love and sex.
Therein lies the problem, IMHO.
You can talk to a conflicted teen (which would be 90% of them ok?) about hate and violence and the message is “THAT IS ALL THAT MATTERS,” which is such a lazy and ineffective way out.
Try talking to him/her about their feelings of love and what happens when they get those feelings “down there.” Make YOURSELF comfortable talking about those things.
It’s a tough subject to even broach, and I expect lots of skewed spewing, but maybe someone will get it.
Maybe someone will agree that some of society’s problems are caused by shameful feelings about sex and general sex-negativity.
I look forward to a future with better sex education and a more positive sexual attitude.
I just think that this is such a sad tragedy. I am not gay or a lesbian. But I strongly beleive in equal rights. I was raised in a christian home. But good greive let people live their life the way they wish. I just found out that my best friend is a lesbian, she never wanted to tell me or anyone because she taught we’d love her less. I love her to death, and how she choose to live her is her business. I love her and always will, nothing has changed, we still do the funny silly things we use to. I even had a chance to meet her other friends. Come on people lets change the minds of these arrogant, ignorant people out there. What ever happen to love one another? It is so sad that this boy had to loose his life. This boy Brandon? should get the MAXIMUM sentence. Rest in peace Lawrence King. We hope some good can come from his tragic death.
I always do my best to try and understand what the differences and similarities are between the minds of people in the USA and Europe. I am Dutch and here in The Netherlands we have a long history of gay liberation in the modern times, which began as early as the late forties of the 20th century.
In Holland, too, we have to deal with our own “Fred Phelps’ s” and people of his narrowminded kind. It’s very encouraging to me to see that there are more than enough people out there (and yes, I KNOW that California does not stand for the whole of the USA) who have figured out a way to judge for themselves, without having to throw in long passages from the bible. Bible or Koran, those books never have caused anything but war and trouble among people around the world, from the Crusades in the middle ages to the present fatwa’s.
I had my difficult coming out in the late sixties when I was already nineteen years old, and I WISH I could relive my puberty years , knowing and feeling what I know and feel today.
I’m not gay myself although some of my best friends have been BUT for all the homophobic Bible thumpers out there please remember Jesus also said as he halted an execution ” Let he who is WITHOUT SIN caste the first stone!”
Religious fundementalism makes people twisted to the point that they think they have the power to decide who lives and who dies. They pass this idea on to their kids who also become just as twisted & hateful.
Tolerance is what we must practice if the human race is to survive.
Live and let live!
Gary from February 14th entry,
So I suppose you CHOSE to be openly heterosexual? Or are you just being who you are? Choosing to be openly gay is the most absurd statement anyone can ever make.
Your quotes from the Bible are also rediculous. Women and men were stoned to death for certain things … does that mean we should do the same now?
You can interpret your quote in many ways … one being that it is sinful to be with anyone without love being present. Get a grip … lets all kill the men and women who cheat on their spouses! Isn’t that an abomination as well … sleeping with another man’s wife?
Get a grip … noone chooses to be gay … did you choose to be straight? It is as internal as having your heart beat in your chest. THINK about it!!!
i just wanted to say thankyou for all this imformation i heard about this on ellens show and i saw a commercial for him on mtv and i think its so sad and so wrong of what that kid did to larry. i will pray for him and anyone who knows him this is a horrible thing and i hope one day there will be peace and gays will have the same rights as straights.
You can’t choose your race NANCY but you can choose who you have sex with. THINK ABOUT IT! DUH
I think it’s important for people to build online tribute pages for the ones we love, so they can live on forever. Right? I just built a page on http://www.nhor.com (National Hall of Records). It’s a great site and they’re having this free campaign right now.Just thought I’d pass the word in case you wanted to post a free tribute too! God Bless You!
Funny to see that were talking about a child that was killed and people start with there nonsence.. I just hope to get some more information from the court trial or any information. Its so hard to get the smallest information about this topic. I wish the family would give more details … so please if anyone has any information please let me know
Lesley – who you have sex with doesn’t make you gay or straight. It’s who you are attracted to and who you WANT to have sex with that determines that, and that you cannot choose. “DUH”
Sure Lesley, you can choose with whom you have sex with. Which is not the same as chosing the gender of the person you fell attracted to.
Or maybe are you in fact claiming that you, as an heterosexal, can even DECIDE to freely choose bedding someone of your own same sex?
A gay person has the same freedom to choose whether to be straight as a straight person to be gay.
And if you really are able to pick your own sexuality, try gay for a change.
“Duh”.
But trying to convince Lesley of the obvious is very low priority right now.
First and foremost let’s not forget Larry King.
There’s nothing I can add to what FruitFly and the rest of the [sane] posters (Rusty for one) have already said. I felt their words as they were my own ones.
where can I obtain a copy of the poem “The Seed” by Averi Laskey? thanks
I’m sorry for Larry, BUT… Gays should not pounce themselves onto straight people and making them feel uncomfortable. Brandon was being taunted in school where he too had to attend EVEYDAY, And even though Larry knew that Brandon was not gay, his taunting following flirting made Brandon feel very uncomfortable, He tried getting help from teachers and such because Brandons friends began picking on him for Larry flirting with him. Brandon being straight started losing his straight friends because of Larry.
Its one thing to be gay, BUT its another to destroy a straight mans life by throwing yourself at him.
======Edited by the Fruit Fly ===
TSK TSK TSK!! Those dirty gay folks! Oh golly… You can certainly sympathies with the killer on this one – because those “gays” should behave better.
TSK TSK TSK!! Those gays! They should keep in their Closets where they belong! Because if they come Out, and str8 Folks kill them, they’re just asking for it!!
TSK TSK TSK!! Those Gays gotta learn their place in this society!!
Gee – what a bunch of asswipes!!
Close your eyes for just a second and imagine a guy giving you the finger right now.
…Yup! That’s me!!
=================================
This is all such a tradgedy, so many lives ruin over an issue that should not be an issue. Why do so many think that they have the right to decide how anyone else chooses to love?
Maybe Larry acted out in a way that is still socially unaccebtable, but who gave Bandon the idea that killing someone was an accebtable way to deal with a situation, for ANY reason?
I am 56 yo and the older I get, the less I understand why anyone cares who I sleep with?
Lastly, I have only one thing to say to all the bible thumpers and religous fanatics…Judge Not, Least Ye Be Judged!.
“Yes, Lawrence King is dead, and that’s tragic, but should McInery’s life be ruined, forever, because of a dead faggot?”
My sentiments exactly.
mushi:
The short answer “Yes”.
And when we finally get to see gay folks killing str8 folks…or simply being str8 – you can ask the same question all over again.
Ya lame fuck.
FF
Here you go Ruth.
The seed
God grew a garden and planted a seed
And ever so often had to pull out a weed
He cared for that seed oh so much
He knew every hair on its head and such
For this seed was a child who would love and laugh
But the love of a family he’d get only half
He would be a great child but adopted while young
Growing up with maybe your daughter or son
He’d care for the animals, birds, and bugs
If anyone was sad he’d give them hugs
He’d only use the kindest and softest tone
But god knew a secret that to us was unknown
This seeds life was short and would die when still young
But while still alive this seed would have fun
This seeds name was Larry and he was my good friend
And he stayed like that, all the way till the end
Seven pink petals has grown from this seed
It gave seven organs seven people would need
This horrible thing that gave us all strife
Has given seven people the means for there life
by averi laskey
Mwahahaha! The trial judge has allowed the prosecution to go forward with the adult charges. Looks like this piece of trash (McBrandon) will be getting some butt plugging in prison very soon. What a nice ironic twist on our little tale, huh? Kill a gay kid…now you get some gay love/butt plugging of your own. 😀 Mwahahaha. It’s poetic justice. I love it! What comes around goes around, McBrandon….
And to the silly backwards homophobes out there (religious or not): Gays are everywhere! They’re not going anywhere! And they’ll continue coming OUT of the closet, whether ya like it or not! Don’t like it? Tough! Dig a big hole in the ground and jump in.
NEXT!
p.s. On a personal note, i kicked the shyt out of a poor phobe who wanted to start trouble at a gay club last week…oh the poor thing! If it weren’t for security, I woulda smacked its ugly face beyond recognition. It was fun anyway. 😀
[…] sing all four versus from the hymnal.) And I’m sure they’ll have offering services for Brandon McInerney’s legal fees for murdering 15-year old Lawrence King by shooting him assasin…. Then their Sr Pastor Robert Jeffress will undoubtedly stomp up and down the platform yelling and […]
Who will mourn Lawrence King’s death?!
Me and I’m a straight atheist
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