Shooting of Gay Student Sparks Outcry

[nhboy]

"OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — Larry King was a gay eighth-grader who used to come to school in makeup, high heels and earrings. And when the other boys made fun of him, he would boldly tease them right back by flirting with them.

That may have been what got him killed.

On Feb. 12, another student, Brandon McInerney, 14, shot him twice in the head at the back of the computer lab at their junior high school, police say."


"Both teens have been described as good kids."

"The two had at least one thing in common: rough upbringings."

"King had been in foster care at a center for abused and neglected children since November, said Steve Elson, the facility's chief executive. Confidentiality laws prevented him from saying why."

"McInerney's parents accused each other of domestic violence and filed dueling restraining orders, according to court records. Several months before McInerney was born, his father was accused of shooting his mother in the elbow. Kendra McInerney told a local paper she struggled with drug addiction for many years. The couple divorced in 2002."

The Associated Press: Shooting of Gay Student Sparks Outcry

 

[RadioPatrol]

 

[beerlover]

Maybe it wasn't his gayness that got him killed at all, but his constant hawking of Garlique and Welch's Grape Juice....

 

[toppick08]

Maybe it wasn't his gayness that got him killed at all, but his constant hawking of Garlique and Welch's Grape Juice....

 

[Larry Gude]

Oh for crying...

Larry King was a gay eighth-grader who used to come to school in makeup, high heels and earrings.

...out loud. Maybe his parents got him killed? Or, maybe the schools dress code got him killed? Kids aren't allowed to wear certain clothing, including gang type stuff, overly revealing clothing, offensive t shirts and so forth precisely because schools are filled with KIDS; people who, by definition, are not fully mature and who do act irrationally based on things like clothing and perceptions.

Johnny got killed because of the wrong color bandanna. Mary got raped because of her skirt. Eddy got pushed down the stairs and broke his neck because of his t shirt.

No, these are all cases of adults, including parents and administrators and teachers, not exercising enough control over adolescents.

 

[nhboy]

No, these are all cases of adults, including parents and administrators and teachers, not exercising enough control over adolescents.

I agree. In this sad incident it appears that these two boys had no parental support at all.

 

[vraiblonde]

Young Mr. King was obviously being provocative:

Larry King was a gay eighth-grader who used to come to school in makeup, high heels and earrings. And when the other boys made fun of him, he would boldly tease them right back by flirting with them.

I have a hard time feeling sorry for him, given that he was pretty much begging for a peer review. But that doesn't excuse the murderer one little bit and he should be charged without regard to the behavior of the victim.

You have to wonder where the guardians and adults were when all this was going on. But I'm also becoming convinced that there are no adults in California - only older people with arrested development.

 

[kris31280]

We actually discussed this in my sociology class 2 weeks ago.

The arguements were much the same... where were the parents? Wasn't the gay student asking for retaliation because he dressed the way he did? How can this sort of thing be prevented?

This story makes my blood boil and makes me see red in all it's various hues. At what point does it become ok to kill someone simply because you disagree with their lifestyle? At what point does it become an actual thought in the mind of someone and they think it's ok?

Could the boy have been spared had he not "flaunted his apparent gayness"? Sure, probably... but why should he have to hide who he is? Are you going to tell girls they can't wear high heels and make up to school? If you're not going to enforce such a rule with the girls you can't enforce it with the boys.

What is and is not socially acceptable is becoming a blurred line. The only way to prevent such tragedies from happening is to educate and learn to tolerate eachother, differences or no... and parents who are biased against things they do not understand cannot teach it.

It is human nature to destroy what we cannot understand, so the only solution is to educate ourselves and make an attempt to understand.

 

[Lenny]

Are you going to tell girls they can't wear high heels and make up to school? If you're not going to enforce such a rule with the girls you can't enforce it with the boys.

Psssst. He was shot in the head, not the stockings.

 

[edinsomd]

The only way to prevent such tragedies from happening is to educate and learn to tolerate eachother, differences or no... and parents who are biased against things they do not understand cannot teach it.
It is human nature to destroy what we cannot understand, so the only solution is to educate ourselves and make an attempt to understand.

Ooooo, tolerance and diversity! How about understanding social norms, using etiquette and grace, and not taking glee in offensive behavior? If the little flamer wanted to dress up in drag on his own time, most likely no one would care. By taking it to school and indulging in such in-your-face behavior he should have expected an a$$ whupping. The murder is inexcusable, but the blame lies with the foster parents and school staff who tolerated this behavior.
Ed

 

[vraiblonde]

What is and is not socially acceptable is becoming a blurred line. The only way to prevent such tragedies from happening is to educate and learn to tolerate eachother, differences or no... and parents who are biased against things they do not understand cannot teach it.

Oh Kris stop. Social order is important, or we devolve into chaos. It's unnatural to have gender identity issues, and completely natural to be threatened by that which is unnatural. Take a quick peek at the animal kingdom for innate behavior regarding those who are outside the norm.

The kid didn't deserve to die, obviously, but someone should have clued him in that transgenderhood would probably get him some unwanted attention.

 

[ImnoMensa]

We actually discussed this in my sociology class 2 weeks ago.



What is and is not socially acceptable is becoming a blurred line. The only way to prevent such tragedies from happening is to educate and learn to tolerate each other, differences or no... and parents who are biased against things they do not understand cannot teach it.



That's where we disagree IMO toleration for this boys abnormal behavior and educating kids about homosexuality is what caused the problem.

 

[Christy]

That's where we disagree IMO toleration for this boys abnormal behavior and educating kids about homosexuality is what caused the problem.

You all are a mess! How can one even begin to justify the murder of another human being simply because they don't fit what you consider is the "norm".

 

[Baja28]

You all are a mess! How can one even begin to justify the murder of another human being simply because they don't fit what you consider is the "norm".

He prolly had mismatching skirt and top.

 

[RoseRed]

You all are a mess! How can one even begin to justify the murder of another human being simply because they don't fit what you consider is the "norm".

He prolly had mismatching skirt and top.

This is why I don't discuss out here.

 

[Christy]

It wouldn't surprise me one bit if the McInerney kid was having conflicting thoughts with regard to his own sexual orientation which is why the little gay boy freaked him out to the point of putting a bullet in his head.

Psychology 101.

 

[Baja28]

Could the boy have been spared had he not "flaunted his apparent gayness"? Sure, probably... but why should he have to hide who he is? Are you going to tell girls they can't wear high heels and make up to school? If you're not going to enforce such a rule with the girls you can't enforce it with the boys.

What is and is not socially acceptable is becoming a blurred line. The only way to prevent such tragedies from happening is to educate and learn to tolerate eachother, differences or no... and parents who are biased against things they do not understand cannot teach it.

It is human nature to destroy what we cannot understand, so the only solution is to educate ourselves and make an attempt to understand.

I think you should foot the legal fees for the guy who got caught boinking the picnic table. Lets not forget the guy who boinked the dead deer and the fella who raped the wombat (I aint making this stuff up yall). I mean with this blurred socially acceptable line and all. They have rights too. I'm just sayin.

 

[Christy]

the fella who raped the wombat (I aint making this stuff up yall).

Yes you are. You didn't read the article, the man claimed to be raped by the Wombat, not the other way around. He got in trouble because it was essentially a phone prank.

You need some Xanax, the Muslims have you all kinds of crazy in the head these days.

 

[Baja28]

Yes you are. You didn't read the article, the man claimed to be raped by the Wombat, not the other way around. He got in trouble because it was essentially a phone prank.

You need some Xanax, the Muslims have you all kinds of crazy in the head these days.

I didn't read the wombat story!

 

[RoseRed]

Yes you are. You didn't read the article, the man claimed to be raped by the Wombat, not the other way around. He got in trouble because it was essentially a phone prank.

You need some Xanax, the Muslims have you all kinds of crazy in the head these days.