15 year old gay kid, killed

[Kuya]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23847511

OXNARD, Calif. - 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

Police would not discuss McInerney's motive. But the day before the shooting, King told McInerney he liked him, eighth-grader Eduardo Segure told the Ventura County Star.

If King had flirted with the other boy, "that can be very threatening to someone's ego and their sense of identity," said Jaana Juvonen, a psychology professor at the University of California, Los Angeles.

McInerney was jailed on $770,000 bail on an adult murder charge that could put him behind bars for life. Prosecutors also filed a hate-crime enhancement, which could bring three more years if McInerney is found to have acted on the basis of the victim's race, religion, nationality or sexual orientation.

The shooting has galvanized Oxnard, a city of nearly 200,000 people about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Several vigils for King have been held, including a march that drew about 1,000 people to this strawberry-growing section of Ventura County.

A 2005 survey by the Gay, Lesbian, and Straight Education Network found that more than 64 percent of gay and lesbian students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school, and 29 percent said they missed at least a day of school in the previous month out of fear for their safety. The group is holding its annual "Day of Silence" in memory of King on April 25.

Can you really blame the kid? All this talk of tolerance and acceptance, and yet homosexuality is constantly labeled whether consciously or not as bad. The kid's reaction reflects the exact same kind of fear that many males possess of being considered gay, hence i do really hope the media doesn't spin this on the kid having psychological problems, when in reality this problem is still prevalent, it's obvious when you hear every day conversation in today's western world. You hear the words gay and other words associated with it constantly used in a perjorative sense, and god forbid you ever present any feminine demeanor as a male. Teenage life simply amplifies social realities, it's not just something that's only present there or something that happend because kids/teenagers are immature.

Also, on a less related note, i'm starting to find it ridiculous how legally one is an adult at the age of 18, yet for some reason, we can arbitrarily decide to charge a minor as an adult if we consider the crime big enough. As if murder is something that is beyond a kid's capabilities/imagination, that if one commits it, it suddenly makes him all grown up, but only in the case of going to jail for life. Good fucking going, ruin the lives of two families now why don't you. I now patiently await for the heterosexual and homosexual community to miss the fucking point of this terrible event.

[Jefe]

One less homo we have to deal with, carry on.

[Tyche]

I'd shoot Larry King too. I can't stand that dude

[Richybear]

...... Coming from the person with a Linkin Park album name.
Die in a bucket of SARS

[Mizango]

Think of the suspenders!


Nah, but thats fucked up though because we all know;"very threatening to someone's ego and their sense of identity," is complete justification for murder. He should be stoned.

[Woozie]

I'd shoot Larry King too. I can't stand that dude

Beat me to it. I was going to say "THEE Larry King got killed!?"

[Correction]

This is why enforcing the dress code and imposing school uniforms are important.

Middle schools that allow jewelry, makeup and high heels on campus? You kidding me? Why not just send your kid out with a big 'I hate niggers' sandwich board on while you're at it?

[Woozie]

Think of the suspenders!


Nah, but thats fucked up though because we all know;"very threatening to someone's ego and their sense of identity," is complete justification for murder. He should be stoned.

I don't think they were trying to claim that this justified the murder (or at least I hope that's not what they were saying). I think the professor was just pointing out that Larry King's actions can spark aggression in others. I'm sure everyone agrees that there was NO justification for murdering the guy.

[Belkin]

Maybe the school shouldn't have let him come with make up, earrings and high heels on...That just is not right for children that age -.-

[Jefe]

...... Coming from the person with a Linkin Park album name.
Die in a bucket of SARS

ROLF, you mean Meteora? That place in Greece, the place which means "high above," liek in over the zenith (tip: read loaction)? Linkin park, please go educate yourself.

And my previous post was a critique, in today's society you can pretty much replace "homo" to w/e you want, that's the grim reality.

[Maxxthepenguin]

This is why enforcing the dress code and imposing school uniforms are important.

Middle schools that allow jewelry, makeup and high heels on campus? You kidding me? Why not just send your kid out with a big 'I hate niggers' sandwich board on while you're at it?

What in this made it so that he deserved to be killed?

...... Coming from the person with a Linkin Park album name.
Die in a bucket of SARS

ROLF, you mean Meteora? That place in Greece, the place which means "high above," liek in over the zenith (tip: read loaction)? Linkin park, please go educate yourself.

And my previous post was a critique, in today's society you can pretty much replace "homo" to w/e you want, that's the grim reality.

A) That reminds me of the guy who claimed he was called Sephiroth before FFVII came out.

B) What a pathetic 'critique'.

[Krye]

Kid was asking for it.

[Maguspk]

Why does it seem so common a case that gay individuals feel the need to take on traditionally female characteristics. For one, it makes no sense and it really just reinforces the gender dress of women and men, and I guess the ignorant thing to do is to say I am taking on a traditionally female role(trying to attract/being attracted to males) so I better take on as many other traditionally female roles as possible in addition.

Kid getting shot isn't right no matter what the situation, not trying to justify it, just pointing out something weird.

[Kuya]

Middle schools that allow jewelry, makeup and high heels on campus? You kidding me? Why not just send your kid out with a big 'I hate niggers' sandwich board on while you're at it?

Maybe the school shouldn't have let him come with make up, earrings and high heels on...That just is not right for children that age -.-

Wow, amazing, two replies that get right down to the root of the problem.


We need stricter dress codes.

[Correction]

Don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say he deserved to be killed.

But none of the schools I went to would even allow girls to wear makeup, earrings and high heels at age 15. That this kids parents were okay with that and that the school didn't put a stop to it should be examined as possible reasons he was bullied to death. When the warning signs of conflict at school are this fucking obvious, I can't put this kid in the same camp as Matt Shepard.

[ninjafox]

HOW THE HELL ARE THESE KIDS GETTING A HOLD OF GUNS?!!

[Maxxthepenguin]

Why does it seem so common a case that gay individuals feel the need to take on traditionally female characteristics. For one, it makes no sense and it really just reinforces the gender dress of women and men, and I guess the ignorant thing to do is to say I am taking on a traditionally female role(trying to attract/being attracted to males) so I better take on as many other traditionally female roles as possible in addition.

Kid getting shot isn't right no matter what the situation, not trying to justify it, just pointing out something weird.

That's something I've never quite understood myself. Even more befuddling to me is people who identify themselves as 'transgender.' I just wonder whats wrong with being a guy who likes guys and has interests usually identified by women. Why not redefine male or female for yourself.

HOW THE HELL ARE THESE KIDS GETTING A HOLD OF GUNS?!!

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

[Woozie]

HOW THE HELL ARE THESE KIDS GETTING A HOLD OF GUNS?!!

It's not even remotely hard >.>

When I was growing up most of my friends had guns. People used to show off their guns in the locker rooms at school. I could have easily gotten a gun on my own, but chose not to.

[Kuya]

Don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say he deserved to be killed.

But none of the schools I went to would even allow girls to wear makeup, earrings and high heels at age 15. That this kids parents were okay with that and that the school didn't put a stop to it should be examined as possible reasons he was bullied to death. When the warning signs of conflict at school are this fucking obvious, I can't put this kid in the same camp as Matt Shepard.

He wasn't bullied to death, the kid was shot because he told the same teenager who shot him that he liked him.

[Ace-o-fire]

The fact that in middel school they let the kid get away with makeup and earings is just astonding.

Maybe highschool that would be allowed, but middel fucking schoolm i think not.

Also that kid knew he was going to get the shit kick out of him one day. If you flirt with kids who make fun of you it only makes them pissed.

It's sad he got killed, but now that i know that i dont really care.