Caroltime’s Weblog

I just read an article in Newsweek that I found deeply disturbing. I highly recommend reading the article and developing your own feelings about it, the article is named: Young, Gay and Murdered.  A young, 14 year old junior high school boy, was murdered by a classmate.  In the classroom.  At gunpoint.  The victim’s name was Larry King.  His killer is Brandon McInerney. 

This is a murder involving a young gay male, Larry, who was open about his sexuality.  So much so that he often would push the envelop and try out women’s clothing, shoes, accesories, flambouyance, attention getting activities to try out his new skin.  He seemed to enjoy the attention.  This in turn caused him to be more outrageous and daring, even walking up to boys he knew were straight and intentionally infering the possibility of a relationship with him.  He even told some inflated truths to get a reaction from people.  This is nothing outside the normal realm of young people finding their way.  They push the limits, that is what this time in their lives is for.  But, with a topic so foreign to those around him, there wasn’t anyone to advise Larry on being street smart when it comes to forcing your lifestyle on others. 

Then there is Brandon, who was repeatedly embarrassed by Larry.  Who himself was probably going through the normal motions of any child, questioning their sexuality.  He had not probably fully figured out his place in the world.  His sexuality to him wasn’t as clear as Larry’s was.  I don’t know if Brandon is/was gay or not.  That’s not really relevant.  I do know that Larry pushed Brandon’s buttons, and it cost him his life.

Both boys were from highly dysfunctional homes.  Larry from abandonment of parents…no wonder he yearned for attention.  And Brandon, who’s father was convicted for assault on a number of occassions.

To me, there are 3 distinct problems here! 

1. Where are the parents in this situation?  Where is the network of those who care around these kids who can see the writing on the wall?  Who is really giving a shit about them without a self promoting reason?

2. Why was Brandon able to access a gun,  bring it into the school (unnoticed), and kill another child without anyone knowing he was armed?

and…

3. With children coming out earlier and earlier in a society that accepts homosexuality better than any society previously, why are there not lectures on this subject?   OH!  I already know the answer.  It’s the same reason that I, as a social worker for an HIV/AIDS program, cannot go into the high schools and talk about the disease…because it involves sex…and that’s taboo!

It’s just a sad, sad situation that both these boys did not have to end up here.  Larry could be alive and know that you have to respect other’s opinion as much as you are allowed to express your own and Brandon would know that violence is never the answer, it only sparks more negativitiy. But instead, one is dead that the other will spend his life in prison.  2 families torn apart, a community left to pick up the pieces, and it could all be prevented if people would just wake up and realize what’s up.  Just stop, take a moment, take your head out of the ground, look around and see…the world has changed.  It is our job as adults to make that change managable for our children.  If we don’t, who will?