Another Gay Teen Killed Yesterday in the United States

Another Gay Teen Killed Yesterday in the United States
by Shane Hensinger
Thu Feb 14, 2008

Yesterday Lawrence King, a 15-year old student at Oxnard High School in Ventura County, California was shot by a fellow student with whom he'd had an ealier "altercation" over the fact that other students perceived him to be gay.

Today Lawrence King was declared brain-dead and placed on a ventilator awaiting the possible donation of his organs. His assailant, another student who was 14-years old, was caught minutes after the shooting and is now in custody.

According to the Los Angeles Times:

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."

"Freaking the guys out." And the response to any perceived threat to a man's masculinity is violence, and not only violence but deadly violence.

Being gay I've gone through my set of trials and tribulations, there isn't a gay person who hasn't. After placing 2nd in state in a diving tournament while in high school I felt confident enough to come out of the closet, at the time I was 17. I was surprised by how well my friend, classmates and teammates took it. But I was also bitterly reminded of the cost of being openly gay when someone spray-painted "fag" on my family's driveway - with an arrow helpfully pointing to our home.

10 - 15 years ago gay teenagers put up with harassment. If may have not condoned but it wasn't condemned, it was the price many thought you should pay for being gay. But today gay youth are coming out earlier and earlier because they don't feel being gay is something to be ashamed of. This is a positive development except when it results in harassment or death - as it did for Lawrence King.

From the LA Times article it appears there was an escalating series of incidents before Lawrence King was shot:

Several students said that a day before the shooting, King and several boys had some kind of altercation during the lunch period.

And again we're reminded of the dangers gay students and youth face in America's schools:

A student thought to be gay was five times as likely to be threatened or injured by a weapon, a 2002 California Department of Education study said.

And at the same time this violence takes place the right-wing, seconded by the Republican party, actively opposes efforts to teach tolerance or to actively prohibit anti-gay bullying. In essence their position is that maybe a beating or two might set a kid "straight." They may not put it in those terms but that's the message they're sending - that to beat up, harass or kill someone because they're gay is not going to be condemned.

I am infuriated by this case and by the fact that when a gay youth decided to be honest about who he is he's met with violence and harassment and in this case - death. If these kinds of incidents don't wake politicians and school officals up to this problem then I don't know what will.

[link to dailykos.com]

[link to www.latimes.com]

Another Gay Teen Killed Yesterday in the United States
by Shane Hensinger
Thu Feb 14, 2008



Secondly, how often is that a provable hate crime?

I am sorry for the teens family, but this story is obviously meant to insight.

OH WELL HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN STRAIGHT GOD DONT LIKE THAT SHIT

While I don't agree with homosexuality, I do think it is sad that people will do something like this over a person's being that way. There's a big difference between judging the person and judging the act, and unfortuantely often times it seems like many can't distinguish between the two.

Another Gay Teen Killed Yesterday in the United States
by Shane Hensinger
Thu Feb 14, 2008



Secondly, how often is that a provable hate crime?

I am sorry for the teens family, but this story is obviously meant to insight.


first of all, learn to spell, incite not insight.

second, provable? If sufficient federal and state resources were available many more hate crimes would be identifiable and provable.

I'm sure the man can answer for himself without your interjections.

If I didn't know any better I would think you an advocate for this type of behavior.

By that I mean, anyone who doesn't appear to be normal should all be shot, because the shock value is too great for anyone to take. After all the human mind is so fragile it can only be stimulated so much before a mental breakdown can occur, right?

So just murder the bastards because they dare to do something reserved for others, is that it?





I DIDN'T MAKE ANY SUGGESTIONS, SO I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO CLUE WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. WE ARE BOTH USING ENGLISH, BUT IT'S CLEAR THA THERE'S NO COMMUNICATION GOING ON.

PEOPLE WHO PROJECT ONTO OTHERS ARE REALLY DESPERATE TO DO WHAT THEY PROJECT.

THIS CAN ON FOREVER YOU KNOW.

IF YOU DON'T WANT TO BE A TARGET, DON'T PAINT A BULLSEYE ON YOUR ASS, THAT'S A BASIC SURVIVAL STRATEGY. GIRLS DON'T WALK DOWN THE STREET NAKED AT NIGHT AND WONDER WHY THEY GET ASSAULTED AND TEENAGE HIGHSCHOOL BOYS SHOULDN'T WEAR HIGH HEELS AND MASCARA TO CLASS. IT SEEMS KIND OF OBVIOUS.

AND WHOEVER DOES COMMIT ACTS OF VIOLENCE WILL PAY THE PRICE, BUT STOP WITH THIS RIDICULOUS "IT'S BECAUSE I'M GAY" BULLSHIT BECAUSE CLEARLY IF THE KID HAD JUST BEEN A NORMAL PRIVATE PERSON GOING ABOUT HIS BUSINESS, WE WOULDN'T BE HAVING THIS CONVERSATION. HE WANTED THE ATTENTION, HE WANTED TO PROCLAIM HIS LIFESTYLE CHOICE AND MAKE SURE HE WAS IN YOUR FACE ABOUT IT TO EVERYONE WITH A SET OF EYEBALLS AND A PULSE AND HE GOT THE ATTENTION HE WAS SO DESPERATE FOR, ALBEIT OF A DIFFERENT SORT.


Not at all.He was suggesting you should dress as a Klansman, and go cruising the 'hood, and then act real surprised when you get a less than positive reaction.


I'm sure what he REALLY doesn't want is YOUR bullshit "interjections".
Such a sad case you are, whipping out every multi syllabic word you know in the vain hope of bullshitting someone into thinking you have more than rocks in your head.
Keep it simple, stupid.

OH WELL HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN STRAIGHT GOD DONT LIKE THAT SHIT

I guess it's too bad for his family both that a child died and the embarassment of him being a faggot..I am a 47 yr old male very secure in my sexuality and I've had probably a hundred women and I cant understand how any guy can turn down the beauty of a woman's body for something you have yourself..it's as un natural as anything..even bird keep to there own kind sexually and breed but before these faggots was ramming it down my throat whatever just dont talk to me, but when I cant watch a tv show without a faggot being on it makes me sick...I see another season of big brother has more fags..why not good looking lesbians for a change at least it would be eye candy but there is nothing in this world more sickening than gaybo's and especially black one's

I'M STILL WAITING FOR AN APOLOGY, BTW.


You can apologize anytime, it is never too late.

But I think what is more important is finding the source of your anger.


*NOTE TO SELF; GAYS AND THEIR CHAMPIONS HAVE EXTREME DIFFICULTY IN ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY FOR THEIR ERRORS.
TRY NOT TO ENGAGE THEM IN DEBATE AS IT OFTEN TURNS RANCOROUS AND LEADS NOWHERE.*

I guess it's too bad for his family both that a child died and the embarassment of him being a faggot..I am a 47 yr old male very secure in my sexuality and I've had probably a hundred women and I cant understand how any guy can turn down the beauty of a woman's body for something you have yourself..it's as un natural as anything..even bird keep to there own kind sexually and breed but before these faggots was ramming it down my throat whatever just dont talk to me, but when I cant watch a tv show without a faggot being on it makes me sick...I see another season of big brother has more fags..why not good looking lesbians for a change at least it would be eye candy but there is nothing in this world more sickening than gaybo's and especially black one's

Another Gay Teen Killed Yesterday in the United States
by Shane Hensinger
Thu Feb 14, 2008



Secondly, how often is that a provable hate crime?

I am sorry for the teens family, but this story is obviously meant to insight.


first of all, learn to spell, incite not insight.

second, provable? If sufficient federal and state resources were available many more hate crimes would be identifiable and provable.

I guess it's too bad for his family both that a child died and the embarassment of him being a faggot..I am a 47 yr old male very secure in my sexuality and I've had probably a hundred women and I cant understand how any guy can turn down the beauty of a woman's body for something you have yourself..it's as un natural as anything..even bird keep to there own kind sexually and breed but before these faggots was ramming it down my throat whatever just dont talk to me, but when I cant watch a tv show without a faggot being on it makes me sick...I see another season of big brother has more fags..why not good looking lesbians for a change at least it would be eye candy but there is nothing in this world more sickening than gaybo's and especially black one's




Still soo many ignorant "souls" around that think they are very secure in there sexuality, especially having to "say it" and then try to "brag" about how many women they have been with, you are definately being an embarassment to "yourself." I think this poor kids family should be proud of who "he" was and also be proud that he was "NOT" afraid to be himself. People need to learn to have respect for others "No Matter" how different they are or how they look.
As for women go, I love and adore women, I am a gay male and have been out since I was 19. I am 35 now and grew up in a strict mormon family. I was very lucky when I came out, because when I did I had left the Mormon church, my mother and siblings had too. My father was the only one that had not. But My whole family accepted me and "NONE" of them ever felt ashamed of me or embarassed by me. I was one of these kids back in the eighties that was tortured by other kids, just like this kid was. I did not dress girly, I dressed like a "normal" boy, to what ever "normal" is, and I acted like myself. Women were always my closest friends, and back in the junior high years back in the eighties people always saw me as sensitive and in tuned with my emotions. I would definately say back then I did bring on some feminine traits, but you know I was not going around hitting on guys,, I knew I was gay, I have known since I was a very very young kid. I did even make a couple guys friends back in Jr. High and High School, they were stoner dudes and I hung with the stoner crowd that liked heavy metal music, which I Loved heavy metal music and still do, and I was NEVER attracted to my guy friends or even thought about hitting on them, No Way! Anyways getting to my point, I should of been left alone by "the jock guys in school, and a few of the preppy girls-the "popular crowd." They were terrible to me! And now that I have seen that another teen has been killed because he is gay and just being himself, it boils my anger, and it surely did and still does when I think about those guys and how they killed Matthew Shepherd. It is definately time for me to stand up and come out and help young gay teens, give them support and be a big brother to them. They definately still need protecting from such ignorant and angered souls, and I definately plan on protecting them and standing up for them!

And for you, the "human being" who wrote his comments above, "Men" HAVE "Beautiful" bodies, and especially when they have been taken care of and are muscular and sculptured! I can see the beauty in a womens body too, but I am "Not" sexually attracted to them in that manner. It is also more than "just the "sexual act," there yes is the physical attraction to the male human body, but it also is an emotional and spiritual connection that one has with one's kind, and it is "Very" strong, if you connect sexually, and especially if you find the right monogamous partner, there is nothing like it when its your soul connection. So being with the same sex for me is "soooo" very natural and normal, "heterosexuality" as I see it for me and other gay men and lesbians is abnormal for us, people will have to learn that you can not change us. God created us this way, just like god created heterosexuals to be heterosexuals and that is what is norm for them just like being gay and lesbian is norm for us. We are "all" being taught that we are eventually going to live in an all loving world that is completely diverse, this means in our cultural backgrounds too, this is the direction "God" is bringing us all to. The day and time is coming where this is what this earth will be, "unconditional love" and "acceptance" for us all! Peace and love to all of you!

Another Gay Teen Killed Yesterday in the United States
by Shane Hensinger
Thu Feb 14, 2008



Secondly, how often is that a provable hate crime?

I am sorry for the teens family, but this story is obviously meant to insight.


first of all, learn to spell, incite not insight.

second, provable? If sufficient federal and state resources were available many more hate crimes would be identifiable and provable.

Hate crime legislation is a joke.
If you kill someone, you obviously hate them
If you kick the shit out of someone, good chance you might hate them.
All of this was covered under existing laws. Why isn't it a "hate crime" when a black, mexican, or asian kills a white person?. Has any minority EVER been charged of a hate crime against WHITEY?

I thought I was taking enough prescription meds to be completely numb.

Then I read this thread.

Why are there so many hate filled people?

How can you hate people you don't even know based on one thing only?

Do most heterosexual white American men hate everyone who isn't the same as themselves?

It would seem so.

The lack of empathy is astounding. Other people experience pain. I repeat, other people experience pain. Do you not realise this?

Apparently not.

Another Gay Teen Killed Yesterday in the United States
by Shane Hensinger
Thu Feb 14, 2008



Secondly, how often is that a provable hate crime?

I am sorry for the teens family, but this story is obviously meant to insight.


first of all, learn to spell, incite not insight.

second, provable? If sufficient federal and state resources were available many more hate crimes would be identifiable and provable.

Hate crime legislation is a joke.
If you kill someone, you obviously hate them
If you kick the shit out of someone, good chance you might hate them.
All of this was covered under existing laws. Why isn't it a "hate crime" when a black, mexican, or asian kills a white person?. Has any minority EVER been charged of a hate crime against WHITEY?



whites committed the biggest hate crimes and still continue, but society is conditioned to accept a white man's hate crimes

don't give me this shit making you look like the victims

honkey

I thought I was taking enough prescription meds to be completely numb.

Then I read this thread.

Why are there so many hate filled people?

How can you hate people you don't even know based on one thing only?

Do most heterosexual white American men hate everyone who isn't the same as themselves?

It would seem so.

The lack of empathy is astounding. Other people experience pain. I repeat, other people experience pain. Do you not realise this?

Apparently not.