Hate Strikes Down a LGBT Junior High School Student in California

In what appears to be yet another tragic story of an LGBT slaying, we are gravely reminded each day just how precious all life is and how some, even in this day and age take their bigotry to a level that instills violence and ultimately kills.

Lawrence, or "Larry" King (15 years old) as he was called by friends and family has encountered and experienced many of the things that other LGBT individuals have had to endure over the course of their childhood and adult lives; ridicule, names, etc.

Having recently pronounced himself to be gay, Larry was often accosted by his classmates at E.O. Green Junior High in Oxnard, California for wearing make-up and nail polish. However, although make-up and nail polish would earn him ridicule, asking Brandon, a fellow classmate to be his valentine would ultimately result in his death days later.

It is extremely unfortunate that in this day and age, Brandon, the very person Larry asked to be his valentine would be so horrified at the prospect that Larry may have had a crush on him that he felt justified in killing Larry in cold blood.  The message that it is OK to kill LGBT individuals is not an OK message and it needs to be changed.  The death of Larry was senseless and the community outcry extremely noticeable.

West Hollywood Mayor John J. Duran, who is himself a gay man and the President of Equality California, the largest LGBT lobbying/advocacy organization on the West Coast noted that "It is disheartening to me and to all of us in the LGBT community that children and adults alike cannot be safe from harassment and violence because of who we are as people."  "We join the hundreds of students in Oxnard who turned out last week to mourn Lawrence King and take a stand against violence," he continued.

Mayor Pro Tempore Jeffrey Prang even came out to note that "despite the many advances that have been achieved to protect gays and lesbians against discrimination and the changing attitude of Americans about the LGBT community we are reminded in the wake of this terrible tragedy that there is still profound hatred in our country."

Other statements from community leaders also continued to pour out throughout the day which included West Hollywood Councilmember John Heilman who noted that "this killing is a reminder to us of how much work we still need to do to eradicate bigotry and hatred towards members of the LGBT community," and "I am deeply saddened by the death of this young kid, who had so much life to live," said Councilmember Sal Guarriello. "This bigotry and intolerance must come to an end and parents and the entire community need to pay serious attention to discrimination and hate. All of us must speak up against these heinous crimes,"

West Hollywood Councilmember Abbe Land also took the opportunity to note that "Not a single one of us ought to be the victim of a violent crime for simply being who we are. In Lawrence's memory, we must continue to work together to prevent hate crimes and put an end to the bigotry that perpetuates them,"