Young, Gay and Murdered

Although it is important to understand the background of the relationship between Larry and Brandon, I worry that this article could be used to argue that Larry "had it coming." Larry may have been going overboard with his flamboyancy, or it may have just been who he was. I believe that it is near impossible for anyone to be entirely sure of their sexuality before 14-15, they may have an inkling before that age, but they, as well as heterosexual children, shouldn't really go out and start aggressively hitting on people and trying to get dates. At such an age, children are not capable of creating a healthy and safe relationship; I say that from personal experience. I do feel for Larry's father who sees the use of Larry's death as a rally call. His story isn't a call-to-arms for civil rights activists. Larry's story is only being used to draw attention to the lack of sexual education and acceptance is today's schools, and the lack of communication on teenage sexuality and the school systems. Schools avoid this topic, because it is controversial and to have any kind of fruitful discussion is going to cause anger in people on either side of the issue. We need better education in schools, a better explaination to students. An explaination that can help them understand who they are, or give them guidance.

In the end, I hope that people don't lose sight of the main point of this story. A child was murdered by another child for being different and for going against the "norm" of his age, and the murderer, a 14 year old, is now about to go to jail for most of the remainder of his life. This is a double tragedy, both of these boys face(d) an ending they do not deserve. Larry didn't deserve to die, Brandon does NOT deserve to spend the rest of his life in jail; he is too young to be charged as an adult.

read the Newsweek story, and it did not disrespect or criticize Larry King. As a crime victim advocate, I commend the article as being well-written and thorough. We cannot begin to grasp the enormity of the crime unless we begin to understand the background of the victim. In criminology, this is known as "victimology." It does not demean any victim of any crime, but anyone looking into a crime must understand the motivational factors behind it, and must have a thorough understanding of the victim. Nothing in the Newsweek story impugned the reputation of Larry - but simply identified who he was and his background, and his 'issues.' If you took offense to that, then you have the problem and not Larry. The Newsweek story gives us all a better understanding of who Larry was, but does not lessen our love, or sense of loss for his life. I commend Newsweek for researching and printing the story, and giving it the prominence it does.

read the Newsweek story, and it did not disrespect or criticize Larry King. As a crime victim advocate, I commend the article as being well-written and thorough. We cannot begin to grasp the enormity of the crime unless we begin to understand the background of the victim. In criminology, this is known as "victimology." It does not demean any victim of any crime, but anyone looking into a crime must understand the motivational factors behind it, and must have a thorough understanding of the victim. Nothing in the Newsweek story impugned the reputation of Larry - but simply identified who he was and his background, and his 'issues.' If you took offense to that, then you have the problem and not Larry. The Newsweek story gives us all a better understanding of who Larry was, but does not lessen our love, or sense of loss for his life. I commend Newsweek for researching and printing the story, and giving it the prominence it does.

The tone that this author took is unbelievable. Seems like this article blames the kid for expressing himself. Kids should be taught diversity and tolerance from an early age. I think the most offensive part in here is "they are playing grown-up without fully knowing what that means". So, it is ok for hetero kids to "play" at their sexuality, but one must be a grown-up to express homosexual identity? This is below the standards that I am used to with Newsweek. For shame.

I feel devastated after reading this article, not only for Larry's sad death and the life that Brandon so foolishly squandered, but for the unbelievable tone that author takes in "reporting" this tragedy. The suggestion that Larry's self-expression somehow endangered those around him is disgusting. Perhaps the child was provocative and a little precocious, but what 14 or 15 year old is not overcome with budding or more likely even developed feelings of sexuality? The idea that Larry's asking a boy to be his Valentine is somehow seen as "terrorizing" to to Brandon is unbelievable! Teenagers have crushes, gossip about crushes, tease each other about crushes every day. Imagine the strength it must have taken Larry to walk down those halls everyday, whether dressed effeminately or not, while being constantly abused by classmates. What these kids need is better exposure to diversity education and conflict resolution, not condemnation when a misfit expresses him or herself in a way that makes some in the community uncomfortable. I really feel sick to my stomach from the author's innuendo that Larry brought him on himself -- it's just feels like blaming a rape victim for wearing a short skirt or a low cut top. I'm appalled at Newsweek for giving such an important story such a tabloid spin.

This was pre-meditated murder. Why is the death-penalty not being considered? He is being tried as an adult and there are aggravating circumstances. Could it be that the prosecutor doesn't think he/she can get a conviction if the death-penalty is possible?

l

when I read this article I was sad for both boys. What type of society allows this kind of thing to happen to kids? Larry was a child and he thought that by flirting he was getting back at bullies and true might have been disruptive in order to get attention, but on the other hand Brandon could think of nothing, not the fact that taking a life carries heavier consequences than he was willing to pay, other than proving to his friends that he was not gay. What kind school has adults in place that could not recognize this???

Larry bullied Brandon? Or Larry fought back? The question isn't academic. Typical school administrations crack down at least ten times as hard on those who dare to dare to fight back against bullying as they do on the bullies themselves. The message is clear. If you're getting bullied, you have no right to fight back, and if you do, we'll come down on you -- hard. So what if Larry chose to retaliate through methods that involved flirting? It's not like anyone else in the school (or among the commentators) was ever going to help Larry. If someone's getting bullied, and you don't like the way they resist it, but you don't want to actually help the victim... then maybe you should keep your objections to yourself.

Or, alternatively, you could do the unthinkable and just admit you don't care about the victims of bullying.

And if this sounds crazy, read the NY Times article on bullying, and especially the comments section. No one who endured bullying will think what I've said is anything less than realistic.

I think that people need to educate their children more about the fact that there are gay,bi and trans gender people in schools I came out as a bisexual in 9th grade of highschool and delt with alot of bullshit in class and my teacher put me out but I didnt care because I know who I am and I am proud of it!!! And I am and will always be proud of Larry and any other teen or adult who comes out!!!

Reprehensible and nauseating article. I agree 100% with Sara Whitman's take:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sara-whitman/newsweeks-hate-crime_b_114515.html

I can remember being in middle school, how important it was to fit in and how painful it was to be ridculed. I can only imaging how hard going to school everyday was for both these kids. There is no justification for what Brandon did, but I can certainly sympathize with Brandon's frustrations. There are so many reason why this happened. This shouldn't be reduced to a hates crime debate (for all we know Brandon could have been gay himself and just wanted to stop Larry from revealing his dark secret?!?) School administrators should look at this and come up with a plan that deals with bullying of all types not just gay-straight. I think it is wrong for people to think that Brandon did not feel bullied by Larry. I am gay and I can see this story from both sides. And no this is not self-loathing, or excusing Brandon (he should be held accountable for what he did, but I also think he should be tried as a juvenlie) this needs to be the wake up call all schools need to do more about recognizing bullying and giving emotional support to those who might need it (gays, nerds, geeks, short people, there are so many reasons people are bullyied).

I can remember being in middle school, how important it was to fit in and how painful it was to be ridculed. I can only imaging how hard going to school everyday was for both these kids. There is no justification for what Brandon did, but I can certainly sympathize with Brandon's frustrations. There are so many reason why this happened. This shouldn't be reduced to a hates crime debate (for all we know Brandon could have been gay himself and just wanted to stop Larry from revealing his dark secret?!?) School administrators should look at this and come up with a plan that deals with bullying of all types not just gay-straight. I think it is wrong for people to think that Brandon did not feel bullied by Larry. I am gay and I can see this story from both sides. And no this is not self-loathing, or excusing Brandon (he should be held accountable for what he did, but I also think he should be tried as a juvenlie) this needs to be the wake up call all schools need to do more about recognizing bullying and giving emotional support to those who might need it (gays, nerds, geeks, short people, there are so many reasons people are bullyied).

What a sad story, that so many people seem to be missing the real point (although I think the writer certainly got it!) This story isn't about homosexuality, being straight, coming out, religion or anything like it. It's about 2 boys who were seriously let down by the system (i.e. the "adults" who were either too unaware how to help, too afraid because of a very lawsuit driven system in the US or just too uncaring to do anything!) Larry was bullied for many years, and was basically left to "work it out himself!" He did so, by becoming loud, boisterous, and even in some ways getting even with the children who made fun of him. He was crying out for help to negotiate a world that is hard for any child that age, and had become socially inappropriate, in that he stepped on the other children's rights in the process! Just like an autistic child is taught that flapping in public is socially inappropriate, and is frequently given more socially appropriate means to self stim (or told to go to a private place), so too should Larry have received the counseling and help that he so desperately was crying out for to teach him to "tone things down", and to teach him more socially appropriate ways to deal with the bullying (again, I am not saying anything about homesexuality or heterosexuality, but about socially appropriate interactions between human beings.) If Larry had been hitting on a girl the way he was hitting on Brandon, the school and the parents of the girl would have been taking a completely different stand, as it was sexual harrassment and bullying (yes...bullied children can turn to bullying themselves a s a means of "dealing with the problem themselves!)

So, then there's Brandon, who was sick and tired of being let down by a school and adults who would do nothing to help him, either. Again, he was left to "work it out himself". Having, obviously been taught by his father that using is a gun is the only way to self defense (and of course, having one available), he also dealt with the bullying and sexual harrassment in his own way.

Now one bullied child is dead, and another bullied child is being tried as an adult. This will keep happening over and over and over again, unless schools and administration are more willing to learn to identify at risk children, get more personal training to help such children, start social skills training at a younger age (many children have no idea how to socialize and interact properly any more than other children cannot pick up a math textbook and teach math to themselves!). It will also continue unless the adults in the schools stop being so scared of retribution, and start helping the children who are crying out for help! Trudy

The only way that Brandon could be seen as victim is that he is a sad victim of the disgusting culture that perpetuates the notion that homosexuality is immoral, wrong or even vile, to the point that a gay child deserves to die for the mere action of expressing interest in a classmate of the same sex. Now, Brandon's life will be marred forever for an action that is despicable, an action he committed because of homophobic sympathizers, like the author, that suggest that there was in anyway provocation of the action.

I'm sorry, but there is nothing young or old, mature or naive, black or white about being homosexual, more than there is about being heterosexual. The average age of self-identification maybe listed as 13.4 for gay children, but what is the age of self-identification as heterosexual? It doesn't exist, no study has ever occured, because for straight children, sexual development occurs on a gradual scale. Personally, the first vaguely sexual thought I can remember came at about 8, though there's no guarantee that it was the first, and sexual maturity came gradually. But that has no bearing on the nature of Larry's openness with his sexuality. Being openly gay was not playing with fire, dealing with notions above his age. Larry had absolutely the right to be open with himself and others about who he was. And he had the right to express himself in any way that he saw fit in his clothing and demeanor, so long as it fit into any predetermined school rules that were applied fairly and equally to all the students, gay or straight.

The long and short of it is that there is no excuse for murder, barring the possibility of self-defense or other extenuating circumstances. Brandon's acts were clearly premeditated and his decisions were made in cold blood. I reject any vicitimizing of Brandon's actions, there is no provocation that can warrant murder - I don't care how Larry might have come on to Brandon. There were mature ways of handling the situation (being firm and direct with Larry in rejection, notifying a teacher or administrator if it continued afterward). Considering your conjecture that 14 and 15 year olds are incapable of maturity and civility (well, to be fair you only stated that Larry, the homosexual, was dealing with things above his maturation), there were many immature ways that Brandon could have concieveably handled the situation. Use of force, whether it be just a shove, or something more serious, against Larry couldn't be condoned either, but it certainly stops short of what actually happened. Instead, Brandon chose cold-blooded, predetermined, calculated murder; of which he knew the consequences, because they are instilled far before the middle school age.

Whatever you, or anyone, thinks about the matter, schools need to be ready to handle homosexuality at any stage of life, because it is a person's right to come out whenever he or she feels most comfortable to do so, regardless of what time it is convenient for a school's counseling system to handle it. I'm sorry, but I won't be reading past your first page, because already the pretext you've created to build that Larry King could have any guilt in his own murder is so offensive it is sickening.

This article reads as if blame is to be placed on both Larry and Brandon, which perhaps is one of the most disrespectful notions I've ever heard. It doesn't matter who taunted whom, Brandon performed a monstrous act, and any 14 year-old is cognizant enough to know that murdering someone else is unacceptable. Setoodeh did an abysmal job writing an article with any journalistic decency; there might be other factors that affected the situation, but Brandon has 100% of the responsibility for his actions, a point which Setoodeh neatly omits.

UPDATE: The young killer will be tried as an adult! Thank the justice system for doing what is right. I knew what was right and wrong at the age of 15 and one of them was killing someone for no reason other than self-defense.
A gay boy who was not afraid of being who he was, had a crush on this boy, was killed because of it and having people find that to be "ok" is no different than saying a female who flaunts her sexuality deserves to be raped. I am appalled that anyone finds it ok to shoot anyone, particularly a child. For those who think Brian is misunderstood and couldn't handle the fact a gay person liked him, imagine what went through Larry King's mind as his mind told him he was gay and was going to be taunted and teased for the rest of his life, but continued to be who he was in a proud way, rather than hide in a closet and die.