CNN Cuts Gay Teen Killing From Cooper Podcast

Last night, Anderson Cooper announced on his 360 blog that Monday night's show was going to focus on a story that hadn't received the attention it deserved. He was talking about the murder of Lawrence King, a 15 year-old who was shot in the head by a 14 year-old classmate two weeks ago in California. Shortly before his death, King had come out of the closet and had begun to modify his dress to reflect his sexuality. As a result, he was subjected to homophobic slurs all through his final days.

Cooper is appalled that parents and teachers hadn't taken this bullying seriously:

According to many accounts he had been bullied repeatedly, and some parents have even claimed students knew of threats to Lawrence's life... If this had been an African-American student bullied by a teenage skinhead would it have received more attention?

Would school officials have taken it more seriously if it had been a Christian campus leader attacked by another student because of his/her religious beliefs? I don't have the answers to those questions, but I do think they are worth asking.

Cooper says that his show is going to be looking into the facts surrounding King's murder, and bring on board Dr. Charles Sophy, the medical director of the LA County Department of Children and Family Services. Wonderful! That sounds interesting. I immediately rushed to CNN's site and downloaded a podcast of last night's show. The clip included routine coverage of the impending elections, a section on Ralph Nader, North Korea, and a 4 year-old who sings the Beatles. But Lawrence King and the tragic, confusing circumstances surrounding his death were conspicuously absent.

Now, I realize that when one cuts an hour-long show down to 24 minutes and 27 seconds, some sacrifices must be made. As a former trainee correspondent at CNN's Indian Broadcasting Network (CNN IBN) in New Delhi, I am well aware of the effort that goes into making sure that every show is a balance of serious and feel-good stories. But honestly, excluding this murder from your podcast while giving ample room to a kid singing in his underwear (not to mention the never ending banter between Cooper and Erica Hill)? This, after having just blogged about how the story has been ignored by the press? That's a terrible lapse of judgment.

Here is the 10 minute clip on King that was cut from the official podcast:

Comments

[NABNYC]

Our country engages in almost nonstop war against other countries, stealing their resources, staging phony coups, training death squads to assassinate those we do not like. We now force schools to turn over the records of all our children to the Pentagon so they can zero in on the ones least likely to succeed (i.e. the poor and minority) and target them for recruitment into the military.

And we wonder why children kill?

In this particular case, the 14 year old boy who did the killing is a victim of domestic violence which began before he was born, and has continued throughout his life.

Both of his parents are reportedly drug addicts and alcoholics. Daddy had been arested for violence against mommy many times, including that time he shot her. Yet despite this substance abuse and armed violence, this kid was left with these people to be raised.

Surprise surprise. You plant a kid inside a home with drug addicts and alcoholics, and guns, with violence and shooting, and how does the kid turn out?

Yes, he's being tried as an adult. All the Republicans will cheer the thought of this little boy being raped by male prisoners for the rest of us life. We like punishment.

What we unfortunately fail to do is to stop domestic violence. We have no national commitment to helping the victims of substance abuse and violence. We leave little children in homes to be raised and abused by psychotics, then we tsk tsk when they turn out badly.

No alcoholic or drug addict should ever be allowed to have a child in their home unless they pee in a cup weekly and test clean.

No person involved in domestic violence against another should ever be allowed to have a child in their home absent strict monitoring.

This is really a really tragic story, but it's got little to do with gays, and a lot to do with alcoholism, drug addiction, violence, and a society that spends all its money killing people in other countries, and spends no money or effort trying to protect our own children.

[SouthJerseySteve]

I blame the school and the shooter's parent(s). As in the Movie/Broadway show "South Pacific" and in real life, kids are taught to hate--bigotry is not a natural trait and we are all guilty for this rage against people are are not White, straight, married Christians.

[fcsakes]

And the teachers and staff knew this bullying was going on? Surely they share responsibility for this murder.

The kid that pulled the trigger? He needs to rot in jail.

[kroses98]

This is infuriating! I saw the piece on the 360 program, and it was horrifying! It is so difficult to watch the never-ending, Cooper/Hill, ridiculous so-called "banter," however, that I become irritated every time she comes on his program. I had the same thought that "amberglow" had when I read the article. CNN is not known for its bravery, or for its progressivism. That's why I rarely watch it, and will now watch it even less!!!

[LeftLeanWing]

*
King had come out of the closet and had begun to modify his dress to reflect his sexuality.
*

As a gay male, I can't tell you with some expertise that most gay men don't modify their style to 'match their sexuality'. King matched his clothing style to match his identity, which just happen to be more feminine. Those that identify feminine are a small subgroup within the gay community.

Now, he could have just as well been into the hyper-masculine identifying and appeared in jeans, boots and a black leather jacket and look more like your typical biker dude. Or he could have just joined the football or wrestling teams instead, .

I think it just a perpetuated stereotype that most gay men are either feminine or fussy little ninnies.

[mckinley]

Good point, Left, I was thinking the same thing.

[SouthJerseySteve]

Most people are "shocked" to learn I'm gay... I am a chubby 'bear cub' type who is not too masculine, not too feminine, so I don't fit anyone's so-called stereotype, and I like it that way just fine.

[klmebane]

so the kid is old enough to kill someone because he hates them but not old enough to be charged as an adult?? so there is no age limit on hate, but there is one on legal responsibility and an ability to see a consequence to ones actions? he's too young to understand that killing is wrong, but from birth he knows to hate them fags. hmm, that seems a little off to me.

and, as far as i am aware, the federal government refused to pass a law that would include members of the LGBT community in the hate crimes statutes, allowing them to be considered a group that can be discriminated against (essentially making discrimination and hate based on LGBT issues legal or at least NOT punishable by law). so you can't fire me for being black, female, or muslim, but find out i like to munch carpet and its all over!

[jcutbirth]

O amberglow. That is nonsense. Anderson Cooper is not "a closet case." Everybody knows he's gay, and frankly nobody cares. He doesnt deny it, so let him be. Only petty jealous people write bullshit like that. Grow up.

[amberglow]

you're surprised that a closet case didn't push this story or ensure it got online? get real--he's terrified of being outed -- and even fakes flirting, and being interested in whatever stupid t&a they show on his awful excuse for a show.

Bring back Aaron Brown.

[pooka]

I miss Aaron Brown, too.

[nyc251]

I give credit for 360 for giving national attention to the Lawrence King story in the first place. Why quibble over a podcast? I realize HuffPo and its readers are all about criticizing Anderson Cooper and his show as often as humanly possible, but this is just silly.

And another thing, Aaron Brown is not coming back. Get over it!

[frozenporklander]

Thanks for bring this to our attention. It sounds like the killer's lawyers are laying the seeds for a "gay panic" defense. Blame the victim....