Newsweek's Hate Crime

I am stunned by an article put out by Newsweek, "Young, Gay and Murdered". At best, it is poor journalism, at it's worst, it is a hate crime in itself, paving the way for a "gay panic" defense for the kid who pulled the trigger.

Remember? Larry King was killed? Shot point blank in the head?

Read the article and you'll be informed that in fact, Larry was the problem. He was always the problem. And while kids are experimenting with sexuality at younger and younger ages overall, being gay is dangerous. Heterosexual play is fine but, "Kids may want to express who they are, but they are playing grown-up without fully knowing what that means."

What does that mean?

The article is one of the poorest forms of journalism I've ever read. If it is an Opinion piece, okay, but to write "Even as homosexuality has become more accepted, the prospect of being openly gay in middle school raises a troubling set of issues" and to state it as fact?

To whom? The author? Is he an expert?

I can go on and on about this piece -- and I will -- but for today I am so deeply troubled by yet another piece of crappy, sensationalist reporting that is only geared towards selling magazines. It is obviously too boring and too common to focus on a 15 year old boy who snuck a gun into school and blew off another kid's head. A kid with drug abusing parents, with divorce and lack of parental supervision. A kid with an obsession with Hilter.

I know, been there, done that. No one wants to read that story.

Instead, let's focus on the victim. Let's dissect homosexuality at a young age. Not all kids sexuality, not all kids experimentation at younger and younger ages, but homosexuality.

Young, Gay and Murdered. Lesbian assistant principal suspected of a "gay agenda." King's troubled past leading him to a group home placement shrugged off as a minor event in a series of his own trouble causing.

As if kids get taken out of homes because they "accuse" their parents of hitting them. Another top notch effort of reporting, the adoptive father gets to simply say, "Not true," and that's it.

Because it's really about this bad boy, who wore girls clothes, got what he deserved. Homosexuality was the evil here. Playing "grown up" without knowing it could get you killed.

The article takes a kid who is dead and reports how he asked for it?

That, in my opinion, is a hate crime.

Comments

[got2Bkidding]

What does an 8 year old kid know about "coming out"? Why does an 8 year old kid even understand what the heck being "gay" is? How does an 8 year old kid already know he prefers boys, sexually?
Does an 8 year old (on their own) understand sexuality?

I'm sorry, I know it's a terrible thing. No matter how you look at it.
But I've only got one question...

What the heck was going on in this kids house?

[SBrooksB]

In retrospect, I can trace the first stirrings of my own sexual orientation to to age six. Most of my gay male friends say that they, too, were aware of their orientation from a very early age. At the risk of boring everyone who already knows this, sexual orientation is hard-wired. You're straight, gay, or bi.

[charlot]

Absolutely. I, a 41 year old gay man, remember as early as kindergarten, thinking other boys were "cute." I didn't know anything about sex, or sexualtiy, or what those things even meant. I just knew that being with boys made me feel "something," and that I always wanted to touch them and not girls (not sexually, of course, just "playfully"). I learned very early, and very quickly, how little boys were supposed to act, what little boys should and shouldn't say....and thus began a decades-long journey of self-loathing and self-censorship, employing to an extreme degree that filter that made sure I trained myself not to ever do or say the wrong things, or to behave in a certain matter, etc. Once I came out and accepted myelf, I spent the next couple of decades trying to undo that. So to anyone who says people "become" gay, I say, "You are a fool."

[truthskr]

I'm a 33 year old lesbian who knew I was gay for as long as I can consciously rememeber. I KNEW I was gay, and had a word for it - lesbian - by the time I was about 6. Sexuality, like gender, is something that you are largely born with. This is why you have children who are conciously aware that they are gay (or straight), whether or not they choose to acknowledge it, or know that they have gender identify issues and may act or dress accordingly.

From what I understand, my partner read the article and we were talking about it at length yesterday, is that this child may have had other issues at play, such as attachment disorder, that had nothing to do with his sexuality, but may have played a role in any inappropriate behavior he may have exhibited. Still, none of this excuses any attack on his person, and certainly not murder.

Let me ask you something - do you take your children to church? If so, why? If you don't believe that children can even consciously understand themselves, or their inherent sexuality, at a young age, why do you think that they can understand complex issues of spirituality? Or are you just hoping to nurture (as opposed to nature) them into it as you think you will their sexuality?

[NoSillyName]

I read the article a few days ago. Very, very sad story. I don't think the Newsweek writers were blaming Larry; they were quoting from the people involved. The school administration is way off base with their "tolerance policy" IMO. Why would they allow any child, regardless of gender, to teeter around the school grounds on "stilettos"? That is inappropriate for any child in any school unless they're putting on a play.I guess they don't have any kind of dress code. Larry was a very confused child for many reasons. He didn't know if he was gay, bi, transgendered, or maybe even straight. He certainly wasn't getting any kind of guidance at home or from counselors at school. Brandon was also very troubled and should never have had access to guns. Horrible and tragic.

Rolling Stone frequently reports this kind of story, which apparently happens more frequently than anyone would like to believe. Young men (and some older ones, as well) seem to be very insecure in their heterosexuality and can react in horrendous ways when it is threatened ("gay panic"). I certainly do not understand why, but it is obviously a problem.

[RachelSklar]

I wrote about this on ETP earlier in the week. I did not have this reaction to the article, I found it enormously sad but I read it as a reporting of the context in this case, and I found it to be less about the actual murder - I did not get the impression that anyone viewed Brandon's response as justified in any way, obviously - but rather as an examination of the events leading up to it. It was clear to me that both kids were extremely troubled - but it was also clear to me that there are troubled kids everywhere. So the question becomes, when you put a bunch of kids together to grow up together, and throw in puberty, what happens and what CAN happen, and what should be done and what warning signs should be heeded ? And how can schools - and communities - which may not have quite caught up with pop culture (where it's still a big deal that "Brothers & Sisters" has a gay storyline http://tinyurl.com/5kp39cc) even if "Will & Grace" is in syndication and Ellen is a beloved national figure) balance freedom of expression and tolerance with keeping school running smoothly and providing an environment where kids can figure this stuff out safely? That's what I though this story was about.

My comment is too long so this is part one. To be continued.

[RachelSklar]

(Continued)

I may be approaching this from the wrong direction - i.e. I'm straight - though after 10 years in New York (4 with a gay man as a roommate and best friend) I hope I have at least an appreciation of the various perspectives here. In Jon Meacham's editor's letter, he talks about how he sent the reporter to cover the story and he came back and said, "There's more going on here." There are so many ways to approach any story but I was glad to see this one told this way, as a reported narrative, creating a scene, rather than isolating it to just the two kids. I don't think you learn anything from trying to ascribe it to Brandon's obviously troubled and violent tendencies - there are kids with those tendencies and then there are the kids who DO these things, and an appreciation of the whole can only help guard against creating an environment where a kid becomes the latter.

I agree that there was no focus on a whole other side here - where did Brandon get the gun? How the hell could he have brought it into school? What are the incidences of gay hate crimes in schools in this country? But I took the point as sounding the alarm that things were changing - that the issues that had historically started coming up in high school, after a few years of development, were now arising years earlier. I think that point is

[KevinKSF]

Rachel Sklar defending the corporate media again now there's a shock! I read the article from a gay man's view that has had no straight roommates and it looked like the author was indeed blaming the victim. He not only Blamed King for bing gay but for being a kid.

[OliverTwist]

The fundamental problem that I have seen in the way schools deal with gays and other less usual people (Jews, Muslims, blacks, etc) is that the schools tolerate and in some cases even passively encourage hate speech and bullying. Children are very good at getting the message.

The article doesn't seem to cover that aspect in depth - although it clearly indicates that there were conflicts ongoing.

I have seen cases - somewhat similar - where there have been no significant problems. The school needed some standards for all the students. It doesn't seem to have had enough.

I think the school doesn't know who they are and what they really think well enough.

I am actually inclined to suspect that, despite a pretext of tolerance (but not acceptance), what was actually happening is that the student was set up by the school as a target for ridicule and abuse by the students.

Murder is the ultimate abuse.

Too bad.

[yappnmutt]

i always got a kick out of americans who explained the japanese culture in terms of banging down the nail that sticks up when the usa , and everyone else in the world, is guilty of the same attribute. people stare at things that are different from the norm then form an opinion based upon their current perspective which is derived from their experiences to that point. when they form their opinion many voice it which empowers others to chime in with their opinions until a consensus is reached amongst the sample size whether it is 2 people or an entire population. when that difference is exhibited by a person the opinions become more personal and can become cruel to violent. this does not exclusively apply to openly gay people. obviously, being different is no excuse to be murdered but there are millions of examples of this behavior throughout history. the only way to almost assure you will not be a target is to conform in behavior or appearance. if you want to flaunt your difference then you better grow some gatorhide along with taking some self defense training.

[SonofLiberty1]

Can we please grow up here?

To say that this is sad doesn't even reach,

Gay or not gay, this is a child who is sadly dead,,,

What the heck is a gun doing in a school?

Security? Administration ,,,apparenly non existant!

Where are the patents?

Where is the entire concept of what is appropriate dress in school?

And what do 13 year old's really know?

Parents,teachers & administrators should realize that school is hard enough
for kids who might be a bit different, let alone gay,

Why not some real common sense here,,,

It's all about SURVIVAL...

Some kids and teachers are cruel,,,

SO LEAVE YOUR GAY DRESS ETC, AT HOME.

Personally, I wonder how "together" this kid was to begin with but

EVERYONE FAILED HIM!

[AnotherTry]

Leave your gay dress etc. at home? That's what you think will help kids? How about, leave your gay prejudice at home.

[HalBrown]

Did we read different articles? To me this reads like a case study and a good one at that. I noted that Newsweek had a team working on it for five months and they interviewed several dozen people. I don't see that they blamed anyone in their effort to explain what happened and why - except perhaps in the fourth from last paragraph:

"The obvious question now is whether Larry's death could have been prevented. "Absolutely," says (superintendent) Dannenberg. 'Why do we have youngsters that have access to guns? Why don't we have adequate funding to pay for social workers at the school to make sure students have resources? We have societal issues.' Many teachers and parents aren't content with that answer."

Nowhere in the Newsweek article did I see anything that would justify Sara Whitman writing:

"Because it's really about this bad boy, who wore girls clothes, got what he deserved. Homosexuality was the evil here."

In fact, I think this article could be assigned in the appropriate high school class as it bring up many issues which would provoke discussion.

Note: I am a clinical social worker and psychotherapist in private practice in Massachusetts. I served on our town's tolerance committee. I lament the fact that most school systems in our state, so progressive in many ways, still lack adequate school counseling resources.

[yappnmutt]

as a clinical social worker you should know the meaning of tolerance is not letting something that bothers you bother you. how about proposing at your next meeting that the name of the committee be changed to the acceptance commitee that would promote the idea that for all our percieved differences we are all the same. common ground is the basis for all personal relationships not tolerance of differences.

[HalBrown]

I agree with your points. I don't remember exactly what the committee was called and I meant my reference to be descriptive. I'm not on the committee anymore.

Of course tolerance can mean acceptance but it also can be taken as a begrudging attitude.

People need to recognize their prejudices, which means introspection and self-awareness, too often lacking and rarely taught in schools.

[purenergy]

I have no problem with Larry's desire to dress like a girl, he has that right. He DID NOT have the right to sexually harass his fellow students. Of course I do not in anyway condone the use of violence to resolve disputes. And consider it outrageous that a child feels the need to resort to killing another human being for any reason. Where were his parents? Don't blame the school, they have a hard enough time tying to educate our children on the pitiful budgets they receive and the absenteeism of most parents today. Maybe if his parent had approached the school administration something could have been done. But it seem they were overly concerned with Larry's right to express himself (even at the detriment of the other students) and not nearly concerned enough with how his behavior would effect the other students. Gay or not, one does not have the right to sexually harass other students.

[Sara Whitman - Huffpost Blogger]

considering the article spends it's entire focus on Larry, Larry's behavior, and calls out homosexuality exclusively- doesn't talk about the early heterosexuality that goes on, but only that he was playing with fire by non-gender conforming clothes and by describing himself as gay as a problem.

I stand by my comment. The entire article focuses on Larry King's bad behavior and a gay agenda going on in a middle school. What about focusing on why his killer was so enraged by homosexuality? what set him off? why do heterosexual boys become vicious when they feel they might be considered gay? Why do non-gender conforming boys get bullied more often than their female counterparts?

Those points, I think, are necessary to address in a piece about being young and gay in America.

I think it would be an excellent case study in journalism with an agenda.

[SportinLife]

Sara, I agree with you entirely. What some commenters seem to be missing is the fundamental assumption of the article--that the "problem" to be examined is the murder victim rather than the murderer.

There have been a sadly large number of school shootings over the past couple of decades. I don't remember ever seeing an article exploring in such detail the behavior prior to the incident of someone who was shot, rather than of the person pulling the trigger. Isn't this sort of analogous to "in-depth analysis" of whether or not a woman who has been raped was dressed overly seductively--and whether or not women in general are becoming too immodest in our society?

What the article (and some of the comments) reveal to me is that some people finding it instinctively easier to accept Brandon's behavior as "normal" than they do Larry's. They feel more human kinship, at a subconscious level, with Brandon than they do with Larry--because Brandon makes more sense to them. To me, that's a completely immoral loss of perspective considering that we're talking about deadly violence.

[Giglawyer]

The primary problem here is that a 14 year-old kid got a handgun, and got it into his school where he shot and killed a classmate. We should all be outraged at that. Lawrence King's death is tragic regardless of whether he is gay, not because of it.

But this article does highlight an important isue that no one wants to address, for fear of being labeled a homophobe: Lary King's school sat by idly, paralyzed by political correctness. It failed to quash his disruptive behavior, for fear of bing labeled homophobic. Indeed, some teachers encouraged this behavior, and they are criminally negligent for doing so. Junior High is not the place for disruptive personal expression. It does not justify what happened to Larry King - he did not ask to die. But would he still be alive if the school had stepped in sooner? This is a legitimate question to ask. In protecting students from one another, must schools sometimes protect kids from themselves.

If that inquiry is a hate crime, then list me amongs the haters who only want to prevent this sort of tragedy from happening again.

[dac253]

I hope this kid is serves as a martyr for tolerance in our country.

But then tolerance isn't the word I want. I don't want people to tolerate each other, I want people to appreciate each other.

It sucks for a widely read publication to miss the highest target so badly.

[LakeHMM]

This is absolutely ridiculous. I can't believe they would publish an article showing so little understanding and even less compassion.

[LiberalForever]

No, don't "dress normal and blend in"...don't do it. If kids are cruel and bullies, make the administration of the school punish them If that doesn't work, punish their parents (if they have two parents). Of course administrators are going to tell the kid to "blend" in. That will make their job easier, but it does nothing to uphold individual rights. My country seems more and more inclined to believe in individual rights as long as they are the "right" set of rights. Wrong.

[lisakaz2]

Unbelievable. A travesty of "reporting" and "writing". Who vets this stuff?

It's not just the writer. Articles like this go thru a significant editorial process and the top editors would have to sign off on it. They need to explain this one BIG TIME.

[Sara Whitman - Huffpost Blogger]

Thank you for pointing this out. I called out newsweek, not the reporter. I have had many editors in my time and know what can happen to a piece.

however, they have to start with what you bring them....

[bluedog54]

Just read the article. And while I agree with you to some degree I think there was value in detailing the behavior of Larry to illustrate the complete breakdown in adult behavior - parents of both kids and the school adults. I don't get any sense that any adult every had an ongoing conversation with Larry on coping skills. And I don't believe that they were blaming Larry and they sure shouldn't have blamed Brandon. This was not a hate crime, this was a crime of emotional and mental immaturity. These were two minors whose adult betters failed them.

[courtb]

I read the article and I agree that it was beneficial to look at the situation from every angle, and I also agree that both boys were victims of a poorly prepared administration for a student such as Larry. However, to absolve Brandon of all blame-he took a gun into a middle school and shot a fellow student point blank. When is that ever ok? As a female who is oftentimes the recipient of lewd behavior of my male peers, I have never looked at violence as an answer-no matter how unwelcome the attention is. To make too many excuses for the shooter is foolhardy and absurd and also dangerous. The students of Columbine were bullied-does that make it ok?

[bluedog54]

Actually I completely agree with you but just did not feel the need to articulate that in my comments. Brandon is not absolved, but he deserves juvenile rehabilitation. Apparently he will be charged as an adult and could spend his life in prison. Any child who breaks a law deserves the opportunity to learn to live free responsibly.

[courtb]

I read the article and I agree that it was beneficial to look at the situation from every angle, and I also agree that both boys were victims of a poorly prepared administration for a student such as Larry. However, to absolve%

[ched]

Newsweek has been going out of its way lately to appeal to conservatives, if not reactionaries. Karl Rove. Stuart Taylor. Now this Lawrence King story, which devoted 95% of its way-too-long text to blaming the murdered child and one of his counselors. Guess who won't be renewing his subscription?

[66rock]

I'll be sticking with only my Time subscripton Are you listening Newsweek?

[noamjunior]

time?- might as well wtch fox or cnn

[swift goat pet for truth]

Time is worse. A supermarket tabloid.

You want a real news magazine, get the Economist.
The American stuff reeks.

[elmundo6]

You all raise good points but I think a major point has been missed. Yes; it's best to just try to fit in when you can because kids are cruel and there is no need to open yourself up to that type of abuse if you can help it. That said, I think the major point of the piece is that the problem is not really with the gay kid but with the mentality that makes it OK to tease, beat up and kill the gay kid. That really should have been the story.

We all know that to be different is dangerous, but to act as if the "different" kid deserved it or to adopt a "well what do you expect" attitude about what the killer did is troubling to say the least.

[purenergy]

What about the teasing done by Larry? Is that protected because he is gay? It seem Larry was just as responsible for this situation by continually harassing Brandon and in front of his peers? Again, I do not suggest that Larry "deserved it". Violence is not the answer for any problem. His murder is horrible! However,since when is sexual harassment protected for homosexuals? It is not a "well what do you expect attitude ", it is the law. I don't care what your sexual preference is, it doesn't give you the right to be disruptive and harassing. If a girl were being harassed in the same manner, by a boy, would the school do nothing to protect her? To me this is less of a GAY issue and more of a respect for other people's choices issue. It seems to me that Larry's expression of his sexuality was more for shock value and attention (that he was apparently not receiving at home) than a need to express his true self.

[AnotherTry]

'I do not suggest that Larry 'deserved it.''

Really? I would have never guessed.

What if a boy was being harrassed in the same manner, by a girl. would the school feel the need to protect him? Nope. They would tell him to simply ignore her and get on with his school work. And if he shot her, you can bet your ass Newsweek's take on the story would be a hell of a lot different.

I pray you don't work with children.

[JohnFromCensornati]

I think it's a lot like the way people feel that an Obama win will wash away this country's racism or prove that it's already gone. Violent anti-gay maniacs didn't go away because of Will & Grace, either.

[libertron]

No way did this kid deserve this, but why bring trouble on yourself? Some of the best advise Adam and Dr. Drew gave on Loveline was to a gay high school kid who felt he was being picked on/left out because of the way he dressed and acted. "Dress normal! Act normal! Kids are mean; don't give them reasons. In a couple years you can go off to some liberal college where they will treat you like a hero for your lifestyle."

I can't stand: Women who wear 5 inches of cleavage and them complain that guys stare at their chest. Muslims and other religious folks who dress in the full costume and them complain that people stare at them or they have trouble getting on a plane. Geez, ya think? It's not that hard to dress normal, most of us do it every day.

[WorldGriot]

Who's Normal?

[libertron]

Dumb question of the day. In whatever country and city you are in, walk into a crowd and take a 360^ look around. You should get some idea of the average for people your age/race/gender. FYI: I am in no way ashamed of being an American, but in other countries, I don't want to look like the dumb tourist, so I try to dress as close to local as I can and I don't let more people than I need to know that I can't speak their language.

[SonofLiberty1]

Be realistic here,,,

Most...miore than 90% of us are not gay,

Normal is just fitting in!

[ckelly181]

Yea, make sure you sit in the back of the bus and don't make any waves. Just be normal.

[libertron]

Changing your skin color is a bit harder than changing your clothes. And Adam and Dr.D didn't tell him not to be gay, just don't advertise it if you feel like that's causing you problems.

[DeSwiss]

Yes. Why don't we all go and live in libertron's world.

Where its "NORMAL"

:-|

[thinker&reader]

Normal is a cycle on a washing machine.

My kids despise homophobic people, but you don't hear about them sneaking a gun into school and putting a bullet in a CHILD's head?!!?

Everything broke down in this situation; parenting, school staff and the state protection for this poor kid. Kids have a very short amount of time to acquire mass amounts of info while dealing with a developing brain as it is.. add sexuality to that and it's a miracle kids make it out of childhood at all sometimes. Hate speech from the likes of Limbaugh and Savage and Ingrahm (sp?) don't help matters either. This is the responsibility of all of society to teach and live not only tolerance but acceptance and compassion. When horrific tragedies like this happen, we need to start looking in the mirror and point the finger back at ourselves as a whole before we ever THINK about blaming the victim. Lead by example.

[LakeHMM]

Wow, callous. Forgive a kid for trying to be comfortable with his identity and personality, as opposed to oppressed kids who never recover from insecurities.