By all rights I should be sleeping, after having a fever for two days and being generally sick for three. And I was just about to sleep when I decided to check my e-mail, which means I now have to post. Its news that for some reason isn’t being talked about and I think it should.

 

It seems this week that there have been several school shootings. These are tragic and horrific events that children and adolescents shouldn’t have to worry about on top of all the other pressures they are facing. One that seems to be getting glossed over is the one in Oxnard, California. One boy was gunned down by one other student. This one seems out of place because there was only one victim, and seemingly only one target. It has been pushed aside because the college shooting this week had 5 victims and the shooter killed himself. But I think this one in California needs some more publicity.

 

The one thing most people don’t know is that the reason this 15 year old boy was gunned down by his 14 year old classmate was because he was GAY! Yes you read that right a 14 and 15 year old and because he was GAY. Why is this not on the news? The only reason I know this is because I got an Urgent message from GLSEN, because today the 15 year old victim is being taken off the ventilator and he is finally going to die. His life is over at 15 and his shooters life will also end because he has to live with the consequences of his action. How bad has the hate gotten in our country that CHILDREN are killing other CHILDREN because of sexuality? What kind of world are we living in where Hannah Montana not wearing a seat belt is bigger news than a boy being killed because he was gay? It’s one thing when adults have to suffer abuse because they are different, because they love other people. How does a 14 year old or any aged person for that matter get it into their heads that they’re going to kill someone that day?

 

I can’t even figure out where I want to go with this post. I’m just so baffled by this. Mostly thought I am saddened that this can happen, and more so that it can happen without anyone knowing it has happened. There is a reason I as a very open person do not talk about my sexuality, there is a reason I didn’t even tell my best friends in high school.

 

Please if people read this post let others know, Lawrence King was the 15 year old victim. That was his name, Lawrence; by the time you read this he is probably already dead. And the world is going to forget about him and this horrendous act. Yes there are plenty of other violent crimes that happen, yes all school shootings are bad. But he was specifically targeted, and this is a whole new type of threat, and could start a whole new problem and it needs to be addressed, not pushed aside. He and his family need to be remembered, because no family should have to bury their child, not like this.