Degeneres Speaks Out For Murdered Student

29 February 2008
Ellen Degeneres

Picture: Ellen DeGeneres & Portia DeRossi Murakami Exhibition at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA Los Angeles, California - 28.10.07

Degeneres Speaks Out For Murdered Student

Comedienne Ellen Degeneres has hit out at homophobic people while presenting her talk show - because she has been deeply affected by the murder of teenager LAWRENCE KING.
The openly-gay Academy Award winner was close to tears on Thursday's (28Feb08) show as she told viewers about the death of the 15-year-old, who was shot in the head at the E.O. Green School in Oxnard, California, on 12 February (08) - reportedly for being a homosexual.
King's killer, 14-year-old Brandon Mcinerney, apparently targeted the student because he asked him to be his date for St. Valentine's Day (14Feb08).
DeGeneres says, "Larry was not a second class citizen and I am not a second class citizen. It's OK to be gay."
It's possible that MCInerney - who has been charged with murder and the commission of a hate crime - will be tried as an adult, which means he could face 50 years to life in prison if convicted.

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Comments

1st March 2008 15:00

cjp012     (1)

I feel that it's good that Degeneres spoke out, but I hate that ALL the photos surrounding the story are of Degeneres and her girlfriend. They should have pictures of the young boy. HE was the victim, NOT Degeneres...

29th February 2008 20:00

clueuin     (1)

First, I would like thank Ellen DeGeneres for bringing this news to national attention. The prematurely death of a gay youth should hold the consciousness of all us responsible as a community. This should not be an issue because of Larry King's sexuality, but about the devaluation of human life. Does it make it more news worthy because Larry King died because someone thought he was such a threat by expressing his attraction to the same sex that the shooter questioned his own sexuality? How could it be a threat if someone of the same gender expressed his or her admiration if you know who you are as a person? It is fear that induces ignorance that 15-year-old Larry King died. If someone of the opposite sex shared, the adoration for someone that did not share same laws of attraction would the outcome been different. How would the other person react to the indifference? Is the answer to murder that person because he felt threatened? How do we value human life? Is life less valued because of sexual orientation, color, sex, religion or political indifference? How do we value human life? Do we have the right to take life away? Does someone have the right to take your life away? Does Ellen DeGeneres have the right to bring this issue to a public platform in which she is passionate? The answer is yes, not because it is a personal issue to her, but because as part of a community we have the responsibility to educate, mentor and nurture misguided individuals. Ms. DeGenenres should not be criticize or hated because she has voice her views on the subject of hate crimes against gays. Ms. DeGeneres’ rights to share her thoughts regarding hate crimes should not be revoke because she is a celebrity. Yes, she held back the tears, but she was visibly compassionate to this senseless random act of crime. I am sure Ms. DeGeneres is very conscious she walks a fine line because of the infamous “Iggy Gate” that was widely criticized for being overly emotional over a puppy named Iggy on her national TV show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Many questioned her ethics to bring the Iggy issue on her TV show as inappropriate with her own personal agenda as being narcissistic. Ms. DeGeneres is now being highly criticized for not displaying tears for the hate crime resulting in the death of the 15-year-old Larry King. Perhaps Ms. DeGeneres has a tear for us all misguided souls. We do not have the rights to devalued human life, period.

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