I must speak up about this.

I recently heard a news story about two teenage boys in California.  Both of them were around the age of 14.  Both boys came from abusive family backgrounds. The difference between them is one was beginning to dress more feminine and come out as gay.  The other was not. I read in the press and watched on TV that the boys picked on EACH OTHER.  One made fun of the other because of his sexual orientation and the other boy used his gender identity and sexual orientation to make the person picking on him uncomfortable. It also made fellow students question the shooter's orientation. One day the boy who was not gay took a gun and shot his gay classmate in the head twice.  The shooting took place in the middle of the classroom during class.  The killer was taken into custody and three years later the trial is about to begin. Now at issue; Is this boy being tried as an adult.

I know what it is like to be bullied.  I have also grown up with friends who are gay. To be honest when I was in middle school if I saw a guy who liked to dress in women's clothes I would be a bit uncomfortable too. I do not believe this person should be tried as an adult.  I think we have a great chance here to study what makes this kind of human being take that kind of action.  Why did he kill?  What made him snap?  Put this kid in a psychiatric facility and keep him there until he is more stable.  Then don't just release him but watch him for a while.  A 14 year old does not have the brain that an adult does.  They have a lot more learning and growing to do before they are adult.  Do not put this boy in an adult prison.  We should not throw away two lives.  This is our chance to see what we can do to stop situations like this from happening again.  We need to be honest with ourselves as a society and realize that we reject and shun people that are different on a daily basis.  In school kids that are different are scary they make kids feel uncertain.  Kids make fun to show power over the one that is different.  I am not like her so I make fun.  Or If I make fun I will fit in with the group that I want.  In society as adults those of us that are different may not be made fun of ,but we are not hired or kept from doing our job.  Or we aren't allowed to participate in activities or we are isolated from others.  We need to stop this at 5 or 6 or 14 so that at 30 or 40 we don't do this to anyone at anytime.  There is a whole movement about anti bullying.  I agree that we should be doing this.  If we are really going to tackle this issue we need to look at it from every side.  That means that bin order to raise fair and tolerant children we should be fair and tolerant adults.  Most of us have a lot of work to do.  Anyway take care