Lawrence F. King Memorial Forum: Message to Larry

Astoundingly beautiful...

Thank you.

Jenn Burleton
Portland, OR

Lawrence's courage to express himself should guide and inspire all of us to work hard everyday to provide a safer world for children like Lawrence to grow up in. This is what I am committed to. Peace.

You had the strength to wear lipstick, mascara and jewelry to school, despite being assigned to the boy's locker room. That cliche - the world wasn't ready for you - unforgivably, true.

The reverend called you a complex masterpiece, and he was correct. Your pictures tell a story as eloquently as Miles Davis's trumpet. You skate like a princess in the rink's frozen waters; your cool shades have you looking extra hard south of the border. Whose idea was it to cut your long wavy tresses? Did you pick out those 1st-day-of-school hott purple suspenders? I wonder whether you got in fights with your mama over the pink gloves you wore on your trip to DC. You were both handsome and beautiful in your camo shirt (sans your two front teeth!).

I wish there were better words to for me to use, so I didn't have to pick a gender to describe you. Because I would have been happy to know you regardless of your pronoun preference. Boy, girl, both or neither, you deserve to be here right now, sharing your voice's cadence; to realize all your dreams and dazzle us with your brilliance; then to grow old, sit in your rocking chair and tell people what it was like when you danced in your high-heeled boots at EO Green Junior High. We should all have gotten the chance to know you better. We could have learned something.

I hope the child who killed you comes to understand how special you are. I hope he realizes how scared he was of your sacred elegance, and he falls to his knees each night for forgiveness.

_____
there's a war
if the guns are just too tall for you
we'll find you're something small to use
- Lupe Fiasco, Little Weapon

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AWatchfulMoon Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: Mar 28 2008 Location: Oregon Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Quote Reply Posted: Mar 29 2008 at 1:10am
	Beautifully written.

HallwayHeroes Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: Mar 13 2008 Location: Portland, OR Online Status: Offline Posts: 6	Quote Reply Posted: Mar 13 2008 at 2:11pm
	Astoundingly beautiful... Thank you. Jenn Burleton Portland, OR
	Lawrence's courage to express himself should guide and inspire all of us to work hard everyday to provide a safer world for children like Lawrence to grow up in. This is what I am committed to. Peace.

alexxisbiifuplease Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: Mar 01 2008 Location: here Online Status: Offline Posts: 3	Quote Reply Posted: Mar 01 2008 at 12:16pm
	if you hate anybody you are simply afraid its not tough or brave to fight this is the kind of thing that shouldnt ever happen ITS THE CUASE OF GENOCIDE
	[ HATE WILL KILL US ALL

shai Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: Feb 25 2008 Online Status: Offline Posts: 1	Quote Reply Posted: Feb 25 2008 at 6:38pm
	You had the strength to wear lipstick, mascara and jewelry to school, despite being assigned to the boy's locker room. That cliche - the world wasn't ready for you - unforgivably, true. The reverend called you a complex masterpiece, and he was correct. Your pictures tell a story as eloquently as Miles Davis's trumpet. You skate like a princess in the rink's frozen waters; your cool shades have you looking extra hard south of the border. Whose idea was it to cut your long wavy tresses? Did you pick out those 1st-day-of-school hott purple suspenders? I wonder whether you got in fights with your mama over the pink gloves you wore on your trip to DC. You were both handsome and beautiful in your camo shirt (sans your two front teeth!). I wish there were better words to for me to use, so I didn't have to pick a gender to describe you. Because I would have been happy to know you regardless of your pronoun preference. Boy, girl, both or neither, you deserve to be here right now, sharing your voice's cadence; to realize all your dreams and dazzle us with your brilliance; then to grow old, sit in your rocking chair and tell people what it was like when you danced in your high-heeled boots at EO Green Junior High. We should all have gotten the chance to know you better. We could have learned something. I hope the child who killed you comes to understand how special you are. I hope he realizes how scared he was of your sacred elegance, and he falls to his knees each night for forgiveness. _____ there's a war if the guns are just too tall for you we'll find you're something small to use - Lupe Fiasco, Little Weapon