From Heather

This letter is from Heather's friend, Karen Hardison. Please take a moment and read about this very important vigil and participate if at all possible. The links work if you cut and paste them.


Dear Friends,

Last month, a 15 year old junior high school student named Lawrence King was shot to death while he worked in the computer lab of his junior high school. His killer was a 14 year old fellow student who apparently shot Larry because Larry was "different", Larry was gay. This tragedy has effectively ended the lives of both children and devastated their families, friends, and the town in which they lived.

While a graphic incident, it is not an isolated one. Everyday, young people are subjected to verbal, emotional and physical violence because they are somehow "different". Whether they are gay or perceived to be gay, the result is the same. We are, sadly, living in a society where the message is being communicated that the lives of gay & lesbian persons are of lessor value; where it is somehow "okay" to commit violence against them because they are "less than". Perhaps more frightening still is the fact that it is all too often the case that this communication is coming from the pleaders of faith communities, thereby somehow legitimizing the fear and hatred and the ensuing actions.

I feel very fortunate to be affiliated with a parish that says no to such as this. St. Mark's Episcopal Church is one of the sponsors of an upcoming Vigil for Lawrence King. The vigil will be held on Wednesday, March 12th, 6:30 - 8:00 PM at the Gay Community Center of Richmond located at 1407 Sherwood Ave. in Richmond. (This is the Diversity Thrift building in Northside...it is near the Diamond, the SPCA, Children's Hospital, my house, etc.)

The vigil will provide the community an opportunity to pray for all those touched by this horrible tragedy and for safety in our nation's schools. It will also afford us the chance to bear witness to young persons and let them know that we are committed to helping insure that the community in which they live will become one where verbal, emotional, and physical violence directed against them will be utterly unacceptable whether it is in their schools, neighborhoods, or homes.

I invite each one of you to attend this vigil. These children and all children deserve nothing less of us. And we ourselves need one another's strength and support in days such as these. If you are unable to attend, I urge you to take a moment of silence wherever you are and lend your strength to those who are gathered.

Please feel free to share this information with others. I am including links to 2 postings from ROSMY about the vigil. One is a poster which I hope you will print and post in your faith community, office site, etc. The second includes a couple of brief video clips about the Lawrence King tragedy.

http://www.rosmy.org/vigil.html

http://www.rosmy.org/supporter.html.


My deepest gratitude to you for your concern and support.



ROSMY - Vigil for Lawrence King