When is enough enough?

In the past two weeks, we’ve seen two horrific slayings in this country. On Feb. 12, a 15-year-old gay youth, Lawrence King, was shot and killed in Oxnard, California, by a classmate. King had been teased frequently at school this year about coming out as gay and police think that may have been the motivating factor in his being shot.

Then last week, early in the morning Feb. 22, a 17-year-old transgender youth, Simmie Williams, was shot and killed in Fort Lauderdale by two unidentified gunmen. Police said Williams was in an area frequented by transgender prostitutes. That doesn’t matter. Decent people don’t shoot prostitutes.

King and Williams aren’t alone—the list of people killed in this country for being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered goes on and on. Some, like Matthew Shepard, are well known. Others get a few paragraphs in the news, if that, then are quickly forgotten.

Why is this violence acceptable?

What is so complicated about this issue that people can’t agree, regardless of their views on GLBTs, regardless of their religious beliefs, that it’s wrong to commit violence against other human beings?

What kind of religion and what kind of politics says it’s OK that children get shot to death?

Why don’t we take simple, commonsense steps to stop this carnage?

For starters, Congress needs to pass the Matthew Shepard Act to increase federal criminal penalties for violent acts committed against people because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. The law needs to be passed not because we want vengeance and not because we think one type of murder is more heinous than another. Simply put, passing this law would send a message that we as a society take a dim view of the notion that violence against GLBTs is acceptable.

Frankly, given the lengthy list of people who’ve been killed for their orientation, given that this violence continues unabated despite gains on GLBT equality, opposing the Matthew Shepard Act is tantamount to endorsing murder. We can’t imagine what Congress is waiting for.

Second, our public schools need to spend some time teaching students that violence against people because they’re different—because they’re gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered—is just plain wrong. It’s sick. Decent people don’t do it. That needs to be taught at every grade level.

We and others have been calling on Chicago Public Schools and other school systems to do this for years. We don’t understand why it hasn’t been done. Are CPS chief Arne Duncan and other school officials waiting on a student to get shot for being gay in a Chicago school? We know there have been attacks. We know there is taunting that goes on daily and that CPS teachers and administrators don’t do anything to stop it. What level of hate does it take to get a response from CPS?

There are groups ready and willing to provide leadership and materials to accomplish the kind of education that’s needed. Why don’t Chicago officials take action now?

We can sit around and let this violence go on. That would be tragic. Every GLBT person in America should be up in arms over this. Call Congress today and demand action on the Matthew Shepard Act. To get phone numbers for your representatives and senators call Equality Illinois at (773) 477-7173.

And call CPS CEO Arne Duncan at (773) 553-1500 and demand real education to combat homophobia in Chicago Public Schools and mandatory training on GLBT issues for every teacher and administrator who works for CPS.

If deaths like those of Lawrence King and Simmie Williams don’t merit action, then we have no idea what our movement is for—no idea at all.