[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6753]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        NATIONAL DAY OF SILENCE

  (Mrs. CAPPS asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Mrs. CAPPS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of the National 
Day of Silence. On April 25, hundreds of thousands of students around 
our country will observe a day of silence in memory of Lawrence King. 
Lawrence was a 15-year-old attending E.O. Greene Junior High in Oxnard, 
California, my district. He liked to draw, study bugs, crochet, and 
sing.
  He was also repeatedly harassed in school because of his sexual 
orientation and gender expression. He endured anti-gay taunts, slurs, 
and other forms of bullying. This harassment culminated in his death 
when on February 1, 2008, he was shot in the head by his 14-year-old 
classmate.
  Larry's death is incredibly tragic. It is also a sad reminder that 
pleas for help from our young lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender 
population are often met with silence.
  I commend the courage of every student participating in the Day of 
Silence. I know that their efforts will bring much-needed attention to 
the plight that students like Larry face every single day.

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