Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Another boy killed
Jason Mattison Jr. is dead. The Baltimore teen, who was a quick wit and adored by teachers and peers, was found in the closet of an aunt. Raped, stabbed, and gagged.
“He was a sweet young man. He wasn’t afraid of who he was. He had a life ahead of him. I just wish he could’ve had a chance to live it,” said Laquanna Couplin, the child’s cousin.
The gay young man, he was out at school and to his family, was the center of attention in his classes and family and made sure his personal stamp was never in the shadows.
The suspect? A Dante Parrish, 35, a family friend with a criminal record that includes murder. Maybe as a defense he’ll trot out the gay panic line, although the rape of a child will make that tactic slightly problematic.
There’s not much to add. Just like there isn’t much to say about the murder of another youngster. Considering the tenor of some of the recent comments though, I can imagine someone blaming Mattison for his own death.
I weep for this wonderful kid and his family. The consolation is he will enjoy peace and accepatance in heave,.
Let’s see if the Matthew Shephard hate Crimes Law will be use to prosecute the filthy bastard to killed Jason. I truly hope that justice will be served. God bless and protect our gay youth!
There is no heaven. Only this life. And it was taken. Don’t minimize the loss by suggesting he’s somewhere happily cavorting in a new set of cha-cha heels and doing drag shows for jeebus. He’s not. He’s dead. And someone probably killed him because he was gay and out and loud and in your face. The idea that he is at peace in heaven is a crock that diminishes the tragic loss here. And allows people to easily move on and flick this from their minds. You get one life to live. And after that it’s done. The idea that someone is murdered and just goes on to a place of everyone’s collective imagining is an insult to the poor kid’s obvious zest for living…
Hi James, This is truly a tragedy. Not sure what bitter SELF-HATING QUEENS would dare even imply that these young men who were recently murdered somehow deserved their fate. Some people are simply and profoundly ignorant – “you can’t fix stupid” – right?
These murders show why the Hate Crimes Act was so necessary, if it is in fact used.
mg – Could not agree more. The “heaven” mythology offers a convenient, lomg standing, socially acceptable – out… but it is only a myth. Perhaps we move on in some fashion, though there is 0% proof to prove this quaint notion. This poor young man died a tragic, horrible death and I fully support the death penalty for the man who did this. Only when we start making people more keenly aware that if they take someones life, they may well be forfeiting their own – will they, possibly, think twice before acting.
Wow ‘mg’. For one of only a few times in my life I am at a near-loss for words. (But only a “near” loss so here goes…..)
From what I have read, Jason’s family are Christian and believe in the Christian view of afterlife. Also, these people were INCREDIBLY supportive of him. I see nothing wrong in providing some words of comfort to those left behind. Especially those who loved Jason with all their heart.
You have an absolute right to your views, but I hope you don’t personally know the family. What you are saying is not at all what they need right now.
Wow it never stops hurting to see this stuff. I can’t help but be a lil intimidated because of how flamboyant I can dress and how in your face I tend to be. Will I stop though? hell no!
I bet if this kid Jason were alive, he’d want me to keep up queerin it up. People always want to snuff out a bright light they see in some one else, because there jealous there own light within isn’t nearly as bright.
Although the murder of an innocent is always hurtful, the wound is just a little bit deeper becasue this kid looks like me, or like family, and on some level I think he was and is.
RIP Jason Matison
Yep, he is entitled to his views. While believing in fantasies might offer some temporary consolation, nobody is obligated to censure their views because their “Christian” family might log onto a gay website to read our musings. This coddling only reinforces this mythology and it is this type of mythology that gives so many people the sense that they are justified in hurting GLBT people.
Perhaps if society matured beyond these religious mythologies, there would be less anti-GLBT violence in the world – since so much of it is based in religious mythology.
Not a day goes by where either Pope Pompous or some whacko “reverends” spews their venom at us and as such, we continue to be ongoing targets to any nut job who feels that God is “on their side” or that GLBT people “deserve what they get”.
As far as any GLBT person who might assert that either of these men, in any manner, encouraged or deserved what happened to them – I can only suggest they seek out some serius mential health professional – fast.
James, Thank you for this. It’s so very, very sad. There is a message for all that reads this article that peace is acceptance, and love is kind.
I is terrble to even imagine what he had to endure during his last moments. To be Raped, killed, and then stuffed in the closet. Another one of us lost. What a horrible shame.
From what I have read his short 15 years was not waisted, he was loved by his friends, excepted by his family, he was his true self and he was an example to his peers, until he was stolen from all of us. To think of what he may have been able to accomplish, had he been allowed to, makes me weep.
Rest in Peace Jason.
The family has my most heart felt sympathy.
Will all this Madness ever stop?
My, my, all of this squirming about saying “He’s in a better place now.” People who say such things are not in any way suggesting what happened is not horrible, they are making use of social graces that our society has developed to provide comfort in a time of sorrow.
We’re angry. Righteously angry. Bloodthirsty even. We want to see a killer brought to justice. That is in no way diminished by sincerely hoping there is a life beyond this one in which this young man’s bright flame still burns.
First, I really don’t think this young man being gay has anything to do with his death. I think that his attacker, likes to hurt and rape children. This man is a pediophile period.
This creature saw an opportunity to victimize a child it didn’t matter if the child was gay, boy or girl. He is a monster.
Period.
And I hope that the those in prison visit onto him the same things he inflected on this poor child.
Next, Chris Sullivan and MG, tt is VERY obvious that you both don’t believe in an afterworld. That is fine but that is your view point but I just wanted to state that I and many of us disagree with you aobut it.
That this child was raised to believe that there is a heaven and in dismissing his believe is to rob this child in death.
After all neither of you have died and came back to tell us if there is or is not an afterworld. There are a lot of people you have died and came back due to CPR and they spoke of a place very much like heaven.
It is your choice what to believe or not, but please don’t dismiss this child’s nor other people’s believe. After all you might be wrong.
Yes Tara, obviously it is an individual belief – as yours is – isn’t that essentially all blogs really are?
It’s your rite (and anyone else’s to disagree). It is also my rite to dismiss these beliefs as the mythology I believe they are (also, you might want to research these “near death/supposed death” experiences – there are very definite rational reasons why people believe that they have seen a “heaven”).
After all, the burden of proof is not on those making magical claims. Being brainwashed into a belief doesn’t make it true.
Also, nobody can “steal” anyone’s belief in life or in death (as poetic as the notion sounds).
Enjoy your beliefs and if it works for you, then good for you. I choose to live in the real world, thanks.
“Considering the tenor of some of the recent comments though, I can imagine someone blaming Mattison for his own death.”
Let’s pretend for a moment that not everyone lives on this website nor cares to search every page for references, and that James blogs are more about editorial analysis than being paid to Tweet every passing thought about on-site drama as though he were posting his pages by texting.
What the hell is he talking about now?
I honestly don’t know what’s more disgusting – the vicious murder of this young man, or the opportunistic blathering of many of the people who have used this incident to once again voice their hateful agendas. For once, Mr Withers, I am in complete agreement with you.
I didn’t read about this crime here. I read about it on another news site. I read about it, and then I read the comments people had left in response to the article. I counted just three comments expressing genuine sympathy before it began – a comment suggesting that if he hadn’t been gay he would still be alive. Then shortly after a comment talking about how he is burning in hell. Then not long after that a comment suggesting that all gay men and women should see what happened to this young man as a warning.
I felt sick seeing those comments, but at the same time I expected them. They didn’t surprise me any more than seeing Chris Sullivan’s comments or mg’s comments on here. When something like this happens, you know that certain people are going to take the opportunity to exploit the situation, to use the tragedy to voice their hateful opinions, to further their agendas.
Whether it’s the religious nutjobs declaring that this young man would be alive if he was straight or deserved what he got, or the gay nutjobs once again spouting their hateful nonsense declaring all Christians bigots and attempting to undermine the reasonable, rational beliefs of others, you can guarantee that an act of hatred as vile as this one will act like a beacon for those with hatred in their hearts.
I am not Christian. I do not believe in God or Heaven. That does not mean I feel the need to ridicule people who do believe. In fact, I envy many of my Christian friends. They seem to have a peace in their hearts that I doubt I will ever really find. Perhaps that peace is born of a delusion, but if so then what’s so damn appealing about reality.
When are certain people in the gay community going to realize that Christianity does not automatically mean hatred. When are certain people in the gay community going to realize that religion and homosexuality do not have to be mutually exclusive. And when are those same people going to realize that they are succumbing to the same kind of hatred that allows a minority of religious people to twist their faith to justify their own hatred.
This stereotyping, this blind rage, may not be the cause of this young man’s death – it sounds like there was much more going on – but it is the same attitude that leads to countless crimes against gay men and women. I would never suggest that we turn the other cheek when we encounter hatred. I would never suggest that we tolerate intolerance. I do, however, believe that it’s about time we practice what we preach. Meet tolerance with tolerance, acceptance with acceptance, and stop shitting on the beliefs of those who actually do respect our individual beliefs.
Christianity does not automatically mean hatred and intolerance, any more than homosexuality means freedom from bigoted attitudes.
To get this impromptu religion debate over with, religion can be good or bad depending on how it’s used. I’m an atheist, and I wasn’t offended at all by any religious messages of support towards Jason’s family (I give them my support as well). It’s meaningless to try to invalidate someone’s beliefs unless they mean to do harm (and even then it’s a subjective thing).
Given the fact that Jason was murdered in such a gruesome way, let’s try and at least look at some of the positive aspects of this case. He had a supportive community around him at school. Without delving too deeply into his family affairs, he seems to have had support back home as well.
I know it’s really sad to take a look at the whole situation, but we should all remember that he was a gay teenager in modern times who was able to flourish when given support by his community, even if his life was ended too early.