What a luxury I have afforded myself. I glanced at the topic of this thread two days ago, but could not bring myself to read it. Today, I have a lump in my throat the size of a grapefruit at the news of this tragedy. My luxury to decide when I want to make myself aware of the details. But I will tell you: I will not cry over this incident, I will ACT. I ask so many of my friends here, whatever you have in you, SPEAK UP, ACT, EDUCATE, DO SOMETHING. If that means being out and visible, do it. If that means teaching people accurate info vs. stereotypes, do it. If it means a letter to an editor, a visit to a congress person, or speaking up to a co worker about an innappropriate joke, please do it. It is bad enough that so many of our young people kill themselves out of self-hate or fear, but it is even worse to me that when they do embrace their identity, our society cannot handle it so we are exterminated. I don't blame the young man that perpetrated the crime, I blame any and all people that allowed him to believe that it is okay to KILL. Our youth seem like the hope and the danger at the same time. It is so sad and infuriating........... my heart is aching..........
