Antigay bullying prompts suicide

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by keltic63

Certainly there are those that allow bullying to go on, and perhaps some neanderthals who encourage it. What I'm trying to say here is that even for those that have proven programs in place, we can't replace those with the ultimate responsibility for teaching the kids values, the parents. Not to mention the parents who think that it is ok to bully LGBT people, or who harbor some other prejudices.

Hiya Keltic,

I never said here that parents do not have ultimate responsibility for the attitudes and behaviors they teach their children (which is roughly 90% by example, 10% by what they say.) You're right!! We need parents to get THEIR act together! I realize now I probably never wrote that on this forum - I've written and said things like that all over my emails to people, letters to the editor (of 4 papers), and all over facebook if I remember my notes correctly.

In any case - YES! I'm really riding the schools too because of what I witnessed in the past, and because of things I hear about schools locally and around the nation that are not stepping up to responsibilities of this sort, either through fear of the political environment, or through subtle attitudes of sympathy with the perpetrators.

In no way do I intend to express that only one corner of society is responsible for this bullying problem. To the contrary, I mean to express that WE ALL ARE. That's why I've been writing "WE NEED TO" do, this or that, all over this thread. The emphasis is on the "WE" - and by 'we' I don't mean the 5 or 6 of us writing on this thread discussion, but I mean the couple hundred million of us residing in the United States. That's the WE I mean. It never occurred to me anyone would think I meant just the school teachers. I was in a fury and grief over the suicides so I thought I stated things clearly that I never made explicit. Being so upset, I thought everything I meant was going to be obvious by the sheer power of how important this whole matter is. (Silly, silly Zerbie)

Those of us like you and I who are already doing everything in our personal power to solve the problem are in no way at fault - we are living up to our responsibility. But until many more people say, "Hey, you know - I'M the one who has to say something about what my kids are doing," the problem will not be successfully rectified. A majority of our society needs to sit on such behavior. WE ALL need to act responsibly to create the environment our children need. We means teachers, school administrators, parents, and community members.

Just imagine this world if 90% of all American citizens spoke up calmly and firmly and said, "Stop that. We don't act like that," every single time our kids started in with the verbal harassment and physical domineering towards a peer. Parents, teachers, classmates - RELIGIOUS LEADERS! - community bystanders, etc. That's where we need to get to. Where people have a sense of honor about how they behave and would feel ashamed to engage in bullying behavior. That's where we need to get to.

[BruceChris]

Minnesota senator Al Franken is sponsering a federal anti-bullying law. Give him your support. Call your federal elected officials

BruceChris

[Emproph]

Maybe this has alreay been posted in another thread, but I thought it especially relevant for this one. Via the Trevor Project:

It Get's Better

[Tallit]

and look what some school board member in AK said:
http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/10/27/ark...ex.html?hpt=C1

[antiochian]

Re: the school board member...

Clint McCance, a school board member of Midland School District in Arkansas, has resigned (and I'm proud to have been one of thousands to sign the petition against him). This "man," who wrote that he'd only wear purple when all gays commited suicide, and loved the fact that gay people have died from AIDS (and this from a self-avowed Christian), now says he's sorry. I doubt it. We don't need his type influencing young people. My hat is off to the superintendent who condemned McCance.

http://www.queerty.com/clint-mccance...ople-20101028/

[BrianB]

Here is George Takei calling the school board member a douche bag.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UACK93xF-FE

I laughed so hard soda came out of my nose.

[Silas]

I really dis like the suicide culture because it really gives the shock for the relatives of the suiciders. There is high rate of suicide in Japan which is emerging day by day..

[BishopIoan]

I just find this so incredibly sad. That human beings taunt and bully another human being to the point of taking their own life. Those who do this are cowards, as they generally gang up on the weak and otherwise vulnerable. I feel awful every time I hear about one of our youth being driven to this "solution".

All of society needs to be on the same page with this--namely letting children and other people know that this is not, by ANY standard, acceptable behaviour. Parents, schools, the entertainment industry, etc. No child--NO ONE--should ever feel that they have no choice but to take their own lives.

[bnmoore]

Originally Posted by Silas

I really dis like the suicide culture because it really gives the shock for the relatives of the suiciders. There is high rate of suicide in Japan which is emerging day by day..

I don't know that many people outside of our Center know about this:

http://www.slc-atlanta.org/2011/05/tharp/

The InterTherapy Foundation provides counseling on location. Although I haven't talked to them I'd imagine we have people working in the tornado ravaged areas in the USA also. Service isn't about recognition.

There's something for children also:

www.cjsbus.org

[shahids]

o nice this is a great idea. thanks

[JasonRa]

This is the second suicide in a week of a young man who was bullied and then took his life. It breaks the heart. Simply breaks the heart.