tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50714759479029995462024-03-10T13:49:15.319-04:00Enough is EnoughWelcome to my blog. I will be dealing with issues surrounding teen suicides, in particular gay teen suicide, sharing stories, voicing my opinions, gathering and sharing information, and hopefully saving some lives. Teen suicide, regardless of their orientation, is a great tragedy. Please join me in my attempt to make a difference.ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.comBlogger232125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-883539886835808222012-09-03T18:10:00.000-04:002012-09-03T18:10:57.281-04:00On The MoveI started this blog last year in the wake of a teen suicide that rocked me to the core. I could never explain <i>why</i> it shook me so profoundly. Still can't. Since the inception of Enough is Enough, many changes have occurred. Yet, some things have remained the same. Life's kinda like that.<br />
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What has remained the same is my commitment to, through my writing, be a part of the effort to a.) bring awareness to the bullying situation in an effort to end the level of bullying we're seeing in schools and on the Internet today; and, b.) do whatever I can in my power to raise awareness to the amount of teen suicides, both straight and LGBT teens, so that families around the country and around the world can stop living the nightmare of losing their child to suicide. In fact, that commitment has led to things I never saw coming.<br />
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<ul><li>The readership of this blog skyrocketed to levels I never would've imagined! It now has several thousand followers, has been reprinted in several different online publications, and has been read hundreds of thousands of times. I never saw that coming.</li>
<li>It has evolved into a <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank">facebook blog page</a> that currently has over 16,000 members and steadily growing, reaching as many as 1.8 million people.</li>
<li>Sadly, it has taught me that the problem we're facing is far deeper, much more pervasive than I <i style="font-weight: bold;">EVER </i>would've imagined...proving that there's much, much more dedication and hard work needed if we're to see the type of change that's needed.</li>
</ul><div><b>Enough is Enough</b> has been running, simultaneously, on two different blog formats for the past year: here, on blogspot; and, on Wordpress. Since I'm in this for life, I wanted to take a year or so and compare the two to find out which one offered the best options to make things easier for you, the readers. The verdict is in. </div><div><br />
</div><div><b>*****EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH WILL NOW BE PUBLISHED EXCLUSIVELY ON THE WORDPRESS FORMAT.*****</b></div><div><br />
</div><div>What does that mean to you, the 767 loyal followers of the blogspot version of this blog? Well, most importantly, it means that now the blog is more easily accessible, easier for you to comment, easier to read and share. Over the past year, several of you had contacted me and urged me to move from the blogspot format because of the inaccessibility. Done. Also, what it means is that you have to now follow me on Wordpress as opposed to blogspot. That process is as easy as <a href="http://www.ronskemp.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">clicking this link</a> and clicking the +follow tab on the Wordpress version of this same blog. </div><div><br />
</div><div>My goal is to a.) make the switch as effortless for you, my readers, as possible; and, b.) to retain all 767 of you on the new location of the blog. We're barely two weeks into the new school year, and there's already been 4 teen suicides. We have lots of work to do! See you at the new location!!</div><div><br />
</div><div>Ron</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-31596189935651140502012-08-24T18:15:00.000-04:002012-08-24T18:15:05.353-04:00Noah Grawemeyer, 12, Bullying Leads to Suicide DeathIt's August 24, 2012. The new school year is just barely underway, and here we are: already saying goodbye to the second known student lost to suicide so far this school year. Noah Grawemeyer was only 12 years old. He had just started seventh grade at Hazelwood Middle School in New Albany, Indiana. According to his mother, he didn't want to go to school Monday:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfCBZKJJOLyvYL2fHh9nvijgjl54a0QC9AUuLfLEntL1neWWyyep5OO4QVHMJj_qFPc-XxfTsfYpX0jlMrbsMrUJG01g4IKHNu4iZ5JoVNxus3_IaEYyXNY61Sdirx5-cBJqtuNqwqBu6/s1600/Noah+Grawemeyer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMfCBZKJJOLyvYL2fHh9nvijgjl54a0QC9AUuLfLEntL1neWWyyep5OO4QVHMJj_qFPc-XxfTsfYpX0jlMrbsMrUJG01g4IKHNu4iZ5JoVNxus3_IaEYyXNY61Sdirx5-cBJqtuNqwqBu6/s1600/Noah+Grawemeyer.jpg" /></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“He was sick to his stomach, and he just was so upset when I talked to him and crying that he didn't want to go to school, and I didn't understand why he was crying not to..."</span></span></blockquote>Police in New Albany are investigating whether or not there was bullying involved. Same ol', same ol'. Undoubtedly, their conclusion will be one that we've heard many, many, too many times before: "Our investigation has concluded that bullying was not an issue... ." And, that leaves Noah's distraught family and friends in anguish. I'm certain that, on a core level, whether or not he was pushed to suicide due to bullying pales, by comparison, to the fact that he's gone. Rightly so. No parent or family member should ever have to go through the debilitating loss of a child to suicide. <br />
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On the other side of the coin, it <b>is</b> August 2012. I refuse to believe that there's a single person alive today, and of reasonable intelligence, who doesn't know that there's an enormous problem today with bullying and teen suicides. There's literally no place in the media a person can go and <b>not</b> hear stories of bullying and of teen suicides. It's in the newspapers for people who still read them; it's on the news channels and talk shows for those who watch television; it's on the Internet for those who spend most of their time there. It's an unavoidable issue. The stories are there. The faces are there. The broken families are there. The lawmakers are there vowing new legislation. So, with all of this in place, how is it that we're barely into the new school year and, <b>already!</b>, we're facing teen suicides due to bullying? Where is the ball being dropped? And, make no mistake: the ball is <i>clearly</i> being dropped. Do we wait until this affects us directly before we get involved? Do we continue to <b>not</b> educate our own young ones about the value of acceptance until we're face-to-face with the horror of the loss of our own child or teenager due to bullying and suicide? Do we continue to make our posters - "<b>No More Bullying!!!"; "Bullying Stops Here!!"</b> - march them around town while we wait for <b><i>someone else</i></b> to roll up their sleeves and get busy working for a solution? Or, do we look at this as what it is: a scourge in our society; an epidemic that is claiming many lives year after year; something that is totally controllable and avoidable? Once enough people begin to look at this for what it really is and feel in their heart that <b>it has to stop</b> before one more family has to go through what the Grawemeyers are currently going through, we'll start seeing real changes.<br />
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There are resources available, numbers that can be called, websites, and help pages.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Enough is Enough: the blog page</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span> <a href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">National Suicide Lifeline</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span> <a href="http://www.thetrevorproject.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Trevor Project</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span> <a href="http://www.befrienders.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Befrienders</span></a><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span> <a href="http://www.wipeouthomophobia.com/suicideprevention.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Suicide Prevention Information</span></a><br />
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There's been <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Noah-Grawemeyers/456831084337362" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">a facebook page</span></a> set up in Noah's memory. You can go there and give your condolences to the family. And, to you, young Noah, you're at peace, now. No more bullying.ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-26074213429101146062012-08-15T10:04:00.000-04:002012-08-15T10:04:36.844-04:00Devin Scott, 17, Death by SuicideWelcome to the new school year. This is the year that we're supposed to see a difference. This is the year that we're supposed to see the number of teen suicides markedly reduced. We're not off to a good start.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyEy61UthDzQ_6lN_0iK9oNoNqokRlgFacDN6-gmsurUS5GW7Djov9rWnloq3TgLedQzcGq2c1MhyphenhyphenJWDIRNa3Sffq79z6yCj899lWqSdFA777sz_kPPsN0tkrR9THUzuGQUNDMXN56yjS/s1600/Devin+Scott.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNyEy61UthDzQ_6lN_0iK9oNoNqokRlgFacDN6-gmsurUS5GW7Djov9rWnloq3TgLedQzcGq2c1MhyphenhyphenJWDIRNa3Sffq79z6yCj899lWqSdFA777sz_kPPsN0tkrR9THUzuGQUNDMXN56yjS/s200/Devin+Scott.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">After just the second day of his senior year, 17-year-old Devin Scott, in Colorado Springs, ended his own life. It has not been confirmed, yet, that bullying was a factor. And, there are <b>no</b> indications that Devin was an LGBT teen. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Although bullying hasn't been officially named as the culprit, there is <a href="http://www.gazette.com/articles/school-143177-scott-suicide.html#ixzz23XihX9EB" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">plenty of proof</span></a> that says otherwise. It is documented that there was a minor scuffle at Vista Ridge High School that resulted in the person Devin had the run-in with wanting to fight him. In fact, somewhere between 30-50 people showed up at his house wanting to <b>see</b> the fight. And, despite the fact that these people pounded on his door and taunted him from outside, no fight materialized. The assault then continued online, on his facebook account. According to his mother, Devin disabled his facebook account several times during the summer vacation because of constant cyberbullying. Angel Bradley, Devin's mother said:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"That's why we're talking about it. This is difficult for me to be talking about this on the day of my son's funeral, but I think awareness needs to be out there. Somebody needs to hear the story so that another family doesn't have to go through this."</span></span> </blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A lot is being done to make this year different. Better. A lot more needs to be done, obviously.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There is an ever-growing sea of people and organizations working tirelessly in an effort to bring awareness to the bullying issue and try to bring it to an end. Obviously, none of it was able to save the life of Devin Scott. However, in his honor, it's time <i style="font-weight: bold;">right now, while the school year is in its infancy</i> to redouble our efforts, to work even harder and more focused in our effort to bring the bullying scourge to a screeching halt and work towards greatly reducing the number of teen suicides. The State of Colorado has an anti-bullying law in effect for all of their schools. However, having laws on the books is meaningless without more action being taken. I'm convinced, after seeing this all unfold during the last school year, that it's going to take the efforts of many ordinary people - families, friends, neighbors, concerned citizens - to accomplish our goal. And, accomplishing this goal is a <b>must. </b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There are organizations online as well as suicide prevention lifelines. We should <b>all</b> strive to have this information memorized. We never know when we're going to need it!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Enough is Enough: the blog page</span></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Suicide Prevention Lifeline</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.thetrevorproject.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Trevor Project</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.befrienders.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Befrienders Worldwide</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Devin Scott would've turned 18 on August 20th. This was his senior year of high school. He was on the brink of life getting better for him. Rest in peace, Devin. </div><br />
ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-55308629059557141072012-07-10T12:47:00.001-04:002012-07-11T04:22:05.670-04:00Another Anoka-Hennepin in the Making?Every now and then, I get personal emails from readers of the Enough is Enough blog...for myriad reasons. Every so often, I'll receive an email that begs for some sort of action on my part. At the very least, a <b>re</b>action. "Anonymous" (that's just the name she chose to go by) sent me an alarming email that needed to be shared.<br />
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We've seen what can happen to LGBT youth, or even those <i>perceived</i> to be, in a community where the culture is hard-right, fundamentalist Christian. Think: Anoka-Hennepin. If you're unfamiliar with that, google it. It's definitely not something that we would want to revisit. Yet, revisiting it may be exactly what we're doing right now.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQWGDARwFuSIw6eWLnhcc-TOhgjxZtnX9sled1fmhsdrMj-Ekn3drGuTXHgzyIsnJ4gHDnOwCXn8tWwdmS0ExCEIbZLBIdhJDwzJmW1icErhR1sUTz24p-e7DHJSSWlG1hdTgGPjWEVUN/s1600/dripping-springs-tower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCQWGDARwFuSIw6eWLnhcc-TOhgjxZtnX9sled1fmhsdrMj-Ekn3drGuTXHgzyIsnJ4gHDnOwCXn8tWwdmS0ExCEIbZLBIdhJDwzJmW1icErhR1sUTz24p-e7DHJSSWlG1hdTgGPjWEVUN/s200/dripping-springs-tower.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Cody Strauss and Sarah Carman we boyfriend/girlfriend for 2 years. Sarah was a friend of "Anonymous". In 2008, a horrific automobile accident left Cody severely injured, comatose, and rendered to a rehabilitation home. Sarah stayed, stoically, by his side. "I love Cody with all my heart and soul", Sarah wrote in her blog. That was July 10th, 2009. August 22nd, <a href="http://www.kvue.com/news/Dripping-Springs-family-desperately-seeks-answers-in-the-deaths-of-two-teens-102119429.html" style="color: #cc0000;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">they were both gone</span></a>. Sarah's death was ruled a suicide, with a single gunshot to the head; Cody's, however, was ruled "undertermined". He suffered two gunshots to his chest. Was it a murder/suicide? Three years of "investigation" has done nothing to answer that question. However, it is the belief of "Anonymous" that Cody and Sarah both committed suicide on that day. According to "Anonymous", they had both been bullied. The rub is that the Hays County Sheriffs didn't investigate the bullying aspect. It's as if it was swept under the rug. Meanwhile, we're just short of three years since the tragic event, and neither family has any answers. Says Debra Carman, Sarah's mother:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;">I do believe that Sarah did not kill herself, I know she didn't. I know in my heart as a mother, I just know.</span></span></blockquote>Twenty months later, another friend of hers from Dripping Springs High School, Jesse Hunt, went home from school and committed suicide. He, too, had been bullied. This time, rather than drag out an ineffective "investigation", Jesse's suicide was completely swept under the rug: no news about it either in the local papers or on television. And, suddenly, we have what appears to have the potential of another Anoka-Hennepin on our hands. The making of another suicide cluster.<br />
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The common threads here are that all three of the victims have all been from the same school. All three had been bullied. All three committed suicide. Neither case is being treated as a component of being bullied. None of the three were LGBT teens. Then again, not all of the teens from Anoka-Hennepin were, either. And, that doesn't matter one iota. LGBT teens aren't the only ones who are bullied. They are not the only ones who commit suicide nor are their suicides the only ones we're working tirelessly to prevent. What matters here is the fact that, as was the case in Minnesota not to very long ago, there's a rash of teen suicides that are being swept under the rug. Seemingly overlooked. In Anoka-Hennepin, we know that the fact that the majority of the teens who ended their lives were LGBT and that that region was (and, still is) far right-wing, very "Christian". As such, LGBT teens, even those who were perceived to be!, committing suicide just wasn't very high on their list of misguided priorities. <br />
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We cannot afford to see a repeat of what happened in Minnesota just a few short years ago.ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-89294812906854118442012-06-28T00:52:00.000-04:002012-06-28T00:52:35.582-04:00Reaching the Boiling Point"It's going to get worse before it begins to get better". As the struggle for Equal Rights continues, as predicted, the battle is becoming much more heated. And, bitter. And, dangerous. In just the past 72 hours alone, there's been a major escalation in the verbal and physical attacks on the LGBT community, as well as their supporters. Sadly, there's been one death.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEuMiA9N3TGlG_kMtWtPt3EV_hFiOhM079v8QcgWLeFN5Y8ZSP1lnfmfPN-zT-fI5YALcVi-FMwm3SxdEP_MYKg7AJH0n0v41ptstRCgdhJZqFIuD_VAIVsFbmcYphAqsk45jcsNXpB5q/s1600/540936_10150998259519653_1378889283_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaEuMiA9N3TGlG_kMtWtPt3EV_hFiOhM079v8QcgWLeFN5Y8ZSP1lnfmfPN-zT-fI5YALcVi-FMwm3SxdEP_MYKg7AJH0n0v41ptstRCgdhJZqFIuD_VAIVsFbmcYphAqsk45jcsNXpB5q/s200/540936_10150998259519653_1378889283_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anyone with access to the Internet, and particularly those who have facebook accounts, are aware of the furor that was caused recently when the makers of the iconic Oreo cookie showed their support for the LGBT community. In response, the lunatic fringe, LGBT-hating extremists went into full attack mode. Some of the venomous things they posted as comments brings full light to the dangerous climate members of the LGBT community are facing today. If you think for a minute that the hatred and intolerance these <i style="font-weight: bold;">adults </i>routinely show doesn't have a major impact on the bullying and LGBT teen suicide rate or the level of violence against members of the LGBT community, you're wrong.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDFNo3Mdo0jaxECRgeTREIVa4CT7A8hL7Ako6vZ67QWXV2obCHEXqaZwim9fjzrtDixzZ1VtAp5kzar2nS0VmQ2iwtCCtJQfBRvH3qU4NsvvSHsogdqZ92TLJlkhyphenhyphenZi9ZnaboSrfnj6Rl/s1600/bashing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifDFNo3Mdo0jaxECRgeTREIVa4CT7A8hL7Ako6vZ67QWXV2obCHEXqaZwim9fjzrtDixzZ1VtAp5kzar2nS0VmQ2iwtCCtJQfBRvH3qU4NsvvSHsogdqZ92TLJlkhyphenhyphenZi9ZnaboSrfnj6Rl/s200/bashing.jpg" width="145" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Over the weekend, Cory Oden, an LGBT man, was brutally attacked simply because of who he is. For the simple "crime" of being a gay man in America - the country that's <i>supposedly</i> the "land of the free" - Cory endured a brutal attack that could've very easily claimed his life. Just because he's a gay man in America. If you get the time, and are so inclined, please do go show Cory some love and support. Here's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/cory.oden" target="_blank">his facebook page</a>. I was reading some of his wall posts moments ago. This has been a life-changing event for him, obviously. </div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I lay here on my porch swing looking at the sky, sorting all the jumble in my brain. I can't stop thinking about all the people in the world suffering. Maybe it be acts of hatred, maybe it be dying loved ones, maybe even just as simple as you don't know how you're going to pay your rent and survive in what seems to be a cold hard world. I've got quite the battle approaching. Everyone knows its a tough one to rise above and conquer. We have to remember to keep the faith and love flowing through our veins. Whatever struggles you are facing, whatever the outcome may be, just remember to always let your voice be heard and make some noise!!! You never know who just may be listening ♥</span></span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYal2FYTIGBlhPcg4HBuipaCygIFEs8FRR6IrTp7EX9N70-H95PfYZ0QXxVBjg_pC7yrLGhuDxuBV4vNvvqa3tQkXdvRESApL6Arw6FVYhs1rLTDGeuFJp5Xo7gvjYLjenLwZ9iaN2dPw/s1600/Molly+Olgin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzYal2FYTIGBlhPcg4HBuipaCygIFEs8FRR6IrTp7EX9N70-H95PfYZ0QXxVBjg_pC7yrLGhuDxuBV4vNvvqa3tQkXdvRESApL6Arw6FVYhs1rLTDGeuFJp5Xo7gvjYLjenLwZ9iaN2dPw/s200/Molly+Olgin.jpg" width="200" /></a></div> In Portland, Texas, a lesbian, teenaged couple was found shot in the head. Nineteen-year-old Mollie Olgin succumbed to her injuries. It hasn't "officially" been classified a hate crime at the time of this writing. Of course, that's not to say that it <i>wasn't</i>. <br />
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So, there you have it. In just under 72 hours, one dead, one in critical condition, one in serious condition. What's my point? If you go back to the insanity of the attack on the Oreo's ad on facebook, and read the comments, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that the LGBT community is under attack...that "they" have declared war on members of the LGBT community and its supporters. <br />
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Here's the point: what we're starting to see is a culture that's reaching its boiling point. The religious fanatics and the homophobic extremists are multiplying rapidly, just as we are on this side of the battle line. For all of their holiness and deep-rooted "Christian" faith, they're leading us into, essentially, a war right here on our own soil. Their verbal assaults have been dialed up to fever pitch. Violence against members of the LGBT community is rising in both frequency and severity. And, people are losing their lives. <br />
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Of course, this mentality isn't anything new in this country. They killed blacks for sport as they fought for their rights. Isn't it ironic that these people who profess to be good, "God-fearing Christians" are so comfortable with hatred, intolerance and, worse, the death of those they oppose? Perhaps, for them, fearing God is in their best interest, after all.ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-70454486125128345592012-06-24T11:07:00.000-04:002012-06-24T11:07:12.420-04:00The Third Marine, The Fourth Brother<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This story was sent to me from a regular reader of this blog. I think it begs to be read by everyone. This is the story of USMC Ryan Mire, told by a loving, grieving uncle. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><blockquote><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit;">I admire sad and serious stories. That is not to say that I don't enjoy a humorous story or a good laugh, because I certainly do. It is that I find great meaning, message, and resolution through tears. The following reflection is as true as my memory can muster . . . it articulates my thoughts and my memories of sad days for our family and me. I wrote this not to entertain, but to challenge us from our place of comfort.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">No 20-year old person is supposed to die! Dying is meant for those who have spent their youth; used well their middle age; and fulfilled their elder years. However, die he did. He left behind a mother, father, grandfather, brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, as well as comrades in arms. I claim this to be his story, but likely it is mine. Perhaps it is at least my simplistic attempt to squeeze something of value from his untimely and unnecessary death.</span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1uYc0g4NbGmIWD9tjxaIzWpIwhfSxayaamILCuv6bQ2hMj8WZIEZn67xZvD_Hn7LIeTY9ATARHqvmxJyUt7Fy4CygzndqO7x6XEfENnmW-H6dG4VvU6gDFegv9Uj0U0SB602fasADQIk/s1600/few_proud_marines.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1uYc0g4NbGmIWD9tjxaIzWpIwhfSxayaamILCuv6bQ2hMj8WZIEZn67xZvD_Hn7LIeTY9ATARHqvmxJyUt7Fy4CygzndqO7x6XEfENnmW-H6dG4VvU6gDFegv9Uj0U0SB602fasADQIk/s200/few_proud_marines.jpeg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">My father, himself a United State Marine Corps veteran from World War II and the Korean Conflict, weak from prolonged illness, replete in his Veterans of Foreign Wars' hat stood as much to attention as he could as a man of 80+ years. I stood next to him, at least partially as a steadying presence, bare headed, sadness and loss clearly written across my face. We stood nearby the gravesite, in Woodside Cemetery in Westminster, Massachusetts - less than a mile from the house where my five siblings and I grew up. This is where my mother is buried alongside other family members including an uncle and one of my brothers-in-law. This is the place where my father is buried now and hopefully where I will be buried one day. This pre-revolutionary war graveyard has served its purpose well ever since Abner Moore became its first resident in 1742.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The three brothers, my nephews, two in and one out of uniform, Marine Corps uniforms to be specific, stood at uncomfortable attention. There were also several other Marine Corps uniformed men and women nearby who had actually escorted him home to final rest. They brought him home together with a folded flag; five sealed envelopes; a pre-recorded version of Taps, all together with words of appreciation from both a grateful nation and the Commander-In-Chief.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">His mother and father, my sister Bette Jane and brother-in-law, Saul, of course were there. They were barely able to stand, their grief nearly overwhelming. My other sisters, brother, sister-in-law, and brothers-in-law, all of his aunts and uncles, his grandfather, along with cousins, nieces, nephews and family friends were there as well, all suffering near inconsolable sadness and loss -- our dear friends sharing in our family's grief.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">I have always thought of my sister Bette Jane and her husband Saul as saints. This is not because they are necessarily without sin or act particularly holy, but because their hearts and outreached helping hands could extend and did extend way beyond their physical reach to comfort, care for, and ease the pain and sadness of many persons - particularly of many children. I know of no better examples of what my Lutheran friends so often say, "God's work, our hands."</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some years ago, Bette Jane and Saul adopted four boys . . . brothers who had been neglected by their alcohol addicted mother. Social services had removed them from their neglectful home and placed them in various families as foster children. They were later put up for adoption. Better Jane and Saul, foster parents to two and then four ended up adopting all four of these boys. This sudden family of six lived a happy life together, spending much of it in Southern New Hampshire, eventually seeing each of these four boys grow into fine human beings and good men. Three of these four boys, hardly boys, by then grown men, were serving or had served in the United States Marine Corps. I remember thinking how very handsome they all looked in their full dress blue uniforms with red and white accepts. Their grandfather, my father, being the Marine veteran that he was, exuded pride every time he talked or thought about these three grandsons who chose to serve their country by becoming Marines. Their father, himself a retired US Army veteran, shared in the pride that comes from watching your sons grow; become men; and serve their country as he himself had done throughout his entire adult life. To tell the truth, all of us, veterans and non-veterans alike were proud of these fine men.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">The youngest of the three Marines, 20-year old Ryan, actually the youngest in this family of six, died while on active duty in Okinawa, Japan. He died not because of an act of war, not because of an accident, not because of friendly fire. He died because of hatred, shame, ignorance, fear, and possibly self-loathing. He died alone in an outbuilding at a remote section of the island-base after hanging himself.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ryan chose to end his life rather than, in his mind, shame his family and the Marine Corp that he loved. Shame caused by compromising photographs that someone had then published to the Internet. Pictures that would likely broadcast him as a gay man.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wonder if Ryan's death is the outcome some or perhaps even many people want for gay men and women. I have often wondered if there were people somewhere celebrating Ryan's death on this very day; celebrating on the day of our family's deep sadness: a day when we saw a life given up at such a young and promising age. I have ever dared wonder to myself, were some individuals actually rejoicing in the fact that there was one less of "them" around. To us who stood in Woodside Cemetery on that cool early spring day, at uncomfortable attention, he was not one of 'them'; he was our loving son, our brother, our nephew, our cousin, our grandson, our neighbor, our friend, and our comrade - truly loved by all. Ryan as a gay man, if that is what he was, deserved a chance as much as anyone else, to live a full and complete life of his choosing; his life to live in freedom and dignity.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">As were stood there on that day at uncomfortable attention, we all thought about what we might have said to this dear young man to assuage his fear and eliminate the shame he felt. Would he have listened if we told him, once again, that we loved him 'no matter what', or as some would say 'warts and all'? Would he perhaps have taken a different path, had we been able to tell him that there is a fulfilling life available to all of us, yes, even to gay men and women? I wonder, though, if he would have even believed us, even if we had been given the chance to say something to him before? Truth is, as far as we know, he chose this path without conversation with anyone - after all, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">As nearly as we can determine, he left behind only the five handwritten letters sealed in five envelopes . . . each addressed to a different person . . . I do not know much detail of what was in them, I only know that they contained his last words.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">When all was said, and all was done on that cool spring day, we left that pre-revolutionary war graveyard with memories in our minds, loss in our hearts, tears in our eyes, and a folded flag in our hands.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, what lessons should or could we draw from this? I would not be so presumptuous to suggest lessons for others. For me, however, my lessons are few and simple:</span><br />
<ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">to be outspoken in my support, respect, and love for all peoples;</span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">to respect and value the differences among us;</span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">to respect individuals for whom they are and for the decisions that they make to live fulfilling and meaningful lives in the ways that they choose;</span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">to respect individuals' choices regarding who they love</span></li>
</ul><ul style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" type="disc"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">to never remain silent or quiet when any human being is marginalized, or when any human being is denied rights that I take for granted</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Sadly, there is nothing I can say nor anything that I can do to bring Ryan back to us. However, if these words resonate for only one person, whose heart, upon hearing this story, grows "three sizes that day" . . . perhaps they will have earned their right to paper.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-family: inherit;">As I said at the beginning, for me, resolution, message, and meaning come through tears. I hope you share my tears . . . that on that day, in that place, were shed for our dear Ryan, a 20-year old man; the third marine, the fourth brother.</span></blockquote>I hope and trust that you're resting in peace, Ryan Mire. Thank you for sharing his story with us, Bruce.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-86725000286333722252012-06-22T03:00:00.000-04:002012-06-22T03:00:50.090-04:00Wondering....Marty has to get the credit for this one. Like many people, I've been following <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/20/greece-school-district-bullied-footage-causes-outrage_n_1612925.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the story of Karen Klein</span></a>, the 68-year-old school bus monitor who was caught on video being severely and inhumanely bullied by a group of middle-schoolers. And, like most people, I thought it was an outrage that these young menaces would do what they did to this sweet lady. They were, indeed, beyond cruel. Their behavior was reprehensible. I was very happy, like I'm sure many of you were, that the action against these boys was swift, and it appears that it will be quite harsh...as well it should be.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaYoCWBsrOgEdKJj5bYzwhBsN5XwXOxhR8yaNREQBMvkXhPyMTWEt8MSSWTFgQd3TWyJeW7MEvU6ues-QIZx2nR58Ub5SIO42KEvDhfJhYnECcceYcekcs7tt4P_rTOubJcEp72oPiHMw/s1600/karen-klein-440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEaYoCWBsrOgEdKJj5bYzwhBsN5XwXOxhR8yaNREQBMvkXhPyMTWEt8MSSWTFgQd3TWyJeW7MEvU6ues-QIZx2nR58Ub5SIO42KEvDhfJhYnECcceYcekcs7tt4P_rTOubJcEp72oPiHMw/s200/karen-klein-440.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Marty saw the whole thing differently. He called me, full of alarm, to ask if I'd seen the story. Well, of course I had. Half the world has seen it by now. Hell, Karen's getting a vacation out of the whole deal, paid for by "everyday Joes" from around the world to the tune of $427,000+ and counting!!! That's going to be <b>some</b> vacation. <br />
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What alarmed Marty was the fact that the authorities did, in fact, react as swiftly and definitively against these young tormentors; however, when it comes to the bullying that's done to their peers, everyone drags their heels. Worse, they fall into a very predictable pattern of complete denial. ("Those boys are good as gold"...<i>Kim Lockwood</i>) Once he pointed that out, they whole story about Karen Klein became a whole different story for me.<br />
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I'm wondering how "they" would respond to that. We know all too well about the intense bullying that goes on both in the schools and on the school buses. For those of us who have seen the movie, "Bully", we've seen it up close and personal. Some of you have been bullied yourselves or have kids who have been. You know <i>exactly</i> what I'm talking about.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cE6gw9HzjJ-KixCdEP7wKVUwwqC8LqsVj8Bk2BpmMKEEZqnE5wzFG7EJkO90jhoZAWwu1_pS7wU7bRz13fP9b_NSovYfsmW-IwYfrw9Tq9WGFcDPTS8MaqEpiB39S-uBLWKMHs2Q_PKh/s1600/Bully-Is-a-Parents-Worst-Nightmare-300x224.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1cE6gw9HzjJ-KixCdEP7wKVUwwqC8LqsVj8Bk2BpmMKEEZqnE5wzFG7EJkO90jhoZAWwu1_pS7wU7bRz13fP9b_NSovYfsmW-IwYfrw9Tq9WGFcDPTS8MaqEpiB39S-uBLWKMHs2Q_PKh/s200/Bully-Is-a-Parents-Worst-Nightmare-300x224.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What Karen Klein endured from these young tyrants, <b>no one</b> should have to endure. <b>That includes their peers and classmates!!</b> We have a culture where kids, straight and LGBT, are ending their lives because of the very same thing that Karen endured. The world saw the affect their mindless meanness had on her, and the world reacted. Swiftly. Effectively. <b>Where is that response when the kids who suffer that same level of abuse day in and day out?</b> What is it about our culture that relegates <i>that</i> behavior to a "boys will be boys" mentality when it comes to the young people being bullied but runs to the aid of a Karen Klein who only suffered the same mindless attacks that the schoolboys and girls suffer everyday? Understand that these are questions that <b>beg</b> to be explored and answered. It's a mindset. It's a mindset that costing lives needlessly.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The members of <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook blog page</span></a> hold my feet to the fire on everything I write, and I love it. It keeps me on my toes. That said, let me clarify that I have no problem whatsoever with the outpouring of love and support that Karen has received from around the globe. I think it's heartwarming to see everyone respond like that. She certainly should have never had to go through this in the first place. My issue, and Marty's issue, is simple: where is this response when we <b>know</b> that this is happening day-in-and-day-out to school kids on school buses, in schoolyards, and in classrooms every single day...in nearly every school across the country? Where's the rush to action then? Why are the authorities <b>not</b> responding to <i>those</i> incidences with the same fervor they responded to in Karen's ordeal? These are questions that need to be scrutinized and answered before we can begin to see improvements.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It is my opinion that this case proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the ball is being dropped in the homes. I'll come under attack for that statement. But, allow me to state my case: as the overwhelming majority of you fellow Baby Boomers will attest to, <b>there was absolutely no way, </b>when we were adolescents, that we would even <i>dream</i> of talking to our elders the way these boys talked to Karen. <b>NO WAY!! </b>Respect was instilled in us. So, where was the ball dropped? Isn't respect something that's supposed to be taught in the home? How is it that these boys, and others like them, are so at ease with talking to an elderly adult in this manner? See, if these boys have no respect for a 68-year-old grandmother, and clearly they didn't, there's no way in <i>hell</i> they can be expected to have any respect for their peers. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The cold, hard truth is that we're not going to solve anything, insofar as bullying is concerned, by focusing solely on the youngsters. It's becoming more and more clear by the day that the real work is needed from the top, down. Look, these kids are being <i>taught</i> to be cruel, disrespectful, careless, and intolerant. Whether the teaching is direct or indirect, the teacher(s) is the adults in their lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Karen Klein, I'm sorry you had to endure such insensitivity from these boys. I hope you have a wonderful and memorable vacation. As for Marty, well...what can I say?: that's my boy! As for everyone else, teach love. Teach respect. Teach acceptance. It's the <i style="font-weight: bold;">only way</i> out of this mess.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>UPDATE:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As I was writing this, <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/21/karen-klein-bullying-video-bullies-apologize-to-bus-monitor_n_1617404.html?1340336465&ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the story was released</span></a> that two of the tormentors have since offered what seemed to be heartfelt apologies for their behavior. That's good! When interviewed by Anderson Cooper, one said:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I feel really bad about what I did," Wesley, one of the boys in the video, said in a statement issued to the show by police. "I wish I had never done those things. If that had happened to someone in my family, like my mother or grandmother, I would be really mad at the people who did that to them."</span></span></blockquote>while the other youngster stated:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I am so sorry for the way I treated you," Josh, another one of the boys, said in a statement. "When I saw the video I was disgusted and could not believe I did that. I am sorry for being so mean and I will never treat anyone this way again."</span></span></blockquote>See, <b>they aren't born to act that way!!</b> That repulsive, and dangerous!, behavior is taught. Directly or indirectly, the lesson is still taught and learned. I'm wondering what would happen if every case of bullying went viral like the Karen Klein incident did? Forced to actually see their actions as the video goes viral, and sentenced to hearing the world respond to their spiteful, nasty behavior, I'm wondering if we'd start seeing some of these young bullies begin to turn away from their negative and cruel behavior? One can always hope.<br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-15720052143523029372012-06-19T01:17:00.001-04:002012-06-19T03:37:55.099-04:00Same-Sex Marriage: A Fight to the DeathMy most recent blog entry has, so far, gone largely unnoticed. I find that frighteningly sad because of it's extreme importance. In it, I gave reasons why <a href="http://ronkemp.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-its-imperative-for-obama-to-win-in.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>this</b> year's election</span></a> is so vitally important. It's an article that I really think every single person needs to read. It's that important.<br />
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Only if a person lives in a bubble or under a rock would they not know that we are, as a society, in the midst of a very brutal cultural war. This fight for equality hasn't even begun to seriously heat up, yet we're seeing and hearing some of the most amazingly mean-spirited, hate-laced rhetoric coming from the opponents camp that you could ever imagine. I was too young to remember whether or not things became <b>this</b> bitter during the Civil Rights struggle of the 60s. Smart money would say that it did. Bigots are bigots are bigots. Their logic is almost always "pretzel logic"; their rhetoric is always bitter and hateful; their fear is always change.<br />
<br />
The more I read and hear from these people, the more I realize that this battle hasn't even really begun...that it's going to get much worse than what we're seeing today. You think that's not possible? Let me remind you of some of "their" tactics:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>Think back, not too long ago, to when <b style="font-style: italic;">murdering</b> abortion doctors was a phenomena. Do you remember who was (and, still is) leading the charge against abortion?</li>
<li>Think back to just a month or so ago when an LGBT headquarters in Washington, D.C. had a bomb threat</li>
<li>Think back to <b>just two weeks ago</b> when a gay bar in Chicago was set ablaze</li>
<li>And, if you need another example, think back to the days of the Civil Rights fight of the 60s. They were killing blacks seemingly at will. Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while will remember my own, personal story of a middle-aged white man who tried to plunge a 12" knife into the back of this then-<b>6 year old</b> black boy!</li>
</ul><div>Forget the Christianity argument! Their actions clearly states that they are anything <b>but</b> Christ-like. They're hellbent in their ways, they're terrified of change, they're insistent on everyone living life as <b>they</b> see fit, they're narrow-minded, and hateful. Most alarming, they have <b>no problem</b> resorting to violence if it means protecting their views.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vPY1Sm8OC-lbpTodP4IObTle2APBoszlu5hu_wrPLkl_mg-ZzBmqwXDwen3zTNprHexLdT2LwpMnLLXpdMNcp8MeysW3uKa-9VqOmaOY0w8VNuL4dicWXQwTfmn-BWLNxYTUOeTMfB6J/s1600/garlow.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9vPY1Sm8OC-lbpTodP4IObTle2APBoszlu5hu_wrPLkl_mg-ZzBmqwXDwen3zTNprHexLdT2LwpMnLLXpdMNcp8MeysW3uKa-9VqOmaOY0w8VNuL4dicWXQwTfmn-BWLNxYTUOeTMfB6J/s1600/garlow.png" /></a></div><div>To wit, Jim Garlow spoke to a group of right-wingers, speaking out against same-sex marriage. He closed out his speech by...</div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">...likening those opposing marriage equality today to Revolutionary War pastors who fought the British because, just like them, these Religious Right activists are are willing declare "if necessary, here we die!"</span></span></blockquote>As I've been trying to get across, in their minds <b>they are at war</b>. Anyone not getting this is not paying attention.<br />
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So, who <b>is</b> this Jim Garlow, you ask? Well, he's Senior pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego; he's the co-author of "Cracking the Di Vinci Code". He's an accomplished man with wealth and, obviously, some clout. And, his rhetoric is very, very dangerous. In a different interview:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;">Garlow weighed in, </span>declaring<span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: left;"> that religious liberty and "the radical homosexual agenda" were on course for a head-on collision in America because "they cannot both exist in the same nation at the same time." As such, Garlow warned that advances in marriage equality will eventually force the Christian church underground because the gay agenda is all about "coercion, and crushing, and taking away our liberties and freedoms." But nonetheless, Garlow said, Christians must be willing to stand up and speak out in opposition even though "we are coming into an era where it could cost us everything, including our lives":</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, 'Bitstream Vera Sans', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: left;"> </span></blockquote>This is serious business. We've already seen several preachers suggest death for members of the LGBT community. We've got politicians, as recently as just yesterday!, trying to push through legislation that would essentially give people free reign to discriminate against members of the LGBT community under the guise of doing it in respect of their religious beliefs. <br />
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It's as if Bobby Griffith's story holds no value to them. For those who are unfamiliar with his story, google it. His mother was "one of them", to a point where it drove him to suicide. It wasn't until <i>after</i> his death that she understood how very wrong she was and how much damage she did to her son. That same damage is being done to every single LGBT youth today, either directly or indirectly. If you don't think that this constant bombardment of broad-stroked hatred for them isn't helping to propel the already-accelerated LGBT teen suicide rate, think again. If you don't think that their incessant nastiness isn't feeding the ones who seek out and attack members of the LGBT community, think again. If you don't think that many of the schoolyard bullies aren't heavily influenced by what they're seeing and hearing from these people, <b>think again</b>!! They have waged war against the LGBT community. It can't be put any more simply than that. We've all agreed that the major component to ending the bullying and teen suicides is changing the mindset of <b>the adults.</b> Understanding that these people have no problem with LGBT teens being bullied and/or committing suicide is absolutely essential if we are to see any measurable change in those arenas.<br />
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So, again I ask, <a href="http://ronkemp.blogspot.com/2012/06/why-its-imperative-for-obama-to-win-in.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">why <i style="font-weight: bold;">IS</i> this November's election so important</span></a>? If I have to tell you, you're not paying attention. Or, as my mother would tell me "you're flying down the highway and not paying attention to <b>any</b> of the signs". That's how crashes occur.<br />
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<div><br />
</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-8275582271235533892012-06-15T00:07:00.004-04:002012-06-15T00:23:22.309-04:00Why November's Election is SO Important<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I’ve<b> </b>been trying to get this thought out, now, for almost a month. One thing after another has gotten in the way of its completion. Yet, I feel it’s vitally important for me to get it out. Then, last Wednesday following the Scott Walker recall election, I was presented with just the catalyst I needed to see it through<b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">While out playing music, which is what I do, this local homeless Viet Nam vet came up to me and pushed my button!<b> </b>“Well, those stupid fucking Democrats really took it up the ass yesterday!” Now, I’m use to his vitriolic statements<b>. </b>He’s still at war. I get that. I’ve known him for quite some time. And, his conversations are usually right along that same line. And, typically, I just listen to his rhetoric, smile, nod, and go on about my day. It usually works. Not today. Today, he pushed my buttons. He pushed my buttons because he reminded me, up close and person, of exactly why it is of extreme importance for Obama to win in November.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvQV1upltaC4dVsvkWmdJ_jf2nxCJVVPUf002sCounC6JTBqM0qwZfLPkA4MqOjc_t2ktBcdCvDOBtj6szb5P0RGWGb5yCfVRChaS716H0_RkARbd1q_b3qWXamDUw0-tSvQ-24Wd_K4r/s1600/vote!!!!.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUvQV1upltaC4dVsvkWmdJ_jf2nxCJVVPUf002sCounC6JTBqM0qwZfLPkA4MqOjc_t2ktBcdCvDOBtj6szb5P0RGWGb5yCfVRChaS716H0_RkARbd1q_b3qWXamDUw0-tSvQ-24Wd_K4r/s320/vote!!!!.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">This isn’t about politics, really. This is about loving and caring. This is about tolerance. This is more about right and wrong. And, it’s about survival</span><b style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%; text-align: justify;">.</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I want to make it perfectly clear that I’m no professional political analyst. Not even close. In fact, the only thing I am, as a professional, is a musician<b>. </b>I’m a single, gay, black male. I’m an older black male who was around, albeit as a young boy, when blacks were fighting for their own right to exist.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our country is entrenched in a cultural war. That should be no secret to anyone with a pulse. We’re seeing a second-coming of the Civil Rights movement of the 60s as the LGBT community fight, essentially for their right to even exist. Just as blacks did in the 50s and 60s. The parallels are undeniable<b>.</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of course, there are many who would vehemently disagree with me. Over and over again, I’ve read this older black leader or another protest the notion that today fight for equal rights by the LGBT community is an extension of the Civil Rights battle of the 60s. I can state as a black man who lived during those times as a young black boy in the South that it is, indeed, the same fight. In truth, despite their efforts to distance themselves from today’s struggle, it is the same fight being fought against the same establishment<b>. </b>The same hateful, mean-spirited, bigoted people who wanted to keep Blacks “in their place” 50-60 years ago now want to do the same with the LGBT community. Well, of course not the <i>same</i> people. That was a half-century ago. However, it IS, in fact, the same establishment. Now, before I get called out on this for not knowing my history, I’m very well aware that there were Democrats and Republicans, alike, who were fighting against Civil Rights back then, whereas today’s war is being waged solely by the ultra right-wing, Christian fundamentalists. In that day, the political lines were a bit more blurred than they are today. Today, there is an unmistakable gulf of a line drawn between the two parties<b>. </b>And, that division has permeated our entire society<b>. </b>We’re very much a “them and us” culture<b>. </b>And, therein lies the problem<b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Listen, I’m a Democrat, myself. However, I can readily acknowledge that there’s a lot that Obama has not done during his current presidency<b>. </b>He’s left a lot to be desired. I get it. At the same time, I was realistic enough from the beginning to know that he WOULDN’T be able to do but so much. Why? There was <i>no way</i> “they” were going to let a smooth-talking black President show but so much accomplishment. The Civil Rights struggle of the 60s may have been won in theory, but in reality there are still struggles on the racial front, as well<b>.<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Today’s Civil Rights struggle is being fought by the LGBT community, making this the second Civil Rights struggle that I will be directly affected by. As with the Blacks in the 50s and 60s, all we’re seeking is equality. That’s it. Simple equality. We want to be able to marry the person we love. Legally. We want to be protected against discrimination in the workplace and in the housing market. We want the hate crime laws to protect every single America, which include us. We want to see an end to the incessant bullying of our LGBT youth, <i>sanctioned</i> <i>legally </i>in some states!, which is leading far-too-many of them to end their lives. In short, we just want the right to live our lives, as who we are, just as freely as our heterosexual counterparts. That’s really not asking too much, and it certainly isn’t asking for “special rights” as they try to make you believe<b>. <o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Why IS is so incredibly important that the current President of the United States win the election this year? The answer is quite simple, actually. The short answer is if Obama fails to retain the White House, our culture will be doomed back to the days, and ways, of Ward, June, Wally, and the Beav. It’s that simple. That’s the utopian world they envision. That’s the simple answer. A deeper look reveals a much more disturbing picture. Failure by Obama to win the White House in November will ensure:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br />
</span></div><ol><li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Every single hard-fought gain the LGBT community has made will be erased. The few states that do have marriage equality? Gone. Anti-discrimination policies that protects the LGBT community? Forget about it</span><b style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">.</b></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">The death rate amongst LGBT teens will continue to soar. It’s as simple as that. Look, let’s take off the blinders. The ultra-conservative, far-right wing, Christian faction hates us. Period. Ironic, isn't it? Christians hating. Yet, we’ve heard preachers tell their congregation that we should die. These are Christians. These are leaders. These people are the driving force behind the Republican Party today.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Today's Republican Party is being spearheaded by some of the most narrow-minded, evil-spirited "politicians" I've ever seen in my lifetime. That there are Republican senators working feverishly to pass legislation that will, in effect, <b>sanction</b> the bullying of LGBT teens should tell you all that you need to know. And, that's just a small fraction of the threat they pose to the LGBT community.</span></li>
</ol><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUOCLjG1CvW6L9Jj0pmEm0GGnd9UKzn2iVsRpN0qBvVYBrhkYX9nbEG7hpVLhRXxlbuEbWbd85CACJeKuwaKhiZ1l7mvCvIKUPK2G7WWvO2gj1d-8Krk-vc0w2p749jkD1-pbqozuZsLp/s1600/sexuality.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="276" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcUOCLjG1CvW6L9Jj0pmEm0GGnd9UKzn2iVsRpN0qBvVYBrhkYX9nbEG7hpVLhRXxlbuEbWbd85CACJeKuwaKhiZ1l7mvCvIKUPK2G7WWvO2gj1d-8Krk-vc0w2p749jkD1-pbqozuZsLp/s320/sexuality.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm not naive. I understand that there will always be narrow-minded, bigoted people in the world and in our society. However, at this specific point in time, they've risen to positions of power. With that, they've seemingly made it their life's mission to all but do away with anything gay. Indeed, there has been right-wing political and religious leaders calling for the death of LGBT people. They're flexing their political/religious muscle, spewing extraordinarily hateful and intolerant rhetoric to their followers. In doing so, they are creating a very dangerous environment for members of the LGBT community. To wit:</div><div><ul><li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Just last week, a landmark <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/gay-bar-fire-arson" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">gay bar was set ablaze</span></a> in Chicago. </span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">The LGBT Headquarters in Washington, DC recently endured a bomb threat.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Schoolyard bullies are more empowered than ever in their attacks against those they perceive to be LGBT schoolmates, driving many to commit suicide.</span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 23px;"><a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/13/janice-daniels-troy-mayor-homosexuality-cigarette-smoking_n_1593574.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">In the news just today</span></a>, an ultra-conservative mayor in Michigan added fuel to the already-raging firestorm directed towards her by way of a recall vote with yet another ridiculous statement about the LGBT community.</span></li>
</ul>Indeed, Obama losing the election in November would be catastrophic for the LGBT community. Not just because he's gone public in his support for marriage equality. It would be catastrophic because it would put in power the absolute meanest, most narrow-minded collection of "leaders" I've ever witnessed. Giving power to this group of people would take the LGBT community back to pre-Stonewall days. At least! Giving power to them would absolutely assure an escalation in the already-alarming suicide rate amongst LGBT teens. Why? Because they don't care about you if you're LGBT. In their eyes, we shouldn't exist. And, quite frankly, people with this mentality have absolutely no business whatsoever in positions of power.<br />
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Honestly, this really isn't about politics, per se. It's more about right and wrong. It's wrong for people to use positions of power to systematically destroy a group of people. To call for the death of a group of people is called genocide. How is that even legal? Maybe within the next four years, they'll get some people in their party who actually care about ALL people, including people in the LGBT community. Maybe that's asking too much. Well, at the very least, we can hope for a group of people who aren't as mean-spirited as this collection is. Until then, I think we need to do everything in our power to make sure they don't succeed in November.</div><div style="text-align: justify; text-indent: -24px;"><span style="line-height: 23px;"><br />
</span></div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-64220052570892669502012-06-11T11:53:00.000-04:002012-06-11T11:53:31.593-04:00Brandon Elizares, 16, Bullied to SuicideThe numbers just keep adding on. On June 2nd, we lost yet another LGBT teen to suicide. And, once again, it was to escape the bullying he had been enduring.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJV9Fi6vaYB18dRCPtz-0XzU0MvOELwZiXCkcFADR4scdvbj5lQ1PEL_YtO9nrq-V4CdUAc5R8lKiuGi5icVZazC21H5rOuBWvUXi4uJ1gOyZHcd_1iTThqese_LgauCjQCfPYgltnEPn/s1600/Brandon+Elizares.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="143" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdJV9Fi6vaYB18dRCPtz-0XzU0MvOELwZiXCkcFADR4scdvbj5lQ1PEL_YtO9nrq-V4CdUAc5R8lKiuGi5icVZazC21H5rOuBWvUXi4uJ1gOyZHcd_1iTThqese_LgauCjQCfPYgltnEPn/s200/Brandon+Elizares.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">According to 16-year-old Brandon Elizares' mother, he had been bullied for the past two years because he didn't want to be in the closet. Wanting to be who he was, with no apologies, cost him his life. In a television interview, Zachalyn Elizares said:</div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="color: #222222; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“He got bullied simply for being gay,” Elizares said. “He’s been threatened to be stabbed. He’s been threatened to be set on fire.”</span></div><div style="color: #222222; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elizares said the El Paso Independent school district did everything it could to help solve the problem.</span></div><div style="color: #222222; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“They’ve reprimanded several kids and they did everything that they could,” Elizares said.</span></div><div style="color: #222222; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 15px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Elizares said that Brandon’s friends told her that there was an incident on Friday at school where someone insulted her son and planned to fight him the next week.</span></div></blockquote>How many more of these young lives will have to be lost before people finally stand up and say, "Enough is enough!!?? Brandon should be preparing for his summer vacation...maybe even a summer job. Or, perhaps planning to event the 5-day long El Paso Pride festivities. Instead, his family had to plan his funeral. I don't know about you, but my blood boils now when I read, and write, about another teen suicide.<br />
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In just the past two weeks alone, we've seen instance after instance where prominent public figures have made it crystal clear that they have no desire to live on the same planet with someone who's from the LGBT community. Much more often than not, their bigotry is rooted in religion. Does their reckless, bigoted vitriol have an effect on young minds? Of course it does. I have a friend whose 15-year-old son spews anti-gay rhetoric, in accordance to the Bible, at her regularly and mocks her for her efforts in the fight for equality and anti-bullying campaign. His views are shaped by a father who is, himself, a deep-rooted Bible thumper. The world was introduced to Caiden Cowger last week and his ridiculous video about the President turning young people gay. Caiden is 14. Hatred and intolerance is NOT something we're born with. It's a taught and learned behavior. The ones who bully kids they <b>perceive</b> to be LGBT, real or imagined, learned that level of intolerance from somebody else. Typically, they learn it from adults, but not exclusively.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“My son had every right to live his live the way that he wanted to, without having to fear that people would call him names or threaten to beat him up,” - Zachalyn Enizares</span></span></blockquote>It's sad that in the year 2012, we're still seeing the type of mind-numbing hatred, intolerance, and bigotry that I saw when I was a young boy. That was during the height of the Civil Rights movement of the 60s. It's sad that day after day after day, we're seeing these young people end their own lives because <b>someone else</b> decided that they weren't fit to exist. To be sure, my aforementioned friend's son finds it humorous that LGBT teens are killing themselves. How will a person justify that when their time comes to stand before God to be judged? It's sad that we, as a people, are not evolving.<br />
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Brandon Enizares should be preparing for his summer vacation. He's not. Two years of relentless bullying because of his sexuality was more than he could handle. For all of our efforts to bring about changes in our culture, one that allows people to live happily just as they are, much more needs to be done. <br />
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It was reported that the school officials at Andres High School in El Paso, where Brandon was a student, took bullying very seriously and did everything they could to prevent it. They are to be commended. Still, more needs to be done. More needs to be done in the homes. More needs to be done in the religious sector. More needs to be done in the political arena. The time has come for dramatic changes in our collective consciousness. We need more love and less hate. We need more acceptance and less intolerance. We need these changes firmly in place before we can start seeing the teen suicide rate begin to come down. And, we need these changes to begin yesterday.<br />
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May you rest in peace, Brandon.ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-26774407315978742912012-06-08T15:41:00.000-04:002012-06-08T15:41:34.087-04:00The Importance of Gay Role ModelsFor as long as I can remember, I've strongly held that the world would benefit greatly from every LGBT person coming out of the closet. Such an action would serve two very positive purposes: 1.) it would show the world, a world that tends to minimize those of us who are LGBT, that we are solid, contributing citizens of our society who needs, and deserves, to be recognized as such; and, 2.) it could potentially save young lives by providing some of the struggling, young LGBT youth positive, strong, and gay role models.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3itRDwtBjKpiwiVVECFf0SQivd5bwLTdKEwChuK9p4zAzswWYWNVQbGeiUhVosfx8BuD-QqQCePrlbu6bVLBQ_RZW0b30N8OYl3qycVgXkofDeL3XmyBzsNXgkoTWAvsEGkqx9tUppORe/s1600/wade_davis.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3itRDwtBjKpiwiVVECFf0SQivd5bwLTdKEwChuK9p4zAzswWYWNVQbGeiUhVosfx8BuD-QqQCePrlbu6bVLBQ_RZW0b30N8OYl3qycVgXkofDeL3XmyBzsNXgkoTWAvsEGkqx9tUppORe/s1600/wade_davis.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This week, former NFL player Wade Davis announced he is gay. Granted, Davis never played a single down on an NFL field. That was because of injuries, not due to lack of talent. And, certainly not from a lack of effort. He tells a story of what it was like to be gay, open only to himself, in an NFL locker room. Imagine the impact that an openly gay athlete would have on a growing-but-struggling LGBT teen boy. The message that boy would get would be "you're fine just the way you are, you can do whatever it is in life you want to do, and I'm proof that it truly will get better." That's potentially life-saving. How many of these young LGBT teens have given up hope and taken their lives because of a sense of hopelessness? Their vision of the world is tainted by the extreme bullying they received constantly because of who they are. They're told, in one form or another, that their life is a non-factor. Or, as one recent anti-gay group put it on their website, "It Gets Worse"! Even more troubling, they don't have many role models to look to and say, "that's what I want to do when I grow up."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEfkXNEyRoSUIiz0vKoL2bOj-If50VeG2VWmOH2c6eCYL_m7kKZOutlrBvrBn9PzmE-4OpN3mdPRctHJlDb8ZBB9xR1aQDrr-GzND39V9AYqSxLVNORhqxY4hHV1lQCm_37VRv6vx6LHw/s1600/ellen_degeneres-portia-de-rossi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEfkXNEyRoSUIiz0vKoL2bOj-If50VeG2VWmOH2c6eCYL_m7kKZOutlrBvrBn9PzmE-4OpN3mdPRctHJlDb8ZBB9xR1aQDrr-GzND39V9AYqSxLVNORhqxY4hHV1lQCm_37VRv6vx6LHw/s200/ellen_degeneres-portia-de-rossi.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Imagine how many young, LGBT girls Ellen DeGeneres has positively impacted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We're living in a very unique time right now. The march towards equality for the LGBT community may be slow, sometimes seemingly snail-paced, but it's steady. Why else do you think we're witnessing unprecedented lashing out from the other side? To them, they're fighting for their moral (?) lives. And, they fully understand that the fight is much harder than they ever imagined it would be. For us, the members of the LGBT community and our supporters, we're also fighting for our lives. We're fighting for the right to just exist happily <b>without</b> having to deal with "them" imposing their misguided and often ridiculous "morality" on us. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We're also fighting for our youth. With 9 out of 10 LGBT teen reporting having been bullied at school, <b>90%!!!</b>, and with the suicide rate amongst LGBT teens skyrocketing, we're fighting fiercely to end that trend. We end that trend by making them realize that they <b>do</b> have a place in this world. We end it by letting them know, not by mere words but by example as well, that it really, truly will get better. We end it by showing them role models of people who, like them, grew up gay, knew it early on in life, dealt with the ridiculously mindnumbing abuse that we sometimes must endure, yet made it through and are now living happy, productive, and promising lives. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">To get to that point, however, we need more and more people, like Wade Davis, to step forward and be that example. I'm not naive. I fully understand that, in some cases, coming out of the closet would amount to professional suicide. Imagine, a LeBron James coming out! Or, a Bill O'Reilly. Or...pick a name. You get my point. However, it's that very culture, that unforgiving mindset that we're working tirelessly to interrupt and, eventually, change. It's going to take a lot more work. It's going to take more people, like Wade Davis, stepping up and coming out as who they really are. In some cases, I understand that that's a hard thing to do. I get it. But, it's so incredibly important. Our LGBT youth are counting on us, the LGBT adults, our friends and families, and our supporters. In too many cases, lives are depending on it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I can't think of any better reason than that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-66976885584612021172012-06-06T12:17:00.000-04:002012-06-06T12:17:00.460-04:00Paul Hauan, 13, Death by Suicide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's troublesome to me when I can look at a picture and instinctively know that "he's the one they're talking about." On May 22nd, I was notified about the suicide of a 13-year-old in the Dayton, Ohio area. Immediately, I started looking for information about the event. Somewhere along the way, I saw this picture and everything stopped. My heart sank. My gut told me, without a doubt, that this was the young man I had heard about. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaewBfqM4qDolBKc4oWgzosC5yu6LNNSFBi4QBzK7GSPAm5C300NdDEktx0N1qT8Eom-AKDnlwxKLY95-Pj5wUTAwwirzxlaTb8KX2E620zM4jZ67sdB4OwiBunUFrj5UJUfRNI1AcLd5Q/s1600/suicide+victim+from+Dayton+Ohio.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaewBfqM4qDolBKc4oWgzosC5yu6LNNSFBi4QBzK7GSPAm5C300NdDEktx0N1qT8Eom-AKDnlwxKLY95-Pj5wUTAwwirzxlaTb8KX2E620zM4jZ67sdB4OwiBunUFrj5UJUfRNI1AcLd5Q/s200/suicide+victim+from+Dayton+Ohio.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thirteen-year-old Paul Hauan ended his young life on May 21st. Of course, the cry "he'd been bullied" immediately came into play. However, as the investigation continues, there's no official words to corroborate those claims. Then again, recent history tells us what to expect as the "official" word: "Our investigation shows no evidence of bullying in this case." However, Paul's mother's account indicates otherwise. While returning home with his mother, Paul received a text message that left him despondent. Despondent enough to end his life. Moments later, he was gone.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">According to the mother, there had also been previous incidences of bullying that went unchecked. Paul complained that some of the kids he went to school with were mean. In an effort to protect her son, Lisa Noland went to the school to request that he be transferred to another school. Request denied.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Paul was a straight-A student and a seemingly very happy and caring young man. He also suffered from a condition, Alopecia areata, that was causing him to lose his hair. Exactly what was the catalyst for the bullying is yet to be determined. There's no indication that he was an LGBT teen. Whatever the reason, the result is still the same.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">What I'm having a problem with is the apparent, obvious?, lack of action that the schools repeatedly and routinely take in these instances of bullying. To be sure, it's gone on for as long as I can remember. "Boys will be boys". Regularly, I have people on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook blog page</span></a> tell me of cases of bullying that, when reported to school officials, went unattended to. We read about it constantly in most of these cases of teen suicides. The question that begs to be asked is "how are they being allowed to continue to sweep bullying under the carpet?". Why aren't there more, and <b>more!, </b>people voicing their concerns about this and <b>demanding</b> immediate and pertinent policy changes? </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The 2011-2012 school year is all but over. That's good news insofar as teen suicides are concerned. Historically, there has been a 3-month summer respite from teen suicides. That gives us a 3-month window of opportunity to compel the school systems around the country to change their policies in dealing with bullying and bullies. Zero tolerance means exactly that. There are schools today <b>with</b> zero tolerance policies in place already, but they are hollow. That has to change. We have three months to push for that change. September will be here before we know it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You can leave your condolences for the family and friends of Paul Hauan on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StopBullyingRipPaulHauan" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook memorial page</span></a> that's been set up. Rest in peace, Paul Hauan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-81842503416530102772012-06-04T01:16:00.000-04:002012-06-04T01:16:39.162-04:00"It Gets Worse" and "The Gay Agenda"When one is backed into a corner, the natural animalistic tendency is to attack. In such cases, it's perceived as a life-or-death situation on one level or another. We're seeing that now. And, they are swinging with everything they have. Make no mistake: this battle for equality and what's right will get much more heated before we start seeing solid changes. They're making it woefully obvious that they're not going down without a fight. To wit, in addition to some of the headlines we've been seeing in the past week alone, these are some of the other tactics they've been using:<div><ul><li>Someone affiliated with the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle, perhaps good ol' Reverend himself, somehow had facebook take down the blog article I wrote earlier in the week about the 4-year-old boy singing the anti-gay song. Not only that, but people trying to share the link had been blocked from doing so. I find that odd considering the story was very well circulated by the time I posted my article. It has since been restored, but the point is still the same. </li>
<li>Jett and Jahn Media has produced this page, "<a href="http://www.jettandjahn.com/2012/05/jett-jahn-media-presents-it-gets-worse-project/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">It Gets Worse</span></a>", in their attempt to derail Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" campaign and, of course, perpetuate their own fear-based propaganda aimed at LGBT teens. </li>
<li>But, my "favorite" of these three is a <a href="http://www.fdfny.org/blog/2012/05/24/from-the-underground-the-gay-agenda-infects-rochester-schools/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">blog I read today</span></a> about "The Gay Agenda" "infecting" the Rochester school system.</li>
</ul>The first thought that crossed my mind when I read this, and the Jett and Jahn piece as well, was "these people are seriously disturbed". Then, I realized that "these people" are rallying their troops for what is promising to be one hell of a fight for equality on all levels. At the same time, I found it not only important but imperative for the LGBT community and its supporters as a united whole to work quickly and diligently to dispel all of this garbage they're spewing out as truths.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwp_gVMClbhMG_emzylEj8_fyVHQ_ftWrqbnyQudtQ4BFSU-LZkjpZxFeEZTR-xnh9Wu5TAKeJSgMA33xmcMCI__4WFrflrwda5oYtqNepwcGTAGw-MG-MbiCU-zR_UOYg1Fkysv2sreh/s1600/itgetsworse-300x218.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigwp_gVMClbhMG_emzylEj8_fyVHQ_ftWrqbnyQudtQ4BFSU-LZkjpZxFeEZTR-xnh9Wu5TAKeJSgMA33xmcMCI__4WFrflrwda5oYtqNepwcGTAGw-MG-MbiCU-zR_UOYg1Fkysv2sreh/s200/itgetsworse-300x218.png" width="200" /></a></div><div>As for the Jett and Jahn piece, in their effort to brainwash young LGBT people, they offer up this counter to Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" campaign:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Scientific studies show:<br />
They typically don’t have faithful, monogamous relationships<br />
They are more likely to be abused by their partner<br />
They have higher rates of STD’s (including HIV/AIDS)<br />
They are physically unable to conceive children<br />
If they do adopt, their child grows up without a mother or father</blockquote>"They typically don't have faithful, monogamous relationships". Sigh. All I'll say to that is that the divorce rate amongst "traditional" marriages has hovered around 50% for as long as I can remember. That's fully half!! Half of all "traditional" marriages blow up!! <b> Every OTHER "traditional" marriage FAILS!!! </b>And, that doesn't even factor in how many "traditional" couple cheat on their spouses. Of course, they don't even want to open that pandora's box. And, according to one source I researched, the divorce rate amongst second marriages is over 70%!! That's not exactly a ringing endorsement for "the sanctity of marriage", is it? <br />
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"They are more likely to be abused by their partner". All I'll say to that is "O. J. Simpson".</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDYhdtEY3JE21Fx8RSxTpe9RRH6mGdY4Gx1GCqZRE8LkYUVdx1jbukZxfTCOWfm39y_pnTtqevNDagP1K5J1zteq4vz1ay9uL1h11Fa_tDkP-TjLIepVG9L56_XYp9rCt7h1Z89cUIP1b/s1600/janelynch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfDYhdtEY3JE21Fx8RSxTpe9RRH6mGdY4Gx1GCqZRE8LkYUVdx1jbukZxfTCOWfm39y_pnTtqevNDagP1K5J1zteq4vz1ay9uL1h11Fa_tDkP-TjLIepVG9L56_XYp9rCt7h1Z89cUIP1b/s200/janelynch.jpg" width="177" /></a></div><div>Even more disturbing than Jett and Jahn's ridiculous diatribe is the blog "The Gay Agenda Infects Rochester Schools". If this person is presenting these amazingly falsified "facts" as truths, we have an enormous problem. It's precisely this kind of propaganda that fuels the bullying epidemic we're seeing in schools all across the country and around the world.<br />
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I'm not even going to spend valuable time attempting to repeat anything I read in this blog; however, I strongly suggest that every single person who reads THIS blog, Enough is Enough, click the link above and read THAT blog. If ever there was a "<b>must-read</b>", this is certainly it. You'll understand why once you've read it.</div><div><br />
So, let's set the record straight right here and now: <br />
<ol><li>I have yet to hear anyone, or hear <b>of</b> anyone!, go around telling people, young or not-so-young "how great..." being gay is. Have you? In fact, in listening to my favorite sports talk radio station last week, one of the hosts put it as well as it could be put. The topic was gays and being gay. He said, "if my son or daughter were to turn out to be gay, I'd still love them every bit as much as I always have. However, I'd be very sad. Not sad that I've got a gay son or daughter, mind you. Sad because I know the type of abuse and discrimination they'll face just because of who they are. It's heartbreaking that that still goes on today...". "How great being homosexual is"? Really? We have to deal with people of this mentality every single day of our lives!! What's so great about that!?</li>
<li>If " Gay and torture-porn orgies are a daily staple for the developing eyes of many children in America today", that sounds to be more of a parenting issue than a "gay agenda" issue. There are parental controls that prevent that type of viewing for the "many children" who may be watching it. If the tools provided aren't being used, the only person to blame would be the parents of said "many children". Then again, we all know that this is more propaganda than a real issue. Scare tactics is one of "their" favorite weapons. </li>
<li>I take special offense to their assertion that this anti-bullying campaign is part of some sort of ridiculous "gay agenda". I, for one, put a lot of effort into ending ALL bullying. It doesn't matter if they're gay, straight, or Venusian. No one, no one!, should have to live with the fear of being attacked because of who they are. It's that simple.</li>
</ol>I could go on and on. There's so much in this blog that screams to be addressed, addressed now, and addressed loudly. If they're going to start pulling out lies and propaganda in their effort to win this battle, then it is incumbent upon us to stand up, speak up, and let the world know a.) that they spew lies, plain and simple; and, b.) just exactly who we really are and what we're really about. Because, you see, at the end of the day, the reality is we're no different than anybody else. The Gay Agenda? Yeah, The Gay Agenda as I know it is to <br />
<ul><li>Work without discrimination</li>
<li>Love without repudiation</li>
<li>Live without retaliation</li>
</ul>History has taught us that the fight for equality can get ugly, even deadly, before we start seeing changes. Many, including Dr. Martin Luther King, lost their lives during the struggle. With rhetoric and unmitigated lies coming from the other side, you can bet that things are only beginning to heat up. In my opinion, <b>the only way for them to win is for those of us who are fighting for equality, gay and straight alike, to remain silent!</b><div></div></div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-82155704070083453162012-06-01T01:55:00.002-04:002012-06-01T01:59:00.253-04:00Joel Morales, 12, Suicide Because of BullyingIt happened late Tuesday night in East Harlem, New York. Twelve-year-old Joel Morales had told friends just hours earlier that he was "...sick of all this bullying". Hours after making that declaration, he took matters into his own hands. And, sadly, the bullying ended along with his young life.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIJAKu0jqkxXhUJaWN0RWSHeRlf8gUhd5hCcHPwEUnklrK2E-CLRTzVldjT2MEx-ZjeQ7RcsXNe8gaDDN3gRGI2qjIw6Ppjr_cwG87fNTQ0l0Hne0_csm6PHu4NMf9ERbpGOHphsgRFWF/s1600/joel-morales-suicide_0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQIJAKu0jqkxXhUJaWN0RWSHeRlf8gUhd5hCcHPwEUnklrK2E-CLRTzVldjT2MEx-ZjeQ7RcsXNe8gaDDN3gRGI2qjIw6Ppjr_cwG87fNTQ0l0Hne0_csm6PHu4NMf9ERbpGOHphsgRFWF/s200/joel-morales-suicide_0.jpg" width="124" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;">Joel was reportedly a very intelligent boy, one of the things his tormentors "mercilessly" teased him about. The bullying was so intense, says his mother, that she had to file a police report and get an order of protection taken out against his bullies. She transferred him to another school to get him away from the boys who were taunting him. That wasn't good enough since they lived in the same neighborhood. She went to the New York Housing Authority in an effort to move her family to another housing project to get him away. Her request was denied. Joel's distraught mother tried everything a parent could try in order to protect her child.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Mc5sNtPNhlc_vsJaxKDUNlLtaXE1rHJgktRqslyLPBXaNlaZ6qdgo1BvMjrkwTjivQSTDGt1_JknSoiDshi7LiEdUaEmVMjJhBHNBax4OHqk08Uwk_oxlOg80tTnXrb02ERiOmVRZ66q/s1600/Joel+Morales'+Mother.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9Mc5sNtPNhlc_vsJaxKDUNlLtaXE1rHJgktRqslyLPBXaNlaZ6qdgo1BvMjrkwTjivQSTDGt1_JknSoiDshi7LiEdUaEmVMjJhBHNBax4OHqk08Uwk_oxlOg80tTnXrb02ERiOmVRZ66q/s200/Joel+Morales'+Mother.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unbeknownst to Joel, his own father had committed suicide when Joel was 4-months-old. It was the taunting about his dead father that proved to be the last straw.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">According to reports, the young pack of bullies was consistently the same boys. They bullied him because he was apparently small for his age. They bullied him because he was smart. They bullied him because his father was dead. In the end, they bullied him to death. They were relentless.</div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="color: #4e4e4e; margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Angelica Babilonia, Joel's aunt, said that around December or January her nephew switched to PS 57 after four boys knocked on Joel’s door and threw sticks and a pipe at him when he opened it. She added, "h</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">e said that a bunch of kids from his old school jumped him and chased him. He would ignore them, but there were too many to fight back</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;">"</span></div></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2x-JbS4Bxqjytjtql2J8vG9daft8-m4oIXIlorWyV08xVEAzFMYsWMNfoLWlX_n-KYmm-HDGuXF8WsYE5ynd8X-DTcyF6WYQYbfCdGIETW9EG4FrdrRudXczP6M8niQ1bP9KHX4VQt6U/s1600/joel's+aunt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn2x-JbS4Bxqjytjtql2J8vG9daft8-m4oIXIlorWyV08xVEAzFMYsWMNfoLWlX_n-KYmm-HDGuXF8WsYE5ynd8X-DTcyF6WYQYbfCdGIETW9EG4FrdrRudXczP6M8niQ1bP9KHX4VQt6U/s200/joel's+aunt.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Joel's sister, Richeliss, and aunt Angelica</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Once again, we're left to wonder when the matter of bullying is going to be taken for what it is. How is it that when a mother takes all of the right actions to protect her bullied son, that child still continues to be tormented to the point of ending his life? Here's a clear-cut case of known bullies, <b>police-documented bullies</b>, pushing a person, Joel Morales, so far that he felt his only way out was the permanent way out. Because there was no way to stop the "boys being boys", the world will never know what contributions this "brainy" boy would've made. Because of their actions, there's one more family who is devastated and will feel the effects of Tuesday night for the rest of their lives. Because they were so relentless in their bullying, the young friends of Joel are left to try and make sense of why their friend is no longer with them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqePBvaH8ZlBE_oA9SNlbwh6nvHdIWYwE2bC0EnchNMf0I6Pp9W530UE8i_yhblQ0PpMFLvXfTjx27IYOIfKN4mwN8do1vwdHfrXUwpnRa1K6f49VFqp1B3lewIc8301dUqTC0QToCGCL/s1600/joel's+best+friend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiqePBvaH8ZlBE_oA9SNlbwh6nvHdIWYwE2bC0EnchNMf0I6Pp9W530UE8i_yhblQ0PpMFLvXfTjx27IYOIfKN4mwN8do1vwdHfrXUwpnRa1K6f49VFqp1B3lewIc8301dUqTC0QToCGCL/s200/joel's+best+friend.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Joel's best friend at a makeshift memorial</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">There <b>is</b> a solution for this. It's incumbent upon us to find that solution. This school year is almost over and, statistically, the summer months have proven to be incident-free, as it pertains to teen suicides. That means we have a three-month window to find that solution and implement safeguards so that September 2012 will not be a repeat of September 2010. Talking about it, raising awareness...that's all well and good. Necessary, even. However, what we need now is solid and effective action. Anything short of that is merely an exercise in futility. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-59306026546508817912012-05-30T13:51:00.000-04:002012-05-30T13:51:19.930-04:004-Year-Old Sings "Ain't No Homos Gonna Make it to Heaven": Planting the Seeds of IntoleranceIt's getting increasingly hard to keep religion out of my talk about the intolerance and hatred that leads to bullying. I think today's latest episode takes the cake.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCZqDuFtZ-Bf7pqm5qIOYW0vl3wi9c-tWjTtScOvXB3kM-2Y2HSYRzPDRHM09pTIEQ4rcM1_LtXnDRMf7vQrM_cDyMuA121vwMt9UmCeoydu9y3fHPypbkWoygGWaQIPOjTmQEv5vC37O/s1600/no-homos-heaven.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBCZqDuFtZ-Bf7pqm5qIOYW0vl3wi9c-tWjTtScOvXB3kM-2Y2HSYRzPDRHM09pTIEQ4rcM1_LtXnDRMf7vQrM_cDyMuA121vwMt9UmCeoydu9y3fHPypbkWoygGWaQIPOjTmQEv5vC37O/s200/no-homos-heaven.jpg" width="176" /></a></div>At the Apostolic Truth Tabernacle in Greensburg, Indiana, a congregation and its leader, watch and listen as a 4-year-old boy - <b>A 4-YEAR-OLD BOY!!! - </b>sings the words he's been taught:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">Ain't no homo gonna make it to Heaven.</blockquote>When you watch and listen to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRNbC-aSFLc&feature=player_embedded" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the video</span></a>, it's actually hard to discern what this toddler, <b>TODDLER</b>, is saying. He is, after all, 4-years-old! However, when he reaches the climatic line of the song, his words ring crystal clear. That's good coaching.<br />
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Outrage doesn't even begin to describe my emotion right now. I'm sure that those one "the other side" of this great debate will argue that parents have the right to teach their young as they choose. However, teaching intolerance at such a young age should be criminal on some level. I'm entitled to my opinion. Listen, Greensburg, Indiana is the city where Billy Lucas was bullied to his death for being <i>perceived</i> as being gay. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2U5CI9PfpVZGikzV1VIk6827Rnfic2fxpLB3xro6Bx2YGy0L7jAP58qyirZtUpvMBwyiGPiuZo-nNvenpDGOLnNq5YGXiUhXKlRdrCYI0a10ogYS80JUhp2bi1WLBx_GeONgHrqgWN_V/s1600/billy+lucas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="151" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2U5CI9PfpVZGikzV1VIk6827Rnfic2fxpLB3xro6Bx2YGy0L7jAP58qyirZtUpvMBwyiGPiuZo-nNvenpDGOLnNq5YGXiUhXKlRdrCYI0a10ogYS80JUhp2bi1WLBx_GeONgHrqgWN_V/s200/billy+lucas.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Did the Apostolic <b>Truth</b> Tabernacle rejoice in his death? The kids who were responsible for bullying Billy until he couldn't take it anymore were groomed by people <b>just like this!!!</b><br />
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A four-year-old has no idea what a "homo" is! Nor should he. So, why is he being taught to be intolerant towards them. Can he even successfully recite his ABCs? Can he successfully count to 100? I don't know that answer. I <b>do</b> know that he can stand in front of the "church" congregation and sing the words "ain't no homo gonna make it to Heaven". And, that's beyond repulsive. <br />
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Shame on the Reverend Jeff Sangl for "preaching" hatred and intolerance in a place where the message is supposed to be one of love and acceptance. Shame on a congregation that comes to their feet in a standing ovation as this toddler sung those words of intolerance. In listening to the video, you can hear the good reverend saying "that's my boy!!!" as the toddler finished singing. <br />
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The world is watching as America finally begins to show its true colors. "Christian nation"? Hardly. God is love. That's written in that book they like to cherry-pick verses from and twist to fit their own bigotry. Jesus Christ, according to their book, came to spread the good news of God's omnipresent love and acceptance. How in the hell did it get twisted to the point where it's now a haven for bigotry, hatred, and intolerance!!?? Anyone who can answer than and figure out how to turn that misguided ship around will, no doubt, win a Nobel Peace Prize. Meanwhile, the world truly <b>is</b> watching, while shaking their heads in disbelief, as the religious fanatics of this country continue to make a mockery of God and religion. The unfortunate thing is the casualties of their war are young people. Shame.<br />
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</blockquote>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com93tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-47409939982408482062012-05-30T11:17:00.001-04:002012-05-30T11:20:55.276-04:00Boy, 10, Has Arm Broken by BulliesThe good news is not only is he alive, but he's in great spirit. The bad news is we're seeing far too much of this today. One would think that, during a time when just the mere <i>word</i> "bully" is a dinner table topic, we would be beginning to see a decline in the incidences of bullying. Think again. It seems as if some are even emboldened by the fact that they're actions are being talked about daily by millions. That doesn't make the job any easier.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumqaz-f7RoFONbB7-_JtbdtamBRGGOc_LjhnwxKq_DgfekadijJgC1udfJelc7sJ8_jFkVmsOSDPGgfzXpE5zHBL2NQe2eFMocLZJvM1XEDELvip7yEtfC2KgHNqGKmiRmn1c28C9feWA/s1600/gladstone+baseball+diamond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhumqaz-f7RoFONbB7-_JtbdtamBRGGOc_LjhnwxKq_DgfekadijJgC1udfJelc7sJ8_jFkVmsOSDPGgfzXpE5zHBL2NQe2eFMocLZJvM1XEDELvip7yEtfC2KgHNqGKmiRmn1c28C9feWA/s1600/gladstone+baseball+diamond.jpg" /></a></div><a href="http://www.kgw.com/news/local/Bullies-break-arm-of-Gladstone-boy-155350365.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Ten-year-old Theo Reed was attacked</span></a> by two same-aged boys as he watched a youth league baseball game at the neighborhood field. According to Theo, they threw objects at him until, eventually, one boy held him down as the other one twisted his arm until it broke.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I was laying down screaming, crying for help and nobody would come," </span></span></blockquote>Apparently, young Theo didn't know his attackers as his mother is pleading for someone to come forward with information about the two boys.<br />
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This raises the question of how is it that incidences of bullying are continuing to escalate at a time when bullying, itself, has national and <b>worldwide</b> attention? Within the answer lies the problem: We're seeing this issue continue, and even escalate, because it still isn't being taken seriously. The "boys will be boys" mentality still breathes within our society. Reports of bullying are still being swept under the carpet. Worse, too many people are seemingly waiting for somebody else to step up and do something about it. No one wants to get involved. In some cases, school administrators at the teaching level are threatening with termination if they report bullying incidences. Get the picture? The problem is so pervasive, so entwined in who we are as a society, the people who <b>can</b> make a difference are steering clear of it. Hence, the constant blank party-line response, especially in the cases of teen suicides, of "our investigation has shown that no bullying has occurred." <br />
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So, where do we go from here? How do we rid ourselves, our society of the menacing "boys will be boys" mentality as it pertains to bullying? When we see in the media where people who <i style="font-weight: bold;">are</i> held responsible for bullying, and bullying that have led to suicides!, criminally charged only to get their wrists slapped by the justice system, we see how this issue perpetuates. The clear-cut message that sends is that bullying others is alright. And, guess what? The young people who <b>do</b> the bullying are definitely watching. They are getting the message loud and clear. And, the beat goes on.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Theo is mending well and will be just fine, no thanks to the boys who attacked him. Our focus <b><i>has</i> </b>to be on finding a way to prevent this from continuing to happen. The next "Theo" may not be as lucky.ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-45410354905146479892012-05-28T13:11:00.000-04:002012-05-28T13:11:11.459-04:00Memorial Day and RememberingThe Memorial Day holiday is meant to reflect upon and honor those brave young men and women who have paid the ultimate price for our country. That's not to be taken lightly. Whereas we here in America still have fight amongst ourselves for freedoms that are supposedly guaranteed to us, if we didn't have these brave warriors fighting for us on the international stage, we wouldn't even have the freedoms that we <b>do</b> enjoy.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga05YqV2hY8pxwYhGvjk3wPSsBbw6UCZ8_dkH3gaJIBfcIMSDY9zB8Y4H6xD06lb7RccVgdFqyIwbHf5uGtzB72yhQWVm1vJWVt4ldQTtmqlNmGoiitFV9NCswJGCvuVprrz2hyTTGrQlX/s1600/american-flag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga05YqV2hY8pxwYhGvjk3wPSsBbw6UCZ8_dkH3gaJIBfcIMSDY9zB8Y4H6xD06lb7RccVgdFqyIwbHf5uGtzB72yhQWVm1vJWVt4ldQTtmqlNmGoiitFV9NCswJGCvuVprrz2hyTTGrQlX/s200/american-flag.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div><div>The Memorial Day holiday, for me at least, is also a time to reflect upon the far-too-many young lives we've lost in another war. A war that's still raging. The war against our teens, and especially our LGBT teens. Whether it's because of suicide or from violence against them, whether they're straight or LGBT, or even perceived as LGBT, the loss of life of a young person to this war is a blackeye on the face of our society.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGbRTgbQd38zcfEG6IjAK771P7KZxOeLjPbaSNN3-GjzOKvYkw65_4W2lxrRQkZXxPt-AZl2tBqO5eR_gIJofcuDeiY0XfoEDW_VlDnwVgMAWgCL3A4g5CPqz7jWuVqplMKMO-m62pXmT/s1600/Matthew-Shepard-never-forget.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="129" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGGbRTgbQd38zcfEG6IjAK771P7KZxOeLjPbaSNN3-GjzOKvYkw65_4W2lxrRQkZXxPt-AZl2tBqO5eR_gIJofcuDeiY0XfoEDW_VlDnwVgMAWgCL3A4g5CPqz7jWuVqplMKMO-m62pXmT/s200/Matthew-Shepard-never-forget.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div>This is a senseless, and needless, war, to be sure. It's a war that could end on a dime if the ones waging the war would simple learn acceptance rather than hatred and intolerance. The losses continue at a staggering pace, and little more than lip service seems to be going on to prevent it from reoccurring. That makes this a very deadly and dangerous war, indeed.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I remember as far back as my first year out of high school. That was the very first time I encountered a teen suicide. He was an underclassman, sophomore if my memory serves me right. I didn't know him, personally. However, a lot of my friends did. I saw the devastating effect it had on them. I went to the wake with them. The devastation on his parents' faces is permanently etched into my mind. That event changed me forever. </div><div><br />
</div><div>I remember back to my own failed suicide attempt(s). I remember waking up in ICU and looking at the board that displayed the names of the people in my particular ward. There were two of us. When I saw the second name, I had to do a double take. I <i>knew</i> that name. My mind raced, even through the grogginess of the anesthesia. I glanced over to the person in the other bed, and sure enough, it was who I thought it was. I'd known him when he was younger: 13-14. He was my best friend's neighbor and friends with my best friend's younger brother. And, he was very obviously gay. It exuded from him, even as a young teen. Now, he was 19. I worked up the energy to ask him, with alarm, "what are you doing here!?" His response gave me chills. </div><blockquote class="tr_bq">"I'm here for the same reason you're here: I tried to kill myself." </blockquote>Even as I lied in a hospital bed recovering from my own failed suicide attempt, I was heartbroken that this young man had found life as a young LGBT teen so unbearable that he thought suicide was the only way out. I prodded for more of an explanation. I revealed to him that I knew when he was 13 that he was gay. He revealed that he realized it when he was even younger. He obliged my prodding.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">"My whole family disowned me when I finally came out of the closet. My dad said he wished I was dead. I just couldn't handle it anymore. I'm only 19!!, and I have no family!"</blockquote>I cried with him. And, it was there that the seeds were sown for doing something to make a difference. Nobody should have to go through what he was going through. No young person should have to feel that <b>death</b> was better than dealing with the negativity that is cast upon being gay or lesbian.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3G9xj2ZM4oRQ1cEOIeXSNVF2wgcZg7Wk87Fs3Hnj3wlJf8v_Poc0OAFkFmqV_gEg2e6QnfY-3crkZlCUI3jkQXPZk3rwbslOM3StWOSyW-f5sZBvxE7F5HHIDTWyeeIVje9nmVSfA-JHO/s1600/JamieHubleyWeb-379x286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3G9xj2ZM4oRQ1cEOIeXSNVF2wgcZg7Wk87Fs3Hnj3wlJf8v_Poc0OAFkFmqV_gEg2e6QnfY-3crkZlCUI3jkQXPZk3rwbslOM3StWOSyW-f5sZBvxE7F5HHIDTWyeeIVje9nmVSfA-JHO/s200/JamieHubleyWeb-379x286.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I remember, even at an earlier age, having a friend who was slightly younger than myself. He was very flamboyantly gay, which was a white elephant back in that day. I remember a phone conversation where he revealed to me his inner feelings:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">If I could take a 'straight pill' tomorrow, I would. Being gay is just too hard. I'm tired of being shit on everyday. My dad acts like I don't even exist!</blockquote>Sadly, neither of them are with us today. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2kujEVH00ebQFe21ZpfJoA3xVpWAoRmI5asRQbO_hL3RlEseCpWrw_aRFCyjY1pp8LYoR3EyTNJFDYQ2PvdOeU841iK2max4ZFuGGUQ-oUMFXnjmVrr2WENIv6FRTnIxxDjPo74EzIHN/s1600/young+suicide+victims.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX2kujEVH00ebQFe21ZpfJoA3xVpWAoRmI5asRQbO_hL3RlEseCpWrw_aRFCyjY1pp8LYoR3EyTNJFDYQ2PvdOeU841iK2max4ZFuGGUQ-oUMFXnjmVrr2WENIv6FRTnIxxDjPo74EzIHN/s1600/young+suicide+victims.jpg" /></a></div>Today, while we remember those brave young men and women who put on military uniforms and go to combat and paid the ultimate price for our nation's freedom, let's also remember the brave young men and women who put on their own "uniforms" and go to battle daily against a society that routinely engages them in a different kind of battle. Different, but no less volatile. <br />
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Today, we remember the hoards of young people who have lost their lives simply because a society can't find it in their hearts to accept rather than hate. Whether their demise came from their own hands, or at the hands of someone, the result is the same: they are all casualties of a war that should not even be being fought.<br />
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To the young men and women who gave their lives protecting our country, thank you. We honor you today and everyday.<br />
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To the young people who's lives were cut short because of a society that made your lives unbearable, thank you for touching our lives. We love, honor, and miss you today and every single day.<br />
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</div></div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-8981934288483054032012-05-25T11:58:00.003-04:002012-05-25T12:00:02.613-04:00Unimaginable: 7-Year-Old Commits SuicideI am at an utter loss for words. A year ago this time, no one could've ever convinced me that I would be writing about a 7-year-old boy who committed suicide. Yet, that's <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20120524/NEWS01/120524018/7-year-old-Detroit-boy-dead-suicide-hanging-Godbee?odyssey=nav%7Chead" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the report</span></a> coming from Detroit, MI.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Pyw8omsbNrGOt-Jyoo37guTBGq9Kb7s14P5GXJgowodvm5q6iQm5y9nPX1WlOsKoy8P-Ko_z-5rlu1lTtNuG_1dUztuB6FqiKKoYFxlKzNFKg0Hb7TzUwOyUu8OeAyuyVVRVomFug80_/s1600/swings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9Pyw8omsbNrGOt-Jyoo37guTBGq9Kb7s14P5GXJgowodvm5q6iQm5y9nPX1WlOsKoy8P-Ko_z-5rlu1lTtNuG_1dUztuB6FqiKKoYFxlKzNFKg0Hb7TzUwOyUu8OeAyuyVVRVomFug80_/s1600/swings.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't even know how to begin writing about a 7-year-old who's committed suicide. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my brain around the idea of a 7-year-old committing suicide. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">According to early reports, the unnamed boy was distraught over the recent separation of his parents, with his father being gone from the home. He was also reportedly being "continuously" bullied by students at school. If my math is right, 7-years-old is second grade. Second grade for me was Brighton Elementary, stickball in the field beside my aunt's house, riding my bicycle up and down Potomac Ave, and just enjoying being a <b>young</b> kid. I cannot honest even remember knowing what the <b>word</b> suicide meant; therefore, I certainly wouldn't have understood how to successfully complete one. We, as a society, are in a very bad place when 7-year-olds are even <i>thinking</i> about ending their lives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Where do we begin? This event screams for attention. If the suicide of a 7-year-old, a 7-year-old whose mother has already stated that he had been "continuously bullied", doesn't make everyone, and I do mean <i style="font-weight: bold;">everyone</i>, sit up and take notice, then the problem is far more entrenched than any of us ever imagined. Obviously, at age 7, we will <b>not</b> even begin to speculate over the "why" the bullying was occurring in the first place. What matters is that it <b>was</b> occurring. What matters is that, at age 7, he felt it was too much to handle. That should be all we need to know. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've seen far too many cases where a victim of bullying has stated clearly that "nothing was done" when the incidents were reported. I've heard parents state the same thing far too often. On the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">facebook blog page</span></a>, I hear from both victims and parents of victims who say the same thing. Over and over. I'm going to state something that should, by now, be painfully obvious: <b>we're allowing this to continue.</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We're allowing this to continue because, although more and more people are getting involved and making sure their voices are being heard, we're not <b>demanding</b> immediate and definitive action. We're allowing this to continue by allowing "them" to continue to sweep it all under the carpet and hope it goes away. Meanwhile, <b>kids are dying at their own hands</b>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Let the suicide of this very young person be the wake-up call that's sorely needed. If nothing changes, <b>nothing</b> changes. That's not acceptable. Let's send lots of love and support to the family of this 7-year-old yet-to-be-named child. Imagine for a minute, if you can, the sheer agony they are going through right now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>Valuable Resources to help end teen (and, pre-teen) suicide:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.befrienders.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Befrienders</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.whof.net/suicidesupport.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Suicide Support</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Suicide Prevention Lifeline</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.thetrevorproject.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">The Trevor Project</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-52082284692533060192012-05-22T12:42:00.000-04:002012-05-22T12:42:53.328-04:00North Carolina Pastor Calls for Death to HomosexualsThis story has caught fire across the Internet, and for good reason. Here's the blunt, honest truth about what's going on in our culture today: With the momentum that the LGBT community has picked up in its fight for equality, the far-right has declared war on everyone who falls under that umbrella. The latest example of that is a North Carolina pastor, Charles Worley. The head of the Providence Road Baptist Church made a statement that should be viewed as dangerous, if not criminal:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“I figured a way to get rid of all the lesbians and queers,” he says.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Build a great, big, large fence — 150- or 100-mile long — put all the lesbians in there . . . do the same thing for the queers and the homosexuals, and have that fence electrified so they can’t get out.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; padding: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“Feed ’em, and you know what?” Worley continues. “In a few years they’ll die. Do you know why? They can’t reproduce.”</span></div></blockquote><div style="text-align: justify;">Now, before any naysayers get riled up and leave comments about free speech, save it. Rest assured that free speech has <b>nothing</b> to do with hate speech. When a person publicly calls for the death a person, that's not free speech; that's hate speech. And, it's criminal. In "pastor" Worley's case, he called for the death of an entire segment of our population! That's <b>NOT</b> free speech: that's <b>hate</b> speech!! That's called genocide. Pastor Charles Worley is calling for the genocide of all LGBT people in this country. That <b>cannot</b> be tolerated.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKh3K7Xyvx1JOwaw-0rog9w1RfNR30wNhYPTZVYm_I1D3ptNxnYtyjRbQIcR78vuoayapP-MOOGOgfu03XWJP2-3djtSICZ08lLujthySO_eN0OFJUDtSgJgTkKY5j7uQ1DHkuff2k98i/s1600/Charles+Worley.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIKh3K7Xyvx1JOwaw-0rog9w1RfNR30wNhYPTZVYm_I1D3ptNxnYtyjRbQIcR78vuoayapP-MOOGOgfu03XWJP2-3djtSICZ08lLujthySO_eN0OFJUDtSgJgTkKY5j7uQ1DHkuff2k98i/s320/Charles+Worley.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For a human being to call for the extermination of another human being is reprehensible, to be sure. For a human being to call for the extermination of an entire group of people is Hitler-esque, to say the least. For a person of power and influence, a so-called "man of God"!, to call for the mass murder of a group of people in front of his congregation is irresponsible, dangerous, and (should be) criminal. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's the knowing that people of this mentality not only exist in our society but hold positions of great power and influence that continues to fuel the bullying of LGBT teens in schools and online; it's the reason why those who do the bullying feel sanctioned in their actions. It's a dangerously vicious cycle that <b>demands</b> immediate attention and firm action.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Petitions are already up and running online to combat this tyrant. At the very least, it is this author's belief that he should be forced to step down from "ministering" the congregation at Providence Road Baptist Church. Further, he shouldn't be allowed to minister at all, <b>anywhere</b>, ever again. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Look, this blog has nearly 15,000 direct followers, either as members on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook blog page</span></a> or as subscribers to it. Yet, only 10% or less read it on a daily basis. Even less actually get involved when the whistle blows. I get it: in any arena, there are people on the field and in the game; and, there are spectators. I get that. However, <b>this is an urgent call to action!</b> This article needs to be read and heavily circulated. Even more importantly, the petitions <b>need</b> to be signed. Being a spectator to the call for genocide shouldn't be an option for anyone. Understanding that "they" are officially declaring war on the entire LGBT community is vital at this point in time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">History will view people like Charles Worley through the same lenses that other historical tyrants are viewed. He's no less evil or dangerous, at least in his thought process, than Hitler. However, "history" connotes future eyes looking back over time. Right here and now, we're in <b>that</b> time. Lives are at stake, in the here and now, like never before. When religious and political "leaders" begin to speak out and call for the death of an entire cultural group, it needs to be understood that they are essentially declaring war on said people. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's time for everyone to <b>understand the urgency of the situation and get involved</b>. Here are the petitions to sign:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/pastor-charles-l-worley-step-down-as-pastor-of-providence-road-baptist-church-in-north-carolina#" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>First, Charles Worley needs to step down as pastor of Providence Baptist Church</b></span></a>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.change.org/petitions/north-carolina-attorney-general-and-us-attorney-general-charge-pastor-charles-l-worley-with-inciting-to-commit-mass-murder#" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;"><b>Petition the North Carolina AND US Attorney General to take action</b></span></a>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Whether you're gay or straight or anything in between, <b>sign these petitions!! </b>If nothing else, do it for Harvey Milk. He would've gone to bat for you.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com36tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-11361620488924359972012-05-22T00:50:00.001-04:002012-05-22T01:19:18.556-04:00Happy Birthday, Harvey May 22, 1930 - November 27, 1978Secretly, I always tried to keep up with gay-related news stories when I was young. With no electronic media in those days, following national gay-related events was challenging, to say the least. I remember hearing about someone in San Francisco becoming the first openly gay elected official. Of course San Francisco. Here on the East Coast of the U.S., people are trained to believe that that beautiful City by the Bay is nothing more than a haven for gays. Like everyone there runs around in pink tutus, spreading fairy dust everywhere they go. People are strange. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5IL5drlHp3Xq80O1FxKft_AX_0yUL-ZqIdfcDqihmq_jqVnqVAzEGOfwl9UqTqc6tj_KeX9Pe8FAHOkJxIuCOqsfRP-VrEcFpvu6p1MAr7swHxA4AFyw92u21X2aMFWzSmhomkSucmPx/s1600/Harvey+Milk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy5IL5drlHp3Xq80O1FxKft_AX_0yUL-ZqIdfcDqihmq_jqVnqVAzEGOfwl9UqTqc6tj_KeX9Pe8FAHOkJxIuCOqsfRP-VrEcFpvu6p1MAr7swHxA4AFyw92u21X2aMFWzSmhomkSucmPx/s1600/Harvey+Milk.jpg" /></a></div>Harvey Milk was his name. I locked that name into my memory bank, even as a young man. Even as a 20-year-old, I believed that more gays should become visible for who they were and the contributions they had to offer. Harvey Milk was a validation. In fact, we shared that same philosophy.<br />
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On his third attempt, Harvey was elected to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. The effects of his presence had national impact. Amongst the things he championed in a city where the misinformed <i>thought</i> was a gay paradise, Milk fought against discrimination against gays and lesbians in the workplace and housing market. He won. He fought for gays and lesbians to be hired as police officers in the City. He won. And, the fought the state senate in their effort to ban gays and lesbians from being teachers in California's school systems. He won.<br />
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On November 27, 1978, after temporarily losing his sanity from eating too many Twinkies, former city Supervisor Dan White shot and killed both Harvey Milk and San Francisco then-Mayor, George Moscone. Three-thousand miles away, this 21-year-old heard the news and cried. Even without the instant access to news that we have today via the Internet and 24/7 cable news, I knew instinctively that Harvey had been assassinated because he was, in fact, a gay man. A gay man who tried to stand up and make a difference. In 1978, that was unheard of.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36h-rRGP-ymM790hi2SAN5-RjAXV4Cz1ZhW2UIBWpP7iATtcrNX88tO0ylO6lc5jGL7MPIY2u5d4iMsFJDHr-hL9Rq74GwHpatAJAo_AhNIvO_i9o7B939PmZgEyhNu2oLhmyy3wyK8ED/s1600/Harvey+Milk+Plaza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg36h-rRGP-ymM790hi2SAN5-RjAXV4Cz1ZhW2UIBWpP7iATtcrNX88tO0ylO6lc5jGL7MPIY2u5d4iMsFJDHr-hL9Rq74GwHpatAJAo_AhNIvO_i9o7B939PmZgEyhNu2oLhmyy3wyK8ED/s320/Harvey+Milk+Plaza.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;">In 1986, I arrived in San Francisco. A new beginning. Until then, my world had consisted only of Maryland and Virginia. As a 27-year-old, wide-eyed openly gay man, I soaked in all of what this paradise had to offer. One of the first things I had to do was visit The Castro. Harvey's old stomping ground. As I got off of the underground transit, MUNI, I walked out into Harvey Milk Plaza. And, I was frozen in time. There I stood, on the hallowed grounds where, less than a decade before, Harvey Milk launched a brilliant, if too short, political career. </span><br />
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<span style="text-align: left;">Harvey did much more than fight for gay rights. As he saw it, gay rights was just another cog in the wheel of human rights. Basic human rights that, still today, we still fight to achieve. Harvey Milk worked hard for changes in education, transportation, low-income housing, and more. He was truly a politician for the people. As it should be. His life, and his promising political career, may have been cut short at the hands of former supervisor Dan White. His legacy, however, will live forever. In San Francisco. In California. And, around the country within the LGBT community. On this day, we celebrate the life and times of Harvey Milk. Happy 82nd birthday. Oh, and thank you for your contributions.</span><br />
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<br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-46650526735090686182012-05-20T12:37:00.002-04:002012-05-20T13:24:38.179-04:00If Nothing Changes, Nothing ChangesI had to take a few days off to recharge my internal batteries. Last week's explosion of suicides really drained me. In the blog's absence, I've been busy with <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook blog page</span></a>. If you're not already a member there, you should be. Lots of good conversation going on there. Batteries recharged, I return to see that not much has changed.<br />
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A 12-year-old boy is targeted by older peers after he sticks up for another student. A 14-year-old is stabbed twice in self-defense. The 12-year-old gets charged!! History repeats.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL__ei7q_EBGG5ZhG2f6F6kZS7npFl1XQ3rMQeS6y_PG3KZgkOPmxbBpDBG-YBBX1ScJAM9PVoN8pqUfRabppk7VFL1ifXvsizPJhd_0M-fzE38QazEZiO4ndVwSV72E3ZrXtNRFyCYpaB/s1600/IndianHillsJuniorHighSchool1.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL__ei7q_EBGG5ZhG2f6F6kZS7npFl1XQ3rMQeS6y_PG3KZgkOPmxbBpDBG-YBBX1ScJAM9PVoN8pqUfRabppk7VFL1ifXvsizPJhd_0M-fzE38QazEZiO4ndVwSV72E3ZrXtNRFyCYpaB/s1600/IndianHillsJuniorHighSchool1.gif" /></a></div><br />
In Des Moines, Iowa, 12-year-old Tyron Cratty was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and carrying deadly weapons. Why was he charged? He was charged because he stabbed one of the boys who had been bullying him. And, once again, rather than focus on the root of the problem, which was the boys who had been bullying him, the bullied person gets in trouble. In fact, once again, the old catch-phrase "...the incident did not involve bullying" comes into play: <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">An investigation by school officials concluded that the incident did not involve bullying, West Des Moines school district spokeswoman Elaine Watkins-Miller said.</span> <span style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">“Staff talked with multiple students, teachers and those involved (in the incident),” said Watkins-Miller, adding she could not comment in detail about what happened because of student privacy laws. “This obviously was a fight and a conflict, but it was not bullying.”</span></blockquote>Far too many questions without answers. The most obvious of which has to be <b>"why are these officials so quick to sweep bullying under the carpet!?" </b>It's as if they are afraid to acknowledge that it exists. This certainly isn't the first time where, in a clear-cut case of bullying, the officials rushed to rule it out. It's happened in cases where the bullied person committed suicide. Even as the family and friends of the victim said steadfastly that (s)he'd been bullied, "the officials" hastily make the announcement that no bullying was evident. <br />
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Another question that comes to <b>my</b> mind, at least, is "<b>just what is it that they're looking for when they look for evidence of bullying?"</b><br />
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<b>Does the victim have to be battered and bloodied for them to "find evidence" of bullying!?</b> <br />
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<b>Are they only making that proclamation to cover their own asses?</b> <br />
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<b>Why does the word of the person stating that they've been, or is being, bullied carry so little weight?</b><br />
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Certainly, if I knew the answers to these complex questions, the phenomena of bullying would've been history a long time ago. That said, these are questions that <b>demands</b> to be answered <b>if</b> we're ever going to bring this chapter to an end. Perhaps, that's the very reason "the authorities" continue to cop-out to the response <b>"there is no evidence of bullying"</b>: THEY CAN'T ANSWER THE QUESTIONS, THEMSELVES!!<br />
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In the case of 12-year-old Tyron Cratty, the same school officials who reported that there "was no bullying" did make a half-hearted effort to remove him from the situation. Their "remedy" was to attempt to isolate him from his tormentors. Lunch alone in a classroom. Riding a different bus than his normal. Alas, their efforts backfired. On the "new" bus route he was given sat his tormentors.<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">Somehow though, the boy ended up on the same school bus as three of the students reportedly bullying him, all 14- or 15-year-olds, his mother said. Nicole Cratty said the bus driver witnessed the beginnings of the fight on the bus and heard her son say he had a knife. But the altercation spilled onto the street at the bus stop, and by the time police and medics responded, one of the youngsters had been stabbed.</span></blockquote>The bus driver witnessed this but did nothing to stop it. It's on video, yet the school district spokeswoman, Elaine Watkins-Miller, says "there was no bullying". Nicole Cratty, Tyron's mother has it right:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="color: #2c2c2c; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px; text-align: left;">“I don’t believe the principals are taking the bullying issue seriously,” she said. “I think it went in one ear and out the other.”</span></blockquote>I firmly believe that people who <b>should</b> matter and be able to make a difference <i>are simply not taking the bullying issue seriously.</i> Until they begin to do so, we're going to continue to see incidences like this, and worse, in the news with alarming frequency. As the saying goes, "if nothing changes, nothing changes."ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-4931219797556653442012-05-17T00:15:00.002-04:002012-05-17T00:19:56.777-04:00How I Know That People Aren't Taking This SeriouslyI've been trying to write this one for over a week. Obviously, other things took precedence. I had alluded, in an earlier post, that I had just learned beyond a shadow of a doubt that the epidemic we're seeing of bullying and bully-related teen suicides wasn't being taken seriously and that I would explain "...in my next entry." Well, then all hell broke loose last week, with an explosion of 6 teen suicides in a 48 hour period, and this one got put on the back burner.<br />
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So, what happened to assure me that it's not being taken seriously? I grew tired of waiting for the movie, Bully, to come to a theater near me here in Maryland, so I started checking around to see where I could go to see it. What I found was discouraging, to say the least. In the county I live in here in Maryland, the movie is playing at <b>one</b> theater, AND it plays <b>one time per day!</b> That angered me. Once I got to the theater, that anger was fused with discouragement. With a movie of this magnitude being shown in one theater <b>one time per day</b>, one would think that the theater would be packed. Nope. Including myself and Marty, there were <b>SIX</b> people viewing the movie. <br />
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What I came away with was the reality that, whereas there <b>are</b> obviously those of us who DO care about what's going on, quite obviously there aren't <b>enough</b> people who really give a damn. And, that in itself gives partial explanation as to why it's easy to get the feeling that not enough is being done. I came away with the attitude of "not enough is being done because <b>not enough people care!!</b>" <br />
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How do we change the general apathy that right now permeates our society as it pertains to bullying and bully-related teen suicides? I wish I could answer that. I can't. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQxSsNl0Vj7yyxOVnHSttwnjtsNLcfg73XozfeNI_9h-bRpQh6P8TfXtg1C5RzqFq08ASniti3QjW0DFfSaIl2gy3oK_DcpRB7DIVVyF6jkDMAxMRoS4k-qkTsIWv4QXe29FqfraRSA56/s1600/wpid-bully-movie-kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="177" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlQxSsNl0Vj7yyxOVnHSttwnjtsNLcfg73XozfeNI_9h-bRpQh6P8TfXtg1C5RzqFq08ASniti3QjW0DFfSaIl2gy3oK_DcpRB7DIVVyF6jkDMAxMRoS4k-qkTsIWv4QXe29FqfraRSA56/s200/wpid-bully-movie-kids.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">"Bully" is most definitely a <b>must-see</b> movie. (if the scene that this picture was captured from doesn't rip your heart right from your chest, you heart beats icicles.)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><ul><li>The story of Alex Libby is woven throughout the movie. </li>
<li>Kelby Johnson, a 16-year-old openly lesbian, was completely outcast by her school</li>
<li>Ja'Meya Jackson was incarcerated for brandishing a gun on a school bus after being relentlessly bullied </li>
<li>Ty Smalley ended his life because of bullying, as did </li>
<li>Tyler Long</li>
</ul><div>Originally, I was going to do more or less a review of the movie. However, I don't want to do that. Rather, I want to challenge everyone who has NOT seen this movie to go do so the very first chance you get. Take your kids. Take your nieces and nephews. Take your neighbor's kids! Call every school in your district and find out if they have a copy of it yet. If they don't, demand that they show it to the student body immediately. It's a must-see movie. It's a must-see movie because it shows a lot of real-time bullying and what these kids are <i style="font-weight: bold;">really</i> dealing with. It's a must-see movie because it shows the tragic aftermath of what families and friends are left to deal with once one of these young people have taken their lives because of the bullying. It's a must-see movie because it <b>clearly</b> illustrates how officials, from school officials to police officials, thoroughly fumble the whole process of dealing with bullying and its affects. And, it's a must-see movie because, sadly, two of the real-life characters are already gone.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In the larger picture, the mission here is to make every effort to get people to take this much, much more seriously than it's currently being taken. "Kids will be kids; boys will be boys". Try telling that nonsense to the parents of one of these young people who have ended their life because of "kids being kids". If you were to read some of the things that I've read, if you were to read the cyberbullying posts that one mother of a recent suicide victim shared with <span style="color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank">the facebook blog page</a> </span>and the pure evil-spirited venom the words contained, it would be clear that the "kids will be kids; boys will be boys" mentality <b>must</b> be eliminated. </div><div><br />
</div><div>The five "characters" in the movie aren't characters at all: they're real-life people. The two sets of families and friends grieving the loss of their love ones aren't actors playing a role: they're real-life people devastated by a preventable, life-altering tragedy. It's time to get serious. It's time to <b>demand</b> that the authorities get serious. </div><div><br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-78384203985332021502012-05-13T23:31:00.002-04:002012-05-15T00:20:25.164-04:00Jonathan William Clark, 15, Rest in PeaceI don't know any of the details. I don't know if he had been bullied. I don't know if he was an LGBT teen. All I know, and all that really matters, is that Jon Clark ended his young life earlier this week, marking the third of five midweek teen suicides in this country alone.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbmepS2RCzPVb-_Z2HWDOoDSthLdm_j-tWHgiWkT2_tToNDi3zkVcaBncBRJRdjNnTEB2c-1WCYrd4L8Mx8UYnp7oqFx8viKy-sz-0nv-pe6sQJQowhx5L6-dCtpbPDq6DnCjLdJv9IPk/s1600/jonathan+william+clark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbmepS2RCzPVb-_Z2HWDOoDSthLdm_j-tWHgiWkT2_tToNDi3zkVcaBncBRJRdjNnTEB2c-1WCYrd4L8Mx8UYnp7oqFx8viKy-sz-0nv-pe6sQJQowhx5L6-dCtpbPDq6DnCjLdJv9IPk/s320/jonathan+william+clark.jpg" width="179" /></a></div><span style="text-align: left;">With no details about Jon Clark, I'll simply say we're in a very sad place in our society when 5 people under the age of 16 end their lives all within a 48 hour period. Some from bullying. Some not. Some of them perhaps LGBT. Some, maybe not. It's enough to make one wonder how did we get to this place in time. And, how do we get out of it?</span><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Young people, here and around the world, are screaming at the top of their lungs that there's a problem with our culture as it is today. As the numbers continue to increase, one has to wonder if their voices are truly being heard. I've said this time and time again, but it's worth saying a million more times until someone hears it: if this were a virus, let's say a mutant strand of the flu, that was killing young people at this same, break-neck pace, every official in the country would be frenzied to find a quick and effective solution. More to the point, everyday Joe would be barking down these officials' necks <i style="font-weight: bold;">demanding</i> something be done <b>right now!</b> And, everyday Joe would be relentless in doing so. That same intense level of concern and <b>action</b> needs to be taking place right now. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I can't be the only person who finds 5 teen suicides in less that 48 hours absolutely not acceptable. And, I'm sure I'm not. I read the comments on the blog as well as on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook blog page</span></a>. Folks are heartbroken. Folks are in an uproar! However, these are words on pages. And, whereas it's important to see such intense response to these posts about another young life lost, it's equally important, <b>if not moreso!,</b> for people to get involved in taking positive, constructive action. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Anti-bullying groups in every single school? Well, that's a start. I actually think that's a very sound approach. Yet, after posting a link on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook blog page</span></a> for exactly that type of program, in an effort to jumpstart some grassroot action, the link has only been shared three time. Walking the walk is a bit more challenging than talking the talk.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Providing resources for, or even just having access to several different resources available, for <b>all</b> young people, <i>whether you THINK they're at risk or not, </i>so that they can have somebody, somewhere, that they can talk to rather than resorting to the one thing that can't be undone? That's a great idea! One thing that's always been a reality in many suicide events is that families and friends are left to wonder how they missed the signs. Sure, in the cases of bullying, it's easy to recognize a young person who's "at risk". However, what we've seen a lot of recently has been cases where "the obvious" <b>wasn't</b> in play. There <b>was no</b> bullying. They <b>weren't </b>an LGBT teen. They <b>had</b> lots of friends and family and the support of people who loved them. Yet, they're still gone. Perhaps, just perhaps, having resources readily available for <i style="font-weight: bold;">all </i>teens, can make a difference. One thing for sure: it couldn't hurt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is an extraordinarily complex phenomena we're witnessing, and there will be no quick fix. I assure you of that. It's going to take a concerted effort of a lot of people to make this epidemic go away. It's going to take many more people getting involved in forcing officials, from school officials to political officials and everyone in between, to <b>stop sweeping this under the rug, </b>to <b>stop applying bandages to the gaping holes that these young people are feeling in their lives, </b>to <b>stop turning a blind eye to incidents of bullying</b>. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>SUICIDE PREVENTION RESOURCES:</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.befrienders.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Befrienders</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.thetrevorproject.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Trevor's Place</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.whof.net/suicidesupport.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Suicide Support</span></a></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Like I said, I don't know any of the details about what caused Jon Clark to end his young life. We may never know. What is known, however, is that he's gone much, much too soon. So, once again, we say goodbye to a young person who should still be alive and enjoying the time of their life. To the family and friends of Jonathan William Clark, you have our deepest sympathy, love, and support. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-23463680849829199712012-05-12T19:29:00.000-04:002012-05-12T19:29:28.766-04:00Tori Swoape, 15, Death After Being BulliedI now have information about the second of the five teen suicides from from midweek. Fifteen year old Tori Swoape ended her life Wednesday, May 8th in Bloomington, Indiana. According to her mother, and friends, Tori had been bullied. <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Kkx8upAmDeB2KHnILxbbr3Jx_u46Tn49QrXE5u9UZBK8dpZSC4dqsXzT4LgXwswLgehJeio8N-P0NA2wRLs_NeQiOf_J5hp783Pg5nTD6f7ebBkxSnH8c4vWGxoZHlS3Is8aOnzUzyAV/s1600/Tori+Swoape.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Kkx8upAmDeB2KHnILxbbr3Jx_u46Tn49QrXE5u9UZBK8dpZSC4dqsXzT4LgXwswLgehJeio8N-P0NA2wRLs_NeQiOf_J5hp783Pg5nTD6f7ebBkxSnH8c4vWGxoZHlS3Is8aOnzUzyAV/s1600/Tori+Swoape.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Lana Swoape, Tori's mother, said:</div><div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">"I never thought she could do this. I never thought she would," as tears dripped down her face. </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">There was name calling. There was rumors. A lot of what Tori went through was rumors. </span><span style="color: #454545; line-height: 17px;">She was new, and she got teased a lot because ... the girls were jealous because all the guys liked her and the girls didn't”</span></span></blockquote>In what has become the normal response from "officials", Bloomington police Captain, Joe Qualters added:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“We still continue to investigate whether or not bullying may have been a factor in this case. However, we can find no direct relationship. It continues to be rumors circulating on social media sites,”</span></span></blockquote>Bloomington North High School Principal, Jeffry Henderson chimed in:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: times, serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 18px;">"</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We can't find a single incident where she was treated in a disparaging way. There are rumors and innuendoes, but we can't find an eyewitness who can say she was mistreated. She never made a report. I'm certainly not saying it didn't happen, but what I am saying is we cannot find anyone who can substantiate it,”</span></span> </blockquote>Yet, Tori, herself posted to her own facebook wall this message to her tormentors:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">'IM NOT TALKING TO NO ONE. so go ahead and spread that RUMOR around! Keep my name out of your mouth. LEAVE MY BUSINESS TO ME!'</span></span></blockquote><div style="text-align: left;">Why are the officials so reluctant to acknowledge that bullying is taking place, particularly when the bullying is leading to young lives being lost? It is my opinion that these "officials" need to have their feet held to the fire. They need to step up their own awareness, and they need to be reacting to every single instance of bullying that's going on. Further, as has been suggested by one of the members of the <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">facebook blog page</span></a>, there should be an active anti-bullying club in every single school around the country. It is up to us, the grieving families and friends <b>as well as</b><b style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"> </b><span style="font-family: inherit;">the </span><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">concerned citizens, to start holding these officials accountable. To keep saying that "more needs to be done" is an empty statement if we don't have people willing to step up and start forcing the issue.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">This has become a runaway train. What I want to see in my lifetime is real action being taken to prevent these egregious events from continuing to happen. There are people who are now saying that they're tired of reading about these teen suicides. They're missing the point. I don't love writing about another teen who took their life. It's something that <b>needs</b> to be done. It's something that needs to be done because every single person needs to be made aware that this is an enormous problem...in this country, and around the world. Without awareness, even less would be getting done that it is today. That's completely unacceptable. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I wish I didn't have to write this article about you, Tori. You should still be here, enjoying your youth. Rest in peace.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 19px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
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</span></span></div></div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5071475947902999546.post-62756237095588378592012-05-11T23:22:00.000-04:002012-05-11T23:22:09.090-04:00Peter Blake McCullers, 15, Death by SuicideI'd announced on <a href="http://www.facebook.com/bloggingforchange" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">the facebook blog page</span></a> that there were currently 5 suicides that I knew of which had occurred in the past 48 hours. Sadly, this was one of them. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06Wl-oa2x1_asm5AU8s0WngoUv_SZo8SRAnt2DBQxw5VIm1txOBDP9lGwGuadOM0_whxgGBn2g-wq132KNS_KfwMDlT3qbMGWmUxAValjcpNb9BLjXfYd9qfS5M8CcMQOSovEKxOh2kWN/s1600/Blake+McCullers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh06Wl-oa2x1_asm5AU8s0WngoUv_SZo8SRAnt2DBQxw5VIm1txOBDP9lGwGuadOM0_whxgGBn2g-wq132KNS_KfwMDlT3qbMGWmUxAValjcpNb9BLjXfYd9qfS5M8CcMQOSovEKxOh2kWN/s1600/Blake+McCullers.jpg" /></a></div>Blake to his friends and family, Peter Blake McCullers ended his life early Wednesday morning. He was a sophomore and cheerleader at J.P. Taravella High School in Coral Springs, FL. <br />
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The first posting I read about Blake's demise specified that he had been bullied for being a male cheerleader. In today's news article, the Broward County sheriff's office stated that their investigation has turned up no evidence of bullying. Then again, we've heard that before and in cases where bullying was very definitely the cause. However, Blake's sister also said:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 21px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">... that her brother was not bullied or gay, and that she hopes he won't be remembered as a victim.</span></span></blockquote>By all accounts, Blake was a very happy, well-loved student, friend, and family member. Something, however, had to drive him to the point of no return. Family and friends will now be left to wonder what, possibly for the rest of their lives.<br />
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Shawn Cerra, the principle at Blake's high school, had this observation:<br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"None of us had any indication that he was going through anything or having a difficult time," Cerra said, describing McCullers as friendly, confident and an unlikely target for bullies.</span></span></blockquote>"Friendly". "Confident". "An unlikely target for bullies". Still, <b>something</b> pushed Blake over the edge.<br />
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Two issues come immediately to mind:<br />
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<ol><li>The immediate assumption that every teen who commits suicide is gay and/or bullied is a very pervasive problem. I did a blog post a couple months ago about a suicide that never even happened, yet <i>immediately</i> Twitter was riddled with people sounding off about the bullying of another LGBT teen. Bullying is a very serious issue, to be sure, and it's an issue that warrants a lot more attention than it's getting. However, it's important to make sure that the cause was, in fact, bullying before we start sounding off. I've been guilty of it, myself, so I understand fully the temptation to go there. We just can't.</li>
<li>The fact that this vibrant, confident young man felt compelled to end his life, a life that according to all accounts from those close to him, and no one has any idea of why poses a whole different issue. Getting young people to open up and talk, hopefully to their parents but, if not, a trusted adult (maybe an older sibling) is so vital. Perhaps, life saving.</li>
</ol><div><b><a href="http://www.befrienders.org/" target="_blank">Befrienders</a></b></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><a href="http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/" target="_blank">National Suicide Prevention Lifeline</a></b></div><div><br />
</div><div><b><a href="http://www.whof.net/suicidesupport.htm" target="_blank">Suicide Support</a></b></div><div><br />
</div><div>While I was playing music today, a large group of young high schoolers passed by, apparently coming from a field trip of some sort. As they walked by, and as I looked at some of the faces, I got chills. The reality hit me that <i style="font-weight: bold;">"this is the age group I'm writing so often about".</i> It was a haunting reality, indeed.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Blake McCullers, I shouldn't be writing about you right now. You should be enjoying the time of your life right now, cheering your school teams on, continuing your work towards a bright, productive life. May you rest in peace. To the family and friends of Blake, there are no words to express the depth of my sympathy. May you, too, find, peace.</div>ron kemphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08668762973651593788noreply@blogger.com3