VICTORY!!!

Those of you who have been following my blog will remember a post about the bill in Michigan that was trying to get passed.  In the bill, however, was an exemption for people who acted out of “sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction.”  Hard to believe, I know.  In response, there was a petition sent around to get that exemption removed from bill.  And, people from all around the country were signing it.  GREAT NEWS!!!!  Your efforts worked!!!!  No hiding behind religion to commit your acts of hate and intolerance.  Thanks for your signatures!!!

Teen Admits Killing Gay Classmate

Ok, so a teenaged straight kid gets hit on by a teenaged gay kid.  It's pretty safe to say that it happens everywhere, everyday.  The straight kid doesn't like being hit on by the gay kid.  More often than not, that happens everywhere, everyday as well.  The straight kid goes to school and EXECUTES the gay kid for the "unwanted advances". (a bullet to the back of the head and one while the gay kid lay on the floor constitutes an execution in my book)  Two days later, Larry King died of his injuries inflicted by Brandon McInerney.  I think it's hardly fair that Brandon's family will get him back in their lives in roughly 20 more years.  Larry's family will never have that joy again.  At least this bring a sense of closure to one of the more horrific cases in recent memory.

Ever Wonder What Makes Bullies Bully?

We've reached the point, finally, where we all, for the most part, agree that there's a serious problem in our society today with bullying, especially (though, not exclusively!) with our young people.  Great!  Now comes the real work.  How do you detect a bully when you see one?  How do you know if your own child is a bully?  You certainly can't be with them 24/7 and almost certainly have no idea of every single thing they do at school or in public when you're not around.  Well, good news!  There are characteristic that you can look for to help you detect and correct it.  Some of the incidences of bullying that we're seeing today are nothing short of appalling.  Lives are being lost because of it.  Acknowledging, finally, that there is a serious problem is a great first step.  Now, let's educate ourselves so we can start reversing the trend.

Ray of Hope: Students Fight Back Bullying!!!

THIS IS THE KIND OF RESPONSE WE NEED TO SEE MORE OF!!  Fifteen year old Cole Peterson, openly bisexual, was attacked by two of his classmates because of his sexuality.  Here's the twist:  300 students from his high school staged a sit-in in protest of his attack, in specific, and against bullying in general.  That is exactly the kind of response we need to see every single day in every single incident of bullying!  Bravo to you, Cole, and definitely BRAVO to you, the students who supported him!!!

R.I.P. Jasmine McClain (ANOTHER 10 YEAR OLD!!!)

Her name was Jasmine McClain.  She was just 10 years old.  She was being bullied.  And, now, she's gone.  There's a tribute page set up for her on facebook.  Go, leave your condolences for the family.  As you can imagine, their grief right now is overwhelming.  When I read this article last night, all I could do was sit in a stunned silence.  We need more and more people getting involved with this cause.  As you see, it's reached epidemic proportions.  We need more people sharing this blog with their friends (or, any other similar information outlet!!  As long as the job gets done!!!!)  But, right now, we all need to pause and go to Samantha West's aid.  Her beautiful 10 year old daughter isn't coming home any more.  Rest in Peace, Jasmine McClain.

Know the Signs

I awakened this morning to the following post on facebook:  "I want to die".  Needless to say, every alarm in my head went off .  I checked my text messages, and the same person had texted me:  "Well, things are worst than ever.  suicide seems like the best way to go now".   Let me first say that he's alive and well.  Secondly, this is a young man I've known a few years.  And, it's been a struggle for him the entire time I've known him.  He doesn't want to die.  He wants the pain, suffering, and struggling to go away.  Sound familiar?  I do know that he suffers from depression, so I contacted him right away.  Depression, however, is just one of the warning signs to look for.  Can you name 4 more?  Most people can't.  In order to bring this sad chapter in our history to an end, we need to educate and re-educate ourselves. LEARN THE WARNING SIGNS!!!! (lives depend on it)

Give Them Hope; Give Them Life

Since getting involved in this mission to help save some young lives, I've come to recognize a  very clear and discernible constant:  a pervasive sense of hopelessness.  And, in many-to-most cases, I could understand where their sense of hopelessness comes from.  In addition to the normal angst and anxiety that comes with being a teenager, and with the added weight of dealing with their sexuality internally and externally, they are bombarded with negativity as it pertains directly to them.  In many, but certainly not all, cases, they are made to feel less than whole, "defective", unwanted, unloved, and add your own adjective.  There's, unfortunately, too many to add them all here.  So, in my ongoing, and never ending, effort to help bring this culture of intolerance to an end, I want to pass along this information.  Someone's life will be saved by your efforts.