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.

Today is International Survivors of Suicide Day

This is the 13th Annual International Survivors of Suicide Day. It's a day of healing. From my experience, I will tell you that EVERYDAY, for the rest of your life!, will be a day of healing. I'm posting this early enough for any of you who wants or needs to can get involved, either in person or via Internet. And, it's available is Spanish and French, as well.  For you who want to attend...

Hating In The Name of God

So, you've seen the videos over the past few days of school administrators bullying students, unaware that their actions were about to be broadcasted worldwide.  It's well documented how, in some cases, the parents, themselves, are as responsible for their children's low self-esteem, and in some cases suicides, because of their intolerance and lack of acceptance.  But, to have a pastor, A MAN OF GOD, spew hatred towards, intolerance of, and utter lies about gays is absolutely unacceptable.
When you start to look at the bigger picture of what today's youth have to deal with as the struggle to find their place in this crazy world, it's quite easy indeed to see why we have so many emotionally damaged young people taking their own lives.  When they see and hear so many adults, people they look to for leadership and affirmation, from the homes to the schools to the churches, instead give them just the opposite.  Then, when the end result is another tragic loss, we shake our collective heads and wonder "why".

And You Thought It Was Just a Kid's Thing!

It's horrific enough that you have to be concerned about your son or daughter being bullied at school by their classmates.  We've already seen the damage that causes, and we are very well aware that it oft times is the major contributor to teen suicides.  And, we as adults have been preaching that they should report these bullying instances to their teachers and/or school administrators immediately.  Well, as I'm sure many of you saw just yesterday, it isn't JUST the kids who are doing the bullying as a teacher in New Jersey was caught on video verbally abusing (bullying) a special needs student.  That's unacceptable, right?  Of course it is, and we should be outraged.  But, if you think this is an isolated case...an anomoly, THINK AGAIN!!  See, this atmosphere of intolerance isn't a kid's thing; it's handed down to them from the very people who are entrusted to mold them into upstanding citizens.  It's taught in churches, in the homes and, as is evident here, in the schools.  If it's true that the young minds are like sponges, and it is, then why are we so careless as to what they're "soaking up"?

Every 18 Minutes

Ok, I've set my stopwatch.  It wouldn't make sense for you to set yours since it will take you less time to read this that it will for me to type it.  The fact I want to drive home is the there's a teen suicide every 18 minutes, statistically, in this country.  That's exactly 18 too many.  And, in most cases, bullying played a major role in it.  The time is now for every single person with an iota of compassion to start getting involved in order to bring this epidemic to a swift end.  Educate yourselves on the issue.  Educate your own children!  And, educate your friends.  The atmosphere of hate and intolerance comes from somewhere.  So, the best place to start attacking it, in order to eradicate it, is in the homes.  We can NO LONGER count on the schools and school administrators to do the job for us.  To be sure, in some cases, they're as culpable as the kids who do the bullying.  It is my belief, and I'm sure the belief of countless others, that the time is now to get involved (...just lost another teen to suicide).  Here's a helpful tool to help kickstart the education process.

It Takes a Village (Update)

The more I read, listen, and learn, the angrier I get.  Violence against the GLBT community is being sanctioned, and your loved ones are at risk!!  I told you in an earlier entry about the new law in Michigan that allows bullying of gays if it's done for religious reasons.  Wait!  Did I miss something?  So, Billy the jock can go beat the snot out of Jimmy the homecoming queen and, as long as he says Jimmy's being gay went against his religious beliefs, he's excused?  Oh, HELL NO!  It truly does take a village, and I'm a staunch believer in the power of numbers.  For the sake of your own children, be they gay, straight, or Martian, let's get this law reversed. Every voice counts!

11/17/2011:  Voices from around the world are being heard!!!  OVER 80,000 PEOPLE have signed this petition so far!!!  Let's keep it going.  Add your name to the growing list so that we can get rid of this evil bill. If you haven't signed yet, do it now. If you have, pass it along to someone who hasn't.

Rest In Peace Ashlynn Conner (she was 10 YEARS OLD!!!)

I'm reminded of a saying: "if nothing changes, nothing changes".  There is NO WAY a family of a 10 year old should be mourning and planning a funeral for their child BECAUSE OF BULLYING!  NO WAY!!  THIS has got to end!!  Where are such young kids learning to be so extraordinarily cruel?  The answer, far too often, is they learn it from home.  Teach your children well.  Rest in peace, young Ashlynn.