Monster March Against Bullying

I think my favorite line from their "info" section is:

While parents, school officials and politicians keep imposing well intended rules and policies, we teenagers know real change... starts with us.

My smile was ear-to-ear!  Christi O'Connor, of San Francisco, sent me an email last week telling me about their Monster March Against Bullying to be held in the City By The Bay in October (no specific date given yet) in hope that I would help her spread the word.  And, of course, that's exactly what I'm going to do.  So far, in my opinion, this is the single greatest thing I've seen emerge in our collective struggle to bring an end to the bullying and help end the teen suicides, gay and straight alike.

The Monster March is a teen-created and teen-led protest marking a critical responsibility shift in solving our nation's deadly bullying problem. This October, more than 10,000 of us teens from across the nation and around the world will march through the streets of San Francisco in what we plan to make "The Largest Teen Protest In History." We will draw unprecedented awareness as we step into our power and claim our role in creating and putting into action our anti bullying solutions only teenagers can ensure work. 

So, who is Christi O'Connor?  I can't answer that in any other way than to say that she's a driven teen who's on a mission to make a huge difference in the lives of the teens who are bullied, to the families and friends of those who have committed suicide because of bullying.   Read her email to me for yourself:

Ron,
I’ve read a lot of what you write on bullying. Thank you. I’m the founder of the national youth led Monster March Against Bullying with The Rodemeyers, The Mowrys and many other bullying families behind our teens. Last Monday, we flew five headline making bullying families and many teens from around the country to help launch The Monster March.

We would love your help spreading the news of our teens’ invite to Lady Gaga and to President Obama to be at our 10,000 teen march against bullying in San Francisco this October. If you can ask all your followers to Tweet both letting them know your fans want both to join us, it will boost our profile and more teens will join us. The October march is just the celebratory finale of our teens’ year long campaign of projects they’re leading online, in classrooms and everywhere they can influence peers.

They want to recruit every teen they can.

Check out our FB page and our “Top 10 Teen Solutions” list. We change it every two weeks pushing to the top, the best in that time frame.

Also everything we have in our “Photos.”

Our teens include best friends and siblings of bullied teens from all over the country who’ve killed themselves. These teens are committed (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zVzNKZpqDDo)

Go to http://www.facebook.com/youthvoicetv

Warmly,

Christi O’Connor
Founder “The Monster March Against Bullying”

Amazing stuff.  And, she has a point:  for all the work we adults do, or try to do, to end this madness, ultimately it will be up to them, the teens, to take matters in their own hands and say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH"!!!  That message coming from us, the concerned citizens, adults, and parents, carries some weight.  Things ARE happening albeit slowly.  However, that same message coming from THOUSANDS of teens is going to be impossible to ignore.  Add to their cause such influential, anti-bullying people as Lady Gaga and President Barack Obama, and the entire WORLD will have no choice but to stand up and take notice. (disclaimer:  as of this writing, invitations have been sent to Lady Gaga and the POTUS.  It's not confirmed, yet, that either will be in attendance.  Let's keep our fingers crossed.)  The family of Jamey Rodemeyer will be there in support of the Monster March Against Bullying, as will Jonah Mowry and his family.  I'm hoping that, by the time October rolls into San Francisco, many more family and friends of victims of bullying will be there in attendance.

The video attached to the email was the clencher.  Sixteen-year-old Liane, makes a very strong case for everyone to get involved by driving home the question "What are you waiting for?"  She had just lost a friend to suicide at the time she recorded the video.  The pain, the anguish!, is very visible on her face.  And, that pain isn't isolated.  That pain and anguish is, sadly, shared all over the world every single day as yet another teenager ends their own life. 

So, my question is the same:  What ARE you waiting for?  Every 18 minutes, another teenager ends his or her life.  And, for every successful suicide attempt, there's 25 others who THANKFULLY didn't success.  We've got an epidemic.  But, you don't need me to tell you that.  I think that much is crystal clear.  What I do need to remind people, I feel, is that there's still lots and lots of work that needs to be done before we're able to claim victory.  Worse, rest assured that for everyone of "us" who are working hard and long to make a difference, there's just as many if not more of "them" working just as hard and long to negate all of our efforts. 

We will win this hard-fought battle.  I have complete confidence in that and can say it with 100% conviction.  However, the victory will not come without a long of hands-on effort.  And, what will, in the end, make the biggest difference will be teens, like Brett Simpson, like Christi O'Connor standing firm as they say to "The Establishment" ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!  Let's do our part in making this Monster March Against Bullying an overwhelming success!  "Like" their facebook page.  Watch the video.  Share both as often as you can.  The world is changing, and Christi O'Connor is right at the forefront of that change.

Following Up on Cody Rogers, LGBT Teen Attacked at Party

Cody Rogers, an 18-year-old LGBT man in Oklahoma, was brutally attacked last weekend at a party attended by friends and a few homophobes.  The story took off.  There was a silver lining to the story, as well.

Rather than tuck his tail and wilt under the attack, Cody rose to the occasion.  Rather than shrink back into the closet and lock the door, Cody was embolded.  He set up a facebook page to join the war against ignorance, intolerance, and violence against the LGBT community.  The page quickly took off.  As of this writing, it already has just under 10,000 members.  Most of them are well-wishers, some adding pictures along with the encouraging words.  It's been heartwarming watching the encouragement come literally from around the world. 

The most important thing to come from this travesty, however, is the fire that's been lit under Cody Rogers.  Met head-on with what, until last weekend, was the kind of hatred and nviolence towards the LGBT community he'd only heard of or read about, Cody is now determined to spearhead a movement of change. 

In the state he lives, Oklahoma, their federal anti-discrimination laws do not protect the LGBT community.  Because of that, his attacker was charged with the laughable crime of simple assault.  Such a ridiculous charge could possibly bring him a sentence of cleaning up trash along the highway for a weekend.  He couldn't be charged with what he should've been charged with because, in Oklahoma, it's apparently ok to hate members of the LGBT community, to be intolerant towards them, to commit acts of violence against them.  That has to be the case; otherwise, there would be laws on the book to protect them.  At the very least, they would've been included in the protection of the federal anti-discrimination laws, which would've made last week's unwarranted attack a hate crime.  Instead, incredibly, they were excluded.

Cody has started a petition to get the wheels in motion that will bring about change in his state.  Remember, this is the same state that, just a month ago, a teacher was going to fail her student for the crime of writing an essay about same-sex marriage.  Thanks to your emails, letters, and phone calls!!, that teacher had a change of heart and there was a happy ending to the story.  Now, we need those same numbers, and more!, to come to Cody Roger's aid and sign this petition!!  Before we knew there was a Cody Rogers in the world, we showed Oklahoma that there is definitely power in numbers.  I think they need a reminder.

We Need Voices, Voices, and MORE Voices!!!!

In Maryland today, Gov. Martin O'Malley made history by signing into law the same-sex marriage bill.  It goes into effect January 1, 2013.  And, before it even has chance to go into effect, before the first same-sex couple has the chance to tie the knot, the opponents are already in high-gear to get the law repealed.

Over the weekend, 18-year-old Cody Rogers was savagely attacked in a homophobic rage.  The only provocation was that he was who he is:  a gay man.

Stacey Campfield is STILL trying to pass legislation that would effectively legalize discrimination against the LGBT community, putting more LGBT teens at risk. 

In that same state, Tennessee, a school principal resigns under pressure after telling gay students that they're going to Hell!  A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL!!!

Newt Gingrich makes the assinine statement that TEACHERS are to blame for same-sex marriages!!!

ENOUGH!!

Understand that that's just the short list.  I could go on and on and on ad nauseum.  The point I'm making should be clear:  the atmosphere of hatred and intolerance (and, ignorance) is very far-reaching.  With all of this lack of acceptance, bigotry, and utter ignorance, it's no wonder we're seeing so many LGBT teen suicides; it's no wonder that a Cody Rogers can't go to a party without fear of being attacked simply because of who he is.  The hatred is being taught by lawmakers, teachers, religious leaders, and in some cases parents. 

Just moments ago, I was talking to an 18-year-old LGBT man who is trying to make a difference.  He had a girl he was talking to who was being bullied and wanted help making it stop.  She told her mother.  Her mother didn't listen.  She told her teacher.  (S)he didn't listen.  NO ONE IS PAYING ATTENTION!!!  Yet, as soon as one of these young people take their life, there's the redundant outcry of "THIS HAS TO END!!"  Damn right this has to end, but what are we doing to make that happen? 

People are denying, or attempting to deny, the LGBT community everything from the right to marry the person they love to equal protection under the law.  To be sure, Cody Rogers' attacker was charged with simple assault for the very brutal and savage beating that Cody endured.  Why?  Because, in Oklahoma, sexual orientation isn't protected under their hate crime laws.  How is this even possible in this country in 2012!?  Do you want to know how?  I will tell you.  It is possible because we, as a community, allow it to happen.  Plain and simple.

Don't misunderstand what I'm saying:  we, the LGBT community, and society as a whole, are making enormous strides in the right direction, which is equality for ALL.  At the same time, it is my opinion that more can be done.  Lots more. 

What's needed is we need to keep increasing our numbers in the battle to win equality, in the war against bullying, and in the attempt to end this plight of LGBT teen suicides.  Since the time I got actively involved, I've witnessed amazing growth in numbers, and I've seen some great things come from it.  We can never be complacent.  There's always more to be done.  Why?  Because for every gain we achieve, "they" are lining up to take it away from us.

We need voices, voices, and more voices.  Are you signing petitions when they come around?  Are you speaking out against the hatred and intolerance?  Are you supporting the Cody Rogerses of the world?  That's what we need.  We need voices.  As the poisoned, culturally crippled faction try to undo everything we accomplish, we need to meet and at least double their numbers.  It would be a travesty of justice, not to mention just plain wrong, if "they" were to win in Maryland and get this new same-sex marriage law reverse even before the first couple gets to marry.  We can make sure that doesn't happen.  As has been proven over the course of history, and as has been witnessed right here within the community of this very blog, there IS power in numbers. 

Listen, we will win this battle.  I have no doubt about that whatsoever.  All around us, culture is changing.  People's attitudes are changing.  Twenty-five years from now, there will be marriage equality from coast-to-coast and, most likely, around the world.  The social climate towards the LGBT community will have shifted to a point where gay and lesbian teens won't feel such a sense of hopelessness that they feel they have to end their life.  That's coming!  I have no doubt about that.  However, in the here and now, we still have plenty of work to do in order to get to that day.  I recall being a young man in San Francisco during the height of the AIDS epidemic there.  I remember watching friends die, literally, on a daily basis.  I became active with a group called ACT-UP.  My bosses were gay, yet they were very annoyed with me for being a part of such a group.  "You're part of the problem!!!"  I assured them that they were the problem.  See, they had become complacent.  They owned their own successful business.  They had nice homes and enjoyed a fabulous lifestyle.  They had gotten their slice of the American pie, and they were satisfied.  The rest of the world be damned.  Sadly, within the next 6 months, all three of them had succumbed to the very scourge that I laid my body in the middle of the street for in effort to bring more attention to. 

Don't become complacent.  Stay connected; be involved.  We need your voice.

Oklahoma Teen Savagely Beaten in anti-Gay Attack

There was a party.  Eighteen-year-old Cody Rogers, an LGBT teen, attended along with other of his friends.  Also at the party, however, were some violently homophobic teens.  It seems that some female attendees of the party had invited their boyfriends.  And, that's where the trouble began.  Cody says that he could "...hear the homophobic slurs from the other room."  When asked to leave, one of the homophobes refused.  Instead, he did what any real man would do:  He attacked the girl who, presumably, had asked him to leave.  With the girl being his friend, Cody went to her rescue.  The attack turned on him.  He was pushed to the ground by the homophobe and beaten unconscious.  Pictures reveal the severity of the attack.  It was brutal.

The attackers were charged with simple assault.  Simple assault!!!  This was a clear-cut hate crime.  The homophobic slurs came well before the "simple assault" as well as during it.  So why, then, is this classified as a "simple assault"?  Simple.  Because Oklahoma has no hate crime protection for the LGBT community.  So, as was the case with Cody, you can get the shit kicked out of you by some pea-brained homophobic woman beater, have him call you every homophobic slur he can think of while he's committing his crime of pure hate, and the worst thing that will happen to him is he'll get charged with simple assault.  That has to change.

It's worth noting that Oklahoma has a lawmaker, (R) Mike Reynolds, himself an elected homophobe, has a history of attempting to pass through anti-LGBT legislation.  Just last week, his proposed bill that would've stripped the LGBT community of protection from discrimination was defeated.  I have no doubt he'll attempt to re-introduce another, reworded bill that would do the same damage.  It's what people of his mentality do.

At a time when the nation, and the world!, has the issue of bullying and anti-LGBT discrimination in the front of their collective minds, we're reminded yet again that there's still lots and lots of work to be done.  And, it needs to be said again that for someone as young as Cody's attacker, a fellow teen, to be so violently homophobic, it's obvious that the re-education has to start with the adults.  His attacker wasn't born with that level of hatred.  No one is.

That level of hatred is taught.  It's taught by intolerant politicians who continually attempt to legislate their own prejudices and hatred.  It's taught by religious leaders who preach hatred and condemnation in the name of God. (perhaps, before their next sermon, they should meditate on 1 John 4:8).  It's passed down from parents who, for whatever reason, has been immersed in intolerance and bigotry.  Make no mistake:  The cultural shift has, in fact, begun.  But, as is evident with the savage beating Cody endured, we've still got a long way to go.

Hats off to Cody!  He didn't wilt under the pressure of a brutal attack, an attack brought on simply because of who he is.  Instead, he's turning that negative event in his life into a positive.  He's chosen to become part of the ever-growing army to fight against hatred and intolerance against people, in general, and the LGBT community in particular.  He's launched a facebook page to help stop the brutality.  Welcome aboard, Cody.  You're an inspiration to many. 

More on the Chardon Tragedy

Sadly, a third student has lost his life after yesterday's shooting at an Ohio high school.  As expected, as the story continues to unfold, details are emerging, and it's a tightly wound ball of confusion.  According to a published report today, the prosecutor, David Joyce, says that bullying wasn't a factor in the shooting, that Thomas "TJ" Lane has admitted to taking the .22 caliber gun, and a knife, into the school Monday morning and randomly shooting his victims.  Yet, in an article also released just today, "students say Thomas was shy and targeted by bullies."  Again, the pieces of this puzzle are still being sorted and spread across the kitchen table as authorities try to put it all together.

In the court of public opinion, the pendulum has swayed from the "bullying must end" sentiment to the "he's an animal" wrath.  The bullying card is apparently still in the deck.  And, with all due respect to the victims and their families, (and, with my deepest sympathies and sincerest condolences), the early indication is that TJ is not "an animal", either.  Rather, there are apparent deep-rooted mental health issues in play here.

What is emerging is that Thomas Lane is a troubled young man.  Tumultuous family life, with his parents divorcing when he was young, and his father spending substantial time behind bars for abusing women, amongst other things, including TJ's mother.  One of the things that was pointed out from the beginning was that Lane had been looking into information about depression.  Did he WANT help but couldn't find it?  That answer is yet to come.

I return to my original assertion that somebody, ANYBODY!, should've taken his tweets from the previous day seriously.  He allegedly tweeted that he was going to "bring a gun to school".  No one took him seriously.  If any one person would've, this could've been prevented.  Would've, could've.  But, it goes beyond even that.  According to news reports, and as stated in the original post, Lane had posted dark status updates to his facebook page that, again, apparently no one paid attention to.  Gregg Jantz, a psychologist and mental health author from Seattle, says that Lane's Facebook post from December should have triggered a red flag with any adult who saw it.

"That kind of writing is warning sign of an impending disaster," Jantz told The Huffington Post. "We don't need anything more. He was forecasting his struggles right there."

If we are to avoid tragedies like Chardon High School, if we're to start preventing teen suicides, it's absolutely essential that we pay close attention to what's being said.  And, done.  There ARE warning signs.  It is imperative that every one of us pay attention to the red flags as they pop up.  And, they will pop up.

I posted this link in an earlier blog post about depression:  I think this would be a very effective tool for educating about depression.  I believe this program should be implemented in every school across the country, and around the world.  There's no way to have enough tools available to fight what's going on with today's youth.  That said, I strongly encourage every one to push to get this program implemented in your local schools.  If you're parents, if you have younger siblings, if you have friends who could be at risk, wouldn't you feel better knowing that everyone in their school is being educated about depression and how to deal with it?  I know it would certainly give me a little peace of mind.  It's also a valuable tool to have in the home.  Home is absolutely where all of this begins.  Unfortunately, "home" failed Thomas Lane.  And, as a result, three families must struggle to make sense of the madness that claimed their loved one's life.  As a result, the small community of Chardon, Ohio has been changed forever. 

Rest in peace:

• Daniel Parmertor
• Russell King, Jr.
• Demetrius Hewlin

Preventable Tragedy in Chardon, Ohio

This morning, in a sleepy town 30 mile east of Cleveland, Ohio, 17-year-old Thomas "TJ" Lane opened fire on some of his high school classmates, injuring five.  One of the five was fatally wounded.  There's an unconfirmed report that a second victim has also died.  It has been reported on a Cleveland news channel although no details were given.  Yet another of the victims is still in critical condition.

Initially, the reports were that "TJ" had been bullied by this group of students that he obviously targeted in his rampage.  I personally heard a news report that said that the alleged gunman confessed to stealing the handgun from his uncle and that he'd been "picked on" and bullied by this group for a long time.  Conversely, there was this quote from one of his fellow students:  “Even though he was quiet, he still had friends,” said Tyler Lillash, 16. “He was not bullied.”  I will add here that in a recent suicide, there were those who admonished that, despite what I'd reported, the victim was not bullied when, in fact, he had been.

What's harrowing about this great, life-changing tragedy is that the warning signs were in place.  Reportedly, TJ posted on his twitter just last night that "I'm bringing a gun to school".  And, as a response to that, as a Washington, D.C. news outlet reported, one boy tweeted that he'd probably be one of the first ones to get shot because he'd always been mean to [TJ].  Lots of unanswered questions.  What is known is that there has been a dark side to TJ that has gone unchecked.  A check of his facebook account suggested that he, himself, was interested in learning more about clinical depression.  I've been saying for a while that it's so vital that we as adults pay attention to what's being said.  No one took TJ seriously when he tweeted about bringing a gun to school.  No one paid attention to the dark posts he made on his facebook page or that he was looking to learn more about depression.  Now, there's one confirmed death in this unfortunate event and unconfirmed reports of a second.  If someone, ANYONE!, had paid attention and taken that tweet or facebook posts seriously, 16-year-old Daniel Parmertor may still be alive today.

If it's, in fact, true that Thomas Lane had been bullied, this wouldn't be the first time that the bullied took matters into his own hands rather than commit suicide.  Just recently, a Florida youth was found not guilty in the murder of a teen who had allegedly been bullying him.  In 2001, I followed the story of a young man who had been bullied at his Maryland school.  His father moved him to a San Diego suburb to get him away from the torment.  However, the bullying continued there as well.  He took a gun to school and killed two of his bullies.  As with Lane, this young man had told someone the day before that he was going to take a gun to school.  He wasn't taken seriously.  As a result, three young lives were lost:  two boys lost their lives, and the shooter will spend the rest of his life in prison.

If bullying was, indeed, the driving force behind this, there cannot be louder wake-up call.  What that would clearly indicate would be that not only are we losing young lives to bullying because of suicides but also because, in cases like this one, the one in Florida, and the one in the San Diego suburb, sometimes the bully, themselves, pay the ultimate price with their own lives.  In either case, it's an unthinkable tragedy, one that can be prevented.

What can we do to prevent life-altering events such as what happened in Ohio today from happening again?  There's a laundry list of things that needs to be done to prevent this from happening again:

• BULLYING MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!  It's a serious issue that is claiming lives at a break-neck pace.  NO LONGER is "boys will be boys" or "kids will be kids" acceptable.  
• Listen to what these young people are saying.  Remember:  hearing and listening are two completely different functions.  In far too many cases, these troubled young people are screaming out at the top of their lungs, like Andy Williams did in San Diego, but no one listens to them.  So, to get their troubled voices heard, they act out.  The result of that action is rarely good.
• Pay attention to the mental health of your child or even a troubled young person you may know from your neighborhood or through your own child.  I'm no professional, but I would bet that very rarely do events like we witnessed today happen out-of-the-blue.  There are always warning signs.  We have to pay attention, however, in order to see them.  
• Understand that bullying and depression can be a disastrous combination.  It was that combination that claimed Jamie Hubley's life last year.  It was the combination that caused Andy Williams to go on his rampant is the San Diego suburb in 2001.  And, according to early reports, odds are that it played a role today in Chardon, Ohio.

All of this is so very preventable.  What happened in San Diego in March of 2001 didn't have to happen; what happened in Chardon, Ohio today didn't have to happen.  Life will never, ever be the same for the people of that small town in northeast Ohio.  The young people who witnessed the horrifying act will see it play out in their mind's eye for the rest of their lives.  And, as was the case in Santee, California back in 2001, three families have lost their beloved young ones forever.  To the people of Chardon, I wish you godspeed in your recovery and healing.  To the families of the victims, may you find peace.  The world mourns with you.

Massacre in Chardon, Ohio

This morning, in a sleepy town 30 mile east of Cleveland, Ohio, 17-year-old Thomas "TJ" Lane opened fire on some of his high school classmates, injuring five.  One of the five was fatally wounded.  There's an unconfirmed report that a second victim has also died.  It has been reported on a Cleveland news channel although no details were given.  Yet another of the victims is still in critical condition.

Initially, the reports were that "TJ" had been bullied by this group of students that he obviously targeted in his rampage.  I personally heard a news report that said that the alleged gunman confessed to stealing the handgun from his uncle and that he'd been "picked on" and bullied by this group for a long time.  Conversely, there was this quote from one of his fellow students:  “Even though he was quiet, he still had friends,” said Tyler Lillash, 16. “He was not bullied.”  I will add here that in a recent suicide, there were those who admonished that, despite what I'd reported, the victim was not bullied when, in fact, he had been.

What's harrowing about this great, life-changing tragedy is that the warning signs were in place.  Reportedly, TJ posted on his twitter just last night that "I'm bringing a gun to school".  And, as a response to that, as a Washington, D.C. news outlet reported, one boy tweeted that he'd probably be one of the first ones to get shot because he'd always been mean to [TJ].  Lots of unanswered questions.  What is known is that there has been a dark side to TJ that has gone unchecked.  A check of his facebook account suggested that he, himself, was interested in learning more about clinical depression.  I've been saying for a while that it's so vital that we as adults pay attention to what's being said.  No one took TJ seriously when he tweeted about bringing a gun to school.  No one paid attention to the dark posts he made on his facebook page or that he was looking to learn more about depression.  Now, there's one confirmed death in this unfortunate event and unconfirmed reports of a second.  If someone, ANYONE!, had paid attention and taken that tweet or facebook posts seriously, 16-year-old Daniel Parmertor may still be alive today.

If it's, in fact, true that Thomas Lane had been bullied, this wouldn't be the first time that the bullied took matters into his own hands rather than commit suicide.  Just recently, a Florida youth was found not guilty in the murder of a teen who had allegedly been bullying him.  In 2001, I followed the story of a young man who had been bullied at his Maryland school.  His father moved him to a San Diego suburb to get him away from the torment.  However, the bullying continued there as well.  He took a gun to school and killed two of his bullies.  As with Lane, this young man had told someone the day before that he was going to take a gun to school.  He wasn't taken seriously.  As a result, three young lives were lost:  two boys lost their lives, and the shooter will spend the rest of his life in prison.

If bullying was, indeed, the driving force behind this, there cannot be louder wake-up call.  What that would clearly indicate would be that not only are we losing young lives to bullying because of suicides but also because, in cases like this one, the one in Florida, and the one in the San Diego suburb, sometimes the bully, themselves, pay the ultimate price with their own lives.  In either case, it's an unthinkable tragedy, one that can be prevented. 

What can we do to prevent life-altering events such as what happened in Ohio today from happening again?  There's a laundry list of things that needs to be done to prevent this from happening again:

• BULLYING MUST BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY!  It's a serious issue that is claiming lives at a break-neck pace.  NO LONGER is "boys will be boys" or "kids will be kids" acceptable.  
• Listen to what these young people are saying.  Remember:  hearing and listening are two completely different functions.  In far too many cases, these troubled young people are screaming out at the top of their lungs, like Andy Williams did in San Diego, but no one listens to them.  So, to get their troubled voices heard, they act out.  The result of that action is rarely good.
• Pay attention to the mental health of your child or even a troubled young person you may know from your neighborhood or through your own child.  I'm no professional, but I would bet that very rarely do events like we witnessed today happen out-of-the-blue.  There are always warning signs.  We have to pay attention, however, in order to see them.  
• Understand that bullying and depression can be a disastrous combination.  It was that combination that claimed Jamie Hubley's life last year.  It was the combination that caused Andy Williams to go on his rampant is the San Diego suburb in 2001.  And, according to early reports, odds are that it played a role today in Chardon, Ohio.

All of this is so very preventable.  What happened in San Diego in March of 2001 didn't have to happen; what happened in Chardon, Ohio today didn't have to happen.  Life will never, ever be the same for the people of that small town in northeast Ohio.  The young people who witnessed the horrifying act will see it play out in their mind's eye for the rest of their lives.  And, as was the case in Santee, California back in 2001, three families have lost their beloved young ones forever.  To the people of Chardon, I wish you godspeed in your recovery and healing.  To the families of the victims, may you find peace.  The world mourns with you.