Kenny Wolf, 16: Bullying Claims Yet Another Life

When it hits this close to home, it's really painful for me to think about.  According to information just received, Kenny Wolf, a 14-year-old freshman at Olde Mill High School in Maryland, successfully attempted suicide yesterday, Thursday April 5th.  According to a memorial page set up on the popular teen site, tumblr, Kenny had been constantly bullied because of being an LGBT teen.

The information hit me like a Mack truck.  I lived in that neighborhood for a while.  When I saw his facebook picture, taken just the day before his suicide, I just wept.  No, I didn't know him.  I lived there when he was just 4 or 5 years old.  I didn't need to know him, though.  I know that he was another teen, just trying to become, but because of other people's hostilities, is now gone forever.

 

I don't think it can be said enough that this whole epidemic of bullying has to be met head-on, and dealt with as seriously as any other epidemic that hits our society.  It was said that "if teens were dying at this rate because of a medical outbreak, everyone would be in a panic."  I agree.  As such, the same intensity has to be applied to the problem of bullying, and the suicides that it's leading to.

The more I learn, though, the more I realize that it could be easier said than done at this point-in-time.  Why?  Well, where do we start?  The easy answer would be to hold these young people accountable for the consequences of their bullying.  And, I believe that to be true.  If they knew, without a doubt, that their bullying would lead to severe consequences especially in cases where it led to suicides, they would think twice before doing it.  After all, if those same kids were to take a weapon to school and physically harmed or killed another student, wouldn't they be charged for a crime?  And, depending on the severity of the outcome, they would potentially be charged as an adult.  What, then, is the difference between that action and bullying someone to a point where he or she ends their life?  On a real core level, especially to the family and friends of the victim, there is no difference.  In either case, their loved one is gone forever.  However, that's the easy answer.  Our society, especially in this country, already has a lock-'em-up-and-throw-away-the-key mentality.  It doesn't "cure" a thing.  And, it doesn't bring anyone back.  

The long-term solution absolutely has to be a re-education of our culture beginning with the adults.  Once again, I will say that these young people aren't born to hate, discriminate, or be intolerance.  They.  Are.  Taught.  They are taught, either directly or indirectly, by adults.  Listen to the rhetoric from the extremist's corner.  Watch, again, what a "pastor" "preaches" to his "congregation" about the LGBT community.  These are the people who tell the young bullies, either directly or indirectly, that it's ok to treat LGBT teens, real or perceived, as mean as they want to.  These extremists send the signal that even physical harm is acceptable when it comes to LGBT teens.  And, that is what has to be addressed quickly, and severely.  Forget their claims of freedom of speech.  Freedom of speech does not include hate speech.  Their idea of "freedom of speech" is costing lives and destroying families.  That is not acceptable.  Not anymore.  

Kenny has been gone for just over 24 hours, so his family and friends are still raw with unimaginable pain.  Send them lots of love and support.  And, prayers.  And, while you're praying to a God that loves, pray that He works on the hearts and souls of the people, young and old, who spread harmful hatred and intolerance.  It's time for a change.  Rest in peace, Kenny.  No one can harm you now.

On This Date: Oscar Wilde

Did you know that on this date in 1895, Oscar Wilde was arrested, basically, for being gay?  True.  As the story goes, Wilde had been engaged to the son of the marquess of Queensberry.

Wilde had been engaged in an affair with the marquess's son since 1891, but when the outraged marquess denounced him as a homosexual, Wilde sued the man for libel. However, he lost his case when evidence strongly supported the marquess's observations. Homosexuality was classified as a crime in England at the time, and Wilde was arrested, found guilty, and sentenced to two years of hard labor.

Two years hard labor.  This just goes to show two things:   1.)  unlike what the extremists want people to think, homosexuality has been around for as long as humanity, itself, has.  Wonder who did the "recruiting" back in those days?;  and, 2.)  the LGBT community has always struggled for acceptance.

A four year engagement!?  That's as long, or longer, than many hetero marriages!!  Just sayin'.  For the record, I will add that one of my best friends as a younger man was with his partner (gay marriage wasn't even THOUGHT about in those not-so-long-ago days!) for 17 years!!  Together, they owned a home, operated a successful business, raised a daughter, eventually raised a grandson.  The only thing that separated them was the death of my friend's partner.  Til death do us part.  Yet, we have to struggle to get equal rights to marry!  Go figure.

What struck me as interesting in Oscar Wilde's case is that he was jailed for being a homosexual, but why wasn't the Lord of Queensberry to whom he was engaged for 4 years?  Ah, the privilege of being royalty.

In a bizarre twist, just last year, March 3, 2011, the son of the marquess of Queensberry committed suicide, throwing himself from a fifth floor balcony.  He had been struggling with the sometimes debilitating mental illness, depression.  That just shows that no one is immuned.

Olivia Penpraze, 19: Bullying and Depression Leads to Death by Suicide

On the Jamie Hubley page that serves as my homepage, one of the regulars posted this yesterday: 

I was hoping that i would never have to do something like this but it seems that that time has come. as of 9:20pm 3rd of April 2012 (Melbourne Australia time) a girl by the name of Olivia Penpraze died as a result of a suicide attempt. she was on life support for a number of days and her parents had to make the traumatic decision to turn it off as she was brain-dead. like Jamie, she used tumblr as her escape to post all of her thoughts and messages. she suffered from extreme depression, and it really upsets me that I didn't do anything to help her, even though there probably was nothing I could do.  She will be one of the many teenagers each year that goes unnoticed, not documented, not in the media. but all i hope is that she is in a better place now. it's your time to shine Olivia, we all love and miss you ♥

No, Andrew, she won't go unnoticed.  Not if I have anything to do with it.  I watched the video that she had made, and it just ripped my heart from my chest.  No one, no one should have to live such a life of unchecked turmoil.  Olivia had been screaming for help for almost a decade.  Finally, the demons of mental illness and depression won.  Depression that was brought on by bullying.

Bullying.  Again.  Will it ever end?  Not as long as people keep talking about it rather than doing something about it.  According to a post her father made on her tumblr page, a photo and thought-sharing website used by many teens, people there had been bullying her, as well.  How on Earth does a person sit behind a computer screen and urge a person who is already obviously in crisis to kill themselves?  How does one think that's cool or funny?  Or, do they just truly not care?  Olivia's dad's letter said that this had gone on before she attempted suicide for the last time:

To all of my daughter's followers, this is to let you all know that on Thursday, 29th March, Olivia attempted suicide, as a result she is on life support and this will be terminated shortly due to her being brain dead.  So, to all of the people who posted support of this outcome on this blog, you can be real proud of yourselves.  As a father who witnessed her first breath of life and now to witness her last, I thank you for your utmost disregard for life.  If this sort of activity gets you off, you are nothing.  To those of you who offered her support to refrain from killing herself, thanks.  You should all try to make contact with family even if it is against your wishes.  At least leave a contact somewhere on your blog in times of need.  I know that you all need somewhere you can vent your anger and feelings and that these blogs can help, but in reality family must always come first...

I talked to someone else just tonight, as I was writing this actually, who had someone on that same page telling her that she, too, should kill herself.  Who is teaching these young people such a deep level of hatred?  Is it hatred?  Or, is it simply an ambivalence of human life?  Do today's youth just not give a rat's ass about the next human being?  Have they become desensitized to human life?  Look, it's become painfully and frighteningly clear that the change in our culture has got to start with the adults since that's where young people learn from.  No teen, anywhere, should ever feel so helpless and hopeless that they feel the only way out is to end their life.  At the same time, no teen, anywhere, at anytime!, should feel that it's perfectly okay to bully another person for any reason.  Hatred and intolerance is taught.

When I asked Andrew, the young man who posted the original post about Olivia's lost battle, if he had anything he wanted to say about her, he had this:

she loved her friends and always seemed happy. I remember once at choir she said she was changing schools. That may have been when she quit school like she said in her video. As i have said before, I wasn't close with her.  But, on the outside, she was happy; on the inside, it seems she was screaming for help.  We all miss her, and I personally am going to do everything I can in my power now to put an end to bullying and teen suicide.

We need more Andrews.  Families and friends should now be forced to go through this kind of trauma...this level of pain.  May you rest in peace, Olivia.  

I'd Be Ashamed

If I were a regular, church-going Christian, I'd be ashamed.  Hell, I'm not a regular, church-going Christian, and I'm still ashamed.  I'm ashamed and appalled.  I'm ashamed that there are people like this Arizona "pastor", Steven Anderson, representing himself as a religious leader while spewing pure, absolute hatred.  Bitter hatred.  Violence-laden hatred.
[for the record, let me say that whereas I'm not a "regular, church-going Christian", I do strongly and fully believe in God.]

This video surfaced today on the facebook blog page and is a must-see.  It's a must-see for anyone who wonders why so many of my recent posts have been about the far-right "religious" faction, in particular.  It's important that I reiterate that nothing I say herein is meant as an attack on true Christians or on Republicans.  In fact, I had an opportunity to exchange thoughts with one who did take offense to what I was saying, and it turned out that his philosophy really isn't that different than my own.  Let's say we're on opposite sides of the aisle, perhaps, but we're both occupying close enough to the aisle that we can see and speak to each other.  What I am trying to get get across, however, and will continue to try to get across, is the amount of pure hatred, vile intolerance, and in some cases, suggestions of violence is coming from that far-right extremist faction who disguise themselves as Christians to mask their bitter hatred.  Watching the video will say more than I can ever say here.

This guy, Steven Anderson, is no stranger to the national spotlight.  As soon as I saw the name, I knew who he was.  As is evident in this video, I think it's fair to say that Mr. Anderson spends more time "preaching" hate than he does spreading the word of God.  And, forget about him spreading love.  Thanks not on his agenda.  In 2009, he had this to say:

The same God who instituted the death penalty for murders is the same god who instituted the death penalty for rapists and for homosexuals, sodomites and queers!

That's what it was instituted for, okay? That's God, he hasn't changed. Oh, God doesn't feel that way in the New Testament ... God never "felt" anything about it, he commanded it and said they should be taken out and killed.
You know why God wanted the sodomites in the Old Testament to be killed? You know why every good king of Israel, the Bible says they got rid of the sodomites in the land? You know, the good kings that came after the bad kings who had allowed the sodomites to infest their land, they had infiltrated ... King Asa got the sodomites out of the land, Jehoshaphat exterminated the sodomites that were left from the days of his father, Asa. Why? Because the sodomites are infectious, that's why. Because they're not reproducers, that goes without saying, they're recruiters.
How are they multiplying? Do you not see that they're multiplying? Are you that blind? Have you noticed that there's more than there were last year and the year before, and the year before that? How are they multiplying? They're reproducing right? No, here's a biology lesson: they're not reproducers, they're recruiters! And you know who they're after? Your children. Remember you dropped off your kids last week? That's who they're after. You drop them off at some daycare, you drop them off at some school somewhere, you don't know where they're at. I'll tell you where they're at: they're being recruited by the sodomites. They're being molested by the sodomites. I can tell you so many stories about people that I know being molested and recruited by the sodomites.
They recruit through rape. They recruit through molestation. They recruit through violation. They are infecting our society. They are spreading their disease. It's not a physical disease, it's a sin disease, it's a wicked, filthy sin disease and it's spreading on a rampage. Can't you see that it's spreading on a rampage? I mean, can you not see that? Can you not see that it's just exploding in growth? Why? Because each sodomite recruits far more than one other sodomite because his whole life is about recruiting other sodomites, his whole life is about violating and hurting people and molesting 'em.

You read that right:  this man, this "pastor" was advocating the murder of members of the LGBT community.  How is that even legal!?  Hate speech should never, ever be confused with free speech.  And, what comes through in the video, and in the malicious diatribe from 2009 is pure hate speech.

Bitter, violence-laden hate speak.  The kind that's leading to many of the LGBT teen suicides.

Bitter, violence-laden hate speak.  The kind that leads the mindless to have ideations of shooting  the leader of our country.

The punchline: the guy who is advocating the wholesale slaughter of homosexuals also says Obama is just like Adolf Hitler. You can't make this stuff up; no one would believe it. And by the way, the guy who showed up at an Obama rally with an assault rifle? This is his pastor.

Get the picture?  People of this mentality are dangerous.  Plain and simple.  And, understanding that "they" are the driving force behind the opposition of equal rights is a somber, sobering reality.  I mean, even good ol' Fred isn't this bad.  He's just...simple.

In Anchorage, Alaska, Voters Choose Discrimination

Voters in Anchorage, Alaska, chose discrimination against the LGBT community when given the chance to make things right.  Proposition 5, a ballot initiative that would've added the LGBT community to protection under their existing anti-discrimination law, was struck down. With 90% of the ballots counted, 58% voted against it.  Fifty-eight percent of Anchorage's voters feel that it's okay for its gay, lesbian, or trangendered citizens to be discriminated against, or bullied.

If you thought this was going to be an easy battle, think again.

This marked the third attempt at getting the Anchorage legislature to right a wrong and provide protection for all of their citizen; however, it was the first time it had been taken to the voter.  Sadly, each time up, it's been knocked down.  Does this say that all people from Anchorage are mean-spirited and bigoted?  Of course not.  I once had a very dear friend who still lives in Anchorage, and he has a heart of pure gold.  And, 42% of the voters obviously agreed with it.  What it says, however, is that the misinformation, the narrowmindedness, and the intolerance still exists at a level that borders on lethal.  More to the point, in the so-called "red" states, it's ingrained into the psyche of the citizens.

Giving extra or special rights to certain groups is discriminatory to those who don't get those special rights. Please don't be selective in your anti discrimination stance.

That's what one bigot had to say.  Let's make this point as crystal clear as possible:  wanting the same rights as every other tax paying, hard-working citizen is NOT a special right.  Expecting to be protected UNDER THE LAW against hate crimes and discrimination is NOT a special right.  It doesn't matter if the citizen is gay, straight, black, white, and everything in between, these are just simple, basic HUMAN RIGHTS!!!

This goes back to what I've been laboring on for a while:  one of the biggest problems in this struggle is that there is an overabundance of people in very powerful positions who exact their own prejudices, their own hatred, their own narrowmindedness on the very people they were hired to work for...and, protect.  This is the land of Sarah Palin, and we know how much she's for equal rights.  Once again, it's that hardcore, extreme right-wing faction that's working to sanction the extermination of a group of people they don't like because of their warped understanding of Christianity.

Opponents, campaigning as Vote No On Prop. 5, complained that the law was vague and poorly written and would impinge on the religious freedom of residents opposed to homosexuality. The proposition included an exemption from the law for churches and religious organizations.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/04/03/2406275/voters-reject-gay-rights-initiative.html#storylink=cpy

"...would impinge on the religious freedom of residents opposed to homosexuality."  What does that mean!?  Can you read between the shallow lines here?  This is just one more state, "red" state mind you, that believes that discrimination, hatred, intolerance, and bullying against a group of people, the LGBT community, should be their right as Christians.  Wait.  I have to read that again, myself.  Is it me, or is that just purely insane!!??  "I'm Christian (which is to say "I'm a follower of Christ"), so I should be able to be as intolerant, evil, and violent towards the gay community as I please."  I'm sorry.  That just sounds insane.

Fortunately, I know from my own personal experience that not ALL Christians think like this.  Nor do all Republicans, for that matter.  It's just that extreme group way over there on the right who takes it upon themselves to speak for every Christian and every Republican.  Don't let them fool you.  They don't speak for all.  Reverend Samuel Tuttle left a marvelous comment on a recent blog post.  Read it when you get the chance.  And, in the midst of this madness in Anchorage, a true Christian left this comment on the online news article about the vote results.

I'm a devout Christian who has lived in Anchorage for over 45 years.  I am the chairman of my church and led a Bible Study in which Jim Minnery participated occasionally.  I have never been more disappointed in my community than I am today.  This community would be better if we didn't thrive on the misinformation and fear sown by the few.  My faith directs me to stand up for the downtrodden, to stand for what is right in the face of injustice, and to show love to my fellow mankind, regardless of whether we share similar views.  Supporting discrimination is contrary to my faith.  My heart goes out to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender members of our community.  I grieve with you today.

Get it?  It isn't about their rights as Christians.  It's about them being bigots who are full of hatred and intolerance.  Religion is simply their shield.  And, never be fooled by the rhetoric:  it's not about special rights.  Never has been; never will be.  It's simply about basic human, equal rights.  That's all.

Read more here: http://www.adn.com/2012/04/03/2406275/voters-reject-gay-rights-initiative.html#storylink=cpy

Hatred, Intolerance on Display

You know when you're doing something right:  you start getting tomatoes thrown at you.  In this case, naturally, it was only a matter of time before "they" started leaving their well-thought-out and, of course, completely accurate comments on this blog about the gay "lifestyle".  Makes sense to me.  I would fully expect them to be experts on how we, the LGBT community, live our lives...much in the same way I would fully expect my mechanic to have the perfect diagnosis and treatment for whatever physical ailment I may have at the time.

I didn't want to publish this comment.  But, the more I thought about it, the more it became clear that this is exactly the type of mean-spirited, hate-laced behavior and reaction that I've been talking about.  It's exactly the type of response we've come to expect from the hard-core, ultra-conservative, group who dedicate their lives to hating any- and everyone who doesn't think like them or act the way they feel you should act.  So, I have to publish it:

Homosexuality is a behavior. I mean that whole "genetic difference" fraud has been thoroughly debunked and now it is referred to as a "lifestyle" which openly implies choice. Thus the Jim Crow analogy you so frivolously apply is errant from the start. Nice try though. Oh yes and studies are also demonstrating that "queerness" does not occur in nature at some regular, predictable rate either as the homo community has alleged recently. It is after all quite "unnatural". Were it an instinct of nature it would be productive not destructive. Simple enough eh? It's just plain old square peg round hole stupidity and futility but some are determined to persist in their ways which are much too often self indulgent and self loathing. A frank discussion with the priest or pastor might bring about much needed spiritual enlightenment. I would recommend that.

Regarding the idiotic and shallow remark made above about Christians and minorities nothing could be further from the truth. It isn't Christians funding and promoting Planned Parenthood the organization founded to exterminate blacks and now applying the same level of hate for their fellow man among latinos. Those are secularists, progressies, and plain old moral wretches. I mean think about it rationally for a moment: you have your baby, your product killed via brutal method then it is sucked down a vacuum hose, the parts placed in a bag, then thrown out in the dumpster? And you want to call this a "womans right to choose"? She chooses allright. There is truly a deep level of pathology at work in that kind of mind. In fact it is acknowledged to be so disgusting and disturbing that Planned Parenthood and abortion supporters don't want women to see pictures or video's of the procedure or the result in fear that they might actually become re-acquainted with their consciences. That says it all. God help us.

"Stupidity", "futility", "self-indulgent", and my personal favorite "self-loathing".  That's this person's view of the LGBT community. 

Let me say right here that this is not an attack on Republicans.  I have many Republican friends who are absolutely wonderful people.  To be sure, most of them even distance themselves from the narrow-mindedness, hatred, and intolerance that is spewed from the fringe group.  Instead, this is about people who hate anyone who doesn't conform to their beliefs.  That's a very dangerous mindset.

The first question that comes to mind is why is it that what other people do with their lives so incredibly disturbing to these people?  I don't know what goes on in their homes.  And, personally, I don't really care.  Nothing about their lives has an affect on my life.  That is, of course, unless and until they begin to impose their thoughts, their beliefs, their biases on my life.  Then, the line is drawn.

Now, in an attempt to be fair to "the other side", I will acknowledge that their first argument to what I just said will be "Well, you gays are always shoving your lifestyles in our(the normal people's) faces."  How would I know that?  Because, they've used it so much, now, it's become a tired cliche.  But, let's explore that philosophy:  Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought this struggle that we're immersed in is for equal rights.  Nothing more; nothing less.  Two factors come into play with their argument:  1.)  if "they" weren't always so concerned about "those radical gays" or "the gay agenda", there would be no need for "them" to feel we're "shoving [ourselves] in their faces".  If they would simply mind their own business and live their own lives as opposed to trying to dictate ours, they probably wouldn't even know we are here; and, 2.) we get heterosexuality "shoved" in our collective faces regularly, which makes their argument terribly hypocritical. 

Let's cut to the chase.  What this comment proved, without doubt, is exactly what I've been saying:  the mindset and the rhetoric that comes from the opponent out there on that fringe right, is nothing short of hate speech.  There is nothing "godly" about how "anonymous" wrote that.  It was written with unmitigated hatred.  It was written as an attack.  And, it's precisely that mindset and rhetoric that fuels the violence against the LGBT community that we see.  It's the trigger to many a gay teen suicide; it's the catalyst for many of the schoolyard bullies.

So, how do we combat it effectively?  Well, first of all, we need to be realistic and understand that it may never fully go away.  There will always be lunatics who need someone to look down upon in order to make themselves feel superior.  And, there will always be the self-righteous power junkies ready to force their will, their views, their reality on others.  Ultimately, we combat them, and win, by continuing to increase our numbers and making our voices heard.  We win by continuing to live our lives openly, honestly, proudly, and happily.  Most importantly, though, we continue to spread love because, in the end, love will always conquer hate.

"I'm a Christian, Unless You're Gay".  Explain to me, again, how that works!?  

Love is ALL That Matters

I was perusing the facebook blog page and ran across a link to an article that caught my attention.  I followed the link, read the article, and cried.  I couldn't figure out why it made me cry at that moment.  It just touched a place in my soul that's sensitive.  Then, I saw another post, reminding people that I was the guest writer of the month on a very popular anti-hate website.  In the reminder, he told his audience that I was writing about my childhood experiences.  Then, it made sense.  The tears were coming from that still-bruised 12-year-old.  You have to read the article to understand.

In a nutshell, the link led me to a lengthy comment to an article from another blogger, "I'm a Christian, Unless You're Gay" which, itself, is a rather lengthy article.  Lengthy but very worthwhile.  Correction:  lengthy but a must-read!!!  The article is powerful.  It's powerful because the author, Dan Pearce, is speaking the truth on a topic that far too many people shy away from.  It's powerful because it hits the nail right on the head.  It's top-dead-center.  Perfect.  It's what I've been saying, in one form or another, here in this blog.  But, wait!  For as powerful as the article, itself, is, the article isn't what this is about.  The message he sends is, in a nutshell, love is all that matters.

Writing such powerful articles, straightforward, honest, and real is certain to evoke plenty of emotions and get overwhelming responses.  THAT'S what this is about.  The still-bruised 12-year-old who resides inside of me connected with that lengthy comment that was left by one of his readers.  A teacher gave this article to his class and told them to write about it.  In that class was a 15-year-old gay student.  The article resonated with him.  See, in his Christian home, in his community, homosexuality wasn't just frowned upon:  it was more like the ultimate sin.  As such, he'd lived his entire life buried deeply, and safely, in the closet.  That is until he was handed this assignment and read it.  The comment was written by his devoutly Christian, deeply homophobic mother.

We see it everywhere.  We see it in the news regularly.  We see it in communities across the country, and around the world.  We see it in our homes.  We hear it from certain politicians.  We hear it from some religious "leaders".  The message is clear:  God hates gays!!!  In God's eyes, gays are condemned to hell.  Sick.  Disgusting.  Perverted.  The list goes on.  The message is picked up by the LGBT youth across the country and around the world.  The results...well, we're seeing the results.  The results are being manifested in the bullying we're seeing that's leading far-too-many LGBT teens to suicide.  The results are being manifested in the lack of self-esteem that far-too-many LGBT teens experience that leads them to depression, drug-abuse, and eventually suicide.  Here's the real deal:  this message is being sent by people who call themselves Christians.  In their own minds, and in their own warped visions of religion, they are "doing God's will".  The wake-up call is that God Doesn't Hate!  I say this a lot, and I say it for good reason:  1 John 4:8 could not be any clearer.  "God is love".

The core message in Dan's article is one that I've been saying all the while:  in order to change the culture of hatred and intolerance that plagues our society, the one that leads to the bullying and violence we're seeing towards our LGBT teens, the one that's leading to far, far-too-many LGBT teen suicides, we have to start with the adults.  Look, no one is born hating.  No one is born intolerant.  We're born to love.  Plain and simple.  We're taught hatred and intolerance.  Young people are taught that it's ok, and in some cases accepted and expected, for them to treat people who are different than themselves harshly.  With disdain.  With disgust.  With hatred.  With intolerance.  Especially if they're gay or lesbian...real or perceived.  And, they are being taught that from certain political "leaders", some religious "leaders", and from their own parents.  Meanwhile, in many of these ultra-conservative, "religious" homes resides an LGBT teen who are being destroyed from the inside out by the nastiness and disgust they hear coming from their parents' mouths.  The end result is usually bad news.  On the other side of the coin, in many of these ultra-conservative, "religious" homes, there are impressionable teens hearing mom and dad saying those very same words of disgust and intolerance, being taught to live "right", live up to the parents' expectations, and pass their hatred and intolerance on to any classmate he or she may have who is even perceived to be gay or lesbian.  The end result is equally bad news.

Here's the real deal:  it is time for people to start speaking up for love, to start speaking up against hate...in all forms.  It's the only way we're going to change our culture.  It's the only way we're going to start seeing the incidences of bullying, hatred, violence and intolerance towards LGBT teens or anybody perceived to be different.  And, it's the only way we're ever going to start seeing the number of teen suicides, LGBT and straight, begin to reduce.  Regardless of what Fred and his group of loonies say, God does not "hate fags".  In fact, God doesn't hate.  Remember that.  God is love.  And, love is all that matters!

Thanks, Adriana.  And, thanks, Dan!!