*Do you think Tyler Clementi would have taken his own life if he had been filmed in a private romantic encounter with a girl?* *Think about why he took his life, why he did it. * * In addition, Think about why his straight roommate secretly filmed the encounter and broadcast it on the Internet.
* *The problem is societal homophobia, which causes deep shame, ridicule, harm, and persecution of gays.* *Think, I know you can!* On 10/1/10, THE ANNOINTED ONE <[email protected]> wrote: > > Tommy, > > One may first want to ask exactly what was so embarrassing and > repugnant on the tape that the young man was willing to take his own > life and why it was so to him. > > That which made him jump came from within his own mind. > > Since when is it governments job to legislate fortitude and love of > ones self ??? > > > > On Sep 30, 6:23 pm, Tommy News <[email protected]> wrote: > > *Take Action: Send A No More Suicides Letter to President Obama and > Congress > > * > > *Tell them to introduce and pass The American Equality Bill, to amend the > > Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation and gender > identity.* > > ** > > < > http://parenting.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/30/suicide-and-the-internet/> > > Tyler Clementi Jumped off the George Washington Bridge in New York after > his > > same-sex romantic encounter was secretly filmed and posted on the > internet > > by his college roomate. At least three other youths have killed > themselves > > due to homophobic bullying. Stop The Hate! > > > > From our friend Tif: > > > > -- THE LETTER BELOW WAS WRITTEN by Jonathan W, of Brooklyn, NY and really > > captures the heart of the matter it seems. > > > > Please SEND IT as a comment to the White House at: > > > > http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact > > ... > > And LET THEM HEAR US SAY: > > > > *** Mr. President PLEASE SPEAK OUT LOUDLY about homophobia, school > bullying > > and equal civil rights for LGBTQ people -- no more suicide letters. *** > > > > To President Obama, > > All of us are horrified by the tragedy of Tyler Clementi, the young man > who > > committed suicide after his sexual encounter with another man was posted > on > > the internet. We share anger and disgust at the 2 students accused of > this > > despicable act. But if our outrage stops there, we will be doing a grave > > disservice to the millions of young gay men and women in this country who > > live with shame and fear everyday and who have a 4 times greater risk of > > suicide than their straight counterparts. > > Most people would be embarrassed and angered at having their private > sexual > > acts secretly recorded and posted on the internet, but it seems unlikely > > that Mr. Clementi would have been driven to suicide if this had been a > > heterosexual encounter. A young heterosexual man would not likely > experience > > the shame and fear that Mr. Clementi must have felt. > > Yes, the 2 students accused of this crime must be held accountable for > their > > actions, but as a society we must all share responsibility for creating > an > > environment that drives young gay people to suicide. This country has > come a > > long way toward acceptance of gay people in the last few decades, but we > > still have a long way to go. Young gay people still face bullying and > abuse > > at home and at school; many experience ostracism by family and friends; > > discrimination in school, work, housing and social services; and > isolation > > from supportive communities of peers, as well as anti-gay violence in > public > > and private. It's no wonder that the shame and fear of 'coming out' can > be > > fatal. > > In the cyber world we now live in, there will undoubtedly be more cases > of > > invasions of privacy on the internet. They can be punished, but not > > prevented. It is up to all of us in this society to make sure that young > gay > > people feel safe, secure and accepted, so that shame and fear never again > > result in death. > > > > Sincerely, > > -- > Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. > For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum > > * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ > * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. > * Read the latest breaking news, and more. -- Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time. Have a great day, Tommy -- Thanks for being part of "PoliticalForum" at Google Groups. For options & help see http://groups.google.com/group/PoliticalForum * Visit our other community at http://www.PoliticalForum.com/ * It's active and moderated. Register and vote in our polls. * Read the latest breaking news, and more.
