I think the reality is that many people see a gay kid commit suicide, and they don't see the correlation between that and bullying, they see a kid that they perceive as "weak". The reason for that is that people refuse to accept any responsibility for culpability. Anyone who has uttered slurs about or against gay people shoulders responsibility, be it big or small, every time a gay kid commits suicide. If we as a community do not intervene every time we hear bigotry, this will persist, and kids will think it's okay to do it too.
I totally disagree with you on our statement that anyone who has ever used an alleged gay slur is responsible for the suicide of a gay person. Have I used the words faggot, queer and gay? Yes many times. It's common vernacular in a military environment. They aren't just insults against a homosexual and have other meanings, namely lack of masculinity. But have I ever walked up to a gay person and insulted them using those words as a means for hate, absolutely not. Words only have power when you empower them. And they can have different meanings. Regardless of the moral issue I find in insulting people of a sexual orientation, I do believe in the absolute right to express one's self. Whether or be wearing a swastika or a lady gaga t-shirt. There are more to these issues than just bullying and name calling and as in this case, the student failed to seek adult help to resolve the issue. Reporting the continual torment to an instructor would have resulted in some disciplinary action against the offenders. This isn't a hollywood movie, when kids act up in school it's dealt with, especially in today's overly sensitive society.
I don't think bullying is any more excessive or abnormal today than it ever was. The media just makes it more known to the masses when a tragedy like this occurs. Bullying also led to columbine, but Lady Gaga and the droves of celebrities weren't calling for hate crime legislation when those two kids shot up their school. Hate is an emotion, and people are free to express themself. I don't like bigots anymore than anyone else, but I also don't like people who exploit tragedy to get their PC view of the world put into law.
Would you call someone a "nigger"? You might want to think twice before you use words like faggot. Words have a lot of power, Randall. One can express themselves all they want - freedom of speech. But, where is the responsibility for oneself and what they say and how it affects other people? With freedom, there also comes responsibility for oneself.
You are right - there is more to these issues than just bullying and name calling. A student failed to seek help or didn't report? You think they didn't or that it is not reported?
I pulled my son out of school when he was 14 because he could not walk down the hall or be in a classroom without some certain group of bullies continuously harassing him, calling him "faggot". He would come home, every day, feeling like a piece of shit. I first told him to try to walk down the other side of the hall and try to ignore it. He claimed it was so constant that he couldn't. We went to the school principal's office. He basically said (and I got a very strong gay vibe from the guy, but that's a whole other story) that my son brought it all on himself because he dressed or acted a certain way. In other words, he invited it. That was the support he got from reporting things to a school principal. The day my son walked into school and was grabbed by the throat and slammed against some lockers was the day I had enough of it. Why did that happen? Some kid called him a "fag" in some class, and my son talked back. The kid's older brother got pissed off and grabbed my son. Enough. for me. The bullies were eventually dealt with, but it didn't help how my son felt about himself and the fear he felt. He was afraid he would be killed.
On the one hand, I think students do seek help to resolve the issue, but some areas of this country are so closeted that the superintendants and principals don't know what to do with it.
I think bullying is more excessive and different, today. And you're right, bullying allegedly led to Columbine. That was, what, over 10 yrs ago? That may have been a "dawning", and we have evolved since then, and I congratulate celebrities like Lady Gaga who support this.
People are free to express themselves, that's true. But why do it, at the expense of someone else who may be struggling with what they are going through? This isn't an exploitation of tragedy - it is a simple truth.
Words and actions DO have a lot of power to hurt people .
