Lives Unfinished

And so, in the past few weeks several young people have taken their lives. Why? Because of all of us! Kids learn how to treat others by watching adults …and you know what we’ve shown them? That it’s OK to hate, and that anyone that is different than you is less than. Our children are mirrors of society for better or for worse. The rise in teen suicides resulting from bullying is a monument to this nation’s intolerance and scorn for difference.

We don’t allow people like me to marry who they love because they are gay, yet we allow radio hosts to call for our deaths and make jokes about gay bashing--and then let them defend their repugnant behavior with “freedom of speech”. We tell the LGBT community that they are sissys, “sweet”, fags and more, and then when they bravely take up arms and fight on the front lines of our wars we tell them “we don’t want your kind, unless you live a lie”. We are told to show up every day for work and do our best…and we do; but then our bosses have the right to fire us in the name of “protecting family values” simply because we are gay… and once we are out of work without insurance, our partners can’t protect us under their insurance if we live in the wrong state!

We teach these kids that it’s ok to bully, torment, and harass their peers to death…with each hospital visitation denial, with each marriage certificate denied, with each dead gay soldier brought home. With each “NO” shouted at the LGBT community, we tell our kids “you see these people over there, the ones that are different than you…they don’t matter their not deserving”.

So, stop with your “how could this happen, how could these kids take their own lives” sob story, and know that with each hate filled speech we tolerate from the pulpit, TV, web stream and radio, we are putting the noose in our children’s hands, placing duck tape over their mouths and telling them to jump. As far as I am concerned we all become accessories to hate crimes every time we choose to stay silent when witnessing these injustices.
So, tell me what are you going to do stop it?

And That’s My Two Cents