It gets better.

I was in meetings all day today and was not going to blog and then I saw this:

A Texas Councilman shares his story.


I have seen a lot of these videos around the web. There is an epidemic of gay teen suicide going on in this country today. These videos are being made to show the children that they do not have to kill themselves that if they can just hold out it will get better.

Children who are perceived as different are harassed at schools while teachers and administrators look the other way. Bullies are weak people. They are flawed and try to put themselves up by putting others down. Young children are fragile. They do not always feel loved. Even adults sometimes do not feel that life is worth living and end their own lives. When adults do it I feel sad because they have chosen to take a long term solution to a short term problem. When children are driven to kill themselves it is something else. It is tragedy times ten.

Our society has for the past decade used homosexuals as a wedge issue in political campaigns. One political party in particular has been demonizing gay people and telling lie after lie and encouraging the bullying and gay bashing. "You're so gay" or "That's so gay" are statements regularly used in our schools and teachers turn away and ignore it. I can still remember when one of my girl students came to me upset because she was being teased because her parents were lesbian. Not only teased but it was spreading around the classroom. I put a stop to it. I gave a mini-rant to my class, called the girls parent and requested that she set her daughter down for a talk to get this stopped right now. I told them that every child in my classroom had a right to be there without being harassed.

The president we have right now ran on a platform of promises. He made promises to gay people and has largely ignored them. Nothing of substance has been accomplished. And today we are reaping the harvest of young people who cannot live with the hatred and harassment. It is reprehensible that we have allowed this to happen. You do not need to have hatred for anyone. For those who have encouraged hatred in whatever form. For the Becks, Limbaughs, and Elders of the Mormon Church who disparage homosexuals and claim wrongly that they have a choice as to the way they feel I say Shame - Shame on you. Shame for not being the best, loving person you can/should be. Shame for allowing hatred to grow and fester in our society.

The video above made me cry. I watched it with tears running down my cheeks for all those who have suffered and died and for those who had to go through the hatred and harassment.

Please take a stand, talk to those who can make a difference. Stand up to the homophobes and haters and tell them they are wrong. Make love the guiding force in our world. Reject the party which would used hatred as a wedge.

Perhaps you do not understand why people feel love for others of the same sex but obviously if this is something which occurs in these 12 and 13 year old kids it is a natural thing. And kids should not be teased or bullied for any reason especially for something that is a part of their very being which they cannot help. Instead of merely saying that "It gets better" Make it better. Lets stop this epidemic with the universal solution of Love.