But it is an awful reminder of how much prejudice and hatred and scapegoating there is left in society -- and it always is worse during an election cycle when conservatives reach for anything that will rouse the fearful to come and vote for them.
So it is particularly heartening that words of support and encouragement for gay teens are being broadcast via the internet. That latest from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, quoted in Huffington Post:
WASHINGTON -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has joined the chorus of celebrities offering support to gay teenagers who are suffering from bullying, advising them to "hang in there and ask for help."In a videotaped message posted Tuesday on YouTube, Clinton said she was saddened by recent suicides by young people who were bullied for being gay, or because people thought they were gay.
"These most recent deaths are a reminder that all Americans have to work harder to overcome bigotry and hatred," Clinton said. . . .
Relationship and sex advice columnist Dan Savage started the "Itgetsbetterproject" channel on YouTube in September in response to the latest teen suicides. While Clinton's message appears on the State Department's YouTube channel, it appears to be the latest to echo Savage's cause.
"I have a message for all the young people out there who are being bullied, or who feel alone and find it hard to imagine a better future: First of all, hang in there and ask for help," Clinton said. "Your life is so important -- to your family, your friends, and to your country. And there is so much waiting for you, both personally and professionally -- there are so many opportunities for you to develop your talents and make your contributions."Clinton said she is "grateful every day" for the work of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees at the State Department.
"It wasn't long ago that these men and women would not have been able to serve openly, but today they can -- because it has gotten better," Clinton said. "And it will get better for you."
When I was growing up, this was inconceivable; even in my 50's, I never thought it would get this far. So, yes, it has gotten better and will get even better. But there is so much to counter -- including such despicable acts as Nathan Deal's smear of YouthPride in a tv ad in the Republican primary, all for a few votes he would likely get anyway from the bigoted fringe.
Ralph
It is remarkable about how quickly things change once some critical mass is reached. I've been thinking recently about the bombing of the 16th street church in September of 1963 that killed those four little girls. It was a week before I left for medical school. It changed how I thought forever after that. Not just me, but any number of people. Two months later Kennedy was assassinated. It affected me, but didn't bring about the internal change that the death of those children did.
ReplyDeleteOf course we decry these suicides, but I hope that these gay teens didn't die in vain and that their deaths will stand as the same marker as the end of something - something long overdue...