It is okay if you're gay ... Stop Bullying Now!

A blog I wrote, with additional information on the cases shown in this video, can be found here:
http://truedantalion.blogspot.com/2010/10/when-chain-of-bullying-continues.html
A blog on a current case of anti-gay bullying in Ohio (Oct 27 2011)
http://truedantalion.blogspot.com/2011/10/bully-on-rampage.html
A blog on Spirit Day 2011:
http://truedantalion.blogspot.com/2011/10/spirit-day-2011.html
A blog about my friend Mike:
http://truedantalion.blogspot.com/2010/08/one-month-from-missing-to-rememberi...
______________________________

Bullying, brutality and violence against gay kids and teenagers costs lives. Every year, and everywhere in the world.

In 2008, talkshow host Ellen de Generes took up the case of 15 year old Lawrence "Larry" King, an openly gay teenager who had been killed by another teen, just for being gay. Ellen sent out a intense message on her show, calling out for equality, and against ignorance, prejudices and intolerance.

Update November 22nd 2011: Larry King's killer Brandon sentenced to 21 years in jail for second-degree murder using a firearm and manslaughter
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/nov/21/mcinerney-trial/?partner=newsletter_da...

Update August 24th 2011:
The trial of Brandon McInnery (the back then 14 year old who shot his gay classmate Larry King) goes into it's decisive phase. You can find a continually updated collection of news reports on the trial here:
http://www.vcstar.com/news/topic/larry-king/

Update June 10th 2011
A video upload of a TV news broadcast on Brandon's trial
http://youtu.be/trP5-cOzvCw

Update June 6th 2011:
A new article on the trial against Brandon can be found here:
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/brandon-mcinerney-planned-and-c...
"Brandon McInerney, now 17, is charged with murder in the 2008 shooting death of Lawrence King in a high-profile case that has rallied the gay community and triggered calls for greater protections of young homosexuals on school campuses."

In 2008, this one case was all over the news. In 2009, though, it was the suicide of already two kids that everyone spoke about:

Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover and Jaheem Herrera, who killed themselves, as they could not take any more suffering from anti-gay picking, teasing and bullying at school.

Carl and Jaheem were only 11 years old..

Again, Ellen set an example, by taking up this devastatingly sad topic on her TV show, and by sending out a sensitive and all the same strong and emotional signal to all her viewers.

But 2010 saw even more suicides for anti-gay bullying in the media than the years before. Within only a few weeks and months, four gay teenagers ended their lives, and two more victims were to be mourned still, after Ellen, yet again, spoke out on her show.

With a campaign named "It gets better", initiated by writer and columnist Dan Savage, gay people upload videos, and by that step up and send out a message to kids and teens that it's worth to cling to life, because it holds so much in store for them, and to "tough it out" during High School, during which so much bullying happens.

But this message, this prospect of a better future, is not enough.

All of us need to start taking action, here and now, to support gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender kids and teenagers who get offended, abused and terrorized because they are "different" ... just as well as any other kid that suffers from being bullied needs our help!

We must help them, so they can make it to that future, living their lives and realizing their potential.

We must do all in our power, to stop bullying now!
______________________________

Music:
The Immediate, SERENATA IMMORTALE
______________________________

Everyone: Become part of the effort and join in:

Mrs Sirdeaner Walker's campaign: STAND TOGETHER
http://www.standtogether.tv/LearnMore.aspx

Jaylen Arnold's YouTube Channel / "Bullying No Way"
http://www.youtube.com/user/Jaylenschallenge

Jaylen Arnold's official website - BULLYING NO WAY:
http://www.jaylenschallenge.org/

The "It gets better" project on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/itgetsbetterproject

The "It gets better" project / official website:
http://www.itgetsbetterproject.com/

The "It gets better" project on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/itgetsbetterproject

The Ellen Show on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/user/theellendegeneressho?blend=1&ob=4:

The Ellen Show / official website:
http://ellen.warnerbros.com/
______________________________

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• It gets better
• Ellen de Generes
• Lawrence King
• Larry King
• Carl-Joseph Walker-Hoover
• Jaheem Herrera
• Seth Walsh
• Asher Brown
• Billy Lucas
• Tyler Clementi
• Gay
• Anti-Gay
• Bullying
• Suicide
• Stop
• BullyingNoWay
• Jaylen Arnold
• JaylensChallenge
• It Gets Better
• Tolerance
• Hope
• Strength
• Reassurance
• Cyberbullying

[Dragotheone]

Ellen is an amazing person. And we have to be amazing too. I'm Christian Catholic and it doesn't stop me from standing up when someone is bullied, even if it means that I may get hurt too. Because first and foremost - I'm human.

[Truedantalion]

@Dragotheone

Thank you for watching, and for this amazing comment! Your statement pinpoints exactly what is needed to do. If more people start thinking and acting like you, we are on ourr way to make an end to bullying!

~Michael

[hudstar2011]

sadly in some countries the murder of gay men is waivered under legislation - it is called the panic defence. Queensland Australia 2012 just recently abandoned that law. We fail as humanity when we fail each other.

[Truedantalion]

@hudstar2011

"We fail as humanity when we fail each other." - Well spoken. Thank you so much for watching, and for your comment!

~Michael

[hudstar2011]

@Truedantalion definately a view spoken with much concern. 

[Truedantalion]

@hudstar2011

Thank your for watching, and for caring. It means a lot.

~Michael

[PUFFandRUFFLE158]

a lot of people use religion to justify being cruel to gay people... those people need to understand that the bible is man written, its not perfect and it has been tampered with and translated so many times, how do we know whats in there now is what was in there when it was first written? also, i dont remember much from religion class but i do remember that i never read "love and forgive all people except..." im atheist but that doesnt mean im against religion, im against how some ppl use it...

[inachu]

I like that oprah video pitting 1 gay against another gay man. 1 gay man lisps like crazy and the other gay man is well acts like a normal man in normal clothing. lol

[Truedantalion]

@feefeeA

I think that the ability of, plain and simple, loving and accepting others unconditionally for *who* they are (and not reducing our perception of them to a "what they are" in that process!), is the true base of the tolerance and respect we need to show to get along with the people around us. All of this starts with accepting ourselves, with all the pros and cons in us, all the "good" traits, as well as the flaws in us. And if each one of us strives to do that, we are on a good way.

[feefeeA]

i am a christian and even though being gay is a sin they are other things that are sins too like having sex before marriage, judging other people etc so stop d hate GOD loves and ACCEPTS everyone

[DanZyG6]

@conanthedeceiver With me, I found it easier to tell my friends first. I heard once that mothers always know if their kid is Gay..I believe it to be true because when my mum found out, she said she already knew. If it really is bothering you, you can always call helplines to get advice on how to deal with this. I faked who I was too and honestly it was easy for me...I don't know what your family is like, but if you feel closer to your mum/dad, tell them first.