Vigil in memory of Tyler Clementi and other suicide victims

Raymond Chase, 19
Johnson & Wales University
Providence, RI

Tyler Clementi, 18
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ

Cody Barker, 17
Shiocton High School
Shiocton, WI

Harrison Chase Brown, 15
Poudre High School
Rand, CO

Justin Aaberg, 15
Anoka High School
Anoka, MN

Billy Lucas, 15
Greensburg High School
Greensburg, IN

Caleb Nolt, 14
North Side High School
Fort Wayne, IN

Asher Brown, 13
Hamilton Middle School
Cypress, TX

Seth Walsh, 13
Jacobsen Middle School
Tehachapi, CA

As we've heard the names of those we've lost,
I cannot help but think about the humanity that expired with them
Can't help but think of the loss of spirit, the loss of childhood
The childhood for these children who had yet to experience the world as an adult
It gets better, well, sort of
Yes, things've changed, we've made progress
But we have yet to complete our mission and we have yet to do our part, and we have yet to offer these children a world to which they can look forward.
These children suffered the brutality of bullying driven by a vicious homophobia, that, make no mistake, was learned.
Learned because something so vicious could never lie innately in the mind of an infant waiting to call out in a small number of years.
No, something taught these children to hate, to point out the weak and to viciously malign them.
This didn't occur in a vacuum. This didn't occur because one or two bullies exist. This didn't occur because some of these children grew up in small towns in Indiana, Minnesota, or Texas.
No, these murders happened because of an apathetic society that allows itself to reject the notion that LGBTQ people are indeed equal with their straight and [unintelligible] gender counterparts. These children grow up in an unsure era.

They consider, "Will I ever be married?"; "Does god really love me?"; "Will my family ever accept me?";

And who can wonder, that as they look into a future filled with Prop 8s and Andrew Shervels?, Fred Phelps's and Illinois Family Institutes, that these children are literally scared to death.

No, friends, this is not acceptable, but it won't be enough for us to come here tonight and hold a candle. It won't be enough for us tucked away in a big, progressive city like Chicago to repeat their names. No, it will only be enough when all of you stand together, when all of you stand together and work for equality, demand it with all of your voices, crying out together, "This is our country! These are our children! We will not let them die! Equality, now!"

"Equality now" should be as dear to us as any cry in the wilderness. Build a better future for our children, give them hope, light the way, and don't just say, "It gets better," demand that it be so.

To all the children listening, here this, "You are the most beautiful creatures god has ever created and when the fear is so great and the pain is too much and the world is simply too heavy to bear, remember this crowd of people around you, right now. Hold tight this image and know that they love you. The strength is within you. So please survive. For I promise to you, I won't stop working until we've forced a new sun to shine out equality over the entire earth and your future with it.

Thank you

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• suicide
• gay
• bullying
• vigil
• candlelight
• DePaul University
• Chicago
• The Trevor Project
• Larry King
• Sarah Silverman
• LGBTQ
• equal rights
• equality
• PFLAG
• It Gets Better

[xelanesqueHQ]

TYLER CLEMENTI AND DHARUN RAVI ARE COWARDS! PURE AND SIMPLE!

[goImpalas]

Who is this guy giving the vigil. Where can I contact him. Who gave this guy permission too use these names on these basis.

[goImpalas]

Im pretty sure that if they are speaking out at a vigil about homophobia... THEY SHOULD MAKE SURE ONE OF THE PEOPLE THEY QUOTED IS HOMOPHOBIC. Harrison Chase Brown was a friend of mine, and not a homosexual whatsoever. Its most likely a vigil about how we should be more together as a nation and as friends to those around us. This touched base with alot of topics.

[goImpalas]

Love you Harrison Chase Brown. Stay Strong.

[jamesbondsv]

@romeosevendelta But there's a way to prevent someone from "really wanting to bite it." Not everyone is willing to give up on helping friends and family.

[romeosevendelta]

@jamesbondsv

Because they didn't want to live any more and you can't. If someone really wants to bite it, they will find a way.

[jamesbondsv]

@romeosevendelta Yes, I know they did. That's an answer to a question no one asked. The real questions are "Why?" and "How can we prevent this from happening again?"

[romeosevendelta]

@jamesbondsv

Here's your answer: they killed themselves. I suppose you could have used a dictionary to find the word 'suicide' too, but oh well...

[jamesbondsv]

@romeosevendelta It's not about making excuses. It's about figuring out the problem, or the cause or motivation for these children to commit suicide. Then once that's done, a solution can be found.

[romeosevendelta]

@jkwish0

To what, making excuses for people who commit suicide?