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http://unicornbooty.com/2011/09/14-...maker-commits-suicide-after-endless-bullying/

Basically young Jamey Rodemeyer had been a victim of bullying since he came out as being gay. He made a video advising others life does get better as you get older. Unfortunately the bullying increased and he, sadly, took his own life. If you watch his video it's heart breaking. How can people be so cruel? I can't imagine when I was in junior high or high school being so filled with hatred I would encourage someone to kill themselves. I hope there's a special place in hell for those jerks.

That is so sad.

To paraphrase a line from Men In Black: A person is generally nice, people are fucking assholes.

i don't understand how bullying due to sexual orientation is NOT a hate crime. isn't that the definition of hate crime? I am not a lawyer or a policeman, but this is heartbreaking, that any human being can condone this behavior, that its OK to attack someone over their position in sex, creed, color, orientation!?

Bones said:

i don't understand how bullying due to sexual orientation is NOT a hate crime. isn't that the definition of hate crime? I am not a lawyer or a policeman, but this is heartbreaking, that any human being can condone this behavior, that its OK to attack someone over their position in sex, creed, color, orientation!?

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Yes, that's a hate crime. At least in Spain... The U.S. does look like a swiss cheese piece in regard to these laws, though, due to state autonomy.

This is just heartbreaking.

Every time I hear about something like this, or have to hear about how some people still despise gay people I can't help but wonder if there actually is any hope for the future.

It's 2011. We went to the fucking moon 40 god damn years ago. The Cold War ended almost 20 years ago and we're no longer really under the threat of nuclear war. I feel like even with 9/11 being 10 years ago we're making the tiniest progress (though still admittedly a long way to go) into the notion that radicals don't define an entire culture. But we just can't seem to get over two guys in love with one another.

It brings to mind my experiences of high school.

The world can seem like a very small dark place when the bullying is relentless and coming at you from all angles.

Man, what a bummer.
Added at: 08:03
Also related :

Kids can be the cruelest people ever.

Lady Gaga steps into action:
http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/218048/20110922/lady-gaga-twitter-jamey-rodemeyer-gay-suicide.htm

Bones said:

i don't understand how bullying due to sexual orientation is NOT a hate crime. isn't that the definition of hate crime? I am not a lawyer or a policeman, but this is heartbreaking, that any human being can condone this behavior, that its OK to attack someone over their position in sex, creed, color, orientation!?

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It is not consider "hate crime" cause the people of the U.S. wants to continue to hate gays and lesbians. Why? so they can still keep them out of the law books like civil union/marriages and have equal rights under the law.

If the U.S. recognizes it as hate crime, then all the laws AGAINST gays and lesbians have to be strike off the books (cause essentially it is hate crime)

Jesus. Post from one of the bullies to him:

"I wouldn't care if you died. No one would. So just do it : ) It would make everyone WAY more happier!"

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What the fuck. And I bet the little asshole is proud of himself rather than ashamed.

I have seen us as a race do great things, and terrible things, I want to believe that hatred of the LGBT group is the exception and not the rule. My best friend and the person I go to to vent is a part of that group, and if I found out she was being harassed by people because of who she is, despite NOT needing my help, I would be on them like white on rice on a paper plate with a glass of milk in a snowstorm!

Chibibar said:

It is not consider "hate crime" cause the people of the U.S. wants to continue to hate gays and lesbians. Why? so they can still keep them out of the law books like civil union/marriages and have equal rights under the law.

If the U.S. recognizes it as hate crime, then all the laws AGAINST gays and lesbians have to be strike off the books (cause essentially it is hate crime)

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Was going to say the same thing. One of the main reasons why it's not hate crime is that it logically leads the way for LGBT rights. Heaven forbid. Fucking bigots.

The land of the free as long as you aren't LGBT.

As I understand it the label of Hate Crime merely adds extra bite to things that are already classified as crimes. Bullying is such an amorphous thing that it is hard to pin down and given a criminal label to begin with. All bullying is fundamentally a hate based crime. Is this really that much different than that mother who harassed the girl until she committed suicide? What exactly is the benefit to saying this bullying instance is worse because the kid was gay? It is just as horrible and nonsensical. And think of all the bullies who use the epithet of gay merely to hurt people. They fling it at those who are not gay just to upset them. If those victims killed themselves is it a hate crime? Would you have to prove that the people did it because they thought the person was gay? Bullying now is all treated equally, in that it is not really treated at all.

I mean they might stick it under harassment but even with the addition of Hate Crime what's that going to get you? Probation most likely. I don't want anyone to think I am dismissing this I am not but bullying needs to be classified as it's own actual crime before you can make the crime worse with the Hate Crime label.

The idea that it isn't a hate crime because the courts don't want to protect LGBT ignores the fact that Hate Crime is added to murder and assault when it is shown the target was only targeted because he/she fits that class. The court does acknowledge it and it is in the law books.

the boys death was sad, but what really shocked me were the grown adults agreeing there was nothing wrong with harassing someone until they kill themselves. its not that it was due to him being gay, i would feel the same way if he was Jewish/Muslim/black/asian/etc.

Those are all protected but what if it wasn't. What if they were teasing because he was poor or clumsy or just "different". Bullying is wrong no matter what. I am afraid to say that one instance is worse than another just because it is a protected class.

That is what the law says though, which is why hate crime is a divisive term.

you are reading more into this then I thought, I figured the etc would cover anything I couldn't think of. apparently it doesn't. I spent my teenage years being beaten unconscious, shoved in lockers, thrown in dumpsters, and generally being put though living hell because I was "weird", and "strange", and "different". It is why I feel so strongly about adults condoning it. its never alright to bully anyone for any reason. From the aggressive tone of your posts, I assume you were too makare.

I wasn't trying to imply that you would be ok with it personally my point is still that Hate Crime doesn't cover everything that is really a hate crime. It is only concerned with protected classes and that I think, completely misses the point.

Well, if you thought the bullies might show some remorse for their actions we get this:
http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/44684...ullying-continued-after-his-suicide?GT1=43001
I can only hope that one day they receive clarity and realize what they are responsible for. And Phil I agree with you, it's 2011 are we really that horrified with the gay lifestyle? I had thought we were past all that.

Also I can't imagine the kid had much of a lifestyle any different from any other kid. Stupid bullies.

Also that video totally teared me up. Gah.

I can honestly say in high school I would have gotten into a fight that day.

you are a good man frankie, I am glad you are here

http://perezhilton.com/2011-09-29-3...will-be-charged-with-hate-crimes#.ToXL0llbq4s

As it turns out, at least THREE of Jamey Rodemeyer's bullies will be charged with hate crimes, as they played integral roles in the harassment that ended with his suicide.

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There are very specific reasons I was quiet about my sexuality in High School. I went to school in an extremely Catholic and very small town (80% of the town attended masses on Sunday). Gay hate words "F" and "D" were used daily as derrogatorive as possible. Beatings happened daily to just everyday kids. There was not one single openly gay person in my entire HS of about 600. "Pray the Gay Away" would very likely have happened in my area. So what'd I do? Hook up with a 22yr old at age 17 and moved 2 cities away. 14-17 I pretty much lived on a daily basis of hiding things from my parents and fighting INSANE urges at school during gym, showers, school bus trips and sports trips. It was not a good couple of years for me, torture would be a very accurate term and that's WITHOUT constant attacks from other people.

I can VERY easily see how suicide can be an option for a person in that situation. I'm glad to see they're going to get charged with the crime. I hope they're convicted to the full extent.

Shegokigo, if it makes you feel any better, I fully support your lifestyle. In fact, I support it so much, I am willing to watch any videos of said lifestyle in the name of supporting it.

All video I've participated in have been with me at the camera, of which I own all copies of, they're very supportable though, so thanks for the backup fade.

ThatNickGuy said:

http://perezhilton.com/2011-09-29-3...will-be-charged-with-hate-crimes#.ToXL0llbq4s

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Good. Christ, people suck.

Chippy said:

Good. Christ, people suck.

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Yes they do.

Chippy said:

Good. Christ, people suck.

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It is interesting that individually, I'm sure each person has some what normal intellect, but collectively, man, they can be dumb as a rock!

Chibibar said:

It is interesting that individually, I'm sure each person has some what normal intellect, but collectively, man, they can be dumb as a rock!

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Let's be fair to rocks, they've never tried to deny anyone rights.

Ravenpoe said:

Let's be fair to rocks, they've never tried to deny anyone rights.

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Yea. I'm sorry rocks you are right. They hit everyone equally hard.

I am glad they are getting the harassment charges out. I wish they wouldn't even use the word bullying. Call it what it is.

I don't know the full extent of what the bullying was, but if it was just name calling and "cyber bullying" I think the blame should go on the kid who actually killed himself. Even if the bullies told him to kill himself, they weren't the ones who ended his life.

fade said:

Shegokigo, if it makes you feel any better, I fully support your lifestyle. In fact, I support it so much, I am willing to watch any videos of said lifestyle in the name of supporting it.

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If you support one, you have to support the other! (its law I swear) so... get your dude porn cued up.

blotsfan said:

I don't know the full extent of what the bullying was, but if it was just name calling and "cyber bullying" I think the blame should go on the kid who actually killed himself. Even if the bullies told him to kill himself, they weren't the ones who ended his life.

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Which is why they aren't being charged with murder or manslaughter. They're being charged with harrassment - which they certainly did do, of their own volition. And really? You would blame someone for being unable to stand up to years worth of torment and taking their own life? Do women who wear suggestive clothing to dance clubs deserve to be raped? Should Rosa Parks have been lynched for refusing to stand up when a white man wanted her bus seat?

As long as the victims of crime continue to be blamed for the crime, the world will never see a shred of justice, and we can expect to see far more suicides among people who just want to live their lives the way they were made.

Yeah, that's a huge issue with pretty much the whole world. We teach don't get raped rather than don't rape. Victim blaming is bullshit. Which is why I fully support things like Slut Walk.

What is this "Slut Walk" I'm am intrigued

blotsfan said:

I don't know the full extent of what the bullying was, but if it was just name calling and "cyber bullying" I think the blame should go on the kid who actually killed himself. Even if the bullies told him to kill himself, they weren't the ones who ended his life.

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Chippy said:

Good. Christ, people suck.

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This is what I've been telling you guys ALL ALONG.

GasBandit said:

This is what I've been telling you guys ALL ALONG.

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I thought you were always telling us people were decent folk that when left alone will behave with respect to their fellow citizens?

makare said:

I thought you were always telling us people were decent folk that when left alone will behave with respect to their fellow citizens?

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No, I believe I've pretty much had a non-stop stream of invective about how idiotic the human race is. It's why competition among the fiercest is so important - it directs the potentially most destructive energies against roughly equivalent energies.

Well I think this story pretty much confirms that given the choice the fiercest will always prefer chewing and spitting out the weakest.

GasBandit said:

No, I believe I've pretty much had a non-stop stream of invective about how idiotic the human race is. It's why competition among the fiercest is so important - it directs the potentially most destructive energies against roughly equivalent energies.

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Buahaha!

Wait, you're serious, aren't you? Nowhere does the strongest attack the strongest in nature. They always attack the weaker.

GasBandit said:

No, I believe I've pretty much had a non-stop stream of invective about how idiotic the human race is. It's why competition among the fiercest is so important - it directs the potentially most destructive energies against roughly equivalent energies.

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So what sets you apart from all those other stupids?

Man, if there ever was a case for obsessive compulsive personality disorder...

Sounds like Gasbandit could use some good old Halforums-prescribed therapy.

so i should get the soap and socks?

makare said:

Well I think this story pretty much confirms that given the choice the fiercest will always prefer chewing and spitting out the weakest.

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Krisken said:

Buahaha!

Wait, you're serious, aren't you? Nowhere does the strongest attack the strongest in nature. They always attack the weaker.

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Actually, this story shows that, given their choice, the fiercest will always prefer attacking the different, which has long been an observed dynamic in nature, both human and animal. Are you guys saying that homosexuality is inherently weak?

What I said was because makare has demonstrated a repeated tendency to misrepresent my philosophy, and usually attributes that mistaken assumption to my libertarian tendencies. She thinks that a libertarian must have faith in humanity to individually be decent and respectful.

I've asserted numerous times what I think the proper role of the government is in regards to forcing competition, but it looks like I've inadvertently made this thread about me, which was not my intent, so I'll just drop it now.

Those who are different or are in a minority group generally come from a place of weakness not because of the nature of their difference but because they are different in fact.

Hey, how about instead of arguing over who's misunderstanding who, we all agree that a - bullying people is a shitty thing to do, regardless of the respective parties and justifications, b - it's too bad this young person felt so hopeless that they took their own life, and c - people can be real bastards, but they don't have to be. Can we all agree to that?

Stop bullying me into not arguing about this topic.

Null said:

Hey, how about instead of arguing over who's misunderstanding who, we all agree that a - bullying people is a shitty thing to do, regardless of the respective parties and justifications, b - it's too bad this young person felt so hopeless that they took their own life, and c - people can be real bastards, but they don't have to be. Can we all agree to that?

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I can agree to you giving me your lunch money, squirt.

All right, everyone break it up or you're all getting detention.

Null said:

Hey, how about instead of arguing over who's misunderstanding who, we all agree that a - bullying people is a shitty thing to do, regardless of the respective parties and justifications, b - it's too bad this young person felt so hopeless that they took their own life, and c - people can be real bastards, but they don't have to be. Can we all agree to that?

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I can agree, but I think some people (maybe not on this forum) might agree on A does hazing including into that?

The campaign should have been "It Gets Easier" not necessarily "Better".

Thou slatternly pipenjay!

Amorous Eyes said:

Moi?

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Verily!

Amorous Eyes said:

Slatterny, sure, but popinjay? No.

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Oh, wait, is it POPinjay? Damn. I failed my roll on archaic pejoratives.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/16/showbiz/zachary-quinto-gay/index.html?hpt=hp_bn7

Good for him?

Wait, he's only just now coming out? I thought it was common knowledge that he was gay.

More like SHYler. Amiright?