2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

As the mother of an openly gay young man, I can tell you that bullying is an all too often occurence for my son.  Middle School was absolute hell for him.  He was bullied on a regular basis.  In 7th grade, he was attacked by a class mate and beaten to the point of hospitalization for being a "fag".  I wish I could say things have gotten better. In some ways they are just by virtue of the fact we are now having  dialogues about it.  But he still gets "fag" and "gay" comments, and has even been spit on on the max. 

My son attempted suicide, but by the grace of God (and YES my God that I know and believe in also loves MY son) he survived and is still fighting to make the world a better place through the organizations like SMYRC and the QRC st Portland State.

As an educator, I see all kinds of bullying based on sexual orientation, religion, race and intellect.  The wounds are horrible and life changing.  We must find a way to stop the abuse that some young people face every single day of their lives. We cannot turn our backs on so many bullied children. No child deserves to be treated so horrendously!  BE PART OF THE SOLUTION! Talk, talk, TALK about bullying and its horrible ugly devastation and casualties.  Stand up for all of humanity.

posted 2 years, 7 months ago
view in context