By now most of you know the story: on September 22nd Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clemente, a quiet, talented violinist jumped off the George Washington Bridge, taking his own life after two classmates secretly and illegally taped and then posted to the web a video of Tyler having a sexual encounter with another male student. Tragically, Tyler was not the only young American to end his life after being exploited, teased, bullied or harassed. September alone saw at least three other tragedies like this. 13 year-old Asher Brown in Cyprus, Texas, was repeatedly bullied and accused of being gay by classmates. He shot himself in the head. 15 year-old Billy Lucas of Greensburgh, Indiana ended his life after classmates repeatedly mocked him and questioned his sexual orientation. Seth Walsh of Tehachapi, California, died after attempting to hang himself in his back yard after years of being tormented because he was gay.
It is important that we as a people of faith take steps in our own lives and circles of friendship to let others know that victimization of anyone is morally wrong and reprehensible. Bullying in schools remains a significant and scarring issue for countless American children, as we well know from recent events right here at Concord High. It is particularly toxic and dangerous, however, when the victims also happen to be gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgendered. We at South Church, in Concord, NH, have committed ourselves to work toward a world where all persons will be affirmed for who they are. Let us speak up wherever a voice of compassion and justice needs to be heard. Let us pray for the victims’ families as well for those whose harassment contributed to these needless losses of precious life. Let us find ways to instill in the young people in our lives a deep and abiding sense that, as the Quakers say, “there is that of God in each one of us.”
If you have not already seen it, I recommend a recent commentary posted by Ellen Degeneres. While she does not speak from a religious perspective, she certainly offers a timely challenge to us all: http://www.tubehome.com/watch/ellen-degeneres-tyler-clemente-suicide.
