No more silence.

This week, we heard the horrific story about 18year old Tyler Clementi, who thought that there was no other way to continue, and took his own life. This young man was bullied by a hateful person. One who thought it would be fun to broadcast via a webcam, his private and personal time spent with a friend.

My heart breaks for this young man.

My heart breaks for the other teens this month who at the hands of hateful people also had their hearts and dreams taken away.

I do not understand how ANYONE could think that this is not becoming a problem. Whether it is about your sexual orientation, your race, religion, or size..

BULLYING is not OK.

EVER.

I cannot understand why we allow this to continue?

I have talked to people, questioning,  wondering where the adults were for these kids.

I have heard it said…. "well they ARE teens. They don't like to talk."

That is a load of crap.

I cannot understand why we are failing our children.

I am the mother of a teenage son, and a pre-teen daughter. I talk to my children about ALL subjects, nothing is taboo. Thy know that they can come to me about anything, and have no judgment. Is it harder to talk to my son than it was a few years ago? Absolutely. But we still talk. You just have to know what to say. And what not to say. And you have to let your kids know that even if they feel that they cannot talk to you, there is ALWAYS going to be someone to listen. A teacher, a sibling, a cousin, a family friend. They are NEVER alone.

I have been blessed in my life to have family and friends that are gay, transgendered and straight.  We have varying opinions on many topics, but the things we have in common? We are all human. We all have hopes and dreams, we feel love, we cry and we laugh. None of us are better than the rest. We are who we are, and we love each other for that.

We all have stories of bullying. We have all felt hatred in one way or another.

I was assaulted 19 years ago. I lived in fear, questioning in my mind that perhaps I deserved it. Perhaps something in my makeup made it ok for a man to break into my home and force himself on me.That man was a bully. That man had no right.  I no longer allow him to make me question my worth.

No one has the right to do that.

Not to me, not to strangers, not to ANYONE.

Talk to your kids.

Let them know that there is always someone to listen.

If they won't talk to you, then get them to someone they will talk to.

We have the chance to make it better.

We have the chance to save a life.

We need to speak out, to let those bullies know that it is NOT OK to push us around.

We need the gov't to have better standards, write better laws, and fully punish those who continue to believe that it is ok to be hateful to someone who is different than they are. 

We need our children to know that we will protect them.

We need the bullies to know that we are tired of turning our heads and tired of being silent.

We see you.

We will stop you.

You can't hurt us anymore.

Comments

[Angela Giles Klocke]

Amen, amen, amen. So well said, Kim. (((HUGS))) and thank you!

Talking to teens about the hard stuff is TOUGH, but it can be done. It absolutely can. We need to keep those doors open and teach them and talk with them and love them all.