candlelight vigil

Tonight, I heard a local mother speak about her son who killed himself this year after being bullied in our Minnesota schools.  Sad times.  Too many GLBT youth have ended their lives during the last month (plus several in the local school districts earlier this year) rather than face more harassment. 

I forgot my camera, so I don't have any of my own photographs to share.  Resedabear has a flickr stream, though, including the photo of me here on the right.  I would guess that more than 400 people were there tonight at any given time.

I've been hesitant to speak up about the current "It Gets Better" project.  For me, remembering means reliving, and I hate to do that unless it serves a purpose worth the personal cost.  I guess maybe it's time to knuckle down and relive parts of my past so that I can create my own video to add to the campaign.  :(

The event tonight was actually much better than most GLBT events I've attended.  There was a lot more involvement from people directly affected by bullying and suicides than there were "political activists" (whatever that phrase might mean).

Nevertheless, I was glad to see that someone from the office of my U.S. representative, Keith Ellison, attended.  Regardless of his personal beliefs, he does make an effort to engage with other communities.  That dedication to dialog will likely win him my vote again, even though he is a Democrat and they're on my angry list at the moment.  As was expressed during the vigil tonight, "Donate And Wait" for gay civil equality and protection under the law is costing us the lives of our kids.  Even the kids who are already out to their parents and have family support, they too are still succumbing to the intense bullying outside the home.

State Senator Dibble said that the Minnesota legislature passed an anti-bullying law intended for the school districts this year, but then our Republican governor refused to sign it.  So Dibble plans to submit it again during the emergency session.

No more waiting.  Kids are dieing.  It's an emergency.