Obama anti-bullying, video on Youtube, “I thought of suicide”

Posted on October 23, 2010 by julie

Six young gay Americans have committed suicide in the last two weeks because they are victims of bullying at school. The death of many children has caused a very strong reaction in public opinion, and yesterday the president Barack Obama has added his impassioned remarks targeting all young people who suffer at school because the object of cruel jokes because of their “diversity”: “I can not say you know what it means to be persecuted for being gay – Oama said in a video placed online by both the White House from YouTube -. But I know what it means to grow up feeling alone ee blocks. I too have considered suicide. But I was lucky, because I found someone to confide”. Obama has joined the campaign “It gets better” (things will get better) launched opinion Dan Savage, and to which many celebrities have already signed up. Savage Oama had protested because it was not acted before, but yesterday said he was pleased with the encouraging words and touching of the President: “As a father of two daughters, the death of these guys has torn the heart – has confessed in the video Ovbama -. Their deaths are a shocking fact. No one should Sentis so lonely and desperate and do not know where to go”. Speaking directly to young people who are going through times of suffering, the President added: “You’re not alone. You have not done anything wrong, you have done nothing to deserve being treated this way. There’s a world out there waiting for you, a world full of possibilities. There are many people who love you so much that you will want. And one day as adults draw strength from this experience, you will be at the forefront in the fight against all forms of discrimination, and help make this country better”. Obama has also insisted that we stop to consider bullying as an inevitable rite of passage for kids who go to school. But it was precisely this kind of petty and humiliating persecution that has forced some young people to commit suicide. In recent days, has been the case with Tyler Clementi to trigger protests and to discuss, but also to generate case of imitation. Tyler was the first year at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Two of his comrades have made a terrible joke: they filmed him without his knowledge while he had a sexual encounter with another boy, then put on the network scene. Tyler could not resist humiliation and decided to commit suicide. It is on the parapets overlooking the George Washington Bridge, connecting New York to New Jersey, and was thrown into the River Hudson. His death was followed by high five suicides, gay teenager who had always been subject to abuse by peers.