Seth Walsh, 13, Commits Suicide After Facing Anti-Gay Bullying

My 5 year old's friend, (one of my BFF's kids, she has known him since birth), told her she had no friends and nobody liked her. This effected her for WEEKS. And it taught her words are hurtful. And that just because a kid says something doesn't make it true. And that under no circumstances will she be allowed to treat others that way. Kids need to learn that their behavior has an impact on others. And kids also need to learn not to give bullies the power to effect their self worth. And schools need to wake up and lose the"kids will be kids" mentality before it contributes to the death of more innocent children.

My mother taught me as a young kid to treat people the way you'd want to be treated. Simple creed she instilled that I have passed on.

excellently put, I would only add that adults are badly in need of this same lesson, and as long as the workplace rewards bullies, and let's face it, the bullies do tend to be aggressive in the workplace as well, this problem is not confined to our schools, our schools replicate what occurs on a larger scale, and it permeates our society.

The evidence of prisoner torture by US servicemen and women comes to mind, and the fact that it was encouraged (no matter how much they lie about it) from the very top, continues to be a wound that will not heal for this nation.

what are you talking about? "let's face it, the bullies do tend to be aggressive in the workplace"? I have never worked in a single corporation inwhich "bullying" a homosexual, or a member of any minority, would not be grounds for termination and is taken very seriously.

the problem with schools is that they don't "terminate" bullies, they slap them on the wrist and let them keep coming back. Teachers that bullied a minority in any way can and probably will be terminated if the principal is any good, and if not, there is a ton of legal support that puts pressure on the district and eventually will get results.

I believe that there needs to start permanent, district wide EXPELLINGS of students who are habitually disruptive to the learning environment or who are bullies.

And YES this includes those damned students who have been diagnosed as "emotionally disturbed". Too bad for them, then we should house them elsewhere and give them some training to become janitors or mechanics or something but get those bastards out of the schools. That may sound harsh, but the ED kids have so many legal protections they can only be punished a limited number of times (for example, a district may limited to give an ED kid 5 detentions and 3 suspensions and then they can't punish them more, and they can't move them out of the class. I've seen ED kids tell the teacher in October "I've already had my number of detentions and suspensions for the year and you can't punish me anymore!" and then they happily start acting up, bullying, whatever. That has to end)

that happens all the time, it's destructive and something should be done to teach the kid not to be such a snot, but would that actually qualify as "bullying"?

I've heard the parents of bully kids say nothing more than "kids will be kids". Somehow the kids started the bullying habit. They're not born that way.

I think you nailed it very well. Children realize when there are no consequences for their actions, and they learn to take advantage of that fact.

I think if you behave in a way that is purposefully mean to someone else it counts as bullying.

"Children realize when there are no consequences for their actions, and they learn to take advantage of that fact."

True that! This goes for all aspects of life, and its good to learn quickly that all actions have natural consequences, good and bad.

It should also be ATTENTION SOCIETY, society in general has an impact on future generations. If you have a society full of greedy people then the generations after will become greedy in till people change, and yes we can all change. But if every parent did their job then we wouldnt have to worry about society i suppose

agreed.

Your right on Lionessgrrl!

And that's the problem with Bigotry.... Bigots raise other bigots **on purpose.**

You were doing so well -- if you'd only stopped writing before that last paragraph.

and incidentaly as well.

well what are you talking about by "bullying"? Telling a lazy teammate to get his ass to work? Insisting that the slacker get to work on time?

Because there are indeed very strict laws in place to stop harassment of minorities in schools and in the work place.

well curtisreed, nice to see you back, and I always appreciate your acrid as well as oft accurate point of view. What do I mean? Sighhh, no I am not talking about the lazy teammate who needs to get his ass to work, or the slacker who refuses to get to work on time? Workplace bullying, like in school bullying, often targets weakness, and that weakness is not always something you can attach to gender, sexual preference, or a recognized minority category, and is very much, like the Supreme Court's definition of pornography, something you recognize when you see it. But the bully isn't generally an assertive supervisor, but more often than not operates covertly and coercively by manipulating other people, and undermining the contributions of someone the bully has targeted, for whatever reason. It is a non-recognized federal category, but accounts for increasing amounts of workplace absences and illness.

Here's a fairly comprehensive website on the subject:
http://www.workplacebullying.org/targets/problem/definition.html

It hard to get someone with realist ideas that have no money to promote. You need a lot of money to run, or just educate people so they dont just vote for the name they see the most on tv

A tragedy, indeed =(

Crying even more...

The kid was weak, simple as that. You know this by asking yourself what you would have done if your were him. He couldn't handle the dog eat dog world. I bet they're tons of other people that get bullied but deal with it. Pathetic, just pathetic.Feel free to reply back.

That's beyond hateful.

You don't know the extent of his bullying or how he felt. I guarantee you couldn't even imagine it. For someone to take their own life because of how they're being treated by OTHER people is awful... period.

What would I have done if I were him? Hmmm... Well, I'm not him. I never will be him. I could never put myself in his shoes to understand how he felt and what he had to deal with. Neither can you.

I realize that, by posting this crap that you did, you're actually just looking for the attention you crave because no one thought you were worth their time. I'll give you the attention you crave - but to tell you that you're just being plain cruel.

It actually takes an incredible amount of courage to take one's own life. It also requires a huge amount of despair and sadness.

Do NOT call those who commit suicide "weak."

"He couldn't handle the dog eat dog world....????" What the fuck?! You are insensitive and disgusting, and if you have kids, I feel sorry for them.

"The kid was weak... He couldn't handle the dog eat dog world"?

HE WAS 13 YEARS OLD!! What the fuck is wrong with you??

courage? really? You've obviously have never spoken to people that have attempted to commit suicide. I unfortunately have and that's why I say, what I say. Try a better reply next time because going off topic is pretty low > " I feel sorry for them" < wtf you know nothing of what I do. So try to offend based on what we're talking about next time. Cherrz !

"Couldn't even imagine it"? This isn't unimaginable like it is for most to imagine the fourth dimension. Seriously, why did you even bother to reply? Sounds like you were craving to share your opinion that's why you replied. The same reason I replied to another individual, not for no fucking comment that would be lost in between all these other comments. There's a difference between the reasons why some one would choose suicide as the solution. Think about it, literally. Picture the stupid reasons that people, in general, have taken their lives. You can't possibly tell me every suicidal case is justifiable.

What happened to you in life to make you feel and think this way? I truly hope I'm not stirring up any foul feelings or memories for you, but did you know someone who committed suicide?

In all seriousness... WHY do you say these things? I'm not trying to be sarcastic or clown with you. I really do want to hear a mini-life story from you, if you wouldn't mind indulging me, please.

Yes, I have a friend who [attempted to] commit suicide (then a gay teen, actually), but he was found early enough to be revived. Both he and I feel the same way about Seth's suicide as well as the other recent ones, including that of Tyler Clementi.

You're both a jerk AND part of the problem due to having such a poor attitude which motivates you to feel that the kid is "weak."

Guess what? Seth killed himself due to opinions just like the one you have now. The world will be better when YOU are gone. It's too bad we couldn't have traded him for you....!

I physically can not believe that you just posted that.

Is that where you're posting from?

Holy crap, I hope you're not from Westboro.

Welcome to being flagged, Westboro Baptist Church.

Something treacherous speculating where this young man has ended up in the afterlife.

It's very interesting you say that, because I am not one of the posters who flagged him.

What he said was ignorant and hateful, but it didn't necessarily violate any of currents rules.
I think we should have left his bile up, it is an opinion after all.

I'm glad they took that shit down. That was the first thing I read when i got to this forum and immediately I was pissed. People like that just need to shut up.

Yes, it was a hateful comment designed only to agitate others, and for that purpose it should have been brought down.

However, the comment did represent how theforeteller felt on the subject. I think his comment with a blood red -30 next to it would have just as nice as censoring it. Not discounting the string of comments that would undoubtably pile up after it that verbally stoned the poster.

MF!!!!

Totally agree! I'd rather the person have to read all the comments thrown her/his way as a result of saying something that ugly.

because I'm unaware of what was said and it seems to be alot of hooplah over it...what comment did the foreteller make...if it can be repeated??? just so I can make my own conclusion about it

yes, and provides us all with an accurate character assessment of this person with a deplorable avatar....let's us know to completely ignore any and all future comments.

I'm not convinced that means anything to someone that posts something like "He's burning in hell" or in the Rutgers University thread, the somewhat more inflammatory "hahahahahahaha he's burning in hell".

I'm pretty sure that someone that posts something like that would only feed off comments that follow and feel no guilt or remorse for the original post. It may have been an over-reaction to flag the comment, but it just seemed excessively ugly in this thread about a 13 year old boy; free speech or not.

I live in decadent Los Angeles.

Suicide is a sin. Sin leads to hell.

Learn and repent. Cultural decadence and moral decay is the signs of things to come.

You sound like a mayate.

With all my training, adventures and education..... I snps jiskosk skad dkonm and don't hasio doplr fmdjn nai id til then.

He burning in hell for his decision to have pleasure from another man than a girl? Should we all go to hell for having pleasure? doing sexual activity between a guy and a women is the same as a guy and a guy or girl and a girl. So are you saying we should be sent to hell for pleasure?? F**** the church, government, and every other institution using scare tactics. I hope i burn in hell for all of my sins because " I see no evil, I fear no evil".

Actually, foreteller, the God of the Bible has commanded followers to "judge not, lest ye be judged," and that's what you've just done.

The poor child is not burning in hell. Even if hell did exist, he still wouldn't be there. You lead a sad existence, and it is because of hatred & insolence like yours that tragedies like this one continue to happen.

The truth is: you wanted this kid dead to begin with, or you wouldn't relish in the thought of him burning in hell! You are mean.

You live in LA? Well, with 24 million people in the greater LA area, I guess I'm not surprised to find someone still left over from the Dark Ages...

you need to lay off of the drugs.

no matter how stupid you think people can be there's always someone who is even more ignorant.

and you appear to be schizophrenic.

if they're gonna allow this idiot they might as well let j jammer come back. jammer wasn't half this hateful.

You're probably right...
... sigh...

Is that supposed to represent your keyboard typing in tongues? Very impressive.

I agree, the school is accountable, and all too often they turn a blind eye, and always have. It is a shame that our government is likewise engaged in blindness, and until they recognize and acknowledge bullying (whose tactics have been well documented), public schools are not going to do anything about it. Look how long it took the schools to desegregate and what a battle that was in many areas of this nation. We are often a hard-hearted, slow to compassion and ignorant people, and we let the lowest element amongst us dictate policy, even when we know better. Bullying demands that the brave stand up for and defend the defenseless.

Well the school is partly responsible, along with the religious institutions, the parents and society

when we force them to learn

Yes. Force is required.

same thing happens in the workplace. Often the bullies are promoted for their valued aggressiveness, and the victim is transferred from one department to another until eventually quitting or ending up like this kid. We are a sick, sick society, and our values are undeniably skewed.

That is an amazing story of faith. She's definitely inspired me to change the world.

people are extremely insecure so they take out their self-frustrations o those that are comfortable with themselves...i nan attempt to make them feel bad about themselves...it's sad to say it actually works on some people

Do you go to Columbine?

I remember seeing that on TV I was home from HS on that day.

Yes they try to build security in them selfs by treating others like shit

no I do not attend that school, one of the programs speakers came, half my school was in tears

You'd be surprised how ignorant kids in middle school are.

that's kind of why i feel i will home school my children...parents endure the same shit growing up to only teach the same sorry ass bullshit over again...they dont teach them to be "bigger people" they only say be the bigger person and do not know themselves exactly what the fucj that means, i think to scoiety being the "bigger person" is gettign the last word or telling the best lie

I hold organized religion partly responsible, but it's more than that. We live in a society that values aggressiveness to such a degree that we encourage it at all levels, from domestic violence, to workplace bullying, to schoolyard and internet bashing, to police brutality, to destruction of the environment, to empire building at any cost. The problem goes well beyond organized religion, in many ways I think organized religion is just a tool in the hands of a greater evil.

Bingo. Organized Religion is at the CORE of all of the world's problems....

One word: Judgement.

And, if being gay were a choice, wouldn't the person in question CHOOSE to stop being gay over death?

Love is love. What's wrong with that?