Antigay Bullying Suicide in Penn.

I think this is a social issue that goes beyond "feeling sorry for gays". This is a problem that many teenagers goes through. Where in one of the most formative points in their lives, they are going through an identity crisis, while simultaneously being tormented for being different. Which is something I think we could all relate to in junior and highschool years no matter what our sexual orientation, race or religion. So this should definitely be something we can all come together and agree upon no matter what political stance or religion we hold.

This is not just a gay issue. It's a social issue. But, I think having a focal point on the gay community is a great way to bring this problem to light. We have to make the young people know that life is worth living.

i noticed that too a very big influx in gay suicides across the united states. I wonder what this world is coming to. I am gay i was not really bullied per say in school but i did have my haters but well i never thought about suicide i would just kick the person's ass who was trying to hate against me. Gay but not a push over i guess you can say.

I feel sorry for the family and friends of the people who do result to killing themselves but also i have noticed that also its the parents fault they cannot detect signs of there children or teenagers that are being mentally tormented and they wont come out to parents mostly since they are afraid the parents will also be against them and either kick them out or be bad to them so its a loose - loose situation on both aspects.

This "bully" bs is an excuse to have someone feel sorry for you enough to justify killing yourself. I would just like to know the number of gay people that were killing themselves prior to it being a fashion statement to kill yourself "because I was bullied." What was the excuse before, because my parents won't except me? Maybe because my boy / girl friend don't love me anymore? Or maybe it was just because one did not have a boy / girl friend. Regardless, I say it's all suspect when every suicide that takes place with a gay person now is "Hate" and "Bully". Just tell me folks. Reminds me of the line, "I was country when country wasn't cool". *shaking head*

With the rash of gay/bully related suicides lately, I wonder if add/adhd meds have any bearing. Confusing rationale, creating unbearable emotions. I would imagine that parents of young gays/lesbians try to ''fix'' them with mood enhancers, coupled with the cruelty of High School social tiers...

The way you handle a bully is to go after his/her weaknesses. Do NOT have mercy. Do NOT be compassionate: A bully must be bullied in order to change. I wish I could personally stand up to all bullies everywhere, on behalf of the bullied... =Z

Instead, I'll offer advice from my experiences: Take the lowest blow possible against the bully, and you win. It's really as simple as that.

He was so beautiful :(

http://around.ye

Bullying is a very complicated thing these days. I'm currently a freshman in th Hopkins School District in Minnesota. They have a HUGE anti-Bully campaign. Every single room at the high school has a sign that says "LGBT Bully Free Zone." It is very hard to tell if there is actual bullying or joking around. Yes, sometimes joking around is accident bullying.
At the school I've been to while in Hopkins, I've actually seen no bullying (or accident bullying) anywhere. I have friends in every social situatation and everyone seems to just love each other. The only major thing I've seen is the usual talking-behind-someones-back thing but most of the time it just stops.
I really have no idea what's happening around this country with teens, but I'm so glad none of this shit is happening at my school.

Memorial Page "RIP Brandon Bitner" - http://www.facebook.com/pages/RIP-Brandon-Bitner/108640245869128

Hmmm... this conversation has me pondering where it begins. I was bullied quite a lot as a kid, until I reached high school and got out of that terribly awkward phase. So, why was I bullied?
I wore thick glasses, was painfully thin, wore headgear for a while (tragic!), had unruly hair and didn't give a damn about clothes or girlie stuff. I liked to read. I liked to study. I liked being in band, and I wasn't interested in being a cheerleader. But is that WHY I was bullied? I'm not really sure. I wasn't then, and I'm not now.
I'm sure some of you are right: they just smelled the vulnerability on me--the lack of confidence, and they went in for the kill. That's probably true, but that's not entirely it. I tried to stand up for myself. But with each episode of bullying, my confidence weakened, making me more vulnerable to the next attack. A vicious cycle.
It occurs to me that it was usually just a few who did the bullying, but they were relentless. And usually they were older kids. The witnesses just laughed nervously or fell into awkward silence.
Perhaps the bullies won't stop bullying, but if some of the witnesses stood up against it, it might make a difference. I still remember the few who quietly stood up for me, retrieving my trumpet for me when someone would steal it on the bus and hide it. Or maybe just a smile and a pat on the back. But those people knew if they stood up, they'd be bullied for it.
When I reached high school I didn't change on the inside. I did, however, get contacts, lose the braces and headgear, learn how to use a straightening iron, develop a bit and got a couple of decent outfits. And, voila! All is well. I'm acceptable.
I still remember this older guy telling me, "God, you're not nearly as retarded as you used to be." But, really, I hadn't changed a bit.
...and he meant it as a compliment.

I'm so sick of small minded fucks like that preying on people for being different, that shit happened to so many people at my school when i saw it i tried to stop it. People need to learn that bulliyng in all forms is wrong and should be fought against when it is seen. This truly infuriates me because i know what pennsyltucky is like and the bigots that come from there are terrible, they love to protest on the PSU campus and i always try to debate with them.

This bullying mentality needs to stop; but it appears to be an issue often swept under the rug. It carries on through older age, too. It's a matter of survival of the fittest, and cutting ethics out in order to gain any sort of upper hand.

I'm no expert on the matter, nor have I done much research into bullying, but the relationship between the parents and their child needs to be more closely knit. Between both parents working a minimum of 40 hours/week, and the kids being influenced the rest of the time at school, there is just too little time to bond.

I was homeschooled all of the way up until college. My mom always detested emotional and physical abuse among us siblings; she taught us empathy and communication. And my dad never encouraged us to be "hardasses," nor did he ever use condescension such as "You're being a wussy..." etc. He taught us honesty and honor. Kids who have a mother that does not foster love, and a father who does not provide guidance to the high road of "being a man" feel disconnected and turn to complete selfish and survival instincts. I would have. I am fortunate in being able to get along with nearly anybody--save for maybe snobs and hypocrites.

It's a cliché, but I believe the most important thing a parent can do is be there for their kids; not always reprimand, per-se, but be their wise man, or counselor. I have seen good friends of mine go the bully route; and it's contagious...

Gay or not, almost everyone who ever went to high school has been bullied at some point. For some reason, kids today are killing themselves over it. Is it bad parenting and parents not teaching kids how to stand up for themselves?

This is really just a recent phenomenon and not something that you heard of 20 years ago.

One thing is clear, this kid was clearly selfish to walk in front of a semi and ruin the life of another person.

Hmmm here is a thought maybe parents should be more involved in this? Why is it up to the school officials to be the ones mainly dealing with bullying?
"students said no one took it seriously. " im not sure about you but once i parents put a foot up my ass i was fucking serious about shit.

Something tells me he was gay, just didn't tell his friends yet.
After last week I wouldn't be surprised to see more of this. Especially because of losses in state races.

thats messed up in more ways than one. Why did he deside to ruin the life of a truck driver? To take ones life is uncalled for. But to take your life at the exspense of another is even more fucked up. yes being bullied is bad yes being bullied is wrong so is ruining the life of a complete stranger by useing them as a weapon to kill yourself is just fucked up.

Pussification of america, brought to you by the feminist movement.

This is a horrible situation. What I don't get is why are we just focusing on anti-gay bullying when all kinds of bullying goes on day to day. Bullying of any kind is not good, so we need to focus on all types.

This is certainly becoming an epidemic.

Brandon Bitner left a note suicide but we are not told what the note said. The note may have given us more clues to explain this tragic event, but instead, we are relying on hearsay, basically rumors from teenagers and other aquaintances tell us why Brandon Bitner actually committed suicide.

I am not saying that Bitner did not commit suicide because he was bullied, I am saying that in this particular instance, we are relying mostly on hearsay when we should be relying on stone cold facts.

We all know that there is anti-bullying campaign that is currently being used to usher in legislation in many parts of the world, especially here in the United States, and that there is enough evidence to suggest that these suicides are being as propaganda to pass that legislation.

again (i am sure those familiar with my rant already knows )

you cannot stop bullies with "anti-bully" laws or wearing Purple..you have to fight these fucking bastards..

its time to stop trying to baby these kids and time to teach them to FIGHT for what is right..

"Midd-West high school held an antibullying assembly just days prior to Bitner's suicide, but students said no one took it seriously."
That right there is the problem, highschoolers never take things serioulsly until it i made serious, teacher administrators, everyone needs to make this somthing to be serious about and when they catch this crap going down make sure the shit hits the fan hard.

when will the HATE stop