ANOTHER LIFE STOLEN BY SOCIETY'S HOMOPHOBIA......and what you can do about it.

Hi kids. Please click on the CNN link, below, to read a mother's first-hand account of her young child's suicide.
Once you finish the article, click on the link I've provided, with dear friend and talented poet/commentator Cleo Creech's take on the suicides we keep seeing from LGBT children. Finally, I've posted a letter from Georgia Equality, on what YOU can do, to create a more inclusive world for children who are LGBT, and those who are targeted as such. God Bless You All, for your compassion, and support.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/04/23/bullying.suicide/index.html?iref=mpstoryview

__________________________________________________ Link to Cleo Creech's post at his Blog: http://cccreech.blogspot.com/2009/04/beating-up-little-sissies.html
_______________________________________________________
The letter I received from Georgia Equality:
Dear Lisa,
The country was shocked last week to learn that an 11 year old boy in Springfield, Massachusetts, Carl Joseph Walker-Hoover, had killed himself after enduring constant bullying at school from classmates who called him gay. This week Georgian’s were further shocked to find out that an 11 year old from Stone Mountain, Jaheem Herrera, also committed suicide as a result of bullies teasing him for being “gay” and “talking funny.”

Now is the time we must redouble our efforts to pass legislation that not only strengthens existing state policies on bullying, but compels school districts to recognize that bullying based on perceptions of sexual orientation or gender identity are especially destructive to young lives.

Georgia Equality asks you to remember Jaheem and Carl Joseph by taking action to protect other students in the future.

3 THINGS YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW
#1 SEND A LETTER TO YOUR LAWMAKER - CLICK HERE
In 2008, the state Senate passed anti-bullying legislation by a vote of 54-0. A House Education Sub-committee and the full House Education Committee also passed this legislation by unanimous vote. Unfortunately, a floor vote on the bill did not take place by the end of the 2008 Session.
Urge your lawmaker to pass legislation in 2010 to protect students who are bullied or harassed because of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
#2 COME TO THE VIGIL
In the wake of the suicide of Jaheem Herrera, the 11-year-old Decatur boy who hanged himself on Thursday, April 16th after enduring relentless bullying in school based on his perceived sexual orientation and ethnicity, there will be a vigil in his honor on Tuesday, April 28th. Tuesday night's vigil is sponsored by The Faith and Community Alliance. Georgia Equality, PFLAG and Refugee Resettlement and Immigration Services of Atlanta will also be participating in the vigil.
Date: Tuesday, April 28th, 2009
Time: 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Location:First Christian Church of DecaturStreet: 601 West Ponce de Leon Ave.City Decatur, GA
#3 MAKE A DONATION
Contribute to Georgia Equality's work and lobbying efforts for anti-bullying legislation in 2010. Visit https://secure.ga4.org/01/basicmembership to become a monthly sustainer, or to make a one-time donation in any amount.
_______________________________________________________


Peace, kids, Peace.

The SAG Awards were televised last night...if you missed them, you may click on the LINK to the right of this entry, where it says SAG AWARDS, Jan. 27th, 2008, where you'll read the transcripts, and view pics of the winners accepting.
I was pretty pleased with the winners from television.
"The Sopranos" swept that, and I am happy for them. I voted for "The Sopranos" to win Ensemble, and Edie Falco to win Best Performance by a Female.
I still want Michael C. Hall-- of "Dexter" fame-- to get more recognition, though. Mr. Hall was on fire as David in "Six Feet Under" several seasons ago, and I felt that show never received the kudos it deserved, either. I think in television's history book, both "Six Feet Under" and "Dexter" will be remembered as groundbreakers.

In film, I voted for, and predicted "No Country For Old Men" would win Ensemble, and it did, as did my favorite, Javier Bardem, for Best Performance, male.
*******************************************************************
I just watched Barack Obama receive Ted Kennedy's endorsement for President.
Hmmmm..
I am delighted that Ted Kennedy has worked tirelessly for the poor, the disenfranchised, and has always supported the arts in this country.
But. Uh. If I were Barack Obama, I'm not sure having his endorsement is the ultimate. As in-- is someone is going to say:
"Ted Kennedy's supporting him? Oh, well, then he's my man."
Barack Obama already has Caroline Kennedy's support(which is a wonderful thing!), and the support of all the nephews, etc., of JFK.
At the rally where Ted Kennedy made his announcement,
The always uplifting Barack Obama spoke eloquently to American University students, about us being united"White or black, straight or gay...".
How refreshing to have a candidate include us-- LGBTQ folks--in the national discussion of unity.God Bless Barack Obama!
He really does not "need" Ted Kennedy, who is a target for Republicans, and sometimes an embarassment for Democrats(alleged heavy drinking, a few scandals which were never completely resolved, etc.).
And speaking of scandals, the mud-slinging is officially beginning...CNN is reporting on a developer from Illinois who is being charged with impropreity in busness affairs, who long-ago donated $80,000.00 to Senator Obama's campaign(all the money is already being returned, Senator Obama has said he "wants none of it.").
Several "reporters" are trying to insinuate Senator Obama has done something wrong, even though all he did was purchase a house(which is in all public records, nothing improper), a few years ago, from this individual, who was considered trustworthy, and was a friend, at that time. The Senator has not even been accused of ANYthing, much less been charged with anything!
I'm certain FOX "News"(I have not looked, but we all know what they do best is rumor-mongering) will accelerate this to Olympian status, and give it hours of coverage, only to drop the story quietly(since there is no truth linking Obama to any of this), in a few days...
Leave Barack Obama alone, and go find something that actually threatens this country to write about. Like, I don't know--how 'bout the usual nonesense we're all going to hear tonight on t.v., entitled, "The State of the Union" address, by our Liar-in-Chief, George W.?