Bullies are Not Just Our Kids!

It's well beyond time to stop hate. All hate. It's well beyond time we stood up for fair and equal human rights for all people. This is a job for all of us. We desperately need more people to help change the way we think, speak, and act. We desperately need people to consider the way words and actions affect others, and in particular our children, who learn hate by watching and listening to others practice it.

If you have not yet heard about a new documentary called Bully, you really should go over here to watch the trailer and learn more. Please tell your friends, and family to watch. It's so important. Children are learning to be cruel. It's not just a case of kids will be kids. Someone has to teach them this is wrong, that it's unacceptable. 

Two days ago was the anniversary of a dear friend's death. She was a lesbian who lived into her twenties with two parents that repeatedly bullied her. She struggled to be out and proud, but eventually, she chose to take her own life rather than live with being hated by those who were supposed to love her the most. Bullies are parents, preachers, teachers, guardians, bus drivers, law enforcement officers, and more. They bully not simply by spewing hate themselves, but by remaining silent, by doing nothing when they see others being bullied. It has to stop!

Children are committing murder out there. They are ruining their own lives and the lives of others. Ellen says it better than I can in her speech about Lawrence King:

Sharon wanted to blog today like her best friend, Morgan, about being a straight ally, but I decided this was too important to be spoken through the words of my character. She would have blogged about Glaad, so please go find out what you can do to become an ally. They are incredibly important. So are safe places where all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, Intersexed, and Allied (LGBTQIA) people can come to know that they are loved, that they have a whole community supporting them, that they are not second class citizens. We welcome everyone at The Ravens Crossing. We invite everyone to come join the fun, comment, get to know each other, make friends, find resources, and know, no matter what anyone says, it's okay to be gay!

The NBA, GLSEN, and Elliot Greene

I know, you're wondering who is Elliot Greene, right? Well, he's the captain of the Wildwood High School Ravens' basketball team at The Ravens Crossing, of course. Today, Andi Lea's Darci & Elliot story goes up at 8 AM. Join them at the Broussard Community Center Valentine's Dance. Since it's flash fiction, it will only take you a couple of minutes to read, and I promise this story is so worth your time! You can find archives of the previous stories on the side bars of the page, too.

Keeping with my ongoing celebration, today's blog is for Elliot. Since I know Elliot is an inclusive kind of guy, with numerous friends in the LGBT community, I feel pretty certain he will be thrilled by the NBA's recent partnership with The Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network (GLSEN).

The organizations partnered with several others to create a series of PSA's featuring Phoenix Suns stars Grant Hill and Jared Dudley about the use of anti-gay language among teens. The announcements promote the Think B4 You Speak campaign and their "Changing the Game" initiative. 

In an article on the GLSEN website, Kathy Behrens, NBA Executive Vice President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs, said, "The NBA is honored to work on this important campaign in partnership with GLSEN and the Ad Council...NBA players like Grant Hill and Jared Dudley know that words are powerful, and they understand the impact they can have by encouraging young fans to think before they speak."

So, thanks Grant and Jared, and everyone involved with this project! I'm sure Elliot is as thrilled as I am. Check out one of the PSA's: