More tissues needed...Utah: Gay teenager commits suicide

[WillParkinson]

Utah: Gay teenager commits suicide



A 17-year old from Mountain Green, Utah, has killed himself due to homophobic bullying, local media organisations report.

Jack Reese is not the first person to have taken his own life in Northern Utah. One official spoke off-the-record to Marian Edmonds of Ogden OUTreach: “It happens here about once a week, but officially, you know, it doesn’t happen here.”

Jack’s boyfriend, Alex Smith, spoke early in the week at a community event during which a film on bullying was being screened. Smith recalled, without even realising that Jack had already taken his own life, how his boyfriend was repeatedly bullied at school.


Yesterday, ahead Jack’s funeral at Ogden this morning, OUTreach, announced that an urgent meeting will be held on May 1, to address LGBT bullying and suicide in Northern Utah. Several community leaders, teachers, parents, and young people are expected to attend, including active members of the Mormon Church.

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2012/04/28/utah-gay-teenager-commits-suicide/

[CurtEastPoint]

1. Bullying kills.

[Drale]

2. I AM NOT NOW NOR WILL I EVER CALL FOR VIOLENCE but

I sometimes feel that if a few of these kids lashed out and killed their bullies instead of themselves this would be a much bigger issue in the US.

[Swede Atlanta]

3. Unfortunately society condones the bullying.....

As long as we have the Mormon Church, Rick "Frothy" Santorum and others vilifying the LGBT community, bullying will continue.

Community and school leaders will feel emboldened to ignore the danger signs and, unfortunately, hope to eliminate "the problem".

This is a tragic end to the life of a young man who had everything to live for. Why do we as a society continue to tolerate this hatred?

If we are looking for starters I suggest we look at the entire GOP. They have done more to institutionalize anti-LGBT views than any other organization.

[WillParkinson]

4. Unfortunately...

A lot of Democrats are just as bad. They ignore things like this, unless there is a photo op involved, and the marginalize gays and lesbians until it's election season and they want our money.

The world IS changing. It's just not changing fast enough for our next generation.

[closeupready]

9. Toxic place for gay people, IMO.

Utah, that is. Wild horses couldn't drag me there, under any circumstances. Kind of like Indiana.

Very sad.

[saras]

5. "It happens here about once a week, but officially, you know, it doesn’t happen here" ONCE A WEEK??

[dickthegrouch]

7. ONCE A WEEK!!!!

Whatever happened to Obstruction of justice, harboring, aiding and abetting laws?

JAIL these murderous bullies, take their hope away from them.

A SUICIDE ONCE EVERY FUCKING WEEK is absolutely INTOLERABLE.

[xchrom]

6. so very sad. -- 17 -- he would probably have soon been out of there.

that's what abuse does -- it moves the horizon to a place where you can't see it.

hope is gone.

[JuliannaSmith]

8. SafeKidZone

Bullying in any form or fashion due to race, sexuality, gender or anything has to cease. A suicide at any age is indeed terrible, but when someone commits suicide due to bullying about his sexual orientation, it definitely hits home. A number of subsequent suicides has struck the hearts and minds of many Americans, including myself. Having kids myself I find myself worrying about their safety from time to time. However, I stumbled upon this blog the other day which tells how a mother overcame a tragedy and found an amazing way to keep her kids safe. Check it out http://www.tsue-thatswhatshesaid.com/2011/08/your-childs-safety-your-piece-of-mind.html

[Shuhered]

11. Safe Kids

What a great option for kids and affordable too. Bullies are the scourge of this earth.

[Shuhered]

10. What A Beautiful Child

So sickening. How can any state condone the suicide of such a lovely person by bullies. The crime is fully on behalf of these ignorant and cruel people. The tide is changing, though, but not soon enough for this poor child born in a state that actively, through the Mormon faith, promotes homophobia. Ben Cohen, please help!!