Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14 year old freshman from Buffalo, N.Y. was bullied to death. A boy still, yes, at 14 years old he was considered a teenager, but a boy at heart. Jamey was bullied and bullied a lot. Not for a week, not for a month, but for years. None stop. By both his high school peers on campus and off, and in this world of social network it was never ending in the world of the internet. Multiple anonymous messages were sent to Jamey via formspring, a blog that obviously does not have any preventative measures for such trash that is posted with not a care in the world of the effect that it can have on a kid’s life. Yes a kid. At 14 years old not everyone is thinking about what is the latest movie out on theaters, or who is the biggest Pop Star on the radio, but a kid such as Jamey, at 14 years old his only concern and worry was to make of his living hell, a better world of understanding for him, and for other kids that are just like him. A place of love, a place of security, a place of acceptance, respect, and tolerance. As much work as Jamey did in his short life, he never was able to understand his ultimate question. No, it wasn’t his sexuality, but why are so many kids, his peers, kids his age were so mean to him?

How can anyone have the heart to express such hate towards someone for something he him self still did not understand, yet was coming to the acceptance that it was something he could not change, and it was just the way he was, and it was ok.The way he was born, his sexuality. This high school freshman, just another kid starting a new chapter in his life, like many of us did when we entered High School. New school, new kids, new classes, the excitement that comes with what so many buzz about “Your high school years” that would come with so many unanswered questions. Questions that we all as teens, and as we entered a time in our lives of discovery in all sense of the word, we too questioned. But unfortunately for Jamey it was too much, too soon, too often; too hurtful that drove him to the only way out of his daily misery. Suicide.

Jamey was seeing a therapist and a Social Worker to help him deal with the both bullying and his internal never ending pain. However; this just goes to show that no matter how many therapist, or other professionals are out there to help one understand the “why” such hate is expressed towards their person just for being different, it does not cure the hurt that it’s felt in their heart, and the damage, as in Jamey’s case, is way more powerful than any prescription drug can cure or any professional can explain. [Read more...]