Need DU Help! Vote for "We Belong" A documentary about bullying of gays in high school

[kevinbgoode]

This documentary was developed by a young high school student as a project to protest being bullied in his high school. You can view a long clip of the entry at:

http://www.current.tv/make/vc2/sot

There is a contest this documentary is entered in and the grand prize is 100k - with another chunk earmarked for charity.

If you can, please register (easy/free)at the site and vote for this video. There are more details about the documentary at:

http://www.eriegaynews.com/news/article.php?recordid=200612webelong

[Smarmie Doofus]

1. Great idea; kids are brave as hell, but.....

>>>If you can, please register (easy/free)at the site and vote for this video. There are more details about the documentary at:>>>>

... although it may be free , it ain't easy to register to vote. Three tries is my limit.

You'll have to be content w. a DU recommend.

[ThomCat]

2. Every one of those documentaries are heartbreaking.

:cry:

[dsc]

3. I grew up less than an hour from those schools

Growing up gay and rural can be very difficult. It was so hard to watch that but I am glad I did.

[VaTF1]

5. Why Didn't

A Pa. Chapter of GLSEN step in to aid this young man ? We have a far reaching "No-Bullying Act" that was passed and signed by our guv. into legislation, that places teachers, counselors, kitchen workers, janitors,bus drivers, principals and vice-principals on notice to report any act of bullying they see, and to stop it "dead in it's tracks".

[dsc]

6. There isn't one in their area to the best of my knowledge

They are about 40 minutes from Erie and about 80 minutes from Pittsburg. I am assuming Pittsburgh has one. Youngstown Ohio might too but that would be across state lines. It should also be noted that one of the kids did sue and win but the kids parents lost their business as a result. Hopefully things will change. I can say my time in middle and early high school was similarly awful.

[VaTF1]

7. Because of my career, and all who walked through my firehouse

I became active in issues which touch the GLBT Community. As a "straight, but not narrow" member of our society I watched a young man come into my House, and overcompensating to stay on the dept. because he thought he could stay "closeted" within the dept. I could understand him, because I was one of the first women on a dept., working as a professional and we shared alot in common. I would give out "morning orders" as to who would be assigned which task, but he never gave me a chance to attach a name to the order, and usually was on his way to finishing the job before I had the chance.

And to anyone thinking that "living any secret" remains a "secret", I can tell you that they have never been in a firehouse. J. offered to do the "shopping for the day's groceries", and no one ever anticipated that the bus would be broadsided on the way back to the firehouse, and J. would be lost to us forever. He was very loved in all of our eye's, and we refused to allow the coroner to lift his body from the bus. His brothers, within the dept., did that.

In his name, I spent 5 years on the board of FreeState Justice, now Equality Maryland, refusing to see people railroaded from their jobs, their homes, their schools, etc. I worked with a wide array of students working to pass the "No Bullying" legislation, and they were successful because they not only wanted the legislation to protect the GLBT students, but also the students who stuttered, the "fat" kid, the "nerd",etc. That was the reason the legislation was so successful, and all school professionals are now on notice to make sure all students can learn in a "safe and secure" enviroment.

[dsc]

8. a very bittersweet story

Fireman are (I have no idea if justly or unjustly overall) maligned as being a very homophobic group. It is good to know that there are many who aren't.

[VaTF1]

9. Firefighters, Please ! Firemen man the pumpers !

Sadly, it was a little bit of both. As a "probie", I saw racism, sexism, and homophobia in the generation getting ready to retire. But, it existed and I did not like it. When I received my Bugles, I refused to have any type of "hijinks", as such in my firehouse. I kicked those unwilling to behave to the busiest firehouse in the county, because the rank-and-file were "brothers" and J. was as good as anyone else in my firehouse at pulling practical jokes. And all of his "brothers" knew they could count on him, as he counted on others; firefighters go into a fire 2 by 2, and 2-3 "hold the line" (4" firehose) outside of a fire. I retired in 03 and the rank-and-file, along with management, were a hell of alot more tolerant. Consider who's name was on the first death certificate after 9/11; Father Mychal Judge. He was well loved by all members of F.D.N.Y., and I.A.F.F. "brothers" across the country.

I wasn't the only one to dedicate time to a GLBT cause in my firehouse in his name. The rank-and-file delivered groceries for Food & Friends, and took time out of their family time to volunteer for a premiere HIV clinic in Washington, where J. volunteered his "off time". He was well loved by my crew of 12, and as much as a prankster as the rest of my crew .

[dsc]

10. One of my few close friends in highschool had both parents

as firefighters. Sadly they both died in of unrelated causes and not related to firefighting either. They were good people.

[Jella]

4. Voted

[goddess40]

11. bullying for any reason is wrong

maybe we need form an organization of bully victims - although I don't like the word victim. The right has turned that word into something negative, as if the victims deserved what they get.