I apologize up front for the brevity of this diary, but the message is so vital and the presentation so effective and moving that I feel it needs to spread as far and wide as possible - and as quickly as possible.
Last Tuesday night, Fort Worth city councilman Joel Burns decided to use his allotted time for other issues and, instead, directly and forcefully address the recent spate of gay teen suicides. One might think the message might be muted and boilerplate, he being a politician from one of the more redneck regions of Texas - but the result was positively electrifying - and heartbreaking.
After detailing the tragic loss of the 5 recent suicides, Joel then confesses publicly and in detail about his own victimization as a gay youth - and issues a heartfelt and passionate plea that the way we respond to the hurtful and harmful treatment of those so needlessly and pointlessly assaulted (both verbally and physically) for their own identities needs to change - and that those who engage in such antisocial behavior be held accountable.
This video needs to be seen by all GLBT youth - their parents - and children and teenagers in general - and the message spread as far and as wide as possible - so that not one more innocent young person with their entire lives ahead of them feels compelled to throw it all away in service to ignorance and bigotry.
Fort Worth city Councilman's Message to GLBT Youth...