14-Year-Old It Gets Better Filmmaker Commits Suicide After Endless Bullying

Posted by Kevin Farrell on Sep 20, 2011 in Bad News | 75 comments

Jamey Rodemeyer is breaking our hearts.

14-year-old Jamey Rodemeyer struggled with coming out for much of the past two years. Not that he or his loved ones had a problem with his sexuality, per se. Rather, it was the incessant tormenting of bullies at Jamey’s WIlliamsville North high school that led to his depression and thoughts of suicide.

Inspired by Lady Gaga’s Born This Way, Jamey even made an It Gets Better video to help empower others in his shoes back in May of this year. It’s difficult not to get choked up watching his assurances that he no longer struggles with suicidal thoughts in the video knowing today how his story will eventually play out.

On Sunday, September 18 Jamey wrote two final posts on his Tumblr blog, where he had frequently discussed the anti-gay bullying he was on the receiving end. These two posts mentioned wishing to see his grandmother again, and giving thanks to Lady Gaga “for everything you have done for me.”

And then he took his own life.

“I always say how bullied I am, but no one listens,” he wrote Sept. 9. “What do I have to do so people will listen to me?”

Just over one week later, Jamey was found dead outside his home of an apparent suicide.

In the months prior, he routinely blogged about school bullying and thoughts of suicide in between upbeat posts about his pop star idol Lady Gaga and the ordinary types of teen rants typical for kids his age.

On Sept. 8, he wrote: “No one in my school cares about preventing suicide, while you’re the ones calling me [gay slur] and tearing me down.”

He put up a separate post that day letting everyone know it was National Suicide Prevention Week.

It’s not that Jamey didn’t have friends. He says in his IGBP video that he does. But his blog was littered with anti-gay comments from classmates telling him to kill himself.

“JAMIE IS STUPID, GAY, FAT ANND UGLY. HE MUST DIE!” read one post.

Another read: “I wouldn’t care if you died. No one would. So just do it It would make everyone WAY more happier!”

Jamie was seeing a therapist and a social worker in the time leading up to his death, and it sounds like his school was trying to assist him in making his school days more tolerable. His guidance counselor recommended Jamey refrain from blogging and using social networks, where bullying thrives unregulated and unseen by teachers. But that suggestion avoids the issue of holding Jamey’s tormentors accountable. Homeboy was the victim in this situation.

The entire situation is just an incredible shame. What a phenomenal waste of life.

(via Buffalo News)

UPDATE: Anderson Cooper weighs in.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=592796245 Trenton Flock

Every time I see one of these articles (which is far too frequently), I remember how close I came to committing suicide because of bullying and how long it took me to purge those demons even after it was over…and I want to scream. I am not a litigious person, not for adding more laws and regulations on a whim, but bullying is treated as criminal in the adult world, and these young bullies should also be seen as criminals. There is no more appropriate word for them. And the law should recognize that and give those who are bullied the ability to prosecute their tormentors. End of story.

Jamie

Imagine the outcry if they’d been taunting him with “Nigger, nigger!”

Yet gay taunting is not considered a big deal.

The world IS gradually changing and getting more accepting, just not soon enough for this boy…

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=592796245 Trenton Flock

Every time I see one of these articles (which is far too frequently), I remember how close I came to committing suicide because of bullying and how long it took me to purge those demons even after it was over…and I want to scream. I am not a litigious person, not for adding more laws and regulations on a whim, but bullying is treated as criminal in the adult world, and these young bullies should also be seen as criminals. There is no more appropriate word for them. And the law should recognize that and give those who are bullied the ability to prosecute their tormentors. End of story.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=592796245 Trenton Flock

Every time I see one of these articles (which is far too frequently), I remember how close I came to committing suicide because of bullying and how long it took me to purge those demons even after it was over…and I want to scream. I am not a litigious person, not for adding more laws and regulations on a whim, but bullying is treated as criminal in the adult world, and these young bullies should also be seen as criminals. There is no more appropriate word for them. And the law should recognize that and give those who are bullied the ability to prosecute their tormentors. End of story.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1750795598 Julie Salvatore

HE CAN’T BE DEAD!!! IT GETS BETTER! IT GETS BETTER! HE BELIEVED IT! HE GOT THERAPY! HE SAID HE WASN’T SUICIDAL! HE WAS MURDERED!!!! NO ONE POST “IT GETS BETTER” WHEN HE DOESN’T BEILEVE IT!!! HE WAS MURDERED! HE DID NOT! COMMIT SUICIDE!!! HE KNOWS IT GETS BETTER!!!! HE WOULDN’T LIE!!!

http://www.facebook.com/comicbookcub Erik Galston

to be honest, a lot of people hide there depression and their suicidal thoughts from the world. I’m sure when he made that video that he indeed thought it would get better. Who knows what he was really feeling/thinking though. I know for myself i come across as happy and outgoing, but really i’m seriously depressed and have thought and tried to kill myslef.

Jesse Nix

Please don’t hurt yourself bro! My name’s Jesse Nix. I’m 30 years old and I’ve been down that road. We’ve all been teenagers. Please know that people love you!

Jesse (yep, my real name)

I’m 37, I’ve been down that road also (not the LGBT road, but bullies and depression and poor self-esteem have a somewhat-similar result), and people may say they love me if coerced or feel like they have a reason to tell me so, but it can’t help me unless they tell me. And no, “AGirlsName thinks you’re hot!!!!!” being yelled at me by AGirlsFriend as I walk across a parking lot doesn’t help much. Doesn’t cut the mustard. I was killed by Col. Mustard in the Library with the Switchblade? No, not unless I am Colonel Mustard.

http://www.badinfluencespeaks.com/ Bad Influence Speaks

This is a heartbreaking (and should have been entirely preventable) loss. Hacks hiding behind a screen name who need to tear others down to feel good about themselves need to start being held accountable.

Eric Mendez

they need to be held accountable but bear in mind that one of the founding and existing basic principles of the internet is the value of anonymity. Don’t reject that principle because one kid killed himself. If he believed so strongly that suicide was wrong, why did he kill himself?

http://www.facebook.com/Destrae Alayna Honey Colstrom

It’s the bullies that no one would miss. I hope they live the rest of their lives knowing that they pulled the trigger.

dano

Except the bullies won’t really care. They learned this behavior from somehwere and I bet the ones who taught them are not telling them they should feel remorse.

Just a horrible tragedy.
Phil

Bullies are responsible for their actions, and ideally they would be held accountable in some way, but it isn’t fair to say they pulled the trigger. That’s taking it too far. Just like the bullies, the one who suicides is responsible for his actions. The crime of bullies is abuse, not murder.

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1750795598 Julie Salvatore

I’m so sorry! I have to accept it. After all, our bodies are merely shells….we are imortal beings & death is not the end. In a cosmic sense, it DID get better for him, he’s alive & well in a higher, better place. Perhaps, in his mind, he felt “It gets better…even if it’s in Heaven”. I am heartbroken either way. I hate homophobes! I hate bullies! I wish they would all die & enter Hell!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Paisley-Case/100000492464462 Paisley Case

this is a very heartbreaking situation, but saying the bullies need to die and enter hell is steeping to the level of the bullies. what happened is not ok. but and eye for an eye makes the whole world blind. they need to be found and punished, but nobody (regardless who they are) should ever be told to go and die. its wrong. Jamey was told to go die and this horrible thing happened.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Michelle-Gohman/624819877 Michelle Gohman

Please also try to remember that studies have proven that some of the most homophobic people in high school are the one’s most likely to come out later in life. It is their own self hate they are projecting on their classmates. I left my home town 3 days after I graduated and moved to college for summer courses. To my own dismay one of the first people I ran into was someone who had bullied me for years. This person approached me, apologized for his actions and came out to me. He began explaining his home life and assumption of what his friends would have done to him if he had came out in high school. He was afraid someone would figure it out if he didn’t pick on the people in our high school who were assumed gay. When I was in high school if you came out you were sent to the alternative learning center, so not many of us came out. Now, that same high school, has a GSA, and a few out teachers from what I understand. Please don’t condemn the bullies, they aren’t being taught right by their own support system. This isn’t their fault. We are so quick to blame the kids that are bullying that we forget to look at how they are being parented. We need to put a program into place that if the child is doing the bullying we need to reach the parent first, then the child. Reaching these people is how it all gets better. Death is never better than life. Even if there is a higher place he still has to see his loved ones from up above suffering from the loss of his life down here. He probably didn’t even realize the impact his life had on so many people. I’m just hoping that this is an eye opener to people to realize that the outer appearance can be a mask and the inner appearance is just hiding under the mask of saying we’re ok.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Michael-Brooks/1495080976 Michael Brooks

They don’t say what the actual cause of death, and he died outside.Law enforcement should not discount the possibility of a Homicide/Murder by one of his tormentors, even if his blogs indicates otherwise. My heart and Prayers for the repose of his soul.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000001175384 Cyn McCollum

Aw Jamie. I am sorry you couldn’t take anymore. And Jamie’s family, you have my deepest sympathy. I know you tried. Godspeed, Jamie. I did’t want to remember you this way, but I won’t forget.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PMS42MOAMK3NHBUC3EDBVFGFHA VMKS

Another causality to the Septembers children.
Anonymous

Oh sweet boy. So tragic for those of us who know it really does get better. High school was bad enough without the bully’s being able to follow you “home” and bully you online as well. Heartbreaking. How do the Bachmann’s and Gallagher’s, etc, sleep at night knowing their complicity in the hatred these poor teens (and adults) suffer on a daily basis. How do they reconcile the Bible’s message of “love” with the pain they cause? My heart goes out to this boy’s family. Who knows what great things he was meant to accomplish…..
http://www.facebook.com/esthermitchell Esther Mitchell

I know it doesn’t do any good to say this, here, and I’m probably going to get backlash for it… But this is how I really feel. I feel that every person who contributes to someone’s suicide through bullying should be found, arrested, and held accountable by law for their actions. Make them spend a little time in prison, or fine the tar out of them — even just having the ghost of that conviction following them around as they try to get jobs in this economy might make someone think twice before they use words as a hateful weapon. I wish it didn’t have to come to something like this… I wish people could treat each other with the love and respect we all deserve as human beings. But when education isn’t working, sometimes tough love is all you can do.

http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VZRG7MWG3UEUODWNP75NMRNA2M DR

I don’t have a problem at all with what you say. I think you’ve hit it exactly–accountability. These people–no matter their age–need to be hauled out into the light of day and punished for their contemptible actions. And they will learn firsthand that actions have consequences. Thanks for saying what sorely needs to be said.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_VZRG7MWG3UEUODWNP75NMRNA2M DR

I don’t have a problem at all with what you say. I think you’ve hit it exactly–accountability. These people–no matter their age–need to be hauled out into the light of day and punished for their contemptible actions. And they will learn firsthand that actions have consequences. Thanks for saying what sorely needs to be said.
Was bullied aslo

Bullying lasts for life. It also takes lives. I agree, give these children consequences. Time in jail. A record. Yep.

The anonymity of social networks contributes to this, as do parents who are not aware of their children being bullies.

I would have SERIOUS consequences if my kids bullied.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Cobalt-Blaze/100000556002895 Cobalt Blaze

thats a weak punishment, a media list of all who were involved names photos etc. released to the public for those in the area to verbally bash back, it will show them how stupid it is to start when it will become a never ending cycle and someone will always get hurt, bullys are what we call criminals in the making give them hell for their actions and they will see the light, and if not they deserve further torment themselves a hell on earth for them i think.

http://www.facebook.com/ktc10 Katie Cetin

It’s so hard to watch the video and hear him say “I made a formspring…which I shouldn’t have done.” He should be free to make a formspring if he wants one without having to worry about being tormented. Whoever made him think that he shouldn’t have made it because it was asking for trouble is a terrible human being.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000451850693 Ashley Valencia

My heart breaks for this boy and his family. What’s terrible is that, his suicide won’t change anything. The kids who tormented him will simply move on to torment someone else in an endless circle of hate and pain.

Phil

I’m not sure about that. You’re just engaging in simple, black and white thinking. I think at least some of them will question their role in his death. I hope they realize that they did NOT kill him, but they did hurt someone who was very vulnerable.

http://www.facebook.com/people/Sara-Kuzawa/208701073 Sara Kuzawa

I started crying *before* watching the video. And now I can’t stop.
http://www.facebook.com/christensen.mj M.J. Christensen

It is hard to face constant bullying and not end up on the wrong end of a pistol. This death is a tragedy, but to rule it a suicide is to deny the responsibility of the tormentors. If an adult is assaulted, he or she can file charges against his or her assaulters. If a teen is assaulted, they call it bullying. And the most they can expect is for their bully (ies) to be suspended. That is not justice. This was not a suicide, it was an aggravated suicide… There is a difference.

http://www.leafscar.com bing

Well said. There should be a harsher form of accountability for bullying, but what?

espy

We need to have a MUCH, MUCH stronger method – It gets better is a great start, but we NEED a STRONGER action. This CANNOT happen again. We ALL need to owe this kid to make that happen. Let’s do something more effective, and end this bullshit once for all.
Anonymous

Tragic~! There aren’t enough words to give my deepest sympathies to his family and there isn’t a law strong enough to prosecute his tormentors~! If I were his big brother, I’d probably go mid evil on them if I ever found any of them.
Anonymous

Tragic~! There aren’t enough words to give my deepest sympathies to his family and there isn’t a law strong enough to prosecute his tormentors~! If I were his big brother, I’d probably go mid evil on them if I ever found any of them.
Anonymous

What can one say to this? There is not much. Another precious life lost at the hands of ignorance and fear and total hatred for an entire group of people. Do not respond with hatred, readers, respond with love and pity those that have caused this: they too will suffer.
Anonymous

Every time this happens the community has failed itself. Until we open our homes, go by the hundreds to these schools to shame people, be involved, I have to ask: “What’s my part in it’ Silence (still) = Death.
Anonymous

This is all our fault. ‘What’s my part in it?’ — Until people start demonstrating at these schools against bullying of all kinds, and giving young people with nowhere else to go safe havens, it’s only going to continue. We shouldn’t be encouraging young people at 14 to ‘come out’ unless they have their lives together and resources and support. This boy should be living and doing things 14 y.o. do – not being a spokesperson for a community that is largely apathetic. And letting young people put all their faith in stupid pop stars is not the answer. That said, I applaud his bravery, and am not criticizing him personally.

Pretty much proven: in a bullying situation, if even one neutral person speaks up, half of the siutations end. But, this sicko society would have to face its problems across the board.

Silence (still) = Death. Act up, fight back, save lives.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=886365127 Venetia Featherstone-Witty

This is so tragic and pointless. Hate has no place in this world – why have we not learned anything after thousands years of history repeating itself? My heart goes out to this family and any other young people who are being bullied by bigoted narrow minded cowards such as the ones who caused this poor boy to end his life. Wake up everyone! We are all connected whether we acknowledge it or not – we are all a part of the human family and it is about time we accept and care about each other.
http://www.facebook.com/PeterDJThomas Peter Damita Jo Thomas

I teared up at his IGB video but it was his simple Edge of Glory cover that got me crying. Nobody should end like this.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002606289852 Jeff Schueler

What a sick, twisted country we live in. I would trade my life for his if I could have prevented his needless death.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Kyle-Eng/630863732 Kyle Eng

bastards… if i got my hands on those little punks… i wouldn’t trust myself not to leave them begging for their own end. i hope they know that they are as guilty of murder as any one who shot the kid himself. i hope that it haunts them for the rest of their lives, i hope that their names become public and that they are denied education, love, acknowlegement and opportunity. because that is EXACTLY what they have taken from this kid, from his parents who have to bury their child, from society who will never benefit from his future accomplishments… in Pace Requiscat
http://www.facebook.com/mwmtalent Marty Weiss

In the past four weeks, I have helped two teens who were being bullied online, one because he is effeminate and presumed gay. In both cases, once I commented, others joined in. The bullies were overcome and backed off. It only takes one person to get the ball rolling. Please, if anyone ever encounters and notices this type of situation, get involved fast!

http://www.leafscar.com bing

How do you find these websites/get involved? Maybe you can form an organized way for others to do the same thing as you. There ought to be enough supporters to speak up significantly if they can just find the places where they are needed!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Lisa-Jeanne-Simpson/592052391 Lisa Jeanne Simpson

Awesome Marty & to anyone like Marty who is willing to get involved. I am the proud mom of a gay son & a straight son. I love them both so much & God help any person who brings harm to either of them, bullying or otherwise. We lived in WV & my son, before “coming out,” went through some horrible ordeals in school just because he was “different”. NOBODY should be bullied for any reason, not for being “slow” or “gay”, “black” or “Pakistian” Bullying is ILLEGAL! If you know the person who is doing it, report them to an adult or to the police.

Keep up the good work Marty! God created us to Love not Hate!

http://www.facebook.com/people/Jaycey-Rae/632457202 Jaycey Rae

No one takes online bullying seriously, and I don’t know why. It has lead to innumerable suicides and has made therapists millions. I have had hate blogs made about me being a supposed “dyke” and if it weren’t for the amazing support system I had, and many others like me have, we would all end up like this poor young man. I hope karma is really for the sake of all the lost bullying victims out there.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=508163235 Kelly González

Poor Jaime. You sweet boy, I wish I knew you. I love you and I wish I could have helped you. I hope you are at peace, and my heart really goes out to your family. You were so kind to reach out to other people. You deserve so much life.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1267297082 Phillip Marsh

May those that bullied him never know a moment’s peace, may they be tormented by their conscience, may all people of good character turn from them – until they realize what they have done and make atonement for what they have done!

Hey, if any young kid reads this and you don’t think you can take it then contact me.
http://paintedeyes.org Emily

I wish I could have given him a hug and let him know how important he was. Although I’m not gay, I went through years of depression, suicidal thoughts, and bullying from the time I was 10 until I was in my early 20′s. But it DID get better. And everything that was so, so hard as a teenager became easier and easier to deal with as I aged. I wish he had given himself the chance to grow and to continue to do important things for others. This is such a horrible, tragic thing, but I hope something good will come out of this. Maybe a parent will realize their child’s feelings are serious, maybe a bully will realize how devastating words can be. I’m so sorry life was too hard for you, Jamey. We will keep your message and memory alive.
Pingback: 14-Year-Old It Gets Better Filmmaker Commits Suicide After Endless … | badPuppies
Todd Klopfer

I hope everyone that is reading this posts a link to their FaceBook page and encourage all their friends to repost to their page. This can not continue. G-ddamn it. We must not forget this image.
Milli

I can’t imagine that a teenager already definitely knows he’s gay at the age of 14. As the therapist says, he shouldn’t have posted on a public blog.

One of the problems is Lady Gaga. She’s making money by giving gay men the illusion that she cares about them.

Mychyl

First off, I can attest — in my own case — that I definitely knew I was gay (before knowing the words for it) when I was 7. In this day and age, when kids are becoming sexually active before the age of 13, is it really all that shocking to you that a 14 year old has a sexual identity?

As for Lady Gaga, who are you to claim that she (and every other celebrity, by association, that offers support for the LGBT community) DOESN’T care? She writes a song about being who you are, and suddenly she’s the enemy? Your logic makes no sense — or rather, about as much sense as a tobacco company caring about the respiratory health of its customers.

Pingback: You Are Now Authorized to be Gay; What the End of DADT Means to You; America’s Best and Brightest Discouraged by DADT; and more… » DailyQueerNews.com
Ralph Delama

Perhaps if his therapist had concentrated on the problem–his sexual deviance–instead of coddling him, this wouldn’t have happened.
Francis

I’m not an advocate for violence, but if a few bullies start becoming casualties then the discussion will get far more serious. If every single kid that commits suicide takes out his tormentor at the same…. laws will change. no single parent would like to send their kids to schools where there is constant fire fights and assaults left and right. the reason this keeps happening is because it only affects that 5% of all kids.. If there is constant retribution it will affect everybody and eventually cause much needed change
Johnny Spargus

Quit being so gay on youtube and it won’t happen.

Seriously; if you stand on a soapbox and make a spectacle of yourself, stuff is gonna happen. I have the *right* to walk down the sidewalk in a klan uniform. However people would react badly, so it’s a stupid thing to do.

However, there are people stupid enough to actually wear klan suits despite peoples’ reaction, and they start going on about their rights instead of just thinking “Hmm, maybe I shouldn’t do something that I know damn well will cause a reaction when I’m in a public place”.

The Dude

Nice analogy.

You’re comparing his being gay and harassed to you wearing a Klan outfit. I can’t even mock that. You’ve already beat me to it.

Zelda Fitzgerald

My grandson was born with cleft palate, and has been on the receiving end of bullying over it many times. In the end, this comes down to parents not doing their jobs. Children are not naturally kind. They need to be taught by lesson and example to be compassionate and empathic. Whenever I see a bully, I also see parents who are complacent, lazy, unconcerned, self-deluding, and entitled. Bullies must be held accountable for the results of their actions, and parents must face acountability as well: THIS is what you raised. THIS is the result of your neglect. Another child is dead because of YOUR child’s actions. Society must demand change. It was once acceptable to drive with a buzz on, to smoke in hospitals, to demand separate entrances for blacks and whites. People demanded change, and change happened. The same movement for change needs to happen with bullying. Until it does, we all share responsibility for the deaths of these precious souls.
http://www.memphisghost.com Mike Einspanjer

The world is a sadder place without this fine young man in it. What a horrible world we live in. We can send people into outer space, but we are still calling kids “faggot.” Evolve people!!! Stop dragging your knuckles on the ground and EVOLVE! God bless you Jamey. RIP.
Bob Sackimano

So very sad. I know the world likes to think of the internet as some amazing tool for productivity and profit, but in the end – it’s just a stupid place where people can waste their time being assholes to each other.
Amy

Poor child!!!!

When I was 14 I already knew who I was too. I knew even long before 14 but that is the age when I knew it with clarity and had put a name to it, but always knew I was different before then. I was 14 in 1974, we couldn’t come out back then would have been disowned and probably killed before we ever had a chance to commit suicide or put away by homophobic family members, nope when I was 14 kids were either unlucky and completely alone in the closet or a few of us were lucky enough to have a good close friend we could confide in or an adult who was a closeted gay but recognized what they saw in a kid and was there for them, myself I had a best friend who was a true friend at the time I confided in her and she didn’t turn her back on me or make me feel bad about who I was and I had some teachers who I could talk to along the way, it is so tragic about this kid my heart goes out to his parents!!!
Pingback: Anderson Cooper Mourns 'It Gets Better' Filmmaker Suicide Victim, Jamey | Gay Blog | Gay News
Amother

Okay, as a mom here is what you do STEP 1 – No more online. First problem solved. STEP 2 – Go to the school and demand action. Come on this is Protecting Your Kid 101. Notice this is all about the boy. Where is his freakin’ parents???!!!

“Jamie was seeing a therapist and a social worker in the time leading up to his death…” Again – hello mommy? hello daddy?

Christ sakes. Pull the kid from the school if it is full of a$$holes and go elsewhere. Failing that, get the kid off line. No more comment section on the blog. Comments by Facebook page only. Etc. This kid was left to hang by the parents. And yes parents… I am blaming you.

Gary Andrews

I know for a fact that the school took his claims of bullying seriously. Also, there is a Gay Straight Alliance at the school which is advised by an unpaid faculty adviser who has donated her time to that club for years. Jamey took part in that club and took comfort in it. It wasn’t enough. Sometimes it never is.
Your condescending “Go to the school and demand action. Come on this is Protecting Your Kid 101. Notice this is all about the boy. Where is his freakin’ parents???!!!” belies your ignorance of the situation.
You want to blame someone? Blame the bullies running for President who Jamey had to hear every day. They spew filth and hate to rally millions and claim it comes from “religious morals”. Blame the preachers in their pulpits and the imams in their mosques.

Pingback: Facebook, Cartoon Network, CNN & Pals Launch Anti-Bullying Pledge | Gay Blog | Gay News
Allie

I was bullied in high school. Not because of my transgendered status (no one knew, and I kept it bottled up), but because I was small and have red hair.

It stopped on the day I got smacked in the back of the head…. I turned around, faced my tormentor, and kicked him square in the nuts so hard it probably sterilized him.

I stood up for myself that day, and the bullies and rednecks left me alone after that.
Gary Andrews

The bullies I see everyday are candidates for the highest elected office in this land. Bachman, Perry, and the rest of those self righteous fu@ks help create an environment of hate. They couch it in “religious morality” and that gets them off the hook. I’m done kowtowing to them and their malicious bronze age bull shit. Jamey was no more a “sinner” than you or me. He was as valid a human as anyone else on this planet. Yet, everyday he heard how he was going to hell. Or that he needed to change. Or that he was the problem. Some of his classmates might have said those things, but some elected officials proudly proclaim those very things to rally voters to their cause. They make me sick.
Pingback: Weird and Ironic | uGeez.netuGeez.net
Toby

I was a jock in school that was not friends with any of the other jocks. I spent the majority of my young life in physical confrontations with bullies. I cannot stand the thought of someone picking on someone they perceive to be weaker.
I agree with the sentiment of violence does not solve anything, though I do not practice that in my life.
If my son (he is not gay, but is not a masculine kind of person) was being harrassed, you can bet your sweet a** I would do something about it.
My post offers nothing towards solving this issue, but I thank you for the forum to get my anger out.
Al Arment

Ok, so who is going to be held accountable for this or is the school distrcit just going to “sweep this under the rug” like MOST school districts do? The school should be held accountable for what happened to this poor kid because they KNEW he was being bullied and tormented and allowed the behavior to continue. THIS kind of stuff disgusts me and these so-called tough guys, are probably gay themselves so they put this kid down, just so nobody would know about them…. NOTHING but low-life punk bullys!!!!
http://www.sickofthiscountryscrap.com Don

Yes it is sad. The fact of the matter is its the parents fault. Both Jamey’s parents and the bullies parents. Lets not forget our twisted society either. If parents were allowed to properly discipline and teach their children we wouldn’t have the personality extremes that we have running rampant these days. Each generation seems to be worse then the last, so many overly emotional people. These people are so unstable they shut down or lash out. Our society breeds sociopaths, homosexual deviants and murderers!
Matt

This is a sad story indeed, but there are far better solutions to just “fining/jailing bullies”. Bullies will never go away.
What was stopping this kid from bringing a baseball bat to school and beating the living crap out of one of the kids?
You can’t feel sorry for yourself no matter how hard it may be.

FIGHT BACK! Start taking some self-defense classes, learn to combat the bullying. Take some action, even if it involves beating the piss out of someone. Bullies won’t learn from school/parental punishment, they WILL learn from an ass-kicking by the kid they are tormenting.
lame

maybe he was just a suicidal/emotional teen and bullying really had nothing to do with it. Maybe he would have been bullied if straight – for all anyone knows he was super annoying to his classmates and would have been bullied about anything. Maybe he was bullied before coming out.

Teens bully each other, plain and simple. Why didn’t his parents help him through it and teach him not to be such a magnet for attention?

Anyway, too bad he died, but that’s life. (pun definitely intended).
HQD

I teared up watching that. I am a straight Mormon young woman, and I feel so bad that this happened. What is wrong with people? “Love thy neighbor as thyself?” A lesson a lot of us need to take to heart.

Just from the video, Jamey came off as a sweet, upstanding young man who I would have been honored to know. Gay, straight, bi, that should not matter. What SHOULD matter is having those in the wrong be held accountable. In the end, it was Jamey’s choice to end his life, but his choice was influenced by the wrong choices of those who unfairly persecuted him, and the failed system that let them get away with it.

The counselor who suggested him to stop blogging was an idiot. That just means the bullies win—I admire that Jamey pressed on and faced his adversity head-on. Where are the phone calls to the parents? The reports of harassment? Actual solutions to a known problem? His sexuality should never have entered the equation. He was being harassed, plain and simple, and there were many opportunities to intervene that went ignored.

I only hope that those in the wrong are forced to face the consequences of their actions.
Grow.A Pair

Now before I get totally flamed to death, I want everyone to know that I am in no way homophobic and that I myself endured not severe, but consistent bullying throughout my 7th and 8th grade years. I was picked on and ostracized for being small (late puberty) and had my fair share of homophobic slurs thrown at me because of my lack of interest in girls (yes straight, and happily married to my lovely wife for 2.5 years=]).

That being said, there is no reason to kill yourself over something that one person, or many, says or does. Yeah, it sucked hardcore for two years. Yeah, I covered myself in a mental and emotional shell that I still have parts of wrapped around me. But I did not shut out those who sought to help. I had friends who saw my hurt and came along side to comfort and encourage me. I had a youth group at church who I could lean on and who lifted me up in their prayers. I had adults who genuinely cared for me.

In short:YOU HAVE A SUPPORT SYSTEM IF YOU ALLOW THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN. It’s scary, but you have to let them in. Trying to make it on your own will only blacken your already dark thoughts. We were created to be social beings. Get together with good people.
Pingback: So very sad... - Religious Education Forum
Pingback: Lady Gaga to Meet with President Obama Over It Gets Better Suicide Victim | Gay Blog | Gay News
Jack Blair

I hold Dan Savage, Terry Miller, and the IGB Project responsible for Rodemeyer’s suicide.
Non-American

Who is to blame in all of this? Why are our young people persecuted and bullied? Who teaches the bullies that being gay is bad/wrong? – Religion.

Christian or Muslim, all religious people are extremist. Extremist in their rejection of truth. Extremist in their rejection of freedom and justice – in favour of their make-believe fantasy.

The world will only grow up when it realises that leprechauns, fairies, santa, jesus and the easter bunny are all nothing more than myths, created by the church/state in an attempt to produce citizens who are easy to control.

If you are Christian or Muslim, you are to blame for this boy’s suicide. His blood is on your hands.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Cobalt-Blaze/100000556002895 Cobalt Blaze

what i find funny is when kids think anti gay is the way and thats the mojority of the planets view. but then they grow up see that bi sexuality and homosexuality far outweighs being straight throughout the statistical facts that everyone is Bi sexual everyone will eventualy have bi sexual based thoughts eventualy in their life and as a race we are not limited to love just one gender type sexuality is a choice in many ways but some tend to just stick to the one.
http://www.facebook.com/justinxdestruction Justin Hutzler

I love you guys. but please explain this last part:
“The entire situation is just an incredible shame. What a phenomenal waste of life.”

What exactly is meant here? I don’t much like the wording.. at all….

JBenning

A young man took his life. THAT is an incredible shame and a phenomenal waste of life. That better?

Pingback: Jamey Rodemeyer's Bullies Cheer 'We're Glad You're Dead' At Homecoming | Gay Blog | Gay News
Pingback: Zachary Quinto Comes Out as a Gay Man; Reflects on Jamey Rodemeyer | Gay Blog | Gay News
Pingback: HS Football Coach Resigns After Passing Out Homophobic Survey | Gay Blog | Gay News
Pingback: School Guidance Counselor's Progress Report Called Kids Queer, Pussies, Bitches | Gay Blog | Gay News
Pingback: Students Who Bullied Jamey Rodemeyer to Death Will Face No Charges | Gay Blog | Gay News
Pingback: Bullies to Face 5 Day Suspension for Tormenting Jamey Rodemeyer to Death | Gay Blog | Gay News
Pingback: Star-Studded Trevor Project Gala Features a Who's Who of Closeted Celebs | Gay Blog | Gay News

Tags

14-Year-Old It Gets Better Filmmaker Commits Suicide After Endless Bullying

Pages

Tags

14-Year-Old It Gets Better Filmmaker Commits Suicide After Endless Bullying

Yo Categories

Pages