sidetrackedery

(From April 21, 2009.)

:: Re Day of Silence, Carl Joseph Walker, and bullying:

If you read most of the blogs in my Blogroll, then you are most likely already aware of the Day of Silence. You are likely aware of Carl Joseph Walker-Hoove hanging himself at the age of 11. You might have seen his picture. If not. look into the face of battered innocence.

The antibullying action taken to protect this child was to force him to eat lunch with his abuser. That is as effective as the silence I faced when I was Burned at the Stake. His family is supporting the Day of Silence, as he was going to turn 12 this Friday. The Day of Silence is April 17th.

I look back at my life and see how close I came to suicide as well. I wanted to die so often, but I wasn’t able to make myself or someone stopped me. No one considered the ramifications for this boy. His death is criminal. Suicide? In a way it is murder. Every child who ridiculed him is guilty. They may be children but I honestly hope that they feel the guilt, that it eats at them enough to prevent the next act of bullying. I doubt it. The excuse that Children Are Cruel is not acceptable. No, children are not cruel. They are innocent. They are taught cruelty by the adults in their lives.

--Textual Fury

(Day of Silence website)

:: In response to this

ths_just_in Open Forum prompt form now TWO MONTHS AND ONE DAY AGO:

I miss winter too...FLORIDA winter.

Actually, in the same vein, what are your crazy plans/dreams/hopes/aspirations/etc?

Well, I went to school to be a paralegal in the hopes of working for the ACLU and helping make gay marriage legal in Florida.

What would you do if you had the money?

I'd buy my husband's army contract, and the contracts of any of his friends that also wanted to come home.

And/or flying around the country/around the world helping with sandbagging ahead of floods, or helping out after wildfires, that sort of thing.

What would you do if you had more confidence?

Wear sleeveless shirts outside my home.

What different choices would you have made in your life if you had known x?

If I'd known that Jason wasn't the only guy that would ever fancy me, I'd have skipped him entirely.