Out members of Congress issue letter to LGBT community

from GayPolitics.com by Denis

“Elections matter,” begins an open letter from U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank and Jared Polis, issued this afternoon.  The intended recipients?  The entire LGBT community, according to the Washington Blade.
Baldwin, Frank and Polis, Democrats all, are seeking to energize LGBT voters to go to the polls and help keep a Democratic majority on Capitol Hill.  In the letter, they warn that complacency is the wrong answer to frustration with the slow pace of change on major LGBT legislative agenda items, and explain that despite inaction on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and other bills, there has been serious progress in this Congress:

… In the 111th Congress, we passed the Matthew Shepherd and James Byrd Jr. Federal Hate Crimes Act, admittedly no small feat, while the State Department adopted inclusive passport procedures recognizing and accommodating our transgender brothers and sisters. Our voice was further strengthened when we achieved medical decision parity in America’s hospitals and strengthened polices that prevented discrimination against housing applicants based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Is it enough? No. The fight for equality is far from over. We face obstruction at every turn and it is incumbent upon us  to push harder to ensure swift action on the issues that affect us most.
Next month, the courageous and steadfast activism of the past year must be met by a vote cast on November 2nd. We ask that you look at your local ballot and scrutinize and measure candidates running for each seat. Which candidates do you see supporting issues that affect our community, which will champion our causes? Whether it is for employment non-discrimination, the repeal of DOMA or Federal Partnership benefits? Which candidates even believe LGBT issues merit space on their campaign website?
Elections matter. They matter to our country and to our community. We must go out and vote this November to ensure the forward momentum we have struggled for continues for our benefit and for that of future generations of LGBT individuals.
Sincerely,
Representatives:
Barney Frank
Tammy Baldwin
Jared Polis

Scared to death

Teenage suicides turn the spotlight on bullying in schools.

HOUSTON CHRONICLE

Oct. 8, 2010, 8:57PM

The recent spate of teenage suicides has provided a heartbreaking glimpse into the lives of young people, both in Houston and nationally, who just couldn't bear, for whatever reason, to keep on living. Equally disturbing have been the disclosures that bullying may have played a significant part in several of them.

Sometimes the evidence seems overwhelming that bullying was the cause of a particular suicide, but experts caution against simplistic conclusions: Bullying is especially hard to quantify and categorize, wrote psychology professor Susan Swearer, a nationally recognized expert, on the American Psychological Association Web site.

But there are ways that parents and educators can help both young people and themselves recognize and guard against bullying and the vulnerabilities that could lead to suicide. Depression, for example, is linked to bullying, and is a risk factor in attempting suicide.

The Chronicle's Cindy George reported last weekend on a suicide conference at Houston's University of St. Thomas, where experts talked about the steps, mostly simple and commonsense, that can alert adults to potential suicidal leanings. Pam Greene, chief nursing officer at Houston's Menninger Clinic, a psychiatric hospital, said parents should watch for dramatic changes in sleep patterns, attitude and behavior, and a parent of a teen suicide urged parents to monitor social media such as Facebook for suicidal comments and to take them seriously. 

When it comes to bullying, Swearer wrote that "parents and teachers MUST intervene when they see bullying," and should keep records of bullying behavior. While more than 40 states, including Texas, have some kind of anti-bullying laws, there are no national, long-term data, she wrote, so it is vital that schools collect comprehensive data so they can design effective interventions. 

Rose Signorello, director of the University of St. Thomas counseling center, told the Chronicle it is paramount to reach out to vulnerable kids and let them know they are not alone, that parents should try to teach more accepting, less judgmental attitudes, and that schools, while budgets may be squeezed, should consciously incorporate tools that can prevent bullying, such as problem-solving and coping skills, into everyday routines.

"Build it into the curriculum," she said. "Pick materials in history, literature and other courses that illustrate how individuals and groups deal with racism, sexism, ageism …. Part of bullying is fear and discomfort with people who are different, who don't fit a norm." Which is why gay and lesbian students are bullied more, "because people who bully tend to seek the most vulnerable, the most different from them."

This has sadly proved true in recent suicides, many of whom were reportedly hounded because of their sexual orientation, including Asher Brown, the 13-year-old Houstonian who shot himself to death two weeks ago. In response to Brown's death, state Rep. Garnet Coleman announced that he and fellow Houston Democratic state Rep. Jessica Farrar would (again) seek to pass an anti-discrimination bill for Texas public schools in the 2011 session.

Called the Dignity For All Students Act, it would outlaw discrimination and harassment on the basis of "ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, religion or national origin." The bill, filed each session since 2003, has been repeatedly killed in the public education committee, reported the Texas Tribune, which quotes Coleman as saying, "The opposition is from people who believe there is a homosexual agenda. This is just about protecting kids."

It is indeed, and kudos to Coleman and Farrar for their untiring efforts. One would think that a body called the public education committee would be the first to applaud them.

Local-Federal Hearing on Bullying

Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Holds a Local-Federal Hearing on the Growing Nationwide and Local Epidemic of Bullying to Call for Passage of a Federal Anti-Bullying Statute Along with a Local Response Washington, Oct 14 - MEDIA ADVISORY Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee Holds a Local-Federal Hearing on the Growing Nationwide and Local Epidemic of Bullying to Call for Passage of a Federal Anti-Bullying Statute Along with a Local Response “The problem of bullying has been a persistent issue for years but has now become a national crisis. Newspaper headlines and news broadcasts across our Nation have been flooded with chilling stories about victims of bullying. This local-federal hearing will be an opportunity to hear from Houstonians in order to help establish national solutions.” WHO:                           The Honorable Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee                                         Council Member Al Hoang, Houston City Council                                         Parents of victims of bullying                                         Additional Local, State and Federal Representatives                                         Representatives from Houston School Districts                                         Representatives from Local Law Enforcement                                         Experts on Children, Education, Mental Health, and Social Services WHAT:                       A Local-Federal hearing on Bullying where local, state, and federal officials can come together with schools, law enforcement, experts on bullying, parents and students to facilitate an important hearing about bullying and come up with solutions to address this growing national crisis. Witnesses will provide testimony on the impact of bullying while calling for help. WHEN:                         Monday, October 18, 2010; 4:00 – 7:00pm                                 WHERE:                         Houston City Hall, Council Chamber, Second Floor                                         900 Bagby Street, Houston, TX                                         Parking Behind the City Hall Annex

Gay teen Asher Brown laid to rest in Houston

Posted on 02 Oct 2010 at 6:20pm

The Rev. Stephen Sprinkle
from the Dallas Voice
Cross-posted from Unfinished Lives
HOUSTON — Asher Brown’s uncle told a big gathering of mourners and family supporters on Saturday, Oct. 2 that school bullies “ripped him up and tore him down everyday.”
A crowd of hundreds blanketed a Houston park beside Moore Elementary School to express grief over the death by bullying of 13-year-old gay boy, Asher Brown.
Bright balloons floated in the air as the line of friends patiently waited to sign the memorial book and get a chance to speak to David and Amy Truong, Asher’s parents. His uncle, a Christian minister, MC’ed the memorial service.
”The bullies picked on my nephew because of the way he dressed, how he talked, and the fact he was small. He was a David among Goliaths,” Rev. Truong told the large crowd. ”But Asher’s heart was so big! His heart made him a giant.”
Asher’s school friends, the few who stood by him no matter what, were present and spoke. One of them said there was a “Bully Free Zone” sign at Hamilton Middle School where Asher faced torment every day for being different, for being gay, and for being vulnerable. His friend said that the sign meant nothing. Nothing was done by anyone to protect Asher, himself, or any other target of ridicule at Hamilton. The Truongs had repeatedly tried to get school officials to help their son, but the school basically ignored their calls and emails.
Initially, a spokesperson for the school district denied that any appeals had come to the school about Asher and the severe bullying he was facing there. Now the Cy-Fair Independent School District is acknowledging that “some communication” concerning Asher did indeed come from his parents.
The gay teen shot himself in his Dad’s closet on Sept. 23 after bullying became unendurable for him. When David Truong, Asher’s Dad, found Asher lying on the floor of his closet, he thought at first that his son had fallen asleep reading a book–and then he saw the blood.
Referring to Asher’s six friends who spoke at the outdoor memorial service, David Truong said, “These kids are the true heroes of this whole thing. They are speaking out, and we need to support them.”
Houston City Councilwoman Jolanda Jones told the crowd that she and Mayor Annise Parker are taking this senseless killing in Houston as a “call to action” for passage of a zero tolerance anti-bullying law that will be named “Asher’s Rule” as a fitting memorial to a good boy who just wanted to live his life–though bullies wouldn’t let him.
Many supporters from the LGBTQ community came to show their support for safe schools for all children, and to support Asher’s family.
Asher’s uncle declared that “gay and straight alike are perfect in God’s sight. God doesn’t make any mistakes.” What happened to his nephew was not going to be dismissed as simply a “gay issue.”
”This is a hate issue, and we are not going to rest until all children are safe from hate at school,” he said.
For more photos of the Asher Brown Memorial Service, click here.
Stephen V. Sprinkle is director of field education and supervised ministry, and sssociate professor of practical theology at Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth.