When so many people are suffering? When teenagers in Pocatello are taking their own lives because they can not handle the bullying for being gay? Tonight I heard of a 3rd young adult who tried to take his life in just a couple of weeks of Maddie.
My heart breaks. It breaks for them. And it breaks for what may come. I grew up in Richardson, Texas in the 80's. Richardson is just south of Plano, Texas. In the 80's Plano was dubbed the suicide capital of America. Numbers in the teens killed themselves in a very short time; this included the school counselor who could not handle what she was going through with these kids she could not help. It was a horrible time to be a teenager. And these suicides were NOT because of bullying. At the time they were blaming it on being latch key kids to parents who were thinking more about making big bucks rather than spending time with their families. It's a completely different reason for taking your life, yet the affect can be the same. Once one teenager does it, then another and still another, it becomes "The thing to do".
So how can you sleep when you see the beginnings of what they call "cluster suicides"? I went to bed and prayed for these kids in Pocatello. I prayed for peace. I prayed for love I prayed for strength. I prayed for understanding and acceptance. Yet, I could not sleep. The weight of the children of Pocatello and the youth of Idaho weighs heavy on my heart tonight. So, dear lawmakers, are you able to sleep?
What I don't understand is how our lawmakers can turn their heads to what is happening. I have asked myself, "How would adding the 4 words to the Idaho Human Rights Act" change what is happening in Pocatello? We keep using these kids as a reason to add these words, but how does that affect them? And tonight as I was talking with my friend Kenneth, it became a bit more clear. These kids are being bullied for their sexuality. If they go to the teachers or the counselors looking for help and the teachers and or counselor believe their sexuality is wrong, then that child is not going to get the support they need. I'm not saying that is what is happening. I'm just stating what has happened in my other friends lives and what could very likely be happening now. LGBT children become marginalized and ignored and brushed under the rugs. Their rights to be protected do not even exist. If these words were added to the Human Rights Act of Idaho, the teachers and counselors would HAVE to act. (You would think they would act just based on the bullying alone, but that obviously is not happening.) It could also be that without these words, without these protections, the children do not feel safe enough to ask for help. They may feel as though there is no protection for them anyway, so why bother? So we keep losing children.
So Lawmakers of Idaho, how many more children have to suffer before you are willing to even take a hearing on the matter? And how the hell can you sleep knowing that day in and day out, you ignore good citizens who stand in front of you reminding you that this needs to be taken care of for these children, and you choose to avert your eyes and look away and pretend those protesters do not exist. You try to push through the lines of protesters to get your beloved Ag-Gag law rushed through. You try to push through so you can get a law that legalizes carrying guns on college campuses pushed through. But the very lives of our Idaho Youth mean NOTHING to you? How can you sleep at night?
You have said that we have not given you enough proof of people being discriminated against and that is why you will not give us a hearing. Yet, Gov. Otter has allotted $1,000,000 to defend traditional marriage in the state of Idaho. Is $1,000,000 not enough reasons? This isn't a marriage issue, this is just plain Human Rights! What about my friend who will not be allowed to have her life partner buried beside her when she passes because they are a same sex couple? What about my friend who was denied housing when the land lord found out they were a same sex couple? What about the 9th grade lesbians who got singled out for "PDA" in a sea of inappropriate dancing by several other boys and girls in mixed and matched couplings? Sure these things have happened over the years....but they are YEARS in which things have not changed! The laws have not changed to protect these people. When will enough be enough?
Tonight I was in a bar that was packed with hundreds of people who all supported Adding the Words. We celebrated what we have done. And we are fired up for what we still have to do. We will not stop until these words are added. We will not stop until our Idaho youth are protected and feel safe! You may think we are inconveniencing you, but do you think its easy for us to put our lives on hold and take time off of work and be away from our families in order to get your attention? Do you think its easy on our pocket books when you have us arrested because you refuse to listen to us and would rather push us aside and take us away in handcuffs so you don't have to look at us any longer and keep ignoring us? Do you think having the handcuffs on our wrists is pleasant? Do you think we like the amount of money we are shelling out to bail ourselves out and to pay legal fees and fines? Yes, we may be doing this to ourselves, but we are doing it because it NEEDS to be done. SOMEONE needs to stand up for the future of Idaho. If you, who we voted into office will not do it, then who will? I apologize if we are inconveniencing you. But maybe, if you would just take the time to LISTEN to us, we could end these protests and work together as a team to make this state a better place for all of us to live in!
We have one more week to really get you attention, and you can bet we will do just that. I think we have proven that already. But please, when you see us, for once., do not look at us like, "Oh no. There they are again!" Instead look at us and see who we are standing for. See the children who are BEGGING for help and acceptance and love! We are their voices (even in our silence). When you see us.. see them! See the voices that are forever silenced because of fear and your lack of action to protect them.
Once again, I ask.... How do you sleep at night???
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