Let this madness, once and for all time, finally come to a fitting end.

This morning I, just as many of you I'm certain have too, learned of yet another youngster tragically suiciding because of relentless torment and outright harassment, and for want of a better word, bullying, at the hands of their peer-group. This problem is escalating to the point that it has now become endemic within mainstream North American society, and as a consequence, most troubling in of itself.

Sadly, we only ever learn of the higher-profile occurrences, the chosen few as it were, selected by the media, as being worthy of our collective attention; but, what of all the others, and as sure as God made little green apples, they must too number in the tens, even the hundreds and perhaps in the tens of hundreds each year, and growing at an alarming pace.

I say "the chosen few" simply because the mainstream media were, in each instance, alerted to the circumstances surrounding these travesties largely because of the outrage and courage shown by either the victims' families and loved ones, or through the integrity of lesser lights in the world of investigative journalism desiring to bring focus on these, and other children's plight. Not just to their untimely death, but to the events that led to their tragedy, and too, to the indifference exhibited by those charged with the fiduciary responsibility of their care.

Unfortunately, far too many go unreported, and therefore never reach the collected consciousness of society at large. The parents, the siblings, the extended family and the friends of these unheralded victims are too ashamed, too traumatized, too indoctrinated into believing that it must have been their child's or their friend's fault, to ever come forward with details surrounding their bereavement. This, too, must come to an end.

The resources are out there. No child, or youth, or adult, need ever want for assistance, at the very least not within North America they don't, and shouldn't. The funding, however inadequate it may be, is there; it's being applied to expanded services as best can be managed; but, the message that these services and facilities do exist, and are available 24/7/366, isn't getting across; those most in need of these services apparently know nothing of their existence, and as a consequence, go tragically under-served at a time when they have the most need.

We need now to become more proactive.

We need to start at the most fundamental level. We need to focus on our families first, and then our friends and associates, and upon our neighbours, and within the communities where we reside.

All the Advertising, the FaceBooks, the Twitters, the You Tubes, the Talkshows, the Media Events and Featured News Stories and Reality Television Programmes, in of themselves, do not seem to be working; or, if they are having any impact at all, only marginally at best.

The message we need to deliver, and should be delivering, is one of inclusion, of support and compassion, of harmony and of love, and most of all of acceptance. We need to be re-enforcing that abuse, and let me be perfectly clear on this point, bullying is just another form of that abuse, whether that be directed upon a child or an adult is not acceptable in any way, shape or form. A person's creed, their colour, their faith or absense thereof, their age, their gender and sexual orientation, or their politics, should never be the cause of ridicule or derision simply for it's sake alone. A person should never, ever, feel that their life, or liberty, be in jeopardy simply because of who they are, and who they may have chosen to become.

We need to begin disseminating this message at the earliest age, and at the earliest possible opportunity, where it will achieve the most earnest results; that being firstly within the home, and then by extension within the community which surrounds, and supports, that home. All the legislated Law and protections in The World will have no effect whatsoever on the message's ultimate impact, if that message hasn't become, and isn't, a foundation of each and everyone of our households, and the collective sense of moral purpose we need to be instilling upon the members of these households. Too, we need to foster and nurture a culture within these households where all its' members are encouraged to be the very best that they can be, regardless of just what that might actually turn out being.

Listed in the sidebars to the right of this topic, are many of the more prominent agencies actively promoting tolerance and equality for all. These are causes that I have in the past, and intend upon doing so in the future, supported, and those that you should consider supporting as well. Too, will be found resources supplimenting the ever increasing needs of our youngsters, in place in general, and largely, because we have failed them in our homes, and in our schools, and in the communities where we reside and make our livings.

Warren C. E. Austin
The Gay Deceiver
Toronto, Canada