We can do better. We MUST do better.

It was earlier this week that I read about the student at Rutgers who committed suicide after his roommate went viral with a video of the student and another guy being intimate. Immediately, my heart grieved. I grieved for the young man who had so much living left to do. I grieved that he felt suicide was his only option and felt unable to overcome and rise above the ridicule he would face from peers and possibly loved ones over being gay. I grieved that this student did not have any role models, resources, or a support system he could turn to. I grieved that this young man will not be able to accept who he was, stand proudly, and love, the greatest gift God gave us. I grieved. And I grieve.

As Ellen said, "Something must be done...One life lost in a senseless way is tragic. Four lives lost is a crisis....These kids needed us. And we have an obligation to change this. We can't let intolerance and ignorance take another kid's life."

The responsibility to educate, to erase prejudice and intolerance, to stand up for and support our peers, neighbors, friends, and fellow humans does not fall solely on the shoulders of those who are marginalized. It falls on us all. Every. single. person. It's our responsibility to stop and challenge the behavior of our family members who make jokes or say inappropriate things at holiday gatherings. It's our responsibility to stop and challenge our friends who make comments at the bar. It's our responsibility to stop and challenge our colleague's actions or comments. It's our responsibility to stop and challenge the random stranger at the grocery store, mall, or Target who you overhear subordinating and dehumanizing any other individual. Because if we don't do this, if we stand aside and expect someone else to, if we shake our heads silently and think, "they should know better" but don't do anything to ensure they DO know better, then this cycle will continue.

How did we come to a day and age when young men and women believe taking their own life is a better alternative to being gay? How did we as a society allow this message to be conveyed and continue to be preached? You can't use religion because I can promise you God NEVER stated we should promote the destruction of His image and likeness.

I grieve today because I know what this young man at Rutgers was feeling. I grieve because it could have been me. I grieve because intolerance, prejudice, and hate are destroying human dignity and self-worth. I charge us all to do more. We can do better. We MUST do better.

We have to.