Statement from Lambda Legal Deputy Legal Director Hayley Gorenberg on Four Recent Teen Suicides
"Sympathy is not enough."

http://www.lambdalegal.org/news/pr/us_20100929_teen-suicides.html

Today, as we heard news of the fourth apparent teenage suicide in recent weeks, following antigay bullying and harassment, we felt overwhelming grief and anger. Losing one young person because of bigotry and hate is too much—but two, three, four? Each person and story is unique and tragic, but taken together, they deliver a powerful and painful message: We must act urgently and do everything in our power to end the prejudice and protect our youth.

Our hearts and sympathies are with the families and loved ones of the four young people who took their lives: Seth Walsh, 13 years old, of Tehachapi CA, who hanged himself; Billy Lucas, 15, of Greensburg, Indiana, who also hanged himself; Asher Brown, 13, of Houston, who shot himself in the head; and Tyler Clementi, a college freshman in New Jersey who apparently jumped off the George Washington Bridge after classmates allegedly violated his privacy and webcast live images of him in a sexual encounter.

Bullying should be held to criminal standards.  Bullying is harassment and assault.  When a death occurs they should be arrested, tried and convicted as a hate crime in addition to the charge of manslaughter.

I read Z's post earlier but was too upset to comment 

Being someone who was bullied allot and tried to hang herself at a young age I agree with Janet

I hate it that when young people commit acts of violence and harassment against their peers, it's considered "bullying"  and is often either completely ignored or responded to with a mild scolding.  Once you reach a certain age, violence and non-physical harassment are considered serious crimes, including felonies punishable by years in prison.  Tolerating bullying does no one any favors.  Kids need to be taught early on that these behaviors are serious crimes that are not only socially unacceptable but can get you sent to prison.  Otherwise, these "bullies" will form habits that will cause them to be considered "violent criminals" once they reach adulthood.  And victims of bullying should be treated just like any other victims of violent crime.  It's no less serious just because they're children or adolescents.