Tissue Thread: That Could Be My Son One Day (re: Tyler Clementi)
That Could Be My Son One Day
Tyler Clementi was an 18-year-old college student when he died. But he wasn't always. I'm sure his mother feels like it was only yesterday that he was a little boy finishing the first grade, just like my son now. When I hear Tyler's story, sometimes all I can think is, "This could be my son."
When Dharun Ravi, the person who secretly filmed Tyler being intimate with another man, tweeted about it, then lied to police to cover it up, was found guilty of all counts, the mother bear inside me cheered. Yes, there needed to be consequences, and at last the courts had done right. No "twinkie defense" was coming to the rescue of a homophobic bully this time. And then the sentencing came, and for Ravi's 15 crimes, including bias intimidation and tampering with evidence, he was given 30 days in jail. For 15 crimes. That's two days per crime. That doesn't feel like justice. It feels like a slap on the wrist, an insult to everyone who loved Tyler and all those living in the hateful and bullying conditions who have no recourse.
When I got home from work on Monday, I curled up on the couch with my son as he watched a Harry Potter movie. I stroked his hair and asked him about school, while he wished I would just be quiet and stop distracting him. But I couldn't stop myself from holding him.
He finally looked up at me. "What?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said and kissed the top of his head. "You know you're perfect, right? And I that love you?"
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Amelia/it-could-one-day-be-my-son_b_1536388.html?ref=gay-voices
= new reply since forum marked as read
