grant them equal rights

The Observer: Shepard said she wants to promote acceptance rather than just tolerance of diversity. "It's just not that hard," she said. "This is about humanity and being kind. You tolerate bad hair — you don't tolerate people. You accept them." In order to promote the end of hate crimes against the gay community and minorities in general, Shepard said everyone must work to remedy this issue by speaking with state representatives and voting. She said it is not a matter of liking gay people or not. Rather, it is a matter of respecting people for who they are and affording them the civil rights they deserve, especially the right to marriage. "You don't like gay people getting married? You don't like gay weddings? Then don't have one," Shepard said. "I'm not asking you to become their new best friend, I am asking you to grant them equal rights." Overall, Shepard said the problem of hate could be changed through education and acceptance. "Educate, educate, educate," Shepard said. "Bring light where you see darkness, bring freedom where there is fear because you are who you are and you love who you love." (Shepard speaks against hate).

Judy Shepard (née Peck; born 1952) is the mother of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at University of Wyoming who was murdered for being homosexual. She and her husband are co-founders of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, and an advocate for LGBT-rights. On Monday, February 15, 2010; Heritage of Pride, the producers of the annual LGBT Pride March down 5th Avenue in New York City announced that Judy Shepard has been selected as a Grand Marshal for the March along with Lt. Dan Choi previously announced (Wikipedia).

RELATED READING:

Official Web-site: Matthew Shepard Foundation

Judy Shepard urges education, honesty on diversity in York College talk

'A journey of personal change'

Judy Shepard: A Lack of Empathy Helps LGBT Suicide Thrive

stick to who you are

Pink News: "...When I read about suicides and gay teenagers it’s so tragic. I don’t think teenagers realise that it actually does get better. The minute you’re done with high school your life gets better. If I’m the go-to for new gays, and if I can be someone that gay teenagers can look at as someone who’s happy and who has made a good life for himself, then that’s great. I had people like that for me when I was growing up, and it was very important. The Scissor Sisters front man added: My advice would be to just stick to who you are. There are sacrifices you have to make, there are crosses that you have to bear. You’re always going to be portrayed in a certain way, you’re always going to be pigeon-holed. That’s the price that you’re going to pay. But it’s a price that’s worth it. It’s a responsibility. So that would be my advice - remain exactly who you are..." (READ MORE)

Pink Paper: "...When asked about life as an openly gay celebrity figure, Jake speaks out: "If you’re going to be a closet-case then just lie and say you’re straight. It bugs me when they say “why are you asking me if I’m gay? It doesn’t matter.” Well it matters a lot to the fifteen year-old at home who’s going through it. It’s a highly offensive statement and it makes me angry. On being labelled as just a gay band, he continues: "We’re still thought of as a gay group a little, but we hope we’re growing out of it. After living in New York where being gay was fine, the idea of going back into the closet to sell records was wrong. It wasn’t an option for us. I don’t know if that gay band label will ever go away, but that’s okay because at least we’re thought of as something." .." - Stu Hurford (READ MORE)

Examiner: "...Shears is poignant in his video admitting to the difficulties and hardships he experienced coming out. I was harassed, I was followed, I was threatened," Shears says in his video. "Kids wanted to kill me. I couldn’t go from class to class without being accosted. Kids would throw desks and chairs at me in class. I thought about killing myself a few times during this period in my life and I’m so glad that I didn’t because I’m living the dreams now that I created when I was fifteen. It’s such a rewarding life that I’ve gotten to lead. If I'm the go-to for new gays, and if I can be someone that gay teenagers can look at as someone who's happy and who has made a good life for himself, then that's great. My advice would be to just stick to who you are. There are sacrifices you have to make, there are crosses that you have to bear. You're always going to be portrayed in a certain way, you're always going to be pigeonholed. That's the price that you're going to pay. But it's a price that's worth it. Remain exactly who you are..." - Robyn Chelsea-Seifert (READ MORE)

Jake Shears (born Jason F. Sellards, October 3, 1978, Mesa, Arizona is the lead male vocalist for the American music group Scissor Sisters...Shears is known for provocative dancing, flamboyant outfits, and near-nudity. (During his early years while he was struggling to make it in New York, he would often earn extra money as a Go-go dancer and male erotic dancer at gay-oriented strip clubs.[7]) His musical influences include ABBA, Blondie, David Bowie, Duran Duran, Roxy Music, The New York Dolls, Queen, Cyndi Lauper, Madonna, Paul McCartney, Pet Shop Boys, The Beatles, and Dolly Parton. .[8] The Scissor Sisters video for Filthy/Gorgeous was directed by John Cameron Mitchell after Shears met him at a gathering of the Radical Faeries... - Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Readings:

• Official Scissor Sisters website Shear Madness – Out Magazine interview with Shears  
• When Elton met Jake  
• The Worst Advice Dan Savage has Ever Given 
• Jake Shears Wants To Beat Bullies 
• Jake Shears Reveals Teenage Harassment 
• Travelin' like a rock star: how Scissor Sisters front man Jake Shears does it on the road  
• Scissor Sisters are desperate to prove they can still cut it  
• Scissor Sisters Interview (Video)

the complex issue of bullying

We Got This Covered: "...Maybe I’ve been a little hard on South Park recently, but I think it’s justified to expect constant hilarity from two creators that so regularly have weaved smart satire with obscure toilet-humor. Is it so wrong to want a solid reason for the Kony 2012 director reference time and time again? Sure it’s contemporary. But if that’s the only requirement for a critical joke here, then Stan might as well have just been having dinner with Rick Santorum at the end of this episode. It feels like the writers are losing their grip on Butters’ character. Two weeks ago he sat in a classroom the whole ep with a gun in his mouth, and now he’s beating up talk show hosts and standing up to his grandma for this weeks resolute. Sure characters require a certain amount of personal growth throughout the years, but Butters’ humor relies on his brave ignorance that’s just short of being overt. If last weeks episode was the tip of their funny bone, we are all in for a boring season. The writing room needs a little more energy, it’s obvious. Maybe Matt and Trey should hire some strippers for the office, or blow lines off their dry erase boards. I doubt they do that stuff anymore though. Either way, I hope they can at least pretend to enjoy making this show after 16 seasons. Although, they have an additional 3 season contract since last November. They might not have to care..." - Ryan Levee (READ MORE)

Wired: "...I am not saying I am for bullying either. I don’t like bullying, and can’t imagine anyone does, even the bullies themselves. Bullying is the recourse of the weak and insecure, usually coming from children that have some sort of family, personal, or social situation they don’t know how to deal with. Many bullies come from broken homes or are abused. Many (and most of mine) were simply privileged children with a chip on their shoulder and an imaginary social standing they felt they had to reinforce. I don’t hold a grudge. I’m doing fantastic while many of them are working part time at a car wash. This past week on South Park in the episode titled “Butterballs” the gang tackled the complex issue of bullying by bullying each other into a political stance on bullying. Stan created a video speaking out against bullying, saying that it should kill itself. The video Stan makes is actually called “Make Bullying Kill Itself.” There are multiple references to the movie Bully as well as a “jack it in San Diego” reference, which is a direct dig on Kony 2012 creator Jason Russell. Once again South Park was able to take a complex social issue and break it down in a 22 minute chunk of hilarity that we all should take a lesson from. Why is it that the most obvious lessons in life tend to come from cartoons? Because they are able to cross the lines that we are afraid to cross, and say the things that we can only think without fear of retribution. While I anticipate the backlash to this article will be hefty, it’s worth it because of the end message..." - Curtis Silver (READ MORE)

South Park is an American animated sitcom created by Trey Parker and Matt Stone for the Comedy Central television network. Intended for mature audiences, the show has become famous for its crude language and dark, surreal humor that lampoons a wide range of topics. The ongoing narrative revolves around four boys—Stan Marsh, Kyle Broflovski, Eric Cartman and Kenny McCormick—and their bizarre adventures in and around the titular Colorado town. Parker and Stone, who met at college, developed the show from two animated shorts they created in 1992 and 1995. The latter became one of the first Internet viral videos, which ultimately led to its production as a series. South Park debuted in August 1997 with great success, consistently earning the highest ratings of any basic cable program. Subsequent ratings have varied but it remains one of Comedy Central's highest rated shows. It is Comedy Central's longest running program; a total of 226 episodes have aired, and the series is slated to run through at least 2016.

Each episode bar the very first one, which was produced by cutout animation, is created with software that emulates the cutout technique. Each episode is typically written and produced during the week preceding its broadcast. Parker and Stone continue to perform most of the voice acting, and Parker is the primary writer and director. The series has received numerous accolades, including four Primetime Emmy Awards, a Peabody Award, and a #3 ranking in the Channel 4 2004 documentary The 100 Greatest Cartoons. The series' almost instant popularity resulted in a feature-length theatrical film, South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut which was released in June 1999, less than two years after the show's premiere, and became a box office success. Almost all episodes of the series feature a TV-MA rating, however, in syndication and in reruns on Comedy Central before 8:00 PM the episodes are altered to be TV-14. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Reading:
Official Web-site: South Park Studios
'South Park' tackles bullying issue
South Park creators reveal MPAA corruption in plain english
South Park creators poke fun at San Diego
South Park – Make bullying kill itself
South Park: "Butterballs" Review
“South Park” Takes on Bullying, and I’m Conflicted.
South Park Poignantly Tackles the 'Bully' Debacle in its Latest Episode
WATCH: South Park's New Antibullying Anthem (Video)
South Park - Stop Bullying song (Video)

Speak Up

Babble - Strollerderby: "...Hirsch gives a lot of credit to East Middle School in Sioux City, Iowa, where the documentary was shot: “It took a lot of courage for them to allow us to make this film. It was very brave. Most schools wouldn’t have done it. This is a district, a superintendent wanting to be better. Even Alex’s own parents were unaware that he was being bullied like this. They knew only that “something” was wrong: their son was not the same child he had been. He was unhappy and withdrawn. “If you have ever searched for an answer to a problem and were unable to find it, and felt completely defeated … only to find that the answer was the worst answer in the world — that’s how we felt,” explains Jackie Libby, Alex’s mom. But though Alex is now at a different school and has many friends, she insists he hasn’t changed. What she sees is who he used to be. “It is incredible,” she says. “My family and I discussed it: there is no greater gift than getting your child back. The Longs don’t get that option, so we want to pay it forward. We want this for more families.” Hirsch describes Alex as a “joy to watch,” and Alex himself now offers advice to kids experiencing the same struggles he did. “Tell someone about it,” he says. “Being alone makes you feel worse. Speak up. If you see it happening to someone else, tell a friend..." - Danielle Smith (READ MORE)

The Daily Beast: "...Hirsch said he would love for children and teens to understand the power they have to stop bullying the next time they see or hear it happening. There are so many ways for kids to be change-makers, he said. Some kids have the comfort level to stop bullying directly, while others have different strategies that include sending a note or finding the victim later and saying, “Come sit with me,” or “Let’s talk to someone together.” His final advice: simply be creative with ways to become an upstander..." - Emily Anne Rigal (READ MORE)

National Post: "...Hirsch, 39, says the censors wanted him to clean up the language, but, he says, “Unfortunately, bullying is about language. It’s about how people are insulted. It’s about what’s said. And to clean all that up, our movie would look like the poster, which is PG-approved, which has words like ‘loser’ and ‘dork.’ That’s not how kids are bullied. They’re bullied with profanity. There’s not a student in Canada or anywhere else that doesn’t hear these words a thousand times a day.” Coincidentally, Bully comes out at the same time as the PG-rated film, The Hunger Games, set in a dystopian future when teenagers kill one another. “The release of Hunger Games in the same breath as Bully has really helped people to realize the hypocrisy of the MPAA,” Hirsch says. The real shocks in Bully, though, come in its depiction of bullying itself, especially in the case of Alex. The filmmakers were embedded in classrooms, in school halls and on the buses, capturing endless scenes of abuse on their small, unobtrusive camera. The boldness of the bullies is a surprise, especially in the presence of adults. Hirsch says he was transparent with school officials, faculty and students about what he was doing, but he quickly started to “blend in with the walls..." - Jay Stone (READ MORE)

Lee Hirsch (born 1972) is a documentary filmmaker. Hirsch is a graduate of The Putney School in Vermont, and a graduate of Hampshire College, in Amherst, Massachusetts. He wrote and directed the documentary Amandla!: A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony...His film Bully premiered at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival. Bully follows several families from across ethnic, cultural and geographic boundaries as they grapple with the tragedy their family has faced as a result of bullying. Several of the families profiled in the film had lost a child because he or she became fed up with the mostly mental and sometimes physical abuse they experienced on a daily, even hourly basis at school, on the school bus, and in their communities. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

• IMDB: Lee Hirsch
• Official Web-site: Lee Hirsch
• Behind Every Harassed Child? A Whole Lot of Clueless Adults
• Bully Will Disturb You and Give You Hope, But Ultimately It Misses the Mark
• The Big Picture: Can ‘Bully’ sink the MPAA?
• The Bully Movement: An Interview With Lee Hirsch
• Lee Hirsch Talks 'Bully' at Film Premiere (Video)

living your life

Sports Illustrated: "...Phelps remains an ordinary kid suddenly leading an extraordinary life, and he works hard to maintain some balance. His agents always ensure that there is security on hand to help him navigate big public appearances, but otherwise Phelps likes to travel unencumbered; that morning he had taken a train up from Baltimore by himself, only partially disguised by a droopy, Spitzian mustache that he was overly proud of (and later would be crestfallen to have to shave off to look presentable for the awards show). Phelps sat undisturbed in a commuter car as he fiddled around on a laptop with a Wi-Fi card, and upon arriving in New York he made his way through Penn Station and flagged down a yellow cab on the street without a single autograph request, a 21st-century Mr. Smith arriving in his Washington, with iPod. "You can't stop living your life," he says..." (Sportsman of the Year: Michael Phelps)

Michael Fred Phelps (born June 30, 1985) is an American swimmer who has, overall, won 16 Olympic medals—six gold and two bronze at Athens in 2004, and eight gold at Beijing in 2008, becoming the most successful athlete at both of these Olympic Games editions. In doing so he has twice equaled the record eight medals of any type at a single Olympics achieved by Soviet gymnast Alexander Dityatin at the 1980 Moscow Summer Games. His five golds in individual events tied the single Games record set by Eric Heiden in the 1980 Winter Olympics and equaled by Vitaly Scherbo at the 1992 Summer Games. Phelps holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympics, his eight at the 2008 Beijing Games surpassed American swimmer Mark Spitz's seven-gold performance at Munich in 1972. Phelps' Olympic medal total is second only to the 18 Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina won over three Olympics, including nine gold. Furthermore, he holds the all-time record for most individual gold Olympic medals, at nine. Phelps's international titles and record breaking performances have earned him the World Swimmer of the Year Award six times and American Swimmer of the Year Award eight times. He has won a total of fifty-nine medals in major international competition, fifty gold, seven silver, and two bronze spanning the Olympics, the World, and the Pan Pacific Championships. His unprecedented Olympic success in 2008 earned Phelps Sports Illustrated magazine's Sportsman of the Year award. After the 2008 Summer Olympics, Phelps started the Michael Phelps Foundation, which focuses on growing the sport of swimming and promoting healthier lifestyles. As a participant in the US Anti-Doping Agency's "Project Believe" program, Phelps is regularly tested to ensure that his system is clean of performance-enhancing drugs (Wikipedia).

RELATED READING:
Official Web-site: Michael Phelps Foundation
facebook
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ensure "equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation"

Advocate: "...Players James Van Riemsdyk, Mark Fayne, Frans Nielsen, Tyler Bozak, George Parros, Brandon Prust, David Steckel, Andy Greene, RJ Umberger, and Brian Boyle make appearances in the project's recently released video, according to Towleroad.com. "My brother Brendan fought for tolerance, equality, and gay rights in sports," Patrick Burke, a scout for the Philadelphia Flyers, says in the PSA. Brendan was a student manager for his college hockey team and came out as gay shortly before his death in a car accident. Brendan and Patrick's father, Brian Burke, is president and general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs..." - Josh Hinkle (READ MORE)

Ottawa Citizen "...In an online video posted Monday on the organization’s website, youcanplayproject.org, the 19-year-old University of Ottawa student predicts the organization’s new campaign will save the lives of gay teens dealing with their sexual orientation, especially in the macho world of sport. While playing hockey, football, basketball and softball, Heggart says, he was witness to constant gay slurs from teammates who didn’t know he was gay. This not only kept him in the closet, but made him loathe himself — or at least his sexual orientation. “When I was 13 and thinking about killing myself, this campaign would have made a world of difference,” he says in the video. “I love hockey … For me to have been able to watch as my heroes looked into a camera and said that it’s OK, it’s fine, and that they would treat me the way they would treat anyone else … I don’t know if I would have ever thought about suicide. I would have had a much easier time accepting myself,” he says. He adds, “This campaign is going to be a big reason why lives are changed, and why lives are saved..." - Shelley Page (READ MORE)

Huffington Post: "...Brendan Burke was killed in a February 2010 car crash at age 21, leaving the family to carry on his legacy. Brian Burke has been active in gay rights initiatives around Toronto and marches annually in the city's gay pride parade, while Patrick founded the "You Can Play" project along with Brian Kitts and Glenn Witman, who run a Denver-based gay hockey team called GForce. In its mission statement, the "You Can Play" project says it aims to ensure "equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation." That ideal comes directly from conversations Patrick Burke had with his late brother. "When Brendan came out it didn't change anything between me and him," said Patrick. "It turned into a great moment for us, a great bonding moment for our family because when something like that happens when you're not expecting it, you have to evaluate: 'What do I look for in a brother? What do I look for in a friend?' "We had a very open relationship where I asked him a lot of questions because I didn't know anything. ... And hearing some of the stories that young LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) athletes face really touched me and made we want to do something in Brendan's honour to help those kids..." - The Canadian Press (READ MORE)

You Can Play is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation. You Can Play works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team’s success. You Can Play seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete’s skills, work ethic and competitive spirit. - Official Web-site (READ MORE)

Brendan Gilmore Burke (December 8, 1988 – February 5, 2010) was an athlete and student manager at Miami University for the RedHawks men's ice hockey team. The younger son of Brian Burke, general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs and of the US Olympic hockey team, in November 2009, he made international headlines for coming out, advocating for tolerance and speaking out against homophobia in professional sports. Burke's coming out was widely praised and supported by sports news outlets and fans, generating multiple discussions about homophobia in sports, and in hockey in particular. He was viewed as a pioneer in advocacy against homophobia in hockey, described as "the closest person to the NHL ever to come out publicly and say that he is gay." Burke was killed in a car crash on February 5, 2010. Following his death, Burke's memory and contribution to LGBT awareness in hockey was honored by several hockey teams. The "Brendan Burke Internship" was later established in his honor by USA Hockey for his work in hockey management and a documentary entitled The Legacy of Brendan Burke aired on CBC Television in November 2010. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

• Official Web-site: You Can Play Project
• youtube: You Can Play Project's channel
• You Can Play gets Stamkos' support
• Leafs' Burke in campaign to end homophobia in sports
• David Pollak: Tommy Wingels, Brendan Burke, the You Can Play Project and me
• Patrick Burke gets support for "You Can Play" project (Video)
• The You Can Play Project gets support from NHL players (Video)

so untimely and unfortunate

stuff: "...She spent most days at home writing, a friend told People magazine. Amy had been working on her eagerly anticipated third album, a follow up to 2006's Back to Black, recently. It was due to be released earlier this year, but that never transpired. It's understood Amy had told her record company she wanted to work on some of the lyrics as she felt they were too concerned with her ex-husband Blake Fielder-Civil. Meanwhile, Cee Lo Green has spoken of his sadness following the star's passing. Despite rumours earlier this year claiming Amy and Cee Lo had recorded a track together, Cee Lo has revealed they never made it to the studio but they had been keen to collaborate. "We were discussing working together. We have a mutual friend, [producer] Salaam Remi. "There was a rumour that we had already recorded together. It wasn't true and I don't know where that came from. But we did grow fond of each other and thought we could work together," he told E! Online. "I could listen to her and she registered to me as the real thing ... It's so untimely and unfortunate. What a loss. Music has lost a daughter..." (Winehouse 'spent last days writing')

Reuters: "...Winehouse’s breakthrough “Back to Black” album, released in America in 2007, sold 37,000 copies for the sales period -- virtually all of that between Saturday morning, when her death was announced, and Sunday night, when the SoundScan sales week closed...Her numbers could be as big or bigger on next week’s chart, which will reflect a full week's worth of posthumous interest in the tragic star. Her far lesser known debut album, “Frank” -- which was only issued in America after “Back to Black” became a smash -- also reentered the chart, at No. 57, after selling 7,600 copies over the weekend. According to Nielsen SoundScan, more than 95 percent of Winehouse’s album sales were digital downloads, which is not surprising, given how most music retailers shy away from carrying catalog nowadays and might have had one CD, at most, in stock..." (Music Charts: Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' Back in Billboard's Top 10)

Amy Jade Winehouse (14 September 1983 – 23 July 2011) was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize. Her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, led to six Grammy Award nominations and five wins, tying the then record for the most wins by a female artist in a single night, and made Winehouse the first British female to win five Grammys, including three of the "Big Four": Best New Artist, Record of the Year and Song of the Year. On 14 February 2007, she won a BRIT Award for Best British Female Artist; she had also been nominated for Best British Album. She won the Ivor Novello Award three times, one in 2004 for Best Contemporary Song (musically and lyrically) for "Stronger Than Me", one in 2007 for Best Contemporary Song for "Rehab", and one in 2008 for Best Song Musically and Lyrically for "Love Is a Losing Game", among other distinctions. The album was the third biggest seller of the 2000s in the United Kingdom. Winehouse is credited as an influence in the rise in popularity of female musicians and soul music, and also for revitalising British music. Winehouse's distinctive style made her a muse for fashion designers such as Karl Lagerfeld. Winehouse's problems with drug and alcohol abuse, violence, and her self-destructive behaviours were regular tabloid news from 2007 until her death. She and her former husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, were plagued by legal troubles that left him serving prison time. In 2008, Winehouse faced a series of health complications that threatened both her career and her life. Winehouse died at the age of 27 on 23 July 2011, at her home in London; police have said that the cause of her death is "as yet unexplained". Winehouse's family and friends attended her funeral on 26 July 2011. She was later cremated at Golders Green Crematorium (Wikipedia).

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Amy Winehouse: The last days of the good-time girl who did not want fame
Amy Winehouse's dad Mitch says he faked a heart attack to try and get his daughter off heroin
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Photos: The Life and Times of Amy Winehouse
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Review: Frank - Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse: Tributes paid to dead singer
Amy Winehouse Biography (1983 – 2011)
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honor the strength

Advocate: "...I grew up on Long Island, just 45 minutes outside of Manhattan. You might think living in such close proximity to a metropolis would make a difference in the mindset of its inhabitants, but I might as well have lived in the middle of Nowhere, USA. Few of my childhood school memories do not involve being made fun of. I remember being called names like “homo” and “fag” in the first grade, way before I knew what those words meant. We were taught about the signs and symptoms of child abuse but were told it was something that usually happened at home and was always committed by an adult. There was no dialogue —at least not that I heard— that suggested children could be the perpetrators of abuse. Children are cruel. If you don’t believe me, just watch Lord of the Flies. Poor Piggy! I’ve been toying with this idea for a great way to end capital punishment: take all the inmates on death row and send them back to junior high. That’ll teach ‘em! Though I was bullied throughout elementary school, it became particularly unbearable in junior high. Bullying escalated to the point I would pray to God every night before I went to bed to not wake up in the morning. Then when I did wake up, I'd ask Him to just make me invisible for the day. Being called names, having things thrown at me, having derogatory words carved into my locker and written across my books, being shoved, pushed around, spit on and threatened to be beat up and killed, it reached a level where I no longer felt safe being in a crowd of students..." - John Carroll (READ MORE)

Advocate: "...Just as in physical abuse, bullying has long lasting consequences. Bullying a child doesn’t just end when the names and punches stop, the ramifications last for years. If I hadn't been humiliated, isolated from my peers, and made to feel like I was worthless, I wouldn’t have needed to find a sense of community and self worth in sometimes dangerous places and destructive situations. I have proudly been in therapy for several years now and have worked through many issues and residual scars left from my years of childhood abuse. Though I know life is a work in progress, I can stand strong today and say I love the man I have become. I can honor the strength it took for my younger self to hold on to some sort of self worth when so many around me were trying to prove otherwise. I went on to graduate from The Juilliard School and dance across the stages of the world. I married the man of my dreams the very first day it was legal in the state of New York. When things would get to be unbearable for me when I was younger, I would dream of my future and what it would be like. God is good, and I have seen those dreams come to fruition. For me, it hasn’t just gotten better, it’s gotten mind bogglingly amazing! Part of my healing is to help young people who might be going through a similar story to my own. We can heal, and we can prevent bullying. One of the most important things I have found to be helpful, not only to myself, but also to other people, is to talk about my personal story with bullying and how it has affected my life. As with sexual abuse, the stigma and shame must be lifted and children should know that they are not unnoticed and alone. Parents can talk to their kids about all forms of bullying, including cyber bullying. Parents can also become more active in their kids' PTA organizations to see what can be done. Even if you do not have children, attend a school board meeting in your district and find out what education, precautions and ramifications are in place for bullying within the school system and beyond. Call or write your local and state representative’s and see what is being done on a state and national level. Force legislators to enact anti-bullying laws. Laws with the same level and severity as ones in place that protect children from other forms of child abuse. And, please, help the children in your life find their passion that will lead to their success..." - John Carroll (READ MORE)

SGN: "...I believe in the fight for equal rights. I want the same things, not the consolation prize. We like going at our own pace, so we don't have a date for our ceremony set yet. Things are great right now, so we'll continue to fight and see. A Chorus Line got its beginnings when Michael Bennett gathered a group of dancers together for a session to discuss what it meant to be part of a Broadway show. Without major star roles or fantastic scenery, it is the stories of these "gypsies" - their pains, heartbreaks, triumphs, and, above all, their honesty - that gives the musical its power to have not only succeeded, but to have provided more than 25 years of entertainment." - Eric Andrews-Katz (READ MORE)

BIO: "...John attended the Long Island High School for the Arts and went on to graduate from The Juilliard School. From an off balanced little boy with a flare for showtunes and a mean right split, to a man who has danced across the stages of the world, John's childhood dreams have blessed him with the opportunity of performing in concert dance companies (Parsons Dance Company), national and international tours (Fosse, Movin' Out, Chicago, A Chorus Line), TV ("Saturday Night Live", "All My Children", "The Todays Show"), Movies (Louis), Off-Broadway (No Strings, Applause, On The Town) and Broadway (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, Follies). John can currently be seen at the Marriott Marquis Theater in the Broadway revival of Follies." - Official Web-site (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

• Official Web-site: John Carroll
• facebook: Follies on Broadway
• myspace: John Carroll
• twitter: Follies on Broadway
• Theater Buff: John Carroll of “Follies"
• Broadway Boy Toy
• Broadway Bares (Video)
• Michael Cavnaugh Interviews Broaadway Hero John Carroll (Video)

take a stand and stop bullying

Advocate: "...It's time to take a stand and stop bullying," she says. While attending a screening of the documentary last week, Couric shared a memory of her sister's childhood experience with bullies. "I know my sister was bullied when she was younger and it was really, really upsetting to our whole family," Couric says. "We still talk about what you do when a whole group of girls gangs up on you. And sometimes talking about it or going to the authorities makes it even worse..." - Jeremy Kinser (READ MORE)

The Stir: "...At a special screening of the film Bully last week, Katie Couric spoke out about her own sister's childhood experience with bullying: I know my sister was bullied when she was younger and it was really, really upsetting to our whole family ... we still talk about what you do when a whole group of girls gangs up on you. And sometimes talking about it or going to the authorities makes it even worse. A group of young girls may not be the terrorizing gang you think of when pondering the cruel act of bullying; however, let me tell you, bullies come in all shapes and sizes and ages and genders, and when several kids (even little girls) gang up on you at school, it can leave the bullied child in a terrifying, lonely, and helpless place. Without intervention, bullying can become intolerable and have devastating effects and outcomes..." - Sheri Reed (READ MORE)

Katherine Anne "Katie" Couric (born January 7, 1957) is an American journalist and author. She serves as Special Correspondent for ABC News, contributing to ABC World News, Nightline, 20/20, Good Morning America, This Week and primetime news specials. Starting on September 6, 2012, she will host Katie, a syndicated daytime talk show produced by Disney-ABC Domestic Television. She has anchored the CBS Evening News, reported for 60 Minutes, and hosted Today and reported for Dateline NBC. She was the first solo female anchor of a weekday evening news program on one of the three traditional U.S. broadcast networks. Couric's first book, The Best Advice I Ever Got: Lessons from Extraordinary Lives was a New York Times best-seller. - Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Related Reading:
Official Web-site: The Bully Project
facebook: Katie Couric
twitter: Katie Couric
“Bully” provides an intimate look at lives of youth
Couric’s new show to debut in September
Katie Couric's Anti-Bullying PSA to Help Promote 'Bully' Doc (Video)
Notebook: Fatal Bullying (Video)

to find other paths to get their needs met without hurting others

Press Herald: "...Davis, who lives in Wayne, is a former civil rights worker, child therapist and school counselor. He wrote "Schools Where Everyone Belongs: Practical Strategies in Reducing Bullying" and "Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention...Davis is researching peer mistreatment in schools with Charisse Nixon, a developmental psychology professor at Penn State Erie. They have surveyed 13,000 students in grades five through 12 in 31 schools nationwide. Early results of their work are posted at youthvoiceproject.com. So far, they have found that 25 percent of students surveyed reported being targets of frequent verbal, physical and relational aggressive behavior..." - Kelley Bouchard (READ MORE)

Education: "...Stopping a behavior just to stay out of trouble is likely to be temporary. Our actions have the potential to influence students’ thinking. If disciplinary interventions for peerto- peer aggression vary widely depending on which adult is present and on which student shows the behavior, students learn that what you do counts less than who sees it or what your reputation is. If disciplinary interventions are based on adult expressions of anger or frustration, students are more likely to believe that they got in trouble because of the feelings of an adult rather than because of their own behavior. On the other hand, if school staff have made consistent efforts to build positive relationships with every student through greeting, initiating positive interactions, frequent use of honest, action-based praise, and other mentoring initiatives that attempt to build staff-student connections for each student, students are more likely to understand that disciplinary interventions are based on our caring for them. We also help students to learn this lesson when we maintain positive emotional tone during the discipline intervention. When discipline interventions are consistent no matter which staff member is involved, and when they are consistent no matter which student displays a certain behavior, students are more likely to view them as fair, and thus to learn from them. When we focus our later discussions with students who have broken rules on helping them discover what was wrong with their behavior, what goals their actions were directed toward, and how else they could have reached that goal, students are more likely to find other paths to get their needs met without hurting others..." - Stan Davis (READ MORE)

Education World: "...Some of the other bullying prevention approaches focus on changing the behavior of the young people who are bullied, or on helping bullies and targets work out their 'conflicts.' If we look at the parallels to other forms of power-based abuse (for example, sexual harassment, and spouse abuse), we see that society first tried to deny that there was a problem, then focused on changing the behavior of the target. Targets of spouse abuse would be told: "He doesn't mean to hurt you; he doesn't know his own strength." They would be told: "Learn to cook better. Don't disagree with him in public." Targets of sexual harassment would be told to dress differently or not let the harassment get to them. In both spouse abuse and sexual harassment, we have learned that setting and enforcing clear behavioral standards and consequences are crucial for making change, as is modeling of acceptable behavior by people in authority. Once we have set and enforced standards we can begin changing behavior. Lectures and assemblies about 'being kind' will not work unless they are in the context of disciplinary enforcement and positive modeling by staff. Enforcement of rules is only likely to work if it is done within a positive emotional framework, so aggressive young people see that they are getting in trouble because of what they did rather than because we don't like them. Mediation-based approaches are designed for situations where both people are at least partly to blame. In bullying it is the bully who has chosen to bully the target; mediation (especially mediation by peers) risks solidifying the bully's power over the target and increasing the target's feelings of self-blame..." - Ellen R. Delisio (READ MORE)

Stan Davis has worked as a social worker and school counselor since the late 1960s. Since the mid-1990s he has put his energies toward helping schools prevent bullying. He has trained schools all over the United States. His work has been featured in national newspaper and radio articles and on a special 20/20 report on bullying with John Stossel. Stan Davis is the author of Schools Where Everyone Belongs: Practical Strategies to Reduce Bullying (2nd edition: Research Press, 2007) and Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention (Research Press, 2007). He is currently co-researcher with Dr. Charisse Nixon in the Youth Voice Project, bringing the experiences of more than 13,000 teens into our discussion about bullying prevention. - NJ Anti-Bullying Conference (READ MORE)

Schools Where Everyone Belongs: Practical Strategies for Reducing Bullying - For all grade levels. This new edition is packed with practical guidelines and proven strategies for implementing a whole-school approach for reducing bullying. The author draws on theory and research, as well as over two decades of experience as a school counselor and consultant to provide educators with his creative ideas and successful techniques. Interventions to help aggressive youth internalize rules and develop conscience are paired with methods for helping targets of bullying. Chapters cover a wide range of topics, including myths about bullying, acknowledging positive behavior, effective discipline, working with parents, relational aggression, empowering bystanders, and preventing disability harassment. - Good Reads (READ MORE)

Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention - Grades K-8. Provides a research-based, practical approach for empowering student bystanders. The book offers a wide range of realistic, safe, and effective options that bystanders can use when responding to bullying. Bystanders are encouraged to tell an adult and provide support for students who are bullied. The book also stresses the important role of school staff in responding to bystander reports and consistently following an established anti-bullying policy. The book presents specific techniques for teaching empathy and social problem solving skills, limiting the rewards of bullying behavior, and building a partnership between students and staff to change school wide attitudes toward bullying. Includes a 50-minute DVD in which author Stan Davis provides an in-depth discussion accompanied by PowerPoint slides to help illustrate and expand on important points. - Amazon (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

• facebook: Empowering Bystanders in Bullying Prevention By Davis, Stan/ Davis, Julia
• Bullying : How can Parents Fight Back.
• Stan Davis-OlweusTrainer and Author
• Book Reviews: Schools Where Everyone Belongs: Practical Strategies for Reducing Bullying by Stan Davis

to instill confidence in kids and let them go

im4ublog: "...Born in Thomaston, GA, Coy picked up his first guitar at age 10 and at 13 he had started his own band. In college as a biology major, Coy changed to a Jazz Studies Major and we are surely glad he did. As Coy tells it, he found his musical roots at the Northside Tavern, the famous Atlanta blues bar, where he came under the influence of Oliver Wood, Sean Costello, and his life mentor, Donnie McCormick. During the conversation, Pat asked Coy who the children in his life were. There was a long thoughtful pause and he told us that during the time he was teaching guitar and piano lessons he really started to notice, and think about, the relationship between good parenting and childhood success. After another thoughtful pause, where I could imagine his good natured smile, he told us that the children of his band mates and the changes they brought to their fathers was the influence that lead to “Amy Giggles”. I’ll have to say, after 20 plus years on the road, I have never seen a band that makes such an accommodation for their children. When the ZBB is on tour, the kids and the families are right there with them..." - Jim Mayer (READ MORE)

The Boot: "...As it turns out, the woman had been teased as a child for having an unusually loud laugh -- a criticism she carried into adulthood. Coy's book gives her story a happy ending, while teaching a valuable lesson. "By parents reading this book to their kids, you can get reassurance in yourself, because no matter how old you are, we're all different," he explains. Illustrated by Leah Cebulski, with the foreword by Zac Brown, the book can be purchased here. A portion of the proceeds will benefit Camp Southern Ground, which helps children overcome social, academic and emotional challenges..." - Gayle Thompson (READ MORE)

WLTX: "...He wrote a book titled Amy Giggles based on a girl he knew who was teased as a kid because she snorted when she laughed. "She started doing this huffin' and puffin' thing. I was like 'what was that?" said Bowles of an encounter with the woman Amy's character is based off of. "People made fun of her as a kid, so much so that she changed her laugh." A musician friend encouraged Bowles to put the story on paper. It's being sold through online retailers. Bowles says it will hit the digital market soon. "The ultimate goal of the book is to instill confidence in kids and let them go, ya know, we're all different," said Bowles. "Maybe their can be more of an awareness thing that starts happening. I'm just trying to spread that." - Clark Fouraker (READ MORE)

Zac Brown Band is an American country music band based in Atlanta, Georgia. The lineup consists of Zac Brown (vocals, guitar, bass guitar, percussion), Jimmy De Martini (fiddle, vocals), John Driskell Hopkins (bass guitar, guitar, vocals), Coy Bowles (guitar, keyboards), Chris Fryar (drums) and Clay Cook (guitar, keyboards, mandolin, steel guitar, vocals). The band has toured throughout the United States, including a slot on the 2009 and 2010 Bonnaroo Music Festival. They have also recorded four studio albums, and charted eight Number One singles on the Billboard country charts: "Chicken Fried", "Toes", "Highway 20 Ride", "Free", "As She's Walking Away", "Colder Weather", "Knee Deep" and "Keep Me In Mind", in addition to the single "Whatever It Is," which peaked at number 2 on the same chart...In 2006, the Zac Brown Band recorded The Foundation with producer Keith Stegall. It was also in 2006 when Coy Bowles joined the band alternating on guitar and keyboards. Bowles and Brown first met in the late 1990s when they were both students at the University of West Georgia, where Bowles was studying biology. Bowles also vividly remembers seeing Brown perform for the first time. He explains, "I walked into a restaurant and Zac was singing and playing guitar. I heard a couple tunes and turned to my buddy and said, 'That dude might have the richest and loudest voice I ever heard!' I don’t even think Zac had a microphone and you could hear him all across the bar... - Wikipedia (READ MORE)

Coy Bowles is a member of the Zac Brown Band. He plays guitar and organ for ZBB as well as writes and arranges music. He also leads his own Atlanta based project, Coy Bowles and The Fellowship, for which he writes all the music and performs lead guitar, piano, organ and lead vocals. He is also a creative writer and founder of a charity foundation called “Coy Cares”. - Official web-site (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

• Official web-site: Coy Bowles
• Official web-site: Zac Brown Band
• facebook: Zac Brown Band
• myspace: Zac Brown Band
• youtube: Zac Brown Band
• twitter: Zac Brown Band
• 10 Questions with Coy Bowles from Zac Brown Band
• Zac Brown Band Guitarist Coy Bowles Writes Anti-Bullying Kids Book
• 5GB With Coy Bowles Of The Zac Brown Band; Southern Ground CD Release At Vinyl, 10/7
• The Troubadour - Coy Bowles Hat (Video)
• Coy Bowles- The Healing from the album "Love Takes Flight". (Video)
• Coy Bowles "The Healing" from the studio (Video)

Book: 'Amy Giggles'

Taste of Country: "...I met somebody who is Amy Giggles,” he says in the video clip below. “I know a girl who has a really crazy laugh.” After talking to his friend, Bowles realized that she had been bullied about her laugh while she was a kid, and something about that story struck a chord with him. He continued, “So I came up with a rhyme, and the crazy thing about it is that the band’s success has been so insane over the last three or four years, it took me 15 minutes to write the book and two years on and off the road to finish the book.” While he says writing a book is entirely different than sitting down to write music, Bowles points out that there is a rhyming structure to this book, which brought the two crafts together for him. In addition to speaking out against bullying, the book touches on of self-confidence and encourages kids to accept themselves for who they are. You can watch a trailer for the book here. Bowles is donating a portion of the proceeds to Camp Southern Ground, a camp that strives to “overcome academic, social and emotional difficulties so they may reach their full potential..." - Brittany Joy Cooper (READ MORE)

Amazon: "This book is Wonderful, I read it to my 5 year old Grandson and he Loved it. It allowed my grandson Rahmonta to ask questions through out the story such as, why are people laughing at her for laughing so loud, is it wrong? It opens up a way to let children know that it is alright to be different. Amy had a loud laugh and that was ok I told him and he said kinda like me being shy and quiet, people make fun of me for that. I said thats right, there is nothing wrong with that not one bit. He asked if I would get another book to give to his Pre School class, (great idea shy one). Thanks Coy, can't wait for the next book." - Rachel Burt (READ MORE)

WLTX: "...He wrote a book titled Amy Giggles based on a girl he knew who was teased as a kid because she snorted when she laughed. "She started doing this huffin' and puffin' thing. I was like 'what was that?" said Bowles of an encounter with the woman Amy's character is based off of. "People made fun of her as a kid, so much so that she changed her laugh." A musician friend encouraged Bowles to put the story on paper. It's being sold through online retailers. Bowles says it will hit the digital market soon. "The ultimate goal of the book is to instill confidence in kids and let them go, ya know, we're all different," said Bowles. "Maybe their can be more of an awareness thing that starts happening. I'm just trying to spread that." - Clark Fouraker (READ MORE)

Amy Giggles – Laugh Out Loud is a story of self-confidence and reassurance, accepting who you are and the realization that our differences make us each beautiful and unique. The reader is taken into a world of imagination through the eyes of Amy Giggles and her boisterous laugh. - Coy Bowles (READ MORE)

Related Reading:

• Official web-site: Amy Giggles
• Official web-site: Coy Bowles
• Official web-site: Zac Brown Band Store: Amy Giggles
• facebook: Coy Bowles
• youtube: Coy Bowles
• myspace: Coy Bowles
• tumblr: Amy Giggles
• Amy Giggles [Hardcover]
• Country star writes anti-bullying book (Video)