TN Lawmaker: Gay Kids’ Bad Parents, Not Bullies, Cause Teen Suicide

[alp227]

A Tennessee Republican Tea Party lawmaker today blamed poor parenting and exempted bullying as the cause of gay youth and teen suicides. State Rep. Jeremy Faison stood on the floor of the Tennessee House of Representatives and argued against a cyberbullying bill, lamenting that kids who literally bully their fellow classmates to death could be charged as criminals instead of given detention.

“We can’t continue to legislate everything, Rep. Faison said today, and in the video below. “We’ve had some horrible things happen in America and in our state, and there’s children that have actually committed suicide, but I will submit to you today that they did not commit suicide because of somebody bullying them. They committed suicide because they were not instilled the proper principles of where their self-esteem came from at home.”

full: http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/tn-lawmaker-gay-kids-bad-parents-not-bullies-cause-teen-suicide/politics/2012/04/24/38449

Another one of those "how can intelligent people vote Republican?" and "victim-blaming Republican" stories.

[mzteris]

1. actually for a lot of those kids

their parents are bullying them, too. Or ignoring them. Or condemning them. Or rejecting them.

But the bullying at school - whether it's for being gay, aspie, geeky, too large, too skinny, too something or not enough of something else, and/or otherwise "different" IS a large factor in suicide. And school shootings.

I hate those idiot republican teapartiers. I wish they'd take their little teasets and GO HOME!

[Liquorice]

2. The parents of the bullies are the real culprits. nt

[freshwest]

10. +1

[Politicalboi]

3. Another bug exterminator

Who thinks he knows everything. He's been nipping the bug spray. I wonder if he's related to Tom Delay?

[Downwinder]

4. I'm certain you can find some straight suicides from bullying.

[freshwest]

11. +1

[zbdent]

5. Did he just call Dick Cheney a bad parent?

Well, if so, he speaketh the truth ...

[Initech]

6. Today's bullies = tomorrow's Republicans.

Fact: When I was finishing high school - the parents of a former bully (and this guy was a real piece of shit too) called my house one night cold-calling for Dole supporters. Needless to say that was one extremely awkward moment - and from then on was when I started developing this theory.

[Kalidurga]

8. Facts seem to support your theory...

Unless, people really think the bullies in Congress just started that pattern of behaviour once they were elected.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. I would almost be willing to bet that Rep. Faison was a bully when he was in school.

Just a gut instinct, no facts or info to support it.

[Odin2005]

9. This asshole was probably a bully himself.

No, wait, he still IS a bully!