Bill W - Who's To Blame?

[Bill W]

This is my entry for the Spring Anthology. I would love to get some feedback on it.

[Daddydavek]

I read and reviewed your story and would like to add that kids mirror society. Playing games of one-upmanship is endemic in our society and kids think it is cool and funny. Dumping on the odd guy out is especially easy for kids and it can easily escalate into bullying. I've seen kids practise comeback lines, so they could be ready when someone dishes on them. Normal banter is an outlet and friends do it all the time. Unfortunately, kids don't always have the judgment to tell when it has escalated into being hateful.

[Bill W]

Although I agree with your statements, and this is not a modern problem, but I think adults have become much more aggressive with maintaining those behaviors from their own childhood and seem to be passing them on in a more powerful and aggressive manner to their children. Although the problem isn't new, I do think it has increased in intensity.

[TrevorTime]

What an amazing short story. I was just mucking around the website and sort of stumbled onto it.

 

Bill, was the death of Jamey Rodemeyer (from Buffalo, NY) the inspiration for Who's To Blame? There are just way too many coincidences for me to think otherwise.

[Bill W]

Trevor, that was one of the inspirations for this story, along with the multitude of other gays who committed suicide rather than enduring the abuse. I know I'm preaching to the choir here at GA, but hopefully others will get this message and the abuse will end, or at least lessen.