The idea of the “It Gets Better Project” is to get the message to LGBT youth that “it gets better” – i.e., that things may seem difficult right now, but that help is available, and that things get easier as you get older. The Project describes the mission this way:
Growing up isn’t easy. Many young people face daily tormenting and bullying, leading them to feel like they have nowhere to turn. This is especially true for LGBT kids and teens, who often hide their sexuality for fear of bullying. Without other openly gay adults and mentors in their lives, they can’t imagine what their future may hold. In many instances, gay and lesbian adolescents are taunted — even tortured — simply for being themselves.
Justin Aaberg. Billy Lucas. Cody Barker. Asher Brown. Seth Walsh. Raymond Chase. Tyler Clementi. They were tragic examples of youth who could not believe that it does actually get better. [They all committed suicide.]
While many of these teens couldn’t see a positive future for themselves, we can. The It Gets Better Project was created to show young LGBT people the levels of happiness, potential, and positivity their lives will reach – if they can just get through their teen years. The It Gets Better Project wants to remind teenagers in the LGBT community that they are not alone — and it WILL get better.
Hard to be against that, I’d say, and the more people who say so, the better. The basic message is pretty non-controversial: bullying is bad, and life is good. The Red Sox have done a nice video along these lines, and both President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, among other political leaders, have also done so.
Now, the Massachusetts congressional delegation has shot a one-minute video in which every one of them participates. Everyone except Scott Brown, that is.
A Democratic Party source confirmed to BMG that Brown was invited to participate, but declined. How incredibly disappointing. I have asked his office for comment, but so far, radio silence.
Are these then run as ads or used in middle schools/high school? It is a great idea. This really should be something Brown would have no problem doing – and it looks likely that they videotaped the politicians separately, so being busy can’t be the reason. Maybe he is afraid of the tea party getting mad at him.
Given his deplorable history, it is better that he doesn’t. He is just as bad as Santorum on gay issues. He will not be missed when he is gone soon.
aptly describes the reason Senator Brown would not participate. Former Senator Santorum has had a long relationship (if that is the right word) with “It Gets Better” founder Dan Savage, which has resulted in (1) the coinage of “Santorum” as a common noun and (2) buckets of funds from the outraged for his otherwise foundering Presidential campaign. Scott’s financial bottom line benefits from keeping the outrage at a boil.
He would have done it if he could have worked in how amazing the 2010 Special Election was.
Would he have simply repeated his profanity filled diatribe from before
http://vps28478.inmotionhosting.com/~bluema24/2010/01/scott-browns-real-king-philip-craziness/
asking if Brown was invited, and if he declined the invitation when I first saw Glenn Johnson’s tweet. I’ll post if I get a response, nothing as of this morning.
unbelievable