14 Year Old Tennessee Boy Commits Suicide to Escape Bullying

The death toll from anti-gay bullying sadly continues to rise. Even as Rick Santorum, the Catholic Church hierarchy, the National Organization for Marriage and the leading anti-hate groups such as Family Research Council and American Family Association continue to ratchet up their anti-gay demagoguery. Anti-gay bullying continues unabated for the simple reason that anti-gay religious and political forces continue to make anti-gay bigotry socially and politically acceptable at least in some circles. As I have noted before, those who market in anti-gay bigotry have blood on their hands and are equally responsible with those who have bullied LGBT youth and driven them to see suicide as their best option. It's one of the principal reasons I have come to have little but contempt for far right Christians and their political whores in the Republican Party. LGBT youth are literally dying as a result of the religious based hate and shameless political opportunism.

The latest victim of this campaign of hate is 14 year old Phillip Parker of Gordonsville, Tennessee. As seems to be the norm with these tragic deaths, Parker's parents reported the bullying problem to their son's school which true to form did nothing. Meanwhile, the "good Christians" continue to sit on their thumbs rather that challenge the hate merchants who wrap themselves in false piety and the banner of Christianity. Here are highlights from WSMV-TV 4 on the latest bullying victim:

A Gordonsville boy's parents say bullying caused their son to take his own life. Phillip Parker, 14, died this week. His parents said he was constantly bullied for being gay. More than 100 people gathered in Gordonsville on Saturday night, grieving the loss of Phillip.

Phillip's family said they reported their concerns over their son's bullying to Gordonsville High School on multiple occasions, but the bullying by a group of students just got worse.

An official with Smith County Schools told Channel 4 they are now planning how to handle a crisis situation with students Monday. Friends added they are planning to set up a memorial fund in Phillip's name but haven't made the arrangements just yet.

As I noted to the boyfriend, until "good Christians" begin to start loudly and actively challenging the haters of the Christian Right, my shadow is not going to darken a church door for any reason or occasion. Christianity has become something truly foul and toxic.