Blogging in English und auf Deutsch. English: A key topic of this blog certainly is Bullying, and what can be done against it. Deutsch: Ein Kernthema dieses Blogs is ganz sicherlich Mobbing, und was dagegen getan werden kann. E: There are still lots of other topics here, too - feel free to cruise around and take a look :-)! D: Es gibt aber auch noch viele andere Themen - schaut Euch einfach um :-)! E: I look forward to comments on my blog entries! D: Ich freue mich über Kommentare zu meinen Blog-Einträgen!
Anm.: Deutsche Version dieses Blogs hier.
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I made this video ("It is okay to be gay ... Stop Bullying Now!") in the beginning of October 2010, in reaction to the series of several suicides of gay teenagers in the US within just a few weeks. They took their lives, because they were bullied for being gay.
It was one of several videos I posted on the subject during this month. I will put links for them to the end of this blog here.
Since I uploaded the above video "It is okay to be gay ... Stop Bullying Now!" to my Truedantalion channel, it has gotten an average 1,300 views per month, which is impressive (if I may say so). Among those views, there have been quite a few lately from the video being featured on YouTube, even!
And the video has gotten more than 100 comments from viewers up to now, which is awesome. As I reply to every single comment, the video currently displays a total of 220 comments ... and counting.
[Update August 15th: The total number of comments has crossed the 300 mark, and counting]
The overwhelming majority of those comments is of compassionate nature, in which (being shocked and saddened by the events depicted) viewers express their feelings. Quite a few viewers also report about personal experiences of being bullied ...
To go through these statements is an intense read.
If you want to do so (maybe also only skim though a bit, just so you get a feel of what people say there), you can click the following link, that will show you all comments sorted from newest to oldest. If you feel like doing so, I recommend to also click "Sort by thread (beta) underneath the video, so you'll have all comment dialogs sorted in the logical order.
Only during the last weeks, I also received a few spiteful comments, that either qualify as bully / troll / hater comments, or openly expressed people's personal issues with homosexuality, which at times lead to a sort of discussion in the comments section. Me, I always rather reply to those comments and enter into a conversation / discussion with those people, instead of just deleting their words, and block them. And it so happened that also a few new viewers then replied to those spiteful comments.
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The latest comment I received yesterday, though, is of a new and different nature. This comment is the reason for me to write this blog. And while I do this, I still have not yet written my reply there.
This is the comment in question:
"The only way to deal with a bully is not with words, but with a fist. OR expect to die. Which is it, kids? Don't you care enough about yourself to fight for your own life? A sucker punch is the only thing a heterosexual will understand. Clench your fist and aim. And hit with all your might.
Love.... Ms. LaReina"
I checked the channel profile of this YouTuber, and what I read and sensed there is the reason why I need way more time than usual for a comment reply. Because there are quite a few layers to this.
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I think that a blog entry does not always have to be like a rounded mini-essay, describing a train of thought that ends with a conclusion, a revelation, a state of katharsis, or a pun. At times, all we are left with may be simply a question ... or a helping of temporary perplexity.
Both of those are not the only reason why my reply to this comment needed a longer preparation time. These two elements are there, yes, and have their part in the delay (that is unusual for me), but they are only like two spices in a stew, that add to the taste, yet are not the actual dish.
I just wanted to document that state I am in still, currently, and share this with you. And I have a question to you, dear reader:
What would you reply to this comment?
Or, possibly even in a more general approach:
What thoughts go through your mind on the topic I deal with in the video, after you hopefully took the time to (re-)watch it?
I would love to read your thoughts in a comment on this blog entry. And, yes, I will reply to your comment :-)!
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The other videos I posted during October 2010
on the topic of gay teens' suicides:
It was one of several videos I posted on the subject during this month. I will put links for them to the end of this blog here.
And the video has gotten more than 100 comments from viewers up to now, which is awesome. As I reply to every single comment, the video currently displays a total of 220 comments ... and counting.
[Update August 15th: The total number of comments has crossed the 300 mark, and counting]
To go through these statements is an intense read.
Only during the last weeks, I also received a few spiteful comments, that either qualify as bully / troll / hater comments, or openly expressed people's personal issues with homosexuality, which at times lead to a sort of discussion in the comments section. Me, I always rather reply to those comments and enter into a conversation / discussion with those people, instead of just deleting their words, and block them. And it so happened that also a few new viewers then replied to those spiteful comments.
Love.... Ms. LaReina"
I checked the channel profile of this YouTuber, and what I read and sensed there is the reason why I need way more time than usual for a comment reply. Because there are quite a few layers to this.
I think that a blog entry does not always have to be like a rounded mini-essay, describing a train of thought that ends with a conclusion, a revelation, a state of katharsis, or a pun. At times, all we are left with may be simply a question ... or a helping of temporary perplexity.
I just wanted to document that state I am in still, currently, and share this with you. And I have a question to you, dear reader:
Or, possibly even in a more general approach:
What thoughts go through your mind on the topic I deal with in the video, after you hopefully took the time to (re-)watch it?
The other videos I posted during October 2010
on the topic of gay teens' suicides:
"It will get better - if we do something"
a vlog addressed mainly to those who are needed
The silent majority of bystanders
"When the chain of Bullying continues"
a re-upload of a news feature
that resulted in a blog
"When the Freedom of Speech ends - a bully forced to resign"
a playlist of three.piece video re-upload
on the case of Clint McCance
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And this is the song I used in the video above: