Raise Up committee spreads message with rainbow of balloons despite rainy skies
On Sunday, November 20th, Jasper locals Tommy Craven and Sarah Barry, along with ten other volunteers, directed Jasper, Indiana’s first LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender) awareness event on the steps of the Dubois County Courthouse.
A crowd formed in the pouring rain over the course of the hour-long event where local LGBT teens and straight allies read the stories of LGBT students who have taken their lives due to the bullying experienced by their peers and family.
The passages read by the volunteers told stories of longing for acceptance and fighting for equality in communities where LGBT people are not given full respect and are often discriminated against because of their sexuality.
The title of the event, Raise Up, was fitting as volunteers released balloons with a message of equality and the biographies of the suicide victims in hope of spreading tolerance throughout the community.
Volunteers also performed songs such as “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga and “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry to add a solemn tone of remembrance for those fallen and words of encouragement to begin the steps for ending injustice.
Directors, Tommy Craven and Sarah Barry, hope the event will initiate some action in the community such as the creation of a GSA (Gay- Straight Alliance) at the local high schools.
The volunteers of the event included Bryor Schepers, Nora Hopf , Tom Reinch, Katie Letterman, Libby Springston, Mckala Troxler, Andrea Carie, Emily Fleming, Cade Heaton, Dakotah Asbell, & Arielle Saltysyuk.
Kudos to the young adults who formed this group and made this event happen! I am looking forward to this being an annual event so more and more people can attend and we can spread awareness and educate the public about the bullying that goes on with the LGBT community. Bullying in general is a serious problem in our country. Just last week a 10yr old in Illinois took her own life and they believe bullying to be one of the major reasons.
Thank you to Tommy Craven and Sarah Barry for spear-heading this great cause!!
Letter to the Editor – Nov. 25, 2011
This story assumes that all students struggling with same-sex attraction always must be identified as gay or lesbian, no exceptions.
What about those young people who, despite this struggle, desire to obey the Christian prohibition against homosexual acts? Is there any place for them in the homosexualist agenda now on display at Jasper High School? Where is the support for Christian youth who desire to remain true to their Catholic Christian faith, which teaches that homosexual acts are sinful and that same-sex attraction is intrinsically disordered? These students will not receive that kind of support from the gay community, which is actively seeking to overthrow the traditional understanding of gender, marriage, and procreation.
In the interest of true fairness, Jasper High School should allow a similar organization on campus which is committed to the formation and reinforcement of traditional male-female gender identity, in order to support those who desire to affirm in their lives and decisions the biological gender they were born with.
Angela McDonald
Huntingburg
The main objective of this event was to spread the message about what having intolerance thoughts and actions can do to another individual (possibly suicide). While this cause is applied to LGBT because of the severity at the moment, it is essentially a lesson that can be applied to almost any type of discrimination. I respect Christians who want to hold on to their beliefs. I appreciate people who can commit their lives and educated themselves about a religion. What I have a problem with is when people commit themselves to a religion without knowing what the values and expected way of living involves. This event was not promoting Christians to change their values for the LGBT community though I would say I would hope that stories like those at the event would allow you to question your interpretation of the Bible and reflect on how your values can severely affect someone else's life if not executed in a professional and careful way. The school could not support a group about a religious teaching, and I don't see the necessity. I don't believe Christians at Jaspe High School are being bullied to the point of feeling worthless, which is what a GSA helps to deter in a high school environment. It becomes a safe place where LGBT students and allies can come together and support each other when parents, peers, and community figures might not accept them for them. For me, the GSA would not be one to try to convert Christian values to fit the "gay agenda" but instead promote the goodwill of LGBT people, and if that allows Christian's to question themselves, then that is at the hand of the individual much like religion interpretation is in general.
I am so confused how this has anything to do with religion. When human kind lets go of their egoist desire to make others conform to their beliefs, we will finally step towards following what ALL major religions teach; compassion, tolerance, acceptance and love. I don’t think Jesus, Mohammed or Buddha said “love each other, but only if they believe as you do”. Love is not conditional. Anyone claiming to be religious of any kind, and attacking others for their beliefs, is not being true to their own "God". That is not loving….they are judging, and that is not our job….to judge. The bible that I read says nothing about chastising someone because of their sexual orientation.
I pray that LGBT is able to accomplish something in this area….and others as well.