It was Hate, Not You Tube.

Tyler Clementi was an innocent young man, a college student at Rutgers, whose privacy was violated in such an audacious and despicable manner that he felt he had no choice but to jump. The debate over the cause of his suicide is raging. Many feel that the age of social networking and an unrestrained internet have reduced us to frivolous, superficial beings engaging in reckless, careless actions. Others believe that open communication and high tech pursuits have opened up the world and brought us together. No matter what side of the debate you are on, do not confuse Tyler's death with that discussion. One thing killed him....HATE. For thousands of years, no matter what mode of communication existed..the printing press or youtube, people have jumped because of hate. Our world has always had hatemongers, people whose ignorance and bigotry is blind to tolerance and acceptance. Pharoahs who hated Hebrews, Whites that have hated blacks, Christians that have hated Muslims, straights who hate gays, this has been history. One could argue that tolerance and acceptance has been on the rise over the past generations and I will accept that, but still, today, there is hate and bigotry out there that makes a person like Tyler Clementi kill himself. Tyler may have believed that those in his life, whose acceptance he valued may have been too distraught, perhaps making it untenable for him to go on. I don't know, I am not a psychiatrist and I did not know him, but as his parents and others mourn his loss, don't blame youtube or facebook or the internet, blame hate. Blame the people such as Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh and Laura Schlessinger who in this country fuel this kind of homophobic and bigoted and ignorant hatred. Sadly, the wrong person jumped. Let Tyler's death not be in vain. Let us learn from this sad experience and tragic loss. It is hate, not youtube. Where are you Americans for reason and truth?