College freshman commits suicide after sex tape posted on internet by roommate

[MrsSpringsteen]

I had heard the part about feeling that his mother had rejected him, it doesn't get worse than that. His brother is also gay so I don't know how that factored in-when he came out, etc. Obviously it wasn't just Ravi that drove him to suicide, it was several factors. But I still don't think Ravi would have done it if Tyler had been with a woman. Maybe the jury thought so too.

He's not going to get 10 years or anywhere near that. Might be just one year or much less than that.

[HBK-79]

Originally Posted by BVS

Why do you find it difficult to make that connection? You have politicians and politicking religious leaders that are blaming many of society's issues on homosexuals.

I figured that a child wouldn't be impressionable enough to take this political rhetoric to heart, and to subsequently harass classmates based on sexual orientation.

When I was a kid, I never paid attention to the words of politicians and religious leaders. This is not because I didn't agree with what they were saying. It was because I was more interested in video games and Ninja Turtles, not politics or religion.

[Moonlit_Angel]

I don't know if most kids would pay attention to the politicians themselves, but I do definitely think they would hear their parents or others in their neighborhood/town echoing the thoughts of politicians they vote for. Wherever they hear anti-gay messages, they will eventually hear them, and if being anti-gay is something that's seen as okay, they can be influenced by that.

Add in the fact that some politicians' homophobic attitudes have led to schools being very touchy about the mere discussion of homosexuality in school because they're afraid they'll lose funding or whatever if they bring up anything even remotely seen as "offensive" by some, and that's going to have a big impact, too.

It does "trickle down", if you will.

[BVS]

Originally Posted by HBK-79

I figured that a child wouldn't be impressionable enough to take this political rhetoric to heart, and to subsequently harass classmates based on sexual orientation.

When I was a kid, I never paid attention to the words of politicians and religious leaders. This is not because I didn't agree with what they were saying. It was because I was more interested in video games and Ninja Turtles, not politics or religion.

But it trickles down. The adults in their life hear this vitriol and then they represent it in a much more common language around the child without even thinking about the consequences.

Take for an example a conversation I heard this weekend at a one year old's birthday party. This party had people of all ages, races, economic and educational backgrounds. It was a very interesting group to say the least. A conversation about voting started and 30 minutes later it had morphed into a conversation about birth control, gay marriage and Muslims. It was a Tea Partiers wet dream. Amongst all the racism came several homophobic comments such as: "queers getting married", "that's what's wrong with society", "turn my kid gay", etc. Remember this did not stem from a religious conversation, this stemmed from a political conversation, and this was all within earshot of children from the age of 1 to the age of 12.

So you may have been interested in Ninja Turtles, but the adults in your life are having these conversations around you, so of course it's going to affect you.

[Moonlit_Angel]

Originally Posted by BVS

Take for an example a conversation I heard this weekend at a one year old's birthday party. This party had people of all ages, races, economic and educational backgrounds. It was a very interesting group to say the least. A conversation about voting started and 30 minutes later it had morphed into a conversation about birth control, gay marriage and Muslims. It was a Tea Partiers wet dream. Amongst all the racism came several homophobic comments such as: "queers getting married", "that's what's wrong with society", "turn my kid gay", etc. Remember this did not stem from a religious conversation, this stemmed from a political conversation, and this was all within earshot of children from the age of 1 to the age of 12.

Nothing says "happy birthday" like throwing around gay slurs and racist comments! Good to see adults knowing how to behave in front of children-what wonderful lessons those kids are getting!

I'm really sorry you had to hear that. I'm sorry the children there had to hear that.

[BVS]

Yeah, and the ones having this conversation were parents themselves... None of these people were going to win parent of the year anytime soon. On top of all this, one of my biggest pet peeves they were smoking in front of their children(even as they were holding them). I don't mind if you smoke, but there's just something about someone who's constantly smoking around small children that just bothers me.

[Moonlit_Angel]

Classy people all around .

Yeah. I wouldn't approve of smoking around kids, either. You want to ruin your own lungs, that's your business, but keep it the hell away from children.

[yolland]

The Newark Star-Ledger was able to interview Dharun Ravi earlier this week.

Exclusive interview with Dharun Ravi - NJ.com

[deep]

Did Ravi may get 10 years for not killing a white kid ?

[wasitgood]

@ heading, to bad if he wanted to be straight, and felt bad for what was done, not like he got a chance in anything, sometimes people who broadcast things will one day get what they deserve Also reminds me of a young girl who's ex boyfriend released a pic of her in a personal ad, saying she liked it rough and liked surprises, and he put her address, hence she got followed and raped in her own home. I hope those tormenting people get what they cause or dish out. If it was your son or daughter who's video got posted, im sure you would feel the same, they could have been on drugs, drunk or experimenting, although wrong I agree, but kids will always be young, stupid and nieve. As much as I love the net, I couldn't care less is it got banned and only used for filing, pretty much love the older days.

[MrsSpringsteen]

30 days

Wow

[Pearl]

Only 30 days?!

Wow, no justice for Tyler. That is wrong.

[deep]

why, who killed Tyler?

[MrsSpringsteen]

Originally Posted by deep

why, who killed Tyler?

Like I've said before, obviously Ravi wasn't the sole factor. But did he push him over the edge, all but literally? Hmm, the timing is rather suspect.

As far as I know it's still illegal in NJ and most states to publicly broadcast, without their consent, another person having sex. After Tyler's suicide, he lied and did everything he could to cover his tracks. The judge said he was guilty of "colossal insensitivity"-I know many people who are colossally insensitive who would still never do such a thing to a person, and/or break the law. The judge said he was "young" too, I guess youth is an excuse under the law for what he did. There's the law and there's what's right, and 30 days for that isn't right in my book. Frankly I think it's a mockery and a joke.

All you have to do is watch the victim impact statements from Tyler's parents and listen to how they logically explained what Ravi did. It all made perfect sense to me. They are sad and they are hurting, but everything they said was brought out in the trial. Ravi's lawyer even tried to LIE and say that Ravi had disconnected the webcam, when it was Tyler who did.

I hope he can grow up in 30 days in jail, maybe he'll even get out early cause he's too young and immature to hack it. We wouldn't want him to suffer.

[Jive Turkey]

I hate to say it, but I have to agree with deep. This guy is guilty for whatever privacy laws he violated, but he's not guilty for the death of anyone

[corianderstem]

I agree with that, although 30 days does seem pretty iffy. Although he's already been in prison? Is it an "and time served" situation?

Also, he now has a conviction on his record, so he's carrying that around with him, and that too is a consequence.

[MrsSpringsteen]

You can't hold someone legally responsible for someone else's suicide, I know that and I get that. I remember that Jenny Jones case from years ago. But Ravi did this more than once, without any regard for the consequences for the other human being involved, his victim. Only for himself, after Tyler's death. He did send him that one e-mail, Tyler was probably already dead at the time.

I'm not saying the guy is a homophobe, or some sort of murderer-by-way-of-bullying-leading-to-a-suicide. But at a certain point we all are old enough and mature enough, or we should be, to understand the consequences of our actions. At some point the law has to catch up to the internet age, and it will. There are human beings at the receiving end of inappropriate online conduct, and you can't use that as a cop out. He did in at least one interview, in which he said that was just the way he "communicated"- he was just joking around, you know?. He still doesn't get it, not from what I've seen. Don't know if more than 30 days would have had any effect on that. Hope he'll truly get it some day soon.

"I heard this jury say, 'guilty' 288 times--24 questions, 12 jurors. That's the multiplication," the judge said. "I haven't heard you apologize once."

[Dfit00]

Wasn't the beauty a little bit Indian-looking?

[BVS]

Originally Posted by Dfit00

Wasn't the beauty a little bit Indian-looking?

What? Point?

[Jive Turkey]

Apparently some people thing this guy should be thrown in jail on account of being an asshole