News Release
For Immediate Release:  November 11, 2010
Contact:  Diane Gramley  1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355

Homosexual Groups Continue to Use Tragic Suicides to Further Their Agenda

(Philadelphia) – Philadelphia-based Equality Forum’s news release published in the Miami Herald yesterday misses the point and is using the recent suicide of a 14-year old Snyder County student to push for bills that would force every public school student in America to confirm and celebrate the homosexual lifestyle.  The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide organization which advocates for truly safer schools, notes that Equality Forum is using flawed data and half truths to further their agenda.

“Equality Forum did not tell the whole story in their news release.  A November 9th story says, ‘Brandon Bitner was a straight-A student with a core group of friends.’ Another story the following day says his mother did not know Brandon’s sexual orientation.  This suicide, as any suicide no matter the age of the victim, is tragic; but even more tragic is when organizations like Equality Forum and others use these losses  to force America to validate homosexuality.  Brandon’s school is already reevaluating the safeguards they have set up to prevent bullying,” Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA remarked.

Name calling and other bullying such as Brandon Bitner endured should be immediately dealt with by school personnel.  All students should have a safe learning environment.  There’s a renewed press for passage of H.R. 4530, national legislation that goes beyond stronger anti-bullying measures to incorporate mandatory pro-”gay” propaganda.  Such a bill would not have helped other Pennsylvania teens who have committed suicide recently.  Those who are learning disabled are immediate targets for bullies.

The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network  School Climate Survey claims nearly nine out of 10 “gay” students are harassed at school. However, as True Tolerance has pointed out, the survey results are unreliable. It is administered online, not conducted according to professional research standards.

The CDC reports that in 2006 more than 33,000 suicides occurred in the United States, ninety-one suicides per day, one every sixteen minutes.  Males take their own lives at nearly four times the rate of females and account for seventy-nine percent of all suicides.

“Current Pennsylvania law is that all schools must have a bullying program in place.  No enumerated list is required as homosexual activists are demanding.  A list is not needed; schools should adhere to their existent policies and deal with all bullying no matter who the student is.  Using teen suicides to further an agenda is a disgrace,” stated Gramley.

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