An Important Message From Ellen Degeneres On Bullying

Ellen Degeneres posted the following on Facebook about the recent death of Rutgers University freshman, Tyler Clementi:



It is heartbreaking that Clementi felt so much shame, he felt he had no other recourse but to take his own life as a result of the despicable actions of his fellow students to stream LIVE such an intimate moment for this young man. Such a tragic end to a life so full of promise.

But the shame was not his. The shame is for those two students who dehumanized him in such a manner, who found humor in the degradation of another. They are the ones who should be ashamed, not Clementi. But it is too late for him.

We must make a change in our culture, in our society, in the way we are teaching our young people. We must change a culture in which someone would even CONSIDER doing something so invasive, so degrading, to a fellow student. We must take a good, long look at ourselves, the kinds of role models we are, the kind of behavior we have tolerated, the kind of people we want to be. And we must work HARD to not have this kind of thing happen ever again. We must do that now.

It is too late for Tyler Clementi. But it is not too late to stop this kind of behavior from occurring again.

My heart goes out to Tyler's family and friends. You are in my prayers...