Why would anyone do this to another human being?

[penn19]

A prank is putting vaseline on the door. Broadcasting someone having sex on the internet withour their knowledge or consent goes WELL beyond prank!

Agreed!

I just saw this on the Today show and my heart just sank. The poor boy. I am sure he probably thought how will I ever live this down? And he didn't see any way out except to end it.

People need to start thinking about what the outcome of their actions will be. These kids were smart enough to get into Rutgers, they knew better, but thought it "funny"?

 

[dejr_8]

Look I am not trying to defend what they did. I just don't believe this was premeditated.

I also don't believe this is gay related issue. I bet they would have done the same thing if he was with a girl (or alone doing something).

 

[luvmy3]

The article says they were HS classmates of Tylers, was there a history of bullying between them or were they actually friends? I think depending on their history my opinion of these kids would differ. While its a tragic story and my heart goes out to Tyler's family I'm not ready to hang these kids for what they did. I'm not defending their actions, they should be punished for violating Tyler's privacy, but I'm not sure they set out to to this to destroy his reputation.

 

[agnes!]

Here's 18 year-old Tyler Clementi's Facebook photo:

To me, something to be remembered is not the fact that the people who were taped without their knowledge were gay...it's the fact that *two human beings* were taped during their most intimate moments. Straight, gay, it doesn't matter...there are probably many other people who would be devastated if a tape of their private time was shared over the Internet and who might do something impulsive like Mr. Clementi did.

Oh, and what's additionally truly sick is that the roommate and his female-accomplice did this twice. On the 19th he set up the webcam in his room, went to her room to watch and Twittered about it all, apparently broadcasting the video to an unnamed website. On the 21st he then told his 150 followers to get on iChat at a certain time so they could access iChat's live video feed and watch.



agnes!
PS - Wonder how many high school seniors are thinking they really don't want to apply to Rutgers now?...

 

[Hannathy]

Look I am not trying to defend what they did. I just don't believe this was premeditated.

I also don't believe this is gay related issue. I bet they would have done the same thing if he was with a girl (or alone doing something).

Please. I can not wait until you can explain how could this NOT be premeditated? They did it twice and advertised it for goodness sake!!!

 

[Hannathy]

PS - Wonder how many high school seniors are thinking they really don't want to apply to Rutgers now?...

And how many parents are thinking they don't want to be writing the all important check to Rutgers now?

 

[agnes!]

The article says they were HS classmates of Tylers, was there a history of bullying between them or were they actually friends? I think depending on their history my opinion of these kids would differ. While its a tragic story and my heart goes out to Tyler's family I'm not ready to hang these kids for what they did. I'm not defending their actions, they should be punished for violating Tyler's privacy, but I'm not sure they set out to to this to destroy his reputation.

The two people who were complicit in the taping were classmates of each other at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North in Plainsboro, N.J. Tyler Clementi attended Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood.

The details are still a little sketchy but it appears that in the first incident the roommate taped Clementi and then broadcast the content on the Internet, downloading it onto the unnamed website. The September 21st incident was a live feed.

agnes!

 

[wvjules]

Here's 18 year-old Tyler Clementi's Facebook photo:

To me, something to be remembered is not the fact that the people who were taped without their knowledge were gay...it's the fact that *two human beings* were taped during their most intimate moments. Straight, gay, it doesn't matter...there are probably many other people who would be devastated if a tape of their private time was shared over the Internet and who might do something impulsive like Mr. Clementi did.

Oh, and what's additionally truly sick is that the roommate and his female-accomplice did this twice. On the 19th he set up the webcam in his room, went to her room to watch and Twittered about it all, apparently broadcasting the video to an unnamed website. On the 21st he then told his 150 followers to get on iChat at a certain time so they could access iChat's live video feed and watch.



agnes!
PS - Wonder how many high school seniors are thinking they really don't want to apply to Rutgers now?...

What did Rutgers University do wrong in this situation? I doubt any student is rethinking their choice. This could have happened anywhere, in any dorm at any univeristy.

 

[luvmy3]

Here's 18 year-old Tyler Clementi's Facebook photo:

To me, something to be remembered is not the fact that the people who were taped without their knowledge were gay...it's the fact that *two human beings* were taped during their most intimate moments. Straight, gay, it doesn't matter...there are probably many other people who would be devastated if a tape of their private time was shared over the Internet and who might do something impulsive like Mr. Clementi did.

Oh, and what's additionally truly sick is that the roommate and his female-accomplice did this twice. On the 19th he set up the webcam in his room, went to her room to watch and Twittered about it all, apparently broadcasting the video to an unnamed website. On the 21st he then told his 150 followers to get on iChat at a certain time so they could access iChat's live video feed and watch.



agnes!
PS - Wonder how many high school seniors are thinking they really don't want to apply to Rutgers now?...

I don't think this is going to change anything. I'm willing to bet that in dorms across the country this kind of stuff is happening, the only reason we are hearing about this is because of what Tyler did when he found out.

 

[LukenDC]

I have read several articles recently about bullying and it makes me furious! There have been several recent suicides tied to anti-gay bullying. In NY, bullies broke the arm of a boy who tried out for the middle school cheerleading squad.

Bullying has always been present in schools, but now it is rising to the level of broken bones, gunshots, and tormenting victims to the point of suicide. The adults running the schools need to be mature and responsible. That means protecting ALL students regardless of race, religion, sexual orientation, goegraphic origin, appearance, etc. If school administrators turn a blind eye to bullying because the victim is gay or overweight or whatever, then they need to be held accountable and PUNISHED.

On Tuesday I am going to a special presentation of the new Southern Poverty Law Center film Bullied. It's about the 1990s case of Jamie Nabozny, the Wisconsin teen who was bullied and tormented relentlessly because he was gay. After bullies beat him so badly that his internal organs were damaged and he needed surgery, his parents successfully sued the school district.

 

[sunnyday123]

Agreed!

I just saw this on the Today show and my heart just sank. The poor boy. I am sure he probably thought how will I ever live this down? And he didn't see any way out except to end it.

People need to start thinking about what the outcome of their actions will be. These kids were smart enough to get into Rutgers, they knew better, but thought it "funny"?

Exactly. I don't know what they are going to say the "intent" was, but if they can't figure out how devastating and humiliating what they did would be, they are too stupid to be in normal society.

They ruined a life, theirs should be ruined.

 

[luvmy3]

The two people who were complicit in the taping were classmates of each other at West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North in Plainsboro, N.J. Tyler Clementi attended Ridgewood High School in Ridgewood.

The details are still a little sketchy but it appears that in the first incident the roommate taped Clementi and then broadcast the content on the Internet, downloading it onto the unnamed website. The September 21st incident was a live feed.

agnes!

Thank you for that info, I really hate when stories are published before all the facts have been checked.

 

[mjkacmom]

I don't think this is going to change anything. I'm willing to bet that in dorms across the country this kind of stuff is happening, the only reason we are hearing about this is because of what Tyler did when he found out.

Well, not exactly true - the fact that they videos were online made the news before the suicide, but I agree, it's not the fault of Rutgers - this could happen anywhere. Actually, the fact that it made the news might've motivated the suicide.

 

[luvmy3]

Well, not exactly true - the fact that they videos were online made the news before the suicide, but I agree, it's not the fault of Rutgers - this could happen anywhere. Actually, the fact that it made the news might've motivated the suicide.

Do you have any links to the stories that were published before Tyler's suicide? I'm just curious if the news publicly named any of them in their stories.

 

[agnes!]

Here's 18 year-old Tyler Clementi's Facebook photo:

To me, something to be remembered is not the fact that the people who were taped without their knowledge were gay...it's the fact that *two human beings* were taped during their most intimate moments. Straight, gay, it doesn't matter...there are probably many other people who would be devastated if a tape of their private time was shared over the Internet and who might do something impulsive like Mr. Clementi did.

Oh, and what's additionally truly sick is that the roommate and his female-accomplice did this twice. On the 19th he set up the webcam in his room, went to her room to watch and Twittered about it all, apparently broadcasting the video to an unnamed website. On the 21st he then told his 150 followers to get on iChat at a certain time so they could access iChat's live video feed and watch.



agnes!
PS - Wonder how many high school seniors are thinking they really don't want to apply to Rutgers now?...

What did Rutgers University do wrong in this situation? I doubt any student is rethinking their choice. This could have happened anywhere, in any dorm at any univeristy.

I didn't say that Rutgers itself is complicit in this heinous act, I'm just making an observation that people might think twice about applying there. Good (football team wins championship! high percentage of graduates get jobs!) or bad (Duke lacrosse players arrested on rape-charges! Crime on campus!), like any other institution or business, universities do get reputations, deserved or not.

agnes!

 

[mjkacmom]

Do you have any links to the stories that were published before Tyler's suicide? I'm just curious if the news publicly named any of them in their stories.

I did read something in the paper last night (Bergen Record), and I believe the students who broadcasted the video were names, but Tyler was not. It was a story on (ABC?) at noon yesterday. I believe the students (not Tyler) were named as well.

ETA - here is a link to a news article before the suicide: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/09/rutgers_university_freshmen_ar_1.html

 

[MUFFYCAT]

It's terrible, that poor kid and his family. Those kids should be charged with murder or manslaughter!!!

 

[MUFFYCAT]

Exactly. I don't know what they are going to say the "intent" was, but if they can't figure out how devastating and humiliating what they did would be, they are too stupid to be in normal society.

They ruined a life, theirs should be ruined.

 

[Juliegirl1]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/facebook/7220896.html

This is the story of a 13 year old in the Houston area that recently committed suicide over bullying and accusations of being gay. So sad - my heart broke to hear about this little boy.

 

[luvmy3]

I did read something in the paper last night (Bergen Record), and I believe the students who broadcasted the video were names, but Tyler was not. It was a story on (ABC?) at noon yesterday. I believe the students (not Tyler) were named as well.

Interesting, so should the media bear some responsibilty for Tyler's suicide?