Wear the purple today!

[JamesSavik]

Take a stand against bullying! Wear purple today.

[Tipdin]

OK! Consider it dood! ...er done.

[DragonMando]

I don't own any purple clothing, so I'm using a purple sharpie in my hair and on my hands/wrists

[TetRefine]

Wearing purple does nothing to stop the problem. Only direct, tough actions do.

[Arpeggio]

I wore purple socks since Im stuck in the house sick.

[Nephylim]

Went on a course and it surprised me how many people were wearing purple.

 

Lacey you need to take better care of yourself. You are sick way too often.

[Krista]

Is wearing my lucky purple underwear.

[PrivateTim]

Is wearing my lucky purple underwear.

You have to sag then so people can see it.

 

Edited October 20, 2010 by PrivateTim

[Arpeggio]

You have to sag then so people can see it.

 

 

Naw, she's just gonna go Tom Cruise and slide through her house listening to Bob Seger.

 

P.S: Thanks Nephy, low immune system, it makes it hard. <3

[Krista]

Ahem.. who said I was wearing anything else?

[wildone]

Ahem.. who said I was wearing anything else?

 

 

TMI

 

Steve (who now needs to go scrub his mind out with soap)

Edited October 20, 2010 by wildone

[Steve3]

From a friend on Facebook:

 

"Today, we're wearing purple in honor of the gay young men who committed suicide recently due to homophobic abuse in their homes or schools. Purple represents Spirit on the LGBTQ flag & that's exactly what we'd like all of you to have with you, spirit. Please know that times will get better & that you will meet people who will love you & respect who you are, no matter your sexuality. HUGS everyone & have a good day." TommyH

 

Steve

[DragonMando]

Wearing purple does nothing to stop the problem. Only direct, tough actions do.

 

Not directly, no, but if people ask, then awareness is spread, albeit slowly. That's why on my right forearm I've emblazoned "Remember!" in purple and black with a rainbow "aura" encompassing the first R. It'll make people look and ask. I'm not registered to vote where I'm living now, because I don't qualify for residency yet, so this is all I can do for now, but I'm going to do what I can.

 

I've gotten my aunt, her partner, and both of their dogs wearing purple, too

[JamesSavik]

Wearing purple does nothing to stop the problem. Only direct, tough actions do.

 

Ordinarily I would agree but there have been so many in such a short window of time that I think it is worth it to raise awareness of regarding the problem.

 

Other stuff like the day of silence is IMHO stupid.

 

They wish I'd shut the hell up but it isn't going to happen.

[TetRefine]

Ordinarily I would agree but there have been so many in such a short window of time that I think it is worth it to raise awareness of regarding the problem.

 

Other stuff like the day of silence is IMHO stupid.

 

They wish I'd shut the hell up but it isn't going to happen.

 

I still disagree. Many people won't know why maybe a few people are wearing purple, and most all won't bother to find out. Thats if they even notice in the first place. Symbolic action is mostly just a load of shit that does little to draw attention to something. You need something more forceful, something more noticeable to draw attention to this major issue. I am not at all saying this isn't a problem and doesn't deserve action, because it most definitely does. But it needs to be spread by much more effective means, not just wearing a color for a day, and then everyone forgets about it.

[DragonMando]

I still disagree. Many people won't know why maybe a few people are wearing purple, and most all won't bother to find out. Thats if they even notice in the first place. Symbolic action is mostly just a load of shit that does little to draw attention to something. You need something more forceful, something more noticeable to draw attention to this major issue. I am not at all saying this isn't a problem and doesn't deserve action, because it most definitely does. But it needs to be spread by much more effective means, not just wearing a color for a day, and then everyone forgets about it.

 

That's why you do this:

 

So people go "WTF Remember WHAT?!?"

I've only left the house once for a couple of minutes and already got that reaction five times, two of those people saying they'd go home and put on purple right away to try to show their support, as well. Not a bad ratio, even if it's not that much help

 

Edit: is it just me, or does my arm look...broken?

Edited October 20, 2010 by DragonMando

[wildone]

I still disagree. Many people won't know why maybe a few people are wearing purple, and most all won't bother to find out. Thats if they even notice in the first place. Symbolic action is mostly just a load of shit that does little to draw attention to something. You need something more forceful, something more noticeable to draw attention to this major issue. I am not at all saying this isn't a problem and doesn't deserve action, because it most definitely does. But it needs to be spread by much more effective means, not just wearing a color for a day, and then everyone forgets about it.

 

Today in a meeting the person in the meeting was wearing a purple shirt and had just tied some purple yarn around her wrist. She asked if anyone knew why she was wearing purple and | spoke up and gave the reason why. Two other people did as well but the other 12 didn't. She offerred some yarn to anyone who wanted it. Everyone has a purple yarn braclet now.

 

|n my view she made twelve people aware that wouldn't have been if she hadn't did it

[Krista]

That's why you do this:

 

So people go "WTF Remember WHAT?!?"

I've only left the house once for a couple of minutes and already got that reaction five times, two of those people saying they'd go home and put on purple right away to try to show their support, as well. Not a bad ratio, even if it's not that much help

 

Edit: is it just me, or does my arm look...broken?

 

 

That's really pretty..

[Andrew Q Gordon]

I still disagree. Many people won't know why maybe a few people are wearing purple, and most all won't bother to find out. Thats if they even notice in the first place. Symbolic action is mostly just a load of shit that does little to draw attention to something. You need something more forceful, something more noticeable to draw attention to this major issue. I am not at all saying this isn't a problem and doesn't deserve action, because it most definitely does. But it needs to be spread by much more effective means, not just wearing a color for a day, and then everyone forgets about it.

 

Matt,

 

I am going to side with you partly, no in the end it might be an empty gesture, but what if? What if someone who is being bullied sees others, school mates and adults, wearing purple today and thinks, maybe I am not alone, or sees someone they know wearing purple and feels comfortable enough to confide in them? What if you make adults aware - like Steve said happened at his work - and they happen to be parents and they talk to their kids about this - to check to be sure they are okay and to be sure they aren't doing it. What if people who might take a stand against it but felt alone and doubted one person could do anything alone, sudden found support in numbers and rallied to help a friend or classmate.

 

Given how little it takes to do this, or took, vs the potential for good, it is worth the effort even if it reaches only one person. Yes it is not the solution, your post is correct, and sometimes people do the simple stuff, like wear purple, but never show up for the hard stuff - like stepping in to help someone at risk to themselves, but then again, what if?

 

Andy

 

PS only 2 of 20 wore purple today - just myself and a fellow gay co-worker. the 4 other gay co-workers didn't know it was happening - sad in a way that it was not better known.

[TetRefine]

Matt,

 

I am going to side with you partly, no in the end it might be an empty gesture, but what if? What if someone who is being bullied sees others, school mates and adults, wearing purple today and thinks, maybe I am not alone, or sees someone they know wearing purple and feels comfortable enough to confide in them? What if you make adults aware - like Steve said happened at his work - and they happen to be parents and they talk to their kids about this - to check to be sure they are okay and to be sure they aren't doing it. What if people who might take a stand against it but felt alone and doubted one person could do anything alone, sudden found support in numbers and rallied to help a friend or classmate.

 

Given how little it takes to do this, or took, vs the potential for good, it is worth the effort even if it reaches only one person. Yes it is not the solution, your post is correct, and sometimes people do the simple stuff, like wear purple, but never show up for the hard stuff - like stepping in to help someone at risk to themselves, but then again, what if?

 

Andy

 

PS only 2 of 20 wore purple today - just myself and a fellow gay co-worker. the 4 other gay co-workers didn't know it was happening - sad in a way that it was not better known.

 

Your right, it can help in the way you stated above. But still, I think we need to focus on more long term solutions to this problem, such as pushing for much harsher punishments for bullying for any reason. While many schools have implemented zero tolerance policies, many have not. A lot of places, all they get is a slap on the wrist and thats it. This whole purple thing may draw a lot of attention for this one day, but once this one day has passed, it gets pushed to the back of everyone's mind. More permanent solutions, like I mentioned above, don't go away after one day, and people realize that they can't do that without a serious risk of punishment. People learn through punishment. If a person sees he can get away with it with little or no fear of punishment, they will continue to do it. If they have the fear of God struck in them, and they know that they could face harsh punishment, they will probably think twice.

 

We should be focusing our efforts on pressuring school boards around the country to adopt strict zero tolerance policies and have harsh penalties for those who bully. That is a sustainable, long term solution to this problem. Not wearing purple, but thats just me. I encourage everyone to go to school board meetings and bring this subject up. Tell them that this is urgent and something drastic needs to be done about it quickly.

[thatboyChase]

Your right, it can help in the way you stated above. But still, I think we need to focus on more long term solutions to this problem, such as pushing for much harsher punishments for bullying for any reason. While many schools have implemented zero tolerance policies, many have not. A lot of places, all they get is a slap on the wrist and thats it. This whole purple thing may draw a lot of attention for this one day, but once this one day has passed, it gets pushed to the back of everyone's mind. More permanent solutions, like I mentioned above, don't go away after one day, and people realize that they can't do that without a serious risk of punishment. People learn through punishment. If a person sees he can get away with it with little or no fear of punishment, they will continue to do it. If they have the fear of God struck in them, and they know that they could face harsh punishment, they will probably think twice.

 

We should be focusing our efforts on pressuring school boards around the country to adopt strict zero tolerance policies and have harsh penalties for those who bully. That is a sustainable, long term solution to this problem. Not wearing purple, but thats just me. I encourage everyone to go to school board meetings and bring this subject up. Tell them that this is urgent and something drastic needs to be done about it quickly.

 

talk like this more and we can start a revolution baby

[JamesSavik]

Well purple day is over and it was a shallow, easy way to make ourselves feel good without actually doing anything.

 

You know- sorta like prayer.

 

It's not like we're going to blow up a building or snipe a bunch of innocent people. That only works for the IRA.

 

I'm back to being the smart-assed cat... but again I was that cat all along.

[DragonMando]

Over except for some of us like me who forgot that Sharpie doesn't wash off for a few days DX

Now I'm gonna get the "Remember what, exactly?" for until I manage to scrub the ink off. Need to get me some washable markers

[TetRefine]

Well purple day is over and it was a shallow, easy way to make ourselves feel good without actually doing anything.

 

 

 

Exactly my point. It didn't do shit in the long run. It's over now and everyone forgets. What did we accomplish? Nothing, absolutely nothing that will last. Symbolic gestures like this only works for the very short term, and short term solves nothing in the long run. Come on people, start doing something actually productive to this cause that will bring about change, cause this obviously did nothing.

 

 

[Arpeggio]

I don't think for a minute that wearing purple was meant for anything other than honoring those affected by bullying and to help support a cause. Support doesn't mean solution, so the more support, the better. To me, it made me happy, especially when I walked in the house and saw my parents both wearing purple. That raised my spirits a lot.

 

I live in the south, so it gets pretty depressing living in a state where many people don't accept you, but seeing things like a gay pride march, or even something small like a gay pride bumper stick, can make my day a whole lot better.

 

This was productive, even if it didn't yield physical results. It made some people stronger, or feel like they could keep going, and that's one more person to help fight with the cause. If it didn't benefit you at all, then that's okay, but it probably benefited a lot of people in the end.

 

It's like exercise in a way, one night of working out won't do much, but if you exercise routinely, you get results. We just need to keep adding support, options, and solutions to this problem, which I hope doesn't remain a problem for long.

Edited October 21, 2010 by Arpeggio