Dubya's Legacy

500,000 young people attempt suicide yearly with 30% of those by gay youth (that's 10% of the population committing 30% of the attempts).
My friend Jack, a gay man who voted for Dubya, points out that "this has nothing to do with gwbush. bush in office or out of office -- doesn't make a difference towards gay youth committing suicide. " I beg to differ. Anti-minority violence always goes up under conservative administrations which use coded language against minorities. These administrations give tacit approval to the group violence perpetuated on minorities by their dehumanizing talk.
There is evidence that the government can make a difference. In Massachusetts, we have a Govenor's commission on GLBT Youth. That name is actually funny, because our ridiculous current Govenor won't fund it. Anyway, in just under 10 years of having the Commission, the teen suicide rate has dropped dramatically. All that the commission does is ensure that in every school, there is a group or individual that kids can come an speak to anonymously. Of course, by publicizing the fact that the commission exists, the school system antagonizes the Bush doctrine, so he could never support it. The fact that it might lessen 30% of his nations suicides doesn't matter.