The Terribly Sad Case of Tyler Clementi

It is very difficult to speak about the suicidal death of a young man, a child, really. Tyler Clementi jumped off the George Washington Bridge several days ago. He was 18 and a freshman at Rutgers University. He was, apparently, talented, friendly, kind-hearted, young, uncertain, confused and at the doorstep of his life. You were once at this point in your life. If you were not, you are not human.

From everything I can ascertain, this young man was drawn toward a homosexual lifestyle. So be it. (Label this in any manner you choose and then throw the first stone.) But the events and aftermath of this sad and sordid story are beyond the pale.

His roommate filmed his gay fling and immediately posted it on the Internet. Tyler, his family and the rest of the world were now privy to his conduct. Tyler’s response: he kills himself.

Oh how tragic; oh how ugly; oh how malicious; oh how this could have been so much better.

I didn’t know Tyler; I wish I had. Perhaps he would have called me in his despair and asked me for some advice. I would have been on his side. He could have slept in our home. He could have called his parents from our phone. He could be alive and adding his gifts to the glorious river of humanity. Instead, he jumped off a bridge in shame and humiliation.

My heart aches for his family. A beautiful life cut so short by the harsh antics of a couple of vacuous and humorless creeps. Prison will be nothing compared to a long life filled with the deep reality of guilt. At this moment I find it very hard to forgive the two individuals incriminated in this act of darkness. Lord, give me strength.

In the meantime, for what it’s worth, I trust that Tyler is resting in the arms of the One and Only God I love; the One Who sees and knows our utter despair; the One Who understands our frailties, desires and longings.