Teen Bullying, Suicide And Joel Burns

When I moved back to America after Nixon was driven from office, I wound up in San Francisco, where I didn't know anyone. I had no money and no prospects, but my old pals the Blue Oyster Cult put down a credit card at the Miyako Hotel and got me a room for as long as I needed it.

I soon met a camera-store owner who was running for county supervisor, Harvey Milk. He staked me with the equipment I needed to set up a darkroom and get my own photography business going. One of my most bittersweet and unforgettable moments took place in the back room of his camera shop on Castro Street. He had just been elected, and it shocked the national media that an openly gay person-- openly and proudly and outspokenly-- could be elected to office. There was a spate of stories in the national media. And those stories generated thousands and thousands of letters to Harvey. 

He never talked with me about the hate mail. Instead he read me a letter from a teenager from Kansas or Nebraska, I can't remember exactly where. Tears still well up in my eyes when I recall the letter and Harvey reading it to me. The teen was inspired by Harvey's electoral victory, so inspired that he decided not to commit suicide, the "way out" that Western literature and social mores had long offered to gay people.

I was upstairs putting on my shoes and socks this morning with CNN in the background when I heard about Ft. Worth City Councilman Joel Burns for the first time. Do me a favor and watch the video above of Councilman Burns talking about his own story like mine in the back of the camera shop. Can you watch it without weeping? (If so, you may well be a Republican. Seek professional help before it's too late.)

And a standing ovation... in Texas. Let's hope he decides to run against right-wing bigot Kay Granger in the not too distant future. His speech has had good coverage in the local press, and Texans seem proud to have someone like Joel in the news for a change instead of hatemongers like their closet-case governor, Rick Perry, or corrupt Big Oil shill Joe Barton.

Fort Worth Councilman Joel Burns is scheduled for two national television appearances today as attention continues to grow from this week's emotional speech in which he reached out to gay young people.

Burns took time during Tuesday's City Council meeting to take part in a nationwide campaign targeting gay youths called "It Gets Better." The project was started in September by writer and activist Dan Savage, responding in part to the case of a gay teenager in Indiana who killed himself after being taunted by classmates.

Burns fought through tears as he told those attending Tuesday's meeting that he'd like to give his 13-year-old self, who struggled with being gay, glimpses into the future.

"Yes, high school was difficult, coming out was painful, but life got so much better for me," Burns said. "And I want to tell any teen who might see this, give yourself a chance to see how much better life will get, and it will get better. ... Life will get so, so, so much better."

Later in his speech, he added, "Please stick around to make those happy memories for yourself."