I saw this posted first *here* by Melissa at The Feminist Texican, and also *here* by Renee at Womanist Musings.
So now it's my turn to spread the cheer. The video is followed by the transcript. I commented over at The Feminist Texican, that this is to me, in a word: "brilliant". I hope every depressed, harassed, or bullied lesbian, bi, trans, and gay male youth watches this over and over again until they are smiling ear to ear.
Hello, I'm George Takei and over the years, I've spoken out on civil rights issues from the Japanese American internment to proposition 8 in California. The recent suicides of LGBT youths across the country from anti-gay bullying, compels me to speak out again -- in particular against Clint McCance, a school board member in Arkansas -- a school board member who publicly encouraged kids to kill themselves. Mr. McCance has since resigned and claims he regrets saying things like, "I enjoy the fact that they often give each other AIDS and die." Mr.McCance, you are a douchebag -- that's right a douchebag. No person, let alone an elected school official whatever their personal or religious beliefs should ever wish death upon another human being. You apologized for your "poor choice in words," but you are always going to be a total douchebag. I can only suspect that you have some, shall I say issues to work out, so I've gone and bought this countdown clock. I predict that sometime soon, you will find yourself in the headlines again -- this time caught with some rentboy from some South American country and when that happens, I sincerely hope that you do not kill yourself Mr. McCance because no one should ever wish that upon someone else. And if you are a victim of gay bullying, I say this to you, it does get better and there is help out there. Call The Trevor Project lifeline at 866 4-U TREVOR and don't listen to the douchebags of the world.
And now this, from The Trevor Project:
