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Rutgers Holds Vigil, Paterson Vows Cyberbullying Legislation

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People participate in a candlelight vigil for Rutgers University freshman Tyler Clementi at Brower Commons on the Rutgers campus in New Brunswick, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010. (AP Photo/Reena Rose Sibayan)

Last night, a few hundred students and community members gathered on Rutgers' campus for a silent vigil in honor of student Tyler Clementi, who killed himself after his roommate Dharun Ravi allegedly shared webcab footage of him engaged in a sexual encounter. Though a few officials addressed the crowd, most stayed silent, holding candles and hoping that the incident will inspire students facing similar harassment to seek help. Jenny Kurtz, the leader of the school's LGBT groups, told the crowd, "Tonight begins the process of healing."

Clementi's death happened just days before the university began their "Project Civility" project, which seeks to foster a universitywide conversation on equality, respect and diversity. Now, officials say that message is more important than ever. Rev. Barbara Heck of Rutgers’ protestant campus ministries said, "The law is to love one another." However, freshman Paul Zilber admitted he is worried. "Under this bullying, there’s homophobia, there’s hate. It’s shut down mode (here). People are afraid this can happen again. That’s my worst fear."

Meanwhile, investigators continue to consider the motives behind the Internet transmission. Dharun Ravi claims the first time was an accident—that he went to hang out in friend Molly Wei's room and checked his iChat on her computer, which remotely turned on his webcam, transmitting the video of Clementi sexually engaged with another man briefly over the Internet. However, he then updated his Twitter account, saying, "Roommate asked for the room till midnight. I went into molly's room and turned on my webcam. I saw him making out with a dude. Yay." Two days later, he wrote, "Anyone with iChat, I dare you to video chat me between the hours of 9:30 and 12. Yes, it's happening again," suggesting he was planning a more widespread transmission.

Ravi and Wei have both been charged with multiple counts of invasion of privacy, but Middlesex County Prosecutor Bruce Kaplan said, "We will be making every effort to assess whether bias played a role in the incident, and, if so, we will bring appropriate charges." Further evidence shows that the transmission was not a prank between friends, as Clementi wrote on a message board at justusboys.com that he was seeing a room change from his RA.

At a vigil in Washington Square Park last night, Governor Paterson and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn vowed to pass new legislation against cyberbullying. Paterson told the crowd, "I know how it is, as do so many of you, to be singled out for persecution for nothing more than being who you were born as," and Quinn said the vigils would "send a message to those ignorant individuals that they're not in the mainstream."

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Comments [rss]

  • John L

    There's been so many cases of bullying due to homophobia that should have garnered a lot more media attention like the case of Billy Lucas, the 15 year old that recently hung himself in a barn due to to the bullying he endured or Seth Walsh, 13. who hung himself from a tree in his back yard after years of being bullied or Asher Brown, 13, who shot himself in the head, also directly due to the incessant bullying he suffered at school. All of these other cases are more clear cut and better examples of true bullying.

    Which leads me to wonder why is this case getting so much attention? And the only thing I can think of is that the perpetrators' names were Dharun Ravi & Molly Wei. I wonder if the perpetrators were white, all-American boys and girls if we would still be seeing this outrage? Because I don't understand why we weren't as outraged about 15 year old Billy Lucas, or 13 year olds Seth Walsh and Asher Brown who couldn't just change their room mate or transfer to another school, as easily as Clementi could have done.

  • Gothamist_Cynic

    They didn't go to Rutgers.

  • NlGGAZ

    How come nobody blames the gays? It seems that the closeted gay self loathing republicans are the most destructive force in most gay peoples lives.

  • Gothamist_Cynic

    Don't you mean self-hating closet gay republicans? Open gays are just being themselves.

  • Spirit of 76

    But, but... Gov, if you pass cyber-bullying legislation, how will we ever be able to pile on felixthecat again?

  • That's.just.perfect.

  • jt10000

    How about instead of anti-bullying legislation trying to figure out some sort of programs for better schooling, better parenting, and better kids?

    How about counseling for bullies or people so insecure they're full of hate. Not easy to put into practice, but we need something.

  • random transplant

    Forget the wishy-washy feel good cyber-bullying legislation.

    How about restoring laws about distributing somebodies video without consent?

    How about legislation to make campus life responsible for actually, you know, preserving the lives of their rent paying students? En Loco Parentis, and all that boring homework they call "background" in the journalism biz.

    From reading the Gothamist alone, one has no idea whats actually going on. Paterson doesn't exactly have much say over Rutgers.

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