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This kind of behavior is known as "hazing". The same thing happens in the military. People play pranks on you, invade your privacy, and test your limits. I'm not suggesting for a moment that this behavior is a good thing, only it's to be expected and that this invasion wouldn't be an issue if Tyler was having sex with a girl.
If Tyler was ******** some hot girl, nobody would give a damn including him that he was video taped. But because he was in "the closest", people want to fry the 2 students who distributed the footage. Now before anyone says "Well he wasn't ready to come forward", that doesn't change anything. What if his roommate told people around the school he was having sex with a guy? The same problem would exist, would it not? We all know how rumors get around without requiring a webcam. So it's kinda pointless to sit here and berate these kids for streaming Tyler's gay sex romps. The same result would of happened regardless of the camera. Tyler is "outed" around the school, Tyler becomes depressed and embarrassed, Tyler then jumps off a bridge because he is a coward. This would of happened with or without a camera. If someone is that insecure with their sexuality, anything can set them off.
I'm always saddened by a loss of life, but this wasn't their fault. Tyler was obviously emotionally unstable and he should of sought professional help. We as a society shouldn't blame a harmless prank on these kids because a guy was emotionally unstable. They didn't know, Tyler was a "quiet kid" as reported by people who knew him.
You really don't know that it wouldn't have happened had Tyler been sleeping with a girl. He could have been a really quiet, soft spoken kid who didn't really want people to know what was going on in his love life. Yes, there are guys out there who are like, "wooo, I totally banged this hott chick" and there are guys who prefer not to talk about their physical relationship.
And there is a major difference in say, taking a guys clothes or towel away from him while taking a shower so he has to walk down the hall back to his room naked where some people might see him and video tapping it and posting it on the internet for millions of viewers to see. Let alone video taping a guy having sex with another guy and posting it on the internet for millions of viewers to see. I'm pretty sure it would be very detrimental to anyone that would have to go through that no matter what the actions taped were.
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We as a society shouldn't blame a harmless prank on these kids because a guy was emotionally unstable.
Though had you read the article. It is against the law, at least in New Jersey to video tape someone without their consent, let alone posting it on the internet. Therefore there is every right to blame the two students, which totally negates them being "harmless."
EDIT: added quotes
Edited, Sep 30th 2010 4:05pm by Hyolith