An 11-year-old Massachusetts boy hung himself Monday
after enduring bullying at school, including daily taunts of being gay,
despite his mother’s weekly pleas to the school to address the problem
—news item
Millions commemorate on this day a death as good news, good news
for those who believe the taunted and tortured Son of Man
bought with his death our freedom from torment.
Five days ago, a boy not yet twelve found freedom in death,
freedom from the via dolorosa of his middle school hallways,
where no one could be found to help shoulder his cross.
Peter Montgomery is a DC-based freelancer who writes primarily for progressive nonprofits and media outlets. He is a senior fellow at People For the American Way and contributes to its Right Wing Watch blog. To read more by this author: Peter Montgomery: Mapping the City